by Jordan Marie
“You’re letting me go? Does this mean I’ve won an argument with you?” she asks, in complete shock.
“I’m showing you that I’m willing to change, too, if it means you come home where you belong, Ice. Now go, before I regret giving in.”
“I love you, Liam,” she says excitedly, shocking the hell out of me. Then, she kisses me quickly on the lips and bounces upstairs.
“Hey, Ellie?” I call out and she stops midway on the stairs and looks back at me.
“Yeah?”
“If you did something and ever ended up in jail? I’d still be the first to come and see you every fucking day they let me and I’d sign up for those fucking conjugal visits immediately.”
“Liam—”
“If you think jail, or any fucking body, could keep me away from you, Ellie, you’re wrong. The only person that has ever had the power to keep me from you…is you.”
She understands me. I can tell by the way my declaration makes her flinch. Slowly, she nods her head yes.
“I’ll…just go upstairs and change,” she says finally.
“You do that, Ice. You do that.” I tell her. All I can do is hope like hell that I’m right that Ellie and I have turned some kind of damn corner tonight, because I’m afraid I’m lying. I told her the club was part of me and I’d never be able to give it up. But, after tasting life without her, I know as much as I’d hate it, I’d give everything up before I can let her walk away again.
I’m just not strong enough to let her go again. Maybe I never was. That’s probably the real reason I never tracked her down. It’s too late now. She’s here with me and she’s never getting away again.
Ellie
“The only person that has ever had the power to keep me from you…is you.”
I keep replaying those words in my head over and over. Liam’s not a hundred percent right, but what he says makes a lot of sense. I’m weakening, I know I am, but between everything he’s saying and being on his bike, pressed up against him, my head lying against his back, as we move through the city, my brain is mush. I know how much I’ve missed Liam. I’ve ached for him every day, but I don’t think I remembered how good things were between us during the happy times. Suddenly it’s all coming back to me and this time around, I don’t have this huge fear inside of me like I did before.
Of course, Liam doesn’t know everything and when he does, he may hate me. But, he loves me right now. Plus, there’s no reason he has to know. We can start fresh, erase our history and begin again. Isn’t that what true second chances are all about?
We pull into a large, historical looking Catholic church with these gigantic towers that remind me of something out of a fairytale. Once Liam shuts the bike off, I slide from my seat, waiting for him. He immediately grabs my hand in his and I look down as our fingers intertwine. When my gaze moves back to Liam, he’s staring at me, his eyes intent. He’s studying me, I know enough about my man to know that he never misses a beat. I give him a smile, not a happy one, but a reassuring one. When he still doesn’t make a move, I lean up to press my lips against his. I don’t know why, I’m acting on instinct. It seems to be the right move though because he pulls me against him with his free hand, his other still joined with mine. He nuzzles my neck, kissing it. Then, his nose brushes against my ear and I feel his hot breath feather against my skin as he whispers, “Missed the fuck out of you, Ice.”
It feels as if my heart squeezes tightly in my chest.
“I missed you, too, Liam…” I respond, my voice so breathy that I’m not sure it sounds anything like me. His words feel huge, as if they truly feed a soul that has been starving and that’s exactly what I’ve been.
Starving for him.
It’s not sexual, although that’s always come naturally with us. It’s so much more than that. He gives me joy.
We pull apart and walk up the steps to the church.
“Want to get married while we’re here?” he asks. My heart beats hard against my chest. My first instinct is to say yes, and that should scare me.
“Very funny, Liam.”
“Wasn’t joking, Ice,” he says with a wink. I don’t respond, probably because I’m afraid of what my answer could mean. I’m not sure I’m ready to take that next step just yet. When we get to the front door he stops abruptly, looking down at me. His hand wraps against the side of my neck. “I’m supposed to have my mind on nothing but business right now, Ellie, but I swear to fuck all I can do is look at the way you’ve braided your hair to ride and remember the hundreds of times I undid it so it would fall around your face as I fucked you.”
