by Jade Kuzma
Summer moaned louder and louder. Her hair flailed. Her breasts bounced in rhythm to her riding. Sweat dripped on every inch of her perfect skin.
I couldn’t help myself. I’d be crazy to just let a woman like this do all the work.
My hands tightened around her waist as I started meeting her thrusts. Our bodies clapped together with loud thuds. The mattress squeaked beneath us. The music from inside the clubhouse grew more and more distant. The only music was her whimpers as she tried desperately to catch her breath.
“Summer…” I grunted her name and drove myself harder and deeper into her. I pounded her furiously. I was a madman with only one goal. My muscles tightened up. My heart raced. My cock throbbed so much that nothing could stop it from exploding. “Summer…”
She arched her back, her face pointed at the ceiling while she let me take control. I kept impaling her on my cock until I would get to my end.
But Summer beat me to it. Her body suddenly tightened up, convulsing in my grip as her orgasm racked her body. Her knees squeezed around my waist as she tried to stay on top of me. I held onto her waist like my life depended on it and lost myself.
My dick exploded with a thick burst of cum. Feeling the fluid wet her insides and slide all over my shaft sent shudders up and down my spine. I shook violently to the sound of her whimpering on top of me. I buried myself completely, emptying every last drop I could. If this was the last moment I spent with her, I wanted to enjoy it as much as I could.
She collapsed on top of me and rested her head on my chest. We breathed out of rhythm with each other. Muscles aching and body sweating, the realization of what I had to do returned to me.
Moore was out there, waiting for me. He was up to something.
“Come back to me… Come back to Sage…”
I kept my arms around her and held her close. I would’ve been happy in this moment. But the sudden vibration of the phone I put in my jeans told me I couldn’t stay in this moment.
It was time to settle things with Moore once and for all.
Chapter 22
THEO
It was a simple message. Just a few lines of texts. It didn’t matter what the fuck Moore said though. There was nothing he could do to get away from this.
Micah, Ash, Grant and Jordan stayed behind not to raise any suspicions because we knew we had eyes on the clubhouse. Doc and Rex were all the support I needed to settle this.
Moore gave me the address to some place on the outskirts where nobody would come snooping around. There was a small storage facility in the distance. It was the only place for miles, so I knew it was the place. I was a few blocks away when I came to a stop.
“What’s up?” Rex rode up right next to me.
“Moore’s capable of anything,” I said. “I’m expecting the worse. Some kinda trap.”
“No shit. This is your call though. We do it how you wanna do it.”
“Doc will wait out here. In case shit goes down. Any gunshots. Any fighting. You be ready.”
“I’ll watch all the exits to make sure he doesn’t get away this time,” Doc said.
“Rex and I will head inside. I’ll handle everything. Just watch my back.”
Rex gave me a nod and we moved forward. As I got closer to the warehouse, I could see a couple of cars parked outside. They weren’t the same rundown pieces of shit I saw Moore in before. These things were some sleek, black SUVs. The kinda trucks someone like Moore wouldn’t be riding.
I parked a few meters away from them with Rex right next to me. Doc pulled back across the street. I turned around to make sure Rex was ready. Another nod from him was all I needed.
Any man who ever told you he didn’t get nervous when he was dealing with thugs and punks was a fucking liar. It didn’t matter how tough you were. It didn’t matter how much experience you had. It didn’t matter how much money was in your pocket. A bullet was always the equalizer, so I had to be careful around someone like Moore.
I stepped into the warehouse and saw the light down the hall. A few more steps and I was in the main storage room. A few lights hanging from the ceiling illuminated the man I was looking for.
Moore stared at me with an annoying smirk on his lips. Probably felt comfortable with the security guard next to him. But it was the other asshole standing next to him that made this more interesting than I thought it would be.
“Picardo.”
“It’s good to see you again.” Aaron Picardo took a step forward, his suit as pristine as it always was. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything.” I turned my attention to Moore.
He tossed a duffel bag at my feet and held his hands out. “Did you bring my money?”
“Sorry. Must’ve slipped my mind.”
“That’s all right. I’ll give you a chance to go get it. This is the opportunity of a lifetime for you. Just a few thousand dollars and I’ll be out of your hair. The girl will be safe. Your lady will be safe. You have my word I won’t go anywhere near them. I won’t hurt ’em.”
“You already hurt’em.” The way he smiled just made it harder for me to hold back. Even Rex knew he’d have to use every last bit of strength he had if I lost my temper. Shit, that was the only reason I needed him here right now. He was my fucking conscience. “I’ll make you a deal, Moore. Apologize. Apologize for what you did and I’ll make it quick. I’ll bury you somewhere comfortable.”
“You’re in no position to offer any deals. I don’t think you realize who it is standing right next to me.”
I was curious as to what the fuck Picardo was doing here but I didn’t show my confusion. I just stood there, waiting for an opportunity to send Moore to the hell that was waiting for him.
