Fighter: The Devil's Highwaymen Nomads #4

by Claire C. Riley

  “Your dinner’s in the dog, asshole!” she yelled, squeezing his cock suddenly before shoving him backwards and storming into the house.

  “Fucccccking crazy bitch!” he called after her as he bent over to catch his breath. “Cuuunt!” he groaned before storming inside to find her.

  Gauge laughed loudly and we both headed to the barbeque to see if there was any food at all left.

  “I didn’t know Rider had a dog,” I said.

  The sound of things breaking inside the house had Gauge chuckling. “He doesn’t.” He laughed again, drinking another mouthful of beer. His gaze slipped over my shoulder to the pool. “Fuck me.”

  “What?” I scowled.

  “I get it.”

  “Get what?”

  “I get why you didn’t kill her,” he said dragging a hand down his beard, his eyes still focused on something other than the beer in his hand.

  I turned to see what he was looking at, watching as Penny swam to the other side of the pool and climbed out, water droplets splashing around her as she squeezed the water out of her long hair. She was wearing a little black string bikini that was more underwear than bathing suit. It dipped down her back almost to her ass, cut high up the thighs, and dangerously low down the front so that her breasts were practically spilling out of it. Water trailed down her pale skin, a light scattering of bruises still visible on her otherwise flawless skin—bruises that I’d put on the top of her thighs, and arms, scratches from the cuffs I’d made her wear even though I knew she wasn’t going anywhere. And I had no doubt that there would be the faint outline of my handprint on her ass when she turned around. She was a beautiful sight.

  “You had that fine piece of ass tied up all that time and didn’t tap it?” Gauge grunted. “I would have fucked it every which way. Still might.”

  She walked toward us, her hair loose around her shoulders and reminding me of when we’d showered together and I’d had her long, wet hair tight in my fist as she’d knelt down and taken me to the back of her throat. My cock stirred at the memory, eager for a repeat performance.

  The song on the stereo changed to some heavy metal shit that pounded out of the top of the speakers Rider had had fitted outside.

  “Hey,” she said, bending down for a towel from the lounger and wiping off her arms as Gauge cleared his throat.

  “Hey,” I grunted, swallowing my beer and avoiding her gaze.

  She looked offended, hurt by me ignoring her. But I didn’t care. She didn’t know how much I wanted to drag her inside right then and fuck her with my mouth. I’d have her screaming my name before the end of the song.

  “You settled in okay, babe?” Gauge asked, stepping forward.

  She looked away from me to him and nodded. “Babe?” she eyes him warily.

  “I’ve sobered up, it had been a really long day,” he clarified, “I’m not normally such an asshole.”

  I lifted an eyebrow as I watched him. Gauge admitting he’d been an asshole was something I’d never seen before.

  “I apologize for my behavior. Can’t speak for this dickwad though; that’s just what he’s like. But me, I’m a pussy cat.” He smiled and I wanted to punch him in his face.

  “You doing okay?” he continued.

  Gauge’s gaze followed as Penny patted her chest with the towel. “Yes, thanks. Charlie’s been really good to me.”

  “She’s a good woman,” Gauge said, and I snorted on a laugh, receiving a look from both of them. “Ignore this dick—he doesn’t know a good woman when he sees one.”

  I was glad I was wearing my shades. I could feign indifference when really I hadn’t taken my eyes off her the entire time.

  She smiled at him, and it made me want to punch his teeth out.

  “Do you know a good woman when you see one, Gauge?” she asked, her voice a purr as she stepped closer to him.

  Oh motherfucking hell no.

  I drank some more of my beer, my hard gaze on her.

  “Always, babe,” he said, his hand reaching out to trail his fingers down her bare arm, his eyes on her tits practically bursting out of the bathing costume.

  The song on the stereo finished and the sound of Charlie and Rider fucking echoed out from the house. We all stood awkwardly, waiting for the next song to come on and fill the silence. Gauge still had his hand on her arm and Penny was still holding on to her towel, water dripping down her body. Woman needed to cover herself the fuck up.

