Tempted (8 page)

“Yeah. What did you think I was going to ask
for?”

I don’t know…shit women usually ask for –
money, jewelry, to go shopping. Then again, this is the girl who
got excited over a few books. I should have known better.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of
it.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“Cool. Now…your lips were doing something
right about here…” She motions to her neck, “...that felt
really
good. So…continue.”

“Is that an order?”

“No. Just a strong request.”

I smile as she bats her lashes, feigning
innocence. The words slip out before I know what’s happening. “Come
home with me.”

“Back to the clubhouse?”

“No. To my place. I just need to hold
you.”

“Okay. I’ll get my stuff.”

Her words lift my spirit even higher. More
than anything in the world, I want to fall asleep with her in my
arms. Maybe it’s the shit day I’ve had, but she makes me forget.
That’s just what I need. To forget everything that’s bad and wrong
in my life. Everything that’s dark. I need her innocence. I need
her to make me
not
feel like an evil motherfucker. I need
her to...fuck it.

I just need
her
.

G: Don’t have too much fun without me.

I get the text while I’m doing my makeup,
getting ready to go to Scythe with Chrissy. I tap out a reply and
set the phone back down.

R: You don’t dance, so you’re just going to
have to deal with it.

G: As long as no one touches your sexy ass,
I’m good.

R: So only ass is off-limits?

I can just imagine the vein in his forehead
popping out. The man takes jealousy to a whole new dimension.

G: RAVEN.

R: Ooooh...all caps. You know I’m just
playing! All this sexiness is yours.

I add the little smiley with his tongue out
and hit send. He replies right away.

G: Damn straight. Text me when you need me to
pick you up.

R: K.

I finish my makeup and slip into my
mini-dress – a teal bodycon with a deep V neck and spaghetti
straps, which matches the new streaks in my hair. I finish with
black, caged platform heels. I check my reflection in the mirror.
Damn, I look good.
Thanks to Gage. Or Papi Chulo, as Chrissy
now calls him. He even paid for her outfit, too, as a birthday
present. After a few spritzes of perfume, I grab my clutch, jacket,
phone, and the twins’ gifts, then head outside to wait for Ron. I
pass Lonnie sitting on the couch, watching TV. I don’t know what’s
got her at home tonight.

“Where you off to all dressed up?” She
asks.

“Out.”

“Out?” She raises a brow.

“Don’t pretend you care.”

“I don’t.”

“Good.”

“Heard you been spending a lot of time with
the prospect.”

“You heard right.”

I don’t need to explain anything to her,
especially about Chrissy’s love life. Having had enough of this
conversation, I turn away, but her voice stops me again.

“You got condoms?”

“What? I don’t –”

“I don’t want you bringing any babies in
here.”

I’m tempted to tell her to go fuck herself,
but the lights pulling into the driveway catch my attention. I
leave without a word. The nerve of the bitch. Ron whistles in
appreciation when I slide in next to him, and I forget all about
Lonnie.

“Goddamn!”

“You like?” I ask with a grin.

“You look hot! Prez would shit bricks if he
saw you right now.”

“Well, luckily he isn’t here.”

“Lucky for you.”

“Whatever. Let’s go.”

We pull up to Chrissy’s house and Ron checks
his phone. “I texted Chrissy to meet us outside, but she didn’t
answer.”

“I’ll get her.”

I grab the gift bags and walk up the driveway
to the door. The lights are on, so I know Mr. and Mrs. Contreras
are still up. I ring the bell and wait for someone to answer. The
door opens and I come face to face with Christopher. I don’t know
what to do or say. I haven’t seen or spoken to him since
that
night.

“Hi,” I say awkwardly.

He steps outside and closes the door behind
him.

“Hi.” His eyes travel the length of my body
before he meets my gaze. “You look…beautiful. As always.”

“Thank you. Happy birthday.”

“Thanks.”

“I got you something,” I tell him, handing
him the gift bag. “It’s not much…just wanted you to know I was
thinking of you.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

He looks down at the bag and an uncomfortable
silence stretches between us. One of us needs to say something.
“How are you?”

“I’ve been better, but I’m getting
there.”

