She smiled back.
“I’ll send some brothers for you. Pack your shit up and be ready to leave.”
“What?” She frowned.
“You can’t stay here, it’s a fucking death trap. Besides, if you’re going to be my new mother-in-law I can’t have you living like this.” I let the door slam behind me as I pulled out my cell and called Crank. He picked up on the first ring. “Need your help with somethin’—you free?”
~ 18 ~
The deep-throated growl of my Harley echoed around me, my heart thundering in my ears. The bus Nancy had left on had just pulled out of the service station it had been stopped at, so I was only a couple minutes behind her.
I throttled the bike and sped up, leaning into the bend and finally passing the same service station the bus had just left. I glanced at it and then kept on going, and it took me a moment or two to realize that she was standing there, suitcase in hand, talking to someone at the side of the road.
I slowed my bike and spun it around, heading back the way I’d just come, relief flooding me when I saw her still standing there. I pulled the bike next to her and both she and the man she was talking to turned to look. It was her asshole friend—Tyler—and he didn’t look too pleased to see me. The feeling was mutual.
Nancy, on the other hand, couldn’t hide the hint of a smile that crept up her face. I turned off my engine and pulled off my helmet, giving her my best award-winning, Oscar-receiving, shit-eating grin.
“Hey, babe,” I rumbled out.
“Hey, babe?” Tyler scoffed. “Really? Is that it? After all the trouble you’ve caused her and all the pain, that’s all you’ve got to say? Hey, babe?” he scoffed and rolled his eyes.
He really was fucking delusional if he thought he could get away with talking to me like that, but I let him ramble on for a little longer while I eye-fucked my girl, because she looked fucking hot. Tight black shorts, knee-high boots, and little jacket over the top of…I reached out and moved the jacket to one side and nodded approvingly…over the top of a little white bandeau top. Her hair was piled on top of her head, a few stray blond curls hanging around her face and a red handkerchief tied around her head. I smiled approvingly and bit my lower lip as her skin pebbled under my touch and her eyes widened.
“Looking good, Nance,” I said, ignoring the little pissant next to me. “You goin’ somewhere, babe?” I nodded toward the suitcase.
“She’s leaving and heading back to the city, no thanks to you. Fucking bikers think you rule this town, well let me tell you—”
I sighed and held up a finger to him, cutting him off. Because I really needed him to shut the fuck up so I could talk to my woman, and if he didn’t shut up I was going to send him to ground, which probably wasn’t the best thing to do in broad daylight.
I stepped off my bike and took a step toward Nancy, reaching out and wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her body to mine. She reluctantly melted into my touch.
“Babe?”
“Yeah?” she replied.
“I told you I can’t let you go. So wherever you think you’re going, you’re not, you feel me?”
Her heart was beating fast, her chest rising and falling as she fought herself. She opened her mouth and took a breath and my cock hardened as I stared at her pouty lips. “I was just a bet to you, Sketch. You were going to share me! Let’s not pretend this was ever anything more than that.”
“I’m not pretendin’ shit, Nance.”
She scoffed and rolled her eyes, and I smiled despite the fact that she was pissing me off and I needed her to listen to me. Loved how defiant she was.
“Babe, I’m just an asshole who said the wrong fuckin’ thing to the wrong fuckin’ person, and I’m man enough to admit that I did that because I was fuckin’ jealous of that bitch Tammy. But I didn’t lie when I said you were the prize.” I looked her up and down, leaning into her neck and gently tracing from her throat to her ear with my nose, inhaling her and breathing her in. “That was true truth. You are a prize.”
She gave a half-assed attempt at pushing me off her, and I thanked her mom for at least making her doubt her decision of sending me away.
“You can’t just come here and letch all over her like some kind of animal, bro!” Tyler snapped, placing his hand on my arm to try to pull me off her.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening them and looking her in the eye. “One sec, babe. I gotta deal with this.”
“Sketch?” she said cautiously.
I grinned at her. “It’s okay, babe.”
