by Vivian Gray
He hadn’t actually run away yet. That has to be good, right?
Jet put his hands on Bree’s waist and carefully lifted her up. She sat on the couch, totally not minding that she would leave a stain Cat would have to deal with. It was the least Bree could do. And Jet didn’t look like he was actively terrified. Of course, what would she know about that right now? She forced herself to breathe.
“Bathroom’s through there?” Jet pointed down a hallway, and Bree nodded. He disappeared, then came back after a few moments. His cock was tucked away again, and he handed Bree a cloth to clean up.
“Um,” she said, trying to find the right words. “About that—”
“I’ll send someone over to pick up your stuff,” Jet said, like she hadn’t said anything at all. “You ready to get out?”
Bree felt something inside of her twist up. She tried to think of the right thing to say, but there was just nothing right now.
“Yeah,” she replied. At least he isn’t leaving me here. That has to be another good thing, right? “Yeah, I’m all set.” She stood up, straightened out her clothes, and grabbed the bags she’d packed.
Her final fuck-you to Cat suddenly seemed immature and petty, and for the first time since she’d let herself be sold to Jet, she felt shame rushing through her.
***
Jet didn’t talk much as they got her bags into the motorcycle’s saddlebags and headed back to the clubhouse, but by the time he’d settled the bike on its kickstand and taken her bags out for her, he seemed to be back in a more typical mood for him. Still, Bree couldn’t help but notice he hadn’t said anything back.
She tried to push it out of her head – she’d always believed that you said that for yourself, not to get a response. But at the same time, not getting a response was terrifying. Especially now. If they were having a kid together, shouldn’t they love each other? Wasn’t that all of what they’d said?
Only he hadn’t said it back, had he? She’d said what she wanted, and he’d... fucked her hard, but not specifically agreed. Was he already regretting this?
She tried to choke back the worries. She’d heard over and over from people in the club that Jet had never confined himself to one girl before, and virtually never went back for seconds. So having someone declare that she wanted to be with him, that she loved him of all things? That had to be a little scary. Or a lot scary. Or maybe she was justifying everything, and he just didn’t want her.
He carried her bags up to his apartment, though, and she followed him. He didn’t hesitate as he set her things down in his room, the room they’d been sharing for the better part of four months. He sat down on the bed and opened his arms, pulling her in between his thighs.
He pressed a light kiss on her belly, a gesture that made her heart flutter softly, and then looked up at her. “Tell me what happened today?”
For a minute, she thought he was asking about her declaration, but then realized it was much more likely that he was asking about what had happened at school to set her off like she had been. She shifted enough that she could sit down next to him, her legs still draped over his lap, and sighed.
“Cat tried to get me in trouble,” she said. “I don’t really know why, exactly. She told our econ professor that I was – I don’t know, hanging out with a bad crowd or selling drugs or something. Our professor implied that she was trying to get me kicked out of school. I don’t get it.”
What Dr. Dalton had said was stuck in her mind, but it didn’t entirely make sense. Sure, she and Cat had their differences, sure she was pissed, but why had Cat turned on her? Was it really just that Bree had Jet, but Cat hadn’t found a guy in the club?
Cat had always been dramatic, always after someone. But it had never been Bree. Now, it seemed stupid to have thought this way – but it had always seemed like if she was Cat’s friend, she was safe. What a stupid, junior high thing to think.
“Did it work?” Jet looked irritated, his mouth set in a thin line.
“No,” Bree replied. “Dr. Dalton said that Cat would need proof, and without that, she wasn’t going to take anything to the dean. But it was... weird. And I’ve never seen Cat look so pissed, no matter who she was angry at. And just... I don’t know why she’s turning on me, all of a sudden.”
Jet nodded. “You need to be careful.”
Bree sighed. “I half thought…” She shook her head, trailing off rather than finishing the scary thing in her head.
“Half thought what?” Jet prodded her gently, tilting her chin up to look at him when she didn’t answer right away.
Bree sighed. This was going to piss him off. “I thought about dropping out. Finishing this semester, maybe, but just... quitting. I can finish up my degree online, I think, and I’ve got enough credits to get a decent job in accounting now—”
“Absolutely not,” Jet snapped.
“Look, I know you offered the money—”
The irritation on his face crossed into real anger. “It’s not about the money, Bree. Dammit, it isn’t about the money. I thought you wanted something for yourself.”
“I do—”
He didn’t give her a second to collect herself. “If you want something for yourself, then why the hell are you wasting your time here with me? What can I possibly give you – a baby? I’m nothing to you. I don’t fit in your world. I’m the bad guy you fuck so you can feel like a rebel, and you got knocked up. Don’t stick with me if you don’t want to. I’m not holding you down.”
Bree felt tears sting her eyes as sadness and fear overwhelmed her. “Jet – what the hell?”
