“Greyson, what if I am married? What if I have a family?” She looked away.
I leaned my forehead against hers. “We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”
But she was right. If I found out that she was in fact married, I didn’t know what I would do. I had already lost to another man before. I refused to let that happen again.
WHILE GREYSON READ my file out loud, Penny jumped onto my lap. I smiled to myself, running my hand down her back. She purred, butting her head into my palm, telling me in her own way that I better not stop.
“Marlowe Rhodes.” Greyson scratched under Penny’s chin absentmindedly. “You still don’t look like a Marlowe to me.”
“That’s because you only know me as Eve,” I reminded him. “Please go on.”
“There’s not much left. It doesn’t say anything more than what Sarge told us. It also doesn’t—um, Eve? Is this the fucker you’ve been dreaming of?”
I glanced at the picture Greyson was showing me. A man with a dark beard and piercing blue eyes peered into my soul. “Why does he look familiar?”
“Because this is Travis,” Greyson ground out through gritted teeth. “Why the fuck is he in your file?”
Penny jumped off my lap at the abrasive tone of Greyson’s voice.
“I-I-I …” My heart raced. “I don’t know. I only met him the once and that was here. He didn’t look like that.” I pointed at the picture.
“Fucking hell.” Greyson shot to his feet and pulled out his phone. “We have a problem,” he told whoever was on the receiving end of his wrath.
“Greyson,” I said gently, rising from the couch. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was doing but I took the phone from him. He didn’t stop me, either. He just watched with that knowing gaze of his. “We’ll be out in an hour,” I said to whoever was on the other end of the phone. “I need to calm your president down before he does something stupid.” I ended the call and threw it on the couch.
“Eve,” he warned. “What the—”
“Shut up.” I grabbed onto his jacket, pushed him to the couch, and straddled his lap.
“Eve,” he growled, his jaw clenching.
“What did I say?” I cupped his chin, forcing his head back. “You always expect me to listen to you. Well, right now it’s my turn.” Before he could say anything, I continued. “I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know why a picture of Travis is in my file but whatever you’re thinking, stop it. It’s not going to help anything.” I raised my hand when he went to speak. “Listen to me, Greyson.” I ran my hands inside his leather cut. “I like you. I like you a lot. Probably more than I should seeing as you’re an asshole half the time. But there’s something inside you that I need. That I crave. That I can’t help but be attracted to.” I pushed his jacket off his shoulders. “I’m scared. And I know you are too. Whether you want to admit it or not.”
Greyson sat forward, tugging off his jacket and circling an arm around me.
“I’m terrified to find out what the connection is that I have to Travis. He didn’t hint that he knew me at all. Maybe …” I swallowed hard. “Maybe he wanted me for one of his movies and I escaped.”
Greyson’s body stiffened. “The mere idea that he’s touched you makes me want to burn this motherfucking world down.”
“We don’t know that he’s touched me.” I cupped Greyson’s face, the scruff of his jaw scratching at my fingers. “But if he has, he won’t again. Ever again. Do you understand me?”
Grey looked away.
“No.” I turned his face toward me. “I mean it. I’m yours. This baby may not be yours by blood but … but I want …”
“What, Eve?” Grey whispered. “What do you want?”
“I wish it was.” His cock twitched beneath my ass.
Pushing me off his lap, he wrapped his arms around my waist. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” He lifted my top, exposing my belly. “But I’ll do anything to keep you. I’ll protect you. Both of you.”
Much to my surprise, Greyson kissed my stomach.
“You may not be mine by blood, little one, but I’ll do everything in my fucking power to be the best father possible. I’ll keep you safe. I’ll keep your mama safe. I’ll make her the happiest person on this damn planet and I’ll avenge you. Both of you.”
My eyes welled. “Greyson.”
He stood, forcing me back a step, and grabbed my hand before leading me out of his office.
“Where are we going?” I asked him, noting that he wasn’t wearing his leather cut. I realized then that I had never seen him without it on unless we were in bed or he was taking a shower. I wondered if he felt bare at all.
“It’s been a long day.” He kissed my knuckles. “A hot bath will do you good but not too hot. It’s not good for the baby.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised that he would know that.
“Though I came and went often in the last decade, I was around for the pregnancy of Trixie’s twins.” He winked. “I know all about making sure a pregnant woman is comfortable.” He laughed to himself. “I also know what not to do. Thanks to learning from Butcher’s mistakes.”
“Oh.” I placed my hand on my stomach. “I don’t know anything.”
Greyson stopped me in front of the door to his bedroom. “I’ll get Trixie to talk to you.” He pinched my chin, forcing me to look up at him. “Everything will be fine.” Although he said those words, the reality was that nothing was fine. Nothing would ever be fine. I didn’t know why a picture of Travis was in my file but I sure as hell remembered the way he had looked at me. I knew him. It was the only thing that made sense.
Greyson cleared his throat and opened his door. “Head into the bathroom and start the bath.”
“Okay.” I did as I was told. Stripping out of my clothes, I waited for the tub to fill when I felt a warm body come up behind me.
