Slowing his speed, he rotated his hips causing another round of moans and ragged breathing to fall from Sapphire’s lips.
Before he knew what was happening, Sapphire reversed their positions. Now, she was in control. Rotating her hips, she slid up and down his length. Not one to relinquish control easily, Tank grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her down towards him.
“That’s it, baby,” he groaned. “Ride me faster. Harder.”
He was about to fucking blow. There was no way to stop the crash that was coming. He could feel the tingling in his balls start to work its way up his spine.
“Fuck, yes,” Sapphire moaned, doing as she was told.
Tank raised his hips off the bed, forcing her to take even more of him — all of him.
“Oh my God!” Sapphire screamed, grinding against him even harder.
“I’m gonna come,” Tank muttered.
“So am I.”
Tank knew he should lift her off, they weren’t wearing protection, but he couldn’t bring himself to pull out of her slickness. Within seconds, the decision was made for them both. As Tank exploded deep inside of her, Sapphire was sent crashing over the edge.
Sapphire collapsed against his chest. Both of them panting, Tank remained buried inside of her. He hated to break the mood, but he had to say something.
“Um, babe?”
“Yeah?”
“Please tell me you’re on birth control.”
“Actually, no,” Sapphire moaned as she climbed off of him and flopped down by his side.
“Shit.”
“Something like that.”
“I’ll go to the store and get condoms later.”
“What time is it?” The quick change of subject left Tank feeling edgy.
Was this just a one-time thing? Did she not want him like he did her? Was this just a moment of weakness for her?
So many questions started to swirl through his head. He wasn’t really a one-night stand kind of guy. Some of the Henchmen were into that shit, but not him.
“It’s three a.m.,” he answered, allowing the change of topic for now.
“Ugh.” Sapphire groaned, rolling over onto her side.
“Listen, Sledge called.” Tank decided to tell her about the ride that was planned for later that day. “He and Reaper are heading to Houston today...”
“I’m going,” Sapphire interrupted.
“I know you are,” Tank replied. “Actually, we both are. They are leaving at noon. We’re going to meet up at the compound and ride out together.”
“My bike is at Rachel’s.”
“We’ll go there first to pick it up,” Tank offered. “Or you can ride with me.”
“I’m not riding on the back of a bike into Angel’s territory.”
“Okay,” Tank sighed. “We’ll pick up your bike first and then go meet the guys.”
“Sounds good,” Sapphire said, climbing out of bed. “I need a shower.”
Tank watched as she walked out of his room. He wanted to follow, but even an idiot could see she wanted distance. The construction of the walls she was mentally building was loud and clear.
Chapter Eleven
Sapphire
What the fuck was that? Holy shit fuck balls!
Sapphire quickly closed the bathroom door and leaned against it. Taking a deep breath, she tried to slow her pounding heart.
What have I done?
She knew she was freaking out for nothing. It was just sex. But casual sex was never her thing. Waking up from a bad dream, she did the only thing she could think of to take her mind off of it — masturbate. She thought about Tank and then suddenly he was there.
She knew she had no reason to feel weird about it, they were both consenting adults. But at the same time, Sapphire was shaken.
Probably because it was the best sex of your life, dumbass!
“Probably,” she said out loud.
Climbing into the shower, she quickly scrubbed herself clean. Not once during their sex-it-up session did she think about him coming inside of her or the consequences of it. And if she was honest with herself, a part of her still didn’t care. That part is what drove her into the bathroom this morning.
What was wrong with her?
She wanted a family. A husband and kids. But she knew absolutely nothing about Tank. They weren’t even in a relationship. Sapphire liked him, but that was it. He was easy to talk to and made her laugh.
It was just sex.
That thought should have calmed her, but all it managed to do was make her feel worse — cheap.
Did he think it was just sex, too? Of course he did.
Get your shit together Stephanie!
Turning off the water and stepping out of the stall, she wrapped another towel around herself and made her way back to Tank’s bedroom.
