by Elle Rease
She went out the back. There was a lot of activity the closer she got to the warehouse. She saw a few women carting boxes around and took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. She felt so foolish for running away: she could’ve prevented all of this mistrust and hatred, if she’d only stayed, like Mysie had suggested.
Unfortunately, retrospect tended to point out things she could’ve done differently, without changing the situation she found herself in right now.
She recognized a few faces, though most of them were new. This was a good thing: it meant that the men had gone looking for love elsewhere. The Raptors had many members, and there were only so many people in town who approved of the lifestyle, enough to join them. And, after a while, the line between straight-lacing and interbreeding became a tad blurred.
Her heels clicked as she entered the warehouse and, even though every other woman here was wearing a similar get-up to her own, they all stopped what they were doing, as if her footsteps were foreign to them.
She spoke into the silence, not willing to stand there while they glared. “Hi, I’m here to help out.”
“Cinnia Sloane.”
Her gaze shifted to the one who’d addressed her and her mouth went dry. “Dawn,” she said levelly.
Dawn giggled and lurched forward, seemingly unperturbed by her pregnant belly. She pulled Cinnia into a stifling embrace. “God, girl, it’s been way too fucking long!” she exclaimed. “Welcome back!”
“Thanks,” Cinnia muttered. She gently extracted herself from Dawn’s grasp. “You look good. Brennan told me about you and Haye.”
Dawn swooned, literally. “That man is something else,” she confided, linking her arm with Cinnia’s and pulling her further into the ring of hostile stares. “I never thought I’d be so happy, you know? I’m sad you missed the wedding.”
Cinnia was finding it hard to hold onto her petty grudge. It was virtually impossible to hate Dawn for more than a few seconds. “Me too,” she said. “Did you take a lot of photos?”
“Yup,” Dawn answered proudly. “You should come over for dinner and I’ll show you everything!”
“When are you due?”
“In three months,” Dawn gushed. “Now that you’re back, we can finally settle the godparents thing.”
“Dawn, I’m sure—”
“No arguments.” Dawn narrowed her eyes at the women around them. “Wow, are you really going to pull this bitchy shit right now? Really? Get back to work. We’ve got an extra pair of hands.”
Cinnia saw the group of older old ladies and coughed. “Uh, Dawn, I don’t think—”
Dawn sighed heavily. “You’re right, that’s not the way to settle it.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ll give all of you five minutes to get whatever it is you need to say off your chest, and then we move on. Deal?”
Some of the women nodded, though most of them just tried to kill Cinnia with their eyes. She had no idea what to expect or why everyone was listening to Dawn, of all people.
“Good. Go.”
“You’re a spoilt little princess and—–”
“—think just because you’re beautiful you can—”
“Brennan deserves so much more than you—”
“—don’t care that the VP loves you, you betrayed family!”
“—marching in here like you own the damn place! Who the hell do you—”
“—can’t believe we’ll have to bow down to you one day, like you’re some kind of—”
“If you were my daughter, I never would’ve welcomed you back after you just left and never spoke to me again!”
“—after everything this club’s done for you!”
“—what Brennan’s done for ya, you ungrateful little—”
“—wearing that leather skirt like you’re supposed to work a pole! If sex is why he chose you, he doesn’t know what he’s missing out on!”
“—should’ve kicked your ass to the curb years ago!”
“You’re such a coward for leaving because of Dawn! You claim what’s yours: you don’t bitch and moan when things don’t go your way!”
It carried on along the same vein for a very, very long time. Cinnia couldn’t believe that these women had so much to say, or that they were purely reacting on their boyfriends and husbands’ opinions. She admired their loyalty but, at the same time, she knew for a fact that most of them would’ve reacted the same way she had.
“And time!” Dawn hollered, holding her hands up. She smiled once everyone had quieted down. “There, don’t we all feel better now?”
