A Banachi Family Novella

Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling Author

Winter Travers

Copyright © 2021 Winter Travers

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be a reproduction, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) utilization of this work without written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

For questions or comments about this book, please contact the author at winter@wintertravers.com

Also by Winter Travers

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Loving Lo

Finding Cyn

Gravel’s Road

Battling Troy

Gambler’s Longshot

Keeping Meg

Fighting Demon

Unraveling Fayth

Forever Lo

Devil’s Knights 2nd Gen

Passing the Torch

Riding the Line

Royal Mess

Skid Row Kings Series

DownShift

PowerShift

BangShift

Fallen Lords MC Series

Nickel

Pipe

Maniac

Wrecker

Boink

Clash

Freak

Slayer

Brinks

Kings of Vengeance MC

Drop a Gear and Disappear

Lean Into It

Knees in the Breeze

Midnight Wreckage

Thrill Seeker

Livin’ on the Edge

Powerhouse MA Series

Dropkick My Heart

Love on the Mat

Black Belt in Love

Black Belt Knockout

Nitro Crew Series

Burndown

Holeshot

Redlight

Shutdown

Royal Bastards MC: Sacramento, CA

Playboy

Six-Gun

Monk

Sweet Love Novellas

Sweet Burn

Five Alarm Donuts

Stand Alone Novellas

Kissing the Bad Boy

Trapped with the Bad Boy

Daddin’ Ain’t Easy

Silas: A Scrooged Christmas

Wanting More

Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool

Tangle My Tinsel

Banachi Family

Taking Greer

Taking Greer

Apollo Banachi is tired of waiting.

He’s taking what belongs to him.

Greer Cassidy doesn’t stand a chance.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

About the Author

Coming Soon

1st Chapter of Loving Lo

One

Greer

My hand shook as I grabbed a champagne flute off the passing tray and took a small sip. I needed to calm my nerves, and Apollo Banachi being in the same room as me wasn’t helping. He’d been watching me all night. His steely gaze never leaving me, even when he was engaged in conversation with someone else.

“I see someone hasn’t taken their eyes off you all night,” Kent murmured under his breath as he glided next to me. “Methinks that strong, broody, hunk of man wants you, Greer.”

I rolled my eyes and took another sip. I didn’t want Kent to be right, although I knew that he might be. “I think you need to get your eyes checked, Kent. Apollo Banachi is the last person in this room who would be looking at me right now.” There were at least twenty other women in the room who were more worthy of Apollo.

“Oh, he’s not the only one looking at you, sweet innocent Greer. He’s just the only one who looks like he’s ready to take you right here in the middle of the dance floor.” Kent chuckled and shook his head. “You’re blind to it for some reason.”

“He is my brother’s best friend, Kent. I’m sure he’s just keeping an eye on me for Kane.” That was what Apollo always did. He was just being a good friend.

Kent rolled his eyes and grabbed my glass out of my hand. “I think he wants to keep something else on you besides his eyes.” Kent tossed back the rest of my drink and set it on another passing tray.

“Hey, I needed that,” I scolded. Liquid courage was all I had going for me right now. I knew that it was only a matter of time before Apollo made his way over to me. He’d been circling me like prey the whole night, from the fight where he sat three tables over to now where he was only ten feet away.

“I think tonight you may want to have your wits about you, sweetheart. I believe that fantasy of yours where Apollo Banachi finally sees you is about to come true.” Kent wiggled his eyebrows at me and nodded his head over my shoulder. “Because here he comes.”

“Don’t leave me,” I gasped as I grabbed his arm. I wasn’t ready for this. My mind went blank on everything, even what my name was. Poof, gone, all because Apollo was coming over. The man affected me like no other.

Kent looked down at me and winked. “I don’t think Apollo is into the same kink I am, sweetheart.”

I slugged his shoulder and scoffed. “Not like that.” I wasn’t sure what Apollo was into, but I knew it wasn’t the same things Kent was.

“You really think you should be hitting me in a dress like that? It’s not very ladylike,” Kent grumbled as he rubbed his shoulder. “You hit like a man.”

“Leave me, and I’ll hit you again,” I threatened.

Kent scowled, but he didn’t move. “I’m the token gay friend, Greer. You’re not supposed to hit the gay friend. I’m a damn unicorn, and you should feel damn lucky to be my friend.” He dropped his hand from his shoulder. “

“I am lucky you’re my friend, now be a good friend and don’t leave.” I didn’t care Kent was gay. That wasn’t the reason I was best friends with him. I was best friends with him because he was a caring and downright amazing person.

Kent gulped loudly and looked over my shoulder.

“Kent,” Apollo greeted low and smooth.

My body quivered at the one word, and I closed my eyes for a brief second. Thankfully my back was turned to Apollo, and he didn’t see me swoon. I needed to gather my wits for a second before actually looking at him.

“Apollo. Good to see you.” Kent tried to pull out of my grasp, but there was no way I was going to let him go, not yet. My tight grip on Kent was the only thing between me standing and falling flat on my face. My legs turned to Jell-O, and one wrong move would put me ass up on the ground with my Louboutin’s in the air.

Apollo’s voice drifted around me. “I couldn’t miss the fight between The Ripper and The Bone Crusher.”

“It was a good fight, but was there really any doubt that The Ripper wouldn’t win?” Kent followed MMA fighting, and he had begged me to come along with him tonight. I was regretting my decision. I should have stayed home in Chicago and brought in the New Year with my two cats and a bottle of champagne. Simple, quiet, and no Apollo.

“Do you think I could have a word with Greer alone?”

“Ah…” Kent’s eyes bugged out, and he looked down at me. “We were actually going to run to the bathroom.”

“Together?” Apollo drawled.

I could only imagine the smirk on his lips as he eyed up Kent. Apollo had a way about him, and all it took was one look from him, and you would be doing what he asked.

I knew the second Apollo gave Kent the look that Kent was going to abandon me. “You’ll thank me for this, sweetheart.” Kent brushed a kiss to the side of my head and pulled his arm out of my grasp. “Trust me.” Kent nodded his head at Apollo and disappeared into the crowd.

“Traitor,” I whispered under my breath. What was the point of having a wingman if they left at the drop of a hat? He was going to get an ear full from me once I was able to get away from Apollo.

“Turn around, Greer,” Apollo whispered into my ear. His warm breath washed over my skin, and a slight shiver ran through my body. His hand slid around my waist and my back pressed against his body. “Please.”

I never, in my fourteen years of knowing Apollo Banachi, heard him say please. It’s not that he was rude or an asshole, it was just that whenever he spoke, things got done. No please, and thank you were necessary.

I turned around in his arms but took a step back when we were face to face. His hand dropped from my side, and I took a deep breath that I desperately needed. “Apollo.”

His eyes fell to my feet, and his gaze slowly traveled up my body. I thanked God I had taken the time to actually shop for a new dress and not just pulled an old dress out of the closet.

