by Jennifer Ann
Andie’s staring at me from inches away when I wake the next morning. And fuck me…there’s nothing sexier than seeing her beside me like that with her hair tousled, totally naked. I try to tame my eager dick as soon as I notice the worry shining in her beautiful eyes.
“Stone…there’s something I need to tell you,” she whispers. The way her bottom lip trembles, looks as if she’s having a hard time keeping her shit together. “I lost a brother too. My father blames me for his death, but…what happened to Oliver…it wasn’t my fault.”
“You shitting me? I haven’t known you long, and I’d bet my life you aren’t capable of hurting someone you care about.” Anger sears through my limbs, drawing my muscles tight. “That twisted old fuck deserves much more than an ass-whooping for all he’s done to you.”
Lips parting, she draws in a sharp breath. “You believe me? Just like that?”
Pain flickers through my chest. “Fuckin’ right I do. Is that the reason he made you stay at the clubhouse all these years?”
“That’s not all—”
Her lips clamp together with a solid knock on the door. Doesn’t sound like whatever she was about to say can wait long, and it seems to be eating at her conscience.
“What?” I bark toward the door, grinding my teeth together.
“Sorry to interrupt sexy times,” Rook sniggers through the cheap door, “but you’re gonna wanna come out here.”
Andie throws me a wide-eyed look, shrugging.
“Give us a fuckin’ minute,” I yell in his direction. Running my thumbs along Andie’s cheeks, I meet her stare and let out a deep, frustrated breath. The timing couldn’t be any worse. “What really happened to your brother, lil’ mouse? Why did your old man keep you locked up? Tell me, sweetheart. No reason to hold back—I’ve done my share of bullshit. Nothing you could say would scare me off at this point.”
Her eyes dart across the room. “We’ll finish this conversation later,” she insists, shaking her head. Wiggling from my arms, she slips off the bed and starts pulling on a pair of jeans. “Better find out what’s going on.”
With an unsatisfied grunt, I start dressing alongside her. Once we’re finished, I hook her around the waist and plant a deep kiss on her lips that leaves no doubt in her mind where I stand. We fit together in a way that feels right, leaving no doubt in my mind that we were meant to find our way to each other.
When I lean back to look into her glazed eyes, her body becomes slack in my arms. “You’re not alone anymore, Andie. I’m involved in whatever shit you get into, right alongside you. Balls to the wall. Understand me?”
Breathless, her gaze searches mine like she’s waiting for me to say more. She otherwise doesn’t acknowledge what I said. Whatever shit went down in her father’s clubhouse damaged her in ways I have yet to understand. Just hope it isn’t too late to bring out the carefree side of her I’ve caught faint glimpses of over the past few days.
Locking my fingers around hers, I lead her out of the room. Rook’s still waiting in the hallway, arms crossed, eyes cast downward, smirking like a damn cat.
“Fuck off,” I snarl, shoving him. Guess I deserve his shit for endlessly ribbing him about Brooke when they first hooked up, but still. It’s none of his business what I do with Andie. “What’s got your underwear in a twist?”
Ryker enters the hallway with Sasha on his heels. They both appear a little worn down from whatever flight brought them here, but Sasha looks considerably better than when we left. Bruises hidden with makeup and clothing, hair pulled back, she resembles the tough kid that would watch us jam every day in the old apartment building. Nostalgia thickens in my chest, wishing there was a way to go back to the “good old days” of running around the South Side with the band—before Trask was killed.
“He’s upset that we’re here,” Ryker explains, hands held out at his sides. “Wasn’t gonna sit around and wonder why we couldn’t get ahold of you.”
“No!” Andie snarls at my side, giving Sasha a deadly glare. “Goddamn it, no!”
Ryker shakes his head, eyes briefly closing. “Wasn’t much I could do to stop her. Once she heard I was coming, she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Andie starts for her friend, lips set in a tight scowl. Highly doubt she’d actually hit Sash, but the way her hands ball into fists at her side, I’m not entirely convinced she won’t. “You shouldn’t be here! You’ve been through more than enough already!”
