by Sam Crescent
“I’m buying this too, so don’t complain,” he said.
Brick put the chocolate cake in the cart. It looked delicious. She wanted to shout at him for tempting her when she was trying to watch her weight but bit her tongue. Life was too short to not enjoy simple pleasures, especially when her boyfriend loved her curves.
Then she saw him. Her body immediately recoiled, a wave of nausea threatening to make her sick. Her uncle was in an aisle, looking at the canned food. He tucked something into his jacket. She hadn’t realized she’d been standing frozen in place when Brick jostled her.
“Baby, what’s the matter?”
She forced herself to focus on him. “Nothing.”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Callie shook her head. “Let’s go.” She tugged him in the other direction. The last thing she needed was for her uncle to spot her. Most of her relatives were criminals, addicts, or both. It was embarrassing. Plus, she didn’t want a confrontation. This uncle, in particular, was abrasive and rude, and he’d definitely say something to upset Brick.
Her heart calmed a degree as she put distance between them and her uncle—until she turned around and realized Brick wasn’t there.
She abandoned their cart and rushed back to the canned goods aisle. Brick was nowhere in sight, but she caught her uncle’s attention as she rushed over.
“Little Callie Johnson, is that you?”
All she could do was breathe. Her feet felt like lead, and her mouth wouldn’t work.
“Your mother was wondering where you’d gone off to. She said you owe her. The fridge broke within a week after she moved into the trailer. Fuck, she was pissed with you.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out. Her family brought out all her insecurities. Once again, she was a little girl in the midst of the dysfunction.
Then he was there. His strong hand on her side, his breath against her ear. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
“Ain’t he a little old for you?” Her uncle looked Brick up and down in the same judgmental way she was well familiar with. “Or is he just a sugar daddy? You don’t look like you’ve been suffering.”
“You should mind your business.” Brick took an aggressive step forward. She didn’t want him to get hurt. He had no clue her family was dangerous. They had no value for human life or decency.
“Who the fuck are you?” he asked.
“I’m the man taking care of her.”
Her uncle laughed. “She sleeping with you for rent money now?”
Brick shoved him, a couple of cans falling from inside his jacket. Her uncle reached in his pocket and flipped open a knife, brandishing it back and forth.
“Uncle Pete, no!”
“Shut up, you little whore. And get this asshole to pay for your mother’s fridge. Otherwise, you won’t be happy when she finds you.”
She should be used to this, but it always cut deep.
Brick reached out faster than her eyes could follow, snatching the knife and twisting her uncle’s arms until he begged for mercy. He whispered in her uncle’s ear. “I’m going to burn that fucking trailer to the ground. And I don’t give a shit who’s inside, so tell her mother not to sleep too lightly.” He twisted his arm further, making him cry out. “And if you see Callie around, do me a favor and pretend you don’t know her. She’s nothing like you, and never will be. If I find out you so much as speak to her and move your junkie ass within ten feet of her, I’ll come and find you. I’ll take my time before I put a bullet in your brain. Do you understand? Nod if you understand.”
Her uncle Pete nodded rapidly. Brick shoved him away, then took her hand, leading them back to the cart.
“What was that about?”
“No one talks down to you. No one, Callie. Don’t fucking forget it.”
She looked back over her shoulder. “He’s been to jail.”
Brick chuckled. “He’s a petty criminal. He’s a joke and waste of our time.”
Callie couldn’t argue with him. It felt so good to watch Brick put him in his place and put some fear in him when he’d terrorized her for most of her childhood. She felt liberated.
She held on to Brick’s arm as they continued shopping.
After they paid for their supplies, they walked out into the parking lot. Callie pointed at a guy smoking in front of the diner. “That’s one of them. One of the Skull Nation guys who used to go to the lumber yard.”
Brick looked over, but the asshole already had his sights on them. He scoffed as he loaded the supplies into the compartment on the back of his bike, not taking his eyes off the enemy. Just then, his cell phone dinged. It was a message from Lord. He wanted everyone in church.
Chapter Ten
Brick stared around the church meeting as Copper did the preliminary scan of the room. All the guys were present. The club was supposed to be dealing with the Skull Nation problem, but so far all they’d been focused on was the rat.
He looked at all the brothers, waiting to see which one broke into a sweat and gave the game away.
No matter who it was, it would be a huge disappointment. No, it would break his fucking heart when he found the person who’d turned their backs on them.
Just the thought of one of their own going to the enemy with club secrets turned his fucking stomach. He believed he could trust everyone in this room, but that was total bullshit. There was no trust here.
Once Copper showed them the guilty bastard, that would be it.
He tapped his fingers against his leg, feeling the anger simmering beneath the surface.
Copper growled. “It’s no one here. Can I … I want to scan shit around the room. Can I?”
Brick looked toward Lord, who seemed ready to explode. The boss nodded.
“Go ahead. I’m not leaving this room, and I’m not going on the road until our rat is located.”
Lord pressed his lips together as Copper started to go around the room, scanning inanimate objects.
