by Amber Burns
I leaned against the door frame and raised an eyebrow at him. Why would a brother leave us out on the front porch? He seemed to realize it and stepped aside to allow us in. I gave Martinez a look and got an immediate nod in return. Be on the lookout for telling signs, Jones and Hernandez would be good distractions.
“A ride through?” Miller looked guarded now as he led us into the little living room. There was just a sofa for setting, but I opted to stand. “This require a meeting like this?”
“This ain't a meeting, man,” Hernandez offered him a beer after he flopped down on the sofa.
“We just came to hang out and let you know what's happening. You ain't ever done a ride through with us before. You're still fresh meat.”
Miller took the beer and sat down beside the other man, “So, what's a ride through?”
“We have a territory we've claimed,” I started simply. “An area that's ours. We ride through it to make sure there are no assholes trying to run shit through or take shit from us. We got people we protect. We've got assholes that set up a club on route twelve, we gotta deal with that.”
His brows drew together, and he nodded in understanding, “It'll be dangerous?”
“Probably,” though I knew from experience it would be. “Unless you don't want to put shit on the line for the Boneyard?”
“I'll be there,” he assured me.
“What about the cops?” Jones asked, as if on some sort of cue.
I watch as Miller’s expression went curious.
I kept my eye on him as I shrugged, “Never been a problem before. Why would they be now?”
That seemed a satisfactory answer. I made sure we lingered well past our welcome, waiting to see if this guy would be dumb enough to ask us to leave or if he were going to put up with it. Surprisingly, we weren't asked to leave. We stuck it out until midnight before Hernandez and Jones complained about work in the morning. Miller walked us out.
“When will we do the ride through?” He asked, leaning against his open door.
“I'll let you know,” I assured him as I went to my bike.
Martinez saddled up on his and kicked it into a roar, “Red flags?”
I put my helmet on, not answering him. We'd find out for sure if the guy was a rat or not.
23
I groaned when the knocking on my door woke me. Quarter after seven and I prowled to the door, growling at Dylan when I opened it.
“Why haven't I given you a key yet?”
She laughed out loud and went in, leading the way to my bedroom as if she lived there. She was a regular fixture recently. It felt like she belonged.
“Usually you're not so cranky when I wake you. Everything okay?” She dropped her bag at the door and kicked her shoes off. “Long night?”
“Errands,” I didn't wait to watch her undress. I curled back up on my bed and waited for her to join me. “Remind me to get you a key,” I grumbled when she crawled into the bed with me.
“So, sleep this time? No sex?” She sounded amused.
“Promise to wake you up with it,” I assured her. “Got that appointment today to get my stitches out. So, I'm gonna warm you up for the day,” I tugged her close and nuzzled my nose into her hair, revealing in the mixture of almonds and vanilla.
She sighed then hummed as she settled down in my arms, “Promises, promises.”
Part of the issue, I was beginning to realize, of taking such a dangerous position was that I had to deal with trivial things like getting stitches taken out. Doctor appointments were usually scheduled ungodly early hours. I didn't get more than an hour more of sleep before I had to leave the warm embrace of my woman and bed to see to the damn things.
I was cranky, as Dylan put it, for the rest of the day. I went home at lunch and found her stretched across my bed. Like it belonged to her. There was the temptation to just crawl into bed with her, go back to sleep. The ride would be tonight. I needed the rest.
But if I went back to sleep I'd be crankier getting up a second time. On a whim, I reached out and swatted her round ass soundly. She shrieked and jerked awake. Her hair was a tangled mess around her face, it took everything in me to not just jump her. Even a mess of sleep, she looked gorgeous.
“Wake up,” I snapped and sat next to her.
She shot me a glare and relaxed back into the sheets, curled up on her stomach.
“I was sleeping so well,” she groaned lowly. “Dreaming of this man with such a hot bod.”
I laid back onto her, resting in the dip of her back just above her butt, “Nice to know you're dreaming about me.”
“I'd say it was you, but I was rudely awakened before I got a good look at his face,” she stretched under my head then sighed. “What time is it?”
“About eleven,” I felt like a heel, and I reached down to stroke her thighs.
“Why do you have to be so cruel?”
“I was jealous of the man you were dreaming about,” I shifted upward, following the line of her back with my tongue. “I got serious shit to deal with tonight.” I got to her shoulder and sank my teeth into her skin. “Probably won't be home when you get off,” I tongued the mark I left, feeling her shudder. The more I tasted her skin, the more I wanted her. I sat up and tugged my shirt off. “I want to make it up to you.”
“Make it up to me or torture me because you're going to have to go a day without sex?” She sounded tired, but she wasn't telling me to stop.
