Page 10 of Her Feral Biker
She nodded, and it was enough. I wrapped her in my arms, holding her tight.
“Not with me, princess. I watch you, and you alone.”
I could have sworn she smiled against my chest.
Annalise lifted her mouth to mine and I kissed her deep and long until the taste of her seared into my senses. Knowing I couldn't keep her, I helped her off my bike and watched her walk up the path to her father’s house. For once I didn't leave, not until she turned on her light in a room upstairs.
Not until she turned that same light off, and the curtains opened. Then my little obsession stripped for me in the darkness. I could just make out the shape of her and not much else as she pulled off her dress, letting it drop to the floor, then that damn ribbon and lace bra. Finally she stepped out of those wet little panties, leaving me breathless.
I sat and waited as she dressed again in something white and long. Annalise stood in the window for a long time, watching me watch her. Then she turned away, and left me alone.
I kicked my bike to life, knowing I’d wake her neighborhood. My mind briefly wondered if she cared as I drove away, planning how I’d rip the Albanian mafia heir apart when I found him for threatening the prettiest, sweetest thing that I never should have touched in my world.
CHAPTER FIVE
ANNALISE
My store ran for the next week without incident, without a Prinze incursion. Mostly because of the biker who parked his butt—and his bike—out the front of my shop nearly every day. If Lake wasn’t there, then someone else who wore the same embroidered jacket as he did watched my shop.
I’d never felt safer.
But as he predicted, plenty of my customers voiced their concerns about my new…security measures.
Don’t you think they look scary?
Did you ask them to come around?
Aren’t they kind of dirty?
Finally, Janice Flannigan added the coup de grâce when she came in to swap a size on the outfit she’d purchased the week before. “Don’t you think that they’ll scare off your customers?” She fluffed her hair and sent me a superior look paired with a condescending smile I instantly hated. “After all, at this end of town, it's not like you’re earning enough to cover your rent.”
My blood boiled, and it wasn’t because her words reminded me of how Prinze Kola and his strong arm men had stolen from me the week before.
“No, I don’t think they look scary,” I addressed the steel haired grandma from out of town who was stopping through with a smile as I passed her bag across the counter. “No, I didn't ask them to come around, but I am glad they’re here. No, I don't think they're dirty, and no, I’m not scared.” That was to the gaggle of moms loitering in the trinkets section while they pretended not to gawk at my feral biker entourage across the road. “And no, I don’t think they’ll scare off my customers at all. But thank you so much for your concern. Have a lovely day.” I slapped a saccharine sweet smile onto my face and ushered Janice personally to the door and out the other side.
My ladies in the jewelry section giggled, though not at me, waving at one of the poor leather clad men across the street. I peered out of the window covertly, but couldn’t spot Lake. My stomach dropped. Maybe he had other business. I knew he couldn’t always be around and that it wasn’t reasonable to expect him to be about constantly, but his presence left me less anxious. I sucked in a deep breath and headed back to the counter for my coffee, knowing it was cold and nearly down to the dregs at the bottom of the cup.
But the takeaway cup I picked up was so hot it nearly burnt my hand. I put it back in a hurry, looking around to the customer it belonged to, but everyone appeared occupied with their own shopping list, or flirting.
“It’s yours, princess."
My pulse skyrocketed.
I stared straight ahead, unwilling to turn around and faced him in case I frightened his shade away by moving and broke my afternoon caffeine deprived fantasy.
“Thank you,” I managed, closing my hands around the bottom of the cup by reflex. “I thought you only invaded my shop at night, or followed me about in the dark.”
Warmth brushed the back of my neck where I’d pulled my habit into a messy bun on top of my head. The exposed skin felt twice as dangerous with that subtle move, but he didn’t touch me. “I never said I’d hide, Annalise. But I did warn you.”
“I know.” I pivoted on my heel, turning to face him for the first time in the shop head on. My eyes blazed at him with my defiance. “And I don’t care.”
His gaze bore into my eyes in a hard stare, dark enough that they nearly matched the black leather he wore everywhere, except for the black cotton shirt underneath his jacket. “Even if it means you won’t have anyone in your shop, princess?” he said quietly. “Not everyone approves of my type."
Freaking Janice.I wanted to follow her down the street and yank out a few of her over bleached hairs. Pushing the violent thought aside, I focused on the thirst trap in front of me. Okay, so I tried to focus.
“I know that.”
“Do you?” He took a step closer, moving into my space. “Because in my world, I take what I want, and I don’t make apologies."
