by KB Winters
I tried for a smile. “I’ve been better, Mick.” I coughed and cried again, squeezing my eyes shut. “I think I need a hospital.”
Chapter Nine
Cash
Holy fuck, I’d never been so fucking scared in my life. Not even when Mick, me, and our crew were pinned down by insurgents and our comm was down was I as afraid as I was entering that fucking warehouse. Hoping and even sending a prayer up to a God I’d given up on years ago that Minx would be all right.
As we drew closer, I heard the shit Rocky said to her. It wasn’t pretty; some of it was just plain fucking disturbing, and I was pretty sure she’d be dealing with those scars longer than the physical ones. She’d likely suffer flashbacks if not full-blown PTSD in the coming weeks and months. But she impressed the hell out of me, using silence as a weapon against that weak asshole.
But seeing her bloody and bruised like that, hearing those blows rain down on her knowing I was in no position to do shit about it killed me. I wanted to take care of Rocky myself, squeeze the life out of that sorry motherfucker so he knew who did it to him. But the club had to approve it.
All I gave a shit about now was Minx. She’d be okay in that her body would heal, but I worried about the rest of her. The part on the inside. The moment I saw Cherie I jumped to my feet. “How is she?”
Cherie’s smile was grim. “She’s okay. Got a busted rib and a few deep bruises, possibly a concussion. She said to tell you she’s fine and you don’t need to worry about her.”
That I didn’t need to…what the fuck? “What? No. Where is she?” I walked down the hall where Cherie pointed, stopping at the room number she’d called out to me. I steeled myself and took a deep breath outside her room before pushing in. “You don’t think you’re getting rid of me that easy, do you? I’m not letting you run away. Not again, baby girl.”
She blinked once. Twice. Then one tear fell from her right eye, bruised and swollen shut. She looked away from me then tried to use her hair to hide the bruises on her face. “I need time, Cash.”
“I got lots of time. I’m here and ready to listen.”
She glared at me and I glared back until her gaze softened, her body relaxed. “I don’t know if I can.”
“Then talk to Talon, she’s waddling around the waiting room ready to punch someone to get back here.”
“Yet you’re here,” she challenged, tilting her head toward me.
I smiled and ran a hand over her hair. “I’m bigger than she is, and I think we’ve already established—I’m irresistible.” She tried to laugh but gasped in pain. I put my hand to her rib. “Sorry, babe. Breathe.” I inhaled and exhaled deeply so she would do the same.
“Thank you, Cash. For coming for me. For saving me.” She wiped more tears as they fell. “I’m sorry I didn’t expect you to. I should have.”
I dropped down on the bed so we were eye to eye. “Always, babe.” I wrapped her hands in mine and pressed a kiss to the bruises on her wrists. “Get some rest, sweetheart, I’ll be right here. I promise.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I can’t.” I saw the fear in her eyes, and it just about tore me apart.
“I already know about the nightmares, Minx. Last time I stayed over you twitched and cried all night long.” Her eyes burned with embarrassment, and she looked away. “Don’t hide, Minx.” I grabbed her chin so she had to look at me and brushed a kiss to her forehead. “Don’t be embarrassed.”
“I’m not.”
I smiled and held her cheek, rubbing my thumb along smooth skin peppered with ugly purple bruises. “Whatever you say, babe. Now, sleep.”
“You’re bossy,” she yawned.
“All part of the irresistible package that is me.” I winked, and she giggled just as I hoped.
“You are pretty irresistible,” she admitted, and I knew the meds were getting to her. “Thank you for rescuing me, Cash.”
She drifted off on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around her as she fell asleep. Sleep didn’t come quite so easily for me as I thought about her admission. It was the first time she’d complimented me outside of sex, and I knew it was too soon to hope, but I knew she was mine.
Mine.
It was the last word I thought before sleep claimed me, too.
***
Minx
“I know you’re not ready to hear this yet, but I love you, Minx. You’re prickly as hell and you love nothing more than giving me a hard time, but it only makes me want you more. I know you need to be strong because you’ve been through six kinds of hell, and I want you to be strong. Hell, I can help you be stronger if you want, but dammit I don’t want you weak. I love you strong, and I love that you trust me enough to be vulnerable. I promise never to betray that. I love you so much. Please don’t use this as an excuse to run from me.”
I still couldn’t believe he’d said all that to me. I didn’t know what to say or do in reply. That’s not entirely true because as soon as he said that scary ‘L’ word I knew that was the strange feeling twisting my gut and squeezing my heart. Love. It was uncomfortable, made it hard to breath, stole all the moisture from my mouth, and made me want to be around him all the time. It had to be love.
Which meant I was totally screwed.
And a coward because I pretended to be asleep while he poured his heart out to me, and when he returned I kept the pretense up because I couldn’t figure out how to respond. I knew how I felt, but it all was happening too soon. How could I trust that this was real? That it wasn’t just wild and crazy sex combined with an intense situation?
