The Satellite Read online

  Hatch polished off his third drink and poured another refill. “These go down quite nice.” His eyes looked heavy and his speech had slowed. “Maybe if I drink enough Amnesia, this whole nightmare will be gone when I am sober.”

  “I’m so glad you view my calling as a nightmare.” Flame stared at him in shock for a moment then shook her head. “Ian, I need to use the bathroom, where is it?”

  “Wait b-baby,” he stammered. “I’ll-I’ll take you upstairs…”

  “I can manage just fine on my own,” she snapped. “Your nightmare won’t be the only thing gone when you sober up.”

  “Hang a right once you leave the foyer, go up the stairs and it’s the third door on the left.” Ian told her. “I’ll stay with Hatch to make sure he doesn’t fall in the pool.”

  “Thanks.” She pushed off her chair. “Yeah Hatch isn’t much of a night owl, better not let him out of your sight.”

  “Sorry your first day here was so heavy. Maybe tomorrow we can relax. Coop is riding in and I’d like you to be acquainted with him before we head out on the road. How does that sound?”

  “That’s fine. I look forward to meeting the leader of your group.” She excused herself, then headed into the house.

  Hatch’s attitude irked her. Just when she thought he’d begun to accept her, he had to open his mouth and say something stupid again. I should’ve pushed him into the pool and let him show everyone what an ass he is. Nightmare! I’ll show him a nightmare!

  She admired Raef’s home on the way up the long staircase. The rooms were very spacious and he’d chosen modern décor in black and white with a splash of color here and there. She noticed tall green plants by the huge windows and a few throw pillows tossed around, but not much clutter. A massive entertainment center graced the entire main wall of his living room.

  Typical male dwelling, she mused while wandering down the hall. The bathroom was also oversized with a roomy garden tub below an arched window, live ferns on the sill and soft lighting. A shower stall took up one corner and a linen closet had been built into the opposite corner. Overall, his home impressed her. Neat, clean and fresh smelling, she liked his style.

  I can only imagine the bedrooms. She checked her appearance in the large oval mirror, touched up the liner on her eyes and applied a fresh coat of pale pink gloss. Her engagement ring sparkled under the vanity lights. She stared at it and sighed. A nightmare…if he cannot respect my sisterhood then he doesn’t respect me. Alcohol…nature’s truth serum. Her rising doubts regarding her engagement had come to a head when he’d blurted out his true feelings. She could never bind herself to someone so utterly obnoxious, and she scolded herself for allowing his initial charm to sway her.

  The wild sex backstage had been the best part of their relationship, and it was all she’d really wanted anyway. She didn’t go to that damned concert looking for chains. She was looking for fun and a hard man to relieve her tension. Hatch attached himself like an octopus. Ugh, how did I ever let him get close to me? She let out a quick breath in a huff.

  Slowly, while gazing at her reflection in the mirror, she twisted the gold band off her finger and studied it for several long, thoughtful moments. No, don’t second-guess this. Follow your heart. This man is not right for you. Gently she tucked the ring into her jean’s pocket then opened the door.

  “Find everything okay?” Raef’s appearance in the doorway startled her.

  “Y-yes…you have a beautiful home.” Her cheeks felt hot. She couldn’t believe she was blushing. “Ian said you were feeling off, are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Are you?”

  She shrugged. “I guess. Hatch…never mind…I shouldn’t talk about it.”

  A gentle hand cupped her chin and turned her face toward his. “You can tell me anything.” He stepped closer. “What I’d like to know is, was the kiss staged to spite Hatch or was it real?”

  “I’m not sure how to answer that.”

  “The tension between you and him is obvious, at least to me it is. I picked up the change when you walked through the door.”

  “He has become very controlling. And no, the kiss was not staged. It was very real. Still, I am in his world so I’m not sure I did the right thing by going with my feelings in the pool.”

  “Do you deny a connection between us?”

  “No…but I’ve been afraid to acknowledge what I feel.”

