Ox (The Devil’s Riders #5)

Chapter 5

FIVE

Ox

I couldn’t take my eyes off of this girl. She was affecting my system like the promise of liquor to a dry drunk. Jesus, I wanted to kiss her. Fuck that, I wanted my hands on her! I wanted to be buried inside her. Ramming so hard I made her teeth chatter from each fucking cock thrust.

And when she’d said, “I don’t date often. I need that spark. You know what I mean? When you feel it down deep and nothing else seems to matter but the other person,” and her big, brown Bambi eyes fluttered up innocently at me. At that moment, I think I’d lost my ability to speak.

I was frozen in place. My dick was so hard, I’d had to adjust it under the table before it became imprinted with my zipper!

With every new thing she shared with me, I became more invested. More enamored. I don’t know what the fuck had come over me. I’d never experienced anything like it before. And when she’d told me the part about what Ghost had done to her, it was all I could do not to track his ass down and lay a beating on him so severe that the motherfucker would never get up again.

The little bell above the door jingled then and I looked up. My expression hardened to stone. “Kayla, don’t say anything. Let me handle this,” I instructed, rising up out of the booth.

It was no coincidence that Ghost found us here. The fucker was probably tracking Kayla somehow. His cold, green eyes had honed in on us the second he’d entered the restaurant. Blowing by LuAnne, who’d tried to warmly greet him at the door, he double-timed it over to our booth, rage barely contained under the heated surface of his tanned skin.

His face was a mask of roiling snakes as he glanced from Kayla’s terrified expression, back to my calm one. “What the fuck are you doing here with my girl, Ox?”

“Your girl?” I openly scoffed. “The way I hear it, Kayla’s told you a million times she don’t want fuck-all to do with you, Ghost.”

Ghost’s teeth gnashed together at my words. “Get up, Kayla,” he ordered, not bothering to take his eyes off of me while he did it. “We’re going home.”

I smiled when she didn’t move so much as a muscle. Only looked at me for reassurance. “She ain’t going nowhere with your sorry ass, Watchmen. Kayla’s property of the Devil’s Riders now.”

Ghost’s jaw ticked then. “Kayla’s mine. And I don’t share anything that’s mine, asshole.”

The whole restaurant was quiet now, watching this tense back and forth. I could see LuAnne, cell phone in hand, waiting to see if she needed to call the cops or if it would resolve itself. I wasn’t sure which way this would go, either. But I knew, as long as I drew breath, Kayla wasn’t going anywhere with this cocksucker.

“You must be as dumb as you look, man,” I said, taking a menacing step closer to the biker, “because I said she stays with me. And I meant it. Unless you think you have what it takes to change my mind?”

While Ghost wasn’t a small man, he looked like one when compared to me. I had at least seventy-five pounds on the man, most of which was pure muscle, and towered over a half of a foot above him to boot.

I could tell Ghost wasn’t used to being outmatched. He was a tough motherfucker, I’d give him that. But he wasn’t as tough as me. And he knew it. He’d never win in a fair fight. Not that he was above an unfair one. But he knew he wouldn’t be able to pull a gun or do anything equally as stupid while all these people were watching. The Watchmen might be crazy, but he wasn’t itching to spend the rest of his days in a six-by-eight metal box.

“You’re going to be very sorry about this,” Ghost prophesized, though I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or Kayla when he said it. Either way, I didn’t give a fuck. We weren’t the ones who should be worried.

Turning on his heel, he punched open the door of the restaurant and stalked over to his ride. Through the window, I watched him climb onto his bike and speed off toward the highway. I wasn’t sure where he was going, but I knew it wouldn’t be anywhere good. That man was one crazy motherfucker. Like a loose missile, he was speeding into the night, looking for something, anything, to blow the fuck up on. And when he did, it wouldn’t be pretty.

When I turned back to Kayla, I could see she was visibly shaking. Reaching into my wallet, I pulled out some cash and tossed it onto the table.

“Come on, Babe,” I said, reaching out my hand to stabilize hers. “You’ve had enough excitement for one night. I’m taking you home.”

Kayla

I took Ox’s outstretched hand and followed him to the front of the restaurant. The entire place, once so loud and boisterous, was now dead silent, watching us like we were a suspense-filled TV program.

Before we left, Ox handed LuAnne a wad of twenties. “Sorry about that,” he apologized with a boyish grin. “I promise it won’t happen again.”

LuAnne looked like she’d just met Prince Charming and Fabio all rolled into one. “It’s not your fault some men are awful, sugar. I think I speak for all of JoJo’s when I say I’m grateful you’re built like a Mack truck. Otherwise, I don’t think anything short of a shotgun would have stopped that troubled boy from taking what he wanted,” she said with a note of real concern in her voice. Turning to me then, she said, “You got yourself a real keeper here, doll. God bless and stay safe.”

Half walking, half carrying me out of the restaurant, Ox led me over to his bike. My legs were the consistency of Jello as I put one foot in front of the other.

Strapping the helmet snugly to my head, Ox asked, “How you doing?”

I was so scared, I could barely speak. “He’s going to kill me,” I whispered, terrified that Ghost would do something unhinged the first chance he got.

Lifting my chin, Ox looked deep into my eyes. “You’re safe, Babe. I promise. That motherfucker isn’t going to lay one finger on you as long as I’m around. You hear me?”

“Yeah,” I said, bobbing my head up and down.

And I believed him. But what happened when Ox wasn’t around? He couldn’t babysit me forever. I had an inkling that Ghost was the patient sort. He’d wait me out. Stalk me until he got me alone. And when he did… I couldn’t bear to think about what he’d do to me then. He’d make me pay. Make me sorry, just like he’d said.

The drive back to my place was a blur. Unlike the ride over to the restaurant, I couldn’t enjoy anything about it. I was too afraid considering all the ways Ghost was going to punish me for my perceived disobedience. Shivering, I clutched Ox tightly. I don’t know what I would have done without him tonight. And I never wanted to find out.

Pulling up to my apartment, we banked Ox’s bike right alongside my car. Shaking so badly I could barely unlock my door, Ox plucked my keys from my hands and opened it for me.

