by Bella Jewel
“I can’t explain it right now, I have to go. I’ll figure out a way to end this, but I can’t do it here with that biker breathing down my neck.”
“Why did he sleep with you?” I ask.
“He didn’t know who I was at the time.” She laughs bitterly.
“I don’t want you to go,” I say, putting my hand on her shoulder.
She shakes her head, swiping her tears. “I’ll finish this, I will. I have people that can help me gather what I need to bring this guy down, but I can’t do it here.”
I take her hand, gently running my thumb over it. “I can’t stop you, A, but I need to know you’re okay. That you’re not going to get hurt.”
She smiles, but it’s wobbly and terrified. “I have someone who can help me. I’m going to him. He’ll sort this out for me.”
“And if that biker gets hold of you first?”
“He won’t.”
“How are you getting to this person who can help you?”
She walks over to the couch, zipping up her suitcase. “He’s organized a car for me. I just have to get to it.”
“Open your garage. I’ll put my car in and take you in that. I’ll make sure no one follows us.”
She nods. “Thank you.”
I walk over, pulling her into my arms and hugging her close. “You need to ring me often, Autumn. I need to know you’re okay.”
She nods, holding me tight. “I swear.”
I don’t feel good about this. Not at all.
~*~*~*~
It takes me three hours to get Autumn to the car waiting for her. I see a bike following me, so I have to stop off casually at the gas station, making out like Autumn isn’t hiding in my back seat. I even stop at a local milkshake bar, getting a shake and parking at the beach. Eventually, the bike speeds off. I put my foot on it then, hurrying Autumn to the car. When we get there, I barely get a minute to say goodbye before she’s speeding off with a stranger. Well, a stranger to me anyway.
Tears tumble down my cheeks as I watch her go.
I don’t like any of this, not for a damned second.
I hope my friend is okay.
~*~*~*~
My phone rings and I force myself off the couch to reach out for it, hoping it’s Autumn. I’m worried for her; terrified something bad will happen. I see Reign’s number on the screen, so I answer it with a croaky, “Hello?”
“Tia?”
“It’s me.”
“Shit, babe, you cryin’?”
At his words, my lip trembles. “Ah, no.”
“You’re cryin’. What the fuck happened?”
“It’s,” I swallow, calming myself, “Autumn.”
“She okay?”
“I can’t say on the phone. It’s okay, I’m just being a whiny brat.”
“I’ll be there in twenty.”
“No,” I say quickly. “It’s okay. I’m just going to get some work done.”
“I’ll be there,” he says, hanging up.
Okay then.
I lift myself off the couch and plod into the kitchen. I pull out a carton of orange juice and pour myself a glass, and then I sit up on the countertop and think.
I’m so worried about Autumn. I honestly don’t like that she’s off, alone, scared and in trouble. There must be something I can do to help. Maybe Spike, or Cade, or Jackson can help. They might know the man I saw. Perhaps they can tell me how to get her out of this mess.
She’s the only family I have, aside from my parents. If I lost her . . .
I’m jerked out of my thoughts when my front door opens and Reign steps in. He’s still in a suit, but the first two buttons of his shirt have popped open. He’s not wearing the jacket and his sleeves are rolled up, showing me the mass of muscles cording up his forearms. He lets his eyes scan over me and then he walks forward.
“Hey,” he says, stopping in front of me, placing his big palms on my legs.
I smile. “Hey, yourself.”
“What’s goin’ on?” His eyes are intense, watching my every movement.
“Something is up with Autumn; I just don’t know what. When I showed up at her house today, there was a strange biker outside. He left without a word, but when I got inside she was beside herself, packing her bags and running. She told me she got herself into some trouble a few years back and put a man in jail. Now that man wants to make her pay and has hired this biker to bring her in.”
Reign’s eyes narrow. “Was the biker part of my security team’s club?”
I shake my head. “No, at least, I don’t think he was. He had Wings MC on the back of his jacket.”
