Take Aim and Reload (Forgotten Rebels MC Book 3)

by Beth D. Carter

  “I always said I wouldn’t have sex without marriage,” she whispered.

  He raised his eyebrows so high they almost touched his hairline. “You’re a virgin?”

  She nodded.

  “Holy shit,” he said. The shock in his voice was evident. “That’s like discovering unicorns are real.”

  His analogy was so off the wall that she chuckled. Instantly, the tension she’d held in her shoulders released.

  “How old are you, Cherry?”

  “I’m twenty-four. Why?”

  “Because by now you’ve outdone your mom by eight years.”

  She blinked, waiting for him to continue.

  “Don’t you see?” he asked, continuing. “You are nothing like her. I mean, I never met the woman, but I can see the goodness in you. The eyes reflect the soul, darlin’. And yours show pure light and love.”

  The words shifted the foundation of her world, and the pieces of her past lay in broken shards around her. She’d tried hard to be a good person, to make her grandfather proud of her, and to realize that he hadn’t made a mistake in giving her and Church a home.

  “Cherry?”

  She looked up at Heart. He pushed her bangs off her forehead. The same delicious shivers that she’d felt before when he’d touched her was still there. Would it be that terrible to give into the desire she felt? Or would giving in be the first step down a slippery slope?

  Heart leaned in, breathed in her scent. Having his face so close to her neck made her wet. Excited. His fingers trailed down her neck, over her shoulder, down her arm. He lightly caressed the soft skin on her hand.

  “Are you seducing me?” she asked nervously.

  A wicked little grin lifted the corners of his mouth. He kissed the shell of her ear.

  “Trust me,” he whispered.

  She closed her eyes as anticipation flooded her body. He pressed into her and she gave into the trust that she felt with him. In that moment, his snake tattoo made perfect sense. Maybe the forbidden apple was just too hard to resist.

  He continued teasing, running his hands over her body until they came to the snap on her jeans. Slowly, he undid them and let his hand glide under the waistband of her jeans, the touch a little ticklish. Her stomach muscles rippled in protest until his fingers brushed across her panties covering her pussy.

  “Oh, darlin’ I can feel your heat,” he murmured against her mouth. “It’s burning right though this piece of cloth.”

  He rubbed over her slit. The cotton-covered finger rubbed little circles over her clit. She moaned and her hips jerked up, bumping against him.

  “Oh my God,” she breathed.

  The searching fingers slid under her panties to touch her in the most intimate place on her body.

  “You’re wet,” he said. “And it’s all for me. Mine.”

  “Heart! Please!”

  She begged, although she wasn’t quite sure what she begged for. More? Stop? He pushed one finger upward into her and hooked it, touching something deep inside that brought her to the brink of orgasm.

  No, she definitely didn’t want him to stop.

  He pulled his hand out of her jeans to unzip them. As he tugged her pants and panties down, she knew she should tell him to stop, but words eluded her. Truthfully, she wanted this. Wanted him. To know what it meant to be with a man. Or, more specifically, to be with this man.

  He settled her leg over his shoulder. For a split second, modesty threatened to break the mood and she went to cover herself with a hand, but he stopped her.

  “Oh no, darlin’,” he murmured. “You’re beautiful.”

  “I am?”

  “You ought to know you’re fucking hot as hell and now I plan to taste just how sweet you are.”

  Keeping her leg resting on his shoulder, he bent over and settled his mouth between her legs. Using two fingers, he spread her labia and then swiped a lick. As soon as his tongue rasped against her sensitive nub, her body arched like it had touched a live wire. She knew about oral sex, had read about it once when she bought a romance book, but the actuality sent her into an erotic tailspin that left her moaning and panting.

  As well as wanting more.

  “Fuck, you taste like honey,” he said in between licks. “So good. I could eat you every night.”

  He pushed another finger inside and took her little clit between his teeth, sucking hard.

