Shifting Life (Skull Shifters MC Book 1)

by Tricia Wagner

  Chapter Three

  “Mel.” I hear my name whispered. “Melanie.” I flutter my eyes open and realize its dark outside. “What time is it?” I look around as he responds, “It’s about 9:30. I’m sorry that took so long, baby. I saw you were sleepin and I didn’t want to wake you. I know you didn’t sleep too great last night.” I sit up instantly, “I need to get home.” He snaps his head back like I have slapped him. That came out a little sharper than I meant it too. Somewhere in my sleep I decided to do the honorable thing. I will not be the reason that Brantley or any of his men get hurt. This is all my fault. “Ok, let’s get you home. I’ll just grab a change of clothes.” I look at him with a confused look on his face. “Why would you need a change of clothes?” He looks baffled, “I’m not leavin you alone. I was goin to ask you to stay here, but for some reason you woke up with a bug up your ass. So I’m stayin with you and that’s the end of the discussion.” I do not think so. “No, it’s not. You are not staying with me. Not happening. I made my decision.” He sounds like a child as he responds, “That’s not fair I didn’t get my full day.” I let out a spiteful laugh, “Oh, I’d say we had a full day.” He shakes his head, “For some reason you have it in your head like this is the right decision. I’m here to tell you you’re wrong and I’m not gonna let you push me away. This was a stupid incident. I will not lose you over somethin that I’m already fixin. Now get up and I’ll take you home. When we get there I’ll get you somethin to eat and then we’re goin to bed. I’m tired and have a lot of shit to do tomorrow.” I just sit and glare at him. Who does this guy think he is? I really want to know so I ask “Who do you think you are? You can’t just waltz into my life and take over. You aren’t needed here. I don’t need or want your protection. Especially not out of some sort of obligation that you feel.” Instantly he says, “Yeah, obligation that I feel to protect what’s mine.” How else can I explain this, “I’m not yours. This is exactly what I’m talking about. You think that you have an obligation toward me, but you don’t. We are nothing to each other.” “Still lyin to yourself I see.” I once again roll my eyes but he grabs the back of my head and forces me to look up at him. “I already made your decision. Now get up and let’s get to your house.” I scoff, “Only because I don’t want to argue with you. I just want this nightmare to be over.” I heard him mutter something about a pain in the ass and a nightmare of his own.

  I whip around and look up at him “Why are you fighting so hard to keep something that is a pain in your ass and your own damn nightmare? Just finish it so we can be done. Tell Jack that I want nothing to do with either of you. I’ll hire my own security and be washed clean of all of it.” “It’s not that simple, babe.” Ugh! “Why not.” He says, “I’ve already told you. I’m a man who gets what he wants. You’re it.” I keep walking hoping to avoid this conversation altogether. Can’t he see I’m giving him an easy out? Luckily he doesn’t push it and he helps me into the truck and starts down the road. I notice he brought a bag so I have a feeling I’m going to lose this argument. Before the truck even stops completely I am out of it and heading for the door. I heard him mutter “damn it” as I rush inside the house. Before I know what is happening I have a hand over my mouth and what feels like a gun to my head. Great way to end my day right? I bite back a scream ignoring my instinct to throw this guy over my back. Self-defense lessons were a must when I was in college. My dad insisted. I knew with this person holding me though I was going to have to bide my time. I see the door open not two seconds later and I see Brantley’s body come to a halt. My eyes are probably bugged out of my head when I hear the person close to my ear say “Glad you could join us Brantley. Now, we’re going to talk since you wouldn’t let me have my meeting.” He puts his hands out in front of him, “Let her go. We will talk, but she has nothing to do with this.” He’s practically spitting when he replies, “She has everything to do with this. You’re not the only guy around who wants something and gets it.” I fight to not roll my eyes. Yes, even in the scariest of situations I’m finding it hard to hide my sass. When Jack motions with his hand for Brantley to lead them into the kitchen I feel it is now the best time to make my move. I reach for his outstretched hand that has the gun, pull it down and the next thing I know it is on the ground and so is he. I reach over, grab the gun and have my foot at his throat. Brantley is quick and takes the gun from my hand, but keeps it trained on Jack. A Jack, who if I may say, looks mighty confused as to what just happened. Yeah I may be little, but I was taught to use that to my advantage. “Babe.” Before I could answer Jack started to speak. Brantley beat him to it “I should kill you right here right now motherfucker. I told you, this is done. She is off limits. If you want war with us, you got it.” With that he hits him over the head with the butt of the gun. That’s gonna hurt tomorrow. Brantley is on the phone saying he needs a pick up. As if this is something that happens all the time the person on the other end doesn’t even ask questions.

