by L. Wilder
“Well, let’s just be open and honest about things. That way neither of us will get hurt.” I walked over to him. “I meant what I said last night. I didn’t know sex could be like that. I really didn’t. After what happened with Lucas, I’ve always been too scared to try, but when I was with you, something in me changed. You made me see what I was missing by letting my fears get in the way.”
“You said you didn’t want me to put a ring on your finger, so does that mean you want to keep this thing between us simple ... just friends or whatever.”
“Yes, we’ll just be friends.” I reached behind me and unclasped my bra. As it fell to the floor, I gave him a sexy smile and said, “Friends with benefits.”
Without any further hesitation, Beckett reached for me, pulling me close as his mouth found mine. An eager moan echoed through the room when his tongue brushed against mine. With just a simple kiss, he sent a surge of heat coursing through my body, burning me to my very core.
Needing more, I reached for his t-shirt, but he grabbed it and quickly pulled it over his head. My eyes drifted down to the colorful ink that marked his chest and I couldn’t stop myself from reaching out to touch him. He watched silently as I ran the tip of my finger along the intricate lines of his tattoos. His voice was low and strained as he asked, “Like what you see?”
“Mm-hmm ... very much.” I looked up, and when my eyes met his, I whispered, “You’re beautiful.”
“Never been called that,” he scoffed. “But I gotta say ... I like it coming from you.”
His hands reached for the back of my neck while his fingers tangled tightly in my hair as he took a step forward, pinning me against the wall. He lowered his mouth to mine, kissing me long and hard. My hips instinctively rocked against him, and my heart started to race when I felt him thicken against me. My desire for this man was running rampant through me, and I was losing what little control I had over my body. Any inhibitions I might have had completely washed away when he took my bare breasts in his hands, holding them firmly while brushing his calloused thumbs across the sensitive flesh. I loved the feel of his hands on my body—every touch had me longing for more.
It was at that moment a thought crossed my mind. I’d never actually touched a man, never held a cock in my hand or given a blow job. While I was too nervous to go that far, I at least wanted to feel him. I lowered my hands to his waist, quickly unbuckling his jeans. A hiss escaped his lips as I started to slip my hand into his boxers. Just before I reached for him, I asked, “Can I?”
“You can do anything you want, beautiful.”
His breathing became short and strained as my fingers wrapped around his hardness. I could feel his pulse throbbing against my hand as I slowly started stroking him. I tightened my grip as I glided my fingers up and down. A feeling of satisfaction washed over me when his head fell back with a deep-seated groan, letting me know that I was giving him pleasure—the kind of pleasure he’d given me the night before. I could feel my confidence growing by the second, and it wasn’t long before I found myself grasping at his jeans. I lowered them down his hips, exposing his long, hard shaft. The next thing I knew, Beckett lifted me into his arms and said, “You keep looking at me like that, and we’re gonna be done before we ever get started.”
The words had barely left his mouth when I was on the bed. He tugged his boots and socks off, then his jeans. With the weight of his body pressed against me, his mouth dropped to my ear, the warmth of his breath sending goosebumps down my spine as he whispered, “So damn perfect.”
Beckett’s hands dropped to my hips as he slowly slipped my panties down my legs. A needy moan vibrated through his chest as he gazed down upon my naked body, then a devilish grin spread across his face while he settled his hips between my legs, making my entire body tremble. Lowering his face to my neck, the bristles of his day-old beard prickled against my skin as he nipped and sucked along the contours of my body.
A part of me wanted to go slow like the night before. I wanted to be able to savor the moment, but I was too far gone and just couldn’t restrain myself. I wanted him. I needed him. Spreading my legs further to accommodate his huge body, I shifted my hips up towards him as he rubbed himself against my clit. My entire body ached for him.
“You ready for me?” he asked.
Unable to even string together coherent words, I nodded, praying that he wouldn’t stop. His voice was stern when he said, “Need you to say the words, Alyssa. Need you to tell me what you want.”
