“He engaged us first,” Gunner said. “And he was holding Cade’s old lady hostage. We had a duty to rescue her.”
“Don’t spin me that bullshit.” Jagger thumped his fist on the desk. “You shot him. If he hadn’t been wearing a vest, he would have died.”
“Actually, I shot him,” Cade interjected. “Gun was very expertly shooting around him to provide cover for Dawn to get out.”
Gunner sniffed. “You know Cade couldn’t hit a target right in front of his face. I shot him.”
“I stabbed him,” Dawn said, feeling left out. “In the leg. That’s why he was down.”
“Well, according to Wolf, he told the Brethren executive board that Cade and Gunner attacked him when he visited his wife to talk about their kids.” Jagger pushed his chair away from the table. “So now we got a problem. Wolf says I broke my word, and now he can’t negotiate with us without looking weak, like he’s not supporting his brother.”
“Did you tell him about the Jacks backing Mad Dog?” Dax always liked to know his intel was being put to good use.
“Yeah, I told him. He wasn’t surprised, but he’s reluctant to raise the issue before the election in case it backfires, or the Black Jack puppets outnumber his supporters. He needs us to clean house, as much as we need Brethren support.”
“That might be part of the reason why Mad Dog accused Cade and Gunner,” Dawn said. “He’s afraid you’ll actively back Wolf. With the Sinner support clubs and resources behind him, Wolf will be sure to win. By accusing Cade and Gunner, Jimmy effectively cuts Wolf off from any potential Sinner support, makes the Sinners look bad, and wins himself the sympathy vote. Wolf’s only hope now is if you back him openly.”
Gunner scrubbed a hand through his buzz cut. “I dunno. Then it’ll look like we tried to off Mad Dog so Wolf would win. Could turn everything against us.”
“Or it could be just what Wolf needs.” Dawn hesitated, acutely aware that she was now the center of attention. The Sinners were listening in a way the Brethren never had. All those years sitting quietly in the corner at the Brethren clubhouse hadn’t been a total waste. She’d listened and learned, watched the political game and understood the players.
Worthy. And it felt damn good.
“Keep going,” Jagger said. “You know them better than we do.”
“If the Brethren think Wolf is cunning and powerful enough to enlist the Sinners to take out Mad Dog, they’ll vote for Wolf. Yeah, they might grumble that Wolf didn’t support Mad Dog, but in the end they aren’t hung up on rules or creeds or honor. The only thing they respect is power. And if the Sinners come out and show their support for Wolf instead of hiding in the shadows like the Jacks, they’ll see Wolf as the strongest candidate and the Sinners as the strongest club, and they’ll vote for the man who can bring a patch over to the table.”
“We got intel that Mad Dog might be paying off supporters,” Gunner said. “If that’s the case, it won’t matter who they think is stronger. They’ll just follow the money.”
Dawn sucked in her lips, considering. “Mad Dog came to my house demanding money. He seemed almost desperate. If he needs money that badly, he must not have paid off enough supporters yet to win the election.”
Jagger’s eyes narrowed. “You got any ideas?” he asked. “A good way for the Sinners to show their support for Wolf?”
“The Brethren love a good party.”
“Done.” Jagger slapped his hand on the table. “You organize it. Tell Banks we’ll need the bar on Saturday.”
Dawn’s gaze flicked from Jagger to Cade and back to Jagger. She’d given them information that could tip the balance in the Sinners’ favor, now it was time for payback. Only a few weeks ago, she’d considered the idea and dismissed it out of hand, not just because she lacked confidence, but also because she had nothing to offer. Now she had both.
“I want something in return.” She swallowed hard and firmed her voice. “I want my girls back. Now. Wolf is president. If he tells Mad Dog to keep Shelly-Ann and the police off my back, then he’ll have to do it; otherwise he risks being kicked out for disobeying his president and he’ll lose his chance at running for election. He’s put me at risk by making Mad Dog untouchable, and you’ve seen how Mad Dog took advantage. I’ve had enough. No more talking about it. No more negotiating. I’m a Sinner old lady and they are Sinner girls and I want them to come home.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding,” Zane spat out. “We’re not getting involved in a fucking marital dispute.”
