by London Casey
“I’m going to kill you, Tia. The question is… how? One quick bullet? Or nice and slow? That depends on the truth.”
“I don’t even know who you are,” she said.
I moved to the right and into the kitchen. It was a dangerous move to make but I needed a plan. And that plan was to fucking kill this guy and save my woman. It was all I ever knew to do.
I could still hear their voices as I slowly peeled a drawer open to get a knife.
“I’m the one who is going to fix all these problems,” the man said. “Lord knows Jerry couldn’t do it.”
“Then take it up with him,” Tia said. “I had nothing to do with Jerry and my father. In case you didn’t know, my mother was sick and is now dead.”
“I don’t care about that,” the man said. “And I did take it up with Jerry. He was perfectly content with keeping a level field with your father. Not me. I refuse to leave anything lingering. So I killed him.”
“Jerry’s dead?” Tia asked.
I moved out of the kitchen, my back against the wall.
I held the knife tight. I had no chance of getting to this guy though. He was too close to Tia and he had a better weapon with the gun in his hand.
“Jerry is dead,” the man said. “I’m in charge. I’ve been supplying him for years and I got tired of his shit. My organization knows how to make things right. We squashed your father’s current investment. We had a team all set to take him out but he escaped on a plane. So now we’re going to start at the beginning again. With you.”
“You set my apartment on fire?” Tia asked.
“That was a warning.”
“I could have been killed.”
“If we wanted you dead, you’d be dead,” he said to Tia. Then he lifted the gun. “Right now, we want you dead.”
“And who is we?” she asked.
The way she handled herself was perfect. No fear showing. No tears. Nothing. Just standing there. Goddamn, I loved her so much. Just the thought of her being taken…
I pushed from the wall and tiptoed the best I could.
“My name is Grant,” he said. “I’ve been tracking you on your phone since you left the apartment. I sent you the text messages to see what you’d do with your biker friends. You kept your mouth shut. Good on you. I followed you up here to see what you were doing. And now, the good news? You get to see your mother again. If you believe in that shit.”
I brought my hand back, ready to throw the knife.
But that’s when Tia sprung to life.
She had something in her hand and she slashed at Grant’s face. He turned, pulling the trigger, shooting out a window. Tia tried to run but Grant threw his shoulder, hitting her, sending her off her feet and into a table.
“Asshole!” I yelled.
Grant spun and I threw the knife.
I wanted to hit his heart but what the fuck did I know about throwing a knife? I was lucky if the blade actually hit him. Which it did. But it got him in the shoulder. It was enough of a distraction that he looked at his wounded shoulder. He grabbed the knife and ripped it out of his shoulder like it was nothing.
I ran forward, shoulder down, and tackled Grant into a table. It shattered under our weight and we were on the ground. I grabbed his wrist and pinned it down to the floor. He threw a left and got me in the face. I couldn’t do anything but absorb the punches he threw. I needed to make sure he didn’t get control of the weapon.
I slammed my head down and hit Grant in the mouth.
That calmed him for a few seconds.
He threw his weight at me, trying to roll on top of me. It was not a favorable position to be in for a guy.
I managed to get my hand up to the gun and twist, breaking his hold.
Grant punched me again, getting me right at my eye socket. I saw stars, then blackness.
Grant shoved me off as I swatted at the hand gun, sending it sliding across the floor.
We both scrambled to get to our feet. Now we were facing off. We were both basically the same person. Outlaws. He just wore nicer clothes.
I felt my face throbbing and blood running down my eye. He had a wet spot on his black jacket where the knife had gotten him.
“You’re out of the water here,” Grant said.
“Try me,” I said.
“This has to be done. You don’t want this war for your motorcycle club, do you?”
“As far as I’m concerned, this is a war between us.”
Grant made a move to reach for his jacket. All I could picture was him pulling out another gun.
I had to charge him again.
We locked up, twisting and turning, spinning through the cabin.
Tia let out a few screams but was smart enough to get the hell out of the way. She crawled across the floor and behind the couch.
Tangling up tight, Grant and I ended up crashing into the Christmas tree. I slipped my hands to the lapel of the jacket and pushed as hard as I could, shoving him down into the tree. I could only imagine the ornaments, lights, the prickly needles, all of it cutting at him.
Grant let out a cry of pain and tried to punch me again.
This time I blocked him.
I threw my own right, splitting his lip open with ease.
I stood him up and then swung my foot, tripping him, letting him topple over toward the fireplace. The sound of his skull cracking against the stone was a sickening thud I’d never forget.
Suddenly, he was lifeless.
I dropped to one knee and stuck my fingers to his neck.
No pulse.
“Fuck,” I said.
I grabbed for my cell and called Prez.
I filled him on what had happened and told him to get the prospects up to the cabin, along with a couple patched in members. They’re job was to take good care of Grant. I was done with this asshole.
I checked his pulse again and there was still nothing.
Turning, I saw the Christmas tree on its side. I grabbed it and stood it back up. The tree was bent and broken, but it stood on its own. So symbolic of other things in life.
I then set my sights to the couch and hurried to check on Tia.
