“Shut the fuck up, Smiley.” Lucas shrugs at me, apology in his eyes, when I look at him.
I hope they’re not alluding to what I think they are.
“Fuck, brother. Be proud.” Grabbing his crotch, the old guy jiggles it. “Been a long time since this bad boy stood up. Gotta live through you young bucks now. Had the best night’s sleep I’ve had in years, listening to you and Mad Dog going to town on your bitches. Fuck me, the screaming and moaning was better than a lullaby.”
The entire bar breaks into laughter at our expense.
My cheeks redden when Smiley stands up, taking a bow before sitting back in his seat and draining his beer. It’s half past eight in the morning, and half the men in the bar are drinking already. It’s like I’m visiting another planet when I’m at the Club—I think this every time I’m here.
The normal niceties of society are absent from their world.
Taking my hand, Lucas asks the Prospect behind the bar to bring us coffee before he pulls me over to the table with Maddi and Mad Dog.
“Fucking Smiley’s getting worse with age.” Lucas laughs when he sits, pulling me into his lap as he props his legs up on the table in front of us.
“You gave him plenty to talk about. Felt like a fucking competition at one point.” Mad Dog chuckles when Maddi slaps his chest. “Gotta get my own place again ASAP. Too many fucking ears here.”
“Keep dreaming. You promised me flowers and dinner dates first. Last night was a one-off.” Struggling to keep a straight face, Maddi shoots Mad Dog down. He takes one look at her as she tries not to laugh, winding his hand in her long hair, and dragging her mouth to his.
Feeling like a voyeur, I watch them kiss, trying but failing to tear my eyes away.
I’ve never seen them together.
It’s an eye-opening sight.
My worries about Maddi and Lucas take a backseat when I watch her bloom like a sunflower in the summer sun from his attention. Even Mad Dog becomes less intimidating to me as the love he has for her shines from his typically hard eyes. He looks completely happy and content for the first time since I met him.
Lucas coughs, nudging me when he realizes where my attention is. He shakes his head when the other two don’t even notice our exchange, or the Prospect placing two steaming-hot cups of coffee on the table in front of us.
“What?” I grin, brazening it out. Grabbing my coffee, I take a quick sip. “I was—”
My excuses are interrupted when the door that leads to the parking area swings open, slamming against the wall. Beast strides through, his face red with rage, battered and bruised, a huge vein in his forehead pounds visibly.
Lucas tenses, holding me to him tighter.
“Show time.” Mad Dog nods to Lucas.
Shifting his attention to Maddi, he pushes her from his lap by her hips, planting a kiss on her forehead.
“Angel, you need to take JJ somewhere. Take Smoke with you. Go see Joel or something. Do not come back here until I call.” Mad Dog speaks quickly. His voice is full of urgency.
Fear grows within me, and I swallow hard when Beast bellows over him.
“Come on, you little fucker. Tell me the meaning of this shit?” He waves around a thick bunch of paperwork.
“I’ll explain in a fucking moment. Sit the fuck down and wait.”
Maddi doesn’t seem surprised at the way Mad Dog orders her father around, but I’m shocked. The strict hierarchy of this Motorcycle Club is something that even I’m aware of—Mad Dog just disrespected Beast in the worst way.
“Go with Princess,” Lucas commands. I frown at his harsh tone, my temper flaring when he continues dictating to me. “When do you need to work next? Fuck. I’ve gotta organize someone to watch you.”
I place a finger over his lips to stop him because his words are tripping over themselves as they fall from his mouth. He’s working himself into a frenzy.
“I don’t have to work until tomorrow afternoon. I’m fine by my—”
Maddi cuts in, cutting pleading eyes to me because she sees where this argument is heading. “JJ can hang with me. We’ll take Sam with us, and pick up Benji on the way.”
The two men grunt their agreement, everyone turning to stare at me.
Maddi implores me to concede the point with big, round eyes.
Mad Dog smirks, as if he wants me to argue.
Lucas folds his arms across his wide chest. Fixing unblinking eyes on mine, he lifts one eyebrow, his lips thinning as he waits for my answer.
