by Nicole Snow
“They're not jobs,” he said coldly. “They're people I've killed.”
Slowly, I drew my hand away. The sexy warmth inside me shriveled up a little. I looked at him hard, wondering if this was a joke, but the way he looked at me said no way.
Shit. Laying here naked in bed with this gorgeous man, it was easy to forget just how dangerous he really was, and how differently he lived from every other man I'd known.
“You must've had good reason...” I whispered, more to reassure myself than because I believed it.
He nodded seriously. “Always. I'd do it all over again too, kill every last one of those fucks. I don't think I need to tell you about the group of men we got into it with when you were working at the old strip club.”
I remembered the fist slamming into my face and swallowed away the painful memory. At least it wasn't all bad. If it hadn't been for that, I might not be laying with him here right now.
“The skulls are for them? The old Missoula Grizzlies?”
Blaze shook his head. “Nope. Can't take credit for any of those kills. The whole club was in on it and my brother was the mastermind. Blew those fuckers to hell and gone along with our clubhouse. Just in time too. They were about to rape and kill my bro's old lady.”
Jesus. My chest tightened up.
“Poor June.” I sighed.
He spoke about it with only a hint of anger and disgust. Not the head spinning horror any other person would've used. This was his world, and killing was a natural part of it.
Something about the deadly tone in his voice made me nuzzle in closer to his chest. I inhaled his scent, his rich, masculine, calming musk, basking in it as I pressed my cheek to his tattooed flesh.
“Don't worry, baby. This club doesn't draw blood unless there's a damned good reason. I kill because I have to every time to protect my brothers. And right now, I'd kill for you too.”
He squeezed my chin in his fingers and forced me to look at him. I wanted to be afraid and sick, but the stark shadows in his eyes were as reassuring as his spicy smell.
“What about the name? What does Blaze mean anyway?” I had to ask.
His lips quirked in a smile. “Got it for the first two skulls on my back. Twin brothers. I was in the Nomads then, and were out in Iowa patching over a support club. These jackoffs didn't take kindly to having the Devils' patch on their cuts and on their little businesses. You can guess they didn't do the sensible thing and walk away from it all.”
“What did they do?” I asked softly.
“Raped the top girl at the strip joint we took over. They used their bodies and a broken bottle. Tore her up so bad she never danced again. Thank God my sister, Aimee, was around to help her get some other work after she healed.” He cleared his throat, focusing on the darker, bloodier part again. “Maverick and I fucking destroyed them. He ran their shitty bikes off the road and we found 'em in the ditch. They were pretty beat up. I poured the gasoline on their coward asses and threw the match.”
I winced and twisted away. Blaze suppressed a dark laugh, only barely.
“Poof!” I jumped at the loud noise he made and watched him spread his hands apart, slowly settling them on my skin again. “They went up in a blaze. I got my name and my full patch, along with the first two skulls on my skin. Haven't looked back since. My name's a reminder, babe, and I'm proud to have it. It tells me every damned day what I need to do if anybody fucks with my brothers or anybody else I care about.”
I studied him hard, eyes questioning.
“I'll raze their fucking bones to ash. No hesitation. Won't feel bad about it neither. This is the life I choose, baby, and I'm not afraid to kill the motherfuckers who deserve it. Hope you'll respect that.”
There was no denying it. This man was a monster and killer. A noble one, maybe, but beyond all that he was a cold hearted savage. And right now, at this point in my life, I needed one.
He made me feel safe and loved. That alone was a whole lot more than anyone else had ever given me.
Was I crazy for loving him? Maybe.
If this was insanity, then I wanted to be committed, locked up in his arms and rough heat so tight I'd never escape.
I leaned in for a kiss. Blaze's lips took mine eagerly, working them with wet, possessive pleasure.
His arm covered me and pulled me in. A new erection pressed against my thigh. Wouldn't be long until we were at it again
This time my body, mind, and soul were ready.
