Cherry

by Sapphire Knight

  “I’m always ready. Growing up around Viking and Jekyll, I had no other choice in life. Do you remember what he said the name was of that other club and what the dude’s road name is?”

  Torch sighs but gives me the information I want. “Pretty sure he called him Grizzly and the club was Menace Mayhem MC.”

  “That’s a mouthful,” I mutter and the brother chuckles. “I wonder if they go by MMM for short. With a name like that you gotta abbreviate.”

  Torch snorts then drains the rest of his beer. “I just about walked in on the discussion in the kitchen you were having the other morning. That was interesting. Were you planning to lay into Chaos?”

  Shit, I know exactly which convo he’s talking about. I was hoping no one else knew about that shit. I may have slightly overreacted. Exhaling, I peel the label from my beer. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe? That’s a big fucking deal, Odin.”

  My gaze flicks to his but I don’t respond. I know it’s a fucking big deal, damn it. I was there, I was the one who damn near pounded on his chest and roared mine! Jesus, maybe Viking isn’t the only one whose head is foggy right now.

  “You gonna claim Cherry?”

  With a chuckle, I shake my head. “She’s a club whore. You know the VP isn’t supposed to claim any of the free ass handed out around here.”

  His brows jump, rising as his lips flip up into a smirk. “Oh yeah? So, you wouldn’t give it a second thought if a brother locked her shit down then, huh? I’m sure they’d be interested in knowing that.”

  My shoulders stiffen, brows drawing in at the mention of another member laying claim on Cherry. “Never said I wouldn’t give a fuck...just that I can’t be the one to put my patch on her,” I admit, and he tilts his head, finally catching on to my meaning.

  “Then you better back off Chaos, brother. They’re close and she may actually have a chance to be claimed by a brother—one that actually respects her.”

  My chest rumbles with a fury filled growl. “No one’s fuckin’ claiming her anytime soon!” I declare, and Torch lets the subject drop. It’s smart on his part as it seems the more I tell myself that I can’t have Cherry for good, the more I find myself wanting to pee a fucking circle seven feet wide around her sexy ass and tell every male to fuck right off.

  I’m not the possessive type when it comes to females; hell, I used to enjoy passing pussy off to a brother just to dive into another. Not with this woman. Fuck if I don’t want to beat some ass just seeing another dude touching her. It’s always been there between us, but it was small, insignificant little digs of possession. Now, it’s getting worse with each day, to the point I want my name tattooed across the top of her pussy along with the words HANDS OFF.

  “Karma and Rage seem to be fitting in around here,” Torch comments after giving me a minute to breathe.

  “Yeah? What about Frost?”

  “Blaze hasn’t dented his nose yet, so there’s that.”

  A grin pulls at my lips. It’ll be entertaining when Blaze does lose his shit and ends up scrapping with the new guys. I keep the thought to myself. I know Torch is already thinking the same thing anyhow.

  “He reminds me of Bronx, it’s weird.”

  “I was thinking the same, brother.” I agree, scanning the room. My gaze lands on the few new club sluts rubbing up on Nightmare. Or I should say, trying to. He seems to be doing his fair share of growling at the fresh pieces of ass. If they don’t take his not-so-subtle hint soon, Bethany, his ol’ lady will be in here painting the floor with them and then scrapping another bike of his. She’s pretty cray herself and it’s hilarious watching her school the big dude.

  Viking scowls at the women and they finally skitter off, heading toward Torch and me. The pair of them are most likely not used to grouchy alphas everywhere I suspect. “Incoming,” I mumble, and Torch folds his arms over his chest, a glower in place due to us about to be interrupted. Someone needs to clue these chicks in on how shit works around here. I know they got the rundown on the rules, but otherwise they have no idea what the fuck to do and that shit’s annoying.

  Before they can slither to either of our sides, I glance at them. “Go to the kitchen. Clean whatever the fuck in there needs cleaned, and then make us some snacks for later. If you finish all that early, go clean the damn bathroom. If we want to fuck, we’ll let you know. Otherwise, leave us the fuck alone until seven p.m.”

