by Jessica Loft
“I want ye,” Beaste groaned, his arousal apparent in every part of his body.
“I’m yours,” Lizbeth gasped, her legs spreading wider for him.
Her absolute trust of him wrapped around his heart like a vice, and he knew he was gone. In that moment he knew he would do anything for this woman. She was his to protect, to care for, to love.
The pain was horrible- at first. Lizbeth clung to Beaste as she felt her womanhood being taken, and she wondered how his hand could feel so good, but his manhood could hurt so badly. Yet he held her through the pain, whispered his love for her into her ear, and slowly it began to disappear.
“Yes,” Lizbeth moaned, relaxing once again. “Yes my love.”
~
“How do ye feel?” Beaste asked. His kisses had travelled from her lips, to her shoulders, and down to her abdomen. Their lovemaking had been heated and intense, but now, as they lay together in front of the fire, they both felt calm and relaxed.
“A wee sore,” Lizbeth admitted, stroking his hair as she watched him kiss across the flat surface of her stomach.
“It’ll pass,” Beaste promised. He came up to her and after a quick but passionate kiss on her lips, he settled behind her and began massaging her naked thigh.
“What now?” Lizbeth asked. It was a question neither of them knew how to answer. Beaste knew what he wanted. He wanted to marry her, make her his wife, and stay in the wee dwelling together forever and forget about the problems of the world. But they couldn’t.
“Liz, there’s something I have te tell ye,” Beaste said, sitting up. It was time. To tell her the truth. She would most likely hate him after, being the son of her father’s enemy and all. But he couldn’t keep this secret from her any longer. She deserved better than that.
She could hear the graveness in his voice, and she sat up too, bringing the blanket with her to cover her breasts.
“What is it?” She asked.
Beaste took a deep breath. “Te truth is I…I”- His eyes caught the glare of something bright, distracting him. Through the small window he caught the glimpse of torches.
“What’s wrong?” Lizbeth asked, feeling his sudden change in mood.
Beaste got out of bed, grabbing his kilt from the floor. Outside he could hear them approaching. They found him.
“Someone’s outside.”
To Be Continued…
Now Enjoy The Next Story Below Or Choose The Sequel “A Tale of Two Clans II” From The Table of Contents
Eye of My Tiger
Chapter One
Eve Preston’s eyes fluttered open to the sound of a baby crying in her apartment. For a moment, confusion clouded her sleep-hazed mind. Why would a child be in her apartment? She shifted, just then realizing that she wasn’t in her apartment, but lying on a couch in a strange room. She sat up abruptly with a gasp. She was in a cheap, run-down motel room and there was indeed a baby in the bedroom. Shit. She sprang off of the couch and raced to the bedroom, tripping over the baby’s bag that was on the floor. With an aggravated growl, she caught her balance and entered the room.
She stopped, taking a brief moment to stare at the screaming four-month-old on her bed. Panic rose up in her chest, and she quickly shoved it down. Babies were something she knew nothing about. At twenty-four, having children was the furthest thing from her mind. But, at the moment, she found herself in possession of a baby, and she was way out of her element. Letting out a groan, she murmured,
“What did I get myself into?”
Not only was she saddled with a child, but she was also on the run from the little boy’s maniacal uncle. She didn’t even want to imagine what would happen to her if the man caught up to her. Another thought occurred, eliciting another groan. If he had reported her to the police and they found her, she would be charged with kidnapping. There didn’t seem to be much chancing of winning on her part.
“Death or prison? Which do you prefer, Eve?”
Letting out a sigh, she moved to the bed to scoop up the crying child.
“It’s alright, Aidan. I’m here, honey. Are you hungry?” She smiled when he stopped crying and looked up at her with blue eyes. He kicked his little feet and turned his head toward her chest, demanding to be fed.
“Sorry kid, you will have to be satisfied with a bottle,” Eve said with a laugh.
She carried him to the living room, taking up his bag on the way. Keeping him on the side of her hip, she busied herself boiling water in the electric kettle she had brought along. Glancing around the small room, she glanced at Aidan.
