How can I fight this guy when he’s saying all the right things? Quill hands me my phone back and I reach for my key to open my door.
“Lock the door when I’m gone, babe.”
I enter my apartment and turn to face him and smile. Suddenly I remember how I got home in the first place and need to know how he knew my address. “Quill, how did you know where I lived?”
He puts his hands on his hips smirking at me. “Oh, I have my ways of getting information.”
“Tell me,” I ask, hoping his answer doesn’t scare the shit out of me.
“Tracker gave it to me. He’s one of my men at the club. He’s very good at finding people and when I saw you at my father’s hotel this morning, I needed to see you again, so I asked Tracker to find out where you lived. But fate had other plans when you turned up at Rubix tonight.”
My mouth drops open. Is he serious? He tracked my address down? I should be pissed but part of me is elated that he wanted to see me again. Jasmine, you have some serious issues. Before I can say anything else, Quill tells me goodnight and kisses me on my forehead. He turns around to head back to his bike, and I notice how good his butt looks in his jeans. So lean and firm. What would it look like naked? I watch him start up his bike and see him signal to me to turn around and close the door. I give him a slight wave and close the door behind me. As I lean against my wall, my mind wanders back to tonight. What just happened? I was supposed to end this thing between us, but without me even trying to stop it, I allowed him to take my number.
I hear the rumble of his motorbike fading into the night, and I realize how alone I feel without him. I go to take a shower and rinse off quickly. I dry off and put my nightshirt on before I hop under the welcoming covers. I can still feel his lips pressed against mine, and my core still tingles from where his hands and mouth had been. I’ve never done that before. Nic was not about pleasing me; it was all about him. But Quill was something else. He made it all about my pleasure, and he didn’t even ask me to take care of him afterward. With his erection visible through his jeans, I could tell he needed his own release, yet he didn’t ask for anything. Quill was full of surprises. Bill had mentioned that he was in a biker gang, and yet I wasn’t scared of Quill. He made me feel alive again; he made me question my promise to myself to not fall for another man. He was making me feel things that I didn’t know existed. I have to figure out a way to end this before my heart gets involved, but something tells me he won’t take no for an answer.
Chapter Eight
Quill
Riding back to the clubhouse, I find myself regretting leaving Jasmine. I can’t believe I saw her at Rubix tonight. I hadn’t been able to get her out of my goddamn head all day, and then there she was, staring straight back at me with a look of surprise on her face. Desire flashed in her eyes as they traveled down my body. I knew she was beautiful, but tonight only proved how gorgeous she is. She looked hot standing there in a short denim skirt and a top that revealed her smooth, golden shoulders. Her hair was down in a mass of waves, and her subtle makeup drew attention to those beautiful eyes. Where Jess was skinny with long legs, Jasmine had succulent curves with a small waist, wide hips, and large breasts. That’s what separated her from other women. She’s every man’s wet dream.
My body had reacted instantly as I’d scanned the length of her body, and I felt the imprint of my zipper on my cock. Rage exploded within me as I saw her dancing with that guy. She claimed he was gay and just a friend, but I don’t trust him. I don’t trust any man around her full stop.
The taste of her was still on my tongue. The memory of how she moaned out my name as she reached her climax has my cock hardening and me shifting on my seat. I wanted to fuck her hard then and there, but she wasn’t ready for that. I have to take my sweet time with her. I need to prove to her that we’re meant to be together, and that involvesme being patient—a term not usually applied to me. My hands tighten on my bike as I remember her mentioning her marriage. The thought of her with any other man stirs something in me that I’m not familiar with. I’ve never given a damn that Jess or any other woman bed hopped from one brother to the next; just as long as I get my fix when I need it, that’s all that matters. But Jasmine, now she’s something else. No other man will ever touch her. I cannot erase what’s happened in the past, but any future with Jasmine I can control. I’m thirty years old and in my prime; I’ve never thought about a future with someone, yet here I am imagining a life with her and wanting her by my side and on my bike. She’s smart and witty with a mouth on her that I can’t wait to tame. Not to mention, she’s gorgeous as hell. The urge to claim her is so powerful that nothing else matters but her.
