Ride or Die (Devil's Edge MC #1)

by Terri E. Laine

  He did know. “Not happening.”

  The old man chuckled. “You in love with her?”

  Ender was so far away from that he almost laughed. “It’s not that. I made a promise. She’s not into sharing.”

  He’d made no such promise to Piper, but she was Taylor’s. His old man wouldn’t understand if he told him that. Blood was thicker in these parts. However, he’d never felt at home here or with his so-called blood. The best thing that ever happened to him was leaving this place and finding his true brothers. Men who would have his back quicker than those he could call relatives.

  Bringing Piper was a risk, one he had no choice in doing. He would have to be vigilant and explain to her that following his directions was in her best interest. These guys had no souls, and if she was found unprotected, he might have to kill anyone who dared to touch her.

  When his dad began to talk again, he was reminded where he was and came out of his thoughts.

  “Your mother was stubborn. That woman…”

  The old man wistfully trailed off, drifting in his own head about the past.

  “Yeah, that woman you left pregnant to fend for herself?” Ender growled.

  “You know why I had to do that?”

  He did. Unfortunately, he had to bring it up to remind the old man what card he could play. Ender’s mother had more than a drop of south of the border blood, and his father had known that before he started a relationship with her.

  “It’s not like I didn’t take care of you,” his dad tossed out.

  He’d taken care of Ender because his proud mother wouldn’t put up with that shit. She took his dad to court where DNA tests proved just who’d planted the seed in her belly.

  “I let you come live here with me when you were old enough.”

  That wasn’t exactly how it went down. The man his mom had hooked up with after his dad hadn’t exactly been nice to Ender. His mother had loved him enough to plead with his father to take him in. When his mother threatened to show up on his father’s doorstep, his dad had seen the light.

  Fortunately or unfortunately, the abuse he suffered at his dad’s was all in the name of making him a man and not just for fun. Like it had been for the sadistic son of a bitch his mom got involved with. Those thoughts made him wonder how his mother was doing. He only talked to her twice a year, on her birthday and Christmas. And the latter only because she was super religious. Every time was hard because he loved her but couldn’t go home for a visit because he might just kill the man who still lived with her.

  “Your mother is a beautiful woman who tempted me in ways only Satan can. Don’t let that Piper be that temptation, Son. I’m telling you, a woman will be the death of you.”

  “Don’t worry,” Ender finally said.

  His father eyed him a moment longer before he spoke again.

  “I’m not sure how this will play out. Having your club come into our territory isn’t good for us.”

  He knew this was coming and was ready for it.

  “I’m prepared to give you ten large for your trouble.”

  His father had to see the money as a bonus. They weren’t giving up anything. The club wasn’t gaining a money maker, just like Ender said. The location was a pit stop and a placeholder. Who knew what the future held. St. Louis was largely untapped because of his dad’s hold on the area. If something was to go down and his dad lost his foothold in the area, they would be there to capitalize on the fallout. Not that they intended to create the opportunity.

  Being the shrewd businessman his dad was, he didn’t flinch. In fact, he changed the subject.

  “You know, you could come back. I could groom you to take over when I finally let go of the reins.”

  “What about Bobby and Daniel?” Ender referred to his half-brothers.

  The old man sighed. “They’re good boys, but dumb as fuck.”

  He didn’t disagree. “Daniel’s good. You just need to give him a chance and time. They’ll respect him.”

  “Daniel’s not bad, but he’s not you. You’ve always had a good head on your shoulders. The women here will treat you like a god and not just because you’re my son. They will do anything you like, because you’re you.”

  Ender shook his head. The only thing he would do with the compound would be to disband it and set everyone free. Because in all honesty, what was going on here was slavery at best. And everyone who was here was too dumb to see it or too scared to flee.

  “That’s too bad.” His dad sighed.

  “We’ll hold court tomorrow, and you’ll get your decision. I can’t make any promises.”

