by Silver James
Sam gestured for Jonah to return to her side, and the kid obeyed. She was smart enough not to challenge the Russian over Noni. The little girl looked to be attached to his leg like some kid-sized burr.
I watched Sam, guessing at her thoughts. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, she’d snatch the kids and run. She wouldn’t get far, but the idea unsettled my wolf. Me, too. I fought the attraction between us, fought the need to touch her.
If she was just some bitch, I’d fuck her and move on. But she wasn’t some random sweet butt. She was more, and my wolf had things all figured out. Thing was, Sam needed to fuckin’ figure it out too. She was mine, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. Course, she didn’t know exactly what we were, either. She’d learn. Soon.
Most Wolves had some sense of fucking honor. We explain what we are to the women we claim as mates. I didn’t give a good gawddamn. Sam was mine, and I’d make her fucking realize what she was to me before the night was over. First, though, we needed to take care of the scum.
A hand gripped my shoulder. A cold voice whispered an order in my ear. “Ease down, man.”
Gravedigger. I inhaled, held my breath, let it out slow. I uncurled my fists, and my palms stung. My hands had partially shifted. The woman made me fuckin’ lose control of my wolf. I wasn’t some gawddamned beta. I didn’t get lost in my hormones. And I damn sure didn’t like where this bullshit was headed. I didn’t want or need a mate. No matter how good Sam smelled, or how much my wolf wanted her.
Still speaking in muffled tones, Gravedigger added, “You should stay at the clubhouse.”
“No. I gotta get away. Get her out of my nose.”
“Understood.”
“Digger? She’s gonna bolt.”
He glanced over at the Russian, and I followed his gaze. Yeah, that wasn’t gonna happen. Russki had her figured out too. He’d fucking handcuff her to a bed, a thought that made me growl. The Nightriders ran Nightshades, the biggest BDSM club in the Kansas City area. The Russian opened the place because he had certain proclivities. His eyes flicked to me, and his mouth twisted in a sardonic smile.
With what looked like a flick of his wrist, Noni now rode the Russian’s hip, her arms around his neck. He gestured for the injured prospects to be taken back to the clubhouse. He followed, ushering Sam and Jonah in front of him. It was time for the rest of us to take out the trash.
By the time we got back from garbage detail, the kids were asleep, and Sam was locked in her room. My wolf didn’t like it but it was probably smart on the Russian’s part. If I saw her right then, I’d make a fool of myself. The brothers partied hard in the main room, and the sweet butts were all over them. A couple of the girls looked my way when I came in, and one came over carrying a beer, opening a couple more buttons on her shirt as she walked.
I dropped into a chair and she draped herself on my lap. I took the beer but dumped her on the floor. She looked surprised for a minute then smiled as she settled between my knees.
“Ooh. I know what you want, sweetie.” She worked the buckle on my belt. My wolf snapped at her. Fuck. I didn’t want to get it on with this chick. Sam really was my mate. Digger noticed my pathetic lack of enthusiasm and laughed.
He walked over, stopped in front of me, whipped out his dick, and grabbed the bitch by the hair, jerking her around. “You want a real man, babe. Suck this.” He forced her mouth open and rammed in.
I saluted him with my beer, rolled out of the chair, and headed outside. I wasn’t fit for company if I’d turn down a blow job from a sweet butt.
MOST OF THE BROTHERS were still sleeping off their hangovers. Those not sawing logs were on guard duty or working. Besides Nightshades, we had a strip club called Chasin’ Tail, Ryder Bail Bonds, and a few other enterprises that weren’t strictly on the books. At the moment, only the cadre and Sam were in the clubroom.
“Look, buster.”
Sam hammered her index finger into the Russian’s chest and I froze. Digger hadn’t pulled his knife so she wasn’t dead. Yet.
“No, devushka, you will look. Jonah and Noni are under the protection of the Nightriders. Under my protection. They stay here. You wish to leave, go. You will not be leaving with them.”
“You’re as big a bastard as Noni’s father.”
