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  “Okay, we’ll wait for you downstairs,” Lisa says.

  I hear them going away, laughing their hearts out.

  I have no desire to join my friends downstairs, ‘specially now that I’m all worked up but yet, I try to unwrap myself from Slider because it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes the right thing to do sucks big time.

  But Slider won’t let me go which is actually a good thing because I’m not so balanced when my feet reach the floor. Holding me steady with one strong arm, his fingers move very softly inside of me as if he is probing, looking for something and when he finds it my breath catches in my throat and then I scream “Oh, my God, yes!”

  I’m a lot louder that I wanted but I’ve lost all control, my brain is mush and I’m nothing more than a giant firework set off by Slider’s magical touch.

  He lifts me up and settles me on the pile of dresses on Lisa’s bed and kneels by my side.

  “You may want to fix your makeup,” he says smoothing down my hair. “Oh, and you’re not going back to the club.” Before I have the time to ask why, he says, “The Feds will confiscate the building ’cause it belongs to the Wizards.”

  “I kind of had it figured out since they had their offices upstairs,” I tell him and then I frown, trying to remember what I have in my locker. “What about you? Is there any way you can go back in?”

  “I have to. Why?”

  “Because there’s one thing I would really miss if I couldn’t get it back.”

  “What is it?” he asks.

  “It’s a picture of Kim, Josette, and me. A client took it with a Polaroid camera on my first night at the club. I promised it to Toussaint, and I never had a chance to get around to it. The poor kid has so very few pictures of his mother.”

  “Okay, we’ll get it for you,” he says. “But right now, I’m gonna take you home and—”

  I cradle his face in my hands. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we’re not going anywhere for a while. I promised Mimi that I would stay at least until she cuts the cake.”

  Slider sighs and leans over to nibble my neck. I guess he does have an appetite but not for cake. The touch of his lips makes me shiver, but I remain firm.

  “You’ve made me wait for so long, it’s only fair that I make you wait for a couple of hours,” I say.

  “Who cares about fair,” he grumbles then kisses me again before we go back down.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Slider

  I watch Sally fix her makeup and comb her dark curls. Too bad, I liked the just fucked hairdo. I kiss her again and let her go back down first. I follow a minute later.

  The older crowd has settled around one of the large tables and Toussaint and a few kids have taken over the smaller one, so that leaves the other large table for the friends of the bride and groom. That would be perfect if we weren’t such an odd bunch.

  Mimi is standing in front of the table with a piece of paper in her hand. It looks as if she’s worked on a seating arrangement. There’s a bit of tension in the air. Obviously David will sit next to Mimi. On his left are Lisa and Ice, then Catherine and Everest, Sally and me and then Juliya and Prince. Mimi seems very happy with her organization and I wonder if it’s too early to sigh with relief, as Sally is doing. Everest, Catherine and David know I’m a police officer, but the rest of them think I’m only a Category Five Knight. Did David tell Mimi?

  We’re all about to take our assigned seats when Mimi suggests we get some food. Since we’re all on our best behavior, we follow her suggestion. I wonder if she’s always this bossy or if she’s just being extra-cautious to avoid any bloodshed on her wedding day. I vote for bossy. David will find out soon enough.

  At the buffet, Sally’s more adventurous than I am. She helps herself to some of the Haitian curry Mimi made. I bend over to smell it, and it instantly clears my sinuses. I decide to pass.

  “It’s Toussaint’s favorite,” Sally says. “Surely you’ll have a bite.”

  “Right, I’ll taste it from your plate,” I say to humor her. “I’m more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.”

  “Then you’re in luck,” David tells me, inviting me to follow him. He leads me to the other side of the yard where a hired chef has luscious-looking steaks marinating. The man has a huge piece of meat on the grill, and while we wait for the beef to cook, David asks, “How did it go with Black?”

  “Fine. They’re pulling me out.” I keep my eyes on the sizzling grill as if it’s the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Do you know what you’re gonna do next?” he asks, concern in his voice. He didn’t stay undercover that long, but he seems to understand that there are issues with coming back to normal, whatever normal means.

