While Knox and Hennessy were the same size and both shared the same lack of hair, Penni bet on Knox beating the shit out of him. Knox would jerk one of those diamond earrings out of Hennessy’s ear and use it as a tongue ring. The thought had her twitching in humor, making the men believe she had lost her mind.

“I’ll pass. The Last Riders might have everyone afraid of them in Kentucky, but I’ll put my money on any of these clubs from California.”

“You’d lose,” Penni confidently contradicted him. “You may not have heard of The Last Riders, but Striker’s heard enough that he’s going to hand over what you’re wanting.”

“That doesn’t mean shit—”

“You two stop arguing. I’d like to enjoy the music before Striker gets here. Cruz, go find us some beers. Hennessy, those bitches over there have been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes.”

Penni refused to look up at Jackal as the men stepped away.

“You cold?”

She remained silent, and Penni heard his sigh above her.

“The silent treatment again?”

She bit down on her lip to keep from replying.

“Your blaming me for Hennessy making you stay?”

This time, she couldn’t hold her tongue. “I blame you for telling him about The Last Riders and for not keeping your promise to get me out of here tonight.”

“Baby, I’m good, but I can’t perform miracles. You might think that Hennessy listens to me and we’re friends, but we’re not. He’s keeping you close because he thinks you’re too much trouble.”

“If he thinks I’m a pain in the butt now, wait until he meets Shade.”

Penni heard the amusement in his voice when he said, “I don’t think he’s wanting an introduction.”

“He may not have a choice,” she muttered.

His voice became hard as he lifted her chin up so she could see his serious eyes. “Have you managed to contact Shade?”

“Why do you care? I thought you said you’re not his friend.”

“You’re the one I care about,” he said impatiently. “If Shade and The Last Riders show up, I don’t want you hurt if—”

“Shade would make sure I wasn’t hurt. You don’t care about me,” Penni denied his assertion.

“Then why in the fuck am I sitting with you?”

She frowned. “Because of Ice. You’d do anything he told you to do.”

Jackal’s hold loosened, his touch becoming a gentle caress. “Baby, I’m the enforcer, but not even for Ice would I let one of the other men play babysitter.”

“Hennessy has Cruz watching me, and he’s an enforcer.”

Jackal laughed. “Because you’re a lot of trouble, and the Road Kingz don’t know how to handle you. The Predators wouldn’t have the same trouble. Either Stump or Fade would have been able to watch over you.”

Her thoughts became a whirlwind as she tried to think of how she felt about Jackal’s admission.

“So, you like me?” Penni probed.

“Yeah.”

“You like all women.”

“No, I don’t. I have sex with a lot of women; that doesn’t mean I like them all.”

Penni turned her face. She had known that becoming involved with Jackal would be like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Now the asshole wanted to give her fair warning that it was going to hurt. No thanks.

When she fell in love, Penni was going to have a love like Shade and Lily shared. It was going to be all or nothing. Whatever Jackal was offering by laying his cards on the table, she was going to walk away with it.

Shade had taught her long ago how to spot a card shark, and Jackal had dealt her a losing hand.

14

“Where are you going?” Jackal caught Penni’s waist as she tried to squirm out of his hold.

“If I have to be here, Cruz can watch me until Striker gets here.”

“What ant crawled in your panties now?”

“You’ve done every woman in King’s club. Grace said the women who hang out at the Predators’ clubhouse joke they should name another day of the week after you. If I say I care, it means something—”

“Really?” Jackal snorted. “I bet Grace couldn’t name one of the women who said I fucked them. Can you name one from King’s club?”

Thinking back, she couldn’t. Mostly, they had stared at him with wishful eyes and veiled assertions of what had taken place with them or other women.

“So, you’re saying you haven’t slept with them all?”

“I’m saying that I don’t keep a fucking roster of how many women I’ve been with. The women I have been involved with all have a good time, and they don’t have to worry about me doing their friends.”

“But when you’re done, you’re done?”

Jackal shook his head. “Not like you’re thinking. We both know when it’s pretty much over and remain friends. I don’t have exes stalking me if that’s what you’re thinking. Has anyone said I lied or cheated or made promises of a future? No, because I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep.”

Jackal was tired of beating around the bush. “Why was Train’s picture in your bedside table?”

Outraged, Penni straddled his lap and grabbed a handful of his T-shirt. “How do you know what’s in my bedroom?”

Gripping her wrists, Jackal used his chest to push her backward until she lay prone on his motorcycle, her legs wrapped around his waist as she struggled to free herself. He circled each of her wrists and his handlebars, effectively trapping her.

“Why are you so embarrassed? Because I saw Train’s picture or the dildo?”

“When you let me go, I’m going to kill you!” Penni screeched.

“Did you need the dildo because you’re missing him or because you can’t have him?”

Jackal watched her reaction to each of his questions. She was furious. When she returned to Queen City, it was a safe bet she would never go out with him. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

His aching dick was pressed against her pussy. The seam of her jeans beckoned him, and unable to resist, he rotated his hips, hearing a gasp from her lips.

Jackal lowered his mouth to her throat, breathing in her scent.

“Damn, you smell good.”

She snarled up at him. Damn, he liked a woman with some fire in her blood. Penni was like no woman he had ever known, though. Every time he was near her, he was like a blind man gifted with sight, unable to see anyone but her. Only Penni.

“If I kiss you, are you going to bite me again?”

“Try it and find out for yourself!”

Jackal curled his lips up into a smile against the curve of her throat.

“No thanks. I’ll try my luck somewhere else.” He pressed a kiss to the hollow of her throat, flicking out his tongue to taste her. She tasted as good as she smelled, like peaches on a warm summer day.

She reminded him of when he had been a little boy and stayed with his grandparents for the summers in Georgia. They had an orchard of peaches, and he would help pick them. At that age, he had eaten more than he had picked, loving the velvet texture as he bit into one and the sweet flesh inside.