Vengeance (Steel Kings MC Book 3) Read online

  His eyes darkened with regret, but he didn’t let her go. In fact, he moved closer, his big body crowding into her personal space. It should have been scary, overwhelming. Instead, Ava felt protected, even . . . safe. Geez, the stress and lack of sleep from the last couple of nights must be catching up to her. “I’m sorry, Ava.” There went his hand again. “Damn, I’m fucking this up. I just want to keep you safe.”

  Ava sighed. Why did he have to be so damn charming? He looked so concerned. She wanted to be mad at him. But it was nice, having someone care about her. Her whole life was about taking care of others—Emily, her patients. It was her job, her duty, both as a parent and a doctor, and she loved her daughter with all her heart, but damn it, it was so much work. Some days it was almost overwhelming. Staying up all night with a teething toddler and then having to go work a twelve-hour shift the next day. Having someone right there in front of her, telling her they wanted to take care of her. She hadn’t realized how much she needed it until right in that moment. She looked up, her gaze softening at the look of regret in his eyes. “Just tell me. Please.”

  He sucked in a breath. “Okay. But my place, okay?”

  Could she do it? Go with him to wherever he lived? Ava glanced at her watch. There were still a couple of hours before her regular end time, and so Mrs. Bryan would be okay with Emily for a while longer. Yes. She may be mad at Connor, but damn him, she trusted him. Had never stopped, really. If that was how she was going to finally found out the truth, she’d do it. “Sure.”

  His eyes widened for a moment, as if he’d expected her to turn him down again, and then a brilliant smile took over his face. “Really?” She nodded. “Okay, then.” He turned and grabbed the helmet dangling over the handlebars, holding it out. “Gotta wear the lid.” She frowned. She’d seen what happened to riders who hit the pavement without one. Did he have a spare? Damn, there was that smile again. “Ava, it’s fine. I’m a good rider. But I won’t risk you, not for anything.” He held the helmet out to her again. “Wear it. For me?”

  She reached out but then paused. Couldn’t she just follow in her car? But then the image entered her mind: sitting on the back of Connor’s bike, her arms wrapped around his waist, almost low enough that . . . something else . . . would be only inches away. Would she press herself to his back, feel the warmth of his body against hers? Would she feel every flex of his considerable muscles when he leaned into a turn, the bike’s engine throbbing between her legs?

  A heat rose to her cheeks, then flooded through her body. She wanted this. She’d deal with the fallout later. “Let’s go.”

  10

  Doc

  What the hell had he been thinking? He was completely insane. Either that, or way more into self-torture than he’d realized. He grinned as images of Ava taking charge entered his mind, his hands tied to the bed. Fuck, he was so far gone from a sense of reality or possibility, but right then he didn’t care. Her front had been smushed against his back ever since he’d taken the first turn, leaning low against the road. Her breasts pushed against his back, soft curves hugging his body and molding to him. Her hands tightened around his waist, one palm lying flush against bare skin where his T-shirt had ridden up. Her touch was like fire. He’d given Ava his jacket, along with the helmet, to protect her, and so the wind blew fresh over the bare skin of his arms. Every sense was lit up, and he felt more alive than he had in years.

  Riding through the streets he called home, the wind in his hair and the most beautiful girl he’d ever known on the back of his bike, the troubles of the last few days seemed to melt away. No doubt they’d return soon enough, likely as soon as he returned to the Steel Kings compound, but for now he’d enjoy it. He took another steep turn and Ava squealed a little, pressing her entire body against him. One of her hands grabbed ahold of the top of his jeans, looping her fingers through his belt loop. Oh, God. Just inches lower, and her fingers would brush up against his cock. Just the sight of her climbing onto the back of his bike had given him a semi. Now, with her small body wrapped around his, Connor’s cock was hard as steel. Maybe it was best her hand hadn’t drifted lower, or he’d come in his pants like a damn teenager.