  “Heart, please!” she begged. “I need…”

  “I know what you need, darlin’. Let go, Cherry. Come for me.”

  He worked her, until her body tightened almost unbearably, dangling over a precipice she wasn’t sure she wanted to fall off. She knew she was about to cross over a threshold that would change her in some small fundamental way, the first step into the proverbial garden of Eden, and damned if it wasn’t a snake leading her.

  Then everything became a moot thought as her body succumbed to the pressure building within her. She couldn’t stop it, couldn’t outrun it. Exquisite bliss engulfed her as every muscle locked in passion, before spasming under the weight. Her heart thundered in her chest, the exhilarating drop leaving her trembling and near incoherent. Heart slid upward and lay on his side, his head propped up with his hand as he watched her. She wanted to feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny, but she was too boneless to really care.

  “I really want to fuck you, Cherry,” he murmured as he placed small kisses beside her mouth. “But I won’t. You said you won’t have sex without marriage, and I respect that.”

  She blinked and tried to string along some coherent words. “But you … we … this…?”

  “This was just teasin’.” He smiled down at her. “And I plan on a lot of teasin’ between us. But your virginity will be taken by your husband.”

  The words cut her to the quick, and just like that, her euphoria evaporated. The fact that he respected her virginity should’ve meant something to her, but lying naked before him made all her previous embarrassment flood back, along with a big dose of shame. The specter of her mother lingered in her mind, taunting her, and she wondered if she had the strength to push past the pleasure she now knew waited in Heart’s arms and return to the shell she had ensconced herself in.

  “You stay up here and rest, darlin’,” Heart said with a small kiss to her temple. “I’ve got a meeting to attend.”

  She didn’t move until after he was gone, and then slowly she rose and got dressed. A resplendent satiation coursed through her limbs, making her almost weightless. Her reflection, however, told a different story. Her blue eyes seemed a bit darker, a tad wiser. She felt different because she was different. Maybe because the rose-colored glasses had been taken off, maybe because her innocence had been breached, even if just a bit. She had thought the electricity between her and Heart had been rare, even romantic, but he confirmed it was simply biology. Mere attraction.

  Did she want to be that type of woman? She always thought it would be an easy thing, to not give into desire until she met the man she could share her life with. But Heart’s magnetism was proving difficult to ignore, and the question now was, did she really want to push it away?

  Chapter Eight

  Heart grimaced as he adjusted his dick inside the tight confines of his jeans. He did not want to sit through a meeting with a hard-on, but every time he thought of how sexy Cherry looked spread before him like a virginal goddess ready for debauchery, his erection sprang back to life. Just the thought that she was still, well, cherry, was enough to drive him crazy.

  The meeting room was located at the back of the house, and when he entered, he saw Wick and Stryker were already seated. Next to them were Kix and Slade. Their presence reminded him of why Cherry now lay in his bed, and it sobered him up quickly.

  The elected club officials had seats at the table while other members sat in chairs along the walls of the room. As Heart sat down in his usual spot as Road Captain, Darrell came in and sat in a corner where he was able to see almost everyone’s faces.

  “C
lose the door,” Wick told the last member. He then banged his gavel. “I’ve asked The White Death to sit at the table because this meeting concerns mostly them, and us in conjunction through our business deal. Since this is an open discussion, feel free to voice concerns or opinions.”

  The gathered members nodded in agreement.

  “All right,” Wick said. “Most of you know we have two guests visiting, sisters named Cherry and Church, brought here by Heart for protection. Unfortunately, he’s protecting them from us.”

  Confusion swept over the men’s faces.

  “Cherry has evidence linking Cabot Pharmaceuticals to The White Death’s meth production, which of course, leaks down to us.”

  “Are The Forgotten Rebels named in this evidence?” one man asked.

  “I don’t think so,” Wick replied. “But through association, anything could happen. We could be placed under Federal watch. Maybe audited. You know it doesn’t take much for the Feds to get a search warrant or to put a halt on our bank accounts or find some other way to disrupt our lives.”

