Cyclops (Reckless Kings MC 5): Dixie Reapers Bad Boy Romance Page 3

  Pres, call off Lyssa. Her friend is safe. I’m watching over her.

  I saw the little dots and knew I’d get a response in a moment. Watching Leigha, I saw the curious look she cast my way. Made me wonder if Beast already said something to his woman. My phone chimed with his reply.

  Keep her safe. She’s Preacher’s oldest daughter, and he’s not taking this well.

  Shit. Need to talk when I get back.

  I saw the dots appear, then stop. They showed up again, only to stop once more. Then my damn phone rang. He didn’t even bother with a hello.

  “What the fuck does that mean?” he asked when the call connected.

  “It means I’m intrigued. But your woman told her none of us would be interested. I’d like to know more about that before I make another move.”

  “You’re serious?” Beast asked. “Do you know anything about her family?”

  “They’re Dixie Reapers.” Leigha’s gaze lifted to mine, and I winked at her, letting her know everything was fine.

  “Preacher lost his first wife in a car accident. Swore he’d never love again until he met Saint’s twin sister. Leigha has a twin, Logan, and they’re Preacher’s first kids. He’s protective as fuck over his family. Not sure anyone will ever be good enough for his girls. He’s pissed because she snuck out while they were gone. Even though I can’t blame her. They’ve got a tight leash on Leigha, and she’s ready to break free and start her life.”

  “Good to know,” I murmured. “You have a problem with this?”

  “With you claiming her? Or toying with her? Because those are two different things,” Beast said.

  “The first one.”

  “Nope. I’d gladly welcome her into the family. But if you’re going to do something, you might want to make it fast. Something tells me her daddy will be on our doorstep in the next forty-eight hours.”

  “So much for taking things slow,” I said.

  “When you know, you know.” Beast sighed. “I’ll stall him as long as I can, but he’s coming here one way or another.”

  “Tell your woman Leigha is fine. I’d like to take her to my place.”

  “I’ll make sure Lyssa stands down,” Beast said. “That all we needed to discuss?”

  “No, but I’m not saying anything else over the phone. I’ll text you later. It’s something I want to keep between the two of us for now.”

  “All right. Just keep an eye on her, Cyclops. No pun intended. Anything happens to Leigha, and all our asses are on the line,” Beast said, then I heard the call disconnect.

  I had a feeling he was going to hit the roof when I told him what happened. As much as I didn’t want to break my word to Leigha, someone needed to know about the asshole who tried to rape her. For one, the fact I kicked the shit out of him could blow back on the club. Second, if she went into town, she’d need protection. Cockroaches like that one would come back for more. The moment he saw her alone somewhere, he’d try again. Or do much worse.

  I’d rather risk her ire than her life.

  Only hoped she’d see it that way too.

  Chapter Two

  Leigha

  Having Lyssa worry about me enough to call was both nice and embarrassing. I doubted the hunky biker across from me had people check up on him if he ran a little late. It made me feel like a child instead of a grown woman out on a date, which was precisely why I’d left home. Yes, something bad happened, but it could have been worse. If Lyssa or my parents ever found out, I’d never be able to leave the house again.

  I tried not to eavesdrop on Cyclops’ conversation but hearing the words Dixie Reapers piqued my interest. I wondered who had called him. My money was on Beast, but how had he known we were together? Unless… I’d noticed him texting. Had he told his President he’d found me in town? I didn’t know how to feel about that.

  By the time he ended his call, and I hung up with Lyssa, I felt nervous. Would he still want to spend time with me? It had to be less hassle dating someone closer to his age. I doubted a woman in her thirties, or even in her late twenties, had family and friends calling to ask where she was all the time. Or worse, trying to keep her home.

  “Beast knows you’re here with me,” Cyclops said. “I told him I’d take you to my place when we left. That’s, of course, if you want to go there. Or I can lead the way to Beast’s house. Entirely up to you.”

