by Jani Kay
Beep beep. The car’s lights flashed twice and the doors clicked open. I placed my parcels in the trunk alongside Eva’s.
“We didn’t do too badly today,” she laughed as the space quickly filled, “and we haven’t even started looking at wedding dresses yet.”
I blew a strand of hair off my face as I closed the trunk and slid behind the steering wheel. I couldn’t even imagine shopping for a wedding dress with that stomach.
“I’ll have to wait until after the babies are born,” I wailed while pulling a face. “Right now it’s kinda the last thing I want to think about because I’ve been eating for three and God only knows how I’m going to fit into that skinny dress.”
Eva rubbed a hand over my belly. “You’re not nearly as big as you think you are, Jade. And you haven’t picked up much weight either.” Her voice was warm and sincere. “You’ll be fine.”
I stifled a giggle. If only she knew how much her brother and I fucked, she’d know I was getting a damn good workout every day.
“I certainly hope so. I have a good idea of what I want and Mom said she’d help me pick a dress. I’d love if you came along to help me decide too and then you can see if there’s something you like too. We can make it a girl’s day out, how does that sound?” I said, wondering if Eva missed her mother at times like these.
As if she read my mind, she smiled sweetly at me. “Thanks, I’d love that. I miss my mom and it’ll be fun with you and Sylvia.”
“Mom will love it.” I turned the key and started the engine, then waited for the oncoming traffic to pass before pulling away from the curb. “She’s so excited about being a grandmother and both her kids getting married. It’s like she won the jackpot.”
Eva chuckled. “I know, right? Who would’ve guessed that Sylvia was getting her wish from both her kids at the same time? She took me aside the last time we went over for lunch and showed me Harrison’s baby pictures. He was so damn cute!”
I nodded. “Yeah, I don’t think my mother thought she’d ever see Harrison get hitched, never mind having a family. After the incident years ago, I think she gave up on him, especially since he lived only for his career. I’m so happy you got through to him, Eva.”
Eva gave me a wry smile. “Me too.”
“Anyway, planning a wedding at the same time as being pregnant is damn hard work. I don’t think men realize how much effort it takes and Ryder isn’t particularly interested in all the details.” I quirked an eyebrow. “I’m guessing Harrison is the same?”
“Of course he is,” Eva said with humor in her voice. “Our alpha guys just want to arrive on the big day and get married. Harrison said he’d rather whisk me off to a remote island than have a lavish wedding. He wants it just to be the two of us, but I told him that this is one day in a girl’s life she calls the shots.”
I put on my flashers and changed lanes before turning into another street. “Exactly! I’ve always dreamed of a beautiful wedding since I was a little girl. Every girl should have her dream day, especially if it’s a once in a lifetime thing.”
“Oh honey, this is definitely it for me. I don’t think either of us would ever want any other man than the one’s we’re marrying.” She fell silent for a few beats. “Isn’t it ironic how we all met? But I wouldn’t change it for the world. Everything is exactly as it’s meant to be.”
I laughed out loud. “Yeah, never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d fall for a biker. I just wasn’t into that type of man.” My stomach did a flip as I remembered how Ryder had made me feel. “But Ryder, oh God, from the first moment I laid eyes on him something in me just went wild.”
I smiled at the memory of him standing in Uncle Eric’s real estate office and demanding to rent the house we were now going to live in for the rest of our lives. “I’ve given up on the white picket fence I always imagined having, but the house in Beverley Hills isn’t too shabby and I know we’ll be happy there. It’s a great house to raise kids and I especially love the gardens. So much has happened in the last two years. Things I never imagined.”
“You’re telling me! I didn’t even know I had a half-brother. And how strange that fate would have that the woman Ryder falls for has a damaged and broken brother who’s exactly the type of man I can’t resist.”
Eva squeezed my hand. “I’m glad we’re going to be family, Jade. I just hope our guys settle down and can become friends too. Life is too short for drama and hatred. I’d love it if we were all one big happy family.”
