They stayed that way, his full weight on her back, their sweat holding them together. Then, with a few hacking coughs, he got up and strode naked to the bathroom. After the door closed she heard the exhaust fan whir to life.
Mallory flipped to her back, breathing still ragged. When he returned to bed she was half asleep, but smiling as he nestled her to his chest with a kiss on the back of her neck. “Maybe it’s time to stop smoking,” she mumbled, letting her body go lax.
His only answer was a soft, “Maybe.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Tiny woke the next morning more amped up than usual, and the reason made itself known before he even cracked an eyelid.
Mallory Beck. On her knees between his legs, his cock in her beautiful mouth. With a chuckle he fed his hands into her hair, giving it a tug but she wouldn’t be pulled off task. One hand was braced on the mattress, the other wrapped around the root of his erection.
“Mal,” he growled as a warning. “Honey, I can’t last.”
She ignored him, only moaning, and when he let go it was loud, lusty, and absolutely satisfying.
“You’re still so easy,” she muttered, sliding up alongside him and twisting her leg around his.
“You’re still such a little trouble maker.”
“Not really,” she replied, fingers making circles in his chest hair. “You were already in that state when I woke up. What was I supposed to do?”
“Wake me up so we can get to it properly. We don’t have time for me to reciprocate the way I want to.”
She laughed at that, shaking the bed with it. He had to join in. “I’ll be fine,” she assured him. “You more than took care of me last night. I’m sure I owe you a few more.”
“There’s no tallies, honey. Just me wanting to make sure you’re happy.”
“I am. Believe me. And I can’t wait to go on the ride today.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She propped her chin on her hand where it rested on his chest and smiled down at him. “Remember our rides?”
“Of course I do. I remember how horny they made you.”
“Everything with you made me horny.”
“You were just a horny woman. Still are.”
“I guess so.” She leaned over him to kiss him. “Should we shower before breakfast?”
“Absolutely. I’ll make sure you’re squeaky clean.”
On certain parts he had to use his tongue on her, just to make sure.
-oOo-
Tiny led Mallory into the clubhouse just before ten in the morning. The first thing he noticed was the amazing scent of breakfast; eggs, bacon, pan fried potatoes. The second thing that became clear was that there was some kind of drama going down.
A quick glance confirmed that there were no other club members or old ladies around. The breakfast had been the work of the club girls, working under very specific instructions from Rose and/or Wendy, the latter of which was in the middle of the fray that had the room full of shouting and tension.
Leaving Mallory by the door, Tiny waded into the cluster of women trying to separate Wendy and the other half of the problem; Neenie. No surprise there.
“Hey!” Tiny shouted, grabbing Neenie’s scrawny arm, pulling her away from Wendy as another blonde he couldn’t name stepped in front of Wendy to keep them separated. “What the hell’s the problem?” he asked Neenie, noting her paler than usual skin and heavy breathing. Her lip was split, too.
“She’s fucking crazy,” Neenie spat out. “I caught her in the storage room. She’s poking holes in the fucking condoms. When I said I was turning her in, she fucking went nuts and attacked me. She tried to scratch my eyes out.”
“Liar!” Wendy shrieked back, trying to get past the blonde to get at Neenie again. She didn’t get close, the blonde was making like an offensive lineman and not letting anything past her.
“Calm the fuck down,” Tiny shouted over the voices that rose up again, relieved when he saw the door open to admit Knuckles.
“What the hell is going on?” the kid asked, immediately stepping into peace keeper posture. Tiny let him pull Neenie away, and she went to him immediately.
“We got trouble in the world of women,” Tiny muttered.
“She’s poking holes in the condoms,” Neenie said, pointing at Wendy. “I told you she was nuts, I knew she was up to something. That freak is trying to get knocked up!”
“Fucking liar!” was Wendy’s rejoinder.
Tiny took Wendy’s arm, shaking it a bit. “What’s going on then? What’s she talking about?”