I couldn’t.
But I also couldn’t have anticipated that a member of a biker gang would save me and help me start my new life. I never could’ve dreamed that I’d be making and selling dresses or that I would have a good man in my life who loved me. I had to be brave. I had to be the strong woman Cash saw when he looked at me. I started with a caress, stretching my arm to where his head lay on my lap, and ran my fingers through his hair.
He looked up and flashed that dimpled smile that never failed to turn me on and turn my insides to goo. “You’re awake.”
“So are you. I can’t believe you slept here.”
“Of course I did, I needed to make sure you were okay.”
“In a building full of doctors and medicine?” The man took the overprotective alpha thing to the extreme.
“I needed to know for myself. Shit, Minx, hearing that asshole hit you and knowing I wouldn’t get close enough in time, fuck, I wanted to kill that bastard.”
I caressed his face. “I know, but you came for me. You came.” I didn’t know how to make him understand how much that act alone meant to me. “For years I wished my parents’ or the police would come and save me, but no one ever did. It didn’t even occur to me that you would come. When I heard your voice, I thought I was hallucinating.”
He moved up to sit beside me and put his forehead to mine. “You’re killing me, babe.”
“I’m trying to say thank you, dork. For coming for me, for staying with me.”
“Don’t thank me. I needed to be here as much as you needed me, even if you didn’t say so.”
I returned his smile. “But I didn’t say you shouldn’t which is kind of the same thing.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Minx, what am I going to do with you?”
I took a breath and looked at him, my big blond Boy Scout. His green eyes stared at me so full of some unknown emotion that stirred an emotion I was slowly coming to terms with. “Love me?”
“I already do.”
Damn, he was good. “Oh damn, I love you too, Cash.”
He chuckled at my groaned words. “Don’t sound so excited about it, babe.”
“I don’t know shit about love or relationships. You know I’ll screw it up.”
“Not if I don’t let you.” He pressed a soft kiss to my mouth and muttered a curse over my split lip. “We’ll talk and share and shit. I’m told that’s how these things work.”
“I’m sure enough for the both of us. I know you’ll catch up.” He winked and gave his best panty-dropping smile.
“Because you’re so irresistible?”
He kissed my forehead and nodded. “Now you’re finally getting’ it. I knew you were more than a smart mouth and a hot bod.”
I couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out of me, or the screaming pain that tore through my ribs. “Ow, don’t make me laugh.” I cupped his face, unable to believe this man was mine. Loved me and wanted me to love him, too. “I do love you, but I’m terrified.”
“Me, too. But we’ll have each other, so we’ll be all good,” he said simply.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Then I’m in.” And I was. Cash had given me something I didn’t think I would ever have again. Love. I would cherish it and nourish it every damn day.
Epilogue
Minx – 3 months later
I wish I could say I didn’t cry when my best friend said her vows that bonded her to the love of her life, but I bawled like a big ol’ baby, which actually wasn’t all that unusual for me these days. Talon looked so beautiful in her ice blue wedding gown, her skin glowed from all the love and the baby hormones.
Their ceremony was beautiful and quick, just how the bride wanted it, and she’d only tolerated about thirty minutes of photos, which I also appreciated. “You could leave the dress on if you wanted,” I told her as I unzipped her.
“No way, I can’t wait to put on that beautiful dress you made.” She cast a glance at the blue maternity party dress I’d made as a surprise wedding gift when I was released from the hospital and cleared for movement. It took almost two months before all the bruises vanished and my ribs had healed. Sometimes I swear I could still feel it broken in there, but Cash and my therapist both said it’s all in my head. “How are you, girl, for real?”
I smiled at her in the mirror. “Getting better every day.” It was true, I was. At least once I left the cottage I started to feel a little better each day. I didn’t feel safe there, and Cash was more than happy to have me move in with him. “Do you think living with Cash is the right thing?”
Talon nodded. “Hell yeah! He loves you and you love him, but I’m guessing he knows how to help when you refuse to ask?”
“I needed to hear it. Sometimes I’m not sure if I’m scared because it’s new for me or because it’s just scary.” I hugged her and then helped her into her dress and let her hair down. “Ready to celebrate?”
“Damn straight, babe!” She gave a little booty shake, and we went out into her backyard so the reception could officially begin, though everyone already had drinks in their hands.
I spotted Cash just as the first dance came to an end, and he came over to me. “Dance with me.” He pulled me onto the dance floor and then into his arms where I was happy to be.
I looked up at him, stars in my eyes. “I’m so happy I took a chance on a Boy Scout.”
He laughed and pulled me closer. “I think you mean an irresistible Boy Scout.” He dipped me and gave me a whisper-soft kiss, peeking over my shoulder at the newlyweds. “That will be us someday.”
I hoped with all my heart that was true. “Family, too?” I’d realized over the past few months just how badly I wanted that. Family.
