Moonshine & Mistletoe (Black Rebel Riders' MC Book 11)

by Glenna Maynard

  I realize I don’t have any clean clothes of my own to wear and wrap a towel around my body. I move through the downstairs bedrooms searching for something to sleep in. How is it possible there are no clothes in any of the closets or in any of the dresser drawers? Maybe I will have better luck upstairs. I check the room I have claimed for myself but come up empty. I’m beginning to feel chilled from my wet hair dripping down my back.

  I try the next room and nada. The third room I open the door to Axel standing in what appears to be the master suite. His back is to me and I get a glimpse of his tattoo before he turns to face me. There’s a huge skull wearing a crown on his back. Its creepy and cool as fuck.

  He has a weird expression on his face.

  “What?” I huff, not in the mood for games. I’m cold and tired.

  “You lied to me earlier.”

  “And?”

  “Tiny Leone was your father,” he states coolly.

  I fold my arms across my chest. “And the sky is blue. What’s your point?”

  He purses his lips, twisting the bottom one between his fingers. “No point. Just curious.” He takes a discarded photo frame from the dresser and hands it to me. “You were a cute kid.”

  “Thanks.” I swipe it from his hand and smile to myself. It’s a picture of my dad and me from about seven years ago. I was ten and he had taken me to the stable at school to ride. It was father’s day. “Did you…were you the one who killed him?”

  A smile flickers on his face and his lip twitches. “No. I didn’t have the honor.” His words slice through me. They shouldn’t I know my father was bad and he was hated and feared by many but hearing the words from the mouth of the guy you just fucked messes with your head. He gives me a soft look. “Don’t take it personally. He did some fucked up shit to my family.”

  I nod. “Are you a Devils Rejects member?”

  “Nope.” He pops the p and grabs his pack of cigarettes.

  “Smoking is bad for your health,” I tell him.

  He places the cancer stick between his teeth, cups his hand around the lighter and ignites. A ring of smoke moves toward me and I fan my hand in front of my face. “I do a lot of things I shouldn’t, Ainsley.” The way he says my name I take it he means he regrets sleeping with me.

  “Okay…then. I’m just gonna find something to sleep in and I won’t bother you again.” I don’t even know why I am upset. I rub the back of my hand over my eyes in a poor attempt to hide the tears as they start to fall. “Good night, Axel,” I choke the words out and start out the door.

  Chapter 6

  Axel

  Ainsley starts to walk away, and I don’t even know why I feel bad for her, but I do. Tiny Leone was a monster but to her he was a father. I go to grab her arm but miss her shoulder and yank her towel off instead. Her spine is rigid as she spins around with the saddest expression, I have seen anyone have in my life. “Shit, my bad,” I apologize, bending down to grab the towel from the floor. I take a hard drag from my cigarette. “Don’t go anywhere.”

  She doesn’t respond but she doesn’t move to leave. I go downstairs to the kitchen and put my cigarette out in the kitchen sink. In the fridge I find a roll of cookie dough. I grab a spoon, a knife, and a plate. When I get back upstairs, she is sitting on the edge of the bed, holding her head in her hands. She looks up at me. Her tears have disappeared, and she sniffles. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what? Being a girl?” I shake my head. “I have two sisters. I know all about girls and tears.” I grin and sit at the head of the bed after placing the plate on the nightstand. “C’mere.” I pat the empty spot next to me. She moves up the bed, struggling to keep her towel on. I wipe her cheek. “You’re freezing.” I get up and take a t-shirt out of my bag and toss it to her. “Wear this.”

  A sheepish smile spreads across her face. “Thanks,” she says softly.

  I pull the purple blanket up over her legs and reclaim my spot next to her. I don’t say anything for a few minutes. I just sit next to her and feed her bites of chocolate chip cookie dough. “Tell me about your Dad.”

  “You don’t…we don’t have to talk about him.” I pull her into me and hug her body to mine.

  “No but if it will make you feel better, I am willing to listen.” I hated the bastard, but he was still her Dad, so he couldn’t be a complete monster, could he?

