by Erin Trejo
We pull up to the dance studio and I climb out feeling a little buzzed from the amount of whiskey I drank. Following Steele inside, he holds the door as I walk past him. Knox looks up from the desk with some new girl they are training. I sigh. I’m losing my place here, too. Defeat is a bitch to swallow.
“Don’t even think that shit,” Steele growls near my ear.
“What shit?”
“That you’re being replaced. I know what you’re thinking and that’s not it. Callan has other plans for you.” I look up at Knox because this is news to me. Callan hasn’t said two words to me since the night I spilled my past to them. It’s a little strange to lay in his bed every single night but not have him speak a single word to me.
“What?”
“Just go down and meet Whisper in the last room.” Steele walks off and I drag myself down the hall. When I step inside the last room, I stop in my tracks. Whisper is in a tutu surrounded by little girls dressed much the same but they aren’t dancing to ballet music. The sight in front of me makes me laugh out loud. Whisper spins and catches my attention, waving me over.
“What is this?”
“This is our new Sunday class. ‘Hip Hop Divas.’” I laugh again and it feels so good.
“In tutu’s?” She nods and wiggles her eyebrows before turning to the girls.
“This is Shane. She is going to be your new teacher! Are you excited?” New teacher? I can’t even dance that well.
“What?”
“This is your class. They’re all four and five.”
“I don’t get it. Don’t they need like a real dance teacher? Like one that knows how to dance?”
“I’ve seen you dance.” That voice sends a chill down my spine. I turn to see Callan walking toward me, sweat dripping from his body. He’s been in classes most of the day, so it’s expected. He walks closer, grabbing my hand in his and pulling me toward the door. Whisper laughs before she starts talking to the girls again. Callan leads me across the hall and into one of the other rooms, closing the door and locking it. My heart beats a little faster now.
I watch as he walks over to the phone docks and sets his phone in it before turning the volume up. Montell Jordan’s Get it On Tonight remix starts blasting through the room. Callan moves to stand in front of me across the room as I watch him. I watch his shoulders roll, sweat still coating his flesh, begging to be touched. His hips begin to pop and I can’t stop watching him. He moves so perfectly. Coming toward me, he crocks his finger at me, telling me to come toward him.
“I can’t, Callan.” He smirks, rolling his hips as he gets closer.
“I’ve seen you, babe. Come on. Let’s see what you got.” This is a switch. He isn’t pushing me away. So I go with it. I start to move, just a little when he grabs my hip in his hand, jerking me closer. Closing my eyes, I let the beat fill me just like Whisper told me to do. Then I let it take over me. Each move feels right. Each roll of my hips, each touch of his warm flesh against mine is perfection. He spins me out away from his body before pulling me back into his chest. His eyes are burning with a fire that I wish I could touch. His hips jerk, pop forward and then roll as he holds my hip in one hand. The heat between us is stifling but I don’t want it any other way. Grabbing the back of my neck, he spins me around as I duck under his arm before he yanks me closer—my back to his front. His lips come down on neck, slowly licking his way up until he meets my ear. Then he sucks the lobe into his mouth and I moan. The music is still blasting, the beat on fire but he’s slowed us way down. His movements are slower, more calculated than they were and his lips never leave my skin. They keep moving, kissing, sucking until my legs shake.
“Callan.”
“Shh, just feel it,” he whispers in my ear as he moves us toward the wall. My face presses against the glass mirror as he sucks harder. Then he’s pulling back slightly, pulling me off the glass and grabbing my chin so that I’m forced to look into his eyes in the reflection. I’ve never seen anything as fucking hot as this. Callan keeps moving his body but I’m still, stuck in a haze that he’s created around us. His hands move over my body, wrapping around my stomach as he moves back in. Slowly his hips grind into my ass, his cock hard and ready. My cheeks flush, heat coiling inside of me.
“Turn around and watch me,” he says, pulling back. I spin around and watch as he hits the floor rolling his hips. I’ve never wanted to be a floor until this very moment. Cal looks up at me under his dark lashes, hooded and lust filled. My mouth slowly parts as he jumps back up. He spins, grabbing at the button on his jeans. He kicks his shoes off, kicking them off to the side as he messes with the front of his jeans. Then they’re down, his boxers with them. He nods at my clothes, raising an eyebrow when I don’t move. Slowly I pull my shirt off and move to my shorts next. His eyes widen, his nostrils flaring as he holds his cock in his hand. He never stops moving either and the way his muscles cord and release with each movement has me wanting to jump the man.
“Come here, Shane.” I move toward him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He rolls his hips and his cock presses into me. I moan, his lips coming to my chin. He sucks my chin into his mouth until I nearly lose my balance. His hands wrap around me, lifting me by the ass as he quickly stalks toward the other side of the room. Slamming me against the wall, his mouth devours mine. The slowness is gone, replaced by a feral version of Callan. My panties are pushed to the side right before he thrusts into me. I gasp at the full feeling he gives me.
“Watch us. Watch me in the mirror,” he growls before his thrusts pick up. Each slap of our bodies together, the way our sweat mixes and becomes one, that feeling is everything. He’s everything.
