by Ices Sheer
“How you feeling, darling?”
“Like shit,” Jasmine said and pushed herself up to a sitting position, her back resting against the arm but her legs outstretched. “Where’s Nuke?”
“He and some of the guys had something to take care of. He’ll be back in a little while. The prospect thinks you might have a concussion.” Amy gave Jasmine a glass of water.
“Thank you. I think he’s right.”
“Would you like to go to the hospital?” Amy asked.
“No, that’s alright. I’ll just rest for a bit. If I feel worse, I might go then.”
“Can I get you anything else?”
Jasmine shook her head.
“You’ve been out for about fifteen minutes. The prospect checked you out, did what he could with the cut on your forehead. You’re going to be achy for a while, but you’ll be alright.”
“I’m not the fainting type. I hope that’s all there is to it.” She was upset that Nuke wasn’t here with her. What could be so important that he didn’t stay to check on her?
Amy stood up and said, “If you need anything, I’m right down the hallway for about another hour. Then I’m heading over to the hospital to check on Mitch. Don’t worry, though; I’ll make sure that someone checks in on you.”
Jasmine nodded. “Thank you. How’s your husband doing?”
“Better, he’s out of ICU. It’s still going to be a while before he’s home, but at least he’s coming home,” Amy said and smiled.
“That’s great. Nuke speaks highly of him.”
Amy nodded as she headed toward the door, but stopped when Jasmine called out to her.
“Do you have a moment? No, never mind…. thanks again.”
Amy gave Jasmine the once-over, then she grabbed a chair. She pulled it over to the sofa. “Are you overwhelmed, terrified, confused or unsure about Nuke?”
Jasmine nodded. “All of the above. Well, not terrified.”
“Welcome to our world,” Amy laughed. “I’ve been with Mitch since I was fifteen. He was a prospect for the club then.” Amy leaned into Jasmine. “And way too old to be fooling around with me. He was twenty-two at the time. My dad lost his mind when he found out. Sometimes love can’t be stopped. We got married when I was seventeen.”
“It can be stopped,” Jasmine said as she shifted the ice pack to her ribs. “Life has a way of stopping it.”
“I’ve known Nuke for a really long time,” Amy said. “He’s insane, but that’s part of his charm. He’s well-read, which is impressive considering he didn’t go to college. He can get into these dark moods where he barely talks to anyone. ”
“Yeah, he also only tells you what he wants you to know. Nothing more and a whole lot less.” Jasmine tried to laugh but her face hurt too much.
Amy agreed. “There’s a lot of women out there,” Amy pointed out the door, “that would love to be you. You want to know why? Because it’s obvious that he’s in love with you. My question for you is, are you in love with him?”
“Yes.”
“You sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Then you need to learn to deal with the feeling of being overwhelmed, confused, unsure, and at some point in the future, you might be terrified. It happens to all of us sooner or later. Find your own coping mechanism. You did well today with how you dealt with things. Don’t sell yourself short. You have a good gut instinct. What does your gut tell you about Nuke and the club?”
“He loves me, and he’ll try to make them love me,” she said, with a closed-mouth chuckle.
“True. What happened to you today was a rare thing. You hooked up with Nuke at a bad time for the club. When things go back to normal, that’s going to be the real test to your relationship.”
“Why?”
“When he starts parking his Harley in your living room, the whole bad-boy biker thing will start to wear on your nerves,” Amy laughed.
Jasmine smiled. “I’m worried he’ll lose his patch over me. Then he’ll hate me.”
“Because you’re black? Oh, please, Pipe was screwing a chick that used to be a man. No one gave a shit about that. Pussy is pussy to these guys. They don’t care about that. It’s their world; we women just get invited in. An old lady, no matter what color she is, only needs to know one rule: Do as you’re told.”
“What about what happened with the prospect?”
