by Debra Kayn
Her back arched, pressing her breasts against him. He growled, spreading her legs, thrusting into her fast, deep, and hard. He fucking loved that about her. She always came to him ready, all the time, accepting him.
The more she gave him, the more he went crazy for her.
"Damn, I missed you." He shifted side-to-side, rubbing against her.
Her legs locked behind his thighs. He pulled out and plunged again. He leaned down, capturing her moan. His hand went between her legs and he worked her with his fingers. Breathless and already riding a high, he eased out of the kiss and smiled down on her.
"Best thing I have in my life, he said.
Her nails dug into his shoulders. "Lee..."
He lowered his head again, taking her nipple in his mouth and sucked.
Shari moaned in approval. He rolled, bit, and flicked her nipple with his tongue. His fingers continued caressing the soft, wet folds between her legs, while lazily stroking her pussy with his cock.
"Lee," she begged. "Please."
He moved to her other breast, licked, then blew over the hard nub. Her upper body quivered and her sex squeezed his dick.
"Jesus, doll," he said, concentrating on her sensitive clit. "That's it."
"Feels so good," she said, stringing her words out in pleasure.
He shifted his weight to his left arm and looked down between their bodies. There was nothing more beautiful than seeing his woman's legs cradling his hips, her body opened and filled with him.
"Never leaving," he said, plunging deep inside of her. "Never letting you leave."
"Lee."
He held his hips up. "Take all of me."
She lifted her ass off the bed, sucking him in. "Yeah, like that," he said.
She set her own pace that happened to exceed his biggest wish. His arm weakened, his mouth dried, and the moment she panted, desperately grabbing for him, he gave it all back. Each thrust, each stroke, each frantic reach for pleasure they both sought. She went wild underneath him, pulling his hair, scratching his skin, calling his name, and he loved every minute.
"Now, Lee, now," she said, moaning.
He planted both hands on the bed and rode her fast. Her thighs clamped down on his hips, and she moved underneath him. He dug his toes into the bedspread, keeping her with him.
"Look. At. Me." He grunted, never stopping.
Her eyes locked on him, and he witnessed the moment he took her over the edge. Her eyes rolled up with her orgasm and then focused on him again. Her pussy spasmed, pushing, pulling, and he planted himself deep inside of her. A groan ripped from his chest as the muscles quivered down his spine, settling between his legs, and he shot his load.
Shari shuddered, and each pulse of her sex as she came down from her climax milked every drop out of him, leaving him high and flying.
He stayed inside of her and rolled to his side, taking her with him. He smoothed the hair out of her face and kissed her lightly, nuzzling her nose. "The bed's bigger here."
She smiled and nodded. "I kind of liked the twin bed back home. Besides you're a full contact sleeper and I like being warm. Your bed works for me."
"Then we keep the bed for a while," he said, relaxing, slipping out of her body.
Outside, a motorcycle roared to life and the rumbling engine grew quieter as the rider rode away. He closed his eyes, thankful that he'd found her and grateful for Torque bringing her to Raul. He opened his eyes and lifted his head. She'd come out of Raul's house upset, and he hadn't even taken the time to find what Raul wanted to tell her.
"Doll?" He tightened his arms around her.
She wiggled closer. "Hm?"
"What went down at Raul's?" he asked.
Her body tensed, and she pushed up on her elbow. He moved his arm, and allowed her to sit up. Her eyes were huge, and her hand went to her chest. Her reaction wasn't what he expected, and he followed her up and sat on the edge of the bed, his upper body turned toward her. If he had to go kick ass because someone upset her, he wanted his clothes on, his pistol in his jeans, and for whoever stole the contentment from his woman's face to pay.
"Remember I told you my parents died in a car accident?" She scooted off the bed and stopped. "Hang on. Where's the bathroom?"
He pointed out the bedroom door. "Across the hallway."
She hurried out of the room. He dressed while she was gone. He wasn't ready for them to pull apart in different directions. He wanted in her head, in her body, and in her life.
