by Atlas, Lilly
Bullets pinged off his truck, making Swiss cheese out of the damn thing, but thankfully their aim sucked and he remained gunshot free.
“Where the fuck is our backup?” Gumby yelled above the sound of cracking glass as the rear windshield splintered. Cold air whooshed into the car through Screw’s open window making both men shiver.
“Fuck if I know.”
Though in his gut he knew it would never happen, part of him feared Copper had left him to dangle in the wind as payment for his disobedience.
The road changed, straightening out as they moved from the mountain to flatter terrain. Screw’s truck whizzed past a crossroad and immediately, an eighteen-wheeler pulled out, blocking the entire road.
“Holy shit!”
An ear-piercing screech of brakes followed by the crunch of twisting metal rent the night air.
“Fuck yes!” Screw yelled, pumping a fist in the air as Gumby slowed to a complete stop a half mile down the road.
The smell of burning rubber filled the air, owning to the long skid marks left by whichever Disciple had tried and failed to stop before hitting the truck.
“The fuck?” Gumby swiveled in his seat. “That your club?”
“It’s gotta be.”
“Where’d they get the semi?”
“Who knows.” Screw glanced around the quiet street. “We shouldn’t stick around here. You good?”
“Yeah.” Gumby hit the gas again, glancing in the rearview mirror as he drove. “I’m good, you?”
Screw ran a trembling hand through his hair. “I’m fine.”
A mile down, three cars lined the side of the road. Still too fucking cold and icy for bikes.
“That’s Copper’s SUV. Pull over.” His stomach bottomed out. Time to pay the piper.
“Hey,” Gumby said after he braked behind Copper’s vehicle.
“Yeah?”
Gumby reached out and grabbed his hand, out of sight of any of the Handlers. “Don’t know if it’ll make a lick of difference with your prez, but I’ve got your back.” Then he linked their fingers and gave a squeeze.
Their gazes met and Screw would have loved to kiss him just then. Love to draw some calm and strength from the man, because his nerves had hit an all-time high. If there ever was a time to lay off the jokes, this was it. Copper needed to know how seriously Screw took his new position in the club, right before he ripped the enforcer patch right off Screw’s cut.
“Makes a fuckton of difference to me,” he said before opening the door, stepping out, and coming face to face with the angriest scowl he’d ever seen on his president.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
THE DOOR FLEW open without warning, slamming hard against the wall as Copper stormed into Jazz’s house followed by Zach, Rocket, LJ and finally a subdued Screw and Gumby.
Both she and Toni shrieked then sprung up from their spots on the couch. “Holy shit!” Toni yelled.
Shell rushed down the hallway from the bathroom. “What was that?”
The sight of both Screw and Gumby in her home, unharmed, had pounds of tension lifting from her shoulders. Jazz placed a hand over her chest as her heart beat out an erratic rhythm. “Jesus, guys, you scared the crap out of us. Maybe a little less storm-the-castle next time, huh?”
Then she took in the sight of Copper’s face.
Yikes.
His green eyes had darkened to near black. Jazz tried to avoid his glare. Who knew what would happen if she got caught in his crosshairs? She might be burned to ash. Those mitt sized hands fisted and opened at his sides over and over. The veins in his arms bulged like the Hulk’s did when he ripped off his shirt. He held his large body so stiff and rigid if he bumped his shoulder, an arm might fall off. And she wouldn’t be surprised if he started beating someone with it.
Someone was in for it, in the worst way, and by the compressed set of Screw’s mouth and the way he kept his gaze on the ground, Jazz had a sinking feeling he would be on the receiving end of Copper’s wrath in about five seconds.
Her heart fluttered with anxiety as she tried to get either Screw’s or Gumby’s attention by sending telepathic messages. After a few seconds, Gumby gave her a small smile and mouthed, “we’re okay.” Looked like that was the best she was gonna get since Screw still appeared mesmerized by her worn, beige carpet.
