by Jennifer Ann
Ingrid touches her arm with a small smirk. “Sweetheart, someone like this man asks you to go home with him, you don’t argue. You go.”
Harley lets out a quiet laugh as she stretches out to hug Ingrid. Kandi and I exchange a look of surprise, knowin’ Harley isn’t one to start physical contact of that kind.
“Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” I hear Harley whisper to Ingrid.
“Just take care of yourself, hun,” Ingrid answers, smiling kindly.
In the beginnin’ I wasn’t sure about the old broad who seemed a little too eager to throw herself at the club president, but Ingrid’s grown on me over time. She could be really good for Harley, especially when they’re both tryin’ to heal. Ingrid may not be around the clubhouse much now that Remmy’s gone, but it’d do Harley good to get away too.
Harley turns to kiss Kandi on the cheek. “Guess I’ll be seeing you around.”
“You’re still a part of this club, no matter what that asshole says,” Kandi tells her with a nod. “Let me know when you’re ready to get your mind off things and we’ll go for a ride, just the two of us.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Ridin’ bitch?”
Kandi slaps my arm, grinnin’ wickedly with a sexy spark in her gaze. Buzz is a lucky bastard, though not nearly as lucky as me. “I’m not the only old lady around here who prefers not to ride bitch. Got my license before I even met Buzz.” She throws Harley a flirty wink. “If the men in this place don’t get their shit together, maybe Harley and I will start our own club.”
A lump rises in my throat as Harley slips from her stool. The visual of the two gorgeous women ridin’ side by side is the final nudge to make my dick uncomfortably rock hard inside my jeans. I’m careful to lean far away from Kandi and Ingrid as I kiss their cheeks before taking Harley’s hand.
I bring her knuckles up to my lips as we leave the clubhouse, floored by how small and delicate she always feels, almost as if she’s a small child. For someone who’s so tough on the inside, she’s considerably more fragile than she thinks. Makes me fuckin’ livid every time I think about her havin’ to stand up for herself in prison, especially after the stories she told her old friend.
“Ranger’s givin’ us a ride,” I tell her.
“Okay,” she answers in a quiet voice.
She doesn’t say another word on the ride to my place. She scurries off to the building once we’re both outside of the pickup. When I stop to thank Ranger, he’s scowling in her direction. He’s never tried to hide how much he cares about her. Yeah, it burns every time I’m reminded that they have complicated feelings for each other, but it’s also good to know there’s someone else out there who would do anything to see her happy. If anything were to happen to me, I know he’d do whatever it took to ensure her safety.
“Better keep an eye on her, hoss,” he tells me. “Never seen her this out of sorts.”
Hitting the pickup door, I nod. “Thanks for the lift. You know I’ll take good care of her.”
Harley’s already lying in bed with the lights out. I strip outta my clothes and slide in at her side, gatherin’ her in my arms. Her naked flesh is warm and invitin’ as fuck. Though it’s dark enough that I can’t be sure she’s cryin’, her body’s shaking and I can hear her teeth chatterin’.
“Can I get you somethin’?” I whisper, pressin’ a kiss to her forehead.
“I can’t be around Axel again,” she mumbles, almost too quietly to hear. “Don’t make me fucking do it, Colt. I don’t care if it means we have to run away, but I can’t face that bastard anymore. Promise me!”
“You won’t have to see him,” I promise, grippin’ her tight against me. My heart pounds hard, makin’ it hard to breathe. What if Remmy’s death broke her? She’s been through too fuckin’ much for her to fall apart now. I need to move things along while she’s still in one piece.
“Make love to me, Colt,” she begs, her voice thick with emotion. “I want to forget about everything except you and me.” Her lips follow the ink on my chest as she clutches me tight. I’d consider tellin’ her that now isn’t the time, but I can feel how much she needs me in the way she’s grinding against my body, breathin’ heavy.
I position myself over her and tilt her chin up until our eyes meet. Slowly, I dip down to taste her mouth with my lips and tongue, givin’ her everything I’ve got. I want her to feel how much I care about her and let her know how much she consumes every part of me—body, heart, and soul. She grips the sides of my jaw as her mouth and lips go to work against mine, tastin’ like whiskey and tears. I run my fingertips over her skin, lovin’ how soft and smooth it feels.
