THE NEXT MORNING, I woke up to the delicious scent of coffee and food. But I didn’t care about the food. It was the coffee that I was more looking forward to.
“Zillah,” Tray purred in my ear, giving my shoulder a soft nip. “Wake up.”
I groaned, turning away from him, and wrapped the blanket tighter around me. As much as I wanted the coffee, sleep sounded better.
He chuckled, ripping the blankets off of me.
“Hey,” I cried, shivering as the cool air washed over my naked skin.
“Hmm …” He licked his full mouth, raking his eyes over me. “I could get used to this.”
“What?” I pulled the blankets out of his hands and covered myself. “Pissing off the woman who woke up in your bed?”
Tray laughed. “No.” He handed me a mug. “I don’t want to piss you off. But I could definitely get used to seeing you in my bed.”
I grinned, shaking my head, and took the mug from him. Inhaling deep, I let out a low moan.
“I didn’t know what you take in it.” He sat beside me and turned on the TV.
“This is perfect.” Black was how I took it. Even if there was milk in it, I would have drank it. It was sweet that he thought to make me coffee. “Where’s yours?”
“I don’t drink coffee.” He leaned against the headboard.
“You don’t? But you made me one.” I took a sip, the hot liquid enveloping me in a blanket of bliss.
“I did.” Tray patted the spot beside him. “That was me being nice, as you put it.”
I sat beside him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
Wrapping his arm around my middle, he brushed his fingers beneath my breast.
I pulled the blankets higher, covering myself, and continued drinking the coffee. I enjoyed this. Waking up beside him. Sitting in his bed. Naked. I noticed then that he had on gray sweatpants and nothing else. And for the first time, I actually noticed that his room reminded me so much of the owner. It was dark but warm. It didn’t show too much about the person living in it but it was everything that made up Tray.
The furniture was a dark cherry wood. A large floor-to-ceiling bookshelf sat in the far corner with two chairs before it.
“Do you have plans for today?” I asked him, needing to hear his deep voice.
“I have to take a ride.” He cleared his throat but never met my gaze.
My stomach twisted. “Oh. Where to?”
“Just drink your coffee and I’ll take you home.” He kissed the side of my head and slid off the bed. Pulling off his pants, he turned toward me.
My heart thundered behind my ribs.
“Zillah?”
I coughed, my gaze raking down his naked form. His cock jumped under my scrutiny. His muscles twitching under my watchful stare. “I didn’t know they came in this sort of package.”
Tray laughed, the sound vibrating through me. He crawled back onto the bed, pulling the blankets from my grip, and wrapped a hand around my ankle. “I suggest putting the mug on the nightstand.”
“Oh?” I took a sip of the coffee. “And if I don’t?”
He grinned, pulling me toward him in a rough move.
I squealed, some of the coffee splashing over the side of the mug.
Tray chuckled, taking it from my hand and putting it on the nightstand. “Spread your legs. Let me see you.”
My throat went dry, but I did as I was told.
He towered over me, his dark eyes roaming down the length of me. “Fucking perfect.” Wrapping his hand around his cock, he stroked and pulled. A few more pumps and he was coming on my stomach. “Shit.”
“Oh … my,” I breathed, the warmth of his release coating me.
“You turn me into a prepubescent boy.” Tray kissed me softly on the mouth. Running a finger through the white creamy liquid, he rubbed it into my skin. “I want you to smell like me. I want every man who comes into that damn shop to smell me. Fuck, Zillah.”
“Tray.” My chest rose and fell.
“You need to go on the pill.” His dark eyes snapped to mine. “Promise me. I need to feel you whenever I want.”
“No.” I pushed him back, licking along his bottom lip. “You need to fuck me whenever you want.”
Tray cupped my ass, lifted me in his arms, and carried me to another room.
I covered his mouth with mine, sliding my tongue deep between his lips and taking from him everything I wanted at that moment. I didn’t want to go home and face the day. I didn’t want my father to question where I had been or for my brother to give me a hard time about sleeping with Tray on the first date. I just wanted Tray. Him and me. And I wanted to feel. Every inch of him inside of me. Again.
“Beauty,” he growled against my mouth, slamming me up against something cold.
I broke the kiss just as water rained down over us. I realized then that he had carried me to the shower.
“Tell me you’ll go on the pill,” he pleaded, thrusting his cock between the soaked lips of my pussy.
“Yes,” I promised. “I will.”
“Good girl.” Tray released me and lowered to his knees. “We’ll take a shower and I’ll drive you home but first, I need to taste you on my tongue.” He winked. “Again.”
