In seconds, his huge body was up over mine and he was filling me completely. I wrapped my legs around him, pulling him deeper as his strokes intensified.
“One more, baby. Give me one more,” he grunted, his muscular arms straining. He leaned down, kissing me deeply as he took me with a possession so complete I didn’t know where he ended and I began.
“Sal, babe,” I breathed, warning him that I was close again.
His thrusts intensified, until the headboard was hitting the wall in a tandem so fierce, I was sure our neighbors would call the manager.
“Fuuuuuck,” he groaned, sweat glistening on his muscled chest as he gave me everything he had.
Then, I was there, falling over the edge with him as he groaned his release inside me. It had never been like this for me, not with anyone else. They weren’t Sal. That was just the truth of it.
He collapsed on top of me, his breathing labored and I wrapped him up with my arms and legs. I never wanted to let him go.
I was mortified when the tears started again, although they were for a completely different reason.
“Baby, what is it? Did I hurt you?” he asked horrified as he pulled back to look me in the eye.
I shook my head. “N-no, I just, I love you,” I said simply.
His brows wrinkled with confusion. “Love you, too, but no reason to cry about it,” he said as he chuckled nervously, still unsure as to where my emotion was coming from.
I embraced him as he laid almost his entire weight on top of me. It felt amazing. “You don’t know how much it means to me to have you see it all,” I whispered in his ear, my fingers stroking through his damp hair. “All the skeletons I’ve buried and you’re still here. I…I never thought I’d have that. Thank you, Sal,” I whispered hoarsely.
He pulled away briefly, his dark eyes appraising me in the dim light. “Your skeletons are more beautiful than most angels, baby,” he whispered gruffly. “I’m a lucky man.”
I could only nod because I was so choked up with emotion.
“Let’s get some sleep,” he suggested, rolling off me and pulling me with him so I rested against his chest.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Sophie okay?”
He squeezed me tighter. “Yeah, she’s watching movies with Connie,” he answered. “Let’s get some sleep, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I breathed, feeling tired to the bone.
And despite everything, the seven-hour ride and the revisiting of childhood nightmares, I fell asleep with a smile on my face. Sal had given me that. If that wasn’t love, I didn’t know what was.
******
I was totally exhausted by the time we pulled into our driveway the next day.
“You’re a trooper, baby. I’m proud of you,” Sal told me, putting an arm around me and helping me to our room.
I needed a nap in the worst way.
“Thanks, babe,” I said as I sighed, feeling elated at his words of encouragement. He had to be way more tired than me. Despite the night at the hotel room, it had been nearly two days of driving. And I knew he hadn’t slept well when he’d had the chance.
I knew the responsibility to his brothers called to him, haunted him even. And the need for vengeance ran deep.
“I’ve got some shit to take care of.”
“Are you going anywhere?” I asked. The fact that Ettie had been kidnapped scared the crap out of me.
He glared at me as though outraged by the mere suggestion that he’d leave me alone.
Apparently, Sal wasn’t leaving the house. And apparently Sal was really freaking cranky. Rather than push him when I knew he was at his limit, I changed my clothes and laid down in our incredibly welcoming bed for a quick nap.
When I woke up, I was momentarily disoriented. Sal’s side of the bed looked untouched, and I winced for my man and his obvious lack of sleep.
I wandered out to the kitchen still half-asleep surprised to find Cole, Sal, and Wes in quiet conversation. They all turned to look at me when I walked in and Sal’s eyes narrowed.
“Babe, go put some fucking clothes on, Christ,” he swore.
I felt my brow crease as I looked down at my shorts and tank top. I mean, sure it was sleepwear, but it was far from indecent.
“Clothes!” he barked when I hesitated.
Instead of moving, I put my hands on my hips and glared by way of reply.
“We’re rollin’ out,” Wes spoke up, and I knew both he and Cole wanted to get far away from our impending blow up. Chairs were scooted back, coffee cups abandoned all while I stood glaring at Sal.
