BLAZE (3 page)

their care. If your brother was willing to sell you to them, then we can’t rely on him discovering brotherly feelings toward you. If he was willing to give you to that sadistic bastard, he must really fucking hate you, sweetheart.”

“He always has.”

“I can handle this on my own, but if there are two clubs after you, it would be wise to have my brothers at my back. And in order for that to happen, I’m going to have to take this to Church.”

“Why would they care about protecting me? I’m no one to them.”

“Because, you’re someone to me.” He smiled, a heat entering his eyes.

“Congratulations, sweetheart. You just became my old lady.”

Luna’s eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”

“You want protection?”

She nodded.

“Then those are my terms.” His gaze caressed her again. “I’ve always had a thing for prim and proper, and honey, you are
definitely
prim and proper. As someone who grew up around the Desert Dogs, you know how the club life works. We do this and then you’re mine. Forever.”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched him, but there wasn’t so much as a flicker in his eyes. He was one hundred percent serious. And the hell of it was, just the thought of belonging to the big behemoth had her panties damp. It should have scared her shitless. By all rights, she should stand up, run to her car, and never look back. So why wasn’t she fleeing? Because she was intrigued, dammit.

“What are you?” she asked.

“Grizzly.”

“Shouldn’t you wait for your mate? Isn’t that how it works?”

It was his turn to shrug. “I always thought that the destined mates thing was

how it worked, but I’m damn near forty years old. At this point in my life, it seems more like a fairytale than anything else. Truth is that I’m ready to settle down and start a family. Your falling into my lap tonight seems like fate.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then I’ll still help you, as much as I can, but I’ll have to do it alone, which could damn well get us both killed.”

She knew he spoke the truth, and yet she still hesitated. It wasn’t a small thing he was asking of her. It would change her entire life, starting with this very moment. She would be property, have no rights, and be expected to follow orders. She’d always sworn she’d never become an old lady, that she wanted more respect than that. But…

“You’re asking a lot of me. I left that life behind for a reason. I know being your old lady is an honor, but I also know it’s a title and nothing more. It won’t stop you from fucking around behind my back.”

His eyes flashed. “Shifters don’t stray.”

Well, that was good to know.

“It’s a lot to take in, Blaze. I don’t know you and you don’t know me. What if we don’t suit? We could be lousy in bed. We could hate each other in a few weeks.” She dropped her gaze to the cup of coffee in front of her. “You could hate me for bringing trouble to your door.”

He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “Trouble comes knocking

all the time, sweetheart. It’s how you handle it that matters, and my brothers and I are experts on the subject. As long as I’m by your side, nothing will harm you.”

“What if you’re the one to hurt me?” she asked softly, her gaze lifting to his.

“I don’t know what your life was like with the Desert Dogs, but let me tell you right now that the Steel Riders won’t stand for domestic abuse of any kind. If I so much as speak a harsh word to you and you rat me out to the brotherhood, they’ll be all over my ass. Now I don’t know if you have a low opinion of bikers, shifters, or just me, but I will do everything within my power to keep you safe.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” She squeezed his hand. “Maybe you

should tell me what being your old lady entails. They don’t know me. Are they really just going to let you ride up, tell them you’ve found someone and immediately accept me into the fold?”

“Not quite as easy as that, I’m afraid.”

She nodded, having expected as much. “So, what do I have to do?”

She hoped like hell they weren’t anything like the Desert Dogs. Those sadistic bastards had made their old lady wannabes crawl across the clubhouse floor to them, in front of everyone. And she’d heard that the Black Daggers had an initiation, where all members fucked the woman wanting to be an old lady. The thought soured her

stomach.

“First, you need to go to the clubhouse with me to meet the crew.”

“And then?”

“One step at a time, sweetheart. Do you work at the library tomorrow?”

She nodded.

“Wear something that will allow you to ride on the back of a bike. I’ll swing by at closing to pick you up. Maybe you can meet the guys before things get too crazy.”

