The Hero

by Amelia Shea

  “Do I gotta ask?” His feral tone sent shivers over her neck. His chest pressed against her back, inching her toward the door.

  She rested her forehead against the door. “It’s the only way I’m staying.”

  It was all she wanted. Just ask me.

  He sighed, pushing off her body. This was it. He was letting her go. He wasn’t asking her to stay or even insisting on it. He’d probably be relieved to be rid of her. All that bullshit about her being special was just talk. Why’d he even bother saying it? She slumped against the door, gripping the handle. She pulled away from the door when she heard the slight murmur.

  “Stay.”

  It was so soft she wasn’t sure if he’d said it, or she just imagined it. She craned her neck and glanced over her shoulder. He stood a foot away with his gaze set on her. His deep scowl formed strong lines between his brows.

  She licked her lips and took a chance. “Say it again.”

  He furrowed his brows and tightened his lips. He seemed to be stalling, but she’d wait. His nostrils flared, and his gaze lifted to the ceiling. The cords of his neck were strained and bulging.

  “Rourke, say it,” she whispered.

  It seemed like forever as she stared back at him, with him refusing to look at her. And then he spoke through gritted teeth.

  “I want you to stay.”

  She glanced up through her lashes. “You do?”

  He stalked forward, grasping her waist and tightening his grip. “Yeah.”

  She couldn’t hold back her smile. “Now, was that so hard?” When he glared, Macy laughed. “Babe, my admission was way harder than you asking me to stay, don’t ya think?” Macy shrugged. “And I did it.”

  “It was bullshit.”

  She flinched, and her lips drew down in a pout. What the fuck? She put her heart out there, giving him all of her, and he calls bullshit?

  He smirked. “You’re the prize, sweetheart, not me. Whatever the fuck league you’re talking about, you’re outta mine, but makes no difference to me. I may not deserve you, Mace, but no fucking way I’m letting you go this time.”

  Oh. My. God. It wasn’t Shakespeare or poetry, but it was the most beautiful thing this man could ever say to this girl. She wrapped her arms over his shoulders.

  “I’m gonna piss you off again, Rourke.”

  He flattened his lips and slowly nodded.

  “Probably start an irrational, nonsense fight from time to time.”

  He cocked his brow, sighed, and nodded again.

  “You might regret asking me to stay.”

  His reaction was without hesitation. He shook his head.

  “So, am I staying in my white pristine room.” She licked her lips. “Or in here.” She paused, then whispered, “With you.

  The corner of his mouth jutted up, and he snorted. “What do you think?”

  She reached up on her toes, pressing her lips against his.

  “I really wish we’d had this conversation last night.”

  Rourke cupped her neck, grazing his lips over her forehead. “Me too.”

  Her hands traveled up his chest and around his neck, giving a slight tug and pulling his mouth to hers. She kissed him with everything she was feeling and his hands curled over her waist, dropping down to her ass in a tight squeeze. Her tongue spiked between his lips and entered his mouth, giving a soft moan as she entered.

  His hand threaded through her hair, and he pulled her down toward him. His lips slid over hers, slow and meticulous. Not the usual kind of kiss they shared but by far the best. She lifted on her toes, trying to get as close as humanly possible. She wrapped her hands around his waist, tugging him closer and holding on as if he could slip away at any second.

  She melted into him when his fingers grazed over her scalp. Her skin tingled. This was all she needed. Him. The only thing she needed more than the air in her lungs was his lips on hers and his protective embrace.

  It was short-lived.

  “Uhhhh…hate to cockblock but we gotta go.” The sound of Gage’s voice on the other side of the wall was completely deflating the mood.

  “Fuck me,” Rourke growled and eased back slightly. The lines on his forehead became more pronounced. He was not happy, which in turn, made Macy grin. His gaze flickered down to her, obviously confused.

  “I’d like to, but Gage is totally cockblocking right now.” She winked.

  The corner of his mouth curled in the sexiest half-smile she’d ever seen. She dug her nails in his back and tilted her head.

