Romeo (Dark Knights MC/Blood Fury MC: Crossover)

Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

“Did you not come to me for help?” Romeo asked.

“Not this kind of help. I went to you for stress relief. And only a certain kind. That’s it.”

“Just here to figure out the source of that stress. If I can solve it, gonna do that. Should be thankin’ me, not givin’ me shit.”

“Yes, I’m sooooo thankful you made up an excuse to become my patient so you could stick your nose in my business. You do realize that if you solve my stressful situation, I will no longer need sex from you?”

Maddie purposely said “need” instead of “want.” Because after the two nights she’d went over to his place recently, she’d still be tempted to swap some bodily fluids with him. Forget the stress, it would simply be for pleasure.

His expression told her that he must not have thought that far ahead.

She lifted the clipboard and drew a finger down his intake paperwork. “Let’s see what excuse you used.”

“Strained my hamstring fuckin’ you. ”

“Bullshit,” she repeated, then lifted her eyes and met his. Her pounding heartbeat jumped into her throat. “You didn’t tell that to Maribeth, did you?” Again, this man had no filter. She wouldn’t put it past him to tell the receptionist they’d had sex. Of course, at the same time flirting with the woman.

“Said I tweaked it.”

She raised an eyebrow. “On your morning jog?”

“Somethin’ like that.”

She pulled in a breath and shook her head. “You know, now I have to treat you like a real patient. Let’s not forget, bill you like one, too.”

“You can give me a discount.”

“I can’t. That’s not up to me. I’m not sure if you looked at our rates, but our services here aren’t cheap.”

“How you gonna service me?”

She tapped her fingertip against her lips as she pretended to seriously consider his fake injury. “Well, we could start out with some exercises?—”

“Naked?”

“Like hamstring curls. Then move on to some hip extensions and wall stretches.”

“Any of that hands on?”

“You mean like a massage?”

“Yeah, I’ll take one of those.”

“No, not for a strained hamstring. Should’ve come up with a better fake injury if you wanted a massage.”

He jerked his chin toward the clipboard she was holding. “Can I get that paperwork back?”

“Nope. But I can easily rip it up and on your way out the door, you can inform Maribeth that you’ve decided you can’t afford PT and will let it heal on its own.” Problem solved.

His brow creased. “Who the fuck said I can’t afford it? Think I can’t pay? ”

“I was giving you an out,” she answered.

“You’re givin’ yourself a fuckin’ out.”

That, too.

“Just here to help you, woman,” he grumbled.

“Help I didn’t ask for,” she hissed. A knock on her office door had her whispering, “Shit.”

“Who’s that?” Romeo asked.

She bugged her eyes out at him. “I won’t know until I answer the door.” She had a good idea, though.

She looked from the door back to Romeo. At least he’d been smart enough not to wear his cut while trying to pull off this ruse.

Without waiting for her to answer it, the knob turned, and the door opened, getting jammed against the back of the chair Romeo sprawled in with his boots and thighs spread wide.

“I see I’m interrupting.” Roger peeked his head around the partially open door. His eyes sliced from Maddie to Romeo. “A new patient?”

“That’d be me,” Romeo answered, staring at her boss over his shoulder. He didn’t move a damn inch or even shift the chair enough to allow the door to open fully.

Good. Her office wasn’t big enough for both men’s egos.

Roger wedged himself into the gap, jutting out his hand. “Let me introduce myself. I’m Roger Smith, owner of this center. I see you picked a good therapist to work with.”

What? Did an actual compliment pass Roger’s lips? Maddie didn’t think it was possible.

She waited for Roger to self-combust from his attempt at being nice. It had to be a struggle.

Without bothering to get up, Romeo twisted around to squeeze Roger’s offered hand. Hard.

Roger’s slight wince almost made her smile, but Maddie knew better than to let him see her enjoying his discomfort.

But… Was Romeo so damn astute that he already figured out what her problem was at work? Or more like who was her problem?

That couldn’t be possible. Maybe he was only testing the waters.

When Romeo finally released Roger’s hand, her boss pulled it into his chest with a frown. “So, what injury brings you here? What sports do you play?”

Romeo stared at the intruder.

Some people rubbed you the wrong way the second you met them. Roger Smith was a damn good example of that.

Did the owner greet all new patients? Or was he particularly interested in Maddie’s?

Was he her problem? Was he harassing her for sex?

Was he fucking touching her without permission? Did the fucker not know how to take “no” for an answer?

His jaw tightened and shifted. He forced himself to remain seated and not launch himself at the guy simply because of a gut feeling. If he ended up behind bars for knocking out a guy possibly innocent, he couldn’t help Maddie with her problem.

“All kinds, Roger. Like to keep in shape, so I work out a lot. Love to wrestle.” Naked. “Play a little ball.” Especially with the ones hanging between his legs.

“A little B-ball?”

