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  “Lark,” Keonae said, his voice deep and only slightly accented compared to the thicker ones his friends and brother had. She could listen to him talk all day and night. From the second they met, she’d wanted him in a way that wasn’t natural. She wasn’t the type of girl who could dare want anything more than a night of pleasure from a man. She couldn’t commit to one and she certainly couldn’t do long term.

  Not if she wanted to keep her secret.

  Get some distance now.

  She hurried out of the back room and checked the other tables to see if anyone needed anything.

  A half-hour ticked by and Lark headed to the back area with more beers. She set them on the corner of their table, keeping her gaze lowered from Keonae and his friends as she collected their empty bottles.

  Keonae moved closer to her, his hand finding her arm. Her head screamed for distance again, but her traitorous body cozied up against him, her eyes closing a moment as she enjoyed his warmth.

  “Getting to spend time with your brother?”

  “I am. I would like to apologize for his behavior. This is out of character for him, I assure you,” he said, so formal yet so full of concern, she melted. He slinked his hands up her sides, making her breath catch. She’d wanted him to make this much contact with her from day one, but he’d been so standoffish, so closed off from physical contact that she’d nearly given up. Having his friends and family near him did him wonders.

  “I have to clean up.”

  “You do not,” he said. “I will make the little men clean up after themselves.” He glanced at the frat boys and she nearly laughed at his use of little men.

  She patted Keonae’s chest. “I’ll just do it. Less drama.”

  “I dislike you waiting on them.”

  She wasn’t proud of her job, but it paid the bills and gave her a roof over her head. She pulled away from him, wanting a bit of space. She threw away the empty bottles left sitting around the back room. The frat boys were good and soaked now. Two were using one another for support to stay upright. She approached with caution. “You guys want me to call a cab for you?”

  “Mmm,” Bobby hummed, his gaze going to her crotch. “I’ve got something on my mind that you can do, but it’s not call us a cab.”

  “Keonae, sit,” Rossi said. “You are on the verge of losing control and I have not the care to deal with this on this evening.”

  “Brother,” Keonae warned.

  “Think the bitch gets off on brother action?” another one of the frat boys asked. At the rate he was going, Lark was going to be left no choice but to handle him and his buddies. So much for hoping they’d simply drink their fill and leave well enough alone.

  “We can see how she likes more than one man in her at time,” Ray said.

  Lark put a hand up, stopping Keonae, already knowing he’d do something if she didn’t. She focused on the frat boys. “You should leave now. Take the offer of a cab. If you don’t—”

  “What?” Bobby asked, his chest puffing as thoughts of being a badass danced through his head. “You gonna take your boy off his leash?”

  Lark smiled, knowing it was anything but kind or friendly. “He should be the least of your concerns. Now take the offer and go peacefully. Please.”

  They laughed.

  Never a good sign.

  Clearly, too much to drink had left them with an over-inflated belief in their abilities, because from where she was standing, Keonae could wipe the floor with them. Not that she needed him to. She was capable of doing it all by her lonesome.

  Keonae moved past her and went at the first guy. She called out to him, but he didn’t even register her as being there. He was fixated on the frat boys. Lark stood there totally dumbfounded as the gentle giant she’d come to love conversing with seized hold of one of the frat boys and lifted him by the throat with one hand. The boy’s feet dangled off the ground and Keonae didn’t look the least bit strained. In truth, he appeared to be holding back.

  She gasped.

  Her giant was apparently far from gentle.

  Very far from it.

  “Keonae?”

  He paid her no mind, lifting the boy higher off the ground. Keonae’s friends advanced on him, yanking him back from the boy, freeing the kid in the process. The boy fell to the floor with a thud and no one seemed to much care as he fought for air, his eyes wide as he rubbed his neck before wisely running off with the others.

  Lazar motioned for Lark to come closer to Keonae. “You calm him down. He will not hit you. Us, he’ll pummel until we are nothing more than ground-up bits.”

  She nearly protested, but the expression on Keonae’s face said Lazar was right. He’d beat the crap out of his friends if they tried to get near him in his current state of mind. Which was apparently superhero, pissed-off mode. He rolled his head, his neck cracking loudly, the muscles in his upper body straining from his clear need to hit something. Whatever was unlucky enough to be the target wouldn’t survive. From the way he was standing and the power rolling off him in waves, he wasn’t to be messed with. Such a change from the quiet biker she’d come to think she knew.

  “Keon?”

  He didn’t respond. Though he did stop tensing his upper body.

  Lazar lifted his hand to her again. “Come. He won’t harm you.”

  She did as instructed, slipping past Rossi and pressing herself to Keonae. She smoothed her hands over his chest and then cupped his face. He grabbed her right wrist and tried to pull her hand from his scars. She went to her tiptoes. “Is this why you duck away when I’m around, or do I just repulse you?”

  “Repulse me?” he asked, sounding flabbergasted. “You? Repulse me? Not possible.”

  It was hard to hide her excitement in knowing he was attracted to her as well. “Then I’ll take that answer to mean you think you need to hide from me. Why?”

  The look he gave her was telling. He did want to hide his scars from her.

