by Geri Glenn
He huffs out a big breath. “Well, the Kings used to be into some pretty crazy shit. Gunner and Ryk have worked hard to clean that shit up. Mostly, we grow and distribute weed. We sell medical-grade marijuana and provide it to almost every dealer in this part of the province. We also have a few side businesses. Jase runs the garage, and we have another guy who runs six different dance clubs here in the city. We also own three strip clubs.”
“That’s it?” My shoulders slump with relief. “I thought you were going to tell me you ran guns or killed people for hire. I can handle weed and strip clubs.”
He chuckles softly.
“So what are we going to do?” I ask.
Groaning, he slams his mouth down onto mine, kissing me until my head swims. Pulling back, he whispers. “You don’t know how fuckin’ happy I am that you’re not gonna fight me on this shit.”
I crinkle my nose. “Why would I fight you?”
“Because you’re a fuckin’ smartass. Anyways, Mouse is going to shadow you for a while. Just ‘til we know it’s safe.”
Confused, I tilt my head to the side. “What do you mean by shadow me?”
“He goes everywhere you go when I’m not with you.”
Groaning, I nod in defeat. “Fine. But this better not be a long-term thing. I like Mouse, but I don’t know if I can handle him being with me all the time. I like my quiet time.”
Travis leans in, nuzzling my ear. “I know, babe. It’s not forever.”
I nod, wondering if being a biker’s old lady is always going to be this dangerous. As I snuggle back down into Travis’s arms, I realize that even if it is, that’s OK by me.
AFTER A LONG DAY of shopping and laughing, my heart is full of love for Charlie. In just the short time I’ve known her, I finally feel like someone actually likes me and that my blindness doesn’t matter to them. My hands are full of shopping bags, my belly hurts from laughing, and my legs need a rest from walking.
“Do you want to stop at the coffee shop for a cup before we go home?” Charlie asks.
Smelling the sweet smell of chocolate and coffee in the air, I smile. “Sounds like a good idea.”
Mouse groans behind us. “Fuck me. I thought we were goin’ home now.”
“Come on, Mouse,” I call, walking into the shop behind Charlie. “I’ll buy you a hot chocolate for being such a good boy.” I wink at him.
“A white hot chocolate?” he asks hopefully.
I laugh. “You got it.”
After getting our hot drinks, we go outside to the patio. As we take our seats, Mouse declares, “I’m takin’ the dog across the road for a leak.”
Charlie and I laugh as he walks away. “Poor Mouse is getting tired of shopping,” Charlie says.
I nod. “Yeah, he’s been a good sport until now, though.”
She laughs again. “Yeah, except when we were in the sex shop. He did not enjoy watching us feel up all the dildos.”
We roar with laughter.
“Who stays with you when Ryker’s away?” I ask her.
“Another prospect. His name’s Bosco.” She pauses, and I hear her blowing on her coffee. “He’s OK, but like someone else we know, he doesn’t have much to say.”
“I haven’t met him yet.”
“To be honest, I kind of miss Tease. He was broody, but we kind of got used to each other, you know?”
I nod.
“How are things with you two anyways?” she asks.
I grin. “Really great, actually. He still doesn’t talk much, but he’s opening up. He’s awesome, actually.”
“Good, honey. I’m glad.” I can hear the smile in her voice. “He’s lucky to have found you.”
I shake my head. “No. I’m the lucky one. My life was so boring before I met him, but I didn’t even know it. Now I have friends and a hot boyfriend, and a bodyguard named Mouse.”
She snorts and laughs. “Right.” She’s silent a moment. “Mine was far from boring, but it was scary as hell. Most of all, it was just lonely. Then Ryker came along and opened up a whole new world to me.”
I smile. “Sounds like one of my books.”
She sighs. “It does, doesn’t it? It wasn’t easy at first, and we almost didn’t make it, but now … I never knew life could be so good.” She chuckles. “Rival gangs notwithstanding.”
I smile wistfully. “I hope Travis and I have that someday.”
“You will,” she declares. “Your man is hot as hell, and he actually talks to you which is more than he does with most people. He’s into you.”