Kent and I shopped all day yesterday, looking for the perfect dress. When we walked into a small boutique on the strip, I instantly fell in love the second my eyes fell on the black and jungle green dress. It really wasn’t a secret to anyone that my favorite color was green, so the illusion neckline with black and green tribal embroidery panels with alternating sheer panels was a dress that was made for me. The dress hugged my breasts and hips and fell into an A-line to the floor that was stunning paired with my black slingback heels.

“Green has always been your color, hasn’t it, Greer?” His deep, velvety voice floated over me as he reached up and brushed his hand down my bare arm. “Although I don’t think you could wear anything that could make you look less than gorgeous.”

“Have you been drinking, Apollo?” I murmured. His words shocked me. Never had Apollo uttered a word like the ones falling from his lips. They were words I had always wished he would say but never heard. I was just Kane’s little sister to him.

“I haven’t touched a drop of liquor all night, Greer.”

I tilted my head and looked up into Apollo’s dark, mesmerizing emerald eyes. I couldn’t help but let a smile settle on my lips. If only Apollo knew the reason why green was my favorite color. His eyes were what my dreams were made of, and since the age of thirteen, when I first met him, green became my favorite color. “Bump your head today?” I guessed. There had to be some reason why he was telling me I was gorgeous.

Apollo shook his head, and the same smirk that I’d seen the past fourteen years graced his lips. “No drinking, and I haven’t bumped my head.” He grabbed my hand and laced his fingers through mine. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. I have to say you were a surprise that I wasn’t expecting.”

“It’s not really a surprise if you were expecting it, is it?” I laughed.

“I suppose not, but I’m not a fan of surprises unless I’m the one doing the surprising.” He squeezed my hand and tugged me closer. “I think you’re the only one I wouldn’t mind getting a surprise from.”

“You’re always two steps ahead of everything, so you can’t be surprised, and you see me back home, Apollo. I don’t know what the difference is from now to then.” Sure, he hadn’t known I was going to be here, but it shouldn’t have mattered to him.

His hand that was holding my hand wound around my waist pulled my arm back, and my chest arched into him. I stumbled forward, my legs tangled with his. “The difference is, I’ve tried to keep my distance from you, but this dress and those heels you are wearing are testing my restraint.”

“Restraint against what?” I mumbled.

“You, my sweet Greer. I’ve been trying to restrain from taking you for the past nine years.” He brushed my hair off of my neck and leaned in, his lips brushing against my ear. “Eleven years, if I’m honest,” he whispered. “I’ve wanted you since you were seventeen, Greer.”

His words stunned me and left me speechless. A gasp escaped my lips. “What…why did…who…” I couldn’t form a coherent thought to save my life. Apollo Banachi has wanted me since I was seventeen?

“Breathe, Greer. Is it really that much of a surprise to you? I only crave the finest things in life, and you are at the top of my list of things that I crave. Greer Cassidy, the thing I’ve always wanted but known I couldn’t have.” He pressed a kiss to my neck, and his right hand glided up my body and cradled my head. He pressed his lips to my ear, and a shiver ran through my body. “Until tonight,” he growled.

I melted into Apollo, unable to hold back any longer. I had wanted this man for as long as I had known him, and now I was wrapped up in his arms, exactly where I wanted to be. Whoa. “If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up,” I whispered.

“Come back to my room with me, Greer, and we’ll make both of our dreams come true.” He released the arm I had behind my back, and his hand spanned my lower back as he pressed me closer. “I need one night with you.”

“One?” I wasn’t sure I could handle only having one night with Apollo. I didn’t think forever would be long enough with him, but I knew one night was not enough.

“I’m starting with one. But I’m sure there will be more,” he whispered into my ear. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you, Greer.”

“I don’t think-.”

“No, stop,” Apollo cut me off. “No thinking tonight, just feeling. Come with me, please, Greer.” He leaned back and looked down at me, desire burning in his eyes.

My words caught in my throat, and I slowly nodded my head.

One, ten, or fifty nights with Apollo? I would never say no.

Two

Apollo

I pulled her behind me through the crowded ballroom, wishing I had approached her sooner so we didn’t have to battle through the crowd to the door. It was half-past eleven, and everyone was crowding around the windows, trying to get the best view of the fireworks that would be going off soon.

I watched Greer all night, knowing that I couldn’t stop myself anymore. It had been eleven long years since I noticed Greer, and every day seeing her had been pure torture knowing that I couldn’t have her. Except for tonight, I didn’t give a flying fuck about all of the things that were keeping me from her.

Our age. Seven years wasn’t that much.

Her brother. Screw, Kane. I’d deal with him later.

Work. Well, work wasn’t something I’d entirely figured out, but Greer knew what I did. Her accepting it was something we would have to work through later. The Banachi’s were a family everyone knew about. The extent of what most knew was limited, but Greer knew more than most.

“Apollo,” she gasped, “you’re going to pull my arm out of the socket.”

I looked over my shoulder and saw her struggling to keep up with my long strides. “The shoes are hot as fuck, Greer, but they’re slowing us down.” If we didn’t get out of here right now, I was going to take her right here on the ballroom floor.

Greer tugged on my arm to slow me down. “Waiting thirty seconds longer to get back to your room, Apollo, is nothing compared to twelve years. Slow down before I end up on my butt,” she whined.

I slowed down, slid back next to her, and rested her hand in the crook of my arm. “The only place your ass is going to end up tonight is in my bed, Greer. That’s a guarantee,” I promised

We finally made it to the end of the room and slipped out one of the side doors that led into a dark hallway. “Where are we?” Greer asked as she looked around.

“Back of the house.” I pulled my phone out and sent Trey a message to bring the car around to the back. “Two more doors then left.”

“How do you know your way around?” Greer asked, bewildered. “I could barely find the restroom before.”

“Always know your surroundings, Greer. You never know when you’ll have to make a quick escape.” I winked at her and opened the patio door.

“Something makes me think that this wasn’t the reason you know how to get around here.” Greer swept through the door, and I couldn’t help the grin that settled on my lips. “This seems rather planned.”

“You always were too smart for your own good, Greer.”

She scoffed and brushed her hair off of her shoulder. “I know that I should be scared of you and what you do, Apollo, but I have never been able to walk away from you. You and your cousin may run the underground of Chicago, but it doesn’t scare me. I’ve known you too long to think that you’re some evil man.”

“You’re right; Leo is the evil one. I’m the good one.” I wiggled my eyebrows, and Greer giggled. “Don’t tell anyone.”

She looked me up and down and shook her head. “I still firmly believe that you’ve been drinking tonight, Apollo. I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“Like what?” I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the closed door.

“Carefree. Nice? Happy?”

“I think I should be offended by that, but you’re probably more right than wrong. But I thought you said that you weren’t afraid of me?”

“I’m not,” she murmured. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not fully aware of what you are and what you do. Apollo Banachi, right-hand man to Leo Banachi. The family that runs Chicago.”

I nodded my head. I couldn’t deny anything she said. “That generally scares people.”

She shrugged her shoulders and looked up in the sky. “I’m not afraid of you, Apollo,” she said simply.

“You probably should be,” I warned. Most people who knew my name were scared.

Her gaze fell on me. “Trying to scare me off?”

