It’s Friday. She got here Monday. Every day I waited to hear that she and Gia were gone, and every night she was still here, distracting me with her ridiculous dresses and fucking scent.
That scent. Apples dipped in caramel? Maybe vanilla, with a slight bit of citrus. It lingers in rooms, waiting for me. As if she was put on this earth to tempt only me. Maybe she was. I asked Axel yesterday if he smelled it, and all he said was “What? The coffee?”
I’m a thirty-year-old man, and I can’t seem to stop this need, this force I have for this particular woman.
I motion for Axel to give me the bottle back, biting my tongue not to ask him if they’re definitely gone. Instead, I drown the question down my throat with bourbon.
She’s an unhealthy addiction. Axel said they were leaving, so I’m sure they’re gone. And I don’t need any more of Blade’s looks at me. Ever since the other day when I confronted Axel about them, Blade has been looking at me strangely.
Whatever. I had to say something—for everyone’s sake. They were never gonna leave, and for the first time in my life, I don’t trust myself.
I want her.
If she didn’t get out of here, it would only be a matter of time before I fucked her, and that can’t happen. She needs to go back to school, marry a rich man, and be whatever it is that she was raised to be.
That’s how it’s supposed to be, not hanging out in a bikers’ compound. I bring the bottle to my lips as I see her getting herself off that first day. The way she watched me as she frantically rubbed her cunt until she fucking came, that takes balls.
Goddamn it, now my cock is fucking hard.
This is why I insisted Axel do something. Otherwise, this internal battle I’m having… well, let’s just say I’m getting ready to forfeit. My head can only listen for so long before my dick takes over. Then there’s no going back. She’d be mine.
The door swings open and my eyes dart to Crystal. I take a deep breath, almost grateful for her presence, which only proves how bad this woman has affected me. I’m never happy to see Crystal, with her artificial red hair and giant fake breasts. I have no tolerance for her dramatics.
She was Chuckie’s girl. He actually loved her, so her turning into the club whore and setting her eyes on Blade rubs me the wrong way.
Chuckie was my friend—best friend, really. We met when I was fifteen and doing community service. He was doing it too. I was basically living on friends’ couches, trying to avoid my mother. After that day when she disowned me, I lived in the backyard like a discarded dog until a neighbor called child protective services and my mom was forced to let me back in.
She never got over my brother and father dying in the car accident and blamed me. I couldn’t even walk by her without her chanting a prayer and holding her crucifix up at me as if I were the devil.
The problem was my friends’ parents either felt bad for me, or wanted me out, not that I blame them. I was a big kid, and at fifteen I was already six three. But Chuckie was different. He was also the son of the president of the Disciples and had zero cares. He took me to the clubhouse, and within a week I had packed what little things I owned and moved in, sleeping on the floor or a couch when one was available.
They gave me food, taught me to ride, shoot. The bigger I got, the more they liked it, and soon I was fighting to prove my spot.
I knew this was my family, my only family. Chuckie and the other Disciples became my brothers. It didn’t matter that he drank too much and let pussy rule his brain. I had his back.
Until I didn’t.
“Hey.” Crystal’s voice brings me back to the now as she sits on the edge of the table, smiling.
Blade ignores her as I stand.
“You okay, man?”
His voice reminds me that unlike Chuckie, Blade doesn’t let the pussy and booze rule him.
He brought us back from hell, made us strong. It’s why I followed him and Axel and joined the SEALs. Chuckie passed on me to be his enforcer, and not gonna lie, that was a slap in the face. But that was Chuckie. As much as I loved him, he wasn’t loyal, nor was he a good president.
I grin at Blade. “I’m fine. I’m gonna get a bottle and a bunny,” I say over my shoulder as Ox walks in.
“Oh, Ryder. Please pick Ashley. She’s one of my new girls at the club. She’s kind of shy. I need you to help her loosen up.”