“Thanks, Patch,” I said and left the room with only one destination in mind.
Ashley flinched when I burst through the door. “I’m going to save us both some time and get right to it. I know you didn’t have an abortion last week because I know you were never pregnant. The blood test Patch ran confirmed it. Why did you lie?”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise for a few seconds before she brought her lips together and started spewing bullshit. Just like I thought she would. “I don’t have to tell you shit.”
“I’ll pay you.”
The scowl vanished from her face. “What?”
“You heard me. I’ll pay you to tell me why you lied to me,” I said calmly.
She blew out a long breath and said, “I found out who you are, and I thought I could get some money from you or get you to make me your Old Lady.”
Motherfucking gold-digging bitches. “I see. So, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to get the fuck out of here and never come back to this or any other Blackwings clubhouse. You’re going to keep your mouth shut about what you think you know about me. If you don’t, I’ll kill you.”
***
After what Ashley and Beth did, I made a promise to myself. I would never again allow myself to be put in that situation again. There was only one way to be absolutely certain I had not impregnated a woman no matter what she claimed. I solemnly swore I would not stick my dick in another pussy.
Honestly, I thought I had dealt with it and moved on. I didn’t think about Beth or Ashley or feel any kind of heartache for either of them. The betrayal still stung, but it had faded over time. I kept my promise to myself and had not fucked a pussy in almost five years. I was by no means celibate, but I had rules, and the bitch could either abide by them or get the fuck out. Sexual relations with me consisted of my dick in a mouth or an ass, that’s it. I didn’t put my mouth anywhere on a woman’s body, and I never touched anything other than her tits. She didn’t touch me either as I required her hands to be bound behind her back. I wasn’t taking any chances of a bitch smearing any of my seed in or around her tunnel of deceit. Like I said, issues.
At first, it was tough to keep my promise. I was a young, healthy, heterosexual male. In other words, I was horny, and I liked pussy, and there was plenty of it available at the clubhouse. As time passed, I morphed into an ass man. When I got myself off, the images in my mind had nothing to do with pussies. Eventually, the sight of one being fingered or fucked didn’t even generate a twitch from my cock, which didn’t bother me, until my encounter with a petite psycho.
When Hilarie kidnapped me and handcuffed me to the bed, she had one goal in mind. She had been begging me to fuck her cunt, and I had repeatedly refused, which pissed her off. I wouldn’t give her what she wanted, so she decided she would take it. There she was, straddling my naked body with hers, desperately trying to get me hard. She tried everything, even using her mouth and rubbing her wet snatch all over my cock, but it didn’t work. I knew what her end goal was, and my mind refused to let my body respond to her ministrations. I had known for a while that I didn’t get hard for pussy, but this was a new revelation to her, and she was furious. Even though the bitch molested and abused my body against my will, I left that house with my dick still not having been in a pussy.
Movement on the side of the road caught my attention. I was so lost in my head I almost missed it. Almost. I pulled over and jumped off my bike. A few quick strides brought me to the woman I had just watched face plant on the side of the road. I gently nudged her with the toe of my boot. No response. I didn’t want to touch her in case she was covered in something disgusting or had something on her that could connect me to the scene of a crime. Again, I didn’t trust bitches.
Huffing in frustration, I nudged her again, “Hey! Girl! Can you hear me?” Nothing.
Grimacing, I dropped to a squat and carefully rolled her over. Pushing the hair from her face, I fell on my ass when I looked down at the beautiful face of Keegan Kensington. What in the hell was she doing out here? More importantly, what happened to her?
Gripping her shoulders, I shook her, “Keegan! Wake up!” A low moan was the only response I got from her. I didn’t know what to do. Should I call an ambulance for her? Maybe call Phoenix first? Deciding to try to rouse her again before calling Phoenix, I shook her with a little more force. “Keegan!” I bellowed.
