by Becca Lee
Mace glanced around the guys. "If McKenny is connected to Riots, you know this shit will get a whole heap more personal, right?" He sounded almost eager when he spoke, as though the news wasn’t exactly new to him.
That was information I'd file away for later. I had no idea why anything McKenny-related was personal, and to be honest, it scared the crap out of me. While Mace was in security, it was rare anything he dealt with or worked on touched his life. I'd asked him about it and there seemed to be nothing of consequence. It was also a reason why I'd been pleased he was no longer a police officer. The thought of him heading to work and not coming back to me made me sick to the stomach. All of the talk about Riots, who were dangerous and a law unto themselves, and this McKenny guy was enough to send my heart rate spiking.
I focused on my lap and our joined hands, breathing out long, calming breaths as discreetly as possible while counting in my head. I barely registered the conversation going on around me. While I knew they were speaking, I couldn't distinguish individual words. One, two, three, four. I forced my eyes open, not willing to close them and become lost. Five, six, seven. I stared hard at Mace's thumb, watching as it shifted and he started to draw small circles on my skin. Eight, nine, ten. My breathing, while not even, calmed a little as I focused on the mesmerising patterns he drew against me.
His breath against my ear made me jump. "You ready for that spanking?"
My head lifted in surprise, almost taking out Mace's nose in the process. My gaze caught his immediately.
"You with me?"
Holy shit, how in the hell did he do that? While I was winning, his intervention dragged me out of my head immediately, or at least sent my thoughts spiralling in another direction. I nodded and bit my bottom lip, wanting to throw my arms around him, letting him know how fucking perfect he was. Instead, I held back and nodded before glancing at Diesel. Concern washed my brother's features, but it didn't last long as I grinned at him. It was genuine and big. He glanced at Mace and me before standing, leaning over the table, and planting a kiss on my head.
When he stood, he looked down at me, looking torn, bemused, and slightly pale. "Yes, I have. Definitely get one." He nodded and walked away, leaving me to catch my jaw as it dropped open and I stared at Cole. He looked at me and then burst out in laughter.
As he stood, a deep laugh still spilling forth, he threw me a wink. "He's right. Definitely get one."
I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. For the love of God, why did these men say such shit to me? Mace's hand clamped behind the back of my neck, and I angled to look at him.
"Something I need to know?"
Then I grinned, my own laugh breaking free. "Not right now, no." I continued smiling as Mace led me out. The guys had always taken too much delight in winding me up and embarrassing me, but that had stopped in recent years. This had been the first time they had done so since I left uni. The realisation constricted my heart. I leaned closer to Mace's side, happiness a welcome sensation.
It looked like I would be shopping for a cock ring as soon as possible.
Chapter Thirteen
MACE
Earlier
When I'd seen the smug look on Nox's face, it had taken every ounce of willpower I had not to vault over the table and rip his throat out. Somehow, I'd reined in my pulsating anger and sat opposite him. I just wanted to get it over and done with as quickly as possible, reach the bottom of this pile of shit, and head home to Lena.
After fifteen minutes of him talking crap about inconsequential bullshit, I finally broke, demanding he spit out whatever the fuck he wanted to say to me. I knew someone would be listening to the conversation, and that didn't exactly sit well, but protocol was protocol and there was nothing I could do about it.
He'd pulled a piece of paper out of his pants and pushed it over to me. The scrunched-up paper held the two words “O'Leary” and “McKenny.” Tearing the piece of paper up, I put the torn fragments in my pocket, my brain working overtime. O'Leary had been one of my own. I'd trusted him as my second. Yeah, some bastard had spread the intel about our raid into the wind, but the thought of it being O'Leary didn't feel right. McKenny's name made me pause for a different reason.
Since my first run-in with the smarmy fucker a few years back, and more recently with the whole shitstorm surrounding my dad, not once had there been a link between Riots and McKenny. While I hadn't been looking for a link, there was no way I would have missed any connection. Not only that, I didn't even know McKenny back then. It was only four years or so earlier that his name raised alarms and I'd opened an investigation on him. But my chat with him in the diner had planted a seed, one that Nox had just fertilised.
