“What the fuck was that?” Tracker says, slapping me hard on the back once we enter the motel room next door to where the girls are.
“What do you mean?” I answer, throwing my cut on one of two single armchairs in the room and looking around at my surroundings.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice how fine she is. I saw the way you kept lookin’ at her.”
I turn and glare at Tracker. “I saw you doin’ it too, now shut your mouth.”
Tracker raises his palms at me. “Hey, no need to get all pissed, she’s one hot piece of ass, that’s all I’m sayin’. Pity she has a bun in the oven.”
“Yeah, well, she’s not the one I’m worried about,” I say seriously. “It’s my sister. If Hazel’s got herself caught up in all this, that means she’s involved. If Blake’s after Charity, then he’s after Hazel too, and there’s no way I’m letting him get his hands on my sister.
Tracker sighs. “So, what’s the plan?”
I run both of my hands through my hair. “Right now, I’m tired as fuck. I need to get me some shut-eye. I’ll have a clearer mind in the morning.”
“I’m taking the bed,” Bear calls out from near the doorway.
“Like fuck you are, I am,” Tracker argues.
“Both of you fuckers are on the floor, I’m taking the bed,” I demand.
“Hey…?” Tracker starts, then stops when he sees I’m dead serious.
“Shut it. Now, I’m tired, let’s not argue. I’m taking the bed and that’s final.”
“Fine with me, brother,” Tracker says rolling his eyes. He pulls off his shirt, unbuckles his jeans and kicks them off. Realizing he’s gone commando when they hit the floor, I turn my head to the side and close my eyes, trying like fuck to get rid of the image of his cock in my face.
“Fuck, man, put some clothes on, will ya?”
I hear Tracker’s laugh, and I hesitantly open my eyes and look back over to where he’s standing, still trying to avoid another eyeful of his cock.
“Hey, I got nothing to hide,” he says placing his hands on his hips, still butt-naked. He reaches up and pulls his bandana off from around his head and then settles down on the floor, grabbing one of the pillows from the bed on his way down.
I shake my head. The fucker has no shame.
I walk to the bathroom to take a leak, and once done I splash my face with water, noticing that there’s a red handprint on my face when I look in the mirror. I smile, she’s one wildcat, that’s for sure. I walk back out into the main room, Bear’s made himself comfortable on the foldout sofa, already out, snoring loudly.
I kick off my boots, lift my shirt off, and finish undressing by removing my jeans. Unlike Tracker, I have boxers on. I’d normally go to bed naked, but not tonight, with my brothers in the room. I lie flat on my back, one hand on my stomach and the other above my head. My mind starts to wander back to Charity and I find myself recalling every inch of her body. She’s beautiful, not like the average definition society gives beautiful—her beauty is something else, exotic even.
I was not prepared for her to be the one who walked out of the bathroom, expecting Hazel because that’s where her phone led us. I’d taken a seat on the bed while she’d finished off her shower, but what emerged from the bathroom wasn’t what I’d expected. Instead of my sister, a woman with beautiful long brown hair, blue eyes, and a tight and fit body emerged, and that was just the beginning of what had my heart suddenly racing and my mouth going dry. Her lips, her voice, and fuck, when she slapped me, my cock hardened instantly. She’s got some fire in her belly, that’s for sure, and it was like packaging on an already sweet gift.
But that’s not all she has in her belly, I remind myself. There’s someone else’s baby there, and not just anyone, Blake fucking Reynold’s. Bear was right when he said I’d fought him back in the day. We were both amateurs, just starting out. He beat me in a fight, and when I wanted a rematch, he’d already left the city. Didn’t know where he went to at the time, but it turns out he flew to California to train with the big guns, got some professional fights, with all the perks of sponsors and shit. Me, I went on fighting underground, trying to earn some fast cash. Sure I’d been offered to fight in legit fights, but that wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to be in the spotlight. Fighting was business, and that was all. I didn’t want to make a career out of it, I just wanted the cash that came with it.
My body hadn’t reacted to any woman in a long time, like it did when Jasmine was around. That was until tonight, when I laid eyes on Charity. There’s a part of me that feels the need to protect her, keep her safe from Blake. He’s hurt her, laid his hands on her, and by the sound of it doesn’t want the baby. A man that can’t take care of his woman and his child is not a man in my eyes, just like my fucking old man. If he comes for her, I will do what I can to protect her.
Fuck! What am I thinking? Why this overwhelming urge to protect her? I put it down to the fact she’s my sister’s best friend, and I would do anything for my sister. Yeah, Trigger, keep telling yourself that.