Would he be gone? What if he was still in there? Did it even matter at this point?
Straightening her spine, Sapphire realized it really didn’t matter. She was a grown ass woman. If she wanted to fuck random guys, that was her business.
Not that Tank is some random guy.
Taking another deep breath, at this rate Sapphire was going to hyperventilate, she entered Tank’s bedroom — Tank’s empty bedroom. A huge part of her was bummed. Sadness swept through her and left a nasty feeling in the pit of her stomach.
For fuck’s sake, Stephanie! Get a grip! What did you expect after you ran out of here like your naked ass was on fire?
Shaking her head, she climbed back into the bed and snuggled under the sheets. She needed more sleep. It was going to be a long day. She already knew going home was going to wreck her — mentally and emotionally. Seeing the aftermath of the destruction of her childhood home, and knowing her mother wouldn’t be there any longer was going to kill a piece of her soul.
“Sapphire.” Tank’s voice pulled her from a restful sleep. “Sapphire. It’s ten a.m. you need to wake up and come eat so we can get on the road.”
“Okay.” Sighing, Sapphire stretched out on the bed.
She wasn’t looking forward to this trip, but knew she had to go. She needed to get things arranged for a sister to take over the club, or dismantle it. She needed to get her mother’s funeral taken care of and everything organized.
“I am totally dreading this ride,” Sapphire confessed.
“I know,” Tank replied, brushing hair out of her face. “But I’ll be right there. Whatever you need, just let me know and I’ll take care of it. And you.”
Sapphire took a moment to look at him. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he meant every word. That promise meant the world to her. She would never tell him, but it did. To know that someone had her back when things went to shit was a great feeling.
“Thank you,” Sapphire finally said pushing the sheet off and climbing out of bed.
“I’ll fix your plate,” Tank said as he retreated towards the door. “Hurry up.”
“Alright.”
Sapphire quickly dressed and found a brush to run through her hair. After a hasty braid, she made her way to the kitchen and the smell of bacon and coffee.
“Here you go,” Tank said, placing the loaded plate on the two-seater table. Sapphire’s stomach chose that moment to announce itself.
“Did you eat last night?” Tank chuckled.
“Actually, no.”
“Well eat up and then we’ll head to Diesel’s for your bike.”
“Okay,” Sapphire agreed.
This was going to be one of the longest days of her life and it had nothing to do with the three and a half hour ride from Dallas back to Houston. Today, she would walk into her childhood home and see the devastation that was left behind. Today, she would walk into the house and not hear her mother’s voice. Not see her mother’s face. Today, she would have to look her sisters in the eye and see the hurt and heartbreak that she knew would also be reflecting in her own.
Another wave of nausea hit Sapphire and she pushed herself away from
the table and made a dash for the bathroom. She heard Tank holler her name, but she couldn’t answer.
Dropping to her knees, she emptied her stomach.
“Hey,” Tank’s voice was filled with concern.
“Sorry,” Sapphire groaned.
Tank’s hand gently rubbed circles across her back as another round of spasms rolled through her middle.
“Don’t be sorry,” Tank’s voice soothed. “I wish I could say it will be okay. I wish I could take this all away, but I can’t. What I can do is promise that you won’t have to face it alone.”
“Thank you,” Sapphire whispered.
Tank’s oath caused some of the tension to ease. Sapphire wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that she was strong enough to handle this on her own, but she knew that wasn’t true. The idea of having to live without her mom, without her constant knowledge and nagging. Lord, Sapphire was going to miss her nagging.
Oh Mom...what am I going to do without you?
“C’mon, baby,” Tank said handing her a wet washcloth. “Let’s get you cleaned up and get this day over with. Tomorrow will be a new one, with new trials and tribulations. We face them one at a time, together.”
“Okay,” Sapphire sighed, taking a deep breath.
