CHAPTER SEVEN
LIP
The club is blaring with music, and the lights are dimmed. The air is filled with smoke and cheap perfume, and a wave of people. I stride to the bar and grab a beer, watching the crowd.
Bull is sitting on the leather couch, a blonde chick wearing nothing but a bright pink bikini bottom dancing on a coffee table right in front of him. She has a nice pair of tits on her, but they’d be better if they were bigger.
Tom Cat has some girl bobbing up and down on his lap, and Bobby and Doc, our club doctor, are in the corner, making out with each other like a bunch of pre-teens. I take a sip of my beer. I should go home to Cherry.
“You look awfully lonely.” I look over my shoulder and find Dolly leaning against the bar, a beer in her hand.
“I’m not,” I reply, dry.
She smiles and steps up next to me.
“I think I may be drunk.” She giggles, her dark hair falling in front of her face. I look her up and down. She’s wearing some purple skimpy-looking top and black shorts. She stumbles into me, and I catch her.
“Maybe you should go lie down,” I encourage, trying to stand her up right. She turns in my hold, her body limp.
“You have really pretty eyes,” she slurs.
“Yeah, thanks,” I respond, uninterested.
She frowns. “Are you gay or something?”
I smirk, trying to fight through my laughter. I level her with a serious stare and cock my head to the side.
“Why do you think that? Because I’m not interested in some teeny-bopper who can’t hold her liquor?” She doesn’t respond, her eyes blinking rapidly like she’s trying convince herself I didn’t just say what I did.
“I don’t like girls who spread their legs easily. You’re like a fucking penny—you’re two-faced and in everyone’s pants.” Her mouth opens and closes and her eyes flutter. I think she’s having an aneurism or some shit.
I hear a familiar giggle and look up. One of the Ghost Riders has his hand wrapped around Cherry’s waist, whispering something into her ear. What is she doing here? She laughs and tries to pull away, but he doesn’t let go. My brows pull together, and my blood goes cold.
I drop Dolly, letting her fall to the floor. Stomping toward the guy, my heart is slamming so hard in my chest my vision blurs. I can feel the poison of the reaper swimming in my veins. I am going to kill this motherfucker. Without warning, I grab the fucker by the throat and slam his head against the brick wall. Cherry screams and jumps back. I pull my knife out of my back pocket and flip it open. Without a second thought, I slam it forward, but my wrist is caught quickly before the blade can make contact.
“Drop it, brother,” Bobby whispers into my ear. I shrug him off and try to push through his hold, ready to gut this fucker.
“Drop it, don’t do this. Not here,” Bobby continues. I grit my teeth and slam the man’s head against the wall one last time. Blood drips from the back of his head, splattering the floor.
I release my hold and let the guy fall to the floor in a daze. Cherry gasps next to me, catching my attention, Dani standing right beside her. She looks terrified.
“What the hell?” I slowly look over my shoulder finding Stunt, the president of the Ghost Riders, eyeballing me.
“He put his hands on my ol’ lady,” I inform him sternly.
“Fuck, Boonie,” Stunt scorns, shaking his head. From his tone, it sounds like Boonie does this kind of thing often.
Stunt steps in front of me and squats in front of Boonie. Feeling dismissed, I move forward, grabbing Cherry’s wrist, tugging her out of the club.
“What the fuck was that Lip? What has gotten into you?!” Cherry screams, tripping behind me to keep up. She’s never seen me react that way, never seen me do anything violent. I’ve made sure of it, but my mask of ‘perfect boyfriend’ is starting to fray. I’ve never seen my jealousy shine its full worth, but I’ve never cared for a bitch like I do Cherry. To be honest, I’m not sure what the future wrath of my jealousy would look like. I just know it would be dark and bloody. I would have stabbed Boonie over and over and over.
I let go of her wrist feet away from her car and pace. I’m so angry, so worked up I can’t think straight.
