Release

by Jade Chandler

  With three minutes to spare, I walked across the deserted Main Street, feeling like one of those overmatched underdogs who faced the bad guys in Westerns. With most of the shops on this end of the street closed on Sundays, our section of Main resembled a ghost town.

  This is just one step, go in and see, you can always leave. Fuck that, you are getting this damn tattoo and you are taking the man giving it to you. Time for us to take what we want. Move. I ordered my feet. They didn’t move.

  “We are getting the tattoo. Let’s do this. Go, go, go,” I mumbled, staring down at my feet.

  The bell rang when I walked in Marked Man signifying that I’d crossed a line. No going back. I was in club territory now. I was in Rock’s world. The club—Jericho Brotherhood—was the biggest thing standing between Rock and me. I distrusted the club, as much as I loved its members, not because I was a snob like my friends. No, it wasn’t principle, but practicality. I’d seen the way the bikers, especially Jericho, had hurt Lila and not one of them ever considered her in their pissing match. I’d never forget the way she’d wept when they’d cornered her at a club, or how she’d been so defeated by Dare’s rejection. Even if she’d do it again, I didn’t think she should’ve ever had to go through it once. A family didn’t treat members like that.

  Despite what Lila said now, her experience was a major con on my list of why I didn’t want to be part of the club. First, women were property, while I didn’t know what it meant exactly, I didn’t like it because I knew it meant we weren’t equal. In fact a woman couldn’t even be a member. Second, I didn’t trust Jericho, because he scared me, a lot, and he’d been the main reason Lila had spent four months in hell when she broke up with Dare. It only made me think the Brotherhood was like my own family—women sacrificed and men reaped the rewards.

  Rock loved the life, but I wasn’t sure I’d ever be okay with it, let alone want to be part of it. For him, maybe I could try. Maybe.

  Rock appeared from the hallway, hands tucked into his back pockets. Scrumptious.

  “Glad I didn’t have to haul you in here.” He arched his heavy black brow. “I’d planned to tickle you all the way from your house to my shop if I had to.” His slow sexy smile lit me up inside.

  I was crazy ticklish. Something he’d used to his advantage before. My insides warmed that he remembered. I wasn’t the only one lost in our past. “Like I’d back out.”

  “Again.” His smile softened the sting.

  “So, we’re doing this.” I tried to step forward, but my feet were glued to the floor.

  He smoothed a white piece of paper on the old wooden counter.

  “Come see your personal brand, if you dare.” He crooked his finger.

  My heart pumped and suddenly my feet were happy to do Rock’s bidding. Unstuck, I hurried to see what he’d created.

  “Hey, almita.” He brushed my lips with a light kiss and then settled in for a longer one.

  Exactly what I needed, but he stepped back just as I started sinking down into the pleasure, the mind clearing arousal consumed me. I needed him, always. Each day we were apart shredded my insides a bit more, but I feared how much worse it’d be if I got in deeper and he hurt me like Lila had been hurt. I wasn’t strong like she was.

  His thumb stroked my lip. “You’re not distracting me.” He held up the white paper. “What do you think of this?”

  In the narrow rectangle Black Label was drawn exactly like my store sign and underneath in perfect cursive was 100% Original. I loved it, exactly what I’d asked for.

  “Yeah, you are so freaking talented.”

  “Thank you. But I wanted to show you option two, something I imagined.” He pulled out another square of paper from his back pocket.

  And suddenly I wished I could fit there, snug to his perfect round ass.

  “What do you think?”

  Excitement fizzed inside me. I loved it. The same label outlined in black, but inside was fluorescent pink with the most beautiful purple used for 100% Original.

  “My God, it is perfect. I love it.” I bounced up and down. “No, I more than love it. I whatever comes after absolutely fucking love it.” I hugged him tight as tears welled in my eyes. Finally someone got me, totally, absolutely got me.

  “I love the excitement, but, I like breathing too.”