I could see the determination in her eyes as she tried to end this thing between us. She’s been burned before, and that’s what’s keeping her from wanting to take this further. She can deny the attraction all she wants, but I know she feels it too. I’m not letting her get away from me that easily, so before she could protest, I took her number before I headed back to the club. I make a note to ask Tracker to look into her ex-husband when I return. I want to know everything I can when it comes to her.
The next morning, I call church at the clubhouse. My brothers and I need to discuss the arrangement that I have with my old man. I know they’re going to disapprove of helping him again, but I have to convince them that this is the last time. Club business is always discussed behind closed doors, no one but club members is welcome, and that includes prospects. A prospect is a term used for potential permanent members. They have to prove themselves before they can set foot at church. Once they do, and the rest of the brothers agree, we patch them in with the Blood Brothers’ emblem sewn in on their cut.
I enter the room and take a seat at the head of the table. I watch as my boys walk in one by one and take their seats. Hawke, my VP, takes his seat on my left and Blaze, my sergeant at arms, on my right. I grin as I see my men try to hide their discomfort as some tuck their shirts in and others rub the back of their neck, trying to ease their hangover. When I returned to the club last night, I walked into one of the Blood Brother’s club parties. Most of my men were drunk, and some were high from smoking pot. I knew they would be fucked this morning, but I have shit that I need to get off my chest, and I’m not going to hold back on calling church just because these fuckers don’t know how to hold their liquor.
I slam the gavel down a couple of times to gain the attention of my men. When I know everyone is listening, I start. “Boys, most of you know why I’m calling this meeting. I went to see my old man yesterday, and he has one more job for us to do this Friday. I know I mentioned that last month was going to be the last time that we would have our hand in any illegal shit, especially for my father, but he has assured me that this is the last time. So this Friday, Hawke, Blaze, and I will be attending one of my father’s hotel charities.” I smack the gavel down again as I hear laughter in the room.
Hawke tenses as Gunner yells out, “Hawke, you gonna blow dry that sweet hair of yours in massive waves for this charity?”
“Fucker,” Hawke replies under his breath.
“Gunner, shut your mouth or I’ll be ordering you to come along,” I threaten.
Gunner sits back in his chair and folds his arms over his chest, not willing to test me.
“I’ll be bidding on a replica of a collectible item in the hopes that other stuck-up motherfuckers will bid higher than me. When the bidding is done and dusted, I’ll collect the money from Sven and take it down to the docks to hand over to my father’s men. What happens next is not on us. Our business is done.” I sit back in my seat and glance around the room to ensure my boys understand that I’m serious about this being the last job. I then ask, “Everyone in? Say aye.” I hear my men agree in union except for Gunner.
“What’s up, Gunner?” I question, knowing that I can trust him with my life. Gunner was also in the military. Gunner was the name given to him since his job in the military was the Gunnery Sergeant. His job
as a club member is the protector. Whenever any of us boys need him, he’s there. If we need to take care of some asshole, he’ll do it, no questions asked.
“Don’t agree with this, Prez. Your old man is a messed-up motherfucker,” Gunner states. “I mean, stealing money from honest people is fucked up and what’s to say the old man doesn’t keep to his word and asks another favor off this club?”
“I don’t know why my old man does half the shit he does, and I’m not going to try to understand his reasons. But I do know that this will be the last time, and then our club can move forward with going legit.
“Why don’t we just be done with this and give me the order to go and take care of this asshole tonight?” Gunner questions.
“I appreciate where you’re coming from, Gun, but we’ve worked to turn this club around so we can have a positive future. If we take him out of play, there’s no turning back. We will start a war, and people will go bat-shit crazy once the drugs stop. Other MC’s won’t be happy with us, especially the Mexicans who are my father’s number one client. So all I ask is for a bit more patience, and I promise this will end soon. Anyone else?” I question, searching the room.
Tank pipes up to say, “Let us come with you, Prez. We can help if things turn haywire.”