I often think about this first blissful night with him and want to call it the second night when I realized who I was and who I was meant to be with. The way we shuddered, screamed, and fucked late into the darkness gave me memories I'll never forget.
But there's still two more nights that were even more powerful. Two unforgettable long dark nights that split my soul in two, and then stitched it together anew.
“Let's go, baby. You need to wake up.”
I laughed sleepily. Something prickly and soft nudged my neck. I opened my eyes and saw a tangle of dark hair that could only be his.
He kissed me awake. I sat up, wondering why it was barely light in the dark apartment.
“No need to start your shift early, but I need you to come with me to the clubhouse anyway. Got some shit to take care of, and I'm your ride to work today.”
I let out a giant yawn and stretched. Felt like we'd only slept for a few hours, and the slight soreness between my legs reminded me why.
It had been worth it. Blaze stood, his pants already on. I watched the dark ink inscribed on his granite muscles disappear behind his shirt, and then the cut that went over it.
I got dressed quickly. With some horror, I realized I'd be rolling into the clubhouse stinking like sex.
Will anyone even notice? I had to wonder, expecting a mess after the huge bash that went down last night. More than a few couples had stopped at the bar while I was serving drinks, just one more scrap of clothing away from getting busy in front of me.
Shit. I sure hope Stone and Smokey aren't drunk off their asses. Need somebody to help me clean the place up.
“You can fix yourself up in the infirmary,” he said, as if reading my mind. “Come on. Doubt anybody else will be rolling in too fast, so you can take it easy.”
A couple minutes later, I rode behind him, his Harley roaring beneath us. The sun was barely up. It reminded me of the morning when he'd come out into the boonies to help me with Dubs.
Good thing this one was a lot more pleasant. Today, the tiny light twinkling over the mountain peaks filled me with hope. Leaning into him and inhaling his sexy fragrance filled me with even more.
We were about three blocks from the clubhouse when the other bikes appeared. They roared in from both sides of the street, loud dragons snorting ferocious threats.
I jerked up from his shoulder, thinking they were his guys. Didn't take me long to see the strange colors on their jackets and feel the way Blaze tensed up beneath my hands.
I had to grip his shoulders for dear life as he spun the motorcycle. It skidded to a stop, less than a foot from plowing into a nasty looking man with hard eyes and a shaved head.
The thug with the Grizzlies patch smiled, and then pulled out a long knife. He took a slash at us and I screamed, ducking as it just barely missed my neck.
Next thing I knew, Blaze's hand was pawing desperately by my thigh. A compartment popped open and something heavy brushed past.
He held the pistol up in the air and fired off three shots. Then he took us on another stomach churning zigzag through the bikers. There must've been at least five, and they were all circling us like sharks.
I looked around desperately, trying not to throw up, wondering if Jordan was among them. I didn't see him anywhere.
“Hold on!” Blaze yelled.
More bikes roared nearby, and there was a sound like metal scraping on raw concrete. I screamed when three more bikes blazed past us, charging straight for the Grizzlies. It was a small relief recognizing the Prairi
e Devils patch on the back of their jackets.
Several Grizzlies whooped like cavalrymen charging into battle. Gunshots went off. I screamed again, practically spearing my nails into his stomach as I held on and prayed.
Blaze aimed his pistol more carefully this time and fired. A man howled in agony, his bloodcurdling scream cutting straight to the pit of my stomach.
Holy shit. There was nothing left to do except tighten up and hope. Our perfect morning ended with lead and daggers flying back and forth, a hellish crossfire.
Engines roared, drowning out everything else. Blaze spun the bike and I crashed against his back as we jerked to a stop a moment later. I realized he'd driven through the open gate and parked next to my shitty Toyota.
The other bikes came roaring in a few seconds later. A man barked orders, straining like a wounded bear in between his words.
“Close the fucking gate! Get everybody else on the line...don't give a shit how hungover they are...fuck me...”
