Jase

by MariaLisa deMora

  Reaching out, he took the hood from Bear’s hand, tossing it to the floor as he leaned down into Birdy’s face. Locking their gazes, he got near enough to feel the heat radiating from the man. Speaking quietly, he said, “Just signed your own fucking death warrant, motherfucker. God forgives, Rebels don’t.” He held out his hand and accepted the burden of the cold metal willingly.

  ***

  He held DeeDee in his arms, watching her sleep. He, Slate, and Bear had walked out of the basement room of the clubhouse to find out Gunny had called from a location downstate. He and Sharon had been released, and Jase shook his head, because the part of the story about what had happened to them was muddy.

  Why had Elkins been in their house? How was he hooked up with the people who had taken them away? Why had they been taken, and why were they released? Was there a connection between the shit with Birdy and Manzino, and what happened to them? So many questions and no answers; at least, not right now. Gunny had gone into the office with Mason, Slate, and Bear, coming out several hours later. He refused to talk, striding away with hardly a word to where Sharon waited, picking her up and cradling her gently to his chest as he walked up the staircase.

  He and Sharon were in a room here, and Jase suspected he would see his sister at breakfast. He hoped he could get more out of her than he was able to find out from Gunny.

  His mind turned back again to the scene with Birdy, rolling things over again and again in his head, trying to find a better solution. Why would Birdy have done it? Why would he voluntarily fuck up so badly? Why would he work to become part of a club that he so obviously hated?

  It didn’t matter which way he looked at it, what angle he came at it from, the outcome was always the same. If Birdy’s actions didn’t change, then things had to shake out the way they did. Because the club was a brotherhood, it depended on adherence to specific rules of conduct. Betrayal of your brothers was the worst thing you could do and, as a result, had the highest cost in response.

  Look what had happened to Bear in Des Moines last year. He was working with Slate and Mason, uncovering issues with the chapter out there. When it was evident he found problems, several of the local members had taken him and beaten him nearly to death. Some members might feel badly about what happened to the men who’d done that to Bear, but Jase understood why, just like he understood what had to go down tonight. Didn’t mean he liked it, but he had agreed to it.

  DeeDee stirred in his arms, and he stroked down her back, feeling her naked skin slipping like silk beneath his palms. I’d do anything to keep you safe. Pay the cost from tonight a dozen times, he thought. He took a deep breath, nuzzling the side of her head and kissing her softly. “I love you, baby,” he said. “Je t’aime, bebe. Je t’aime.” Angling his body to pull her closer, he whispered, “Everything changed tonight. But for the first time in my life, I don’t feel alone. You and me, baby, we’re permanent; we’re family. Rester avec moi pour toujours, baby. Stay with me forever.”

  ***

  Hoss looked up at her as she walked into the main room of the clubhouse. She knew his gaze held a question, because there had been some terrible club business last night, and she hadn’t missed her man’s part in everything that happened after the club went into lockdown. She walked over to him and he handed her a mug of hot coffee, which she accepted with a wry smile of thanks. Leaning against the bar, she waited for him to ask.

  “Captain still in bed?” The tone was casual, but everything this man did was calculated.

  “Yeah, he’s snoozing. Was late when he came to bed. Later yet when he went to sleep.” She blew across the top of the coffee in her mug, knowing the conversation wasn’t yet over.

  “He okay, DeeDee?” The question was quiet, and she doubted anyone else heard him. So, she took that to mean it was serious.

  “He is.” She lifted her chin when she answered him, attempting to convey the depth of her belief in Jase’s wellbeing.

  “Yesterday was a cluster.” He sipped at his own coffee, watching her over the rim of the mug. “We’ll be off lockdown by this afternoon, but there will be ripples for a long fucking time.” He sighed, eyes shifting to the room, his gaze sweeping side-to-side, cataloging the members present. “Mason’s gonna need us all, DeeDee. Birdy hadn’t been a member long, but he came with a recommendation from someone Mason trusted.”

