Текст книги "Forbidden "

Автор книги: Alana Sapphire

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***Gage***

“Yo!”

E barges into my room as I’m getting dressed. He closes the door and drops down on my bed.

“Don’t you knock?”

“We used to take baths together, motherfucker. You ain’t got nothin’ I ain’t never seen.”

“That was a long time ago, dickhead. I’ve changed.”

We both chuckle as I get boxers from my drawer.

“Nope. Everything looks the same to me.”

I grab the first thing I can from my dresser – my deodorant – and pitch it at him. He catches it and bursts out laughing.

“You’re just jealous because you’re literally half the man I am.”

“That’s not what Jessica Morris said,” he says with a smirk.

“Dude, we were sixteen. And Jessica Morris fucked every guy at school. She probably said that to every single one of us.”

“True.”

“Why aren’t you at work?” I ask.

“Day off. Wanna do something?”

“I gotta go look at a few properties. Wanna come?”

“Sure. But first, you gonna tell me about last night?”

I retrieve my deodorant and head to the bathroom to do something about my hair.

“Nothing happened.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“We talked, watched a movie.”

“You talked…and watched a movie,” he repeats, looking astonished.

“That’s what I said.” I sit next to him on the bed and he gawks at me like I just sprouted a second head. “I’m serious.”

“Okay, what did you talk about?”

“I want her, E.”

“That I already know.”

“Well, obviously not yet, but we’re gonna work on it.”

“Wait, is the mighty Reaper getting himself a girlfriend?” He chuckles.

“I wouldn’t go that far. But I am going to put some time into it. She’s just different. I need to find out why.”

“I already know why. I’ll tell Joe to get the ink ready.”

“I should punch you in the throat for that.”

“I’ll remember that when you’re getting her name tatted on your back.”

“Shut up.”

He laughs again, and I swear I’m about to lay him out when I remember that I need his help.

“I need a favor.”

“What? Help with tattoo designs?”

“E, I swear to God –”

“Okay, okay. What?”

“I need her on the pill, or whatever you recommend.”

He raises his brows and loses the smile.

“Planning on going bareback?”

“Of course not. I just need to cover all my bases.”

“Wanna bring her to St. John’s?”

“No. We have to be discreet. I’m supposed to see her later. You can come by, do your thing.”

“You got it, brother.”

“Thanks, man. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER 13 ***Raven***

I’m sitting here staring at my phone, unsure what to do. I received a text about twenty minutes ago but I haven’t read it. I know it’s from him, most likely details for tonight. How quickly things can change. Just last night I was making plans and promising him my virginity; hell, I practically offered it to him on a silver platter. If he wasn’t the man he is, I wouldn’t still be a virgin today. I take a deep breath and read the message.

G: I’ll send someone to pick you up at 7.

I start tapping out an excuse not to go. I’m sick…I got my period…what do I say? No. That’s the coward’s way out. I need to deal with this as soon as possible, and in person. He deserves that.

R: Ok.

By five pm, I’m in the shower and nervously shaving every inch of my body. Nerves and razors are not a good combination; I nick my legs more than a few times. They’ll probably look like I had a run-in with Freddy Krueger. I dress carefully – a blue and white cotton skater dress, and a light, white jacket. After blow-drying my hair, I add some light makeup and finish my outfit with blue sandals.

At six fifty-five, I get a text telling me that my ride is outside, so I take a deep breath and head out. I step outside and there’s a black Charger in the driveway. The windows are tinted extra dark, keeping prying eyes out. The driver hops out and opens my door. He’s tall but he seems young, around my age.

“Hello.”

“Hi, I’m Ron.”

“Raven.”

He smirks at me as he closes the door. “I know.”

I watch him out of the corner of my eye as he backs out of the driveway. Damn, he’s cute. He’s like a Colton Haynes look-alike but with dark hair and tattoos.

“So, Raven. I’ve seen you around.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. You go with Chris, right?”

Shit. He knows Chris. Are they friends? Is he going to rat me out?

“Don’t worry. Boss Man explained everything to me.”

“And what exactly did Boss Man say?”

“That you’re friends, but because of the situation, you have to keep it quiet.”

“You don’t sound like you believe that.”

“It’s just hard to believe that Gage Hunter can be friends with a woman, especially one as pretty as you.”

“So, you don’t think there’s a woman who can resist the big, bad Reaper?”

“I’ve never met one.”

“Well, friends is the only thing we can be,” I tell him.

“Why is that?”

“One, I’m with Christopher and two, as you probably already know, I’m not legal.”

