Duke

by Candace Blevins

  It was too much, and not enough, and she wrapped one leg around his waist, pulling him closer.

  Duke leaned to the side, reached to the table, and came back as he lifted over her again. Gen’s heart skipped a few beats as she realized he was opening a condom, but she didn’t have it in her to say no.

  Partly because she knew he’d stop if she said it, and she didn’t want him to stop.

  She wanted to give herself to him. Wanted to be his in all ways.

  Duke looked into her eyes as he took off his shorts and put the condom on, and he must've been good with what he saw. He leaned forward and pulled her shirt off over her head, tossing it on the floor before his mouth landed on her nipple and he sucked it between his lips, and scraped it with the rough part of his tongue.

  Gen’s moan sounded more like a plea this time, and he muttered, “Close enough,” before he lifted his hips and situated himself at her entrance.

  He slid just the head in and leaned forward. This kiss was soft, sweet, and Gen missed the wild abandonment of a few moments ago, but relaxed when she realized he’d found control. He’d promised he’d be careful with her, and she knew he was going to honor his promise.

  Like always.

  Gen lifted her hips, wanting more than the tip, but Duke lifted away and said, “I promised I’d be careful with you, Beautiful.”

  “I’m good, Duke. Don’t want you to change who you are for me. I want you to—”

  He kissed her again, and Gen had the distinct impression it was to shut her up this time, so she pushed his head up enough to talk again.

  “I’m yours, Duke. Take me. Claim me.”

  Duke went in another inch, came back out. “So tight. So hot. Don’t want to hurt you, Beautiful.”

  He pressed in again, a little deeper, and pulled out again.

  “Please don’t treat me like I’m breakable, Duke. I can take you. Let me prove it to you. Please let me give myself to you. The real you, not the careful one.”

  He must have seen something in her eyes, because he pressed in and didn’t stop this time until he was all the way in. Gen’s breath went out, as if his cock pressed the air from her lungs, so when he was inside of her she was filled with him and nothing else. Not even oxygen.

  “Breathe, Beautiful.”

  Her body obeyed him again, without her thinking about it, and she reached to his head and pulled him down for a kiss.

  He was still gentle, still caring, but she knew he was losing his control. When he broke from the kiss he said, “Gotta move, Beautiful.”

  Gen only got out, “Yes,” before he’d pulled out and was heading back in. Still smooth and controlled, still watching her face to be sure she was okay, but faster now, as he set up a rhythm.

  Duke’s hand slid down her side, over her hip, and landed just above her clit before sliding down so there was a finger on either side of it.

  “I want to feel you come with my cock in that beautiful pussy, Beautiful. Give it to me, Genesis.”

  Gen’s brain protested the language, but her body didn’t care. Her legs wrapped around his waist as pleasure shot through her and she screamed his name.

  When she came down from the orgasm, Duke flipped her around so her back was to his front. He’d gone to his knees, and he sat her down on his length as if she weighed no more than a doll. His hands went to her hips to hold her a few inches above him, and he pressed up, into her, again and again. Over and over. Gen wanted to protest, but she couldn’t get her brain to form the words, she just kept repeating, “Oh, God. Oh, God.” She heard herself, but couldn’t stop.

  Within minutes she was in the throes of another orgasm, and Duke’s arms were wrapped around her torso, holding her to him as he kept pistoning in and out of her, taking her through the orgasm.

  Minutes later, when she seemed stuck in a permanent orgasm without end, he leaned her forward until her face rested on the bed, lifted her hips, and took her from behind even harder than before.

  It still wasn’t enough, and Gen heard herself begging for more. He picked her up, took five steps with her, leaned her shoulders against the wall, looped her knees over his arms and lifted her legs high and wide, and went back into her.

  Finally, he pounded her hard and deep, took her like she knew he wanted to, and like she needed him to take her. His eyes branded her soul, his cock branded her body.

