by Lila Rose
“Sure do, Stoke,” Josh said.
“Yeah, Stoke,” Nary replied.
When and how did that happen?
Okay, so I had noticed over the two weeks the children were bonding with Stoke, but it was because he was making time for them to do that. I also noticed Stoke correcting Josh if he did swear. Also if Nary would start on one of her rants, all Stoke had to do was say her name and she’d stop. Why didn’t they do that for me?
Though, I think I knew the answer. Because I also felt the same way.
Declan Stoke was amazing when he was in the mood. But if you pissed him off, he became a scary man and they sensed this. However, we knew he wouldn’t lay a finger on us because after we witnessed a time he did lose it, he sat us down and explained it.
He took time out to clarify how he was.
The night we witnessed it was four nights ago when a biker brother of his turned up. I think his name was Hose. He showed up with no notice and came to the front door where Nary answered it. I was sitting on the couch next to Stoke because he planted my bottom there and Josh was sitting next to me. As soon as Nary opened the door, Hose yelled, “Where in the fuck is Stoke?”
Stoke was off the couch in seconds and at the front door pushing Nary aside. “Hose, what are you doing?”
“I’m sick of this shit. You’re never at work now and the rest of us have to pick up your slack all because of some stupid pussy and her crap. I’ve—”
He got no more words out because Stoke punched him in the face. As Hose was leaning over, Stoke growled low and menacing, “You ever fuckin’ come here again spouting shit you know nothing about, we’re gonna have more trouble than just a broken nose. You ever speak about Malinda like that again, you’ll be breathing through a tube, and you ever yell at her daughter again, you’ll need help pissing. I’ll talk to Killer who’s in fuckin’ charge. Not that you need to know that now. Seems your fuckin’ fired, arsehole. Now leave.” With that, he shut the door and turned to us. Both Nary and I were shocked to say the least. Josh was smiling, wide and proud. What we all weren’t was scared.
Mrs Cliff’s yelling continued. “Move out of the way or I’ll have your balls in my fist real quick.”
“One day my brothers are gonna be too scared to come here because of that woman.” Stoke grinned. While I giggled, he went to calm the situation down.
Chapter Eight
Stoke
Opening the front door, I came to a halt when Mrs Cliff fell into my arms. Pick, who was standing opposite her, burst out laughing.
“You need to talk to these bikers. Do I look like a fucking bad person to you? He wasn’t going to let me in,” she hissed to me and then turned to Pick. “I ain’t hiding a gun between my legs up my robe. I ain’t wielding knives in my bloody bra. Next time, mister,” she yelled and pointed to Pick, “next time you let me in or else I’ll just make you strip me naked to check me over.”
“Mrs Cliff, I asked my brothers to let no one in,” I said.
She spun back to me and asked, “Why? You getting it on with my Malinda? If that’s the case I’ll be sure to go right now. I told you two weeks ago to get in her panties and from the looks of her, you haven’t. What’s taking you so long? Can you even get it up?”
Pick burst out laughing. He was even bent over holding his stomach.
“I assure you, Mrs Cliff, that everything is fucking fine in that department. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Don’t get all snooty,” she snapped, shoved past me, and walked into the house.
With a growl, I said, “Do you think Malinda would hate me if I killed her?”
“I heard that, and yes, she would,” Mrs Cliff yelled from the kitchen.
“Fuck,” I hissed. After Pick wished me well, I closed the front door and started for the kitchen.
It was time to make another move on my woman. I’d kissed Malinda two and a bit weeks ago and I’d stood back and waited. I waited for her to reach out to me, to show me she wanted me, but she hadn’t done either. I knew she was attracted to me, even the brothers had said she watched me when I wasn’t looking.
Maybe she was just shy?
Or maybe there was too much shit going on in her head to make a move.
Then again, maybe she just didn’t want to.
I’d soon find out. That was if Mrs Fuckin’ Cliff didn’t stuff everything up.
