Chapter Twenty-Four
“You heard from him,” Ronica said, her dark eyes dancing with excitement.
Mia grinned as she mixed two colors together in the salon’s back room. “One better—he came by yesterday. When he texted me and told me he’d been an idiot, I almost died. Take it from me—it’s huge that he admitted he was at fault.”
“I bet the homecoming was wild.” Ronica raised her eyebrows in an exaggerated way.
Mia chuckled. “Not as wild as he would’ve liked, I’m sure; since he put me through the ringer for the past few days, he needs to get back into my good graces.”
“Has he started doing it?”
“He made me steak and eggs for breakfast this morning. Oh, and there was a vase filled with fresh flowers on the table.”
“That’s impressive. He must’ve gone to the store before you woke up,” Ronica said.
“I had the food in the fridge already, and I know he picked the flowers from the pots around the community.” Mia laughed. “I love him even more for doing it. He’s my sweet badass rebel.”
“Now for the important question—did he do the dishes afterwards?”
Mia bobbed her head several times. “Yes! He so wants a home run.”
Ronica shook her head. “You’re so bad, but you sure know how to handle him.”
She rinsed off the stir spatula and picked up the bowl. “I’m so fucking crazy about him. I’ve never been this happy in all my life.”
“I’m thrilled Army did the right thing. You deserve to be happy.”
“I do. I better get back to my client. I’m not sure how long Army is staying, but if he’s here for the weekend, let’s double date and go out for dinner. I know Stuart is into motorcycles so he’d have that in common with Army.”
“Sounds good. Stuart’s been talking about getting one since we first met two years ago.” Ronica giggled. “He’ll love meeting an actual biker who owns a Harley-Davidson.”
“Let’s plan on it then. I better go.” Mia left the room and went back to her station.
The rest of the day went by quickly, and she could hardly wait to get home and fix a gourmet dinner for Army. She still felt squeamish about going out, although she hadn’t seen the guy with the red sports car since Vic had called her. Mia hoped Vic would just forget about the whole thing, but she knew that wouldn’t happen. Army seemed to be able to take care of himself, but she still worried over what Vic would do.
When she drove down her street, she smiled and a warm tingle ran through her when she noticed a few less flowers in some of the pots. Mia threw her tote on the counter and leafed through her mail.
The door to the guest bathroom opened and excitement skated over her skin. Army’s home. She put the mail down next to her bag and walked into the living room. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Vic glowering at her. Shit! I forgot to put the alarm on. Her stomach pitched. Swallowing, she gathered the tattered edges of her courage.
“Hi. How have you been?”
“This isn’t a fuckin’ social call, you fuckin’ slut.” He took a few steps toward her.
Anger began overtaking her fear. “You break into my house and then call me a slut? I don’t think so. If you can’t be civil, you’ll have to go.”
“Shut the fuck up! You don’t tell me shit. I can’t stand to look at you!” he yelled, spittle flying out of his mouth.
“Then don’t look at me. Go.” She stepped back, but he rushed up to her.
“You’ve been fucking a goddamn Night Rebel. You’re a damn traitor!” Spit sprayed her face.
Her heart was like a train pounding down the tracks. She knew she should diffuse the situation or it would just escalate, but by now, her anger had totally overpowered her fear. “I’m not a traitor. I have nothing to do with your club and whomever I date is my business, not yours.”
“We’re blood, you stupid cunt. You owe an allegiance to me.”
“It’s funny how you didn’t remember that when we were growing up and you were so mean to me and Finn.” She tossed her head. “You have too much fucking time on your hands. Why don’t you get a damn job so you wouldn’t obsess over my personal life?”
He came closer and she could feel the burn of the angry heat emanating from him. “You’ve always thought you were so damn smart, but you’re not. You’re just a bitch who needs to be taught a lesson. I know who you’ve been fucking. And this Army fucker’s got family in Durango. A real cute nephew.”
Her blood ran cold as icy shivers raced and down her spine. “You couldn’t be that evil to hurt innocent people, especially a baby. Leave his family alone. Leave all of it alone. This is crazy, Vic, don’t you see that?”
