Sterling: Kings of Carnage MC - Prospects (Kings of Carnage - Prospects Book 2)

by Sapphire Knight

  “As they should be. Brave, hmm.” He grunts, flicking his gaze over me briefly. His brow scrunches as he pins his dominating stare on his daughter, but she doesn’t wilt under his pressure. “Leigh? Got anything to say for yourself?”

  She shrugs. “I was singing ZZ Top and scrubbing a car, sue me.” Her hands fly up in exasperation. “I wasn’t paying attention to anything else, just trying to help.”

  “That so?” he says, his icy glower resting back on me. “You got something else to say, son?” The label has so much weight to it, coming from a man I’ve looked at like a second father for as long as I can remember. At least he’s not calling me prospect anymore.

  “Trevor Billings was enjoying the show a little too much. She should have a shirt on at the very least.” I fling my hand in her chest direction. “Cover those up.”

  His nostrils flair as he leans in, nose nearly touching my own. It’s taking everything in me not to shit a brick right now. I don’t want him pissed, but he needs to know I won’t back down when I’m right about something either. I want my patch, and being the prez, he’ll respect me more if I have a pair between my legs and don’t act like a scared little bitch. “Sounds like you were enjoying it too. We got an issue here, boy?”

  Shit, that’s worse than him calling me prospect. I swallow, deciding I want to keep the nuts between my legs.

  Seeing as it’s his daughter, I back down, flashing my perturbed stare to Leigh. Of course, she’s standing there in her now-dry bikini top and tiny shorts, stomach and half her tits on display. It’s enough to drive any man wild with lust and frustration.

  I pull a Bash. I release a loud, “Fuck!” and stride away, punching the wall a few times on my way out. Stryker is like our father when it comes to losing his temper—not me, usually, but where Leigh’s concerned…it seems Bash lives inside me after all. It eats away at me that she’s seen me fly off the handle yet again today. This is a record for me, one I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. Add into it that Chaos has seen me lose my shit as well, and I know it wont be the end of this conversation between us.

  Climbing onto my bike, I forgo the helmet still resting on Leigh’s perfect head. The engine rumbles as the club door swings open again. Leigh’s there, tears trailing down her cheeks, and it’s my breaking point. Releasing the clutch, I have to get the fuck out of here. I need far, far away from Leigh, or else I’ll meet my maker, and I’m not ready to give her up completely. I may willingly give up shit for the club, but in the end, I’m still a bit selfish when it comes to her, no matter how hard I fight it. When did it even become this serious of a thing for me?

  Ruin pulls in, signaling me to wait before I have a chance to leave the parking lot. “What the hell happened, Spade?” he calls over the rumble of our idling bikes. He’s probably still hungover from partying it up, celebrating. He finally got his patch sewn on, and I couldn’t be happier for him. Perhaps I wouldn’t be feeling so alone in this moment if he hadn’t, but it is what it is.

  “I know you saw what she had on,” I return, not having made it fully out of the parking lot.

  His forehead screws up in confusion. “Who? What are you talking about?”

  “Your sister. She was half naked, acting like she had no worries, while being drooled over.”

  He shrugs. “I didn’t realize she was there yet. I pulled in on the opposite side of you guys, since Tyra’s car was over there. You saw me veer off after you told me you’d be back. At least, I thought you did.”

  I nod, frustrated. “Fuck. Yeah, it was Saint beside me,” I mutter. “You can’t sit here and make me believe that I’m the only person in the club who saw her shaking her ass wearing next to nothing though. Every motherfucker in this club notices her! You need to open your eyes, bro. Leigh isn’t a little girl anymore. She’s got the body to prove it, and everyone sees it but you and Chaos. She’s a woman, and every single man in this club wants her. I’m not losing my head, man, I’m not.” I can’t be.

  “What’d she have on? I thought she was showing up to wash cars. That’s what Mom said.”

  I nod towards the club. She’s sitting on the bench out front, arms crossed, wearing a sexy pout. Fucking brat. “Shorts so short, her ass cheeks were hanging out the bottom, and that fucking tiny bikini.”