He waits for me to continue, glancing between me and the road.

“That’s all you got?”

“That’s all I need.”

“You’re not legal, but you will be. Soon. And Chris, well, he’ll get over it.”

“Are you friends?”

“We had a few classes together. Don’t worry; my lips are sealed,” he promises.

“Thanks. He’s already out of his mind with jealousy.”

“No problem.”

He spends the rest of the drive telling me about himself and his journey to becoming a member of the MC. He’s been a prospect for a year but thinks he’ll be sworn in soon, especially since Gage has entrusted him with such an important matter. He winked at me when he said it and I just rolled my eyes.

He slows down and then turns into the Venetian Park Community. This. Place. Is. Gorgeous! Definitely for a more affluent crowd but still family-oriented. There are mostly two-story houses with high archways and doors with stained-glass windows. There are play areas at the end of every street, and a gym with a pool. He pulls into a driveway, next to a black BMW M3, and parks.

“We’re here.”

“Where exactly is ‘here’?”

“Come on. You’ll see,” he says with a grin.

We walk up to the door and he steps right in. It wasn’t even locked. Who lives here?

“Hey, boss! We’re here!” he calls up the stairs.

I look up and almost swallow my tongue when Gage appears at the top of the stairs. Shirtless. Baby Jesus in the manger, this man is sexy. Too sexy. He smiles down at me and throws a white T-shirt over his shoulder as he descends. Is it just me or does his body look different? He seems leaner, his stomach muscles tighter. Did he always have that V line? Fuck. Put your shirt on already. Goddammit. He thanks Ron and tells him he’ll call him later, but his eyes are glued to me. I don’t even realize that Ron’s left until Gage pulls me into his arms.

“Hey, baby doll.”

“Hi.”

“Did you miss me?”

“I…I…”

Words. I need to find words. How can I when his naked chest is inches from my lips and I just want to kiss it? His skin is cool from his shower and he smells amazing, as usual.

“Am I distracting you?”

“You know you are.”

He chuckles and releases me to put his shirt on.

“Better?”

Not really. “Better.”

“Come on. I have a surprise for you.”

He takes my hand and leads me through the house. It’s obvious no one lives here, because there’s hardly any furniture. Either they’re moving out or just moving in.

“Whose house is this?”

“Mine.”

“It’s nice.” It’s big for one man but still nice. It’s a family home, not a bachelor pad. “Not quite what I’d expect, though.”

“What did you expect?”

“Black, red, leather, reapers everywhere.”

“That’s why I bought it, to get away from all that. This is going to be my home.”

“I see. I like it.”

“Thank you. Wait ‘til I’m done with it. You’re gonna love it.”

I try to smile but I know it comes out weak. I won’t be around to see anything.

We step into the living room and my jaw almost hits the floor. The room is bare except for a blanket on the floor, laden with all kinds of food. The only light comes from candles scattered around the room. I survey everything in disbelief. He did this for me? The sound of music reaches my ears and I turn to see him in the corner. When did he move? He returns to me slowly and my breath hitches at the view. Gage by candlelight is a sight to behold.

“Well, what do you think?”

“What is all this?”

He takes my hand again and brushes my knuckles with his thumbs. A tingly sensation shoots through my body.

“I told you I would try, Raven.”

If this is him just trying, then Lord help me. It may not seem like much, but this is

Mr. I-Don’t-Do-Romance here. He leads me to the blanket and I sit as modestly as I can. After dropping down next to me, he lifts the stainless steel food cover with a smile.

“I hope you’re hungry.”

Lobster and shrimp linguine, garlic bread, crackers, cheese, cold cuts, a fruit platter, and chocolate cake. There’s a bottle of sparkling cider chilling in a champagne bucket. It’s like a mini-feast. My stomach rumbles.

“Starving.”

“Dig in, doll.”

We eat in silence until I think I’m about to go crazy. This is new for him, but guilt is quickly eating away at my sanity. Do I tell him now or wait until after dinner?

“How was your day?” I ask instead.

“Good.”

He opens the bottle of cider, pouring two glasses.

“Did some work. Hung out with E.”

“That’s nice.”

“You?”

I accept the glass he offers and brace myself. “Same. Did some chores. Hung out with Chris.”

I didn’t expect him to say ‘that’s nice.’ The angry stare? Yes. That I did expect.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing. Talked.”

“Did you break up with him?” he asks.

“No.”

“Why the hell not?”

“He...he told me he loves me,” I stammer.

