Make It Right (Nightshade MC Book 1)

by Shannon Flagg

  Her parents hadn't been thrilled that she'd taken up with an older guy, a biker at that, but she'd been 18 and headstrong. They laid down ultimatums, and she'd responded by cutting them out of her life and moving in with Danny. It wasn't long after that they'd gone to City Hall and married, and too soon after he was heading to jail. Then the sky fell; it was her alone against the world.

  Amelia knew that the world had won. For the first two years after she'd left Detroit the only time she'd been pulled together and smiling had been on her return to visit her family. Every other day it was either she managed to drag herself out of bed or she didn't. When she did, she'd sought work at temporary agencies that paid well for jobs no one wanted to do. It didn't matter that all she could afford was a shitty rent by the week room.

  Eventually she'd worked her way up to a shitty rented by the month apartment where she could actually keep food because it wasn't infested with anything. She'd found a job at a thrift store, the owner happy to pay her to sit around so that he didn't have to. The job was gone now; she hadn't even thought to call until two days after she'd left. Ed had been sympathetic, wished her the best with her family but had decided to close the store.

  Her landlord would clean her place out the first day that her rent was late, and she didn't have the money to send. She'd burned through what she had to spend, and her savings, to pay for the gas to get to Detroit and the cleaning supplies she'd bought for Fiona's house. Once again, the sky was falling.

  “You drown in there or what?” Danny pushed open the door without knocking. His gaze went immediately to the bubbles on the top of the water. “Where'd you get bubble bath from?”

  “The corner store when I had to pick up toilet paper.”

  “Yeah, sorry about that. I've been meaning to go to the store. I did however manage to make you something to eat. Well, I'm mostly done. I don't want to make the grilled cheese until we're ready to eat.

  “Grilled cheese?” Amelia felt the smile spread across her face. “And tomato soup?”

  “Straight out of the can,” Danny confirmed with a laugh. “And I fried a ton of bacon to go on the grilled cheese.”

  “My favorite sick food.” It was the meal he'd made for her every time that she'd felt sick or was just sad.

  “Come on, don't cry.” His alarm was obvious. “I was trying to cheer you up.”

  “You did. You have.” Amelia looked up at him. “Thank you.”

  “No sweat. You need anything else in here? You want a beer?”

  “Beer would be nice.” Amelia felt her heart speed up. She forced herself to speak before she could chicken out. “Some company would be nice, too.” She smiled wider as she saw shock cross his face. It had been three nights since she ended up in his house, in his bed, and he'd been a gentleman the entire time. He'd slept on the couch, despite her telling him she'd fit there better.

  “Maybe I don't want to smell like a chick.” He was teasing, and she knew it because he was starting to undress. He had already taken off his cut; it hung in a place of honor just inside the door so he didn't have to much to take off, an old faded tee shirt, his equally faded jeans and socks which had seen better days. She really needed to get him some new ones.

  The surprisingly domestic thought threw her off guard; her mind wandered but soon her attention returned to Danny as he walked towards the tub. “You forgot the beer.” Amelia teased as her eyes devoured him. He'd always had a good build, but now, well, now it was hard to control herself from wanting to crawl out of the tub and run her tongue along the pronounced V of his hips.

  “Two seconds.” He was halfway out the bathroom door as he spoke, as naked as the day he was born and seemingly not giving a shit even though she knew that his blinds were open. Anyone looking in at that exact moment was going to be given one hell of a show.

  Danny returned as fast as he'd promised, two beers in hand. He handed one to her with a smile. “Scoot up a little so that I can get behind you.”

  “If I had a dollar for every time you've said that to me, I'd have a lot of dollars.” Amelia felt arousal surge threw her as he laughed, really laughed. It changed his entire face and made him even more handsome, which shouldn't have been possible.

  She realized that the water had been too high the minute that Danny sank down in the water behind her. Bubbles cascaded over the edge, water soaked the floor. “Shit.” Amelia moved; her first thought was to try and soak it up with his few threadbare towels, but his hands settled on her hips.

