“Fuck that. I’m a cherry pie man or I’ll eat Pumpkin too. Either way, I’m all over it.”

Dozer smiles broadly after taking another bite. “Especially if it’s fresh and sweet like this.”

White-hot anger spears through me. I pull my hands from Ember and turning, I reach across the table, grab Dozer’s collar, and lean close into his face. “You just don’t know when to shut the fuck up, do you?”

“What?” He glares back at me. “Did I say somethin’ wrong?” He laughs. “Or is it ‘cause you don’t like where my mouth’s been?” Sneering, and rising from the bench, he says, “It must eat at you that I got a taste of her first.”

I jerk him forward so we’re nose to nose. “She’s made her choice though, hasn’t she? Now you’re stirrin’ up shit, because it wasn’t you.”

“Mav, stop!” Ember begs and I feel a tug on the back of my cut.

But it’s too fuckin’ late. This shit has been building between Dozer and me for a while. It’s about time it comes to a head. Especially now. He started this shit out here in front of everyone and it needs to end here too. Doll doesn’t realize that in my world when someone blatantly disrespects you, you can’t let that shit go unanswered.

His eyes move from me to Ember. “He’s only ever treated you like trash. Can’t you see that?”

I shove him back. Growling, I say, “Don’t fuckin’ talk to her! Don’t even fuckin’ look at her!”

But he keeps going. “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be here. He thought you were a rat. He fuckin’ called you trash. And he wanted me to kick your ass out on the street. Is this the kind of guy you really want?”

I make rapid strides around the table. I don’t waste time with words. Instead, I launch my fist at him and when it connects, a bone-jarring tremor rattles my arm. A second later, a woman screams and shouts ring out as Dozer launches his massive body at me. His vice-like arms wrap around my waist and we stumble back a few feet, until we fall to the ground. Dozer gets to his knees first and throws his fist forward, slamming it into my cheek. My head snaps to the side as fire barrels into my face. Shaking it off, I roll and get to my feet and barely make it in time to dodge the body shot he throws.

We’re both breathing heavily, glaring at one another, and circling, looking for a weak point, an opening. When I find one, I strike fast and land a solid blow to the softest part of his stomach. He curls over my fist and a gasp of air puffs out of him. I push him back and he staggers off balance.

I vaguely hear someone close holler, “That’s enough! Pull ’em apart!”

My arms are wrenched back as I’m grabbed from behind. The same happens to Dozer. Then Edge is in his face trying to talk him down. But looking around him, Dozer shouts, “You weren’t savin’ her for Edge you self-righteous fucker! You were savin’ her for yourself!”

Trying to push away from the men holding me back, the truth rips out of me. “You’re damn right I was!”

At my admission, Dozer struggles and breaks free. He rushes at me, but he’s stopped short and hauled back. “You piece of shit!”

“Yeah? I’m the piece of shit? I’m the one blowin’ off the club and leavin’ my brothers all fuckin’ hangin’?”

He growls, “Fuck you! You don’t know shit!”

Suddenly Ember’s standing in front of me. She places one hand on my chest. “Mav! Stop this!” It takes me a second to focus on her and shake off the fury riding me.

“Doll, get back.”

“No! This is crazy.”

“Someone get her out of here!”

Griz grabs on to her arm, but she fights him. “No, Mav, I won’t stay here if this is what it’s going to be like. You swore you’d prove it. Is that what this is?”

I sober instantly. My eyes fall from an enraged Dozer to Ember. Her eyes are sad and yet fierce. She’s dead serious. I can see it. She’ll leave before we’ve even really had a chance to make this work. Because of this. Because of Dozer and because I can’t keep my fuckin’ temper under control.

“I’m done!” I shout still staring at her. “It’s okay. Let me go.” Taz and Goose let my arms go and back off.

Dozer’s not done though. “You’re done? Bullshit! We’re just gettin’ started!” His eyes are riddled with jealousy as he watches the two of us.

“We’re done with this,” I tell him. “Fine. You’ve got your reasons for steppin’ down. I won’t bring it up again. But she’s mine. Stay the fuck away from her.”

“Get the fuck off me,” he shouts and shrugs off the arms holding him before stalking off.

“I can’t stay, be here, not like this. I don’t want to come between you,” Ember says. Her brows are pulled tight with tension.

I snake my hand into her hair and pull her closer. “Don’t leave,” I plead with her.

“I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t.”

She steals a glance in the direction Dozer walked off. “I don’t want to come between you two,” she says again.

“You won’t. It’ll just take some time for him to get over the sting of it.”

“I just . . . he’s the only one who looked out for me. I feel like I owe him. He was right, Mav. Where would I be if he didn’t convince you to let me stay?” Her eyes are clouded with pain and it nearly breaks me.

Fuck. She’s right.

If he hadn’t fought for her. God knows where she’d be or what she’d be doing.

I hook my arm around her neck and bring her in close. Then circle my other arm around her waist and hug her to me. “You’re right. I’ll fix it. I’ll talk to him when he cools down. It’ll be okay. I promise.”

She breathes out a relieved sigh and wraps her arms around me. And I know I’ll do any-fucking-thing it takes to keep her by my side. To have her just like this always, wrapped around me, near me, tellin’ me when I’ve done wrong. Making me be the man I should be.

“This is not how I wanted this night to go, Doll.”

“I know. Me neither.”

“I had a different ending in mind.”

She’s silent for a long time and then whispers, “Me too.”

I pull back a little and look down into her face. “Come home with me,” desperation and need thicken my voice. “I need some time alone with you.”

She does her little nod and rests her chin on my chest.

“Will you ride on the back of my bike?”

“Only if you go slow. I’ve never ridden on a bike before.”

Thank Christ.

I don’t think I could bear it if I knew she’d givin’ up that first ride to someone else. I may not have taken her virginity, but I’ll have plenty of firsts and lasts with her and I’m going to cherish every one.

“I told you before, Doll. You control this. If you want slow, we go slow.” I rub her back and place my lips on her forehead. “Now let’s say our goodbyes. I wanna take you home.”

We often ride a fine line between what will break us and set us free.

EMBER

The purr of the motor vibrates through every one of my limbs. We’ve been riding for a few minutes, and the anxiety I felt when Mav initially pulled out of the lot has faded. He handles the bike with cool confidence. Shifts gears with calculated precision. It also helps that he warns me each time we’re about to come up on a turn. Each time, he removes his hand from the handle bar and rests it for a few seconds on my thigh, something that sends chills spreading over my skin.

I keep waiting for the air skating around me to cool down some of this heat building between our bodies. Or maybe numb the steady hum of anticipation flowing under my skin. But it does neither.

The bike slows down, and I peek over Mav’s shoulder. We’re coming up to a rural side street. This time, when his hand leaves the handle bar, I inhale a steadying breath, bracing myself for the onslaught of desire that’ll hit from his touch. But instead of caressing my leg, he lays his palm over the hand I have covering his chest.