Chapter Fifteen
Veronica
Climbing off the back of Van’s bike, I look to the front of the Grim Bastards clubhouse then back at him. Of course, he isn’t looking at me. He has barely laid eyes on me since he woke me up this morning. I’m pretty damn sure he regrets last night, regrets ever laying a hand on me. I don’t regret it, not even a little bit.
Not only was it the best sex I have ever had, but it was also the first time in my life that I ever felt truly wanted. I’ve been with a lot of guys, more than I care to admit, but I never felt like I was important to them. I was always just a means to an end, a way to get off and nothing more. With Van, I feel like he needed me as much as he needed his next breath.
Pulling my eyes back to the clubhouse, I attempt to put my night with Van out of my mind and stretch the sore muscles in my back. I love being on the back of a bike. Even as a little girl, I loved riding with my arms wrapped around my dad. It gives me a feeling of total freedom, unlike anything else in the world. The only problem is that long rides leave me feeling like I just got my ass kicked.
“Let’s get our asses inside,” Van orders as he starts walking to the door with Brass and Taz walking at his side.
By the time we get to the door, a brother pushes it open and ushers us inside. The men talk amongst themselves as he leads us into the common room. I ignore them, looking around for a familiar face. It only takes a second for my eyes to land on one of the old ladies, but it’s not the one I’m looking for.
“We didn’t expect y’all for another hour,” the Bastards’ Sergeant at Arms says as we come to a stop at his table. “Boz had something to do this morning, but he’ll be here any minute.”
“Not a problem,” Van tells him, sitting down in a chair.
I stand there, wondering what the fuck I’m supposed to do now. The question is taken away from me when Van pulls me into his lap. I’m so surprised, I let out a gasp and nearly tumble to the floor. When I finally calm down, I turn and scowl at Van. He is looking at me with a cocky smile on his face.
“You got some balls, man,” the Grim Bastards’ VP says as he takes a seat. “No way I’d ever go anywhere near my Pres’s daughter.”
Narrowing my eyes, I reply for Van. “Your Pres doesn’t have a daughter, so that’d be pretty easy for you.”
Normally, I wouldn’t say a word at a table full of bikers. I’d keep my mouth shut, knowing that at some clubs, women are meant to be seen but not heard. I also know that some men don’t mind using their fists to make sure that stays true. Considering that the men sitting in front of me are my friends’ husbands, I let my words fly.
“You’ve got a point there, sweetheart.” He nods, his smile growing impossibly bigger. “What I should have said is, there is no way I’d lay a finger on Tito’s daughter, no matter how fucking irresistible she is.”
“Yeah, but it may be worth Tito’s anger to get a taste of you,” the Sergeant at Arms says, with a twinkle in his eye.
“If you do any tasting, I’ll cut off your balls,” My friend Addy says, walking over and flicking her finger against the side of her old man’s head.
“Why would I, when I have your sweet ass in my bed every night?” He looks up at her, smirking in a way that has her losing the frown on her face.
“Good answer,” she replies then looks at me and grins.
A smile spreads across my face as I wiggle out of Van’s lap and run over to my friend. Addy and I hug, both talking over the other. I only met her a few years ago and had only seen her twice in all that time, but we’ve become close through calls and frequent text messages. We’ve barely said two words when I’m jerked away from Addy, bringing our reunion to a quick death, and pulled back into Van’s arms.
“Stay close to me, Ronni. I don’t know everyone here, and I’m not taking a chance of you getting hurt,” he whispers, tightening his grip on my waist.
After a morning of near silence, the sound of him talking to me causes goosebumps to crawl along my arms. I replay the words, trying to figure out if he would truly be upset if something happened to me. I look deep into his sky-blue eyes, wondering if he really cares about me or if he is just doing his duty to my father. I search them, looking for my answer, but I can’t decipher what I see.
“I won’t go too far, but I want to spend some time with my friends,” I say, hoping like hell he will give me the chance to have a little fun.
He looks toward Addy then back to me before finally nodding. “I wanna be able to see you at all times.”
Addy doesn’t give him a second to change his mind, just grabs my hand and pulls me to the bar. Within a minute or two, we are sitting down with a shot of tequila in front of each of us. Our laughter starts after the second shot. By the fifth, we are both giggling so hard we can barely keep our asses on the stool.