Those were the longest five minutes of Cinnia’s life, essentially. She was happy that she kept her expression deadpan. She didn’t want to give these ladies the satisfaction of knowing that they’d rattled her.
“It’s amazing what you can get away with when you’re pregnant,” Dawn giggled, patting her stomach.
“I was wondering who made you God,” Cinnia said dryly. She turned to the group of sixty-odd women and took a deep breath. “I’d like to say something, if I may.”
“Go right ahead.”
Cinnia glanced at Mysie, unaware that she’d joined the group until now. Cinnia hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I respect every single one of you for saying what you did. I know that I’ve made mistakes that have hurt this club and, for that, I apologize. Yes, I could’ve handled it differently and no, I have no idea what Brennan sees in me, either.” Her temper flared, strengthening her resolve. “But he is mine, do you understand me? He always was and he always fucking will be. I don’t give a shit what you think of me, but you will show him respect, because he’s the VP and the future of this club. By extension, that means you’ll respect what’s his.” She let that sink in. “Yes, that means me.”
Silently, the woman accepted that. Cinnia felt relieved and exhausted, but didn’t let it show.
Mysie walked over, the ghost of a smile on her face and Cinnia’s cut dangling from her hand. She draped it over Cinnia’s shoulders and patted the newly-added patch on her left breast. “You heard Brennan’s old lady,” she announced loudly. “Bury the hatchet and get back to work.”
They did as they were told.
“Oh, and another thing.” Mysie waited for them all to look at her, letting the smile win. “Do what you can to change your significant others’ mind about Cinnia being here. We all know a divided club is a weak club, and the Raptors aren’t weak. The men might be the ones who make all the important decisions around here, but we all know the women dictate what those decisions are in the first place. Use your womanly powers of persuasion, ladies.”
Some laughed, some giggled, and some grinned. Yet, clearly, they all agreed.
“Wow, did you just come up for me?” Cinnia whispered, stunned.
Mysie turned to Cinnia. “This doesn’t mean I trust you.”
But Cinnia saw the truth in Brennan’s mother’s eyes, even as she spewed that monumental lie. Prompted by gratitude, Cinnia hugged Mysie.
“Keep that famous temper of yours the way it is, and you’ll go far, kid,” Mysie murmured softly, giving Cinnia a peck on the cheek. “Now, those buns aren’t going to butter themselves. Off you go.”
Cinnia wrapped an arm around Dawn’s waist and went over to one of the food tables. “Thanks.”
“I need to say something.” Dawn wrung her hands together. “I’m really sorry for rubbing it in your face. You know, what happened between me and Brennan. It was stupid. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Why did you?”
“Because I saw the way he always looked at you and I was jealous that he had so much respect for you, but not for me. He wanted to keep you pure, but I was collateral damage, just another notch in his bedpost. I wanted to hurt him.” Dawn laughed tearfully, though there was no humor in her eyes. She was sincerely apologizing. “Then, when I got what I wanted, I regretted it instantly. You were my best friend and didn’t deserve such betrayal.”
Counting backwards from five, Cinnia closed he
r eyes and breathed deeply. “I’ll learn to forgive you for that, Dawn. I don’t know when, but it will happen.”
“Okay.”
She picked up a butter knife and began the duties Mysie had assigned her to. “So, how did you and Haye get together?”
And, as Dawn chattered happily, Cinnia knew that she would forgive her best friend eventually. Life was too short to keep grudges, like Brennan had said.
Chapter Seven
Cinnia was a bit tipsy, but that’s not why she was becoming so sentimental.
When she’d been in the city, she had quickly learned that it was a dog-eat-dog world and that only the fittest survived. She had gone out with her friends and had a good time, but she had never felt safe, or like they had her back.
The Raptors were currently showing her everything she’d secretly longed for while away. There was such love and respect here—even if not all of it was directed at her—that Cinnia couldn’t help but smile. The women had opened their arms to her after Mysie’s speech, gossiping about their lovers and comparing notes. And, also, penis sizes.
