Charlie: Northern Grizzlies (Book 4)

by M. Merin

  “No!” Charlie is trying to push me back towards the entrance. “I will do this myself, thank you.”

  Leaning down to her ear, Jake whispers something I can’t make out. Charlie’s cheeks flame red and she quickly looks down and away, nodding after a moment.

  “Come on, look around real quick. We get to point her towards the ones we like then we got to wait outside.” Jake grabs me like we’re being timed.

  Not pushing our luck, I make a lap around the store. Beating Jake back, I quietly tell her which pieces I like hoping she’ll remember the list of colors and styles I like. I figure it’s my turn to pony up for her purchases so I slide five large bills into her hand and say a quick prayer in my head.

  Jake meets me at the benches outside the store a couple minutes later.

  “So, I told her I hate boy shorts and which bras and nighties I’d kill to see her in.” I quickly tell him. “Which pieces did you want her to look at.”

  “Only one.” He says.

  “What? One? Which one?” I pester him, once I realize he isn’t saying anything else.

  “Cupless. Babydoll. Nighty.” He looks at me with a ‘cat ate the canary’ grin.

  “Fuuuuck.” I say, starting to walk back to the store before he grabs my arm. “I want to change my answer.”

  He shakes his head at me.

  Thirty minutes later, she emerges. I quickly take her bags but notice every goddamn thing is wrapped in tissue paper. She laughs at me and slides me the change.

  “Hey, we can wait if you want to buy more?!” I call, waving it at her and getting an eye roll in response.

  “Can we head out?” She asks. “I’m kind of tired and um, are we going to that dinner tonight?”

  “Yeah, about that…” Jake and I exchange another look before I start telling her about everyone on the way to the car. After talking about tonight’s group, we get into a longer talk about the Club girls, Girlies, and parties that has me cringing at her every question.

  It suddenly hits me how Jas, Flint, and Gunner felt bringing outsiders into our life. I make a mental note to pull Gunner aside and get his advice on how to navigate some of this. The only thing I know for sure is that I feel that possessiveness that they all demonstrate with their Ol’ Ladies and that none of them have looked at another woman since meeting their match. Good a place as any to start.

  Getting back to the clubhouse, Jake immediately circles around toward the back entrance without saying a word. Neither of us seems very eager to walk her into whatever may be going on in the front room, but I know we’ll have to deal with that soon.

  “I have to talk to Jas,” I let them know after carrying my share of bags upstairs with them. I pull Charlie into my arms and start to softly kiss her. As she relaxes into me, I slowly stroke my tongue in and out of her mouth. God, the feel of her chest up against me is enough to make me lose all control. “Later, Baby. Get some rest now.” I breathe into her ear, while slowly disengaging her arms from around me.

  “HEY! Get out of there!” I yell, laughing at Jake. He used our distraction to start peeking into the bags from the lingerie shop.

  “Jake!” She reprimands him. “Any more of that and I’ll wear nothing but large shirts to bed!” Laughing at the look on his face, I head back downstairs. Jas is in town meeting with some group but I chance upon Gunner so drag him into the bar.

  “I need help.” I start, causing him to sit up straight. Besides Jake, Gunner has long been my closest friend in the MC. “When you explained about the Girlies to Riley…”

  “Was she thrilled that we’d be hanging out around women I’d fucked? That I’d be going on runs without her and there’d be whole other sets of MC groupies on the road?” He gives me a wry grin over while he sips his beer. I shrug and he continues. “Look, I told Riley from the beginning; I can’t change my past. She asked for my word I’d never cheat on her; and I fucking won’t, Connal. She’s it for me. I show her that every day and that’s the only thing I can do.”

  I nod, drinking my own beer and trying to figure out what to ask next. Gunner brought Riley’s truck into my garage the day they met. I didn’t understand what I was witnessing at the time, but he never wavered since then. No matter the time apart.

  “You and Jake going to try this for real?” He asks, looking for something in my eyes.

  “We tried before…”

  “Shit, that didn’t count. That bitch was looking for money and blow; best thing she did was show you and Jake how you don’t need to be treated.” Gunner cuts in.