  Brantley hangs up and comes right to me. “Melanie, we will get to you running off and getting yourself in this situation later. First, where the hell did that come from? You flipped him over your back like he was nothing.” I shrug. Definitely not wanting to talk about me running into the situation in the first place. “I took a lot of self-defense classes in college.” He nods, “That was amazing. I’m proud of you, but swear to Christ if you take off like that again and wind up in a situation that you need to use your self-defense knowledge I will spank you.” With that he walks away. I’m sure I have a “shocked as hell” look on my face. He did not seriously just say that. I follow him into the kitchen and see he has completely forgotten about the knocked out guy in my foyer. “Should you leave him unattended like that?” He nods, “Trance is here. He just pulled up.” With that I hear the driveway beeper. “Are you clairvoyant?” He smirks and gives me a “babe.” Brantley walks back to the door I’m assuming to get rid of Jack. Holy crap what was he going to do with him? I hadn’t even thought about that. Before I can think too far into that he’s back in the kitchen. “What is going to happen to him? Are you gonna lay his feet in cement and throw him in the river?” In response he throws his head back laughing. Hard. “What? I watch TV. I’m not a total idiot.” He shakes his head, “Babe, this isn’t Sons of Anarchy. Do you see a 1% patch on my cut? We don’t run drugs, women, or any other shit. The whole reason that Jack didn’t make the cut was because he was dealin drugs on the side. We don’t mess with that shit. Not sayin everything we do is level with the law. A lot of my guys are ex-military like me. We do things that the law would not allow us to do. We use our training and skills to do it. On the up and up we have a few bars and shops that we own. Obviously you know a little about the construction too. That’s where we get most of our income. We also do security.” Great. “Is this like a now that you know things we have to kill you. Or you make me your sex slave?” He gets in my space, “Oh, I’m gonna make you my sex slave, but you’ll be beggin for that position.” I’m so sure. “Arrogant ass.” I heard chuckling from behind me so I swing around and see Trance standing there. He really is good looking. I almost forgot anyone was in the room when I hear a low growl from behind me. Woops. Trance just shakes his head and lets us know everything is taken care of. “Don’t let him leave. He’s mine tomorrow.” I snap my head to Brantley. “Where are they taking him?” “Not your concern darlin. It will all be taken care of. You’re safe.” This surprisingly came from Trance. With that he turned and was out the door. “Melanie. Look at me.” I turn around, but don’t quite make eye contact. Instead, I stare at the base of his throat. He picks up my head from underneath my chin and forces my eyes to him. I close my eyes. I know he’s mad, but I have been through a lot. I haven’t been in the presence of any men recently, but these weren’t just men. They commanded attention. It would be rude not to stare at the perfection God has given them. He lightly chuckles and kisses my lips. I pull back. “I told you no more kissing. I’ve made my decision. Since you have Ja
ck and plan to do God knows what with him the threat is gone. I don’t want you here. Please leave.” His smile was gone, “I’m not fuckin goin anywhere. Mel, you don’t get it. I’ve had a small taste of you and can’t get enough. I just watched you kick ass and that turned me on more than you’ll ever know. Now, I’m hungry and tired. Let’s eat and go to bed.” I scoff, “I am not going to bed with you. You could have been hurt tonight and it’s all my fault. All of this is my fault. My life, it isn’t like this. Ever. I am boring. I go to work come home and get up the next day to do just that. It’s always the same. I don’t flip bad guys over my back and I certainly don’t want hot biker guys taking a man away from my house to do God knows what with him.” He ignores everything except, “Trance is right. It’s not your concern. The only thing you need to know is you’re safe. Back to you sayin this is your fault? Are you crazy?” I say, “No, if I hadn’t decided to put on that damn dress and go to that damn club I would still be blissfully unaware just how empty my life was before.” He smiles, “Your life was empty before?” Crap. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “I mean, I have my girls and they’re great. My life wasn’t empty I’m not sure why I said that. I meant that I had a good life before.” He knows he has me, “No you meant you thought you had a good life before. You’re missin the important part here. Had you not walked into that club we wouldn’t have met. Now that, that would have been a tragedy.” I shake my head as tears threaten my eyes. “No, you can’t mean that. I have caused you nothing but problems.” He points out, “Babe, these were my problems before you. Jack would have been a problem whether you were involved or not. Why do you think we were at the club to begin with?” I hadn’t thought of that. “Why were you there?” He smirks, “To keep an eye on him. He was set to make a big drug deal. We own Club Sage. That shit does not fly under our radar.” Wait, what? “You own Club Sage?” “Yeah.” As if it’s not a big deal. “You said you own a few bars.” He points out, “Yeah, Sage is a bar, babe. This is not a big deal. Can we please pick somethin to eat and get to bed?” I shake my head, “I’m not hungry.” His arm comes out, “Come here.” I shake my head again. Before I can finish he pulls me into his arms. “My baby has had a long day.” Why when he calls me baby does my heart melt? I seriously feel so good in his arms. I take in a big breath. God he smells so good too. I feel the tears sting the back of my eyes and I can’t even help the ones that spill over.

