"What the h.e.l.l is she thinking?" I muttered. "Kit's lost her mind. And I'm sorry I didn't get your messages, Hunter, but I do have the right to go out and enjoy myself. You had no business running off Devon, either."

"He was pretty easy to run off," Hunter said, his tone dry. Then his face grew serious. "Em, I really need to talk to you. Think we can get out of here?"

I wanted to tell him no, to take himself right to h.e.l.l. He'd left me hanging and then he hadn't gotten back in touch all day ... But his face said this was important, so indulging myself in a snit was probably off the table.

Deke said things were unsettled.

f.u.c.k.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," I said. We grabbed our stuff and walked Kelsey to her car. I'd be having words with Kit later, I decided, thumb-typing her a quick update. I knew it wasn't the first time she'd taken off with a random pickup, but she really needed to be more careful. I loved my sister so much, but for all her personality and spark, she had a pretty strong self-destructive streak.

It scared me sometimes.

"Bike's this way," Hunter said, catching my hand as Kelsey drove off. He tugged me toward an alley and I followed.

"What's going on?" I asked, feeling awkward. "Obviously something is wrong. Is it us? Club drama? I swear to G.o.d, if you kidnap me again, I'll let them kill you this time."

I said it like a joke, but I wasn't entirely kidding. That s.h.i.t was not going to be my new way of life.

"I have to leave tomorrow," Hunter said, starting down the alley. It was dark and while I could hear people, I couldn't see anything but the narrow path between the buildings. I started to get that uncomfortable feeling again. I tried to tug my hand loose, but he wouldn't let me go.

f.u.c.k.

I stopped, digging in my heels.

"I'm not going anywhere with you unless you tell me what's happening," I said, eyes darting as I scoped out my options. It wasn't particularly promising. The narrow pa.s.sage was dark, and a big Dumpster blocked the street view.

Great. Was I walking into another trap?

"Club business," Hunter said, tugging on my hand again. I refused to move. "Em, I'm not trying to do anything. My bike's on the other side of the block. I just figured this would be faster than walking all the way around."

I studied his face, trying to decide if he was f.u.c.king with me. Shadows covered his face, making him look like some kind of comic-book villain.

"I'm calling a cab," I said abruptly, reaching for my phone.

"f.u.c.k it," Hunter muttered, and then he grabbed my waist, lifting me and carrying me two steps to the wall. He shoved me up against it. Then his hand was in my hair, twisting to hold me captive for his kiss.

He took my mouth hard, forcing me to open for his tongue. Then he was inside and I thought I might die because it felt so good. His other hand pushed up my shirt, shoving the cup of my bra up and over my b.o.o.b, palming me as his hips pushed into my stomach.

Whatever other bulls.h.i.t Hunter might have going on in his life, one thing was for sure.

He hadn't lost interest in having s.e.x with me.

Of course, that had never been our problem. His mouth tore loose as we both took deep, gasping breaths and stared at each other. Then his hands came down under my a.s.s, hoisting me and wrapping my legs around his waist. My short skirt pushed up around the tops of my thighs, but I didn't give a s.h.i.t.

Nope.

All I cared about was the unreal, amazing sensation of his denim-covered c.o.c.k against my panties. He started that slow thrust that'd destroyed me last time. My head fell back against the brick wall. I'd probably have some sc.r.a.pes there in the morning.

I didn't give a s.h.i.t.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and thrust against him, desperate to feel him inside me. G.o.d. Oh G.o.d, I wanted this man. More than s.e.x, too. I knew in that moment I was well and truly screwed, because nothing had ever felt more right in my life than his arms around me, and it had nothing to do with s.e.x.

Well, maybe a little ...

"You have a condom?" I gasped. Hunter didn't stop the hard, spasmodic thrust of his hips, but I swear he growled.

"Yeah, but it shouldn't be like this. f.u.c.k, Em. You deserve so much better than what I have to offer you."

"Just screw me already."

