Something hot and hurtful gripped Church’s stomach as she reached for the wallet. Her mind went blank except for the one thought that sometime after he left her, Darrell had to have hooked up with this woman.
“Here’s your money,” Carleen said.
Church looked from the wallet to the cash the woman held out.
“That’s too much.”
“Oh, but you went out of your way to accommodate my wishes. I appreciate it. Thanks for fixing my car so quickly. Cheers!”
Church gripped Darrell’s wallet as she watched the doctor leave. Once Carleen Brogan drove away, Church rose and slammed the door, which gave her a small measure of pleasure, but not much more than a temporary satisfaction. She tossed the wallet on her desk and glared at it.
It took a moment to realize that the feeling bubbling over was jealousy.
She was jealous of Carleen Brogan!
Because Darrell fucked her? Or because he chose easy pussy?
It even pissed her off that she had opened herself up a little to him, had thought that he had understood how difficult it was for her to trust anyone, but especially to a man.
Damn him!
She dropped back down into the chair behind the desk. Taking out the cash box, she opened it and threw the money in there, locking it up and placing it back into the desk drawer. Then she propped her feet up and stared at the damn wallet. Should she flush it down the toilet? Blow it up? Melt it with the blowtorch?
Picking it up, she opened it and the first thing she saw were pictures. A lot of them, all of men she didn’t know. All of them in army fatigues. Darrell was in several of them, and she studied the much younger version of him as he posed and goofed with his buddies. Were these men dead now? Slowly, her anger melted away because it made her feel sorry for him. The years between now and then had aged him, giving his dark hair a salt-and-pepper coloring and weary lines fanning from his sad eyes. She shut the wallet and tossed it down with cash box before locking the drawer.
Then she went out to the garage part and closed up the bays, noticing the car and Carleen Brogan had disappeared. Hopefully, forever. Church closed up shop, lay down on the sofa, and closed her eyes. Within moments, she fell asleep.
Chapter Nine
A knock sounded on Darrell’s door and he finished slipping on a t-shirt before grabbing his crutch so he could walk over to answer. The hot shower had felt good, but he didn’t want to put his leg back on. He’d reached his irritation limit for the day.
Wick stood in front of his door, arms crossed.
“Can I come in for a moment?” he asked.
“Sure,” Darrell said, stepping back.
“Thanks,” Wick said, lumbering into the room. He paused, looking thoughtful, and Darrell waited. “So … what did you think about the meeting with the doctor?”
Darrell sighed and shook his head. “Extortion?”
“She’s a right dumb bitch if she thinks I’ll pay her a single cent. My instincts are telling me she’s hiding something.”
“I agree. Perhaps you should contact Kix and have Mac take a look. Have him run a little reconnaissance for us.”
“Yeah, that’s an idea.” Wick pursed his lips. “I’m glad Abbott wasn’t here for that, but I’ve already talked about the drug rehab with her. She thinks it’s a great idea, which I knew she would … so what do I tell her now?”
“Tell her the truth,” Darrell said. “In fact, why don’t you go and tell her in person? This place will survive a day without you here.”
“Trying to get rid of me?”
“Always,” Darrell deadpanned, although he didn’t have any conviction in his tone.
Wick smirked and left. Darrell had just closed the door when another knock came. Thinking it was Wick, he had a retort ready to go when he reopened the door and saw Joe-Joe. Darrell frowned.
“What’s wrong, Joe-Joe?”
“I went over to the garage and it’s closed.”
“So? Perhaps Church went somewhere.”
“Nope, her truck is parked in its spot. I knocked on the door but no one answered. I even tried to pick the lock but it wouldn’t budge. Go over there and check it out, make sure she’s okay.”
“Church can take care of herself, Joe-Joe.”
But Joe-Joe shook his head. “No, no. I once thought my granddaughter was fine and she wasn’t. Please, Darrell, just make sure. For me.”
Worry leached from every pour in his old face, and Darrell couldn’t ignore the plea shining from Joe-Joe’s eye. He sat on the bed and reached for his leg, wincing a little as it rubbed the already sore spots.
“I’ll be back,” he said as he headed out of his bedroom.
“Thank you, Darrell.”
Darrell nodded and waved as he reluctantly put his leg back on and headed downstairs, leaving the compound and crossing the street to the garage. Just as Joe-Joe had said, the garage was closed up, but Church’s truck rested in its parking spot. He touched the hood to discover it was cold. Next, he checked to make sure the office door was locked. He knocked hard but didn’t receive an answer. Heading down the three bay doors, he knocked loudly on each one.
“Church? You in there?”
He banged again and again until finally, a bay door began to creak as it slowly rolled upward. Church stood on the other side, hair askew and eyes puffy from sleep.
“What?” she growled.
Her aggressive tone made him pause for a moment. She looked more than a little irritated. In fact, she looked downright pissed off.
“Didn’t you hear me calling you?”
“Yes,” she said tartly. “Didn’t you hear me ignoring you?”
He frowned. “You okay?”
“Do I fucking look okay?
“You look like you woke up on the wrong side of the cauldron, actually.”
