by L. Wilder
“Thanks.” After I grabbed my purse, I walked towards the door. “Be sure to get some rest.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Once I was back in my room, I reached inside my purse and grabbed my phone. When I tapped the screen, I had thirty-seven messages—twenty-two of them being from Robyn. I started reading them, one by one, and I’d only gotten through half of them when it was clear she was freaking out that I hadn’t called. I knew I had to get in touch with her, but I hesitated. After talking to Janice, I didn’t want to say something I shouldn’t and wasn’t sure what I should and shouldn’t say to her. Knowing I couldn’t keep putting her off, I dialed her number and prayed that I’d be able to come up with the right words to say. It had only rung once when she answered, “Kenadee? Is that you?”
“Yeah. It’s me.”
“Oh, my God. You had me scared to death!” She gasped. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you!”
Overcome with guilt, I fell back on the bed and sighed. “I’m really sorry. I should’ve called sooner, but I was … um … busy.”
“Busy? Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve been going out of my mind over here wondering where you are and if you’re okay, and you’ve been busy?”
“Well, after you left for your date with that sales guy, Sawyer came by the apartment …”
“Umm hmm,” she grumbled.
“And I ended up going back to his place,” I continued.
“Is that when he convinced you to run off to Vegas?” She snarled
“Vegas?”
Sarcasm dripped from her voice as she replied, “Umm, yeah. Riggs called me at the hospital and told me about your little trip to Vegas. I want to know why you didn’t call to tell me?”
“Umm … it was so last minute. I had no idea we were going. It was a surprise, and Sawyer told him to call you so you wouldn’t worry.”
“Well, I did worry. He implied that you two might be eloping, but I knew you wouldn’t do that without telling me.” She paused for a minute, then asked, “Right?”
“Of course, I wouldn’t! Don’t be ridiculous.”
“So, what’s with this Sawyer guy?” Her voice was three octaves higher than normal, and she was almost ranting as she continued to fuss at me. “It’s not like you to just take off on some trip with some guy you barely know. You’re the one who’s supposed to think things through.”
“I’m really sorry, Robyn.”
“When are you coming back?”
I braced myself when I replied, “Umm … I’m not sure yet.”
“What do you mean, you’re not sure?” she shrieked. “You have work tomorrow, and there’s been this creepy guy who’s been following me around.”
“What creepy guy?”
“Some biker dude. He’s been following me to work and sitting outside the apartment. I think he’s a stalker. I should probably call the cops or something.”
Remembering that Gus said he was going to have a prospect keep an eye on her, I said, “No. I don’t think that’s necessary. He’s probably just a new neighbor. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“It wouldn’t be a big deal if you were home,” she said. I knew she was pouting.
“Robyn, I haven’t had a vacation in three years, and I’m having a really good time.” I lied, again. “Let me have this, okay. I’ll call the hospital and let them know that I won’t be in for a few days. It’s not like I don’t have the days off.”
“You promise you aren’t eloping?”
“Yes, Robyn. I promise,” I assured her. “I’m a long way from anything like that.”
“Okay, good. Will you please keep in touch a little better so I won’t worry so much?” she pleaded.
“Absolutely, and hey. I’m really sorry I worried you.”
“I’m not going to say it’s okay because it isn’t, and I’m not sure how long it will take me to get over it.” She fussed. After a short pause, she sighed. “But, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear about what’s going on with you and the Sexpot in Leather.”
Giggling, I replied, “I can just imagine what he’d say if he heard you call him that.”
“Pfft. Trust me. I’ve called him much worse,” she teased. “Now, tell me. Are you falling for this guy or what?”
I stared up at the ceiling as I thought back over the time I’d spent with Sawyer, and if I could take the club and all its secrets and danger out of the equation, my answer would be easy. I would tell my best friend that my answer was yes, that I was falling for Sawyer Mathews. But the fact was, Sawyer and the club were a package deal, and I would have to decide if I could learn to accept them for what they were. And to know for sure, I would need more time.
