by Archer, Addy
“What the fuck are you doing here?” I growl in frustration, quickly wiping away the tears while embarrassment fills my body. “You’re needed in church. Go handle stuff and leave me alone.”
His head tilts to the side, and his eyes narrow as he lets the pillow drop to the floor. “I believe this is my room too, and it seems I’m needed here. Or so my fucking brothers think since they ordered me to go check on you.”
Stalking over to where the pillow landed, I snatch it up and throw it back on the bed. “You’re most definitely not needed here,” I snap. “And no need to check, my pussy is fine and doesn’t need attention. And if it does, I can handle it myself, thank you very much.”
His chuckle shouldn’t affect me, and yet it makes desire heat my veins. Traitorous body. I wish there was an off and on switch for feelings. It would make my life much easier to keep it flipped to off all of the time.
C H A P T E R S E V E N
~ ALARIC ~
The thought of having an old lady was easier in my head than it is in reality. My level of pissed off skyrocketed when she said she was about to regain her freedom. As if she’s chained to me all the fucking time. Here I thought we had a mutual agreement, one we both liked since she sure as fuck likes taking my cock every damn day.
I’m very much aware things have shifted between us since she became mine. Maybe that’s just it; this thing between us isn’t so much a deal as it first started out. I have no motherfucking clue what this is, but I hated walking in to see her stuffing her emotions into a pillow. My brothers were right to say I needed to check on her.
But first, though? First she needs to understand something. “No one touches what’s mine. Not even your own damn fingers if it involves pleasure, understood?”
If looks could kill, I’d be hitting the floor, bouncing my lifeless head a few times to make it picture-fucking-perfect.
“You and I had a deal. I guess it’s safe to say with all the fucking and hanging around, we became somewhat attached to one another,” I state, trying to think of how to explain, to make things normal again between us.
“Attached?” she squeaks. “You’re talking about your dick in my pussy, and that’s it, right? Not the whole appreciate, real relationship, fall in love thing.” She huffs and mutters to herself, “As if I’d know what the hell love would entail.”
“I love fucking you,” I offer and regret throwing it out as soon as her horrified gaze lands on me.
“Great. You know who likes hearing those words? Whores who get their cash,” she sneers before grabbing the pillow from the bed and trying to hit me in the head with it.
Wrong. Fucking. Move.
I rip it away from her hand and throw it to the floor. In one smooth move, I have her pinned between my body and the door. My fingers are around her throat, and I have a solid grip on her ass with my other hand. She’s wearing some flimsy-ass summer dress because in Nevada it’s hot as fuck mid-July.
My chest is damn near heaving, and I have no clue if it’s from the pumped-up anger or from the hot desire running freely through my body. But one thing’s for sure. “Do you fucking think I go head-to-head with every bitch? Maybe once, but then the bitch won’t ever come near me again. But you? You’re the one I crave to have near me at every damn turn. The one I won’t have walking out on me because you’re mine. Not my fucking prisoner but my woman. And you might not know what the hell love would entail, but I don’t either, okay? All I know is how you make me feel, and it’s damn good when I fuck you. When you’re near me, riling me up or helping out in any way, makes me feel as if you were always supposed to be a part of my life. Hell, the way I feel when you mention getting your freedom back makes me nervous as fuck to know you want to leave. Leave me.” Emotions take root in my throat, and it grows into a huge lump, making me choke. “Fuck.”
I step away from her and turn on my heels, needing the space between us to get my bearings. My breathing is choppy, and I have no clue why the hell I’m reacting this way. I don’t do this shit. Emotions. Talking. Getting worked up over some woman. And fuck, I now realize she’s not just some woman. She’s my old lady. And I wish to fuck she knew what that really meant.
How the hell did I get to this point in my life? Me? The runaway boy whose mother was killed when he was at a young age and still needed her. From a mob life where women are forced into marriage—no damn love or feelings involved—to being thrown into the MC life, where women willingly throw themselves at me for a good time, nothing more. Yet, this woman shakes my whole fucked-up life on its foundations.