Huffing loudly, I nod at the arrangements.
Lucas whistles to get Smoke’s attention, quickly running over the plan for the day with him.
I listen with half an ear, silently fuming. It’s not like I was left with a lot of choice. I haven’t forgotten that less than forty-eight hours ago, I was abducted because of the situation surrounding this Club. It’s better to be safe than sorry at the present time.
A quick hug and a chaste kiss from Lucas later, I’m on my way to Maddi’s car with Smoke and another guy, who I think is called Tally trailing behind us. They’re both whining about being stuck in a “fucking cage” because we’re not allowed on their bikes behind them since we “belong” to Mad Dog and Lucas. Another stupid rule of the Club that applies to me whether I like it or not.
The misgivings I still have about the Black Shamrocks are at the forefront of my mind as my stomach revolts from the stress—our baby making her presence known.
JJ
Present Day
“Oh my GOD!” Maddi exclaims, running past me and back out the front door.
Venturing inside of Maddi’s brother’s house behind Smoke, I don’t find anything of alarm until I run into a tall, dark, and hot-as-sin man in the living room. A man who’s stark naked, grinning at me when he watches my eyes slowly rise from his stiff cock and up his chiseled torso before landing on his handsome face. Once my eyes have reached the summit, he lifts his eyebrows up and down at me with humor, not even attempting to cover himself.
Frozen on the spot, I stare, mouth open. I don’t know whether to laugh or graciously back out of the room. The only thing I know for certain is Maddi’s twin is an Adonis. His body is long and lean, with rippling muscles covered by smooth tanned skin. His jet-black hair is in disarray, red lipstick smeared around his generous lips. He’s regarding me with open interest through the piercing blue eyes all the O’Briens share.
He’s beautiful.
Very, very naked.
And clearly aroused.
No wonder, Maddi ran from the house.
Who wants to see their brother like this?
“Fucking hell, Benji. Put some clothes on.” Smoke laughs, his green eyes twinkling with mirth as he scratches his hands over his close-cropped, dirty-blond hair. “You’re scaring the women, you ugly bastard.”
His laughter dies when a short, pretty blonde steps around the corner, a throw rug clutched to her in an attempt to cover her nakedness. She looks familiar to me, although where I know her from eludes me at the moment.
Glancing quickly at Smoke, her expression dejected, she throws a cushion at Benji. He half-heartedly holds it in front of himself, his eyes still on my face.
“Lacey? What the fuck?” Smoke splutters, disbelief written all over his tanned face.
Pulling his cigarette packet and lighter from his leather cut, Smoke smacks the bottom of it against his palm. Taking one of the cigarettes that fall from the packet, he slips it between his lips, lighting it with one flick of his lighter. I don’t know him, but it appears to me that he’s crushed to have found the blonde woman with Benji.
Cigarette smoke billowing from his nostrils, he spins on his heel and strides out of the room without another word.
“So, ah, I’ll leave you to it,” I offer in a just audible voice. Backing away from the couple we’ve interrupted, I stop when Benji speaks.
“Tell Mads I’ll be five minutes.”
Nodding my head like a cork bobbing in rough water, I fee
l ridiculous. I’m a doctor, for crying out loud; I see people naked and in far worse situations than this all the time. With that thought, I attain some much-needed composure and meet his eyes. The cerulean blue is bright, almost glasslike, his pupils constricted to pin pricks. The tell-tale red around the edge of his eyes, and his tightly clenched jaw tell me one thing.
Benji O’Brien is high as a kite.
My best guess is crystal methamphetamine, or ice as it’s known on the street.
Mad Dog’s comment from last night about Benji overdosing rather than Joel makes sense.
Obviously they know he uses, and they’re not happy about it.
Raking my eyes down his arms, my heart flips when I spy the small track marks on the inside of his left elbow. Dropping my eyes to his companion, I find similar indicators on her face. Glazed red eyes stare back at me accusingly, her bottom lip red and swollen, as she chews on it nonstop.
I know her from somewhere. Somewhere not connected with the Shamrocks.
I’m positive of it.
