by Wilder, L.
I got up and followed him to the living room where Mom was sitting on the sofa watching the news. Her eyes were glued to the screen and didn’t even notice when I sat down beside her. Curious to see what had her so enthralled, I turned my attention to the news. That’s when I saw several police officers and David coming out of the courthouse. David’s hands were cuffed behind his back, and news reporters were all in his face, asking questions and taking pictures. It looked like a madhouse. Cameras flashed over and over as the officers led him to one of their squad cars. I was too overwhelmed by what I was seeing to hear anything the anchor woman was saying, so I looked over to Cade and asked, “What’s going on?”
“Turns out, David was already under investigation for taking bribes and possible embezzlement from his campaign funds. The information we leaked to his counterpart only confirmed some of their suspicions. They also mentioned Harper, too.”
“Harper? What about her?”
“That even though she’s been returned home safely, there’s talk that he might’ve had something to do with her kidnapping.” With a look of satisfaction, Cade continued, “They’re saying David will be impeached and unable to run for office again. They’re also talking about a lengthy jail term.”
“So, we did it?”
“Yeah, baby. We did it.”
Too excited to control myself, I leapt off the sofa and rushed over to him, jumping into his arms as I cried, “It’s finally over!”
“Yeah.” His tone changed as he repeated, “It’s finally over.”
I released my hold on him as I stepped back and looked at him. When I saw his face, I knew he’d have to leave me soon. “How long do we have?”
“I’ll stick around until tomorrow. Just to make sure he doesn’t get out on bail.” His eyes met mine as he said, “I’d stay longer, but I really need to get back.”
Even though I was ecstatic that David finally got what was coming to him, my heart sank at the thought of Cade going home so soon. I thought we’d have longer, at least a couple of days, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen. I inhaled a deep breath, trying my best to hide my disappointment, and I thought I was pulling it off until Mom said, “I think you two deserve a little time to celebrate on your own. Why don’t you let me take Harper home with me for the night? That way you can have the night to yourselves?”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course, I’m sure.” Mom smiled as she stood up. “Besides, I love spending time with Harper, and honestly, I really want to be in my own home.”
“Well, okay then. I’ll go get her a bag together.”
“No need,” Mom fussed. “I’ll get her ready. You just relax and see what you can find out about what they have on David.”
When she rushed out of the room, I made my way back over to the sofa and sat down. As I stared at the screen, I mumbled, “I just can’t believe it. They actually got him.”
“Yeah. I’d hate to be in his shoes right now.”
We sat there watching the news for another hour or so. Mom and Harper made it over to her house, leaving Cade and I completely alone for the first time. For a brief moment, I wasn’t sure how to act, but Cade made it easy. He suggested that we get out of the house for a bit and have dinner downtown. Excited by the thought of having a night out with him, I quickly took a shower and got dressed in my sexiest black dress. After I did my makeup and hair, I slipped on my heels and headed into the living room to find Cade. He was waiting patiently on the sofa, and when I walked in, his eyes widened with surprise. “Damn, you look amazing.”
“Thank you.” I smiled as I watched him stand and start walking towards me. He looked so good in his dark fitted t-shirt and jeans that I almost considered asking him to just skip our night out, but I resisted. Instead, I asked, “You ready to go?”
“Give me a minute.” Cade’s eyes roamed slowly over me, and a sexy smirk crossed his face. “I’m trying to decide if I can make it through dinner before I take that dress off of you.”
“I’m sure you can manage,” I teased.
“Maybe, but it won’t be easy.”
After a brief, but heated kiss, he reached for my hand and led me out to his SUV. He drove us to the east side of town, and we ate outside at a little place where they had tiny white lights hanging in the trees above us. It couldn’t have been more perfect. There weren’t many people around, and we were actually able to talk. The waitress had just brought our drinks over when I asked, “I know we’ve talked about us and I’m pretty sure we both love what’s happening between us, but how do you see things playing out?”