“Chris –”

“It’s okay. I’ve been thinking and Chrissy’s
helped some. I know you love me…just not the way I love you.
There’s nothing I can do about that. I just wish I’d lost you to a
better man.”

I know there’s no use in trying to defend
Gage, so I don’t. Besides, that would just be rubbing salt in his
wound. “I know we can’t be friends, but…I don’t want you to hate
me, either.”

He takes a deep breath and cups my cheek,
stroking it with his thumb. “I could never hate you, Raven.”

I throw my arms around him before the look in
his eyes reduces me to tears. Real, raw love that everyone searches
their whole lives for – that’s what I saw there. The little tinge
of hurt behind it grabs my heart, squeezing like a fist. Will Gage
ever look at me like that? Or will his four-letter “L word” forever
be “lust”?

“I’m here for you, Raven…if you ever need
me.”

“I don’t deserve it, but thank you.”

The door opens and we release each other.
Chrissy and three other girls stand in the doorway
uncomfortably.

“Are we interrupting?” His sister asks.

“No. We’re good,” Chris answers.

He smiles at me and steps back inside.
We’re
good
. It’s more than I could have ever hoped
for, so I’ll take it.

“You ladies have fun.”

Chrissy takes my hand and gives it a little
squeeze.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” I reply. “You ready?”

“Yup.”

“Happy birthday. You look awesome.”

Her black and gold sequined, chevron dress
clings to every curve of her body. As a matter of fact, they all
look awesome.

She pulls me into a bear hug and rocks side
to side. I return her embrace, thinking she’s more of a sister to
me than Lonnie’s ever been. She takes the gift bag and places it
inside then introduces me to the other girls – Morgan, Rachel, and
Brandi. We cram into the Charger and Chrissy pulls Ron to her,
planting a wet kiss on him.

“Happy birthday, gorgeous. Fuck, you look
amazing.”

“Thanks. Now, let’s go raise some hell!”

There’s a line around the block when we get
to the club. Ron pulls over at the curb and tells us to wait for
him while he parks. The name of the club shines in red neon above
the door, the “S” a double-edged scythe.

“You sure we can get in?” Morgan asks.
Apparently, I’m not the only one under eighteen. I look to Chrissy,
hoping she hasn’t told them exactly
how
we’re getting
in.

“I told you, Ron talked to Gage. We’ll be
fine.”

Thank God.
They still look
apprehensive but accept her explanation. Ron returns and hooks his
arm around Chrissy’s neck.

“How the fuck I get so lucky? Five gorgeous
ladies on my arms.”

The other girls giggle and I roll my eyes.
“Let’s go, Casanova.”

He ushers us to the front of the line and the
security guy moves aside. Another guy stamps our wrists with a
skull and crossbones symbol that glows in the dark. Ron explains
that it indicates we can’t be served alcohol. He disappears to get
us drinks and we head straight to the middle of the dance floor.
The club reminds me of the Mustang – black and red, reapers and
scythes all over. The strobe lights flash red and machines cover
the floor with smoke. In the middle of “Touchin’ Lovin’,” the DJ
scratches the record and the song stops.

“Chrissy, where you at?” He shouts. “Come on
up!”

She turns to me wide-eyed, hopping with
excitement, then screams and grabs my hand, pulling me up to the DJ
booth with her.

“So…today is this lovely lady’s birthday.
Everyone wish her a happy birthday!” The DJ says.

Noise erupts from the crowd, and Chrissy
waves at everyone enthusiastically. When the noise dies down, the
DJ hands her an envelope.

“Courtesy of Scythe…a year’s free admission
and unlimited, non-alcoholic drinks from the bar.”

She screams again and jumps into the DJ’s
arms.

“Oh! I need to give stuff away more
often!”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She
squeals.

“Next song…your pick, baby girl.”

“Nicki Minaj, ‘Anaconda’!”

“You got it.”

She launches herself at me, laughing
excitedly.

“Ray, did you do this?”

“Nope. I had no idea.”

“Shit. You’re gonna have to give Papi Chulo
some head on my behalf.”

“Whatever. Come on.”

