Gluttony (Seven Deadlies MC Book 3) Page 6

  Scarlett didn't seem to find the situation funny but if Ox was laughing, then maybe he wouldn't cut Limit’s balls off and make him swallow them.

  Except, everyone was laughing at him.

  Limit tried as hard as he could to bite his tongue, to save himself from the inevitable ass beating his president was about to lay down at his doorstep, but he couldn’t.

  “Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but you weren’t very memorable either.”

  Her mouth fell open and for the first time Limit could see that he’d gotten to her. He instantly regretted his words, but he didn't dare take them back.

  Scarlett turned a pretty shade of pink before she politely excused herself and hastily utilized the back exit of the clubhouse.

  As the door resounded shut behind her, Green’s voice met his ears.

  “So, is this like their first fight, or…?”

  “More like a lover’s quarrel,” Slayer supplied.

  All eyes cut to him instantly before Ox cleared his throat and pointed an angry finger at him.

  “In my office. Now.”

  Those were the only words Limit needed to hear to know he was well and truly fucked, and this time, it was his own damn fault.

  As he glanced around the room, he noticed that Rayna and Esme were headed for the exit, and that Fury and Green as well as Slayer were watching him with wide eyes. Rider looked like he wanted to say something, and Prettyboy was swirling the whiskey in glass around and around and around…

  “What the fuck are all of you lookin’ at?,” He spat.

  Green and Slayer both shrugged as Fury narrowed his eyes.

  “Don’t go startin’ a fight with us just because you don’t know your way around a woman,” He spat.

  Limit would have loved nothing more than to start a fight with Fury in that moment, but his brother was right- why fight with his crew when it was her fault?

  If he could, he’d give little Scarlett Hunter a piece of his mind and then some, but she was protected. As Ox’s daughter, Scarlett had a better seat at the table than he did, and at the moment, the thought was a startling one.

  As he rounded the corner to step into Ox’s office, he caught sight of his president rubbing his palms over his beard as he paced in a circle around his desk.

  “Shut the fucking door, and sit down.”

  If any other man had the audacity to speak to Limit that way, he wouldn’t hesitate to pull his gun out.

  “Okay,” He said as he sat down.

  Ox slammed his palms against the polished top of his desk and shook his head.

  “I can’t tell you who to fuck. I can’t tell Scarlett who to fuck, either. I’m not going to bother trying to tell either of you what to do, but hear this now and hear it loud and clear: you will respect her. You will treat her the same way you’d treat Esme or Rayna and by God, if I find out you’ve hurt her in any way, I’ll kill you. She’s the only family I’ve got left now, and that means she’s important to me. I don’t know what her place will be with me or this club, but right now I don’t need you fucking that up for me! Do. You. Understand. Me?”

  Ox’s nostrils flared angrily, his amber eyes nailed to Limit’s stormy grey ones.

  Limit nodded immediately.

  “She didn’t know you were in my club until after she got here. She wasn’t going to tell me that you two slept together, that much is obvious. Don’t take it out on her. You’re not in trouble here, but if I ever hear you so much as raise your voice to her again, I’ll be the one cuttin’ tongues out. These hands may be retired, but I’ll gladly put them back to work,” He spat.

  Limit had only heard Ox speak that way a number of times, and it’s always been when he was most serious. Limit knew that he meant every word he said, and could he really blame the man? The name Maddie was like a legend in the clubhouse; everyone heard a different story and Limit was sure none of them were true.

  Now, he finds out he has a daughter with the illusive Maddie Hunter, and she’s here and ready to get to know him…

  Limit could only imagine what his president was going through.

  And, just like that, his anger dissipated for the most part.

  “Okay. I understand.”

  “Apologize to her. Clear the air. I don’t want this fucking things up for her and I,” Ox said softly.

  Limit nodded.

  “Get out of my office,” He said.

  Limit didn’t hesitate to do as he said.

  When he entered the great room, he noticed that everyone was outside. A familiar brunette was outside and her arms were around Scarlett.

  He tried to ignore the pit of jealousy building in his gut, but he couldn’t help it.

  Limit didn’t have a lot left in life; only a mother residing in Wilmington and the club. Most of his friends he’d served with were either gone or living on the other side of the country, and that was okay.

  The Seven Deadlies were his family now, except…

  How was he going to get used to Scarlett being apart of all that?

  As he stepped outside into the bright sunlight, Fury glanced up at him and nodded. Scarlett’s friend, Emily, looked up at him too.

  “Well, well. The famous Limit is back in black,” She said wryly.

  Scarlett barely spared a look in his direction before she turned back to the crowd of people surrounding her.

  He wanted to rip her away from all of them and take her somewhere they could be alone, but he didn’t trust that he could keep his hands off her perfect body.

  Even being near her was enough to make his mind run wild.

  “Scarlett? Can we talk?,” He asked.

  He didn’t expect for her to say yes, but when she did, he found himself holding out a hand in her direction. It was covered in oil and almost as black as he imagined his soul was, but she surprised the hell out of him when she took it into hers.

  Her skin was pale and devoid of any dirt and her palm was as soft as butter.