“You should be grateful,” Moore said. “This man is the only reason you’re still alive right now. You might think I’m some cruel man trying to hurt you but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m just a businessman. It was always business.”
“I don’t give a shit why you did it. You killed Booth. You kidnapped a little girl. You got your own man you hired locked up. Shitty way of running a business.”
“That’s one way of looking at it. We all make mistakes when we’re first starting out. An unfortunate startup cost. But just to show you I really am all about business, I’m willing to bury the hatchet. I’m offering you a deal.”
“Not interested.”
“Oh, I think you’ll be interested.”
Picardo stepped forward before Moore could make a further idiot of himself. Picardo might have worn an expensive suit and groomed himself like a professional but just one glance was enough to know what kinda criminal he was.
“Ivory is ripe for tremendous business,” Picardo said. “All of us can form an amazing partnership.”
“Us?”
“That’s right. It’s simple. I bring my product into Ivory. Moore here runs the facility and manages manufacturing and packaging. Then the Cobras are responsible for transport. The burdens of production are heavy but if we split the task, it becomes… profitable.”
“Not profitable enough.”
“A hundred percent.”
“…What?”
“You’ll earn 100-percent of the profits on the first 10 runs. All of the profits.”
I wasn’t intending on listening to whatever Picardo had to offer but he had my attention.
This has to be some sort of trick.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Picardo said. “Why would I offer you all of the profits? Ivory has changed more than I expected. The MCs seem reluctant to get involved. After the last few incidents, it seems like the clubs have lost their balls. But I’ve got a good feeling about the Cobras. Harris seems like he knows how to run his club. Tell me I’m wrong.”
“What happens after the 10 runs? What if the MC wants out?”
“Then you’re out. I have the means to convince someone else to work for me. I’m offering you everything simply because I’m e
ager to get started.”
Shit…
It was a hell of an offer. With that amount of money, the entire MC could live the rest of our lives comfortably.
I looked over at Rex. Even though he couldn’t make the decision by himself, he was still VP. Everybody would trust his judgment.
He already knew what I was thinking. He didn’t nod. He didn’t shake his head. He didn’t say a word. Hell, he didn’t even blink. He stared at me because this was my call.
I looked down at the ground and thought about it.
It wasn’t as simple as turning down his offer. With Picardo involved, there was no telling what would happen if I refused. I had to do something though. There was only one chance I had.
“What’s it going to be?” Picardo asked.
“I’ve got a counteroffer,” I said.
“A counteroffer? Interesting…”
“The MC will move weight for you. We keep all of the profits for 10 runs. Then after, we split the profits between us two.”
“Us two?”
“Moore is just a middleman. You can cut him out. Handle manufacturing and packaging yourself. Why dilute profits when you don’t have to?” I gave Moore a look. He was trying to keep a straight face but he was doing a shit job of it. The more the asshole fumed, the harder it was for me to not smile.
“Fuck this guy!” Moore said. “Don’t let him tell you what to do! We can always find another MC—”
“And you can always find another packager, Picardo. You said it yourself. It’s hard to find a good MC these days.”
“Fuck you!” Moore didn’t bother waiting. He raised his piece up but Rex responded in kind.
“You shoot me, you’re a goner,” I said. “I’ve made my peace. How about you, Moore?”
Moore’s bodyguard raised his weapon up but all that did was cause Rex to pull his other gun out. I didn’t need to reach for my piece. I could see the look in Moore’s eyes. He didn’t have the balls to go through with it.
“I got another offer,” I said. “How about we settle this right now? You and me. You beat me, you can go on with your deal with Picardo. Reap all the profits for yourself. But if you don’t…”
Moore gritted his teeth. “Tell your man to lower his weapon. I spent years upstate. I fought for my life against the meanest motherfuckers behind bars. I can handle a biker.”
I put my hand up and Rex slowly lowered his gun just as Moore and his bodyguard did the same. Picardo stepped back, his hands behind his back like he was amused by it.
“I’m gonna enjoy this.” Moore took his shirt off and cracked his knuckles. His tattooed physique on display, he would’ve been intimidating if I wasn’t intent on beating the shit out of him.
He moved forward before giving me a chance to get ready. I moved to the side but he just managed to catch me in the stomach. Another fist came fast and caught me on the temple. I shook off the split-second of a daze and rose up with a fist as he tried to advance on me. A hard right hand in his stomach made him crumple over.
“I don’t give a shit who you fought.” I got back up to my feet and walked toward him. “You never fought a Cobra.”
I grabbed him by the shoulder and kneed him right in the middle of his face. His nose crunched, the unmistakable sound of bones being broken. The blood gushed from his face but all it did was make him angry. He yelled and rushed forward. He wrapped his arms around me and tackled me to the ground.
Stay focused… Stay focused…
We scrambled with each other. Limbs flying. Hands tugging and pulling. I was using every muscle I had to try and get on top of him. Suddenly, his forehead collided with mine and rocked my head back. My eyes rolled back in my head and the lights above started to shift in every direction.
Fuck…
Another punch put me back in a daze.
