by Lilly Atlas
“Drop any weapon you have and let’s take a walk,” he said to Casper.
Casper swallowed and his shoulders slumped. He knew. But he had no options. He was outmanned and outgunned.
With a flat expression, he walked in the direction Snake indicated. Mo and Sarge backed up as though ready to flee.
“Nuh uh,” Esteban said. His men shifted their weapons and the two betrayers stopped cold. “Everyone else get the fuck out of here. We’re done. The Grimms are done. Snake is done. I ever hear word that any of you are sniffing around, looking for him, you’ll meet with the same fate your friends are about to. Trust me, you don’t want that.”
The remaining Grimm Brothers scrambled to their bikes and shot out into the desert as Snake trailed behind Casper. So much for loyalty and brotherhood. Bunch of sniveling cowards. Snake may have been a power-hungry asshole at one point, but he’d never have abandoned a brother like these spineless fucks were doing.
Live as brothers or die as brothers.
Something Casper once said to him as a show of devotion.
Fucking bullshit.
In just a few minutes it would be over. He’d have his revenge and he could rebuild his club from the ground up. Without anything that Casper had tainted. He closed his eyes and inhaled, taking a second to envision himself in the near future. Instead of the desert, instead of his brothers, instead of power, all he saw was Amanda’s smiling face. Instead of the sweet thrill of revenge, all he felt was Amanda’s loving arms wrapped around him. And all he wanted was to spend the rest of his days in her peaceful lake house as Nick. And all he wanted was to spend the rest of his nights in her bed.
As Nick.
“Stop!” he called out as his eyes popped open.
Casper froze.
“Turn around.”
Casper slowly turned and a smirk curled up one corner of his mouth. “Can’t do it, can you?”
Snake stared at the little man who’d almost destroyed his life. Instead, he now had more than he’d ever imagined. There wasn’t a single part of him that envied Casper. He was done with the Grimm Brothers. “I can. I sure as fuck can. I just don’t fuckin’ need to.”
He turned to Esteban and nodded. The man seemed to understand and he gave Snake a two-fingered salute. “Take his bike,” he said as he pointed to Casper’s Harley.
“Come join your buddies, Casper.” Esteban said. “Looks like I get to have all the fun today.”
There was no point in asking Esteban to spare Casper’s life. He wouldn’t agree. The cartel was ruthless. Besides, there was only one way to ensure Casper wouldn’t show up on Amanda’s doorstep one day. But now he could return to Amanda without blood on his hands.
He swung his leg over the bike and revved the engine. He’d pick up his truck later. After he saw Amanda. Being with her suddenly felt like the most important thing in the world. He wouldn’t keep the bike, but it would get him back to the motel. No one would be looking for it. Casper didn’t have any family to speak of and there wasn’t a one percenter around who’d go to the cops for any reason, even the execution of a brother.
Snake hit the throttle and sped off toward town and Amanda. With each mile of barren desert that flew by, Snake shed a bit of his old self. By the time he reached the motel parking lot, he felt that he’d left Snake behind in the desert and could fully step into the role of Nick.
Snake was officially dead.
Amanda paced the shoebox of a motel room for the umpteenth time that morning. Nick left hours ago with the promise that when he returned, it would be over. It being the threat from his old MC. And that was all he’d shared with her.
She’d tried every trick she could think of to get him to reveal his plans, but the man was more stubborn than she’d given him credit for. Begging and pleading didn’t work. Tears didn’t work—not that the sudden eruption of tears had been a ploy. She’d been so worried, she couldn’t hold them back. The spontaneous blow job though? Yeah, that had been all about strategy and while it turned into a very pleasurable hour for both of them, it hadn’t loosened his tongue at all. At least not in terms of sharing his plans for the day.
So she’s spent the morning prowling around the room like a caged panther. Five phone calls to Kat went unanswered and the lack of communication with anyone was making her insane.
