by Addy Archer
No use denying Cora is inside with the GPS inside her.
Nario narrows his eyes. “What do you know about my brother? Did you guys torch the place? Maybe I was wrong to assume the woman burned the place down out of revenge and both Long and Tito were out searching for the cunt, or the cunt outsmarted them.” His head tilts slightly. “Ah. You sampled my merchandise. Maybe we could come to an understanding. Unless you have anything to do with my brother’s absence, because now I’m fairly sure he’s not alive anymore.”
“We have nothing to do with your brother, nor does my old lady. Like my prez said, get the fuck off our property; there’s nothing for you here and we don’t owe you shit.”
Nario holds my gaze for a few breaths before it slides to Stone. “Change of plans. Twenty-five thousand dollars and my brother’s killer. That’s what you owe me.”
“We don’t owe you shit. The woman is her own, and what the fuck about your brother’s killer? He could be following his dick for all you know,” Stone snaps.
Nario shakes his head. “He would never leave for a long period of time without any precautions. Nor would he seize any form of contact or take a spur of the moment short vacation. I had a bad feeling he was dead but didn’t want to believe it. You guys acting like this and having the woman? Mrs. Long is nowhere to be found, and her place burned to the ground? Your hands are dirty, time to pay up. You have seventy-two hours.”
He doesn’t wait for a reply but steps inside the limo with his two bozos.
The tinted window slides down right when Leo rides through the gates on his bike. He’s back from getting the condoms me and Ram asked him to get. Before I can so much as reach for my gun, there’s a pop breaching the air before Leo jerks and crashes his bike.
I palm my gun and pull the trigger, hearing other shots fired next to me as the bulletproof limo speeds off.
C H A P T E R S I X
– CORAL –
The door swings open and Jace appears. “Daniela, come on, we need you.”
Daniela jumps into action. Ry looks at me and we both follow them out of the safe room, though the hall, and into the main room. Someone comes rushing over and hands Daniela a large bag. Other bikers move to the side and I now see Leo draped over a table and covered in blood. His eyes are open but there’s no life in them.
“Oh, no,” Ry gasps.
Dreamer is cupping Leo’s face. “Come on, buddy, stay with me.” He glances back at Daniela. “He was conscious a moment ago.” His attention goes back to Leo. “Come on, fucking look at me.”
Daniela works on Leo but I can tell when her moves falter it’s all over for Leo. She gives a tiny shake of her head to Jace, Stone catches the movement too. Pain fills their eyes.
“Don’t just stand there, fucking help him,” Dreamer bellows.
Stone grabs Dreamer’s forearm. “She can’t do anything for him, Dreamer. He’s gone.”
“No,” Dreamer growls. “Fuck no.” His voice is loaded with emotion as he glances down at Leo’s lifeless body.
So much blood. What once was a white tank is now drenched in crimson. The fabric is torn and it looks as if he was shot.
“He can’t be dead. He was supposed to get condoms and return. He wasn’t supposed to get shot. It’s not fucking possible. Fuck,” Dreamer bellows and shoves his blood covered hands into his hair.
I rush toward him and plaster myself against his back while sliding my arms around his waist. He doesn’t move, doesn’t speak, he doesn’t do anything. The silence around us is deafening. My heart squeezes painfully for the loss of Leo. Even if I only just met him, I know these guys are like a tight family. And from what Dreamer just said it’s clear he blames himself.
A growl rips from Dreamer’s chest right before he spins around in my arms and buries his head into the crook of my neck. His arms hug me close and tight. Tight enough to make it difficult to breathe but I’m not complaining. It’s what he needs and with what he’s done for me over the past few days it’s a mere fragment to give back.
There’s a hand on my shoulder. Stone’s voice flows beside us. “Dreamer, take your old lady to your room, let us handle this. Daniela and Ry already left with Jace. Come on, the women don’t need to see this shit.”
Dreamer doesn’t respond at all. His head stays buried in the crook of my neck and his breathing is rushing out frantically over my skin.
“Give him a minute,” I snap at Stone.