“So have you!” Sasha yells back at her. “I’m not gonna walk away from this until your father is either behind bars or dead, so save your damn breath!”
Colt enters the hallway with Harley tucked against his side while casting our two women a questionable frown. “Everyone good?”
“Looks like you’re gonna have more company,” I tell him, pointing Ryker and Sasha’s way.
Throwing Ryker and Sasha a friendly look, Harley nods in my direction. “In that case, I suppose we should relocate y’all to our place. There’s more room there.”
Andie storms back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Don’t normally know how to handle an angry woman, but looks like I’m gonna have to start figuring things out now that she’s mine.
10
Andie
With only a day before Terrance Fisher and the Martyrs are set to arrive, I’m on edge more than ever. Since Sasha and Ryker showed up, my mind has been racing a million miles a minute with possible scenarios. Too much is at stake already.
I tossed and turned most of the night, keeping Stone awake too. One time we ended up making love, a few times we talked, the other times we just held each other. He’s promised to stay back with me and Sasha when the deal goes down, but I can sense he’s caught between protecting me, and helping Ryker execute his final revenge. More than anything, I’m scared shitless that Stone’s so caught up in making my father and Diesel pay that he’ll do something stupid. Something fatal.
As the sun’s coming up, I sit outside on Colt and Harley’s deck, taking in the breathtaking colors spreading across the horizon above the ocean while inhaling the strong salty smell. I can’t be alone for a full minute before Stone nudges me forward on the chair, allowing him to straddle me from behind, and pull me into the safety of his arms.
“Move in with me, lil’ mouse,” he whispers into my ear. “Don’t really understand what’s going on between us. All I know is I don’t want any other woman now that I’ve got you. Can’t imagine having anyone that isn’t you in my bed ever again.” He pauses to wrap our fingers together while kissing the side of my head. “This connection with us…it goes pretty fucking deep. Maybe even deep enough that I’m ready to reconsider the idea of marriage.”
A gasp sticks in my throat. From the moment I first laid eyes on Camden Stone, I knew he wasn’t the type to take anything lightly. Wouldn’t be surprised to learn his middle name is some variation of “intense.” So to hear him bring up marriage in a conversation…
“This is too much too soon,” I say, slipping my hand from his and rising to my feet. “You don’t know me well enough to make those kinds of decisions.”
He stands beside me, looking as surly as ever. “I know you enough to love the hell outta your beautiful, stubborn ass. Isn’t that enough?”
Flutters erupt in my stomach. By now I’m certain that I’m madly in love with the man, but I never expected him to be on the same page. “Stone—”
He’s grinning as he takes me in his arms, sealing his lips over mine. For the moment, I allow myself to live in the fantasy, and pretend everything is going to be okay.
Late afternoon, Stone takes me down to the beach while the rest of the crew stays back at Harley and Colt’s. For a good hour or so, Stone shows off the surfing skills he picked up while stationed at Camp Pendleton. I’ve never seen anything hotter than my fierce man on a surfboard in a pair of low-slung board shorts. It serves to take my mind off the dire situation, if only for a little while. We soak up the sun for awhile, catching a nap w
hile nestled in each other’s arms before heading out in search of something to eat along the boardwalk.
Overwhelmed by the choices, we stand a good distance from the thickening crowd, scanning the different vendors. Being in public without Diesel is both liberating, and a little frightening. It almost feels too good to be true. For the first time I can remember in recent years, I’m perfectly content. If only there was a way to bottle this moment up for later.
Stone wraps his arms around my neck from behind in a possessive hug, kissing the top of my head. The scent of sand, sea salt, and sun on his skin heats my body with blazing need.
“What are you hungry for, lil’ mouse?” he asks, lips brushing against my earlobe.
“Do you even have to ask?” I purr, pushing my ass back into him while planting a kiss on his tanned bicep.
