by Sara Fawkes
“Why?”
I sighed. “Because they can’t properly take care of her here. She was sweet with you today, but sometimes she can get so confused and…” I trailed off, looking away, then crossed the narrow hall and sat down on a chair. “I don’t know what to do,” I confessed miserably, feeling on the verge of tears. “They said I needed to find somewhere else for her, except she’ll know something wrong if I don’t take her to her house from here.”
Ash sat down beside me, silent for a moment. “What exactly is the problem?”
“To pay for this place, I had to…to sell her house.” I sniffed and sat back up, still unable to look him in the eye. “She doesn’t know that though, and thinks that once she’s better she can go home. Except she’s not going to get better, and the Alzheimer’s is progressing so slow. What should be a good thing, that I get my grandmother for a little while longer, is turning into a nightmare while we burn through the estate’s money.”
“Meanwhile, you’re trying to live your life and get ahead in a career you’re growing to hate.” At my sharp look, Ash just shrugged. “Your grandmother likes talking about you.”
I glared at him for a moment, then snorted. “I hate all the politics and hoops you have to jump through,” I confessed bitterly. “I suppose no dream is all that shiny up close, is it?”
“So, you need to move her, but don’t have the money for long term care at any place that you approve of,” he said slowly, and I could feel his gaze on me. “That about sum things up?”
I nodded glumly, feeling sick to my stomach hearing it laid out. How was I supposed to fix everything?
“Well, I think I can help with that.” At my quizzical look, he gave me a small smile. “Unless you’re hell-bent on doing this yourself.”
My eyes widened. “I can’t take money from you,” I blurted out, and then flushed when he snorted.
“I know very well how much institutions like this cost and it’s not just pocket change I carry around. I’m not a billionaire, but the club takes care of its own. If you need help, I’ll make sure it happens.”
“But…” I stared at him, appalled. “I’m not even a part of your gang, what…”
“Motorcycle club,” he corrected me, “not gang. No matter what your detective contact likes to call us, we’re a group of brothers, not criminals.”
It wasn’t in me to argue about vocabulary lessons tonight, and I looked away. Annoyance bled away as the meaning of his words sank in. “You’d really do that for me?”
Ash’s hand snaked around and, just like when we first met, his fingers entwined in mine. “There’s a lot more I’d do for you,” he murmured, squeezing my hand, “if you’d let me.”
I stared at our hands for a long time, feeling the tears just below the surface but unwilling to let go. Finally, I leaned sideways until my head rested on his leather clad shoulder. As much as I hated admitting to the weakness, it felt incredibly good to have someone else to depend on. I wasn’t sure I could take him up on his offer, but it felt so good to have options again. It gave me hope for the future, something I hadn’t felt in a long while.
He nudged me with his arm, and then stood up. “Come on, let’s go see your grandmother.”
As loath as I was to break this moment, I pulled myself to my feet, and then squeaked in surprise as Ash pulled me into his arms. I stared up into his face, only inches from my own, and the fire in his eyes ignited one all its own inside me. “And I will have you, Eve Parker,” he said in a low voice, stroking one finger down the side of my face. “I’ll keep showing up in your life until you figure that out.”
I exhaled sharply, staring up at him in amazement. Even while I couldn’t figure out what he saw to choose me, there was no denying the possessive look in his eyes. His grip on me was like iron, the strength making me want to melt inside his arms.
“Wow.”
The hushed exclamation made me look sideways to see a nurse watching us. She stared unabashedly at Ash, who ignored her, then at me. “Can I have one of him?”
A surprised laugh burst out of me. I was saved from having to answer as Ash grabbed my hand and pulled me back toward my grandmother’s room. The envious stare of the nurse followed us all the way inside, and I gave Ash’s hand a squeeze.
Mine.
Chapter Ten
Ash
Eve’s breasts were pressed against Ash’s back, her small hands balled in fists against his belly as she held on tight. He dropped his left hand to rest possessively on her knee as they sped down the highway. Just having her this close, feeling her smaller body against him, made him want to pull over and take her there on the side of the road. Riding with a stiff dick made things uncomfortable however, and he tried to curb his thoughts.