  “Charlie is willing to try, and honestly, Gunner, she…” I’m cut off by the sound of a thud and the floor vibrating, hard; before I hear an all too familiar roar.

  “FUUUCK!”

  “Oh, shit.” I go running down the hallway, followed by a few others.

  “Fuck, goddamn, son of a cocksucker!” Royce is in a heap at the bottom of the backstairs.

  I look up the stairs, seeing Charlie standing halfway up as Jake comes flying out of his room with a towel wrapped around his waist. She holds her hands up as if to calm me. “I left something in the truck, Royce was looking at his cell phone and I startled him when I said ‘hello’.”

  “No Connal, she can’t fucking stay in the clubhouse!” Royce yells, putting it together.

  “It’s done, Royce,” I respond calmly, reaching a hand down to him. “Just for a few days. You ok?”

  It takes us all a moment to register the rumbling noise, we turn in unison as we pinpoint it. Gunner, laughing like I never heard him before.

  “THIS little woman is the one you’ve been bitching about, Royce?” He finally gets out between deep breaths.

  “I just know my Riley’s gonna like you,” Gunner says after introducing himself to Charlie.

  Turning back to Royce, he lifts him up and moves him in the direction of the bar. Words like ‘dignity’ and ‘pride’ come drifting back to us, as Gunner lectures him.

  “Toss me the keys I’ll get your phone. Jake…” I signal to him to wrangle her back to his room and I hear Charlie squeal, then giggle as I head out the back door.

  Right in time to see Frank fucking Diamond over near the dumpster.

  Chapter 10

  Jake

  “I told you I’d get your phone, Baby,” I whisper down to her, showing off my dimples.

  “You two are doing everything for me, Jake.” She sighs and reaches up to rub one.

  “Come on, let’s get this bandage off and let you take that nap you wanted?” I remind her, as selfish as that sounds; I really do just want her to be comfortable and there’s no way she is with that thing on. I place her on the bed, kneeling on the floor beside her, I unlace her work boots. She reaches her hands under her t-shirt and shimmies the wrapping down, starting to unwind it once it’s near her waist.

  “Here, let’s just do this,” I say, grabbing a knife from the night table, I carefully slice through it; never wanting to see it on her again.

  Pulling a blanket over us, I lie down and pull her into my chest. Rubbing her back and waiting until she sleeps, it’s not until Connal returns that I realize I’m trapped. My arm is under her head and her leg has slid in between mine. I can’t move without disturbing her.

  “Royce alright?” I ask, getting a shrug in response. God knows if Royce will survive till the end of the week at this point. I start to laugh to myself, stopping when I realize he really could have broken his neck this time. Placing a kiss on Charlie’s forehead, I’m suddenly pleased we’re buying a single level home.

  Dozing off while holding Charlie tight, I wake up alone but can hear someone in the shower. Connal walks into my room from the hallway entrance while I’m still stretching.

  “Hey. Charles wanted a Diet Coke, you got ten minutes till we need to hit the road; I’m gonna…” His jaw drops and my head swings around to see Charlie at the bathroom door. FUCK.

  She looks between us but I’m unable to do anything but stare.

  “What’s wron
g?” She asks. Her wet hair is in her usual braid, but it’s the first time we’re seeing her in a T-shirt with a bra under it.

  “What are you going to wear over that?” Connal asks, crossing his arms across his chest. Charlie’s face immediately tightens.

  “Baby, you look beautiful,” I say, trying to diffuse this, I cross over and cup her cheeks. “We’re just not used to, um, all this, yet,” I explain, looking down then up as fast as I can; well, I mean, I’m still looking at her boobs when Connal speaks again.

  Connal is quickly beside us. “Baby Girl, you have to know I think you’re beautiful. It’s just that I wouldn’t mind keeping you under wraps.”

  “You picked this shirt out, Connal.” She tries to reason.

  “Yes, but for us; not for everyone. Maybe wear it with a sports bra?” He’s digging himself in deeper, I just don’t know what to say to help him.

  “But I’m wearing something else you picked out also.” She adds, in what I’m quickly pegging as her sarcastic tone. Seeing that he’s about to dig his heels in, she raises a finger. “I am all covered up. I have boobs. I am wearing this or one of Riley’s shirts.”

