Detective Johnson shook his head and told us, “The OKM seems to think the latest shooting was retaliation for Duke and Gonzo being shot, but Duke and Gonzo seem fine to me. Can any of you explain what’s going on?”
Nix and I had worn shoes a size bigger than we normally wear, and we’d incinerated them at his house. If someone figured out bullet trajectory, and if they found our footprints, we’d still be okay. The car had been kept at one of our safe houses, with no cameras anywhere near, so it would’ve seemed to come out of nowhere. It wasn’t likely, but even if someone figured out the people in that particular car were responsible, our faces had been hidden and there was nothing to tie those people to us. We were good.
“If we find out anything to help you stop the shooting, we will,” Brain told Detective Johnson. I nodded agreement, but let Brain do the talking. “This is going to take someone who can negotiate a truce, but I doubt Marlin will consider ordering a ceasefire until he makes his point. My advice would be to put whoever went after his son behind bars, and then work on an agreement.”
The officers left, and I asked McGyver in the control room to please have someone walk Hailey and Tippy over, so they could eat with Nix and I. A few minutes later, Gonzo and Bobcat walked in with them, handed them to us, and left.
Hailey stepped into my arms and I held her several long moments before asking, “You okay? I’m so sorry I keep having to leave you here, but it can’t be helped.”
She chuckled. “Gen’s pumping breast milk every chance she gets, stocking up so she can get drunk tonight and whoever’s taking care of Max will be able to feed him, and she won’t have to breastfeed again until tomorrow afternoon. Constance is terrified she’ll go into labor during all of this, and thinks if she sits very, very still maybe she can keep the kid inside. Angelica, Gabby, and Tippy all told me what they are, which means I know Angelica can’t get drunk. Apparently, under normal circumstances the ol’ladies would all be drinking even before we get started tonight, but these aren’t normal circumstances. I think most of them went to their rooms for a nap, so they can party tonight. Originally, I didn’t want to go, but I think I’ll have fun with Gabby and Tippy.” She bit her lip and added, “I’m not sure how the check will be split up, though.”
I shook my head. “I had my credit card company send me a card with your name on it. I’ll give it to you before you go.”
She looked at me a few seconds before asking, “You did that before we… before yesterday? God, it seems like longer ago than yesterday.”
I put my forehead on hers. “I know. I ordered you a burger and fries with all the fixin’s you like. Let’s eat and then see if we can fit our own nap in. I need to hold you a while.”
Chapter 8
Hailey
I pulled my jeans off and climbed into bed, but Dare shook his head. “No clothes in bed.”
“Just for a nap?”
“Do you want another spanking?”
I sighed. “This isn’t going to work if you think you can bully me through everything with a spanking.”
“Not everything. Just school and sex. If we want to add anything else, we’ll talk about it.”
I sighed, stood, and pulled my shirt and bra off. I was sliding back into bed and he growled again, and I rolled my eyes as I stood and took my panties off, too.
“You’re still damned bossy.”
He stripped on the other side of bed and met me in the middle. “Guilty as charged. When’s the last time you talked to your dad? Do you know how he’s doing?”
“I don’t want to talk about him.”
“I didn’t ask about your dad before because I figured you’d tell me when you were ready. You’re more mine than you were before, and I need to know everything. When’s the last time you talked to your dad?”
My dad’s a little over half Cherokee, while my mom is only one thirty-second Cherokee. That makes me a little more than a quarter Cherokee. Unless I tell people, they see something exotic but can’t put a finger on it. Some wonder if I have some Asian heritage, others will ask if I’m Hispanic, but most just see a tanned white chick with long, dark hair.
“My uncle — dad’s brother — tells me my dad’s working for one of the furniture factories in Hickory. I haven’t talked to him in years, but I’m glad he’s managing to hold down a job.”
We didn’t have a lot of money when I was young, but my mom and I killed plenty of rabbit and squirrel, and the occasional deer. We traded meat with a family friend for eggs and milk, so the only food we usually bought was corn, potatoes, and other vegetables at the farmer’s market. We never had junk food, or chips, or anything sweet, so I never developed a taste for any of it. As I got older, I learned to appreciate salads and greens, but I’m still a pretty big meat eater.
When mom married Darnell, we suddenly had money for groceries, and clothes, and even a television. It was like we’d won the lottery. I’d never had air conditioning in my life, and it felt so decadent. I was spazzing on the luxury of central heat and air while Dare was bitching because he didn’t have the latest gaming console.
“I don’t mind not having money,” I told him. “I don’t need a lot of stuff. Tuition and books, and the electronics I need for school — those things are expensive, but I’m good with second-hand clothes, and you know I’d just as soon kill my own food.”
I’d had over twenty pounds of venison in my freezer when he moved me into his place, and he hadn’t been at all surprised to learn I’d hunted it, field dressed it, and then done the butchering myself, too. My rifle is in his safe at the moment, along with my bow and arrows.
“You’d make an excellent wolf. I still wish you’d found me when you hurt your hand.” He stroked my hip. “Close your eyes and sleep. Everything’ll work out.”
