Surviving Storm (Kings Reapers MC Book 7)
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Vinn’s leaning one elbow on the bar, casually watching with a smirk on his face. This guy is three times my size and weight, and it’s taking everything I have to get this motherfucker to bleed. When he eventually spits a tooth out onto the floor, I want to do a fucking celebratory jig. Lake pats me on the back. He’s just as knackered as I am. “Alright!” The guy growls. “Jonah Delonghi sent me.”
“You only lost one tooth,” I say. “You’re gonna give it up after one tooth?”
“Shut the fuck up, man. I’m done with this. If I have to carry on, I’ll die before he does,” snaps Lake, and I smirk.
The door bangs and we all look up as Lottie enters. I swear, I almost gasp at the sight of her. She’s wearing a skirt shorter than is even possible. There’s no way she can bend without showing us everything. Her top is low cut and her tits are spilling out over the top. Her heels click as she walks towards Vinn. Once she’s closer, I see she’s wearing makeup and I frown. For a second, dread fills me. What if she’s on a date with Vinn? I glance at Lake, but he looks just as confused as me. “What are you doing here?” he snaps.
“I’m here to see Vinn,” she says with a confidence I’ve never witnessed from her.
“About?” he asks.
Vinn smirks, placing a hand on Lottie’s lower back and leading her towards his office. “I’ll take care of her, don’t worry. Get on with what I pay you for,” he says. The door slams shut behind them, and Lake looks ready to combust.
“Are they dating?” I growl out, unable to keep the anger from my voice.
Lake eyes me suspiciously. “Why are you fucking asking?”
“Cos it’s Vinn!” I snap like that explains everything. “I watched him cut someone’s tongue out last week, and now, he might be fucking Lottie. She’s part of the club, she shouldn’t be in bed with the mafia . . . literally.”
“Shut the hell up,” growls Lake. “She ain’t fucking Vinn.” He slams his fist into the guy’s face hard enough to bust his nose. Blood spurts out and the guy lets out a string of curses. “At least, I don’t think so,” adds Lake. “It’s not like she tells me anything.”
It’s an hour before Vinn reappears with Lottie. The guy has taken a bad beating, partly cos me and Lake took our anger out on him. He’s passed out with blood pouring from his face. Vinn assesses the scene, shaking his head. “Jesus, what the fuck happened? I asked for information, not a kill.”
I throw a piece of paper on the bar top. “All there,” I mutter, letting my eyes roam up and down Lottie. She doesn’t look flustered or just fucked.
“Are we good to go?” snaps Lake.
“He is,” says Vinn, pointing to me. “You’re not. I need a package delivered, and you went before.”
Lake growls, rolling his eyes. He glares at me. “Get Lottie home.”
Outside, I stop by my bike, but Lottie continues on past. “I gotta get you home,” I say.
“I have shit to do. I’ll make my own way,” she says.
“Why you always gotta do the opposite of what you’re told?” I snap. “Just get on the fucking bike.”
She spins to face me, looking me up and down. “You’re covered in blood,” she snaps. “You want me to hold on to you while you’re covered in some guy’s blood?”
I glance down at my stained shirt. “What’s your problem with blood? You like to see your own but not other people’s?” It’s below the belt and I feel bad the second it leaves my mouth, but I’m pissed. All I can think about is her with Vinn and it boils my blood.
“Fuck you,” she hisses before turning and stomping off down the street. I watch her ass sway. She walks different in heels, and fuck, it turns me on.
I roll my eyes before running to catch her up. “Sorry. That was out of order.”
“Leave me alone,” she mutters.
“Don’t let something I said piss you off. I’m a dick. Sorry.” We walk in silence for a few minutes, then she stops outside a bar and peers through the window. “Who are we looking for?” I ask, peering through too.
“Just go home. I’ll see you there.”
There’s a group of men inside. They’re all drinking and cheering. It looks like a celebration. “Who is that?” I ask. “Who are you looking for?”
