Payback (Viking Bastards MC) Read online

  “A personal tour?” She sounds skeptical. “I’ve seen everything I need to, haven’t I?”

  As she’s been working the bar for half the night, that’s true enough, but I can’t back down now.

  “Did Tod show you the cellar?” What the hell am I saying?

  “Uh, no. He said I wouldn’t need to deal with the kegs.”

  I laugh, can’t help it. “You’re not here to deal with the kegs.”

  “Don’t think I couldn’t, if I had to.”

  “I deal with the deliveries. You deal with the customers.” Guess that makes it official. She’s not fucking fired.

  “Well…” She hesitates, as though she’s thinking about it, even though I’m the one having serious second thoughts. The last place I want to take Amelia Davis is the cellar. What’s wrong with me? “Okay, then.”

  Great.

  “This way.” I swagger toward the end of the storeroom where a door leads to the cellar, as though this is something I do with all new staff.

  “You’re a member of the Viking Bastards, then.” It’s not a question, and I glance at her. She’s a couple of steps behind me and eyeing the back of my cut.

  “That’s right.” She barely reaches my jaw, and her faint scent is driving me wild. I want to bury my face in her hair and breathe it all in.

  I should’ve fired her when I had the chance.

  “Is this the local hangout for the Bastards?” Her eyes are so pretty. I don’t think I’ve ever had a chick with green eyes before. Not that I tend to notice their eyes, usually.

  And I’m not having this chick, either. Made sure of that, didn’t I?

  “After our club, yeah.” I don’t mean to stare at her, but I can’t stop myself. There’s a sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks, and for some reason they fascinate me.

  “I thought brothers only ever drank in their club.”

  “Know much about it, do you?” She looks so delicate, like china that’ll shatter if it’s not handled with care. Which sucks, since I like my sex rough.

  Not having sex with Amelia. Why’s that so hard to remember?

  “I know enough. I’m not part of the life, though.”

  If she’d ever been around the Bastards, I’d remember, even if most of the chicks who drift through the club are forgettable.

  “You want to be?” Even as I ask the question, I dismiss it. No fucking way am I taking Amelia to the club for my brothers to enjoy.

  She gives a breathless laugh, as though she thinks I’m crazy. “No, I don’t.”

  I give a grunt of satisfaction and have a hard time not spearing my fingers through her hair. I usually go for girls with long hair that I can wrap around my fist and hold under my command. But although Amelia’s only reaches her chin, it’s all kind of fluffy and tousled and it’s blowing my mind. Is it really as silky soft as it looks?

  She has three silver hoops in her right earlobe, and I don’t know why that’s so damn sexy, but it is.

  “Keep it that way.” I growl the words at her, hardly caring if she reads more into my comment than I want her to. I might not be having her tonight, but I sure as hell don’t want any of my brothers touching her, either.

  “That won’t be hard.” She gives a small smile, as if she’s enjoying a private joke. “Do the Bastards own Odin’s, then?”

  “No one owns Odin’s but me.”

  “But did it use to belong to the club?”

  “Why’re you so interested in the club?”

  “Odin’s.” Her gaze locks with mine. “It’s not such a big leap to link it with the Vikings, huh?”

  “Guess not.” I focus on her mouth and imagine feeding her my dick, inch by inch. I can hardly think straight, never mind talk.

  “Thought you were giving me a tour.” Her whisper is so fucking hot I’m tempted to just shove her up against the door and to hell with it.

  “That’s right.” I ignore the graphic images flooding my mind. Serves me right for not following my gut instinct and firing her five minutes ago. I open the door and flick on the light switch. “After you.”

  She grips the handrail, and I watch her butt as she goes down the stone steps before following her and pulling the door shut behind me. Nothing wrong in looking.

  The cellar’s small, but big enough to do its job. Amelia wanders around, taking an abnormal amount of interest in the boxes and kegs stacked against the walls. If she weren’t so hot, the way she’s examining everything would be suspicious.