“I don’t know!” Wendy’s eyes were wide, pleading to be believed. “I was just taking stock, seeing what we needed—”
“With a fucking pin!” Neenie broke in. “I saw her in there, and I watched to see what she was doing.”
“Wendy,” Tiny growled. “Wednesday Adams isn’t usually overly emotional.”
“I’m telling the truth!”
“She dropped the pin and a couple rubbers,” Neenie went on, mostly talking to Knuckles. “Go and look!”
Knuck shot him a look and Tiny could only shrug. Without a word Knuckles let Neenie go and headed for the storage closet, right next to Spaz’s office.
“She’s a fucking psycho,” Wendy was mumbling, almost to herself, quaking in his hold. “She’s always hated me, right from the first day she showed up.”
“Whatever, nutbar,” Neenie shot back, surprising Tiny with that show of backbone. “You know what you’ve done here? Thank Christ we’re all on the pill. But you ever hear of fucking diseases? I should sue you for reckless endangerment.”
Knuckles rejoined the group, holding up a straight pin with a condom package skewered on the end.
“What the fuck?” Tiny growled, low in his throat. In his hand he felt Wendy’s arm stiffen.
“It wasn’t me,” Wendy sputtered. “Those were already on the ground. I didn’t see them.”
“I watched you do it!”
Tiny gripped both of Wendy’s arms. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Tiny, I didn’t—”
“Why would she lie?”
“I don’t know!”
“You’re out, Wendy. You hear me? You’re done here.”
Her next plea froze on her lips, leaving her mouth hanging open in surprise.
“You don’t set foot in here ever again. And if I find out you’re talking out of turn about what you know here, I will be even more unhappy with you.”
“I...I—”
“I really don’t want to hear it. I put my name behind you running the clubhouse, Wendy.”
Tears were now coursing down her cheeks. “Nothing took.”
Now it was his turn to rear back. “What?”
“Months off the pill and nothing took. I...I’m too old.”
The goth freak was right. This bitch was a fucking mess.
“I’m sorry. I—I did wrong. And I’m sorry.”
His hands tightened further, making her wince. “Your bullshit got Downey knocked up, didn’t it?”
Her response was a fucking sniffle.
“She could have died losing that baby. You fucking bitch.”
“Tiny,” Knuckles said quietly, hand on his arm. “Just let her go.”
He barely heard his brother as he pushed Wendy through the silent throng of people, stopping when her back hit a wall next to the door. “You show your face here, you’re more than done. Talk about us to anyone, you’re done. We have an understanding?”
She was too wild to even appear scared. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!”
“Get the fuck out of here and don’t come back!” he spat out, shoving her towards the door with enough force that she stumbled and went down on a knee. No one helped her up. The clubhouse was silent as she pulled herself upright, and made her pitiful way to the doors before stepping out into the sun.
When the door closed, he set his shoulders and scanned the room. None of the sweetbutts would look at him, but he
just couldn’t give a shit.
“Everyone goes in for testing,” he declared, and Knuckles nodded as he held Neenie. “No exceptions. If any other regulars aren’t here, you girls get hold of them and let them know.” There were a few nods of agreement, but now he was mostly worried about Mal.
She was still next to the door, a little wide eyed and looking unsure. But when he strode towards her she didn’t shy away.
“You okay?” she asked softly. “I’ve never seen you so mad.”
“Fritter’s old lady lost a baby because of that bullshit. She could have bled out. That pisses me off.”
“Umm, are the condoms you use from that stock?”
He sighed. “I’m afraid so.” He frowned. “You don’t think you might—”
“No, no,” she laughed, and he was immediately relieved. “I’m just...worried.”
“Got tested earlier this year. But I think we should get checked again.”
Now she sighed. “Yeah, okay.”
“I’m sorry, honey.”
“It’s okay. I mean, it’s not okay but it’s not your fault.”
