Leaning forward over the counter, I rest my elbows on the icy surface, giving him a sweet smile that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “If you like those fingers, I'd keep your eyes off me. My boyfriend doesn't play nice with little boys who think they can win me over right in front of him.”
His smile falters for a split second, and I see his face drain of color. The realization hits him too late, and for a second, he freezes, caught between the fear of pissing off the guy who’s buying all this dangerous gear, and the nervous embarrassment of being called out.
I watch as he quickly shifts his focus back to the scanner, scanning the remaining items with a newfound urgency. His fingers tremble slightly as he works. He keeps his eyes down, and I can feel the tension.
A soft chuckle comes from Beau. There is a dangerous, possessive gleam in his eyes as he looks at me. “I think it’ssexy as hell when you put stupid people in their place like that.”
I smirk. “What, you think I like making grown men turn into a pile of nerves?”
Beau’s grin widens, his eyes flicking to the guy behind the counter, who’s now just trying to get the transaction done without saying another word.
The guy finishes bagging everything quickly, practically throwing the last items into the bag, and hands it over to Beau with a polite, strained smile. Beau pulls out his wallet, swipes the card, and the guy hands him the receipt without another word. As soon as we walk toward the exit, I can actually hear the guy breathe a sigh of relief.
We head back to the car, and I slide into the passenger seat, feeling that mixture of adrenaline and satisfaction. Beau follows me in, slamming the door behind him with a quiet thud, and starts the engine. The purr of the car fills the silence between us for a moment before Beau glances back over at me, his voice low and playful. “You might have just scared that kid into never looking at another woman again.”
I shrug, trying to play it cool. “He’ll be fine. He learned his lesson.”
The car hums beneath us, steady as Beau's silence. But my thoughts are louder…someone knows. Someone's watching. And this world we just started to build already has a crack down the center.
The door swings open, and the scent of wood, leather, and something faintly spicy that always reminds me of my men invades my nose. Beau drops the keys on the entry table as I call out, “Jaaaaaaacksoooooon!”
The house is quiet for now, but it’s the kind of quiet that settles between the three of us, comfortable, familiar, even when the outside is anything but.
Beau follows me in, bags of weapons swinging in his hands. He doesn’t even hesitate before dropping them on the kitchen table with a thud and then stretches his arms out. I hear him let out a low groan like he’s been carrying a bag of bricks instead of a bag of weapons. I roll my eyes, but I know he’s trying to make a show of it for me, and I'm not above enjoying it.
I take a seat at the table with Beau when Jackson walks into the room, looking as effortlessly dangerous as ever in a fitted shirt and dark jeans. His eyes look over us. “Beau, I got in touch with Nolan and Liam. They’re heading this way, leavingout tonight.”
I perk up, my interest piqued. Nolan and Liam are coming here…I get to meet someone from their club that knew them before all the trouble. From the sounds of it, they may be rough around the edges, but loyal as hell if they were willing to risk their freedom to get Jackson and Beau out of prison.
Jackson leans against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. “They said they’ve got a surprise coming with them, though. Honestly, who knows what that means?”
Beau reaches into the bags and starts unboxing everything in front of us. He’s already working on the guns, loading them with a practiced, smooth motion that stirs something hot and wicked in my gut. He’s already going through the boxes like he’s done this a hundred times. Well, they both probably have. “From how easy you make this look; I am assuming you did this a lot with your club?” I ask.
Jackson walks over and sits in front of me, eyes distant as he speaks. “Weapons and money. They were the currency in the club. But we didn’t get into the drug game like the others. That wasn’t our scene. We bled for control—guns, ammo, and alliances. It was survival in a world where one wrong step gets you erased. The drug game…that’s a whole other animal, one that none of us wanted to tangle with.”
I lean back in my chair and try to take in that information. I let out a low hum and nod my head slowly. “Do you really think I’m going to need all of this?” I ask, pointing at the table.
Beau pauses and raises an eyebrow. “As I said earlier, I think we need to be as prepared as possible. You never know what situations will come up and which of these weapons will help. Plus, if you can't reach one, there is always another.”
“I still don’t even know how to hold a gun.” I shoot back, though I can’t help but smirk. I trust Beau and Jackson to teach me everything I need to know, though. They’ve got my best interests at heart.
Jackson lets out a low chuckle, but his eyes are serious. “You’re not scared, are you?” He asks in an amused tone.
I snort at that, trying to play it cool, but the truth is…yeah, I am a little scared. Beau notices my hesitation, and finishes loading the gun he’s holding. He stares up at me, his green eyes blazing with an intensity like I've never seen before. “There might be a way for us to help you get past your fear of guns, you know.”
Jackson leans forward, his voice smooth and dark. A shiver runs down my spine as he says, “I think between Beau and me, we can cure that fear.”
I lock eyes with Jackson. He’s always been the darker one, the one who pushes me to my limits, and I can tell he’s itching to do it again. Beau is almost his opposite. He is more laid-back, but don’t let that fool you, because he can be just as intense, just as passionate, and just as willing to push me to my limits. I can feel my body responding to their words, my nipples hardening, my center throbbing with anticipation. I don’t know what they have in mind, but if it brings me pleasure, who am I to complain?
Beau stands up from the table, his gaze never once leaving mine, and when he reaches for my hand, the contact sends a surge of electricity racing through my veins. There’s something in his touch that is commanding yet gentle, and it makes my stomach twist in anticipation.
He pulls me to my feet, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I think it’s time we took this to the bedroom.”
Before I can fully process that, Jackson picks up one of the small handguns from the table, inspecting it with casual precision. His eyes flick to Beau, then to me, gleaming with excitement. “This one’s perfect,” he says, voice calm, almost teasing. “No built-in sight. So… no pain.”
His words hang in the air like a challenge, and suddenly I understand exactly what they’re planning.
My pulse stutters, but I know I trust them. I’ve trusted them since Halloween night. And maybe part of me cravesexactly this. The danger of knowing they can hurt me but choose not to.