  Their mouths drop, one of them smart enough to nod immediately and tug the other along after her. Thankfully, they do as their told and don’t try the whiny bullshit or anything that some have in the past. There’s nothing more unattractive than a whiny chick, well, besides one pretending to be pregnant with your child.

  “Do you remember any of their names?” Torch asks, and I shake my head.

  “No fucking idea.” I don’t give a shit either. If I have Cherry around, the two new chicks are not needed by my cock. Wait...when did I become a one-pussy-only man? “Fuck,” I breathe with an exhale. “I need to be put on a run or something to get me the hell out of this clubhouse for a while. Maybe I should go on the next ride to pick up merchandise.”

  “You all right?” His head tilts, his eyes far too intelligent as they busily pick me over.

  “Fine,” I grumble. “I’ve been pent up for a minute and that shit gets old.”

  “I have the thing to cure that feeling.” He grins and it’s a bit sinister.

  “Oh yeah?”

  Torch nods. “Let’s go check on Nancy. It’s been awhile, and we may get a chance to bust a few heads together if anyone shows their ass while we stop in to her bar.”

  Matching his grin, I get to my feet. “Nancy will be beyond pissed at us if we fuck her bar up. I still haven’t lived it down from years ago when we stormed her place. The old woman makes me carry her cases of beer and liquor from the storage building every damn time I’m there. She acts like I was the one who shot her ass for heaven’s sake.”

  He chuckles. “Then let’s go move some shit for her. Afterward we can fuck some asshole up. It’ll be fun,” the Death Dealer shrugs. “Plus, Viking wants us checking on Scot’s ol’ lady regularly.”

  I give in, easily agreeing. I need something to get my head off Cherry’s sweet pussy.

  “Odin!” Viking calls across the bar. I shoot Torch a look.

  “I’ve been right here, brother. Fuck if I know what he’s yelling at you for.”

  “I know,” I grumble. “Still doesn’t mean that you don’t already know what he’s going to say. I swear you’re usually a mind reader or some shit.”

  He shakes his head, standing as well. “Don’t turn into a pussy now. Want me to hold your goddamn hand to go talk to him?”

  “Nah, unlike you, I get my cock sucked regularly, so I know I still have one. Yours has probably shriveled up by now.”

  “Fuck you,” he mutters following me over to my brother and Night as they sit sprawled out on the black leather coaches in the middle of the bar.

  “Viking,” I acknowledge, answering his call and Torch follows up with a ‘Prez.’

  “Nightmare was just filling me in on random shit I’ve missed. You have an update on that principal who was giving the club’s kids issues? Do you know if Blaze got anywhere with her?”

  Shaking my head, I take a seat on the couch next to him. “No, he hasn’t said shit about it.”

  Torch cuts in. “I know he hasn’t touched the club sluts though—not even the two new chicks, and normally he’d be all over that shit.”

  “True.” Vike smirks. “Maybe he’s secured him a side piece that he’s not willing to share just yet. Whatever he’s up to, I don’t want this coming back on Maverick at school. And, we need to be in on his plans.”

  Nightmare nods and I agree. “If I see him, I’ll be sure to bring it up.”

  “Good.” He drinks from his bottled water. Ever since he’s returned, he hasn’t touched a drop of beer or liquor. I don’t know if he’s doing it because of Princess or if he drank to
o much during his fuck up and he’s still recouping.

  “Since there’s no one around…” Each of us glances about the empty room at my words. “I wanted to ask you about this new rider you met.”

  His brow rises.

  I swallow as his lips tighten; obviously not thrilled that I’m bringing it up outside of church. I don’t plan to argue about it or anything—just put a seed in his head. “Did you check with Exterminator or even Spider to see if they were familiar with the Alaskan club? Maybe they know some of their members.”

  “Why would I involve the Nomads unless I needed them to be in on it?”

  “Well, they’re always off riding in different parts of the country and I know there was shit going on with a load from Canada. I thought maybe someone would’ve heard of the Menace Mayhem MC members. The name isn’t something common.”

  “It crossed my mind actually, but I pushed it out at the time. I know which clubs we’re not cool with, and they aren’t on that list.”