“Copper what’s wr—” Shell started.
“Kitchen, ladies,” Copper barked.
Jazz flinched and began to move, as did Toni, but Shell stood her ground. “What’s going on?” she asked, voice soft and soothing as though speaking to a wild animal.
“I said kitchen.”
Shell raised an eyebrow and Jazz swallowed hard. She was a brave, brave woman taking on that scary man. Then again, she lived with him and it was well known she had the big, bad club president wrapped around her pinkie.
Copper blew out a breath then walked to his wife. “Sorry, babe,” he whispered down to her before kissing her. “Can you guys give us a few minutes, please?”
“You know we can still hear you from the kitchen, right?” Jazz said.
Why had they come to Jazz’s house instead of going to the clubhouse if they wanted privacy?
Just as she was about to voice the question, Copper ran a hand down his face as he glanced her way. “Fuck it,” he said. “You got a right to know what’s going on since you live here.”
What the hell? Was she in danger? Was Paul—
No! That was her mind, running out of control. Paul was going to be locked up for a long time. This had nothing to do with him. She’d spent so much of her life worrying about where he was and when he’d return. Old habits were hard to break. She was safe from him. This was something club related.
The CDMC.
Shell turned her wide-eyed gaze on Jazz.
Her legs felt like lead, unable to move until Toni placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s sit, hon.”
Nodding, she dropped back down to the couch. Toni sat next to her, holding one of her hands while Shell also came to sit on the couch.
As though they actually had left the room, Copper turned his back on the couch and just…exploded.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip that cut off your back and burn the fuck out of it!” He screamed the words so loud, Jazz nearly jumped out of her skin. She’d thought they’d startled her when they burst through the door, but that was nothing compared to the fear Copper’s tone elicited now.
Finally, Screw lifted his head, giving Copper the respect his president was due. Jazz had to hand it to him. She’d probably burst out crying and cower in the corner if someone screamed at her with such vehemence.
“Copper, I know you’re pissed and that I deserve it. I ignored a direct order, but you need to hear—”
“Ignored a direct order?” He shouted. “That’s what you think this is about? Goddammit.”
“Do you understand what you’ve done here, Screw? Do you have any clue the danger your fucking screwball ways have put Jazmine in?”
Wait? What? Screw put her in danger?
“Who the fuck knows what Jeremy is going to do now? Who knows how deep he’s in with the Chrome Disciples?”
Jeremy? The Chrome Disciples? What the hell was going on? What had Screw done?
It felt like she was at a tennis match with her gaze pinging between Copper and Screw. Screw appeared to be biting back some caustic words of his own as he stood there being chastised by his president.
“Do you give a shit about this club? Is this all just a big joke to you?”
Hey, now, Screw was many things. Yes, he was a jokester, a womanizer, a sex fiend, but Jazz had no doubt at all he loved his brothers and took his role in the club seriously. Showing it may not be his strength, but he felt it. Of that she was sure. Just as she was about to speak up, Toni’s hand clamped down on her thigh and she bit back the words.
Shit, Toni was right. Copper wouldn’t take kindly to her butting into club business, even if he was conducting
it at her house, in front of her.
“No, prez. It’s not a joke to me at all.”
“You went to a party at the CDMC clubhouse without backup after I fucking forbade it.”
What?
Her stomach soured as the magnitude of what could have happened to Screw hit her with the force of an avalanche. One look at Gumby’s solemn face and she knew her friend had gone as well.
They’d lied to her.
“I think I’m gonna be sick,” she muttered, pressing a hand to her stomach.
Toni rubbed her back in soothing circles.
“What the fuck am I supposed to think, huh, Screw? Explain it to me, because all I see is some fucking hotshot who thinks he can do whatever the fuck he wants!” He roared out a yell then slammed his fist into Jazz’s wall leaving behind a giant hole.
“Hey!” She said then shrank back when Copper’s furious gaze turned her way.
“He’ll have it fixed,” Toni whispered.