“Nuke’s patch is safe babe. You’re safe here, too. You’re Nuke’s bitch, and that carries weight around here. He’s an officer in the club, and the only reason he’s not VP or Sergeant at Arms is because Nuke doesn’t want to be. He likes being Road Captain.”
“Thanks,” Jasmine said quietly. Mentally, she felt slightly better.
Amy stood up and moved the chair back to its place. “Get some rest. Nuke will be back in a little bit.”
“Okay, thanks again for the talk.”
“No problem.” Amy headed out of the door. “We’ll be seeing a lot of each other!”
***
Jasmine dozed off again but woke up when Nuke walked through the door three hours later.
“Hey,” he said as he sat down on the floor by her. “You scared the shit out of me, and I don’t scare easily. How you feeling, baby?” Nuke touched the bruises on her face. “The prospect said you’ll be alright. You passed out because…”
“Probably because I was scared shitless,” Jasmine replied.
“Because you were traumatized and have a head injury,” he corrected her.
“That, too, but I was also in fear for my life. At least I didn’t trip over nothing at all like those chicks do in horror movies,” she said. “I kept it together until I felt safe with you.”
He smiled. “Jasmine, I’m sorry I got you into all of this.”
“I got me into all of this.” Jasmine touched her head. Her entire face was throbbing and so was her body. She hurt in places she didn’t think should be sore.
Nuke rose up and then sat down on the edge of the sofa as she scooted over. “You did what none of us could do. You found the snitch. That bitch was right in front of our noses. The club appreciates that. I appreciate what you did.”
“It was an accident. It’s not like I went over there suspecting her. I was trying to salvage my friendship with her. We hadn’t talked in over a month.”
“I know, but you kept your wits about you. You got proof. You did good, babe.”
“I really feel like shit,” she said, rubbing her head.
“I’ll get the prospect.” Nuke stood up. He was worried that she would pass out again.
She grabbed his hand and pulled to stop him. “No, wait.”
“I’ll be right back.”
“Please don’t go.”
Nuke hesitated. “We got him. The one that hurt you,” Nuke said as he sat back down. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
“Where is he?”
Nuke just stared at her. She felt the reality of wanting a bad boy weighing down on her soul.
“He’s not going to hurt you again,” he said, picking up her hand to kiss it.
She felt like she couldn’t breathe. “I need some air!”
“I don’t think you should get up,” Nuke said.
Jasmine looked over at what she assumed was a window. It was boarded up. “Why is the window blocked off?”
“Security reasons,” Nuke said.
This whole thing felt like she was living someone else’s life. “I hated boring,” she sniffed with a tiny laugh. “Cindy told me that I needed to learn to love it. I guess I got what I asked for.”
Nuke rubbed his hand across his face. He stared down at the floor, then back at her. “I know it’s hard, but my life, believe it or not, can be boring.”
“She was going to let him kill me. Cindy just stood there, Nuke, and did nothing as he hit and kicked me.”
Nuke reached out and brushed her tears away. “It’s handled, baby. I swear to you I won’t let anything happen to yo
u again.”
“You can’t promise me that. We didn’t know it was going to happen this time. One minute Cindy and I were sitting there talking, eating chocolate. I go to the bathroom, and when I walk back into the dining room, my life gets turned upside down.”
“I guess I won’t let you leave the house without me,” Nuke joked.
“I don’t want to be Cindy,” she said and shook her aching head. “I don’t want to turn into a heartless person.”
“You won’t. You’re nothing like her.”
“Not now, but what…”
“She came in bitter. You didn’t.”
Jasmine looked away, shaking her head again. “You didn’t see her. She was thinking of herself and not me. She didn’t even attempt to help me.”
“Baby, you have a good heart. You’re the yin to my yang. Cindy sold us out. I don’t know for what reason, but I’m sure it was something as shallow as Kevin fucking around on her. She, all by herself, turned a feud into a war with casualties.”