  She closed her eyes to come again, but he demanded, “No. Eyes open, Gen. Look at me when I make you come. You don’t get to hide anything from me, Beautiful. Not your pain, not your pleasure. Give it to me, Babe.”

  She screamed through this orgasm, and when Duke came with her at the end, she thought if she died right then, her life would be complete.

  Duke carried her back to bed, so gentle, so sweet. He disappeared to the bathroom for a few seconds, but was back before she’d managed to get the blanket over her.

  He slid into bed and pulled her into his arms. “You okay, Beautiful?”

  “I’m so much better than okay, I’m not sure there are words.”

  He looked at her, but she was suddenly embarrassed and looked away. Duke’s fingers touched her cheek, gently pulled her face back until their gazes met.

  “You just gave yourself to me, Gen, and I think it’s the most beautiful gift I’ve ever been given. So pure and innocent, but not afraid to show me the real you on the inside. I want you to know you’re always safe with me, not just physically, but emotionally. And when we’re in bed together, you can say or do anything, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Ever. Do you understand, Beautiful?”

  Gen grew more embarrassed as he talked, but Duke seemed to understand. “I told you a long time ago you’d have to get used to me, and this is what it means to get used to me, Gen. I’m real big on straight talk when it comes to just about everything, but especially sex. A month from now I hope to be able to tell you to strip and lean against the wall so I can fuck you, and then sit back and watch you get ready to take my cock in your beautiful little pussy.”

  At this, Gen pulled her face away from Duke’s hand and rolled away from him, but he pulled her back, laying on his side and spooning her into him. “You’re mine now, Gen. I’m yours, too. I’ve never let another woman take control in any way, and I let you. I’m falling for you, Beautiful. Please don’t pull away from me. You wanted the real me, and I’m trying to get you used to me.”

  “Isn’t it usually the girl who wants to talk after sex, and the guy just wants to fall asleep?” Gen asked.

  Duke chuckled and said, “Okay, I’ll give you that one. You’re sleepin’ in my arms tonight, so I’ll give you just about anything right now.”

  “Can I put my clothes back on?”

  “Not a chance. Go to sleep now, Beautiful. I set an alarm for eight, is that good for you?”

  “Mine’s set for seven, I have a little paperwork to look over before my meeting.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Gen was exhausted by the time she drove towards the Rolling Thunder compound. She didn’t want to make a big deal of stowing away her weapon in the parking lot, so she put it and her extra magazine in the hideaway compartment while sitting at a red light a few blocks away.

  She was deliciously sore today, and had a hard time focusing a few times during the day. Not enough anyone noticed, but she’d had a hard time not thinking of Duke.

  He’d asked her to call him between appointments, just to check in so he could hear the sound of her voice. She’d done so, and they’d talked three times throughout the day. They’d had breakfast at a little café near her first appointment, and when he kissed her goodbye she’d watched his bike disappear down the road. She knew they didn’t match, her in a business suit and him in jeans and his club jacket.

  She didn’t care about them matching, though, because they fit perfectly in bed.

  She left her purse on the floorboard, pocketing her key as she stepped away from her car. Duke met her in the parking lot, and his hands went to her hips
as he leaned down to kiss her.

  She felt his fingers move from her hips around her back, and realized he was feeling for her gun.

  Suddenly pissed, she pushed him away, but he didn’t move.

  “You bastard! You’re just like the rest of them, demanding I trust you and then not giving me even a millimeter of trust! I told you I wouldn’t carry in your precious compound, and I’m not!” She looked at him a split second and lowered her voice to say, “And I never will, because I’m not coming back. I gave myself to you last night, in a way I’ve never given myself to anyone else, and this is how you treat me?”

  Gen turned to leave and felt a bar across her middle. She looked down to see Duke’s arm, and then felt him lift her into his arms, carrying her like a baby.

  “Put me down, Duke.” She didn’t scream it, said it as calmly as possible, but he didn’t say a word and kept going.

