by Sam Crescent
No one had said anything apart from Snake hinting at it. The only closeness they’d come to was that afternoon where he’d sniffed her, trapping her against the sink. She didn’t know what to make of him or her response to his closeness. In all of her life she’d never been turned on by a man, not even Master, who used to apply lubrication to be with her.
Pausing, she turned to look at Lexie.
“Don’t go anywhere until you know what he wants. I don’t know what happened to you, Brianna. I’m not even going to pretend to understand. Judi, she knows what it’s like. Her past, it’s not the best. We don’t want you to go out onto the streets.”
Brianna stayed quiet. She’d learned it was best to always stay silent.
“You go onto the streets Death will find you.” Lexie stared at her. “This is your time to talk.”
“You don’t know what Death wants. He doesn’t want me. He’s been with the other women.”
“You’re young, and he’s not. Trust me on this. Wait.”
“Okay.” Brianna looked down at the clothing waiting to be washed. “I’ll clean these.”
“I want you to know that I don’t want to do this. Devil runs his club, and I love him.”
“I understand.”
“Good. I love having you around.” Lexie smiled before moving away.
Brianna took the clothes into the washroom and started working on them. While she was working, Dick and another club whore she knew as Amy came inside. She didn’t leave the room as she folded the drying clothes.
“Suck me, baby,” Dick said.
She kept her back to them, continuing to work.
“What about her?” Amy asked.
“She doesn’t care what happens. Suck it.”
Brianna had also learned Dick was exactly like his name.
The masculine moans mixed with the sucking sounds filled the room. She ignored them, folding washing. When she finished with the drying, she put the clothes into the basket, and made her way out of the room without even looking in their direction.
She made her way upstairs, knocking on the doors. Most of the time she was directed to come inside. Several of the men were pounding into the waiting women. None of them stopped as she left their clothing.
“Thank you, Brianna.”
Not acknowledging them, she left the room. Was she some kind of freak because sex didn’t bother her? She wasn’t embarrassed by the men fucking or the naked women. Cleaning was fun to her, something she did to pass the time. With her basket empty she made her way back down to the washroom to find Dick still standing there. He wasn’t getting his cock sucked, and the only sign of anything happening was the used condom hanging over the end of the trash bin in the corner.
Ignoring him, she emptied out the washing machine.
“I’ll lay claim to you if Death doesn’t.”
She jerked up, smacking her head on the door of the washing machine as she did. Dick had his arms folded over his chest, staring at her. When she banged her head, he moved toward her.
“Fuck, are you always this clumsy?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
He gripped her chin, not hard, and moved her hair out of the way. “You’ve not cut yourself and you don’t need any stitches.”
“Thank you.”
She stared up at him, waiting for him to leave.
“My offer stands.”
“Why?” she asked. Out of all of the men she doubted Dick cared about anyone but himself. He came across as a selfish bastard. Was this to piss Death off? She didn’t trust the offer, not one bit.
“You need a man to make a claim or to have all the men use you, or you can leave. I’m offering as I like your cooking, and I like looking at you. My offer stands if Death doesn’t make a claim or you want to be with someone different.”
“You’ll want sex?”
Dick snorted. “Baby, whoever makes a claim to you will want sex. You won’t get out of fucking anyone.”
He tilted her face this way and that. For some strange reason she wasn’t scared of him. The Chaos Bleeds crew was deadly, but none of them hurt the women. They had all risked their lives to save the women on Gonzalez’s list.
Before she could stop him, he pressed his lips against hers. She froze, not liking the way he took without asking first.
Instead of fighting him, Brianna had learned to take what was handed to her, and she fisted her hands at her sides, staring at him.
He withdrew staring at her strangely. She held his gaze without backing down.
“If you don’t want to be kissed all you have to do is say so.” He stormed out of the room leaving her confused.
“I can’t say no because I’ve never been given the option or choice before,” she said after he left.
****
“I did it,” Lexie said, closing the door, and leaning on it quite heavily.
“Good.” Devil pulled his boots off, looking toward her. “Come here.”
She went to his open arms, perching on his knee as he locked their fingers together. He gripped the back of her neck, pulling her close to claim her lips. She moaned, appreciating him for brushing his teeth. Lexie didn’t mind him smoking, but she hated kissing him with smoker’s breath.
“Why are we doing this?” she asked, pulling away.
“Pushing Brianna and Death together?”
“Yeah. I know you can be romantic but not a matchmaker.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as he rubbed at her stomach. Judi was also far along with a rounded stomach of her own. Lexie had watched Ripper caressing her stomach many times.
This was their third child together. Simon had been Lexie’s sister’s and Devil’s child. They were not going to tell Simon the truth. Their son didn’t need to know about the crap that happened around his birth. Also, Kayla had been killed by Gonzalez. There was no need to cause any more heartache.
“They’re both being stubborn, and I’ve got to stick with my rules, baby. She’s taking up room, and I’ve got prospects to house.”
“Brianna’s not stubborn.”
