by K. J. Dahlen
A knock sounded on the door as I sat up and swung my legs over the side. “Come in dammit!”
Reaper poked his head in. “Thunder?”
I nodded. “Come on over and help me.”
He stepped in and came over. “You aren’t supposed to be up, are you?”
I gave him a hard glare.
He sighed then shrugged. “So damn stubborn…” He put his shoulder under my arm.
I stood and the room swam a little. I steadied myself. “K. You can let go.”
He stepped out and I slumped a bit but caught myself.
“Dammit, why you gotta be this way?” he asked.
I grunted as I took a step. “I am fucking tired of this shit. I gotta know what’s going on. Get back in the game.”
He shook his head. “Well, okay, then you need to know, Bruno called church today.”
I raised my head up.
“Yeah.” He nodded.
“And no one told me this shit?” I growled.
He looked at me with confusion. “I’m telling you now.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, you are Reaper. Thanks for that.” The man had been with us for 3 years now and proved himself again and again. “No use in asking what church is about is there?” I knew Bruno kept everything under wraps so he wouldn’t tell even a lieutenant like Reaper.
“Nah. You know him.”
I took several steps and made it to the chair. I was already breathless as I sat down. I looked up at him. “So, you just come for a visit?”
He again, looked troubled.
“What is it Quincy?” I used his god given name. I had recruited this man myself. I trusted him.
“Well, look…” he started.
I waited for it.
“There’s been stuff going on for a while…”
I sat up straighter, forgetting my weakness and pain. “Like what?”
“Like stuff missing. Little things. Then while all that shit was going down with Prez getting ambushed then you missing?”
I gave him a nod. “Go on.”
“Well, while you both were out, it increased. More stuff missing. I can’t pinpoint it, but seems shipments are shorted, here and there. Then I spoke to Marco and he noted that money was missing and some weapons from the cache.”
I now zeroed in on his face.
He looked me in the eye. “Thunder, someone is stealing and…”
I waited for it.
“…it has to be an inside man. Someone that is trusted for him to have been able to do this without no one seeing.”
“So, this call for church…you think it’s about that?”
He shrugged. “Don’t know. But I thought maybe now that you are awake. You needed to know?”
“Why not tell Jax?”
He shrugged. “That man has been busy. You shoulda seen him carrying his woman across the club house over his shoulder!” He laughed.
I rolled my eyes. Yeah, his way of making it right with Chloe was wild. I’d already heard this story from Spider. “But he isn’t with her all the time. So, why me?”
He stood up straight. “You got me this life, Dino. You gave me the chance when I had nothing to look forward to. I figured I could tell ya and you would take care of it.”
“Okay. Have you told anyone else, besides Marco?”
“No. man. This ain’t somethin’ to gossip ‘bout. It’s sickening.”
I agreed. Jaxson had worried about a traitor. He told me this yesterday. He said someone had intervened with saving Antonio, then housed him. An insider, he said it had to be. Now this? Antonio was gone. So this wasn’t him. Though it would be something he’d do. Steal from his own MC. I shook my head in disgust. “Okay, so when’s church?”
“Like in a half hour.”
“Well, grab my jeans and a shirt from over there, would ya?”
He looked around and headed to the dresser. “You really going?” he asked as he pulled a drawer open. “I mean you don’t look ready, man?”
I scoffed. “That’s why I need the fucking clothes!”
He sniggered as he grabbed a pair of jeans then a Black Devils tee shirt. “Don’t know what your woman is gonna say about—“
“Thunder!”
I raised my head.
Bella stood in the doorway.
“Shit,” Reaper muttered as he came over, dropped my jeans and the tee shirt on my lap. Then he lowered his head and went out the door. Not even making eye contact with the furious Bella. Nah, the man was smarter than that.
I almost chuckled as a brother slunk out of the room rather than face my woman when she was mad. My woman. I still caught myself thinking this. Never had a steady one before, let alone had one for a wife. I stood up and lucky for me, the room did not spin this time.
“What in the fuck, do you think you’re doing?” she asked.
“Dressing,” I replied as I tore the damn long shirt off me. I don’t know where they got it from but I wasn’t no old man to be wearing that pussy shit.
There was silence in the room now.
I looked up at her face.
Her wide eyes were locked onto my body.
I tilted my head at her.
She rushed forward and dropped to her knees.
I fucking almost jumped back as I lowered my head to stare at her.
She wrapped her arms around my calves and tears spilled down her cheeks.
I drew my brows together. What the fuck was this?
“Oh, Thunder…” she cried.
I looked down at my body. Oh…shit.
Looking up, I caught my reflection in the dresser mirror. I had cuts all over my body. Purple-yellowing bruises was my skin tone, not my own skin. Even some of my tats looked purple. I had stiches lining my chest, shoulders and arms. I would have more scars than a rusted out bike. I let out a sigh. “Yeah, sorry. Babe.”
She stood up and sat me down. Then again, sat at my feet and laid her head on my lap. “You took all that torture because of me!” she wept outright now.
