ANARCHY (Iron Kings MC, #4)

by Franca Storm

  He strode over to me and I braced myself.

  The worst part of it wasn’t really the beat down. I could take a beating. I couldn’t be an enforcer for the club otherwise. That shit had to be factored in, because nobody could avoid every blow in every single fight they got caught up in, and you had to be able to keep going during it. There was no tapping out in a real life fight.

  Nah, the worst of it was the unspoken rule. I couldn’t fight back.

  He was Spartan’s ally now and an important one at that. Our clubs had a tight alliance. If I beat the shit out of him, all hell would break loose. There would be consequences for everyone. I’d broken a rule, his rule, by hooking up with his daughter. I had to take what was dealt. It was his right. It was club justice. Plus, beating on my woman’s father wouldn’t be a good decision by any stretch of the imagination.

  I just had to take it.

  It was looking like it was going to be a long one, because he didn’t seem anywhere close to letting up yet.

  He grabbed me by my t-shirt and dragged me to my feet.

  “Say it,” he demanded.

  “Say what?” Whatever it was, it wasn’t going to be good, that much was obvious.

  “After what?”

  Fuck. “After I...”

  “Yeah?” he pressed.

  I blew out a breath. “After I… fucked her.”

  His eyes flashed. “Who?”

  “Your daughter.”

  He roared and hauled me across the yard. I smacked into the side of the house, grunting as my back jarred against it painfully.

  “Fuck,” I gritted out as I sank to the floor. Every part of my body was killing me. As I saw him walking over to me, I struggled back to my feet, groaning with the effort.

  “Just won’t stay down, will you, kid?”

  I looked up at him and I was pretty sure I saw a flash of pride in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it’d appeared.

  “Why the fuck would you risk it? Huh? Going after my baby girl? Everybody knows my rep. What the fuck were you thinking? You could get all the pussy you wanted fucking anywhere.”

  “She’s not pussy to me,” I ground out, anger sparking. Thinking that Hayley was nothing more than a fuck to me made me sick, made me rage. It took me a few moments to speak through the pain radiating through my body, but I managed to choke out, “The first time we met, I didn’t know she was yours. Then she became my mission and… fuck… I tried to keep it professional… tried to hold it in… but… I didn’t. I couldn’t. I love her.”

  He stopped in front of me and folded his arms across his chest. “Love her?”

  “Yeah.”

  “She know?”

  “She’s well aware.”

  He stared at me then for a long time, my words doing something to him.

  A rustling noise had us both swinging our heads toward the trees.

  Shocking us, a figure burst out of them, running at top speed toward us.

  “Back the fuck off, Python!” a familiar voice thundered, a gun cocking.

  Python stilled and growled low in his throat. “That you, killer?” he called out.

  The figure stepped forward, illuminated by the light coming from my porch.

  “Yeah, it’s me.”

  Wraith.

  Saving my ass again.

  He eyed me, failing to hide the worry all over his face as he took in the state of me bleeding all over the place, my face and body messed up, barely able to stand.

  “Spartan’s on his way,” Wraith reported. “He just had something to pick up first. Now, step away from the kid.”

  With a grunt, Python actually did take a step back, effectively standing down. Turning to Wraith, his hands held up in sarcastic surrender, he told him, “If I’d wanted him dead, he would be.”

  “Yeah? You’re not exactly known for being efficient with it,” Wraith shot back.

  I was vaguely aware of the crunch of tires coming close, but my attention was focused predominantly on the tension ramping up between Wraith and Python.

  Python flashed a smug smile Wraith’s way. “What can I say? I’m an artist.”

  “You’ve definitely got the cliched temper of one.” He gestured at me to drive his point home.

  “You’re kidding me, yeah? He got off easy.”

  “Easy?” Wraith spat, moving closer. “You think you’d be claiming that if I punished you the same way for coming onto Iron Kings territory and beating the shit out of one of our brothers?”

