by Sam Crescent
Not once had she tried to see him, not even to visit him in prison. Gash had always waited to see if she would turn up. They hadn’t been total BFFs, but he’d always thought they had some kind of connection.
Watching her back, he waited as she grew soft, and slowly gave into sleep. When she was completely asleep, he thought about the couples at the clubhouse. Lash and Angel were a force to be reckoned with. The love between them was strong, and Gash had witnessed what true love really was. He’d always thought it was a fantasy, but being released from prison, he’d seen his Skull brothers falling, or having fallen in love. The club was still tough, and the men were not the kind to be messed with. Gash had felt out of place. He was filled with anger and a need to kill. The brothers, they needed him to be the better man, to be the man he’d been before he’d been incarcerated. That man was dead.
Sliding across the bed, he moved his hand beneath her head, and molded against her back. He gripped her hip, and breathed in her scent.
Home.
This felt like heaven to him, pure heaven, and for a change, he didn’t feel like leaving this moment.
Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to finally relax, and fall into sleep.
****
Lash stared up at the clubhouse, wondering what he was going to do. Devil had been in touch, and Master had threatened the Chaos Bleeds women. His first instinct was to open his home, and to allow the man to send them to The Skulls. He liked Devil, and it had upset him when the two clubs had fought, separating. They had survived many enemies by working together. Tiny had screwed that up with fear, and it was the one time in Gash’s life where he didn’t agree with his then-Prez.
The club, it was busier than ever. They had some of their nomad men staying with them, Adam, Twisted, and Happy. Fighter, Baker, and Ink were now full-fledged members. That had been one of the biggest decisions he ever made for the club. Initiating three new members, he had to be sure that they were loyal to the club, and wouldn’t put anyone else before them.
“Son, you should be in the club, cuddled up against your wife,” Tiny said.
“This coming from the man who has a new baby at home.”
“Something told me you needed to talk.” Tiny shoved his hands into his pockets and sighed. “It’s cold out.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“You’re doing good, Lash.”
“If my father was here, I wouldn’t be doing this right now.”
“Lash, your father and mother died for this club. I took you and Nash in because it was a bad decision on my part that got them killed. They loved the club.” Tiny chuckled. “Your mother, she was a firecracker. She loved the club, but she also wanted your father to know that you boys were going to have a choice. They would fight, but I swear it only made them both mad for each other. It’s why your mother called you Nigel and your brother Edward.”
Lash remembered his parents, or at least small memories of happiness. He didn’t like being called Nigel. Even Angel didn’t call him that. He fucking hated the name. What kind of biker was named … Nigel? He recalled his parents, the few things that he’d not forgotten. His mother loved baking, and his father loved building shit. God, it seemed like a lifetime ago since he thought about them.
“Being a leader was always going to happen, Lash. It’s not just about being a hard ass or having muscle that makes a good Prez, a good leader.” Tiny rocked back on his heels. “I’ve been a good and bad one. I learned on the job. After shit went down with The Darkness, I knew I wanted Fort Wills to be a town that everyone felt safe in.”
“Devil wants me to create a safe house for their women.”
“A war is coming, and we have to be ready. I fucked up with Devil, but this is your call on what you make.”
“What would you decide?” Lash asked.
“Son, I’m not about to give you the answers you’re looking for. I didn’t have anyone to rely on when I had to make a choice. It’s not easy, and I know it fucking sucks, but you’ve got to have faith in yourself. What is your heart telling you?”
“My heart?”
“It’s corny and shit, but your heart is in the club. Your woman, Angel, I never would have put her as a strong woman, and she’s certainly proven that I can be wrong. She’s strong enough to take on the club women, and she doesn’t even need to use violence.”
Lash smiled, thinking about the last few months of him training her, not only to fight but to also use a weapon. She was becoming one hell of a shot. He was never going to piss her off or risk getting his dick blown off.
“What do you want to do?” Tiny asked.
Taking a deep breath, he stared up at the clubhouse. It had been broken into, burnt down, rebuilt, and invaded. This was his home, it was his life, and he was never going to leave it.
“We’re going to have Devil’s back when his enemy comes to call. Chaos Bleeds, they’re our allies, and it’s time the world knows it.”
Tiny nodded, slapping his back. “Go and rest. There’s plenty of time to fight, but resting, it’s a luxury during times of war.”
They made their way into the clubhouse together, and Lash didn’t wait around. He headed toward his room, and opened Anthony’s door first. His little boy was sleeping. Anthony was already in school, and learning fast. Resting his head against the doorframe, Lash watched him sleep before entering his room.
Angel was curled up on her side, looking beautiful like always. He removed his clothes quietly so he didn’t wake her.
As he climbed in behind her, she released a sigh. “Where did you go?” she asked.
“I had some thinking to do.”
“Did you come to a decision?”
“Yes, I did. We’re going to help Devil.”
“I knew you’d come to the right decision.” She wriggled into his arms, and he cupped her stomach.
“You know I was going to let the Chaos women come here?”
“It’s the right thing to do. It’s why I love you, and I’ll always love you no matter what you do. You’re a good man.”
