“Yeah, well, obviously fate doesn’t agree.” Baby edged her way closer to Lucky. The magnetism between them drove her insane, rushing blood through her veins. She couldn’t be close enough. Her body longed to find out how close they would have to be to satisfy the ache.

Lucky reached out one hand and ran his index finger from the hem of leather rimming her firm breasts down her smooth stomach before settling at the knotted straps holding on her boy shorts. Goose bumps covered her flesh causing Lucky to smirk; his eyes were hungry for her. She knew it.

Chapter Ten

Lucky

It was obvious she was hiding something. Before Baby said a single word, he knew she was hard as stone. However, right now, she looked like she was falling apart at the seams. Something must have happened to rattle her. He could see the cracks forming in her rock hard shell, and all he wanted to do was be there to piece her back together.

Damn. This girl is seriously fucking with my head.

Baby Jade completely consumed him. From the moment he laid eyes on her, Lucky hadn’t been able to think of anyone or anything else. No one had ever gotten under his skin the way she did. Every time she walked into a room, he felt like he’d been sucker punched in the gut, and left gasping for air.

His body reacted to her in ways he wasn’t used to, involuntarily responding to her movement, her voice, her smell, and the most agonizing, her touch.

The way the two of them talked and opened up to one another about their painful pasts had blindsided Lucky. He told Baby Jade things he never told anyone before. He’d never opened up about the abortion to anyone. Carrie had wounded him. He swore he would never open his heart up to another woman, but damn if she hadn’t coaxed her way in, and now it was as if she was holding him hostage.

This day was one for the record books. He had been up all night worried about Baby after the run in with the jackass from the club, Slade. He woke up early with plans of heading over to make sure she was safe when his mother called. She had called a few times since he’d been back in town. He didn’t answer, letting it go to voicemail. He had no doubts it would sound exactly like the others, “James, this is your mother. Call me. We can discuss the upcoming meeting.” The board meeting that he was in town for was still a few days away. The thought of crossing the river made him want to punch something. He had nothing to say to any of the Gauthiers. He was going to cast his vote and walk away like he always did.

He tracked down Baby Jade’s address from a guy at Rodney’s who said he had delivered her pizza on his old route. When he found the place, he was shocked to see how run down it was. He would never tell her that though. She reminded him of himself, pity would only piss her off. She wasn’t looking for a handout or charity.

He beat on the door for what felt like an eternity before he heard her scream. His instincts kicked in and he knocked down the door to find that Baby had stubbed her toe on the bookshelf. He saved her from a fucking bookshelf.

Lucky stood in the middle of her living room red-faced and embarrassed while Baby ripped him a new one. Of course, it turned out to be one of the best mistakes he had ever made. He could still taste the sweet wine she had drank right before he licked her lips and explored her mouth with his tongue. When he touched her smooth skin, it left him feeling as if his fingertips were on fire.

The feelings were all coming to a head, leaving Lucky ready to combust. The heat and sexual tension. The confusion from the unexpected feelings. The anger and dread of having to see his parents again. The apprehension of the strip club scene.

As Baby stood in front of him looking good enough to eat, Lucky knew he was in trouble. He was spinning out of control. She had knocked him on his ass and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Chapter Eleven

Baby Jade

Baby all but panted while Lucky’s fingers dipped past the leather waist of her shorts. With every rise and fall of her chest, she became increasingly aware of the disappearing space between the two. She pressed her palms to his chest, closing the gap. Her lips remained parted as her heavy breaths landed on his neck. His fingers continued to delve deeper beyond her waistline.

And almost as quickly as it started, it stopped.

Lucky’s hands fell and his body went rigid. She looked up to find his face hard and lips pursed into a hard line. His narrowed eyes focused above her head. She followed his gaze across the room and landed on Slade, his broad shoulders filling the doorframe to the basement staircase. His lips curled into a sneer as he finished buckling his belt.

Lolli squeezed past him and planted a kiss on his neck, always playing right into his hands. The poor girl was his number one pawn and she had no idea. On the other hand, maybe she did and simply didn’t care. Too bad Lolli didn’t know what the price would be when he no longer needed her to play his game.

The way Slade fixated his stare on Baby, it was clear he wanted her to see the entire pathetic display. He traipsed across the room, and with his long legs, it didn’t take long. He smoothed his hair back and wrapped it with a hair tie. His Under Armour shirt looked three sizes too small. It was pulled snug across his chest and tucked into his tight jeans, the brand that Baby Jade unkindly referred to as “bedazzled.” She wanted to tell him how ridiculous he looked, but it was pointless. The more the girls fawned over him, the more it fed his ego.

“My girl. I was worried I wouldn’t see you tonight before I got a chance to ask if you received my gift,” Slade said, ignoring Lucky. His firm palms caressed her arms. Baby froze, unable to move as he looked down toward her face. It was happening exactly the way it had a dozen times before. “Baby. Look at me.” His words were short and gentle, yet full of command.

Powerless, she lifted her head until her green eyes met his cold blue ones, forgetting about Lucky standing directly behind her.

“I’ve missed you.” His hands still making their way up and down her arms, digging into her flesh as they reach the top, each time a little harder. “I know you’ve missed me too.”

His touch paralyzed Baby. All the tiny hairs on her arms stood on end. Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak. Everything seemed to be playing out in slow motion.

“I hope you liked your present. You know I’ll always take care of my girl, right?”

“What a crock of shit. You can’t be taking this asshole seriously?” Lucky moved to her side. Slade didn’t budge. It was his greatest weapon, treating others as if they were nobodies. Insignificant.

He leaned in with his hand on the back of her neck and whispered into Baby’s ear, causing her stomach to visibly lurch as she tried not to vomit. “I won’t wait long before I take matters into my own hands, love.” His hand slid from her neck around to the front and grazed the top of her leather corset, discreetly tucking another baggie of coke in between her breasts. His lips brushed her cheek, but before he had a chance to stand upright, Lucky shoved him in the shoulder.

For the first time, Slade eyeballed Lucky, laughing. He was almost twice his size. Looking at the two side by side, Slade oozed slime ball, all the way down to the oil he used to slick back his hair. There was no way he would be ok with someone as fuckable as Lucky working in the club.

“Son, you have lost your fucking mind. Who the hell are you to touch me?” Slade spewed in Lucky’s direction.

“I don’t give a shit who you are. Don’t touch the girls!” Lucky never cowered. He stood with legs planted shoulder width apart, balling his fists. His stance implied he wouldn’t be the first to back down. A couple of Slade’s goons from the crowd stepped forward, but he shot up his hand signaling for them to stop.