“Better?” I ask, wearing nothing but a pair of satin cream panties. A bra wasn’t possible since I’m a little bigger in the chest than Bianca. The extra support made the dress too tight.
“Fuck me. You’re so fucking beautiful, baby. And mine.”
He drops the cut from his shoulders, ripping his T-shirt from his body before he hurriedly toes off his boots. I bite my lip when he tears at the buttons of his jeans. He licks his lips and smiles as he stalks towards me, pushing me back until I hit the edge of the bed. When he crawls towards the headboard, I try to playfully get away from him. Grabbing me by my hips, he pulls me back before he dips his tongue between my legs. Instantly, my legs fall open, giving him the access that he needs.
It’s not long before my first orgasm hits me. When I start to come back down, he kisses his way up my body. Lips hit my skin, teeth nipping at my flesh. I squirm with impatience. I need to feel him inside me. He kisses me, and I can taste myself on his lips. He pulls back and peers down at me, making my stomach flip. He’s gorgeous, and he’s mine. I can feel his cock hard against my stomach, the cool of the metal pressing into my skin.
“I never thought I could love,” he tells me, rocking his body into mine. “Until you.” He places soft kiss along my collarbone. “You’ve given me so much, baby, but I’m such a selfish man that I want more.” His breath is warm on my skin as he pushes into me making my eyes roll back. “Fuck, you feel so good,” he tells me as he pulls back and pushes back in. “I fucking love you.”
“I love you too,” I moan as I run my nails down the length of his back, making him hiss.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he says as he picks up his pace. “From day one, you’ve been mine. From now until the end of time I’m going to love you. I’ll never get enough. I want so much when I look at you. The whole fucking thing.”
Biting down on my ear, he grunts as he reaches his climax. Body quivering above mine, flush with sweat, he presses his lips to mine.
“I’ll never get enough.”
“You think he’ll be all right with her?” Savannah asks as we sit on the blanket at the local park watching Ryder gingerly push Grace on the baby swing. Roxy rocks herself on the swing next to them.
“I do. He’s always really great with Roxy.”
The guys have been gone for two days. Two long days without so much as a text from either Lick or Sin. Sin went on this run, which surprised me since he doesn’t work on the bounty side of the MC. Savannah explained that New York was getting irritated. This was their first big job, and the fact that it has taken weeks wasn’t sitting well with anyone involved. They wanted all hands on deck. Because of this, there wouldn’t be a lot of downtime to make contact.
“I can’t believe you’re married,” she says with a smile.
“That kinda makes two of us.” I pick at the grass near the edge of the blanket.
“Second thoughts?” she asks.
“I don’t think it’s second thoughts, not even regrets. But there’s an empty feeling.” I look out at the kids again. “I think it’s because my family wasn’t there.”
“It was their choice not to be.”
“Was it though?” Turning my head, resting my check on my knee I look at Savannah. “Do you think my mom had a choice? She probably doesn’t even know. My father probably made up some story to tell her, painting me in a bad light.”
“Does it matter?” she asks as her gaze stays on the kids.
“It kind of does. It sucks not to have my parents in my life. But If I had to do it all over again, if I had to make my choice again, I wouldn’t change anything about it. This is where I want my life to be. Tylan is who I want to be tied to for the rest of my life. There’s something about him that soothes me. I need him in my life as much as he needs me.”
She turns her head to me, giving me a reassuring smile. “There comes a time in your life when you need to let go in order to grow into the person you’re meant to be, and I’m sorry that it’s your family who you have to let go of, but your father would have broken every aspect of who you are if you continued to allow him to spew those hateful things. No offense.”
I gaze upon the green fields of the park. The seasons are changing. Soon the heat of the summer will be boiling upon us. Grace’s first birthday is right around the corner. This year has brought much change into my life. A year ago I wouldn’t have imagined myself married, to a biker none the less. I smile at the thought of my husband.