Jazz had been around the club for a while. She’d seen the guys and their women go through some serious shit. An FBI raid, Izzy being beat up, Chloe attacked, betrayal from Holly’s father, the list went on. Through all of that, she’d never seen Copper lose his cool like this.
Her hands began to tremble, so she tucked them under her legs. The Jeremy link still made no sense, but all she could think of was the danger the two men who’d given her so much had put themselves in.
They went to a party at the CDMC clubhouse without telling anyone. Were they insane?
“Copper—” Screw began.
Gumby stepped forward. “I know it’s hard to see beyond the way this ended and how he went behind your back, but Screw has some information for you that could give your club a huge edge over the Disciples.” He spoke in the calm, rational way she’d come to expect from him.
“How about you keep the fuck out of my club’s business?” Copper advanced on Gumby and Jazz couldn’t keep her mouth shut any longer.
“Stop!” She yelled.
Copper whipped his head in her direction, no less furious than when he’d started yelling.
Now that his attention had shifted to her, whatever she’d been about to say died in her throat. “I…uh…” God, he was a scary man sometimes.
“Your club may not be my business, but Jazz is.” Gumby spoke with such strong conviction, his words chased away some of her chill. “Jeremy is the reason we had to get the fuck outta there. He recognized us and ratted us out to Crank. Otherwise, we’d have been home free. Now, is he just some hang-around the club doesn’t give a shit about, or is he on his way in? Who the fuck knows, but he lives next door to Jazmine and if she’s in danger, it is my business.”
Everything began to click into place. Of course, Jeremy had been at the party. The guy was starved to be part of an MC and after being rejected by the Handlers more than once, he probably saw the CDMC as his second chance. His way of finally having the life he coveted.
Did he know what assholes made up that club? Was he so desperate to fit in, he didn’t care what they got up to?
Screw stepped forward, placing a hand on Gumby’s shoulder. A silent thanks-but-I-got-this-now.
“Copper I’m under no illusion that I don’t deserve your anger. I even expect you to take away my position as enforcer. I broke your trust and I get that. But I didn’t do it lightly. And I didn’t do it because I don’t care about the club. I did it because I needed to. I needed to take this risk and do something to give us a leg up on those fuckers. They came too close, Cop. Too close to hurting Toni. Too close to hurting your woman.”
The set of Copper’s shoulders eased somewhat as he finally listened to Screw.
“And you know what, Copper?” He pounded his fist into his palm. “It worked. It fucking worked and I have an idea of how we can hit them and hit them hard without them knowing it was us.”
“For real?”
Copper’s eyes shifted between Screw and Gumby, who nodded. The only indication his need for verification from Gumby hurt Screw was the subtle ticking of Screw’s jaw.
With a deep sigh, Copper rubbed his beard. “All right. Fuck. Church tomorrow. I want every fucking detail from the second you pulled into that clubhouse until I rescued your stupid ass.”
Screw nodded. “Of course, Copper.” He stuck out his hand.
Copper glanced at it then began to move.
Her heart sank down through the couch. But then Copper grabbed Screw in a huge bear hug, slapping him hard on the back, and relief hit Jazz so fast, it was dizzying.
“Glad you’re okay, brother.”
Screw nodded without saying anything and if Jazz didn’t know better, she’d have thought he was too choked up to respond. But Screw didn’t do choked up. He did laughs, and jokes, and deflection.
None of that came from him now.
“Thanks for having his back,” Copper said to Gumby, extending his hand.
Gumby grasped it, giving Copper a solid shake. “Anytime.”
A look passed between Gumby and Screw she couldn’t decipher. Something more than just the hot lust they had for each other.
Did they feel something for each other?
Her gut twisted as an image of the two of them waking alone together in the morning popped into her head.
Jesus, was that jealousy?
Her head began to pound. God, they all needed to talk. To figure out what the hell was going on between the three of them. Not to mention she needed to give them a piece of her mind for lying about their plans for the evening.
