by Chiah Wilder
After a few seconds, his breathing was even and steady, and her hands continued to explore his warm, manly body. She pulled down the sheet gingerly and stared at his erection pointing upward at the ceiling. Scarlett put her hand to his groin and grasped his dick and lightly trailed her fingertips up and down his tight, thick shaft. Again Shadow stirred and she pulled her hand away.
“Don’t stop now, baby,” he rasped.
She looked up and met his heated gaze and gave him a wicked smile.
Shadow pushed himself up then collapsed back down. “Fuck!” he yelled as sweat poured down his face.
Scarlett bolted to a sitting position and ran the back of her hand over his face. “Let me get you your pain pills, baby.”
“I’m okay.”
“You’re not and stop acting like something’s wrong with you because it hurts.” She rolled out of bed and went over to the nightstand and opened the prescription bottle. The night before she’d put two bottles of water next to him in case he needed a drink during the night. She poured some in a glass and helped him up a bit as he downed the two pills. He flopped back down on the mattress, a scowl creasing his brows and forehead.
“It’s okay,” she said. “I can help you change your bandages and put the lotion over them. I read somewhere that if you put petroleum jelly over the lotion, it’ll keep the gauze from sticking to your skin when you change out the bandages.”
A smile whispered across his lips as he stared at her. “Doc told me that too.” A grimace played across his face as he gripped her wrist. “You can help me out later. Right now I need your lips wrapped around my cock.”
Shaking her head, Scarlett climbed back onto the bed. “Are you sure I won’t hurt you?”
“No way. I need you bad, darlin’.”
“Do you, now?” she asked, raking her nails up and down his chest.
“Yeah,” he replied thickly.
“That’s good to know because I need you too, baby.” She replaced her fingers with her tongue as she moved lower toward his dick.
“Fuck,” he grunted.
Circling his inner thighs, she lightly brushed his tight balls with her fingertips, her gaze fixed on his smoldering one. Scarlett slowly stuck out her tongue a little then, using the tip of it, she moved it up and down his dick in small circular motions.
“Damn, baby,” he groaned, his gaze still locked on hers.
Opening her mouth wide, she took him all in, and his briny taste lingered on her tongue. She felt his legs tremble under her touch and she sucked him hungrily, his grunts and groans driving her wild with desire. When she licked and sucked gently on his balls, she felt them tighten and she knew he was close.
“I want you to ride me, darlin’. Hard and fast.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay? I don’t want—”
“Just fuckin’ do it, babe.”
Scarlett pulled up and wiped her mouth before she straddled him, her knees on either side of his hips.
“You look fuckin’ hot wearing my T-shirt,” he rasped. “Now, take it off. I want to see your tits bounce.”
She slipped it off and he whistled, low and deep.
“Fuckin’ gorgeous. I love the pink color of your nipples. Now bend down and bring those babies to my mouth so I can suck them.”
Scarlett carefully scooted up a bit then lowered her breasts toward Shadow’s face. The second they were within reach, he cupped each tit, massaging them while his thumbs stroked her beaded buds.
Throwing her head back, her back arching, she moaned. “That feels so damn good. You made me so hot.” She reached down and gripped his dick then slid it back and forth between her pulsing folds. “Do you feel how wet you make me?” she breathed.
A broad smile spread over his face. “Does your pussy want some loving?”
“From you—always.” She bent down and kissed him deeply then lifted up on her haunches and hovered over his hard dick. Slowly, she descended, his smooth head poking through her glossy slit.
“That feels so good,” she groaned.
Shadow placed his hands on her hips and his fingers dug into her soft flesh.
“Your hands, baby.”
“Fuck that,” he grunted as he rocked his hips upward, shoving more of his cock inside her. “Take all of me into your sweet heat.”
Thrusting his pelvis up and toward her while she pushed down and back, they ground in tandem, each grunting and moaning as their excitement escalated. Fingering her hot button as she bumped and ground against him, her heated wetness clutched and squeezed him.
Then he stiffened.
“Fuck, Scarlett,” he growled. As his warm seed filled her, a pulsing pleasure ripped through her body and she writhed and quaked above him.
“Oh, Shadow, oh ….”
“Damn … it’s so good with you. Fuck.”
Bending over, Scarlett peppered his faces with feathery kisses before pressing her mouth against his in a deep kiss. Then she rolled over and slumped next to him and put her arm across his flat belly. They lay together for a long while then Scarlett rolled away and rose to her feet.
“You definitely need to have your bandages changed. I’ll go get the stuff.”
Scarlett disappeared into the bathroom then opened the medicine chest and took out a roll of gauze, a jar of Vaseline, some medical adhesive tape, and a tube of antibiotic cream. She washed her hands then with her hands full, she padded over to the bed.
“Let me help you sit up,” she said.
“I can do it on my own.”
Ignoring what he said, she helped him sit back against the headboard.
“Thanks,” he grumbled.
Scarlett kissed the top of his head then shuffled back to the bathroom to retrieve a bar of soap, several warm washcloths, and a couple of towels. She knew how hard it was on him to have her see him so vulnerable, and she wished she could make Shadow understand that it was okay … that she didn’t view him as weak because he needed her help. He was so used to being tough and keeping a stiff upper lip ever since he’d been a kid, that he probably didn’t understand how to sit back and let her help him.