  He must feel the wet on his shirt because he pulls me back at arms-length. “Baby.” He starts swiping my eyes. “I’m s-sorry. I d-d-don’t know w-w-why I’m even c-c-crying.” He whispers as he is pulling me back into his arms. “Shhh…its ok baby. You’re ok and no one is going to hurt you.” I think my tears are a combination of today and yesterday’s events, but I hate to admit that I am more scared of the man who is holding me than what just occurred in my house. I let my breathing even out as he kisses the top of my head and that feels nice. Too nice. I can’t get used to someone being there for me. They always leave. I start to pull back and when I do I am up and in his arms. My hands automatically go back behind his neck and I lean my head into him. I feel him walking us toward the bathroom. “Do you want a bath while I whip us up somethin to eat? I know you said you aren’t hungry, but you need to eat, baby.” I nod my head in his chest and he gives my waist a squeeze. He sets me down on the side of my tub and starts the water. Adding bubbles, he then comes to me and pulls my shirt over my head. I sit there in my bathing suit top and jeans. “Lift your hips, baby.” I lift and he has my pants unbuttoned and down on the floor. He unties the strings of my bikini and this is when I realize I am going to be completely naked in front of him. This is not how this was supposed to go. I am literally too emotionally exhausted to even fight him on it.

  I look up to him to see he is looking me directly in the eye. His eyes aren’t traveling anywhere instead they look like they’re searching for something. He must have found it because he unties the strings of my bottoms and then I was being lifted into the hot water of the tub. I sink down in and sigh with relief. I feel him kiss the top of my head and then he was gone. I don’t know how long I was in there but I must have fallen asleep. “Babe, I warmed you a towel. Time to get out and get somethin in you.” I look up at him and nod my head. I stand just as he wraps the towel around me. I don’t say anything as he dries me off and wraps me in my robe. I follow his lead back to the kitchen and I see two plates out. It looks like he made BLT’s and some kind of potato. I sit down unsure if I am really hungry. “Honey, you have to try and eat somethin. I won’t feel right puttin you to bed without some kind of dinner.” I nod and pick up one half of the sandwich. I eat as much as I can in the complete silence. He seems to be giving me some time to process my thoughts. I appreciate that more than anything. The sandwich and potatoes were delicious and I can tell, even though it was a simple meal, he is a good cook. I feel him wrap his arm around my back as he starts lightly drawing circles and squiggles. I sigh and lean into him. I don’t know what I’m doing now. I am literally making a mess of my life. I know with everything in me that I need to run far away from this man. The problem is, I don’t want to. For once in my life, I feel like I need to take some sort of risk. He is a man who can take care of himself. If he isn’t worried about me endangering him then who am I to stop him from pursuing me? The problem is, my heart has already made its decision. It thinks for some reason this Adonis of a man is “the one.” I will have to have a conversation with my heart later. For now, I’m going to get into bed and let this man hold me until I fall into a peaceful sleep. Safe in the arms of love. I mean lust. You know what I mean. I start to stand and take the plates away. I am standing at the sink when I feel his arms wrap tight around me. “Have you made the right decision yet?” I nod but don’t respond. I finish rinsing the plates and put them into the dishwasher.

