Clutch: Satan's Fury MC

by L. Wilder

  “Simple as that, huh?” She smiled.

  “Yep. Simple as that. When you know, you know. How about you?”

  “I’m a waitress, Clutch. Not much to tell.”

  “I’m not talking about what you do, Hazel. I want to know what makes you tick. What makes your palms get sweaty and your heart race? What’s the one thing you want more than anything in the world? What do you long for late at night when you’re lying in bed all alone?”

  “You really are a dramatic one.” She laughed. “I used to love to dance. I was really pretty good at it, too. I started with ballet when I was just a little girl… maybe four or five, then as I got older, I moved over to contemporary ballet. I loved it, feeling the rhythm of the music, telling a story as I danced, hearing the applause … but in the end, it just wasn’t in the cards for me to dance.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “I tried to get into Juilliard, but didn’t get asked back for the third audition. I just wasn’t good enough.”

  “So what? What the hell do they know?”

  “They know, Clutch. At first I was disappointed, but in the long run, it was the best thing that could’ve happened.”

  “Bullshit. If you loved it, you should’ve kept at it,” I told her as I reached for the brown paper sack. I peeked inside and said, “Smells good.”

  “Louise sent it. It was tonight’s special: a grilled chicken sandwich and some fries.”

  Even though it was getting late, she continued to sit with me while I finished my sandwich. After I was done, we spent another hour talking about my draw to the club and her love of ballet—two completely different worlds, but with us, they seemed to fit. There were differences between me and Hazel, anyone could see them, but the fact was that neither of us seemed to care. We liked being together, and she was finally starting to open up to me. I was getting closer. Each time I was with her, I got another piece of the puzzle. It wouldn’t be long before I could piece it all together.

  From the moment I’d laid eyes on him, I knew I was in trouble. I’d done my best to resist it from the very start, but nonetheless he’d gotten to me. I’d let my guard down when he was sick, and when I wasn’t paying attention, he’d started working his way into my heart. It started with our nightly chats. I’d stop by to see if he was feeling better, and we’d end up visiting for hours, laughing and talking about our day. Those little talks continued long after he’d recovered from the flu. I’d try to resist the temptation of going next door, but when I didn’t come over on my own, he’d just end up banging on the wall with some silly excuse to talk. Eventually our nightly rendezvous spilled over into daytime visits, and he’d even started to include Charlie and Hadley. It had become our little routine and I’d come to like it. A lot.

  I’d just gotten home from work and barely had time to change into one of my favorite t-shirts and a pair of shorts when Clutch knocked on the door. He’d told me earlier that he was bringing dinner. When I opened the door, I was surprised to see that his hands were full of grocery bags. I took one of the sacks from his hands. “What’s all this?”

  “I told you I was bringing dinner.”

  “I thought you meant takeout.”

  He followed me into the kitchen and placed the remaining bags on the counter as he smiled and said, “No fun in that. I figured we’d make some homemade pizzas. Let Cindy have her way with the toppings.”

  “You’re a brave man. There’s no telling what she’ll put on it.”

  He laughed and said, “I figured that, so I limited her options a bit.”

  We had just started taking everything out of the bags when Charlie walked in and asked, “Do you know where my blue binder is?”

  I looked around the kitchen and answered, “No. I haven’t seen it.”

  “I’ll find it. I’m sure you-know-who did something with it.” He peeked over at all the groceries and asked, “We making pizzas for dinner?”

  “Yeah. You want to help?” I asked.

  “Maybe later. I’ve got to finish up some math homework first,” he told me as he walked towards the hall. Seconds later, I heard him fussing at Hadley about taking his binder, immediately followed by the sound of him slamming his bedroom door.

  “Do they ever grow out of that?”

  Clutch winked and said, “Sorry, darlin’. You’re stuck with it for another ten or twenty years.”

  “I’ll never make it,” I giggled. I loved those little winks of his. They got to me every time.

  “I don’t know about that. They’re good kids. You must be doing something right.”

