I think Shay’s the only woman I’ve ever opened the car door for.
I don’t bother to question why that is, I just get into the car and drive us to the next place on the list.
TWENTY-SIX
Shayla
AFTER changing my mind and finding Faye the most perfect gold bracelet instead of a handbag, we buy the decorations and everything else on the list. It takes about two hours, and then we’re back at the clubhouse.
“I really hope she likes chocolate cake,” I say as we get out of the car.
“It’s universal” is his reply.
“What are we doing for the rest of the day?”
“I have to go into Rift to do some work, along with a few other errands. Tracker and Rake are here, so you’ll be safe.”
“I know,” I reply. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever felt safer than since I’ve been at the clubhouse. “I’m going to do some training with Colt. He already knows sit; next I’m going to teach him how to lie down.”
“Where are the other two?”
“Faye took them back to her house,” I say, grabbing the balloons and banners out of the car while Vinnie takes the large box full of alcohol and plastic utensils.
“I can’t believe you got a piñata.”
“The kids will enjoy it,” I say.
Vinnie opens the door for me, following me inside. “Faye will probably enjoy it too, who are we kidding.”
We hide everything away where she won’t stumble upon it, which ends up being in Vinnie’s room. Vinnie heads off to work while I spend the rest of the day outside, chatting with Tracker and Rake and training Colt. Tracker shows me some techniques he used to train Lana’s dog, Evie, who was here last week before the pups came. I cook dinner for us, and some extra for Vinnie or anyone else who happens to be stopping by. I’ve noticed that I never know who will be here on any given night, but that someone is always here. After a long, hot shower, I read in bed. Vinnie gets back to the clubhouse at around ten, smiling when he sees that I’m still awake.
“Tracker said you cooked dinner,” he says, removing his clothes and jumping into bed with me.
“Yeah, steaks, potatoes, and asparagus. How was work?” I bury my face in his neck. “And why the fuck do you smell like cheap perfume?”
I lift my head to glare at him and I catch his grimace. “Shay—”
It hits me right now that we’ve never actually had “the talk.” We’ve never spoken about his not being with other women; I just assumed he wouldn’t. But he is a biker, so I probably shouldn’t have. Although the other men in the clubhouse seem to be nothing but loyal, I’m not Vinnie’s old lady, and we haven’t even been together long. Or whatever we are. Another issue, we have no idea what the fuck we are. If he slept with someone else, however, I’ll take my chances with the Mafia. I’m not sitting around here and putting up with that, no way, no how.
“Tell me what you did tonight, and think very carefully before you try and lie,” I say slowly, the threat clear.
“I have no reason to lie,” he says, staying calm. He sits up and looks me directly in the eye. “I told you I had to go check on a few of the businesses, and one of those happens to be a strip club.”
I grind my teeth together. “You were at a strip club? So what, were you out testing the merchandise, or something?”
His jaw goes tight. I don’t know why he’s suddenly getting angry. It’s not like I spent the night around a bunch of naked men thrusting their bits and pieces in my face.
“I didn’t sit there and enjoy a free lap dance, if that’s what you’re asking. I was mainly in the office, looking over some figures, chatting with the bouncers—we just hired three new ones, and a few of the women came and said hello, and gave me a hug, that’s it.”
“Really?” I say, dragging the word out, the disbelief in my voice palpable. “Just an innocent little hug? That’s it? They didn’t try and proposition you in any way? Or rub their tits against you? Is that what you’re saying?”
I knew I was acting like a psycho girlfriend, but I was feeling a lot of emotions, none of them good, and didn’t know how to control them.
He grabs me and pins me underneath him. “Of course they rubbed their tits on me, but I didn’t give a fuck because I knew the only tits I wanted to see would be waiting for me in my bed. Did I look onstage? Yes. I’m a man. Did I do anything wrong? No. I didn’t, and I wouldn’t. You think I’d bring you here to be with my family, to be with me in my bed, in my world, and then go out and cheat on you? If I wanted other pussy, then I wouldn’t have stepped up and claimed you as mine.”