We’d got shit all from our informant regarding Anthony and Oscar. As far as we knew, Anthony was after Oscar as well. If only the stupid motherfuckin’ Anthony would take a meet with Talon. He said he’d leave Malinda and her kids alone if she was in the clear and wasn’t hiding anything. We gave him all the information the cops gave us after they searched the place and came up empty. He wasn’t satisfied with it. It didn’t prove she wasn’t in play and had his shit. All we could do was wait; the money and coke had to turn up somewhere. We just hoped it’d be soon. If Anthony got cocky and hated waiting and tried something, he knew there’d be war, all charters of Hawks around Australia had been notified if anything went down—we were to go to war and kill Anthony and his men.
That was something Malinda didn’t know. She knew she and her kids had our protection, but she didn’t know how far that stretched. Some would say war over a woman was crazy, and maybe if Talon didn’t have Wildcat he would have said it as well. But not now. Now he was prepared to do what needed to be done, to keep her safe.
And fuck, I was grateful.
Because I wanted her. Not just to bed either. I wanted to know everything about her. I wanted to reach inside her and take what she could give me. In return, I’d give her my all.
I was fuckin’ stupid when I declared to myself I wasn’t gonna do another relationship. That thought was fuckin’ blown outta the water as soon as I saw Malinda.
It just took me a while to realise it.
Some would say I was as pussy whipped like the best of them.
I just had to hope Malinda might want to try this with me. I was fuckin’ worried she wasn’t over Tank. Even though, many around me said she was.
“Stoke, get your arse in here. Pizza’s ready,” Mrs Cliff yelled.
I groaned, only to smile when I heard from Malinda, “Mrs Cliff, you shouldn’t talk to him like that.”
“Pfft, please. See you stick up for him and you try to tell me you don’t want to—”
“Mrs Cliff,” Malinda snapped, “the children.”
“Yeah, right, forgot about them. Sorry, munchkins.”
The kids mumbled a reply. I walked into the kitchen and found a pizza placed on the table. “Smells amazing, love,” I commented.
She gave me a small smile as she sat down next to Nary, opposite Josh and myself. Mrs Cliff sat at the end of the six-seater black table.
“Thanks, there’s more on the way so eat up,” she said.
“Great, I’m starving,” Mrs Cliff said. I looked to Malinda and smirked when she sent me an eye roll.
****
You could say dinner was amusing as well as delicious. Mrs Cliff kept us all entertained of stories from when she was in the army. I wasn’t sure if it was real, but fuck, it was funny. After dinner, Mrs Cliff made her escape and the kids went to their rooms to do whatever kids did these days. I was sure Nary would be on the phone and Josh would be playing some type of computer game. I sat on the couch in the corner. Malinda came in and looked at me, the couch and then the TV. I’d flicked it on to some crap movie, not that I was planning to watch anything anyway.
Patience went out the window when Malinda went and sat in the chair to the left of the couch. “Get your cute arse over here, woman.”
“Um…I think I forgot to turn off the oven. I’ll be back in a second.” She stood and went to walk away in a hurry, but I was faster. I got up, took two steps to her, planted my arms around her waist and spun her in my arms, and planted her on the sofa. She gasped when I effortlessly shifted her to lay on her back. I then hovered over her.
“W-what ar
e you doing?” She stumbled over her words.
Smiling down at her, I noticed her chest rising and falling in a fast pace. She was nervous. “I wanna make out like a couple of teenagers. You up for that?” There, the ball was in her court now.
“I…um. Maybe we should—”
“Malinda,” I growled.
“Yes. I’m okay with that.”
“Fuck, love,” I uttered before my lips touched hers gently.
I pulled back to take in her reaction when she shocked the shit outta me and said, “Teenagers seem to do it better than that.”
Laughter rumbled up and out of me. “Woman, let me rock your world and show you that a real man can do it a heap better than some horny teenager.”
She smirked. “Well, I’m waiting.”
