by Jenika Snow
Daniella wasn’t excited about living in a small town on ranch land. They would have been better off going to the city and getting lost. However, she wasn’t about to question Shakes. He’d know about these things a lot better than she would. She didn’t have the first clue what to make of running away.
They drove back to the ranch, and when they arrived, she saw another truck sitting in the gravel driveway near the house. There was a man and woman standing on the front porch. The woman held a young child on her hip, and they were both smiling, clearly watching them with interest. She wasn’t used to being greeted with a smile. Weren’t they suspicious of strangers? Maybe Daniella had been around Zeke too long, and she’d grown up not used to trusting people?
Climbing out of the car, she walked into Shakes’ arms as they made their way up to the house.
“Hi, I’m Bernie Dawson, this is my wife, Leslie,” Shakes said, introducing them.
Daniella plastered a smile on her face, trying to be convincing, but the truth was that this was weird as hell. She felt lightheaded, with sweaty palms and a racing heart. She was nervous, anxious, and didn’t know how this would play out in the end.
“Hello there, I’m Sean Pitcher, and this is my woman, Tatianna. We’re the owners of the Pitcher’s Ranch,” the guy pointed to the cattle off in the field. “We raise award winning cattle.” He grinned wider. “So, Joan called and you’re interested in the ranch?” Sean said, taking the lead.
Daniella smiled at his wife, and stayed near Shakes side. She was so damn scared that she’d get something wrong, act totally unbelievable, and she feared they’d somehow know her. Of course, the latter was ridiculous seeing as they were so far away from her home; no one would know who in the hell she was.
They entered the house, and she was surprised to see it was beautiful and modern inside.
“I know the outside needs a lick of paint, but we take care of everything else. It’s structurally sound, and the….”
Daniella ignored him as he spoke with Shakes, and started looking around the house. This could be her place. She walked into the sitting room to see a small couch, and chair sitting around the television. There was a fireplace toward the back wall. Moving to the dining room, there was a large table with chairs.
“The house comes with furniture?” Daniella asked.
Shakes gripped her hip, and she looked up at him. He smiled down at her.
“Yes, I was hoping to employ a rancher to help me with the cattle,” Sean said.
“I’m also looking for work, Mr. Pitcher. I’d appreciate it if you’d consider me. I’m a hard worker.”
Shakes sounded so…normal as he spoke with the man. He’d even changed his clothes, now wearing a button down shirt to hide his tattoos. He looked almost normal. She listened to Shakes lie about the fire that took away half of their belongings, and ruined their life. They were two normal people looking for work and a way to move in.
Twenty minutes later, Shakes lifted his hand in goodbye to the couple, and they entered their new home for the weekend.
Daniella took a seat in the sitting room, staring at the fireplace. It wasn’t burning but in her mind she saw the flames getting higher.
“Baby, what’s the matter? You’ve gone all quiet on me.” Back was the hard, razor-edged voice man she’d grown to love.
“I don’t think this is right. I’m not sure about this.”
“Dani, look at me; you’re panicking. You don’t need to panic. We’re going to be fine. I know you were probably thinking we’d stay in the city but we can’t. Demon would be expecting that. Your father would be expecting that. Zeke’s hold is far and wide, and although this place may not be permanent either in the long run, we have a lot of distance between everyone and everything we know. We could make this for the time being.” He brushed his hand over hers. “I’ve got no choice but to do this here, and now. Your father won’t have men here. In the city, he’s got more eyes than the fucking government.”
“How did you know that was what I was thinking?” she asked.
“I know you, Dani.” He ran his fingers up and down her thighs. “I know you, and the Soldiers know I’d go to the city. I can’t risk that, not with you.”
Tears filled her eyes as she stared down at him. “This is perfect.” She glanced around her. “It’s a really beautiful home, and I know this might be a passing moment. I know we might have to uproot if we’re found.”
He nodded and smoothed his finger over her cheek. “Yes, we might. I won’t lie. But right here right now…It’s our home.”
“Are you really going to work on the ranch?” she asked.
“For you, I’d do anything.”
She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.
Daniella followed him back out to the car. They drove into town to grab some groceries, and some clothes. Shakes wasn’t panicking about money, but she was cautious on the stuff she picked up. She didn’t want to risk them being out of money before they were settled.
Once they were back at home, she started on dinner while Shakes set the house up for them to be together. While she stood at the stove, she couldn’t help but smile. For many nights growing up, she would fantasize about her life outside of her father’s hold and his rule. She’d picture herself standing in a kitchen, baking, cooking, being loved by a man who enjoyed her fuller figure, and not having to worry about her father trying to control who she saw.
She would call upon those moments when life seemed a little too hard.
Finishing up the red sauce to go over the pasta, she jumped when Shakes wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Hey, baby, is this what I could get used to?”
“Scaring me at the stove?”
“No, holding you, coming home after a long day at work, to be able to have you in my arms because our life is normal.” He pressed his face against her neck. “Fuck, baby, this is what I wanted. I’d have bent over backward to make Zeke happy just to be with you, but he wouldn’t have it. None of them would have allowed it.”