“We’re going to have to make a move again, Aidan. How do you like being on the road with your Godmother? Are you having a blast?”
Aidan cooed and gave her a toothless grin.
“Yeah, well, that makes one of us.” She wanted nothing more than to be back in Texas in the comfort of her home. I wish things could go back to the way they were. Laying Aidan on the couch she tested the temperature of the bottle on the back of her hand. Satisfied that it was just right, she took a seat and lifted the little boy into her arms. He drank the contents of the bottle with enthusiasm. A feeling of warmth spread through her. She had been reluctant to take Aidan from his mother when she had shown up at her apartment and begged her to keep the little guy safe. But, weeks on the road with Aidan as her only company, she had fallen in love with him and had made up her mind to keep him safe at all cost, even if he doubted her maternal abilities.
“I suppose that’s what Godmothers are for,” she whispered.
Worry nagged at her as it had for the past two weeks. She hadn’t heard from Aidan’s mother since she all but threw her baby into Eve’s arms. She knew Casey, her best friend, had a penchant for getting into trouble and being irresponsible, but she wouldn’t have abandoned her baby just like that. Something was terribly wrong. Casey had promised to return for Aidan the next day, but she never showed. Eve had waited and waited. Her annoyance had turned to alarm when a text had come in on her cell. It had been from Casey, telling her she had to take Aidan and run. Confused, she had dialed her friend’s number. The brief conversation they had still haunted, Eve. She leaned her head back against the couch as the memory engulfed her.
“What was that text all about, Casey? Tell me what the hell is going on?” She had demanded.
“Please, Eve you have to keep Aidan safe. Brock wants to hurt him.”
Eve’s brows had knitted. “Why would your brother want to harm your son, his own nephew?” She also wanted to ask why Casey was whispering. The terrified tone in her friend’s voice had not gone unnoticed.
“He found out what Aidan’s father is and now he wants to get rid of Aidan. It’s all my fault. Luke joined Brock’s gang to get close to me. Keep Aidan away from Brock. You’re the only one I trust. That’s why I made you Aidan’s Godmother. I know no matter what you find out about Aidan; you’ll take care of him. I love you, Eve, and please let my son know that I love him, and I never wanted to leave him. Okay?”
Eve had clutched the phone to her ear, a sense of dread washing over her. Why did it sound like her friend was saying goodbye?
“Casey wait, tell me what kind of trouble you’re in. I can help you.”
“I have to go, Eve. I’m sorry for dragging you into this.” Casey’s voice was thick with tears.
“No, Casey don’t hang up, I-” the line had gone dead, leaving Eve confuse and scared. It was when one of Brock’s minions showed up at her door, threatening her, that she knew both she and Aidan were in big trouble. Luckily she’d had the sense to hide Aidan in the closet when the huge man had all but kicked down her door. Casey’s warning that Brock wanted to harm Aidan had been heard loud and clear. The man had forced his way into her apartment, demanding to know where Casey’s child was. Of course, Eve had lied her ass off.
“How the hell should I know? I assume he is with his mother.” Eve had given him the deadliest glare she could muster, even though her knees had been shaking and threatening to buckle beneat
h her. She had managed to convince him that she hadn’t heard from Casey in days, and he had left but not before issuing a threat.
“If Brock finds out that you are lying, you’re a dead woman.”
Eve shivered, remembering the cold look in the man’s eyes. She had known he wasn’t bluffing. Immediately after he had left, she had grabbed what she could, taken Aiden and high tailed it out of Houston in her little white Toyota. She and Aidan had been wandering for two weeks. Eve was terrified, not knowing what to do or where to go next.
Chapter Two
Damon Hunter stood in the shadows, where he felt he belonged. He found that it was best to stay hidden and alone. It was the ideal way of life for a man with a secret like his. He stared at the window on the first floor of the decrepit motel. He could see her outline through the thin curtain adorning the window. He had no clue who the woman was. All he knew was that his boss wanted her. Damon grunted softly. He detested referring to Brock as his boss. He was never one to follow anyone’s rules but his own. But he had to play the part of loyal henchman to the biker gang leader until he had the information he needed.
