Maximus Read online

  

  Kinky Saints MC 2

  Maximus

  A kinder, kinkier motorcycle club.

  After losing her home and business to fire, Annie Griffin finds herself living in her sister’s half-finished basement. Hugging homeless stuffies at the thrift shop, she hopes to cheer herself up after a frustrating day dealing with the insurance company. What she doesn’t expect is to fall in love with a lady panda bear named Spike. Or be invited out to dinner.

  Enthralled by the woman who loves on stuffed animals, Max Santi sees the woman he’s been searching for. When she finds herself locked out of her sister’s house, he steps in and takes control, moving her in with him.

  Will Annie and Max’s kinks mesh as perfect as they both hope? Will the insurance company ever pay off on Annie’s claims? Can Max convince Annie to be his even after she puts her life back together again?

  Genres: BDSM, Contemporary

  Length: 22,731

  MAXIMUS

  Kinky Saints MC 2

  Cooper McKenzie

  

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  Maximus

  Copyright © 2019 by Cooper McKenzie

  ISBN: 978-1-64243-846-8

  First Publication: June 2019

  Cover design by Les Byerley

  All art and logo copyright © 2019 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book or print book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at [email protected]

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Cooper McKenzie always thought she had been born a hundred years too late, though she appreciates air conditioning, computers, and other conveniences of modern-day life. She lives in central Texas with her mixed breed companion, Honey, the Princess Fuzzybutt.

  For all titles by Cooper McKenzie, please visit

  www.bookstrand.com/cooper-mckenzie

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  MAXIMUS

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  MAXIMUS

  Kinky Saints MC 2

  COOPER MCKENZIE

  Copyright © 2019

  Chapter One

  Why was the woman hugging the stuffed animals?

  Max Santi froze midstride to watch the curious sight. He had been headed to the back corner of the salesroom, which was where the thrift store kept their rags. He stopped when the blonde woman picked up a large white owl stuffie and hugged it like a child would a favorite toy. She whispered something in its ear before she put it back on the shelf and picked up the teddy bear sitting next to it.

  Curiosity got the best of him, so Max ambled closer. Something about this woman pulled at him, even though he had yet to see her face. What he could see of her curvy body had his cock stiffening up as he sent a prayer up that she was single. That would be the first hurdle they would have to cross before anything else could happen between them.

  And he felt certain something would be happening between them.

  “Here’s a little love for you,” she murmured as she squeezed the bear before placing it back on the shelf. “Someone will take you home soon. Just keep looking cute.”

  “Do you do this often?” Max asked softly, once he had moved within a few feet without the woman noticing.

  The woman squeaked and jumped, throwing the stuffed panda she had just picked up in his direction. Max caught the fluffy toy in midair and moved another step closer.

  “Oh, my, you startled me,” she said. Her soft melodic voice reached into Max’s jeans and squeezed his balls at the same second as his cock surged to attention, making him shift to try and give it more room in his jeans.

  “I’m sorry,” Max found himself apologizing as he eased even closer. “I didn’t mean to scare you. But I am curious. Do you hug a lot of strange animals?”

  If so, how can I be one? he thought, though he did not ask out loud. He was within an arm’s length before the woman finally shifted back a half-step. Holding out the black and white bear, he waited for her to take it.

  Her gaze dropped to his chest as she reached out for the bear. Instead of releasing it once she had hold of it, Max held on until she looked up into his eyes. She was older than he’d first thought, but still so cute that his cock’s interest grew. Her dark gold hair just brushed her shoulders and was tucked behind her ears, showing off a pair of gold teddy bear earrings in the lobes of small, well-formed ears. Her eyes were a light green, reminding him of the celery Nonna grew in her garden each summer. Freckles dusted her fair skin, and, as he continued to stare down into her eyes, her cheeks began to pink up. She was short, round, and curvy, just the kind of woman he preferred.

  As he continued to stare at her, her gaze dropped again. So, she was submissive, as well. She took a deep breath, blinked and forced her gaze to his once more.

  “Answer the question, Little one,” he encouraged gently.

  Her blink was slow just before her head dropped forward until she stared at the center of his chest as she tugged at the stuffed animal they held between them.

  “They looked sad, so I thought a hug would cheer them up,” she answered softly.

  Max could not help but chuckle at her innocent explanation. “And are they happier now that you’ve hugged them?”

  “I’d like to think so, though I’m sure they would prefer to find a human of their own to go home with, love and protect,” she answered, sounding so sure of herself that she was making a believer out of him.

  “And is this a good paying job? To go into thrift stores and hug the animals?” Max asked, his curiosity continuing to grow.

