Preacher Man (Renegade Souls MC Romance Saga Book 2)

by V. Theia

  Maybe for a minute.

  Holy hell. She came out of his house striding down the steps like she had her own theme song playing in the background and did he mention how sexy she looked?

  Eye-fucking at its best, Preacher leaned over the handlebars and stared at her with his heart banging, streaking his gaze from the bottom, over her skin tight denim jeans and converse, to the white vest tank that accentuated her tits like she was just trying to rile him up and that was topped off with the waist length mini leather jacket she wore unbuttoned, her hair caught up in a high ponytail swinging left and right with the music only she was hearing, but fuck, Preacher wanted to get in on it, if only to better enjoy the sway of those hips, cause those fucking goddamn hips were hypnotising him into dragging her back into his house and forgetting all about his job.

  And then she smiled at him.

  Pushing the black shades up her dainty nose she smiled and he swore the sun shone brighter for a second. He got really fucking hard.

  Offering a hand, she grasped his. “Climb up.”

  She took the helmet, clipping it under her chin before throwing her leg over the back of him. "Isn't this called a bitch seat?"

  "Right now, it's a Ruby seat." The smirk in his voice. "Wrap your arms, babe, and try not to fall off."

  "Oh, well that's helpful. Just don't fall off?" She snorted but slid both arms around his waist locking her fingers in front tight. “You can be sure if I fall I take you with me.”

  The vibrations from the engine thrummed underneath him, letting his girl warm up while the other woman in his life rested her chin to his spine, his chest expanded so hard he was sure his lungs would break out of his back. Shit. She felt good cuddled up to him. “You comfortable back there, tiny dancer?” She gave his belly a little nudge, letting him know she was good for him to drive off.

  "Jesus. You're gonna make me crash.”

  "What have I done?"

  "Your tits are on my back and your hands are all over my belly."

  "You can handle a pair of boobs, Preacher man. Let's go" She gave his belly a pinch, kicking off the stand, he revved the bike in a rumbling purr and rode off taking the first left.

  Eight hours if traffic was good to him with beauty curved into his spine? Fuck him. He was going to need the help of a Saint.

  If only he believed.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  “Being choked half to death. Isn’t that what every woman wants? Maybe ask Santa this year if you've been a good girl, babe. “ - Red Light.

  When she was eight years old Matty Henderson had pushed her down in the playground scraping the whole left side of her face, she’d picked pebbles from her cheek for hours. Even that hadn’t felt as bad as she did now. She wanted to cry like a little girl and cuddle into the lavender and mashed potatoes scented chest of the lunch lady all over again. She only had a laughing Preacher for company and he didn’t smell anything like a sweet old lunch lady did. Besides that, she wanted to punch him for not warning her.

  If Ruby had had any notion, a slight idea of just how much pain she would be in after a grueling eight-hour bike ride with only two bathroom breaks and an hour for lunch, she would have seriously considered not accepting Preacher’s invitation. Because when she finally ----blessedly stepped down off Preacher’s motorcycle, the vibrations from the engine still felt in her bones and skin, every muscle in her lower body cramped all at once until she was forced to rest both of her forearms on the seat he vacated.

  “Oh, god. I can’t feel my legs.” She cried out.

  His touch came to the base of her spine, massaging with deep fingers, it didn't help at all, she was dead from the waist down, his laugh clear.

  “You’ll get your bearings in a minute, babe.”

  “I didn’t think I’d ever touch the ground again. If I could get down there I’d kiss it.” She moaned, blood rushing through her legs bringing that weird sensation of being stabbed with a million pins and needles. Squinting her eyes up at him. “Why aren’t you crippled from the waist down as well?”

  Preacher grinned. Any other time she would have taken that moment to appreciate just how handsome it made him, the simmering fire and calming storm Asher Priest brought to her poor abused body, but the pins and needles in her legs took precedence. She was dying. Lifting onto her tiptoes, she tried to point her foot to ease it out of her muscles.

  “I've been riding a long time. I’m used to it. Can you stand?”

