Danielle made a hissing sound of pain, and even Knuckles winced. He’d forgotten that Mad Dog was a southpaw. And apparently, Fritter had been unaware of it, too.
Fist fights weren’t the marathons that TV would have you believe, especially if guys were bare-fisting. That shit hurt, and they were only human, after all. eventually the hands gave out, and all that damage to the face meant that everything eventually swelled to the point of being a hindrance.
But the rush. Even watching the blows go back and forth, Knuckles gave in to the adrenalin like a contact high. From the shouts around him, he could also tell that his brothers were all feeling that roll, too.
Fritter got a few good shots in, but when Mad Dog went down on one knee Knuckles could tell he was letting Fritter have the win. Not throwing the fight, just conceding he’d been in the wrong saying what he’d said.
Fritter knew it, too. He slapped the guy on the shoulder, tore his soaked shirt off over his head and headed right for his woman.
Sharon was standing across the ring, her expression more unimpressed than interested. But as he wrapped her up in his arms, picking her right up off the ground, she let him kiss her deep, wrapping her arms around his neck. The crowd behind her parted as Fritter headed off to the motel rooms, knowing chuckles following them.
“Ah,” Danielle said, resting her head back against his shoulder and looking up at him. “I think I get it.”
“You do?”
She rubbed her ass against his groin. “Yeah, I think I do.”
He was hard instantly, from the rub but also from the tone of her voice. The kids were gone; Brayden gave Grace and Annie a lift back to the house. He could take her to his dorm and they could have the loudest, nastiest sex they’d ever had.
“Knuckles!”
He looked up, seeing Mad Dog’s maniacal grin shining in the Sulphur-orange of the yard light. “Your turn, son.”
“What’s he talking about?”
Knuckles didn’t answer Danielle, he just let go of her and pulled his T-shirt off over his head.
“Knuckles?”
He gave her a grin, a kiss, then headed into the circle with a few cheers egging him on.
“Not going to lie,” Mad Dog told him, holding up his fists. Knuckles tapped them with his own. “I don’t know how much I have left.”
“That’s okay. I just want to give a few, take a few, then fuck my woman.”
Mad Dog laughed. “Well, thanks for being honest.”
In the Army, there had been the odd fight like this. Bunch of guys, restricted to each other’s company, all with above-normal levels of testosterone. It was amazing they didn’t kill each other in basic. Come to think of it, club life had been that way before a few guys had moved out and gotten themselves attached. Disputes settled with physical altercations, that was the only way.
Mad Dog came at him like a rampaging bull, and Knuckles was used to that. He had a slight frame that had fooled a few lugs before. He easily avoided the rush, but he dropped his right shoulder low and got a shot into Mad Dog’s ribs. What he hit was hard, ready for the impact, and a stinger ran up his arm. Jesus, the guy was solid. Thick muscle over his ribs. He’d have to go for the fucker’s face to have any effect.
The next volley of fists was evenly split between deflections and hits. Knuckles managed to avoid a shot right to the eye, but Mad Dog’s fist glanced off his cheekbone. He made a good connection to Mad Dog’s eye but it was with his left, which didn’t have nearly the pop his right would have. But of course, Mad Dog would know that. He let Knuckles work on his weaker side, but his ham-sized fists got his ribs a few times. Knuckles wouldn’t say Mad Dog was pulling punches, but the meat of the man was much stronger than what Knuckles was absorbing.
When his nose opened and he got a good upper cut on Mad Dog they called it a draw on their own, hugging it out before Knuckles could wipe his face and look for Danielle.
She’d moved to the front row. Her hands were clenched tight, right under her chin, and as they made eye contact her hands dropped. She exhaled, he saw how her chest rose and dropped, then she smiled, shaking her head like she just couldn’t understand him.
He grinned too, wiped the blood from under his nose again, then went right for her. She braced herself, but hadn’t anticipated he’d pick her up and sling her over his shoulder. She gave a squeal, and there were many more chuckles and cheers from his brethren as he carried her the same direction Downey and Fritter had gone.
