by V. Theia
A growl rattled his chest and she laughed, gripping onto the back of his hair as he gave her an extra hard shove from below. “It loves being inside me right now, doesn’t it?”
“Don’t start, Cookie.”
Oh, she started.
She started so much and she watched him turn feral in seconds.
Taking what he wanted.
Taking what he needed.
Giving her what she needed.
“We’re gonna finish this fuck,” he told her between slow shoves, while she panted. Aching everywhere from how good he was making her feel. “Then I’ll clean you up and we’ll sleep. Is that good?”
“God, yes. That’s good.”
“Now gimme your mouth.”
His demand was so rough and so Tad-like that she about fell into his mouth and then he started to move.
This time Roux knew he was claiming her in a way he never could with their first time. Or any time after that.
Their short affairs lasted as long as a breath sometimes and stayed with Roux for months afterward. Now they could leisurely stake their claim on each other and know it was going to last.
So that’s what they did. With claws and bites and soft, lovely kisses.
All night long until he cleaned her up and got her snuggled into their bed.
Everything else was white noise.
She was with Thaddeus and for Roux, that meant life was more than good.
THIRTY-ONE
“The prince is no longer charming.” - Tag
The booming sounds of hip hop music greeted them.
Butcher, with Roux’s hand in his, along with Rider and Capone ambled into Tag’s gym Charming Souls. The place took up a whole block and was busy as it always was. Tag, in a short time, had built the beginnings of a sports empire.
“Wow, this is pretty fancy,” Roux remarked. In her other hand she was carrying a paper sack of takeout food they’d brought for Tag.
The idiot had only been out of hospital for a few days with strict instructions for bed rest but there he was in the office. He finished on the call when they all barged in unannounced.
“Is that food?” He sniffed the air. “What did you bring me?” He couldn’t smile as Prince Charming usually would because of the gauze pad covering his cheek where they’d fixed the crumbled bones beneath. The rest of the swelling and bruising on his face was almost healed.
“Spring rolls, wonton soup and some carrot cake brownies.” Roux announced, placing the sack on the table in front of him. The goodies came from Paige’s store, she made cake like it was sprinkled with crack. Butcher didn’t get it, not being a sweet tooth kind of man but whenever Reaper brought her bakes to the club, it ended up in Butcher’s mouth. And aside from Roux’s pussy, it was the second best thing he’d ever tasted.
“Fuck yeah, thanks.” Tag said.
It was Butcher who stepped around the desk while the other two boys fist bumped and then threw themselves down on the office couch. “You’re meant to be at home resting,” he told the fighter who was already crunching through the egg rolls. “When did you have your dressing changed last?”
“My ass is sitting in a chair, that’s resting, brother.”
“When?”
“Don’t fuss, mom. It was looked at last night.” His eyes switched to the doorway and Butcher turned to see the Russian woman looking in as if she’d been about to enter, before she hurried off.
“Let me take a look at your stitches.”
Tag craned back his neck and let Butcher do his thing. “Don’t see you by here often, Prez, getting a workout in so you fit in your penguin suit?”
It was good to hear Prince Charming joking again. A few days after the fight, it was uncertain if he’d even see again, he’d been down as no one had ever seen him before. As of today, his vision was still hazy and he couldn’t ride yet.
Butcher finished up and replaced the dressing pack on the side of his face. Tag was gonna be left with one gnarly scar big enough to scare kids but thank fuck their brother was not dead. “Thanks, man.” Tag said, giving him a fist bump before he dove into the soup.
“Looking for Texas.” Rider answered, “Has he been in?”
“I think he’s here now, talked to him an hour or so ago before he headed for the weights.”
“I’ll take a look.” The Prez headed out, Capone was busy on his phone and Roux stuck to his side. He liked having her around his boys, seeing how she interacted. His Roux was not shy in the least. She’d earned the boys respect by not being a shrinking violet, giving as good as she got with banter.
Most of the Souls boys had traits and being around them a lot, you got to know them pretty quick what they were. Tag earned the monocle of Prince Charming because of his reputation with the chicks. He charmed the panties off any woman within a ten mile radius. What he was also known for was being one step down from Snake on how unfiltered he got. So as he finished his food, his gaze pinned Butcher holding Roux close.
“So this a thing then, you two?”
“Nah, just taking him out for a walk,” Roux piped in before Butcher could, and he burst out laughing, squeezing her bad girl ass. She’d pay for that later. “He followed me home and now I can’t get rid of him.”
This woman was his true match.
“Finally got your girl,” Tag winked at Butcher. “Happy for you, brother. Not sure if you need commiserations for having Axel as a father in law though.”
Butcher chuckled, putting his hand over her mouth before she offered a fight to the death to his recovering brother in arms.
“We’re gonna go, but if you’re not resting, come by the house for dinner.” At the door he turned to Tag, “Oh, and tell the little Russian, if she’s changing your dressing, to use the alcohol wipes.” He gave Tag a knowing side glance.
“What Russian woman?” Asked Roux when they were outside.
“He has a Russian working for him, he says there’s nothing between them.”
“Is there?”
