Escaping From Forever: Tank & Kat's story, Part 1 (Battle Born MC Book 5)

by Scarlett Black

  “Who is that guy?” I ask the suit, nodding across the room. “He looks like the manager here?”

  The suit looks put off, like I’m about to go jump the guy’s dick right in front of him. “Yeah, he’s Tony Riva,” his hand touches my cheek, “I wouldn’t fuck him though if I were you, you’re too sweet for that kind of action.”

  I roll my eyes at him like a schoolgirl and swat at his chest. “I wouldn’t, I’m having a great time with you, sexy.”

  He wraps his large hand around my ass and grinds his hardening dick into my stomach. So badly I want to throat punch this fucker for treating me like a piece of meat. I continue to play it cool until he suggests, “It’s getting late, you ready to take this upstairs?”

  I push the fake giggle out and nod yes. “Let me run to the restroom first?”

  We all know that as soon as I got out of his hold and sight, I’m gonna be long gone.

  See ya, Florida man.

  Chapter 21

  Tank

  I never in my wildest dreams thought I would see her again.

  Kat.

  I think she could be my wife, though it’s really hard to remember that night clearly with the amount of tequila we drank.

  Usually, the bitches hang around for my morning wood. Not this one though. She was gone like a fragment of my imagination. I had to check the floor for the condom I tossed, and it wasn’t even there. It was like I just said, never fucking happened. But here she stands with even more ink since the last time I saw her a couple of years ago.

  “I can’t believe she’s real,” Solo, the little dick, snickers. “Axl kept on saying earlier that you had a fake girlfriend to help with your self-confidence.” He shrugs after that.

  My fist flies to my right, nailing the little fucker in the shoulder, and he falls into Pawn, the other little shit prospect I sponsored into this club. I’m so moonstruck at the sight before my eyes that I can’t beat these two up properly.

  Axl told me to pick up the “nurse” for her to look over the kids at the warehouse. The woman standing outside of the beat up Honda in that skin tight black dress is no fucking nurse.

  What the fuck is she doing, I’ll find out soon enough. Right now, we have club business to get to, and, somehow, these fuckers know her. I plow forward like a bull, ready to reunite with her. My body towers and then covers hers when she steps back against the wall.

  “I caught you again, Kitty Kat.”

  I rest my body forward on one hand against the wall while a finger from my other hand runs up the outside of her thigh, to her hip, then waist where I stop and lightly squeeze before whispering, “You’ve been summoned by Blade to check on the merchandise we commandeered, and he wants a nurse to look the kids over.” I kiss the side of her cheek. “Get dressed for it, K-Love.”

  She pants out a few deep breathes before her shell shocked and excited face, because, let’s face it, it’s me, snaps out of it, and she stands up tall and strong, gritting out, “Back the fuck up.”

  “Get moving, Kat,” I order, but, at the end, I struggle to keep the laughter from spilling out.

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  She glares at me, then, ever so slightly, looks at what I’m sure are the surprised faces of Pawn and Solo.

  “Move, or I’ll take you like this, I don’t give a fuck.”

  I push off the wall, giving her enough space to get into her room. Before she can shut the door in my face, my boot stops it from closing. “Keep it open and dress out here, you are not slipping out on me again.”

  Kat’s eyes squint and her mouth quirks up. Before I know what’s happening, she starts pulling on the bottom of the dress, slowly dragging it up and over her head. Fuck me, she’s covered in tattoos which barely show any bare skin on her body.

  “What’s going on?” Solo asks from behind me, and I can hear and feel him at my side. I take my hand that was holding me up off the door frame and catch his face from getting any closer, pushing him back. No way in fuck is he seeing this. She’s mine.

  He stumbles back and curses, but I’m lost in the moment as I’m staring intently at the red bra and thong that’s in contrast with her dark skin. Blood starts pumping through my body and my hands ache from not being able to touch her.

  She bends over, sticking her ass up high, and her long black hair cascades down to the floor. She keeps an eye on me while she pulls a black shirt over her arms, very effectively shielding herself from me.

