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The dots appeared and then disappeared before his response finally came in.

Gunner: I’ll be there soon.

Gunner

The whole ride there, I thought about the messages I’d sent her.

They started as a joke. Just trying to get a rise out of her, but I wasn’t lying when I said I fantasized about her all weekend. The messages took on a life of their own. It was easy to lean into my attraction to her behind a screen. My dick may have to stay out of her, but fuck if I wasn’t going to flirt with her.

I told myself that flirting was part of getting her to fall for me. And she needed to fall for me so she’d share information. But I knew I was playing with fire with that approach.

Lotería’s crimson sign came into view, and the corners of my mouth turned upward. Now that I knew Ryan, I felt a swell of pride looking at the building. Her blood, sweat, and tears had gone into this place. The moment my engine cut, tension prickled on my skin, causing me to pause. Something was different here tonight.

Geraldo, the giant of a man who manned the door, wasn’t at his post. Instead, there stood some asshole who looked to be pretending to be a mafia member in a low-budget movie. Who was going to tell him he was in a cartel? I let my sergeant at arms persona slip over me before walking up to the asshole.

“Club is closed tonight, gringo. Go somewhere else to pay for pussy,” he spewed out.

I looked down at the hand pressed to my cut before dragging my eyes back to his ugly mug.

“The pedo ’stache isn’t a good look,” I said coolly, watching for his reaction. Swinging first wouldn’t go over well, but swinging second…that I could get away with.

My dick twitched the moment I heard her voice. Down, boy.

“I’d move your hand from his cut before you get your shit rocked.” Ryan walked out from behind the idiot. “And not everyone has to pay for pussy, Armando. Don’t put your lack of pussy problems on other people. Now, let him in,” she demanded, a cold look in her eyes.

God, she was hot when she was bossing people around. The weight of Armando’s hand was suddenly gone, and I shouldered past him. But his mumbles about Ryan being a bitch reached my ears. Faster than he could anticipate, I slammed him against the wall. My forearm pressed against his throat.

“What the fuck did you call her?” I growled out, blocking out the sensation of his nails breaking skin as he tried to relieve the pressure on his windpipe. “Oh, I’m sorry. I can’t hear you.”

At this point, Armando was flailing around. His face turned ashen from lack of oxygen. I moved closer so he would clearly understand what I was about to say.

“When I let your worthless ass go, you will crawl over to her on your hands and knees and apologize for being a rude asswipe. Nod your head if you understand,” I seethed. Satisfied that he got the message, I removed the weight on his throat, letting him crumple to the floor. He lay in a heap at my feet, desperately trying to get air into his oxygen-starved lungs. My lip curled in disgust—piece of shit.

I looked over at Ryan, who’d been quiet during this whole exchange. Her heated eyes traveled up and down my body. Fuck, how was I going to stay away?

Her responses to my sexting didn’t give away shit about how she felt.

Seemed she liked me violent. Noted. Bring her the heads of men who offend her.

Ryan didn’t bother looking down at Armando, who was now in front of her, begging for forgiveness. Instead, she kept her eyes trained on me as I strode over.

“When I’m around. No one will disrespect you,” I whispered in her ear, loving the shiver that racked her body. Before thinking better of it, I pulled her earlobe into my mouth and sucked. Her hands gripped my cut, and the breathy moan she let out instantly made me hard. Emboldened by her reaction, I ran the tip of my tongue along the shell of her ear for good measure. Dex may have said I couldn’t fuck her, but he didn’t say I couldn’t push the boundaries.

“Great, now my cock will be uncomfortably hard during this entire meeting, babe,” I whispered.

She pulled back slightly so she could look at my face.

“All actions have consequences, Gunner,” she said, throwing my own words back at me. A playful look in her eyes. The little minx turned and walked toward the stairs. My eyes lingered on the curve of her ass, almost missing that none of the crew tonight looked familiar. I’d only been to the club twice, but it had been the same staff both times. And from what I could tell about Ryan, she would keep her staff circle small—only bringing in men she trusted. I would bet my left nut the asshole at the door was not one of hers.

Ryan stopped abruptly, causing me to reach out and grab her hips to prevent myself from running her over. A soft groan fell from my mouth at the feel of her body in my hands. Her curves were a perfect handhold.

But my blood ran cold when she faced me. Her furrowed brow told me she was worried about something, instantly putting me on edge. Ryan had never been anything but confident. Now, she wouldn’t look me in the eye.

“Listen, I don’t know why Mario wants to talk with you. He showed up this morning unannounced and demanded I schedule a meeting.” She finally looked up. I could tell she was wrestling over something, but I didn’t know what.

“Mario won’t take any disrespect, Gunner. He’s not like Sergio. He has no softness and no room for second chances. Gunner, you have to be cautious in this meeting. Tell him what he wants to hear,” she rushed out.

That’s when I saw it—the fear in her eyes.