Cinnia lost track of her alcohol intake. She felt safe with her family and knew that nothing would happen to her while she was in this state. She flitted from one group to the other, cracking jokes and exchanging childhood memories.
She managed to avoid the men who were still on the fence about her return. She trusted that all will work out in the end and was willing to wait until then. She didn’t want to force anyone’s hand. Besides, the Raptors women were on her team, and that made all the difference in the world.
Jemma found her at some point and dragged her to the dance floor. Half of the women had taken residence on it, grinding sexily for their men. The playlist consisted mainly of blues and hard rock, Cinnia’s favorite kind of music.
“See? I told you you’ll provide a lot of entertainment!” Jemma yelled over the noise, grinning.
“I’m glad I could give you the dose you needed!” Cinnia shouted back with a laugh. She swayed her hips from side to side. “You look good for a mom, by the way!”
“That’s ‘cause I had my tits done!” Jemma drunkenly clutched said breasts, giggling. “The rest is just diet and hectic exercise!”
“I think I should join you! I went to a bunch of dance and self-defense lessons back in the city!”
Jemma threw her hands in the air and whooped. “Then you’ll love my workout! I’ve got off tomorrow, so I can show you around! The town’s expanded quite a bit!”
“Deal!” Cinnia cried out, hugging Jemma. “Where’s the kids’ dad?”
Jemma rolled her eyes and shimmied her shoulders to the drum beat blaring out of the speakers. “Jail!”
“Jem, I’m so sorry!”
Shrugging, Jemma carried on dancing. “He’ll be out in a few months, so it’s okay!”
Cinnia was running out of breath, so she decided to stop the conversation there. Her cheeks were warm as she moved her body, sweat coating her skin. She was dancing off most of the alcohol and loving every second of it.
When she felt someone’s arms circling her waist, she didn’t tense up. She knew that no one would dare touch her: not with the patch she was proudly displaying. She recognized the tattoos littering his skin and didn’t mind that he pulled her flush against his front.
She adjusted the roll of her hips. With her high-heeled boots, her ass was in line with his crotch, so she felt the bulge in his leather pants. She teased it, happy that he reacted so fast. He was good for her ego.
He pushed her hair over one shoulder, exposing the one with his bruises. He trailed soft kisses along her abused skin. “You look fucking hot, Cin.”
Twirling around, she grabbed the back of his head and shoved their mouths together. She sucked on his tongue, adoring the way his piercing scraped her flesh. She squashed her chest to his, wishing they were alone so she could ravish him.
Although, because of the way he was kissing her, she forgot all about their audience, anyway.
Brennan broke the kiss and threw her over his shoulder, giving her a hard spank on her butt. She began massaging his gorgeous ass in retaliation. His muscles flexed as he walked—where to, she had no clue—and she pushed a finger under the band of his pants, sliding it halfway down his crack.
“Woman,” he growled, kicking a door shut and letting her down. He flicked a light on and turned the key, locking them inside.
She blinked. They were in a storeroom and she could only hear the bass frequencies from the music outside, so they must be far away from the main area. “Why’d you bring me here?”
He found a wooden barstool and sat down, eyeing her with a grin. “Dance for me.”
If she blushed, she had no idea of knowing, since she was burning up. She raised an eyebrow, allowing the alcohol to give her courage. “Any dance I want?” she purred.
“Especially the one you’re thinking of right now,” he nodded.
She stepped back until she felt the iron racks of supplies behind her. It gave her something to hold on to. Slowly, she moved her hips to the beat, closing her eyes to get back into the way she’d danced outside. In a matter of seconds, though, the teasing Cinnia, the one who loved the effect she had on Brennan, took over.
She arched her back and glided down to the floor, undulating her hips along the way. She shifted onto her knees, locking eyes with him as she peeled her cut off. She ran her hands from her hips, up to her breasts, and further to rake her fingers through her hair. Her nipples hardened and she hissed, craving that contact again.
