by Jamie Begley
“You ready for me?” Max asked, barely managing to keep himself from thrusting inside her.
“Yes.” Her legs wrapped around his hips as she lifted her hips up for him as he sank himself into her.
He watched her expression to make sure he wasn’t hurting her. When he saw that he wasn’t, he let himself enter her in small thrusts.
He buried his face in her sweet-smelling neck. She was like a fresh breeze in the hot clubhouse where the air conditioner was always broken. Their bodies clung together stickily as they moved.
Max didn’t let himself pound into her the way he wanted. He would have to wait to fuck her like that after she grew used to his size. He planned to keep her busy fucking during their time together so he could saturate his senses with her until they decided to move on.
“You okay?” Max groaned.
“Oh, yes.” She clutched his shoulders as he began to move faster. She rocked back against his strokes, driving him farther inside her pussy.
“I want it to last, but woman, you’re making it hard.” He gripped one of her perfectly sized breasts, lifting it to his mouth. He teased the nipple before letting his mouth move the side of her breast, biting down and leaving a small red mark.
“Did you just bite me?”
“When you see it, you’ll remember me fucking you.” Max couldn’t explain why he had been determined to leave his mark on her.
“I didn’t need that to remind me. I don’t think I’m going to be able to walk,” she groaned.
“Good, then you can spend the night, and I’ll fuck you when I wake up.” Max quit talking as he felt the pleasure boiling from his balls, and her pussy began to spasm around his cock.
So much for making her beg, he thought ironically as he came with her.
The room was so hot they broke apart as soon as they finished, both gasping for breath.
“This room is hot as hell.” Casey rose on her elbows, her skin gleaming in the light.
Max climbed off the bed and went to the chest he kept his clothes in. On the top of the furniture was a fan pointed at the bed. He turned it on before lying back down on the bed.
“There isn’t any air conditioning?”
“It’s broken.”
“Jesus.” She lay back down on the bed, moving around until she was lying on the pillow next to him.
Max started to pull her closer to him, knowing women always wanted a cuddle afterward. He hated that part of having sex, but with Casey, he didn’t think it would be too aggravating. However, she pulled away, placing a hand on his chest, and he looked at her questioningly.
“It’s too hot,” she explained.
Max let her go, lying back against his own pillow.
“You going to stay?”
“If you want me to.” She lifted her gaze to his.
Max nodded, closing his eyes. “Yeah, I want you to stay.”
“Then I’ll stay.” She curled to her side, facing away from him, pulling the sheet at the bottom of the bed over her and covering the ass he was tempted to explore.
Tiredness and the alcohol he had consumed at the strip club had him nodding off. His dick was more than willing for a repeat, but his body was exhausted after staying up the last week to watch over her at the store.
When she left here in the morning, he was going to make sure she was as tired as he was now, but she would be thinking about coming back for more. Maybe he would just save them the trouble of taking her home. It was the weekend; she could stay and save him the hassle of bringing her back. One thing was for fucking sure: he wasn’t ready to let her go.
Chapter 11
As silence finally filled the clubhouse, Casey brushed the tear away that lay on her cheek. She stared at the time on Max’s digital clock on his nightstand: three thirty a.m. Casey would give it another thirty minutes before she made her move.
Tension filled her as the time dragged slowly, each minute heightening her anxiety, listening for any sound that one of the members was still awake.
At least Ice wasn’t there tonight. He had been her greatest worry. Relief had poured through her when Stump had told her he was at home with Grace.
When she had called Stump, she had been mortified at her behavior, but it had been her last chance at succeeding in her plan. She had truly believed she could go through with having sex with him until he had started to touch her. She had borne it as long as she could and had been about to give up when she had seen Max coming at them.
Casey had doubted she could actually go through with it with Max also, but he had relaxed her enough that she had forgotten exactly why she had needed to stay at the clubhouse. Having sex with Max had been an enlightening experience for her, one that wasn’t going to be repeated.
Carefully, she edged out of the bed, moving around the bedroom until she found her jeans and top. She tugged them both on, afraid to even breathe in case it woke Max.
Slipping her feet into her sandals, she cautiously edged toward the door. Her palms were so clammy they almost slipped on the door handle. Wiping them on her jeans, she slowly opened Max’s bedroom door. Thankfully, the hallway was dimly lit, so no light shone into the bedroom to wake Max.
Biting her lip, she walked into the clubroom, giving a sigh of relief when she saw it was empty. She knew exactly where to go, so walking to the room the men used as their office, she slipped inside. During Mugg’s birthday party, she had figured out which room would hold the information she was searching for.
Slipping her phone out of her back pocket, she used it as a flashlight, not daring to turn on the overhead light. She slid into the chair behind the computer and turned it on.
The computer wasn’t hooked to the internet. The Predators wanted to make sure no hacker would get the club business accounts and private information.
It took twenty minutes to get past the password that had been set up. If Grace hadn’t told her their dogs’ names, she would have given up.
