Surviving Storm (Kings Reapers MC Book 7)

by Nicola Jane

  I take a sip of my drink and pretend I don’t care. “She is his girlfriend,” I point out, forcing a smile. “Don’t you like her?”

  Anna nods. “I guess she’s alright, but she isn’t exactly club material. And she’s not you.”

  I smile affectionately. “He’s allowed to move on. We ended almost a year ago.” I down my glass of wine, wincing at the bitter taste. This time, I push my glass towards Leia for a top-up. The women talk, but my attention keeps going back to Storm and the way he’s got his arm possessively around Emily’s shoulder. And the way he looks down at her, giving her a crooked smile every time she speaks to him. I roll my eyes, shaking my head. He catches me and narrows his eyes like he wants me to explain. I give him a fake smile and turn my attention back to the girls. “We need another bottle,” I say, standing a little too quickly and gripping the table to steady myself. “I’ll get it.”

  I waltz over to the bar, brushing past Storm, who’s in my path. “Sorry,” I mumble, gripping his waist as I squeeze past. I lean over the bar waiting for Frankie, who’s already pouring someone a beer. I feel him behind me as he leans close to my ear.

  “Everything okay?” he asks.

  I nod. “Elsie asleep?” He wiggles the video monitor in front of me to show Elsie sleeping in her crib. “If Emily is staying over tonight, I can have her back in my room. I’ll just stop drinking now.”

  “Look at us being civilised parents.” He smirks.

  “We’ve both grown up, a little,” I say, smiling.

  Frankie hands me two bottles of wine. “Do you want me to have Elsie back?” I ask, showing him the two bottles of wine.

  He shakes his head, smiling. “No, butterfly, you have a good night.” His nickname for me stings, but I return his smile and head back to the girls.

  The jukebox kicks to life and the girls cheer their approval. Frankie gives us the thumbs up, and Anna blows her a kiss. “Now, it feels like a party,” she says, topping up our glasses.

  “The guys look like they want to evacuate,” says Eva, laughing. Little Mix blares out of the speakers, and we move to a table-free space so we can dance.

  “We can’t dance to Meatloaf,” says Anna, shrugging. “They’ll have to suck it up for one night.”

  I laugh as Leia throws some crazy moves, and I try my best not to fall as I sway to the music. Five glasses of wine is clearly my new limit as the room wobbles around me. I catch Storm watching over Emily’s shoulder and give him my best sultry look as I move my hips. “Girl, you’re flirting!” accuses Anna.

  I grin. “I shouldn’t, right, not when his girlfriend is right next to him, but something about him makes me wanna do crazy shit,” I admit.

  “You can only flirt if he lets you, and right now, he’s looking pretty intrigued.”

  “You should be reminding me about girl code,” I say.

  “Girl code goes out the window when we’ve had way too much wine, and she’s not a part of the club. Until he claims her, I don’t have any loyalty towards her.”

  It’s like a cold bucket of water washing over me. If he claims Emily, I’ll be the outsider, not her. I spin into a hard chest. I feel the taut muscles under my hands, and my eyes eventually look up into Vinn’s. “Well, well, well, the wanderer returns,” he says with a smirk.

  “Vinn,” I say, and it comes out breathy.

  “It’s the perfect time to kiss you,” he says, and I suck in a surprised breath, “and I’d love nothing more than to piss your ex off. I can feel his eyes burning into my head. But I have business to attend to. I don’t have time for club drama.” I stare at him like a rabbit caught in headlights. “Don’t pretend you wouldn’t love the opportunity to wind him up,” he adds with a wink.

  “He’s with his girlfriend. He’s not interested in me,” I whisper.

  Vinn’s hands go to my arse, and I yelp as he tugs me hard against him. “Dance with me,” he says, slowly turning us until I see Storm’s face full of anger, staring directly at where Vinn’s hands squeeze my arse. “Can you imagine what he’d do if I tipped you back like this,” he adds, dipping me back slightly. I grip his shoulders, staring wide into his mischievous eyes. “And kissed you.”

  “Why do you like winding these guys up so much?” I ask.

  He chuckles. “It’s fun to see them explode. They know they can’t touch me and it makes it even more satisfying.”