He froze against me, panting, then set me down with a groan. I reached down to pull off my panties and stuffed them into the little purse hanging from my shoulder. Hunter ripped his pants open, and I watched in panting fascination as he rolled on a condom.

Then his hands reached for my thighs, shoving up the skirt as he lifted me again. Jesus, he was so strong, it was like I weighed nothing. I felt his c.o.c.k against my bare skin as I wrapped my legs around him, his length silky steel against my opening. Then my back hit the wall and he shoved into me.

I screamed.

Holy s.h.i.t. I'd expected Hunter to go slow for the first time ... (Although I'd expected to be in a bed, too, not some nasty alley.) Instead, he slammed home and I felt it all the way in the back of my throat. I cried out again, then leaned forward and bit the side of his neck. His c.o.c.k jerked inside me as he groaned. Then he started moving.

I don't even know how to describe what I felt. Hunter didn't hold back at all, nothing. I took all of him and I knew I'd be sore as h.e.l.l in the morning, but I didn't give a s.h.i.t. The stretch of his c.o.c.k deep inside, the pain of his fingers digging into my a.s.s cheeks?

I loved it.

My body was a mess of l.u.s.t and longing and desire, all trapped inside for way too long. I didn't care that people were walking up and down the street not ten yards away. I could smell the trash from the Dumpster, I could see the strip of stars shining above us through the tops of the buildings, and it all just added to the intensity of the moment. I felt encapsulated, caught up in a moment that would last forever.

Objectively, we didn't hold on for very long.

Hunter's c.o.c.k dragged along my c.l.i.t with every thrust, and he paused to grind himself against me in a way that pushed me right up to the edge of sanity. Then he pulled back and slammed into me again. I swear the tip of his c.o.c.k tried to push through my cervix, he went so deep.

That did it.

I cried as I blew up, clenching down on him deep inside while my fingernails tried to dig through the leather of his cut.

Holy s.h.i.t ...

Hunter grunted and thrust four more times, and then he came, too, cursing. I couldn't believe n.o.body heard us or tried to see what we were doing. If they had, I wouldn't have given a s.h.i.t.

I'd done it.

I've finally done it, I realized with a thrill, tears rolling down my face. I didn't even care that my back was raw, or that I'd be walking funny for a week. I didn't regret any of it, not for an instant.

"Well, that was pretty good," I said after a minute, sniffling.

Hunter grunted, lowering me to my feet.

"Glad it was adequate," he said wryly, leaning down to kiss the tip of my nose. I pulled away from him, straightening my skirt and digging for my panties. Now I felt weirdly embarra.s.sed.

"Um, can you turn around and give me some privacy?" I asked.

Hunter just looked at me, a strange expression on his face.

"No."

Well, that was direct. I decided getting out of the alley was more important than exploring our postcoital boundaries, so I pulled up my panties with as much dignity as I could under the circ.u.mstances. Hunter caught my hand, tugging me back into his body. His hand slid into my hair again, this time the fingers gentle, and he kissed my bruised lips softly.

"That was f.u.c.kin' incredible, babe."

"Yeah. I know," I said, smirking through my still-watery eyes. I must've looked like a clown.

Hunter smacked my a.s.s.

"Don't get c.o.c.ky on me yet," he muttered. "I'm not finished with you."

Unfortunately, he was finished, because that's when everything fell to s.h.i.t.

Chapter Thirteen.

HUNTER.

Em's phone blew up first.

We'd just reached the bike when the first call came through. She dug it out of her purse and frowned down at the number.

"It's Dad," she muttered. "I wonder if he has radar that tells him I just did something he'd hate?"

She sent the call to voice mail, laughing up at me like we shared a secret, which I guess we did. But then the cell went off again. This time it was Cookie.

"s.h.i.t," Em swore. "Do you think he called her?"

"Answer," I told her, feeling uncomfortable. Things had gone way too well this evening-we were due for disaster. She nodded and took the call, and I knew it was bad by the way she gasped and swayed. That was when my own phone went off. Burke.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"We got a serious problem," he said. "Mason is dead."

