by Erin Trejo
I shove out of the chair and blow out a breath. This is all so damn overwhelming.
I head out and find Jess at the bar with Luck. They look to be a little cozier than they need to be. My anger rushes me.
I stalk toward her, pulling her from the stool she was sitting on.
“What the fuck?” she yells turning on me, “I told you to keep your hands off me.” The fire in her eyes sets my dick on fire.
“We need to talk.” I yank her arm once more making her move. If there’s one thing I know about Jess, she wouldn’t move without a little use of force.
I pull her along until we make it up the stairs and into the hallway.
She jerks her arm again , but my body is too wound up. I spin around, pinning her body to the wall. My lips find hers, caressing, touching.
“You’re makin’ me insane, Jess,” I growl before I move my lips to her neck. Soft light kisses. Jess moans only further igniting me.
I can’t take much more of this. I need this woman.
“I’m sorry, Jess,” I whisper against her neck.
“You doubted me, Damion.” She’s almost as breathless as I am.
“I never should have,” I admit I fucked up.
“But you did.” I don’t miss the tears that slip down her cheeks. I pull back and grab her face in my hands.
“I’m so fuckin’ sorry, Jess. Everything that is goin’ on is killin’ me. There is death all aroun d us and now an old member dead. Some sick fuck is tryin’ to send me a message that I got loud and clear. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.” Her eyes stay on mine. So, torn and upset. I hate it.
“I’m so sorry, Jess.” She presses her lips to mine. I can taste the salty tears that I caused to fall.
Chapter 20
It’s an eerie feeling knowing that one of them that used to be your family is gone. Not knowing who it is, is even harder.
My heart hurts for my family. That’s what we are no matter what our ends come to. We have always stood by our family.
“What are you thinking?” Jess’s fingers trace the tattoos that line my chest. Little jolts of electricity shoot through me.
“I don’t know who that was they found. What if the cops come around here? I can get Reid to hold them off for so long but what the fuck kind of brother would I be to ask him that?” It’s the truth. I can’t ask him to step outside of his job to help me.
“You’re a good man, Damion. Reid’s a lucky brother.” I’ve heard it over and over. I know what I did for him , but it was also to save him and myself. I couldn’t leave him to grow up the way I did. He was better than that.
He was so damn young. He didn’t deserve the shitty hand he was dealt. The monsters that used to eat away at his dreams at night. That’s one monster he never has to worry about. He doesn’t know , and I’ll never share that part with him. After his dad took off, I made it a personal mission of mine to make that motherfucker pay. He paid for every hit, every sleepless night my little brother had to endure.
I found him. Years later. He paid that’s for sure. That’s one body that will never in this lifetime be found.
“He deserved better. He got a good one with Ava though. He deserves every bit of happiness that he has. That man has a heart like no other.” Jess props herself up so she can look at me.
“So, do you, Damion. You’ve overcome a lot in your life. There has been so much that you could have walked away from , but you didn’t. You make people better. You’re a protector, a father figure. You are an amazing man.” Her lips caress mine , and once again, she has me.
“I love you, Damion. Just know that.” I pull her head back to my chest and let out a breath.
“There were so many nights that I thought I’d never see you again. I wanted you. I wanted to come after you , but I knew what I did. Reid always said I should have fought harder. I was weak back then. I didn’t have the heart to fight. I do now though. And I’m gonna fight for us, Jess. I’m gonna fight for this club even if I die tryin’.” She shakes her head before smiling at me.
“Don’t die on me. I just got you back. What 're ’s your plans for today?” she asks with a yawn. She’s so damn beautiful.
“I need to run out to the Saints clubhouse. We have a few things we need to talk about. There’s a few stops I need to make. You’ll be ok here.” I press my lips to her forehead.
“You’re leaving me?” she whines , and the sound is music to my ears. I roll her over, climbing on top of her.
“You gonna miss me, sweetheart?” I grind my dick against her. I love how she squirms.
