My night with Nix reminded me about living in the moment. After the fire, hell, even before the fire with asshole Zane, I found myself lost, shying away from taking risks and letting go. Sure, I’m still quick to snap back and I can hold my own in a confrontation. I'm strong and resilient, but letting go, letting people in to see that hurt, has been the hardest.

Nix gave me permission to relax, made me feel alive again. Even if sleeping with him was a bad idea, I’m glad that I could open up to someone. It was pretty deep for one night with a guy, sure, but one night with Nix was more than just amazing sex. I was fooling myself thinking it wouldn’t mean anything. Seeing his response to my scar, I knew I was in trouble and now, after our moment on the desk, him calling me out on my indifference, I have no idea where my head is at.

I opened up to him more than anyone in the last three years. He didn’t judge me but made me feel adequate in my own scarred skin. No one has managed to push past my insecurities but him. No one else has looked at me, seen past the repulsive skin and instead of showing me pity, made me feel beautiful. I've tried to discount our one night together, but no matter how hard I fight it, he's inspired this awareness in me, something that I lost long ago and I can’t let that go.

The scary tattoo guy clears his throat, obviously pissed off he now has to deal with another girly request.

“I’ll take that one, thanks.” I smile up at him while pointing to the chosen ring. He gives me a form without a sound, and I move to the chair to fill it out. Holly hangs back and tries to engage with the man who isn’t big on small talk. He is a real ball of laughs, that's for sure, but something in his expression, the way his eyes follow Holly, taking her in and silently looking pissed off about it, makes me wonder if my crazy friend might be hitting a nerve.

Standing back up, I hand my form back over as the bell above the door signals another customer. Cranky tattoo guy nods his head and I casually look back at the person behind me.

“Where the fuck are the rest of your clothes?” Nix barks out behind me. My head gets lost in the question, my body grounded in his presence. I hear Holly giggle to the side but I don’t have a second to react before he inquires again, “Kadence, where the fuck are the rest of your clothes?” The greens of his eyes shine dangerously, letting me know he’s pissed.

Shit, not again.

My body comes back to life, my mind back into focus. Oh, God, just seeing him again makes me want him. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to resist this pull. Images of him leaving me spread out on my school desk flash before my eyes and I remember what a douche bag he can be.

“Hello, Phoenix, nice to see you again,” I greet him, willing my raging heart to calm. How the hell does this man manage to affect me like this?

“Cut the bullshit, Kadence. Your little prim and proper act is getting old.” My eyes narrow to his, and he smirks like he has me all figured out.

“What do you want, Nix?” I give up my indifference. The bastard can see right through it.

“I wanna know where the fuck you have been wearing that.” He points down to my outfit. “Why you’re in my shop, pissin’ Sy off in the process, and I wanna know why the fuck you ran the other night?” His last question is directed with more authority.

Holly lets out a sigh and then announces to no one in particular, “That was so hot.”

Sy, aka scary tattoo guy, scoffs while I’m left processing his words.

Looking down at my skirt and black top that exposes a small amount of skin, I address his first question.

“What are you talking about? I’ve got clothes on.” He leans into my space and runs a finger down the exposed skin between my breasts,

"Babe, you're coverin’ less skin than you’re showin’.” I roll my eyes at his Neanderthal views.

“Shut up, Nix. Her outfit is smoking hot. Don’t be a pig,” Holly comes to stand at my side, saying the words on the tip of my tongue.

“I know it’s fuckin’ hot,” he agrees with her. “So does every other fucker who’s seen her wear it tonight.”

I scoff, not about to get into it with him over his caveman views, or the fact he can get fucked; what’s it to him? He doesn’t own me.

“I didn’t know this was your shop,” I say truthfully, addressing his second question. Maybe that’s why cranky tattoo guy looks familiar. Was he at the bar that night? I don’t remember. Pushing away the feeling that I know him from somewhere else, I think back to when he talked about his businesses. I don’t think we discussed the tattoo shop in detail. If we did, I was probably thinking of Nix and what we were going to be doing later that night.

