‘And you didn’t help turn me into that person?’
‘I wanted you to leave her behind, Izzi. I wanted you to come with me and start again, away from all of this because it…’ He stops talking, and I feel like someone’s just dealt me a small but powerful kick to the stomach. ‘You aren’t that person, Izzi.’
‘Aren’t I?’
He shakes his head, and I want him to finish that sentence he cut short just a second ago. I want him to tell me how we could have started again, just him and me, and then I realize how that could never have happened. And I think he knows that.
‘No, baby, you’re not. You’re not her.’
‘If I’d come with you, Mack…’
He shakes his head again and turns away from me and I feel another kick to my gut that I have to ignore. ‘It’s too late, Izzi.’
‘Mack…’
But that’s all he says before he heads inside, and I throw back my head and close my eyes and know that the mess I thought we’d cleared up; the crap I assumed was behind us, it isn’t. It’s still there. And I know none of us are done fighting.
Mack
She’s still got my head in a mess, I ain’t gonna lie about that. It’s been months now, since we set up this Soldiers of Darkness chapter, since she married my cousin; since we all started this new life. Except, it ain’t really a new life. It’s the same life, in a different place, is all. Because some things never change. They never will. And I think the way I feel about Izzi, that ain’t gonna change, and Sam can throw his veiled threats at me all he likes, but he has no claim over anything I’m feeling. He thinks I’m weak because, what? Because I suddenly start showing emotion? He fucking started it, he encouraged me to come looking for her. Ain’t my fault my freakin’ cousin got to her first, and Sam shoulda seen that coming. The sick and twisted way they almost initiated her into this crapshoot of a life, that was all on them. He pushed them together, and he couldn’t fucking see that? But if anything, seeing her with Zeb, day in, day out, acting like a couple of loved-up college kids… am I jealous? No. I’m fucking determined. She’s gonna be mine, make damn sure of that. I just gotta play this right. And the game’s already begun, she just don’t know it yet. Do I feel guilty about ripping them apart? Ripping this club apart, because that’s what Sam was getting at, when he talked about one stupid act that could fuck everything up. But I ain’t stupid. I know how to play this so none of that happens.
‘Hey, handsome. We meet again, huh?’
I swing around to see a vaguely familiar woman standing there, all blonde hair and slightly over-made-up face. And I know I’ve seen her some place before, I just can’t remember where. ‘Do I know you?’ I ain’t in the mood for guessing games, so I might as well just ask her outright.
‘We’ve met briefly. When you first turned up here, looking for your friends.’
Oh yeah. The wannabe mama with the smart mouth. I remember her now. And I still ain’t interested.
‘You found them, then?’
I look at her, throwing her a slightly sarcastic smirk ‘cause that question don’t really need answering.
‘So…’ She moves a little closer to me, but her eyes are darting all over the clubhouse so I’m guessing it ain’t me she’s actually interested in, which is a relief. And I don’t usually discourage the women who come through my door, but I just ain’t in the mood for this one. I’m sensing she’s trouble. ‘You got this place running pretty well, from what I hear.’
‘You hear right.’ I look at her arm as she raises her beer to her bright-red lips and takes a sip. ‘Nice ink you got there. That new? Don’t remember seeing it last time we met.’ Although, to be honest, I don’t remember paying her all that much attention at all.
‘Yeah. It’s new.’
She twists her arm around and smiles as she looks down at the black and red roses that snake across her skin.
‘Zeb did it.’
I raise an eyebrow, because her expression changes the second she mentions Zeb’s name. Man, has this one got a crush on my cousin?
‘And I’m going back for more, as soon as I can raise some cash.’
‘You here with someone?’ We ain’t an open house tonight, this is a private party. So she’s come with someone.
‘My friend Ariel.’ She jerks her head in the direction of a red-head draped over Jet, one of the newly-patched-in prospects. ‘Her boyfriend’s just become one of you. She said it’d be OK if I tagged along.’
Yeah, well, I might be having a quiet word with Jet. Make him realize he has to keep his old lady in line. She don’t get to make up her own guest list. ‘Well, you have a good time now. Maybe I’ll see you around.’
