by Ali Parker
"Your flattery-"
"Will get me everywhere I want to be." He reached up and tugged at the front of my bra. "Off. Now."
I reached behind and worked it off before tossing it behind me. "Tell me if your chest hurts."
"Not a chance." He tugged at my nipples and licked his lips. "Panties next, you bad girl."
"No condom." I moved to my knees and then stood up with his help. I slid my panties down my legs and started to move back into his lap.
"No. Let me taste you. Come ride my face." He leaned his head back and pulled at my hand.
"Like this?" I walked to the top of the bed and put my knee on his pillow. He lifted up and pressed his mouth to my pussy as I gasped at the sudden contact.
"Just like that," he mumbled as he forced my other leg up. I gripped the headboard and pressed back, forcing more of his tongue inside of me.
Pleasure rolled through me and over me in delicious waves as he worked me with his hands and tongue, his teeth and lips. When I couldn't take another second, I bucked against him and came long and hard.
"Mmmhmmm." His moans vibrated against my clit, sending me into over drive.
"Shit." I found my footing and stepped back before lowering myself onto his lap.
"Turn around. I wanna see your ass while you work me." He pulled me close and kissed me deeply, leaving the taste of my lust on my tongue. I licked at his mouth before turning and straddling his thighs.
"Don't do anything, Johnny. Let me do everything."
"Hush and get to it." He held onto his cock as I lowered myself onto him. The pressure was delicious, and I wanted to take my time, but I was so fucking wet that he slid in deep the first time I pushed back on him.
We shared a deep groan, and I sat there, pulsing my hips forward in short fast movements as he gripped my ass and lifted me off and back down on him.
"You have no idea how fucking hot you are." He pressed his thumb against my ass and squeezed my cheek with the other. "Take your time and fuck yourself real good, Dani. I know you've been wanting this."
"More than you can imagine." I gripped the sheets between our legs and rode him slow and steady. The pressure building up inside of me forced me to pick up my speed. I reached down and pressed my fingers to my clit, unashamed of the desire to explode in a way that left me whimpering and shaking.
"Fuck, woman. I'm gonna come if you're not careful." He popped my ass hard, and I lost it, my body buckling and forcing me to lean over further.
"Dani," he cried out and lifted his hips, driving himself into me as he found his own release.
I pushed back, meeting him stroke for stroke as he lost himself in the wetness of my body. I pulled off the minute he collapsed against the sheets and turned to check on him.
"You okay?"
"Hush and get up here." He pulled me up to lay on top of him. I moved over a little to make sure I wasn't touching the small bandages that remained across his chest. I kissed the side of his upper body and moved down to snuggle into his side.
"Do we really have to leave here today?" I asked, wishing we didn't.
"Yeah, but I'm ready to go home. We need to get back to life." He leaned over and kissed the top of my head. "I know it's only been a few weeks, but I'm not sleeping without you. You living with me or am I living with you?"
"You love that old house, right?"
He nodded. "I do. It was my mom's, but I love you more."
"You do?" I moved up to my elbow. I'd figured that it would be months or maybe even years before he told me that he loved me. Maybe death softened him up a little bit.
"Yeah, but only if you love me too." His smirk was beyond cute.
"I love you with all of my heart."
"And your pussy?" He pulled me down for a long kiss as I squirmed against him and called him several less than pleasant names.
He did love me, and I knew by far more than his words.
***
The phone rang as we got into the car to head home. I tensed up, scared for a minute that it was Tanner. He was the only one that seemed to know where we were or what we were doing, but no. Tanner King was dead. I'd shot him in the forehead myself.
I had the nightmares to prove it.
"This is Ryder." Johnny answered the phone.
I got in the car and buckled up. He did the same and put the phone between us.
"What's up?" I asked.
"That was Axel. Something happened at the shop. I'm going to swing by there and see what's up before we head over to your place."
"I thought we were staying at your house."
"We gotta get your stuff, sexy girl." He took my hand and pulled it into his lap.
