Rex and Sass come in breaking the moment. Sass heads to shower as Rex grabs a beer from the refrigerator. My phones rings, looking at the caller ID, I nod to Rex. It’s a silent communication that this is a private call, I’m stepping out. Answering as I make my way out of the loft and down the stairs, I’m filled with a surge of adrenaline. It’s Roundman, he wouldn’t call if it wasn’t important.
Before I can say hello, he’s already talking. “Tripp, head to St. Louis. I’ll text you an address, then destroy your phone. Amy Mitchell, Delatorre’s bitch, has very little family left. In fact, the only ones we can find are her cousins Ray and Zack Mitchell. They live in South County, St Louis. They’re somehow tied to Doll, but I don’t know the connection yet. No action needed, look around see what you can put together.”
“Got it.”
“Stay one or two nights only in St. Louis, find out if they have families or are in another MC. Whoever the fuck they are, I need to know how they know my daughter.”
“Do you want Doll to know?”
“Ask her only if you feel they’re harmless and if she seems to recognize something. No need to freak her out more than we have to. Delatorre is on radar, fucker went underground but not deep enough.”
“Check in within forty-eight hours.”
And with that the conversation ends. Looks like we will rest up here tonight pack up and travel about four hundred miles to Saint Louis, Missouri tomorrow.
Chapter Fifteen
Where’s Waldo
Doll
Tripp and I haven’t discussed the tattoo. Hell, we’ve barely said two words to each other. Getting back on the bike to hit the road, I wish that Tripp and I could be comfortable with each other. There’s an underlying sexual tension between us. After that kiss, there’s no doubt in my mind he wants me as much as I want him. He’s got too much self-control to ever act on it though.
We cross into Missouri, and my ass is numb. Stretching as I get off the bike, I take a moment to stare at Tripp. His serious demeanor is back in place as he settles the bike on its kickstand. He’s going to bark orders at me in two point five seconds, I can feel it coming. Wait for it, three, two…
“Take your ass inside, go to the restroom, and get your ass back to the bike. Don’t fuck around.”
“You can’t even say, ‘Good Morning, Doll?’ Fuck off, Tripp.” He smiles. Not a little smile, but a full, light up his eyes, smile. The asshole likes to get me riled.
“Good Morning, Doll. Now, take your ass inside, handle your business, then plant that pretty little ass of yours back on my bike so we can head out. We’ve got more miles to cover.”
He reaches over and smacks my jean clad ass playfully. Serious Tripp is hot, biker Tripp is badass, but playful Tripp is dangerous. Damn, I want him. Sass and I head to the bathroom. As we reach the corner of the building, I look over my shoulder, sure enough, Tripp is watching me. Well, two can play this game. I blow him a kiss and wink right before rounding the corner out of sight.
We come out of the bathroom and I literally run into Rex. Oomph. He reaches out one hand on each of my arms to steady me.
“Distracted much?”
“Why are you standing outside of the women’s restroom?”
“Waiting for y’all as usual. We’re never far away, Doll.” He says with a forced smile.
“I haven’t noticed you stalking this close before.” I try for nonchalance, but my gut is telling me something’s off.
“No need to be alarmed, but we’ve got company. This is a normal ride to everyone else. No one knows this isn’t a vacation. That little stunt you pulled with the kiss sells the reason you’re with us. The fuckers will hopefully think you and Tripp got something goin’ on. We don’t know if they know our play on this road trip or not. So for now, let them think it’s a getaway.”
“Okay,” that’s all I manage in a shaky voice.
As we approach, Tripp is putting away his phone. He looks up at me and smiles that panty melting, take me right here, smile he has. He flips up a paper in his hand as I reach him. The smile on his face changes to a lazy half grin that screams seduction. My panties are definitely getting wet staring at this man. Damn, what I wouldn’t give for one night. Looking down at the paper, it’s my map. He’s actually paid attention to what I do at the state visitor centers and picked up a map for me.
Instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck. No longer wanting to hold back, I kiss him. Gently, I brush my lips against his. He doesn’t pull away. Taking my tongue, I glide across his bottom lip. He doesn’t move again. Craving more of him, rejection be damned, I pull at his bottom lip with my teeth, firmly making him aware of what I want. Before I can take stock of what’s happening, he’s laid the map on the gas tank and is pulling me up against him. He’s on the bike. His torso is turned to me. He’s moving me in a way where I have no choice but to straddle his leg, as he’s kissing me back like a caged animal that’s finally been freed. My breathing coming in heavy pants as his tongue takes over the dance playing out in our mouths. Reaching up, I pull his hair out of his man bun knot thing, and run my fingers through the long locks. His hands are roaming up and down my spine. As I suck on his bottom lip, he grabs my ass with both hands and rocks me against his leg. Holy hell, I’ll hump his leg and get off right here in public if he doesn’t stop. Fuck me. Talon “Tripp” Crews can kiss. He groans before he pulls away from me. Once again, kissed into silence, I back away.
Rex and Sass have already mounted their bike. Rex is shaking his head while Sass is laughing at me. Tripp hands me my map. I tuck it into a saddlebag, while he’s redoing his man bun knot and putting on his helmet. Neither of us says a word as we settle back in and take off.
Tripp
Kissing Doll was a mistake. Shaking off the thoughts of her body molding to mine, I focus. Knowing the fuckers are following us, I’ve got to keep my shit straight. The downfall to being followed while you’re on a bike, it’s hard to watch the bastards following you without making it obvious. Bike mirrors are small and full of blind spots anything more than a car length away. It’s a game of where the hell’s Waldo. I never have liked games.
Peek-a- mother- fuckin’- boo. I see you Cadillac SVT. Same bastards from before, they have no idea who they’re fucking with. Extending my left arm out straight, palm flat to the ground, I make a slight up and down motion to let Rex know to slow down and back off a little. Turning my hand, I single three fingers, then four. Throwing my arm up, bending at the elbow to a ninety degree angle while balling my fist, then with my index finger only extending I make a circle motion. Rex knows in three quarters of a mile, I’ll make a hard right exit, no signal. He’s to keep going, let the caddy follow me, while he gets Sass to send the text to the boys to circle around, and back my ass up.
Pulling off, sure enough, the car follows. Hopefully, they take the bait thinking we were riding the two of us and only sent one car to tail. My boys have been following a half hour or so behind us the entire ride making sure to stay out of sight. If there are too many of them, we’re fucked. I’ll do anything before they get Doll though.
We’re on a two lane road that makes a loop. I feel the vibration of my phone cueing me that Rex and crew are heading to the gas station. Officially in BFE (Bum Fuck, Egypt) I pull into the seedy gas station. As soon as Doll realizes Rex doesn’t follow the turn off, she holds on tighter. I drop my left hand to squeeze her thigh reassuringly. Hang tight until the cavalry arrives. None of these fuckers are gonna get to her to use as a pawn in some sick game. Not one hair on that pretty little head will be touched as long as I’m fucking breathing.
Pulling in, Doll climbs off. Before I climb off, I grab her hand and swing her to me, snaking my hand around the back of her neck, I pull her in for a kiss. Raw, rough, and real passion flow freely between us as the kiss becomes a tangle of tongues, lips, and teeth. When I pull away, her eyes are glassed over in desire.
“Stay close, and follow my lead, Doll.” I whisper to her bef
ore kissing her forehead and releasing her.
Climbing off the bike, I remove my helmet. Storing both our helmets on the bike, I make a point not to touch any of the saddlebags. Knowing we’re being watched, I need to make this believable. They may or may not know the real purposes behind this trip. If Delatorre hasn’t been taken down yet, they will want Doll to keep him breathing. If Delatorre has been handled, this could be retaliation. Either way, Doll is their target. Time to keep up appearances I smile at Doll to ease her fears.
Walking up behind Doll, I wrap my arms loosely around her waist. Turning her, I keep my body between her and the caddy. Dropping my head, I lightly bite at the sweet spot where her neck and shoulder meet. She softens beneath me. Running my nose up her neck as I inhale her scent, reaching her ear, I whisper to her.
