Maverick, page 2
Molly’s head whipped toward her sister, and she groaned. “For the love of all that is holy, do not call Dad. Good grief, Dahls, I can handle my own shit.”
Her sister didn’t say anything else, but she continued to watch us closely.
“Do you know what you want?” Molly queried, watching me curiously.
“I know exactly what I fucking want, princess.”
She double blinked, then inhaled sharply. “Okay, let’s go to my station, and you can show me—”
“Wait,” Dahlia interrupted again, making me want to put duct tape over her mouth. “You’re done for the day after…”
“Maverick,” Molly supplied when her sister paused.
“Right. Anyway, do you think you might want to stick around and do Dale’s tat?”
I repressed a sigh, getting really fucking impatient with sharing my woman’s attention, but I didn’t want to come on any stronger than I already was, so I swallowed my irritation.
“Sure. You’re still doing the same design?” Molly asked Dale.
He nodded, then grabbed the hem of his shirt and raised it, revealing far too much of a ripped stomach since his jeans were hanging around his hips. “We decided to put it here,” he said, pointing at a spot that was so low on the right side, it couldn’t have been but mere centimeters from the guy’s junk.
The weeks of frustration at not seeing her, then all this bullshit at the shop, and now this guy wanting my woman to basically ink his dick took me to the end of my rope.
“Not a fucking chance in hell,” I growled. “No fucking way am I letting you anywhere near my woman.”
Molly gasped and swung around to face me, putting her hands on her hips, looking unbelievably fuckable. “You can’t just—”
Fuck it. I was so done with this bullshit. Before anyone realized what was happening, I bent over and put my shoulder in her stomach as I wrapped an arm around her legs.
“What are you doing?” Molly shrieked, wiggling frantically.
“NOW should I call Dad?” Dahlia yelled.
I slapped Molly’s ass and muttered, “Calm down before you hurt yourself.”
“No!” I wasn’t sure if she was talking to me or Dahlia, and I didn’t give a shit. I was already headed for the door.
“I’ll deal with this,” she snapped. “Cover for me for a few days.”
I grinned since no one could see my face.
“Fine. But you better call me every freaking day to let me know you’re alive!”
I stomped out to my bike and set Molly on the back of it, caging her between my spread thighs while I dug a helmet and my leather jacket out of my saddle bag for her. Once I put them both on her, I gave her a stern look. “Stay.”
Molly opened her mouth, most likely to say something sassy that would only make me want to fuck her even more. So I captured her lips to shut her up. But I had to rip my mouth away almost immediately or the only place we’d be going was to the nearest hotel. And I didn’t want that to give Molly the wrong impression of what was happening right now.
This wasn’t a fling, a one-night stand, or any kind of temporary relationship.
I was staking my claim.
2
MOLLY
I’d ridden on the back of my dad’s bike plenty of times, but being behind Maverick was a totally different experience. A big part of the reason I stayed put for the two-hour ride to the Iron Rogues compound was because of how much I enjoyed the feel of his big body between my legs. As he pulled through the gates, I realized that I must’ve been more like my mom than I thought because I’d just assisted in my own kidnapping. And pulled my sister into the situation since I’d asked her to cover for me.
When Maverick killed the engine, I yanked the helmet off my head and handed it to him. Then I slid off his bike and shrugged off his jacket, tossing it at him as well. Glaring, I planted my fists on my hips. “You could’ve warned me that we were going all the way to Old Bridge.”
“Where else was I going to take you, princess?” He toed down the kickstand and climbed off his motorcycle. “I wouldn’t have anyone to take my back if we’d gone elsewhere.” He stowed the helmet and jacket in his saddlebags, then faced me.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have kidnapped me if you’re so worried about it,” I quipped, arching my brow as he stepped closer.
Wrapping his large hand around my arm, he smirked at me. “Didn’t say I was worried about the price I’m gonna have to pay for taking you.”