Her eyes shot open, filled with panic and fear. Recognition seemed to dawn on her face before she rolled to her side and vomited a small amount of bile and stomach acid, which landed on my thighs. Yuck.
I pulled out my phone and dialed Phoenix. “Prez, I found Keegan passed out face down on the side of Rocky Ridge Road. She’s sort of awake now, but she’s puking.”
“Keegan? I thought she was still here. Hang on, brother,” he said. “Huh, guess she left. Her car’s gone.”
“It’s not here,” I said.
“What?”
“Her car. It’s not here. I don’t recall seeing it along the road before I found her.”
“Fuck!” he cursed. “Stay with her. I’m sending a cage.”
I put my phone away and got to my feet. Walking to my bike, I rummaged in my saddlebags before returning to Keegan with a couple of bottles of water and some wet wipes. I uncapped the bottle and cupped her head, lifting it slightly. “Here, Keegan,” I murmured and pressed the bottle to her lips, “try to drink some water.”
She gingerly swallowed a few sips before pulling her mouth from the bottle. I continued to cup her head and used a wet wipe to clean the dirt from her face. She closed her eyes, and her body seemed to relax. At first, I thought that was a good sign but soon realized she hadn’t relaxed, she had lost consciousness again. Feeling like an asshole, but at a loss for alternatives, I flattened my hand and slapped her across the face, not hard, but enough to sting.
The little hellcat’s eyes opened, and she plowed her closed fist into the side of my face. It was weak given her current state, but I was still impressed with her response. “Easy, tiger. You were out again. I need you to stay awake until our ride gets here. How about some more water?”
She nodded and closed her eyes, but immediately opened them. “Sorry,” I said sheepishly, “I didn’t know what else to do.” I took her small nod as acceptance of my apology. By the time Duke and Carbon arrived with the cage, she had managed to drink half the bottle of water but hadn’t said a word. She had, however, grabbed onto my shirt and curled into my body.
To my surprise, Patch climbed out of the cage as well. He took one look at her and barked, “Get her in the cage, brothers, now.” I scooped her into my arms and carried her to the SUV. Patch had folded the back seats down creating a large, flat area for him to work. I gently placed her in the center and slid my arms from underneath her.
Before I could move away, her hand shot out and grasped my wrist. With her eyes closed and her head turned in the opposite direction, she weakly uttered one word, “Stay.”
Patch impatiently arched a brow as if to say, “Stay or go, but hurry the fuck up about it.”
I sighed and tossed my keys to Carbon silently asking him to ride my bike back to the clubhouse. With his nod, I climbed into the back beside Keegan. It wasn’t until we pulled up at the clubhouse that I realized she had never let go of my wrist.
I carried her inside while Patch held the bag of fluid high in the air. He started an IV immediately and hooked her up to a bag of something he declared a necessity. I placed her on the stretcher in Patch’s makeshift infirmary and looked up to see Phoenix’s worried face.
“What’re you thinking, Patch?” Phoenix asked.
“She’s dehydrated, severely,” he replied. “She’ll need another bag of fluids, but should be fine after that. Her vital signs are already improving as well as her color. Was that her car with the flat tire?”
“Yeah,” Phoenix answered. “I sent some boys to go get it.”
Patch nodded, “Where Shaker found her was about six
miles from the car.”
“Seriously? Why the hell would she walk six miles instead of calling someone to come help her?” I asked.
“Because my phone doesn’t get any reception on that part of Rocky Ridge Road,” she answered then quirked her head. “How did you manage to get reception up there?”
I chuckled, “Byte worked some of his techy magic on our phones and boosted the antenna or something.”
“Well, aren’t you special,” she snarked.
“Looks like you’re getting some of your spunk back,” Patch said.
Her cheeks flushed, “I’m sorry about all this. I didn’t mean to be so much trouble.”
“Nothing to be sorry for, darlin’. You needed some help, and we’re helping you,” Phoenix said. “Can you tell us what happened?”