She balled up her hand and swung before I could move. The Russian caught her fist, spun her around, and had her wrapped up with her back to his chest before she could blink. My wolf whined, and I all but swatted his muzzle to keep him buried inside me. Damn thing didn’t want the Russian touching her. I wasn’t too thrilled about the situation myself, but my momma didn’t raise no stupid children. Telling the Russian to get his hands off her would get me dead right quick. When her struggles ramped up, the Russian bent his head to whisper into her ear, the words just loud enough for Hardy, Digger, and me to hear.
“The man who would claim Noni is my enemy. She is under my personal protection. I will kill anyone—anyone—who tries to take her. Do you understand, Samantha Prescott?”
I didn’t want to laugh. Damn if she didn’t look like a little kitten all spit-n-hissy with her claws out and about as effective. This was about discipline, not sex. Russki was my Alpha, and when I reminded my wolf of that, he snarled but relaxed a little.
“You are here because you are the only living relative of the deti, of the children.”
She sputtered and tried to kick his shin, but he simply tossed her on the nearest couch. Luckily, she was smart enough to stay there.
“This is the truth, Samantha Prescott, so hear it and understand. What you want means nothing to me. Jonah and Noni belong to the Nightriders now. We will keep them safe from those who wish them harm. You saw what happened last night. Had they been taken, or hurt, you would have been responsible. You cannot take care of them, keep them safe. We can and we will. They remain here.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but she recognized something in the Russian’s expression and remained silent. I breathed a little easier. Sam wasn’t out of the woods yet. My wolf and my dick both sweated that fact. I wanted this woman like I’ve never wanted another. I didn’t sleep because my fucking balls weren’t only blue, they ached and burned like some bitch had smashed them with a hot iron. And that bitch was Sam Prescott. My wolf recognized her before I did, that first night when she arrived at the gate. We both wanted her but until she figured out how to play nice with us, I wasn’t about to let the wolf loose. The Russian would snap Sam’s neck in a heartbeat if she didn’t get with the program.
Sam still reminded me of that pissed-off kitten, but I could almost see the wheels turning in her head. I might want to fuck her until we were both blind, but I was a realist. She’d snatch the kids and cut and run at the first opportunity. What she wasn’t smart enough to figure out is that she’d be dead within twenty-four hours. There were about forty of us here in the south Kansas City area, but the Nightriders had chapters in all fifty states. The Russian was our national President. If he snapped his fingers, over a thousand Nightriders would be here within hours, lining up to do whatever the hell he ordered. Not all of us were Wolves, but even the brothers who were strictly human would spill blood for the patch. Problem was, there were almost as many Hell Dogs. And they were huntin’ her.
“I am not in the habit of explaining my actions, but I will make an exception this one time.” Russki stared down at Sam until she blinked and gulped. She finally nodded to indicate she’d listen. “I have been checking on your sister and her life before Easy stumbled into it.” An expression of sadness mixed with disgust crossed his face. “Your sister was a bad judge of men. We have located the man who was her husband, the man who donated his sperm to create Jonah.” He watched until she acknowledged this information with another nod. “He will be dead by sunset tomorrow.”
We’d managed to get Jonah to open up a little. He told us his old man was a cop and that the son of a bitch beat on Sarah. The one time Jonah tried to stop him, he’d put the kid in
the hospital. They’d run away, and his mom had ended up with the Bastard because he promised to keep the fuckwad cop away. Then she came up pregnant with Noni and things went bad. Even without names, having that much info meant we could track down the asshole.
Russki’s eyes flicked to Digger. The SOB might be a cop, but he was dirty. Both of the men who’d sired those kids were the swamp scum of humanity and no great loss to the Universe. Seeing them dead would be no skin off my nose, but I hoped Gravedigger made the cop’s death look like an accident. Less bullshit that way.
Sam stared at the Russian, her mouth hangin’ open, and I recognized the flash of fear in her expression. My wolf stirred inside me. I wanted to go to her, wrap my arms around her, and tell her things would be okay. I’d be lyin’ so I didn’t. But the feeling was there just the same. The damn woman kept stirring up all sorts of emotions in me. And my senses were on overload, not to mention my dick was so hard I figured it would break if I had to bend over.
