“Three guys. Said you hired ‘em.” Tyler shrugged, crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair. “They said you wanted a word with me.”
“He does, Tyler.” Torpedo stepped closer behind Richmond, leaning over the older man’s shoulder. “Your daddy is a fierce advocate of yours, you know.”
Again, Tyler shrugged. “Always good to have the old man on your side.” He winked at the camera.
“So, Tyler, I want us to all get acquainted,” Torpedo said, all smiles. Inside, he was dying to blow that smug motherfucker’s brains out. “My name’s Torpedo.”
Tyler barked a short laugh. “Big dick, huh?”
Torpedo smiled. “Yeah. How’d you guess?” He let his grin fade. “My name’s Torpedo, but you can call me your worst fuckin’ nightmare, you son of a bitch.”
A confused look spread over Tyler’s face before his eyes widened and a huge fist connected with his jaw. There was a clattering when he fell from his chair. Gruff male voices sounded in the background as someone picked Tyler up bodily while another man put the chair upright. They dumped Tyler back into his seat. He now sported a bloody mouth and wide, terrified eyes.
“What the fuck?” Richmond lunged toward Torpedo, but Shadow reined him in before he even got close.
“That’s for being a fuckin’ bastard,” Torpedo said, nodding at the camera.
“What are you doing? I never hurt nobody!” Tyler’s voice was high-pitched and terrified.
Someone slammed a fist into his shoulder. When he stepped back, the hilt of a knife protruded from the joint. Tyler screamed, a horrible, high-pitched wail.
“That’s for bein’ a fuckin’ lyin’ bastard.” Again, Torpedo nodded. Another fist, this time to the other side of his face. “And that’s for screamin’ like a little girl.”
“Stop this!” Richmond demanded. He tried to fight Shadow, but the man simply shoved him back into his chair and gripped the back of his neck so he had to watch the screen.
Fists came at Tyler over and over, giving the man a beating Torpedo was certain Tyler had never imagined. Tyler screamed and screamed until his eyes were swollen shut and his face was covered in blood from his mouth, nose, and several cuts. Someone pulled the knife from his shoulder and slammed it into the other shoulder, yanking it out in one smooth move. They kept it up for a few minutes, Richmond yelling his outrage, Tyler just… yelling. Once Tyler finally stopped all the noise, other than the occasional groan or whimper, Torpedo called a halt.
“Now,” he said, his voice congenial. “On to the real business.”
“What?” Richmond had become pale as he watched them beat the living shit out of his son. At first, he’d seemed defiant, clearly plotting how he’d get revenge. He probably thought the police would come knocking at Bones’ door. Arrest them all and throw them in jail. Throw away the key and all that. The longer the beating continued, the tighter Shadow gripped Richmond’s neck. Several times, Vicious had examined his gun, checking the chamber, removing the clip only to slam it back home and chamber a fresh round. All the while, the three bikers kept their gazes glued to Richmond. “What more could you possibly do? Do you plan on killing him?”
“No. At least, not yet.” Torpedo took the tablet and gazed at the screen. “That’ll be all. My appreciation.”
“Anytime, brother.” The man on the other end doing most of the beating was a member of Salvation’s Bane doing a small stretch for involuntary manslaughter. His time was nearly up, and Torpedo worried this little stunt would extend his time, but the man had assured Data and Thorn he was glad to teach the little bastard a lesson. Apparently, Tyler Foley didn’t make friends easily in prison. “I’ll have my eye on him. You need him gone, say the word.”
Richmond heard every word, his eyes wide and terrified. “Why are you doing this to my son?”
“Cut the fuckin’ shit!” Torpedo was losing patience with the bastard. “Your son is a serial rapist and a bully. He hurts women for his own pleasure.”