I reached out and grabbed her hand. “No, but I don’t want you to make a decision that you’ll regret in the morning.” She talked like she knew me and knew what we were about to do, but I needed to be sure she really understood what I wanted from her.

“You’ve wanted me for eleven years, right?” she asked.

I nodded and pulled her into my arms. “Yes,” I growled.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her lips to my ear. “I’ve wanted you for twelve.”

“Since you were sixteen?” I growled.

She nodded her head. “You made my little teenage heart flutter whenever you were around.”

I had noticed back then, but I didn’t realize what she was to me until her seventeenth birthday.

My fingers delved into her long, mahogany hair, and I tipped her head back. “Once I have you, I’m not going to let you go, Greer. I’m a man who is very possessive of what belongs to him.” For years I had watched her be everything but mine. I was done watching her.

“That terrifies and excites me all at once,” she whispered. Her eyes were dilated, and a blush was rising on her cheeks.

The car pulled up in the rear-drive. “This is your last chance to run, Greer,” I said, nodding over her shoulder at the vehicle.

She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to mine. “Stop trying to change my mind, Apollo, and get in the car.”

“I think that’s supposed to be my line.” I thought this was going to be much harder than it was turning out to be. I had a slight inclination that Greer wanted me, but I figured there would be some persuading her to be mine.

She stepped back and held her hand out to me. “Stop trying to be the white knight you think I need, and just give me the man that I’ve wanted.”

Trey got out of the car and opened the rear passenger door. Greer wiggled her fingers at me, and I did the thing I’ve been dying to do. I grabbed her hand and decided that nothing else mattered but Greer tonight.

She wanted me, and I was going to give her exactly what she wanted.

It was time to take Greer.

Three

Greer

Apollo helped me into the car, and it felt like my heart was in my throat, and I couldn’t breathe. This was actually happening, and I knew I needed to remember every moment of this night because I knew I might never have it again.

I glanced out the door and listened to Apollo talk to his driver. Apollo lived a much more lavish life than I was used to. While Kane and I always had everything we wanted growing up, Apollo took that extravagance to the next level. The life he lived gave him access to things that I could never imagine having. A driver, for one, was something that wasn’t in my monthly budget.

Kane had started up a law firm right out of college, and he became a success in no time. I was his secretary, and while he made the big bucks of the family, I had to say that my paycheck was nothing to laugh at either. It afforded me a two-bedroom apartment in downtown Chicago, a car that was paid off, and a wardrobe that any socialite in the city would love to have. Kane made sure I was paid well even though I was just a secretary.

Apollo slid into the car and rested his hand on my thigh. “Second thoughts?” he asked as the car glided along the driveway to the front of the MGM.

“No, although I’m sure the fireworks are going to be amazing.” The wall of floor-to-ceiling windows in the ballroom was going to make a fantastic place to watch the fireworks at midnight. Too bad I wasn’t going to be there to enjoy it.

“I promise we’ll make our own fireworks tonight, Greer.” Apollo’s hand moved up my thigh, and his arm wound around my waist as he turned in his seat.

All thought of the midnight fireworks fled as his mouth assaulted my neck. Kissing, licking, and nipping my skin while his hands roamed over my body. “Apollo,” I moaned as I delved my fingers into his pitch-black hair to hold on.

“Why the fuck did I wait so long?” he growled. His hands grabbed my butt and pulled me into his lap. “The dress is hot as fuck, Greer, but it’s keeping me from seeing that gorgeous body underneath.” His hands slid up my back, searching for the zipper.

“Do we plan on getting out of the car?” I asked.

“Yes,” he growled against my skin.

I laughed and melted into his touch. “Then you better leave my dress on, unless you want me to ride the elevator naked up to your room.” Though if he would have taken me right here, I wouldn’t have whispered a word of resistance. Whatever Apollo wanted tonight, I wanted, too.

Apollo’s hands froze. “The only thing you are going to ride naked is me,” he promised.

“Then I suggest you not unzip my zipper, which, by the way, is on the side. Once the dress comes off, it’ll take three men and an act of God to get it back on.” It had taken Kent three tries and a running start to get the zipper pulled up back in the hotel room. Once this dress was off, it was off for good.

“Then I guess I’ll have to figure out another way to touch you since there isn’t a chance in hell I’ll let anyone see you naked but me.” His hand skimmed down my leg, grabbed the hem of my dress, and slowly pulled it up, revealing my tanned legs. “Every summer, you wear these shorts,” he murmured as he ran his hand up and down my calf. “So fucking short that the fucking pockets hang out of the bottom. All I can think about when I see you in them is bending you over, yanking them down your legs, and fucking the hell out of you.” His hand glided up the inside of my leg, brushed against my satin panties, and a tremor rocked my body.

“I wish I would have brought them with me,” I moaned. I knew the shorts he was talking about. They were short, and the only time I ever wore them was when I knew he was going to be around.

“Don’t worry, sweet Greer. I have plans for you and those shorts when we get back to Chicago,” he whispered in my ear.

My heart lifted with the hope that this really wouldn’t be one night and that Apollo and I might actually be together. “I’ll make sure to keep my schedule open,” I gasped as he nipped my earlobe.

“Good girl,” he growled.

“How much longer until we get to the hotel?” I gasped as his hand cupped my pussy. My god, this man was too much.

Apollo glanced out the window. “A couple more minutes,” he mumbled as his fingers brushed aside my panties. His fingers deftly parted the folds of my pussy, and I moaned as he barely touched my clit.

I was going out of my mind. Never had I imagined that this was how I would be ringing in the New Year. My body draped across Apollo Banachi, while his fingers did wicked things to me, was the perfect beginning to the new year. He barely touched me, but I was ready to go off like a firecracker in his arms. “Please,” I breathed out.

“I’m going to make you come all over my hand before this car stops.”

“But…we’re almost…there,” I stuttered. I needed more time enjoying his touch before it was over. I needed time to stand still and live in this moment forever.

“The door doesn’t open until you give me what I want.” He pinched my clit between his fingers, sending a bite of pain along with a wave of desire. He turned my head, his lips capturing mine. His hand delved in my hair, held me close while his lips claimed me, and his fingers drove me closer to the edge.

I closed my eyes, allowing my senses to feel everything at once. Apollo’s fingers were building me up, playing me like a game of chess, making moves to make me his. “We’re almost there, Greer. Give it to me,” he urged as his fingers sped up.

Just as he pinched my clit again, he gently bit down on my bottom lip, throwing me into a sea of ecstasy. His fingers continued to gently stroke my clit, while he mumbled against my mouth. “Fucking beautiful,” he growled. “I can’t wait to feel your tight pussy grabbing my dick like a vise when I make you come again.”

His words sent another tremor through my body, and my anticipation built even as I was still coming down from my first orgasm. “Please, stop,” I pleaded. I wanted more, but I preferred to be in Apollo’s bed the next time I came.