But one look at the stress lines scrunching Screw’s forehead, and all she wanted to do was comfort him in any way possible.
“Jazz, I’ll send LJ out to take care of that tomorrow,” Copper said.
“Huh?” She blinked as he pulled her from her head. Oh, the wall. With a wave of her hand, she shook her head. “Whenever.”
After hugging her girls, they took off with their respective men, leaving her alone with Gumby and Screw. Suddenly, the air thickened and she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Part of her wanted to rail at them as Copper had for putting themselves in danger. The other part wanted to squeeze the hell out of them while sending up a prayer of thanks that they hadn’t been hurt. And yet another part, the part she didn’t fully understand yet, wanted something darker and more pleasurable from both of them.
“I need a fucking drink,” Screw announced. “You got anything stronger than wine?”
Jazz shared a look with Gumby then said, “Uh, yeah, there’s some Jack Daniels in the cabinet above my refrigerator.”
“Great.” Screw headed into the kitchen.
She followed him with her eyes. “Do you think he’s okay?”
Gumby pulled his glasses off, giving his eyes a good rub. “I’m not sure. What I’ve learned of that man is he feels a lot, and all of it much deeper than he ever wants anyone to know.”
“Hmm.” She’d wondered that about Screw. If his joking and bullshitting was a front. “You like him.”
“I…” He shrugged. “I’m sorry I never told you.”
“Told me what?”
“You know that I’m—that I like—” He cleared his throat.
“Oh, that you’re bisexual? Why would you be sorry about that? It’s your private business. You didn’t owe that to me, or anyone for that matter. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”
He grunted.
Ahhh, so that’s how it was. He wasn’t comfortable with it. At all. In fact, as he’d just demonstrated, he couldn’t even say the words out loud.
As if things weren’t complicated enough. Now she not only had something weird and messy going on with two men, but one of them was closeted.
She couldn’t just do things the easy way, could she?
“Should we check on him?”
“Yeah, go on in. I’m just gonna hang up my jacket.”
“All right.” As she began to walk away, Gumby grabbed her wrist and tugged her to him. He crashed hi
s mouth to hers in a kiss full of more hunger and need than he’d given her yet. The lingering flavor of whiskey hit her senses, combining with his taste and stealing her breath.
God, he made her weak in the knees.
“We’re gonna figure out all this shit, okay, baby?”
Did he mean with the club or with her and Screw? With her head buzzing more from that one kiss than the wine she’d drank, she nodded.
“And don’t worry about your neighbor, either.”
Jeremy, right. What a disaster.
“Go check on him.” He gave her ass a light swat, shot her a wink, then headed down to the guest room.
She basically floated into her kitchen, coming to a stop right in the doorway. Slumped in a chair that had been turned away from the table, sat Screw, the uncapped bottle of whiskey on the table next to him. Since she’d never opened the bottle, the level of liquid let her know he’d already taken a few healthy swallows.
His legs were spread wide in that way men so often sat, with his hands resting on his flat stomach. His head tipped back against the top of the chair and his eyes were closed. Someone who didn’t know him, might find him at peace, maybe even sleeping, but not Jazz. She noticed the frown, the tension in his jaw, and the lines running across his forehead.
The need to reassure him, to take away whatever pain he tried so hard to hide, grew impossible to ignore. Without thinking, without allowing herself to analyze or question her motives, she walked into the kitchen with a single-minded purpose.
When she reached him, she immediately lowered onto his lap, straddling him. He jolted and his eyes flew wide. She took full advantage of the moment his mouth dropped open, capturing his face between her hands and kissing the ever-loving hell out of him.
He hardened in an instant. The impressive erection pressed into the V of her thighs. Jazz moaned into his mouth and ground her pelvis against his.
“Jazz,” he rasped as he tore his mouth from hers. “Be sure. Christ, Jazzy, be sure because I’ve wanted this. Wanted you for so fucking long, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop once I get you under me.”
