“What did happen?”
“Well, as I told you the other night, I did not sleep with Nate Rigby.” I stare at her, unblinking. “I knew you’d forgotten,” She sighs while cupping my cheek. “I can’t believe you still wanted me, thinking I’d slept with that man.”
“Nothing would ever stop me wanting you, Ember, not even that. But if you didn’t sleep with Nate, how did you get him to back off?”
“I think I should show you.” Ember sighs again while reaching over and snagging her smartphone from the table. “When you see it, try not to get angry. Everything on this video happened for a reason, and that was to teach Nate Rigby a lesson he’d never forget.”
I nod my head in agreement. I can’t promise Ember with words that I won’t get angry because I know myself. No doubt, I’ll blow my top if I see Nate’s hands-on Ember.
She kisses me before handing over her phone and climbing off of my lap. I watch Ember walk away before her voice on the screen draws my attention.
It isn’t long before I know that I am going to kill Nate Rigby!
Chapter Twenty
Eagle
“You’re gonna be the death of me,”
Phoenix laughs and nods her head. “Live a little, Eagle. You know you want to.” She presses her plush lips to mine, and I back her against the wall.
“Didn’t you get enough already?” Phoenix and I have just spent the last two hours fucking like wild beasts in heat.
I should never have succumbed to Phoenix’s charms three months ago. But the girl is hard to resist. Of all the men in the MC, it was me whom Phoenix was sexually attracted to. Men don’t say no to a woman like Phoenix. She’s beyond sexy in every damn way a woman should be.
Christ knows how we ended up like this. One minute we were drinking in a bar in town, the next she was in my bed. However, Phoenix isn’t my girlfriend, and she never will be. We’re not in love because love doesn’t come into this. We’re fuck buddies, nothing more. Though she’s insatiable, and her appetite for sex matches my own. Phoenix can go all night, and she never seems to get enough. Anybody would think the girl has a sex addiction.
If Jett ever finds out that I’ve so much as kissed Phoenix, he’ll have my balls on a platter. Our president warned every member of Snakes Henchmen not to touch our first and only female member in any way. He reckoned it would cause too much trouble if one of us ever fell in love with Phoenix. She’s not the type of girl to hang around for anything other than sex. Phoenix is volatile at the best of times, falling in love with her would-be suicide. However, she is one of my best friends, and that’s how it will stay.
“Why don’t you drag one of the others into bed?”
“Because,” She bites her lower lip, causing me to groan. I might not be in love with Phoenix, but she knows how to turn me on. “They don’t do it for me, and they never have. I only want you because you remind me of Tank.” I raise an eyebrow. “I always found your dad to be so fuckin’ sexy. All those muscles, that power, those blue eyes,” She shudders dramatically with a smirk on her face. “It doesn’t even matter that Tank’s in his fifties, I’d still screw his brains out.” Her hand comes to my cheek. “As I can’t have Tank, I guess fuckin’ his replica will have to do.”
Phoenix is a woman who knows what she wants and how to get it, no matter what it takes. She also knows the shit she’s just spat at me grinds my gears. However, two can play that game.
“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about your mother. For a woman in her sixties, she’s still as hot as she’s ever been. Those big brown eyes, that coco skin, and that big bubble butt. All those times I jerked off to the image of Taylor naked…” Is all I get out of my mouth before Phoenix smacks me in it.
Phoenix likes to fuck and be fucked violently. She’s a sick and twisted little freak in the bedroom, but I am more than willing to accommodate.
I throw the little mix over my shoulder. “Put me down, Eagle!”
I land a hard slap on her naked ass, and she moans loudly. I drop Phoenix onto my bed, grab her legs, and flip her over. “You shouldn’t play with fire, little girl.”
“Why, big man? Whatcha gonna do about it?”
I fist Phoenix’s hair in my hand and yank her head back. I press my mouth to her ear while lining my cock up with her cunt. “This,” I slam into her tight body with force, and she screams at the invasion.
We fuck and fuck hard until Phoenix is coming around my cock, screaming my name. Her pussy contracts so hard that I have to pull out. I jerk my dick until I’m spilling my seed all over her gorgeous ass.
