Withstanding Me

by Crystal Spears

  “WHAT THE FUCK!”

  Oh lookie, it’s Travis.

  Sniper takes out the doorman with a single shot while I head for Travis. He tries drawing on me, and I shot him in the arm. His gun collapses to the floor. Gunshots ring out all over the building. But I don’t care. I’m on a fuckin mission, and this mission is to make this prick suffer for even setting his eyeballs on my fuckin daughter.

  “You wanted fuckin peace. You remember those fuckin words?” Braxxon laughs out.

  I tuck my gun in my back pocket and grab the back of Travis’ neck. I slam his face into the pool table beside us. I push my knee into his lower back and straighten his arms along the table. He’s strong; I’ll give him that. He’s putting up a fight. But he’s no match for a father fuckin scorned. Once I have his arms straightened, I lift up my machete and whack off his right arm at the elbow. He’s screaming and thrashing about. It’s piercing my eardrums, and that just pisses me off more. I whack the other one off while blood shoots out everywhere. “Fucked with the wrong daughter.” I laugh, and even to my own ears, it’s malicious. “Bleed out motherfucker.” I lift my knee from his back, and let him slide to the floor as he passes out from blood loss or shock. I don’t know which, and I don’t give a fuck.

  “Damn ZZ. Feel better?” Sniper chuckles. “They left five fuckin guys here and their Prez. How fuckin stupid are they?”

  That is pretty fucked up. The door pushes open, and Bom Bom walks in with the can of gasoline, and hands it to Braxxon.

  “Thanks darlin,” he winks.

  “No problem, heading back now.”

  Well that was rather easy.

  “Sniper, Pyro, back door.” Braxxon orders.

  They take off outta the building to watch the backdoor. Ten to one someone’s hiding in here somewhere.

  I watch as Braxxon drowns the furniture and floor with the gasoline. He puts the can under his arm and digs out a match. I start walking towards the door and wait for him to light it. Braxxon throws the match down, and the place goes up in flames as we walk out. We wait to see if anyone is gonna run out, and after a few minutes, we walk around the building. When we round the corner, Pyro has his foot on someone’s head.

  “Got a straggler.”

  Braxxon flicks his hand with the gas can in it, and Pyro puts a bullet into his head.

  “Great day at the office, brothers.” Braxxon chuckles as we climb onto our ladies.

  Fuck yeah it was. I’m covered in fuckin blood though, and I’m ready to take a fuckin shower. I reach into my saddlebag, pull out my Breakneck coat, and throw it on over my bloodied cut. Can’t be gettin stopped by the damn cops, that’d be fun explainin.

  “Let’s go home.”

  Those are the best fuckin words I’ve heard all damn morning.

  ***

  When we pull into the compound, I see Storm at one of the picnic tables playing on her laptop. I backup and throttle m’lady. I never take my eyes off of her as I make my way over to her. Whatever she’s looking at has her so damn focused, she didn’t even look up when we pulled in. I don’t like that shit. We’re on lockdown.

  “Babe?” I question, and she still doesn’t look up when she greets me back.

  “Hey, good ride?”

  Well… Shit. How to answer that? Turns out, I don’t need to because my silence causes her to look up. Her eyes immediately travel to the blood all over my gloves. She’s not shocked; she just slowly shuts her laptop, picks it up, and motions for me to follow her. I’m a bit lost for words here. What the fuck is she thinkin?

  We make our way to her room, and she tosses her laptop onto her bed and flips on her bathroom light. Okay, what the fuck is she doing? She’s bending down underneath the sink and comes back up with a first aid box and what looks to be a bathroom trash bag. She starts ripping them apart and laying them on the floor in a giant square. After she’s satisfied, she opens the first aid box, and I’m about to tell her I’m not hurt, that it’s not my blood, but she pulls out a pair of rubber gloves and puts them on.

  She turns back to me, takes off my blood covered gloves, and tosses them onto the trash bags. She proceeds to do this with my jacket, cut, and the rest of my clothes. By the time she’s done, I’m standing in front of her completely naked. “Get in the shower Mason.”

