Hell, if she wanted, she didn’t need to work for the rest of her life. Brick would take care of her and Stefan just fine, except telling her that might send her running.

  “I might take you up on that offer,” Rose admitted. There was a knock on the door. Brick hated being interrupted, but it might be important.

  “Who is it?” Brick asked.

  “It’s me. I brought the stuff you asked for, Brick,” Prudence said.

  Brick opened the door and let Prudence and Grizzly in. Grizzly brought in a baby cot and other baby stuff Brick asked for. He didn’t expect it to be a lot, but King’s old lady had outdone herself. Rose looked a little overwhelmed.

  “You must be Rose,” Prudence said, walking up to the other woman. She introduced herself.

  “Thank you. I’m not sure what I can do to repay you for all this,” Rose said.

  “Thank Brick, not me. He wanted to make sure you have everything you needed,” Prudence said with a smile.

  “You did all this for me?” Rose asked. Stefan woke from all the excitement. Rose picked him up and showed him his new toys.

  “It’s nothing. Just extra supplies Prudence didn’t need,” Brick explained. “Say, Prudence, could you do me a favor and take Stefan here?”

  Rose looked at him, then at Prudence. Brick gauged her reaction. He wasn’t a bastard. If Rose told her she wasn’t comfortable letting someone else babysit Stefan for a little while, then he’d respect her decision.

  “I don’t mind at all. I need to feed Garth as well,” Prudence said.

  “How old is Garth?” Rose asked Prudence softly.

  “He’ll turn one next month,” Prudence said. The other woman took out her phone then showed Rose pics of Garth. Brick groaned, wondering if this was going to take long.

  “Okay,” Rose finally said. “I owe you one.”

  “Not a problem. I hope we’ll be good friends, Rose,” Prudence said.

  Rose handed Stefan to him, and Prudence crooned at the baby. He seemed delighted by her. Then again, Stefan seemed to get along with everyone. He was an easy baby to handle, Brick mused.

  “Good friends?” Rose asked.

  “That’s right. There are other old ladies in the club, but they’re older than I am. It’s nice to be able to hang out with someone my age,” Prudence said. The sly fox gave Brick a wink. King didn’t see it, but his old lady did. That Rose was different from all the girls Brick had hooked up before.

  Grizzly, Prudence, and Stefan finally exited the room, leaving Rose once more alone with Brick.

  “No one has ever done anything for me like this before.” She walked up to him, steps hesitant. Rose grew determined, bold as she pressed one hand against the skin over his heart.

  “You’re a good man, Brick. How do I even begin to thank you for everything?” she asked.

  Using two fingers, Brick tipped her chin, locking his eyes with hers. “I have an idea,” Brick said as he leaned in close and finally did what he’d been wanting to do since he met her.

  He kissed her for real, no holds barred. Without a baby between them, Brick took his time tasting her. Sweetness exploded on his tongue. He tugged her close, and she let out a little gasp of surprise but didn’t push him away. Brick deepened the kiss, and the little minx sucked down on his tongue.

  Brick slid his hands under her shirt, touching soft and creamy skin. Rose didn’t wear any bra, so he could see her nipples under the huge shirt he wore. He bunched up her shirt. They paused from the kiss so Brick could yank her shirt off without ceremony.

  Rose widened her eyes. Her breaths came in fast.

  “Say the word and I’ll stop,” he told her.

  Brick usually got what he wanted, and he had no problem inviting women to bed in the past. Problem was, Brick never wanted any of them to stay. He didn’t establish any sort of deep connection with them beyond the intimate, but Rose was different. Brick had known that from the start.

  “Don’t stop,” Rose whispered. “It’s been so long for me.”

  Brick led her to the bed. “I’ve been looking forward to this.”

  Rose climbed up his bed and lay on her back. An angel, waiting to be ravished by a beast. Brick took off his shirt, smirking as he caught sight of the silent appreciation in her eyes. His pants and underwear came next. Rose’s gaze lingered on the package between his legs.

  She sucked in a breath. Just looking at his tempting prize made him rock hard.

