by L. Wilder
“You know I would never think that,” I scolded.
“I guess none of that matters now.” She wiped the tears from her cheek as she said, “At least now I know what happened to him.”
“I’m really sorry, honey.”
“I’m sorry, too. I shouldn’t have kept any of this from you.”
Knowing I hadn’t been exactly honest with her about my situation, I couldn’t hold it against her that she hadn’t been completely forthcoming with me. “It’s really okay. I understand.”
As I looked at her curled up into a ball on the sofa, I wanted to help take her heart ache away, but I knew time was the only cure for the pain she was enduring. I reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze as I asked, “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll be fine. I just need a day to wallow in my self-pity.”
“So, I take it you aren’t going to work today?”
“Nope. I took the day off, but I’ll go in with you tomorrow,” she assured me.
As I stood up, I told her, “Good. We can have a veg out day together, but first, I’m going to pick up some of this mess.”
“Leave it. I’ll get to it tomorrow,” she whined.
“I’ve got it. You rest and watch TV for a bit. We’ll figure out something for lunch when I’m done.”
“Okay. Thanks, Dee.”
Once she’d turned on the TV, I went into the kitchen for a garbage bag, and just as I started to pick up some of the trash, I heard a news anchor talking about an explosion at a Peterson Paper Mill on Russel Street. The woman went on to say that there was a meth lab located in the basement of the building, and police officers believed that it was the cause of the explosion. Several bodies had been uncovered, including one of the ring leaders in the notorious Culebras gang. As I stood there staring at the television screen, I couldn’t help but think that it was an odd coincidence that this terrible gang was killed in a horrific explosion on the same night that the club was released from their lockdown. Noting my odd interest in the news report, Robyn asked, “Something wrong?”
When I thought about the gang and what they’d been doing, it was difficult to feel sorry for them, regardless of who was to blame for the death. “No. Nothing’s wrong.”
I went back to picking up the apartment, and after I spent the entire day lying around with Robyn, watching movies and eating junk food, it was time for my date with Sawyer. Just like he’d promised, he arrived promptly at seven thirty and took me downtown to eat ribs at one of my favorite BBQ restaurants. Once we were done eating, he took me for a ride on his bike, and we spent several hours just talking at one of the local parks. It was a wonderful date, and it was the first of many. Over the next few weeks, we went on one outing after the next, going to baseball games, to movies, and even a couple of concerts. But there was a catch. On these wonderful little excursions he took me on, there was no sex—none. Not even a little heavy petting. While he was still Sawyer, alpha through and through, he was a perfect gentleman. The man was killing me. While I pretended not to know what he was up to, his plan was working. With each night I spent with him, I found myself wanting him even more than I dreamed possible, and I was becoming pathetically desperate for his touch.
When he called to tell me that he had a special night planned, I decided it was time to step up my game. It was time to show Sawyer Mathews exactly who he was messing with, so I got dressed up in one of my favorite little black dresses, the one that hugged my curves in just the right way. Then, I curled my hair just the way he liked it and wore his favorite perfume, hoping to persuade him to drop this “no sex” notion of his, even if it was for just one night. I took one last glimpse in the mirror and smiled at my reflection. My girls were propped up high with lots of cleavage showing, my makeup was flawless, and my ass looked incredible in the form fitting dress and heels. I thought I had him exactly where I wanted him, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
When he knocked on the door, I gave my hair one last toss and adjusted my lipstick. With my mind set on blowing him away, I opened the door, and my mouth dropped open the second I saw him. He looked absolutely incredible standing there in an all-black suit with a black shirt and matching tie. I’d never seen him look sexier than he did at that moment, and I knew I’d just been played. That sneaky bastard had just beaten me at my own game. I stood there gripping the door handle, trying to keep myself from pouncing on him like a rabid dog, and said, “You win.”
His lips curled into a sexy smile. “I win?”
“Yep. You win … fair and square. I’m done.”
“Whatcha saying, wildcat?”
“I’m saying … I’m moving in.”
Blaze
She was everything I’d always wanted and more, so I agreed to do the dating thing like she wished, but I was going to do it my way. I would “wine her and dine her, but there’d be no sixty-nining her’. I made it clear from our first night out that there was only one way she would get my cock, and that was when she’d moved into my house and she was in my bed. Simple as that. But it wasn’t so simple. It had taken every ounce of restraint I had to keep my hands off her, especially at the end of each date. I didn’t want her to go, and I certainly didn’t want to spend another night with a raging hard-on. But I had to stick to the plan and remember that with each date I was one step closer to making her mine. I was doing pretty good with this plan of mine, until I’d gone to pick her up for our date and she opened the door wearing that little black dress. The moment I saw her, I knew I was in trouble. I’d never seen her look so beautiful, so fucking sexy, and as I stood there looking into her lust-filled eyes, I could feel my resolve starting to crumble around me. There was no way in hell I would be able to keep my hands off her, not when that dress was hugging her curves in all the right places.
I was so overcome with need that I almost missed it when she said, “You win.”