I grin wickedly, wagging my eyebrows. “He is hot. Those abs on that man make my mouth run dry.”
Charlie giggles. “His eyes are incredible too.”
I sigh. “He calls himself a monster.”
“A monster!” she exclaims. “Because of that scar on his face?” I nod. “Girl, that scar just makes him hotter. The only thing scary about Tease is his attitude. He works hard to make people afraid of him, but it has nothing to do with his face.”
Just then, Mouse comes back with Dexter, flopping down into the seat beside mine. “What are we talkin’ about?”
I grin. “How hot Travis is.”
He groans. “Gross. Can we just fuckin’ go already? Sarah’s been blowin’ up my fuckin’ phone with texts, and I need to see to my woman.”
Charlie and I laugh and stand. Grabbing Dexter’s harness, I nudge him on the way by. “All right, Mouse. Since you asked so nicely.”
“Damn right,” he says, clearly proud of himself. Charlie and I laugh, leaving him to walk several feet behind us carrying our shopping bags.
Using the shiny new key Laynie gave me, I let myself into her apartment. She’s not back from her shopping trip with Charlotte yet, so I take off my boots, grab a beer from the fridge, and flop down on the couch to watch some TV. Settling on a show full of bearded men hunting alligators, I look around the room.
My place is a fucking shit pit compared to Laynie’s. Her place is decorated, homey, and smells good. Mine has a bed, a chair, and a gun case in the closet. And it smells like fucking feet. We’ve only been together a few short weeks, but I like seeing my boots beside her pink running shoes and long brown high-heeled boots. I like seeing my black clothes tangled up on the floor with her pink ones, and my toothbrush sharing a holder with hers.
I want this. I want to come home every night to “our” place where it’s decorated with pink fucking flowers and smells like apple pie. I want to come home each night and flop down on “our” couch and watch TV with her snuggled on my lap and crawl into bed beside her, making her call out my name at the end of a long day.
The phone rings, the caller ID telling me out loud that it’s Laynie’s mother calling … again. The woman never stops. Ignoring the phone, I let it ring and turn back to the TV, watching the crazy fuck on the screen roll a gigantic gator into his boat, its tail still thrashing.
Five minutes later, the phone rings again. This time, Laynie’s mother leaves a message. Her voice echoes throughout the apartment.
“Laynie Marie Lawson! I don’t know what you’re trying to prove, but I’m getting sick of it. I’ve been trying to call you all day. It’s important! I don’t know if you are trying to punish me, or if that criminal you’re dating has stuffed your dead body in a freezer! I’m worried! Call me back as soon as you get this.”
Fuck me. I don’t know how Laynie’s put up with that woman for this long. She’s fucking relentless. I assume that I have Laynie’s pig brother to thank for her mother hating me already, sight unseen. Shaking my head, I grit my teeth and finish my beer.
Not even ten minutes later, the phone rings again. This time, I haul my ass off the couch and answer it. Bringing it to my ear, I grind out, “Hello?”
Silence. Then I get, “Who is this?”
I roll my eyes. “Travis.”
“I need to speak with Laynie.”
“She’s not here. But I’ll tell her you called … again.” I grit my teeth, forcing my
self to be respectful to her. She is Laynie’s mother, and I haven’t even met her yet. No need to piss her off before that nightmare comes true.
“What do you mean she’s not there? If she’s not there, why are you?”
I sigh heavily. “Look, Laynie’s out shopping with a friend. She’ll be home soon, and I will let her know you called.”
“Laynie doesn’t go shopping. She can’t see. And she doesn’t have any friends. She has me, and her father, and her brother.”
Gripping the phone tightly in my hand, I keep my voice as even as I can. “And she has me, and a whole new group of friends who do things like take her shopping and help her out when she fucking needs it.” I blow out a frustrated breath. “Look, lady, no disrespect, but you need to cut the fuckin’ cord.” Her shocked gasp doesn’t faze me a bit. “Laynie’s a grown ass woman. She can more than take care of herself. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got some gators to watch.”
I hang up, just as she starts to speak. Tossing the phone down onto the table, I turn to go back to the couch when I see Laynie standing in the doorway, arms full of shopping bags, and Mouse standing behind her smirking.
