"A man has been shot," he says into the phone, as he glances at me. "Yes, bring an ambulance."

After he tells the 911 operator the address, he hangs up. He sets the tape next to Wright's writhing body. He grabs my arms and leads me out of the apartment. He keeps his hand around my arm until we're outside. He's silent as we walk north.

"You don't think Wright will tell them that you shot him?" I ask.

"No," Tobey says. "If he told them, he would have to confess that he purposely tried to frame me. He'll be fighting against a difficult enough case without adding the fact that he tried to frame an innocent man."

I grab his wrist and force him to stop walking. He faces me and I say, "I thought...when the gunshot went off...that he had shot you." He cups my face in his hands and kisses my lips. His hands are trembling.

"You weren't afraid when you were planning to kill a man and he had a gun pointed at you," I say, taking his shaky hands into my own.

"I still wouldn't be afraid to kill him or be afraid to die. I'm afraid of what you think of me now, though. I never wanted you to see the inhumane side of me."

I wrap my arms around his waist and press my lips against his frantic heart. "I think you're a good man that had his back against the wall. I think that you love me."

"You should know that I love you," he says and I smile.

"I do."

"In the matter of The State of New York versus Robert Wright, on the count of murder in the first degree, how do you find?" the judge asks.

The foreman stares down at the paper he has in front of him. A century seems to pa.s.s before he answers with a single word, "Guilty."

I bounce to my feet and embrace Tobey. He wraps his arms around me, bows his head and our lips touch. We turn to see Wright as he is dragged to a door in the back of the court.

"The law is pretty cool when this happens," he tells me and I grin.

"But that doesn't mean that you're going to start obeying the law, does it?" I ask.

"No," he says.

"Good," I say. "I don't know if I'd like you if you changed too much."

The crowd in the courtroom begins to disperse and we follow them out. Tobey takes my hand and leads me out to his Harley-Davidson, as it gleams bright red under the sunlight.

"Can I take you home?" he asks, holding out a small, black helmet.

I take the helmet and say, "You can take me back to your cabin. I never got to see your bedroom."

He laughs, grabs me around the waist, and squeezes my body against his. At the same time, his lips crush mine. His kisses soften after a few seconds, as his fingers slide into my hair. Electricity runs through my veins every time he touches me. The lightning storm is over, but the power and light of our love still strikes through the sky.

Love Me an Angel.

Sophia Hampton.

I've always had my suspicions about the line of work my family is in. I've overheard whispers in the dark, rumors around town. We're bikers, and although I'm not naive about us living a little outside of the law sometimes, I've always been pretty happy in my ignorance. That was, at least, until one night-the night that I met Brian. That's when everything changed.

I find myself at the biker bar that my brothers always want to go to and, as they were my rides, I pretty much always ended up wherever they want to go. Being the youngest and also the only girl in a family with three older brothers, I was used to not getting my own way. That said, I love my big brothers. I know the Stone Boys have a bit of a reputation for causing trouble and getting into fights, but I also know that they would do anything to protect me and that makes me feel pretty safe. No one in their right mind would want to get on the wrong side of them.

"Another shot for the ladies, Mr. Bartender," Brooklyn says, smiling at Joe and batting her eyelashes. But the effect is ruined a little when she hiccups loudly and dissolves into a fit of giggles.

"Wow, looks like someone has had enough," I say, simultaneously miming to Joe to cut her off, and he knows that means to just bring her water rather than the vodka she seems to have been downing all night. She's been doing this for the past 3 months, ever since we both turned 21. You would have thought that the novelty of getting wasted would wear off after a while.

"You're no fun!" Brooklyn tells me as she pouts prettily. She is my best friend in the whole world; we've known each other since kindergarten and she wants to get out of this town almost as badly as I do.

"Just take a sip of this and sit down for a minute," I encourage her as I hand over the water that Joe has dutifully delivered, and I mouth thanks to him.

Brooklyn takes a couple of sips and then, like clockwork, her face goes a slightly concerning shade of green. "Restroom," she mutters as she sprints to the Ladies' covering her mouth.

"Just another Friday night at 'Wheels'," I sigh as I take a look around at the bar, listing all the people as I tick them off. These are the regulars. There's Josie who has slept her way through pretty much all the bikers in the gang; she was pretty but she was now pushing 40 and all the years of hard-living were starting to take their toll. There was Colt, one of the old timers who was so named because he always carried his trusty revolver of the same name with him wherever he went. I'd never actually seen him use the pistol but the reputation was enough for no one to get on his bad side.

