by DD Prince
Rider was asleep beside me. He’d gotten in late. Very late. Like, three o’clock in the morning. I woke when he came in, but said nothing. I was kind of seething. I was kind of freaked out all day. I mean, he left with a gun!
When he came in, he undressed, climbed in with me, spooned me, kissed my bare shoulder (I was sleeping in a tank top and panties), and then he was out like a light.
He’d been gone all day. He’d texted me a few hours after leaving to say his new phone was charged and to text if I needed him.
I didn’t. Instead, I was in my head all day.
Jojo was a bit perkier that day. She was slightly better company. But, I probably wasn’t. I didn’t bring up the gun. I didn’t bring up any of my concerns. Not even Gianna. I tried to keep my shit to myself so maybe she’d be slightly less gloomy.
It was a nice day outside, so we walked around out there and got some air. And then we’d played cards and helped Delia put away all sorts of groceries as well as stocking the numerous bathrooms in the place with supplies. The girl bathrooms had pads and tampons and shower stuff. The men’s washrooms also got stocked with a Costco-sized box of condoms each.
And then I borrowed a vacuum (the cleaning supply room had four of them) and vacuumed our room and then vacuumed some halls. Delia was thrilled about having my help.
Later, Leah came by and hung out with me and Jojo, and I think that perked her up a bit, too. We played some video games and some foosball, and then a few of the other ladies, an older lady named Connie and that Patticakes lady from the day before the funeral came by, and we all sat and watched the Fifty Shades of Grey movie and had a laugh talking about sex. Well, they talked. I laughed.
The older ladies were not at all shy about it and Patticakes talked about how her ‘old man’ liked to have sex with her in a swing that they’d put in their room since he had some medical condition that meant he couldn’t handle any weight on him, but the swing helped because he liked her on top. Luckily for Bronto, he’d been turfed out of the room for the movie and subsequent girl talk.
Ella would love this conversation. My bestie was a bit of a perv. She often made me blush with her sex talk. I’d never considered myself a prude, just considered Ella a little bit oversexed. But, whoa. If I told her about some of what Rider and I had gotten up to, maybe I’d make her blush for a change.
How was I feeling about things?
It hadn’t sat well. The whole Gianna thing. And the whole, being left alone for that length of time, thing. But, things were bad right now. And I hadn’t seen him do anything with that girl. He was just talking to her and he didn’t look guilty when he saw me, didn’t seem like he’d been caught with his hand in any sort of cookie jar.
Yeah, I was making excuses, but I’d decided I had to give things time. We were new. We had to set expectations with one another. And things weren’t exactly normal around us with the MC war, and me being under a deadly threat.
I also wasn’t used to sitting around doing nothing like this. It felt a little bit like a prison. I didn’t want to complain about it, because it was better than being raped and dead, but it wasn’t easy to sit around knowing things were happening outside these walls.
Kendra getting married. Someone else doing her hair. I hadn’t talked to Ella in forever. There was knowing my salon was ticking along without me, but not knowing what my mother’s revenge would be for my blatant disobedience. I’d texted my Dad that day to say Hi and let him know I was just checking in. He replied with:
“Good, Ryder messaged me and I called the officer in Sioux Falls. I feel a bit better after talking to police but won’t rest easy until this is behind us. Let’s have dinner together when you’re back home. I look forward to meeting him.”
“Will do, Dad. Rider, not Ryder. He’s a rider, not a truck. Ha. Love you, talk soon.”
Dad texted me back a happy face. This was so weird. My father and I did not have a jokey texty relationship. Maybe we could, though.
I’d bet my mother wasn’t going to be looking forward to it. He wasn’t Daniel. He wasn’t country club material. And she’d blame him for all that was amiss right now. Me not there at her beck and call. Me not there for her to torment.
I was not cool with him leaving with a gun and not addressing my concerns about it. I mean, I was obviously flipped out at the sight of it.
I felt my hair being tucked behind my ear.