He pressed one last kiss to my lips and slid my panties back in place. “If I touch you any more, I’m going to take you right here and not care about the consequences.” Apollo pulled my dress down and gently slid me next to him. “Don’t look at me like that, Greer. I’m standing on the edge of losing myself in you, and when that happens, I prefer it not to be in the back of my car. Although that does have the potential for a later time.”

Apollo opened the door and stepped out in one motion. He held his hand out to me, and I felt my heart flutter at his mention of car sex later. Each word he spoke, I committed to memory.

“Greer, take my damn hand. Put me out of my fucking misery. Your sexy coyness is seriously going to be the death of me,” he growled low.

I wasn’t being coy. I was still in shock by the fact that I was here at this moment. I had just came all over his hand, and he was expecting me to get out of the car, let alone actually form a coherent thought.

I grabbed his hand, and his calloused fingers gently squeezed my hand and intertwined with my fingers as he pulled me from the car. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. I normally was able to keep my cool around Apollo, but that was back when he didn’t touch me. When I thought he didn’t see me as anything more than his friend’s sister.

His hand reached up and cupped my cheek. “Don’t apologize, Greer. I’m an ass because something I’ve wanted for so long is about to be mine, and I’ve lost my patience entirely.” His thumb brushed across my cheek. “If you’d let me, I’d take you against this car right now.”

A fire burned through me at his words. I swallowed hard, my eyes never leaving his. “I’m pretty sure I’d let you,” I whispered. I would—no doubt about it.

Apollo hissed, pressed a hard kiss to my lips, and spun around. “You’re adding to my list of things I want to do to you, Greer.”

I gulped, wondering if he just added sex in public to the list, and let him tug me towards the front entrance. As long as he was involved, I would be game. I knew Apollo would never do anything to me that wouldn’t be amazing. “What exactly did you just add to the list?” I asked as Apollo headed straight to the bank of elevators and pressed the button to call for one.

Apollo smirked and shook his head. “You’ll find out when it happens, sweet Greer.”

“I like when you call me that,” I mumbled as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Thankfully there was no one in the elevator, and no one else was wanting to go up with us. The doors slid shut behind us as Apollo hit the button for the fifteenth floor then pressed me against the wall.

“I’ve always thought of you like that, sweet Greer. Now I know it’s the truth. I’ve never tasted anything sweeter than you.” He caged me in with his arms and leaned into me. “I think you’ve created an addiction that I’ll never be able to satisfy.”

His lips devoured mine before I could even form a coherent thought. My hands went to the buttons on his suit, slightly fumbling till I managed to slip them loose. I pushed his jacket open, and my hands slid up his chest, feeling his rock hard body beneath. “I’ve always loved the way you look in a suit, but I’m dying to know what you look like without it.”

Apollo glanced over his shoulder. “Five more floors, and you won’t be wondering anymore.”

I pushed his jacket off his shoulders and dropped it to the floor. “Can we add elevator sex to your list?” I purred. My fingers worked his bowtie loose and tugged it off. Just as I had the top two buttons of his shirt worked open, the elevator dinged, and the doors glided open.

“It’s been moved to the top of the list,” he promised. He grabbed his jacket off the floor, tossed it over his shoulder, and grabbed my hand. “Tomorrow, we start whittling down the list. Tonight, I just need to lose myself in your body.”

“Can you please stop saying things like that,” I murmured as Apollo pulled me down the hallway. “At least wait until we get into the room,” I whined. Never did I think I would hear Apollo say anything like that to me.

“That’s not even half of the things that are running through my mind right now, Greer. That’s just the condensed version.”

We stopped in front of room 1509, and Apollo slid the card into the door. “I should have told Kent I was leaving,” I mumbled as I stepped into Apollo’s room. Everything had happened so fast. One minute I was begging Kent not to leave my side, and now I was standing in Apollo’s hotel room on the fifteenth floor. Whoa.

“I’ll let one of my men know. They’ll find Kent and tell him.” Apollo pulled his phone out of his pocket and put it to his ear.

I walked over to the huge window on one side of the large room and looked down at the strip. Apollo would solve my problem so efficiently and quickly.

Tons of people were milling around down below us, proving the fact that Las Vegas never slept.

“Oh,” I gasped. “What time is it?” I whirled around, looking for a clock, and my eyes fell to the clock on one of the end tables.

“What’s wrong?” Apollo asked as he tossed his phone on the bed and walked over to me. He wrapped his arms around me, and I tilted my head back to look up at him. Even with four-inch heels on, Apollo still was a good three inches taller than me.

“It’s almost midnight,” I said, nodding at the clock.

“So it is,” Apollo mumbled. “I completely forgot it was New Year’s Eve.” His hands rubbed my back. “It feels more like Christmas morning.”

“Really?”

“Yup. You’re the present I’ve wanted all year, and now I finally get to unwrap you.” Apollo found the zipper on the side of my dress and slowly inched it down.

“When do I get to finish unwrapping you?” I asked.

My dress loosened on me, and Apollo pushed the strap of the dress off of my shoulder. He pressed a kiss to the crook of my neck, and I tilted my head to the right.

“As soon as I finish unwrapping you. I’m an impatient man tonight, Greer.” He slid the other shoulder of the dress off, and the black and green fabric pooled around my feet. “Happy New Year to me,” he mumbled under his breath.

I was wearing a black, satin strapless bra with matching black panties that were now soaked through with need for Apollo. He reached up, unbuttoning the rest of the buttons on his crisp dress shirt, and shrugged it off his shoulders.

“I said I wanted to unwrap you, but I think watching you strip for me is even better,” I hummed as he pulled his white undershirt over his head and tossed it on the floor.

I hadn’t seen Apollo with his shirt off since I was sixteen. That was also the summer I fell helplessly in love with him. Before he even noticed me. “Do you remember that summer we spent at the lake?” I asked as his hands went to the button of his pants.

“You mean the summer I started having inappropriate thoughts about a sixteen-year-old?” Apollo smirked.

“You weren’t the only one with inappropriate thoughts that summer.” Every night I’d gone to bed, dreaming of Apollo and hoping he would notice me. It was crazy to know now that he was seeing me differently then than I thought he did.

“Just added going to that cabin for the summer and doing everything I wanted to do to you back then.” Apollo toed off his shoes and pulled his pants down his legs.

“I think I should probably write down everything we keep adding to our list,” I laughed. It was getting longer by the second, and I wanted to make sure we didn’t miss anything.

“It’s all up here, sweet Greer,” Apollo said as he tapped a finger to the side of his head. “I’ve been making a list for the past eleven years.”

“You mean there’s more to the list than the things we’ve said tonight?” I wondered what else Apollo had on the magical list of naughty things.

“Tons, Greer.” Apollo nodded over my shoulder. “It looks like you won’t miss those fireworks after all.”

I glanced over my shoulder and saw the sky was lit up with huge sprays of gold, green, and purple fireworks. “Wow,” I gasped. Apollo’s hotel room was so high that it felt like I could reach out the window and touch the fireworks.

Apollo spun me around, so I was facing the window, and he wrapped his arms around me. “Happy New Year, sweet Greer,” he whispered in my ear. His hands traveled over my body, distracting me from the fireworks. “They say who you start the new year with is who you’ll end the year with.”

