Zero Regret (Lost Kings MC 13)

“Jesus Christ, sit him down,” I say to Steer.

Jigsaw’s laughing when Shadow’s thrown back into his chair. I glare at him and he settles down.

Steer uses his sledgehammer-sized fists to knock Shadow around a few times. “You shot our president?” he asks between blows.

“Fuck you.” He laughs in Steer’s face. “You should’ve helped me take Sway out after that shit with Bull, but you’re too loyal to him.”

Obviously, they have issues to work out.

“Loyal to the club.” Steer punches Shadow in the face, snapping his head to the left. “Not Sway.”

“Enough,” I order. “Did you shoot Sway?” I ask again.

“He was kissing Priest’s ass. Closing off avenues of revenue that clubs have used for decades because he didn’t want to get on Priest’s bad side.”

Hustler shakes his head. “None of us wanted in on the stuff you’re talking about. We’ve voted on it more than once.”

Interesting that they’ve voted on whether or not to go against direct orders from National.

“If Sway had been out, I would’ve convinced you my way was better,” Shadow finally says.

“You assumed you’d move into his spot?” I ask.

“I’m the VP! Of course I assumed that, asshole.”

“Power isn’t given. It’s either taken or earned.” I drill him with a hard stare. “And you’re not strong enough to do either.”

“Fuck you, Z.” Shadow spits. “I earned my place.”

“Nothing is ever guaranteed,” Steers says.

“No shit.” Shadow sneers. “Never expected Priest to come up here. Especially since the fucker didn’t even die.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and shake my head. “Christ, Shadow, you’re dumber than I thought. Priest already hinted at National that he wanted us to take over your charter. Then you fucked up by getting arrested down there. No way was he ever gonna let you be in charge of any charter. You’re lucky he didn’t strip your VP patch months ago.”

Steer glances up at me and frowns. Guess it was news to him that we came close to taking over his club last year.

“None of us wanted to take over downstate. We said we’d support in any way we could, but that’s it.”

Thankfully, Steer seems satisfied with that answer. “I never would’ve wanted you as president,” Steer says to Shadow. “So, if I ran against you, were you gonna shoot me too?” He jerks his chin at Hustler. “Were you gonna take him out if he said no? Jiggy? Were you gonna shoot all your brothers in the back if you couldn’t get your way?”

Shadow has no answer.

I’m done playing with him.

I glance around the room. “I promised the decision to put Shadow to ground was up to the whole club. And it has to be unanimous.”

Actually, I’m not sure that’s true anymore. After what we’ve learned tonight, even if someone doesn’t vote yes, Shadow can’t be allowed to remain breathing. “Let’s vote,” Steer says. “Yes.”

Every brother steps forward and gives their yes without hesitation. Even Smoke.

I’ll give Shadow credit. He keeps his chin up and doesn’t beg or plead for his life.

This was an insult, an injury, to all of us. To purge the betrayal of the whole club, I allow the brothers to put the boots to Shadow for a while.

But I’m the one who finally slits his throat.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Lilly

I finally managed to fall asleep. Several times through the night I wake up and realize Z’s still not home.

The rumble of more than one bike briefly wakes me but I’m so out of it, I don’t fully awaken.

A few minutes, or maybe even an hour later, something brushes over my ankle. Startled, I jerk my feet up. The covers slowly slide down my body and a firmer grip on my leg pulls me from sleep.

“Z?”

“It’s me.”

Relief washes over me and I blink myself awake. “Are you okay?”

“Shh, I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”

While he says go back to sleep, his rough hands skimming their way up my legs only awaken all my pent-up needs and fears.

He skims his lips over my calf and behind my knee. Stops to kiss a spot on my thigh. Every kiss and touch reminds me how precious I am to Z.

I turn over and sit up, almost bumping into him. The barest hint of sunrise bleeds into the room but it’s enough to see the look of surprise on Z’s face when I strip my tank top off and toss it on the floor.

I run my gaze over his damp hair and skin. “Did you take a shower?”

“Yeah, before I left the clubhouse and then again downstairs. You didn’t want me coming to bed covered with what went on tonight.”

I turn that over in my head. “What happened?”

“Don’t worry about it.” He lifts his chin. “Keep going.”

I wiggle out of my shorts and loop my arms around his neck, dragging him down to me. His forehead touches mine but he doesn’t kiss me. He stares at me for a few seconds. “Are you hurt?”

“No.”

“It won’t ever happen again.” The conviction to his words is clear.

I can only imagine what Z had to do in order to make that promise. I doubt I’ll ever see Shadow again.

“I trust you.”

He closes his eyes for a second, then kisses my forehead, my eyelids, my cheeks, then lower.

“Where are you going?”

Stubble from his chin scratches over my hip, followed by another soft kiss. “I wanted to wake you up with my face in your pussy.”

“I’m awake now.”

“I still want to taste your pussy.” He tightens his hands around my hips. “I need to taste you, breathe you in, feel that you’re safe and mine.” The words tumble out of him in a tangle of emotion and dominance. “I hated being away from you for so long after what happened.”

I whisper, “I was worried about you.”

“Lilly, I will always punish anyone who hurts you.”

I open my mouth to answer, but gasp instead. He drags his tongue up my needy center, stopping to flick my clit.

“The only words I need to hear from you for the next few hours are ‘more’, ‘right there’, and ‘holy fuck, I’m coming again’.”

I shiver with desire, then chuckle. “What about, ‘fuck me harder with your giant cock’?”

“That works too.”

He lowers his head and spreads me w

ide, then presses soft kisses everywhere, slowly working his way up to longer, slow, sensual kisses. The tip of his finger circles my clit, lighting up every nerve ending in my body. I’m writhing and shoving myself against his face when he wraps his lips around my clit and flicks his tongue.

“Z, that’s so good.” My moans fill the room and he encourages me to make more noise.

After long moments of kissing and licking, he sits up and I finally spy the huge bandage covering his left thigh.

“What happened?”

“Nothing some painkillers won’t take care of later.” He stretches out next to me and pats his chest. “Come sit on my face.”

“What?”

He turns and gives me a cocky smile. “Did you come yet?”

I shake my head. “But—”

“Then I’m not finished. My leg is on fire, though. So, come sit on my face.”

“Z.”

“Unless you’re about to say one of the approved phrases for the night, get your ass up. I’m not fucking around, woman.”

Good god, will I ever get over that bossy attitude of his turning me on so much? I hope not.

I scramble onto my knees and kneel beside him. My gaze strays to his injury again. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.” He cups my hip with one hand and urges me closer. He slides down and I wriggle my way up until he has me exactly where he wants.

The second his tongue makes contact with my flesh again, my legs shake.

“Put your hands against the wall.” His warm breath ghosts over my damp thighs. “Can’t have you losing your balance.”

“Yeah, I’ll smother you.”

He slaps my ass, driving me forward where his tongue waits for another long, slow lick. Maddeningly slow. How does he have this much patience and self-control?

I tilt my head back, arching and reaching until I wrap my hand around his cock.

He groans and clutches my hip tighter. “Not yet, pretty girl,” he mumbles against me.

I squeeze him a little tighter and slide my hand up and down until he groans again.

“Concentrate, Lilly. You can have my cock after you come.”

“That seems unfair.”

Careful not to add kicked in the face to his injuries for the night, I turn over. He wraps his hands around my waist and drags me where he wants, keeping a tight hold of me. Now I have enough room to play.