by Franca Storm
“Right,” he said, picking up his cutlery again and tucking into his food.
A comfortable silence settled between us as we both feasted on the awesome meal he’d prepared.
When I’d eaten my fill, I slumped back in my chair with a satisfied sigh and looked up at him. He’d finished too and he was just sitting there watching me.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing, just admiring the view.”
“Stop it,” I said, feeling my cheeks flaming.
“How can I? Look at you.”
I glanced down at myself. I was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a strappy white tank top. Not the sexiest of outfits, really.
“I’m talking about the way your eyes light up when you taste something that agrees with you. The little, squirrel-like bites you take to savor every morsel. How you tuck your hair behind your ears to avoid getting it in your food. The way you lick your lips after each sip of juice. Everything.”
“Wow. That was beautiful.”
He leaned across the table and kissed me. I knew he was intending it as just a sweet peck, but I couldn’t leave it at that. Not after his wonderful words and this heartfelt dinner.
I fisted my hand in his gray muscle tee and held him to me as I escalated the kiss. Before I knew it, I was pushing out of my seat and lifting my leg onto the table, intending to climb onto it to get closer to him.
Getting it without me needing to explain, he wrapped his arms around me and hoisted me up, right over the table, to where he stood. God, he was strong. I wanted to feel that strength all over me, in me, surrounding me.
He put me down and I took his hand and led him behind me. “Bedroom. Now,” I said, my words all breathy and needy.
Before we made it to the backdoor, his hand fell from my grip.
A growl sounded behind me.
And then Finn was there, spinning me around and slamming me into the side of the house. A gasp escaped me at the jarring impact. A thrill ran through me at his delicious roughness. I knew it was more than that for him, I knew what it really meant. He was opening up more. Bit by bit he was letting me in. It was hard for him and I understood his reservations. So, when he actually managed to take another step forward, it was awe-inspiring. And it meant so much to me.
His hands tightened on my upper arms, pinning me to the side of the house.
“Thank you,” I told him, my breath coming in harsh, uneven pants.
“For what?” he asked, his voice hoarse and also affected by arousal.
“For treating me like a princess.”
He shook his head. “Like a queen.”
His mouth crashed down on mine.
Holy crap!
Licking, sucking, and nipping, he devoured me with wild abandon.
His hands ran up and down my arms, setting my skin aflame.
An irresistible need rose within me and I gave myself over to it, wanting more, needing so much more. Everything he had to give.
I broke from his hold and grabbed at his shoulders, jerking him tightly against me, needing to feel his hard muscled body against mine, needing that connection so badly.
A primal growl rumbled from him, letting me know just how much I was affecting him, riling up the animal within.
“Fuck,” he growled, pulling back to rip my tank top over my head.
He took in the sight of me and licked his lips, obviously enjoying my lacy pink bra. “You’re gonna kill me,” he groaned, running his fingers over the delicate material, and making me moan in pleasure. “So sexy.”
I tugged at his shirt, mewling in frustration. He broke my grip and pulled it over his head. “Better?” he asked with a devilish grin.
“Much.”
His eyes hooded and his fingers plunged into my hair, tangling in it and using it as leverage to tug my mouth back to his, a dominant gesture that had heat pooling between my legs.
Sliding my hands over his chiseled chest, I explored every flexed muscle, every hard ridge of his abs.
He teased the crease of my lips with his tongue, demanding entry. I submitted to him instantly. The sweet pleasure of his tongue gliding sensually over mine as he slowed down the wildness, had both of us savoring the sensation. His free hand dropped to my hip, grasping it with a fervor. The slowdown didn’t last long and I felt his control slip, his strokes becoming frantic and wild again.
He had me shrieking in surprise in the next second as he lifted me with his powerful inked arms, making me instinctively wrap my legs around his waist. He ground his mammoth erection into me and I cried out as it rubbed right against my clit. Over and over again. I threw my head back, my nails scraping his scalp, making him hiss and roll his hips harder and faster until we were both panting like animals in heat.
Pleasure tore through me, threatening to consume me. I wanted nothing more than to give myself over to him, to let him take my body any way he wanted. For us to squeeze every drop of bliss from each other until there was nothing left and we were both drowning in pure ecstasy.
“Take me, Finn!” I cried.
“Count on it, sweetheart,” he said, reaching into his back pocket and producing a condom.
He freed his dick from his jeans and had it sheathed in mere seconds.
And then he thrust inside me.
“Yes!” I screamed as he drove balls deep.
Our eyes locked as he held there, letting me adjust.
Then he started to move… and stopped.
His eyes went wide.
Something was wrong.
“Finn?” I called. “What is it?”
16
~Wraith~
FOOTSTEPS!
Someone was here.
I pulled out of Ashley, cringing when I heard her whimper at my lack of warning. There was no choice. I had to act quickly.
With one hand, I tossed her pants to her. With the other, I drew my gun from my hip holster.
I stepped in front of her, shielding her with my body and took aim by the corner of the house.
A shadowed figure rounded the corner.
My finger tensed on the trigger.
And then the intruder stepped into the light.
Friend, not foe.
