Full Heat: A Brothers of Mayhem Novel

by Carla Swafford

  “I can’t. I came with Speed.” Her face gave away how much she wanted to talk about what she’d overheard.

  “Where’s Twofer?” he asked.

  “He came with us.”

  “Twofer!” Storm was determined to get her out of his sight. He didn’t want anyone’s pity. “Shit for brains! Get your ass over here.”

  “You’re mad at me for being here. So don’t take it out on Twofer. Speed showed up and insisted that I come here.” Her fingers pulled on his, trying to loosen his grip.

  She was right. He shouldn’t be angry at Twofer. If she’d explained to Speed that he’d ordered her to stay put, she would still be at her home, safe and sound.

  “It doesn’t matter. You’re going back.”

  “No. Unless you take me, I’m staying here.”

  What the fuck was she up to?

  “Why is it so important for you to be here?”

  “Because you’re in the middle of a war that you and I know no one can win. When you realize that, I want to be here to help you feel better.”

  Damn. With those simple words, he felt the anger and resentment of everything going wrong around him trickle out.

  “So you want to comfort me?” he asked, still not certain how to react.

  She smiled and leaned forward. “Yes. I want to fuck you,” she said low enough just for him.

  Nothing in her gaze said her offer had anything to do with pity. He tried his best not to let his mouth twitch in amusement. She was fucking amazing.

  How did she do it? How did she know how to defuse his temper? How did she hear the crap that was his life and not let it interfere with how she treated him?

  “Actually, I think it would be the opposite way. Me fucking you.” He didn’t give a damn who heard him.

  “What does it matter as long we do it together? With each other.” Her smile widened, her flushed face giving away that their conversation turned her on.

  “Okay. But you better do what I tell you this time.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I like the sound of that.” He led her, gentling his hold on her arm, into the bar and through to the office. “Sit here and I’ll be back. Deputy Jameson will be here soon, and I don’t want him seeing you again.”

  “Are you ashamed of me?”

  He sighed. She was teasing him, but he didn’t have time to teach her proper respect.

  “You’re my old lady and everyone knows it. So does that answer your question?”

  The twinkle in her eyes brought a tightness in his chest. Hell, he wanted to grab her up and hold her tight.

  “Everyone knows?”

  “Those who matter, and those who don’t better keep their hands to themselves.”

  He pushed her into the office and hesitated.

  “Fuck it,” he muttered.

  He yanked her into his arms and kissed her. Stroking his tongue alongside hers and inhaling as much of her as he could. He needed the kiss to get through the rest of the night. Breaking off, he held her away from him and looked, shaking his head. He couldn’t stop thinking about how she was something special.

  “You’re hurting my arm again.”

  Damn. Releasing his hold, he looked down at the blueish ring on her upper arm. It darkened by the second. He leaned down and kissed the tender skin.

  “Sorry. I worry about you and get carried away.”

  “I know.” She raised a hand and gently caressed his face. “I think I hear Speed shouting for you.”

  He wanted to remember the look she gave him. It was as if she thought he was someone special. She was to him. He wanted her to live a long and happy life. How in the hell would he manage that? One day, they’d find his body on the side of the road with his brains blown out.

  He staring at her for a moment more then walked away.

  By the time the cops showed up, most of the Brothers were gone, leaving behind only those being bandaged. Thankfully, none of the bullet wounds were fatal, but Storm knew it was only a matter of time before someone would be killed, and chances were it would be him.

  —

  Mary Jane had stayed in the office for about fifteen minutes before she realized she would go insane if she stayed any longer. She entered the barroom and climbed on a bar stool at the opposite end of the door. Jameson never came into the bar, but a couple other deputies she hadn’t seen before did. After interrogating everyone, they had returned to the parking lot and the chaos out there.

  A handful of the Brothers rigged a temporary door, while others with the help of their old ladies cleaned up the glass and the other damage created by people overturning tables to create barriers in case the Thirty-Second bullets made their way inside.

