by E. C. Land
“I can’t help it. The thought of you on steroids is hilarious. Can you imagine your arms any bigger? Even if you were on steroids, at least I don’t have to worry about it affecting that part of your body. He’s huge by himself,” she giggles gliding her fingers along my abdomen.
“Damn right, he’s huge. And I don’t need fuckin’ steroids to keep up with these guns. I got you for that and I plan to be working up a sweat with you again soon enough,” I growl, pulling her against me so I can take her mouth, not giving a single fuck as to what anyone has to say. Catcalls and whistles surround us, and pulling back, both of us are breathless from the intensity of the kiss.
“Get a room you two,” someone yells out from somewhere behind me.
“You about ready to head out of here, beautiful? I know I can’t wait to get back between those sweet legs of yours,” I ask giving her a smirk in the process.
“As much as I want to go home right this minute, I think the girls and your mom would kill both of us. They went to all this trouble putting this together for us, I’d hate to piss them off. I’m sure the lot of them could do damage if provoked.” Cleo shutters as she finishes speaking.
Looking over her shoulder, I spot the women in which she’d just mentioned giving me the stink eye as if they knew I’d been trying to head out. I mean, shit, I did marry my woman this morning, it’s our day and we can do what the fuck we want. Looking back at Cleo, I opened my mouth to say exactly that only to be shot down right away by all the damn women swarming around Cleo pushing me out of the way. Well damn, okay, then. Shaking my head, I move toward the bar needing a beer anyway.
“Don’t you think you rushed into things a little too quickly, Rage?” a feminine voice asks from behind me. Turning around, I find Cristy standing way too close for my liking.
“What are you doing here, Cristy?” I grunt.
“Your mom invited me. Actually, she invited all the staff from the bar and Kenny okayed it. So here I am,” Cristy answers, holding her arms out wide before twirling around as if it’s not a big deal for her to be here.
“I think you need to leave,” I suggest, knowing her being around my woman isn’t a good idea. Not after Burner and Hades informed me of the way she kept giving the evil eye to Cleo when her and Izzy had been at Outlaw Racks a week ago. I’m not about to let her hurt the woman I swore to always cherish and protect with my life mere hours ago.
“Why should I leave, I’m not doing anything wrong?” Cristy huffs, crossing her arms under her tits, almost pushing them out of the top she’s got on.
“Hey, honey, what are you doing over here?” Cleo asks, sliding up next to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “Oh, hey Cristy, I’m so glad you were able to come out tonight. I didn’t think you’d be able to,” my beautiful woman says all too sweetly. Inwardly grinning, I know what she’s doing. I’d be doing the same thing if the tables were turned.
“Congrats, Cleo, I’m happy for you, I was just telling Rage the same,” Cristy says in the same sweet manner Cleo used.
“Thank you. I’ve been meaning to apologize to you for what I did to your face that night, although thinking back on it, I’m not sorry,” Cleo says, stepping out of my hold, standing toe to toe with Cristy. “Next time you want something, find it somewhere else. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave. Oh, and don’t bother showing up to work tomorrow, Kenny will simply be firing you. You can ask her if you want, though I’ll go ahead and inform you of the fact I spoke with all the waitresses for Kenny the other day when I came by to see her and they’ve all told on you. You’ve been threatening them in order to get sixty percent of their tips. I, for one, would love to know what for, but right now, I don’t care enough to find out. So, you can either walk out of here on your own or I’ll have one of the brothers escort you out.”
“Bitch, please, you know what I can’t wait for? Rage to realize what a piece of shit you are. That’s alright, I can wait a little while longer. I’ve waited this long as it is. He’ll grow tired of your scarred-up body and go looking for someone who can give him what you can’t,” she says snidely before turning around and strutting away from us. I place a hand around Cleo’s waist to keep her from going after the bitch. I’m not about to let some jealous cunt ruin our day. Nodding over to the prospect silently ordering him to follow Cristy out the gate.
