When the men had arrived back from their ride, Mel had become glued to Pyro’s side. I’d grinned, seeing she hadn’t had much choice in the matter, her husband’s arm kept her there as though he couldn’t bear to be away from her. She’d sent me an apologetic smile, but I waved her off. If it was a room full of strangers maybe I’d be more nervous of being left to my own devices, but surprisingly, after the wedding and reception last week, I feel as though I’m among friends. I’ve been greeted and said hello to by name by everyone who’s come close. Maybe it’s down to Vi’s approval, she’s certainly not held back in telling how much I’d helped get things ready.
So, I’d stood, sipping my soda, feeling relaxed simply soaking up the general vibe. Pyro was far from the only one to show his greed for the company of his woman. Paladin quickly seated himself with Jay on his lap, Demon held on to Vi as if afraid she could disappear any moment, and Beef and Steph were joined like Siamese twins. Even Hellfire and Mo looked like they’ve been parted for days rather than a few hours. Buzzard and Bomber had quickly commandeered the presence of their women. When these men love, they love hard. I couldn’t help but wonder what such devoted attention would feel like.
I was well aware I was a single woman stood in a room which, apart from the aforementioned, is packed with otherwise single men. Unless I find somewhere to sit, it’s impossible for me to disappear into the background. I wasn’t left alone with my thoughts for long, and I was grateful for the interruption, and a chance to take my mind off my envy of the happy couples.
Judge had made me laugh, Sparky trying to outdo him as they both related tales of the ride they’d just been on. At first, I listened in awe, then realised some of the embellishments were just too ridiculous to be believable. I was soon cracking up with some of the outlandish tales.
Neither man had been anything but gentlemanly. Though their closeness and the way their hands would brush my arms gave me the impression that I could have gone with either of them had I given the slightest indication that I wanted to. They’d made me feel attractive and desired.
But they hadn’t made any part of me tingle.
They weren’t Ink.
He knew I was here. Stupidly, I’d drawn attention to myself when I’d gotten carried away in the heat of the moment, or more accurately, by that kiss that Demon and Vi had shared. For a second, I’d wondered whether he was going to come over. He didn’t.
Move on girl, I’d lectured myself. If you want a biker, there’re plenty of others here.
But it’s not another biker I want. When I’d carried on talking to the two men, I knew words were the only thing we’d be sharing. Only half listening at times, I’d decided I’d stay long enough to be polite, then slip away. Seeing Ink so disinterested had been painful.
Until he’d stormed over.
His dismissal of Judge and Sparky had been abrupt, and for a moment I was stumped to find an explanation. The one that occurred to me seemed ridiculous, but I could think of no other. Could he be jealous of their attentions toward me?
The two bikers I’d been speaking to were pleasant but hadn’t stirred me at all. As soon as Ink stepped close, it had been different. His smell of leather and man was dissimilar to theirs in a way I couldn’t explain, and a delightful shiver had gone through me, as though my body had already been programmed to react to him. It wasn’t a welcome revelation. However much I’d tried to dismiss that night from my head, Ink had apparently gotten under my skin.
I’d been surprised when he’d approached, and nervous. Conscious of the mistake I’d probably be making if he offered and I’d gone with him again. It would just be sex, and a repeat of that amazing night would make moving on that much harder.
While I could at least partly blame alcohol for what happened last week, it would compound my mistake to take up any offer made in the cold light of day and both of us completely sober. So rather than hear him make a suggestion I might find hard to resist, I’d fumbled my way through the insinuation my appetite was for food, and to my surprise, he’d allowed the distraction.
I hadn’t expected we’d talk, that he’d open up about what he did for the club, which in light of their reputation sounded boring, yet also, reassuring. He did a job he was trained for. He even asked a little about my life. Yes, we’d gone through some social niceties, and even made a few jokes. We hadn’t discussed what happened last week, well, not using words. The heat in his eyes, the flare in his cheeks, the answering flush on mine—our mouths might be saying one thing, our bodies another. Physical reactions didn’t lie. You turn me on, I’d signalled, I want you, came back.
