“Yes.”
He dropped back on the stool, and leaning over her, he slid his fingers in the top edge of her panties and tugged them down a bit. She gasped in a breath and wriggled against the felt. “You gonna punch me in the head when I break out the needles, darlin’?”
“Maybe.”
His murmured a warning. “This is going to feel cool and wet.”
“What is?”
“Antiseptic.” He swabbed a cloth over her belly.
She jumped at his touch.
“Relax, sweetheart. This is the easy part.”
“Sorry. I guess I’m not used to your hands on me.”
He smiled as he began sketching out the design freehand. “You will be.” It didn’t take long for him to complete the sketch. He reached for the tattoo machine, and a soft buzzing filled the room. He saw her flinch, and her hands tensed on the felt. Crash leaned forward and lowered his voice. “It’s gonna pinch a little when the needle goes in. You be a brave girl now and get through this, and I’ll give you a reward when we’re done, okay?”
She nodded.
“You ready, Princess?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, here we go.” He set the needle against her skin.
Her hands clenched into fists, and she bit her lower lip.
“Take a breath, and blow it out. You’re doing fine, baby.” Crash knew what that pain felt like, the sting when the needle pierced the skin. The sting that became a slow burn. He swiped at the skin and set the needle to her again.
“Talk to me,” she implored. “Get my mind off it.”
“Sure, baby-doll. What do you want to talk about?” he inquired without looking up.
“Anything, please.”
He grinned. “I could tell you all the different positions Ms. Walker taught me. But that might make you jump even more.”
“Ms. Walker, was that the neighbor you had the affair with?”
“Um hmm. Her name was Angie.”
“How did it start?”
“One day I noticed her standing in the doorway watching me cut her grass. I had my shirt off, and I could see her eyes running over me. When I was through, she asked me if I wanted the twenty bucks or if I wanted to come inside.”
“So, I take it you went inside.”
“Um hmm. I’m no fool.”
“She took you to her room?”
“Nope. That first time we didn’t make it past the couch. Of course, back then I couldn’t last long. That’s another thing she taught me. Stamina. By the time she was finished with me, I could last a long time without coming.” Crash started another line and glanced up to see Shannon sink her teeth into her lower lip. “The pain getting worse, honey?”
“Yes.”
“Take a breath. We’re about halfway through. You’re doing great, baby.” After a few minutes, he had finished the outline and turned to switch out his equipment. “You hanging in there, Shannon?”
“Yes. How much more?”
“The outline’s done. Now I have to shade it.” He swiped her belly again and set the needle to her skin. Shannon clenched her jaw. His eyes swept up to her face, noting the pain. “Breath, baby. You’re doing great.” He knew he needed to distract her again. “What’s the most erotic thing you’ve ever done, Shannon?”
“Are we playing Truth or Dare again?”
“Darlin’, we’re in the middle of a dare right now.” He swiped at her skin again. “Come on, Princess, tell me. There has to be a wild side under all that silk and lace.”
“I’m not very wild.”
“Sure you are. Look where you’re at. Stretched out on my pool table, blindfolded.”
“This,” she answered. “This is the most erotic thing I’ve ever done.”
A grin tugged at his mouth. “I like that answer. And we haven’t even gotten to the erotic part yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“I promised you a reward. I didn’t tell you what it’d be.” He moved the needle to a new spot, and she jerked, drawing in a breath with a hiss.
“Stay still, Shannon. The longer it takes, the longer you wait for that reward.”
She moaned.
“You okay, sweetheart?”
She took in a breath and blew it out her mouth slowly. “How much longer?”
“Not much, baby. You’re doing beautifully. Makin’ me proud, honey. Can you take a little more?” His words drifted over the hum of the needle.
She nodded.
After a few more minutes, he switched the machine off and pulled his gloves off with a snap. He stood, and leaned over to gently blow across the tattoo. He watched her belly jerk with reaction, and she reached for the blindfold.
He grabbed at her wrists. “Wait. One more thing.”