We’re both breathing heavily at this point, eyes locked. His say that I should’ve known better, and mine say that he didn’t even tell me they owned a strip club, so his visit was kind of sprung on me. If he explained it beforehand, I wouldn’t have freaked out like this. His lips slam down on mine before I can finish processing my last thought, and his hands are touching me all over my body. Our clothes land on the floor, and I soon find out one thing.
I really love makeup sex.
Or was it angry sex?
Either way—it was fucking amazing.
TWENTY-SEVEN
“SURPRISE!” we all yell as Faye walks outside.
She looks around, her eyes wide and her jaw dropping open. “Oh my god!”
We all cheer, hug her, and wish her an early happy birthday. “How the hell did you manage to pull this off without me finding out? No one can keep a secret around here.”
“We didn’t tell anyone until they arrived here today,” Sin says, glancing up at me over her head. “It was Shay’s idea, actually. She’s the one who organized it all for you.”
“Way to make us look bad,” Tracker teases, hugging Faye and kissing the top of her head. “You’re going to love our present best.”
“I’m sure I’ll love them all; thank you so much,” she says, her eyes starting to water. “Stupid hormones!”
“Now she’s all humble,” Sin adds, laughing. “In the car she was saying how annoying it is couples give presents together, otherwise she’d have double the amount.”
Faye shushes him, then says, “This is really amazing everyone, thank you. And, Shay, thank you for organizing it. I’m so happy Vinnie found someone as great as you.”
My face goes bright red as everyone cheers to that. I look behind me at Vinnie, wondering how he is taking that comment, but all he does is wink at me. The DJ starts to play, and everyone dances, including the kids. I sit next to Rake and Bailey with my plate of food, while Vinnie dances with Clover. Seeing the two of them together is so damn adorable. I don’t have any experience with children, but the sight makes me a little clucky, so I decide to look away and concentrate on the delicious food on my plate instead. I pick up a mini quiche and take a bite.
“This quiche is the best I’ve ever had,” Rake groans, shoving a whole one in his mouth.
“Thanks.” I grin, taking a bite of my own. It’s actually the only thing I made, everything else I ordered in. The sandwiches, homemade sausage rolls, and platters were catered by a local bakery Vinnie and I came across.
“You made this?” he asks, already devouring another one. “It’s the shit, Shay.”
“I’m glad you like it,” I say, my smile turning sad. My father used to love them too. It’s nice that other people can enjoy them now, but it still hurts that he’s not here, and will never be again.
“Your turn,” Vinnie says, offering me his hand. “All My Friends” by Snakehips, Tinashe, and Chance the Rapper plays. “May I have this dance?”
I blush and accept his hand, putting my plate down on my chair. “Yes, you may.”
He brings me right up against his body with his hand on the small of my back, my breasts against the top of his abs. I roll my body against his in a sensual way, grinding my hips. He moves against me, in time with the music. I had no idea he could dance, but he’s actually pretty good. To me, a man who dances terribly is a bit of a turnoff
, so I’m glad he can handle his own on the dance floor.
“I forgot you could move like that,” he says into my ear, making me shiver. “I’m pretty sure I told you that you shouldn’t dance like that in public.”
“Yet here we are,” I reply, flashing him a seductive look.
“But this time you’re mine,” he says, kissing behind my ear. “So you can dance like that all you want. If other men look though, just know that you’ll be causing a fight.”
“I’ll make sure to remember that,” I say.
He grins and spins me around so my ass is pressed against him. He’s hard, he knows it and I know it, I just hope no one else does. With his mouth at my neck, we dance together, probably a little too raunchily given that there are children present. I gyrate my hips in a circle, then shake my ass. Irish and Tina dance next to us, and the two of us share a smile. She’s a beautiful woman, with all that red hair, and I can understand why Irish can’t take his eyes off her.
“Can we leave the party for a little while?” Vinnie asks in my ear. “I want you, right now.”
