He was holding all of my weight, controlling every moment of my body. His pace quickened, sweat rolling down his skin and burning where it dripped against mine, making me writhe and moan. All I had to do was hold on and let him fuck me.
Use me.
Own me.
And that’s exactly what he did, each thrust more punishing than the last. The meeting of our bodies became almost violent.
He continued slamming into me, burying himself to the hilt and my body turned into a pressure cooker, the tightness at the base of my spine demanding release.
“Creed!” I screamed his name. Part warning. Part begging. The cliff was rapidly approaching and I was going over it.
“Fuck!” His cock swelled, jerking inside of me. The sudden, hot rush of his cum didn’t just nudge me over the edge, it picked me up and threw me off.
I cried out loudly, my orgasm so powerful that my vision faded into a jumbled blur. His head fell to my chest as he thrust inside me again, holding himself against the very depths of my pussy as his cock continued to pulse over and over with his release, my walls milking him for all he was worth.
There was a hot rush between my legs that I recognized, and it brought a near delirious smile to my face. He had pumped me so full of his cum that my womb was full and the excess was spilling out. Thank God I was up to date on my shots, or I would be looking like Lizzy in a few months.
I didn’t believe for a second that this man was capable of shooting blanks.
My eyesight returned just as he pressed a sweet kiss to my temple and stared down at me. The content, satisfied look in his eyes made me warm all over.
“Worth the wait, Red?” He teased.
I cleared my throat, giving him a teasing smile. “I don’t know. I might need another demonstration.” He slowly pulled himself free of my body and even as I shuddered, I couldn’t help the slight wince that came with it. “On second thought, I might need some time before you split me in two again.”
Creed set me down but held me upright and against him, the playful look on his face vanishing to be replaced by one of pure attentiveness. “Did I hurt you?”
I patted his cheek, grateful for his support since my legs had been replaced by wet noodles. “I might be walking funny for a little while but you didn’t break me. Just like you said you wouldn’t. Although, I’m seriously not looking forward to getting back on that bike.”
He smiled, body easing. “We don’t have to leave yet, and the water is perfect this time of year.”
I glanced out over the peaceful lake. “Skinny dipping? How scandalous.”
“No more than anything we just did.” He took my hand in his, pulling me towards the water, and I tried to ignore how my heart fluttered.
Temporary, I reminded myself, ducking my head beneath the surface as soon as we were far out enough. The cool, crisp water went a long way in helping me get rid of the blush heating my skin. When I came back up, blinking droplets from my eyes, Creed was treading water no more than a foot away, gray eyes locked on my green ones, expression curiously serious.
“That scar on your chest. It looks a lot like a bullet wound.”
Ah, now the stony look makes sense.
I didn’t really understand his need to do violence on my behalf but I wasn’t going to lie and say I wasn’t grateful for it.
“It is.”
“Was your brother involved?”
“He was.” His eyes flickered and I splashed him. “But not in the way you’re probably thinking. Our dad wasn’t a good man. He was a drunk. An abusive one.” Creed said nothing but I swear the water around me got warmer. “On one of his bad days, he pulled a gun. I froze. Completely. Full on deer in the headlights. Even when I saw his hand trembling, finger starting to squeeze the trigger, I couldn’t move because I was so afraid.”
I took a deep breath, doing my best to distance the memory from the here and now. I was through living it. I’d been down that road over and over again.
My eyes turned up to the stars in the sky and the moon bathing us in its light.
“Sam came in the room then,tried to talk some sense into him, but it wasn’t working. I could tell by the look on his face that it wasn’t. Then everything happened at once. He aimed at me. Sam moved. The gun went off. And I was tossed backwards, the worst pain I’d ever felt exploding in my chest. The next thing I knew, I was in an ambulance, then a hospital. They told me if it was a few inches lower, I would’ve died.”
“He saved your life,” Creed said tonelessly.
And you’re determined to kill him.
But I didn’t say that. This night was going in the happy vault. All my problems would still be there tomorrow, so there was no reason to let them ruin what I currently had.
I nodded and ducked beneath the water again, leaving everything else up there on the surface.
CHAPTER 11 - Creed
My mind whirled as I sat in the parking lot, tapping the steering wheel of the black pickup truck I had bought forever ago but stopped using until recently. Despite each day being filled with the grueling task of overseeing the removal of every trace of the Cartel’s presence from Oakdale, three weeks seemed to have flown by in the blink of an eye.
How could they not?
Every morning, I woke to my woman curled up in my arms and I went to sleep most nights with my dick buried inside Caitlin’s pussy and her body full of my cum.
Life was good.
