by Bijou Hunter
Pema is my home now. Tonight, I’ll have dinner with my growing family. The past can only touch me if I allow it.
THE SENTINEL
The Love Cave’s first floor includes a lobby with a front desk, a tiny side office, a lounge, a small meeting room, and a dining area connected to a buffet just outside a narrow kitchen. The hotel offers twelve rooms on the two upper floors. The space is manageable with a small staff. For now, it’ll be our home base.
Tonight, we eat in the dining area. Rather than shove the small tables together, we choose to remain in separate groups. I want real privacy with Violet, but that won’t be an option until later. Still, with Avery now reattached to Savannah, I should enjoy more alone time with my woman in the evenings.
I can’t tell Violet’s mood, which leaves me leery. Her personas come with clearly established traits. Tonight, she seems a little like a ghost. But not in the way she was back in Shasta. When I engage with her, she lights up. Once she isn’t my focus, her mind falls back into the shadows.
“What should we do tonight?” I ask while Io and Pollux chat nearby in their toddler speak.
“Can we look at pictures of what the house will be like when it’s done?” she asks, sounding not much older than my niece and nephew.
“Of course.”
“And can we watch ‘Best in Show’?”
“Sure.”
“And can we do that thing I wanted to do earlier?” she asks, holding my gaze. “I think you can relax when it’s nighttime, and the world is quieter.”
I share her smile, imagining us breaking in our new sheets. Violet loves sex, even if she hasn’t figured out how to get herself off yet. She just wants to wrap her naked body against mine and let me run the show.
I’m fully on board with her learning how to take what she wants. I just can’t have her doing shit for my sake only. Transforming Violet into my doormat would be easy. At times, I’m even tempted to manipulate her to follow my lead and obey. I like getting my way, of course, but I always fight the urge. If she said no to Pema or the firehouse, I’d have sulked, sure. But I wouldn’t make her submit, not after O’Meara.
As we finish up dinner, the hotel’s front buzzer echoes. I reach for my weapon and move toward the front doors while also pulling up security footage. Colton and Heidi stand on the other side—him still in his work clothes while she’s dressed for cocktails.
I open the front doors, wave them in, and lock everything down again.
“Paranoid?” Colton asks.
“No, because I’m prepared.”
“Can we talk?”
“Should I involve myself?” Savannah asks without looking in our direction.
“What can you do?” Avery mutters.
While they hiss at each other like pissed cats, I gesture for Colton and Heidi to walk down the hallway to the meeting room. Before I follow, I let my gaze hold Violet’s. I consider asking her to pull her chair to the table where Avery and the others eat. I don’t signal her, though. Violet isn’t a child. She knows how to eat alone or move her chair.
“I want to hold off on killing Amon,” Colton says as soon as I enter the room.
“Why?”
“His brother threatened you today, and you probably seemed threatening to him.”
“Why would you think that?”
“You seem threatening right now, and you’re not doing anything.”
Heidi smirks. “We think it’ll be too obvious if you take out Amon right after Bufford started shit.”
“I thought we wanted it to be obvious.”
“Do we, though?” Colton asks, rubbing his short hair as if it might grow faster if he fondles it enough.
“There are two ways to make an enemy bow,” I point out. “Annihilation, meaning we fuck up a whole lot of their people. Or by targeted assassination, meaning we kill Amon and scare the rest into behaving.”
Colton sighs. “I’m not sure we’re ready to go to war, Maverick.”
“What you have now, club-wise, with the men available and the reinforcements hours away is what you’ll have in a month or six. You can’t recruit men to live in a town where there are no homes. You can’t expand into Louisville until you have more men. All of that starts with Amon Cosgrove.”
His dark eyes flash with irritation at how I don’t immediately bow to his Johansson will. “I know, but once you fire that bullet, there’s no walking it back. If they have this club dead to rights on charges, they’ll come down hard.”