  “You sure you aren’t an agent for the ABC?” I grin at her from across the room because there’s no way she’s one of the Alcoholic Beverage Control assholes. I can smell any type of law enforcement a mile off.

  “Why? You got something to hide?” She trails her hand along a keg, and her sideways glance is a killer, like she’s expecting me to make a move on her.

  I swallow a groan. “What do you think?”

  “You don’t want to know what I think.”

  The way she says it, like she means it, makes me laugh.

  “Try me.” I prowl toward her, and she backs up against the wall. It’d be so easy to trap her there, to run my hands down her naked arms and grasp her wrists. Bringing her into the cellar was the worst idea ever.

  “You’re a Viking Bastard.” Her gaze roves over my face as though she’s trying to work something out. “I reckon you’ve got plenty of shit to hide.”

  The only thing I’m trying to hide from her right now is my hard-on. “Nothing you need to worry about.”

  “I’m not worried.” Her eyes are dark, and there’s a sexy little catch in her voice. Even though she doesn’t touch me, her body’s giving me all the signals. Shame I can’t act on them.

  Jesus. I need to get away from her. My legs refuse to move.

  “You sure about that?”

  “Your connections don’t scare me.” She gives a little huff, as though the thought I could scare her is funny, and damn if that doesn’t turn me on more than ever.

  This is the craziest conversation I’ve ever had with a chick. Usually when a girl wants me there’s nothing subtle about it, but although I’m getting the vibes from Amelia, she’s obviously fighting it.

  Because I’m her boss? Or because I’m holding back?

  If she wants this as much as I do, then why don’t I just go for it?

  …

  Amelia

  This is so wrong. I know it, but I can’t help how much I enjoy flirting with Gage. I thought for sure when he invited me down here that he was going to try something on, and part of me wishes he had. Then I’d know what a sleaze he really is, and I’d feel better about why I’m at Odin’s in the first place.

  I don’t need to feel guilty about that. Rex told me the Bastards are involved in large-scale gun distribution, and since my dad was put inside for handling illegal weapons for the Wolves, it’s a trigger for me. All I need is some proof I can pass onto Rex so he can let his police contact know, and then good-bye, Bastards.

  “Amelia.” There’s a strange, questioning note in his voice, and it’d be so easy to forget who he is and just lean a little closer…

  “Hey, Gage. You down there?” It’s Kat, opening the door to the cellar, and I freeze, horror burning through me at how close I came to touching him. Even though we’re hidden from view behind a couple of kegs, I feel like my terrible thoughts are exposed to the whole world.

  “Be right up,” Gage says, without taking his gaze from me, and he doesn’t move until the door slams shut. This is my cue to saunter away as though everything’s fine, but I have the scary certainty that it’s only the wall that’s keeping me upright.

  After a few tense seconds, he gives me a slow, sexy smile that shatters whatever’s left of my good intentions. “Later,” he says, before he turns away.

  I don’t know if that’s a promise or threat, but I can’t take my gaze off his tight butt as he crosses the cellar toward the stairs. I let out a jagged breath and wait until he disappears throu
gh the door before I follow him. No way can I go through with this.

  Jeez, I make a lousy spy.

  …

  My half-formed plan to grab my stuff and make a quick getaway vanish when I return to the bar. The place is packed, and Kat’s run off her feet, so I grit my teeth and pitch in.

  “Gage show you the ropes, then?” Kat squeezes by me, and there’s no mistaking the mocking look on her face.

  “Something like that.” I shrug to show I don’t care that she thinks Gage and I did the nasty in the cellar, but it still stings. I try and remember what Rex told me. Something about Gage being a total asshole, which was why he couldn’t keep staff, but he was a sucker for a pretty face and I shouldn’t have any problem reeling him in.

  It had all sounded completely feasible when we’d discussed it in a seedy backstreet diner. Then again, I hadn’t imagined in a million years that I’d find Gage anything other than a disgusting shithead who deserved everything that was coming to him.

