Leather for Two: Wings of Steel MC (4 page)

“Last night. He was found dead in his house.”

“Dead? But how…?” Back in her relationship with Diesel, she’d always thought one day he would meet an untimely death. He’d always been reckless and looking for the next adrenaline rush.

“A gunshot wound to the head.” Blaze’s voice was low, but steady. “Now, can I come in?”

I stepped back, pushed the door wide with my foot so he could pass. A good two hundred pounds of lean muscle, he took up a lot of space. And he smelled the same. Leather, musk, and pure male. Forcing my brain to stay on track, I shut the door, and then asked, “Who shot him?”

He shrugged. “I dunno. Cops are investigating.” He strolled through the foyer and into the living room. I watched him survey the surroundings. One corner of his mouth lifted. “Nice place.”

“Thanks. I’m sorry that Diesel is dead, but why are you telling me? This has nothing to do with me. I haven’t seen him since I left.” I wrapped my arms around my waist, hoping to ease the butterflies.

He blinked. “I thought you deserved the respect of hearing it from me. It’ll be in the papers.” His jaw hardened.

“Yes, that would have been a shock.” I tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear.

“You look like you’re doing well for yourself.” He sniffed.

“I-I have a job…teaching…and I—”

“Damn! Why, Bambi?”

I narrowed my gaze. “Why what?”

“Why did you leave Wings without telling me goodbye?” His gaze cooled.

“Blaze, that’s the past…I’ve moved on…”

Two paces and he stood in front of me. I had to drop my head back to look into his eyes. “Have you?”

“Yes.” My bottom lip trembled.

“I didn’t think seeing you would still affect me this way.”

“Chalk it up to how we left things between us. It was awkward.” The lines around his eyes deepened. He’d turned thirty-six last month. I knew because I kept track of his birthday. And I sent unsigned cards. I often wondered if he knew they were from me.

“You’re more fitting of the name Bambi than ever before.” He chuckled. “Who wears clothes like this?” He traced the frilly hem of my conservative top.

I shivered, and it had nothing to do with being cold. “I do. A modest school teacher does.”

“Wow, a schoolteacher. I bet all of the boys bring you apples.” His gaze sparkled.

“I teach first grade.” I pushed through tight lips.

He sighed and it made the fine hairs lift on my arms. “I can see that. You have a personality that meshes with rugrats.”

“Thank you, I think.” I blinked.

“Hell, maybe you’ve forgotten all about Wings. Do you even care that Diesel is dead?”

The question caught me off guard. “Yes—of course I do. I cared for him…”

“Just as you cared for me?”

Was he testing me? “Let’s not rehash the past.”

“Oh come on, sweetheart.” He smoothed his fingers across my arm then dropped his hand to his side. “This might be the worst time, but I think you owe me an explanation why you took off—disappeared.”

“I think it’s obvious why.” I stepped back, needing breathing space. Did he think he played an innocent role in why I left?

“I don’t think it is.” His deep voice penetrated my skin and tinkered with my nerve endings. “You said your heart belonged to me. You gave it away only to snatch it back.”

“Did you come here to drag me over the coals for the past or to tell me Diesel is dead?” I met his steely gaze head on.

“Hell, a bit of both.” He slammed his hand through his hair.

“It sure seems like you’ve waited for the poorest moment to interrogate me. After all, answers are no longer needed. It’s a worthless subject because the past can’t be changed. And you know why I left.” I took another step back and he followed. Blaze was a big man and he could scare the biggest and bravest, but he didn’t induce anything but excitement within me. My body craved his touch.

His Adam’s apple bobbed and the twinkle in his eyes danced. “Because you didn’t have the same vision as I did.”

I shook my head. That wasn’t true, but the words wouldn’t surface. “Don’t do this, Blaze.”

He groaned and stuffed one hand into his front pocket. “I lose my head when I’m around you. I came here with a plan. I was going to tell you about Diesel, then hit the road. I should do that before we have a repeat of the last time we were this close.”