I knew what he was going to suggest. However much I want to deny it, my answer would not have been a refusal.
I’m frustrated that he’s been called away, discreetly squeezing my thighs together in a vain attempt to ease the arousal which had been building while we’d been talking, knowing I won’t be getting any other relief now and trying to tell myself it’s all for the best.
“You okay, Beth? Sorry I’ve been ignoring you, but Pyro wanted me close and then I had to sort out more food. Christ, these bikers can eat.” Mel flops down in the chair Ink had so recently vacated.
“Hi Mel.” I give myself a little shake. So caught up in my thoughts, I hadn’t seen her approaching. “No worries. You’ve been stocking and restocking the plates. And there I’d been thinking you’d brought far too much with you.”
“Not enough,” she laughs. “We’ve almost run out.” Her breath huffs out as though she’s exhausted. She probably is, she’d been cooking all morning and then running around.
“As normal, Mel, you’ve outdone yourself.” I rub my stomach as if to show where some of her food went, and that her efforts hadn’t been wasted.
But she’s not here to discuss the spread she helped put on. “Saw you talking to Ink.” Her brows rise. “You getting along with him?”
I shrug. I had been ready to jump into his bed if that means anything, but that I keep to myself. “We were having a decent enough conversation before he was called out.”
“Hmm.” Her sharp eyes flick to me, then move to the doorway which the bikers had so recently disappeared out of. “No idea what that’s all about. But they could return soon. You going to hang around and wait to see if he comes back? To continue your conversation?” She puts the final word in air quotes as if she’s not at all fooled and had known exactly where our talk would have been leading.
Am I that transparent? Or, is Mel just used to living around bikers who are used to easy women. Is that what I am? Suddenly him going out on a job seems a welcome intervention to stop me from making a mistake. Sure, the night with him was worth repeating, but was it worth risking me getting more involved with him? Would it make it harder to walk away at the end of the evening? I purse my lips, thinking how different it is for men, how sex is so much simpler for them, reduced to a bodily function. Today, I’ve seen another side of Ink which has made me like him more.
“He’s not going to want to get involved with me, is he, Mel? I think it's best if I go.”
Her eyes fill with sympathy, and her lips thin. “I wish I could, but I can’t tell you you’re wrong, Beth. These men, honey, they live this life because of the freedom. Some, like Pyro, come to realise in time it’s not everything. But Ink? Whether he will or not in the future, I’m not sure he’s there now.”
I nod. She’s right. Maybe in time a good woman will sweep Ink off his feet, but whether or not I’m that woman, the timing is wrong. I won’t be able to change him. Best not to try.
There’s a scraping of chairs as Steph and Jay join us. Once released from his harness, Max, Steph’s adorable guide dog comes over to me, sniffing at my hands. I let him, realising he’s reacquainting himself with the scent of the woman he met briefly last week. When he’s satisfied, I pat his head, give him a quick scratch behind his ear, then he lies down resting his muzzle on my feet.
“How have you been, Beth? Recovered from last weekend? That
was a blast, wasn’t it?”
I shrug, then realise Steph can’t see me. “The wedding was fun,” I tell her, honestly. “I don’t think I stopped laughing all day. My face hurt from smiling.”
“Fun?” Jay lets off a peel of laughter. “I’d say you had fun, girl.” She accompanies her words with an exaggerated wink.
My eyes narrow fast as I glare at her. “What has Ink said?” I ask tightly.
“Uh uh,” Mel gets in quickly. “These men don’t gossip, well, maybe amongst themselves, but definitely not to us. It was kinda hard to miss when Ink dragged you off.” She waves around the table. “We all saw you.”
“I heard.” Steph laughs. “I think Vi’s exclamation and laugh drew everyone’s attention to the two of you.”
“Well?” Vi looks unrepentant. “Beth had scored.”
Well hell, looks like I can’t keep anything private. No point in denying it, though anything other than Ink and I getting it on together is just conjecture. I’m not going to share what a revelation it was. I turn the tables on Mel.