Dawn dropped her hands to her hips and stiffened her spine. “And I didn’t want to get involved in a biker war, but that’s what this is. The Brethren are a pawn in the war between the Sinners and the Jacks. Yes, you can take the information I gave you, ignore my request, and help Wolf win the election so he’ll patch his club over to the Sinners, but it’s not the right thing to do, and it’s not how our world works. I’m calling in my mark and I expect you to honor it.”
“I vote in favor,” Cade said. “Anyone opposed?”
Not even Zane lifted a hand.
Jagger nodded. “I’ll talk to Wolf.”
She thought her heart would burst.
EIGHTEEN
I will never let down my guard.
SINNER’S TRIBE CREED
Her girls were home.
Dawn sat on the floor of the bedroom that had been unused for the last year, hugging her knees to her chest, still unable to believe her angels were home. But there they were. Maia and Tia. Asleep in their twin princess beds, tucked under duvets bearing the images of handsome princes, horse-drawn carriages, and happily-ever-afters.
One call was all it had taken. Everyone was on board with her plan. Jagger called her after the deal was done, and a few minutes later she was in the Sinner SUV, and driving straight to Shelly-Ann’s house.
They’d celebrated with ice cream and pizza and now the girls were asleep and Dawn couldn’t bring herself to leave their room, terrified it wouldn’t last. What if it wasn’t real? What if Wolf changed his mind and Shelly-Ann came to take her girls away? Without a way to overturn the court decision, it was a pyrrhic victory at best. She’d used up her mark with the Sinners, and no doubt enraged Jimmy, and as easily as the favor had been granted, it could be taken away.
Unless she took Doug up on his offer.
The buzz of her phone startled her. She pushed away her thoughts of leaving Conundrum and checked her text messages.
How’s my old lady?
Best day of my life
And your girls?
Asleep
Are you sleeping?
Yes. I’m fast asleep
Wake up, babe. I’m here
Dawn heard the rattle of a key in the lock and the thud of a dead bolt. The front door creaked open and footsteps echoed through the house. When she looked up, Cade stood in the doorway, arms folded, blocking the light from the hallway.
“Where did you get the key?”
“Had it made when we replaced the door.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “You didn’t think to ask?”
“You’re my old lady. I need easy access.” He kept his voice low as he walked toward her, his handsome face partially obscured by the shadows. “What are you doing on the floor?”
“I’ve waited so long to have them back, spent so many nights imagining they were here, after I put them to bed, I couldn’t leave. I want to watch them in case it isn’t real or in case it doesn’t last and they’re suddenly taken away.” She pressed a fist to her mouth. “I’m so confused, Cade. One moment I’m bursting with joy, and the next I’m terrified I’ll lose them again. I don’t think I could bear it.”
A pained expression crossed Cade’s face and he sat on the floor beside her, his leather creaking as he put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest.
“What are you doing?”
“Keeping you company.”
“Cade…” She tried to push away, but he held her tight. “
You don’t have to do this. If you want to stay, you can take my bed.”
“There aren’t many precious moments in life, babe.” He stroked his fingers over her bare arm. “Best to appreciate them when they happen, and even better if you’re not alone. We’ll watch them together. Keep them safe.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “You want to sit on a cold, hard floor all night watching two little girls sleep?”
“Maia and Tia,” he said. “Not just two little girls. Your girls. And I know you’re worried. That’s why I’m here for as long as you need me.”
Dawn tried to wrap her mind around the fact a big, badass biker was sitting on the floor with her, in a room full of princess toys. Not only that, he seemed prepared to stay. “That’s very sweet.”
Cade chuckled. “For a sinner.”
“You have a good heart for a sinner. Strong, brave, loyal. And you’re not so bad in bed.”