  Stupid man.

  “Keon, I’ve been waiting for nearly a month for you to man up and ask me out on a real date instead of ordering me to eat breakfast with you, and all this time you’ve been too chicken to?”

  His friends laughed.

  “She just called him a chicken,” one said.

  “Wrong bird,” Lazar said, coughing as he laughed.

  She didn’t get the joke, nor why it seemed so funny to the men with Keonae.

  Keonae tipped his head.

  “Well?” Lark pinched at his washboard abs to no avail. “Are you going to ask me out now or do I have to ask you?”

  “Um, yes?”

  Even his brother laughed at his response.

  Lark smiled wide. “And can you do me a favor and stop hiding yourself? I very much like looking at all of you.”

  Chapter Five

  Keonae fought for words, but coherent thoughts and the ability to speak had started to fail him somewhere around the time the little human males began their taunting of Lark. Memories best left in the past had surfaced, leaving him wanting to kill every male present to protect her. While he’d realized he’d not actually loved the woman he’d been betrothed to long ago, he’d never wanted her to meet such an ugly fate as the one she’d been dealt. It didn’t matter what he said to his friends. Truth was, it had been hard to witness the aftermath of what the falcons and the vultures had done to her, regardless of her betrayal.

  When the humans had threatened Lark, something in him snapped. He wouldn’t tolerate one hair upon her golden head being harmed. It was irrational and he knew it. He had wanted to shout “mine” and claim her then and there for all around him to see, but that made little sense to him. He’d been around her for nearly a month, and while he did want to be near her, he’d never had to fight to keep from outright laying claim to her. Seeing the little humans think they could touch her had driven him over the edge of reason.

  Was his mind broken as well as his body?

  Take her. Claim her.

  He growled, h
is gaze finding her.

  Claim her. She is yours.

  He knew it deep down, but denial won out. He had spent so long believing he’d live a life of solitude, a life without a mate, without the chance of a family, that to accept it at a moment’s notice was simply too much. And there was Lark to think about. She deserved more than him. On top of that, even, he was not human. How did he go about telling her that he wanted to make her his mate and that he had wings?

  That was not an easy topic to approach with anyone, let alone the woman who stirred things in him he’d assumed long dead.

  Her thumb traced over the bottom portion of the scars on his face. It was strange to have someone touching them. Most people shied away from them. The women he’d bedded over the years never made any attempt to make contact with his face. He put them on their hands and knees and fucked them from behind—nice and impersonal. The way he preferred it.

  Maybe he’d put too long between sexual escapades. Perhaps that was why he was so drawn to Lark. Maybe if he found another human woman who held little appeal to him, he could fuck her and gain some semblance of control around Lark.

  Pfft. Doubtful.

  Lark was different. When she’d first caught a glimpse of what he’d done his best to hide, he’d assumed she was repulsed. The strange look of lust and wonder that came over her beautiful face still took him by surprise. Besides, the idea of touching another woman turned his stomach.

  Mayhap his mind was broken.

  His body certainly seemed to be.

  Her body was pressed against his and his cock hardened to the point he worried it might actually work its way out of the top of his jeans. Lark rubbed against him and stilled, her mouth forming an “O”. She blushed and he knew then she felt his erection, felt what she did to him.

  Grinning, he managed to find his voice, thankful it hadn’t up and totally abandoned him. His friends and brother would never let him live it down if he clammed up around a woman. “Can I please beat the tiny men to a bloody pulp?”

  “No,” she responded evenly.

  “I would very much like to ask you out.”

  “Ask her out?” Sachin questioned. “He sounds so very local. Does he not?”

  “Sachin, don’t make me add you to the list of ass-kickings I’ll be delivering,” Keonae stated, a slight teasing note to his voice.

  The next thing Keonae knew, Lark was pressing a chaste kiss to his lips and pinching his chin between her forefinger and thumb before giggling as she hurried off into the main portion of the bar. He stood rooted in place, watching her rush away. Every ounce of him demanded he go to her, toss her down, say the words his people said during a claiming ritual and mark her as his own.

  His wife.

  His chosen one.

  “Is it me or does that beautiful woman seem to be totally taken with Keonae?” Sachin asked. “I am unsure why any woman would find him appealing. His personality leaves much to be desired.”

  Keonae glanced at his friend, grinning like a fledgling. His chest felt fluttery as if butterflies had taken up occupancy within it.

  “If he begins skipping about the bar, can we tell everyone?” Rossi smiled.

  It was good to see his brother coming on board with the jovial mood.

  Keonae pointed at Rossi, leveling a menacing stare at him. “You have been most unpleasant on this night, little brother. You will tell my woman you are sorry or I will skin you alive. Understood?”

  “Your woman?” asked Rossi.

  “You should go with yes,” Sachin said to Rossi before coming to Keonae and giving him a manly version of a hug. Large scale showing of affection wasn’t common practice among their kind, and while it was appreciated, it was slightly awkward. “It is good to see you take a real interest in a woman again. If you have need of Paige or Rayna to assist in helping you to better understand human females, say the word and I will arrange for them to pay you a visit. You should be warned, Rayna’s mood is most foul now that Kabril has impregnated her again. I believe the triplets were more than enough for her, but you know your brother, he wishes for a castle full of little ones.”

