Taming Keys: Charon MC Book 12

by Wren, Khloe

  I stilled, before shifting my gaze from Mac to Taz, then Scout. "We've all noticed how much time you spend on your computer, watching all your cameras twenty-four/seven. It ain’t healthy, brother. If you believe we need to keep an eye on them at all times, you ask for fucking help. Take a couple of brothers, maybe a few of the prospects, and train them up. Hell, we'll start a security company if we have to, and fucking pay them to keep watch. You can't do it on your own, no one person could. Bridgewater’s too big."

  To hide the swell of emotion making my eyes sting, I shook my head and forced out a laugh. "So how long you been planning this little intervention, Scout?"

  I looked back to the charred shit in front of us and let the memories take me back. The weather over the past two years had taken care of a lot of the remains of the fire we'd set, but not all of it. As I stared at the blackened bits of timber, I recalled in vivid detail what we'd found back then.

  As soon as I’d traced Zara’s location, Scout and Taz had ridden out with Mac while I'd joined Donna in the tank — the club’s own ambulance. Years ago, we'd kitted out the vehicle with everything it would need to get in or out of just about anywhere and be a fully functioning ambulance. It was my and Donna's baby.

  We'd rolled up with the rest of the club that rainy night to discover a bloodbath inside. Sledge and two other Iron Hammers were dead, and Mac had been sitting, holding Zara sideways on his lap, facing away from us. She was naked and her back had been viciously whipped from her neck to her ass. Mac had looked like a man ruined as he’d sat there carefully nursing his woman. As though by holding her to him, he could hold her to earth.

  As we'd loaded her up and got her ready for transport to the hospital, I'd heard Scout order the others to deal with the bodies then burn the barn down. I had no clue who’d had the honor of setting the blaze, not that it mattered. So long as it got done.

  This place had been Sledge’s place. He’d bought it, putting one of the Iron Hammers company names on the deed. We were on friendly terms with the new crew running the club now so knew that they hadn't bothered with even coming to check out the place since the shift of leadership, so it had sat here untouched. It was about an hour ride southwest of Bridgewater, a long way from the boundaries of what the Charon MC considered our area and as far as I knew, this was the first time anyone from the club had returned.

  Neither Scout nor the others had answered me, not that they needed to. They were right to call me on my shit. I was running myself and my old lady into the ground, had been for years. It was time to stop blindly digging myself a hole that was rapidly getting too deep to climb out of.

  I cleared my throat. "A team sounds good. Setting up a security company would give the general public, the ones too scared to reach out to an MC, somewhere to go to. It'll be easier to protect the town as a whole."

  Scout nodded. "We'll bring it up at church tomorrow and get the ball rolling. Sooner we get it set up, the sooner you can take a step back and breathe a little. Maybe take your woman on a fucking vacation or something."

  The thought of taking Donna away for a while had me smiling. "Yeah, I'm sure she'd love that. Can't remember the last time we took some time off together."

  Scout reached over and gave my shoulder a squeeze. "Exactly, my friend. And that shit ain't right. You and Donna need to take some time away and reconnect, even if it's only for a night. The town will survive that long without its eye in the sky watching.”

  He was right, and I needed to start looking after my woman and myself…right fucking now. I’d begin making calls now, but there was no service out here.

  “Soon as we get back, I’ll make the calls. Donna and I will be taking next weekend off.”

  “Good to hear. Now, let’s get the fuck away from this place and ride.”

  He circled his finger in the air and we all started our sleds up and headed out. I hoped Scout didn’t plan on going straight back to Marie’s. It had been a damn long time since we’d gone for a nice long ride for no reason other than to feel the wind on our faces. I wasn’t ready for it to be over yet.

  Donna

  After the men had all headed out, Marie set a mug and plate in front of me before she moved to take her seat beside me again. Everyone knew what today was, could guess why I was upset, and I appreciated they let me be while I got my shit back in its box. By the time I'd finished my coffee, eaten my pie and had enough baby cuddles with Joey to soothe my heart, I was feeling more human and ready to join in the conversation going on around me.