“Was that my mom?” she asks.
“Yeah.” I watch her closely, unsure of how she’s going to react to me telling off her mother.
Her wonky grin appears on her face, nearly knocking me on my ass. Tossing her bags off to the side, she turns and takes the bags from Mouse. “Beat it, Mouse.” His face is full of shock just as she shuts the door in his face.
I stare at her eyebrows raised as she walks toward me. When she starts to walk too far to the left, I call out, “I’m over here, babe.”
She smirks and corrects her course. When she gets close enough, I reach out, grabbing onto her hand to pull her into me. Pressing her hand into my chest, she smiles brightly up toward my face. “That was fucking hot.”
“Hotter than me bein’ a biker like some lame asshole in your books?”
She shakes her head. “Nope. But close.”
My laugh is cut off when she grabs my face, yanking it down and crushing her lips to mine, her tongue forcing its way into my mouth. Her kiss is rough and hungry, and every ounce of blood in my body rushes straight to my dick. Her tits rub against my chest, and I need to see them. Not caring about the shirt she’s wearing, I yank it open, hearing buttons fling across the room. I pull back and watch as her chest heaves with excitement.
Yanking the cups of her bra down, her tits are presented to me like a fucking feast ready to be devoured. I growl, dipping my head to catch one of her nipples between my lips, tugging gently. She groans and spears her fingers into my hair.
“Travis,” she pants. I flick my tongue across her nipple and rub her clit roughly through her jeans. “Travis, stop.” I fumble with the button on her jeans. “Travis.” She shoves my hands away. “Stop!”
Confused, I jerk back and stare at her.
She reaches toward me, sliding her fingers across my hips until she finds my belt buckle. “It’s my turn,” she whispers.
Heart hammering, my eyes widen as she drops to her knees in front of me. Reaching forward, she slowly pulls down the zipper of my jeans and pulls them down over my hips, leaving them to wrap around my ankles. My hard cock bounces in front of her, ready to play whatever game she has in mind.
I watch as her pink tongue creeps out, sliding across her plump lips, moistening them and making them shine. Her palms glide up my legs until she reaches the part of me that is aching with need. Hesitantly, she wraps her hand around the base of my cock, making my eyes roll back in my head.
Looking down on her, I bite the inside of my lip, willing myself not to cum in her hand. She’s on her knees, tits still out, propped up with her bra, her blond hair falling all around her shoulders as she softly slides her hand up my shaft.
My breath catches in my throat. When she leans forward, her tongue slides out, and she flattens it, dragging it slowly up the underside of my cock before she pulls away. Fuck. I grip her hair with my fingers, pulling her back in. Using her hand, she guides me back to her mouth, wrapping her lips around the tip and sucking hard, swirling it quickly with her tongue.
My knees nearly buckle. Taking me deeper, she licks and sucks my dick until the pleasure starts to feel almost like pain. I stare down at her, watching her take my cock. When she slides me inside her mouth as far as she can go and moans, I can’t take it anymore.
“Babe. You gotta stop.”
Using her hand to stroke me as she bobs her head up and down, sucking my dick like a fucking lollipop, she ignores me.
“Babe,” I rasp.
She pulls away. “Cum, honey.”
My orgasm rocks me back on my heels as I cum into her mouth. We moan together, me trembling, and her sucking and swallowing down every last drop from my dick. When I sigh, exhausted and spent, she pulls away and licks her lips before turning her face to mine and smiling her wonky smile. “Now it’s your turn.”
Chuckling, I lift her off the floor and carry her off to the bedroom.
JASE STANDS FROM WHERE he was crouched down beside my bike, wiping his hands on a rag. “There ya go, fuckface. Good as new.”
I smirk, thankful that I don’t have to drive the club’s van anymore. “Thanks, man.”
Jase jerks and makes a face, clutching his chest with one hand. “Jesus Christ, man. A smirk? What has that bitch done to you?”
Rolling my eyes, I walk around the bike, checking out his handiwork. “Fuck off and move. Takin’ her for a tour, make sure you fuckin’ fixed her for sure.”
