“Mike?”
His head shot up and he instinctively reached for his gun.
“It’s me!” I shouted and he relaxed before dropping his head back down.
“I know why you’re here.” He looked wretched and the resignation in his voice damn near broke me.
“Are you drunk?” I gestured toward the bottle, but he shook his head.
“No, and not for lack of trying either. David told me you knew.”
I slipped my jacket off before pulling a chair out and joining him at the table. “I do and I'm not going to lie to you—it threw me.” His eyes dropped back down to the tequila bottle. “But, I would’ve made the same call.”
Mike looked up at me in surprise. “You would've? Well, Darlin’, that shocks the shit out of me.”
I took a deep breath and blurted out, “My mom’s in a biker gang and not the type you see doing charity drives at Christmas. I didn’t know how to tell you before—” I trailed off, suddenly unable to finish the sentence.
Before you killed someone.
He laughed. “Yeah, that’s a deal breaker for me.”
I frowned. “Are you serious?”
He kicked his chair back and knelt down next to me, taking my hands in his. I didn’t miss the way they trembled.
“No,” he said softly. “I’ve been sitting here for the last couple of days, trying to find the right words. Then, when David said you knew, I thought that was it. It’s supposed to be black and white…right and wrong. Yet, I keep finding myself in gray areas.”
There it was.
He’d just put into words what I’d struggled with since allowing Monica back into my life. I hadn’t had the first clue how to reconcile my recovering addict of a mother with the image of a biker’s ol’ lady.
“I do too. Maybe loving someone means spending time in the in-between areas.”
“I went and saw Katya earlier—the woman found with Elizabeth.” I nodded, encouraging him to continue, “I wanted to see how she was. I guess she saw the same news blurb that Elizabeth did because she was in pretty bad shape by the time I got there.”
I couldn’t even imagine what that woman was going through.
He continued, “Her father showed up and wanted to know if it was done. Nikolay offered me forty grand to ensure that Landon never made it to jail and I took it.”
I mashed my lips together to keep from gasping, settling for a small nod instead.
He’d not only helped murder someone, but he’d accepted a bribe to do it. Then I thought of how Josué would react if it was me—forty grand was a small price to pay for the peace of mind in knowing your daughter was safe.
“Katya said it was blood money—which is true. I’m a hired killer, even if I didn’t put the final bullet in him, I’m still responsible. I gave her proof that he was gone and then told her to keep quiet about it, but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s all gonna go south—” Mike got quiet before asking, “Are you willing to be labeled an accessory after the fact if I go down for first degree murder?”
My pulse raced at the thought of going to prison. I swallowed the saliva that had pooled in my mouth before replying, “I love you. The rest is just details.”
He rocked back on his heels and studied my face before his face split into a grin. “Jesus Christ, Red. You gotta have a screw loose to stay, but I’m not letting you back out now.”
I smiled, even as my stomach twisted into knots.
His hand released mine and he cupped my chin. “I love you too. I feel like I fell in love with you on the beach in Galveston and I’m sick of fighting it.”
I’d been waiting for those three words ever since the day I met him. When he and I were just Jack and Charlotte, I’d imagined a life where I wasn’t the daughter of an addict. He’d apparently done the same thing.
And, so what if it wasn’t the fairy tale I’d hoped for? Loving him in the gray areas was a hell of a lot better than the lukewarm emotions I’d experienced with anyone else.
Feeling like there was no better time than the present, I chimed in, “If we’re being honest…” His eyes narrowed. “I—I hate flowers.”
Mike smirked and cupped a hand around the back of my neck. “You hate flowers? Okay, I feel it’s only fair that I tell you that you are, without a doubt, the worst cook I’ve ever met. With your skills, you’d manage to burn cereal.”
I cuffed him upside the head. “You could’ve just left it at bad…you didn’t need to elaborate.”
He grinned and pressed his lips against my left earlobe. “Next?” He whispered and I shuddered with pleasure.
“Next confession? I don’t like historical documentaries.” I winced, awaiting his reaction.
He cracked up at that and moved his mouth down to my jawline. “So, when you told me you loved them…”
I moaned softly and whispered back, “That was a lie. I was just trying to be accommodating.”
He shook his head and chuckled before his lips brushed against my throat. “I only turned them on because I thought you were as into them as I was. What kind of shows do you like?”
I bit down on the corner of my mouth as he pulled the neckline of my sweater down and his tongue dipped into the valley between my breasts. I shakily confessed, “Investigation Discovery and Sci-Fi stuff.”
Mike’s eyes met mine and the corner of his mouth turned up again. “Dead bodies and zombies. I feel like I’m having to get to know you all over again. You sure it’s not Food Network?”
I was about to punch him in the shoulder when he yanked my bra down over my breasts and brushed his beard against my nipples until they were stiff. I managed to groan, “Don’t tease me.” He misunderstood, and I found that I didn’t mind in the least.
Mike pulled me up out of the chair and into his warm arms, carrying me into the living room. “So, Red, since we’re having honesty hour here—got any other confessions?”
I shook my head as he stripped my sweater off before laying me back against the couch.