Tiny surveyed the room, approving of how the women were snapping to, getting breakfast set up, buffet style, on the covered pool table. The main door opened again, sunshine spilling in. Buck, Gertie, Davie, Tank and Rose all made their appearance then.
“Had a bit of drama with Wendy,” Tiny said quietly, mostly talking to Tank and Rose.
“What happened?” the big man asked.
“Neenie caught her punching holes in the condoms.”
“What?” Buck spat out. Rose looked properly stricken.
“Really?” Gertie said at the same time.
“I know,” he replied, hands up. “She denied it at first, but eventually she admitted it. I tossed her out.”
“We saw her walking down the street,” Rose said softly, running her hands over her expanding stomach.
“I guess we better tell Jayce.” Buck pulled out his burner.
“The girls will all need to be tested,” Rose continued, rubbing her forehead now. “You guys, too.”
“Don’t worry about it babe,” Tank rumbled, pulling her into a hug. “Someone else can handle all that.”
“Yeah, this won’t be on you, don’t worry.” Tiny smiled and gave her arm a squeeze. “You just worry about baking that bun.”
“Bun?” Knuckles chimed in, coming up behind Mal to join their group. “Taking into account the baby daddy, she’s working on an entire loaf.”
That brought a few chuckles. By the time the rest of the club and their families arrived, breakfast was on track and Wendy was all but forgotten. They could fill them in once the day’s mission was done. Especially Sharon and Fritter. They’d be told later.
Tiny and Mal enjoyed their most important meal of the day nestled in an oversized arm chair. Once all the bellies were filled, the club and their women filed out to the hot parking lot.
A van was loaded up already, the back packed with oversized stuffed animals. The regular sized ones were stuffed into saddle bags, strapped to handle bars and sissy bars. Mal laughed as she bungee corded a teddy bear to her own back, so it would look like the teddy was holding onto her while they were riding. After seeing that, Gertie and Sharon did the same thing, giggling the whole way.
“You’re sure you’re up to this ride?” Tiny asked Jayce Junior as the kid pulled on his own custom helmet, cool as shit since he’d been doing this since he could hold on.
JJ made a sound of derision. “Of course I’m ready. It’s just to Bakersfield.”
He had to chuckle. Jayce’s Super Glide’s bitch seat sported a full sissy bar, teddy bear strapped in place. That sissy bar hadn’t been for Trinny, though. It had been for the rug rat, installed as soon as JJ was walking.
“That kid may not be nervous but I suddenly am,” Mal muttered as Tiny handed over his spare helmet.
“I thought you were excited.”
“I was. Now I’m nervous. It’s been a while.”
“Don’t be. I got you.”
“I know you do,” she said, going up on her toes to kiss him before he swung onto the bike. He held steady as she climbed on, grinning as she nestled into place behind him, snug and warm.
For the first time in years he was stoked to have a woman on the back of his bike. When he turned the motor over he felt her jump, then laugh at her own reaction. The bike rolled forward and her grip tightened. Tiny knew he was grinning like an idiot but he didn’t care.
Rolling out of the parking lot, it all came back. Having Mal on his bike, trusting him to keep her safe. Damn, that felt fucking good. He’d always loved the road life, whether it was behind the wheel of his rig or on these two wheels. Living free had been the choice he’d made over and over again. At that moment, however, he felt a twinge of regret that he’d done it all without Mal.
To their left, Buck and Gertie were rolling along. Davie Junior had stayed behind with the club girls, his disposition that day being mostly agreeable. Jayce and JJ led the formation ahead of Fritter and Sharon and Knuckles and Neenie. At the back of the convoy Tank and Rose were taking the club van.
It was really the perfect day for a ride. He could feel no breeze other than the wind hitting his face, cutting into his jacket just enough to keep from overheating. Highway speed really did feel the best, but Bakersfield appeared on the horizon all too soon for his liking.
Bakersfield Memorial Hospital was home to the Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center, and the staff was expecting them. Nurses and orderlies alike helped unload all the stuffed and electronic toys that the people of Markham—mostly the club itself—had collected.
