The fight started before the referee left the ring.
Cade jabbed, his fist pistoning back and forth so fast, the Devil Dog stumbled back. But he wasn’t fast enough. Cade followed through with a punch that dropped his opponent to the ground. Dawn almost thought the fight was over, but the man recovered quickly, jumping up and hitting Cade with a right hook that sent his head snapping to the side. Blood splattered across the grass. Dawn gasped and grabbed Arianne’s arm.
“You okay with the sight of blood?” T-Rex leaned over her shoulder. “You want me to take you inside?”
“I can handle the blood.” She’d cleaned up blood almost every day when she’d been with the Brethren, whether it was hers, Jimmy’s, the blood of one of his brothers, or that of one of their victims. “I just don’t like to see him hurt.”
Cade’s eyes glazed over and he snapped off a kick to avoid another punch from his opponent. Then he threw a vicious kick and a simultaneous massive right punch that dropped the Devil Dog to the ground. His opponent tried to stand and Cade thrashed him with a brutal knee.
“Oh God. Stop, Cade,” Dawn whispered.
Sweat glistened on Cade’s body. With his jaw slightly swollen and blood trickling from his nose, he looked vicious and violent and so unlike the man who had been so gentle and tender in bed, and yet he’d never turned that violence on her. Not once had she ever felt threatened when she was with Cade. Instead, she’d felt cared for. Protected. Loved.
Cade followed his kick with another hard right hand, followed by another. His opponent dropped and Cade followed him down, vicious and brutal, dropping hammer fists to his head as his opponent retreated.
Dawn wanted to leave, but couldn’t. Tried to look away, but didn’t. This wasn’t Jimmy, crazy, violent, and merciless, savoring his victim’s pain. This was Cade. Fierce, strong, calculating, and always in control.
Protective by nature. Generous of heart.
He stopped when his opponent went down, although the crowd was calling for blood. Nick lifted Cade’s arm for the victory salute, and moments later Cade was on his knees, helping his opponent to his feet.
Why had she doubted him? Why had she doubted herself?
After Cade left to shower and dress, Dawn mingled with the Sinners and their support clubs. Everyone was friendly, and curious about the woman who had brought the infamous Sinner playboy to his knees. By the time she made it to the edge of crowd, her face ached from smiling and she’d run out of answers to their questions about taming the untamable beast.
She sensed, rather than saw, him emerge from the clubhouse. Felt his hunger as he searched through the crowd. A thrill of fear shot down her spine at the prospect of being hunted, and she slipped away, hiding behind groups of people until she reached the far edge of the property.
He had almost caught up to her, when two Devil Dogs stopped him to talk about the fight. Dawn came out of hiding and leaned against a tree near the side of the clubhouse, watching him struggle to be polite as his gaze shifted from cool irritation to blistering heat.
He wanted her. Needed her. Just as she needed him. Instead of running away, what if she took control? What if she stayed and fought her own inner war?
With slow, deliberate movements, she unbuttoned her shirt, sliding her fingers along cool skin to the crescents of her breasts. Liquid lava spread through her body, pooling in her belly, flushing her skin with desire.
Cade’s eyes widened, but he couldn’t get away from his new friends. Emboldened by the fact that they had their backs to her, and no one else was around, she slid her hand into her shirt and cupped her breast, gently kneading her soft flesh as she watched sweat bead on Cade’s forehead.
So much fun. She’d never really teased a man before, and watching him watch her was more arousing than she’d ever imagined. Already she was wet for him, desire flooding through her body, ratcheting up her need to a whole new level.
She closed her eyes and imagined what it would feel like to have his hands on her, his cock inside her, his body hot and hard pressed up against her. She circled her taut nipple with her finger, pretending it was his tongue and her breath hitched. With gentle tugs she pulled her skirt up, exposing her thigh to his heated gaze. Then, when she was sure no one was looking, she slid her hand between her legs and stroked along her folds.
Ah God. So good. Her head fell back against the tree with a soft thud, and one of the Devil Dogs startled and turned.
“Free beer.” Cade raised his voice and pointed to the bar, diverting the Devil Dogs’ attention. His companions made a hasty departure, and Cade pinned her with one scorching look.
“Don’t even think about moving.” His voice carried across the lawn as he stalked toward her, his muscles taut and quivering, forcing her to back away until she hit the brick retaining wall surrounding the property. Dawn’s breathing quickened, her body ripe with desire and the hunger of need.