Movement out of the corner of my eye has me still. The breeze and an uneasy feeling have chills rolling through my body. A man with dark, greasy hair, ripped jeans and an oversized sweatshirt creeps towards the kids. He stands off to the side, eyes never leaving the sandbox where Roxy is now playing. Ryder continues to push Grace without any knowledge he’s being watched.
“Savannah?” I say quietly, continuing to watch the man as he approaches closer to the sandbox. “That guy doesn’t look quite right?” My eyes dance between the man and Savannah.
“Oh, my God!” She jumps to her feet. Her action has me scrambling to my own feet. “That’s Rob. That’s the man who says he’s the kids’ father.”
Without any more words, we make our way towards the kids.
“Hey!” I shout, causing Ryder’s head to turn our way. Roxy stops dumping the sand into the bucket. “Hey,” I say again, trying to get his attention away from the kids. “What are you doing here?”
Placing my body between him and children, I finally get a good look at him. His skin has sores on it. Scabs and bruising are evident on his neck and jawline. “I asked you a question.”
“Just ta–taking a stroll in the park. Weather’s nice.” He looks over my shoulder, eyeing the kids.
When I turn around, I see Ryder has stopped pushing Grace. His fingers are wrapped around the chain of the swing. Roxy is now standing next to her brother, hugging her body to his. I don’t have a good feeling about this. Something’s off in the way the kids are responding. Savannah takes Grace from the swing, wrapping her arms around her child with my kids standing behind her.
“You need to leave,” I tell him.
“I don’t think I do,” he says as he continues to stare at the kids.
“Hey!”
I step towards him and go to shove him in the shoulder, hoping to break his concentration from the kids, but one of his hands grabs mine. He tugs me towards him as his other hand reaches behind him and pulls out a gun, pointing it right between my eyes. Staring down the barrel of a gun, my mind goes blank. Instantly my knees grow weak. My heart jumps in my chest, the sound of blood whooshing in my ears as my body begins to shake.
“I’ve been a pa–patient man.” His hand begins to shake. “I t–told him I wanted m–money and he’d n–never hear from me again. I–I told him that he could ha–have the kids. I t-tried to force his hand by g-going to that social worker bitch. But he d–didn’t listen and now men are gonna kill me, s-so he has to pay. One way or another.”
Without warning, a large figure rushes Rob, knocking them both to the ground. A shot fires off as they go down, making Savannah and the kids scream. Searing pain tears through my skin, making me drop to my knees. I watch Rob and another man rolling on the grass in front of me.
Distant screaming…
Sirens blaring…
Fists flying…
Legs kicking…
A shot fires off, then another followed by a moan of pain. Rob is on the bottom when the other man stills. With another grunt, Rob pushes the now motionless man off him. Rob rolls onto his knee, gasping for air, clutching his side.
My breath leaves my body.
On his back, Bubba lies motionless.
“No!” I sob. “No!”
I try to work through the pain as I crawl over to him. There’s one gunshot to his chest, close to his heart. A crimson puddle starts to pour from underneath his massive body.
“Please,” I beg, my tears hitting his face as I try to soothe him. Tapping his fac
e with my palm, I try to wake him. I place my head to his chest and try to listen for a heartbeat, but there’s nothing. I can’t hear anything over my tears.
“Bubba,” I whisper between sniffs. “Please be all right.” I continue to sob as I try my hardest to make him come around, but nothing helps. He looks so peaceful with his eyes closed, so much younger. The stress of life is no longer present on his face. I place my hands on the front of his chest, and under him. I press as much pressure as I can muster. I have no strength in my left arm, so it’s making it difficult in my attempts to stop the bleeding.
Pounding of footsteps come from behind me. Officers in blue swarm us, pulling me from Bubba. I hear Roxy crying, Grace screaming in fear. Savannah’s explanations are stifled behind the rushing of blood in my ears. When I lift my eyes, I see Rob being placed in handcuffs. I can see blood on his sweatshirt, but I’m unaware if it’s his, or Bubba’s. An ambulance rushes on the dirt, passing the already erected yellow police tape. An officer is in front of me, giving instructions, but I can’t hear anything he says. His mouth moves, waving his hand in front of my face, but I can’t seem to react. When I glance down at my hands, they’re covered in blood.
