by Harley Wylde
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Showing you a little love?”
“Jacey, you don’t have to do that.”
I could see the concern in his eyes, and I knew he was wondering if this would be a trigger for me. Beck had sorely abused me over the years, but I knew the man in front of me would never cause me harm. He was good, despite anything he may have done in the past. And I trusted him, more than I’d ever trusted anyone.
I wrapped my fingers around his shaft and leaned forward, taking a slow, long lick. Ty groaned and his grip on my hair tightened for a moment, but he didn’t force me to do anything. I licked and nibbled, loving the sounds that he made as I teased him. When I finally took him into my mouth, his flavor burst on my tongue and I wanted more. I sucked him, hollowing my cheeks as I tried to give him as much pleasure as he gave me.
“God, Jacey. You’re killing me,” he said, his voice deeper than before.
I could feel the tension in his body, knew he was holding back, and I wanted to push him over the edge. I wanted Ty completely unhinged and taking what he wanted from me, but even if I asked, I knew he would hesitate, too afraid that he would hurt or scare me.
I gripped his thigh with my other hand and let my nails bite into him. He groaned and starting thrusting into my mouth. He was gentle, until I flicked the underside of his cock with my tongue. It seemed to unleash something inside him, and his eyes burned as he looked down at me, our gazes locked. I hoped he could see that I was extremely turned on and not the least bit afraid. He used the grip on my hair to guide me as he fucked my mouth, his strokes getting harder, deeper.
“Do you like that, baby?” he asked. “You like me fucking your mouth?”
I moaned as my clit tingled from his dirty words.
“Touch yourself, Jacey. I want you to come when I do,” he said.
I released his shaft and reached between my legs. I rubbed the bundle of nerves, spreading my legs farther. Ty got a little rougher, but it was just the right amount. As he grunted and growled, telling me how good I was at sucking his cock, I came. Stars burst across my vision. His body tensed, and then the hot splash of his cum started filling my mouth. I swallowed every drop, and his body trembled as his cock twitched in the aftermath.
“Clean me up,” he said, not releasing me.
I pulled him from my mouth and licked his shaft, then flicked my tongue across the head, making him hiss. When his grip on my hair slackened, I stood up, my legs barely able to hold me I’d come so hard. Ty gathered me in his arms, kissing me fiercely. I melted against him as he cuddled me, smoothing his hand down my hair. We stood like that, just letting the hot water beat down on us until it started to get chilly, then we quickly washed and got out. I knew taking the tests first thing in the morning would be more accurate, but I was dying to find out now whether or not I was pregnant. Ty stepped out of the room while I peed on the three test sticks, then I set them on the counter and we waited.
When all three showed positive results, Ty let out a loud whoop and spun me around, which nearly made me throw up again. I didn’t know how the kids would react, but as long as we were all together, then we could work through any little hiccups along the way. But first, we had to handle Beck and get him out of our lives for good. I would do whatever it took to protect my family and make sure Ty didn’t feel the need to get his hands bloody on my behalf. I now had three kids and the kindest man I’d ever met who needed me, and I wasn’t going to let them down.
Ty made the arrangements for Officer Daniels to come to the house, and Torch and someone named Tank both promised to be present. I hadn’t met Tank yet, but Ty assured me the man would help keep me safe. I’d take his word for it. If Ty trusted the men behind these gates, then so would I. I’d learned with Beck that you couldn’t judge a person by their looks, and not even always by their actions.
I never would have thought a group of bikers would be trustworthy. Of course, I’d never met any before now. The men I’d come to know over the last nine days were family-oriented, protective, and would gladly lay down their lives for women and children. The exact opposite of the man I’d married.
Ty was amazing and I wanted to be worthy of him. He needed a strong woman, one who would fight back. I hadn’t been that woman in a really long time, but it was time to find my backbone and stand up to Beck. Maybe it made me a chickenshit to do it from behind a locked gate with more than a dozen armed men around me, but it was better late than never. I’d let Beck win for too long, and I needed to do something before he hurt someone else, or came after me and the kids again.