“Lip! Just—“ Cherry tangles her hand in her hair and sighs. “Fucking talk to me, Lip. I feel like I don’t even know you anymore.” She shakes her head and looks off into the distance. “Ever since you got out of prison, I feel like I’m sleeping next to a stranger,” she whimpers, emotion laced in her voice. I stop my pacing and shoot her a glare that speaks volumes of anger.
“That’s because you don’t know me!”
“What happened in there?” she whispers. I pull my brows together, my blood pumping with the rapid amount of adrenaline racing through me. Cherry is strong, one of the strongest women I know, but the look on her face is ripping my black heart in two. Maybe if she sees this, sees my dark colors, she’ll turn away and I won’t have to expose my darkest secret. For the life of me, I can’t keep this act up of being her Prince fucking Charming, and as much as it’s going to sting having her walk away from me for being an ass, it won’t compare to the hurt she’ll feel when I expose all my sins.
“Nothing happened in prison. You know nothing about who I really am. I’m not that love-struck boy you were with before. I am a murderer, a fucking monster.” When I was in prison, when I was tested on my true worth as a sinner, I did not fail. I exceeded, and now that façade of hiding it for Cherry’s sake is gone. This is me. This is who I am.
“This is the real me.” I slam my fist against my chest. “Do you still love me now? Do you still want my affection?” I step closer to her. “Huh!?” I shout in her face, the vessels in my forehead protruding. “I am easily angered. I’m hotheaded, and am more fucked-up than anyone you’ll ever know,” I continue.
Cherry steps up to me, her face not giving anything away. I wince at her reaction, taken aback by it.
“Yes,” she whispers. My face goes lax, and my lips part in surprise. “Yes, I still love you, Lip.”
“What?” I’m dumbfounded. The girl I knew before was naive and fragile. A man of my kind would surely scare her away. Maybe I don’t know the real Cherry.
“It’s going to take a lot more than you being a shade darker than gray for me not to love you,” she responds, her hand sliding up the side of my cheek. “You’re right, I don’t know you. You’ve proven that, but you don’t know me, either,” she whispers. My chest slams with emotion. “You being rough around the edges doesn’t frighten me, not at all.”
I grab the sides of her face, bringing her lips inches from mine. How can a woman still love a man after all that? Why have the gods given me such an amazing woman when I clearly don’t deserve her? But they did. The gods put Cherry’s fragile life right into my bloodstained hands, and I will not let her go.
“I don’t know where you go every morning, but I swear to God if you are cheating on me Cherry…” I pause, searching her beautiful eyes. Eyes that make me feel like being a monster is okay. “I will bury you both,” I threaten. If I can’t have her…nobody can.
“I don’t know why you haven’t been home at nights, or why you can’t look me in the eye. But if you are cheating on me, if you break my fucking heart…” She brushes her lips against mine, and a sharp piercing sensation slashes through my bottom lip. I hiss and pull back; bringing my finger to my lip, I find blood. She fucking bit me.
“I’ll fucking destroy you,” she whispers. My dick strains against my jeans from her hostile words. My cock aches to be inside of her. The way her eyes are hooded with a sense of darkness, I couldn’t care less about the fog clouding my mind.
“You’re my ol’ lady, Cherry. I own your ass, and don’t you forget that,” I growl, trying to put her in her place, but for the life of me, all I want is to hear her scream my name.
“If I’m your ol’ lady, then fucking prove it, Lip,” she sneers, her eyes darting over my shoulder. I look at what she’s glaring at, finding Dolly leaning against the club house with her arms crossed, waiting for me to return.
“You jealous, baby?” I turn my head and squint my eyes in question, an arrogant smirk fitting my face.
“Prove it,” she repeats, stepping up to me, her fingers grasping my leather cut. “You say I don’t really know you, so show me the real Lip.”
I smirk and tilt my head back. This could either go badly, or be very, very good.