  He climbed on top of her. Gathering her arms above her head, Brick pinned them while he took his time kissing her, enjoying her. Rose responded hungrily to his kiss, and she moaned when he moved his mouth to the side of her neck. Her nipples hardened, rubbing against his chest.

  Brick worked his way down, releasing her arms so he could focus on her breasts. Rose clutched the sheets above her, watching him with half-lidded eyes. Brick kissed both her nipples, then took the left one in his mouth. He sucked on it, making her groan, and he set his teeth on the bud and bit.

  She gasped as Brick slid his hand past the band of her panties. He began fingering her cunt, which was already sopping wet for him. Brick marked her on her other nipple, memorizing her sweet cry in his head. He kissed her navel, then settled between her legs.

  Brick peeled her panty down her legs and dropped it to the floor. She blushed as he gazed at her. His teeth marks looked vivid under the morning light, and possessive want surged through his entire body. Rose parted her thighs for him, exposing the pink folds of her pussy peeking under the dark curls of her pubic hair.

  “Look at you, baby,” Brick murmured. “So fucking perfect.”

  He pressed a kiss to her inner thigh, then gave her clit a long lick. She shuddered above him.

  “I want to see you come for me,” Brick said.

  “I—” Rose began but seemed to forget whatever it was she wanted to say.

  Brick traced the shape of her pussy lips, then drove his tongue inside her folds. Rose cried up above him. He moved to her clit again, sucking on the sensitive nub of flesh. Then he pushed two fingers in her, and she buckled. He bit her softly and she cried out again. That was all it took for her to climax.

  Gasping, she came all over his face, and he took his time, licking her cream off. Rose stared at him, expression languid. A bead of sweat slid down her marked breasts, and he licked that too. She flushed.

  “You still haven’t fucked me,” she whispered.

  “That’s right. I wanted to enjoy your body first,” Brick said. “Now flip over. I want to fuck you while you’re on all fours.”

  He positioned her on the edge of the bed and helped her to her hands and knees. Brick grabbed a pillow and placed it under her stomach for support. He gave her a long and rough kiss on the mouth.

  “Fucking hell, Rose. I can’t wait to be inside you,” Brick said.

  “Yes,” was the only word she uttered.

  Then Brick snatched his pants and grabbed a condom from his wallet. After slipping it on, he positioned himself behind her. Brick guided his cock head inside her entrance. Gripping her hips, he pushed in, slow and careful. While it was tempting to simply go all the way in, he wanted their first time to be memorable.

  Rose gasped as he finally buried himself all the way to the hilt.

  “Breathe, baby. That’s it. You’re such a good girl, for taking all of me inside you. Now sit back and enjoy the ride,” he said.

  Chapter Seven

  “I want to hear you come again,” he again. “Your pussy feels so damn good wrapped around my cock.”

  Rose’s face burned, and yet she enjoyed every single second of Brick fucking her like he owned her. She’d never been with a man who liked to talk dirty during sex. With Brick, she found she liked it. Brick pulled out of her cunt only to push in again. She gasped. He was so big, but damn he knew how to make her feel good.

  The initial ache of his entry quickly faded away as he replaced pain with pleasure. Ecstasy surged through her entire body. Her tits tightened to points as he hammered her into the mattress, and she only begged him for more.

  “Faster, Brick. Please.”

  Brick went deeper and deeper.

  Rose couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth. All three of her past relationships had been nothing but a disappointment, but this?

  Rose could get addicted to Brick. Part of her still didn’t understand why he’d helped her. Brick didn’t just save her from Dragon and his men. He even offered her a job, and what he did for Stefan—that had been so sweet. Brick was a generous man, and God, did he know how to make her body sing.

  Each time Brick entered her, it felt like a part of her soul drifted out of her body to merge with him. Sex had always been quick, nothing special, but this? It was mind-blowing. Rose could get addicted to Brick’s cock, to his possessive touches and heated kisses. He reduced them both to panting and needy animals. Pressure built inside her like a dam waiting to break open.