When her hand left his side however and entwined with his gloved hand, all bets were off. By the time he’d turned off toward the old Air Force base, he was as hard as a rock. Every bump, every jolt that wiggled those perfect breasts against his back, was sheer torture. He had to have her, to claim her as his. Fuck, he wanted to be inside her so much it hurt.
So when they got to the clubhouse, he didn’t stop at the entrance by the other rows of bikes. Cars and a large van were in the parking lot, and it would be cover enough for what he had planned. It wasn’t romantic, and he had no idea what her reaction would be, but he couldn’t wait any longer.
He parked the bike and lowered the kick stand, but as Eve swung her leg over the back, he grabbed her wrist. She turned toward him, startled, her eyes glittering in the darkness.
“Straddle the bike in front of me.”
The words were a growl, need taking over his body. She hesitated for a moment and it took all his strength not to grab her and pull her onto the bike himself. Touching her like this, merely holding her with one hand wasn’t enough. He needed to feel all of her, have her laid out before him, or he might do something he regretted.
Eve must have realized this too because he felt her arm tremble in his grasp. She looked toward the nearby clubhouse, where music blared and the din of voices could be heard. Ash tightened his grip on her wrist, tugging as gently as his desperation would allow. Eve turned back to him and, putting her free hand on his shoulder, picked her leg up and over the tank of the motorcycle.
Only when she was straddling him did Ash release her. Eve didn’t seem to know what to do, but Ash lifted her legs so they rested on his thighs, and pushed her back to lie atop the tank. “I need to see you,” he murmured, laying his hand against her belly. She trembled, and her response enflamed him.
He pushed her shirt up, making sure he kept contact with her body as he did so. She raised her arms to help and he tore the material off her body, letting it drop to the gravel below. Eve’s pale skin glowed in the low light, and when he set one of his hands on her breast, he felt rather than heard her shuddering breath.
“You’re perfect,” he breathed, meaning every word. Smoothing his hand down the soft skin of her belly, he reveled in the trembling skin beneath his palm. Her jeans took him no time to unsnap, and he grabbed her ankles, lifting her legs in the air to pull them off. They joined the shirt beside them on the ground, and only then did Ash allow himself to relax and take things slow.
Eve was laid out before him, as beautiful as anything he’d ever seen, but now that she was nearly naked the urgency had subsided. He traced lines on her smooth skin, and his dick jumped when her thighs squeezed his waist. She gave a small gasp as his fingers skimmed inside the band of her panties but he lingered for the moment, rubbing the soft fabric.
“I still remember how sweet that tasted,” he murmured, gliding his fingers down to touch her through the material. Her hips came off the tank, legs digging into his thighs as she tried to get closer. He grinned but kept his light touch, teasing her.
Her hands reached up and grabbed the handlebars as her hips rolled against his hand. Watching her body dance as a fresh wave of heat rolled from between her thighs brought the need rushing back. Gr
owling, he pushed aside her panties and ran his fingers through her folds. God, she was so hot, and already soaking wet.
“Do you want me to fuck you?” he asked harshly, thrusting up a finger deep inside her. “Should I pound that sweet pussy until you’re screaming my name?”
In response, she arched her back, bearing down on his fingers and pulling him deeper. He hissed out a breath—fuck, she was so damn tight. He grabbed an ankle and brought her leg to his shoulder as he pushed another finger inside her. Eve cried out, a loud moan that made his dick twitch and his balls clench in reply.
“You like this, don’t you? Being finger-fucked in public, where anyone can see us.” She moaned again, pressing against his fingers, and he thought he was going to come inside his pants. Words failed him as he dipped his head, shoving aside her bra and wrapping his lips around one tiny nipple.
The cry she made this time wasn’t quiet, and echoed around the open lot. It enflamed him, made him need more, and he moved his arm beneath her, arching her back. He ran his teeth along the inside of her breast and down her belly as she trembled beneath him, her breaths coming in tiny moans.