Chapter Six
Ty
I was so damn proud of Jacey. She was scared to death, but she’d calmly talked to Officer Daniels about her life with Beck, how he’d lured her in and then changed after they were married. Hearing firsthand about everything that man had done to her nearly made me lose my shit, but I held it together for her and the kids. Danica had agreed to speak to Officer Daniels, with two Dixie Reaper ladies present. We’d given him a signed statement about everything, including permission for him to film Danica’s view on Beck Lane. By the time he left, he said there was no way a judge would let Beck remain free. I hoped like hell he was right.
The kids were both home after playing all day with the kids at the compound, the ones old enough to join them anyway. There were quite a few babies and kids that were still toddlers. It still boggled my mind just how much this place had changed over the years. The guys were still pretty hardcore, but I could see a softer side of them when the ladies and kids were present. I’d never thought to see the day that Torch or Venom turned into teddy bears, much less a guy like Tank, but they were all mush around their families. And fuck me if I wasn’t the exact same way.
We’d told Danica and Jackson about the baby, and both were excited once they learned it wasn’t Beck’s kid but mine.
“Now will you be my daddy?” Jackson asked. “It’s not fair you get to be the baby’s daddy and not mine.”
I glanced at Jacey and there was a soft smile on her face. I knew it wasn’t quite that easy, though. Well, not entirely. I could ask Wire to work some magic, but I wanted to do this the right way if at all possible. Getting Jacey free of Beck was one thing, but claiming these kids as my own was another matter.
“Your dad has to agree to terminate his claim to the two of you, or a judge has to make him do it,” I said. “But if I’m allowed to adopt the two of you, then yes, I would love to be your dad. Even if I can’t be your dad on paper, the two of you are still mine in here,” I said, placing my hand over my heart.
Jackson wrapped his arms around my leg and squeezed tight. A lump of emotion grew in my throat as I glanced at Jacey again, and I saw she felt the same. I couldn’t believe I was a lucky enough bastard to call this little family my own. I’d never thought I’d have something like this, an amazing woman by my side, and awesome kids, yet here we were. I just needed to make it more official, not just with the kids, but with their mom too.
When I’d told Jacey I was going to run an errand, I hadn’t told her exactly what I was doing. I disentangled myself from Jackson and pulled the small box from my jeans pocket. Approaching Jacey, I saw the curiosity in her gaze, and watched her eyes go wide and her lips part as I dropped to one knee in front of her. I snapped open the ring box and presented her with the modest diamond inside. It wasn’t small enough to be ignored, but not big enough that people would gawk.
“Jacey. I love you, and I love these kids. I would be honored if the three of you would be my family, if you would be my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and our children, grow old together, and make lots of happy memories over the years. Will you marry me?”
She sniffled and nodded as she fought back tears. “Yes!”
I slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed her softly, then got tackled by both kids. I laughed and rolled on the floor with them, tickling their ribs and making them squeal. All the merriment left my f
ace when I saw the incoming text on my phone, though.
Church.
That one word put dread in my heart. Everything should have been settled. Beck should be behind bars right now, and I couldn’t think of another reason for Torch to call Church. I shot a look at Jacey, who was still watching the kids, and I hoped I could slip away without worrying her. This was why I didn’t want to come back to this life full-time. She’d been through so much already, I didn’t want her to get scared every time I had to go out on club business, not knowing if something would go wrong and I wouldn’t return. I wouldn’t do that to her and our kids. I just couldn’t.
“Torch needs to see me for a second, but I’ll be back soon.” I smiled at her, hoping she wouldn’t see the concern in my eyes. “Why don’t the three of you order pizza? The Prospect at the gate can pay for it and have it delivered to the house. Get whatever you want and any extras like breadsticks.”
“Will you be back to join us?” she asked.
