by Erin Trejo
“You follow my orders at all times,” I say, before snuffing out the cigarette and reaching to close the window.
“How is that any different from what Leo had planned for me?” she huffs. I turn to face her and smile.
“I’m not Leo.”
10
Gaia
Do this, do that. Don’t touch that. Don’t walk away from me. This is all I’ve heard over the last month. I want to snap his neck. I’ve never found a man as infuriating as I do Preacher. He’s too damn bossy and looks too damn sexy when he does it!
“What the hell did I just say?” he asks, grabbing my arm and pulling me back toward our table.
“Are you kidding me? I have to piss, Preacher!”
“You just gotta announce it too, huh?” he snaps, looking down at me.
“Well if you would have let me go, I wouldn’t have to! Jesus, you are really getting out of control with this shit. We’re in the middle of nowhere. I highly doubt anyone here is looking for me,” I hiss in his direction. His eyes move anywhere but to me. I don’t know why that pisses me off so badly, but it does. My plan isn’t working out as planned. Everything I thought I could do is slowly slipping away from me.
“Let’s go,” he grunts, dragging me back toward the bathroom.
“You’re not coming in with me,” I tell him when we reach the door.
“I’m not a pedophile.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means you look like you’re twelve, and there is no way in fuck that I’d get caught in the bathroom with you. Now if you don’t get in there and piss, you’re gonna be sorry.” Jerking my arm from his grip, I walk into the bathroom and handle my business. After I wash my hands, I look at myself in the mirror. I look tired, not twelve. I miss James. I miss Enzo. Taking a deep breath, I know this is for my safety though. Deciding enough is enough, I unbutton the top four buttons on my shirt and shake my boobs a little, just so you can see the top of my bra line. If I have to be uncomfortable with his big, muscled, tatted up sexiness, I can offer him the same. I reach up and pinch my cheeks to get a little color in them before turning and heading back out. Just like I knew, he’s right here waiting for me.
“Thought you had to piss. For that long I could have shit six times after a recent Taco Bell run.”
“Do you really want to discuss our bodily fluids?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“What’s the difference? We all have them,” he says, licking his lips. That’s when I notice where his gaze is.
“Excuse me. This isn’t Hooters. Stop staring at my little girl tits!” His eyes come to meet mine before he shakes his head.
“Let’s go. I got shit to do,” he grumbles and heads for the door of the small diner. I follow behind him like the good little girl simply because I have nothing else to do. This is my life until Enzo handles things. As soon as I step up next to the truck, Preacher hands me the blindfold.
“I don’t think it’s fair that you get to stare at my tits, and I have to be blinded.” His pale blue eyes lock with mine, a slight smirk playing at his lips.
“You don’t? So, what is it you’d like to see?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest. I should slap the smug look off his face. His eyes slowly move down my body before moving back up. Stopping where? You guessed it. Right on my tits again!
“This is annoying. I’m not putting that blindfold on,” I tell him, crossing my arms over my own chest.
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not. This is stupid!” I protest. Before I can speak further or throw a fit, Preacher has me around the waist, spinning me around and pinning me to the side of the truck. His hard body presses against mine, my nipples hardening. Preacher’s head drops quickly, his hand moving to pull my shirt aside, pulling the cups of my bra down. His lips wrap around my nipple and then he’s sucking. Oh my God. His wet mouth is driving me insane. Each tug, each flick of his tongue is torture. My eyes roll back, my head hitting the side of the truck. A moan rolls off my lips before he moves. Glass shatters and I’m being jerked around. Before I can think, Preacher fires off a shot, the sound causing my ears to ring. Lifting my hand, I try to cover myself or at least all that I can.
“Get in!” Preacher roars, shoving me into the passenger seat. I quickly climb in and he slams the door behind me. He rushes around and climbs in next to me. “Get down,” he growls. I slip to the floor and curl into a ball as he starts the truck and slams on the gas. The tires spin; I can hear rocks kicking up as he floors it out of there. A few more pops can be heard but it’s followed by silence. I don’t know how long I sit on the floor. I don’t care how long. My body is trembling. Did they find me? Was it my father? Leonardo? Panic sinks in and I start to rock a little. My knees are pulled to my chest, my head resting there.
“You can come up now,” Preacher says but I tune him out. I don’t want to hear him right now. I’ve never been shot at. Never! Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I do need to be the little wallflower that everyone wants me to be. At least then I’d be safe. I wouldn’t be shot at. “Gaia,” he says once more. I slowly lift my head to look at him and he curses.
“Shit. Fuck!”
“What?”
“You… uh, shit.” His eyes move from me to the road and back rapidly. It’s almost as if he needs to see me. Needs to know that I’m okay.
“Was it my father?”
“I don’t know. I need to get us somewhere else before I can call in,” he tells me. He keeps driving as I stay on the floor. It’s safe here, isn’t it? I think it is.
“Gaia, look at me,” Preacher demands. I slowly look back up at him, but I don’t feel well. I feel sick, lightheaded. “Gaia, I need to know how bad it is.”
“How bad what is?” He narrows his brows at me, but I don’t understand what he’s asking.