  She shrugs with a frown. “I know he was a bad man. I know he sold women. I know he dealt in illegal drugs, guns, and money. He killed people. He hurt people, but he was different with me. I have so many mixed feelings. I don’t even know where to start.” She picks at a loose thread on the hem of the t-shirt.

  “What about your mother?”

  “I never knew her. She was scared of my father or, so my Grandmother told me. When I was three, she tried to flee the country with me and he caught her. She was ever heard from again. I don’t even know her name. She was some girl he had probably taking a liking too and knocked up.”

  “Damn.” I pop the spoonful of dough in my mouth not sure how to respond. I thought my family was fucked up. “So you don’t have anyone?”

  “Nope. I turn eighteen on Christmas Day. And then my stepmother will be rid of me and I will inherit half of my trust fund.”

  “Wait…you’re only seventeen?”

  “Is that a problem? How old are you?”

  “Too fucking old to be laying here with you wearing nothing but my shirt.” Fuck. We didn’t use protection. I don’t want to be a dickhead but we need to talk about shit, especially now.

  She pulls away. “I’m sorry…I wasn’t thinking.”

  “Neither of us were. It will be fine. We’ll get up tomorrow and go to the nearest pharmacy. They sell that morning after pill over the counter.” I sigh. “It’s not a big deal. Happens all the time.”

  Her face pales.

  “I mean not that I rely on it or anything. It just you know we weren’t safe, and we hardly know each other. You’re fucking in high school.” I rub a hand over my face. “Why are you alone on Christmas? Did you drive yourself here?” My old man is going to kill me. He sent me down here to keep me out of trouble and the first thing I do is fuck the daughter of Tiny Leone and possibly get her pregnant.

  “I’m going to go brush my teeth and get some sleep.”

  “Good idea,” I agree knowing I won’t sleep a damn wink until she has taken that fucking pill.

  My cell phone buzzes from the pocket of my pants but I ignore it. It’s probably my old man wanting to know if I made it here. I don’t think right now is a good time to talk to him. I have too much shit on my mind.

  Ainsley get ups from the bed looking too damn good wearing my shirt.

  I should have used better judgement. I should have asked more questions. I should have fucking known. Fucking hell.

  My phone goes off again. I now he will keep trying until I answer. I move from the bed and grab my pants from earlier. My phone continues to buzz I snatch it out of the pocket. I swipe my finger across the screen not bothering to check who is calling.

  “What?” I snap.

  “Glad to hear you are still alive.” My younger brother chuckles at my grumpy tone. “Told the old fart that I would make sure you made it to Texas in one piece.”

  “I’m here.”

  “You sound fucked up. What’s wrong, bro?”

  “Too much to get into over the phone. Let’s just say I ran into a complication.”

  “What’s her name?” He knows me too damn well.

  I let out a sigh and debate on telling him what I have gotten myself into this time. I decide to keep it to myself for now. I don’t need him going and blabbing it behind my back. The fucker can’t keep a secret to save his life.

  “I’m fucking wiped. I’ll check in later once I have gotten some fucking sleep.”

  “Later.”

  “Yeah.” I end the call and look up to see Ainsley standing in the doorway. “What?” I growl, and she jerks. I shake my head. “I’m sorry. It�
�s not you. I’m tired. Please, come in.”

  She takes a few tentative steps in my direction. “Would you mind if I slept in here tonight with you?” I raise a brow and she offers me a weak smile. “It’s just this house is new to me. I’ve never spent the night here before or alone for that matter. I am used to my roommate being across the room and I…”

  I have so many questions but decide they can wait. We both need to get some rest. It’s been a damn weird night.

  “Sure.” I excuse myself to brush my teeth. When I come back to the room she is sleeping in the fetal position in the middle of the bed. I climb in next to her and brush her hair back from her face and she grins in her sleep. It’s cute. She is beautiful. But she already drives me fucking insane.

  I shouldn’t be entertaining further thoughts of her, but she rolls to her other side and the t-shirt rides up her hip, exposing her bare skin to me. Red fingerprints…my fingerprints mark her golden skin.