  The club’s newest business, Hera Daycare, was being run by Bess’ mother-in-law, Barbara, so Bess was entertaining everyone with stories of opening week. I couldn't help smiling as she told a story that involved the sweet, innocent boy I was holding and Barbara.

  Marie was shaking her head, trying to hold in her laughter. "No way. My son would never do such a thing."

  I gave Joey's nose a tweak. "I bet he did it on purpose. Didn't you, little man? It wasn't your momma changing your diaper, so you set the sprinkler going, didn't you?"

  He gave me a grin and a coo that melted me and had us all laughing.

  When Bess got her chuckling under control, she wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. "I shouldn't laugh, but it really was funny. Poor Barbara. Hopefully she'll turn up tomorrow."

  Since it was Sunday afternoon, the center was not open today, hence we had Bess here to chat with us and little Joey for cuddles. The cafe used to be closed on Sunday's too, but Marie had started opening it seven days a week a while back, now that she had more employees she could trust to run things. Marie herself wasn't technically working today, but was here to catch up with all of us.

  "Where is Barbara? She knows she's welcome to join us, right?"

  Bess rolled her eyes. "Ashlynn begged for a Grandma-Granddaughter day and we all know Barbara cannot say no to that girl. It worked out well since Needles is working most of the day down at Silky Ink and I wanted to come hang out here with y’all."

  Marie snickered again. "It's even funnier that Ashlynn managed to convince Barbara to take Ariel as well. Those two can weave a story, I tell you. Had us all feeling like hell because poor little Ariel has no grandma of her own."

  Bess shook her head. "Those two together are a force of nature. We're going to be in for it when they're teenagers."

  Marie shuddered. "I don't want to think about it."

  Remembering one of the girls’ earlier plans I didn't recall hearing the ending of I spoke up. "What happened about that horse they wanted?"

  Bess dropped her head over onto Flick's shoulder with a dramatic groan, making the rest of us laugh.

  "Those girls somehow managed to contact someone about a damn horse they had for sale. I got an email with a sales contract and address to mail it with a certified check for purchase. The owners didn’t sound very happy they’d been scammed by horse-crazy kids. Heaven forbid those two get hold of our credit card information!”

  That had me smiling wistfully at a memory of Emma. "Em brought home a goat once. She'd arranged to buy it off a kid in her class who lived on a farm. She must have been around ten years old."

  That set off another round of laughter that I couldn’t help but join.

  "Seriously? A goat? How the hell did she get it home?"

  I gave Flick a smirk. "She walked it on a leash, of course. I can still remember the look of horror on Keys' face when Em came through the door, proud as you please, leading this little goat on a damn dog leash."

  Joey started squirming so I shifted him so he could see everyone. When he still wasn't happy, I passed him back to Marie.

  "What happened to it?"

  "What could we do? We stuck it in the backyard and it mowed our lawn, and trimmed the trees, and ate various pieces of washing for the next two years before Keys finally had enough and found a farmer to take it."

  Rose shook her head. “I remember that. Em was mad at Keys for a month after he sold that goat.”

  "Which was nuts, bec
ause after the first few months she lost all interest in the damn animal!"

  Rose wagged her finger at me. "Ah, but you're forgetting, teenagers aren't supposed to make sense."

  The rumble of Harleys filtering through into the shop stopped the conversation as we all turned to watch our men pull up out the front and dismount their rides.

  "Hmm. Never gets old watching our men on their machines."

  I nodded at Marie's words since I’d just been thinking the same thing. They all came striding in and I was relieved to see Keys looking happier, more settled than he’d been earlier. He came over and when he held his hand out to me, I took it and allowed him to pull me to my feet and in against him. He wrapped his arms around my waist as I rested my palms on his chest. Rising up onto my toes, I wanted to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth, but he turned his head so our lips met. He took control and deepened the kiss, making my heart swell. Holding me tightly against him, he devoured my mouth in a way he hadn’t for a long damn time. Tears pricked my eyes at having my domineering caveman back at last.