A low, deep growl vibrates against his Adam’s apple behind me. He shifts away from me, but not before I feel the hardness of his cock. “Fuck…baby…I’d throw you over my shoulder and haul you back right this second if my stomach wasn’t so determined to eat itself.” He hugs me a little tighter. “Spotted some fish tacos down a ways that were callin’ my name.”
I sigh, wishing we could actually skip dinner and feast on each other instead. “Sounds good.”
The second he releases me, the absence of his warmth churns my stomach. If I had it my way, we’d stay locked away in Colt and Harley’s house forever, ignoring the rest of the world.
He spins me around to claim my mouth, gliding his tongue along mine. Right around the time I’m ready to straddle him, he backs off with a drunken little smile. “Grab us a table. I won’t be gone long.”
I watch longingly as he struts away from me, snagging interested looks from a handful of women. I want to tell them that his looks are only the tip of the iceberg. If they only knew the amount of intensity that man possesses in his pinky finger alone.
Weaving my way through clusters of teenagers and families, I find an open table on the side of a burger joint, in the opposite direction of Stone’s taco stand. Just as I’m settling on the bench, the one voice I’d hoped to never hear again utters my name.
Heart in my throat, I turn to meet Diesel’s wicked smirk—the kind that was always followed by an act of violence. He’s notably frazzled, eyes bloodshot, jeans and t-shirt wrinkled. Cold metal pushes against my thigh. I look down to find his large hunting knife threatening to pierce my artery. But it’s the possessiveness in his gaze that sets my heart racing. “It was only a matter of time before I tracked you down.”
A dead coldness seeps through my limbs, stealing my breath. How did he know where to find me? Did he find Harley and Colt’s place? Has he been following us all day? What if he found Sasha, too?
Diesel jerks me against him, running his lips along my jawline. His familiar scent of leather and cigarettes sets my stomach plummeting down to my feet.
“How did you find me?” I manage to ask despite the sudden dryness in my throat.
“Rico finally remembered where he’d seen that beast you ran off with. His band played at Purple Reign a few months back. Once we tracked his bandmates down, we followed them and figured out where you were staying. I’ve kept a close eye on your whereabouts since. Ever since you got on that plane, I’ve been waiting for the chance to get you alone.”
I swallow hard. “Does my father know we’re here?”
“This has nothing to do with him. This is about you and me. Who do you think you are, running away from me with another man?” He pauses to read my expression, frown deepening. “Who does he think he is, sticking his dick in my property?” He drags the knife along my belly before lowering it again. This time he presses it between my legs. “No one fucks with my girl. This is mine.”
“I was never yours,” I hiss with tears slipping down my cheeks. “I’m not your girl.”
His lips spread into a tight line. “We both know that’s a lie.”
Wiping at my wet face, I bite down on my lips. We’re far enough away from the other tourists that no one could see the weapon he’s threatening to push into me. Maybe if I stall enough, Stone will return before Diesel can actually hurt me. “What do you want, Diesel?”
“I want my old lady to stop whoring around!” The red-hot anger in his tone sets off warning alarms. “Now be a good girl, and come with me without drawing attention. I’d hate to have another reason to gut that asshole right in front of you.”
His threat weakens my knees as I stand alongside him. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Stone safe, even if I die in the process.
Diesel steers me toward a dark alley, walking at a pace faster than the frantic beats of my heart. Once we’re behind a dumpster, he slams me back against a brick wall, covering my mouth with his, knife pressed against my throat. I twist and turn, fighting him with everything I have despite the pain searing through my arm, but he pushes the knife in a little deeper until I feel a numbing pain spreading over my skin. His other hand wanders beneath my shirt, squeezing a breast while thrusting his tongue into my mouth. Hot vomit rises from my belly, burning my throat. I will him to kill me before anything else happens.
“Gonna have to double-bag it to make sure I don’t get whatever diseases you picked up from that asshole,” he sneers.
I only catch a flicker of a shadow behind him before he’s pulled off me, and thrown to the ground. Stone doesn’t look my direction as he lurches toward Diesel, stomping on the hand holding the knife. “Get ready to meet your maker.”