I’d never admit this out loud, but I kind of want to eat the rest of my dinner. We can have sex tonight after the party, so I literally want to have my cake and eat it too.
“Can you wait an hour or so?” I ask, spinning to face him and wrapping my arms around his neck. “We can’t miss her cutting the cake.”
His eyes narrow and then fill with amusement. “You don’t care about her cutting the cake, you just want cake, don’t you?”
“You were there when we ordered it! It’s going to be the best cake anyone has ever eaten; I can’t miss it,” I say, pouting. “Can’t we please wait until after cake?”
“Well my hard-on has gone,” he says, kissing my forehead. “With all this fuckin’ food talk, so yes, you enjoy your cake, babe, but after that you’re all mine.”
“I’m always all yours,” I say, pulling him back to where I was sitting, where my plate of food is just waiting for me. I turn to look at him, just in time to catch a glimpse of his expression at my comment. His eyes light up possessively, and I see him adjust himself. Is he still hard?
“Faye, can we cut the cake?” Vinnie calls out to her, making me laugh.
“What’s the rush?” Faye asks, walking by hand in hand with Clover. She looks between Vinnie and me and scowls. “It’s my birthday, can you two control yourselves for one night? The only person getting birthday se—” She looks down at her daughter. “I mean, birthday fun should be me.”
“Just cut the cake, woman,” Vinnie growls playfully. It makes me think of the growling noises he makes in bed, and suddenly I do wish Faye would cut the cake right now. Maybe we could eat the cake in bed, naked.
“Fine,” Faye says, giving in and smiling at me. “Only because you did all this for me.”
We sing “Happy Birthday,” and Faye cuts into the giant chocolate mud cake.
I have two pieces.
Shortly after that, it’s me who drags Vinnie to the bedroom. However, after eating so much we were both in food comas and weren’t in the mood to do anything except sleep naked, holding each other.
In the middle of the night though, we make up for it.
And in the morning.
* * *
I have cake for breakfast.
I help clean up and then jump in the shower. Vinnie is meeting with Talon again today, and although I tried to get him to tell me what it was all about, I didn’t really get any answers. Vinnie just said that Talon is going to give him an update. Trace and Jess are in the kitchen, and I don’t know them too well, so I stay in my room with Colt, writing an essay for my online class. With everything going on, studying seems pointless, but it keeps my mind active, and I actually like learning. I really want to get my business degree, for myself, no one else. I studied accounting for my father, and while I’m good at it, I don’t really enjoy it.
When lunchtime comes around, I’m surprised when Tracker and Rake come into my room.
“Hey,” I say, closing Vinnie’s laptop. “Is everything okay?”
Tracker just smiles at me and says, “Want to go on an adventure?”
I arch my brow and clasp my hands together. “What did you have in mind?”
* * *
“I think my first question is going to be, why?” I say, looking out the car window. They’ve brought me to the woods. The fucking woods. “Or what? Oh my god, are you going to kill me? I thought we were all getting along great. Is this because I ate the last piece of cake? Or because I showed Bailey my Chanel bag and now she wants one?”
They both ignore me and get out of the car. I sit there, wondering why the hell we are in the woods. This didn’t sound like an adventure to me. I was a victim of a severe case of false advertising. Rake opens my door and says, “Come on.”
I get out.
Tracker pulls out a gun and hands it to me. I hold it like it’s a bag of poop, away from my body, stretching my arm out as far as it can go. “A gun lesson?”
“Yep,” Tracker says, flashing me a lopsided smile. “Followed by ice cream.”
“Well, that softens the blow a little,” I admit, holding the gun properly, stepping away from the two of them, and pointing it toward the trees. “What do I aim at? I don’t want to hurt any animals that might get in the way. Don’t you have some cans or something?”
“Follow us,” Tracker says, leading the way. We walk through the woods for about five minutes until we come to a clearing. There’s a wooden fence running along it, with about ten cans tied to the fence, so when they fall you can put them back up, I’m guessing.
