by K E Osborn
“Tio, the beauty is fine like a rose. So sweet it crystalizes into tears of the sun.”
She smirks glancing at me and then back to Jigsaw and nods. “Thanks, Jigsaw, you’re looking pretty dashing today yourself.”
I chuckle as he stands taller and grabs his cut straightening it. “My stature is scary not, but a cautious weapon of bloodied stallions.”
Furrowing my brows, I smirk at Willow, who’s also furrowing her brows trying to decipher that one. I grab Jigsaw’s shoulder and squeeze it. “Sure thing, brother.”
Willow shakes her head obviously not being able to work it out either and hands me my cut. I smile as I look down at the new patch and smile.
“Thanks, babe, this means a lot. But you tellin’ Techie to come here with my Hog, well you’re amazin’.” I pull her to me and lean down kissing her hair. She cuddles into me as we walk over to the bar.
“Don’t thank me, thank Gator. He approved my idea.”
Glancing over to Gator, he smirks and shrugs.
“You guy’s arranged all this behind my back?”
“Sure did, can’t have a brother without his Hog,” Gator says slapping my back.
Shaking my head, I smile wide. “Shit! Thanks! I’m kinda speechless right now.”
“Well, that’s a first!” Gator says.
Chuckling, I pull out a stool next to Techie, and Willow pulls out another next to me. Techie looks up to me and grunts. I chuckle knowing he’s annoyed someone is outdoing him in the tech department.
“So how’s Virginia doin’?”
Techie huffs taking a sip of his beer and shakes his head. Dread floods over me as I fear that things are falling apart.
“Mad Dog has taken on FIM as his new protégé.”
Furrowing my brows I tilt my head. “That’s great! It’s good he’s being included. How’s his brother Doug going?”
Techie chuckles and shakes his head. “Guy’s a strange one. Always wanting to know everyone’s business. So Mad Dog put him on the gate as gatekeeper to shut him the hell up. He hates it, feels like he isn’t really part of the club, but in all honesty we’re only keeping him around for the sake of Stealth. That’s FIM’s road name now.”
I smirk and nod. “Great! I told the Prez to call him that. Shame about Doug though, but I always knew he wouldn’t cut it on the inside. So what’s stealth doing with the Prez?”
Techie chuckles. “He’s kind of taken on the adopted son role. Going into club meetings and the Chop Shop. Shit like that.”
Slumping slightly I nod. “How is the old man?”
Techie sighs and shakes his head. “He’s flying off the handle. He’s on edge all the time. Since you left it’s like something in him has broken. He seems dangerous now. I’m a little concerned for the club. I think he’s making bad decisions. I’m not sure, but if it keeps heading in that direction I won’t want to stay there.”
Jigsaw nods as does Crash and my shoulders tense as I exhale while Willow rubs my back.
Gator steps up to us and grabs Techie’s shoulder. “We’re men down, we need numbers. I don’t like poaching, but I know Mad Dog, I know what he’s like. If you guys ever need a place to stay, my door is always open to you brothers.”
I smile at Gator. It’s good of him to offer his place for my brothers too. In a way, I wish they would take up his offer. But that’s for selfish fucking reasons.
“Thanks, we’ll keep that in mind, but for now let’s get drunk and catch up,” Techie says and I smile and nod to Brad to grab us all a drink. He nods and starts to pour us all a round of beer. It makes me think of Doug, and just how atrocious he was at pouring beer. I miss him and FIM. I hope they’re doing okay. But for now, three of my best friends are here, I need to enjoy this while I can.
Bottoms up!
