Ember's Burn: A Steel Demons MC Novel

by Annelise Reynolds

  His lips kicked up into a sardonic smile. “You know what I’m asking.” He rolled out of bed and reached down to his jeans. I sat up on my knees and watched as he came back carrying the yellow envelope and a small black box. He threw the envelope down on the bed beside me, and then knelt on the floor in front of me. “I want you to be my Old Lady – my wife.” He opened the box, and inside was a simple and elegant ring. The gold band was plain and simple, but the stones were anything but. Three emeralds lay in a bed of diamonds. It was breathtaking. “My Dad gave this ring to my mother just out of high school. The stones were fake back then because he couldn’t afford a real ring, but over the course of their marriage, he replaced the fake ones with real gems. I’ve known that the woman who would become my wife would get to wear this ring. I’ve never found a woman worthy enough to wear it, until you. Marry me, McKenzie.”

  “Yes.” I didn’t mean to, but I launched myself at him, knocking him back on his ass and us both onto the floor. We laughed, and I cried, as he slid the ring onto my finger. I was sitting on top of him, staring at my finger. I leaned forward, cupping both his cheeks in my hands and kissed him with everything I had in me. All the love and emotion I feel for him came out in that kiss. “Yes,” I said again, against his lips. He rolled me onto my back on the floor and entered me without breaking our kiss.

  “God,” he groaned, sliding inside me. “I can’t get enough of you.”

  Our hands were joined palm to palm, as he pistoned in and out of my tight pussy. I felt every inch of him, as he pushed in close to my cervix. He said he couldn’t get enough of me, but the truth is, I couldn’t get enough of him either. I needed him and it scared me, but the thought of not having him scared me more. We moved together in perfect sync, our bodies seemed to be made for each other. He stretched me and filled me, completing me like I never thought possible. When I finally reached that peak, I cried out with the intensity. My body shuddering as currents of pleasure rippled through me.

  Titan’s body tensed and he came inside me, again flooding me with his release. I clenched my muscles around him, milking him of all his seed.

  My mother’s ring was now on her finger where it belonged. This was not going to be a long engagement. I wanted her to have my last name and belong to me in every way, just as I belonged to her. We christened the bed and the floor. We still had a lot of house to go, and we would get to it, but right now I needed to show her one last thing.

  I pushed myself off her and pulled her to her feet. I grinned broadly when her legs wobbled and I caught her against me. “At least I know I did my job well.”

  “Mmmmm, yes, you did.”

  I kissed her hard and quick before guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed. I grabbed my shirt from the floor and pulled it over her, then pulled my jeans on. “I have something else for you.” I nodded to the envelope on the bed beside her. She looked up at me with curious eyes. I sat beside her, ready to be there for her when she opened the envelope. “Go ahead.”

  She knew that the contents were important because I saw her hands trembling as she opened the brad. She took a deep breath and looked at me. I nodded encouragement. She reached in and pulled out the photos, her gasp filled the air as she gazed for the first time on her daughter’s face. Tears filled her eyes, and she swallowed hard. “Her name?”

  “Liliana Grayson. She’s safe. I wanted you to know that she is safe and loved. Hack checked out the parents, they are good people. Your kid is one of the lucky ones.”

  “She’s not mine,” she whispered, silent tears falling from her eyes.

  “I don’t know, you made the decision in her best interest to give her up for adoption. You knew that you couldn’t give her a good life, so you looked out for her. Those are things a mother would do, McKenzie. You may not be the one raising her, but you did right by her, like any mother should.”

  “She looks like me.” Her voice was thick with emotion and awe.

  “An exact replica.” I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her into my side, kissing her hair.

  “I like her name. Liliana.” She was quiet a few minutes, just staring at the photo, processing everything. “Thank you, Jason.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Can I- Can I have a minute alone?”

  “Sure.” I kissed her head again, then went downstairs, leaving her to her thoughts. Maybe I shouldn’t have given her the ring and the pictures on the same day, but I wanted her to have the happiness of our future with closure from the past. Knowing her daughter was safe and cared for at least gave her some of that.

