Road to Freedom

by Piper Davenport

  It had been the perfect day.

  * * *

  “Jesus,” Merrick hissed as he pushed in deeper.

  I smiled, loving the power I had over him right now. As promised, he’d bought lube. Lots of it and I was currently on my side pressing against his extremely hard cock, trying to take him all the way.

  “Rem, you need to slow down.”

  “I want you in.”

  He pushed again, and I gripped his arm anchored around my waist.

  “Okay, maybe a little slower.”

  “It’s too much.”

  “No, it’s not,” I countered. “Don’t stop, honey. Please.”

  He kept me tight to him, his front to my back, and pressed in again. “You okay?” he asked.

  “I’m fine, honey,” I promised, and he buried himself a little further, while I tried not to come. Even though it was a little uncomfortable, I was ridiculously turned on. “Fuck me, Tweety.”

  “Don’t want to hurt you, Rem.”

  “You’re not hurting me.”

  “Fuck, you feel so good.”

  “So do you,” I whispered.

  He moved slowly, and I tried to rock, but he slapped my ass in response.

  “If you’re trying to get me to slow down, slapping me like that isn’t helping,” I ground out. “It just riles me more.”

  “Baby, settle,” he ordered. “My dick is buried somewhat deep and tight and you making me laugh is just gonna rile me more.”

  He reached over my legs and slid a finger into my pussy, keeping his thumb connected to my clit and then finally began to move. I moved with him, my orgasm building hard and fast...like usual, but this one was far more intense, and I shuddered as a climax washed over me, quickly followed by another.

  “Fuck,” he rasped, gently pulling out of me. “God damn, baby. Even part way in, it was amazing.”

  “That was so, so good.”

  “That’s beyond an understatement,” he said. “If dancing with you means that? I’m in every day.”

  I chuckled. “Well, let’s see how I feel tomorrow, and go from there.”

  “Are you sore?” he asked, suddenly concerned.

  “Not really, but you’re the only one I’ve let in, so...”

  He grinned, kissing me gently. “That means everything to me, baby.”

  “To me too. I love you more than you will ever know.”

  “I’m getting an idea, but it still doesn’t come close to what I feel for you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s not a competition.”

  “Well, if it was, I’d win.”

  “Oh my god, you so wouldn’t.”

  He slid off the bed and headed for the bathroom. “So would.”

  I followed and turned on the shower. “You gonna lather me up, cowboy?”

  “Lather, rile, whatever my queen needs.”

  I grinned. “Correct answer, peasant.”

  Remington

  The following Saturday, the Dogs were hosting a family get-together, which meant I would meet the rest of Merrick’s “brothers.” I was nervous. I didn’t really know why, but I felt like this was a huge deal and I was going to be under a microscope.

  I was in our bedroom when I heard raised male voices and headed toward the sound.

  “Goddammit, Merrick, you could have been in real trouble.”

  “Dad, the asshole beat the shit out of Remington, then pulled a knife on me. It was self-defense.”

  “You shot him in the heart at close range. He was on the floor.”

  Oh my god!

  “Actually shot him twice in the chest before he was on the floor, Dad. He kept coming. He was falling as I shot.”

  “Do you know how hard it is to get a shot dead center, particularly when one is falling?”

  Merrick didn’t respond, so I made my way into the room. He caught my eye and sighed, holding his arm out to me. “Come meet my dad, Rem.”

  Merrick’s father turned, and I forced a smile. Good gravy, they looked alike. Merrick had hazel eyes, where his father had blue, and his dad was mostly silver-haired and obviously older, but I got a glimpse into what Merrick would look like as he aged, and I liked what I saw.

  “Mr. Lundy,” I said, holding my hand out. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  He shook my hand and smiled, so much like Merrick. “It’s nice to meet you too, sweetheart. Call me Ryan. Heard you had a rough go of it in Savannah.”

  I nodded as Merrick wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close. “It wasn’t fun.”

  “I understand Nadia Popov is being tried for attempted murder.”

  “Really?” I asked.