WILLOW’S POV
Today was a good day. Steel was promoted to acting VP. Techie, Jigsaw, and Crash came like I asked with Steel’s bike making him extremely happy. And I managed to spend more time quality with Meli. She told me that some of the bikers have kids and that they’d love to bring their children to the club, but no one here is able to watch them. So I put my hand up and offered to start a kind of crèche. I told Steel my idea and he asked Gator if it was doable, and he approved it. So even though I’ve be missing my kids from the centre, I’m going to have club kids to look after so I won’t feel completely useless around here. Steel said he was proud of me for coming up with the idea. He said the bikers will love having their kids around more, and it means they won’t have to leave the club to see them all the time. I’m glad I’m fitting in here and maybe this won’t be so bad after all. It’s hard to say. Some of the guys are a little rough around the edges, but they’re bikers, and I guess I have to expect that. But Gator’s nice, a bit grumpy and tough sometimes, but he’s the president and I’m sure he has a lot on his mind.
But now, right now, I’m lying on my new bed with Steel, cuddled up. It’s fast approaching bed time, and I really should get changed into my pyjamas. Lying in his arms is so comfortable, I don’t want to move. His fingers stroke up and down my arm casually as I snuggle into him.
“I’m so glad the guys came to see you today.”
He squeezes me against him tighter and exhales. “Thank you for calling them. That was fuckin’ sneaky, but also fuckin’ awesome of you. I can’t wait to take her out for a spin.”
I run my hand up under his shirt, his skin ripples against my touch and my fingers warm against his flesh. “I can’t wait to be on the back of it again. Feeling the wind in my hair and holding onto your toned body.” I sit up and look at him with a grin on my face as an idea pops into my mind.
He furrows his brows and grabs my hand in confusion. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head. “No, nothing. Let’s go, let’s go now.”
He scrunches his eyebrows together and licks his lips. “Go where babe?” he asks hesitantly.
“I don’t know, just for a ride, maybe along the esplanade. Riding in the moonlight along the beach… I couldn’t think of anything more romantic.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “Fuck babe, I don’t do romantic.”
Grinning, I decide to play with him to get my own way. So I slide my shirt off my shoulder in a sexy way exposing skin. “We can find somewhere and have sex on the beach.”
He sits bolt upright smiling and shakes his head. “Are you serious?”
I shrug and tilt my head, a sense of excitement running through me. “Why not? I have to try something different every time I’m with you, right? Well, I’m with you all the time now and we’re living on the beach. I wanna go for a ride and feel free on the back of the bike, the vibration flowing up through me and holding onto you always makes me horny. So why not find a nice secluded spot and let’s fuck.”
He opens his eyes wide and smirks so widely I have to try and stop myself from laughing.
“I have no idea who you are right now, but I fuckin’ love it… Let’s go.” He jumps up from the bed dragging me with him, forcing a small squeal of surprise shriek from my lips as I’m dragged from our bed.
We race out of the bedroom making sure to shut the door behind us leaving Petunia in the bedroom. We’re both giggling and laughing all the way down the stairs as we make our way into the clubroom. Not many people are still up, but Meli and Gator are sitting on the lounge talking and watch us racing through the clubrooms.
“You two look like you’re up to mischief,” Gator calls out.
“Sorry brother, when your woman asks to go for a ride on your bike down the beach. You gotta do what she asks,” Steel calls out as we reach the main door.
“Bet you’re gonna fuck on the beach too, right?” Meli calls out to an echo of laughter from Gator as we ignore them and rush out to Steel’s bike. I’m still giggling like a school girl, and as we reach his bike he stops pulling me to him and leans in kissing me roughly. His beard tickling my skin only exciting me more.
He pulls back and tur
ns looking at his bike running his hand over the shiny fuel tank. I smile knowing he’s missed his beloved friend. “Well, go on biker boy, spread your legs, mount the Hog so I can ride it and dig my nails in just as I like,” I say twisting his own words against him.
He smirks and shakes his head leaning in and kissing me quickly before turning and shifting his leg over the bike. I grab the spare helmet and place it on at the same time he places on his, and I step on behind him. Before Steel kicks his engine and it roars to life, I hear another bike start and I know we have a tail. My protection is never far away. I bite my bottom lip wrapping my arms around his waist as he revs the engine and instantly my knickers are wet.
“Hold on, babe.”