His confidence only made him sexier, but his reply left me confused. As he tugged me toward the clubhouse, I asked, “Then why was it so important to have your club brothers at your back?”
“Because you’re with me.” He paused at the door and lifted his other hand to swipe his thumb down my cheek. “And I’m not going to take any risks when it comes to your safety.”
I’d always pictured myself with a guy who was fearless and protective, and each minute I spent with Maverick made me wonder if he was the one I’d been waiting for. Not only was I wildly attracted to him, but he also kept doing stuff that reminded me of how the men I’d grown up with treated their wives. Something he reinforced only minutes after he led me inside the Iron Rogues clubhouse.
One of his club brothers glanced over his shoulder at us, then swiveled on his barstool and stuck two fingers in his mouth to let out a loud whistle. “Damn, Mav. You been waiting for the hottest chick you could find to finally bring one around to the clubhouse?”
Maverick’s body went solid before he shrugged off his cut and shoved my arms in the holes. Well aware of the meaning behind that move—and loving that he’d never brought another woman to the compound—a delicious shiver raced up my spine. But if I was going to wear Maverick’s name on my back, I didn’t want it to be because of a knee-jerk reflex. Since I only planned on giving myself to one man, he needed to put more thought into the action.
Especially when I wasn’t completely sure what his motive was for taking me from Silver Ink. There was no mistaking the desire in his blue orbs when he looked at me, so I knew he wanted me. But there was a huge jump between temporary lust and forever—and I hadn’t waited this long just for a quick roll between the sheets.
I slipped the leather vest off my shoulders and handed it back to him. “If you’re giving this to me for protection, I don’t need it. My dad made sure that I know how to take care of myself. And I shouldn’t need to worry about my safety while I’m here, right? That was the whole point of you bringing me to your compound?”
His knuckles went white as he clenched his cut. “What if I have a different reason for wanting you to have my name on you?”
Considering the roadblocks my dad would put in our way if we decided to be together, “if” wasn’t good enough. He needed to be ready for the fight he would have on his hands. “If you’re gonna claim me, it will be the right way. Not a spur-of-the-moment decision made out of jealousy.”
“Shit, she’s sassy too?” The other guy beamed a flirtatious smile at me. “You’re fiery like your red hair, huh? Just my kind of woman.”
Maverick stepped in front of me, blocking my view of his club brother. “Keep your eyes off her and your mouth shut, Pike.”
“C’mon, man. I didn’t mean any harm,” Pike mumbled. “But you gotta admit the girl is even hotter when she’s being feisty.”
I bit my lip to hold back a giggle, wondering if this guy was being serious or if he was just having fun pushing Maverick’s buttons. I’d been old enough when several of the Silver Saints had found their old ladies to see how much fun the other guys had giving them a hard time. And Maverick was reacting pretty much the same way…which gave me hope that he’d taken me for the same reason Dax had taken Arya when I was eight. Kidnapping your future old lady was a long-standing tradition in the Silver Saints, but I liked his motive for it the most—he hadn’t wanted to wait another minute to claim his woman.
“I know you heard me tell you to keep your mouth shut about her.” Maverick shoved his cut back onto his shoulders and strode toward the bar.
Heaving a deep sigh, I glanced around the Iron Rogues clubhouse and compared it to the one I’d grown up in. Both had a large space where all of the guys could hang out, but there was none of the homey vibe that ours had, and I wondered if that was because none of their leadership had old ladies. I’d heard enough stories growing up to know that the vibe of the Silver Saints had changed when my dad fell for my mom, and that the club turned into more of a family as each member fell in love and had children.
The Iron Rogues clubhouse was utterly masculine without any hint of a feminine touch. Kind of like a big bachelor pad with black leather couches, a pool table, a poker table, and several big-screen televisions. The red leather stools lining the bar were the only pop of color in the dark room.
Pike slid off the one he’d been sitting on, his hands held palms up in a gesture of surrender. “I hear you, man. I’ll keep my eyes off your girl and my mouth shut about her from now on.”
