Alexei shakes his head. “Nobody saw anything. Nobody heard anything. You’ll be wasting the police’s time. This is about me, and I will figure it out.”
Surprisingly, Percy nods. “I agree. Anybody who could do this without making enough noise to awaken us avoided all cameras in the area.”
I blink, surprised. Percy is usually a by the book type of guy. It seems odd for him to agree with Alexei.
“I’ll think about it.”I look around at the many places for a bad guy to hide.
Merlin straightens his tie. “You have insurance, correct?”
I wince. “Just liability insurance.” The cheapest amount I can afford. As they all exclaim and Merlin draws in air for a lecture, I look for help from Alexei. “Where is your motorcycle?”
“It’s around the block.” Alexei takes my hand, and the only reason I don’t jerk free is because I don’t want to get in a scuffle in front of the men. One of them will step in and get hurt.
“I’m sorry about this,” I say to everybody in general. “I’ll handle it later. I need to think.”
With that, I follow Alexei around the corner to where he has his motorcycle hidden behind a crop of trees.
“You’re a little paranoid, aren’t you?” I ask.
He glances back the way we came at my now demolished vehicle. “Do you blame me?”
“No.” Something in my stomach hurts. I loved that car. I don’t know when I’ll be able to afford another vehicle. Hendrix’s offer the night before filters through my brain, but I won’t take that job. He only wants me off Alexei’s case, and then he’d probably fire me. “Hendrix threatened my boarders last night if I don’t take a job offer from him.”
Alexei straddles the bike and holds out an arm to help me on. “Hendrix doesn’t want to lose control of Hologrid or the mob. I won’t let anything happen to your boarders.”
“Thank you.” The mafia scares me, but I like that Alexei will use it to protect the elderly men. I swing my leg over the motorcycle as if this is a normal morning and I’m used to riding on a bike, seated behind an alleged killer, to court. The second my sex hits the seat, I wince and gingerly try to find a comfortable position. I can’t. Even my butt is sore. I’d barely been able to put a bra on my sensitive nipples.
“Something tells me they can handle it.” He backs us out of the trees. “This will mess up your hair.”
My hair is the least of my worries. “I don’t care.” Right now, this bike is both killing my clit and waking up the bitch. I do not like pain. If I repeat that mantra enough, perhaps my body will listen. Men usually bored me before too long. Not Alexei. He was too much. Or was he? Did he just tap into a part of me I want to deny? Vulnerability whispers through me.
Alexei looks down the street before walking the bike into the open. “We should get you a helmet.”
“I don’t want a helmet.” I’m pissed off and angry at the world.
“You seem to be pulling an attitude with me today, and that might be a mistake.”
Irritation heats from my chest to my face. “Oh, really? Why is that?”
He turns his head, watching me from the corner of his eye. “You have to be sore, and I have no problem tossing you over my knee and making sure. Is that what you want?”
Not in a million years. “Last night was a one-time deal.” I blurt the words out, lifting my chin for emphasis.
He stops moving, turns, and wraps an arm around my waist. With a quick pivot, he plants me in front of him on the bike, facing him. I try to lean back to take the weight off my sex. He slides a hand beneath my blouse and under my bra, palming my breast. “Do you really want to do this now?”
I gulp.
He balances the quiet bike with his strong legs while his other hand unzips my pants.
I grab his wrist. “Wait.”
“No.” He tunnels inside and slides a finger inside me. I’m a little embarrassed to be wet. “This belongs to me. Not a one-time deal. Got it?”
I blink.
He plucks my already sore nipple. I gasp from the pain, even as I dampen his fingers.
He shows his teeth. “This is mine.” He plucks again. “Right?”
