She’s petite, like Candy, but with brown hair and a full face of glamorous makeup on.
“Hi, nice to meet you too.”
Mercedez pivots on the spot and points. “That’s Trixie.” The woman’s hands are in the sink, but she looks my way and gives me a small smile. Trixie is wearing a blue tank top that showcases the sleeve of tattoos on her left arm. She has denim short shorts on, and she has long black hair that hangs down her back.
“And that’s Dolly.” A smile stretches across the young woman’s face. She walks to me and wraps her arms around me, so I hug her back. She’s wearing a similar shirt and shorts as Trixie but has short light-pink hair in two pigtails.
“I’m bi,” she says with a wicked glint in her eyes.
I chuckle. “Sorry, I’m straight.” I have no judgment, it’s just that I’m one hundred percent straight.
Her face scrunches. “Dang it!” She playfully bangs her hand.
“Do you need any help in here?” I ask.
“No, we’re good,” Trixie replies.
Elena puts the sauces in the pantry, and Ava adds more plates, knives, and forks to the pile.
I sit at the kitchen island. Axle comes out, walks toward Elena, and gives her a kiss on the cheek. “Babe, you need to communicate with me. As much as you wish I could... I can’t read your mind.”
“Babe”—she uses the same tone of voice as he did—“I don’t know how many subtle hints I can give you. Maybe it’syouwho needs to learn facial expressions and body language cues.”
Axle pauses and looks up, as if thinking about her comment. “Nah... You know I’m shit at that, soyouwill just have to tell me.”
Elena subtly rolls her eyes.
Axle’s eyes narrow a fraction at her. “I saw that,” he says playfully. When he sees me, he steps closer. “Bomber’s real intense with you.”
Viper walks through the door, takes one look at us, and struts over. Elena moves closer to us as well. “Yes, he’s full on...” Elena adds. “I had an inkling he would be protective, but he has taken it to the next level.”
My body warms and I blush. “It’s Knox. He’s always been overprotective. He means well, though.”
Axle briefly peers down. “Oh, no, it’s more than that... He’s wound up so tight over you.”
“What do you mean?” I ask Axle.
“We’ve seen him riled up before, but with you...” Viper lets out a whistle then leans forward, places his hand on mine, and lowers his voice. “All I’m saying is tread carefully,” he says.
“What... the... fuck...” A deep voice comes from the doorway.
I sit up straighter in my chair, my eyes dart to Knox. There’s weight of tension in the air. A muscle tics along Knox’s jawline as he glares at Viper’s hand resting on mine.
Viper is the only one who isn’t fazed by Knox’s reaction. He lifts his hand with an easygoing expression. “We were just talking,” he says in a calm but firm voice.
Viper leans into Knox, who has turned to stone, and whispers in his ear. Whatever he said seemed to work, as Viper pats him on the back and walks away. Knox’s shoulders fall, his expression softening.
I walk to Knox and take his hand in mine. I tug him through the living room and out the front door, onto the porch. “Why are you so upset?”
“I don’t want anyone touching you.”
I can understand how that may have come across with his friend’s hand over mine and the closeness between us as he leaned in to warn me about Knox, but it’s not like Knox has seemed interested.
“You don’t want to talk to me... touch me... if I mean so little to you, why—”
His lips are on mine, silencing me. They are soft and greedy. His tongue taking advantage, delving in deep and aggressively. I still at first, then wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him back, jerking him closer. My heart beats too fast. A moan escapes me in pure desperation. The kiss heightens sensual parts of me.
He demands possession with every sweep and twist of his tongue. His fingers dig into my hips. His other hand is on the side of my neck as his thumb caresses my throat. I raise my hand and run my fingers through his hair, then begin tugging, which grants me a drawn-out groan.
