But there is a little anxiety clawing at my brain. The sex was unprotected. I know I’m clean and Ledger also mentioned he was clean, but it doesn’t take away the risk of getting pregnant. I always dreamed of having a family at some point in my life, and I guess you can’t plan anything because I surely never expected I’d end up with a biker for a boyfriend and yet here I am, on cloud nine, secretly hoping to be pregnant.
Yes. I’ve said it; secretly hoping. Because when I see Ledger with Magdalena and Parker, my ovaries practically explode. He’s both gentle and strict where needed. But the way his face fills with affection when he ruffles their hair hits me right in the heart.
Running away from a murder scene was a shocking, drastic moment in my life, and yet it turned out to be a step toward a new future. There hasn’t seemed to be any blowback from watching a man kill someone, so I’m pretty sure Kay’s brother doesn’t know I witnessed it. But to be honest? I’m not itching to get back to Shreveport.
Maybe once to wrap up my belongings and move here permanently. I guess it’s something I need to talk through with Ledger first. My brother too seeing as I haven’t talked to him about it and I have no clue how he feels with me living here permanently. He has no say in my relationship with Ledger so there’s no need to ask his permission about that.
“Colt is working with Coffee. Are you going to watch or take over?” Ledger asks as he strolls into the kitchen.
Yes, I totally changed Toby’s name to Coffee now that he’s mine. I was cleaning up and dry my hands on a cloth I throw on the counter as I turn to face him. Without thinking I blurt what was on my mind, “Do you think Colt would have objections if I move here permanently?”
His eyes flare and he steps closer, caging me in.
“You’re moving in with me?” he asks huskily.
“If you’ll have me,” I whisper.
“I already have you,” he growls and grab my hips to make my body collide with his before he slams his mouth over mine.
I fist his shirt to keep myself rooted because this man has the ability to swoop me off my feet and throw me into a sea of bliss. He ends the kiss all too soon for my liking but the way his eyes are scorching my heart takes my breath away. He slides his hands up to cup my head.
“I’ll talk to my Prez about this cabin or if you’d like to move into something bigger or a separate house near the ranch, I’m fine with whatever.”
“I’m fine with whatever too,” I tell him, my cheeks hurting from the megawatt smile I’m sporting. “The cabin is big enough.”
“Yeah. Big enough for us to expand in case I manage to knock you up in the near future.” He smirks.
I playfully poke his side. “If you keep coming inside me it will be sooner rather than later.”
“Seize the day, mamacita,” he murmurs. “Isn’t that what life is all about? The here and now, lucky to be alive and shit.”
“And shit,” I murmur back. “Romantic.”
His head tips back and laughter rips out. He shakes his head and his heated eyes land on mine again. “Before you walked into my life romance wasn’t in my vocabulary. But now that I have you, I’d be happy to romance your panties right from your curvy ass on a regular basis.”
An unfeminine snort leaves my body. “No need to strain yourself. Taking your shirt off is enough to set my panties on fire and make my pussy wet in anticipation. Hell, the mere reminder of knowing how good you felt inside me is enough.”
“Woman,” he growls. “Your mouth is as dirty as the sex I crave to have with it. And I haven’t even felt those lips wrapped around my cock yet.”
“Dirty mouth. Dirty talk. Dirty sex on a regular basis, sign me up. Oh, wait, you didn’t want to sign anything,” I playfully tell him, hinting at the way he repels marriage.
His eyebrows scrunch up as if he doesn’t understand I’m just joking.
“Hey.” Now I’m the one cupping his face. “I was just teasing.” I crush my lips to his for a quick kiss. “Come on, let’s see what my brother is doing to my horse.”
A growl rumbles through his chest. His hands grip my hips as he easily hoists me over his shoulder. “I’m also going to let Colt know you’re here to stay. And thank fuck, because I would have hated to follow your ass and leave all this behind.”