  “I’ll start with taking all the down time that’s coming to me,” I say.

  “Yeah, figures. But what about after that?”

  “I have no fucking idea. Why are you asking?”

  “I’m weighing my options, and I was wondering where you’re at.”

  “If you’re counting on me for guidance, it’s gonna be the blind leading the blind.”

  The cook has pulled the beef away from the grill and is slicing it.

  “Maybe not. I may have a proposition for you,” he says, moving toward the serving tray.

  We help ourselves, and I follow him back. David seems deep in thought and doesn’t say anything more until we reach the table. He puts on a perfect smile and dives into the conversation. His wife is talking about the place they just moved into.

  Sally leans against me and tells me what I missed. “David and Mimi have moved into Captain Williams’s old house. He was going to sell it, but he decided to wait in case Lisa wanted to keep her mother’s house or something.”

  I nod and cut the meat on my plate. I stab a piece with my fork and bring the bite to Sally’s lips. She’s surprised by the gesture but opens her mouth, and when she tastes it, she makes noises that go straight to my dick. There’s a drop of sauce on her lips, and it takes all my willpower to refrain from licking it off her. I wipe it away with my thumb, and she playfully catches my hand and sucks the finger clean. My jeans shrink a size or two around the crotch.

  Sally looks at me from under her long dark lashes and says, “That was delicious. Can I have a bigger bite?”

  The girl sure knows how to whet my appetite.

  “Did you two kiss and make up?” Mimi asks.

  “Well we did kiss,” Sally says. “But we’ve never fought, so we haven’t been able to make up yet.”

  “Too bad,” Mimi says, catching David’s hand. “Making up can be fun.”

  David looks at her and frowns looking puzzled. “Did we ever have a fight?”

  “Well, I guess technically we didn’t, but we both vanished for almost a year. That counts as something to make up for, no?”

  David laughs. “Yes, we did have some making up for lost time to do!”

  “Oh please!” Juliya protests.

  “Is there truly not a romantic bone in your body?” Lisa notes. “You know David used to be like you. He used to make fun of me all the time, and now look at him.”

  “Yeah, you contaminated him. Now it seems Sally’s got the bug, too.” Juliya sighs. “I wonder if anyone with an ounce of good sense will be left to put me out of my misery if I ever get as ridiculously mushy as you.”

  Juliya’s exaggerated dramatic tone brings a smile to all our faces.

  “Don’t worry, baby,” Everest says. “You can count on me to put you out of your misery especially if that means tearing to shreds the idiot you fall head over heels for.”

  And, despite the pleasant tone he uses, I’m sure he means it too. I’m not sure Juliya will find someone to have fun with anytime soon. I overheard her confessing to Sally that most days in the MC compound, she felt like an invisible woman.

  Prince rests one of his large hands over Juliya’s.

  “This Knight won’t be intimidated. Anytime you need me, princess, just call.”

/>   Ice and Everest’s smiles vanish as Prince finishes his sentence.

  From the corner of my eye, I see Lisa put a calming hand over Ice’s fist.

  Everest doesn’t have a chance to do more than mutter, “Over my dead body,” before Catherine asks, “Is there a rule prohibiting police officers dancing together?”

  “No, I don’t think so,” David says clearly grateful for the diversion.

  “And I’m not even sure the fraternization rules would hold up in court,” Lisa adds. Once a lawyer…

  “Good, then I guess I can ask you to dance,” Catherine says to Everest.

  “It will be my pleasure.” Everest stands at once. The gentleman overrides the brother and he holds out a hand to help her get up.

  While doing so Catherine says to him, “Would you believe that I always have to be the one to ask? The gun in my holster seems to deter most men…”

  I lose the rest of her sentence as they walk away.

  Lisa, who heard Catherine’s remark too, notes, “That’s incredible. I mean, Catherine is an amazingly beautiful woman. I can’t believe she doesn’t have to chase guys away all day.”