“And that,” Phoenix pulls herself up and to her feet in front of me. She wipes my cum off her ass with her fingertips, and my eyes widen with lust as she licks it off of them. “Is why you are the man fuckin’ me, Eagle. Because you,” She kisses me hard. “Know how to make me feel fantastic!”
I slap her ass as she walks away from me, and I shake my head with a laugh. That girl is crazy.
I’m about to join Phoenix in the shower when my phone dings. I snatch it off the nightstand and smile again because Ember has sent me a video. She sends them to me now and again, showing me glimpses of her life on the road with her band.
I am so proud of my big sister. All she’s ever wanted to do was get her music out there. Now she is, and she’s part of something massive, and I’m proud to tell people, ‘that’s my sister,’
However, this is no ordinary video. I can’t tear my eyes away from what’s in front of me. My heart is in my throat, and my stomach feels like it’s falling out of my ass. I think I’m in shock!
“Eagle?” I hear Phoenix saying my name, but I can’t find the words to answer her.
Phoenix takes my phone from my hand. I guess she’s watching Ember’s video because she’s silent for a while. I think I may have even blacked out for a second. However, Phoenix’s hands on my face snaps me out of it. “I know what you’ve just seen was shocking, but you need to snap out of this.”
“He attacked her, Phoenix,”
My big sister is my best friend, and she means everything to me. Ember is kind, smart, funny, a little too trusting sometimes, but so strong. Ember is also a friend to everyone, and she’d do anything for anyone. Why would anybody want to hurt her?
My sister is out there in the world all alone, dealing with fuckers like Nate Rigby. The anger inside of me is swelling, and I’m scared I’ll blow.
“I know, sweetheart. But what you need to do now is shower and change. Then, you need to take this video to Tank. He needs to see this, Eagle.”
I’m not sure that’s such a good idea. Tank Marshall is not known for his patience, and if someone hurts his baby girl? I don’t even want to think about that right now.
However, I know Phoenix is right, I need to take the video to my father. There’s a reason Ember sent it to me. I don’t know what that reason is yet; I only hope she’s okay.
* * *
“Eagle!” Mom kisses my cheek as I take the tray of drinks from her hands. I’m guessing she has company, which means dragging Tank away isn’t going to be easy.
“You have guests?”
“Aunt Willow and Uncle Hammer. Your dad tried to call you, but he got no answer.”
I didn’t even check my phone for missed calls or messages. I was too shocked after seeing Ember’s video to do so.
“Oh, yeah?”
Mom smiles at me, and all I see is Ember. My sister isn’t a dead ringer for Mom the way I am Dad, but Ember looks more like Nova than Tank.
“Ember sent a video home. Tank and I wanted you here so that we could watch it as a family. I assumed you’d gotten his message.”
My stomach is churning. I didn’t want Mom to see that damn video. I love her, but she’s crazy. Mom wouldn’t think twice about jumping on her motorcycle, finding the cunt who hurt her daughter, and showing him the meaning of pain. It’ll be bad enough trying to stop Tank from killing the guy without Nova going off.
I suppose if she i
s here, it’ll kill two birds with one stone. Tank keeps nothing from Nova, so he’d tell her one way or another.
“Lead the way, Mother.” She raises her eyebrow with an amused smile on her face as my lame attempt at a British accent.
I follow Mom into the den and place the drinks tray on the coffee table. I shake hands with my father and uncle and kiss my aunt’s cheek. Mom hands out drinks before rushing off to fetch me a beer from the kitchen.
I take a seat in the armchair beside the window, and Mom jumps into Dad’s lap as he sits in his own armchair. My mother still acts like a lovesick teenager where my dad is concerned. Not that I care. Hammer wraps his arm around Willow’s shoulder as they sit side by side on the couch.
I’m as nervous as shit as Tank uses remote assistance to hook his phone up to the TV. Relief hits me to see this isn’t the same video Ember sent to me. She’s smiling in this video, so I know this is good.
It looks as though Ember is sitting cross-legged in front of a laptop. It also looks like she’s in a recording studio. I can see her bandmates in the background, messing around with some instruments.