As I take in the scene I notice a guy that I've never seen in Wheels before. He looks like he was born in a leather jacket; he has dark brown hair, and even from where I'm standing, I can see he has amazing blue eyes. He is probably the best looking guy I've ever seen in my life and I can tell from the gaggle of women around him that I'm not the only one that's noticed. Our eyes meet and I quickly look away, hoping he hasn't noticed that I was staring at him. That would be too embarra.s.sing. I turn around hurriedly, facing the bar again and trying to get Joe's attention for another drink; I need something to do with my hands.

"Whisky, straight up," the manly voice says from my side and when I look up at the face that goes with the voice, I'm surprised and a little unsettled to find the hot guy has made his way over to me. "What'll it be for you?" he asks, looking down at me like he clearly expects an answer. I flick a look over to my brothers, who are at a table over on the other side of the bar. They don't seem to have noticed the attention I'm getting yet. I know that as soon as they do, things might get a little tense.

"I'll get my own drink, thanks," I say to him quietly, never taking my eyes off of my brothers.

The guy follows my stare and looks between my brothers and me, taking in the situation, and I wonder if it's my imagination or if I see a ghost of a smile pa.s.s across his lips. "No, I insist," he says, leaning closer to me, and I feel my heart beat a little faster in response. "I'm Brian," he says after a beat, holding out his hand.

"Casey," I reply, looking at his hand but not shaking it. "Casey Stone," I tell him, and from his expression I can tell that he already knows who I am. "And if my brothers see someone from The Eagles talking to me, they're not likely to be very happy, are they?" I ask him, smiling sweetly but enjoying the fact that I've seen right through his game. "So if you're trying to p.i.s.s them off, you're doing a pretty good job so far," I tell him.

"Smart and beautiful," Brian says under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear. "You got me." He holds up his hands in mock surrender. "I may have come over here just to see if I could rile your brothers up a little bit, but that's not why I'm still here," he admits.

"And why is that?" I ask, looking up at him from under my dark lashes, smiling and knowing that I'm flirting with someone that there is no way my family would allow me to be seen with.

"Well, you're pretty easy on the eyes to start with," Brian replies, openly staring at my long legs and the denim mini-skirt that doesn't leave much to the imagination. "And it turns out that you have a brain in that beautiful brunette head of yours," he says, "and that's rarer than you might think around here," he adds a little bitterly.

Before I can agree and tell him that I can't wait to get out of this place either, Aaron's voice comes from behind me: "This guy bothering you Case?" he asks, looking threateningly at Brian. Aaron is eight years older than me; he's head of the family and the oldest of the Stone boys.

"No, it's fine, Aaron, he was just getting me a drink and then he was going to leave," I say, looking pointedly at Brian.

"I hadn't realized it was illegal to speak to a beautiful woman in this place," Brian says lazily, like Aaron's challenge isn't even worth his time. But from the way he's taking in his surroundings I can tell he's figuring out his exit options in case things get too hairy.

"She's not a 'beautiful woman,' she's my sister," Aaron replies, and I see my other two brothers start to get up from the table looking like they're getting ready for action.

"Well gee, thanks big bro," I joke, trying to diffuse the situation. "But Brian really is just about to leave," I say firmly, looking at him. "Please go," I whisper, quietly enough for Brian to hear me but no one else.

He looks down at me and for one dreadful, wonderful moment I think he may be about to kiss me. But he just gives me a gentle smile and steps away from the bar, raising his hands. "Great to meet you, Casey. Aaron-always a pleasure," he says sarcastically and makes his way slowly out the door. I don't start breathing again until I hear a motorbike engine roar into life and then drive away.

"You alright?" Jake, my middle brother asks as he quickly comes to my side with Max, and I'm suddenly surrounded by the full force of the Stone boys.

"I'm fine. You guys didn't have to make such a big deal about it. We were just talking," I tell them. I don't add that I wanted to do way more than just talk to Brian.

"He's an Eagle, Case, he shouldn't even have been in here," Jake tells me. "And I didn't like the way he was looking at you."

"I'm 21 guys, I'm not a kid anymore," I remind them all, and I catch a look of understanding from Max. He's my twin, only a minute older than me. We had always been so close, but since he's got more involved in Stone Biker business it seems like he's drifting further and further away from me. He was always a happy, gentle kid, but whatever they're getting him to do is making him hard.

"No you're not a kid, but you're a Stone and that means no Eagle looks at you that way," Aaron says decisively. After a few more a.s.surances that nothing happened and that I'm fine, the boys head back to their table and, I hope, forget about what just happened.

"Who was the honey?" Brooklyn asks as she appears out of nowhere looking substantially less green than when she left.

"Just a guy. A guy I can't have," I add under my breath.

"No such thing as 'can't' sweetheart," Brooklyn tells me, smiling smugly. "He slipped me his number on his way out," she tells me and holds it up triumphantly like a trophy.