Crazy? What had she gotten herself into? She’d left the life of the M.C. years ago, and here she was about to jump back in with both feet. Luna had to admit, though, she felt better knowing that Blaze was standing in her corner. Her brother would be stupid to go up against the grizzly shifter, but she also knew Ricardo wouldn’t play fair. He wouldn’t hit the big guy head on, he’d sneak up behind him and plunge a dagger into his back, then whisk her away to Arizona and sell her to the highest bidder—if he didn’t kill her first.

Crash and Burn, tiger shifters and twins, sat on either side of Blaze. They traded smirks as he looked at the clock for what had to be the hundredth time. All right, so maybe he was a little keyed up, waiting for the library to close. He’d spent the rest of last night thinking about Luna and her situation. He snorted. No, he’d spent the rest of last night thinking about her curves and wondering what she’d feel like in his arms. She was so damn tiny he could snap her in half without any effort, and that should have scared the shit out of him, but it just made him want to protect her even more.

With her dusky skin, and long, dark hair, there was no denying her Hispanic

heritage, but those cool, green eyes were what held him captive. He could have stared into them all night, if she hadn’t scurried off after he made her an offer he’d hoped she wouldn’t refuse. Yes, it was underhanded to offer help and then pressure her into accepting him as a mate. It was true; it would be easier to keep her safe if he had his brothers standing by his side and watching his back, but that hadn’t been the only reason he’d made his offer. When he’d knelt beside her car, and inhaled her sweet scent, he’d felt this visceral pull. He’d fought hard not to rip the door off its hinges and yank her out of the vehicle and into his arms.

Was it the fabled mating pull? Hell if he knew, but it wasn’t a feeling he’d been able to deny. Despite the fact that her scent was nearly overpowering, it was the scent of fear that had almost made his grizzly erupt from his skin. The bear wanted to hunt down the people threatening their mate and make them pay in a way only a bear can do. Mauling was too easy a way to go for the asshole harassing Luna. What kind of man threatened to sell his own sister? Shifters were known for being overprotective of their families, and Blaze had always assumed that humans were the same way. When he’d served in the military, his SEAL buddies had always spoken fondly of their siblings.

He’d have to do some research on Ricardo Sylvestro. Depending on what he

found, he might be calling those SEAL buddies of his, and maybe a few other people.

He hadn’t been completely honest with Luna. He might not be a merc, but he had a few friends who were, or had been, once upon a time. Not that he was convinced they’d completely backed away from that way of life. Once a man killed, he always had the potential to do it again. He knew many soldiers who had shut off their humanity, in order to get the job done, without being racked by guilt over taking a life.

Of course, that hadn’t been the case for Blaze. Having grown up in a shifter

home, he’d been taught from an early age that there were bad people in the world and you had to do whatever was necessary to protect your own kind. At home, his own kind had been shifters. As a SEAL, it had been his teammates. And since the age of seventeen, it was the bikers he called brothers. Luna didn’t fit into his world, despite the fact she seemed to come from this world; she no longer belonged in it. She was so far above him, and yet he wanted her and refused to let go. Once Blaze decided something belonged to him, no one was able to take it from him.

And he’d be damned if he’d let some punk ass Desert Dog take his mate from

him. If Ricardo and his ilk darkened their doorstep, he wouldn’t walk away. Blaze would make sure that his mate was safe, forever. If it meant he chopped up Ricardo’s body and buried all the pieces, then that’s what he would do, and he wouldn’t lose a moment’s sleep over it.

“What the hell is up with you?” Crash asked. “I’ve never seen a woman tie you

in knots before.”

“This one is different. She’s mine.”

Burn smirked. “So the mighty Blaze is taking a mate? What if the Pres won’t let you have her? You know he has final say on who gets to be an old lady.”

Sweat gathered on Blaze’s palms and he slid them up and down his denim-clad

thighs. “He knows that Luna is important to me. I don’t think he’d deny our mating.

I’m bringing her here tonight to meet everyone.”

