Terrence nodded. Flecks of spit flew out of his mouth as he struggled to speak. “O-okay, then. I understand.”
“Do you?” I asked, my voice rising an octave. I lunged forward with the gun, coaxing a squeal out of him. “As I understand it, we have an arrangement, and as of now, that arrangement is over.”
“Christ! I won’t fire you, okay?”
I glared at him, focusing all of my energy into a laser beam of hatred. Terrence lowered himself to his knees.
“And you’ll continue paying me under the table?”
Terrence clasped his hands together. “Completely off the books, I swear.”
Satisfied, I buttoned up my shorts and picked up my apron. It was perfect timing, too, because I could just make out the sounds of motorcycle engines coming from outside.
“By the way,” I said, “Noah wants to talk to you.”
* * *
I thought I deserved a break, so I went outside just in time to witness a throng of motorcycles circling the parking lot. They walked toward the entrance in an intimidating pack. Their pace slowed when they saw me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. Then, I realized I still had the gun in my hand. I froze awkwardly before jumping to hide it behind my back.
Noah’s confused squint turned into a scowl. “Is that mine?” he bellowed.
A portly man with hair down to his waist looked incredulously at Noah. “I thought you didn’t like guns.”
“I don’t. I collected replicas.”
Liam shouldered his way to the front and joined my side, chuckling nervously. He took the gun from me. “Noah, I assure you there is a very reasonable explanation for this. We just can’t tell you what it is right now.”
Noah continued scowling. Actually, I was sure that was just what his face looked like all the time. “You’re lucky we have bigger fish to fry.” He pointed at the gun in Liam’s hand. “That better be in my locker by the time we get back to the clubhouse.”
Liam and I stared wordlessly at each other until the rest of the MC were safely closed off inside of Buddy’s.
He grabbed for my hand. “How’d it go?”
“Better than I hoped.” I couldn’t stop grinning.
Liam kissed my fingers. “Good. How about taking the day off?”
I flinched. It was so very tempting, but at the same time... “I have a few tables, left.”
Just then, the doors banged open. I caught a glimpse of Logan herding customers out of the restaurant with a mop handle, like a sheepherder. They rushed out the doors, avoiding my gaze as they fumbled for car keys.
“Um...”
“Things are about to get uncomfortable, so Noah thought it’d be best for Buddy’s to close for the day.”
“Well, then.” I took off my apron once again. “Looks like I’m off early. What should we do?”
“Before we do anything, we really should return this,” Liam said. He tossed the gun replica into the air and caught it. “You have to admit, though, it’s much lighter than a brick.”
I felt a pang. Liam caught the flicker in my expression instantly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“The brick wasn’t for Terrence,” I began. I was surprised at how easily the words came. Immediately after saying them, the bands of my secret loosened their grip over me. I took my first carefree breath in a while.
Liam’s eyes darkened. “Then who?”
Alex. “My ex. He was...a little crazy. He stalked me through four broken leases in my hometown before I got away. That’s why I moved here.” At the look of murderous rage filling Liam’s face, I continued quickly, “but he’s far, far from here. The brick was insurance, just in case.”
Liam shut his mouth. A muscle twitched in his jaw as he nodded. He wrapped one arm around my shoulders and pulled me into the crook of his neck. His skin vibrated on my temple as he spoke. I heard his voice from inside of my own head.
“He’ll never hurt you again, Aspen. I promise you, that.”
“I know, Liam.” I turned my head and let my lips brush against his throat.
“And if he does, he’ll answer to me—”
Somewhere inside, there was a loud crash that sounded suspiciously like a Terrence-sized somebody being chucked through a wall—
“And to the Skull Kings MC.”
Ride or Die
Liam steered us through the streets that had become more familiar to me over the past week. My arms were looped around his waist. At first, I’d been too shy to squeeze him close, but the sharp corners forced me to hang on for dear life, and I barely had a moment to enjoy the closeness of him. Soon, we were on the dirt access road that led to the Skull Kings clubhouse, and I felt a twitch of excitement when I recalled the first night I’d spent with him there.