  Ender held his tongue. He knew the decision solely rested with his dad. His so called council would go with whatever he chose to do. They both knew it. And if Ender had to threaten him, he would.

  “Rocky hopes we can work something out.”

  Taken from a page from his old man’s book, he subtly told the man that they would open shop with or without the man’s permission.

  Just then, Piper crested the hill, and both men stopped to watch her come near. The old man’s squinty eyes calculated just like Ender what the hell she was doing way out there. Piper didn’t know anyone. She had no reason to be coming from that direction.

  Ender, however, had learned much about the woman since he’d found her in New York. She’d managed to find trouble no matter where they were. But that wasn’t the problem he had. His difficulty lay in how his cock stiffened in his pants at the mere sight of her. She wasn’t even his fucking type. His dad had groomed him to like them placid, and Piper was far from it.

  22

  Shit, she thought. Ender stood with his dad. She could see where he got some of his good looks from. His dad was hot in that silver fox way. She couldn’t blame any woman who hung around for a piece of that. She, herself, was dealing with a little lust when it came to the man’s son.

  Why couldn’t she like a non-lethal man? She sure knew how to pick them. Damn Taylor and his pretty boy looks. And damn Ender for his rugged good-looking ones. She was batting zero in the men department and glanced away. She was happy she’d finished with the cigarette. She didn’t want to hear what Ender would have to say about that. Though, the smell that still lingered on her could be explained away by being in close proximity of someone who was smoking.

  Still, she shouldn’t care what he thought. She could throw herself at the man, and he wouldn’t bite. Damn him and damn his code. The brotherhood had strict rules and anyone who wanted in, wouldn’t cross the line and break them. The consequences were too high.

  “Afternoon boys,” Piper crooned prettily.

  Ender’s dad grinned. “Afternoon. Seems Ender might not have warned you. It’s best you hang close to the house. I can’t be responsible for my boys. They see something they like, they take it.”

  She narrowed her eyes, but caught sight of Ender’s glare and softened her features.

  “Sorry, I got to talking to Katie and wanted to see more of the beautiful scenery.” She held out her hands to encompass the surrounding. “I asked if I could walk her home.” She shrugged.

  The old man nodded. “Can’t blame you. This place is something special. Just be careful.”

  She nodded and started to walk by Ender. He caught her arm.

  “Got something to say to me?”

  She had no idea what he wanted, but his heated gaze burned bright on her. So she decided to do something she’d wanted to do since the first time she saw him. She needed the upper hand and with Ender pretending to be hers, she decided to take a chance.

  Lifting on her toes, she pressed herself flush to him. His startled eyes grew wide, but he wasn’t quite as off-balance as she needed him to be. She pressed her lips against his, finding them soft. For a second, she hung there, waiting for him to kiss her back. When he didn’t, she quickly pulled back before his father noticed the awkwardness, but not before giving his ass a firm squeeze.

  That did it. Delighted with his stunned reaction, she flirt
atiously added, “See you later, baby.”

  He said nothing, but she knew he was rattled. More so, she'd felt his dick respond to her closeness. It had been hard against her belly. As she skipped off to the back door, she wondered and not for the first time, what he would feel like inside her.

  Ender could knock a ball out of a major league park with the wood in his pants. He couldn’t remember the last time he got laid. Until he vaguely recalled the blonde at the charter club during his first stop with Piper in tow. Her pussy, however, had been like a cold fish. He hadn’t even gotten off. He’d done it to make a point to Piper. He’d done it so as to not think about her, and it had only made him want her more.

  “I bet that one’s a pistol in the sack.”

  Ender glanced at his old man but made no comment.

  “We need to head out as soon as you give us word tomorrow.”

  His dad nodded. “We should have a consensus before the party gets swinging tomorrow. But you have to stay around for a little while. I’m not sure when I’ll get to see my boy again. You don’t come around and see your real family.”