  Limit’s grip on her tightened almost against his will, but he tried his hardest to ease her away from the crowd instead of carrying her away over his shoulder like some cave man.

  “What do you want?”

  Her question came out irritated, but he didn’t respond until they were well on the other side of the clubhouse, away from prying eyes.

  When he stopped walking she dropped his hand, and for some reason, that irked him more than her earlier comment.

  She was looking at him differently.

  “Why are you lookin’ at me like that?,” He asked.

  Her gaze hit the tops of his boots, so he lifted her chin with the tips of his fingers.

  “Don’t- just don’t touch me,” She said shakily.

  Limit knew he’d said some rude things, but he didn’t think they warranted the fear he could clearly see lining her irises.

  There was only one reason a woman like Scarlett Hunter would be afraid of him…

  “Someone told you what I do,” He said.

  She visibly flinched at his words before she nodded her head, her bleached hair getting caught against the collar of her shirt.

  Limit swore under his breath.

  His occupation had never mattered before, and truthfully, he didn’t ever mind when a woman found out what he did for the club- why would he?

  Most of the women that came around knew exactly what he did for the club.

  Women like Esme or Rayna who knew, who had a taste of the life he lived.

  “I didn’t realize my job was up for discussion,” He finally said.

  Scarlett sighed.

  “It’s not, Limit. You wanted to talk to me, remember?”

  Limit fully understood that he couldn’t exactly be mad at her for being wary of whatever she’d been told. He himself used his occupation to scare off clingy women from time to time. But, for some reason, having Scarlett look at him as if he were no better than the scum on the bottom of her designer heels made him angry.

  He narrowed his eyes a
t her.

  “Yeah, I did. I wanted to apologize for yelling at you. I was just surprised.”

  Scarlett seemed to relax a hair before she looked into his eyes.

  “I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean it,” She replied.

  Limit raised an eyebrow at her.

  “You didn’t mean what?”

  She knotted her hands against her waist.

  “You were a good fuck,” She practically whispered.

  Limit smiled, and suddenly she was smiling too.

  “You’re laughing at me,” She said.

  Her perfect mouth was pursed in a frown, but her hazel eyes were sparkling.

  Limit reached for her hand but this time she didn’t pull away.

  “I would never lay a hand on you,” Limit said.

  He had no idea why he wanted to reassure her, but he did.

  He didn’t want her to look at him the way she had moments ago, like he wasn’t worth the time of day.

  “Limit, I didn’t think that you would. I’m sorry I’m not handling this well, I’m just a little overwhelmed, okay? Before today I had no idea what an outlaw MC was.”

  He could understand that.

  Limit glanced over his shoulder, checking to make sure they were well and truly alone. Apart from Slayer and Green lurking in the garage, no one was paying them any mind.

  He didn’t know why he wanted to try, but Limit was determined to expand her horizons.

  He wanted Scarlett to loosen up, if only a little.

  Slowly, so she had time to pull away if she really wanted to, he pushed her deeper into the shadows until her back met the brick wall behind her.

  Scarlett’s eyes widened, their perfect gold and green colors swirling together.

  “Have you been thinking about me, Scarlett? Because I’ve sure as fuck been thinking about you.”

  Her hands came up to rest between them, right along the edges of his cut.

  He didn’t try to stop her, either.

  Much like she had the first night, she tipped her head back and met his wandering gaze head on.

  “You want the truth?”

  “From you? Always.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about you. Been pretty hard not to.”

  Limit’s chest expanded.

  “Good.”

  She flicked his nipple beneath his shirt and bit her bottom lip.

  That action alone had his blood traveling directly south, making his dick swell against the zipper of his jeans.

  “You’ll stay in my room tonight,” He demanded softly.

  Her bottom lip escaped the confines of her teeth as she opened her mouth.

  “I don’t know-”

  “Please.”

  Limit didn’t say the word often, and he probably wouldn’t say it again any time soon, but for Scarlett?

  For Scarlett, he wanted a second chance, no matter how terrifying it seemed.

  Chapter 9

  Scarlett tried her hardest not to swallow her own tongue when Limit walked away, his signature swag making her pulse quicken. She had no idea how to tell the man no, but she found that she didn’t really want to.

  How could she?

  She’d been dreaming about seeing him again, and even though her body hadn’t caught up to her mind, she found herself questioning her own judgement.

  She didn’t bother following him and instead opted to stay near the rear exit of the clubhouse.

  She figured she’d catch a moment alone, clear her head, and then she’d head back inside for dinner.

  Except, someone else found her first.

  Esme rounded the corner of the clubhouse, her blue gaze landing on Scarlett almost instantly.

  She smiled shyly.

  “Hi.”

  Scarlett choked out a laugh and rested her palms against her thighs.

  “Hi, Esme.”

  “Are you okay?,” She asked.

  Scarlett had no idea how to answer that.

  So, she shrugged.

  “I just wanted to check on you, after…well, Limit can be really scary.”

  Scarlett tried to hold it in, but she ended up laughing so hard tears filled her eyes.

  Esme watched her with a smile tugging at her own mouth, obviously bewildered.

