NOMADS The Box Set

by Erin Trejo

  “What the hell are you two doing out here?” he snaps.

  I twirl the used condom around on my fingertip as I whistle a little tune and shrug at him. I don’t stop to make small talk. I just want to get her back to the apartment so that we can try to figure this shit out.

  “You are insane. Do you know that?” Skye snaps as I toss the condom in the diner’s dumpster.

  I shrug my shoulder, walk past her to the car, and hold my hand out for the keys.

  “You drove here. I can drive us home.”

  “I don’t like fuckin’ ridin’ in this shit to begin with, so if I have to then I’m fuckin’ drivin’,” I snap at her as I keep my hand out.

  “Are you always wound this tightly? Huh? Even a quick fuck can’t calm you down?” she questions me.

  I glare at her before I move into her space. I back her against her car. I keep her there with very little wiggle room.

  “I take my job seriously. You are my job. I have to stay alert and focused.”

  “Was fucking me a part of your job too?”

  I can see the anger in her beautiful eyes.

  “Just another part of the job description darlin’.”

  Her mouth falls open as I grab the keys from her hand. I give her a little shove as I climb in and start the car and wait on her to climb in. She finally does and I take off out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. I need to talk this shit over with the guys. If we’re protecting her from something that’s mafia related, then we need more than what we have. We have minimal guns and ammo. Fighting a fucking mafia is going to take a lot more manpower than the three of us assholes.

  As I drive I risk a glance at Skye and watch her as she wipes a tear from her cheek while she stares out the window. Leave it to me to fuck everything up. I’m good at that shit.

  As soon as we pull into the complex I kill the engine and turn to look at her, “Skye, I don’t know what to say.”

  Clearly that wasn’t the right thing to say either. She huffs out a breath, climbs out of the car, and runs toward the door.

  58

  Skye

  I repeat the words stupid, stupid, stupid, over and over in my head as I stand in the shower so long that the water has turned cold. I shouldn’t have let him touch me. Why did I do that? Am I that fucking desperate to feel something that I let an asshole like Keaton fuck me?

  I hate myself for doing it. I hate him for doing it, but in the end could I have even said no?

  I climb out of the shower and wrap myself in a towel before I pull the door open. When I walk out and head to my room I’m shocked to see Brick sitting on the edge of my bed with his head in his hands. Brick and I have gotten pretty close over the last few weeks. He’s friendly and talks to me, but he doesn’t judge me like Keaton does.

  “You okay?” I ask as I watch him lift his head.

  His eyes roam from the bottom of my towel to the top making my heart race.

  “Fuck Skye. I just needed a minute to be alone so I came in here. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come into your space,” he says quickly before he stands from the bed and walks to the door.

  “Brick come on. I don’t mind. Are you okay?” I ask him again.

  He shakes his head and motions for me to come and sit on the bed next to him. Without another thought I do.

  “Keaton told me who you are Skye,” he says sounding pained.

  “I wanted to tell you guys, but I didn’t think it would matter,” I confess.

  “It’s not that you didn’t tell us. It’s that you’re a DeLuca.”

  What the hell does that even mean?

  “And?”

  “Joker’s Wild MC. That’s my home. Always has been. I’m not like Keaton. I have brothers that rely on me. I have people that I would kill for Skye,” he says as his eyes drop to the floor.

  My heart hammers inside of my chest. I don’t like the eerie feeling that’s slowly slipping its way under my skin.

  “What does that have to do with me?” I ask softly. I’m not sure if I really want the answer to that.

  Brick blows out a slow breath before he shifts to face me. His hand comes up to cup my cheek. His eyes search mine.

  “Many years ago my mother was killed. She was runnin’ around with the wrong people. She got mixed up in a lot of shit. Your family killed her Skye. The fuckin’ DeLuca’s killed her for bein’ in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he says as a tear slides down his cheek.

  I want to run, but when I look into his eyes I’m lost.