Cinnia skirted past her breasts as she took her hands down to the edge of her shirt, tugging it over her head. Then, already aching between her legs, she cupped her boobs and pinched those greedy nipples through the thin material of her bra.
“Yes,” Brennan wheezed. “Take it off, lass.”
She reached behind to unclasp her bra, eager to get naked. She let it drop to the floor while keeping eye-contact and then, an idea taking shape in her mind, she put her leather cut on again. She couldn’t ignore the way his gaze darkened, loving everything she was doing.
Lazily, she went on all fours and crawled over to him, making each stride as sexy as she could manage. She knew, from the look on his face, that her cut was exposing just enough of her breasts to drive him wild. Once she got to his feet, she turned around and gazed at him over her marked shoulder.
He was hooked, his hands gripping his thighs as if he had to restrain himself from getting impatient. He wanted to enjoy the show.
Smirking, she pushed her ass into the air and got up, careful not to fall over and ruin the entire effect. She undid the zip at the back of her skirt and let gravity take it down to her feet, kicking it aside. She backed into his lap, caressing the erection in his pants with her lace-covered behind. She reached up to lock her hands in his hair, successfully pulling his face to her neck.
“Touch me,” she whispered.
His hands parted her cut and pushed her breasts up. “Fuck, that’s hot,” he murmured hoarsely, toying with her nipples. He groaned when she applied more pressure to his crotch with her ass. “Lass, I’m very sensitive at the moment. Be careful.”
“I’ll take good care of you, Bren,” she soothed.
“Oh, I know, lass.” He massaged the underside of her breasts before tweaking her nipples between two fingers. Then he crushed them together, only to let them go. He repeated this a few times, entranced. “I love how red your skin gets.”
The evidence of her arousal couldn’t be contained by her flimsy underwear: she felt her juices coating his leather. Her fragrance, mixed with his and her sweat, filled the air, putting her on a high.
She let go of him and stood up, hooking her thumbs under the band of her panties. She bent at the waist and pulled them off to her ankles. She felt like a femme fatale with nothing but her boots and cut on. Dangerous. Sexy.
Brennan slapped her ass and massaged her flesh, chuckling when she moaned. “Do you like that, lass?”
“Fuck, yes,” she answered. “Go harder.”
“Come here.” He took hold of her hand and tugged her to him. He pressed her down over his knees, ass facing the ceiling. “That okay?”
She stared at the floor, anticipation sizzling through her veins. “Yes,” she breathed. “Can I play with my boobs?”
“Go right ahead, lass.”
She scooped her breasts into her hands just as his hand connected with her ass. “Yes!” she exclaimed once he eased the shock with a few soft strokes over her burning skin. She rolled her nipples between her thumbs and forefingers, her eyelids fluttering shut. “Brennan, harder!”
“Are you going to get off from this?” he wondered aloud. He spanked her with more force, three times in total, his hand moving closer to her core. His fingers rubbed her deliciously a moment after.
“I think so,” she murmured. Her core was pulsing with need. “I’m so wet for you, Bren.”
“Oh, I see that, lass,” he assured her. His next whacks were exactly how she wanted them, the last one ending right on her nether lips. He held her still when she squealed in delight and briefly dipped two of his fingers into her. “I can’t wait to fuck you.”
Please do it now, I need you inside me, was what she wanted to say. That’s not what she managed to verbalize. “Hit me right on the pussy!”
He inhaled sharply, unused to her talking so dirty, but complied. He swatted her in quick succession, not giving her time to adjust before the next blow rained down on her. His other arm prevented her from rearing up. The sensation was all-consuming and, since this was the first time she’s dabbled in sadomasochism, she had no idea where it was taking her. Her body wanted to protect her, even as it begged for more.
Brennan wouldn’t let the former happen. He kept going, alternating between flicking her clit, slipping his fingers into her and whacking her so hard she saw stars. Her grip on her breasts became crushing and she tensed for a split-second.