“Fuck,” I muttered, flipping the safety back on and holstering my gun.
Scott looked between the two of us, taking everything in. Oh shit. It only looked one way. There was no denying it, no downplaying it either.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” Ashley gasped.
“Scott, I thought you—”
His fist slammed into my face.
I should’ve been able to block it, but I was off my game, my dick still in the driving seat, my brain on partial lockdown.
Rings scraped across my cheek, just shy of my eye, as the brutal punch knocked me back.
“Finn!” he roared. “You’re fucking my daughter?”
He moved in for another hit.
“Dad! No!” Ashley cried.
His hand shook with uncharacteristic indecision, Ashley’s plea clearly reaching something within him.
“Please!” she continued. “Please don’t!”
With a grunt, he lowered his fist and stepped back.
A series of curses spilled from him as he took in Ashley’s disheveled appearance, her flushed cheeks, sweat pouring off her. His gaze shifted to me and he screwed up his face. That was when I realized that my fly was still open. The tent in my pants would’ve been bad enough.
Goddammit.
It’d really lost myself in Ashley.
I should’ve been able to pick up his approach much sooner, not only when he was right upon us. I hurriedly fixed my pants, then pulled my shirt back on.
“Explain,” Scott ordered. “Right the hell now.”
“He means a lot to me,” Ashley said, before I could get a word out. She stepped between us, holding her hands out either side.
Scott eyed me over her head. “You ain’t just screwing around?”
“Never.”
&
nbsp; “So, you’re telling me you’re together, yeah? For real? You ain’t just bored up here and using Ash for relief?”
I grimaced at his words. Just the idea of using her like that made me sick.
Before I could answer, he held up his hand. “No need. Your face said it all. Got it.”
He looked back and forth between us for several moments, weighing up our revelation.
Time dragged as I remained tensed and ready for another attack.
But then he stepped back.
He raised his hands, indicating that he was standing down. “All right.”
Ashley frowned at him. “What? Really? That’s it?”
“Yeah.”
“Is this a trick?” she pressed, having as hard a time as I was with believing his easy acceptance of the two of us together.
“No, it ain’t,” he told her.
“But I—”
He cut her off and grunted at me, “You and me are gonna talk more.” He took off into the house, calling over his shoulder, “I need a fucking drink after seeing that shit.”
Ashley turned beet-red. Fuck. She’d just become comfortable sexually, just overcome her inhibitions and now his reaction was making her feel shame over it. “Here, little warrior,” I said, ushering her over. She came to me, her eyes wide and full of concern as she took in my bloodied eye. “Oh my God!” she cried, examining it, her soft fingers brushing over it. “It’s deep, baby.”
“It’s fine.” I wrapped my arm around her, tucking her into my side protectively, as we then followed after Scott.
Squeezing my arm, she whispered, “I thought this place was super secure?”
“It is.”
“Then how did my dad breach it? How is he even here right now?”
“I gave him access to the security system for his peace of mind. Plus, I did technically invite him.”
She stopped short, tugging on my arm, so I was forced to do the same. Rounding on me, she hissed fiercely, “What are you talking about?”
“I told you that I’d run something by him, that I was working on something.”
“So, you knew he was coming?” She gestured angrily behind us at the side of the house. “You let that happen, knowing he would walk in on us? Why? What’s wrong with you?”
“Yes, Ashley. I wanted your fiercely overprotective biker president father to catch me treating you to a hardcore rough and wild fucking right out in the open,” I said, sarcasm dripping.
“Fine,” she huffed. “I still don’t get it.”
“I told him to come by in a couple of days, once he’d made a decision about my proposed plan. He’s here earlier than I anticipated, than we agreed upon.”
She combed a hand through her hair in exasperation. “That’s him. He never can keep to anyone else’s schedule. He lives by his own rules.”
I took her hand again and she let me lead her back into the house. “At least it’s out now.”
She squeezed my hand, urgency spilling from her. “Finn, you don’t get it. That punch was probably only the beginning. He’s out of his mind when it comes to me. Once he beat a guy to a pulp for buying me a drink.”
“This is different.”
“How? If anything, it’s far, far worse.” She cringed. “He saw us… together.”
“Even if he had the means to beat me to a pulp, he knows he can’t. He’s relying on me too heavily.”
She gave my arm a slap. “You’re an arrogant son of a bitch, aren’t you?”
I grinned. “Turns you on, doesn’t it?”
“Never,” she said, lying her sweet little ass off.
“Don’t got all day!” Scott yelled from inside.
Ashley muttered a slew of curses under her breath and stomped into the room with me following in after her, readying myself to do what needed to be done.
17
~Wraith~
“THIS IS GOING TO SCAR!”
Scott merely stared at his daughter as she yelled at him.
She hadn’t stopped since we’d all congregated in the kitchen.
“You and your ridiculous rings, Dad! God!”
He just shrugged and told her, “Gonna be a clear warning to the boys about what happens to anybody who dares to touch my baby girl.”
“Urgh. Caveman mentality!”
“Call it what you want, my girl. That shit’s what keeps you safe.”