“Wes, can I catch a ride with you to the club?” I asked. “I need to meet with Scar and Connie over there for the dinner shift,” I explained.
With other club members in town, we all took turns cooking meals and keeping the fridges stocked.
“Yeah, I’ll swing back by in an hour,” he agreed.
“I don’t want you over there without me,” Sal shook his head.
I rolled my eyes at his over-protectiveness.
“I’ll hang with them, Sal, no worries,” Wes spoke up.
Sal nodded reluctantly as the guys headed out.
“Look, I know you’re tired,” I began as soon as Cole and Wes closed the front door behind them. I was ready to lay into him for being such a jerk, but his forehead resting on the front door and slumped shoulders stopped my impending tirade. Instead, my heart lurched for him knowing he and all the guys were exhausting themselves trying to find Ettie. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle. “Honey, you need to sleep. Please, come on,” I coaxed, taking his hand.
He seemed to deliberate for a minute before simply nodding as he allowed me to pull him to the bedroom.
I didn’t ask if there was any news on Ettie. For right now, I needed my man to rest for a bit. He wouldn’t be any good to anyone if he kept on like this. I pushed him gently into bed, unlacing his boots and letting each one drop with a resounding thud to the ground.
He was asleep before I even left the room.
Wes picked me up as promised an hour later with Connie in tow. We swung by my old place and picked up Sophie as well.
“Does Axel know you’re headed to the club?” Wes asked Sophie, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.
“No, why?” she asked clearly perplexed by this question.
“I’ll call him,” Wes muttered.
“Whatever,” she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest.
Obviously things with her and Axel were far from sorted.
There were several unfamiliar bikes parked out front when we arrived. Connie, Sophie, and I set to work unloading groceries from the back of their SUV.
Wes stalked determinately ahead of us.
We got several chin lifts and a few lingering glances from the various unfamiliar bikers hanging around the main room, shooting pool and drinking.
“Why is everyone so uptight?” Sophie whispered when we entered the kitchen. “I thought these guys were here to help?”
“They are,” I nodded. “But they’re also a bunch of horny men away from home. Our guys don’t like us being without a Knight member when other clubs are in town,” I explained while unloading groceries into the refrigerator.
“That still doesn’t explain why Axel would care,” she sighed, shaking her head.
“It might explain it perfectly,” Connie winked.
“Ladies,” Scarlet greeted us, swinging into the kitchen with Gracie on her hip and Chief at her heels. Her presence confirmed Cole must be nearby.
“Is there any news?” I murmured quietly, hoping she’d heard something.
“I think the phone number was a dead end,” she responded just as quietly.
“Damn,” I groaned. “Sal’s completely fried,” I admitted.
“Cole, too. All the guys are.”
“Is there anything we can do?” I wondered aloud, biting my thumb in thought. It had been almost two days, too long. I was exceedingly worried for my friend. Ettie
was so bubbly and sweet. I couldn’t even bring myself to think about what might have happened to her, what could be happening right at that very moment. I felt helpless and desperate to do something.
“I have an idea,” I shared. It was something I’d thought about ever since Stu mentioned the few places where Parker might hang out.
“I’m scared, but go on,” Scarlet replied skeptically and I smacked her lightly.
“I want to help find those shitheads,” I said simply.
Her head tilted with interest. “How would we even do that?”
“Well, you aren’t a part of this,” I scoffed. There was no way I’d let her in on this plan with Gracie and all. “But, Connie might just be crazy enough,” I mused.
“Connie might be crazy enough for what?” Connie asked carrying over a large bowl from the other side of the kitchen and standing alongside us.
“Kat has an idea of how to help the guys find Ettie,” Scarlet shared.
“Let’s hear it,” Connie requested, nudging me with her shoulder.