“Come on, Lave, let’s get back to having a good time,” I murmur into Cleo’s ear while holding her close to me.
“You know what, let’s get out of here. After this bullshit, I want to end our wedding night on a good note, meaning I want you making love to me,” Cleo whispers, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Then what are we doing standing around here?” I ask, lifting her up and over my shoulder, carting her away from the party.
Time to get to it and show Cleo what it means to be my ol’ lady.
20
Cleo
The last few months have been nothing but pure, unimaginative bliss since the day I made Rage my husband. His parents went back home a few days after the wedding. Unfortunately, Bear needed to get back to the clubhouse due to shit going on there. Which explained why Stoney and the rest of the guys didn’t come down. I felt bad not having Stoney here, however, he called promising to check in with me to see how I was doing next time he came down. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t call me every day; you’d think the man is my father with as much as we talk. Hell, he might as well be, he’s talked to me more than my own parents ever have. Shoot, my mom and dad don’t even know I’m married.
As much as I’ve loved every minute with Rage, we’ve had our spats. For one, we got into it again over me working in the yard, though it wasn’t exactly about the yard work more or less, but the fact I was using the weed eater barefoot with hardly any clothes on. Let’s just say my ass ended up being a bright shade of red right there on the back porch where he spanked it then proceeded to fuck me against the rail. The good thing about having no neighbors, we can have sex outside.
Other than the few fights, everything else has been great. We even went not long ago and had Burner place another tattoo along my front. It wasn’t easy due to the scarring, however, he did it. Blending them into the background of the design. He also put Rage’s name within the tattoo. I never thought about getting a tattoo until Rage brought me to get the one on my back, now, I think I’m addicted and want to have both pieces attached somehow with the animals on my back swirling around to the front.
Something else has been happening in the last month. I have to figure out how to tell Rage about it. I’d started receiving strange messages, mostly harmless. Then the other day, I left work to run to get us some lunch, when I came back out of the restaurant, I noticed a piece of paper placed on my windshield. Opening it up, I didn’t know what to think of the words, ‘LEAVE OR ELSE’. What does it mean? I really should give it to Rage and tell him about the rest of the messages I have on my phone.
I’d placed the note in my purse, planning on telling him later when we got home and that’s where it still sits along with the one from earlier today that was wedged in the frame of the front door. I’d quickly stuffed it in my purse without reading it. I’m surprised Rage didn’t see it when he came home. He’s been stressed, hell, all the guys from the club seem to be stressed out over something and none of them seem to be sharing. Any time I’ve asked what was going on, Rage shrugs it off claiming its club business. Ugh, I hate those words with a passion.
Now, here I am sitting at home alone due to Rage needing to be at the clubhouse for church. He’d wanted me to come with him, hang out in the main room while I waited for him. After seeing the note today, I didn’t feel like going anywhere. Grabbing my purse, I pull out the previous one, holding it up to the one from today, my stomach flutters nervously as I read both notes. The first one I knew what it said by heart but the second, panic consumes me at the words, ‘TRASH THAT’S ALL YOU ARE HE WILL BE RID OF YOU SOON ENOUGH AS YOU WILL BE BACK WHERE YOU BELONG’.
Reading the words over and over, I don’t understand them. Jake’s dead and even in my shocked state of mind, I still remember him dying in front of me. Something about the words doesn’t sit right with me. I really need to give these to Rage when he gets home.
I practically jump out of my skin when the doorbell rings. Who would be coming by here this late in the evening? Granted, it’s almost Fall; the sun still hasn’t set yet mostly due to the time change. Walking to the door, I’m shaking as I peek through the window next to it to see who it is. There’s no one there, then I notice one of the floral companies’ vehicles driving away though. Taking a breath, I open the door to find a bouquet of lavender flowers with a card attached.
Smiling, I bend over to pick up the vase, taking the card in hand as I stand back up. Walking back into the living room, I place the bouquet on the coffee table wanting to enjoy them. Sitting down, I open the envelope pulling the card out. My smile drops at the realization the flowers aren’t from Rage but whoever it is stalking me. ‘LEAVE BEFORE I MAKE YOU. DON’T MAKE ME BURY YOU SIX FEET UNDER BITCH.’