“I’m not sure you’re supposed to have this kind of conversation outside of a church, Liam.”
“The way I look at it, Ellie, you’re my gift from a higher power. What better place to give thanks for you?”
“I think I’d forgotten what a sweet talker you are,” I mumble, feeling warm all over.
“I’m going to kiss you, Ice. It’s not going to be sweet. I’m going to fuck your mouth with my tongue and all you’re going to do is hold on for the ride, got it?”
“I…uh…”
“You don’t have a choice, I’m just giving you a warning.”
“Okay—”
His mouth slams against mine before I get a chance to say anything else. His tongue thrusts inside, wrapping around mine. My legs get immediately weak. Instantly the taste of Liam brings back memories that I could have sworn I’d never forgotten, yet somehow they feel brand new. I collapse against him, giving my weight, as he plunders my mouth, taking it over and owning it. Just as he owns me.
When we break apart, both of us are breathing hard. My heart is hammering so hard in my chest that it should be painful. I slowly open my eyes to look at Liam. He’s right in front of me. Present. Intense. Mine for the taking.
“Let’s get this done,” he says, his voice so deep and dark that I shiver.
“Uh…” I stumble to find more words, afraid I’ve done something wrong.
“Ice, we need to hurry or I swear to God, I’m going to fuck you right here on the steps. I’m pretty sure that’s something you don’t want to happen.”
“We’re next to a park full of children, so maybe not.”
“They’ll need a lesson in the birds and the bees sooner or later.”
“I vote later,” I mumble.
“Figured. Let’s get this shit done, then.”
“Okay,” I agree. I try to give him a smile, even though my brain is frazzled.
He gives me a quick kiss, sadly no tongue this time. “Okay,” he says, leading me inside.
Wolf
That fucking nun was lying. I knew the moment she shot me down, that she was expecting me. I’m getting so tired of this shit. I spent a year with my head down, because I know that fucker Devil has a price on my head. I’m too smart for them, I always have been. That’s why I’m still alive.
I escaped the day Diesel got his revenge on King, then made my way to Florida. I didn’t really have direction. I was definitely at loose ends. Figuring out why Diesel had a man in St. Augustine seemed like as good a reason as any to head that way. I was hoping to find a way to make Devil and Torrent even more miserable. I never dreamed what I’d really stumble upon.
Layla had another daughter. Dodger never breathed a word of it, but I stole the fucking papers at the orphanage myself. Rayne Meyers was the girl’s name and Dodger signed her in as her father. That fucking whore told me she wasn’t sleeping with Dodger any longer. I should have known she was lying. Of course she could have been lying to Dodger, too.
There’s a very real possibility the girl is mine. It’s become a goal to find her now. I don’t know what I’ll do with her. Maybe she is mine. I don’t want her. She has Layla’s blood and in the end she’ll be just as weak as Torrent is. Maybe I’ll keep her and send Devil and Torrent pictures of me torturing her. Torrent won’t be able to handle the guilt. It’s just a bonus that she’ll realize that sorry sack of shit she’
s tied herself to is too much of a cripple to protect her family.
That could definitely be fun.
I’m close to getting my hands on this Rayne, too. I followed Charles Liam Maverick, or Fury, as he’s known in Devil’s club, to Arizona. Having gotten the information the nun gave him, I knew where he was headed, but I still found a certain amount of pleasure in the fact that I always stayed close to him. Fuck, I even ate in the same restaurant with him once or twice. The fucker had no idea.
The nun hadn’t wanted to tell me the information she gave Fury, of course. I have to say, for a nun, the bitch put up a pretty good fight, but I found the right buttons to push. I even killed her and put her out of her misery for finally cooperating. The bitch should have thanked me for that, there were other things I thought about doing to her.