  “Nice try, but Spartan ain’t gonna see it that way. He’s gonna know it’s justice. Went through the same thing with his baby girl, the way I hear it.”

  Wraith’s eyes narrowed at the direct shot at him. But being the level-headed guy that he was, he pushed past it and kept his focus. “That kid you’re hating on so much has done more to improve the life of your little princess than anybody, you, included. He’s not messing with her. They’re in a loving relationship. They bring out the best in each other, bolster one another.” He moved between me and Python, a wall blocking the way to me. “She’s a grown adult. You need to recognize and accept that ASAP, or you’re gonna lose her. And that’s what happened with my girl and Spartan. He almost lost her for good for pulling similar crap that you are.”

  The crunch of footsteps nearing us had my head jerking up to see Spartan striding over. “It’s true, Linc.” He held his hand up at Wraith and the next thing I knew, he was holstering his gun. He stepped to my side as Spartan walked up to Python, telling him, “Let’s calm shit down, yeah?”

  Screaming cut through the night as Hayley burst from Spartan’s truck and came sprinting over to us. Yeah, seeing his daughter was a surefire way to calm Python down, but, judging by Hayley’s hysterical reaction, not the overall situation.

  She stopped short as she got a look at me, horror spreading over her face.

  Shocking all of us then, she lunged at Python, shrieking.

  Spartan and Wraith moved to stop her, but it was real difficult, because nobody wanted to hurt her. Wraith managed to get a hold around her waist, holding her off Python.

  “You hurt him!” she screamed. “Really badly! He’s bleeding all over the place and can barely stand, Dad! How dare you?”

  “I got my rules. You know that.”

  “Caveman rules! Why did you do this? He’s never hurt me. He’s always taken care of me!”

  “Ain’t the point, baby girl.”

  “I started it! I came onto him. In fact, if you must know, I basically begged him to—”

  “All right!” Spartan cut in real quick. “Let’s leave out details and shit.”

  Thank fuck for that.

  Hayley shook her head with disbelief. “This is my life, my choices, not yours! I’m a grown woman and I’m sick of all of this bull! Damien is my boyfriend and nothing you do or threaten will change that. I love him!”

  “Hayley!” I called through the chaos. She didn’t respond, so I tried, “Lovely!”

  She stilled right away.

  In the next second, she stepped back from Python and turned and ran to me.

  As soon as she reached me, she threw her arms around my neck, her body weight slamming into me. Being weak from the beat down, it knocked me back in the tree trunk, making me grunt.

  She pulled away, looking freaked out that she’d hurt me.

  I cupped the back of her head, pressing her to my chest as I told her softly, “It’s okay, lovely. It’s all okay.”

  “Oh my God,” she sobbed into my chest. “I thought—I thought—”

  I stroked her hair gently to soothe her. “Shh. Don’t say it. I’m fine. All good.”

  “No. No, you’re not. You’re bleeding… everywhere.”

  “All superficial. Nothing serious. I promise.”

  She gazed up at me, pain and what looked like guilt all over her face.

  “It wasn’t your fault. We both knew it was going to come out. We were going to see to it ourselves.”

  �
��Yeah, I know.” She still looked so freaked.

  I took her hands and held them between us. “Hayles, everything’s fine. Look at me. I’m good. We were just talking when you pulled up.”

  “Really?” she asked, unsure.

  “Yeah, but there’s more to be said to sort this. Are you gonna let me go and do that now?”

  “I’ll stay with you to make sure he doesn’t hurt you any more than he already has.”

  I shook my head. “Not needed.”

  “Damien—”

  “I need you to trust me.”

  She stared at me, meeting my intense gaze. It took her a moment, but she finally nodded and said, “Okay.” Squeezing my hands, she told me, “I just need a moment with you first.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, lovely.”

  She slumped against my chest holding me tightly to her, clutching me in a death grip like she was terrified I was going to slip away any second.

  I looked past her to see the guys talking.

  Python was staring straight back my way, watching me with his daughter. His eyes were wide. He looked stumped. I figured he was surprised that I’d managed to calm her down when she’d been so out of control.