“Well, let me ask this first … What do you think about moving to Memphis?”
It was something I’d already considered, so I answered, “I wouldn’t have a problem with it. I can find a job there or whatever, but I would need time to get things sorted. And we’re still getting to know each other.”
“I’m in no rush. I can wait until you’re ready,” he said then reached for my hand. “Until then, I want to see you as often as I can.”
“So, weekend visits and phone calls.”
“I know it doesn’t sound all that great now, but we’ll make it work,” he tried to assure me.
“You know, I’m gonna hold you to that,” I teased.
“I sure as hell hope so.”
Once we were done with dinner, we talked about going downtown to walk the strip but decided we didn’t want to waste our time together fighting the crowds. Instead, we went back to the house where it was quiet. As soon as we walked through the door, we both took off our shoes and headed into the living room. We were about to sit down on the sofa when I turned and just looked at him. My heart swelled as I studied his handsome face. I loved him. I knew that without a doubt, and I couldn’t stand the thought of being away from him, even for a little while. At the same time, I was well aware of how much his club and brothers meant to him. Even though I wanted to, I couldn’t ask him to walk away from them. My voice trembled as I told him, “I can’t believe you’re really leaving tomorrow.”
He wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his chest as he whispered, “It’s only for a little while, August.”
“I know,” I sniffled.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” he whispered as he wiped a tear from my cheek.
“I know,” I nodded, fighting back tears. “I’m fine, really.”
“Good, ’cause I have every intention of making the best of this time we have together.”
He took a step towards me and lifted his hand to the nape of my neck, pulling my mouth to his. The touch of his lips set me on fire. In all my life, I’d never felt such a hunger for a man, and from the way he was kissing me, there was no doubt he felt the same. His rough palms slid effortlessly over my skin as he unzipped my dress and let it fall to the floor, leaving me in just my lace panties.
A rush of heat rolled against my skin as he stood there staring at me, appraising me. I’d never wanted anyone like I wanted Cade—I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. Reaching out, I grasped the hem of his t-shirt, and he bent forward so I could pull it over his head. Once I’d tossed it next to my dress, I laid my hand on his heart, relieved to feel that his beat was fast and hard like mine. “I want you to think about me when you’re gone.”
“You know I will.”
His lips brushed against mine, but not gently like before. Instead, it was hot, passionate, and demanding. I moaned into his mouth, stealing the last of his restraint. I gasped when Cade lifted me up and held me tightly, making me feel safe and secure in his strong arms as he carried me down the hall. Seconds later, I was on my bed with his body covering mine. His weight pressed against me as his hands, rough and impatient, roamed over my body. I felt utterly possessed by him as his mouth closed over my breast, scraping his teeth across my sensitive flesh. My fingers tangled in his hair as he flicked his tongue against my nipple, sending goosebumps prickling across my skin. My breath caught as his hand slid between my legs. He r
an his fingers along my center while his other hand cupped my breast. Every nerve in my body tingled from his touch, making me impatient for more.
Unable to resist, I reached down, tugging at his jeans as I pleaded, “Now.”
He lifted off of me and quickly removed them. Cade was beautiful. Standing there in all his naked glory with those perfectly defined abs and pronounced V had me writhing with anticipation. He was the ultimate seduction. When he caught me gazing at him, his eyes danced with mischief as he asked, “Like what you see, beautiful?”
“Mmm-hmm” and a brief nod was all I could muster.
He pulled out a condom from his jeans pocket, then slowly slipped it over his long, hard shaft. The smirk he was sporting quickly faded as he looked down at me sprawled out on the bed. His voice was low and raspy as he growled, “Mine. All mine.”
Before I had time to respond, he was back on top of me, centering himself between my legs. He hovered over me, the heat of our breaths mingling between us until the anticipation became too much and his mouth crashed down on mine. His hand dove into my hair, grasping at the nape of my neck as he delved deeper into my mouth, our tongues twisting and tasting each other with all the passion and desire that had been building between us. He broke from our kiss just long enough to whisper, “You’ll never know how much you get to me.”