  I elbow him when he opens his mouth again.

  “Come on, we don’t want Jas and Flint to demolish the appetizers before we get there. Connal, go grab Vice; you’re driving.” I say and he finally nods, knowing he won’t win. She grabs his hand, pulling him back and stretches up on her toes for a kiss.

  Connal’s hand goes behind her neck as he moves the kiss from a peck to a deeper one. Pulling back he looks at her straight on.

  “Ours.” He growls and she quickly nods in agreement; he exhales, leaving to get Vice.

  “Thank you, Jake,” She says looking up at me, leaning over to kiss the tattoo that swirls in between my collarbones. Tilting her head up, I level with her.

  “For the record, don’t ever doubt that we are both gonna be possessive when it comes to you. I don’t like that others will be staring at what we are now considering ours, but I think dressing in anything that doesn’t confine your gorgeous tits is new to you and healthier.

  “Just don’t be surprised the first time either of us knocks the shit out of anyone who says anything to you or looks at you the wrong way. God help them if they touch you.” I explain and immediately feel guarded after sharing all this, expecting to see a flash of anger in her eyes.

  “I’d feel the same way about any woman who would try to touch either of you, and I think that makes me horribly selfish. I don’t know, greedy?” She wraps her arms around my neck. “The two of you are so different, but you balance each other and me also. I promise I’m not dressing to impress anyone but you and Connal.” She says this earnestly, before pressing her lips to mine.

  “Come on, Baby.” I groan, quickly pulling on some clothes and tugging her out of the room.

  Connal is standing next to the truck, smoking; Vice is already in the passenger seat. “We good?” He asks her; getting a big smile from her in return as I help her into the backseat.

  “Holy Shit!” Vice explodes, when he turns back to introduce himself and sees her. Well, not her so much as her boobs that he hasn’t taken his eyes off of.

  “Not a fucking word, Vice.” Connal spits out, while I just growl at him. “Not a fucking word.”

  “Uh, hi Charlie,” Vice says, looking out the windshield.

  “Hi, Vice.” Charlie acts like Vice’s eyes didn’t nearly fall out of his head. “Royce has mentioned you around the garage a bit.”

  “Um, yeah. Um, he told me about you but, um, never described you.” Vice is now staring out the passenger window, anywhere but her.

  Connal and I share a look in the rearview mirror; his face finally softens when she leans against me. Minutes later, pulling up to Riley and Gunner’s apartment; Vice nearly sprints from the car. Getting her upstairs and introduced becomes a whirlwind for us.

  “Wait! She’s staying at the clubhouse now?” Bree demands. “What the hell is wrong with you two? I’ve moved into Flint’s house; take the apartment above Rusty’s.”

  We look at each other and shrug.

  “Oh, is that the place near the lookout? Jake drove me past it last week.” Charlie asks her.

  “Yes, it’s furnished and, here,” Bree goes to her purse, pulling out keys and wrestles two off. “I’ll call Rusty and let him that y’all will be around. The gold one opens the back door, the silver opens the apartment, there’s an extra set in the drawer next to the sink. Seriously, you two! The clubhouse?”

  “I bought a house, Bree.” I try to defend our decision to bring Charlie to the clubhouse for more than a couple nights, but really am psyched at her offer. Getting Connal’s elbow in my rib, I frown at him.

  “Right, but it takes time to get furniture and then you can’t live, covered in dust, while you make changes.” She reasons, getting a shy smile from Charlie.

  “Thank you, Bree; we really appreciate it,” Connal accepts. That settled, Riley calls us all to the dinner table.

  “Charlie,” Jasper starts in a serious tone after everyone has had a few bites. “I understand you’re trying to kill Royce?”

  Next to me, Charlie starts choking on her wine. I hand her a glass of water, while Connal rubs her back.

  “No.” She says firmly, but Gunner and Flint have already started laughing; so each story gets retold to the ladies. It’s when the story involving the Millers is told, that Bree and Emma start to applaud.

  Charlie’s face is red, but she’s laughing along in good humor.