Unable to stop myself, I rush to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before all the contents in my stomach come out. Who’d go to such lengths to send flowers with this message attached to it?
Feeling dizzy, I sit back, drawing my knees up to my chest, letting the words on all three notes spin around in my head. Those notes have me seriously freaked to the point I don’t want to be home alone right now. Standing up, I quickly glance in the mirror, seeing nothing other than pure terror in my own eyes. I don’t have many choices on where to go right now considering during the week, everything, for the most part, closes early besides Outlaw Racks and the clubhouse.
Deciding it would be best to go straight over to the clubhouse, figuring I’d be able to show Rage the notes and tell him about the messages on my phone, I grab my keys and head out the door, making sure to lock it behind me. The last thing I need is for someone to waltz right in our house and invade my personal space. It’s bad enough whoever this is knowing where I live.
Climbing in Rage’s truck, I’m on the verge of a panic attack. I floor it, heading toward the clubhouse the moment I’m on the road. Needing the safety I only ever feel when I’m in his arms.
With the speed I’m running, I’m surprised I don’t get pulled over, not even when I pass one of the unmarked police cars. Usually, they’re biting at the bit to catch someone speeding and since I’d been hitting eighty ninety the whole way, I was for sure he’d clocked me.
Making it to the clubhouse in record time, I barely have the truck in park before storming inside, spotting a couple of prospects milling around the main room. If there was one outside, I didn’t see them with my only focus on getting to Rage.
“You okay, Cleo?” Ace asks, coming around the bar.
“Ummm no, well I don’t know. I need to see Rage,” I murmur shaking my head barely able to breathe properly.
“They’re all in church right now, babe. Why don’t you sit down, I’ll get you a water or something while you wait,” Ace suggests, moving closer in my direction.
My body is visibly shaking when he goes to touch me. Screaming, I move away from him, taking off running through the clubhouse knowing exactly which room to run to. Normally, I’d never do this but, in my defense, I’m not thinking clearly. Rushing down the hall, I slam through the door to the room.
“What the fuck?” someone yells out. Several of the guys are standing, guns trained my way ready to shoot.
Oh, shit, maybe I shouldn’t have barged in like this.
“Cleo, what the fuck?” Twister growls out
“Lave, baby, what are you doing here? And what are you thinking barging in here when you know we're having church?” Rage says, narrowing his eyes as he moves to stand directly in front of me.
“I . . . I . . . I’m so . . . sorry,” stuttering, I begin to back away. “I’ll go wait in the main room at the bar until you’re done. Sorry guys,” I murmur, turning to leave the room.
“Not so fast, baby,” Rage catches my wrist, halting my leaving. “What’s wrong? You’d never do this unless something was wrong.”
“I needed you. I don’t know how to explain this without you getting totally pissed with me but here it is.” Pausing, I pull out the notes I’d thankfully put in my pocket before leaving the house. Considering I’d left my purse at home. Handing him the notes, he scans them, and I take a breath and begin. “A few weeks ago, I started to get these strange messages on my phone, then the other day, I received the first note on my car when I went to get lunch. Then another one today was wedged in the door frame at home. The last one from the floral company was attached to a thing of flowers that were left on the front porch a little while after you left. I thought they were from you at first and then I read the card, freaked, and here I am. I’m sorry I barged in here the way I did but I wanted to feel safe.” My last words are barely more than a whisper as tears begin to sting my eyes.
Rage pulls me against him without saying a word. Even with the tension filling his body at everything I said, he gives me exactly what I need. His strength.
21
Rage
Fuckin’ hell, can this day get any worse? We’d been sitting here discussing the shitstorm beginning to boil around us when the door is slammed against the wall. Seeing my woman standing with panic pouring off her pisses me off. She’s been through enough in her life to end with that look on her face. I don’t even register my brothers putting their guns away. Everyone knows, including Cleo, that we’re not to be bothered while in church unless it’s an emergency. Then she hands me these papers. I’m scanning through them as she rambles on about what happened, my vision narrows.
