Needing Me, Wanting You

by C. M. Stunich

  “Believe it or not, Gaine, casual sex doesn't link me to thine enemy. You think just because you're a married fuckin' man now that you get the moral high ground in every argument. Just ain't happening, princess.” Gaine growls at me, but Kimmi steps in between us.

  “Look, whether Beck fucked the totally hot and completely inappropriate woman who's now our prisoner is irrelevant.” She huffs, and fluffs her hair, glancing up at the window where Tease's bright red hair stands stark against the bleakness of the dilapidated house. “Are we comfortable doing an exchange?”

  “Comfortable doesn't have anything to do with it. We're getting Melissa back.”

  My friends exchange a look that makes my skin crawl. I grit my teeth and slam my empty beer bottle into the pavement, letting it shatter and sprinkle our boots with glass.

  “Beck,” Austin warns, but just like Mireya, I don't fucking listen. This goes beyond Melissa Diamond and their personal relationship with her. This is about loyalty and building a club where trust is at the forefront of everyone's minds. I honestly think my friends could learn a thing or two from Tease.

  “I know y'all don't like Melissa, and I know she's been a pain in the ass, but consider this: Kent wasn't such a bad guy at first. He pulled us all out of shitty situations, and he helped us find each other. I think Mel was in love with the good in 'im. He's gone now, and she has to deal with that. It's the worst kind of punishment there is, so whatever you're thinking to try and teach her a lesson, don't bother.”

  “Listen,” Austin begins, but I don't stop talking. I see why this situation hasn't gone any further than this. There's actually hesitation on their parts.

  “You want to move forward as an MC without Kent?” I point at Austin's chest, but he doesn't back down. Good man. I'd trust him with my life, and I'm willing to risk mine for him. All I ask is that he extends the same courtesy for Melissa. “You want the Triple M'ers to trust you? Then make this your priority. It's that Musketeer shit: one for all, and all for one. We are a fucking family here, and you do anything for family.” I pull my hand back and take a deep breath, looking around the semi-circle at the faces I know so damn well. I lost a lot of friends in my previous lives, during my time in the Army, with my previous MC. I've learned that the people you spend everyday with are the ones who mean the most, and when they don't come back, you end up spending your time pining for the impossible. “We either have each other's backs or we walk away from this right now and say goodbye to Triple M.” Kimmi gasps, but neither Gaine nor Austin makes a damn peep.

  “I would die without you guys,” Kimmi says, and I know she means it. I tuck my arm around her and hug her tight, wonderin' in the back of my damn mind if maybe Tease is lookin' out the window at us. “And people did die for us. We can't break up now. There aren't a whole lot of clubs that function like we do. And I am just not old lady material.” Kimmi tries to smile, but it's a worried expression. Shouldn't be, though. I'm not trying to scare anybody shitless, just give a warning.

  “I want you guys to know where I'm coming from, that's all. I think we just need to pull our shit together and maybe find somewhere to settle down.” Silence descends on the group as the sun starts to set on the horizon. Even driving damn near straight, it took us most of the day to get here. I haven't even had another chance to play around with Tease. I can't stop thinking about her refusing oral sex from me. It makes me want it so much more that all I've been doing all day is formulating a plan to try and figure out how to get her to give it up to me. We did grab another burger together though. That was fun. I like the girl, a lot more than my usual take home bunny rabbits. And not just because she has round hips and creamy white thighs I could eat for damn breakfast.

  “You want to settle down?” Austin asks, but the question doesn't seem fresh in his mind, more like he's been thinking about it a lot. He brushes his hand down the front of his black T-shirt, skin paling like he's damn near terrified at the thought of staying in one place for awhile.

  “Doesn't have to be forever. I just think we should find a clubhouse, have a central base of operations, somewhere to hang our hat.”

  “I think that's the best idea I've heard in a long fucking time,” Gaine says, lighting up a cigarette and letting a hint of his New York accent shine through. Stupid fucker. I used to think he put on a Southern accent to try and please the ladies, but that's obviously not the case. Poor little pup just grew up around us idiots, and it's worn off. I almost feel sorry for him.