‘You don’t like me, do you?’
‘Darlin’, I ain’t got time for this shit. Just go enjoy yourself, OK?’
I turn to go, making my way down the corridor that leads to the room I live in at the back of the clubhouse, swiping a three-quarters-full bottle of bourbon from the bar as I pass. And once I’m in the quiet of my own space I unscrew the top and gulp down a long mouthful, letting the warm liquid burn my throat. I close my eyes and lean back against the door, breathing out deep before I down another mouthful of whiskey.
I gotta lot of shit to sort out now, but those plans, I’m putting them in place. I’m getting there. I didn’t stay here in New Mexico to play happy families. I didn’t stay here to give Sam some kinda guilt-reducing chance to bond with me. I stayed here because this is where she is. She can’t ever go back to North Carolina. And once I’ve settled another score with a man I thought was my friend, I won’t be welcome there, either…
Chapter Three
Zeb
I open my eyes and reach for her, my fingers touching her warm, naked skin and that hard-on I woke up with, it’s screaming at me to give it some attention.
‘You awake, princess?’
She stirs gently and murmurs something under her breath that I can’t make out, but I’m taking it as permission, and I grab her by her hip and pull her over so she straddles me, and she’s all sleepy and beautiful and once more I thank whatever God is up there for bringing this messed-up girl into my life.
I watch as she reaches down and touches herself, her eyes still closed, and she lifts her hips slightly so she can slide her hand right over her slit, making herself wet, and I want to lick her; want to slide my tongue inside her before my cock gets its turn. So I take hold of her hips and raise her still-sleepy body up on to her knees, and I pull her towards me and lean forward, running my tongue over her soft, shaved labia, nipping them slightly with my teeth, which draws quiet moans and a tiny shudder from her. She reaches behind her and places her hands on my knees, arching her back, pushing herself further against me and my tongue plunges into her, tasting her, her juices spilling out over me as I delve deeper. And my cock – it’s fucking throbbing, man. It’s painful. But I ain’t done here. I’m gonna bring her off with my tongue then take her like the bad girl she is, but only for me now. I get it all, there ain’t no more shows from her for any other fucker. Yeah, she can flirt with my brothers, like I said, I don’t mind that. And it never amounts to more than a smile or a laugh, she don’t even touch ‘em. She’s a good girl in that respect. She knows where that line is. She knows who she belongs to now. She’s my beautiful whore in the bedroom and my perfect girl outside. She’s mine in every fucking way possible, and everyone better believe that.
‘Zeb…’ Her moans are deep and low, an almost gutteral sound that slips from between her slightly parted lips, her fingers grasping my knees tighter, digging into my skin. And I pull my tongue out of her, her long, frustrated groan filling the room as I cover her clit, sucking on the hard, firm nub, and she jerks and bucks those beautiful hips as her climax grows closer, and it’s all I can do to hold out myself, but I need to be inside her to get the release I want. I ain’t shooting my shit in no wasted effort. ‘Jesus Christ!’ She almost screams the words out as her body’s rocked by the orgasm I’ve bro
ught her to, and as she cries out loud I slide my tongue back inside her, and she’s so freakin’ wet, it’s crazy! She’s coming down my throat, and I’m drinking her in, but she’s so wet I can feel her spilling out over my face, my chin damp as she pushes against me and, Jesus! I freakin’ love this shit!
I keep my tongue inside her ‘til her body slows down; ‘til she’s calm and still. Only then do I slowly pull out of her, resting my mouth against her pubic bone, my eyes closed as I take a second to get my breath back. Then I lower her down onto my aching cock, and she takes me slowly and deeply, her arms winding around my neck as she leans forward and licks herself from my lips, which is so fucking hot I almost come without warning. And she squeezes me with those crazy-tight muscles of hers, her fingers delving into my hair as she kisses me and rides me like the filthy biker bitch I want her to be in private, until I’m coming so fast my head’s freakin’ spinning! And she’s squeezing me again, she’s doing it on purpose, draining me fucking dry, my breath barely able to escape.