I moaned. I loved that she was in a teasing mood. Touching my tongue to her lips, she jumped and gasped. I ran my tongue along her lower lip and before I went all out, I gently bit down on her bottom lip. I was surprised when she sighed in contentment. My mouth moulded to hers, and she tilted her head as I deepened the kiss. I slid my hand up and down her side as our lips, mouth and teeth went into an overdrive of frenzy. Her hand moved from my waist down to squeeze my arse, again shocking the shit outta me. I moved my own hand down and brought her leg up and over my hip. With that movement, I was closer to her heated core. I slowly thrust my hips into her. She pulled back and moaned, her neck arching.
“Jesus, love, how long has it been?”
I tumbled backward onto the floor when I heard, “A hell of a long time, obviously.” Mrs Cliff stood looking over the couch at us. “You should really lock the front door. Those boys just let anyone in.”
“You had better—” I started.
“Mrs Cliff,” Malinda yelled as she scrambled off the couch with a bright red face. “Did you forget something?”
“Yeah, I think I left my packet of smokes on the table.” She walked to the kitchen and looked in. She turned back and shook her head saying, “Nope, not there. Must be home after all. Well, I’ll be off. Let you two get back to what you were doing.” She made her way to the front door when Malinda stood in front of me. She must have known I was fucking fuming at the old lady. I was ready to take her out, but knowing my luck, she’d just haunt the shit outta me. “Night, don’t forget to lock the door this time. I’m gonna go talk to the guys.”
Christ.
“Goodbye, Mrs Cliff.”
“Yep,” she answered and then closed the door behind her.
Malinda turned to face me. “Declan—”
“You haven’t locked the door yet,” was yelled from the other side.
“Fuck me,” I growled.
“Well, lock the door and Malinda can help with that.” Mrs Cliff cackled.
That was when we both looked at each other and burst out laughing. I went over, locked the door and triple checked it. I didn’t want the old woman interfering again. God help my brothers out the front. Malinda was already sitting on the couch, so I sat beside her and brought her close to my side.
“Declan—” she started, but I didn’t want her to finish it. I knew what was gonna come outta her mouth and I didn’t want to hear it. She was regretting kissing me. But fuck, her body had been screaming for it. I just had to wait for her mind to catch up to her body.
“Have I mentioned I like your house?” I asked.
She relaxed beside me. “No, you haven’t.”
“It’s the bomb, babe. You don’t see much wood panelling inside houses these days and your house has it everywhere, walls, and roof. The slate on the floor kick’s arse as well.”
“Not many like it.”
“It’s unique, different. Fuckin’ awesome.”
I looked down and caught her smile. “Thanks,” she whispered as her mobile on the coffee table in front of us rang. She picked it up looked at it and smiled widely. “Hey, Mattie, how are you?”
Fuck. I groaned silently and laid my head back against the couch. The muffkateers had been hounding me for the last two weeks to let them come over. I’d told then ‘hell no’ every time. I was surprised with Mattie though, because even though I knew Mattie and Malinda talked nearly every day, he hadn’t said a word to her about them. How-fuckin’-ever, there was only so much a sane man could take from Wildcat and her posse. Especially when Mattie was hooked to the worst of them.
“I’m sorry?” she said. “Um, I don’t know. What…hello? Oh, hi, Julian. No, it’s not that at all. Yes, of course I like you. It’s just…um”
That was when I took the phone from her hand and hissed into it, “What in the fuck do you want, Julian?”
“Oh, hey, Stoke.” Goddamn it, I could hear the smile in his voice. My pissed voice didn’t faze him for a second. “I was just asking Lindy if she didn’t mind some visitors tomorrow. You know, just the usual crowd.”
“No. Not tomorrow, next week.”
‘But—”
“Next week, Julian, I’m sure you can all wait.”
“Fine,” he snapped. “Come Monday, your woman is ours.”
I snorted. “Today is Sunday, Julian. Make it Wednesday and we have a deal.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
He sighed loud and long, then finally said, “Fine.”
Chuckling I said, “Right. Night, Julian.”
“Night, spunk-rat.”
Shaking my head, I hung up the phone, and sat back turning to Malinda. “You cool with them coming here?”