“He’s my friend, Sketch, and I haven’t decided if you’re forgiven yet.”
“For real, it’s okay.” I smiled, “and you have. Let’s not pretend that you haven’t.” I turned away from her, startling Tyler enough to make him take a step back. “Firstly, I’m not your bro. Secondly, us bikers do run this fuckin’ town and you better believe that if you want to live in it. And thirdly—and this one is real fuckin’ important, so listen up,” I said, closing the short distance between us. “You need to stay away from my girl or you’re going to ground.”
Tyler snorted on a laugh that quickly died a death. “Are you serious?”
“Why don’t you try your luck and see how serious I am,” I snarled, and then I folded my muscled arms over my chest and glared down at him.
“We’ve been best friends since high school, asshole,” he yelled, sounding more like a spoiled kid than a man. “Nancy! Tell him that we’re best friends. I brought my truck all the way out here to come and get you.” He sounded desperate. Sad and desperate. And he must have realized he was really beginning to piss me off then, because he turned to her in one last desperate attempt. He reached out and grabbed her hands. “I love you, Nancy. I always have. I won’t let you leave again—not this time, and especially not with this trash. We have something, and I know you feel it too.” His words came out in a rush. One long stream of bullshit that I was going to ram back down his throat any second now.
It was kinda funny thought and I almost laughed. Because from everything I’d seen, he was the only one feeling anything. I thought I should probably put a bullet in his head and end his misery right then. It’d probably have been more humane.
Nancy blinked and pulled her hands free. “Tyler…” She hesitated, clearly not wanting to hurt his feelings. Seemed like that was all she ever tried to do. She was a good girl but she needed to move this shit along so we could go home and fuck.
“I know, I know,” he said. “I know you said you just wanted to be friends, but I can give you everything he can’t. Do you have any idea the sort of life you’ll have with him!”
Motherfucker was skating on real thin ice now.
“I can give you the security you crave, and I’ll never break your heart. You’ll have a home, money, my parents will come around to us. We can make a life here together in Miles City.” He pleaded with her, and I don’t think he even realized that he was pushing her further away with every word spoken. “With him, what do you have to look forward to? A shitty trailer like your mom has and a couple of angry Neanderthal babies?” he scoffed.
Nancy shook her head, her pity finally giving out to anger. “I’m sorry, Tyler,” she said, her face going hard. “I can’t help the way I feel.”
“Nancy, I’m warning you,” he snapped. “I won’t be waiting for you the next time you come running back here. I’ve been looking after you and your mom all these years, but I swear to God I’ll be done with the both of you if you don’t come with me now. So get in my fucking truck and stop being a stupid bitch.”
I barked out a laugh, startling both of them. I shook my head at him, and though he looked scared, his anger was clearly making him dumb—because instead of apologizing and backing the fuck away from my girl, he lifted his chin.
“What’s so funny, asshole?” he bit out, though despite the hardass attitude I could see the fear in his eyes. And rightfully so.
“Funny?” I asked wi
th a hard look. “Nothing’s fucking funny.”
“Then what are you laughing at?”
I smirked, a darkness washing over my features. “I always laugh before I kill someone.” I shrugged. “Lightens the mood and shit.”
Tyler paled, his eyes widening, but before I could pull out my gun and send him to ground, Nancy reared back and came forward with a punch that put the poor fucker on his back. She shook out her fist and glared down at him, and he howled in pain, clutching at his face.
“What the fuck? Are you crazy?” he yelled at her, and I snarled at him for yelling at her.
She stood over him, glaring down. “I’m not stupid, I’m not a bitch, and I don’t need you to look after me or my mom!” she yelled, and I smiled.
That was my motherfucking girl right there.
I reached for her but she pulled away, glaring at me with so much fire in her eyes that I worried she might start breathing it. Goddamn, she was hot right then.
“And you!” she continued, pointing a finger at me. “I’m not a prize, I’m not part of a competition, and if you break my heart I will cut off your cock and feed it to you. You got that?”