“Oh, she’s fixed. Enjoy, brother.” I put my helmet on my head and am fastening the strap when he speaks again. “You hear about the picnic next weekend?”
I pause. Picnic? We’re in the middle of a goddamned war with the Devils, and he’s talking about a picnic? “No.”
“Gunner just told me this mornin’. Apparently since it’s startin’ to get colder, his old lady thought it would be a good time to enjoy the last of summer and relax for a day by the lake.” He shrugs. “We haven’t heard shit from the Devils, and the Crips don’t even have us on their radar. They seem to think the Bloods shot up their men.”
I shake my head. “I don’t like it. Too easy.”
Jase folds his arms across his chest and purses his lips. “Yeah. I guess. I don’t know, though. A day to unwind, drink beer, and talk my way into a threesome sounds fuckin’ perfect right about now.”
I turn the key, starting up my bike and the motor roars throughout the garage. “Maybe, but I’ll be on alert. I don’t think the Devils are done with us. Not after we killed those fuckers.” I swing my leg over the seat and sit down. “Just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Jase shrugs as I pull out of the garage and onto the street. The bike sounds fuckin’ sexy as hell. I can’t wait to get her out on the highway where I can put her through the actual test, and see if this bitch can fly as fast as she used to.
Driving through the city, I let my mind wander back to this morning and the conversation I’d had with Laynie. It had been more of an argument in the end, but once again, I think I owe my girl an apology.
We’d been lying in bed, half-asleep, her hand wandering along my abs. “Travis?” she’d asked.
“Hmm?”
“Have you ever seen your mom since you ran away all those years ago?”
My heart clenched. “Just once. After the police found me livin’ on the street, she came to the police station. She didn’t even look at me. I heard her tell them that I was a delinquent and that she didn’t fuckin’ want me ruinin’ her life anymore. She walked outta there without lookin’ back. I haven’t seen her since.”
“Are you angry with her?” she asked softly.
I scowled and shook my head. “Nope. I just hate the bitch.”
“That’s sad. Hatred is a poison, Travis.”
I sat up, reaching for my jeans. “Don’t fuckin’ tell me that I need to forgive that bitch, Laynie. She ca
n rot in fuckin’ hell for all I care.”
She climbed off the bed behind me, stumbling over my motorcycle boot when she took a step. I caught her arm just in time. “That’s not what I’m saying.” She shook her head and sat back down on the bed. “I’m saying that maybe you’re still angry with her, and that causes that hatred. You still care. Maybe, if you can let that anger go, you can finally heal.”
I finished buckling up my jeans and jabbed a finger at her. “Don’t you even fuckin’ bother talkin’ your fuckin’ therapy shit to me. I’ve healed just fuckin’ fine. This is who I am and I’m not changin’. Not for you. Not for anyone.”
Yanking my t-shirt over my head, I grabbed my keys and stormed out of the room. Just as I slammed my way out of her apartment, I heard her voice from the bedroom calling out to me. “I don’t want you to change, Travis. I want you to be finally be happy.”
I’d ignored her, and I’d left. Now, looking back, I should have fucking talked to her. I should have shut my mouth and actually listened to her. I don’t give a shit about my mother, but maybe letting go of that hatred would silence the screams I hear in my head sometimes. I am angry. Look at how I treated Laynie. She doesn’t deserve that shit.
I’m an asshole.
Turning my bike onto the highway, I open her up, and am thrilled to see that Jase has not only fixed my bike, but he’s improved it. I fly down the road, passing cars and watching the world float by, and try to come up with a way to apologize to my girl, who I’ve hurt – yet again.
Mouse leads me into the clubhouse bar and helps me get settled onto a high barstool and hands me a beer.
“Thanks, Mouse.”
“You’re welcome. I hate to leave you here, but Sarah has a doctor’s appointment, and I can’t miss it. Jase said Tease is just out for a rip on his new and improved bike but should be back any time.”
I smile and wave him away. “Don’t worry about it! Go! See to your girl and your baby.” Planting a quick kiss on my cheek, Mouse runs out the door.