“Always, Damion.” Jess reaches between us, putting me exactly where she wants me. I shove into her, watching her eyes as they slowly close. Her mouth falls open, soft whimpers falling from her lips.
“Take all of me, darlin’.” She wraps her legs around my waist. I plunge into her deeply, loving the way she feels around me.
Her arms wrap around my neck, pulling my mouth to hers. I fuck her mouth with mine while my dick takes what it needs from her.
“Never leave me again, Jess. Promise me,” I whisper against her lips. My hips rotate making her moan louder.
“Never. I’m never leaving you again.”
Chapter 21
The ride out to Saints was silent. There’s a part of me that doesn’t like that. I’m waiting for the attack that I know is surely coming. There is too much pointing in that direction.
Not only do we have death surrounding us we also have a missing piece to our fucking puzzle with Davey. I know Pat is pulling out all his stops to find out where that asshole is but that doesn’t stop me from worrying.
We also have the newest body. We all fall down. Not us. Not Iron Claw. We don’t fucking fall we rise like the goddamn P p hoenix. We’ve worked too hard and come too far to fall now. I won’t let my club down like that. We deserve better than that.
I climb off my bike and glance over at Blaze. His nerves have been set too high for a long time now. I can see that rage and anger that year n s to break through and spill blood. I have to say that I agree with him this time.
With as much shit as we have lingering, I’m surprised the cops haven’t come through yet.
“Billy has to know somethin’. We’ve always been straight with the Saints though so don’t go in here guns blazin’.” I don’t miss the frown on Blaze’s face. Crazy fucker. I chuckle before I turn and head toward the door.
I’m surprised as fuck when Billy steps out with his guys. They don’t look too happy to see us here.
“You need to get back on those bikes, brother,” Billy says with his hand on his gun.
“What the fuck is this, Billy?” I glance at my own guys before looking back to Billy.
“Got too much shit landin’ around you. We got calls. We got messages.” He motions to one of his guys who drags a woman’s body outside and leaves it laying on the porch at Billy’s feet.
Fuck!
“We didn’t have shit to do with that.” I nod toward the body. Billy nods before cracking his neck side to side.
“I know that. But your heat is blowin’ back here. We aren’t that strong of a club, Damion. You need to walk, brother,” I grunt to myself before I make him a promise.
“We’ll walk but when shit rains down on you later, don’t call us for backup.” His gaze drops for a second before bringing them back to meet mine. “You gotta understand my position, D.” I shake my head because I don’t. I’ve never turned my back on the Saints. Even when they were a shit ass club that had nothing. I kept them safe when they were attacked.
“I understand. I understand that I backed your ass when you had shit. I backed you when no one else would! When shit comes down, brother. You better run and hide. You just made yourself another enemy.” I motion to my guys to ride. I don’t need this shit with Billy too.
I thought we had a truce. I suppose that was my own fault. I should have watched my ass better.
Billy yells as I climb on my bike. I ignore h
is pleas and cries of bullshit.
“We meet up at Page’s.” The guys all nod before we file out.
My nerves are firing off. One by one, I am starting to agree with Blaze about spilling a little more blood than normal.
Chapter 22
“We hit Savage ’ s like planned. All this other bullshit will get settled in church. I don’t know where the fuck Billy’s heads at anymore but if he wants a war, we can sure as fuck give him one.” Trig nods , but it’s Blaze that sends a chill up my spine. That motherfucker is truly sick.
“We want Track alive and in the basement. If he knows anything about this shit we’re dealin’ with, Blaze and Neely will get it out of him.” The guys all grunt and agree.
We’re only five minutes from our hit point. My energy level has jumped through the fucking roof. My body is on high alert.
Fire races through my veins as we ride toward the spot. The thrill of the kill is something I thought would haunt me. When I was younger, I would think about it. Did they have a family? Did they have kids? Someone that loved them?