“And,” I continue, “Sy here,” I point to scary but still hot tattoo guy, “was already in a pissed-off mood before we got here. I’d like to think that two young, single women coming in would brighten his night. Clearly, that’s not the case.”

Nix smiles and his dimple appears, the same one I found handsome on our one-time date last week. Shit, don’t get caught up in his alluring looks, Kadence.

“And the last?” he pushes, so intent for me to admit what he already knows. I let out a breath, knowing he isn’t going to let it go.

“Like we said, our one-time deal turned into a three-time deal.” I shrug, not wanting to get into with him, especially in front of Holly.

Sy, or cranky biker as I could refer to him, clears his throat, “Hate to break up the love fest, but are we piercing that belly or not?” His voice sounds pissed off, but I can hear a hint of teasing.

“Yes.” “No,” Nix and I both say at the same time.

“Nix, just because you’ve had your mouth on my pussy doesn’t mean you own it,” I blurt out and instantly regret it.

Jesus, the man makes me crazy and now makes me blurt out inappropriate things.

He smiles again as Sy grumbles and Holly laughs. Turning back around, I tell Sy, ‘Yes’ and watch as he looks past me to Nix. Rolling my eyes, he looks back to me and nods, obviously getting approval. Spinning back to face my new apparent keeper, I put on my sweet voice. “Oh, thank you so much, Daddy, for letting me get it done. I'll promise I’ll be a good girl.” Nix and Holly laugh out loud and as I turn I see Sy’s lip slightly lifted in amusement. Ha! I knew he wasn’t so badass.

Nix leans into my ear. “You can thank me later, babe, when I’m spankin’ your ass, and then you can call me daddy all you like.” Heat floods my cheeks; a dull throb makes me squeeze my thighs together. He quietly chuckles when he notices it. The bastard.

“Right, come on,” Sy grunts and I walk past Holly to make my way back to the piercing room. Holly hangs back but Nix follows close behind.

Stopping in my tracks, I look back at him. “What are you doing?” I ask.

“Comin’ with,” he replies, like he just told me he’ll walk me to my car.

“Umm, no,” I say, shaking my head.

“Umm, yes,” he imitates me back, and I bite my lip to hold in a laugh at watching him do that. He looks down at my lips and shakes his head.

“Babe, I’m not real comfortable with you lyin’ on the bed in that mini skirt, your top hiked up with Sy’s hands on you.”

“Wow, jealous much? Last time I checked, it wasn't your concern, Nix,” I inform him but he just shakes his head.

“You have no fuckin' idea,” he mumbles under his breath.

Not inclined to argue anymore, I continue down the hall, Nix close behind. First things first, I need to get this over with and then I can think about what I’m going to do with one possessive bossy man I seem to have on my hands.

Chapter Twelve

Nix

I need to get a grip. Fast.

Walking in and seeing Kadence with her long fucking legs in her sexy-as-fuck heels, I had to take a minute to compose myself. The woman is a walking wet dream. Her blonde friend saw me first. I gave her a wink, and brought my finger to my mouth, motioning her to be quiet. She nodded and didn't give me up. I think I have a supporter in her.

Once again, Kadence and her smart mouth made my dick hard and my head hurt all in the space of sixty seconds. The woman would fight with me over the color of a red pen, but boy, do I fucking love it. Her throwing her attitude and being sexy as fuck while doing it is more than I can ask.

Two minutes in her presence and I knew I had to have her again. I don’t think it will take too much to convince her. After watching Sy put his gloved hands on her, I need to find some release. I sat there grinding my teeth as his fingers touched her skin.

I’m pussy-whipped. I know it. I shot daggers the whole time at Sy, and the bastard fucking kept pushing me. With her top pushed up, he took great pleasure in trying to get a reaction from me.

The fucker will pay later.

His eyes skimmed over her scarred side, his hand a little too close for comfort. For reasons I don’t even know, it made me feel protective of her. I don’t know the story behind it, but I will find out soon enough. I kept waiting for the asshole to say something so I could rip him a new one. Kadence somehow sensed my stress and reached out, taking my hand in hers. Sy’s eyes came to mine, a silent question, but I just shook my head in warning to leave it. I don’t know what I’m going do with this woman, but whatever it is, I’m sure as hell going to enjoy finding out.