  She nodded, taking a drink of her own coffee. “You thinking someone wanted to sink a mole in the chapter? Wasn’t he Chicago first? If he’s snooping for another club, why would he leave the mother chapter to come to the Fort?”

  “Good fucking questions, woman,” a voice said from behind her, and she turned, seeing Tug standing there. “We’re going to need you to see if you can get some answers from the dancer he fucked up. She is the most likely person to have any insight into his motives.”

  She had known from Jase’s mood when he came to bed that things had gone badly sideways, and from Tug’s statement, she knew Birdy hadn’t survived the night.

  Last night, she met Jase’s demands with eagerness, giving as much back to him as he would accept, following his lead, knowing it was a life-affirming action for him at that moment. They had rocked against each other for long moments, his hands roaming her body, his mouth slanting across hers possessively. When he pulled out, reaching down to tug at her hip, she turned to her stomach, arching her back and lifting her ass into his hands as he took her from behind. Moving together like that, she met each thrust of his hips with her own, letting him control the pace of their lovemaking, allowing him to cover her protectively with his body.

  Now she would wait to see how things stood when he awoke. The raw and hard side of club life could turn a man against things, and she prayed that wouldn’t be the case with Jase.

  ***

  Tug watched her walk away and he sighed without looking away. “Prez, last night was not a well-done thing.” Turning, he looked up into Mason’s face, expecting to see remorse, but instead was met with a steely, cold gaze.

  “That’s where you’d be wrong, Tugboat. It was very well done,” Mason said assertively. “Our brother stepped up like we needed, and the club became what he’s needed for a long time.” Nodding at the prospect behind the bar for a mug of coffee, Mason looked back at Tug and Hoss. “He’s been a team player all his life. All his fucking life, he gave everything he had to his team. Transient players, called up, pushed in and out, long-time team members, franchise players, there for the haul…they all got the best of what he had to offer. You saw him play; man gave a hundred and fifty percent, every fucking game. Not a damn thing to show for it in the end but a love of the game. Man’s been looking for something that’s worthy to be a part of for a long time. He found it in the club, and circled the edges looking for a way in, and now he’s found that in, he ain’t gonna be going back anytime soon.”

  Taking a drink of his coffee, he settled back into the bar, leaning one elbow on the top. “He came in when he accepted the colors, and he fucking knew the score that day. I made for-fucking-sure of it. I don’t recruit many people, and you both goddamn well know that, but I pursued him, recruited him. We need him as much as he needs us.”

  He took another drink. “Last night, he closed the door on his past life, became a Rebel. We patch him today. He’s found something worth fighting for now. We’ll have the best of what he has to offer, from here on, brothers. Rebels forever,” he said, Tug and Hoss echoing his next words. “Forever Rebels.”

  Protect the club

  Jase softly kissed her temple, struggling hard to catch his breath, hands smoothing up and down her back as she lay draped across his chest. Lifting DeeDee’s hair off her shoulder, he twisted it into a loose knot and out of his way, wanting his hands on more of her.

  They finished making love, slow and sweet, their bodies moving together in comfortable patterns as they focused on each other. He was addicted to the feel of her and could never get enough of her against him, under his hands, her taste in his mouth.
His thumb brushed across the outer curve of her breast and he caught his breath at the softness of her skin. As his fingertips caressed her gently, desire was again coiling low in his belly, his cock twitching where it lay soft against the crease of his hip. She tipped her head and he kissed her temple again, dragging his fingertips deliberately along her side so his thumb stroked her breast more firmly. He smiled as her hips flexed in response, and he felt more than heard her soft sigh.

  “Round two, lover mine?” Using his chin, he nudged her head back, dipping to capture her lips in a soft kiss.

  “Mmmmm,” she hummed against his lips. “I always want more of you. Always ready for you.” She deepened the kiss, opening to him as he shifted them on the bed, easing her into a reclining position. He rose over her on an elbow, his cock growing hard and thick at her words, at the sight of her beside him in the bed.

