Running Hot (Hell Ryders MC Book 2)

by J. L. Sheppard

  Her brows drew together. “According to you, this means I can’t be friends with him?”

  Her mother met her stare but didn’t respond.

  Her father’s jaw tightened. “A man isn’t friends with a woman unless he wants something more.”

  If only it were true. She closed her eyes and shook her head. When she parted them, she met her father’s green gaze. “I’ve heard a man wants a woman, he makes it happen.”

  Her father’s dark brows furrowed. “Trust me, Tiffany. I’m a man. I’m your father. I wouldn’t lie to you. I’m telling you a man isn’t friends with a woman unless he wants something more.”

  Her eyes softened. She leaned into the table. “I’ve known him for more than seven years, Dad. He wanted something more, he would’ve made a move by now.”

  Her mother shook her head. “We should’ve never let you go to that public school. You should’ve been with children of your own background and—”

  “Because Miles was such a catch, kissing and touching me after I was screaming for him to stop? Or wait, was Brad? Who’d boss me into submission?

  “No, I bet you like Benjamin, the judgmental jerk who thinks he’s superior to a biker who saved me multiple times.”

  “Mark is handsome and sweet, and he loves you so much.”

  Yes, she knew. They loved Mark. They hated she broke up with him, but she didn’t love him, not the way she should.

  “I didn’t love him.”

  She dropped her head, released a breath, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. After a moment, she met their gazes. “I’m twenty-one. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, both of you. I love and respect you, but I’m an adult. I’m making my own money, paying my own way. I’m entitled to choose my friends. I chose Thomas.”

  She stood.

  Her parents took the hint. They said their goodbyes and left.

  ****

  Cuss hopped off his sleek, black Mustang Cobra grabbing the new helmet he purchased on his way. Smiling wide, he climbed the stairs in Tiffany’s building and knocked on her door.

  Waiting anxiously, his gaze gravitated to the helmet, what he hoped would be the first of many gifts he bought for his girl.

  Cuss had been a dick to her. He should’ve never cut her out. The guilt ate at him every time he thought about it, and he thought about it a lot over the last week. He hadn’t done it to hurt her. He’d been so torn up seeing her with another man, a man who didn’t care about her half as much as he did. The jealously and anger didn’t fade, not during the week he cut her out, not even now as he thought about it. Seeing and knowing the college boy was worth her had been too much to bear. Having to hear her talk about the man would’ve been torture, salt on his wounds. He’d been selfish, didn’t think about how it’d hurt her. He should’ve thought about her instead of himself. What if she needed him?

  Fate, luckily, intervened when they happened to be at the same bar, when she waved at him even though he cut her out, when the dick said some fucked shit about him, and she defended him even after what he’d done.

  His girl was something else. He knew this, had always known it, but he hadn’t given her the benefit of the doubt. He didn’t stick around because of his own jealously and insecurities. No way he’d make the same mistake twice.

  The more he got to know her, the more he hoped. Not only did she do shit like defend him when he didn’t deserve it, she loved his bike. It thrilled him beyond reason. He never expected it, not from a rich girl with class like her. She was the only woman who’d ever ridden it, and if he had it his way, she’d be the only one.

  It’s why he bought her the helmet. If she rode on his bike, she needed one, her own, and he hoped she’d be riding his bike a lot. He knew she shouldn’t, not until she was officially his. Bikers didn’t put women on their bikes unless they were claimed, but she wanted to ride. She liked to ride, so he would give her rides, plenty of them, the perfect excuse to spend an entire day with her. He could drive out to the beach or a park or anywhere. The longer the ride, the better. She’d be close, tucked against his back, and he’d get to enjoy her much longer.

  Even as guilt continued to eat at him, he doubled his efforts to get things back to where they’d been before. He showed up at her place, called her twice a day now, mornings and evenings, and he texted her in between. She always answered her door and phone and always responded to his texts in minutes. Doing that had been hard, since over the last two weeks, he’d been busy.