  I go around collecting the empties, and there’s no sign of him, although the blonde he was with earlier gives me the stink eye. Don’t know what her problem is, seeing as she’s letting another beefy biker feel her up. On the plus side, it doesn’t seem as though anyone else is aware that the owner of Odin’s gave me a special tour of the cellar. Or that he manages to turn me on by just breathing the same air as me.

  I know for sure whose face is going to haunt my fantasy heroes for the foreseeable future. And not just his face. My vision kind of glazes as lust rolls over me, and I dig my teeth into my tongue to bring back focus.

  This is the craziest shit ever. I slam the empties into the recyclable bin and take a deep breath. There’re four more hours before my shift ends. I can get through that without dissolving into a hot puddle of desire at his feet. Four hours, and I’ll never see him again.

  Right on cue, the door swings open, and in he strolls, flanked by a couple of guys wearing the Bastards’ colors. For a fleeting second, our gazes clash, and heat spirals through me at the possessive gleam in his eyes.

  Am I imagining that? No. No, I’m not. Something changed in the last few moments we were in the cellar, and just as I thought, his casual “later” was a warning.

  Just play it cool. Nothing’s going to happen while we’re in the bar, surrounded by dozens of customers.

  Who am I trying to fool? If I go anywhere near him, I’ll melt over his boots.

  I grab a cloth and scrub the bar as though my life depends on it.

  A part of me thinks it does.

  …

  Gage

  I’m hanging with a couple of brothers from my club who just dropped by, but I can’t stop watching Amelia. She’s deliberately ignoring me, which both pisses me off and kind of intrigues me at the same time. We were a second from kissing when Kat interrupted us, but Amelia’s acting as though she doesn’t have a clue. Didn’t she understand my message before I left her?

  Sure, she works for me. But if she wants me even half as much as I want her, then to hell with my usual rules. We can have some no-strings fun together. Right now, I don’t even care about any possible fall out. I’ll deal with that when it happens.

  “Who’s the new chick?” Ty’s giving Amelia the eye. I don’t like it.

  “She works for me, so she’s off-limits. Put your fucking dick away.”

  Ty gives me the finger. “I don’t work here, and she sure as shit isn’t off my limits.”

  Our other brother, Hawk, gives a dry laugh. “Think Gage’s already staked his claim, Ty.”

  “You fucked a chick who works for you?” Ty leers at me. “Hypocritical asshole.”

  If we were at our club, I’d call Ty out on that. But I like to avoid fights inside Odin’s. It gets too messy, since it’s a publicly licensed premise. And he knows that.

  “Stay away from her.” I can’t help it—I glance in her direction again. It’s like I don’t exist to her, and it’s fucking weird. She must know I’m standing right here. “She’s with me tonight.”

  What the hell? Guess I’ll say anything to ensure Ty doesn’t make a move on her.

  “Told you.” Hawk takes a long slug of beer. Ty laughs.

  “I’ll pick up the pieces when you fire her ass in the morning.”

  “Not gonna happen.” I don’t even know what I mean by that, so I finish my beer instead.

  The blonde who grabbed me earlier saunters toward us and squeezes between Ty and Hawk, who shift to accommodate her. She drapes herself over Ty, who’s still watching Amelia, and I’m damn sure he’s only doing it to see how far he can push me.

  “You okay, sweets?” Ty slings his arm around the blonde’s shoulders, and she shoots me a triumphant smirk. Like I care.

  “I am now.” She snuggles into him, apparently unaware that his attention is elsewhere.

  “You sure she’s staying with you tonight, bro?” Ty waves his bottle in Amelia’s direction. “Looks to me like she’s avoiding you.”

  She’s clearing tables and giving as good as she gets when some guys get mouthy, but she still doesn’t so much as glance in my direction. A disturbing thought worms its way through my mind.

  I didn’t read her wrong, did I?

  Ty’s snort of laughter does nothing to improve my mood. I’ve never second-guessed a chick’s motives before. Then again, I’ve never been so tempted to break my number one rule before, either.

  “Ruby,” Ty says to the blonde. “Gage needs some stress relief.” He passes her on to me, which for some reason annoys the fuck out of me.