His eyes followed the strange woman’s every movement. There was a flutter in his gut. She was the most gorgeous woman he had laid eyes on in a long time. He remembered when he had gotten a good look at her the night before. She had unfolded herself from her car and had stolen his breath. Her gaze had traveled around her surroundings and had landed in the spot where he was standing. Her gaze had lingered in his direction for a few seconds, and he wondered if she had seen him. It was then he had gotten the chance to study her oval face and slanted eyes. With his superior vision, he saw that they were an unusual amethyst color. She had nibbled her lower lip nervously drawing his attention to her pouty pink mouth.
He continued to watch her as she opened the back door, her raven hair flowing almost down to her waist. Desire had shot through him when she bent down, giving him an enticing view of her perfectly rounded ass and long legs, clad in tight fitting jeans. Then she had straightened, closed the car door and turned around, giving him a shock. She held a baby in her arms. Things just got more interesting, he had mused.
Shaking himself from his recollection, he frowned. He was attracted to the unknown woman, and it annoyed him to no end. His couldn’t afford to get distracted by her, no matter how desirable she was. He watched her move around the room with the baby on her hip. Was it her baby? Who was she? Questions swirled in his mind. Maybe the baby was Brock’s, and she was his ex. It was possible she had run away with their child, and Brock wanted them back. Damon’s brows furrowed. Brock didn’t strike him as the fatherly type. He was also confused by the jealousy that rose up inside of him, at the thought that the woman was Brock’s lover. The beast in him rippled beneath the surface of his skin and clawed at his chest. She is ours.
Damon froze momentarily before shoving the animal back down. Where had that come from? There was no way the woman was his mate. It was a ridiculous notion. He had giving up on finding his mate a long time ago and at the moment he had no interest whatsoever in any woman. His full focus was on finding out what had happened to his younger brother, and that’s the way it would remain. He turned away and stalked off, not bothering to look back at the figure in the window, even though he itched to turn and take a last look.
“You’ve done well, Damon,” Brock leered. “None of these other idiots managed to find her. He eyed Damn with grudging respect.
“You’re proving yourself to be quite useful.”
Damon nodded, swallowing a grin. Brock was starting to trust him more with each passing day, which was what he wanted. If what he suspected had happened to his brother, and he found out that Brock was responsible, he would be close enough to the man to exact his revenge.
“Think nothing of it, friend. I am merely grateful to you for accepting me into your group.”
Brock shrugged.
“Men like us have to stick together, Hunter.”
Damon’s jaw clenched. He glanced at the large, stocky man before him. A scar stretched from his left temple to his chin, giving him a more dangerous look. Men like them? He was nothing like the gang leader. He didn’t revel in terrorizing people. He found no pleasure in eliciting fear in weaker individuals.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right, Brock.” He answered. “I trust I will get to come along when you go for the girl?”
Brock chortled.
“Hell yeah man. I can’t let you miss out on the fun. You did find her, after all.” The man slapped him on the shoulder and walked off.
Damon forced out a smile. What was Brock going to do to the woman? He shoved down the guilt that threatened to overwhelm him. Her violet eyes flashed in his mind. The thought of Brock harming the woman made him physically ill. For some reason, he had failed to mention the child to Brock. He decided to keep it to himself.
The group that Damon had been a part of for the past week entered the bar that they frequented. The staff and patrons eyed them warily, expecting trouble to follow suit with the presence of Texas’s most dangerous motorcycle gang. The other men spread out at the bar and demanded drinks while Damon took a seat at a table near the door. He watched in irritation as the gang carried on with their usual raucous behavior. They harassed every woman that crossed their paths, making rude comments and even groping a few of them inappropriately. Damon had to fight the urge not to step in several times. His kind treated women with respect. Humans, he thought with contempt. Well, they weren’t all like the men in Brock’s gang. He had met many honorable men and women in his time. He sighed and looked away from the scene at the bar.