“All right, well, I say we hang around at a couple of the bars Stu mentioned, act like we’re having a girls’ night, see what we stir up,” I shrugged. “All our guys know Parker, but they don’t know the other one. I could point him out,” I told her, my eyes lighting up as I saw a clear way to help.
“That’s kind of nuts, even for you,” Scarlet sighed loudly.
“Not really,” I argued. “It’s just hanging out at a public place that just so happens to be a common hangout for Parker and his buddies,” I stated matter-of-factly.
“I’m in,” Connie nodded decisively.
“I could help too,” Sophie volunteered.
I wrapped my arm around her and squeezed lightly. “I appreciate that, but I think Sal will be pissed enough. If I drag you into it his temper might reach critical mass.” I wrinkled my brow at the thought.
“Right,” she agreed.
“The guys would never go for it, not in a million years.” Scarlet shook her head.
“She’s right,” Connie agreed.
“True, but I think I know someone who will,” I told them.
Chapter 19
Cal Jackson could be an intense, scary-ass man when he wanted to be, and that was most of the time. But I’d also found him to be reasonable and practical. As I sat across from him at the club after having explained my initial idea, I saw the wheels turning as he thought it over.
“Sal’ll never go for it,” he said as he shook his head, slumping back in his seat as defeated as the other guys had been since Ettie was taken.
“Probably not,” I allowed. “But you have to admit, it’s the best chance we’ve got. You’re all killing yourselves casing these spots, and you only know what Parker looks like. The other guy could walk right under your nose and you wouldn’t know it,” I told him. “I could point him out. Then you guys can do whatever it is you need to do to figure out where Ettie is.” I waved my hand. I didn’t want those details.
He eyed me skeptically.
I sat forward in my seat and met his blue-eyed gaze which reminded me so much of Cole’s. “Listen, I can’t sit back and do nothing while you guys all kill yourselves. And it’s been over forty-eight hours too long. I’m not asking to do anything crazy. Just to sit at a bar with eyes on my back. If it helps, then it helps. If not, then at least I tried,” I pleaded.
“You’ll look too vulnerable,” he argued, but I could tell he was coming around.
“Connie wants in on it, too. We’ll act like we’re having a girls’ night,” I replied easily.
“You’ve thought this through,” he surmised, and I could tell he was impressed. “But your plan means I’ve got two of my best guys pissed as hell,” he muttered.
“You’re right,” I agreed. “But I know this could work. And I love Sal. I love this club. If this could bring Ettie back, then I’m willing to piss him off a little bit.”
Maybe a lot, but whatever.
Cal regarded me for a few moments longer as though trying to get a read on me before he nodded. “Okay, I’m in. Mack, Hank, and I will have your backs as well as some of the prospects. You won’t even know we’re there. You’ll start out at O’Malley’s, that spot Stu said Parker liked best. If we don’t have luck there, we’ll try Maddie’s. Maybe something will turn up,” he said, looking mildly hopeful.
“Maybe,” I agreed.
Now that I had Cal’s buy-in, I was scared shitless at what I’d started. But I had to try.
*****
“I’ll never forgive myself for clamming up on you in that bathroom,” Connie admitted as we sat sipping drinks at O’Malley’s that evening. It was late and the bar was hopping.
I felt horribly guilty lying to Sal. He and Wes thought we were at Sophie’s place watching movies while he and Wes were working to track Parker down with the rest of the club.
Sophie had agreed willingly to cover for us if needed. It was as far as I was allowing her to be involved.
“Don’t even think about it,” I assured her, trying hard not to look around too much. I had to remember this was a girls’ night. I wouldn’t be scoping my surroundings if I didn’t have a care in the world.
“Still,” she fretted, her big blue eyes regretful as she sipped her cocktail.
“No one ever knows how they’ll react in a situation like that. It was terrifying. I understand,” I assured her.