  She groaned but managed it, forcing one bone at a time to get her upright She could empathise with new-born giraffe's when they face planted for their first time standing alone. Determined to not lose her last scrap of pride in front of him and his amused sexy heavy eyes.

  “Your sex trip is looking less sexy, Preacher man.”

  “Don’t worry about that, beautiful,” There was his dark smirk and eyes twinkling. “You only gotta lie there, I’ll do all the work.”

  She snorted. “How generous.”

  “You know I’m all about giving. Especially when it’s in you. Christ. The things I would do, beautiful, places no man has gone. And all you gotta do is lie there and take it.” One of his fingers gently touched her cheek. That was all, and she was on fire from it.

  Wind swept out of Ruby’s mouth. She started dry-tongue panting like she was hard up sexually instead of getting laid just this morning. Smiling back she let him help when she shook out her leg, he held her hand and didn’t let go when she was no longer numb.

  “I suppose I could let you do that. If you insist.”

  “C’mon, beautiful, before you have me screwing your brains out on the ground, let’s head in so I can tell H I’m here.”

  She finally looked at their surroundings. A big building sprawled back for ever, buildings placed in a U formation, one looked like a typical garage, most others were too nondescript to hazard a guess as to what they were. “So, this is another Renegade Souls? You guys breed like bunnies.”

  Preacher grinned down at her. “My chapter is the best, baby. But we have them in most every state. H is the president here.”

  “What’s the H stand for?”

  “Hannibal.”

  “Charming. Should I have brought lima beans and chianti?” She was nervous suddenly and Ruby didn’t get nervous. But walking towards the RS building where all the men inside were not known to her, she held onto Preacher’s hand.

  “Listen, babe. Before we go in. You gotta know how shit works in an MC by now. They’re going to think that you are free game to…“ Her brow arched. “If I don’t claim you as mine.”

  “Claim me as yours?” Every word went up an octave until she was only speaking to dogs from two towns away. She was sure she heard howling. “Claim. Me? What the fuck, Preacher? Did I sneeze and transport myself back to the eighteenth century? Am I about to meet Marty McFly?”

  She did know how MC’s work regarding women and archaic behavior and still she was shocked.

  And a little turned on.

  Shut up. Claimed by Preacher was not a thing. Seduced by Preacher, sure, that was real. But claimed. At least not in the way he was suggesting. Her vagina was his, for the time being. Her skin was free and clear of all Preacher Man brands and that's how it would stay.

  “I can see you’re thrilled about it,” he smirked and ran his free hand over his beard. Sexy bastard grooming at a time like this when she was irritated and horny.

  Bastard.

  “Do what you must, Stone Age man. But I am not darning your socks or meeting you at the door with slippers.”

  “What if I had my cock out?”

  “I’d be on my knees. But still with no slippers in my hand.”

  He laughed and kissed her spontaneously so when he walked them through the door she was still luxuriating in his taste inside her mouth.

  “Look who it is! Can’t get rid of you, Preach.” Shouted one voice. A short man with a mop of orange hair and a big smile, he had a pronounced limp. He came over and slapped hands with Preacher
. More men followed and greeted him like he was the prodigal sultan returning home.

  “Can’t keep away, Amos. Is H around?”

  “He’s in the office. But be warned he’s not in the best mood, son.” Offered an older guy.

  All their eyes kept straying to her.

  “I live with Hawk, I’m used to bad moods.” Everyone guffawed and asked about Hawk. Ruby only half listened because Preacher had pulled her closer to his side and she wasn’t pulling away, in fact, she got in a little deeper, her arm around his waist.

  She was playing the part of claimed.

  Nothing more to it.

  Sugar bottoms, as she knew the groupies to be, milled around, some giving her curious looks. Don’t worry, hun, I’m claimed, your burly men are safe from me. Look, this one is mine.

  “This is Ruby. You ass-clowns, watch your mouth around her, or I’ll break skulls. Baby, I need to go find H, you’ll be okay? Smitty here will get you a drink.”

