Kobe, Bad Blood (Blood Roses Book 1) by Danielle Norman (great reads TXT) 📕

“He’s not part of our inner circle, he doesn’t know our ways yet, and I want to know his thoughts.” He leaned back in his chair, one arm outstretched on the table, and drummed his fingers, impatient for my reply.

“I’m not that fucking new,” I defended.

“He can think whatever the hell he wants,” snapped Dante, his eyes still on the curves of the woman next to him. “She’s mine, anyway.”

My body stiffened. “What did you say?” I demanded as Dante slowly withdrew his hand from under the girl’s skirt and turned to face me.

“The new girl is mine. I’ll take her.” My jaw snapped shut with an audible click, and Dante raised his brow at me.

“Got a problem with that?” Spider asked, his voice silky as he leaned toward the edge of his seat.

I think he wanted some kind of altercation, and as much as I wanted one too, I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. Fuck, Kobe, why are you doing this? Now, I needed to figure out a way to protect her without screwing up my relationship with the DT Coyotes.

“It’s okay to be disappointed, Easy,” Spider said, his voice full of mock sympathy. A slow, sly grin creeped across his face, chilling my blood.

“No,” I said breathlessly. “She’s mine.”

Dante straightened and adjusted his body as he faced me. “That’s bullshit.”

“No, it’s not.” I inhaled and slowly stretched out my legs, hoping to appear relaxed. “She’s mine. She and I have been together for a while, that is why she’s at Sasha’s.” I stared at Dante, my eyes hard, despite my relaxed posture. “I understand you all wanting her, I want all kinds of things from her,” I said, my voice careful. “But the difference is, I get them.”

Dante smirked as the sound of Kobe’s boots drew closer. “Allie,” I said.

She froze as all eyes at the table were on her. She looked anxious, her dark eyes wide for a moment before she bent over to lower the glasses to the table, giving me a thrilling view of what lay just beneath her thin tank top.

“Yes?” She slipped me my drink, her eyes locked onto mine.

I quickly rose from my seat and held her gaze, hoping to communicate my desperation and the need for her to go along with whatever I said or did next. Those dark eyes peered into mine as she rose on her tiptoes to give me a quick peck before she lowered the tray to the table, and I knew that she got it.

I stood in front of her and silently wrapped my arms around her, yanking her body against mine and fisted my fingers in her hair, pulling her head back.

She gasped, and her eyes widened in surprise as we stood for a moment, staring at each other. The loud music died away as I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers. It was like someone set off fireworks within me, Kobe, her name filled my mouth and the realization that she was in my arms had my soul burning. She was food to this starving man.

Her body melted against mine as her hands roamed over my shoulders, grabbing the collar of my shirt, pulling her even closer to me. Someone in the bar whistled, but it seemed a distant echo next to the roaring of my blood pounding in my ears.

My words were raspy. “Sorry, I know you wanted her, but she—”

She cut me off. “I’ve been waiting for that all day,” she purred, and I released her but still gazed into her dark brown colored eyes.

“I missed you too,” I breathed, my voice slow and sincere.

“Well, I guess that solves that then,” Dante said as he clapped his hand on the table. “Oh well, her loss.” His eyes lingered on the hem of her shorts.

His eyes were on her, but they were burning me as I let my hand rest on Kobe’s ass in a possessive way that told everyone in the bar that she was mine.

“Don’t forget”—I squeezed hard, grinding our hips together—“I’m picking you up after your shift.”

“How could I forget?” she said, her eyes bright, and my pulse quickened as she rose on her toes and planted one final kiss on my lips before she grabbed the tray and sauntered away.

“Well damn,” Dante said with a nod of approval, “I had a feeling that she’d be a spitfire.” A shiver ran through his body, and I tried not to think of what he was imagining.

“As I said, sorry, but she is off limits.” I swallowed hard as she continued bringing drinks to other members.

“Hey, when you’re done with her, she belongs to the gang, got me?” Dante asked, and I just nodded. His words bothered me on so many levels, not just the thought of him touching her but the fact that he said it like Kobe had no choice. Last I looked, she was a free woman with her own mind and body, she could decide who the fuck she wanted to be with. I said the last part, but I had to admit that I didn’t totally agree with it. No, Kobe couldn’t say because she was mine, she had always been mine, I just needed to prove to her that I was who she wanted.

“Well, I’m gonna get out of here with these girls,’’ he said, clapping his hand back on the thigh of the woman beside him. He downed his drink and then stood. “All of that shit between you and your woman has me wanting to head home.” He took a cigarette from his chest pocket and slid it between his teeth. The woman pulled out a lighter and ignited the end.

Spider, his loyal puppy, got up and followed after Dante.

As soon as the door swung shut behind them, the atmosphere of the room changed. People sat a little more relaxed, breathed a little easier—all except for one. Kobe’s eyes followed Dante, and she watched him through the window until he