Kadence now sits behind me, her pussy pressed up against my back, her arms tightly around me. Sy took Holly home after I realized the girls planned on walking home. I was not fucking down with that idea and told them both just that. It took a bit of convincing, but after Holly had declared she couldn't wait to ride on the back of Sy’s bike, Kadence had no choice.

After throwing a little of the Kadence attitude I’ve come to appreciate, I told her she would end up like she did the other night on her school desk. She quickly shut up and agreed to ride with me. Holly demanded to know why the hell she didn’t know anything about a school desk, which earned me some more daggers from Kadence. Sy, on the other hand, didn’t seem too impressed. Don’t know why; Holly seems to be into him and she isn’t sore on the eyes, that’s for sure.

Pulling up to the front of my house, I shut off my bike. The ride was uncomfortable after I got a glimpse of Kadence’s lace covered pussy as she climbed on the back. I’ve been riding with a semi hard-on for the last ten minutes. Kadence sighs and I feel a sense of gratification that she enjoys riding on the back of my Harley.

Getting off my bike, and before helping her off, I move in and crash my greedy mouth to hers. She melts into it as I push past her lips, her taste like a drug that I seem to crave after each hit. Pulling back, I help her off and take the helmet from her head. Snatching her hand, I drag her behind me, in a hurry to fuck her again.

“Let’s go inside,” I say, walking up to the front porch. Unlocking the door, I push her through, impatient to claim her. Slamming the door shut behind me, I spin her to the wall next to us and crash my mouth to hers, my tongue desperate for contact. Her hands come to my belt, just as wild as I am.

My cell rings in my back pocket and I ignore it, hungry for her touch. Pulling my jeans down, she laughs when she sees I’m not wearing any underwear.

“Laughin’ at my cock won’t make it happy,” I warn.

“You want me to kiss it better?” she asks in her husky voice. Her hand wraps around my hard cock, stroking me in her tight grip. My cell sounds again from the floor as she drops to her knees. Fuck.

Trying to block out the ringing phone, I hold my breath as I watch her pink tongue come out. She licks the drop of pre-cum collected at the bulging head of my cock. Jesus, that’s fucking hot.

My cell rings again and I ache at the thought that I might have to end this.

“Fuck, babe, as much as I want that hot little mouth around my dick, I need to get this. It must be urgent if they keep ringing.” Fucking better be or the assholes are gonna pay.

Taking a step back, I watch as her face drops in annoyance. Fuck, I’m with you there.

Picking up my pants, I reach in my back pocket and grab the offending piece-of-shit phone, just as it rings again.

“What?” I snap into the phone. Holding my hand out for Kadence, I pull her up, bringing her to her feet.

“We got problems,” Beau’s tight voice reports.

“Talk to me.”

“We got reports a Molotov went through Ink’s shop window.”

Kadence walks through the hall to the kitchen, and I follow.

“We only just came from there,” I tell him. Thinking back to Kadence standing in the front of the shop only twenty minutes ago.

“Yeah, Sy dropped that woman home, and is on his way back now. Meet you there?”

“Yeah,” I agree before hanging up.

Pissed that this has now ruined my chance of getting blown, I do my belt back up.

“I gotta go.”

“That’s okay. I'll just call a cab,” she tells me, reaching for her purse.

“No, you won’t,” I immediately snap. I need to be careful with my words here, but at the same time, I’m not prepared to get into it about her running again. “You’re gonna stay here and wait till I get back.”

“Nix, it’s fine.”

“Jesus, woman, I gotta deal with club business. I'll be back once I sort it out. Will you just do as you’re told for once?” I can feel myself starting to lose my temper as I watch her try to control hers.

“I’m capable of looking after myself,” she bites back. If I wasn’t worried about the shop, my dick would be coming to life at her firing up at me.

“I know you are, Kadence. It's not about that right now. I got shit I need to deal with. Just humor me, will you?” I ask her, not short of pleading. She looks at me quietly and must see I’m serious and not in the mood to get into it.