I grab her by the shirt and throw her onto her car, her back denting the hood. She mewls in response and wraps her legs around me. A feral moan vibrates my chest as her hungry eyes meet mine. I push her legs apart and tangle my hand in her hair. Her body arches into mine, her lust-crazed reaction feeding my animalistic need for her. My lips seek hers out like a man-eating beast looking for its next victim. I clench my teeth at the demented thought. That is exactly what Cherry was to me when I came across her six years ago: my victim. She never stood a chance when I showed up in her life. I was sent to save her, but I’m not the saving type. I’m the bad guy, and we don’t save people.
Her plush lips fit mine perfectly. I grind my jean-clad dick against her pussy and her head lolls back, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
Cat-calls and hollering from the club catch my attention. I slowly look toward the noise and find a bunch of the Ghost Riders, and some of the Devil’s Dust, standing outside watching us.
I push myself upward and grab Cherry by the thighs, picking her up. With the chaffing I’m getting from the head of my dick rubbing against my jeans, I plan on finishing this elsewhere.
“Where are we going?” Her voice is breathy, full of lust.
“To the garage for some privacy,” I respond, nipping her soft jaw. Walking past the club, Hinder blares, singing “American Nightmare”. How fitting. Cherry had a mouth on her when I took her off the side of the highway, sure, but over the years her innocence was molted into something dark. She took her place as my ol’ lady with a shade of something evil. I heard she nearly beat a guy to death with a bat just because one of the other girls in the club needed revenge. Cherry became one of the family without question.
“Show me your horns.” I smirk. Her face lights up, and her hands imitate Devil horns. “Sexiest horns I’ve ever seen.” I grin even wider when her cheeks blush. I remember the first time I asked her to show me those sexy little horns, and she literally imitated Devil horns. I’ll never forget it.
Walking into the garage, I turn and pull the door down with one hand, while the other holds Cherry around the waist. As soon as the door is down, she slams her lips to mine. My hand slides up her back, pushing her tits against my chest. The smell of her makes my dick twitch and my chest constrict. She smells sweet, like cherry or maybe strawberry. I run my nose along the crook of her neck, taking in her delicious scent. She throws her head back and rocks her pussy against my hard dick.
I grind my teeth, a growl vibrating in my chest. I need inside of her now.
“Cherry,” I draw out, slow and husky. “I need you now.” I kick tools and trip over a jack, trying to make my way to the back of the garage. Her hands fist my hair, and mine squeeze her tight ass while we make out. Music pauses from the club, before Seal starts playing “Kiss from a Rose.” Cherry, still in my arms, her eyes find mine. My heart slams against my chest, my eyes silently telling her I remember this song playing the first night we spent together. She smiles, and presses her lips firmly against mine. I find a bench seat from the club van sitting against a wall and plop Cherry down on it. Before she has time to react, I grab her shorts and pull them off her in one hard tug.
I drop to my knees and pull her panties down her legs slowly. When I take them off, it’s like revealing the greatest gift ever. It has to be done slowly and with ease, because what’s behind the delectable lace is my undoing. I take in every inch of her freckled legs and silky skin. Her pussy is waxed to perfection, her cunt pink and glistening wet, just for me.
I slide my finger between her lips, and it soaks the pad of my finger. She arches her back and fists her hair, a whimper escaping her mouth. I grab one of her legs and hike it over my shoulder. Gripping her thighs, I pull her ass to the edge of the seat and angle her just right. I flick her swollen clit with my tongue and her hands fly to my head, tangling themselves into my hair for traction. I trail my tongue through her wetness, tasting her. She tastes just as sweet as she smells.
“Oh, fuck!” she cries, riding my face.
I take one of my hands from her thigh and swirl around her clit, causing her body to tense as her legs squeeze me like a vise. Looking up, her eyes are clenched shut and her mouth is gaped open. I hum against her, lapping her sweetness and then her pussy convulses around my tongue. She moans, grinding her clit against my face, her walls clenching as she comes on my tongue.