“No, she’s withdrawn. No one knows anything about her, and she won’t talk about it. I think it’s unhealthy. Death wants her, and the only time I’ve ever seen life inside her eyes is when Death is around. They just need a little push, as otherwise she’ll spend the rest of her life cleaning, watching as Death takes what little pleasure he can with the club whores. The women will start to question her presence. If Death doesn’t take her, someone else will.” Devil moved his hand underneath her shirt.
“What if you’re wrong?”
“If I was wrong you wouldn’t have gone and delivered the message I asked. I know you, Lex. If you truly believed I was wrong, you’d have been like a mother hen protecting her young.” Devil pulled her close, claiming her lips once again. “This is what they need. If we’re wrong another brother will come forward to make her as his. We’re not wrong.”
She didn’t get time to protest as he took her to the bed and showed her that not only could he be romantic, he could also be downright dirty as well.
Chapter Three
“I can’t believe you broke my fucking nose,” Snake said. Death sat on the chair in the ward they’d been shown to while Snake sat on the bed. There was a cloth against his nose.
“You can’t leave my shit well enough alone.”
“If it wasn’t for me there wouldn’t be any shit for you to deal with. Devil’s going to kick her ass out of the club if you don’t do something. I was acting as a fucking friend. You’re a fucker.” Snake kept his head back at the nurse’s instructions.
“Keep your nose out of my business. You’ll remember I wasn’t fucking kidding.”
Snake shook his head. “You’re a fucking asshole.”
Death stayed silent as another nurse appeared. She was a young woman with long raven hair. “You broke your nose?”
“Yeah, that fucker did.”
“Do you need me to call the cops? Perhap
s put you in a hostel for abused husbands?” The woman smiled at Death. “You did the female world a favor.”
“I don’t fucking know you,” Snake said.
“But I know you. You broke my friend’s heart.”
Death sat back looking from Snake to the raven haired woman. On her tag he saw the name Jessica.
“I’ve been with a lot of women with pissed off friends.”
“Her name was Lydia. You fucked her about six months ago around the back of the diner. I had to listen to her moan about you.” Jessica folded her arms across her chest glaring at him.
Glancing at Snake, Death knew he couldn’t remember the woman.
“Unbelievable,” Jessica said, clearly seeing the same as him. “You don’t remember her at all. God.”
She moved toward the side of the ward, grabbing out a pair of rubber gloves. “I don’t know what’s worse, the fact she remembers you as something more, or you don’t even remember her.”
“I’d remember you,” Snake said.
It was the wrong thing to say. She reached out, gripping the top of his nose. “Yep, it’s broken,” Jessica said, talking louder over Snake’s scream.
“Fuck, woman. This is supposed to be a caring environment.”
Jessica glared at him. “I’m very fucking caring right now. She’s my friend. You should be lucky you’ve still got your dick attached.”
She grabbed his chart. “A doctor will be down to set your nose.”
Death liked this woman. He liked her a hell of a lot for not falling for Snake’s shit. Usually, Snake said a shitty assed line and the women were lining up for him. This was not the case.
The curtain stayed open while Jessica handed the file back to the receptionist.
She dropped her pen, and they both watched as she leaned down to grab the pen, revealing the ink at the base of her back.
“Fuck me,” Snake said.
“You want to tap that?”
“She’s got ‘fuck me’ written all over her.”
Death laughed. “You’ve got no chance of getting with her. She’s loyal to her friend, no one else.”
This trip was turning out to be a hell of a lot better than he thought.
Throughout the evening Death caught glimpses of Jessica as she talked to other patients. Snake almost fell off the bed to look at her. The doctor turned out to be a man who fixed Snake’s nose up with ease. By the time the doctor was finished it was late, nearing midnight. Death was tired and in need of some sleep. On the way out they found Jessica leaving as well. She had a backpack on her shoulder and was walking toward a car.
“Hey, tell your friend I’m sorry,” Snake said, moving toward her.
Jessica looked up, staring at Snake’s nose.
“No.”
“What?”
“You’re not sorry. If you were sorry you’d go and see her yourself. You don’t care about her at all.” Jessica opened her car door. Death had parked his car three spaces down. It was late, and there were barely any cars in the parking lot.
“I am sorry.”
She threw her backpack into the car, turning to look at him.
“You’re not. I’m not interested in your excuses. Stay away from Lydia. She’s doing much better now. I just can’t believe she was so upset that you didn’t call.” She shrugged. “I guess there’s nothing about taste in her decision to sleep with you.” Jessica climbed behind the wheel.
“Come on, Snake. I’m freezing my balls off, and you’re not going to get near her.” Death opened the car, climbing inside.
“That bitch just insulted me.”
“I’m sure it won’t be the last time a woman insults you. You hurt her friend, and now she knows who you are.” Death turned over the ignition ready to get home.
The clubhouse was home.
Glancing over at Snake, Death knew Jessica had left a lasting mark on him. No one had entered Snake’s life, insulted him, hurt him, and left him all in one night.
“Do you need to go and see Mommy and Daddy?” Death asked.
“Fuck you.”
“Nope, not fuck me. You want to fuck Jessica. Wait, you can’t because she hates you,” Death said, laughing.
