Blade: Blade Outlawz MC (BLP Motorcycle Clubs #12)

Chapter 1

“ D amn.” Jalen groaned after he rolled over from on top of me.

We were in his studio apartment, fucking for the third time this week. I watched him as he climbed out of bed and walked toward the bathroom. It was small, but his place was cute for a guy. He had a partition that blocked off the bedroom area from the living room. The living room had a love seat, a television, and a coffee table that held a few books.

The bedroom area was spacious enough for the two of us to move if we needed to, but I never stayed there for too long. Usually, I would fuck him, clean myself up, and leave. I sat up on the side of the bed to get up when Jalen reentered the space.

“Where are you going?” he asked like he was surprised.

“I have to get out of here. I’m supposed to be at the clubhouse, and I’m sure you need to be there as well.”

“I do, but I wanted us to talk first.” He handed me a wet washcloth, and I used it to wipe myself off.

If I hurried, I could make it home to shower and make it to the clubhouse before my father could get the chance to fuss at me.

“Talk? Talk about what?” I slid my panties and jeans up over my thighs, then stood to pull them up. I sat back on the bed to hear what he had to say.

He’d put on his boxers while he was in the bathroom, so at least I wouldn’t be distracted by his dick. I couldn’t help but look at his muscular chest with a tattoo of a skull on the right corner of it.

Jalen placed his hand on my thigh. “I wanted to talk about us.”

My eyes widened. “Jalen, you and I both know that can’t happen. I don’t see anything wrong with what we have going on.”

He grabbed my hand and held it. “I want more than that, Pep. I like you a lot.”

Jalen was a prospect trying to get into my father’s motorcycle club, and he and I both knew my dad would kill him if he found out what we were doing. For me, that was why I did it. Not to get Jalen killed, but I liked sneaking behind my father’s back and doing shit he wouldn’t like.

Harold Wilson was a strict father. Even with me being in my early thirties, he still thought he could dictate my life. It was my fault because I allowed him to. He was all I had in this world besides my uncle and favorite cousin on my mom’s side.

“Jalen, I like you, too, but we can’t be any more than what we are. My father would kill the both of us if he ever found out.” I cupped the side of his face. “I don’t want you to die because of me.”

His eyes softened as he stared into my eyes. “You’re right. I won’t say anything else about it, but I don’t want to stop what we have going on. Maybe after I get into the club, I can talk with your father and tell him my intentions.”

“Maybe.”

I really hoped by the time Jalen got into the club, he would have moved on from me. I didn’t want him talking to my father because I didn’t want the things he wanted. I didn’t do love, and I wasn’t looking for it. I would just enjoy Jalen while I could. Sooner or later, I would get bored with him, or my father would kill him. I didn’t need his blood or anyone else’s on my hand.

“Look, I have to go. I’ll see you at the clubhouse.” I kissed his cheek, grabbed my jacket, and left his place.

I had to hide my bike in Jalen’s building garage because everyone in town knew it. There was no way they could miss it because it was the only pink bike around here with a damn pepper shaker on the side. The pepper shaker was because of my name, Pepper Ann. I always wondered why the hell my mother named me that. My uncle was just as bad because he named my cousin Cayenne. I guess they both had an affinity for spices.

When I got to the garage, I walked my bike out and checked my surroundings to make sure none of the club members were around. I didn’t need anyone telling my father about my whereabouts.

Once the coast was clear, I started up my bike and peeled off down the street. The roar of the motor and the vibration under my ass was a feeling and sound that would never get old. I embraced the wind whipping in my face as I drove to my place. I didn’t have that much time, but there was no way I could go around my father with Jalen’s scent on me.

I only lived a few minutes away, so I quickly made it home, showered, changed, and was right back out the door to the clubhouse.

Music and smoke greeted me as soon as I walked in the door. For it to be the middle of the afternoon, the clubhouse was crowded. Two members played pool at the table in the middle of the room. I rolled my eyes at the scantily clad women trying to get chosen by the club’s members.

