by A. M. Myers
“Why do you think I left, brother?”
He scoffs. “I’ve always known why you left. I guess I was just hoping that I could fight it better from the inside, actually make a difference.”
“Ah, yes… I remember when I felt that way. Odds are they’ll beat it out of you.”
“Shit,” he sighs. “I was worried you were gonna say that. It may be well past time for a change.”
“We might have an opening here. You want to ride a bike?” I ask, grinning cause I already know the answer. Max might be tempted by the club and our lifestyle but he’s too much of a Boy Scout to ever join up. Then again, the same could have been said about me before I ever met my brothers.
“Naw, you know it’s not for me. There is an opening for a detective in New Orleans though. I’ve been thinking about putting my hat in the ring over there.”
I nod, scrubbing a hand over my jaw. “Not a bad idea. Let me know if you need a reference and keep me updated if anything new comes up with Izzy’s case.”
“Yeah, you got it. Talk soon.”
I hang up and sigh, closing my eyes as I lean my head back against the seat of the truck, my mind racing. Okay, so obviously we can’t count on the department for any kind of back-up when it comes to dealing with Gio and Luca and we seriously need to find some more information on these guys. Memories of the morning after the attack, when I picked her up from Storm and Ali’s house, bombard me. The gash on her chest where Luca tried to slice her throat is healing up nicely and the bruises are fading but every time I see them, I can’t help but think of how close we all came to losing her. It’s unacceptable and I won’t ever let that bastard get near her again.
“What’s going on, Diego?” Izzy asks, barely masking the fear in her voice as she lays her hand on my arm. A jolt rocks through me and I open my eyes, turning to her as I try to think of the best way to tell her this.
“You trust me?”
She hesitates for a second and my heart stutters. I didn’t realize how important this question was to me before it left my lips but now, I’m hanging on the edge of a wire, desperate for her answer. Searching my gaze, she sinks her teeth into her bottom lip and turns to look out of the windshield before turning back to me with a sigh.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Can you give me a little time to fill the guys in and find out what Streak knows and then I’ll tell you everything?”
Pulling her hand back, she scowls and crosses her arms over her chest again. “Why the hell can’t you tell me now?”
“Because I really want to give you some good news, too.”
“Oh,” she whispers as the wall hiding her fear shatters, allowing it to shine in her eyes as she turns away from me in a desperate attempt to hide.
Fuck me.
My chest aches. I study her side profile, her bottom lip wobbling as she tries to rein her emotions in again. Since this all started, I had been able to see that Izzy was scared but she still had an air of confidence to her that made me think she wasn’t taking this as seriously as she needed to but now… now I can see how terrified she truly is and it kills me. I reach across the cab and wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her across the bench seat and into my arms in the hopes that I can steal some of the fear from her heart and mind. She’s stiff at first, unwilling to allow the show of support but I hug her tighter and bury my face in her neck, holding strong because that is what she needs from me right now. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. A shuddered breath crashes between us and she melts into me, her body sagging into my embrace like she just ran fifty miles and I move my hand to the back of her head, massaging her scalp as I close my eyes.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Izzy. I can fucking promise you that I will gladly lay down my life before I let those monsters touch you or our son,” I whisper in her ear and the minuscule sob is the only response I get before her muscles tense and she rips herself out of my arms.
“You should get to your meeting.” She nods to the clubhouse before turning away from me completely and staring out of the passenger side window, blocking her gorgeous brown eyes from me and I feel her defenses slam back into place like a fist to the jaw. Studying the back of her head, I grind my teeth as I try to get a handle on my frustration before letting out a sigh.
“Where are you going to be?”
She shrugs. “Ali and Carly are around here somewhere so I’ll just go find them and hang out until you’re done.”
I nod, glancing over at the clubhouse as my mind spins. There isn’t a single part of me that wants to leave her right now to go to this meeting and fill my brothers in on everything that’s been happening. I want to stay here, pull Izzy in my arms again, and just hold her until I can convince her that there is more between us than thirty-six hours of sex and an accidental pregnancy, hold her until she’s not so scared anymore, hold her until she knows that I would never let anything happen to her but I know better. Convincing Izzy will be a marathon, uphill, through the desert, with a hundred pounds of gear on my back so despite how much I want to bulldoze right through all of her walls, I open the truck door and step out, holding my hand out for her. She glances over her shoulder at it before meeting my gaze.
“What?”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not leaving you out here in the truck so let’s go.”
“We’re on the compound,” she challenges, turning to me and squaring her shoulders. “I’ll be just fine.”
“I honestly don’t give a shit where the hell we are. I’m not leaving you alone.”
She arches a brow and crosses her arms over her chest as a ghost of a smile teases her lips, letting me know she has no intention of going anywhere with me and my balls tighten. There she is - my Izzy in all her stubborn, pain in the ass glory. I fight back a grin of my own as I arch a brow and meet her stare, refusing to back down.
“Tell you what, darlin’, you can either come with me willingly or I will throw you over my shoulder and the whole compound can listen to you screaming at me to put you down.”
