I didn’t even want to think about what that could mean for Daisy.
Those thoughts didn’t have a place in what was going on with me and Daisy right then, and I didn’t want to ruin the moment, so I pushed the nagging feeling that I’d fucked up aside. I’d just have to be more careful in the future, because I sure as hell wasn’t giving her up. She filled a void in me that I hadn’t known I had. She was perfect for me, and I was going to do everything in my power to be the man that she needed in her life.
I would do everything in my power to make her see that we belonged to each other.
After a few minutes we calmed down, and Daisy sat up with a bewitching smile on her face. The glaze of desire still simmered in her eyes, and there was a warm flush on her cheeks that hinted at what we’d been doing. My gaze dropped to her tits. I couldn’t help myself as I reached to take their weight into my hands.
“I fucking love your tits, baby.” I gave them both a squeeze before tweaking her extended nipples. She shivered wildly. “Cold?” I smirked.
“Freezing!” she replied, a tease in her eyes.
“Liar!” I rasped, leaning forward to taste her. “I could spend a lifetime sucking these little jewels.”
“You’re insatiable.”
She scraped my scalp with her nails, holding me against her swollen flesh. “When it comes to you, guilty.”
Jesus, my dick was getting hard again, but I wasn’t going to fuck Daisy again out there in the cold. My hands crept up to the side of her face, cupping her cheeks. She met me halfway for a brief, hard kiss.
“I think it’s time we−”
If there was one thing I knew, it was the sound of a bullet breaking glass and flying past too fucking closely. Someone had taken a shot at us, breaking the passenger side window. Thanks to the fogged-up windows, I was only able to make out the blurry image of a black vehicle moving past the house at a crawl. I had a split second to push Daisy down onto the floor board for cover before another shot sounded out, and then the vehicle was spinning off.
“Big John!” she screamed, covering her head as more glass shattered around us.
Her discarded clothes were on the seat next to me and I reached for them, tossing them down at her. “Stay down!” I ordered, reaching for the gun at my back before realizing that the police had confiscated it. In the next instant I reached over her head and opened the glove box, reaching for my backup. I cocked it, crouching low and half over Daisy. We were sitting ducks. If Daisy hadn’t been there I would have taken off after the vehicle. Soon it was down the road and disappearing out of sight.
“Fuck it,” I snarled, reaching for my phone. “Fuck!” I hit my VP’s number.
“What is it, bro?” Rock asked at the other end.
“Daisy and I were just shot at, outside her house. Black vehicle heading your way. I think it might be a caddy.”
“On it!”
We disconnected. I glanced down to see my woman trying to dress while still crouched on the floor. She was shaking like a leaf. Her panicked gaze was on the gun in my hand, and tears were building in her eyes. There was glass in her hair and on the floor around her from where the passenger window had been shot out. Jesus, had the shooter been after her?
“Babe−”
“I’m okay,” she said. “Just scared.” A shaky smile spread across her lips, which was still wet and swollen from my kiss. “And cold.”
“You can come up now.” She took the hand I offered.
“Did you see anything?”
“A black vehicle riding away,” I explained, picking glass out of her hair. “I think it was the same fucking Cadillac I saw around here the other day.” I pulled the condom off my dick and tied it off, stuffing it in my pocket until I got to a bathroom. Then I did up my pants.
Several thoughts hit me at once as I pulled myself together--Charlie’s odd comment earlier about Daisy’s ex, and the things Daisy had told me about him. My gut told me that we might be dealing with the fucking asshole. Only why now? They’d been divorced for a year. I intended to find out, after I got her inside where it was safe. Hopefully my brothers would catch up to him down the road, unless he turned off on one of the many side roads between here and there and disappeared.
Once she was dressed I opened my door and got out. “Come this way, babe, there’s less glass.” I held my hand out to her. It did something to me when she placed her small hand trustingly into mine. I pulled her from the truck into my arms, holding her against me for a minute before letting her down. “We’ll find out who did this.”
