Release

by Jade Chandler

  I saw her bright smile when I opened my eyes again.

  “This place stinks like beer, whiskey, and sweat, not our room, the cabin.”

  Forcing myself upright, she handed me the vitamins and ibuprofen and after swallowing them I drank down the bottle of water Avery handed me, then the second. I still felt like crap, but I knew from experience I’d be fine in twenty minutes—enough time for a shower.

  Once I’d showered and dressed, my head was almost normal. “Let’s get you pancakes.”

  “Finally.” She kissed me. “Let’s go.”

  The twenty-minute bike ride into town did more than kill my hangover, I was right with the world, better than right, as long as my girl was on my bike. We pulled into the IHOP and parked. Two other bikes sat in the lot, one I recognized and seeing it sucked my good mood away—Renegade. I buried my pissed off and tucked her into my side before we went inside.

  “It’s Renegade, the one with long hair behind me and to the left.” I wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him. “Get me.” I waited for her to look at me. “Under no circumstances be alone with him, talk to him, if you’re stuck—say I’m Rock’s property—and book it away from him.”

  Her eyes widened as she nodded. “He scares me.”

  “The other one is Wolf, one of his pals who normally is out with the security team, they’ll bring trouble, count on it.”

  Just then the waitress returned with our coffee.

  “What can I get you?” The older woman looked like she’d asked this question a million times.

  “I want your strawberry stack with extra whipped cream.” Avery grinned up at the woman. “I love whipped cream.”

  “I’ll have steak and eggs, sunny side up, and rare.”

  The waitress nodded and shuffled away.

  “Total carnivore, do you eat enough veggies and fruit?” The teasing glint in her eye made me smile.

  “You have no room to talk, you’re just eating sweets.”

  “Strawberries are fruit, even if they’re loaded with extra yummy syrupy goodness.”

  We kept the playful bickering up until our food arrived.

  “Perfect.” She grinned up at the waitress. “You hooked me up.” With a fist up in the air, the waitress returned the grin and gave her fist a bump.

  Avery could charm anyone. I’d taken two bites of steak when I saw Renegade striding our way.

  “Rock.” He nodded to me. “See you back at the camp.” Renegade leered at Avery.

  “And you are?”

  “Rock’s property.” She said almost before he finished his question.

  “Yeah?” He returned his gaze to me. “Brother, you feel like sharing, let me know.”

  He moved on before I could say a damn thing. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Avery was more than on his radar now, he’d try for her any way he could—she was a new piece in his sick game against Jericho.

  I had a dim memory of her teasing me about joining the club, only if that were true. I’d snap her up as my old lady in a second, but shit, she’d only been around the club a few times—no way could I ask her that question yet.

  “He has the deadest eyes I’ve ever seen, totally creeps me out.” Her hushed whisper held fear.

  That pissed me off more. The steak that had tasted like heaven minutes ago was dirt in my mouth.

  “Yeah, he’s not a good guy. Let’s finish up and take a long ride.”

  She squeezed my hand. “Sounds perfect.”

  After I paid, we hit the road, riding the full lake perimeter before we made it back to camp around two. The ride had erased some of my pissed off, but had done nothing to ease the tension. I’d wanted to punch the fucker, but I hadn’t for lots of reasons.

  I parked at camp and Dare hollered to me. “Playing poker, get your ass in here.”

  “Come with me, almita, bring me luck. I sucked yesterday.”

  She leaned up for a kiss and I didn’t want to let her go, so I scooped her up and carried her, still kissing me into the other cabin. “I’m very lucky,” she said lips pressed to mine.

  I sat her down and grabbed a spot at the table, patting my lap. Mama already sat on Dare’s lap. Jana draped herself across Jericho but Bear, Zero and the other guys didn’t have women with them.

  “Texas Hold ‘em. Play it up.” Zero grinned and dealt.

  Avery wiggled on my lap until she found her spot. “Should I help you?” she whispered in my ear.