  Unable to stand around while others were working, she moved behind the bar to serve drinks. The coordinated effort was so similar to the commune. She found it surprising. She expected the men to be ordering the women around while they sat on their keisters drinking beer.

  Storm walked in and glanced her way, checking her out from head to toes. She liked that he’d been concerned about her well-being. But he didn’t fuss about her being out of the office.

  Seconds later, Cutter followed along with a few more Brothers. She’d expected Wolf to be in the crowd, but she hadn’t seen the second in command all night and that made her curious. For the VP to not be around during a crisis meant something was wrong. Loud laughter brought Mary Jane’s head up from pouring what seemed like the hundredth mug of brew. Speed stomped in with Easy on his tail. Storm’s old man glanced around, spotting his son sitting at the other end of the bar in deep conversation with Cutter and Twofer. Surely, the old man knew he was standing there on borrowed time.

  Then Easy released a big belly laugh.

  Storm needed to keep a close eye on that scheming bastard.

  Her attention returned to Storm. To think of it, she was on borrowed time too. There had been something about the way Speed talked to and looked at her before he suggested, with a strong hint of demand, that she go to the Skull and Bones Bar with him. She sensed that he didn’t like how Storm had changed since meeting her, and he was trying to figure her out.

  Even she had noticed how calm Storm had become after leaving the mountains. Except for the fights with his father, he’d been most reasonable. The relaxed life he’d experienced at the commune had overtaken the one of violence that he’d grown up believing was his destiny. He’d loved the short time they had spent at her parents’ home. Storm had opened up to her, not so much about the club, but about his past, though he hadn’t mentioned one word about his father being the one who set up his rapes. She couldn’t even begin to imagine a parent being so evil and sick.

  Storm had so much to deal with, and his past kept coming back at him.

  Mary Jane glanced over at Storm as he talked with Cutter.

  She wondered if he’d told Speed about seeing his sister in the mountains. Speed had been his and Cassidy’s foster father after their dad had gone to prison.

  Had he also told Speed about seeing Thorn? From her files, the Skull had served time in prison too. He just hadn’t been in as long as Storm. She figured Storm hadn’t said anything about Thorn out of love for his sister. Otherwise, his brother-in-law’s body would have been found on the side of road by then.

  Shaking her head, she pulled another beer for one of the Brothers and handed it over. She needed to quit thinking about the past. They needed to look ahead. Otherwise, they all would go crazy.

  One thing was for sure: Their visit to the mountains had reminded her how much she missed it. As she had promised herself, she planned to return for small stretches. She felt the trips would help her regain a sense of peace. Truthfully, she was beginning to understand why Storm said she didn’t belong in the MC life.

  Lately, she wanted a man who wouldn’t leave her at the drop of a hat to chase after club business. She wanted to be number one in his life. For Storm, the club was top priority.

  Out of the corner of her eye, sh
e noticed Easy change directions and head her way.

  “How you doing, pretty lady? Every time I see you, you brighten up my day.” He leaned against the bar and eyed her in a way that caused her to shrink back. Not in fear so much as disgust. She could tell by his dilated eyes and twitchy manner, he was high.

  “Thank you.” She gave him a half smile and walked to the other end of the bar. Thank goodness someone asked for a refill. Storm was talking with Speed and eyeing Easy with irritation. She needed to keep her distance from the crazy old man.

  Chapter 20

  “You and Easy need to make peace. Your feud is breaking up your chapter and spreading to the club. The Brute Force MC is looking to move into our territory and this will give them the perfect opportunity,” Speed said, anger sharpening every word.

  Storm’s face and neck heated with embarrassment and annoyance. It had been years since Speed had used that tone with him. He didn’t have the right. The Skull wasn’t his foster father anymore.