“Storm,” she growls. “Go home.” Whatever she’s doing here, she doesn’t want me around, so I shrug my shoulders and nod. Then I head back the way we came. I glance back over my shoulder in time to see her go inside the bar. I wait a few seconds before returning and looking in the window. Lottie is talking to one of the drunk guys. He looks angry, and she looks like she’s desperately trying to explain something. Suddenly, he grabs her arms and pulls her towards the exit, dragging her into the street, and she’s sobbing.
“You’re fucking crazy,” he’s yelling as he shoves her away from him. She stumbles, falling onto her ass. “Stay the fuck away from me,” he spits out. I catch him off guard, hitting him on his jaw as he turns to go inside. His head bangs against the wall and he hisses. “What the fuck?”
“You touch her again and I’ll slit your throat!” I warn.
“No,” cries Lottie, jumping and rushing to stand in front of me. “Leave him,” she yells.
“Is this your new man?” asks the guy, laughing. “Mate, if I was you, I’d run a mile. This chick is crazy.” He storms back inside.
“Why did you do that?” she cries, pushing hard against my chest. “I told you to go.”
“Was that your ex?” I ask, gripping her wrists to stop her pounding them against my chest. “Did you come here to see him?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” she sobs.
I keep hold of one wrist and pull her away from the doorway of the bar. I’d understand way more than she thinks. “Let’s go.”
“I wanna be alone,” she yells, trying to pull free. People start looking to see what the fuss is.
“Lottie, we’ve been here before. You can’t get away from me, so just do what I fucking say,” I hiss. She’s attracting attention, and the last thing I need is the cops turning up when I’m covered in another man’s blood.
She gives in, letting me lead her back to my bike. I drive us to the caravan since I can’t take her to the club in this state. At least here, I can keep an eye on her. I sit in the doorway of the caravan, and she wanders around the discarded piles of rubbish. She lets out an ear-piercing scream, but I don’t react. She needs this. Eventually, she drops onto an old mattress and stares out over the horizon. I go inside and pull out the bed. I’ve slept here numerous times when I’ve been blind drunk so Taya wouldn’t discover I’m still doing it. I find the bottle of whiskey I’ve hidden here and place it on the table, taking a seat and staring at it. Taya thinks I have a problem . . . I don’t. I can stop, I can turn it down, but sometimes, I like to sit here and get wasted to forget. She read somewhere that drinking alone is a sign of alcoholism, but I think it’s a sign of sadness.
I snatch the bottle and unscrew the lid, taking a large gulp. As it burns through my chest, I relax, then take another drink. I can see Lottie through the window. She’s still staring out at nothing, but at least she ain’t screaming anymore. I drink half the bottle before my eyes feel glazed and I’m completely relaxed. I sway when I stand, holding the table to steady myself. Heading over to Lottie, I come to a sudden stop when I lay my eyes on her. “What the fuck have you done?” I growl.
Chapter Four
LOTTIE
The noise has stopped, so I stare down at the thick, sticky liquid covering my entire arm. “I said, what the fuck have you done,” yells Storm. “I don’t have my phone,” he growls. “Riggs has my phone. Have you got yours?” He grabs my upper arm and pulls me to stand. I don’t know why he’s so mad. He marches me towards the bike, but he’s unsteady on his feet and stinks of whiskey.
“You can’t drive,” I say dryly. “You’ve been drinking, and no, my phone is dead, and I haven’t got a charger.”
He glares at me, his chest heaving up and down. �
�You stupid bitch, what the hell were you thinking?”
“What were you thinking?” I counter. “I thought you had a problem with alcohol, so why are you keeping stashes of it around here like a fucking treasure hunt? And don’t call me a bitch!”
“Yeah, well, it’s been a fucking stressful day!” he snaps.
“I’ve only opened old wounds, relax,” I mutter, heading back to the caravan. I open the cupboards, searching for a first aid kit. I’ve been doing this a long time, and a nurse once showed me how to take care of my cuts and keep them clean. The kit is basic with some bandages but no cleansing wipes. I find a bottle of vodka—that’ll do.
Storm swigs from his bottle of whiskey, his eyes fixed on me as I unscrew the vodka cap and hold my arm over the sink, pouring the liquid over my cuts. I cry out. It’s unavoidable as the alcohol stings my wounds. “How dysfunctional are we?” I ask, smirking.