I walked further inside and sucked my teeth at the girl sitting on my father’s lap as he smoked a cigar.

He glanced down at his watch. “You’re late,” he said as he blew smoke out.

“Sorry, it’s only a couple of minutes.” I placed my helmet on the table.

“I’ve told you before, if you aren’t at least fifteen minutes before the time you are supposed to be somewhere, then you are late.”

I wanted to roll my eyes but didn’t feel like pissing him off any more than he already was.

“My apologies. I lost track of time.”

He tapped the girl on his lap so she could get up. She looked like she wanted to protest, but she knew better. I didn’t care for her because I felt like she was using my father because he was the club president.

“How am I supposed to take you seriously about joining this club, if you can’t even be on time?”

I almost sucked my teeth but thought better of it.

“Me being two minutes late doesn’t have anything to do with me being a part of this club. There are plenty of members that come in late, and you don’t say anything to them.”

“Because they aren’t my child. I don’t think you are ready.”

The club door opened, so my father and I looked up to see who was entering. Jalen came strolling in with his helmet in his hand. His eyes were on me like he wanted to make sure I was good, and I prayed my father didn’t notice.

“Is there a reason why you are looking at my daughter like that, prospect?” My father completely turned toward Jalen with his arms crossed over his chest.

“N-no, sir.” Jalen stuttered.

“Good. I would hate to have to kill you before you can become a member. I need you to get some food for everyone.”

“Yes, sir.” Jalen spun on his heels and left the same way he came back in.

I didn’t like how my father treated Jalen and the other prospects. Sometimes he could be so cruel, and nobody called him out on his shit.

My father watched the door for a second, before turning to face me. “Is something going on between the two of you?”

“Not at all.”

“And don’t let it.”

Someone got my father’s attention, so he turned to talk to them. I picked at my nails while I waited for them to finish. I made a mental note to get a manicure soon.

“Daddy, I’m ready to join the club. I’ve been trying for years, and I’m not sure why you keep telling me no.”

He scrubbed a hand down his face. “I’ve told you plenty of times why I don’t want you here and today was just another reason.”

The words that came out of his mouth were bullshit, because he never really told me why I couldn’t be a part of the club. He always just said no.

“That’s not fair. Everyone else can get in here, but I can’t. Your own daughter. What did I ever do to you?”

“You weren’t a boy! Are you happy now? I wanted a son, but instead, I got a daughter who thinks she’s supposed to get whatever she wants. Just like your damn mother!” He slammed his fist on the table.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at us. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my tears at bay. I was hurt and embarrassed, but there was no way I would let my father or the other members know how much his words affected me. If I did, then he would call me weak like he always did whenever I cried.

My father was an evil man, and sometimes I wondered why any of the members stayed. Hell, why did I want to be a part of it? I knew it was because motorcycles were the only thing my father and I bonded over. Outside of that, he was verbally and mentally abusive to me. A part of me hated him because he physically abused my mother and caused her to leave both of us. But then, there was that part that wanted his approval since he raised me by himself. I never did see my mother again after she left, because she ended up dying a few years later.

My uncle Evan did as much as he could, but my father was an asshole toward him as well. They even fought a few times, and my father tried to keep me away from Uncle Evan, but I would sneak to his house as much as I could.

I stared at my father as his nostrils flared. He was angry, but it wasn’t my fault I was born a girl. If he hated me so much, he should have just sent me with my uncle. I was sure he would have taken me in with no problem.

I got up and snatched my helmet off the table. In my head, it was fuck my father, but I knew I wouldn’t say that out loud.

“Pepper Ann, you bring your ass back here!”

I ignored my father and stormed out of the clubhouse, almost colliding with Jalen.

“Whoa!” His hands were full of bags of food, but he still managed to grab my wrist. “You good?” His eyes roamed my face, searching for answers.

“I’m good. You better get in there before my father comes out.”

“Call me if you need me.” He let me go and walked inside, as I walked to the bike and mounted it.

As soon as I revved the engine and pulled off, tears streamed down my face.