She beat at his back. “Oh, my God, put me down.”
He slapped her ass, bringing out another squeak. “Nope.”
“This is embarrassing.”
“Trust me. With this group, there’s no such thing.”
He had some trouble getting the dorm room door unlocked, since he hadn’t been there in a while, but once he had her inside he set her down, backed her up to the door and moved in for a kiss in one smooth motion, but she held him back with a hand.
“Your nose is really bleeding,” she informed him. “We should try and get that stopped.”
Damn, that made him feel good. She wanted to take care of him again. As much as he wanted to fuck her, his entire body warmed at the thought of her fixing up his face. “Okay, Momma.”
In the bathroom, they set the water running cold, and he scrubbed his face with both hands to get the blood off. He could tell he’d be getting a black eye, but his nose wasn’t broken. His cheekbone might start swelling, too.
Danielle sat him on the toilet, tilted his head back, and pinched the bridge of his nose. His hands found her thighs, pulled her closer so he could grab her ass. She started laughing.
“Stop it! You need to stop the bleeding.”
“I can’t help it. You taking care of me, that turns me on.”
“It does?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s an odd fetish.”
“Can we get you a nurses’ uniform?”
Another laugh. “No!”
“Come on. Something short. With the little hat.”
“What?”
“Yeah, the hat is necessary. We can take each other’s temperature.”
He loved getting her laughing. Her face flushed, eyes flashed, and it allowed him to grope her ass without her trying to step out of his reach.
“You only have one thing on your mind?”
Knuckles shook his head, and she released his nose. “Right now, I have a few things on my mind. They’re all in the same category, but there are no less than five things I want to do with you tonight.”
“I have to be home when the kids get up.”
He grinned. “You will be. I don’t intend to go fast, but—” he stopped because he felt blood run down his face again. “Shit.”
“You really got clocked in the nose,” she muttered, ripping off some toilet paper and handing it to him. “You need to wait for it to stop.”
“I think I need to lay on my back.”
“Okay.”
“Then you can get me naked and have your way with me.”
Something flashed in her eyes, and he froze in place. Holy shit. His sweetheart little Danielle Prince was turned on.
“You like that idea?” he eventually asked.
Breathing through her parted lips, she nodded.
He was on his feet in a second, pulling her in for a kiss. A bleeding nose was gross, but she sure as shit didn’t seem affected by it. Her hands clutched in his hair, keeping him close, her teeth clamping on his lower lip every now and then. She pulled him back out of the bathroom, backing up to the bed, then turning him around. With a shove, he sprawled out, then she was pulling at his belt and zipper.
Jesus, he almost couldn’t keep up with her.
He did have to help her pull off his boots. But after that, it was all Danielle. She stood over him, undressing frantically, then fell on him naked, her long body stretching out on his.
Her skin was hot all over and she attacked his mouth, leaving the rest of her open for hi
s hands to roam, caress, stroke, and cling to. When she was frantically rubbing on his thigh he pulled his mouth free. “Condom, Momma. Drawer in the nightstand.”
She had it in hand in seconds, ripped the foil with her teeth, and rolled it on so smooth if he hadn’t been watching he would have wondered if she’d actually done it.
“Damn, you’re good with those hands.”
She just grunted, then stood his cock up in her hand and dropped onto him. His hands clenched on her hips, and as good as it felt he was absolutely stunned just watching her. When she’d adjusted to this angle, because they hadn’t done this before, she took a few experimental moves, and he wondered if she’d really done this at all.
“Momma, roll your hips,” he said, teeth gritted because just the sight of her riding him was one of the most gorgeous things he’d ever seen. But he wanted to see her get off, use him to do it. “Like this,” he panted, using both hands to move her while pulling her down onto him, grinding her clit into him.
“Oh God,” she gasped, hands bracing on his chest.
“That good?”
“So, good.”
“Show me, Momma.”