I shrugged. “I guess it’s up to us women to keep the harmony. Both our brothers are stubborn assholes sometimes and we’re just going to have to keep them in check.”
Finding the salon, I parked the car and killed the engine. I was ready to get pampered for the rest of the afternoon. Eva and I undid our seatbelts at the same time.
“Don’t you just love that the guys think they are the ones in control?” Eva had a naughty glint in her eyes. “If only they knew the truth.”
“Haha, our alpha males would definitely disagree with you, but you’re so right. Ryder and Harrison would do anything for us and I love that they want us to be happy.”
Eva’s expression turned serious. “Those are the important things in life. Raising happy families. I want our kids to play together while we watch over them. I’ve never been this content and looking forward to something as much as I am to marrying Harrison.” She rubbed over her stomach, a small frown between her brows while she chewed the inside of her cheek.
“Anything worrying you, hon?” I asked, suddenly concerned.
Eva smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “This baby. I wish—” She clamped her hand over her mouth as if she’d already said too much.
“What Eva? You know you can tell me anything and it won’t go any further. We’re sisters now and we have to be able to trust one another.”
She bit into her lower lip while lowering her gaze and staring at the floor.
“Eva? Talk to me,” I coaxed gently.
“I . . . I wish I could say with certainty that it’s Harrison’s baby. In my heart I’m sure of it, and Harrison assures me he’s going to be this baby’s real father regardless of its DNA, but it kills me that there is even a shadow of doubt.”
I swallowed hard. Eva had been through one of the toughest ordeals any person could go through. But I knew Harrison. He’d love the child like his own, keeping his promise to Eva even if it was the Senator’s sperm who fathered the boy.
“Trust your instincts, hon.” My hand covered hers and I rubbed her skin with my thumb, trying to comfort her. Tears welled up in my eyes and I gave her a wry smile. “A mother is seldom wrong about these things. What happened to you is terrible and no woman should have to endure being raped by her ex-fiancé.” My vision blurred and I blinked back the tears. Every time I thought about it, a mixture of anger and sadness roiled in my gut.
Eva gracefully dabbed the tears from the corners of her eyes. “Deep inside I know everything will turn out okay. I’ve just got to have faith and believe in our love.”
I smiled. “Love is a leap of faith. Trusting that your man will catch you when you fall. We’ve both chosen the perfect man for us.”
“Yes we have. We’re lucky women.” Eva’s smile was radiant.
“Hell yeah, I agree.” I opened my car door to get out. “Let’s go for that massage. Suzi’s waiting.”
I walked around to the passenger side, hooked my arm into Eva’s and steered her toward the salon doors where heaven awaited us.
4 — Ryder
Why was it that every time I thought my life was finally coming together, a shit storm was about to break loose? Convincing Jade to move to the compound was going to be a lot harder than I would have liked. It wasn’t that she didn’t like my brothers, because Jade was the kind of person who got along with everybody and the guys had already accepted her as one of their own. But Jade had grown up in another world—a world so far removed from mine that it was a miracle we'd found common gr
ound. And now I had to shift the status quo all without alarming her. Because the last thing I wanted to do was to worry Jade.
The whole ride home I was consumed with thoughts about the impending danger looming not only over Cobra but also me and Razor, and the whole Scorpio Stinger club. If one of us was in danger, it pretty much affected all of us. A brotherhood of men meant exactly that—we were all in it whether we liked it or not.
And right now I’m not liking it one bit. If only there were a way I could stop the inevitable freight train coming down on us. My brain hurt as I discarded one idea after the other. For an ideas man, I was coming up empty.
As soon as I drove up the driveway my muscles tensed even more. It wasn’t just the long ride or the cold wind that lashed my body—it was the conversation that I had to have with Jade. I could only hope that she’d understand and come to the compound with me without asking too many questions. She trusted me, I already knew that, but I was asking for blind faith without giving her anything to back it up.
