33. Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
Bear
L ike Mama used to say, trouble don't last always, but when it comes, it comes in bunches. I’d like to punch these bunches in the nuts.
“What’re we gonna do about this, Hoops? I ain’t standin’ here twiddlin’ my thumbs waiting to know if Shade is gonna wake up. We need to be out there gettin’ people talkin’.” Grinder is worked up, pacing from one side to the other of the makeshift operating room where our club doc removed two bullets from Shade’s shoulder and sewed up at least three stab wounds. But that’s not the worst of it. What’s got us filled with pent up rage is the near-fatal concussion he suffered. Blunt force trauma to the head, said the good doc. It sounds like something a coroner announces when giving the cause of death on a television show.
To say we’re freaked out would be a complete understatement.
“Whoever did this wasn’t trying to kill him, it was a message. Until we understand what that message is, we ain’t goin’ nowhere.” Hoops is staring at his sergeant at arms, lying on a white-sheeted bed with bandages all over the fucking place as he gives Grinder the low down on how we’re dealing with yet another fucking attack on our club.
Like, seriously? The fuck did we ever do to anybody except help? And maybe, at one time, dabble in the guns and drug business. Tamayto-tomahto, what the fuck ever. At least we still have a few more months before the race season drama begins. The much-needed break between October and February gives us all time to take a breather. Between the jealous clubs, Psycho’s over-inflated ego, and Grinder’s inappropriate comments, each season brings with it its own list of trigger warnings.
I get where Hoops is coming from, but I’m with Grinder; standing here wondering if Shade is gonna come out of this alive is doin’ my head in.
“That baseball bat to the temple looks a lot like a deadly home run to me, Hoops. I’m just sayin’.” Grinder stops his pacing, points an index finger to Shade, and grits his teeth. “We need to find these fuckers and put them six feet under. Like, now.”
The silence is deafening as Hoops and Grinder have a stare down. Then Grinder delivers the blow that will affect this club for months to come.
“Prez would’ve backed me up.” As soon as the words are out of his mouth, he takes a step back like he fuckin’ knows he went too far.
Hoops raises his head, standing to his full height, and squares his shoulders like he’s readying for a fight. This time, when they fix their gazes on each other, something breaks and my first instinct is to fix it.
“Hey! The fuck, Grinder. Go take a walk, calm down, and think before you open your fucking mouth again.” Blinking up at me, Grinder gives me a sharp nod and hightails out of the room. Turning to Hoops, I school my features, glancing first at Psycho, who was ready to jump in and have my back even though I know for a fact he’s a lot like Grinder in this regard. Idle minds don’t work well when you’ve got a hyper personality.
“He’s right, you know?” I shake my head at Hoops, knowing damn well he’s feeling guilty somehow about what happened to Shade.
“Maybe about Prez, but he’s not here, is he? This is your club now, Hoops. You gotta run it the best way you know how.” My words are just platitudes, they don’t mean shit when you’re responsible for the man who is walking the thin line between life and death.
“I’m gonna pair up with Grinder just in case he does something stupid.” Psycho walks to the door but stops when I call his name.
“Don’t forget you’ve got a wife and kid, brother. Be the voice of reason instead of the accomplice.” His response is a mere grunt but I know he heard me and I know his priority will always be his family. Just thought he might need reminding.
“I’ll go with ‘em, three’s company and all that shit.” Boner nods at me as he walks past and I know he’s telling me not to worry. Because I will… worry, that is. I always do when it comes to my brothers. Those idiots get into trouble without even meaning to, so when they’re looking for it, that’s when my blood pressure starts rising.
Once we’re alone, Hoops relaxes just a little, revealing the toll these last few days have taken on him. We were all taking turns looking for Shade, spreading out throughout this big town and looking in all the shitty back alleys.
Thank fuck the deputy sheriff likes us. It was her men who found him under a bridge after some kids called nine-one-one thinking they’d found a dead body. That’s the call I got last night and let’s just say, the idea of burying another brother makes me wanna throw up.
“He’s been fucking around lately, picking up random women around town. I should’ve reeled him in sooner.” This is news to me, and if the other brothers had known, I’m sure they would’ve told me.
“It’s the first I’m hearin’ about it.” I mean to mumble but it comes out more accusatory than I’d like. Then again, we’re all brothers here so if one of us is in trouble, we’re all in trouble. “Look, he’s a grown ass man, you can’t control where he gets his dick wet, Hoops. It’s not how that works.”
Hoops nods, he knows I’m right but I’m guessing it’s not helping. Guilt is a powerful force of nature we, mere mortals, can’t control. And that’s the truth.