“Really, is that what they say?” I leaned my head back on Apollo’s shoulder and enjoyed being in his arms. I had wanted this for so long, and I was finally getting it.

“It’s what I hear,” he murmured. “As much as I like watching the fireworks with you, we’re going to have to move this to the bed, or I’m going to have to fuck you against the window.”

“The bed sounds nice,” I sighed as Apollo rained kisses down the side of my neck. “But anywhere with you sounds nice. It might be amazing to have you and be able to watch the fireworks at the same time.”

Apollo growled and spun me back around to face him. “You’re definitely going to be good for my ego, Greer.”

“I don’t know if that’s going to be a good thing,” I laughed. “You and your ego can barely fit in the room the way it is. I might need to bring  you down a few notches.” I was in love with Apollo, but that didn’t mean I was blind to everything he was. He was cocky and full of himself, and at times was a bit too much. But that was Apollo. That was what I loved.

“I’d like to see you try,” he said as he shook his head. “Except you can try tomorrow. Tonight you can stroke my ego all you want.”

“I’m sure that isn’t the only thing you’d like me to stroke tonight.” I trailed my hand down his chiseled chest and grabbed his cock through his silk boxers. “I always pinned you for being a boxer man.”

“So you’ve thought about me in my underwear before?” he smirked.

I stroked his long, hard cock, and quirked my eyebrow. “For about two seconds, and then I imagine you taking them off.”

“Well, it’s time to put your imagination to rest.”

I squeaked as Apollo grabbed my ass, lifted, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He strode over to the bed, tossed me down on it, and stepped back.

His hands went to the waistband of his boxers.

“Wait!” I shouted, holding up my hand. I pushed my hair out of my face and rested back on my elbows. “I’m ready now.” I needed my full attention on Apollo. Nothing was going to distract me from this.

Apollo shook his head and yanked down his boxers. “Enjoying the show, sweet Greer?”

I dumbly nodded my head, rendered speechless by the sight in front of me.

Apollo Banachi had always been an enigma to me, but now, seeing him in front of me, he was a god. My jaw had dropped open, and all I could do was stare. From the floor up, he was the epitome of perfection. My eyes scrambled to look at him all at once.

His legs were muscled and powerful with his wide stance, and his long, thick cock hung between his thighs.

“Wow.”

Apollo stroked his cock and nodded at me. “Bra and panties off, now,” he ordered.

I didn’t move. I couldn’t. The man I’d dreamed about forever was now standing in front of me, and I was paralyzed. Apollo shook his head and stalked to the bed. He reached out, grabbed me by the ankle, and pulled me down the bed. “You’re not listening, Greer,” he growled. He hooked his thumbs in the waist of my panties and tugged them down my legs. “You don’t want to know what happens when people don’t listen to me,” he warned.

“Are the people who don’t listen to you normally naked when you have to threaten them?” I giggled.

“No. I’d rather not see my associates naked.” He climbed up the bed, covering me with his body. “You’re the only one I want to see naked, Greer.” He grabbed my wrists and held my arms over my head. I arched my back, eager to touch his body, and groaned when he moved away from me. “Your punishment might be a bit different than theirs.”

“Punishment?” I asked as I swallowed hard. That word should have scared me, but all it did was excite me.

Apollo looked into my eyes, and I knew that we were about to enter a whole new territory for me. “You’ve known me forever, Greer. You have to know that I’m a man who gets what he wants, right?”

I nodded my head. Only a fool wouldn’t know that.

“Why didn’t you take off your panties when I told you to?” he asked.

“I… I…” I stammered. I was pretty much dumbstruck.

“It’s time for you to learn what kind of man I really am.” He let go of my wrists, but I kept them over my head because I felt that if I moved them, I would find out even more what kind of punishment he had in mind. He pulled the cups of my bra down, and he lowered his head over my breast. “No touching me,” he ordered, “and you don’t move unless I tell you to.”

My body shivered at his words, and I knew the kind of punishment he had in mind was going to be the delicious kind. “Apollo, please,” I begged as his mouth hovered over my breast. His breath caressed my skin like a light tease, making me ask for more. “Let me move,” I pleaded.

He looked up at me, his eyes dark with desire. “Move, and this becomes an entirely different kind of punishment. The kind that ends with you over my knee.” I knew his words weren’t an empty threat.

“I think that should be added to the list,” I whispered.

“It’s been there,” he growled.

“I think we’re going to be in bed for days trying to finish everything on that list,” I whispered. Apollo and I weren’t going to surface from this room for a very long time.

“That’s the plan, Greer.” He tilted his head back down. “No moving,” he reminded.

He placed a kiss on the side of my breast, and a tremor rocked my body. I was moments away from coming again, and he was barely touching me. This would be over quickly if I didn’t get a handle on my need for Apollo.

“This isn’t fair,” I gasped. All I wanted to do was run my fingers over his body and finally touch him.

“I’m not into fair. I’m into getting what I want,” he mumbled. He sucked my nipple into his mouth while his hand pinched the other one. He rolled my nipple between his fingers while his mouth sucked, nipped, and licked.

“I need more,” I begged.

His fingers released my nipple and snaked down my stomach, and cupped my pussy. His fingers deftly parted my wet lips, and his fingers sunk into me. “This?” he asked.

“Yes, please.”

“I love when you beg, Greer. I love it even more when you’re begging for me to touch you.” His finger stroked my clit, and it took everything in me not to fly off of the bed. I slammed my eyes shut and concentrated on anything but what Apollo was doing to me.

He kissed his way down my body, the cold air hitting my breast. “I’ve dreamed of what you would taste like, Greer. You’re sweeter than I imagined.” His fingers spread apart the lips of my pussy and his tongue flicked my clit. “I could spend the rest of the night here and still want you.”

I moaned as he sucked my clit into his mouth, and my hips lifted off of the bed. I wasn’t in control of my body anymore. Apollo took over my body, and all I could do was lie there and let him have his way.

His fingers pumped in and out of me, driving me insane while his tongue devoured my clit. With each flick of his tongue, combined with the magic his fingers were working, I exploded on his tongue, my hips bucking with each thrust of his fingers.

“Your body belongs to me, Greer. No one can give you what I can,” he growled. He pressed a kiss to the inside of each of my thighs and slid up my body. “Every touch I can feel you responding to me.” He pressed his lips to mine, and I could taste myself on his tongue as his hands roamed over my body and up my arms. He pulled my arms down, and I wrapped them around his neck. I held on as he rocked his hips into me, and I moaned as I delved my fingers into his hair.

“Apollo,” I gasped as he pulled away. “What are you doing to me?”

“Making you mine so you’ll never want anyone else.”

My heart soared, and I knew that this was precisely what I wanted.

Apollo Banachi wanted me and no one else.

Four

Apollo

Greer had her eyes closed, and I knew that I was as close to heaven as I would ever get. I knew I wasn’t a good man, but Greer Cassidy was going to be my saving grace.

Her body was perfect, and I knew that she was going to fit me perfectly. “Sit up,” I ordered as I sat back.