  “I can’t afford to not get my social security check,” one older biker mumbled.

  “Then what are we supposed to do about this?” asked another.

  Wick looked around the room. “Well, we’ve got to figure out something. This has always been a club vote.”

  “Really?” Darrell asked, speaking up. “Because I was shot down not too long ago when I voiced my concern over our involvement of drug running.”

  Wick frowned at him. “I told you, there are procedures to follow.”

  “I say we go completely legit,” Darrell said, ignoring Wick. He looked at the other men. “Dump this alliance with The White Death. We have an obligation to our fellow soldiers who even now struggle with addiction. We are the nightmare they’ve turned to, instead of the family they need.”

  “There’s too much business between us to simply end this alliance,” Kix said coldly.

  “I doubt very much you’d sue us for breach of contract,” Darrell shot back sarcastically.

  “Enough, Darrell,” Wick warned.

  Darrell shut his mouth and stared in mute anger at Kix.

  “Now, each of us have benefitted from the past two dividends,” Wick said, talking to his men. “More money than we’ve seen for a very long time. A lot of our elder Brothers are too old to do much, and the VA isn’t helping them like they should. That money is a life saver, not only to them but to the wives left behind and to children who have nothing. That aspect can’t be ignored.”

  “Well, then, we seem to be asking the wrong question,” said another member. “If this evidence can bring us down, we should be asking what the fuck are we gonna do about destroying it.”

  Heart tensed. If anyone said one derogatory thing about Cherry, he’d have no hesitation punching the man’s teeth out. Hands curled into fists, he rested them on the table in full view of everyone.

  “The women have hidden it as a security measure not to end up six feet under,” Wick replied.

  “We get the evidence and this goes away,” TA said, gesturing to the entire room. “No more talk of Feds or ending a lucrative business arrangement.”

  “This isn’t just about money,” Darrell said. “It’s about our part in helping our fellow soldiers. Hell, to our country for that matter. Each of us has served and I’ve seen the addiction we’re peddling. It makes me sick, and if you saw it too, you’d feel the same way.”

  “Save your righteous indignation for another time,” Slade said. “We’re here to address Cherry and the evidence she stole. Besides, Warren Cabot knows about her and he’s already sent a hit man after her.”

  “Then let the hit man handle her.”

  Heart turned his head to glare at the man who said that. “Like I said, she’s here under my protection. I won’t let anyone kill her, Brother or hit man.”

  “Your loyalty is to the club,” TA said.

  “We don’t kill women,” Heart challenged back. He pointed to Wick. “Upheld by our president when he took over from Anarchy. Hell, Sissy is a prime example of why we don’t hurt women!”

  “I second that,” Slade interjected, surprising Heart. “I won’t kill a woman either.”

  Wick held up a hand. “We’re not here to discuss whether or not she dies.”

  “Then why are we here?” another member asked. “I mean, if it’s a matter of finding this evidence, there’s lots of ways to get the information out of her without killing her.”

  “Yeah!” another man called out. “Give her to The White Death. Let them deal with it since it’s their fucking problem.”

  “What part of ‘under my protection’ do you fuckers not understand?” Heart demanded.

  A splattering of arguing broke out between the men. Wick banged his gavel on the table until the men quieted down.

  “Although I don’t condone hurting women,” Wick said, “the logical conclusion is to give the women over to The White Death.”

  Heart surged to his feet, ready to start swinging. Wick held up a hand.

  “However,” he continued. “If Cherry is the old lady of a member, then she’s part of the club and therefore protected under club law.”

  “Then I take her as my old lady,” Heart said immediately, without hesitation.

  “Well, congratu-fucking-lations,” Kix muttered. “But we still need that evidence. I won’t go to jail over a fucking mistake on Cabot’s end.”

  “Sounds to me then it’s Cabot that needs to be addressed,” Heart replied.