"Did he say what happened?"
"No, which means it isn't good." He let out a long breath and pulled out of the parking lot of our fancy hotel. It was back to life, which was a good and bad thing. At least we were doing it together.
I rested my head back against the seat and closed my eyes as weariness tugged at me. We'd been through a lot in the last month, and I was tired. I knew Johnny was too. Whatever was going on at the shop, I prayed it was something small and easily manageable.
We pulled up to see Axel and several of the other guys standing around with a pretty dark-haired girl. The building behind them was nothing more than ashes. A firetruck sat to the side of the damage, and a huge group of firemen were cleaning up the mess.
"Holy shit." Johnny threw the car in park and got out, groaning as he did.
"Hey. Look who finally got sleeping beauty to wake the fuck up." One of the guys walked toward him and lifted his hand.
Johnny hugged him before walking over and standing in front of another guy. "What happened, Axel?"
"Looks like it is what I said it would be." He glanced over his shoulder and back. "Us killing King brought a war to our door."
"There's only like four or five Black Hearts, guys. What's the big fucking deal?" The first guy walked up and shook his head, acting like it was a joke.
"There are thousands of them around the world." Johnny glanced back at me and offered his hand.
I took it, and he pulled me close and wrapped his arms around me. "Who did it?"
"Jason." The big guy responded and turned his attention to me. "I'm Axel."
"We met at the lodge." I offered him a smile.
"I know. I wasn't sure you remembered."
"How do you know it was Jason?" Johnny took the conversation back.
"He left a note man. It was his good deed to show his pledge to the Black Hearts. He got initiated and received his first patch from those bastards for doing this."
"He's no longer family." Johnny let out a painful sounding sigh. "He's an enemy."
"Yeah, and one with a reason for vengeance." Axel handed Johnny the note. "He thinks you killed his dad, man. Tanner must have convinced him of that shit before he died."
"Tanner killed my brother." Johnny's arm tightened around me.
"Oh, I don't doubt that shit at all, but vengeance over a lost loved one is the strongest type there is. Just like Tanner wanted to watch you suffer for his dad's suicide, now Jason's taken his place."
Johnny released me and glanced around. "His vengeance is built on lies, but if the Black Hearts want a war... then they'll fucking get one. Who's in?"
Axel nodded. "We ride for the lost."
"The left behind." A dark-haired guy lifted his fist in the air.
"The abused." A handsome guy with a suit lifted his fist.
"The abandoned." A young guy with a great smile and big muscles lifted his fist.
"The forgotten." Hyde lifted his as well and glanced over at me and Johnny.
"We ride for each other." Ryder lifted his hand in the air and made a loud noise that everyone echoed. "No mercy tonight for Jason, and no mercy for his MC."
Future Investment
Chapter 1
Elizabeth
"Yes! Yes!" I spun around from the kitchen table where the mail lay strewn about. My fi
ngers shook as they gripped the letter I had been waiting to get for as long as I could remember. "Mom! I got it!"
"Really?" My mom jogged into the kitchen and stopped in front of me. "Oh my God! Let me read it."
I handed her the letter and wrapped my arms around myself as I picked at my lip. I had just graduated a month before after ten long years at NYU. There were only two more steps remaining before I would be a full-fledged doctor. A surgeon.
Chills ran through me as my mother looked up with tears in her eyes.
"Baby, I'm so proud of you. All the sacrifices that you've made and the friendships you've lost. It’s all worth it. Look what you’ve done." She moved toward me and wrapped me in a tight hug as we shared a brief sob session.
I had given up a lot. Far too much.
Being twenty-eight with a deadbeat boyfriend and no prospects of marriage or children were just part of the cost of the path I'd chosen. It was lonely, but made up for in moments of success much like the one I was experiencing. It was far overdue.
"We should celebrate." I moved back and let out a soft chuckle. "I need to call Steph and let her know that I got my residency letter. I'll be working right up the road for the next three years."
