Page 30 of Sly (Dragon Riders MC 5)
Joanna stepped up to my other side. “You mean because he’s an agent?”
Sly’s eyes whipped over to her. “How the hell do you know that?”
Hope giggled. “Girl time, buddy. You wouldn’t know anything about it.”
He pointed behind me. “You told them about your brother, but you didn’t tell me?”
Genuine hurt flashed behind his eyes and I wondered what kind of damage my choices had already caused everyone.
They deserve better than me.
Joanna held out her hand. “How about instead of constantly blaming people, we try to find her brother. Yeah?”
I nodded. “Yeah. We need to get him back. Especially if—”
I couldn't even bring myself to say it. What if this other crew knew my brother was an undercover agent? What if they took him for that specific purpose? I mean why else would they leave Sly behind and take just my brother?
“Tara, look at me.”
I shook my head. “No. I can’t.”
Sly gripped my chin. “Then, let me help.”
He lifted my watery face up to his before he brushed my tears away with his knuckles.
“Too pretty to be crying on me,” he murmured.
Hannah giggled. “Awww, that’s sweet.”
“Shh,” Joanna said curtly.
I swallowed hard. “Please, get him back. He’s all the family I’ve got.”
Sly shook his head. “No, he’s not.”
Simone rubbed my back. “He’s right. You've got us now.”
Tears slipped down my neck. “What if they kill him?”
Sly wrapped me up in his strong embrace. “That isn’t happening. I won’t allow it to happen, okay? You have my word.”
I gripped his shirt and cried as hard as I’d ever cried in my life. The whole of my life was crumbling from beneath me and I was helpless to stop it. First, losing my job. Then, losing my own place. Then, I had to come back home with my tail tucked between my legs and move in with my wildly successful brother, only to have him ripped away from me?
Sly kissed the top of my head. “Hey, hey, hey. You gotta dry those tears. Your brother needs us to be strong.”
Hope patted my shoulder. “Yeah. He’s going to need you to hold down the fort until the guys can get to him.”
I sniffled hard. “I’m good. I’m good. It’s just—my life sucks so many fucking cactuses right now.”
Hannah giggled. “Sucking cacti, huh? Sounds painful.”
I groaned. “Don’t I know it.”
Sly brushed my hair away from my face. “I have to go. But I need you to know something.”
I drew in a deep breath. “What’s that?”
His finger crooked beneath my chin and he pulled my gaze up to his again.
“When I get back? You and I are going out for a celebratory dinner before we go back to my place. And no, you don’t get a choice.”
My heart slammed against my chest. “By all means.”
He pulled my face toward his and my eyes fluttered closed just as our lips crashed together. And as his arms blanketed my back, the girls started to whoop and holler. Whistles cascaded from every corner of the bar as his tongue slid against my own, shooting hot electricity through my veins. My knees grew weak. I clung to his leather jacket as he slowly dipped me backwards. The girls clapped and cheered us on as I gave into him, allowing him to support my weight as he held me against his body.
Oh, how I wanted him to whisk me away.
His teeth raked along my lower lip, causing me to shiver before he pulled me upright once more. With a small kiss to the tip of my nose, our moment was over, and I knew I was willing to do anything to get it back. To have another one. Over and over, until this man knew nothing but the sound of my name falling from his lips. I stumbled against him and he clutched me tightly, his grin growing wide across his cheeks like the damn Cheshire Cat.
“There’s more of that coming after I get your brother, you know,” he murmured.
I kissed his cheek. “Then, go get him and come back to me. Both of you. Okay?”
His lips found my ear. “You have my word.”
With one more soft kiss to the shell of my ear, he released my body. I stumbled backwards into someone’s arms before the girls helped me plant myself onto the ground again. I caught a glimpse of Sly’s determined features before he turned around, storming back for the door.
And as he slammed himself out the double doors that led into the bar, I drew in a deep breath of air.
“I need a fucking drink,” I said breathlessly.
“Bartender!” Hope exclaimed.
Simone led me back to our booth as a bike engine struck up in the parking lot. I flopped into my seat and watched out the window as Sly rode off into the distance. I tracked him for as long as I could before the nighttime swallowed him whole. The girls were silent as something slid against the table. And when I looked down, a glass of wine sat in front of me.
