by Silver James
“Where did you get…? No. Never mind. I stand less chance of being arrested if I don’t know.”
“Naw. This is clean money. I’m a bounty hunter when I’m not dealing with club business. I make some heavy bucks.”
“Oh.”
I finally got her junk loaded in the Hummer. She took her time saying goodbyes until I got pissed.
“Time to go, babe.” I threw her over my shoulder and carried her to the Hummer, stuffed her in the passenger seat, all while listening to her blister my ears with her outrage. She was cute. Like an angry kitten.
Taking the time to pull on another tee shirt from my kit in the backseat, I settled behind the steering wheel, and we headed out of town. Sam was still pouting. I turned on the radio to hide the silence. She’d get over it. She was my mate, whether she knew it or not. And that meant I’d have to explain what I was sooner than later. Yeah, silence was a good thing.
AFTER STOPPING FOR FOOD, I headed east on I-80 from Cheyenne. Denver was under a blizzard warning, and if we humped it, we could clear the storm somewhere in Nebraska. We’d been driving a couple of hours when she finally looked at me.
“I need a rest stop.”
“’Kay. I’ll pull off the road.”
“Are you kidding me? I want a bathroom not a bush.”
I kept driving. Official rest stops were few and far between on this stretch of interstate. We finally hit the outskirts of a town. There was a bar right off the exit.
“There! Stop. Right now.”
I looked over. Her hands were fisted on her crossed legs. Huh. She must really need to piss so I did as she asked. She was out of the Hummer before I got it in Park. Shit. She had a really bad habit of doing that. I followed at a jog, but she was just disappearing into a back hallway as I pushed through the crowded room behind her. I caught up as she hit the ladies’ room door. I leaned up against the wall, waiting. And watching. Our entrance had attracted a lot of attention.
“Oh hell no. She couldn’t piss in the woods beside the road. No, had to come into this shitty excuse for a bar.” A bush was cleaner, which Sam figured out as soon as she ducked into the john, trying to hold her breath. By the time she finished, five guys blocked the door to the main room. She pressed against my back and peeked under my arm.
“I’d like to get out of here. Preferably in one piece.”
“You and me both, babe.” No one ever accused her of being the queen of understatement. “Stick close. Unless I say run.” I’d go fuckin’ furry on their asses if I had to.
“Easy?”
“Just do as I say, baby.”
I walked forward, Sam dogging my steps. When the assholes didn’t move, I let my wolf out to play a little—a shift in the eyes, a hint of tooth in my snarl. Just enough to back them up and open a path to the exit. The bouncer appeared, a lead pipe tucked against one massive shoulder. Shit. Friend or foe?
He looked me up and down then flicked his gaze at Sam before sliding it away to glance at the five guys standing between us. The music stopped and seconds later, so did the buzz of conversation. He didn’t raise his voice, but everyone heard him. “Boss wants no trouble with the Nightriders.”
“Smart man.” Not an enemy then.
“Woman. And yeah, she is.” He stepped closer to the five assholes. “Make a hole.” They did. He turned sideways to let us pass. “There’s the door.”
He covered our backs until we were in the Hummer and headed out of the parking lot. I looked over at Sam and said, “Next time—”
“Won’t be one. I’m not peeing until we get home.”
I didn’t remind her it was still a six-hour drive.
“Easy?”
“What?”
“I had your back.”
“Sure you did.”
She placed a wicked hunting knife—one that wasn’t mine—on the console. Okay, she did have my back. Color me impressed, though I should have figured she was tough given her initial appearance at the clubhouse. Gravedigger made sure her pistol remained there, and I damn sure wanted to know where the fuck she’d gotten the damn knife.
Chapter 12
SAM
SINCE COMING BACK from Utah, life settled into some semblance of normal, if living in the clubhouse of a motorcycle gang—er, club, as Easy reminded me constantly—could be defined as normal in anyone’s dictionary. The kids were off limits to the majority of Nightrider members and the club whores. The Russian laid down a decree—one enforced by the men who I’d finally identified as the inner cadre.
