by M J Marino
I’ll hold her tonight, and I’ll whisper all the sweet nothings in her ear while she drifts off to sleep—‘till she forgives me.
Chase has gathered everyone in the garage, aside from Ziggy and Butch who are at the condo doing surveillance. “How is it going over at Josephine’s?” I ask.
“Good. Floodlights are being installed along with the security system, and they will be activated by doors and windows. I got a guy coming out tomorrow to fix both doors and the cameras are already up on the outside. It should be good to go by noon tomorrow.”
“Roger that. But one more thing, I need to know if you were able to delete the image of Josephine from that asswipe’s phone and cloud.” I don’t think I’ll be able to rest until her picture is erased from his life.
Chase gives me a thumbs-up. “All gone. I went a step further and deleted all the pictures of her. The fucknut won’t be able to look at her digital image again.”
My hand drops on his shoulder in appreciation and I nod before gathering everyone’s attention. “Ravens, listen up!”
“HOOYAH!” they shout as a squad. The SEAL way dies hard with this group.
Having their undivided attention, I give them the rundown of what happened tonight, what action is being done on the local authority’s part as well as on our end, and what the plan is going forward. As I suspected, my men are enraged. An attack on their president’s woman is an attack on the club itself.
Reaper throws his fist down on one of the tables. “Let’s go find this ex of Jo’s now! We know where he’s staying. Let’s go pay the fuckhead a visit and put the fear of God in him.”
“It’s not so simple. We don’t know for sure who it is right now. Whoever the fucker is, I want him caught. The bastard sniffed her perfume and swiped her panties and who knows what else—I want him alive and to be able to make the choice when the time comes as what to do with him. But the cops are aware of her limp-dick ex and they’re not going to be happy with us getting involved with any of the suspects,” I say with regret because I would love to go and fetch Jacob myself.
“What I want is recon. I want eyes and ears all over the fucking city. Chase is going to focus on our past assailants who show the most potential to come after us. Ziggy and Butch will be helping him once they come back. Punk is going to lead Eagle and Stage on surveillance at the build site. Josephine doesn’t believe the assailant would be one of her original crew members, but there’s been a second crew hired. Focus your attention to the new crew but interview them all.
“Gauge will lead Triple and Flay’s surveillance on Josephine’s past clients. Gauge, when you go to question Lorenzo, I want to be present. Reaper and Brass, you will do surveillance on Jacob Klein and report to me. You will go civilian and not wear your cuts—I don’t want this fucker to know we’re watching him. She will not be allowed to be alone at any time. I will do protection detail. If I’m not available, one of you will fill my spot.”
Punk raises his hand, an amused smirk spreads across his face. “Is Jo all on board with this whole operation, or is she going to give us all hell every step of the way?”
Asshole. He already knows that Jo’s going to be a handful. He’s just enjoying my discomfort. All I can do is glower at him.
Punk snorts. “Got it. All is good with team J-aceo.”
I roll my eyes as there rest of my brothers laugh at my expense.
“You have your assignments. Report anything suspicious no matter how minor the detail. Oh, and be good to Hades or he’ll make your balls his chew toy. Meeting adjourned.”
“HOOYAH!” they shout before dispersing.
My phone buzzes with a text from Luke.
*Talked with the ex-boyfriend. Claims he was at the hotel all night, but he seemed nervous.*
The fucker should be nervous. I’m certain he’s our number one suspect. I respond.
*He’s hiding something.*
*Agreed. Keeping an eye on him.*
I pocket my phone and head to the bedroom. Josephine said she had no problem sharing the room with the guys, as long as I was with her. Off to bed, my roomies and I go to catch a couple hours rest.
As I come down the hall, I watch as Chase lets himself in with a yawn, but Gauge and Punk stand outside the door. I can hear Hades growling from the inside.
I chuckle. “My pixie was right. You guys are babies.”
Gauge glares at me. “The dog is fucking guarding the door and showing his teeth. Sorry if I don’t want to step over him and have my nuts exposed.” Punk nods in agreement.
