by Mackenzy Fox
“I took self-defense classes,” Sienna says, earning a sideways glance from me. She looks from me to Gunner and shrugs.
“He claimin’ you now?” Gunner chirps; he’s all smiles tonight. “Can’t say I blame you, Steel, she’s definitely no sweet butt, that’s for sure.”
Sienna looks up at me, startled. “I’ve no idea what that means but it doesn’t sound good.”
“Fuck off,” I bark at him as he laughs. “See you later.”
I don’t let Sienna hear any more profanity as I grab her hand and steer her in the direction of Hutch’s office.
I’m not claiming her, she isn’t mine to do so. When a member does that officially, it means your woman is a no-go zone, she is yours. I don’t think we are quite at that point.
“What does he mean?” Sienna asks from behind me. “What’s a sweet butt?”
“He’s being a dick,” I retort.
“Claiming women sounds very archaic.”
I turn to her with a frown. “Once you belong to a patched member, you’re like their wife, that’s all it means, it’s no different to a marriage, nobody can go near your ol’ lady or try their luck with her, so it isn’t an insult.”
“What’s a sweet butt then?”
That, on the other hand…
Do I answer that or pretend I hadn’t heard?
I sigh. “It’s someone at the club who sleeps around with the guys.”
I don’t need to turn to realize that she’s probably got steam coming out of her ears.
“What the hell?” She looks mad, really fuckin’ mad.
“He said you’re not that,” I remind her. “Which you’re not and will never be, obviously.”
“You have girls that do that kind of thing?” she whispers, shocked. I don’t know why.
“No different to people hooking up on a Friday night at the Stone Crow or any bar in the world for that matter.”
She doesn’t loosen her grasp on my hand, that’s a relief. “Do you always talk to people like that?” she asks after a moment. “Telling them to ‘eff off?”
I roll my eyes. “It’s Gunner, trust me, he deserves it.”
We reach Hutch’s office; the door is ajar and I knock loudly. He bellows us to come in. I turn and gesture for Sienna to go in ahead of me.
“Miss Morgan,” he declares as we enter, he’s sitting in his massive black leather chair, a laptop screen in front of him, he moves it aside. “Please take a seat.” He motions at the chair in front of him. I stay standing but close the door behind us.
“Please, call me Sienna.” She sits down crossing one leg over the other.
“It seems I underestimated you,” he says, looking over to her. “Steel told me what happened on Saturday with Lily at the Crow, you showed remarkable bravery doing what you did.”
A few uncomfortable moments of silence pass.
“It wasn’t great,” she admits, I can tell she’s wondering where he’s going with this. “I don’t know about bravery, I’m just glad that Lily’s okay, that’s all.”
He looks right at her, his business face on. He’s a hard man but he ain’t goin’ in for the kill tonight. “Thanks to your quick thinking, no less, I knew you had the smarts that very first day. My wife says you’re a woman with spirit, there’s nothin’ wrong with a woman with a bit of grit in this town.”
She seems confused by the comment, stumbling on her words, “I’m not sure how to answer that,” she says quietly. “I didn’t do anything really, in fact, if Steel didn’t turn up…” She trails off as he appraises her with a deep frown that closes her mouth quickly.
“You have to understand that where we come from, Sienna, loyalty is everything, it’s the core, the very foundation of this club. We stick together not just by our motto but it’s in our blood.” He bangs against his heart with one fist. “I built this club up from the ground with my bare hands, when other clubs changed tact and went over to the dark side selling drugs, guns, you name it, I could have folded, I could have gone down that very same path as many others have done, it’s easy to take that road for the money, for the fast life it gives you, but that’s all it is, you spend every day lookin’ over your shoulder, wonderin’ if you’re gonna be the next one in a concrete box, or worse, a wooden box permanently, but it always catches up with you, which is why I turned this club around, it’s why what you see around you now still stands.”
He wants her to know we ain’t one-percenters; outlaws.
