by Joanna Blake
I was no one. In so many ways, I was invisible. I didn’t count. Not to someone like him.
I rolled over, hugging my pillow to my chest. All the things he’d done to me. Maybe he just wanted that? Sex, without love.
Maybe he’d just been marrying me to protect me for a legal reason. Or because he was a control freak more like it. Did he just want a marriage of convenience?
And what he’d said about Mase… well, that was fucking my head up too.
Was my guardian, my savior, really a killer?
I knew he’d been wild in his day. He could give a beatdown like nobody’s business. He had to in the bar, when the bouncers needed back up.
But a killer? I couldn’t imagine the tough but gentle man who took in stray animals hurting someone out of spite.
Only to protect someone he cared about.
Maybe that’s what Conn was talking about. Mason would kill someone who hurt one of his own, or even threatened to.
A soft knock at my door had me sitting up and wiping the tears from my face.
“You up?”
“Yes.”
“You want to tell me what that was about?”
“Conn? I got mixed up with him. That’s all. He didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Why’d you let him leave without talking to him then? If he hurt you-”
“No.” I shook my head vigorously. “He didn’t. He wouldn’t.”
I took a deep breath.
“He was upset about Cain.”
Mase crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe.
“Jealous?”
“No- he just- he doesn’t want me to be part of this world. But I am. This is who I am. If he doesn’t want that then… he doesn’t want me.”
“You’re much more than this world, Case. You know that. You’re going to get out.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “College and then the world.”
I shrugged.
“Maybe. But it doesn’t change the fact of who I am now. And it still felt like he was… looking down on me.” I lifted my eyes to his. “On us. In a way.”
“Yeah, he’s a pompous ass sometimes. But he has a good reason to hate bikers. His partner-“
“I know. But- he said that all bikers were killers.” I looked at the gentle giant sitting at the foot of my bed. “Even you.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
He took a deep breath. Then he shook his head.
“It was a long time ago.” I swallowed nervously and waited as he heaved a sigh. “You deserve to know, Case. It’s not a short story though.”
I leaned back and nodded.
“Okay.”
“Connor’s right. I have a record. Manslaughter charges that were brought and then dropped.”
I exhaled, feeling the world tip upside down. Mason? A killer?
“Things were so different back then. The Untouchables were my family. I was one of them. Just like them. A lot of people expected me to take over someday.”
He closed his eyes, tilting his head back against the wall.
“I was in charge of the new recruits. It was a testament of Sawyer’s trust in me. Sawyer ran the Untouchables before Cain took over. Before Cain came back from Iraq, everyone thought it would be me. I was second in command. I wanted it. And then things got out of hand.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the rest of this. I’d always known Mase had a past. I just didn’t expect this- any of it.
It explained why the Untouchables and the Raisers treated him with so much respect though.
“You know how the new recruits are- they do anything and everything we ask. The guys push them- fuck with them- sometimes too hard.” He ran his hands through his long brown hair. “But this kid, he had a condition or something. No one knew about it. I don’t know if the kid- Pete- even knew.”
He exhaled and covered his face.
“Such a fucking waste. They were hazing him and the other new recruits at the Blue Light. I was there but I wasn’t paying attention. They were feeding him beer through a funnel. But they took it too far.”
The Blue Light was another biker bar, much rougher than The Jar. I’d never been there and never planned to.
“All the other recruits puked or passed out. But Pete just- he fucking died. It was gruesome. His intestines burst.”
“That’s awful. But that wasn’t your fault.”
“It was. I was in charge. I tried Case, but it was too late.” I could see the remorse in his dark eyes. “I took him to the hospital. I took the blame for feeding him the booze. He was just a fucking kid, barely old enough to drink. I should have protected him.”
“Mase-”
“It was my fault Case. It was. Yeah, it’s a dangerous life to ride with the Untouchables. But this wasn’t anything like that. It was fucking frat boy shit. And I was in the back, fooling around with another man’s wife.”
My eyes got wide.
“You were-”
“I was busy getting my knob shined.”
“Is that why you don’t- go out with anyone?”
He laughed harshly.
“Yeah, I gave up women. It wasn’t her fault, even though she was a pretty fucked up human being. I let her talk me into the affair, and I went in the back to get my rocks off.”
He sighed and I wanted to hug him. But Mason didn’t look like he wanted a hug right now, so I let him be.
“So yeah, I stopped chasing women. I couldn’t enjoy it, knowing how bad I fucked up. I don’t know if I even believe in love anyway.”
My heart broke as he laughed bitterly and shook his head.
“But I know I don’t deserve it.”
Connor
“Answer my damn calls!”
I hung up, swearing as I paced around the outside of the building. I was at work, trying to distract myself from the fact that Casey left me last night.
Left me.
And now she wasn’t taking my calls or responding to my texts. I’d sent a dozen texts at least since leaving last night. I’d sat in my car, demanding that she come out. I’d called. Multiple times.