  I frowned down at her. “You know poker?”

  She nodded.

  “Re-deal,” I said before Zero passed around the second card. “Avery’s playing too.”

  I stood and found her a chair, putting it between me and Dare.

  “You should play too, Red,” Dare said.

  “No way. I like being arm candy.” She kissed his chin.

  Avery laughed. “Yeah, ’cause you’re shit at the game.”

  “You played with her?” Dare turned Mama to him. “You’re that bad?”

  Mama nodded. “Can’t be good at everything, stud.”

  I pulled out another five thousand for her and Rebel slid her the chips. “One hundred to two hundred no limit.” Avery’s eyes widened, but she nodded then glanced back to me.

  I nodded to her, I’d lost all the 5G stake yesterday, so what did it matter who lost my money.

  She folded her first hand. In fact she folded the next six hands, but then she had to ante. She had talked and giggled and been all her normal self through all those hands, I could see no difference between poker shark Avery and normal Avery, who wasn’t the least circumspect.

  With a giggle, she upped the bid when it came to her. I think maybe she was in over her head. Her punk friends were not the caliber of player that my brothers were. Everyone but me called. I wanted to watch her play. Next round Jericho tossed in two grand, Avery gulped, looking to me and back again before she threw her two in to match. We were down to the last flip of the card and Bear, Jericho and Avery were still in—she was toast.

  Bear threw in a thousand, Jericho called, and Avery threw the other two thousand in—she was all in—nervous laugh gone. Both boys called her, and she flipped over a queen high straight, son of a bitch, she’d totally not bet that hand.

  “Fuck.” Bear threw in his cards.

  Jericho gave her a nasty look and my little almita just grinned wider.

  “I only get one time to rake it in big while you boys still think I’m too stupid to play.”

  Dare laughed and Jericho did too.

  “Damn devious.” Bear nodded with approval.

  Through the next two hours, Avery won about two-thirds of the hands she played.

  “Red, your friend won’t play with me, she drops out every time I play,” Dare said.

  “She’s not stupid. It’s hard work taking that much money from bikers.” Mama laughed. “You still want to play or go sleep in the sun with me?”

  Avery pushed away from the table. “Do you cash it out now or do I keep the chips?”

  Rebel counted out twenty thousand and handed it to her.

  Leaning down, she kissed my cheek. “I’ll tuck this away so you don’t lose it, gotta give up faster, play less.” The last she spoke low, so only I could hear it.

  I wanted to follow her to the bedroom and fuck her until we both couldn’t move. It’d turned me on in ways I can’t describe, to see her play the table joking and laughing the whole damn time.

  “Let’s go worship the sun.” Avery sashayed away with the whole table watching them both go.

  “You know your woman could do that?” Bear growled.

  “Fuck no, but it’s hot as fuck.”

  “Now that we’re down to one damn shark at the table, maybe I can earn my money back,” Zero grumbled.

 
I dealt out the cards. “Met Renegade at IHOP this morning.”

  Grumbles went around the table.

  “We’ll keep an eye out.” Dare slapped my back. “He’s living on borrowed time, I’m thinking.”

  I have no idea how long we played, but it was right, just hanging out shooting shit with my brothers and steadily losing my money despite trying to follow Avery’s advice.

  Mama walked in, but Avery wasn’t with her.

  “Dare, we got supper.”

  He pushed his chips in and while Rebel cashed him out, Avery still didn’t show.

  Uncomfortable for a reason I couldn’t name, I hurried outside, needing to see my girl.

  Avery stood frozen, like prey, and Renegade said something to her. “Avery, come here, now,” I commanded, even using my finger to point to the place I wanted her to be.

  Fury blazed inside me seeing her alone with Renegade. As she hurried toward me, I tried not to lose it. “My room, now. Wait for me.”