My dick strains against my jeans, wanting to slam into that tight, wet pussy of hers. I am usually slow-paced and sensual when we screw around, but fuck that. Tonight, I’m going to show her what it means when Lip DeLuca fucks his girl.
As soon as she calms, I stand. I grab a clean grease rag sitting on Bobby’s toolbox and wipe my mouth with it. I fold it back like it was and put it back with a smirk.
“Oh. My. God!” Cherry pants. “That was…” she pauses before giggling.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” I ask, unzipping my pants. Her eyes widen. I shove my jeans to my ankles along with my briefs, allowing my cock to spring free. It’s hard as a rock and painfully swollen. It’s been weeks since I fucked Cherry.
“Why?” Cherry asks, taking her eyes from my cock to me.
I stroke myself, my hand sliding over the barbell in the head of my dick.
“Because when I’m done with you, you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”
She laughs and rolls her eyes. I smirk because she thinks I’m playing.
I grasp her hips and turn her around, pulling her ass out. I slide my hand along the left side of her ass cheek and give it a hard slap. She yelps and sticks her butt out further, seeking the vicious contact once again. I wrap her hair around my hand and pull her head back.
“Someone’s a bad girl,” I whisper into her ear. She moans in response, and my dick beads pre-cum. I knew Cherry was wild, but I never tested the wildcard out in the bed. At least not like this.
I release her hair and slide my hand between her legs, finding her pussy nice and wet. I use the other hand to guide my length between her thighs. As soon as my head feels the heat from her wetness, I slam into her. She whips her head back and moans loudly as she’s thrust upon the seat cushion. I close my eyes and grind my teeth, the feeling of her surrounding my cock fucking Heaven. I slowly pull out, taking in every inch, feeling every sensation her pussy has to offer. I hiss with pleasure and look down. The chrome barbell in my head shines with her juices. I watch as I drive it into her once more.
“Yes,” she mumbles, meeting my thrusts. I wrap my arm around her and pull her back to my chest. Sliding my hand up her shirt, I lift the cup of her bra to find her perky tit, pinching the nipple as my hips pick up the pace. My balls squeeze tightly, and a feeling of pressure builds deep in my pelvis. I slide my other hand under her shirt and do the same thing, lifting her shirt and bra until they sit just above her tits. She rests her head back on my shoulder, giving me full view of her breasts. They bounce and jiggle with every pound and thrust of my hips. Her pussy clenches, and a whimper sounds in her throat. With that little sound, warmth spreads up my length and ignites in the head of my dick. I drive into her wetness over and over, chasing my release. Just as my dick explodes into nothing but pleasure, her pussy clamps down, milking my cock.
I grab her hair roughly and pull her head to the side as I come down from my release. I shove my face into the crook of her neck and growl, nipping her soft skin.
We still, trying to catch our breath. My legs ache, and my lungs demand air. I slowly pull out of her and a shiver races up my back, my body wanting to return back to the heat her sweet cunt has to offer.
She leans over the bench seat, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she heaves for air. I pull my pants up and shove myself back into my briefs. Sitting next to her, I stare at the bikes and broken-down club van.
She pulls her top down and leans down to grab her panties. After she pulls them on, she lays her head on my lap and pins me with those angelic gray eyes.
“That was…” she pauses.
“Different,” I finish for her. It was not our normal fuck session, but after that, I’m not sure I could ever go back.
“Yeah.” She smiles, her cheeks sprinkled with freckles. I rub the pad of my finger along the bridge of her nose and down her neck, following the trail of freckles. It was different because it was real.
“You pulled my hair.” She laughs.
I laugh with her. “I did.” I was always too scared that if I went too hard with Cherry before, or got too rough, it would scare her away. I needed to keep her by my side. I needed to convince her I was everything she ever needed.