  “Can I get you a drink?” Gauge asked, like he was a fucking gentlemen or some shit.

  “I’ve got one, but thanks,” she replied, her eyes still on him.

  “Where’s Macy?” I asked, interrupting their moment.

  “She’s sleeping,” she replied, glancing at me briefly.

  “Dinner’s ready, boys,” Charlie called with a smile as she came out of the house adjusting her shorts, her cheeks flushed. Rider was behind her, and he smacked her ass as she carried a tray over to the barbeque and began pulling off the steaks.

  Rider made his way to us, his silver hair loose around his shoulders. He dragged his hands through it before pulling out a cigarette from his cut and lighting it.

  “Fucking love that woman,” he grunted, his eyes still on her. He grabbed his cock and rearranged it and Penny looked away with a smirk.

  “She’s insane,” Gauge said before looking back at Penny. “In a good way.”

  She laughed. “I better go help her.”

  She turned and left, and I watched her sweet ass sashay all the way over to Charlie, the edges of my handprint peeking out from the bottom of her suit. My chest filled with pride.

  “I’m gettin’ in that,” Gauge said, and I tore my gaze away from Penny’s ass to glare at him. “What?” He shrugged, draining his beer.

  I kept my mouth shut.

  I didn’t need to say anything because there was no way I was letting any of my brothers touch Penny. It had driven me almost crazy thinking about some other man almost fucking her after she’d gone back home. Good thing that Razuuk had killed that Scratch guy, because I would have it if he hadn’t.

  I may not have wanted her, but that didn’t mean any other man could have her. And fuck me, if anyone was taking her virginity it was going to be me.

  “Not happening,” Rider said.

  “Why the fuck not?” Gauge growled. “No one’s got claim to her. She’s free pussy. Especially since she fucking owes us for keeping her safe.”

  “She don’t owe us shit,” I gritted out.

  Gauge scowled at me. “You fucking high, brother?”

  “He’s right,” Rider interjected. “Right now, we’re all keeping each other safe. She could have dropped us in it with her dad, but she didn’t. We owe her for that.”

  “Fine, well I’m still tapping that ass,” Gauge said, pulling out his cigars and lighting one. “She’s into me, so there ain’t nothing or no one can stop that from happening.”

  “You ain’t fucking her,” Rider growled. “Jesus Christ, Gauge, can you stop thinking with your dick for a minute.”

  “This is some bullshit,” Gauge replied with a shake of his head. “Gimme one good reason I can’t fuck her.”

  “Because she’s been claimed,” Rider snapped.

  “By who?” Gauge and I said at the same time.

  I reached up and dragged my shades from my face, my nostrils flaring angrily.

  How the fuck could she have been claimed? She’d been there all day.

  Rider turned to me. “By you,” he said.

  “What?” I gritted, glaring at him. “What the fuck are you talking about? I haven’t claimed her.”

  “If you want her to live, you will.”

  I scowled at him but he wasn’t backing down.

  “If she’s your old lady, Razuuk can’t give her to anyone. And if she’s your old lady, Hardy can’t touch her either,” he said calmly.

  “Find another way,” I growled.

  He shook his head. “This is the only way, brother.�
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  This couldn’t be happening.

  Not to me.

  I didn’t want to be tied down.

  I didn’t want a woman.

  Especially not her.

  She may have been beautiful and good, and pure in a way that I wanted to defile and own, but that didn’t mean I wanted her as my woman. I wasn’t the sort of man to ever have a woman—an old lady. Especially not one as innocent as her.

  I’d ruin her, if I hadn’t already.

  “Rider—” I started, but he put his hand on my shoulder and glared at me.

  “There are worse things in this world than to have a beautiful woman in your bed and on your bike, brother. If you want to live, if you want her to live—and it seems to me that you do—then this is what has to happen.” He patted my shoulder and stalked toward Charlie.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her face around so he could kiss her hard. Penny smiled as she watched them and continued to plate up the food for us all.

  “He’s right,” Gauge said from next to me. “Never wanted to settle down before, but if I did, can’t imagine it would be such a bad thing with a woman like that.”