Slowly, she repeated the motion, then she got it. He felt and saw it happen. Eyes flew open, her mouth gaped, and she moaned, then she did it again. And again.
He had to bite his lip, watching her body as her lower half undulated, stomach flexing, breasts swaying slightly. He ignored the blood smeared on her chin, and she seemed oblivious to it. Her head flung back, hands on his chest, all movement and moans. Every time he hit that good spot inside she issued an animalistic sound from deep in her chest.
Knuckles was ready to go. Every movement brought him dangerously close, but the show. Good fucking God, the sight of her. He was never going to forget it.
Letting go of one hip, he licked his thumb and slid it under her clit. Her response was a louder cry, but she liked it. She ground on him harder, and as he watched she brought both hands up to her breasts, toying with her nipples.
“Fuck,” he gasped, closing his eyes as he almost lost it.
She ignored him, and he dared to keep watching. Her movements became frantic, and her body tightened around him incrementally.
“There it is, Momma.”
“It’s close.”
“I’m ready, honey. Jesus, this is fucking hot.”
“Greg!”
“Come, Momma. Come.”
She did, and it was loud, and it was as fucking gorgeous as he’d expected. Her back arched, taking the entire length of him as her pussy seized up, milking the last of his control. His shout was nowhere near as sexy, but the orgasm damn near knocked him out.
Danielle collapsed onto his chest, face in the side of his neck. Her pulled her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead, trying to catch his breath. Hers was hard to catch, too, a thin layer of sweat on her skin.
“Happy birthday,” she breathed after a moment, the air tickling his neck.
“Damn, Momma,” he whispered, eyes closing. “That was fantastic.”
Her head came up a bit, teeth in her lip. “It was?”
“Are you kidding? I got the control of a teenager when it comes to you.” His fingers stroked the back of her neck, where her skin was always so warm and soft. “Was it any good for you?”
She giggled, settling her head on his chest. “I think that’s obvious.”
“What got you so worked up anyway? Was it the fight?”
She got still and quiet.
“I have that reaction from a good fight,” he said, still playing with her hair. “But that was just a half-assed fight, to be totally honest.”
“It was?”
“I think that old fucker could have killed me if he wanted to. But he likes a good fight, too. Work off a bit of testosterone, aggression. Most women hate it.” He grinned at the roof. “But the good ones like it.”
Laughter shook her body. “The good ones, huh?”
“The ones that are for me, anyway. Because sometimes the only way to settle shit is with fists.”
Danielle raised her head, resting her chin on her hand so she could look him in the eye. “When you beat up Brian in the front yard, I found it scary.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded. “And yet...I liked that you did it. Because I was mad enough to do the same thing, but I wouldn’t have been able to.”
“I believe that. I’ve seen how fierce you can be for your kids. And I like that, too. Some women are so fucking scared of everything. But you...you had a shit hand dealt to you, and you got yourself out of it. You’re raising kids that are going to know their own minds and aren’t going to feel the need to bow to anyone else for some bullshit reason. And you’re so much fucking smarter than me, I find you a little scary. If I’m being honest.”
“You’re scared of me?”
He tugged her hair lightly, remembering Spaz’s report on her schooling. Yeah, she was scary. “A little bit. You got a serious job, Momma. That impresses the fuck out of me.”
With a finger, she traced a pattern over his chest, and looking down he saw that she was tracing his ink. “It’s a hard job. Sometimes I feel it when I leave work. The girls were the only thing that cheered me up.” Her eyes came up to his. “You cheer me up, too. I don’t know that I’ve ever met anyone so full of life.”
She could knock the wind from him, she honestly could. His face was going to cramp from smiling, but, in the meantime, he was going hard again. “Don’t sell yourself short. You’re pretty lively, too. Gotta clean up before we give that another go, Momma.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Knuckles cast his eyes up and down the back alley, but the space was silent. Not even a damn cat, like the feline population knew the Russia gangsters that ran this club were best left to themselves.