I knock on the girls’ door the next morning with coffee and breakfast in hand. I got up early to check on Hazel’s car and concluded it’s a death trap, and there ain’t no way I’m allowing her to drive the rest of the way to the clubhouse. I’ve called in the boys and asked Torch to ride up here with Blaze to tow Hazel’s car back. Looks like the girls are gonna have to ride back with us.
“Who is it?” Charity asks warily through the closed door.
“It’s Trigger, let me in.”
She cracks the door open an inch, the security chain still in place, and her eyes widen when she sees what I have in my hand. Suddenly the door is closed, then seconds later is opened wider and the food is snatched out of my hand and she’s opening the bag, taking out the croissants I bought.
“You’re welcome,” I say, kicking the door shut and placing the coffees on a small side table next to the rumpled-up bed. She sits down on the edge of the mattress, ignoring me completely as she takes a huge bite out of the pastry, moaning with her eyes shut as she chews. Fuck, that sound is like music to my ears, and I find myself needing to adjust my growing cock when her tongue sneaks out to lick up all the crumbs from her lips.
Her eyes open again when she finishes chewing that mouthful, and she looks up at me, smiling. She’s fucking gorgeous. Today she’s dressed in jeans, and a fitted black top that reveals her shoulder on one side. She has white Converse on her feet, and her hair is down, flowing over her back in shining waves.
I clear my throat. “Where’s Hazel?”
She takes another bite, chews, swallows, then finally answers, “She’s in the bathroom showering.”
“Right…,” I reply, feeling a little out of place. I take a seat on a nearby chair and stretch my legs out, watching as she continues eating the croissant, loving how now and then she smiles as she looks over at me.
“Sorry, I was just so hungry,” she explains, shrugging her shoulders.
“Don’t apologize.”
She frowns then, and I sense that she wants to say something else. “What’s on your mind?” I prompt.
“I’m sorry, Kane,” she says softly, looking down at the gray carpet under her feet.
I cross my arms over my chest and wait until she looks up at me again. “For what exactly?”
“For slapping you,” she whispers, her face turning pink.
I laugh loudly, and I think she’s surprised by my reaction, and I also notice her gaze is fixed on my mouth. “Eh, I deserved it. I shouldn’t have assumed you’re a whore.”
“Has Hazel never mentioned me?”
I shrug. “Hazel mentions a lot of things, a lot of people. Can’t say I can keep up with her life.”
She nods. “Hazel talks a lot about you,” she admits.
I smirk at that. “Is that so? Like what?”
She rolls her eyes and chews at her bottom lip. “I don’t know, she just says how much she loves you, and how if it wasn’t for you, she wouldn’t be where she is today.”
“That’s not on me,” I respond. “My sister’s talented, got nothing to do with me.”
“You’re too modest.”
“Yeah, well it’s true,” I say, running a hand over the back of my neck. Charity looks around the room, then back at me. “What is it?”
She goes to answer then stops. “It’s nothing,” she finally says.
“Say it,” I demand.
“It’s just… I don’t know, I pictured you to be different… in person.”
I stretch, raising my arms above my head, and her cheeks flush a little when my T-shirt raises up and exposes some skin. “You pictured what exactly?” Charity gets up from the bed, walks over to where I placed the coffees and grabs one in her hand. She takes a sip then turns toward me and begins to giggle. “What’s so funny?”
Her skin flushes even darker. “I don’t know, when Hazel said you were in a biker club, I just pictured you to be all….”
My voice is husky when I command, “Say it.” I stand up and close the distance between us. She freezes when I’m mere inches away, and I tighten my fists at my sides, trying to ignore the way my hand aches to reach out and cup her cheek. I want so much to kiss her and taste every inch of her, just to prove to her exactly what kind of biker I am.
“Um… I….” Her gaze moves between my lips and my eyes, and just as I’m about to take her in my arms and devour her mouth, I come to my senses and shake my head to clear it. You need to stop this, Trigger, she’s not yours. What is it with me wanting women that belong to someone else?
“Hey, you two,” Hazel says coming out of the bathroom, a cloud of steam behind her. “Did I interrupt something?”
I turn to face Hazel and walk toward her, laying a kiss on her head when I get close enough. “Just getting to know your friend, that’s all.”
“Hmm. So, when are we leaving?”
“As soon as you ladies are ready,” I say, looking back over my shoulder at Charity. Her eyes quickly flick up to meet mine, and I smirk, knowing she was just checking out my ass in my jeans. Looks like we have something in common—she wants me too. She blushes when she realizes I caught her, and quickly heads toward the vacant bathroom. I follow her with my eyes, and I get a nice shot of her ass, which I also take a moment to admire. Then it’s back to business. “I gotta make a call, Hazel. I’ve brought you some breakfast and coffee. I’ll meet you two out front in fifteen.”