  “We could still travel,” I say, noticing that Austin is white as a damn sheet now. What the fuck is wrong with him? “And besides, it's just a suggestion at this point. There's a whole host of logistical bullshit we'd have to work out to even make that happen, so stop pissin' your damn pants over it.” Austin shrugs my hand off when I place it on his shoulder and takes a step back.

  “Alright then. Fine. Say we do an exchange. How do we work this so we don't get fucked over and hung up to dry?” I turn my gaze back towards the house and catch Tease's profile. Somehow, she starts like she senses me looking and turns to face the glass. Our eyes meet and the breath gets drawn straight out of me.

  “Pick a public place, somewhere that it'd be a death sentence to start shit in.” I keep looking at Tease, and I just know my friends are starting to notice our exchange. “Bring the girls there and do the switch. We can have the rest of the group waiting nearby. After that, we run like hell until we can figure this shit out. I think Tease might be right. If Seventy-seven Brothers had wanted to plant shooters on the roof, why come and even bother to confront us? They could've put a whole host of guys up there and peppered us full of holes.” I pull my gaze away with a growl. Gaine raises his eyebrow but nobody says anything.

  “You got any ideas on our mystery shooter then?” Austin asks, but I got nothing for him. This isn't going to come to us in a dream; it's going to take some work.

  “I don't, Pres. I got some ideas, obviously. Could be anybody from Broken Dallas or Bested by Crows, but I can't know that for certain. No worries; I'll figure it out.” I light up another cigarette. At this fuckin' rate, I'm going to turn into a damn chain smoker.

  “So when do we want to do this?” Kimmi asks, bumming my cig off of me and putting a hand on her hip. The chains through her belt loops jingle in the silence.

  “Why not get it over with sooner rather than later?” Austin asks with a small sigh, shaking out his hands and gathering himself together. “Fuck, why drag this damn shit out another day. Let's call the bastard back and meet in the morning.”

  I hear the back door opening and turn to find Tease standing on the steps with Mireya at her back. True to her style, my friend's new wife has just outfitted the beautiful redhead in a pair of leather pants, some purple heels and a white tank. Oh, fuck.

  “Not tomorrow,” I say absently, my heart poundin' like a herd of fucking horses, making my chest hurt. And my crotch. Hot damn, but if my dick ain't hard as Kimmi's diamond earrings. “Make it Monday.” I start to back away from the group, but Austin is giving me a weird ass look.

  “Why Monday?” he asks. I know if I give him a good reason, he'll listen. But all I can think about is how I just don't want it to be tomorrow. I just met this girl and we're having a good fucking time. Her body is hot shit, and her mouth feels like molten fire against my mouth. I could spend all day worshippin' her skin. When I imagine letting her go, watching her walk to her brother and out of my life, I get … weird.

  Shit.

  “Beck?” Austin asks again as I turn away suddenly, facing Tease in her new outfit, watching her face find mine, her expression shift to one of confusion.

  “Make it Monday,” I shout over my shoulder, moving towards her, ignoring the stares of my club members on either side of me. Shit, shit, shit. “Just trust me on this! Give me till Monday.” I grab Tease by the arm and drag her against me, sliding my hand around her waist and finding her mouth with mine, tasting her breath as it mingles with my own.

  She pulls
away from me, eyes flicking back and forth across my face.

  “What are you doing?” she asks me, grabbing a quick glance over her shoulder at Mireya's scowling face.

  “Oh, don't let me stop you. Please, continue.” She pushes past us and moves out into the yard as I stand there scarcely able to even believe what I'm thinking. I do not want to walk around with a goofy smile on my face, lookin' a fool for all the world to see. I do not want to catch what my friends have. Shoot, shit, and damn.

  “Congratulations,” I tell her, touching my fingers to the side of Tease's face, trailing them down her pale skin. “You're going back to your club on Monday.”

  “Monday?” she asks as I do my best to read her expression. This is a long shot, here, but let me tell you, I've learned my lessons in the past. When you find a good thing, you don't let it go without a fight. Not unless it wants to leave. Or I guess she in this matter. So what are you even saying here, Beck? I ask myself as Tease mulls over this information. I'm not in love. That doesn't happen for a long, long time. At least not for most people. Austin and Amy could very well be the exception to that rule. I guess all I'm saying is that tomorrow is too soon, and if I'm going to live in the moment, I want a couple more with this woman. “Did you come up with something?”