A smile spread across my face as I stepped towards her and asked, “I win?”
“Yep. You win… fair and square.” Her eyes slowly drifted over me, appraising me like a prize she’d just claimed, and with a defeated sigh, she announced, “I’m done.”
“Whatcha saying, wildcat?”
Finally, after weeks of absolute torture, she finally said the words I’d longed to hear. “I’m saying … I’m moving in.”
“You sure about that?”
She moved towards me, and as she wound her arms around my neck, she whispered, “Absolutely.”
My mouth crashed down on hers as my hands dropped to her waist, inching her closer as I kissed her passionately. I hungered for her. It was the only thought that was going through my mind as my tongue delved deeper in her mouth. Our tender moment quickly grew heated. Our hands became frantic and full of need as we stumbled into the apartment. She quickly closed the door, and her mouth never left mine as she started to remove my jacket. I knew I should stop. I was giving into her without completely fulfilling my plan, but I was too far gone. There was no way I could stop, but thankfully, Robyn came to my rescue when she walked up behind us and said, “How about that. The Sexpot in Leather also looks pretty damn good in a suit. Well played biker boy. Well played.”
Startled, Kenadee broke from our embrace and said, “Robyn! I thought you were still in the shower.”
“Hold up … Did you just call me Sexpot in Leather?”
Ignoring me completely, she smiled as she said, “I thought you two were going on one of your dates.”
“Well … we were, but …”
“We were actually just about to leave,” I interrupted. “The show starts in an hour.”
“But I thought ...”
“Not until you’re moved in, wildcat.”
“I just told you that I was gonna move in.”
I shook my head. “Saying and doing are two different things, darlin’.”
“Oh, good grief. You’re killing me here.”
“Let me make this easy for the both of you,” Robyn interjected. �
�Kenadee go grab some of your stuff now and I can help you get the rest of it moved tomorrow.”
“Works for me,” I told her with a smile.
“Okay.” As she rushed down the hallway, she shouted, “Give me ten minutes.”
As she sat down on the sofa, Robyn asked, “Where are you taking her tonight?”
“I got us tickets to see Rent at the Orpheum.”
“Wow. Impressive. She’s going to love that.”
“I hoped she would.”
Her expression turned serious as she said, “I’m just going to throw out this little warning … As a nurse, I’ve seen a lot of things, and I’ve learned a lot of things. I know pretty interesting ways to remove a man’s testicles, so if you want to keep yours intact, don’t fuck with my girl.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Let’s hope that you do.” She brought her fingers up and crossed them like a pair of scissors. “Otherwise snip… snip.”
Just as I was starting to feel a little anxious about my balls, Kenadee came back into the room carrying her bag. A worried look crossed her face as she turned to Robyn and asked, “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“Kenadee, we’ve already talked about this. I told you, I’m going to be fine. I have no problem living alone, and we’ll see each other at the hospital.” She paused for a moment, then continued, “Trust me. If I were in your shoes and had a chance to be with the man I loved, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
“Love you, chick.”
“I love you, too. Now, y’all go have a good time, and I’ll see you sometime tomorrow.”
After taking the duffle-bag from Kenadee’s hand, I led her out to the truck and helped her inside. As we pulled away from the curb, I was tempted to take her straight to the house and spend the entire night making love to her, but I fought the temptation and headed over to the Orpheum. I even managed to make it through the entire Broadway show without ripping her clothes off, but when we got home, that was a different matter altogether.
As soon as we walked into the house, I reached for her hand and led her into the bedroom. “Do you have any idea what you put me through tonight? You knew what that dress would do to me … and now, you’re going to get exactly what you were asking for.”
“Promise?”
“Just wait and see, baby. Just wait and see.”
I put one of my hands behind her neck and pressed my mouth against hers. Her lips parted in surprise as I pulled her body close to mine. The kiss was possessive and demanding, leaving no question as to what I had in mind for her. My mouth roamed over the curve of her neck as I whispered, “I’ve been thinking about this night for weeks, wildcat.”
“Sawyer…” she breathed.
My hands greedily moved to her shoulders, easing the straps of her dress down her arms as I caressed her breast. In almost a whisper, I heard her say, “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, baby. More than you know.”
“Sawyer?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
I’d known from the start that Kenadee Brooks was going to change my life. I just had no idea how much. She was my missing piece, and now that I had her, I wasn’t letting her go. “I love you, too.”
My words seemed to stir something in her as she reached for my suit jacket and pulled it from my body, tossing it onto the bed. When my hands dropped to my belt buckle, she bit her bottom lip as she lowered her dress to the floor, revealing that she was wearing nothing underneath. Fuck. She was even more beautiful than I remembered, and I grew even harder as I imagined all the wicked things I wanted to do to her. My fingertips roamed over her bare skin, only stopping when I reached her breasts. A low growl rumbled in my throat as I lowered my head to her breast, flicking my tongue across her sensitive flesh. Her breath quickened as I moved to her other breast, and she gasped as I continued teasing and tormenting her with my mouth.