“This is cool,” I have to admit.
“It is,” Rake says, then goes into teacher mode. “Now, safety first. We don’t want you accidentally shooting us in the nuts or something.”
He shows me how to put the safety on and off, how to hold the gun properly, and how to aim.
He takes one shot at the first can, not missing.
Then he hands the gun back to me and says, “Your turn.”
I raise the gun, aiming it at the second can, fire, and miss. I feel nervous about using the gun, but also strangely empowered. I feel like a badass—or at least I will when I learn how to use it better.
“We’re not leaving until you hit at least five out of the ten,” Tracker announces, nodding toward the can. “We’ve got all day.”
Two hours later, I get my ice cream.
TWENTY-EIGHT
Vinnie
I STAND over the dead body, impressed. “That was a good shot.”
“I know,” Talon replies, not sounding smug, just stating a fact. “Shayla know what we’re out doing today?”
“Told her I was meeting you for an update,” I say, looking around the mansion we are in. The man now lying dead on the floor, Tony Addario, was a threat to Shay. Talon recorded a conversation between him and another man, Tony’s cousin Abe, who is a member of the Kings MC. The two of them were talking about raping and killing her in revenge for all the shit her father caused them since the feds have some information and were breathing down their necks. And now they had to watch their backs even among their own family members, since everyone was out for themselves. I felt no pleasure in his death, but I felt no remorse either. This man would have hurt Shay without a second thought, and the world is better off without him.
“Let’s go,” Talon says, heading toward the back door. “He has so many enemies no one will know who killed him. No one will suspect us.”
“What about the cousin?” I ask. After hearing the voice message, and the word rape coming out of their mouths, I wanted them both in the ground.
“We’ll take care of him next,” Talon says as we walk through the woods behind his house. “I have no issues with the Kings, and I will handle them. If this starts a fuckin’ war, then so be it. No one has any idea that Shayla is under your protection. They think she’s just fallen off the grid. That’s why no one has even tried to fuck with the club yet. W
hat do you think is the best plan of action?”
I’d actually been thinking about this for a while now. With her father having so many fuckin’ enemies, I didn’t see how Shay was going to get out of this. We’d have to spend the rest of our lives watching our backs. While I’m used to living that way, I don’t want her to have to.
“For now, I think we should let everyone think she’s deep in hiding.” I pause, looking Talon in the eye. “And then I have another idea, but I don’t think anyone is going to like it.”
* * *
I thrust my hips forward, loving the feel of her. I’m on top, her legs over my shoulders, as I pump away, finding the perfect rhythm and angle. I lean forward to taste her lips, and she moans into my mouth. Finding her sweet spot with my thumb, it’s not long before she comes, and I join her. I pull out of her, kissing her once more, then collapse onto the bed. It’s the third time tonight that we’ve fucked, and I’m exhausted.
Shay had offered to babysit Clover, Cara, and Rhett for the day, so she had to be up in about five hours.
“You’re going to be tired tomorrow,” I say against her temple.
“I know,” she whispers in reply. “But sometimes you just have to take one for your vagina.”
I laugh at that, my chest shaking. “The shit you come up with, Shay. Get some sleep, temptress.”
“Okay,” she says, yawning, already half-asleep. “Love you, Vinnie,” she whispers, just before falling into a deep slumber. I, on the other hand, was suddenly more awake than ever, like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on my face. She loved me? But it was too soon. Will she remember saying it in the morning? For a second, I find myself wishing that she won’t, because I won’t know what to say back. I’m not ready to say those words to her; to be honest, I don’t really know what love is. Yes, I’ve seen it in the others, but I’ve never felt it, so how would I know? I’d never say it unless I knew that I meant it, and right now I’m not sure how I feel. More than I have for any other woman—sure, but love? That was a whole new playing field. I try to relax, holding her in my arms, her head on my chest, her soft breath tickling my skin. Before I fall asleep, one last thought crosses my mind.
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