Since I didn’t have an answer, I simply said, “I guess time will tell.”
Blaze
When Riggs and I shared our news with Gus, he wasn’t surprised, not in the least. After all the things he’d seen over the years, nothing shocked him anymore. I, on the other hand, couldn’t believe it. Even after he’d seen Gus put a bullet in his buddy’s head for stealing from the club, he still had the nerve to fuck with us. The guy was a fucking dumbass, and it was only a matter of time before he got what was coming to him. Gus called everyone into church, and after he’d given the update, he sent Riggs and me, along with T-Bone and Shadow, to hunt down Terry. We did some checking around, then loaded up in the SUV and headed to one of his known hangouts. I never would’ve dreamed he would’ve been there. I thought for sure the guy would have the sense to get out of town, but when we walked into High Pockets Pool Hall, there he sat, drinking a beer at the bar. To put the icing on the cake, the motherfucker was wearing the same damn gray hoodie that he wore in the surveillance video. Yeah. Terry Dillion was definitely a fucking dumbass.
When he noticed us walking in his direction, his eyes grew wide with panic, and he quickly stood up, hoping to find a quick exit. Unfortunately for him, there would be no way out. I reached out and grabbed him by the collar. “Going somewhere, Terry?”
“Nah, man. I was just gonna get me another beer.” He lied.
“No time for another beer, asshole,” T-Bone growled. “Gus wants a word with you at the clubhouse.”
His voice was trembling when he asked, “Why would he want to see me?”
“I don’t know, Terry.” I jerked him forward as I asked, “Why would my Prez want to see a piece of shit like you?”
“I got no idea. I ain’t done nothing.”
“Get his ass in the truck, Blaze,” Riggs barked. “We’re wasting time listening to his bullshit.”
With my fingers tightly wrapped around Terry’s neck, I gave his throat a tight squeeze as I led him out of the bar and then out to the truck. He was gasping for breath as I shoved him in the backseat between me and T-Bone, and when he started to squirm, I shoved my elbow in his gut and said, “Stay put, asshole.”
We sent word to Gus, letting him know that Terry had been found, and then headed back to the clubhouse. Once we were back, we took Terry to one of the holding rooms on the east side of the building, and he was a blubbering mess as we chained him to a chair and locked him inside. We stepped out in the hall and waited for Gus’s arrival. Like us, he was eager to get information from Terry. None of us truly believed that he was the one responsible for the attacks on the other clubs or ours, which ultimately resulted in Runt’s and Lowball’s death, but if Gus was right, he could give us information on the people who were. We hadn’t been waiting long when Gus came charging towards us, and from the expression on his face, it was clear that he was ready to blow. “Is he in there?”
“Yeah,” Riggs answered.
“Has he said anything?”
“Not yet.”
Gus growled as he clenched his fists at his side. Seeing that he was fighting to maintain his control, I suggested, “Maybe one of us should go in there and talk to him.”
“What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?” Gus spat.
“This was always Runt’s d
omain, Gus. You know he had a way of making a man talk … He was slow and meticulous about extracting information. If you go in there as hyped up as you are right now, you’re liable to kill him in the first five minutes, and then we’ll have nothing. Same for me, brother. I’m ready to end that motherfucker right here and now, but we need to find out everything he knows and that’s going to take some … creativity.”
Knowing I was right, Gus sighed as he considered our next move. He was still in deep thought when Shadow stepped forward. “I’ll do it.”
Surprised by his offer, we all turned and stared at him with this odd sense of wonder. We’d all known there was a dark side to Shadow—the man who fought his demons in silence. He’d been in the military, and while fighting in Afghanistan, he’d been captured and imprisoned for months. None of us knew what had happened to him when he was locked away in that prison, but we all knew it had fucked him up, giving him nightmares and a fierce edge. When I thought about him handling the situation with Terry, at first, I had my doubts. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him, because I did. I trusted Shadow with my life, but I knew how his past haunted him. I worried a situation like this might set him back by bringing up old memories. But then there was always the slight chance that spending some time with Terry would be good therapy for him, letting him work out some old aggressions. In the end, it didn’t matter what I thought. It would be up to Gus to decide if Shadow would go in that room with Terry. We all waited silently for his response, and after he studied Shadow for several moments, he finally asked, “You sure you’re up for this?”