Her eyes narrow and she stares at me, assessing just how serious my threat is as time seems to stall, amplifying the moment between us. Despite the challenge in her gaze, or hell, maybe because of it, anticipation races through my veins, begging me to close the distance between us and pull her into my body again. But what’s new, right? It seems like everything about Izzy, in every second of every day, makes me want to pull her closer but she continues to resist.
“Oh, my fucking God,” she sighs, rolling her eyes as she comes to the conclusion that I’m not going to drop this and there is no way in hell that she’s going to win. She throws her hands up, her annoyance lining her every move as she slides across the seat and hops out of the truck. “There. Happy?”
I flash her a smile. “Deliriously.”
“You’re so damn annoying.”
A laugh rumbles out of me and I throw my arm over her shoulders as we start walking toward the clubhouse door. “Whatever you say, Kettle.”
A scoff rips itself from her body but she doesn’t say a word, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing a glare on her gorgeous face. It’s fucking adorable but no way in hell am I going to tell her that. She pouts all the way across the parking lot, tucked into my side and visibly seething, but doesn’t say another word until we reach the door and she pulls away from me.
“Am I free now?” she snaps, her gaze locked on my face. There is enough venom in her voice to make anyone else take a step back but I fucking love watching her get all riled up. She gets another wide smile from me, which only pisses her off more, and I nod as I smack her ass with my hand, loving the way it shakes from the contact.
“For now. I’ll come find you when I’m done.”
Her wide eyes meet mine, shocked at the bold move, but I don’t say a word, preferring to let her imagination wander. Somewhere between pulling into the parking lot and the moment my hand made contact with her round ass, I decided that if I wante
d more from her, I needed to push her, break her out of the nice comfort zone she’s barricaded herself in. It’s risky and I can’t say for sure that it will work but it’s better than doing nothing. Besides, I figure if I can distract her with multiple, mind-blowing orgasms a day, I might be able to slip past her defenses and into her stubborn heart. I smile to myself as she opens the door to the clubhouse and disappears inside in search of her best friends. Izzy is one of the most hardheaded women I’ve ever met but she’d never seen me at my best and I know nothing is going to stand in my way. She is mine, has been since the very moment I sunk into her gorgeous fucking body six months ago, and I intend to fight everyone, including the woman herself to make that point perfectly clear.
Chapter Twelve
Isabelle
What the fuck kind of game is he playing?
My mind spins as I remember the challenge in his warm brown eyes and the devilish smile on his face as he stood his ground in front of me, telling me that he was going to toss me over his shoulder like a rag doll if I didn’t cave to his demands. I squirm in my seat as my heart hammers in my chest and my cheeks heat. The spot on my ass where he smacked me pulses with the memory and I suck in a breath before slowly blowing it out, my skin tingling with a need so intense I swear it might kill me. I’m vaguely aware of Ali and Carly’s conversation about pregnancies and due dates but I can’t take my eyes off of the back door to the clubhouse, waiting for him to appear and flash me another “try me” grin.
God, it was so fucking hot.
What?
No.
Oh, who am I kidding? It was hot, so incredibly sexy that my panties were wet in an instant. When Diego and I first hooked up all those months ago, he was fucking lost and it was evident to anyone who came into contact with him. Not that I can blame him. I know all too well what happens to a person when their life falls apart around them but when I think back to the way he was staring at me in the truck, that man is gone. In fact, ever since I started staying with him, he has seemed different but today was on a whole other level and if I’m being honest with myself, it turned me the fuck on. The chemistry between us was already electric but seeing his confident, take no shit side has me imagining how good it could be to let him take control of me and my body.
Just in bed though.
I don’t fucking submit to anyone unless we’re both naked and I’m about to come my brains out.
A shiver winds its way down my spine as I imagine Diego wrapping his hand around my throat and meeting my gaze with the same determination I saw in his eyes before I left him standing in front of the clubhouse.
Fuck me.
“Hello? Earth to Iz?” Ali calls, yanking me out of my X-rated daydreams and I meet her gaze before glancing over at Carly, desperately trying to remember what was said just a moment ago but I’m lost. Carly arches a brow, clearly waiting for an answer from me and I scowl.
“Huh?”
Ali snorts out a laugh. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. You’re a million miles away.”
“Yeah,” I draw out, trying to think of an explanation for why I have zero idea what they’re talking other than I was picturing Diego ordering me to my knees, gripping my hair and shoving his glorious cock in my mouth. Jesus, if they knew I’ve been sitting here this whole time, trying to remind myself why I absolutely cannot go for round two with Diego, they would lose their shit. I can’t even remember how many times over the past ten years that Ali has lovingly tried to convince me to give love and dating another chance. “Lot on my mind, you know?”
Christ.
Is that really the best I’ve got?
“Such as?” Carly asks, arching a brow as she crosses her legs in front of her. Carly and I are so damn similar so she never buys my shit, always challenging me to open up to them ever since she went and fell in love with Chance.