  He stares at her a beat then says, “She loves that yellow swimsuit. She’s had it for a while now.” He acts like it’s no big deal, when in fact, it’s a huge fucking deal—to me. “You’re telling me you noticed her though, aren’t you?” His brow shoots up, same as Chaos’ had.

  I give the look right back at him. “Everyone, Ruin, everyone. She should be in real fucking clothes around so many men. I caught dipshit watching her, adjusting his dick while she shook her ass, and I knew he was planning to fuck her. I couldn’t allow that to happen. I wouldn’t.”

  He stares at me quizzically, quietly. Eventually, he asks, “Does Chaos know she rode on the back of your bike? That you brought her here because of her outfit?”

  I offer a jerky nod and rub my hand over my face. “I made her go into the clubhouse to show him. He had to see her for himself why I was pissed.”

  He chuckles, shaking his head. “Oh fuck. I’m guessing Chaos agreed with you, and it’s why he left you breathing after that shit?”

  “Not entirely,” I reluctantly admit, and Ruin’s eyes widen.

  Leigh stomps in our direction, securing the helmet back onto her sexy head as she struts her curvy ass to my bike. “Get me out of here,” she demands, looking alluring as fuck with her cheeks and chest flushed scarlet. “I can’t believe you did this. You owe me after this stunt,” she nearly hisses with her anger.

  Fuck me sideways, she’s beyond sexy when she’s pissed off. Ruin interrupts, “Are you mental, Leigh? You’re not riding around town on the back of Sterling’s fucking bike. He won’t allow it, and neither will Chaos. Go back inside before Chaos becomes really pissed.”

  Speaking of, the club door opens, with Chaos coming out. He lights up a cigarette, watching us in the parking lot. He’s probably plotting my death as we speak. Leigh glowers at her older brother and proclaims, “I can make my own decisions, thank you very much. Worry about why Tyra isn’t riding with you right now, not about what I’m doing.”

  She pins her stare on me next. “Either you take me, or I’ll call the guy who just gave me his number,” she taunts, and jealousy curls deep in my gut. I’ve never been this person, one who loses control over a woman or has an ounce of possessiveness feeding my soul.

  “Leigh, stop fucking around already,” “Ru huffs, and I say nothing.

  She takes my silence as a sign of agreement and swings her leg over the back, hands clutching me while she climbs on. I meet Ruin’s gaze, his more tormented as the repercussions finally begin to sink in and I don’t shove her away. “Don’t do this, Sterling. You’re going to fuck everything up, and you’re so close. Make her get off and go talk to my father,” he warns.

  I squeeze my temples and admit, “It’s too late. There’s no going back.” I give my bike some gas as Leigh wraps her arms tighter around my middle.

  Ruin and Chaos watch us go, my heart thundering away in my chest. It’s not beating hard because of the potential danger I’m facing. No, it’s all thanks to having the club princess’s touch on me once more. I was already beginning to miss it, and that’s got me even more confused. Her dainty hands slide under my cut, rubbing my bare abdomen, while her tight body is snuggled up against my frame. Full tits press into the leather on my back, and fuck, I wish I had nothing at all between us.

  There’s no stopping the beast I just unleashed by putting this bitch on the back of my bike. I may as well touch, fuck, and feel my fill, as I know Chaos will come for me. It may not be tonight, but I know my time will surely run out. He’s the prez, after all, and I just took his daughter.

  I ride without knowing where to go or what to do. We stay like that, her glued to me while I follow the road for an hour or so, feeling perple
xed and lost. I have all these feelings trapped inside me that I don’t know what to do with. It’s like they’ve come out of nowhere and hit me from left field. I have no right to act like I did today and that has my mind fucked up. Leigh isn’t mine. She can’t be…ever. I’m protective over her, I always have been, but this? It’s next level, and if I don’t watch it, I’m going to ruin everything. Not only with our friendship, but with my club patch and the relationship between our two families.

  I have to do the right thing, no matter how much I want to fight it. I need to reel it the fuck in and be a man, do what’s required of me. I won’t be selfish and take what I want. It’s not who I am. I can’t be. Eventually, I pull into her apartment parking lot, having spent enough time on my decision to make peace with it. I come to a stop, toeing my kickstand down. I climb off, holding my hand out to help her off as well. She can do it herself, but she shouldn’t have to.