  “I’m sorry Brick. I never wanted to be a part of that life.”

  “But you are,” he says as his voice rises a little higher.

  “I would never want to hurt you Brick,” I say, but before I can finish his lips crash down onto mine.

  His kiss is nothing like Keaton’s. This kiss is hard and rough, but full of hostility where Keaton is full of lust. The door creaks open, but Brick doesn’t stop. I can hear someone stomping through the apartment before I hear a door slam.

  “What the fuck?” I hear Davis ask, but Brick still doesn’t stop.

  He leans into me trying to push me into the mattress, but I shove him back.

  “Stop,” I mumble around his all too consuming lips.

  Brick pulls back. His eyes are wild. It’s almost as if he’s in a trance or just lost in himself.

  “You don’t want me?” he asks harshly.

  I grip the towel tighter, but I can’t seem to form words on my lips. I know what my brain is telling me, but I can’t speak so I just stare at him. He nods his head slowly as if he understands what’s going on in my head. He can’t possibly know as I don’t.

  “I’m sorry Brick. I just don’t think this is a good idea,” I tell him as gently as I can.

  What kind of a whore would that make me? I’m still not sure if I fucked or got fucked by Keaton just now.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be outside if you need me,” he says before he shoves off of the bed.

  His eyes are still wild and he seems to be coming unhinged. I watch him walk out of my room before I quickly grab a t-shirt and some shorts. I slide them on and walk toward the door. I can hear the men arguing. It sounds like Davis and Brick. I walk slowly into the living room to see them in a standoff of some kind.

  “Is everything okay?” I ask trying to diffuse the situation.

  Davis looks over at me and gives me a nod before he turns back to Brick. The tension is thick as hell, so I opt out of the whole thing.

  “Mind if I grab a smoke?” I ask Davis as I nod toward the pack sitting on the table.

  “Of course not. Help yourself darlin’.”

  He never once looks at me. I reach for the pack and find a rolled up joint amongst the cigarettes. I figure he won’t mind, so I pull that and a smoke out before I head out the door. When I step outside the night air rushes around me and blows my hair slightly. I walk to the edge of the walkway and bring the joint to my lips and light it. I inhale and choke a little. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually smoked this shit.

  “Where the fuck did you get that?”

  His voice startles me. I jolt and nearly drop the joint.

  “Borrowed it,” I say as I shrug my shoulders.

  “Your boyfriend give it to you?” he says as he plucks it from my fingers and brings it up to his lips.

  “He isn’t my boyfriend.”

  “That’s not what it looked like to me,” he growls as he blows the smoke from his lips.

  “You were outside the door?” I ask knowing now that it was him.

  “I saw it all.”

  “It’s not what you think Keaton,” I say as I reach for his arm.

  He pulls away quickly and glares at me.

  “Don’t worry princess. I can handle doin’ my job while you’re fuckin’ him.”

  His words are like a slap to the face. My body trembles as the air begins to blow harder. Keaton passes the joint back to me but I don’t take it. He holds it there. H
e’s watching the sky instead of me.

  “He kissed me. He told me things that I didn’t know. I didn’t ask him to do any of that.”

  He drops the joint to the ground and stubs it out with his boot before he walks past me. My stomach trembles as my chest constricts. The wind picks up again and thunder booms through the sky. I look up just as the rain starts to fall. Lightening streaks through the sky causing me to jolt.

  Keaton is standing out in the parking lot as the rain soaks his body. His shaggy hair is sticking to his face now. I walk toward him and jump with each clap of thunder.

  “I don’t want him Keaton,” I say as I brush the wet hair out of my face.

  He doesn’t look at me, but I move to stand in front of him anyway.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Why not?” I ask.

  “Because it doesn’t Skye. You’re a fuckin’ job and when the job is over I’m outta here. You want this life. You love it here. You told me that yourself. You don’t even know shit about me.”

  He’s right, but it doesn’t matter. I know what I feel when I’m around him.

