Ox (The Devil’s Riders #5)

Chapter 7

SEVEN

Ox

“Kayla, stop!” I commanded, spinning the terrified woman so she could see it was me and not an intruder.

Her eyes were the size of dinner plates when she faced me, the pupils blown so large they appeared cartoonish.

“Ox!” she screeched, when she realized it was me holding her and not Ghost. Wrapping her arms around my middle, she began to shake.

Angry that she was home without me, I quelled my rage as it wasn’t directed at the tiny woman in my arms and would only frighten her further. “Why aren’t you at work, Babe?”

Kayla separated from me and I immediately wanted to tug her back against my chest and smother her close to my skin. “It was dead at the diner so my boss sent me home early. I went to the mall first, because I was afraid to be home alone, but I eventually left after I’d finished my Christmas shopping.”

I should have texted her about Ghost breaking into her apartment, but I’d thought she’d been safe at work and didn’t want to upset her until I knew what that motherfucker had been up to.

“Why didn’t you call me? I would have come and gotten you?” Stroking her cheek, my chest began to constrict when I thought about what could have happened if she’d come home any earlier.

Kayla shrugged and looked down at her feet. “I didn’t want to bother you at work. You’ve done so much for me already. I didn’t want to nag you about picking me up, so I called an Uber.”

“Babe, you texting or calling me isn’t nagging. It’s letting me know you need me and that you’re safe,” I patiently explained, hating that she’d felt that way, and nearly paid the ultimate price for it.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, stepping into the safety of my arms and snuggling close once again.

Pressing her cheek against my chest, I ran my hand through the silky strands of her hair. Breathing her scent in deeply, I gave her a minute to collect herself before bombarding her with more questions.

After her shaking subsided, she said, “He was here, Ox. This time I know that for sure. He left something behind in my room so I’d know it was him.”

Pulling back, I looked her directly in the eye. “Show it to me.”

Taking her by the hand, I escorted her back to the bedroom. Her gaze immediately zeroed in on the end table by her bed and she shivered with disgust.

“When we first met, he was always drinking Pepsi. I don’t touch the stuff, but there was a can of it resting on my nightstand when I came home today. He left it there to taunt me, Ox.” Her shoulders slumped as she added, “And he, he did something disgusting in my bed as well.”

My blood boiled when I noticed the clump of used tissues and the wet stains on her comforter and pillow. “That son of a bitch! I’m going to kill him!”

“No!” Kayla shouted, throwing herself back into my arms. “Don’t go after him, Ox! He’s crazy. He’ll do something awful and hurt you, and I can’t stand the thought of that happening. I can’t!”

“Babe, you don’t have to worry about me. In case you haven’t noticed, I can take care of myself,” I teased, loving the way she melted so familiarly against me.

“But Ghost doesn’t play by the rules,” she objected, sniffling against my t-shirt. “He’ll use a knife, or a gun, or anything else to get the upper hand. He’s a monster, Ox. There’s nothing human about that man whatsoever.”

“Nobody’s going to get hurt, Babe,” I soothed, though I omitted the part where I was silently planning how I was going to rip Ghost limb from limb in my head as I’d said it. “You don’t have to worry about me, Kayla. I’m built tough. And so are my Brothers.”

She sniffled then and sucked in a ragged breath. “Don’t go after him. Please, I’m begging you.”

“Okay, Babe,” I agreed, needing her to calm down before we could broach the subject of what was going to happen next. Kissing the top of her head, I squeezed her in my arms, reveling in the feel and smell of her so close. “I’ll take care of it. I promise.”

The first thing I’d done after Kayla had calmed down enough to stop shaking was strip her sheets and bring them downstairs to the laundry room. Sitting beside me, she watched with a dazed expression as I added way more bleach than was necessary but knew she would ultimately appreciate. The pillow had been a lost cause and I’d tossed that, case and all, into the laundry room trash so she wouldn’t have to see it anymore.