  His feelings were mixed as he turned onto the street where his apartment was. There was no way he was taking her back to the compound, even if it was likely safer right now, with more than just him there for protection. The main gates were still standing despite the Joker’s recent assault, and right now had guards posted 24/7 as per Levi’s orders. He would be able get Ava inside before freaking her out. After that, who knew? Most of the damage outside had been repaired, windows and doors replaced, but there was still some work to be done patching the inside of the clubhouse. Would she recognize them as bullet holes? How long before she put two and two together? He was still amazed she’d even agreed to get on the back of his bike. When she realized that the men in her waiting room had been the same that the Kings had tangled with only hours before, maybe that would be what finally made her run from him for good.

  Connor gunned the engine. He’d deal with that when he had to. For now, he needed to talk to her alone, without the prying eyes of his brothers. They may be an MC, but some of the guys were worse than little old ladies when it came to gossip. If he showed up at the compound with Ava on the back of his bike, everyone would know about it in under five minutes. He wasn’t ready to share her. Connor growled at the thought. Never like that. Ava was his.

  Crap. Where had that come from? He had to reel himself in. The fact she was here with him meant nothing. She wanted answers, and damn it, she deserved them, as much as it was going to kill him to tell her. She had no interest in anything more beyond that, and even if she did, he had no right to take it. Ava was his to protect, and that meant staying the hell away. Watching from a distance, and nothing more. If the Jokers even got a whiff of what she really meant to him . . . He shuddered. No, he could never do that to her.

  Connor pulled up at his place, riding the bike around to the back before killing the engine. Unlike out front, at least here in the small lot for residents’ vehicles only, surrounded by high concrete walls, it was easier to spot anyone who shouldn’t be there. Not that there couldn’t be a sniper hiding on a rooftop. He rolled his eyes. Merc had mad skills, but he wasn’t typical by any means. It was highly unlikely the Neanderthal Jokers had anyone matching his skillset riding with them. But they could hire someone. Sure, the Kings were far from angels, but their income and assets were from moral endeavors, if perhaps not always strictly legal. The Jokers, on the other hand, they didn’t care who got hurt as long as they profited from it.

  When the Kings had rescued Stacey, she was being held in a storage locker, less than a day away from being sold to human traffickers. It was something they’d long suspected, but to have it confirmed in such a brutal way, it had shaken Connor. The Jokers ran guns and drugs, that was well known. What they hadn’t confirmed until that day was that they were also smuggling human beings—women whose only crime was to cross the path of the wrong man. In Stacey’s case, she’d seen something she shouldn’t at one of the Jokers’ associates, and they’d decided she needed to disappear. If it hadn’t been for the doggedness of Seth’s old lady, Nikki, it was likely her sister would never have been found. And then there was what Shakespeare had discovered yesterday. That revelation still chilled his bones.

  After they’d gotten back from the rescue, Levi had been mad as hell, more than Connor had ever seen. Their president had hidden it well, refusing to let the members of the club see him as anything but in control, but he hadn’t been able to hide it from Connor.

  He’d taken the big man out back, holding the heavy bag and even taking several hits himself while Levi pounded his anger away for hours. Connor hadn’t asked, but it was obvious there was more to Vlad’s anger than just that night. Connor could still feel it burning in his eyes hours after everything had gone down, hours after Stacey was safely tucked away with Sticks and Nikki. The man had secrets, but who d
idn’t? If there was anyone Levi would ever confide it, it would have been Seth, their VP, but he was busy that night tending to both Nikki and her sister.

  So Doc respected Levi’s privacy—and kept his own secret—and was there for the man to let out steam, however he needed to. It had hit Doc hard, too, that the Jokers were trafficking people. There was no way in hell he was exposing Ava to that knowledge or risk, but he could at least tell her the rest.

  Doc drove past the spot assigned to his apartment, instead pulling up hard against the wall closest to the steps leading up to his apartment. He was sure someone would complain about him leaving the bike there. There was always someone complaining about something he was doing. Typical prejudice. Today they could just deal. There was no way he was parking in his usual spot out by the corner of the lot. Small as it was, any risk he could avoid or minimize was worth it when Ava was on the back of his bike.