“Nothing is gonna turn haywire, Tank, but I appreciate the offer. We don’t want to draw attention to us. Fifteen motorbikes running down the docks will draw a hell of a lot of attention. I’ll call when it’s done. Got it? All in?”
“Aye,” I hear around the room.
“Okay, is there any other business to discuss today?”
Blaze grunts and says, “Prez, Trigger and Bear have been prospects now for a while. They proved to us that they’re ready to be permanent Blood Brothers when they did that run for us last week. We boys have been talking, and we feel it’s time to patch ‘em in.”
I glance around the room and notice smiles on all my boys. “I think you’re right, Blaze. Anyone not in favor?” There was a hush around the room. “Well, boys, looks like we’re patching them in,” I agree, slamming my gavel. “Blaze, go get ‘em.”
Blaze returns shortly with Trigger and big boy Bear. Trigger’s road name came from him having an obsession with shooting at things. He always has his finger on the trigger ready to shoot. He’s a pretty boy and gets all the ladies’ attention, and Bear, well, his name speaks for itself; he is a hairy giant and as big as a bear. I watch as they look around the room, nervously standing near the door.
“Boys, we’ve brought you in here because we need to discuss something with you.” Trigger looks as if he’s going to shit himself and Bear looks just as nervous.
“What’s up, Prez?” they ask in unison.
“The boys and I believe that you’ve both proved your loyalty to this club, and we’ve made the decision to patch you in.”
Their eyes go wide in shock, then huge grins spread across their faces. They shake each other’s hand and then give one another a quick pat on the back. They’re happy as fuck as loud cheers spread around the room. I hit the gavel a couple of times to silence them all. Once the room is quiet once again, I sit back in my chair and rub my chin stubble.
“Do you boys know what it means to be patched in?” I question, and they both nod. “It means that you are now one of us, a permanent member of the Blood Brothers MC. There’s no turning back now. You hear me? Once a brother, always a brother. You will have the full protection of this club. We’re a family. If this is something you don’t want permanently in your life, say so now.” I stare at them both. Waiting for their answer.
They nod again, and Trigger yells, “No, Prez, we don’t want to turn back. We know what being patched in means. It’s something Bear and I have wanted for so long.”
“Well, all right then.” I turn to my right. “Blaze, see to it that Tess gets to work on their tats.” Tess is Blaze’s old lady. They met at her tattoo parlor, and ever since then, she’s been the go-to woman for all our tats.
“Will do, Prez,” Blaze replies.
I slam the gavel down and announce that church is over before heading over to where Trigger and Bear are standing wearing their new cuts. Slapping them on their back, I welcome them to the MC. They stare up at me with big grins on their faces.
“Thanks, Prez.”
“C’mon, boys. Let’s celebrate.”
Chapter Nine
Jasmine
I gaze at myself in my full-length dress mirror. I scrub up pretty good. I run my hands down the long, silk, black dress that Luisa loaned me; it hugs all of my curves. Luisa styled my hair in an elegant French knot, which only adds to the sophisticated look I was hoping for. My makeup is subtle with some eye makeup and bronzer. I decided on a red lipstick to accentuate my full lips.
“Do you think my boobs look okay in this dress? I feel like they’re going to pop out,” I ask Luisa, adjusting my cleavage and trying to cover them up even more. The dress has an opening in the front that ends at my navel.
“No, Jazz, don’t be silly. That dress makes them look hot. You’re just not used to wearing something like this. Here, let me put this necklace on you.”
I turn around so my back is facing her, and I feel the cold metal against my skin as she clasps a long silver chain around my neck. The Y shape necklace dangles between my breasts, making me feel a little wicked. I’m wearing matching earrings and a beautiful, dainty bracelet. My open-toe, strapless heels are the perfect height, making me seem taller than I am. They’re comfortable too, which was an added bonus.
Luisa stands back, admiring her handy work and motioning for me to turn around. “You look freakin’ hot, Jazz. You’re going to outdo every woman there tonight.”