Motherfucker, handing the notes to Gadget, I pull her into my arms, needing to hold her to me as much as I know she needs the same. I should be pissed at her for not telling me this shit before now and I’ll be having words with her later on about it, however, right now’s not the time or place.
I don’t know who sent those notes or the flowers but I’m gonna find out one way or another. A couple of my brothers and I have to head out in a couple of days to receive a shipment, we’ll be taking more brothers with us than normal. The Dragons Fire MC has made it known they’re lying in wait. We’ve seen them on the cameras Dragon, Gadget, and Hades hooked up down at the docks. We’re at fuckin’ war with the Dragons Fire MC, who the fuck knows what they’re capable of. Those motherfuckers are dirty and aren’t against using women if it works in their favor. Damn, their Prez Ratchet didn’t even blink at using his own daughter to hurt to go against Izzy. The crazy bitch even tried shit with Lynsdey too.
Sitting back down, I pull Cleo down into my lap, soothing her as each of the brothers takes a look at the notes.
“Who the fuck would be after you, Cleo?” Horse asks gently.
“I . . . I . . . don’t know,” her voice is barely loud enough for anyone to hear besides me.
“Could it be Cristy doing this? Not to state the obvious but she has caused some trouble already,” Twister throws out there, leaning forward, bracing his arms on the table.
“It’s a possibility. She hasn’t been seen since the party we threw for Rage and Cleo when they got married a few months back,” Gadget speaks up, typing away on his laptop.
“Why would she want to do something like this?” Cleo gasps as she looks up from my chest.
“Baby, you can never underestimate a woman scorned. She was pissed when you put her in her place, could be looking for retribution,” I tell her brushing a strained of hair from her face.
“Well, let’s pause church for right now. Rage, why don’t you take your woman home and take care of her. We’ll reconvene tomorrow morning. See if we can find out anything about this and go over the details for the run coming up,” Twister orders, banging the gavel down on the table causing Cleo to jump in my arms.
Her movement didn’t go unnoticed. Lifting her up in my arms as I stand, I carry
her out of the clubhouse, spotting my truck haphazardly parked in the lot. Walking toward it, I decided to leave my bike here for the night. I’ll get it tomorrow, one way or another. I hate to have one of the guy’s ride my bike to the house but if need be, I’ll get Burner to do it for me. Not that I don’t trust them with my bike, it’s simply a sacred thing— no one drives my girl but me.
Pulling out of the parking lot, I keep her hand in mine, not wanting her out of my grasp for a minute, not knowing she’s scared out of her mind. The words on those notes are burned into my brain. When I find whoever this sick fuck is I’ll be sure to do what they threatened her with. I’ll put them in the ground. No one, and I mean no one, will fuck with my woman.
Glancing over at Cleo in the dark of the night as I drive, I can make out her slumped form in the passenger seat. She’s passed out. The stress of this bullshit must have been getting to her. Questions swarm my head, why didn’t she come to me sooner? Did she not trust me to protect her from this shit? One thing I do know, come morning, she and I will be hashing this shit out. Tonight, though, I’m gonna hold her to me, not letting the demons take hold of her. I made peace with mine several years ago with what happened to Janie. It may still fuck with me from time to time, especially with the Diaz Cartel popping their heads back out of the sand, however, I don’t have the nightmares like I used to.
Pulling into the driveway, I park the truck, turning off the engine quickly. I look around the dark, checking for anything out of place before getting out. Walking around the truck, I feel as if someone is watching us. Keeping my eyes on my surroundings, I pick Cleo up in my arms, holding her close to me as I make my way toward our house. Unlocking the door, I don’t turn any lights on, heading straight for our room and placing her in the middle of the bed. Kissing her gently on the top of her head before leaving the room, needing to make sure the house is locked up tight for the night.