I want to walk out of this room and leave these two to sort out their emotional baggage. I get why they’re freaking out. Heidi has run the place for years without much violence. She also has two small children and a lot to lose. Colton is starting a new life with his woman. He doesn’t want to end up in prison.
“Three things can happen here,” I say rather than leaving. “One is we do nothing and wait to see what Cosgrove and his people do. That leaves the power to them but also avoids possible upheaval. Two is we kill Amon and start a war with people who may or may not back down. There are armed men in Idyllwild who might want vengeance, and Amon’s mother-in-law has family connections with a small Indiana militia. The church could also have evidence to hurt the club. A lot of maybes. Three is we let shit get messy and then expect our fathers to show up to handle it.”
“No to the last one,” Colton grumbles immediately.
Seeing his weakness, I ask, “But how would they handle it?”
Colton’s dark eyes focus hard on my face. “They’d kill whoever needed killing.”
Getting my point, Heidi sighs. “Kirk Johansson didn’t take Ellsberg by being patient. He had a young wife and kids. But he took risks to get what he wanted in our world. And he didn’t have three chapters willing to step in and help.”
“However, if you want to give it a few weeks to let Bufford throw his weight around more, I see no downside,” I say, offering an edgy Colton a timeout while he gets used to the idea. “We just started on the firehouse, and the hotel won’t likely be ready until summer. We have tasks to keep us busy before I put a bullet through Amon’s head.”
Despite my frustration with changing the plan, I understand Colton’s hesitation. Taking Shasta involved River beating the shit out of a bunch of bikers before claiming the town as Reapers’ territory. Here, though, we’re dealing with people who look and sound like average folks. They hide behind their faith, even while forcing the shutdown of other churches. Our enemy isn’t tattooed, muscled thugs. Instead, we’re dealing with white-collar criminals with their flashy smiles and expensive lawyers.
But dead is dead, and Amon Cosgrove will die just as easily as the men who stood in Kirk Johansson’s way long before I was born.
THE GHOST
The hotel’s vibe changes once Avery and Savannah reconnect. I realize how much calmer the first one is when the second is nearby. Io is also relaxed now. She and Pollux go everywhere together. Two peas in a pod like their mothers. And Bjorn just quietly glides around everyone.
But Maverick is tense in a way he wasn’t when we first arrived in Pema. Something happened today, yet he said nothing at dinner.
After he takes Colton and Heidi somewhere to talk, I consider joining Avery and the others. That seems like the expected choice, but I really want to speak with Shelby. Rather than move, I set up my tablet to allow me to talk and eat simultaneously.
“Are the twins getting on your nerves yet?” Shelby asks loudly, having gotten all the details earlier from me.
“Avery made a seafood feast for dinner.”
“Oh, now, I want them at my house,” Shelby announces before turning her phone’s camera to Caen and Kirby nearby in the living room. Finally, she points it way too close to Dean, who stares blankly at his wife. They often play this game of chicken, and I always crack up at how he won’t relent by offering her a smile. No doubt, once the phone is out of his face, Dean flashes one of his big “I’m going to nail you hard tonight” grins.
“I’m ea
ting dinner and thought you could entertain me while Maverick is away,” I explain when she sits back on the couch with her baby.
Shelby understands how missing her blinds me to everything else. “I could dance for you if that would help.”
“Um, but I won’t be able to see anything except your bouncing head.”
“Dean can hold the phone and create a lifelong memory for you.”
“No,” he says as she hands him the phone.
“You’re as bad as Kirby with all your ‘no’ shit,” she mutters, pretending to be upset.
“Fine, but stop teaching Kirby to shake her ass.”
“What ass?” Shelby asks, starting to play the song “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa. “Our daughter has a flat booty. Probably inherited that from you.”
“I don’t have a flat ass.”
“Your mom does.”
Though I hear Dean grunt, I can’t tell if he’s agreeing or not. Shelby starts doing her stripper dance moves. Seeing her mom dancing, Kirby runs over and jumps around. No booty shaking, though.
“Is this helping?” Shelby asks once the Eminem song begins. “Is my daily exercise soothing your heart?”