“I was just trying to let him work through his feelings. Prez…” He looks up at me then turns to face the wall, one hand running through the mess of hair on top of his head, shoulders hunched and head weary. Prez’s death was a huge blow to our club. Vanessa will never be the same and Shade, his best friend, has been spiraling little by little if I’m understanding Hoops.
“I don’t see the link between him sleepin’ around and finding him at death’s door.” Actually, now that I think of it, there are a few reasons one could lead to the other. “Unless he’s fuckin’ married women, then yeah, that would be bad.” I just can’t see him doing that.
“Nah, not that I know of. But he’s getting hotel rooms and either staying with townies or paying for prostitutes.” I rear back like he’s just slapped me. Not because I’m offended but because it’s so out of character for him.
“We’ve got a club full of women who would love nothing more than to get on their knees for him. What the fuck?” At my words, Hoops turns slowly, and just as he’s about to shed some light on this shitshow, Vanessa’s voice echoes down the hall.
“Where is he? Tell me where he is. I know you’re hiding him from me.” I frown, and when Hoops avoids all eye contact I realize she’s not kidding.
“Hoops?” I ask under my breath.
“Later.” I nod just as Vanessa rushes inside and stops dead in her tracks when her gaze lands on Shade.
“What happened?”
It’s not my place to answer. This is the president’s job, but I stay so he knows I’ve got his back.
“He was attacked.”
“When? He’s been gone the whole week.” As she speaks, her tone rises and her feet take her closer to the bed. She and Shade are close. As Prez’s best friend, Shade was always the third wheel and from my vantage point, he seemed happy there. Except, now I’m reconsidering this whole scenario.
“We don’t know. The wounds weren’t superficial but they didn’t hit any vital organs so he didn’t bleed out. Still, I’m guessing it happened sometime yesterday.” Leaning against the wall, Hoops doesn’t look away from Vanessa.
“Who did this?” With clenched teeth, Vanessa steps closer still to Shade and reaches out her hand to take his, wrapping her fingers around his and sitting on the nearest chair. “Why?” The strength she showed just minutes ago falters as a single tear falls down her cheek.
“We don’t know. Right now, we don’t know anything, but I promise you, we’ll find out and they’ll pay for this.” Hoops stands, as if doing so gives his promise more weight. Maybe it does.
“Is he going to be okay?” Her words are so soft, I barely catch the hitch in them.
“We’ll know once he wakes up,” Hoops answers just as softly, and it feels like we’re in a church, a sacred place, where raised voices are a sacrilege.
I don’t know how long we stay there, waiting, hoping, thinking of all the things we could have done better. With my head leaning against the wall, I close my eyes and feel myself drift away until something wakes me.
No, not something… someone.
“Y’all can stop mourning, I’m fine.” It takes us a second, but as soon as Shade’s voice registers, Hoops and I are both at his bedside and Vanessa is standing over him, searching his face as he tries to open his eyes. One of them is swollen and the other is struggling. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were all holding our breaths. I know I am.
As soon as we see the blue of his eyes, we take a collective breath of relief, Vanessa letting a small sob escape.
“You asshole! You scared us.” Well, damn. Vanessa must be pissed to be cursing at him, then again, I’m about to do worse.
“What the fuck, Shade? What happened?” Okay, so maybe that was a little louder than I’d anticipated but I can’t help myself; a hurt brother is a hurt club.
“I got into a scuffle is all. No big deal.” I’m gonna punch him for being so nonchalant about this shit.
“Yeah, tell that to the stab wounds and the big ol’ golf ball on the side of your head, you fuckin’ knucklehead.” I chuckle at Hoops as he tries to scold Shade, but the relief is so fucking palpable it sounds more like a joke than anything else.
While they talk, I take out my phone and send a quick message in our group chat.
Me : He’s awake.
Grinder : Fuckin’ A.
Psycho : On our way.
Boner : Send a truck, these two are fucking loaded.
Of course they are.
Kincaid : Copy that, we’re on our way.
Crow : Right down stairs, on my way.
Sledge: Good, now I can kill the cunt myself. And where was my invite for the alcohol sesh? Wankers.
And the messages continue, all some version of relief or happiness. If this had gone any other way, I don’t know if our club could’ve survived it.
Ignoring the current conversation now happening in the chat that has nothing to do with Shade and everything to do with Psycho and Grinder being drunk off their asses, I pull up Athena’s number and send her a quick text. I kept her updated all night while I stayed here, waiting and hoping for Shade to wake up.
Me : Hey Baby Girl, Shade just woke up. I’ll be home soon. Wanna take a nap with me?
I add a winky face and hope she gets my meaning.
Baby Girl : Oh, that’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that. And yeah, naps are the best!
Pocketing the phone and feeling it vibrate every two seconds with some stupid shit the guys are going on about, I lean over and fist bump Shade’s knuckles even though they’re lying flat on the bed. It’s the thought that counts.
