Barely Undercover: Legal Heat Book 2(6)

She had to be fucking kidding. Didn’t she realize he was the only reason Rex hadn’t laid a hand on her? A brother didn’t touch another brother’s old lady. That unspoken rule was a code of honor followed by every motorcycle club…everywhere.

No way would Rex believe his bullshit story if he let her walk away. No self-respecting biker would take that kind of crap from his old lady, especially in front of his biker brothers. And he couldn’t afford to lose Rex’s respect. After two years undercover, busting his balls to get into Rex’s inner circle, the end was finally in sight. He had to stay strong, focused.

Fuck. Of all the women Rex had to pick, it had to be her.

Lana.

The biggest regret of his life.

It had been two years since he’d held her in his arms. Two years since he’d kissed her full, lush lips. And yet he remembered their last night together as if it were yesterday. And he remembered her fire. God, he’d loved her fire. It had awakened a passion he’d long thought dead—killed by a bullet meant for him.

He drew in a long, slow breath and watched her ass wiggle beneath the thin layer of Lycra. His cock twitched. Lana, in or out of clothing, set his blood to boiling. But that slicked-on naughty-police outfit was a whole new level of hell for his self-control.

Two years ago he’d fucked up. He should have ended it gently. Told her about the undercover assignment. Explained it could never work between them. Maybe even mentioned Christine. Walking out on Lana in the middle of the night had been the wrong thing to do.

But now he had a chance to make amends, even the score. Saving her from Rex would put his guilt to rest. Then he would be able to move on with his life without being tormented by the memory of her peaceful, trusting face, beautiful in the moonlight as he walked way.

Easier said than done. Especially when he had to ensure he didn’t blow his cover. And that was a possibility if he let her leave the club. Clearly, he wouldn’t be able to convince her to stay, so his only option was to get Tony to throw her out. And Tony would only do that if she broke the rules.

Time to fire her temper.

He dropped his voice low, commanding, and raised it loud enough for her to hear. “Babe. Stop right there.”

She pulled up short, as if she had hit an invisible wall, and spun around to face him. A shiver ran through her and her pupils dilated. For a second, even her breathing stopped.

“What did you say?” Fury flared in her brilliant green eyes.

A thrill of anticipation shot through him like a bullet, hardening his cock in an instant. “Come here. Now.” He did not dare tear his gaze away from her, but he could sense his biker brothers watching with avid interest.

Unable to resist the challenge, her jaw tightened and she stomped toward him, stopping so close he could feel her breath, hot and sweet on his lips.

Her nostrils flared. “You did not just speak to me that way.”

“I did. You came. Good girl.” He pressed his lips together and repressed a smile. Lana had only two reactions to that particular tone of voice. Part of her attraction was never knowing which he would get.

“Fuck you.” She slapped him. The crack of her hand on his cheek echoed through the bar. Heads turned. Rex frowned. Ryder chuckled. Kickstand sucked in a breath.

James reacted quickly, grabbing her wrists and pinning her hands behind her. He backed her up to a nearby pillar and caged her with his body. Her gaze dropped, copper eyelashes brushing over creamy cheeks. A sound escaped her lips, a cross between a growl and a whimper, and a tremor shook her body.

Arousal surged through him like a tidal wave, fierce and uncontrollable. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He should never have put them in this position. It took all his effort not to tear off her clothes and take her right there.

God, he’d missed her. A woman who would bend but not break. Yield but not submit. With Lana, his control was limited, and in this emotionally charged situation, it was a cable, taut and ready to snap.

He raised his voice loud enough for Rex to hear. “I’ll allow that only once.” Then he leaned over and whispered, “And only because I set you up.”

“Let me go, Heartless Bastard.”

James pressed his mouth to her ear and steeled himself against the instinct to wipe the lascivious smirk off Rex’s face. “I’ll spell it out for you because you don’t seem to understand the gravity of the situation. Rex wants you. He wants you so bad he’s willing to take risks with the law. The only thing standing in his way is me. He cannot touch a brother’s old lady. If you run from me, he will hunt you down and he will take you whether you want it or not.”