I’d slept with the damn phone on the pillow next to me! But nothing. And I’d barely gotten more than a few winks.
Mickey waved at me as he came out for a smoke but thankfully left me be. People were giving me a wide birth today.
Everyone knew the shark was back.
I was in a foul mood and wasn’t being shy about it. Being up all night with a raging boner would do that to a guy. A raging boner with no relief in sight.
My woman had left me.
I was about to throw the phone across the parking lot when the text popped up. I exhaled sharply, staring down at my phone.
I need some time to think.
Think about what? You agreed to marry me. You belong at home with me dammit!
A few minutes passed as I paced back and forth. I knew she wasn’t a slow typist so I started to get mad. Worried.
Fucking scared.
You don’t know me. You look down on people like me.
What? No I fucking don’t Casey. I know you!
You don’t even know my name.
I stared at my phone, my breath coming fast. What the fuck was happening? Was this because of what I’d said about Cain- or Mason?
I don’t care who you hang out with. I care about you. You’re mine dammit!
No answer.
I roared and stormed to my car. I’d done some paperwork already, going through the motions of the job. Dante’s murder had created a fuckton of red tape. I didn’t care. The rest of it was going to have to wait.
I was going to get my woman.
Cassandra
I set the phone down, determined to ignore it. The house needed a good scrubbing, and I needed to do my laundry.
And Mase thought it was safe for me to go back to work, if I wanted. He had a few new girls coming in to train anyway. We’d been planning to cut back my hours for a while, since I wa
s applying to school.
Or I had been, before Dante murdered someone in front of me.
I guess, now that he was gone, college was back on the table… too bad I had no idea what to do about the rest of my life.
I tied my hair back in a bandana and got to work. The animals jostled me for attention as I turned up the music and started sweeping. I mopped after and finally got on my hands and knees to get any stubborn spots.
Cleaning was a blissfully mindless experience. And doing it made me feel like I was contributing. In foster care, I’d always resented the chores they heaped on us. But here, I relished it.
I was scrubbing the floor when I realized someone was standing directly behind me. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest.
My first thought was that it was not Mason. Mason wore enormous biker boots. Even with the music blasting I would have heard him.
Hell, the house shook a little when Mason walked in.
I would have felt him.
I gasped as I was lifted to my feet. Arms came around me and I relaxed. I knew who was holding me. Connor. It was Connor.
I heaved a sigh of relief as kisses rained down on my neck. He rubbed his rough cheek against me as his hands slid up and down my body, then up again to cup my breasts. He squeezed and fondled them and I felt a hot answering pulse in my belly.
“Connor!”
I turned in his arms and stopped short at the look in his stunning eyes. Conn was in bad shape. He looked like someone else. Someone who was in pain.
“Are you okay?”
The music was still blasting but I heard him. His voice was ragged and raw as he answered me. He held onto me for dear life.
“You left me.”
I blinked.
“I didn’t leave. I just needed some time to think.”
“You left me.” He exhaled and rested his forehead against mine. “Never do that again.”
He lifted me up and carried me down the hall. He seemed to know which room was mine as he shoved the door open and lowered me to the bed.
“Conn-”
He started pulling his clothes off, shaking his head at me.
“Talk later.”
I stared hungrily at his beautiful body as he stripped. He tried to take his pants off without removing his shoes. I giggled at the look on his face when he realized what he’d done.
He growled and kicked his shoes off. Then he pounced on me. The tiny bed shook as he covered me with his big naked body.
I’d been right. He was a panther.
He moaned in desperation as his fingers dragged down the front of my body.
“Open.”
“We should talk-“
“After. Open your thighs.”
I swallowed nervously and stared at him. He looked wild. He did not look capable of talking. I leaned back and let my legs slide open.
He growled at me.
“Wider.”
I did as he asked then let out a yelp as he tore the crotch of my shorts wide open. They were old cut off jeans. The soft fabric tore easily under his strong hands. He dove down, his lips colliding with my panties.
A fresh pair. Not the blue ones that had been soaked when I went to bed last night. These were faded pink.
He cursed and tore those off too.
Well, not the whole way off. Just open. Enough for him to get at me.
I gasped as his tongue dove into me, no teasing this time. No slow build. He fucked me with his tongue for several minutes and then reared up, stroking his cock.
“Can’t wait.”
He pressed the hot, hard tip against me and fell forward, his weight pressing me down into the bed. My legs came up to wrap around him as he pushed his cock slowly inside me.
As soon as he was all the way in he paused, letting me adjust to his size. We stared at each other for a long moment. He kissed me hard.
Then he went wild.
His hips circled, never pulling out of me more than half way. He punished me with his cock, driving it in harder with each thrust. He didn’t take his time. He picked up speed fast.
“I’m going to come.”
I was close but not close enough. He must have known that because he reached down to strum my clit at the same time that he pulled my nipple into his mouth.