  I went into the kitchen and saw a text from Chink.

  Dammit. You told everyone I was making chili.

  Chink, is this you? You’re whining like a little bitch, so it’s hard to tell.

  Chink: Fuck you. You’re paying for this shit.

  Whatever, I’ll bring money to the house when McKenzie and I head back. You already there?

  Chink: Yeah. I feel like a damn mother hen cooking for so many fucking people.

  I’m sure McKenzie has an apron you can borrow.

  Chink: Fuck you. I’m going to piss in your chili.

  Later, asshole.

  Chink: Fucker.

  I took a minute to shoot off a text to Hack: You can head home.

  Hack: I will in a few days. I’m tying up some loose ends here.

  I didn’t ask what that meant, knowing Hack wouldn’t answer anyway. Watch your six.

  Hack: I got it covered.

  I gave McKenzie about fifteen minutes alone, but I couldn’t stay away any longer. When I went back upstairs, I found her kneeling on the floor, holding her stomach and rocking back and forth. There were tear stains on the picture that lay in front of her. Fuck, I shouldn’t have left her alone.

  “McKenzie.” I lifted her into my arms, and set her in my lap. “I shouldn’t have given them to you. I meant for you to have peace of mind that her life was ok, so you could move on with yours, no regrets, no questions about if she was safe.” I fucked this all up, she was supposed to be happy, dammit. I put my ring on her finger. I was content that she was finally going to be mine, and I wanted her to share that joy, instead it seems I darkened her day with good intentions. I continued to rub her back and hold her until she quit crying. “I’m sorry, baby.”

  “I’m not mad at you, Jason. I’m relieved.” I waited for her to continue. “So many years, I’ve wondered about her. I’ve wondered about who adopted her, if she was being treated well, if she was happy. It’s always been a weight on my shoulders. I’ve carried it around all these years. You just relieved me of the guilt of giving her up.”

  “So you’re happy?”

  She laughed a watery laugh. “Bittersweet about Liliana, but extremely happy to be your wife. Promise me one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I want a small wedding.”

  “Done.” I was not going to disagree with that. I didn’t care to have a big wedding either. I just wanted her. I kissed her deeply, then pulled away. “We better get going.”

  “Why?”

  “Chink is at the house making the chili, and I have to watch to make sure he doesn’t piss in my bowl like he threatened.”

  McKenzie laughed fully, and it made my chest tighten. This woman is the one and only woman in the world that could destroy me. “He wouldn’t.”

  “I’m not about to find out if it’s an empty threat or not.” We dressed, talking and laughing. She picked up the pictures as we headed out and held them to her chest, she gazed back at the house with longing. “We’ll be back soon. We have more rooms to christen.”

  “You’re insatiable.”

  “Oh darlin’, you have no clue.”

  The ride back to the Phoenix’s old house was over too soon. I was going to have to share McKenzie with everyone, and wasn’t quite ready to do so. When she slid off the back of the bike behind me, I looped her waist in my arms and pulled h
er across my lap, trapping her against me and claiming her lips for one last kiss.

  Kids have the worst fucking timing. Declan came out the front door and started making gagging sounds, complaining how we are always kissing. Piper followed him out and pulled him back in, apologizing. McKenzie and I were no longer kissing, but laughing out asses off.

  “Cock blocked by a five-year-old,” I mumbled so only McKenzie could hear me and she started laughing harder. I let her loose from my lap, and when she slid off, I slapped her ass hard enough to cause the pleasurable pain I knew she liked. “Cock blocking is no laughing matter, McKenzie. Remember that.” She stuck her tongue out at me, and took off running when I moved off the bike, her laughter carrying behind her.

  Titan will never know the gift he gave me, he could never fully understand. For the first time in years, I felt so much lighter. Hate, fear, resentment, anger… none of it seemed to be weighing me down. I felt hope for tomorrow.

