I narrow my gaze at Alex, all too aware of the short break in my schedule. Hell, it’s why I asked Viper to stay. If I didn’t have the time, he would have been left to fend for himself. My next client isn’t due to walk through the door for another thirty minutes.

  “Is that so?”

  Alex nods, not intimidated in the least by the two burly men glaring daggers at him. “A girl’s gotta eat, right?”

  Crew stands and strides across the shop, putting himself right in the line between me and Alex. He crosses his arms over his wide chest, and I can’t help but feel as though this is quickly turning into a pissing match, only Crew seems to be the only idiot participating. “She already ate.”

  The fuck?

  I stand, moving around Crew, more than frustrated with him today. “She can speak for herself,” I say, my jaw clenching as I stare up at the man who treated me like a fucking goddess last night, but all his words seem to mean nothing today, and he’s treating me like his property. “And you know what? I’m suddenly starving.”

  Moving back to my station, I pass Viper and toss my gloves into the trash before reaching for my phone and shoving it into my back pocket. Only as I turn back, Viper sits up and catches me around the waist. “You know this guy?” he demands.

  “He’s my neighbor,” I tell him. “No one you need to be worried about.”

  “Baby, I worry about every man who looks at you like that.”

  I roll my eyes, glancing between Crew and Viper as I step out of his hold. “Do you have any idea how overbearing you two are today? It’s sickening.”

  “You can say that again,” Big Jim grumbles from across the shop.

  Crew mutters under his breath, something he’s clearly become very fond of doing today, and as I walk past him, I turn back to Viper. “Your chest is healing great. Just keep applying the ointment as you usually would.” And with that, I make my way around the front of the shop, stopping right in front of a grinning Alex. “You know, I don’t recall telling you where I worked.”

  Alex scoffs, and damn it, standing this close to him, I can smell him, and it has me desperate to smell that all over me. “If you type Kyah, tattoo, and Brooklyn into a search bar, it doesn’t leave many options.”

  Shit. He has a good point.

  Rolling my eyes, I nod toward the door. “Come on,” I say. “We better go before someone has a coronary back there.”

  Alex grins and steps back out of the door, holding it open for me, and as I walk out into the street, I don’t miss the way he glances back into the shop, his gaze lingering on both Viper and Crew. “So, what’s the deal with those two?” he asks, letting the door fall closed behind him. “You dating them both?”

  “Neither,” I say with a groan, and the idea of being anywhere near either of them right now makes me grit my teeth. “Along with not dating neighbors, I also don’t date coworkers or clients. Though you should know, it was ballsy walking in there like that. You don’t know how close to death you just came.”

  Alex scoffs and gently presses his hand against my lower back, leading me across the road. “They don’t scare me, Mace,” he says, the confidence radiating out of him like a sonic blast.

  “They should,” I warn. “The company I keep . . . they’re not exactly law-abiding citizens if you know what I mean. They’re protective, and for some fucked-up reason, they each think they have some kind of claim over me so if they feel threatened or think that you’re someone out to screw with me, they won’t hesitate to step in. They act first and ask later.”

  We walk past a narrow alley, and before I even know what’s happening, his hands are on my waist. Alex lunges down the alley, taking me with him, and suddenly, I’m pressed up against a brick wall, surrounded by the silence of the dimly lit alleyway.

  Alex hovers over me, his sculpted body pressed against mine, breathing heavily as his hand lingers on my waist. “You trying to warn me away?” he questions, those dazzling eyes lingering on mine and making me squirm under his intense stare.

  I can’t fucking breathe.

  My whole body quivers, but not out of fear, and I shake my head. “No,” I whisper, my heart racing. “I should be, but for some reason I still can’t figure out, I’m not. I’m simply giving it to you straight. You know, considering how adamant you are about taking me out, despite my objections, then you need to know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. Crew and Viper back there, they don’t fuck around when it comes to me. If they can’t find a reason to trust you, then this is about as close as you’ll ever get to me.”