  Those colors wouldn’t be free. I loosened my grip on him and planted a big, smacking kiss on his mouth. “I wish I could afford it. It is absolutely perfect.”

  Rock glared at me. “You ain’t paying for this. This is my cherry to pop.”

  “But I—”

  He cut off my protest with a kiss, I lost myself in him. When I resurfaced I decided to accept his generosity. “Thanks. I totally need that brand on me.”

  “Let’s go. Time to mark you.” He clasped my hand as we walked to the work room.

  “Strip,” he commanded.

  “What about the other guys?” I so didn’t need them seeing my naked bits.

  “Out until five.”

  “You have all your customers naked on your table.” I rolled my eyes and removed my shirt. “I don’t even need to take off my bra. It goes here.” I tapped the place on my left breast.

  A truly wicked grin spread across his handsome face. “I never said anything about needing you naked for your ink.” He closed the distance between us. “I said strip for me.”

  I sucked in a breath as heat spread through my core. That was hot.

  He hooked a finger under the front clasp of my red lacy bra and with a flick, it popped open. “Now the rest of it. Lay your bare ass on my table.” His eyes sparked with a challenge. “Unless you’re scared.”

  I stood so aroused I couldn’t think, so I didn’t think. I followed his command to strip and I lay on the leather massage table staring up at the mirror above me. The girl I saw annoyed me—small tits, too narrow hips with thin legs, overall too bony. I shut my eyes, this mirror was not my friend.

  But the sexy, shirtless guy moving toward me was totally mine. Despite the damn mirror above me, I felt sexy under his steady gaze. Magic. The magic of his desire for me made me feel better, for now anyway.

  He set a container on the stand next to me. “I have no idea how I’ll keep my hands off you.” He winked. “Maybe I won’t.” His hand caressed my shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” If I didn’t acknowledge it, then it didn’t exist.

  “You’re all tight and tense.” He stroked my green hair off my forehead. “Relax for me.” His fingers caressed my cheek then worked down my neck, stroked my breasts. I’d missed his hands on me. My body stretched up trying to get closer to what he gave, but he moved lower, skimming my stomach, making me gasp as the slight tickle set my nerve endings on edge.

  Eyes closed, I enjoyed the feel of his index finger sliding through my seam up to my clitoris. His thumb swirled and pushed in a slow rhythm I loved. I jerked, hips pushing up when he bent and sucked the nub into his mouth. It’d been too long. I’d missed his touch so much. My body spiraled up until I plunged into the depths of my orgasm, consumed by the pleasure he gave. He brushed a light kiss across my lips but I held his head kissing him, needing to release this passion that otherwise would bubble up into words I couldn’t say. Slowly, he inched back until we were apart.

  “That’s better. Relaxed and ready.” He washed up before returning to me. First he swiped cold alcohol wipes across my chest then used another antiseptic before he pressed the blue transfer onto my chest. When he peeled it away, I could see the outline there for him to follow.

  The buzz of the gun sent a trill of nervous energy bouncing through me but I was too relaxed to freak out. The needle pricked my skin and burned. I sucked in a breath and held it as the pain continued in small individual pricks followed by Rock wiping away extra ink. My eyes watered as I tried
to keep the pain inside me, burying it.

  “Breathe through it, accept the pain, and let it go.” Rock soothed me.

  I let out my breath in a woosh before I inhaled again, exhaling as the pain bit into my tender skin.

  How does anyone call this good pain? I hated it. I wanted it to stop so bad, but not as bad as I wanted Rock’s design tattooed on my heart. I repeated the words in my head as I blinked away the wetness in my eyes.

  I glanced up through blurry eyes. Intense concentration marked his serious face—he only saw his work now. I inhaled and let the breath go. And then another. Soon all I focused on was the regular rhythm of my breathing, the buzz of the gun lulled me into a trance.

  Everything stopped and I blinked away the moisture. “You’re doing great, baby. This will suck, purple hurts like a fucking bitch, but you’re tough.”

