Thunder (Hell's Handlers MC #10) - Lilly Atlas Page 0,33

him? No. Which was why she forced herself to keep from nagging him and overloading him with responsibility. But sometimes, like tonight, she just needed help. Sometimes doing it all on her own wasn’t possible.

He’d survive a missed party.

Her eyes fell shut, and she shook her head. Whenever she thought about what must go on at those parties, her stomach hurt.

“Please, Lee,” she said. In reality, he was an incredible brother. More mature than most eighteen-year-olds, but still…

“Fine,” he grumbled. “But I’m going out as soon as you get home.”

Geeze, it’d be after two by the time she got home. But what could she do? She wasn’t his mother. He was technically old enough to do as he pleased, and if she ever pushed him to the point he left, she’d be completely screwed. “Fine.”

She ended the call, straightened, and turned back to find Thunder leaning against the building with his arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his kiss-swollen lips.

“Boyfriend?” he asked, not sounding at all like he minded if she was in a relationship.

Should she say yes? Maybe it’d deter him. Send him sniffing around someone else. Lee’s call had been a stark reminder that her life wasn’t her own. Four other people, three of them helpless, depended on her and her ability to provide for them and keep them safe. Relationships, even just making out with an attractive man, wasn’t in the cards for her.

She had way too much to lose.

So instead of throwing caution to the wind and picking up where they left off as he tempted her to do, she smiled at Thunder and said. “My break is over. Better get back inside.”

If she hadn’t felt so self-conscious and out of her element, she’d have laughed at the way his jaw hit the ground.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Usually, words rolled off his tongue like warm butter. Now, his tone had taken on a frosty note. He dropped his arms and scowled.

“Uh, no. Monty gave me fifteen minutes. Actually, I’m a few minutes late. I don’t want to upset him.” She shoved her hands in her pockets and stared at the ground. “Uh, thanks. That was fun.”

Could she be any more awkward?

“Fun?” He laughed as he shook his head, but the harsh sound grated on her instead of making her join in. “Fucking fun would have been getting my dick sucked. Who the fuck knew you’d be nothing but a cock tease? Have fun working with fucking Monty.”

Mak winced as he threw the door open and disappeared into the building. Of course, he didn’t hold it for her, and it slammed shut so hard, she jumped.

For a moment, she stood there staring at the closed door with a frown on her face. What the hell had just happened to turn him from charming and seductive to a total jerk? For the life of her, she had no idea why her words had made him so angry.

Though his actions made her feel like garbage, maybe it was for the best. Clearly, she wasn’t cut out to play in his world. The fantasy was nice, but just that—a little time spent playing make-believe.

From now on, she’d stick to books to get her fantasy fix.

CHAPTER SEVEN

IT MIGHT BE time to give a physician a call. Thunder was obviously sick and in serious need of medical attention. For the past two days, he’d been a complete fucking mess. His appetite had gone to shit, he’d tossed and turned each night, and for some unknown reason, every time he shut his eyes, Makenna’s sweet face appeared, as did the feel of her soft, hungry mouth. And her slender fingers gathering up the fabric of his shirt. And, Christ, did he mention the throaty little whimper she’d made when he’d finally given in and pressed his erection into her soft belly? The one he heard echoing through his head all night?

Shit, that tiny sound nearly made him come on the spot and leave an embarrassing wet spot on her shirt.

She’d been liquid heat in his arms, nearly burning him to ash with her honeyed and seemingly innocent kisses. God, the woman had the good girl act down, and damn if it didn’t crank his gears.

Then she’d gone and pulled the fucking plug after the mysterious phone call he was pretty sure came from a man. A man with whom she appeared to be in a close personal relationship, if the way she dropped her voice and wandered off to