I stand outside Cindy’s house and nervously bite my lip.

“Are you sure about this, Silas? I wasn’t great about it the first time around, and I’m not liking the idea of being rejected a second time.”

He grabs me around the waist and pulls me into his body. “I should have known you were listening.”

He kisses the top of my head and I settle into his embrace. “What can I say? It’s a gift.”

“You didn’t hear all of it, princess. Not everything my mother said was bad.”

“You’re probably right,” I concede with a small sigh. “But that doesn’t mean we need her blessing.”

“You’re Italian. You’ve got to know how these things work. Trust me, sweetheart, life will be easier for both of us if we take care of this now. Besides, although she’s getting better, she’s recovering, and still on those pain killers. In her state, she’s liable to cheer us on or break out into song.”

“All right. Let’s go.” I take his hand, and he guides me inside to the dimly lit living room. “Hello? Anyone home?”

“We know she’s here…why bother calling?” Silas gives me a quizzical expression.

“She could have company or something. And if there’s one thing I don’t want to see, it’s Tate and your mother.”

“Jesus,” Silas groans. “I’ll need fucking therapy if I ever catch a glimpse of that shit.”

“I’m home,” Cindy shouts from the TV room. “Get in here.”

We find Cindy nursing a martini with one hand and flipping through TV channels with the other. She takes a big slurp of her cocktail, shakily putting it down on the bedside table. “You realize I heard all of that, right?”

“Oh,” we reply in unison.

“Yeah. I’m medicated, not deaf. Anyway, have a seat and let’s talk. I know you’re here for a few reasons. We can start with your plans for the MC. Tate told me what’s been going on with the club.”

Silas makes a grimace and Cindy raises her hand to stop him. “Don’t look at me like that, Si. My son can’t take the time to call his mother for her input, so I had to rely on other sources. Like my booty call… You know I’m on board. Your old man always thought we’d eventually go legit. But that’s not the main reason why you’re here. You two want to be together, right?”

“Yes,” he answers, covering my hand with his.

“And you love her?”

“Jesus Christ, Ma.”

“Answer the damn question, Si.”

“Yes.”

She cocks her head and studies me. “Trust me doll, you should be thanking me for that because I know Silas. He sure won’t be saying those three words to you anytime soon. And what about you, princess?”

“Yes, Cindy. I love your son.”

His mother rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Okay, glad we got that settled. I’m glad you came here for my blessing. That’s what you want, right?”

“We would.”

“Good. Si knows he can make his own decisions, but he’s also aware that I can and will make his life hell if he doesn’t get the all-clear from me. And yours too, princess.” She returns to staring at the muted TV screen for what feels like forever. “Fine. You have it. Just try to remember how well my hearing works. On the other topic, you both know I’m not one hundred percent impressed with an overnight reversal in plans, but I can appreciate your vision. Sabrina, you clearly have my son on a leash, but it’s not all bad. He has some direction, which positions the MC for the long term. I hope you both know it won’t be an easy task. Trust me, every day will be like a fight to stay the course. But if anyone can do that, it’s the two of you.”

Silas glances at me from the corner of his eye.

I wasn’t planning to back down, but Cindy’s perspective is encouraging.

“In all seriousness, I like your energy. And seeing how you handled yourself in all this excitement…you’ll do fine around here. Welcome to the family, princess.”

“Thanks, Cindy.”

“Oh, and one word of advice. Keep your PDA to a minimum around the clubhouse. Or someone will have to gag me with a spoon.”

“Yeah, Ma,” Silas speaks up. “We can absolutely do that, no problem—ditto for you and Tate.”

“Don’t go there,” she whines, and Silas gives her a quick hug and shuffles me out of there.

“That went better than expected,” I tell him outside on the way back to his bike. “Who knew she’d have a total change of heart.”

“That could be the meds talking. Or the alcohol. Either way, I don’t want to stick around for her to change her mind.” He hands over my helmet. “Let’s go. There’s a rumor going around that Jenny’s throwing us a party.”

“Sounds like fun.”

Silas starts up the bike and I climb on, clinging to him extra tight. He looks back at me, eyes filled with lust. “I don’t know about you, but I’m down for some dessert.”

“So that’s it, huh?”

“Fuck yeah. You’re mine now. Got a problem with that?”

I nod. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Just wait till I get you alone, princess.” He rolls off, speeding into the first turn.

* * *

I look around as Silas slows down and takes an early exit ramp off the highway. We’re not halfway to the clubhouse. His bike rumbles through the turn and after a short drive on the main road, he drives into the parking lot of the only hotel in town.

“Do you have a meeting here?” I ask as we come to a stop.

He looks back at me. “You can call it that.”

“What do you mean?” I hop off the bike and pull the helmet off my head.

Pulling me close, he takes my hand in his and slides my fingers over his erection. “See what you did? Grinding your pussy on my ass, clamping your thighs onto mine. You did that. We’re stopping here so I can tire you out a bit,” he grins, and kisses my cheek. “Let’s go.”

He leads me into the hotel lobby, pays for a room, and is dangling a key card in his hand within minutes.

“It’s on the main floor,” he whispers against my ear. “No elevators.”

“Even better,” I moan, lifting a hand into his hair.

We hurry to the room, and as he unlocks the door, he holds it open and lifts me into his arms, staring into my eyes with a look of need that makes my core clench and my panties soak.

“Hurry up and make love to me,” I murmur. “I want you so bad.”

Silas carries me to the sofa and tosses me onto it. He gets on his knees and finds the zipper of my jeans, tugging them off me in no time. I shiver from the feel of his calloused hands sliding up my legs and inner thighs until they hit the seam of my panties. With a devilish glint in his dazzling blue eyes, he rips them right at the seam and throws the shred of fabric over his shoulder.

Pressing my thighs open, he flashes me a glance. “You’re mine, and I am going to worship every square inch of what I own,” he rasps out.

He returns his gaze down to my body and moves in. His head floats forward, and when his lips touch my mound, I breathe out his name. Rough hands spread me wide as his tongue dips into my folds and feasts on me.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

I grab a fistful of his thick black hair for control, but he’s got me pinned under the weight of this head and hands, devouring me with eager licks, and sucks, and bites until sparks explode behind my eyes and I cum. He doesn’t stop when the wave of pleasure subsides. No, he picks up the pace, sliding two fingers into me and pounding me to another orgasm that I didn’t expect. I’m weak and sated, shaking from the overwhelming release, but I still want more. As if reading my thoughts, he moves up my body. Our eyes lock as he takes a seat beside me and lifts me into his lap. Straddling his hips, I lower to kiss him while he undoes his zipper and pulls both his jeans and boxers down past his hips.

God, I can’t wait for his thick erection to surge past my folds and pierce me.

I beg him, pleading against his mouth to take me.

And he does.

His hands dig into the flesh of my hips as he positions himself. With one thrust, he drags me hard down his shaft, filling me completely. He smiles with satisfaction as I call his name. My hands dropping from his hair to his elbows to press my forehead to his as I roll my hips, meeting each of his strokes in perfect rhythm.

His lips drift forward and takes my nipple between his teeth, lips circling the hardened peak at the same pace that he fucks me, until I’m crying out his name up to the ceiling, my inner walls fluttering along his thick width as I cum. My mind is up in the stratosphere as he lifts me farther up his length and slams my body down, stretching out my orgasm as he ascends to his. In a few forceful strokes, he fills me with his release.

He pulls my limp form to his chest and I rest my chin on his shoulder as he wraps me in his strong arms. I relax my arms at his waist, happy to lose track of time with my very own sweet, protective, badass outlaw.