“Do you think it was someone with a grudge against your club?”
I held her gaze for a minute. “Good question. Let’s get inside where it’s warm, okay?” She unlocked the door, we went in, and when she turned to lock the door behind us, I stopped her. “I expect a couple of my brothers to show up,” I said by way of explanation. I nudged her in the direction of upstairs.
“Are we going to call the police?” she asked, bending to remove her boots.
My gaze fell to her shapely ass. “You know the answer to that.”
She stood and turned back to me. “So, Phantom Riders never call the cops?”
“Not as long as it’s something we can handle. Which is most of the time.” I reached up to remove another fragment of glass from her hair, frowning when I saw a small nick on her cheek. “Maybe you’d better take those clothes off and shake out your hair to get rid of the glass.” I held up the piece I’d removed.
It was as if seeing the glass made her understand fully what we’d just gone through, making it all too real. I saw the fear in her eyes right before she fell apart. As she crumbled, I wrapped my arms around her, mindful of any glass, and carried her to the bedroom. I sat on the edge of her bed and she automatically curled up on my lap, burying her face against my chest. I let her weep, realizing that she needed to release the emotions she was feeling in response to being shot at, that anyone would. She needed to get it out, and I was sure that her brave front earlier had been at a price.
She wept quietly, only releasing an occasional sob. I stroked her hair, giving her time, not sure what else to do. I was at a loss, uncomfortable with offering comfort. But her fear tore my heart out, and I knew that I would hold her for as long as she needed me to. It turned out that it wasn’t all that long. After a few minutes, her shaking calmed, the crying ceased, and her tears dried up. She sniffed a few times before pulling back and looking up at me. Her eyes were bright and swollen, her nose red, her cheeks blotchy, and I’d never seen anyone so beautiful.
“I think I got snot on your shirt,” she admitted in a weak voice.
I couldn’t stop the full-bodied laughter from shaking through me. “Baby, after all the body fluids we’ve exchanged, a little snot is nothing.” That reminded me about the condom in my pocket.
She turned instantly red. “You’re terrible, Big John.” A small smile belied her remark, and I could see that she felt better for getting it out.
“Get cleaned up, babe.” She slipped off my lap and I got to my feet. “I’ll wait for you in the living room.”
I kissed her forehead and turned to leave, stopping at the bathroom to flush the used condom.
Chapter 23
Daisy
He kissed my forehead. My forehead!
I wondered if Big John realized that big, tough, outlaw bikers didn’t do something as tender and sweet. Long after he’d left, I could still feel the pleasant tingle of where his lips had touched my flesh. When I got to the bathroom I cringed, looking at my ruined face. Crying definitely left behind unflattering results, but I had to admit that I felt better. The fact that Big John had just held me and let me fall apart meant a lot to me. His big, powerful arms and his warm body had been a calming balm to my frayed nerves.
Who had shot at us? And in broad daylight? Even if I did live in the country off a quiet road with no one close by. Paul crossed my mind, but I dismissed the thought. Paul had too much to lose by doing som
ething so rash and stupid, and he was not a stupid man. Granted, he hated to lose, and the end of our marriage had been a huge failure to him. He liked total control in all aspects of his life. But trying to kill me? I couldn’t wrap my head around that. No, it had to have been someone else.
I carefully stripped, rolling my clothes up into a ball to take them outside and shake them out later. Then I went to the bathroom and carefully combed my hair to rid it of any remaining glass. Only a few shards fell into the sink. I gave my head a vigorous shake, and fluffed my hair until I was satisfied that I’d gotten it all out. I got a quick, hot shower, conscious that Big John was waiting for me in the other room. I’d almost expected to see him in the shower before I finished, and I was a little disappointed when he didn’t show.