“You don’t think that your fucker or any of the other Rebels would do the same if one of their sisters were fucking one of my brothers? They’d do worse, bitch. Those assholes are ruthless and wouldn’t hesitate to kill a woman or a child. They play dirty, and the man you think gives a shit about you wouldn’t bat an eye if his club told him to slit your throat. So … I’m leaving shit alone.”
Vic knows nothing but anger and hate. He’ll never let this go. I couldn’t live with myself if he hurt Army’s family. Maybe I should just walk away. I don’t know what the right thing to do is. The sweet scent from the flowers Army had picked for her that morning wafted around her, dispelling the confusion of her thoughts. She threw back her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Get out. Now.”
Shark took a step closer to her then hauled off and slapped her hard across the face. “I told you not to tell me what to do, cunt!”
Mia cried out and her cats scurried away. Snickers disappeared into the other room, but Pumpkin went to a corner and hissed at Vic. He looked over at the cat, and Mia took the opportunity to immobilize him before he beat the hell out of her. Adrenaline pumped through her as she used all her strength and lunged forward. The pain in her calf screamed, but she ignored it and bent low beneath his arms. In one fluid Brazilian jiu jitsu move, she pushed hard then pulled Vic under her, taking him with her as they crashed down to the hardwood floor.
“Fuck!” he yelled out as they rolled around on the ground.
Mia jabbed his side hard with her knee, and he gasped and stalled just enough for the seconds she needed to gain the dominant position on top of him. She knew if she didn’t keep Shark down that he’d beat her to death, so she gave it her all and managed to straddle him. He smelled of stale beer, cigarettes, and sweat.
“Get the fuck off me, cunt. I’m gonna give it to you—”
She smashed her fist and elbows into his face several times until she heard something splinter; blood gushed from his nose and he bucked forward.
“You’re fuckin’ dead!”
“I’m going to call the cops,” she panted as she kept up the assault to his face even though blood was still pouring from it. Sharp jolts of excruciating pain burned the nerves in her leg, and she wouldn’t be able to hold him down much longer. Taking several deep breaths, she jumped up and ran outside. She limped down to the curb and waved at her next door neighbor—a firefighter.
Vic came bursting out the door, screaming and cussing. The neighbor put down the hose and walked over.
“Everything okay?” Taber asked, his gaze fixed on Vic’s face.
Vic had a wad of paper towels against his nose. He glared.
“Yeah,” Mia said, glancing over at Vic. “My brother was just leaving.” She took a few steps closer to Taber.
Vic stared angrily at her, hate flashing in his eyes. As he walked to his bike, he stopped next to her and hissed in her ear, “You’re gonna pay for what you did, cunt. And if you ever try that MMA shit on me again, I’ll fuckin’ kill you.”
She shuddered as his words scraped along her spine. Long after he’d gone, she stared at the street as her body slowly came down from the adrenaline high she’d been on for the past hour.
As she limped up the sidewalk, she waved at Taber and made a mental note to send over a plate of cookies for him and his family. If he hadn’t been outside, she wasn’t sure what would have happened. She locked the door and turned on the alarm then hobbled into the kitchen to get two ice packs from the freezer: one for her face and one for her leg.
Grabbing a pillow, she slipped it under her head as she lay down on the couch. Snickers jumped up and snuggled next to her while Pumpkin stretched out on top of the sofa.
“I guess it’s pizza tonight, girls.”
She picked up the remote and turned on the television.
* * *
Mia woke up to the touch of Army lips on her, kissing her gently. She curled her arms around his neck and tugged him closer, relishing the taste and scent of him.
“Perfect way to wake up from a nap,” she murmured.
“What the fuck happened, baby?” he whispered before pressing his mouth softly on hers.
The memory of Vic’s visit tore through her mind, and she gripped Army’s shoulders and pushed him back. “I had a bad time at training.”
He swept his tongue over her lips. “Want to try the truth this time?” he asked before straightening up.
What will he do if I tell him Vic was here? I feel like I’m on a damn runaway train.
His cool hand soothed the right side of her face. “We’ve gotta be honest with each other no matter what. I don’t want you keeping shit from me, and I wouldn’t keep it from you unless it’s club business.” He bent down and kissed her forehead. “Let’s try this again. Who the fuck hit you?”
“Vic,” she whispered. For a split second, his hand stopped moving then it started up again.
“Tell me about it.”