  “Fuck off,” I grunted, and Gauge laughed and headed over to the barbeque, taking a plate of food from Penny.

  I was a soldier, a warrior. I followed orders and the club was my life—not a wife and a family. I didn’t do happily-ever-afters, because in my world they didn’t exist.

  To save her, and me, I’d have to do it—take her as my old lady, claim her for my own—but in doing so I’d probably ruin her.

  I wasn’t a good man and I sure as shit wouldn’t make a good old man to her. I was rotten to the core, with dark needs that she wouldn’t be able to keep up with.

  What kind of life was that for her?

  She deserved more than that. And coming from me, a man who didn’t give a shit who I hurt as long as it wasn’t my club, that was saying something. Because if I could see the dark inside me and know that she deserved a better life than the one I could give her, that was seriously fucked up.

  Way more fucked up than we could survive.

  ~ 25 ~

  Fighter

  We’d eaten our steaks and drunk some beer, and thank fuck Penny had covered up and put some clothes on, because if Gauge stared at her tits one more time I was going to have to knock his goddamn teeth out. It wasn’t that I was jealous or possessive, or that I cared who she did or didn’t fuck, it was just… I don’t know. I couldn’t explain it.

  I didn’t like it and that was enough for me.

  Now we were sitting around the fire pit beside the pool. Charlie was sitting on Rider’s lap, kissing his neck, and Gauge was watching them with a hard-on that was difficult to ignore.

  “Stop fucking staring,” I grunted.

  “It’s hot,” he replied, leaning back in his chair. “Besides, Rider doesn’t care.”

  “Yes I do,” Rider grunted, tipping Charlie’s head back so he could gain access to her neck. One hand was pressed between her breasts, the other under her neck as he trailed kisses across her collarbone. “Baby, I’ve got to deal with this shit,” he mumbled against her skin before lifting her back up to him.

  She groaned and gave him the evil eye, and the sorry fuck looked genuinely sorry.

  “Baby, I would love nothing more than to sit here with you on my lap all night, but club has to come first. You know that.”

  I braced for one of Charlie’s outbursts, but she surprised us all when she kissed his forehead and looked across at Penny. “You need me to take her inside?”

  Penny was curled up on a chair, wearing one of Charlie’s little tank tops on over a pair of denim cutoffs. She looked fine as fuck. I couldn’t believe that she was going to be mine. I couldn’t believe I didn’t want her to be.

  Rider shook his head. “No, she needs to hear this.” He looked across at Penny. “You need to agree to this,” he said firmly. “This is your choice, but I’m telling you, this is the only way I can see out of this shit show.”

  “Okay, what is it?” Penny asked, sitting up in her chair. She tucked her long hair behind her ears, her golden eyes on Rider like his words were everything.

  Rider glanced at me and then back to her. “If you’re already claimed, then your dad can’t give you to anyone. And if it’s a Highwayman that’s claims you, then Hardy can’t kill you either.”

  She frowned and looked between me and Gauge warily.

  “Don’t look at me, beautiful. I wanted to fuck you but I ain’t taking no woman. Not even one as hot as you,” he chuckled.

  Her gaze slid to me, her face pinching in on a frown. “You?” she said in disbelief.

  I kept my gaze impassive and gave a shrug. “It’s not real. It’s just for show.”

  Hurt flashed across her face and she looked back at Rider. “There has to be another way!”

  “That’s what he said,” Gauge laughed, pointing to me.

  “Shut the fuck up, brother,” I growled.

  “He kidnapped me!” she said, with no real conviction behind the words. “He tortured me,” she said with even less.

  I gave a snort of laughter and took a mouthful of beer, and she glared at me from across the fire, anger spewing from her.

  “What?” she snapped and I shrugged. “Go on, say it! Don’t just sit there with your dick in your hand like you have nothing to say.”

  I arched an eyebrow at her. “The way I remember it, it was hardly torture for you, darlin’.”

