Claimed by a Sinner

by A G Henderson

  “You do good work, Tex,” he started. “The best, honestly.” He stood and tilted his head while he took me in. “How am I going to run this ship without you?”

  I froze. “What? How did-”

  Creed smiled, stowing the presidential uniform for now. “How did I know you want out?” I gave him a sharp nod. “Come on, give me some credit. Ever since you met that girl of yours-”

  “She ain’t mine.”

  He acted like he didn’t hear me. “You’ve been going through the motions.” I opened my mouth to protest again and he waved me off. “Don’t bullshit me, it’s the truth and you know it. You’ve always gone with the flow, and for a while that meant being my right hand. Now the current is taking you another direction.”

  I scratched at the short beard I hadn’t had time to shave regularly while being on the road, feeling uncomfortable. This shit was way too close to talking about our feelings. “Into poetry now, Creed? Didn’t peg you for the type.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Call it like I see it is all. But hear this, you’ll always be part of this club. We built this bitch from scratch. Poured in blood, sweat and tears until we fucking obliterated everything in our path. You’re done killing? That’s fine. But here or in bumfuck California you’ll always be a Sinner.”

  “Thanks, man,” I said roughly. “And you know I’m not going anywhere until we deal with him.

  “Any day, brother. And I’ll be expecting to have you at my side when we get our hands on him.” He came around the desk until he was right in front of me. “For now, there’s one thing I need to know.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re leaving the club. That mean you’re finally ready to claim that sweet, little piece of-”

  “Finish that and I knock your fuckin’ teeth in.”

  He spread his hands to the side, and I didn’t like the grin on his face. But I was too busy trying not to clench my teeth so hard that my jaw broke to think on it. “I don’t know why you’re fighting this so hard. For what it’s worth, I think you’re making a mistake. Not going for her.”

  So do I.

  I sighed. “Devils don’t get to put their hands on angels. If I do, I won’t let her go. Ever. That innocence will be corrupted. It would only be a matter of time.”

  “Maybe you should let her decide if she wants to be let go.”

  I sucked in a breath and glared at him, fighting against the futile hope that tried to flicker to life. “Enough of this shit. You got what you need and I’m back on his trail at first light anyway, so this is fuckin’ pointless.”

  Something flashed across his face, there and gone before I could name it. “Fine, but we’re having a going away party for you.”

  “I don’t want a damn-”

  “Everything is already set up and that traitor is still out of town. What a surprise he’s in for when he gets back. Anyway, that was an order, Texas, and you ain’t out yet. Your ass is going to be there whether you like it or not.”

  I groaned under my breath but agreed. One last party with my boys before I hit the road before Lord knew how long. Before I ran from the siren’s call that got stronger every minute I was in town.

  What could go wrong?

  CHAPTER 5 - Lizzy

  “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Kayla asked for what was probably the fifth time that evening and I ignored her once again.

  We were still inside the protective bubble of her car but the Seven Sinner’s clubhouse, built like an oversized hunting lodge, was in easy view and the pulsing music coming from it reached all the way out into the parking lot. I imagined that the few neighbors out in this neck of the woods weren’t too happy about that but what could they do? Even if Creed didn’t have something over the police that made them turn a blind eye, him and the rest of the club wouldn’t have a long list to go down when they went about figuring out who had called. So no one did.

  Loud engines revved as more and more people spilled in. I saw Bubble Gum and her crew make their way up to the giant at the doors, sliding up against him until he ushered them in. Still, I waited for the well of courage that had gotten me dressed and out here to come back so that I could go inside.

  After listening to a lecture from Kayla about what a big mistake I was making and how she was going to miss movie night, she finally agreed to help me find what to wear. A fact I was overly conscious of as I tugged the downright tiny, black dress further down my thighs. I was by no means a giant, but I was definitely bigger both ways than Kayla. The end result? A very nice cocktail dress on her verged on looking indecent on me with the way my thighs and ass pressed against the fabric while my breasts threatened to spill from the plunging neckline.

  “What if he isn’t here?” I wondered aloud. As silly as it sounded, I already had more on display than I ever wanted anyone but him to see. It would feel wrong to go in there like this if he was absent.

  “He’s here,” Rain said from the seat in front of me. “My brother said he would make it happen and he knows how to get his way.”

  I didn’t doubt that in the least.

  Kayla looked back at me right as another group of people flooded inside. “We are so not sitting here all-night girlfriend. Either I’m going in there, getting drunk and laying eyes on your man, or we’re dropping you off and movie night is back on.”

  I took a deep breath. It was now or never. Either way, this was his last chance. Our last chance. I wouldn’t waste the best years of my life pining after a man who didn’t want me. My gut told me that if I could see him, speak to him, just one more time that this could all still work out. But my heart was weary. Still… “Let’s do this.”

  We were out of the car and making our way to the door in record time. I think Kayla hurried us along to keep me from changing my mind. When the giant at the door saw Rain coming, he put out a meaty arm, blocking a host of now scowling faces trying to get in. They shook hands and did one of those weird handshake, half hugs that guys do, then we were strolling through the door and any hope I had of this being easy died a fiery death.