“You know what they say, if it has tires or testicles, it’s going to give you problems,” she offered, causing us all to laugh.
When the laughter died down, Phoenix continued, “You aren’t wrong. So, which one gave you trouble?”
She shifted on the stretcher and looked at her clasped hands resting in her lap. “Uh, I pulled over because I had a flat tire. When I realized I didn’t have any cell phone reception, I figured the only thing I could do was walk until I found some to call for help. I didn’t eat breakfast or anything before I left and with drinking so much last night, I guess it was too much for me.”
Phoenix narrowed his eyes and studied her face. If I hadn’t been watching them so closely, I would have missed it, the subtle shake of Keegan’s head and the even more subtle nod in return from Phoenix. But I did see it, and to me, it meant one thing and one thing only; this bitch was hiding something, and I wanted no part of it. Just like that, I was out the door.
Chapter Three
Keegan
Shaker bolted from the room like his ass was on fire. It shouldn’t have offended me, but for some reason it did. It was nice of him to stop and help me, but he had no obligation to stay while Patch tended to me.
“Patch, can you give us a few minutes?” Phoenix asked.
Patch nodded and checked the IV and bag of fluids before silently leaving the room.
Phoenix stepped closer and pinned me with his piercing blue eyes. “You want to tell me what really happened?”
I sighed, “I was supposed to meet my family at an event this morning. I woke up late and rushed home to shower and change. Then, I got in my car and hauled ass. I must have hit something to cause the flat tire. When I realized I didn’t have any reception, I started walking.”
Phoenix didn’t even try to mask his irritation with me. “I know roughly what time you left the clubhouse. There is no way you went home, showered, changed, drove to where we found your car, and walked six miles. Judging by the time and the state you were in when Shaker found you, I’d say you were running.”
Well, shit. What could I say to that? I had barely been able to come up with the bullshit that landed me right back at the clubhouse. Swallowing thickly, I decided to give him a version of the truth. “I was running. Since I missed the event and didn’t call, I knew my stepfather would be looking for me, and I was trying to get to where I could call him. Speaking of, do you know where my purse is?”
“Probably still in the cage. I’ll go check.”
My stepfather was going to be livid. Lawrence Prescott Hastings was not known for his patience or understanding. He gave orders and expected them to be followed. If they weren’t, there would be consequences. We were to be seen as a picture-perfect family, regardless of what went on behind closed doors.
I knew what he would say when I called, no matter what explanation I gave him. He would prattle on and on about having to come up with an excuse for my absence that wouldn’t tarnish our pristine image. There would be a few words about how I embarrassed him in front of whichever important group of people before he moved on to the insults and threats.
I hated him with a passion, and I hated myself for having to put up with him. If it weren’t for my little sister, I would have told him to kiss my ass on his way to hell years ago.
Phoenix entered the room carrying my purse. He placed it on the stretcher beside me. “You need anything?”
“No, I’m okay. Thank you, for everything.”
“You’re welcome. Try to get some rest. Patch will be in to check on you soon,” he said and left the room.
I dug through my purse and found my phone. The screen showed 17 missed calls. Shit. Taking in a deep breath, I braced for his wrath and tapped the screen.
“Keegan, how nice of you to call,” Lawrence said in a tone that did not match his words.
“I thought you would want to know your stepdaughter was found unconscious on the side of the road this morning and is currently hooked up to an IV,” I spat.
“That sounds unfortunate. Am I to assume this is the reason for your absence this morning?”
“Yes, it is the reason for my absence. I got a flat tire on Rocky Ridge Road, and I didn’t have any reception to call you or anyone else for help. I walked about six miles before I collapsed. Luckily, a friend happened to drive by and saw me,” I told the heartless bastard.
“That sounds...convenient. One could assume you concocted that story in a weak attempt to excuse you from your obligation to this family,” Lawrence drawled.
