by Blue Remy
Thank you for reading Painted Memories, and we hope you enjoy the next novellas.
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For years, Marty, the newest patch holder for the Devil’s Renegades MC, has been attracted to the club’s little sister—Maddie. And like all his brothers before him, Marty has been warned that she’s off limits. But when the club president asks Marty to keep an eye on Maddie while he’s out of town, Marty finds himself torn between giving in to his desires, and keeping his promise to the MC. It should be easy to uphold the legacy of the club—love, loyalty and respect. But when you’re a Devil, sometimes it feels too damn good to be bad.
“Prospect!”
My muscles tense. My eyes search for the voice calling me. I start to stand, but then I remember—I’m not a Prospect anymore. As if I need a reminder, I look down at the fresh patches on my cut. Three hundred and sixty-eight days of Prospecting, and I finally have what I’ve always wanted—a seat at the Devil’s Renegades Motorcycle Club’s table.
“Old habits die hard, huh?” I look up to find Maddie watching me from the end of the bar. I’m surprised I haven’t noticed her before now.
A year of prospecting had sharpened my vision. Focused my attention. I saw everything—patch holders, ol’ ladies, signs of danger… And just like my sight, my hearing had been finely tuned. I could tell the difference between friendly conversations among the men and forced ones. I didn’t have to look at the ol’ ladies to know if they were enjoying themselves, bored, irritated or buzzed. So the fact that the most beautiful woman who’s ever graced this place with her presence, has been standing only feet from me for an unknown amount of time, makes me feel like I’m losing my game. And I’ve only had my patch two days.
“Yeah,” I say, finally answering her question. “I guess they do.”
“Well.” She forces a smile and extends her glass toward me. “Congratulations. You deserve it.” I give her a nod and take a pull from my beer. But thoughts about me becoming the newest patch holder for Hattiesburg’s chapter is now a distant memory to me. All I can think about is if she’s okay.
Less than a month ago Maddie and her sister, Dallas, were kidnapped. They’re now both home and safe, but Maddie hasn’t been the same.
She’s changed.
She seems cut off from the world. Having grown up as a little sister in the MC, she’d always felt like she was safe—like she could be protected. Now, that safety net is gone. In the last year, her life has drastically changed. And I fear it’s finally taking its toll on her.
The door opens wide and Luke walks in—president of the Devil’s Renegades.
My president.
My brother.
He stops to give Maddie a kiss on the cheek before walking around the bar toward me. He motions with his hand for me to follow him as he walks into the room where we hold church. I close the doors behind us and take a seat in the third chair to his left.
My seat.
I have little time to revel in the feeling of power before Luke speaks.
“I’m worried about Maddie,” he begins, dragging his hand down his face. He looks tired—older. “She’s not dealing with this shit. And I don’t know what to do to help her.”
I share his concern, but I know his is on a much deeper level. Luke not only views Maddie as his sister and responsibility, but he’s made her seven-year-old son his concern since the day he was born.
“You want me to keep an eye on her?” He holds my gaze a minute—warning me of what I’ve always known. Maddie is off limits. To everyone. Especially the club.
“You can trust me, Luke.”
“I know that.” He looks torn. I’m sure it has something to do with the fact that he’s in a serious relationship with Dallas, Maddie’s sister. And he feels like he’s putting one ahead of the other.
“Tell me what to do.”
I look at this man, my brother, my superior, my friend. The man who is strong when we can’t be. The one who’s held this club together despite the bullshit that’s been thrown at him. Asking me for help doesn’t make him weak. Even though he probably feels that way in this moment.
“You are all Dallas has. She doesn’t have the connection to the club Maddie does. Not yet. So make her your priority, and let us handle Maddie. I’ll make it my personal responsibility to make sure she’s well taken care of.”
It takes a few minutes for him to agree, but he finally does.
“I’m gonna take Dallas to Tupelo for a couple weeks. Give her some time to process all this shit. I’ll make sure things with the club are handled. Just…” He drops his eyes, but not before I see the guilt in them. “Take care of my girl.”