“You’re bleedin’,” he says, nodding toward my arm. I feel like a zombie as I look over and see the blood. That’s all I remember before passing out.
11
Preacher
“What the fuck do you mean, she passed out?” Grave roars into the line. I can’t stop myself; I chuckle. She was gone.
“Just what I said. The girl passed out. She saw the blood and that was it,” I tell him through a laugh.
“Jesus. Get her cleaned up and I’ll call you back.” The line goes dead as I look over at her. It was amusing as hell to watch. As I look at her now, I see her lashes flutter. Slowly, she starts to wake up and looks over at me.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” she says sleepily. I like sleepy Gaia. She’s quiet. She slowly pushes herself up and then it must hit her. Her head snaps around to her arm as she squeals. Yes, she fucking squeals.
“I was shot! Oh my God! I need a hospital!” She’s acting hysterical when she leaps off the bed and starts for the door. I move behind her, grabbing her around the waist and walking back to the bed. She’s been out for a few hours which I was grateful for. She needed the rest and I didn’t need the hysterics.
“It’s a scratch,” I inform her, sitting her back down.
“What? I was shot, Preacher!”
“No, it’s a scratch, Gaia. I checked it,” I tell her.
“You did what?”
“I said I checked it. I checked all of you.” I know that fact alone will piss her off. I suppose that’s why I said it. I like seeing her all fired up.
“You checked me? As in you looked at my body without my consent?” The smirk that grows across my face seems to piss her off more. I step toward her, slowly leaning down in her space. With my hands braced on either side of her, I say, “Every. Single. Inch.” Before I can pull back, she moves. She has her arm around my neck, keeping me in a headlock. I laugh until I can’t breathe. The girl is so small that it’s amusing as fuck to see her act out like this. It’s not that she isn’t strong, she is to a point.
“You stop laughing!”
“Stop holdin’ me like a two-year-old.” I laugh harder. Her grip increases
but she’s still no match for me. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t try. She gives a good effort.
“Asshole!”
“Calm down and let me go. If you’re a good girl, I’ll get you a Happy Meal and a colorin’ book before bed.” I chuckle again. Fire seems to emanate from her. I can feel it as she holds on tighter. If I could see this from the outside looking in, I bet it would be hysterical. I reach my arm back and grab her thigh, giving it a hard tug while I raise my right hand above my head. Her body slides around my body like someone spinning a ring on their finger. With her legs still wrapped tightly around me, she’s now facing me. Her eyes are a mask of anger, but my body is a mass of lust. Since I’ve met her, I can’t stop thinking about her naked and riding me. I know it’s a sick thought but she’s fucking beautiful. I shouldn’t want her. I need to protect her.
“What are you doing and why is your cock hard?” she asks, nearly breathless as she presses her body against mine.
“I was thinkin’ about doin’ somethin’ really stupid,” I say huskily. My chest is rising and falling rapidly, her scent clogging my pores and making me delusional.
“I think it’s pretty sick that you want a kid. Thought I was getting a coloring book,” she whispers, her lust visible. She’s nearly panting. I can’t handle this shit. I need to be inside of her. Heat coils in my insides making it hard to think.
“I got somethin’ that you can color with,” I remind her, thrusting my hips into her. Gaia moans before I lean down and bury my face in her chest. Licking and sucking at her flesh, I mark her. This is wrong. Grave will fucking lose his shit, but I can’t resist her anymore. I’ve been trying for the last month, but having her with me every day and night is doing my head in. Moving one hand to release her tit, I suck her nipple into my mouth. Gaia arches into me, her body molding with mine. I don’t care how small she is. I don’t care who she is at this moment. All I know is that I need to get as deep into her as I can. I turn and walk to the bed before climbing on with her still wrapped around me. Grinding my hips into her, she moans.
“We shouldn’t be doin’ this,” I say, as I lick my way up her chest to her neck.
“I want this,” she says.
“You could always stop this and get yourself off.” That’s me, the nice guy giving her a chance to opt out. If she says the words, I’ll stop.
“I can’t.” Pulling back I look at her face, red from embarrassment.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I can’t get myself off. I need someone else to do it.”
“Since when?” I ask. I’ve never met a person that couldn’t get themselves off before. I mean, fuck, she’s nearly coming with my lips wrapped around her nipple. I doubt it will take much to have her screaming.
“Never. I never could. I don’t want to talk about this,” she says, trying to shove me off her. Not a chance in hell.
“If you don’t tell me to stop, I’m not, Gaia,” I growl.
“Don’t stop, Preacher. Please don’t stop,” she whines, tugging me back to her. The kisses become more heated, passionate. The fire builds between us and I can’t hold back much longer. I’ve never felt the lips of a woman like hers—so soft and perfect. Everything about her screams at me to run and not look back, to pull away and do my job but the stupid part of me? That part wants to ruin her for all other men. Any man that comes after won’t amount to what I’m about to give her. I pull back long enough to strip us both, then I roll the condom on and dive between her parted thighs. She’s dripping wet and so fucking pink. Swallowing hard, I lean down and kiss her gently. She shakes her head causing me to stop.
“What?”