  “I’m curious about something,” I said. He motioned for me to continue. “You’ve seen how everyone treats me. Lyssa’s call is the least of it. I’m twenty and they act like I’m a teenager. There’s no freedom for me at home, and it looks like it will be the same here. I’d thought Lyssa would be enough of a buffer I could live a little, even if it was only for a few days.”

  “You plan on going home that soon?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.” I looked down at my coffee for a moment, gathering my thoughts. “I wanted a taste of freedom, the chance to be myself without worrying I’d have a bodyguard breathing down my neck, or half the club trying to scare off men. I haven’t even been here a day and my family keeps texting and calling. Lyssa is checking up on me, and I just…”

  “Feel caged?” he asked.

  I nodded. “Exactly. It’s like I’m a prisoner. How am I supposed to figure out who I am if no one will let me do anything? I get it. My dad lost his first wife long before he met Mom. Add in all the darkness he’s seen as part of the Dixie Reapers, and now he’s terrified something will happen to us. But living in constant fear isn’t living at all.”

  He smiled. “Seems like you have it figured out. Mostly. Beast thinks your dad will show up in the next day or so. I’m not sure how much freedom you’ll have when that happens.”

  Naturally. I should have known better. The moment my dad found out where I’d gone, he’d probably started planning to come collect me, like a wayward child or pet. If I went back home with him, I’d die a virgin. There was no way he’d let me out of his sight anytime soon. I loved him. More than my next breath. But being Preacher’s daughter had a downside. It meant being smothered with worry and affection. My mom loved how protective my dad was, and I could understand. Being his daughter, it was different.

  “Why did you want me to go to your house? If my dad is on his way, I’ll be going back home soon. He won’t let me stay.”

  Cyclops folded his arms and studied me. “I think there are a few things for us to discuss. This café isn’t the right place for that type of conversation.”

  The butterflies returned, flapping around my stomach. “Something we can’t talk about here?”

  He glanced around before meeting my gaze again. “I guess we could, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Do you trust me?”

  I nodded. He’d saved me, and even if he hadn’t, since he belonged to the Reckless Kings, that was good enough for me. I knew Beast didn’t keep traitors around, or evil men. Since he’d spoken to Beast, and the President was aware we were at the café together, it had to mean Beast trusted him.

  “Then follow me to the compound. We’ll go straight to my house and discuss your options. Beast knows where to find you, and he’ll hold Lyssa back. But, kitten, it’s not a horrible thing to have people love you so much they worry. I know it seems like the end of the world, and I’d imagine it’s more than a little frustrating, but your parents only want to keep you safe. Nothing wrong with that.”

  “I know. It’s overwhelming and tiresome, but I understand why they do it. Doesn’t make it any more tolerable.” I smiled. “Lead the way. I’d love to hear those options.”

  He stood and held out his hand. I took it, letting him help me up. On the way to my car, instead of paying attention to my surroundings, I admittedly stared at Cyclops’ ass. Then again, if anyone tried to fuck with me right now, they’d have a pissed-off biker to deal with. He’d already proven he could protect me -- more importantly, that he would.

  He led me to my car and waited for me to get in and start the engine. I watched as he walked farther down the st
reet to his bike. When he drove past my parking space and stopped, I backed out and followed him to the Reckless Kings’ compound. I’d never been before, and their clubhouse looked amazing. The entire compound screamed wealth, and I tried not to think about how they’d earned that money.

  We pulled through the gates, and I caught the curious glance from the Prospect we passed. I stuck close to Cyclops and stopped on the street in front of his house. He parked in the garage. Far enough to the side I could easily fit my car in there too. I hesitated only a moment before doing exactly that, then shut off my engine.

  Was I really doing this? Whatever this was. I didn’t think I’d imagined the connection between us at the café. It made me both eager and terrified to hear what he had to say. He rapped his knuckles against my window, and I took a breath, then let it out. Grabbing my purse, I got out of the car. Cyclops reached down to take my hand and led me into his house.