“Consider it done…brother.”
My chest swells with pride at the sound of the word on my lips.
Luke gives me his signature smirk and I see a little bit of life come back to his eyes. “Feels good, don’t it?”
“You have no idea.” But that is a lie. He does know. All of my brothers know. Just like me, they took the pledge and dedicated their time to prove themselves to the club. It was hard. It was hell. But it was worth it. In the end, we have the one thing only few will ever experience—to be a member of the greatest brotherhood in the south.
The Devil’s Renegades.
It’s a little after ten that night when I knock on Maddie’s front door. The house is dark, there’s no sign of life coming from inside and I’m just before kicking the door in when it opens. Relief washes over me at the sight of her. Even with dark circles under her eyes, dressed in a baggy T-shirt and shorts, she’s still the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.
Her blonde hair that just brushes her shoulders is shoved beneath a beanie. Her big, blue eyes are free of makeup and look bloodshot and lifeless, but no less breathtaking. I drop my gaze to her bare feet and she curls her pink, painted toes into the thick carpet.
Something about that makes my cock stir under my zipper. Fuck.
“I brought you something,” I say, my tone low and raspy. I’ve always found her attractive, but there’s something about her vulnerability that makes me feel more like a man. A man that wants to wrap her in his arms, kiss her until she’s breathless, then fuck her until she’s coming apart beneath me. But this is Maddie. And I can’t touch her. No matter how bad I want to.
I hold out her gift and she takes it, stepping to the side so I can come in. I watch her ass for all of two seconds as she crosses the room before I drop my eyes. Don’t. Fucking. Think. About. It. I repeat the words over and over as I close the door. By the time I join her in the kitchen, I feel more in control. Then she smiles. A real smile. The smile I’ve seen for years, but have missed the past several weeks.
“Green apples and peanut butter. How did you know?”
“I pay attention,” I answer simply. She seems to soften a little at my admission. And I swear I hear her sigh. “I got Logan some stuff, too.” I hold up a bag containing two pints of ice cream—both his favorite flavors.
Her smile falls and she shakes her head. “He’s spending the week with Red and Regg. They’re taking him to the rodeo. And he loves that damn chicken farm.” She curls her lip in disgust. “I don’t see how they stand the smell.”
“Regg told me it smells like money to him,” I say, taking a seat on one of the barstools. I watch as Maddie dips a slice of the apple in the peanut butter then shoves it between her lips. I’m drawn to her mouth—shifting uncomfortably when she runs her tongue over her lower lip.
She rambles on a few minutes about how she’s always loved this snack and how perfectly timed my plan to bring it was. Then she busies herself in the kitchen—making tea, rinsing a few cups, mindlessly wiping down the counters.
All the while, I just watch and listen as she jumps from one topic to another. I know what she’s doing—avoiding the question she’s pretty sure I’m going to ask. Originally, I’d planned to ask how she was. No
w, I’m not going to. I can see the answer in her actions. Instead, I ask another question.
“You got plans tonight?”
She stills, then shakes her head before continuing to stir the tea. “I thought about going out, but there’s a new movie coming on Lifetime tonight I’d like to see and my cable is out.”
This time, she looks at me and raises an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”
The corner of my lip turns up and I nod. “Yeah. I don’t watch Lifetime.”
She lets out a small laugh. It’s not much, but it’s something. And I’m surprised at how much I’ve missed the sound.
“I, uh…I mean…”
She struggles to tell me what’s really on her mind and I silently urge her to just say it. Whatever it is, I’ll agree to. As long as there’s a chance it’ll make her happy.
