30. Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty
Athena
“ P lease…!” Whatever else I want to say, to beg, to plead, is lost in the back of my throat as an explosion builds and expands throughout my body. It spreads to my nipples, hardening them further beneath Bear’s tight pinches, then it continues across my chest, my neck, to the very tips of my toes; it’s everywhere.
I can’t get enough and yet it’s too much all at the same time.
“Open your eyes, Baby Girl.”
I didn’t even realize I had closed them, the pleasure so intense I can barely breathe.
Looking down at the delectable man with his head between my legs, using his tongue and fingers to draw another orgasm from me, I mentally thank Eros, the Greek god of love and sex, son to Aphrodite and Ares.
Over the last few days, Bear has shown me all the ways he could make me feel wanted and loved. It’s been amazing, mind- blowing, even. In fact, I’d say these last four days have helped me to see sex in a whole new light.
Case in point: this thing he’s doing right now, down there, he says is his favorite. With his head between my legs, I can’t see much but I can feel it all from the way his tongue licks deep inside to the in-and-out rhythm of his fingers. And oh my gods, the nipple pinching may very well drive me to the edge of my sanity. The best part of it all is that he’s the one and only person to touch me in this way, the only man to ever bring me pleasure. If I had to guess, I’d say that’s the reason he likes it so much. Bear is a sexual genius, but his greatest asset is the sincerity in his emotions he wears on his sleeve. And that’s the man I’m falling in love with and I’m not even afraid of it.
The intensity of the orgasm grows to almost bursting point and his mouth vibrates against me when I hear him growl with pleasure.
“You taste so fucking good.”
Then his lips latch on to my clit and he sucks, hard, as I hold my breath in anticipation.
“Come for me.”
And come, I do. With a scream loud enough to wake the dead, pleasure erupts all over my body and I lose any semblance of control. My hips lift from the bed, my back arching high, and my legs shake as if they have a mind of their own.
“Good girl.”
“Oh, gods. You are something else.” My breaths are still heavy as Bear places a gentle kiss over my clit before shifting up the bed to lie beside me, pulling me into him.
“And I’m all yours.” He chuckles.
“And I’m yours.” I sit up, resting my forearms across his chest, mesmerized by his wide smile. “Can I ask you something?”
“Always.”
“Why me?” It’s a question that’s been swimming through my mind for longer than I care to admit. Bear is glorious, handsome, amazing, kind, a great cook, and so many other wonderful things, and I’m just me. A broken woman nearing thirty with zero life experience and covered in scars.
Without hesitation, Bear grasps the sides of my face, his thumbs caressing my cheeks softly. I can smell myself on his lips and that thought alone excites my body all over again.
“Baby Girl, why not you? You are the strongest, most incredible woman I’ve ever known and the fact that I get to call you mine makes me the luckiest fucker in the universe. I’m not gonna waste a second letting you believe otherwise. We clear?”
He encourages me to move my head closer to his, so I’m not hovering above his face, our noses millimeters apart, our breaths mingling, and my lips automatically part.
“I don’t care that it’s soon. I love you, Athena.” His words are a whisper that tickles against my skin and I feel them deep in my bones.
My cheeks flush and my eyes water because I feel exactly the same. I think I have since that first moment I saw him on the side of the road.
“I love you too, Brock.”
A grin spreads across both our faces and I’m unable to do anything other than kiss him. We both push every ounce of our words into it, our tongues melding together as one, and it’s no surprise we’ve spent every moment he’s been home in his bed or eating… or both.
The rest of the time, Mac and Kincaid have kept me company while Bear and his club brothers have been out searching for Shade. He’s been missing now for almost a week since the explosion and I know they’re all worried.
Bear pulls me on top of him and grips my thighs, encouraging me with his strong hands to shift up his body to sit on his face as he kisses every inch of my skin that comes into contact with his lips.
“Don’t we have a charity run to join this afternoon?” I giggle, pretending to protest, but making zero efforts to stop him.
“We have time for lunch. You shouldn’t let Bears go hungry, Baby Girl.”
“Kid reckons he’s the mutt’s nuts getting to ride with the VP.” Sledge ruffles Paxton’s hair before zipping up his leathers and sliding his cut over the top.
“Brother, I love ya, but what the fuck?” Crow shakes his head, the same confusion written all over his face as I’m sure is on mine. Glad I’m not the only one wondering if Sledge speaks an entirely different language than us.
“Wait a minute, I think I know this one!” Pausing with his helmet hovering over his head, Grinder leans forward as if he’s about to reveal a secret. “The kid would rather ride with the prez or someone fun like me.” He laughs and continues to gear up for the big charity ride today.