“I respect that,” she says. “But I’m not sure what this has to do with me.”
“Anyone new to the club or not involved in an M.C. won’t understand it,” he explains. But I want you to know where I’m coming from, that the decisions I make aren’t just for me, they’re for everyone involved with this club, and sometimes those decisions aren’t easy. Liliana, for example, is like a daughter to me, I’ve known her since she was born, practically raised her, she’s precious, and she could have been violated in the most offensive and degrading of ways that could happen to a woman. Our job is to protect our women first and foremost… as men, that’s our job, it’s simple, there’s no two ways about it, and we look after our own, all the brothers that belong to the Rebels, and when you stand with the club and not against us, we’ll protect you too.”
I would give a penny for her thoughts.
“Alright,” she replies, sounding a little unsure.
Hutch regards her with a long look, then he slides the contract across the desk, it’s been flattened back out, but still bears the creases of where she screwed it up that night and threw it at me. I hold back a grin.
He then slides a check over with it. “You’ll take this, and we’ll shake on it, and that will be the end of the negotiations.”
She slowly looks at the check, ignoring the contract, then looks back up to Hutch.
“Umm, there seems to be some mistake.”
Hutch raises an eyebrow. “There’s no mistake, it’s yours, all of it.” His voice is firm.
“That’s more than it’s worth, I really can’t accept this,” she protests.
Hutch ignores her, picks up his glass of half-filled whiskey, and takes a long-assed swig.
“Well, you can and you will, not that there’s a price on Lily’s safety and security, she’s priceless, and before you go thinking you’re now somehow indebted to the club… don’t, it’s yours free and clear, no strings.”
She just stares at him as he continues. “Now that we’re on the subject of security, while you’re here in town, you’ll be under the club’s protection from now on. If you have a problem, you call Steel or one of the boys, you got me?”
She doesn’t say anything but watches as he pours himself another whiskey. “Now, you go on and bank that check tomorrow and we won’t hear any more about it.”
“I… it’s…”
“No lip,” he tells her sternly. “Now give me your hand and we’ll shake on it.”
He stands and holds his hand out. I watch as she slowly rises and shakes his hand. His eyes flick over to me.
“I really don’t know what to say,” she mutters her stance rigid.
“Steel,” he says, ignoring her. “A minute.”
I open the door and Sienna steps outside. “Wait here,” I tell her.
I turn back to Hutch and close the door again. “Boss?”
“See she gets home safe, and that the check gets banked.”
“On it.”
“Steel?” he calls before I can leave. I know that tone. “You got somethin’ goin’ on with her?”
“No,” I reply because I don’t… not yet anyway.
“Girls like that are hard work.”
“Thanks for the tip, dad.”
He smiles. “You know what I mean, she ain’t from around here, she’d have expectations, a woman like that, she’s crossing onto the wrong side of the tracks.”
“The wrong side is lookin’ pretty good from where I’m standing,” I retort with a shake of my head.
“Just don’t fuck it up.”
I snort. “Getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren’t you?”
He gives me a pointed look. “Make sure she’s safe.”
I nod. “Will do.”
“Now, get out of here.”
“Night, Hutch,” I call over my shoulder, making for the door. She looks up at me as I close it behind me, her eyes are a little wide and slightly bewildered.
“You alright?”
“Can I get a shot please?”
Of all the things I expect to come out of her mouth, that isn’t it.
“You really think that’s a good idea?”
“Probably not,” she admits.
We head over to the bar.
“What’s your poison?” I turn to face her and find two shot glasses.
“Southern Comfort please,” she replies.
I pour us both a shot, hold my glass out to hers, and we clink. I sling it back with my eyes on her. She’s so goddamn beautiful. She coughs as she comes up for air and I smirk.
“Better?” I ask, giving her a chin lift.
She nods. I’m not giving her anymore when she’s driving.
We go out to the parking lot and I admit, I don’t want her to go.