The Russian glanced at me. We’d picked up some rumors about Noni’s father. The sick sonavabitch wanted to sell Noni to the highest bidder after he had his sick thrills with her. Wolves like us weren’t angels, but gawddamn, you didn’t fuckin’ do shit like that. Every fuckin’ one of us had a soft spot when it came to kids. Wolves don’t procreate well. When we’re lucky enough to find a mate, they miscarry more often than not. Probably nature’s way of keeping our numbers stable, but damn. It hurt. Hurt our women. Hurt us. Children were gifts. My dick twitched, reminding me that it was really interested in making babies with Sam. I took a quick step backwards. What the fuck was I thinking?
Sam sat up straight, but didn’t push off the couch. Her eyes flashed and her chin jutted up. “Jonah’s father is a cop. You can’t do anything to him.”
“We can and we will.” Russki’s mouth twisted in a display of nonchalance. It wouldn’t be the first cop we’d taken out. “But this is none of your concern.”
“Excuse me? It damn sure is! Sarah was my sister and Jonah is my nephew. Noni is my niece. Anything that involves them or happens to them is my concern. I’m their legal guardian.”
“And I am their protector.” The Russian glowered at Sam, and I wanted to tell her to shut the fuck up before she totally pissed him off. People who pissed him off did so at their own risk. “As for the man you and Jonah call the Bastard, he will also be dealt with, but for reasons far more personal than being Noni’s sperm donor.”
We all watched her, waiting for her reaction, and I could see her thinking. Fuck. She already knew why that SOB wanted Noni. I saw it in her eyes. That’s why she’d come armed, probably figuring we ran with the Dogs. Like that would ever fucking happen. Her nose wrinkled up and I had this insane need to kiss her until she relaxed, starting with her nose and ending up somewhere in the vicinity of her pussy. Man, I was in so much trouble. At the rate she was pushing, she’d be lucky to live out the day, and the way my wolf was pacing, he’d make me do something stupid like fight for her. I wanted to shift and go hunting, bring down a deer and drink the fresh blood. Maybe that would keep him in line because I damn sure didn’t like the way he was acting.
Sam finally nodded, as if she’d come to some sort of decision. “Okay. I’ll admit those SOBs are sorry excuses for men. Y’all taking…care of them saves me the trouble.” She leaned forward and braced her elbows on her thighs. “And until they’re out of the picture, the kids probably are safer here.”
The Russian started to speak, but she held up a finger cutting him off. “Personally, I think they’d be safer at my place in Utah because the Hell Dogs don’t know about me.”
Laughter erupted in the room. From all of us. I rolled my eyes. “Babe, I got news for you. The Hell Dogs know all about you. The word is already out on the street that you’re here to get the kids. Why the hell do you think they hit you in the park yesterday?” Cold seeped into my blood at the thought of the Dogs getting their hands on her, of any man touching her. “The Russian’s right, babe. You and the kids need to stay here where we can protect you.” Where I can fuck you nine ways from Sunday.
“Listen to Easy, Samantha Prescott. You will stay here with us, and you will not argue about this.”
As fast as a cat, she pushed off the couch and stalked to the Russian, standing toe to toe with him. “My turn. You hear this, you sorry son of a bitch. I will not be one of your club whores.”
I couldn’t see the Russian’s face, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to. I glanced over at Digger. He could see what both sides in this standoff were doing. When I caught his eye, he lifted a shoulder, but his expression didn’t change. I couldn’t figure out if that meant he’d be going to work on Sam or what. My wolf whined. Damn straight Sam wouldn’t be a club whore. She was mine. I’d fucking rip out the throat of any man who tried to touch her. Except for the Russian. Mother. Stupid children, I reminded my wolf.
Quick as a snake, the Russian struck. His hand wrapped around her neck, jerked her closer, and then he kissed her. Hard. After he turned her loose, she spit on the floor and swiped the back of her hand across her mouth.
