Gone (Sons of Judah MC Book 1) (2 page)

This was the first for her.

And it was fucking unbelievable.

Her hands clutched his shoulders, and her nails dug into his skin while he thrust in and out of her with enough speed to make her shake. She met him, stroke for stroke. With each violent thrust, the waves of pleasure that careened through her intensified until she felt as if she was drowning in the depths of the ocean of pleasure. His mouth claimed her once more, and his tongue was hard against her. There was no sense holding back now. While she tasted and relished him, he pounded into her over and over again.

Each time his hips ground into hers, fresh passion sizzled in her nerves. Stacy wrapped her legs around him. Her butt slammed against the counter even though he supported her with his hands. When the orgasm ripped through her, her toes curled and she threw back her head and let out a scream. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. A moment later, he exploded inside her. For some time, they both stayed still.

She’d just had sex with a stranger, and Stacy didn’t know what the hell she could do to turn back the clock. He slipped out, and her feet touched the floor. She simply stared at him while her breasts heaved. It felt as if she had run a marathon, and yet she was more energized than she ever was in her life.

“We should get dressed,” he suggested.

The bastard! He must be in the habit of screwing unknown women because he wasn’t at all perturbed by this encounter. She stepped away. For a moment, his hands brushed over her smooth back, and then he let her go. It took her an instant to gather her clothes. “There is a washroom next to the foyer. You can use that,” she suggested.

With as much dignity as she could muster, Stacy walked out, buck naked, her clothes and purse clutched in her hands. When she freshened up in the guest bathroom, Stacy kept her thoughts strictly on the task. If she pondered over what happened, she would likely go mad. Now, all she wanted was to get out of here. She would never see this man again, and that would be the end of it.

When she walked out, Ned entered the house. He didn’t look surprised to see her. No wonder—he was well aware that he made her wait for over an hour. “Sorry. Got stuck somewhere.”

“Never mind.” She couldn’t quite meet his eyes. If Ned found out what she did, he would kill her. Sure, they weren’t married, but she didn’t think he was ready to discover such a secret as yet. “I was just leaving. There is someone waiting for you in the kitchen.”

“Who?”

She wanted to walk out, but he grabbed her arm and tugged her along. Seeing Marco, his eyebrows came together over his eyes in a frown that she well recognized. So he didn’t like the man. Good. Served him right for giving her the opportunity to let him in. Now, she was even more eager to get away before he discovered what she did. “What are you doing here?”

“We have to talk.” Marco was the picture of relaxation. “It’s about time we did so.”

Stacy didn’t want to be a part of this discussion. It could take an hour or ten minutes. She simply didn’t have the energy to stick around anymore. As Ned stood next to a seated Marco, the contrast between the two men simply couldn’t be more obvious. Ned’s handmade trousers probably cost ten times more than the outfit Marco wore. Ned’s Italian shoes gleamed, and his watch was adorned with diamonds. He was always one to show off, but of course when it came to her, he didn’t want to dish out one extra cent than he owed her.

Whatever!

She’d enough of both men.

“Take care, Ned.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” he said. “Where did you keep the papers?”

“On your desk in the study, exactly as you instructed me,” she confirmed.

Rather than bid goodbye to the man she made love to, Stacy turned on her heels and walked off—but, of course, she caught his amused glance. He was like the cat that licked the cream.
Damn all the men to hell and back!
She was simply tired of the games they played. Stacy was happy with her single status, and she loved her independence and freedom. This incident with Marco was an anomaly. It wouldn’t ever happen again because she didn’t have any intention of seeing the guy. He was out of her life, and that was just the way it was.

Chapter Two

Marco knew women. As he liked to say, he had more women in his life than there were flavors of ice cream—and that was saying something. Still, images of Stacy clung to his mind. As she walked out, he could tell that she was pissed off with her ex-husband. Not that he blamed her. Marco dealt with Ned enough times to know that the man was an asshole. He was also more than a little taken aback by their mutual chemistry. He’d made love to plenty of women, and some of them the first time he met them, but she wasn’t the type who showed up in bars and clubs, hoping to pick up men.