I looked up from the wall of beautiful chest in front of my eyes and saw he was looking down at me.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi,” I said.
“Your eyelashes were tickling me. You a million miles away?”
I guess I was blinking against his chest.
“Sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about. Gimme a kiss.”
I leaned up and kissed him and went to roll away. He caught me and pulled me back and flipped to his back so that I was on top of him.
I put my hands between us and tried to push back.
“How’re you mad at me already? We’re not even up yet.”
“How am I mad?”
He flipped me over onto my back and pinned me.
His erection was against me. He was in track pants.
“Yeah. Why?” He was grinding against me.
“I saw you leave here with a gun yesterday,” I said, trying to ignore the grinding. And failing.
“Yeah?” He reached down and freed himself from those track pants and was pressed up against my underwear.
I tried to roll him. He didn’t allow it.
“Rider, be serious for a second.”
“Baby, I carry a gun when things are at a level where I could get killed. If it’s me or them, you better believe I’ll take care of me.”
“You just discounted my feelings and ---”
“I had to go. Time is important in this situation. I’m sorry I left with you concerns, but I wouldn’t have done it if it weren’t necessary. I can handle a gun. I wouldn’t use it unless I had to use it.”
I pursed my lips.
He kissed them.
I stayed still.
He licked my lower lip.
I tried to jerk my head the other way.
“Let me in, beautiful.” His tongue pushed in and then he was grinding against me with more friction. “Open up.”
His knee nudged my legs open.
“Rider, I’m serious. We need to get a few things straight.”
“Oh yeah, like what?” He kissed my lips again.
“I don’t like being kept in the dark, for one thing.”
He grasped around my knee and wrapped my leg around the back of his leg.
“Rider. Stop for a second.”
“Mm, no way. You’re already wet. I can feel it through your little panties, baby. We’ll talk after, when I’ve got you all sweet and loosened up.”
“No. Now.” I dug my nails into his bicep.
But, he was right. I was wet. Why? How would I ever gain the upper hand in this relationship if he used his penis as a weapon? Maybe I wouldn’t ever have it. Maybe I was okay with that. Surprisingly.
“Usin’ your nails? Even better. Fight me, baby.”
I jolted in surprise. And irritation.
“Get off.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I will. We’ll both get off.”
“Rider! If you don’t get off of me right now, I’m about to lose it. Like, really lose it!”
He stopped and looked down at me. “Maybe we need a safe word. I don’t know if you’re joking right now or not.”
“I’m not joking!”
He rolled off. I sat up.
“I don’t wanna be kept in the dark. I can’t sit here and---”
“You need to be in the dark, Jenna, about some of the shit happening, because that’s just the way it is. All you need to know is that I’m keeping you safe and going after these fuckers for what they’ve pulled. What they’ve done will not stand.”
“But… you could get hurt.”<
br />
He stopped and looked at me.
“You could get hurt and I could be Jojo. Or Edge. Gutted. Wrecked. Without you. Yes, this soon, Rider. I’d be such a wreck.”
He climbed back on top of me and put his forehead to mine and let out a slow breath.
“Fuck, baby.”
I scored a point. Good. I let my wall down just enough to get that out and it worked. He was taking me seriously.
“Okay, here’s the thing, babe. I can’t tell you much, because a) I can’t put you at risk and knowledge ain’t always power in my world. Sometimes knowledge can get you in trouble. b) I don’t want you to worry about me. Here’s what you gotta know and I hope it’ll put you at ease. We’re smarter than they are. Way smarter. We’ve got multiple clubs in our corner, helpin’ us. And we’ve got cops helpin’ too. The cops do not want these fuckers to continue to do what they’ve been doin’. They’ve been pissing a lotta people off. Pissin’ on turf that ain’t theirs to piss on. They’ve gotten a lot of the wrong people upset, including The Brotherhood. A lot of the wrongest people around are involved with them and their bullshit. They’re not just small-time outlaws selling drugs, sellin’ tail, or even just runnin’ weapons. They move flesh. For human trafficking rings. They deal in kiddie porn. They killed Lick, put Joelle in the hospital, fucked Scoot up, raped and murdered Jet, and they’ve threatened to hurt you. Of course I have to go after them armed. And I’m not gonna put you at any sort of risk by telling you anything more than I have to. I know time stops when you’re on lockdown and it can be stressful. Today’s for you and me, okay? We’re gettin’ outta here.”