  She almost ran past me and through the door. Renegade moseyed toward me, but I didn’t wait for the fucker to get to me. I stomped down the stairs and met him midway.

  “Get me straight here, she is mine, and you aren’t to speak to what’s mine.”

  He held his hands up. “Sorry, Rock, not trespassing. But she’s just a girl, and sooner or later she’ll be free—I wanted to be sure she knew she could come to me.”

  “You’ll never have her.”

  “Boy, she’s just a chick. Yours today, gone tomorrow.” He pushed past me and walked into the house.

  My head hurt like it’d split to let out the building pressure. My fists clenched and unclenched, and I wanted to tear that motherfucker’s head off. I marched inside past the calls and straight to our room. Avery sat on the bed shaking.

  “You want to tell me what the fuck I just saw?”

  “I was picking up—”

  “I told you to run, not to stay a second,” I yelled.

  “When I turned around he was there.”

  “And still you stayed. Stupid, you know the shit he said to me? Hunh? He wants you and basically told me he’d have you. Fuck.” I whirled and punched the wall.

  I fought to control my breathing before I turned back to her. Silent tears ran down her cheeks. Dammit, I’d made her cry. True she’d disobeyed, but I was more worried about all the shit that could’ve gone wrong—so fucking wrong.

  I strode over and picked her up before I sat on the bed then held her tight. “Sorry, almita. Everything with him, it’s so damn complicated and you’re the most vulnerable one here. I need you to be safe.”

  “He said he’d like to see me, when I was ready, bored with you.” She gulped. “And...then...then you were there and I was so thankful.” She swiped her nose. “I had ‘I’m Rock’s property’ on the tip of my tongue but it was like his scariness froze me in place and I was trying to break free when you were there saving me.”

  “Oh, honey, why did Lila leave you?”

  “He wasn’t there then, I think he had to be lurking.” She broke down crying. “She realized they were late in starting dinner and asked me to pick up. I said sure since I was there alone and it just took seconds.” She shivered. “I picked up the towels and stuff, and there he was. I was alone with him less than a minute before you showed up.”

  “Okay. I understand. We’ll keep you protected, baby—he’s doing it to fuck with me, but you’ll be safe.”

  My chest hurt, like something had squeezed my lungs so tight breathing was almost impossible, my pulse raced, and it took every bit of control not to go punch him until he couldn’t stand, but that’s what the ass wanted—to start fights, cause problems, but he wouldn’t get that shit from me.

  My leg jumped and I tried to think of ways to let this go—I’d be of no use to anyone this hyped up. I’d give about anything for even ten minutes with one of Marr’s canes.

  Avery left my lap and I felt worse—ten times worse—without her touch.

  “Rock.” I turned to see her throwing a black duffle on the bed. “How about we try out my new toys.”

  She held up a thick paddle, a violet wand and a six-pronged Wartenberg wheel.

  Something twisted in me creating a crawling sensation all through me, when it stopped, something new had been released from that locked place I put all the things I never wanted to acknowledge. She loved me, she cared for me more than any other person in the world, but no one had ever made such a sacrifice for me. I had no words for the emotions inside me. It was too big and too much, only adding to the overwhelming trying to push out of me.

  “I’d like to show you what I learned.” Her eyes met mine.

  I shook unable to keep still. “Yeah.” My voice cracked. “I would too.”

  Her soft smile moved me. It was the first smile I’d seen since I’d found her.

  “Restraints?”

  I shook my head. “I’ll hold on to the headboard.”

  She nodded. “When I’m done, I’m going to fuck you.” The fierce command in her tone was new.

  “Yes, you are.”

  “Preference of order?”

  I almost told her whatever she wanted, but stopped because she was new to this and wanted to please me. The least I could do was tell her what I wanted. “Wheel, paddle, wand. I like the wand during sex.”

  Her eyes swirled with lust. How had I gotten so lucky to found a woman turned on by my kinky obsession?