  “I'll clean it up. Sit back. Relax. Or relax as best you can while we slowly boil to death. It's hot enough to cook a lobster in here.”

  “No, it's not. This water isn't boiling or even close to it.” Amelia leaned back against his chest, smiled at the old argument. It was almost as if no time had passed between them. If she could just somehow forget the last seven years and her family was still alive it would be a perfect world. They soaked in silence, only the sound of the water dripping from the faucet into the tub broke the silence.

  She was all too aware that they were both naked and the tub, while spacious, didn't give them much room to not be pressed against each other. Amelia could feel the hardness of his length pressed against her ass. This was the most intimate they'd been since the night she'd returned, the night he'd gotten her off before being called away.

  The memory of it stirred something deep inside of her, something that had been dormant and forgotten until that night. There was no one who set her on fire the way that Danny did. Amelia let the fire spread, she could feel a tingle between her submerged thighs. Even when she shifted her body, his hands remained on her hips, even though he grew harder against her. Amelia expected that he would try something. Disappointment and doubt dug into her stomach. Suddenly the comfortable silence felt awkward.

  “You okay?” Danny's lips brushed against her exposed shoulder.

  “I'm fine.”

  “Don't seem fine. All of a sudden you went tense.” His lips pressed against her shoulder again.

  “I was just thinking.”

  “About?” His fingers began to move on her hips, traced slow circles against her slick skin.

  There was no power in the universe that would make her tell him she'd been wondering if he wanted her. There were only a few things she could do to piss him off; expressing self doubt was in the top two. “Everything, I guess.” Amelia said instead. Before she could allow herself to overthink what she was about to do, she shifted her body in the water.

  Danny let out a low grunt as she straddled him. “Amelia.”

  “Danny.” She could see that he was being cautious, no matter how aroused he was, he was thinking of her first. Likely worried that she was going to regret what she was doing. It was knowing that he'd put her before himself that let her know she'd have no regret.

  Before he could say anything else, she leaned in and kissed him. His hands found her hips once again and dug in. Amelia flexed her body in response and moaned at the feeling of him against her core. It had been seven years since they'd been together. Seven years since she'd been with a man. Danny thrust his hips against her. She should have told him to go slow but she didn't want slow. She wanted him more than anything.

  His hands moved in from her hips, fingers trailing roughly over her thighs. Amelia whimpered, the sensation had sent what felt like a shock straight to her clit. It spread through her, filled her with a need she'd long forgotten. Danny bit down on her bottom lip, held on and tugged. She gasped and then cried out as his calloused finger tip found her clit.

  “Yes. Yes. Yes.” Amelia tore her mouth from his, threw her head back and got a good grip on his shoulders. “Right there. Oh. Oh.” The strength of the orgasm took her breath away. She was slowly coming down from the rush when Danny sat up. Her legs slipped around him, and then he was inside of her.

  They both remained still for a moment and then he began to move. Amelia had expected hard deep thrusts. He was as deep in her as he could be, but his movements were s
low and gentle. His mouth found hers and she gave control over to him willingly.

  Pleasure built inside of her, grew higher and higher. Amelia made no attempt to quiet the cries spilling from her lips as she held on tight to him. “Harder.” She panted out the word, so close to the edge that she couldn't catch her breath.

  Danny grunted and tightened his grip on her hips. He moved her body up and down his length. Amelia released her grip on him and leaned back. She braced her hands on his thighs, the move exposing her sensitive clit to the cool air above the warm water.

  Amelia looked down at Danny, watched him watching her, and the look on his face was enough to send her screaming over the edge. Her body was still trembling when he sat all the way up. “Danny!” Amelia could barely hold on to him as his thrusts sped up.

  He came buried as deep inside of her as he could go. Amelia pressed herself against his body and his hand moved soothingly over her back. “Water is getting cold.” He pressed his lips against her shoulder.

