Road to Passion (4 page)

Knight laughed.

“I have a little filter problem.”

He grinned. “Don’t change a
thing, Darien.”

Mack walked back to us, a curious
expression on his face. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I said, and smiled.

He handed Knight the clipboard.
“They’re gonna fix it and give us a thirty percent discount.”

“Are they guaranteeing it won’t
happen again?”

“Later,” Mack said.

Knight nodded. “Nice to meet you,
Darien.”

“You too,” I said, and watched
Knight take the bottles of alcohol behind the bar. I smiled up at Mack. “You’re
busy. I should go.”

“I hate to admit you’re right,
but this is something I need to deal with.”

“Totally get it.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

Mack took my hand again and we
walked out to my awaiting car. I pressed the key fob and pulled open the
driver’s door, but before I could climb in, Mack slid his hand around my waist.
“I’ll call you later.”

“If you’re busy, call me
tomorrow.”

He smiled. “I’ll call you
tonight.”

“Suit yourself. Can I ask you
something?”

“Of course.”

“Were you and Kim—”

“No,” he interrupted.

“Never?”

“No.”

“Why not? She’s gorgeous.”

He smiled. “One, she’s Dani’s
best friend. Conflict of interest, since Booker and I are tight. Two, we’d kill
each other and we recognized that pretty early on, so it never happened.”

“Did you want it to?”

“Not really. Honestly, babe, we
knew we’d be nothing more than friends and she’s more like a sister to me now,
so it’s just never been on the table.”

“Okay.”

“Ask, yeah?” He patted my hip.
“Always ask. I’ve never been a saint, but I don’t cheat, and I won’t ever lie
to you. If I can’t answer the question, I’ll tell you that. Club business is
usually off the table, but you can still ask.”

“I’ve been known to be nosy,” I
warned.

“What woman isn’t?”

I gasped in an effort not to
laugh. “Jerk.”

“Am I wrong?”

“No, probably not, but you’re not
supposed to
say
that.”

“Says the woman without a
filter,” he teased.

I smacked his arm. “I’m leaving.”

“Yeah?” He squeezed my hip and I
didn’t move as he grinned and leaned down.

I nodded. “Yeah.”

His mouth covered mine and I
forced myself not to melt into him. Good God, the man could kiss. He broke the
connection far too soon and I wrinkled my nose in disappointment. “So... you’re
going to call me later?”

Mack laughed. “Yeah, babe, I’m
gonna call you later.”

“God, I sound like a love-struck
teenager.”

He stroked my cheek. “I like
that, Darien.”

“You do?”

“Yes. I like everything about
you.”

I bit my lip. “Same... well, all
but the chauvinism.”

He chuckled before he kissed me
again quickly. “Text me when you get home.”

“Bossy.”

“Lots of practice, Darien,
remember that.”

I laughed. “You don’t scare me,
Logan ‘Mack’ Reed.”

“Well, that’s a good start,
then.”

“Are people often afraid of you?”

A loud whistle startled Darien,
and then Pug yelled, “Mack! Need ya inside, brother.”

Mack gave Pug a chin lift and
then focused back on me again. “Text.”

I gave him a salute. “Yes, sir.”

He chuckled and kissed me again.
After waiting for me to get into the car, I noticed he waited until I drove out
of sight. I grinned the entire way home and texted him when I arrived safely.

M
ACK WALKED BACK inside, admittedly
distracted by his not so newfound adoration of Darien. He’d never felt like
this before and it was strange for him. He headed back out to the front of the
club and found Knight talking with Katya Kozlov. He scowled.

Fuckin’ Nika sent his sister to
do his dirty work.

“Mack!” Katya crooned, her Russian
accent thick as she smiled at him.

He once thought it was sexy,
especially in bed, but today, he found it grating. He forced a smile and made
his way to her. “Afternoon, Katya.” Kissing both of her cheeks, he raised an
eyebrow. “Nika was supposed to be here.”

“I know. Family emergency, so I’m
here.”

“Why aren’t you with the family?”
Mack challenged.

She chuckled. “His kids.”

“Ah. Well, I don’t know that you
and I can solve anything today, but I appreciate you stopping by.”

Katya stepped closer to him and
ran a finger down his chest. “Oh, darling, I think you and I can solve
everything today.”

He removed her hand and put
distance between them again. “Your brother has twenty-four hours to make this
right, Katya, or he deals with me directly. Remind him it’s his last chance.”

“I will. But what about you and I
have a little fun while we wait?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

He shook his head. She seemed
genuinely surprised. “Katya, I don’t want to insult you, but our fun is over. I
told you that six months ago and then again three weeks ago.”

She licked her lips. “But I
thought we could try again.”

“I’m flattered.” He wasn’t, but
she needed to be “managed.” “But, no.”

Katya’s lip popped out in a very
practiced pout. “Well, when you’re done with whoever you’re fucking, let me
know.”

Mack shook his head. “Tell Nika,
yeah?”

“I will.” She stomped out of the
club like a petulant child whose toy was taken away from her.