I blinked at him.
“After we fuck,” he added, and then yanked my panties aside and slammed forward until he was rooted in me.
I let out a shuddering breath.
“Use your nails, gorgeous.” I blinked again and dug them into his back. He seemed to really like that.
“And don’t try usin’ that pout too often to manipulate me. It’s good, gorgeous, but if you overuse it, you’ll find yourself with a pink ass from my hand.”
I glared at him and dug my nails in harder. He liked it. He showed me how much he liked it, by making me come really hard before spilling into me.
15
There was a secret back way out of the compound that we took, with a gravel road, but we had to take another vehicle instead of the bike or the car. With all that was happening with the club’s war against the Wyld Jackals, Rider didn’t even want to take his orange muscle car. It was far too recognizable. And on the bike, we’d be too exposed.
So, we took a borrowed member’s black SUV with tinted windows and we drove to the cabin. But, we did this after someone else left in Rider’s car to distract any potential followers. It was a good call, because five minutes after we left, his phone rang, and he talked to someone on speaker who either was a bud or who was named Bud, who told him the Charger had been followed by a white cargo van, but that he’d lost them.
I kept watching to see if I saw anyone following us, but it didn’t seem like it. I was tense almost all the way to the cabin, despite Rider trying to reassure me.
We were going to spend the night there. I was feeling both lighter and more worried. Worried about our safety, but it was nice to be out of the clubhouse / compound bubble for a bit.
I was happy that I’d soon have some of my own belongings, too. Some Aberdeen prospects would be meeting Bronto and some other member or prospect and the next day back at the clubhouse, some of my clothes would be waiting for me.
Rider said most of his stuff at the compound had been ruined in the fire. He said he’d had enough clothes at the cabin to get by for a while before he’d have to shop for new clothes.
“Can I shop for you?” I asked.
“We sell clothes at the bike dealership, so Trina, our office manager, she’s gonna order some new jeans and tees in for me, Spence, and Dad so we don’t clean out the stock. She’s put some stuff aside already. I’m all right for now with what I got from the cabin. But as for shoppin’ for me, have at it. Anytime I can avoid a trip to a clothing store, I’m game,” he told me, on our drive.
I was stoked about that.
“Trina’s leavin’ soon,” he continued. ”Ella might be takin’ her job.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yeah. Dad offered. She’s thinkin’ it over.”
“What would she be doing?”
“Reception. Handling the buying for parts and stock. Bookkeeping. Marketing. Shit like that.”
“She’s gonna rock that.”
He smiled.
“Are you sure no one knows where your family’s cabin is?” I asked.
He sweetly assured me again that it was a well-guarded secret and that we would be safe. We stopped at a grocery store on the way there to grab some food for dinner.
“What you want for dinner tonight?” he asked, as we were wandering the aisles.
“Umm, you could cook me steak? Beef steak,” I said and gave him a smile.
He kissed me with a chuckle. I picked up a package of beef tenderloin steaks and tossed it into the basket he was holding. He grabbed some vegetables while I picked out some cupcakes for dessert, and we grabbed some beer, too. I also grabbed a box of that Reese’s puff cereal and some milk, because yum.
He teased me for it, too.
“You gonna eat that junk?”
I smirked. “Yeah, I sure am. It makes the milk taste amazing.”
“I look forward to havin’ some with you.”
“After you make me steak.”
“After I make you steak. Even if the cow was cute.”
“Shhh,” I put my hand over his mouth. “Groceries, not cows.”