Dawn leaned up and nuzzled his neck. Cade groaned.
“Don’t start something that can’t be finished in here with your kids. I’m supposed to get a reward for good behavior. Not a punishment.”
“I’ll just sit here and dream up a suitable reward.”
But when he tucked her under his arm and settled her back against his chest, Dawn knew he understood. Now she needed her girls. Later was for him.
* * *
Cade startled awake when Dawn placed a hand on his shoulder. Last thing he remembered, he’d carried her to bed, fast asleep, then come back to watch over the girls.
“What are you still doing here?” She kept her voice to a low hush so she didn’t wake the children.
“Thought I’d keep watch after you fell asleep.” He pushed himself to his feet and Dawn reached up and stroked a hand along his jaw, rough with a five o’clock shadow.
“That’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
“That mean it’s time for my reward?” He slid a hand over her hip and along the edge of those damn sexy shorts she wore to bed. He loved her in those shorts. Probably more than he loved her in lingerie.
“You did this for sex?”
Cade leaned down and kissed her. “I did it for you.”
Dawn clasped his hand and led him out of the room and down the hallway.
Cade lasted thirty seconds watching her lush ass peeking from the bottom of the shorts, and then lust destroyed the last of his patience. Can’t wait. In one quick motion, he scooped her up, and threw her over his shoulder.
“Hey, put me down.” She wriggled against him and his groin tightened. Christ. He’d listened to the brothers with old ladies complain about their women dressing down once they had kids, but now he understood. If he had to watch her walking around in those shorts every day, he’d be sporting a permanent erection not appropriate for family viewing.
“You got a perfect ass.” Cade squeezed her cheek. “I can hardly wait to get both hands on it.”
Once in her bedroom, he dropped her on the bed and immediately turned to check out her room. Feminine but not frilly. Modern but not austere. She’d clearly worked hard to fix it up, and if he hadn’t known to look for signs of the break-in, he wouldn’t have been able to tell the room had been totally destroyed.
He liked the ornate wrought-iron headboard, and the pristine white duvet, not so much the purple silk cushions scattered on the bed since they served no useful purpose and would inevitably wind up on the floor. The clean white lines of her night table and dresser appealed to his taste for simpler things, and of course he checked out the framed pictures of her kids and friends. No pictures of Benson, he was pleased to note, or of Mad Dog. And no pictures of her parents.
“What’s with the cuckoo clock?” He pointed to the gingerbread-house-style clock on the wall, so at odds with the rest of the decor.
She blushed. “My grandparents on my mother’s side were from Bavaria. When I ran away from my uncle, I left behind all my mementos, but I saw this clock in a pawnshop and it was almost identical to the one my parents had in our kitchen. I was surprised Jimmy didn’t destroy it.”
“If it makes any noise when I’m inside you, I might have to rip it off the wall.”
“Don’t worry. I turned it off. It was set to wake me for work.”
“I’ll find you a new job.” He leaned against her dresser. “One where you can sleep in so I can fuck you all night long. Tell me where and what, and I’ll make it happen.”
“The restaurant.” The idea formed in her mind even as the words dropped from her lips. “I want to manage it since you now own it after making Stan sign the deed over to the Sinners. We had a solid customer base and great staff, and now they’ve all lost their jobs. I’ve been working there longer than anyone, and I took business management courses when I started my degree. I think I could make a go of it.”
He liked it. His woman working for a Sinner business. Anything that would keep her in Conundrum, he would do. “I gotta run it past the board. I think they’ll go for it, but on one condition.”
Her forehead creased in a frown and Cade laughed and kissed the creases away. Damn she was cute when she was riled.
“What condition?”
“You gotta finish your degree and then help me with the Sinner finances. You can work with the legit businesses and I’ll handle everything else. We’ve got too much work for one person to handle, and we can’t trust any outsiders.”