"You got anything else to say?" He'd given me the names, but I still had no clue as to why he had.
"Not at the moment." He grinned, a full, sardonic grin that I wanted to wipe off his face with my fist.
I stood, wanting to get the hell out of there. Nothing good would come from spending too long in the presence of scum. At the door, I knocked twice but didn't turn back when Nox called my name.
"I hear you've got a new piece."
I froze but refused to bite.
"She as good as Abigail? 'Cause you know, I've met the lovely Lena. Heard she's a bit of a whack job."
Clenching my jaw, I gripped the door handle and pulled hard as soon as I heard the lock release. In the open doorway, I turned, my stare fixed on him, my eyes stern. "You know what I heard?" His grin stayed in place, seemingly unimpressed. "Heard you were a virgin in here." His eyes twitched slightly, his only tell that he was thrown by my words. "That can end tonight, fucker." I backed out, pulling the door closed, and headed towards the security door.
Fuck. I could make it happen too. The temptation was there, beckoning me to destroy a part of Nox. As the first security gate beeped, I relaxed my aching jaw, and continued to pick up my belongings so I could get the fuck out of there before I changed my mind and turned back.
Once on my bike, I summoned calm to wash over me. While I didn't have a lot to go on, the two names were a start. Even if they ended up being bullshit, Nox had given them to me for a reason. I just had to work out what that was.
Knowing it was a long drive back to the club where I'd pick up Lena, I hoped it was enough for me to settle my nerves and my anger, but just ten kilometres out, the thought of Nox, or anyone, getting to Lena continued to surface. Glancing at my watch, I saw it was eight. Smiling, I signalled and headed south towards the one place where I would get my shit together enough to not worry about Lena watching me struggle.
#######
I stroked baby Abi's cheek as soon as I'd placed her down in her cot. I'd managed to get in a quick cuddle before her bedtime, which effectively helped to centre me and ease out the tension I was holding on to. Looking down at her sleeping form, I wondered what it would be like to reach the point of having my own kids one day. Lena would look fucking hot round and pregnant with our baby. The thought didn't even make me flinch. Now that I had her in my life for real, rather than lusting after her from afar and convincing myself I was bad news for her, I had no doubt she was the one.
"Love you, princess." I placed a kiss on her cheek before heading out to the kitchen. Liam was loading the dishwasher while Jo sat at the table, her legs up on the chair in front of her, nursing a glass of wine.
"Thank you," Jo said, offering me a smile.
"All good. I just needed my fix before I headed home."
"Rough day?" Liam asked as he closed the dishwasher door and switched it on.
"You could say that," I admitted. "I went to see Nox."
Liam walked past me, removed Jo's feet to sit, and repositioned them on his lap. "Shit. What did you go and do that for?"
I sighed and headed over to the fridge to grab a beer. Cracking one open, I took a long pull before resting against the workbench and facing Liam and Jo. "He's trying to work out some deal for a prison change and wanted to see me as part of that
deal." I didn't even consider holding anything back from either of them. As a family, we'd been through so much together that I'd since learned—courtesy of Jo giving me no choice but to accept my past and face my present—that not sharing anything that potentially impacted them was not okay.
"They won't let him out, will they?" Jo asked, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. "They better bloody not, or I swear to—"
"No." I laughed, interrupting her tirade. "There's no chance of early release. But he's exchanging info for a bed at a low-security prison."
"About Abigail?" Liam asked, his frown deepening with his question.
I nodded. "Yeah. He gave me a couple of names. One of which was McKenny." I didn't tell them about my previous run-in with him prior to my meeting with Nox.
"Get the fuck out!" Jo slammed her glass down, spilling the contents on the table, and surprising me when the glass didn't shatter.
"What's that bastard have to do with anything?" Liam forced out. He was all too aware of McKenny. As a competitor to our architect business, in which I was a silent partner, McKenny had pulled countless stunts, even before his shady involvement in drugs that had involved our dad while Jo had still been pregnant.