Her arms slide around my waist as she presses her sweet body against my back. Not thinking twice, I spin around and drag her closer into my arms. Our lips connect, and there’s nothing else that matters in this fucked-up world except the dancing of our tongues.
The utter high she ignites in my veins is like nothing else, unique and indescribable. She’s an addiction. The kind that can bring a grown man willingly to his knees. The kind of euphoria I would kill for.
Hell, I’ll fucking kill each and every person who would ever dare to hurt her, and that’s why I’ve been working my ass off these past few weeks to handle this problem with Romero the correct way, thinking everything through and having every angle covered so killing Romero won’t backfire on her, on the club. It needs to end. She needs to be safe. Safe and in my bed, by my side, for as long as she’ll have me.
Shit. Maybe this is all about my own insecurities. The fact my mother was killed in our own home and no one could save her. And now I’ve finally found someone who spikes my blood and heats my bones—it’s everything I never knew I wanted. Having everything at the tip of my fingers, and yet the threat of letting it slide through said fucking fingers… just the thought is enough to wreak me. I break the kiss and connect our foreheads.
“You drive me crazy,” I mumble.
Her tiny fists bury into my cut, and she shifts her head to tuck it into the crook of my neck. “Ditto,” she whispers.
Just standing and hugging the fuck out of a woman without getting my cock wet is most definitely not something I’ve done in the past. But it’s exactly what the both of us need. With everything going through my mind and the way she acted and threw out her words, it’s clear we’re no longer just a deal set between us.
I guess it’s as good a time as any to ask, “The deal set between us aside, you’re not leaving once it’s safe, right?”
This time it’s a question. Not a demand but something I need to have a straight answer to. Before this woman, I wouldn’t question shit—my word is law. But I’m learning this thing between us is based on a whole give-and-take concept.
“It didn’t even cross my mind. I mentioned getting my freedom back because it would be nice to get out of here. Meaning I would be able to do something. Something like, I don’t know, shopping? And I don’t like shopping all that much, but when you have to stick to one place, you tend to want things just for the hell of it. But I didn’t mean run off and never look back. The last two weeks have been the most relaxing and, in some twisted way, kinda special. Well, until it all blew up in my face just now. Like it always does. It’s the whole ‘why can’t I have pretty things’ mentality. Like finally getting that ice cream cone as a kid. And then when you want to take that first lick? It drops into the street right before your eyes. I’m rambling. I know. But I want this one good thing I found to mean more. But I understand if you don’t think of it in the same way as I do.”
Her head pushes tighter against my skin, and I guess she’s trying to stop her ramblings or is ashamed of throwing out her damn feelings. My fingers slide into her wavy hair and I tighten my fist to pull her head back, connecting our gaze.
“We were doing this, and we are doing this,” I tell her.
It sounds messed up and not clear at all but it’s the best I can do. The way her face lights and the deep sigh ripping from her body tells me this was the very thing she needed to hear.
I guide her head
back to the crook of my neck and hold her there until a thought enters my brain. “Go put on some shoes. We’re going out.”
“We’re going out?” she gasps.
“Yeah,” I tell her and smile, already liking the way her eyes light up. “We’re going shopping. But I also think you should look into classes you want to take. With all the time you’ve spent inside, you could have started back to school already. Well, if you want to anyway. You mentioned something about it last week.”
“But… but don’t you need to stay here and meet with the guys to get things set? And for real? You want me to check into things?” She sputters, sounding shocked.
“I’m the president, Angie. I can do whatever the fuck I want, and as my old lady, so can you. Right now we’re going shopping, and it doesn’t matter if I push everything back for an hour or two.”
She doesn’t question anything else but dashes into action. A few heartbeats later, she stands before me with a huge damn grin on her face. “I’m ready.”
I place my hand on her lower back and guide her out the door. When I see Hunt strolling into the main room in the clubhouse, I tell him, “You want to delay the meeting or handle it for me? I’m going to take Angie out shopping. She needs it, and I owe her. This shit can wait two hours.”