  Miracle’s, aka Allie, ex-fiancé showed up at her work and hit her in broad daylight. The club voted to take care of him. Now, the brothers watched Allie twenty-four/seven. Her ex-fiancé was a hotshot attorney in New York with friends in high places and loaded, which meant there could be blowback. Cuss was one of the brothers who volunteered to watch Allie, and it proved great considering it meant he got to see Tiffany sometimes during the day or after work since Allie worked with Tiff at the daycare. With the hours he worked at the garage, club runs, watching Allie, and spending as much time as he could with Tiff, he hadn’t had the chance to buy her helmet until that day though he’d been meaning to for the last week.

  Tiffany parted the door, wearing a pair of black, slim, fitted yoga pants and a white tank top. She hardly ever wore shorts when lounging around anymore, probably because he made that comment about the effect they had on him. He seriously fucked that up though the pants worked just as well. Fitted and tight around her hips and ass, and she had a beautiful, round, plump ass.

  “Hey, Thomas.”

  He grinned. “Baby girl.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. The glint in her eyes told him she was mocking anger.

  He chuckled, strode inside then waited for her to close and lock the door. “Got you a present.”

  Her eyes widened. “W-why?”

  He handed her the helmet. Black and had some flowery design on it he thought she’d like.

  She took it, eyes still wide, grazing one hand over it outlining the design. She did this while turning it. After what seemed like minutes, she met his gaze. Hers shone with emotion, saying so much and nothing at all. She’d given him that look more than once, and still, he couldn’t figure out what it meant.

  “W-why?”

  “’Cause you said you loved my bike and liked riding it.”

  “Yeah, but…um…” She shook her head. “You didn’t have to get me a helmet… I mean it’s not like I’m going to be riding it or—”

  “Yeah, you will.” He smiled. “I’m gonna take you on rides. You don’t have a helmet and need one, so I got you one. You don’t like it, I can exchange it.” He reached for it.

  She took a step away, clutching it to her chest. Finally, she smiled in that way that lit up her face. “Thanks, Thomas. You didn’t have to.”

  “I wanted to.”

  “I’m making steaks tonight. Did you bring your appetite?”

  He often showed uninvited, but she always cooked for him. He loved that.

  Grinning wide, he relished the warmth settling in his chest. “Yeah.”

  ****

  Movie wasn’t halfway done, and his girl had already passed out. Head on his shoulder, legs on the couch to her other side.

  Cuss started to think maybe she found the movies he picked boring. In his defense, he asked her to pick movies, but she refused.

  Smiling, he took a breath. Her head on his shoulder slipped lower. He wrapped an arm around her, turning toward her slightly until her head lay on his chest. Either he’d gotten good at doing that or she was a heavy sleeper. Probably the latter, not once when he carried her to bed had she woken.

  She let out a small sigh and burrowed into him.

  He loved that. She did it a lot, and every time she did it, it made him feel like he had the world in the palm of his hands. Maybe not his hands, but he definitely had the world sleeping against his chest.

  His gaze slid from her face to her hair. He threaded his fingers through it. So soft. So thi
ck. He spared a glance at the television and realized he’d missed an important plot point. Now, he was lost. Nothing new. He never paid much attention to the movie once she dozed off. He just sat there and watched her sleep. Often, he ran his hand through her hair like he was then. Every once in a while, he looked to the screen. And when he did, he remembered the movie would be over soon, and then, he’d have to force himself to stop staring at her, carry her to bed, and head home.

  Worst part of the night, heading home.

  He hated it, hated leaving her.

  And still, it had to be done.

  Chapter Ten

  “Feels like it’s been forever since we hung out.” Lynn took a sip of her martini.

  Lynn, a pretty blonde with green eyes and a sweet smile, was an “old lady,” what the bikers called their women. She was married to Wild, one of Thomas’s biker brothers. Tiffany met her and Mia, another old lady married to Stone, at the cookout.

  Since then, she met with Lynn, Mia, and Allie on multiple occasions. They became friends though it had been a while since she’d seen Allie besides at work. It had also been a while since they’d gotten together. Allie’s ex-fiancé was making Allie’s life hell. Thomas told her the club voted and decided to keep close tabs on Allie. It meant Allie had a biker or two with her everywhere she went. One reason, this wasn’t the typical girls’ night either.