  Darrell stood up and joined Heart. “I agree. Cabot is the one who brought this upon us, not the women. He’s the one who kept all the information about the dealings.”

  Kix and Slade looked at one another.

  “Can Mac hack his way into Cabot Pharmaceuticals?” Wick asked them.

  “Mac can hack his way into Bill Gates’s home computer and give him a jolly wave hello,” Slade said dryly.

  “Then have him delete everything with our names on them,” Heart said. “Problem solved.”

  “Except for the lone evidence that Cherry has,” TA reminded him.

  Heart looked at Kix. “I can get that flash drive.”

  “You do that and we’re good,” Kix told him. “Business as usual.”

  At that statement, Heart shot a quick glance to Darrell. The man had a hard, determined look on his face, and Heart realized that things would be far from business as usual. Darrell had an agenda, one that Heart was beginning to agree with.

  ****

  Cherry ventured out of the room only far enough to the top of the stairs, where she sat down and listened to the bustle of people below. She wished she could go down, but the reason why she was there prevented her from actually mingling with the people who probably wanted her dead. Despite Heart’s assurance no would harm her or Church, she really didn’t trust their predicament.

  Should she just turn over the flash drive in order to save her own neck? Where did the line blur between trying to do the right thing and self-preservation? Of course, there was also her sister to think about. Church had given up a lot in order to help her, and now Cherry felt an obligation to help her regain her life.

  “Hello.”

  The soft voice startled Cherry and she jumped a little. Half turning, she placed a hand over her suddenly pounding heart. “Oh!” she squeaked.

  The woman held up her hands. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  Cherry gave a nervous laugh. “S’ok. Just l-lost in thought.”

  “You came in with Eric, yeah?” The woman shook her head. “Sorry. I meant Heart. I knew him before the nickname and it’s taking me a while to get used to it.”

  “Yes.” Cherry pushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she stood up.

  The woman held out a hand. “I’m Abbott.”

  “Cherry.”

  The handshake was brief but firm. Cherry thought that Abbott had a fragile air about her, but one look in her eyes belied a strength
her small stature didn’t convey.

  “Sounds like they’re having a party down there,” Cherry said.

  Abbott snorted. “They’re always having a party. I don’t usually come to the clubhouse, but I heard Eric was home so I decided to stop by. I don’t like that the men will drink themselves into oblivion, or do drugs. I’m very anti-drugs.”

  “Then how can you trust being around them?”

  “Because I trust Wick, and deep down they’re all good men. The Brothers will help you without hesitation or questions once you’re part of the club.”

  Cherry sighed. “I’m sure they are, but I seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place. I can’t leave yet I feel like I can’t stay either.”

  Abbott cocked her head. “You’re not being abused are you? I never thought Eric would—”

  “Oh no!” Cherry said, shaking her head vehemently. “No, Heart has been nothing but kind and understanding. I-I just don’t know … may I ask you a question?”

  “Sure,” Abbott replied.

  “If you had evidence that could put a bad man away, but it implicated a friend … what would you do?”

  “Wow, that’s a tough one,” Abbott murmured. She pursed her lips as she thought for a moment. “I guess it depends on how bad the bad man is. I once knew someone who was rotten to the core, who had hurt people, so I know the importance of sending demons to hell. As for your friend, is there any way to present the facts in a way that doesn’t implicate him or her?”

  “Lie?”

  Abbott shook her head. “No, not lie. Just … prioritize what’s important.”

  Cherry thought for a moment. “You mean, take the important information and weave it in a way that clears my friend?”

  “Yeah,” Abbot replied.

  “I could do that,” Cherry said. "Of course, why didn’t I think of that?”

  Abbott placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. “It’s hard to see the big circle when you’re standing in the center.”

  “Thank you.”

  The heavy thump of a footstep on the stairs below caught their attention. Someone was coming toward them and Cherry had no desire to face any of the Brothers.