  I made my way into the house, running from Titan and laughing. Piper was in the kitchen with Chink, grinning and laughing. Declan sat at the table with a sandwich, his motorcycles and cars by his side, waiting for Titan. The hero worship on the kid’s face when he walked in twisted my heart.

  “Declan, your mama and I have a surprise we want to do for the guys outside. You want to come and help us set it up?”

  “Yay!” He started eating his sandwich with gusto, peanut butter smeared on his cheek in his exuberance. Piper went over to him, slowing him down and helping him clean up his mouth.

  “You can help, but it’s a big surprise and secret, so if you will be wanting to tell, you will have to stay inside.”

  “This isn’t what Legend and I walked in on the other night is it? Because if it is, nobody else will be here to see it.”

  Piper rolled her eyes at Titan. I shook my head and grinned. “You should be so lucky. That was a one-time show.”

  “What show?” Chink asked.

  “McKenzie giving Piper a lap dance.” I hit Titan’s arm and glared at him. He just grinned back.

  “Fuck, I would pay to see that,” Chink said, his gaze bouncing between me and Piper.

  “Only in your dreams, brother.”

  “That’s just fucking evil. I’ll never forget them spooning. I got pictures to remind me.” Chink grinned, he had no idea that our surprise was for him, and more payback than a surprise.

  I looked at Piper, and we made our way outside, she had stashed the plastic wrap away. “Did you get enough?” I laughed when I saw eight rolls of the clingy wrap.

  “I don’t know how many it takes to wrap a bike, do you?”

  “Fair enough.” I grinned. We opened the boxes and got to work. Declan decided to stay inside to play with Titan, which we didn’t mind. Chances were, he couldn’t stay quiet about it anyway. It took us a few minutes to get into a rhythm, but when we did, we were really moving, handing off the wrap to one another as we went around and around his bike.

  When we were half-way done with the bike, we heard the familiar rumble of a motorcycle approaching. Piper and I looked at each other, knowing that whoever was riding that bike could totally mess up our revenge for that damn picture.

  “Shit,” I said. We started going faster, trying to get as much done as possible before the bike pulled all the way up the drive.

  Grit and Phoenix pulled up, his look was incredulous, but Phoenix just started laughing. “What’s this for?”

  “Paybacks for snapping pictures in the first place, then sending them out,” Piper said, handing me the roll again.

  “The guys are inside, but don’t you dare say anything, Grit, or your bike will be next.” He held his hands up, and backed away. Phoenix joined in the fun of wrapping up Chink’s bike in cling wrap. We were laughing and joking around as we used all eight boxes on his bike. Legend was the next person to show up, and he wasn’t alone.

  One of the girls I had seen with Chink and Dozer was wrapped around Legend – Lena, I think was her name. She was wearing short blue jean shorts that barely covered her ass, and a corset that pushed her boobs up dangerously to overflowing.

  He raised his eyebrow when he saw Chink’s bike, but didn’t say anything about it. “Legend. Lena.” Phoenix greeted them, though her tone when saying Lena’s name about matched my feelings. She was a nice girl, I guess, but it was irritating to see her arrive with Legend.

  “Ladies, you’re up to no good I see,” Legend said with his charming smirk.

  “Payback is a bitch,” Piper said sweetly, her tight smile didn’t reach her eyes. “You should remember that.”

  Legend moved lighting fast. Before we could get in his way or even anticipate what he was planning, he had Piper in his arms and his lips over hers. Lena looked unfazed and went into the house, not at all bothered that Legend was kissing another woman when he’d brought her.

  “I’ll never understand it,” I whispered to Phoenix.

  Legend let go of Piper. “Don’t threaten me, Sparky, it turns me on.” He went into the house without another word.

  “Ummmm, Sparky?” Phoenix asked, laughing.

  “Shut up,” Piper grumbled, grabbing another roll of the wrap. With three pairs of hands wrapping the bike, it went a lot faster. We finished up in no time, then went back into the house.

  The guys had a game going in the living room when we walked in. Piper disappeared upstairs when she saw Lena sitting between Legend and Chink, her head resting on Legend’s thigh and her legs draped over Chink’s, his hands absently rubbing her legs. My phone pinged in my pocket, alerting me to a text. I took a seat in Titan’s lap, and checked my message.