Unable to wait a moment longer, I lifted her into my arms and carried her over to the bed, carefully lowering her down onto the mattress. She looked so damn perfect sprawled out on my bed, every glorious inch of her was mine, and I intended to cherish her in ways she couldn’t begin to imagine. Her eyes locked on mine as I stood before her and slowly removed my clothes. My entire body was on fire, burning to touch her, to taste her, and seeing the way she was writhing on the bed with anticipation, only made my hunger for her more intense. I lowered myself onto the bed, and goosebumps prickled against her skin as I settled my head between her legs. With my beard tickling her inner thigh, I whispered, “It’s about fucking time.”
I spent the rest of the night making love to her, showing her exactly how much I’d missed having her in my arms, and just as we were about to drift off to sleep, I turned to her and said, “There are no words to express what you mean to me, wildcat.”
As she nestled into the crook of my arm, she whispered, “You don’t have to say the words, Sawyer. I feel it every time you touch me.”
I kissed her softly on the forehead as I said, “The only one.”
“The only one,” she repeated.
Everything had fallen into place. I had my woman, and things at the club were finally coming together. After weeks of busting our asses, both the diner and the new garage were finally up and running. After seeing what was left of the old garage, we all agreed that it was best to just buy a new one. It wasn’t an easy decision, especially since so much time and energy had gone into building the first one, but time wasn’t on our side. We had the club’s finances to consider, and we needed to get orders in as soon as possible. Luckily, we were able to find an old garage that met all our needs, and after some minor renovations, we were ready to get to work. Unfortunately, things hadn’t gone as smoothly with the diner. While the damage wasn’t nearly as extensive, we quickly learned that the drive-by had some lasting repercussions. People in the area were still holding on to the memories of what had happened that day and were hesitant to return to their favorite local eating spot. It took some time, but thankfully, the diner’s reputation of having the best burgers in town was enough to eventually bring folks back in.
The club was going to be okay—more than okay. Our prospects were continuing to show progress, and after proving himself with Terry and Kate, Shadow had been voted in as our new Enforcer. It was a position he’d earned, and I had no doubt that he would make us proud. While we’d taken a hit and no one’s future is set in stone, there was one thing I knew for certain— when it comes to the brothers of Satan’s Fury, it’s going to take one hell of a fight to take us down.
Epilogue
Three months later
Kevin’s birthday had always been a special time for us, but this year was even more so. After going through another long round of testing, the doctors informed us that he was officially in his fourth year of remission. That in itself was enough to warrant a celebration, so I wanted to make this particular birthday party something he would remember. I called all the brothers and Kevin’s buddies from school and football to invite them over to the house for a cookout. Just as I’d hoped, the minute I mentioned Kevin’s party to Moose, he volunteered to grill some of his famous BBQ ribs and a pork shoulder, and Louise promised to bring one of her famous cakes. It would be a grand time for everyone, especially Kevin. Not only had I planned what I hoped would be a great party, I had a surprise coming for him that would make his day extra special.
On the morning of the party, we all worked together to get everything set up. While Kenadee and Mom worked to get things organized inside, Dad helped me in the backyard. We were putting the table cloths on the picnic tables when he asked, “Did ya get her?”
“Yeah. Riggs has her and is bringing her over when he comes.”
“You think Kevin has any idea?”
I’d done my best to keep my gift a secret from Kevin and Kenadee. They’d both been hounding me for weeks about getting a Mastiff puppy, promising that they’d work together to make sure it was taken care
of, but I’d told them both that there was no way in hell that I was going to get a dog—especially one the size of a fucking horse. I’d meant what I said, but after considering everything Kevin had been through over the past few years, I decided he deserved something special. There were times when I thought they knew what I was up to, but after seeing the way Kevin had been pouting for the past few days, I knew I had him fooled. “Nope. Not a chance.”
“Good.” My father smiled. “I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he finally sees her.”
“You and me both.”
When we finished setting things up, I went over to the smoker to check on Moose. He’d been there for hours, tending to the coals and making sure everything was just right. I’d offered to keep an eye on things for him, but he turned me down, refusing to budge from his post. He was coating his ribs with another layer of his special sauce when I asked, “You need a hand?”
“Nah. I got it.”
Some might say that Moose was a man who liked to tend to things himself and that’s why he always refused to accept anyone’s help, but I knew the real reason he didn’t want a hand. He was scared I might figure out his recipe for his secret sauce and share it with the brothers. Since I didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, I just smiled and said, “Alright then. I’ll leave you to it, but if you need anything, just let me know.”
“You know I will.”
When I walked back into the house, I found Kenadee in the kitchen with Kevin. They were both talking quietly at the counter, and for the first time in days, I actually saw my son smiling. He was crazy about Kenadee, and she was just as crazy about him. Over the past few months of living together, I’d learned lots of things about the woman I loved. Not only was she beautiful, smart, and sexy as hell, she was also incredible with my son. She absolutely adored him, and there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for him—which only made me love her even more. She looked up at me with one of her bright smiles as she said, “Hey there, handsome. How’s it going out there?”