by Alexx Andria
She risked a brief smile. “I’m fine. Just tired. Still trying to recover from that binge Benton made me take. I’ll be all right.”
At the mention of that fucking prick, Benton, his hands curled into fists. If he managed to get his hands on that asshole, that kid would be drinking his dinner through a straw from here on out. “You let me know as soon as he makes contact,” he told her firmly. “I want to get this shit done. He and I are going to have a nice, long chat.”
Angel nodded quickly but it seemed she didn’t want to spend much time talking about what was going to happen at this meeting. He supposed he could understand her fear. This guy had been terrorizing her for quite some time. But all that was going to end. He would see to that.
“Where were you that night?” Angel asked, surprising him with her blunt question.
Of all the questions about that night, that was one he didn’t want to answer. “Why does it matter? I wasn’t there when you and Ashley needed me. Let’s leave it at that.”
“I need to know.”
He exhaled and would’ve done anything to change the subject but Angel wasn’t going to let him off the hook. He could see it in her eyes. Might as well bite the bullet and just get it done. “I just want you to know that if I could change—“
“I know. Just tell me.”
“I was with another woman. I was out fucking around.”
She didn’t blow up or start screaming, which was no less than he deserved but her simple nod was more devastating than if she’d heaved something heavy at his head. “She really loved you. I’m glad she died not knowing that. In her eyes, you were the one. You want to know why she never left? Because she believed that deep down, you were a good man — you just didn’t know it yet.”
That cut deep. “I didn’t deserve her faith,” he said, shaking his head. “What can I say? I was a mess back then. Not much better now, honestly.”
“We’re all messes,” she said quietly. Then, she inhaled a deep breath and announced, “I’m going to take a shower. Alone.”
A little deflated, he nodded, “Yeah, sure” and watched as she disappeared behind the bathroom door.
Pyro spent an inordinate amount of time staring at his cuticle. He wasn’t a praying man. Never had been. But sometimes, he wished it were possible to drop to his knees and get a little advice, something he could take to heart when he felt as if he were going to lose his mind.
There was something about Angel that reached into his chest cavity and twisted real hard. He’d never felt this way about Ashley and that shamed him because he should’ve. She’d been a good woman — the best, really. Better than he’d ever deserved but that hadn’t been enough. Hell, she’d been carrying his kid and even that hadn’t been enough. What kind of prick was he that he was out screwing other women when his pregnant girlfriend needed him the most? Shame burned his gut and he stalked to the cabinet to grab his whiskey. There was one thing that not even Angel knew — something he and Ashley had kept private. They’d known the sex of the baby…a boy. He didn’t know if that made things worse or helped with the healing. Every time he saw a kid around the same age his son would’ve been, he couldn’t help but flinch from the arc of pain that followed. Maybe he would’ve been a terrible dad or maybe he would’ve rocked at it. Who knew? It was too late now. Kids just weren’t in his future, he’d decided. He envied Bronx and his happiness even though he felt joy, too. He wanted his best friend to get some goodness in his life because he’d earned it. Lord knew Bronx had suffered his share of misery and Dee was just a good ass woman. Kind of life Ashley. Except unlike him, Bronx knew he had a good thing and was cherishing the shit out of his woman.
Pyro had the club. He was the club president of The Road Dogs and that was enough for him.
It had to be.
Much more than that wasn’t in the cards for him.
***
Angel climbed into the bed beside Pyro and curled up on her side away from him but that didn’t stop him from pulling her close and nuzzling the back of her neck, his hands immediately going to her breasts to cup and squeeze.
“You smell so good,” he murmured against her skin and she shivered with anticipation. “Good enough to eat.”
She turned and he captured her mouth with his, their tongues tangling and twisting as their breathing quickened. He had a way of inflaming her with a single touch. She hadn’t planned to sleep with him again but her resolve weakened the minute his hand touched her skin. She craved his touch as much as she’d ever craved a hit but it was perhaps more dangerous to her health and well-being if she kept giving into Pyro. Too bad she couldn’t stop.
