by L. Wilder
It’d only been two days since I last saw Lily, but it felt like much longer. I’d been busy with work and hadn’t been able to see her, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been on my mind. She was all I’d been able to think about. She was supposed to be at the clubhouse any minute for her shift, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off the front door.
When the door opened, I reacted before thinking. She stopped mid-step when she saw me charging towards her. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she saw the angry expression on my face. I didn’t stop until I was face to face with her. I took a moment to let my eyes travel over her outfit one last time before I spoke. She was wearing a mini-skirt with tall black boots and a dark red sweater. The short skirt barely covered the top of her thighs, and the low-cut V-neck sweater was cut way too fucking low. She took a step back when I let out a deep growl of frustration.
“Go home and change, Lil’. You aren’t wearing that here,” I told her firmly.
She looked down at her outfit and then looked back up to me with an angry expression. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? It’s a skirt with boots, Goliath. I like this outfit!” she scowled.
“I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I said to go home and change.”
“I’m not changing, Goliath. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what I’m wearing,” she said, raising her eyebrow defiantly.
“You can do this the easy way or the hard way, but you are changing. Period.” I could feel the vein in my neck pulsing as my anger continued to rise. She was changing out of that damn outfit even if I had to change her myself.
“Go to hell,” she said, trying to push past me so she could get to the bar. I ducked my shoulder into her stomach and wrapped my arms around the back of her legs, lifting her up. Once I wrestled her over my shoulder, she began pounding her fists into my back.
“Put me down, asshole!” she shouted.
“I gave you a chance to do things the easy way. Now, we’ll do things my way,” I told her, carrying her out of the bar. She continued to hit and scream all the way to my truck. When she started to kick her legs, I reached up and slapped her on the ass. Hard. Her body went still with shock. I was a little surprised that I didn’t get more of a reaction out of her, but I was glad she stopped fighting me. I opened the passenger door and tossed her inside. I slammed the door shut and headed over to the driver’s side. She sat defiantly with her arms crossed and just stared at me with fire in her eyes.
“You are insane. You know that, right?” she said furiously.
I didn’t even respond. I was too angry with her. As soon as we pulled into her driveway, she opened her door and stormed into the house. I followed her inside and waited for her to change. She was making a point to take her time, and I was losing my patience. I started down the hall to tell her to hurry up, when I heard her talking to herself. I couldn’t make out what she was saying so I continued to get closer to her room. When I reached her doorway, I noticed that she hadn’t shut the door all the way. Her angry voice drew my attention to the back corner of her room. She was standing with her back to me, and she was only wearing a pair of black lace panties. I couldn’t have looked away even if I’d tried. Seeing her like that made me lose all sense of decency.
She kept mumbling to herself, as she pulled a long sleeve t-shirt over her bare breasts. She was perfect. I closed my eyes and imagined her pressed against me - the scent of her skin, the warmth of her touch. I was consumed with need. I wanted her so badly that it actually hurt not to touch her. I was completely lost in thought, when her door flew open. She was wearing only the t-shirt and panties and was clearly shocked to see me standing there.
“What are you doing?!” she screeched.
“I… I was… Hurry up. I was coming down here to tell you to hurry up. How long does it take to throw on a damn pair of jeans, Lily?”
Chapter 11
Lily
What the hell was wrong with me? I wasn’t the kind of girl that let a man tell me what to do. I made my own decisions. Yet, there I was, in my room, changing clothes because he didn’t like what I was wearing. It was insane. I wasn’t going to do it! He wasn’t going to push me around like that. Hell no.
I grabbed my t-shirt and pulled it over my head, trying to think about how I was going to deal with him. He had to know that he couldn’t keep treating me like some child. I opened my door and found him standing there. I had no idea how long he’d been standing there, but he looked lost in his own thoughts.
“What are you doing?”
“I… I was… Hurry up. I was coming down here to tell you to hurry up. How long does it take to throw on a damn pair of jeans, Lily?” he said with frustration.