  Piper: Can you girls keep an eye on Declan tonight? I’m going out of town.

  Sure, Titan and I will stay with him. Where are you headed?

  Piper: If anybody asks, I’m headed to Beauford.

  Where are you really headed?

  Piper: I’ll tell you later. Goodnight Ember. Thanks. <3

  “Who was that?” Titan asked, his arm around my waist.

  “I’ll tell you later.” I smiled down at him and distracted him with a kiss. Declan was on the floor with some Lego, building random things. Nobody noticed Piper wasn’t there, or if they did, they didn’t say anything. I was surprised that Legend didn’t notice, but then again he was too busy watching the game, drinking, and having a girl hanging on him, even if he wasn’t returning the affection, he was allowing it. I sent her one more text:

  BTW, turn your phone off. Legend will have Hack track it. If you don’t want to be found,

  turn it off.

  Piper: Damn, ok. Turning it off.

  I had no idea what she was up to, but I understood her need to get away.

  “Where’s Piper?” Titan whispered into my ear, causing me to jump.

  “I don’t know. She left, and we’re watching Declan tonight,” I whispered back.

  “She didn’t tell you where she was going?”

  “No.” I showed him the phone.

  “Dammit, McKenzie.” He was no longer whispering. “Why the fuck would you tell her to turn her phone off?”

  Everybody was looking at us now. “Because she needed to get away.” I looked toward Legend who shot up off the couch and ran up the stairs.

  I heard the door slam shut, and his footfalls come back down. He was already on the phone with Hack. “Turned off. FUCK!”

  I watched as he paced. Every once in a while he’d look at me and glare. Titan was not happy with me. “If you do some shit like this again, you will be punished.”

  I stood up. “You guys, especially you,” I glared back at Legend, “are ridiculous. She told me she was leaving for the night because she wanted to get away. If she wants to be found, she will be. Obviously, she doesn’t want to be, or her phone would be on. You need to calm your ass down.” I turned to go into the kitchen but stopped, and looked back at Legend. “If you want to blame anyone for her leaving, maybe you should quest
ion why exactly she left in the first place.”

  “There’s nothing we can do, Legend. Her phone is off, and there’s nowhere she would go, not that we know of at least.”

  “McKenzie shouldn’t have let her go.”

  “McKenzie couldn’t stop her, Legend. You know damn well that Piper has a mind of her own and the right to leave town whenever she wants. Granted, turning the phone off and hiding where she’s going isn’t the safest of moves, in fact, it’s downright stupid, but it was her decision.” We were in the kitchen, Declan was still in the other room with Phoenix and Lena.

  “Her decision that your old lady reinforced.”

  I stood up, getting into Legend’s face. “As McKenzie said, Legend, look at why she left in the first place. Since you brought her here, you’ve pursued her at one turn and then gone back to the club girls at the other. What did she see that sent her away? Could it be another woman getting off your bike? Or that same woman with her head in your lap on the couch? With the type of woman she is, you can’t have it both ways. I know, because I made the same damn mistake, and it nearly cost McKenzie her life. I’m telling you now, brother, make up your mind one way or the other. You want her or you don’t. Don’t make my mistakes, you’ll only regret them later.” Legend stormed out the back door. We heard his bike start up and the gravel kick up as he left.

  “He’s right you know,” I said to McKenzie. “It’s not safe for a woman to take off by herself without anyone having knowledge of where she is and what her plans are.”

  “I realize that.”

  “Do you, do you really see, McKenzie, or were you just trying to protect her from the hurt you suffered?”

  She glared at me. “I do, but as you said, Titan, she’s an adult and we can’t keep her here. She wanted to get away, and what would Legend have done if he was able to track her phone?”

  “He’d have gone after her.”

  “Right, and he would have brought her back, or tried to control her. She will not respond well to that, Titan.”

  “That’s Legend’s issue to figure out. My concern is her safety and well-being.”