With a heavy heart, I trudged to the back door and let myself in. The house was quiet except for soothing music playing softly in the background. I already knew what that meant; Jade was exhausted and was taking a nap, as the doctor had recommended. Carrying twins was taking a toll on her frail body, and she tired easily. I couldn’t help wondering if it had anything to do with the way she’d lost our first baby.
I took off my heavy boots in the hallway and padded my way to our bedroom. My heart squeezed when I saw Jade lying there, her blond hair strewn over the pillow, her hands protectively on her belly. I moved closer. Her face was so peaceful, so achingly beautiful that all I wanted to do was crawl in behind her and hold her close. I wanted to protect her, to shield her from any harm.
Her breathing was soft and even, and the corners of her mouth were turned up into a slight smile.
God, how I love this woman.
I went around to my side of the bed and crawled slowly to the middle, spooning into her body. I placed my arm around her and pulled her closer to my chest. She let out a sigh and wiggled her ass until she was pressed right up against me. I smiled as I kissed the crown of her head and then her shoulder.
Her singular scent snaked its way to my consciousness and I tightened my arms around her. Even in her sleep her body melted into mine. We were made for each other.
This is perfection. This is what life is all about.
This was what I wanted to come home to every single day for the rest of my life. Only my life could be cut short. This could end in a heartbeat.
A knife twisted in my gut. How fragile we humans were. Fuck the tough bad boy act I’d put on for most of my life. When it came down to the basics and our lives were at stake, everything changed.
I want to live. Grow old with Jade. See my kids grow up.
Why was it that now there was a chance I could lose everything, I wanted it even more than before? My mind was in a jumble as I tried desperately to make sense of it all.
My arm tightened around Jade. Just holding her brought calmness to my soul that only she could give.
I must have dozed off, because when I opened my eyes Jade had turned and was staring at me, her head tilted back to expose the silky skin of her throat. Her palm was against my cheek and her thumb lightly stroked my skin.
“You have any idea how adorable you look when you’re sleeping?” Her voice was raspy and low. Sexy as fuck.
“Adorable?” I growled playfully. Of all the words in the English language, that was one that nobody had ever used to describe me before. I was many things to many people, yet adorable had never come up.
Jade smiled. “Yeah, adorable, my big bad-ass biker. And I promise not to tell anyone.”
Her hand slipped to the back of my neck and pulled my head towards her. Her soft lips brushed mine tenderly. “I missed you today. Even though Eva and I had a lot of fun, I couldn’t help longing for you. What have you done to me, biker-boy?”
For the moment I just wanted to get lost in Jade and forget about the world. “Hmmm . . . let me think. What haven’t I done to you and what more would I like to do to you—that is more the question.”
Jade punched my bicep playfully. “Oh God, don’t start. You know how wet your dirty talk makes me. If you want dinner any time soon, you’d better not get me all hot for you.”
I took her hand and guided it down my chest, bringing it to rest on my erection. “Too late. Anyway, who needs food? All I want to eat is your pussy, baby.”
It never ceased to amaze me how her cheeks still glowed bright red whenever I spoke to her like that. She couldn’t hide the good girl that she was even if she tried. How the two of us had ended up together was a miracle. One I was eternally grateful for and would pay the highest price for. I’d give my fucking life for Jade.
We’d been through a truckload of shit to get to this point, and it was far from over. I swallowed hard. As my eye twitched uncontrollably, I buried my face in her hair, rubbing up and down her back before cupping her ass in my hands. She let out a low moan and squeezed my dick as she slung her leg over mine, opening herself to me.
Pushing her panties aside, I glided a finger over her slick pussy. Fuck, she was ready for me and I’d hardly touched her. Pregnancy sure had its upsides. She purred in my ear as I teased her clit before sinking two fingers inside and thrusting slowly.
Her breath hitched. “So good, baby, so good,” she murmured. She spread her legs wider. “One more. Please.”