He would never understand Angel, but he loved her with his whole heart.
Chapter Three
Charlotte was so warm, and it felt so good to be warm. She opened her eyes, and frowned as she blinked sleep from her eyes. It had been over seven years since she had a good night’s sleep free of nightmares. She became aware of a rock hard body at her back with a thigh between hers.
That was something she’d never woken up to. Gash had been completely out of it the night they had slept together, and there hadn’t been any kind of snuggling like this.
Glancing behind her back, she saw that Gash was wrapped around her. His large body held her in place, not letting her move.
“Stop moving,” he said.
“You’re awake.”
“It’s hard to sleep, babe, with you moving around all crazy. Just go back to sleep.”
“You’re holding me!” She yelled the words, shocked that he was holding her. It had been the best night’s sleep of her life, and now she knew why. Gash had been wrapped around her, and she couldn’t think of any other excuse as to why she slept so well.
“I’ve not slept like that in years, and it feels so damn good.”
She tried to wriggle again and came into contact with his dick. He was rock hard. Charlotte didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t that.
“Is that what I think it is?”
“Moving on my dick is not exactly going to help the situation, babe. You’re turning me on, and I love a nice warm pussy in the morning.”
“I’m not yours.”
“You possess a nice pussy though. I bet if you let loose one time, you’d be soaking wet and begging for my cock.”
“Shut up.”
“Nah, I don’t want to shut up.” The hand on her stomach moved down, and before she could stop him, he cupped her pussy between her thighs. “That’s it, baby. Don’t fight what you want, and give yourself a chance to have what you
want.”
“I don’t want you.”
“You don’t? How long has it been since a man has touched this body, Charlotte?” His hand slid beneath her night shirt and touched her intimately.
Charlotte couldn’t fight the arousal that rushed around her body.
“I feel how wet you are, babe. You’re soaking wet, and I’m not even touching the lips of your pussy. Open up for me, and I’ll show you what a good time is really all about.” As he was talking, he’d already slid his hand inside her panties and started fingering her pussy. “Ah, there she is. You’re so wet, Charlotte. You’re coating my fingers.” He kept teasing her pussy, and Charlotte, she couldn’t fight anymore. It had been over seven years since she was with a man, and she couldn’t hold back any longer. Spreading her thighs, she moaned, and he pressed two fingers inside her as his thumb stroked over her clit. “That’s it, Charlotte, let go, and give me those cries.”
Moaning, she closed her eyes, and thrust her pelvis up against him.
“Fuck, baby, you’re so hot. How did I not know this? I’d have taken you out for a test drive.”
It was like a bucket of cold water was thrown over her.
They had been together, and it had resulted in something that had sent her crazy. Slamming her elbow against his stomach, she jumped out of bed. Gash cursed, releasing her long enough so that she could get free.
“Don’t touch me.” She was shaken to the core, and her body was on fire for his touch. Two completely different emotions, and it was sending her already sensitive mind haywire. This was not the way to handle the situation with Gash. He was back in her life for them both to kill Rebecca and Jeff. Then it would be finished between them with either him killing her, or them parting ways. She didn’t see any future between them. The moment his hands were on her, it had reminded her of how they had once been together, and that wasn’t going to happen again. Gash would destroy her, and he didn’t even have a clue of the kind of power he had over her. Only she remembered what happened between them.
“I’m sorry. You were hot for—”
“Don’t. Don’t be an asshole. Are we leaving today?” she asked. The sooner she got this done, the happier she’d be.
“Yes. If we make good time.”
“I’ll get ready.” She had no intention of lingering with him.
She grabbed some clothes from her wardrobe, and rushed into the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet, she rested her elbows on her knees, and took several deep breaths.
Everything is okay.
Just breathe.
You’re alive.
You’re alive.
She chanted over and over in her head as tears filled her eyes.
You don’t need him.
You’re stronger than anyone.
In that moment, she didn’t feel strong. She was weak. One night he’d been back in her life, and she’d been ready to let him play with her. Charlotte couldn’t even blame him. She’d known he was drunk, but it didn’t stop it from hurting any less. It wasn’t going to happen. There was no way she was sleeping with him. She was stronger than that, and she wouldn’t give in to him.
“Charlotte,” Gash said.
“Go away. I’m getting dressed.”
She wiped away the tears that she hadn’t realized had fallen. Standing up, she stared at her reflection, and was transported to a distant memory.
“It’s done,” Jeff said.
“Done?” Charlotte croaked out the word, holding the blanket up to her chin. “What’s done?”
“You don’t really think we’d let you carry his child, did you? It’s so stupid what you did, Charlotte. You were never supposed to be part of this, but I guess you just couldn’t help but stick your fucking nose in where it doesn’t belong.” Jeff pressed his hand against her head, and leaned in close. “Now, you will pay.”
“You took my baby?” she asked.
“You were going to fight us, Charlotte.”
She whimpered, and placed her hands on her stomach as she was overcome with a deep wave of sadness. “You killed it?”
“Yes. The baby you had, it’s now gone.”