  Merrick gave me a gentle squeeze. “We don’t need to talk about that right now.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that, Tweety. I think now’s a great time to talk about it.”

  “I’ll fill you in later,” Merrick said with another squeeze.

  “Or, your dad can fill me in now, since he appears to have the most updated information.”

  Merrick’s body locked, and I knew in that moment he was keeping stuff from me.

  “Well, I need to get going,” Ryan said. “Dinner next week?”

  “Sure,” Merrick replied. “Sounds great.”

  He separated himself from me and walked his dad to the door, then faced me.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” I asked.

  “Babe, it doesn’t touch you. Get your shoes on and we’ll go. You’re on my bike.”

  I pointed to my arm. “It already touched me, Merrick. Literally. What’s going on?”

  He dragged his hands through his hair. “They’re investigating my involvement. Whether or not it was a clean shoot.”

  I gasped. “Oh my god. Are you going to jail?”

  “No.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. It was a clean shoot. Self-defense.”

  I closed the distance between us and gripped his cut. “Are. You. Sure?”

  He stroked my cheek. “Yeah, baby. Dad’s helping, as is Jaxon...he’s F.B.I.. I’m covered.”

  I dropped my head to his chest. “If I lost you...” I couldn’t even finish the thought. It was too much.

  He lifted my chin and kissed me gently. “You’re not gonna lose me, Eeyore. Go get your shoes and we’ll head out.”

  I studied him for a few seconds before grabbing my boots and meeting him by the front door. After donning a leather jacket, he led me to his bike, stowed my purse in a saddlebag, then helped me with my helmet. It was a rare dry day for Portland, so I was looking forward to this ride. Particularly since it was my first time on a motorcycle.

  “Hold on tight, Rem. Lean when I lean, and if you need me, pat my chest.”

  I nodded. “Okay.”

  He climbed on, then helped me on the back and we were off.

  It was magical, and a little scary...but mostly magical. Feeling the hum of the engine in my nether regions while I was wrapped around my man was heady. By the time we pulled into the compound parking lot, I wanted to drag Merrick into a closet somewhere and ease the ache.

  “You good?” he asked, pushing down the kickstand.

  “Other than horny as hell, yes,” I admitted, pulling off my helmet.

  He held me as I climbed off the bike, then got off himself. “You wanna take a minute?”

  “Can we?”

  He raised an eyebrow, setting our helmets on the bike seats. “Of course we can. We’ll go in the back.”

  I bit my lip and nodded. “Let’s hurry.”

  He grabbed my bag out of the saddlebag, then took my hand and guided me in through the back of the building and upstairs.

  The Dogs of Fire compound was at the back of Big Ernie’s, an autobody shop, and much more prison-like than I expected. I missed the coolness of the Savannah barn, but kept my opinion to myself as Merrick unlocked a grey door and pushed it open. Turning on the light, he covered my mouth with his and kicked the door shut.

  “You good with a quickie?�
�� he asked, pushing the leather jacket from my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

  “I’m not the one who constantly gabs while fucking, Tweety, so maybe you should ask yourself that,” I joked.

  He chuckled as he tugged my T-shirt over my head and cupped my breasts. “Sorry, girls, no play time for you, we don’t have time.”

  I swatted his hands away, and knelt before him, my hands going to the waistband of his jeans. “God, you are so wordy.”

  He chuckled. “You gonna let me put my dick in your pussy?”

  “In a minute,” I retorted, tugging his pants down, freeing his cock. “Mmm, my precious.”

  “Does that make me lord of the cock rings?”

  “Look, if you want our roleplaying to move into LARPing territory, I’m going to need to expand my wardrobe to include some sexy cloaks.”

  “Don’t make me laugh when you’re about to blow me.”

  I grinned and ran my tongue up the length, before wrapping my lips around the tip, then taking him all the way to the back of my throat.

  Unfortunately for me, he was having none of it, and I was dragged up in the form of his hands in my armpits and thrown gently onto the bed. My boots, jeans, and panties were ripped from my body and his face was buried in my pussy forthwith, and I was hit with an orgasm without warning. “Merrick,” I panted out as my climax washed over me.