Tiny’s favorite part of his run was visiting the ward itself. The previous year they hadn’t been able to make the run, what with trouble in Markham between the Red Rebels and the Mazaris. Toys were delivered but without much fanfare.
As they walked through the sterile halls it became obvious when they were getting close to the kids’ ward. Christmas decorations were hanging from the suspended ceiling and twinkling lights bordered the windows that overlooked the central visiting area, as well as the outside windows. Inside that visiting area a tree was set up with full decorations. A man was sitting on a stool next to the tree, strumming a guitar. Obviously it was Christmas carol sing-along hour.
There was even a TV crew there, rolling as the club entered the room with hands full of presents. As soon as their cargo was seen, the room’s excitement level topped out and the kids came running like there was nothing wrong with them.
Their stuffed animals were quickly claimed, as were the remote control cars and hand-held games. That brought out shy smiles from some of the kids, and big hugs from the more gregarious ones.
The Rebels made sure to visit the rooms of the kids who were confined to bed, too, asking what they’d like for Christmas and supplying the best gift they had for the request. Dolls, teddy bears, and electronic toys all found good homes. When they’d made the rounds Tiny realized he’d lost Mal, but it wasn’t hard to find her.
The visiting room was used for the kids to socialize and for their families to spend normal time with the kids that were healthy enough for it, so the room was always full of toys and a TV and lots of DVDs. As he entered the music was in full swing, the last verse of Jingle Bells launching into a final repeat of the chorus with everyone singing along.
Then the guitar player took a different tactic, switching to something slower. All around them the kids climbed into the laps of parents or nestled into the over-stuffed furniture that was like the stuff anyone had in their home. No hospital vinyl here, they were all cuddled up and their attention was rapt on the guitar player and Mallory.
And they were about to sing his favorite carol, Silent Night.
Over time her voice might have gotten a bit raspier, but she’d always had a roughness to it that he liked. Now she was singing quietly the gruffness was more obvious, but the pitch was still perfect. She sang away with a
gorgeous smile on her face, a nameless little girl curled up on her lap, staring up at her.
When the final reprise of the opening verse ended the nurses moved in, collecting the assembled little patients and herding them towards their rooms for quiet time. The parents in attendance did the same thing with their own little ones, stopping to thank any biker they saw on the way.
Mal took his hand as the room emptied, kissing his cheek. “This was amazing.”
“You were amazing.”
She shrugged. “It was fun.”
Outside the hospital they had to wait for Jayce to finish an interview with the TV news anchor. She was a cute thing with dark blonde hair, giving Jayce the eye the entire time they were talking.
Tiny and Mal waited next to his bike, leaning on the parking meter. It was quiet for a moment, then Mal broke that. “I always think about her at this time of year.”
“Me too.” He knew who she was talking about.
“I had bought her gifts already. I even had an adorable outfit for her to wear Christmas Day.”
Tiny could only nod. Angelina had died in late November. But the only gift Tiny had bought at that time was for Mallory; a half karat solitaire in a twenty-four karat gold band. He’d returned it before Christmas that horrible year.
“I don’t have a gift for you this year,” he admitted.
“I don’t have one for you, either.”
“Well that’s perfect then. You’ll have to make up for that by giving me head.”
“Only if you return the favor.”
“With pleasure.”
They shared a prolonged kiss, then Jayce was done playing celebrity and they were firing up their engines for the ride home.
-oOo-
They were back by mid-afternoon. The feeling of the group was definitely mellow, and most of the non-club members were milling around with no indication they wanted to end the vibe. Jayce discreetly called the members into the board room for a meeting, and Tiny left Mal in the care of Gertie, Sharon, Rose, and now Trinny as well.
They took their places around the scarred, cheap pressboard table. Jayce opened the meeting by wrapping knuckles on the table. “Okay. First off, what the fuck happened with Wendy?”
Reprise Page 27