“He knows it’s you, and he’s so mad at me. He knows your family lives here and he brought up Joshua in a way that made me think he was planning to hurt him and maybe your brother and sister-in-law. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to them because of me.
“Nothing will,” he replied calmly as he kept caressing her face.
“How do you know?” She pushed upon her elbows, then sat upright with her back supported by the arm of the couch.
“I just do. Did he hit you anywhere else?” He picked up the ice pack that had fallen on the floor while she’d been asleep, and stood up. “Did you want me to get you some ice from the freezer while this gets cold again?”
Mia tugged at his hand. “It’s okay—just leave it alone.”
He eased back down and shifted back against the seat cushions, crossing one leg over the other before putting her feet up on his thigh. He turned to her, a light smile playing on his lips.
“When Vic hit me, I knew I had to defend myself.” She scratched Pumpkin under her chin. “This one helped me out by distracting him, then I moved in. I think I might have broken his nose. I never thought I’d be using my fighting skills to defend myself from my own brother.”
Army’s eyes shone with pride. “You are so fuckin’ awesome—my incredible, sexy wildcat. Don’t feel guilty about what you did. No dude should ever hit a chick.”
“I don’t feel guilty, but I do feel sad about it.” She shook her head slightly. “I guess I just feel bad that my whole family is so screwed up.”
“You didn’t make it that way. Look at what you’ve accomplished for yourself. Don’t blame yourself for what your brothers do.”
“Now you sound like my therapist.” Mia shifted on the couch. “When Vic threatened your family, I thought that maybe it’d be simpler if we backed off a bit. It’s no longer just about us—it’s your club and family. I don’t know.” Mia looked down at the cushion, picking off imaginary lint.
Army brought his hand to her face and slowly traced from her forehead to her jawline with his fingers, then gently ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “I want to always be with you,” he said in a low voice.
Mia tilted her head back, and he leaned forward and peppered her skin with kisses. She moaned softly. “It just seems like everything is against us.”
“Only if we let it be,” he said, his husky tones sending tingles down her spine.
Her heart twisted. Things are already so complicated. I fear for Army and his family. She reached out and stroked his cheek, the stubble rough like sandpaper against her fingertips. Tenderness shone in his eyes, and she knew that no matter what happened she could never be without him in her life. He was the ache between her legs, the shivers on her skin, and the love in her heart.
“I love you, babe. No matter what goes down, you need to remember that and never fuckin’ doubt it.” He nipped the sensitive part of her skin, right below her earlobe.
“And I love you so much. I can’t find the words to tell you how much,” she whispered.
His gaze smoldered with fire as he stared fixedly at her. And then they were kissing, tongues touching. He looped his arm around her waist and pulled her up a bit as he bent down, deepening a kiss that made her toes curl. Mia clung to him as though he was the only thing grounding her in their topsy-turvy world.
“Mia,” he whispered as he nipped her bottom lip before plunging back into the recesses of her mouth.
Army’s hands were all over her body, and she reached down and grabbed one of them, slipping it under her skirt. Surprise flickered in his blues, then they darkened as he pulled her panties aside and slid his finger over her hardening nub. His touch lit her up like a blazing torch under him, and she moaned. She pulled at his belt, fumbling with the buckle until he gently pushed her hands away and undid it himself, then he unzipped his jeans and tugged them past his hips, his shaft poking against her flesh. Her fingers curved around his hardness, and she squeezed tight as her thumb glided over the smooth top of his dick.
“Fuck, baby,” he groaned, as he lowered his head and pressed his lips to the base of her throat before they coasted over her collarbone. “I’ve missed your touch,” he rasped, his words smothered against her skin. He gripped the hem of her shirt and shoved it up under her chin. Mia held her breath as she watched him pull down the cups of her ivory bra, the golden light from the setting sun spilling over her breasts.
“Baby,” he said, his voice thick. Army covered one of her nipples with his mouth and sucked hard while his finger flicked the other one.
A deep groan crawled up her throat and escaped from her parted lips as she arched her back. As he played with her breasts, she slid her hand slowly up and down his dick, loving the way his breathing quickened. Wild tremors sparked through her when he pulled away from her, then looked down and watched as she stroked him. She reached under and tickled his balls and he stilled her hand. Her gaze snapped up to his.
“You’re too good at this, babe,” he said.