His hands drifted down my thighs as he lowered my panties. Once they were gone, without warning, he rolled to his back, carrying me with him so I was on top. After straddling my knees on either side, I reached for him, placing his cock at my center as I took him deep inside. After a brief moment of adjusting to him, I set my hands on his chest and slowly began to move as I rocked my hips against him.
I’d never felt anything so incredible. I wanted to savor the moment, let myself feel every sensation, but Cade had other plans. He placed his hands on my hips, guiding me to move faster. Taking his cue, I quickened my pace, becoming more fervent and intense with each shift of my hips. The muscles in my stomach began to tighten and I knew it was coming.
With one last swerve of my hips, heat surged through me, consuming me as my orgasm tore throughout my body. I was completely sated, but Cade wasn’t done. Instead, he turned us over, positioning himself on top of me so he could take control. His body slammed into mine as I gripped his shoulders and met his thrusts with my own. Our panting and moans echoed through the room as our bodies moved together. Every drive of his hips, every swirl of mine, brought me closer and closer to a second orgasm that threatened to tear me apart. My head thrashed back as I gasped, “Yes!”
He was focused and unrelenting as he drove into me again and again. A low, deep growl echoed through the room as he found his own release. After several moments, he eased off of me and rolled over on his side, pulling me close to him. I could feel his heart hammering inside his chest. Cade looked over to me, and his eyes burned with an intensity I didn’t understand until he said the words, “I love you, August.”
“I love you too, Cade,” I whispered then I pressed my lips to his. As I trailed my fingers across his chest, I thought about him going back to the clubhouse, and all the hang-arounds who would be there, trying to make their move on him. I looked up at him with a playful smile and said, “I’m thinking you need a new tattoo.”
“Oh, really. What do you have in mind?”
I giggled as I said, “How about ‘Property of the President’s Daughter’?”
“Whatever makes you happy, baby.”
CHAPTER 21
Gunner
Leaving August was even harder than I expected. After we’d spent most of the night tangled in each other’s arms, I forced myself out of the bed, gave her one last, long memorable kiss goodbye, and then headed out to my truck. I sat there in her driveway for several minutes questioning if I was doing the right thing by leaving. In the end, I succumbed to the fact that I had no choice. My family, my brothers, and the club were in Memphis, and my life was there with them. I hoped a time would come where August would come to love being in Memphis just as much. Until then, we’d just have to make this long-distance thing work. Like we’d talked about, we would call one another often, and whenever possible, I would go there to see her or she’d come to me in Memphis. At the time, it sounded like a good plan, but with each mile I drove towards home and away from August, I had my doubts. Hell, I’d only been gone a couple of hours, and I was already missing her. It didn’t help matters that I could still smell her scent on my skin. I had to pull myself together or my brothers would never let me live it down.
After I made it back to the clubhouse, I finally got the distraction I needed to help get August off my mind. Blaze needed some help in the garage, and we had a shit-ton of work that had to be done to prepare for our next run. All of it kept me pretty occupied, and before I knew it, the weekend was quickly approaching. Relieved that it wouldn’t be long before I got to spend some time with August, I got busy trying to finish up an engine I’d been working on. I’d just finished adjusting the timing chain, when Murphy walked up and asked, “Hey, brother. What you got going on Friday night?”
“I was thinking about heading to Nashville. Why?”
“It’s Riley’s birthday. Grady wanted us to head over to the Smoking Gun to celebrate.” Riley was his old lady, and Murphy was head over heels for her. After all these years, it was good to see him settled down. “I know she’d want you to be there.”
“Of course, she would. It wouldn’t be a party without me,” I poked.
“Does that mean you’re coming?”
As much as I hated that I’d lose a day with August, I couldn’t miss Riley’s birthday, so I answered, “Yeah, I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Good. While I’m thinking about it, I talked to Grady about Gabriella.”