He runs his hand over his jaw, and then pulls out his phone.
“Wait, what are you doing?”
He gives me a onceover before muttering, “Callin’ Jackson.”
“No, you can’t do that. Not until I know that she’s not going to get hurt.”
He leans in close. “She’s run off. There isn’t time to fuck around on this, Tia.”
I bite my lip as he presses the phone to his ear.
“Yeah, Jackson, it’s Reign.”
Silence.
“Got a bit of a situation, would you mind heading over?”
More Silence.
“I’m at Tia’s house.”
He prattles off my address, and then hangs up the phone. I put my head in my hands, groaning. “This can’t be good.”
“If anyone is going to know who that biker is, it’ll be Jackson and the boys.”
What if this is a mistake? What if they’re somehow involved? What if I end up getting Autumn hurt, or worse, killed?
“Hey,” Reign says softly, taking my chin in his hand and tilting my face up. “We’ll find her.”
“She’s in danger, Reign. I don’t like not knowing.”
“We’ll work it out.”
I hope he’s right.
~*~*~*~
I stare at the group of bikers standing in my living room. Reign said one, not four. I blink a few times, recognizing only Cade, Spike and Jackson. The other man has dark, red hair and, surprisingly, is extremely attractive, like the rest of them.
“Tell us what you saw,” Cade says, dropping himself down onto my couch.
I fumble my fingers together, but Reign reaches over and takes my hand.
“There was a biker dude standing out the front of her house this afternoon. When I spoke to him, he refused to answer me. He just walked off,” I mutter. “After he flipped me the bird. Jackass.”
Spike snorts and I lift my head, realizing I said that out loud.
“Anyway,” I say, flushing. “I saw on the back of his jacket, he had a patch that said Wings MC.”
Jackson’s eyes narrow and he turns to Cade. “You heard of them?”
“Nah, new to me.”
“I have,” the red-haired man says. “They’re a smaller chapter south of here. I forget which town they claimed.”
Cade nods. “Obviously he’s been hired by someone to take out your friend; the problem is finding out who.”
“She said it was a man she put in jail years ago, because she told on him for something. She was sketchy on the details.”
Jackson turns to the guys. “Muff,” he says to the red-haired man, but he can’t get anymore before I snort loudly.
They all turn to me. “I’m so sorry,” I say, fighting back a giggle. “Did he just call you Muff?”
Muff grins. “He most certainly did.”
I release my giggle and press a hand to my mouth. “Oh God, that’s fucking hilarious. You’re named after a vagina.”
Muff snorts, Spike roars with laughter and I even see Reign crack a smile.
“Why don’t you ask him how he got that name sometime, love?” Jackson says, winking at me.
“I don’t even want to know.”
Cade claps his hands. “Back to it.”
“Right,” Jackson continues. “Muff, you find out about this MC club, see if you can get any information. Spike, you and C
ade see if you can find out anything on her friend.”
“What’s her full name?” Spike asks.
“Autumn Leigh,” I say. “I have her keys. Maybe you can find something in her house.”
Spike nods, exposing his palm. I rush into the kitchen to get Autumn’s spare key. I hand it to him and he tucks it into his pocket.
“Right,” Jackson says. “We’ll see what we can find out.”
“I appreciate it,” I whisper, giving him a weak smile.
He gives me one back, only his is broad and stunning.
“Later.”
All of them nod at me and disappear out the door. A moment later I hear the loud rumbling of Harley pipes as they speed off down the road. Before I can turn, Reign is behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing his lips to my ear. “She’s going to be okay. We’ll do anything we can to make sure of it.”
I nod, leaning back into him. “Thank you for calling them.”
He presses a kiss to my neck and I close my eyes, shivering with delight.
“All I’ve been able to think about today is your sweet cunt, and how good it tasted.”
I bite my lip as his hands slide under my shirt and over my breasts.