“Gauge, baby, are you going to come and keep me warm or not?” Opal calls from his bunk.
Like a siren’s song, Opal is impossible for Gauge to resist. With a deep breath, Gauge enters the room. Punk hesitates a second more before following, hopscotching over Hades to get to his bed. Everyone settles in and I go to crawl in next to my sleeping beauty.
I stop and stare down at her sleeping form. She has taken out her braids and her hair is all over the place in gorgeous waves, one arm up by her face and another across her stomach. Her perfect rose lips are parted, and her face looks peaceful.
I look at her body and see she has removed her bra. Her nipples are poking through her tank top. If we were alone, I would lean over and bite them. She removed her jeans and is only covered by her thin panties.
Ah, shit! My woman could pass for a centerfold the way she looks right now.
Possessive as I always am with her, I make sure my brothers aren’t checking her out. Their eyes focus everywhere else as they climb into their beds. They’ve learned quickly I’m territorial.
My attention returns to her. She’s so fucking beautiful, it hurts. I rub my chest to ease the pain.
In my moment of bliss, Hades takes the opportunity to hop into my bed. Subconsciously, Josephine rolls to snuggle against her beast.
“No, no, no,” I whisper to him. “She’s my cuddle partner.”
Hades only looks up at me with a raised eyebrow, saying ‘you snooze, you lose.’
With a surrendering sigh, I concede. The dog has been through hell tonight. He deserves to sleep with the person he feels safe with. I grab an extra pillow and blanket from the closet and lay down on the floor next to my pixie. I could take the couch out in the living room, but I want to be as close to Josephine as possible.
Plus, if any of the bunnies haven’t found a bed to share with one of my men tonight, the living room is theirs. I’m not about to go out there and lay on the couch, only to have Candy roll in and try to climb on me. Sleeping on a carpeted floor definitely beats some of the places I have slept in my life. With that in mind, I settle in.
Exhaustion takes me, but I wake when I feel something lay across my chest. On instinct my arms go up in defense, but I stop short when I see it’s my pixie sprawled over me.
My heart squeezes knowing she woke up and purposely crawled out of bed to be with me on the hard floor. Loving how she molds against me, I wrap my arms around her. She snuggles up to my chin and a moment later, she’s out. I lay in the dark holding her to me, listening to the soft sounds of her breathing, lulling me back to sleep.
Five in the morning rolls up fast when you’ve only had two hours of sleep. I’ve been awake for maybe ten minutes, rubbing my hands up and down Josephine’s body.
Holding her last night was one of the single most wonderful moments of my existence. I’ve had plenty of sex in my life, but I’ve never once slept with a woman. I’ve always fucked them good and went on my merry way. Waking up to Josephine lying across me was more pleasurable than I would have guessed.
Josephine stirs against me. This would please me, since I want her to get up and run with me, but the way she’s moving is waking up more of me than I’m comfortable with—in a room full of people and a dog.
My cock was already teased enough from having her warm body close by, but now it feels as if it’s going through torture. I wouldn’t be the first of my roommates to fuck a girl in the room while others were
in it, but damn if I’m going to have any of my men watch, best friends or not, as I ravish her sweet little body.
Groaning, I move her to the crook of my arm, my cock cursing me out for moving the sensation of her body away. She snuggles in deeper and her eyes flutter open to look at me. She smiles sweetly at me and I grin wide at her.
“Good morning, beautiful.” I lean in to kiss her soft lips.
She rubs her eyes. “Good morning? It can’t be morning yet?”
My arms tighten around her. “Sorry, but it is. Want to run with me?”
“Mmm,” is her only response. She leans over to kiss my heart over my chest and rubs her tight little body against mine.
“We could visit a certain boulder, if you want,” I purr suggestively.
She swats at my chest but otherwise giggles. “I’m going to be a crap running partner today. All the emotional flooding from yesterday is catching up to me. I’ll be happy to sleep in a bed tonight.”