(Tray)
After I had dropped Zillah off, I headed back to the clubhouse. As much as I wanted to spend the rest of the day with her, I knew I had to get shit underway. I didn’t need her father on my ass and I also wasn’t ready to let it be known that I was in a biker club. Even though I didn’t feel like I was. I’d been a loner most of my life and preferred it that way. But then Greyson came along and everything changed.
“What’s with the stick up your ass?”
My back stiffened. I turned, finding myself coming face to face with the large fucker known as Greyson Mercer. He was the vice-president of Hell’s Harlem. I had actually never met him before now.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, trying to refrain from having a bite in my tone, but I didn’t like being called out in front of the guys. Although no one had said anything, it didn’t mean I wasn’t embarrassed any less.
“You come into the club like your shit doesn’t stink.” Greyson jutted his chin. “You a spy? You’re not patched. Who the fuck are you?”
Funny thing was, we had become friends instantly after that. But I was a hothead and shoved him. Demitry stopped it, and ever since then, I couldn’t stay away.
Pulling into the parking lot of the large house, I gripped the steering wheel and let out a heavy sigh. I should have ridden my bike. There was a lot of shit I should have done.
A tap on the window made me jump.
Opening the door, I saw Greyson standing a foot away.
“Everything cool?” he asked, crossing his arms under his broad chest.
“Yeah,” I grumbled, stepping out of the vehicle. “How’s everything here?”
“Fine.” His deep blue eyes zeroed in on me. “You didn’t spend the night here last night. Why not?”
Greyson never butted into our business but most of us had a routine we followed by. When that routine changed, it threw him off. And rightfully so.
“I spent the night at home,” was all I said.
“Who is she?”
My back stiffened. “Why?”
“Because I need to know if you’re going to break Catch’s heart and I have to pick up the pieces.” Greyson took a step toward me. “Tell me.”
“Just because you boss your wife around doesn’t mean you can do the same shit to me,” I threw back at him.
Greyson laughed. “I don’t boss her around. In fact, she’s the one who wears the pants in our marriage and that doesn’t bother me one bit. You want to know why? I’ll tell you,” he said, instead of waiting for me to answer, “because I know she loves me. I know that no matter how much of a dick I am, she’s always there keeping me in line. Can I say the same for you?”
My jaw clenched. “I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me.”
“Tray.”
“Greyson,” I snapped. “Just drop it. I’m done with this shit.”
“Like fuck you are.”
I shoved past him, heading toward the house, and stopped just at the base of the stairs leading to the front doors. The large building had been another home to me for the past several years. For as long as I could remember. But ever since a year ago, it felt like anything but.
“I miss her.” Greyson came up beside me.
“Me too.” I looked up at the house. Greyson had kept up with the maintenance, putting all of us to work and making sure the grounds were top-notch. If there was something we didn’t know how to do, we were either trained or he had professionals come in. They were also paid extremely well to keep their mouths shut no matter what they saw or heard. But again, it still didn’t feel like home. “Have you talked to Butcher?”
Greyson stiffened beside me. “No. Not since we saw him a few months ago at Trixie’s grave.”
Butcher, or John, but no one called him that, lost his wife just over a year ago at the hands of a madman. Butcher was unleashed onto the fucker and left shortly after. He took his twin boys with him and we hadn’t heard from him. Not since we paid his wife Trixie’s grave a visit and found Butcher sobbing. But that was several months ago. We got a postcard every now and again but that was it.
“It’s been a year,” Greyson murmured. “I know he visits her grave often.”
“You saw him?” I asked, glancing at him. “Other times, I mean?”
“I pulled up as he drove away, once. The other time was with you and Catch. I miss the fucker but I won’t push him. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”
I nodded. “If he ever comes back.”
“True.” Greyson clapped my shoulder. “Come inside. We’re having a meeting because I’m on edge and need to see you guys.”
“Where’s Eve?” I followed him into the house.
“Taking a nap with Jaron. He doesn’t sleep well so she stays up with him.” He let out a heavy sigh. “We had him checked after everything that happened and the doctors said he’s fine but I don’t know.” He looked at me then. “Can a baby have trauma from something they’ll never remember?”
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. “I don’t know.”
He nodded. “Me neither.”
We headed into the meeting room just as the rest of the club members joined us. I sat on one side of Greyson while Catch sat at his other side. He nodded to me. I did the same. And that was that.
