Tank took Reagan's hand. It was a simple gesture, but one he had never done before; most times he grabbed onto her elbow or lead her by placing his hand on her lower back. Holding hands seemed more intimate, even sweet. Damn, she was in so much trouble here.
Once they got into the cabin, Reagan pulled her hand away. She was going to need all her wits about her to get through this. Tank didn’t look pissed, but his face had lost the softness, now it was just blank. How could he do that, one-second feeling and the next second cold as hell?
Reagan went to the stove and poured two cups of coffee, handing Tank one. He took it but placed it down on the counter.
“Why didn’t you tell me what you were doing, Rea? I would have helped, shit, I would’ve never let you put yourself in danger like that, and I sure as shit wouldn’t have treated you the way I have been.”
“Really, you say that now. Shit, Tank, I’m the same person I always was; I didn’t deserve some of the shit you put me through. As for coming to you, why would I? We haven’t been friends for a long fucking time. Even before you graduated, you cut me off from your life, then when you got back into town after your term in the Air Force, you would see me on the street say hi or nod, but nothing else. Hell, half the time I think you went out of your way to avoid me.”
“Babe, shit, I can’t explain it you. I knew it was more even way back then, but after all that shit went down, I spiraled. I didn’t want to bring you into my destruction. You had enough to worry about, hell, you were better off without me.”
“Maybe you're right, maybe you’re not, I can’t say because I was never given another option. You have made decisions for the both of us for way to long Tank and I’m sick of it. I can get over the past and move on, hell, I already am, but what you pulled with me last night and the way you’ve been treating me for the last six months, that I have a real problem with.”
“Listen, I was pissed at you, okay? I gave you up so you could have a better life and then you chose to come to the Club for protection and work it off on your back.” Holding up his hand when Reagan went to correct him. “I know differently now, but that did change what I thought, right or wrong. That shit didn’t sit well with me. How was I supposed to know that you and Tuck had a plan or that I was messing it up? You let me do all that shit and talk to you like that without even putting up a fucking fight, and that pissed me off more. It was like you were a different person than I remembered, and I hated it.”
“You were punishing me, Tank,” Reagan said, turning away from him, “just like last night. You got pissed about something that was what YOU thought should be happening and instead of asking or talking to me, you treated me like crap and shut me out. Hell, you still haven’t apologized for any of it. Do you feel even the slightest bit guilty? Do you even care that you hurt me over and over again?”
“Don’t delude yourself, Reagan, you liked some of the stuff I did to you, even some of the things I said. You were wet and ready every fucking time I touched you.”
Reagan couldn’t take it anymore; spinning around, she slapped him across the face.
“I might have liked some of it, Tank, but that doesn’t make up for the rest.” Reagan was so mad, the sting on her palm barely registered. She had never been a violent person, but this was bullshit. All he had to do was say he was sorry, show some regret for his actions, but no, not Tank, he was the same arrogant cocky bastard he had been since the accident.
“You and Tuck were playing me this whole fucking time, admit it. Own your own mistakes before you decide to judge me. Your reasons might have been sound, but Babe that was fucked up.”
“You’re right, and I have no problem owning up to the mistakes I made. You want an apology, you’ve got it. But, you need to understand where I was coming from, Tank. I needed to stay under the radar. When you claimed me as your personal Puppet, I didn’t know what to do. When you told me that it was for appearances only that you would never touch me outside of prying eyes, I was kind of relieved. I could still do what needed to be done and not have to worry about the club or the brothers. I was just as safe with you as I would have been with Tuck. I wanted it to be you, can’t you see that?”
“Babe, you had options, and you took the wrong one. The shit you found affects me. I should have known from the start. I should have been the one figuring out how to take those fuckers down and make them pay for what they did, not only to those girls, but what my Dad did to Georgie and Grace. I should have been the first one you came to, no games. You didn’t give me a chance to do or be anything other than what I was. Now looking back, yeah, I owe you an apology and you’ve got it. I feel like shit for the things I did, but I can’t change it, no matter how much I want to.”
“I’m sorry too, I can see where you are coming from, but at the time, I thought this was best.”
“Listen, my feelings for you run deep, fuck, they always have. Yesterday, when I didn’t know where you were or what had happened, while those fuckers had us on our knees, my first and only thoughts were of you. I thought they had you, I thought they hurt you, and then you walked into the Clubhouse with a busted-up lip and a bruise on your cheek, and it infuriated me. I wanted to kill whoever had hurt you. You leaving with Tuck instead of coming to me, Babe, that was the fucking cherry on top. I sat at that bar and drank and thought and got even more pissed. What I did when you came back wasn’t right, I shouldn’t have done it. Fuck, I can’t even excuse it, but it happened. I wanted you to feel as shitty as I did, no matter how wrong it was.”
Reagan could still see the hurt in his eyes and a little vulnerability, too. Tank wasn’t the type of man to apologize for his actions; he accepted them right or wrong and moved on, but he was standing here, listening to her, and yes, apologizing. She loved him, always had, and she knew, right at that second, she was going to forgive him. Not forget about it, but forgive him for the way he had treated her.
“I get it, Tank and I’m sorry for ever putting you through any of that,” Reagan said walking a little closer to him, placing her hand on his cheek. “I’m also sorry for lashing out at you, it wasn’t right. It looks like we both need to learn how to control our tempers around each other.”
“I don’t know babe,” Tank said, pulling her into a hug, kissing the top of her head, “I kind of like your fire.” They stood just like that for a couple of minutes.
“Tank, I still need to figure out the rest. There are pieces missing, and I can’t figure out who is sending the money and why. Why were the three of them so intent on keeping the RBMC busy? What else were they trying to hide? I’m close, Tank, I know it, I just need to dig a little deeper.”