  Teasing Rourke was not an easy feat so when he snorted, which was followed by a snicker, Macy couldn’t batten down her anxious, giddy giggle. His fingers dug into her scalp. It felt so good. Everything with him felt good.

  “Gotta run down to the club then swing by the shop. You be all right here alone for a few hours?”

  “Yeah, maybe I’ll go hang with Trini if she’s around.”

  His face softened as he searched her face. “Yeah, do that.”

  Macy smiled. “Hey, I thought you were going up to Ghosttown tonight?”

  He leaned closer, skimming his lips against hers. “Changed my mind.”

  She gripped his neck, pulling him down to deepen their kiss. From their bodies pressed together, she could feel the effects of his arousal poking against her stomach.

  “Hey man, c’mon.” The pounding of the door had Rourke lifting his fist and slamming back onto the panel.

  Macy jumped against him from the vibrations of the wall. She hooked her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his neck with a lingering kiss. His chest rumbled against her in a soft growl.

  “You go before you’re forced to kill Gage.” She chuckled.

  Rourke sighed and pulled away. Then he did something he’d never done. He grasped her hand before opening the door. She tightened her grip and followed him out. Gage and Cheyenne were in the kitchenette area, and both glanced over, their eyes dropping to their clasped hands.

  Cheyenne smiled, but Macy caught the hesitation. Gage hooked his arm over her shoulder. “Awww…you guys made up.”

  “Get the fuck outta my house,” Rourke barked. He wasn’t quite as amused as the rest of them. Macy refrained from laughing, but she wanted to.

  Gage walked around the counter with Cheyenne following. She didn’t miss the tight features on her friend’s face. Obviously, Cheyenne wasn’t quite sold on the idea of them being together.

  Rourke turned to her and she released his hand. Then he shocked the hell out of her again. He gripped her neck and kissed her. It was slow and lingering, more than a peck, less than anything which might lead to getting him laid. It was sweet and honest and real. She gripped his hip, giving him a light squeeze, and when he retreated from her mouth, she pushed forward taking one more kiss. His thumb caressed her chin and he smiled.

  “Bye.”

  He gave her one last look then turned and walked out the door. She waited until both men left and the door slammed behind them. She turned to Cheyenne.

  “So, I take it you’re not coming to stay with me at Trax’s house.”

  Macy couldn’t contain her smile. “Nope.”

  Cheyenne nodded. “Okay.”

  “What, Chey?”

  Her best friend widened her eyes and shook her head but remained silent. Macy moved forward, blocking the door and folded her arms.

  “You’re not leaving until you say it.”

  “Say what?”

  “Whatever you gotta say ’cause you standing here with a plastered smile nodding is driving me nuts. I get it, you don’t want me with him. Just say it.”

  Cheyenne sighed with a small frown. “I want you to be happy, Mace, it’s all I ever want for you, and if Rourke does it then I want you guys together.” Cheyenne bit her lip eyeing Macy. “But it’s gonna take me a minute or two to forget what went down last night.” She snorted. “Trax and I have been together more than six months and you’re still bitter with him so cut me some slack, it’s only been twenty-f
our hours with Rourke.”

  Macy clamped her lips and straightened her back. She was right. While Macy didn’t dislike Trax, she certainly gave him a rough time at the beginning. Cheyenne had been quicker to forgive him than Macy had been, and if she was being truly honest, she did harbor a bit of anger with him for hurting her best friend. She’d let most of it go seeing how happy Cheyenne was with him. Still, it had taken much longer than a day.

  “I don’t hate Trax.”

  Cheyenne smirked. “And I don’t hate Rourke. But can I at least get a week to be pissed?”

  Macy dropped her arms and stepped closer to Cheyenne, eyeing her carefully. “You’re too nice. You’ll never last a week being pissed off.”

  Cheyenne grinned. “Probably not, seeing you this happy with him.”

  Macy wrapped her arms around her best friend. During their shared embrace, Macy made a mental note to make more of an effort with Trax. She had been honest when she said she’d let it go for the most part. It was time to let it all go. He made Cheyenne happy, and that was good enough for her.

