by Nicola Jane
I’m shoving clothes into my bag when the door flies open. I stare blankly at Leia and she glares at me with such hatred that I see the slap coming before she even knew she was doing it. My head buzzes from the blow. She’s got a strong left, I’ll give her that.
Chapter Seven
Leia
I pull my hand back and stare at it in shock. I’ve never raised my hand to anyone. I register the pain a second later and turn my back to Chains. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I cry out, shaking my hand. “Jesus Christ, is your face made of fuckin’ steel?” Chains goes back to stuffing clothes into his bag. “That’s it? You got nothing for me?” I demand.
“What do you want me to say?” he asks coldly. “In fact, get out of here. I don’t have time for this.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you explain what the hell is going on.”
Chains sighs heavily and then grabs my upper arm and pushes me towards the door. “If I get caught talking to you . . . ” he begins but I shrug out of his grip. He isn’t getting out of this lightly.
“By Dolly?” I demand angrily. “Did you tell her about us?”
He hangs his head, his hands on his hips. He looks defeated and worn down. “This is for the best,” he mutters.
“Best? You have no idea what’s best for me,” I snap. How dare he assume he knows that. I’m surrounded by men thinking they know what’s best.
“I fucked up, Leia, and now I have to put things right.”
“By running away, running scared and not fighting for what you really want?” I snap.
“You have no idea what I want,” he mumbles.
“Why did you do it?” I demand.
He zips up his bag and looks around the room. His eyes finally settle on me and he shrugs. “Every man’s dream is to fuck a virgin.” The words wound my already shattered heart.
“You risked my brother finding out just because you wanted to fuck a virgin?”
“Loyalty goes out the window for a pussy that tight, knowing no one’s been there but me.” He smirks. “Best feeling ever.”
“This isn’t you. Why are you acting like this?”
He moves closer and I step back. He keeps coming until I’m backed against the wall. “This is me, darlin’. I’m selfish. I fuck around and I move on. You need to do the same. Did you think because you’re the club princess that I’d claim you? I need a real woman and you . . . ” He looks me up and down. “Well, you’re just a girl trying to play with the big boys.”
I scowl. “And you, you’re just a pussy running scared from the club instead of being honest.”
Dolly comes bounding into the room. She’s oblivious to the current situation between me and Chains as she throws her bag next to his on the bed. “Manchester, here we come,” she announces then spots him glaring at me and her smile falters. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, baby, I’m just setting a few things straight for the club princess,” says Chains coldly. “She seems to think her pussy is magical and I’m just telling her that a fuck is a fuck.”
I press my lips together in a tight line. “You’re right,” I say, smiling up at him sweetly. “Nothing special about fucking an arrogant, self-absorbed asshole. Good riddance. I hope the next enforcer here is more of a man than you.” I turn to Dolly. “Good luck, Dolly. You’re gonna need it.” I duck under his arm and leave the room.
This is a sign. I am better than this and I can do better than him. I felt lust, that’s all, and he did me a favour. I’m free of my virginity and now I can stop worrying about it.
I find Eva waiting for me in my room. I’ve already told her the truth. I was upset at breakfast this morning and she cornered me right after Cree had called Chains into the office. I couldn’t hold my tears in any longer and ended up blurting everything out.
“You okay?” she asks warily.
“I’m better than okay. Chains is a piece of shit and I am so glad I found that out now instead of putting all my time and effort into him. I’m glad he’s going so I don’t have to ever see him again.”
I flop down on the bed and she crosses her legs, staring at me intently. “So, he’s really claiming Dolly and she’s leaving with him?”
“Looks that way.” I shrug casually.
“Did he say why he came to you then?”
“He wanted to take my virginity. Seems that’s every man’s dream,” I mutter bitterly. “At least it’s done now. I’m gonna call Ryan later and arrange a second date.”
“Really?” she asks, frowning. “I thought he wasn’t for you?”
“I need to give him a real chance now that Chains is out of the picture. I was too busy thinking about him to give Ryan a real chance. Did you sort things with Cree?”
