Wicked Games: MC Romance (Bayou Devils MC Book 8) Page 13

  I look up at the bartender and smile, hoping to make him feel a little more at ease. “A whiskey, please. Neat.”

  Nodding, he walks down the bar to begin making our drinks and Tate turns to look at her husband with a sigh.

  “I thought I told you to stay back so we could have girl talk.”

  He scowls. “What the hell do you need to talk about that you can’t say in front of me?”

  “Lincoln… baby,” she says, patting his arm as she shakes her head and fights back a smile. “There are literally not enough hours in a day to answer that question.”

  “What the fuck ever,” he growls, stomping a few feet away from us and slipping onto a bar stool. Tate rolls her eyes and nudges me before pointing to a couple of open stools a few feet in the opposite direction. I nod, fighting back a giggle at how much she likes to antagonize him. Some people might see it as mean but it’s exactly what he needs because Tate forces him out of that provider slash protector mode he fell into when our dad died. Granted, that was exactly what my mom, Nora, and I needed at the time but for so long, I watched my brother live for everyone around him. He never did anything to make himself happy until the day he left Alaska and he was miserable. Not that he would ever admit it but I could see it and now that Tate has come into his life, I can see the weight it has lifted off of his shoulders. And like I said, he gives as good as he gets with her.

  “So,” Tate muses as we sit down and the bartender sets our drinks in front of us. “What’s going on with you?”

  I shake my head. “Nothing.”

  “What about Ash? Has he called again?”

  “Yeah, he calls at least once a day still,” I tell her, taking a sip of my drink and enjoying the burn as it blazes a path down my throat. It’s irritating as hell that Ash still hasn’t gotten a clue but I have to believe that he’ll figure out that it really is over soon enough and then the calls will stop.

  “That offer to go up to Alaska is still on the table.”

  I laugh. “Thanks, but I don’t think anything that drastic is required. He’ll figure it out soon enough.”

  “Okay. If you say so,” she muses, turning to me with narrowed eyes and my belly does a little flip. “Anything new to report?”

  Her look says it all. She knows something and she’s trying to get me to tell her about it before she has to tell me she knows. I can only think of one secret she could be hinting at but Travis and I swore we would keep our little fling under wraps so I shake my head and look away as I take another sip of my drink.

  “Nope.”

  “Hmm… so then, when I saw Streak press you up against a wall in the hallway and kiss you like he was about to take his last breath, that was… nothing?”

  I shrug, my cheeks burning as I think about the kiss she witnessed. “It’s casual.”

  “Right. That didn’t look like a casual kiss. You know what else didn’t look casual? The grin on your face when you stumbled out of his room the other night.”

  Fuck.

  I thought we were being so careful to sneak around but clearly, we need to be more diligent.

  “Look, the truth is, I don’t care what you do with Streak. You’re a grown woman and from what I can see, the boy is fucking smitten but just know,” she says, pointing down the bar to my brother, “he, however, is going to flip his fucking lid if he finds out about this. Especially if he thinks Streak is screwing you around.”

  Turning, I meet her gaze. “It really is just casual, Tate. We both needed a distraction from…”

  “Yeah. That’s how it always starts, girl, and the next thing you know…” Her voice trails off as she points to her wedding ring and her little baby bump. I shake my head.

  “We’re just having fun.”

  Sighing, she nods and takes a sip of her water. “If you say so. What do you think he thinks we’re talking about right now?”

  “Huh?” I ask and she points down the bar to Lincoln, who is staring at us with a scowl. I imagine everything he just saw and laugh.

  “He probably thinks you’re trashing him.”

  “You’re probably right. Don’t tell him this but I’m fucking crazy about that man. I know you don’t know me all that well yet, Rowan, and I’m sure you’ve heard some crazy ass shit about me from the other guys but I really want you to know how much I love your brother. That man has saved me more times than I can…” Her voice breaks as her words trail off and she sniffles, dabbing at her eyes. “Fuck. These dumb ass pregnancy hormones. I don’t cry, okay?”