* * *
Dare woke me by caressing my face, and I opened my eyes to see his.
“There you are,” he said with a lazy, affectionate smile. “We slept four hours, and I hear the other women getting ready.”
I leaned into him, yawned, and closed my eyes again. “Can’t we just stay in bed till morning?”
“I have to help with guard duty tonight. Most of the MC trained with some of Drake’s men and some of Jiminy’s men earlier, but I bowed out. Viper’ll get me caught up on what I need to know.”
“Viper’s like me.”
He chuckled. “He said basically the same thing about you earlier. I guess I did a faux pas by telling him you’re a quarter Cherokee, and he schooled me on the fact your aura says you were raised in the Cherokee traditions and percentages don’t mean shit.”
I’m surprised Viper doesn’t have women hanging off him. He’s obviously Native American, plus he has muscles and attitude and… damn. He’s like a thinner Jason Momoa — with Zahn McClarnon’s eyes and a little of his chin. But when I look into his eyes it isn’t the man beautiful enough to be a model I see — it’s the sky, the trees, and pine needles. I see fresh air, and storms, and sometimes I even smell the ozone of the lightning.
I didn’t tell Dare all of that, though. I just said, “I see the Cherokee ways in him, too.” I gave a happy, contented sigh. “I love being able to walk out your door, across the yard, and I’m in the woods.” Dare should know — he’s found me in the woods often enough when he’s come home and I haven’t been in the house. I leave him a note, but he still apparently has to use his nose to find me. I’ve pointed out he can just call me on my cell, but he always says he doesn’t want to disturb me.
He stroked my hair, kissed my forehead. “I’ve heard a little about how wild things can get on these outings. I don’t want you dirty dancing with anyone, or kissing them, or letting them put their hands on you in a way that’ll tick me and the wolf off.”
I kissed his chest. “Still a party pooper.”
“Damned straight I am when it comes to you.”
I’d wanted to take control when we were teens, but he’d turned me down so many times I stopped trying. He wasn’t t
urning me down anymore, so I kissed his chest again, and then rose over him and kissed my way down his body.
“We should be getting ready.”
“We should,” I agreed as I kept going.
His cock was hard by the time I reached it, and I kissed my way from the base to the head before pulling back and taking a good look at it. I’ve seen more than my fair share of cocks, and Dare’s had to be in the top five. He had girth and length, but it was the girth I couldn’t get over. Damn.
“No wonder you didn’t let me see it first. How many women have seen this thing and gone running the other way?”
He chuckled. “A few.”
I rolled my eyes at the cocky look on his face, and then oh-so-slowly wrapped my lips around it and took him into the warmth of my mouth.
His groan was heavenly, and I ran my hands up his thighs, over his chiseled abs and back down his body. Damn, I’d wanted to run my hands all over him for so fucking long.
I started to get self-conscious about giving him too good of a blowjob and reminding him I’d been a whore, but then remembered this was Dare and he wouldn’t want me to half-ass anything.
His body went lax as he gave a long, low moan, and I came off him long enough to get a breath, and went back down.
“I’m only going to be able to let you do this for a little while before I’ll need to take control, but shit, you know how to light someone up.”
I knew he was at his limit as I started the tongue swirl, so it was no surprise when he lifted me, settled me on my hands and knees, kneeled behind me, and entered me without preamble.
I dropped to my elbows to give him a better angle and he groaned again. “If I get too rough, wave your hand at me if you can’t tell me.”
“You won’t get too rough.”
“I don’t intend to, but you’ll let me know if I do.”
I pushed back with my hands. “Just fuck me already, Dare.”
He went in oh-so-slow, and I groaned as he said, “Now who’s being bossy?”
“Fuck, Dare. Can you try not to be an asshole while you’re inside me, at least?”
He pulled back, got a grip on my hips, thrust hard and deep — and finally gave me what we both wanted. He practically knocked the breath out of me, but I didn’t mind a bit. I needed it wild and relentless, and apparently, so did he.
My butt was still tender from my spanking the day before, and the heat piled pleasure upon pleasure until I was out of my mind with bliss.
I found out later, even the humans heard my screams. When I punched Dare for not quieting me, he merely said, “There’s no doubt who owns you, now. Deal with it.”
* * *
Ghost
I kissed Hailey as I put her in the limo with the other women, and then climbed on my bike. The men all wore body armor, and we had bulletproof headwear to put on when we took our helmets off. We were all in our colors, and we’d surround the limo and escort it from place to place. We weren’t worried about TBC, as Abbott had closed one room off and our girls would be in there alone. However, we’d have no such luxury at The Diamond Club, and the place is always packed. Abbott had upped his security in both places, and they’d be focused on keeping our women safe.
Jiminy and his security team would meet us at The Diamond Club. Aaron had brought Sophia to the clubhouse, and he’d drive his car behind the bikes to keep an eye on everyone. His people would meet us as we approached The Diamond Club.
We thundered onto the TBC lot, lined our bikes up, and a few went inside to secure the area as the rest of us created a human shield to be sure the women would be protected. They only had ten feet to walk from limo to building, but we weren’t taking any chances.
