Isabella

The car that had delivered me to my destination took off down the road like the hounds of hell were after it. Not that I could blame the poor driver. I looked through the gates at the Dixie Reapers MC compound. Not much had changed since I was last here. A Prospect approached the gates, his face lighting up when he saw me. I got that reaction a lot. I’d always been pretty, but the last few years I’d gained some womanly curves and my face had matured. He swaggered closer, his hand tucked into his belt.

“You looking for a good time?” he asked. “Because I could fuck you all night long, sweet thing.”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Yeah, I’d never heard that one before.

“Open the gates,” I demanded, trying to sound tougher than I was.

He licked his lips, apparently thinking he was getting his fondest wish. The gate slid open, and I strolled through on my heeled boots that hugged my calves and stopped just below my knees. The gate closed behind me, and the Prospect placed his hand on my waist. I quickly removed it.

“Why don’t you get on your knees and give my cock some attention?” he said, starting to unfasten his belt.

“Or you could keep your pants zipped and your dick attached,” I said.

“Did you just threaten to remove my dick?”

“Oh, I won’t be the one removing it. Torch will.”

He sneered at me. “And why would Torch give a shit about some whore who showed up uninvited?”

I held up my forearm, the brand that said Property of Torch clearly on display. I’d been marked when I was seventeen. My dad hadn’t wanted to take a chance Torch would back out of the deal later. Because I’d been underage and a virgin, Dad had refused to let Torch claim me in any other way, but I was his just the same. And I’d damn sure never told my dad about the kiss I’d shared with Torch. That kiss had remained with me all these years. I still could taste him when I closed my eyes.

The Prospect’s face paled, and he stammered an apology before getting out of my way. I walked across the concrete lot and up the clubhouse steps. Music blared from inside, and I braced myself for what I might find on the other side of the door. I’d heard my daddy threaten Torch if he so much as unzipped his pants with another woman. Casper VanHorne hadn’t been fucking around. As far as he was concerned, Torch was married to me, and my daddy expected him to be faithful, even if I had been too young at the time. My heart ached at the thought that he might not have kept his promise. The moment I’d laid eyes on Torch, I’d fallen under his spell, and it had scared the hell out of me. It had scared me so much, I’d done the chicken shit thing and run.

I’d been gone a lot longer than I’d expected. My graduation had taken place within six months of Torch branding me as his. The plan had been for me to visit family abroad for six months, then return to Torch. I’d have been eighteen by then, nearly nineteen, and it would have been legal for us to be together, but I’d been too damn scared to come back. I’d only met him the one time, but the way he’d made me feel still shook me to my core. So, I’d hidden. Not just from Torch, but from my dad too. I’d used what few contacts I had and disappeared, making sure I left no trace, until I was ready to face my fate. Not an easy feat with two powerful men looking for you. I’d gotten fake documents with a new name and changed locations every few months. Staying under the radar hadn’t been easy, but I’d managed.

I was twenty now, almost twenty-one, and I knew I couldn’t keep running. Wasn’t even certain I wanted to. I was a grown woman now, and it was time to claim my man. Or more likely, let him claim me. Assuming he wasn’t pissed beyond belief. My hand pressed against the door. My future, whether good or bad, lay on the other side. I wouldn’t blame Torch for being furious with me for being gone so long, for just vanishing. I knew my father was enraged, but I’d deal with Daddy later. But Torch… I belonged to him. I didn’t know what the punishment would be for my actions, and I only hoped I was strong enough to take it. I’d probably made him look like a fool by taking off like that. It hadn’t been my intention, but I didn’t know if he’d care why I’d left the way I did.

I blew out a breath and opened the door, stepping inside the dimly lit interior. Smoke filled the air and nearly made me choke. Through the haze I could see the bikers weren’t too picky about where they had sex. Naked women strolled through the room, completely on display for anyone to look at or touch. I hoped I hadn’t made a mistake in coming here. Daddy had made a deal, and it was up to me to keep it, but I wasn’t too happy with what I saw.