The guy called Hardass, or Hardy, was the vice president. Gravedigger, tall and almost as scary as the Russian, was the sergeant at arms. The Russian snapped his fingers and Digger got it done. Technically, I guess he was the enforcer. I instigated a don’t ask, don’t tell policy the moment I laid eyes on him, realized he had a gun in his hand, and would shoot me without batting an eye.
Repo and Radar were the secretary and treasurer, which was weird. Why would a criminal outfit like the Nightriders need minutes and financial statements? That left Easy. He said he was road captain, whatever the heck that meant. He mostly backed up Gravedigger and that gave me pause. I knew Easy had blood on his hands, but since I wanted to kill the man who had murdered my sister, I didn’t have room to talk. Still, I didn’t know what to think about a man who killed easily.
Sunny had taken the kids to the movies, and I was at a loss for something to do, especially after I’d overheard Gravedigger laying down the law to Easy.
“You need to put your patch on her, Easy.”
“I know.”
“But she doesn’t.”
“I haven’t had the chance to tell her yet.”
“Fuck, man. She’s in your bed every night.”
As I was the one mostly sharing Easy’s bed, they had to be talking about me. I knew what wearing his patch meant. I’d be his property. Sunny and Ginger both wore either vests or jackets—depending on the weather—with the property patch. A few other women had them, too. They didn’t hang around much, though. The inner cadre treated me differently than the other guys did. It’s like they figured I already belonged to Easy so it was hands off. The general membership and prospects weren’t so nice about it. They leered and made lewd comments unless Easy was standing there. Those asshats didn’t worry me. I could take care of myself.
Easy was out in the garage working on his motorcycle. I finally got the story of how he’d been hurt and ended up on Sarah’s doorstep. I’d almost quit blaming him for the Bastard having found and murdered her because of him. It’s hard to stay pissed when the man gives you screaming orgasms every night. I wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge, figuring I’d take one out to him. Maybe he’d take a little break and spend some time with me. I was bored. I worked for a living and being on ski patrol meant I worked hard. Here, I just hung around, and it sucked.
A north wind swirled through the empty yard between the main clubhouse and the two buildings behind it—the garage and the Barracks. I should have made loco coco—hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps—instead of bringing cold beers, but Easy probably wouldn’t care. It was the thought, anyway. I ducked through the entrance and stopped dead in my tracks. Then I locked the door.
Easy, hands jammed into his pockets, the action pulling the waistband of his jeans lower on his hips, stood across the room. His bare chest gleamed with sweat, and his tats looked like they’d been oiled. I refrained from licking my lips and swallowed the little moan wedged in my throat. Damn but this man did it for me. And then some. I had to be certifiably insane. Bad enough the Nightriders had taken over my life and those of my sister’s kids out of some sense of…what? Gratitude? Honor? Sarah had saved Easy’s life, and it was a rival gang that murdered her. Now my life was upside down. And my hormones cheered like boy band fangirls.
He kicked the steel drum next to him, all the while staring at the parts strewn on the concrete floor. The motor of his Harley was in pieces. I set th
e bottles down on the work bench before I squatted and touched several. “Fixing one of these is like making love.”
He choked, and I felt his gaze like a physical touch. Looking up, I recognized the hunger in his eyes. It matched my own. Every time I got with ten feet of this man, I wanted to lie down, spread my legs, and fuck him.
After several deep breaths, one dimple came out as he asked, “Yeah?”
“Oh, yeah. Here. I’ll show you.” I picked up the piston and pushed it into the cylinder head, hiding my grin at his sharp intake of breath.
“Fuck, baby.”
And wasn’t that the idea? “It goes in like this. You know what I mean?”
He growled at me. “Dammit, Sam. You’re killin’ me, woman.”
“Not yet I’m not.” I licked my lips and smiled.
Before I could react, he reached for me, intending to sling me over his shoulder. “Bed. Now.”
I loved when he got all growly, but I had a different scenario in mind.