  ****

  He may have bailed on the Ghosttown trip set for tonight, but he was obligated to attend the meeting at the clubhouse. All the members had showed, but they were waiting on Dobbs, who was coming in late from another charter.

  They had solidified their deal with seven other charters to solely purchase the parts and tools from them at cost. In exchange, they would pay a percentage of their earnings quarterly to the club. They received some pushback about the percentage amount, but Kase didn’t waver. If they wanted in, their take was nonnegotiable. They knew it was in their best interest since along with that operation, they would also have access to the scrap yard they had planned on developing on the edge of town. It was a solid deal.

  Dobbs walked through the door with a short wave. “Traffic was hell.”

  Kase turned in his seat. “We good?”

  Dobbs smiled. “Yeah, they’re in. They’ve started to cut back on their stock. Told them we’d be up and running in six months.”

  “Hoping we can get shit moving and open quicker, but for now, six months is what we tell ’em.” Kase lifted a folder then tossed it into the center of the table. “This is a list of properties. If it isn’t crossed out, it’s up for grabs. Need you to remember, if you’re building, the plans and supplies fall on you.” He scanned the room. “You need help, we got ya, just let me know.”

  Dobbs reached forward, grabbing a paper, smiling. “Never lived in my own fucking house. Now I get to pick one for free. Life is good, fuckers.”

  The guys laughed, but when Kase knocked on the table, he gained their attention. “Nothing free here, brothers. Five years of sacrifice from all of us made this happen. You gave everything to your club. Make no mistake, each one of you motherfuckers earned this.”

  They had earned it, every single member. It had been a long haul with major financial sacrifice. Rourke lost count of how many runs, jobs, and pick-ups he’d done, all on his own dime. At times, it was a struggle for all the members. Believing in Kase’s vision took a lot of trust. Now, it had finally paid off.

  Rourke glanced over at Trax. “You got a move in date?” Trax had chosen a vacant piece of property and was in the process of building.

  “Seven months, but like Kase, I’m hoping it’s sooner.”

  “If the clubhouse ain’t ready by then I might have to bunk with you and Chey,” Gage said.

  “Not a chance in fucking hell, Gage.”

  Kase shook his head and glanced around the table. “Anything else?”

  Rourke pulled out a piece of paper, tossing it on the table.

  Kase leaned forward, grabbing the paper then glanced up. “Who the fuck is Bryant Thomas?”

  “Macy’s blind date,” Gage said.

  Kase and the club had been given an abbreviated version of what went down the other night. Between the chaos of bringing Macy into the club and getting the doctor out, Rourke hadn’t gone into too much detail about the specifics.

  “What the fuck is it with you guys?” Kase glared between Rourke and Trax. “Do ya search for the biggest pain in the ass women?”

  A few guys laughed. Rourke didn’t. He knew how his president felt about Macy. She was one of few people who had ever been banned from the club. Helping Macy would not be a priority for him.

  Kase eyed Rourke. There was nothing he could say or do to stop him from retaliation. If Kase and the club weren’t going to back him, it wouldn’t stop Rourke.

  Kase shook his head. “I’ll get the info, but listen to me.” He pointed at Rourke. “This isn’t your issue, this is a club issue. You wanna go at him, you have the club backing you, making sure what we do is done right so none of you assholes end up behind bars. Ya hear me?”

  Rourke jerked his chin and bit back his own surprise. It was a confirmation he hadn’t expected. Kase may not like Macy, but he’d accept her. For his brother.

  “Not fucking around, Rourke. You do this so no one gets caught. ’Cause you go off the rails, our club feels the blowback.” He narrowed his gaze with warning. “Then we have a problem.”

  Rourke and the guys sat around for the next thirty minutes bullshitting before making their way out. Before they left the meeting, Rourke grabbed a list and tucked it in his pocket. He was being discreet. Or so he thought. Trax caught up to him outside as he was mounting his bike.

  “Need you to check out the commercial sites available. Two miles down from my house is a large open space. Thinking we pool our money together, open one garage, servicing both bikes and auto.”