  “I can’t take the credit for that. They’ve always been great kids.”

  Once we had everything laid out, Hadley came into the kitchen to help us put on the pizza toppings. Her eyes grew wide when she saw all the different choices and said, “What do I put on it?”

  “That’s up to you,” Clutch answered. “Just remember, you gotta eat it.”

  “You didn’t get any anchovies, did you? I hate those things.”

  He shook his head. “No anchovies. I’m not much of a fan either.”

  I leaned over and examined all the choices myself. “Anchovies aren’t all that bad.”

  “Eww,” Hadley fussed. Her nose crinkled as she asked, “You actually like them?”

  “I didn’t say that! But there are plenty of people who find them … not gross.”

  “I think they’re gross. And olives, too. No anchovies or olives on the pizzas,” Hadley huffed. “We’re sticking to the basics tonight.”

  “I like your way of thinking,” Clutch smiled. “Basics are always good.”

  We spent the next half-hour making up three different pizzas, and when we put them in the oven to cook, Hadley and Clutch went into the living room to watch TV while I sat with them and folded laundry. I was on my second basket of clothes when Clutch looked over to me and asked, “Are you sure there are only three of you?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  He glanced down at the laundry basket and said, “Just asking.”

  “If you are referring to the laundry, Mr. smarty-pants, the kids in this apartment have failed to learn the technique of hanging up a towel or wearing a pair of jeans more than once. So, yeah. I’m stuck doing laundry all the time.”

  He looked over to Hadley and teased, “Surely she’s not talking about you.”

  Hadley’s eyes dropped to her lap. “I always forget, and by the time I remember, the towel is all funky and smells like Char—uh—I mean David’s feet.”

  “It wouldn’t smell like feet if you’d hang it up as soon as you were done with it,” I fussed. “But you’ll figure it out as soon as you have to start doing all the laundry.”

  “I’m in charge of the vacuuming and dusting,” Hadley groaned.

  “I think it’s time for us to swap,” I taunted.

  Clutch cut his eyes over to me and smirked as he said, “Don’t worry, Cindy. If she starts making you wash clothes, you can borrow my washer and dryer.”

  “Wait! How come I’ve never gotten that offer?” I screeched.

  Before he could come up with some smart-assed response, the timer went off for the pizzas. He jumped up off the sofa and said, “Saved by the bell.”

  Charlie finally came out of his room and joined us for dinner. As soon as he saw the pizzas, he said, “These actually look pretty good.”

  “You doubted our cooking skills?” Clutch asked.

  “Yeah … I guess I did. I didn’t expect them to actually look like real pizzas,” Charlie admitted with a smile.

  “Did you finish your math homework?” I asked.

  “I finished it. I’m not sure it’s right, but I finished it.”

  “Want me to look over it before we go to bed?” I offered.

  “If you want to. It’s not that big of a deal. Mrs. O’Neal likes me. If I messed it up, she’ll let me fix it,” he told me as he took a big bite of pizza.

  I looked over at Clutch and smiled, thinking how easily we all
fit. The kids were crazy about him, and seeing how good he was with them only made me fall for him even more. He was quickly becoming part of our lives and it terrified me. It wasn’t just that I knew so little about him; it was the fact that I’d been lying to him. He knew nothing about our past and the danger that lurked around the corner, and as much as I hated to admit it, deep down I knew it wasn’t fair to get him involved.

  There was only one thing I could do: I had to end this thing with him before it was too late.

  After we finished dinner, the kids went back to their rooms to get ready for bed while I put the laundry away. When I walked back into the kitchen, Clutch was standing at the sink washing the dishes. My heart sank as I stood there staring at him. I liked having him here, sharing the day with him, and I hated the thought of not having him around. I was going to miss him. The way he made me feel safe just by being close, and how easy it was to be with him not only when we were laughing and playing around with the kids, but also the quiet times when we were alone. Mostly I’d miss how alive I felt when he looked at me like I was the only person in the room. It was going to be hard to let go of all of that, but I had no choice. I couldn’t take the risk.