Shadow gave him a single nod.
“Do you want one of us to stay with you? Give you a hand or something?” Gus offered.
His dark eyes flashed with intensity as he answered, “No. I need to do this on my own.”
“Alright. He’s all yours, but you call me if you need anything.”
Again, Shadow nodded.
“You let me know the second you get him talking,” Gus ordered.
“Yes, sir,” Shadow replied.
Gus turned to us and said, “Let’s go, boys. Shadow needs some breathing room.”
With that, we turned and started down the hall. We hadn’t gotten very far when Gus turned and looked over his shoulder, watching Shadow as he entered the room. A proud smile crossed his face as he continued down the hall, and I knew then that Shadow had just made an impression on our president, an impression that might just have him as the front runner for the position as the club’s new enforcer. It would all depend on how the next few hours played out, and how much information he was able to get out of Terry. Once we were at the end of the hallway, Gus looked over to us and said, “It’s going to be a while before we hear anything from Shadow. Take a break, and when I hear something, I’ll let you know.”
With that, Gus turned and headed towards his office. Riggs looked over to me and asked, “You wanna grab something to eat?”
I was starving, but my bandages hadn’t been checked since Kenadee had changed them earlier that morning. Knowing I’d hear three kinds of hell from her if I didn’t at least get them looked at, I replied, “Nah, I’ll get something later.”
“Alright, man. I’ll meet up with you later.”
Since it was late, I figured Kenadee was already in bed, so I headed down to the med-room to find Mack. When I walked in, I found him sound asleep in a chair next to Gunner’s bed. Even though he was clearly exhausted, he hadn’t left his side since the night he’d been shot. We’d all tried to convince him that he needed to get a decent night’s sleep, but he wouldn’t listen, partly because he blamed himself for Gunner’s condition. We all knew he wasn’t being rational, but his dedication to his brothers was one of the reasons Mack was such an amazing doctor. There was no way in hell that I was going to wake him, so I turned to leave. Just as I was about to walk out the door, Jasmine came strolling in.
With a sexy smile, she whispered, “Hey there, handsome. What are you doing here?”
“I came to get Mack to change my bandage.”
“I can do it for you,” she offered.
I didn’t see the harm in having her do it, so I nodded. “Okay, but be quick about it. I got shit to do.”
I’ve been around Jasmine for years, and I’ve learned there was more to her than she let on. She liked to put on a show, acting like she was just an easy piece of ass, but she was alright. After she gathered up all the supplies, she motioned me over to one of the gurneys and said, “Sit.”
“Bossy, much.” I teased as I sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Um-hmm.” The normally flirty Jasmine was gone, and she was quiet as she started to help me remove my shirt. I was actually surprised by her demeanor, until she asked, “So, is that Kenadee chick your new girl or something?”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” I answered without really thinking it through. “It’s not official or anything, but …”
“She’s here with you on a lockdown, so she means something to ya.”
As she peeled back the bandage and started to clean the wound, I replied, “Yeah. I suppose you’re right.”
“I’m glad to see that you’ve found someone, Blaze.” She looked up at me with sincerity in her eyes. “You’re one of the good ones. You deserve to find someone who will make you happy.”
I placed my hand on her hip and smiled as I said, “Thanks, doll.”
I heard the door creak open and turned to find Kenadee standing in the doorway. She was wearing a pair of gray sleep pants that hung low on her hips with a tank top, and I could clearly see that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Once I got past how beautiful she looked standing there, I noticed the blank expression on her face. Before I could even open my mouth, she’d turned and was gone. I looked down and saw that my hand was still resting on Jasmine’s hip and grumbled curses under my breath. Jasmine also noticed Kenadee’s quick exit and said, “I think she misread the situation.”