I inserted a third finger and quickened my pace, bending my knuckles so that I was sure to hit her sweet spot. The animalistic sound that escaped her lips told me I’d found my target. Jade bit into my shoulder as I continued my assault on her pussy.
Not wanting to alarm her by letting her see my face and the fucking twitch that wouldn’t stop, I commanded in a rough voice, “Turn around. I’m going to fuck you from behind.”
She rolled over as I freed my aching cock from its constraints. Fuck, I needed to blow my load, to get the stress out of my tight muscles before I told Jade of Cobra’s plan.
I ran the tip of my dick up the crack of her sweet ass, the pre-cum helping it glide to her entrance.
“Ready for me, baby?”
“Fuck me, Ryder,” she whimpered.
My need overtook me. I pushed the tip in, intending to go slow and gentle, but ramming my rock-hard cock inside her all at once instead. She let out a gasp as she took all of me and pushed her ass backwards to take me deeper. I kneaded her tit with one hand, pinching her nipple until she squealed.
“You okay?” I panted out, my chest heaving, unable to stop my desire for her to consume me.
“Yeah. Harder. Please.”
She didn’t have to ask again. Squeezing my eyes closed, wishing for the worry bubbling inside me to subside, I pulled back and slammed into her, my balls slapping against her luscious ass.
At least for the next few minutes the world and everything in it would disappear, and nothing would exist except me and Jade, chasing our orgasms.
5 — Ryder
“Baby, there’s something we need to talk about.”
“Yeah?” She lifted her gaze to mine as she reached out to stroke my brow. Thank fuck the twitching had stopped, but it wasn’t lost on me how she intuitively sensed my discomfort.
Jade was caged between my arms and I never wanted to let her go. I pulled the sheets over us and kissed her forehead.
“Yeah. It’s something Cobra and I spoke about while I was at the club today.”
“I meant to ask how everyone was. Are Mia and the kids okay? And how is Cobra doing these days without his VP?” Although her voice was light there was an undertone of concern hidden beneath her questions.
I cleared my throat. “As far as I know everyone is okay. The boys send their love.”
“So what is it that you’re hiding from me, Ryder?”
“What do you mean? I’d never hide anything from you, baby.”
“I call bullshit
. You’ve been tense since you spoke to Cobra yesterday. And the way you just fucked me . . . you can’t fool me. I know you too well, and something is wrong. And even though you try to hide your twitch from me, I can still sense it.” Her finger traced a line along my jaw and up to my brow, her gentle touch like heaven as she studied my face.
I smiled down at her. “You don’t miss a thing, do you? And you know I’d never intentionally keep anything from you.” I paused for a moment as I stared into her beautiful eyes. Trust was reflected back at me, and I had to swallow hard before I could continue. “But this . . . I can’t tell you. Cobra asked me not to talk about it, even with you.”
Her breath hitched, and a cloud passed over her eyes for an instant before she narrowed them at me. “Can’t tell me what?”
“Princess, all I can say is that we have to move into the compound as soon as possible.” I didn’t intend for my voice to sound harsh, but I wanted her to know that this wasn’t negotiable and that I didn’t want to argue about it.
Jade sucked in a breath. “Why would he ask something like that? Who is threatening the club . . . or worse, one of you? You’ve got to tell me, Ryder, or else I’m going to be sick with worry. Cobra would never ask something like that if it wasn’t serious. I don’t understand that much about Scorpio Stingers, but I do know that the president wouldn’t call everyone in if it wasn’t life-threatening.”
Fuck. Jade was far too perceptive. It went against everything in my gut to have to keep the truth from her.
“It’s nothing serious.” I swallowed away the lie, hating the secret between us. “Cobra is just taking precautions, that’s all.” I laughed but it sounded fake, and I knew that Jade could see right through me. I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to convince her by sticking as close to the truth as possible without giving too much away. “It’s his job as president to keep everyone safe. And the best way to do that is to rally us all together. As a team we’re far stronger than each brother on his own. It’s always been like that.”