“Look, he might be a little… rough from time to time, but --”
“Be careful what you say, Richmond. I’m not sure little Tyler there can take much more.” When Richmond said nothing else, Torpedo continued. “This is about you coming to terms with the monster Tyler became. I have no fuckin’ idea what either of your issues are, but you accept responsibility for your part in this and make Tyler understand he has to do the same. You can’t do it on your own? I suggest you find some fuckin’ help. I’m sure there’s a twelve-step program somewhere you can go talk it out. As for Tyler, he drops any appeals he has goin’. He serves his time. More importantly…” Torpedo leaned down to place his hands on the desk and look Richmond Foley straight in the eyes. “You leave Ambrosia Gataki the fuck alone. You don’t, Tyler pays the price. You still don’t, you’ll pay. Is there any part of this you don’t fuckin’ understand?”
Richmond shook his head, reality finally sinking in. The man looked terrified, no hint of the defiance he’d shown earlier. Good. Torpedo knew it wouldn’t last, but he was fully prepared to see to it the Foleys paid for anything they did in the future to harm Rose or either club.
“I want you to remember something, Richmond.” Torpedo needed to add one thing so the man could fully understand who and what he was dealing with. “I’m aware you’re rich enough to find us and start a war. You’ll get some of us, too. Might even get me and Rose, or either of these men with me. But, there’s a fuckin’ lot of us. You can’t get us all. None of our brothers’ll hesitate to kill you and Tyler if it comes to that. This is a war you have no fuckin’ hope of winning. My advice? Accept the past. Look to the future. Move the fuck on before your past buries you.” When Richmond only nodded, Torpedo added, “You need to say the words, Foley.”
“I-I understand,” he stammered. “I’ll leave Rose alone. Once Tyler gets out, he will too.”
“Good.” He glanced at Vicious and Shadow, nodded, then the three of them left Richmond Foley. The fuck would probably get brave again in a few weeks or months, but he was nothing they couldn’t handle. For now, he just wanted to get back to Rose, make love to her, then get the fuck back to Kentucky where he Goddamned belonged.
Chapter Nine
Rose jumped when a male body slipped into the bed and pulled her to him. “Wha --?”
“Shh, baby. I gotcha.”
Happiness washed over her like she’d never known. “Torpedo.” The only man she’d ever loved. She was sleep-drunk but would know Torpedo anywhere. She’d love to believe he was as attached to her as she was to him. God, she wanted it to be true. The fact, however, was there was no possible way he could be. He was vastly more experienced than her in everything. Especially sex and women. Which meant that there was no way she could keep him satisfied. Once he got bored with her inept attempts to please him, he’d move on. It also meant he would be able to keep his heart separate. Fucking and love were two totally different things, and Rose knew there was no way she could separate the two like Torpedo could.
“I gotcha, baby,” he repeated.
“Are you OK? I woke up and you were gone.”
“Everything’s fine. Just had to take care of some business.”
She stilled. “It was about Tyler. Wasn’t it?”
“Not gonna lie to you, honey. It was. But It’s taken care of.”
She struggled to sit up, but Torpedo held her to him, kissing the top of her head. With a sigh, she settled down, wrapping her arm over his chest. “I don’t want anything to happen to you because of me. If you hurt someone --”
He stopped her with a kiss and kept kissing her until she sighed, melting into him. No matter how much he did it, Rose could never get used to the way he made her feel. Like she was the only woman who ever mattered to him. The only woman he ever wanted in his life. Thinking like that, believing that, was dangerous to her heart, and the cruelest fiction imaginable.
Raising his head, Torpedo kissed her nose, then her forehead. “Someone got hurt, but nothing that wasn
’t deserved and not permanently.”
“I’m not worried about whoever you hurt, Torpedo. I don’t want you or the club to get into trouble because of me. I just…” She looked away from him, her fingers sifting through the hair on his chest to comfort herself. “I just want to be left alone. Live a life with you and not be bothered.” That was way more than she should have said, but what else could she say? It was the stark truth.
“Then you have nothing to worry about and everything to look forward to. You can stay with Bones as long as you want. You’ll always have a home with us.”
She noticed he hadn’t said she could always stay with him. He’d made it clear she’d have a home with his club, but not necessarily with him. The revelation nearly broke her spirit, to say nothing of her heart.
