by Debra Kayn
"Hey." She walked over to the steps, moving out of the shadows.
Jeremy stopped, his body tensed. "Hey."
"Thanks for coming back." She held her breath to keep from going to him.
"Yeah, well, I said I'd be here." Jeremy hooked his fingers in his pockets. "My being here might not mean shit after the meeting."
"You're wrong. It means something. The men..." She glanced out in the yard and found Cam. His unreadable face gave nothing away, though his gaze locked on her, watching for any sign she needed him. While she appreciated his concern, she needed time alone with Jeremy.
"They'll see your willingness to show up as taking the right step to make things right," she added.
Jeremy scoffed. "He's changed you, and you don't even realize it."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You're standing here like everything will be okay." Jeremy's lip curled in disgust. "Your parents were murdered. Do you love the person who took their lives?"
She crossed her arms. "Of course not."
"Are you going to stay with Cam after he kills me?" Jeremy's gazed intently at her. "Will you wake up tomorrow, mow the lawn, run and get beer for the men, and pretend you give a damn about doing Moroad's books for Cam? Maybe, you'll even allow yourself a brief moment to realize someone is missing. Will you miss me? Will you feel guilty you played a part in Cam stealing me away and killing me?"
"Stop, Jeremy."
Jeremy stepped forward and leaned down into her face. "Wake up and realize what he's doing to you."
"He's not like that." She cringed, knowing Cam wasn't going to change. "My life isn't like you're describing."
The misplaced anger, while on the surface, stayed hidden to everyone else. Jeremy needed to understand there were other consequences at play and right now, Cam was his biggest supporter and his worst enemy. Either way, Jeremy disrespected his president.
"What Cam did was wrong. I know that." She inhaled deeply. "But look at what you were facing when Cam brought you to live with him. You were in your third foster care home in six months, failing school, and picking fights with everyone you came in contact with. You were close enough to becoming an adult and being out on your own, you needed someone who could give you a stable home or you'd end up in prison following the path you were taking."
"I'd be free and not stuck here with a man who lied to me," Jeremy muttered.
She swallowed. "Did you know Cam paid your mom every month for your whole life?"
"Merk paid her."
Christina shook her head. "Merk was in prison. Who do you think earned the money for Merk? It was Cam, and not once did he forget to send cash to your mom. Even while he served time, he ran Moroad from the inside of his cell, so that money would continue."
"A lot of good that did. She used it on drugs, which ended up killing her." Jeremy ran his hand over his head.
His too long hair flopped down into his eyes. She wanted to brush the hair out of his face and hold his head and force him to listen. She wasn't much older than Jeremy was and she understood the turmoil he struggled with. They'd both gone through hell and back. She wanted to help him the same way Cam helped her.
Christina lowered her voice. "You have to look at Cam's intentions. He took his responsibility as the president of Moroad MC and never wavered regardless of the circumstances. He continues to earn money to support the Moroad inmates, their families, and the kids of the members who have all but been forgotten. Some of the members haven't seen the outside of prison for over twenty years and yet, Cam continues to support them. He'll continue to pay, protect, and take care of them for their life, no matter what they've done to end up behind bars. He's not interested in making anyone suffer or judging them for what they've done. He accepts them, because they wear the patch. When he brought you into his home, he took the same pledge to provide for you. You're not alone anymore."
"At least until he ends up putting a bullet in my head," Jeremy muttered.
"Don't say that," she whispered. "Trust him. Has he ever done wrong by you, besides trying to protect you and make you believe you were his son?"
Jeremy walked a few feet away and gazed out at the men around the fire. "I talked to Mrs. Levanon today."
"Who?" Christina stayed back, giving him space.
Jeremy turned, leaned against the railing, and crossed his arms. "An old lady in Federal who my mom hated. Mom always told me to stay away from her, because the lady would cause trouble for her."
Christina couldn't remember a Mrs. Levanon in Jeremy's file. Most of the calls into the hotline to report neglect were made anonymously. "Why did you go and see her?"
