by Jade Kuzma
I leaned over to Michelle and wrapped my arms around her.
“Thank you,” I whispered into her ear.
“I know you would do the same for me.”
Michelle and I were close. Brought together by the men we loved. It was a shame it took a moment like this to truly appreciate having someone like her as a friend.
“Let’s go,” Blake said. “If I stick around any longer, seeing the clubhouse like this is gonna make me go insane…”
Blake and I walked to his ride. I got onto the seat behind him. I squeezed my arms tight around him and got ready to move.
“Hold on a second,” I said.
I saw a group of bikes riding toward us in the distance.
“Shit…”
“What’s wrong?” Blake asked.
“Hold on.”
I hopped off my seat and stood there while the bikes approached us.
It was my brother Jordan. And he brought his entire club with him. They all rode right up to us and screeched to a halt.
The look of anger on Jordan’s face was clear. I’d known him long enough to know when he was pissed.
“Jordan—”
He walked right by me and made a beeline right toward Blake.
“Motherfucker!”
He took a hard swing at Blake and caught him right on the side of the head.
“Jordan!”
I yelled out helplessly as the two of them started getting into it. Blake got back up to his feet and returned with a hard punch of his own. My brother fell to the ground and Blake jumped on top of him. They struggled with each other, each one trying to get the better of the other.
“Jordan! Blake! Stop it!”
I stood there and yelled but it was pointless.
“You stupid motherfucker!” Jordan shouted as he tried to put his hands around Blake’s throat. “You were supposed to protect her!”
Blake put his hands up and started throwing his fists back at Jordan.
“Stop!”
I yelled as I rushed between them. Getting between two men who were bigger and stronger than me was futile but I had to do something. I managed to squeeze in between them just enough so that they couldn’t swing at each other.
“Break it up! Break it up, you two!”
Sutton’s voice boomed as I suddenly fell to the ground. I rolled over on my side and watched as cops wrestled both Blake and Jordan to the ground.
“You were supposed to protect her!” Jordan shouted as the cops pinned him down and put him in cuffs.
Blake wasn’t paying attention to him. He was just staring at me. There was some blood on his cheek but it wasn’t anything serious.
“You all right?”
Michelle helped me back up to my feet. I watched as Blake and Jordan were stuffed into two different police cruisers and hauled off. Sutton stared at me. He didn’t need to say anything to let me know what he was thinking. He had to do his job.
“I’m fine,” I sighed.
“Just a night in jail,” Michelle said. “Maybe it’s best for Blake that he’s not out on the streets right now.”
“Yeah… Speaking of which, I should probably get out of here.”
“Kat.”
I turned to the side after hearing the voice. The rest of the Winter Cobras were all on their rides, sitting there waiting for me.
“Your daughter is still with us,” the club member said.
“Go with them,” Michelle said. “Right now, the only thing you need to think about is Bella.”
“Right…”
Michelle gave me a half-hearted smile. I got onto the bike and headed down the street with the rest of the Cobras. Bella was just the distraction I needed to stop thinking about everything going on.
Endgame: Chapter 8
ANNA
“What’s on your mind, Miss Roberts?”
Ryan sat across the table from me with that endearing smile of his.
He wasn’t as old as the other residents at the shelter but in his eyes, you could see that he’d experienced more than most of them did. His face was wrinkled and dirty like he needed a good wash, though his smell wasn’t unpleasant. His clothes were wrinkled. His hair was unkempt. I still liked being around him. Homeless shelters weren’t exactly the place you would find people with good attitudes. Ryan did a good job of making me think I was working somewhere else.
“Something’s on my mind, all right…”
“Care to humor an old man?”
“First of all, you’re not an old man.”
“Old enough.”
“Second of all, I’m not sure I should be talking to you about it.”
“Hey, if you can’t talk to me, Miss Roberts, then who can you talk to?”
He smiled then shoved another forkful of food into his mouth. His infectious grin made me smile just the same.
“All right,” I sighed. “I figure I can trust you.”
“Oh? This sounds interesting.”
I worked at a shelter where people like Ryan were down on their luck. Today, the dining hall was as crowded as ever. Ryan and I sat alone at our table, so I didn’t have to worry too much about anybody listening in on us.
“The shooting,” I said.
“Right. Everybody in town heard about it.”
“I just got word that it was at The Grindhouse.”
“The Grindhouse, hmm?”
“That’s the Reapers clubhouse.”
“I see…”
Ryan knew that I was in a relationship with Jon. Most people would’ve been concerned about me dating the VP of an MC but Ryan didn’t worry about me. If anything, he was grateful for the opportunity to talk to someone as interesting as Jon, as he put it.
“Have you talked to your fellow? What’s his name again? Ghost, they call him…”
“He hasn’t sent me a message or anything. I tried calling him but there was no response.”
“It just happened but news spreads pretty quickly in a town like Ivory. Haven’t heard of any casualties. I’m sure your man is just fine.”