  In a fictional world, the moment I stepped inside the crowd would part and Texas would be standing on the other side of the room, waiting to swoop me off my feet.

  Yeah, it wasn’t like that at all.

  The clubhouse was thinly veiled chaos stretching from wall to wall. What I could see of the interior, which wasn’t much with the strobing lights, was similar to a bar and everything in the place was trimmed in black, white and gold in some way or another. Everywhere I looked, people were hopping up and down, tossing back shots, dancing or otherwise losing their total and complete minds. I can’t lie though, it looked like a hell of a lot of fun.

  Kayla and I had been to a few of the parties on campus, but they never drew me the way this one did. There was always something missing and it took being here to realize what it was.

  Freedom.

  The booze, sex and drugs were the same no matter the venue but there was something about knowing the place was full of outlaws that made my blood sing with recognition. This was part of what I found irresistible about Texas. He was pure, unrestrained male. The only laws or rules he recognized were the ones he decided to impose upon himself.

  That was how I wanted to live. Regardless of if I did it by his side or not. I was nodding my head in acceptance of my decision without realizing it when someone bumped me from behind and I looked around again.

  Kayla and Rain were missing, no surprise there. If I found the kitchen and the alcohol, I would find her, and he probably wouldn’t be far behind. But for now, I had wandered out into the middle of a press of swaying bodies and there was only one thing to do in that scenario.

  Dance.

  ***

  For nearly an hour, I was lost in my own world. At one point, Rain found me and brought me a red cup full of something that tasted like blue Sprite. But for the most part, I was completely free to act a fool. Belting lyrics I didn’t know at the top of my lungs. Twirling around with o
ther girls I had never seen in my life. Working up a sweat that had my hair sticking to my skin and loving every second of it.

  But all good things came to an end.

  And I knew my time had come when, mid hair flip, I felt hands on my hips and a body sidling up behind me. I danced out of reach, turning with a tight smile on my face. All night, I’d been surrounded at one time or another by loud, aggressive bikers that were all but fucking the girls latched onto them right there on the floor but no one bothered me and I had a strong feeling Texas was the reason for that even though I hadn't seen the man himself.

  Weasel face obviously never got the memo.

  “Ain't seen you around before, girly,” he hollered to be heard over the music and his foul breath blasted me. “Dance with Kurtis. Let him get to know you.”

  Bad breath. Check. Referred to himself in third person. Check. Wearing a trench coat even though it was over sixty degrees outside. Check.

  He was three for three on the I'm-a-total-creep scale and going for extra credit with the way he kept moving closer. Who even let him in here?

  “No thanks,” I said sweetly, dancing further out of reach. The only way I could've made my lack of interest clearer was to put a neon sign on my head but of course he didn’t take the hint.

  “Aww, baby come on now. Don't be like that.” I rolled my eyes and turned to start pushing through the crowd, but a hand latched onto my wrist. “Look, bitch, you think you're too good to-”

  I stopped listening at bitch as I turned on my heel and brought my knee up. His eyes went wide while his mouth ran, realizing what was happening but too slow to avoid it. I stepped into the hit, imagining I was forcing his balls up and into his body with the blow and his curse turned into a high-pitched squeak.

  “Damn girl!” someone called out while a few other people laughed.

  My spine tingled with awareness, but I was too full of adrenaline to pay it any notice.

  Kurtis slowly stood, puffing out air with snot running down his nose while he clutched himself. “You fucking cunt,” he rasped. His eyes were wild, and he obviously didn't notice the men surging to the front of what was quickly becoming a crowd, but I put up my guard anyway.

  One of the first things I did after my one and only encounter with Texas was enroll in self-defense classes because that night could've gone very differently for me. And while I wasn't foolish enough to think I could take a guy one on one; I could do enough damage to get away and sometimes that was all that mattered.

  But today was not the day my skills were put to the test.

  A fire roared to life inside my chest and my breathing changed. All of a sudden, my bra was too tight on my heavy tits. My body swayed to an unheard beat while lightning forked from my clit and through the rest of my body. I sucked in a sharp breath as my pussy clenched beneath the lace fabric of my thong and heat spread from where it started through to the rest of me.

  His shoulder brushing against mine felt so good that my eyes fluttered closed for a heartbeat and when I opened them, all I could see was his impressive back, stretching the plain white tee he wore to its very limits. I could hear him just fine though. Whether that was because someone turned the music down or because I was just that in tune with him, I wasn’t sure.

  “Tell me.” His voice was slow and deep as I remembered - molasses falling over a rockslide - and twice as threatening as it had been in that alley. “Do you have a fuckin’ death wish?”

  I couldn’t see Kurtis from behind the wall of muscle in front of me, but I heard his squawk. “No. Of course not.”

  Texas cocked his head to the side, and I sighed happily. Standing this close to him, I felt whole. Like that puzzle piece that got lost under the sofa was finally found and back where it belonged.

  “Then what the fuck did I just see?” he asked. “Go ahead. I’m waitin’. Every motherfucker within these walls knows she’s Marked.”

