Nothin' But Trouble

by Nothin' But Trouble [Evernight] (mobi)

  For several minutes all he did was hold her, and Lilly closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded by Court. “This is nice.”

  “Yeah, it really is.” He pulled her back enough so that he could look in her face. “I’m going to make this right. I’m going to talk to Roan, explain everything to him, and tell him that you’re the one I want.” He cupped each side of her face, more gently on the wounded side, and stared right into her eyes. “I want you, Lilly, and I don’t want to hide behind what I think may or may not happen.”

  She couldn’t agree more, and even though this whole situation and Court’s revelation felt like it had just been dropped in her life, she drew comfort in the knowledge that she hadn’t been the only one that had been thinking of him all these years.

  “I’m not looking to rush into anything, because I have all the time to get back to where things were. My life isn’t how it used to be. I live the MC lifestyle, do things that you may not agree with, because others sure as fuck don’t, but at the end of all that I want you, baby. I want you by my side. Do you want that, Lilly, to be by my side, to be my old lady?” It didn’t take her long to answer, but she knew before she even said the words that he had sensed her intentions by the grin he gave her.

  “You know that’s what I want, what I’ve always wanted.” She swore she saw the presence of his bear flash across his face, and even watched the way his pupils dilated and his irises turned black. A low rumble left him, and he pulled her into his arms, and then positioned them so they were lying on the bed facing each other. Once situated with her back to his chest and the heavy weight of his arm resting on her thigh, she closed her eyes, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she realized that this was what happiness felt like. She supposed she must not have realized how big the impact of being with the guy she loved was until she had lost out on time with him. It was in the form of a big, bear shifting biker that had been gone from her life for so long, yet at the same time he was so close. It was also the way she felt this inner peace, like she had finally found what she had been missing, and what she had been searching for. Only time would tell on how everything would play out, or how Roan would react. There was the fear that her brother would most definitely be angry and feel betrayed, but not just because of what she and Court had done, but of all the time lost with his once best friend.

  “Get some sleep, baby.” And it was as if his voice, those words, and the gentle, coaxing feeling of his hand moving up and down her back, had been the trigger she needed. Lilly closed her eyes and let the peacefulness of sleep, and the presence of her big, burly bear biker, lead her into oblivion.

  Chapter Seven

  Lilly looked at her brother and then turned her attention to Court. They were both sitting in the chairs across from the couch, which was where she was currently sitting. Her mom had insisted on going to a church function, and they wouldn’t be picking her up for a few hours, so she thought now was as good a time as any to bring all of this out in the open.

  Roan leaned back in the chair and looked between the two of them, and then scrubbed a hand over his jaw. This was the first day he had off in longer than she could remember, and just looking into his face she could see how much he had aged. She saw the dark circles under his eyes because he hadn’t gotten enough sleep. There was several day old scruff covering his jaw, and Lilly regretted even bringing any of this up, but it had been kept in the dark for long enough. It had been a couple of days since Court had been to her room and they had talked about their feelings. But she had talked to him every day since then, whether it was on the phone or when he came by the house. It was still a little strange having him in the house, but a lot of that time was him catching up with Roan. Their mother had been around each time he was there, so bringing up the fact Court had taken her virginity all those years ago was a little TMI for her mom, or so Lilly assumed.

  “So all of this distance, and slowly moving further away from our friendship was because you slept with Lilly at a field party and thought it was a betrayal to me?”

  Court cleared his throat and nodded. He looked stiff and uncomfortable, and exactly how she felt.

  “Yeah, but it wasn’t just that?”

  Roan lifted a brow and stared at Court. “No? You mean there is more? Like maybe how you have feelings for Lilly, but have been too much of a coward to do anything about it?”

  Now it was her turn to sit up straighter at Roan’s words. There wasn’t any anger in her brother’s words, but there was a hint of challenge directed at Court. She glanced at the big blond biker that she was falling harder for each and every time she saw him.

  “Yeah, that’s also a big reason I stayed back. I was confused by my feelings for Lilly, afraid that I had royally fucked up our friendship, and didn’t know how to handle it besides running.” The room grew silent as Court admitted that to Roan for the first time.

  She glanced at her brother, saw that his attention was fully on Court and waited to see what would happen. It seemed like forever before Roan even moved in his chair, but it couldn’t have been more than seconds.

  “Damn, Court. I have never known you to admit when you were wrong and fucked shit up.”

  She was sweaty as she glanced back and forth between the two men that she cared about the most. Lilly didn’t know if she was waiting for them to attack each other or what, but the room was hot and tension was running high inside of her. Then her brother started chuckling and Court followed suit, and just like that the tension drained and stunned confusion filled her. Roan leaned over and slapped Court on the back.

  “Since I’ve known you there has only been this bad-ass bear that didn’t care what anyone thought, kicked asses and asked questions later.”