She slowly sat up, a dazed and content look on her face, and it made me damn proud to know that I was the man who put that look on her face. I reached around, unhooked the clasp of her bra, and tossed it on the floor. She sat before me, and I felt like a man who had been starved for over a decade, and I was finally able to eat.

“You’re too good for me, sweet Greer.” I knew that hundreds of men were more worthy of Greer, but I was too selfish to let her go. I had waited too long for this moment, and I was going to have her for the rest of my life.

“Nothing is too good for you.” She cupped her breasts in her hands. “I’m pretty sure we were made for each other.”

I wasn’t going to argue with her about that. If she thought that I was good enough for her, I wasn’t going to talk her out of it. “Lie down back down, let me look at you.”

She laid down, her hands still on her breasts. “I’ll do whatever you want me to,” she rasped.

She lay before me, and it took all my willpower not to toss her legs over my shoulders and pound the shit out of her. Greer had always been the one thing that could break me, and I knew tonight would be the night I would leave this room a broken man who would never be put back together the same again. Greer Cassidy was the only thing that would make me whole from now on.

“Touch yourself for me. I want to see your fingers on that wet pussy.”

Her hands glided down her body, and her fingers parted the lips of her pussy. Her clit glistened as I watched her fingers rub over it. I glanced up, her eyes on me. “You have no idea how many times I’ve done this and pictured you in my mind having your way with me.”

“You touch yourself when you think of me?” I growled. I wanted to puff my chest out and pound on it like a crazed man. This gorgeous woman before me was mine before I had even touched her. I was what she wanted when I wasn’t even there.

“Every night,” she gasped as she pinched her clit between her fingers.

“Put two fingers inside of you,” I ordered. She pumped two fingers in and out of her tight hole while another finger slowly rubbed her clit.

I slowly stroked my cock in rhythm with her fingers plunging in and out of her. “You don’t even know what you’re doing to me, Greer. I can’t even think straight right now.”

She hummed low and arched her hips towards me. “Now, you know how I feel. You walk into a room, and all I can think about is you. Having you naked in front of me and not being able to touch you is driving me crazy. I need you, Apollo.”

Something snapped in me. The thing that had been holding me back for eleven years finally broke. I covered her body with mine and sunk into her in one swift motion.

Her breath rushed out from her lips, and she slammed her eyes shut. “Yes,” she moaned.

I planted so far into her; I couldn’t tell where I ended and where she began anymore. We were now one, and there was nothing that was going to tear us apart. I caged her in with my arms and slowly pulled out of her tight pussy. I could feel the walls of her pussy, gripping me like a vise. “Fucking hell,” I growled.

“Don’t pull out,” she gasped.

“Never,” I growled as I plunged back into her.

“I’m close,” she breathed. “How the hell am I close again? What are you doing to me?” she asked bewildered.

Her pussy milked my cock as I plunged in and out of her. I had no answer for her because I was so far gone that there was no way I could form a sentence longer than three words. “Because you’re mine,” I growled. That was all there was to it. Nothing else mattered except for the feel of Greer’s body surrounding me.

“Yes, yes…” Greer chanted over and over. She wound her arms around my neck and put her knees up, spreading her legs further apart.

I didn’t think it was possible, but I sunk even further the next time I plunged into her. “Fuck me, Greer,” I moaned. I leaned back, grabbed her knees, and used them as leverage for me to pound into her. “Come. I need you to come with me.” I reached down, flicked her clit, and felt the walls of her pussy pulse around me.

“Apollo,” she screamed as her orgasm slammed into her.

I plunged one last time into her, and I filled her tight pussy with every last drop of come. “Mine. Fucking mine,” I vowed.

“Only if you’re mine, too,” she gasped. Her eyes were closed, and there was a small smile on her lips.

“Open your eyes, Greer,” I ordered. I knew that what she said, she really wondered. I wasn’t a saint all of those years waiting for Greer, and she knew it.

She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me. “You’re going to have to give me at least five minutes, Pol.”

I smirked. “You haven’t called me Pol since we were kids.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I didn’t feel like Pol fit the mafia mob boss anymore.”

I shook my head. “That’s not me when I’m in this bed with you. Hell, that’s not me when I’m with you anywhere. You always have the ability to take me back to before my life changed, and I started working for Leo.”

“I thought you and Leo were more like equals even though you’re his right-hand man.”

I shook my head. “No, we’re not.”

“Oh. I guess I’m going to have to learn all of this, aren’t I?”

“It would make things a bit easier for you.” I brushed her hair off of her shoulder and looked down at her. “But back to you asking if I belong to you.” Her body stiffened under me, and I knew she thought I would break things off with her. “I’ve been yours since the first day I met you, Greer. I haven’t been a saint all of these years, and I know it makes me sound like an ass, but it was always you, no matter who I was with.”

“But, then why did you wait for so long?” she asked quietly.

“Because I’m not the right man for you, Greer. You deserve someone who doesn’t have the blood of another man on his hands and is on the right side of the law.”

She looked up at me and shook her head. “Sometimes there has to be the anti-hero who really is a hero, but has to do the wrong things to be good.”

“I’m far from good. Every man I meet knows about me before they even speak. My reputation is anything but a hero, Greer.” I shouldn’t have done this. Greer and I should never have happened, but I couldn’t resist her any longer. Our age difference was just the tip of the iceberg of why we shouldn’t be together. I was a bad man who didn’t deserve a single ounce of goodness.

“This is my choice to be here, Pol. I walked into your room tonight with my eyes wide open. I don’t have visions of you stopping what you’re doing for me. And, everything you do isn’t all bad. You deal with the side of the city that the law turns a blind eye to. I know how I want my life to go, and it isn’t a hero I want. It’s the anti-hero who has flaws and sometimes does the wrong thing, but it’s only to right a wrong that was done in the first place.”

I sighed and shook my head. “I don’t know how you can see me like that, Greer.”

“Because I’ve loved you since I was fifteen, Pol, and I know that I could never love someone bad.”

Her words slammed into me. “Don’t say that, Greer. You can’t love me.” She couldn’t love me. I knew I wasn’t worthy of the kind of love that she was willing to give me.

Greer sat up, threaded her fingers through my hair, and pulled me close. She kissed me lightly on the lips and looked me in the eye. “You’re not going to change my mind, Pol. I’ve waited for this for years. Twelve years of seeing you with different women, wishing I were them, and thinking that I could never have you. I loved you back then. I loved you tonight when you walked into the gala, and I’ll love you tomorrow and every day after. I love you, and you’re just going to have to deal with it.”

“You’re telling me to just deal with it?” I chuckled.

She nodded her head.

“Normally, I’m the one telling people to deal with it.”

She smiled softly. “Then I guess it’s time the tables were turned.”

“I have a feeling you’re going to keep me on my toes, Greer.” There was no doubt about it. Greer may be the light to my darkness, but she wasn’t going to be a pushover who does anything I say.

She pressed another kiss to my lips. “I think we’re both going to be on our toes.”