One of her hands leaves my face to wrap around my cock. She wiggles against me until my tip pushes through her wet openin’, and sinks into her warm, tight pussy. I release a low, deep growl inside her mouth. I swear there’s nothin’ on earth as glorious as the feel of bein’ buried inside this woman, though usin’ my tongue to make her come is a second close. Rememberin’ she’s fragile, I take my time strokin’ in and out, pressin’ my forehead to hers and matchin’ her stuttered breaths.
“Harder,” she begs, diggin’ her nails into my back. “Fuck me with everything you’ve got! I need to feel this!”
“I don’t wanna hurt you, darlin’,” I say, brushin’ my lips over hers.
“Colt,” she cries, “please!”
Yeah, it’s fucked-up and I should totally talk her out of it, but I slam my hips down as hard as I can, almost regrettin’ it when she releases a loud cry.
Then she screams, “More!”
I pound against her so hard that her head flops back against the bed. She’s grippin’ onto me like her life depends on it as I finish, comin’ inside her before fallin’ back and hoistin’ her into my arms. She cries hard against me, makin’ my chest wet with her tears.
“Fuck,” I grumble to myself. What in the hell was I thinkin’? What kind of animal fucks someone in this kind of pain?
“Remmy’s gone!” she cries in a voice I’ve never heard her use before. “He’s really gone!”
Releasin’ a tight breath, I squeeze my arms around her and kiss the top of her head, wishing I could absorb all her pain. I may not be sure of a lot of things at this point, but as anger fills every last crevice of my body, one fact is crystal clear.
Axel will fuckin’ pay for this. The clock is ticking and his time of ruin is almost up. Tick fuckin' tock.
38
HARLEY
Colt’s side of the bed is empty and cold when I wake as it had been the days leading up to Remmy’s funeral. The bright sun shining through the window feels like razors against my sore eyes and I almost fall on my face when following the aroma of roasted coffee.
Mac stands in the kitchen with her capri-clad butt pushed against the counter, sipping from a porcelain mug. Dark black hair pulled back in sections, makeup meticulously applied, ironed shirt tied at her bellybutton, she’s the definition of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. The moment her bright green eyes land on me, the smile she flashes is like something straight out of a toothpaste ad. “Mornin’, girl!”
“I don’t remember ordering a perky wakeup call,” I mumble, pushing past her to grab the coffee pot.
She laughs in a harsh, wicked sound. “Someone’s up too early. Your biker boy wanted me to keep you company today. Said you had a tough night.”
My heart swells knowing Colt didn’t want me to be alone and reached out to my new friend. But maybe he did it because he still feels guilty for fucking me so hard even though I begged. I needed something to distract me from the pain and I didn’t figure he’d be up for spanking me with a belt again.
As I pour the steaming liquid into a mug, I sigh. “You’d think this losing loved ones bullshit would eventually get easier.”
“You’d think, but sometimes it only gets worse the longer you know a person.” She sips her coffee and nudges me with her elbow. “You need to get out of this sterile box your biker boy calls an apartment. Christ, you could perfo
rm open heart surgery in here.”
“Something you’ve tried?” I ask with a smirk.
“No, but I’ve done some other freaky shit that would make you think twice about hanging with me.” Her eyebrows wiggle as she takes another sip from her mug.
“Everyone has a sordid past,” I say, shrugging. “I’m sure you’d be far less interesting without it.”
She sets her mug down and pulls on my elbow. “I’m not kidding, we’re leaving just as soon as you’ve showered.”
“If you wanna walk out of this apartment, you’ll let me finish this cup of coffee,” I warn, narrowing my eyes and reclaiming my elbow.
Head tipped back, she barks in a deep laugh. “You’re really not a morning person, are you? Good thing we didn’t move in together. You probably would’ve killed me after seeing my high energy morning routine.”