“I’ve met you before, haven’t I?” Benji asks as he walks over to the pile of clothes in the middle of his living room. His muscled ass flexes as he pulls a pair of jeans on, his rock hard abs covered by a T-shirt a moment later.
Now that he’s dressed, I feel more comfortable.
Damn, Lucas’s Club is full of hot men. Lucas still shines the brightest of them all for me, but the additional eye candy isn’t to be sneezed at. I feel like I’ve stumbled into a real-life Magic Mike movie sometimes.
“I was Joel’s surgeon earlier this year. I don’t think we met back then, though.” I shake my head. I don’t remember meeting him, but that’s not surprising since I was blinded by Lucas almost immediately.
“Timber’s baby mamma.” He laughs at his comment, cracking his knuckles and bouncing on his toes. “Well that puts you on my don’t-fuck-with list. That big motherfucker’ll hand me my ass. You’re hot, but not hot enough to risk a beating.”
The woman Smoke called Lacey gasps at his crass comment. She’s hurt, her eyes filling with tears that she furiously blinks away. Personally, I’m appalled at him. I don’t know if they’re together or not, but it’s poor form to say something like that in front of the woman you just finished having sex with. Not to mention, his assertion that I’m not hot enough to risk a beating is pretty damn rude.
“Jesus Christ, Benji. Stop being a prick.” Maddi comes to stand next to me.
I jump in surprise because I didn’t hear her reenter the house.
Glaring at Lacey until she ducks out of the room, she turns her poisonous gaze to her twin next. He stands there staring at her, half a smile on his face. If I were him, I’d be finding some way to escape, not antagonizing her, because she looks ready to kill him.
“JJ, can you wait in the car please? I have to deal with something before we head to the hospital.” Not taking her eyes from Benji, she pays me no mind as she advances on him.
Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, she drags him down to her. His jet-black head next to her blonde hair, they make a stunning sight with their contrasting beauty. You wouldn’t take them for twins from a distance since their coloring is the exact opposite, but once you see their faces next to each other, you can see the connection: the exact same bone structure—one feminine, one masculine—without question, they’re identical.
“Joel tries to kill himself last night, and you think it’s appropriate to get high and fuck my best friend?” Pushing him away from her, he stumbles back, catching himself on the arm of the couch. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you have any idea what happened yesterday? To me? To the Club? Do you know Dad was challenged as President?”
“What the fuck?” He throws himself on the couch. Maddi towers over him, her anger filling the room like a dense cloud. I should leave them to it, but I’m riveted. My family doesn’t handle things like this. We snipe at each other in a passive-aggressive way, never really resolving anything. It’s fascinating to watch.
Benji jiggles his knee, fidgeting as he looks up at her with an apology in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I fucked up.”
“That would mean something, if you didn’t keep doing it. How many times is it this month? Three, four? That’s only the ones I know about. You need rehab, Benj.”
Jumping to his feet, he picks up a heavy ornament from the side table, and throws it against the wall.
“I’m not going to fucking rehab,” he yells, panting wildly. His eyes are feral as he looks for something else to break.
Ripping the DVD player from its alcove in the entertainment unit, he throws it at Maddi. She dodges it, screaming when her brother runs for her and tackles her around the waist. Knocking her to the ground, he wrestles her as she struggles to escape. It appears that she’s getting the upper hand, but I’m not sure. I’ve seen her in action, watched her take down two big men just yesterday, but they have nothing on a drugged-up, raged-out addict.
My heart in my throat, I sprint for the front door.
She needs help, and I’m in no condition to provide it.
“Smoke! Quick.” I barely have the words out when he’s rushing past me into the house. The other Shamrock, Tally, seizes me by the waist and drags me outside.
Shutting me in the back of car, he runs back inside as well.
Throwing my head back against the seat I wait, listening to the commotion happening inside the house. There’s never a dull moment when I’m around these people.
Is this something I want to sign myself, and an innocent child, up for?
It’s settled in my mind that I want Lucas, even not knowing the truth about him and Amy, and I want this child. The Black Shamrocks as part of the package, I’m not sold on. And I’m deathly afraid to find out what his choice would be if I asked him to choose between us.