Shari returned and grabbed her clothes. She started dressing and said, "Uncle Ted had confided in Raul before he took me to Federal."
"About what?" he said.
"Supposedly, after my uncle was a member of Lagsturns MC and then helped bring down Crystal's father—some preacher—he came back to California. That's when my parents died, but they weren't hit by a car running a red light."
"Then how did they die?" He rubbed his jaw, trying to follow the story.
"They died in a car, but the whole thing was a hit by Los Li in retaliation for Tango's undercover work." She straightened from pulling her sneakers on.
"What the fuck?" He took two steps and hooked her waist, bringing her tight against him. "Raul said this?"
"Yes. That's when my uncle stepped back from going undercover, because he had to raise me. He worked in the government office back home until I graduated high school, and then he started traveling away from home for weeks, sometimes months at a time. By then, I knew he worked for the government, but not what his job entailed...only that it was highly dangerous and he never gave me any details. I never knew where he went or how long he'd be gone. We both went on with our lives, and I eventually got a good job, an apartment, and looked forward to the unannounced visits from Uncle Ted."
"Until the last time you saw him," he mumbled.
"He hauled my ass to Federal and left me in the upstairs of the Sterling Building. That's how I hooked up with the Silver Girls. Then the money he was sending stopped and the rest is history," she said.
"Doll," he whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Lee." She moistened her lips. "Los Li killed my whole family."
He leaned down and kissed her. "They hurt a lot of families, and I'd kill each one of them over again now that I know what they took from you. That's something you need to know and face about me."
She grabbed his arms. "But see, it's over because of what you've accomplished. I understand the anger inside of you, because right now, if they were here, I'd kill them too for taking everyone away from me. You're alive and you brought them down. They'll pay now, Lee."
"No." He shook his head. "You feel that way today, but you won't kill because you don't have it in you. You won't let this turn you full of hate. You'll remember your parents, your uncle, and you'll become stronger, because you have that strength inside of you that lets you know right from wrong. I will make damn sure you never let the anger win the way it did with me. That strength left me the second I overheard the pain in my step mom's voice and saw my dad break from failing to keep her safe."
She shook him, but he didn't budge. "Don't you see? You're giving me advice, but that's what you did. From experience, you channeled your anger and worked with the federal government. You didn't go out on your own and call your own vigilante. You did the job that the government made for you."
He rocked back on his heel. She followed him, not letting him get away.
"You survived, Lee." She blinked up at him. "You remembered what drove you to make the decision to work with the feds, but you survived."
His legs weakened and he sat back on the bed and braced his elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. Raul had told him the same thing in a different way. He never wore a badge or associated with the agents he worked with. He never assumed he was an equal partner. He saw the Feds as a tool to use against Los Li for his own vengeance.
"I can't even count the number of Los Li members I've killed," he said, spitting the confession out. "After the tenth, I gave up."<
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He held his hands out in front of him, turned them over until she could see his palms. "I look at my hands, and they're covered with blood. They're dirty."
She gathered his hands in hers and kissed his knuckles. "I see hands that hold me safely at night and possessively during the day. These hands tickle me when I'm laughing and squeeze me to remind me that I belong to you. These hands touch me in a way that I've never been touched before. You shake your MC brothers' hands and give them knuckles constantly. You use your hands to hit your brother in the ring and walk away with your arm slung over his shoulder, giving him shit for going easy on you. You've held many hands of the Silver Girls as they stepped into the truck or walked down the stairs. These hands have been wiped clean of the blood, Lee. They're clean. You'll keep them clean by being who you are and loving your club."
He panted for air, overwhelmed with what she was telling him. "You'll always know what I've done."
"Yes." She moved in front of him, and kneeled. "I love you more, because of who you are. When I think of my family, I will always be reminded that I'm alive, because you made Los Li pay for their crimes. Uncle Ted did what he did because he loved me and he wanted to make the world safer. I'm proud of him, and I'm proud of you."