  Her eyes blazed as she held me in place with her angry stare. Charlie scooted off Rider’s lap and took a seat next to Penny. “He’s right. The Highwaymen will protect you if you’re one of us. Hardy can’t do anything about it. And your dad won’t suspect it was anything to do with our club if you’re claimed by one of them.” She took one of Penny’s hands in hers. “Rider’s a clever man, darlin’. If he says this is the only way, then this is the only way.”

  Fuck me, she looked like she was going to cry.

  She glared at me, her full mouth turning into a full pout of displeasure.

  My stomach sank.

  She was going to cry at the prospect of being my woman.

  Was I really that much of a piece of shit that she’d rather cry than be my old lady?

  Wow, well that hurt more than I thought it would. Not that I cared, because like I’d said, it was all for show anyway. She wouldn’t really be my old lady. It was just to save both our asses.

  I scowled back at her.

  “If you two fuck as hard as you hate each other, I’m going to get Casa to set up a camera,” Gauge said with a chuckle.

  “You’re not helping,” Rider growled.

  “Oh come on. Look at them!” Gauge laughed louder. “She hates him and he can’t stand her. This is going to be fucking hilarious. Penny, you ever need a servicing, you come straight to me.” He winked. “Like this dumb motherfucker just said, it’s all for show anyway.”

  I glared at him and stood up. “I need another beer.”

  “Grab the whiskey,” Gauge called.

  I stormed into the house, still hearing their low whispers outside, trying to convince her that being my old lady was the only way that this would work. That being with me was the only way she’d be safe from both of our clubs. I didn’t understand the ache in my chest at the thought of that—the idea that she’d need to be convinced to be with me.

  I hadn’t ever wanted a woman as my old lady before, and I still didn’t. I lived a dark path and no woman should be on that with me. But if I had ever wanted a woman of my own, it would have been her. There was no doubt in my mind.

  When I headed back outside, the four of them were quiet. I sat back down and handed the bottle of whiskey to Gauge. I’d grabbed a beer and I drank half of it down in one go.

  I felt angry, restless, bitter. Resentment stirred in my gut, making me want to lash out.

  “Are we agreed?” Rider asked.

  I looked across at Penny,
the light from the fire dancing across her face. She nodded, looking deeply unhappy, and I reached over for the bottle of whiskey from Gauge.

  Fuck this shit.

  Fuck the Vipers.

  Fuck the Highwaymen.

  And motherfucking fuck her.

  “We’re agreed,” I replied bitterly.

  ~ 26 ~

  Penny

  So this was really happening then.

  I was being claimed by a Highwayman. By my dark angel, no less, and he looked like he was about to kill himself at the very thought. I wasn’t sure what made me more angry—that he was so repulsed by the idea of me being his old lady, or that it was the only way to save myself.

  I’d left the Vipers, and my daddy, to get away from men controlling me. To stop myself from being claimed by someone I didn’t want. So I could make up my own mind. Carve my own path. Choose my own future. And yet there I was, barely a day later and already forced into being claimed by the very man that had kidnapped me.

  You couldn’t even make this shit up, it was that ridiculous.

  “Give me some of that,” I said, reaching for the bottle of whiskey from Gauge.

  At least he liked me. He hadn’t stopped staring at me all night. Not that it would ever be more than that, since he was a disgusting pig, but the thought was still nice that someone there liked me. He handed me the bottle and I took a long swig of it. I hated whiskey. I hated the smell, the taste, and I hated the burn as it went down my throat. It reminded me of my daddy, of the Vipers, of everything I had wanted to get away from. Yet I took another long drink of it, needing desperately to get blind drunk and forget the mess of my life for just one night.

  “Easy, darlin’,” Charlie soothed, taking the bottle from me and handing it back to Gauge.

  Fighter still hadn’t said anything. He was just staring into the flames of the fire pit like he was hoping it would tell him his fortune. Or help him self-combust so that he didn’t have to go through with this. Go through with me.

  God, I hated him.

  I hated that he’d taken me from a life I’d known and understood and then released me back into a world I couldn’t make sense of.