  At the local bar, she, Lynn, Mia, and Allie sat in a booth, and Thomas, Blaze, Wild, and Stone sat at a high top table six feet from them.

  “It has been,” Allie agreed.

  “Well, can’t say I didn’t see it coming.” Mia sipped her drink. “I’m actually surprised you’re even here tonight, and I don’t mean because of your issues with the ex. I mean because Trig’s crazy about you and doesn’t like to share you, even with us.”

  Trig, aka Jace, and Allie had officially become a couple recently. Well, technically, they hadn’t just become a couple. They’d only recently announced they were.

  Allie smiled. “I don’t like to share him either, but I don’t have a choice.”

  Lynn smiled. “How are you holding up?”

  “Good. Jace explained some things to me about what they do. I’m not as worried as I used to be, but still, I am.” Allie tilted her head to the side. “You know?”

  “Yeah.” Mia flipped her hair behind her. “It’s the way of this world. You never stop worrying, but if you love him and he loves you, it’s worth it. And we know you love him, and he loves you.”

  Allie smiled.

  Lynn laughed. “He gave you a cut in a month and a half. That has to be some kind of biker record.”

  Wow. A cut. In a month and a half. Clue enough as to how crazy in love Trig was with Allie. Tiffany wouldn’t doubt it if he proposed next week.

  She’d give just about anything to have her own cut. No, not just a cut, one that declared she was Thomas’s. She shook her head to rid herself of the fantasy.

  Allie laughed softly. Then the smile died on her lips. “It’s soon, but it feels right. It feels perfect.”

  “There’s no question he’s crazy about you, Allie.” Mia reached into the bowl of chips sitting in the middle of the table, grabbed one, and popped it in her mouth. “Like there’s no question you’re as crazy about him.”

  Gaze glued to her drink, she found herself saying, “He looks at you the way every woman wants to be looked at.”

  A hand fell over hers. She lifted her head and met Allie’s gaze.

  “Open your eyes, Tiff.”

  Then she couldn’t help it, her gaze slid to Thomas.

  Her eyes were open. Her heart was open, too. The thing was she’d always wanted Thomas, and Thomas she could never have.

  ****

  “Don’t know what the hell you’re waiting for.”

  Cuss’s gaze darted to Blaze. He waited for him to elaborate.

  “Know what I’m talking about.”

  Cuss shook his head.

  “Your girl.”

  Tiffany. His girl, the girl who got more beautiful with time.

  Blaze knew, and he’d known for a long time. Five years ago, Blaze and a few others had been there when Tiffany strode into the garage. Her tire had blown. He’d fixed it. He met her boyfriend, that prick Brad, a prick that showed up and made some fucked insinuations about bikers. She cut him loose in front of Cuss and a few of his brothers. Though she must’ve cared for him deep because when she left, she had tears in her eyes.

  “Don’t know what the hell you’re waiting for, brother.”

  Blaze wouldn’t get it. Even if he explained, Blaze wouldn’t understand, so rather than get into it, he snapped. “You don’t know shit.”

  “Know your girl’s got feelings for you. Don’t know if they run as deep as yours, but they’re there. Know you been sitting on your ass for years not making a move.”

  Of course, she had feelings. She was a magnet for shit men, and he’d saved her from shit men one too many times.

  Friends. There lay the problem. She saw him like a friend.

  Cuss wasn’t sitting on his ass. He was doing what he’d done for more than seven long ass years—protecting her.

  “Trying to give you advice. Get what you’re doing playing the friend card. Get that’s what you been doing all these years, but it’s time you made a move ’cause time’s slipping, and tomorrow ain’t promised to none of us.”

  For how much weed Blaze smoked, he sure knew how to put shit in perspective.

  Over the last several months, Cuss made excuses not to tell her. With the club dealing with Allie’s ex, he’d been busy and put it off. He told her things that hinted it, sometimes unintentionally. When he did, she’d look away and change the subject, like she hadn’t heard it or wanted to ignore it. Every time, it made him think she didn’t want what he did.

