Vendetta Road (Torpedo Ink 3)

Ice moved around to the other side of the table and went to work. He sank four in a row fast, hardly taking time between the shots. It was Player who solemnly handed him the prenup for Soleil to sign. She did so with a small flourish, adding a little smiley face above her name.

“That was so easy,” she said. “Didn’t you think so? Why wouldn’t someone just sign?” She stumbled a little and had to use the table to keep upright.

Ice put his arm around her waist. “I don’t know, baby. He was a fuckin’ clueless dick. You’re with me now and we’re going to forget his ass and have this night for ourselves. Right?”

“That’s right. There isn’t any use in marriage at all.” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself. “Why bother with it when the man isn’t going to be worth anything? When he’s nothing but a clueless dick. I agree totally with your assessment.” She reached for the water bottle.

“There are reasons for marriage, darlin’,” Ice countered. “Quite a few, but the number one reason would be that screaming orgasm. We talked about the importance of that.”

She waved her hand in front of his face, shooing his opinion away. “No such thing, Ice. I mean they named a pretty good drink after it and all, but I’m telling you, as a woman, there’s no such thing.”

Again, she was very solemn, looking him in the eye. Ice couldn’t help but brush a kiss along her temple. He still had his arm around her waist, and he eased her back against the pool table. He took her assessment as a challenge.

“You were with the wrong man, princess, I told you that. He wasn’t worth marrying for a long list of reasons, but number one is he put his fuckin’ hands on you. Two is, he didn’t make you scream when you came. You want that, you marry me. I can give that to you a hundred times a day if that’s what you want.”

She raised an eyebrow and regarded him with a shake of her head. “Ice, you are insane to think it’s even possible. If you could do that, you are probably the only man on earth worth marrying. Even Kevin would agree. I’m certain of it.”

“Kevin absolutely would agree,” Ice said. He turned back to the pool table and took another shot, making certain to miss. His breath hissed out in pretend irritation and then he smiled at her and waved her to the table.

“You’re a good man, Ice,” she said as she moved around him to study the layout. “I’ve decided what I’m going to do with my life.”

She leaned over the pool table to eye the setup more closely. Ice slipped behind her and put a light hand on her back. He loved touching her. Claiming her. He wanted her for the rest of his life.

“What are you going to do with your life, princess?” He used his palm to rub along her spine, down to the curve of her ass. He was very fond of the way her cheeks were firm globes, round and perfect. He didn’t make the mistake of hurrying. Seduction was all about patience. Giving the other whatever they needed or wanted. She responded to him as if born for him—and he was certain she was. More importantly, he was beginning to think he had been born for her.

“Do you know what a vendetta is?” She straightened and turned toward him.

He was so close that when she turned, her breasts pushed into his chest. He didn’t move. Neither did she. “A blood feud?”

“Exactly. They killed Kevin. I know they did. They killed him and they think they’re going to kill me, but it isn’t going to happen. You know why?” She put her lips against his ear. “I’m on to them.”

Ice glanced around the suddenly quiet room. His brothers had heard every word Soleil had said. Whatever had made them laugh and snicker was gone. They had all sobered up as well. He glanced again at Absinthe, who nodded. Soleil still didn’t seem all that far gone, but drunk or not, she believed what she was saying. Someone had killed her lawyer? That was her belief? This was getting complicated. His woman needed him a lot more than he’d first thought. He was beginning to feel a lot less guilty for what he was doing.

Yeah, he knew what a vendetta was. He lived one every fucking day. They were a wolf pack, spreading out, hunting prey and bringing them down when they were certain they had uncovered the filth walking among the innocent. Vendettas weren’t for soft, sweet creatures that were clueless when they stumbled into a pack of wolves.

He swore under his breath. Soleil needed him more than ever. She wasn’t going to hunt anyone. That was his job. She was going to stay safe, locked away from predators who killed lawyers and threatened women, scaring them so badly that they ran to a biker bar. What the hell was wrong with the world?