I wrapped my arms around her, pulled her close, and rolled over with her with me. She laid on top of me, our bodies flush, and she looked down at me.

Her hair cascaded around her face, and I knew I was looking into the face of my future.

“I love you, Pol,” she whispered.

Fuck me.

She fucking loved me.

I may not be the best man in the world, but with Greer Cassidy loving me, I knew I would forever strive to be the man she deserved.

“I love you, too, Greer.”

The End

Want more Greer and Apollo?

Check out the Devil’s Knights 2nd Gen.

About the Author

Winter Travers is a devoted wife, mother, and aunt-turned author born and raised in Wisconsin. After a brief stint in South Carolina following her heart to chase the man who is now her hubby, they retreated back up North to the changing seasons and the place they now call home.

Winter spends her days writing happily ever afters and her nights being a karate mom hauling her kid to practices and tournaments. She also has an addiction to anything MC related, her puppies, and Mexican food! (Tamales!)

Winter loves to stay connected with her readers. Don’t hesitate to reach out and contact her.

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Coming Soon

Royal Mess

Devil’s Knights MC, 2nd Gen

Book 3

January 29th, 2021

Livin’ on the Edge

Kings of Vengeance MC

Book 6

March 29th, 2021

Monk

Royal Bastards MC: Sacramento, CA

Book 3

April 27th, 2021

See where the Banachi’s came into the picture…

Loving Lo

Devil’s Knights MC

Book 1

Chapter 1

Meg

How did just stopping quickly to get dog food and shampoo turn into an overflowing basket and a surplus pack of paper towels?

“Put the paper towels down and back away slowly,” I mumbled to myself as I walked past a display of air fresheners and wondered if I needed any.

“Oh, dear. Oh, my. I … Ah … Oh, my.”

I tore my thoughts away from air fresheners and looked down the aisle to an older woman who was leaning against the shelf, fanning herself. “Are you ok, ma‘am?”

“Oh, dear. I just … I just got a little … dizzy. ” I looked at the woman and saw her hands shaking as she brushed her white hair out of her face. The woman had on denim capris and a white button-down short-sleeve shirt, and surprisingly three-inch wedge heels. 

“Ok, well, why don’t we try to find you a place to sit down until you get your bearings?” I shifted the basket and paper towels under one arm to help her to the bench that I had seen by the shoe rack two aisles over. “Are you here with anyone?” I asked as I guided her down the aisle.

“Oh, no. I’m here by myself. I just needed a few things.”

“I only needed two things, and now my basket is overflowing, and I still haven’t gotten the things I came in for.”

The woman plopped down on the bench, chuckling, shaking her head. “Tell me about it. Happens to me every time too.”

“Is there something I can do for you? Has this happened to you before?” She was looking rather pale.

“Unfortunately, yes. I ran out of the house today without eating breakfast. I’m diabetic. I should know by now that I can’t do that.” My mom was also diabetic, so I knew exactly what the woman was talking about.  Luckily, I even knew what to do to help.

“Just sit right here, and I’ll be right back. Is there someone you want to call to give you a ride home? Driving right now probably isn’t the best idea.” I set the basket and towels on the floor, keeping my wallet in my hand.

“I suppose I should call my son. He should be able to give me a ride,” the woman said as she dug her phone out of her purse.

I left the woman to her phone call and headed to the candy aisle that I had been trying to ignore.  I grabbed a bag of licorice, chips, and a diet soda and went to the checkout. The dollar store didn’t offer a healthy selection, but this would do in a pinch. The woman just needed to get her blood sugars back up.

I grabbed my things after paying and headed back to the bench. I ripped open the bag and handed it to the woman. “Oh dear, you didn’t have to buy that. I could have given you money.”

“Don’t worry about it. I hope if this happened to my mom, there would be someone to help her if I wasn’t around.”

“Well, that’s nice. My name is Ethel Birch, by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Ethel. I’m Meg Grain. I also got you some chips and soda.” I popped opened the soda and handed it to Ethel.

“Oh, thank you, honey. My son is on the way here; it should be only five minutes. You can get going if you want to. You don’t need to sit with an old woman,” Ethel said as she ate a piece of candy and took a slug of soda.

“No problem. The only plans I had today was to take a nap before work tonight. Delaying my plans by ten minutes won’t be a problem.”

“Well, in that case, you can help me eat this licorice. It’s my favorite, but I shouldn’t eat this all by myself. Where do you work?” Ethel asked as she offered the bag to me.

“The factory right outside of town. I work in the warehouse, second shift.” I grabbed a piece and sat down on the floor. If I was going to wait for Ethel’s son to show up, I might as well be comfortable while I waited for him.

“Really? Never would have thought that. Figured you would have said a nurse or something like that. It seems like you would have to be tough to work in a warehouse. Sounds like a man’s job.”

I laughed. “Honestly, Ethel, that is not the first time I have heard that, and it probably won't be the last. You need a certain attitude to deal with those truckers walking through the door. I have an awesome co-worker, so he helps out when truckers have a problem with a woman loading their truck.”

“Sounds like you give them hell. My Tim was a trucker before he passed. I know exactly what you are talking about.” Ethel took another drink of her soda and set it on the bench next to her.

“Feeling better?”

“Surprisingly, yes. It’s a wonder what a little candy can do. How much do I owe you?” Ethel asked as she reached for her purse by her feet.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad that I was here to help.”

“Mom! Where are you?” Someone yelled from the front of the store.

“Oh good, Lo’s here. You’ll have to meet him.” Ethel cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled to him she was in the back.

I started getting up off the floor and remembered I wasn’t exactly as flexible as I use to be while struggling to get up.

“Ma, you ok?” I was halfway to standing with my butt in the air when his voice made me pause.

It sounded like the man was gurgling broken glass when he spoke. Raspy and so sexy. Those three words he spoke sent shocks to my core. Lord knows the last time I felt anything in my core.

“Yes, I’m fine. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning and started to get dizzy when Meg here was nice enough to help me out until you could get here.” Ethel turned to me. “Lo, this is Meg. Meg, this is Lo.”

Oh lord.

I couldn’t talk. The man standing in front of me was … oh, lord.  I couldn’t even think of a word to describe him. 

I looked him up and down, and I’m sure my mouth was hanging wide open.  I took in his scuffed up motorcycle boots and faded, stained, ripped jeans that hugged his thighs, and made me want to ask the man to spin so I could see what those jeans were doing for his ass. I moved my eyes up to his t-shirt that was tight around his shoulders and chest and showed he worked out.

I couldn’t remember the last time I worked out. Did walking to the mailbox count as exercise? Of course, I only remembered to get the mail about twice a week, so that probably didn’t count.

His arms were covered in tattoos. I could see them peeking out from the collar of his shirt and could only imagine what he looked like with his shirt off. Tattoos were my ultimate addiction on a man. Even one tattoo added at least 10 points to a man’s hotness. This guy was off the fucking charts.

My eyes locked with his after my fantastic voyage up his body, and I stopped breathing.

“Hey, Meg. See something you like, darlin’?” Lo rumbled at me with a smirk on his face.