  “Why can’t they touch you?” I ask.

  He moves his face closer to me, his lips inches away. “Because I’m untouchable, farfalla,” I frown at his Italian word, and he grins before standing me back straight. “Butterfly,” he explains. “Thank you for the dance.”

  I watch as he strolls towards Riggs’ office. “What the hell was that about?” asks Anna.

  I shrug, my mouth still open in shock. “I’m not sure, but I need some air.”

  Anna laughs. “He has that effect on women. He’s a modern day Casanova.”

  I notice Storm and Emily have disappeared as I break out into the carpark and take a deep breath of cold air. Christ, Vinn is so intense. I laugh to myself. He never misses an opportunity to piss off the guys. “It’s just not working,” I hear Storm’s voice and edge to the side of the building, ducking behind the large bins.

  “But you were fine just a minute ago and now you’re dumping me?”

  “Emily, it’s not you. It’s me.” I wince as I hear the sound of a slap. “Fuck,” hisses Storm, and I stifle a laugh. “I never said we were serious.”

  “Did you invite me here to make your ex jealous?” she demands to know.

  “No, why would I do that? I told you, we’re not like that. She’s moved on, and so have I.”

  “You’ll regret this,” she shouts, and I hear the sound of her heels clicking as she walks away.

  “How long are you gonna hide down there?” asks Storm as he steps in front of me.

  I slowly rise to my feet. “Sorry, I didn’t want it to look like I followed you out. I just wanted some air.”

  “Not surprising after the little show you and Vinn put on in there,” he mutters.

  I sway, steadying myself against the wall. My head spins and I close my eyes briefly. “He was winding you up.”

  “I had my hand on my gun,” he says, and I grin.

  STORM

  Lottie wobbles forward, and I catch her arm to steady her. “How much have you had to drink?”

  “Way too much,” she mutters. “I think . . . I might . . . oh god . . .” She doubles over and vomits over the floor. It splatters over her shoes. “Fuck,” she whispers.

  “You couldn’t do that ten minutes ago all over that Italian prick?” I ask, lifting her hair back while she vomits again.

  “Please go inside, this is so embarrassing,” she cries.

  “And miss this?” I ask, laughing. “Let’s get you to bed.”

  “Now is hardly the time to proposition me,” she wails, and I laugh harder.

  “Butterfly, trust me, I ain’t propositioning anyone. Especially not someone who I’ve just watched throw up two bottles of wine.”

  Leading her inside, I wave to Anna, indicating I’m taking her to bed. Anna gives me the thumbs up. We get to the stairs, and I bend, throwing Lottie over my shoulder. “You want me to take her?” asks Vinn, appearing from Riggs’ office. His arrogant face bothers me more than it should.

  “And why would I want that?” I ask.

  “Well, you aren’t a thing anymore, so maybe she doesn’t want you helping her up the stairs. Especially when she’s passed out from drinking.”

  “She’s the mother of my kid. I’ll always look after her.”

  Vinn shrugs. “The offer is there if you ever need me to distract her.”

  “Ain’t it about time you got your own woman instead of leering round the club’s ol’ ladies?” I snap.

  “Only she isn’t an ol’ lady, is she?” he sneers. “She’s free and single.”

  I shake my head, muttering the word ‘dick’ as I head
upstairs. I stop outside Lottie’s room, hesitating. What if she’s sick during the night? I don’t want her choking. I take a step towards my room, then stop and turn back to hers again. It’s not really responsible to leave her alone all night. I sigh and head for my room. Elsie is flat on her back with her arms above her head. I smile. Laying Lottie on my side of the bed, I take off her shoes, screwing my face up and taking them to the bathroom to wash off. When I return, Lottie is curled up under the sheets. I take in the scene before me . . . my daughter and her mum, both in my room. My heart swells with love.

  I climb into bed beside her, leaving my clothes on, and prop myself on my elbow to watch her sleep. She’s beautiful. I gently brush some hair from her face and lean closer, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek. She stirs and rolls onto her stomach. I run my finger over the healing scars on her arms. The stitches have left ridges over her skin, a harsh reminder of what that bastard did to her.