I’m staring at his gorgeous ass moving underneath me and it almost makes his words slip by but they echo through my head. He would have followed me. He cares about me, about us…enough to think in options to be together. I hate saying the whole witness to murder is a good thing, but it did bring Ledger into my life.
“Put my sister down, Ledger,” Colt growls as he spurs Coffee on to trot toward us.
Ledger lets me slide down his body, but it’s not because Colt orders him. And it seems Ledger needs to make it clear because he spins me around to plaster my back to his front, engulfing me in his embrace as he buries his head in the crook of my neck.
“For fuck’s sake,” Colt grumbles. “Can you not sex up my fucking sister in front of me?”
Ledger’s head snaps up. “Get used to it. She’s relocating indefinitely. I’m off to talk to Prez right now to make sure we can stay in the cabin or else we’ll build another one.”
I feel a goofy grin spread my face.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Colt mutters again. “Lovesick fools. Just make sure you don’t rub all the candy-sweet-lovin’ in my face or we’ll have a problem. I’m too old. The sugary sweetness hurts my teeth and tests my gag reflex.”
“Oh, just cut it out. You’re overreacting and you’re not that old.” I step forward and let my hand glide over Coffee’s nose.
“You wanna take over?” Colt questions.
I nod eagerly but when Colt wants to dismount, all our attention is drawn to a car entering club property. Not just a car; my car. And the woman behind the wheel is none other than my best friend Kay.
I’m about to rush toward her but Colt spurs Coffee on and heads full speed toward Kay, pulling on the reins to come to an abrupt stop. Dust wraps around them as Colt jumps off and starts to yell at Kay.
Coffee is throwing his head up and down, fighting the reins, confused about Colt’s yelling. Ledger runs past me and grabs the reins to take the horse out of the situation. He beckons for a prospect to take Coffee into the stables.
Once he’s safely away, I can also raise my voice. “What the fuck, Colt?”
My brother throws an angry look over his shoulder. His finger is pointing in Kay’s face when she steps out of the car as he growls, “Princess here should have kept her tight ass in Shreveport. She’s putting not only herself at risk, but all of us along with it. I fucking bet Deranged Hounds MC isn’t even aware you slipped away.” His head whips toward Kay. “Am I right?”
Kay’s hands fist and she puts them on her hips. She throws her shoulders back and shoots Colt an angry glare. “I am my own woman. I can go and do anything I like. And for your information, no biker or club has any say–”
Colt leans in and whisper hisses something I can’t make out.
Kay keeps shooting Colt a death glare and huffs, “Not my fight. I have nothing to do with any of it.”
Colt throws his arms in the air along with a few curses before his main focus is Kay once more. Their foreheads are touching when he says in a low rumble, “You were born into the fight and bound by blood, Princess. You’re lucky you’re still breathing because those two are out for retaliation and who better to kill than the sister of the new Prez, the man who killed their fucking brother. Clearly you’re a nuisance. A stuck-up chick who acts like a teenage brat.”
Colt reaches for his phone and taps it a few times before he brings it to his ear. “She’s here. Good. Yes. Till then.”
He shoves his phone back inside his pocket. “Your brother is coming to get you.”
“I. Am. Not. Going. Back,” Kay growls as she punches my brother against his shoulder.
My brother is about to start growling again. I jump in between them. “S
top it. What the hell is going on?”
Colt steps back, self-assured as always, as he shoots Kay a sinister smile and crosses his arms in front of his chest. “Mind explaining to my sister what the hell you pulled her into? Because you knew what the fuck was going on when you brought her into the clubhouse. Funeral or not, you brought her into club business she wasn’t supposed to be in. Some fucking friend you are.”
A gasp rips from my body as I watch Kay punch my brother right in the nose. I can only so much as blink and Colt has her by the throat and slams her back against the car.
“The weak and weary rage and lash out without thinking their actions through. You just proved it by landing a good punch, but it’s futile. You damn well know what the fuck is going on and what you’re dragging to our doorstep. It’s selfish.”