“I see. So I guess he stays. What are you going to do? Keep both of us around?”

Why is this so hard? If it’s the right thing it should be easy, right? I can’t even look him in the eyes.

“No.”

He chuckles, but it’s a mirthless one.

“Why did you come here, Raven?”

“I wanted to talk to you face to face.”

“Why?”

He jumps to his feet, hands on his hips as he glares down at me. He growls and kicks one of the platters. Crackers, cold cuts, and cheese go flying everywhere. I flinch, praying he doesn’t turn his anger on me.

“You could have told me earlier. Saved me all this trouble.”

He moves around the room, putting out the candles.

“Please, Gage –”

“Please what?” he shouts. “Please. What?”

“Don’t be angry.”

“You think I’m angry? You don’t want to see me when I’m angry.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t need your apology. I need you to keep your promise.” He takes a deep breath and sits next to me once more. “Can’t you see that he’s just trying to guilt you into staying with him? He knows he’s losing you. Telling you he loves you is his half-assed attempt at getting you to stay.”

“You’re asking me to choose between a man who says he loves me and wants to be with me, and one who’s just biding his time until I’m legal so he can get me into his bed.”

“At least I’m honest. You’ve always known where you stand with me,” he states.

“And that’s the problem. I want more than that.”

“Fine. I’ll call Ron to take you home.”

I turn to him and take his hand. I don’t want to leave things between us like this. “I’d still like us to be friends.”

He drags his hand out of my grip.

“Friends? I can’t be your friend, Raven. You walk out that door, you don’t come back. That’s it. We pretend like none of this ever happened.”

He rises, extinguishes the last of the candles and walks out of the room, leaving me in darkness. I gather my courage and follow behind.

“Gage, don’t be like this.”

He turns around, his expression accusatory.

“What? You want to have your little boyfriend but keep me in the wings, is that it?”

“No…I…”

“You want him because you think he loves you. But you know he can never make you feel the way I make you feel.”

He steps closer, trailing his finger down my cheek. My breath catches.

“He doesn’t steal your breath or make your heart beat fast. His touch doesn’t make you quiver or get you hot. You don’t get wet when you hear his voice. Am I right?”

His finger is now tracing the neckline of my dress and I can barely breathe. He knows he’s right, as much as I wish he wasn’t.

“Answer me.”

“Yes.”

“Good girl.”

Oh, dear God. Two words. Two simple, four-letter words and I’m like putty in his hands. I sag against him and he wraps his arm around my waist.

“You know what? I know exactly how to fix all this.”

He takes my hand and drags me along behind him.

“Where are we going?”

“Upstairs.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to fuck you. Now.”

CHAPTER 14 ***Gage***

She hasn’t said a word. I made my big announcement and she’s gone mute. She allows me to lead her up the stairs and into the bedroom with absolutely no resistance. She stands by the bed and watches as I drag my T-shirt over my head. She’s shaking, and I know it’s not from fear.

“Take off your clothes.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“You’re the one with doubts, and I’m going to dick them right out of you.”

She gasps and then slowly removes her jacket. When it falls to the floor, she reaches for the strap of her dress.

“What? No objections?”

“I thought –”

“No. I thought you wanted to be with the boy, but here you are.”

Her hands fall limply to her sides and she perches on the bed, dropping her gaze to the floor.

“You were testing me.”

“I was merely helping you make the right decision. You know it’s right because you didn’t have to think about it.”

She sighs deeply, turns and blinks up at me as I sit next to her.

“You’re right. About everything. When you touch me, it’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I want you and it scares me.”

“Why? There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“You and me, it’s all physical. What happens after?”

“Doll, you worry too much. You need to relax. Just take each day as it comes,” I tell her.

“Okay, and in a couple of weeks, assuming you’re still around, you get what you want. What then?”

“What I want? You just said you want me, too.”

“Yes, but we won’t be friends. I won’t be your girlfriend. What will I be? Your little fuck toy?” she asks, cringing as she says the last words.

“Damn it, Raven! We have fun together and we have crazy chemistry. Why do you need to put a label on it?”

“Because I don’t wanna become Lonnie!”

“Oh, baby doll.”

I lace my fingers through her hair and then grab a handful, holding her steady so our gazes are locked.

“Let’s get this straight. No one’s touching you but me. Got it?”

“Gage –”

“Do you understand?” I ask forcefully.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

I place my hand on her knee and my thumb brushes against a jagged patch of skin. I look down and there’s a red line from a cut or scrape. I drop to my knees before her, rage building as I inspect her legs. That shit is all over.