  They’d talked about opening together in the past. Rourke even offered Trax space in his own garage for his repairs, but his brother declined choosing to work out of his home garage. It seemed he’d changed his mind.

  “Is there a building on it?”

  Trax shook his head. “No, but we get a set up like Cade has, shouldn’t hit us too hard. Next time we’re up in Ghosttown, we’ll ride over, check his out and see if it’ll work for us.”

  “All right.” Rourke put on his helmet and started his engine. Trax started to walk away.

  “Hey.”

  Trax turned.

  “The storefronts? Still available?”

  The corner of his mouth curled. There would only be one reason he would be asking about a storefront on Main Street, and Trax knew it. He folded his arms. “Yeah, a few.”

  Rourke was thinking in the future. Fuck him. They hadn’t even had a week without chaos between him and Macy, and he was thinking about a future in Ghosttown with her.

  “You say the word, and I’m in,” Trax said and turned around.

  Macy and Cheyenne were years away from getting their shop. They didn’t have the cash, but Rourke and Trax did. All they’d need is the renovations done, taxes paid, and like all the businesses members opened or sponsored, a percentage of their quarterly earnings.

  He’d been at his garage for most of the afternoon after leaving the clubhouse. Sifting through paperwork was his least favorite thing. Knowing he had Macy back at his place only seemed to drag out the day longer.

  His phone rang, and Rourke immediately answered. He’d been waiting on this all day.

  “Yeah.”

  “210 Victor Street, Apartment C. Lives alone.”

  Rourke settled back in his seat.

  “You do not do shit without bringing it to me and the brothers, you hear me?”

  “Yeah,” Rourke said, and ended the call with Kase.

  Having his address should have eased his mind. At least now he knew where he was. It did the opposite. It gave Rourke access to the man who possibly drugged Macy. He was still waiting on his buddy from the bar to review the tapes. He folded his hands and cracked his knuckles. Confirmation of the video would only fuel his desire from revenge. He needed to get together and figure out how he wanted it to go down. With Macy off from work for the next week, it gave him time to plan and execute the demise of the motherfucker.


  He circled his neck and leaned down on his elbows, dragging his hands over his face. After how it went down with Macy this morning, he should be on cloud fucking nine. But the dark cloud looming over them was pissing him the fuck off. He hadn’t decided if he would be upfront with her about his plans on taking care of Bryant. Losing her again wasn’t an option.

  A sharp knock got his attention, and he glanced over to find Trini leaning against the doorframe. She looked better now than how he left her this morning.

  “How’s it going?”

  “Too much fucking paperwork.”

  “You could hire me to do it?” She snickered.

  He had tried once before, but it didn’t work out. Putting his sister, who was a knockout, in front of a bunch of guys proved less productive than he hoped. She lasted a week before he fired her and one of his mechanics who had made the mistake of referencing her body within earshot of Rourke.

  “You see Macy today?”

  He had texted her earlier about Macy’s change of plans.

  “See her? We’ve been hanging out with her all day.” Trini pushed off the wall and took a seat across from him. “We had lunch, then ran over to Trax’s to get her inventory for some orders she had come in. I met Cheyenne, who’s an absolute doll.” It was good to see the enthusiasm in his sister’s face and hear it in her tone. She didn’t have too many girlfriends, and being saddled with Emme and rarely any backup, it didn’t leave much time for her to have a life or friends.

  “Oh.” She snapped her fingers. “I scored a free candle. I mean I offered to pay, but Macy refused. It’s lavender lemon. Sounds weird but it smells amazing.”

  Rourke nodded, and the corner of his lip curled.

  Trini sighed. He knew her well enough to know she was hesitating on telling him something he wouldn’t want to hear. “So, I have good news.” She grinned then twisted her lips, and her shoulders sagged. “And I have bad news.”

  Was a day where only good shit happened too much to fucking ask for? One fucking day. He gritted his teeth and tension rose in his neck.

  “What?”

  “Dad was released.”

  Rourke slammed his hand down on the desk, sending Trini shooting back in her chair. “Fuck me,” he shouted.