  “This isn’t some fucking feud.” Storm jabbed his finger on the top of the desk. “I hate the bastard. You weren’t in our home when I was a kid. I remember the times he slapped us around just because he had a bad day. Or he’d sink his fist into Mom’s stomach and then throw her against a wall when she didn’t bring in enough money to suit him. We would scream for him to stop, and he’d pop us a good one. You weren’t there. You don’t know. But I sure as hell remember what the fucker—”

  Before Storm could say more, Speed butted in. “It’s in the past. You’re big, strong, and young enough to beat his ass. Everyone knows that, including Easy, though he won’t admit it. You need to fucking grow up and forget that shit. Be a man and the president of this fucking chapter. Show everyone that you’re a true Brother. We don’t let personal shit get in the middle of club business and that’s what you’ve been doing.” Speed sat back and eyed him. “Just as important, forget that bodyguard bullshit. No Mayhem Brother takes orders from anyone outside the club.”

  Storm wanted to argue more but knew it was senseless. Speed was a stubborn bastard and wouldn’t change his mind, even when the business was bringing much-needed legal cash into the club. There was no way the Skull would kick Easy out of the Brothers of Mayhem, unless the old man killed another Brother or was a snitch. Chances of Easy being the latter were lower than Storm forgiving him, and that was so damn low as to be nonexistent.

  Speed stood and Storm did too.

  The older man nodded. “I know you’ll do the right thing. Time for us to go into the other room and talk about how we’ll take out the Thirty-Second.”

  “So you feel the same way as Easy?” Before Speed answered, Storm said, “We can’t afford to lose any more men. All of this killing isn’t solving a thing. We need an agreement, a treaty.”

  “We tried that before. It didn’t work.”

  Frustrated, but willing to try one more time, Storm said, “Something happened that caused them to break the last one. We need to find out what. The reason they are shooting at us now is that we took one of their own and beat the shit out of him. That I blame on Easy.”

  “Don’t start that fucking shit again. You need to get off it, boy!”

  Boy? When did Speed start thinking of him as a boy again. His eyes narrowed. “I understand that you and Easy have been friends for more years than I’ve been alive, but he’s crazy.”

  “I guess we all are.” Slapping him on the back, Speed offered, “Let’s go back to the bar. I’ll drink for both of us.”

  Storm nodded. He regretted that Speed wore rose-tinted glasses when it came to Easy. What would it take for him to see the danger the club was in by letting Easy stay?

  As he reached for the office doorknob, an earsplitting scream brought the partying to a stop. What the hell happened? His stride lengthened, and in seconds, he entered the barroom.

  It took all of Storm’s self-control not to laugh, but damn if the scene wasn’t satisfying. Karma was a bitch and came in the form of his old lady. Damn, he was proud. But he’d better get Mary Jane the hell away from there.

  Curled in a ball, Easy held his crotch and rocked back and forth on the floor. Mary Jane stood near his old man. Her hands relaxed and opened at her sides as she watched the room full of Brothers while trying to keep an eye on Easy. It was apparent Easy had done something to set her off.

  Shit! His common sense stepped up. This wasn’t good. He moved into the room, drawing her attention. That was when he noticed her torn blouse and the wildness in her eyes. Whatever the asshole Easy had done had spooked her badly.

  “Are you all right?” He waited for her response as he glared at the Brothers standing around.

  “Easy and I had a misunderstanding,” she said with a slight tremor to her voice.

  “Misunderstanding?” Must have been a hell of a misunderstanding, for Easy had tears in his eyes and his face was an interesting shade of red.

  “He thought I was here for him to feel up and make crude jokes about. I can ignore the jokes, but touching was crossing the line.” Her voice became steady. He loved that about her. Damn! She made him proud. The old man fucking deserved it. No Brother should touch another’s old lady. Not a smart move.

  Then the realization hit him. He did love her. She meant more to him than he could ever imagine.

  A crash of despair darkened the room. She didn’t deserve to be mixed up with the life. He had to get her away from there. No matter how talented she was in protecting herself, Easy would go after her. Storm already knew his old man had no principles when it came to killing a woman. She’d embarrassed him in front of the whole club, and he would come after her. Besides, the Brothers never allowed a woman to bring down another Brother.