“Why’d yah go and see Vinn?” he mutters. “Why did you turn up to see your ex, and how did you know he was there?”
“Why does your ex have an injunction out on you?” I ask casually. His eyes narrow, and I smile innocently. “I overheard you and Taya talking.”
He stands, pushing his body against mine and levelling his eyes with me. “Because I’m fucking crazy,” he hisses.
“Aren’t all the best people?” I ask, squaring my shoulders. I refuse to be scared by him, even if his eyes look more cold and deadly now he’s drunk.
“You shouldn’t try and gain my interest, Charlotte,” he growls. “I’m not a nice guy.”
“Well, I’m used to bastards,” I mutter.
He takes the bandage and rips open the package. “You keep appearing,” he mumbles, “like some bad fucking dream I can’t escape. I can’t get you out of my head. You know how frustrating that is?” he snaps. It’s like he’s rambling to himself rather than me, so when I push my lips against his, he freezes. We stare at each other in surprise, our lips still pressed together.
Then, as if his brain catches up, his hands drop the bandage and push into my hair. His mouth moves against mine hungrily, taking everything I have as he grips the roots of my hair. It’s hot and fast paced, desperate and hungry. I didn't know how much I needed it until this moment.
I’m lost in his kiss, in the feel of his strong body pressed against mine, so when he pulls away, I feel the loss immediately. He slams his fist into the cupboard above my head, and I duck in shock. “No,” he growls. “We can’t happen!” I watch as he stomps out the caravan, slamming the door behind him.
I pick up the bandage and carefully wrap it around my arm. It’s still bleeding badly, and I’m sure I’ll need it stitched, but seeing as I’m stuck here the night, I kick off my shoes and lie on the bed.
I’m still awake when Storm comes in an hour or so later, but I close my eyes so he doesn’t know. The last thing I need is to face him after what happened. I can’t take any more rejection right now. I feel him carefully take my arm and lift the bandage. It’s loose because I couldn’t tie it off properly. “Jesus,” he whispers. “You stupid girl. Why would you hurt yourself over him when you’re so much better than that? Damn, you could have your pick of men and you chose that ass.”
I feel the bandage tighten as he ties it off. His hand gently strokes my hair. “You’re so fucking beautiful. Why didn’t I meet you years ago?” I keep my eyes closed but feel him move closer, and then his lips gently brush my own. This time, he’s gentle and careful. When I respond, I expect him to pull away, but he doesn’t. He cups my cheek with his large hand and joins me on the bed, propping himself on his elbow without breaking the kiss. His hand runs down my side, resting against my exposed thigh. My skirt is practically non-existent. “I can’t stop myself from wanting you,” he mutters.
“Then don’t,” I whisper back.
“We’re not good for each other,” he says.
“Let’s think about the serious stuff tomorrow. Right now, let’s distract ourselves. I need distracting so fucking bad.”
Storm kisses me again, moving his lips along my jaw and down my neck. I close my eyes as he tugs my top down, exposing my breasts. His tongue flicks over one, then the other, as his hand pushes my skirt up. His finger brushes over my opening, and I gasp. It’s been so long since anyone touched me, and it feels amazing. “Once we do this, it’ll complicate everything,” he says. I gasp as his finger enters me.
“You think too much,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut as he inserts another. His thumb presses against my sensitive bud and pleasure shoots through me. I grip his shoulders, and he takes my hardened nipple in his mouth again. With his fingers thrusting and his tongue licking, I can’t concentrate on anything other than the build-up of warmth spreading through my body. When I begin to shudder, he releases my nipple and watches me. I’ve never been watched while I orgasm, but his intense stare only adds to the excitement, and as I cry out, he smirks down at me, clearly pleased with his efforts. “Fucking gorgeous,” he whispers, kissing me gently. He removes his fingers and places them in his mouth, closing his eyes and humming his approval. “Now sleep.”
“Sleep?” I repeat, rubbing my leg against his raging hard-on.
He grips my thigh, digging his fingers in. “Yes, sleep.”
“But don’t yah wanna—”
“Of course, I do, but I can’t,” he says.
“I have condoms and I’m on the pill,” I say, blushing.
“Not the reason, but why the fuck do you carry condoms around?”