The now familiar rumble of a motorcycle caught her attention and her stomach clenched. Snake left in the truck to meet whoever he was meeting, so it wouldn’t be him. Was it someone from his old club? Should she be worried?
Amanda peeked out through the side of the curtain into the parking lot.
Nick.
He sat astride a Harley looking as hot as ever. Despite his fifteen-minute warning about not opening the door under any circumstances, Amanda wrenched it open and tore into the parking lot just as Nick climbed off the bike.
He narrowed his eyes. “Amanda, what the hell did I say about opening that door?”
“I don’t care.” She flew into his arms and wrapped her legs tight around his waist as she fused her mouth with his.
God, he felt so good. Tasted so good.
She kissed him, pouring all the pent-up frustrations and worry of the past few hours into the act. Within seconds, Nick was hard and pressed into the vee of her thighs.
“Fuck,” he said. “Inside, now.”
Amanda shot him a sassy smile. “Just what I was going to say.”
He chuckled and squeezed her ass in both hands. “I mean inside the motel room, dirty girl.”
She pouted. “Oh.”
After he’d muscled them through the door, he turned and pressed her back against it.
She was dying to jump right back to where they’d been in the parking lot, but needed to be serious for a second. “Are you okay?”
“I’m better than okay, baby.”
“Is it over?”
He flexed his hips, grinding his cock against her and she moaned. “It’s over.”
“Will you tell me about it.”
“No.”
Amanda sighed. She should leave it alone, but she had to know. “Did you kill him?” she whispered.
“Amanda,” he said in a low rumble. Then he leaned in and whispered against her ear. “I did not kill him. I couldn’t bring that back to you. I’m not that man anymore.”
She blew out a breath and sent up a silent prayer of thanks. The way he’d said I led her to believe someone had killed Casper, just not her Nick. “Okay. That’s good.”
He straightened. “It’s over. You’re safe. I’m safe. And the Grimm Brothers will never be a problem for us or anyone again. That’s all I’ll say and that’s all I’ll ever say on the matter. That’s how it has to be, baby.”
She nodded. He was right. It didn’t matter if he told her exactly what happened. She could pretty much figure it out for herself and if he was okay with it, then she was.
“So, now what?” She felt like an idiot asking the question, but they hadn’t made any plans beyond that morning.
He stared down at her. “Now we breathe and relax. Then tomorrow we find Jester and Emily and see if there is any chance in hell that they will listen to me.”
Joy flooded through her. “Are you sure, Nick?”
He nodded. “I’m sure. You’re right. It’s something that needs to happen before I can move on from this life.”
Move on? What did that mean? She wanted so badly to ask, but wasn’t sure if she could handle it if he didn’t plan to come back with her. For now, she’d enjoy the next two days with him and leave the potential heartache for tomorrow. “Sounds good,” she said putting on a happy face. “But you forgot one thing.”
“Oh yeah?” he asked, a playful smile on his face. He ground his erection against her and she gasped. “What’d I forget?”
He already seemed different. Lighter, free, happier, and she loved it. “You left out the part where you fuck me senseless.”
Nick groaned. “Hmm, I think we can manage to fit that int
o our schedule.”
They still had much to work out, but all worries fell right out of Amanda’s head as Nick opened her jeans and worked his finger into her sopping wet pussy. She was always wet for him, but hearing him say he wanted to be with her had her near the edge without even being touched.
“Good, baby?” Nick asked against her ear.
His hot breath on her sensitive ear had her shivering.
“Better than good, Nick. Always better than good.”
“There isn’t anything to fear. From me or anyone else. I’ll do anything to keep you safe, Amanda. You understand that, right?”
“I know, Nick. I’m not afraid of you. I never was.” Love for him flooded her. Love for the man who turned his entire life around for her. “Now, please, no more talking.”
He chuckled. “You want to come?”
“Yes, please.” Geez, she was practically whining.
Nick shot her a sexy smile and dropped to his knees. When his tongue slid through her folds, Amanda’s head dropped back against the door with a clunk. It was then she realized something.