“You can do one better for me.” Maverick returned to my side. “Spread the word with our brothers and any hangers-on that they need to watch themselves because Molly Mackenzie is here, and she’s off-limits.”
I snickered and blinked up at him as innocently as I could manage. “I thought you wanted your guys to help keep an eye on me while I was here?”
The growl that rumbled up his wide chest made my panties damp. Judging by the knowing look in his eyes as he nudged me toward a set of stairs at the other side of the room, I hadn’t been able to hide my reaction to him.
“Good luck with her,” Pike muttered. “I have a feeling you’re gonna need it.”
Maverick just sighed as he led me up to what I assumed was his room. When we got to his door, I leaned against the wall as he opened it. “I know I didn’t put up much of a fight when you kidnapped me from Silver Ink, but heading straight for your room as soon as you bring me here is way out of character for me.”
He mirrored my position on the other side of the door, grinning at me. “Is it really kidnapping if you were willing to let me take you?”
“Probably not.” I shook my head with a soft laugh. “My personality is a lot more like my dad’s, but I must get that part from my mom.”
He cocked his head to the side, his brows drawing together. “What do you mean?”
“There was stuff going down between the Silver Saints and my grandfather’s club, the Hounds of Hellfire, back when my parents got together,” I explained, my lips curving into a smile as I recalled all the times I’d been told about their meet cute. “My dad needed my grandpa to do something, so he decided to take my mom. Only when he showed up at their clubhouse to kidnap her, she literally provided the ladder they used to climb out her window.”
Maverick’s eyes widened. “Damn, that was ballsy as fuck, on both their parts.”
“Luckily, they managed to work everything out, even though my dad and grandpa are both stubborn as all get-out. Especially when it comes to protecting the people they love.” Tapping my foot on the floor, I quirked a brow. “Which doesn’t bode well for you, but at least the Iron Rogues aren’t my father’s rival MC.”
“We are now. Because my VP is a fucking idiot.”
My head whipped around at the deep grumble, and I gawked at the man stomping down the hallway toward us. The president of the Iron Rogues MC was here…and he didn’t look the least bit happy.
3
MAVERICK
“You lost your fucking mind, Mav?” Kye “Fox” Pearson, my prez, snarled in a deadly tone. He started to say something else, then stopped as his gaze went to my woman. He growled and shot another glare in my direction before snapping, “My office. Now.” Then he whipped around and stomped down the hall.
Sighing, I unlocked my door and put my hand on Molly’s lower back to gently guide her inside. Like the Silver Saints, the Iron Rogues had a compound for the main clubhouse, lodge, and offices. However, rather than several of our businesses being attached to the property or scattered through town, we owned most of the buildings in a two-block radius on all four sides, creating a sort of “neighborhood.”
Our clubhouse wasn’t as big as some, but that was because many buildings had apartments above them, with a kitchen, bathroom, common area, and a few bedrooms. Some rooms had their own bathroom, usually given to brothers who lived on our property full time.
Fox and I both lived in the clubhouse, one of us on each end. Our rooms were the largest—more like a small one-bedroom apartment without a kitchenette since we all ate in the main clubhouse kitchen.
I shut the door to my room behind me and pointed at the first door on my left. “Bedroom and bathroom through there. Feel free to hang out and watch TV, nap, take a shower, whatever you want. Long as you don’t leave this room.”
She looked as though she was about to argue, so I hooked her around the waist and hauled her close so I could plant a quick, hard kiss on her lips. “Fuck,” I grunted when I pulled away. “Gotta stop doing that shit. Next time we kiss, I’m gonna take my time because after just those small tastes, I’m already addicted.”
Molly blinked up at me, her green pools a little glassy, making me smirk. I patted her ass, then kissed the tip of her nose before releasing her. “Won’t be long. Be good.”
The confrontation with Fox wasn’t unexpected, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t pissed as fuck to be pulled away from my woman. Still, I knew my place, so by the time I got downstairs and entered his office, I was much calmer.