“Listen.” Grey rubbed a hand over his head. “There’s really no point to this meeting. I just needed … I don’t even know anymore.”
“Whatever you want boss,” Psycho, formally known as Marc Taylor, said, leaning forward.
“Is there an update on … anything?” Greyson asked, desperate for the information that we couldn’t provide. When in all reality, things were quiet. But it put us on edge. And he didn’t like that. At all.
“Have you talked to Demitry?” I asked. “Maybe he has new information for us.” We had been trying to keep our noses clean. Make a good name for the club but we were bikers. We were shit on before we even spoke.
“Yeah.” Greyson shoved a hand through his hair. “I got us some charity work to do at the local animal shelter. That’s what he wanted us to do for right now.”
My ears perked up at that information. “Animal shelter?”
He glanced my way and nodded.
“Perfect.” I clapped my hands together and sat back.
A round of chuckles sounded throughout the room.
“What? I love pussy. Doesn’t matter if it’s the cat or human kind. Pussy is pussy.” I shrugged. Truth was, I loved cats. All animals really but cats were my favorite. They did their own thing, not giving a shit what anyone thought. They were my spirit animal.
Speaking of cats, Penny, the club cat, jumped up onto my lap.
“I think she’s jealous.” Greyson laughed.
I ran a hand down her spine, her black coat shiny and soft like silk. “Don’t worry, Penny girl. You’re still my favorite pussy.” Next to Zillah, of course. As if she understood, Penny’s purr grew louder. She laid in my lap, letting out a soft sigh.
I chuckled to myself. If only it were that easy to please a female. Not that Zillah had complained. Yet. But she would. They always did.
“All right.” Greyson knuckle rapped the table. “Tray, you head to the shelter. Psycho, go with him but please try and use your real name. We need to be good boys and girls.”
“Did something happen?” Catch asked, leaning forward.
Grey blew out a slow breath. “The mayor has been on my ass to keep our noses out of trouble.”
“Mayor.” I scoffed. “Our town is so fucking small, we’re lucky we have a police department.”
“Exactly.” Greyson stood and started pacing back and forth which we had come to know he did whenever he was antsy. “But it’s the truth. Demitry will skin me alive if I don’t follow through with this but I know you won’t mind hanging out with the animals,” he told me.
“Not at all. They’re easier to deal with than humans half the time anyway.” But I found that I really wanted to see Zillah. It had only been a few hours since I slipped back inside her tight heat and already I was craving more.
“Tray?” Catch rose an eyebrow.
I cleared my throat. “Sorry. What were you saying?”
He frowned. “I was saying that I’ll come with you guys. I’ve been thinking of getting a dog anyway.”
He was lying but I wouldn’t accuse him of it in front of the guys.
“Yeah, that’s fine,” I grumbled, wishing I was back with Zillah. I was royally fucked.
(Zillah)
I hadn’t seen Tray in a week. We texted every day and talked on the phone a couple of times, but I wanted to see him. Be with him. I craved the scent of him on my skin. I needed more. The area between my legs throbbed for him. Shit.
At that point, my phone rang, startling me.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I smiled when Tray’s handsome face appeared on the screen. “Hey,” I greeted.
“Hey, Beauty. Miss me?”
I laughed, slipping into the bathroom that customers used whenever they had their vehicles worked on. “Always.”
“Good.”
“How was your week?” I asked, sitting on the toilet seat.
“It was all right. I got to play with the animals at the shelter, so that was fun.”
“Really?” My heart warmed. “You like animals?”
“I do. Cats especially.”
“I love cows,” I blurted.
“You do?”
“Yeah.” My cheeks burned. “I love all farm animals actually but cows especially.”
“Do you eat them?”
“No.” I laughed. “I stopped eating beef a few years ago. My brother used to give me a hard time about it until my dad smacked him across the head and made him do a shitty job that a prospect should have done.”
Tray chuckled. “Listen, I’m going to be stopping by the shop. It seems my SUV needs some more work.”
“Right. Are you tinkering with your SUV just so you have an excuse to see me?” I leaned against the wall. God, I hoped that was the case.
“Maybe. Can you keep your hands to yourself?”
I left the bathroom. “I’ll try.” I stopped short when I found Tray standing just inside the entrance to the shop. I swallowed hard and hung up my phone.
He lifted his head, his nostrils flaring. Almost like he was scenting the air.
Every inch of me came alive at that. I chewed my bottom lip, forcing back the whimper that wanted to leave my mouth.
He smirked and headed to my dad’s office.