“You’ll get your daily exercise later,” Dean mutters offscreen.
I finish my dinner while enjoying the show. By the time Shelby picks up Kirby and stops moving anything below her shoulders, I’m in a better mood. I’ll still need to find a way to get Maverick to open up. He tells me to share when I’m struggling. Yet, he holds all his problems deep inside where no one can see them, let alone help him.
I decide to clean up the dishes while the twins and their families hang out in the lounge. Maverick joins me at the sink when he’s done with his meeting.
“You didn’t finish eating,” I point out.
“I’m fine.”
I hand him the sponge and squeeze, so his right hand and foot are soaked. Maverick frowns darkly, forgetting to hide his emotions.
“Go warm up your plate and eat in here while I clean.”
“Or what?” he asks, giving me a half-smile. “What’s my punishment if I don’t obey?”
Without missing a beat, I say, “The flannel nightgown.”
Maverick loses his grin and bows to my orders. He hates the giant maternity flannel nightgown I swiped from Shelby. With it on, I look like I’m smuggling a few people and a wheelbarrow of heroin. Now, I use it as a punishment.
Leaning against the opposite counter, he eats his warmed-up food while I start work on the pans.
“Avery is a sloppy chef,” he says when I wipe the mess-covered workspace.
“She’s an artist,” I explain, and he smiles at my tone. “The truly gifted never worry about the mess.”
“She’s already brainwashing you.”
I think about O’Meara and how easily my mind turned to mush to serve him. “I’d rather clean than cook. The timing of various dishes always tripped me up. I don’t like the stress, but cleaning is relaxing and turns the clusterfuck Avery left behind into a pristine area for breakfast.”
Upstairs in our room, I enjoy the freshly laid carpet under my bare feet. While Maverick unstraps his many weapons, I clean up in the bathroom. Fighting giggles, I slip on the maternity nightgown before returning to the main room, where Maverick scans the dark evening through the parted shades.
“Avery is considering a cosmic vibe for the hotel’s redo,” I say, and he turns toward me.
I can’t hide my amusement at his horrified expression. He really hates this nightgown.
“But I ate my food,” he mumbles, sounding more like a scolded child than a stone-cold killer.
“I know, but I miss Shelby. Besides,” I murmur while tugging it over my head and spreading it out over the new dark gray side chair, “she needs to keep an eye on you. Make sure you perform to the level she demands for her adopted daughter.” Glancing at him over my shoulder, I smirk. “She’ll be judging you, Maverick. Imagine her bright hazel eyes inspecting your every move. Mostly, she’ll want to know if you stick the dismount.”
Maverick’s expression shifts as soon as he catches sight of my naked flesh. He pretends to be so cool, very much above simple carnal needs. A smooth operator, for sure, but his dick isn’t on the same page as his big brain.
“I can’t imagine what she means by cosmic,” I say, walking to where he remains near the third-floor windows. “I just see planets and stars. Like the way they decorate kids’ rooms.”
My hands slide over his wide shoulders. I don’t know how Maverick manages to always have his regular T-shirts fit him so perfectly. Never too tight or loose, they cling just enough to his body to reveal every hard cut of his chest.
“I’m sure she’ll have the entire place planned out within days,” he says, pressing his lips against my forehead.
“Avery needs Savannah,” I whisper, inhaling sharply as his fingers graze my nipples. “Did you ever need anyone to function?”
“You know the answer.”
“If I was gone, you would survive.”
Maverick doesn’t show any reaction to my words. His fingers explore my breasts, making soft circles around my nipples until they’re hard.
“Did you miss me today?” he asks in a steely, rather threatening voice.
“Not as much as you missed me,” I say, melting into his embrace.
Maverick exhales deeply, proving I was right. He struggled today, and I suspect he rarely feels such tension. Taking Shasta was a team effort, and he trusted River’s plan. No matter our fun dinner party recently, Maverick Majors does not believe in Colton Johansson yet.