Charlotte screamed. Reaching across to the pitcher of water, she slammed it against him. The pitcher smashed, and as she grabbed a shard of glass in her hand, not caring that it cut her deeply, she tried to attack him. Her body was not her own, and as she stood on the glass, pain shot between her thighs, and on her feet. She tried to attack him, slashing him with the makeshift blade.
Charlotte came out of the memory, and shivered. Nurses had rushed into the room, strapping her down. The next time she came to, Jeff had been gone, along with her baby, and she had tried to kill herself. After trying to end her life three times, she was committed to a psychiatric hospital where she spent the next five years trying to ease the pain in her heart by using every chance she had to take her own life. It was only when a good doctor finally got through that she started to fight. It was ironic. Gash got out of prison at the same time that she got out of a hospital. She wasn’t the same woman who entered that hospital, and for the past two years she had tried to make a life for herself.
Gash coming back into her life had given her the best kind of medicine that he didn’t even realize he was offering. He gave her a chance at revenge, at killing the man and woman who did this to her.
Staring at her reflection, she wiped away the last of her tears.
You can do this.
She pictured Jeff Wright in her mind, and how damn smug he thought he was. Coming back from her business trip to discover that Gash had been falsely accused of rape and murder, she’d been about to get in touch to tell them the truth about Gash. Charlotte had heard the date that Gash was supposed to have raped Rebecca then murdered her boyfriend. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that it wasn’t him because that night, Gash was with her, making love, giving her a baby that was later torn from her. Gash would have known she’d be able to help him because when he woke up the next morning, he’d seen her.
Charlotte had been his alibi, and he’d known it, which was why he came after her. He didn’t know what they did, what they made together, nor what was taken from her. Gash had known he’d been at the apartment that night with her, and that was all.
Getting dressed, Charlotte tied her hair back and made her way out to the kitchen. Gash was at her stove cooking pancakes, or better yet, he was burning them.
“What are you doing?”
“Cooking breakfast.”
“We can eat on the road.” She grabbed her purse and jacket.
“I’m sorry about this morning in your bed,” he said.
“You’re apologizing?”
“I’ve never taken something that wasn’t offered before in my life. I’m ashamed of myself, and even though we were once friends, and now I consider you—I don’t know what I consider you—it’s still wrong.”
His apology took her by surprise.
“Okay, wow, I accept.”
“Good.” He dumped the pan into the sink, and moved toward her. She couldn’t look away as he pulled his Skulls leather cut onto his shoulders, and ran fingers through his hair. He really was a good looking man, and one that always affected her.
Think about Jeff.
She and Gash were never going to have a relationship. Too much crap had passed for that to ever work.
****
It took several hours to get to Fort Wills, and they made a couple of stops for eating, and toilet breaks. Gash loved having Charlotte on the back of his bike. He made her wear a helmet, and she clenched him tightly as they rode. Part of him was tempted to make the trip last longer just to have her wrapped around him a bit more, but he didn’t do it. Pulling into The Skulls clubhouse, he saw several brothers repairing their bikes, and a couple of the club whores having a smoke.
Pulling up next to Steven, he waited for Charlotte to climb off his bike, and when she was about to fall into a heap, Steven kept her upright.
“It’s all right, bab
y,” Steven said.
Climbing off his bike, he was about to move Steven out of the way when the brother took Charlotte’s helmet off for her. In the process, her hair was pulled out, and Gash couldn’t look away as she ran fingers through it. The brown of her hair, and the strands fanning out, triggered a memory. He remembered that hair sliding down his body before she took his cock into her mouth.
Shaking away the dream, he took hold of her hand, locking their fingers together. Again, he didn’t know why he needed to hold her, only that he had to.
“So, who are you?” Steven asked.
“I’m Charlotte.”
“Well, Charlotte, I’m Steven, and I’m the guy you need if you want me to rock your world.”
“Her world is already rocking. Back off,” Gash said.
“You got dibs.”
“She’s mine.”
“Whatever, man, it’s your call. I’ll go back to my bike. Weather says it’s about to snow or some shit, and I don’t want my baby in trouble.”
Rolling his eyes, Gash made his way toward the clubhouse.
“He seemed nice.”
“He’s not.”
“I’m not your girl.”
“You’re not a club whore, Charlotte. Until further notice, you’re mine.”
They entered the clubhouse, and he wasn’t surprised to see kids running around the clubhouse. There was a time when this place was for men only. Now, it was just a family clubhouse, or at least, during the day it was. He spotted Blaine and Emily in the corner, talking. Their daughter would be in school along with Miles, Tabitha, Rachel, Anthony, and Sally. Sally was Whizz and Lacey’s adoptive daughter who was fifteen years old.
Angel came out of the kitchen with Markus walking behind her. Markus was Kelsey and Killer’s son.
“You’re back,” she said, the moment she spotted him.
She gave him a big hug, and he released Charlotte long enough to hug her back. Angel was exactly as her name suggested, an Angel. There was a time when he first got out of prison when he believed Angel was trying to break her wedding vows and fuck him. He’d been wrong, dead wrong. She wanted to be his friend, and that was all. Her love for Lash was strong, and she would never cheat.