“You can laugh all you want. Claim Brianna or I’ll be fucking her by the end of the week.”
Death jerked the car to the side of the road ready to take a hit.
“I’m not going to fucking do it. Just stop your shit about Jessica. I don’t need to hear it, okay?”
Staring at Snake, he was tempted to give him another warning. The only problem he had was he’d be the one who would have to go back to the hospital with him. He didn’t want to be at the hospital again tonight.
Pulling away from the curb, he made his way toward the clubhouse. Like always the light in the main room was on, but he saw most of the house was dark.
Entering the clubhouse he saw Dick was sitting at the bar. Butler was also with Amy at the table.
June ran toward Snake. “I missed you.”
Death was shocked to see Snake hold her away.
“I’m not in the mood.” He made his way toward the staircase leading toward the bedrooms.
“What do you mean you’re not in the mood?” June asked.
“Exactly what I said.” Snake didn’t stick around, and Death wasn’t in the mood to chat. He made his way up to his room, ready for sleep. He hated hospitals, the smell, the people, all of it. Hospitals were the last place he wanted to be.
Death stopped outside of Brianna’s door. It was one of the smallest rooms in the house. She didn’t deserve to be in such a small room.
Pressing a hand to the door, he wondered what she’d think if he walked into the room. Don’t scare her.
“You’re not the only one who wants her,” June said from behind him.
He turned toward her. “What?”
“Dick. He made a move on her in the washing room. She didn’t respond as far as I could see. I just thought you’d like to know. I don’t know what Dick was doing or if he was just messing with shit.”
“Are you trying to turn a brother against a brother? No one likes shit like that.”
“I’m not trying to do anything,” June said. “She’s a good girl. Dick wants her, but I don’t think he wants her long term. I think he’s just messing with you and her.”
Death was pissed once again. All thoughts of sleep left his mind as he made his way back downstairs.
Going to the bar, he grabbed Dick by his jacket.
“What the fuck were you doing?” Death asked.
Dick laughed. “Who told you? Did Brianna?”
Gritting his teeth, Death growled at him. The last thing he felt right now was human. He was so pissed off and angry at Dick. Death had asked all of the men to leave Brianna alone, but this fuck-head thought he could put his filthy hands on his woman.
She’s not yours yet.
You need to claim her first.
“I wanted her to have a choice. I’ve got a thing for redheads. Who gives a shit what you think? I’m giving her an option.”
“Anyone can lay claim to her, Death. We’ve given you a chance, but Devil’s right. She’s taking up room when she’s not supposed to,” Butler said, getting to his feet. “You’re both acting like a pair of dicks.”
Dick had been one of the men who lived heavily on drink and drugs until Devil demanded they get cleaned.
“Fuck this. I gave her a choice. You’re just scared that I might actually have a shot with her. You should have taken her by now.”
“Death, let him go. Devil will deal with this in the morning.” Butler put a hand on his arm. Death released Dick even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. Marching back upstairs, he stared at Brianna’s door.
Grabbing the handle he let himself inside. He found her asleep, curled around a pillow. Throughout the night she’d kicked the blanket off her body, revealing the ratty shirt and shorts she wore. Did she have any clothes of her own?
As he cl
osed the door, a mark on her thigh caught his attention. The mark on her thigh looked similar to what people branded cattle with. What the fuck was that?
She opened her eyes, looking at him. When her brain registered that she wasn’t alone she scrambled up in bed, dragging the blanket along with her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked. Her voice wobbled, and all trace of sleep was gone from her eyes. She looked petrified.
“Why do you have a cattle brand on your thigh?”
Her eyes widened. “It’s what I was.”
“What?”
“I was a piece of cattle. A block of meat. The brand was to make sure I understood that I was nothing.”
The words spilling from her lips cut through to his soul.
“Where were you?” he asked.
She shook her head.
He fired questions about her whereabouts, and she continued to shake her head.
“Why are you keeping this a secret?”
“There’s nothing you need to know. I’m nothing special or different.”
She held the blanket under her chin. He wasn’t going to get anything from her tonight.
“Dick kissed you.”
Brianna didn’t look away. She stared at him without saying a word.
“Did you like it?”
She shook her head.
“Why didn’t you push him away?”
Again, she shook her head.
Cursing, Death looked down at his hands, wondering what the hell he was getting himself into with this woman.
“My uncle,” she said.
“What?”
“My parents died, and I had a few weeks left of school. My uncle laid claim, and no one questioned him. I was sent to live with him. After I graduated, he passed me onto a man. That’s how I got the brand on my leg. The moment I graduated I was no longer my own person. I was owned.”
“Who was your uncle?” Death asked. The moment he found this asshole he was going to kill the fucker, destroy him with his bare hands.
“Ronald. He was Gonzalez’s right hand man.”
What the fuck?
****
Brianna’s heart was racing. Part of her wanted Death to leave her alone but another was afraid. He kept asking questions, so many she couldn’t answer. When he asked about Dick, she’d gotten even more scared. She’d learned that if she gave a little something back, the taker usually gave a little, and the pain lessened.