“What?”
“Your reward. I promised I’d make you feel better. I’m not a welsher, either.” He transferred both her wrists to one hand, holding them pinned high on her stomach. His left hand slid into the loose leg of her shorts. The soft skin of her inner thigh trembled under his palm. His thumb slipped under her panties, and he brushed it over her. She surged, arching her back, her thighs trying to clamp together, but her knees hit his hips.
“Crash, no.”
“Shh, baby. Relax, I’m not gonna hurt you.”
His thumb circled, and she writhed on the felt, moaning in response to the sensations his touch was causing. “Oh, God.” The words stuttered out of her.
Crash gazed down at her as he continued to stroke her. “Do you remember the other night when I touched you? You were so responsive to my touch. So unbelievably sexy.”
Her breathing was accelerating, and she replied, breathlessly, “Yes, I remember.”
Her hands pinned, he kept at her and at her until finally she gasped in a breath, held it and shuddered as she came against his hand. He released her wrists, and she yanked the blindfold off in time to see him standing over her licking his thumb. “That was beautiful to watch, Princess. The most erotic thing I’ve seen in a long time.”
They stared at each other, and then almost simultaneously he was leaning over her, and she was grabbing at his shoulders, pulling him down. He was careful not to brush against the fresh tattoo as his mouth attacked hers, and she opened, welcoming him to plunder deeper. She clutched at him, and he knew she had to feel his hard erection that pressed against her spread thighs. His hands threaded into her hair and pulled her head back as he deepened the kiss. He heard and felt her moan against his mouth, and he growled back, rocking his hips against her, his cock sliding over her. Her back arched off the table. He broke off, pulling away far enough to mutter, “Christ, baby, I could do you right here.”
“Yes, please, Crash.”
“No, baby. I haven’t earned that yet. But I will, Shannon. You hear me? I promise you I will.” He rose up, his palms on the felt next to her head.
“You’re stopping?” she asked with disbelief etching on her face.
“Yeah, Princess. I’m stopping.”
She slugged him in the shoulder. “How can you be so frustrating and so sweet at the same time?”
Grinning, he answered, “I don’t know, babe. How can you be so bitchy and so adorable at the same time?”
She huffed out a breath. “Can I at least see my tattoo?”
He huffed right back and grinned. “Yeah, baby. You can see it.” He picked up a hand mirror from the table. Holding it up, his fingers pointed to the horizontal flower. “The tightly furled long-stem rose just starting to bloom—that’s you. The barbed wire,” his fingers followed the swoops that wrapped loosely around the stem. “That’s me protecting you.”
She studied it. Her mouth dropping open. “Oh, Crash. It’s beautiful.”
He winked at her. “Good. Glad you like it. ‘Cause, baby, it’s permanent.”
She looked down at it and smiled.
He took that as a good sign.
*****
Later that night, Shannon was asleep in the bed. Crash
looked over from his place on the couch as he set his phone back down on the coffee table. Cole had just called him in. They were having trouble with Artie terrorizing his girls again, and Mack had had enough. They were setting their plan in motion, which meant things were about to escalate in a major way.
Crash glanced up at the skylights. He could see the moon. The rain had stopped hours ago. Well, at least that was something. He pulled his clothes on and moved to the bed in the darkened loft and leaned down over Shannon, his palms coming to rest on either side of her. “Princess, wake up.”
She moaned and rolled to her back. Blinking up at him, she whispered, “Hey.”
“Hey,” he murmured back with a grin. “I’ve got to go out for a few hours.”
She blinked and rubbed her face. “What time is it?”
He glanced over at the clock on the nightstand. “A little after two.”
“You have to go out now?”
“Ain’t no rest for the wicked,” he teased.
“Am I going with you?”
“No, babe. You’re staying here.”
“All alone?”
“I’ll set the alarm. There’s a gun in the drawer of the nightstand. It’s loaded. You just point and shoot, and don’t stop till the clip is empty or they’re on the ground.”
