by Debra Kayn
"I won't." She spread her fingers out on his chest.
A train whistle blasted the air around them. She jerked her gaze down the track. An engine came barreling in their direction.
Brage swooped her up into his arms. She wrapped herself around his neck. His gesture to carry her out of harm's way came as no surprise. He really was perfect.
Chapter 30
Dinah walked out of the back door of the bar and stopped in the alley, taking out the hairband holding her hair up on the top of her head. Brage's balls ached in pleasure as she shook her hair loose around her shoulders. He would never get tired of looking at her.
She gazed around. A slight smile on her lips.
He stayed sitting on his Harley, having arrived back at the clubhouse after riding around a three-block radius making sure everything remained quiet for Slag.
The moment Dinah spotted him, she pressed a hand to her stomach and tilted her head. Since asking her to stay, she'd slowly started letting her emotions out for others to see instead of only showing him in private.
He never thought he'd want that familiarity with a woman before. He craved knowing every single thing about her. He wanted to experience life through her eyes. Fresh eyes that still craved more from her life despite the hardships she'd faced.
Dinah unwrapped a piece of gum and popped it into her mouth on the way to him. His cock pulsed imagining the cinnamon taste on his tongue.
"You're not inside partying?" She leaned toward him and kissed his lips.
He hooked her neck before she could pull away and dove back in, opening her mouth. A tingle went down his spine and warmth filled his chest. She was his addiction, and he needed a hit.
He had too many obsessions when it came to Dinah lately.
All of them he enjoyed.
She pulled away, gasping for breath. "We're outside."
"Mhm." He spanned her waist with his hands and lifted her, knowing she wasn't big on all the fooling around that happened at the club. "Sit in front of me."
Her butt hit the gas tank and slid down until she sat with her legs spread on each side of him on his lap. Cupping her ass, he pulled her tight up against the front of his jeans.
"That's better." He squeezed. "Nobody can see you."
She laughed. "You're crazy. Peer and Elling are ten feet away at their motorcycles."
"Monica and Joel are against the wall, having sex." He worked his hands up under her shirt, making contact with her warm skin. "They don't care who is around."
"They're not having sex." She turned her head and squinted in their direction. "Oh, geez. Are they really?"
"Pretty close to it," he mumbled.
She looped her arms around his neck. "I am so glad I have the next two nights off."
He kissed her neck. "Tired?"
"No, not really." She let her head fall back, giving him permission to put his mouth on more of her skin and he took her up on the offer. "I want to ask you something."
"Mhm." He swiped his tongue on her collar bone.
"I was wondering if—because you told me you wanted to go with me—if we could plan a trip to Idaho. I could rent a truck and that way I could put my stuff in storage and not have to pay rent on my apartment. It would be cheaper, and I'd have my stuff when I know what I'm doing."
"No." He brought his head up off her.
"No?" She frowned. "I thought—"
"You don't need to put it in storage. We can bring your things back here. What you don't want in my room, I can find one of the members who have extra room in their garage and put everything there, close to you in case you need anything."
"Can I do that?"
He'd make anything possible for her. Storing her belongings was an easy task.
"Give me two weeks. We'll take the club truck. Go up one day, pack, and come back the next, unless there are other things you need to do while you're there and then we might have to plan it out better. It's not a great time to be away from the clubhouse for longer than a weekend," he said.
While he'd be close to Federal, Idaho, he could use that time to find out more information about the location of Tony Reed. He had a score to settle for what he'd done to Dinah.
She twined her fingers in his hair. "That'll be great. Thanks for going with me. I'll feel a lot better having you along."
"I'll be honest with you." He undid one of the buttons on her work uniform and slid his fingers between the mounds of her breasts. "I'm not only going along to make sure you're safe but that you come back with me. I don't want you changing your mind."
She inhaled swiftly, and her chest expanded. He raised his gaze to her eyes.
"I think you should know I'm falling in love with you." Her lower lip trembled, and she stroked his face. "I'll be coming back with you, and afterward, I'm going to look for a place to rent close to you."
"We'll talk about that afterward."
"No." She moistened her lips. "It's important for me to live away from the club."
"Why?" He hooked his hands under her thighs.
As long as she was with him, she was welcome to stay. There was no way she could claim to be unhappy with him. He slept with her every night, and when she wasn't working at the bar, they spent their time together. He wanted everything to stay the same. There was no need for change.
"We both deserve to know each other the normal way." She lifted her chin. "To experience the anticipation and nerves and worries that come from living apart and coming together."
"Ah, bullshit, babe." He leaned back to get a good look at her to see if she was serious. "If you have a problem with me, just say it. No reason to make up fucking excuses."
She slid off his lap, stumbling to gain her balance once she landed on her feet. Straightening, she said, "It's not an excuse."
"Do you anticipate me walking into the bar when you're working?"
She frowned and nodded. "Yeah, but—"
"Do you ever shake inside when you want me to touch you?"
"Brage—"
"Do you worry that I'm going to change my mind about how I feel about you?" He gritted his teeth at the thought she wanted an excuse to pull away from him.