God, he looked good. Black leather jacket. Black jeans. His beard still full. His eyes still dark and watching. Knowing.
It was funny how he looked even better now that I had felt him inside of me. My body heated. I spun on my heel, slamming right into Ripper.
“Whoa there, girl. Where you off to?” He cupped my shoulders, steadying me.
“Sorry.” I glanced over my shoulder, finding Tray standing in the office window, watching the exchange between Ripper and myself. He raised an eyebrow.
I cleared my throat, stepping out of Ripper’s grasp.
Although he was several years older than Tray, he was still a man. From the little I knew about Tray, I imagined he wouldn’t want another man touching me. No matter who it was.
“Listen, I was going to talk to your dad about seeing if you can work here in the front,” Ripper said, pulling a grease-stained towel off a nearby shelf. “You good with that?”
“Um, yes,” I squealed, clapping my hands together.
“Now don’t get too excited.” He chuckled. “I still have to ask him, but I need help. And these fuckers like to call in sick half the time or do a shitty job. Isn’t that right?” he called out to a couple of guys standing by a car that should have been done an hour ago.
The guys grunted, talking amongst themselves.
“See what I have to deal with?” Ripper grumbled.
“You need to lay down the law. Watch me.” I winked, walking past him. “Listen,” I called out to the three guys standing by the hood of a car. “If you guys still want a job here, you should actually do what you’re paid to do. I’m not a rat and I won’t tell my father but do you actually think he doesn’t know that you’re just standing around doing nothing?” I pointed at the window to my father’s office. Although the blinds were now closed, it still didn’t mean he didn’t know what went on in his shop. “Just because you think he can’t see you, doesn’t mean it’s true.”
“Tell your father to stop throwing these parties and I’ll actually be able to function,” one guy said. I didn’t know him, but I had seen him around. He was new. Most of these guys were. The bikers who had been with my father for years had other jobs to worry about. This was the job for a prospect. But it was also a job for me too because I loved working beneath the hood of a vehicle.
“You really think my father throws those parties just so you can drink and fuck and be merry?” I asked the guy who had spoken up.
“Well, I …” He scowled.
“He also didn’t force you to drink. But I know how you new guys work. You want to show the vets up. Let them think you’re all cool and badass just because you can slam back a couple of shots.” I took a step closer to him. “But what impresses my father is work. If you work hard, he’ll notice. Trust me.” I didn’t want the guy to fail. Clearly, my dad saw something in him, so I thought I would help him out a bit.
“You think?” the new guy asked, running a hand through his dark brown hair. “I never thought of that.” He turned to the guys standing around him. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”
They shrugged, knowing smirks spreading on their faces.
I rolled my eyes, grabbed the guy’s arm, and pulled him away from them so we were out of earshot. “Don’t worry about them. Clearly, they are in this for themselves and don’t give a shit who gets hurt in the process. You have to worry about you.”
“Thank you.” He paused. “Zillah is it?”
I smiled. “Yes.” I stuck my hand out. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” He returned my handshake. “The name’s River. River Jones.”
“I got your back, River.”
(Tray)
“What are you doing here, Tray? Did you miss my pretty face?” Shadow chuckled to himself, rubbing the black scruff on his jaw.
“I need some work done on my SUV.” I sat in the dingy chair, the metal creaking beneath my weight.
“Don’t you have someone else to do this shit? Why are you back in my area anyway?” Shadow leaned forward. “Is there something here that you want?”
Your daughter. “Nope. Just need my SUV fixed. Greyson has a family now and uses it from time to time. I need to make sure it’s safe for my nephew.”
“You’ve been sniffing around a lot, Tray.” Shadow rose from his spot behind the desk and came around to the front. “What gives?”
“This is my second time being here but if you don’t want to help me, I can take my money elsewhere.” I stood and went to leave when his next words stopped me.
“No.”
I grinned. “Didn’t think so. Listen, your shop is the best in this area.”
“Why else are you here?”
I paused a moment. Why was I there? The guy was huge. Probably twenty-five pounds on me at least. Even though he was my height, he could definitely kick my ass.
“I’ve seen you looking at my daughter.” Shadow crossed his thick arms under his broad chest, jutting forth his chin.
Biting back a scoff, I mirrored his pose and leaned against the wall. “No you haven’t.” He wouldn’t. Not until Zillah gave the okay that we could make whatever it was we shared public.
The muscle in Shadow’s jaw ticked. “She’s a good girl, Tray. Whatever you do, don’t hurt her. Because if I find out you broke her heart, I’ll kill you.”