  "Get a room!"

  Laughter echoed around us as we broke apart and heat flashed across my cheeks. Keys grinned at me, looking ten years younger than he had this morning. "How about we take Taz's suggestion and head on home to find that room?"

  Biting my lip, I wasn't sure what to say as embarrassment and arousal mixed within me. Keys just continued to grin down at me before he turned to the others.

  "We'll catch you all later. Thanks for the ride, brothers."

  With his warm palm against my lower back, he guided me out to his bike.

  Chapter Eleven

  Keys

  It was with a much lighter heart that I rode home from Marie's with Donna behind me, where she belonged. Her arms wrapped around my waist, her breasts pressed against my back. I couldn't believe how different the world looked now compared to just hours earlier.

  A lot of the shit I'd been feeling this morning was still there, weighing me down, but with Scout's idea of a security team to help monitor everything, I could see a way forward. A way to prevent further losses in the future. A way to share the fucking load. Because he'd been right. Bridgewater was too big for just me to monitor everything, and that's what I'd been trying to do. It took so much of my time, I barely saw Donna most days. And it had been a long damn time since I'd been inside my woman, felt her wrapped around me. Showed her how much I fucking loved her.

  That was changing tonight.

  This morning might have been a clusterfuck. Today might be the second anniversary of burying our daughter, but dammit, we were going to end the day right.

  Once I'd parked and we were both off my bike and our helmets stowed, I took her hand and led her up the path to the house. Making fast work of unlocking things, I got us both inside and kicked the door shut. Before she could utter a word, I shoved Donna up against the wood and had my mouth on hers. With a moan, she relaxed against me and opened her lips, darting her tongue out to dance with mine. It didn't take long before I wanted—needed—more. I reached for the bottom of her shirt and lifted it up, breaking the kiss only long enough to lift it off her, before I was back at her. Fuck, I'd missed this. This heat and urgency that had always been between us.

  She wrapped her arms around my neck and lifted a leg to wrap around my hip. Taking the hint, I gripped her ass and lifted her, enabling her to wrap both her legs around my waist. Her pussy ground against my hard cock, the layers of denim doing nothing to lessen the impact of feeling her heat against me.

  "Fuck, Donna."

  With a whimper, she peppered kisses across my cheek until she got to my ear, where she nipped the lobe. My cock throbbed in response and I turned to head to the bedroom. As I passed the kitchen table, I grinned and changed direction. Fuck taking my woman to bed. I'd do that when we were ready for sleep. We might be older than we once were, but we weren't so old I couldn't fuck my woman in any room of the house I damn well wanted to.

  Setting her on the edge of the table, I flipped her bra catch open then dropped to my knees to take her boots off, looking up as she peeled the lacy material off her breasts. I stopped and rubbed her feet for a few moments as I absorbed the sight she made. When she moved to cross her arms over herself, I shook my head and reached over to tweak her nipple.

  "Don't, babe. Fucking love looking at you and all your sexy curves."

  Pink flashed across her cheeks as she smirked at me. "Wouldn't mind takin' in your curves, if only you weren't wearing so much."

  With a laugh, I stood and toed off my boots, stripping out of my cut and shirt. "Glad you like the dad bod I've got going on."

  Telling me I've got curves? Dammit. I might not be rocking a six pack like I had back in the day, but I was no slouch… as I proved just now by carrying her around the house.

  She slipped off the table and resting her palms on my pecs, leaned up to press a kiss to the corner of my mouth, as she liked to do. "I love you, Ben. All of you. Dad bod and all."

  Grunting, I tried to fight the urge to laugh at her antics as I went for the fly of her jeans, nearly tearing the damn zipper off in my haste to get to what lay beneath, all the while kissing her sassy fucking mouth. Her hands didn't stay idle but went for my pants and it wasn't long till we were both naked.