I used my phone to take a picture of me sprawled on the stretcher attached to an IV line and sent it to him. “Your proof is on its way,” I said, forcing my tone to remain calm.
“It appears there is some truth to your story. It’s just as well you weren’t there if that’s what you were planning to wear. Honestly, Keegan, I’m getting tired of you testing me. You know good and well what is expected of you, yet you constantly find ways to shirk your responsibilities. I do not like being forced to make up excuses on the spot for you. It is imperative that we maintain our family’s image. When I married your mother, I had to accept you as part of the package, but your mother isn’t here anymore, and I am finished with idly tolerating you. I expect to see you at the house by 6:00 pm this evening and please, dress appropriately.”
He didn’t give me a chance to reply before he disconnected. How did he expect me to get my tire replaced and drive to my family’s home before 6:00 pm? I was still getting IV fluids. It didn’t matter to him. I would have to figure it out. I had to meet his demands for the sake of my little sister. He had been using her to get me to bow to his wishes for years, and I had yet to find a way to get around him. Unfortunately, he was becoming more difficult to deal with every day that passed.
When Patch came in to check on me, he gave me some great news. The brothers had taken my car to the garage and replaced my tire for me.
“Do you know how much longer I will need to be here?” I asked, trying not to sound ungrateful.
“I want to get some more fluids in you. Maybe another hour,” he said while replacing the depleted bag with a new one. “You should take it easy for the rest of the day and tomorrow, too.”
“I will. I don’t have any major plans,” I lied.
True to his word, an hour later, Patch removed the IV and said I could go home. Unfortunately, he didn’t think I should drive and arranged to have one of the members drive me home.
“I’ll need my car for tomorrow,” I hedged.
“Edge is going to follow and bring Coal back,” he said. Oh, good. As soon as they left, I could grab my things and get on the road, which is precisely what I did 45 minutes later.
The drive to my stepfather’s home was blessedly uneventful. When the house situated amid rolling green pastures came into view, I cringed. To anyone else, the sight would have been breathtaking. On the outside, I suppose it was. It was what was inside that house that I hated.
Lawrence's butler, Reginald, greeted me at the front door and led to my room with instructions to remain there until Lawrence called me for dinner. He also suggested that I use the time to freshen up my appearance. I didn’t have the energy to re
spond to Reginald’s snide remarks. All he got from me was a closed door in his face.
As much as I didn’t want to, I showered and dressed in a different outfit for dinner. I pulled my hair back into a sleek chignon and kept my makeup light. I felt it was in my best interest to not anger the beast more than I already had.
Upon entering the dining room, my stepfather looked me over and said, “I see you are capable of choosing proper attire. Have a seat, Keegan. We have several things to discuss.”
I sat and remained quiet. I had nothing to say to him that should actually be said. Folding my hands in my lap, I kept my eyes cast down and waited for him to start.
“As I said earlier, I’m tired of your behavior. I have more important things to do with my time than to deal with you. After giving it some thought, I’ve decided it is time for you to become someone else’s problem. I have arranged for you to be married in three months. Your courtship with Preston Hensley will begin this evening,” he proudly informed me.
What. The. Fuck.
“Excuse me,” was all I could manage after the bombshell he dropped.
“You will marry Preston Hensley after a short yet public courtship. He and his family are joining us for dinner this evening.”
“You can’t do this,” I gritted out, fighting back the tears.
“Stupid girl. It’s already done,” he said.
“Where is Gabriella?” I asked.
“She should be getting settled into her room at Wexington Academy right about now. Had you attended our scheduled luncheon, you would have been able to say goodbye. She was quite crushed when her sister didn’t bother to come to her going away soirée,” he said with a devious smile.
He sent her away to boarding school. She was only five years old. She was probably scared and had no one to comfort her. And he let her think I didn’t care about her. Fuck this shit. I rose to my feet and squared my shoulders, “Fuck you, and fuck your planned marriage.”
Shaker (Blackwings MC Book 5) Page 2
