Bound by Ravage

by Ryan Michele

  Fuck.

  She swings up into a kickass Jeep then takes off, not looking back once.

  “Deke!” Austyn runs up to my truck as I get out. Back at the clubhouse again. Back where everything started.

  “Surprised they took your leash off.”

  “Ha, ha. Didn’t know you had a sense of humor.”

  “I don’t.”

  “Whatever.” She crosses her arms. “They didn’t think you were coming back. Your ma’s havin’ a hard time, and your dad’s fuckin’ furious. You sure you wanna go back in there?”

  “Fuck no. Don’t got a choice.”

  “What’s goin’ on?” she asks, her brow tipping over the top of her sunglasses.

  “Mom’s got cancer.”

  Her hands drop, and she takes a step back like I physically punched her in the gut. “What?” Guess my old man was right in the everyone doesn’t know pool. Least I know it’s not a ploy to keep me here, but fuck me, I wish it was.

  “Gotta go in and talk to her. Don’t know a lot about it yet, but I’m sure it’ll get around quick.”

  “Fuck, Deke.” She steps forward, placing her hand on my arm as a show of comfort. It feels foreign and surreal. Comfort isn’t a luxury I’ve had, even if it was my own doing.

  “Gonna crash at your place tonight before I head back.”

  Surprise lights up her face. “You’re stayin’?”

  “The night. Go from there.”

  “No problem. You can stay as long as you want.”

  “The night, Austyn.”

  She nods and falls into step with me as I move toward the clubhouse. Spotting my mother sitting at a table, with Princess, Tanner, and a couple of the ol’ ladies around her, I move that way. My father steps into my path, his look pissed as hell.

  “Surprised you came back.”

  “Told Mom I would.”

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” He crosses his arms over his chest, the vein ticking in his neck and his eyes piercing me to the spot.

  “Besides my mom bein’ sick? Nothin’.”

  “I don’t want shit around her, Deke. I swear to fuck, you bring that around your mom, I’ll end you.”

  His words hit me deep, sending me back to a time when I wasn’t what he needed me to be. What he thought I should be. How I disappointed him and everyone around me. Not only do they cut, they burn. So much so my heartrate picks up. Still, I keep my shit together.

  When I was a boy, this man was all I aspired to be. Loyal, trustworthy, treated my mom like fucking gold. Then, one day it all twisted. I can’t remember the exact moment because it was a series of them. He’d be pissed if anyone judged him, but he judged me before I even had a chance. Coop was years older than me, so of course he had his shit together before me. But comparing me to him, my actions, letting everyone in the clubhouse know, that disappointment made me lose respect for him. I’m pretty sure it’ll never come back.

  Where was his loyalty to me? Where was the love for me? Where was the ride on for me? With my dad, it was non-existent, or maybe I just didn’t see it clearly.

  I meet his stare head-on, not flinching, not cowering, not taking his shit. “Haven’t touched that shit in four fuckin’ years, Dad. Don’t believe me. I don’t give a fuck. I’m here for her, not you.”

  He moves closer into my space. “Fuckin’ talk to me like that again, I’ll pound you into the ground.”

  “Try it.”

  His eyes flare.

  My mother comes between us, pushing her body in the small space. “Stop it! Stop it right this minute!”

  I step back, only to allow her room. Eyes are on us everywhere, and I feel the air in the room change.

  “This is enough!” she yells, and it comes out as a cry. “I love you, but you need to stop right now, GT.”

  “Angel—”

  “No!” she barks, catching my father’s undivided attention. “Deke and I are going out to the courtyard. Don’t come out. I want to talk to my son.”

  “I think we should talk to him,” my father counters, obviously not ready to give up.

  “No, we aren’t. You won’t keep yourself in check, GT, and I need to actually talk to Deke. No yelling, no jabs, no fighting—talk to him. Once you can figure out how to do that, then we will talk to him. Right now, I’m going to.”

  My father pushes. “I—”

  “If you come out there, GT, you’ll be sleepin’ on the couch.” Fire roars in my mother’s eyes.

  “No way in hell, woman.”