  She found herself meeting him for every thrust. The next time Brick entered her, he found her G-spot. Rose gasped, arching her back, and a scream tore out of her mouth as he nailed her there. At his last push, she shattered. She screamed his name while she came all over his cock.

  Her mind floated twenty thousand feet in the air. A few moments later, Brick let out a growl before climaxing. He pulled out of her, and Rose collapsed on the bed. She took a few seconds to gather herself. Rose felt deliciously sore. Well-used.

  Brick disappeared inside his bathroom and returned with a towel to clean them both up. With that task done, Brick joined her in bed. She found herself seeking his warmth. When he wrapped his big and warm body around her smaller one, she left out a sigh of relief.

  Emotions stirred inside her chest—contentment, want, and another emotion she couldn’t name. Soon, the euphoria would fade, and Rose would be left with doubt. Questions.

  “I once made a promise to myself that I can’t fall for a man like you,” she found herself saying. Why was it when she was with Brick, she couldn’t hide anything from him?

  “Are you falling for me?” Brick sounded smug.

  Rose turned to look him in the eyes. She couldn’t answer him. “Those words slipped out by accident,” she said.

  “Tell me why,” Brick urged.

  “Why? You need to ask me that? My brother and father involved themselves in the MC. Look how well that ended,” she said.

  “You’re not them,” Brick said, resting his hand against her cheek. To her chagrin, Rose found herself leaning into his touch. No one had ever taken care of her before. Was that why she was drawn to him? No. She didn’t stay with him just because of those shallow reasons.

  She saw the man underneath the criminal. Brick possessed a good heart, she knew it in her bones, but this was also the life he’d chosen. Rose saw it in his eyes. Brick would live and die by the MC. There was no changing his path. If she chose to entangle herself in his world, would she end up dead like her father?

  Rose didn’t know what else to say, so she only nodded.

  “Stay or go, that’s your choice, but if you decide to stick around, well. You’ll be mine, you understand?” Brick traced her bottom lip with his thumb.

  Rose sucked on his digit, unsure why she did that. Hearing those words from Brick sent an unexplainable thrill down her spine.

  For most of her life, she had followed the rules. In high school, everyone saw her as the daughter of a loser even though she tried her best to carve a positive reputation for herself. Rose was sick of trying to convince other people she was good. She was tired of holding everything together when her world had already fallen apart.

  “I’ll stay,” Rose finally said.

  “I knew you would,” Brick said, kissing her on the mouth. Just the brush of his lips and she was a goner.

  ****

  “You mentioned in our previous phone call that you know how to work the cash register?” Nancy, the proprietor of Heaven’s Café, asked her.

  Nancy was a lean, wiry woman in her late forties with a no-nonsense attitude. Rose didn’t miss the tattoos the woman sported under her long-sleeved blouse and pencil skirt. Rose briefly wondered what her story was, then decided now wasn’t the time. She had to focus and pay attention. Rose didn’t want to screw up on her first day at work.

  “I do,” Rose said. “When things got too busy at the diner and bar, I handled the cash register.”

  “You do have plenty of experience waitressing. I called the previous places you’ve worked and the managers had positive things to say about you.” Nancy held out a hand, and Rose shook it. “I’m looking forward to working together, Rose.”

  “Me, too,” Rose said.

  Prudence had offered to look after Stefan on her first day of work. It was a temporary solution. Rose promised her she would find a viable solution soon. Prudence mentioned there was a good daycare center in town. Checking out the daycare was on Rose’s checklist this week.

  The morning and lunch crowd kept Rose and Nancy busy. Although Nancy mentioned a part-timer came in three times a week, it was mostly just the two of them. Rose could handle the workload. She was used to working at understaffed places. At the end of the day, Rose was beat.

  “I have to admit, I’d been reluctant to hire you,” Nancy said as they cleaned the tables. “When it comes to women, Brick isn’t exactly a good judge of character. The last woman Brick sent my way, well, let’s just say she didn’t last a day.”

  Rose halted at those words. Her skin prickled with unease. Of course, she wouldn’t be the first damsel in distress Brick helped. Unwarranted jealousy hit her out of nowhere. She and Stefan had only been staying with Brick for a week. The sex had been amazing, but it wasn’t like Brick was her boyfriend or anything yet.