Her eyes got big. “I…I don’t think I can do that.”
He put one hand to her cheek, his thumb stroking softly. “You won’t have to, sweetheart. Nobody’s getting in here. Just don’t make the mistake of shooting me when I come home.” He studied her. His humor didn’t seem to lighten her mood. “You gonna be all right?”
She nodded. “I guess.”
She didn’t sound too convincing. “You’ll be safe here, sweetheart. I promise. Your ex doesn’t know how to find the Batcave.” He grinned, his teeth flashing in the moonlight. He dropped his head, and his mouth found hers for a brief kiss. “Go back to sleep. I’ll be back before you wake up. I promise.” And then he left.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Crash crawled on his belly and slid up next to Wolf. The guys were in the wooded lot behind the rear parking lot of Queen of Hearts strip club. “Where we at with this?”
Wolf turned to him with a grin. “Green got elected to go in.”
Red Dog grinned, “Yeah, I flipped a coin until he won.”
“Shit.”
“What? You got a problem with that?”
“Yeah. I don’t trust him.” Crash glared over at Green
“I got this, Crash. Why don’t you trust me?” Green asked.
“Because I’ve seen your work.”
Green made a mocking laugh. “Ha, ha, ha. You’re a laugh a minute. What are you sweatin’ for, brother? I’ve handled C-4 before.”
“I know, Green, but there’s always a last time.”
“It’s C-4, Crash. It’s not like I’m handling nitrocloricine.”
“Nitro-what?”
“You know,” he snapped his fingers, turning to Wolf. “What’s the word here? Help me out?”
Wolf laughed and shook his head. “I’m not gonna help you. This is too funny.”
“Nitroglycerin?” Crash prompted.
“Yeah, that’s the stuff.”
“Jesus Christ.” Crash turned to Red Dog. “Tell me, please, he can pull this off. C-4 can be dangerous shit.”
Red Dog grinned back at him. “Don’t think of it as highly dangerous, think of it as extremely difficult.”
“Oh, that makes me feel so much more confident in his abilities,” Crash replied
“I’d rather handle that than be the one to take out the security cameras,” Wolf grumbled. “Fuck. Why am I always the one that gets on camera?”
“Cause your pretty face will make the best mug-shot,” Crash retorted.
“Don’t worry, Wolf. We’ll get you the best lawyers that money can buy,” Red Dog assured.
“And the best witnesses money can buy, too,” Green teased.
A rumble of laughter passed among them.
“He’s got a problem, though,” Red Dog informed Crash, nodding toward Green.
Crash looked over at Green and back at Dog. “He’s got a lot of problems, which one are you referring to?”
Dog grinned. “He can’t pick that lock. Artie installed a steel plate.”
“Shit.”
“He’s gonna have to blow it.”
Cole nodded. “Damn it.”
“It’s the only way,” Dog reiterated.
“Ok, I realize we gotta blow it, but that’s gonna take finesse.”
“Green didn’t bring any of that,” Red Dog said straight-faced.
Wolf muffled his laughter.
Crash tried to keep a straight face. He dropped his head. “Fuckin’ hell. Try and be serious boys.”
“I’m bein’ serious.”
“Okay, you’re not helping.”
“Disagree.”
Crash looked to Green. “You know what you’re doin’?”
“Sure. I got this. Blew my way through Bagdad, didn’t I?”
“This ain’t a crumbling mud house, that door’s reinforced steel.”
“I got it.”
“After you blow the door open, you know the plan?”
“Yeah. I know the plan.”
“Humor me. Let’s go over it again.”
“I’m just destroying his office, not the whole club. I got it, Crash. Relax.”
Crash took a deep breath. “You fuck this up--”
“I’m not gonna fuck this up.”
There was only one car left in the lot, Artie’s Cadillac. The back door opened, and they watched as Artie stepped out, locked the door and hustled to his car. When he pulled out of the lot, it was 3am.
