Jack of Hearts(13)

There was a deeper message in his words than she could interpret; it was there in his eyes as he locked his gaze on to hers. A warning, but from what? And even though she knew with every fiber of her being that danger surrounded him, she couldn’t form the words to tell him to leave.

Instead, she did what she’d wanted to do from the day she’d first met him. If nothing else, she was going to damn well know what it was like to kiss him. She crawled onto his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and lowered her mouth to his. He put his hands on the sides of her waist and gave what felt like a halfhearted attempt to push her away.

“I’m trying to be noble here,” he said against her lips when she resisted his effort to lift her off him.

She slipped her tongue inside his mouth when he opened it to speak, and he responded with a low groan.

He wrapped her hair around his hand and tugged her head back. “You’re playing with fire, Madison.”

“That explains why I’m so hot,” she said. He swore, then roughly pulled her mouth back to his and kissed her in a way that no man ever had. Not even trying to be gentle, he nipped stinging little bites on her bottom lip, and then soothed them with his tongue. Until Alex, she’d thought soft butterfly kisses—lips brushing against lips—were the sexiest thing ever, but his possessive demand that she let go and give as good as she got was a turn-on like no other.

When he slipped his hand under her tank top and pressed his palm flat on her lower spine, pulling her stomach to his, she pushed her bottom down on the erection straining against the confines of his leather pants, rocking herself over him.

He stilled. Breathing hard, he put his forehead to hers. “We can’t do this.” With little effort, he put his hands on her waist and lifted her back onto the bed.

“I’m sorry. I forgot you have a girlfriend.” She tilted her head, eyeing him. “It appears for a few minutes there, you did, too.” Grateful her voice didn’t betray the hurt invading her heart, she pushed back against the headboard, pulling the covers up to her chest.

“That’s not the rea—” He stopped. “Right, I forgot. That was wrong of me. I was just worried about you.” He stood. “I should go.”

He forgot he had a freaking girlfriend? Seriously? “I don’t think you should come here again.” Even better, dump silly Taylor and come here every night.

At the window, he paused. “I’ll be around. If Ramon messes with you again, call me.”

She doubted she would. It was too hard being near him knowing he was off-limits. “I can handle my cousin.” Maybe.

“Promise me, Madison.” He came to the foot of the bed and gave her a hard stare. “Promise, and then I’ll go.”

“Fine, I promise.”

He nodded as if satisfied, then climbed out the window. “Lock this,” he said, sticking his head back in. “Now.” And then her very own superhero disappeared into the night.





CHAPTER FOUR

A week had passed since Madison had crawled onto his lap and kissed him. Alex could still remember the taste of her even though he’d tried every trick in the book to forget.

“Yo, Alex.” Court snapped his fingers in front of Alex’s face. “Where’d you go?”

“What?” He had to stop thinking of her since he obviously zoned out whenever he did. Things were heating up with Ramon, and he needed all his concentration centered on the operation.

The woman sitting next to Alex slid her hand up his thigh, and he resisted the urge to remove it. He had willingly agreed to head out with his brothers on their Sunday night off, thinking that what he needed was to find someone to take his mind off Madison. It wasn’t working. Sure, Lisa—was that her name, or was it Risa?—was hot, and a month ago, he would have welcomed her attention. But she wasn’t Madison, and no matter how hard he tried to enjoy the feminine hand on his leg, it just wasn’t happening.

Nate and Court had scoped out the trendy bar as soon as they’d walked in, their gazes zeroing in on the three women, obviously friends, sitting at a table near the entryway. Alex had followed his brothers, letting them do the talking. Soon, they were invited to join the women, introductions were made, and everyone was having a great time. Except him. Disturbed over his lack of interest, a first for him, he’d put forth the effort to join the fun. It wasn’t working, and for the last hour, he’d been ignoring the puzzled glances of his brothers.

Was Madison okay? He had checked his text messages constantly, thinking he’d be relieved there wasn’t any word from her. He’d thought wrong. How soon could he get away with leaving and not getting the third degree from his brothers?