“No way, you’re out of this. You’ve already put yourself in danger by getting the information about my wreck, I’m not going to let you do anymore.”
“It’s not your choice, Tank. I started this, and I’m going to finish it. You don’t own me and you sure as hell can’t order me around, didn’t you learn anything from what we just talked about?” Reagan moved away from him going back to the kitchen counter it was that or leave the cabin all together, just when she thought they were making progress he pulled the same old shit again.
God, it was sick, but Reagan was turning him on, his dick was hard, and his balls were pulled up tight. This was who he always knew she was, the same girl who never let him get away with shit, but it was time to set her straight. Tank stalked her and Reagan did her best to avoid him, only increasing his hunger for her. The cabin was small, and his prey only had so many places she could go. Once she backed herself up into the wall, he struck. Grabbing the hair at the back of her neck he pulled slightly causing her to look up at him.
“Oh, I own you, Reagan, just like you own my ass. It’s been like that for a fucking long time, the only difference now is I’m not going to fight it anymore. There aren’t any lies or secrets between us and I don’t plan on stopping the inevitable. Pretty fucking soon you’re going to realize it and go with it because there isn’t any other choice.”
Then he did what he had been dying to do the moment he saw her sitting on the dock; smashing his mouth down on to hers, he took possession of her lips. She tried to fight it at first, but it was a losing battle, he would have what he wanted. When she finally started to relax and submit to his assault, Tank dragged his hand down her thigh, bringing it up to his hip, so he could show her exactly what he was feeling.
God, she was so hot, her pussy was burning him from inside his jeans. He wanted nothing more than to rip off her clothes and sink balls deep, but that would have to wait. He knew if he did that now, there would be no going back. She would either stay or leave, and he wasn’t willing to take the chance of her leaving. Her tongue fought him for the dominate position making him smile. Reagan was just as into the kiss as he was, but she would soon learn he always came out on top. Bringing his hand up her side, he cupped her breast and then pinched her nipple hard.
Reagan screamed and shattered in his arms; damn his girl was fucking perfect. She’d just detonated from his touch and kiss alone. He couldn’t wait to see how she responded once he finally got her into a bed. Tank had heard the door open and Suzie’s gasp. Reagan was still out of it on her pleasure induced high, so she hadn’t noticed anything and the dirty bastard that he was relished in that fact.
“Babe, we have company,” Tank said, kissing her forehead.
“What... Oh, shit.” Reagan tried to push Tank away, but it was like trying to the move the vehicle he was named after; until his arrogant ass decided to move, he wasn’t going anywhere. Good thing he decided to let her go a second later.
Suzie’s cheeks were a bright pink, and Brass was grinning ear to ear.
“Well hell, kids, we heard the screaming and came running, but damned if we shouldn’t have stayed out on the dock.” Suzie tried to cover it, but she was laughing her ass off, and Reagan wanted to die. Sure, Tank had gotten her off in public more than a few times, but hell this was just different. Argh!
“Did you just growl, Rea?” Brass asked.
“Nope, you must be hearing things, that happens with age.”
“Okay, whatever you say. So, what’s the plan kids? Tuck wants us back for Church in a couple of hours.”
“We’re all going back to the Clubhouse, Reagan and Suzie can hang out, and the rest of us will come up with a plan.”
“Ah, no,” Reagan said, “that’s not what’s going to happen. I’m not going back to the Clubhouse, now or ever. Not after last night. Furthermore, Suzie and I are going to go through the files I have and figure out what to do next. You and Brass can make tracks and do whatever the hell you want.”
“No, babe, that’s not what’s going to happen. Fuck, listen the RBMC is set up to investigate this shit, it’s part of what we do. You and Suzie have no business messing around in this. Hell, you deserve a fucking spanking for what you’ve done so far and don’t think that isn’t going to happen sometime soon.”
“Yeah, promises, promises,” Reagan said, walking forward, pressing her extended finger into his chest. “Let me tell you something. Brayden. I’m the one that found this, I’m the one that tracked the money, and I’m going to be the one that finishes it. Those fuckers wanted my little sister; all of them need to go down and right now that won’t happen. So, you’re going to let me do what I do with Suzie’s help and stay the fuck out of it.”
“Suzie Q’s not getting involved in this shit,” Brass yelled, “she’s a fucking waitress, and I refuse to let any of you put her ass in danger, and, shit, these people can and will do that. No, the MC will be taking over. I agree with Tank, you and Suzie are out of this.”
Suzie gut punched Brass, and from the looks of it, even his abs of steel didn’t prevent a little hurt.
“Listen carefully, Brass. I may be a fucking waitress, as you put it, but I also have a degree in computer science and have been hacking since my teens. I’m doing this and let me tell you something else, you ever want to go on that date with me, you better check yourself right here and right now because I will not be controlled by no man, even one as sexy as you.”
“So, you think I’m sexy?”
“Fuck, focus man,” Tank yelled. “Keep with the fucking plan.”
“It doesn’t matter, Tank, even if you take me back to the Clubhouse, I’m still going to finish this, you can’t stop me.”
“I can if I tie your ass to my bed and keep you there until we figure everything out.”
“You could try, but if you did, then I promise you’ll never get your hands on my body again, ever.”
“Listen, why don’t we just hear them out and see what their plan is. Tal and Jinx are working on this shit, but even Tuck said that Reagan was able to find patterns that would take months for anyone else to figure out. I, for one, don’t want to wait around while those fuckers are out there doing God knows what if we can find a faster solution. Worthington is still covered, we need to locate the money man, and from everything I’ve heard, Reagan might just be the person to track his ass down.”