Chapter Three
“You really didn’t need to come to see me, Mac,” Mary said, hobbling around on her crutches. It had been a week since Holly demanded she stay with her. Raoul was in the kitchen making them all a drink as Mary walked around the room, doctor’s orders. Her leg was doing fine, but he wanted her to take it easy, start walking but not doing too much.
“I wanted to see you. It’s not the same at the diner without you.”
“Ah, you need me back to cook. You’re overcooking the burgers, right? Giving them well done burgers when they want medium?” She teased. Mac was a good guy. He was fun to be around and easy to talk to when he didn’t try to get into her pants. Fortunately he’d stopped trying, which was all right with her.
After what Pike did she wasn’t interested in repeating the experience. Hearing Holly and Duke go at it though, listening to them made her yearn for what they had. Matthew had given her a music player with large headphones. The kid was smart, and when the moans started, Mary played her music as loud as she could to drown them out. She’d never heard Holly scream in orgasm before, and she hoped to never hear her again.
“Everyone misses you, and it’s not always about the food. You’re a well-loved person, Mary.” He stood up, taking the crutches from her, and leading her back to the sofa. “Don’t overdo it. Not listening to doctor’s orders is what got you here.”
“I’m dying here. Can’t I go out? Doctor didn’t say anything about going out? You can take me back to the diner? I’ll sit in the back, helping out. I promise I won’t be a nuisance.”
She couldn’t spend another day watching television or playing cards with Raoul. He cheated anyway so that she’d never win.
“Mary?”
“Please, oh please?” she asked, gripping his shirt. “If I don’t leave this house I’m going to go insane. How can I help you from a mental hospital, huh?”
“She can go,” Raoul said. “I’ll stick around the diner.”
“What about your leg?” Mac asked.
“You’ve got your car. I can ride with you.”
She smiled up at him, doing her best to look desperate. The weekends weren’t so bad as Holly was around with Matthew and they spent time in the yard. The weekdays, they were a complete and total nightmare.
“Fine. Come on.” Mac held his keys and helped her toward the car. Raoul followed behind, handing over the crutches.
“I’ll follow on my bike after I lock the house up, okay?”
“I won’t be going anywhere,” Mary said, smiling. It was nice to finally have the wind in her hair and the sun on her face. It was icy cold, as it was January, but she didn’t mind. Being outside was fun.
“The club better not have my ass for this.”
“The club doesn’t own me, Mac. You know this.” She reached over to tap his hand. It was a shame that she didn’t have any feelings about Mac. They’d been on dates, but they weren’t real, at least to her they weren’t. He was nice, a gentleman to her. They shared a lot of the same interests. They both liked to cook and bake. The diner was important to them, and they liked the same movies, books, and got along like best friends.
Mac didn’t ring any of her bells. She didn’t feel anything for him other than caring about him.
“Pike would make it his business.”
“He doesn’t get a say in what I do, Mac. Don’t bring him up. He’s not important.” In the last week while she’d been alone when Raoul had to leave she’d started working on her life once the cast came off. She’d decided she wasn’t going to leave town, but she’d paid for a full year’s gym subscription that started in a month’s time. There would no longer be any dawdling in her life about making plans.
“He hurt you, Mary. You’ve got to talk about it.”
“If I was going to talk about it to anyone it would be Holly. You’re my boss, and I care about you. Anyway, I was thinking about the diner. I’ve got some suggestions I’d really like you to consider.”
“Of course.”
For the next ten minutes on the drive into town, Mary told Mac about her ideas of allowing a themed diner that changed menus throughout the year. For Halloween they could do pumpkin soup and something with candy corn. Christmas would be a festive treat of candy canes and turkey.
“This could make our diner different, unique, and bring the locals in and even some tourists?” Mac pulled up behind the diner. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re in the wrong business as a waitress. There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.” He climbed out of the car and rounded the vehicle to her side. She stared at him as he knelt down beside her. “Mary, how would you feel about becoming a partner in the diner?”
“A partner?”