He pulled her onto his lap and held on to her tight, burying his face in her breasts. Her words left him shaking. He wasn't sure he believed everything she said, but the emotional power she handed over to him meant she believed what she was saying, and that was good enough for him.
He sat there holding her, inhaling her scent, running his hands over the curve of her hip, and wanting to give her everything she swore he had within himself. Raul was right. He had a reason for staying alive, or maybe he just now discovered what he really wanted.
He sniffed and raised his head. She blurred in his vision. Fuck, she was beautiful.
"Taking you home to Federal as my old lady, doll," he whispered, his voice breaking. "You think you can handle that?"
"Oh, yeah." She smiled. "I love you."
"Love you forever," he said.
He added his promise to his other promises of never leaving and never letting her walk away. He linked his fingers with hers, and gazed down. For the first time, he could imagine his hands clean, and he swore, he'd work the rest of his life at making his woman, his club, proud of him until he could no longer see the blood.
"Let's go say our goodbyes, and hit the road. I want to go home," he said, kissing her hard.
A half hour later, he stood beside his Harley, his woman at his side, surrounded by family. He reached out and brought Taylor to his free side. She hadn't taken her gaze off him since they announced Shari was his woman.
He tightened his embrace. "You and Dad will come out to Federal next, and you can see for yourself that I'm happy."
"I just don't want you to disappear again." Taylor wrapped her arms around his waist. "Your dad misses you."
He kissed the top of Taylor's head. "I miss both of you. We'll talk and plan. If I get on the next run to Arizona, I'll swing by Pitnam, okay?"
Taylor smiled bigger. He gazed at the white scar across her cheek. The added wrinkles over the years almost camouflaged the old injury. He swallowed the emotions that always came with the reminder of what she'd lived through. "We need to hit the road."
"Okay. Ride safe. Take your time." Taylor leaned up and kissed his cheek, and whispered, "Thank you, son. I love you."
"Love you too, Mom." He dipped his chin in acknowledgement and Shari moved in front of him to give her hug and goodbye to Taylor. The war was over. Taylor could sleep better tonight, knowing he was content.
"Happy for you, Lee." His dad hugged him tight, lifting Lee's boots two inches off the asphalt.
Lee could only hug him back, tight, adding his own back pounding slaps. "Love you, Dad."
His dad would always be a giant to him, even though Lee topped him by an inch and outweighed him by thirty pounds. He cupped his dad's neck. "Visit us soon, huh?"
"Definitely." His dad's dark gaze locked on him. "Proud of you, son. Now, settle down, make your old lady happy, and start answering your fucking phone when I call you."
"Will do," Lee said, grinning.
Raul and Crystal approached him next. After a long, firm hug from Crystal, Lee clasped Raul's hand. He sobered. The past would always return for each of them, and Raul fought his own memories.
"Take care, Sanchez," Lee said.
Raul shrugged. "Always do." Raul shrugged and moved over to Shari. "Hold tight to each other, amiga."
"We will." Shari hugged Raul. "Thank you for everything."
Raul kissed her cheek and walked away, holding Crystal's hand and not looking back. Lee owed a long talk to the man who helped him gain the position to fight Los Li, and someday soon, he'd sit down and have that chat before it was too late.
"Rain, stop," Tori yelled, hurrying across the parking lot.
The crowd parted and Rain stalked straight toward Lee. He pulled Shari back to his side and held her hip, keeping her out of the way.
Rain stopped two feet in front of Lee. "A strip club? My little girl? Are you fucking kidding me?"
Lee shook his head. "She's not dancing, Prez. She's managing the joint."
"I don't give a shit. I sent her to college to do better than that. If I wanted her around bikers, I would've put her behind the counter at the bar." Rain's lips thinned over his teeth.
Tori leaned into Rain, planting her hand on Rain's stomach. "Honey, our daughter's an adult. She's with the Federal Charter, which is better than having her move to California where she'd be out of the club's reach."