There was a Walmart Supercenter not far from here, so I decided to take her after this to get some new stuff while the old sheets were being washed.

“Come on,” I told her, taking her tiny hand in mine. “We’re going shopping and getting you some new sheets and pillows.”

Snagging her keys off the counter, I led her to her car, opening the passenger side door for her. The door stuck and I had to put a little effort into it to get it to open. This car was a piece of shit. As soon as I had a chance to talk to my Brother Hammer, our Club mechanic, I’d ask about getting her a new one. This thing was a death trap and I refused to let her drive it back and forth from school any longer than was necessary.

We drove in silence over to the Walmart. After we’d done our shopping and I’d bought her new sheets, a comforter set, and a stack of fluffy, white pillows, I piled it all in our car and drove her back home.

“You didn’t have to do this,” she whispered, as we made the bed together later that night.

I shook my head. “I did. You deserve to feel safe and clean in your own home.”

Lowering her gaze, she hid the moisture that was pooling in her pretty brown eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered, sounding all choked up.

When I went to leave, she stopped me. “Will you sleep beside me tonight? I don’t want to be alone.”

I shouldn’t have accepted the offer, but I wasn’t that strong. “Sure, Babe. I’m going to jump into the shower first, but we can watch some TV when I get back.”

After showering, I got dressed in a soft pair of flannel sleep pants I’d picked up at Walmart. I normally went commando, but I knew that wouldn’t fly around Kayla.

As I was brushing my teeth, a text pinged through my phone. It was Creed, asking me if I wanted to come to a Club party the DiamondBacks were holding tomorrow night. Not sure, I held back in responding. I knew Reaper would want me to attend on behalf of the Devil’s Riders, but I didn’t know if Kayla would want to go after what Ghost had done and I wasn’t willing to leave her behind.

Making my way back to the bedroom where Kayla was already snuggled down in the covers watching some makeup tutorial on YouTube, I asked, “Mind if I join you?”

Kayla smiled, the first genuine one I’d seen since this morning, and scooted over. “Please do.”

As I climbed into the clean sheets that already smelled like her, I said, “You want to go to a Club party tomorrow?”

Surprised, her eyes widened with interest. “I didn’t realize your Club had a chapter in California.”

“They don’t. It’s for another Club that’s new to the area. My President wanted me to check it out,” I explained. “Don’t feel obligated to say yes. We don’t have to go if you’re not up to it.”

Nibbling on her bottom lip, Kayla gave a tentative nod. “It actually sounds like a lot of fun. And I think it might take my mind off of everything that’s been going on around here.”

“Good,” I said, texting Creed back, asking for the details. “You ever been to an MC party before?” I was fairly certain the answer was no, but I figured I’d ask so she wouldn’t be blindsided with how raucous they could be.

Kayla blushed a pretty pink. “No, but Maddy told me how wild they can get.”

I’m sure Maddy had told her some things, but I wanted to prepare her so extreme culture shock didn’t set in once we got there. “How much did Maddy tell you?”

Her color only heightened. “Just that there might be some women half dressed and doing all sorts of stuff with the Brothers.”

Her politeness was adorable. “If by half-dressed you mean naked, and by doing stuff, you mean open sex acts, then yeah, Maddy was dead on.”

Kayla’s face suddenly appeared like she’d been in the sun too long. “Got it.”

I was a sick bastard who enjoyed her discomfort though, so I didn’t let her get off that easy. “Of course, there’ll be a fuck ton of drinking and drugs, too. You good with that, Babe?”

Kayla nibbled her bottom lip further and I had the sudden desire to put her on her back and settle between those pretty tan thighs of hers.

“I’m okay with that,” she said, though I could tell by the way she’d said it, she’d never been to a party that came anywhere close to that level of debauchery before.

“Good,” I said, pulling her close and tucking her under my arm. “Now, what musical are we going to watch tonight? Is there a Newsies two I don’t know about? Not gonna lie, Babe. I really liked the first one.”