Fuck. She was dead. My dick was not a happy cowboy, and my wolf was pissed off. My dick had figured to get inside her at some point in the immediate future. Me and the wolf had every intention of claiming Sam as our mate, and he wanted to bite the Russian—even if Russki was the Alpha—for kissing Sam. Digger was suddenly standing next to me. I didn’t realize I’d stepped closer to the Russian or that my hands were curled into fists until I discovered I’d shifted them into claws. That’s twice I lost control. I breathed through panicked rage, and my hands went back to human. Digger gave me a WTF look. Yeah, I knew that feeling. I couldn’t be fucking moonstruck. But I was. When my heart stopped pounding so loud in my ears that I could hear again, I tuned into what the boss was saying.
“You will go back to Utah. Get the things you must have. Leave the rest. You will live here with the deti.”
“I told you—”
This time he wrapped his hand around her throat cutting off the next word. “You tell me nothing, and do as I say.” The Russian turned his head, fixed his gaze on me. “Easy.”
I froze. Did he realize what my wolf had tried to do? I damn sure hoped my voice didn’t crack when I answered. “Yeah?”
“Take the Hummer and this one who is not a club whore. Get her things and come back here. Do you understand?”
Fuck. I’d just been sentenced to a road trip through hell.
Chapter 8
EASY
WE LEFT THE CLUBHOUSE that afternoon about three after Sam explained to the kids that I was taking her to Utah to pack up her stuff because she was moving to Mission Springs. Jonah seemed upset but settled when he realized she wasn’t taking the Jeep. I guess he worried she’d take off and not come back. The Russian held Noni during the goodbyes, and the little dickens had to be coerced to give Sam a gooey, Nilla Wafer flavored bye-bye kiss.
We stopped in Hays, Kansas for gas and truck-stop food about seven. Sam didn’t like me waiting outside the door of the ladies room for her. She accused me of not trusting her. My response was, “Yeah, and?”
“Where would I go? You have the keys.”
My dick and my wolf might want to play house, but my brain wasn’t complete mush yet. The woman was slick. She could con an east-bound trucker into taking her back to the clubhouse, and she’d figure out some way to snatch the kids. That’d be signing her death warrant, and that flat-out wasn’t happening.
There ain’t much to look at on I-70 in that part of Kansas. It was dark when we crossed into Colorado, so there wasn’t even the hint of mountains on the horizon to break up the flatlands. When she crossed her legs and looked stubborn, I pulled into another truck stop on the north side of Denver just after midnight. I could do with a cup of coffee and some rare meat myself. After she did her thing, we settled into a booth in the attached restaurant.
I sat across from her, which pissed off my wolf. He wanted me to touch her,
be close to her, and he kept pacing just beneath my skin keeping me off balance and snarly. We ordered, and Sam went back to ignoring me. I got a little pissed too. She managed to look everywhere but at me. I’m no prize, but I’ve never had to fight to get between a girl’s legs either.
I glanced around the place, noting every other female there. Our waitress was young and perky in all the right places. She gave me a little wink and a big flirty smile every time she refilled my coffee cup. I tracked the girl through the room with my eyes and considered.
We’d made good time so far. Taking a short break wouldn’t put a dent in the schedule. Maybe I could handcuff Sam in the Hummer while I gave the waitress a ride on her break. I sort of liked the idea, but my wolf wasn’t having any of it. Sumbitch decided it was Sam or no one, just like back at the clubhouse. Fuck. Which was the whole idea my dick tried to remind the animal side of me.
Sam moved, and I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She was smoothing her forearms with the palms of her hands, and then she looked up at me. Her gaze knocked the air out of my lungs. Angry. Scared. And turned on. I inhaled. Oh yeah. She was definitely all three of those. I ignored the stink of burnt toast and ammonia to concentrate on the underlying scent. Honeysuckle and gunpowder. Weirdest damn arousal scent I’d ever sniffed, but fuck if it didn’t turn me on. My dick was ready to rip the buttons off my fly.
“Ow. What the fuck?” Sam had nailed my shin with the toe of her boot. Her expression remained poker-faced, until I looked closely at her eyes. They’d narrowed and damn if there wasn’t some blue fire sparking in their depths. “What was that for?”