Even if he’d been the one to kill Casper today, there was no way she could condemn him for it because if the tables were turned, she’d do the same thing. She could and would do anything to protect him as well.
Anything.
Chapter Thirty
The couple strolling through the park was not at all what Amanda had expected. First off, the man was enormous. Quite possibly the biggest man she’d ever seen. He had to be at least six feet five inches and his muscles seemed to go on forever. She was particularly drawn to the size of his meaty hands. They could do some serious damage. A shudder raced through her as she recalled exactly what those fists had done to Nick’s face.
In contrast to the behemoth, his ol’ lady was a petite beauty with midnight black hair. One of her small hands was engulfed in her man’s large one as they wandered through the park. Strange to see someone Amanda associated with pain and destruction being so gentle with a woman so much smaller than him. The couple was too far away for her to even begin to catch any of their conversation, but the tender way they looked at each other revealed how in love they were.
“Holy shit,” Nick said from beside her. “They had a fuckin’ kid.”
Sure enough, the woman’s free hand pushed a stroller as they walked along. Amanda smiled and some of the tension coiled in her gut loosened. “Looks like something good came out of everything that happened.”
Nick grunted. He probably didn’t see it that way.
“You okay?” she asked.
He scratched at day-old stubble dotted along his chin, his eyes fixed on Jester and Emily. “I’m good. How do you want to play this?”
“Well I was thinking I’d go over and talk to them, feel them out, see if they might be willing to speak with you. If it seems like they’ll go for it, I’ll wave you over.”
Nick snorted. “You do realize, babe, that Jester’s likely to tear my head off if I get within ten feet of his ol’ lady and their kid.”
“Hmm.” Amanda slipped her hand in his and gave a reassuring squeeze. “I don’t think so. But we’ll find out I guess. I’m not going to have you come near them if I think there will be any danger to you.”
Nick curled a hand around her neck and turned her until their mouths were a breath apart. “You don’t need to protect me from him.”
“Can’t help it.” She shrugged and brushed her nose against his. “You see, I kinda like you and would prefer it if you didn’t get your face smashed in again.” The tone was lighthearted, but now that they were here and she saw the size of the man who nearly killed Nick, worry had her stomach tightening once again.
“Yeah?” He chuckled against her mouth. “You kinda like me, huh?”
“Yep.” Really, she loved him, but this was neither the time nor the place for that kind of confession.
“I’m not letting you meet with them by yourself. This is mine to fix,” he said then gave her a quick, hard kiss.
“Look.” Nick pointed across the park. Emily sat on a bench rolling the stroller back and forth with her foot while Jester pointed across the street then jogged toward a coffee shop. Nick had known where Jester lived, and like a couple of stalkers, they’d followed the pair from their house into town. Nick thought they might have better luck in a public place. Jester would be a bit less likely to kill him on sight. “Let’s go now. We’ll have a few minutes alone with her. I’d rather him not be there at first.”
“Okay, okay.” She took a deep breath. “I’m ready.” There was a mission to complete now. Nerves had to be shoved aside.
Hand in hand, they took off across the park at a rapid clip with Nick’s muttered, “Fuck, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” trailing along with them.
“Excuse me, Emily?” she said as she approached the park bench. Though it was only ten in the morning, the scorching sun already warmed her to the point of uncomfortable. “May we speak with you for a moment?”
Emily, who had been staring at their baby with a goofy expression whipped around to stare at her and Nick. Her reactions were instantaneous and severe.
“Oh my God. Yo-you’re alive.” She wore a horrified expression as she leapt to her feet and started pushing the stroller away. “Please stay away,” she called over her shoulder. “Please just leave and don’t hurt us. Jester will be back any second.”
“Wait!” Amanda dropped Nick’s hand and chased after a rapidly retreating Emily. “Don’t run. Please. He’s not here to hurt you. I promise. He wants to apologize.”