“Lip, if this is what it will be like having sex with you, the real you, then I am more than okay with that. In fact, I demand it.”
I laugh and rest my head on the back of the seat, threading my fingers through her hair.
“Lip?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t hide who you really are from me ever again.” I frown. She only saw a piece of the devil I am—disrespecting and angry. But she hasn’t seen me in my element, with a 9mm pointed at an enemy. She hasn’t seen my full jealousy flag wave, or my hotheaded temper yet. She doesn’t know what she’s asking.
“You can’t handle who I really am, Cherry.” She tenses on my lap, then sears me with angry eyes.
“Don’t fucking tell me what I can and can’t handle, Lip. I’m not a child. I’m not that scared broken girl you once knew.” My jaw ticks with her tone of voice. I’m angry but it’s pretty fucking sexy. She’s right. We’ve both grown over the years, ‘cause Cherry standing up to me isn’t something I’m used to.
“Lip?”
“Yeah,” I mutter, my eyes growing heavy.
“Why did you go to prison?” I exhale a long breath. I never told her why I went to prison. Even with her position as my ol’ lady, I don’t have to tell her, since ol’ ladies are not privy to club business.
“I think I at least deserve to know. I have done things for this club. I have accepted them as my family, and I waited for you for six fucking years without knowing the reason you were taken from me,” she continues.
I rub my forehead with the heel of my palm. I owe her at least an explanation; it’s the least I could do with the way I’ve been treating her lately.
“We got pulled over on a run. We had just left the drop, and it went bad. Bull ended up stabbing one of their men. I guess they called the police after we left,” I scoff. “Fucking pussies. Anyway, when they jumped out of their cars pulling weapons, I knew right away they were after us because of what Bull had done. I was next to Bull, so I reached over and grabbed his knife out of his pocket and stuck it in my back pocket.”
“I know why you did it, why you covered for him. I don’t blame you. I have come to love this club; they’re my family. I would do anything for them,” she replies.
I nod, because the bond we share is comparable.
I close my eyes and continue to rub her hair.
CHERRY
Something slides up my leg, waking me. My eyes slowly open, finding a man standing right in front of me. I jerk upward, and the man jumps back. It’s the same guy from the party. Boonie. He swooped in and put his hand around my waist, telling me he wanted his cock sucked. I laughed him off and tried to pull away. Horny men at the club are not an uncommon thing. That was when Lip showed up in a fit of rage I’ve never seen before. The look on Lip’s face, the fury in his eyes. I won’t lie, it was unsettling.
I look up and see Lip asleep.
“Psst.” I whip my head back to Boonie who is sliding his hand along his neck, imitating slicing his throat. My eyes widen and my mouth parts.
“Don’t you wake him,” he whispers. “Get off him and come here. Now,” he continues. I swallow hard and dig my fingers into Lip’s lap, praying it will wake him.
Lip groans, and pulls his head up from the back of the seat. Thank fuck. Lip scowls when his eyes find Boonie.
“You have to be the dumbest motherfucker.” Lip pushes me aside and stands. Boonie grins and walks backward, his body becoming one with the shadows of the garage before disappearing.
“That guy is fucking creepy,” Lip states. I scurry down to the floor and pull my shorts on. “Did he touch you?”
I bite my lip and look away. “No.” I don’t want to tell him, because after the way Lip reacted before, I’m not sure he won’t kill Boonie.
“Let’s go find an empty room to sleep in. The sun will be rising soon.” Lip holds his hand out, motioning for me to take it. I grab his palm and follow him. He takes us inside the club where everyone is asleep. The music is still playing, but softly. There is someone passed out on the couch, a woman hanging off the bar with no shirt on, and a man passed out in a pile of vomit on the floor.
“Jesus,” I whisper. Lip tugs me down the hall to the last room on the left. His room. He pulls out a key and unlocks it. I haven’t been in here in forever. There is a double bed in the middle of the room with a giant shelved headboard. A chair sits in the corner, and the walls are lined with naked chicks standing next to motorcycles.