“That’s it! I got you now, punk!” Moore straightened up and clocked me with a punch right above my eye. I could feel the cut open up and the blood trickling down.
“Come on, Teddy! Get up!” Rex’s voice was distant. I couldn’t listen to him. Shit, I could barely hear myself think. Another punch made it even harder to focus.
“You should’ve taken the deal when you had the chance… It’s the biggest regret of your life.”
The biggest regret of my life…
Images of my daughter flashed in my head. Her smile. Her laugh. The way she made me feel.
I can’t…
And this motherfucker took it away from her.
I can’t let this asshole get away…
“Get up, Teddy!” Rex’s voice grew clearer.
“Time’s up, Cobra.” Moore reared back with another punch.
Sage…
Just as he threw it, I moved out of the way. With every last bit of strength I had, I pushed him off of me. He stumbled onto his back. Before he could react, I jumped on top of him. His face was already bloody but another punch made it even worse. Over and over, I rocked his head back with my fist until all I could see underneath his crimson mask were the whites of his eyes. He smiled at me through the blood.
“They’ll never be safe,” he sputtered. “They’ll always be around a killer in you. Do they know what you do, Miller? Do they know who you are?”
“…They know exactly who I am.” One last punch made his body limp.
I got off of him. Bloody and breathing hard, I watched as he slowly reached for the gun on his waist. Just before he could draw his weapon, I pulled my piece out. The shot rang in the air. The smoke rose from my barrel. Moore stayed lifeless on the ground.
Rex had his gun raised up but Moore’s bodyguard had suddenly lost his interest. I guess when you weren’t being paid, you stopped doing your job. I gave him a look while he turned around and disappeared into the darkness out of the warehouse.
Picardo had been silent this entire time. He stepped forward, his hand behind his back.
“Just the cost of doing business,” he said as he looked down at Moore. “More profits for us.”
“No profits for me or the MC. The Winter Cobras aren’t interested. You wanna move your weight, you find someone else to do it.”
“Are you sure about that? You’re leaving a lot on the table.”
I gave Rex one last look though I didn’t need to. “I already got everything I need on the table.”
“Fair enough. I respect a man with conviction. Moore was a bit of a dead weight anyway. I’m glad you handled that for me. I’ll take it from here.”
He snapped his fingers and several men appeared from the shadows surrounding us. If I didn’t know what kinda man Picardo was before, I knew now.
“Nobody will know what happened here tonight,” he said. “You have my word.”
Rex put a hand on my shoulder. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
I headed out of the warehouse and got on my ride. Doc rolled up to us. He didn’t say shit about how fucked up my face was. Getting into fights came with the territory.
“I think Audrey’s working a late shift,” Doc said. “She’ll take care of that.”
Business with Moore was settled. Now I just had to deal with the most important matter of all.
Chapter 23
SUMMER
I rushed into the hospital as fast as I could. When I got into the room, the first thing I saw was all of the blood.
“Theo—”
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Despite how much he was grimacing and the red staining his cheeks, he still managed to work a smile onto his face. I walked closer while Audrey worked her magic on him.
“Just a second,” she said. “A few more stitches and… there. Good as new.” She pulled her hands away. The cut above his eye was sewn up but that didn’t stop the noticeable swelling. “He’ll be all right. A little ibuprofen if there’s any lingering pain but nothing serious. You’ve got a hard head. Just like every other man in the club…”
Audrey smiled the same as him but my heart was still pounding in my chest.
“I should slap you for making me worry so much,” she said.
“I don’t think that would be good for the stitches but if you really feel that way…”
“Moore?”
“It’s over, Summer. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
I closed my eyes and sighed a deep breath of relief. For the first time since I could remember, finally all of the weight had lifted from my shoulders. I almost thought I was dreaming.
“I don’t wanna know what happened,” I said. “But are you sure everything will be all right?”
“The MC doesn’t have any problems making people disappear. But Moore isn’t our problem. Really, Summer. Everything is okay.”
He reached up and put his hands on my shoulders. I scoffed and shook my head. “Look at me. You just got your face stitched and I’m the one who has to be consoled. I’m really not cut out for this stuff.”
“There’s no shame in that. Being with a Cobra is never easy. It was a burden on you. And on Sage, too.”
“Audrey told me something before. She said she never worries about Micah because she just knows you guys always get through it. You’re always watching each other’s backs. I won’t pretend I know what it’s like to be a club member. But I understand why this is so important to you.” I ran my fingers over the stitching on his vest. I’d seen it so many times that I was used to it. Only now did I realize exactly what it meant. “I’m sorry, Theo. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Sage. I’m sorry I ran away—”
“Not telling me was the right thing. You didn’t run away. You kept Sage safe. Look at my face. How am I supposed to come home to my daughter on nights like this and tell her what happened? Eventually, she’d get old enough to figure it out. Then it wouldn’t be just you wondering where I was. This patch… It’s a blessing but it’s a curse in some ways. I’m obligated to the MC and this town.”