  I grunt my acknowledgement, refraining from commenting that they aren’t on our approved list already either. If I open my mouth, voicing my concerns it’ll piss him off and that’s not the way to approach shit when you want Viking on the same page as you. I should know; I grew up around him most of my life. He’s stubborn as hell and you have to figure out a way to get around that trade, we both share.

  “I’ve invited Grizzly to stop by the compound on his way out of Texas,” Viking shares as he relaxes back into the couch, resting his hands on his jean clad thighs.

  It doesn’t only catch me off guard, but Nightmare and Torch both stare at my brother in shock as well. “Did I miss this in church?” Torch asks, voicing the same shit me and most likely Nightmare are thinking as well. Was Viking fucking high on something when he met this biker? I highly doubt the dude is any bit the good guy my brother seems to think he is. It’s hard getting on any side of Viking, let alone his good side. How this guy did it and so quickly is beyond me.

  “No,” Vike huffs. “I didn’t mention it in church; there was too much other shit to discuss.”

  This was fucking important. He’s talking about a member of a club we’re not familiar with coming to our clubhouse. When in the hell was he going to tell us? Surely, he wouldn’t have had the dude roll up unannounced...

  “We’re all here if you need us to take care of shit. Princess should be your priority right now; we can handle what you need us to.” It’s the only way I know how to say, ‘clue us the fuck in,’ without being overly demanding or getting punched for opening my mouth.

  “Appreciate it,” he says, and I flash a quick glower at Torch, so he knows I think its bullshit that we didn’t know about it before now. “You two seem to be getting along.” He gestures between Torch and me.

  “We’ve always gotten along,” Torch responds, and I nod.

  “I take off with you getting along and come back to you two stroking each other’s dicks.”

  A snort escapes. “Torch isn’t my type, but it’s good to know he likes me better than your grouchy ass.” No doubt in my mind he’s trying to change the subject from this other dude, but why? What’s the point?

  My brother rolls his eyes. It’s a habit he picked up from Princess; he never did it until they got together. “And Cherry is your type? What’s this I hear about Mercy stopping through to stir some shit up?”

  Fucking Torch and Nightmare...always reporting to my brother, and this shit isn’t even their business in the slightest. I guess this is payback for bringing up his new-found butt buddy, Grizzly.

  “You heard right. Me and Torch stopped by to see Ares, and unfortunately Mercy May just so happened to be at their compound visiting at the same time. I told her I wasn’t interested, but you know how bitches are when it comes to my cock—they can never get enough. Anyhow, she showed up here after I spoke to Ares and made a complete ass of herself. Gave Cherry a bit of grief, so I told the cunt to fuck off and that if she wanted someone to warm her overused pussy, to ask one of the new prospects. She has nothing that I haven’t already had and not a fucking thing that I want. The bitch is crazy fucking drama, the gritty, suffocating type that you can’t easily wash off.

  “You stood up for Cherry in front of everyone though?” Viking asks after I’m finished, and I nod. His irises skirt over me, taking me in with a puzzled gaze, one that I’m not used to seeing him offer me. “She know you got a soft spot for her?” Maybe not so puzzled after all, but inquisitive. He knows way too much with only a hard glance.

  I shrug, not admitting to anything. Twisting the conversation onto a lighter track, I chuckle. “She knows I have a hard one, that’s for sure.”

  Nightmare snickers, offering a break to the seriousness of the subject at hand, but it doesn’t set my brother off track one bit. He’s like a dog with a fresh ham bone. “You gonna care when one of the other brothers fuck her? When she sucks their cock in front of you in the bar?”

  “What is it with everyone suddenly caring who I do and don’t fuck? Last time I checked my dick was still single and her pussy was free.”

  “Is it really, though?” Nightmare speaks up and I growl. He meets my rumble with his own, along with a flash of teeth. Even the motherfucker’s smile is intimidating. He needs to back the fuck off. I don’t want to discuss this shit right now.