He could bet that she never saw the inside of the type of bar that he frequented. Stacy was a classy woman. She was way above his league, and he damn well knew that. Still, the opportunity arose, and he took advantage of it. He didn’t have any regrets, but he sure wished he could put her out of his mind. He’d a job to do, and that was what he came here to accomplish. 

“What do you want?” Ned’s voice changed as soon as his ex-wife walked out of the door.

Marco wasn’t impressed with Ned’s wealth or his attitude. “Money. You owe us a hundred thousand grand.”

“And I do more than enough work for you guys to be given some time to pay it off,” he said.

Son of Judah owned a number of casinos, and unfortunately Ned liked to gamble and he lost—a lot. They were after him for the past many months to pay them, but he kept slipping through their fingers like an eel. Marco was one of the chiefs, an enforcer as the pretty blond said, and he didn’t like taking no for an answer. When things got tough, Marco was sent in to sort out the matter. He had his ways, and Ned knew about them.

“Bring it,” Marco said.

Ned hissed. He glared at Marco, but perhaps something in the other man’s eyes told him that this time he wasn’t going to get away with empty promises. Turning on his heel, he went out of the kitchen. Marco continued to sit and think about the woman who stirred him up much more than he realized. Her honey-blond hair looked soft and silky. She’d creamy, flawless skin, bright green eyes, and a cute upturned nose. Her soft lips were too inviting. Even though she left ten minutes ago, the scent of her still lingered in the kitchen. He gazed at the counter where they made wild love as if there was no tomorrow.

He wanted her again.

His cock still throbbed for her.

There was something special about her, something different, and it was quite obvious he wouldn’t be able to forget her in a hurry. 

Ned came back and threw a packet on the table. Marco picked it up. “Thanks. I assume it’s exactly a hundred grand because I really don’t want to come back.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, I am merely telling you that if I had to come back because some of the money was missing, then I wouldn’t be happy,” he said in a smooth voice. “Take care. Good to do business with you.”

He walked out of the house and went to his car. As he drove out, Marco’s thoughts were consumed with Stacy. She had managed to make him all hot and bothered.
Damn the woman!
He forced her out of his thoughts and drove all the way to the warehouse. It served as their base for work. After he handed over the money and got his cut of it, Marco went to the bar he frequently visited. He wouldn’t ever see Stacy again, and that was just the way he liked it.

That woman was trouble. He knew it. It was better to stay far away. That was the only way to keep sane, and yet try as he did, Marco couldn’t forget her. She dominated his thoughts and his dreams. After tasting her once, he wanted her again.

No. He couldn’t have her.

He wanted to.

***

A week after he met her, Marco walked into Hotel Affinia. “Hi, I am looking for Stacy.”

The calm, cool brunette at the reception gave him a look, and then she simpered, “Sure. May I say who is looking for her?”

He was about to tell his name when he realized that she might not want to see him if she knew who he was. “Alexander Mark. I stayed here before and remember her well since she helped me out in some personal matters. Since I came into town again, I just wanted to say hello.”

“Sure, sir.” She lifted a phone and called someone. After a hushed conversation, she put the phone down. “Come with me, sir. I’ll take you inside.”

As he was escorted inside, Marco tried to marshal his thoughts. He didn’t have a clue as to how he would talk to her. What would he say? It was mere impulse that brought him here, and perhaps that would get him through. When the woman pushed a door and ushered him through, it took him only one moment to detect the beautiful woman who sat behind a desk. She smiled as she looked up, and then her lips froze.

If he wasn’t so nervous, he would have been amused. So she didn’t forget him.
Good.
At least he had one thing going for him.

“Stacy, Mr. Alexander. I’ll go back to the reception.”

When the door closed, he strolled over, took a seat, and leaned back. “Sorry about the lie.  I wasn’t sure if you would see me if I gave my correct name.”

“I wouldn’t have.”

Her honesty was brutal but a refreshing change from the lies he often heard. “In that case, I wouldn’t apologize again for deceiving you.”

“What do you want?”

“I really have no idea.”

She gnashed her teeth together. Seeing her flushed with anger, he realized that she looked even more beautiful when she was pissed off. He sure had a thing for this woman. Now, more than ever, he was certain that he wouldn’t leave her. One taste of her wasn’t enough. He wanted more.