“We can watch a movie. If you want to,” she quickly adds. I do a mental countdown from five and I’m at two before she speaks again. “But you can go out. I don’t want you to feel—”
I cut her off before she can finish. “I want to.” Her relief is a little too obvious, and her cheeks darken when she realizes it. To keep her from feeling embarrassed, I add, “but only if it’s cool with you. My cable really is out.” The last thing I want is for her to feel like some charity case. That’s not why I’m here. It might have been my intentions to come because I told Luke I would, but I’m quickly realizing there’s no other place I want to be.
She shrugs nonchalantly and I have to fight my smile. “It’s cool. I don’t mind.”
“Good.” I stand and pull my cut from around my shoulders. She watches me out of the corner of her eye. But when I pull my hoodie over my head, causing my T-shirt to rise up, her eyes are on my stomach. And the spark of desire doesn’t go unnoticed. My dick twitches in my pants again, and I’m thankful when she turns her back to me—avoiding my gaze as she carries the tea to the refrigerator.
I’ve been to Maddie’s house with the club a couple of times, but this is my first time to be here alone. Her home is simple, but has a welcoming feel. The open layout allows you to see the living room, kitchen and dining room at the same time. Pictures of Logan, thrift store artwork and a few of the club are scattered on the walls and coffee table. One couch sits in the living room along with a bean-bag chair that belongs to Logan. I take a seat on one end of the couch and she joins me on the other.
“Got any preferences?” she asks, punching buttons on the remote until the guide pops up on the screen.
“Anything is good with me.”
It’s not like I’m going to watch the damn thing anyway. I can’t take my eyes off her—the way she curls her legs under her. Or the way she mindlessly rubs her thumb over her knee. Damn. Who knew knees could be sexy? I clench my hands into fists at my sides to keep from reaching out and touching—touching those knees. That skin. This girl.
“How about Rocky?” An action movie. A half-naked, sweaty man. A great way to not get a hard on.
“Perfect.”
Typing in the channel number, she settles further into the couch. Ten minutes into the movie, she shifts her position so her legs are out from under her. Her foot dangles off the side of the couch—dangerously close to my leg. I want to touch her. I want to see if her leg is as smooth as I think it is. I’ve never been the type of man who doesn’t go after what he wants. The problem with this girl is that I do want her. But I can’t have her.
Fuck it.
Grabbing her ankle, I pull her foot into my lap. I don’t give her brain time to register what’s happening or mine time to talk me out of this, I just work my thumbs into the heel of her foot. It feels small in my hand, soft and smooth—just like I knew it would.
I meet her disbelieving stare, daring her to tell me to stop. She surprises the shit outta me when she places her other foot in my lap. “Had I have known you were good at foot massages, I’d have invited you over a long time ago.”
“You don’t have a lot of time to do anything when you’re prospecting,” I admit, continuing to work the spot on her heel when her eyes flutter.
“I’ve never had a man, other than the one who does my pedicures, massage my feet.”
“Really?” What kind of pieces of shit had she been dating that didn’t rub her feet? I thought that was mandatory in a relationship. And not just foot massages—back, shoulder and neck massages too, which in turn, lead to sex.
“Have you forgotten the ‘don’t touch Maddie’ code everyone on the face of the planet lives by?” she asks, a look of sadness in her eyes.
No. I haven’t forgot. And the reminder that I’m betraying my brother is like a punch to the gut.
“I thought that just applied to the club.”
She shakes her head. “Nope. That applies to everyone. Besides, who wants to get to know a girl who constantly has a biker as a bodyguard?”
After the hell Logan’s father put Maddie through, Luke made damn sure to keep eyes on her when she went out. I’d been hanging around the club long enough to know that wherever she went, someone associated with the Renegades wasn’t very far behind. I guess I never really paid much attention to how protective Luke actually was.
“For a long time it was impossible to even find a guy who was up for just a one-night stand. But then,” she says, holding her finger up and smiling at me. “I discovered barroom bathrooms. Best. Sex. Ever.”
I don’t like her talking about fucking other men, hell my blood is boiling just thinking about some nameless motherfucker I want to rip in two right now, but I smirk anyway. “I don’t think you’re having very good sex.”