  He watched her face as he slid his hand down her belly, skirting her core except for the most glancing of touches, still enough to draw a low moan from her. Hand on the inside of her knee, he tugged, pulling her left leg up and over his hip, canting her body at a slight angle, opening her legs wide to give him full access to her pussy.

  Dusting soft kisses along the slope of her shoulder to the arch of her neck, he slipped his fingers between her folds, slowly stroking and tugging, circling the entrance to her pussy teasingly. Shifting his hips, he thrust, the head of his cock sliding between her pussy lips from behind, the crown bumping against and over her clit, and she let out another throaty moan.

  Thrusting steadily, moving in her slippery wetness, every time he pulled back, he circled her clit with his callous-roughened fingertips, feeling that nub firm and engorge as she became more aroused. Her hand reached up, cupping the back of his neck, and she twisted her head around, lips seeking his. Complying with her wordless request, he slanted his mouth over hers, tongue questing and dipping inside, smiling against her lips to hear another purring moan.

  She surprised him with a shift in position, and suddenly he was buried deeply inside, her inner walls contracting around him in rhythm to the working of their mouths. “Ah, fuck, DeeDee,” he ground out, thrusting faster as her heat and the tight feel of her pussy around him had control slipping from his grasp. “Too fucking good. You feel so good. Baby, are you close?” he asked, laying his head alongside hers, cheek-to-cheek, looking down her body at his hand still working her clit while her hips moved in time with him.

  “Yes,” she breathed, and as her grip on his neck tightened, he watched as muscles slid and moved underneath her skin while she chased her orgasm. She whispered, “Nearly, Cap’n. Almost.”

  “Thank fuck,” he said, thrusting again, then again, and a third time before shoving himself deep inside her. His fingers were plucking and tugging at her clit, teeth nipping her earlobe, dragging her over the edge alongside him with that tiny bite of pain that drove her so crazy. He stayed that way, buried to the root, intimately connected with her while riding out her climax as well as his own. He loved this, feeling her tighten down on his pulsing cock, listening to her gasp out his name, fingernails biting into his skin. He kissed down her neck, his chest plastered against her back, sweat covering both of them, their rapid breathing loud and raspy in the quiet of the room.

  “Jesus Murphy,” he whispered minutes later, his softened cock still inside her. “Woman, you make me crazy for you. God, I love you, baby.” He laughed and they both groaned as he slid out. Kissing her cheek and then her raised, demanding lips, he laughed again, repeating, “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” Her head dropped, resting on his bicep as he shifted them, arranging them side-by-side in the bed. His arm curled around her waist as he slid his hand up to cup her breast in his palm, relishing the weight and softness.

  “Are you all packed?” As he knew it would, his question drew a sigh from her and she shifted uneasily next to him.

  “I’m not sure this is a good idea.” She tucked her head into the crook of his elbow, screening her face from view. “Why don’t you get Sharon to go home with you instead?”

  How could he make her understand what this meant to him without making her feel badly if she honestly didn’t want to go? If it wasn’t only fear holding her back? You could talk to her, eh? He snorted a laugh at his thoughts and then frowned when she reacted, pulling away from him. “Roll over,” he said, tugging on her hip. “I need to see you, baby.”

  Propping himself up on one elbow, he looked down into her face with a soft smile. Gently tracing the edges of her jaw with the tip of his thumb, he dragged it across her bottom lip, then tapped the end of her nose. “Neither decision will anger me. It’s up to you, baby. Come with me, or not, your choice. Sharon’s got her own stuff going on, so that’s a no-go. But,” he held up a finger when she would have spoken, placing it across her lips in a shushing motion, “please know how much I want you with me.

  “I want to show you my hometown, introduce you to my family and friends, and have a chance to show you off to the world.” Leaning down, he kissed the corner of her mouth softly. “I want everyone to know how fucking lucky I am that you’ve let me keep you, that you are mine. I want people to see the love I have for you, the passion we share. I want you to know and meet other people in my life who are important to me. I want you to understand that everyone already approves of us…of you, crazy lady. My lady.