I stop at my sled and she doesn’t make for her car.
“Let’s go for a ride.” She nods to my sled.
The pulse in my pants speeds up.
“Isn’t it past your bedtime?” I mock.
She rolls her eyes.
“You rollin’ your eyes at me, princess?”
“What if I am?” she retorts.
I shake my head. “You like the adrenaline rush that much?”
She smiles shakily, I wonder if the shot has just gone straight to her head.
“Maybe I do.”
I am so going to hell.
I look down at her skirt and rub my beard. “Not really dressed for it,” my eyes linger on her legs for far too long.
“I’m a girl, I can improvise.”
I balk. “You asked for it, princess. Get on.”
9
Steel
I take her out of town, down the 101 onto the deserted highway, and ride south into the mountains, there’s nothing around us for miles, just the rugged landscape, darkness, and the freedom only a bike brings you. This is where I feel most alive and her clutching onto me, wrapped around me, her chin resting on my shoulder is the best feeling in the whole entire world.
I know that if I stop at the lookout, I’ll want to kiss her, and kissing her will lead to me wanting her in every single way. I use it as a turnaround point and do not stop.
I reach around and pat her leg. “You good?”
I feel her nod. I like how she seems to enjoy this; she’s been on my sled twice now and I can tell she’s enjoying herself. I smile to myself and take off from the top of the mountain and head back down. It feels like I’m the king of the world.
She squeezes me tightly, I look down quickly at her small hands wrapped around me and I get it now. This feeling. I’m falling for her big time and I’ve no fucking clue what to do about it. Her holding me like this, no, it definitely doesn’t help. I look back at the road, there’s no way in hell I can get off this bike once I drop her back because she’s going to see what she does to me every time she touches me… and it’s burning a hole in my jeans. I wobble the handlebars suddenly as I feel one of her hands snake its way south, over my belt buckle, and yeah… right there. At first, I think my imagination has gotten the better of me. But no.
Holy Jesus, what the hell is she doing?
I jerk, almost crashing the bike as she finds my throbbing length—not like she could miss it.
Holy Mother of God. She holds her hand there and fuck me if she doesn’t start to rub me through my jeans. My cock is so hard, it’s painful against my zipper.
I look down and seeing her hand there makes me want to pull over and bang her hard and fast over my sled or against the nearest tree, it wouldn’t matter.
I can’t take it. I dive for her hand, grab it, and move it north, back to my stomach where it’s safe and I hold it there so she doesn’t try anything else. We’re no good to each other banged up or dead on the side of the road, which is what will happen if she keeps going.
I don’t know how I make it to the back lot of the Stone Crow without crashing, but I do. I park my sled, wordlessly, and kick the stand down. My breathing is ragged like I’ve just jogged a marathon, and I realize I’m still holding her hand. My heart is racing.
I let it go and she pushes off my back instantly and I hear her dismount, she tugs the helmet off and shakes her hair the way I like it. I’m still staring ahead, trying to compose myself.
“Sorry about that,” she says as I turn to look at her. I turn the keys and my bike hums to a stop.
“Sorry about that?” I mimic her voice.
“It was just so exhilarating; I was lost in the moment.”
“More like that shot went straight to your head,” I mutter.
I stare at her. I have no reason to stay away from her—none at all now that club business is sorted. As if we could ever be just friends.
I swing my leg over the bike and put my hands on my hips and stare down at her.
“What am I going to do with you?” I wonder.
Be gentle with her, I tell myself. I’m so rock hard, it’s not even funny.
“You shouldn’t have done that, princess.”
“Why not?” she asks in a whisper.
“You playin’ games with me?” It sounds harsher than I mean it to.
She blinks as if she’s misheard me. “No, I’m not suicidal.”
Good answer. I snort a laugh.
I move toward her. “You wanna play, princess?” I cock a brow.