“Yeah, I guess. I wish Riggs would come back so the pressure is lifted off Cree a little. He’s so stressed right now. Speaking of, Anna called me. She wants us to go over to her place.”
We head downstairs just as everyone’s saying their goodbyes to Chains and Dolly. I bet Dolly can’t believe her luck—she’s only been here a short time and she’s already being claimed. That hardly ever happens.
We push through the gathering crowd, and as I pass Chains, his hand grabs mine. I stop and look up at him. He looks like he wants to say something, but instead he just stares at me. His mouth opens but quickly closes when Cree slaps his shoulder. He grimaces like he’s in pain and drops my hand. “Got any parting words for our enforcer, Leia?” asks Cree cheerfully.
“Nope,” I say, popping the P.
“Not good luck or see you around?” pushes Cree. “What about you, Chains? Anything you wanna say to Leia?”
“Sorry,” mutters Chains. “For everything.”
“Aww, have you two had a falling out?” Cree asks in a mocking tone.
I glance between the pair. It dawns on me that Cree knows and I suddenly feel exposed, like they’ve been laughing about me. “Save it for someone who gives a shit,” I snap, storming out of the club with Eva hot on my heels.
Anna opens her door and smiles. “I spoke to Riggs.”
“Great. Is he okay?” I ask, my heartache forgotten momentarily. It’s nice to see her smiling for once.
“He’s coming home. He wants to talk to me tonight at the club.”
“And you’re ready for that?” asks Eva, because so far Anna hasn’t wanted to get back together with Riggs. Maybe him going away has made her realise that she loves him.
“I’m ready to talk.” She places her hand over her bump. “I don’t want to be a single mum again.”
I smile and hug her. “I’m so glad you want to work things out. You belong together.”
“So, can you help me get ready? I want to look good for him so he sees what he’s been missing.”
We spend the next two hours laughing, curling Anna's hair and then Malia’s because she wants to be like her mummy. We paint nails and do make-up and I feel happier talking to the girls. Gia joins us and we talk about stuffy brothers and how controlling they can be. For the first time all day, I don’t think about Chains.
Back at the club, I’m curled on the couch with Ziggy when Riggs walks through the door. Ziggy darts off the couch and makes a run for his dad. Riggs wraps him in his arms and swings him around. They’ve spoken every day on video call, but I guess it’s not the same as seeing each other in person.
I make my way over and Riggs wraps an arm around my shoulder and kisses me gently on the head. “How’s things?”
“Good,” I say, and then my eyes fill with tears that spill over onto my cheeks.
He frowns. “Leia?”
I wipe quickly at my eyes and try to force out a laugh. “I’m fine. Guess I missed you more than I thought,” I say.
He smirks. “Careful. I might think you actually love me.” Anna walks out of Riggs’ office. She looks stunning in tight jeans and a low-cut strappy top that pushes her breasts up high. Her neat little bump is just visible and Riggs’ eyes go to it. “Anna,” he breathes.
; “Riggs,” she says, adding a smile.
He kisses Ziggy on the head and then puts him on the ground and makes his way over to Anna. He places his large hands either side of her bump and stares at it in wonder. “I missed you,” he mutters.
They go into the office and I smile over at Eva. “That went well,” I say and she nods in agreement.
I settle back on the couch and pull out my phone. I sent Ryan a text message earlier and he’s only just replied.
Ryan: I’d love to go out again. Tonight?
Me: Great. Meet you at the Windsor at Eight?
Ryan: Let me pick you up and take you to dinner instead.
Me: Okay. Fine. Eight.
Ryan’s a nice guy and he deserves more of a chance. I can put Chains to rest and mark it down as a bad experience. One I won’t be repeating.
CHAINS
Dolly looks around the room with her nose screwed up. “It’s not as nice as the club in London,” she says.
“It’ll do for now,” I mutter, placing our bags on the bed. My whole body aches from the long ride and all I wanna do is crawl into bed and sleep. I check my watch. It’s one in the morning.