  “If you decide to stay here—decide to not go, not come with me,” he breathed out softly, “then do it because you’re moving towards something, not because you’re avoiding something. Don’t not go because you’re worried about what people will think or say. Mason’s already spoken to the MC there in Red Deer and we have an open invitation, so there aren’t any club conflicts to hold you back. Hoss can manage Slinky’s for a week and you know it.

  “Ruby will miss her babysitters, but even with that, she seems excited to hear about my family from you. And I have to go, for me it’s the right thing to do. I owe Ma and Da explanations in person why I’m calling my career at this point.” He leaned in and kissed across the freckles on her nose, then trailed his kisses down her cheek and nuzzled into the side of her neck before pulling back and looking at her. “Well, beautiful lady? What do you say?”

  She was silent for a long minute, her gaze turned up at him, her focus shifting between his eyes to his mouth, back to his eyes. The muscles in her face tightened, her expression taking on a worried aspect, but still, she said nothing. He sighed and pressed his forehead into her shoulder to hide his disappointment. “I love you, baby. It’s okay, no stress. It’s okay. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”

  Gathering her into his arms and holding her tightly against his chest, he kissed the top of her head. “I need a nap, woman. You wore me out,” he laughed, feigning a lightheartedness he didn’t feel. The condo was quiet, and he listened to the far-off sounds of traffic as he shifted restlessly beside her. Damn, he thought. If I stay here, she’s going to realize I can’t relax. “Gonna go clean up,” he said, kissing her temple and rolling to the edge of the bed.

  The season had ended and, surprising everyone, most especially him since it seemed the stars had miraculously aligned, the Tridents had made it into the first round of playoffs. They lost to Cincinnati, but made the other team work for it, taking the series to the full seven games. Now, officially in the off-season, Jase planned to head home to explain to his parents that he was quitting hockey while he was still young and healthy enough to prepare for and enjoy another career. There were some folks he wanted to see while in Red Deer about a few different future plans, but without DeeDee there, those ideas would have to be put on hold.

  In the bathroom, he turned on the shower and then leaned both hands on the countertop, looking at his reflection, he watched as it slowly faded from view, obscured. He smiled; in the condensation on the mirror, he could see the faintest outline of something DeeDee had drawn weeks ago, a heart with his initials on one side, and hers on the other. “She loves you,” he remi
nded his likeness, nodding and smiling to himself as he turned to climb into the shower.

  ***

  “Hey, Ma.” He smiled at her as he stepped out of the car. She grinned broadly and looked around him expectantly, scanning the front seat, her face falling when she realized he was alone.

  “Where’s DeeDee?” she asked, disappointment clear in her voice. Over the past week, she told him repeatedly how she was looking forward to meeting the woman who finally captured her rogue of a son’s heart.

  “She wasn’t able to make the trip. We didn’t know until the last minute.” He wouldn’t lie to his mother if she asked outright, but he would sure skirt the issue if he could.

  Looking at him, she tilted her head and nodded, sighing. “Nerves get the best of her, did they?”

  “You gotta admit you’re kind of intimidating,” he joked, not really confirming her suspicions.

  “Did she not care to meet us?” The look on his mother’s face held a world of hurt, and Jase shook his head, rushing to reassure her.

  “No, Ma. It’s not that. She’s terrified you and Da won’t like her. She can get so focused on what she sees as issues that she can’t always get past them.” He reached out and pulled his mother in for a hug. “She cares too much.”

  Resting her head against his chest for a moment, she took a deep breath and leaned back, pulling away. “Give me your phone.”

  “Ma, no. Let’s go inside. I need to talk to you and Da.” He shook his head, trying to lead her up the drive towards the house.

  Digging in her heels, she scowled up at him. “Give me your farkin’ phone, Jason Wade Spencer.” She held out her hand and he sighed again.

  “Ma—” he said, but she interrupted him.