“Didn’t say that, Roge. Shouldn’t assume I play basketball ‘cause I’m Black. ”

Ol’ Roger paled at Romeo calling him out for a stereotype. Hopefully, his asshole was puckered, too.

“Prefer golf. A bit of tennis. Some pickleball.” How the fuck did he even say that shit with a straight face? He deserved one of those gold statues they gave movie stars.

“You sound like a well-rounded athlete, then,” Smith murmured.

“Ain’t an Olympian, but I’ll admit I like to have a bit of fun.” With women. And currently with one in particular.

Smith clapped his hands together once. “All right, well… It was nice meeting you…”

When Maddie’s boss left that hanging, Romeo supplied, “Mr. Carter.”

“Mr. Carter,” Smith echoed. “I’m sure Mad here will take good care of you. She’s one of our best.”

When he heard a noise come from Maddie, Romeo glanced at her, missing the moment Smith ducked out and closed the door.

“He fuckin’ calls you Mad ?” he just about bellowed. Somehow, he managed to keep it at a non-deafening level.

She sighed. “I’ve asked him not to, but…”

“He touchin’ you?” Unfortunately, that came out a little louder. He wondered about the thickness of the office walls. Smith could be a nosy fucker and have his ear plastered to the door.

“What? No. Why would you think that?”

Her look of disgust told him she wasn’t lying. So, being sexually harassed by her boss might not be the problem.

“Assholes like him tend to think they can do whatever the fuck they want.”

Her eyebrows rose and she gave him a pointed look. “Oh, really? I wonder why you’d think that? ”

“Might be a lotta damn things, but never had to force myself on a woman.” And never would.

“Not when you have sweet butts at your beck and call.”

His spine tightened with what she was insinuating. “Nothin’ to do with sweet butts. Ain’t ugly. Ain’t stupid. Got a pretty fuckin’ impressive dick. Got more positives than negatives.”

When she dropped her head to hide her face with her hair, her body shook. Was she laughing at that?

“You sure didn’t have a problem gettin’ naked with me.”

“It was only a test drive. I wasn’t looking to buy.”

“Again, you got fuckin’ jokes.” She needed to reevaluate her comedic material.

“Oh, you giving me a short list of your attributes wasn’t supposed to be amusing?”

“Heard no complaints when my dick was splittin’ your pussy in two last night.”

It only took a fraction of a second for her cheeks to bloom red. Now the tables were turned, and he was the one amused.

She glanced at the door in panic.

He peered over his shoulder to make sure her boss hadn’t poked his head in again.

Maddie sighed. “All right. Can we end this farce now?”

“Gonna tell me what’s stressin’ you the fuck out?”

She hesitated, but only for a second. “I don’t need you getting involved, Romeo. It’ll only create more issues.”

“Might be able to solve them for you.”

“Not without making a bigger mess.”

“Maddie…”

“No, Romeo. I don’t belong to you. I don’t belong to the Knights. It isn’t your job to step in.” She pushed off her desk and grabbed the clipboard. “I’ll walk you out. You can tell Maribeth that… Actually, I don’t care what excuse you gi ve, just come up with one on why you won’t be a patient here.”

He remained seated. “Ain’t gonna do that.”

“Do it for me.”

It was her obvious rising panic that decided his next actions. “That’s who I’m fuckin’ doin’ it for. So, you don’t wanna be my physical therapist? You got it.”

When he finally rose from the chair the room was so damn tight, they stood toe-to-toe.

He dipped his head and locked eyes with her. “But gonna give you what you want and go talk to Maribeth. Gonna tell her to set me up with someone else. You don’t like it? Too fuckin’ bad.”

“Rome…”

“Fuck that shit. Nothin’ you say’s gonna change my fuckin’ mind.”

“You’re stepping where you don’t belong.”

“You keep thinkin’ that.”

She swallowed hard enough it was noticeable. Yeah , another sign he shouldn’t let it go no matter what she said.

“Why are you so damn stubborn?” she hissed.

“No more than you,” he answered.

“I can’t burn any bridges, Romeo. This job could determine my future.”

He considered her whispered plea. What kind of man would he be if he let her continue to suffer? He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he just let it go.

Was he benefitting from whatever was going on? Of fucking course he was. It also drove him goddamn crazy that he didn’t know what was causing that suffering. And even if he found a solution for her, it didn’t mean the sex had to stop.

“You gonna help me out with my injury or you gonna make me find someone else?”

“I came to you because I didn’t want anyone barging into my life. I didn’t think you’d give a shit.”

Normally, he wouldn’t. However, he was finding this situation far from normal for him. “Guess you were fuckin’ wrong. I give a shit.”

“Can you not?”

“No.”

“If I tell you what it is, will you leave?”

“Depends.”

“I need a guarantee.”

“Then, no.”

She blew out a breath, closed her eyes and shook her head. “You’re an asshole, Rome.”

“Yep. And if you think callin’ me an asshole’s gonna bother me, that’s one guarantee I can give you… It won’t.”