I understood why he hadn’t when I entered my bedroom and heard the muted sound of voices coming from the living room. Apparently, the brothers he’d been expecting had shown up. I quickly slipped into long, stretch-like pants and an overlarge cashmere sweater that hugged my body. I slipped on my pink, furry slippers and grabbed a hair clip on my way out the door.
“No sign of it, brother,” I heard as I was walking down the hallway. “A few of us took off right after you called, divided up and went down several side roads and met at the intersection. They could have gone anywhere, and you know some of those side roads don’t connect.”
“How many people around these parts drive a fucking Cadillac?” I heard Big John swear impatiently. “That’s twice I’ve seen it in this area, and now we know why.”
“We’ll get Fox on it,” someone else said. “You didn’t get a look at the plate?”
The silence following that question was telling, and I could just imagine Big John’s look. I wondered what he was going to say.
“I was a little busy, brother,” he finally said. His gaze shot to me when I entered the room. My arms were up as I clipped up my hair. His eyes filled with smoky heat, dropping down my body and back up again, leaving behind a pleasant tingle. At that point I was certain that everyone in the room knew what he’d been busy doing.
“Hi,” I said to his brothers, Rock and BK. The three of them were standing in the area between the entrance door and the kitchen. “Would anyone like coffee?”
“Yeah, that’d be nice,” Rock replied, giving me a smile. “It’s colder than hell out there on our bikes.”
Big John came to me, putting his hands on my shoulders. “Babe, Charlie made an interesting comment back at Willy’s about your ex , indicating that he was one of the men we’d killed. Want to explain?”
My eyes rounded. “You think Paul did this?”
I could see that he was struggling to remain patient. “Babe, what did Charlie mean?”
I’d known that he would eventually ask. I glanced at Rock and BK, who both stood by quietly, waiting for me to respond. “The restraining order I had on Paul expired, so I went in yesterday to file another one. She was there, and we just kind of became instant friends.” She laughed softly. “Considering the circumstances, when she saw me at the diner she thought that he might be involved.”
His brows drew together in a fierce frown. “Why would she think that?”
“Paul contacted me−”
“And you didn’t think it was important to tell me?” His brows drew together in a frown.
“He only called me the other night, and I did the first thing I could to protect myself against him the very next day. Paul’s always respected the law. I knew once he was served with a new order that that would be the end of him bothering me.” He released a deep breath, his expression taut. “Let me make coffee.”
He let me go, but I could tell that he wanted to say more. The men began talking, lowering their voices so that I couldn’t hear what they were saying. By the time I’d poured them each a cup of coffee, they’d moved to the living room and had sat down. They weren’t sitting back relaxed, but on the edge of the furniture, hands on or dangling between their knees, conversing in low voices. They glanced up when I entered the room.
“Thanks,” BK said, reaching for one of the cups I’d set down on the coffee table.
“Sweetheart.” Rock’s gaze drew my eyes to his as I sat down next to Big John on the sofa. “Tell us what your ex said when he called.” It wasn’t a question. The demanding quality to his tone set me back a little, until I reminded myself of who I was dealing with. Being assertive and bossy seemed to be a trait with the men of Phantom Riders. I also realized that they were just trying to get to the bottom of who’d shot at Big John and me. “Did he threaten you?”
“Yes.” I could feel Big John stiffen next to me.
“In what way?” he barked.
“His usual way. He refuses to accept that we’re divorced.”
“The words, Daisy,” Rock insisted, pulling my gaze to his. “What did he say exactly?”
I thought back to the last nasty conversation I’d had with Paul. He’s spewed the usual crap, hoping to control me or force me back to him in fear. It wasn’t unusual for him to threaten me with bodily harm, but I remembered his chilling words. I felt the blood drain from my face, and I was suddenly cold inside.
It had to be a coincidence.
“Babe?”
I wet my lips. “He said he’d kill us both if he caught me with another man.”
“You can’t stay here,” he snarled in a hard, unyielding tone.
“But−”
His gaze snapped to Rock. “I want protection on her,” he said, ignoring me.
