Page 24 of Bad Luck, Hard Love
“You seem to have a lot of connections in Vegas for someone who's just here on business,” I observe, trying to piece together the puzzle of this man.
Thor's lips quirk into a half-smile. “I travel a lot for work. You learn to make friends in useful places.”
The way he deflects questions about his profession doesn't escape my notice. There's something guarded about him, walls carefully constructed to keep people at a distance. I recognize it because I've built similar barriers around myself.
He fills his plate and begins to eat. I take a few bites, the flavors exploding in my mouth. It takes everything I have not to devour it all like a starving beast in front of him.
“Is Thor your actual name?”
“No, it's not,” he confesses. “That's my road name.”
“Road name? Are you part of a motorcycle club or something?”
“Yes, I am,” Thor replies, stiffly. He takes a sip of his drink, maintaining eye contact. “I'm a member of the Heaven's Rejects Motorcycle Club.”
My jaw drops. “Hold on. You're serious? You're actually in a gang?”
“The Heaven’s Rejects isn’t a gang. We’re a brotherhood,” he answers sharply.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” I sputter.
“Don’t worry,” he assures me. “Being in a motorcycle club comes with a reputation that we’re all criminals. But there’s more to our lifestyle than what’s portrayed on screen.”
“I can imagine,” I reply, unsure of what else to say. I've only seen motorcycle clubs in movies and TV shows—dangerous men in leather doing illegal things. Thor doesn't seem to fit that stereotype, at least not entirely.
“My club has had its fair share of trouble in the past, but we’re trying to move forward. Our new path is why I’m in Vegas.”
“But how does a member of a motorcycle club end up saving a random girl like me?”
“You were caught in the middle of an unfathomable situation. Sitting aside and watching it happen wasn’t an option,” he explains before pausing. “You should know that I called in a favor to my club. Our tech guy is trying to identify the assholes who drugged you last night.”
A shiver runs down my spine as I imagine the danger I narrowly escaped. “Why would you do that? You did enough by getting us out of there.”
“Because men like that will try it again, and next time, someone may not be around to stop it.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly.
Thor reaches across the table and takes my hand gently in his callused one. “You don’t need to thank me, Charlotte. Your safety is important to me.”
His touch sends a shock wave of warmth through me, igniting a fiery desire that courses through my veins. The intimate rooftop setting feels like our own private world, shielding us from the chaos and noise of the city below.
“Why? We’re strangers.”
“I feel something between us,” Thor admits softly, breaking the silence. “Something powerful that goes beyond chance encounters.”
I swallow hard, feeling the same inexplicable pull toward this enigmatic man. “I feel it too,” I confess. “But...I don’t even know you.”
Thor’s grip on my hand tightens. “Then let me show you who I am,” he says, his voice dripping with raw desire.
Before I can respond, Thor leans across the table, his lips crashing into mine with an urgent hunger. The kiss is electrifying, igniting a fire within me that burns hotter than the dessert sun.
Time seems to stand still as we become lost in a world of desire and lust. His taste is intoxicating, blending the flavors of his drink and the tantalizing promise of something forbidden. The rooftop transforms into our own private haven, where nothing else matters except for this moment shared between us. As our kiss deepens, my body responds eagerly to his touch, craving more of his intoxicating presence.
With a low growl, Thor breaks our kiss and rises to his feet, catching me off guard. In one swift motion, he sweeps me into his arms and carries me toward the edge of the rooftop. I cling to him, the cool night air wrapping around us as he looks down at me—his eyes locked on mine, fierce and unwavering.
“What are you doing?”
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