  He kicked down the stand and then quickly turned, straddling the bike backward and facing Ava. His cock hardened impossibly further when their knees bumped together. At this rate, he was going to have a zipper pattern permanently imprinted on it. He placed his hands on the sides of the helmet and gently lifted it from her head, grinning when the movement revealed Ava’s face, her cheeks the most gorgeous shade of pink. Thank God he wasn’t the only one affected.

  He stood, holding out a hand for her to grip as she climbed off the bike, then led her up the stairs. Finally, when they were inside his apartment, he let out a breath. Safe. He waved at the couch and armchairs surrounding the TV. They were a little old and mismatched, but at least they were clean and didn’t have any of his underwear hanging off the sides. Doc wasn’t the greatest at housekeeping, but until that moment, he hadn’t given a shit that his furniture was a bit old or that his crap was lying on most available surfaces. Now, he was mad at himself for being such a slob. Couldn’t he have cleaned up first? He shook his head. Like he’d imagined in a million years that Ava would be at his apartment. He still didn’t know why the hell he’d given in and brought her over.

  Yes, you do. You just don’t want to admit it.

  He pushed the thought aside. He was here because Ava had made it clear that she needed more from him before she allowed him to do what he needed to keep her safe. That was all that mattered. Making sure she was sitting comfortably, he moved quickly through each room of his small apartment, clearing it. There were no signs of anything disturbed, and all windows were locked, no evidence of tampering. For now, they were safe. He moved back to the main room, plastering a smile on his face. “Coffee?”

  Ava patted the couch next to her. “I’m fine, Connor. Come sit.” His smile widened into a grin at the sound of his name on her lips. He didn’t hear it often. Most of the guys at the club preferring road names. She’d said it before over the last few days, but right then was the first time it hadn’t been in anger or frustration. He moved toward the couch and sat opposite her. He was close enough to smell her sweet scent, and he couldn’t help inhaling deeply. How she managed to smell so good coming off a full day’s shift, he didn’t know.

  He sat forward, his elbows on his knees, linking his fingers together. Somehow, it was easier to begin when he wasn’t looking at her. Every time he took her in, those glorious curves, her shiny hair with the slightest curl tipping it up at the end, and God, her eyes. They held so many secrets, but also curiosity and compassion that it stayed him every time he looked at her. He wasn’t the only one who had changed in the last few years.

  There was something different about Ava, too. She was older, sure, but it was something else. She was wiser, more experienced. He’d seen a lot of the world since leaving, and a lot of it hadn’t been good. Was that it? Had the world got ahold of her, too? It was inevitable, he supposed. You had to grow up sometime. Still, he wished he could have protected her from anything that threatened her. Ava stayed silent, but her hand touched his shoulder, curving around and squeezing slightly. He had to man up and get this over with. She deserved that much.

  “Ava, the guys who attacked you. They’re not good . . .”

  “I know that,” she said, her voice quiet, but she didn’t move her hand.

  He turned, suddenly needing to see her face. Fuck his ego. If he was going to open up about everything, he needed to look into her eyes. Doc grabbed her hands, resting them inside his in his lap, one knee cocked up so he could sit as close to her as possible. He’d pull her onto his lap if he didn’t think she’d slap him for it, but God, it felt good to just hold her hands. “You don’t understand. They aren’t out stealing candy from babies. These guys are bad news.” He paused, rubbing his thumb over the back of Ava’s hand. The touch helped ground him, softening the rage that was building inside of him thinking about what the Jokers had done to Stacey, what they’d done to hundreds of people he was too late to save. “They run weapons, and drugs, but that’s not the worst of it. Ava, they kidnap people. Women. And then sell them into God knows what. The sister of one of the women in our club was taken. We barely got to her in time.” His hands tightened on hers. Doc couldn’t have relaxed if he tried. He wanted to haul her into his lap, wrap his arms around her and never let go again. How was he supposed to let her out in the world when there could be a target on her back? If something happened to Ava, then he’d never forgive himself.