Triumph flared in my chest, despite the threat. Because there was no way I was ever letting her near my cock with a knife, but she didn’t need to know that. “Get over here, Nance,” I said, reaching for her. “Because yeah, I feel you, babe. Now let’s quit the bullshit and get to the good stuff.”
My arm went around her waist and I pulled her close, leaning down and pressing my mouth to hers. She kissed me back, her tongue sliding against mine as she curled her body closer to me.
Fuck. I would never get enough of her. Never.
I pulled out of the kiss and took her hand, leading her toward my bike. I climbed on and handed her my helmet. “Need to get you home, babe.”
She paused, her eyes looking sad.
“What is it?”
“I can’t, Sketch. I can’t go back there. It’s not my home anymore—hasn’t been for a real long time now.” She looked away from me and I reached out, pulling her face back to mine.
“So let me settle shit with the club and we’ll take off somewhere,” I said with a shrug. “Want you on my bike every day and in my bed every night.”
Crank and I were more than ready to get out of that town anyway. And since shit had been settled with ATF, there was no reason to stay once the dust had settled. Besides, soon enough I wanted to head to Georgia and see what was going down with Hardy. Something big was going down there and I wanted to know what.
“I can’t ask you to do that for me,” she said hesitantly.
“Babe, you’re not asking—I’m telling you. Besides, your mom would skin my ass if I let you stay in Miles City.” I grinned. Grinned even wider when she stared at me in shock. “She’s as tough as they come, just like you.”
“You’ve been to see my mom?”
“Fuck yeah, I did.”
She put a hand on her hip and looked away from me. “I need to think, Sketch,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’m not some little girl who needs protecting anymore. I can take care of myself.”
I reached for her again. “No, babe, you’re not a little girl and yeah, you’re a strong enough woman to take care of yourself, but sometimes you don’t need to. So right now you need to get on my bike, let me take you to my house, and we’ll spend the day in bed, fuckin’ out our terms and conditions. Everything will be the same tomorrow, but it’ll be different too. Just trust me and go with it.”
I knew how hard it would be for her to do that—to trust. Because trust didn’t come easy to her, and I sure as shit hadn’t don’t anything to earn it. Yet. But after a moment’s hesitation, she took the helmet from me and climbed on behind me.
“Nancy,” Tyler pleaded, finally getting up off the ground. His nose was bleeding, blood trailing from each nostril and down over his lips. “Don’t do this—not after everything we’ve been through.”
Tyler glared at me and I pulled out my gun, aiming it at his chest. He stumbled back a step, his hands rising to the air like it was a stick up or some shit.
“Sketch, don’t, please,” she pleaded with me. “I’m sorry, Tyler.” She wrapped her arms tighter around my waist. “I’m sorry, but I love him.”
My heart fucking soared at those words.
In all my life, in all my experiences, I ain’t never had anyone tell me they loved me. Yet there I was, with a fucking beautiful, feisty woman sitting on the back of my bike with her arms wrapped tightly around my waist, telling me she loved me.
“Let’s get out of here,” she said.
“Yeah, babe.” I smiled. “Yeah.”
~ 19 ~
Seven months later…
“You sure you’re ready?” I asked her.
Her tight dress clung to her body, every curve accentuated by the smooth black fabric. Her hair was tied back in a low ponytail, her makeup simple. She still looked beautiful, despite the somber occasion.
It had been seven months since she’d gotten on the back of my bike and we’d started our life together. It had been the best seven months of my life. Wouldn’t have changed a damned thing about any of it, barring today, of course. I hated seeing my woman in pain.
She placed her hand in mine and squeezed it gently. “Yeah, it’s time, Sketch. There’s nothing left for me here now—it’s all gone. Even the bad memories can’t hurt me anymore. There’s just nothing here, and I’m ready for something now. I’m ready for everything and more.”