“Groceries,” he said, and then he kissed me and booped me on the nose.
We got to the cash register and I reached for my debit card, but he gave me a dirty look and hip-checked me aside and handed cash to the cashier.
“Equal rights, equal responsibility,” I informed. “I’m not one of those chicks who wants equal rights but expects her boyfriend to pay for everything.”
“Yeah, well, feel free to burn your bras, but I’m payin’.”
Maybe I did that partly because he’d assumed I was selfish before. I didn’t want him to think that. And I wasn’t selfish with money. I was always picking up tabs, buying gifts for people just because. My mom hated how frivolous I was with money.
True, I am a spender, but wasn’t that what it was for? I’m 24. I didn’t need to worry about retirement quite yet. I didn’t have to put money away for my future kids’ college. I had a trust fund coming when I hit thirty and I didn’t know the exact amount, but I knew it would be in high six figures, since my grandmother planned for any children of my dad’s and I was the only one, so I thought of it as my future money. Down payment on a house. Opening accounts for college funds for my future kids. I was going to work and earn more money with my salon, too, so I was free with cash, because I felt like I could be.
The cashier, an older grandmotherly-looking lady snickered. “Let him pay, sweetie. We put up with a whole lot for our men. Least they can do is put their hands in their pockets once in a while.”
I smiled at her. “He does loads for me, believe me.”
She looked at him. “Bless you. And you’re nice on the eyes, too.”
“Why, thank you, ma’am,” Rider winked at her. “My daddy raised me right.”
She blushed and handed me the receipt. “He sure did. Now, sugar,” she looked to me. ”He pays, but you keep track of the receipts. Men always lose ‘em.”
I smiled at her. “Got it. Have a great day.”
She waved us out. “You two will make some beautiful babies. Mark my words.”
I laughed. Rider chuckled and kissed me affectionately on the side of my head on our way out.
On the way back to the SUV I informed, “I won’t burn my bras. Oh God, bras. I actually miss wearing bras. I’ve been living in tank tops fo
r a week.”
“Not to worry. You’ll have your over the shoulder boulder holders tomorrow. Shame, though.” He opened my door for me, looking at my chest. I smiled and got in, saying, “I’ve got some very pretty bras and you like unwrapping pretty wrapping paper, so…”
“Good point,” he said and rounded the vehicle and got in. Ten minutes later, we were at the cabin. And it was definitely getting chillier. It’d been just a few days since we’d been there, but I saw more leaves turning color.
He put the food away and I found the washer and dryer downstairs and tossed in a load of towels from what we’d dirtied when we were there last, and then I found him chopping wood outside, so I joined him, bringing us each a beer.
“Show me how to do that?” I asked.
He did. I chopped for a bit, so bad at it, but he looked highly amused. And then he pulled a big target out of a big garage that I hadn’t noticed, a ways behind the cabin, and set it up on a big tree near the garage. We threw axes at it.
I’d heard axe-throwing leagues were getting popular, and this was a hoot.
“Got good aim,” he told me. ”Real surprised to see you interested in choppin’ wood and throwin’ axes.”
“I have varied interests and talents. I play a lot of darts,” I advised. “Way too much time getting up to no good in bars.”
“You any good?”
“Little bit.” I smiled.
“Yeah?” he asked.
“I’m actually very good,” I amended.
“Yeah? We’ve got a dartboard here. You wanna play?”
“Do I want to emasculate you, you mean, by kicking your very nice ass?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “You’re gonna put your money where your very sexy mouth is, gorgeous.”
“I always do,” I said, sipping my beer, teasingly swirling my tongue around the bottle opening and then sticking my tongue inside and wiggling it, before swallowing back some.
His eyes were on me and they were heated.
And then he was moving toward me. He bent and hauled me over his shoulder and I dropped my beer. He slapped my ass and carried me inside. I was giddy all the way.
He went straight downstairs with me over his shoulder and sat me on the bar while he opened up a dartboard case on the wall.