Fox sat behind a desk, one you’d expect to see in the executive's office of a financier on Wall Street—big, modern, with multiple monitors and nothing out of place. He was a neat freak, a complete nerd, and the most badass motherfucker I’d ever met.
We’d pretty much been born best friends, even though Fox was three years older than me. My dad had been the Iron Rogue’s VP before me, and Fox’s dad was prez before him. The club was our legacy, and we’d grown up knowing that, but before we patched and were given our road names, we were just Kye and Mav. My dad always said he gave me my road name at birth, and everyone agreed when the day came to take mine on.
I played soccer and became a master at several different styles of martial arts. I was already an excellent shot when I signed up for the National Guard. I served eight years and got a degree in business because I knew it would be an asset to me when I took over as VP.
Kye was just as athletic and deadly, but he was also wicked smart and had a head for numbers. He went to college for finance and then worked on Wall Street for a few years. He wasn’t just brilliant; he was wily—which was how he eventually got the moniker Fox—and made several million before getting bored and coming home. He patched years before I did, working as treasurer until becoming the president.
Neither of us expected to be stepping into our roles so early in life, but my mom somehow talked my dad into retiring and traveling the world on their bikes. Fox’s mom had died when he was a teenager, so we thought his dad, Cox, wouldn’t pass the baton until he dropped dead. However, after my dad stepped down, the prez also decided to retire. He lived on a farm less than a half hour from the club, and at first, I thought he’d be all up in Fox’s business, but Cox was content to let Fox and I do our thing.
We worked well together, but that didn’t mean we always saw eye to eye. Like the last time I’d escorted a Silver Saint female to our compound.
“The fuck is wrong with you, Maverick?” Fox growled as soon as I shut his door and sat in a chair across from his desk. “Warned you the last time you snatched a Silver Saint old lady that we were gonna have a problem. Fucking hell, you’re putting me in a shitty position.”
“First, it bears repeating that I didn’t know she belonged to them when I took Lorelei,” I pointed out. “Second, Molly isn’t an old lady.” Yet.
“She’s the oldest daughter of the fucking president!” Fox bellowed as he shoved back from his desk and shot to his feet. “The ultimate club princess.” He started pacing, a dark scowl on his face as he continued. “She’s un-fucking-touchable!”
Coming to a halt in front of me, he crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at me with an expression that would have had just about any other man crying for their momma. “Take her back. Now. Gonna try to get ahead of this and see if I can avoid war with the fucking Silver Saints.”
I jumped up and got in his face, consumed with rage over his order. “Never gonna fucking happen, Fox,” I seethed. “Molly is not going anywhere.” In any other time and circumstance, I would not go against Fox. He was a president and my best friend, and I respected those roles. But when it came to my woman, there was no boundary I wouldn’t cross. Nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her.
“Paper-thin fucking ice, Maverick.” His chest expanded slowly as he sucked in a deep breath, then exhaled it evenly. A muscle jumped in his jaw, and he took a single step closer, bringing us less than a foot apart. “Last time you put us in the Silver Saints’ crosshairs, your sister’s connection saved you and gave me an excuse not to kick your ass to the curb. You don’t have that ace up your sleeve this time.”
“I—”
Fox held up his hand so I swallowed what I was going to say and waited until he was ready to hear it.
“You’ve been my brother since the day you were born. Always trusted you, and while it got a little dented in the situation with Kansas, it didn't break. So I’m gonna give you one shot to convince me why I shouldn’t kick your ass and dump you on the street with the garbage, then take Molly back myself. One chance to convince me that I should back you on this.”
“She’s mine.” The truth was the only defense I had. “Moment I met her, I knew. Soon as I can convince her of that, I’ll get my property patch on her and my baby in her belly.”
Fox’s eyes widened ever so slightly, I’d have missed it if I didn’t know him so well. “You’re sure you can convince her to agree?”