Kayla giggled. “Nope. But I’ve got a few others in the living room you might enjoy.”

Kissing the top of her head, I teased, “I’m willing to give one a try, just as long as you don’t talk about it at the Club party tomorrow.”

“Deal,” she returned, that playful spark I enjoyed so much lighting her eyes once more as she leapt out of bed to retrieve her tattered box of DVDs.

Kayla

I wasn’t sure what to wear to a Club party. And when I’d asked Ox, he’d said, “whatever you want” like a typical guy. Needing some help from a trusted source, I’d reached out to my friend Maddy. I knew she would have the answers I needed, and wouldn’t steer me wrong.

Maddy had let me know women dressed in a variety of ways at a Club party. So, technically, Ox wasn’t wrong. However, how you dressed signified who you were at the party, so that was a bit more complicated.

Club girls dressed scantily. I’m talking bikinis or less. Old Ladies could do as they pleased, but they also liked to show off their goods. And many women who were friends of the Club liked to come casual, so as not to stand out too much.

I decided that I was in the “friend of the Club” category, so I was going to wear tight fitting jeggings with a long sleeve bubblegum pink bodysuit underneath and tall knee-high riding boots. Putting a few barrel curls in my hair so that it had some volume to it, I focused on my eye makeup so that my best feature, my wide brown eyes, stood out.

Standing in the mirror now, I turned back and forth, checking out my reflection. Pleased with the final product I came out of my bedroom. Ox was sitting on the couch, watching some TV waiting for me. When he saw me, he stopped and stared, his eyes growing hard and unreadable.

Thinking I’d done something wrong, I asked, “How do I look?”

Rising from the couch, Ox came closer and said, “Like a fight waiting to happen.”

I laughed at his joke. But when he didn’t join me, I realized maybe he was being serious. “Should I change?” Maybe I’d misunderstood Maddy when she explained the dress code to me.

“No,” Ox returned, his voice even deeper and more gravelly than it usually was. “You look fucking amazing.” His hot gaze traveled down toward the low scoop neck of my bodysuit while his hands skimmed down my arms.

His standing over me, as tall and imposing as a great oak, made me want to lean against him for comfort. And for something more. My body came alive whenever Ox was near. And this moment was no exception. It was like I could feel every nerve awaken and become more stimulated in his presence. Like a powerful narcotic, it hijacked my brain and drugged my senses until all I could feel and see was him.

I swayed toward him and Ox’s grip landed on my waist, steadying me. “Fuck, Kayla,” he groaned, his fingers biting into the flesh of my hips. “You smell as good as you look, too.”

His phone chirped then with a message, breaking the spell we were under. Reaching into his pocket, he looked it over and frowned.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, worried that it had something to do with Ghost, though I’m sure my concerns weren’t the only ones Ox was dealing with at present.

“It’s nothing,” he dismissed, taking me by the hand and leading me toward the front door. “You ready for a drink? I know I am,” he said, his eyes sliding over me slowly then.

Because the weather had continued to drop, Ox decided to drive to the party. However, we weren’t taking my car. He’d picked up a lifted truck, tricked out from head to toe with all the fun bells and whistles, courtesy of a connection from his Club Brother Hammer.

Coming around to open my door, Ox splayed his hands around my waist and assisted me into the truck. His warm hands, wrapped so intimately around me, caused my stomach to do a flip flop as he easily fed me into the passenger side seat of the truck.

As we drove, Ox began to give me helpful information about Club life. “When we’re at the party, don’t go anywhere without me,” he explained, checking his rearview mirror as he changed lanes. “This isn’t my Club, and you aren’t someone’s Old Lady, so you’ll be considered free game for any guy who wants to take a run at you. And looking like you do,” he paused, scanning my chest before his eyes shot back up to mine, “you won’t be able to go ten feet from me before some asshole shoots his shot. You got me?”