“I don’t want to become her. I can’t…”
“Baby, look at me.” Nuke turned her face back toward him. “I know that the right thing to say would be I’m letting you go and that this life isn’t for you. I can’t do that. I’m selfish and I want you. I need you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
“I love you, Nuke, but…”
“No, no buts.” He leaned in close, his face only inches from hers. “I’ll kill any motherfucker that hurts you, do you understand me? Anyone that hurts you, I’ll fucking put a bullet in his head and sleep well that night.”
She sat there speechless for several moments. “I don’t think you should say this to me in case I get indicted by the Feds,” she said and forced a laugh.
“I trust you.”
“I’m already turning cold-hearted. I don’t feel upset hearing this.”
“You’re relieved; that doesn’t make you cold-hearted. Do you know what he could have done to you? The torture he could have put you through in that house? Ask Pam, Jamie’s wife, when you meet her. He could have called over the entire club. When they finished with you, he would have put a bullet in your head or beat you to death.”
“He hated me. I hadn’t done anything to him. I didn’t even know his name.”
“He’s not worth you knowing his name.”
Brian’s question about the shooting of the Grave Walker president reappeared in her mind. The look on her face must have caused concern for Nuke.
“Are you afraid of me now?” Nuke searched her eyes.
She shook her head.
“Are you sure?” Nuke asked. “I need to hear you say it. Tell me that you’re not afraid of me.”
She reached out and cupped his face. “I’m not afraid of you, Nuke.” She moved to kiss him but let out a low moan of pain.
“Don’t move around, baby. You’re making yourself hurt!” Nuke scolded her.
She ignored him and brought her lips to his mouth, giving him the passionate kiss of a woman grateful to feel safe in his arms.
He broke from her. “Baby, don’t get me started,” he teased.
Jasmine began to stroke his face, letting her fingers caress his chiseled jawline. “I need you,” she said as she looked into his blue eyes. She leaned forward and began kissing and licking his neck.
He groaned, saying, “Babe, you’re in no shape for this.”
She pushed up his shirt and lowered her head. Soon, his muscular chest and stomach were glistening with her saliva. “Please, baby,” she said as she looked up at him. She needed to feel him inside her. Holding her, protecting her.
“Jaz, baby, not now! Lie back down and rest.”
He might be saying no, but she could see his swollen cock pressing against the front of his pants. Groaning with pain, she laid back, pulling him on top of her.
“Jaz!” He pulled himself back. “Lay still. You’re injured,” he told her.
“Nuke, please. I really need you.”
“Baby, listen to me. I don’t want to hurt you. You’ve been through enough today. You know how I get,” he said as he cracked a smile and his hand gently rubbed across her bruised ribs.
She pouted and smiled at the same time.
“Stop that. You know I like that shit!” He playfully pointed a finger at her. He raised her 822 supporter shirt and glared at the bruises on her. “Maybe I should take you to the ER.” He leaned forward and kissed her bruises. “These look even worse now than they did a few hours ago.” He kissed her stomach, and she reached down and rubbed her fingers through his hair.
“Want to kiss me a little bit lower?” she asked.
Nuke looked up at her as he continued to kiss her bumps and bruises. He took a deep breath as he laid his head on her stomach. He stayed there silently for a moment. “Fuck!” He began to undo her jeans. In one quick motion, he had them off and on the floor.
“Touch me please,” she cried out.
He raised himself up over her. The leather smell of his cut filled her nostrils as his tongue traced a line down her throat and across her collar bone. She bit down on her swollen lip as he slid down her body and then removed one of her breasts from her bra and began to suckle. She arched her back and spread her legs wide. She needed to feel him deep inside her.
She pushed her panties to the side as he stroked the soft flesh at the top her legs and his rough fingers entered her. “I love how wet you get for me baby,” he said.
She tilted her hips up, offering herself to Nuke as he lowered himself down between her legs. His tongue swept across her pussy. She gasped as Nuke’s mouth latched onto the soft pink bud of her clit, and he started to suck and swirl his tongue around it.