“Need me to handle that?” Knight
asked.

Aidan ‘Knight’ Quinn got his
nickname partly due to his gallantry toward women and partly due to the fact he
was a genius with horses. His brother Ace (Carter) had been with the club for
years, and Knight had just got his patch.

“Not sure yet, brother,” Mack
admitted. “Booker and I need to make a few decisions.”

“They’re gettin’ in deep.”

Mack sighed. “Yeah they are, and
now that shit’s bleeding into club business.”

That shit was mob shit and
although the club dealt with folks of all legal standing, mob shit wasn’t
something they were willing to get into bed with. Nika Kozlov had a pride
problem and he’d made connections with people in an effort to win a pissing
contest. Now those people were messin’ with the Dogs and they would have to be
dealt with.

Mack squeezed the bridge of his
nose. “I’ll bring this up at Church. Gather the receiving documents, by
Tuesday, yeah?”

Knight nodded. “No problem.”

Knight headed to Eliza’s office
and Mack headed to his. He wanted to find Darien again, he missed her, but he
had too much to do and she’d be a distraction, albeit a welcome one at the
moment.

* * *

“Are you insane?”
Pauley bellowed.

I rolled my eyes. “Pauley.”

“No, just stop.” She waved her
hand as she paced the living room.

It was just past midnight and
Pauley had walked in less than half an hour before. I was sitting cross-legged
on our sofa, Barney in my lap, watching Pauley put on an impressively dramatic
show.

“You cannot date Mack,” Pauley
continued. “He’s a player, Darien. Next to the word ‘man-whore’ in the
dictionary, there is a photo of him. I don’t think there’s a woman in Portland
he hasn’t screwed.”

“You?”

That brought her up short. “What?
No. Ew!”

I smiled. “Well, there’s one and
I know for a fact Kim’s another one, so that’s two. Pretty sure he didn’t
“screw” Dani, so that’s three.”

“Ohmigod, Darien, shut up!”

My phone rang in between her
yelling episode, so I answered it without looking at the caller ID. “Hello?”

“Hey, you okay?” Mack asked.

“I’m kind of in the middle of an
argument with Pauley, can I call you back?”

“Is that him?” Pauley snapped.

“Yeah, you can call me back,”
Mack said.

“Give me the phone,” Pauley
demanded.

“No,” I snapped.

“Darien,” she said in her mother
voice.

“I’ll talk to you soon,” I said
to Mack, and hung up before Pauley could get my phone.

“You can
not
date him,” she
said.

“I know you forget this a lot,
sissy,” I said firmly, trying not to let my irritation and fatigue overwhelm
me, “but I am
not
a child and you are
not
my mother!”

Pauley stared at me for a few
seconds. “You know he’s a lawyer.”

I shook my head, wondering where
the hell my sister was going with this. “So?”

“You hate lawyers.”

“No,
you
hate lawyers.”

“Oh, right.”

I smiled. This was Pauley coming
down off the ledge. I just had to let her rage for a little bit. We were both
verbal processors, I just processed a little quieter than she did. I patted the
seat next to me and Pauley flopped onto it.

“Pauley, I like him. A lot. A
lot, a lot. We’re getting to know each other. He hasn’t made any grand
promises... just that he won’t see anyone else while we’re getting to know each
other. I feel I can trust him at his word.”

She crossed her arms and dropped
her head back to the ceiling. “I’m gonna grill Kim.”

“Grill away, sissy,” I said. “But
if she’s his real friend, then she won’t tell you anything he’s not willing to
tell me himself.”

Pauley rolled her head to me. “I
can’t handle the thought of you being hurt.”

I shrugged. “I know, but I have
to grow up in your mind sometime, and is there a better looking guy to hurt me
than him?”

Pauley chuckled. “In
my
mind?”

“Yeah, you’re the one who still sees
me as a little girl.”

She sighed. “You’re crazy.”

“I’m crazy with a super hot
man... sort of.”

“You got me there.”

“I’m going to call him back.” I
smiled and slid off the couch. “You good?”

“I’m going to get a beer and take
a bath.”

I giggled. “You’re good.”

Heading to my bedroom with Barney
following, I redialed Mack.

He answered on the first ring.
“You okay?” he asked, sounding concerned.

“Yes, fine. I just had to talk my
sister down off the ledge.” I smiled. “You weren’t really worried, were you?”

“A little, yeah. I want to make
this work, Darien, but I’m not getting between family.”

“I’m sorry?”

“If what we do causes strife with
Pauley, I’ll shut it down.”

“You’ll shut it down.”

“Yeah.”

Irritation started to bubble.
“Wow.”

“You sound irked.”

“You think?” I snapped.

He sighed. “What’s the issue,
babe?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe this
sudden need for everyone to tell me what I can and cannot do. Last time I
checked, I was an adult, so if I want to date you, and it gets ‘between
family,’ then that’s my issue to deal with.” I blinked back angry tears. “I’m
going to have to call you back.”

Mack sighed. “Babe.”