“If you're into that,” I had my jeans and boxers off, and I was climbing onto her. “I'd be happy to oblige you.” I rubbed her back gently, feeling her relax under my touch. “I like slapping your ass. You want me to tie you up while I do it?”
I felt her shake as she laughed, “I might take you up on that some time.”
The thought excited me more than I was already.
“Oh, that decided it,” I groaned, and I started rubbing my erection into her ass. “Gonna have to fuck you now.” I tugged her panties down the pressed down along the length of her back, “I'll go slow this time. When you're off, we're gonna tie you up.”
She hummed, her back arching up against me. Her hips tilted and I reached under her to press my hand between her thighs to stroke her lips.
“Do we get to sleep after this?” She purred the question.
“For a little while,” I agreed. “Might have to wake you up for some more of this later.”
I found her clit and began to circling it with my fingers, feeling her hips shift and move in time with my hand.
“Make it good and it won't matter,” her voice was breathy, and the movements of her hips rocked against my cock.
“It's always good, ain't it?” I groaned in her ear.
I didn't wait for her response, she was wet enough for me to slide in, so I parted her thighs so I could press myself into her. As soon as her tight cunt gripped me, I shifted her thighs closed. The position was tight and I made short, shallow thrusts, putting all my weight against her frame.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and continued a slow, steady rhythm. I listened to every noise she made, relishing in every gasp and moan. Was it this that calmed me? The hot hold of her pussy? Every hurried whisper of ‘don't stop?’ Sex could be gotten from anywhere. I had fucked my share of women before her. How was she any different?
“You're mine, right?” I asked because I had to know that she knew it. That it was very likely that she was it for me.
“Yes,” it was hissed out, her head tilted back to rest on my shoulder. “Yours, all yours.”
Her lips brushed my cheek, and I couldn't help, but tighten my hold on her. My right hand stayed under her, though I was distracted when I first started fucking her. Now that I’ve gotten a steady rhythm going I go back to toying with her clit. Her hips jerk against mine, her breathing hitches and I know she’s close. The rocking and clenching of muscles make me realize that I didn’t have it in me to make this last a respectable amount of time.
“I need you to cum,” I gritt
ed into her ear, grinding hard against her ass. “Too tired to make this last all day.”
“Close,” her breathing was quick, and she was tugging at the top sheet. “So close,” she assured me, and her hips bucked back against mine.
I pinched the hood that covered the bundle of nerves, and she released a short cry, quaking and squeezing me to the point that I couldn’t hold on anymore. I released my hold on her and put a hand on her hip, the other bunched up in my sheets as I thrust into her with force before I started to tense.
I grunted with the efforted then when the trembling started, I knew I couldn’t hold it off anymore. I exploded into her, groaning as if every bit of me was flooding into her. I jerked to a stop, panting and leaning heavily onto her. She seemed to have melted beneath me.
“You’re forgiven for waking me up,” she whispered back to me.
I curled my arms around her and rolled us onto our sides, so I could stay in her, stay close.
“Good to hear,” I purred into her ear.
I rubbed my hand along her stomach as I let the tension in my shoulders and chest dwindle away. I fell asleep with warmth in my chest and the irresistible pull of this woman in my arms.
24
I had the pleasure of waking up to her and helping her get ready for work. She didn’t put any makeup on, I wasn’t sure if she wore it at all. She had fresh faced and happy when she kissed me before leaving for work.
“I forgave you for waking me up this morning. Do it again, though,” she patted my cheek before she started out of the bedroom with the intent of going to work. “And there will be hell to pay.”
“Tomorrow is your day off, right?”
“Day off starts at seven am,” she turned towards me but kept walking backwards. “But, you said something about me not coming over when I get off of work. So I’ll be going home. Something I haven’t done in a few days.”
I frowned at her, “You don’t like coming over here?” It occurred to me that I didn’t know where she lived. That was a stupid oversight. “Where do you live?”
She laughed at me, her eyes sparkling as she did, “Realized there’s still important details you don’t know?”
“You just made me realize that we crash here a lot. I could crash at your place. Keep shit even,” I smirked at her. “You’re not going to leave me hanging here, are you?”
She mirrored my expression when she got to the door, “I’ll consider it.”
I frowned and started to follow her, “You gonna make me come find you later?”
“I’ll think about it,” she blew me a kiss and opened my door. “See you after I get a good day’s sleep.”
I followed her out, but I didn’t bother going to her car with her. I leaned against the doorframe and watched her leave, she waved at me for my trouble as she pulled out of my driveway.
I looked at the time on my phone, deciding I would go ahead and hit the club early. I dressed appropriately for a night ride. The weather was cooler, and aside from that, there was the extra gear I would be wearing. I opted for dark clothing. While our motorcycles would announce us, I wanted to make for a harder target to hit. Once I was done, I walked out to my bike and got on my way to the clubhouse.