The shit in the clubhouse had never been an afterthought. There were pictures of naked women, football memorabilia, car posters, and junk from tradeshows. He’d never added anything himself. Copper moved around the room, and then he stopped, clicked his fingers, and pointed at a picture frame of a limited-edition bike.
Lord tensed up.
Brick remembered him laughing as he brought it into the room not long after he’d started to get serious with Ally. Much to their surprise, Lord had taken Ally on the road, and they’d stopped at a garage sale or a market, he couldn’t remember where.
Ally had used the last bit of money she had to buy this for Lord.
Lord had never been given a gift by a woman. It had a huge significance for the two of them. It cemented the couple’s bond.
“Are you the rat?” Brick asked.
Lord shot him a glare.
He expected him to smash the picture, to drag Ally back into the room to demand answers, but as he turned the picture over, opened up the metal clips, and removed the back, there it was, a singular listening device planted behind the picture.
Copper took it out, threw it to the floor, and stomped on it. Bits of metal scattered.
When he pointed his device at it, there was no more signal.
“It would seem I have to apologize,” Lord said. His hands clenched into fists as they rested on the table.
“You need to bring Ally in here,” Righteous said.
“No, I fucking don’t. Ally isn’t a traitor. She’s my woman.”
Brick watched him put the picture frame back together. Anyone looking at Lord who didn’t know him would see a carefully controlled man.
He knew differently.
Lord was angry. More than that, his rage knew no bounds, and seeing as they used his woman, and a peaceful moment between them, he wanted to make them hurt. Now that was something Brick could live with.
“I want to go scan your bedroom,” Copper said.
“What?”
&nb
sp; “You heard me. For peace of mind for the club, for you. One of us could have died based on that listening device.”
“If you boys think this stops me from ruling, then take me on,” Lord said. “Request me to fight for my leadership.”
Brick looked at the boys.
“It’s not about your ability to rule,” Tarmac said. “When it comes to Ally, you don’t see straight.”
“You want me to get rid of my woman? The mother of my child?” Lord asked.
The whole room went silent.
Brick didn’t want Lord to give up his old lady. With Ally around, life got a whole lot easier. There was a time Lord was impossible to be around. He was a big fucking bastard who was known for his moods, and to be honest, Brick liked settled-down, relaxed, daddy Lord. He was a lot nicer to deal with on a daily basis.
“I won’t ever give up my woman,” Lord said. He started to remove his leather cut.
“No,” Brick said, standing up. “You’re not getting rid of Ally. I get it. They don’t. Put your cut back on.” He turned toward the group. “None of you get a say about any of this shit.” He grabbed the picture frame. “This could have happened to anyone. Just be thankful Copper found it before it was too late. There was no rat to begin with, which explains why the Skull Nation didn’t react to everything we did. Not all of our business is dealt with in this room. They got lucky with this, but no more. You got a problem with Lord, you take it up with me, but I’m not voting our best fucking club president out because his woman bought a dodgy picture.” He pointed at each of the brothers in turn. “All of you have brought something into this room at some point. It could have happened to any one of you. It just so happened to have been Ally, and we all know that woman is so fucking unlucky. Look at who she ended up with.”
Lord shook his head.
“You want to vote him out, then you vote me out,” Brick said.
He loved the club, but he wasn’t willing to stay with the club if they couldn’t overlook a simple, innocent mistake like a listening device. Their enemies sought out every opportunity to get the upper hand. They’d be more careful from now on.
Staring around the room, he waited. Righteous leaned forward, elbows on the table.
“Are you going to give us the plan to get rid of those fuckers? Because I, for one, need a drink.”
Brick started to laugh. Righteous was their chaplain, but he could drink anyone under the table.
For the next hour, Lord gave them all the information and the plan of attack for taking out the Skull Nation hideout.
Once it was all done, the brothers left one by one, leaving him alone with Lord. He held the picture in his hands like it was a treasure.
“You okay?” Brick asked.
“Yeah. You do know this is dangerous, don’t you? That there’s a chance we won’t make it out alive. Real death shit.”
“I get that, but I also know those guys are sloppy. They’re not going to be able to get the jump on us. They never could before. They’re not going to do it now. Just another day, Lord.” Brick slapped him on the shoulder and turned toward the door, only to stop and look back at his club president. “Would you leave?”
Lord looked up. “I’d fight for my place here, Brick. You know that. The club is my life, but I can’t give up Ally and my kid. They complete me. Everything else, it doesn’t compare. I’m sure you feel that way about Callie.”
“I can’t let her go,” he said. “I think about it all the time. A good man would let her go and let her find someone who deserves her. I’m not that guy. I can’t handle the thought of her being with anyone who isn’t me.”
“Then don’t. But you make sure you’re the one in control of her happiness. You’re the one responsible for a good life or a bad one. I know Ally deserved a better life and I vowed never to hurt her. I aim to make her life the best it has ever been.” He held up the picture frame. “If I was to tell her about this, she’d be heartbroken. Ally hasn’t got a malicious bone in her body. She would never do anything to harm me or this club. We’re her family.”
“Will you tell her?” Brick asked.
