by Wilder, L.
“They’re sending a nurse down now to get me.”
“Great. Be sure to tell her we’re here and thinking about her.”
“You know I will.”
Moments later, a nurse came to the waiting room and led Blaze upstairs to see Kenadee. As we sat there waiting for him to return, I looked around the room at all the brothers. Not a single one of them looked like they were restless or eager to leave. They weren’t there out of some unspoken obligation. They were there because they truly wanted to be. Having support like that wasn’t something I was accustomed to. In fact, I’d never really had anyone who was there for me. I always had to look out for myself—not that I’d ever really had a choice in the matter. But things were changing. Now, I didn’t have to be on my own anymore. The thought had me leaning towards Caleb. As I rested my head on his chest, he ran his hand down my back and said, “You never told me how you managed to get out of the garage with Kenadee.”
“I got lucky, I guess.” I lifted my head and looked up at Caleb as I told him, “KeShawn was so angry when he thought I was snooping around his place, even more so when he realized I was there for the club. I guess that’s why he didn’t tie me up tight enough.”
“So, you were able to pull free on your own?”
“Yeah, with a little work. Once I’d untied myself, I went over and did the same for Kenadee. I couldn’t believe how calm she was during the whole thing, especially when she told me about not removing the knives. I can’t tell you how hard it was to see her like that. I knew I had to get her out of there, but I had no idea how I was going to do it until I heard that explosion.” Just thinking about the sound of the explosion and the screams that followed sent a chill down my spine. “I had no idea what was going on when I heard all the screaming and gunshots but hoped that Lewis and his men would be distracted enough for us to get away. I used an old paperclip to pick the lock.”
“You’re really something. You know that, right?”
“Why? Because I let KeShawn catch me in his living room and lock me in garage?” I scoffed.
“Because you kept your shit together and managed to get not only yourself, but Kenadee, out of that garage alive.”
“That’s only because you showed up when you did.” I laid my head back down on his chest. “Thank you for that, by the way. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to see you.”
Before he could respond, Blaze walked back into the waiting room looking completely different than he had when he left. The tension was gone from his shoulders, and he was almost smiling. The entire room fell silent as he walked over to us and said, “Things are looking good. Kenadee is still pretty out of it, but her stats are looking good and she’s talking.”
“That’s great, brother,” Gus told him.
All the guys got up and hugged him, telling him how happy they were that Kenadee was going to be okay. Once they were done, Blaze turned to them and said, “I appreciate you all coming and staying like this, but I’ve got it from here. Besides, I know there are things that need to be dealt with.”
“We’ll get gone, but you call us if anything changes,” Gus replied.
“I will.”
When the guys started to disperse, Caleb went over to Blaze and gave him one last hug, telling him to call if he needed anything. As soon as they were done talking, he reached for my hand and we started towards the door. We hadn’t gotten far when Blaze called out to me, “Darcy, you got a minute?”
“Sure.”
A serious expression crossed his face as he came over to me and said, “I wanted to thank you for everything you did today.”
“There’s no need to thank me, Blaze. Especially after things turned out like they did.”
“You’re kidding, right? If you hadn’t gotten those cameras out…” He stopped himself before he said too much. “Let’s just say it would’ve been a hell of a lot worse.”
“I’m glad I was able to help a little.”
“No, Darcy. You helped a lot.” His expression softened as he let out a sigh. “Because of you, Kenadee and, God willing, the baby she’s carrying, are going to pull through this, and I can’t thank you enough for that.”
“You’re very welcome, Blaze.” I reached out and gave him a quick hug. “You take care of them, and please tell Kenadee to call if she needs anything.”
“Will do.”
Caleb led us out to the SUV where Gunner and Murphy were waiting on us, and as soon as we got in, Gunner drove us back over to the clubhouse. He had to go meet with his brothers and make sure there were no loose ends that needed tying up, so I told him I’d wait in his room until he was done. I had every intention of doing exactly what I told him, but then I remembered that I hadn’t been home to feed Lenny and Scout. Knowing that they had to be hungry, I sent Caleb a text to let him know that I was running home. Instead of waiting for a response, I headed out to my truck and went on my way.
CHAPTER 19
Rider
As soon as we got to the conference room, Riggs pulled up all the police scanners and reports to see if we could find anything that showed that they’d suspected our involvement in the attack against the Disciples. He took his time and went through every piece of information they’d collected, but there was no connection to Satan’s Fury to be found. It seemed that the cops were solely focused on the Red Knights. Since the Knights were known rivals of the Disciples and most of their members had suddenly come up missing, they assumed that the attack was some sort of retaliation. Gus, along with the rest of us, was pleased to hear that we were in the clear. I thought he was about to dismiss us when Murphy turned to him and asked, “Any updates on Dane or Gauge?”
“I checked in with Mack earlier, and he said Dane’s improving. He should make a full recovery.” A half-smile crossed Gus’s face as he continued, “And we all know how Gauge can be. He’s too stubborn to let a couple of gunshot wounds slow him down.”