The cargo van they’d rented came down the narrow lane, pulling past the loading dock doors, angling into an alcove of the loading dock of the building the next street over. Knuckles opened the doors all the way to the sides, then motioned Tims to go ahead and pull in. With some twisting and turning, amounting to a fifteen-point-turn, Tims had the van lined up and backing up to the padded stoppers. The guy in the loading dock directed him into position, and Knuckles hopped onto the dock before hopping into the back of the van to start handing the boxes over. The huge black guy that had admitted them helped, and with a man on the end of each crate it was a matter of minutes and the van was clear of its questionable cargo.
He exchanged a fist bump with the Russian hired meat, then he pounded on the van’s roof. Tims pulled forward a few feet, allowing him to hop off and shut the doors. Tims pulled out one way, Knuckles’ bike was on the other side. He geared up quickly, then headed out the other side of the alley. Before long he caught sight of Tank up ahead, and Fritter pulled in beside him before long. As they joined up to the 99, Tims had the van behind them, and Rusty and Buck were following.
Knuckles took the lead, assuming the role of road captain. That had been Tiny’s job before, but he refused to claim it until the club told him he was. Not that this route took a genius to plan it. Sachetti’s men gave them the itinerary, the times of everything. The only thing they literally had to do was show up when they were supposed to and follow directions.
The day was warm, but clouds hung thick and heavy overhead. Morning runs were rare, but at least they’d be back in Markham by the time the sky eventually opened. It was also an early dismissal day, so he’d spending it in the garage with Curly getting the motor ready.
Turns out those boxes and the crate did contain a complete motor for his Sportster, plus a few extras. The chain drive and plugs were shot, but he certainly had access to those.
Fixing motors was easy. Putting it together, having not disassembled it himself, was beyond his skill. None of it made any sense without context. Plus, he got easily frustrated when he actually had to think about shit. As much as it chafed his ego, he had to agree to cracking open the tech college text
books Curly found at the library. She was the one figuring out the puzzle after that, and all he could do was watch her in absolute wonder.
Ten years old and already that much smarter than him.
The humidity was cloying, making the air thick, by the time they were back in Markham. He and the crew filed into the boardroom, recounted the run to the rest of the club, then he was heading for his bike again when his cell shook in his kutte’s inner pocket. After digging it out, he let a sappy smile split his face seeing “Momma” on the display screen.
“Momma,” he greeted her warmly, a jolt running through his cock remembering her waking him up that very morning by taking him into her mouth.
“I need a favor.”
“Anything.”
“The school called. Annie’s in trouble.”
“Is she okay?”
Danielle’s laugh took the edge off his sudden worry. “She’s fine. I have no idea what’s going on, but they said she’s being expelled for the rest of the day.”
“What the hell for?”
“Apparently, there was a fight. I’m inclined to call bullshit on it, but...I’m in Bakersfield still, meeting my new boss. I told them you could come and get her, but if you’re still hung up—”
“No, I’m on it. I got your back.”
“I love that you do.”
“Momma, I got your back, your front, and my hands on your tits. Where do you want your hands?”
“I just told you I’m at work.”
“You want know where my mouth is right now?”
“Good bye.” She hung up on him, but at least she did it while laughing.
Before he could climb on his bike he heard his name called across the lot, and Fritter was soon at his side pulling on his riding gloves. “Adeel’s in lock up with Annie. Sharon just called. I gotta go get her, too.”
Knuckles frowned. “What the fuck is all this about?”
“I’m sure we’re about to find out.”
There was one school in Markham. One side was for elementary grades, and the larger wing was the high school. Students in Hazeldale also attended high school in Markham. Knuckles only knew all this because of Grace.
The elementary school had its own administration and main entrance. The office sat off to the side after they passed racks of shoes and coats hanging in open cubbies. Just as Fritter knocked on the door jamb, Knuckles wondered if wearing their kuttes into a school was a bad move.
Shelter (Red Rebels MC Book 5) Page 31