“Jesus Christ!” Blaze threw my hands off and jumped up, running toward one of the other bikes. “Not you again!”
I lifted my head. The world was still spinning, and it took a solid minute for my eyes to focus like normal through the dizzy blur.
The loud voice grunted, this time clearly in pain. When I could finally see, I saw the two prospects and Blaze hauling him off his bike. Blaze's face was red with rage, and he pressed both hands tight to the man's hip.
It was Tank, and his bright red blood gushed out between my lover's fingers. I got up and approached, not thinking as I tore off my shirt.
I ripped it apart in one go, fashioning a makeshift tourniquet to stop the bleeding. It felt good to rip and claw at something after I'd been helpless while bullets and knives flew around me.
“Sonofabitch! Somebody reach in my pocket and get my phone. Dial Emma. Tell her we need her ass here to fix this, right now!”
The prospects were still holding Tank up by the shoulders. He was so huge it took one man on each arm.
I pushed my way through the mess and nudged Blaze. He saw what I was doing and let me in, and I worked quick to wrap the torn shirt tight, getting crimson blood all over my hands in the process.
“Fuck! We can't risk moving him. Put him down here!” Blaze looked at me and saw I had his phone, searching for the name Emma. “You better not bleed out, brother. You got the shittiest luck in the world.”
“Don't I know it, boss,” Tank said weakly. The pale hue creeping across his skin made him look like a wax giant.
“I can't...where the hell is it? Emma?” I shook my head, frustrated.
“No, no! Look under nurse. Nurse, baby!”
Found it. I auto-dialed the phone and shoved it to Blaze's face. Almost dropped it several times in the fury. All this blood was pretty damned slippery.
“Emma? Get your ass down here for the club. Stab wound. Yeah, it's him. Again.”
Blaze's face was hard and furious. Even so, he looked at me with gratitude. He kept me next to him while we waited for the other brothers and the nurse to arrive. Tank groaned and bled, but he seemed stable with the pressure on his bad leg.
I curled my fingers into fists, ignoring the drying blood.
If I'm going to live this life with him, then I'll do my part. I'm not afraid, I told myself.
It was easy to say just then. Easy-peasy.
I had no clue just how fucking real things were about to get.
Talk about dead. The clubhouse was on red alert, and nobody even came to the bar to calm their nerves after the attack, leaving me all alone to wipe the counters.
By mid-afternoon, I gave up any thought of making any tips. Really, I didn't care. I was just glad Blaze and I were in one piece. A lunchtime snort of whiskey helped calm my nerves.
Blaze and his guys all filed into the meeting room and stayed there for hours after making sure Tank was getting the attention he needed. They were still there when the door to the makeshift infirmary burst open.
The grim faced nurse closed it gently and headed straight for me. I scrambled off the stool and stared. It was surprising to see the club's only medic, of all people, wanting something.
“Tall beer and two big glasses of water,” she said, flinging her hair back behind her shoulders. “It's been one of those mornings. Help me take the edge off.”
I guessed one little beer wouldn't mess with her judgment too much. I got her what she wanted and slid the beverages onto the counter in front of her.
“Emma, right?”
“That's the name. Thanks.” She sipped her beer and gave me nothing more than a brief glance.
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked, eyeing several dark red splotches on her scrubs.
“Definitely. It's not as bad as last time, when he was shot. Poor Tank has the worst luck...it's amazing how nobody else takes a beating here.”
I swallowed. A few wrong turns on Blaze's bike, and I might've easily ended up back there, or worse. I didn't want to dwell on it, but I couldn't ignore what had happened.
Those Grizzlies looked like they were coming for me. They didn't seem that interested in Blaze and the Devils.
My chest tightened. Did my own stupid brother put my life in danger?
I shook my head. My brother was fucked up, possibly beyond repair, but I didn't want to believe it.
Emma drained her beer fast and clinked the empty glass on the counter. She grabbed her water to start in, but paused before taking a sip.
“No offense...you're not looking so hot yourself. Everything all right?”