  His gaze becomes hooded, and the way he watches me makes my knees weak. He’s so intense, yet I’ve never felt so comfortable. “With all due respect, Mace. I’m not looking to fuck your guard dogs. I don’t give a shit what kind of claim they think they have over you or what bullshit threat they want to hit me with. They can come at me however they like, but it doesn’t matter to me because, at the end of the day, you’re the one I’m interested in. Their opinion of me doesn’t mean shit. Your opinion on the other hand . . . now that’s something I’m curious about.”

  “I . . .” My brows furrow, and I tilt my chin, holding his intense stare. “Why are you pushing it this hard? You met me for two seconds in a hallway.”

  “I mean, if you wanna get technical, it was more like two minutes. But those two minutes were enough to know that you intrigue me,” he tells me, leaning in so that his breath tickles the base of my throat. “I want to get to know you, Kyah. I want to know what gets under your skin. I want to know what makes you smile. But most of all, I can’t stop wondering about the way you’d taste on my tongue.”

  I suck in a breath, wanting to feel more of him all over me, and as his fingers skim across my jaw, I find myself desperate to feel the way they’d close around my throat. “Plus,” he continues, his thumb stretching to brush along my bottom lip. “The second I saw these full lips, I knew I needed to see what they looked like wrapped around my cock.”

  Hoooooly fuck.

  This man.

  He’s the best kind of dangerous, and despite knowing I shouldn’t, I can’t fucking wait to explore it with him. He’s a risk, but damn it, I know he’s going to be a good time. Though, if it turns out he’s all talk and no action, I’m going to be pissed.

  My knees give out, and if it weren’t for the way his body pins mine against the brick wall of the alley, I would have surely crumbled to the ground.

  My tongue pokes out, rolling over my bottom lip, and I watch the way his sharp gaze tracks the movement. “Bold of you to assume these lips are going anywhere near your cock.”

  Alex smirks, his eyes blazing at the word cock coming out of my mouth. “Bold of you to assume they’re not,” he tells me. “But let’s face it, the sooner you quit denying that you feel this fire between us, the sooner we get to have fun.”

  Hunger pounds through my veins, and I struggle to catch my breath, the feel of his body against mine making me dizzy. “Who said I was denying anything?”

  “Baby, if you weren’t denying it, you would already be braced against this wall with my cock buried inside your sweet cunt.”

  “Presumptuous.”

  Alex shakes his head, his lips settling into the most devilish smirk that makes my thighs clench. “I call it being realistic.”

  “I call it being a troublemaker.”

  “You’ve got no fucking idea,” he rumbles, his lips hovering so close to mine, tempting me with the filthy little promises they hold. “What’s it gonna be, Mace? I’m not playing your little games. Despite me showing up like this while you’re working, I’m not gonna chase you. So if you want to see what this is, then say that, but I’m not dancing around your little I don’t date my neighbors bullshit.”

  “Do you not consider this taking me out?”

  “Despite how fucking good your body feels pressed against mine, I don’t consider stealing twenty minutes between clients as a win,” he says. “I want to take you out properly. I want to spend the night whispering filthy things in your ear and then I’m going to take you home and fuck you until you’re screaming my name.”

  “I’m not a relationship kind of girl,” I warn him. “But I’m also not some whore who’s going to let you use me for an easy screw. If you’re taking me out, you’re going to respect me. You’re going to show me a good fucking time, wine and dine me, and then only if I say you’re welcome to my body, you can take it.”

  “You’re telling me you don’t want me whispering filthy little things in your ear?”

  “Not at all, I encourage the filthy little things,” I tell him. “But if you can’t respect my boundaries, then those filthy little things are nothing but empty promises. Treat me like your fucking queen, and I’ll make you my king in return.”

  Alex watches me for a short moment, his gaze lingering on mine, deep in thought. “I like a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to set boundaries.”

  “Good, because I like a man who isn’t afraid to push those boundaries while giving me exactly what I need . . . within reason, of course.”