I felt something tug in my chest. I don’t think I ever seen Bella cry before.
“You shot a man to protect me. Then they tortured you to make you give me up. This?” She waved her hand up to my body. “This should have killed you!” She blubbered like a child.
I smoothed her hair with my hand. Funny, my hand was shaking. I paused at this. “I don’t give no one up.”
She sniffled and wiped her face. “Y-you have made up for it—” Her voice cracked.
I felt puzzled at this…. what did she mean?
“All the men who abused me, sold me, gave me misery…” She stared up at me her green emerald eyes sparkling with tears. “You made up for all of that. You took it away with the sacrifice you made for me….”
I swallowed heavily. “Bella, don’t put all that on me.”
She shook her head, took my hand, and turning it over, she kissed my palm softly. “It’s true. Nothing you can say will change that.”
I felt so many things. Hate for what she’d endured. Horror at how my body looked and I never even realized it. Disturbed that what she may feel for me was nothing but gratefulness…not the love I wanted.
“I-I love you T-Thunder.”
I sat up and grabbed her hands. “NO!”
She looked startled.
“You can’t equal love with a feeling of being indebted.”
Her eyes widened. “No. I loved you all along, Dino Damicio!” She looked angry now. “Don’t tell me what I feel!”
I shook my head. “So why do you tell me now? Two days ago, you didn’t even know if you wanted to be married to me.”
She sighed. “I was too afraid to tell you…”
I shook my head.
Then she dismissed the subject. “You are not leaving this room.”
I grinned at her. “I will.”
She gave me a beady eyed look. “I am going with you then.”
I shook my head. “Not to church you’re not. Bruno doesn’t allow it.
”
She wobbled her head as she rolled her eyes. “Fucking Bruno! He doesn’t allow this or that,” she mimicked in a sarcastic deep voice.
I laughed at the nearly apt impression of De Luca and stood up, looking down at her.
Her eyes widened at the view of my cock standing straight out.”
Yeah, the minute she put her face in my lap… that boy awoke real god damn fast! I laughed some more.
Her eyes widened at my laughing. “Oooh! Sit down will you?”
I shook my head. “Won’t be doing that. Unless…”
She titled her head at me.
I stared at that mouth of hers. That delicious orifice that made me want to… “Unless you blow me,” I taunted.
Her eyes zeroed in on my cock.
I smirked as I stepped around her.
“I would you know?” she murmured from behind me.
I turned to look at her on her knees still at my feet. Any man would want this. A woman who looked like her, at their feet saying they would blow you. “Until I’m sure you aren’t just feeling grateful, I will have to pass.”
She stood up, looking angry. “You think I would just suck you off to say thank you!” she shouted.
I stared at her beautiful face and realized just how exquisite a beauty she was. With her dark red hair around her shoulders, those haunting green eyes, that pouty full mouth. Damn. I was so fucking tempted. Just fuck her mouth until I had no cum left to spill. Chuckling, I shook my head.
“This is so NOT funny, Thunder!”
I put my jeans on with no struggle and no pause then my tee shirt. I looked around for my boots. Spotting them, I stepped over.
To my surprise, Bella crawled over to the bed. She grabbed them from underneath, and held them to her chest.
I zipped up my fly, careful not to catch my hard erection in it. “What? You gonna hold my fucking boots hostage?”
She looked determined. “You are gonna have to get them from me.” Her lip trembled.
God dammit, she was so fucking cute. Still on her knees holding my biker boots to her heaving chest. “Bella, just give em to me.”
Shaking her head, she whispered, “Make me.”
I narrowed my eyes at her as I grabbed her up and hefted her to my chest. I grasped her asscheeks in my hands then lowered my mouth and crushed her lips. Pushing my tongue in, I kissed her hard and deeply as I squeezed her ass tightly in my hands. I growled and pulled her to my still erect cock.
Her body eventually slumped as I kissed the breath from her. The boots dropped to the floor.
I was too busy to care about the damn boots while enjoying her mouth and her flavor. I could smell vanilla again. I wanted to eat this woman alive. Lick every bit of her sweet skin, have her cum on my tongue as I lap it up. Make her mine in the dirtiest way possible—have her give me her body, heart and soul. Have her gasping and screaming my name as she came in my mouth. I was holding her tight now as my boots remained on the floor.
The door slammed open.
“Ha! Fucking Thunder! Doing just what I expected by now.”
We broke apart.
Bella looked dazed like she might fall over.
I steadied her and turned to see Bruno in the doorway.
“Get your ass to church boy.” He winked and turned away.
I bent down and grabbed my boots.
“D-Dino…” she called softly.
I walked to the door with my boots in hand. “Stay in the compound, wife.”
She stomped her foot.
I turned to face her. “Please Bella? For me?”
She bit at her lip, then nodded.
“Good. You don’t want to run away from me again. You already learned that I would die to protect you. So please do as I ask.” I went out the door.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Chloe
I had almost everything ready. I was stymied by Marco and his rules. He had me give him the list I needed for catering, decorator, baker and people to serve the guests. He said everyone had to clear security, so no one got in that shouldn’t. I did have to agree with him. I sure didn’t want to let mafia hit men into the wedding reception.
