“Listen, like I said to your dad, I’m not in on all the inner club-going-ons right now. Even if I was, I couldn’t discuss that stuff with you. Nor should I since it might put you in danger.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch her shaking her head. “Chaser…” Her voice trails off when I think she realizes she has no good argument for why she needs details.
“We have access to an area your father’s never been able to do business in before, okay? I assume my father’s going to try to work that angle, so your dad leaves us alone.”
“Like bartering for me? Some sort of gangster dowry? That’s gross.”
“It’s better than the alternative.”
“Which is?”
“They keep coming after you, and we retaliate with something stronger than hostile words.” I glance over at her. “Your father doesn’t have the most reasonable reputation in the criminal underworld.”
She jolts at the word criminal. “I never really thought about that. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” I reach over and take her hand. “Even if I’d known who you were that first day, I still would’ve fallen in love with you.”
“Thank you for what you said to my father. About supporting my dreams and well, basically seeing me as a person, not an accessory.”
“I meant every word.”
“I know you did.” She sighs and looks out the window. “I’ve messed up your life in a lot of ways since I came into it.”
I definitely don’t like the sound of where this conversation’s going. “You’ve made it better, Mallory.”
“Sure.” She holds out her hand and lists off her alleged crimes. “I got you in trouble with your band. Cost you the European leg of Revolver’s tour. You got hooked on cocaine because you were taking me to my auditions because I’m too dumb to realize that a hotel is probably not an appropriate audition venue. And now my father might try to have you killed or his associates will declare war on your club because we’re together. None of those things are improvements.”
Where to begin with that load? “I call bullshit on every single item on your list, Mallory.” I reach over and put my hand in her face. “One, the guys and I fight all the time. Have been doing it since day one. We’re guys. We fight, get drunk together and laugh it off. What Jacob tried to do to you went beyond our normal battles. He’s lucky he’s still breathing. Two, Revolver’s an aging, has-been, cocksucking douche and I’m not one bit upset about missing that tour. Three, haven’t you noticed I’m a possessive, jealous motherfucker? Arrogant as hell, too. We could’ve worked out some other way to make sure you were safe, but that didn’t suit my ego. I made the decision to start snorting coke, Mallory. Not you. Because I had to prove that I could do everything all by myself.”
She sniffles and bats my hand away. But I’m not going to be deterred by her crying, until she hears and understands what I’m explaining.
“And finally, our fathers are criminals, Mallory. They are always going to exploit a business opportunity when they see it. They’re both smart enough to know they’ll make more money if we work together.”
“But my father’s in prison. Even if he tells whoever’s in charge now not to come after you, they might not—”
“Mallory, honey, I love you, but you have no idea how many criminal enterprises are run from prison. I’m pretty confident your father is still very much in charge. Why the fuck else you think Vasily is driving all the way up here once a week to visit him? It ain’t out of brotherly concern, sweetheart, I assure you.”
“Don’t call me sweetheart.”
I tickle my fingers over her shoulder and into the crook of her neck. “No? What should I call you? Darlin’? Sugar pie? Baby girl?”
“No, no, and no!” She giggles and jerks her shoulder away from my hand.
“I’m done talking about our parents for today.” I stop teasing her and put my hand back on the wheel. “I’m already gonna get grilled by my dad when we get home.”
“Fine.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “What do you want to talk about?”
I glance over, my eyes zeroing in on that tight green sweater dress clinging to her legs and keeping everything from her shins up out of view. Reaching over, I slide the material up, revealing her thigh. “How hard I’m going to fuck you when we get home.”
She tries to push my hand off, but I strengthen my grip.
“Stop, you’re going to put a run in my pantyhose.”
“Little dove, I’ve been planning to rip a big ol’ hole in those things ever since I saw you wiggle your fine ass into them this morning.”
“Oh, no you’re not.”
“Oh, yes I am.” I slide my hand up farther, pushing between her tightly clenched thighs until my knuckles graze her hot center. “Gonna bend you over and rip ‘em right here and then shove my dick in your tight pussy.”