EASY
SAM STOOD THERE just out of my reach, all big-eyed and innocent before she sank to her knees. What the fuck was she—oh holy hell. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons on my jeans. I’d been freakin’ hard since the moment she walked through the door and yeah, call me a sumbitch, but my dick in her mouth occupied my thoughts all the damn time. I knocked her hands out of the way and all but ripped my jeans open. Thank fuck I’d gone commando. She cupped my balls, face lowered as she studied my dick.
“Damn, baby, you are fuckin’ killin’ me here.”
She tilted her head back, stared up at me, and licked her lips. “Good.”
I groaned. Or growled. Or something. My dick jerked in her hand, its head already coated in pre-cum. She licked it off, and I had to lock my knees. Fuckin’ A.
“Suck me, Sam. Do it fucking now.” I grabbed her head as she opened her mouth, and I rammed my dick between her lips. She gagged and I backed off. Barely. She wasn’t a club whore. She was Sam. She was mine. My mate. Even if she didn’t know it yet. She caught her breath then sucked me in again. Her tongue wrapped around the shaft. I had to hold my breath, but I steadied and mumbled a “sorry” when my hips pushed toward her.
I managed to loosen my grip on her hair. For a minute at least. Hot damn fuck a duck, the woman could give head. She sucked me deep, squeezed my balls, and worked the hell out my dick. When she circled the base with her other hand like a cock ring, I thought the top of my head was gonna blow off. Both heads. “Gawddamn, baby.”
She laughed. She fuckin’ laughed at me. Enough of that shit. I was through playin’ around. I held her head still again and pumped into her pretty mouth. I was gonna kiss that mouth after I came in it, was gonna taste my cum on her lips. She didn’t fight me. She took everything I had. Fuckin’ hell, I could stand here all day rocking into her like this. I loved eating her pussy, and I’d be double-damn sure to repay the favor, but for now, I just let the sensations of her wet lips and her hot mouth rule me.
She gripped the root of my dick in one fist, squeezing in time with her mouth sucking me deep. Her other hand still played with my balls, alternately rolling them and cupping them. My sac stretched tight, and heat stabbed at the base of my spine. The hand on my balls dropped away, and I growled until I saw what she was doing. She dipped that hand into the front of her jeans, pushed it between her legs.
Holy shit but I wanted to strip her naked and watch her touching her pussy while she sucked my dick. Then her hand reappeared. Her middle finger all but dripped with her juices. My balls drew up, and I was fucking close to shooting my load. My fingers tangled in her hair, and I sped up the rhythm. I thought she was going to cup my balls again, but she didn’t. She pushed that finger, hot and slick from being inside her, into my ass. Deep. I saw fucking stars as I spewed.
She gulped me down, even when I kept coming and coming. I wasn’t gentle when I jerked Sam to her feet. I took her mouth like she’d taken my dick. Hot and hard. Tasting myself on her lips was better than rare steak, was almost as good as tasting her on my lips.
Sam pushed against my chest, squirmed away, and backed up putting space between us. She smirked at me. She fuckin’ smirked at me. I didn’t know what that word meant until I looked at her in this moment.
“Bitch.”
“Yeah, I am.”
Chapter 13
EASY
WHAT’S THAT BULLSHIT about making plans and life? I stood at the edge of the clearing and watch Sam. She wanted to run. The urge was obvious in the way she stood and the whiffs of scorched hair I picked up just confirmed it. Panic. Given the situation, if I were her, I’d run too.
Thing is, Sam wouldn’t get far. I’d hunt her down. My wolf was furious and stalking just beneath the surface of my skin. Ducking her head, she hunched her shoulders and turned partly away, watching me from the corners of her eyes. Her chest rose and fell and the stench of her fear and panic turned my wolf frantic.
When I set up this deal, I’d wanted her to see the stars fall out of the atmosphere. The Leoneid meteor shower out here away from the lights of Kansas City was an amazing sight. I wanted to make love to her, beneath the shooting stars. I wanted to take her to my idea of heaven, leaving everyone behind but us. Just us. Sam and me. I would have explained what I am, and what she means to me, what she is to me. And then I would claim her. My mate. And she’d wear my patch so every gawddamned Nightrider knew she was my property.