Torch was in the back corner with some of his brothers, a naked whore on his lap. She didn’t seem to be doing much but sitting there, but it still made me ill. He was supposed to be mine. Part of me wanted to march over there, drag her ass off him, and kick her out the door. But I’d never been the confrontational sort. Even after all this time, I was still on the quiet side most days. I made my way over to the bar and climbed onto one of the stools. If I was going to get through this night, I knew I’d need a stiff drink. I cursed myself as a coward, thinking I didn’t do justice to the VanHorne name. According to my daddy, I took after my mom, and since she hadn’t been able to handle Dad’s lifestyle and had died by her own hand when I was just a baby, I didn’t think that was a compliment.

“Rum and coke,” I told the Prospect behind the bar. “Heavy on the rum.”

He winked and set about making my drink, then slid it in front of me. I downed it in a few swallows and motioned for another. A hand slid around my body and cupped my breast, squeezing it to the point of pain. I inhaled sharply and immediately wished I hadn’t. Whoever was standing behind me smelled ripe, even over the smoke in the air.

“Whores aren’t allowed to wear clothes in here,” a voice slurred in my ear. “Strip and show me a good time.”

“Good thing I’m not a whore,” I said, removing his hand.

“Fucking bitch,” he spat. “You aren’t allowed to say no. Club rules.”

He jerked me off the stool and backhanded me across the face. My knees nearly gave out, but he still gripped my arm tight. I could feel him bruising my skin even as pain radiated across my cheek.

I saw stars for a moment, and when he reached his hand back again, I reached up and grabbed it before it could connect with my face. His gaze focused on my arm and his glassy eyes went wide. He looked from my tattoo over to where I’d last seen Torch, and the blood drained from his face. I heard the sound of several booted feet heading toward us and braced for whatever was about to happen.

“Boy,” a voice growled behind me. “We don’t hit women around here.”

That voice. I closed my eyes a moment, a shiver raking down my spine. All these years and I hadn’t forgotten his voice. Even now, that voice made me want to submit, to give him anything he asked for.

“I didn’t mean it, Pres. I didn’t know she was yours.”

I felt a warm hand on my waist, and slowly I was turned to face Torch. His gaze studied my face, sliding down my body. I could tell I was familiar to him, but he hadn’t yet figured out who I was. I’d changed, matured, over the last three years. The stick-thin waif who had shown up here didn’t exist anymore. When he saw the Property of Torch tattoo on my forearm, his gaze jerked back up to mine. I’d expected to see irritation when he realized who I was, but his gaze softened and the tenderness in the depths of his gray eyes left me breathless.

“Isabella,” he said in a near whisper. His touch was gentle as he stroked my cheek where the asshole had hit me. That simple gesture was enough to make me feel foolish for running for so long. The feeling of his fingers against my skin made me want to curl into his chest and hold on tight. From the moment I’d first met him, I’d known Torch would keep me safe.

“I didn’t know, Torch,” the man blubbered. “I’d have never touched her if I’d known.”

Torch’s gaze was steady on mine another moment. When he looked at the man behind me, a coldness filled his eyes that chilled me to the bone. His touch remained gentle on me as he pulled me against his body, but his hand shot over my shoulder, and I heard the crack of his fist against the man’s face. Brothers began gathering around us, and I hid my face against Torch’s chest. This wasn’t how I wanted everyone to meet me again after all this time.

“Get this fucker out of here,” Torch said.

“Want me to teach him a lesson?” a man asked.

“Yeah, Tank. Why don’t you show him what happens when you lay your hands on a woman. Especially my fucking woman.”

The room grew so damn quiet I could have heard a pin drop. I looked up into Torch’s face, and he was fiercely scowling at anyone nearby. I felt the power rippling through him as I clutched at his waist, my hands gripping the sides of his cut. Being near him almost made it hard for me to breathe. I knew when he finally touched me, more than the slight stroke against my cheek, when he truly made me his, it would change me forever. And that scared the hell out of me.