  While I’m tracking her every move, she sits on the bed and easily slides a pair of black leather pants up her legs. She kills me when she stands to pull them up, then steps into a pair of knee-high leather boots. Fuck. Bending over again, the deviant woman slowly zips them up to her knees.

  She picks a bag off the floor and saunters over to me. Careful not to touch me, she whispers, “Cat got your tongue?”

  My little tease pushes my body back with one hand to my chest, and out the door she goes. I willingly allow it because, if I don’t, the wood sporting a tent in my pants would fuck the hell out of her after the most erotic backward striptease I’ve ever witnessed.

  Kat drops her hand from my body and saunters toward her car. My head catches up to what we are doing. I shut the door to the motel room, then move to stop her from getting inside. “You ride with me, Kat.”

  She whips around, shooting a furious glare at me. “Like fuck I’m going anywhere with you. I’ll follow you in my car.”

  “Like fuck you are!” I bark back at her. She widens her stance and I charge forward, pick her up and throwing her over my shoulder. The goddamn woman kicks, aiming for my nuts, and I laugh before easily tossing her into the back seat of the Suburban.

  “Sit next to her.” Pawn and Solo jump in the back, flanking her on either side. They better watch their throats and dicks.

  We ride in silence on the way to the warehouse, and every time I look into the rearview mirror, all I see is Kat. She scowls at me with heat that I’m sure is a mixture of hate and lust. I glare back because I can tell you one thing. This woman needs me to spank that ass. A lot.

  Kat obviously has a lot of pride and hides herself to keep others away. Only one thing will make her show the truth, a man’s loving hand. One that can break through to her hard shell, and I’m that man. I can feel her like she’s a part of me, and I’m never going to let go.

  I pull the Suburban into the warehouse and park. I jump out of the driver’s seat, not bothering with shutting the door before ripping open the back one.

  “Move,” I order Pawn, and he too jumps out. My hands pick Kat up from her seat and toss her body over my shoulder again, then march into the warehouse.

  “Tank! You freaking, big assed asshole! Put me down! I said I would help!” Kat bellows as I open the door and walk through with her.

  I reach up and lay down a hard smack right on her leather covered ass. Kat’s long black hair flies through the air as her back arches from the blow.

  “Easy, Kitty Kat, you’re scaring the kids, and the boys are about to shoot your loud, mouthy ass. It’s a nice ass, though, and I don’t want them to shoot it, K-love.” I rub the spot I smacked, making her squirm more.

  I pull her down the front of my body. Her tits press against my chest, and I suppress the urge to not let her go, but I do it, gently placing her on her feet.

  She shoves away from me with both hands planted on my chest. Or, at least, she tries to, and I laugh a little. She glares while my body slightly shakes. I kiss the end of my fingers and tap her nose. “Calm down, Kitty Kat, we can play later,” I tease and wink at her.

  Grabbing her temples, she rubs circles and takes in deep breaths before dropping her hands and storming forward to stand in front of the table.

  “Hey, I’m Kat, you must be the president of these merry little misfit fuckers?” She sticks her hand out to Blade.

  “Blade, and yes, I’m the president,” he answers with a slight change in his face, trying not to smile at her. “You a nurs
e?” He looks over her and continues, “Can you check these kids over? Help us find them some safe places to go?”

  She gives in a little and breathes out slowly. “Yes and yes. Tank, haul in my bag, k, hot stuff?” Kat holds her hand out for the young girl in front of her, then takes her in another office to look her over.

  Kat

  My head feels scrambled trying to keep up with everything that just happened. Did I just introduce myself as Kat to their president? Shit. What was I supposed to do? This man is so far into my head, he’s like quicksand and I’m slowly being pulled under. I didn’t know what to say to their Prez.

  I couldn’t lie and give my fake alias name. I went on instinct and used the name that Tank gave me. Some part of me likes it. How did he ever pick a nickname so close to my own name?

  Freaking Tank is my kryptonite. Had it been anyone else, I would have shot him and gotten myself out of there, but I didn’t. I couldn’t turn him away again. Just like at the bar, and I knew better. He disarms me, and I need to figure it out, soon.