“What the fuck?”

“Calm down, Reaper. I cut myself shaving.”

I look closer and decide it’s plausible. Then it hits me that I’m kneeling between her legs, her soft, supple flesh in my hands. I can’t resist. I trail my fingers lightly up her calf and pause at the back of her knee, making small circles with my fingers. Her sharp intake of breath urges me on, so I take her ankle and gently kiss my way up.

“Did you shave anywhere else?”

“Yes,” she says, her breaths coming hard and fast.

“Where?”

I sink my teeth into the flesh just above her knee and she gasps.

“My underarms.”

Little tease. With a smile, I do the same to the next leg. She curls her fingers into my hair with a moan.

“Anywhere else?”

“Mm hmm.”

I kiss my way farther up. Her legs tremble and she whimpers. I smell her. I’m so fucking close; I can almost taste her. Jesus Christ, a woman has never smelled this good to me before.

“Here?” I take a deep breath and lift my head before I do something I shouldn’t. She’s staring down at me, eyes hooded, lips parted, chest heaving. I feel like all the blood in my body has pooled into my dick and it’s about to explode. I slide my fingers into her hair and pull her closer until her lips are an inch from mine. “Well?”

“Yes,” she whispers.

Jesus.

“Bare?”

“Yes.”

Jesus Christ.

“You’re going to kill me, Raven.”

I kiss her softly, savoring her taste. Her lips part and I slip my tongue inside. She wraps her arms around my neck, whimpering as our tongues tangle. I leave her lips, kissing down her neck and sternum. She quivers, whispering my name. I swear, every time I touch her, she makes me feel like the biggest, baddest motherfucker on the planet. God, I can’t wait to sink my dick deep inside her. I rest my forehead on her chest and try to get my body back in check. Hard enough to do without her tits a breath away from my lips. I put some space between us, but she keeps her hands on my shoulders.

“Gage, will you hold me? Please?”

“Hold you?”

“You know, lie down, put your arms around me…hold me.”

I guess I can do that. I kick off my shoes and climb onto the bed. She does the same and snuggles up next to me, placing her head on my chest. I curl my arm around her shoulder and stare up at the ceiling. This is a new experience. Can’t say it’s unpleasant, though. Actually, it’s pretty nice.

***

A vibration in my pocket wakes me up. Shit, I fell asleep. So did she. Her head is still on my chest, her breath warm on my skin. Her arm is around my waist and her leg is thrown over mine. Waking up to her, also not unpleasant. As a matter of fact, I don’t want to move and risk waking her up.

“Your phone’s ringing.”

Too late. Instead of moving away, she yawns and burrows in closer. I fish the phone from my pocket and see two missed calls from E. As I’m about to call him back, he rings again.

“E.”

“You need to get to the Kitty right now, bro.”

“What’s going on?”

“Some shit’s going down. We need you.”

“I’m on my way.”

I try to move and she tightens her arm around me. I’ve never had a woman do that before. Never had a woman just wanting me to hold her, to be in my arms. Then again, I’ve never given any of them the opportunity. I hate to admit it, but I like it.

“I gotta go, doll.”

She groans in disappointment and loosens her hold. I pick up my Glock from the nightstand and tuck it into the back of my jeans. As I grab my shirt off the floor, she sits up, rubbing her eyes. Even half-asleep she’s gorgeous. I wouldn’t mind returning to find her in my bed.

“You wanna stay until I get back, or you wanna go home?”

“What time is it?”

“Almost one.”

“I should go. I can’t believe I fell asleep.”

“Me, neither.”

She slips on her sandals, picks up her jacket, and follows me out of the room and down the stairs. On the way down, I call Ron.

“Stay here. Ron’s coming to pick you up.”

“Okay.”

“Text me when you get home and I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Since when did I get so big on communication? Shit.

“‘Kay.”

God, I can’t resist her, bed hair and all. I pull her into my arms and kiss her. The moment our lips touch, she moans. Her fingers curl into my shirt the way they always do. It’s as if she can’t get me close enough. As much as I want to stay right here, I can’t. I pull back and smile down at her.

“What?”

“Congratulations. You just became the very first woman I’ve ever slept with.”

I don’t know why that would please her, but she smiles.

“So I’m the first on your bike and the first you’ve slept with. Good to know.”

As I kiss her forehead, I just know there are going to be a lot of firsts between us. “See ya, doll.”

I head for the door but stop in my tracks when she calls after me.

“Be careful.”

It hits me right in the gut. She cares. I’ll decide later if that’s a good or bad thing. “I will.”

