“I wanted to take this summer off, to build a new business,” he says, “That’s why I was looking for someone like you. It’s been a while since I’ve built anything from scratch. I don’t want to get rusty.”
“Wasn’t it a pretty big risk for you, taking me on?” I ask, “$250,000 is a lot of money.”
“For some people it is,” he grins, “And besides, you don’t even have it yet.”
“Good point,” I say, pulling myself up into his lap, “First I have to make it through the summer without falling in love with you, right?”
His eyes harden as I remind him of that mysterious clause in our contract. “That’s right,” he says resolutely, wrapping his arms around me.
“Care to enlighten me about that?” I ask, circling my arms around his shoulders.
“I don’t,” he says, “I’m sorry, Kassie.”
“I thought we were doing the whole sharing thing?” I remind him.
“I’ve shared plenty with you tonight,” he says, “I’ll get to the rest, in time.”
“You haven’t told me everything,” I say, moving to straddle him on the couch.
“No,” he allows, “But I’ve told you everything I can, club business is club business. You have to trust me, Kassie.”
“I want to,” I tell him, “I do...”
“There are things about me that you can’t know,” he says firmly, planting his hands on my waist, “For your own safety, and for the safety of my club, you can’t be in on certain details of my life. I need you to understand that. I won’t keep anything from you for any other reason than to protect you or my brothers.”
“I’m sure I can protect myself,” I say.
“Not from the things I’m up against,” he tells me.
“Fine,” I say, sliding my hands down the panes of his chest, “There’s just one more thing I need to know right now, and then I’ll be satisfied.”
“Shoot,” he says, as I slip my hands up under his tee.
“You and Dani...” I say, trailing my fingertips along his skin, “You were a thing, yeah?”
“Yeah,” he admits, “We were.”
“Was it serious?” I ask, moving my hips gently. I can feel him respond to me in a heartbeat. I don’t have to do much to turn him on.
“I thought so at the time,” he says, “She was already hanging around the Forty-Five when I showed up. She’s the kid of a member who got killed before my time. We were a couple of lost children, and we paired off. Figured out in time that we were better friends than lovers. And that was that.”
“She’s not carrying a torch?” I ask, playing with his belt buckle.
“It doesn’t matter if she is,” he says, his voice husky, “I’m not interested.”
“Does that mean you’re not sleeping with any other women?” I ask.
“You live five feet away from me and spend every waking hour in my company, not that I’m complaining,” Declan laughs, “Trust me, you’d know if I was sleeping with anyone else.”
“So let me get this straight,” I say, placing my hands on Declan’s thighs, “We work together. Live together. Sleep together. Don’t fuck anybody else...and are one hundred percent, absolutely not allowed to fall in love?”
“Pretty much,” Declan says, his eyes sparking with desire, “Do those terms work for you, Kassie?”
“As long as those terms mean that you're still free to flip me onto my back and fuck me senseless, then yes,” I reply, feeling deliciously wicked.
A half second later, when my back is pressed against the leather and Declan is moving in to kiss me, I have my answer. And all of his confessions, his history, his remaining secrets, slip out of my mind.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The next time Declan and I visit the Forty-Five Club, I look around the place with a fresh pair of eyes. Knowing more about Declan’s history, I try to imagine what it must have been like for him to discover this place. After so many years of wanting a family and a spot to call his home, how beautiful this place must have seemed to him. It may look like just another biker bar, but to Declan it must have looked a lot like heaven.
It’s Friday night, and the place is packed with all the rowdy club regulars. All eight of Declan’s brothers have congregated. The usual hang-arounds are out in force, too, including the trio of Shelly, Wendy, and Courtney, down at their end of the bar. I tense up a bit, seeing that Dani is working tonight. I know now that I have nothing to worry about, where she’s concerned. But I still can’t help but be a little jealous.
“There they are!” calls Sam, the most bushily bearded of Declan’s brothers, and my personal favorite.
“Look who’s decided to grace us with his presence,” Kip jibes, taking a swig of beer.
“What are you talking about, you old bastard?” Declan asks, “We’re here damn near every night these days. I can’t keep Kassie away from you thugs.”
“Digging the Dante’s Nine lifestyle, are you?” Sam asks, patting the barstool at his side. Declan moves off to greet Chuck and John, over by the pool table.
“What’s not to dig?” I ask, settling down beside him, “Whiskey, rock n' roll, good company. And I have to say, Dec’s Harley’s a pretty fun ride.”
“I bet Dec is too,” Ollie says with a wink.
“Whatever could you be talking about?” I ask, widening my eyes in mock innocence. “Declan and I are just business partners.”
“Love me some good partnering,” Ollie grins, “You kids have fun.”
“Would you stop harassing her, Oliver?” I hear Dani say from behind the bar. She sidled up without me even noticing. I can’t help but give her a quick once-over. Her full chest is barely contained by a studded black tank, and her leather skirt is tight enough to bounce a quarter off of. Her thick chestnut curls hang down her back in perfect accord. Gorgeous as always.
“We were just having a friendly conversation, Dani,” Ollie protests, “And don’t call me Oliver. You know I hate that.”
“Whatever you say, honey,” she smiles, waving Ollie away, “You want something to drink, Kassie?”
A little twinge of annoyance twists my gut whenever she uses my nickname. “Kassie” is reserved for friends only. But I’m not about to call her out on it.