  She steps closer. “Try me.” It comes out in a growl, and I gotta say, I’m proud of my mom. She’s been a fighter my whole life. Even before that, if the stories are all correct. That’s how I know she’ll beat this shit. She won’t let it get her down.

  My mother grabs my hand and pulls me out of the clubhouse and into the grassy area. She goes to a picnic table off to the side with no one around.

  “Sit,” she orders, and I do as she says because she’s on a roll and because I want answers as well as she does.

  She sits in front of me, a slow smile coming to her beautiful face. Damn, I’ve missed that smile. Having it directed at me and feeling it is like a kick in the gut. Sunshine. She smelled it, radiated it, is it, and I’ve missed years. Damn.

  “I’m so damn happy you’re here. Talk to me.”

  No way am I going to lie and tell her I’m happy to be here. I’d rather have my nails pulled out by the roots.

  She reaches out, and I take her hands in mine. They’re a bit cold to the touch, so I give them a thumb rub.

  “They say I’m sick. Don’t look it, don’t feel it, but it’s there. We’re hopin’ it hasn’t spread, because that’s the best-case scenario right now.”

  The words hit me like lead bullets.

  “You know for sure it’s cancer?”

  “Yeah, Deke. That’s what I’m getting treated for.”

  “Fuck.”

  Her hands tighten in mine. I’m thankful for that small bit of reassurance, even if I should be giving it to her. “The chemo isn’t bad yet, but they say it’ll get worse as time goes on.”

  “You’ll beat it,” I demand with all my power.

  This time, her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, showing me her fear. “Yeah. Tell me about you. What are you doing? Where are you working? Do you have a woman in your life?”

  “I’m a mechanic. Make decent money.”

  She surprises me with, “You’re fighting?”

  “Yep.” I’m not stupid in thinking that I haven’t been looked into. I may not have been around, but the Ravage MC doesn’t leave things to chance.

  Her brows draw together. “Why?”

  “It’s part of who I am now, Mom. I get paid damn good for what I do.”

  “Bet you do. Can’t see you takin’ scraps.”

  I smirk. “Never take scraps from anyone. That’s what you’ve always said.”

  “Right. You deserve the best.” She pauses, squeezes my hand, and then goes for it. “The drugs gone for good?”

  For some reason, it doesn’t irritate me coming from her as opposed to my father. “Yeah. Clean four years.”

  “But you left four years ago.”

  “Yep.”

  “Then why’d you go?” She asks the question I don’t want to answer. Ever.

  I blow out. “Just had to, Mom. Not talkin’ about that shit.”

  She gives my hands a squeeze. “I want you home.”

  “I can visit.”

  “No, Deke. I want you home with your family. With me. I need you here,” she pleads.

  Fuck. There is so much to me coming here that she has no idea about.

  “Don’t know if I can do that, Ma. Got a life up north.”

  “You’ve got family down here,” she counters.

  Family, the word churns inside me like acid.

  “You know damn well that none of those motherfuckers want me here. I was accused of hitting Austyn, for Christ’s sake. That’s how much they
think of me. I’m not livin’ like that.”

  “And I’m not going to fight for my damn life and not have my kids around. You’ve been gone four years too long, Deacon Alexander. You think they don’t want you here? Prove you deserve it. Prove you’re not who they think. Man up and pull your head out of your ass. I’m not having another family function without my whole family here. I’m not having holidays without my entire family here. No more missing pieces. You want me to fight? Then you fight with me.”

  I pull away from her and lean back on the bench, the weight of everything she just said laying heavy on my shoulders.

  “Are you tellin’ me you’re not gonna fight this shit unless I’m here?” Talk about a sock to the gut.

  She pierces me with her gaze, giving me the one she used to when she was angry with me or wanted me to listen. “I’m tellin’ you, your ass is here. Go get your shit sorted and come home.”

  “That didn’t answer my question.”

  “That’s all you’re gettin’.”

  I’m pretty fucking sure my mother just threw down on me. The absolute shit thing is, I have no retort. Sure, I can be a dick and refuse, go up to Grayson, and forget all this shit. But she’s my mom. If anything happens to her, my sister would lose it … my father would crumble.