With nothing else she could say or do, she sat up and put on her shirt. She wanted to put on Torpedo’s, but that would be too personal. She had to play this cool or she’d make a fool of herself. Before he could stop or question her, Rose crossed to the bathroom and shut the door. Immediately, tears came. She was so screwed, because she’d gone and fallen in love with a man who would break her heart. He might not want to and certainly wouldn’t do it on purpose, but he would still do it. Rose had no one but herself to blame.
Knowing she didn’t have much time before Torpedo came looking for her, she relieved herself and washed her hands and face. She couldn’t look as if anything was wrong when she went back to him or he’d hound her until she told him what the problem was. It took a little time to get herself under control, but once she did, she slipped back into the room and into Torpedo’s bed. He didn’t say anything, only pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He nuzzled her face with his, his beard abrading her face. Rose loved the feeling. She had just about dozed off when he finally spoke.
“You gonna tell me what the problem is, baby?”
Immediately, Rose stiffened. No. No, she didn’t want to tell him. “Why would you think something was wrong?”
He urged her to look at him. “Rose. Don’t start lying to me, and don’t pretend everything’s fine when it’s not.” He traced the skin between her eyebrows, evidence she was frowning at him. “Tell me what’s going on in that pretty, mixed up head of yours.” He smiled tenderly at her. There was a small part of her that wanted to be offended. He was implying she wasn’t smart. Or something.
“I think I’m perfectly capable of knowing when everything is fine,” she said, knowing it was a non-answer to his question. “I’m not stupid.”
“No,” he agreed readily. “You’re definitely not stupid. But you’re young, and I’m quite a bit older than you are. You’d be less than human if you weren’t worried about me and my intentions toward you.”
“Wow,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. “You sound like an old man.” She flashed him what she hoped was a cocky grin.
“Yeah,” he said, looking more than a bit sheepish. “I know. But it’s the truth. I knew you’d have questions and more than a few doubts when I decided to make you mine.”
Rose looked away from him and bit her lip. He was a hundred percent right. “Torpedo. Gavin.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I don’t even know what that means. Make me yours?”
“Yeah, baby. I knew the first second I was inside you I’d never let you go.” He looked away before giving his head a sharp shake then meeting her gaze. The gold in his hazel eyes seeing to flash at her with intent. “No. It was before that even. Fuck! Maybe I knew from the first Goddamned moment I saw you.” He looked decidedly uncomfortable. As if just telling her this was somehow more than he could endure. What did that mean? When she shifted in his arms, intending to pull away from him, Torpedo grunted and tightened his grip on her. “No! Don’t… Just don’t!”
“Torpedo, just because we have sex doesn’t mean you have to give me a permanent relationship. Or even a temporary one. We can just have sex.”
“No, Ambrosia. We can’t.” He rolled so that she lay beneath him. She recognized his tone. He needed her. He called her Ambrosia when he fucked her, as if Ambrosia and Rose were two different people.
“Why do you do that?” she asked, needing to distract him before he took her into a world of sensation she had no hope of fighting.
“Do what?”
“Call me Ambrosia just before you fuck me.”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “Well, first of all, I’m not about to fuck you, Ambrosia.” He emphasized her name. “I’m makin’ love to you.”
“What would your club say about that?”
“Nothin’. Cause you ain’t tellin’ ‘em.”
She giggled.
“Second?” Torpedo lowered his head and kissed her gently. “Ambrosia is a fuckin’ sexy name. I may not use it where my brothers can hear how much just your fuckin’ name affects me, but I’m definitely takin’ advantage of it when I show you how much you mean to me.”
“You hardly know me. I’m just a passing fad. You’ll get tired of how little I know about sex and move on.” She had to swallow back tears. Admitting out loud she knew he’d leave her hurt nearly as much as any physical blow. “I’m not certain I’ll survive when you do.”
He took her mouth then. Slow, drugging kisses. Rose knew she needed to keep control of the conversation, but when he kissed her, there was no way to do anything other than surrender to him.