“And what about you?” I add an exaggerated wink. “Pyro taking good care of you?”
She reddens, leading me to believe Pyro’s been very attentive to her needs over the past week, but she like me, she doesn’t elaborate. “Much like it was before we got hitched. I definitely haven’t got any complaints.”
“How’s the pregnancy going?” Jay asks. “Any sickness?”
“Fine at the moment and no, but it’s early days.” Her mouth twists. “We probably shouldn’t have said anything yet, but Ro thought we needed support should things go south.”
“They won’t.” I reach over the table and take her hand. “This time you’ve got a good man beside you, not that bastard.”
“We’ve all got good men,” Steph observes, and Jay nods.
“Stop,” I tell them, my smile hiding the truth of what I’m saying. “You’re making me jealous.”
“Beth might have Ink from what I just saw,” says Vi. “You and he seemed to be getting on well. I think that’s the first time I’ve seen him actually talking to a woman.”
But Jay’s shaking her head. I tilt my head toward her, seeing she’s looking at me sadly. Then she warns, “Don’t pin your hopes on him, Beth.”
I raise an eyebrow.
She shifts, seeming uncomfortable. “Look, I’ve been around bikers for the past five years. Sure, I saw lots of the men hook up with girls in the Tucson club, take them as their old ladies. I saw brothers you thought would be single for life find their one and end up loyal. But,” she pauses, “I’ve also seen men who you knew would never make a commitment or weren’t ready to do so now.”
She’s the youngest old lady, but she’s the one who’s giving it to me straight. It’s no different from what Mel was just telling me, but blunter. “You’re saying Ink’s one of the latter?”
“If this week is anything to go by, yes.” She tosses me a look of compassion. “I’d want to know, if I were you, so I’m going to tell you. Since the wedding, Ink’s been with every whore that’s here, and has even gone back for seconds.”
“Pal!” a deep and very pissed off voice barks. “Get the fuck over here, now.”
We all jump, swinging around to see a furious Ink standing behind us. His face is bright red.
“What?” Pal’s there in an instant, his eyes widening in concern as he examines Jay closely to see if there’s anything wrong.
“Teach your woman a fuckin’ lesson about keeping her mouth shut about brothers’ business.”
Pal studies Ink for a second, registering his set expression, then glares at Jay. Jay flushes as she looks between her man and Ink who I swear is shaking with rage. “I’d want to know,” she says angrily, standing and pointing a finger at Ink. “It’s not fair to lead someone on…”
“Come on, Jay.” Pal’s expression threatens Ink and he puts himself between Jay and the man she’s told tales on.
“Leave us, Mel, Vi,” Ink instructs.
“I’m going,” says Steph, tapping her thigh to get Max to her side.
“We gotta problem?” Beef’s stepped up and is already helping his wife out of her seat.
“Only as far as these bitches can’t keep their mouths shut,” Ink spits out.
Beef growls and reaches forward, grabbing Ink by the neck and pushing him back. “Never call my woman a bitch again. You got it?”
Chapter Eight
Beth
Ink’s glaring at Beef, both men look ready to throw down.
I stand, grab my purse, and start to head for the exit. Until Jay’s revelation I’d been enjoying myself. Now a fight’s going to break out, and it’s partially my fault. I should never have come. Jay hadn’t told me anything other than what I’d already suspected. Of course, Ink hadn’t spent the week pining for me, he’d been fucking everything in sight.
I’m almost at the door when suddenly I’m lifted in the air, thrown over a shoulder, and while I struggle and beat my fists on Ink’s back, he’s got a tight hold of me and is heading toward a stairway.
“Put me down!” I shout at him, then, from my upside-down view, catch sight of Pyro. Mel’s frantically pushing at his arm, but he wraps it tighter around her, holding her back.
Then the fucker gives Ink a thumbs-up. Well he’s no freaking help.
“Mace!” I scream as I see the enforcer, but my plea gets Ink’s hand slapping me on my ass.
“We’re going to fuckin’ talk,” Ink snarls at last.