“I really don’t get you, Goliath. What makes you think…?” I let out a deep sigh. I took a moment and looked into his eyes, searching for the answers that I needed from him. His words were harsh, but the look in his eyes told so much more than what he said.
“Why are you doing this?” I said softly. I wanted him to open up to me, to explain why he was acting that way. “Why was it so important to you that I come back here and change?”
“You really don’t know?” he asked, leaning in closer to me. He gently brushed my hair behind my ear, never losing eye contact. His eyes both threatened me and adored me at the same time. They burned me down to my soul.
“Tell me. Please, Goliath. I need to know,” I pleaded.
He paused, searching for his words. He took a step closer, and I could feel the warmth of his breath on my neck as he whispered in my ear, “A light radiates from you, Lily, and I want to do everything I can to protect it. Even if that means pissing you off by making you cover up that hot little body of yours. Do you even know what it would do to me if one of those assholes put their hands on you? I wouldn’t be able to hold back.”
“I can handle it, Goliath. I’m stronger than you think,” I told him.
“You’re one of the strongest people I know. You’re a fighter. When someone tells you that you can’t do something, there’s a fire inside of you fighting to prove them wrong,” he said shaking his head. A small smile crossed his face as he continued, “The way your nose crinkles when you’re mad. That’s about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. But then there’s Sweet Lily…. The few times I’ve seen Sweet Lily are my favorite. I’d do just about anything for that side of you.”
“Goliath….” I didn’t even know what to say. He’d given me more than I ever expected by sharing that with me.
“I don’t want to take chances on anything happening to you. You think you have to do all this on your own, but you don’t have to. You just have to trust me.”
I stood there staring at him, unable to put my feelings into words. There were too many things I wanted to say, but none of them seemed important anymore.
“I know I’m getting to you, and you’re fighting it…. Hell, we’ve both been fighting it, but I’ll tell you now… I’m not letting you go,” he said as he brought his hands up to my face and pressed his lips to mine. His arms wrapped around my waist, and I could feel my body ignite with his touch. The kiss was gentle, but when I pressed my body against his and opened my mouth to him, he couldn’t hold back. The kiss was demanding and intense. He kissed me with all the urgency and need we’d both felt over the past few weeks. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. I couldn’t get enough of him. I moaned as his hands roamed over my back and rested on my ass, pulling me closer to him. I reached up, my fingers tangling in his hair, urging him on, demanding more. He lifted my legs up around his waist as he slammed my back against the wall. I tilted my hips, grinding against his erection. I wanted more of him. Needed him.
A deep growl vibrated through his chest as he released me from our embrace. He slowly lowered my feet to the floor, and I immediately felt the loss of our connection. He brought his hand to my chin, tilted my head, and forced me to look at him.
“More than I ever imagined.”
“What?” I asked.
“Eager Lily. She’s more than I ever imagined.” I could see the lust in his eyes, and I knew he wanted more, but he didn’t take it. Instead, he kissed me lightly on my forehead and said, “I need to get you back. They’ll wonder where you are.”
“Okay,” I replied as I took the tips of my fingers and ran them over my lips. I liked the way they felt swollen from our kiss. He did that. He made me want to be marked by him.
Without saying another word, I went back to my room, shutting the door behind me. When I walked back to the living room wearing my jeans and boots, all I got was a nod of approval from him. It was enough. I understood why it was important to him. I didn’t necessarily agree with him, but I understood. That was all I needed for right then.
When we finally made it back to the clubhouse, several of the guys were gathered around the bar talking with Cindy and some hot little number I’d never seen before. She was standing between Otis and Sheppard, and she seemed to have their full attention. She had curly dark brown, almost black, hair that was draped over her shoulder. She was wearing dark skinny jeans with tall black boots and a black leather jacket. She was trying to look like a biker babe, but something just didn’t fit. With her heavy makeup and large breasts, she looked like she should’ve had her legs wrapped around a pole, not a bike.