"I asked her if she ever knew my mom's brother." Jeremy shrugged. "She's the only one outside of the club who I thought might know the truth. Plus, she's old, so I thought maybe she remembered seeing Merk around before he went to prison."
"Did she remember him?"
"Yeah." Jeremy huffed in a way Christina understood he wasn't being funny. "She let me know how my mom sucked as a mom—not that I needed someone else to tell me what I already knew. The old lady described Merk as a killer who she hoped rotted in prison. Then she lectured me on riding a motorcycle and how she could tell I turned out exactly the way she expected. A longhaired, troublemaking druggie who'd end up in prison. But, you know what surprised me?"
"What?"
Jeremy cocked his eyebrow. "She's the only person who has told me the truth. Unlike my mom, Cam, Merk, you."
Jeremy's arms fell to his sides and he lumbered off the porch, walking toward the fire. Her heart raced. At eighteen, he faced the end of his life tonight and struggled to hide his fear. Inside, he remained a young man who wanted someone to claim him. She rubbed the base of her collarbone. He reminded her of Cam in many ways.
The attitude, the mannerisms, the hard-ass shell Cam used to protect himself kept everyone from getting close to him. Jeremy pushed others away using the same actions.
Hopefully, Jeremy's refusal to show his fear would serve him well tonight. He'd need it to convince the club to give him another chance and prove he'd fit in with Moroad MC.
Her heart broke for the young man who shed his innocence and let others push him into facing his future. She understood wanting to curl up in a ball and giving up. The man who killed her parents forced her to live life on her own without anyone to help her. She'd never leave Jeremy's side, no matter what happened tonight.
She walked over and took a seat in Cam's rocker. Cam barred her from attending the meeting, but maybe if she listened closely, she'd pick up enough of the conversation to know which way the club voted.
On edge, she sat and waited.
None of the men moved. They continued to talk. Cam listened. Jeremy watched.
The temperature dropped as the night grew later. She leaned forward and took Cam's flannel shirt from the back of the rocker and wrapped it around her upper body. Her legs trembled from the chill, but she refused to go inside and put on warmer clothes.
Gunner rolled a log over to the fire and pushed it on the burning pile of wood. Sparks flittered into the air. Christina half wished she was near the warmth and half-afraid she'd hear a decision that would devastate her.
For the most part, Jeremy was right. She'd changed. She understood why rules were put in place for the club members. Not that she agreed with the degree of the punishments, but she loved Cam and Jeremy. She wanted no one else to put their lives in jeopardy. If they all followed the rules, everyone would be safe.
The men moved, grabbing a log to sit on or sitting in the grass. Cam remained standing to the left of the fire, facing in her direction. He'd gone into big, scary mode. At one time, he frightened her enough, when he shut himself down, she feared for her life. Tonight, his stance protected him and gave Jeremy a fair shot with the others to prove himself. Cam only wanted the best for Jeremy.
For all his denial about never wishing or dreaming, Cam set his sights high on keeping Jeremy in his life. In his own way, Ca
m showed everyone attending the meeting that he loved Jeremy. Only Jeremy couldn't see the truth, because everyone in his life lied to him. Trust would have to rebuild over time.
Cam motioned Jeremy to him. Christina leaned forward making sure the rocker wouldn't creak. Unable to hear Cam's voice or see his mouth move through his beard, she watched his hands. His thumb kept searching his palm, until finally he reached inside his vest pocket and retrieved a pack of cigarettes.
At the risk of his own health and doing more damage to his repaired lung, he lit the smoke and inhaled. He smoked when agitated. She covered her mouth to keep from yelling at him to put the cigarettes away. Christina's body tingled, helpless to do anything for him.
"I left," Jeremy said.
Christina tilted her head, straining to hear more.
"Betrayed my president...understood the contract."
She shifted on the rocker and turned her other ear toward the yard.
"Make no excuses..."
Shit. She couldn't hear enough. He betrayed Cam?
Cam committed the crime and lied to Jeremy. Did Jeremy think about turning Cam into the sheriff?