“Safety,” I mumble.
“You carry condoms for safety but not a fully charged mobile,” he mutters, shaking his head. He pulls himself to sit up, grabbing the whiskey bottle and taking a mouthful. I lie my head against his stomach. “You slept with a lot of men?” he asks.
I rub my hand over his erection, and he grabs it, holding it against his leg instead. I smirk—I like challenges. “None of your business,” I say. I lift my top over my head and throw it to the floor. “I can’t sleep in clothes,” I explain, pushing my skirt down my legs and adding it to the floor. His eyes narrow as I unfasten my bra and finally lie back down against his stomach in just my panties. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Why were you seeing Vinn today?”
“He’s fucking hot,” I joke, and I’m suddenly on my back with Storm hovering over me. He narrows his eyes again. “I was kidding,” I say, smiling. His eyes roam over my naked breasts. “But I wouldn’t kick him out of bed if he offered it,” I add, laughing.
He pushes his erection against my panties. “Don’t say shit like that when you’re in my fucking bed,” he growls.
“You think you’re the only man I fantasise over?” I ask, grinning.
“I mean it, Lottie,” he warns.
“If I was lying next to Vinn, naked, do yah think he’d walk away?” I add.
He kneels between my legs, ripping his belt open. “You want me to fuck you?” he growls, and I nod, smiling innocently. “You want this?” he snaps, gripping his huge, erect cock in his hand and stroking it. I press my lips together and nod again. He keeps his eyes locked on mine as he lines himself up at my entrance. He likes to watch me. Gripping both my hands in one of his, he holds them above my head as he eases himself into me, and I gasp. “You only fantasise about me from this second onwards,” he growls. He slams the rest of the way in, pushing me up the bed. His head hangs once he’s fully inside me, taking a second to compose himself. “You got that, Lottie?”
I nod, slightly freaked but equally turned on by his demands. “Okay.”
STORM
I can’t get enough of her hot little body as she screams through her second orgasm. She digs her nails into my hands, and I welcome the burn as I slam into her over and over. The blush on her cheeks and her hooded eyes send me spiralling over the edge with her. I come on a roar and then collapse beside her, throwing my arm over my eyes. We didn’t use a condom, so without looking at her, I ask, “You definitely on the pill?”
 
; “Yeah,” she mumbles sleepily.
I reach for her, bringing her towards my chest. “Sleep now, butterfly.” It feels good to have her snuggled against me. It’s that same feeling I used to get when Laura would lie in bed next to me—the constant buzzing noise in my head has gone and I feel settled. My eyes drift closed.
I wake the next morning with a headache and dry mouth. Somewhere in the distance, I hear singing. Realising Lottie isn’t next to me, I sit up and look around the caravan. I follow the sound of her voice and find her sitting outside nursing a cup of coffee. “How’s the head?” she asks, keeping her eyes fixed on the horizon.
“Bad.” She offers me her coffee, and I take it gratefully, sitting down beside her. “How’s your arm?”
“Bad.”
“We should get back and have the doc take a look at it,” I say.
She shakes her head. “I’d rather keep it between us.”
“Sure, you would, but how do we fix it if we keep it a secret? Maybe that shrink can help.”
“No one can help. I just wanna forget about it. I won’t do it again. Seeing him just . . . well, it just threw me.”
“Why is he in London? I thought he lived in Norfolk?”
“He’s on his stag weekend. I have some of his friends on social media and saw he was nearby when they tagged themselves at that bar.”
“What happens the next time you see him? Or the next time you’re upset? You need help, Lottie. That shit doesn’t just stop.”
“Like drinking?” she says, arching her brow. “I bet you don’t want Taya knowing about last night.”
I smirk. “Are you threatening me?”
“I’m just saying, if Lake asks why you didn’t take me to the hospital, I’ll have to explain everything.”
I take a handful of her hair and tug her head back so I have access to her smart mouth. “What sort of war would that cause?” I whisper, pressing my lips to hers. She thrusts her tongue against my own, and I throw my leg over her, so I’m straddling her. I push her to lie back on the grass and lift the shirt she stole from me. She’s naked underneath. I run kisses down her body, parting her legs and burying my face between them.