  Court glanced away and scrubbed the back of his neck, but she saw the way he grinned. Roan grinned, too, and although everything seemed okay on the outside, she felt strange at how everything had progressed.

  “So we’re good, man?” Court asked, and although he outweighed Roan by a good fifty pounds of muscle, they were equal in height. Roan had more of a lean, boxer’s body, one of toned sinew. Court was just brute strength all the way around.

  She glanced down and saw the way Roan clenched his hands. She knew what was coming. But before she could stop it, she saw Court’s face harden, and knew the bear shifter was aware of what was about to go down. But he didn’t move, and when Roan reared his hand back and slammed his fist into Court’s jaw, everything around her stopped. A trail of blood slowly trickled down Court’s bottom lip and chin, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

  “Now we’re good,” Roan said, and although there was a bite in his words, she didn’t feel any animosity coming from her brother.

  Would Court attack Roan, and the two of them would be in a full out brawl in her mother’s living room? But before she could say anything Court started chuckling and rubbing his jaw.

  “I deserved that, and more.” He grinned, and thank God Roan did, too. Damn, was this how guys “made up”? She could remember her fights with her girlfriends in high school, and it had always been overly dramatic and drawn-out. There wasn’t a punch to the face and things could be smooth again.

  “Well, I can’t really stay mad at you since you helped me with Lilly, and that goes a long way in my book. But Court, man, you have to have known that if you just came to me and told me how you felt for Lilly I would have been cool with it.” But then this look covered Roan’s face, as if something just came to him, and his cheeks became red. “Wait, you weren’t getting with her before that night, right? You weren’t fucking my underage little sister, were you?” Roan curled his hands into fists again, but Court was shaking his head.

  “Fuck no, man. I didn’t even see Lilly as anything but your kid sister until that night at her graduation party.”

  “I don’t understand why that night made the difference?” Roan asked.

  Court sat back down, and it took her a second but she followed suit.
He looked at Roan, and after a minute he sighed and sat in the chair. “I don’t know why it took that moment for me to realize that I wanted Lilly as something more. It was just the time my bear rose up when it saw her and smelled her scent, and I knew I was lost.” Court looked over at her, and there was so much raw emotion that it was like she could feel him reaching across the space that separated them and running his fingers over her cheek. “But I knew it was wrong. You and I have a history, Roan, and I love you like a brother. It felt like I was betraying you. And shit, she is ten years younger than me.”

  “But five fucking years, Court? You pushed me out, turned your back on us all because of some stupid ass notion that I would what, kick a bear shifter’s ass for wanting to be with my sister?” When her brother put it that way it did sound ridiculous, but now was not the time to think about any of that.

  “Court had his reasons for doing what he did, and I don’t think we should harp on why he did what he did. Can’t we just think about now and move forward?”

  Both men looked at her, and they sighed in unison.

  “She’s right, Roan. I fucked up, but I did what I thought was right at the time, even though it was far from it. I just want my best friend back in my life.” Court turned and looked at her. “And I want to take care of Lilly.” Before anyone could say anything Court’s cell started vibrating. He pulled it out of his cut, looked at the screen, and stood. “I have to take this. I’m going to step outside.”

  Lilly watched him leave out the front door, and looked at Roan. Her brother watched her intently, and she knew she was about to get “the talk”.

  “You have feelings for him, Lilly, like ones that are serious enough that you want to get involved with an outlaw bear shifting biker?” She didn’t need to think about Roan’s words to know what she felt in her heart.

  “I cared for him all those years ago, Roan, but pushed the feelings down after everything went downhill after that night.” He ground his teeth, and it sounded overly loud. “I want to see where this goes.”

  “What if it isn’t going where you think it is? What if you get hurt, Lilly?” Roan leaned forward and rested his arms on his thighs.

  “Isn’t life about getting hurt, dusting yourself off and trying again? And besides, I know how he makes me feel, and I see the way he looks at me.”

  “Yeah, I see how he looks at you too, like he wants to tear an asshole’s head off if they screw with you.”

  That had her smiling, but not because she found it funny, but because her brother was currently wearing the same expression.

  “It’s been a long time, Lilly. He’s changed from the guy that hung around the house all the time. He’s hardened, is involved in a lot of illegal shit and is downright dangerous.”

  “Yet I know you wouldn’t even be giving me these warnings if you didn’t already trust him. If you didn’t you would have kicked his ass out of the house long ago, and threatened him—bear shifter or not—never to come around me again.”

  Roan started chuckling and nodded. “Yeah, that’s true.” He sobered. “I do trust him, I saw the lengths he was willing to go with you that night; and I know that with him no one will ever hurt you again.”

  Before she could say anything the sound of the front door opening and closing had her turning and watching Court come back into the living room.

  “I have to go, club business.” He turned to face her. “Can I see you tomorrow?” The smile he gave her was panty dropping, and it was like they were the only two in the room.