And such uncertainty leaves him rattled. He might not show this fear to the world, but I feel his heart beating faster than usual. Maverick needs me to soothe him, but he has no idea how to ask. Or even if he has the right to take from me as I often do with him.
“I feel strong,” I whisper against his lips. “I struggled today, but I’m strong now, and I see only you.”
Maverick would wait forever if I needed him to, but I’m past that point. I need to build a new me in Pema, and that better Violet will help her man when he’s overwhelmed with the weight he chooses to carry alone.
“Let me,” I say, stroking him through his jeans. “I want to do it for you.”
A worry flickering across his green eyes is all Maverick reveals as I kneel before him. He fears I’ll flashback to O’Meara. Yet, I really only see Maverick, especially once he’s stripped down. Why shouldn’t I enjoy my access to such a fine man? Women always notice Maverick. He’s a real catch, which is why I wondered if I created him in my head. How can someone this handsome exist in my world, let alone want me?
But he does, and I see him watch me take his cock in my mouth. His intense gaze never falters. I ignore his worries and enjoy the feel of him. My entire body is flushed with goose bumps at the sight of him over me. I hold his cock with one hand and stroke his powerful thigh with the other.
My gaze flashes to his face often, wanting him to know I see only him. He helped free me from my hell and led me from the darkness when I was lost. Many days, he’s the light that keeps me sane. When I touch him, he’s the only man in the world, and I’m right here with him now.
And when he finds pleasure, I smile as his cum coats my tongue. I’ve offered him an escape from the world he refuses to let infect him. Love isn’t free, and I’ll pay whatever price to keep Maverick’s heart with mine.
THE CHAPTER WHERE PAPA AND MAMA BEAR GROWL
THE SENTINEL
Over the next two weeks, work moves quickly at the firehouse. No more trouble from Bufford, but our spies at city hall report he asked around about blocking various already-granted permits. Once he realized he waited too long, the asshole moved his focus elsewhere. Unfortunately, the Reapers don’t know what his next move will be. Likely because he doesn’t.
With him neutralized, for the time being, I make the most of Cooper’s generosity. Each week, he sends guys from the other chapters to help work
on the firehouse. Construction has always been the backbone of the Reapers’ legit businesses. Most of the men wearing our patch know their way around a worksite.
The Pema guys help, too. A few are more skilled than others. For those I don’t trust with real work, I assign to do cleanup. Everyone remains busy because bad weather is always a threat. By the time the holidays arrive, we need to be working on indoor renovations.
“When the local guys are done with the duplex,” Avery says one night at our bi-weekly dinners in the hotel’s dining room, “they need to instantly start on the hotel.”
“Why?”
“So, they don’t forget my shit,” she mutters, and Savannah nods.
“There are more pressing issues than a hotel we’re not using as a real business.”
“It’s my project. I need everyone to care about it.”
“I thought that was your project,” I say and gesture at Io gnawing rabbit-style on an asparagus stalk. “And you’ll be in your new home. You’ll be plenty busy.”
Avery knows I’m right, but she’s on edge about our parents’ visit this weekend. Along with Savannah and Violet, they’ve been cleaning the hotel and updating everything possible.
More than the prep work, I believe Avery is stressed by how Savannah talked her way into a house in Idyllwild.
“I know how to lie,” Savannah announced when Colton asked how the fuck she managed to get by the COC. “The key is to know what your mark wants to hear and then tell them that shit. People aren’t that complicated, Colt 45.”
My president smirked at how she called him by his club name. He’s been training the kids to use it when they see him. No, not just say it, but scream “Colt 45” and throw their arms up triumphantly. Apparently, he trained his nieces and nephews to do the same thing.
Colton’s ego is an odd spectacle to behold, but I don’t say anything. What do I care if he wastes his time trying to seduce Io into shouting what she very clearly doesn’t want to say? Of course, Pollux is already on board, along with Gunnar’s kids and Onyx. Axe isn’t falling for Colton’s shit, though.