  Nodding, I laugh. “I got that.”

  “But I do mean everything I just said. Lincoln and these babies mean fucking everything to me and you’re a part of that. You’ve been through so much lately and lost so much but you still have family and people that love you.”

  “Jesus,” I whisper, tears stinging my eyes as her words smack me right in the chest. “What in the hell are you trying to do to me? Look at us, crying in a damn club when we’re supposed to be celebrating.”

  She shakes her head. “For fuck sake. Let’s go dance before I have to murder all these guys for seeing that I possess the ability to cry.”

  “Let’s do it.” I nod as I throw back the rest of my drink, twisting my face as it burns down my throat. We stand up and Lincoln is by our side in an instant, looking intense as he scans the crowd. I nudge him with my elbow and roll my eyes when he turns his glare on me. “Simmer down, big brother. Tonight is supposed to be fun.”

  “Maybe for you but for the guys, it’s fucking stressful. Where are y’all planning on going now?”

  Tate points to the dance floor where the rest of our group is, some of them out on the floor dancing and others sitting at the tables on the edge of the crowd, and he releases a sigh.

  “Thank God.”

  As we weave our way through the crowd, Lincoln wraps his arm around Tate’s shoulder, pulling her close and she grabs my hand, making sure I don’t get lost which I find amusing. As much as she gives my brother a hard time about his overbearing nature and protectiveness, she is almost as bad. Almost. “Body Party” by Ciara starts playing as we reach the edge of the dance floor and Tate squeezes my hand before leaning in closer.

  “Go dance with your boy,” she whispers before motioning to Lincoln. “I’ll distract the bear.”

  I grin. “Best sister-in-law ever.”

  She releases my hand with a laugh and shoves me toward the dance floor as Lincoln guides her toward the tables. When he realizes that I’m gone, he spins around but I shimmy closer to our group and give him a little wave to let him know I’m okay. Tate whispers something in his ear and he sighs before nodding and leaving me to dance. Once the coast is clear, I search the room for Travis, excited to dance with him, out in public, and turned on from our little game earlier. My teeth sink into my bottom lip as I remember the way I skimmed my hand over his cock and the sound he made when I pressed my lips against his throat as I trail my fingers down toward my cleavage.

  “Looking for something?”

  A grin stretches across my face at the whispered question and my eyes close as I lean back into Travis’s body, his scent surrounding me as a shiver works its way up my spine. His hands grip my hips as he presses a quick kiss against my neck before dragging his nose up to my ear.

  “Dance with me?” I ask and he shakes his head. He navigates us to the corner of the dance floor, away from our group as he kisses my neck again. I spin in his arms. Looking up, he scans the crowd for a second before glancing back down at me with a grin.

  “You gonna show me some of those tricks you talked about?”

  I shake my head. “Baby, those moves are best reserved for somewhere more… private.”

  “Great idea,” he says, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me farther away from the dance floor as I shake my head, laughing.

  “No. Come dance with me.”

  He looks out at everyone dancing around us before meeting my eyes and shaking his head as he drops his arms f
rom my body. “Princess, I can’t dance.”

  “I refuse to believe that,” I tell him, arching a brow and he laughs, his hands going back to my hips as he pulls me closer.

  “And why is that?”

  I meet his eyes and wrap my arms around his neck as I lean in close and let my lips brush over his. “‘Cause you know how to fuck.”

  “Rowan,” he groans before sealing his lips to mine and pulling us further into the shadows, away from prying eyes. I lean up on my toes, trying to get closer to him and his hands slip down to my ass before he lifts me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. Well, shit. It’s a damn good thing that no one can see us over here because if they didn’t know what we were up to before, they sure as hell would after seeing this.

  But do I even care?

  I don’t know that I do. Travis and I are having fun with each other and I don’t see why the hell I have to keep making excuses for that or apologizing for it. Why can’t we just be out in the open around the club without everyone watching us and waiting for the moment when it all explodes?