I walk to my car, feeling an overwhelming force trying to drag me back inside. I fight it, barely winning, and hop into the Beamer. Whatever’s going on at the club, it’s serious enough for E to call me. As soon as I drive through the gates of the quiet community, I floor the pedal, hoping I’m not too late.

I get there and there’s a long line of cars waiting to get out. What the fuck is going on? Inside, I find E pacing nervously. Razor, Motor, Crow, and Venom are standing around, looking worried.

“E.”

“Bro. Some chick came in with two guys with guns. They have Nita up in the office.”

“The fuck? They say what they want?”

“She’ll only talk to you. Had to tell everybody there was an electrical problem and shut it down. Comped all their bills.”

Fuck this shit. No one fucks with my family or my money.

“Crow, Razor, gimme your guns.”

They hand them over and I pass one to E. I stick it into the side of my jeans, making it obvious. E does the same. We head up to the office and I knock on the door.

“It’s Gage.”

The door cracks open and a huge, black guy points a Beretta in my face. E and I raise our hands and he slowly backs up, letting us in. Cassidy Martin. Stupid bitch. She’s standing there with a silly grin. Another giant of a man stands next to her, pointing a gun at Aunt Nita, who’s tied to a chair looking scared as hell.

“Toss the guns.”

I drop Crow’s gun, E drops Razor’s, and we kick them away. Idiots don’t even pat us down.

“You okay, Nita?” She nods and I turn to Martin. “What’s this about, Cassidy?”

She jerks her head toward the bathroom.

“Let’s talk.”

I take a cautious look back at my aunt and then walk to the bathroom. Cassidy follows and closes the door behind her. I turn to her, raising a curious brow.

“Hi,” she says, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear.

“Hi? You’ve got two guns trained on my aunt and you greet me with hi?”

“I was never going to hurt her. I just…why do you have to make me resort to drastic measures to get your attention?”

The bitch is a fucking psycho. At first she was an annoyance, but now she’s pissing me the fuck off.

“That’s what this is about? You want some dick?”

“Yes, I mean no. I want you. I can’t stop thinking about you, Gage.”

“Really? ‘Cause I haven’t thought about you once. Can’t even remember what your pussy felt like.”

And that’s the truth. I remember fucking her in her office, but that’s about it. She was hot – long, red hair, green eyes, and curves – the way I like my women. And she was throwing herself at me, so I caught her. But that was it. Pussy was forgettable.

She moves closer, her eyes dropping to my crotch.

“Maybe I should remind you then.”

“No, thanks.”

She freezes and stares at me in shock. “Wh…why? I don’t understand.”

“Look –”

I’m about to break it down for her when I hear Nita scream. I push past Cassidy and fling the door open. One of her goons is standing before Nita, who’s now crying and sporting a busted lip. I see red. All fucking shades of red. But mostly the deep, dark shade of blood.

“You put your hands on my aunt?”

“Bitch has a big fucking –”

I put a bullet between his eyes before he can finish the sentence. E reacts quickly, capping the next fucker before I can. Cassidy screams. I grab her neck and force her against the wall. Her eyes are wide in fear, tears beginning to form. She’s lucky she’s a woman.

“Listen, bitch. This ends now. I don’t want to hear from you or about you. Don’t call the club and harass Nita. Do not try to contact me for any fucking reason. If I even hear a whisper of your name, you end up like those two. Got it?”

She nods vigorously, the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“You mention anything about what happened tonight to anybody but God, you’re dead.”

“I won’t! I promise!”

I release her and she runs through the door, smashing into Crow. He grabs her and I nod to him so he knows it’s okay to let her go. E has untied Nita and she rushes over, throwing her arms around me. And then she smacks me.

“The fuck was that for?”

“I told you to keep it in your pants.”

She leaves the office in a huff and I shake my head. Maybe she’s right. It’s my dick that got us into this situation.

“Clean this shit up.” I tell the guys.

As I drive away from the club, I find myself wishing I’d left Raven in my bed. I’d be heading back to her now instead of an empty house. Fuck it. I’ll just head to the clubhouse and crash for a few hours.

I check my phone and see her message.

R: I’m home. Getting into bed. Wish I was still in yours…

Fuck me.

G: Are you still awake?

After a few minutes and no reply, I figure she’s asleep. But then my phone buzzes.

R: Sorry. My hands were a little busy ;)

Holy fuck. Is she…? Does that mean what I think it means? I dial her number and she answers with a moan.