He nodded and stole my breath with the intensity of his gaze. “Definitely.”
“You mean it?” I felt hope build and swell in my chest as I imagined us having a backyard barbecue with a few little kids running around us.
“Fuck yeah. We’ll start tonight.”
I was glad to hear that because I had news to share with him tonight. In bed. “I love you.”
He grinned. “Good thing I love you too, then,” he joked the way he always did when I said it to him. Then his expression turned serious and worry built up in my belly. “I found your family. It’s up to you what you do with the information, but I have it for you.”
“W-w-what?”
“You heard me.”
I couldn’t believe it. He’d given me love when I didn’t think I’d ever have it, and now he’d found my family. If I wanted them. “What did I do to deserve a guy like you?”
“Don’t you know, Minx? You stole my heart.”
“And I’m keeping it. Forever.”
“Then you’ll have to marry me.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. He’d been telling me for months he wanted to marry me, make me his wife, and I hadn’t been able to believe it. Now though, I was ready. I nodded as tears filled my eyes. “Then we should probably get married before the baby is born.”
Big green eyes widened in shock and then filled with happiness. “Baby? You’re having my baby?” I nodded and a wide grin swept across my face.
“You know if we hurry, we might be able to catch the minister.”
“Fuck yeah, baby. I’m there.”
* * * *
~ T H E ~ E N D ~
Wow! I hope you loved this story as much as I loved writing it! Roddick is coming SOON! And don’t forget to turn the page for more yummy goodness from KB!
Roddick
CAOS MC
By KB Winters
Copyright © 2017 BookBoyfriends Publishing LLC
Published By: BookBoyfriends Publishing LLC
Copyright and Disclaimer
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 BookBoyfriends Publishing LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Prologue
Roddick
“What the hell am I doing here?” I knew it was pointless to ask the question since I was clearly inside an interrogation room with one of those mirrors we’re supposed to pretend doesn’t have a shit ton of agents on the other side of it, uncomfortable metal chairs, and even the fucking swinging light bulb overhead. I was sitting inside a fucking stereotype. But I asked anyway because I hadn’t done shit wrong. “If you don’t have shit to say, I’m requesting a lawyer and invoking my right to remain silent.” Assholes thought they could bully me, but they would soon learn I was no chump.
The door finally opened and two suits walked in to the dimly lit room, the yellow tinged bulb flickering. Suit number one was a chick with red hair pulled into a ponytail, big green eyes, and freckles that made her look all of fifteen. The other dude might as well have been Captain fucking America with his slicked back blond hair and sharp blue eyes. They both wore ill-fitting suits that marked them as government agents rather than corporate types. “You’re in no position to make demands,” the redhead said.
I stared at her as though she hadn’t said a word. I was off fighting for Uncle Sam before she was even born, and I didn’t intimidate easily. Too bad for her. “Am I leaving, or is somebody gonna tell me what the fuck I’m doing here?”
The man took the seat across from me and pulled out a manila folder, a move I’d seen more than a few cops make over the years. In the movies. “I’m Agent Jack Brockton and that’s Molly Johnson. We’re part of a new task force assembled to deal with the cartels.” He laid out several photos of a truck burning in the desert. “This truck was found just outside of San Diego. Inside we fou
nd twenty people, still being identified. We’re pretty sure this truck belongs to the Mexican Devils.”
It wouldn’t surprise me if it did. The cartel’s main business was drugs, mostly heroin, but they also had houses of girls and women all over the country. “What does this have to do with me? I’m doing my part to keep this shit from crossing the border, you Feds are the ones falling down on the job.” Arms crossed, I waited for them to deny it and pretend they gave a damn.
Agent Pollyanna, I meant Molly, leaned forward with what was supposed to be a scowl on her face. “You’re not exactly on the right side of the law, are you?”
I leaned back and gave her my most charming grin. “If that was true, sweetheart, you’d have me in bracelets and trying to leverage some type of compromise, so cut the shit and tell me what you want.” I could tell she didn’t like my tone, but I didn’t give a damn. I didn’t like her tone either.
Brockton laughed and leaned back, kicking up his feet and crossing them at the ankles. He laid out photos of two more trucks burned to a crisp and photos of CAOS carrying Minx from that warehouse while some Devils took care of the trash that used to belong to our club, Wagman and Rocky. “We know what your club has been up to which is why we leave you alone. But now we need you boys to help us out, because this shit has gotten too big.”
“I’m listening.” Captain America was right about one thing, the Mexican Devils had been sending more drugs into the U.S. and more people into Mexico.
“We need your club to start taking shipments of drugs from the cartel so we can trace the drugs, but more importantly, we need to trace the cash. See where it turns up.”
I heard what he wasn’t saying loud and clear. “You think Lazarus has a boss.” Cash thought the same thing after meeting Lazarus, but I’d keep that info to myself. For now.
Agent Johnson sighed and got in my face. Again. “Don’t worry about what we think.”