“I’m going to jump in the shower,” Lip tells me, walking into the adjoined bathroom.
I cross my arms and sit on the bed. Sex tonight with Lip was different on so many levels. It was raw. I felt connected to him in a way I never realized I had been missing. It makes all the other times we had sex before seem fake, like he wasn’t really there. He never looked at me when we had sex before, now that I think about it. There are too many things running through my head, and things are not adding up. Has Lip always been this devious? Who was that chick in his arms when I showed up? Has he cheated on me?
I leave the room and stalk down the hallway toward the bar. I need a drink; I can’t cope with all of these thoughts. I kick red cups and step over a pair of panties. I slowly look up and find Boonie standing inches from me. If I hadn’t looked up, I would have run right into him. I jump, startled, and clutch my chest.
“Fuck,” I whisper. He cocks his head to the side, his long gray hair falling over his face as he does. He’s large, bulky even. He has on a stained gray shirt and leather cut. The biggest buckle I’ve ever seen shines around his waist. He frightens me. I’ve had guys come on strong before, but this guy is on a whole other level.
“Excuse me,” I mutter, trying to step around him. He steps in front of me and chuckles.
“Going somewhere, ginger?” I frown; I fucking hate that term. My brows furrow, and anger rushes through me.
“Ginger? Fuck you,” I sneer, pushing him. He closes his eyes, throws his head back and laughs, the sound chilling my bones. He lowers his head, his dark eyes targeting mine.
“Oh, I’m about to fuck you. Right in the ass, sweetheart.” He grabs my arm and yanks me against him.
“You better let me go, or I swear to God the only thing you’ll be fucking is your own asshole when I tear your dick off,” I threaten, trying to pull from his grip.
“Ooh, a feisty one. I love ‘em feisty.” He smiles and inhales loudly, smelling my hair. My body revolts. “You smell awfully sweet. I wonder if you taste just as sweet.” Before I can even react to the words leaving his rancid mouth, he bites down on my shoulder hard, tearing the skin. I cry out and knee him in the dick. He releases me, and I fall back against the wall. I grab my shoulder, pain searing through my limb causing me to whimper. The bedroom door slams open and Lip steps out, looking the other way before turning his head and looking toward Boonie and me. His hair is wet, and he has on nothing but jeans.
“What happened?” Lip questions, walking toward me.
He places his hands on each side of my arm and I wince when he touches my bite.
“He fucking bit me,” I grit out, looking at my shoulder that shows the perfect bloody indention of teeth marks.
Boonie starts laughing. “Man, I just wanted a taste.”
“You’re going to fucking die!” Lip points at Boonie.
Lip grabs my chin and lifts it so my eyes find his. “I got this. Go to the room and don’t come out.”
“Lip, No –”
“Go, Cherry. Now.” Lip lowers his head, his eyes serious and gleaming with an unfamiliar flare. I flick my eyes to Boonie, scared for the prick.
“Okay,” I whisper.
Stepping inside of the room, the music suddenly gets louder. I clench my eyes shut, nerves bubbling in my stomach. My shoulder blazes with pain, catching my attention from thoughts of what Lip is doing to Boonie.
“Shit,” I whisper, eyeing the torn flesh.
I go to the small bathroom, the smell of Lip’s shampoo strong. I turn the shower on and undress, taking extra caution around my shoulder. Leaving the water on scalding hot, I rinse off the bite. It fucking hurts to the point I bite down on my inner cheek as the water pelts against it. After it goes numb, I grab Lip’s shampoo that smells of fresh mint and wash my hair, the scent of him in my hair and all around me causing me to inhale deeply. I can’t get enough. I sit under the showerhead ‘til it runs cold. Glancing at my bite, it looks much better, but swollen as hell.