“Yes, like my mom and dad. They were partners.”
All happiness at his suggestion fell away. “Mac, erm, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I don’t want to marry you.” She stared at her hands for several seconds before chancing a look at him. He was smiling back.
“I wasn’t asking you to marry me, baby. I know you’re not ready for something like that. I’m asking as friends. Don’t get me wrong. I care about you, but I know that’s not going to happen.”
“Friend partners?”
“Friend partners.” He offered her a hand.
“Deal.” She smiled as she shook his hand.
“Okay, let’s get you out of here.”
“Mac, what’s going on?”
Mary froze at the sound of Pike’s voice. Why did he have to show up now? He was spoiling her moment. Mac didn’t stop helping her out. With her arm wrapped around Mac’s neck, they both turned to face the scary-assed biker. She doubted Mac was afraid of Pike. She was. He looked pissed off.
“I’m helping Mary inside.”
“Does Holly know she’s gone from the house? Where the fuck is Raoul?”
“He’s joining us after he’s locked up Duke’s ranch,” Mary said. “What are you doing here, Pike? It’s none of your business what I do.” She gripped Mac’s shoulder tighter. This was not what she wanted to do today with him. She never wanted to get into it with him.
“I don’t think so,” Pike said. He stepped closer shoving Mac out of the way. Neither of them was expecting the action so Mac stumbled onto his ass and Mary reached out to grip something. Pike caught her around the waist. “You’re not going into work, not today. You’re a week into your recovery and you want to mess it up.”
“The doctor didn’t say anything about me being cooped up all day alone.”
“Raoul’s there.”
“You think I like watching television? Is that what you think? Mary’s got a fat ass so she must have got it eating too much and sitting on her fat ass all day?” She was losing her temper. His hands on her waist were not helping her any either. “Let go of me.”
“Pike!” Mac warned.
“No, this is club business, Mac. Stay the fuck away from her.”
Pike lifted her up in his arms, carrying her toward a blue pickup.
“Mary?” Mac said.
“I’ll be okay, Mac.” She waved a hand at him, knowing when she and Pike were alone, she was going to hurt him. This man had no right to come bombarding into her life and forcing her to do what he wanted.
He placed her in the passenger side of the car, locking the door behind him.
“Asshole!”
Reaching into her sweatpants she grabbed her cell phone. Putting Holly’s number ready to dial, she screamed as Pike threw her cell out of the window. The device smashed on impact.
“That was my only fucking phone, you brute.” She slapped him hard in the chest, hoping he’d feel some kind of pain.
“You’re acting like a spoiled brat.”
“And you’re acting like an overbearing idiot. Why are you even here?” she asked, folding her arms underneath her chest.
“I followed you. I thought it was strange for Mac not to be at the diner. I shouldn’t have been surprised to find him at Duke’s place.”
“Stay out of it. Mac is a perfect gentleman.”
“No, he’s not, and you’re a fucking idiot for even thinking he is.” Pike pulled out of the diner, and they passed Raoul on the way. He didn’t stop to talk to the other biker. “You’re a fucking pain in my ass.”
She stayed silent, not wanting to get into it with him.
“You’re supposed to be on rest. How do you think Holly’s going to feel when she finds you gone like that?”
Screaming, she turned to glare at him. “This is my life, and you just ruined another fucking moment of it so thank you.”
“Another moment?”
“Mac just asked me to be his partner with the diner. I’m going to get a say in the running of the diner. I’m not just going to wait tables anymore. I’ll be creating a piece of beauty in Vale Valley, something I’ve wanted for a long time. I was happy, and you came along and spoiled it.”
“That’s one moment, and Mac should have given you that months ago. You’ve helped him out of a rut with your organizing and recipes. He should be paying you twice the salary you’re on.”
“How do you know I organize his life?” she asked.
“I saw the office, and he told me.”
“Mac works for the Trojans?” Mac hadn’t told her that. He was friends with the club. Everyone in Vale Valley was friends with them or at least friend of a friend. She didn’t know Mac did business with the club.