"We all know the choices," Cam said.
Christina's spine stiffened.
"Vote yes or no for..."
She bent her head and squeezed her eyes closed. She couldn't sit here and watch them judge Jeremy's fate. He'd done nothing wrong. Yet, she couldn't leave. She'd never turn her back on him when he needed her most.
"Yeah."
"Aye."
"Yeah."
Christina opened her eyes. Which way were they voting? To keep Jeremy in Moroad or to strip him of his patch and kill him?
Bear said, "Yes."
"Yeah." Rich held up his arm.
On and on across the circle of men, they all said yes. The voting anonymous, her heart pounded too hard and loud for her to hear what Cam stated. Unable to sit and be a casual observer, she stood and walked down the steps into the grass. She stayed close enough to try to catch Cam's words.
Cam lifted his chin, caught her gaze, and said, "Go to Christina."
Jeremy came to her with his shoulders back, his arms loose at his side, and his chin held straight. She pressed her lips together and met his gaze, refusing to cry in front of him. Unafraid and brave, he no longer resembled the angry young boy living in a desperate and depressing home with his drug-addict mother she remembered.
Jeremy stopped in front of her. She gazed up at him, trying to read the outcome of the vote in his face. He gave nothing away.
Her eyes burned and her throat constricted. She whispered, "I won't let them take your life. I won't."
Jeremy lifted his arm, swiped his thumb along her cheekbone, and peered down as he rubbed the moisture between his finger and thumb. "I can stay," he whispered, his voice breaking.
Her legs gave out and she sunk down to the grass on her knees, muffling her sob of relief. She reached out, grasping Jeremy's hand. She clung to him wanting to make sure he remained in front of her, that she wasn't dreaming. Cam held to his promise and saved Jeremy.
"Come on, get up." Jeremy pulled her arm. "Cam wants you in the house for the rest of the meeting."
She pushed off the ground with shaky legs and continued to hold Jeremy's hand all the way into the living room. Peering around the empty house, the meeting no longer mattered. The decision on how to move forward made, she could go on. Cam could go on. Jeremy could go on.
"Are you going to be okay?" Jeremy stood beside her.
She nodded. "Yeah, I'll be okay."
"I need to go back out and attend the rest of the meeting," Jeremy said.
"Jeremy..." She smiled through her tears. "Can I ask you for a favor?"
She had a long list of things she wanted to happen. Merk needed to go away. Cam needed to stay alive. Jeremy needed to find a way to accept them all back into his life.
"Yeah," he said.
"Will you stand there and let me hug you without freaking out?" She raked her teeth over her lip. "Please?"
He opened his arms. She wrapped hers around his slender waist and hugged him tight. His arm came around her shoulder and he gave her a one-armed hug that meant the world to her. He usually never hugged others and kept his distance. He needed extra assurance, so he could move past and heal.
She pulled back, nodded her thanks with a weak smile. "Go, honey. I'm fine."
He turned around and left the house. She walked to the bedroom, stripped out of her clothes, and wrapped herself in the blanket. Her eyes closed the second she hit the pillow. The relief at knowing Jeremy was home finally consumed her. Cam could deal with Merk on his own. She had her family back.
Chapter Twenty Four
Christina slammed the silverware drawer shut. Cam sat at the table in the kitchen and clasped his hands behind his head. After the hell of a meeting last night, he'd been happy to find Christina asleep when he finally walked into the house. He needed the calm to think over the results of the meeting without her questioning his motives.
As he predicted, after telling her how the vote went down for Merk when she woke up, she'd gone through every emotion she'd bundled up inside of her, and aimed each one at him. She was currently at the stage of anger.
She whirled around. "How are you feeling?"
He growled. Her off the wall comment only meant one thing. Whatever answer he gave her would be the wrong one.
"I've already told you I'm fine," he said.
She lifted one bare shoulder and pursed her lips. "Your ribs don't hurt anymore?"
"No."
"Can you take deep breaths now without holding your side?" she asked, her voice rising.