  Her shirt has ridden up, and I peer at the tattoo poking out from under it. Carefully lifting her top, I get a better look, curious to see what cover-up she went with the day she left. The lamp isn’t bright enough for me to get a good look, so I use the torch on my phone. A large, brightly coloured butterfly sits over where my name once was. It’s surrounded by smaller butterflies. Above them, the words ‘Surviving the Storm’ are written in script. I trace the outline of the butterfly, my heart heavy for everything we’ve lost. Her name still sits on my arm in large letters—I didn’t have it in me to cover it up.

  I wake as a warmth spreads throughout my body. It takes me a second to realise the room is in total darkness and that warmth is from Lottie as she rides me. “What the fuck?” I pant, flicking the lamp back on.

  She looks at me with panic. “You want me to stop?”

  “I . . . what . . .” I glance at the bedside clock. We’ve only been asleep an hour, so she’s still drunk. “Shit, Lottie, you’ll regret this in the morning,” I say, gripping her waist and trying to slow her down.

  “I haven’t had sex in a year,” she whispers. “It felt like the right thing to do.” She braces her hands against my chest and pushes herself up, then sinks down slowly, releasing a low moan.

  “Don’t you think this will just complicate everything?” I ask.

  “Yes, but right now, I don’t care.” She begins to rock back and forth, shuddering with each stroke. “I’m not on the pill,” she adds, guilt on her face, but it’s too late, I’m already squeezing her thighs as I come, staring up at her in horror.

  I wake with a start, glancing around the room and feeling down my body for my clothes. Everything is still in place, including my jeans that are crushing my erection. “Thank fuck,” I whisper to myself, relieved it was a dream.

  “You okay?” asks Lottie. I spin my head to where she’s sitting up in bed, feeding a bottle to Elsie.

  “Erm, yeah. Sorry, I didn’t hear her wake,” I mutter, grabbing the covers to hide my erection.

  “It’s six in the morning. That’s great for her,” she says. “I feel like I’ve had a sleep in.”

  “No bad head?” I ask, lying on my side and watching Elsie guzzle her milk.

  “No. Did I vomit all over my shoes?” she asks, blushing.

  I nod. “That’s why you’re here. You were really drunk, and I was worried you’d choke or something,” I explain.

  “How embarrassing,” she mutters.

  “Everyone’s allowed to drink until they throw up at least once as a parent,” I joke. “I’m just glad you didn’t throw yourself at Vinn.”

  Her blush deepens and she groans. “Oh god, I remember that. He was dancing with his hands on my arse.”

  “Don’t remind me,” I mutter.

  “Oh god, you dumped Emily?” she gasps. “Why did you dump Emily?”

  I shrug. “Things weren’t working out. I wasn’t looking for anything serious.”

  Lottie bites her lower lip, and my erection strains harder. “And she slapped you,” she says, smirking.

  “You could look a little less pleased about that part,” I say, arching my brow. She giggles and it warms my fucking heart. I missed that sound. “What about you? Did you meet anyone in Liverpool?”

  She shakes her head, glancing down at Elsie. “I had other things on my mind. Men were the furthest thing from it.”

  “Where did you stay? How long were you there?” I ask.

  “A few months. I went into a women’s shelter once I discovered I was pregnant. They help you get a place to live, only there weren’t many nice places in Liverpool. I met my friend. Kyla, there. She was moving back to London, so I came with her and the shelter managed to find me a place right away.”

  “And you never thought about coming back here?”

  She shrugs. “Maybe a few times. It would have been the easier option, but I wasn’t strong enough. I had to fix myself. I couldn’t do that here.”

  “Because of me?”

  “Because of lots of things. Lake, Conner, everything I ever wanted was here, and walking away took a lot. I didn’t want to face them again until I was strong enough. What happened to Seb—”

  “It wasn’t your fault,” I blurt out, and she looks at me with surprise. “I was angry and I lashed out, but it wasn’t your fault. It was an accident. I should never have put any of that on you.”

  “I’m just glad he’s okay.”

  “We messed things up every time,” I mutter. “We had so many chances and we always fucked it up.”