Hunt’s gaze slides to Angie but comes back to me when he says, “You’re right. This shit with Romero can wait a few hours. I’m coming with. Raven needs stuff too, and Angie here can help. Maybe this time she’ll be happy with the shit I buy.”
Angie giggles. “I’m afraid to ask what kind of stuff you buy for her. But come on, Hunt, you showed me today how perfectly fine your daughter turned out. I have to be honest, I never would have guessed you to be a daddy. But she looks like a sweet kid. Any help you need with her, I’m right here. And you mentioned your babysitter quit, right? I can help if you bring her here, if she’s allowed to be here and if you want to. Shit. It might not be the smartest thing to do with the whole danger stuff I’m still wrapped in.”
My lips touch the top of her head, liking the way she steps up for my VP’s kid.
“She’s allowed here.” The corner of Hunt’s mouth twitches. “And I’d be thrilled to have you watch her and have her here at the same time. Finally, an old lady in our midst. One who’s willing to help out and we can rely on, right, brother?”
Damn emotion clogging up my throat. I can only manage a nod as my lips find the top of her head again.
“Okay, let’s go. I’ll have Linc tag along with us. He’s still watching the security tapes? Kylo can take over for a sec, right?” Hunt questions.
Both Linc and Kylo are prospects, though there’s one huge difference. Kylo has been with us for a few months while Linc has been here since the day I found him searching through our trashcan for food. He was sixteen years old at the time and living on the streets.
At first we just took him in. Later he became a prospect, and he shouldn’t be a prospect anymore, but he still looks like a fucking kid. Even if he’s almost twenty-one, I guess I still see him as the sixteen-year-old. But the trust and loyalty from Linc is something we don’t have with Kylo.
He’s still earning his way in while Linc is fucking solid in my eyes. Besides, Myk brought Kylo in. And with the shit Myk pulled, it makes me watch Kylo with hawk eyes, and yet it doesn’t have to mean shit. Myk’s betrayal has nothing to do with Kylo.
I give Hunt another nod. “Make it happen and let the guys know we need them in church about two hours from now.”
Before we head out the door I make sure to grab an extra helmet and then guide Angie to my bike. I take my time putting the helmet on and enjoying the spark in her eyes and the easy smile she gives me.
First time I’m putting a woman on the back of my bike—my old lady. Mighty fine feeling, I can tell you that. And with things settled between us, it opened my eyes to appreciate what I have at my back as I fire up my bike.
Linc and Hunt are right behind me as we ride through traffic and head for the closest mall. I don’t care for shopping, but when I think of Angie, all my mind offers is to make sure she buys some sexy thongs and shit to replace those granny panties she only seems to own. Yeah, I’m liking this whole shopping trip more and more.
Turns out two hours is nothing when it comes to shopping. But the smile on her face during—and now as she strolls back into the clubhouse—is worth putting everything on hold. The only time we argued was when she wanted to pay for the stuff she wanted to buy. I won every argument, though. All I had to mention was “It’s my privilege as your man to give you presents.” And she’d swoon right into a puddle of blushing shyness.
Yeah, I’ve become aware of how easy it is to mold her like putty in my hands with the use of the right words. And it’s not hard to do at all, because those very words are all truth, not one single lie. My chest swells to see her like this, and my cock for sure as hell swells at the mere thought of seeing her in that red lace lingerie I got her. Fuck.
Unfortunately, the time for play is over, I can’t follow Angie into our room and take my time fucking her because Kylo is in my face, asking if he can leave. Why the fuck does this prospect want to leave when we need everyone here? Dammit. Back to work it is.
“No. You need to stay put. Everyone in church?” I ask Kylo.
“Just about, Pres.” He turns and jogs off to the hallway to bellow to the last few guys who aren’t in church yet.
Hunt leans in and whispers, “You did good today, man. And I managed to get some stuff for Raven too. She’s going to be happy when I pick her up later. And fucking remind me to pick her up because the damn sitter ran away again, so it’s all on me to get her to and from school.”