“We’ve been followed. I need you to do exactly as I say.” She nods her head in agreement. “At the bathroom door, I’m going to kiss you. When I do, my body will be blocking their vision. You need to reach in the waistband of my jeans and grab the pistol and tuck it into your jeans. Then you go in the bathroom and lock yourself inside a stall. You don’t come out until Sass arrives to get you. If anyone comes inside that isn’t me, Rex, or Sass, you shoot them. Hellions cut or not, shoot first ask questions later. My boys are coming for backup but they won’t come in here to get you, only me, Sass, or Rex. Got it?” I say, needing her to understand that these men could kill us and get a Hellions cut so she can only answer for people she can recognize.
Once again she nods. I feel her shudder beneath me. I begin pushing us forward, walking behind her, still wrapped around her. The embrace is close like lovers. Under other circumstances it would be intimate, but in this moment, it’s about her safety.
At the bathroom door, I lean down and kiss her wrapping my hands around her head. Adrenaline mixes with an unknown emotion as I sweep my tongue inside her mouth. I don’t want to ever stop kissing her, but right now I’ve got to get rid of our problem. I feel the gun being pulled away as she tucks it against her own waist. When she starts to pull away, I pull her head back to me. I kiss her with everything I have in me. If I die right now, I die a happy mother fucker to have shared my last kiss with this woman. Finally, I pull away.
“Be safe, Doll. Remember, no one but me, Sass, or Rex.” I kiss her forehead as I release her. Pausing for a moment as I watch her disappear in the restroom, I can hear her lock the bathroom door.
Turning around, I’m greeted by none other than the same shithead from the truck stop.
“Don Juan Mother Fuckin’ Pablo. What can I do for you Chico?”
“That was a real nice kiss you shared with your woman. Too bad you won’t get to do it again.”
His two companions close the distance. The women and men’s bathroom doors face each other and I’m being backed against the wall between the two rooms. Seeing Slice and five more of my guys silently approaching, I stand steady waiting for my moment.
Pablo begins laughing at me. “You Hellions. Tsk. Tsk. Is that puta worth dying for? She isn’t worth the hassle for you. Walk away, Crews, let us have her and you can live to fuck another bitch. It’s good for our business to have her, not you. She’s not worth it.”
Rage boils inside me. Seeing my boys in place, I step up to Pablo.
“She’s worth Every. Fucking. Thing. She’s no puta. She’s fucking mine. Your mother became a puta the day she fucking conceived you. The only way you or any other fucker will get to Doll is the day I’m no longer fucking breathing.”
He reaches for his side, pulling out a knife as I lunge forward. My guys quickly take out his crew. Grabbing his wrist, I yank on the hand holding the eight inch knife. Pulling his arm around behind him, I move so I’m behind him. Unable to easily grab his knife, I take the blade in my hand. The blade penetrates my skin as he moves against me. Using his position against him, I dislocate his right shoulder where I have his arm pulled behind his back. Taking the knife from him, I use my arm to get him in a chokehold. Getting a tighter grip, he’s now gasping for breath. My hand is dripping with blood and throbbing, but I press on. Forcing him forward into the men’s bathroom, I nod at my boys to handle the others and call in for clean-up, this one’s gonna be a mess. Once inside, I loosen my grip enough to get some information from Pablo.
“Why were you sent for Doll?”
“Damn you’re a dumb fuck, Crews. You know she’s leverage against Roundman.” Pablo is laughing again. His arrogance is pissing me off. “Delatorre is going to make Roundman negotiate business dealings. No worries, though, he’ll take care of your precious Doll.”
“Do you want to fuckin’ die? You’re headed to the ground mother fucker, Delatorre too.” I grind out between my gritted teeth.
“It’s clear, you’ll die for the cabrona, but the question is would you kill for her?”
“We’ll soon find out. You gonna talk?”
“Don’t know shit, Crews. Delatorre is a one man show, unlike you and your brothers who know too much. Oh that cunt’s gonna be sweet. Delatorre’s gonna have that bitch on her knees calling him Daddy.” Pablo says, no longer fighting against me.
“Then you better hope Delatorre will avenge your death. Not one of you mother fuckers will get to her as long as I’m around. See you in Hell, mother fucker.”