  “So? You giving up on me?”

  “Are you fuckin’ kiddin me? Give up on you? We’re not together Skye. What the hell are you thinkin’?” he snaps loudly at me.

  “Apparently nothing. I was wrong. I’m sorry. I thought you were different Keaton.”

  With that I turn on my heel and head back toward the door.

  “I’ve killed people,” he calls out from behind me.

  My head falls forward and I blow out a breath.

  “You know who my family is,” I say.

  I lift my head and keep walking until I’m near the door. In a flash of lightning and thunder I’m spun around and slammed against the brick building. A gasp is pushed from my lungs as Keaton stares into my eyes.

  “I’m not good at this shit Skye. I don’t do relationships. I don’t get involved with my jobs,” he tells me as he looks straight into my core.

  “I’ve never had someone look at me the way you do.”

  Keaton shakes his head before he lowers his forehead to meet mine. The rain pounds against us, but all that matters is this moment.

  “I don’t like not knowing Skye. I need to know everything that you know. Even after all of this is over, I don’t know how to make this work.”

  His admission strikes me right in my heart.

  “I don’t know anything more than what I’ve already told you. I’m sorry Keaton.”

  His breathing is heavy, but his eyes are still wild with a fear of the unknown. I lean in and press my lips to his for a second.

  When I pull back we’re both at odds. Neither of us know what to say. I break the intensity and turn to head back inside.

  59

  Keaton

  I’ve watched her work with a smile on her face. I’ve watched her go to her room right after work. I’ve watched the light slowly fade from her eyes. I’d like to say that it didn’t have anything to do with me, but deep down I know that’s a lie.

  “You want some?” I ask her as I hold out the pizza box that we ordered earlier.

  Skye sits on the edge of the couch looking like she might be ready to bolt from the room. It’s been uncomfortable to be around each other, and with the way Brick keeps looking at her pisses me off. Davis has been occupied with Ruby, which doesn’t bother me at all.

  I take my time and chew as Skye reaches over and pulls a slice from the box. She curls her legs under her body as she takes small bites off of her pizza. The air in the room is thick with it just being Skye, Brick, and myself in here. We’re friends and brothers before anything else. The thought of that breaking down over some girl is weighing heavily on my mind.

  “How much longer are you needed here?” Skye asks.

  I turn my head to look over at her. Her long hair is piled up on the top of her head. Her eyes are a little darker than normal.

  “Until I get the call that tells me I’m not.”

  I don’t give her much information. I haven’t really had any myself over the past few weeks. A few seconds here and there telling me we’re still needed and so we’re still here.

  “This is bullshit,” she smarts off tossing her pizza on the table before she stands up and heads to the door. I watch her grab her keys before she walks out and slams the door behind her.

  “You think we should go get her?” Brick asks taking a long pull from his beer.

  I shake my head, “Nah. Davis ain’t gonna let her go anywhere.”

  Brick nods his agreement.

  “I know you feel something for her,” Brick says after a short silence.

  This isn’t what I want to be doing right now. I don’t want to debate this shit with him. I scratch at the stubble on my jaw before I look over at him.

  “It makes no difference. It’s work yeah?”

  “It makes a difference to her,” he adds.

  “I don’t wanna do this Brick. Not with you brother.”

  “Ain’t doin’ shit. I’m here for a job. She’s all yours brother. That chick don’t look at me the way she looks at you.”

  Fuck. This is why I don’t mess with my jobs. I’m about to open my mouth when something outside explodes. The windows rattle and Skye’s screams pierce the silence. Brick and I both leap from the couch and run out of the door. Just as I step out Skye collides with me. Her arms wrap around my neck as her screams pierce my ears as she continues to cry into my chest.

  “What the fuck happened?” I ask looking to Davis.

  He stands there looking at Skye’s car as it burns in the parking lot.

  “Shit fuckin’ blew man. She was about to ignore me and go over there and it just fuckin’ blew.”