  I frowned, looking down at myself but I didn’t see anything unusual. There was a choked snicker behind me, and I turned to find Rain grinning and clutching his stomach while Kayla pulled her elbow back, watching the scene with interest. I shook my head at both of them and stepped towards Texas, my palm out. I wanted to touch him. To know that he was real. That he was here. And that this wasn’t some weird group hallucination. But I was also afraid to find out he wasn’t here for me after all.

  “I didn’t know, dude. I’m telling you, man to man, I didn’t know.”

  “Man to man?” Texas still hadn’t looked my way, but I could all but see his lips curling in disgust. “You ain’t worthy of the gumdrops between your legs you little shit. Maybe I should see about removin’ em’. Give you less temptation to go around grabbin’ on women.”

  I finally let my hand gently settle on his lower back and his muscles tensed all at once before relaxing beneath my fingertips. Seeing that my touch was welcome made me bolder and I wrapped my arms around his front, feeling the hard ridges of his stomach as I settled my weight against his spine. I probably looked like a fool with a goofy smile on my face while I stood there, breathing in the smell of cedar, mint and something uniquely him. I didn’t care.

  The man I cared about beyond all reason was in my arms and the sky breaking apart wouldn’t get me to let go.

  “Now now,” came a new voice I recognized as Creed’s and I was glad for the shelter of Texas’s back so I didn’t have to meet his eye. I had only been around him a few times. Seen him here and there. But he unsettled me. “I’m sure you have some other business to attend to. Why don’t you leave this to me?”

  “Let me go! I don’t want to go with you! Please! Somebody!” Kurtis sounded on the verge of hysteria and I couldn’t blame him. But I also couldn’t leave him with Creed of all people. It wouldn’t be right.

  I left one hand snaking around the back of Texas’ waist as I slid under his huge arm. It felt good when the weight of it settled across my shoulders. Even better when he tucked me back against him so that I had to turn to the side to face Creed and Kurtis, the latter of whom was currently struggling like he almost couldn’t move, despite the fact that Creed was only holding onto his neck like one would the scruff of an animal.

  “Wait.” Creed focused on me and I nearly lost my voice once I was pinned beneath his attention, noting not for the first time how him and Rain had the same gray eyes yet his held none of the warmth. Swallowing hard so that I could speak again, I tilted my chin up. “I think the humiliation was enough. Throw his ass out but leave him alone.”

  The room stilled and the chatter dropped away like everyone was holding their breath, leaving the pulsing music beating almost ominously into the atmosphere. I felt Texas tense. Creed’s eyes burned into my skull and I suddenly realized my bravery might not have been a good idea. But then he slid a glance at the man beside me and smiled. It was small and showed a few too many teeth, but time was able to start again, and I swear everyone released a breath at the same time as I did.

  When he looked at me again, the smile dropped a fraction. I saw in his eyes then and there that we would never be friends, but I was fine with that. He shot me an imperceptible nod before holding up a hand. Immediately the music died out completely and he raised his voice. “The lady thinks this cocksucker has had enough for tonight. Do we agree, Sinners?”

  “No!” Came the roar from all the gathered bikers and my heart dropped at the same time Kurtis renewed his efforts to get away. Too bad the hand around his neck only clamped tighter until he was all but hunched over.

  “Agreed!” Creed shouted, bloodlust dripping from that one word. “But tonight is a celebration for one of our own, so I order you sons of bitches to party!” The music came back on full blast, right on invisible cue and he looked right at me. “Tomorrow, on the other hand.” With that parting shot he turned and walked away kicking Kurtis along in front of him while the crowd parted with not so subtle urgency.

  “Should I be scared?” I asked aloud, watching him go.

  “Yes.�
�

  My head jerked up at Tex’s answer to find him staring down at me, eyes warm and bright as honey but soaked in lust that made my panties instantly wet. His next words only made the slickness between my thighs worse.

  “But not of him.”

  Oh.

  CHAPTER 6 - Texas

  In all my years, I could count on one hand the number of men with balls big enough to stand up to Creed. Now there was a woman on that list.

  My woman.

  I don’t know if she realized she was doing it, but I felt her gripping me tight when that cold bastard focused on her. That was the time where most people wilted, excused themselves, flat out ran to get away from the promise of violence and bloodshed. But she stood stall, that defiant little chin tilt I knew so well making an appearance as she dug in.

  I wanted to take her right then. My cock had been hard as a fucking rock ever since the simple feel of her hand on my back. But I held back for two reasons. One, I was curious to see how the rest of their altercation played out. Two? No fucking way anyone in this room or on the rest of the goddamn planet was going to know what she looked like without that tiny dress on. Or the faces she made when she came all over my face and dick. Those were for me and only me. They had seen enough of her already that I wanted to go around the room plucking out eyes and-

  Her hand brushed against the stubble on my chin, bringing me back to the present. “You look like murder and you’re going to crack a tooth if you keep grinding your jaw like that.” I didn’t realize I was doing it, but I stopped as her easy smile soaked into my bones.

  My hands settled on her hips, need riding me hard. I didn’t give a fuck who was watching as I pressed my cock against her softness. “I wouldn’t be thinking about murder if you didn’t look like sin, angel.” And that was exactly how Lizzy looked.