  When he noticed me standing there, he asked, “You just gonna stand there staring at my ass or are you going to help me put these away?”

  “We need to talk.”

  Without turning around, he replied, “I don’t know about that. Sometimes, talking can be overrated. And from the sound of your voice, I figure the talk you want to have is very overrated.”

  “Clutch,” I huffed. “I’m being serious.”

  “I know. That’s the problem,” he laughed as he turned to face me. “I’ve just had a big meal. Not sure I can stomach some heavy conversation right now.”

  Damn. Why did he have to be so damn good-looking? That sexy little smirk, and those gorgeous green eyes pulled at me, making me want to just forget everything I was about to say. Pulling all the strength I could muster, I finally managed to say, “You’re not making this any easier.”

  “Then I’m doing something right,” he teased.

  “Look … I’m just going to say it. There’s no sense in sugarcoating it. We can’t see each other anymore.”

  His eyebrows furrowed as he studied me for a moment, then he shook his head and said, “I don’t know why you say that. I can see you perfectly fine. And I’m liking the shorts. You should wear those more often.”

  “Really? You’re bringing up my shorts right now?”

  “You sound surprised. Have you not seen yourself in those shorts? I mean they are sexy as hell, Hazel. You can’t really blame me.”

  I crossed my arms and said, “Let me try this again. Whatever this thing is between us … it’s gotta stop. It’s just too much. With everything I have going on, I just can’t get involved with someone right now.”

  He took a step closer to me as he said, “Why don’t we start there? Why don’t you tell me exactly what you have going on, Hazel? All of it.”

  And there it was. He was calling me out, and I had no idea how to respond. I stood there frozen as I watched him take another step towards me. His eyes were locked on mine with an intensity I hadn’t expected. He wasn’t going to let it go, so I did the only thing I knew to do: I lied. “I’m working full time and trying to get my brother and sister through school. I need to be focused on them. I don’t have time to be carrying on with some hot guy from next door.”

  He was just inches from me and I could feel the heat of his breath. “And?”

  “And what?”

  “All of it.” He placed his hand under my chin, gently lifting my face towards his. His green eyes were filled with determination as he said, “I’m not going anywhere, Hazel. Since the minute I first saw you, there hasn’t been a day that has gone by that you haven’t been on my mind. This thing that you and I have … I don’t know where it’s going, but I plan to find out. I’m not letting go, so you might as well go on and tell me what the hell is going on with you and those kids.”

  “I’m scared,” I whispered.

  “You’re letting your fear keep you trapped in the past. Let me take on some of that fear so we can start moving towards the future.”

  The intensity of his stare became too much to bear, so I turned away from him as I said, “I don’t even know where to start.”

  Refusing to let me move, he reached for me, pulling me closer to him as he said, “Just start with your name. What’s your real name?”

  It was clear to see that she was nervous. The tension practically rolled off of her as she stood there staring at me with clenched fists, making us both a little on edge. Doing what I could to comfort her, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me as I said, “You can trust me. Deep down, you know that.”

  “I do know that.” She rested her head on my chest and whispered, “My name is Olivia Turner. My brother’s name is Charlie and my sister’s name is Hadley.”

  I continued to hold her as I said, “See, that wasn’t so bad. We’re getting there. Now tell me where you’re from.”

  “Boston. We left there a … couple of months ago,” she stammered. Her body trembled in my arms. I didn’t push; I just waited patiently for her to continue. Finally, she said, “My parents were murdered. The police still aren’t sure who did it or why.”

  When she started to cry, I hugged her tightly and whispered, “I’m sorry, baby. I’m really, really sorry you and those kids had to go through that.”

  She wiped the tears from her cheek as she looked up at me and said, “There’s more. I think the people who killed my parents were trying to get to Charlie and Hadley. They were both in the house when my parents were killed. Charlie saw the men with guns walking down the hall and he freaked out. Before the men could get to them, he snuck Hadley out of the house.”