I should have come to the church in Phoenix before Fury. That was the plan, but I discovered this sexy blonde with thick lips, big tits and an ass that begged to be fucked. I thought I had time after rigging that fucker’s bike. I thought at best, he’d die in the desert with the vultures circling him. At worst, he’d be stranded for a few hours. I was obviously wrong. I swear that asshole is luckier than Devil was. I eventually caught Devil, though, and he didn’t feel lucky at all by the time I had my fun. Neither will Fury. I just needed to find his weakness. All men have them, even me. I didn’t think I’d find Fury’s so easily, but from the kiss he just laid on the blonde with him, I say I’ve found it.
This is going to fun…I always did like blondes.
Fury
“I don’t think Diesel took that well…”
I look up at Ellie, almost guiltily, because I forgot she was there. I’ve been alone on the road for so long that discussing all this bullshit with Diesel somehow made me feel isolated all over again.
“That’s an understatement, Ice.”
“He should tell Devil,” she says frowning, her blue eyes reflective as she thinks through the conversation I just had. It’s strange, but I know immediately that’s what she’s doing. Then again, Ellie always took her time, weighed every alternative. Maybe that’s why she never wavered from her opinion or decisions. It’s one thing I’ve always loved and hated about her. Loved, because it showed what a beautiful, smart woman she was. But, I hated it because I knew that she went through the exact same process when she left me. That meant she knew the consequences and pain, but was still set on leaving me. That shit fucking crushes a man.
“Maybe,” I admit, still not comfortable with keeping it from Devil.
“No maybe about it. Wolf almost killed him, he tortured his wife and came close to destroying his life. It should be him dealing with Wolf, not you.”
“If this is some kind of bullshit to get me not to kill this motherfucker, Ellie, you can forget it. I get the chance and Wolf is gone.”
“Do you see this look on my face, Liam?”
“The pissed off one that makes me wonder if I should hide my fucking balls?”
“That’s the one,” she says, way too sweetly. “You make it sound like I’m totally against your way of life and the club in general. It was never that.”
“You’re against the things I do for the club, Ice. You can’t deny that.”
She lets out a big sigh and flops down into my lap. She curls so her head rests against my chest. I hold her close, tucking her head under my chin and breathing in her scent. I’m frustrated as hell. I hate that Wolf might be anywhere near Ellie. I should have never let her go to the church with me. But, right now she’s in my arms and I’ve ached for her for so long that I just try to concentrate on that and let some of the tension out of my body.
“Your life scares me, Liam. I can’t deny that. I also know that there are things that need to be handled, because your world is different. You’ve told me about what happened with Devil and I may not like it, but I can see the necessity of it. Because if Wolf is still searching for Torrent’s sister a year later, he’s not going to just let it go. Plus, there’s no way to prove he’s done anything illegal. It will be his word against Devil’s, or other members of the club. I’m not so stupid that I don’t remember how the law treated the club in general. So, I get it.”
“Why do I hear a but in there, Ice?”
“Because you’re smart?” she jokes, kissing my neck.
“Let me have it, Ellie.”
“If you guys keep this from Devil, after the hell that Wolf put him through, he won’t forgive you.”
“He’s still having health issues for all of the shit he went through, Ice. Damn it all to hell, he has a new son and a wife he adores. He needs to enjoy life, not let the past rear up to fuck with his head again.”
“So, what’s the plan? Kill him and give his corpse to Devil as a christening present for Logan, Jr.?”
“Devil would appreciate the gift,” I defend, grinning because it feels good talking with Ellie again about life. Hell, it feels good just having her in my arms again.
“No, he wouldn’t. What if the roles were reversed, Liam? Would you appreciate it, or would you feel cheated?”
“Ice,” I growl under my breath. There goes that mind of hers again. Sharp as a fucking tack. She’s absolutely right.
“Hah! There it is!” she cries, pulling away from me to look at my face.
“What are you talking about, now?” I mutter, loving that her lips have spread into a smile that reaches her eyes.
“That tone you get when I’m right, but you don’t want to admit it.”
“And there’s my old lady, the ball buster,” I grumble, good-naturedly.