A moment of silence passed. “You miss your club?”
He exhaled, and she was surprised to feel him nod behind her. “Of course. They are my family, what I’ve known for so long. The MC runs deep in my veins, but I love you, and am willing to risk everything to be with you.”
That was a heavy thing to take in. She closed her eyes and leaned back against him. “We’re together now,” she said, spinning in his arms. She moaned as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.
“We can handle this together, Dani.”
“I know. You better stop calling me, Dani. It’s Leslie.”
“Damn, I hate the name Bernie.”
She giggled, holding onto him. They would make this work; they didn’t have any other choice.
“Any news?” Demon asked.
They’d been riding for two days straight, and they were all exhausted. They had encountered the phone box where Daniella had called Zeke, and the diner where Shakes had called him.
Deanna was at home, and Demon had left the clubhouse immediately to begin searching for Daniella.
“We’ve got nothing else,” Joker said. “I do know that Zeke is heading down this road right now.”
Looking behind him, Demon cursed. He’d been hoping Zeke would stay behind and let him handle this shit after they’d talked. It looked like he wasn’t going to be blessed this time.
They’d been working with Zeke’s men on the hunt for Shakes and Daniella. They were all now at a dead end.
Shakes was a smart man, and he knew how to get lost.
The limousine pulled up alongside the bikes they had parked under an awning to stay out of the rain. It was raining pretty damn hard, making it impossible for them to ride right now. Demon didn’t bother arguing as Zeke opened the door, and ordered them to get in. Demon and Joker entered the back of the limo, closing the door.
“Well, well, well, we meet again. I really did think you’d have
stayed at home to protect your bitch and let your boys handle this, Demon,” Zeke said.
Demon tightened his hand into a fist. The desire to smash his fist in Zeke’s face was strong, but he held it contained. Looking at Zeke, Demon saw the other man was struggling to keep his shit together. He must really love Daniella to go this bat shit crazy trying to find her; this was news to him. Demon had thought Zeke put up with her because he didn’t have a choice.
“I’m looking for Shakes. Believe me, I want him and Daniella found. The sooner the better.”
Zeke nodded, leaning back.
“I would imagine Shakes would go to the city, hide in a crowd,” Zeke said.
Demon looked toward Joker.
“Actually, that’s exactly what he wants us to think. Shakes isn’t stupid. I believe he’ll go to a town, something small, somewhere he can fit in, make a life, prete—” Demon laughed. “He’s gone to Sean.”
Joker looked toward him, frowning.
At first, Demon had every intention of keeping Shakes at the club and protecting him. The moment Shakes threw Deanna at Zeke and walked away Demon knew the club wouldn’t protect him. He loved the club, but he loved Deanna more. Brother or not, he’d protect his woman and the club.
“Who is Sean?”
“He’s been known to create fake identities for the club from time to time. If Shakes is starting over, he’ll go there,” Joker said, explaining it to Zeke.
If he was going to go anywhere that was exactly where he would go.
“Do you know where he lives?” Zeke asked.
“Yes, I know where he lives. We’ll get the information we need since it can be hard getting ahold of him, especially at this hour.”
Zeke smiled. “Good, Demon. I’d like to keep this friendship going.”
“The moment we find Shakes, you pull everyone off Deanna. I don’t want her to be hurt.”
“I will. Don’t worry; I’m a man of my word.”
Demon exhaled, turned, and was about to climb out of the car when Zeke’s words stopped him.
“But hear this, Demon, you try to protect that little shit after what he’s done to my daughter, and I will kill Deanna; I’ll do it with my bare fucking hands.”
“We have a location on him,” the tracker said, and Zeke looked up from his paperwork. He’d been waiting for this moment since that motherfucker took his daughter. He didn’t care if Daniella “willingly” went with him, that fucker took his little girl from him. Shakes was going to pay with blood for doing this, and Zeke was going to be the one delivering the punishment.
“Where?” Zeke said. He leaned back in his seat and watched the man that worked for him; finding everything that Zeke needed to know. If someone was missing, had run off with Zeke’s merchandise, then his hunter tracked their asses down, and delivered them to Zeke on a motherfucking silver platter.
He was in one of his other lockdown units, hours away from his main club, still on the hunt for Shakes and Daniella. The MC was staying at another location, working on a way to find that little bastard before he did. Although Zeke could have let them bring Shakes to him, he wanted this hunt; he wanted this kill.
“We are only a couple of days away from where he set up shop. He has new identity for himself and Daniella, but I sent out men all over the country, and they spotted him in some small, rinky-dink town. They didn’t know if it was them for sure, not until I gave the confirmation from the pictures they sent me.”
The tracker set pictures down on the table, and Zeke felt his anger rise. He stared at the image of Shakes in civilian clothes, Daniella beside him. Shakes had his hand around her arm, and Danielle looked up at the MC member, a smile on her face. Zeke could picture that bastard forcing his little girl into doing this shit.
“We should tell the club. They’ll want to be there, and having them at the site might help Shakes turn Daniella over if we have some leverage.”