What was discussed in church would stay in that room.
“No,” Lord said. “What I will do from now on is every time she gives me a gift, it will be scanned. We’ll keep Copper busy.”
“Does she give you gifts all the time?” Brick thought about Callie. She’d given him one of the best gifts of all, herself.
“All the time. I love her so fucking much.” Lord glared at him. “Don’t think for a second I’m turning into a fucking pussy. I’m sharing this shit with you because you can relate.”
Brick laughed, holding up his hands. “I know what you mean. I thought pussy was just for the fun of it. You wet your dick and you move on. Don’t get a clinger, and you stay the fuck out of trouble.” He shrugged. “I never knew it could be like this.”
“Who would have thought it, eh, you and me, in love with two women who really don’t fit into this club.”
“Who the fuck does?” Brick asked.
****
Callie sat on the edge of the bed, a nervous energy taking control of her thoughts. She’d been here since Brick had gone into church, unable to focus on anything else. Ally had wanted to sit and chat, but she couldn’t do it. Her nerves were shot. She knew Brick was going to be organizing the take-down of the Skull Nation, and it terrified her. She’d seen those men firsthand when working at the lumber yard. They weren’t going to play games.
She loved Brick so much.
She’d never felt this way about anyone before. Callie had always kept to herself, never allowing herself to open up to others. When her own family would throw her under the bus for the simplest thing, trust didn’t come easy.
What if something were to happen to Brick? She pressed her palms together and sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening in the hope they’d hear and be able to help Brick through this time.
The door opened, and she jerked out of her thoughts. She didn’t expect to find Brick smiling.
Getting to her feet, she threw herself at him. In the back of her mind, she knew she shouldn’t be acting like this. There was no reason for it, but she couldn’t help it. He hadn’t gone to deal with club business yet, and it was so good to see him.
Brick wrapped his arms around her. His hands went straight to her ass and she let out a gasp as he gave her a squeeze. “Now this kind of welcome I could get used to.”
“I don’t want you to go,” she said.
“Babe, you know I’ve got to go. There’s no stopping me.” He pulled back and cupped her cheek. “You don’t need to stress out about it.”
“The thought of anything happening to you…”
“Hey!” She wanted to talk, but knew he was only going to stop her anyway. “Stop. Nothing is going to happen to me. Do you know why?”
“You’re Brick?”
“No, because I’ve got the entire club at my back and a woman I need to come home to.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I’m that woman?”
He laughed. “Who else would it be? Who else has made me pretend to be a chicken farmer?”
She started to laugh with some happy tears, then his lips were on hers, and she didn’t care what he said or what he did, she only wanted to feel his affection.
With the way Brick’s hands roamed up and down her body, she felt on fire with need, hungry for more, desperate to feel his touch.
Within a matter of minutes, he had her stripped completely naked. Her clothes were strewn on the floor, and Callie took care of his, admittedly with a lot less finesse. She wasn’t used to removing men’s clothing and it showed, but with each hard muscle revealed, she became more aroused.
Brick kissed her hard on the mouth, hungry, as he backed her up toward the bed. With each step they took, her need heightened to a fever pitch. She couldn’t stop it. He broke the kiss, trailing his lips down her body, going to her tits. He sucked on each nipple in turn before gl
iding down toward her pussy. A trail of heat followed the path of his lips, her body on fire.
When he touched her pussy, she felt like she was going to come completely apart. The recent tension, the fear, her love—it all morphed together into a desire that needed fulfilling. He stroked his fingers between her thighs, running from the entrance of her pussy up to her clit. Brick knew exactly how to touch her, making her writhe with need. He circled her bud, pressing down, then slid back inside her.
She whimpered as he moved so his lips were right above her pussy. This time, she went to her elbows and watched as he slid his tongue through her slit, sucking her clit into his mouth.
Closing her eyes, she threw her head back, moaning his name, not wanting him to stop as he ravished her body.
“I want you to come all over my face, Callie. Let me have it.”
His tongue was like magic as it danced across her skin. Each stroke, each touch, sending her heightened senses into overdrive. She couldn’t stop it. Only bask in the pleasure and never let it go.
Brick started to build her orgasm, but he changed paths, moving down to fuck inside her with his tongue. She rocked against his face, not wanting him to stop, needing to come.
He moved up, taking her clit once again. He used his teeth, soothing out the pain with his tongue and stroking up and across. His fingers plunging inside her, stretching her. He was everywhere, and she loved it.
Her orgasm was so close, hanging on a precipice.
Just a few strokes of his tongue, and she came apart, screaming his name and begging for more, and he gave it to her. On and on, the waves of her orgasm left her spineless on the bed.
Brick didn’t stop straight away, allowing her orgasm to ride all the way out, drawing every last drop of pleasure from the moment. He kissed up her body, going to each of her tits and flicking his tongue against them before going to her mouth.
She tasted herself on his lips, but she didn’t care.
The tip of his cock ran up and down her slit, nudging her, making her moan for more. With each touch, she couldn’t contain her need, and she let it out in a guttural groan.