Torch’s gaze dropped to mine, and there was a flash of fury in his eyes. His hand cupped my injured cheek. “Get me some ice,” he barked at the Prospect behind the bar.

When he was handed an ice pack, he laid it against my cheek. I couldn’t help but wince.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he said. “It’s already swelling, and it may bruise. What did that fucker say to you before he hit you?”

“He told me whores didn’t get clothes, said I wasn’t allowed to say no, and when I told him I wasn’t a whore, he pulled me off the stool and hit me,” I told him softly.

Torch growled. “Tank,” he called out to the man who was quickly heading out the door.

“Yeah, Pres,” he said, coming back to stand next to us.

“Bust that fucker’s balls. Make sure his dick doesn’t work for a while.”

Tank smiled grimly. “You got it. Welcome home, Isabella.”

My gaze didn’t stray from Torch’s face. There were a few more lines around his eyes than had been there before, and his hair had turned more silver, along with his beard. But he was still as devastatingly handsome as he’d been before. Maybe even more so. As his arm slid around my waist, I felt like I was finally where I belonged.

I heard murmurs around the room, then some whore started whining. “Why’s he touching her when he could have me?” the woman bitched.

I closed my eyes, but Torch lifted my chin and I opened them again.

“Don’t listen to her,” he said. “I kept my word to your dad. No one’s been in my bed since I put my mark on you.”

I smiled faintly. “Afraid he’d cut off your balls?”

Humor flashed in his eyes. “Something like that.”

“I haven’t been with anyone either. I’m sorry it took me so long to come home, but I wasn’t ready. I know you were looking for me, Dad was too, but I had some growing up to do. I’ve spent my entire life being protected and sheltered, everything given to me, my every move dictated. Being on my own opened my eyes a little.” I bit my lip. “And maybe I was a little afraid you’d consume me when I got here. I just needed some time.”

“Are you ready now?” he asked.

I nodded.

“That’s all I fucking needed to know,” he said, then his lips were on mine. His tongue thrust into my mouth, and he pressed me tight against his body, his cock grinding against me. For a moment, I was taken back to the day we’d met. Torch had kissed me, nothing like this kiss, but it had been my first ever. My only. I’d been his from that moment on, and not just because of the ink on my arm. “You’re mine, baby. I’ve waited for three fucking years to claim you, and I’ll be damned if I’m waiting a minute longer. You even think of walking out the door and disappearing again, and I will tie your ass to the bed.”

My cheeks warmed. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Torch kept his gaze on me as he addressed the room. “I’m taking my girl home. Any of you fuckers disturb me for the next twenty-four hours, and I will kick your sorry asses.”

Without another word, he swung me up into his arms and began striding through the clubhouse and out the front door. There was a line of bikes outside, and he approached the one on the end. Torch eased me down his body and pointed to the bike. My leg swung over the seat, and once he’d climbed on, I pressed myself close to his back, my thighs embracing his body as my arms went around his waist. His body was hard and solid. My hands drifted down his abdomen and I felt the hardness of his cock pressing against his zipper.

Torch growled and put my hand back on his stomach. “You touch me when I say you can.”

His words sent a thrill through me, and I rested my cheek against his back. The bike roared to life and soon we were flying down the road. His house wasn’t too far, and he pulled to a stop in front of a two-story home that looked like it had been freshly painted. There were flowering shrubs lining the front porch. It was… cute. And not something I pictured the badass President of Dixie Reapers MC owning.

“It’s blue,” I said.

“Like your eyes,” he said.

He’d painted his house to remind him of my eyes? Nothing could have stunned me more. I got off the bike, and he practically dragged me up the steps and to the front door. Torch unlocked it, pulled me inside, then slammed the door shut and twisted the bolt. I looked around, taking in the warm maple floors and neutral-colored walls. This was my home now, and oddly, I felt like I belonged here.