She was huddled, hugging her knees, looking up at me.
I dropped down to one knee and took her hand. “It’s okay, darling. It’s over. Nothing bad is going to happen anymore.”
She reached for me. Now she was shaking. Now she let her guard down and showed her fear.
I pulled her close to me and hugged her.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” I whispered.
“It’s not fair to you, Diesel,” she said. “This isn’t your problem.”
I broke the hug and took Tia by the face. “That’s where you’re very wrong, Tia. It was my problem because he wanted to hurt you. And nobody hurts the woman I love. This is protection that goes far beyond anything I’ve ever known and felt. This is for life, darling. Until I die.”
Tia blinked fast.
She was trying to chase away tears.
I pulled her close again and kissed her.
I never wanted to come that close to losing her again. Ever.
We kissed like the moment was going to turn into something else. But that wasn’t possible. Not with the condition of the cabin and the fact that there was a lifeless body just on the opposite side of the couch.
I scooped Tia up and I helped her get her stuff so we could leave.
We sat in the SUV, letting it warm up, my arm around her, holding her.
Then she asked a question. “Now what?”
The answer had been racing through my mind for a while. What was going to happen to me for what I had done with her.
I looked at Tia and smiled. “We face whatever waits, darling. Just stay by my side and I’ll forever protect you.”
thirty-six.
(Tia)
I stood next to Diesel but I wasn’t able to hold his hand. Trev, Jasper, and two other guys were at the table. Max and Duke.
The moo
d in the room was almost deadly. Like something really bad was about to go down.
“Call came in,” Trev said. “Everything with Grant is handled.”
“That’s good,” Diesel said. “Tell Cade that I’ll pay for the damage to the cabin. I don’t want to burn a bridge with a friend of a friend.”
“We’ll cross that bridge later,” Trev said. “Prospects are staying up there for a little while. Just in case anything else flushes through. Before all that… we have someone here.”
That’s when Trev looked at me.
I heard the door open and I turned around to see my father walk into the room.
That’s when I grabbed for Diesel’s hand. He squeezed at my hand. It was a stupid move to make. We were going to blow our cover. I didn’t want Diesel to get in trouble. Something told me that in the outlaw world you didn’t get fired or talked to about something wrong. You were probably kicked out or killed.
“Tia,” my father said.
“Where have you been?” I asked.
“What matters is that I’m here now,” he said.
“We’ve completed our job,” Trev said. “She’s safe, Carl. And the situation has been taken care of. That was extra. That’s something we can figure out at a later point.”
“Exactly,” my father said. “Come with me, Tia. We’re going to fly out of here right now. We need to get into protection.”
“Protection for what?” I asked.
I felt Diesel pull his hand away from mine. He started to step in front of me. “What is this?”
“Everything around me is going to hell,” my father said. “So I made a call. I’m going to fix this. All I created. All I screwed up.”
“What call did you make?’ I asked.
“When I was in London,” he said. “I realized just how bad it had all gotten. I only did what I felt was right for your mother, Tia. For my wife. Nobody should endure that kind of end.”
My chin quivered. I didn’t want to talk about my mother in front of everyone.
“Stop,” I said. “I don’t want to hear anymore.”
“Good. We can talk on the plane.”
“The plane,” Diesel said.
“Of course. I’m flying back to New York. We’re going to be in protection for a while. That’s how this ends. I give access to all my financial records. Phone records. Everything I have. It’ll make this end.”
I looked to Diesel.
Something told me my father didn’t know that Jerry was dead. That Grant was dead. Or maybe there were just more people that would keep coming for us.
My father stepped toward me. “I’m trying to finally do the right thing, Tia.”
“The right thing is that I stay here,” I blurted out. “I stay with Diesel. Right now. For forever.”
That got everyone’s attention.
I saw Diesel glance back at Trev.
Trev looked pissed and confused.
“What the fuck is going on?” Trev asked.
“I’d like to know myself,” my father said.
“It’s simple,” I said. “I’m…”
That’s when Diesel came forward. “I asked Tia to marry me. She’s going to be my old lady. There’s nothing anyone can do about it to change it.”
“Tell me this is a joke,” my father said. “What was the deal, Trev?”
“The deal,” Trev said. “Right.”
Now all eyes were on Diesel.
“Jesus Christ,” Jasper said.
“I can’t help it,” Diesel said. “I kept my distance. I protected her.”
“And you somehow proposed to her?” my father shouted.
“And I said yes,” I said. “He did everything he said he’d do. A perfect gentleman outlaw.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Trev said in an angry voice. “Goddammit, D.”
“This is my fault,” I said.
“No,” Diesel said. “None of this is your fault, Tia. I’m tired of her taking the fall. For everyone.” Now Diesel squared off with my father. “You put so much on her, Carl. You didn’t realize what she had with her mother. What you had as a family. Money and power doesn’t mean shit when you don’t have respect.”
“I’ll bury this club,” my father growled. “I’ll take you all…”
“That’s enough,” Trev said. He looked to Jasper and nodded.