Oblivious to any tension in the air, Hazel responds, “Okay, and thanks for breakfast, you’re the best.” I lean in and kiss her head again, my eyes looking into the bathroom the whole time. Charity has her back to us, but I can see her face in the mirror above the sink. She’s brushing her hair but stops when our eyes meet. Every single part of my body stands to attention at that moment, and I feel an ache in my chest that I just can’t explain. She bites down on her bottom lip, and I swallow hard around the lump that’s appeared in my throat. Fuck, I want her so badly. She sneaks a smile, knowing exactly what she’s doing to me. Fuck, I better get my shit together.
I head toward the door and open it, and remembering the issues with her car, I say, “Oh, and just pack the basics, you two are riding with us, there’s no way in hell you’re driving that heap of shit back.”
Hazel goes to answer but I cut her off. “Don’t want to hear it, just do as I say, Hazel. Your life is worth more than that car. Now just get your shit together. I’ll call Torch to pick up your things, and he’ll tow the car back with your extra stuff. For now, there’s not much room on the bikes so just a small backpack.”
Before I can say anything else, my phone rings and I grab it out of my jeans pocket. “It’s Prez, gotta take this. I’ll meet you two out front.”
Turning to leave, I quickly answer the call, closing the door securely behind me. “Prez.”
“Hey, everything all right? I just called Tracker and he told me what’s going on. Why didn’t you tell me your sister was in trouble?”
“Sorry, Prez, I was meaning to call you. It all happened so fast. I was just about to leave the compound when she called, telling me she’s in some sort of trouble. I asked Tracker to track her down, so I could meet up with her. He decided to come with me, and Bear did too.”
“You bringin’ her back here?”
“Was gonna, that okay with you? I don’t know where else to take her.”
“Of course, man. Your family is our family, and we protect our own.”
Sighing with relief, I say, “Thanks, Prez. There’s one other thing….”
“What’s that?”
I tighten my jaw. “She’s got a friend with her—she’s the reason they’re on the run. Her boyfriend’s slapped her around, got her pregnant and is trying to force her to have an abortion, so that’s why she left.”
There’s a heartbeat of silence on the other end of the line, and then finally he seethes, “What the fuck, who is this asshole?” his tone deadly.
“That’s our other problem,” I confess reluctantly.
“Why, who is he?”
“Blake Reynolds.”
“Not the MMA fighter?” Quill says, his surprise evident in his voice.
“Same one.”
“Fuck, your sister really got into some messed-up shit.”
I snort. “Tell me the fuck about it. Look, Prez, I would tell her friend to go back home, but she’s vulnerable, man, and I’d never forgive myself if he hurt her again.”
Silence.
“Prez, you there?”
I hear Quill sigh into his handset. “Yeah, so tell me… what’s she look like?”
Drawing my eyebrows together, I ask, “What has that got to do with it?”
“She’s hot, isn’t she?”
I can almost picture the smirk on Quill’s face, and I laugh as I walk down the driveway to where my bike is parked. “You know me too well.”
Quill chuckles. “Nah, man. I know any man. You claimin’ her?”
Shocked at the casually asked question, I stop midway to my bike. “Claimin’ her? I only just met her. Plus, she has a bun in the oven that’s not my kid.” He laughs again, and I sputter out, “What’s so funny?”
“You sure know how to pick ’em” is all Quill says.
“Look, no one’s picking anyone, she’s not mine, she has a man.”
“That’s fucking beating her,” Quill reminds me.
I rub at the back of my neck, the hairs there raising at Quill’s words. I know there’s something between Charity and I—fuck, the first time my eyes landed on her I wanted her—and if things were different, then maybe, but right now the most important thing is that her and my sister are safe, and that Blake doesn’t get anywhere near them.
“I know, but she doesn’t need any man right now, Prez, she needs protection, and so does my sister. We’re on our way back now, should be there by tonight. And Prez, another thing.”
“Yeah?”
I take a deep breath, not sure how this will go down. “I don’t want the girls staying at the club. I mean I love my brothers, they’re my family… but….” I wait then, hoping what I couldn’t say out loud gets picked up by Quill.
“I get it,” he finally says, and I sigh in relief. “You don’t want them making moves on her or your sister.”
My hand tightens on the phone at the thought of any man looking at my sister. Charity comes to mind also, but I push that away—way in the back of my head.
“She and her friend can stay at the house with Jasmine, she’d love the company.”
Feeling some of the tension I’m holding on to leave, I say, “Thanks, Prez. I owe you.”
“Just get your asses back here,” he growls, back to full Prez mode.
“Will do.”
“Oh, and Trigger?”
“Yeah?” I say, finally at my bike and rubbing a spot of dust off the chrome.
“Next time you take this to church, okay? We look out for each other.”
He has a point. “I promise. I’ll see you soon.”
“Later.”