Then, as if my day couldn’t get any worse, his phone rings, loud and annoying, cutting my sex drive in half. He makes a grunting sound and pulls back. I turn just in time to see Slutena’s name flashing on the screen. Great. He gives me a look, before lifting it and pressing it to his ear.
“Selena.”
He’s silent a moment, his face falling.
“I’ll be right there.”
He ends the call and turns to me. “I gotta go.”
My heart sinks. It falls to the floor and shatters into a million pieces.
“Oh, okay,” I manage.
Reign cups my cheek, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I’m sorry, I’ll call you later.”
He lets go of me and walks towards the door. I don’t move, I just watch him leave with a sad expression on my face. He turns to look back at me before stepping out, and his jaw grows tight.
“Don’t look at me like that, Tia.”
I turn away and disappear down the hall.
It’s in that exact moment that I realize I’ve fallen in love with Reign Braxton.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
What can I say about my mom and dad. They’re crazy, loveable, and the reason I am the way I am. I love them to bits—but there are only so many hours I can spend with them before wanting to rip my own hair out. Today is one of those days. They’ve only been here four hours, and already my mother is starting with the lectures.
“Why aren’t you dating?”
“Why haven’t you got a decent job?”
“Why do you keep going for the wrong men?”
So I sit, legs crossed on my couch, pretending to be listening when really, I’m not. When she’s finished, I will smile and assure her I’m trying and then quickly change the subject. My dad is reading a newspaper at the table, rolling his eyes every so often at my mother’s whining. Go Dad.
“I think you should get a job at a real accounting firm,” she says.
I sigh loudly. “Mother, it is a real firm, I just do it from home.”
“How are you supposed to socialize when you’re not out in the public eye?”
I raise my brows at her. “It’s called clubs, bars and strip joints.”
My father chuckles.
“It’s not funny,” Mom snaps, pursing her round lips.
My mother looks a whole lot like me. Tall, long blond hair, pretty eyes . . . You wouldn’t be able guess my mom’s age, not with the amount of make-up she wears, or the designer brands of shoes and clothes. The only thing I seemed to get from my father was my olive skin-tone.
“Come on, Mom,” I groan. “I’m happy, can’t you just be happy for me?”
She crosses her arms and I catch sight of her gorgeous, red nails. “Fine, but you know I worry about you, Tia. You’re not getting any younger.”
“Gee, thanks, Mom. Next you’ll be asking how many of my pubic hairs are turning grey.”
She gasps. “Tia, watch your mouth.”
My father bursts out laughing, leaning back and wrapping a hand around his stomach. His blue eyes sparkle when he looks over to me. He loves how I wind Mom up. Shaking his head and trying to contain his laughing after Mom gives him the stink-eye, he runs his hands through his salt-and-pepper hair and gets back to his newspaper.
“How are things back home?” I ask her, trying to change the subject.
“Same as always. Betty next door is still trying to get her claws into your father.”
Here we go.
Betty, our life long next-door neighbor, has always had a thing for my dad. What can I say? The man is handsome. This has always riled my mother up, and every time I see her, she has another story about what Betty has done to try and ‘steal’ dad off her.
“That whore.” I gasp, smothering a laugh. “You should go and show her who’s boss, Mom.”
My mother straightens. “Oh, I did. She baked some cupcakes and brought them over. She knows your father loves cupcakes.” Her eyes flash. “I told her right where to put those cakes.”
I laugh softly. “Right up her bum hole, no doubt.”
“Tia!” she chastises again. “Your mouth has run away with you.”
“Actually, it ran away with Betty. The two of them are close friends.”
My father barks a laugh again, and my mother puts her nose up in disgust. I stand, walking over and wrapping my arms around her shoulders. “Calm your farm, Momma. I’m only joking.”
“I should think so.”
We spend the rest of the day just lazing about before going out to dinner that night. I haven’t heard from Reign all day, but maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t know how I feel about this situation, and I certainly don’t like how it’s probably going to end for me. Which is badly, by the way.
