Reaper's Stand (Reapers MC, #4)(12)

Hayes glanced down at my hand, then caught my gaze, holding it captive.

“You owe me,” he said. “Because that little bitch doesn’t talk to me like that, you got it? Never again.”

He turned his attention back to Jess, whose face had started to reflect some concern. Maybe she was finally realizing this wasn’t a game?

“You get your ass out here and apologize to your cousin,” Hayes said, his voice so quiet and low I felt it all the way down my spine. “Then go downstairs and get in her car. You’re gonna drive home and you’re never coming out here again. You do, I’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget—and don’t think for a second that smiling and flashing your tits will make a difference. I’ve seen it all before. We clear?”

Jessica nodded, eyes wide. She stepped out of the room, moving instinctively to stand behind me, as far from the Reapers’ president as she could get without making an obvious break for freedom.

“I’m ready to leave now, Loni,” she said quietly.

“Okay. Let’s get out of here.”

I turned to leave, but Hayes’s voice cut like the slash of a whip.

“Stop.”

We turned back slowly. His stare flayed me, stripping through my defenses, and I realized he was much, much angrier with Jessica than I’d realized. Somewhere down in the depths of my brainstem the monkey screamed in fear, absolutely convinced a predator was about to eat us.

“Banks will take her down,” he said. “You and I aren’t done.”

The boy stepped out of the room quickly, pulling on his Reapers vest before catching Jessica’s arm and dragging her down the hallway. If you’d seen them from a distance, you’d almost believe they were a young couple holding hands . . . In reality, he was more like a guard escorting a prisoner.

“Thank you very much for helping me,” I told Hayes once they were gone, forcing myself to breathe steadily. Show no fear. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I want you at my place on Monday at three,” he said.

“We can work you into my schedule,” I said slowly. “But I don’t have my calendar with me. Can I get in touch with you tomorrow, when I’m not so tired?”

Definitely the best idea. Maybe I’d even find a way out of this, because I knew darned well going to his house by myself wouldn’t be safe. Not after seeing him like this—if anything, the man was more dangerous than all the rumors combined. He smiled at me wolfishly.

“No, I’ll see you at three on Monday. Bolt will give you the address. That’ll cover our original deal, but have you forgotten you owe me more now?”

“Huh?” I asked blankly.

“I just gave your girl a damned big pass,” he said slowly, taking a step toward me. I backed up warily. “But someone has to pay for what she did.”

Hayes took another step forward, and I felt my back hit the wall. Not good. His face was cold, eyes full of ice. He towered over me, hands coming to rest on either side of my head.

“What exactly do you mean by pay?” I whispered.

“It’s my birthday,” he said slowly, his chest grazing the tips of my breasts. My nipples hardened without permission. “And instead of getting my dick sucked by a stripper, I just cock-blocked two of my brothers for you.”

I felt myself starting to panic.

“You did get . . .” I cleared my throat nervously. “You did have oral sex. I mean, if you want to be technical about it. You just didn’t finish.”

“I’m aware.”

His hips pushed down, demonstrating just how aware he was. I swallowed as I felt his hard length press my stomach. Heat rushed through me, twisting down between my legs, because no matter what else Reese Hayes might be, he was incredibly sexy. His mouth lowered toward mine, and then his nose brushed up and along the length of mine. I felt his warm breath whisper across my cheek. His lips hovered a fraction of an inch over mine and I closed my eyes.

“Just a taste,” he whispered. I nodded. I couldn’t help myself.

His mouth brushed mine as one of his hands slid into my hair, loosening the bandanna. His tongue traced the crack of my lips, wordlessly asking to come inside.

Sighing, I let him.

The kiss was surprisingly gentle in its intensity. His tongue reached deep, exploring in a game of hunt and chase that sent tendrils of desire all the way down to my toes and back up again. Without thinking, I pressed my breasts against his chest, startled and thrilled by just how good he felt around me. His hips moved in a slow, steady grind as he slipped a knee between mine. I felt a hand grip my rear and then he boosted me effortlessly, pinning me against the wall as my legs wrapped around him oh so naturally.

Reality hit.

Reese Hayes’s penis nestled right up against my opening, and as my body strained toward his I realized we were perilously close to the point of no return.

I pictured Nate’s smiling face and forced myself to pull away from the kiss. Hayes released my mouth, holding my body firm, resting his forehead against mine and breathing heavily. I pushed my spine back into the wall, adrenaline surging, but there wasn’t anywhere to go. Not that the kiss had been violent or rough or even that passionate . . . I’d just never experienced anything quite like this man’s quiet intensity.

And I’d never wanted anyone more than I wanted Reese Hayes in that moment.