  “I will, lil darlin’, what’ll it be?” The old guy asked smiling to show he was missing nearly all his teeth apart from two. How on earth did he eat an apple, she wondered? But then from the state of his mouth, he probably didn’t eat fruit at all. The sweet old man went on smiling and offered her his arm. “Go ahead,” she told Preacher. “I’m fine. You have a cola, Smitty?”

  “Ah, lass. That I do. Come and sit at the bar with me, out the way of these reprobates and you can tell me what a sweet girl is doing with that animal.”

  She laughed. Preacher was all animal. She watched him stride away and admired the long span of spine and the glorious butt and his easy strong gait.

  He was in the office forty-three minutes before he and two other guys emerged, followed by who she assumed was the man in charge. Hannibal the cannibal. She was dying to quote Silence at the Lambs to someone but didn’t dare in case they assumed it was disrespectful. These bikers were so damn sensitive for people who wore a lot of leather and thumb rings.

  Preacher looked over at her and winked.

  He winked and her vagina shouted hello back.

  Goddamn, the man was working with some good mojo to get her horny from a wink.

  Being the sole focus of Preacher’s gaze had been intimidating once over. The strange feelings in her veins felt like honey sloshing around in there making her blood pump slower to her heart. His gaze was warmth. A connection only they had. His eyes dark and heavy with their shared pleasure from across the room even as he held a conversation with two men who looked like they chewed glass for shits and giggles. Jesus, they were massive, maybe WWE wrestlers, but next to Preacher they looked a bit puny.

  I’ve had all that.

  It made her grin.

  She buried her mouth in the bottle of cola. No one liked a gloater, as her Uncle Silas would say, it was the work of Satan. Ruby was sure if Satan had tested out Preacher’s bedroom skills he’d be sat smiling like a boastful dickhead, too. Ruby was not one of those kiss-and-tell women, not usually, anyway, but even she was close to opening a blog and telling everyone just how good she’d had it lately. Maybe she could have one of those girlie gossips with her sister. Fat chance.

  While he spoke to the guys, she took out her cell and contacted Rita.

  Ruby: 4:32 - Hey, Rita. I’m in town. How about I take you out for lunch? Can’t wait to see you.

  Not a minute later.

  Rita: 4:33 - You’re here????? Why??????

  Wow. Not the reaction she expected. Nice to make me welcome, sis. Frowning she replied, with less enthusiasm this time.

  Ruby: 4:35 - I had the chance to come. So, what about lunch?

  Rita: 4:38 - I wish you would have told me.

  Ruby: 4:38 - I didn’t think it would be a problem.

  Common sense told Ruby she was about to be shit all over. What in the hell?

  Rita: 4:41 - I’m busy. Maybe we can get together the next time you’re in town.

  What in the fucking hell? She’d jumped at the chance to come into Nebraska knowing her car and lack of gas money wouldn’t get her here, and Rita was blowing her off like she didn’t even fucking matter? She grimaced bitterly. This was her family, the ones who used and took and didn’t gave an inch back.

  Now if she’d told Rita she had a bunch of money for her she was damn sure she would have left skid marks on the ground in her haste to meet with Ruby.

  Ruby: 4:42 - What about dinner then? It doesn’t have to be for long. I’m only here for two days, Rita. Please?

  Five minutes. Ten. Fifteen. She checked over to Preacher who was still deep in conversation with the wrestlers. Twenty minutes and finally a reply came.

  Rita: 5:01 - Can’t. Love you tho!

  Yeah. right. Feeling the love, sis. Really.

  She was churning inside. What had she done in a past life to deserve the people she had today? God, she must have been a bunny strangler or something. She was tired of being diplomatic, the peacekeeper, Rita only wanted her when she wanted her, god forbid if there was ever a day Ruby was in need, she’d have no one. Without thinking she let herself say everything she was thinking in a fast typed out message, stupid autocorrect meant she had to re-do it slowly the second time

  Ruby: 5:09 - You know, just when I think you can’t be any more self-absorbed you show me a new level. I come all this way, Rita, it’s not like you’re making the effort to come to Colorado, you only get in touch when you want money. I’m officially done. You don’t want a sister, you want an endless credit card attached to my fingers. Consider your wish come true, you no longer have a sister. Bye.