  “What water is left,” Amelia realized they were only in a few inches of water. “We made a mess.”

  “It'll be here in the morning. Come on, we're going to eat and go to bed.” Danny told her, his hand still moving over her back.

  The neat freak in Amelia wanted to protest, but she realized how ridiculous it was to want to clean up a bathroom floor instead of eating gooey grilled cheese. “That sounds perfect.”

  <#<#<#

  “I still don't think this is a good idea.” Danny looked towards the swinging doors which led to the Medical Examiner's office and morgue. “Are you sure that...”

  “I'm sure, Danny. I'm as sure as sure can be. If you don't want to come with me, you don't have to.” Except Amelia would really rather that he did. She didn't want to face the shells of her family alone, but would if she had to. This was something that she wasn't going to back down from.

  “You're not doing this alone.” He stood up straighter. “I'm just worried that you're not going to be able to see them any other way. Do you remember after your parents died?”

  “Yes.” Amelia sighed. He was right; she'd never been able to see her parents any other way than laid out in their caskets. The car accident that had claimed their lives had been a pretty bad wreck. Fiona had been the one to identify them, and Amelia's first glance at them had come before the wake. “I remember. Like I said, you don't have to come with me.” Amelia had expected that Royal would be there as well, but when she asked Danny he'd just shrugged his shoulders. It pissed her off some that he wasn't paying his respects, but everyone grieved in a different way.

  “I'm not going anywhere.” Danny reached out and took her hand. Together they walked through the door. It wasn't a surprise to see James there waiting for them; he'd been the one to call, but he looked surprised to see Danny.

  “Hey.” James came over to them, lowered his voice. “You should go, Danny. Quickly and quietly. I'll get Amelia home.”

  “Like hell.” Danny replied. “I'm not leaving her here with you.”

  “And why not, Mr. Benson? Surely she's safer with a sworn officer of the law than a convicted felon?” The woman who spoke came from the door marked 'restricted.'

  “Piss off,” Amelia told the woman. “No one asked your opinion.”

  “Such language.” The woman smiled. “I'm entitled to my opinion just like everyone else.”

  “You're about to be entitled to a fist in the face.” Amelia was stressed enough without having to deal with some obviously deranged woman who didn't know how to mind her own business. “This is private and doesn't concern you.”

  “On the contrary, Ms. Mason, it does concern me, as I'm the investigating detective on Fiona and Taylor's case. I'm Catherine Harris. You can call me Detective Harris. Now, I understand that this is a very trying time for you. I have a sister myself and can't imagine losing her in such a violent manner.”

  “Get to the point,” Amelia suggested.

  “My point is, I have some questions for you. If you could give me a few moments, I'd greatly appreciate it. I imagine after you see your family you're not going to be too talkative. It would be a big help if we could speak now, alone. There's an office here we can use for privacy.”

  Amelia's head was spinning. James looked pissed, and she could feel the anger radiating off of Danny. “I'm sorry, Detective, but I'm not here to talk. I'm here to see my family.”

  “That's understandable. Mr. Benson, perhaps you can answer a few questions for me.”

  “I don't think so.”

  “I can make it not a suggestion. Do you recognize this?” She held out her phone. “Look at the picture on the screen.”

  Amelia looked and recognized the object immediately. The folding knives with the hand-carved wooden handle were custom made, and the emblem of Nightshade, two curling snakes, was burned into the wood, much the way Danny's initial had been burned onto her wrist.

  “Maybe I can refresh your memory. One of these knives is presented to every member of Nightshade when they earn their patch.”

  “Someone lied to you, Lady,” Danny replied. “I've never seen that knife before. Excuse us, my wife needs to see her family.”

  “Ex-wife.” Detective Harris corrected him with a smile. “I'll need to speak to both of you very soon.” She shifted her attention to James. “Guess I'll see you when I see you, Monroe. For what it's worth, I think suspending you was a little harsh.”