He climbed down her body and delved between her thighs to seek out her clit. She gave into the pleasure, sinking into that abyss willingly as he took her to higher heights than she ever imagined possible. She twisted, groaning like a porn star, except her moans were real and unbridled as Pyro pushed her to the breaking point, only to stop and let the tension build again. “Oh Jesus,” she cried, gripping the pillow as she shattered into a mosaic of blissful colors and textures. Her body clenched and released in a sweet concert of pleasure as she rode that beautiful wave into brief and blessed nothingness. For a full heartbeat, her brain didn’t function and she simply existed. That was her happy place. Better than any high any drug had ever given her. It was Pyro. Pyro was her drug.
He rolled her over and she went to her hands and knees, giving him her ass as he framed her hips with his firm grip before plunging deep inside her, impaling her on his thick cock and hitting her G-spot perfectly. She moaned and whimpered with pure pleasure as he banged her with a ferocity that she matched, loving each thrust, each vicious thrust until she shuddered against the second orgasm ripping through her body.
Pyro finished seconds later, crying out her name and tucking and rolling with them both to the bed, still embedded inside her. He pressed small kisses to the back of her neck and held her tightly. He didn’t know why but he didn’t want to let go. She felt as if she were made for him. Her body matched his in a way that he never believed possible. For a brief moment he was going to let himself enjoy it and he wasn’t going to freak out over what that meant. At the moment, he was content to just let it be whatever it was.
Eventually, he pulled away to discard the condom and climbed back into bed. Angel was already sacked out. He tucked her back into the cove of his shoulder and followed her into a deep, sated sleep.
-10-
A knock at the door surprised both Pyro and Angel, sending each into different states of hyper awareness. Angel looked ready to bolt, instantly afraid that it was Benton or his thugs, whereas Pyro was hoping it was so he could end this right then and there. But as luck would have it, Bronx was on the other side.
“You should answer your cell,” Bronx said, walking past Pyro, carrying a sheaf of papers. His gaze flicked to Angel and he stopped long enough to make Pyro scowl then he handed Pyro the papers¸ saying, “This is the last of the investments owned by The Road Dogs while I was president. I’ve signed off and now everything is in your name.”
“You didn’t have to bring these over. I could’ve met you at the club,” Pyro said.
“Yeah, I needed an excuse to go for a drive.” He extended a hand to Angel with a grin. “You must be Angel.”
She accepted his hand and nodded shyly, not quite sure what to make of the blond biker. “And you must be a friend of Pyro’s?”
“That’s right. Have been for a long time. I’m sorry about your sister. That was a raw deal for everyone involved,” he said with appropriate condolences but Pyro wished Bronx hadn’t brought it up.
“You didn’t come all the way over here for paperwork,” Pyro said, narrowing his gaze at his friend. “So what’s with the visit?”
“All right, it’s true. I have information you might want to know,” Bronx said, flicking his attention Angel’s way. “And it’s about that shit hitting the streets.”
Pyro perked up, interested. “Yeah? Wha
t have you heard?”
“More dead junkies but no one cares because, hey, one less junkie on the street the better, right? Except now, the shit’s getting some high profile. Some rich kid just died and the tox screen came back to that new drug.” He turned to Angel. “So what exactly is in that crap?”
She swallowed. “I don’t know. Benton never shared the details of the cook. I was just supposed to find people to test it out before they sent it out on the street.”
“Yeah, well, they must’ve jumped the gun and screwed the pooch because it’s out there and it’s getting some attention by the media.”
“Can’t make money if you kill off the client. What’s the end game?” Pyro muttered beneath his breath as he mulled over the pieces of the puzzle. He turned to Angel. “You said he’s got cops involved…dirty cops only care about the money. People will stop buying the shit if it’s too dangerous, right? So where’s the draw? No money to make if people aren’t buying.”
“I don’t know,” she answered, looking miserable. “But I can tell you Benton only cares about what can make him money.”
“Do you think it’s possible he doesn’t know about the dead users?”
“No, he knew there was a problem before I split because Roxy died.”
“Who’s Roxy?” Bronx asked.