As Sapphire stood, Tank pulled her into his arms. For more reasons than she cared to examine, she felt safe. But was she really safe? This man was everything she wanted to stay away from, everything she always said she didn’t want.
“Listen,” Tank said, placing a hand on each side of her face. “I got you. Okay?”
“Okay,” Sapphire nodded.
“Alright, let’s get going.”
Sapphire took a deep breath and followed Tank down the stairs and into the bar. The place looked so different than it did last night. Bright white light filled every corner instead of the colorful strobes that flashed with the deep of the music.
“Hey, boss,” Sarah called. “Heading out?”
“Yeah. I won’t be back until sometime tomorrow,” Tank explained. “But no worries. Able will be in this evening to help you.”
“Oh thank goodness,” Sarah sighed.
“I wouldn’t leave you to manage it all, kiddo.”
“Yeah, because that would be an epic failure,” Sarah laughed.
“Right,” Tank laughed.
“Y’all be careful,” Sarah called over her shoulder as she went back to wiping down the tables.
“Of course,” Tank replied. Turning to Sapphire, he grabbed her hand and led her out into the early morning sun.
This wasn’t a day she was ready for, but she was grateful that she wouldn’t be alone.
“I know you said you don’t ride on the back of anyone’s bike, but there’s no point in taking my truck when I’ll need my bike to ride.”
“It’s okay,” Sapphire answered. “There aren’t any Angels here.”
“Only you.”
“Only me,” she whispered too low for him to hear.
There was so much she had to figure out. What would happen to the Angels? Which sister would be best to take over the group? Did her mother already have someone in mind? If she did, she never told Sapphire. Maybe one of the girls would step up and offer. Honestly, any one of them would be a great option — any of them, except Sapphire.
Chapter Twelve
Tank
The moment Sapphire swung her leg over the side of Tank’s bike and snuggled against his back, his anxiety increased. She was the first person to ride on his bike since Trisha. For a moment, the memory of her accident tried to push to the forefront, but Tank refused to give it a thought. He would not allow the past to dictate his future anymore. He couldn’t. If he wanted to find happiness in his life again, he needed to move forward.
“You okay?” Sapphire asked.
“Yeah,” Tank answered. “Why?”
“For one, you stiffened up the moment I got on,” Sapphire replied. “Second, you looked lost for a minute.”
“To be honest, you are the first person to be on my bike since Trisha.”
“Oh,” Sapphire said. “I can have someone else come get me if this makes you uncomfortable.”
“Absolutely not,” Tank said.
He didn’t want her riding with anyone else. If he were honest with himself, the idea of her pressed against the back of any man damn near caused him to see red.
Starting his bike, Tank took off out of the driveway and headed in the direction of Diesel’s house. As they traveled down the streets of Dallas and headed out of town, the nervousness that filled Tank’s gut began to recede.
By the time they arrived at Diesel’s house to get Sapphire’s bike, Tank was reluctant to let her off. There was something about her that seemed to push light into his world. Like the sun poking through after a bad storm. The feel of her against him shoved some of the darkness that always invaded his soul to the far corners of his mind. Sapphire Kimber would be his saving grace. Now, he just had to figure out a way to make her see it, too.
If she didn’t want the Angels, maybe she would consider moving to Dallas.
But what about her practice?
Could she establish it here?
Slow down! One step at a time...
“Wait right here, I’ll grab my bike and bring it around,” Sapphire said, climbing off the back of Tank’s bike.
“Okay,” he replied.
A few minutes later, Tank heard the distinct rumble of another Harley and after another moment, Sapphire came creeping around the side of the house. The woman took his breath away.
A bandana tied tightly over her head to keep her hair from blowing around and a long black braid cascaded down her back. The way the sun reflected off her hair, Tank could see the deep highlights of red, always a dark cherry. The woman was stunning and Tank wanted her even more.
“You ready?” Sapphire called over the sound of both engines.
“After you,” Tank answered.