Stepping out of the shower, I grab the towel hanging up and wrap it around me. It’s still damp from Lip.
Walking out of the bathroom, hoping Lip has a new shirt I can wear because mine is covered in blood, he walks in the door. His body is puffed out, and his hands are balled into fists. He looks like a crazed man.
“Lip?” I mutter. His darkened eyes whip to mine, and I wince in reaction. He steps forward and grabs the towel from my body, yanking it off. He envelops me in his strong arms and plows us to the bed.
He slides his knee between my thighs and bites my bottom lip gently. My body comes alive with such a power I lose my breath. He’s hungry, and for me.
I arch my body into his and tangle my hands into his hair. Looking between Lip’s body and mine, I find small spots of blood.
“Lip, you’re bleeding,” I state, concerned.
Lip pulls his mouth from my neck and shakes his head.
“It ain’t my blood.”
My eyes widen, a little shocked. Did he kill Boonie? I look at the blood again, panic rising in my chest as Lip’s fingers tease my clit. My eyes roll in the back of my head and a small whimper expels from my lips.
I want to stop and demand we shower, but the intense throbbing between my legs says it can wait. The blood on his chest stains my own. The unholy blood of another corrupting what sense of morals I might have buried within me. The sins of the man I am in love with soak deep into my skin, making me the devil’s advocate.
Lip grabs my earlobe with his teeth, and my stomach flutters with a thirst I’m afraid will never be quenched.
“You’re my woman, and no man gets to touch you, let alone taste you,” he snarls, his words sounding possessive. A mewl vibrates in my chest in response. “Only I get to taste you, Cherry,” he whispers, his lips moving against the dip in my throat as he speaks.
“Yes,” I respond.
My fingers grab at the button on his jeans, undoing it quickly. I lift my feet and pull them down his legs. The craving in his eyes, the adrenaline rushing through us, I need to feel him inside of me. Just as his dick springs free, he pushes it through my wetness and plows into me.
“Damn,” he growls, closing his eyes, his jaw clenching. I moan loudly from finally having the contact, arching my neck to where my head is pressing into the mattress. His dick is buried to the hilt, as far it will go. The fit is tight, the feeling of fullness so damn good. He pulls his hips back and pushes forward with haste, and I sigh with pleasure.
The barbell in the head of his cock hits me just right every time he thrusts into me, the bed rocking against the wall loudly with every push of his hips.
“You’re not scared?” Lip pants. I open my eyes and find him staring at me intently—he looks high. His pupils are dilated from the excitement of maiming another human being.
“Losing you scares me more,” I whisper. “I knew the day I climbed on the back of your bike you were my ride to the dark side.”
***
Screams wake me to an upright position. I grab the sheet and pull it over my bare chest. After Lip and I finished our round two, we dropped onto the mattress exhausted. I fell asleep right away.
“Lip!” I yell, shaking him awake.
“What?” he mumbles. He’s lying face-first in a pillow, his bare ass sticking up in the air.
“Someone just screamed really loud,” I whisper.
“Fuck!” Lip jumps out of bed, nearly falling on his face. He grabs a fresh pair of jeans out of the dresser and looks for a shirt. He looks frazzled, which causes me to tense.
“What’s wrong? What’s happening, Lip?”
“I got caught up with you and forgot,” Lip mutters before opening the door and rushing out.
“Forgot?” I climb out of bed, and my thighs ache. I slowly sit myself back down on the bed and smirk. Lip did warn me that I wouldn’t be able to walk today. Glancing down at myself, I notice I need to shower again. Lip transferred blood onto me, and now that I’m not high on lust, I need to clean it off. Now!
I turn the water on and quickly clean up. I want to see what’s going on, but a part of me doesn’t. I rinse any trace of blood off, and wash my hair in record time. I towel dry and head to Lip’s closet for something clean. I find a gray Devil’s Dust shirt and put it on, with my shorts from yesterday. Throwing my hair up into a messy bun, I slowly open the door.
