Chapter 7

Once inside Lucky’s, Alec followed Ian to the furthest end of the bar, nearest to the most tables and dance floor. It was a typical bar setting, something you’d see in a movie—one where the victim is stalked and then stupidly steps outside into the arms of the waiting villain. Setting down her purse on the bar, she surveyed the crowd and started to shrug out of the little jacket. Lots of choice suspects tonight, she thought with excitement. Ian grasped her upper arm, getting her attention.

He leaned down, close to her ear. “Leave it on.”

Pausing with one shoulder bare, she gave him her best ‘huh?’ look.

Pulling her closer with the hand that still held her arm, he leaned down and nipped her shoulder with his teeth and not lightly. Her heart jumped up into her throat. Jerking the jacket back up over her shoulder, he gave her a heated look for several long heartbeats before leaning down again.

“If I were completely shitfaced, and surrounded by ten naked women I would have one hundred percent more morals than the jerks in here—and I want nothing more than to lick and suck those tasty morsels you’re displaying tonight.” His voice was low and serious. “Leave it on.”

Heat immediately and without her permission coursed through her at his words. She knew her heart sped up too but wasn’t going to linger on it. It took her a few seconds to regain some sort of composure, to think of a remark to make with his hot breath caressing her neck. “Is that your way of saying the girls look good tonight?” Ian lifted his head and dropped his hands to her waist. He gave her an inviting smile as his hands moved under the jacket up her rib cage, very slowly. She held her breath when his large hands cupped under each breast. Looking up into his intense blue eyes, she was almost surprised that he wasn’t looking at what he was holding. A thumb caressed right over hard nipples through the cloth, making her take a shaky breath.

“Very good.” He said hoarsely before releasing her and turning to the bar.

Well. Wow, I need to get laid soon or something. That was all she had; her brain refused to register another thought for several moments. When he turned back and handed her a drink, she numbly took it as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to stand against him like they had done every other night. It was a kind of torture she was beginning to crave. To feel the heat of his body close to hers, his hardness rubbing against her, she even liked the firm possessive hand that was never too far from touching her. They had to appear like they were a couple, and the thing that scared the hell out of her was there were times she was sure neither was acting when it came to rubbing and caressing here and there.

She watched him take a long drink before he set the glass down and played with it by twirling the liquid in it like he did each time. When he glanced at her, she watched him look down at her chest for a lingering moment before he moved her closer to him.

“What are the boys doing tonight?” he asked matter of factly.

“They’re busy and probably won’t make it.” The look he gave her was either a lecherous, possessive look or he wasn’t impressed with the idea they were solo. It was hard to decide with the distraction of his hand squeezing her hip. Get your head into the game, Blondie. Leaning down, she nipped his ear, because she couldn’t help it. “Do your sonic thing.”

The hand on her hip gripped her hard for a second before he lowered his head toward the bar and began tapping his hand against her to the beat of the song paralyzer that was blaring out of the speakers. How he could hear anything over that she had no idea, but she at least liked the song.

It never amazed Alec when she chose to people-watch. There were some entertaining units in the bar tonight. The women, at least she thought she could identify most of the females, were all dressed in either ‘please fuck me’ or ‘stay the fuck away from me’ clothes. Alec herself normally preferred ‘I dress for my comfort, not yours’, but to each their own. The penis holders, she smirked at the name one of the women at the station had given men, seemed to all become predatory animals when surrounded by tackily dressed women. You would think it would bother them, these women had very little self-respect, she blinked and tried not to burst out laughing at her own ridiculous thoughts. The men didn’t give a shit, they just wanted to get a piece and if they got to browse the exposed body parts before expending any energy, they were all for it.

Sighing, she turned back to find Ian watching her, or more precisely looking down at her hand that she didn’t even know had been moving up and down his arm as she got lost in crowd surfing. She stopped the caress and looked back to see his eyes weren’t the normal pale blue, but a deeper grey shade. She didn’t know why, but it sent little jolts of lust through her veins. “Sorry.” She lifted the glass to her mouth and took a small sip.

Ian shook his head and nudged her closer with the hand at her hip. “I’m having trouble focusing tonight.” His eyes wandered down to her chest. “Maybe go visit the washroom or something for a couple of minutes?”

Alec didn’t need to ask if that was code for ‘I can’t think with you this close’, because she was feeling the same way tonight. Maybe it was a full moon or whatever that made everyone’s libidos increase. Nodding, she set down the glass and picked up her purse. “I’ll be back.”