  “Speaking of little ones,” Rossi said, a question hanging in the air. “Will Paige threaten my manhood if I get you home late tonight? She mentioned something about the girls being difficult.”

  “They are going through a rough stage,” Sachin said with pride.

  Keonae laughed. “Never did I think I’d be standing in a room with you all talking about kid stuff. Where are the fierce warriors I remember?”

  “One too many diaper changes later and they are nearly nursemaids,” Lazar said with a grin. He was to be a father before too long and looked to be longing for the very thing he just jested with the others about. “I hope none of you think to start trying to coddle me as a mother would. Your nurturing is leaking off you in waves.”

  “Rossi is the hugger of the group,” added Sachin.

  “Said the man who just hugged my brother,” reminded Rossi.

  “Watch how much you drink,” Lazar noted as he nodded in Rossi’s direction. “I’ve no wish to assist you while you are trying to fly drunk again. Your woman will skin me alive if I bring you home in that condition.”

  “Gentlemen,” Sachin said. “I believe we can adjourn this meeting. Keonae has much more pressing matters at hand.” The man’s attention went toward the doorway that led to the front of the bar.

  “Like bedding that beautiful woman who can see past his rather bad temper,” Lazar stressed.

  “A game of pool before we call it a night?” Rossi asked. “I love my woman to death, but she is scary as can be right now. I’d like to postpone my demise.”

  “Sure.”

  Chapter Six

  Lark put away the last of the glasses and nodded to the bartender who notified everyone it was last call. Some patrons grumbled, but all knew the bar was closing soon enough. “Lenny, I can finish up with closing,” she said.

  The bartender faced her. “You sure you don’t mind?”

  “I know you have a big job interview in the morning. Go on. I’ve got this.”

  He left and she continued on with what needed done to finish out the night. She headed into the back room to find Keonae and his friends at a pool table, still drinking. The men seemed to be able to put the beer away without noticing or showing the effects.

  Keonae looked up and scratched his shot as she entered.

  Laughing, Lazar raised his beer to her. “My thanks. He was going to wipe the floor with me until the sight of you threw him off his game.”

  She blushed and bit at her lower lip. “I do what I can to help out.”

  Keonae approached her, discarding his pool stick in an ungraceful fashion. It missed the other table and landed with a sharp crack on the floor. Keonae paid little mind to it.

  Rossi snorted. “I believe he wishes to take you to his home and bed you.”

  Keonae snarled and Lark grabbed his wrist.

  “Okay.” It was stupid to offer herself up and she knew it. Taking him home with her wouldn’t end with one night. Deep down she was aware of as much, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. She wanted him desperately. Normally, she spent at least a few months in one location, but she hadn’t planned on Keonae, on how much she’d want him. She’d bed him and then cut out of town come morning. It was the only safe thing to do. She would bring nothing but death and destruction into his life. He didn’t need that, and she couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to him because of her.

  His head whipped around. “What?”

  She smiled. “I said okay. I’m game if you are.”

  He blinked in disbelief.

  “Old friend,” Sachin said, clasping onto Keonae’s shoulder. “The woman agreed to go home with you and permit you to pleasure her. What are you doing standing here with us? Change your mind on the coddling?”

  Impudently, Lark slipped her hand into Keonae’s. “Yes, what are you doing standing here with them?”
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  “Lark?” He caressed her inner wrist.

  Awareness prickled along her skin with each swipe of his finger. His palm was callused, yet she very much wanted it running all over her body. Everything about the man turned her on.

  He leaned in, putting his mouth to her ear. “Teasing me would be a bad thing, Lark. I’m not a man who can pull back once I start something.”

  “Funny,” she commented. “I’ve been wondering if you’re the type of guy who ever starts anything.”

  “Oh, I will start something, all right.” His lips brushed her ear and she sank against him. The man could make her melt with just the hint of more to come. “Are you done for the night?”

  “Almost. Last call was just issued. Are we still going to breakfast together?” She enjoyed their morning ritual, but had to admit she was all for skipping it and getting straight to the fucking-like-bunnies part of the night. She raked her gaze over his form. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. Sheer perfection, and he would be in her soon enough. Her panties moistened.

  “It would be wise,” he said, nibbling on her earlobe. “You’ll need all the energy you can get for when I take you home with me.”

  “We’re really doing this then?”

  He nodded and drew her closer, rubbing against her like a cat, his body hard all over. She moaned softly and he laughed, the sound deep and full of manly pride. “Oh, we are most certainly doing this.”

  She cupped his face, loving touching him. “I really love this new you. Your friends and brother bring out a side of you that I can’t wait to explore.”

  “My sweet, you will see every side of me soon enough.”

  “Promise?” she asked, liking the way he spoke.

  He dragged a hand through the back of her hair as he kissed her neck. “You have my word.”

  A languorous smile moved across her face. Realizing she was practically fawning over the man while they had an audience, she composed herself. His friends returned to their table with beers in hand. Keonae swatted her backside playfully before joining them.