“Not yet.”

“Why?”

I licked my lips, forcing my brain to function. “I have a few questions. If Diesel is dead, does that mean the rest of the members are unsafe?”
Specifically you.

“I don’t think any of us are in danger. He was fucking the wrong chick and her old man didn’t like it. A lot had changed after you left Wings.”

My throat constricted. “Doesn’t sound like things changed. Are you saying he died because he couldn’t keep his zipper closed? Who was the woman?” Not that I really cared.

“Digger’s old lady,” he said.

“Digger, as in president of Hell’s Wrath, a.k.a, Wings’ biggest enemy?” My stomach dropped. “Diesel never did make the best choices.”

“Yep,” he answered casually. He turned, strolled to the couch and took a seat. His brawny frame took up almost both cushions. “Come have a seat, Bambi. Let’s catch up.” I remained standing and staring. One corner of his mouth lifted, turning his mouth into a lethal grin. The one that used to unnerve me…and still did. “It’s been a long time.”

“Blaze—you should go.” My voice sounded weak. I wanted to be closer to him, but the idea carried a lot of risks.

“We’re not done talking, Bambi. Sit.” He patted the cushion next to him.

Sighing, I moved around the coffee table but didn’t take a seat on the couch. I chose the chair as far away from him as I could get. He laughed and shook his head. “What more do we need to talk about?” I asked.

His eyes traveled to my legs, exposed in the skirt. My flesh tingled. He didn’t need to touch me to tease my body. “Diesel’s memorial is tomorrow at the compound.”

“Then offer my condolences to the members.” Although I knew he wouldn’t. I was an outsider now. Did they even know he came to tell me the news?

“Not that easy.” He held my gaze in a pensive trance.

“Then don’t say a word to them.” I started to stand, but he caught me gently on the knee, his large callused hand burning my skin. I relaxed into the cushion and pushed his hand off.

“Sorry, sweetheart. It’s a little easy to forget so much time has passed.”

“Don’t, Blaze. That’s history. I’ve spent many nights erasing that memory. Don’t unravel it in one moment of time.”

He leaned back into the couch. “When I was going through Diesel’s locker at the compound checking for clues, I found a sealed envelope addressed to you.”

I blinked. “To me?”

“Yes.”

“He had my address?”

He nodded. “Suppose so.”

“Where’s the envelope?” I scooted to the edge of the chair. “Let me see it.”

“Not so fast. I didn’t bring it.”

“What? Why not?”

“Oh, so now you’re real interested? You don’t care much about the man’s death but you care that he had your address.”

I bit my bottom lip until I felt pain. I knew Blaze was angry with me for leaving without a goodbye. He had every reason to be, but he must have known that leaving Wings was for the best. “Look, you came here, out of the blue. Not only are you telling me Diesel is dead, murdered, but you’re saying that he had a letter in his locker with my name and address on it. That’s a little strange—more than a little. It’s odd. Sure I’m curious, if not a bit scared.”

“So you two haven’t been in contact since you left?” One thick brow lifted.

“Not even one word.”

“Yes, it’s odd.” He pushed his hand through his hair. His eyes turned dark. “But the fact remains, I didn’t bring the envelope.”

“Well then, you keep it. Or mail it to me when you get back to the compound.” I started to stand again.

“We’re still not done.”

I sighed and plopped back down. “There’s more?”

He swallowed. “Come to the memorial tomorrow and I’ll give you the envelope.”

“I-I can’t. I’m working. Not only that, but I’m sure I’m no longer welcome. I could be walking into a disaster.”

“No one hates you. Except maybe me.” He snorted.

My breath held. “Is that true?”

“Maybe a little,” he answered.

“Then why would you want me to come to the memorial?”

“Because I want to see that sexy ass,” he growled the words.

My cheeks burned. Blaze never did own a filter. “Now you’re making fun of me.” I looked at him through the veil of my lashes. He was still handsome—mysteriously so.