Suddenly, they tugged and pulled at each other’s clothes, constantly kissing and caressing. He hovered over her, his gaze locked on hers. “I need to be inside you,” he growled.
Army didn’t wait, and she didn’t want him to.
Mia spread her legs open: she was wet and wild and ready to have him. Placing his hands on top of the couch’s arm, he plunged into her and everything locked into place as they clung to each other, fused together by their raw passion and love, never wanting to let go. Over and over he thrust into her, grinding his pelvic bone against her pulsing nub. Their sweat-slickened bodies moved together in a faster and more-crazed rhythm with skin slapping against skin. Mia clutched his shoulders as she arched her back, rocking her hips tight to him. His thick cock filled every inch of her, and her tight walls clenched around him.
“Fuck, baby,” he panted.
With a scream, she came, wrapping her legs tighter around his waist as she bucked and writhed from waves of ecstasy that crashed over her body.
A rumbling groan burst from deep within Army and he collapsed, his head resting on her chest, as both of them gasped for breath and their heartbeats thrummed wildly. Mia tangled her fingers in his hair, squeezing her legs tighter around him.
“Damn, babe,” he grunted.
“Army,” she whispered.
He pushed up and brought his face close to hers. “I love you so fuckin’ much,” he said, then covered her face with soft, gentle kisses before claiming her mouth.
Mia put her hands on each side of his face and pulled him up at bit. “I love you too,” she said softly then kissed him deeply.
They lay on the couch, entwined together until moonlight seeped in from the living room’s window, illuminating their bodies in a soft, shimmering glow. Mia looked toward the window and watched the streetlight in front of her house twinkle on, and she heard Mr. Stevens’ sputtering car drive by.
Army ran his fingertips across her bare skin and she shivered. He nestled her closer to him. “Are you cold, baby?” he asked in a low voice.
“Not really.” Mia didn’t want him to pull away from him. She wanted nothing more than to block out the world and stay in his strong arms—just as they were—forever.
“I can put on the fake fire.”
She looked up and scrunched up her face in feigned disapproval. “The gas flame is real.”
“Admit you hate your lame fireplace that gives shit for heat.”
“Okay … maybe I wish I had the real thing, but I love the easy cleanup with this one.”
Army chuckled. “So are you agreeing with me or not?”
“Kind of, but not a hundred percent.”
He laughed and held her tighter. “Damn I love you, woman.” Army swatted her ass, and Mia giggled.
Pumpkin and Snickers padded over and sat down right in front of the couch and stared at her. She reached out and petted them, then untangled herself away from Army. “The girls want to eat,” she said, pointing at the cats. Mia sat up then groaned as the right side of her face throbbed.
“The fuckin’ bastard,” Army muttered under his breath. “Do you have any pain pills?”
“Yeah, but it’s not that bad. I think I just got up too fast. I’ll take some ibuprofen. I wanted to make you a killer dinner but got sidetracked when Vic paid me that unexpected visit.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, a hard edge to his voice.
“I was thinking salad and pizza? Or we could order Mexican, Chinese, or Lebanese food from Chowtime. There’re some restaurants that use their service,” she said pulling her top on over her head.
“Pizza works for me, but if you want something different, then I’m cool with that too.”
“Let me give my sweeties their dinner, then we can decide what we want on our pizza.” She scooped up her skirt and underwear then went into the kitchen.
An hour later, they sat next to each other on the couch and ate a sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, and jalapeño pizza while watching a thriller. Pumpkin snuggled next to Army and Snicker burrowed by Mia. The wavering blue flame in the fireplace made Mia smile, and she craned her neck and kissed Army on the cheek. He looked at her sideways.
“What was that for?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.
“For being such a hunk who knows how to push my buttons.”
“Oh yeah?” He turned toward her and put his hand on the back of her neck, drawing her face close to his.
“Yeah,” she whispered.
The caress of his lips on her mouth sang through her veins, and she threaded her fingers through his hair. Army pulled away and winked at her, then he leaned over and grabbed another slice of pizza.
As Mia nibbled on her slice, she couldn’t remember when she’d ever been happier than she was at that moment. She loved him with a fire that could never be extinguished. He is my heart and my life.
She put her empty plate on the coffee table then rested her head against his shoulder as they watched the movie.