  Wrapping my palms around either side of her waist, I lifted her up so she was sitting on the edge of the table again. Leaving her mouth, I kissed my way down her body, stopping to suck on each of her nipples until she was squirming and gripping a hand in my hair, trying to hold me in place. But I wasn't done with this exploration. Not by a long shot.

  Shifting down, I kissed my way over her softly rounded tummy and down to her pussy. Dropping to my knees, I held her open with my thumbs and licked my tongue up her center, making sure to hit her clit before I pulled back to do it again.

  "Ben!"

  With a grin I added two fingers to the mix, making sure I hit her g-spot on each thrust I made into her wet heat. When she wrapped her fingers in my hair again, pulling my mouth back to her core, I hummed against her clit, sending her over the edge. I lapped up every drop of cream she gave me before I rose up and thrust my dick deep inside her before she had time to fully recover from her first orgasm. I hitched her leg up so she was spread wider and I could get in deep with each thrust. The whole time I kept my gaze locked on hers, making sure I didn’t miss a fucking moment of the way her eyes glazed over when she was this aroused. How a blush would spread across her chest and up her neck when she came for me. Damn, but I'd missed this.

  "I love you, Donna. You're my world. You know that, right?"

  Donna

  I had no damn idea what happened on the ride the men had gone on earlier, but whatever it was, I hoped they planned on doing it on a regular basis in the future. I couldn't remember the last time Keys had been so hot for me that he couldn't wait till we made it to the bedroom. I was probably going to be sore in the morning from acting like I was twenty years younger than I was, but I really, really didn't give a damn. Every ache would be worth it. Keys had been insatiable, not stopping until he'd had me screaming his name twice on the table before he'd carried me in here to our bedroom. Then he'd laid me out and loved on me sweet and gentle. When we'd come together a few minutes ago, I'd started crying with the overwhelming emotions I had swirling within me, which panicked Keys.

  "You sure I didn't hurt you?"

  I lay snuggled up against him, my head resting on one of his biceps, while he stroked his free hand down my hair and back. I looked up into his face with a sniffle.

  "I promise you didn't. You'd never hurt me. It was just very intense. Not all tears are unhappy ones."

  He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before he leaned in to press a kiss to my forehead.

  "That ain't true, love. I've been hurting you for months. Years. I didn't mean for it to get so out of hand. I didn't realize it had until Scout and Mac called me on it earlier. It forced me to see what I’d been doing, and what,
or rather who, I’d been neglecting."

  I rubbed my nose against the hair on his chest, pressing a kiss over his heart before I looked back up at him.

  "You did what you could to cope. I know you, Ben. I know how you need to watch over everyone. I might not always like how much time it takes you away from me, but the way you can jump in and provide the information needed to save those we care about is worth it. Like that time you found Ariel when she'd wandered off. Things like that make the sacrifice all worthwhile."

  Soon after Scout and Marie had taken Ariel in, she'd snuck out of the house and taken off. Everyone was in a panic until Keys had turned up, laptop in hand, to tell them where she was. Poor little love had gone to the cemetery to visit her mom's grave. He’d been able to save the day because he'd low-jacked Ariel’s shoes and a couple of her toys and bags. I was pretty sure he'd done the same thing to everyone in the club that he could—not just the kids—but he was very close-lipped about who, exactly, he had eyes on. He would never, and I mean never, invade someone's privacy without a damn good reason.

  "Nothing is worth losing you. We’ve been drifting and a lot of that is on me. Donna, I promise I’ll do better. Spend more time with you, get a better work/life balance.”

  As he’d spoken, my mind started to churn. He wasn’t the only one who’d buried himself in work. My heart ached at how stupid I’d been, how I’d let things slide as much as Keys had.

  “It wasn’t just you neglecting us. I did the same. I didn’t even realize until just now that I’ve been doing the same damn thing as you. Burying myself in work instead of trying to spend time with you. I should have been helping you monitor things. I’m your wife, Ben, I should have been by your side, helping you. Instead, I was at the hospital taking care of everyone else except the one who matters the most to me.”