“Hard and fast. That’s how I need it,” she says, looking me in the eye. I smirk. I can do that. Grabbing my cock in my hand, I touch the tip to her wanting pussy. I don’t give her a chance to say anything else when I slam into her. She screams but something is off. It doesn’t take me long to forget about it when she digs her nails into my ass pulling me against her. “Harder, Preacher!” She demands. Who am I to tell her no?
“You’re gettin’ it hard,” I growl, thrusting into her. I pound her body into the mattress. Her tits bounce with each thrust, but I can’t stop myself from slamming into her over and over again. Tears slowly trickle down her cheeks, but she is clawing at me to keep going. The thought has occurred to me to stop but I can’t. This is everything. This is perfect. And if she were anyone else, I might have thought about keeping her, but she isn’t one to be had. She’s the Mafia princess.
“Oh God,” she cries out. “You feel so good,” she groans.
“That’s right. Confess all your sins, Gaia,” I growl, thrusting harder. Sweat drips down my temples, my heart racing. A tingle shoots down my spine just when her pussy clenches. The rabid sounds ripping from my chest could be heard for miles as I come with her. My back burns from the scratches she’s digging into my flesh, but I love it. I love that fire. Leaning down, I run my tongue up her neck before kissing her behind the ear.
“That was amazing,” she whispers. I chuckle, press another kiss to her cheek, and pull out of her before climbing off the bed. I head into the bathroom and as soon as I close the door, I pull the condom off. That’s when I get a surprise.
“Oh fuck,” I grumble, spotting the blood on the condom. I clean myself up and wash my hands before heading back into the room. Gaia sits with her head in her hands, the sheet pulled up around her body.
“What is it?”
“I just hate all this. Running and being away from my brother.”
“I’m sure it won’t take long.”
“It’s been a month! How long could it possibly take to put a bullet in his head?” she snaps, looking up at me. I smile. I like that about her. The boldness.
“It isn’t that easy. There are people that follow your father religiously. He has men that would take a bullet for him. It’s not as easy as you think it is,” I remind her.
“It’s stupid. It’s not the nineteen hundreds. Things shouldn’t be this hard,” she sighs.
“So, were you gonna tell me?” She shifts uncomfortably.
“About what?”
“You were a virgin, Gaia.” Her head slowly rises and her eyes lock on mine. Then it all hits me. The reason she did this. “You used me.”
“No.”
“Yeah, you did! I can’t believe I fell into that shit! Do you know the shit you just put me in?” If it’s not her father coming after me, it’s going to be Enzo when he finds out. I know the customs when it comes to Italian-arranged marriages.
“It’s not like that, Preacher,” Gaia says softly.
“Oh no? Then fuckin’ tell me what it is like! I’ve done nothin’ but keep you safe like I’m supposed to do. The least you could have done was tell me that bit of information!” Anger surges inside of me the more I think about it. I could snap. I could lose my cool, but instead, I grab my clothes, pull them on and head out of the room. I need space. I need to breathe.
12
Gaia
He’s been pissed since that night. He left and didn’t come back for almost a day, and when he returned, he was demanding and pulling away from me. He’s been quiet and it bothers me. Riding in a truck with him for hours is killer.
“Are you ever going to speak to me?” I ask when I can’t take anymore.
“No.”
“What difference does it make, Preacher?” He doesn’t answer but I can tell he’s still pissed when he shifts in his seat. When he still doesn’t answer, I look down at the seat between us, running my fingers over the leather that he usually wears. I pick it up and flip it in my hand when I hear the slight growl leave his throat.
“How long have you been in the MC?” Maybe a change in subject will get him talking. It doesn’t. “I’m sorry, okay? I thought if I took away the one thing he wanted, he would let me go.” His head swivels in my direction briefly before looking back at the road. I watch his jaw clench and unclench as he keeps driving.
�
�That’s why, huh?”
“That wasn’t the only reason, no. I like you, Preacher.” He snorts.
“You used me to take your virginity, Gaia. That’s a fucked-up way to tell someone you like them.” I can understand why he’s so mad. I get it. I suppose it’s a good thing he doesn’t know the rest of my damn plan or he would completely lose his shit.
“I said I’m sorry. What more do you want? I can’t take it back, fuck!” We ride for about another hour when he finally speaks.
“All my life. I was born into the Royal Devils. My dad was a member.”
“Was?”
“He died a long time ago. Car accident. The one time he actually road in a cage,” he says, breaking my heart a little more.
“What did he teach you?” He turns to look at me quickly before dragging his eyes back to the road.
“What do you mean?”
“My father never taught me much about life. I had nannies and maids for the most part. They taught me about being a woman and what it would entail. Do you know that there are actually women in the Mafia that will come and teach you how to be a Mafia wife?” I huff out a soft laugh, but it wasn’t funny. My life has revolved around learning to be submissive when all I wanted to do was rebel.
“You’re shittin’ me?” I shake my head, running my fingers over the skull on his cut.
“No and they start early. The first person that approached me was my father’s friend. I was five. She sat me down and told me stories that no child should ever have to hear. It was disturbing.”
“My dad wasn’t a saint. He did shit that would go against most people’s beliefs, but he also read the bible. That’s where I got my name from.”