“Oh, you know, assholes trying to kill me and all that.”
Ali’s expression softens in an instant and she reaches her hand out, covering mine in a show of support. “Are you okay, babe? You know you can tell us.”
“I’m fine,” I assure her. I’m not fine, though, but I keep those thoughts shoved to the very back of my mind as much as I can because every time I start to think about what happened in that alley or what the future holds for me, the fear is so intense that I struggle to pull air into my lungs.
“Izzy,” she scolds me, pleading with her gaze to spill my guts to her about what I’m feeling but that won’t be happening. I love these girls like sisters but there are still some lines I won’t cross. I shake my head and force a smile to my face as I nudge her with my shoulder.
“Hey, random question,” I start, hoping to distract her with something else so we don’t have to linger on my impending demise but the only other thing on my brain is sex – hot, sweaty, somewhat reckless sex with Diego. “Were you super horny during your pregnancies?”
A surprised laugh bubbles out of her and she looks over at Carly, who has a damn smirk on her face like she’s figured me out completely. It pisses me the fuck off but that might just be a side effect of how goddamn needy I feel right now. It’s not a sensation I’m used to.
“Oh, I see what’s going on here.”
Carly laughs. “How is it going with Diego?”
“What do you mean?” I balk. Am I that fucking transparent?
Ali leans back on the couch and flashes me a smile I know all too well – she’s up to no good again. “Feeling a little needy around him? Thinking about going back for seconds?”
“No… I… Well, okay, maybe I am thinking about going back for seconds but it’s just because I’m so damn horny and I can’t exactly run out and get relief from anyone else so don’t be getting any damn ideas, Alison.”
She holds her hands up like she is completely innocent even though we all know different. “I didn’t say anything! And to answer your question – yes, I was very, very horny during my pregnancies.”
“Okay, so it’s just hormones or something…” I muse, almost to myself, as I nod.
“I’m going to go with ‘or something’.” Carly laughs, rolling her eyes at me. “Something like a hot as fuck biker covered in tattoos who is sleeping in the next room and looks at you like you’re his next breath.”
“No,” I protest but it doesn’t lack the conviction I intended it to because all I can think about is Diego sleeping on the couch half naked while I lay in his bed and put my hand between my legs every single night, wishing he’d come do it for me.
“Looks like they’re wrapping up,” Ali says, glancing over at the parking lot as Hawk stalks out of the building, heading straight for his bike. I can never quite get a read on that guy and today is no different. He usually looks pissed as hell and he keeps to himself, sitting in the corner of the room and watching everyone closely. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever heard him speak and I get the feeling that he sees past all my bullshit which means I tend to not seek him out either. Hawk climbs on his bike and roars out of the parking lot, heading for his house in the middle of the property as I turn back to the girls. Ali nudges me. “Let’s go find our guys.”
I roll my eyes as we stand. “He’s not my guy.”
“Not yet,” Carly mumbles, taking a sip of her lemonade and I shake my head.
“Not now and not ever.”
She hums, meeting my gaze. “Famous last words.”
“I’m serious,” I hiss as we step into the clubhouse. “We were just sex and if anything happens between now and when the baby is born because I can’t take it anymore and need some relief, it will also be just sex.”
She rolls her eyes again but doesn’t say anything as I turn to scan the main area of the clubhouse. There are a few rooms down here on the main floor but for the most part, it’s a large open space broken up into separate areas with furniture. A large bar takes up half of the back wall before seamlessly transitioning into the large kitchen and four pool tables break up the space between the bar and a large lounge area
with the biggest sectional I’ve ever seen and a large TV on the wall. There is a dining area by the back door with enough tables to seat all of the members and their families when we have get-togethers as well as Storm’s office just inside the front door, the war room where they guys meet to talk club business, and a bathroom.
“Hey, congrats on the kid, man,” someone says, pulling my gaze to the door of the war room. Jumper slaps Diego on the shoulder in congratulations and Diego grins. “Sorry about the mother though.”
What the fuck?
The smile melts off of Diego’s face in slow motion and the anger in his eyes sends a thrill through me. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
Jumper laughs, completely oblivious to the threatening waves rolling off of my baby daddy. “I just mean that as far as baby mamas go, you didn’t exactly get an easy one. Shit. I don’t think I’d wish that girl on my worst enemy. She’d chew him up and spit him out.”
Again, what the actual fuck?
What the hell did I ever do to Jumper?
“Shut the fuck up,” Diego seethes, grabbing Jumper by his cut and dragging him close. He gets in his face, looking like he might put the stupid kid in the ground for his comment and it stirs something inside me – something I very much don’t want to examine. “You ever disrespect the mother of my son like that again and I’ll knock your fucking teeth down your goddamn throat. You hear me?”
I wish I could say that Jumper’s words have no effect on me but underneath this mega bitch vibe I put off, is a fragile heart that has been taped back together so many times that a light breeze could probably make it crumble and just the thought of Diego regretting me or this baby is enough to make my chest pulse with an ache so powerful that my eyes burn with unshed tears.