Being the greedy bastards that we all were, the Sinners had warmed up to her quickly when she surprised us with a huge feast a couple days after our outing at the lake. We’d filed into the clubhouse to find the dining room table filled with fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and more. Along with a gumbo that, in Tex’s words, was, “worth slapping your mama.” She had said it was to make up for the one that went uneaten after her untimely arrival and I’d kissed her so hard right then and there that our teeth clicked together.
There were no more questions from the peanut gallery after that display. It was clear that she was mine. Clear that I was keeping her. At least to everyone except her but I was coming back to that.
Like I said they would, things were changing and we had to adapt to that change or give it the chance to destroy us.
The first major change had snuck up on us. Lizzy was finally showing a small bump, unshakable proof of the life growing inside of her. I wasn’t the least bit surprised or upset when Tex stated he was backing off the from the front lines. I was happy for him. We weren’t blood but he was my brother all the same. He deserved to be happy.
I did have to admit to being more than a little surprised by Sylvia’s reaction though. She was still rough around the edges, especially after some of our more heated engagements, but a softness I never knew was in there materialized every time she was around Tex’s girl. Caitlin and Sly took turns pampering Lizzy to such an extent that I wondered how much worse it was going to get later on.
Another big change that no one had expected? I was following in Tex’s footsteps and taking a more backseat approach. I’d tapped some of the more senior brothers: Tone, Axle and Crank, elevating them as close to the inner circle as they would likely ever get. Even doing that much was unheard of, and I’d had to listen to Tanner run his mouth about the sudden changes but I didn’t give a single shit. Sly was leaving for Charlotte time we finished with our own city. It was going to be on her to check up on both the chapter down there, and the rogue Cartel leader, Carlos, whose allegiances needed to be determined. Which meant that it was time for others to step up to the plate.
The monster in me still craved violence, conflict its very sustenance, so I didn’t see myself completely laying down arms any time soon, but it was no longer so important to be front and center.
Choosing between that or Caitlin?
The woman I loved?
She won out each and every time. No fucking contest.
There was always something new to discover where she was concerned. Whether it
was the disgusting amount of mustard she put over perfectly good food or the little sigh that left her mouth every time I reached out and pulled her against my body. The more I found out, the more I craved, and it created a feedback loop where nearly every spare minute I had was spent laser focused on her.
I bought books she liked to read. Replaced the stove with one she pointed out while we were cruising around town one day. Didn’t utter a single complaint when she started adding colors to my room, bringing pinks and blues into the monochrome space. She was the center of my universe. So of course, I noticed the little things.
Which brought me back to my point about keeping her.
I told her as much every chance I got. Except her agreeing smile was always a touch too tight instead of the free one I loved, the emotion in her eyes dulling. It was especially easy to notice when she talked to Lizzy, the two of them having become thick as thieves lately. Whenever Tex’s girl started talking about the baby shower or the delivery or any number of things that dealt with the future, Caitlin’s expression would falter in some small way that made my chest ache. It did the same thing when her brother came up. And I was glad my plan was finally coming to fruition because I couldn’t take much more of feeling her pain.
She needed to know that letting her go wasn’t even in the cards.
Grand gestures were never my thing, but for her?
I would stare down God and wait for Him to blink.
Throwing the truck door open, I hopped out onto the pavement and made my across the crowded lot towards one of the most popular bars in the city, Exodus. It was three pm on a Wednesday and the place was already packed, cars flooding the front and back of the one story, brick and mortar building. I stalked in like I owned I place, since I did, at least in part, my eyes trailing around, searching, paying little attention to the modern interior, the upbeat music, or the hush that came and went as people noticed me.
I found who I was looking for by the pool tables in the back corner of the room, the gaggle of girls hanging along the other side of the partition giving them away easily. Those same attention seekers puffed themselves up when they noticed my approach, adjusting tits and hair, but they were ghosts to me, no more substantial than smoke. I was sure Rain and Texas felt the same way. Rain especially, considering his girlfriend, Kayla, was somewhere behind the bar.
“Who’s winning?” I asked, stepping up onto the landing.
Rain shook his head and gave me one of those looks that only a brother could, twirling his pool stick in circles. “Who do you think? One of us could be a competitive marksman while the other is a grease monkey. I have no idea why I even agreed to play.”
“Cuz you’re eternally optimistic, young blood.” Tex grinned, gnawing on the toothpick between his lips as he lined up his next shot. “You never know, you might get lucky one of these days.” Despite what he just said, he sank his next shot straight into the pocket with ease and I laughed as Rain shook his head in disgust.
“Maybe you should try darts next go round,” I threw out. Rain pointed behind me and I followed the path of his finger. There was a board set up on the far wall with a cluster of darts sticking perfectly into the bullseye. “Or not.”