I look at myself in the mirror one last time and spray on some perfume. Today has been crazy. After working at the store and leaving early, I headed down to the Royal Vista Hotel to decorate the hotel for tonight’s charity dinner. I decided to keep it simple by using white and pink oriental orchids with green blooms and lotus pods. I’m quite proud of my work, and Chrissie was also impressed. I had asked her if we needed Mr. Owen’s approval, but she assured me they looked fantastic.
“Anybody home?” Tristan asks as he enters our apartment. He slams the door behind him and raises his eyebrows at me. “Wow, Jazz, you look gorgeous.”
“Why thank you, Tristan,” I reply happily as I turn around to give him a view of the whole package.
“No seriously, Jasmine. If I were batting for the other team, you would be in deep trouble tonight.”
“Oh, you’re so sweet. Thank you.” I give him a kiss on his cheek. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Tristan is dressed in a black three-piece suit, bow tie, and gold cufflinks. He looks gorgeous. Then again, Tristan always looks good. He knows how to dress. He comes from a rich family that holds a lot of functions in their home. Tristan once told me that his father ran for state office, and he and his sister were forced to attend every social gathering. Tristan can afford to live in a more upper-class suburb, but he doesn’t want any handouts from his parents, and I admire him for that.
As he opens the bottle of champagne that he brought with him, I go to grab some champagne glasses from the kitchen.
“Hey, what happened with that guy I saw you with at the bar the other night?” I ask, placing the glasses on the bench so Tristan can pour us a drink.
“You mean Paul?” He grimaces while handing me my glass. I nod and watch as he shakes his head and takes a big gulp of champagne. He places his glass back on the bench and says, “Yeah, well, he’s not what I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, I don’t know. We hung out again after that night, and I just found that we didn’t have much in common. He’s too boring.”
“That’s a shame. You two looked like you hit it off.”
“Yeah, I know,” Tristan answers, swallowing the remainder of his champagne.
“Never mind. There’s more fish out there.” I
finish off my champagne and grab my clutch as I hear a horn outside signaling our cab is here.
“Hey, you never told me about that biker you were with at Rubix the other night.”
“Tristan,” I say, tapping him on his chest, “that, unfortunately, is a long story that I don’t have time to tell right now. Now, let’s go.”
I open the front door for Tristan, and we say our good-byes to Luisa, who has just come out of her room looking all dolled up. I wonder where she’s going.
“Have fun, guys,” she yells as we shut the door.
As we reach the cab, Tristan brings me to a halt with a solemn expression on his face.
“Jazz, you know if you ever need me, I’m here, right? If that biker is hassling you, just say the word, and I’ll tell him to back off.”
“Thanks, Tristan, but I’m a big girl. I can handle him. Now let’s go or else we’ll be late.”
The cab pulls up to the hotel entrance, and I accept Tristan’s arm as I climb out. As we head into the hotel foyer, waiters are there to greet us and offer wine and champagne, which I gladly accept to help calm my nerves. I don’t know why I’m so on edge; the idea of meeting new people and being out of practice has me clutching my glass a little too tightly.
“You okay, Jasmine?” Tristan whispers in my ear.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just nervous, I guess.”
“Well, don’t be. You’ve got this.”
I smile up at him and take another sip of my wine before glancing around the room to admire the other guests who have gone all out tonight with their elegant gowns and tuxedos.
Tristan and I help ourselves to some of the canapés before heading out to the dance floor. He leads me into a slow dance, and I finally relax in his arms enjoying the comfort that Tristan brings. When the song ends, I excuse myself to go to the ladies’ room and touch-up my makeup. Once I finish my business, I head to the basin, wash my hands, and grab my lipstick out of my clutch. I watch through the mirror as two women enter the ladies’ room, giggling their way to the basin. One woman is blonde with blue eyes and looks stunning in her tight, red, fitted gown. She reminds me of a mermaid with the way it clings to her curves and frays at the bottom. The other lady has long, wavy, brown hair which is pinned to the side. She has on a beautiful gold dress with a slit to the side that travels high enough to reveal her long, slim leg. I hear them whispering about some guy out there.
Tame Me (Book #1 in the Blood Brothers MC Series) Page 6