“But−”
“You know the rules of the club, brother,” Rock fired right back, and I could swear that he looked smug about it. “You claiming her?”
“But-what−?” Claiming me! That seemed a little drastic.
There was a minute when all was silent, and it was clear that Big John was struggling with his answer. I had to admit that his hesitation hurt. A lot. Just when I’d thought that we were heading towards something more than casual fuck buddies, he was hesitating.
“Yes!” he snapped back between his teeth, and he looked anything but happy about it. “If it means keeping her safe.”
Only if it meant keeping me safe? Nice. I tried to hide the hurt his words had caused, but I’d never been very good at that. Before I could curb my tongue, I snapped, “Don’t do me any favors, you . . .you . . .” I shouted over them, finally getting their attention. I couldn’t even think of the word I wanted to use. In the meantime, Big John’s brows came together in a frown when he realized how I’d perceived his reluctance to claim me, which I knew was a big deal. “We don’t even know if Paul is behind this, so don’t worry about claiming me. Maybe it was someone who’s pissed off at Phantom Riders.”
“We’re gonna look at that, too,” BK remarked, sitting back with his mug.
“That wouldn’t matter anyway.” As angry as I was, I met Big John’s serious eyes. “The fact that someone took a shot at both of us means you’ll need protection until we get to the bottom of it.
“But why?”
“If they’re after you, that’s a no brainer. But if they’re after me, just being associated with me, with Phantom Riders, can put you in a dangerous situation. They might go after you to get to me.”
I swung my gaze to Rock. He nodded silently, backing up Big John’s comment. “I promised myself when I finally broke away from Paul that I’d never let him hurt me again, and I’m not going to let him chase me from what I’ve built here. It’s not just my home, I have a business to run. When I went to town to file a restraining order I also stopped in at King’s Security and ordered a security system for here. They’re going to be out Monday to install it.” Suddenly everyone was grinning at me. “What’s so funny?”
“So, you’re the job we have tomorrow,” BK explained, thumbing his chest. “I’m King’s Security.”
I returned his smile. “Then I expect a top-notch job,” I teased. It did make me feel better knowing that one of the Phantom Riders, and someone that I
knew personally, was installing the system.
“That’s good, babe. I’m fucking proud that you’re being proactive. But I’d feel better if you stayed at the club for a few days. If I had a home, I’d bring you there.”
He didn’t have a home? For some reason, I found that fact sad. It was sad that he lived in a room at their clubhouse. Though it wasn’t a bad room, and he had his own bathroom, it still wasn’t home. But I was still mad at him, and I remained stubbornly silent.
“Let’s compromise,” he began, gaining my attention again. Compromise? I raised a brow, but decided to listen to what he had in mind. “At least spend your nights there so I’ll know that you’re safe.”
“Wow. Big John compromising. This is big, sweetheart.” Rock got to his feet, shooting me a wink as he went into the kitchen. I watched him refill his mug.
I appreciated his willingness to compromise, but I wasn’t sure that this was the solution. Besides, since when did I have to compromise? When had I given Big John the power to make my decisions for me? What could he really do if I refused and stayed here? I thought about his hesitation to claim me. I knew what that meant, but he would do it if it assured my safety. And I wasn’t going to let that happen. If he claimed me it would be for the right reasons or not at al l, and not just to get around some club rule.
“If I spend my nights there you won’t have to claim me, right?” My only thought had been to give Big John an easy out, but his expression suddenly turned stony.
“If that’s what you want.” His tone was cutting.
What did the man expect? I gave BK and Rock a quick glance, but their expressions were closed to me. Fine, I thought. I wasn’t going to try and figure these men out. My cell rang and I got up to answer it, glad to leave the moody men to themselves. I snatched it up and looked down at the screen. It was Jasmine.
“Good morning,” I said, checking the clock first to make sure that it was still morning.
What He Wants (Book 3 after Phantom Riders MC-Hawk and No Mercy) Page 20