I can’t tear my eyes away from the mirror. I can’t stop watching the savage way he’s fucking me right now. His toned ass, the muscles in his back. I can see every little movement and God help me, I love it. I cry out his name as he pumps into me harder, deeper. Heat spirals out of control inside of me and I can’t hold on any longer. I come hard, my teeth sinking into his shoulder. Callan growls and unleashes inside of me. Both of us are panting for air but he doesn’t make a move to pull out of me.
“Did I hurt your face?” he asks softly, his lips brushing my neck.
“No.”
“Good.”
“What is this, Callan?”
“I don’t know, Shane. I don’t know.”
21
Callan
“I don’t care what you have to do. I said find her!” I roar into the phone.
“Still nothing?” Steele asks leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.
“No. They can’t find her. How the fuck is she in our goddamn town and no one can find her?” Anger claws at my throat. This is bullshit. It’s all bullshit. Carol Alder has managed to go missing in the matter of a few days. We had people on her, watching her. Apparently they aren’t as good as our dear old dad wanted us to believe or they are half-assing the job because he’s no longer here. Either way that’s earning them a death sentence.
“She’s not far.”
“Why did you never tell us what you knew? Or thought you knew?” Steele blows out a breath and moves into the room, sitting in the chair in front of the desk. It feels odd to be sitting in my dad’s old office like this.
“I didn’t have anything concrete. I didn’t want to bother you guys with something I didn’t have hard facts on. You and Knox were doing well in school and that’s just the way it should have been,” he simply states.
“And what about you? You think you didn’t deserve more than what he handed you? He almost killed you, Steele.” Steele cracks that dark grin of his and I shake my head.
“But did I die?”
“Fuck off.” He laughs. Asshole.
“I’m here, Cal. I’m not going anywhere. Dad thought he could break me because I got too close. He should have covered his tracks a little better and maybe I wouldn’t have found out so much. That was all on him. I just didn’t think you and Knox nee
ded to be dragged into it.” I nod my head and run my hand through my hair before looking back at him.
“What’s going on with Intensity?” With that question, his face hardens.
“Cleaning up. The structural damage was only on the south end so we can rebuild that. It won’t take much.”
“I can’t believe that bitch actually tried to blow us up,” I say through a dark chuckle.
“Me either. And she had the balls to come here before that?” he huffs shaking his head.
“We need to find her. You get anything on the little girl?” Somewhere deep down I want her found. I want Shane to have that peace of mind, to know that she’s safe and out of harm’s way but that hasn’t been the case yet.
“Just that she was adopted out of Canton. I’ve got people on it. They’ll find her.” I nod when he talks again. “What’s the plan when we do find her?” I jerk my gaze to his and sigh.
“Nothing. Just make sure she’s protected until we handle this shit with Carol.”
“And Matt?” he asks.
“That’s an easy one. I planned on handling those two this weekend.”
“That right? Were you going to fill us in on your vigilante shit?” he growls. This brotherhood of ours has worked so well in the past because we do things together. We never stray far from our pack and that’s how we keep each other safe.
“I wasn’t. I thought about it, but I wanted to handle this myself. Matt made this shit personal, Steele.”
“I know that but that means nothing in the long run, and you know it. We’re Alder’s. We stick together. Always have, Callan. You can’t change that now,” he adds with a stern tone.
“Fine. I want Shane there though.”
“Nope. Not a chance in hell.” Steele shoves out of the chair and heads for the door, but I follow right behind him. He isn’t fucking this up for me.
“She’s going,” I state.
“No, she’s not.”
“What are we talking about?” Knox asks as he comes down the steps looking between us.
“He wants to handle Matt,” Steele says.
“And?”
“And I’m taking Shane.”
“No, you’re not,” Knox states. Steele chuckles.
“This isn’t your choice. It’s mine! My plan, my way, my say.” They both turn to look at me, eyes narrowed.
“Why? Give me one good reason why she needs to be there and then I’ll decide,” Knox says, challenging me.
“I’ve pushed her. I’ve messed with her head over something that wasn’t even her fault, man. I said things, did things… I need her to see that I’m done. I’m done fighting this thing between us. She’s mine and I want her to know that I protect what’s mine.” Steele blows out a long breath, but Knox just stands there nodding.
“Fine. She goes,” Knox says, brushing past us on his way to the kitchen. Steele turns to look at me, really look at me.
“You sure? You can’t go around claiming her as yours and regret it later, Cal. It’s not how we work.” I nod.
“I’ve thought this over. I’ve fought myself, Steele. My heart never changes even though that bastard is darker than it’s ever been. I still love her and there is nothing I can do to change that.”
“Would you want to?” Her voice has me closing my eyes. I tip my head back and take a breath before turning to look at her.
“No,” I say firmly.
“I don’t know what to say here. I saw how you hurt but I also saw how you grew, Cal,” he says with a shrug. “Who the hell am I to tell you what to do? You’re a grown ass man.” Steele slaps a hand across my chest before walking past me and giving Shane a smile. I turn and walk toward her, pulling her into my arms.