“Honey, I’d never make fun of something as sweet as your ass. I did notice it’s as tight as ever, even in the nun outfit.”

“This isn’t a nun’s outfit!”

“Have you missed me at all, sweetheart?”

My stomach did a triple flip. I slid my clammy palms down the skirt. I could lie, but then again, I couldn’t. “I’ve thought about you, us, many times.”

“You sent the cards,” he said. “Didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to wish you a happy birthday.” My heart skipped.

“Damn, Bambi. I didn’t think it was you. Hell, I’d hoped.” He blew out a breath through his tight lips. He left the couch and dropped to his knees in front of me—bringing back memories of another time. I didn’t resist as he pressed my body into the cushion, caging me with his iron-hard length. Springs popped as he leaned closer. I inhaled his scent and my head spun. I pulled away but I couldn’t go far. My body ached for him.

“I can’t allow you to do this to me.”

“What, sweetheart?” he whispered.

“Make me lose all sanity. I don’t want this again.”

“Your eyes tell me something very different,” he whispered. His breath swept across my cheek. “I think you want me to take you to places you’ve never been.”

“My eyes are telling you to fuc—”

He pressed his finger against my lips. “Tsk, tsk, schoolteacher. What vile language you have.” His eyes sparkled. “Don’t make me put you over my knee and spank you.” His words held promise and my toes curled. The thought of his hand on my bare ass did pleasant and naughty things to my secret places.

I could only stare. My eyes filled with tears and my body awakened from years of being in a comatose state. His talent of disorienting me never ceased to amaze me. Why could no man erupt such a powerful force within me as Blaze could? I understood the influence he had on me, my body. He could drag me down a heated path of uncertainty and I’d go willingly.

He threaded his fingers into my hair and the clip snapped, a lot like the unlocking of the gates guarding my heart. The locks fell to my shoulders and across his tanned arm. I noticed the tattoo of a cross wound in ivy. I looked closer and my mouth fell open. “Blaze, my name, it’s in the tattoo.” My heart beat so loud it vibrated my eardrums.

“Yes. I got it after you left. Two of my favorite things. You and faith.”

I couldn’t hold my emotion any longer.

“Aww, now. Don’t cry, baby. If I see tears, I’ll have to lick them away, one by one, and I don’t think I could stop there. I’ve been dreaming of tasting all of you.”

I jerked and tried closing my legs, but he stayed between them. He moved deeper, spreading my hips wider. His belt buckle rubbed my inner thighs, exploding a burning need in my core. I pushed the heel of my hands into his chest. I wanted to be angry. I wanted to fight the urgency within me—the driving desire pushing me to let myself fall into him. The boundaries were slipping. “I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want to give in.” The cloud of desire welcomed me, enclosing me in its warmth and comfort.

“Remember when I told you how I wanted to sink myself deep into you? To hear you call my name. I wanted you to rip your nails into my skin and mark your territory, just as you marked my soul with your sweet love. I’ve thought about it over and over—thought about the things I could have done differently. And now, I’m lost. I’m brainwashed in your fucking heat, Rena. I want to ease this torture in my body.”

The moment turned tense. “I’m sure you’ve had plenty of help easing the strain behind your zipper.” I hated my bitter words that sounded like jealousy.
I was jealous
. I hated knowing another woman touched him, brought him pleasure. I squeezed my hands into fists, dragging the leather material of his cut between my fingers.

“I’m glad to see you’re still green-eyed with jealousy.” He winked.

“You’re a pig!” I pounded his chest, but not hard. Not enough to send him backward. I didn’t want him going anywhere.

He grabbed my wrists and held them easily in one hand, tight against his chest. He lowered his face so close that our noses touched. “There’s nothing to keep us apart now. You know why I came. And you’re glad I’m here.”

“What do you want?” The words slipped through my trembling lips.
Would he kiss me?