"Aren’t you calling Jackson? Did you guys break up again?" She put her hand on her hip, and I swore that she thought I was a child.
"No. We're still together. I'll tell him later. I'm going to invite Steph to come with us to dinner. That okay?" I moved toward the guest bedroom in my mom's small house as my heart fluttered. I was one step closer to my dream.
"Yep. Can't do anything without your bestie. I swear you guys will always be inseparable."
We'd never had much money, but we didn't need it. We were laid back and not at all materialistic. Besides, a poor childhood prepared me well for being broke for most of my twenties. Things weren’t going to change much either. My student loan costs were astronomical. They should have named a wing of the medical school after me. The residency wasn't going to pay much, but it would be enough to cover my rent at the apartment with Stephanie. If I needed additional income, I'd get a sugar daddy or another job.
"You wish," I mumbled to myself as I plopped down onto the edge of the bed. Steph's number was at the top of my recent calls, as it should be. I didn't have too many friends in life, but she was all I could handle most days anyway. The girl had more energy than one might consider healthy.
"Hey! Where are you? It's boring as hell here when you're gone." She sounded like she was bouncing around. I just prayed there wasn't a guy beneath her. The woman had no couth.
"I'm at my mom's house. Just picking up my mail."
"Anything good?"
"What are you doing? Do I even want to know?" I pressed my fingers to my forehead and prepared to grimace.
"Trying out a new dance DVD. Get over here and let's boogie-oogie-oogie."
"Right. Not happening." I laughed, unable to help myself. "Get dressed and meet us at the burger place just beside the med building. Mom's taking me to dinner. I figure you might want some food too."
"Yeah, alright. I was getting these moves down far too fast anyway. It's boring when you were made to move."
I rolled my eyes and stood up. "So… I got the letter from St. Mark's Hospital. They've agreed to the matching for my residency."
"What? Oh my God, Liz. That's great news!" Her laugh was full of joy, and it forced a smile onto my face.
"You need to check for yours. It should be in." I walked back toward the kitchen and got a glass of water.
"I'll call my mom when I get in the car. Nothing came here, but nothing ever does. I still don't understand why we had to get an apartment in the worst part of town. We're going to get mugged or kidnapped. That's why we have no mail. The mailman is scared shitless of this neighborhood."
"Alright. Enough out of you, drama major. See you soon.” I dropped the call as she continued to complain about the apartment. We'd been friends since grade school and had no need to be anything other than ourselves around each other.
Stephanie had a million options as to what to study in college, but she'd chosen medicine alongside me. It had always been my dream to save lives in the ER, but some part of me couldn't help but wonder if she simply wanted to be wherever I was, no matter what that meant for her. It was comforting. I was an only child, and Steph was as close as I got to having a sibling.
"You ready?" My mom poked her head into the kitchen.
"Yes. More than ready. I'm thinking that burger place beside the college that I love so much." I walked into the living room and gave her a crooked smile as she groaned.
"I hate that place. Let's go somewhere nice. You deserve a really good dinner. This is big news, so we need a big celebration." She smiled and opened the door, patting my back as I walked through in front of her.
"Mom. Money is tight. We don't need to blow the phone bill on a steak. Seriously." I walked down the dilapidated stairs that needed to be replaced yesterday and turned, making sure to watch her in case the whole damn platform fell.
"Money will always be tight, but one day, my baby girl is going to pay everything off and live the life I've always wanted for her. Right? Give me hope." She winked at me and stopped by her side of the car as her expression tightened. "I'm so proud of you. Your daddy would be too. You know that, right?"
I nodded, not sure I trusted myself to talk around the hot lump of sadness that rose up sharply and lodged itself in my throat. My father should have been there, but his heart wasn’t willing to outlast his fast-paced life. He was the reason I wanted to become a doctor. No girl should have to bury her father from a misdiagnosis. I would make sure that didn’t happen on my shift, or die trying.