He stood. There was no way he could take any more questions sitting down. "I said I'm fine. What's with all the fucking questions?"
She planted her hands on her hips. "Because I want to know if you're healed enough, so I can slap some sense into your stupid head without feeling guilty for hurting a man who almost died. God, you are such an asshole. Why would you allow your men to let Merk remain in the club? He tried to kill you!"
"There are reasons." He took in her flushed face, bright eyes, and heaving breasts.
She backed up into the counter. "Oh, no, you don't. Stop looking at me that way."
"What way?" he said, stalking toward her.
"That way." She shook her head. "You're unbelievable."
He hooked her waist and pulled her hard against him. His cock throbbed inside his jeans and he rubbed against her. "Believe."
"Dammit," she whispered. "You're not being fair."
"Never claimed to be fair or obey the laws." He picked her up and set her on the counter.
"Cam." She yipped, as she clutched onto his biceps to keep from falling.
He separated her thighs, pushed up the T-shirt she wore—his, and settled between her legs. "Do you have any panties on?"
"No." She huffed. "I hurried to make your breakfast and didn't take the time to dress."
"I'm still hungry." He moved his hand to the apex of her thighs. "For this."
She strained to close her legs. "I'm still mad."
"Get over it." He fought his grin at the way her mouth dropped open and her eyelids fluttered.
"No." She closed her mouth.
He gazed up to the ceiling, knowing she couldn't ignore the way his fingers came away wet, and then looked at her. Her eyes softened and she shook her head, giving up. He circled his thumb over her clit. Yeah, he owned her.
Her leg muscles quivered and she leaned back giving him better access. He slid two fingers inside her pussy. Tight, wet, yeah, he was unbelievable. He leaned forward and kissed her. Unbelievably in love with his woman.
She moaned into his mouth. He needed more. Not wanting to stop, but knowing he'd take everything she offered once he had her flat on her back, he picked her up and carried her through the house to the bedroom.
He glanced at the stripped bed, changed his plan, and set Christina on her feet. He freed his
cock, lifted her back up onto him and walked toward the nearest wall.
She clasped her legs around him and hung from his neck. Despite his earlier claim he'd recovered from being shot, his legs shook. He damned the weakness and ignored the soreness he expected to come afterward.
"You're insane," she whispered, kissing him.
He plunged inside of her. The relentless momentum of her squirming against him fueled him forward. A reply escaped him. He was exactly what she claimed. Crazy.
Her orgasm hit her first. He pressed her against the wall, so he wouldn't drop her. The pressure around his dick intensified, squeezing the life out of him. His hips jerked, twitching like an addict on a dry spell. His balls tightened, aching in pleasure. His heart raced. His mind blanked.
He erupted in a groan that rocked the house.
Leaning against her, pressing her into the wall, he lifted his head, huffing for breath. "If I move, get ready to put your feet on the floor."
"Honey," Her eyes softened and she stroked the hair out of his face. "You shouldn't be lifting me."
He slipped his cock out of her. "Ready?"
She nodded, sliding one of her legs off his hip. He inched back. She slid off him and let go. Through the loss of contact, he staggered back, bumped into the bed, and sat.
"If you weren't so stubborn, you wouldn't do this to yourself." She wiggled, pulling her shirt down to her thighs. "I'm serious, honey. You can't keep pushing yourself and pretending everything is okay. Now you have Merk here and you'll always have to be on guard. You should've pulled rank like you did with Jeremy, except you should've kicked Merk out of the club."
"I didn't pull rank last night." Cam inhaled through his nose, willing the tightness in his upper body to ease. "The men voted without my help and agreed Jeremy deserved to stay in the club. He's on probation for a year and will be watched. Merk's demoted. He's no longer my V.P. He'll remain a member and get docked in pay for the next year. After that, he'll get what they all get."
"That's it?" She cleaned between her legs with a clean towel from the dresser and tossed it into the hamper beside the door. "He tried to kill you. If he went in front of the judge, his punishment would be worse. I don't trust him."