  I run my hand through my hair, gripping it tight. “Can’t believe my mother is blackmailing me.”

  A small tip of her lips tells me she knows exactly what she’s doing and doesn’t give two shits about it.

  “You’re gonna beat this.”

  She leans forward, the determination I wanted moments ago making its appearance. “Yes, I am.”

  The decision is done. “Gotta go home and get shit sorted.”

  Surprise and wonder cloud her eyes as she pulls back from the table, waiting for the answer, yet preparing for a verbal blow when she asks, “This mean you’re comin’ home, right?”

  “Gotta talk to my boss. Not sure how all that’ll fly.”

  “Need you back here Saturday. Your sister’s comin’ home, and I want you here.”

  Inwardly, I groan, not wanting my sister to have to deal with this shit.

  “You think this is gonna go smooth, you’re mistaken.”

  “I don’t care. You’re home, that’s all that matters.”

  Warmth fills me for the first time in years. “You always had my back.”

  She stands up from the table, and I follow. She wraps me in her arms. “Always. I’ll always have your back, never doubt that.”

  Damn, I missed my mom.

  After talking to my mom, I call Austyn, telling her my ass is going home. Home. Guess it’s not going to be home anymore.

  12

  Rylie

  The music thumps through the speakers and the floor vibrates under my feet as I make my pass around the floor at X. My senses are alert, watching everyone and anyone, looking for things that don’t belong or are out of the ordinary. Being on this side of the party is much different than in the chairs.

  Three days so far at X. Each one had some sort of surprise, which is good for a woman like me. Nothing like Schade’s, though. This is way calmer, and I’m not a hundred percent it’s going to keep my interest. We shall see.

  Princess crosses the floor throughout the night. The first night, she asked me repeatedly if everything was okay. It always was. The second night, she let up a bit. Tonight, she’s only been by twice, to which I’m thankful.

  Six days since I fucked a man I didn’t know in a truck on the side of the road. Six days of my body throbbing. Six days of my mind playing weird tricks on me. Six days of thinking about him. Six days of me kicking my own ass for doing all the things above.

  A woman catches my eye, stalking into the club. One, because she’s stalking. Two, she looks furious. And three, her eyes just narrowed and she’s huffing it to someone. She’s a cut thing with a bob haircut that frames her round face perfectly. Except, right now, that face is contorted with pure rage.

  I clock the guy her gaze is fixated on. Kara, one of the dancers, is giving him a very nice lap dance. Knowing this will end bad for everyone involved, I make my way over and intercept the woman whose gaze is burning a hole into the man.

  “What do we have here?”

  Her piercing eyes come to me. “What do you want?”

  “Security, ma’am. Can I help you?”

  “Janet!” the man practically yells, sending Kara flying off his lap when he stands up quickly and comes over.

  “You piece of shit!” the woman yells at the man, just as she reaches out and slaps him hard across the face.

  Wrapping my arm around her waist and pulling her back, I look at the man. “Out.”

  Me, I don’t give a shit what their squabbles are. What I care about is getting these two the fuck out of there. After accomplishing this, I move back to my rounds.

  Yeah, not sure if this is going to keep my attention.

  The next few hours go by smoothly. I can’t wait until closing time.

  I toss my bag over my shoulder and move out the back door. My feet give a slight falter, but recover quickly when I see Deke standing beside my Jeep. What the hell?

  “Deke,” I greet, moving closer.

  When I get within arm’s reach, he tugs me behind my neck, pulls me to him, then crashes his lips down on mine. Holy mother of Mary, this man can kiss. His lips are soft, yet his kiss is hard, unyielding, and demanding.

  I move my hands to his leather jacket and hold on to him, giving him back what he’s giving me. Arousal spikes. I need friction. Damn, do I need it.

  He breaks away and looks into my eyes. “Need to fuck you, but want a bed.”

  In a haze that is Deke, I stupidly say, “My place. Follow me.”

  He kisses me then sets me in my Jeep before shutting the door.