  Scared to lose her all together, being friends was better than nothing, but it’d been long enough. He’d grown tired of waiting, of ignoring how he felt. He needed to make a move or he’d never know for sure what could’ve been. The longer he put it off, the more likely she’d listen to her parents, who he knew continued to push her to date.

  Blaze lifted his chin, nodding in the direction where Tiff, Allie, Mia, and Lynn sat. “That’s my cue.”

  He looked to them. Allie stood just beside the table. Blaze strode away.

  Fifteen minutes later, Blaze rushed them, his face hard, brows drawn. “She’s fuckin’ gone. Went into the bathroom, never came out. Called her name. When she didn’t answer, went in there, and she’s fuckin’ gone.”

  His gut soured.

  On instinct, his gaze shot to Tiff.

  Safe.

  His girl was safe.

  He then faced Wild and Stone. “One of us has gotta stay with the women.”

  Wild strode to the women then Blaze, Stone, and he took off in different directions. After ten minutes of searching and not finding her, they called the cops. No doubt in their minds, Allie had been taken against her will, and her ex-fiancé was responsible. Though the club handled their matters and never relied on cops, this was different. It was about one of their women, and that meant they’d get help from anyone and everyone.

  When the cops arrived, they decided Wild and Stone would stay behind to handle them. He and Blaze would take the women to the compound.

  His gaze shot toward the women. He only had eyes for Tiff. She looked terrified, arms around herself, brows drawn, tears in her pretty, green eyes. He closed the distance. They had to go, but he couldn’t have helped it, so he wrapped his arms tight around her, clutching her to him, and pressed his lips against her forehead.

  She snaked her arms around his waist, burrowed in, and buried her face in his chest. “Oh, Thomas…”

  He tucked his face against her neck and whispered, “Don’t worry, baby girl. We’ll find Allie.”

  She tilted her head, looked in his eyes, and nodded.

  Her hand firm in his grip, he treaded forward, following Blaze, Mia, and Lyn
n. They got into Blaze’s black SUV. Blaze drove to the compound.

  Ten minutes later, they arrived. He hopped out, opened the door for Tiff, Lynn, and Mia. Tiff exited first, looking no better than minutes ago.

  He grabbed her hand and tugged her toward him until her chest pressed against his, his arms went around her. She tilted her head to meet his stare. “Gonna be okay, baby girl. Trust me.”

  She nodded. Reluctantly, he let her go, hating the breeze he now felt where she’d been. He watched Mia grab her hand and drag her away toward the left side of the garage, near the office. Lynn followed behind.

  He shifted his gaze. The five garage metal doors were usually closed at this time, but now three of the five were open. Before he made it inside, he could see most of the brothers there, scattered around along with two cops.

  The club knew most of the cops. Six years ago, it had been because they avoided them for legal reasons. Now, because cops knew, like the whole town knew, the club was the reason their streets were clean of drugs, guns, prostitution, and the violence that came with it, another thing the club did that wasn’t entirely legal. The cops didn’t work with them or condone what they did, but on some level were glad for it.

  A roar of bikes sounded. Turning, he spotted Trig and Army, in a temper. He had every right to be. Trig, though, looked physically pained. His whole body tense, vibrating with anger, but anguish shone clear on his face. The brother, up until a couple of months ago, was always in a shitty mood. Unless his niece was around, the man never smiled. Cuss figured it had something to do with the fact Trig served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Men and women went in, but when they came back, no telling what demons they brought with them. Then Trig found Allie, who either knew how to tame those demons or she’d killed them. Whatever it was, Cuss didn’t know. He didn’t care to know either. Allie, pretty, smart, sweet, didn’t deserve a prick like her ex who beat her. Trig was his brother, rough around the edges, but hell, he treated her like a queen and even gave her a cut in a month and a half. Unheard of, and according to Hash, crazy, but Hash was a lady’s man, who enjoyed several at a time.