“So here’s how we play this,” Jasper said. “There was an attack where Diesel was protecting Tia. There may or may not have been a body. A body connected to you, Carl. A body that only we know about. One fucking phone call and you’re done. Protective custody? That’s where you want to take this thing? Then go. Do what you need to do for yourself.”
“As for Tia,” Diesel said. “No more. She’s not your toy. She’s not your pawn.”
“She’s my goddamn daughter,” my father said.
“And I’m an adult,” I said. “I’m not hiding. I know nothing anyway.”
“More will come for you, Tia,” he said to me. “Aren’t you afraid?”
I grabbed Diesel’s hand. “No. Not when I’m with him.”
“All I’ve done for the club,” my father said.
“Fuck that,” Jasper said. “The past is gone. We’re in a new direction. What you did… we did the same right back. No more old favors, Carl. We let you in this time to figure out what was going on. You mutter a goddamn word to anyone about this club and you’ll be tied to murder. Simple as that.”
Simple as that?
I was in complete shock.
I looked at Diesel and he seemed almost as confused.
“So that’s it?” my father asked, looking around the room.
I let go of Diesel and reached for my father. “I don’t hate you. I don’t blame you. I just can’t live in your shadow anymore. And I won’t. Everyone needs to move on and move on right now.”
“Okay then,” my father said. “But this time when I go I don’t know when I’ll be able to contact you. I hope you understand that.”
“I’m well aware,” I said.
“And if something happens to you…”
“Nothing is going to happen to her,” Diesel said. “She’s with me.”
I stood there in complete shock.
I hugged my father tight for the last time. I wasn’t sure if and when I’d see him again. All I could hope was that he would find his peace. Stop his greedy power nonsense and then move on in life.
My father left the room and now it was up to me and Diesel to face the club.
“Prez,” Diesel said. “I didn’t expect it.”
“Engaged,” Trev said. “She wants to be your old lady, huh?”
“It’s not what you think,” I said. “I can’t…”
Trev raised a hand and I shut my mouth.
“Prez, whatever you need to do,” Diesel said. “I’m fine with. But this time I didn’t chase a pair of panties to bed. I chased my fucking heart. I kept away as long as I could take it.”
“So this is a romance thing now,” Jasper said.
“At least we have our backup plan in place,” Max said.
“But we need to vote on Diesel,” Duke said. “Full table.”
“Do what you need to do,” Diesel said. “I’ll find somewhere to crash until it’s time to talk.”
“Wait,” Trev said. “The cut. Off. Now.”
I saw the look on Diesel’s face. He looked devastated. Like someone had died.
Slowly, Diesel took the leather cut off and put it on the table.
“No,” I said. “This isn’t fair. He didn’t do anything wrong!”
“Can’t un-fuck you, can he?” Trev asked.
“That’s enough,” Diesel said. “Come on, darling. We’ll be fine.”
We left the room and the clubhouse in silence. Everyone watched us go.
I climbed onto the back of Diesel’s motorcycle and we rode out of the lot.
I had the man of dreams… but now he was in the middle of a nightmare.
thirty-sev
en.
(D)
I reached around Tia’s perfect body and rubbed my two fingers to her soaking wet clit. Even if you took away the shower water hitting her body, her pussy and clit would still be soaking wet.
I fucked her like there was no tomorrow.
And, shit, that could have been true.
Today was vote day.
I had to be at the clubhouse to find out my fate with the MC.
Tia let out a long cry and jumped forward. She reached down and dug her nails into my wrist. But she knew there was no escaping me. I was getting what I wanted when I wanted it.
As she started to come, she thrust her hips back at me and held there.
I pounded my cock in and out of her as she came, feeling the tight wet sheathing squeeze my shaft so tight I actually had to pause for a second. I took my cock out of her and slapped it against her ass. I dug my fingers into her pussy and made circles. She was still throbbing as she came, her knees bent, rocking her ass up and down.
Tia reached back and grabbed my shaft. She pulled herself to standing and turned around, putting her back against the tiles. I stared at her beautiful naked body and couldn’t believe how fucking lucky I had gotten. I was nothing but a crazy fucking outlaw and this woman had fallen in love with me. I’d goddamn make sure to thank her everyday of my life.
Even if today was my last day.
Tia stroked my cock hard and fast. The shower water hit my body and shaft. So I just stood there and took it. Looking at her pretty eyes, wet hair, the way her tits looked with water dripping off them. The way her tits danced as she jerked me.
“Fuck, darling, it’s so good,” I said.
“Show me,” she purred. “Show me how good.”
I threw my left hand toward her and slipped it behind her neck. I pulled her to me and started to kiss her. Right there with the water hitting us. Kissing with water bouncing in and out of our mouths.
My balls squeezed and I was ready to come.
I broke the kiss and moved my hand to the back of her head.
“Look down, darling,” I said. “Look down and see what you do to me.”
Tia let out a whimper and looked down just in time to see my cock let go.
I looked down too and saw the first shot fly up and hit her belly. She let out a gasp and kept her hand pumping. Over and over, I came everywhere on her stomach. The water tried to wash it away but it was clinging to her skin. I was hers. She was mine.