“Here we go.” Scarlett perched on the edge of the bed. Shadow stared straight ahead as if purposely avoiding her stare. That’s okay, but I’m not going to back down. I’m going to help you.
She ran one of the washcloths over his shoulders and chest.
“What the fuck?” he said.
“I’m giving you a quick sponge bath before putting on a fresh dressing.”
“I don’t need you to do that. I’m not a fuckin’ wimp.”
“I didn’t say you were,” she replied, washing his private parts and legs. “I want to do this. Please let me.”
“Whatever.” His jaw clenched and his lips formed a hard thin line as he burned a hole into the wall in front of them.
After she dried him off, Scarlett bit the inside of her cheek as she slowly took off the bandages and cleaned the wounds. They looked awful but she couldn’t let him know how affected she was by all of it.
“How long did the doctor tell you it’d take to heal?”
“Two weeks. It’s not that big of a deal.” Shadow still avoided her gaze.
“It is if you get an infection.”
For the next several minutes, she chatted brightly about this and that while he remained stoic.
“That’s it,” she said, standing up. Scarlett took the supplies and walked toward the bathroom. “Do you happen to have an extra toothbrush?” she asked, pausing for a moment.
“Bottom drawer of the dresser.”
“Great. I’m guessing you have to change the bandages twice a day.”
“Yeah,” he grunted.
“I’m going to wash up.”
An hour later, Shadow sat at a table with Helm, Cruiser, and another guy Scarlett didn’t know, chomping on a turkey and swiss sandwich she’d made for him in the club’s kitchen. Earlier, when she’d been slathering mayo on two slices of wheat bread, a few of the
club girls came into the kitchen and tried to stare her down, but Scarlett had just hummed softly and finished making her man’s lunch. A few tortilla chips, a scoop of potato salad, two pickle spears, and a peeled orange had completed the plate. Then Scarlett brushed past by a bleached blonde woman with green tipped talons who’d tried to block her way out of the kitchen.
“Bitch,” the woman gritted.
Scarlett threw the witch one of the smiles she’d learned in etiquette school back when she was in third grade, and then walked out. She wasn’t sure what it was about the smile—soft, not too wide, and refined—that pissed people off, but it always came through for her whenever anyone gave her shit and she didn’t want to deal with them.
On a chair next to Shadow, Scarlett stole one of the orange slices off his plate and took a bite. The sweet juices ran down her chin and she grabbed a napkin and wiped them away. Shadow glanced at her sideways for a second then went back to lamenting with his friends over what had happened to his motorcycle. There was never a mention about what had happened to him, just his bike. Shadow’s right—this is a different world.
A tall good-looking man with black hair pulled back in a ponytail and deep blue eyes came over to the table and placed a hand on Shadow’s shoulder.
“How’re you doing, bro?”
“Sore as fuck, but okay.”
“Good.”
“Did you get a chance to check out my bike?” Trepidation laced his voice.
“Yeah, and I can save it. It’s messed up pretty good, but the engine’s sound. Any idea who the fuck did this to you?”
Shadow’s shoulders slumped down as he visibly relaxed. “Awesome news about my bike. When’s it gonna be ready?”
“A week, ten days max.”
“Cool. I’m not sure who the fuckers were. There’re cameras up and down that street ’cause it’s in the rich part of town.”
“Smokey told me. I’ll see what I can do.”
As the men spoke, Scarlett looked harder at the tall man talking to them and she noticed his leather vest had the title Vice President.
“You’re Hawk,” she blurted out, remembering Kristy had told her Hawk was the vice president of the club.
Everyone at the table stopped talking and fixed their eyes on her. The vice president glared at her, a deep frown embedded across his forehead.
“I know your wife, Cara. She’s on my committee for the Sheridan Center gala. She’s awesome. Her dad has done some legal work for my dad’s real estate company.”
“Who the fuck are you and why the hell are you talking to me?” Hawk folded his arms across his muscular chest.
What’s his damn problem? “I told you—I know Cara. Cara Minelli’s your wife, right?” Maybe Kristy was bullshitting so I’d make a fool of myself. These women around here can’t be trusted.
“So you know my old lady. That doesn’t answer why you’re talking to me.” He glanced around the table. “Who does this woman belong to?”
“Me,” Shadow said. He put his sore hand on top of her thigh as if to shush her, but there was no way in hell that was going to happen.
Scarlett sat up straighter in the chair as irritation pricked at her skin. “I don’t belong to anyone since I’m not a piece of property. I’m with Shadow—he’s my boyfriend. Besides, I was just asking a question so there’s no reason to be so rude.”
The room grew quiet like a tomb, and the tension in the room was as oppressive as the heat outside.
“Set your woman straight if she wants to ever come back to the club,” Hawk said to Shadow as he turned away, dismissing her. “I’ll let you know what comes up with the cameras and we’ll go from there.”
“Sounds good.” Shadow said but there was an edge to his voice.
Is Shadow seriously mad at me? After this jerk was so damn rude?