  “You’re engaged to the wrong man.”

  His bold comment stunned her. “Not anymore.” She lifted her left hand. “He caught me in the moment after the gallant rescue on the highway from Von and Aiden. What he said on the terrace a few minutes ago confirmed the doubts I’ve been having.”

  “I see.”

  “You were quiet back then. You guarded my daggers, for which I am grateful. Then you handed them over without a word.”

  “I never thought Hatch would use your vulnerable state of mind to seek a premature commitment.”

  “He moves very fast and is extremely possessive.”

  Raef braced his hands on the doorjamb above her head. Still naked to the waist, his sexy abs rippled and his biceps flexed with each shift of his weight. “I need to know how you feel, now…since we kissed.”

  She gazed up into his deeply expressive eyes. “Uncertain.”

  “Of?”

  “I’m not sure I should open myself up while preparing for a fight.”

  He lowered his head until their lips nearly touched. “Then why don’t you begin by finishing what you started in the pool?”

  She breathed in his scent. Shivers raced over her skin. Flutters filled her stomach and an ache rose in her core. “Now?”

  Slowly, he reached down and took her hand. “Come with me, if you don’t mind.”

  She didn’t mind at all and allowed him to lead her into what looked like his master bedroom. An impressive four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room. She glanced out a gorgeous bay window toward an endless moonlit sky sprayed with stars. Her first night in LA was moving in an unexpected direction just as the day had.

  “Did anyone bring your bags up to the guest room yet?”

  “I doubt it. Today was pretty intense and now Hatch is smashed.”

  “You’ll stay in my room tonight, then. We’ll get your things in the morning.” He closed the door then moved smoothly, undressing her as if they’d known one another forever. “You don’t mind, do you?”

  Their eyes met and that was all it took to come undone with the bedroom door closed. She clutched his silky hair at the same time his arms swept up her back. He pulled her tight against his bare chest. Skin met skin as her breasts pressed into his hard muscled body and their mouths sealed in a delicious kiss. The bulge in his jeans could not be denied. She grappled with the snap and he wriggled free of the denim.

  His naked body meshed with hers in a most pleasing way. He gripped one leg and lifted it around his waist, then thrust his rock hard sex deep inside. She moaned with pleasure while wrapping herself around him.

  He held her steady with strong arms as she kept her balance with one foot on the floor. His sudden onslaught of passion left her breathless. They pulled each other as close as they could get without breaking the deep, hot kiss. She sucked his tongue as it explored her mouth. A soft feral groan rose in his chest. He pushed deeper with each stroke, touching her innermost feminine depths, making her burn for release yet long for this to last.

  “Baby, baby,” he murmured. “You feel so good.” Taking hold of her other leg, he lifted her off the floor and carried her to the bed.

  “Raef…” she breathed out his name. “You make me feel incredible. Make love to me…please…all night long.”

  With amazing skill, he laid her down without interrupting their physical joining. He resumed the blissful thrusting, from hard and fast to slow and teasing while supporting his weight above her. He was downright gorgeous, gazing down at her in sheer adoration. She’d never felt more appreciated. He lavished hot affection over her, placing feath
ery kisses all over her face and neck.

  “I’ve been waiting to have you all to myself since the day we met,” he purred in a voice thick with genuine desire. “We’ll make this night last. You will come over and over in my arms before the sun rises.”

  “Ohhh…” Her body shuddered as if commanded by his sensually spoken words to obey. She dug her nails into his back and rode out the waves of ecstasy pouring over her.

  “Your hot kiss in the pool,” he murmured between jagged breaths as he came with hot force inside. “Gave me astounding energy. I think we’re in for one hell of a night.”

  She noticed that even after he climaxed, his length had not diminished nor had it softened one bit. He was long, hard and still fully engorged, seeking to please her again. The undeniable attraction between them soared to staggering heights.

  “Are you making love to me, pretty angel? Or is this part of another sex ritual?” His eyes brimmed with sincerity.