“I’ve fucked up a lot over the years but you were never a fuck up, Shane. You were what I wanted but my dad wouldn’t let me have you. I didn’t want you hurt, I just need you to know that.” She smiles and presses her lips to mine, nothing else needing to be said. Her tongue sneaks into my mouth and I groan. When I pull back, I run my finger down the angry red mark down her face. The stitches are still in place but it’s healing.
“It’s ugly.”
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper.
“It’s ugly, Callan. Don’t lie.” I smirk at her little attitude.
“It’s beautiful, Shane, and do you know why?” She shakes her head. “Because you lived. She could have really hurt you that day.”
“What are you going to do to her?” I know why she’s asking. She’s worried about her little girl and that kills me. I don’t want to touch Carol until I know that kid is safe, but that’s proving to be harder than I thought it would be.
“She isn’t going to live for what she’s done,” I tell her. “Neither is Matt.” Her mouth drops open as she looks up at me.
“What?”
“Did you think I’d let him live for hurting you? For taking something from you that you can never get back? No, baby. Not a chance in hell will he keep breathing.”
“You can’t do that.” She steps out of my hold and I’m confused. I cock my head to the side and study her for a long minute before I ask, “Why not?”
“You can’t have that on your conscience, Callan.” I laugh darkly, the mood turning darker and darker.
“Do you think I haven’t killed before?” I ask, cocking my head to the side. Her eyes flash to mine and in this moment, I know she’s torn. Reality versus what she believes. Me versus who she thought I was. I step toward her, my hand coming to rest on her cheek, my thumb stroking her soft skin.
“Please don’t,” she whispers.
“You have to know, Shane. I’m not the good guy. Not when I grew up an Alder. We don’t have that luxury. We were made into what we are today and there is nothing that can change that. The question now is; can you handle that part of my life?” When she doesn’t answer me, anger surges inside of me.
“This is a lot, Callan.”
“I know it is but you’re not going anywhere.”
22
Shane
Sweat drips down the back of my neck as I pick up busted bricks and toss them into the bin. We’ve been at Intensity for hours cleaning up. The guys could have hired someone to come out and do this but they didn’t want to. This club means something to them and they wanted to handle it themselves. It’s admirable yet tiring all at the same time.
“Your ass is looking good in those little shorts,” Knox says. I turn to look at who he’s talking to when I see it’s me. I flip him off and he chuckles before going back to cleaning.
“While we’re all here, I just want to say thank you. Intensity has been something special to me for years and this just broke my heart,” Leddy says, catching everyone’s attention. It isn’t just us that are here. The town has pulled together to help out and that’s an amazing feeling. “This club, it’s been my lifeline and I know many others that it’s saved too.” Her eyes fall on Whisper as she smiles back.
“We got this. This place means something to all of us. It’s our outlet,” Steele says. Everyone cheers before getting back to work. I see Callan across the room helping Steele load some of the bigger stuff. His shirts off, his muscles flexing. It’s a damn sight to see.
“You’re staring,” Whisper says.
“So what? Look at them!” I state, waving my hand up and down to make my point. Whisper laughs and leans into me, wrapping her arm around my waist.
“He’s happier now with you here.”
“He said some things to me that threw me off a little.”
“Like what?” I turn to look at her and shrug.
“Doesn’t matter. I don’t think I could leave him even if I wanted to.”
“You can’t.” Glancing over my shoulder, I see those words came from Knox.
“I’m not a prisoner,” I remind him.
“Maybe not but you still can’t leave. He won’t let you.” I roll my eyes and go back to work when I hear Callan’s voice thundering through the large space. Whispe
r and I share a look before looking to him. His phone is to his ear, his face a mask. It’s hard as stone. I’ve never seen him like this before. I can practically feel the fury swirling around the room, kicking up dust like a tornado. Then he turns and looks at me. Something passes over his features and a dark smile curls his lips. He hangs up the phone, slips it into his pocket and says something to Steele but never takes his eyes off me.
“Oh, that is probably not a good look,” Whisper says. “Which makes it even sexier. Damn.”
Steele and Callan move through the room, coming toward us. Steele stops to tell Leddy something before he nods to Knox. Callan is in front of me in a few short strides, grabbing my hand and dragging me from the building. As soon as we step outside, I take a deep breath, glad to get some air in my lungs that doesn’t have concrete particles attached to it.
“We have to move now.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“Matt is plotting something. He and your mom are at the house now. We need to finish this shit with them,” he says looking me in the eye. I shake my head slowly unsure of what to say.
“I don’t know…”
“I want you there. I want you to see that he will never hurt you again, Shane. I need you to see that I love you so much that I will do anything for you.” My mouth hangs open; words stick in my throat. Callan just grins at me.
“Do I have to help?” The words barely come out as a squeak. I’m not sure I have the stomach to actually hurt someone.
“No. I just want you to know he’s gone,” Callan clarifies, wrapping his large hand around the back of my neck and squeezing. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to, Shane. I just—” Before he can finish, I answer.
“I’ll go.” Another smile tugs across his face, this one lighter than the last. He pulls me closer, crashing his mouth against mine in a heated kiss that has me panting for more. When he pulls back the others are outside and ready to go.