He shook his head. “I get it, okay? You think you love me because you’re knocked up, and hormones are a bitch, and I’m the first guy you screwed. Whatever. You want a real life, and I don’t know how to do that. Jesus, I couldn’t even be bothered to remember a girl’s name before you, and you think I can be a, what, a dad to some baby?”
“Yes,” she shouted, her fear overwhelmed with anger. “Yes, okay? I think you can because – fuck, I don’t know why, but I know it’s worth trying. Because what’s the alternative right now? Just – just giving up, and being done?”
“No!” He shoved her legs off his lap and stood up, pacing the room. “Goddammit, Bree, what do you want here? Why are you acting like this?”
She tried not to just curl up on herself and give up. “Acting like what, Jet? I don’t know why you’re acting like this.” She made an angry gesture in his direction, trying to take in everything that he was doing. Pacing, his face angry and dark – but there was more going on, she knew it.
“Why are you acting like I’m enough for a girl like you?”
His voice was so harsh that she didn’t know what to do with it. She stood up slowly, stepping close to him and wrapping her arms around his middle. He didn’t embrace her, but he didn’t step away. She could feel him vibrating with emotion that he was fighting back.
“Hey,” she said. He ignored her. “It’s up to me, what’s enough.”
He finally turned towards her. “And what happens when you decide you’re wrong? That I’m not?”
“I don’t know. I’m not sure either. But I don’t think I’m the sort to quit. I don’t think I’m going to just disappear. Especially not with a kid in the picture. I don’t know what happens next. I really don’t. But I’m... I’m happy where I am.”
“You can’t quit school. Not over me. I don’t care what you need, I’ll get it for you, but it’s important that you finish.”
“Okay,” she said, trying to make her voice soothing. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tighter against him. “Okay. I was just being upset, I promise. I’m not going to quit.”
“I’m going to take care of you,” he said. She felt the soft kiss on her hair. “I’m going to take care of you for as long as you want.”
“Good,” she whispered back, turning her face up. He kissed her, his fingers tangling in her hair, but there wasn’t anything sharp in it this time. Hard, crush
ingly hard, entirely passionate, but instead of the harsh edge he’d always had when he touched her, there was something else. Heat and want and maybe just a little of that word he hadn’t said.
He pushed her back gently until her knees hit the edge of the bed, then followed her down, still kissing her hard. Bree reached up for him, running her hands up his back. He shed his T-shirt, then came down for hers, lifting it up over her head and kissing his way back down. He pressed his lips to the inside of her arm, down her breast, over her nipple, and down to the place where her belly was beginning to swell.
“Look at you,” he murmured. “Look at how gorgeous you are. Look how gorgeous I made you.”
She sighed and leaned up into him, spreading her legs wide so that he fit sweetly between them. His hands were still rough, but they weren’t as hard as they’d been before. They explored her body, lifting the new weight of her breasts and teasing at the nipples, kissing his way down her neck to bury his face between them. His hands ran down her sides then up the sides of the soft curve of her belly.
“You’re mine,” he whispered. “You’re mine.”
“I’m yours,” she said back, and his hands ran down her body again to cup her ass and lift her up to press into his erect cock.
He unfastened her jeans, and with her help, wriggled them down and off her hips, then tossed his own on the floor. When he came close again, pressing naked against her, it felt different than it had before. He kissed her again, soft, his fingers teasing her open and spreading her wide. She bucked against his fingers, and he let her, letting her get herself wet and hot before anything else. When he lined up his cock and rocked into her, she was already eager and hungry for him.
There wasn’t anything gentle about it, not really. His hands were tight and harsh as he lifted her ass to give himself just the angle he wanted as he slammed into her. But there was something different about it, something more... engaged. As if he was seeing all of her, all at once.
She closed her eyes, arching into the sensation, feeling an orgasm swelling on the horizon. His hand made the lightest tap against her cheek, then caressed down to her chin.
“Look at me,” he said.
She pushed her eyes open, forcing herself to see him even through the pleasure. His eyes were tight with his own longing, and she felt his shoulders trembling as he held back his own release.
“Look at me when you come,” he said, slamming into her hard and fast. “Look at me.”
“Yes.” It was the only word she could manage.
The pleasure shattered her without warning, and she gasped, her hands tight around his neck, forcing her eyes open even as everything inside of her told her to squeeze shut, lock down into nothing but the pleasure. He came over the edge with her, roaring with the sensation of it, clinging to her hard and desperate as he rocked into her again and again, fucking out the last bits of his orgasm as she pulsed and then collapsed back against the bed.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, placing a kiss on the side of her neck, then collapsing to the side so that his weight didn’t fall on her.
“You’re not so bad yourself,” she quipped in return, but he shook his head.