She rolled her eyes and continued dabbing at the bloodied graze beside my eye with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. My first aid kit was open on the kitchen counter as I sat up at a stool, trying to be a good patient for once. I’d been fine doing it myself. After all, I’d had enough practice over the years. But she’d insisted, wanting to be helpful. Well, it was clear that it was really a lot more than that. She felt responsible for it. And it was obvious from her antsy demeanor since Scott had shown up that she needed to keep busy.
She was having a hard time being around him.
I’d wager that her furor over him punching me was really rooted elsewhere. There was so much tension between them. Her anger, resentment, and frustration toward him was all being channeled into the immediate scar situation.
Basically, they needed to talk, and get it all out there.
But now wasn’t the time, unfortunately. It would have to wait.
The Rogues threat had to take precedence.
A welcome silence fell for a while as Ashley concentrated on preparing a needle and thread to stitch me up. The fun part.
The peace was short-lived and she muttered, “The last thing Finn needs is another scar.” She jerked her head up, fuming at Scott, “You saw them when he was recuperating at the clubhouse. Don’t you think he has enough already, that he’s been through enough pain, huh?”
“Those weren’t my doing, baby girl.”
Although, his words made it seem like he wasn’t giving an inch, the fact that he was offering any defense meant that he was. It was clear he didn’t like denying his daughter anything, or upsetting her in the slightest.
When I saw her open her mouth to go at him again, I grasped her hand, telling her softly, “Sweetheart, while I appreciate you defending me, what he did was warranted.”
Her eyes shot wide. Scott seemed surprised too. “But, baby, I—”
“Listen,” I urged her, and she relaxed at my tone. I saw Scott cock an eyebrow. “What he saw out there isn’t something any father wants to witness. Besides, if he was really against us being together, a grazed eye would’ve been the least of it, right?”
“Uh… yeah. I guess.” She huffed, but then agreed, “Fine.”
She got back to fixing up my eye then. When she finished and stepped back, she held a mirror up to my eye for me to take a look. “Is that okay?”
I was glad I’d given in and let her take care of it after all. Damn, she was good. She had some major skill. “Incredible. You’ve done this before?” She hadn’t stitched me up when I’d been recuperating all those months ago. My injuries had been too severe and required an actual doctor.
She nodded, then shot daggers at Scott. “Too many times.”
Regret shone in Scott’s eyes, but he didn’t speak to it. Instead, he pushed off the countertop and told her, “Give us some space now, Ash. We gotta talk business.”
Ashley eyed me. “Finn?”
“He’s right,” I said, shooting her a discreet look that said otherwise. I’d tell her about it all later.
Having her leave when the conversation concerned her as much as any of us, bothered me. However, I knew Scott. He didn’t want her caught up in club business. It pained him enough that she’d been impacted by this already. We needed to have this discussion. The fact that I’d tell her all about it anyway appeased her enough to make her leave of her own accord.
The moment she closed the door, Scott blew out a breath and squeezed his eyes shut, murmuring, “Weren’t supposed to be like this. Getting outta the army was supposed to be the end of fighting, blood, death.” He winced. “War.”
“I know, brother. I know.” Fuck, did I.
When he opened his eyes, urgency played on his features. He had the same look that Ashley did when she was anxious about something, or desperate to get something off her chest. “I gotta end this. He’s tried to kill my guys, turned one of them, and he got way too close to my baby girl. Twice now. The only thing that’s stood in his way through all of this is you.”
“So, you’re on board then? You want to execute my plan?”
“You sure you’re up for it? You told me at the bar that you didn’t wanna get back into all of this.”
“The situation has changed. A lot has, actually.”
Things had been dragging on for far too long now. Not to mention, I’d already had to do things that I’d sworn I’d been done with. I’d stepped back into it all. And now there was Ashley too. Ending this would ensure her safety. She could get back to her life. She didn’t deserve to live like this in hiding and cut off from the world, believing that her plans and dreams would never become a reality. She wasn’t like me. She was full of life, hope, and optimism. I didn’t want that being stripped away from her. The current situation was already getting to her. I couldn’t let it get any worse. I wouldn’t let it go on any longer, not when there was something I could do to fix it.
Yeah, it was time for me to become actively involved.
“I’ve got this,” I assured him.
He studied me for a few moments in that shrewd invasive way of his that had you feeling like he was somehow seeing into the depths of your fucking soul.
“All right,” he said, letting me know I’d passed his test.
“What about you?” I questioned.
He cocked an eyebrow. “What about me?”
“You’re holding back. You have been since this started up again. You’re trying to find peace while the world’s raging with war all around you.”
He snatched up my bottle of whiskey, unscrewed the cap, and took a couple of big gulps, not even flinching from the harsh burn chugging it like that would’ve surely caused. Sidestepping my comment, he went on instead, “You know, it’s been a real long time since you’ve been a part of a brotherhood. You been going it alone since you hooked up with those black ops shitheads. They weren’t never close-knit, like we are in the club. You never trusted them and it went both ways. You were all out for yourselves.” He knocked back more of my whiskey. “You really ready to change that? You gotta know that, if we do this, it’s not gonna be slow and easy. It’s gonna be you diving in headfirst.”