Jasmine screamed, pushing herself forward against his mouth, losing all sense of everything that had happened that day. Pure sexual energy exploded through her as she rode out the quick waves of her orgasm. She was panting, and her eyes fluttered open as he gently licked her clit several more times before stopping.
He rose up, leaned in and kissed her as he released his cock from his jeans. Nuke grabbed her hips with both hands and edged his cock inside her. Slowly at first, so that she could feel every inch of him sliding into her, and then a little harder, faster. It wasn’t long before Jasmine was on the brink of another orgasm.
Nuke was staring into her eyes as he pulled out and started stroking his cock and then slamming back inside her again. Over and over, he rode her. Deep, guttural growls and moans came from him as he kissed her passionately.
“I swear I’ll keep you safe,” he mumbled against her lips and spilled his seed inside her.
Chapter Eighteen
Welcome to the Family
Two hours later, Nuke helped her to her feet. She swayed slightly, but then caught her balance. She let go of him and walked over to the mirror on the wall. “I look like shit!” She had a huge bump on her forehead, a black eye, along with scrapes and bruises on her face. She raised her shirt and saw the bruises on her rib cage and stomach. “It hurts to breathe. I think he cracked a rib or two.”
“I should take you to the hospital,” Nuke said, sounding in pain himself.
“Nothing they can do. I’m calling out of work on Monday, though. I can’t go in there looking like this. I have vacation time. I’m going to take the week off if they let me.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m planning on making you quit anyway.”
Jasmine turned around and made a face. “Oh, really?”
“Yep, we’re moving into together, too. I was looking at a place online the other day. Until then, you and Stella are moving in with me and Jell-O.”
“And what am I supposed to do with my house?”
“Sell it to Jamie maybe. His wife doesn’t want to live where they’re at anymore. I don’t blame her, she doesn’t feel safe.”
“But if Cindy told that guy where I live, then he probably told other members. They won’t be safe there either.”
“She didn’t te
ll him shit. It was coincidental that he found you there.”
“That’s not what he told me at the restaurant,” Jasmine insisted.
“People tend to tell the truth when they think their life depends on it.”
“You got all of this worked out, huh?”
“Yep!”
“What’s going to happen to Cindy?” Jasmine asked in a shaky voice.
“She fled her house. So, as of right now, nothing because we can’t find her.”
“And when you find her, what then?”
“Things will be handled. Let’s go get you something to eat.”
She shook her head. “I can’t go out there. I look horrible.”
He made a face as he took her hand. “You’ll be fine. Plus, people want to meet the heroine that took down the threat of the club.”
Jasmine dragged her feet as he tugged her toward the door.
“Come on, stop being a big baby. They won’t bite. Well, some of them might,” he chuckled.
“Nuke!” she protested. “I look like shit. Just let me hide out here in peace.”
“Don’t be silly!” They headed out into the main portion of the clubhouse.
“Am I staying here tonight?” Jasmine asked.
“Yeah, for a few days at least. I’ll be here, too.”
“Okay. Are all of these men with no patches on their backs hang-arounds?” Jasmine’s eyes scanned the room. There was more people here now than when she had arrived.
“Not everyone. Some are 822 friendly.”
“This isn’t how I thought my first visit to the clubhouse would be. I pictured it more fun.”
Nuke nodded in agreement. “Yeah, me too.”
As Nuke showed her around, she was introduced to so many people that her head began to spin and not from her injuries. Just as her nervousness was subsiding, she spotted Zoe. She immediately became tense again. Nuke sat her down on a sofa near the pool table. He motioned for one of the scantily clad girls to come to them. “She needs something to eat.”
The petite blonde nodded and rushed off.
“Who’s that?” Jasmine asked.
“Kim, Kate, Cathy, shit I can’t remember. I’m going to be right over there, okay?” Nuke pointed to the pool table.