“Um, yes. I think. They seem like a nice group of people.”
“They’re crazy, wild and…fuck, just crazy. But they are good people.”
She smiled up at me. “Okay, Declan.”
Goddamn, I loved that smile, because that smile told me she wanted to get to know my people.
“Love?”
“Yes?”
“Can I ask…are you right for money? I wasn’t sure what your situation was. Christ, ah, if you need help with anything, just let me know, yeah?”
She looked up at me with warm eyes. “I’m, um, it’s all good. Tank used to give me a weekly allowance. I had some saved and…now that he’s gone…he, um, had life insurance. So, I’m good. Thank you though.”
Fuck, she was cute. I could tell she was uncomfortable; still she managed to inform me that her bank account was cool.
Hell, even if it wasn’t, I would have helped out.
Before I jumped her bones and freaked the kids out if they happened to come out I said, “Get your kids in bed, love. Then you.”
For a moment, I swore I saw disappointment, but then it vanished and in its place was a small smile, and for the last time that night, she shocked the hell outta me. She stood from the couch, turned, bent down and touched her lips to mine. “Night, Declan.”
I reached up and ran my hand down her cheek. “Night, love.”
Chapter Nine
Malinda
Damn Declan Stoke and his…amazingness. I’d gone to bed last night as horny as an animal in heat. Maybe I was in heat? Do women do that? That kiss, his luscious lips upon mine was divine.
Still, in a way, I was thankful Mrs Cliff had interrupted, because if she hadn’t, I would have been naked on that couch, straddling Stoke, while my children were in their rooms. That was the worse a mother could do.
He drove my body insane in the most delicious way possible. He also drove my mind insane with how it felt like he knew me.
After Mrs Cliff left, I was about to tell him that it shouldn’t have happened. He knew that, which was why he changed the subject, and I was glad he did. Because if I had of told him I regretted it and wished it hadn’t happened, it would have, one hundred percent, been a lie.
I was more than glad it happened, which scared me. It made me feel like I had betrayed Tank. However, it made me feel alive. Wanted. Desired.
But there was no denying the chemistry Declan Stoke and I had.
So that night, instead of living my fantasy, I went to bed and playe
d out my own, pretending Declan had snuck into my room to have his wicked way with me. I had never come so hard and long in my life and it made me wonder what the real Stoke would be like—if he’d live up to my fantasy.
****
I woke in the morning relaxed and sated. After my shower, I made my way into the kitchen to find a repeat of the morning after the event. Nary was at the table eating cereal. She waved at me and smiled. Josh was standing opposite Stoke over the kitchen bench, and while Stoke leaned against the counter in nothing but jeans, Josh stood there talking to him, waving wild hands around in the air.
“Morning,” I said to everyone in general.
“Hey, Mum. I was just telling Stoke about Death Force, the game I was playing last night while you two were making out on the couch.”
Thankfully, I wasn’t drinking anything at that time because I was certain I would have choked on it and died.
Stoke burst out a rumble of laughter and I turned my shocked, embarrassed face to Nary, who was giggling.
“I– what…um.”
“Mum.” Josh rolled his eyes. “Nary and I are cool with it. We’re down with Stoke being your boyfriend.”
“W-what…why are…huh?”
“After I spotted you and Stoke on the couch last night,” he laughed, “before Mrs Cliff came by, I went and talked to Nary about it. She’s fine with it, and so this morning, after Stoke woke us up, I had a man-to-man talk with him. He knows if he hurts you, we’ll hate him.”
Oh. My.
“But—” I started only to stop when Stoke started for me.
He walked up, wound an arm around my waist and brought me flush against him. With his other hand, he cupped my jaw and tilted my head up to meet his amused gaze. “You down with this?”
“With what?” I whispered.
“Me bein’ your old man?”
“I…I’m not sure. I, um…” I leaned in and uttered into his ear as he moved his hand to my neck, “We only just kissed last night. Well, besides…but…”
I moved my head back in time to see his smile. “Kids. Give us a moment.”