  I walk back to the bedroom and I can hear him flipping lights off and setting my alarm. How does he know my code? Whatever. This should not shock me. I crawl into bed and it isn’t long before I hear his belt being undone. I want to turn around and watch the show, but I know I won’t be able to sleep if I see him getting undressed. I’m making a decision to move forward with him, but I don’t want to jump him right away. If I saw him undressed and getting into bed, I would definitely jump him. I feel him crawl under the covers and then I feel him pull my body into him. “I take it from you not freakin out and sayin somethin about the couch or the guest bedroom you’ve made the right decision?” I shrug. “Baby, talk to me. You’ve been so quiet.” I sigh heavily. “I’m scared.” It came out as quiet as a mouse. I wasn’t sure he heard me until I heard him say, “Honest to Christ, baby. No one will touch you.” Oh. That. “That’s not what scares me. I know you’ll keep me safe just like you have the past forty-eight hours.” He squeezes my arm, “Then what are you scared of darlin?” Sigh. “You.” He sounds baffled, “Me?” Duh! “Yes, you.” Oddly he says, “Good.” I turn over. “What? Why would you want me to be scared of you?” He continues with, “Because, it means that what I’m doin means somethin to you. Enough to get your heart worried. Worried about losin me. Worried about likin me too much. It means I’m in there just as much as you’re in here.” He pulls my hand up to his chest. Right over his heart. Wow. He feels that way about me? “Why me?” “What?” Sigh. “Why pursue me? Look at you. You could clearly have any woman you want.” He laughs lightly, “Yeah, maybe. If that means I can have you, since you’re the only one I want.” I snort out, “But you hardly know me.” He nods, “I know enough. I know you went through three big events that are clearly out of your norm in the last two days. I know you didn’t break until about an hour ago. I’m still not sure if you were cryin about what happened or cryin because you had finally decided that you want me here as much as I want to be here.” He was right. “I’m still scared.” He nods, “That’s ok. I’m not goin anywhere. I will prove to you that you are safe with me. Inside and out.” His voice has so much conviction in it all I can do is
nod. “Did you just decide to be mine, Baby?” Ugh. “Maybe, temporarily.” He chuckles lightly and says “Bullshit. Nothin temporary about it. You’re mine. End of discussion.” I laugh, “So bossy.” He brushed my hair out of my face and leans in to kiss me. “Babe, the first time I take you I don’t want you to be in the throes of an adrenaline rush. I want you of sound mind. So you need to turn over and go to bed.” I lay and stare at him for a minute catching up with his words. “Babe, turn over. Stop lookin at me like that or I won’t be able to hold off.” I hurry and turn over settling into his hold. His arms cover me and I feel like I’m being cocooned into him. “I feel like a caterpillar.” He laughed loud and said, “What?” I explain, “A caterpillar. You’re cocooning me.” He chuckles, “My beautiful butterfly. Night baby.” I smile, “Night sweetie.” I hear him intake his breath and I wonder why. I don’t have time to process it before sleep takes me over.

  Chapter Four

  I wake up feeling something crawling over the skin at my lower stomach. That feels nice. “Babe, you awake.” I jump slightly at the sound of his voice. The only way I can put it is he sounds hungry, and I’m his morning snack. “Yeah sweetie. I’m awake.” That got me a growl. Oh God, does that feel good. His fingers dip lower and then they are inside me. “Wet for me already.” Wow. That was hot. He flips me over and his mouth is on mine. Normally, I would have been worried about morning breath, but obviously he wasn’t worried about it. His tongue dipped into my mouth and swept through. Possessive and hungry. Wow. I woke up instantly and met him pace for pace. Swipe for swipe. “Oh God.” I moaned as his pace got faster with his fingers. “Please.” I hear him whisper, “I’ll give you what you need baby. Are you on birth control?” Oh God. “Yes.” Another approving growl. “I have never not used protection. I’m clean. Can I take you without a condom? Just us, Baby.” Oh. My. God. “Yes, please. I’m clean. I’ve never not used protection.” All of a sudden he was there. Teasing me with his cock. That thing is huge. “Is that gonna fit in there?” I hear him chuckle again. “Yes, it will fit just relax baby.” “Oh God.” “Babe, relax.” I told you before I had very little experience. I only have had one partner and I was with him a year before we did it. It was not a great experience. I can tell you that right now. He worked for a year to get in there and the next day he took off with my car and some money from my safe. Nice, right? “Christ, Baby. You’re so tight. You’re going to squeeze the cum right outta me.” I look up at him and it looks like he’s almost in pain. He goes fully into me and I cry out. He isn’t moving. Why isn’t he moving? I start to move and he grips my hips. “Baby, please. I want to make this good for you. You are so tight if you keep squirmin like that I’m going to come.” I look at his pleading eyes and I try to sit still. A minute goes by and I say “Please. I need you to move. I need to feel you.” He starts to move and I know that it isn’t going to take long for me to be pushed over the edge. A few strokes in and out and two swipes over my clit and I am done for. I scream out his name and Brantley follows not long after.