“I wouldn’t expect any less.” I respected a man who looked out for his daughter. “She’s good at her job I hear.”
“She is.” Shadow let out a hard sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Too good if you ask me.”
Suddenly, the door slammed open. “Daddy, Ripper needs to talk to you, but I promise I didn’t put him up to it.” Zillah’s dark eyes snapped to mine, her cheeks reddening. “Oh, crap. Sorry.” She backed out of the office. “I forgot you were here,” she muttered. “I can wait.”
Shadow pushed off the edge of his desk. “Duty calls,” he said, leaving the office.
I followed, curious as to what this Ripper wanted.
“So, Ripper,” Shadow’s deep voice boomed through the shop, “what do you want?”
An older man who looked to be about in his mid-forties glanced between Zillah and her father. “You couldn’t have waited until he was done in his meeting?”
Zillah shrugged, jumping up onto the hood of a car. “I’m impatient.”
I bit back a chuckle. Yeah. She definitely was.
Zillah met my stare then and gave me a wink.
Fuck me, she was cute. My dick jumped.
She was also beautiful. She wore a white summer dress and … I wiped my mouth, forcing the smile back. Boots. She was wearing black Shit-Kickers with the girly ensemble. Yeah, she was definitely cute.
(Zillah)
“I need help,” Ripper said, leaning against the car beside me. “And these fuckers can’t do half the shit Zillah can without being trained. I don’t have time to train them.”
“What are you asking me?” My father’s voice came out rough.
My heart jumped. Please, cave. Please, cave. I needed out of the back. I needed more and if anyone could convince him, it was Ripper.
“I’m asking if Zillah can help me.” Ripper held up his hand. “Before you rip my ass apart for even asking, hear me out. You taught Zillah well. Keeping her alone in the back, although the security is top-notch, isn’t safe. Wouldn’t you rather her be out here in the open so you can watch her?”
My gaze flicked back and forth between Ripper and my father. Ripper’s words made sense, but I wasn’t sure my dad would be too impressed by them.
“Let me get this straight.” My dad started pacing and rubbing his chin. “Because my daughter is good at what she does, you want her to take the place of your men.”
“No.” Ripper crossed his arms under his chest. “Listen, old man. You know she’s good. My guys can learn from her. She learned from the best.”
I learned from my father. Of course he was the best.
My dad stopped pacing and stood in front of me. “Is this what you want?”
My mouth fell open. “Y-y-you’re asking me what I want?”
He gave me a soft smile. One that was only ever meant for me. One that even my brother couldn’t get.
“I know you’re trying to protect me.” Tray could help but I wasn’t going to mention that. Yet. My skin hummed. God, I almost forgot he was standing only a few feet away. “But I need to be out here. I’m going stir-crazy in there. I can help Ripper. Help the guys. I won’t get in the way. I promise.”
My dad glanced at Ripper. “If anything happens to her, it’s on you.”
Ripper gave him a salute. “She’ll be safe.”
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” my dad asked me.
“Yes. I promise I’ll be a good girl,” I reassured him.
Tray took that moment to scoff.
My head whipped around. Seriously, fucker? We’re doing this now?
He raised an eyebrow, challenging me. I would. But not in front of my father.
My cheeks burned. “Listen, Daddy.” I hooked my arm in his, leading him across the shop, out of earshot from everyone else. “I promise you won’t regret this, and if something happens, I’ll go back to my hole.”
He sighed. “I didn’t put you in the back because I’m ashamed of you. I hope you know that.” He cupped my face, placing a soft peck on my forehead.
My heart warmed. He wasn’t a man who showed affection. I welcomed this moment with open arms.
“You remind me way too damn much of your mother.” His gaze moved back and forth over my face. “Too much.”
“I’m sorry.” I knew things didn’t end well between them.
“Don’t be. There was a time I loved her but at that time, I also loved my club.”
“You don’t love your club anymore?”
He winked. “I do but a man has needs, Zillah. I’m also getting old.”
“I promise I won’t let you down. These guys wouldn’t hurt me.”
“It’s not them I’m worried about.” My dad looked Tray’s way.
I swallowed hard. He couldn’t have known about us. Could he?
“Either way.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and kissed the side of my head. “It doesn’t matter. You’re a big girl. I get that. But you’ll always be my little girl. I hope you get that too, Zillah. Because I will do anything to keep you safe. Both you and your brother.”
“I know, Daddy.” I kissed his weathered cheek. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.”