Tatum had made an effort to meet all the boys and find something to talk with them all about. She and King had even had a drink together. Surprised the fuck out of me. I watched her as she laughed with Evie. Sucking back my beer, I realised how much I wanted to make her happy. The only people I’d truly cared about in that way were Marilyn, Dustin, and Renee. I’d do anything to ease their burdens and make them smile. And I’d do the same for Tatum.

I left my beer on the counter and strode over to where she stood. Sliding my arm around her waist, I said, “You good to go, Vegas?”

Evie smiled. “She’s all yours, Nitro.”

Tatum’s eyes sparkled with the sexy glint she often gave me. “You got something good planned?”

Fuck if that didn’t hit me fair in the dick. I gripped her harder. “Careful what you ask, because you might not like what it’s in my head,” I growled.

Her eyes widened in question. She knew what I referred to. I hadn’t brought up my desire for knife play again after the first time I asked her, but every day we spent together was a day closer to me doing that. My need for it with her had only grown since we started sleeping together.

She turned to me and placed her hand on my chest, spreading heat there. “I’m good to go,” she said, a little breathless and a whole lot turned on.

We said our goodbyes and I guided her outside, through the maze of bodies still partying hard. They’d last all night, some into tomorrow. I didn’t miss those days. Not when I had Tatum to go home with.

The minute I had her alone outside, I dragged her up against a wall, my hands either side of her. “You know what I’ve been thinking about all night?” I asked as my lips grazed hers, my teeth nipping at them.

Her hands made their way into my hair. “What?”

I traced her lips with my finger, my erection straining against my jeans. “This lipstick staining my dick.”

She pulled my hair and my breathing grew ragged. I fucking loved it when she was rough with me. Pulling my face down to hers, she bit my bottom lip and kissed me hard as fuck. It was as if she was laying claim to my mouth. When she came up for air, she said, “You wanna know what I’ve been thinking about?”

Fuck, I wanted to know every damn thought that ever crossed her mind. “Tell me,” I demanded.

Rubbing my cock through my jeans, she said, “This. I can’t get enough of it.” Moving her face closer so our lips almost touched again, she added, “Of you. I can’t get enough of you.”

Just as I was about to lift her over my shoulder and carry her to my bike, a voice broke through the night, shattering the moment into pieces.

“Rhys.”

I spun around to come face-to-face with Joseph. My body tensed. Soldier mode triggered like a fucking dog responding to his master. “What the hell are you doing here?”

His gaze shifted to Tatum and a smile snaked across his face. “You’re being rude, son. Introduce me to your girl.”

I moved in an attempt to block her from his sight. “Not fucking likely.”

The smile on his lips morphed into displeasure. “I’ve warned you, Rhys, either you give me what I want or I’ll find a way to make you.”

His threat was loud and clear, and it fuelled anger in me I didn’t recognise. Taking the step needed to get in his face, I grabbed his shirt and yanked on it. “I hear you, Joseph, but what you fail to understand is that I’m not the boy who used to cower in front of you. I’m not the boy who you beat until he passed out. And I’m sure as fuck not a man who doesn’t protect what’s his. You wanna come at me? You fucking come, but be prepared to die trying.”

With that, I shoved him away from me, took hold of Tatum and dragged her as far away from that piece of filth and evil as fast as I could.

No fucking way would he win against me. Not anymore.

 

 

36

 

 

Tatum

 

 

“Home” by Phillip Phillips

 

I rifled through Nitro’s drawers looking for a T-shirt. Anxiety riddled me because I was running late for work. He’d woken me just after five to have sex and then we’d both fallen back asleep. When I’d woken up again, it was nearly eight. It was not a good day to be late for work. Billy had me scheduled in for a meeting with his lawyer to go over the game plan for a case coming up, and I had less than an hour to get home, get dressed and get to that meeting.

“Nitro!” I called out. “Where are all your damn shirts?”

“In my drawer,” he yelled from the bathroom, his tone irritated.

I slammed the drawer shut. “Don’t you take that tone with me,” I snapped, bending over to snatch up my panties that lay on the floor. If only I’d insisted on him taking me home last night instead of giving in to his demand for me to stay at his house. He’d been on edge after the run-in with his uncle, and I’d sensed his need to protect, so I agreed to stay over.

As I stood, he appeared in the doorway, a shitty look on his face. Jerking his chin at the wardrobe, he said, “Did you check in there?” Still with the tone.

Taking a deep breath, I said, “I know you’re angry about your uncle and all, but don’t bring that mood to me. All I asked was where your shirts were.”

He scrubbed his hand over his face and blew out a long breath. Without saying another word, he walked to the wardrobe, rummaged around in it and found me a shirt. Passing it to me, he said, “Here.” And then—“You almost ready?”

I decided it really would be best if I just ignored him that day. At least until he got his head together. Throwing the shirt on, I nodded and grabbed my stuff off the bed. “Yeah.”

We were almost out the front door when Renee ran in, breathless. “Sorry, I’m late!”

Nitro halted and I almost ran into him. “What for?” he asked.

She gave him a confused look. “Ah, for my driving lesson. The one you promised to give me before school this morning.”

“Fuck,” he muttered. “I can’t do it this morning. I’m sorry, I forgot.”

“Shit,” I apologised, joining their conversation. “Sorry, Renee, it’s my fault. I need him to drive me home so I can get to work on time.”

She waved me off, but her disappointment with Nitro remained. “Can you do it after school, then?”