I squeeze his stomach to let him know I’m ready and we move toward the gate. Somehow it opens, I guess it’s from the motion sensors Gadget has installed on this side of the gate. Once the gate is open enough, Steel pulls down on the throttle and the bike takes off at full speed. A smile crosses my face like I haven’t had on it for weeks. The wind sweeps through my hair sending it swirling behind me like the flicking flames of a fire. Salt water and seaweed permeate the air as the beach is only a few streets over, and right here in this moment, I feel free. The scared girl I was only two weeks ago doesn’t feel like she’s with me anymore.
Do I miss my life back in the heart of Adelaide, being a kindergarten teacher and looking after all those kids? Yes for sure. I’ll miss them every day.
But being with Steel, there’s something much more alluring, more intoxicating and more exciting than anything I’ve ever experienced in my life. This life, this club life—it’s strange. It’s a brotherhood, it’s a family, and even though living with another nineteen men and who knows how many club girls, is strange, I think I’ll get used to it. I know I belong in this world. And I realise everything is going to be all right.
My name Flame is right.
I burn for Steel.
He ignites something in me I didn’t know I had—a passion, a lust for life, a lust for him.
Right now as I hold onto his back, with the wind in my hair and the beach in my sights, I know Steel ignites the flame in my heart that beats only for him.
TO BE CONTINUED
PROLOGUE
STEALTH’S POV
My Glock recoils back in my hand as it fires. The bullet speeds through the air, but I have to turn back to face the front before I can see where the bullet hits. The smashing of glass brings a smile to my face briefly, telling me I’ve probably hit their windshield as the wind flicks at my face. Speeding past another car, I weave in and out of the midday traffic trying to outrun the cops tailing me. Probably a patrol from my unit, but I need to keep up the pretense for Mad Dog, my club President, who’s riding alongside me.
Techie and Chops are flanked on the other side of Mad Dog as we all attempt to outrun the cops trailing us. We removed our cuts at the meet we just had with a new buyer for a drug and gun ring Mad Dog is starting, now that the 5113ers are no more. As we were leaving the warehouse, Chops did a burnout in the middle of an intersection not knowing a cop car was sitting behind us, hence the chase. So far, it’s just one patrol car. We can lose them easily, especially now they don’t have a windscreen. Mad Dog puts his hand up in the air and points forward parting his fingers giving us the signal to split up. Nodding, I hammer down on my throttle and speed up taking off through the swarm of traffic. The cop car follows me—of course! Rolling my eyes as the other guys split off across the intersection, I weave through the cars dodging them as closely as I can. Honking horns ring through the suburban street as my Hog’s engine roars to full capacity.
I have to admit—even though I know if I get caught I’d be let off without question—the thrill of the hunt is exhilarating. Being chased is exciting and my adrenalin is pumping, every inch of me is tingling making me feel more alive than I have in years. Being a part of this club, this brotherhood has given me something to fight for, to live for, to focus on. Turning back, I notice the car gaining on me. I can’t let them see my plate so I swerve into the side of a car. Hating to bring civilians into this. Unfortunately, I need to, to break free. The car honks its horn and breaks harshly turning to the left and veering into the next lane straight into the side panel of another car. The crunch of metal against metal sends a shiver down my spine as the cars collide sending plumes of smoke into the air. It has the desired effect and causes a break in the traffic.
Wincing at the accident I’ve caused, I turn back, hammer down and take off, knowing the cop car isn’t far behind me. The sirens scream in their high pitched discord which grates on my nerves.
Fucking hell! I thought that would have stopped them!
Weaving through more traffic, I need to make something massive happen. I don’t want to hurt anybody—collateral damage is unfortunate in these circumstances—but I need to lose these cops. I stare ahead to work out what I can do. There’s a railing on the side of the road that I can send a car into. Surely the cops will stop the chase if a car went into that? I know I would if it was me. Riding over to the left-hand side, I find a target. A sedan or family car won’t do, I need something with a single occupant. Less civilian damage that way.