Liam parked his bike and helped me slide off of the seat. We were the first ones to arrive.
“Looks like we’re a little early,” Liam said, casting his eyes around the empty lot. Already, there was a wicked grin forming at the corners of his lips.
“What are we supposed to do while we wait?”
Liam’s answer came in a deep, hungry kiss. He grabbed my hips and pulled, digging his pelvis into mine. Heat surged through me when I felt how hard he was.
“I’m going to fuck you,” he said, “while we have the place to ourselves.”
We tripped through the door, sucking at each other’s mouths. Liam groped blindly for the light switch and flicked it on. The décor of the clubhouse faded in from the blackness and I barely batted an eye at the familiar sights. Liam pushed me against the gleaming wet bar and sucked on my neck.
My nipples hardened inside of my bra. I grabbed Liam’s hands and put them on my chest. He squeezed his fingers together, his hands strong enough to leave bruises. I bucked my hips at him, feverish with desire.
Liam worked quickly to unbuckle his pants and moved onto the button of my shorts. He pushed them down to my knees just as I pulled his cock out through his open zipper.
“Turn around,” Liam ordered gruffly. He forced my hands onto the bar and bit the skin of my shoulder. His hands moved down to my ass, giving my cheeks a few slaps before angling it right where he wanted it.
I cried out and arched my back as he penetrated me. My pussy twitched as he pushed himself in, resisting against his hardness and his overwhelming size. I bit my lip and gripped the edge of the bar when he drove himself forward.
The air grew thick with the sounds of my cries and our bodies slapping together. Liam reached around my body to hold my clit between his fingers, rubbing and pinching to the rhythm of his thrusts.
“You’re so wet,” he said, tickling my ear. “You’re so fucking tight.”
I felt myself dripping around him, streaming down my legs. Liam’s fingers pressed into my clit, applying more pressure than I thought I could handle, and his cock dug deeper and deeper into my pussy. I clenched my eyes shut. It was painful, aching, and pleasing all at the same time. I reached over my shoulder and grabbed his hair. Our mouths came together in a kiss.
“I want to fill your pussy up with my cum,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Yes,” I whispered back.
Liam pounded harder, faster. His short, uneven breaths grew louder and louder. I felt his cock stiffening, shuddering inside of me. My pussy gushed as my body anticipated the coming crash.
I reached down between my legs, guiding Liam’s fingers with my own. I groaned and cried, unable to contain myself. My vision went white, blinding me to everything but the sensation of Liam’s cock rubbing against my walls. I rocked my hips, igniting every cell of contact between me and Liam.
“I’m going to come,” I said.
Liam gave an anguished cry. “Fuck!”
Heat flushed down my body, concentrating between my legs. It felt like an itch, and Liam’s cock was rubbing it out. I screamed as my pussy pulsed and twitched, leaking thick, syrupy juices down my flesh.
Then, Liam was coming too. He bent over,
pinning me down against the bar, as he pumped his cream into my cavity. Our mingling fluids slid down our legs, leaving us hot and sticky.
Liam held me against him, heaving as he fought to catch his breath. I felt his heart pounding against my back, each beat slower than the last. I closed my eyes and sighed, savoring the heaviness of his body against my own. It was easy to get used to this, Liam holding me and caring for me, when all I’d ever known before was fear and control.
“You make me feel so good,” Liam said. His cock softened inside of me. He kissed my head as he slid himself out. “Thank you.”
I barely glanced at Liam’s eyes, afraid that I would start crying if I held his gaze. “Thank you,” I echoed.
My stomach growled, and I sniffed hopefully at the air. Eddie, the gray-haired Skull King, flipped burgers at the grill.
“They smell ready,” I said.
Liam laughed. “I think you’re just hungry after what we did earlier.”
We hauled our boxes to the picnic table. Liam had a case of beer, which he began to unload into the ice box. I picked through mine, pulling out ketchup, mustard, and a jar of pickles.
“Um...did somebody else bring the buns?”
Liam leaned over to look inside the box I’d carried out of the clubhouse. “Noah! Where are the buns?”