“He doesn’t.”
“Then why were you in the office?”
“What other moment did I ruin?” he asked, glaring at her.
She was tempted to ignore him. Her life had been a lot easier when she ignored the problem around her and only focused on what was important in her life. Pike had hurt her and hurt her worse than her parents or any bully.
“You ruined the moment you took my virginity. I’ll never get that back or replace that memory. Neither will I replace this moment with Mac in my life. I’m tired of you always being there and ruining everything.”
She forced the tears back down. He didn’t need to know the power he had to make her cry.
Maybe leaving Vale Valley wasn’t such a bad idea.
“You’re planning on leaving?”
Oops, she’d spoken aloud.
“You’re thinking of leaving town?”
Letting out a sigh, she stretched her neck back wishing for the strength to deal with the man beside her.
I hate him. I hate him. I hate him.
He ruins everything he touches.
I hate him. I hate him. I hate him.
“Yes, I’ve thought about it. It’s time I moved on out of town. There’s nothing here holding me down.” She gripped the back of her neck, to stretch out the tight muscles.
“You’re not leaving town.”
“It’s none of your business what I do, Pike.”
“I’m making it my business.”
****
He’d gone to check on her. That was all Pike had done. It had been a week since he’d seen her. Most of the time he’d get his Mary fix by either seeing her through town, with Holly, or at the diner. This week with her locked up at Duke’s, he’d not seen her. He couldn’t just show up at the house for no reason and then he had to think about Holly. Driving into town, he’d picked up Mary’s favorite cream bun from the diner only to discover Mac wasn’t even in. There was only one place Mac would go, and he found the bastard with Mary. Fuck, it was all his fault. He’d put the two together without thought. Mac was to keep an eye on Mary while she worked, show her attention but not to touch.
Rubbing at his temples, Pike’s anger rose. Everything was fucked up and now he was heading toward the clubhouse. Raoul was a waste of fucking space. No one was keeping Mary safe from herself. Didn’t they see how crazy she was getting? Glancing over at her, he saw her gripping the hem of her sweatshirt. Sitting around doing nothing was driving her crazy. She hated not doing anything.
“Why are we going to the clubhouse?” she asked.
“I’ve got business to deal with.”
“Take me back to town or take me home. I don’t want to go to the clubhouse.”
“Too bad you can’t follow orders.” He took the steep turn and saw Duke waiting for him outside of the clubhouse. The phone he had to his ear lowered when he caught sight of them.
Turning off the ignition, Pike let out a breath.
“Stay here.”
“You’ve got to be crazy,” Mary said, slamming open the car door, playing right into his hands without even knowing it.
“What the fuck is this, Duke? I got a call from Raoul—”
“He kidnapped me,” Mary said, using the truck to move forward. She looked damn cute when she was angry.
“What the hell are you doing here, Mary?” Duke asked.
“I went to check on her when I found her leaving your house with Mac. She’s not taking her own care into account. She’s reckless, Duke,” Pike said.
“You’re an asshole, Pike. I was spending some time at the diner with Mac. I wasn’t going to be doing anything. I’m going crazy in that house.”
“Crazy enough to put her own care back. Holly doesn’t need to be worrying about Mary during the day.” He gave Duke a pointed look.
“What are you trying to do?” Duke asked.
“Raoul’s not the man for the job. He’s not got what it takes to put this woman in her place.”
“In my place, are you completely insane?” Mary asked, having to gain her balance on the hood of the truck. The moment she did, Pike smiled. She realized what she’d done by acting out irrationally. “You bastard.”
“She needs someone who’ll care about her around the clock. Who’s not afraid to make her sit on her ass, even tie her the fuck down. You’re busy, Raoul’s not the man for the job, and Holly, she’s got a lot on her case right now.”
“You want to do it?” Duke asked. The moment Holly was mentioned Duke was on board.
“I’ll do it.”
“Don’t you dare. I will tell Holly about this.”
“Does she have her cell phone?” Duke asked, looking at her before returning his gaze to Pike.