She curled into my side and I held her close, wondering if she was going to cry. But she didn’t. Woman was strong, physically, mentally. Every inch of her built on strength and beauty.
“We’re heading to the clubhouse, Sketch,” Crank said from behind me, and I let go of Nancy and turned to him, shaking his hand. “You two good here? I can stay if you need me.”
I shook my head. “We’re good. We’ll be right behind you. Heading out tomorrow, though, if you still want to come with us.”
He nodded and smiled. “Still got room on my skin, don’t I, brother?”
I smiled back and he took off toward his bike.
The clouds were darkening above us and one of Miles City’s famous summer storms was brimming, waiting to drop a bucket of water on us. The air was still humid, still thick, despite the rain threatening to drop. But the air felt different. It was as if something had changed. In a way, I guess it had. Everything and nothing had changed.
I gave Nancy a couple of minutes in private to say her final goodbyes to her mom. I was going to miss her too, so I couldn’t even begin to imagine how Nancy was feeling about her loss. Even in her last days, she was giving me shit about cutting my hair, never gave a shit that I was a biker or didn’t have much to offer her only daughter but myself. Yeah, I was really going to miss her.
Nancy was kneeling at the graveside and she started to stand back up. I went to her, helping to keep her steady, and placed my hand on her stomach, the baby inside kicking me in response.
“I think he knows something’s wrong,” Nancy said sadly. “He’s been moving nonstop, like he’s waiting to hear her voice.”
I kissed the top of her head. “She’d be real proud of you, babe. And she’ll be real proud of our boy.”
“I know,” she sighed.
The first drops of rain started to land on us and I looked at Nancy, waiting for her to tell me she was ready to go. In a way I guess she never would be, because leaving Miles City would be leaving the first twenty-four years of her life behind and starting again. It was both good and bad.
After settling up our shit with the club, Crank and I had had to stay anyway. Goddamned ATF had been all over everyone’s asses over their missing men and taking off would have looked real bad. Besides, we’d been busy setting her mom up with a small apartment and getting her settled in. The past few years had been a pile of shit for her mom, but she’d ended her days a lot happier. She’d been excited about our boy being on
the way, but also sad knowing that she wouldn’t be around to see him grow up too.
“Okay,” Nance said, throwing a handful of dirt onto her mom’s grave. She looked up at me, giving me a sad smile. “I’m ready to go now, Sketch.”
We headed back to the clubhouse, and by the time we pulled up outside of it the rain was lashing down in sheets. We stared through the windshield for a few minutes, waiting for it to let up long enough to get inside the clubhouse without getting soaked, but it was relentless.
“We can stick around until after he’s born, if that’s what you’d prefer. There’s no rush, babe.” I turned to look at her, taking in every inch of her face. God, she was fucking beautiful. I’d never get enough of that woman, and every day we were together the feeling only grew stronger. Finding out she’d been carrying my son inside her had been scary for her. But not for me. For me it had been like all the pieces of my life had come together finally.
I’d never intended to fall in love. Not ever.
Honestly never thought I was a one-woman man.
But falling in love with Nancy had been like finding a part of myself I didn’t know existed.
I’d die for her. I’d kill for her. I’d fuckin’ live for her.
I’d thought I’d felt something like love before. But loving Nancy was like nothing I’d ever felt.
It was like taking a breath after being suffocated. It was like diving into a cool pool after standing at the precipice of a volcano. Loving Nancy was everything I never knew existed in the world, and more.
She sensed me staring and turned to look at me. “You okay, Sketch?”
“More than okay,” I replied. I reached behind my seat and pulled out the leather vest, and she watched me with curiosity.
“What is it?”
I handed her the pile of soft leather and she unfolded it, her fingers tracing the property patch on the back. When she looked up at me she was smiling.
“Sketch?”
I dragged a hand through my hair, more than ready to ask her. “Want you to be my old lady, Nance. Want you with me—always.” I reached over and put a hand on her stomach. “And now that you’re full of my kid, I think it’s time we made it official.”
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