“Should be. Torch can get a little long-winded at times, but I’m sure it’s nothing big. Probably just wants to know how much longer we’re staying here.”
“All right.” She stood up and pressed her lips to mine. “We’ll see you when you get back. Love you, Ty.”
“Love you too, babe. More than the air I breathe.”
I kissed her again, hugged the kids, then left to see what the Pres needed. In my gut, I knew something had gone wrong, but I hoped like hell I wasn’t right. My bike was in the driveway and I rode it over to the clubhouse. When I walked into Church, I noticed there was an empty seat. Torch gave a nod for me to claim it. I placed my hand on the back and just took a moment. If I sat down, did it mean he would expect me to be in this chair forever? My allegiance was still to Torch and the Dixie Reapers, but I had my family to think about too.
“Sit down, son. It’s a chair, not a bomb,” Torch said.
I pulled out the chair and sat, then waited to see what the hell was going on.
“Officer Daniels showed the videos he took of Jacey and Danica to the local judge as well as the Chief of Police. Unfortunately, while he was doing that, Beck was working on disappearing. He’s off the grid. Can’t track his cell, and no one around town has seen him since this morning,” Torch said. “They’ve put out a B.O.L.O. on him at the police department, but I’m hoping we can find him first. As of right now, we’re on lockdown. I’m going to ask that all the women and children be brought to the clubhouse where they’ll have round the clock protection while we sort this shit out.”
Venom eyed me from down the table. “Cowboy, I know how you feel about getting your hands dirty, especially right now. If we catch Beck Lane, you can take a step back if that’s what you want.”
My heart hammered in my chest, and I hated that I was fucking right. Beck was like a goddamn cockroach and just wouldn’t go the fuck away, like those big ass ones you could spray with half a can of Raid and they kept coming for you. As for catching the fucker… I wanted a piece of him. Even if I didn’t end his life, I wanted a chance at payback for all that he’d done to Jacey and those kids. Even if he hadn’t laid a hand on them, he’d terrorized them just the same.
“I want some time with him,” I said. “Not taking things all the way because I promised Jacey, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to make him pay.”
Venom gave a nod and I knew he’d make it happen, then make sure Beck Lane never drew another breath. If not him personally, then he’d have someone take care of it. I may have been gone a long-ass time, but these men still had my back. It was humbling, and I knew that staying nearby would be the right thing to do. I wasn’t changing my mind about living at the compound, though.
“I’m leaving Tank, Grimm, Saint, and the Prospects here,” Torch said. “As soon as I got word about Beck Lane being in the wind, I called in some help. Devil’s Boneyard is sending a few men, and there were some Devil’s Fury there visiting, so they’re coming too.”
“What about the Reckless Kings? Don’t they have an Alabama chapter not too far from here? With this guy’s law enforcement background and connections, the more hands on deck the better,” Wraith said. “I know Beck Lane isn’t their problem, not like the ongoing issue with The Inferno, but they may lend a hand.”
What the fuck? It blew my mind that so many clubs would drop what they were doing to help us out, especially me since none of them knew me. And what the hell was that about The Inferno? I knew I’d missed out on a lot, but was there trouble I needed to know about? Someone who could come for Jacey and the kids?
Back when I’d been an active Dixie Reaper, it had just been us. There was no help to call on, not really. Every now and then other clubs would pitch in for a big deal going down if they got a cut, but this was different. It didn’t seem like the men coming here expected any monetary gain from it. It was like they were family, even though they weren’t Reapers. I knew that Laken was with a member from Hades Abyss, and Bull’s woman was the daughter to the VP of Devil’s Boneyard. Our club was growing not just here at the compound, but in ways that connected us with others. It was a lot to take in.
“Reckless Kings don’t have anyone in the immediate area, but they have a few men between here and their Tennessee chapter. Their Pres assured me they would keep an eye out for anyone matching the description of Beck Lane, and they were going to put the word out that he’s a wanted man by several clubs,” Torch said. “They have some reach, so there won’t be anywhere Beck can hide. Honestly, I don’t expect him to go far. He’ll want Jacey.”