  “I’m not laughing at you, Esme. I’m laughing at the situation. I don’t come from this kind of a life. I’m used to brunch at the country club, not a cookout with an outlaw biker gang,” Scarlett said.

  Even she could hear the sadness in her own voice.

  Esme wrapped an arm around her belly protectively, her expression borderline hurt.

  “We’re a club, not a gang.”

  The fact that Limit had said the very same thing to her only made it worse.

  “I’m not trying to offend you. I’m just being honest.”

  Esme blinked before she relaxed.

  “I know you are, and if I were you, I would feel the same. I guess I’m just desensitized to a lot of things I probably shouldn’t be.”

  Scarlett appreciated her honesty more than she thought she would.

  “Limit’s killed people. And, still, I like him.”

  It sounded like a question even to her own ears.

  “I’ve killed too, Scarlett. Everyone here has faced death at some point, and believe me when I tell you, it changes you.”

  Scarlett couldn’t keep the shock from her own expression as she eyed the delicate woman watching her.

  “Yeah, I figured that would surprise you. I don’t take it lightly and I think about it all the time, but when it comes down to it, Ox always reminds us of one important fact: you either kill or be killed. If someone threatens one of us, they feel the wrath of all of us. That’s just how it is around here, Scarlett. I’m not being mean when I tell you that you need to make a choice. You can’t get to know the people here if you’ve already got one foot out the door,” Esme pointed out.

  Scarlett knew that both Esme and Rider were one hundred percent correct.

  And, as it would seem, these people were now essentially her family.

  She wasn’t going to find brunch at the country club here.

  Isn’t that what I was trying to shy away from, anyways?

  No, Scarlett was going to have to accept the fact that she was not, so to speak, in Kansas anymore.

  “You’re right.”

  Esme seemed relieved to hear her say that.

  “Ox is a really good man, he deserves some happiness of his own.”

  Scarlett felt better after hearing that.

  “I think I deserve some, too. I know I do, in fact. Let’s go get some food and relax for a little while. I’ve had about all the drama I can take for today,” Scarlett said.

  And, for Scarlett, that was the truth. She had no doubt she would need some time to sort out everything she’d discovered. Both about her father and about Limit, but if everyone around her could get used to it, so could she. That’s what she told herself, anyways.

  This time, she held out her hand for Esme.

  When the brunette lifted her hand to take Scarlett’s, Scarlett could see how easy it could be to fall in love with the life Esme led.

  What would it be like to be surrounded by a tight-knit group of people who not only supported one another, but would literally die for another?

  Scarlett had no idea, but she was feeling inclined to find out.

  Starting with Limit.

  I may come to like it here, after all.

  ✽✽✽

  As Scarlett settled into a chair nestled around the same table she’d occupied earlier, she was surprised to see Limit sit down next to her.

  “Feel familiar?,” He whispered into her ear.

  Her entire body came to life at that moment.

  As she pressed her thighs together under the table, he smirked.

  “Maybe,” She said as she stuck a chip into her mouth.

  True to her word, Scarlett was doing her best to enjoy the dinner that Torch and Loretta had cooked
up. There were hamburgers, hot dogs, chips and salsa, even an array of sandwiches. All of which looked like it would be gone within minutes if her observational skills were any good at all.

  The men around her tended to inhale their food.

  Limit wrapped an arm around the back of her chair, catching a look from more than one man sitting near them.

  Rayna was cuddled up against Fury, her blonde hair tied up on top of her head as she watched them unabashedly. Fury was too busy shoving a mouthful of salsa down his throat to care. Green and Slayer were again across the room, watching from a safe distance.

  As his fingers caressed the skin of her back, she froze.

  “Are you wearin’ panties this time?”

  Oh.

  My.

  God.

  She opened her mouth to tell him yes, but that would be a lie, wouldn’t it?

  “No,” She whispered back.

  Limit’s grip tightened on the back of the chair, so much so, she felt bad for the worn wood as it creaked beneath his fingers.

  He swept a lock of hair out of her face with his free hand before she felt his lips against the shell of her ear.

  “I can’t wait to taste you,” He murmured.

  Ox happened to walk into the room at the exact, moment, stopping her from replying.

  “Cool it with that shit,” He said waving a hand between them.

  Limit didn’t respond to Ox, but she did feel his hand creep up her thigh beneath the table after he loosened his hold on her chair.

  Scarlett didn’t know what would happen between her and Limit.

  That’s a lie.

  She knew exactly what would happen, and only a quarter of her entire being wanted to halt it.

  Scarlett knew that if she showed Limit any interest, he would take her again. She wasn’t used to being taken, but she definitely remembered their first encounter.

  She had to ask herself if she could overlook everything she’d learned throughout the day.

  Could she really, really, let it go?

  As she pondered that, Loretta entered the room and this time she wasn’t alone. There was another woman beside her and both of them were clad in nothing but skin-tight dresses that had Scarlett cringing and some of the men smiling wickedly. Just as she leaned into Limit to tell him she wouldn’t mind heading back to his room, at least so they could really clear the air, the redhead sauntered towards Limit with a gleam in her eye that was all too familiar.