“No?” He whispered, “C’mon. My ego can handle it.” His mouth resumed its tour of my breasts; with his tongue swirling over one, while roughly cupping the other in his hand.
My body had rebooted and the speech setting hadn’t made it back online yet. I just laid beneath him, allowing his expert hands to work me into a frenzy.
He paused, “C’mon, Red. Don’t keep me in suspense.”
I shook my head and managed to string together, “Don’t stop. Please.”
He exhaled warm air against my belly as his hands drifted down to unbutton my jeans, taking his time sliding them down.
Once my jeans were on the floor, his fingers slid up my body until they reached my thighs. I relaxed and let them fall open and he cocked an eyebrow at me.
“Please,” I murmured.
He grinned and his fingers brushed against my panties, in slow short strokes. Just when I thought I would combust, he dragged them aside and gently slipped his middle finger inside of me.
I groaned and he stopped. Feeling his stare, I reluctantly opened my eyes and glanced down at him. “I could fucking watch you like this all night long.”
My face heated, but I kept my focus on him as he lowered his mouth down lightly over my clit. Another finger soon joined the first and my skin prickled. I was a can of gasoline that had just had a match thrown in it. His tongue and hand found a rhythm that didn’t seem physically possible. My back arched up off the couch and my hands sought his hair, needing something to ground me.
I didn’t have to tell him what to do, his tongue knew just where to go, while his lips grazed over my most sensitive areas, leaving me completely breathless.
I went higher and higher and higher until I was riding a wave of pleasure unlike any I’d experienced with him before. My breath caught and I kept a death grip on his hair as I came back down to earth.
“Darlin’?”
My chest rose and fell steadily, but otherwise, I didn’t move.
M
ike tried again. “Darlin’? You’re gonna have to let go of me. Your legs are like a goddamned vice.”
I picked my head up and smiled at the sight of his blond head caught between my thighs. I released him and he sat up, exaggeratedly coughing, before running the back of his hand across his mouth.
“Better?” I asked.
He winked before unbuckling his jeans and letting them hit the floor. “Oh, I’d say that I’m better than okay, Red. What do you think?”
My mouth fell open.
He’d gone commando.
Mike retrieved a condom from his back pocket and ripped it open with his teeth before rolling it onto his cock with a smirk. I was drugged with arousal; my body capable of little more than small nods and whimpers.
He pulled his shirt over his head and stalked back over to the couch, his face full of need. He lifted me easily, turning me around until I was draped over the back of the couch. I moaned quietly as my breasts came into contact with the cool leather.
My body ached and throbbed for more of him.
Mike’s hands lightly rested on my hips for a brief second before yanking my panties down to my knees while I remained prone over the couch. His teeth grazed the curve of my ass and I instinctively pushed back against him. He nudged my legs further apart with his knee, as his hand came down to rest lightly against my lips.
“More,” I whispered, when he didn’t move.
“That’s my girl,” he replied, removing his hand, as the head of his cock slowly pushed inside of me. Once he was fully seated, he gave my body a chance to accommodate his size before retreating again.
I moved my hips back, fighting to keep him in. He let out a soft chuckle at my greediness, while slowly letting his cock stretch me. His hands lifted me until my back was flush against his chest. They rested against my belly before moving up to cup my breasts.
If I thought I was hot before, I was now an inferno. Each slow deliberate thrust pushed me closer to the edge of a cliff. I gripped around him tightly as he thrust deeply, silently begging him to stay. Sensing my need, his hips picked up a frantic pace while his thumb and index finger squeezed around my nipples.
My vision blurred and then everything went white when he sank his teeth into where my shoulder and neck met. I came back down with a loud gasp and rocked my hips, urging him on. His right hand moved up and cupped my throat, pinning me up against him. Using his fingers, he turned my head until it was tilted up, looking at him.
“I love you,” Mike rasped against my mouth and I involuntarily tightened around him. He didn’t wait for a response as he sucked my bottom lip in between his teeth, his hips slowing in their assault.
“I—I love you too,” I finally whimpered as my back arched, seeking him. His free hand dropped down to cup me as he circled his hips, regaining speed. We could’ve been hurtling toward a brick wall and I wouldn’t have stopped him.
It felt so much bigger than just our bodies connecting, it was as if our souls had fused together. Each thrust cast out our sins—each sigh another exhalation of doubt.
“Please,” I begged.
I didn’t know if my body was capable of another orgasm, but I was willing to try. His thrusts became desperate and his hands clamped down hard on my shoulders as he used my body to find his own release.
I loudly moaned, “Yes,” while keeping pace with each thrust. My pleasure increased to the point that it bordered on pain as he reached a fever pitch. I fell back down to earth with a silent cry, all sound lost within my chest.
Mike grunted as his thrusts turned shallow before his body stilled and his grip on my body tightened. Our breathless panting was the only sound in the room as he collapsed onto me, pushing me back over the couch. Sweat coated our bodies in a fine sheen despite the slight chill in the room.
As we lay like that, with him still buried deep inside of me, I imagined that he wasn’t someone who’d just helped commit a murder and I wasn’t the daughter of a biker chick. We were just Jack and Charlotte back on a beach in Galveston.