  Someone opened the clubhouse door and he carried her inside, put her down with her back against a wall, and he put a hand on the wall on either side of her head and leaned forward.

  “Rules say I have to check, Beautiful. Don’t be pissed.”

  “Move out of my way and let me go.” Again, she spoke low, in control.

  He shook his head. “You aren’t leaving until we work this out.”

  “Holding me against my will is against the law.”

  “Already told you I’m an outlaw. I’m not hurting you. We’re talking.”

  Her eyes teared and she fought not to cry as kept her voice at barely a whisper and told him, “I gave you everything, Duke. I gave you me, when I didn’t even know I’d never given myself to anyone else, not like you made me give myself. And this is how you treat me? I gave you my word and you didn’t believe me. I may not have a lot of experience, but I know when someone’s treating me like shit, and I won’t stick around for them to do it twice.” She took a breath, and added, “We’re done, Keith.”

  “Gen,” someone said from the side, and she looked to see Brain, his face a mix of compassion and sorrow. “Don’t be mad at him, we forced his hand. He told us you’d honor your word, but the club took a vote and said we needed to know for sure you weren’t carrying. If it helps, I voted with Duke, but the majority needed to know. We should’ve listened to him.”

  Gen looked back to Duke and said, “No, you don’t get to hide behind them. You chose to check without talking to me. That’s on you. And you know what else? You promised me you’d have my back if I walked onto the compound unarmed, and now I find myself with my back to the wall being held here against my will, and no way to get away because I effing trusted you to have my back.”

  Gen’s hand shot out and she throat punched him, and as he moved away she lifted her arm and sank her elbow into his ribs as she kicked the back of his knee. Dawg stepped in front of her to stop her, but Duke growled out, “No one lays a hand on her but me.”

  Gen glared at Dawg and he stepped to the side and let her go.

  She was almost to the door when Duke was in front of her, though, and she looked at him in shock, a little afraid that he could recover and get to her so fast.

  “I fucked up. You’re right, I should’ve told you about the vote, given you the option of showing them you were unarmed, or my getting in the car with you and taking you out to eat. I’m sorry, Gen. I fucked up, and now I need to figure out what to do to make it up to you.”

  “You can start by letting me walk out the door.”

  “Don’t use this as an excuse to push me away, Gen.”

  “Didn’t want an excuse to push you away. We’ve talked on the phone three times today, when I’ve never called anyone between appointments just so they could hear my voice. I was looking forward to seeing you tonight, though I wasn’t sure if anything could happen because—” Gen remembered their audience and didn’t tell him how sore she was. “I gave you every bit of trust I have in my soul, Duke, and you didn’t trust me to leave my gun in the car when I told you I would. I’m more sorry about this than you can possibly understand, but we’re done.”

  She wasn’t emotional when she said it, but she meant every word.

  “Call a vote.”

  Gen wasn’t sure who said it, but Duke looked up and around, his eyes growing hard. “Don’t fuck with me, brother. I told you she’d leave it in the car if she said she would. You’re the one who pushed it.”

  “Okay, so call a vote. Weapons privileges for your Duchess. Even now, as pissed off as she is, she isn’t emotional. She knows how she feels and she’s tellin’ you. She throat punched you, but knew how much force to put behind it to keep from killin’ you. She kicked the back of your knee, but didn’t do it with intent to maim but to slow you down. You’ve assured us she knows how to handle a weapon, and I have no reason not to believe you, so I’ll vote aye. Call a vote.”

  Duke looked around and asked, “Duchess?”

  “Yeah, it fits. She’s the Duchess to your Duke. Now call a damned vote.”

  Duke looked back at Gen. “Do you understand what they’re saying?”

  “It doesn’t matter, Duke. I trusted you not to hurt me, and not twenty-four hours later, you hurt me. I can’t do this.”

  Duke sighed, but didn’t look away from her as he said, “Count it down. All in favor of letting Gen have permanent weapons privileges on RTMC property, including all areas of the compound, and of letting her have access to the back of the clubhouse without an escort, say aye. Start with Gonzo and work around the room.”