“I’m sure he is. I’m still worried…”
“I know.”
Ryan reached out and put his hand on top of mine on the table.
“I heard about the other shooting,” he said. “They put some kid in the hospital. Found some Chinese gangster slumped in the alley, too. Said there was some connection to the Reapers.”
“I hope you’re about to tell me something to make me not worry about this.”
“Sure. I’ve been in this town a long time. I’ve seen some pretty nasty wars between rival clubs. Blood spilling in the streets. Gunshots ringing through the air constantly. The sheriff’s department has done a good job of cutting out most of the lawlessness. One-percenters do an even better job of keeping all their business quiet.”
“I still don’t see how this is supposed to make me feel better.”
“I’m telling you this because I’ve seen some fellas in my time. Some mean, tough sons of bitches. Your man is one of them. He can take care of himself. You don’t need to worry about him. If anything, anybody who’s got beef with him should be the ones worried.”
“Right…”
Ryan squeezed his hand on top of mine. It was somewhat reassuring to know that someone had confidence in Jon. I had the same confidence. The problem was just being stuck in the dark.
Ryan went back to his lunch while I watched him. From the corner of my eye, I saw someone step through the dining room entrance. I didn’t have to glance for more than just a second. A man like Jon would stick out no matter where he was.
“Gimme a second,” I said to Ryan. “I’ll be right back.”
I walked over to Jon and immediately wrapped my arms around him.
“I heard about the shooting,” I sighed into his chest.
“It’s all right,” he said, patting me on the back. “There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to
talk to you.”
“Yeah… Of course… In my office…”
Jon and I walked out of the dining room and headed down the hall. We stepped into my office. Jon shut the door and locked it behind him.
I knew something was wrong from the look in his eyes. His hesitation only confirmed it.
“What is it?” I asked.
“We got ‘em,” he said. “The men responsible for the shooting at the clubhouse.”
“You did? Who are they?”
“I don’t know. We had to put ‘em down quick. They were shooting first and asking questions later. One of them did survive though. Garnet’s gonna question him. We’ll get the answers we’re looking for.”
My confidence in Jon was always there. I’d known him ever since I was a teenager. He’d never let me down before. Right now was no different.
“Thanks for telling me,” I said. “It gives me some real peace of mind knowing what’s going on. I know it’s club business and I’m supposed to keep my nose out of it but—”
“That’s not why I came here, actually.”
“Oh?”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Michelle and Katrina were in the clubhouse that was shot,” he said. “I… I was worried about you. After what happened with the Corps—”
“We’ve got enough funds to hire security here at the shelter. We’ll be fine. I don’t see why an MC would attack a harmless shelter.”
“We could’ve said the same thing about the Corps. If people know about the connection between you and me, that makes you a target.”
Jon put his head down. I reached up and put a hand to his cheek. He was always there for me. Now I wanted to be there for him.
“Hey,” I said. “I told you I would always be by your side. I… I don’t know what’s happening. But I’ll always be there for you. Always. You know that…”
Jon looked up at me and smiled. There was something intense about the way he stared at me. He looked into me. I could feel it in my stomach. Like a fire igniting and the heat from it spreading through my veins.
I swallowed as he kept his eyes locked on me. Just like that, everything had gone out the window. A spark of passion took over in the blink of an eye.
Jon was on me. He kissed me and stuck his tongue into my mouth. I wrapped my arms around him and he did the same to me. He pushed me back toward my desk. I swiped the papers away and he set me up on top of it.
Our lips locked together, we frantically worked to take off one another’s pants. I undid his belt. He undid my zipper. I tugged at his boxers. He pulled at my panties.
I freed his cock from the fabric restraining it. I reached down and massaged his hard length. He was so big that when he throbbed, I could feel it all through the palm of my hand.
He put a couple of fingers to my lips and started digging into my wetness.
“Oh, God…”
I whispered into his mouth as a rush of pleasure shot through my spine. I kept pumping his cock in some attempt to brace myself. Jon responded by moving his fingers up to my clit.
We only did enough to make sure that the other was ready. The entire time, our kisses echoed against the walls of my small office.
He pulled away from me and held his cock out toward me. My pants on the floor and my panties dangling off one of my ankles, I spread my legs as they hung off the edge of the desk.
“Give it to me…”
I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Give it to me—Ahh!”
An embarrassing sigh escaped my lips when he plunged his cock into me. His thick shaft spread my insides.
I moved a hand to my mouth to quiet myself so that the residents at the shelter wouldn’t hear me.
Jon didn’t care about making any noise. He thumped his body against me. His hilt clapped against my folds and the sound filled the room.
I pulled him close to me with my free hand. I put my lips on his ear and whimpered in some attempt to keep me quiet.
“Oh, God… Fuck me… Give it to me, babe…”
He held his face close to mine and grunted. The scruff on his face brushed against my cheek. He was working so hard that even if someone walked in on us now, he wouldn’t stop.
