Shelli Rosewarne

Hi all,

Well, it’s been a busy week but we’re heading for weekend now (and into October – where has the year gone!). Carrying on with my free reads, this is part two of Tempting Sin (if you missed part one you can find it in the archive from last week or the link is here). Hope you’re enjoying!

Isaura’s legs were shaking as she entered the biker bar. She felt ridiculously out of place, with no idea if this was even the right spot. A wolf whistle almost made her hightail it out of there, but she was desperate.

“Excuse me?” she asked the bartender. His scraggly gray hair was knotted in a bandana. He looked her up and down, unimpressed. “I’m looking for someone. Maybe you know him. He’s tall, dark hair, has tattoos all down one arm.”

The man’s gaze flickered around the bar; her description could match half the guys here.

“He usually goes by Jaraxx.”

The man’s face was shuttered. “Never heard of ‘im.”

“Please,” she whispered. “It’s really important I find him.”

The man glanced at her, and then shook his head slowly. “Like, I said, don’t know ‘im, and if I were you I’d look somewhere else. This is not the place for someone like you.”

As if she didn’t know that. She felt despair push down on her. The man was lying, but what could she do? As she turned and headed for the door, a burly man blocked her way.

“Leaving so soon, pretty lady?” he asked. The look on his face made her shiver.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I need to go.” She tried to step around him, but was stopped by a meaty hand taking her arm in an iron grip.

“What’s your rush? Stay and have a little fun.”

She tugged her arm but he didn’t budge. “I really need to go. Someone’s waiting for me.” She heard the note of desperation.

The man obviously could too; a slow smile spread over his face. “I don’t think anyone’s waiting for you, cutie. I think you’re all on your own. But don’t worry, we’ll keep you company.”

Isaura began struggling in earnest now, but she might as well have been trying to move a brick wall. He dragged her against him and she felt his beery breath a second before meaty lips covered hers in a bruising kiss.

A freezing chill suddenly cut through the air, and the bar behind them went deathly quiet. A voice cut through the silence.

“Get your hands off her. Now.”

Isaura sagged with relief and spun around to see Jaraxx standing there. She swallowed at the look on his face. His eyes were literally glowing and his expression promised death. The man holding her shifted uncomfortably.

“Hey, we were just having a little fun. I didn’t know she was with you.”

Jaraxx stepped forward and removed the man’s hand from her arm in a way that made him wince in pain and tucked her into his side.

“Now you know.”

The man was cradling his hand against his chest and fear filled his eyes. “Yeah, man, sorry. Won’t happen again.”

Jaraxx gazed at him as though he was debating whether to kill him or not. The man shrank back on himself, looking terrified. Isaura found herself actually feeling sorry for the man. No matter what he might have had planned for her, she didn’t want him to die. She lightly touched Jaraxx’s arm and he glanced down, fire still raging in his eyes.

“I want to go now, please,” she said softly.

She had a brief impression of the other man’s expression of relief before she felt the cool night air on her skin. The sense of freedom was almost enough to bring tears to her eyes. Jaraxx looked at her with concern.

“Did he hurt you?”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

She didn’t add, “Thanks to you,” but the thought of what could have happened suddenly struck her and she felt tears building. He cupped her face in his hands, those deep green eyes looking down into her soul.

“Do you want me to go back and kill him?”