  “I sure did, but it ain't what I thought it was going to be.”

  “I don't get it,” Tease admits as I drag her up and into the house. I bet most of the rooms are full, but if we can find somewhere with a little shadow … Hey, I'll take what I can get. I pause briefly near the front door, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. Not now, Goddamn it, I think as I let go of Tease's arm and pause, cracking the door and waiting in tense silence. Fuck me and my damn grandma. Yup. Somethin's a comin'. “Did you hear that?” Tease asks, and I grin.

  “Sure did, sugar,” I say, wrapping my fingers around her wrist and pulling her after me. She follows without protesting back into the yard, waiting behind me as I move up to Austin. Amy's brushing his sandy hair from his face, pausing to glance over at me and Tease with a smile. She doesn't know what it means when I grin this big, but Austin does. He stills her hands by touching his fingers to her wrists. “We got company, brother,” I tell him, watching as he shifts from lover to leader in an instant.

  “Get everyone in the house,” he says, turning to Gaine and Mireya. “Take a couple people into the garage and watch the bikes, just in case. I want all the lights off and weapons in every hand.” Austin spares a glance for Tease, but I meet his gaze instead.

  “I got her, boss,” I promise him as she turns and closes her eyes, red hair blowing in a warm gust of wind.

  “Whoever that is, it's not my family,” Tease promises, the sound of hogs growing louder, a growl of beasts snarling into the city and coming this way fast. If Tease says it's not her family, I believe her. This lady knows her stuff.

  “I didn't think so,” I tell her, watching as everyone spills into the house, weapons at the ready, faces tight with anger. We've always been a very peaceful group, but you can only push people so far before they break. I think most of my friends are at the precipice. I pity the stupid fuckers who decide to mess with us tonight. “But you know what I do think? That we have a rat. Thought that for awhile now, but it's becoming more and more obvious. Time to get out the dogs and go on a manhunt.” Tease smiles sympathetically at me. “Now get your ass in the house, and let me show you how this shit is done.”

  “No,” she says, surprising me. “I'm always in the house. I've spent my whole life in the house. If you don't mind, I'd like to stay here. I know you don't entirely trust me, but I won't do anything to compromise you. I just want to end this without anymore bloodshed.”

  “And I believe you, sugar, but there's no reason for you to risk yourself.”

  “There's a whole lot of reasons, over three hundred to be exact. That's the size of my club, all the members and their old ladies, the Mamas, the prospects. I'm fighting for them, and I've never been able to do that before.”

  I watch her face carefully, trying to determine where all of this strength and conviction comes from. The girl is chivalrous as all get out, and I like it. I really, really like it.

  “Okay, baby,” I tell her because, shoot, who the hell am I to tell her what to do anyhow? “Stay by my side and watch how it's done.”

  Tease

  Chapter 17

  I don't get a lot of time to wonder about Beck's strange facial expression because something happens. I don't know what it is, but I end up in the backyard of the abandoned house listening to the sound of approaching motorcycles. Whatever it is that's going on, I'm determined to be a part of it. I feel … angry right now, that strange inexplicable rage that seems to keep taking over me lately. Most of it's focused on that woman, Mireya. She's such a fucking bitch. But her clothes are exactly my style, her attitude what I'd always fantasized a woman in Triple M would be like. Tough. Outspoken. Independent. That's not to say that the women back home aren't like that at all. It's just, they all buy into this brotherhood thing where the bond between the men, their passions, their careers, all comes first. As I'd expected, it's not like that here, not at all.

  I smile.

  My fingers come up and touch my lips, brushing across the soft skin there. Now all I need to do is rob a bank and I'll have had the full Triple M experience.