"Not sure yet. I'll find out." Liam nodded, knowing I was true to my word. "'Kay, I'm out."
"To Lena?" Jo asked with a smirk.
"Yep." I turned and threw my empty bottle in the recycling bin.
"Invite her by this Sunday. Liam will put the barbie on."
"Sure." I offered her a genuine smile and then looked at Liam who threw me a smirk. "Look after my princess for me."
I headed out, the heaviness weighing me down sitting a little lighter as I made my way to Deadwood's bar. It lifted even higher still when I overheard a clearly drunk Lena saying how hard I made her scream. I didn't really give a shit about what Cole had previously said to her. She was mine, and now that she was straddling my bike, pushed up tightly against my back, I was dead set on making good on my promise. I was convinced she'd thought I was joking, but since hearing her soft groan at my threat, I was eager to make it a reality.
I was never one for games in or out of bed. I fucked hard, was skilled with my tongue and talented with my fingers, but there was something about the thought of my palm against her arse, leaving a slight sting as she writhed in pleasure, that had me willing to break that control for her. Fuck, I'd do anything to see her come undone and make her happy.
Pulling up outside my house, I kicked down my stand and removed my helmet, balancing it on my knee as I held out an arm to help Lena off the bike. Once she dismounted, I assisted with removing her helmet, and pressed my lips against her mouth as soon as it was free. She fell into the kiss immediately, a content sigh escaping her sweet lips. Stopping the kiss, I swung my leg over the bike and straightened, before grabbing hold of her waist and pulling her close. "Inside. Strip and wait for me on our bed."
I stared down at her hard when she bit her bottom lip, still frozen on the spot.
"You need to be on your knees. Your arse is mine, baby." Her eyes widened and her chest rose noticeably with the hitch of her breath. "Go on in. I'm going to put my bike away and grab a quick shower. You've got five minutes." It would be the quickest shower in fucking history, but with the flush of her cheeks evident in the soft outdoor lights, there was no way I could hold back any longer.
Nodding, she darted away from me, her sexy giggle trailing behind her as she unlocked the door and headed inside. My cock strained against my zipper in anticipation. Quickly locking away my bike and stowing the helmets, I headed to the main shower rather than the en suite. If I saw her arse raised and waiting for me, I didn't think I'd be able to clean, and after spending hours on the road and time with the fucker Nox, I needed to scrub away the day.
After the quickest shower I was sure I'd ever had, I strolled naked to our room. While Lena hadn't officially moved in, she had enough of her belongings around the house that it wouldn't be long before we made it official. I paused in the open doorway, my cock standing at attention at the sight greeting me.
Perfection.
Relieved I was already naked, I moved behind her, still standing at the end of the bed. "Spread your legs," I demanded. There was that hitch in her breath again, and fuck if the sound didn't make me throb with need. She willingly spread her legs and tilted her head to look back over her shoulder at me. Need washed over her features. "Are you ready for me, baby?"
She nodded, biting that damn bottom lip again. I stepped closer to the bed, my knees pressed against the mattress, and I reached out to her. My fingers found her wet and so ready that I easily slipped two digits into her waiting pussy. She leaned into my touch and gently rocked. "That good, baby?"
She nodded once more. This time, her head bent forward as she took the pleasure I promised. Still working her with my fingers, I kept pace as I knelt on the bed. I then leaned over and pressed a kiss to her arse before I nipped at the roundness of her backside. She shuddered, continuing to move, no longer as steady or as controlled as before.
I repositioned myself to allow her to continue to ride my fingers while stretching a finger out to rub her clit. Her gasp became a scream of pleasure as my free hand made contact with her arse. "Fuck, baby, that's hot. Do you want it again?" She nodded. "I need a yes, Lena."
"Yes," she panted. "Again."
I pulled my fingers out, positioning my cock at her entrance. This time, when my hand smacked down on her cheek, I slammed into her. I watched the red mark appear on her skin and leaned forward, planting a kiss on her back. "What you do to me, baby," I whispered against her skin. I couldn't do gentle or soft. I needed her so fucking bad that I was sure I was going to blow within seconds. I wrapped a hand around to her clit and pressed down, rubbing circles against her tender flesh.