  Not gonna argue with the woman. I climb in, turn on the hot water, and lean against the shower wall. Instead of looking at me, she’s rolling the trash bags over my clothes and picking them up. “I’m guessing Berry knows what to do with this shit? I don’t know the first thing about cleanin blood outta leather.”

  I bite back my smile. “Yeah, Ma can do it.”

  She curses. “I’m bringing up bleach, and you will use it.”

  I’m not arguing with her because I wanna sleep in bed with her, and I have a feelin if I try and fight her on this I’m gonna be sleepin in my own bed tonight. “Yes, ma’am.” I grin at her.

  “Mason,” she snaps.

  I don’t get to say anything else because she stomps off with my bloody murder clothes in her arms.

  Chapter 29

  Storm

  Two weeks later…

  Everything has been going good between Mason and me. Things have also been quiet, and the guys finally let us go back and forth between the compound and Club Sated. Winter is still raving pissed about what happened to Tatiana, so she’s called Shadow down and wants me to sit with her. I guess she’s trying to give me something to listen to… hell I don’t know. I’m just so horny and bored. I’m about to blow this popsicle stand and hunt down Mason to have my way with him. It’s been over two weeks, and the doctor said if the bleeding stopped, it was my call when I was ready again. He said two to six weeks is the average healing time. Guess what? It’s been two weeks, and I want Mason.

  “Winter… c’mon already,” I whine.

  She looks up from her paperwork and frowns. “What the hell is with you?”

  I throw my head back on the couch, and she tosses her papers down and laughs at me.

  “Not funny. Mason was gone with Mace when I woke up; he also went to bed after me last night. I need to find Mason,” I growl. “And I’m finally not sore a.n.y.w.h.e.r.e.” I stress the word.

  “Oh…”

  Yeah, oh, dammit!

  “Shadow, perfect timing. Storm’s restless today.” She grins, and I look over to see a very confused Shadow. Always fuckin sneaking up on people.

  “Winter, what’s goin on?”

  Good choice of words dude. She says nothing, and when he sits down beside her, she hands him the papers. He skims over them, looks up at her, and then looks back down to skim again.

  “I see what you want to do… but what the fuck does that have to do with me?” He finally says.

  “I want you to do the screening phase. You don’t have to manage the damn place. I have Storm for that.”

  Wait. What?

  “Look Shadow. This shit wouldn’t have happened to Tatiana if that damn club paid attention to its members. It’s no secret that I’m playing monopoly in this town. It was bound to happen eventually. This just forces me to do it sooner. It’ll practically be your club. You’ll be the man who screens the members. They don’t abide by the rules then you boot their asses out. You can help me make this club the way it needs to be to steal clients from the other club. Worst case scenario, you have a new playground.” She giggles at her own joke then throws her hands up. “I don’t know shit about that world. I need you, plain and simple Shadow.”

  More businesses? Another club?

  “I’m in.” He drops the paperwork, stands, and walks off.

  “Fuckin awesome!”

  Glad she’s excited. “When were you gonna tell me I had another club I was gonna be managing soon?”

  She clucks for a moment. “Just now. Oh, don’t get your panties in a twist bitch. You know damn well you’re gonna wanna stay busy.”

  I hate that she’s right about that. I get way too damn bored. “What about f
inishing my degree?”

  She shrugs. “You don’t need it to work for me. But if you want it for your own validation, switch to online classes or something. Or continue going to your classes. I don’t care. You only go two nights a week anyways.”

  I’m not even in school right now because of all this shit.

  “Angel… whatcha doin?”

  Yay, he probably knows where Mason is.

  “Braxxon, where’s ZZ?”

  He looks at me, studying me. I hate when these fuckers do that. “He’s over at the old clubhouse playing pool with Mace.”

  I jump up. “See ya later, bitch,” I call over my shoulder.

  “What’s with her?” I hear Braxxon ask.

  “She’s horny.” Winter answers.

  Yes. I. Am.