  The woman tugged at the panda, so he finally released the arm he held. She looked surprised when he finally released it, but pulled the panda to her chest and hugged it anyway. Then she whispered in its ear and turned to the wall. When she went to place it on the shelf, she hesitated before picking up a piece of paper from the shelf where the bear had been sitting.

  Max watched her read the note and was surprised when tears filled her eyes. Once she finished reading, he pulled the note from her fingers and read it himself.

  This is Spike. Spike is a good bear. She loves to wear her fairy princess dress and her leather jacket, but not at the same time. Spike is a fairy princess biker panda and will protect you from bad dreams while you sleep. Keep her safe and love her and she will love you back. If you ask nicely, she’ll even help you find love.

  I’m going to Heaven soon, and Spike can’t come with me. Please find her a good home. When you are through loving her, please find her someone else to love.

  Thank you. Love, Susan

  Max watched the woman hug the black and white bear a second time. Half-turning, she
stared across the store for nearly a minute. She then slowly turned back to the shelf and searched behind the animals until she found a teddy bear size black backpack with the name Spike embroidered in pink on the flap. Looping the straps over the bear’s arms, she looked his way. Holding out her hand, she waited patiently until he refolded the note and laid it on her palm.

  “Thank you,” she said softly.

  Hugging the bear to her chest, she brushed a kiss over the animal’s head. After tucking the note into the backpack, she replaced Spike on the shelf and turned away. She blinked back tears as she bent and picked up the shopping basket that had been on the floor at her feet. Without another word, she started to walk away.

  “Hey, wait a minute,” Max ordered, not sure what had just happened, but knowing he missed something.

  The woman turned back and stared at him with one eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Yes?”

  Not quite sure what drove him, he closed the distance, not stopping until he could wrap his arms around her upper arms to keep her from escaping again. “Are you married, engaged, or otherwise spoken for?”

  The woman swallowed hard as sadness entered her eyes. In the next moment, she dropped them to study his chin. “Not at this moment. Why?”

  “Because,” Max said just before he brushed a kiss on the woman’s lips.

  He had no idea what had come over him, except a growing hunger for this woman. And not just because she gave hugs and pep talks to stuffed animals who had been abandoned in a thrift store. There was something fragile and innocent about her that drew him in, making him want to protect her, make her smile, make love to her, and more. Oh, so much more.

  Was this the instantaneous love his grandfather had talked about when he’d told a teenage Max, his brother, and his cousins the facts of life, love, and sex?

  Pulling back, Max studied the stunned woman before giving her a half-smile. “So, Miss Animal Hugger, what are you doing for dinner tonight?”

  Chapter Two

  Annie Griffin wasn’t at all sure what to make of this man in worn blue jeans, scuffed black motorcycle boots, and black T-shirt that advertised Santi Motors over one powerfully built pectoral muscle. He surprised her by not making fun of her loving on the lonely stuffies, but acted as if she was doing important work. She was embarrassed enough that he had caught her hugging and giving pep talks to them. She wasn’t sure she wanted to tell him what she would be doing next.

  Once he walked away, she planned to scoop up the panda bear, buy her, and take her home. She needed a stuffed friend to love on, who would love her back. Spike seemed perfect for the role. But she did not want this handsome, sexy man to witness the informal adoption. She had a feeling he would ask questions that would cause her to expose things she had kept secret for all her adult life.

  Looking up at him, she swallowed hard. Why would such a handsome man ask about her dinner plans? She was a nobody with nothing. Even less nowadays.

  Her home and business had burnt to the ground, taking her car with it when the building collapsed. Annie had been living in a corner of her sister’s partially finished basement while she figured out what to do next. She needed to hurry up and make some decisions because her sister was already beginning to grumble about when she would be moving out. They had never gotten along, so Annie was grateful she had allowed her to stay the few weeks she had.

  “I’ll be eating leftovers and reading a book,” she admitted softly, unable to look at the man who seemed to be watching her like a hungry hawk did a rabbit as it scurried across a field to safety. “Why?”

  The big man shrugged and smiled down at her. “I thought maybe you’d like to join me for dinner. There’s a Mexican restaurant at the other end of the shopping center that has really good food.”

  Annie dropped her gaze to the floor as her shoulders tightened with nerves. All her life, men had made her nervous. Which was part of the reason she was still single at forty. She wanted more than a man in her life to take care of. She wanted a man who wanted to take care of her.

  “I don’t think so, but thank you for the invitation,” she said softly. When she tried to step back, he would not release her. Finally, she took a deep breath, huffed a sigh, and lifted her gaze to his. “Please, let me go.”

  “What’s your name, Little one?”

  “Annie Griffin. What’s yours?”