“Because it’s rude to hang up on
someone, I’m letting you know, I’m hanging up now.” And I did. I flopped onto
my bed and dragged my hands down my face. Barney stuck his nose in the crook of
my elbow and I pulled him close. “Boys are lame, Barney.”

With a groan, I pulled on pajamas
and headed to the bathroom. After brushing out my hair, I wrapped it into a
messy bun on top of my head, then washed and moisturized my face. With part of
my nightly ritual complete, I walked into the kitchen and opened a bottle of
wine.

Before I could pour a glass,
however, a quiet knock came at my front door. I frowned as I tiptoed to it and
peeked out the peep hole. Crap! I was a mess... a mess that couldn’t be
described as a hot one. I sighed, dropping my forehead to the cool wood before
releasing the locks and pulling it open.

Mack smiled. “Hi.”

He wore the same suit he’d worn
earlier, but he’d discarded the fitted jacket and his white shirt was open at
the throat. Delicious was the only word to describe him.

“Hi. What are you doing here?” I
asked.

“I figured you needed a bit to
cool down, and I needed to see you, so...”

I stepped back. “Come in.”

“You still mad?” he asked as he
walked into my living room.

“Mad, no. Irritated, yes.”

He slipped his hands into his
pants pockets and studied me.

I stared back at him. “If you’re
going to stay a bit, I’ll let my sister know you’re here.”

Mack cocked his head. “So she can
bust my balls?”

“So she doesn’t walk out here
naked.” He gave me a chin lift and I took a minute to let my sister know of our
visitor. “Do you want some wine? I just opened a bottle,” I said as I walked
past him.

He took my arm and turned me to
face him. “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

His thumb stroked my arm. “I see
I’ve made a mistake.”

“Oh, really?”

Mack nodded and slid his hand to
my neck. “Yeah.”

I swallowed. “And that would be
what, exactly?”

His mouth covered mine as his
free hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. I took a breath,
effectively opening my mouth to him, and melted as he deepened the kiss. It
took several minutes for me to gather my wits and I broke the connection,
dropping my head to his chin.

“Logan,” I whispered. “I can’t
think when you do that.”

He kissed my forehead. “I’m
sorry, baby.”

“For kissing me?” I asked with a
frown.

“For underestimating you.”

I glanced up at him. “Continue.”

Mack stroked my cheek and smiled.
“I see you’re tougher than I originally thought.”

“You think?”

“Even still, I don’t want to come
between you and your sister.”

I frowned. “You can’t.”

“Babe,” he said with a sigh.

“You have no power over my
relationship with my sister, Logan. She and I have had to survive a long time
without anyone but the two of us, we’re an unbreakable unit.” I stepped away
from him. “Now, do you want some wine?”

“You got beer?”

“Yes.”

“Hey.” He took my arm again and I
looked up at him. “I’m sorry.”

I grinned. “Merlot.”

“Your preferred apology gift?”

I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re a really smart cookie.”

“It’s a good thing I have access
to wholesale.”

“Planning future offenses?”

He chuckled. “Planning, no, but
knowing me, it’s inevitable.”

I grinned. “Have a seat; I’ll get
you a beer.”

He nodded and made his way to the
sofa. I took a minute to pour wine and open a bottle of beer and then joined
him. “Did you come straight from the club?”

Mack took a swig of beer and
nodded.

“Do you need to get back?”

Mack shook his head. “Booker’s
there tonight, but regardless, Knight’s covering for me.”

I faced him, leaning my head in
my hand. “So you left early to apologize?”

“Yeah, baby, I did.”

I reached out and patted his
cheek. “I like that.”

“Yeah?”

Leaning forward, I kissed him
gently. “Yeah.”

Hearing a door click in the
hallway, I craned my head to see my sister (in her robe) walking into the room.

“I have something to say,” she
said, and stood in front of us.

“Pauley,” I breathed out.

“Shut it,” she said, and turned
to Mack. “Darien is different than the majority of the women you date. And I
use the word women lightly, because, well, you can guess. Unlike your previous
women, Darien’s not a skank. So, I will say this once and we’ll move on.”

“Oh boy,” I whispered.

“She is the only family I have
and I love her more than anyone else on earth,” Pauley said. “If you hurt her,
I will maim you. I won’t kill you because that would be too easy, but
understand that I will enjoy making your life a living hell. So, proceed with
care.”

Mack smiled up at her. “Babe, I
know Darien’s different. It’s why I’m attracted to her. I can’t promise I won’t
hurt her, ’cause I can be a dick sometimes, but I can promise I won’t do it on
purpose.” He squeezed my hand. “But if for some reason, I do hurt her on
purpose, I’ll stand there and let you maim me.”

I bit my lip. That was seriously
sweet.

Pauley looked from him to me, and
then nodded. “I think we understand each other.”

“Yeah Pauley, we understand each
other,” Mack said.

“I’m going to bed. I’ll see you
in the morning, sissy.” She leaned down and kissed my cheek and then left us
alone.

I smiled at Mack. “Thanks for
letting her vent.”