High Voltage (Ramsey Security #3)

“Yeah, I don’t see that happening. I guess you’ll need to reel in your Helen Reddy bullshit.” When I don’t understand, he gives me a sly smile. “Google it. I’ll wait.”


I pull out my phone, google the name, and then flip him off. “I am a woman, and you will hear me roar.”

“Only in bed, Apples. Learn your place.”

Dino is already ducking by the time he finishes talking. I throw my roll at him while he laughs.

“Learn your place, dickhead,” I growl, laughing at his amused expression. “No way will this work between you and me.”

“Don’t be scared. Change is good.”

“I’m not changing for you.”

“Sure, and I’m not changing for you either. We’ll stay exactly the same until we die of old age in Florida.”

“I hate Florida.”

“So do I, but I was making a point.”

“Well, okay then.”

We share a smile before I return to worrying about how much I want Dino yet don’t want the future I imagine with him.

Finishing the plate of spaghetti, he wipes his mouth. “We better get back to the hotel so I can work off these carbs.”

I stand up and throw cash down for the bill. “I guess that means you’ll be on top. Works for me.”

Walking out, I don’t wait for Dino, but he’s on my ass within seconds. His arm wraps around my shoulders, and he leans in to smell my hair.

“Apples,” he murmurs.

“Peaches, actually.”

“All fruit smells the same to me, but your hair could smell like dog shit and I’d still have a raging hard-on.”

Stopping at the SUV, I lean against the door. “Looking so fine, I bet you never once had to come up with a decent pickup line, have you? It’s all been sexy smiles and crappy come-ons.”

“I got you in bed, didn’t I?”

“That you did,” I say, kissing him quickly before he can lengthen it out into a public make-out session.

Dino takes me to the hotel where we partake in vigorous afternoon sex. I show off my limber legs and hips when he bends me like Beckham during our fuck-a-thon.

“I think I broke something,” Dino mutters when we arrive downstairs to meet with the bikers.

“You’re welcome,” I whisper, slapping his ass.

“Nice limp.”

We share satisfied smiles before our expressions shift into professional ass-kicker mode.

Vaughn and Judd wait for us in the empty breakfast area. They have a third guy with them, and he lacks volume control.

“Indoor voices,” I say, crossing my arms.

The loud guy takes a minute to get the joke before laughing. “I tell my Scarlet that all the time.”

“Does she mention glass houses or black kettles?”

Vaughn grins. “He won’t get those references. This is Tucker Johansson, and Cooper hit him in the head too many times.”

When I nod at this information, Tucker makes the mistake of smiling too big at me. Dino moves so quickly that he already has the Johansson idiot flat on his back before anyone can react.

“Hey,” Tucker mutters. “What the hell?”

“Don’t look at my woman.”

Vaughn starts laughing while Judd just rolls his eyes.

“We’re all married men,” Judd tells Dino. “Put your dick back in its holster, bud.”

Raising his hands, Dino nods. “Fair enough.”

Tucker takes a still-laughing Vaughn’s hand. Once pulled to his feet, the idiot shakes out his shoulders.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”

“Or what?” Dino pushes.

I pat my guy’s shoulder. “Let it go. Tucker has a lot of pressure on him. You know, with Hayes and the other biker club both wanting to steal Reapers’ territory.”

Tucker frowns like he wasn’t aware he ought to be worried. Judd doesn’t like what I said either. Vaughn’s still amused by Dino’s smack down.

“Let’s go somewhere more private,” Judd says, all business-like now.

“There’s a conference room.”

“We saw a bar on the drive into town. They serve food.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“We are.”

“Then go eat and come back so we can talk.”

“What’s the problem, princess?” Tucker asks.

Dino pulls his gun before everyone else, but we’re all pointing weapons seconds later.

“We don’t work for you,” I say to Judd while my gun focuses on Tucker. “We also don’t want to be seen in public with you in White Horse. We obviously can’t go to Hickory Creek or Common Bend either, and I’m not looking to make a road trip.”

Vaughn lowers his gun. “This is stupid. We aren’t gonna shoot each other.”

“I might,” Dino mutters.

Judd follows Vaughn by lowering his weapon while Tucker waits for me to stop aiming at him. Once I slide my gun into the holster, Dino and Tucker return theirs as well.

Giving everyone a big smile, Vaughn says, “We’re all friends here.”

“Not really,” Dino replies immediately.

Dino wears a frown that makes him look really sexy, and I wish he’d stop. I don’t need the distraction.

“Why can’t we be seen together in White Horse?” Vaughn asks.

“I told you Hayes wants Reapers’ territory.”