I rub my own eyes then. She’s probably right. Working out today isn’t going to do us any favors. Might as well make this my one day off this week. “Let’s get dressed and grab breakfast instead. We’ll find a café where we can sit outside and have Hades with us.”
“Will we be able to go back to my place after?” She yawns. My poor pixie. She could use more sleep. We both could, actually.
“The new doors should be in by noon. We can go there after they’re installed. I actually have an errand which is overdue, and you can both escort me.” I give her a chaste kiss before sitting up with her in my lap.
I look over at my bunk and see Hades sleeping belly side up, dead to the world. He’s not going to be fun to wake up.
Josephine stands and reaches for her bag, yanking out some cute denim shorts and a billowy floral top. I quickly look around the room to make sure the guys are still out. She strips and puts on her fresh clothes.
My eyes rake over her petite body. For someone who runs as much she does, she has great curves and a nice full ass. It has to be genetics.
Quickly, I throw on my own ripped up jeans and gray T-shirt.
“I’m gonna go brush my teeth,” she says, heading to the bathroom.
“I’ll be right in to do the same.” I make quick work of putting the extra pillow and blanket away before trying to pull Hades from the bed. While I’m playing tug of war with him, I hear a scream. I practically trip over Hades as we both race toward the bathroom where Josephine went.
She’s by the sink, staring in the bathtub, clutching her toothbrush. She turns when she hears me rush in and points to the bathtub. I look in and find Red completely naked and passed out.
“Is she a-alive?” Josephine stutters.
Shit will hit the fan when Josephine finds out Red being naked in the rental is a normal occurrence. I don’t say anything to my pixie and pick up Red’s clothes from the ground, shaking her awake. “Red. Come on. Let’s get you dressed, okay?” I slide her tank top over her head before helping her into her underwear and mini skirt. She’s barely able to hang on when I stand her up.
“Is she sick?” Josephine asks, worry in her voice.
I help Red out of the tub. “Self-induced. She thinks she can drink as much as the guys because she’s tall. Apparently, she hasn’t figured out weight has something to do with it. Come on, Red. You can crash on my bunk.”
I tuck her in and grab a bucket in case she gets sick. Josephine hands me a bottle of water she retrieved from the kitchen and I place it next to Red in the bed.
“Thank you,” Red murmurs before falling asleep again.
I stand from the bed and see Josephine shaking her head as she walks back to the bathroom with Hades close to her side. A couple seconds pass before I hear her again. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
Quickly, I make my way to the bathroom, stepping over Hades in the hall. This time it’s not Red naked in the shower, but Candy butt-ass naked peeing on the toilet. A very angry Josephine is standing in the middle of the bathroom.
“The fucking door was closed, but she waltzed in and sat her ass down anyway,” Josephine rages.
I run my hand down my face. It’s bad enough Josephine found Red naked in the shower. She could have brushed it off as a heavy night of drinking, but having a completely sober and nude Candy invading her privacy is not going to fly under the radar.
Candy sneers. “Calm down, Pencil Skirt. I’m only peeing. Finish brushing your teeth and ignore me.”
“I don’t give a shit that you’re in here pissing. I do fucking care that you’re naked,” she seethes at Candy, but her laser eyes are on me. Yep, my pixie is super pissed now.
Candy finishes and flushes the toilet. “God, you’re such a prude!”
“And you’re a bitch,” Josephine retorts.
Time to step in. “Alright, that’s enough, ladies.”
Josephine whirls around on me. “Fuck off, Maceo. Just fuck off! I’m in no mood for your alpha male ego bullshit right now. ‘Oh, look, two girls fighting over me. I better assert my dominance and let them know who’s boss.’ Well, fuck that! I swear to God, if you try to brush this shit off as nothing, I’m fucking done.”
Okay, my mistake. My pixie is not pissed. She’s fucking livid. And, as much as I hate to admit it, she has a right to be.
I put my hands up in surrender. “I’m not defending shit. I get why you’re pissed and I hold nothing against you for being angry. I’m sorry you had to see any of this when you woke up this morning.”