  “Lay face down and spread your legs,” she ordered. Then starting on my inner thighs she ran the wheel up and down, a little harder each time. Like prickly kisses, the wheel tantalized my pain centers then she stopped. Her hands splayed my cheeks and I jolted as the tip of the wand hit my pucker, bringing every sensation of pain and pleasure alive again.

  The sharp points of the wheel bit into my ass over and over again, not as good as my thighs but I’d take it all.

  I slowed my breathing and tried to find the space where I shed my burdens, just like when Marr did this, but I couldn’t distance myself, I only wanted to be closer to her.

  The first whack of the paddle hit my ass, lighting up the torn flesh from the wheel. Devious minx, my God the mixture of those two together was wonderful.

  “Count—I’m trying for 20.”

  “No baby, you can’t do so many.”

  “Shut up and take what I give you.”

  “Yeah,” I panted, already excited, getting more so by the second.

  The next one hit my opposite cheek and I counted. The first six made my ass burn just as much as the cane did–she was a natural. The paddle moved down my legs and back up, each stroke quicker and harder until I panted, needing her more than the next hit of the paddle.

  On the edge, I barely managed to say nineteen and then no more fast whacks. In the silence I heard her breathing as fast as my own.

  “Are you turned on?” I panted.

  “Yeah, so much, because I see you enjoy my touch.” She chuckled. “Turn over.”

  Lying down on the inflamed skin made the burn more, not more painful, but it soaked into my core all the way inside to where all my worries churned.

  “Hold on.”

  A hard smack came down on my cock. “Twenty,” I shouted, my legs curled up on instinct and I held back the release that wanted to fly free. I was clean again, all the shit dragging on me, the shame, the guilt, the rage were gone. If I was honest the shame had been gone since our night answering questions.

  “Too worked up, stud.” Avery brought me back to now. She climbed atop me, picking up my throbbing, hard cock and plunged down on it. The pleasure and pain swirled, devouring me.

  “Not gonna last, baby.” I worked to hold back the orgasm while my thumb found her nub and pulsed it.

  “Like that, yeah, make
me come, Rock,” she chanted. “Now.”

  I let go, squeezing her hips tight as I bucked up into her. Just as I came she brought the wand between us jolting both of us. She bucked and screamed as I shook with the absolute perfection the moment of our simultaneous orgasm.

  When she lay down on me, I slipped free of her pussy. “Thank you,” I whispered.

  She propped herself up on her elbows. “Anytime, I’m totally serious about that. You understand?”

  Always so light and funny she surprised me when she turned serious. We were perfect together, if only I could keep her safe from Renegade.

  “You know, I feel better too, doing that for you, it helped get rid of my pissed off.” Avery rolled off of me.

  “Why are you pissed?” I was confused.

  “Why is he so set against you? Or whoever? Why is it me he stalks? But I’m not allowed to understand—still on the goddamn edge and it hurts.”

  What? She wanted to be inside?

  “You don’t like the club.”

  She sat up frowning. “I never said that.”

  It was hard not to get distracted by her nipples. “So you do?”

  “Yeah, I said that last night. I hate not being in—just almost in—it’s not like we don’t love each other, live together. I understand, I mean even counting before, we haven’t been together much more than a handful of months.”

  “Who cares about time?”

  “Exactly.” Emotion filled her eyes, even as she kept her face blank.

  “Avery June Townsend, do you want to be my old lady?”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Avery

  Rock finally asked after I’d almost hit him over the head with my obvious hints. Relief swept through me, he thought I was good enough.

  “Hell yes!” I screamed, jumping up and down on the bed before I pounced on him kissing him everywhere. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.”

  Then I bounced off him and threw on a shirt and shorts before running down the hall. “Lila, where the hell are you?” I ran past the bikers still playing poker into the kitchen, but still no Lila. “Lila, Mama, bitch you best come out from where you’re hiding, I got news,” I yelled as I went through the screen door to the empty back door.