  With that the blonde walked away as if she didn't have a care in the world, and maybe she didn't. “Who the fuck is she?” Amelia turned her eyes to James.

  “She's a nightmare,” James said simply. “Not even five minutes after I called you, she walked out of the Captain's office and everything went to shit. I'm suspended, she's in charge of Fiona and Taylor's case and no one knows a damn thing about her.”

  “I need to make a call.” Danny's jaw was set in a grim line as he pulled out his phone. Amelia knew that he'd be calling Ace to look into the woman. As he spoke she tuned him out, tuned everything out until all she could see was the picture on the detective's phone.

  The knife was given to every member of Nightshade. They all had one, and it wasn't something they just left lying around. The picture showed it against a plain white background, no doubt to enhance the detail, so it was obviously police evidence. “Where did they find that knife?”

  “I wish I knew,” James admitted with a sigh. “It wasn't in any evidence report that I saw.”

  “Which means that you were out of the loop.” Danny didn't sound happy. “We need to find out what she knows and we need to know yesterday.”

  Amelia watched Danny pull his phone out again. He was calling Royal, she knew it as well as she knew her own name. The knife being in evidence and in the hands of the person investigating Fiona and Taylor's death wasn't good.

  She didn't realize that she'd moved away from the two men until she was through the restricted doors. “Excuse me, you can't be in here,” a woman dressed in dark blue scrubs informed her.

  “My sister and niece are here. They said that I could see them.” Amelia's heart was in her throat and she was pretty certain she was going to throw up if she had to say another word. She glanced over her shoulder, realized that Danny and James were still completely involved in their conversations.

  “Of course. I'm sorry for your loss.” The woman's expression softened and she continued to talk, but Amelia didn't pay attention to a word. They walked over to a row of freezers and the woman opened two of the doors.

  Amelia stood there for what seemed like an eternity, just looking at what was left of her family. Finally she shook herself out of her sudden stupor, nodded her thanks at the woman who'd backed discreetly away. In the waiting room Danny was still talking on his phone. James seemed to be texting, and neither had noticed she was gone.

  She stood there, waited until Danny finally hung the phone up. “Sorry. You ready to go in?”

  “Already did,”Amelia told him. “I'd like to
leave now.”

  “Why didn't you wait for me? Jesus, that must have been...”

  “I don't want to talk about it. I needed to do it and it's done. Can we go?”

  “Of course, come on. Royal wants to meet us at the bar.”

  “Me too?” Amelia didn't bother controlling her sigh. “I am not up for the bar right now, Danny.” Or Missy if she was around. Or Allison. Fuck. All she really wanted to do was go back to his house, get in bed or the bathtub.

  “It's not like it's going to be a party right now. It'll be quiet. After our meeting, we'll go grab dinner and then head home.”

  “I can take her home now, if you want,” James offered. “Not like I have anything else to do.”

  “Royal wants you there too,” Danny said shortly. His tone was one that left no room for argument. “We shouldn't keep him waiting.”

  Royal wasn't known for his patience, and Amelia could only imagine his tolerance for bullshit was going to be at an all-time low with the Nightshade knife being in a police evidence locker. Because Amelia didn't want to cause a problem, she didn't say that she'd rather go home. Instead she followed Danny out to the bike so they could go to the bar.

  Chapter Five

  It was the first time that Danny could remember someone who wasn't Nightshade being involved in a meeting. James hadn't taken a seat at the table; instead he stood and leaned back against the door. He sounded oddly detached as he caught the rest of the room up on what Danny and Royal already knew: Nightshade had lost their inside man within the Detroit Police Department, which was a huge problem in itself.

  “And if that's not enough, this bitch detective has one of our knives!” Royal shot up out of the chair. The expression on his face was beyond anger. This was fury. Danny sat up straighter, suddenly sure that this was going to end really badly. He pulled his own blade from the sheath on his belt, slammed it down on the table. “Which one of you is missing a knife?”