“I’m gonna head out, but listen…” I wait for Shade to focus his good eye on me. “Don’t ever fucking do that again, you hear me?”
“Loud and clear, Bear. Loud and fuckin’ clear.” Just as quickly as he woke up, he falls right back asleep.
“I’ll see ya, I’m gonna go home and take a nap. Those idiots sound like they drank their weight in bad liquor. They’re on their way.” Case in point, I hold out my buzzing phone and shake it as proof of their stupidity. They must have slammed those drinks back quickly for them to be in this state after only… I look at my phone and yup… less than an hour and a half.
My twelve year old kid is more mature than these fools.
I grin at that thought because yeah, I like the sound of that. In fact, I love the idea of us being a family.
“I missed you last night. I don’t like sleeping alone.”
I kiss Athena’s words from her lips and lick inside her mouth. She wasn’t alone, Ophelia and Jarrett slept in the guest room while Paxton was in his own room, but yeah, I get what she’s saying. I don’t think I could ever sleep in an empty bed again.
“I’m sorry, Baby Girl. I’ll try not to have that happen again.” We grin against each other’s mouths knowing, in my world, promises are reliant upon circumstances, and let’s just say our club is constantly getting attacked in one way or another.
“I’ll forgive you if you do that thing with your—” I don’t let her finish her phrase because I know exactly what she needs. My tongue inside her pussy. And I’m about to make her wish come true.
Quick as lightning, I have her on her stomach, her hips raised and her knees far enough apart that I can lick her cunt from the back, with a couple of passages across her puckered hole. I love tasting her, every part of her. Watching her come though, is my favorite part of the day. Sometimes twice a day.
“Oh, gods, that feels so good.” She’s whispering because preteen ears are downstairs watching a movie with two assassins. That should worry me more than it actually does.
Once I’ve got her nice and wet, I push two of my fingers inside her, hook them just right, and grin at the way she practically shoots off the mattress.
Her gasp is life. Pure fucking ecstasy knowing I’m the only fucking person who has ever made her feel pleasure.
“Right there, right… there.” My tongue spears inside her cunt just as my fingers pull out and before she knows what’s happening, she comes all over my mouth and lips.
Grabbing both of her thighs, I lift her higher and feast on her cum, licking every drop off her skin before placing her back on the bed and taking my cock in hand.
I can’t wait to sink inside her and bring us to that place we both love. It’s not just about coming, although, fuck yeah, that’s awesome, but also the emotional connection we have. It just makes it all that much better, that much more intimate and important.
Because she’s important. She’s everything.
She’s my life.
Placing her knees back on the mattress, I reach for the condoms in the side drawer, quickly donning one on before I line my cock up with her entrance. Slowly, oh so fucking slowly, I breach the entrance and don’t stop until I’m bottomed out. We both sigh like we’re home, like we’re exactly where we’ve always needed to be. My dick is wrapped in a warm glove made just for me and my balls are already anticipating coating the walls of her pussy with my seed. It’s natural, it’s necessary. It’s all I’ve ever wanted.
My palms circle her torso and press against her tits, pinching her nipples between my fingers. She loves this, it’s her weakness and I will exploit it, always.
“You feel so fucking good, Baby Girl. Like your cunt was made for my cock.” My crude words only make her pussy squeeze tighter, telling me to keep going. “I’m going to pull almost all the way out, and when I do, I want to rest your head on my chest and open your mouth.”
Like the perfect woman she is, Athena follows every one of my instructions to the letter, and when she does, I slam my dick back inside her just as I put my two fingers, coated with her cum, inside her mouth.
She sucks them and that only makes me fuck her even harder. In and out, I pummel her pussy like it’s my fucking destiny and she sucks my fingers like they’re her last meal.
“That’s right, take it. You’re so fucking beautiful when you take my cock.” I can’t stop talking, can’t stop telling her all the things I want to do to her. My mind is reeling as my balls tighten to the point of pain. I’ve got to come and I’ve got to do it now.
“Give it to me, Baby Girl. Give me that fucking orgasm, right now.”
Oh my fucking God, how she does. With shaking limbs and a heaving chest, she gives me what I need and I give her what she wants. I come so deep inside her, I’m hoping she’s still full of me the next time I fuck her. I want to keep my seed inside, keep a part of me in her all the fucking time.
When we’ve both come down from a mind-blowing orgasm, I fall back and take her with me, my cock still buried inside her slick cunt.
“I love you more each passing day, Athena. I hope you know what that means.”
“What does it mean?” Turning her head to look over her shoulder, our eyes meet and my truth comes out.
“It means you’re mine. My life only has meaning if you’re in it.”