“So, this woman said that Wolf came asking about this girl Rayne. How do you know he won’t just give up? There’s a chance he doesn’t know this is his daughter, right?”
“Maybe, but if he knows enough to ask for her by name, then chances are he knows it’s his daughter. At the very least, he knows that she is Torrent’s sister and he can use her.”
“You don’t think he’ll give up and just drop out of sight?”
“No. Men like Wolf are only happy when they have power. He wants the power to torture Torrent again. He won’t give up.”
“Torrent? You don’t think it’s Devil he wants to torture?”
“No. He hates Devil, but for him the best part of hurting Devil was what it would do to Torrent. He wants his power over her. Maybe he’s transferred his obsession with her mother to Torrent, I don’t know. I don’t want to find out.”
“Is there a chance he’ll transfer it to Rayne, Torrent’s sister?”
“You’re asking me to figure out a crazy man’s thought process, Ice. Who knows? But, I do think there’s a good chance.”
“What happens next?”
“I spend my days camped out at the church, watching for Wolf to show up again.”
“That’s the big plan?”
“You got a better one?”
“Not really, but that sounds boring as watching mud dry.”
“Have you watched mud dry?”
“Nope, it’d be boring, that’s my point.”
“You’re goofy as hell, Ellie, but damn if I don’t like it.”
“Whatever. You still shouldn’t kill Wolf when you get your hands on him.”
“What would you suggest I do with him, then?” I ask, watching her closely.
“Hold him hostage,” she says and I have to admit, she shocks the hell out of me with that answer.
“Hold him hostage?” I laugh.
“Yep,” she says, shaking her head firmly once, as if to back up her words.
“Ice, who in the fuck am I going to hold him hostage for? No one is going to pay to save this sorry piece of shit.”
“Oh my God, Liam! I don’t remember you being so dense when we were together. I’m saying that you should capture him, put a big red bow on him, then give him to Devil as a Christmas present.”
“I can’t…A Christmas present?”
“Yes, a very much alive one.”
“Ellie—�
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“That’s one gift that I know Devil will love.”
“You get that if I do that, Devil’s just going to kill him, Ice? You won’t be saving his life.”
“Gee, you think? I didn’t say he didn’t need to die. I just think that if he does, it should be Devil’s right to do the deed.”
“You’re sounding awful blood-thirsty for a woman who ended our marriage because I left to kill someone, Ice,” I mumble, confused as hell, admitting to myself that she’s right about what I should do with Wolf. Diesel means well, but in this…he’s wrong.
“You weren’t going to just kill anyone, Liam. You were going to end the life of Ryan’s mother. That’s a completely different situation.”
“She still needed to die, Ice.”
“I can’t agree with you on that.”
“Remind me to tell you what that bitch did to Ryan and Rory someday soon, Ice.”
“You can, but it won’t change my opinion. She might have been crap, but she was still Ryan’s mother. She deserved the chance to pull her life together and be a good Mom to her son. The court would have given Diesel custody…”
“Diesel had custody, Ice. But someone that’s evil clean through is nothing but a starved animal, searching for something to fill their emptiness. They don’t pay attention to rules and laws. You’re dreaming if you think they do.”
“I don’t think it will ever happen, but what if I fell victim to addiction, Liam? Would you end me to protect our child?”
“That would never happen, Ice, and you know it. You’re too strong to let addiction rule your world.”
“Addiction can happen to anyone. Play devil’s advocate for a minute. Tell me what you would do.”
“You really want to do this shit right now?” I ask her, annoyed at her line of questioning. It’s stupid. I really don’t want to waste my time on this shit. I’d rather spend it enjoying her.
“I want to know. What would you do?”
“Fine, I’d lock your ass in rehab until you got clean. If you refused to go, I’d lock you in the basement and fight your withdrawals with you. Either way, I’d get you back, Ice. It’s a moot point, however, because you’re not addicted to anything but my dick. Now, let’s move on.”