  The scared teenager sits down next to me and I ask her a few questions. Thank God she wasn’t abused or harmed in any way, not physically at least. She and her friend are just naive kids that got themselves into a whole lot of trouble with very bad men. Tami could’ve been the one raped or sent overseas by my father and the Cartel.

  “I don’t know where they took Amanda,” she cries and folds over into her chair, covering her face. I rub her back and silently vow to help with finding her friend. Give her the same freedom and grace Tami just got by escaping the fate she’s currently in. The pain, however, none of us can escape that.

  “Tami,” I gently call her name. She sits up and looks up at me. “You got into some shit, but you are okay now. Don’t worry, I will make sure you are okay. You can trust me.”

  She says okay, but her heart is not in it. I know this isn’t my fault or my mess, but some fucked up piece of me wants to make this right for her. I couldn’t save my sister in the end. She turned against me, but if I can save this girl, it’ll be a small win to all the losses that have left a gaping hole that’s been bleeding with pain.

  Tank walks into the office with my bag and I grab my first aid kit. I clean up all the kids’ bumps and bruises while he stands next to me, helping me by handing me items from it as needed. Solo and Pawn thoughtfully bring in sandwiches and drinks for everyone.

  Together, the four of us make them beds the best that we can with the supplies they brought from the store. I walk up to Spider when I see him walk into the warehouse hours later.

  “Thanks a lot, asshole,” I say under my breath.

  “What’s the matter, Kat, are you hiding something? Or from someone?” He tilts his head over to the side and watches me closely. “You have a lot of fucking explaining to do, and, don’t worry, I will get to the bottom of it.”

  “My past is my business until I decide when to bring you into it. Or are we going to war too, Spider?” I threaten back. If he thinks he can push me around, he’s fucking wrong.

  “What’s going on here?” Tank stands firmly at my back. The feeling is a little too comforting. We need to talk. This shit is all so fucked up.

  “Nothing, brother, came to check on what’s going on. I’m heading back to the club.” Spider’s impassive face watches me, and I follow him with my eyes as he leaves us.

  “Kat.” My eyes close because I can’t have another man like this, one that can destroy me with his promises. “Go get in the Suburban, we have men to watch over the kids until we figure out what’s going on tomorrow.”

  My body feels exhausted and the fight is gone for the day. I give in, and, without looking, I walk out to the car and get into the front passenger seat, resigned to my fate.

  I’m clearly on their radar, at least firmly on Spider’s, and he will dig until possibly exposing me without even realizing what he’d done.

  Signing my death warrant.

  Chapter 22

  Kat

  It doesn’t surprise me when we pull into the clubhouse parking lot, so I don’t argue and follow Tank inside.

  “Kat, have a seat at the bar, we have church or a—”

  I wave him off, “Club meeting, go. I know what you’re saying.”

  His eyes scrunch together, and I want to laugh. He’ll put it all together soon enough. I find the bar area by myself, even though I can feel his eyes piercing my back. “We will talk soon enough, I’ll be here,” I point to a chair and sit my ass in it.

  When I look back up, he has a handsome smile on his face that shatters my heart because I can very well shatter his in moments, and I’m only here because it’s the best move for me right now. I would leave him at a drop of a hat to save myself, to do what I have to. This is killing me because I know that he would be worth the pain to try if I could.

  While I nurse a beer as I’m waiting for him to come out, I watch the people milling around the club and get a feel of the environment. The prospect behind the bar, or anyone else that comes by, doesn’t say a word, and I’m fine with that.

  Until a woman’s voice catches my attention. “Yo, Pawn, make me a vodka tonic?”

  The brunette hands him her purse and sits down a stool away from me along with a blonde woman. Not hang arounds. Possible Ol’ Ladies? The brunette instantly looks at me with interest and I’m questioning how this will go down.

  She gives me a chin lift and points to herself then the blonde, “Vegas. This is Dana. You?”

  “Kat,” I answer quickly, not wanting to give too much away.