Turning on the lights, he went through each room, systematically checking to make sure we were alone. When he’d thoroughly inspected my entire apartment, he said, “We’ll stay here tonight. But in the morning, I think we should consider relocating.”

My heart began to pound so fast I got lightheaded and feared I might do something ridiculous like pass out. “Where will I go? I don’t have the money to rent another place and I can’t risk staying at a friend’s house and having Ghost show up at their doorstep.”

Coming to stand by my side, Ox put his massive hands on either of my shoulders and I immediately felt grounded. “Let me make a phone call. I’ve got a few ideas, but I need to check in with my Club first. Just hang in there, Babe. We’ll figure this out together.”

I nodded, my trust thoroughly invested in this giant of a man despite only just meeting him.

Ghost

I pushed my bike as hard as it could go. And then harder after that. My blood boiled and my mind screamed out for vengeance. As soon as I got that giant motherfucker alone, I was going to flay him alive. Kayla was mine, and nobody was going to take her from me. Nobody!

The image of Ox standing there, blocking me from my girl, tore a hole through my stomach so big I wasn’t sure it could ever be repaired. He had no right. No right! She was mine! Not his.

Mine!

When I pulled up to her apartment tonight, I’d expected her to be home. I’d warned her I was coming. She knew what to expect. Her car was there, but she wasn’t. Thinking my little rabbit had given chase, I’d excitedly driven around town looking for her. It was only through sheer dumb luck that I’d driven past JoJo’s and seen Ox’s bike. That’s when I knew. That Devil was inside with my girl. And I had to confront him for his sins.

This wasn’t the first time the Devil’s Riders had interfered with my plans for Kayla. They’d cockblocked me this summer when their president had reached out to mine and threatened trouble if I didn’t back off the pretty lifeguard. Maze had warned me to stay away from the “bitch” for the time being. That we couldn’t afford an all out war with the much larger Club while we were busy making secret, backdoor alliances so that we could take them down on the sly.

To pacify my President, I’d been patient. Waited until enough time had passed to make the others forget. But now the Devils were back again. Sticking their giant fucking noses in things that didn’t concern them. Well, if they wanted a war, I’d give them one. However, it wouldn’t be on their choice of battlefield. It would be on mine. And I was no ordinary soldier. Guerilla tactics were my specialty.

Pulling onto the side of the street where the rathole of a strip club I’d visited last night was located, I parked my bike. I needed to hurt something. Destroy things. I wasn’t sure what yet, but something, and someone, needed to bleed.

I passed an alleyway and a man stepped out in front of me. He had a gun, and the silver finish winked in the moon’s light. “Gimme your wallet, kid!” the old man weakly demanded.

I couldn’t believe my luck. This was exactly what I needed. What I craved to settle the rage bubbling under the surface of my skin. It wouldn’t make the anger go away forever. But it would make it manageable for the moment.

“Are you fucking deaf!” The bum shouted, jerking the pistol to emphasize his point. “I said gimme your wallet or else I’m going to take it!”

I smiled, silently stalking toward my prey. The man backed up into the alleyway despite the firearm in his possession.

“Are you crazy or something, asshole?” he bellowed, trying to put some distance between us.

Not allowing the man any escape routes, I shot forward and tackled him to the ground. Ripping the gun from his grasp, I tossed it into the dumpster and cracked my neck. I was really going to enjoy this. Pain had always been my sanctuary. My safe place. My peace. And tonight would be no different.

Cocking back my fist, I rammed it into the old man’s face. He screamed as I felt the bones splinter against my knuckles. But I didn’t stop there. I continued to hit. Kick. Pummel. And destroy. As I worked him over like a heavy bag, I thought of Ox’s face. Imagining it was him I taught a lesson to and not this street scum.

The bum’s protests were short lived. Soon, there was nothing but wet and crunchy noises to comfort me. I’m not sure how long I fought. But, by the time I was done, not even this man’s mother would have recognized him. Hell, he barely looked human anymore, let alone like himself.

Dragging his corpse over to the dumpster, I heaved the fleshy blob over the metal lip and heaped some garbage on top of him to hide the body.

Strolling out of the alleyway, I decided I’d only just begun venting my demons. That homeless fuck had only taken the edge off. But I like the way the violence had soothed me. And I knew I needed more death and destruction before I’d ever be able to sleep tonight.

Hopping back onto my bike, I kickstarted the engine to life and drove back off into the darkness looking for more blood, and another fight.

Kayla

Feeling dirty all over after my run-in with Ghost, I jumped into the shower for the second time that day. When I got out, I put on some lotion to soothe my skin. Dressed in fresh sleep shorts and a tank top, I met Ox in my living room.

“Hey,” I greeted, feeling a little naked in front of him, though it had nothing to do with what I was wearing or my lack of makeup. I hated being vulnerable in front of others, and Ghost had thrown me into that position tonight. “Did you talk to your Brothers about what I should do next?”

Ox was sitting on my couch, long legs stretched out in front of him. As big as he was, he made my living room set look like doll furniture. “I did. We’ve got a couple of options, depending on what you’re comfortable with.”

I sat down beside him and curled my legs underneath me. “Okay, I’d love to hear them.” I didn’t have any ideas of my own, so I wasn’t about to turn away his Club’s at this moment.

“Option one,” I stay here for a few days while my Prez reaches out to Ghost’s president. If Ghost doesn’t listen, there’ll be major repercussions,” Ox said, intentionally ambiguous on what those repercussions would be.

I nodded, waiting for the alternative.

“Option two,” Ox revealed, leaning back and looking me in the eye as he closely watched my expression, “you come down to Nevada and stay with the Club for a bit until we sort out Ghost ourselves. I know this isn’t very convenient for you, as you’re in college and have a job here, but it’s what I think is safest, given Ghost’s obvious mental instability.”

Chewing my lower lip, I carefully considered what he said. “I could leave my job, but I’ve worked so hard toward my nursing degree. I can’t give that up. It would just destroy me.”

