AUTHOR’S NOTE
This novella is from when State and Courtney first meet and how they come to be a happily married couple.
CHAPTER ONE
State
* * *
As I stood next to Country, the president of the MC I was second in command to, I nodded toward the door. “Your woman’s here.”
Country looked in that direction. But I didn’t miss the quick glance at Dusty, a club girl he was fighting his feelings for, thinking she was too young. “Isla said she was bringin’ a friend.”
I glanced back since I hadn’t noticed his woman’s friend, and then like an idiot, I did a double take. “Fuck me,” I rumbled out low. My damn fantasy just walked into the room.
From first sight, I wanted her.
I wanted my hands in her long, wavy light-brown hair while I tugged her head back to have her gaze on me and me alone.
She was short, and fuck, it was cute on her.
Her body was… yeah…. My cock jerked and my hands twitched as I shifted on my feet. My body already wanted to be close enough for a touch, a taste.
Country chuckled until I elbowed him in the gut, and he clipped, “Dickhead.”
“Introduce me,” I told him.
He snorted. “That’s only possible if she makes it all the way over here with Isla. She looks ready to bolt.”
The goddess did. Her eyes were comically wide as she twisted this way and that, taking everything in. As well as having rosy cheeks, she thickly swallowed a few times when she spotted a brother with a club girl, kissing and groping each other.
We had several women around the place. I’d even admit some of the club girls were good-looking, but none of them had my attention like my little mouse did.
And fuck if I didn’t give a shit that I was already thinking of her as mine.
Country snorted. “You got a bit of drool, brother.”
I scratched my cheek with my middle finger. It was immature, but hell, we’d known each other since back in high school. Though Country and Death were a little older than me.
When the women got close, I straightened. Isla made her way over with a flirty smile for Country while she dragged her gaping friend behind her. The girl hadn’t even noticed me or Country as yet. She was too busy gawking from side to side.
I needed her eyes on me.
Would she like the way I looked?
At least she didn’t look disgusted by the brothers. A lot of us were covered in tattoos, and I was one of them.
“Yo, State” was yelled from somewhere off to the side. I knew who it was, but I wasn’t giving him my attention.
I didn’t look away from my mouse, so I caught her head swing our way and pause on me. I witnessed her blue eyes widening even more and how her chest rose as she sucked in a sharp breath.
Shit.
Was that good or bad? Good, I hoped.
“State,” Tech yelled again, and I had to force myself to look away, which was probably for the best as I didn’t want to scare her.
“What?” I barked back.
Tech nodded toward the hall.
Fuck.
It meant he had shit he needed to tell me.
“Hey, honey,” I heard Isla purr at Country.
“Woman,” he replied, but I could tell he was distracted.
Glancing back at the prez, I told him, “Let you know if you’re needed.”
He grunted. “Make sure you do.”
“You know I will.” I moved off toward the hall, unable to look at her again, not when there was business to deal with. There was also a chance I wouldn’t want to leave once I started talking to her.
Hell, I could be overthinking and letting my cock rule me when it came to my attraction to her. But her image was embedded in my mind and left me wanting to see what was behind the looks.
Reaching Tech’s room, I stepped through the door and closed it after me.
“Sorry to pull you away from your droolin’, brother.” His lips twitched.
“Christ, did everyone notice?”
“Who cares if they did? Just means they saw your interest and won’t step on your toes.”
Hell, that was a good thing.
Until I knew what she could be for me, after I had the chance to speak to her.
Jesus, I felt jittery on the inside, wanting to get back out there, see her, talk to her.
Had she put a damn spell on me?
Tech walked from his desk over to the one with the bigger monitor. He sat and wheeled the chair in close before he clicked the mouse. “Do you know this guy?”
I eyed the screen. “Pretty sure he’s a client of one of the girls at Polished.” All the men who visited our brothel were well vetted to be safe for the employees. “From what I can remember, he’s a cop.”
Tech cursed under his breath. “He’s been spotted outside the clubhouse a couple of times. Nothin’ that stood out because he was never there that long. But after gettin’ his car plates, I put in a search from the cameras around town.”
“And? Polished is legal. We have all the documents. He can’t do shit about shuttin’ us down,” I said when he didn’t answer right away.
“I don’t think it’s got to do with the business.” Tech clicked the computer keys a few times.
When a new image popped up, I clenched my jaw and bit out, “What the fuck?”
Tech nodded. “He’s made an appearance outside your home three times this week. Somethin’s happened that’s given him a hard-on for you. Have any idea why?”
Straightening, I crossed my arms over my chest and let my mind wander. For the life of me, I couldn’t think of a situation where it’d call for a cop, who was also a client at Polished, to tail me.
“It’d have to be connected to Polished somehow. It’s the only place we have in common. I’ve never dealt with the guy personally. You know we only step in if the clients are treatin’ the women wrong. Bring up the clients list and see who he’s matched with.”
“Got it.” Tech’s fingers flew over the keyboard, and a moment later, we had an answer. “His name’s Ray Bond. He joined six months ago, been with a couple of different girls, but lately he’s a recurrin’ customer for Ana. Real name is Lisa McRae.”
“She’s usually workin’ on my shifts when I manage, but she’s never complained about a client. Not one.” I ran a hand over the back of my neck. This shit wasn’t making sense, but we had to figure it out. I didn’t like a cop being my personal stalker. “It’s still early. Call Lisa. Set up a meetin’ for me tomorrow, midafternoon at Polished. We’ll see if she knows anythin’.”
“Will do. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
“Thanks, brother.”
Tech nodded toward the door. “Go get a drink. Flirt with that woman, and don’t stress about this fucker. We’ll get to the bottom of it.”
I tipped my chin up at him. “On it. Call me for anythin’.”
He saluted me before I made my way back out into the common room. My gut clenched at the thought of someone watching me. At least I knew this cop couldn’t come after the club. We kept a clean ship and made sure nothing came back to us, no matter what we dealt in.