I know very well Dreamer doesn’t twist his hand for some torture or plain murder. Hell, I’ve seen with my own eyes what he can do. There was no impact of emotions because he was inflicting the damage and getting justice in his own way. This right here is different and it’s tied with not only guilt but I’m sure something must have gone on before Leo was shot. And I have no idea what was said or what Nario did, but from Dreamer’s reaction it’s clear it cut deep.
To my surprise Stone gives me a small smile and a nod before he starts to give orders to other guys who start to jump into action. Dreamer takes a deep breath, making his body move against me as he pulls back and connects our foreheads.
“Nario shot him as a warning. We have three days to hand you over.” Out of all the things he could have said, I was not expecting this.
I’m such a stupid, ignorant woman. I should have expected it.
“You have nowhere to go and no fucking choice unless we find the GPS tracker they put inside you.”
“What?” I squeak, taking a step back and glancing frantically at myself in horror. “I have a tracker inside me? Where is it? Get it out.”
Oh, shit. Now it makes perfect sense because that’s how they found me the first time I tried to escape. It was so freaking weird how they found me because I made sure I could slip out unnoticed and ran for miles. I wasn’t followed and suddenly they were there, out of nowhere, catching me and dragging me back to Mrs. Long’s house.
Stone hands some kind of device to Dreamer. “I don’t know, but we could find out.”
I take another step back. “What’s that? Why do you have what I think that is? Do you put trackers into people too?”
Frantically I glance around me for a way out. Suddenly I don’t trust anyone. There’s a man dead on a damn table for fuck’s sake. Even if these guys are not working with those men who took me, they are anything but law-abiding citizens.
“Stop for one damn second. I can hear your brain cracking from way over here and I’m not liking the fact that you’re backing away from me. Where the hell is your mind taking you? Because I can see it in your eyes you’re doubting me.”
“I don’t know,” I whisper, emotions making it hard for me to push out the words. My eyes go to Leo. “I shouldn’t have asked for help. If I didn’t reach out to you then—”
“Then you’d still have a dildo shoved up your ass each day until Nario came to replace it with his cock. Is that what you want? Because that fucker had his own damn brother prepare you to be his, he fucking told me. Now come here and let me remove the fucking tracker so you can run away from all of us, or let us protect you, or whatever you think is best. I won’t stop you, but I will run after you. I’ll keep my fucking distance, but I need you safe, and you won’t be as long as Nario is still breathing.” His eyes are hard and his chest is heaving.
He’s fully back in charge and whatever the moment was he was having when Leo died, it’s clear he’s shoved his emotions back to handle whatever life is throwing at him. With what he just said, he’s basically telling me his arms are wide open and yet always embracing me to have someone to fall back on.
Tears start to trail a hot path over my cheeks as I step forward. The harsh look in his eyes shifts to warmth wrapped with pride and adoration and it’s all for me. He gives the slightest of nods before he activates the device he’s holding and starts to search my body. There’s a beeping sound when he scans my left shoulder blade.
Curses ring out and I feel his fingertips slide over my skin. “It’s right here.”
“Take it out,” I croak.
A shiver runs through my body. I can’t believe the men that took me branded me like cattle to make sure I’d stay in place, and if not they could easily retrieve what they had lost. The mere thought is sickening. They must have done it the night they took me when I was unconscious.
“I should get Daniela back here,” Dreamer murmurs while his finger still traces my shoulder blade.
“Just cut me and take it out,” I order him in a harsher tone.
My cheeks are still wet from my tears but the weakness, desperation, and confusion running through my body are now slowly being replaced by anger and determination. I reach for Daniela’s medical bag that’s still on the table next to Leo. Finding a scalpel when I open a tiny leather wrapped bag, I hold it out to Dreamer.
“Cut it out so they won’t find me or see me coming when I take my revenge,” I growl, anger now fully overtaking me.
“Fuck,” Dreamer mutters underneath his breath as he takes the scalpel. “If I’m doing this you need to promise to leave the revenge part to me. Cutting the tracker out of you will be the end of it. I don’t want you coming near the fucker who wants you for himself. He didn’t so much as blink when he shot Leo. No fucking warning except rolling down the window before he shoved a gun through it. And I don’t have to tell you what you went through or what I’m cutting out of you. These fuckers have a sickening, well-oiled process going on. Now you fucking promise you’re going to stay out of it.”