Busted. I sucked air back into my lungs and tried to remember how to breathe.

Lo’s eyes were the color of fresh-cut grass, bright green. His hair was jet black and cut close to his head with a pair of kick-ass aviators perched on top. He was golden tan and gorgeous. The man was sex on a stick. Plain and simple.

“Uh, hey,” I choked out.

Lo’s lips curved up into a grin, and I looked down to see if my panties fell off. The man had a panty-dropping smile, and he wasn’t even smiling that big. I would have to take cover or risk fainting if he smiled any bigger.

“Thanks for looking after my ma for me. I’m glad I was in town today and not out on a run,” Lo said.

Ok. Get it together, Meg. You are a 36-year-old woman, and this man has rendered you speechless like a sixteen-year-old girl. I needed to say something.

“Say something,” I blurted out. Good Lord did I just say that. Lo quirked his eyebrow, and his smirk returned.

“Ugh, I mean no problem. I didn’t do that much. No problem.” I looked at Ethel while Lo was smirking at me; Ethel had a full-blown smile on her face and was beaming at me.

“You were a lifesaver. I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here.” Ethel looked at Lo and grinned even bigger. “You should have seen her, Lo. She knew just what to do to help me. I could have sworn she was a nurse the way she took charge. She’s not, though, just has a good head on her shoulders and decided to help this old lady out.”

“That’s good, Ma. You got all your shit you need so we can get going? I got some stuff going on at the garage that I dropped to get over here fast.”

I took that as my cue to leave, ripped my eyes off Lo, and bent over to get my basket and paper towels.

“Yes, son, that’s my stuff right here. I just want to get Meg’s number before she leaves.”

“Why do you need my number?” I asked as I juggled my basket and towels.

Ethel grabbed her purse off the ground and started digging through it again. “Well, you won’t let me pay you back for the snacks you got for me, so I figured I could pay you back by inviting you over for dinner sometime. So what’s your number, sweetheart?”

“I don’t eat dinner,” I blurted out. I was going to have to talk with my brain and mouth when I got home. They needed to get their shit together and start working in unison so that I wouldn’t sound like such an idiot.

“You don’t eat dinner? Please don’t tell me you're on a diet.” Lo said as he looked me up and down.

“No,” I said. Lord knew I should be.

Lo and Ethel just stared at me.

“So, no, you don’t eat dinner?” Lo asked again.

“Yes. I mean, no, I’m not on a diet. Yes, I eat dinner. I just work at night, so I meant that I wouldn’t be able to come to dinner.” I looked at Lo and blushed about ten shades of red. “Why is this so hard?”

“What’s hard, sweetheart? Can’t remember your phone number? I can barely remember mine too. Don’t worry about not being able to make it to dinner; I can have you over for lunch. You eat lunch, right?” Ethel asked with a smirk on her face. Lo had a full-blown smile on his face. Even his eyes were smiling at me. That smile ought to be illegal.

I could see where Lo got his looks from. With Lo and Ethel standing next to each other, I could see the resemblance, especially when they were both smirking.

I had to get out of here. I’m usually the one with the one-liners and making everyone laugh; now, I couldn’t even put two words together.

“Lunch would be good.” I rattled off my number, and Ethel jotted it down.

“Ok, sweetheart, I’ll let you get your nap. I’ll give you a call later, and we can figure out a day we can get together.” Ethel shoved the pen and paper back in her bag and leaned into me for a hug.

I awkwardly hugged her back and patted her on the shoulder. “Sounds good. Have a good day, Ethel. Uh, it was nice meeting you, Lo,” I mumbled as my gaze wandered over Lo again.

“You too, Meg. See you around,” Lo replied.

I gave them both a jaunty wave and booked it to the checkout. Thankfully there wasn’t a line, and I quickly made my escape to my car. I threw my things in the trunk and hopped in. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket, plugged it into the radio, and turned on my chill playlist; the soothing sounds of Fleetwood Mac filled the car.

Music was the one thing in my life that had gotten me through so much shit. Good or bad, there was always a song that I could play, and it would make everything better. Right now, I just needed to unscramble my brain and get my bearings. Fleetwood Mac singing “Landslide” was helping.

I pulled out of the parking lot and headed home. All I needed was to forget about today. If Ethel called for lunch, I would say yes because she did remind me so much of mom, but I wasn’t going to let Lo enter my thoughts anymore. A woman like me did not register on his radar. He was better, just forgotten.

When I was halfway home, I realized I forgot about dog food and shampoo.

Shit.

======

Lo

I helped mom finish her shopping and loaded all her crap into the truck. I looked around the parking lot for Meg, hoping she hadn’t left yet so I could get another look at her. As soon as I saw her ass waving in the air as she struggled to stand up, I knew I had to be inside her.

It took all my willpower not to get a hard-on as her eyes ran over my body. Fucking chick was smoking’ hot and didn’t even know it.

“Thanks for coming to get me, Lo,” Ma said as she interrupted my thoughts about Meg.

“No problem, Ma. I’ll get one of the guys to bring your car to you later. Make sure it’s locked.” Ma dug her keys out of her huge ass purse and beeped the locks. We both got into the shop truck, and I started it up.

“Sure was nice of that Meg to help out. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”

“Yup, definitely nice of her.” I shifted the truck into drive, keeping my foot on the brake, knowing exactly where mom was headed with this.

“You should ask her out.” All I could do was shake my head and laugh.

 “Straight to the point, huh, Ma?”

“I’m old. I can say what I want. Meg is just the thing you need.”

“I didn’t know I needed anything.” I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to Ma’s house.

“You need someone in your life besides that club.” My mom grabbed her phone out of her purse and started fiddling with it.

“We’ll see, ma. Meg didn’t seem too thrilled with me.” She liked what she saw, but it was like she couldn’t get away from me quickly enough when she saw that Ma was going to be ok.

“Well, you are pretty intimidating, Lo. Thank goodness you didn’t wear your cut.”

My leather vest with my club rockers and patches was a part of me. “What the hell is wrong with my cut? If some bitch can’t handle me in my cut, she sure as shit doesn't belong with me,” I growled.

“Not what I meant, Lo. That girl has been hurt; you can see it in her eyes. You’ll have to be gentle with her.”

My phone dinged. I dug it out of my pocket and saw my mom had texted me. “You texted me her number, ma?”

“Use it, Logan, fix her,” she insisted.

I sighed and pulled into mom’s driveway. “Maybe she doesn’t want to be fixed, ma. Maybe she has a boyfriend.”

“She doesn’t. Call her, or I’ll do it for you,” she ordered.

I knew my mom’s threat wasn’t idle. She totally would call Meg and ask her out for me. Fuck. “I’ll help you get your shit inside, ma.”

“I’ll make you lunch, and then you can call Meg,”  Ma said, as she jumped out of the truck and grabbed some bags.

I watched her walk into her house and looked at the message she had sent me. I saved Meg’s number to my phone and grabbed the rest of Ma’s shit, and headed into the house.

It looked like I was calling Meg.

Grab your copy of Loving Lo.