I look down at her heaving ample chest; her breathing is as ragged as mine. I want to touch her, so I don’t wait for an answer.
“Get your keys.”
She listens, for once, and fishes them out of the small bag she has slung over her body.
I walk behind her to the back door and she unlocks it. We move in silently and I shut the door behind me and secure it with the locks. That act alone says I’m not planning on leaving anytime soon, oh, hell no. There’s a set of stairs just off to the left, I follow her up them, my eyes on her sweet little ass all the way. We don’t touch, we don’t speak, and my body is literally throbbing for her.
“This is me,” she sing-songs when we get to the top. I want to laugh.
“I should go,” I say, but make no attempt to move and I don’t really mean it but it gives her an out, if she really wants one. I don’t want to go, I want to come inside and sink myself into her sweet body and take my time.
She looks up at me with those big blue eyes, “I’m not sorry,” she states suddenly, flooring me, there’s a fire in her eyes. “I meant to do that.”
I cock an eyebrow. “Did that one shot really do all of this to you?”
She rolls her eyes at me.
“Did you just roll your eyes at me again?” I say, my voice is hoarse and we both know it.
“What if I did?” she says quickly, brave little thing.
I fold my arms against my chest like that can help me. “You know, grabbing someone’s junk while riding a very fast motorcycle isn’t exactly the brightest way to get a man’s attention,” I inform her, my eyes flick to her lips. “You could have killed us.”
“Junk?” she says with a laugh. Now she’s laughing at me. I really need to teach her a lesson.
“So, tell me, Steel, exactly what is the best way to get a man’s attention?”
She’s got some nerve, making all the moves. If I wasn’t so horny, I’d be impressed.
“This,” I grunt, dipping my head as I take her lips. She’s soft, delectable, everything I thought she would be as I kiss her hard, I feel her hands move to my biceps as I walk her backwards until she hits the door, I cage her in with my hands on either side of her head against
the wooden frame.
My tongue seeks entry and she makes a noise in the back of her throat that goes straight to my groin. Her hands squeeze my muscles and I press my hard-on against her hip as she literally moans into my mouth, it’s the most beautiful sound.
It’s hot, so freaking hot, I could unzip right now and fuck her against the door.
“You feel that?” I growl, pulling back.
“Uh-huh,” she gasps.
“This is what you do to me, you get me so rock hard,” I say in her ear.
I breathe hard, watching her. Her hands snake down my chest then they reach my hips and move around the back to my ass, she grabs it and presses me hard, encouraging me. Jesus, woman, she’ll be the death of me.
I kiss her again as she gasps, it’s all tongue. I move my hands and hitch up her skirt and lift her by the hips as I hold her against the door, she wraps her legs around me. She’s as light as a feather and I love her hands on me; I want them everywhere.
“Door key.” I manage as she pulls on my neck to get me back to her mouth. I realize she’s still clutching them in her hand. I move my lips to her neck and trail kisses there. When I get to her pulse, I bite down gently.
She squeezes me harder and groans, that noise again gets me all worked up, as if I need any more amps, ahh shit, woman. I take the keys from her and, without looking, I fiddle around with the lock until I somehow get it inside. Thank fuck for that.
“You feel so good against me,” I tell her as I get the door open and I carry her inside. “I want you so bad, babe.”
“Steel…” she breaths, it sounds more like she’s begging, and she will be soon.
“Call me Jayson when we’re like this,” I say suddenly, though I can hardly believe the words have left my mouth. I could cut my tongue out. But I want to hear her say it in the throes of passion. I kick the door shut with my boot and she drops her bag to the floor. I let her down as she slides down my body, I spin her around, move her hair to one side, and kiss down her neck. She rolls her body so it presses back into me. I pull her against my chest as she snakes her arms around me and squeezes my ass.
“I can’t wait to taste you,” I whisper, skimming kisses up her neck. She smells like vanilla and sex. “I want to hear you scream my name; I promise you’ll like every minute of it.”