She drags me back to the dance floor,
demanding twerking lessons. I
did
promise her and it
is
her birthday, so I give in. I pull up my skirt a little,
bend my knees, lean forward, and shake my ass. It’s not long before
the others join in. Two strong hands grab my waist and pull me up
against a hard crotch. For a second, I think it’s Gage but then he
starts to move. Definitely
not
Gage. Before I can push him
off, Ron shows up and gets in the guy’s face. Dude backs off and
Ron takes my hand. He leads me away from the crowd and up some back
stairs.

“Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see.”

He opens a door and motions for me to enter.
Once I’m inside, he closes it behind me.
What the hell?
There’s a dim light at the door shining down on me, but the rest of
the room is in darkness. I can make out a desk and someone sitting
behind it. Behind him, there’s a glass wall I bet gives a view of
the dance floor.

“Who’s there?” I ask nervously.

“Turn around.”

Fuck. Gage. What’s he doing here? He told
me he wouldn’t be here.
I can hear the strain in his voice. He
must have seen or heard about what just happened.

“Gage –”

“
Turn. Around
.”

I swallow hard and turn my back to him.

“Put your hands on the wall.”

My breathing accelerates at the tone of his
voice. It’s
that
voice. I drop my clutch on the couch next
to me, place my palms on the wall, and wait.

“Legs. Spread ‘em.”

I shuffle my feet apart until he tells me to
stop. My body trembles with uncertainty. What’s he going to do to
me? It’s quiet. He doesn’t make a sound, but I can feel him getting
closer. He stops behind me, his body flush against mine.

“What did I tell you?” He growls in my
ear.

A shiver runs through my body. “About
what?”

He grabs my ass, squeezing the cheek as his
breaths come hard and heavy in my ear.

“Tell me why I shouldn’t flay your ass right
now.”

“What did I do?”

“First, you show off your sweet little body
in that dress, and then you let some fucker touch what’s mine.”

Dios
mio
. I knew it.

“Gage –”

He smacks the words right back down my
throat. I cry out, more from shock than pain. He’s threatened me
before, but I never thought he was serious. Does he really think
he’s going to spank me? His palm crashes into my other cheek. My
ass stings as if he’d met bare flesh.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I
rub my cheeks, trying to soothe them.

“Don’t. Move.”

Damn him and that fucking voice!
I
place my hands back on the wall and he slaps me across the backs of
both thighs.

“¡
Puta
madre
!”

He leans in, his lips at my ear once more.
“Let’s get this straight. You…are
mine
. You pull some shit
like that again, I’ll use something worse than my hands.”

“I was about to push him away –”

“But you didn’t.”

“Jesus! Why are you so jealous?”

“Jealousy is envy of others’ possessions. I’m
protecting what’s mine.”

He grabs my wrist and spins me around to face
him. There’s fury in his eyes, but
my
eyes aren’t focusing
on that. His hair is combed, he’s freshly shaved, and he’s wearing
slacks and a white, long-sleeved dress shirt.
Baby, teenaged,
and adult Jesus.

“Fuck…you look…”
What’s the word to use?
Damn.
“...yummy.”

I slide my fingers down his chest and feel
his body relax. He wraps his arm around my waist, pulls me against
him, and crushes my lips beneath his. He picks me up and takes me
to his desk as his tongue unleashes a tornado of sensations on my
body. I wrap my legs around him, pulling him to me, moaning as his
hard dick connects with my pussy. One hand squeezes my thigh while
the other fists in my hair. He trails kisses down my neck, lightly
sucking at the base.

“Oh, God. I need you, Gage.”

He sinks his teeth into my shoulder with a
growl. “Who do you belong to?”

“You! I’m yours.”

“Never forget it.”

He plunders my mouth once more, and I whimper
helplessly. I reach down and he groans as I run my fingers down his
bulge. I grip it and for a second wonder how I’m going to manage
all of it. The next second, I desperately want to find out. I tug
at his belt, but he steps out of my reach. He drags his hand over
his face and turns his back to me. Once again, he’s shot me
down.

“You know what? I’m done,” I state
resolutely.

He spins around, forehead scrunched in
confusion.