"Come for me, Lena, or do you want my hand on your arse again?"
A throaty laugh escaped her, making me grin. "I'm going to come, but hell, your hand on me like that… fuck, Mace," she gasped out the words as I pounded into her.
"Happy to oblige." I gave one swift smack, not as hard this time. She was already on the edge and didn't need much to send her over. With her pussy contracting around my cock and her scream filling the room, I rocked against her, my eyes flicking between my red handprint and my cock entering her. Heat and lightness spread through my body with the upsurge of my release. Finally it hit, my balls tightening and my cum entering her. She shook against me as her scream faded and I finally stilled.
Sure I was going to collapse from how hard I'd come, I grabbed her waist and dragged her to the side with me still planted inside her. We lay still and silent for a few beats, our breathing slowing.
"Have you ever—?"
"No, baby. Never before." I could imagine the wheels turning in her brain.
She sighed against me. "Me neither." I didn't need to hear her words to know that already. I kissed her head briefly.
"It was fucking amazing." She laughed, causing her to clamp around my cock. I groaned and attempted to hold her still. "Don't laugh. Bloody hell, you trying to kill me?"
My words had the opposite effect and pulled another deep laugh from her. Shit, I was sure my cock was being eaten. Death by Venus Cocktrap! I shared my thoughts, forcing her laughter to spill forth in hysterical gasps. Pulling out swiftly before her cocktrap did some serious damage, I flipped Lena onto her back. Tears of laughter spilled down her cheeks.
"Fuck, baby, I love you. Laugh like that for me every day." The words were unplanned but the truth.
With a smile still on her face, so wide I was sure she was getting sore cheeks, her laughter began to settle. She lifted her hand to my cheek then. "Keep giving me something to laugh and smile about and I'll see what I can do." She lifted up and pressed her lips against mine before pulling back slightly. "I love you, too." Her words were clear and confident. She rested her head back on the pillow, and I searched her eyes, trying to capture this moment.
"Always," I eventua
lly answered before getting out of bed and tugging her with me. "I need another shower. You can lather me up." I threw her a wink and laughed when she smacked my arse.
#####
"Anything else I need to know before I head out?" Kid asked. He was working on a security detail for me, heading out to Perth for a couple of weeks.
"Nope. I think you're good. You should have everything you need. Just try to blend a bit, yeah?" I grinned, knowing that for the group of guys who worked for me, while they scrubbed up well in suits when the occasion called for it, blending in didn't come naturally. With ink a-plenty, various stages of beard growth, and often oil-stained jeans, they kicked off a general bad-arse persona. Throw in the cuts for those who rode with Deadwood, and they stuck out something fierce, especially when escorting clients in tourist areas, which thank fuck rarely happened. Kid in thongs and board shorts was too much of a headfuck to visualise.
It always surprised me the nature and complexity of our clients and details. We handled everything from more hard-core shit like retrieval, as in leave the country to search for and rescue abducted kids, to offering protection detail to groups of businessmen or rich kids. Then there was delivery of goods, of the non-illegal variety. I’d almost stumbled upon the hard-core cases, through a friend of mine, Jenson, who was a British ex-Marine. I had no idea at the time why he didn't go it alone. It was his own team he ran with after all, but I'd already built up a reputation for myself, plus I had contacts all across Australia, which helped with securing work. I was in the process of making Jenson a partner. Having him and his cash on board would mean we could up our provisions and resources significantly. I had no grand plans to go corporate, or to take on many more guys, but joining forces would mean we could work faster and safer, especially on high-risk jobs.
Kid was on escort detail; not playing babysitter as much as watching out for the daughter of a friend of a friend. It was more of a favour than anything, one that I discounted heavily to make possible. The daughter was making the trip to Perth by car. I grinned at Kid. Being without his bike for two weeks would suck balls, but he’d agreed to help me out, with Diesel giving the go-ahead as he saw it as an opportunity to meet up with a charter out west.