After getting in the car, I buckled up and turned on the radio. I might have only been a few years from thirty, but when I was with my mother it felt like I was fifteen again. I loved it. She did too.
"So a burger for the newest resident of St. Mark's Hospital?" She reached over and squeezed my arm gently before turning on the car and backing out.
"That sounds delicious." I pulled out my phone and let out a sigh. "I should text Jackson."
"You should. He's a great boy, Elizabeth. He's been hanging around you and Stephanie far longer than any man would be expected to. You know he's going to ask you to marry him soon."
"Ugh. No." I ran my fingers through my long chestnut hair and dropped the phone in the cup holder next to me.
"What? Why? He's so good-looking."
"Yes, and he knows it. He's been in love with himself since we were in high school and he lost all that weight. I almost wish he was still patty-jack."
"Elizabeth. Don't call him that. He hated that back in high school and he hates it now." My mom gave me a sideways look as I smirked.
"He's a great guy, but not the guy for me. I should have broken up with him ten years ago, but I'm just not sure I can now. We've been together too long."
"Yeah, but if it's not right, then-"
"Wait. You're confusing me. You just said he was the one for me, and now you're giving me an out? You need meds. I'll examine you when we get to the restaurant, or ask Steph to do it."
"Neither of you is touching me. You might fool all those people at NYU, but I know you both far too well." She pulled into the parking lot of the burger place and turned to look at me. "Honestly; let him go or invite him in. Dating off and on for ten years is a waste of both of your lives."
I nodded and jumped as the car beside us honked loudly. Stephanie waved at me and pointed at Jack before giving me a shit-eating grin. She’d brought him on purpose. I'd have to kick her in the shin later over it.
We got out of the car, and walked to the restaurant as the warm wind of autumn blew across us. Jack reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back toward him.
"Just a minute." He looked over at my mother and Steph. "We'll be right in. I just want to congratulate my girl."
I pressed my hands to his strong chest as he turned his attent
ion back to me. "I was going to call."
"No, you weren't." He leaned down and brushed his lips by mine. "But it's okay. You’re modest, and you hate attention. I get it. I, on the other hand, love attention and have been getting none lately."
"I know." I forced a smile and lifted to my toes, kissing his lips once more in hopes that we could go inside soon. He was handsome in a frat-boy way, but his personality drained me within ten minutes of being near him.
"Spend the night with me tonight. You haven’t been in my bed for a month." He ran his hands over my cheeks and pulled me up for another long kiss. I closed my eyes and imagined him to be anyone but who he was. Sadness and guilt tightened around my insides as I forced my eyes open. I couldn't keep doing this just to spare his feelings. I couldn't do it just so I wouldn't be completely alone at night. It was getting ridiculous.
"Not tonight. I want to visit my advisor, and you know she keeps late hours." I hugged him and moved back. "Come on. I'll stay the night soon. I promise."
"I'm going to hold you to it." He popped my butt, and I stifled a growl. There had to be a better match for him. I wanted to desire him, wanted to feel uncontrollably turned on by his sexy voice and dark eyes, but it just wasn't going to happen for me. I'd watched him grow up, and for some odd reason that killed my desire to want him sexually. I'd been forcing myself for the last few years to sleep with him, but now that I was done with school, maybe it was time for a change - for both of us.
We ate dinner and laughed the entire time, thanks to Stephanie and all of her crazy stories she told when anyone was paying attention. The girl didn't know a stranger, and if it hadn't been for her, we would never have been invited anywhere in college. She was in the center of everything, and just happened to drag me along, often against my will.
My meeting with my advisor wasn't until early the next morning, but no one needed to know that. Besides, no one but Jackson would care.
Stephanie let out a yelp, and I glanced up from my burger to see her face light up as she read something on her phone.
"Oh my God, Liz. I got in too. I'll be at St. Mark's with you. Oh my God." She jumped up and almost knocked the table over as she moved around my mother and wrapped me in an awkward hug. I was used to them, and simply turned and gave her a tight squeeze.