“And you shouldn’t have to,” Ox agreed. “Do you mind if I crash here for a few days then? See if Reaper could work things out on his end?”

Mind? I’d love having this hunk of man staying with me for a while. “I’d be really grateful if you’d stay here. I wouldn’t feel safe without you.”

Ox smiled and it made my stomach flip inward on itself. “I guess you just got yourself a new house guest then.”

My heart beat a little faster and my body tingled all over with excitement. “Let me go get you some blankets so you can be warm tonight.”

As I rummaged through my linen closet, I cobbled together enough materials to make up Ox’s “bed”. I was a college student on a budget, so it wasn’t fancy. But it would get the job done.

Ox aimlessly flipped through the channels as I fitted the sheets into place. “Got any movies we can watch?” he asked, giving up and setting the clicker to the side.

“I don’t have many,” I said, kneeling down at the plastic container near the TV stand. “Just a few left over from when I lived with my parents.”

“Let’s hear my options,” Ox said, getting comfy on his bed.

“Let’s see,” I began, filtering through the choices. “I’ve got Aladdin, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, and Newsies.”

Ox thought it over. “What’s Newsies about?”

Surprised he hadn’t jumped right to the war film, I said, “It’s about a group of street kids, with the will to survive, selling newspapers at the turn of the century. You game?”

“Sure, pop it in,” Ox said with more enthusiasm than I expected.

“It’s a musical,” I warned, checking to see if that would seal the deal on one of my childhood favs.

“Bold choice,” he teased. “Got any beer?”

Though I didn’t usually have beer in my house, I had a few left over from a friend who liked fancy microbrews. He’d left them behind when we’d been pregaming one night, and I shoved them to the back of the fridge to make room for everything else.

“Yeah, I think there’s a six pack in there still,” I said, rising to head into the kitchen. “You want a snack, too?”

“Sure,” Ox called back, as I gathered our goodies.

Placing a bag of popcorn in the microwave, I grabbed some napkins and bowls. “You like extra butter?” I called out, needing to know before I piled it on top.

“Who doesn’t?” he shouted back.

I smiled as I heated some butter and drizzled it on top. I came back into the living room with the beer, popcorn, and hot sauce. The hot sauce was for me. I loved it on my popcorn. The salty, tangy, spiciness just added a kick that I craved whenever I indulged in this particular snack.

Ox eyed my hot sauce. “I’m assuming this is for you?”

I laughed, snagging it back from him. “Yes, and don’t judge! I love hot food.”

“I’ve never tried it before,” he said as I handed him his bowl. He watched as I doused mine with the flavorful red stuff.

“You want some?” I posed, just as I was about to pop the first delectable bite into my mouth.

Ox paused, his eyes narrowing a little. I’m not sure why, but that look caused my girly parts to stand up at attention.

“You don’t think I can take it?” he teased, but there was a hint of a challenge to his words that didn’t go unnoticed.

My voice was a little breathy when I said, “I think you can.”

Ox leaned forward and I gently fed him the spicy popcorn. As his lips sealed around the morsel of food, I felt them slightly kiss my fingertips and I immediately became drenched.

As he chewed, he never tore his gaze away from mine. “It’s good,” he said, licking his lips clean of the salty residue.

I twisted the top off his beer, trying to break the tension between us. “Here,” I said, shoving it at him. “I’m not sure what kind of beer you like, but I had a few of these left over in the fridge and my friend really seems to like them.”

Ox frowned as he looked at the expensive beer like he’d never seen it before. And he probably hadn’t, as it was from a small, local brewery that made seasonal batches of all their products.

“A friend?” he posed, taking a tentative swig.

“Yeah, my friend Kenny is really into microbrews. I’m not picky, but he practically lives for trying local breweries,” I explained.

“Kenny your boyfriend?” Ox posed, not bothering to beat around the bush with his question.

I blushed and shook my head. “No. He’s just a friend.”

Ox glanced at my breasts. “A gay friend?”

I burst out laughing and popped the top of my own beer, needing to cool down for some ungodly reason. It wasn’t hot out, but this man definitely had the ability to make me sweat.

“No, he’s not gay,” I said, swallowing a sip of the hoppy brew.

“Does he come over here often?” Ox pressed, his blue eyes narrowing a bit.

“Not lately.” In fact, Kenny and I had a falling out recently when he’d tried to kiss me and I’d told him I didn’t want him to. Needless to say, my “friend” had given me the silent treatment after that. Hence the beer still residing in my fridge.

Ox’s brow lifted. “He try to get into your pants or something?”

My cheeks warmed at his perceptive question. “Something like that,” I admitted.

“I can’t blame the guy,” he said without a hint of a smile. “He had to try and shoot his shot.”

“We were friends,” I explained.

“Babe,” he said with a pointed look, “you can’t look how you look and expect a straight man to just want to be your friend.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. “I just didn’t feel that way about him.”

Ox finished his beer and placed it on the coffee table. “How many of these did the poor bastard leave behind? I actually kind of like this stuff.”

I giggled and headed back to the fridge to bring back the rest. “He left behind a six pack. Enjoy!”

“I’ll drink this one in his honor,” he teased, screwing off the cap.

“Ready for the movie?” I was actually looking forward to watching it. It had been a hot minute since I’d last watched Newsies, and it was once something I used to loop on repeat.

Ox extended his bowl of popcorn in my direction and gave it a shake. “Why don’t you hit me with some more of that hot sauce. It goes well with my beer.”

Ox

I was experiencing all sorts of firsts here tonight. Popcorn with hot sauce. Fancy microbrews that were actually fucking delicious. And this hot woman curled up beside me, sleeping like she didn’t have a care in the world.

Her head had migrated over to my lap, and her cheek was resting on my inner thigh. Not wanting to wake her, I’d had to suffer through my dick being at full attention for over an hour. All I could think about was her pretty little bow shaped mouth so close to my cock, and it would buck and thicken a little bit harder. Fuck, this was torture! But torture of the sweetest variety.