  Pawn, the prospect, interjects the introductions, “Vegas is Blade’s Ol’ Lady, and Dana belongs to Axl.”

  “I don’t belong to Axl.” Dana’s eyes are scrunched together, annoyed he claimed her to him.

  Before I can stop myself, I ask, “Sure you want to say that out loud where these club whores and their crew can hear you?” I wait a moment to see if it pisses her off that I said anything, but it doesn’t seem to, so I continue. “Way I see it, if you’re not claimed, good for you, but you also invite those whores to make passes at Axl, or his brothers to do the same to you. Just saying, either way, be sure.” I take a long pull from my beer and wait.

  Vegas smiles, “Who’s got a claim on you?”

  Enjoying a normal, more genuine conversation, I keep talking, “Ah, wouldn’t you like to know?” I tease.

  Vegas puts her glass back onto the bar top, assessing me, coming up with, I’m sure, a few ideas of who I belong to.

  Pawn jumps in and puts us out of our misery again. “Tank’s lady.” I glare daggers at the little shit for ruining my game. Who says I belong to Tank?

  Dana laughs, “That big pain in the ass is after you, huh? No wonder you could read my face. Misery loves company. Move over here, we need to join forces against those two.”

  Dana seems to be more reserved so when she says, “A pitcher of lemon drop shots. Please,” it’s confirmed. Misery does love company.

  “Shit-faced for three coming up!” Pawn says, not as excited about this as we are. He makes a pitcher of them, sliding three shot glasses our way, along with it.

  Dana holds her glass up to us, “Here’s to the love we thought we had, to the love we want, and to the booze to drown out the empty space in between.” The three of us clink glasses and down the shots.

  Dana’s toast almost breaks me, and my skin begins to crawl with the pain of the past. She has no idea what she said and how much it hurts.

  The love we thought we had, to the love we want.

  I drown my feelings in booze until it doesn’t hurt quite so much. Pawn holds out a joint for us and announces, “Straight cut, primo green, not laced, you ladies enjoy.” He smiles like a proud poppa.

  Taking the joint from his hand, I place it in between my lips, then lean across the bar to Pawn. He lights it and winks at me while I take a deep pull in before passing it over to Vegas.

  A tiny chuckle escapes me when Dana takes the smallest, cutest drag
from the joint, and Vegas smiles with pride. Aw, must be her first time. She passes it to Pawn, who drags, passes and blows.

  The brothers start entering the room, and I wait in anticipation of one face, Tank’s. He walks in and stops right behind Vegas and Dana. He doesn’t look too pleased that I’m sitting with them. I’m too buzzed to care though.

  Blade lights a fresh joint and drags from it, then hands it to Tank. Blade starts to shotgun with Vegas, at least from what I can see out of the corner of my eyes. My main focus, if you can call it that, is Tank.

  I can’t hear much over their lovey dovey words as I try to keep my blood at a normal rate. It’s hard to do when Tank’s hand sneaks under my shirt and starts tracing my skin with a finger.

  Dana and Axl flirt with each other and pass along sweet words of love to the other that I try my best to tune out and ignore. Vegas, though, high as a kite, enjoys the show of affection.

  “Fuck, Blade, he just killed it with that one, that even made me feel a little shaken up,” she awes over her friend.

  “You dickheads are really putting me in a tight spot here.” Tank looks a little lost for once.

  “Easy, lady killer, you don’t have to confess your undying love for me. Keep it casual, big guy.” Patting his chest, I try not to choke on the rush of emotion, of love, that’s suddenly running through me.

  That fucking shit will kill from the inside out, leaving you alone and empty.

  Chapter 23

  Tank

  The pain that flashes across Kat’s eyes stings in a way that I wasn’t expecting. My hand wraps around hers, and, for the first time in my life, I want to protect someone other than my brothers.

  Tugging her off the stool, I lead us down to my room. I shut the door behind us, then gently take her beautiful face in my hands, looking at the woman I dreamed about for so long. It hardly seems to be real, high or not. How is this possible?