The intensity of his blue gaze caused me to swallow hard. The way he spoke, these men were no better than animals. “I understand.”

“Since I don’t want to have to beat a man half to death tonight, I’m going to introduce you as my girl. That will shut down most of the pricks trying to get into your pants, though not all of them.”

A giddy sense of excitement coursed through me when he said I was “his girl”. Though we were only acting for appearances sake, I couldn’t deny that I loved the way it sounded. Especially from his lips.

“You’re going to be fine,” Ox added, noting my silence. “Just stick close, don’t say anything about the Ghost situation, and you’re going to have a great night.”

This situation was even more intense than I realized. I was beginning to be less excited about my first MC party and more nervous by the second.

“You got any questions you want to ask me, Babe?” Ox posed then.

I thought about it. “Should I go by my name or use a false one?” With the Ghost situation, I wasn’t sure.

“Use your real name,” he instructed. “MCs are tight knit communities. It won’t take long for word to get back that you’re mine and everyone else should back the fuck off or else answer to me.”

I suppressed a shiver at his words. “But won’t that just anger Ghost?”

“Yup,” Ox returned. “But I want the fucker to be forewarned. He messes with you, Kayla, he’s messing with me and my whole fucking Club. Now everyone else will know that as well.”

I didn’t know what to say. Ox didn’t even know me. And he was willing to leverage his Club and his own safety to protect me. Most men I’d dated couldn’t be bothered to keep their word, let alone put so much on the line for me. I was humbled by his protection and more grateful than I could ever express.

When we pulled up to the DiamondBacks Clubhouse, a Prospect waved us through. Parking in the lot outside the main building, Ox looked at me and said, “You ready for that drink yet?”

Boy, was I ever. “Yeah, I think I am,” I said, my voice a little shaky.

Ox gracefully exited the truck. Before I could jump down from my seat, he came around the hood, opened my door, and caught me in his arms as I slid down his massive chest. My breasts skimmed his solid frame and my nipples instantly hardened at the erotic contact. Though my bra was lined, they were peaking so hard you could easily see the buds outlined against the skin-tight Lycra I was wearing. Ox could feel it, too. An impressive bulge swelled in his jeans and nudged against my stomach as my feet found purchase on the ground.

His great big hand cradled the back of my head, holding it still as his lips descended. My body immediately responded like a well trained pet, eager and desperate for his touch. Dragging me against his hardness, Ox ground his hips against my soft belly and I ground back, wanting to feel every delicious, hard inch of him.

Forgetting where I was, I moaned into his mouth, instantly falling under his spell. When he growled back, slick moisture pooled between my legs and I spread my thighs as his fingers began edging the waistband of my jeans.

“Ox!” a voice shouted from the periphery of our erotic little bubble and we reluctantly separated.

Dazed and confused, I blinked up at my handsome biker, hunger radiating from both of our eyes. A good looking man with thick dark hair, and a piercing aqua stare, joined us then.

“Glad you could make it, man,” the biker said, jovially slapping Ox’s arm in greeting.

Wrapping his long, muscular arm around my waist, Ox hauled me close and I snuggled into him, relishing the intimacy of the act. “The Devil’s Riders like to get to know the Clubs in our area. German would have come down too, if Club business wasn’t keeping him busy up North for the next couple of weeks.”

Creed grinned, and his face became even more handsome. I could tell he was the kind of guy that had women dropping their panties left, right, and center whenever he trained that easy going, sexy as hell expression on them.

“Who we got here?” His aqua gaze shifted onto me then. “This one of the girls from your Club?”

His tone sounded a might too hopeful for Ox’s liking. “No,” he returned, squeezing me for emphasis as he spoke. “She’s not property of the Club. She’s mine.”

“I’m glad you brought your girl, but I’m sure my Brothers are going to be disappointed she’s yours alone,” he teased, as he took a casual sip from his beer bottle.