When I walked up, Sheppard gave me a bright smile and said, “There she is. Now, you can all stop your bitching.”
“Sorry, I’m late guys. I had to run home for a minute,” I tried to explain. They all smiled and gave me nods hello, easing my worry about being late.
“I want a beer, doll,” the slut bag said, flipping her hair to the side.
“Okay. Anyone else need anything?” I asked as I made my way behind the bar. There was something about her that just grated on my nerves, but I didn’t want to seem like a bitch about it.
“Grab us all a beer,” Otis said, ogling his new fantasy girl. Otis was the youngest member in the club, and he still had a lot to learn. He was covered in tattoos and piercings, but he still had that schoolboy look. His skin was tan, but still showed signs of acne. He was slim but muscular. It was obvious that he tried to take care of himself. The new hot momma slipped her arm around his. She stepped closer to him, shoving her tits in his face as she reached for her beer. Yeah. She was really getting on my nerves.
Cindy walked over to me and motioned to the new chick, “This is Brandie. You’ll be seeing lots of her, since she’s decided to be one of the new Fallen girls.”
Brandie watched to see my reaction, but I didn’t give anything away. I knew I shouldn’t care what those girls did at the clubhouse, but it bothered me. I didn’t like why they were there, and I didn’t want to have any part of it.
“Nice to meet you, Brandie. If you need anything, just let me know,” I told her with the fakest smile I could muster.
Brandie’s eyes left mine when she noticed Goliath walking in our direction. Her eyes seductively roamed over him as he approached the bar. I could hear a faint sigh escape her lungs as she took him in. When he reached for the beer I had placed on the bar for him, Brandie made her move. She slipped out of Otis’s grasp and walked straight up to Goliath. She pressed the palms of hands against his chest and let them slowly wander down towards his hips. Yep, I was pretty sure I was gonna have to hurt her.
“Aren’t you a tall drink of water?” she said, letting her eyes roam over his body. “I’d like to climb you like a tree, handsome. Why don’t we go somewhere and get to know each other a little better?” she purred. What a slut bag! I bet having sex with her was like throwing a hot dog down a hallway.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide my jealousy, so I turned my back to them, making myself busy throwing away all the empty beer bottles. I couldn’t make out what they were saying because of the loud crashes the bottles made when they hit the metal trash can. When I turned back around, Goliath had her hand and was leading her down the hall. My heart dropped. It felt like someone had ripped it out of my chest and thrown it on the floor. My throat tightened, and I instantly felt like I was going to be sick as the bile rose from my stomach.
How could I be so stupid? I knew that was the kind of life bikers led, but I was dumb enough to think things were different with Goliath. I was such a fucking idiot. My imagination was running wild. I wondered if he was kissing her, just like he’d kissed me less than thirty minutes ago. Did she have her legs wrapped around him, wanting him to take her right there at the club? Of course she did. That’s why she was there. Fuck! He told me to trust him, and he took that trust and stomped it in the ground. I felt like such a damn fool.
I was about to really lose it. I wanted to take those empty bottles and slam them against the wall. I was just about to do something reckless when Brandie came walking back into the bar. She was smiling, but I saw her brush away a tear from under her eyelashes. The corners of her eye makeup were smudged, and I could tell that she’d been crying. What the hell was that about? I looked back towards the hall and saw Goliath standing there with his arms crossed, staring at me. Relief washed over me when I realized nothing had happened between them, but the look on his face worried me. I had no doubt that my worry had been written all over my face, and now he was pissed. He knew I didn’t trust him, and I didn’t know what to say to him. The truth was, I really didn’t know him well enough to know what he’d do with a girl like that. He’d never given me any reason not to trust him, but I couldn’t stop myself from thinking the worst. My heart was still aching, but now it was for a different reason. It hurt because I knew I had hurt him.