The movie had ended a while ago. Not that Kayla had noticed. She’d fallen asleep thirty minutes into the film. Now I was watching some basketball game on TV, and I didn’t even fucking like basketball, fighting the urge to stroke it to the beautiful woman beside me.

Carefully reaching down for another beer, I contemplated everything that had happened today and my conversation with Reaper. What I told Kayla was only partly the truth. We weren’t just going to “talk” to the Watchmen president about his fuckwad minion. We were going to send him a very tangible message with Ghost’s lifeless body tagged to it. We’d already told him once to back off, and the Devils didn’t tell you twice.

However, I knew Ghost wasn’t going to be easy to find. His road name wasn’t ironic. The man was good at disappearing when he wanted to. And the only reason we knew what we did about the jack hole so far, was because my brother Pipe was a savant with computers and data collection.

Still, Ghost wasn’t about to just slip away into the night. After the way I’d seen him eye fucking Kayla, I knew he wasn’t ever going to let her go. For a guy like him, there were only two options. Do as he said, or he’d break her in the process. And there was no fucking way I was going to allow that to happen. As long as I drew breath, I’d make sure Kayla was safe from that sociopath.

I knew it was like playing with fire, catching feelings for a girl like Kayla. But I couldn’t help it. The tiny, curvaceous woman had snuck up on me like a summer thunderstorm. It wasn’t just her sex appeal either. Shit, being in an MC allowed me to take a different girl to my bed every night of the week. In fact, I rarely stopped at one. But there was just something different about the little nurse that made me hungry for more. And boy, did that scare me.

I wasn’t the settle down type. I wasn’t opposed to it, per se, but I knew this lifestyle wasn’t for everybody. It was especially hard on women. I’d seen it a million times before. An MC was all about men and what they wanted. And women and children were often the unexpected casualties of this type of lifestyle choice.

And besides, even if I wanted to make a go of it with Kayla, her life was here in California. She’d said it herself. She didn’t even want to go back home. Her friends and her school were here in Cali. There was no way she’d relocate to Nevada to be with an asshole like me.

Kayla turned in her sleep and her mouth was now pressing directly against my johnson. Fuck me! This was going to be a long couple of days.

Gathering her sweet body into my arms, I decided it was time to put her to bed. I wanted to check the perimeter before I cleaned up, and Kayla needed to be in her room, not this lumpy couch, where she could get a good night’s rest.

The tiny woman in my arms snuggled closer against me and nuzzled her nose into my chest as I carried her to her bedroom. Pulling back the comforter, I set her onto the bed and she immediately flopped onto her back. Her shirt slipped up, exposing her tanned, toned stomach and my mouth began to water.

Feeling like a total pervert, I quickly dragged up her comforter and walked over to the windows. Peeking through the blinds, I looked around to see if there was anything, or anyone, out of place standing around. We were on the first floor, so if anyone wanted to, they could easily break into her bedroom and abduct her in her sleep. That thought caused a shot of protectiveness to surge through my veins. I was going to have to check in with Pipe and see if he could investigate safe real estate options in the area where she could stay once this shit with Ghost was all over. Even if I had to subsidize her rent, I’d be damned if she stayed here any longer than she had to.

Quietly moving back into the living room, I checked all the windows and doors. I found everything locked and the street quiet. Confident that Kayla was safe for the night, I went back to the living room and sat down on the couch that was a foot too small for me. Deciding I’d stay up a little while longer, I finished my beer while I watched Newsies for a second time.

Kayla

In the morning, Ox went out to handle some business for the Club. Reminding me to keep my doors locked, he’d headed out around nine and told me he’d be back in a few hours to drive me to work for my afternoon shift.

While he was gone, I did some laundry, cleaned up around the house, and prepped dinner for when I got home and was too tired to cook and tempted to buy take-out I couldn’t afford.

Ox was as good as his word and showed up to take me to the diner at noon. We rode on his bike and it was every bit as exhilarating as I remembered. I’d offered to drive, but he didn’t want Ghost to see my car parked outside of Mel’s and know I was working.

Handing him my helmet, I reminded him, “I get off at six.”

Ox placed my helmet in his saddle bag and gave me a big smile. “I might be named after a big, dumb beast, but I’m not as forgetful as one. I won’t be late.”

I laughed at that and watched him drive away. When I walked into Mel’s, Macy, one of the other waitresses on shift, whistled. “Who’s the hunk?”

Shrugging off my coat, I hung it on the stand. “He’s a friend visiting from out of town,” I said, trying to gloss over the topic of the large, handsome biker before my colleagues started asking too many questions. Questions I had no intention of answering.

“Are you dating this friend?” Macy pressed, her blue eyes watching my every micro expression.

“No,” I answered, feeling hella uncomfortable with this topic.

Around my age, Macy was a pretty brunette with a sweet personality that sometimes bordered on brutally honest. Twirling her dark hair around her finger, she asked, “Is he single?”

Usually Macy and I got along really well. We’d even partied together a few times over at my college. However, right about now, she was getting on my last nerve.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Have we been busy tonight?” I asked, quickly changing topics.

Macy grinned, pointing an accusatory finger in my direction. “You’re into him!”

I blew out a frustrated breath. “I didn’t say that. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Does he have any friends in town that look like him? That man is gorgeous. And so tall! You know I like the tall boys,” she gushed.

I laughed, unable to stay mad at my exuberant friend. “I’ll ask him about it later.”

Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed a clean apron and tied it around my waist. Kim was loading up a tray of food and smiled when she saw me. “Hey kid! Good to see you. It’s been busy all morning so I know the afternoon rush is going to be just as slammed.”

Just as Kim had predicted, the next few hours were, indeed, slammed. I hardly blinked and I realized that it was six already and the crowds hadn’t let up for a minute. I was in the kitchen, gathering my order for another table of five, when Macy swooped in.

Nudging my arm, she announced, “Your good looking friend is back. He wants to be seated in your section, too,” she excitedly let me know.

“What good looking friend?” Kim inquired, as she walked through with a tray of Meatloaf specials.

“He’s a gorgeous biker,” Macy blurted out, clapping her hands together. “And Kayla’s going to introduce me to his friends.”