It was a clear, beautiful day. I hoped it was a sign for how the day would go. I got to the clubhouse and it was fairly empty, I went to the office without paying anyone else any mind. I gave the door a tap before I entered, it was hard not let go of the fear of walking in on something I didn’t want to see.
“Hey,” I came to sit next to Tillman, much like I did the last time I was in here. “I checked over the list for tonight, and I can’t argue to anyone on it.”
“You mean you decided to do something?” Tillman snorted as I got comfortable.
“I do a lot of things,” I smirked at him. “Maybe you should ask Billings how he’s doing?” I shook my head and looked to Wilson, “You mentioned Miller. There a particular reason you wanted me to question him?”
He could see the irritation on Tillman, but he ignored it. Instead of commenting, he considered my question.
“He joined us right after the shitstorm settled and we got Redding straight with the shop. He started hanging out at the shop not long after the business was going. He got hired on because he did time in the Army. Three months into working at the shop he was brought here to the clubhouse,” Wilson spoke before he took a sip off of the beer that was sitting on the desk.
“You were around for that, you were there for his patching. You mean to tell me you don’t remember him?” Tillman was stretched out in his chair, and the expression on his face looked a mixture of disbelief and frustration. “Are you trying to tell me that you’re oblivious to the shit we do?”
I shook my head, “Not oblivious. Guy hasn’t stood out to me at all. So I don’t know shit about him.” I gestured between the two of them. “You know all the shit about everyone that comes through here? That why Billings started pushing meth without you knowing?”
“Stop,” Wilson barked out. “Quit pouring salt on that and quit trying,” he glared at Tillman. “To start a fight with him. After we patched Miller in, he went scarce for a little while. He comes in for a beer but keeps to himself for the most part. I thought he was just an antisocial asshole like you. You’re not thinking the same thing?”
“He came to us,” I ticked off a finger. “We don’t know a lot about him. He doesn’t live here like some of the other guys do--”
“What the fuck do you mean live here?” Tillman glowered at me.
“When do you go home?” I looked at him then at Wilson. “You are here from the moment you get up until you decide to go to bed. I ain’t judging your life choices, I’m just pointing out a fact.”
“Can we get to the fucking point here?” Wilson gritted out.
“How do we know this guy isn’t a cop?” I laid it out plainly.
That got their attention, both of them looked at me hard.
“Why do you think he’s a cop?” Tillman asked with his brows drawn together.
“The fuck did you say?” It was Wilson’s gaze that pinned me hard. “You got evidence that can back up this claim?”
“None,” I admitted. “But you were right in telling me he needs to be watched. Jones, Hernandez, and Martinez were there with me when I went to meet him. Jones was the one that made me question it.” I rubbed the hair on my jaw, it had gotten thicker, and if I didn’t want a beard, I would need to shave it. “We’ll see how he acts tonight and where it goes from here.”
Wilson looked at Tillman, “Have we got anyone that can do a check on this guy and see if he’s police?”
“I’m shit with computers, I don’t know if we have anyone that can do any sort of hack jobs. I’ll get on it and find out,” he started to get up and looked down at me. “What about you?”
“I was infantry. I don’t know shit about computers short of checking email,” I could only shrug.
“I’ll get to talking to the fuckers we got around here and see what I can find,” he said to Wilson, shifting around me and hitting the door.
This wasn’t a reaction I expected, but here both men were taking my words seriously.
“You think he could be a cop?” I eyed him, concerned now.
“I don’t know,” his hands were in his tangled hair, and he looked unsure. This was the first time I’d ever seen his expression like that. “I can’t imagine why a cop would come into our fold. We’re not like the other groups. You and I keep down the violence and aggression that runs rampant in the other clubs. The shit that was drummed into our heads for however many years we served keeps us on the up and up.” He started digging his fingers into his beard. “I want you to go kick the shit out of Billings again.”
“No,” I shook my head. “That won’t solve this. It won’t even make you feel better.”
“It’s his fault this started,” he growled at me. “Seeing his face black and blue will make me feel better.”
“Doing it
is only going to piss him off,” I nodded towards the door. “Do you really want to do that? If you’re worried about what the guy will do then don’t let him go on the ride through. He can stay here and keep an eye on the clubhouse, and you can keep an eye on him.”
Wilson continued to tug on his facial hair, his expression troubled before it hardened and he was glowering at me again.
“No, he goes on the run through. His reaction will tell us if he’s a cop or not.”
“If you’re sure,” I sat forward so that I could change the subject. “Let’s hammer out the actual plan. Do we go to their club and confront them first? Or do you just want us to be pussies and ride by like some semi-serious warning.” I picked at the side of my head, feeling the healing tissue on the scrape. “Or we can go in guns blazing.”