My eyes locked with his. I stood there waiting to see what he would say, waiting for him to say ‘I told you so’, or to say something…. Instead, I got nothing. He shook his head and walked past me, heading over to the pool table. He grabbed a pool stick and began playing a game with Doc and Melinda. He never looked back over in my direction. I’d screwed up, and I knew it.
Brandie seemed totally unaffected by whatever had transpired between them. She was back flirting with Otis and Sheppard, and they were loving it. I rolled my eyes and decided to just try and keep busy. I was relieved when Courtney walked through the front door. She was alone, but she gave me a big smile when she noticed me at the bar.
She rushed over to me like she was about to burst and said, “Guess what!”
“What!” I said trying to sound excited.
“Bobby said he wanted to take me somewhere special over my Christmas break! I think he has something planned. Do you think he’s going to give me a jacket like Taylor’s?”
“I’d say he’s a complete idiot if he doesn’t. It’s obvious that he’s crazy over you, girl. Maybe he’s finally coming to his senses.”
“I hope so. I really do love him,” she explained.
“You don’t have to tell me. Anyone can see that. You two are perfect for each other,” I told her. When she laughed, I couldn’t help but laugh with her. I really liked her, and I was glad she was so excited. I hoped he wouldn’t screw it up.
“Tessa and Taylor are on their way. We need to plan a girl’s night out. Maybe next weekend we could head over to Matt’s and go dancing!”
“I’d like that. I’ll have to see if I can find someone to run the bar for me,” I told her.
“Doc could do it. He was filling in for Jessica before you got hired. I’ll get Tessa to set it up. Yay! I love girl’s night! Do you like to dance? I love to dance! I haven’t been in such a long time. Bobby doesn’t like to dance very much, so I haven’t gotten to go. This is gonna be sooo great!” she said excitedly.
I looked in Goliath’s direction, and he was still avoiding me. At first, it pissed me off that he was acting that way. It was a legitimate mistake. He was being a complete asshole, but I couldn’t stop looking over at him. I missed the warmth of his eyes on me. Oddly enough, it made me feel safe knowing he was watching over me. Now, I felt a little lost. Like part of myself was missing.
“You got something on your mind? You seem like you�
�re in a different world over there,” Courtney asked.
“I’m fine. It’s just been a long day.”
“I know what you mean. This time of year is always tough. The kids at school have completely checked out. They could care less about Mesopotamia and Sargon. They are all about getting out of school, so they can stay up all night talking to their friends. I feel like I’m wasting my time even being there.”
Tessa walked up just as Courtney was explaining how bad things were at school, and said, “Amen to that! They’re driving me out of my mind. If one more kid throws an eraser across the room, I’m going to string them up by their toes like a piñata!” We all laughed. I had no idea how they did it. There was no way I could be stuck in a classroom full of kids all day long.
“Have y’all met the new girl yet?” I asked, nodding my head over in Brandie’s direction.
“Bishop told me about her, but I haven’t met her yet. What do you think of her?” Tessa asked.
“You’ll see for yourself. Just sit back and enjoy the show. She’s good… real good,” I said sarcastically. Tessa raised her eyebrow and looked over at Brandie. She was nestled between Sheppard’s legs. She had her arms wrapped around his neck while her fingers played with his hair. He was eating it up. Her breasts were pressed against his chest, and he was absolutely loving every minute of it. Yes, he was definitely getting laid that night.
“Oh my god! Isn’t Cindy enough? Now, we have to deal with that hoochie momma. I’m gonna end up losing it on one of these girls before it’s all said and done. They get on my last damn nerve,” Courtney huffed.
“Just ignore them, Court. The new will wear off of this chick before the night is over, and the guys will find something else to obsess over,” Tessa said, trying to smooth things over.
Courtney let out a deep sigh and said, “You’re right. I’m sure she’s a lovely girl.” She rolled her eyes, and we all laughed out hysterically. Several of the guys looked over in our direction, and I laughed even harder.