I shoot her a look that tells her I would be better.
I’m playing with fire. We’re flirting. I should be watching Rocky drink raw eggs and sweat and make me not hard. Instead, I’m discussing good sex with the girl next to me who smells like honey and looks like sin.
“I may not have a lot of sex, but when I do it’s good. Not everyone can be as experienced as you, Marty.” She shoots me a playful smile, and I hope like hell she didn’t feel my dick jump when she said my name. But it’s not just jumping. It’s throbbing. Hard.
“I promise you, babe.” My voice drops. “There’s a whole lot of pleasure you can’t get from fucking in a bathroom. Pleasure that requires you on your back, not up against a wall or bent over a sink.” My eyes fall to her thighs that I’m sure hold a delicious treasure between them. It would take me less than a second to push her knees apart and bury my face in her pussy.
Slowly, I drag my eyes back to hers when she whispers, “show me.” She’s breathing a little heavier. Her eyes are hooded. She wants me. I want her. On this couch. On her back. And if she can stand when we’re finished, over the bathroom sink.
But I made a promise to a brother.
I may not have said the words, but there is an unspoken agreement. Luke doesn’t want his brothers fucking with her. Nothing good could ever come of it. The MC is her family. It is my family. And if shit between us didn’t work out, then that family would be torn.
I want to stop thinking, reach out and grab a handful of hair, and pull her to me until her lips melt under mine.
I take a deep breath, and touch the patch on my leather. Fuck, I’m better than some animal lusting after her. I didn’t get my ass kicked so I could lose it all over a girl.
Clenching my jaw in frustration, I’m preparing to apologize for leading her on before explaining to her how this can’t happen. Not now. Not ever. But she doesn’t give me the chance.
She seems to be reading my damn mind, this girl.
“I’m not a little girl, Marty. I’m a grown woman who is intelligent enough to make her own decisions. And you’re a grown man.”
She fidgets with the hem of her shirt, turning her head so she’s facing the T.V. instead of me.
“I get it, though.” A hint of sadness sounds in her voice. “I’m just tired of being alone. Especially right now.” Her eyes look dilated, heavy-lidded, and damn if that
mouth isn’t moving in a way that begs to be kissed.
Fuck, is she playing me? There’s no doubt in my mind she knows Luke asked me to look out for her. So there is a very good chance she’s using that to her advantage, hoping to break me down until I give in. It’s working.
“I’m not going to leave you alone, Maddie. I’m going to be here. But that’s it. Nothing more,” I growl, sounding sterner than I feel.
She doesn’t answer me.
She just turns up the volume on the T.V., rolls on her side and lays down as if I don’t exist. I feel my eyes trail unwillingly to her ass. It would take nothing to press up against her right now and take what I want. What we both want.
I want to say more. Explain myself better. I feel like she needs it. But then, she wiggles her toes that are still in my lap and looks over her shoulder at me with a smile.
“Can I still get that foot rub?”
And I know I’m forgiven.
When the credits start rolling at the end of the movie, I feel like beating the shit outta someone. Rocky has a way of pumping you up. And I’ve never been more thankful for something keeping my attention after the awkwardness between me and Maddie.
Her legs are over my thighs, and my hands rest on her calves. Every now and then, I’d catch myself stroking the satin flesh with my thumb. It felt natural—us on the couch, her limbs thrown over mine. Like friends. Problem is, I want to fuck my friend. And she wants to fuck hers, too. Or at least she did.
She’s sound asleep now. I can’t seem to relax with her near. She’s not just my friend, she’s my charge.
And Luke’s my brother.
Shit.
I grab the remote and cut the volume down and the sound of her low snores make me smile. If Luke hadn’t already told me, I’d have known by the dark circles under her bloodshot eyes that she hadn’t been sleeping. Knowing she can now with me here with her has pride swelling in my chest. I have a natural protective instinct, but it feels even more powerful knowing she’s the one I’m protecting.