  He gave me a chin lift. “Later,” he said. “When she’s had more time to cool off.” He was clearly getting the picture that Hayley wasn’t going to leave my side any time soon.

  “When everybody has,” Spartan added, giving Python a withering look. “We’ll put you up at the clubhouse tonight.”

  Great, he was staying close by.

  I’d make damn sure I slept with one eye open then.

  19

  ~Hayley~

  “I’M CALLING THE CLUB DOCTOR.”

  Damien shifted on the couch to face me, unable to hold back a grunt and a grimace at the effort of moving even slightly. “There’s no need.”

  I took him in for the umpteenth time, disturbed for the umpteenth time too, that he was in such a pained state. No need to call in the doctor? What a load of bull. He was a mess.

  His face was bruised and bloody, one eye was particularly black and blue. His lip was split. There were abrasions all over his face. There were deep, bloody scrapes etched into his arms. There was blood staining his tee, down near his stomach and his side. Not to mention, the muddy imprint of a boot on the cotton. He wasn’t moving well either. His ribs had to be bruised. He was breathing fine, thankfully, meaning they weren’t broken, at least.

  “Fine,” I muttered. “Let me take care of it then.”

  When he started shaking his head, I shot to my feet. “That’s it! Kitchen. Now.”

  I turned my back and stormed into his kitchen before he could say another word.

  It didn’t take me long to find a first aid kit. By the time I had it open on the breakfast island and I was sorting through it for what we needed, I heard his heavy motorcycle boots stomping over to me.

  He pulled up the stool next to me, taking a seat. “Fucking stubborn woman,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Look who’s talking.”

  “I’ve been hurt way worse than this. This is nothing.”

  “Yeah, I got that message loud and clear. The difference to those other brutal times is that I’m here now. I’m taking care of you whether you like it or not. So, shut the hell up and just let me do this, okay? Alternatively, you can keep complaining and resisting. It’s just going to make it take longer.”

  An amused smile played on his lips.

  “What?” I snapped.

  He leaned in and brushed his finger over my bottom lip. “I love you.”

  I caught the digit between my teeth and nibbled it, making him laugh. “I love you too. Now, stop trying to distract me. This is happening. Period.”

  “Caught that, huh?”

  “Yes. I know you better than you think.”

  He relaxed back against the stool, giving me free reign. A gentle smile played on his lips. “Nah, lovely, I get how well you know me now. Better than anybody.” He winked. “Just like how well I know you.”

  That had me smiling.

  He didn’t give me any more trouble after that. He just let me fix him up.

  He barely even flinched once as I dabbed at his cuts with rubbing alcohol. Even as I stitched two particularly deep ones—one on his right cheek and the other on his left side—he hardly reacted at all. It was both surprising and disturbing. It meant that he’d been through so much pain over the years that he was basically numb to it now.

  And he’d gone right back into that because of me.

  He’d gotten the crap beaten out of him because of me.

  He’d suffered because of me.

  I finished up and packed all of the supplies away.

  Returning to the breakfast bar, I found him lounging back wearily and struggling to keep his eyes open. “He won’t do anything more to you,” I assured him. “He never would’ve allowed me to stay back here if he hadn’t come around on the idea of us. As messed-up as it sounds, it means he likes you.”

  He scoffed. “Likes me? That’s an optimistic way of looking at it. He couldn’t stay back here, because he knew Wraith and Spartan would’ve taken him down if he had.”

  It was my turn to scoff. “You don’t get how dangerous he really is, do you? Not just dangerous, but resourceful, sneaky, and determined. He would’ve found a way. The man can talk his way out of anything and into anything. So, yeah, if he’d wanted to do permanent or fatal damage to you he already would have. If he’d wanted us apart, he would’ve forced us apart tonight and forevermore. He’s seen something in you tonight that’s changed his mind about things. Or, hell, he might’ve seen it beforehand, but needed to fulfill his ridiculous punishment to save face and to send a message to Lone Outlaws and Iron Kings that he’s not getting soft and that he still shouldn’t be crossed.” I rolled my eyes. “You know how brutal some club laws can be, how archaic and caveman-like.”