“No, I mean it, Bree. Not just all post-fuck haze. You’re beautiful. I don’t know if I’ve told you that before.”
“I... don’t know either. I don’t mind. You clearly enjoy me. And that’s... enough.”
He shook his head. “It’s not. And it shouldn’t be. And there’s – Look, not everything comes easy to me, okay? I’m sorry for that. But this one I can say. You’re beautiful. And I like having you here.”
Her chest warmed at the words. Okay. It was okay if he couldn’t say the specific words. He said them the best way he could. That was enough.
“Come here.” He pulled them both gently up the bed, then shoved the blankets down out of the way. He tucked Bree in under his chin, then pulled the warm blankets up around both of them. “Tired?”
“Yeah.” Pregnancy was exhausting, it turned out, and she’d been sleepy before two rounds of intensely satisfying sex. Add in the emotional turmoil? She was pretty sure she could sleep for days.
“Close your eyes and rest,” Jet said. “I’ve got you.
Chapter Eleven
Jet waited until Bree was soundly asleep before he slipped out of bed. She was beautiful, she was absolutely beautiful, and he was glad he’d said that to her. He was also furious with himself for not being able to say the rest.
She’d gone out on a limb, telling him that she loved him, and he should have been able to say the words back. They were having a baby together, for Christ’s sake, and he’d just helped her move all of her stuff into his apartment. Why couldn’t he just say the damn words? He’d never been afraid of a damn thing.
Except for this.
He used the same trick she had that day; he sent her a text to let her know he’d had to step away for a business thing. He, however, made sure her phone was on his pillow. She’d find it and know something was up. That was a good start.
He scrubbed his hands through his hair and tried to figure out the next step. He needed concrete goals. Figuring out what to do about a girl and her baby was not concrete, not really.
He needed a place for them to stay. Maybe a place where he could be too, but that was a conversation to have with her. She could stay with him for a while, obviously, but his tiny apartment wasn’t going to fit a crib or all the other crap a baby would need. He’d have to find something better. She and his baby deserved something better.
Jet forced himself to push aside the thoughts that maybe he wasn’t enough. She said he was, and on some level, he had to trust that. But he also needed to keep himself busy. Let his head come down and level out a bit.
He’d barely made it down his stairs before three guys were standing in front of him with Brass just off to the side. East, Brick, and Jacob were all long timers in the Choppers; East was one of the wetworks men, Brick was a little guy who handled the money lending operation, and Jacob oversaw another of the club’s clean businesses, an auto and bike repair shop just inside of the city boundaries. Jet met with all the men separately and frequently, but having all of them standing in front of him at once – something had blown up.
“Talk to me,” he said, stepping between the men and moving towards his booth. He gestured at Caroline, who nodded. Burgers and beers would be at the table before long, a big basket of fries, too, most likely.
“It’s not just a little bit of cash, Jet.” Brass had his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. While the other men slid into the booth, Brass stayed on his feet.
“Pull up a chair and tell me what’s happening.”
“I started asking around. There are problems everywhere. Money missing from every corner of our businesses, above board and not. A few months ago, it was a little, but in the past few days?” He shook his head. “Someone’s making a play.”
“Kane?”
“Most likely,” Brass said. “Can’t prove it though. There’s nothing clear anywhere. Not that I can find.” He shook his head. “I’m good with books, but whoever did this was slick. I can’t track it.”
The thought was so obvious. “I know someone who can.”
***
Bree didn’t sleep too long. By the time she came downstairs, it looked like she’d rested and showered. Jet had sent her a second text, letting her know that he needed her expertise on something, and to clean up and come downstairs when she was ready. While that was happening, he and the men went through the books, tracing down as much as they could of what had gone missing and when.
The pattern became more and more obvious; there had been slow leaks that were easy to miss for months, but more recently – more recently there had been a great deal more. The past few days, there were huge chunks of money, supplies, and more that had disappeared, sometimes overnight.
“It has to be Kane,” East said, and Jet nodded. It was the only answer that made sense. But still, he wanted pr
oof before he took the Choppers after the Runners. This would end in blood; he was sure of it. He didn’t want to guess and get it wrong. That would lead to dead men where none needed to be.
“Hey,” Bree said, walking up to the table. Jacob stood up and gave her the spot in the booth next to Jet, then grabbed another chair to sit by Brass. Bree sat, looking nervously at the other men. “What’s happening, guys?”
“Our accounts are a mess,” Jet said, doing his best to cut to the chase. “Someone’s been stealing. It was slow for a long time, but now it’s faster. Really fast. I need to know who’s doing it, and I need to know now.”
Bree took a long moment, clearly taking everything in. She nodded slowly. “I’m not a forensic accountant, okay? I was just getting a two-year degree so I could do taxes. But I’ll – I’ll see what I can do.”