“Fuck you. Mutt’s nuts is the dog’s bollocks, ya know? Great, amazing, fucking fandabidosie. He fuckin’ loves it, mate.”
“Why didn’t you just say that?” Grinder mumbles as he pulls on his gloves, his voice a little muffled now that his helmet is on.
“I fuckin’ did! Wanker.” Sledge slaps the side of Grinder’s helmet, but it’s not hard enough to hurt him and I find myself relaxing back into Bear.
I hadn’t realized I’d even tensed up. Understanding that the way they joke around with each other is their love language has been confusing, but I’m getting used to it the more time we spend with them.
Kissing the top of my head, Bear rubs my arms and spins me to face him.
“You ready?”
I nod, because yeah, I really am. Being on the back of Bear’s motorcycle with him is such a rush, and now, seeing all of these bikes together, at least half of them already running and the engines growling, it’s amazing.
Raising his dark brows, his deep brown eyes bore into mine, and I know what he wants. My words.
“I’m ready.” I grin up at him, lifting onto my tiptoes to kiss him. He still has to bend a little for me to get to his soft lips, but it works before he wraps an arm around my waist and lifts me. It makes me squeal into his mouth a little, and he chuckles, sending that warmth that only he can provide through my body.
“Get a room.”
“Ah, Boner, man, don’t be such a scrooge. Let the lurve flow free, dude.” Grinder winds his hips in circles before grabbing Boner and thrusting against his leg like an excited puppy.
“Fuck off.”
Laughing, they both head off toward their bikes, pushing and shoving at each other.
“Want me to do the honors?” Bear holds up the brand new black helmet he had Crow spray a custom design on for me in the workshop—before it was burned down. Luckily, it was already in the garage on the compound that houses all the brothers’ motorcycles in the West wing of the main big building.
On one side, there’s a golden spear with a pretty looking snake wrapped around the top and held by the paw of a large grizzly bear. And on the other side, written in delicate gold swirls, are the words “Bear’s Old Lady.” The detail is phenomenal, and mine isn’t the only helmet Crow worked his magic on. Bear’s helmet has similar gold swirls of writing across the back, only his says, “Athena’s Old Man.”
When he showed them to me after we arrived and were gearing up for the charity run, I may or may not have cried a little. Okay, I did. More than a little.
“Please.” I nod, zipping up my new black leathers with dark green and gold accents.
Taking his time, Bear carefully slides my helmet over my head, and I’m thankful for the braids that Mac taught me yesterday afternoon. With a softness that shouldn’t be possible from such a huge man, Bear tilts my head upward so he can clip together the chinstrap before he places a gentle kiss on the tip of my nose.
“Perfection.” He winks and lifts his own helmet over his head, quickly followed by sliding his gloves on. Everything he does is with precision, but it comes so easily to him, like he’s been doing this forever. Which, I guess he has.
I watch with curious eyes as he lifts one of his thick thighs over the saddle of his bike before gesturing for me to join him.
“Hop on, Baby Girl.” I jump when his voice comes through the helmet, then I hear his low chuckle as he holds out his hand. “I can hear you too.”
“Does that mean I can say something about how sexy you look on your motorcycle and you’ll hear it?” I take his hand and climb on behind him.
“Behave.” The single word is a low growl and with him between my legs, it’s difficult to not literally rub myself against him. I never knew I was such a sexual person, but with Bear, it’s like a never-ending need to be close to him at all times.
“What if I don’t want to?” I giggle when he growls again in response.
“You’re gonna get me into trouble if you keep doing that.” He squeezes my thigh and it sends a jolt straight to my clit.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
His eyes crinkle at the corners before he flips the visor down and I see him shake his head, his helmet moving from side to side in front of me.
The motorcycle engine roars to life beneath us and the atmosphere grows into something almost magical. Bear told me there are a few of the brothers from the Montana chapter of the Sons, plus a couple from the revised New York chapter. They’re bringing up the rear, with the prez, Hoops, up front.
In the middle of the formation, the prospects, Kincaid and Jonesy, both have motorcycles with sidecars decorated to look like Santa sleighs. In one sits Ronald, the owner of the local hardware store. He’s dressed as Santa Claus and I’m pretty sure the white beard is real. He looks amazing. In the other sidecar sits Tori, Ronald’s wife, and she’s dressed as Mrs. Claus with a beautiful thick red coat. The kids are going to love it. If I had ever had the chance to think Santa was real, this would definitely make it more believable to me.