“No clue. But his hero complex gets him involved with the wrong kind of woman, she was associated with the bratva boss.” Again, it came in handy that he didn’t have to dumb shit down for Roux.
She snorted and lifted her chin so he could tighten the helmet strap. “Some would say the same about me.”
“And they’d be fucking wrong,” he grinned. “You’re a handful, but you’re my handful.”
“You’re so lucky to have me, Thaddeus. Bet you’re thanking your lucky stars I came along that day when you shoved me off the road.”
Oh, her little smirk did some shit to his heart and his dick. Both aching and jumping around to get at her, but that would have to wait, seeing as they were on a busy street. He settled for a possessive kiss where she drove her tongue into his mouth and sent his dick directly up against the inside of his zipper.
She was looking pleased with herself when they parted.
“How did I ever think you were sweet?”
“That was your first mistake.” She boasted and made him laugh.
He had a grip of her neck when Rider and Capone strode out of the gym and headed to their bikes. “Was he in there?” He asked Rider and the Prez nodded. “He’s coming by tomorrow.”
“Was he suspicious?”
Rider smirked and swung his leg over his big hog, starting the beast up. “Nah.”
Capone followed suit. “We need something good, sí?”
Butcher agreed.
Club profits were up this month, it still stunk they’d lost their enforcer and now Tag’s injury.
Not to mention Arson disappearing more and more. No one had seen him for days and even then it was fleeting. He hadn’t come to church or the cookout the other night.
“Butcher,” Capone jutted his chin in parting as his bike roared to life and then his brother set his dark eyes to Roux and flashed her a Latin grin. “chica salvaje.”
Butcher half-grinned because he’d called Roux a wild girl.
It
fit her completely.
Now he had to suck back all his sarcasm because he was taking Roux to see her dad.
* * *
“You ever keep anything like this from me again, I’ll shave you bald in your sleep, dad.”
Roux ruined her threat the moment she saw Axel by throwing herself into his arms. She didn’t cry, but it was close.
Behind her, Tad chuckled. “She’s big on threats. She nearly castrated one of my prospects.”
“That’s my girl.” Axel smiled. “You okay?”
She nodded as he kissed her forehead. “What about you?”
“Told you I was, kiddo. I don’t want you worrying.”
She had an eye roll with his name on it. “If I didn’t buy the food you’d starve, dad. You can’t look after yourself for shit.”
Amusement lit his eyes and he kept an arm around Roux. Because Axel didn’t want to let her go, she wasn’t ready to let him go either, so she slung her arm around his waist. She was a daddy’s girl at heart. However much she frustrated him when he’d wanted her to get a normal job, she forever gravitated back to the club life. He’d taught her so much, given her so much more and he’d changed his whole life when he was still a kid just to keep her.
She owed him and she loved him. Even when he was a stupid man and did stupid shit.
“True, kiddo, but for now you stick close to this one, right? You don’t gotta come by the club for a bit.”
Roux frowned, looking at the understanding nod on Tad’s face too, as if the pair had pre-discussed this.
“No arguing. Just till I get this shit plugged up.”
“And when is that? You didn’t want me with Tad, now you’re locking me up with him. Talk about whiplash.”
“Wasn’t it you who told me that he’s who you choose and for me to go fuck myself?” Axel smirked.
“It wasn’t quite like that, but yeah.”
“Trying to respect your decision, kiddo. So stick close, you let Butcher take a bullet for you if need be.”
She snorted but the serious look on Tad’s face said he’d do that easily. Her heart ramped up in her chest.
“I kind of like him dad, so maybe I throw a prospect in front of any bullets.”
“Chip off this old block, kiddo.” Axel rumbled a laugh and hugged her close.
Just then one of the sweet bottoms sashayed by holding a tray of drinks, giving Axel the hungry eyes like she was stripping him down to the skin. Ew.
“Hey, baby, you want company?”
Oh, for fucks sake. Really?
“Not right now.” Axel answered blandly.
“Sure?” The woman set her lashes to fluttering like she was trying to start a tidal wave. Fucking idiot.
“Try to read the fucking room, Charli. He’s busy and it’s tacky as fuck you asking for his dick with his daughter standing right here. Seriously, work on your strategy.”
The woman was only a few years older than Roux, making it extra ick. She never interfered with who her dad spent time with. It was gross and she didn’t want to know, but sometimes these women needed putting in their place when they had no sense of boundaries.
Fury burned into the eyes looking back at Roux.
“You can’t talk to me like that.”
“I just did. Shove off.”
“Axel…” she appealed.
The woman signed her own decree that she’d never get into Axel’s life, not while Roux had breath in her body. Stupid bitch.
“What she said, Charli. Go find someone else.” Axel told her coldly.
Roux waved the chick off with a big grin.
“What did I say,” Tad laughed. “she’s an animal.”
“Oh, shut up. I know where you sleep.” She teased, wrinkling her nose at his pleased grin. “You need better taste in women, dad.”
Axel smirked and knocked a glass of scotch back in one gulp. “Always did, kiddo.” Her mother had always been a sore subject. What she gleaned was from bits of overheard conversations.