She practically jumped up and down in the chair as she sifted through the files. Hastily placing a flash drive into the computer, she also took a few pictures with her phone as backup, though she didn’t take many before putting the phone back into her pocket. She had exactly one hour before hell was going to descend on the clubhouse. As soon as the download to the flash drive was complete, she turned off the computer.
Pushing back the chair, she rose, turning to the doorway, and a small scream escaped her when she saw Jackal staring at her.
“Did you get what you wanted?”
Fear flooded through her bloodstream at his expression. Jackal was scary as shit when he wasn’t angry, but when he was, it was terrifying.
Casey decided to brazen it out. Maybe he hadn’t been there long enough to see what she had done. “I needed to check on a few things, but I didn’t realize it wasn’t connected to the internet.”
“Really? You’re going to stand there and lie about breaking into Ice’s computer?” he snarled. “Give me the fucking flash drive.”
Casey clutched the flash drive more tightly in her fist.
“What in the fuck is going on?” Max filled the doorway behind Jackal, his eyes going over her dressed body.
“I caught her at Ice’s computer. She has a flash drive in her hand.”
“How did she break the password?” he asked in confusion.
“That’s what I want to know,” Jackal said grimly, looking over his shoulder at Max.
“I didn’t fucking tell her!” he said angrily, glaring at her.
Casey swallowed hard at having the two men both furious at her.
Sounds were coming from the rest of the clubhouse as the other members came to investigate the raised voices.
“You didn’t tell her any shit you shouldn’t when you were fucking her?” Jackal asked, his scarred lip twitching. Casey didn’t think that was a good sign.
“Stump, call Ice and tell him to get his ass here,” Jackal ordered, turning back to stare at her.
Stump shot
her an accusing look before pulling out his cell phone.
Casey knew she was in deep trouble from the glares she was being given.
When Jackal took her arm, she almost tried to jerk away from him, but terror held her back as he led her into the clubroom to a chair.
“Sit down before you pass out. We’re not going to hurt you, yet,” Jackal threatened.
As Max remained silent at Jackal’s words, Casey’s stomach sank. She hadn’t expected him to take up for her after having sex only one time, but she had counted on their parents’ marriage to save her from actual death. She might be proven wrong in that. All the men were eyeing her as if they wanted to strangle her.
“Ice is on his way. He said not to touch her until he gets here.”
While the room went silent as the rest of the men watched and waited, Max leaned against the wall next to the chair, watching her every move.
She started trembling when Jackal’s phone rang, and he stepped away, talking quietly. When he disconnected the call, he stared at her harshly.
“What in the fuck have you done?”
“I don’t…” He bent over her, grabbing her by the jaw.
“Do. Not. Lie. The cops are headed here.”
The door to the clubhouse opened, and Ice came inside. Jackal stood, taking his hand away.
“What’s going on?” Ice asked into the tension-filled room.
Jackal explained in a hard voice that he had caught Casey in his office on the computer. “She has a flash drive with all our shit on it, and Alex just called to give us a heads up. The cops are about to storm the clubhouse.”
If she had been terrified before, it was nothing compared to when Ice’s frozen expression turned on her.
“Destroy the computer. Thanks to her, we have a backup.” Ice walked toward her.
Casey cringed back into the large chair, waiting for him to strike her. Instead, he held his hand out.
“Give me the flash drive.”
Casey’s hand tightened in a death grip before reluctantly handing it to him.
Ice stared down at the Hello Kitty flash drive before giving it to Jackal. “Hide it where they can’t find it.”
Jackal left, going inside Ice’s office.
“Brothers, if you have anything in your rooms that needs to be gotten rid of, you better get rid of it.”
The clubroom cleared out in an instant.
“What are we going to do with her?” Max asked from behind her.
“Why was she here in the first place?”
“She was here with Stump, but when I came back from the strip club, she ended up in my bed. She must have sneaked out while I was sleeping.” Max’s voice was filled with disgust, making Casey lower her eyes to her lap.
“Get her out of here. Take her to the warehouse,” Ice ordered.
“I’m not going anywhere!” Casey shook her head.
“You don’t have a choice,” Max said grimly, coming around to the front of her chair and lifting her to her feet.
Jackal came out of the office as Max was carrying her toward the back door.
“Wait! She took some pictures with her phone. It’s in her back pocket.”
Max paused with her, coming to a stop. Reaching out, he jerked her phone out of her pocket then tossed it to Jackal.
“Buzzard, go with Max,” Ice commanded as he turned to look out the club door.
Casey fought against Max’s grip as he went to the back door. Ignoring her protests, he picked her up off her feet, carrying her outside to where a large black SUV was parked. Buzzard opened the backdoor, and Max lifted her up, tossing her into the backseat before getting in next to her.
Buzzard climbed into the front seat and started the vehicle, driving away from the clubhouse.
They were halfway down the street when Casey looked out the window to see a large number of police cars going in the direction of the clubhouse. She laid her head on the glass as they passed, knowing she stood no chance of them seeing her in the darkness.
“Do you have any idea how much trouble you’re in?” Max’s voice was grim in the heavy silence.