I’ve learned to control that over the years. I can’t let my emotions play into anything I do anymore. If I do, I’ll rethink my decisions , and I will fail my club. That isn’t an option.
After Jess left, I closed down. They wanted a cold-hearted bastard? That’s exactly what they got. I haven’t changed. I’ve stayed that way , but with Jess, I can’t be. I have to be better than that for her.
We move toward the building with our guns drawn. This is when I would have liked to have had Billy’s punk ass on the back line. We never know what the hell might come out of a mission like this.
I raise my hand motioning for the guys to stop. Then I count us down.
3…2…1.
We storm the small building like we’re the fucking swat team. Guys move in at all angles.
Shots are fired , and people fall but thank fuck none of them are mine.
“Watch your back!” I yell as Blaze moves in. I cover him from behind knowing that he loves this part the most. The more blood he can spill, the happier the son of a bitch is.
My eyes track the room for any other threats , but we’ve pretty well hit them all.
Blaze strolls out of the back room with Track in his grasp. He holds his gun out to the side and fires another shot when I see the guy fall to the floor. With a grin on my face, I shake my head.
“Ruthless bastard,” I tell him as he makes his way closer to me.
“Come on now, Pres. You know when I want somethin’ bad enough, I make it happen.” The fucking grin on his face is amusing as hell. I shake my head once more when I look at Track.
“Got anything to say?” He spits at me which earns him a nice black eye compliments of Blaze’s pistol. Stupid fuck.
“Did you call Neely? I’m sure she’s as thirsty as you are.” I turn on my heel and head toward the door with Blaze right behind me.
“Shit, she has a sixth sense, Damion. You know that. Crazy bitch was already there not even five minutes after we left.” I chuckle as I watch Blaze knock the asshole out before tossing him into the back of the van. I should have known Neely would be up and ready for this shit. It’s been far too long since I’ve called her in.
“You get the shit?” I ask Trig. He nods.
“Boys are loadin’ it up around back. Looks like a hot shipment too.” That makes me grin. Not only did we get Track, we got his supply of coke too. Which means his little bitches become our little bitches.
“That’s what I like to hear. Round up what’s left and meet us back at home.” Trig nods as I climb on my bike.
Other than the bullshit with Billy, I think this might just turn into a good day.
Chapter 23
I lean against the brick wall of the basement and watch Neely as she does her thing. I feel bad for her in a way. She didn’t deserve this life. She deserved so much better.
Her mom was a real piece of work back in the day. Club whore. She was a nobody. Fucked poor Neely up though. That girl was never right. I don’t know her whole history , but I know she wasn’t right the day she stepped foot into this clubhouse.
Her eyes blaze with fire. The dark depths would scare a lot of people but not me. I’m used to seeing it in her. Anyone else, they’d probably run.
“I feel bad for her.” Jess’s voice surprises me. I cock my head to look at her as she stands next to me watching Neely.
“Don’t. She will fuckin’ gut you if she hears you say that.” Jess giggles a little , but she knows it’s true. Neely doesn’t take shit from anyone , and she doesn’t want your pity.
“She’s got a piece of the devil in her.” I have to agree there. That she does.
I pull Jess into my arms as we both watch Neely. She runs the blade over Track’s skin so slowly, watching him bleed.
When Blaze steps into the room, she frowns. He says a few things to her before she walks out coming toward us.
“Oh, goodie. You’re still here.” She cocks her head to the side to study Jess. I try to hold in the laughter the best I can. It’s not that I don’t want to defend Jess but these two have always had a rocky relationship.
“I am. I told you I wasn’t going anywhere,” Jess says standing her ground.
“Oh, I know you did. I’m just hanging back waiting for you to fuck up once again so I can have you in that room.” Neely eyes her but Jess just straightens her back.
“You will never have my ass in that room , but if you aren’t careful, I might have yours in there.” Holy shit! The hotness surrounding these two has my dick as hard as a fucking rock.