‘Hi, Mom and Dad,’ Ember on-screen laughs while waving. ‘Hello, Mikey,’ I chuckle and shake my head. Only my sister would call me Mikey. ‘As you can probably tell, I’m in the recording studio. We’re almost done recording our album, and we’re getting ready to shoot our first music video.’ Ember claps her hands excitedly. ‘But that’s not why I’m sending you this video.’
I wonder when this video was recorded, and whether or not it was before the one Ember sent to me. She seems so happy in this video, so I’m assuming this was before she was attacked.
‘Do you see Marco behind me?’ Ember points over her shoulder at Marco Russo. ‘Well, he’s the reason I’m sending this message. I know you won’t be expecting this, but Marco and I are in a relationship. We haven’t told the others yet, but we will soon.’
I look over at my parents. Tank looks at me with a raised eyebrow, while Mom is staring at the TV with her mouth hanging open.
‘I know what you’re all thinking right now, it’s too soon for me to be with someone else. If this was just a fling, I’d totally agree with you. But here’s the thing, I am utterly in love with that man behind me. I’ve never felt like this before, not about anyone. Marco cares about me in a way Toby never did. He makes me laugh, he picks me up when I’m down, and he comforts me when I’m upset. Marco is kind, caring, strong, handsome beyond words, and he always puts me first.’ Ember smiles dreamily.
I would never tell my sister who to date and whom not to, and I can see, even on the screen, how she feels about Marco. We all know what happened between Ember and Toby and why they broke up. My sister didn’t need to tell anyone because the truth came out all on its own. Lydia is pregnant with Toby’s baby, and they’re getting married soon. They broke my sister’s heart, and all I want to do is kill them both. The only reason nothing has been done is because of Ember. The girl is too nice sometimes, and she doesn’t want Lydia hurt in any way. Ember even sent a text practically begging Tank not to do anything that would hurt Lydia or Toby. That wasn’t easy for him to do, let me tell you.
I want Ember to be happy because she deserves it. Ember deserves to be everything to someone, and if that person is Marco, then fine. But for his sake, I hope he doesn’t mess Ember around and hurt her. She’s had enough of that to last a lifetime.
‘I like who I am when I’m with Marco. I didn’t like myself much when I was with Toby. I know you want me to be happy, so please believe me when I say that I am so happy right now. I want you all to meet Marco. As soon as I can, I want to bring him home with me. I want you to see how amazing he is.’
Ember looks behind her, catching Marco’s eye, she waves him over. He says something to whomever the guy is standing next to him, then makes his way over to Ember.
Marco sits down next to Ember, looks behind him, checking that no one is looking before stealing a kiss from my sister.
Both Willow and Nova aww, and Hammer chuckles, Tank’s face is stormy, but he says nothing.
‘Marco,’ Ember whispers while laughing. ‘Someone might see.’
‘Let them see. You’re my beautiful girlfriend, and I want everyone to know it.’
‘And they will, but I’m making a video for my family,’ Ember laughs again when Marco’s eyes widen. ‘I called you over here to say hi to my parents and my brother.’
Marco laughs and turns to face the screen. He’s not the usual kind of guy Ember goes for. He’s a rugged-looking pretty boy, the typical rockstar, I guess. ‘Hello, everybody,’ He waves.
‘So,’ Ember picks up. ‘Now that you all know my news, I need to get back. I’ll call soon. I love you all!’ Ember blows a kiss, and the screen goes black.
“She looks so happy.” Willow smiles.
“She does,” Mom agrees. “You don’t look pleased,” She takes Tank’s face in her hand. “She’s a grown woman, Tank.”
“I know that,” He nods. “Do you think Ember is ready for another relationship so soon?”
“You have to let Ember find out for herself, Tank.”
Tank knows that Hammer is right, that’s why he nods his head. “What do you think about this?”
I shrug my shoulders. “I think I’d rather see my sister smiling because of Marco than crying over Toby. Whether it will last or not depends on how deeply in love they are. It doesn’t matter what any of us think of the situation, Dad. I won’t have anyone making Ember feel guilty for moving on.”