  “Gage,” she purrs, running her hands up my chest and over my shoulders. Although Amelia’s messed with my head, I don’t normally fool around when I’m working, but that’s not the reason I untangle myself from Ruby.

  I don’t want Ruby. Not when all I can think about is Amelia Davis.

  I tear my gaze from Ruby, and Amelia’s not two feet away, looking right at me as though I’m her worst nightmare come to life.

  Chapter Three

  Amelia

  I shouldn’t care that Gage’s all but dry humping the blonde he was with earlier, but it doesn’t stop my heart slamming against my ribs in disbelief.

  Stupid. I swing away before he can guess how messed up I am and make my way back to the bar. I’d assumed she was just some girl, but what if they’re together?

  My stomach churns. I don’t know why I’m so hung up on the possibility that he’s in a relationship. It’s not like anything happened between us. Well, nothing outside my overactive imagination.

  It wasn’t all my imagination. He might not have touched me, but he almost had me trapped against the wall. And the promise in his voice with that one word—later—definitely wasn’t work related. Rex was right. Gage is nothing but a lowlife.

  I already knew that. He’s Axle Reynolds’s son, and this is a great wake-up call. Gage isn’t my secret hero, and I’m not going to spend the next week dreaming about how things could’ve been in another life.

  Jesus, my head hurts.

  Kat nudges me in the ribs. “Take a break.”

  She doesn’t wait for an answer, just takes my arm and steers me through the storeroom toward the stairs that I guess lead to the upstairs apartment. What the hell’s she doing? The last thing I want is a lecture from Gage’s sister.

  “I’m fine.” I pull free. “Should we even take a break together? Can Tod cope?”

  “Tod’s a useless ass, but yeah he can cope for ten minutes.”

  I glance over my shoulder. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  Kat’s already halfway up the stairs, and she leans over the banister and waves her finger at me. “Make him sweat, Amelia.”

  That’s so not what I expected her to say that I’m following her before I can stop myself. “What?”

  She smirks and leads me up to the apartment and straight into a small kitchen with ancient, mismatched units. “My brother hasn’t been able to take his eyes off you all night. It’s hilarious. Ar
e you leading him on, or are you really not interested?”

  This is the kind of conversation you have with best friends and sisters, not a chick I’ve only known for a couple of hours. The irony isn’t lost on me. If I were still going through with my plans for payback, getting friendly with Kat would be a massive bonus.

  I imagine a big pair of crossed fingers in my mind’s eye. “I’m really not interested in him.”

  Kat pulls a couple of bottles of beer from the fridge and offers me one. My head’s already pounding, and I glance at the coffeemaker. She sighs and pours me a cup, and the prolonged silence grates on my nerves. Does she know I just lied?

  She sits on the counter, her ankles crossed, and waits until I take a sip of the strong brew. How long’s it been standing in the carafe? All day by the taste of it.

  “So you didn’t screw him in the cellar, then.” She’s matter-of-fact, as though she’s asked the same question a hundred times in the past.

  She probably has.

  “No, I didn’t.” I’m not lying this time, but I feel like I am, whether I’m blushing or not.

  She takes a long swallow from her bottle, her gaze sweeping over me from head to foot. When she’s done, she rocks the bottle on her knee. “What happened then?”

  “Nothing.” I stare her out because it’s the truth, even if in my head a whole lot of something went on under the surface. “I don’t know why you think anything did. Unless of course that’s his M.O. with every girl who starts work here.”

  She shrugs, but I’m not sure she believes me. “He has this rule about not fucking girls who work for him. I thought he’d broken it tonight. Shit, that would’ve been fun to ram down his throat.”

  Well, that doesn’t quite fit with what Rex told me. Although I’m starting to think he got more than a few facts skewed. Gage might be a douche, but not in the way I was led to believe.

  I decide I need to make things crystal clear. “In any case, I don’t date guys who are already seeing someone.”

  Kat looks as though I’ve just said something funny. “I never mentioned dating. And Gage isn’t seeing anyone the way you mean. Wow, you’re kind of adorable, aren’t you?”