I reach down to adjust myself when Neely smiles at Jess.
Neely reaches up and rolls a piece of Jess’s hair around her finger and says, “That’s better. Don’t take any fucking shit from these men here either. I might just start to like you after all.”
Neely smiles before walking up the stairs. Jess turns to look at me when she notices where my hand is.
“Really, Damion? You get a hard on for that bitch talking to me like that?” There’s my Jess. There’s the little smart mouth I love.
“Two hot chicks about to mud wrestle? You r goddamn right I’m hard.” Jess pushes up kissing me slowly before she whispers against my lips, “If you ever get a hard on for another bitch, I will cut your fucking dick off.” With that , she turns and heads up the stairs leaving me not only wanting her but fucking aching for her.
I turn my attention back to Blaze and watch him do his handy work. When he seems content with what he has, I watch him light that motherfucker up.
The fire blazes hot and heavy. Track’s screams rip through the basement , but it’s the look in Blaze’s eyes that gets me.
The pure fucking joy of it all. The thrill, the love of it.
We all got to where we are today from our past. Blaze’s must have been in the fire of hell.
Chapter 24
Neely’s at the bar with a beer in her hand. She catches my gaze when I come up the stairs with Blaze behind me. A quick nod and she stands and follows us into the office.
“You’re not gonna like this,” Blaze says as I close the door behind us.
“Didn’t figure I would.” I drop into the chair as Neely stands in front of me.
“This guy, Davey Jasper. He’s a ghost. They don’t know where the fuck he came from,” Neely says as my heart races.
“Davey. This the same fuckin’ Davey, Jess was with?” I look to Blaze. He nods slowly.
“He is. She was a cover to get close to you. He knows you run shit over here in San Fran and he wants it. All of it. Not just club shit. He wants it all.” Fuck. FUCK!
I run my hand through my hair before looking up at Neely. Her eyes are on fire.
“Let me do my thing, Damion. I’ll see what I can dig up,” she offers. I nod once before she leaves the room.
“He can’t be workin’ alone. He has to have people workin’ under his ass. Who the fuck is he!” I roar. It’s true. He can’t
be doing all of this on his own. There are far too many bodies and too much going on.
“Call into Stone. See what he knows about this fucker.” Blaze nods as I drop my head into my hands. This is really turning into a shit storm of bad.
“Blaze is gettin’ with Stone , but I wanted to ask you somethin’.” Trig’s voice pulls me from my own thoughts.
“What is it?” I don’t look up. I don’t need to. I know he’s as pissed as the rest of us if not more.
“I know the Devils were straight with us before, so were the Saints. You think Cort flipped to help this fucker out? He wanted to push his product pretty fuckin’ hard when they were here.” I let that run wild in my head for a minute.
“It would make sense. Can’t place him though. See if you can get with him and have him call me.” Trig slaps my shoulder before he leaves the room.
“I brought them to you?” Jess yells as I turn to face her. I shove out of the chair and cross my arms over my chest.
“What are you talkin’ about?” I look her in the eyes , but she knows. She always knows.
“Neely told me, Damion. I brought this to your fucking doorstep!” I shake my head, letting my arms fall to the sides.
“No, you didn’t. He fuckin’ used you, Jess. He knew what he was doin’.” She shakes her head and almost looks sick to her stomach.
“How fucking stupid am I?”She lowers her head. I move in quickly, lifting her face to look at me.
“You are not stupid. He fuckin’ used you, Jess. Like a fuckin’ coward. He had nothin’ and took advantage of that.” She licks her lips before I see the look in her eyes.
“Enough! Don’t fuckin’ think about it anymore. I’m gonna get his ass handled as soon as I figure it all out.” I pull her into my chest and hold her there.
I really need to get this shit handled soon.
Chapter 25
I stroll into the coroner’s office like I own the place. On top of all the other shit going on, I know I need to move that body that’s in my backyard. I don’t want to touch that shit until I know what I’m up against though.