The Skull Kings president straightened in his seat at the other end of the table. “Buns? I thought Logan was getting buns.”
I heard Logan’s indignant shout from the other end of the lot. “Nobody told me about no buns.”
Noah groaned. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
A slim, black-haired woman approached Noah from behind and took him by the elbow. “Relax, honey. The girls will take care of it.” She gave a whistle and jerked her head to the parking lot. Several girls splintered away from their respective boyfriends and began to follow her.
Liam gave me a nudge. “She’s talking about you, too, you know.”
I tore my attention away from the grill. “What?”
Liam dropped his voice. “Shayna is Noah’s old lady, so she’s the boss. You better go, or she’ll take it as an insult.”
“Ah...okay, then,” I said faintly.
Shayna’s expression was stoic behind her Dior sunglasses as she slid into the driver’s seat of her minivan. I followed the last girl into the third row seat and closed the door behind myself.
“Okay, ladies,” Shayna said. “Now that I’ve got you all to myself, I think this is the perfect time to plan Noah’s surprise birthday party.”
Several girls squealed in delight at the prospect of a surprise party. The only girl sitting next to me, on the other hand, groaned.
“I’m thinking potluck. All the old ladies make something.”
There were a few nods of agreement. I puzzled over what was going on. Potluck? Did that mean I had to cook? Fear lodged in my chest as I recalled the last time I’d turned on the stove. I turned to the girl sitting next to me.
“What’s an old lady?”
The girl pushed her sunglasses up to her forehead, regarding me with wide, green eyes. Her lightened hair and tanned skin were roughly the same shade of beige, making her look like an ethereal fairy. “It’s MC talk for steady girlfriend, basically.” She smiled. “I’m Bonnie. What’s your name?”
“Aspen.” Relief flooded through me when we shook hands. I was thankful for a friendly face to talk to. “I wonder if I’d be considered an old lady.”
“You aren’t,” Bonnie said.
“What?”
Her eyes widened at what must’ve been a look of surprise on my face. “Oh, don’t feel bad. I’m not an old lady, either. For your information, an old lady is, like, the number one woman in a biker’s life. It’s like winning the Olympics.”
“And what about girls who are just...you know.”
“Sweetbutts,” she supplied matter-of-factly. “Although, I’m not a sweetbutt. I’m just a friend.”
My mouth twisted to the side. Sweetbutt? Friend? What was I?
Bonnie leaned forward and patted my hand. “MC’s work a little different, Aspen. Thank god I told you! Don’t worry about a thing.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
I glowered out the window at the passing landscape while Bonnie hopped into a conversation with the girls sitting in front of us. By the tone of Bonnie’s voice, I could tell that a sweetbutt wasn’t as good as the status of being an old lady, or even a friend. But what was I? I thought about the way Liam touched me, grabbed me. Nobody had ever wanted me the way he did. But at the same time, did he respect me? Was that how he acted toward women he respected?
I grew more and more troubled the more I thought about it.
Shayna finally pulled into a parking spot, and I followed them inside, bringing up the rear. Suddenly, Bonnie grabbed my arm and yanked me in the opposite direction.
“They can handle the buns themselves. Let’s go to the liquor aisle.”
I cast a wistful eye over my shoulder toward Shayna, who seemed content enough on her own with her ladies-in-waiting. I was sure I wouldn’t be missed and let Bonnie tug me along.
We passed rows of canned soup, and I loyally followed in Bonnie’s wake as she led us toward the liquor. Then, we turned the corner, and the blood drained from my face.
“Hey—” Bonnie protested as I yanked her out of view.
The world began spinning around me as I steadied myself on a display of twelve packs. I blinked quickly as shadows emerged from the edges of my vision. Breathe. Focus. I drew in a ragged breath, collecting myself. Then, I took one step forward and peeked around the corner.
No. My heart plunged to my feet. It was impossible. Yet somehow, I knew that what I saw was real.