We arrive home just after eight p.m., full and content. We’re all laughing as we get out of the car, still teasing Mom about Betty. I hear someone clear his or her throat, and I spin around to see Reign standing at my front door. What. The. Fuck? I told him he couldn’t come over; I made it clear.
“Hey,” he says, then moves his gaze to my parents.
“Ah, Reign,” I mutter, walking over to him and leaning in close. “What the hell are you doing?”
“We have to talk,” he murmurs and then lifts his head and stares at my gaping mother.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt your time with Tia. I just need a quick word with her.”
“And who is this fine young gentleman?” my mother says, pulling herself together and sweeping past me to stretch out her perfect hand to Reign.
God, help me.
“Reign Braxton, Ma’am. You must be Tia’s mom.”
He kisses her hand and I can practically hear her swoon. Shame on you, mother.
“And you know our Tia . . . how?” my mother prods, smiling up at him.
“She works for me.”
“Isn’t that lovely?”
My father walks up, extending his hand. “Nice to meet you, son.”
Reign shakes it and nods. “You too. I won’t be a minute with her.”
“Don’t be silly, come in and let me make you a cup of tea.”
Oh, God. A cup of tea. I want to groan.
Reign flashes me a cocky grin and turns to her. “I’d love to.”
Oh, no you don’t!
I reach out for him, but my mother has already dragged him in the front door. Letting out the groan, and figuring what the heck, I follow them inside. My mother is already chatting to Reign as if they’re best friends, having known each other for years and years. My dad squeezes my shoulder as he walks past me.
“She is your mother.”
I grunt. “You married her, you old fool.”
He laughs and kisses my head. “Best day of my damned life, too.”
I
smile. Regardless of Betty and her old, dirty flaps, my dad has never had eyes for anyone but my mom. It makes me sad. I want a man that looks at me that way, that will never let his eyes travel to another woman’s, never forget how much he loves me and why he chose me in the first place. So many relationships end on a cruel and bitter note. I wonder when and how they forgot what it was they once adored about the other person.
“Tia,” my mom says, snapping me from my thoughts. “Reign here tells me you’re doing wonderful things for his business.”
“He’d say anything I told him to. He loves me.” I grin and he smiles.
“She’s only in it for the pay.” He winks at my mom.
“That’s my Tia. She never holds back.”
I’m so glad she’s proud of me for being . . . money hungry?
Surprisingly, Reign gets along really well with my parents, I mean super-dooper well. They laugh and joke, talk about things like fishing and cooking, and by the time he stands to leave, they actually look like they’ll miss him.
“I’m afraid I have places to be. I promise to return Tia after I’ve spoken to her. It was lovely to meet you both.”
He kisses my mom’s cheek and shakes my dad’s hand again, before turning to me with a devilish grin. “Outside, Tia?”
I scoot out of my chair, flashing my parents a smile, before following him outside. He turns to me as soon as the front door is closed behind him. “I have information about Autumn.”
I lose my smile. “Tell me.”
“The man they think is after her goes by the name of Mario Supremo.”
“What is he, a fucking pizza? What a stupid name,” I grunt.
Reign laughs, putting his hands on my shoulder. “Calm down and let me finish. That’s not his real name, though we’re finding it hard to dig out his true identity. However we have managed to find where he used to work. Jackson is looking into it. In regards to the MC club that has been hired to track her down, there’s no way for Jackson to get involved in that without causing an all-out war between clubs. That’s their business; it isn’t his. He is trying to get someone following the biker that’s on her trail. He can offer her protection if he can track her down.”
I take all this in, slowly shaking my head.
“Is she in danger?”
“It seems Mario isn’t too happy, and we’re still tryin' to get to the bottom of why. Obviously Autumn did something that really pissed him off, not to mention it put him in jail. Men like that don’t put time and effort into just any girl for no good reason.”