“I know,” she answered softly.
“Why’d you do it?”
Casey remained silent. That was the one question she would never answer. Max didn’t ask again, and Casey kept looking out the window so that she could see where they were taking her. They drove back into the heavily populated city, going to an area Casey had stayed away from due the crime that was always reported there.
When Max reached over, pulling her closer to him then tying a black cloth around her eyes, she began gasping in fear.
“Calm down. It won’t have to stay on long.”
Inexplicably, Casey believed him.
Several minutes later, she felt the SUV slow then make a right turn. Then she heard the rattling of a gate and voices from the outside before the vehicle moved forward again.
Max took off the cloth around her eyes as Buzzard got out and opened her door. “Get out.”
Shakily, Casey stepped down into a large parking garage. With both men beside her, she was led to a large freight elevator. Max opened the door, pushing her inside, and she blinked back frightened tears as he closed the door and pushed a button, taking them downward.
She had a terrible feeling she wasn’t going to see daylight anytime soon.
Casey didn’t try to fight against Max. There wasn’t a chance of escape from them in the empty warehouse they led her through when they exited the elevator.
Finally, they stopped in front of a door, and Max unlocked it before motioning for her to go inside. Casey looked inside the small room, which only held a tiny bed. Although she didn’t want to go inside, she refused to plead with a stone-faced Max. Entering the room, she came to a stop when she heard the door close behind her.
At least there’s a light, and they aren’t going to leave me in the dark, she consoled herself.
She sat down on the edge of the bed, burying her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook as the silent tears of fear coursed down her cheeks. Tiredness gradually replaced the fear, forcing her to lie down and close her eyes in exhaustion.
The adrenaline that had been carrying her through the past two weeks had deserted her, leaving her only the overwhelming feeling of exhaustion.
She slept fitfully on the small mattress, her unconscious mind replaying getting caught by Jackal and facing Ice. She was unaware she was crying out in her sleep or of the door opening.
A hand shifted her, and Casey felt someone holding her close as she struggled to wake, but her mind was even more fearful of what was waiting. Ultimately, unconsciousness reigned until the soothing closeness of the body curled next to her allowed her to slip into an undisturbed sleep.
* * *
Casey woke with her ass pressed into someone’s stomach and her back against a chest. She tried to rise up, but an arm around her waist tightened.
“I need to use the restroom,” she admitted, embarrassed.
The arm disappeared, and the mattress shook as her head turned. She glanced up to see Max rising from the bed, reaching out his hand to help her up. He opened the door without saying a word, and then Casey followed him to the small room next door which had the bare necessities. After she was done, she washed her hands and threw some water on her face, using paper towels to dry off.
Casey stared into the mirror at her face, now devoid of makeup. Her tear-swollen green eyes filled her face, and the pallor of her skin made her fear apparent.
“Hurry up,” Max spoke from the other side of the door.
Once Casey opened the door, both of them remained quiet as they went back to the room she had been locked inside. He was closing the door behind her when she pressed her palm against it, stopping him.
“Let me go, Max. You’re going to get in so much trouble for this…”
“What do you care? You did your best to make sure that’s where me and the rest of the brothers end up. You ready to tell me why?”
Casey’s hand dropped from the door.
“Ice won’t stop until he gets his answers, Casey, even if he has to drag Renee into it.”
Casey sucked in a breath at his words. “Mugg won’t let anyone hurt Renee.”
“We all took oaths. No one comes before a Predator.”
“Mugg loves Renee.”
“He’s a Predator. You know I’m telling the truth.”
“You would let them hurt Renee?” she asked in disbelief.
“I like Renee, but not enough to die for her. You betrayed the club.”
Casey shook her head. “I didn’t betray them. I don’t belong to the Predators.”
Max took a step forward with lethal intent, and Casey backed up until she was pressed against the wall in the small room.
“You belonged to the Predators the second Mugg married Renee.”
Casey shook her head in denial.
“Do you know how we deal with anyone who betrays us?”
“Stop, Max,” Casey whispered fearfully.
“They die. Betrayal in the club is a deadly sin. What you need to decide is if your reasons for betraying us are worth dying for.”
Casey turned her head to the side. Unable to bear the disgust on his face, her anger took over.
“I fucked you for the information I needed, didn’t I? So, yes, if dying is a penalty I’m going to have to pay, bring it on, Max, because I’m not going to let you threaten to use Renee against me. If she gets hurt, that’s on you and Mugg, not me. She didn’t even know I was at the clubhouse last night. If she had any idea what I was doing, she would have turned me in herself, and we both know that’s the truth.”
When his fist slammed into the wall next to her head, Casey jumped, but Max didn’t touch her. Instead, he stormed from the room and locked the door behind him.
Casey’s weak legs gave out and she sank to the floor, staring at the closed door. Her arms circled her knees, pulling them to her chest as her head lowered to press against them.
One of her hands went to her throat, gripping the starfish tightly in her hand. She had to remain strong. She had no choice.