“I would consider that, but I have a condition, too.” She tugged the tank top over her head and he immediately put aside any thoughts about jobs or conditions. Damn she had nice tits. And beautiful curves. Soft, creamy skin …
“Cade. Up here.” His mind cleared enough to warn him she’d been talking and he’d been … distracted.
“I’ll need help with the restaurant and tuition until I get things going, but I don’t want you to give me the money. I want a loan so I can buy the restaurant from you and pay back the tuition. The restaurant always turned a good profit, so I don’t think it will take that long.”
His heart swelled with pride. His woman. Working for his club. Was there ever a greater aphrodisiac?
Dawn slid her shorts over her hips, inch by inch, slowly revealing what he was burning to see.
Yes, there is. He lunged. She backed away.
“You didn’t say anything about my conditions.”
Cade gritted his teeth. The only condition he cared about right now was the condition of his cock, which was hard and throbbing and in need of release. He lunged again and Dawn shook her head.
“This is my show.” Dawn held the shorts just above her mound, running her thumbs along the edge. His mouth watered and he couldn’t drag his eyes away. He’d heard talk of women who had men by the balls, but he’d never thought it could happen to him.
“What does that mean?” He liked women who knew what they wanted in the bedroom, but he needed to be in charge. He’d had no control growing up as a child, watching his mother suffer and being unable to stop the abuse. Now that he had the control he so desperately craved, he couldn’t give it away.
She lowered her shorts another inch. “I was going to seduce you, strip off your clothes, tie you up, take you in my mouth, and make you beg for release.”
“Here’s the problem with that plan.” He licked his lips when she let the shorts drop just enough for him to see her golden curls, glistening in the soft light of her bedroom lamp. “First, the minute I see you I am seduced, so no effort required there. Second, you don’t strip off my clothes unless you’re naked, else I’ll be ripping things off you. Third, no one ties me up and lives to tell the tale. And fourth, I never lose control.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“What if I did this?” She cupped and squeezed her breasts, then rolled her nipples between her thumb and forefinger until they peaked.
“Someone’s courting trouble.” He crossed the floor, scooped her up, and tossed her on the bed. Dawn squealed and twisted away. But before
she could get off the bed, Cade pinned her down and straddled her hips.
She looked up at him, cheeks flushed, chest heaving. “I like this kind of trouble.”
He bent down and a drew a rosy nipple into his mouth, sucking and licking until she arched on the bed beneath him.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful. I wanna fuck you till you scream my name.”
She lifted her hips, grinding against the bulge in his jeans. “How about if I moan your name real quiet so I don’t wake the kids?”
He drew her other nipple between his teeth. “Moaning is good. Screaming is better, but I can adapt. First, though, I’m gonna tie you up, and make you so damn hot and so damn wet and so desperate for my cock, you won’t know whether you’re moaning or screaming, and the only thing you’ll be thinking about is how bad you want me and how hard I’m gonna make you come. He climbed off the bed and rifled through her dresser drawers. Dawn sat up and frowned.
“Can I help you with something?”
“Ropes, scarves … these will do.” He pulled a bundle of nylons from her drawer and gave her a wicked grin. “Do you trust me, babe?”
* * *
Did she trust him?
Dawn stared at the nylons in his hand, and her mouth watered in anticipation. He hadn’t been kidding when he said he wanted to tie her up, and she was curiously unafraid. Jimmy had been rough, but conservative, in his sexual tastes, and since he was the only man she’d ever been with before Cade, she’d spent a long time fantasizing about something more. And Cade was all about something more.
“Kinky bastard,” she murmured when he returned to the bed, resuming his position in a straddle across her hips.
“I take that as your consent to go ahead with my plan.” He tied one of the nylons around her wrist and then drew her arm up over her head, pausing as he slid it between the bars of her headboard. “Yes?”
Her heart thudded against her ribs. “Maybe I just want it missionary style.”
“Says the woman who was down on her knees with her beautiful lips around my cock not so long ago.”
The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, Books 1-3 Page 56