Kim frowned. “The weird guy from the other night who made you uncomfortable?”

Irritated that Macy didn’t know when to shut up, I shook my head. “No, it’s someone else. Someone I know from back home,” I fibbed, hoping to sweep everything neatly under the rug so I didn’t have to confess what had actually happened with Ghost.

“Good. I didn’t like the other guy. He was all hands and had crazy eyes!” Kim stated before disappearing through the kitchen door to distribute her food.

Macy looked confused. “What guy with crazy eyes? You didn’t tell me about a guy with crazy eyes!”

“I’ll tell you about it later,” I said, hoping she would forget and move on to something else by then.

“I never meet anyone good,” Macy grumbled, as the cook practically drooled over the woman he’d had an open crush on since I started working here four months back.

“I don’t know about that,” I told her, as I walked toward the dining room. “I think if you open your eyes, you’d see there’s a lot of good guys around just waiting for you to notice them.”

Winking at Bruce, I slipped through the two way door and began to distribute the food to my tables. After I’d done that, I glanced over at the back of the room where Ox was seated. Immediately, my skin began to tingle, my body became heated, and I felt light headed.

Boy, Macy was right. Ox was really good looking. But it wasn’t just that. There was something special about the man that stood out even more than his good looks and large size. It was the way he took care of me, made me feel safe, and exuded competence in whatever he did that really turned me on. When we were together, I knew everything was going to be okay. He’d help me sort it out. And there was nothing sexier about a man than a can-do attitude and a will to pitch in and get shit done.

As I approached his table, Ox looked up. “Hey beautiful,” he greeted, and I think I’d died and gone to heaven with his compliment. “I was wondering what was good here?”

“People really seem to like our meatloaf,” I told him, having sold nearly thirty plates of the stuff already today. “And the lasagna is really good, too.” It was usually what I got when I ate here. They used three types of cheese, a sweeter sauce, and loads of vegetables. Just like my mom used to make it.

“I’ll try one of each,” Ox said, leaning back against the booth. “Any chance you can join me for dinner?”

I looked around the room and my heart dropped. We were still so busy, I was probably going to have to work late tonight. There was no way I’d be able to leave Macy and Kim with so many tables to take care of while I sat down to eat.

I sighed. “I don’t think so, but I have a break coming up in a little bit. I’ll probably be able to sit with you then.”

Ox grinned as though he liked the sound of that. “I look forward to it, Babe.”

“You want a coke with your dinner? There’s free refills here.”

“Sure,” he agreed, so easy going it was hard to believe he was a big, bad, biker.

“I’ll be right back with your drink,” I told him, and rushed to the kitchen with his dinner ticket.

Knowing how large Ox’s appetite was, I popped in an order of fries for him to munch on while he was waiting for his meatloaf to cook. It would be my treat. A small way I could pay him back for being so amazing.

Lucky for me, I didn’t even have to wait for the fries because Bruce already had a plate of them ready to go. “Hey Kayla, you needed these?” he asked, pushing a large, crispy stack in my direction. “Table four ordered them to go, but then had to leave before they were ready.”

“Thanks,” I said, snatching the still hot plate in my free hand.

“Thank you,” he said, sending me a warm grin. “I heard what you said to Macy, and I’m grateful for all the help I can get with that girl.”

“You just need to ask her out already, Bruce,” I told him. “I know you’ve wanted to for some time.”

“I’m afraid she likes bikers more than she likes cooks,” Bruce theorized, having overheard our conversation from earlier.

“You’ll never know until you tell her one likes her,” I encouraged with a smile, before heading back to Ox’s booth.

Unloading the fries, I said, “I brought you two sodas, as I know how thirsty you get. And these are on the house. JoJo’s are good, but I think Mel’s makes the best fries around.”

Ox grinned and that sexy as hell smile shot all the way to my naughty bits. “Thanks, Babe. I appreciate that.”

I knew his calling me “Babe” was a generic term of endearment, but I swear I got wet just hearing him talk to me like that.

“Flag me down if you need anything else,” I said, a stupid, smitten smile plastered all over my face.

Ox

As I ate my meatloaf, and then my lasagna, I watched Kayla bop around the room. No one could say she wasn’t a hard worker. She never stopped, or took that break she said she was going to get.

With each new customer she served, I was able to tell more about her. Her thoughtfulness and kindness were obvious. She was naturally giving and considerate of others.

From the lonely old man who smiled whenever she called him by name, to the young woman who sported bruises up and down her arms and was quietly offered the address to the local women's shelter, Kayla proved she was first class all the way.

My chest tightened when I thought about going home to Nevada and leaving her behind. I’d just met her, but I’d never felt this way about a woman before. Kayla consumed my every thought and she was starting to become a bit like an obsession.

And her fucking curves were killing me, too! Even in her uniform, simple black pants and a tight, white top, I couldn’t stop imagining ripping each button open with my teeth and getting my hands on those incredible tits of hers. And don’t get me started on her ass! Just thinking about sticking my dick in there had given me permanent wood since the filthy thought had entered my fucked up brain.

At quarter of eight, Kayla’s replacement showed up and she began to close out her tables. Nervously, she rushed over to mine, her arms filled with a stack of dirty plates. “I’m really sorry. It was so busy tonight and I couldn’t just stick Macy and Kim with so many tables to take care of. I won’t be much longer, but I have to do my cleanup before I go. Can I get you another soda while you wait? A dessert perhaps? My treat.”

I shook my head, not giving a fuck if I had to wait. I’d enjoyed watching her tonight, as weird as that sounded. I can’t say I’d have felt that way about anyone else. But Kayla, well, she was different.

“I’m good, Babe. Just tell me when you’re ready to go home,” I assured her.

“Give me ten minutes and we can leave,” she said as she began to clear my table of the remaining dishes.

The young waitress that had worked alongside her tonight came bounding over then. “Thanks for staying late, Kayla. Bruce said he made this for you as a thank you for working past your scheduled shift.”

Kayla popped open the to-go container and her face lit up. “Lasagna, my favorite!”

