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Rip snorted and held his hand out to her. When she shook the offered hand, his fingers were long, callused, and he had a good firm grip. “Nice to meet you, Stephanie. Don’t let this one cast a spell on you.” He slapped Mav on the shoulder. “He ain’t nothin’ but trouble.”
“Nice to meet you. And you’re right. I am definitely a tattoo virgin.”
“I can always tell by the wide-eyed wonder.” He chuckled to himself. “Follow me on back, kids. Maybe you’ll see something you can’t resist while you’re here, Stephanie.”
She glanced at Maverick who bobbed his eyebrows suggestively. Yeah, she’d found something she couldn’t resist all right.
CHAPTER TWENTY
IMAGINING STEPHANIE SPREAD out on Rip’s table, getting her first tat inked into her skin had Maverick rock hard through most of the consultation. Rip was hopeful that in about two to three more months Mav’s skin graft would have healed enough to handle some ink.
He could hardly fucking wait. The absent brand on his arm felt like a missing limb and was unbearable some days. Like he’d lost a deep part of what made him who he was. None of his brothers treated him differently or seemed to realize how affected he was by the lost emblem, but damn if it wasn’t killing him slowly.
After the appointment, he guided Stephanie back through the clubhouse. He had plans for her. As the morning passed, she’d loosened up and relaxed a bit, but there was a part B to Operation Chill Steph Out and he was ready to dive in.
“Maverick, my office. Now,” Copper barked out as they passed him.
For the first time in his life, he was torn between club business and wanting to be with a woman. And that was bullshit. Club came first.
Always.
“Prez needs me.” The words came out a little gruffer than he’d meant them, making Stephanie frown and take a step away from him.
“Go. I’m fine. Toni said she was going to stop by tonight, so I’ll hang in my room until she gets here.” She hugged her arms around herself as she turned to walk away.
With a gentle hand, Mav reached for her arm and spun her back. “Wait.” He dug through his pocket, producing a key. "Make a right at the top of the stairs then the last door on the left. I won’t be long. I want you waiting in my room.”
Stephanie’s mouth dropped open twice before she found some words. “Oh, um, okay. I can do that.” She grasped the key, looking so adorable in her uncertainty. “See you in a bit then.”
As she turned away, Mav grabbed her arm again and spun her with some force this time. Before he had time to consider how stupid it was, he sealed his lips over hers in a quick but fierce kiss. When he released her, she staggered so he gripped her shoulders to steady her.
She didn’t say anything but sucked her bottom lip into her mouth as though savoring his taste on her lips.
“Christ, woman.” Mav groaned and willed away the hard-on, but it was useless. He was destined to sit in a meeting with Copper turned on as fuck.
Steph’s focus trailed down his body until it hit the very unmistakable tenting in his jeans. Her eyes widened, and a giggle escaped before she could slap her palm over her mouth.
Mav stepped forward and leaned closer until his lips hovered inches from her ear. “Laugh it up now, wildcat. I promise, in a few hours you won’t have enough breath to laugh.”
With that, he turned and strolled away, leaving her slack-jawed and gaping. Damn, he hadn’t felt this good in months.
“What’s up, Prez?” he asked as he walked into the office and shut the door.
“Got word of another missing girl.” Copper tossed back whatever had been in his glass and slammed the empty cup on his desk.
“Shit,” Mav said as he dropped into the chair opposite Copper’s desk. It was then he noticed the exhaustion clinging to his president. The past few months had taken their toll on him. He was thirty-nine but looked like he’d aged an extra ten years. As president, Copper took his role to heart. He not only viewed himself as leader of the MC, but head of the family as well, and that extended to every ol’ lady, child, and loved one in each of his men's lives.
“Lefty?”
“Think so. This one's different than the others. Older. Twenty-eight or something, but gorgeous from the pictures I’ve seen.”
“Sounds like they might be searching for something specific,” Mav said.
He sighed and rolled his neck across his massive shoulders. “Yeah, and that worries me. We thought they were small-scale in the trafficking biz. But I’m worried Lefty is gonna up the game. If they’re hunting for specific women, it means they’re building a return customer base and taking requests. I’m worried women are going to start disappearing all over the place. They probably already have this one marked to go to some fucker. This shit ain’t gonna end well for her.”