Kay balls her fists. “Weak and weary, huh? What’s the other side? Those who walk tall and are fucking brave? You? My brother? All those other fucking bikers with their fucked-up vengeance and bloody retaliation? I didn’t ask for any of it. Does it make me selfish if I wanted my friend close while I said my final goodbyes to my father and consoled my mother? I guess so, but guess what? You bikers know damn well the definition of loyalty, trust, and family even if they’re not by blood. And your sister is my strength and I need her fucking strength, okay?” She hangs her head and croaks, “Because my blood turned their back on me.”
I have no clue what’s going on and why Colt seems to know exactly what is happening in the MC of Kay’s family. But right now, all I see is my friend who is balancing on the brim of tears.
I pry my brother away from her and grab Kay’s arm, tugging her with me in the direction of the cabin. Colt is staring at Kay with an unreadable look in his eyes. Ledger follows me and opens the door. I head straight for the kitchen and point at a chair.
“Sit. Let me make some coffee first,” I tell her.
Instead of listening, she jumps forward and wraps me in a tight hug.
“I missed you so freaking much,” she whispers. “And I’m so sorry. Your brother is right. I shouldn’t have asked for you to come to the funeral. I shouldn’t have come here. But I was going crazy at the clubhouse. Hell, I wasn’t even allowed to go home. They’ve had me on lockdown at the clubhouse since the day of the funeral.”
“As a princess you know damn well what a lockdown entails,” Ledger grumbles. “With the shit going on you shouldn’t have exposed yourself or unwillingly pulled another MC into the mix.”
I narrow my eyes at him and then at Kay. “Either of you willing to share details? Because it feels like I’m the only one standing on the outside while everyone else knows exactly what the fuck is going on.”
My anger skyrockets when Ledger winces. He knows. He knew. He’s never said anything if I asked about it. I’ve voiced direct questions, let him know about my concern, and both Ledger and Colt both said there was nothing to worry about.
But this right here tells me there’s more going on than just the risk of Rowen knowing he had a witness. Screw them. And I would be happy to see my friend–might just forgive her for putting me at risk if I would believe Colt’s words–but she too didn’t say anything. And she might not have been able to say or text info…but she could have fucking said something.
“Get out,” I whisper.
Confusion spreads on Ledger’s face.
“I said, get out.” My voice is calm since I’m passed the point of being angry.
My anger skyrocketed a moment ago but it’s useless to yell, punch, or even talk normally. I need space and time to think and for someone to tell me the truth. Seeing Ledger had every chance to do so over the days we’ve been together–and seemingly chose to keep me in the dark–I’m taking my chance with Kay.
“It’s our damn home and I’m not leaving you. We need to talk this through.” His face has a menacing determination.
“You’re right, we do need to talk. But you had your chance. Had it for days and yet you said nothing about the danger I’ve been exposed to. Why don’t you keep my brother company? Seeing you two agree on a lot of things, like keeping me in the freaking dark and deciding what’s best for me…without asking for my fucking opinion.”
“It’s club business,” he grits.
“Fuck you, and fuck club business,” I growl.
His chest is rising and falling and his eyes are assessing me. “You’re angry,” the mastermind quips.
“You think?” I hiss.
He gives a curt nod. “I’ll be right outside so you can calm down.”
So you can calm…. “Motherfucking asshole,” I snap.
“Seriously, Ledger, word of advice. Never. In any way or form tell a woman to calm down.” Kay snorts. “Men are oblivious to feelings, you know. To anything really. You have to spell everything out and not expect for them to assume shit. Because if you don’t? They never know what’s bugging you, what they should have done, or how they can fix their fuck-up.”
Ledger’s chest rumbles with a growl before he strides out of the cabin.
The door closes behind him at the same time Kay huffs, “Men.”
“You,” I snap, pointing a finger in her face. “Start talking while I make coffee. And for the record? I’m just as pissed at you for not telling me shit. My brother is in an MC too, Kay. You damn well knew you could trust me with anything you said. And I realize club business is club business, but a hint of anything would have been nice. And my brother told me when I got here how he checked you out when we moved into the apartment. You knew I was trustworthy and connected with an MC too.”