My hand fisted on the table. The fucker might want Jacey, but he wasn’t going to get her. I was going to keep her safe, whatever it took. And I needed to let my brothers know they weren’t just protecting Jacey and her two kids with Beck. They were also keeping my unborn son or daughter safe.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” I said. “Jacey’s pregnant, and it’s mine.”
Torch smiled faintly, and Venom gave me a look that said he wasn’t the least bit surprised. After a round of congratulations, Torch got everyone back under control. We each had our orders, and as much as I wanted to stay here with Jacey, I knew it was better if I was out looking for Beck. I was the only one who had seen him in person. Wire had made sure everyone had a picture and full description of the asshole.
My first job was to get Jacey and the kids back to the clubhouse. Every brother who had a family would be doing the same. There wasn’t a place for them to sleep, which meant Torch planned to end this as soon as possible.
I didn’t want to freak Jacey out, or the kids. I couldn’t lie to them. The second they got here and saw us preparing to hunt her asshole ex-husband, she would know. Jacey was far from stupid, and same went for her kids. During the ride back to the house, I rehearsed in my mind what I’d say when I got there. There was no way to sugarcoat the situation. I’d just have to tell them straight out what was going on, and why they were going to the clubhouse.
My bike had barely turned off when Jacey threw open the door and rushed toward me. I caught her, holding her tight. Her lips crashed against mine, an almost desperate feel to our kiss. And that’s when I knew. Jacey had already figured out that something was up, and that whatever it was would be dangerous. When she pulled back, I ran my fingers across her cheek.
“We need to get the kids. Pack whatever will keep them occupied for a little while.”
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“I’m taking you and the kids to the clubhouse.”
“Us. But you’re not staying, are you?” she asked.
“No, babe. I’m not staying there with you. Beck is still running free, and I can’t let that happen. We’re going after him, hunting him down like the animal he is, and then my club will make sure he never hurts another person ever again.”
She gave me a hesitant nod, and I knew I needed to reassure her.
“Honey, look at me.” Her gaze locked on mine. “The club will take Beck out. I won’t take his life. I
promised you I wouldn’t have his blood on my hands, and I’m keeping my word. Mostly. I do want to get my hands on him, but I won’t be the one to kill him. One day, if the kids ever ask what happened to him, I don’t want you or me carrying the burden that I’m the one who ended him.”
“Thank you, Ty. Not just for being an honorable man, but for everything you’ve done for us. From the beginning, you’ve tried to make our lives better. I only wish I’d left Beck sooner.”
“You’re here with me now and that’s all that matters, Jacey. Come on. We need to get the kids packed up and get the three of you to the clubhouse. I’ll call a Prospect to drive you down there, and I’ll follow on my bike. I won’t leave until I’m sure you’re settled.”
She kissed me once more, then we went into the house together, and tried to explain things to the kids in a way that wouldn’t terrify them. By the time I left them at the clubhouse, I was more than ready to end things with Beck. I was tired of that asshole making my woman and kids live in fear. Even if he went to jail, he’d eventually get out, and there was no way to reform a guy like Beck. The second he was free, he’d be after Jacey again. I’d just hoped that if he were locked up, it would buy us some time and give us a chance to plan.
I only hoped we found him before the police did.
Chapter Seven
Jacey
The kids either didn’t feel the tension, or they were just resilient. Danica and Jackson played with their new friends. The man called Saint was inside with us, an adorable little girl toddling around after him. He seemed a lot younger than the other patched members. We hadn’t had a chance to talk yet, but he looked like he was maybe mid-twenties.
“Better not let Cowboy see you eyeing Saint that way,” Ridley said with a grin.
“I wasn’t… I’m not…” I blew out a breath. “I was just thinking he looks a lot younger than the others who have club names.”