  She offers me a shaky smile, her gaze confused. I did that, put that uncertainty in her eyes, and I fucking hate it. She allows me to lead her to her door, but I pause there on her stoop. I step closer, pushing her against the wall next to her door. I raise my hand, placing it above her head, and lean in. Meeting her stare, I say seriously, “I’m sorry for earlier. I lost it and with you. I seem to have a shorter fuse. You’re special and should be treated as such.”

  Her eyes widen, not expecting to hear that leave my lips. “Sterling—” she begins, but I cut her off.

  “It’s the truth,” I murmur, dipping my head. I slant my mouth over hers, our lips fusing together in a touch that should’ve happened long ago but was never given the option. Her mouth welcomes mine, her tongue tangling with mine, and it’s more than it should be. Her taste…it’s like coming home. Warm, sweet, and needy. She’s everything I desire, yet can’t possess. She’s forbidden and that title doesn’t sit well with my rule-breaking soul.

  My thumb softly caresses her chin, having to touch her smooth, tan flesh in a small way. I pull back, breaking the tender moment and profess, “This will never happen again, Boo. You’re not mine and you’ll never be. I have no claim to you.” With those heart-crushing words, I spin on my heel for my bike.

  The engine roars, loudly blanketing the night in my brooding anger. I’m not one to give up easily, and I have a feeling this decision will be one to haunt me long into the future.

  The entire ride to drop these guns off, I can’t get Leigh out of my head. It’s been like that since she showed up at my place crying. It fucks with me inside, along with the knowledge I’ll be expected to speak to Chaos about it again when I return.

  I cast a side glance towards Dad, taking in his strong, confident appearance. There’re enough weapons in the truck in front of us to put us all away for a while, but you’d never know as much by Dad’s expression. I suppose that’s how he’s managed to do this for so long, along with not selling to shoddy motherfuckers. Someday, I hope I can look at the world with as much confidence and assurance as he does. Until then, I’ll keep crashing through life, attempting not to get killed by my best friend’s father. Fun times.

  Twenty minutes later and we’re pulling into Hooligan territory. We’ve sold to them before so I’m not sweating it too much. It’d be different rolling up on an MC I’ve never met before. Dad nods to me as we’re coming up on the entrance to their clubhouse. He always has me fall back a bit. He says it’s in case there’s any sort of ambush set up, I have a better chance of getting away. I don’t agree with him, but if it makes the old man feel better, then so be it.

  Everything’s the same as before, so I pull in, stopping on the opposite side of the truck in front of the massive ‘Cajun Hooligans MC’ spray-paint job a member did. I’m not knocking it. The guy’s an artist and his graffiti looks sick as fuck along the building. Mako climbs out from behind the wheel as North comes outside to greet us. He and Saint rode about ten minutes ahead of us as lookouts. It’s just another reason why the Kings are who they are. They’re smart and careful, so they don’t get caught or shot by rivals or cops.

  “Brother,” Dad greets, and North returns it. He swiftly glances over me and Mako before telling Mako to get his prospect ass in the truck and pull around the back. We’ve been going damn near eight hours, so I know Mako’s sore being stuffed in the truck. I am as well from the long, straight ride. It felt good cruising down the road, hair in the wind, but I’m also stiff and need to walk around. Any longer and we’d be sporting chapped asses, not that I’ll admit as much to Dad. I’d never hear the end of it, and he’d tell the brothers.

  “All of us?” I ask.

  North grunts, “Yeah. Hurry the fuck up. Got some cold beer back there waiting for your delicate pretty-boy ass.”

  Dad chuckles at him ribbing me. I snort, leaving my bike parked to walk alongside the truck. Dad does the same so he must need to stretch out as well. “Damn,” I sigh in relief. “North wasn’t fucking around,” I comment, taking in the setup. There’s a metal trough filled to the brim with beer and ice. There’re propane burners going with massive pots full of something boiling, and half-naked women setting up an oversized table and tiki torches.

  “These Cajuns know how to welcome some folks, that’s for damn sure,” Dad mutters as the club’s president comes out to greet us wearing a grin.

  “Kings!” he boasts with a deeper drawl than our own. “Welcome. Everything make it here all right?”