  I make my way over to the old clubhouse, fling open the door, and walk down the hall. I’m also on the shot now, so this is gonna be some awesome sex. I do a scan of the place, and it’s only Mason and Mace playing pool. I see no one else. I whisper to Mace to get lost for a bit; he chuckles and walks away. Mason has a ‘what the fuck’ face on until I climb onto the pool table, edging the balls outta my path, my skirt rising with each movement. I didn’t wear any panties just for this. I wanted him wherever I found him. His grip tightens around the cue stick, and I lick my lips. Fuck, I want him.

  I reach up and grab his cut, jerking his lips to mine and the cue stick goes flying across the room. I giggle against his lips as he growls. I love when he does that. It rumbles through my entire body. “I need you,” I mumble against his lips, “in me now.”

  He makes quick work freeing his cock as I sit on the edge of the table, wrapping my legs around him. Mason throws me back so that I’m lying flat on the pool table. He settles himself in between my legs and then lifts my shirt, bringing his lips down to suck on my exposed hip as he rams into me. As he sucks on my hip, I feel the cool metal from the barbell in his mouth, pinching at my skin. It’s erotic, and I find that I love all of his piercings even more. I start contracting around his cock, and he jerks up quickly, hitting his head on the light above the pool table.

  “FUCK!” He speeds up. “Again!”

  I moan and keep tightening myself against him. His arms swoop under mine, and he lifts me off the table and starts bouncing me hard against him as he stands up straight.

  “Don’t fuckin stop, Mason!”

  He groans, before flicking my nose stud with his tongue. “I’ve wanted to do that for so fuckin long,” he grits out. “It fuckin beams at me.”

  I want him to come so hard he can’t see straight, so I tighten against him even harder as I push my fingers through his hair and yank.

  “JESUS FUCK!”

  Yes, yes, yes. The sound of his balls smacking against me echoes through our panting.

  “HARDER,” I scream.

  He moves backwards to the communal couch and lets me fall back as he quickly places my legs on his shoulders and pushes my legs against his chest.

  “Oh god!” I moan as each hard thrust hits my cervix and my belly begins to pull.

  “That’s it baby; fuckin come all over my cock!” He growls, smacking my ass.

  I scream as my orgasm hits, my toes, legs, arms, everything going numb. He roars and thrusts harder into me as he releases his come into my pussy. I’m shaking as my body calms down, and he continues to thrust until he starts going limp.

  “That was fucking hot!”

  Mason goes stiff, and I fling my head off the couch to see Pyro clapping his hands. I throw my head back on the couch. “Go the fuck away,” I groan.

  “I think I just might. I need to release myself after watching that.”

  Mason’s body goes even stiffer, and I squeeze my pussy around his cock to gain his attention again. “Let it go,” I whisper.

  He nods and pulls himself out, and helps me sit up.

  “Looks like you’re finally takin advantage of that time,” Pyro laughs.

  What?

  “I’m gonna fuckin kill you,” Mason growls, running after him while tucking himself away.

  Well alrighty then.

  ***

  I go looking for Mason when I spot Winter watching both Pyro and Mason wrestling like a bunch of fucking kids. Mace stands on the sidelines laughing his ass off, and I just shake my head. He really does look like his dad.

  I plop down next to Winter and see that she’s clutching something white.

  “Winter?” I question.

  “I’m pregnant.” She smiles, titling the pregnancy test up at me.

  I thought that maybe I might feel some sort of resentment because she’s pregnant now and I no longer am, but all I am is happy for her and Braxxon.

  “Well, what are you waiting for? Go tell him!”

  She bites her lip. I guess you would say it’s one of our nervous tick things. Piper, me, and Winter all do it.

  “Yeah, you’re right. See ya.”

  And just like that, she’s gone.

  ***

  Chapter 30

  Happy Breakneck News Never Lasts Long

  Storm

  Braxxon was so happy about Winter being pregnant that he decided on a family cookout the next day for dinner. Everyone is laughing, joking around, and just having fun. Stress free and it feels good. Mason’s in the middle of feeding me baked macaroni when Braxxon gets a call that he doesn’t look thrilled at all about. He nods for the guys to follow him inside and Mason grumbles. “I’m sorry babe. I’ll be back.” And he tosses the fork down on our plate. Well, that happiness was short lived as always.