  “Unless y’all know something I don’t,” I mutter and the group chortles. I don’t find this shit funny in the least. It’s irritating because even if I did want to claim the bitch, I couldn’t. Club rules state that members don’t lay claim on club whores, that they’re open for every brother wearing our patch. I’m the vice president, and I undoubtedly need to hold myself up to those standards and follow the rules.

  “Maybe we do know some shit,” Vike comments.

  With an exhale I meet his stare; it’s like looking in the mirror. He may be darker in features, but our irises are the same. “Enlighten me then, because obviously I’m not getting it.” And it’s easier to play stupid than admit to jack shit. I won’t be the one getting Cherry tossed from the grounds.

  He smirks to Torch and then Night. “Should we just tell him, or make our brother figure it out for himself?”

  Nightmare shrugs his beefy shoulders, his dark locks brushing his shoulders with the move. “Fuck it, I’ll say it.” He glares at me in his usual pissed-off expression; the man has resting bitch face like no other. “You love her, admit it.”

  “The fuck?” I throw my hands up.

  “Guys your age are so fucking dumb,” he mutters, pissing me off further. “Just claim the bitch already, we all know you want her to be yours. You’re makin’ it difficult on yourself.”

  “Who?” I croak, continuing to act like I have no idea what they’re talking about.

  “Cherry, kid,” Torch pipes up and curse leaves my lips.

  “I refuse to say shit and get her ass kicked out. This club is her life; Cherry wouldn’t know how to exist outside the compound.” Shaking my head, I remember back to her saying how she loves the brothers, that we’re her family. She’s completely right too. She has no one else and I won’t steal that out from under her.

  Nightmare leans forward. “You need to give her a little more credit, brother. After all, she caught your eye, didn’t she?”

  With a snort, I nod, because she sure as hell did. “She’s been around since I first got here.”

  Viking nods, a knowing smirk on his mouth. These fuckers think this shit is so entertaining because it’s not them going through it.

  Mercenary comes stomping in. “My girl just had her pups! Smallest Dobermans I’ve seen before.” He holds his hand up, fingers separated about six inches apart. “Cutest fucking puppies ever, not sure I can get rid of any of them.”

  We all start laughing and thanks to the beefed-up brother, the focus is finally off me again.

  Odin left with Torch a few days ago and it’s felt like a limb is missing from my body. Dramatic, I know, but I can’t help it. I’ve grown
more attached to him recently with all the time we’ve been spending together. Being around the new girls hasn’t been so bad; they both seem nice if not a little lost. I think one of them might be a runaway, but it’s none of my business. If she’s hiding or running from something, that’s her shit to deal with.

  “You get prettier every damn time I see you darlin’.” Ruger grins, bouncing his eyebrows at me. He’s got a puppy wrapped in a fleece blanket tucked into his arms; she’s a tiny little thing and needs to be put back with Mercenary’s momma dog. I swear the MC brothers are worse than kids when it comes to a litter of Doberman puppies. Nearly all of them have one at this point.

  I laugh at his brazenness. “I’m pretty sure I heard you say the exact same thing, word for word to Honey yesterday.”

  “It was Spidey.”

  “Suuure,” I tease the Nomad. For being a badass, he sure is a softie when it comes to women. The other Nomads—the two new guys—have kept their distance. I’m not too sure what to make of them yet, besides the fact they’re broody and hot.

  “So, tell me about these new females,” he whispers as he leans in close to my ear and a big smile overtakes my face. This guy always has one thing on his mind. Not that I care. It makes him happy.

  I’m about to inform him that I know very little about either one of the new hang arounds when Chaos comes to join us. He’s probably heard more than me. “Hey Chaos, do you know much about the new girls?” I ask, effectively taking the attention off me and getting out of talking about them. Looks like Honey may not get attention from anyone after all—the Nomads included.

  I’m headed for the kitchen when the bar door swinging open steals my attention from the task. In steps Torch’s ominous figure with Odin headed inside right behind him. Odin’s got Nightmare’s Doberman on a leash, walking her inside as well. I had no idea they were even back. It must’ve been long enough for him to take the dog for a walk, unless Nightmare caught him outside and left the dog with him. My stomach twirls in anticipation just hearing his voice yell across the bar to the other brothers.