My chest does the whole warming thing again due to Angie. Hunt isn’t the only one liking her. A lot of the others have come to me over the past few weeks, letting me know about the little things they notice and like—such as her cooking skills or making sure there’s great coffee when they wake up. They all like having her around, and she fits right in. Like how I knew she would; it’s the whole reason why I had to claim her when I realized how perfect she is.
I turn my attention to Hunt. “Like Angie said, bring her here. They can entertain each other. Easy solution, right?”
“Yeah.” Hunt agrees as he slaps me on the back, the both of us enter church, and that’s where the easy talk and smiles vanish.
It’s time to kill a fucker who’s a threat to my woman and the MC. We just have to plan it all flawlessly and here’s where it all starts. There’s just one angle we haven’t been able to figure out, and after two fucking weeks it’s still eluding us. It’s the whole reason why we haven’t taken him out yet.
Loud curses ring out as I hear Brewer, Dog, and Neo come into the clubhouse. I rush out of church with Hunt at my back. Dog and Brewer are in each other’s face. Hunt jumps between them. I grab Dog’s cut and pull him back to create some distance.
“What the fuck is going on?” I thunder.
Dog points his finger at Brewer. “I wanted to go after them and he fucking didn’t. He drove straight here while we should have gone after those fuckers.”
I glance back at Brewer and catch Hunt’s gaze. A little shake of his head lets me know he doesn’t understand what’s going on either.
Angie comes rushing back into the room, probably checking what the noise is all about. All eyes are on us, and with the prospects and my woman standing here, I need to get everything under control. “Church, now,” I bellow.
Everyone dashes into motion, and I can’t help but notice the smile and reassuring look Angie gives me before she turns to head back to our room. Yeah, it shows how much trust she gives me to handle shit, and it makes my chest puff out some more.
Weird as fuck because I’ve been the president for a while and have handled a lot of screwed-up shit before she came along, and yet somehow with her being a part of my life it’s all put in a different perspective. More value of actions, intentions, every damn thing.
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“Start fucking explaining, and do it fast,” Hunt snaps as soon as the door slams shut.
Dog is still glaring, but he takes a breath and starts. “When we got to Neo, we barely had his bike on the flatbed when we heard bikes coming our way. Split fucking seconds, man. That’s all we had to jump behind the truck before bullets started to fly. I counted six bikes. They didn’t stop, just emptied their guns as they passed by. I wanted to go after them, but Brewer here drove straight to the clubhouse instead. We don’t know shit about what happened or who the fuck they were. That’s why I wanted to go after them.”
My phone starts to ring, but I ignore it. I have other shit to deal with right now. “None of you saw who those six bikers were or where they belonged to?”
“All I saw was a flash of a red patch on one of their cuts. I think the name started with Trig something,” Neo states.
Starts with Trig, red in their patch. Only one thought enters my mind. “Fuck. Doesn’t Trigger Pull MC have a red patch? But those idiots aren’t anywhere near here. Their mother chapter is in California.”
“I’ll get right on it,” Hunt grumbles and heads for his laptop.
Not only is he my VP but he’s a computer genius who can pull them apart, get them back together and can find anything he wants with a few keystrokes.
My phone starts back up again, and with this shit going on, it makes me wonder if it’s connected. Picking up, I impatiently bark, “What?”
“Now, now, Alaric. There’s no need to get your panties in a twist.” The fucker on the other side chuckles then adds, “Or maybe there is. Didn’t like the little show of what’s to come, now did ya? Let me get right down to business. You owe me a whore. I don’t have to explain myself, do I?”
“Romero,” I growl into the phone, making all eyes land on me as silence takes over the room.
“Ah, so you’re not as stupid as I thought you were,” Romero states, sounding bored with this discussion, and yet his next words hold anger. “Now that I have your attention, I just wanted to make sure you took our conversation yesterday seriously. That whore you killed owed me a lot of cash, but more than that, you’ve also stolen from me her future profit. That whore was worth quite a bit of money to me. So, what I need from you is the sister. A little birdy told me she’s hiding in your clubhouse.”