“I’ve got nothing to say to you,” I cry out. “Put me down. I want to go home.”
We’re at the top of the stairs and starting off down a hallway with doors to the right and the left. Ink stops at one and opens it.
He doesn’t let me down when we’re inside, instead, he twists so I fall on my back on the bed, then immediately his body comes down over mine pinning me to the mattress.
He’s got the muscles I don’t, so has no problem overpowering me. He yanks on one of my hands, raising it over my head, then there’s a snick. Then he does the same to the other and a second similar noise sounds. I pull on my arms, but they’ve been secured. I’m enraged.
I buck, he moves off. Yes! But it’s only to fasten my left ankle to the foot of the bed before I realise what he’s doing. Now knowing, I kick out my last free limb, uncaring whether I catch him in the balls. But he jumps out of reach, then comes back in, easily catching it and seconds later, that leg’s captive as well.
“Handcuffs and leg restraints? Really?” I rattle the chains securing my wrists and feet. Yanking on them so hard they hurt, but they don’t budge an inch. I try again, I’m going nowhere. So, I open my mouth and scream, “Help!” as loud as I can.
“Fuck it, woman.” Ink opens a drawer by the side of the bed and takes something out. He waves it threateningly in front of me. My eyes widen as I recognise from books I’ve read, a ball gag. “I want to talk to you, want you to listen. You gonna shut up and let me? Or do I use this?”
“Let me go, Ink. Damn you to hell and back.” I feel sparks fly from my eyes. “Untie me now. You can’t keep me prisoner on the bed where you had God knows how many women over this past week.” Then I increase the volume. “Help! Help me someone!”
He leans in menacingly close, that implement he’s holding approaching my face.
“You can’t gag me—”
He proves that can’t doesn’t appear to be in his vocabulary.
“Mmm humph.” I try to speak but can’t form words, or scream for help. Unease goes through me; my rage subsides to be replaced by fear.
“Oh, fuck, Beth.” His eyes soften, picking up my anger has turned to something else. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just need you to listen for a moment, okay?” He brushes his hands back through his hair and interlocks them behind his head. “Yeah, you heard right. I fucked the whores. Bella, I fucked over the pool table. Titsy in the kitchen but that stays between us, Jeannie would have my hide if she knew. Breezy and Sheila
with Mace in his room. Perhaps I did Tulia in here, but it’s not what you think.”
With each name he mentions, my eyes open wider. With every admission, tears start to leak. I knew I could easily give this man the power to hurt me, what I hadn’t realised is that I already had. I’d told myself over and over that there was no point daring to hope that Ink hadn’t really meant the words he’d said to me, but deep down I’d held on to the foolish dream. I thought I came here with little expectation, but I admit now that I had, deep down, hoped I hadn’t been the only one to remember how special the night of Mel’s wedding had been.
Our interaction last weekend which had been such a revelation to me had meant nothing to him.
Perhaps it’s lucky I can’t talk. I’m torn between spitting fire at him and accusing him of being a manwhore, but they would be wasted words. I knew what he was, it’s not his fault I’m upset. It's no one's fault but my own, thinking he was different.
But it’s hard to keep quiet. “Mmm mumph.” Though my indignance is muffled by the gag.
He shakes his head. “I know, I’ve upset you. Beth, I don’t know, fuck. This is new to me.” His eyes settle on mine. “Seems I care. I fuckin’ care that I’ve hurt you. Why?” He barks a laugh. “I don’t have fuck all idea why. I told you exactly what I wanted last week. I told you what I do and who I am. I hit it and beat it. And I don’t fuckin’ lie or hide shit.” Now he sits on the bed and puts his head in his hands, his palms rubbing against his cheeks. “I had no expectations of seeing you again, but you had to walk into my fuckin’ club, didn’t you? Had to taunt me with your delectable fuckin’ curves, legs which go on for weeks. Had to get my cock as hard as steel with just one look at you.”
Ink's Devil: Satan's Devils MC Colorado Chapter #5 Page 7
