Page 71 of Stag

“Wanna go get grindy on the dancefloor?”

She blinked, working her lips as she pondered a word. “Rindy?”

“With a G. Grindy. Me up against you, dancing and fondling each other. Grindy.”

Her lips trembled with a giggle that sounded a little forced, but it was progress. She nodded, sliding off my lap and reaching for my hands. If she wanted to dance all fucking night, that’s what we’d do.

We headed down the stairs, into the deafening music, that seemed to boom right through my fucking soul, but the way it affected her, as she led me to the centre of the dancefloor? That made it my favourite sound ever. Her sadness seemed to fade as her hips started to move, and she wrapped her arms around my neck, her eyes on mine as we matched rhythms and danced for each other.

They say dance like nobody’s watching. Well, as far as I was concerned, nobody else fucking existed, just us. Just her. She was becoming the reason I breathed, and I didn’t want to do anything to screw it up. We might be living together for temporary reasons, but it didn’t mean it had to change. Once Henley and his old lady returned, I’d use some of that Bennett money and get us a room somewhere, just until the clubhouse was ready.

The idea of asking her to move there with me was terrifying, because that’s the point where she’d realise what she was signing up for. A worthless biker asshole with more than one foot in the criminal world, and fuck all else to offer.

“What’s wrong?” She pressed her lips to my ear to yell at me, and it was weird how that made my dick even harder than it already was. Maybe it was the way her warm breath teased my skin as she spoke. Maybe I’m just a horny fucker. A hopeless case.

“Nothing,” I finally said, because I wasn’t about to tell her about the insanity in my head right now. I was still working through this shit myself. I’d been single for too fucking long, but what if my need for her pushed her away because it freaked her out?

“No lies, we don’t lie to each other,” she said firmly, pulling back to glare at me. Fuck.

“Nothing to worry about?” I tried, and she rolled her eyes.

“Let’s go home.” She dragged me across the dancefloor, weaving our way between sweaty, writhing bodies, bumping against various elbows and getting a few glares along our way.

When we stepped outside, and the music was reduced to a muffled heavy thud, I pulled her to a stop.

“I’m not lying or something. I’m just working stuff out in my head, and trying not to say it until I understand it. I’m trying to do better.”

Her palms rested against my cheeks and she smiled softly.

“You don’t need to change a single thing, Stag. I’m falling in love with exactly who you are.” Love. She said love. I’m feeling it and so is she. Fuck yes.

I tugged her against me, my lips landing on hers fairly clumsily, but with intent. Intent to show her with my mouth just how I fucking feel about her. Should I be saying it back? Is it too soon? Is that how I let the winged monkeys out and ruin things?

“Let’s go home,” she said again, and that word settled deep in my chest, because she didn’t mean Henley’s house, not really. She meant wherever we decide to be. Together.

Claudia

When we reached Stag’s motorcycle, our helmets on as we stood beside it, he paused, his brow creasing. With his visor up, I could only see part of his face, but I saw the rage filling his eyes as he suddenly leaned down to stare at the black and yellow paintwork. Oh god.

Someone had very clearly scratched two words into the paint. They’d destroyed it, trashed the beautiful artwork he had on there. A phoenix. Of course it was a phoenix.

It was obvious who the culprit was too. Those two jagged words were ‘Not Worthy’. Why would she do this? Stag moved around the other side of the motorbike and his eyes went from rage filled to horrified. He stuck a hand out as I tried to move around to see it, shaking his head, the helmet still blocking his mouth, so I had no idea if he was speaking.

He lifted it off and set it down, and now I could see curse-words leaving his lips in rapid succession, followed by him lifting his phone to his ear.

“Grease, I need you to look at camera footage outside Grimm’s. Now, please.”

I tried edging closer and he stopped me again, shaking his head.

“Someone’s vandalised my ride, brother. I need confirmation.” He didn’t say he needs to know who, because it’s obvious. He’s saying he needs proof for the police.

He murmured something that I missed, and shoved the phone back in his pocket.

“We’re gonna go back inside until the cops get here.”

“Police? What did she do on the other side?”

He shook his head again, moving toward me, and heading me off before I can get a look at the damage.