“He knew you’d appreciate that,” the woman said, turning her blue eyes on me then. “Hi, I’m Macy.”

“Ox,” I returned with a head nod.

“I heard you’re in an MC,” Macy continued, sliding into the booth on the opposite side of me.

“Yeah. The Devil’s Riders. You ever heard of them?” I asked, amused by her forwardness. Usually people were scared of guys like me. Not this kid. She was all smiles and childish enthusiasm as she chatted.

Macy shook her head. “I grew up sheltered,” she explained matter-of-factly. “My parents are Mormons.”

I shrugged. “That’s not the worst thing that could happen to a girl.”

The pretty brunette frowned. “It’s not the best thing, either. Nothing but church and school for me. I just couldn’t wait until I turned eighteen and got the heck out of there.”

This woman was an open book. “Sounds rough,” I commiserated, though I’d only ever gone to church on holidays and special occasions and couldn’t relate.

“You have no idea!” Macy said, scavenging a fry off my plate before Kayla cleared it away. “So do you have any friends in town? Maybe we can all hang out before you head back to wherever you’re from.”

As innocent as this girl was, I’d never let her within a mile of my Brothers. They were all great guys. But they’d eat her alive in one sitting. “Unfortunately, it’s just me for now.”

Macy sighed. “I have the worst luck with men!”

Kayla arrived on the tail end of that statement and began fastening her coat. “All right, that’s enough getting to know you conversation for one night, Macy. I have to go. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”

Walking out of Mel’s, I stored Kayla’s meal, wrapped in two plastic bags, in my saddle bag, and we headed back to her apartment.

“I’m going to go change,” she said, leaving her lasagna on the counter. “I’ll be right back. Help yourself to anything in the fridge or the pantry. I won’t be long.”

I’d gone shopping for a few odds and ends when Kayla had been at work. Taking her car, I’d filled the fridge with food and beer so I didn’t eat the poor girl out of house and home. On the ride back, I’d filled her gas tank because it was obvious how tight her budget was.

When she entered the kitchen, Kayla was wearing a pair of sleep shorts that made her ass look like a peach, and a silky tank top that outlined her full breasts. Fuck me! It was about to be another long night filled with fantasies and blue balls.

“I’m starving,” she declared, going to the fridge.

I knew the feeling. When she opened the door, she looked inside and went still.

“Where did all this food come from?” she asked, in total awe of the now packed space.

I shrugged, twisting the top off one of the leftover beers from the other night. “I figured if I was going to be staying over at your place for the next couple of days, I could pull my weight by stocking up on the essentials.”

Kayla’s pretty eyes became glossy and she cleared her throat. “You didn’t have to do that. I owe you for everything you’re doing to keep me safe from Ghost.”

My chest tightened at the very real, raw emotion in her voice. “It’s no big deal, Babe. I would have had to feed myself anyway.”

A knock on her door sounded then, causing Kayla to jump. “Get in the living room,” I commanded, not wanting her anywhere near the door. “I’m going to check who’s there and I don’t want them to see you.”

Kayla nodded and hurried into the living room. Reaching for the gun strapped around my ankle, I skinned it from its holster and tucked it into the waistband of my jeans just to play it safe. Ghost was a crazy son of a bitch. He’s the kind of guy to shoot first and ask questions never. Of that I had no doubt. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if he showed up armed. Just in case he did, I wanted to be ready.

Unlocking the door, I pulled it open. It wasn’t Ghost, as I’d thought, but it was another man. One I didn’t recognize. About five-ten, he had glasses, dark hair, and was dressed like an insurance agent. I was guessing he didn’t do much manual labor in his time off, either, on account of how soft he was.

“Can I help you?” I asked as the man took a measured step back from the threshold of the apartment when he got a load of me.

Looking up, he blinked, checked the door number, then looked back up at me again. “Um, I’m looking for Kayla. Is she home?”

“Who are you?” I demanded, feeling like a guard dog standing in front of the vulnerable sheep’s pen. People could be deceiving. I didn’t know what this guy was here for. Until I did, and determined he wasn’t a threat, I wasn’t answering any of his questions.

“I’m Kenny,” the confused man explained, and it took my brain a second to remember who the fuck that even was. “I’m a friend of Kayla’s.”

When I realized who it was, the guy who’s beer I’d been enjoying and who’d tried to shove his tongue down Kayla’s throat when she hadn’t wanted him to, I raised a brow. “She’s busy,” I declared, a challenge in my eyes as I stared him down, letting him know this topic wasn’t up for debate.

“Look, I don’t want any trouble. But if you don’t get Kayla, I’m going to call the cops to make sure she’s okay,” the man weakly threatened, his words becoming higher pitched as he reached for his phone.

I had to hand it to the kid. He wasn’t just turning tail and running. I knew he didn’t mean a word of what he was saying. He’d clearly fold faster than a cardboard box. I could tell by the way he was nervously licking his lips and mapping out his escape route. But at least he’d tried the bluff for Kayla’s sake.

“Like I said, Kayla’s busy. Take a fucking hike.”

I made to close the door but the woman in question must have heard the conversation from the living room and came forward then. “It’s fine, Ox. I can handle this.”

Kenny visibly relaxed when he saw the beautiful woman appear. “Kayla, I just wanted to make sure you were okay and—” he glanced at me then, becoming self conscious. “Can we talk in private?”

“Now’s not a good time,” Kayla answered, her stance both irritated and annoyed.

Standing behind the curvy woman, I towered over her petite form, watching to make sure this conversation didn’t get out of hand. As he spoke, Kenny’s gaze kept swinging toward me, hoping I’d leave him alone with my girl.

Okay, my girl wasn’t exactly the truth. But she was mine. My responsibility. Mine to care for and to protect. So yeah, my girl worked for me because I liked the fucking sound of it in my head.

“Look, I’m sorry about what happened the last time we hung out,” Kenny apologized, his gaze trailing my hand as I rested it on Kayla’s hip.