His words caught me by surprise, but I knew he meant exactly what he’d said. Without reservation, I whispered, “I want you.”
“And what do you want me to do? Need you to tell me.”
“I want you to do what you did last night”—I could feel myself becoming more turned on by the second—“with your fingers.”
I wound my hands around his neck, pulling him closer, and kissed him.
His hand slipped between us, and his fingers entered me. Each movement was meticulous and slow, causing me to writhe beneath him while his thumb brushed back and forth over my clit. “This ... Is this what you want?”
“Yes!” I gasped.
I was unable to control my whimpers of pleasure as he delved deeper inside me. I didn’t recognize my own voice as it echoed through the room. I was completely lost in his touch, loving the feel of his calloused hands against my body. The bed creaked as I arched my back, feeling the muscles in my abdomen tighten with my impending release. My breath caught in my throat as waves of pleasure rushed through me, and just when I thought I couldn’t take it a minute longer, his hand was gone. He reached for a condom, and once he’d slipped it on, Beckett was back on top of me.
His forehead rested against mine as he grazed his cock against me. His erection, hot and hard, burned against my clit before he thrust deep inside, giving me all he had in one smooth stroke. I gasped at the intrusion and he froze. “Fuck, did I hurt you?”
“No, I’m good ... better than good.” I lifted my hand to his face. “Stop holding back.”
I rocked my hips, begging him to continue. His hands reached up to the nape of my neck, fisting my hair as he drove into me again. Slow and demanding, he was in complete control. Every smooth slide of his cock into my body was a statement of dominance. His teeth raked over my nipples, and I cried out wanting more. I dug my nails into his back as my whole body ignited with such intense heat; it was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.
Beckett thrust deeper inside me, and as I tightened around him, he let out a growl and then quickened his pace. His control shattered, and unable to restrain himself any longer, he drove into me in hard, steady strokes. I fought to catch my breath as I felt my climax approaching. My entire body jolted and shook as my orgasm crashed through me. I continued to tighten around his throbbing cock until he found his own release. His body collapsed on top of mine, exhausted and sweaty. I loved how Beckett felt pressed against my bare skin, buried deep inside me. He took a moment to catch his breath and then rolled over to settle next to me on the bed. Neither of us spoke. Instead, we just lay there, listening to the sounds of our breathing slow, and it wasn’t long before we both drifted off to sleep.
Over the next couple of months, it was more of the same. Beckett and I would spend our days apart, living our daily lives like usual, but the night was ours. After a long day at work, I was looking forward to seeing Beckett when he showed up at my house with a mischievous expression on his face. “You wanna go somewhere?”
“Where do you have in mind?”
“It’s a surprise. You in or not?”
“I’m in.”
“Okay, go grab a couple of towels.”
“Towels? What for?”
He cocked his eyebrow as he replied, “You said you were in.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll go get the towels.”
I rushed to the bathroom, grabbed two of them, then followed Beckett out to his bike. He stowed the towels in the saddlebags, then we were on our way. Afte
r riding for twenty minutes or so, I realized we were headed towards Fayette County. Curious, I leaned towards him with my mouth close to his ear and asked, “You really aren’t going to tell me where we’re going?”
“Nope. Just gonna have to wait and see.”
Thirty minutes later, we were riding down a long gravel road until we reached a beautiful horse ranch. All the lights were off, and it didn’t look like anyone was around when we parked and got off the bike. “Whose place is this?”
“It belongs to Riley’s dad, but they’re off at some horse show. Won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Okaay … So, what are we doing here?”
He took the towels out of the saddlebags and started walking towards the back field. “You’ll see.”
I followed as he opened the gate and led me towards a field. The only light we had was the moon shining down on us, making it a little difficult to see, but Beckett kept pressing forward. After a ten-minute trek, we came up on a creek. I thought we’d stop there, but Beckett just kept walking, only stopping when we came up on an enormous pond. “We’re here.”