  I saw him taking my words in. After a few moments, he gave a nod. As I hopped up onto the stool beside him, he laid his hand on mine. “You know, Spartan bringing you down here had a major calming impact on him. He doesn’t like committing violent acts in front of you, huh?”

  “No, he doesn’t. He’s done everything in his power to maintain my innocence. Finding out tonight from Grim that I’m no longer innocent in a certain way would’ve hit him hard. For him to maintain that level of rage all the way from Taunton to Ridgefield speaks for itself.”

  “He needs to realize you’re a grown woman now.”

  “I’m sure that message has been received. He’s just struggling to accept it.”

  “Well, I guess I’ll find out tomorrow how far he’s come along with that acceptance.”

  “We will find out.” I gave his hand a squeeze. “I’m not leaving you alone with him.”

  He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “All right, lovely.”

  He said one thing, but his expression told another story altogether. He didn’t want me in the crossfire. Didn’t he get that the reason he was smack damn in the middle of all this bull was because of me? Of course I was going to be there. It was as much my battle as his, maybe even more so. But I’d leave it for now. I wasn’t going to argue with him. Not tonight. He’d been through enough as it was.

  He needed to relax.

  But all I could see from him was tension. He was trying so hard to remain awake and alert.

  He was in survival mode, overly alert, intense, and shut down.

  It wouldn’t do him any good. Not for his own wellbeing and certainly not when it came to dealing with my dad again. If he was bringing that defensiveness and intensity to the table tomorrow it would only amplify that in my dad.

  No, I needed him calm. And I needed him to rest.

  The simple fact was that he needed a distraction.

  Slipping off the stool, I walked between his spread knees and ran my hands up and down his thighs. “I told you I’d finish what I’d started earlier. Now seems like a welcome time.”<
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  His gaze snapped to mine and there was a faint smile on his lips. He was coming back to me. I just needed to shift his focus.

  Fortunately, I knew exactly how to do that.

  I unbuckled his belt and popped his fly, freeing his cock.

  I took his shaft in my hand. It hardened to a rock-hard state as my fingers wrapped tightly around it. His breath hitched as I fisted him up and down, brushing my thumb teasingly over his tip and playing with the studs there with every down stroke, until drops of pre-cum were coating my fingers.

  “Hayles,” he breathed, throwing his head back.

  I smiled at his reaction, then leaned in and ran my tongue over the bulbous head. I sucked at his piercings. A long, sexy groan escaped him.

  I did it again and again until he was shuddering with need, losing himself to it.

  I released him and raked my nails lightly down his thighs before opening my mouth wide and diving down onto his length, swallowing him right down to the base in one sudden move.

  I might not have been experienced with blowing a guy, but I’d done my research over the years. And, I might’ve experimented a little with a dildo or two.

  “Jesus!” he cried, bucking wildly. His hand delved into my hair, stroking, fisting, all wild desperation. God, it was so unbelievably hot seeing him beside himself because of me. He was barely able to choke out, “No gag reflex?”

  “No,” I murmured around a mouthful of his dick.

  He groaned as the vibrations of my voice teased his shaft. “Thought we knew each other real well now and you never thought to mention that?”

  I lifted off his cock and grinned. “I was saving it for a surprise.”

  “Well, don’t stop now,” he said, gathering my hair off my face and into a makeshift ponytail held in place with his fist. “Fuck, woman. Swallow my cock.”

  I grinned. “Mmm, baby, be careful what you wish for.”

  My warning hung there and I felt him tensing.

  I took him back inside my mouth so suddenly that he choked with the shock of it.

  I deep throated him without mercy. The moans and curses spewing from his lips set me on fire and liquid heat pooled between my legs just knowing that I was the one with the power to drive him into such a wild state of passion and push him toward total ecstasy.