Liar (Madison Kate #2)(68)

I ignored the effect his words had on me and cleared my throat as I held up the straps to figure them out. But Steele was way ahead of me.

"Here." He separated out one loop and threaded his good arm through, showing me how it was supposed to sit. I was then able to help him secure the other half over his injured arm and shoulder, but frowned when he grimaced as he buckled the strap across his chest.

"Steele," I said as he picked up a handgun from his bed—somehow I hadn't noticed it there—and secured it in the leather holster I'd just helped him into. "That looks like it's going to hurt you all night. Also, isn't it a bit obvious?"

I frowned at him as he turned back to face me with a wicked grin on his face. "Actually, gorgeous, this is an authentic 1922 gun holster, so technically it's part of my costume. Besides, you didn't think we were seriously all going to a nightclub with no weapons, did you? What if someone attacks you again?"

I bit the corner of my lip in concern. "Well, sure. But you probably shouldn't be leaping into another gunfight right now. You can't even move that arm without cringing."

Steele just gave me a flat stare, and I knew perfectly well I was fighting a losing battle.

"Max..." I groaned, knowing I'd already abandoned my argument. He looked... wow. "You look like a male stripper," I muttered, trying really hard not to sound like a jealous girlfriend.

His grin spread wide, and he took a couple of steps toward me with way too much swagger. Fucking hell, my ovaries just exploded.

"Are you telling me you want to rip my clothes off, Hellcat?" he teased, flicking a finger under my chin to raise my face up to his. "Because I could be on board for that." He winked one of those gorgeous eyes at me, and I almost came. Goddamn, apparently five days was too long for my libido to go without because I was damn near gasping for it.

"Yo, time to go," Kody announced, banging on Steele's open door. "I want to grab burgers on the way."

"Fuck off," Steele replied, not taking his eyes off my face for even a second, "we were in the middle of something."

My stomach flipped with excitement, and my mouth watered. Whatever thoughts were putting that intoxicated, hungry look in his eyes, I was totally on board.

"Well, finish it later," Kody replied, coming into the room and grabbing me by the hand, "You cockblocked me all week with your injuries, so you definitely don't get to cheat me of a night out with our girl. Come on, move your ass." He left the room again, pulling me along behind him, and I barely had enough time to shoot Steele a grin over my shoulder before we were around the corner. Except Kody didn't continue leading me all the way downstairs.

Instead, he spun around and pinned me to the wall right outside Steele's bedroom. His lips came down on mine in a hard, possessive kiss that left my knees weak and my fingernails digging into the back of his neck.

"Trust me, babe," he said in a husky whisper, "I want nothing more than to rip that dress off you and stay in tonight. But this club trip serves a double purpose."

My brows shot up. "It does?"

He nodded, swiping his rough thumb across my lower lip where my lipstick was probably all kinds of smeared. "Arch got in touch with someone from his grandfather's training camp. He might be able to shed some light on how your attacker had a D'Ath blade."

Shock made my jaw drop slightly. "Seriously?" Kody nodded. "And... this guy is at Club Twenty-Two?"

"Should be." Kody released me, holding out his hand this time instead of grabbing me. "Also, I can't wait to get my hands all over you on that dance floor."

I laughed, taking his hand and walking with him down the stairs. "You could put your hands all over me anywhere," I commented quietly, "with considerably less of an audience."

The smirk Kody shot me was drenched in sex, and my thighs clenched. "The audience is part of the fun, babe." His long lashes closed over one jade-green eye in a saucy wink, and my heart raced. I was in so far over my head with these boys, and I didn't even care. I'd happily sign up for all the impending heartbreak if it meant I could keep feeling like the center of their universe a little longer.

Steele caught up to us as we made our way into the garage, and Archer was already waiting beside a black Range Rover looking... holy fucking shit, wow. Charcoal pinstriped suit pants, a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off his inked forearms, and fucking suspenders. I was sorely tempted to throw down and declare suspenders illegal. They should be. The whole themed look on him, combined with the fedora hat? It was a hell of a look. A great one, at that.

"We ready to go?" he asked us with a faint scowl marking his brow. He seemed to be talking to the boys, but his eyes were on me, no matter how hard he tried to pretend they weren't.

Steele nodded his response, flipping open the leather jacket he'd put on and showing Archer his gun. I expected some kind of reaction from him, but he just gave Steele a short nod before shifting his attention to Kody.

"Ready, boss," Kody replied, turning around and flashing a gun secured in the small of his back. I just gaped at the three of them like they'd grown three heads.

"Since when did you guys start wearing concealed weapons for a night out on the town?" I asked, mostly not expecting an answer. I got one anyway. Of course.