  “Come with me, Emilie,” Beck says with a wink, drawing me along the fence and towards the narrow gate that leads into the front yard. As soon as I saw this white house towering above us, all peeling paint and spires and grimy windows, I started to fantasize about it. Who must have lived here last? Why don't they live here now? How would they feel if they knew Triple M was squatting in it? I have to shake my head and bite my lip to get rid of the thoughts. It's not easy, not with how pumped up I am. Triple M. I finally get to see how they work in action. When they're not killing your family members, traitor. I ignore that little voice in my brain, banishing it along with the fantasies. I don't blame them for that just as I don't blame Seventy-seven Brothers for killing the Triple M members. It was a costly misunderstanding, a tragic one. But blaming each other won't help. “Stay close behind me. If you need it, there's a .38 in the back of my jeans.” Beck glances over his shoulder and winks at me. “There's more than one bullet in it this time,” he says with a smile, turning back to the fence and crouching low. I copy his position and wait with bated breath.

  A couple of minutes slinks by, so slow that they're almost painful. I'm filled full of adrenaline, but I can't move, my legs cramping as I keep crouched beside Beck. When the noise of engines reaches a crescendo, curiosity almost kills the cat. I come this close to standing up. My fingers curl tight around Beck's bicep as gunshots sound in the air above us, freezing me in place. I'm used to hiding behind closed doors, hearing about the action secondhand. Right now, I'm in the thick of it, and I like the way it makes me feel.

  “We know you're in there, Austin Sparks, and we're ready to raid the place 'less you get your pansy ass out here and face me like a fucking man.” Beck growls low under his breath, but he doesn't move. I listen carefully in the ensuing silence and hear a slight creak and the pound of footsteps.

  “I cannot for the life o' me figure out why you're here,” I hear someone say. Austin, I think. I just met the man a few minutes ago, so I'm not positive on that. “Bested by Crows assaulted us, and we took care of them. I get that you have a relationship with them, but I suggest you don't involve yourself in this.”

  “Fucking rat,” Beck whispers, his profile strong, lips sexy. I almost reach out and put my fingers on them. I have a thing for lips, especially when they're attached to a man who knows how to reach my soul with a single kiss. “I knew it. I knew it.”

  “You listen here, you crossed onto our turf without giving us the courtesy of an advanced warning, you murdered our brothers in arms, and you piss on the very idea of what an MC is all about.” I can't see the man, but I know Darren wouldn't like him. He doesn'
t like people who preach with words. Actions are what he understands. The rest is just talk. “You mock our brotherhood by letting your bitches fly colors, ride bikes, parade around like they got bigger balls than you do.”

  “Did you have something to do with the shooting?” Austin asks, voice hard as steel. I decide it has to be him. He's their President, but he doesn't have a big group like we do. He doesn't have the manpower for a personal guard, doesn't have a clubhouse. It's a hands-on approach I'm not used to seeing. I think I like it. “Because this seems like an awful coincidence. How the hell did you find us anyway?”

  “You owe us, so here is what we're going to do. Send your bitches out here for a beating. They're going to take it from us, and you're going to learn a lesson. We'll give 'em back to you in the morning, and then you can start paying off the monetary portion of your debt.”

  “Mother fuck,” Beck curses. “Second time in as many days. When the shit hits the fan, it just splatters, don't it?” He holds out a hand to keep me crouching and stands up, peering out between the slats in the fence. I lean forward, bracing my fingers on the grass and trying to grab a peek, too. I can't see much, just a few men on Harleys. The leader has sunglasses on and a silver beard, wrinkled skin on his cheeks, and a nasty frown. What he's asking is downright rude. Even to Seventy-seven Brothers, who think of us ol' ladies as just bitches in the garage, we're temples. You don't hit a woman. I wonder what Lizzie would say if she heard this? Honestly, it'd probably give a heart attack.

  “I suggest you pack your shit up and leave,” Austin says, and I hear the sound of windows sliding open, hammers being pulled back. “Go home and leave us the fuck alone. If you aren't goin' to show us any respect or dignity, we don't want nothing to do you.”

  “Goddamn it.” Beck looks down at me and winks again, touching a hand to his chest and making the sign of the cross. “Stay here and pray for me, sugar lips.” He reaches down and pulls his gun out, tossing it onto the grass next to me. “I know you know how to use that thing, so don't let me down if somebody comes your way.” Beck unlocks the gate and steps out, arms up in the air. “Hey y'all. Relax, brothers. We ain't got no reason to fight amongst ourselves.”