  “So Brick has helped other women find jobs before?” she found herself asking. Rose cringed after hearing herself.

  “Sure, but he’s never taken one under his personal protection,” Nancy said. “I saw the way he looked at you when he dropped you off this morning. You’re different.”

  Rose wasn’t sure if she ought to be relieved or worried after hearing that. “You don’t have to worry, Nancy. I’ll do my job just fine.”

  “I can see that you’re a hard worker, even if you’ve only been here a day.” The woman flashed her a smile for the first time. “I know I can be a little blunt sometimes, but I can tell you’re a good person.”

  “This is a wonderful café you’re running,” Rose remarked. She’d fallen in love with the cozy décor and warm tones of the place right away. Lunch came free for employees, so she knew the food and coffee tasted fantastic.

  “I named it after my husband, Heaven. He used to ride with the MC,” Nancy explained.

  “Used to? I’m sorry to hear that,” Rose said. She didn’t miss the grief in the other woman’s voice.

  “We always talked about opening a café after he retired,” Nancy said. “But he got gunned down during a job. King and Brick promised me they’ll help keep this place running, in memory of Heaven.”

  “So … it’s guilt money?” Rose asked.

  Looking at Nancy, Rose wondered if she’d end up like this one day—alone and deeply missing Brick. Anything went in the MC. A job could go wrong at any moment, and the MC had plenty of enemies. It could also be the other way around, and Rose would get caught in the crossfire, leaving Brick alone.

  What would happen to Stefan then? Her brother was practically dead to her after Donny abandoned Stefan and her to the mercies of Dragon and his crew. Dang it. She might be overthinking matters.

  Nancy chuckled. “You don’t mince your words either, don’t you? I can see why Brick’s smitten with you. Well, to be fair, I was mad at the MC for a long time, but I’ve come to terms with Heaven’s death. You see, he died the way he wanted after all.”

  Someone knocked on the café windows. Rose was about yell they were close, but it wasn’t a customer. Brick grinned at her and gave her a wave. Her heart did somersaults despite the fact she’d just been thinking about how dangerous it was to fall for a man like Brick.

  “Go on,” Nancy said with a nod. “I can close up.”

  “You sure?” Rose asked her.

  “Yup. The place is spotless, thanks to your help. See you tomorrow, kid.”

  “Tomorrow then,” Rose said with a nod.

  She wiped her sweaty palms on her apron before taking it off. After folding it and leaving it at her cubby, she snatched her purse and headed outside to meet Brick.

  “How was your first day?” Brick asked her. “I hope Nancy didn’t work you too hard.”

  “It was fantastic,” she said, surprising him. “I think I’m going to enjoy working with Nancy.”

  “That’s good to hear,” Brick said. “What do you want to eat for dinner?”

  “You pick?” Rose asked.

  Brick looked thoughtful. “You in the mood for tacos and fajitas?”

  Her stomach rumbled at those words. Prudence promised to watch Stefan tonight. Rose had been worried it might be too much trouble, but the other woman said it was fine, even though King would probably be unhappy with her.

  The President of the Ruthless Reapers MC didn’t seem to be a fan of her from the start.

  “Sounds good,” she said.

  They walked to where Brick parked his Harley. Brick helped her put her helmet on, even though she could put it on herself. He leaned in and gave her a breathless kiss that left her wanting more.

  “Looks like someone’s hungry for more than tacos tonight.” She couldn’t help but tease.

  Brick flashed her a predatory smile that made her shiver in anticipation. Rose climbed behind him, and they zipped for the restaurant. Despite the crowd, the proprietor of the place recognized who Brick was right away and found them a good table.

  “I could get used to this,” she murmured. After they ordered, Rose told Brick all about her day. Unlike the men she dated in the past, he listened. He seemed genuinely interested in what went on in her life.

  “What about you?” she asked him.

  “I visited Trigger in the hospital after dropping you off at work,” Brick said.

 

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