I want to get to Bubba, I want to see if he’s alive. But before I’m able to get my body to connect with my mind my vision blurs, spots cloud my sight, and everything goes black.
Our little catch and grab operation didn’t go as planned. It seems that our rat was burrowed so far deep in Sin City that it took more muscle and manpower to sniff him out. Two fucking days it took us to find that fucking rat. Our hardest job to date.
“We look like a bunch of fucked up motherfuckers.” I laugh. My knuckles are sore and swollen, and my kidney is aching like a bitch where a fucker got in a punch. Sin’s words about maybe changing the role in the MC float through my mind. I’ve got too much to lose now. Too many people depending on me.
“Those Italians like to throw down. What can I say?” Cut presses his thumb and index finger into his broken nose.
“Maybe it’s the fact that you’re getting old and you can’t box like you used to,” Hawk jokes.
“I wouldn’t be talking, pretty boy. Does your owie hurt too bad?” Cut fires back, pointing at the purpling mouse that’s under his left eye.
“Fuck that. It felt good,” Hawk says.
“You must have some pent-up frustrations, because brother, I’ve never seen you pound a man like that,” Sin says.
“Frustrations don’t begin to describe the shit that’s going through my mind.” Taking another pull from his beer bottle, he tries to cut Sin’s probing conversation.
“When are you heading back to LA?” Sin continues.
“I’m not,” he says before turning around, heading over to the jukebox. Cut’s phone rings, making him turn his back on us to take the call.
“There’s some shit going on right there,” Cruise says. Just the sound of his voice makes my eye twitch, but at least he’s been staying the fuck outta my way.
“More shit than any of us know, I’m sure,” I say back. Turning to Sin, I ask, “Has he talked to you about his visits to LA?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing, really.”
“Then maybe you need to take his lack of talking as a sign to stop fucking asking questions he doesn’t want to give you the answers to.”
“Fuck you. He’s my best friend, and he needs to fucking talk.”
“You sound like a fucking bitch right now. You need to ask that woman of yours for your balls back. Especially if you want to–”
“Lick!” Cut calls out before turning his focus back to the call. When he brings his eyes back to me, his expression says it all.
“Shit’s went south. We need to get home. It’s Jenni.”
There’s a stampede of boots hitting the hospital floor behind me. The entire MC enters the emergency room asking questions, yelling and commanding orders. Everyone is demanding they be told what happened.
Savannah enters the lobby from behind the ER’s doors. Her shirt has traces of blood all over it. When Sin sees her, he rushes over, wrapping his arms around her. She breaks down, crying once she’s in his arms.
Savannah’s eyes find mine and my world stops. “Jenni’s been shot.” Sin wraps his arm around her before she buries her face in his neck.
“W–What?” I’m sure I haven’t heard her right.
“Rob, um, he showed up at the park. I told her who he was, that he was the same man who came into the shop a couple months back, and she approached him. I–I went to the kids. I was going to get them away, but then he pulled a gun.”
“Fuck.”
“He was saying how he gave you a chance, how he wanted the money and you ignored him. H-He said that guys were going to kill him and you needed to pay. But then… um, Bubba came out of nowhere.”
“Bubba was there?” Dyke asked.
“Yes. He tackled Rob, but there were shots, one after another, and then nothing. Jenni was h–hit in the shoulder and Bubba in the chest. H–He may not make it.”
“Where the fuck is Jenni?” I spit.
“She’s in with Bubba. Her wounds were a graze to the shoulder. She’s in pain, but okay. She won’t leave his side, though.”
“I need to see my son,” Dyke demands, pushing his way through the doors.
“Hey.” Cut puts his hand on my shoulder. “She’s okay. Savannah said she’s okay.”
I turn towards him. “Not for nothing, but I need to see with my own fucking eyes.”
Leaving the lobby, I make my way down the hall. “Excuse me. Excuse me,” a voice calls from behind. “You can’t go back there.”