  “Fuck, baby,” he breathes, kissing down my neck as his grip on me tightens. “I’ve wanted you so bad since you walked into my room in that dress.”

  I smile as I run my fingers through the hair at the base of his neck. “Yeah? Have you been thinking about taking it off of me all night?”

  “Yes.”

  “And have you been thinking about what I might be wearing underneath it?” I ask as warmth rushes through me and I fight back a shudder. He nods, his teeth nipping at my neck.

  “Hell yes.”

  Giggling, I pull back to meet his eyes. “Any ideas?”

  “Don’t get me started, Rowan. I’m this close,” he whispers, his voice gravelly, as he sets me back on the floor and holds up his thumb and pointer finger before pinching them together until they almost touch. “To hauling you into a bathroom and fucking you until we both can’t stand.”

  The thought makes moisture pool between my thighs and I close my eyes as my back arches against him. “Travis.”

  “Jesus Christ,” he hisses, slipping a hand into my hair and slamming his lips to mine as his other arm holds me firm against his body. His cock presses into my belly, through our clothing, and I desperately wish we were back at the clubhouse right now. We stumble into a wall and I gasp. He takes full advantage, slipping his tongue past my lips and tangling it with mine as he thrusts his hips into me with a growl. “You turn me on so fucking much. You know that?”

  I nod. “Yeah, I do.”

  “You love it, don’t you?” It’s halfway between a question and an accusation but I can’t even deny it. I adore the way one touch from me can make his eyes flare with need and the way, whenever he’s near me, he has to be touching me. Nodding, I rub my tits against his chest, desperate for friction.

  “I love it.”

  “Fuck, baby,” he whispers, shaking his head as he pulls back just enough to separate us and plants his hands on the wall next to me as he struggles to catch his breath. “We have to stop.”

  My bottom lip pokes out and I scowl. “Why?”

  “Because, I’m about to fuck you up against this wall in the back of a crowded club and you deserve better than that,” he answers, his eyes on mine and his need shining back at me like a beacon but my heart stutters at his thoughtfulness. Even knowing the things I’ve done in my past and knowing that I was willing to let him do just that right here and right now, he still has enough respect for me to stop us. Reaching up, I cup his cheek and press a soft kiss to his lips as I fight back tears. When I pull away, he studies my face and his brow furrows. “What was that for?”

  I shake my head. “For just being you, Travis.”

  “Oh,” he whispers as a shy smile stretches across his face and he sighs as pushes off of the wall, takes my hand and lacing our fingers. “Want a drink?”

  “Desperately.”

  He laughs and we walk back out into the main area as the song changes to something darker that I don’t recognize. It’s kind of a weird choice to play in a club but whatever. I’m not a DJ so what the hell do I know?

  “Hey, just so you know,” he says as we reach the bar and I turn to face him. “As soon as we get back to the clubhouse and I get you alone, we’re picking this right back up.”

  I grin. “I was really hoping you would say that.”

  Before he can say anything else, the lights go out, throwing the entire club into darkness and Travis’s arms wrap around me, making me jump as he pulls me closer and panicked voices sound out around us. The music swells and my heart thrashes in my ears as I try to catch my breath.

  What the hell is happening?

  A single spotlight flashes on, illuminating a spot on the far corner of the dance floor where a man stands, in all black with a white mask covering his whole face. A white mask just like the one the boys found in the cabin…

  “Holy fuck,” Travis whispers. “We have to go.”

  The light goes out before we can move and one of his hands falls away. Crying out, I cling to his shirt and he presses his lips to my head.

  “Shh. I’m right here, baby. Just getting my gun.”

  My hands shake and my heart is racing as I try to see through the darkness but to no avail. “Did you see anyone else when the light came on?”

  “No. Last I saw, everyone was on the dance floor. If a light comes on again, we need to move, you hear me? Head straight for the door and don’t look back.”

  I shake my head. “I need to get my brother and Tate.”