  He shakes Dad’s hand, shifting his attention on him and North, ignoring me and Mako as Saint comes to stand with us. They act like we don’t exist, being the lowest on the totem pole, but I don’t mind. I’m used to it, having been prospecting for a while. I know we’ll get stuck cleaning the shit up tonight with the Hooligan prospects, but I’ll get a belly full of food and beer, so I’m not complaining. It’s one step closer to my patch, and right now, I need all the good graces I can get with Chaos.

  Saint grins. “Tonight’s going to be wild. They’ve got some bomb-ass pussy inside.” He rubs his hands together. “Hoping I get a taste of a few.”

  Mako shakes his head. “You know we don’t get club ass, not even from our own club.”

  Saint shrugs. “Who knows, maybe these Cajuns are friendlier when it comes to everything.” I wouldn’t hold my breath, but don’t say as much.

  The night kicks off as I expected it would, and ends much the same way. The prospects get stuck cleaning up everything, and all the pussy is snatched up by the brothers. I was too tired to crave a bitch on my cock anyhow. The porn has jaded me a bit as well. Sex isn’t the first thing on my mind like it would be if I were a normal dude my age around club sluts. Don’t get me wrong, if I were motivated by a particular woman, then things would be different, I’m sure of it.

  The next day, North, Saint, Mako, Dad, and I all head back for Georgia. The weather’s still mild, but this is the south; it’s humid no matter if it’s spring, summer, or fall. I can tell Dad has something to say to me, and he doesn’t hold back for long. We pull in to top off our tanks and grab some grub.

  We stand around the back of the truck, stretching our legs. Dad and I are out here first with our subs. The others are grabbing drinks and whatever else they wanted. “I’ve heard a few things,” he begins.

  I grunt, having just taken a large bite of my sandwich. Not that I want to discuss this, regardless of my mouth being full or not.

  He drinks his fountain Sprite and continues. “Some shit go down at the carwash that I managed to miss? Chaos told me part of it, but it didn’t sound like you. What’s going on?”

  I shrug, chewing up my food. I watch as he takes a bite and finally admit, “I may’ve overreacted slightly. I think it was before you showed up.” His brow raises. “Leigh was there with barely any clothes on.” His other brow hikes as well, and I can’t help but huff. “It’s not like that. She was in a goddamn bikini, shaking her ass, while some guy rubbed his dick, making comments and shit.”

  “What the hell? I haven’t heard anything about a guy having his c
ock out. Your mother should’ve told me.”

  I shake my head. “Not like that. He had his shit in his pants.” I take another bite as the guys come back outside, striding towards us.

  Dad chuckles, shaking his head. “You got that angry over someone adjusting his dick? This is Leigh we’re talking about. She’s a sweetheart, I doubt she was giving him a striptease or some shit. The fuck happened, Sterling? Chaos said you lost it, acted out and what not.”

  North casts his gaze between us and I say, “You were there at that time. You see that fuck nut rubbing himself while Leigh was dancing and washing his car?”

  He releases a breath, setting his stuff down on the tailgate as Mako and Saint perch on the sidewalk curb and dig into their food. “Look, I’m not getting in the middle of this shitshow, kid. I will say, though, that if I saw that go down with my daughter, I’d have been heated.”

  My hands fly out to the sides. “Thank you! Fucking Christ,” I say. “Everyone’s kept their mouths shut like I was imagining stuff, but I knew I wasn’t the only one wanting to teach that punk bitch a lesson.”

  Dad’s eyes clench closed for a beat. “Fuck. This isn’t good. I need to figure out how to smooth this over.” His stare pins me. “You need to speak to Chaos when we get home. Hammer this shit out and move on. Explain to him you were protecting her and he’ll understand. I’d want Ruin to do the same for Sawyer.”

  It takes everything in me not to snort. If only my old man knew the thoughts I was having about Leigh. He’d damn sure not want my best friend feeling the same way about my little sister. The last thing I was thinking of when I snatched Leigh out of there was about protection. More like I wanted to commit murder and fuck her all in the same beat. Blind, jealous rage had consumed me, and it was jaw-dropping to say the least.

  People aren’t always going to be there for you. That’s why you learn to handle things on your own.