Rain poked Lee's chest. "You're responsible for my daughter, so is Kurt. One hair on her head gets tangled, and MC brother or not, I'll wipe out the Federal Charter and bring everyone home."
Lee lifted his chin, amusement curling around his stomach. He wanted to laugh at the overprotective streak he often witnessed erupt from Rain— but he also knew he'd be picking himself off the asphalt if he caved to laughter. "I got the message."
"Good." Rain clasped his hand on Lee's shoulder and reached for Shari's hand. "I'll be up in Federal soon, and we'll celebrate your new status the right way."
They spoke their thanks. Lee took a breath of air when Rain walked away. The president of Bantorus was always intense, but when it came to his daughter, he scared his share of men in his vow to protect her.
Brandy slipped in and hugged Shari. Torque one-armed hugged Lee.
"Thanks for watching out for Shari. I owe you," Lee said.
Torque stepped closer and spoke so only Lee could hear. "She's Bantorus, and with that said, don't ever put the tears in her eyes that I witnessed when I drove her back to Pitnam or I'll kick your ass."
"Never." Lee took in the tiredness around Torque's eyes, the unshaven face. "Everything okay with you?"
"Brandy kept me up half the night." Torque grunted, but the grin came fast. "She has a hell of a way of making a man happy."
Lee nudged him with his elbow. "Lucky bastard..."
Shari returned to his side. He looped his arm across her shoulders. "Ready?"
"Yeah." She smiled up at him.
"Hey." Lee held up his fist, grabbing everyone's attention. "Thank you all for seeing us off. We're making this trip short, because I want to hit the road and go back to Federal. Make sure you all come out to Idaho and visit. There are a few rooms yet that need broke in better, and maybe Kurt will open his wallet and buy some better beds. Though watch the snow, it'll be here before we know it. I might even have to buy one of those four-wheeled toys like the one Kurt bought Risa for Shari and me. Almost the whole damn town rides UTV's in the winter. It's a crazy sight. The Sterling Building is—"
"Lee," Shari interrupted him. "Shut up, and get on your Harley."
"Right." He grinned, kissing her hard to the cheers of the MC. "Let's go home, doll."
He rode out of the parking lot of Cactus Cove, his woman warming his back, her arms wrapped
tight around his waist. He opened the throttle and smiled into the wind. His purpose set out before him, and he looked forward to the ride.
Chapter Thirty
Cheap Trick played over the speakers in the Sterling Building. Lee held Shari on his lap at the table in the corner, hornier than hell, and counting the minutes until they kicked the miners out and locked the door.
One month after returning to Federal with his old lady, things had settled down and daily activities became routine. The MC filled their daytime hours assembling guns in the warehouse, dealing with the militia, and carved out time to shoot the breeze with the Silver Girls on their breaks. At night, they hit the road, keeping Federal safe and their women entertained. On Friday and Saturday night, they hung out in town and protected the Silver Girls while they danced for the miners. Considering Lilly continued running the show against Rain's opinion that she come back home to Pitnam, she was doing a damn good job of bringing money in—that meant him and Kurt made it a priority to watch over her, and keep Rain off their backs.
"Look at Carrie dance," Shari grabbed Lee's chin and turned his head. "She's really let loose lately."
Lee turned back to his woman, uninterested in what Carrie was doing. He was more fascinated in seeing Shari smile more, laugh louder, and became more animated with each day they were together. He worried that one day Shari would realize how much Los Li took from her, but so far, she held strong to the good memories of her family. She'd also started sharing more stories about Tango, which he enjoyed.
He missed his supervisor, more than he thought possible. Thinking back, Tango always understood his need to go after Los Li, and now he knew why.
"That's it. The show's over." Shari pushed off his lap.
He pulled her back down. "You're not working at all, doll. That includes helping get the miners out of the building. Let the others handle them."
She squirmed against him and looped her arm around his neck. "You can't keep me with you all the time, Lee. I need to work."
"You're not working," he said.
Shari leaned close, rubbed her nose against his, and said, "Then what will I do with all my free time?"