They waited ten minutes, and then Crash nodded to Wolf and Green. All dressed in black, they both pulled black ski masks down over their faces and ran to the back of the building.
Crash and Red Dog watched as Wolf immediately cut the power then disabled the alarm and security cameras. Green went to work on the door. He attached the explosives, and he and Wolf retreated around the side of the building as the C-4 blew open the door.
No alarms sounded.
The two black-clad figures disappeared quickly through the door that had been blown ajar. They were inside for about two minutes. Crash kept checking the time and watching for police. “Fuck, this is taking too long.”
“Here they come.” Red Dog nodded towards the door. The two came out and ran full out across the lot, jumping down into the ditch with Crash and Red Dog. The four men all watched the building, waiting for the explosion.
Nothing happened.
Crash looked over at Green with a questioning look on his face.
They both looked back at the building.
Nothing happened.
“How much time did you give it?” Crash asked.
“Should be any second now,” Green replied.
The four men stared at the building. Still nothing happened.
Crash turned to glare at Green. “Seriously, brother?”
“Give it a second.”
“We gonna be here all night?” Red Dog asked sarcastically.
“Fuck, Green, it’s not…” Crash began when a huge explosion rocked the building, blasting through the roof and collapsing the entire rear left of the building. “Holy shit! Jesus Christ, Green! What the fuck did you do?”
“Oops. Guess that was a support post.”
“Ya think?” Crash growled.
“You moron,” Wolf exclaimed.
“We should have known it’d all go to hell, Green was involved.” Red Dog looked at Crash.
“Sorry, guys. Guess that was my bad,” Green admitted. “It’s my fault.”
“Imagine that.” Red Dog rolled his eyes.
Green pounded his forehead with his fist. “God, I’m so stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”
“Stop calling yourself stupid, you’re gonna ruin it for the rest of us,” Wolf barked.
“Yeah, and quit smacking yourself. Leave some for Cole. He’s gonna want to beat you bloody for this.”
“I suppose you’re gonna point the finger at me,” Green surmised.
“Yeah, and you know which one,” Red Dog put in.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Crash snapped.
Red Dog shoved Green. “Douchebag!”
*****
The first streaks of dawn were painting the horizon when Crash finally made it back home. After meeting back up with Cole at the clubhouse, he was exhausted. He rolled into the garage and climbed off, stretching. Then he headed for the elevator. He leaned back against the rail as he ascended, wanting nothing more than to lie down.
Arriving at the second level, Crash threw the lever stopping the elevator. And that’s when he heard it. Soft muffled crying. Something wasn’t right. A jolt of adrenaline went through him accompanied by a shot of pure terror.
“Shannon!” He yelled for her as he flung the gate open and rushed into the loft. She didn’t reply, as he jogged toward the bedroom, jerking the paperclips aside. The bed was empty. Glancing back toward the living room, his eyes searched frantically. Where the hell was she? And then he heard it, the quiet sobbing. He swiveled his head back. It was coming from the far side of the bed. He stalked around the massive bed and saw her huddled in a ball in the corner, her back against the brick wall.
“Shannon!” He quickly moved toward her. She scurried back, as if she was terrified of him. And that’s when he saw the gun in her shaking hands. He froze, his hands going up. “Baby, it’s me.”
She stared up at him, tears streaming down her face. The look on her face had him wondering if she realized who was standing before her. He backed up a few steps. “Shannon, it’s me. It’s Crash. You’re safe.”
And then the gun clattered to the floor, and she was scrambling to her feet and jumping into his arms. His, immediately wrapped around her, holding her tightly. He didn’t know what had happened, but whatever it was, it had scared the holy shit out of her. “Baby, you’re okay. I’ve got you.”
She broke down in sobs, clinging to him. He ran his hand over her back, rocking her from side to side. “It’s okay. You’re okay. I’m here.”
Finally, her breathing settled down, and she quieted. He pulled back, holding her upper arms and searched her face. “What the fuck, babe. What happened?”
CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series) Page 27