“Are these sheets even clean?” she asks, lifting the sheet and peering under it.
“Fuck, do you ever stop moaning,” I growl. She moaned all the way here about her legs aching. Her hair being crushed under her helmet. Her hands being cold. She didn’t shut the fuck up for most of the journey.
“I like clean bedding,” she mutters.
My hand goes to her hair and I tip her head back and close my lips over hers. Maybe she’ll shut up if I fill her mouth.
The morning comes and I groan in pain as I try to sit up. The skin over my ribs is a mixture of purple and blue bruising and I know my black eye is now shining brightly for all to see. Dolly rolls onto her back and stretches out. “I miss London,” she sighs and I roll my eyes. Fuck, she complains the second she wakes the fuck up. “Are you gonna tell me about all the bruises?” she adds.
“Club business,” I mutter.
I leave her in bed and head downstairs to find the Pres. Cobra is in his office, so I tap on the open door and he looks up. “Chains,” he says and smiles, getting up and coming over to shake my hand. “Sorry I wasn’t around last night when you arrived. I had issues with the cops.”
“No problem. Your VP sorted me out with a room.”
“Iron knows you, right? You met before?” I nod. Iron came on a few biker rallies when Riggs, Cree, and I were recruiting new members for other charters. We chose Iron because of his sheer size. At over six foot and built with pure muscle, he was just what the Manchester charter needed.
“We sent Blu down to London to step in as your club’s enforcer. He offered to go,” explains Cobra. Blu will fit right into my spot in the club. He’s ruthless and focussed. “I hear you’ve taken an ol’ lady?” I nod and Cobra signals to a redhead through his office window that looks into the club’s main room. “Pity. Raven here wanted to welcome you,” says Cobra as the woman saunters into the office. Her shorts ride up her ass and her tits spill over her top.
“What kind of man would I be to turn down such a generous offer?” I smirk, taking her hand.
“Good man. Enjoy. She’s fairly new here. Show her the Kings Reapers way.” He laughs as Raven leads me from the room. “Look after him, Raven. Show him around too.”
I follow her up the stairs, where she opens a door that leads to a passageway with several doors leading off it. “This is where all the club girls sleep,” she says. “If you ever need to find anyone, you’ll probably find them here. All our names are on our room doors. If it’s locked, it usually means they’re occupied, but otherwise doors are left unlocked so you can come in anytime you need to.”
The club girls back in London would have a fit if we told them they had to be available all the time. I laugh to myself. Cobra runs a tight ship.
Raven opens a door with her name on it. Inside is very basic—a double bed with white sheets, a side table, and a closet. The window is small and there’re bars over it. I point to it and laugh. “To stop you escaping?” I joke.
Raven ignores my comment and opens the bedside drawer. “Do you want to use a condom?”
The drawer is full of different sizes, flavours, and types. I’ve never seen so much safety in one drawer and it takes me back to thinking about me and Leia having unprotected sex. She’s a sensible girl—she’ll get the morning-after pill. And it was her first time. I’m sure I’ve read something about not getting pregnant the first time. Or is that a myth? Raven is waiting on my answer. “Why are you asking? Of course I do,” I say.
“Some of the guys don’t like to,” she mutters. “Any one in particular?”
“Jesus, this is all a bit clinical.” I sit down on the bed. “You should have the say in the guys wearing protection, Raven.”
“It’s not worth the shit we get for arguing with the guys,” she says. “Cobra doesn’t like us to refuse the guys. He says we’re here for a purpose.”
“Don’t tell anyone you told me that,” I say. Maybe things aren’t what they seem here.
“So, what do you want?” she asks, reaching for my belt. I still her hands. The moment’s passed.
“Are you here of your own free will, Raven?” I ask.
She nods. “Yeah, I met one of the guys and he offered me a place to stay.”
“What were you doing before this?” I ask.
“I was on the streets, so this is a step up. If we don’t do anything, Cobra will be pissed,” she says, reaching for my belt again. She’s twitchy and nervous.