I felt the woman tense for a second, then soften when she realized what I was doing. Giving her the excuse she needed to make this man go away fast. I’d heard women say it a million times before. Men only leave you alone when they think another man has staked his claim. Well, I was more than willing to oblige old Kenny with that belief, as well as do something I’d been fantasizing about since we’d met. Get my hands on this beautiful woman’s ripe curves.

And fuck, they did not disappoint! They were everything I’d dreamed of and more. Soft. Lush. And so feminine. I could just imagine holding on to her hips while I was plowing her from behind. My dick, totally on board with this action, began to boldly rise at the lusty imagery.

“You really hurt my feelings,” Kayla said then. “You never answered any of my calls or texts after you left that night.”

I squeezed her hip, kneading the firm flesh there. When she leaned against me, I took that as a green light to proceed. My hand ran up along her side, her silky shirt allowing for a smooth stroke until I reached the top of her ribcage just below the swell of her breasts. Feeling her slight intake of breath, I used the pad of my thumb to stroke her there, wanting nothing more than to cup and heft those heavy, creamy globes in my palms. Fuck, my dick, already at half mast, thickened to full on wood and was pressing lustily on Kayla’s backside now.

Kenny’s eyes continued to follow the path of my fingers and they burned with an unspoken fury. “You couldn’t be that upset. I see you moved on rather quickly.” He jerked his chin in my direction.

Kayla’s little body tensed from the slight. “Moved on? You and I were never dating, Kenny. What are you talking about?”

“Not from lack of trying on my part,” the boy replied petulantly.

“Are you delusional? We were friends, Kenny! Not friends with benefits. Not friends until you got what you wanted. Just friends. It’s not my fault you didn’t understand what that word meant,” my girl shouted back, getting riled.

I have to say, seeing her get so fierce was a fucking turn on! Kenny, being the object of her ire, didn’t seem to agree.

“Guys don’t want to be just friends, Kayla. When we say it, it’s code for “we like you”.”

I wanted to laugh out loud, as I’d told her the very same thing the other night, but I didn’t dare to enrage the woman further by mentioning it now.

“I don’t know what bothers me more. The fact that you’re a manipulative liar, telling me what I want to hear so you can get what you want. Or, you ignoring me after jamming your tongue down my throat and pitching a fit when I reiterated what I’d said from the beginning—I only wanted to be friends. Unlike you, that wasn’t code for anything, Kenny. That was just the truth. Something you’re incapable of telling.”

Shit! Kayla was smart, articulate, and dead on. Good on her for letting this dickbag have it with both barrels. “I thought you’d change your mind,” he whined, like the pathetic incel he was.

“Just go away, Kenny,” she said, letting out a pent up breath. “I don’t have the energy for this today.”

“Wait,” the man argued, placing his palm against the door so she couldn’t shut it on him.

That was my cue to step in. Pulling Kayla behind me, I moved into the hallway, forcing Kenny to fall back several steps. “It seems you don’t understand English very well, pal. Let me break down the code for you. Kayla’s not asking you to leave. She’s telling you to. So fuck off!”

The man instantly cowered when he heard my booming voice. Holding his hands up in front of him like a shield, he said, “I don’t want any trouble, man.”

“Good. Then take your sorry ass home and never show up here again. Or I promise you, you’ll find a shit ton of that trouble you say you don’t want. Got me?” I threatened.

Bobbing his head, Kenny tore off toward his sedan and was stomping on the gas pedal before he’d even fully shut his car door.

With a smile, I relocked Kayla’s front door. “Let me make you a drink while you eat your lasagna. I think you’ve earned it tonight.”

Kayla deflated like a balloon with a fast leak. “You don’t have to do that. This isn’t your fault.”

“I know, but I want to. So what will you have? I stopped at the liquor store earlier. You’re now pretty well stocked on options.”

“I’ll just have a beer,” she decided with a small smile.

“Coming right up,” I said, dipping back into the fridge as I retrieved one of the special microbrews Kenny had introduced me to.

Kayla looked at the bottle with confusion. “How many of those do we have left? I thought we drank them all last night.”

I grinned and shrugged. “They were really good, so I picked up two more six packs.”

Laughing, she took a sip. “At least Kenny has good taste when it comes to beer.”

Watching Kayla wrap those full lips around the top of her bottle, I wondered what they would feel like around the head of my cock when she sucked it just the way I liked. “He didn’t just have good taste in beer. He had good taste in women, too.”

Kayla grew shy and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Don’t try to make me feel better about what happened. You were right about Kenny. He didn’t ever want to be my friend. I was stupid to think he ever wanted to be.”

My gut twisted when she said that about herself. Coming over to where she stood, I stroked her hair and said, “That’s not what I meant, Kayla. You aren’t stupid. Far from it. Some guys just aren’t man enough to come right out and ask for what they want. They lie in hopes that they’ll eventually get it through manipulation. It’s fucked up. But it isn’t on you.”

Biting her lower lip, Kayla looked up at me with those big, beautiful brown eyes of hers. “I wish men would be honest and ask for what they wanted instead of trying to trick us into it. They might be surprised when we tell them that we want it too.”

I was no genius, but I knew a veiled admission of desire when I heard one. And when it came to this sexy woman in front of me, I’d accept that offer every day of the week.

“Yeah?” I said, my fingers caressing her cheek and running along the column of her throat. “You like it when a man tells you straight up what he wants?”

Swallowing, she nodded, her gaze never wavering from mine. “I do.”

Well, shit. This little minx was calling me out. I guess I was going to have to show her I was a man of my word. Backing her up against the counter, I pressed my body against hers to let her feel the thick ridge of my hard cock straining against my jeans.

“You know what I want to do to you right now, Kayla?” I asked, stroking that beautiful neck of hers.

“No,” she croaked out, her pulse ticking under the pads of my calloused fingers.

Leaning into her ear, I rasped, “It has everything to do with being friendly, but nothing to do with being friends.” My fingers wrapped around that graceful neck of hers and gave it a gentle squeeze while my other hand skimmed down her side.

A tiny gasp escaped her full lips and my dick gave a jump of excitement. “I want that, too.”