Hands roamed down my arms, fingers grazed over my lower belly, up my abdomen and just beneath my heavy breasts. My nipples hardened. My heart raced.
A hot mouth kissed my shoulder. “I guess I’m going to have to be careful now when I’m fucking you.” In a quick move, Greyson bent me over the edge of the tub.
I gasped, heat spreading through me. “Not too gentle.” I gripped the edge, arching into him.
A deep chuckle sounded behind me. “I’ll have to savor you. Make love to this sweet, swollen body. I can’t wait to watch you grow.” A hard swat landed against my ass.
I yelped.
“Stand up and get in the tub,” he demanded, that deep tone sliding over me like melted chocolate.
On shaky legs, I lowered into the hot water.
Greyson knelt behind me.
A sigh escaped me as I leaned back and stared up into his beautiful blue eyes.
“I promise I will take care of you,” he said softly, sinking a cloth into the water and running it over my collarbone.
“I know. It’s a lot to take in. I get it.” I cupped his forearm that was leaning on the edge of the tub. “Do you think we can get the answers we’re looking for?”
“One way or another, yes.” Greyson ran the cloth between my breasts and lower. “Spread your legs, Eve.”
“Greyson,” I whispered, staring up at him.
“Spread your legs,” he repeated slowly.
My knees fell apart, hitting the sides of the tub.
He pushed the cloth lower and lower, running the soft material over my center. “Every inch of you will be touched by me,” he murmured in my ear. “Every part of you will then be cleaned by me as well. I don’t give a fuck who you were with before me but if you’re married, I will step aside—”
“No,” I blurted, sitting up. “Don’t you dare say those words.”
“Eve. Lay back.”
“I don’t give a shit if I’m married or not. I am with you. I am yours. I don’t know what happened before you. I don’t want to know.” I turned to him, my breath catching in my throat at the sight before me. Greys
on wore black pants and nothing else. “Wow. I …”
He smirked, his eyes roaming down the length of me.
My nipples peaked, my core aching to be touched by him. “You’re like a fucking God,” I whispered, noticing the way his tattooed muscles jumped under my scrutiny. I had to stop myself from biting my knuckles. Damn, he looked good.
“Stop staring and do something about those dirty thoughts racing through your head, Eve. You want me?” He rose to his full height, pulled down his pants and kicked them to the side. “I asked you a question.”
“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “What?”
“Do you want me?” He wrapped a hand around his cock, backing up into the shower. He turned on the water, stroking his hand up and down the length of the thick muscle between his legs.
Pulling the drain to the tub, I left the bath and sauntered to the shower.
A wicked grin spread on Greyson’s face. He crooked a finger. “Here, kitty, kitty.”
“Meow,” I purred, and in two strides, I was on him.
(Greyson)
Later that evening, I rounded up the guys. I didn’t want to keep them from the party that was going on but we needed to get shit under way when it came to whatever the fuck Travis was doing with Eve.
“How do you think he knows her?” Butcher asked, placing the picture of him back on the table.
“That I don’t know.” I scrubbed a hand down my face. “But I do know that I’m not letting her go without a fight. You all can think what you want but that woman is mine.”
Butcher smirked.
“It’s about damn time,” Catch muttered.
And Tray only stared at me.
The rest of the guys didn’t give a shit one way or another but would keep her safe nonetheless.
“I have Sarge looking into things.” I paused. “I asked him to find out if she was married.”
“Do you think she’s married to Travis?” Tray sat forward. “Why the hell would he keep that to himself? Wait.” He held up a hand. “Travis is fucked in the head. Never mind.”
“I don’t know if she’s married to him but …” I took a deep breath. “There’s more.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Eve’s pregnant.”
All eyes were on me at that point.
“And it’s not mine,” I finally said.
“Holy fucking hell.”
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“I bet you took that well.” That was Butcher.
“Oh, yeah. I almost kicked the doctor’s ass and made him run the test a second time. I took it really well.” I stood from the chair and started pacing back and forth. “I don’t know who the father is. Eve doesn’t either for obvious reasons.”
“Greyson,” Butcher said gently. “What if the baby is …”
Don’t say it. Please don’t say it.
“Travis’s.”
Fuck.
“HOLY SHIT,” TRIXIE exclaimed. “You’re pregnant?”
I nodded, putting the bottles of beer in the fridge. “Greyson told you?”
“He did.” She paused. “You don’t seem happy.” She knelt beside me, handing me a bottle.
“It’s not Greyson’s,” I confessed.
“Oh.” Her face fell. “I understand now. How did he take it?”
“Not well at first but we talked.” And fucked. Hard. My lust for the guy had taken over. I never once thought about how rough sex would affect the baby. God, I was a horrible mother and I hadn’t even given birth yet. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” She handed me another beer.
“Can sex hurt the baby?” It wasn’t like Greyson was small.
“Have you had any bleeding or anything like that after sex?” Trixie asked casually like we were talking about the weather.
“We just found out about the baby this morning but no.” My cheeks burned. “I was fine after Greyson and I … yeah.”
She laughed. “Just be careful. Our men aren’t exactly tiny. I remember when I was pregnant with the twins, Butcher would hardly touch me. He thought he would drill a hole in their heads. I tried explaining to him that it was near impossible but he didn’t listen.”