‘I’m awake now,’ she whispers, her mouth twisting up into a smirk, and I’m all for one of those days where we do nothing but stay here, at home, sleeping and fucking. Yeah. I’m all for that.
‘Where you going?’ I ask as she climbs off me.
‘I need to pee.’
I smack her ass and watch as she sashays into the bathroom, taking in the view of her shit-hot body, all young and naked, before I haul myself out of bed and follow her in there.
‘What you doing today?’ she asks, and I watch as she wipes herself, then flushes the toilet.
‘Mack wants me at the new bar.’ I grab my toothbrush, standing back to let her wash her hands and again I take in the view as she leans over the wash basin to splash water over her face, her legs slightly parted, which just enhances the view. And, Jesus, my cock’s standing to attention all over again, but I ain’t sure we got the time. ‘We open tomorrow, so someone’s gotta make sure everything’s ready.’ I move closer to her, laying a hand on her ass and she don’t even flinch. She just stares into the mirror and smiles as I deftly run my thumb over her asshole. ‘And talking of opening…’
She bites down on her lip and pushes back against my hand and I take that as a sign she wants this. So I gently and slowly slide my thumb inside her ass, and she clenches tight, her muscles clamping around my thumb as she gasps quietly. I move my other hand around until it cups one of her tits, and I lean forward and brush my lips over her shoulder blade as I move my thumb in and out of her asshole, and all the time she’s sighing and moaning and I am in freakin’ heaven here! And then she takes hold of my wrist and pulls my hand down, and I get it. I know what she wants. And when I touch her clit, when I slide my fingers inside her pussy she cries out loud, gripping the edges of the basin as I fuck her from all angles. But I ain’t getting enough here, and I kinda want to join the party, so I pull my thumb out of her ass and, keeping my fingers in her pussy, I replace it with my cock, entering her slowly, carefully, and she cries out again but it’s a cry of pleasure. I know her now, and this ain’t the first time I’ve been here. She ain’t no stranger to anal sex, not with me, anyway. And she’s taking me willingly, pushing back against me, and she’s so fucking tight, man! I got my cock in her asshole and my fingers in her pussy and when she comes it’s like a freakin’ firework just went off. I ain’t felt nothing like it…
Izzi
I’m totally consumed by him. He has me completely, invading my body in the most beautiful way. It’s like every inch of my skin’s on fire as wave after wave of white-hot heat sweeps over me, and I cry out in pure, utter pleasure. He’s so far inside me there’s just the thinnest of walls separating his fingers from his cock as both continue to push and thrust into me until I feel him explode, feel his seed splash out inside me in long, deep spasms that rock his hard body.
I grip the edges of the sink tightly as he slows down, and I feel him push one final time, one last spasm emptying him completely and he falls forward, his breath on the back of my neck warm, his breathing heavy and rasping. And then he pulls out of me, leaving me totally empty and my body almost sags as its left feeling devoid.
His arm circles my waist and he pulls me up against him, and I reach back and slide my fingers into his hair. We’ve both undergone a slight change in our appearances since we got married. I guess, be it a conscious decision or a sub-concious one, we needed to leave something of our old selves behind in order to be able to move on. I think that was definitely the case with me. So we both have shorter hair now; much shorter. Mine’s still longer on one side, cut almost asymmetrically with sweeping bangs that still fall over my face, but it’s cropped into my neck, giving me a much edgier look and exposing the tattoo of a phoenix Zeb gave me on my upper back, neck and shoulders. Something to mark my new beginning; my own personal rising from the ashes of a shattered life into a new, very different world. And Zeb, his hair’s shorter too, way shorter than he’d used to wear it, and his beard is now nothing more than heavy stubble but it shows more of his handsome face; makes him appear almost approachable.
‘I gotta go, princess,’ he murmurs into my neck as his hands stroke my hips. ‘But you come see me at the club, OK?’