Ox grunted like a caveman. “They can be disappointed all they like. Just as long as they keep their fucking hands to themselves!”

Tossing his head back, Creed laughed. “I don’t think anybody is going to want to mess with your girl, Big Guy. Not after they get a load of you.”

Throughout this exchange, I had grown tense. But, as Creed said this last bit, I was able to relax some. He clearly liked getting a rise out of Ox, and I was proving to be an easy way to do it.

“Does your girl have a name?” Creed pressed, his eyes working their way down my bodysuit with an appreciative, albeit respectful, sweep.

“Kayla,” I answered, feeling the need to intervene now. After all, I wasn’t an inanimate object. I could speak for myself.

Creed gave me that same sexy grin when he asked, “You from Nevada, Babe?”

I glanced at Ox to see if I should answer that question and he gave me a slight nod to say it was okay. “No, I’m going to school at Whitmore so I’m living in Bolton at the moment.”

“Not enough girls in Nevada, you got to go poaching our most beautiful ones right here in Cali, Ox?” Creed teased.

Ox didn’t sound amused when he said, “Kayla’s in a nursing program so she can work wherever she wants once school is done.”

Creed’s dark brow arched. “Educated, local, and beautiful. I’m telling you, Ox, you aren’t exactly making it easy for my Club to ignore this one.” Taking a sip from his beer, the puckish biker gave me a knowing wink from behind the tinted glass of his Heineken.

I blushed, knowing he was only enjoying pushing Ox’s buttons. Call me vain, but I couldn’t help liking what he’d said about me being a catch.

A girl wearing a mini skirt and sky high heels came trotting by then. Handing us some beers, she ogled Creed as she swooped in between us.

“You need anything, Baby?” the beautiful brunette purred, practically eye fucking the man as she openly ran her hand down his tight core and groped his crotch.

“I’m good for now, Bonnie. Come see me later though. I’m sure you can help me relax once the party really gets going,” Creed replied, slapping her ass as she smiled with true excitement before strutting away.

I smiled behind my beer and enjoyed the possessive way Ox held me close, rubbing my lower back as he and Creed chatted idly about their Clubs and upcoming events. Wanting to introduce Ox to the rest of the MC, the Road Master for the Diamondbacks ushered us into the compound. It must have been thirty degrees warmer inside, which I’m guessing had as much to do with the furnace as it did the beer working its way through my heated blood stream.

“This is my Brother, Rock,” Creed said, pointing to a muscular man in the corner of the room, a woman dangling from both of his massive arms. “That’s Muse,” he said about a guy who was doing a line of coke off the stomach of one of the naked Club girls, spread eagle on top of a glass table. “And that’s our Prez, King.”

King, a man in his late thirties with a shaved head and a long beard, noticed Creed introducing Ox around the Club and came over to meet us personally.

“You must be Ox,” King said. “I missed you the other day when you stopped by. Got stuck out in Ableville on Club business, unfortunately. You know how it is.”

Ox nodded and shook the man’s hand. “No worries. I couldn’t stay long myself on account of the same thing.”

“How’s your President doing?” the biker inquired. “Not sure if he told you, but that bastard Reaper and I go way back.”

“He’s busy these days with his woman. Angel just had a baby,” Ox said, a small smile playing across his full lips. “A boy nearly as large as she is that wails like a banshee all night long!”

“I bet. That fucker Reaper is nearly as big as you! And, as for sleep, I remember when my Old Lady had our eldest son, Ryan. I don’t think I got a full night’s rest for the entire first year of that boy’s life!”

The front door opened then and a hoot went up as a crowd of tough looking bikers flooded into the Clubhouse.

I felt Ox stiffen beside me when he whispered, “Stay close to me no matter what happens.”

My pulse ticked up and my heart skipped several beats. “What’s wrong?”

“Some members of the Watchmen just walked in,” he explained, shoving me behind him, “and they look ready to start trouble.”