  “Maximus Santi. Call me Max. Would you like to speak to my Nonna for assurance that I won’t kidnap you to sell to sex traders? I have her on speed dial. Or better yet, we could run by the compound and you could meet her in person. She’s going to love you.”

  Annie frowned up at the man. He looked sane enough, but she wasn’t sure it would be safe to spend any time with him. He might be just as crazy as she was. But he was easy on the eyes with his black hair, deep brown eyes, and classic Italian features.

  Sifting through his comment, she asked, “What’s a Nonna and why would she want to meet me?”

  “Nonna is Italian for grandmother. She and my grandfather came to the United States after World War Two and bought some land just north of Georgetown. They raised four sons there, and then, when our parents died, they raised me, my brother, and our four cousins.”

  Annie blinked, stunned that he willingly shared so much family history with her after knowing her for only a few minutes. Though she still wasn’t sure about this man, she thought she should share a bit of her own, though her current predicament would probably send him racing back to wherever he had come from.

  Pulling in a long, slow breath, she said, “I’m currently living in my sister’s basement until the insurance company decides whether or not they’re going to pay my claims for the total destruction of my home, car, and business.”

  “What happened?”

  “The building where I lived, and owned a craft supply store, burnt to the ground,” Annie said as she blinked back tears. “Until the insurance pays my claims, I have no money to start over, just a lot of suppliers demanding their money. I’m trying to find a new place to live because my sister and I don’t get along. For some reason, I feel a strange kinship to these abandoned animals,” she said, nodding to the shelf where the animals sat looking sad and forlorn. “Which is why I was hugging them. Everything needs love, even homeless stuffies.”

  Annie knew she shouldn’t be sharing so much about her situation. Just thinking about the reality she was living these days made her sad. But something about this man made her want to open up even though she didn’t know him. She wanted him to know that she wasn’t crazy, only she couldn’t say the words. Maybe she was crazy.

  “Do you know Cara Michaels?” Max straightened. “She lived in a building that recently burned down.”

  “Yes, Cara used to work for me. We both lived in the building. I haven’t been able to talk to her since the fire. I have a check for her, but don’t know where she’s living these days. Do you know if she’s all right?”

  Annie wished she could have done more for the woman right after the fire, but losing both her home and her business had sent her into an emotional tailspin. Most days it took everything she had just to climb the stairs to the kitchen to eat something.

  Her sister, Jenna, was not the most supportive person, and her attitude only added to the stress that kept Annie hiding in the basement. She had no idea how much weight she had lost, but her pants were growing looser by the day.

  Just that morning, Jenna had stormed down the stairs and demanded Annie pull herself together. It was time to buy herself some proper clothes, find a job, and move out.

  It had taken her most of the day, but Annie had finally found the courage to come to the thrift store. She was supposed to be buying clothes to add to the few her sister had gotten for her when she’d first moved in. Annie had found a couple of tops she liked, but there were no pants. She had been looking at skirts and dresses when the shelf of stuffed animals caught her eye.

  Feeling whimsical and lonely, she had crossed to visit the animals, hoping
to find one to take home. She missed Curly, the teddy bear she’d had since college. Curly, who had been with her through good times and bad, over the past twenty years. Even as an adult she did not hesitate to hug and talk things over with Curly whenever times got rough. The well-worn teddy had burned in the fire, along with all her hopes and dreams for a life of her own.

  “She’s living with my cousin, Nico.” Max pulled a phone from his back pocket and swiped the screen. After hitting several buttons, he held it between them.

  “Hello?” a familiar voice said.

  “Hey, Cara, it’s Max. I’ve got a friend of yours here who needs you to tell her that I’m not an ax murderer or rapist or sex slave trader,” Max said with a chuckle.

  “A friend? Who is it?” Cara asked.

  “Hi, Cara, it’s Annie Griffin. Do you know this strange man named Maximus Santi?” she asked, fighting a smirk when he winced at her use of his full name.

  “It’s Max,” he said with a slight frown of disapproval which did not frighten Annie.

  “Maximus, huh?” Cara said with a giggle. “Yes, Annie, I know Max. He’s a good man, as are all the Santi men. What’s he asking you to do?”

  “He wants me to go out to dinner with him,” Annie said as she smirked at Max. “Also, I have a check I need to get to you for the last few days you worked before…”

  Cara was silent for a moment. “How about we meet up soon for dinner?”

  “I’d like that,” Annie said, the deep black sadness at losing everything lightening a shade or two.

  “Great. What’s your number and I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” Cara sounded so happy that Annie found herself smiling in response.

  As she recited her phone number, she glanced up from the phone to see Max repeating them silently. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. Was he really memorizing them?