If he didn’t fuck her soon, he’d have a mess in his jeans. There was no time for niceties; he pulled down his zipper and his cock popped out, ready to go. His fingers continued their teasing inside her, finding the small spot inside and flicking it, while at the same time his thumb worked her clit. Another cry was torn from her throat as her hands grabbed at his hair, wordlessly urging him on.
Planting his feet on either side of the motorcycle, he rose up until he was over her. She was flexible, a fact he found sexy as hell, her leg still on his shoulder as he stared down at her. Eve’s eyes were glazed, her hands pulling at him, desperate for more.
Who was he to deny the lady?
He slid inside her, hissing out a breath again. Fuck, she was tight! She closed around him like a glove, and Ash had to fight not to come right then and there. He grabbed one breast, squeezing it roughly and thumbing one pebble-hard nipple as he rocked out of her then surged forward again. Eve’s cries filled the air, mingling with his own groans, as he fucked her atop his motorcycle, surging inside her again and again.
She was everything he could have wanted, and more. Ash squeezed Eve’s breast again as her cries grew higher and more breathy. Leaning down, he set his mouth to her neck, pulling the skin with his teeth and flicking it with his tongue. Her inner walls fluttered around his dick, and he stopped his thrusts as she came, pulsing around him. He swallowed her cries, covering her lips with his own, then began pounding hard in and out of her.
“I’m going to come on your belly,” he rasped, his balls tightening against his body. Without waiting for a reply, he pounded into her once, twice, then pulled out and leaned up and over her. He came with a cry, bracing himself against the handlebars, spilling himself across Eve’s belly. The world faded for a moment as he shuddered above her, utterly spent.
A hand cupped his cheek, and he opened his eyes to stare at the beautiful woman below him. Her eyes were half-closed, lidded with a sated desire, and she pushed the wayward strands of his hair behind one ear. They both were breathing hard, but Eve was the first to finally speak. “Wow.”
Ash chuckled at that. “No shit,” he murmured, resting his forehead against her collarbone. He traced his fingertips down her arm, marveling at the soft skin there, then sat back to survey his claim. Eve hadn’t moved yet, still spread out over the motorcycle tank, his spunk across her belly. Lazily, he reached out and spread it around with one finger.
“Is this some weird “marking my territory” kind of guy thing?”
Eve was staring up at him, a questioning smirk quirking her lips, and Ash grinned back. “Maybe,” he murmured, his smile widening as he saw the dark marks on her neck and breast. “I like everyone to know what’s mine.”
Even in the dark, he saw her roll her eyes. She wasn’t going to be a pushover, and he liked that. Some in the club had old ladies or girlfriends who were quiet and did whatever they were told, but that wasn’t Ash’s style. He wanted to respect his partner, not just have a shadow that followed him around silently. In his time as a Savage, he’d dated all kinds, from bitches to doormats, and he liked where Eve was somewhere in the middle.
There was the sound of bikes coming into the parking lot, and Eve seemed to realize how exposed she was. She rolled off the tank and quickly retrieved her clothes as Ash pulled out a rag from his back pocket. “Use this,” he said, flicking it toward her belly.
Loud pipes rang out nearby, just on the other side of the large van, and Ash frowned. Most of the Savages parked out in front of the clubhouse itself, not in the parking lot. The bikes shut off and the sound of low voices faded, gravel crunching as someone—or rather, two someones—walked off.
A prickle crept along the back of Ash’s neck, and he quickly dismounted from the bike. “Stay here,” he told Eve, who was still dressing, and he rounded the van heading for the entrance. He could make out the two shapes moving toward the entrance, but they were only silhouettes against the clubhouse lights. His gun poked the small of his back, as if reminding him of its presence, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
There was one man sitting outside the door, and as the two others moved into the light the guard stood. Ash quickened his step as he realized by the lack of normal greetings that these men weren’t supposed to be here, that they weren’t Savages. He couldn’t make out any colors on their backs, but that meant nothing. As he drew closer he recognized Rooster, and the other biker’s face was grave.
