Read Online Marked as His by Em Petrova - Free Book Online

kitchen, wet hair trailing down her back.
    Damn, he was in trouble. He liked her too much. After he got her to the club, he’d be lucky to get her alone again. He had a feeling she wouldn’t allow him near , let alone in her bed.
    He followed her and took up the barstool again. She made coffee with economical movements, grinding beans and filling the machine. He could get too used to his. Watching her. Being with her.
    “Are you really going to let me ink you?”
    Her gaze flashed to his. Judging by the expression on her face, she wasn’t sure about anything she’d agreed to—ink or the club or Tommy. Paxton pushed his bowl away and issued a sigh.
    “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want.”
    “You came to force me to see my father.”
    “I came to escort you to him. I wasn’t the one with the gun.”
    “But you weren’t going to let me choose.”
    “That’s true. I have a job, Santana.”
    “What kind of job is it to bring in an unwilling woman?”
    “I admit it was more difficult than I expected.”
    At that, she snorted. Before the coffeemaker was finished, she poured a cup for him and pushed it across the countertop.
    “You take the first cup. I’ll wait,” he said.
    She waved off his words. He stared at her as she fixed herself a bowl of cereal and stood across the bar from him. The whole scene was so domestic, especially since he still tasted her on his lips.
    Once she cradled a mug of black coffee and had a first sip, she said, “Tell me why you were sent after me.”
    He eyed her. “You really want to know?”
    “Yes.”
    “I asked for a mission. I want my blood patch.”
    Her brow crinkled. “Blood patch? For fetching me?”
    He gave a single nod and she burst out laughing. He had to admit, it was funny now but he’d been more than a little irritated with such an easy job. “I’m glad it was me and not O’Dovey or Harris. I’d kill them if I found out they were in your bed.”
    She sobered and set down her mug. “Do you think I sleep with any biker who comes by?”
    “No. You’ve made it clear you don’t like my type.”
    Her full lips tightened then relaxed. “Maybe I was wrong about you.”
    Giving her a teasing grin, he looked at her from the corner of his eyes. “Does that mean you’re sorry for the torture you put me through?”
    “Oh yeah. Torture.” She laughed again and they drank their coffee in companionable silence.
    “Did you call off work?”
    Tension was a whip between them. She wouldn’t meet his gaze. “Yeah, I did.”
    “But?”
    Her face was a mask. “But nothing. I made a mistake saying I’d go talk to my father. I don’t need that in my life.”
    He could push her. Hell, he could throw her over his shoulder and take her to the MC now. But he hadn’t used his power over her yet and he wouldn’t. Not that kind of power, anyway.
    “Santana, what are you afraid of?”
    She dumped her dishes in the sink. Coffee she hadn’t drunk splashed upward but didn’t wet her top. “I’m not afraid of anyone or anything.”
    “That I believe.” He circled the counter and pulled her against his chest. “But you’re damn good at evading your feelings.”
    “And you face yours head-on?”
    He gave her an amused smile. “Yeah, I do.” He pointed at a spot of ink on his chest. A black dog with tail lowered .
    “What does it mean?”
    He drew her into his arms and held her. Somehow she was most relaxed in his hold, and he was going to take advantage of it. Especially since he might never get another chance to touch her after today.
    “My early twenties were rough. I lost a lot of people close to me. Friends to gang-related deaths. A couple went to prison. My grandpa died. And I had the normal young adult angst shit going on too. So I was depressed enough to think about taking my life.”
    She went still.
    “I had a rope slung over the rafter in the garage and a noose at the end.”
    “But you didn’t do it. Why?”
    “My little brother