I groan because Mom is out of her seat and hugging me. “You’re such a good brother! Now, it’s time Willow and I were leaving. Mom will be waiting for us.”
I wait for Mom and Willow to leave before turning to Tank. “There’s something I need you to see.”
“Oh, yeah?”
I nod my head. “I don’t know if the video we’ve just seen came before the one I’m about to show you, but it almost knocked me on my ass when I watched it.”
“What are you talking about?” Hammer asks while moving to the edge of his seat.
“I received a video message from Ember a couple hours ago. I came here to tell you about it, but Mom wanted me to see the video we’ve just seen. Plus, I didn’t want Mom to see what I have to show you. It’s not good, and I didn’t want her flipping out. I don’t know why Ember sent it to me and not you, Dad, but she must have her reasons.”
Tank tells me to put the video on. So, I hook it up to the TV and press play.
It’s easy for me to see that Ember took my advice and secretly recorded the encounter with Nate. I don’t know where or how she hid the camera, I can just see that she did.
‘I knew you’d come.’
‘I’m not here for what you think I am, Nate.’
‘Then, why are you here?’
‘I came because I wanted to tell you for the last time to back off and leave me alone.’
Ember on-screen folds her arms over her chest. She looks very different from the Ember in the previous video.
Nate Rigby laughs. ‘I’ve told you, I can’t do that, Ember. Why don’t you just give me what I want, and all of this will go away?’
‘Because if I give you what you want, you won’t go away, Nate.’
‘Scouts honor!’
‘So, if I sleep with you,’ I note the change in Tank’s breathing. His eyes are wide, but he says nothing. ‘You’ll stop blackmailing me, and you won’t badmouth Dun’s Dungeon to anyone who’ll listen? You won’t ruin our career’s before they’ve begun?’
‘Pretty much.’
‘Is this how you regularly get women into bed, Nate?’ He laughs and shrugs his shoulders. ‘Ever thought of just asking a woman out?’
‘Now, where’s the fun in that?’
‘I’m not going to sleep with you, Nate. I have more respect for myself and my man. I’m with Marco, and I will not cheat on him.’
‘Huh,’ Nate scratches his chin with his thumbnail. ‘You rea
lly think Marco Russo loves you, Ember? Because he doesn’t. The man doesn’t give a damn what happens to you. He’d sell you to the highest bidder if it meant forwarding his career. He came by not long ago and told me that he’d step back and let me do my thing. You see, the band is more important to him.’
Ember sighs. ‘The lies just tumble out of you, don’t they? I know without a doubt that Marco said no such thing to you, Nate. I’m telling you for the last time, stay away from me. I mean it, Nate.’
I close my eyes because what happens next will haunt me for the rest of my life.
I hear the sound of Rigby’s hand connecting with Ember’s cheek, and the sound of her falling to the floor. Her screams as Rigby tears open her shirt hit me in the gut. This is the point where I ended the video earlier; I couldn’t bear to see anymore.
I’m about to do the same thing now. No man wants to see his sister, daughter, niece being raped. Hearing Rigby’s vile words about what he’s going to do to Ember is enough to make a man vomit. I won’t put my father through this.
However, my uncle yells, “Wait!” His eyes squint at the screen. “Look,” He points at the TV. I look at Tank for a second, he’s in shock, and a tear falls from his eye.
I hear Rigby scream, and I turn my eyes to the TV just in time to see Ember use her legs to flip Rigby onto his back. She has a pole of some sort pressed to his neck, and his eyes are bulging.
‘My mother taught me many things. One was how to fight a rapist such as yourself. Two was to never let a cunt like you get the better of me. My father taught me that only a weak man attacks a woman. If he were here right now, he’d kill you, and I’d stand back and watch.’
I watch as Ember climbs off of Rigby. She stands above him, looking down. ‘Wanna know what my baby brother taught me?’ My heart is racing in my chest. ‘Always play a prick at his own game. Right now, we’re being recorded. Everything you’ve said and done here has been recorded as evidence against you. You perverted sonofabitch!’
Ember: Next Gen (Snakes Henchmen MC Book 12) Page 16