  The bite of the needle made me gasp so I searched my brain for anything to divert me—my shop. Not many twenty-four-year-olds owned a business that paid the bills. I did, and people liked my store. Lots of people. This tattoo celebrated my achievement. The thought centered me allowing me to manage the pain washing through me. I was doing it, surviving it.

  “Take a break. Here’s a towel and some water.” Rock placed the cold bottle against my neck.

  “Damn.” I screeched, sitting up.

  His eyes flared, taking in my naked body.

  I grinned at him, drank down the water, trying to ignore the stinging on my breast.

  “Stop that. I’ll never make it if you eye fuck me like that.” His accented words were rough.

  “I’d rather just fuck you.” I hadn’t meant to say it, now it hung there between us. He locked gazes with me and brushed the underside of my chin

  “I’ll add the pink, then baby, I’ll let you fuck me any way you want.” He stepped back from me, dropped his head. “I want you so much. You have no idea how much it turns me on, being the first to add ink to your sexy body.”

  “Really?”

  He frowned up at me. “Fuck yeah. You trusting me like this is intense, the ink adds to your sexy. Not to mention the scent of you aroused.”

  No one called me sexy.

  “Time to finish. You scream if you need to, this will be the worst.” Worry clouded his eyes.

  “I’m a tough bitch.” I grinned at him. “There isn’t a single reason to worry about me.”

  “Yeah, my tough bitch.” Low-lidded eyes ate me up as his lush lips parted. He wanted to put his lips on me. Power surged inside me—I did that, I made him want me.

  I lay back on the table and sucked in deep breaths, trying to prepare for the pain. The needle touched my skin and I made myself hold still.

  “Fuckity fuck.” I balled my hands into fists. I remembered to breathe but nothing helped ease this pain. I breathed in and out, while I held tight to the table sides. I didn’t pass out. I didn’t die. It hurt, but I survived.

  I’d heard some people loved pain, craved it. They were fucking weird, deranged, to like pain.

  I hate pain.

  And just when I was sure I’d have to scream to stand one more minute, the buzz stopped. “Done, almita.”

  The words were the sweetest I’d ever heard. Rock scooped me up and cradled me in his arms kissing me deeply, wiping the tears that had flowed through the whole ordeal.

  God, I need him inside me.

  He broke our kiss, sat me back on the table, cleaning off my tattoo before he snapped a picture.

  “Hey,” I tried to protest.

  He flipped the hand mirror around and I forgot everything but what I saw. The tattoo was me—bright, colorful, mine. I loved my store in a way I couldn’t explain. I’d gambled with my inheritance from my grandma, and it’d paid off. No one had believed in me, not even Glory, although she’d supported me, which was more than I could say of my mom and dad. They’d fought me every inch of the way, but I’d won. Black Label was a monument to my independence, now it lived on me.

  “I love it. It was so worth the torture.” I beamed up at him with watery eyes. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

  “Wait,” Rock commanded when I started to move off the table. “I need to bandage it.” He smeared this goop across it, that smarted, but then he covered it with a gauze pad and taped it in place. “Leave that on until tomorrow, at least. I will give you some of this to apply for the next few days.”

  “We’re done?” I wanted him in my mouth, then in me.

  He nodded and I slid off the table needing to be skin to skin, mouth to cock. I held his gaze—full of need—just like me. “I missed you.” I ran my fingers up his sculpted abs, chest and snaked arms around his neck.

  Eyes dilated, he consumed me with his kiss, pushing his tongue into me with an urgency I mirrored. Rock made me feel special, like a goddess. Worked up and ready, his kiss stoked the pulsing need between my legs. I knelt, and Rock tried to hold the kiss until I massaged his hard cock through the denim. A low moan escaped. Was it him or me?

  I unfastened the jeans and let them fall to his feet, the outline of his cock through boxers excited me—thick and veined. With both hands, I cupped his balls, running my fingers over that perfection before I tugged down his boxers. His cock bounced free already glistening with pre-come at its tip.