  “I am definitely making love to you, baby.” She offered him a warm smile. “Do you feel your balance restored?”

  “Yeah, I feel incredible.”

  “Me, too.”

  Their lips met again as he initiated another round of lovemaking. She felt in her soul that this soft-spoken, red-hot lover was destined to become part of her future, but she had no idea how.

  Chapter Six

  Cooper O’Toole strolled in while Flame sat at the breakfast table with Raef, Hatch, and Ian. At some point during the night everyone else had left.

  “So you are Flame?” he asked with a dissecting look. “Does Flame have a last name?”

  “Yes,” she responded, meeting his hard-bitten stare. “But only those who’ve earned my trust know of it.”

  Coop was massive in size with a rugged exterior. Not very attractive, yet he possessed a harsh appeal, which revealed he was a man of hard lessons learned. He appeared older, perhaps in his sixties, and well seasoned. She could tell Citizen Soldiers had chosen a strong boss.

  “I hope you’re as tough as you act.” He narrowed his eyes. “Can you ride?”

  Hatch spoke up. “She sure as hell can, put my ass to the test on the way out.”

  “You always were a soft one.” Coop laughed.

  “Hey, why torture myself when I can afford the best?”

  “I’d rather be hard. The ladies don’t like me any other way.”

  “Uh, Coop, we have a lady present,” Ian said.

  “Shit, if she can’t handle the talk how the hell is she going to ride with us and kill some evil bastard? We aren’t going to coddle her.”

  Flame waved Ian off. “Don’t worry. I can handle anything you’ve got.” She looked at Coop. “You’re right. We do like our men hard.” Then she glanced at Raef and smiled. He gave her a subtle wink. Their night together had been even better than he’d promised.

  “These creepers like to prowl in the dark.” Coop poured himself a cup of coffee. “We’ll head out at dusk, see if we can find some ghouls and draw attention from the Satellite. I gotta admit that when Ian called me last night and said he’d found the one who could kill the bastard, I was shocked to discover it was a woman. None of us have been able to find the prick. You sure you can handle this?”

  “I’m sure. How long have you been with the Soldiers?”

  “I started the group, little miss.”

  “Oh…I thought perhaps you and Von had started it together, from the little I have heard.”

  “You thought wrong. I’d never start a group with that prick. He tried to take over, but I booted his ass.”

  “Sorry I brought it up.”

  “No problem. He runs with those pussy ass Pythons now. I heard about your run-in with them, and how Ian launched a rescue force—sorry I couldn’t be there but I was on a run.”

  “Ian did a great job. Von hadn’t even dragged me out of PA before your group caught him and saved me.”

  “Von? I thought it was your ex that had taken you captive.”

  “Initially, yes. He had some crazy idea that I was in danger with Hatch. At least that’s what Von said…I think. That night is kinda murky to me. I took quite a beating. They caught me off guard and didn’t fight fair.” From the corner of her eye, she noticed an uneasy expression shadow Hatch’s face for a brief instant. She assumed his unease was from the mention of Von.

  “Von Calder was on the run with you?” Cooper raised two bushy brows.

  “Yeah, he muttered something about helping me get away in Tulsa. Like I said, I was pretty out of it. I have no idea what those two were up to, but it caused me a lot of pain. Someday they will pay, but right now more important matters are at hand.”

  “Your ex ain’t been seen since that day. I suspect the Pythons got rid of him.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Kicked him out of the pack.”

  “Oh, okay. I thought maybe they killed him or something.”

  “Nah, that shit don’t happen as much as people think. Hell, it’s safer to ride with us than on a public bus.” He sipped his coffee but peered over the cup rim at her. “Where’d you learn to ride?”

  “I was born to ride. My mother and father rode all the time so I was told. You won’t have to worry about me keeping up.”

  “Good, because we ride hard and fast with very few breaks.”

  “That’s how I like it.” She met his stare without flinching.