I nod and close my eyes as his lips brush over my skin, his hands clutching my hips a little tighter as he turns me around and cups my cheek, pushing my head back and kissing me deep and long until I’m nothing more than a limp rag doll in his arms. And then he lets go of me, throws me a smile that hits me at the knees, and walks out of the room, naked and beautiful and I love him. I do. I love him, but it’s a very different kind of love to what I’ve been used to. I need Zeb. He’s keeping me safe from – I don’t know. Myself?
I turn to look in the mirror, running my fingers through my hair, leaning forward to look more closely at my tired face. And then I smile, and it chases that tiredness away, and I close my eyes and let myself feel those post-sex tingles that are still lingering.
This isn’t where I thought I’d be. This life wasn’t one I even knew existed. But it’s my life now, and I’m about to start living it…
Mack
‘You stalking me or something?’
She leans over the bar and fixes me with a look that ain’t gonna work with me. ‘That new club you got opening tonight.’
‘What about it?’
‘You need girls, right?’
‘I got girls, darlin’. Don’t need no more.’
‘Yeah, you do. You always need girls. Places like yours, they always have a fast turnover of staff.’
I eye her warily. ‘What’s your name, sweetheart?’ Might as well ask. I know she ain’t interested in me now, and that’s still a relief, but it seems like I ain’t gonna be able to get rid of her. She wants to hang around this place? Fine. She can hang around, my brothers are always on the look-out for another mama to play with.
She smiles and reaches over the counter for the bottle of bourbon that’s sitting there, helping herself to a mouthful. Another one with balls, I gotta give her that. But if she’s gonna stick around here she’s gonna know there are rules, and she’s gonna stick to them. Unless I tell her otherwise. ‘Kit. My name’s Kit.’
I raise an eyebrow and take the bottle from her, screwing the top on and placing it back under the counter. That was the last mouthful of my finest Kentucky bourbon she gonna be drinking without asking first. ‘Short for something?’
She doesn’t reply, and I laugh quietly. I’m actually beginning to warm to her, but that’s probably because I know she ain’t interested in me which, once upon a time, I would’ve found an insult. But there’s something about this woman I like.
‘OK. You looking for work?’
‘Anything you got.’
‘It never hurts to have another server, down at the club. But you gotta realize, darlin, that you gotta be…’
‘… prepared to do anything your brothers want me to do. I know. I’m not some naïve biker groupie, Mack. I do know how this works; w
hat you expect from girls like me. And I’m OK with that.’ She lets go of the counter and folds her arms and I watch as she chews on some gum, her mouth twisting up into a sideways smirk. ‘I’ll do anything they want me to.’
‘Well, for the main part, sweetheart, you’re probably gonna be getting them beer and letting them squeeze your pretty ass in the process, but it’s good to hear I ain’t gonna get no trouble from you.’
‘I’m your dream employee, handsome.’
I say nothing for a beat or two, because I ain’t sure about something, but then the moment passes and I come out from behind the bar and lean back against it, mirroring her stance, folding my arms as I stare her down. ‘You stay that way, and maybe we’ll see about some kinda promotion in the future. OK?’
She smiles again, and for a brief second I wonder what she looks like naked, I mean, come on! Mack Slayer’s back, remember? She ain’t interested in me, but that just makes her a challenge. And then I remember how I thought exactly the same thing about Izzi, and look how that turned out. But I ain’t fucked no-one in weeks now and, shit! That ain’t right. If Mack Slayer’s back, then where the hell is he? ‘Cause the Mack Slayer I used to know wouldn’t let something like a woman not being interested in him stop him. Gotta give ‘em something to compare everyone else to. Set that bar high, and never go back for seconds.
I look up as she discards her gum in the trash and comes closer, and she reaches out and runs her fingers down over my T-shirt, licking her lips, which tells me I ain’t gonna have to work too hard for this. Just the way I like it. I only ever worked hard for one girl; a girl I’ll continue to work hard for, but she’s the only one. All the others come to me easy or they don’t get me at all.
‘You’re Zeb’s cousin, right?’
Betrayed (Soldiers of Darkness MC Book 2) Page 3