He slipped off his cut, then his shirt, and when he started to unbuckle his pants, I asked, “What are you doing?”
“Going for a swim.”
“In that? What about snakes?”
“Didn’t take you for a chicken, Alyssa.” As he kicked off his boots, Beckett asked, “You coming or what?”
“I, ah ... I’m coming?” My answer sounded more like a question. With great reservation, I started to undress. I was down to my bra and panties when I looked over to Beckett and saw that he was completely naked. The man looked incredibly hot, and just like that, all my reservations faded away. I slipped off the rest of my clothes and started running towards the water, screaming wildly as I jumped in. Laughing, Beckett followed after me. Once he was in the water, he reached for me, pulling me towards him. “I don’t know how you do it.”
“Do what?”
“Make me feel like I can do anything.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “A few months ago, I wouldn’t have even considered taking my clothes off in front of a man, and now I just ran across a field naked and jumped into a damn pond.”
“Everyone has a wild side. I guess I just bring it out in you.”
“Maybe so.” I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his. “Whatever it is about you, I like it. I like it a lot.”
From the beginning, I knew in my heart that Beckett was someone I wanted to know, that he was going to be an important part of my life, and I was right. During a time when I was struggling just to get through the day, he was my one true constant. Things with him were good—even better than I could’ve ever imagined.
9
T-Bone
I remembered my old man saying that the devil doesn’t come to us with a red face and horns, boasting an eternity of hellfire and brimstone; instead, he was cunningly disguised as everything you’ve ever wanted. I never knew just how right he was until Alyssa came into my life. I tried to keep a grip, tried to remember that we were just doing this “friend thing” and keeping it simple, but the more time I spent with her, the more I wanted her to be mine. It was inevitable. Being around a woman like her, so good, so wholesome and beautiful, was the ultimate temptation, but at the same time, I had my brothers to consider, especially Hyde. I meant it when I told him and the other brothers that I had no intention of pursuing Alyssa, or at least I thought I did. Maybe I’d known it all along. Regardless, things had changed over the course of the past couple of months, and it was time for me to come clean. I just hadn’t found the right time to do it.
It seemed like all my time was spent either at the garage or Alyssa’s place or watching Lucas Brant. Since the night she’d finally opened up to me about what had happened to her, I’d been keeping an eye on him, monitoring his every fucking move. At his home. At his work. When he went out with friends. Wherever I deemed it necessary. I was determined to find some indication that he was the monster I knew he was. A man like him, a man who preyed on innocent women and forced himself on them, didn’t just suddenly change. I didn’t give a flying-fuck that he was married and had a kid on the way. That darkness he tried to hide was still there. I knew it without a doubt, and as soon as I saw a single glimpse of it, I would end him—once and for all. It was one of the many things I’d do to keep Alyssa safe. I knew it was a mistake to let myself get wrapped up in her, but I had, nonetheless.
I was playing with fire and had no doubt there’d be consequences for my actions. I just didn’t know that those consequences would come sooner than later.
After I got done at the garage, I met up with Alyssa at her place. Like most nights, we ate some dinner, and after watching some chick-flick on TV, we headed to her room. As soon as I got in the bed, she curled up next to me and said, “I had lunch with Landry today.”
“Yeah? What’s she been up to?”
“Work mainly.” She looked up at me and smiled. “She brought up all of us going somewhere again.”
“Y’all come up with any ideas?”
“We were thinking about getting a cabin up in the mountains or maybe hot springs.” She shrugged. “I don’t think it really matters to her where we go. I think she’s needing a break from work.”
“With a job like hers, I can’t really blame her for wanting to get away. Maybe we can come up with something.”
“Where would you want to go?”
“I don’t know. Wherever is fine with me.”
“Oh, come on. It doesn’t have to be with everybody.” Alyssa positioned her head on my chest where she could see me. “Just a place you’d like to visit one day. You know ... like a bucket list sort of thing.”