Those were the magic words I’d been waiting for. My mouth lowered to hers and our lips collided. Our tongues sparred and lashed against one another with the need and determination of the famished. If being in her mere presence had been a turn on, touching her was sheer ecstasy. When she moaned, I pinned her harder against the counter with my hips, grinding my cock into her soft mound so she could feel every inch of my desire for her.

Instinctively, Kayla spread her legs further, allowing me full access to her center. Fuck me! I swear I could come in my jeans just by dry humping her like this. I hadn’t felt this way since I’d been a teenager and a stiff breeze could get me off.

Lifting her into the air, I settled her fine ass onto the counter top and stepped between her thighs. Kayla’s hands gripped my biceps, then my back, desperately begging for more. You didn’t have to ask me twice. I’d give her anything she wanted, as many times a day that she wanted it.

My hand slipped between her thighs and dipped into the leg of her sleep shorts. She wasn’t wearing any panties underneath. Jesus Christ! I don’t know what I’d done to earn a girl like her, but I was more than willing to prove my worthiness every day for the rest of my life.

My fingers outlined the folds of her plump little pussy lips, and Kayla moaned. “You like that, Babe?” I asked, teasing her entrance with the tip of my finger. “You want more?”

“Yes!” she begged, thrusting her pelvis against it and forcing it about an inch inside. “Please, don’t stop!”

I growled as I drove them hard into her tight sheath. Her inner walls pulsed and my dick began to pound with ninety-nine percent of my entire blood supply.

“Such a tight little cunt,” I told her, forcing in another finger to begin to train her for something much bigger and longer than my fingers. “I’m not sure it can take my cock, Babe. But I can’t wait for the chance to try.”

Kayla’s head dropped back against the cabinet as I worked her slippery clit with my thumb. “That feels so good,” she cried out. Bracing the palm of her hands against the countertop, she speared her hips onto my fingers to fuck them aggressively like she wanted to fuck me.

My dick was threatening to break free from the prison of my jeans. I was sure I’d see the teeth of my zipper imprinted along the skin of my shaft as soon as I set him free.

Most days, I went commando. Today was no different. As soon as she came, I was going to drag down that pesky zipper and plow inside her tight as fuck cunt. I never went without a rubber, but I didn’t have any at the moment. However, there was no way I was missing out on an opportunity that only came around once in a lifetime. I was going to enjoy fucking Kayla’s sweet little cunt bare-back. Just the thought of it sent chills down my spine and further stiffened my already rock-hard cock.

“I’m so close,” Kayla moaned, the lids of her eyes squeezed shut so forcefully it looked like she was in a state of beautiful agony.

“Let me help you with that, Babe.” Dropping my head between her legs, I hoisted her thighs up and over my shoulders. My tongue shot out and stroked her from one end of her slit to the other. When it got to the swollen bud of nerves at the top, I lashed it back and forth in quick, steady swipes I knew women loved.

Kayla’s hips bucked. I had to hold her firmly in place so she didn’t fall off the counter. “Oh my God!” she cried out, her hand clutching her left breast in need of even more stimulation. “That’s so good, Ox!”

“Pull down your shirt, Babe,” I instructed, wanting to see those beautiful tits jiggle as I stuffed her full of cock. “I’ve been fantasizing about them since we met.”

Grasping the thin strap of her cami, she first dragged it down one arm and then the other. With bated breath, I waited for her to pull it down around her waist. When she did, I wasn’t disappointed. They were everything I was hoping for and more, big, round, and absolutely glorious. Those tits were the perfect size to spill nicely out of my hands whenever we were fucking. I couldn’t wait to give them a test drive with my dick. Sticking my fat anaconda between those two pillows of flesh was going to be the closest to heaven I’d ever gotten in all my sinful life.

Reaching out, the rough skin of my hands rasped against her flushed nipples. My mouth watered when I plucked them and she emitted a low, keening noise. “Fuck, Kayla! They’re even better than I thought they’d be.”

I couldn’t wait to watch these beauties bounce as I filled her over and over again with cock. But there’d be time for that later. Right now, she needed to come. That way, she’d be lubed enough for the club in my pants to slide right in.

I wasn’t just a big guy in height and stature. My dick was every bit as big as I was. Thick and long, it scared some women off when I revealed it. The last thing I wanted to do was scare away Kayla, so I left it contained in my pants for the moment until she was ready for it. When she was slippery and sated and knew it would be worth the stretch. Worth the pain.

Strumming my nose through the soaked channel of her pussy, I breathed in deep of her natural scent. The smell was so intoxicating, I couldn’t help myself but crave more. Lapping up her juices, I worked over her clit as I held Kayla still. Her hips bucked wildly as she mumbled noises of arousal that stoked my own into a blazing inferno.

God, it was like this woman was made just for me! Everything from her scent, looks, and personality, got my motor going. And the way she was panting now, nonsensical words and sounds pouring from her open mouth, I knew she was feeling the same about me.

“I’m going to come,” Kayla revealed, my face buried deep into that sweet pussy, enjoying every fucking drop of her erotic nectar.

Pausing, I looked up and said, “You want me to fuck you, Babe? You want my cock inside this hot cunt?”

“Please,” she begged prettily. “I need you inside of me, Ox! I need it now.”

Smiling darkly, I continued to feast between her legs. It didn’t take long before she blew, arching her whole body into the air like a tortured marionette. As she screamed her release, her knees boxed my ears and she rode my face like a goddamned rodeo queen.

Panting, her body shook and sweat made her skin shiny and slick. Reaching for my zipper, I began to draw it down, every cell in my body zinging to life. “You ready for me to fuck you nice and hard, Babe?”

Before she could answer, a loud wailing sound screamed to life overhead. Kayla shot up, a look of confusion painted across her beautiful, lust flushed face.

“Come on,” I said, helping her onto her feet and straightening her clothes. As much as I hated to cut short what we’d been doing, I couldn’t ignore a fucking fire alarm. Not even to avoid the major case of blue balls I was about to endure. “Something is wrong. We gotta get out of the building.”