  “We try, the Steel Kings, I mean. We’ve had our eyes on the Jokers for a while, and managed to sabotage some of their efforts, but the trafficking was a whole new one.” He looked in her eyes, expecting to see wariness or even judgement at the mention of the Kings, but all he could see was concern. “We had suspicions, of course. It’s what first brought them to our president’s attention, but we didn’t know the extent of it until a few months ago, when Nikki arrived on our doorstep.”

  Holding her hand, looking into her eyes, Doc told her the whole story. “They started a war. Attacking our clubhouse, in broad daylight, that was just the beginning. We’re involved now, whether we wanted to be or not. And it scares the shit out of me that they saw me with you.” He sat back, breaking contact. He felt dirty suddenly, like mere contact with him there in his apartment was putting her in danger. He hadn’t detected a tail, but had anyone seen her come in? Did they know she was there right now? He should get her out of there. Right now. “All I ever wanted was to keep you safe, and for you to be happy. Ava, at the end, when I left, I wasn’t making you happy, as much as I wished I could. I can’t make you happy now. It’s too dangerous.”

  Ava looked up at him, eyes wet. She lifted her hand and held a finger to his lips. “Shhh,” she said. “You don’t need to say anything more.” And then before Doc realized what was happening, Ava leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

  11

  Ava

  Ava moaned as her lips touched Connor’s. At first, he sat stock still, maybe shocked by her move. Had she read him wrong? She was about to pull back, to start apologizing, when a low groan escaped his mouth. Connor’s arms shot out, wrapping around her waist and pulling her tightly to him. He hauled her into his lap, her legs going around his waist. They tightened around his strong hips, her legs pressing together, trying to increase the friction between them. She lifted her arms, tangling her fingers in his hair. She’d noticed his nervous tic, running his fingers through his hair when he was anxious or trying to avoid something. That much hadn’t changed.

  He trailed a hand up her back, running a finger along her spine and leaving sparks in its wake. Her hand tightened in his hair, and she tugged. The hand on her back splayed out—God, the man was huge everywhere—pressing her closer to him and holding her in place as his mouth ravaged hers. The position tilted her forward, rubbing her sensitive core against the bulge in his jeans. Connor was a large man, in more ways than one, she’d known that, but somehow the reality was even better than her memories.

  She moved against him shamelessly, rubbing herself against him, moaning out loud when the delicious friction built. God, they were both still ful
ly dressed. The sex between them had always been hot, but this new Connor—rougher, but also stronger—he’d clearly learned a few things.

  Connor took advantage of her moan and licked along the seam of her lips. She opened for him, and his hand mimicked hers, tangling in her hair. He pulled her head back, tipping her face upward as his tongue plundered her mouth. God, it felt good. No, it felt better than good. It felt right. With his touch, his kiss, it was as if all the years in between had fallen away. They were just Connor and Ava again, only this time she’d learned from the mistakes of the past. She’d been holding on to a grudge for so damn long, but Connor hadn’t been the only one at fault. She hadn’t asked him what was wrong, hadn’t made him sit down and talk to her; not until that final night when it was too late. She could do it this time, be there for him. He wanted to protect her, but she could show him that it didn’t have to be all one way. She could take care of him, too.

  She ground down on his hard cock again. Connor growled and then moved suddenly, tightening his grip around her shoulder and waist again. Ava let out a small shriek as he tilted her backward. Her head fell against the cushion on the end of the couch, Connor’s body coming down over the top of her. He braced himself on an arm. “Too heavy?” he murmured.

  “Never.” His weight was delicious, pressing down against her. He wanted her to feel safe? Lying there, wrapped in his embrace, she felt surrounded, fully protected. With Connor’s body touching hers everywhere, nothing else could get to her.