  Ender just stared. The old man had no idea what family meant.

  “Yeah, I’m going to head in and check on Piper.”

  “Don’t blame you, Son. I think I’ll go get me a piece too. Nothing like pussy with a face that ain’t butter.”

  Butter. He thought of the way his father had used the word. The old man liked women with a rocking body and a pretty face, not a woman who had everything right but her face. The but her shortened to sound like butter in his dad’s lingo.

  He shook his head as he moved up the stairs to his old room. It was probably the one place he’d been safe when he lived there. He knocked on the door to his old room before opening it, giving Piper a courteous warning that he was coming in. He entered, not waiting for an invitation.

  Her ass was high in the air as she tugged the jeans down her legs. He could have easily stepped behind her, slipped the fabric between her legs to the side and plowed his cock inside her. He scrubbed a hand over his face, trying to get a hold of his wayward thoughts.

  “What are you doing?” he growled.

  She glanced at him from her upside down perch. “What does it look like?” she snapped.

  He slipped past her and over to the window. He needed to clear his thoughts. The urge to keep her bent over and fuck her was strong.

  “Anyone could have walked in,” he muttered, unable to stop himself. “The guys around here—”

  “As if you care. Besides, I can take care of myself,” she said while stepping out of the jeans.

  He shouldn’t care, outside of returning her to Rocky. When had she wormed her way in that it mattered if she was okay?

  She straightened and tugged off her shirt, only turning away from him when she freed her breasts from the sports bra and tossed it on the bed. Then she reached for a tank top out of her bag and put it on. When she turned around his eyes were hooded and dangerous.

  “Like I said, what are you doing?”

  She sighed. “Going to bed. What do you think?”

  “It’s early.”

  She shrugged. “Haven’t had much sleep lately,” she accused.

  He watched as she crawled across the bed, giving him a spectacular view of her ass. Then she turned and laid herself down suggestively. His dick leaped to life and did its best to poke a hole in his jeans. The damn thing pointed itself like a dowsing rod directly at her core as if sensing she was wet.

  Good thing her eyes were on him. He shifted and realized there was no way he could stay in the room with her at that moment. She was trying her best to push his buttons, and he couldn’t trust himself. He was horny as hell and the next pussy he made contact with would be punished in the best possible way.

  He stormed to the door.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Out,” he said before closing the door behind him.

  She sat up and wondered if she’d rattled him too much. His leaving could have been a blessing if she could leave. But she made a promise to Katie’s mom, which meant she had to hang around. It would most likely mean she wouldn’t get away from Ender in time.

  “Mother Fucking Teresa,” she muttered and got under the covers. She hadn’t been lying to him. She was tired after half sleeping the night before. She needed to get rest so that she could be clear-headed enough to execute her plan to get Katie away from there.

  He hadn’t taken two steps out the back door before he ran into a familiar face.

  “Eric,” the blonde said with a wide grin.

  “Kimmey,” he said.

  She’d grown in all the right places at least for most men. Her boobs were too big for him.

  “It’s just Kim now.”

  Of course it was. She wasn’t eighteen anymore. He gave her a once-over. Her shorts where too short and her shirt didn’t hide much of anything. She’d been inducted into the society.

  “Kim.”

  Her smile ratcheted up. “I didn’t know you were coming back.”

  “Quick visit,” he said by way of explanation.

  The women around there knew better than to ask too many questions and he wasn’t surprised when she just nodded.

  “Where you headed?”

  “Just needed air,” he explained.

  She stepped closer and placed her hands on his chest. “Looking for company?”

  He hadn’t exactly been looking, but the hard-on in his pants needed tending. If he didn’t fuck someone soon, he’d fuck Piper, screw the consequences.

  “Maybe,” he said with a raised brow.

  Her hand snaked down the front of his pants and found what she thought she’d caused. Only she had nothing to do with his arousal. Hopefully, she’d have something to do with solving the problem.