  “Kodiak will take care of Tate and I don’t think the light will stay on long enough for us to find everyone.” Just as his words stop, the light flicks on again, this time all the way across the club, closer to us, and the man is standing there again. It feels like he’s staring right at Travis and me but I don’t have time to dwell on it as he begins pulling me through the mass of terrified people, toward the door. I try to search the crowd for the rest of our group but the lights go out again. We freeze, right in the middle of a large group of club patrons. Terrified whispers and random names fill the air around us as everyone tries to figure out what is going on and my entire body shakes. Where will he pop up next? Travis keeps his grip on me firm, probably too firm, but it feels good in this moment as we both try to catch our breaths and wait for the next light to flick on.

  “Are you okay?” he asks, pressing another kiss to my head and I nod but I’m not okay. Not a single part of this is okay and the thought hits me that we may not make it out of this club tonight. My chest aches and my thoughts slow to a crawl as I try to wade through the utter terror wreaking havoc on my body in the darkness. “Get ready to move again, I think.”

  My breath sticks in my throat and my heart races as we wait and after a few seconds, a light flicks on. This one is by the bar this time, right where we were standing before, and the man stares at us in the crowd. The black holes of the mask where the eyes are supposed to be feel like they’re burning into me and I can’t move. My entire body is shaking so badly that I don’t think I can make my legs work and all I want to do is cry.

  “Move, Rowan,” Travis barks in my ear and it spurs me into motion, somehow, as we take off for the door again, shoving our way through the crowd. I spot the door to the club up ahead and see Storm and Ali moving toward it from our right as we close in on it. The lights go out again but this time, Travis doesn’t stop. He’s like a bulldozer, shoving other people out of his way as he drags me along with him and despite my fear, I know he would do anything to protect me from the man seemingly stalking us through this club.

  The light comes on again, this time by the dance floor and I scream when I see him standing right next to my brother and Tate. Tate spots him first and delivers a swift kick to his chest that sends him flying backward onto his ass and in the next moment, Lincoln has her in his arms and they are running toward the door and us. We reach the door just as the light goes out again and Travis yanks it open, flooding t
he room with light from the streetlamp outside, drawing the attention of everyone else in the club.

  “Fuck,” he hisses. “Keep moving. Don’t stop, you hear me?”

  I nod as we slip outside and the next second, a steady stream of bodies pile out of the club, spilling out onto the sidewalk as some people fall to the ground but everyone else just tramples over them. It’s complete fucking chaos and my heart jumps into my throat as I think about the people that were still in there, all of the people we could lose tonight. Once we get halfway down the block, Travis finally stops but he doesn’t release me and he doesn’t put his gun away as his gaze flicks over the surrounding area.

  “Oh, thank God,” someone cries and we spin around as Emma and Nix come running up to us. Emma throws her arms around me, pulling me out of Travis’s arms and into a hug as tears roll down her face. Jerking back, she meets my eyes. “Have you seen anyone else?”

  “Storm and Ali were near the door when we were and my brother and Tate were still by the dance floor… I don’t know about anyone else,” I whisper, struggling to hold back my tears as my body shakes.

  “There!” she shouts, pointing into the crowd as Storm and Ali burst out of the mob of bodies and I breathe a small sigh of relief before my gaze goes back to the crowd, searching for everyone else. Travis pulls me back into his body, securing his arm around my waist, and I feel his body relax slightly against me.

  “There they are,” a voice calls from across the street and we turn as Henn, Kady, Chance, Carly, Moose, Juliette, Fuzz, Piper, Smith, and Quinn come running up to us. Everyone starts hugging but I turn back to the crowd, searching for Lincoln and Tate. Pain radiates from my chest and my heart hammers out of control as tears sting my eyes.

  This can’t be happening.

  I can’t lose them.

  “I have to go back,” I whisper, shaking my head as I try to free myself from Travis’s grip. There is no way I’m leaving here without Lincoln and Tate so I have to go back and find them.

  “Are you fucking insane?” Travis asks, his grip on me tightening as I turn to look at him. Tears slip down my cheeks and I plead with my eyes as we stare at each other.