Minutes later, someone raps their knuckles against the car window, jolting me out of my thoughts. Smoke stares at me through the glass, sporting a split lip and grazed knuckles.
“Can you come look at him? Don’t wanna take him to the hospital if you can patch him up for us.”
Nodding, I follow him inside.
It’s bedlam. The smashing I could hear outside, had nothing on the actual destruction taking place inside.
Surveying the room, I find Lacey dabbing what smells like antiseptic on Maddi’s bleeding cheekbone while she’s arguing on the phone. Watching Lacey’s precise, practiced movements as she organizes the first aid kit and prepares what she needs, it hits me where I know her from.
She’s a nurse from the hospital.
A nurse who I’m pretty sure uses illegal drugs.
“It’s okay, Mik. Calm down. Sam will help me deal with him. You concentrate on the Club.” She hisses when Lacey presses a butterfly stitch over her cheekbone. “I’m all right, I’ve already told you! I’ll see you tonight. I love you too, Mo Ghrá.”
Jabbing the screen of her phone, she tosses it on the seat next to her.
“Bloody worry wart,” she announces to no one in particular.
Waving Lacey away and pushing to her feet, she limps her way to her twin. I hadn’t even noticed Benji lying unconscious and in the recovery position on the kitchen floor.
Blood runs from his open mouth and his nose, his T-shirt ripped, baring his scratched, bruised, and slightly bloody torso.
“JJ, you need to check him for me. He won’t wake up.” Maddi drops heavily to her knees, groaning. Scowling at Smoke when he tries to help her, she bats his proffered hand away. “I think I broke his arm. I didn’t mean to, but I thought he was going to kill me.”
Tears stream down her face as she peers into Benji’s face, rocking him from side to side to rouse him. “Please. Wake up for me. I’m so sorry. I was only trying to help you.”
Smoke puts his hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently in support. “He had her by the throat when I got in here, would’ve snapped her fucking neck if she hadn’t busted his arm first.”
My eyes move to
Maddi’s neck. Her neck looks much, much worse than mine did this morning, demonstrating clearly the difference between what Lucas and I did in bed last night versus real violence. Further bruising is setting in over the damage already inflicted during our abduction yesterday.
Weariness and sadness are at war within her. She’s close to collapsing.
Clearing his throat, Smoke continues. “He’s outta control. Mad Dog’s gonna kill him when he sees her. Gonna kick my fucking ass for letting it happen.”
Nodding, I agree with his assessment. He’s not going to take this well at all.
Crouching down next to the twins, I gently nudge Maddi out of the way. Sticking my finger in Benji’s mouth to make sure his airways are clear, I open his eyelids. I don’t have my flashlight to check properly, but his pupils react equally, and as quickly as I would expect, to the available light.
“Did he sustain a blow to the head?” I question, looking over my shoulder at the four of them. They all shrug.
“It was crazy. It took all of us to bring him down. None of us would have a clue what we did to him,” Maddi answers, her voice lethargic.
Examining the rest of him, I’m happy that, apart from the broken arm, some superficial damage to his face and torso, and a suspected blow to the head, he’s okay. Motioning Lacey to bring the first aid kit to me, I fashion a makeshift sling for his arm. I pretend that I don’t notice the jittering of her hands when she passes me things. She’s definitely coming down from something.
“He needs to go to the hospital. If it’s not broken, it’s fractured at least. It needs to be set properly very soon.”
“Shit, there goes his pre-season,” Tally mutters. I shrug, assuming he’s referring to Benji’s football career.
“Fucking least of his problems at the moment, Tally. Need to get him clean before he even thinks about footy again,” Smoke snaps at him, bitterness lacing his tone. “Even Beast can’t deny it’s a problem anymore.”
Maddi’s phone breaks the tension that grips the room at Smoke’s statement. Tally takes one look at Maddi on the floor and grabs it for her, guessing correctly that it’ll take her a while to get her battered body upright.
Making Choices (Black Shamrocks MC Book 2) Page 21