I reach out and slide my hand up to cup the back of his neck, tugging him down while I push myself up on my toes to feather my lips against his.
Pulling back, I whisper, “I promise.”
“Damn right you do,” he murmurs. “I hate taking it out, I don’t want to fucking hurt you.”
I give him a tiny smile. “It’s just a tiny cut, I’ll live. And if you don’t want to, maybe Stone can do it.”
“No one other than me will ever lay his hand on you,” he growls in a low warning as he shoots a glare in Stone’s reaction.
I slowly turn around and bare my shoulder by pulling the fabric of my shirt down the same way Dreamer did when he found the tracker. His fingertips glide over the spot in a delicate way.
“Deep breaths, babe,” he croaks.
“Hang on,” Ram says as he steps in front of me. “This okay, brother?”
I don’t hear Dreamer or see what he’s doing but Ram nods and holds out his hands, palms up.
“Give me your hands and eyes, Coral. Focus on me,” Ram says. “Tell me about butterflies or some romantic shit women like. You’re all about the romance of things, right? Flowers, candy? Favorite candy, tell me.”
“Chocolate.” I smile at his ramblings but wince when I can feel Dreamer prodding my shoulder blade.
Ram squeezes my hand. “Just chocolate?”
He regains my focus and I tell him, “Anything chocolate since nothing is ever only chocolate. I don’t like anything else. I really hate those gummy things.”
“Hey,” Ram fake grumbles. “Don’t ditch on those gummy things. I happen to like them. Ever lick and throw them? They can stick quite nicely to a body.”
“Ram,” Dreamer growls.
Ram chuckles and I know he’s taunting Dreamer to distract the both of us. A deep breath slides from my body.
“Stay still for just a few more seconds,” Dreamer says.
Standing between these two men—who obviously have a strong friendship—also makes me want to tease them.
“So, Ram. Is it always like this? You facing the girl, taking her pussy while Dreamer heads for the backdoor? Do you feel him sliding against your dick? Is that the extra angle you guys go for?”
“What the actual fuck, woman?” Dreamer snaps while Ram throws his head back and barks out a laugh.
“She’s fucking with you, brother.” Ram squeezes my hands and still has laughter twinkling in his eyes. “She sure is magical, brother. You’re a lucky fucker. And, yeah, darlin’. It’s the extra angle, filling completely, the lustful moment, extra pair of hands, a tighter fit. All these things heighten pleasure but I can sure as hell tell you it’s a faded pleasure you’re chasing unless you found a person you connect with on a magical level. I’ve had it once with someone. And I hate to say this, but at the time I thought it was always like that. I was stupid and naïve and fucked it up. That’s why I’m telling you, I know it’s there and it puts a connection during sex on a higher level. The difference between just a fuck and making love. And don’t make me repeat that shit because I will deny it. Hot, dirty, nameless sex might be enjoyable and makes you blow a nut, but it’s the whole special one touching your inner peace while you orgasm is what you live for.” His eyes go over my head. “Don’t let her slip through your fingers.”
“I fucking won’t,” Dreamer vows. “Turn around, Coral. Ram is going to bandage the wound.”
I spin around at the same time Dreamer throws something on the floor he was cleaning his hands with.
He cups my face and murmurs, “So fucking beautiful. So fucking mine. No one is going to take you away from me. Not now, not ever.” And slams his mouth over mine.
I make a sound of discontent in the back of my throat when he stops kissing me and the man simply chuckles. “Ram is done. Come on, let’s go to our room so I can talk through some stuff with you.”
I let him lead me through the clubhouse and once we’re inside our room, he flips the lock and sits down on the bed, tapping the bed as a request for me to sit down beside him. Once I do he sighs and starts to explain.
“We can’t simply barge in and end the auction to save your friend, Winter, and the rest of the women.”
My heart sinks and the mere thought of standing helpless at the sidelines is tearing me up.