  “Mary Jane, let’s go,” Storm said, holding out his hand.

  She took it, her fingers trembling, and he led her through the crowd. As he opened the door, the music started. The grumbling from the Brothers floated out the door with Storm and Mary Jane.

  The tide was turning against them.

  —

  Mary Jane pressed her breasts to Storm’s back. She felt him growl as she tightened her hold. Unlike in the beginning, he didn’t stiffen; instead he nearly arched his back to press harder against her. He liked her touch. A glow warmed her from the inside out. The muscles beneath her fingers shifted as he shoved the motorcycle off the stand and started the engine. What a sexy, hot feeling. It took her breath away.

  The late-evening ride was surreal. A nip in the air proclaimed fall had embraced the night and more was to come. Stars followed overhead as the streetlights slipped by with even snaps of sound. A low-lying fog drifted near the edge of the interstate. At times, the traffic broke and they were alone. She only wished, dreamed, they didn’t have the pressure of the club and the Thirty-Second hanging over them.

  With all of her might, she pushed away the negative thoughts and just immersed her senses in holding him.

  Several minutes passed and they pulled up to her house.

  Deep inside, she expected Jimmy to come out and greet them. The man would’ve been so happy that she was in love with a member of the club that had fascinated him. Jimmy loved living on the edge. The again, he probably would’ve warned her. A woman would always be second place to the club.

  So much had changed since meeting Storm and becoming involved with the Mayhem Brothers.

  He stopped the bike under one of the security lights near the kitchen door, but didn’t make a move to dismount. Instead, he looked over his shoulder toward her, his gaze not meeting hers.

  When she didn’t move, his eyes finally met hers, a cool dead look in them.

  “Give me a word-for-word account of what Easy said and did to you,” he said as he slipped off the helmet and hung it on the handlebars.

  She wanted to say nothing. Those two had enough between them, but on the opposite side of the same coin, she couldn’t lie.

  “Easy said that the club wasn’t in the bodyguard business any longer and th
at if I wanted their protection, I must show how much I need that protection to every Brother. That meant I was club property and I should give everyone what I was giving you.” Her chest constricted. The sick feeling from the way Easy eyed her twisted inside her stomach.

  With both hands, Storm slicked his hair back, clasping the back of his head.

  “What else did he say?”

  “It wasn’t so much what he said next as he continued on the same rant, but he grabbed me and shoved his hand down my blouse.” She shivered with disgust as she thought of how his fingers felt crushing one breast. The unexpectedness of it had been as terrible as the pain.

  “He hurt you.” He knew the truth without her saying another word. “Show me.”

  “No.”

  “Don’t make me get off this bike, Mary Jane. Show me now. It’s not like I haven’t seen your tits before.”

  Why did he think it was necessary to get a visual? She stared back at him. From his expression, it was to ensure Easy hadn’t hurt her too badly.

  “Can’t you come inside?”

  “Now,” he said in a no-nonsense tone.

  “Fine.” She rolled her eyes and began unbuttoning her blouse. Opening it wide she stood there. Two round bruises dotted her skin on her left breast, just above her bra.

  “Take your bra off or pull your tits out.”

  She stared hard at him. Did he really expect her to do it? At that moment? The silly urge to stomp her foot came over her, but she resisted. Being a lover of peace, she sighed and dragged her bra down beneath her breasts.

  Dark spots of bruising circled her left breast. Easy had dug his fingers into the tender flesh.

  “Fix your bra and button up.” Each word was punctuated with a hiss of fury.

  “What are you going to do?” Considering the mood he was in, she knew there was no hope of talking him out of whatever he planned. But if she could make him verbalize it, he would be able to control his temper to some extent.

  “Time for you to go inside.”

  “Storm, tell me.”

  “Go inside.”