“Good to hear,” Murphy replied. “And what about Clay? Have you made any decisions about him prospecting?”
“I was having my doubts about him until today,” Gus replied. “Blaze said that he really stepped up to the plate.”
“He did,” I replied. “Saved my ass, that’s for sure.”
“Really? How’s that?”
“I was on the way to the garage to see about Kenadee and Darcy when I came face to face with Lewis and his AR-15. We were in the middle of a standoff and it wasn’t looking good for me when Clay came out of nowhere. He came up behind him, put his gun to Lewis’s head, and was able to distract him long enough for Blaze to take a shot. I don’t want to think about what might’ve happened if he hadn’t shown up when he did,” I explained.
“Sounds like he did good.”
“He did, and don’t forget, he was also the one who got Kenadee and Darcy to the hospital. Having his car close came in handy.”
“I remember.” Gus thought for a moment, then said, “I also remember that Riggs told him to get his ass back to the clubhouse. He didn’t follow orders.”
“I get that. I also get that he didn’t want to leave without Darcy,” I replied. “I think it shows that he’s finally starting to get the meaning of brotherhood.”
“I hope you’re right.” Gus ran his hand down his beard as he thought for a moment, then said, “You’ve all been around Clay, and I’m sure you all have your own opinions about him. I’d say it’s time for us to make a decision. Are we going to let him prospect or are we going to send him back to Viper?”
“He’s got a lot to learn, but honestly, I think Rider’s right. This kid’s got something,” Shadow replied. “I’d say give him a try.”
Murphy nodded. “I agree. Once he builds some confidence in himself and learns the ropes, I think he’ll be an asset to the club.”
“He’s got my vote,” I added.
“Are we all in agreement?” When the rest of the brothers gave their consent, Gus announced, “Then, it’s settled. We’ll let Clay prospect, and hopefully,
he’ll do us proud.”
As soon as we were dismissed, I went back to my room to find Darcy. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see that she wasn’t there. Worried that something might be wrong, I reached into my pocket for my phone. I was about to dial her number when I saw that I had a text message from her saying that she was headed home. Even though I knew Lewis was dead, I still didn’t like the idea of her going to her house alone. I quickly dialed her number, but she didn’t answer. That didn’t set too well for me, so I grabbed my keys and headed out to my bike. After everything that had happened at Lewis’s place and the hospital, I’d let my panic take hold, and my imagination started to run wild as I sped over to Darcy’s. By the time I made it to her place, I was a fucking wreck. I got off my bike, and was racing up her steps when I heard, “Well, lookie there. The handsome, young biker is back!”
I glanced over and found Thelma and Louise sitting on their porch with blankets thrown across their knees and a cup of what I thought was coffee in their hands. “Hi, ladies. How you making it today?”
“We’re doing just fine,” the lady with the purple tinted hair answered. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“Good to see you too.”
“Would you care to join us for a hot toddy?” she offered. “Frances has outdone herself with these. They sure hit the spot.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I need to get in here and see about Darcy.”
“We were sure glad to see her this afternoon. We were worried about her.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Absolutely. It’s not like her not to come home, especially for two nights in a row,” the other lady replied. “We were beginning to think you’d stolen her away from us. Isn’t that right, Alice?”
“That’s right.”
“I’m sorry we had you worried.”
“No need to apologize, dear.” She took a sip of her toddy before she said, “Just so you know, we aren’t just a couple of nosey biddies poking into Darcy’s business. It’s not that at all. We think a lot of that sweet girl, and it’s hard not to worry about her. That’s all.”
“I understand. I think a lot of her too.”
“Well, that’s really good to hear. I hope that means you can appreciate just how wonderful she is.”
“I do.”
“Well, if you happen to forget, Alice and I will be sure to remind you.”
“I’m sure you will.” Eager to get inside to see Darcy, I continued towards the door. “You two enjoy your toddies.”
“We will! Don’t you worry about that.”
I knocked on the door and waited, but she didn’t answer. That uneasy feeling I’d felt earlier came creeping back, and I found myself reaching for the doorknob. When I found that it was unlocked, I opened the door and stepped inside. “Darcy?”
Still no answer. There was no sign of her in the living room, so I went to check her bedroom. The weight of all the tension I’d been carrying with me quickly vanished when I found her curled up on the bed, sleeping next to her cat. It was difficult to be angry with her when she looked so damn beautiful lying there. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel, and she was only wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt with a pair of oversized socks. As I stood there staring at her, I felt a sudden need to be close to her, so I took off my cut and boots, then slowly eased into the bed next to her. When I slipped my arm around her, she nestled her back against my chest and whispered, “I thought you were meeting with the guys.”
“I was.” I lowered my mouth to her ear as I said, “I thought you were going to wait for me in my room.”
“I was.” She remained completely still with her eyes closed. “Then, I remembered I needed to get home to feed Scout and Lenny.”
“And you couldn’t wait for me?”
“I didn’t know how long you’d be.”
I could feel myself becoming frustrated as I said, “You could’ve asked.”
“I tried. You didn’t respond to my text.”