  “Can you imagine if she wanted to hurt someone?” Riley giggles. “I mean, they’d be toast.” She sounds in awe of the woman between Connal and me, which gets the ladies all laughing again.

  Once dinner is finished, Emma and Bree head back to the bedroom, while Riley tugs Charlie along with her. I stand watching them go, trying to decide whether to follow when Flint slams a hand down on my shoulder.

  “Let ‘em go, Son.” He nods to them, handing me a whiskey. “They all took to her right away; now you gotta let ‘em be.”

  “The one thing I can’t figure,” Gunner says as he starts to load the dishwasher. “Royce is almost as big of a man-whore as Vice here. He never mentioned those…Well, I mean, the elephants in the room, so to speak…”

  “We didn’t know about them,” I say, getting a raised eyebrow from everyone but Connal. He takes over for me.

  Charlie

  Following Riley back to her bedroom, Bree is opening another bottle of wine; pouring glasses for everyone but a pregnant Emma.

  “Okay. You have to explain that.” Emma says, giggling and swirling her finger in the direction of my chest. I was coming from work when she and I met the other day so the girls were pretty tightly bound.

  I tell them, and it must be the wine because I pretty much tell them everything about me. Everything except the accident that killed my mother, and left my scars as a reminder. I haven’t spoken of that since Grandpa picked me up in the hospital.

  After I finish, I find that Riley is holding one of my hands and giving it a squeeze; she tells me about meeting Gunner, then waiting nearly a year to turn eighteen. From there, Bree and Emma share their tales and by the time they finish we’ve all laughed and cried multiple times and all I can think is that I’ve not only walked into a really warm but strange family unit; they seem to want to include me. That, by taking a chance in a town hours from all I’ve known, I may truly have found my home.

  Emma rubs her belly and says, “I think your career choice is awesome. Jas and I always wanted a big family but we’ll be outnumbered after this one, so it’s probably a good place to stop. It’s been great tutoring people for the GED test, but I want to be in a classroom. You know? Make use of my degree at some point?”

  “Just think,” Bree quips. “Charlie would have to have four kids before they’d be outnumbered!”

  We all explode into good-natured laughter, and at that moment; all my nerves of what people will think of me
being with two men, evaporate. These women just accept it. Just accept our ménage. With them around me, I can’t imagine anyone being able to make me second guess myself anymore.

  There’s a tentative knock at the door and Jasper sticks his head in. “Sorry Ladies, Emma; I just don’t want you getting too tired, Darlin’?”

  She says her goodbyes; then Bree and Riley exchange phone numbers with me; with Riley and me making plans for lunch in a couple days. Moving back to the main room, Bree and Flint take their leave also.

  “Charles can’t be late for work tomorrow, so we’ll cut out too,” Connal says, in the sternest voice he can muster. Riley has food containers at the ready for Jake, Connal, and Vice; causing Gunner to mumble about sharing his cookies.

  Then Gunner turns to me suddenly, giving me a bear hug that takes me by surprise. “You hold them tight, Little Girl. Don’t matter what no one else thinks.” Gunner whispers in my ear. When he releases me, I give him a big nod; a promise.

  Work goes smoothly the next day, I’m back in a sports bra with a baggy top and Royce – apparently must have heard something from Vice, cause I keep catching him checking me out from different angles.

  Towards the end of the day, Jake comes by with his truck; and the three of us head to the Superstore about an hour from town. They insist we’ll need things for the house anyway, so we end up loading three carts with household goods before heading to the apartment Bree is loaning us.

  After walking through the apartment above the bar, I immediately text Bree my appreciation. It is light and airy with a fantastic bathroom. Connal lets me know that Jake did the work on it the previous year, making his ears go red. They leave me to start unpacking and setting up our purchases while they go back to the clubhouse to pack their clothes and pick up my bags.

  By the time they get back, I’ve decided we’re going to do more than light petting tonight. They’ve treated me like fine China since the fire and while I appreciate that, I’m just horny as hell from being around them constantly. By the time I hear the truck and Connal’s bike pulling up, the sheets in the dryer are nearly done and I’ve watched a couple videos about giving head to two guys at the same time.