“You think?”
“Come on, Blaze. You’re a smart guy. You gotta know that this is a lot for someone like her to take in … Look at you. You were almost killed. Then, you got all these men around here that she doesn’t know, women she doesn’t know … women you’ve had sex with. The poor girl’s just thrown right in the middle while you’re off trying to fight some war that she doesn’t know anything about. Can you imagine how hard that must be for her?”
“Yeah, but she’s gotta be able to trust me or this thing’s never gonna work.”
As she replaced my bandage, she asked, “Do you trust her?”
I thought about it for a moment. “Yeah, I do. She hasn’t given me any reason not to.”
“Okay. Then, you have to do the same for her. Don’t just tell her that she can trust you … Prove to her that she can trust you.”
Damn. I never expected Jasmine to be the voice of reason, but like it or not, she was right. After she helped me get my shirt back on, I thanked her for the help and for her advice, and then, I set out to find Kenadee. When I got down to her room, I knocked on her door. It took her several seconds to answer, and once she did, she feigned a smile and tried to act like nothing was bothering her when she said, “Hey. How’s it going?”
“We need to talk.” I walked past her, and when I entered the room, I was surprised to find a tray full of food sitting on her desk. “What’s all this?”
“Riggs brought it by.” She closed the door and came up behind me. “I guess he thought you’d be here.”
“So, you came looking for me?” I didn’t get a clear answer, just an irritated shrug, so I took a step towards her. “I went to the med-room to find Mack.”
“Look, Sawyer. You don’t owe me an explanation. Besides, it’s pretty clear that when it comes to the club, you do whatever the hell you want, whenever the hell you want. I get it.” Her voice remained calm and steady as she continued, “But you should know… I’m not one of those women who’s going to chase after you. I’m not going to beg and plead with you to be wi
th me. I’m not going to fight and be jealous about other women. I’m just not. Because the way I see it, you either want to be with me, or you don’t. It’s as simple as that.”
I thought back to what Jasmine had said, and I knew this was one of those times when words just wouldn’t be enough. My eyes never left hers as I took a step forward, closing the gap between us, and once I had her close, I brought my hand up to her face, gently running the pad of my thumb along her jaw. “There’s no chase to be had, Kenadee. You’re the only one I want. It’s as simple as that.”
I lowered my mouth to hers, kissing her with passion and hunger as I pulled her body close to mine. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the sensation of her touch. There was just something about Kenadee that made me forget about everything that was going on outside of that room, and it was just her and me as I felt her arms wrap around my neck, her fingers tangled in my hair. Kenadee’s intoxicating scent teased my senses as I delved deeper into her mouth, and when she inched closer, pressing her warm body against mine, I could feel the blood rushing to my already throbbing erection. My need for her consumed me, and it was like she could read my mind as her hands slowly slipped down from my neck and found their way to my waist. Her fingers worked to unfasten my jeans, and she carefully lowered them down past my hips. Once she’d removed them, along with my boots and socks, she looked up at me and said, “I want you, too, Sawyer.
With her eyes locked on mine, she lowered herself to her knees, and a hiss slipped across my teeth when she took me in her hand and began teasing me with soft, easy strokes. A wicked smile spread across her lips as she watched my body grow more tense with every flick of her wrist. While I loved the feel of her hands on me, I was eager for something more, and a tortured moan echoed through the room when I felt the warmth of her tongue rake against me. I reached down, taking her hair in my hands, silently begging for more as she finally took me in her mouth, lowering her wet lips over my shaft. Damn. I couldn’t imagine a better fucking feeling. Her mouth was soft, warm and wet, and I had to fight the urge to pull back on her hair and force her to take me deeper. Her tongue twirled around the head of my dick, and then her movements changed. Her strokes became firmer and quicker with a slight twist of her wrist, and she sucked harder as she took me deeper. The change was subtle, but damn near sent me over the edge. When I took a step back and pulled myself free from her grasp, she looked up at me with surprise.