“I’d like to see the Grand Canyon one day and maybe go out to Yellowstone. What about you?”
“I’d love to see both. I haven’t had many chances to travel.” A soft smile crossed her face as she said, “My dad worked a lot, but we went camping some ... fished and swam. And there was this one year when we actually made it to the beach. It was one of my favorite summers.”
“Can’t say I’ve ever been to the beach.”
“Maybe we could go together sometime.”
“Maybe so.”
She rested her head back on my shoulder, and after a few more minutes of talking, she drifted off to sleep. I was relishing the feeling of her body against mine when my burner started to ring. Knowing it was one of the brothers, I forced myself up and grabbed the phone from the pocket of my jeans. “Yeah, whatcha need?”
“We got trouble, Bone,” Shadow answered, sounding shaken. “Bad fucking trouble.”
“You gonna tell me what the fuck is going on, or am I supposed to guess?”
“You’re gonna have to come see for yourself.” If I didn’t know better, I’d think Shadow was on the verge of completely losing it when he said, “Get your ass down to the diner.”
“On my way.” I quickly stood and started putting on my clothes. As I slipped on my boots, I glanced over at Alyssa and said, “I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go.”
Her brows furrowed. “Is everything okay?”
“Got no idea, but I intend to find out.” I put on my cut, then leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll be back when I can.”
“Okay, be careful.”
I knew by the way Shadow spoke that I didn’t have time to waste, so after I gave Alyssa a quick nod, I hurried out to my bike and started towards the diner. I had no idea what was going on, but I did know Shadow. He was a level-headed guy who wasn’t one to lose his cool. The fact that he was so shaken on the phone filled me with dread as I approached the diner and saw blue lights flashing by the front of the building. As I got closer, my stomach sank when I saw four cop cars and an ambulance parked by the entrance. We didn’t do cops. There were too many questions—questions we couldn’t fucking answer—and we didn’t do hospitals for the same reason. Seeing those lights meant someone was hurt bad—bad enough that Mack, the clu
b’s doc, couldn’t manage the injuries.
With it being dark and all the cops and bystanders lurking around, it was hard to see anything, so, as soon as I was parked, I rushed over to see what the fuck was happening. I caught sight of Blaze and Murphy and hurried over. “What the hell is going on?”
Murphy’s focus was on the medics as they started rolling the stretcher towards the back of the ambulance. “Somebody fucking shot him.”
“Shot who?”
Before he could answer, I got a better glimpse of exactly who was on the stretcher. It felt like someone had knocked the wind out of me when I realized it was my brother, my friend—my president. With a bullet wound to the head and another to the stomach, blood covered Gus from head to toe, and the medics were working frantically to get him inside the ambulance. A million questions raced through my mind, but I couldn’t speak. I was in complete shock. I’d always thought the man was invincible, that no one could fucking touch him, yet there he lay, fighting for his life. The medics had just gotten him inside when one of them shouted, “He’s coding!”
Madness ensued as two of the men started scrambling around to get the defibrillator. Seconds later, they ripped open his blood-soaked shirt before the medic shouted, “Clear.”
We all watched in disbelief as the guy placed the paddles against Gus’s chest, and his entire body jolted from the electric surge. I couldn’t move. Hell, I could barely breathe as I stood there next to Blaze and the other brothers who’d come up. We all stood there in silence as we waited helplessly to see if they could bring him back. Even if they did, it didn’t take a fucking doctor to know that Gus was in bad shape. Anyone could see that. Hell, the man had a fucking gunshot to the head and another to the gut, but he was a fighter. I tried to hold on to that thought as I watched the medic shock him for a second time. Thankfully, it worked. They were able to get his heart going again, and in a matter of seconds, they had closed the doors to the ambulance and were on their way to the hospital. As soon as they pulled off, Blaze announced, “We need to get there.”