That night in my bedroom I hold the slip of paper with Brian's number scrawled on it in my hands and I think about what to do. I've never been the one to make the move, so this was new territory for me. My brothers had made it clear that I wasn't to talk to Brian, let alone do anything else with him. But I'm finding it hard not to think about him and it wasn't just because he was insanely hot. There was something more there, a connection I felt as soon as I saw him and our eyes locked. In that second everything had changed for me, but I know that the only reason he had come over to talk to me was to rub my brothers up the wrong way. Well, he'd definitely achieved that! I look at the clock by my bed. It's close to 1am. Too late to call, and I know that I shouldn't call him, but I also know that I want to, I want to more than anything else.

He picks up on the third ring. "Took you long enough," he says in a low voice, and I feel a tingle just at the sound of his voice.

"How did you know it was me?" I ask, standing up and pacing around my room. I'm nervous and I need to burn off some of that energy.

"How many beautiful girls do you think I gave my number to tonight?" he asks, and I feel myself blush.

"I don't know, I guess it depends on how many people you were trying to p.i.s.s off," I joke, and I'm rewarded by his laugh.

"I hope they didn't give you a hard time?" Brian asks, and he sounds genuinely concerned.

"No more than usual," I half-joke.

Brian is silent for a moment and then, as if he's decided something, he asks, "What are you doing right now?"

"Walking around my room wondering how I'm going to get to sleep," I tell him truthfully.

"I'll be at the end of your street in 10 minutes. If you want to see me then be there, if not then don't worry, I won't contact you again," he says and then abruptly hangs up.

I cradle the cell phone in my hand for a few moments, knowing what it would mean if I go; my brothers would never approve-he's a member of a rival gang and there's no way they will let that slide. But I've already made my decision: I want to see him. I'm desperate to see him, in fact. My brothers are probably out back shooting the breeze and drinking a few beers in the warm Colorado night air. They won't even notice I'm gone. I slip down the stairs, careful not to step on the floorboards that I know creak. As I get to the front door I hear the swing door to the kitchen open and close behind me.

"Where you headed, Case?" Max asks, and I turn around slowly while trying to even out my breathing.

"Nowhere. Couldn't sleep, thought I'd take a walk," I say, although I'm aware how improbable this sounds. I've never been very good at lying, especially not to Max.

He looks doubtfully at me and I know he doesn't believe me, but he lets it slide. "You know we weren't kidding about that Brian guy, right? If he tries anything with you, if he even looks so much in your general direction, we want to know about it," he tells me. "This is serious Case," he adds, but he doesn't expand.

"I know, I've got it Max," I a.s.sure him. "I'll see you later," I say and close the front door gently behind me. I take a quick look around to make sure that my twin brother hasn't decided to check up on me, and when I'm satisfied that I'm alone I take off down the street, hurrying to make sure I'm not late. The last thing I want is to be late and for Brian to think I don't want to see him. When I get to the end of the street I peer through the darkness and see a figure leaning against some railings. I take a deep breath and without hesitation I walk towards him.

"I wasn't sure if you'd come," Brian says, and even in the dark I'm aware of the heat of his gaze.

"I almost got busted by one of my brothers," I tell him and I see him take a look behind me as if to double check that I'm on my own.

He takes a step towards me, planting his hands on my shoulders and looking deep into my eyes. "They can't know about us. No one can," he says firmly.

"What about 'us'?" I ask breathlessly, putting emphasis on the last word.

"I don't know yet," he tells me, leaning his head down towards mine, "but I can't wait to find out." He then closes the gap between us, shutting my mouth in a kiss. He's caught me off-guard but I kiss him back hard and my arms go around him almost automatically as the kiss gets deeper, hotter, full of need. After what seems like an eternity of his lips against mine, Brian pulls away and I can see he's as affected by the kiss as I am. "Let's get out of here," he says, taking hold of my hand and not letting go of it until I'm sitting behind him on his bike. I wrap my arms around him and we speed off into the darkness. I don't even think to question where we're going.

After around 20 minutes we pull up outside what looks like a warehouse and I hear a warning bell sound in my head. I'm in the middle of nowhere with a guy I've only just met and who my brothers have warned me not to see. Either I am really stupid, or Brian has completely addled my brain.

"Where are we?" I ask, looking around me before I get off the bike.

"My place," he replies holding out his hand for me to take it, which I do without even thinking about it. He unlocks the door and leads me inside and far from being a run-down place, it's an amazing house. The floor is a gorgeous polished wood, the walls are exposed bricks, it's completely open plan and there's so much s.p.a.ce; it's beautiful.

"Wow," I say as I take in the place. "It's not what I'd expected."