He shrugged, piercings catching the light. “I’m used to it. Can’t even beat this big bastard at pinball. So, what’s up?”
“I need a favor.”
Rain and I didn’t see eye to eye often. Despite the similar looks, we were too different. His hands were clean. Squeaky, in fact, despite the motor oil that always clung to him. Meanwhile, mine were soaked to the elbows in a vat of illegal shit and death. He didn’t agree with my lifestyle and I was fine with that. My lifestyle was the reason he could keep his hands clean, not that I would ever let him know that.
I didn’t look out for him to hold it over his head. I did it because he was my brother, the only flesh and blood family I had left, and we did our best to maintain that despite our constant falling out.
So it meant more than I would ever admit when he stopped playing around, expression immediately turning serious. Texas also stood from where he was bent over the table, cocking his head to the side. They were both aware that I never asked for anything personal.
“I want to buy you both out of Exodus and make myself sole owner.”
Tex narrowed his eyes but he said nothing.
Rain whistled loudly. “I mean, you definitely got my attention. That’s a big chunk of change, bro. What brought this on?”
“I’ve got plans for this place.”
He rolled his eyes. “Great. Cryptic bullshit with a side of non-answer is my favorite. How’d you know?”
I punched him in the arm and he backed away, scowling at me.
“The fuck was that for?”
“Being a smartass.”
Tex came around the pool table and leaned his hip against it. “I think I know where this is goin’. I gotta say, most guys would go ahead and put a ring on it.”
“Wait. What?” Rain looked back and forth between us. “Who’s getting married and what does it have to do with the bar? I’m so lost.”
“No one is getting married-”
“Speak for yourself.” Tex reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a little velvet box before stashing it away again.
“Holy shit,” I muttered, dumbstruck. I supposed that I should’ve seen this coming but…
“Holy shit,” Rain echoed.
And didn’t that just about sum it up?
We shot questions at him rapid fire like a bunch of women. When was he asking? When was the wedding? Most importantly, who was going to be the best man?
He waved us off. “I haven’t decided on all that yet, but soon. She’ll be my wife before the baby gets here.” He grinned, toothpick hanging precariously from his lips. “My wife. I like the sound of that already.”
“Congrats man,” said Rain. “I can’t wait.”
I put my hand on Tex’s shoulder and squeezed before letting go. Respect, brother. He nodded, hearing me without words being necessary and I cleared my throat.
We were all quiet for a moment before Tex broke the silence.
“So where’s your ring, Creed? I think most women would want that more than a bar.”
“Caitlin isn’t most women.” Did I want to put a ring on her finger? Fuck. Yes. But the timing was wrong.
Rain swept his hair back from his face. “It’s true then. You’ve really got it bad. Never thought I’d see the day. But why a bar?”
My first instinct was to tell them both to mind their own goddamn business but I tamped it down, chewing on the inside of my cheek as I thought about what I was willing to say. She belonged to me. I wasn’t inclined to share even the simplest of things.
“Rebel held her under his thumb for too long,” I said finally, staring off into the distance at nothing in particular. “He forced her to be dependent, knowing all the while he could rip everything out from under her whenever he felt like it.”
“Ah.” Texas got it quickly, no surprise there.
Frustration made my jaw clench. “I hate to admit it, but she’s still in a similar situation.”
Rain frowned. “You wouldn’t do anything like that, not to her.”
I shook my head, agreeing. “As far as I’m concerned, what’s mine is hers. Except that’s not freedom. Not in the way she needs. I want her to have something she can call her own. Something I can’t just take back from her. Something that can provide for her.”
“I’ll sell,” said Tex. “But don’t expect to get a cheaper price. I’m about to have another mouth to feed.”
I ignored that comment and the shit eating grin that went with it, turning to my brother.
Rain shrugged. “As long as my girl keeps her job, I’m down. I’ve been meaning to expand the garage anyway.”
I pulled out the documents I had from my trip to Raleigh earlier in the day, where I met with the lawyer we kept on retainer. Lawson was a pitbull if there ever was one and wel
l worth every penny. I’d lost track of how many of my boys he had kept out of jail. I spread the papers out on a nearby table while Tex and Rain crowded in beside me, then I grabbed a pen.
Rain took it from my hand, laughing as he signed. “Somebody came prepared. What if I had said no?”
Texas signed quickly and I took everything back, folding it into my pocket before giving Rain my coldest look. “Be glad that you didn’t.”
His smile slipped by degrees until it was gone completely and he took a step away from me. “That was a joke, right?” He paused. “Creed?”
“Let me put it this way. You would’ve been standing between my woman and something I believe would make her truly happy. That’s not a good place to be.”
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