I wrapped my arms around him and ran them over the back of his head. My legs ensnared him completely.
His muscles were tightening up. He was sweating through his clothes and down his brow. Jon was working so hard that I knew he couldn’t hold it for much longer.
His hilt rubbing against my clit made it hard for me to keep my senses about me. My vision was blurring. The fire in my veins made me feel like I was melting into him.
Jon gripped my waist and pulled away just enough so that he could stare at me. He kept pounding me on the edge of the desk. Hard thrusts shifted the table with every stroke.
“Jon… Jon, I’m gonna come… I can’t hold it, babe…”
He didn’t say anything. Just louder grunts and a stare so intense that I was hypnotized.
“Jon… Jon…”
My mouth opened wide. I arched my back and impaled myself on him. My toes curled as my legs tightened around him. I squeezed my hands on his broad shoulders.
I held on for a second before finally letting the wave of my orgasm consume me. It crashed into me and made me spasm uncontrollably. The warm pleasure built in my stomach and pulsed through the rest of me.
“Anna…”
He whispered my name with a grunt before losing control. He plunged his cock as deep into me as he could and held it there. His shaft throbbed against my insides. Every contraction filled me with another offering of cum. That damn feeling of taking every drop he had was always satisfying. Jon fucked me like it was the first time. He never took it for granted.
He wrapped his arms around me and held me close as our orgasms started to subside. I breathed hard through my nose. My heart steadied in my chest. I kissed him softly on the cheek to bring him back down from the sexual high that we both just experienced.
Jon pulled away from me. His head was down but I could see the concentration in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Is there something you need me to do?”
“I should be asking you the same thing.”
“The only thing I ever want you to do for me is to be by my side.”
“I might ask you the same thing.”
“Of course. Anything.”
“Nate is in the hospital. He’s recovering. I… I have to be by his side. In case something happens to him—”
“Shh…”
I put my finger to his lips to quiet him. He stared right into me with those intense green eyes of his. I whispered to him to make it clear how I felt.
“I’m with you.”
Endgame: Chapter 9
JON
Anna brought me a cup of coffee and took a seat right next to me.
“Thanks.”
I sighed and took a sip. The warm coffee pouring down my throat made me forget about all the shit going on for a second.
“You make a good cup of coffee,” I said.
“Is it that hard?” she said with a giggle. “Lots of cream and lots of sugar. There’s barely any coffee in there.”
“That sounds like my kind of cup.”
“That’s surprising to me.”
“Surprising? That’s how I’ve always liked my coffee.”
“I know… It’s just…”
She looked down her nose at me with a cute little grin on her face.
“The beard. The hair. The tattoos. The vest. I figured you’d be a little tougher when it came to coffee.”
“Tougher, huh?”
“Sure. A nice black cup of coffee. No cream. No sugar. That’s what a rugged man like you is supposed to like, right?”
“Right. I’m a big, bad biker. I should just eat the beans by themselves. Crush ‘em between my teeth.”
We shared a laugh. Any conversation was better than having to deal with what was going on
now. But no amount of coffee could make me forget my surroundings.
After Anna got off work, we headed to the hospital that night to check on Nate. His status hadn’t changed. I planned on staying at the hospital for as long as I needed to be. Anna stayed true to her word like she always did. She was right by my side as I tried to keep my thoughts occupied.
“I fucking hate hospitals,” I said.
“Who likes ‘em? People are sick or hurt or dying in here.”
“It’s not that. It’s the whole atmosphere. The white walls. The white furniture. The white uniforms. Everything is so fucking sterile.”
“It’s a hospital. It has to be sterile.”
“I know. That’s the fucking problem.”
“They should make a hospital like the clubhouse. Music. Conversation. Alcohol.”
“Now you’re talkin’. That’s my kinda hospital right there.”
Another laugh and another sip of coffee got my mind off things.
Anna rested her head on my shoulder while we sat in the waiting room lobby. It was as close as the nurses would let me get to Nate’s room. They told me they would tell me if anything happened but that still wasn’t comforting. Whoever shot Nate was capable of getting to Nate and finishing the job. Right now, Nate waking up was our best chance of getting to the bottom of this shit.
Anna let out a big yawn.
“Maybe you should go home and sleep now,” I said.
“If I went home, I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing you’re stuck here. I’m fine where I’m at. I’ll ask the nurses if they can lend me a blanket and pillow so I can sleep on one of the couches.”
“That’s… That’s an idea.”
“A good idea.”
Anna got up and left the waiting room.
I sat by myself in silence, staring down at my half-empty cup of coffee. I was so distracted that I didn’t notice the waiting room door open and the man who walked right up to me. I saw his shoes and trailed my eyes up his uniform.
“Sutton,” I said.
“Mr. Brooks,” the old man replied.
“Have a seat.”
“No thank you. I’m just fine. My old bones need a good stretch. I sit around all day.”