A Nissan Skyline with its music blaring loud enough for me to hear the bass over the screaming of my engine grabs my attention. I’m sure the guy driving is a wanker. He’s my target. Veering my Hog over, I speed up lining my bike next to him. The railing is coming up on the left and I smirk knowing he’s going to hate what I’m about to do to his precious baby. Turning back, the cops are right on me, the time to act is now. Kicking my leg out, I shove my boot right into the driver’s door of the Skyline. The driver looks at me and starts hurtling abuse, as I knew he would. His hands throw up in the air as his car lurches to the side almost hitting my beast. I have to move quickly to miss him. Huffing, I speed up in front of him and change direction into his right-hand front panel causing him to veer off the side of the road. The screeching of his tyres as they lock up makes me grin as he slams on his brakes, but just as I planned he doesn’t stop in time and his car smashes straight into the railing. The front left of his vehicle disintegrates as the railing breaks through his car completely wrecking it.
Cars all around break and tyres screech as the cars behind him slam on their brakes, but they obviously weren’t watching as a car slams right into the arse end of the Skyline forcing the car up into the air flipping it over onto its roof as it skids across the highway. The scraping of metal against the bitumen makes me wince as another innocent civilian is dragged into this. Flames erupt from the upside down car and my first instinct is to stop and help. But I can’t, I need to ride away.
The cop car stops with the traffic now in lockdown. No one can get through the mayhem and destruction I’ve caused as I sit on my leather lined seat looking back at the havoc unfolding. Taking a deep breath, I watch the cops race out of their vehicle to the burning upside down car. Chewing on my bottom lip, I watch them pull a woman out of the wreckage. As they drag her limp body away, the flames engulf the car. Suddenly, I’m blinded. An almighty explosion sends shockwaves through the air as the petrol tank explodes sending pieces of debris flying through the air. The flames flicker and engulf the car entirely as the roar of an uncontrollable blaze filters through the air. My heart races in my chest while trying to catch my breath, which is coming in short, sharp bursts.
Fuck!
I caused this.
This is all my fault.
To serve and protect? Yeah right!
I just hope no one died. But I can’t stay around to find out. Turning around, I hammer down, the fastest I’ve ever ridden and high tail my arse the fuck out of this hell hole.
CHAPTER ONE
Making it back to the clubhouse gates—thankfully in one piece—Doug, my cop partner infiltrating the Savages with me— or Sentinel as he is now known—is on the new corrugated iron and mesh gate. A modern state-of-the-art gate system was installed after the 5113e
rs blew up the old one, and club member Gatekeeper in the process. The new one doesn’t moan and groan like the old one did. Instead, it glides along the tracks with ease. As I ride through the gate, I come to a stop and look up the post to the top where Sentinel is stationed, and take a deep breath still trying to calm my nerves from the chaos that I’ve left behind.
“Glad you made it back. Prez, Techie and Chops are already here,” he informs me. Nodding with relief flooding through me, I pull back on the throttle easing my Hog into the compound to park it in its usual spot. As I duck walk backward, Shogun runs up wagging his tail and smiling at me like he always does. Since Cassius died, Shogun has been a lot more of a cuddler. I think he misses his friend. Hell, even I miss Cassius. It was shit the way he was gunned down. A dog should never have to be the casualty of a biker war.
Stepping off my ride, I take off my lid placing it on the handlebars and lean down giving Shogun a great big cuddle. “Hey boy. Good to see you.”
He licks up the side of my face as I chuckle. Standing up, I pat his head and step off toward the clubhouse doors. I need a beer, or ten, after that chase. Pulling back the big heavy black door, I wander inside. Mad Dog spots me straight away and marches over.
“That was a close one. If you hadn’t shot out their windscreen, it would’ve been much harder for us to lose them. I’m glad you managed to get away from the heat too.” He slaps me on the back and I nod.
“Yeah, it was tough. There’s a bit of carnage on the highway, but I left them looking after a wreck. They had no choice but to let me go.”
Mad Dog nods with a wide grin. “We all love a bit of carnage. You fit in here perfectly, Stealth, my boy. Now let’s drink.”