  It’s not until I’m practically home that I realize what I’ve just done. I invited him to my house, my safe haven. Shit. There goes the don’t-bring-men-to-the-house rule, right out the damn window.

  Pulling in, Deke has my door opened before I do, pulling me up and into his arms. Any other man manhandled me like this, I’d kick his balls into his teeth. He’s lucky I like his cock.

  He lifts me, and I wrap my legs around his waist, our lips going at each other like starving animals.

  Somehow, he gets the keys from me and unlocks my door. Only then do I hear the beeping of the alarm and come up for breath as I slide my legs down.

  “Give me a sec.”

  I do my thing, turning it off, just as I hear the paws tapping on the floor. Hope Deke likes dogs.

  “Hey, bud,” I hear as I enter the room. Brewer’s paws are up on Deke’s chest, and Deke’s petting him. Brewer goes in for a lick, and Deke steps back. “No lickin’.”

  I swear I hear Brewer whine. Get in line, buddy. I wanna lick him, too.

  “Deke, meet Brewer.”

  “He gonna watch while I fuck you?”

  “Probably.”

  Deke charges forward, kissing me and sucking the life from me. “Don’t give a fuck.”

  Damn those lips. All things Brewer are forgotten as Deke consumes me.

  I jump up, wrapping my legs around his waist and propping myself up with my arms around his neck. Getting a bit above him, I sink deeper into the kiss, scraping my tongue deep within his mouth. Hearing the groan from him is the ultimate orgasm preparation.

  He carries me through the house, and I don’t even open my eyes to direct him. It takes him a minute, but he finds my bedroom, all while I’m digging my fingertips into his scalp, holding him to me.

  Brewer barks a few times, and I hear him following us.

  Deke disengages, and then I’m flying through the air on a small scream before hitting the comfortable bed in a poof. He drops his body down on me as he roams every curve of my body. And I have them. Lots of them. I just can’t give up pizza, not happening. From his eagerness, he has not one qualm with any of it.

  “Dog,” Deke says.r />
  I watch as Brewer lifts his head, circles twice, and then finds a seat on the floor.

  I run my hands over the planes of his well-toned back and remember the beautiful Angel and how it moved when he punched the bag. My nails dig in at the recollection, and he makes a low sound in his throat.

  Then he knifes up so quickly I have no choice but to let him go. With his knees to bed, he strips away the shirt, tossing it haphazardly to the floor. My lips become so very dry at the sight of him I wet them, Deke following my movements. The bulge in his jeans indicates he likes this. He likes it a lot.

  To entice him, I sit up and pull off my shirt then my bra, doing the same as him and tossing them to the floor.

  He groans a, “Fuck me.”

  “That’s what I plan on doin’, big guy.”

  Deke tears at his jeans and underwear, tossing them off. I move to the button of mine, but he’s suddenly there, practically tearing my clothes from my body in a rush of desire.

  He grabs a foil packet from the side of the bed that I missed him tossing out and rolls it on expertly. I expect him to climb on, but he grabs my ankles and pulls me down the bed. He twists my legs, and I have no choice but to follow, ending up on my side, one leg pressed in the air.

  Deke crawls on knees between my legs, lining his hard cock to my entrance. No playing around with this guy; he’s had enough foreplay.

  I’ve always wanted an adventurous sex life, trying new things and seeing what makes me and my partner tick. First, truck sex, and now this. I can see that Deke is the same way.

  He slides his cock inside me, and I roll so my face is in the mattress and my hand is clutching the sheets. Like this, he’s touching deep.

  He holds my leg up high, his hips getting to work quickly. Each thrust has his cock stretching me deliciously. When his pelvic bone starts to hit my clit, breathing becomes difficult. When he cups my breast, squeezing it hard, my core clenches around him as I give out a cry of pleasure. The orgasm races through my body, and I swear I even feel it in my toes.

  Deke doesn’t stop, but he does put my leg down, positions between them, holds my knees to my chest, and unleashes. The muscles in his body contort with each of his movements, his abs flexing and arms straining. If I weren’t on the cusp of another screaming orgasm, I might have been able to take a few minutes to enjoy the view.