Diesel roars in pain only for a heartbeat before he rolls into his trapped arm and knocks Stone to his back.
“No!” I cry out. Releasing my hand from the bloody wound on my neck, I start for them, jumping on Diesel’s back before he’s able to go after his knife. He spins around, knocking my bad arm into the brick wall. I release my arms from around his neck, wincing as I fall down on my ass.
Stone recovers, knocking Diesel back down once he’s recovered the knife. They grunt and roll around, the sharp blade slashing through the air between them. I watch them helplessly, knowing there’s no way to insert myself between them without getting injured. I catch a couple of large guys in board shorts, their thick bodies canvases of tattoos, stalking toward us from the alley’s entrance. A small crowd has gathered behind them.
“Call nine-one-one!” I implore. “He’s trying to kill us!”
Thankfully, one of them retrieves his phone as the other hurries toward me. “I’m an Army medic. How badly are you hurt?” he asks, eyes frantically scanning my neck while he gently touches my shoulder. “Did he get you anywhere else?”
There isn’t time to answer him before a great roar comes from Stone. We turn in time to discover Diesel straddling him, one hand tight around Stone’s windpipe, knife held over his head with the other. My stomach bottoms out. He’s going to kill him.
Time seems to stop as I take a step closer toward them. “No, Diesel! Stop! I’ll do whatever you want if you leave him alone! Don’t hurt him!”
Diesel’s dark gaze darts upward to meet mine. “You sure about that?”
Stone continues to struggle beneath him, huffing and trying to loosen Diesel’s grip with both hands. By all rights, Stone should be able to overpower him. He’s a much bigger man, carved with more muscle. It has me worried that he was somehow injured in the scuffle.
“Cops are on their way,” the second surfer dude announces. “I wouldn’t do anything stupid if I were you, buddy. Not with a handful of witnesses.”
“I’m defending myself against this psycho,” Diesel tells him. I’ve never seen Diesel so determined. It doesn’t even phase him that he has an audience. He motions toward me with his head. “Come on, Andie. Let’s get outta here.”
The medic pulls on my arm. “Don’t do it.”
I reel around to face him. “I have to. I can’t let him hurt the man I love.”
“Andie!” Diesel barks, his tone tight. “Get your ass over here or this prick’s as good as dead!”
In a flash, Diesel pounces onto his feet and once again has the knife pressed to my neck. A woman in the crowd lets out a scream. Stone coughs and wheezes from the ground, cradling one of his arms. He may have broken something, but at least he wasn’t stabbed.
The medic watches us, nostrils flaring. “Let her go, asshole, or this won’t end well for you. Do you really believe you can walk away from this?”
“Lil’ mouse,” Stone hacks, eyes falling on mine as he rolls to his side. “Don’t go…with him…sweetheart…please.”
The strain in his pleaded words nearly brings me to my knees. I know with certainty that if I leave with Diesel, he’ll kill me. My chances are most favorable if I fight for my life with the Army medic and his buddy nearby.
I reach up with both hands, yanking Diesel’s arm downward and to the side, whimpering loudly with the throbbing ache in my arm. When there’s a space between us, I slip my head out from beneath his arm. As I’m twisting his wrist, the medic and his friend charge toward us, nudging me out of the way before tackling Diesel to the ground. The medic knocks the knife from his hand while his buddy sticks a knee in his chest, holding him in place. Then the medic pins Diesel’s hands over his head. A relieved cry pierces my lips as I watch them taking him down, unable to believe my eyes.
Then I catch Stone hobbling toward me, and run to him, careful to avoid the arm he’s still favoring. “Oh my god, Stone! I’m so sorry!”
He cradles my head against his chest, kissing the side of my face. “Shhh…it’s okay. It’s not your fault. Anything that asshole has ever done to you was not your fault. You understand me?”
Instantly comforted by the strength of his hold, his sandalwood scent and warmth of his body encompassing me, I break into tears and cling to him. He continues to hush me, stroking my head as his warm lips continue to cover my skin.