In an instant, her demeanor went from angry to glacier, and he bet if he touched her right then, his fingers would get freezer burn.
“Right, like women are automatically witches when we’re not smiling and dancing to a man’s tune. Oh my God, I’m not primping enough for you? Because I must be PMSing if I’m in a bad mood? So that means I must automatically be on my fucking period?”
“That’s not what I said,” he shot back. “Stop twisting my words!”
She stepped up to him, practically nose to nose. “When you stop fucking lying to me!”
“I’ve never lied to you, Church.”
“You didn’t fall out of the stupid tree,” she ground out. “You were drug through the whole dumbass forest!”
“What the fuck does that even mean?” he demanded.
“It means go away. Whatever this was”—she gestured between them—“is over.”
She flipped the switch on the bay door so it started to roll back down. Darrell quickly ducked under it, entering the garage. Once the door was closed, the interior lurked in a muted darkness until Church turned on the light. He blinked to adjust his sight.
“Don’t do this, Church. Don’t shut me out.”
She held up her hands. “You know what really pisses me off? The fact that I was right not to trust anyone. We all end up hurting each other whether we intend to or not. Just … take your fucking bike and shove it up your ass. Then get the hell out of my garage.”
He took a step closer to her. “No. Not until I understand what the hell your problem is.”
She crossed her arms and stared at him for a few minutes before abruptly marching out of the garage and into the office. Just as he went to follow her, she returned, holding his wallet up.
“My problem is this. I don’t care who you fuck, but don’t bring me into your girlfriend’s little show and tell.”
She tossed him the folded piece of leather. Darrell caught it and patted his back pocket, noticing for the first time it was empty.
“Where’d you get this?” he asked.
“Are you fucking deaf, too? The good doctor asked me to return this to you, as she blinked at me coqu
ettishly. Do you realize how annoying simpering looks?”
Comprehension instantly dawned. “It’s not what you think.”
“Oh yeah? Then I can’t wait to hear your explanation.”
Her tone implied that was a lie.
“She came over for our meeting,” he said. “You remember. To talk to Wick about the drug rehab. As I was escorting her out afterward, she suddenly went all handsy on me, which is where I guess she picked my pocket.”
Church turned to walk away, but he reached out and grabbed her arm. She tensed and tugged to remove his grip, which he let go immediately. They stared at one another.
“You think I had sex with her?” he asked.
She raised her chin. “If you did, four out of the five voices in my head say you’re an idiot.”
“What about the fifth voice?”
“It’s trying to decide where to bury you.”
“I don’t find Carleen Brogan the least bit attractive.” He took a step closer to her. “I never have and I’m telling you the truth. Whatever game she’s playing, I’m not a willing participant.”
Her hardened shell cracked a little as some of the stiffness eased from her shoulders. “You didn’t have sex with her?”
“No,” he said emphatically. “And you can ask Wick. All I did was escort her right out the door after she groped me.”
A little more of the ice melted. “She … she violated you?”
“Yeah, you could say that. I certainly didn’t want her hands all over my dick. It shriveled up and almost fell off from toxic exposure.”
Church bit her bottom lip. “I know what being violated feels like.”
“No, what you experienced was one of the pits of Hell. Don’t even compare it to the shit the bitch pulled because all she managed to do was steal my wallet and piss you off.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what the hell her game is, but I’m glad she’s gone.”
“You didn’t have sex with her.” It wasn’t so much a question as it was an affirmation, and he could see the bitter fury draining away. “I’m … I’m sorry, Darrell. I should’ve known better because I know you better.”
He had an urge to touch, so he did just that. Reaching up, he waited to see if she would pull away, and when she didn’t, he ran his fingertips lightly over her cheek. “You don’t ever have to apologize to me. I know you, too.”
They stared at one another. The moment turned electrical and the current flowed from her skin into his, streaking through his body like a live wire. All he wanted to do was kiss her and every red-blooded male fantasy streaked through his head. It took all the good intentions left in his body to step away from her.
“Don’t,” she whispered.
She followed after him, keeping the closeness between them.
“What are you doing?” he whispered back.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “The thought of you and her together … it really pissed me off. And I wondered why I was so mad but I just couldn’t stop being so angry.”
He cupped her face. “I would never betray you like that, Church.”
“But why is that important to me?”
Confusion swirled through her blue eyes and he hated seeing the uncertainty in such a strong woman. Her past might have shaped her tough attitude, but he saw beyond the mask she presented to the world, and his heart ached for the lost woman radiating from that center of pain. As if they mirrored each other, they both leaned forward, meeting in the middle. Their lips touched, softly at first, each breathing through the moment of being together once more. This was right. This was fate. No matter who or what seemed to come between them, something deeper brought them together.
The kiss changed, deepening, turning into something more. In the back of his mind, he kept reminding himself to keep his hands in safe zones, to not freak her out or push her further than she wanted to take this, but just as he pulled back, she reached forward and brought him flush against her body.
“Church?” he moaned in her ear. “Shit, if you want to stop, now would be a good time.”