I giggled. “How long did you have to wait for him to touch you?”
“As soon as we found out we were pregnant. We made love once and I bled. I was pregnant with twins and I’m tiny. I was put on bed rest instantly. So we waited like six months.” She laughed. “Let me tell you. As soon as those babies were born and I was given the go ahead, I didn’t let Butcher out of my sight for weeks on end.”
“I’m sure he complained.” I grinned, putting the last bottle of beer in the fridge.
“Oh, he didn’t complain. Not one bit. Which is funny now that I think about it. He’s well over six feet tall and here I was, five foot nothing, strapping him to our bed—”
“Okay.” I held up my hand. “I don’t want to know any more.”
“Awww. Come on.” She pouted. “I was just getting to the good part. It’s a really delicious story. You see, I’m not usually the dominant type—”
“Trixie, seriously.” I laughed. “I love you but I don’t want to know what you and Butcher do behind closed doors.”
“Who said anything about the doors being closed?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows.
I laughed harder. “What you two do is between you. I’m good. I don’t need to know any more.” I stood from the floor, brushing off my leggings.
“It is a really good story.” She sighed, sitting on the stool on the other side of the bar.
“I know it is. You got the man you wanted, right?” I winked.
She grinned.
At that point, the guys left the room they had their meetings in.
“I sure did.” Trixie sighed, spinning around on the stool just as Butcher sauntered over to her. “Took me long enough, too.”
“What took you long enough, baby?” he asked, stepping between her knees.
“Getting you to notice me.” She leaned her head back and tapped her mouth.
He smirked, placing a soft peck on her lips and whispered something in her ear.
“Butcher.” She gasped, pushing him back.
“What?” He feigned shock. “I didn’t do anything.”
Trixie huffed, turning to me. “See what I put up with?”
Butcher winked at me before tackling her from behind.
She squealed as she was thrown over his shoulder. “Butcher, not in front of the kids.”
He laughed, smacking her ass.
“You two need to get a room,” Tray teased, handing me a bottle of water.
“Oh.” I took it from him. “Thank you.”
While Butcher carried his wife off to the room they stayed in while at the clubhouse, the rest of the crew started filing in. I didn’t recognize a lot of the people but got several polite greetings from the large men. Even the women were nice. They had seen me around but no one ever approached me. Made me wonder why.
“What’s that frown for?” Tray asked, pushing his thumb between the deep crease between my brows.
I laughed, smacking his hand away. “I always frown. I’m surprised I don’t have wrinkles yet.” The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I looked around me but couldn’t see Greyson anywhere. But I knew he was watching me like he always did.
“Talk to me.” Tray grabbed my hand, leading me to one of the booths.
“Where’s Greyson?” I asked instead of answering his question.
“Around.” Tray slid onto a bench, patting the spot beside him.
“You’re just trying to get Greyson to kick your ass, aren’t you?” I teased, sitting beside him.
“Nah. I like keeping him on his toes. Trust me, darlin’. I would never do anything to affect that friendship. But if I did this …” His voice trailed off when he cupped my cheek and leaned toward me.
My eyes widened. “Tray.”
“Do what I think you’re going to do and I’ll gut you
like a fucking pig,” Greyson barked from behind me.
I jumped, nearly falling out of the booth when Tray grabbed my hand. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” I clutched my chest, easing my racing heart.
Tray chuckled. “I knew that would get his attention.”
I rolled my eyes, pushing him. “Move over.”
His laugh deepened.
“Asshole,” Greyson muttered, sitting beside me. “How are you doing, Eve?” he whispered in my ear and cupped my inner thigh.
I placed my hand on top of his, giving it a light squeeze. “I’m fine. Tired. But fine.”
He pinched my chin, forcing me to look at him. “Do you want to go to bed?”
“I’m fine, Greyson. It’s still early.” Although the thought of going to bed with him beside me was quite delicious.
He smirked, placing a soft kiss on my forehead when a loud screech sounded out of nowhere. “What the fuck?” He shot up from the bench.
“Oh, shit.” Tray gently pushed me out of the booth.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my heart racing at the inhuman sound still vibrating through my head.
“Where the hell is she?” Greyson demanded, shoving a guy I didn’t know, against the wall.
“I don’t know,” he said, his voice wavering.
Grey pushed off of him roughly. “Tray.”
“On it.” Tray grabbed my hand, pulling me to the bar and sat me on a stool. “Stay here.”
I wanted to ask what was going on but Tray was out of my sight before I could blink. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong and by the look of sheer evil in Greyson’s deep blue eyes, I had a feeling someone wasn’t making it out of this place alive tonight.
(Greyson)
I was going to kill him. Whoever the fuck hurt my cat, would get my boot shoved so far up his ass, he will be shitting leather for the rest of his life. No. Better yet. I would squeeze his throat so damn hard, his fucking head would explode.
“I don’t know where she is,” Catch said, running up to me.
Neither did I but I could hear her. “Find Penny.” I told my crew. “And if you find the fucker who’s hurting her, hold him until I get there.” He was mine.