They stayed an hour with her dad, it was good to see the boys. Though she’d accidently walked into Reno and Ruin …entertaining a sweet bottom in one of the back rooms. She might be blind forever after seeing them tagging the moaning woman. That shit Reno, smirked at her in her haste to get back to the door, he didn’t stop his hips churning and Ruin didn’t pull the woman’s mouth off his dick either.
Dirty bastard twins.
There’d always been club talk about how Ruin couldn’t fuck a woman without his twin brother being there too. Now she was figuring it was right. God knows what would happen if Reno ever got an old lady.
Before she left, she warned Chains to keep his best friend alive. She knew he would, those two were tight like blood brothers. She still worried though.
Axel and Tad didn’t share many words, her man listened mostly, but it was a start. She’d take it. One day her favorite men would be friends.
The day pigs wore tutus and did a ballet in the sky.
It was a hope.
THIRTY-TWO
“One life changing word.” - Poppy
“What do you think about Rider’s old lady?”
“Zara? Intimidating as hell. But she’s sweet when you get to know her.”
“Intimidating, really? She’s all of five feet and looks like a gust of wind would blow her over.” Roux said over a plate of crumbs. Without realizing, she’d been the one who’d eaten the three cronuts.
“Never judge a book by it’s pretty cover. Her and I got into it over Texas. It was a misunderstanding and we sorted it out and we’re kind of friends, but she still intimidates me. The club adores her like a queen.”
Roux got that. Not that she’d had a MC queen. Her dad was made the Prez in his twenties and she hardly remembered the last Prez before him. Axel was likely to take a club queen the day the moon fell to earth. “She made a point to come and meet me when I was in lockdown. I didn’t know what to make of her.”
The truth of it was, Zara’s friendliness made her uncomfortable. Besides Poppy, she only had guy friends, and not close ones either. She hadn’t known what to make of the blonde woman who was all smiles and eager conversation. The kid hanging off her hip also made Roux nervous when she looked like she wanted to lean her arms out for Roux. She’d taken several steps back in case the kid started to fly. She wasn’t even sure she liked the snot makers.
Just then a goat came prancing into the room, bleating in a pink sweater. Roux rolled her amused eyes as she leaned a hand over the arm of the chair to give the baby goat a pet. It was closely followed by Poppy’s man; he headed for her and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Gonna take Glenn for a walk then head to the club. You good here?”
“Yeah,” she smiled up at him. Her friend was so gone on her husband. She’d attended their wedding ceremony and witnessed firsthand how much they loved each other. “You still don’t know what Rider wants?”
“Not a clue.”
“You don’t think it’s anything bad, do you?”
Texas crouched down clipping a lead on the goat … it looked ridiculous and cute. A biker with a pygmy goat wearing a sweater. Only Cinderella could talk a hard man into having that kind of pet.
“Nah, little girl, don’t worry, they have no plans to kill me.” He smirked at his wife, sliding his arms into a leather jacket.
“Not funny, Tait.”
They kissed again, then man and his goat sidekick left.
“What’s that all about?”
“I don’t know, Rider wanted to see him tonight.”
“But they’re good now, after the shooting.”
Poppy cleared away their dishes, Roux followed her to the kitchen.
“Yeah. I mean we go to the club if we’re invited. We were there last week for a birthday bash, it was fun. I’m just nervous I guess.”
“He saved the life of the prez, in my world that’s big, babe. Texas could take a piss on the club floor and he’d be forgiven for it.”
The joke at le
ast relaxed Poppy but after another hour, Roux nudged her friend’s leg. “Are you even listening to me?”
The other woman flushed. “Sorry, what did you say?”
“Do you want me to go? You seem preoccupied, Cinders.”
“No, please don’t.”
Roux frowned. “Something wrong?”
“Yeah. No. I’m not sure. I’ve been trying to put it off. I’m nervous.”
Roux could tell. The woman was fidgeting like mad and then she brought out a rectangle box from a drawer and it all became clear. Roux chuckled. “The biker knocked you up?”
“God, I hope so. I daren’t check. I’m a few days late. We’ve been trying.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah.” Grinned Poppy. “We’ve been trying like mad. Will you stay while I take this?”
“Don’t you want to do it with Texas?”
“No, he makes me more nervous. And if it’s negative I don’t want to bawl all over him, it makes him crazy if I cry.”
“Fine, let’s get you into the bathroom, babe. Do you need more water?”
“No, I think I drank enough to sink a whale, I’m bursting.” She was practically bouncing on the spot. Poppy gave her the box to read the instructions as she took the twin digital sticks out.
“Will you do one too?” Poppy asked.
“What? I’m not pregnant.” A hot cold chill went down Roux’s spine.
“I know, I mean for when mine is negative I won’t feel too bad because it’ll be the same for yours too. Please, Roux. I’m shaking here.”
“Fuck, fine, pass me that piss stick. I can’t believe this. If I pee all over your floor it’s your fault.”
They each took the test, washed up and put the sticks on a sheet of toilet paper on the counter.
Poor Poppy started to pace and glanced every few seconds at the test.
“We’ll keep trying.”
“Hate to tell you, Cinders, but my dick can’t get you pregnant.” the girls shared a laugh. “Anyway, the practicing is the fun, right?”