  “Sometimes amazing beauty can be intimidating too,” Prince says with an insight that surprises me. Most days he acts as if he’s nothing but a magnificent killing machine but the truth is that there is much more to him than meets the eye.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Sally

  As soon as Everest and Catherine leave, the tension seems to lift from the table. This is so strange, Everest has decided to be a police officer instead of a full member of the Iron Tornadoes MC and yet, seeing his sister next to a member of another MC gets him more upset than Ice who’s the VP of the Tornadoes. There must be something more to the dynamics that escapes me. Possibly something related to their common kink.

  Slider is quiet, more quiet than usual. I’m afraid he’s having second thoughts … I look sideways at him and he’s listening to David’s tales of his life in Canada and how much he hated the cold. Slider notices my glance and leans closer to me. One of his hands touches my thigh for a few seconds and the simple contact sends shivers down my spine. Reminding me of what those agile fingers can do to me. I’m pretty sure that I’m blushing a little.

  When David stops to pour some wine for Mimi, Slider turns around and asks, “You okay?” I nod and smile. “No regrets?” I frown wondering what I could possibly have regrets about. Well aside from him waiting such a long time to make a move but I’m pretty sure that’s not what he’s talking about. He grasps my nape and pulls me to him to whisper in my ear, “I would rather skip the cake and have you for desert, now.”

  I feel myself blush and when he lets me go, I wonder how large a grin is on my face. Pretty large I guess since Everest, who just returned and is pulling Catherine’s chair out for her, looks at me with a malicious twinkle in his eyes. And as I hear Juliya chuckle, I’m aware that I’m probably crimson but I don’t care. Right, I don’t give a rat’s ass because now I think he wants me as much as I want him. My heart is soaring and I have feelings that would probably make Juliya want to make puking sounds if I described them to her.

  “Do you dance?” I ask Slider.

  “Nah, not my speed,” he says and leaning against me again he adds more softly. “Now if you want to stand and grind yourself against me, I’m game but not in public.”

  “Oh!” is all I’m able to say. The image he conjured in my head is all I can see and there’s a huge ball of heat in my belly. I close my eyes and sigh. I’m rewarded with a kiss on the nose which makes me feel like a kitten. I love feeling like his kitten. Oh, shit! Kitten and the other dancers, they’re out of a job.

  “Did you tell the others?” I ask.

  Slider frowns at me and I have no clue why.

  “What should he have told us sweetheart?” Prince asks.

  “What I plan to do to her as soon as Mimi’s done slicing the cake,” Slider answers for me.

  Juliya and Catherine laugh out loud to such absurd answer but Prince is not distracted, he doesn’t buy the sarcastic answer for a second. He knows that if he’s the kind of guy to brag about what he’s going to do to a woman, that’s not Slider’s way. Looking at Prince and tilting his head in the general direction of the grill, Slider gets up and says, “I’m gonna get another slice of that beef. Anyone else want some?”

  “I need a refill too,” Prince says and gets up. “How do you like yours cooked?” he asks Juliya.

  She snaps back “I can get my own, thank you very much.”

  “Wrong answer baby,” he stares at her and Juliya holds his gaze. I start counting in my head and I get to fifteen before she caves, lowers her eyes and says, “Black and blue please.”

  “See, that wasn’t so hard.”

  It’s now Juliya’s turn to blush and I look away so I don’t add to her discomfort. When I do, I get a chance to study Everest and Ice’s expressions as they observe their sister. There’s surprise, that’s for sure, probably because Juliya seldom loses staring contests, but there’s something else. Maybe a mixture of dislike and new found respect for Prince?

  David creates a diversion by asking me, “So you made quite an impression on Patricia. She can’t wait to have you join Friendly Persuasion.”

  That man is really a sweetheart.

  “That’s such a cool name. Who came up with it?”

  “It was Cracker,” says Ice.