“So, you waited on my response or did you just leave without really telling anyone where you were going?”
Finally catching on that I wasn’t pleased with her actions, she rolled over to face me. The towel fell loose from her head, leaving her damp hair falling around her shoulders as she sassed, “I didn’t realize that I needed to check in with a babysitter before I went home to feed my cat.”
“Do I need to remind you what went down this morning?”
“No,” she clipped. “I was there. I remember it all quite well. Thank you.”
“You remember, and yet you still came here alone.”
“Why don’t you quit beating around the bush and just say what you have to say, Caleb?”
“You know I don’t like you being out here all alone.” I eased up on my elbow as I looked down at her. “So, after everything that happened today, you had to know that coming here alone wouldn’t set well with me. That’s why you didn’t wait for my response.”
“I didn’t wait for your response because I knew you were busy meeting with the brothers.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.”
“I’m a big girl, Caleb. I can take care of myself.”
I glared down at her as I growled, “Would you have been able to take care of yourself if one of those Disciples had gotten away from us, and he was sitting here waiting for you?”
“But there wasn’t anyone here, Caleb. I’m fine.”
“I get that you’re used to being on your own. Hell, you’ve been doing it since you were just a kid, but you don’t have to keep doing everything on your own anymore.”
She looked up at the ceiling, and a tear trickled from the corner of her eye as she whispered, “I get what you’re saying, but I’m just not used to having someone who actually cares about me and what I’m doing.”
“Well, you do now, so get used to it.”
“I’m trying.”
I wiped a tear from her cheek. “Try harder.”
“Are you always this bossy?”
“Only when it comes to something I care about.”
I eased up on the bed, and never took my eyes off her as I reached for the hem of her t-shirt, carefully pulling it over her head. Her brows furrowed as she placed her hand on my chest and said, “Wait…Do I need to be worried about one of those Disciple guys showing up here?”
“I’d say the chances of that happening are very slim.”
“Then, why’d you come in here so riled up about me coming home alone?” she pushed.
“I said the chances were slim, Darcy. I didn’t say it couldn’t happen.”
“But more or less, this thing is over, and we don’t have to worry about them anymore?”
“It looks that way.” I lowered my mouth to her neck and trailed kisses down her shoulder. “But it will take some time before we know for sure.”
“And the police? What about them? Should I be worried about them knocking at my—”
“You don’t have to worry about the cops, babe.” As I hovered over her, I looked into her worried eyes as I tried to assure her, “We’ve got them covered. You don’t have to worry about anything. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
I watched as her beautiful, full lips curled into a mischievous smile. “Does that mean you’re done being mad at me?”
“That depends.” I slid my hands under her and reached for her lace panties, easing them down her long, sexy legs. “Are you going to let me in…let me take care of you and love you?”
“I told you…I’m trying.”
I lowered my head between her legs, and with my mouth just inches from her, I demanded, “Try harder.”
I brushed my tongue against her and watched as her back arched off the bed. Her soft whimpers echoed around me as I began to tease her with my mouth. When she started to squirm beneath me, I placed my hands on her thighs, holding her in place. Her taste had my cock throbbing with an uncontrollable need to be inside her, and when I couldn’t wait any longer,
I stood and removed my clothes. She was still in a haze, sprawled across her bed, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her as I slipped on a condom. Damn. She looked so fucking beautiful as I settled between her legs. I leaned forward, placing my mouth close to her ear as I whispered, “You’re mine, Darcy Harrington. Every fucking inch of you.”
“And you’re mine, Caleb Hughes.” A sexy smirk crossed her face as she wrapped her legs around my hips and urged me forward. “Every inch of you. Now, come here and finish what you started.”
Her smirk turned into a devilish grin as she shifted her hips, forcing me deeper. Unable to resist, I thrust further until I filled her completely. This woman had me completely spellbound. She’d invaded my dreams, my thoughts, and I was always left wanting more. I doubted it was possible for me to ever get enough of her. The sounds of our bodies crashing together filled the room, urging me on.
“Yes! Don’t stop,” she moaned as my pace gradually increased, becoming steady and unforgiving. My eyes roamed over her, taking in every inch of her gorgeous body. She was everything I’d ever wanted and more. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to steady her breath, and I growled with satisfaction when I felt her body tightening around me. Knowing she was getting close, I continued to drive inside her, over and over, constantly increasing the rhythm of my movements.
“Fuck!” I growled as my body demanded its release too fucking soon. I wanted to take my time with her, but she was just too fucking tight, felt too fucking good to stop. I plunged inside of her again and again, feeling her spasm with her release. My hips collided into hers, faster, harder with every breath I took. Soft whimpers of my name echoed through the room as Darcy’s body jolted and her orgasm ripped through her body. When she clamped down around me, I couldn’t hold back any longer. My grip on her hips tightened as I buried myself deep inside one last time.
With a ragged breath, I lay down beside her, quickly tossing the condom in the trash next to the bed. After several moments, I rolled over to her and said, “I don’t think anyone has ever been able to get under my skin and rile me up like you do, but I have to admit…I like making up with you.”