His mind drifted to the woman at the motel, not too far away. Images of her played across his mind. He even had visions of her pinned beneath him, her long legs bare and wrapped around his waist. He muttered a curse and took a long swig of the beer that had been carried over to him. Of all the women to be attracted to, it had to be the one Brock wanted to get his hands on. Great.
Chapter Three
“Well, Aidan I think we’ve been here long enough. Time for us to move on little buddy.” Eve glanced at the baby on the bed, who watched her with a strange intensity. He kicked and made a sound as if responding to her. It was as if he understood what she was saying. And those eyes, they seemed to look at her with way too much intelligence. She thought about how quiet he was. Aidan rarely cried, except when he was hungry and wanted to get her attention. Eve thought back to the evening in her apartment when she had hidden him in the closet. It was like he understood that he had to be quiet. Aidan hadn’t made a sound. She also noticed that he seemed to get extra fussy when she became nervous or agitated.
“You now, you kind of freak me out sometimes little buddy.” She snorted there was no way the four-month-old knew what was going on. She glanced around the room, making certain she had everything.
“Alright, honey, let’s get the hell out of here.” She intended on driving until they were well out of Texas. At least, it would be harder for Brock to locate them if they were in a different state. But how much further can we go with the little money I have left? She pushed the thought aside. She would find some way to get cash when the time came. With Aidan in one arm and their bags hanging on the other, she made her way to the door. When she opened the door, she froze. The sound of motorcycles pulling into the parking lot made her pulse rate accelerate.
“No, no no. How the hell did he find us?” She closed the door and looked around frantically. What did she do now? There was no way she could make it out the bathroom window with Aidan. She definitely couldn’t make a run to her car, Brock and his gang were too close. I’m totally screwed.
“Aidan, I failed you and your mother. I’m so sorry.” Aidan whimpered and snuggled closer. The only thing she could do in that moment was to hide the child and hope that when Brock ended her life, they wouldn’t search the place and find him. Someone would find Aidan when he got hungry and began to cry.
Eve ran back to the bedroom
and opened the closet door. She stood on the stool that was left on the floor and placed Aidan on the top shelf along with his bag. At least, if anyone opened the closet, he would be out of sight unless he made any noise.
“Please stay quiet until they are gone, Aidan,” she pleaded. If only the child could understand. Her brows furrowed when the child’s gurgling immediately stopped above her. Okay, weird. Eve didn’t have time to analyze Aidan’s seeming obedience to her words. She pulled the door closed and stepped away just as a bang came from the living room. Brock and his men had kicked in the door.
“Oh, God,” she breathed. She never thought her life would end so soon. The door to the bedroom was pushed open, and huge, intimidating men dressed in black leather poured into the room.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t little Eve. How long did you think you could hide from me?” Brock grinned wickedly at her as he inched closer.
She squared her shoulders and forced herself not to step back. If she were going to die this night, she would do so with her pride and dignity intact. No way was she going to cower before Brock.
“Who said I was hiding from you? What the hell are you doing here?”
He grabbed her arm.
“Don’t play coy with me, little girl. You ran as soon as you got a visit from one of my men. That could only mean you have the little spawn.” His grip tightened around her arm
Eve winced.
“Look around, do you see anyone else here but me? You know, for such a big guy, you sure have a tiny brain.” She fell back onto the bed as the back of his hand connected with her jaw. She blinked rapidly, recovering from the shock of the blow. Eve clutched her jaw and kept her eyes on the man towering over her. The other men in the room snickered, except for one. Her eyes landed on a man in the darkest corner of the room. His jaw was clenched, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides. Sexual awareness coursed through her as she took in the tall, dangerous looking man with blue eyes and dark hair that brushed his shoulders. He looked like he stepped off the cover of one of the romance novels she liked to read. You have got to be kidding me, she thought. Here she was, about to die and she was admiring one of the men who would help to do her in. I need serious help.