The music is turned off, but I don’t see anybody. I tiptoe out of the room, scared of what I may see. I step over the panties and cups and find a large puddle of blood sitting under a chair in the middle of the common area. I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth.
“Look, you say he hurt Cherry, then I agree Boonie had it coming. We have your back, Lip,” I hear Bull state. I tear my eyes from the gore to Bull’s voice, finding him in the kitchen with the doors shut. “Did Cherry see you do this? You can’t upset her. You need to keep her happy, Lip.” I frown.
“She saw some blood on me last night, but it didn’t affect her. How much longer do I have to fucking do this for, man?” Lip questions and I suck in a sudden breath, my fingers digging into the palm of my hands. What is he talking about?
“Why?” Bull questions, flat.
“I just… I don’t know if I can do this much longer. Things are getting serious, and I can’t keep myself from…” Lip pauses, and I hold my breath.
A cup is kicked behind me, making me jump and turn toward the noise. It’s that bitch I saw all over Lip last night. I place my hands on my hips and glare.
“So, I hear you’re Lip’s ol’ lady.”
Her mascara is smeared and her lipstick is smudged halfway across her cheek.
“I think you forgot some of your lipstick on some strange dick,” I sneer. She purses her lips and raises a brow.
She tilts her head to the side and crosses her arms. “I thought if Lip was taken it would be by someone much prettier,” she insults.
“Ha! Run along back home before Daddy finds you missing,” I sneer.
“I hope you’re as pretty as you think you are. Lip is done with you. He’s ridden that tired-ass vagina of yours out and is looking for something new.” She smirks and my stomach falls. “He even gave me my nickname around here, Dolly. He must think I’m pretty sweet to call me something as cute as Doll, don’t you?”
“You don’t expect me to believe that, do you?” I question, my voice coming out more confident than I feel.
She shrugs. “Believe what you want, sweetie. But when I’m wearing that cut and you aren’t anymore, the reality won’t lick those wounds so well.” She sashays by me, and I reach forward and grab her hair.
“If you go near my man, I will rip the hair from your fucking head, do you hear me?” I yank on her hair hard. It snaps and pulls from her scalp, making her scream loudly. Lip and Bull rush out of the kitchen, so I let go.
“Fucking psycho!” Dolly cries, holding her head.
“Jesus, Cherry. Why do you have to be a pain in my ass?” Bull exclaims, catching Dolly. “Come on, darling. Let’s get you to your bike, and get you out of here before the Ghost Riders wake.” Bull helps Dolly stand and walks her out. The bitch rides her own motorcycle?
I want to know if Lip called her Dolly, and I want to know what the hell he was talking about with Bull, but the blood on the floor has me more concerned. What did Lip do? I step forward and survey the chair.
“Did you do this?” I ask. I don’t need to ask, though, because I know he did. Looking at the blood, I see little chunks that catch my attention.
“What the….?” I bend down to get a better look and find the chunks are teeth. A lot of them. I cover my mouth and turn away quickly, vomit threatening to race up my throat. Lip couldn’t have done this. Not the Lip I know. I clench my eyes shut and swallow hard. I’m starting to second-guess how well I know the man I love.
“Cherry, babe.” Lip grabs my elbow, his voice soft.
“I’m fine,” I choke. I’m not fine.
“Why don’t you go home? We need to get this cleaned before The Ghost Riders get up.” I nod in agreement, needing out of here.
“Yeah, I need to go see-” I stop, nearly exposing my lies. I swallow hard and shake my arms out, trying to get a hold myself. “I need to go get a few things.”
Lip’s eyes, which were pulled into a tight scowl, ease slightly. He leans forward and kisses me, but it’s not a peck, not a simple ‘I’ll see you later’ kiss. It’s deep and hard, his hands grabbing my face.
“Bye, babe,” Lip whispers against my lips.