Page 22 of Pike
He nodded. “That’s fair.”
“I don’t know. Living with Ashley was wonderful, it was like having a sister and a best friend all rolled into one. I was able to sleep when we all lived together because I knew she had my back.” I froze and my eyes went wide. “Not that I think you don’t, I just, I don’t know. It was different.”
His brows shot up, lowering slowly as he nodded. “We grew up alone. It was just me and Ash. I mean our parents were there but not really, not when the call of drugs and alcohol was louder than two needy kids.”
“She told me some, but she was vague and so was I when we talked about our old lives. She was the one who took care of us.” I laughed and shook my head. “She said we ended up opposite sides of the same coin. Biker and artist. Cop and, well whatever I am.” I shrugged and looked away, feeling terrible for bringing up a painful topic. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he insisted but I knew he was just being kind.
“It’s not. I should probably let you sleep.” I pushed off the sofa to stand, but my legs shook under me.
Pike was right there, one hand around my waist and the other gripping my hand. “You need to sleep, woman.”
I smiled. His words were gruff but caring. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not,” he growled and set me back on the sofa beside him. “Lie down.” He stroked my hair softly. “You get some sleep and tonight I’ll watch the door.”
I wanted to argue, to tell him that I didn’t need him to watch the door. It was my duty. My responsibility, not his. But his touch was too tempting, too tantalizing to ignore and soon enough I found my lids fluttering shut and my breathing evening out.
Sleep came immediately and deeply.
But not peacefully.
Victor lunged forward, his face twisted in anger. “You dumb bitch, you killed my brother!”
I couldn’t deny it, not with the bloody knife sticking out of Marcus’ neck and my body towering over his lifeless form. “No!” I jumped back to put distance between us, but Victor was angry, no he wasn’t angry, he was in a rage.
“He called me to help discipline you. Guess I’ll get to do it by myself tonight.” He reached for me, and I ducked to get away from him. “I’ll teach you how a woman is supposed to act.” His words were menacing.
My heart raced as I tripped over Marcus’ body, giving Victor the perfect chance to stop my escape.
“Don’t worry, I don’t mind a bit of a fight,” he laughed and grabbed a handful of my hair, pulling me to my feet.
I bent and yanked the knife from Marcus’ neck and when Victor spun me to face him, I plunged it deep in his chest. “No!” My heart pounded and my hand still gripped the wooden handle of the knife.
Victor stumbled backwards until he hit the wall, sliding down slowly with that same dead look Marcus wore in his eyes.
“No!” The word left my lips on a jagged cry as I shot straight up, a clear reminder of why sleep didn’t come easily these days.
A hand was there, not violent or aggressive, just calm and soothing. “It’s okay, Chloe.”
He stroked my hair with one hand, grounding me with his strong grip with the other.
“Want to talk about it?” Pike asked.
I shook my head. “It’s the same nightmare as usual. The night that changed everything.” I risked looking at him, risked his anger or disgust only to find his eyes swimming with sympathy. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t deserve it.” I looked away and swiped at the lone tear that slid down my cheek.
“You deserve more than you think Chloe.” One hand stroked my cheek and before I knew it, I was moving closer to him. Closer to his lips.
And then my lips were on his, chaste and clumsy at first. I hadn’t kissed anyone in years and initiated a kiss in far longer than that, but I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and focused on Pike. The soft touch of his lips, softer than they looked. He hadn’t shaved in a few days so there was a gentle scrape against my face and with every scratch, my arousal grew.
Arousal. It was something I thought I’d never experience again, and the fact that it was another biker making me feel this way? Total mindfuck.
But the way his lips felt against mine was different. It was unlike anything I’d ever felt, before or after Marcus, and I was too eager, too curious to experience more. My tongue slipped out tentatively, flicking against his lips again and again. The seam of his lips parted slightly, letting my tongue slip inside to touch his. I gasped and pulled back, watching his face to make sure this was okay.