Ian wanted to drop his head onto the bar in relief. Never, as far as he could remember did he want a woman as much as he wanted Alec. It was shocking he could tap into anyone’s mind at all lately when his own was consumed with images of all the things he wanted to do to her.

“Refill?”

He looked up at the bartender and nodded. Not even noticing he’d finished his drink already. Taking a deep breath, he let the tension roll off as he exhaled and focused on the minds surrounding him.

“...I can’t believe she’s wearing that...”

“Do I need to hang a sign around my neck saying ‘sex please?’...” Intrigued, but I don’t think I want to look around and match that mind to the body, he thought.

“Where the hell is my drink?” Ever heard of feet, buddy?

It was times like this that Ian wondered why he even bothered to tap into a thought or two. The mentality tonight was at an all-time low. Sighing, he continued.

“Damn, that’s fine.”

“Oh yeah, come on, bitch, wiggle a little more.”

“Buddy needs to stop moping in his drink and turn around before she gets into trouble...”

He didn’t know how he knew, but he shook off the last thought and lifted his head to see the bartender looking past him with a concerned look. Shit. Spinning on the stool, he immediately spotted what the problem was. Alec was the problem, or rather the males with no self-preservation were the problem she was about to solve—violently.

Getting up, he moved toward the pool tables in the corner. Two assholes had her backed up against the table, giving her very little in the way of breathing space. He watched her reach back onto the table and increased his stride. She was about thirty seconds from blowing her cover and most likely hospitalizing them with a ball to the head.

Rounding the corner of the table, he looked her up and down and smiled. “In the mood for pool tonight, babe?”

She didn’t take her eyes off the scruffy male standing too close to her. “Not really.”

“Good, let’s get out of here.” He leaned in and scooped her against his side. She finally made eye contact with him and he smirked seeing the look of annoyance on her face. What he didn’t know was if it was from the men harassing her or him interrupting her kicking their ass. “We have to go.”

Ian almost sighed in relief when she relaxed, and her expression changed to anxiety.

“...stupid little brother, if he hadn’t jumped in I may have gotten to at least cop a...”

Holding her into his body a little closer, he glanced over at the bigger of the two dirt bags that had tried to corner Alec. Brothers. As in blood, real family brothers.

Turning, he headed toward the door. Just as they reached it, a woman stepped in. The way she was dressed caused Ian to notice her, she didn’t look like she belonged in Lucky’s. Her face, he knew that face, it was sitting on his desk at home. Interesting and something to look into, if he had more time, he’d hang around and see what was going on, but he really needed to get out of here.

“So, did you get anything?”

Alec asked leaning her curves into him as he walked, bringing his focus back to her. Shaking his head, he squeezed her. “No, but I have an idea.” He practically shoved her out the front door. “Brent and Reid still at the station you think?”

She shrugged. “Probably.” Stopping right in front of him, she spun and placed a hand on his chest. “Why?”

He knew his heart was thudding against the palm of her hand, he hoped she didn’t notice. Reaching slowly, he pulled her jacket together and did up a button. She didn’t stop him as he buttoned the whole thing up, leaving only one at the top undone. “You ever arrest brothers? Real, blood-related brothers?”

She dropped her hand and flipped her hair off her shoulder, something he noticed she did when thinking, whether it was tightening her ponytail or shifting her hair. “Most likely.” Her green eyes lit up. “You think the family we’re looking for is a real family? One with at least three brothers...”

Shrugging, he ushered her to move down the sidewalk. “Yeah. They may be real brothers that work for an organized family.”

“It’s solid idea.” Opening her purse, she pulled out her phone and dialed as he steered her to the car. “Brent. Nothing, but listen Ian has an idea...” She climbed in when he opened the door and he smirked that she was so distracted she didn’t even give him that look for doing a polite thing such as opening her door.

By the time he got around and into his seat, she was putting the phone back in her purse.

“They’re going to pull all the records of actual siblings I’ve been involved with incarcerating.”

She smiled at him, a real smile and for a moment he didn’t give a damn about the brothers. He cleared his throat. “You want to go to the station or change first?”

Looking down at her clothes, she shrugged. “This is fine. It’s not like they haven’t seen me wear weird shit, the last being sludge when I was leaving today.” Motioning to the road, she nodded. “Let’s go see if we can find our brothers, then we’ll at least have a last name to go with.”