“Her cell phone died on the pavement.”
“Take her to your place. Give me a couple of hours with Holly before you let her call.” Duke slapped him on the back. “You better take care of this properly. I will not be having Holly’s wellbeing under threat.”
“I will, Duke.”
He rounded back to Mary, who was glaring at him. “You planned this.”
“You’re going to find out there’s a lot about me that’s unexpected.”
Raoul drove into the compound as Duke was heading toward his bike. “You can’t even keep a woman safe. We’re going to have a serious fucking talk when I get back.”
Pike grabbed his woman, placing her in the truck. “I hate you,” she said.
“I know.” He closed the door.
Climbing behind the wheel, he started up the truck again.
“I can’t believe you did this.”
“All you had to do, Mary, was rest and get better. You couldn’t do it, and now it’s up to me to deal with you.”
“I don’t want you to be anywhere near me.” Her hands were shaking, and he saw her fist them on her lap.
“I know. We’re going to make a pit stop at your house. I’ll grab some of your stuff and then we’ll go to my place.”
“I really hate you right now. You can’t just leave everything alone, you’ve got to interfere. Doesn’t it even occur to you that I don’t want anything to do with you?” she asked.
“It does, but you see, I don’t care.”
She growled, folding her arms over her chest to stare out of the window. He didn’t mind. She could keep growling and getting angry. It was up to her what she wanted to do. Mary had a right to be angry.
Parking up outside of her apartment, he let himself in going straight to her room. He’d not been back here since that night. Staring at the bed, his cock went from flaccid to rock hard within a matter of seconds. The tightness made it hard for him to move. Fuck, he’d not had a hard-on like this since being inside her. He remembered how tight and wet her little pussy had been, all slick and juicy.
Rubbing his cock, he grunted at the instant shot of pleasure throughout his body. He needed to get his mind on something else, not on the bitch in the car.
She’s not a bitch.
He’d call her anything to stop these feelings running through his body.
Opening up a bag, he packed her clothes, not really seeing anything he was picking. When her clothes were packed, he grabbed her underwear, paying a little more attention to what he was putting inside.
Once he was packed, he entered the kitchen, grabbing the few titles that were left. At his own place he’d already bought her a selection of cookbooks for her to browse through.
Closing up the door, he headed toward the truck to see her crying.
Letting out a sigh, he placed the bags in the back of the truck. “Why are you crying?” he asked, climbing back behind the wheel.
“Nothing.”
“You’ve got to open up to me for me to help you.”
“I don’t want your help.”
Starting up the truck, Pike made his way toward his home. None of the club whores had even made it to his place. He fucked them in the club and rarely in his own room.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“To my place.”
“No one goes there.” She voiced his earlier thoughts.
“Consider yourself lucky. You’re going to be the first one.”
“I don’t think that’s lucky at all,” she said.
He didn’t say anything. She was still hurting even though she tried to hide it. Glancing across at her, he only got the side of her profile. She refused to even look in his direction. Did she still have feelings for him? Did she ever think about that night?
Gritting his teeth, Pike cursed himself. He was not a fucking pussy-whipped asshole. No woman held him down with her pussy. This was all fucking crazy and insane.
Neither of them spoke for the rest of their journey. When he pulled up outside of his modest home, he held onto the steering wheel tightly.
“I’ve not got my crutches,” she said.
He’d not picked them up for the reason he didn’t want her to use them. She needed to be completely dependent on him. “I’m taking care of you.”
Turning off the ignition, he took her bags inside the house before going back for her. Her door was open, and the cold was making her nipples rock hard pebbles. Reaching up, he took her into his arms. She was tense, and he pushed the door closed.
“You’ve got absolutely no care about your own personal safety, do you?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She held him as loosely as she could. He was tempted to pretend to drop her just to feel her clawing at him. Pike held her close.
Kicking the front door closed, he moved to the sitting room, placing her on the sofa.
“Now, you’re going to stay there and keep that leg rested.”
