could say another word, the smartass disappeared into the mass of dancing bodies, vanishing as surely as Lex had.
Dallas tensed to follow, but forced his muscles to relax. He stretched both arms across the back of the couch and sprawled out his legs, every inch the lazy king surveying his court. Dallas O'Kane didn't chase after women who ran. Dallas O'Kane lifted a finger and women came running.
"I don't know how you're still in charge," a quiet voice murmured from behind him.
Craning his head, Dallas met Six's gaze and stilled his angry retort when he saw the honest bafflement in her eyes. As clumsy as the words were, there was a bone-deep need to understand hidden beneath them.
She'd come into adulthood under the brutal hand of a man too weak to hold his people without abuse and violence. Of course she didn't understand the obedience that came from loyalty and respect instead of crippling fear.
So he tried to explain. "This is my family, sweetheart. These are my people. I'm in charge because they trust me to make life a hell of a lot better for them than it would be without me. I don't need to beat them into line, and I don't need to prove I'm the strongest."
She blinked at him, her eyes huge and painfully wary. "Everyone needs to prove they're strong."
"The truly strong only have to do it once." But no comprehension showed in her eyes. Maybe you couldn't explain safety to someone who'd never experienced it. Dallas contented himself with a smile and a shake of his head. "Stick around, Six. We'll revisit the topic every couple months and see if you've changed your mind."
From the way she watched him as she curled deeper into the chair, she thought he was insane. She probably wasn't wrong. As he settled facing forward again, his gaze caught on Lex moving toward Noelle, and his dick strained against his fly.
He was a liar. If he didn't have to prove he was in control, he'd be down there already, sliding a hand under Lex's dress while Noelle writhed against them both.
Strength. Control. Two things he needed more than life. Two things Lex shattered when she was around.
God help him, Six was right. He was insane.
"You're in my spot."
Bren laughed at Lex's words and lifted his head from Noelle's shoulder. "Pardon me."
"Lex, you have to share." Noelle's scolding tone was ruined by her smile as she stretched up and kissed Bren square on the lips. "But I've been waiting for my dance with you, so Bren and Jas will just have to deal with it."
"I don't share," Lex grumbled as the men melted away, headed for the bar in the corner.
Except the words weren't true. Share--that was one thing she always did, without fail. It was the secret to maintaining the harmony in their little gang, sexual freedom and pleasure without jealousy. Lex had always excelled at it, getting close but never too close.
So what the hell had happened?
She pressed her face to Noelle's cheek. "I'm losing my mind. I don't know if I'm cranky because I'm horny or because Dallas is driving me nuts."
"Aw, honey." Noelle wrapped her arms around her. "What did he do now?"
"I don't want to think about him." Lex drew her thumb over the new tattoo framing Noelle's throat. "This is beautiful on you. Did I tell you that?"
She shivered. "Ace works magic. I swear, it feels like more than just ink."
It must, because it seemed to have changed the way Noelle and Jasper looked at one another. "I'm happy for you."
Slender fingers tangled in Lex's hair, and Noelle pulled her down for a long, slow kiss. "I'm horny too," the other woman said against her lips. "You know Jasper's going to spend all night letting me stew before he gets around to fucking me."
"And you'll love every second of it," Lex said. Noelle was already soft against her, open and hungry in a way she recognized.
"Especially if you help him." Noelle dug her teeth into Lex's lower lip. "Are you going to help him?"
The two of them together burned so hot, and it would be easy to fall into them, to borrow a little of that fire for a while. Easy to walk away when it was over, too, secure in the knowledge that Jasper and Noelle had each other to hold.
As simple as it was arousing, as satisfying as it was safe. "Help him fuck you?" Lex asked softly, drawing aside the lacy white