“A prostitute with a taste for anything that’ll get her high. She overdosed.” Tears filled Angel’s eyes. “I tried to warn her but she was like a fiend once she’d had a taste of it. I knew it was dangerous. I tried, I really did. I mean, she had a kid. Roxy wasn’t a great mom but at least she was better than nothing.”
“What do you mean she had a kid?” Bronx asked.
“Yeah, sometimes I babysat for her when she couldn’t find anyone to watch Jazzy for the night.”
“The kid probably ended up in foster care,” Bronx said to Pyro. “I can look into that. If Jazzy went into the system, there will be a record.”
Angel nodded as she blinked back tears. She might try to hide it but Angel had a soft heart. Pryo reached out to Angel to reassure her the best he could. “Bronx is part of a watch dog group called Gage’s Watch. They make sure foster kids aren’t getting hurt in state custody. He’ll make sure Jazzy is being taken care of.”
She accepted his offer with a flash of gratitude but something was still eating at her. “What if she’s not in the system?”
“Does Roxy have any family that could take in the kid?” Bronx asked. Angel shook her head. “Then, she’s probably in the system. Don’t worry, we’ll find her and make sure she’s okay. In the meantime, what’s happening with this Benton asshole?”
“He’s going to call Angel and arrange a meeting. Seems I didn’t get every cop involved with Ashley’s murder. There’s some loose ends and they’ve been looking for Angel. Benton is trading Angel to the dirty cops in exchange for freedom to run his territory the way he sees fit.”
“You know it’s a trap, right?” Bronx pointed out. “And even if it’s not, it’s not going to end well for Angel.”
“She’s not going alone. I’m going to have a chat with this Benton duckweed and see how he likes being on the receiving end of being fucked.”
Angel, suddenly antsy, excused herself and disappeared into the bedroom with a muttered excuse about needing to piss and Bronx turned to him and said in a low tone, “Something don’t smell right. This feels like a trap and that girl is the bait.” Pyro nodded, not surprised. He’d been mulling the same thought since Angel had told him what was going on. She’d caved pretty easy in the end, which didn’t feel like something she’d do without a real fight. Bronx continued with a persuasive tone. “Think about it. If the same cops are involved who killed Ashley, Angel isn’t the only loose end they’ve been looking to snip. Frankly, you’re the bigger prize. Maybe you’re being lured in by a pretty face and you’re the real target. I have a bad feeling that Angel is lying and if that’s the case, you sure as hell can’t trust her.”
“I know,” he said grimly. “But I’m going anyway. Even if she’s lying, it doesn’t change a thing. It’s time to end this. One way or another.”
“This isn’t your penance, man,” Bronx returned in a harsh whisper. “You gotta stop nurturing that death wish. Ashley’s gone and it was tragic. You did what you could and now you gotta move on. Don’t walk willingly into a trap.”
In the good old days, Pyro wouldn’t have hesitated to call on his old friend for a little back up. Bronx had always been down for a little danger — actually thrived on it — but that was before he was married to a good woman and a daddy to one cute little baby girl. Hell, he wouldn’t ask Bronx to risk all that on his mangy ass. Not now. “I appreciate your concern. I got this. Don’t worry about it.”
“You sonofabitch, you’re going to do it anyway. Stubborn, mule-headed, my-way-or-the-muthafucking-highway…” Bronx muttered with a shake of his head. When he realized that Pyro wouldn’t budge, he relented with another string of expletives before biting out, “Fine. Just try not to get yourself killed.”
“I don’t doubt someone’s gonna die,” he said, a slow smile forming. “I just know it ain’t gonna be me.”
“Yeah well, watch out for that one,” he jerked a nod toward the bedroom where Angel remained. “She’s the one who’s likely gonna put the knife through your heart.”
Maybe. But it was a risk he was willing to take. He owed her that.
***
Angel bit her knuckles to keep from hyperventilating in the small bathroom. This was all wrong. She couldn’t do it. Pyro was certainly walking to his death. There was no doubt in her mind that the cops who wanted Pyro wanted to put a bullet in his head. She couldn’t take it anymore. Guilt ripped at her insides for what she was planning to do. Pyro wasn’t the monster she’d thought he was. Just come clean. But how could she? Her baby’s life was on the line. This is your chance to be a better mother. To make the right choice — even if it broke her heart.