After I’m showered and dressed, we hit the road on my Sportster and head for the beach. There’s a slight overcast, but the start of summer temperatures makes it warm all the same. It’s obvious Mac knows her way around a bike the way she rode the entire way completely relaxed against the backrest with her hands resting on her thighs. I climb off first and remove my helmet, grinning at her.
“What?” she asks, curling her cherry red lips as she removes her helmet.
“You’re a natural on there,” I say. “Ever think of going for your license?”
She sets the helmet in her lap and shrugs. “Once. It’d be cheaper to drive one of these instead of my stupid gas-guzzling car. Probably couldn’t afford my own bike, though.”
“You should look into it. I could give you a few lessons if you want. I’ve been thinking of upgrading to a bigger bike myself, but it’ll have to wait until I have more money.” Setting my helmet on the handlebar, I wink. “I’ll keep you in mind if I decide to sell. We’d have a hell of a good time together.”
“I don’t doubt that,” she answers with a bright smile.
We stroll together across the empty beach, breathing in the salty air as we both carry our shoes. Something about having Mac at my side is calming and makes me think despite Axel and Cheyenne trying to ruin my life, things may actually be okay—at least eventually.
“You and Ranger still need that date,” I remind her after awhile.
Mac laughs quietly. “Not gonna lie, I’m worried he’s more man than I can handle.”
“He may seem like it at first, but I swear you won’t be sorry once you get to know him.”
She turns to me, her eyebrows raised. “So I take it things are going well with you and your biker boy?”
“Really well,” I answer, annoyed by the goofy grin that tugs at my lips and spreads over my body, instantly igniting my heart and everything down below. “I’m just not sure about becoming someone’s old lady. I never had an issue with the title until I got out of prison. I have mad respect for the old ladies I’ve known, but it always seems like they’re pushed into the background when it comes to club business. It’s not like I expect them to make me a member because they’re all combat veterans. It’s just… don’t know that I have it in me to sit back quietly and obey a man. You know?”
“Oh, I know,” she says with a little giggle. “I’ve ended several relationships after guys tried to tell me what to do. That shit’s not healthy. You’d be better off starting your own club.”
My pulse races with the idea. “You’re not the first one to mention that. Maybe there’s something to it. Maybe Remmy’s death and this fucked up mess is leading me down that path. I just don’t have the slightest clue what I’d base an MC on. My father’s club is all about vigilante stuff. They’re always dealing with dangerous shit. You know, guns and criminals. I believe in what they do, but I don’t think fighting bad guys is my niche.”
“What about non-profit shit?” Mac asks. “I have a friend who does that kind of thing for a living. She’s always organizing fundraisers and benefits, makes pretty decent money. I can hook you up if you want to find out more. Jessie’s awesome, I know the two of you would hit it off right away.”
I think about it for a minute before nodding. “I could get behind something like that. I just worry what will happen when I apply for the grants and licenses, or whatever I’d need with a felony on my record.”
“You just need to find yourself a somewhat dirty lawyer. I know a guy that could probably find ways around it.”
“Aren’t you just a wealth of information,” I tease. “If I decide to go through with this idea, I may just have to put you on my list of officers.”
Eyes bright, she smiles widely. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”
I look over to where tall waves crash against a jagged cliff of rocks, and drag in a deep breath. “It makes sense. My father’s club isn’t the same, but I miss the bond I felt with everyone back in the day. Colt’s the only family I have now. Starting up my own group of women may fill the void of losing everyone.”
Mac jumps around, squealing. “Holy shit! I swear to you, this would be the coolest thing that ever happened to me! You know any other girls that you’d want to ask?”
“A couple of the old ladies,” I say, laughing at her enthusiasm. “We’d probably need more than four of us though.”
“My friend Jessie would probably be interested. She’s never driven, but she loves to ride, and we could take lessons together. A couple of other girls my brother used to hang out with have their own Harleys and would possibly be up for it. You think you’d have auditions, or what?”
“Something like that. Gotta weed out the crazies and make sure everyone who’s in would take it seriously. I don’t plan on taking this club business lightly. Anyone who joined would be expected to act respectfully in everything they do. I don’t want a bunch of assholes or prima donnas walking around wearing my patch.”