“He won’t know,” I say. “I’m not gonna tell him.” This seems to relax her and she smiles. “Now, tell me the truth.”
Chapter Eight
LEIA
It’s been four weeks since Chains left and I miss him. It’s crazy that I feel like this after the way he treated me. Ryan is being so nice and patient, but I think even he’s fed up with my emotional state. He removes the napkin from across his lap and smiles at me. The candlelight flickers, bathing his face in a soft glow. “I booked us a room here,” he says, and my eyes widen. We’ve discussed sex. He still thinks I’m a virgin and I never corrected him because I didn’t want to admit the whole sorry story to anyone, especially not him.
“Erm, Riggs will expect me home,” I say.
“I spoke to him. Told him we were meeting friends for a late party. He was fine.” Riggs would never believe that Ryan would go to any party, let alone a late one. “We’ve been dating for almost six weeks. Don’t you think now is the time?”
“I guess.” I shrug. “I haven’t really thought about it,” I add, and I’m not lying, I haven’t. Since Chains used me, sex is the last thing on my mind.
“Come.” He smiles, standing and holding out his hand. I take it and he leads me through the restaurant to the elevator.
Ryan uses the key card to open a room on the third floor. It takes my breath away. The four poster bed has red rose petals spread over it and candles flicker, lighting the room softly. There’s champagne on ice. “Ryan,” I gasp. “It’s beautiful.”
“Like you,” he says and smiles, placing a finger under my chin and tilting my head back. He presses his lips against mine and I wait for the sparks that never come when Ryan kisses me. “Relax,” he whispers against my lips as he runs his fingers down my arm.
He begins to undress, unbuttoning his shirt and then folding it and placing it on a chair. He unfastens his shoes and places them side by side under the chair. “Leia, undress,” he says.
I nod. Fuck, this is the most unexciting thing I’ve ever witnessed. I’m being a bitch and I shake my head in disgust at myself for being so horrible. Ryan’s sweet and kind. He’s making this nice because he thinks it’s my first time. and looking around this gorgeous room, it’s perfect for losing my virginity. If only I’d have waited.
I slip out of my dress and Ryan takes it from me, folding it. He slips his trousers
off and I see he’s excited from the tent in his boxer shorts. He turns to me and his eyes run down my body. “You’re amazing,” he gushes and I blush. “Let’s get into bed.”
We get under the sheets side by side and Ryan props himself up on his side. “Are you ready?” he asks. I nod and he holds up a condom. “Protection.” He grins, ripping open the packet. My brow furrows as I watch him slip the condom on. He hasn’t touched me yet.
I watch as he climbs between my legs and places his hands either side of my head. “I’ll go slow,” he says and proceeds to press his erection against my opening. I’m not in the slightest bit turned on, and as much as he tries, he can’t push inside of me. “Relax, gorgeous. I’ll be gentle,” he says, kissing me.
I close my eyes, and for the first time in weeks, I allow myself to think of Chains. I imagine it’s him kissing me, his hands exploring my body, and then I feel Ryan enter me. “Oh, baby, you feel so good,” he groans in my ear. He begins to move back and forth, groaning with each push. He’s gentle and asks me if I’m okay more than once, but I long for him to grip my hair or fuck me so hard that I move up the bed. Just like Chains did. Within seconds, Ryan jerks and freezes, his eyes almost rolling back into his head. He grunts and collapses on top of me, kissing my neck and whispering words of praise.
Eventually, Ryan climbs from the bed and heads for the shower. “Get some rest,” he says, and I pull the sheets over me. “We’ll try again later.”
The next day, Ryan drops me back at the club. The second time we had sex wasn’t much better than the first. He’s definitely a man for himself. “I’ll see you tonight for your party,” he says and grins. I nod as I exit the car. Riggs and Anna have organised a party at the clubhouse to celebrate my twentieth birthday.
Inside, decorations are going up. Eva balances on a chair and Anna guides her where to put the birthday banner. “Is this really necessary?” I ask and they both turn to face me.