  She smiled up at him, but he kept his face impassive. He didn’t want her to think there was any more than a quick fuck in their future as she led him toward the barn.

  Later, he got his bag from his Hog and took a shower before entering the room he had to share with Piper. The décor had changed since it was his room. It looked as though his dad had let one of the women get their hands on it. The walls were a cream color, and the headboard was now porcelain white.

  Piper didn’t stir, which surprised him. All he knew about her, she should have jumped and reached for a gun when he entered. She must have been as tired as she told him. He’d half assumed she’d try to run again. So he was doubly surprised that she lay sprawled over half the bed, her breath leaving her soft and easy.

  He left his shirt off, used to sleeping with very few clothes on. But he kept his jeans on, which would mean he wouldn’t be comfortable. He lay down on the corner of the bed she’d left him and closed his eyes.

  He opened them again sometime later when the softness of her bottom brushed against his side. He placed a hand on her hip to move her over, but at his touch she shimmied back against him, causing life to brim in his pants.

  Fuck, he thought. Kim had sucked him off like a professional, but that hadn’t been enough. She hadn’t been enough. Her skills were notable, except he kept picturing someone else on her knees before him. He needed to get the idea out of his head because no matter what, he couldn’t have Piper. She was his brother’s, which meant she was totally off-limits.

  23

  She woke for the first time with an urgent need to pee. Ender lay shirtless and sound asleep flat on his back. She slipped out of the room and across the hall. In no time, she completed her business, including washing her hands. When she opened the door, she was stopped short from exiting by a wall of wiry muscle. She glanced up to view a shit splitting grin that sported a gaping hole on one side from a missing tooth. The spot held her mesmerized a second too long, leaving her vulnerable to the shove that sent her stumbling backward.

  The door closed, and the guy from the stairwell who had held Katie in a prison created by his eyes, stood before her.

  “I’ve been wa
iting to run into you again. And you know the rules. We taught them to Mandy and now I’ll teach them to you.”

  He grabbed himself through the sweats he wore. Granted from all accounts he had an impressive package. Too bad he would be losing it soon.

  “I suggest you get the fuck out of here.” Her words were cool and smooth.

  He laughed, underestimating her, and stalked forward. The bathroom was small and narrow, not leaving her a lot of room to work with. She didn’t scream as she could handle herself. Unknowingly, he stepped into her space with her silent permission. Secretly, she looked forward to what came next. These assholes needed to learn that not all women were helpless prey and he would be the example.

  Once his hand landed on her chest, she throat chopped him. He cupped his neck with wide eyes as she smiled, thinking of all the ways she’d been trained to kill a man with her bare hands. She spun in the tight space, extending her leg, so her foot careened into his balls. He choked out a gasp, but was still unable to speak. Before he hit the door, she caught the back of his head and pulled it so his nose met her knee up close and personal.

  He dropped just as the bathroom door flew open. Ender stood there with muscles coiled tight, taking in the situation. He saw the body first before seeing Piper in a fighting stance with fists held up ready to strike.

  “Fuck,” he muttered. “Get in the room. I’ll handle this.”

  Thank fuck she didn’t see the need to challenge him. He didn’t move much, forcing her to slide by him, pressing her soft tits across his body. Once he heard the bedroom door close, he hauled the fucker who dared to touch what belonged to him.

  “Hey, man,” the guy croaked, as Ender held his neck in a vice grip.

  “You know the rules. I could end your life for fucking with my woman.”

  His woman. He didn’t allow himself to think too much about what he’d said.

  “I can’t breathe,” the guy wheezed.

  “That’s the thing, Darryl. It’s my choice if you continue breathing.”

  “But—”

  Ender leaned in close and whispered toward the guy’s ear, “If I let you out of here, you don’t speak about this. Or it’s your life as my right of hospitality. You walk away, and you stay away from my old lady. You don’t look or think about her again.”