  Maybe it was pissy of her, but my god, she was so tired of everyone. She pressed send and turned her phone off and sat brooding into her drink.

  “What’s a babe like you doing all alone?” She heard. A guy slid onto the bar stool right next to hers. He was big and filled the space, his shoulder almost brushing hers. A silver ring on each finger crossed as he laced his hands in front of him. Good looking, around mid-thirties, she guessed.

  “I’m waiting for the number six bus; do you know if it stops here? I don’t want to be late.”

  His pierced lips split with a grin. “Funny. The babe is funny. I like that. I get you another drink, something stronger this time?”

  “Thanks, but I’m good with this.”

  “Gotcha. I haven’t seen you around here before.” His stare was dreamy intense and deep Hazel.

  “I haven’t been to this bus stop before. Thought I’d give it a whirl.”

  “Babe,” he laughed. “If you keep doing the funny I’m gonna----”

  “You’ll what, Styles?” Interrupted a dark warning voice. The only voice that could make a shiver run the full length of Ruby’s spine as the hand attached to the man who had the dark voice palmed the back of her neck and then she felt the warmth of Preacher along the back of her.

  This was what Preacher had meant, about claiming a woman in the eyes of an MC. His hand and mouth trailing against her neck were telling Styles Ruby was no entry for the flirting. She would have laughed and rolled her eyes, and maybe she still would when she was alone with him, but she wouldn’t do anything to make Preacher look foolish in front of members of the club.

  She understood the club life and how it worked and how women were mostly treated like interchangeable property. Me Tarzan, you Jane, chest thump.

  Maybe his hand and mouth felt nice on her, too. His scent was intoxicating no matter how many times she smelled him, it went right to her head. She was a sweaty pained mess when she stepped off his back and here Preacher was looking and smelling like a GQ model. She pressed her back into his chest and continued to pull around her straw, draining the cola until it gurgled empty at the bottom of the bottle.

  “The babe is with you, Preach? Dammit.” Styles didn’t seem too irked by it, she thought, as he laughed and slapped palms with Preacher, doing the manly bro shoulder hug.

  “The babe is. You ready to go, beautiful?”

  “Yep.” She turned to Styles and smil
ed. “Looks like I’m getting an Uber instead of the bus.”

  He laughed a rumbled noise. “Damn you, Preacher. You, lucky sonuvabitch. You fall in shit and come up smelling of roses, I swear.”

  Whatever that meant. She placed her hand in Asher’s. Once outside she asked “Did you get everything done that you needed to? And please tell me you’re taking me to a bed. My butt needs to lie down so badly I might just fall right here on the ground.” She was muttering Hail Mary’s to whoever the patron Saint of beds was. Pastor Danny would have the answer to that, she could text him quick.

  One of the things she liked about Preacher is how he towered over her, wide and strong, making her crane her neck back to look at his eyes. She was not a small woman by any means, but she felt dainty in his dwarfing shadow. He stopped her in the middle of the yard, that somber gaze of his searching her face when she thought he wasn’t going to reply he grasped her chin, turning her head towards him. “You were flirting with one of my brothers.”

  Bus stops considered flirting nowadays? Who knew, she was so out of the social media news. Ruby rolled a shoulder, unfazed by his questioning, admitting it. “I was. I liked his rings, I was a second away from asking to try to them on when you interrupted.”

  This was where a man usually threw one of those manly huffs. Though they were not in a relationship, it had something to do with that rule; my dick touched it so it’s mine. Arching a perfectly sculpted brow, ready to chew him a new ass if he even dared say something shitty like ‘you are mine and you don’t flirt blah blah’ oh, yeah, Asher Priest, just you dare ------

  “It fucking turned me on. I want to fuck you so bad, Rubes.”

  Oh.

  Oh.

  Oh, my God.

  Her insides, all treacly fell to her feet and died there having mini orgasms.

  What a gorgeous freak of nature he was.

  And it was in that very moment of watching Asher lick his bottom lip, sex in his eyes that she knew she’d met her dark match.