  Before I’d crested, he was inside me and he was pushing me toward another. I slid my legs over his hips, digging my heels into his ass and taking him deeper. Merrick kissed me, sliding his hand between us and fingering my clit as he slammed into me over and over.

  “Get there, Tweety,” I begged, and he thrust a little faster before letting out a grunt and falling over me and kissing my neck.

  “You need more?” he asked, and I chuckled.

  “Always, but I’m good for a few hours.”

  He slid out of me and duck walked to the bathroom, his jeans still around his ankles. I sat up just as someone pounded on the door. “Merrick!” Grace called. “Are you in there?”

  Merrick put his finger to his lips and I nodded.

  “Babe, he’s not here,” Flea said.

  “His bike’s here, honey. He must be here.”

  “Maybe he wants to be alone.”

  “And miss family night?”

  Merrick dropped his head back and whispered out a series of curses, then he slid his phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. Shaking his head, his thumbs flew over the screen and I figured he was texting someone.

  “Well, hurry up,” Grace called through the door and I shoved my face in a pillow to laugh.

  “Jesus,” Merrick hissed. “I suppose we should clean up and get downstairs.”

  I smiled up at him. “One more?”

  He went for the button on his jeans. “Fuck, yes.”

  * * *

  We made our way downstairs almost thirty minutes later, and Grace made a beeline for us, followed by Flea who was giving Merrick a look of apology, and a bottle of beer.

  “Gross,” Grace said, and hugged me, then Merrick. “And that’s all I’m gonna say on the subject.”

  “You didn’t have to say anything, sissy,” Merrick said, taking the beer from Flea with a chin lift. Biker speak for ‘Thanks.’

  “Have you met me?” she retorted.

  “There is that.” Merrick took a swig of beer and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

  “So, your man brings mine a beer, but you don’t hook your girl up with wine?” I accused.

  “I am the worst friend ever.” Grace laid her hand over her heart. “Let me fix that immediately.”

  She took my hand and tugged me away from Merrick and we headed to the kitchen.

  “Hey, Gracie.” A gorgeous blonde pulled her in for a hug.

  “Did you just get here?”

  The blonde nodded and grinned at me. “I’m Poppy.”

  “She’s my bestie when I claim her,” Grace said.

  “Hi. I’m Remington.”

  “Oh, you’re with Finch.”

  I chuckled. “Guilty.”

  “Sid adores you,” she said.

  “Sid?”

  “Hatch,” Grace provided.

  “Sorry,” Poppy said with a chuckle. “He’s technically my step-dad, but I’ve called him my stand-in-dad forever, so he’s Sid.”

  “That’s really sweet,” I said.

  Poppy grinned. “Well, he’s sweet.”

  “Who’s sweet?” Hatch asked, walking into the room.

  “You.”

  “Fuck, baby girl, don’t ruin my street cred.” He pulled her in for a hug and kissed her head. “Where’s Sparky?”

  She shrugged. “Somewhere.”

  I would find out Sparky was her super gorgeous, super protective fiancé and he just so happened to be Hatch’s nephew.

  Hatch hugged Grace, then faced me. “You doin’ okay?”

  I nodded. “On the mend.”

  “Good.” He smiled, then turned to Poppy. “Your mom wants wine, so I best get her wine.”

  “We’re here for that too,” Grace said, and walked into the pantry, returning with two bottles of red.

  Once Hatch left with a solo cup of wine, Poppy leaned against the island and sipped hers. “How’s Alamo doing?”

  “Merrick said he’s good.”

  “Jasmine was probably totally freaked.”

  “Right?” Grace said. “If Flea got cut, I’d rage, then cry.”

  “I’d pay to see you rage,” Flea said, walking in behind her.

  “Cage match,” Merrick said, and I tugged on his cut.

  “Be nice.”

  He grinned and wrapped an arm around me. “No promises.”

  Hatch walked back into the kitchen and gave Merrick a chin lift. “Got a minute?”