“Oh, yeah? What did he have to say?”
“He’s going to let her waitress for a while and see if she’s got what it takes to bartend later for more money. He’s also got a place above the bar she can rent if she wants.”
“That would be great.” Gabriella had been at the club with us for several days, and as far as I knew, she hadn’t told us much about herself and the full reason behind Polito kidnapping her. Curious if anything had changed, I asked, “We know any more about who she really is?”
He shook his head. “No. She’s definitely being vague about her true identity, so Riggs hasn’t been able to find anything on her.” His eyes narrowed as he added, “If she hadn’t been there for Harper like she had, Gus would’ve already sent her walking, but I think he feels indebted to her.”
“Maybe, but he won’t let that go forever.”
“No, but now she’ll be Grady’s problem.”
“That she will.”
He chuckled as he turned and started back over to the truck he’d been working on. “Plan to be at the bar at eight.”
“Will do.”
I spent the next few hours in the garage, then headed back to my place. While I enjoyed hanging out at the clubhouse, it could be noisy, and I was exhausted. I needed some fucking sleep. I walked out into the parking lot and hopped on my bike. I’d always believed that there was no better therapy on the planet than riding a motorcycle. It wasn’t a long drive to the house, but it was enough to clear my head. When I pulled up in the driveway, I groaned as soon as I was greeted by my overgrown, knee-high grass. My home wasn’t much, just a three-bedroom craftsman that was painted dark gray with white trim. It had a small front porch with a couple of rockers and, well now, several dead pots of flowers. I went inside and cursed under my breath when I noticed all the dirty laundry and dishes in the sink. It was only a matter of time before August would come down for a visit, so I knew I needed to get the place cleaned up. But it would have to wait. After a long day, I was too tired to fool with it, so I took a hot shower and went to bed. I was just about to doze off when my phone chimed with a message.
I picked it up and smiled when I saw that it was from August.
August: Hey, handsome.
Me: Hey there, beautiful. Everything okay?
August: Yes. Everything’s fine. I was just thinking about you.
Me: Oh, yeah?
August: Yep. Seems I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.
Me: Well, you’re not the only one. I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you in that little black dress.
August: So, you liked seeing me in that, huh?
Me: Almost as much as I liked seeing you out of it.
August: Well, I’ll have to remember that.
Me: You still okay with me coming up on Saturday?
August: Of course. I wish you were coming sooner and staying longer.
Me: Me too.
August: I guess I better get some sleep.
Me: Yeah. Me too.
August: Remember, I have to go in to see my boss in the morning.
Me: Okay. Good luck with that.
August: I might need it. LOL. I hope you sleep well.
Me: You, too. Goodnight, beautiful.
August: Nite! xoxo
I tossed my phone back on the nightstand and it wasn’t long until my exhaustion took over and I fell asleep. The next morning, I called August to wish her good luck with her meeting, then spent some time around the house, cleaning and mowing the yard. Once I was done, I went over to the garage to finish up the engine I’d been working on. It was after six before I finished everything I needed to do, so I didn’t have long to get ready to meet up with everyone at the bar. I rushed home for a quick shower, then threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and my cut, and once the boots were on, I was out the door. It was just after seven when I pulled into the Smoking Gun’s parking lot. I parked next to my brothers’ bikes, then headed inside. As soon as I stepped through the door, one of the waitresses came over to me and asked, “Are you here for the birthday party?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Okay, follow me.”
She led me through the crowd and up a short flight of stairs to a private seating area that Grady had arranged for us. He was Riley’s cousin and best friend as well as the owner of the Smoking Gun, and he’d reserved the VIP room for all of us. When I walked up to everyone, they were sitting around talking and drinking. As expected, Blaze was with his old lady, Kenadee, and Shadow was with Alex, his old lady. I hated that August couldn’t be there with me, but I decided to make the best of it. I sat down next to Riggs and asked, “Where’s Reece?”