"What had you expected?" he asks, looking at me in amus.e.m.e.nt as he heads to the kitchen and pulls out a couple of beers from the silver refrigerator. Everything in his house seems to have been chosen with an eye on design and detail.

"I'm not sure," I tell him truthfully. "I guess I hadn't expected you," I say as he hands me the beer and I feel a spark of electricity when our fingers touch.

"Ditto," he replies, smiling and shaking his head like he can't quite believe it. We sit together on the big leather couch and he reaches around my shoulder, pulling me close to him as I snuggle down into him. It's as if we've known each other for a long time, we're so easy and comfortable with each other, but there's a definite feeling of s.e.xual tension rippling under the surface. We start talking about our lives. I ask him about how he became a member of Eagles, he asks about how I lost my parents. We both want to see the world, not just the state. I knew he was older than me but I'm surprised when he tells me he's the same age as Aaron. They were at high school together; they were even friends back in the day. I don't ask what happened, because it doesn't seem like he's ready to tell that story yet. We talk for hours and I feel completely relaxed with Brian, like I could tell him anything.

"It's late," he says eventually. "You take the bed, I'll take the couch." It's the last thing I had expected him to say.

"Is that what you want?" I ask, leaning in closer to him, knowing exactly what I want.

"I don't want you to think I brought you here expecting anything," Brian says slowly, looking at me curiously. "I just wanted us to get to know each other." He shrugs and smiles and I just want to bite the dimple on his cheek.

"Well I'd like us to get to know each other a whole lot better," I whisper, leaning in to him and kissing him softly. My words have the desired effect and Brian responds to my kiss, turning it deeper and harder. I have to hold on to him, I'm so turned on.

He breaks away after a few minutes and I'm panting, I'm so out of breath. "Not here," he growls, and then picks me up as if I don't weigh anything and he carries me to the other side of the warehouse to his bed. He lays me down and slowly, deliberately, he starts to undress me. He unb.u.t.tons my jeans, pulling them off, quickly followed by my black panties. Then he turns his attention to my shirt, which he pulls off and throws behind him. He rubs his hands over the lacey material of my bra, making my nipples perk up instantly. I let out a little sigh at his touch and Brian looks at me as if I'm the best present he's ever had.

I pull him down to me hungrily and he kisses me deeply, unclipping my bra and twisting my nipples between his thumb and forefinger, making my p.u.s.s.y ache. I'm completely naked and he's fully clothed. "There's something wrong with this picture," I joke breathlessly, moving my fingers underneath his t-shirt and pulling it up over his head. I run my hands down his muscular torso, over the ridges of his abs and down towards his jeans where I can feel how aroused he is. I unb.u.t.ton his jeans and reach inside his boxers to feel how hard he is and he groans as I take him in my hand.

"I want to take this slow," Brian tells me, panting, trying to control himself.

"I just want you," I reply looking deep into his eyes so he can see how serious I am.

"I'm so hot for you," he tells me as he dips a finger between my thighs and a smile spreads across his face as he feels how wet I am. I moan as he draws slow circles and strokes up and down, putting pressure on my c.l.i.t and I feel like I'm going to come right there in his hand. "It seems like you're pretty turned on too," he says, and then his lips are against mine and I let out a whimper as he slips his fingers inside of me. "I want you to come like this first," he tells me, his voice full of heat and fire as he moves his fingers and my hips buck as I do exactly what he wants me to and I climax around him. "You're even more beautiful when you come, Casey; do you know that?" he asks, pulling his fingers out of my p.u.s.s.y. Then he does something which just drives me wild: he puts his fingers in his mouth and tastes me, and then he kisses me. I taste my own salt on his tongue and I feel like I might come again.

"I want you... inside," I say breathlessly, tugging at his pants until his length is throbbing in my hand. Brian leans over me and I guide him inside and we watch each other as he fills me up.

Brian starts slowly and then speeds up, pumping his hips, thrusting into me harder and then softer, harder and then softer, and all I can do is enjoy the ride. "f.u.c.k me," I plead with him and he buries himself inside of me as I groan his name. I whimper as Brian closes my nipple in his mouth and his teeth graze the sensitive skin. We're both desperate for each other, we're biting, licking, sucking, covered in sweat, and I know I'm not going to last for much longer. "I'm close," I tell him, and he looks down at me as he thrusts hard into me once, twice, and as he enters me the third time I feel like I'm falling over a ledge and I scream his name and I hear him grunt mine as we come together.

Consciousness starts to return slowly and I feel deliciously drowsy and completely satisfied. "Well, we definitely need to do that again." Brian laughs and I smile at him, wondering at how gorgeous he looks collapsed on top of me.

"I think that could be arranged," I joke back. Brian kisses me hard and we start all over again.