  His eyes are wild as he watches the flames no doubt just as pissed as I feel. My body is tense as Brick looks to me.

  “Run the fuckin’ area. Davis call the goddamn Sheriff out here. I’m takin’ her inside. We don’t know if anyone is still around or not.”

  The guys nod and get set on following my orders as I usher a shaking Skye back inside her apartment. Her body trembles as her cries get louder.

  “Skye?” I say her name trying to calm her if only slightly. “Skye, look at me.”

  She finally looks up at me and I sigh when I see her tear stained face.

  “I need you to trust me now. I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” I tell her as I cup her cheeks in my hands as she stares up at me.

  “Fuck me Keaton.”

  “Oh for Christ’s sake. Just kill me,” Davis mumbles as he grabs his cigarettes from the table and walks back out.

  When the fuck did he even come in? I grunt at his comment, but when I look at Skye I can see the lust and need in her. It isn’t that she’s completely scared, she just wants to feel.

  “Now isn’t a good time darlin’. The Sheriff will be on his way over as well as the fire department,” I tell her, but she doesn’t listen.

  Her lips near mine and my mind runs wild. My cock strains in my jeans, and the thought of being inside of her again takes my breath away.

  “You held back on me last time,” she says which confuses me.

  “What are you talkin’ about?”

  “You held back Keaton. I want to see you lose control. I want you to lose control with me,” she practically begs me.

  Her breath lingers on my skin and something creeps its way up my spine. The way her eyes hold a power over me makes me want to scream and shove her away, but I can’t. I take a step closer to her and close the space between us.

  “If I start I don’t know that I’ll be able to stop.”

  “Fuck me Keaton,” she says once more.

  “Do you trust me?”

  Her eyes burn into me with so much heat that I feel like I’m melting under her gaze before she slowly nods her head. My hands find their way to her hips and I clamp down tightly. I pull her body against my hard cock and she moans lightly.

  “You’re gonna be a go
od girl and talk to Sheriff Assfuck. Once he’s gone I’m gonna send the guys on a perimeter watch. When we get back inside the apartment you will fuckin’ be naked and waitin’ for me on the bed. Do you understand?”

  Her eyes stay locked on mine, but her hand moves in between us. I watch her carefully as she slides her hand into the top of her shorts and straight in between her legs. The moan that escapes her lips is doing nothing more than making me want to fuck her. Right here. Right now. I can only take so much.

  “You need to come that bad?” I ask her raising an eyebrow.

  She nods her head and bites her lip. I push her back toward the couch. She falls once her legs hit the edge. Her hand comes free of her shorts as I kneel in front of her.

  “You better makes this quick. I can hear the sirens,” I warn her as I yank her shorts down her legs.

  Skye watches me with her lip between her teeth. I lean down to lick a path over her thigh to the spot that I want so goddamn much. Skye moans and wiggles on the couch when I grab her legs and slide her closer. I toss both of her legs over my shoulders as I lean in and lick that sweet taste off of her. My tongue glides in and out of her as I press my thumb against that bundle of nerves and start to circle it.

  “Oh fuck,” Skye groans which causes me to chuckle.

  “Later baby.”

  My mouth gets to work licking and flicking. I’m sucking and probing. Her body rocks against my face as her hands yank at my hair. The door opens, but I don’t stop and neither does she.

  “Fuckin’ kill me now. The Sheriff’s here,” Davis mutters before the door closes again.

  I drive my tongue in deeper, move my thumb faster, and suck her clit into my mouth. Pull. Tug. Pull. I slip two fingers inside of her as she writhes on the couch so fucking close to exploding.

  “You don’t want the Sheriff to catch you again do you?” I whisper against her sensitive body.

  My fingers thrust into her until there’s nowhere left for them to go when I bite down on her clit. Her walls clench and pull as she bursts around me. I lick up every drop of her and slow my fingers. When her body goes limp on the couch I pull my fingers out and climb up.