And with that, I take the blade of his knife and slit his throat, ear to ear. Dropping him to the ground, as he falls to his knees, grabbing his throat, the gurgling of the blood as he’s choking on it is the only noise around me. I wash my hands, cleaning out the cut in my palm from earlier and wrap it in a paper towel. Walking past Pablo as he bleeds out on the bathroom floor, I drop the knife beside his unconscious body. My boys will have this cleaned up, evidence destroyed and witnesses paid off in a matter of hours. Hellions don’t take threats lightly and have no problems eliminating the issues. This isn’t the first time and won’t be the last time.
Message sent, Delatorre. You sent the wrong mother fuckin’ goons. I’ll kill ‘em all before they take her. Don’t fuck with what’s mine, and Doll is fucking mine.
Chapter Sixteen
Something’s Changed
Doll
For once, I do as I’m told and stay put. It isn’t easy either. Leaning against the bathroom door, I can hear everything going on between Tripp and Pablo. There’s a confidence in Pablo’s voice. He’s cold, calculated. They want me. I need to go out there before they kill Tripp. Just let them take me. I’m leverage to make my dad cut deals on business. This wouldn’t be good for the Hellions as a whole. Delatorre would never be satisfied. If we’re outnumbered, they will get me anyway. I could possibly save Tripp by walking out and giving myself over. It’s me they want and need. The club would suffer being at the hands of Delatorre’s dirty business though. My dad won’t be able to let me go, so he would do whatever they asked of him in hopes of saving me. This shit is deeper than the Amy Mitchell crap.
Tripp said, “I’m worth everything.” Those words bring forth such strong emotions in me. My dad has always told me you never settle. Always wait for the man that values you as his everything. I hear a shuffle before it goes eerily quiet. I’m unable to stop myself from crying. The seconds turn to minutes and it all feels like hours.
The knock on the door comes, and to my relief, Sass speaks. “Doll, open up, it’s me.”
Unlocking the door, I open it a crack to see my best friend. I practically climb on to her as I pull her to me for a hug. I’m sobbing uncontrollably as Rex is guiding us away from the restrooms, and taking Tripp’s gun from my shaking hand. Standing by the bikes, I’m anxiously waiting for Tripp. Where did he go? Why wasn’t he the one to get me out of the bathroom? Is he hurt? Does he need me?
Tripp comes around the corner of the building. His hair is half out of its ponytail. Obviously he’s been in an altercation of some sort. Something in his demeanor has change; he’s serious as usual, but there is a hard feeling coming across his features. He nods at Rex before wrapping his s
trong arms around me.
Looking down at me, his eyes roaming to make sure I’m really here, or I’m okay, I’m not sure which. I reach my hand up and rub my thumb across his cheek. He lets go of my waist to wipe my tears away, saying nothing.
“I’m okay. You kept me safe.” I say, trying to convince him.
My words must have given him whatever reassurance he was seeking, as his lips come crashing down on mine. No one kisses like Tripp. He consumes me once again. My knees give out under me. The only thing holding me up is Tripp’s grip around my waist. He’s kissing me deep into my soul, into the place that tells me, I’m everything to him and he’s everything to me. Each sweep of his tongue with mine is another of cupid’s arrows landing in the center of my heart. Intense emotions swirl between us, he’s giving as much as I’m taking and getting equally in return. In this moment, this intricate, emotional dance of our tongues, something changes, there’s a shift between us. I’ve never believed in fate until this very moment. Fate brought me to this man, and I don’t think I can ever let him go.
He slows the kiss and pulls away gently, pulling me into him. He holds me close, and for few minutes we remain in this silent embrace.
“We gotta go, Doll.” Tripp says, as he pulls his hands from my body to fix his ponytail.
“You’re hurt.” I say noticing his hand. “There’s blood on your shirt, Tripp. Do you need to go to the hospital? Where are Delatorre’s men?”
Cupping my chin to look up at him, “I’m fine, and don’t worry with the rest of the shit. Get on the bike so we can go to a hotel, shower, and rest. It’s been a long fucking day.”
Clearly in no mood to talk, I decide to listen. He’s right. It’s been a helluva day.
Tripp
She’s okay. Doll is fine and here with me. They don’t know where we are headed. St. Louis was never an intended stop, therefore, we have no choice but to get a hotel. After everything today, I want a shower and a beer. They intercepted us three hours ago. Chances are we’re safe for tonight. No one else followed us I feel like I can breathe for the evening.
A Ride or Die Kind of Love Page 9