Torpedo took his time, enjoying the feel of his mouth on hers. He stroked her tongue with his, coaxing her response so she licked at him with soft, little laps. Rose might not have been experienced with sex, but she learned fast, and she was the most naturally sensual woman he’d ever met. She followed his lead, taking over when he let her. She was never shy about exploring him when he indicated he wanted her to, and she learned from each foray. Torpedo could have told her there was no way he’d ever get bored with her, but he knew she wouldn’t believe him. He’d have to show her instead.
With a casual slide of his body, Torpedo rocked inside her. When she gasped and her eyes widened, he kissed her once again.
“Do you think I could ever get tired of the way you respond when I enter your body? Even more, do you think you’ll ever grow tired of the feeling of me entering your body?”
She blinked up at him, confused. “I don’t… I don’t understand.” He loved that adorable, bewildered look on her face. “I’m sure any woman would love the way you feel.”
“No, Ambrosia. Not like you do.” He thrust again, picking up an easy rhythm. “Every sensation is new to you. So, I’m asking you right now. How long will it take for you to get used to these sensations? When will you stop lovin’ the way I make love to you?”
She shook her head automatically before her lips thinned and she stopped. Then she sighed, looking defeated. “Never, Torpedo. I’ll never stop loving this. Not as long as you look at me the way you do.” Her breath caught, and she inhaled sharply. “You look at me… like, maybe, I’m the only woman in the world. Like you can’t get enough of me.”
“That’s because I can’t, Ambrosia. I’ll never get enough of you.” He knew it was the Goddamned truth. Rose had gotten under his skin. Wound herself around his heart. He knew she wasn’t there yet, but he knew he could get her there. She wanted to love him but was afraid. It was OK. He had time.
With a little sob, she wound her arms around him, clinging to Torpedo as he moved inside her. Torpedo kissed her, taking her mouth with a tender sweep of his tongue. She allowed it. Parted her lips to welcome him. Torpedo took her kisses with gratitude, thankful she was giving him a chance. There had never been a time in his life when he’d wanted something as much as he wanted Rose. For such a small woman, she’d swept into his life like a tornado. He’d never known what hit him.
When Rose began to whimper and claw at his shoulders, Torpedo shifted his angle just a little bit, positioning himself to hit her clit just that little bit harder. Immediately, she cried out, screaming sharply. Her body tensed, convulsing around him, trying to take h
im with her.
“Torpedo!” She gasped out his name, biting down on his shoulder. That little bit of abandoned passion on her part, the little bit of pain she gave was a testament to how lost she was in the pleasure he wanted to desperately to give her.
“That’s it, baby. That’s it.” He was going to come. He knew it and knew he hadn’t worn a condom. He’d done it on purpose because he had every intention of tying her to him forever. He wasn’t letting her go. If she wasn’t convinced to stay with him yet, he’d do everything in his power to convince her he was a man who could love and protect her like no other.
Seconds later, he came deep inside Rose. She clung to him, clutching at his shoulders, digging her heels into his lower back. She seemed to want him in her as much as he needed to be there. His seed bathed her inside, coaxed free by her rippling muscles as her own orgasm continued with strangling intensity.
When it was finally over, when they both lay limp, trying to catch their breath, Rose let out a little sob. She sounded so forlorn it brought Torpedo to his knees. “Baby, talk to me,” he urged, lifting his head and kissing her cheek. He tasted her tears, and it gutted him. “Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head but said nothing. He could see she was trying her best to get a rein on her emotions. Still clinging to him, she tried to hide her face in his chest, but Torpedo wouldn’t let her.
“You have to talk to me, honey. I can’t make it better if I don’t know what’s wrong.”
Finally, Rose looked up at him, fresh tears spilling from her golden eyes. “When you leave, you’re going to break my heart.”
If she’d slapped him, Torpedo couldn’t have been more surprised. He truly thought he’d talked her past her insecurities. “Baby.” He stroked her cheek gently with the pad of his thumb. “I’m not going anywhere. Ever. You’re staying with me and I’m staying with you.”
She shook her head. “No, you won’t. You might for a while, but I’m a novelty to you. You’ve enjoyed teaching me about sex, but once the new wears off, you’ll get tired of me and move on. I’m not the type of woman a man like you keeps.”
Torpedo (Bones MC 7) Page 9