  The outside looked more like a log cabin with a red metal roof. Inside, it was breathtaking. The walls were the same timber used outside. His kitchen wasn’t large and opened to the living room. An island in the center had a cooktop on one side and the other had barstools lined up. Clearly, it doubled as his table. Natural wood and black appliances gave the space a warm feel. I looked out into the living room and nearly gasped at the vaulted ceiling. A stone fireplace ran up the center of the room. On the backside, he had a small table with two chairs. A deck of cards sat on top. In front of the fireplace sat a leather sofa that looked inviting. I wanted to curl up there on a cold winter night.

  “Your home is incredible,” I said.

  He smiled. “Thanks. When it was time for my house to be built, Beast asked what I liked. I told him I’d always wanted a cabin, gave him the specifics, and he made it happen.”

  I gave in to temptation and sat on the sofa, kicking off my shoes and curling my legs under me. Cyclops took the spot next to me, putting his arm along the back of the cushions. I felt a tug on my hair and glanced his way.

  “I’m sure you get asked a lot, and it’s rude as hell, but I have to know… The eye patch. Why do you wear it?” I asked.

  “Served in the Army. Got a little too close to an IED that went off. Shrapnel hit my eye. Left me not only blind -- the scar tissue makes my eye look creepy as fuck. Scares children, and quite a few adults. It’s easier to keep it covered,” he said. He tugged his cut open, and I stared. “Got a few scars down that side of my torso too.”

  I wasn’t sure how I’d missed those before. He’d been without a shirt all this time, and I’d drooled over his wide chest more than once. It seemed the attack had left me more rattled than I’d realized. Those scars weren’t something I’d have ever missed before.

  “May I see?” I asked. He paused a moment before removing the eye patch. The iris of his eye had turned milky and I could see why some would find it off-putting. To me, the patch was far worse. I reached out and ran my fingers along his cheek under the blind eye. “It doesn’t make you less attractive. I’ll agree it lends a certain air of danger. Personally, it doesn’t bother me. In fact, I’d rather see all of your face than have you wear the eye patch.”

  He sucked in a breath and let it out, his body relaxing. I hadn’t even realized he’d been so tense. It made me wonder how many people had told him to cover his eye. Then I wanted to hunt them all down and punch them in the nose for being assholes.

  “I guess that’s going to make our talk a little easier,” he said.

  “It has to do with your eye?”

  He snorted. “No, but the fact it doesn’t scare you, or make you want to gag, is a bonus. It might surprise you the things I’ve heard since it happened.”

  “People are idiots. Your blindness doesn’t change who you are as a person. You came to my rescue today without knowing who I was. Which means you’d have done the same for any woman you heard in trouble. To me, that makes you a hero.”

  He shook his head. “Not a hero, kitten. Just in the right place at the right time.”

  “We’ll have to agree to disagree. What did you want to discuss that you couldn’t say in the café?”

  He wound my hair around his fingers, and I fought the urge to lean into his touch. Other than Foster’s annoying habit of cornering me, this was the most attention I’d ever had from a guy who seemed interested in me romantically.

  “I talked to Beast about what you wanted. To date someone without your family breathing down your neck or trying to ruin any relationship you tried to build. He said there were only two paths. A casual hook-up or…”

  “Or what?” I asked.

  “Or claiming you. He asked me which I intended, and warned if it was a hook-up, your dad would probably bury me in an unmarked grave.” He grinned. “Well, not in those exact words, but I got the gist of it.”

  My heart raced. Was he asking what I thought he was? I’d heard the stories. I knew the Dixie Reapers fell fast and hard for their women. Especially Venom. I’d never thought it would happen to me. But what if I was wrong? What if he meant he’d wanted something casual and only wanted to see where I stood on the matter?

  Now I felt nervous. I ran my hands up and down my thighs and tried not to fidget too much.

  “I can see the wheels turning,” he said. “Something tells me you’re jumping to the wrong conclusion. If you’re wondering, I told Beast I was hoping you’d agree to be mine.”

  “After one coffee date?” I asked.