  I won’t claim her. I can’t.

  However, the thought of starting over fresh here with her would be a challenge. I’ve got enough on my plate though. I damn sure shouldn’t be getting into bed with a cartel princess.

  Chapter 7

  Ainsley

  I awaken pinned to the bed. I blink my eyes but the light streaming in from the window hurts my vision. My head throbs like there are tiny men with axes swinging them at my temples. A large arm is wrapped around my midsection and I pop my eyes open, forcing myself to deal with the blinding pain of the light. I move my head, looking over my shoulder.

  Axel. I am in bed with the biker who randomly showed up at my door last night. My stomach tightens. We had the best sex of my life. But we also had unprotected sex like complete fools. I know he regrets it, part of me does too but there is this other part of me that says what if this is the start of something new. Something that is mine. Something no one can take away from me. I don’t even know if I like the guy, but I can’t stop the fantasy from playing in my head that he will wake up and declare his undying attraction to me and tell me that it doesn’t matter, that he wants to be with me. I know it is childish and dumb, but yet there is this tiny flicker of hope that maybe I won’t be alone anymore. I have tragic abandonment and daddy issues thanks to my late father.

  I leave my fantasy and crash back down to reality. I stare at the man sleeping next to me and my chest squeezes tight. I have my whole life ahead of me. I should be more careful. I slide out from under him and tiptoe from the room to the bathroom. He doesn’t budge, and I don’t bother with waking him. By the time he notices I have left I will hopefully be on my way back to school where I belong. I use a black scrunchy from my purse to pull my hair up into a ponytail. Dressed in his t-shirt and my jeans I take one last look at the home. I’ll probably never see the place again. Which is too bad. The landscape is gorgeous and the house itself looks like a capital building or something. The architecture is English inspired. Large windows, round rooms, with a sprawling yard that looks more like a park.

  I always wondered what it would be like to live in a house like this and be part of a real family. With a heavy sigh, I slide in the driver’s seat and go to start my car when nothing happens. I try three more times until I get pissed and scream while smacking my hands on the steering wheel. When I look at the house, I see Axel leaning against the front door smirking at me.

  He strolls over to me and I open my door. “What the hell are you grinning at me like that for?”

  Sticking his tongue out he wets his lips, before pulling a cigarette out and sliding it between them. He runs a hand through his hair then lights up his cigarette. He takes a puff before speaking as he squints at me. “Did you really think I would let you just drive off without making sure you get that pill. I don’t need no surprise in nine months.”

  I roll my eyes. “Ha. Ha. Funny. Where do you think I was going?”

  “Then you won’t mind if I come with you.” He smirks and tells me to pop the hood. I do, and he does something and magically my car starts again. Jerk. I can’t believe he snuck out while I was sleeping and disabled my car.

  I tap my fingers while I wait for him to get in the car. He stands expectantly by my door again. “What now?” I snap at him ready to get this shit over with and be done.

  “I’m driving.” He strokes his goatee and I can still feel his bristled hair between my thighs and scratching my neck and along my jaw. I involuntary squirm in the seat. He laughs. “Come on. Let’s go before everything closes.”

  “It’s my car,” I whine but he holds his ground. Frustrated, I give in and slide over the center console. He gets in and starts fucking with my seat and mirrors and I growl under my breath. We get halfway to town and my car starts wobbling. “What the hell did you do?”

  “I think you have a flat.” He frowns and pulls off on the side of the main road. Axel gets out and pops my trunk. It takes him a few minutes, but he gets the spare on. “We’ll have to get a new tire while we are out. When we get into town you can do the pharmacy and I’ll handle the car.”

  “Fine,” I groan. This is turning into the day from hell. A day I can’t seem to escape. In a way though I suppose I am happy he was with me. I don’t have a clue how to change a tire and my car service people would have been forever getting to me since it is Christmas Eve. Not to mention that everything will be closing early.