“Just personal stuff,” I said gently. “I'm still new to this. It's easy to forget there's danger breathing down your neck until it hits you in the face.”
“These guys have a rough life. Seems to touch everybody who gets in their circle.” She took a long pull on the water. “They've got their reasons. This is the second time I've patched up goliath in there, and he's always adamant about one thing: no regrets. He'd die for this club. You have to admire a man who's committed to something.”
I understood. I really did. Despite the wild melee this morning, I wasn't having second thoughts about anything.
It wasn't just the men who were dedicated. Now that I'd gone to bed with Blaze, I wanted more, no matter how wild or dangerous things were about to get.
“It's our world too,” I said. “We'll never ride around and fight like the boys, but they couldn't do it without us. I'm glad you're here. It's nice to have another woman around to remind me I haven't lost my mind getting into this.”
Emma and I shared a long look. We were on the same wave length, two girls who realized our place was here in this strange, violent world.
“You're Blaze's girl?” she asked.
I blinked in surprise. Crap. What am I supposed to say to that?
I was closer than ever to being just what she said after last night. Still, nothing was official. He'd rebuffed Stinger, but he hadn't called me his old lady in front of his other brothers or anything. I didn't even know how the claiming process worked.
“I'm...the bartender. New hire. Yeah, Blaze and I are pretty tight.”
Emma flashed a knowing smile. Damn, why did I bother hiding it? It wasn't hard for a girl with her education to fill in the gaps.
“How about you? Got an eye for anybody here?” I leaned in, beaming a smile her way. I decided to give her a taste of her own medicine. “What about Tank? He's pretty hot.”
She looked away, but not before I saw rosy red lighting up her cheeks. “No way! I mean, I like the club and the fat paychecks every time they call me in. Tank's a nice guy too. I don't think I'd ever get deeper into this than I already am. It's crazy.”
“Uh-huh. That's what I told myself at first too.”
Emma made a sour face. She gulped down the rest of her water and then tapped her nails on the counter like she was preparing a rebuttal. Then the door to the meeting room swung open before she said a word, and both our eyes were on the brothers.
“He's stable. This isn't like the gun shot, but he's lucky they missed some crucial nerves. Your guy lost a lot of blood too. Keep him off his feet for a week or two and he'll be solid. Make sure he gets his antibiotics and pain pills.”
“Fuck,” Blaze growled. “Not a good time to lose my Sergeant at Arms. Can't spare anybody to place babysitter either. Will the hospital let you flip your hours to spend more time here?”
Emma opened her mouth to speak and froze. I wasn't sure if it was her job or the idea of spending more time with Tank that left her paralyzed.
“I'll watch him for a few.” I raised my hand. “Doubt you boys will want as much from the bar right now anyway.”
Blaze looked at me for a second and snorted. “Not much choice. Gonna have to keep you by my side anyway, baby. You're under lock and key, so you might as well make yourself useful.”
Now it was my turn to freeze up. “Hey, I still have to go home to check up on Mom, you know.”
Blaze stepped closer, his eyes dark. Emma knew when to scram, leaving me alone with him as the last few brothers disappeared into the garage.
“You're not going anywhere without somebody watching your back. Preferably me. The shit that went down this morning changes everything.” He folded his arms, giving me that stern I'm not fucking around here look.
“Fine.” I mirrored him, crossing my arms. “Then you'll get a guard for my mother too.”
Blaze turned around and cursed again, running one hand over his face before he turned back to me. He was still shaking his head. If things weren't so damned serious, I would've laughed at his crazy frustration.
“You know what you're asking, Shelly? I'm sure we've got more men than the fucking Grizzlies, but they've got plenty to raise hell. You want me to spare men to guard your damned apartment when you're not even living there? There's no one else to check on mama?”
“No one. I've got my family. You've got yours.”
Amazing. I had him by the balls. Blaze's lips twitched angrily, but the furious calm said he understood.