When I turn around, I spot an older nurse with graying hair regards me with caution–as she should. “My wife is back there, and no one is going to fucking stop me from seeing her. And don’t waste your time calling security. I’ll break every single one of them in half if it means I get to see my wife.”
Her lips purse in a tight line, but her eyes tell me that she understands. Not wanting to waste any more time, I keep going. I hear her voice coming from one of the rooms. The door is open, so I walk in. Bubba is stretched out in a hospital gown, eyes closed, a tube down his throat. Wires poke out from the top of his gown, needles in both arms. The constant beeping of his heart monitor. He’s pale, has a gray tinge to him.
Jenni sits with her back to me. She has her hand in his, and I notice the other arm is in a sling. Dyke’s standing at the other side of him. When his eyes meet mine, it makes Jenni turn around. As soon as her eyes lands on mine a sob breaks from her throat. She pushes herself from the chair, she pads over to me before throwing her one arm around my waist. I want so badly to lift her to me. To take her out of here and pack our shit and move her somewhere where no harm will ever come to her again. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, I inhale her scent.
“I was so scared. I thought I could distract him so Savannah could get the kids away, but he had a gun, and he pointed it at me. But then Bubba came out of nowhere, and he saved me.” I can feel her tears soak through my shirt as I rub her back.
The entire way home I’d replayed our wedding day over and over again in my head. How fucking beautiful she’d looked when she walked down that aisle to me.
“I Jenni Hoyt, promise to love you through sickness and in health, through the good times and bad. I promise to cherish you, to belong only to you from this day on. I give myself to you because it is you my heart has chosen because you make me complete. I marry you willingly, wholeheartedly, and eternally.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. I shouldn’t have left.”
Tears roll down her face, “No. Don’t do that. Don’t you dare blame yourself. No.”
I pull her back into my body. Standing there in silence, I watch as Dyke whispers into his son’s ear. He rests his head against his son’s, he speaks silent prayers. I’m not entirely sure exactly what happened at the park today, but I do know one thing.
Bubba saved Jenni’s life.
We give Dyke the time he needs with his son.
“Come on, baby.” I wrap my arms around her shoulders, guiding her back to the waiting room. As we enter, I spot Roxy on Bianca’s lap next to Grace. Ryder’s on the floor with his knees pulled up, head down.
“Jenni!” Roxy screams as she slides from Bianca’s lap, running full force towards us.
“Whoa there, baby girl.” I snatch her up before she can make contact with Jenni’s hurt shoulder. “Let’s be gentle, okay?” With a simple nod, I put her back on her feet. Reluctantly, with her head down, she takes a step to Jenni, who’s now squatting.
“Come here, sweetheart.” She opens her one arm, and Roxy gradually moves closer to her until her head is on Jenni’s shoulder. Once Jenni wraps her arm about Roxy’s tiny body, she throws her arms around her neck, letting out a teeny sob.
From the corner of my eye, I see Ryder approach. Hands in his back pockets, his eyes fall to his sister and Jenni, then back to mine. I can see the fear relief floating in his eyes.
“I–I thought I’d never see you again.” Roxy’s voice is muffled in the fabric of Jenni’s shirt. I take a step closer, running my hand down Roxy’s silky hair.
“Shh, honey, it’s okay. I’m okay, baby. I’m right here,” she coos, rubbing soft circles along her back.
“Please, please don’t ever leave me. Please, Jenni. You’re the only mommy I got now. Please, please don’t leave me.”
“I–” Jenni’s words get stuck in her throat. Looking up with pleading eyes and tears running down her cheeks, I bend down, scooping Roxy up into my arms.
“Come here, baby girl.” Her arms instantly wrap tightly around my neck. “Ain’t nothing gonna happen, okay? Jenni’s fine. She’s not going anywhere. She’s here, with us, to stay.” With her head buried, she nods, sniffling into my neck.
“Baby.” Already to her feet, Jenni continues to try to soothe Roxy’s nerves. My gaze floats around the room. Everyone who matters is here. My brothers, their women, even The Fallen have settled in chairs in the corner.
Lick: Devil's Fury Book 2 Page 25