  “I can vouch for that,” Hatch added.

  Flame was puzzled over Hatch’s chipper mood. He hadn’t even inquired where she slept the previous night. Maybe he drank so much he’s too embarrassed to ask. He might even think we slept together if he was that drunk. She decided to remain silent on the subject for now. He obviously had pride issues and most likely was covering in front of his friends.

  After breakfast she meandered out to the terrace with the men.

  “Are the others coming back today?” she asked as they scattered about on lawn chairs.

  “Not today,” Ian replied. “We usually do our own thing. Everyone was here yesterday to join the party. Hatch rarely travels out to Cali. He’s become a hardcore New Yorker. Since you obviously went to a lot of trouble persuading him to ride out, we felt a proper welcome was in order.”

  “He’s not the easiest man to influence,” Flame cast him a guarded look. Pretending was not her style and this chitchat as if nothing happened made her stomach feel tight.

  “You must be a magic woman then. Not only did you get him out here, but you also got him into the pool.”

  “Hey,” Hatch interrupted. “I’m not proud of this aging body.”

  “You ain’t even hit fifty yet, boy,” Coop growled, shaking his head. “Wait till you’re my age, then tell me about wrinkles.”

  “I’d best stay out of the sun then.” Hatch chuckled. “I don’t want to end up an ugly bastard.”

  “Appearance is fleeting,” she said. “It’s what’s in your heart that matters most.”

  “Well said.” Raef smiled warmly then added, “But you don’t look a day over thirty-nine.”

  She smiled at his flattery yet didn’t over indulge in it. “Age is all in the mind. I never give it any thought. I’m only as young as I feel and most days I feel like a teenager.”

  “Good attitude.” Coop gave an approving nod. “I’m starting to like you.”

  “Just starting, huh?” she teased. “Words every woman longs to hear from a ratty old biker like you. My world is bright again.”

  Silence fell over the small group. Everyone stared at Coop, awaiting his response. He eyed Flame pensively for several minutes then let out a boisterous laugh.

  “She’s got spunk!”

  Flame lifted one corner of her mouth and cocked an eyebrow. This man would be hard to figure out. He came off serious and cocky with a strange sense of humor.

  “If you’ll excuse me, guys, I’d like to change into cooler clothes.” She left them to find her backpack and some fresh clothes, relieved to find an opening to escap
e the pretense.

  Her bag had been placed in the foyer. She grabbed it then headed up the steps to change in the only room in which she felt comfortable.

  “Made yourself right at home, eh, love?” Hatch said from the doorway.

  She swung around, hopping on one foot while pulling on a pair of jean shorts. “I don’t know my way around his house very well.”

  “And this is the only room you could find to change in?” Jealousy hung on his voice.

  “Yeah…you were so drunk and obnoxious last night I slept in here.”

  “Alone?” He stepped toward her after closing the door.

  After fastening her shorts, she pulled on a clean half-top that scarcely covered her breasts, leaving her midriff bare. “No.”

  “Is that all you’re wearing today?” His gaze slid over her in open lust.

  “For now. I brought a jacket in case the nights get cold. It is October, after all.”

  “Maybe you want to seduce Ian and Coop today, collect the others, too.”

  Her lips grew tight. She glared at him through narrowed eyes. He reached out and slid a hand under her top. In a flash she brought one arm up to fend off his uninvited touch, then swung her other hand around to backhand him across the face.

  “I’m fed up with your petty jealousy and controlling ways. Clearly, you can’t handle who I am or what I do. I’m just a nightmare to you unless I’m your puppet. I’m calling off the engagement.”

  He rubbed his jaw. “Are you serious?”

  “I don’t let anyone jerk me around anymore. Those days are long gone.”

  Hatch backed down immediately. “Baby…I’m sorry. I can’t help my jealous nature. You are one-of-a-kind and I don’t want to lose you.”

  “Too late. The fastest way to lose something is to not let it breathe.”