“This club is amazing!” Jaylah yells, tucking herself into Mack’s side.

“Heck yeah!” Ash cries, knocking back a shot. Krypt taps her hand in warning, and she grins at him.

I smile and turn towards Pippa, who is scanning the crowd with her eyes, no doubt looking for Rainer. The two of them have a serious bond, though I don’t know why. I guess that’s Pippa’s story to tell so I don’t pry. She loves Tyke, I don’t doubt that, but I think a small part of her might just love Rainer, too. Not that I can blame her; Rainer is an amazing guy.

“Didn’t think I’d see you back here again.”

I spin around quickly at the sound of a familiar voice, and grin when I see Raide, the man I met last time I was here, standing at the bar, looking handsome as all hell in his black button-up shirt, rolled up at the elbows, and black jeans.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again. How are you, Raide?”

He flashes me a grin. “I’m good, what about you, darlin’?”

I shrug. “Oh you know, kicking on. Are you fighting tonight?”

He grunts. “Fuck no. I had my one fight, I’m good now. I’m here to see Max.”

“Oh? What for?”

He leans in close. “If I tell you, I might have to kill you.”

I scoff. “Come off it. We both know you couldn’t kill a face like this.”

He laughs. “You’re right about that, but if I tell you why I’m here, I might at least have to zip your lips closed.”

“Why?” I say, wiggling closer. “Did you kill someone and tuck their body beneath the club?”

“No, but it might be my body tucked under there if I don’t get my ass moving soon.”

“Why do I get the feeling you’re not supposed to be here?”

He tilts his head back and swallows the amber whiskey in his glass. “That would be because I’m not meant to be.”

He stands and walks towards the back end of the club, where the entrance to the fighting ring is. I jump up and follow him. “You can’t leave me in suspense. Come on! Share!”

“I skipped bail,” he says, shoving people out of his way.

“Wait, you what?”

I get stuck behind some people, so he reaches back and takes my wrist, pulling me along with him.

“Yeah. I guess you could say I’m a fugitive on the run.”

“Seriously?” I yell over the music.

“Yep.”

“What’d you do?”

He looks back at me. “That information I would have to kill you for.”

I grin and he returns it, full force.

“Okay, so aren’t you supposed to be hiding or something?”

“I’m lookin’ for someone.”

“So you skipped bail to look for someone? Are you bringing justice before you go to prison?”

He reaches the door and the bouncer nods us through. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”

“Bad ass,” I say.

“Anymore questions?”

I laugh. “One more . . . won’t you have a bounty hunter after you?”

He snorts and we start down the stairs, his hand still wrapped around my wrist. “Probably, but those fuckers won’t get their hands on me.”

“What makes you think that?”

He turns and raises his brows. “Look at the size of me. Do you really think it’d be that easy?”

“So you’re like Hercules re-invented. They have tasers . . . and guns.”

“And I’m smart. Those guys won’t get hold of me.”

“Maybe they won’t be guys. Maybe they’ll send in a really hot girl to melt your pants clean off and handcuff you while she’s making you squeal.”

He barks a laugh. “Firstly, sweetheart, I don’t squeal, and secondly, I highly doubt any hot girl would be capable of being a bounty hunter. They can barely paint their own nails without drama.”

I giggle. “I think you’re onto something there, but I could take you down if I really wanted to.”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

I smile. Yes, I do like Raide.

“Well, I hope you get the justice you’re seeking.”

“Me too. Now wait outside while I talk to your brooding man.”

“He’s not brooding, he’s just got a lot of pent-up frustration.”

Raide turns and grins down at me. “You in that dress, with those lips, those legs and that fuckin’ ass? He won’t for long.”

My mouth drops open and he leans down, smacking a kiss to my head. “Good to see you again, girl.”

Then he swings a door open and shuts it before I can respond.

Tricky.

Max is staring at me.

He’s just standing there, wearing only his shorts for fighting, fists bound, staring at me.

I squirm and fidget, looking away because I honestly have no idea what to say.

“What’re you wearin’, Blue Belle?”

“Ah,” I say, cheeks going red. “A dress?”

“A fuckin’ dress,” he grunts. “A fuckin’ dress that’s makin’ my dick hard, right before my fight.”

Oh boy.

“I . . . ah . . . this old thing?”

Oh my God, I just made a squeaking sound. Someone shoot me. And did I just say this old thing? Shit. He’s making me nervous.

“That old thing? Fuck, I’d hate to see what your new clothes look like, if that’s old.”

“I don’t want to distract you, so I’ll, um, leave. I just wanted to let you know I was here.”

“You blushing, sweetheart?”

I shiver and look into his dark brown eyes, which are swirling with lust.

“No,” I squeak again.

Someone shoot me.

He steps forward and holy shit, his abs just flexed. They’re calling me. It’s torture, pure torture.

“Haven’t seen you blush like that since the first time I started talking to you.”

“Yeah,” I scoff, but it’s pathetic. “Well, I haven’t, ah, you know, seen you, ah . . .”

Jesus. Get. It. Together.

He chuckles. “I think you’re nervous, because you know how hard I want to fuck you right now, and you’re fighting it as much as I am.”

I look up again, and I can feel the heat in my face as I stare down at what is, without a doubt, a straining cock. Oh boy.

He steps closer again. I step back.

“I thought we weren’t, um, fucking?”

He grins, and he looks like a wolf about to lunge at its prey.

“We weren’t, but then you chose to wear that dress. How the hell am I going to fight when all I can see is you? Not to mention this.” He palms his dick and I have to clench my thighs together, or I’ll moan out loud and embarrass myself more.

“You could deal with that,” I point out breathlessly.

“Absolutely, by plunging it deep in your cunt.”

Holy shit.

“Or there’s your hand,” I stammer.

His grin gets bigger. “When I’ve got my wife’s tight, sweet body in that fucking amazing dress standing right in front of me? I don’t think so.”

“But . . . we’re . . . going slow . . . remember . . .”