Like a moonstruck idiot, I’d agreed to let her drive out here to meet me. She had something to take care of down in town with Sunny, and I was thinking I’d be all romantic and shit. I came early to set up things—a blanket, food. I built a fire pit to help chase the cold and even had a bottle of wine for her, one that was expensive as fuck, but she was worth it. Hell, I’d even bought her fucking flowers. I was going to give them to her when I asked her to wear my patch. I had a leather jacket made with the Nightrider patch and PROPERTY OF EASY on the back.
Then that gawddamned Hell Dog showed up. He’d followed me, thought he could take me out.
Nothing hunts in the wild better than a Wolf. The Dog parked down the road, tried to sneak up on me by coming through the woods. Yeah, like I’d let that fucking happen. I faded back, stripped, and shifted. I took him out in wolf form. Wasn’t much of a fight. I chewed his hand off before he could pull the trigger on his gun. Then I ripped out his throat. His blood tasted copper-penny sharp and the rusty scent of it filled my lungs.
Sam arrived and caught me shifting from wolf to man. I hadn’t meant for her to find out what I was this way. That’s what all this romantic crap was for. Sunny told me I needed to court her, show her I could be civilized. I’m a fucking Wolf. And a Nightrider. Civilized isn’t part of our vocabulary.
I stood there, the Hell Dog’s blood smeared on my chest and face. Bad enough she’d seen me in wolf form, but now there was the fucking body too. I needed to distract her, draw her away, leave the damn evidence far behind so she’d forget. Yeah, right. I wiped my face with my arm and hoped I got most of the blood off. She just stood there staring at me, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. I walked toward her.
“Sam…” I reached for her, but she backed away a step. Her eyes flicked from me to the dead guy.
“Could you at least put clothes on?” Her voice sounded tinny.
“You’ve seen me naked before.”
“Dammit, Easy. Don’t make this so hard.”
The look on her face hurt. “I didn’t want you to find out like this.”
“Find out like this? Oh my god, Easy. You killed him. And…the w-wolf. I stood here and watched that wolf turn into y-you. A very naked you.”
“Yeah, well, fur doesn’t just turn into clothes. It doesn’t work like that. This isn’t magic.”
“What are you?” Disgust—and fear—coated her voice. I quit breathing through my nose, my wolf overwhelmed by so many contradictory smells.
“There’s a technical term for it. Lupi versi pellis. It’s…aw hell, baby
.” I scrubbed my thighs with fisted hands to keep from grabbing her. “It’s in my DNA.”
“That’s…” She inhaled a ragged breath. “This is just crazy, Easy.”
“Yeah, guess it would be to some people.”
“Some people?” Her voice rose as she edged toward hysteria. “Try everyone, Easy. This is just fucking crazy! I’m crazy. Or drugs. A hallucination. That’s it. I—”
I couldn’t blame her. I scrubbed a hand through my hair before I realized I’d probably smeared more blood. I bent over, snatched the blanket and used it to clean off before hitching it around my hips. I had a raging hard-on from the adrenaline rush and my mate standing here smelling like prey.
“You aren’t crazy, baby. And you didn’t imagine it.”
Her gaze skittered around, looking everywhere but at me. “So do you like…turn into a wolf and howl at the full moon? Or eat people?”
“I only eat you, baby.” And that was the dumbest thing to ever come out of my mouth. I was making jokes because I didn’t know what else to do.
“Get dressed, Easy.” Her voice held no inflection this time.
Without letting her out of my sight, I rooted around in the woods. I found my clothes, and pulled on my jeans and boots. Walking to the Hummer, I replaced my cut with a leather jacket and grabbed another blanket—a clean one without blood. When I stopped in front of Sam to wrap her in it, she snatched it from my hands and backed away.
I gestured toward the big log I’d pulled up near the fire pit. “Sit down, Sam. I’ll answer any questions you have.”
“Can I leave?”
No! My wolf growled, and I fought for control. “Yeah. But I wish you’d stay.” I hunkered down to light the fire. I could see the small shivers trembling across her hands from the cold. “We need to talk this through. There are things you need to understand. About me. You. What I am. What you are.”