  “It’s always something,” Winter complains, and I shrug. Can’t do nothing about it now. We’re in too deep with these guys.

  “Awe. Look at Berry and James, they look so cute together,” I croon because they honestly do.

  “Yeah, she’s got more free time since the grandbabies are gone. Y’all never see those parents. Those grandbabies belonged to James and Hammer’s daughters. They stay far away. The hit on us was the last straw for them, and they came and scooped up their kids last night. Not that I blame them.”

  I always wondered about that but never questioned it. I didn’t feel like it was my place.

  “You heard from your mom?” I ask her.

  “Yeah, she signed the papers and got the hell outta the US.”

  I would have too.

  “It’s strange growing up thinking you’re Russian, and then find out your Russian and Danish. My head couldn’t handle learning Danish too. Shit, just keeping up with Russian growing up was hard enough.”

  I laugh. She always has a bright side to things.

  The guys come back out, all of them wearing scowls.

  Mason walks over to me and kneels down. “I’m only telling you this because Braxxon said it was okay,” he says in a hushed tone. “The Russians, the ones from the hit and the car accident and the ones that came after… they all work for Winter’s uncle. Our contact has informed us that they’re all blocking off all exits of the town. We’ve gotta deal with this babe. When I leave, I want you to go upstairs and get your gun, take the safety off. Shadow and a few others are staying here, but keep your gun on you. Please?”

  I stare into his brown eyes and see them silently pleading with me as well. “I will.”

  But I don’t want him to go. “Why can’t you stay here?”

  I’m not trying to whine or beg. I just really want an answer.

  “Because the best shooters have to go.”

  I close my eyes; I knew he was gonna say that. I just knew it.

  “Watch Tatiana, Ma, and Mace for me?”

  My eyes fly open. “Of course I will!”

  That almost hurt. Did he think I wouldn’t?

  “Thank you.”

  Motherfuck! Why does he have to go?

  “I love you,” I say and then point. “Don’t get shot.”

  He smirks. “I just got you to start fucking me on a daily basis. Why the hell would I wanna go and get shot?”


  Oh, the cocky fucker.

  “Go before I hogtie your ass up and keep you here.”

  Mason’s pierced tongue sticks out and runs along his bottom lip, and I take that as my cue to lean in and kiss him.

  I pull away and urge him to go and get this shit over with. I can’t stand it, but the sooner they’re done, the sooner he gets back.

  “This shit sucks.” Winter mumbles.

  “No shit.” I say as I get up to go get my gun. I don’t ever break my promises to Mason.

  There’s nothing to do but sit and wait.

  ***

  ZZ

  I’m having a hard time focusing, knowing I left my daughter, ma, and my girl back at the compound with limited brothers there to protect them. I feel like I’m in the middle of some fucked up video game where you sit and pick son of a bitches off one by one. We’re literally moving from one place to another, taking them out with our sniper rifles. I mean, most of the time they’re making it fuckin easy on our asses. Take for instance a black sedan was sitting on the long desert road that leads to the Gunner’s burnt down piece of shit club. Just sitting there, waiting for us. Sniper pulled us back. We parked, paid a building owner a hundred bucks, climbed to the top, and took them out.

  That’s the thing about visitors; they don’t have the place wired like we do. One look at who we were, and the building owner didn’t hesitate. Braxxon just threw in the money for good standing. When we’re riding around, Braxxon spots Winter’s spa building on fire, and we take off like a bat out of hell towards it. We know they’re not there, but it still pisses us off. They’re trying to draw us out.

  ***

  Storm

  It’s been dark for about an hour when the gunshots start ringing out. I quickly grab Rap and start wheeling him away while I drag a protesting Berry alongside me. She’s screaming at me, and I don’t give a shit. She’s part of Mason’s family; she can scream and kick if she wants too. I wheel them into the downstairs restroom, flick off the light, and order Rap to crawl into the bathtub. He does without protesting; he knows what I’m about to do. I’m about to put his ass in charge of Mason’s stubborn ass mom.