He didn’t give a shit about the club, but the tracker had a point. If they had the club as leverage, maybe even taking out a few of those club bastards, might make Shakes realize he really was no match for Zeke. Hell, Zeke didn’t need the Soldiers to help bring Shakes down, but the more that he could take out, the more he could relieve some of this rage that motherfucker had caused.
“We ride out tonight. I want to see that asshole look me in the eyes when I wring the life out of him.
Several days later
Shakes stepped inside his new house, but it felt foreign, not right. The only thing that felt good and right in all of this was Daniella. And he’d do anything for her. Shakes was aware that it was late, that his woman was probably a sleep, but he wanted her so damn badly. He’d been thinking about her all day as he tried to live this life, this normal fucking life that was harder than he’d ever thought. He didn’t regret leaving with her; he just wished they could have been together with him in the MC and Zeke getting off his damn back.
He moved into the bedroom they shared; he saw her lying on the bed, the sheet over her, and his cock instantly hardened. She rolled onto her back, the sheet twisting on her body. When she stretched her arms, her breasts came into view under the thin material, and he swallowed. She shifted again, this time causing the sheet to fall away, showing naked body to him from the waist up. He let his eyes roam over her exposed flesh. She looked like an offering, like a feast for a king. He started to sweat, definitely not from the heat. His dick was pressed uncomfortably against the zipper of his jeans, pulsing with the need to be buried inside of her.
He went into the bathroom and turned on the water, more cold than hot. He needed to cool off, and he needed to take care of this erection, which had been plaguing him since this morning when he’d wanted to fuck her, but had to leave. He shut the door slightly, opened enough for him to hear any kind of disturbances, but closed enough to make sure she wouldn’t be disturbed.
When he stripped out of his clothe and stepped into the shower, he nearly groaned at how good the chilled water felt. Shakes was stressed, tensed because he was still looking over their backs, expecting Zeke to find them at any moment. He didn’t tell her that the chances of staying here long-term were pretty slim, because he didn’t want to scare her even more. But Zeke was determined and had resources at his fingertips. He also knew the club would come for him.
He washed his body and hair quickly, rinsing off, and moving his hand down to his straining erection. He could go and wake her, because he knew she’d welcome him, and take his cock like she’d been starving for it. But he also knew these last few days had been hard on her. She needed her rest. His erection was unbearably hard, and if he didn’t take care of his hard-on, he wouldn’t be able to keep his head in the game.
He gripped his shaft, squeezing his hand tight around it, and clenching his jaw at the pleasure that coursed through him. He started a slow stroke, up and down, root to tip, running his palm over the engorged head and feeling his own pre-cum slip out. He was breathing heavily, his arm working faster, pumping harder as his climax neared. The one person that fueled his desire was only a few short feet away, lying on the bed, her glorious body laid out like a treasure for him. She maddened him, inflamed him, and drove him crazy.
No matter what he’d protect her, even if that meant laying down his life for her.
Daniella opened her eyes and stared into the darkness. She heard Shakes come in, but had been in that twilight of sleep and wakefulness. But with the shower running now she was wide-awake, her need to have him close riding her strong. She’d had this bad feeling all day, this prickling at the back of her neck. She told herself it wasn’t that they’d been found, but that she was paranoid because they were running.
Breathing out hard, she rolled over and faced the bathroom door. She had hoped to get a nap in, but the sound of the shower running wasn’t allowing that. Just as her body started to relax, she was jarred awake by a low, male groan. She blinked, sitting up slowly, straining to hear. A second ticked by, and although she knew what it was,
and she loved him, she felt like a voyeur. Her body instantly reacted, her nipples beading up, her clit tingling with arousal. She slowly stood and walked toward the bathroom.
She stood next to the door and listened, hearing the sound of falling water and hard, fast breathing. God, was he jerking off in there? She was aroused, wet, wanted to just go in there and tell him to take her, but she griped the doorframe instead. Her eyes grew wide, and a fresh stream of her moisture slipped out of her pussy.
Another low moan coming from the other side of the door had adrenalin pumping through her veins. She pushed the door open enough so that she could slip inside, steam saturating the small room and slightly suffocating her. She stayed close to the door, watching Shake’s body through the frosted shower curtain. She could see the outline of his muscular form and tattoos; she could even see his hand pumping up and down on his impossibly large cock. She clenched her fingers. She’d never been this daring, but with Shakes, she was more wanton than she’d ever been in her life.
It was an erotic show, and she could tell the exact moment Shakes was about to cum. His whole body tensed, and he sucked in a lungful of air, slamming his palm on the wall in front of him, and throwing his head back. She was hyperventilating, doing everything in her power not to touch herself as, through the curtain, she vaguely saw the jets of his semen shoot out of him.
She couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe as she watched him shut off the water and stand there, breathing hard for a several seconds. She should have turned around and left, but she was rooted to the spot, her eyes staring at the shower curtain, willing it to open. Her wish come true; the curtain parted, and Shakes stared at her without even looking surprised.
He slowly grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist, pushing the curtain fully open, his eyes never leaving hers. She should have said something, anything, but her mouth was incredibly dry, and her throat felt like it was closing off.