“C’mon man, let us in.” The newcomer had a whiny voice that immediately set Ash’s teeth on edge. He was shorter, with slicked back hair and a small patch of hair below his lip. His partner stayed silent, but he seemed fidgety, looking between Ash and Rooster.
“Go away, this is a private party.”
The smaller man cursed and angrily tried to shove his way through. Rooster repelled him easily, which made the other man angrier. “Fuck you,” he said, spitting on the ground. “Who needs this fucking shit anyway?”
Neither was making any moves to leave however, their actions growing twitchier with every passing second. Ash’s hand itched to pull his gun, to have the comforting weight of the weapon there. He was torn between protecting Rooster, his brother, and Eve, who was still in the parking lot not far from these bastards’ bikes.
“Get the hell out of here,” Rooster hollered, pointing toward the parking lot and taking a threatening step forward.
“Okay, okay man, we’re going.” The smaller man threw up his hands and backed away a few steps. “Chill out.”
Goosebumps crept over Ash’s skin, not so much at the other man’s words but at the small grin on his face. Both he and the taller biker seemed ready to leave, but then the larger man turned around toward Rooster. In his hands was a small pistol.
Shots rang out, two cracks that echoed through the open space, and Rooster collapsed.
Ash shouted and pulled his gun, but the smaller man already had his out and was aiming straight at the other Savage. Diving sideways, he heard the bullets whistle past him and could have sworn he felt the displaced air. Somewhere behind him, Eve screamed.
The two gunmen ran toward the parking lot, straight for their bikes. Ash managed to get two shots off, grazing one man’s shoulder, before they veered and hit behind the van. Coldness swept through his body as he heard Eve cry out a second time, only to be silenced mid-scream.
“Eve!” Ash barely got two steps toward the parking lot when gravel flew up at his feet. Cursing, he turned back toward the safety of the building even as others began streaming out of the clubhouse.
“What the fuck?” he heard Damian yell, and then Rooster was being dragged inside. More shots came from behind the van, and Ash saw the lights go on inside the van as someone managed to open the door.
Shit. He opened fire on the van with his pistol but was forced to retreat again as a bullet tore through the
top sleeve of his jacket. With a chugging sound, the old van started up, headlights blinding everyone at the club. Gravel flew as the vehicle tore out of the parking lot and out toward the main road leading out of the old base.
Eve wasn’t anywhere to be seen. She’d been taken along with the two shooters.
“FUCK!” Shoving his gun in the back of his pants, Ash sprinted toward his bike and started it up. The engine roared to life, as did several behind him, and Ash didn’t bother with the kickstand, gassing it up and racing after the dwindling lights of the van.
Chapter Eleven
My clothes were a little dirty; leaves and small pebbles stuck to the thin material of my shirt, but it was nothing a few shakes couldn’t fling off.
I leaned against the motorcycle as I pulled on my pants, watching as Ash disappeared around the large van. Maybe I should have been angry that he was leaving me alone so quickly, but I couldn’t escape the euphoria that still surrounded me. The hot area between my legs still throbbed, deliciously sore and still ready for more.
A smile crept across my face. I had sex on a motorcycle. That wasn’t something I would have imagined happening in a million years. Actually, there was a lot in my life I’d never imagined happening before this week, the biggest being my own biker romance.
Ash. I couldn’t get enough of the man. He made me insatiable, left me craving more. I’d never felt so alive than when I was with him, and every time he looked at me I thought I would melt. He made me feel beautiful and desired, and that was incredible all by itself. He’d told me to stay here by his bike, but when I was done dressing and he still hadn’t come back, I started to get impatient.
From behind the van, I heard two pops like tiny firecrackers. I froze as shouting came from the clubhouse, then there were more pops. Something pinged off the metal of the van, and I cried out as I realized I was in the middle of a gun fight.