  “Smart boy.”

  “Yes, he was. If he hadn’t gotten them out of there …” She started to cry again. “I would’ve lost them … I would’ve lost them all.”

  “But you didn’t. They’re right here with you. They survived. You all did.” I gave her a minute, and then I pushed a little further and said, “I need the rest of it, Olivia.”

  “It was a few days after the funeral when we started to see a blue van. Someone was following us everywhere. Then, they broke into my apartment. I had no idea what they were looking for, but it scared me and the kids to death. The final straw was the day some strange man showed up at Hadley’s school. I think he was there to get her, but she ran to the office before he could get to her.”

  “That’s when you decided to leave?”

  “Yes. I packed us up and we just started driving. Ended up here a few months ago.”

  “And you did this all by yourself?”

  “Not exactly. There’s a detective back home. He helped me get the kids enrolled in school, and he’s been trying really hard to find the guys who killed my parents.”

  “What’s this detective’s name?”

  “Detective Brakeman. Why?”

  Hating that I knew nothing about this guy, I asked, “Are you sure you can trust him?”

  “I can’t see why not. He’s done everything he could to help us.”

  I nodded and asked, “Is that all of it?”

  She cut her eyes over to me and said, “I don’t know. Let’s see … just over three months ago, my parents were murdered. I don’t know who killed them or why. But whoever killed them decided to come after my brother and sister, so I packed them up and headed here. During all that, I changed our names, started working at the diner, and found this wonderful apartment. Oh … and there’s the fact that I’m scared to death. Since the day we left Boston, there hasn’t been a moment that’s gone by that I haven’t worried about something happening to those kids. So, yeah … I’d say that about sums it up.” She motioned for the door and said, “So, here’s your chance. Run while you can.”

  I placed my hands on her hips, carefully lifting her up on
to the kitchen counter, then stepped between her legs as I said, “I already told you, Olivia … I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Clutch,” she whispered. “It’s all just too much. You’d have to be crazy to stick around.”

  “No. The way I see it, I’d have to be crazy to let you go,” I told her as I brought my hands up to the sides of her face. With the flat of my thumb, I gently caressed her cheek, feeling her breath quicken as I leaned closer. “You have no idea how amazing you are.”

  My thumb trailed across her lower lip. I could feel the heat of her breath against my finger when she softly exhaled. Unable to resist the temptation any longer, I gently pressed my mouth against hers, feeling my world rock beneath me. I wasn’t prepared for the simple touch of her lips to set me on fire, an intense heat surging throughout my body. Her soft, delectable lips called out to me, begging to be devoured. Our tongues met, and I became instantly addicted to her intoxicating taste—sweet warmth with a hint of mint. Feeling the same hunger, a light moan vibrated through her chest as her arms wrapped around my neck and her hands quickly began tangling in my hair as she pressed her breasts against my chest. My hands roamed down her back and over the curves of her ass as I thought about how unbelievably perfect she felt in my arms. Remembering we weren’t alone, I pulled back, but when I looked down at her lust-filled eyes, I couldn’t stop myself from leaning in for another. She opened her mouth with a low moan and I delved deeper, savoring the soft caress of her lips and the quickening of her breath. I was lost, unable to control the storm of desire that was brewing deep inside of me. I wanted her to know there was a promise hidden beneath that kiss—a promise that I intended to keep.

  And so it began.

  When I heard Charlie’s shower cut off, I took a step back, releasing Olivia from our embrace. “No way I’m going anywhere. Damn, woman.”

  Her cheek flushed as she smiled. “You’re crazy. You know that, right?”

  I winked and said, “You kiss me like that again, and you’ll see just how crazy I can be.” Seeing that sexy little smile only made me want to kiss her all over again, but knowing the kids were just in the next room, I fought the temptation. The longer I stood there looking at her, the harder it was to resist, so I decided I needed a distraction and said, “Now, are you going to help me do these dishes or what?”