I screamed as the orgasm tore through me, taking me by surprise. I came hard. Almost too hard.
I’d been pretty pent up too.
Conn was grunting and cursing as he flexed his hips out of tempo, convulsing with the force of his orgasm. He shook above me, his hips jerking as I felt his seed hit the back of my womb.
“He didn’t kill anyone! He took the blame for some other guys who were hazing a new recruit!”
We were still in bed, finally talking. Well, I was talking. Conn was kissing me, and touching me. I kept slapping his hands away but he was undeterred.
It was like he couldn’t get enough of me.
Like he didn’t believe I was real.
Or like he was terrified to lose me again.
“Are you even listening to me?”
He nodded, lowering his head to kiss my nipple.
“I believe you, Case.”
His tongue lapped against my breast eagerly as he let his teeth slide over it. He was so fixated on my body, but it was more than that. I knew that now.
The moment I’d seen that raw look in his eyes, I knew.
Even if he didn’t love-love me, he cared. This wasn’t just sex. He needed me.
I took a deep breath. I had to tell him. It was time.
Connor
“My name’s not Casey.” She exhaled. “It’s Cassie. Cassandra.”
I stared at her, noticing a single tear spill from her gorgeous blue eyes. I brushed the tear away from her cheek. I smiled, feeling like I’d just won a prize.
The best prize.
“Cassandra. I like it.”
I kissed her softly. She looked so worried. As if I might not like her real name.
“What is your last name?” I smiled tenderly. “I need it for the marriage license.”
She sighed, chewing her lip. I wondered for the thousandth time what she’d been running from. Whatever it was, I would take care of it.
She never had to worry again.
“It’s okay, if you are in trouble we can figure it out together.”
“It’s not that. It’s just that- it’s my parents’ name.” She let out a sad sigh. “And that little girl with a nice family doesn’t exist anymore.”
My heart broke a little, staring at her beautiful face. She was trying to be brave. But it killed me having to see her like this.
“We can get your name changed. You can be whoever you want.” I grinned and pulled her closer. “As long as your last name is DeWitt.”
She laughed breathlessly and nodded.
“Okay. My name was, it is, Cassandra Elliot.”
I kissed her, so grateful that she’d finally given me her trust.
“It’s beautiful. Just like you.” I swallowed over the sudden lump in my throat. “I love you so much, Cassandra Elliot.”
She stared up at me, her big eyes searching mine.
“You do?”
“Of course I do. Didn’t I tell you that?”
“No. You didn’t.”
“Well, I’m a dumbass. I thought you knew how I felt Case- Cassie.”
She blushed.
“No. I didn’t. I thought-“
I pulled her closer, rubbing my cheek against hers. She sighed and I reached down between her thighs, gently toying with her slippery folds. I wanted her again, badly.
“You thought what?”
“Oh… hmmm… I thought- you just-”
I teased her clit and her hips rose.
“I just what…?”
“I thought you just wanted sex.”
I stared at her, my hand still. Then she whimpered and I tapped her clit. Hard. She moaned and I decided that by the time I was done, she would know how I felt.
“Just sex?”
I increased the tempo of my finger. Rapid fire taps on her clit. She started panting, already on edge.
“I want much more than sex.”
I was hard and desperate to get back inside her. I didn’t hold back as I braced my body above hers and guided my fat cock to her perfect pussy.
“I want you in the morning. The middle of the night. I want you when you get old. When you are cranky. I want you to carry my child.”
I thrust into her with each sentence. With each truth.
“I want you in sickness and in health. I want you when you are a pain in the ass. When you are sleepy. When you bounce around the room like a teenager.”
“Ahhhh!”
She was coming. I smiled and continued my slow, hard thrusts, riding through the convulsions that massaged my cock so deliciously.
“I love you, Casey Cassandra Cassie Elliot Jones. I fucking love you.”
I grimaced as my balls started to hum. I was close too. They rolled over, ready to explode.
“And yes, I plan on doing this as much as humanly fucking possible too.”
Her back arched up as her orgasm continued, growing even stronger. My cock jerked inside her, spraying her with my seed. I tried to speak but I couldn’t, my orgasm was way too intense.
“Ah! Fuck!”
I pounded her harder into the twin bed with the rickety frame. It banged against the wall as I rode her, taking what was mine.
Giving her what was hers.
Because I belonged to this one beautiful girl. Heart and soul. And my cock.
Especially my cock.
I held her as the tremors passed, unable to stop myself from kissing her soft skin. Her hair. Her nose.
She sighed contentedly as I rolled to the side, bringing her with me.
I felt so good. So right. She was mine. She wasn’t leaving me. I didn’t have to be afraid anymore.
And I had this crazy idea that we’d just made a baby.
Cassandra
“What do you mean you’re not coming home with me?”
I crossed my arms, locked in a staring contest with the massive man looming over me. Connor might be big, but I wasn’t intimidated.