“President Harley,” she says, looping her arm through mine. “Damn, I love the sound of that! You think your biker boy will be okay with this? It wouldn’t, like, threaten his manhood or anything?”
“He has a pretty open mind.”
Or at least I hope.
All at once Mac’s eyes widen. “Oh my god! My uncle owns an old building downtown. It’s too much of a dive to use as a restaurant or anything. It could be perfect for this kind of thing, though! It’s kind of rough and vintage looking! I’m sure we could fix it up, maybe even put some kind of a little shop selling biker bitch stuff in the front for added money! I bet he’d rent it to us super cheap, especially if we fixed it up!”
“You have a lot of goddamned energy,” I grumble, though I’m highly amused by her energy. With every idea, I’ve become more and more excited. Could I really pull this kind of thing off? If only my fucking aunt hadn’t stolen everything I had left from my grandparents, then I may have had enough to at least get this club off the ground. “All this sounds like a lot of work and would take a lot of money.”
“I could apply for a loan. I have excellent credit. And I’m sure your man and some of his friends wouldn’t mind putting in a little elbow grease to make it happen. God, can you imagine ordering a bunch of sweaty, tattooed bikers around? We’d have all sorts of girls signing up to join!”
“Maybe,” I decide, my mind already a million miles away. Having my own MC would make my wildest dreams come true. “You better calm yourself down before you start making that squealing noise again. Anyone in my club is not allowed to squeal.”
“Why do I get the feeling having you as president would be like joining the monastery?” she grumbles playfully.
“You really think I’d keep you from having sex?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. “Just do me a favor, and keep this on the down low until I’ve given it more thought. I don’t want Colt knowing unless I’m dead serious.”
“My lips are sealed,” she promises, holding both hands up at her sides.
“C’mon, let’s get you started on those lessons. I’m not going to ride around with you unless I’m confident you aren’t going to run m
e off the road.”
After spending the afternoon teaching Mac some of the biggest things she’d need to know, I decide she shows real promise. The idea of making this club thing happen begins to grow a seed of hope in my gut. By the time Colt makes it home for a late dinner, I’m giddy, and he knows something is up.
While I’m doing the dishes, he sneaks up behind me and locks his arms around my waist before kissing my neck. “If this is what you’re going to be like after spendin’ time with Mac, I’ll have to start invitin’ her over more often.”
“You’ll be seeing a lot more of her,” I promise, not ready to tell him everything. “Any more news on Cheyenne or Axel?”
“There may be somethin’ brewin’ in Mexico with the gun deal. I don’t want to say anything yet, but I promise you, darlin’, I’ll nail the son of a bitch soon.”
God, I hope he’s right. Once the two people who fucked me over are taken care of, I’ll really be free to make this new club happen. Redemption can’t come quickly enough.
39
COLT
A set of lips slippin’ up and down over my dick wake me. My girl’s beautiful brown eyes shine up at me from between my legs and her dark hair brushes over my thighs as she moves. Cuppin’ my balls in one hand, she presses her finger against my asshole with the other. And her tongue… Jesus, what is she doin’? I’ve never had a blow job this fuckin’ awesome in my lifetime. What’s with the sudden mood change?
“Damn, darlin’,” I groan, latchin’ my hands around her arms. I swear I’m about to blow it, and can hardly breathe. “Fuck! Don’t stop!”
My words seem to encourage her to speed up. Bracin’ myself against her, I hiss through my teeth with a build-up as big as a volcano. I try like hell to hold it in, but then there’s an intense burst in my gut and I yell her name. My body becomes numb while my mind is suddenly clear.
I’m the luckiest bastard in the fuckin’ world.
“Morning, baby,” Harley says with a giggle. She springs forward, stickin’ her warm tongue inside my mouth and makin’ me taste myself. Damn, I don’t know why she’s suddenly in high spirits, but I’m not about to stop her to ask. Kissing her back, I prop myself over her, pressin’ my already stiff cock to her slick openin’. I swear it’s like I’ve died and gone to heaven, or whatever place guys like me go when they die. I just hope I have whatever it takes to keep her happy.