The man stood halfway down the aisle with his hand on his chin as he examined the vodka section. I only recognized the slope of his shoulders and his authoritative stance, but nothing else. His hair was different, shorn in a buzz cut. The last time I’d seen him, it had grown past his shoulders. When he reached for his favorite brand of vodka, that’s when I knew.
“You know that guy?” Bonnie whispered.
I jumped, caught off guard. I tore my eyes away from him and retreated back into the next aisle. “We have to go,” I said quickly.
I grabbed her wrist and marched her away. The other women were standing at the check-out line, regarding us with curious expressions.
“Where did you gals run off to?” Shayna asked.
Bonnie and I exchanged a look.
“Nowhere,” I mumbled.
Shayna cocked an eyebrow. “Okay, then. Well, I guess we should head back. Can you grab the bags, sweetie?” Her eyes had already passed over us and moved onto the automatic exit doors, but everybody knew who she was talking to.
Me.
I looped the handles of the bags over my wrists and hurried after the group of women. I risked one last glance over my shoulder as I exited the store. Alex was nowhere to be seen, and I briefly wondered if I’d imagined him, after all.
“Why did that guy have your name tattooed on his arm?” Bonnie whispered.
My heart sank. So it was real, after all. Somehow, Alex had found me in Canyon City.
“He’s an ex-boyfriend,” I explained. “In fact, I’ve been kind of hiding from him.”
“Oh,” Bonnie said darkly. “Well, whatever you do, don’t let Shayna find out.”
I watched Shayna swing into her driver’s seat and check her hair in the rearview mirror. Her mouth was pinched into a tight, rosy pucker as she concentrated. Everything about her told me she wasn’t easy to please, and I wanted to please her for Liam’s sake. The last thing I needed was to constantly worry about Alex coming back, but I had no choice now.
“I’ll handle it,” I said.
I loaded the bags into the back of the van and returned to my seat. Shayna pulled out of the parking lot, and I felt another flash of dread when I saw Alex’s blue Mustang parked near the back. But this time, I swallowed the dread back down
. I’d put up with a lot of shit on his account. I’d moved to a new city, I’d been sexually abused by my boss, and I’d handled it all.
And I was going to handle Alex myself, once and for all.
Dusk had settled over Canyon City by the time we came back to the barbeque. Several of the guys were eating burgers off of paper plates with a knife and fork. Shayna tossed a bag of buns to Eddie, who brandished it in the air in gratitude.
“Noah, would you do the honors?” he said.
Noah rose from his seat and swaggered to the grill. He took the spatula from his fellow Skull Kings brother and placed a patty on his old lady’s plated bun. Afterward, he delivered a soft, sweet kiss to her mouth, accompanied by a fanfare of cheers from the rest of the club.
I jumped when I felt Liam’s lips brush against my cheek.
“Missed you,” he whispered. His breath tasted faintly of tequila when we kissed.
I closed my eyes. My insides suddenly went still, calmed by Liam’s presence. I shared a few more kisses with him before opening my eyes again. “Can I talk to you real quick?”
Liam grinned. “Sure.” He pulled me by the hand into the clubhouse.
I sat down on one of the couches while Liam closed the door behind us, muffling the spirited shouts coming from outside with a single click. I folded my hands in my lap, trying to force the image of Alex out of my head and wondering where to even start. Then, Liam sank down beside me and set immediately to work on my clothes.
“Liam!”
Liam pushed his head into the crook of my shoulder, sucking at my neck. His hand plunged down the front of my pants. I inhaled and got a sharp whiff of tequila. Shortly, I realized he was a little more buzzed than I thought.
“Baby,” he whispered. “Baby, I want you so bad.”
I fell onto my back across the couch, resigned, and wrapped my arms around Liam’s shoulders. I tried to concentrate on his lips, hot and wet, suckling on my skin. He pushed his hips against mine with a groan, and I felt him hardening quickly beneath his jeans. For just a second, heat flushed through my skin when his cock bumped against my clit, arousing me. But I just wasn’t into it. Maybe it was the harsh lights, the squeaky leather couch, or something else.
Skull Kings MC: the collection Page 4