“I don’t want to stop,” she said breathlessly. “Please don’t stop, Darrell.”
He had no idea what had come over her, but at that moment he didn’t care. A frantic energy sprang between them that wiped away the rationale they both had as the need for sex took over his brain. All he could think about was the fact it had been years since he’d felt the touch of a woman, and to have it be Church as his partner almost blew his mind.
He wrapped his arm around her tiny waist and backed her up a few feet until he hit the wall. Sliding a hand around her hip, he cupped a denim-clad butt cheek and ground himself against her. He collected her hair in one hand to pull her head back, not causing pain but allowing him better access to slide up with his tongue, taking nibbling bites along the way until his mouth met hers. This gave him slightly better access, so he took advantage, slipping his hands under the waistband of her jeans to push her panties to one side. There wasn’t a lot of wiggle room in the denim, but he didn’t need much. He slid two fingers deep inside her soaking pussy as his thumb found her clit and rubbed the little nub, trying to bring her as much pleasure as possible. Church broke the kiss and buried her face in his shoulders, biting his skin as she humped against his hand. Her body grew rigid, her breathing turned shallow, and a moment later she must have broken over the crest because she moaned against his skin as her cream ran over his fingers. Her forehead fell onto his chest as her hips undulated against his hand, riding the waves rippling through her body until she collapsed against him.
He let her rest for a few minutes, to gain a little respite from her orgasm, before asking if she wanted to go further.
“Do you want more?” he asked.
She raised her head and stared into his eyes. There was a soft, sated glow about her.
“I … I…” She fell silent, then nodded.
Removing his hand from between her legs, Darrell took her hand and led her to the sofa. Standing in front of her, he pulled out the wallet that had started their argument and held up the condom he always kept inside it.
“This has been there for two years. I promise I didn’t put it in there in hopes of seducing you.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure it’s still good?”
He looked at the package. “Still in date.”
“Good enough for me.”
Her stare darted around, as if searching for a way out, and concern snaked through his lust. He lifted her chin with a finger. “Are you sure about this? We can stop.”
He’d have to jack off a couple of times to make his hard-on go away, but nothing was more important than her feeling of safety.
“I won’t say I’m not nervous, but I want you, Darrell,” she said. “And I trust you.”
That admission for her, more than anything else, caused his heart to fall for her in a huge leap off the friendship bridge. She was his best friend, and now, she was the woman he had fallen in love with. He leaned down and kissed her tenderly on the mouth because he couldn’t say the words out loud. At least, not now. She wasn’t ready for that yet, not with her admission of trust still lingering between them. One small step at a time, and the most important thing he could give back to her was his trust.
He broke the kiss, took a step back, and stripped. She watched him closely and he had no idea what was going through her mind. Was she pleased? Was she turned on? Was she trying to grapple with fear? All he had to go on was her trust, so he fisted his cock and pumped it a few times. She watched him intently, with interest and desire in her eyes. Tearing open the condom, he slid it down his dick before sitting on the sofa.
“I’m all yours,” he murmured.
“Mine?”
“Yeah. You control, Church. We go at your pace.”
She took a deep breath and undressed. Off came her t-shirt, revealing she didn’t wear a bra. Her breasts were small, but her nipples were turgid little peaks that begged to be either sucked or pinched. He
r jeans slid down her hips and her panties followed. All he could think about was how she was absolute perfection.
Church came to the sofa, straddled his hips, and took over holding his cock. Easing herself down, there was a second as he rested at her opening when they stared into one another’s eyes. He waited for her to either accept him or to break it off right then and there, and he really hoped she didn’t go that direction. His heart thumped heavily from the anticipation, with tingles running up and down his spine. Then she sank down and he filled her, and nothing could have prepared him for the pleasure that sucker-punched him in the solar plexus. His eyes rolled back in his head. He held onto her hips as she took over, rising up and down as she moved her hips in a rolling measure, and all he wanted to do was lose himself in the rapture filling every cell in his body.
Her wet little pussy clamped down on his dick, as if never wanting to let it go. She wrapped her hands around the back of the sofa to grind down hard, which caused him to penetrate her even deeper.
“Darrell!” she cried out.
“Oh yeah, cream my cock. Let go, Church. Give it all to me.”
She tossed her head back in ecstasy and she tightened all around him. A second later, she gave a half little scream as she came, riding the crest of her orgasm by grinding her clit hard against his cock. It was too much for him and he let himself follow her into bliss.
When they finally came down, Church lifted herself up and he pulled out of her body, and he immediately wished he was back inside her. He’d never felt something so right as being joined with her, but he didn’t try to hold her in place. Even in his resplendent euphoria, he knew she had to control this. All he could do was stare at her as she sat beside him, breathing heavily. Sweat dotted across her forehead, shining in the dim light filtering through the high windows.
“Holy shit, woman, I think you almost killed me.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“That was the best sex ever.”
“You lie.”
“I would never lie to you,” he said. “You know that.”
“Yeah, I do know that,” she said softly. “But I think I need to process this.”
Warrior (Forgotten Rebels MC Book 4) Page 7