She stared at herself in the mirror, trying not to hate what she saw. A coward, a drug addict, a pathetic loser who couldn’t seem to keep herself out of trouble stared back at her. How could she see anything else when she knew she was leading a good man to his death?
As if that weren’t bad enough, there was something else eating at her. Something that she couldn’t share unless she revealed where her misgivings were coming from. The thing was, she hoped to God Jazzy was in the system. But the way her stomach clenched and rolled, she had a bad feeling that Jazzy wouldn’t be. And it had everything to do with Benton. She bit her lip until she tasted blood. She had to wait and see if Bronx came through. Hopefully, she was wrong and the authorities had Jazzy. The alternative was something she couldn’t even fathom. Her body began to shake and she squeezed her eyes shut as more tears leaked from beneath her lids. Benton was evil— she wouldn’t put it past him to do anything that furthered his own needs. She thought of Jazzy with her sweet brown curls and her shining brown eyes and she felt the need to vomit. What was she going to do? Please God, help me. Please let me be wrong.
A sharp rap on the door startled her and she knew it was Pyro. She couldn’t hide in the bathroom forever. “Just a minute,” she called out as she rinsed her face quickly. There was no hiding the fact that she’d been crying. Her puffy eyes and red nose gave her away. She open the door and met Pyro’s concerned gaze. Don’t look worried about me. I don’t deserve it. She pushed past him. “I need to go out,” she announced, not surprised when he growled in answer. She whirled on him with a flash of temper. “You’re not my keeper. I have some errands to run.”
“Have you forgotten there’s a psychotic fuck out there looking for you?”
“I haven’t forgotten. But I need some space. Things are getting too weird around here between you and I — the lines are blurring. And I’m not comfortable with that. The next thing I know you’re going to want to pick out China patterns or something. I’m not into this ‘playing house’ thing going on.”
“What
the fuck are you talking about?” he asked, irritated. “Just tell me where you’re going.”
“No. It’s my business and you just need to stay out of it.”
He grabbed her arm. “What is wrong with you? What set you off? Something that Bronx said?”
She jerked her arm free. “I’m fine. I told you I just need a little space. I’ll be back this evening so stop freaking out and stop being so possessive. We’re not dating and you’re not my daddy so fuck off.”
He shook his head as if he knew there was no way he was going to make sense of her bullshit and she didn’t blame him. She wasn’t making any sense to herself. All she knew was that she was suffocating under the mountain of guilt for what she had to do and she didn’t know what the right choice was any more. She desperately just wanted to tell Pyro and let the chips fall where they may but she couldn’t do that. Up until recently, she hadn’t really taken to heart what it meant to be a mother. She’d been a fucked up kid, still running from the past, until real danger came knocking. Now all she wanted was to keep her daughter safe. She grabbed her purse and stalked out the front door, thankful when Pyro didn’t follow her.
She didn’t have any money and she didn’t have any transportation so she had to rely upon her thumb. Not that she wasn’t familiar with hitchhiking. She jumped into the first car that stopped and then found herself giving the address of her old apartment building, the one she’d shared with Ashley. It’d been a long time since she’d driven past this address. She’d purposely avoided it for so long. But as she climbed from a car with thanks thrown over her shoulder, the memories collided with one another and Angel’s knees buckled. Everything looked the same. A multiplex with hundreds of units, thousands of souls crammed into the blue-gray building, it’d been the nicest place Ashley could afford with her meager resources after their parents had died. Ashley had gotten some social security money to help take care of Angel but it’d never been enough. That’s why she’d taken that bartending job to supplement their income when Ashley had met Pyro. She climbed the steps to the third floor and walked the halls. Before she know it, she was standing in front of their old door. She knocked before she lost her nerve. What was she doing? She didn’t know. She just wanted to feel close to Ashley one last time. Angel didn’t have anything left from that time, she’d lost everything that night. All she had were her memories. She just wanted to stand in the place where things had been decent —before everything fell to shit. The door opened and a young woman, looking to be about nineteen, cautiously opened the door. A toddler poked his head between her legs, curious. “Can I help you?” she asked.