“You’re here,” Trix squeals as she walks through the door.
“I sure am,” I reply, my eyes glued to her rounded stomach as she walks my way. “Have you been keeping a secret from me?”
She stops a few feet from me, laying her hands on her tummy. “Not exactly.”
I slide off the bar stool, walking the distance between us and wrapping my arms around her. It feels great having my arms around my friend again, and it feels even better knowing she has a new life growing inside her.
When we separate, she starts to explain herself. “I found out I was pregnant about a month after your mom died. I wanted to tell you, but it didn’t feel right calling you. I felt guilty, being all happy when you just lost your mom.”
Trix called me right after mom died. She told me about losing her mom, told me how the pain never went away, but it did get easier to deal with as time passed. I wanted to tell her that her mom and mine were as different as night and day. I wanted her to know that I would never shed a tear for the woman that gave me life. Instead, I just listened and let her comfort me as only a friend can.
“I understand, but the truth is I could’ve used the good news. It’s been crazy as hell the last few months, and something like this would’ve been good to hear,” I tell her, not wanting her to feel any guilt. “I’m happy for you, Trix, really happy.”
She smiles, following me back to the bar. Addy and I throw back another shot as Trix sips on a Sprite. The entire time, we are gabbing like long lost friends. I know they wonder why I’m staying with my dad’s club, but I keep my mouth shut, knowing Van doesn’t want anyone to know.
As much as I hate to admit it, hate to think people that I consider friends could stab me in the back, I know that people will do crazy shit for money. The kind of money I’m going to be worth in a few months could even make the best of friends turn on me. It’s best just to keep my mouth shut about the whole mess.
It’s not that I don’t trust Addy or Trix, because I do. I could talk to them about anything. The real reason I keep my mouth shut is I just don’t want to talk about it. I don’t even want to think about it. The less I worry right now, the better off I am.
“Are you fucking Van yet?” Addy asks, a wicked grin on her face. “Please, please, please tell me you are fucking that piece of man candy.”
I smile back and shrug. “You know how it is. You see a hot guy, realize he’s packing some heat, and your panties just fall to the floor.”
“Amen, sister,” Trix shouts, causing the prospect behind the bar to chuckle. “Been there, done that shit.”
Addy leans close and whispers, “Is he as good as he looks.”
My mind goes back to having him glide in and out of me, and I can’t stop myself from looking over my shoulder and looking at him. He is gorgeous, absolutely fucking gorgeous. His auburn hair is in a mess of waves, letting everyone that sees him know that he just got off his bike. Right now, I want nothing more than to run my hands through those waves, while I beg him to fuck me harder.
“Even better, so much better.” I breathe deeply, need filling my body. “Never had anyone like him in my life, not even once.”
Trying to calm my raging lust, I ask the prospect to bring me another shot, telling him to leave the bottle behind. Then, I start answering Trix and Addy’s questions with as much detail as I can. Before long, they start talking about their old men. We compare stories back and forth, trying to outdo the other.
I’m on my seventh shot when a pair of arms wraps around my waist. For a second, I assume it’s Van and melt into them. I take a deep breath, ready to turn around and kiss him, but the scent that hits my nose causes me to freeze. It’s not Van. There is no underlying scent of leather and bourbon that seems to surround him. Instead, it’s a sandalwood scent that I got up close and personal with on my last visit.
As I attempt to pull out of the man’s embrace, he jerks me around in his arms. My eyes land on Scout, a Grim Bastard that I know really well. If it wasn’t for Van, I would probably get to know him even better this visit. Before I can utter a sound of protest, his lips are on mine. The taste hits me, reminding me of how good he can make me feel, and I can’t hold back a moan from slipping out.
My brain clicks back in place, knowing he isn’t the one I want, and I start to push him away. Before I can even give him a shove, I am yanked from his arms. The next second, I’m plastered to Van’s side, and he is glaring at Scout. The anger radiating off of him is enough to cause my heart to skip a beat.
“I was…” I start to explain, making sure he knows that Scout wasn’t hurting me and that it won’t happen again.
He cuts me off before I can finish, and the words that come out of his mouth make my world spin. “She’s mine.”