Emily halted and faced Amanda with an incredulous stare. A harsh laugh escaped her. “Apologize? He wants to apologize? Do you have any idea what he did to me and my brother?” A tear escaped her eye and guilt hit Amanda strong and hard.
Was she wrong to make Emily relive the horrifying time she went through? Was it purely selfish of her to want Nick absolved of this sin, at least to some degree? No. She fully believed this could be cathartic and cleansing for Emily and Jester, as well as Nick. They were in too far now to back down.
Nick stepped up beside her and raised his hands in a position of surrender. “She knows. And she’s right, I’m not here to harm you or your child.” He gestured toward Amanda with his head. “This is Amanda. She’s my ol’ lady.”
Ol’ lady? Huh? She didn’t bother asking what it meant. Emily seemed to understand the significance. Her eyes widened and her gaze shifted between Amanda and Nick. She still stood in front of the stroller as though prepared to defend her child with her body if necessary.
“You’re not wearing your cut,” Emily whispered.
Nick kept at least fifteen feet of distance between himself and Emily and when he spoke, he used a low, almost soothing tone. Amanda had no clue if his non-threatening posture was helping, but Emily hadn’t bolted yet.
He nodded. “I’m not with the Grimm Brothers anymore.”
Emily’s eyes widened as she shifted her gaze to Amanda, who nodded in confirmation.
“I’m not even living in Arizona anymore and I don’t go by Snake. I’m using my given name, Nick. What I did to you was unforgivable,” he continued. “And I’m not here to ask for your forgiveness, but I want you to know that what I did to you and your brother is the one thing in my life I truly regret. I’ve done a lot of shit and I don’t expect to get a pass for any of it—hell, I’m not sorry for most of it. You know how club life is. But I’m sorry for one thing. And that’s the trauma and pain I put you through.”
“Holy shit.” Emily whispered. “I, um, shit, I’m not sure I should believe you. This is just the type of thing you’d set up as some kind of sick trap.” She kept shifting her focus to the coffee shop where Jester was as though he would appear if she wanted it bad enough.
Amanda swallowed down the sick feeling that rose from her gut. She and Emily knew two different men and her heart ached for the scared women. But what Nick—no Snake—had done to her would not happen at Nick’s ha
nd. Amanda had to stand up for him. Had to make Emily see he was no threat and never would be.
Amanda cleared her throat and Emily shifted her attention off Nick. “I know he blackmailed you. Threatened your brother’s life and almost killed him. I know when everything blew up in his face he kidnapped you and that you were hurt both physically and psychologically. I know that Jester rescued you and came close to killing Nick, uh Snake. And then I know that his own club betrayed him, shot him multiple times, dumped him down a ravine, and left him to die.”
Emily gasped. Tears were openly streaming down her face now. Amanda was under no illusion that talk of Nick’s injuries was the reason for her crying, but memories of what she went through.
Amanda’s eyes filled as well. “I-I also know that he somehow survived. And that he worked so hard to heal and recover. He’s a g-good man now.” Her voice hitched and she lost the battle to not cry.
“Babe, don’t.” Nick stepped toward her and slid one arm around her waist while keeping the other raised and in Emily’s sight. Amanda turned into him, burrowing her face against his chest.
“I’m not who I was back then, thanks mostly to Amanda. After today, I’ll never set foot in this town again. You don’t have to say anything, and like I said, I don’t expect forgiveness. I just want you to know I feel true remorse and your family will never have to worry about any kind of threat from me or the Grimm Brothers. I’d like the opportunity to say the same to Jester, but wanted to speak with you first.”
Amanda pulled away from Nick and took a step closer to Emily. She saw it as a positive sign that Emily was still listening to them. There they stood, two women in love with men on opposite sides of the fence. Men with the ability to harm yet also love.
“This,” she said waving a hand between the three of them. “This was my idea. He’s been given a second chance at living and wants to have a quiet life, with me. I wanted to give him the opportunity to unburden his soul. And I’m sorry if this is painful for you, or if it was a horrible idea, but I still think we needed to try.”