“Actually, I don’t know the way to the Henchmen clubhouse,” Sapphire replied. “So I will just follow you.”
“Alright,” Tank called back, pulling back out of Diesel’s place.
The ride to the clubhouse took a little over an hour. Pulling into the lot, it was a clusterfuck of chaos. Members and bikes were parked everywhere. Over the last year, several new prospects had been added.
Seeing Sledge standing next to the porch with his arm around Beth, Tank slowed his bike to a crawl before stopping a few feet away and shut it down. Sapphire followed suit next to him.
He watched as she climbed off her bike and walked towards the President of the Devil’s Henchmen MC like she owned the place. Several heads turned her direction, but Sapphire’s step never faltered. She put one foot in front of the other and walked up the stairs to stand in front of Sledge. To Tank, she looked regal; like a queen walking to her throne.
“You ready?” she asked.
“Just about,” Sledge answered. “How are you holding up?”
“As good as I can be,” Sapphire answered honestly.
“If you need anything,” Beth said. “Anything at all. Just ask. We are all here for you, and your sisters.”
“Thank you,” Sapphire replied.
Tank could tell Sapphire was caught off-guard by Beth’s generosity. The quick flash of confusion, there one second and gone the next, that shown in her eyes spoke volumes. Sapphire Kimber was not used to people reaching out to her.
“Hey Prez,” a prospect called. “Everything is loaded up and ready to go.”
“Okay,” Sledge called.
“Everything?” Sapphire inquired.
“I’m not sure what we will be walking into. We are preparing for this trip like we do for our missions.”
“Gotcha,” Sapphire nodded.
“Henchmen,” Sledge’s voice boomed across the parking lot. “Load up.”
Pressing a hand on the small of Sapphire’s back, Tank led her back to her bike, but as she passed a few of the newer Henchmen,
one made a comment.
“You can ride with me,” Dexter grinned. “Or on me.”
Tank felt Sapphire stiffen, but just as quickly, he felt the tension leave her as she turned out of his arm and slowly sashayed over to the man.
The moment she placed her hand on Dexter’s chest and slowly started moving it south, Tank was ready to murder the man. Those hands shouldn’t be touching anyone — except him. Taking a step towards them, he watched as Sapphire whispered something in Dexter’s ear and the color drain from the man’s face. Tank had no idea what she had said to him, but as she turned to walk back in his direction, he saw the flash of a blade closing as Sapphire replaced the knife in her pocket.
“Ready?” she asked, smiling.
“What did you say to him?” Tank asked, curious.
“Nothing much,” Sapphire grinned, walking past him. “Just that if he ever talks to another female like that again, I would castrate him and feed his nuts to his mother.”
“What?” Tank laughed.
“Yep.”
Shaking his head, Tank followed behind Sapphire to their bikes. She absolutely amazed him. Even though every instinct told him to protect her, Sapphire was more than capable of protecting herself. Her time spent in the fight camp had molded her into the badass bitch she was today. A small part of him was actually scared of her, not that he would ever admit that out loud; and that alone, excited him.
As Tank and Sapphire straddled their respective bikes, an enormous rumble took over the lot as each member of the Henchmen, along with Sapphire fired up their bikes and headed for Houston. In a few short hours, the city would be invaded. In a few short hours, Sapphire would have to steel her spine even more so than it already was. Life as she previously knew it would stop and crumble, and Tank wanted to be part of the inner circle that would help her rebuild.
Chapter Thirteen
Sapphire
The trip back to Houston seemed to fly by faster than Sapphire would have preferred. She wanted to see her sisters. She wanted to wrap them each in hugs and thank the Lord above they were all okay. But, she was dreading seeing her mother — lifeless. For the majority of the ride, she spent time thinking about every conversation, every interaction she ever had with the woman that loved and cherished her — even when she was rough and unfeeling.
Sapphire: Iron Angels, MC (Book One) Page 7