Gryffin is staying behind with Darlene, one of his nannas, the other one being Vanessa, but she hasn’t been seen for days. Not since Shade went missing. The event today almost didn’t happen. Bear told me that Vanessa was the one who insisted it went ahead, though, because she knew it meant everything to the kids in town. It was decided that most of the brothers wouldn’t be staying for the festivities after the ride so they could continue their searches.
The Khaos Khunts are also staying behind, but I can’t say whether I really care what they’re doing because I haven’t met any of them or spoken to them.
Engines rev loudly, echoing through the courtyard of the compound, before the president starts rolling forward and we’re off. Riding past the burned garages by the entrance is a little sad, but Bear assured me the brothers will have it all up and running again in no time. Something about Hoops playing college basketball with the guy who declares if the fire was arson or an accident. To avoid an investigation, it was officially stamped as electrical, allowing them to touch their insurance payout. Win win, they said.
My grip is firm around Bear’s waist as we hit the road, and I can’t contain my grin with the pure adrenaline flooding my veins. I know for a fact that Paxton is living his best life closer to the front with Sledge, it’s all he could talk about for the last couple of days. As we near the center of town, I can see the streets lined with people. Many of them are wearing some kind of Christmassy thing on their head, and all of them are grinning.
The speakers on the back of the sidecars are blaring Christmas music over the sound of the engines, making the people we pass dance to the tunes as they whoop and holler. This truly is a sight and feeling I’m going to treasure. Happiness fills the air, spirits are high, and it’s the first time… well, ever, that I’ve been excited about the holiday season.
Eventually, we pull up at the main local park, where stalls with cookies, cakes, and hot drinks are set up surrounding the wooden ‘Santa’s Grotto’ that Ronald’s apprentice built for today. The people who lined the streets followed behind the convoy of motorcycles, and as we all park, the area fills up pretty quickly. Ronald and Tori head off toward the grotto and the way the kids line up outside, ready for their turn, is the cutest thing.
Climbing off the back of the motorcycle, I tilt my head up in front of Bear and allow him to unclip my chinstrap before lifting the helmet off my head. My ears and face are immediately hit with a cold chill and I shiver. It was nice and warm in there.
“‘Thena! That was so cool. When I start school next semester, the other kids are gonna be so jealous. Have you seen Mom yet? Did she see me?” Paxton talks a million miles a minute, but the excitement is palpable in every movement as he steps from side to side, his wide eyes glimmering with adrenaline as they dart from left to right in his excitement to take it all in at once.
“She’s just over there with Maribel at the hot chocolate stall,” Bear answers before I can, and Paxton is off like a shot toward her.
I watch as he approaches, talking animatedly with his whole body, and his mom’s grin is worthy of a picture. Oooh… I can do that!
“Be right back!”
Bear chuckles, giving my ass a light squeeze before I join Paxton, his mom, Kylie, and Maribel. The hot chocolate stall is self service, where Maribel has provided all the tools for people to grab their own drinks, but she insisted she’d be here to keep an eye on it and top up the boiling water in the large container when needed.
Pulling out my cell, I open the camera app. I don’t warn them before I press the screen to take a couple of photos. There are a few of Paxton and his mom, and some with Maribel too.
“What’re you doing?” Maribel chuckles.
“Documenting a wonderful moment.” I take another picture of just Maribel and we both laugh when I show her the image. It really did catch her at an awkward angle, but I love that.
“Mom…? Mom?!” Paxton’s panicked tone makes me shift my attention to him and my body freezes.
Kylie’s eyes have glazed over, her skin paler than I’ve ever seen it, and before anyone can do anything, she collapses to the ground.
For a brief instant, life seems to freeze as we all struggle to understand what is happening in front of us. Then, like a perfect choreography, screams and shouts erupt all around us but it’s impossible to distinguish the individual voices.
“Call nine-one-one!”
“Get some blankets over here!”
“Mac! We need you!”
The last one is Bear as he lifts me, places me to the side, and rushes over to Kylie, whose eyes are closed and skin is turning a bluish tint. That can’t be good.
“Athena, take Paxton.” Bear’s command is sharp but I can tell it’s more about his worry than it is about anger. My feet move instantly, and in just a few steps I’m wrapping my arms around a screaming, shaking, Paxton who is fighting me every step I take back to give Mac and Bear room to work.
The ambulance arrives in less than two minutes since they were parked on the side of the festivities. The relief I feel is immediate.
“Female, mid-forties, collapsed, unconscious—” I don’t hear the rest because, in my arms, the struggles turn to dead weight as Paxton’s body falls to the ground just feet away from his mom.
“Bear! Bear! Help!”