  Gen heard Gonzo say “aye,” then heard someone else, and then someone else. She lost count of how many voted, but not a single one voted against.

  She could see the emotion in Duke’s face as they all gave consent, but she stayed quiet. When no one said anything for several seconds she said, “Great. Wonderful. Now if you’ll let me go, I’d like to leave.”

  Duke shook his head and Gen said, “Here’s a novel idea. Why don’t you trust me enough to walk away from you and decide on my own whether I might be able to give you another chance with my heart?”

  Duke looked at her for a count of three, stepped around her, and opened the door.

  Gen was halfway across the parking lot when he said, “Don’t take too long to decide, Beautiful.”

  She called Bethany as she left the compound, and stopped to buy a bottle of rum on her way to her best friend’s house.

  * * * *

  Duke looked at his men and said, “I’m gonna get on my bike and start riding. I don’t know when or where I’ll stop, or when I’ll be back. Consider me out of pocket.”

  Duke stepped out as Gen was driving out of the compound. Unfortunately, as he threw his leg over his bike, two patrol cars and an unmarked detective vehicle pulled in. Cursing under his breath, he settled his helmet on his leg to see how they parked and how they exited their vehicles.

  He knew the detective, but didn’t know either of the men in uniform, and took this as a bad sign — Detective Miller had been to their parties, but had brought people who weren’t a friend of the club as his backup.

  Duke returned his helmet to the back of his bike and swung off to walk to the men.

  “Gentlemen. What can I do for you?”

  He knew his men inside would’ve been alerted by the control room, and was surprised no one came out to talk. He guessed they all knew he wasn’t in the mood to see them right now. Dawg and Brain had voted with him, so he didn’t want to pummel their faces, at least.

  “It’s come to our attention that Thurston Alexander is looking into taking steps to apply for an FFL license.”

  Duke relaxed a little as he said, “That’s right. He’s looking to open a gun store, and wants to do it by the books. He’s here if you need to talk to him.”

  Detective Miller shook his head. “No, we want to tell you we aren’t happy with the prospect of your MC owning a gun store. Nearly a quarter of your members are felons. You know they can’t have access to weapons.”

  Again, Duke nodded. “We’ll set s
ecurity up so it takes a palm print to get in, and not just keys. None of our felons will have access.” Duke made a quick judgment call and added, “We’re trying very hard to keep to legitimate businesses. You know some of our other chapters have questionable income streams, and we want to avoid that. We’ll be opening up another bar, possibly two more, and we’re going to open a gun store and offer training.”

  “And here’s your warning — we’ve had instructions from the brass to stay out of your way. We’re to watch you, and arrest you if you completely step over the line, but not to harass you over bullshit stuff. You open a gun shop, you lose that.”

  Duke nodded. “Thanks for the heads up. I know I can’t offer you to come in and sit down for a beer now, but if you’d like to stop and talk when your shift’s over, all three of you are welcome.”

  The two uniforms looked pissed, but Detective Miller smiled. “Not today, Duke. Think about what I said, you know how to contact me if you need to talk. We’ll get out of your hair, now.”

  Duke gave them a chin lift, watched them go, looked into the camera at whoever was sitting in the control room, and then turned to get on his bike and roar away.

  * * * *

  Duke rode without thinking and ended up along the Ocoee River. He knew someone at one of the outfitters, and pulled in. A quick conversation and he had a cabin for the night as well as an invitation to hang out at the campfire later and drink.

  He knew his men would know where he was, they all had tracking devices on their bikes and cars. He also knew they’d leave him the hell alone until he got back. Assuming there were no emergencies.

  Duke waited until well past dark, hiked a good distance away from the populated areas, took his clothes off, folded them into a small bag, hid them up in a tree, and changed.

  He ran for hours, letting his wolf free. Nothing existed but the ground under his feet, the wind in his fur, and the smells and sounds of the forest.