  His fingers skim across my waist, sending a wave of goosebumps sailing across my skin. “What else do you like, Mace?” he rumbles deep in his chest.

  I tilt my head, and without hesitation, his warm lips press down on the curve of my neck, sending me spiraling with pure satisfaction. “I like a man who knows how to read a woman’s body, a man who doesn’t need me to walk him through everything. I don’t want to tell him when to take me deeper or harder. I just need him to know.”

  “What else?”

  “A man who knows when to cross the line and when to hold back,” I breathe, my hand inching up his back and knotting into his thick, dark hair. “I like a man who knows when to back off and leave me alone, or when to ignore my bullshit and bust through my fucking door anyway. I like confidence, Alex. But the second that confidence turns into arrogance, I’m done.”

  He nods, gathering my hair into one hand before ripping it back and forcing my stare up to his, a sharp gasp tearing from the back of my throat. Those dark, devilish eyes linger on mine, sending chills sweeping across my body. “Here’s what’s going to happen, Mace,” he tells me. “I’m going to walk away, and you’re going to go back to work. You’re going to have your girls’ night tonight, but you’re not going to be able to stop thinking about me, wondering how it would have felt if my fingers trailed just a little further down, or if I’d closed the gap and kissed you the way you’ve been hoping I would, and when you’re home at the end of the night and lying in your bed, knowing I’m just across the hall, you’re going to message me.”

  My chest heaves with a heavy breath, and I swallow hard. “Then what?”

  “Then you’re going to spread those pretty thighs and reach under the bed or into your side drawer and pull out whatever toys get you off each night, and you’re going to fuck yourself while thinking about me.”

  “You’re gonna leave me hanging?” I ask. “Knowing I’m just across the hall, all needy and worked up, and you’re not going to come?”

  “Oh, I’ll be coming, just not in your sweet little cunt, or your pretty mouth, or in that tight ass. Not until you’ve worked out what the fuck you want, because right now, I don’t think you have a damn clue.”

  Pressing my hand against his chest, I force him back a step to give me space to breathe, and he doesn’t hesitate. He’s respecting my boundaries, but he doesn’t dare take that intense stare off mine. “You’re pretty damn sure of yourself.”

  Alex nods. “Do you want a man who’s going to give you what you want, or give you what you need?”

  “I—” I cut myself off because honestly, I have no fucking idea, and as he stares at me with that knowing sparkle in his eye, I want nothing more than to smack the cockiness off his face.

  “Think about it, and when you’re ready for me to really take you out, you know where to find me. Until then, I’m going to enjoy listening to the way you come through the wall while screaming my name.” And with that, Alex is gone, leaving me gasping for air and having absolutely no idea what the fuck just happened.

  10

  KYAH

  The mid-city bar is crowded as I weave my way through the throng of rowdy partiers, but despite the noise and the chaos of the bar, I hear my best friend’s voice as clearly as though she were standing right next to me, screaming directly into my ear.

  “WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN, SKANK?” Nat roars across the bar. “YOU’RE OVER AN HOUR LATE!”

  I groan, rolling my eyes as a stupid grin tears across my face. I learned a long time ago not to get embarrassed by Nat’s ability to make her voice carry across a room. She’s always been loud, since the first day of our freshman year of high school when I faced off against Kelly Blake in my first-ever fistfight.

  Nat was right there, and when it was clear I was about to have my ass kicked, she jumped in and whooped that bitch’s ass, despite not even knowing my name. We’ve been best friends since, and I’m proud to say that since then, I’ve more than shaped up my fistfighting skills. Hell, I’d be more than happy to go for a round or two with Kelly now and finally have my chance to put her in her place, but on the other hand, I also like to think that I’m not that messy high schooler who didn’t know what was good for her anymore. I’ve grown. I’m a woman now, and I’ve worked hard to achieve this life.

