After we get Elizabeth settled, Ranger and I head back to my house. Luckily for us there were no cameras or TV crew at the airport, and we were able to quietly get out of there with no one noticing us. I watch him as he walks inside and looks around my house, wondering what he thinks of it. It’s nothing fancy, a three-bedroom two-bathroom brick house that I’ve owned for a year and a half. It’s home. I’ve decorated it sparsely, and there isn’t much clutter or bright colors. It’s tidy, simple yet classic. At least that’s how I think of it.
“There’s beer in the fridge if you want,” I offer, putting my thin jacket down on the countertop. Ranger sits on one of my stools and shakes his head.
“No, I’m okay, thanks.”
Feeling tired, I let him pull me onto his lap and bury my face in his neck. “So it’s all over now, hey?”
“I guess so,” he murmurs, kissing my forehead. “I have to get back to the clubhouse and check in with everyone. When do you have to go back to work?”
“Officially tomorrow, but I’ll drop by the station in a bit too,” she says, yawning. “Do you want me to drop you at the clubhouse, or will they run out with guns the second they see my squad car?”
“Don’t you have a non-police car?” he asks, sounding amused. “Perhaps we should take that so the men aren’t running around and flushing the drugs down the toilet when they spot your car.”
I playfully slap at his chest. “That better be a joke. Yeah, I have another car, I hardly use it though. My life is pretty much work and home.”
“Are you inviting me to sleep over tonight?” he asks, nibbling on my earlobe. “I’ll bring dinner for us. And then if you’re good I’ll take you for a ride on the back of my bike. I think it’s time the two of you met.”
I roll my eyes at that. “Okay, sounds good. Do you need to leave right now?”
“No. Why, what do you have in mind?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows.
“One-track mind.”
“When it comes to you, yes,” he agrees, placing his lips against my neck. “You’re just too sexy, and you smell so good, and fuck . . . you’re perfect.”
“No one is perfect,” I correct, but still smile at the compliment. If anyone were close to physical perfection it is him. He’s the perfect one, well, minus the whole biker thing, but that’s a part of him too. “And I don’t have anything in mind . . . except maybe a shower.”
“Hmmmm,” he rumbles, kissing my neck. “A shower with you sounds good. I know it’s kind of selfish considering the circumstances, but I’m so happy to be alone with you.”
I feel the same, but I don’t voice my thoughts. Instead, I jump off his lap and take his hand, leading him to the bathroom that connects to my bedroom. Our clothes drop onto the tiled floor, and we step inside, water cascading down our bodies.
Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.
? ? ?
I’m on top, riding him hard and fast, lifting my hips up and down in a rhythm that has him on the verge of coming.
“Fuck, Jo,” he grits out, teeth clenched, watching me. I lift my hands to my breasts, pinching my nipples and using my knees to push myself up and down on his hard cock. I can feel my orgasm building, and I know it’s going to be amazing. I move my hands to rest on his chest, and am about to lower my lips to his when my phone starts ringing. I ignore it, trying not to let it ruin the moment, allowing myself to kiss him through the sound. It eventually stops and Ranger rolls me over and continues to thrust inside of me, taking control. His lips have moved down to my neck when the phone starts to ring again, but this time it’s his. Why didn’t we both put our phones on silent? I never really thought about it, and what if there’s an emergency? Right now, I don’t even care, I’m so close to coming and really, really need to be pushed over the edge. His phone stops ringing, but then mine starts again.
“Fucking hell,” he groans voicing my frustrations. “They’re not going to stop, whoever it is.” He slides out of me and storms over to my phone, picking it up and looking at the caller. “It’s Elizabeth.”
We share a look.
He passes me the phone and I quickly answer it. “Hey, is everything okay?”
“Where’s Cam?” she asks, sounding worried. “He won’t pick up his phone, and I was wondering if he could come and stay with me tonight. I don’t want to be alone.”
Which is completely understandable. But why him? “What about Helen?”
“She’s around,” she says, voice going soft. “But I’d rather Cam be here too, you know? I know I’ll be safe then.”
“Okay,” I say, looking at Ranger, standing there naked in front of me. “I’ll tell him.”
“Thanks,” she says, then hangs up the line.
“She wants you to stay over there tonight,” I say, putting my phone back down on the table. “She said it will make her feel safe.”
Ranger’s expression flashes with frustration but also with understanding. “Can’t you come with?”
“She didn’t invite me, Ranger,” I say, getting back into bed and covering my naked body with my white sheets. “Should I take you to the clubhouse now? Then you can do what you have to do and see all your friends before you go to her house.”
“Yeah, all right,” he says, getting back on the bed with me and pulling the sheets down. “But if you think we’re going anywhere without both of us coming first, you have a lot to learn, Jo.”
I smile when his lips slam back down on mine.
TWENTY-TWO
Ranger
“WELCOME home, Ranger!” Faye says, smiling widely as she runs into my arms. “How’s our hero of the week?”
“All that and the title only holds for a week?” I ask, raising my brow. “Tough crowd.”
She throws her head back and laughs, auburn hair bouncing. “You know it. You gotta do more than fly across the country and save women from human trafficking to hold the title for longer.”
“I’ll remember that,” I say in a dry tone. All the women come and hug me, welcoming me home, except Anna, who gives me a small wave and knows how to hold a mean grudge. Once upon a time Talon had ordered me to kidnap her and bring her back to the Wild Men clubhouse, and I did so, but I also knocked her out to do it. She remembers it like it was yesterday. To be fair, Talon wasn’t too fuckin’ happy with me either, but hey, I got the job done.
“Men are all outside,” Faye says, nodding her head. “We didn’t know what time you’d be getting in, since you didn’t tell us.” She purses her lips. “Even though I texted four times to ask. But we cooked a welcome-home dinner for you.”
“Thanks, Faye,” I tell her, flashing the women a grateful smile before walking outside. Talon is the first one to greet me, pulling me in for a hug.
“Thank fuck you’re home, brother,” he says, grinning. “Good to have you back.”
The rest of them surround me, slapping me on the back, all smiles.
“You did well,” Sin says, nodding his head, looking impressed. “You should be proud of what you’ve done.”
I shrug and look out over the grass and playground, not wanting them to make a big deal about it. “What have I missed?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Tracker replies, stretching his arms up over his head to touch the patio roof. “Businesses are running smoothly, and everyone and everything else has been quiet. Arrow has decided we’re going to open up another club, so we’re looking for a new location.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing,” I tease, pulling a chair out and sitting down. The others do the same.