“Go on,” I encouraged, impatient to know what she was going to say, but unable to wipe the smirk from my face because she looked fucking cute as hell right now with her cheeks all red.
“I can’t.” She shook her head, side-eyeing me. “You’ll definitely laugh.”
“Why would I laugh?” I replied with a shrug.
“Because I’m eighteen and…” She paused and looked up at me through her lashes, her cheeks flushing red again. She groaned, like she was frustrated I hadn’t already guessed whatever it was.
I frowned at her, a thought coming to me. “Wait, are you a virgin?” I asked, taken aback by the idea. I’d lost my virginity when I was fourteen to my next-door neighbors older daughter, and practically everyone else I knew had been fifteen or sixteen. I’d never met someone who’d held on to it for so long. “Jesus,” I mumbled.
“Yes, Dillon. That’s why I didn’t want to just screw anyone. Katie told them, thinking I was eager to pop my cherry, and before I knew it everyone was trying to have a go at the virgin in the room. I mean, god, do men get an award for taking a woman’s virginity or something?”
“Well I’ve been short-changed if so, because I ain’t ever got shit from taking someone’s virginity.” I laughed, even though I’d promised not to. And damn, it felt good to have that noise coming from me.
She elbowed me in the ribs and I laughed harder.
“You promised!” she protested.
I smirked. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you, I swear. And I never promised.”
She smiled back, only half believing me. But it was true—I wasn’t laughing at her. I wasn’t quite sure why the fuck I was laughing though, but since I had started, I didn’t want to stop.
I looked down at her. “Sorry,” I said. “So you didn’t want to fuck anyone and lose your V card, what’s the big deal?”
“You tell me.” She shook her head. “Apparently a virgin in a biker club is like sending a lamb to the slaughter.”
I nodded in agreement. “Pretty much.”
“Everyone was either trying to convince me to lose it or laughing at me because I had it. I just wanted to get out of there, but then one of the old ladies wouldn’t let me. She backed me into the corner and…”
“And?” I prompted, not liking the sound of that at all. But female shit was female shit and not something I wanted to get involved in.
“And told me she was going to line the men up to fuck me until I couldn’t walk for a week.”
I frowned, not liking the sound of anyone speaking to her like that. Fuck me but women were cruel to each other. “And you said no?”
Fire danced in her eyes. “Of course I said no! I’m not a whore, Dillon, despite what coming here tonight looks like.”
“All right, all right, easy.”
“She told me that was all I was good for. That little girls like me shouldn’t be coming around places like this, with men like these, unless I was ready to shut up and put out.” Hope shook her head and her soft hair tickled the skin on my arm. “She was right though. Compared to the women that are here, I am a little girl, and I’m good for nothing too.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it,” I growled out and she turned to glare at me. “I don’t know anything about you but it’s plain to see that you’re not good for nothing.” And I meant it too.
She shook her head. “You’re right, you don’t know me.”
I held her stare, my body turned towards her. She was a beautiful woman, and she spoke softly, eloquently too. I had no idea why, but I suddenly wanted to reach out and wrap an arm around her shoulders, pull her close and promise to protect her. Of course, I couldn’t do that though.
“You don’t belong here though, Hope. This place is too dark for someone like you.”
“You’re here,” she whispered. “And you don’t seem all that bad.”
We were still staring at each other, our gazes connected like twine. “You have no idea the amount of darkness inside of me.”
She surprised me by reaching up, her soft hand cupping my face. “I don’t see the dark in you, Dillon. I think you’re a good man.”
“You have no idea the type of man I am,” I said with a shake of my head. I wanted to look away from her, but couldn’t find the strength. I was powerless under her intensity.
“You’re not as much of a big bad biker as you think you are, or you wouldn’t be here looking after me right now, would you?” she said with a playful smile.