“Jesus Christ, Raven. Are you touching yourself?”

“Mm hmm.”

A soft whimper goes straight to my dick and I’m instantly hard. Her moaning continues, and I have to prop the phone between my ear and shoulder so I can adjust myself. “I shouldn’t have told you to do that.”

She gasps and a vivid image of her pops into my mind. She’s lying in bed, legs drawn up, fingers in her wet, tight pussy. Fuck me.

“Why?”

“Because it should be me. My hands should be the only ones to make you come.”

“I was thinking about you.”

Fuck. Her breathing changes; it’s heavier, coming in short puffs. A series of breathless whimpers has me releasing my dick. I felt like it was going to break in two the way it was straining against my jeans. I grab it, squeezing the base as I listen to her pleasuring herself.

“Oh, God,” she whispers. “I’m…I’m going to…”

“Come on, doll. Let me hear you.”

“Oh, my God. Gage!”

I never knew I could want someone so much that I physically ached. My dick, my balls, my head, my whole fucking body is thrumming with pain. No other woman, no pain meds can help me. Just her. She’s like fucking Ibuprofen. No, stronger than that. More like Hydromorphone.

She giggles and lets out a satisfied sigh while I’m left with a stiff dick and nowhere to put it.

“Oh, wow.”

“It was that good, huh?”

“It was wonderful.” She sighs with what I’m sure is utter contentment.

“And what about me?”

“What about you?”

“You’ve left me with quite an obvious problem.”

“One that’s easily solved.”

“We can’t.” Now it’s my turn to sigh.

“You know, I did some research earlier and found out an interesting bit of information. Not sure if you’re aware of it.”

“What’s that?”

“The age of consent in Georgia is sixteen. We don’t need to wait.”

Fuck. When did that happen? If I turn around now, I can be at her place in fifteen minutes tops. The tires screech as I make a U-turn but I don’t get far before I stop on the side of the road. Fuck! I slam my palm on the steering wheel. When the fuck did I grow a conscience?

“I can’t, Raven. It just doesn’t feel right.”

“Well, it doesn’t have to be me.”

“What are you saying?”

She takes a deep breath as if preparing herself to say what she wants to.

“There are plenty of women who can help you out.”

“And you’d be fine with that?”

“You’re the one who doesn’t want a relationship. Are you saying you’re going to be a monk for the next couple of weeks?”

“I’m trying, Raven.”

“Yeah, well...let’s see how long you last.”

I can do it. It’s not like I’m some horny teenager who can’t keep it in his pants. I can wait. I will wait because I know she’ll be worth it.

“I have work tomorrow. I’m gonna go to bed.”

“Okay, doll. Good night.”

“G’night.”

I contemplate her words all the way to the clubhouse. She actually expects me to fuck around and she’s not being a bitch about it. It’s crazy, considering what I just went through with Cassidy, and all the jealous bitches I’ve had to deal with in my lifetime. Is Raven just trying to play hard or could she be the exception to every rule? So far, she hasn’t conformed to any conceptions I have of women. She hasn’t even come close.

I’m only semi-hard by the time I drive through the gates, so I’m able to tuck my dick back in my jeans. Inside, the party’s winding down. I navigate through passed-out bodies and make my way to the bar where Motor and Lonnie are sitting. Booker hands me a beer as I sit on the stool next to Motor.

“Tough night, Prez?” Motor asks.

“Yeah. Had to handle some shit.”

Lonnie walks over to me as I take a pull of my beer.

“Maybe I can help you relax.”

She slides her arms around me, biting her lip seductively. I grab her wrist and pull her to a quiet corner.

“There’s some shit we need to get straight.”

“What do you mean?”

“This brother you want to claim you. It’s me, right?”

Her eyes brighten, her expression hopeful as she gazes into my eyes.

“Gage, I’m so glad you finally realized –”

“Listen to me. You’ve been around here long enough to know that I’m not that dude. I’m not looking for an old lady. You need to set your sights somewhere else.”

Somewhere far, far the fuck away.

“But, Gage –”

“No buts. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I gotta be straight. Get that thought out of your head. You and me ain’t gonna happen. Got it?”

She nods weakly and I head to my room, leaving her standing there. Britney tries to intercept me but I wave her off. Even she won’t do it for me tonight. Only one woman can, and I can’t have her yet. I grab my phone, punch “Georgia age of consent” into the search bar, and sure enough, a big, fat “16” stares me in the face. I can kill a man without blinking, but taking something I want, which is totally legal, is grating on my morals. Fuck my life.