“Upstairs. Now.”

I climbed the stairs, my legs trembling with every step. The door at the end of the hall stood open, and I moved toward it. It was a spacious bedroom done in black, gray, and white. The bed was larger than any I’d seen before, and my cheeks flushed because I knew he was about to claim me. I’d held onto my virginity, not letting anyone touch me because I knew I belonged to him.

Something hit the floor behind me, and I turned, my eyes going wide when I saw Torch removing his clothes. I took in every inch that was exposed, and a warmth spread through me. Anyone looking at him wouldn’t know he was in his fifties. His biceps bulged, his broad chest led down to a tapered waist and a set of abs I longed to touch. When his pants dropped, and I saw his cock for the first time, I couldn’t stifle my moan. It was so hard and thick, so damn long. I balked for a moment, worrying it wouldn’t fit.

“Take off your clothes, Isabella.”

The command in his tone had me removing my clothes, even though my hands shook. I’d never been naked in front of anyone on purpose before. Just the one time those men had taken me, and I’d been humiliated and terrified. But Torch didn’t make me feel either of those things. Excitement buzzed under my skin because I was finally going to be with the man I’d thought of every day for the last three years. It had been cowardly of me to stay away, but I was here now, and I had no doubt I would be his in every way before the sun came up.

As the last of my clothes fell to the floor, Torch walked around me, studying every inch of my body. He stopped in front of me, and the desire in his eyes took my breath away. I almost begged him to touch me, but I held back. The man in front of me wasn’t one to take orders.

“Sit on the edge of the bed and lie back,” he said.

I nodded and moved over to the big bed. I sat on the edge, then lay back against the cool bedding.

Torch moved closer, his gaze caressing me from head to toe.

“Spread your legs,” he demanded. “I want to see what’s mine.”

My heart hammered in my chest as I slowly parted my thighs. I felt the cool air touch my pussy and wondered if he liked the fact I’d had it waxed. I’d known what would happen when I came to him, and I’d wanted to be prepared. The girls I’d gone to school with had always giggled and talked about how their boyfriends liked them smooth.

Torch stared, his gaze hungry. His hands reached for me, his palms sliding up my thighs, then pushing my legs farther apart. I felt my pussy open to his heated gaze, and I flushed from head to toe. I’d never been so exposed before, but this was Torch and I was his.

“No one’s touched you?” he asked.

“No.”

His gaze met mine. “You ever make yourself come?”

I slowly shook my head. I’d tried a few times, but I hadn’t been able to get there.

“Then I guess we’d better rectify that,” he said, getting to his knees. His hands still held me wide-open, and as he leaned closer, I felt his hot breath blow across me. My thighs tensed a moment before his lips touched me.

Nothing could have prepared me for the feel of Torch’s lips against my pussy. His tongue stroked the soft skin before plunging inside. I gasped as his tongue flicked in and out of my tight channel, my nipples hardening from the intense sensations rolling over me. His hands still held me wide-open as his mouth ravaged me. The soft hair of his beard just heightened the experience. His tongue speared me again before circling my clit. My body felt like it was on fire, and I knew it was only going to get more intense. He’d barely gotten started, and I felt like I might detonate at any moment. His tongue dipped into my core again, then he sucked my clit into his mouth and I came, screaming his name. I could feel my release dripping onto the bedding, and I trembled from head to toe.

Torch bit my inner thigh, then rose over me. His nose traced mine, and then he placed his lips near my ear. “Next time you scream, it had better be Connor I hear on your lips. Only club whores scream out Torch.”

I blinked up at him. “Connor?”

A slight smile graced his lips. “Guess your daddy never told you. My name’s Connor Maguire. But outside this house, or in front of other people, I’m Torch.”

“All right,” I said softly. It made me wonder what else I didn’t know about the man who was going to claim me body and soul.