  Roan cleared his throat and excused himself but before he left Court reached out and embraced him. There were a few muffled words between them, but she couldn’t make out what was being said. She didn’t want to anyway, because this was their moment of reconciliation.

  Roan left, and then it was just the two of them, and all she could do was stare at him. The emotions and feelings she had for this male were consuming but it was the good kind that made her knees weak, her heart race, and everything else feel out of place. Lilly stood and walked over to him. As soon as she was close enough he wrapped an arm around her waist and gently brought her in. She was still sore, but each day she was growing stronger and healing. Court buried his face in the crook of her neck, and she heard him inhale deeply. She grew wet at the sound of him doing that, and then felt him kissing the spot he had just smelled.

  “Even after all of these years you still smell the same.” He inhaled again and she felt him curl his fingers into her hips, but for such a big, hulking guy he was mindful of how tender she still was. “I want to see you tomorrow, maybe take you out to dinner?” He pulled back, but immediately leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips. “I want to do this right with you.” He murmured those words against her lips.

  Lilly held onto his biceps and said, “I think I like this side of you.” She felt him smile against her. “But I also like the biker you’ve become, too.” He took a step back, but still held onto her hips. No longer did he wear a grin, and she feared she might have said something wrong.

  “I want this, want you so fucking badly, but I also want you to know what you’re getting yourself into if you decide to be my old lady.”

  Old lady? Lilly knew that was a powerful title, but it was strange hearing Court say it, and calling her that no less.

  “I know all about you, Court, and about the life you lead.” She held onto his arms harder when she thought he might move away. “I know about the illegal stuff your club is involved in, maybe not specifics, but that it is illegal.” In fact, everyone in town knew. It wasn’t like it was a secret. Well, the details were, of course. “I know how dangerous your life is, and how loyal you are to your biker family. We’ve grown up in this town and I know The Grizzly MC and what they represent.”

  “It’s what I represent, Lilly.”

  “I know.” She gave herself a moment to think about what she was going to say. “What I’m saying is that I know about you and what you are, and I still want you more than ever. Trying to live safely got me nowhere except with this.” She pointed to her face, and a low growl left him. He had her in his arms once again and cupped the back of her head with his big hand. “I just want to be with you, and you are the one I feel safest with.” She felt safe with Roan, but this was a different kind of safe.

  They kissed once more. “I’m glad to hear that, because I want all of that and more with you. I’ll call you later, baby.” One last kiss and then he was striding out of the doors. The sound of his Harley being started could be heard easily.

  Well, she knew she was in for one hell of a ride, and it looked like she would need to hold on tight.

  Chapter Eight

  Court entered the clubhouse with determined strides. Jagger had called him to tell him there was an issue with The Brothers of Menace, and that they had reached out for some extra manpower. He saw everyone in the meeting room and strode forward. Jagger stood at the head of the table, and the rest of the crew were either leaning against the wall, or sitting down. Although everyone looked calm, there was a thick tension in the room.

  Jagger looked up at him when he entered. “Good, you’re here. I was just about to go over all the details since Lucien called and laid it out.”

  “Okay, what’s up?” Court took a seat and glanced around the table. Everyone was in attendance.

  “Lucien called be a little bit ago asking me to round everyone up because they needed some extra muscle. He just called me five minutes ago with more details. Apparently one of the high-profile johns beat up one of his girls bad enough that they were forced to take her to the hospital,” Jagger said with a grim voice.

  “What’s with all these fuckers beating up on females?” Brick said with a hard bite in his voice. The room was starting to grow warmer as everyone’s bear was rising up.

  “I don’t know, but Lucien and his crew are out for blood, and we are going to help him find the fucker,” Jagger said and looked around the room. “This guy wasn’t properly high-profil
e, at least not yet. He is the son of a senator, and the kid was only nineteen. The father paid for his son to get his cherry popped, but the kid got away after he nearly killed the girl.”

  “How the fuck did he escape? Don’t they have guys watching over the girls?” Diesel growled out.

  “Lucien said they found angel dust in the room he was in. The guy must have gotten high, thought he was Superman, and went after the girl. She couldn’t affirm that because when they went in there to get her after the hour was up and neither of them had left the room, she was out cold and half dead. The fucker escaped out the window and out into the woods. Lucien’s guess is he was getting rough, and when she went to call out for help from the guys watching over the girls he snapped and starting beating the shit out of her.”

  There was a collective round of curses, and the tension in the room grew tenfold as bears fought with their human counterparts to escape.

  “What’s the plan?” Court asked and curled his fingers into his palms. All he could keep thinking of was his Lilly beaten and scared, and how that woman—prostitute or not—had probably felt the same fear and pain as his old lady had.

  “The guy is higher than a kite out there, and no way can he navigate in the woods in the darkness or in that condition. Lucien and his men can go after him, and are, but they want our bears to help since we can smell the motherfucker out.” Made sense when Lucien and his guys were human and wouldn’t be able to find the bastard if he was hiding or had passed out somewhere.