  “Kitten, the moment I saw you in that alley, I wanted to toss you over my shoulder and bring you home. I only tried taking things slow for your benefit. Now we have your dad’s imminent arrival, and that changes things. I no longer have a few days to a week to convince you we’d be good together.”

  “Well… I can’t exactly agree to spend the rest of my life with someone I’ve never even kissed. What if you don’t like the way I kiss? Or you could be one of those guys who’s all tongue and slobbers all over me.”

  He smirked. “Only one way to find out. I’m game if you are.”

  I leaned in closer and tipped my face up to him. Cyclops tugged me closer, and his lips brushed mine. The spark I felt had me gasping. He took advantage and slipped his tongue between my lips. I moaned and reached out, gripping his cut in my hand. He kissed me soft and slow, taking his time. My toes curled and heat pooled in my belly. His beard felt soft against my skin.

  Cyclops released me, but I didn’t move away. If anything, I wanted to crawl into his lap. One kiss and I was hooked. I need more. Craved it. The man was a divine kisser. Sure, I had little to compare it to, but I’d never thought a kiss could have me ready to tear off my clothes and offer myself up to someone. I’d been wrong.

  “You want to claim me?” I asked.

  He nodded. “I do. Never wanted to keep a woman before.”

  “You’ve likely guessed it already, but I haven’t been with anyone.”

  “I know. You have no idea how much it turns me on, knowing I’d be your first. Your only.”

  I licked my lips and leaned in to kiss him. I crawled into his lap, straddling him, and placed my hands on his cheeks. Cyclops banded an arm around my back and tugged me even closer. I felt the hard ridge of his cock press against me and couldn’t help but grind against him a little. He nipped my lip and pulled back.

  “Slow down, kitten. After today, I’m not about to rush you into anything.”

  I stilled and stared at him. “Because of the man in the alley?”

  “Yeah. You might think you’re okay right now, but that’s going to come back to haunt you later. When you close your eyes tonight, I have a feeling you’ll have a nightmare or two. Wish like hell I could do something about it.”

  Did I dare? I ran my fingers through his beard, then down over his chest. I traced the stitching on his cut before holding his gaze. “You can. You could replace those memories with something better. The scariest part was knowing he’d take my virginity. If he had, I don’t know that I’d have ever wanted sex for the rest of
my life. But he didn’t. And now I need something to think about. I want to feel your hands on me. See the way you look at me when I take off my clothes. Then when I go to sleep, it will be you I see and not him.”

  “Sounds like you have it all figured out,” he said.

  “Not even close, but it’s a start.”

  “You sure?” He held me a little tighter. “Once we go down that path, there’s no going back. I take your innocence, and you’re mine. Not just for right now, but for the rest of our lives. Or I guess the rest of mine. You’re definitely going to outlive me.”

  “Then I guess we need to cram a lifetime into whatever years we have together. Does that mean you’ll do it?”

  He cupped my cheek. “Yeah, kitten. I’ll be the one to take your virginity. To keep you. When your dad gets here, he’s going to lose his shit. You prepared for that?”

  “No. Not even a little.” I smiled. “But I want this. Want you.”

  He kissed me again, a short kiss. “When we’re done, I need to call Beast. Technically, the club needs to vote on you being my old lady. But I’d rather demand those fuckers let me keep you. It’s always fun to light a match and see which one of my brothers will go off like a stick of dynamite.”

  “Then lead the way. I’m all yours.”

  He cupped my ass in his hands and stood. I wrapped my legs around his waist and Cyclops carried me up a staircase I hadn’t noticed. A small balcony overlooked the living room, and I realized it was one enormous space. His bedroom. A king-size bed took up most of one wall. Large windows overlooked the backyard and beyond. He tossed me onto the bed and picked up a remote off the bedside table. With the press of a button, shades lowered over the windows, blocking us from view, yet they were sheer enough to let in some light.

  Cyclops removed his cut, and I knew we’d reached the point of no return.

  I smiled, knowing this was exactly what I wanted. What I needed. The sexy biker was about to be all mine.

  * * *