  “Yeah,” he said. He gave me a gentle squeeze, then followed Hatch out of the room.

  * * *

  Finch

  Hatch led me into his office at the back of the compound and shut the door, waving to a chair across from his desk. “Have a seat.”

  I lowered myself into the chair as he sat behind his desk and settled his arms on it, leaning forward. “We need to get some shit sorted.”

  I frowned. “Like?”

  “Like the fact you hauled off and broke Vitaly’s kneecap, then shot him in the heart.”

  I held up three fingers. “Three times in heart.”

  “Don’t be flippant, Finch.”

  “What are you trying to say here?”

  “This is not our club, son. We might rough some asshole up, but we don’t murder them.”

  “It wasn’t fucking murder!” I snapped.

  He studied me. “Break it down.”

  I dragged my hands down my face. “Already talked to the cops and my dad. What else do you need to know?”

  “I wanna know the truth.”

  I leaned forward. “What makes you think I haven’t told the truth?”

  “Because I’m aware that you’re aware, our club doesn’t do this,” he said. “And you and I don’t fuckin’ lie to each other.”

  I sighed, sitting back in the chair. He was right. We don’t lie to each other. So I told him. Everything. The fact I wrapped the asshole’s hand around his knife and staged the scene. What I said to him before I shot him in the heart. All of it.

  Hatch leaned back and listened. No comments, no outward expression or reaction, just total silence. When I was finished, I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders, and my surrogate father leaned forward again. “So. Clean shot.”

  “Clean shot, Hatch. Swear to Christ. The animal had Remington tied down and was torturing her, but I did not lose control. I knew exactly what I was doing.”

  He nodded. “Doc said local PD and F.B.I. agreed the action was in self-defense.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You were fuckin’ lucky Dalton Moore was there to take credit for the capture of Sokolov. He covered
your asses, even though it was somewhat murky.”

  “There was nothing murky about it, Hatch. I just wish I’d fucking got Vitaly’s uncle too.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s goin’ somewhere he can’t reach his cohorts, so it’s a win-win in Dalton’s opinion.”

  “I thought he wasn’t in the F.B.I. anymore,” I countered.

  “He’s still a consultant, and specifically involved in cases he wasn’t able to close as an official agent. He’s splitting time between Savannah and Scotland for a while.”

  “So, what does that mean for me?” I asked.

  “You’re clear, Finch. As is the club.”

  I relaxed.

  “But we need to address the bigger issue here.”

  “There is no issue,” I countered.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Bud, there’s an issue.”

  “Remington’s safe, he’s dead, there’s not a fucking issue, Hatch.”

  I rose to my feet, but before I reached the door, Hatch’s hand landed on my shoulder.

  “We’re not done.”

  I faced him and crossed my arms. “Just fucking spit it out, Hatch.”

  “When you saw Remington lying there, broken and bruised, what were you feelin’?”

  “Rage.”

  “That all?”

  “Yeah,” I lied, the memories of Grace’s tiny body covered with my mother’s blood, bone, and brain matter flashing through my mind.

  Hatch’s hand went to my shoulder again. “Nothin’ else?”

  I shook my head but couldn’t look him in the eye.

  “You haven’t fully dealt with all the trauma with your mom, Merrick. Think you need to do that.”

  “I’m not talking to a shrink. Did that right after. It didn’t help.”

  “I hear ya. But you gotta talk to someone. Like your dad.”

  “Not talking to my dad about this, Hatch.”

  “Then me,” he said quietly. “Or Maisie. Or Remington. Or the fuckin’ moon, for all I care. You keep this shit locked up tight, it’ll blow...worse than the Vitaly thing.”

  “I get it. No bringing dishonor to the club.”

  “You really think that’s what I’m sayin’?” he asked, squeezing my shoulder. “’Cause if it is, you fuckin’ walk out that door right now.”

  I shook my head.

  “Right. So. You gotta work it out. I love you like a son, Merr. Whatever you need, I’m here, but if you get yourself killed or locked up, I’m gonna fuckin’ lose my shit.”