  “Rock.” I licked his tip.

  “Almita, I missed your touch, your scent, your everything,” He turned so he leaned against the table.

  I clasped his thick cock, I couldn’t even close my fingers fully around the shaft, and jerked up and down.

  “Yeah.” He watched me with need in his dark eyes. I kept my gaze on his as I played with his tip, but I needed him too much to play long. I took him into my mouth until my nose hit his groin before circling up.

  “Suck me,” he rasped. “So fucking perfect.” His hands ran through my short hair.

  Power, intense and intimate, surged inside me, I set my rhythm to it. The need to have his cock in me, his lips on me, pushed me to move faster.

  “Close to coming.” He attempted to pull away.

  I made approving noises and picked up my tempo, needing to taste him. He held my head tight to him. His knees locked, balls tightened. I brought my hand up to squeeze his balls.

  I’d fantasized about this during the four months we’d been apart. Countless mornings I’d woken up hot and bothered from my X-rated dreams, now that I had him in the flesh, I planned to re-enact every one of the dreams I’d had.

  “Fuck,” He roared, his cock shuddered as I swallowed all he gave me. Moving to hold him, I squeezed his ass.

  He reached down and drug me up his front. “Almita.” His lips crushed mine as he lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his middle lost in the way he claimed me.

  Chapter Four

  Rock

  Avery’s mouth on my cock had blown my mind, now it was my turn. I lay her down on the massage table and positioned her on the edge. Her whiskey-colored eyes were fuzzy with desire. That’s my girl.

  Her honeysuckle musk drove me wild. I balanced each smooth leg on a shoulder and bent to her pussy. My tongue opened her seam as I licked up until I reached her clit—she tasted even better than her scent. She arched into me and I grabbed her hips, bringing her closer.

  “Need you.” She mewled.

  I worried her nub with my tongue and she gasped arching up into me.

  “Please,” she chanted as she bucked up into me.

  I wanted to make her wait, but my own desire ate at my willpower. My heart raced, pulse pounded through me, and I couldn’t hold out. I’d pleasure her with slow thorough care next time.

  When I sucked her clit, she bucked. “Rock.” Her orgasm crashed through her—beautiful and free—I suited up and thrust into her. Her tight muscles squeezed me. I tried for slow but Avery was
having none of it. She pushed up faster and faster until I forgot about slow or controlled. I needed. She needed. We raced toward what we both sought.

  Light headed, my balls tightened, I pumped harder, faster, needing her to understand—she was mine.

  “Rock,” she screamed my name as her pussy clenched me tight.

  “Yeah, almita.” Frantic in my thrusts, I saw bright bursts of light when I came into her. “You are mine.”

  “Yours,” she panted.

  I leaned down to scoop her up, still inside her.

  “Oh,” she laughed, “that’s very nice.”

  She clung to me and pressed her lips to mine. I’d missed those and sucked her bottom lip, playing with it. Her grip tightened, she thrust up. Damn if my cock didn’t stir as I fucked her mouth with my tongue. I needed her to get this wasn’t a passing thing. We were together, staying that way, at least until I’d gotten her out of my system.

  Avery broke the kiss and nuzzled into my neck, kissing, licking and biting that spot where my neck and shoulder met. I shivered when she licked my chest.

  “What are you doing, chica?” I wrapped my arms tight around her.

  “How will I resist you now? Your scent is more addicting than crack. I could make a fortune if I just could bottle that up. But then I’d have to share it.” She pursed sexy lips that I kissed. “Never mind, I’ll stay poor and keep that scent to myself. Anyone tell you, your pecs should be illegal they’re so hot.”

  I pressed my finger against her lips. “Shhh.”

  Reluctantly, I pulled out of her hot pussy, set her on the bench, and headed to the bathroom to deal with the condom. Avery was spooked. She always turned into a rapid-fire talking machine when she was nervous. How could I calm her, let alone make her see we should be together?