"Of course." She looked away.
"I think I covered what you believe we need." He straightened his beard. "Now, tell me what's really going on."
"I want to bring more into our relationship than you feeling responsible for me. I had a life before you. I wish you could've known me before Tony talked me into coming here to find out what Slag was doing and I learned the truth about who I am." She blew out her breath. "I don't even know who I am."
"You do know." He got off his motorcycle. "Ask anyone around here who you are. You're caring and helpful. Whether it's at the bar or in the clubhouse, you pull your share and always try and make life easier for everyone around you. You're not quick to trust, but I think that has more to do with you trusting yourself and being independent. You know that you can take care of yourself. I have a feeling you've been looking after yourself, fighting for yourself, supporting yourself, your whole life and nobody has told you the truth. You're a good woman. Smart. Beautiful. Strong."
"Stop," she whispered.
He stepped closer. "Have I ever lied to you?"
She shook her head. He bent his knees, catching her averted gaze. She deserved honesty.
"When I found out you were here, helping Moroad try to bring down Slag, you tried to prove you weren't out to hurt me."
"I wasn't. I swear," she said.
"I listened to you. I watched you, and I saw you." He swallowed, his heart racing. "Do you know when I realized I love you?"
She shook her head again.
"The third night you were locked in my room, you cuddled up to me in the middle of the night, and you didn't wake up crying. Do you know why?"
Her neck muscles convulsed as she tried to gain control over her emotions. He couldn't make her suffer waiting for an answer.
"Because when you believed all was lost, you
clung to me like I was the most important person in your life." He palmed her cheek.
She sniffed and took a long blink. "You love me?"
"Ja, babe." He brought his forehead down to hers. "You take that for yourself. Don't throw it away because you believe you're responsible for making me happy or need to live your life differently. Take it and be happy."
She softened against him, leaning into his body. He closed his eyes and held her. No, he wasn't ever going to let her go.
Chapter 31
The male customers blocked Table Two. Dinah stood with a tray of drinks in both hands, waiting for one of them to step up to shoot pool and provide an opening to set down the order.
A crewcut sporting muscle machine noticed her and slapped the guy beside him. "Hey, asswipe, move out of the way and let the lady through."
The man shifted, barely giving her six inches to squeeze a twelve-inch tray through the opening. Instead, the customer reached to take a drink from her.
"Hold on, big guy." She smoothly turned her body keeping the drinks securely on the tray. "Let me set them down first, and then you can get your drink."
Early on, she'd learned not to upset the balance on large orders. She always overcompensated when the weight shifted, which resulted in spilled drinks.
She shifted sideways and set one tray on the table. Then, using both hands, held the other drinks out to the men.
"Can I get you anything else? Dollars for the pool table?" She collected the empty trays. "We have a special tonight...deep fried mushrooms. Two-ninety-nine a basket."
"I'll take some." A slim man lifted his finger.
"Anyone else?" She looked around at the group.
"Chili fries."
"Burger with no onion."
"Yeah, I'll take a burger too. Everything on it."
She scribbled the orders down on the pad and looked up. "Heather will be your server and bring your food out. Let her know when you're ready for more drinks."
She hurried back, ripping off the paper and hanging it on the spinning wheel in the kitchen window. "Order coming in, Peach."
"Keep them coming," yelled Peach.
Dinah smiled. The cook was a powerhouse. When the servers and bartenders were running their butts off keeping up with customers, Peach normally remained calm and efficient.
She walked over to Heather. "I put orders up for Table Two."
"Got it." Heather scooted a vacant chair under the table and out of the walkway. "Can you grab the glasses around the fire ring?"
"Sure thing." She moved over to the fire, loading her hands with empties.
The flames hypnotic in nature, she took her time. The fire in the center of the bar always drew the customers attention, gathering people around the ring more than the pool table.
A tall man wearing a fluorescent orange shirt with a reflective stripe across the chest like the one utility workers wore eyed her up and down. "You're too pretty to be wasting your time picking up after others."
"Thank you, but I enjoy my work." She smiled to soften her words. "Coming to eat, drink, and relax is what makes The Fire Ring special for the customers."
"That's not fair that you have to pick up behind them." He stepped over to her and leaned down to allow her to hear him over the music playing. "When's the last time someone did something nice for you?"
A hand landed on her back. Dinah jerked, thinking it was the customer, and then relaxed when she realized it was Brage.
"Back off, son. She belongs to me." Brage moved her away and guided her behind the counter.
"I didn't see you come in." She leaned against him, putting her hand on his stomach. "Did you have a nice ride?"
"What's that guy's problem?" Brage gazed across the room, ignoring her question.
"He was just being friendly." She rubbed the front of his vest. "Do you want a drink?"
"No, I'm good." He looked at her. "I'm going to take Viktor's place at the door for a while and let him have a break."
A burst of energy filled her. "We leave in the morning for Idaho."
"Bright and early." He kissed her and walked away to man the front door.