  At seventeen, I was a mess and had traveled down far too many dark paths. The day I stumbled upon High Voltage Ink and met Big Jim, I fully believe an angel was looking down on me. Without Big Jim, I don’t know where I’d be today. Probably already dead. He saved me, gave me something to work toward, and because of that, I owe him everything. Hell, his willingness to pull me out of the darkness and set me straight also meant that through association, Nat was able to keep out of trouble too. Since then, she’s had the world in the palm of her hands and has been making it her bitch.

  She has always had an overwhelming need to help people, to stand at their back at the worst of times and help them through, so it was no surprise when she was offered a job as a 911 operator right out of school. She was put through all the necessary training and took her job seriously, and now at twenty-three, she’s been awarded for the work she’s done in helping save lives, but she doesn’t do it for the recognition or the praise, all she’s ever wanted was to help.

  Last year, she was finally able to move out of the shitty rental she shared with her ex-boyfriend and purchased her first home. It’s modest and needs a few upgrades, but those four walls are all hers, and I’ve never been so proud.

  Finally weaving through all the bodies, I make it to Nat’s table, and she immediately tumbles out, throwing her arms around me in a tight hug, clearly already a few drinks ahead of me. “Sorry,” I say, knowing damn well she’s about to give me shit for being so late. “Today was a weird day, and my last client was late and grouchy. I got out of there as soon as I could.”

  “I ordered you a drink,” she says, her gaze falling to the table where there are two empty glasses. “But it didn’t last very long.”

  I cringe. “Tell me it wasn’t tequila,” I ask, knowing how she gets when she’s had too much tequila, but it’s her drink of choice, just as it is mine, but she guzzles that stuff like it’s water.

  “Of course it was tequila,” she says, scooting back into her seat at the table and nodding across the bar to a guy who’s watching her with a lazy smirk. “But don’t worry, I found someone to occupy my time.”

  I narrow my gaze, making myself comfortable just as another two drinks are delivered to our table. “What is that supposed to mean?” I ask, taking in the wicked grin stretching across her lips.

  “His name is Sullivan,” she starts. “He was eye-fucking me from across the bar, and I didn’t want to just sit here all by myself, so I invited him over and we hit it off.”

  “Okay,” I laugh. “Where’s the rest of the story?”

  “What do you mean the rest of the story?” she questions, scooping up her glass and playing innocent as she takes a long sip through the straw, probably hoping that if she takes long enough, I might just forget to push her on it.

  “Natalie,” I warn.

  Her grin widens, and the second her eyes start to glisten, I know it’s about to fall out of her mouth like word vomit. “Okay, so like, he came over here with those bulging arms and all that sexy cologne, and I just . . . I don’t know. It was like those men’s deodorant commercials when women just fall to their knees when they walk past. He smelled so good and he’s so hot, and I couldn’t help myself. One minute we were sitting right here, and the next, I was spread eagle on the bathroom vanity with his face between my legs. And fuck, Ky. This man knows how to eat pussy. My eyes were rolling in the back of my head. It was insane. My legs are still shaking.”

  My eyes bug out of my head, and I gape at my best friend, not knowing whether I need to be shocked or impressed. “NAT!”

  “What?” she laughs. “It was so good, and he’s so big. He’s taking me home for round two tonight.”

  “Oh God!” I mutter, sipping my drink and trying to ignore the burn of tequila that pours down the back of my throat. “Let’s just hope he knows how to use it.”

  “Oh, he does,” she assures me, glancing up and grinning like a devil at the mysterious Sullivan across the bar, the two of them looking at each other like they share the filthiest little secret, and I suppose they do. “After eating my pussy, he bent me over like a pretzel and fucked me into oblivion, but it wasn’t enough. That’s not the kind of dick you use once and throw away. I need a whole night with him first and then I’ll throw him out with the trash.”

  I laugh and shake my head while studying the attractive stranger across the bar. He doesn’t strike me as the type to mind being thrown out in the morning. “Just remember to be safe,” I tell her. “The last thing you need is to catch some dirty STD from the guy.”