“What happens if I make a run for it, officer?” she asked. Her eyes were hard points, glaring back at him. Her temper was only making him hotter than hell for her. He’d give anything to push her over the edge of the couch, drop her sweatpants, and slide his dick into her hot little cunt.
“I’ll turn you over my knee and spank your ass. You’re in my house now, under my rules. Disobey them and there will be punishment, Mary.”
“You can’t keep me here. Don’t you have a whole harem of women to keep you satisfied?”
“They can do without me for a couple of days.”
“You’re a pig.”
“And I’m going to get your room set up.” He left her alone, handing her the remote. “You throw it at me and I won’t bring it back to you.” He gave her a warning. Mary had been coddled too damn much. It was time for her to meet a brick wall.
He took her bags down to his room. There was a spare bedroom that would put a lot of space between them, but he didn’t want her there. He liked the idea of her being next to him.
The channels were being changed repeatedly as she went up and down. Sitting on the edge of his bed, Pike stared ahead at his reflection. For the first time in his life he looked nervous.
“Once you find the woman for you, Pike, it doesn’t matter how much pussy is lying around begging you to fuck it. Nothing is going to mean as much to you as sinking into the pussy that you call your own.”
Mary’s pussy was his. No other man had known how good she was nor did they know anything about her. He’d made it his business to know everything about her. One stupid mistake, one stupid thought, and he’d hurt Mary in ways he’d tried to avoid.
You know what you want. What you crave.
Getting to his feet, he walked back into his sitting room. Mary sat with the remote pointed at the screen looking totally miserable. This was the woman he’d wanted, and he screwed it up, betrayed her trust, and in turn betrayed himself.
“Come on, Mary. It’s time for us to make a change,” he said, entering the room. He took the remote from her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked. He picked her up, carrying her down to the bathroom.
“You’re in the worst pair of sweatpants I’ve ever seen. It’s time for you to be more yourself.”
“What?”
“You’re getting a shower.”
****
“All I asked was for Mary to stay in our house and now you’re telling me she’s gone with Pike?” Holly asked. Her arms were flying about all over the place. Raoul winced as her voice got even louder, grating on his nerves.
Raoul sat in Duke’s office. The man himself was behind the desk watching his wife. The love and lust was easy to see.
“Pike’s going to take care of her. Neither you nor I could have stopped him, Hols. You know that.”
“Mary can’t stand him. She’s going to think I betrayed her.”
“You didn’t. You’re working. I can’t be there to babysit her. Raoul’s no good at looking after her.”
“I did my best. She was doing fine until Mac came to see her. She wanted to get out and do shit,” Raoul said. He’d fucked up with Holly, but he’d not fucked up on anything else in the club.
“You can go,” Duke said, glaring at him.
“Look, I know you don’t like me for what I did to her, and I accept that. It doesn’t mean you can keep treating me like shit. I earned my patch into the club. Take them away if I lose the right to call myself a Trojan.” He stormed out of the club, angry and pissed off.
Gripping the back of his head, he yelled. Leaving the clubhouse he saw Daisy cleaning his bike with Baby sitting on the wall beside him. She wore a small skirt, smaller than Raoul had ever seen it. He’d been part of bringing her into the club, fucking her while the rest of his brothers watched. She had a nice tight pussy. With all the dick she was getting lately, he doubted it would be nice and tight for very long.
“I need to get out of here. You want to come to the city for a while?” Raoul asked.
“Sure.”
“Oh, can I come?” Baby asked.
“No, brothers only.” Raoul wanted to get some pussy that didn’t belong to the club. For that he couldn’t have any club whores hanging around his neck.
“You heard the man, Baby. You’re going to have to find another man for the night.”
Baby pouted but walked away to leave them alone.
“Are you okay, man?”
“No. I’m going to enjoy what life I’ve got left before Duke decides to take it away.” Raoul straddled his bike.
“He’s not going to kill you.”
“No, he’s going to do something much worse.”
“Oh, yeah, like what?”
“Vote me out of the club.”