"f.u.c.k," I said, keeping a close eye on Em. She'd started pacing with short, jerky strides. "I didn't realize we were quite so close to the end."

"It wasn't the cancer that got him," Burke replied, his voice grim. "Someone shot him execution-style in his own bedroom. His old lady found him. She was out of the house when it happened, thank f.u.c.k."

"He was alone?" I asked, startled. Mason shouldn't have been alone, retirement plans or not.

"No," Burke said. He paused, and my stomach sank, because nothing good happens after pauses like that one. "He had two brothers with him, Tucker and Dob. They think Tucker's gonna pull through. Dob was DOA."

"f.u.c.k," I muttered. I glanced over at Em, who was dialing frantically. Whatever was going on there, it wasn't good, either. "What do you need from me?"

"Get back to the house and lock everything down," he said. "We've got three more reports of shots fired at different clubhouses, although no more injuries. This wasn't just a hit. This is a declaration of war."

"War with who?"

"Reapers or cartel," he said. Em seemed to be arguing with someone over the phone. So f.u.c.kin' pretty, I'd take her again right on the spot If I could. d.a.m.n. I hoped to h.e.l.l I wouldn't have to face off against her dad. "We figure it out, we hit them back hard. Plan on coming down tomorrow like we talked about, but take extra precautions to stay safe."

"Got it," I said, hanging up the phone. Em was still talking.

"Dad, I don't know where Kit is," she said. "If I knew, I'd tell you. For f.u.c.k's sake, I realize this isn't a game. Keep trying to call her and I'll do the same, sooner or later she'll have to look at her phone. She wouldn't make us worry on purpose, but she's probably busy right now."

She paused again, giving me a quick look.

"She's busy having s.e.x, Dad," she muttered. "No, I'm going home right now. And don't send someone to get me-I have a ride."

She fell silent again, and my stomach churned. If the Reapers were behind this, wouldn't they have gotten her safe before it went down? Picnic wouldn't risk his girls, I decided. And I couldn't see them pulling off something this big without him on board.

Had to be the cartel.

"I'm with someone," Em was saying. "He can give me a ride. Honest, it's safe. He'll protect me."

Her eyes met mine. Then she took a deep breath and answered the question I couldn't hear but I could sure as s.h.i.t guess at.

"I'm with Hunter, Dad," she said. Fire didn't explode out of the phone, which kind of surprised me. I did hear yelling, and then Em's face tightened.

"Deal with it," she snapped. "He'll keep me safe and give me a ride. But only if you promise the guys at Cookie's house won't do anything to him. Otherwise I'll go to a hotel ... I'll get myself safe, but I won't tell you where I am. I won't let you use me to find him or hurt him."

Something tightened in my chest and I couldn't breathe for a second. I felt a surge of possessive pride in my girl. I wanted to grab her, kiss her hard, and then f.u.c.k her up against another wall. Or pretty much anywhere else, for that matter-the list of places I'd fantasized about doing her was nearly endless. She gave a frustrated growl, hanging up the phone.

"Things aren't so good at home," she said with quiet understatement. "I don't want to be a ha.s.sle, but I think we need to find a hotel room."

Normally I'd consider that was a great f.u.c.kin' idea, but tonight was anything but the usual. She needed to be under guard. Much as I hated to admit it, right now the Reapers were her best bet for protection.

"Give me the phone."

She shook her head.

"Em, give me the f.u.c.kin' phone," I growled. "I don't know what's happening on your end, but a bunch of my brothers got shot up in the last hour and two of them are dead. I don't have time to argue with you or find you a G.o.dd.a.m.ned hotel when you should be with your club. I want you safe so I don't have to worry about you."

"We lost a brother in Boise tonight," she said slowly. "Dad wants me locked down. They think it was Jacks, Liam ..."

My name on her lips twisted something up inside my chest. Looking back, I think that's the instant I made my decision. I wasn't going to give her up. Ever. I'd die first.