  “That’s your father, right?” I ask him. He nods. “And you and Everest and Juliya always call him Cracker?”

  “I remember calling him Dad when I was a baby,” Juliya says thoughtfully. “I can’t remember when or why I stopped.”

  “He did let us get away with it for a bit, probably so we would understand that he was indeed our father,” Everest explains to his sister tenderly. “You probably switched to Cracker to imitate us.”

  “Nothing more natural than a sister wanting to be just like her brothers,” I chime in and immediately regret doing so. The last person I want to talk about is my brother. I don’t want anybody asking any questions about my family. I don’t, in general, but today less than usual. It’s too much of a sad and nasty story to tell at a wedding reception.

  I look at Juliya who’s about to ask me something and I’m guessing it’s going to be about my having siblings. I slightly shake my head no in a silent prayer while knowing that doing so I’m only postponing her giving me the third degree.

  “I’m so excited I’m going to be working with you,” she says and I let out a sigh of relief. “Patricia’s extremely bossy so it will be nice to have someone who talks to me normally.”

  “Anyone giving you a hard time?” Ice asks his sister back in his usual protective mode.

  “Just you. You need to hire more people. I worry when I see you go by yourself without any backup,” Juliya tells him.

  “Yeah, I’m working on it,” he shrugs. “But it seems the police force with its crappy pay, its dirty politics and moody bosses still holds a great power of attraction for the men I would like to join my team.”

  “The men…” echoes Catherine under her breath. “Figures!”

  Ice tilts his head in her direction, “Friendly Persuasion is not an old boy’s network Catherine, I said men as a manner of speech. I would love nothing more than to hire a woman. Could you be wooed away from the force?”

  “I would consider it.” Her tone is so enthusiastic I would say it’s a done deal.

  “Then I’ll call you and we’ll discuss it,” Ice says. “Maybe you’ll be easier to convince than my own brother.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Slider

  At last. I thought Mimi would never cut her cake. The last time I was as impatient to get to desert must have been for my seventh birthday. I have to say the cake wasn’t bad, but my sweet treat is coming now.

  Somehow the process of congratulating the new couple and thanking our hostess seems much more time consuming for Sally than it was for me. If I didn’t kno
w any better I would think she’s staling.

  While she climbs up to get her handbag, Prince says goodbye to Juliya in the living room. He has her trapped in a corner out of everybody’s view but mine. I turn my back to them and look out for one of her brothers. They are talking in hushed tones until Sally comes rushing down the stairs.

  “I’m ready to roll,” she says and her smile is breathtaking. “Shall we go?”

  “Just a minute baby, we’re waiting for Prince.”

  Sally frowns. “Where is he?”

  “Right here, sweet pea, we’ll be on our way.”

  From where she’s standing Sally can only see Prince so she doesn’t realize her friend is standing in the corner of the living room looking a little lost. Juliya could probably use Sally’s support right now but I don’t care. She’s mine and I’m not big on sharing, especially tonight.

  I open the door and let Sally and Prince walk out. As I close behind me the look on Juliya’s face makes me feel a little guilty but it’s not bad enough to convince me retrace my steps and check out if she’s all right. After all she’s Iron Tornadoes property, they look after their own.

  “We’re going to the strip club,” I tell Prince. “There’s some shit I need to take from there before we get raided and closed.”

  “I’ll ride along, I have some stuff in my locker I would rather not leave behind.”

  I sigh. With Sally’s question during dinner, I had no choice but to tell Prince I found out that the feds were hitting the club next week. I’m not sure what he has hidden in his locker but it seems it’s not anything he would like to leave behind. So I guess in hindsight it’s a good thing Sally misspoke.

  It’s dusk, my favorite time of day to ride. Sally is pressed against me, her soft shape molds perfectly into mine as if she had been conceived and designed just to do that.

  Right now I wish I was who I pretend to be and not some undercover police officer. Tonight I would be perfectly happy. A good crew, an amazing woman and a fabulous bike. What more could I ask for?