“Hey.” Dreamer tips my chin up. “Hear me out first.”
He brushes his thumb over my jaw and leans in to feather his lips against mine.
“Stone reached out to another MC. His two sisters are old ladies with Rebel Rage MC. Alaric, their president, has a brother named Bruno who is a ruthless and twisted head of the mafia. Now remember I said ruthless and twisted before you get all excited okay?”
I can feel my forehead scrunch up in confusion. Where is he going with all this information?
“Alaric contacted Bruno, explained about Winter, and Bruno all too quickly agreed to handle it. He called Stone this morning and gave him the information. Bruno is invited to the auction and is going to buy your friend.”
Buy my friend. Buy. I should be repelled and yet I can’t find the right state of mind to be anything other than hopeful. And maybe this Bruno can help bring these guys down.
Oh, shit. “Why did I have to remember the ruthless and twisted part?”
“Because he jumped on helping us a little too eagerly. The description you gave of Winter fits Alaric’s old lady perfectly and Bruno had the hots for her long before she came into Alaric’s life. From what I’ve heard he wanted another wife even before his died. Obligations as a head of the family, having an heir and such. I mean, the fucker is loaded, powerful, and we’re fairly sure he would seriously buy her for keeps.”
I let my eyes fall shut for a few breaths to let his words sink in. But really, “What other choice do we have? I’ve seen the man who killed Leo murder another person as a warning too. We now know they put trackers in us. It’s all kind of twisted and if this Bruno guy can take Winter away from the auction, it’s one step toward a better place and we will deal with whatever comes next when she’s away and safe from those auction guys.”
“Christ, that’s like looking for the sunshine through a fucking storm.” Dreamer sighs and rubs his jaw.
“It’s better than nothing,” I whisper, torn about all of it but hopeful for a chance, how screwed up it might be. “And who knows, Winter might take Bruno’s balls, or freeze them over.”
Dreamer chuckles. “I fucking hope so.” His eyes go to my mouth. “Who knows,” he murmurs and leans in for a
kiss.
All the ugliness of the past few hours slides to the background the moment this man’s lips touch mine. His hand slides to my breast, cupping, kneading, pinching my nipple through the fabric of my shirt. Tingles start to burn low in my belly and I want to be consumed by him.
I grab my shirt and roughly yank it over my head to let it fall to the floor. I fumble for a moment to take off my bra before I throw it away and pull my jeans down. Dreamer chuckles but when I narrow my eyes he too jumps on the “get naked now” bandwagon and starts to shed his clothes.
Finally naked I push him onto his back on the bed and straddle him. His mouth is back on mine, his hands are roaming my body, putting every nerve ending on high-alert. My breathing picks up and I don’t think I’m able to catch my next breath if he isn’t inside me soon.
His nails dig into my hips and suddenly I’m flying and quickly after bouncing on the mattress as Dreamer flips us around. I’m gasping for my next breath when he slides inside me with one hard push.
“Dreamer,” I groan on a harsh breath.
“That’s right, darlin’, only ever me,” he grunts, sliding out and filling me back up.
I let my hands slide up and down his back as if to pull him closer but our bodies are already connected in every way. His hips pick up speed and the grunts of pleasure along with the sounds of naked bodies slapping together fill the air as the temperature rises.
“So. Fucking. Good,” Dreamer says in awe.
I shift my hips and he slides deeper inside me with the next thrust, making me gasp and moan. Delicious pleasure. His head falls into the crook of my neck, nibbling on my skin while his breathing and grunts reach my ear.
This is what I love. Our connection. Our cravings. Our mutual hunt for pleasure. Both our heads always focused in the same direction. Tomorrow isn’t promised but we sure as hell will take today before it slides into the past. And the realization of a past shared does promise a chance at a shared future.
I’m prevented from dwelling on my thoughts when pleasure overtakes my body and consumes me in every way. Utter bliss. And in the back of my mind I hear Dreamer’s curses when I feel his dick thicken inside me a fragment more before warmth starts to fill me as he too is surrendering to the orgasm ripping through him.