I spin on my heels and start to make my hands busy with making coffee because I’m too pumped up to be facing her for this discussion.
There’s a deep sigh before she starts to explain, “Money has been going missing for a few months. Someone has been stealing from the club. They installed cameras since it had to be an inside job. Only four people knew about the cameras due to the whole inside job thing. It didn’t take long to see who was doing it. My father called a club meeting and confronted a biker named Leo in front of all the others. That didn’t go well because…as we know now…Leo wasn’t acting on his own. Leo has a brother, Neo. These two, along with another biker called, Chip…the three of them needed the money to cover up a deal gone wrong. A deal concerning property they gambled away without the club’s consent. So, the club not only lost money but a piece of property too…they fucked them over twice.”
I place a mug of coffee in front of her as I put mine on the table and take a seat across from her.
She takes a few sips and closes her eyes for a few breaths as she places the mug back down. “You saw Rowen kill Leo on the day of the funeral. The funeral. My father’s death…he was found dead in his office. Nothing looked suspicious, no markings on him, no nothing. At first, they thought he had a heart attack. My brother requested an autopsy. They discovered something in his blood. When Rowen heard this little fact, he realized they didn’t remove the cameras and went over the tapes. He saw Leo inject something into my father while Neo held him down. Chip was guarding the door. My father was murdered so when Leo showed up at the funeral…as if he didn’t fucking murder our father…Rowen lured him out back and killed him. Neo and Chip are nowhere to be found. From what Rowen told me…he believes Neo and Chip are out for blood. It’s why they put me on lockdown. But it’s been days of sitting at the clubhouse and I’m going insane. There’s no trace of those two. I’m sure they are already out of the country since every chapter of Deranged Hounds MC are out hunting their asses.”
We both inhale deep and let the air rush out in a worried sigh.
“Dammit, Kay.” I take a few sips of my coffee, not knowing what to say about anything she just rambled about. Except for one thing. “I’m sorry about your dad.”
“Yeah,” she croaks and brings the mug to her lips.
We drink in silence, both our heads locked on the trouble she unwillingly pulled me into. And to be honest? She didn’t ask f
or any of it either. But it also doesn’t change the situation. Kay coming here has a huge risk. Though, I’m not on Neo and Chip’s radar, but her being here changes things.
And with her mentioning all of this, I now realize, “Rowen knew I saw him?”
“Yeah. He also knew you could be trusted. Even if you left and ran to your brother. And when Colt called Rowen, it wasn’t an issue. But I guess Colt is right…I put all of you in danger by coming here.”
Her shoulders sag and her eyes fill with unshed tears. “But I couldn’t cope being by myself. Not after my mother’s funeral. She killed herself the day of my father’s funeral…a few hours after you left.”
“Oh no,” I gasp and rush around the table to hug her close. “I’m so sorry.”
A heart pulling sob rips from her throat as her arms slide around me. Tears fall until neither of us have any left.
And when I’ve finally found my voice, I let her know, “I don’t care what anyone says. I’m glad you came.”
She swallows hard and gives a faint nod. My heart squeezes painfully for the loss and havoc Kay is wrapped in. Even if I’m angry at both Ledger and Colt, it’s clear we need their help. Because there’s no way I can let Kay return home by herself.
CHAPTER SIX
– LEDGER –
“I told you this would happen,” I snap.
Colt merely shrugs. “She’s a woman. My sister. She doesn’t need to have all the details. She’ll fuss for a while and then she’ll get over it.”
I give the idiot a hard shove against his shoulder. “For you, maybe. Me? I could see it in her eyes I fucking failed her by keeping things from her. It’s a trust issue, asshole. We just found each other and are working on building a fucking foundation in our relationship.”
Colt shrugs again. “Not my problem. Maybe it’s a good thing you two get over the lovesick-fool part. She’s only here temporarily, Ledger. Her life is in Shreveport.”
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