Fuck! A person couldn’t even throw a party without security clearances and extra bodyguards? I sighed. Well, this was the life I had and Bella. We weren’t normal women with average everyday guys.
I paused and thought… would I have been satisfied with a normal guy? An accountant, office worker? I really didn’t think so. This was moot anyway. I chose Jax and he was already set in his MC life.
Speaking of Jaxson, he left earlier after he got informed of church being called. Dammit, I sure wish I could be a fly on the wall there. I had the right to know what was going on just like anyone else! I mean this probably affected me and Bella. This only men bullshit was just that… Bruno’s bullshit.
Pausing… I felt excited suddenly. YES! I rushed out the door and made my way to Bella’s room. I knocked and opened it. I glanced at Thunder’s bed. Empty. Of course, he would go. I looked over by the window.
Bella stood there looking out. Her arms crossed over her chest as she turned to see me.
Yep. She looked pissed.
“Wanna hear what they will be talking about?”
Her arms dropped from her chest, as she looked confused.
“Come on! It’s due to start any minute!”
“But we can’t—”
“The hell we can’t!” I turned and went out the door.
She made her way out while following me.
We went down the hall. When I got to the end, I put my finger to my lips and peeked around the corner.
Yes, there was the guard. That young kid Jax had called Demon. He was posted at the door. Why a sweet face like that would be seen in any way as evil confused the hell out of me. But who knew? This was an MC. Maybe he was a stone cold killer?
Bella stopped behind me.
I nodded to her, sneaked over to the closet and motioned for her.
She scurried across and in we went.
I so hoped that Demon hadn’t seen us. I pulled out a pen light, I got from Jaxson’s junk drawer and snapped it on
“What the hell, Chloe?” she whispered.
“Shh, I found this closet one time when I was looking for weapons, remember, before we took off?’
“So?”
I moved to the wall and put my ear to it.
Her eyes widened. “No shit?”
I nodded and put my finger to my lips. They might hear us.
She moved next to me.
I reached into my back pocket and flipped my knife open.
Bella stared as her smile grew. It was a bit dark but we could see well enough.
Listening wasn’t good enough I wanted to see who was saying what. I nicked the knife on the thin wood, whittling slowly. Then punched through. The noise made me halt as I held my breath. God, I hope no one heard that.
We both stood still.
Then we heard their voices.
“Church is called to order!” Marco called out.
I couldn’t see him, but I could see Jax and Thunder. I nodded to Bella.
She peeked and sucked in a breath.
Yes, we were going to see our men in an MC meeting. Yes, it happened once before when we’d been allowed in but this time we weren’t invited. I wanted to know why.
“Okay brothers, we have several things to discuss,” Bruno spoke now.
We both rolled our eyes, as we did not have to see him. Anyone would know that booming voice.
“There are several things on the agenda. Marco.”
“Yes,” Marco spoke again. “We have another shipment coming in by sea. This one is for the families and we have to be extremely careful.”
I wondered what was in it.
“It is not whiskey this time.”
The room fell silent.
“So what the hell is it?” Jaxson asked. “Better not be human trafficking or drugs.”
I smiled. I
loved this man.
“No. I promised we wouldn’t do that no more,” Bruno replied.
“But it is contraband,” Marco added.
“What?” Thunder asked. “What kind?”
“Now boys. I owe the families a favor now. This was a deal breaker. We slipped up, back when. With the whiskey. Remember? While we did deal with the Cartel, we did not satisfy our debt to the… families.”
“We did. What about the 200 grand? We paid that debt off.” Jaxson looked troubled.
“No, we never got them the product as it was long gone after Jumper sold it. This was brought up at the council meeting I went to.”
Thunder looked disgusted. “So are you gonna tell us what this shipment is?”
“Weapons.”
There were murmurs through the room. Then it got louder as the men complained loudly.
Marco used an actual gavel to tap the table. “Hey!”
“Bruno,” Jaxson spoke up. “We cannot arm thugs on the streets nor the gangs.”
“You won’t be.”
“How so?” Jaxson asked.
“This will be going to Central America.”
“Then why do we have to handle it?” Jaxson again asked.
While Bella and I watched, we could see the anger on the faces of our men.
“Because it has to go through San Diego, then up through Mexico then to the area it was meant to be delivered to. Some exchange deal the mafia has with the Ruzis down there. The guns won’t be used in our country.”
Jaxson shook his head.
I agreed. Someone would die, even if it wasn’t Americans.
“Look, we have no choice. You wanna put more on their list against us?” Bruno asked. “We need to keep the peace. Hell, we already got the cartel as enemies. We need the backup of the mob. We have to have it.”
Jaxson sighed.
Thunder crossed his arms over his chest and looked emotionless.
Both Bella and I knew he was pissed when he did this.
Marco spoke again, “Then the next order of business…”
Bella and I looked at each other.