I turn my gaze to Candy. “Get dressed. I don’t care that you live here rent free or sleep with anyone you want, but I do care if you’re walking around here naked. Keep that shit to the bedroom. This garbage is not going to transfer when we move into the new clubhouse. If I catch you or Red running around here like this again, you’re out, you got it?”
Candy stares at me with her mouth hanging open. “Are you for fucking real?”
“Don’t make me repeat it,” I say in a much more ominous tone, which makes Candy shiver. Candy gives me a nod and hustles her ass out of the bathroom.
Josephine pushes past me. “Pixie,” I call after her.
She grabs her bag and whistles for Hades to follow her. Shit. She’s running again. I block her exit by filling the hallway with my body, spreading my legs and arms. She swings her bag right at my crotch and connects with my balls. I go down like a lead balloon and she steps right over me. I’m sucking wind, trying to keep the nausea down, before I follow her outside.
She’s throwing her stuff in the car with a lot of force, making Hades too nervous to jump in. I grab her arm and pin her to her car. She tries to kick and swing but I block it.
I wait until she settles down before leaning my lips in toward her ear. “I’m sorry,” I apologize softly. It’s getting easier to be this open with her, but admitting I’m sorry is still difficult.
Anger radiates out of her and she struggles against me once more. Again, I wait for her to calm before continuing. “That shit will end, I promise. No more naked girls running around. No more lewd behavior for all to see. I can’t undo the past and what has already happened here, but I will make damn sure you are shown the respect you deserve. You’re my queen and you will be treated as one by all.”
Josephine huffs, but she doesn’t kick out. I know she’s no longer angry. She’s only upset we have to deal with this type of shit. I may need to send all the bunnies packing if they don’t get on board with some changes, and quick. My men won’t be happy about having to catch tail at bars every night instead, but I’m the fucking president and what I say goes.
I wrap my arms tight around her and wait. Slowly, Josephine wraps her arms around me, too.
“You promise me shit will change?” she asks with a small voice.
“Cross my heart,” I swear before leaning down and kissing her. I wince and adjust myself. She got me good.
Josephine looks ashamed. “I’m sorry I busted your nuts.”
I chuckle and help her into he
r car. “I’ll live. Not gonna lie, I’m pretty pleased you can bring a grown man down. Makes me feel good that you can defend yourself.”
Josephine follows me in her car as I ride my bike downtown. We leave Hades in her car with the windows down while we walk into the local café and order our food to go.
It feels a little surreal to be walking into one of these joints holding hands with the woman of my dreams. Less than a month ago, I would have been making fun of all the tools in the same situation. The idea would have bothered me before, and now I simply don’t care who sees me eating at a prissy joint like this with my pixie.
Josephine has a hard time hiding her exasperation when all the baristas strip me down with their eyes. I laugh and pull her in for a good long kiss in front of the whole café, letting it be known to all I’m taken, and that Josephine is fucking mine.
With scones and coffees in hand, we retrieve Hades and sit outside at one of the many small tables. Scones are fine for a breakfast snack, but I’m in real need of protein.
“We’ll get you a big lunch, I promise,” she says around her coffee while petting Hades’s head on her lap. The poor dog is muzzled again since we’re out in public, which bothers me since it’s still early and no one’s around.
“Take it off of him, baby,” I beg. “It’s only six in the morning. Nobody is going to be here this early on a Saturday.”
She shakes her head and pulls apart her scone. “I know he’s harmless. But all it takes is one person calling the police and I could lose him. Be happy I didn’t get him the muzzle shaped like a duckbill.”
I stop mid sip. “There’s such a thing?”
She nods with a smile. “It’s adorable, too.”
Oh, hell no. “Don’t you dare make my boy wear anything like that.”
Josephine cocks her head, the breeze catching a couple strands of her wavy hair. She gives a teasing smile. “So, he’s your boy now, hey?”
God, she looks fucking good with her hair all wavy and full from her braids yesterday.