  “We can’t regret it. We have Elsie.”

  I nod in agreement. She’s been in my life for almost four weeks now, and I love her like she was always a part of it. Seb is completely taken with her, and it’ll break his heart when she leaves the club.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  LOTTIE

  I watch Storm’s mouth move as he speaks to Riggs across the breakfast table and all I can think about is feeling his lips against mine. The demanding and forceful way he kisses me with his hands at the back of my neck, holding me in place while his tongue dips into my mouth. I release a slight moan, and Storm glances at me before continuing his conversation.

  He eventually turns to me. “You want sex?” he asks, and my eyes widen.

  “Huh?”

  “I said, have you sent that text?” he repeats, frowning at me. “To your friend. You said she’d be worried if you didn’t make contact soon.”

  I smile awkwardly. “Yes, I sent it earlier.” I’ve been in contact with Kyla several times to explain what happened, but I promised to check in with her regularly.

  “Have you told her you’re staying here for a while?” he adds, scooping more eggs onto my plate. I scowl, and he raises a brow. “You’ve lost a lot of weight. You need to eat.”

  “I think I look good,” I say, glancing down at myself. “It took some hard work to lose the pounds I gained from Elsie.”

  “Maybe you should give up your new place. We can find you somewhere once your time here is up. Somewhere closer,” he suggests.

  “I like my new place,” I say.

  Storm holds up a forkful of eggs and waits for me to open before shoving it into my mouth. I frown. He’s way bossier than I remember. “How will I see Elsie every day if you’re that far away?”

  “It’s a twenty-minute drive,” I argue.

  “In an ideal place with no traffic. It’ll take me forty minutes to get to you, and that means Seb won’t get to see her as often. I won’t be around to fuck you every night.”

  I glare at him, glancing around to see if anyone else heard. “What?”

  He frowns again. “I won’t be able to tuck her in every night. I want to be there to do normal things like read her a bedtime story or tuck her into bed at night.”

  I laugh at myself. I’m driving myself nuts. “We’ll talk about this later,” I say. “I need a shower.” A cold shower.

  He watches me in confusion as I rush from the table. Lack of sex hasn’t bothered me at all, but being back around him is gettin
g me all kinds of fired up. I check that Elsie is still asleep. She always goes back to sleep after her morning bottle. I leave the bathroom door open in case she wakes and I turn the shower on to cold.

  Lathering myself in soap, I shiver as my hands brush over my skin. Fuck, when did I become such a horny cow? I stare at the shower head, biting on my lower lip. It’d only take a second, and I have to do something about this sexual tension. I reach for the shower head and hold it in place, smiling as it hits the spot. Pinching my swollen nipples, I throw my head back and pant as I climb closer to my orgasm. “Butterfly, I was think—”

  I drop the shower head and water spurts up in my face as the head dances about. Storm stares at me with his mouth wide open, unsure what to do as I try desperately to get a hold of the shower head.

  “I was . . . I just, erm . . .” I try to explain.

  He nods stiffly and turns, leaving the room. My face burns with embarrassment. How the hell will I ever face him again? To top it off, I didn’t even get to dim the fucking buzz.

  I dress Elsie, taking my time so I put off seeing Storm. When I eventually head downstairs, he’s on the couch with Seb watching a cartoon. His eyes burn into mine and this time, they’re full of heat. I look away, embarrassed. Every time I picture the shock on his face, I feel a little more mortified. Frankie breezes in and holds her arms out for Elsie. I hand her over, confused. “Aren’t you going out with the girls today?” she asks.

  “Not that I know of,” I say.

  “Of course, she is,” says Anna, “I just have to let Riggs know we’re off. Give me two minutes.”

  “What’s this?” asks Storm.

  “We’re taking Lottie out for a few hours,” says Anna.

  “Since when? Who okayed this?”

  “I did,” snaps Anna.

  “Not with me, you didn’t,” growls Storm, narrowing his eyes.

  His scare tactics don’t affect Anna, and she rolls her eyes. “I don’t have to clear it with

  you. I cleared it with Riggs. And seeing as Lottie isn’t claimed, she’s under Lake’s care, so I also cleared it with him.”