“Later,” Hawk said as he squeezed Shadow’s shoulder and walked out of the room.
“What the hell is—”
Shadow threw her a death glare and she clamped her mouth shut. For the next hour, Scarlett fumed while he and his friends talked about motorcycles. She glanced at her phone and saw Kiara had sent her a text inviting her to join the group—Ashley, Daisy, and Shelby—for dinner at the club. She looked over at Shadow then back at the message. At that moment Scarlett wanted to tell Kiara she’d be there, tell Shadow and his club to fuck off, and get the hell out of there. But I don’t have a car. Yeah … that would definitely thwart her dramatic exit. Shit. I doubt Lyft would come here to pick me up. She giggled at the thought of it then slid out of her chair.
“Where’re you going?” Shadow asked.
“I need some fresh air,” she replied curtly before turning on her heels and stalking away.
The sound of the river beckoned her and she followed it around the back of the property. Scarlett saw a doe across the way near the edge of the water, and nearly hidden behind it were two white-spotted fawns. Afraid she’d frighten them away, Scarlett stopped in her tracks and watched them, marveling at the beauty that surrounded such a misogynistic club.
“Are you okay, Scarlett?” Shadow asked.
Without turning around she replied, “Not really.”
“What’s wrong?” He stood beside her, the tips of his scrapped fingers running over her bare arm.
“You just sat there letting that asshole speak to me that way,” she said, her voice rising in anger.
The doe raised its head and stared at them from across the river. Sensing no danger, the deer lowered its head back to the water.
“It doesn’t work that way. Hawk’s the VP.” Shadow quirked his lips.
“That’s the best you can give me?” She shook her head. “Unbelievable.”
“It’s the way our world works, babe. I should’ve explained things to you before you came to the club, but last night I wasn’t in a real good way. I always thought I’d prepare you before I brought you to see where I live and hang out.”
“So rudeness to women is part of your world?”
“Not really. It’s just that the club is ours. What I mean by that is it belongs to the men, not the women. The women aren’t members of the Insurgents only the men. So the women are there by invitation of the members.” He cleared his throat. “They’re in the background, so to speak.”
“What does that have to do with Hawk being rude to me?” She sank down on the grass, and pulled on several of the blades.
Shadow sat down next to her. “There are rules like in any club, and a certain protocol that has to be followed. One of the rules is that no woman—even the old ladies—can ever just jump into a conversation or ask questions of a member they don’t know. The thing is you aren’t wearing my property patch so—”
“Property patch?”
“Let me finish. The property patch brings respect with it. The club members respect the woman who wears it and she’s accepted into the fold. It doesn’t mean she’s a club member, but she’s part of the club family. Wearing a property patch is actually an honor, and it’s a big deal. Other bikers won’t mess with a woman wearing the patch, and the property thing is like a ring for citizens—it binds the couple together. Am I making sense?”
“I guess. So if I had this patch, Hawk wouldn’t have jumped down my throat?”
He shook his head. “Not exactly. The rules still apply and the old ladies can’t interrupt their men, butt into conversations, or argue with a member if they don’t agree with what he’s saying to his one of his brothers.” Shadow shrugged. “It’s just the way it is.”
Scarlett stretched her legs out and leaned back on her hands. “It’s just so alien to me. I read about the whole property thing but I didn’t think it still went on. Does Cara wear that rude guy’s patch?”
“Yeah, and believe me, she’s got more power than Hawk will ever admit to.” Shadow chuckled.
“Maybe I should talk to her about all this,” she said.
Shadow’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea. She’s been with Hawk for year
s and she’s the second in command of the old ladies. Belle—that’s Banger’s woman—is first since she’s the president’s old lady then comes Cara. She’s a perfect one to talk to, and she comes from your same background.”
“I guess.”
“What you gotta understand, and I know it’ll take some getting used to, is that the club is not a lifestyle, it’s a way of life. That’s all I can say. The way you jumped into our conversation and talked to Hawk was viewed as disrespectful, and respect is everything to us. If you were at family night and Hawk and Cara were standing together talking and you came over, he’d have been totally cool.”
“So what you’re telling me is that the old ladies are basically second-class citizens. I find it hard to swallow that my boobs automatically render my intellect inferior to a person with a dick and a three-piece patch.”
For a long pause Shadow didn’t say anything and Scarlett thought she may have gone too far, but she was pissed and still stinging about Hawk’s abruptness and Shadow’s acquiescence to the whole ordeal. Then he laughed so loud that the doe jerked and ran away, the fawns following close behind.
“Fuck, babe. I love the way you just tell it like you see it. Most women would be kissing my ass right now because they’d be afraid they may be banned from the club. Not you.”
“I’m not most women,” she said glancing sideways at him.
“No you’re not and that’s what drew me in. You’re different in all sorts of ways, yet we got stuff in common. Look, what we do away from the club is our own business. I’ll always treat you right.”
She pushed up then turned to him, her hands resting on top of his thighs. “I never said you wouldn’t. I love you and I want to try and understand the world in which you live, but you have to respect that this is hard for me to wrap my head around. You have to get that I may not agree with all this.”