Riot (Predators MC 1)

“I can tell you’re still pissed.”

“A woman tends to hold a grudge over something like that, Ice.”

“I was hoping you would have gotten over it by now.”

Grace narrowed her eyes on him. Was the man crazy?

While the woman from the next table sat back down and immediately began berating her fiancé for not ordering her another drink, the waitress returned, setting down Ice’s beer in front of him.

“Here you go, sugar.” Ice reached inside his wallet and pulled out a twenty. “Keep the change.”

“Thanks, sweet thing.” The waitress seemed even more attracted to him, giving Ice a slip of paper before moving off.

“Go away, Ice,” Grace told him as soon as he turned back to her.

He frowned at her closed expression. “No. I’ve had to wait for those dickheads watching you to back off.” Ice leaned closer to her. “I’ve missed you.”

Grace sat stunned by his admission. “I can tell,” she said snidely.

Ice crumpled the slip of paper, tossing it across the table. “Baby, I only have eyes for you.”

“Do. Not. Call me. Baby.”

“I think you need to loosen up. Let’s dance.”

“I don’t…” Before she could finish her protest, he pulled her from her chair and led her toward the dance floor.

Grace didn’t want to make a scene. She would dance one dance with him then find a way to slip from the club and go home.

It had been a long time since she had danced. Her mother had often thrown extravagant parties as she grew up, and she had learned to dance at an early age. She had also been allowed in nightclubs in Paris with her friends with Dax escorting them.

She had suppressed her love of dancing by staying away from the dance floor. Now, listening to the music, she was unable to prevent that love from slipping free. Her body moved lithely to the music. Ice was a good dancer, also, moving against her to the sensual beat. She raised her arms to the ceiling as her hips rotated in moves which drew attention to her, but she was unaware, lost in her own pleasure.

As soon as the music ended, Ice escorted her from the dance floor before another song had a chance to begin.

“I wanted to dance again,” she protested with a pout on her face, wanting to lose herself again.

“You want to dance? I’ll dance with you in private. Where did you learn to dance like that?”

“Paris,” she said, flouncing back to her chair. She noticed the man with the irritating fiancée watching her.

“Jesus, woman, you’ve given every man here a hard-on.”

Grace blushed bright red. Dax had gotten in many fights when she was younger with men she had spent the night dancing with. She had forgotten how uninhibited she tended to be while dancing.

“Sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Next time, we’ll be in a private place where I have a bed close by.” Ice grinned at her wickedly.

“There won’t be a next time. I don’t want to see you again. I don’t know why you came to see me, but nothing is going to happen between us.” Grace decided the best way to handle a man like Ice was to be forthright and honest.

“Why not?”

“Because...” She stared at the sexy man sitting next to her and briefly drew a blank. Then reason returned.

His face was harsh, yet he had a carnal appeal that drew her, as it would most women, Grace surmised. There was a wildness about him women would be tempted to tame. Grace was not one of them.

“Let me see.” She began pointing out her reasons for not wanting to become involved with him. “You’re a criminal.”

“The charges against me were dropped,” Ice interrupted.

“From your previous conviction?” she questioned.

Ice’s mouth closed with an audible snap.

“I didn’t think so.” Then she continued with her mental list. “You don’t have a job.”

“I do. I work for a well-respected business man.”

“You do?” she asked, surprised.

“I do,” he gloated.

“Doing what?”

He lost his gloating expression. “Security,” he answered without elaborating.

She shot him a doubtful look yet continued on. “You belong to a bike club. I’ve watched television shows; they have wild parties, break laws, and have several women the club owns.”

“Don’t believe everything you watch on television.”

“Which part wasn’t true?”

“The women. We don’t own them. They come and go as they please.”

Grace reached out and picked up her drink, finishing it in one swallow, and then placed her glass back on the table. She rose to her feet, her eyes searching through the crowded room, finding CeCe at the bar now talking to Max. She angrily strode toward her.

“It’s time to go.” Grace reached out, grabbing her upper arm and trying to pull her away from the bar.

“Wait! I want to introduce you to—”

“I’m already acquainted with Max.”

“You are? How?” CeCe’s eyes widened as Ice came to stand behind her. “Who is that?” she breathed.