set, so it wasn’t Tony. He’d never try to come after me on his own, not inside the Reckless Kings’ compound. I seriously hoped Beast had given the order to shut the gate and keep it closed. I didn’t like the fact Tony had waltzed right in earlier, and same for me. There hadn’t been anyone standing guard.
“Had I known I’d come home to find you in my bed, damn near naked, I’d have rushed through the meeting,” Beast said.
“Tired,” I mumbled.
I heard the rustle of something, a zipper, and a moment later, the mattress dipped under his weight. The hair on his legs brushed against mine and I finally managed to crack an eye open. Shirtless, he was even more beautiful, or more accurately, ruggedly handsome. For an older guy with hair going silver, he’d kept in shape. Unlike most of the guys at my dad’s club, Beast didn’t have a full beard. Not that I would call him clean shaven, but the whiskers along his jaw could have easily been only a day or two’s growth.
His touch was gentle as he brushed my hair back from my face. “Get some sleep, beautiful. We can talk after you’ve rested.”
He pulled the covers over both of us and tugged me into his arms. I felt oddly right, as if I’d finally found the place where I belonged. I’d never believed in fate or any of that other crap. Now I had to wonder if I’d been wrong. Were we destined to be with one person? And if that was true, had I just found my other half?
The thought was enough to make me a bit more alert. I opened both eyes and studied Beast. “Why are you here?”
“Last time I checked, this is my house and my bed.”
“Okay. But why are you naked in the bed with me?” I asked.
He flexed his hips. “Not entirely naked.”
I pretended I didn’t notice the bulge he’d just pressed against me. Good to know the attraction I felt for him wasn’t one-sided. It seemed he was every bit as interested in me.
“Thanks for playing along earlier,” I said. “With Tony. I’ve been trying to shake him for a while, but he’s like a New York cockroach and keeps coming back.”
He placed his hand on my hip and tugged me closer. “What do you know about him?”
“Not much, except he gives me the creeps. He doesn’t like the word ‘no’ and seems to think I should fall at his feet. And he’s determined. You saw how he followed me here. He’s been tracking my every move for weeks now. I left school because of him, and the last two days I’ve not slept at all for fear if I stopped to rest, he’d find me.” I licked my lips. “I’m not scared of much, Beast, but Tony… there’s something not right about him.”
“And you came here instead of going home? Or to the Devil’s Fury or Devil’s Boneyard?” he asked. “Why? And don’t give me that crap about Lilian.”
“I was fifteen the first time I heard the story about Lilian and Dragon, and how she’d come here for help. The old ladies talk, not just amongst each other inside the club, but with the others too. One of them talked about you, how you’d helped Lilian and made sure she felt safe. I think I fell in love with the idea of you back then.” I snuggled closer to him, breathing in his scent. “You were like a knight in shining armor, and while I’ve never been a damsel in distress, I just knew if I came here you’d help me.”
“Your club is under the impression this isn’t your first time here. Although, I think Venom knows otherwise. He knew you were here already, which means someone told him.”
“And since someone told him, they were probably tracking me,” I said. “Yeah, I’m used to it. I’m sure there’s a chip somewhere on my car, in my phone. Hell, I wouldn’t have put it past Dad to microchip me like a lost puppy, and if not him, then definitely my grandfather. There probably isn’t much they wouldn’t tag so they could find me at any given time. Shoes. Purse. Anything they could attach a tracking device to would be fair game.”
He ran a hand down my back, stopping just above my ass. Was it wrong I wished he’d kept going? I pressed tighter against him, the heat of his skin seeping into my clothes. I hadn’t