I again fought the urge not to let my gaze wander. It was Friday night, so the bar was fairly busy. But, it was on the small side, which worked to our advantage. Stools ran along the expanse of the bar, and a few booths sat against the windows. The dim lighting made it hard to see much past a certain distance, and the jukebox blasted some variation of heavy metal over the sound system.
We’d turned away several interested men. I was beyond thankful that neither Sal nor Wes was anywhere near or they’d be having a shit-fit.
Then, my attacker walked in. I fought harder than I’d ever fought for anything not to have a reaction. I’d know him anywhere, even out of the corner of my eye.
I was surprised with how nervous he looked, his dark eyes darted throughout the space anxiously.
When he saw me, he had the opposite reaction I’d expected. He immediately turned to hightail it out of the place. I didn’t even need to use the predetermined signal Cal and I had discussed. The idiot made it all too clear who he was.
Then, all hell broke loose.
Cal, Hank, and the prospects appeared out of nowhere, blocking exits while Connie and I hurriedly gathered our things.
“Let’s go out the back,” Mack commanded, suddenly beside us.
We scurried after him, leaving the pandemonium behind us.
“We’re going to the club,” Mack told us tersely, peeling out of the parking lot and directing us to the outskirts of town where the headquarters lie.
The sound of Harleys all around us ricocheted off the SUV’s interior as we drove in silence.
“Thank you,” Mack spoke gruffly from the driver’s seat. “I would never let Etts,” his voice rasped and he cleared it. “I would never let my girl do something like this, but I appreciate you trying to bring her home. I’m indebted to you both,” he said gravely as we sped along the deserted highway.
“She’s our girl, Mack,” Connie spoke up softly. “Of course we’d do whatever we can.”
“All we did was sit at a bar,” I added. “We’d do much more for her and for all of you.”
He merely nodded.
When we got to the club, several bikes sat parked out front, including Sal’s and Wes’. Connie and I exchanged an “oh, shit” look before hopping out of the truck and following Mack inside.
When I walked in, Sal was all I saw. He stopped mid-stride, no doubt he’d been pacing, and he turned his heated gaze to me.
“Oh, shit” didn’t quite cover it as it turned out.
He stalked over to me, pinning me against the wall, his hard body caging me in. “You thi
nk I can’t’ take care of this, is that it?” he demanded, his voice cold.
I shook my head adamantly unable to speak. He was scaring the crap out of me, for the first time ever.
“You think going behind my back with my club’s Prez and making yourself bait was the way to handle this shit!” he roared.
“Sal, man. She was trying to help,” Mack put in.
“Shut the fuck up,” Sal bit out not even sparing him a glance.
“Come here,” he directed me taking my arm and pulling me along forcefully.
I’d never seen this side of Sal before. He was beyond angry, he was livid.
“Apparently, you need to see this,” he muttered, continuing to pull me until we reached an office door, one I’d never been behind. He swung it open revealing Axel towering over a broken, very beat up looking Allen Parker.
I gasped in shock at the man tied to a chair with blood seeping from his nose and mouth. His eyes were swollen shut and he could barely see.
Despite everything Parker had done to me, I still felt slightly sick at the sight. This was the part of Sal’s world I willingly turned a blind eye to. He was making that impossible now by shoving it right in my face.
Sal slammed the door shut again, obstructing my view and turned to me in fury. “Who is that in there?” he demanded, again pinning me against the nearest wall.
“Allen Parker,” I murmured.
“I have Allen Parker, have him talking, too. So, what in the fuck did you think you were doing tonight?” he demanded.
“Um, helping?” I gulped.
“Helping,” his deep voice repeated. “And, helping is lying to me and making most of my club lie to me, too?” he asked with quiet intensity.
“I wanted to help, Sal,” I replied quietly. “I knew you’d never let me do it and it was painful for me to watch all you guys kill yourselves,” I murmured, meeting his heated gaze as he glared down at me.
“And, helping was going behind my back? Making me worry for you on top of everything else?” he raged. “Making me question the loyalty of my brothers? Of our president?”
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