  We make it town and just my damn luck the first pharmacy doesn’t have the pill in stock. He could order it but by the time he gets it in the window for me to take it will be long gone. The second pharmacy is closed and the next closest one is far enough away that by the time we get there it will be closed too. I feel like a freaking loser and like life is plotting against me right now. If it can wrong, it has since the minute I got here. I can’t win for losing. First, I brought the wrong clothes. Second, I drank too much. Third, I really screwed up by sleeping with Axel without protection. Fourth, my flat tire and now I can’t get the pill I need to make sure we didn’t ruin both of our lives.

  Hopefully he is having better luck than me. He is supposed to meet me here at this diner. The only place left in town that is open.

  I sit in the booth sipping on coffee and picking at a donut. My stomach is in knots. I don’t know what he will do or say when I tell him I didn’t get the pill. The waitress comes by my table with a fresh pot of coffee asking if I want a refill. I shake my head and continue to wait. I stare out the window wondering if Axel decided to ditch me but eventually, he shows up. As soon as he walks through the door wearing his cut the atmosphere changes. I guess if I hadn’t spent the night with him and didn’t know that he has a sweet side I would find him scary. He enters the establishment the picture-perfect image of a true badass. His dirty blonde hair is pulled back at the nape of his neck in a low ponytail. Covered in tattoos his muscles bulge out the sleeves of his what he told me is called a cut.

  The waitress appears as though she doesn’t know whether she wants to be turned on or scared by him, but it doesn’t escape my notice that she has now undone another button on her blouse. The desperate woman fluffs her hair and gets her pen and pad ready. She plasters a fake smile and starts toward Axel. He walks past her as though she is a ghost. His eyes are dark and broody and on mine. I shrink down in the booth even though I know there is no escaping the intense attraction I feel for the man or his attention that is so centered on me. He takes a seat, sliding into the booth next to me instead of taking up the other bench. I’m pressed against the window and his arm drapes over the back of the booth. The waitress rushes over nearly falling over her own tits as they spill from her top. I can’t help but let out an annoyed hiss under my breath.

  Axel cocks his head sideways at me and flashes me his pearly whites. “You aren’t jealous, are you?” He smirks, and I want to poke him in the eyes with my fork.

  “Please?” I roll my eyes and look away. His hand grips my thigh, squeezing right at the apex where my thigh touches my pelvis. I elbow him in the gut in return.
<
br />   “Did you already eat?” I shake my head.

  “I’m not hungry.”

  He shrugs after glancing at my poor donut and turns his attention to the waitress who is now tapping her pen on her order pad impatiently not happy to be ignored.

  He orders a burger and a chicken strip platter. I give him a look, but he acts as though it is nothing. The waitress brings his soda over, slamming the plastic cup on the table and some of it sloshes out onto the table as she stomps off. Neither of us comment on her behavior but we are both fighting to hold in our laughter.

  Huffing out a deep breath, he says, “So how did it go?”

  “You don’t want to know.”

  “You didn’t get it?” he sounds as panicked as I feel. I could lie to him, but I don’t want to play games with something so serious.

  I shake my head. “They didn’t have it at the first place I went to. The second is closed. There was a third place but by the time we make the drive it will be too late. I know you probably hate me but not as much as I hate myself right now.”

  Axel sucks in a deep breath. “I need a smoke. I’ll be back.”

  I nod. He is probably going to throw himself into oncoming traffic. I don’t blame him. We really screwed up.

  Chapter 8

  Axel

  When Ainsley tells me that she couldn’t get the pill I feel punched in the gut. I know she isn’t the only one to blame right now and I excuse myself to have a smoke, so I don’t say something I shouldn’t. I may be an asshole ninety percent of the time but I’m a grown ass man and I handle my shit. I lean my head back on the brick building and try not to freak out. She might not be pregnant. I don’t need to worry right now. I light up a cigarette wishing it were a joint. My cell phone vibrates from my back pocket. It’s my old man. I don’t want to talk to him right now but know I probably should.

  I slide my finger across the screen “Yeah.”

  “Hate to do this over the phone but just got a call about that kid you fucked up. He woke up this morning.”