Crash whistled. “You’re bringing a Librarian here? That’s like taking a nun to a whorehouse. Does she know what to expect from this crew?”

“She was raised around bikers. I’m sure she knows what to expect.” Blaze took

another gulp of his beer. Christ. He sure as hell hoped Luna knew what to expect. The last thing he wanted to do was shock her badly enough that she came to her senses and ran the other way. What if she took one look at his brothers and decided she didn’t want to be part of this world again? By the time he took her to dinner and brought her back here… No, he wouldn’t waste that kind of time. He’d bring her here and have one of the Prospects make her a burger and fries.

“If you’re going to stare at the damn clock all night, you might as well go meet her now,” Flash said. “There’s no law that says you can’t hang out at the library until closing. Maybe she’ll think you’re more refined if you actually read a book.”

Blaze scowled at him. “I read.”

“Yeah? What’s the last book you read?
Green Eggs and Ham
?”

Blaze narrowed his eyes. “No, I read a murder mystery just last month.”

“Right. Because a book every few months is going to impress a woman whose

entire life revolves around books and reading.”

Blaze stood so suddenly that his stool kicked over and clattered to the floor. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides as he fought the urge to deck his best friend. “Are you saying I’m not good enough for her?”

“You’re a good man, Blaze. Anyone here will tell you that. And I know you’ve

wanted a mate for a long while. I don’t doubt that you’re going to pamper her and spoil her to the best of your ability; I just hope your desire for a mate hasn’t clouded your judgment. What if she isn’t the right one?”

“She’s the one,” he said, a growl to his voice.

Flash held up his hands. “All right. She’s the one. Whatever you say, brother. I’ll put the word out so maybe the rest of the assholes will be on their best behavior.”

Crash snorted. “Like Timber knows how to behave.”

Blaze had to admit the tiger had a point. Their VP was not exactly known for

being well-behaved, even when the situation warranted it. Throwing back the last of his beer, Blaze relished the coolness sliding down his throat and easing his thirst. Tossing a few bills on the bar, he patted Crash on the shoulder.

“I’m out. I’ve got a girl to win over.”

Crash snickered and Blaze flipped him off.

Pulling his keys from his pocket, he stepped outside and walked over to his bike.

He swung a leg over the seat and put the key in the ignition, cranking the engine. The bike roared to life, the machine thrumming between his legs as the beast purred out of the parking space and out into the street. He took his time going to the library, still not quite sure what he would say to Luna. Had she thought about his offer? Had she changed her mind about coming to the clubhouse?

The more Blaze thought about it, the less he liked the idea of taking her there, but she had to be vetted by Blitz before Blaze could officially claim her as his old lady. Not that he thought the Pres was going to deny him his choice of mate, not after everything he’d done for the club. The meeting was just a formality. He wouldn’t tell Luna that though. If she thought this was the real deal, she might act differently. He wanted her to stay on her toes around his brothers.

The library came into view and he pulled into the lot, stopping his bike along the front windows. He straddled the metal beast and watched Luna as she helped

customers. One man in particular seemed to be paying her a little too much attention—

if he could call the gangly youth a man—but Luna seemed oblivious to his attentions.

Either that or she was playing hard to get. The thought of her letting another man touch her was enough to make his blood boil. His grizzly rose up inside and he tried to hold the beast back.

Getting off his bike, he strode through the library doors and zeroed in on Luna.

The young man had his hand on her arm and Blaze was tempted to rip it off and beat the kid with it. The fact his beast was so protective and possessive of Luna only confused him more. He’d never had this sort of reaction to a female before and it made him wonder, if perhaps, he had found his true mate. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the ass?

To force a woman to mate with him, only to find out she was destined to be his all along? It made him feel a little less like an asshole about the situation.

He stepped up behind Luna and glared at the kid until he stammered something

and ran off. Luna turned to face him, her brow puckered in confusion until she saw him standing there. He was sort of hard to miss, being six foot four. Blaze smiled, but he saw the fire light up her eyes and knew she’d come to the realization he’d chased off her would-be suitor.