More than going and closing a door in her life and leaving her past behind, she wanted to spend two days alone with Brage. No interruptions from the club needing Brage's time. No work ahead of her. Long hours spent together on the road. She couldn't wait.
Peer double looked at her. "You've got that goofy smile again."
She slapped his arm as she moved past him behind the bar. "You're starting to give me a complex."
"I'm happy for Brage." Peer dried a glass. "Maybe you, too."
She scoffed. "Oh, well, thanks for that. The feels are strong from you, my friend."
Peer laughed. "I can't be spreading too much sunshine around this place. I got my own shit to concentrate on."
"Yeah?" She took her tips out of her pocket and stashed the wad in the cash register to pick up later. "What's going on?"
From what she'd witnessed, he'd jumped into fatherhood with both feet. Regardless if he had no choice or not, he was doing the best he could—which she thought was better than most mothers.
"I rented a house." His brows lowered. "I've always lived at the clubhouse, even in Seattle before moving down here."
"Are you regretting your decision?"
"I don't have time to have regrets. Tyr needs a home." He inhaled deeply. "Don't know how I'll handle my son on my own."
"You can always ask for help," she said.
He grunted stepped away to help a customer. She filled two drinks while she waited for Peer to return and finish the conversation he started. It must be scary to be responsible for a child. A child that was still an infant.
Monica passed her a drink order. She filled the glasses and handed them back to her on a tray.
A half hour passed before she remembered their conversation and looked for Peer, but he'd gone off on his lunch break, leaving her to deal with the drinks by herself.
"Yell if you need help." Lizzy stepped behind the cash register. "I'll handle the customers checking out."
They worked well together. All of them able to fill in where needed.
She glanced over at the front door. Brage talked with Roar. His mouth barely moving, only the occasion look passed between the men.
Norwegian men were the hardest guys to read going by facial expressions. They kept everything hidden. Zombies could walk into the bar, and they'd look the same as if the Girl Scouts came to sell cookies.
Brage lifted his gaze. She blew him a kiss, and he looked back at Roar, not acknowledging her.
Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough. She'd have him all to herself.
Two hours later, the bar closed.
Brage walked into the breakroom of The Fire Ring with Roar and Elling. She smiled at him and slipped her sweatshirt over her uniform. The other women had come and left out the back door ahead of her.
Stepping around Elling, she went to Brage. Expecting him to walk out with her, she looked at him. He and the other men never moved.
The way they looked at her, she knew they'd come together because of her.
Afraid they'd changed their mind about letting Brage leave with her for Idaho in the morning, she leaned against Brage and whispered, "What's going on?"
"Sit down for a minute." Brage pulled out the chair in front of him.
She stayed standing, even when Brage sat at the table. "Something bad happened, didn't it?"
When Roar came into the bar and Brage gave him all his attention, she had a feeling something was going down. Brage always stayed aware of her. Whether that was to wink, nod, or give her that heated expression that was reserved only for her, she never felt ignored.
Until tonight when whatever was going on occupied him fully.
"Just tell me." She swallowed. "Is it about our trip to Idaho?"
"No."
She pulled the sleeves of her sweatshirt over her hands. "Do you want me to leave the clubhouse?"
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Brage's hand tightened on the empty chair. Her heart pounded, aching in her chest. The emotions she wanted to hide in front of the other two men pushed to the surface.
His gaze intensified. "Babe."
Hearing the need for her in his voice, she stepped forward and slid into the chair, reaching for him. He held her hand in both of his.
Roar sat opposite them, leaning forward, and braced his elbows on the table. "We've had something come up that involves you."
"At the bar?" She looked between the men.
Had one of the customers complained? Nothing out of the ordinary had happened directly to her. Tonight had been one of the easier nights. It'd stayed busy, and she'd barely had a minute to catch her breath. Had she missed an order or said something that was misconstrued to one of the customers?
Roar shook his head. "Jeremy Aldridge, the President of Moroad Motorcycle Club, has contacted me."
His voice waned in her head as her pulse beat in her ears. She held on to Brage. Whatever Jeremy told Roar about her was a lie. They were criminals and had stolen her from her family.
She should've gone to the police and reported herself as a missing person, a child, but having been raised by Brad and Tony, she always viewed law enforcement as the enemy. Used to solving her own problems, the police weren't her first option. They hadn't even been a thought until later when the truth had come out.
The whole lie that things were fine at home and she was cared for and happy was one she'd told on a weekly, if not daily, basis growing up. She was taught not to trust anyone in authority because they would rip her away and shove her in a prison for kids or worse, put her in an orphanage.
Growing up, that was her biggest fear.
She'd watched the police arrest both her brothers, numerous times over the years. Tony and Brad always claimed their innocence and believed law enforcement arrested them because they belonged to a biker club.
While she understood her fears were unjustified, she also knew that going to the police now would bring all of Moroad down on her head for going after one of their own. Instead, she cut herself off from Brad and Tony. They could live their miserable existence without her, and hopefully, Brad would stay in prison and Tony would soon follow.