The women had been playing pool for perhaps ten minutes when Gen walked to Isaac and told him, “Girls’ night out is supposed to be a night to cut loose without our men watching.”
His eyes scanned the room and he looked back to her with a grin. “Then you need to come up with another name for tonight.”
“No, we need to push them back so we have some space.”
“You’ll have to talk to them about that, Genevieve.”
She turned and looked at Duke, who was standing with his feet shoulder width apart and his arms crossed, his back to the group so he could watch for threats.
“They aren’t going to listen,” she told Isaac.
“Can’t say as I blame them. Your brother gave me very specific instructions about keeping you and Cassie safe at all costs. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for the evening, too.”
I suppressed a grin as I scanned the area once again, thankful no one was bothering to ask me to step back.
“Okay, ladies,” she said as she walked back to them. “New plan. We get so drunk we don’t give a fuck they’re here.”
* * *
Hailey
I was buzzing nicely by the time we left The Billiard Club.
I hadn’t expected Dare to order me lunch earlier today, but I’d eaten the burger without the bread, and a few fries — which was more than I usually ate at one time. The nap had helped, and my stomach was empty enough I could drink without worry of it making me sick.
Gen had given the waitress orders to refill everyone’s drinks as they got low, and she said she was paying the tab for everyone. I tried to pay for mine before we left, but the waitress wouldn’t let me. Dare shook his head at me when I looked to him, so I dropped it, but made sure to thank Gen later for picking it up.
I didn’t like feeling as if I owed her, but I didn’t see a way around it.
The women had told me about The Diamond Club, but nothing prepared me for the reality. Men walking around in chaps and a thong, with their ass showing in the back, and the clear outline of their cocks through ultra-thin fabric in the front. I saw several couples where one person was walking the other on a leash. Some were hetero, others were gay, but no one batted an eye at anything.
I felt like the country bumpkin in the big city, and tried not to stare. Viper stepped to me, put both hands on my shoulders, leaned so his mouth was near my ear, and told me, “Look at their auras. It’ll help you see what’s going on.”
I turned to one of the couples with a collar and leash, and refocused my vision to take in more than the physical. I breathed out in awe as I saw their auras joined, his blues and deep oranges mixing with her yellows and greens. I could see the love and trust, sense their emotions, and I looked back to Viper. “Thank you. I had no idea.”
“I think you’ll find more real feelings in here than one normally sees in public. Many of these people live on the fringe of society, and doing so has forced them to come to terms with who they are. So many people never do.”
“You’d think I should be a seasoned pro, but in some ways I’m still the little girl from the rez who doesn’t have a clue. Thanks for helping me understand.”
“You’re still pure of spirit. I want to get to know my brother’s woman better, and I hope one day you’ll share more of yourself with me, but not here.”
We had a section reserved for us on the balcony, and I sat and people-watched most of the night. I drank lemon water here, knowing I needed to pace myself.
Tippy sat with me most of the evening, with Nix about ten feet behind us. Every once in a while he touched her, talked to her, and she seemed to relax. I loved watching Gabby, Angelica, and Bethany dancing. So much joy — it was as if they celebrated life with their bodies.
Maybe I was worried they’d see the ex-whore if I danced, or maybe it’s just that I was having too much fun people watching. I didn’t analyze my reasons too much.
I knew when something was wrong, though. Every RTMC member in my sight suddenly stiffened, took a split second to look around, and then gathered the women closest to them and herded us all farther into the club.
Viper lifted me, put me on his hip, and walked with me through the room. The crowd seemed to part like the Red Sea for us, so I didn’t argue. I noted which women were being allowed to w
alk on their own — Angelica, Queenie, Kirsten, and Sam. Did that mean they were all shapeshifters? Nix had Tippy, and Horse had Gabby and Harmony. We’d swung by the compound to drop Gonzo and Constance off after we left The Billiard Club, and they were supposed to meet us when we got to the MC’s bar.
We were herded into a tiny office and then shown steps into a basement I hadn’t known existed. I heard the men calling our names as we entered, and as we got to the bottom, a tall, thin, beautiful blonde woman had us step in front of a video camera, pause, and move on.
When we were all down, she said, “I’m Kendra, and I’m your security down here. I’ve just sent your images to the RTMC control room, and received word we have everyone. The OK Mafia are in the parking lot en masse, and my boss is taking care of them. We’re in an area of town the OKM and Playas are fighting over, but Abbott has made it clear his club isn’t in anyone’s territory. Tonight, he intends to make them understand he meant business. Everyone in the building is safe, and you ladies are especially safe.”
“Can we watch the video feed in the parking lot?” I couldn’t believe Harmony had the nerve to ask, but I was glad she had.
“Why don’t we get some drinks down here for you, and maybe some music?”
“If Abbott is taking care of the OKM, what are our guys doing?” Gen asked.
“They’re handling club security while our people are outside.”
Queenie stepped forward and said, “Gavin has requested my presence.”
Kendra paused a few seconds before nodding and letting her upstairs. We all checked our phones, but apparently no one else had been requested.
Ghost: The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, Book 8 Page 7