“What are you doing here?” she asked if he was an imbecile.

“I guess I just wanted to see you.” Marco knew that he was coming across as an idiot, but he couldn’t help it. Whenever he gazed into her mesmerizing eyes, he was captivated. “Maybe I could take you out for dinner?”

“I’m busy tonight.” Her office phone rang, and she picked it up. As he heard her low murmur on the phone, Marco pulled his thoughts together. What the hell was he doing? She said no. He really needed to get up and go away. This woman wouldn’t give him the time of the day. Sure, he’d had her once, but that was just sheer luck. She wouldn’t ever agree to date him. When she put down the phone and glanced at him again, the power of her beauty hit him like a punch. If he was standing, he would have staggered.

“Come on, one chance.”

She sighed. “Look, I understand we got off on the wrong start.”

“That was the right start in every way possible,” he said.

“Yeah, I can see why that would be so for you, but I am really not in the habit of…making out with guys whom I don’t know. In that instant, it was…hell, I don’t know what that was. I’ve gone over that incident in my head a hundred times, and it’s not possible to find an explanation for it.”

“Instantaneous combustion,” he replied.

A ghost of a smile played on her lips. “Perhaps you’re right. And I have to admit it was amazing.”

“Amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he assured her.

“And I am flattered that you want to see me again, but I don’t think it would be a good idea. And I certainly wouldn’t want to give you the wrong impression. It’s just not happening.”

“Is it because I am not in your league?”

She blinked as if she couldn’t quite understand his question. “No. I don’t put people into boxes.”

He could see that she meant it. She really wasn’t thinking like that. As a person, she was way better than he estimated. “Then, is it because my job isn’t good enough?” he asked.

“I’ve never dated an enforcer before,” she admitted. “I have to admit it’s not really a white collar job.”

“A chief, that’s what I am.”

“Good for you, but really it isn’t about your job or what you do or whatever, you know. I am just not in that space where I want to date. I got divorced recently, and I just want to be by myself.”

“And as amazing as your company is, I think you should give me a chance so I can enjoy it, too,” he said in a smooth voice.

Marco was shocked that he was going through so much effort to date this woman. His philosophy was simple: he never ran after a girl. If someone didn’t want him, that was fine with him. But in this case, he just couldn’t let go. 

“I really don’t think we have much in common.”

“We won’t know that until we give it a try.”

She put her hands on the desk. “Look, I am not going to sleep with you, ok?”

He laughed. Leaning forward, he put his hands on the desk in a gesture identical to hers. “I am going to assume that you don’t mean
ever
. Sometime, sooner I hope rather than later, we’re going to get into bed together. You know that as well as I do. However, for the purpose of securing this date, I am willing to get sex off the table. We won’t do it, ok. Even if you beg me, I will stop myself and walk away.”

“Beg you? Please.” She snorted.

“Hey, it’s been known to happen.”

“You have a huge ego, don’t you?”

“And it’s been well earned,” he replied with aplomb. “Come on, one date. It won’t hurt you and really, it’s going to be good for us to get to know each other. What’s the harm in it? Unless, that is, you’re scared you won’t be able to stop yourself from throwing yourself at me.”

“Please! As if.”

He waited patiently as she made up her mind. He’d thrown the challenge, but he wasn’t quite sure if she would take it up. There was one thing to be said about this woman; she wasn’t predictable. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Marco held his breath as he waited for her to reply. If she said no, he would have to accept defeat and walk away. He wouldn’t be able to forget her, which was for sure, but he couldn’t keep harping on after her. That wasn’t his style.

“Ok.”

“Ok? Great.” He grinned. “How about tomorrow night, then? Seven?”

“Where? I’ll meet you there.”

He was pretty sure she never went to one of the bars he usually frequented, but he wasn’t going to make an attempt to give her a wrong impression about him. “There is a place I know well. Gretchen’s Place.” He gave her the address. “I’ll see you there then.”

“Sure. Bye.”

Marco walked out.
There.
Success was his. Let no one say that those who tried didn’t succeed. He gave it his best, and now it was up to fate. If they were meant to be, it would happen and then happen again. And if they didn’t get along, that would be alright too. He was game to see where this led. It sure would be interesting.

Marco looked forward to their date.