Two people without a care in the world.
Chapter Sixteen
January 2015
I couldn’t have wiped the grin off if I tried. It had become a permanent fixture on my face for the last month. Lauren had discovered the truth, but didn’t walk out on me.
So, maybe I hadn’t been entirely honest.
I was going to tell her about SPMC and my father…just as soon as this fucking war was over. If I’d told her that night, she would’ve freaked the fuck out and potentially placed a target on her back by doing so.
No, it was going to be safer to wait until they sorted their shit out. Then, I’d come clean. The only problem was that this war seemed far from over. The Sons of Death played by their own rules. They didn’t give a fuck about club bitches or hang-arounds. It hadn’t mattered whether someone was just associated with Silent Phoenix or a patched-in member; the Sons viewed everyone as the same. An enemy to be destroyed.
There was absolutely no fucking reason for me to involve her just yet.
“Someone’s in a good mood,” David said from the doorway and I pushed my thoughts aside and came back to reality.
“What the hell brings you to my neck of the woods?” I asked as I pushed away from my desk and stood up to give him a hug.
He slapped me on the back before sinking down into the chair in front of my desk. It was strange—it was obvious that he was exhausted, but he seemed so upbeat about it. He tapped his hands on the armrests. “Beth kicked me out of the hospital for a bit. She’s still working on nursing Kaden and said I made her frustrated with all my hovering. Work’s being handled by Tony right now, so I thought I’d check in with you. We haven’t really had a chance to catch up. I wanna know how the investigation is going.”
His eyes narrowed and I knew it was code for, ‘Did Lauren leave because of the Landon thing? And if so, should we be worried?’
I clicked the pen in my hand and gave him a reassuring smile. “I’m good—working this Landon Scott case has been trying, but we’re gonna find him. I do want to ask you something though.”
His shoulders, which had just relaxed, immediately arched back up in defense. “What?”
I reached into my suit jacket and pulled out a ring box, tossing it over to him. “You think it’s too soon?”
David popped it open and grinned before making his voice sound feminine. “Do you know how many years I’ve waited for this Michael Sullivan? I knew if I was patient enough I’d make an honest man out of you one day.”
I flipped him off. “Cut the shit, dickhead. It’s for Lauren.”
The grin came back almost immediately. “What did I tell you on my wedding day? I told you that this was going to happen. I recall you telling me that I was full of shit.”
I sighed. “Never mind. You were obviously the wrong fucking person to ask about this. I shou—”
He cut me off. “It’s perfect. You are asking the man who proposed to Beth after just a couple of months of dating her though. So, I may not be the best judge of timing.”
I nodded. “This is true. I just figure I’m gonna be thirty-three this year and I don’t know—I like the idea of settling down.”
David got a distant look in his eyes and responded with, “When you know, you know. So, how are you gonna ask her?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and looked down at my desk calendar. “Jesus, I have no idea. I thought about doing some big weekend getaway in February, but everyone fucking proposes in February. And I still haven’t met her dads—I wanna ask for their blessing.”
The smirk reappeared on David’s face. “I love this—it’s so fucking strange to see you like this. It’s like seeing a dog walk around in a three-piece suit. Absolutely bizarre.”
I chucked my pen at his head as my second phone buzzed with an incoming text. It was the prepaid I kept on me for club business. Jarvis had installed a burner app on it so it displayed a different number every time I placed a call or text.
Blocked:
“Hold until further instruction. Sons involved. Not safe to release. Possible overnight. Be ready. -G”
What?
I re-read the text, but it still didn’t make any sense. Usually Grey gave me a phone call if there were any members coming through the station. If I had enough of a warning, I could usually smuggle them right back out before they even made it to booking.
This was different.
He’d never asked me to hold a club member before. His big thing was getting them out and back on the street. I read through it one more time, trying to decide if it was worth a phone call or not.
Obviously, the Sons were plotting something big if Grey thought the police station was a safe house.
“Everything alright?” David asked.
I gave the text one last look before shoving my phone back into my pocket. “Yeah. Just had something come up.” I walked around to where he was sitting. “You should go home and get some sleep. You look like ass.”
David nodded sleepily. “Yeah, I just might do that. If Beth calls, tell her I’m with you and I have been the whole time. If she finds out I’m getting sleep, she might castrate me.”
I grinned. “Sounds like marital bliss, man. Keep me posted on Kaden. I’d like to meet him once he gets out.”
David handed me the ring box. “Yeah, he’s still being fed mainly by a feeding tube. So, he’s gonna have to get strong enough to nurse or take a bottle before they decide to release him. He’s a fighter though; and that’s all we can ask for. Let me know how it goes with Lauren.”
His eyes shone as he talked about his son and I wondered briefly if my father ever once looked like that when talking about me. Had he even held me as a baby? I couldn’t remember and as far as I knew, there was no photographic evidence to support it.
He stepped outside my office and smiled before shooting me a stern look, “Speak of the devil…”
“It’s just me,” Lauren replied, but her voice sounded different.
I stuffed the box back inside my suit jacket and tried to look relaxed as she walked into my office. David gave me a puzzled look and shut the door behind her on his way out.
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