Chapter Twenty Three
Sage
“Mom? I gotta go. I’ve got church!” I say, turning off the speaker on my phone and holding it to my ear.
I don’t need the whole compound listening in to Mom giving me a play by play on Tess’s potty training as I make the walk to the clubhouse.
“You still going to church?” Mom asks.
“Yep. Turns out, the apple doesnt fall too far from the fucked up tree and they love my skills here.” I grin as I wave to Nell and River sitting on their porch watching Greer and Loyal’s girls playing together.
“You better not be trafficking people Sage Yvonne Landry.”
I roll my eyes. “Not that side of the fucked up tree. Sheesh, give me some credit.”
“Well, I’m not fucked up. I’ll have you know that me and your uncles are the normal part of the family tree. Even if we aren’t genetically related,” she huffs.
“Mom, it’s hard to not be related when your family tree is a fucking circle,” I reply drily. “Technically, we are cousins.”
“Yes but I had a wonderful mother and that dilutes the crazy.” Mom pauses a moment. “To be honest with you, I think your biological mom was a little crazy too, so in fairness, I’m amazed you aren’t even more fucked up.” I scoff as Mom cackles down the line, and I’m not even going to argue.
She’s not wrong. After what I did to Nathaniel, which let’s face it, was far more lenient than he deserved, I slept like a baby.
“Oh, baby, Tess is pooping on the damned floor. Have fun in church and we’ll talk later!”
Shaking my head I stare down at the black screen and huff out a laugh. A notification pops up and I tap to open it, finding a gif of a puppy dog with huge eyes and love hearts shooting out of its butt with Takoda’s message below it.
“Want to sit next to me at church? Y/N?”
I snort, typing back a Y and then jump a mile when I bump into someone.
“Whoa, you good?” Jason asks, hand hovering just above my arm.
“Oh yeah, shit, sorry, I didn’t see you.” I reply, shaking my head and taking a step back.
“Story of my life,” he huffs.
“Huh?”
“Oh,” he shrugs, “people don’t really notice me, much.”
I study him for a moment. Jason is built like a brick outhouse. “I don’t know how. You’re a pretty big thing to miss.”
Something passes over his face before he gives me a tight smile. “Have a good day, Sage.”
“Yeah,” I reply, watching as he walks away. “You too.” I frown after him for a moment, before shrugging it off.
I have places to be and Dex has started charging people for being late to church after TumTum and Flack had a wild hair about brewing their own beer for the BBQ Shack. Turns out those two like to taste test a little too often.
“There she is! Queen of the leather strap, wo-psshhh!” Damien says as I step into church, beelining for the empty seat next to Takoda.
“Hey babe,” he says, pressing his lips to mine.
I’ll never get over the butterflies I get from being around Takoda. Yeah he was a dumbass for a while there, but damn he more than made up for it. Every day I wake up knowing that there isn't a man on this earth who would love me better than Takoda.
“Aw look! She’s gone all gooey eyed. Again,” Joe teases, making high pitched kissy noises.
I cannot wait for her and Justice to get their shit together. When they do? I’m going to tease the shit out of her like she does to me.
Dex eyes the room, making sure we’re all here. The room is filled nicely with all the people who make the Keep what it is. A dysfunctional family of sometimes dumbasses with really big hearts.
The gavel slams down and Prez takes a seat. “First off, I just want to say how proud of you all I am. What happened the other day is the first of hopefully, not too many shit storms.”
“Good luck with that, Prez,” Flack says under his breath, but loud enough for us all to chuckle.
Dex glares at him before carrying on. “You all pulled together and I have to say, I wouldn’t want another crew at my back. Thank you all.” Hoots and hollers sound out while the men bang their fists on the table, only stopping when Dex holds a hand up. “Twins?”
Jay clears his throat, and I shuffle in my seat a little. I know that we’re about to be hit with some shit. Just not sure whether it’ll be good or not.
“As you know we had a one on one chat with Camel Toe Man after Nathaniel’s sudden demise.” He and Theo share a smile. Which is only a little bit creepy and won’t rain on my parade.
“He was very forthcoming with his information.” Theo looks at Joe across the table. “Poor man was led to believe that he’d be let go if told us what he knew.”
“Oh, what a horrible misunderstanding,” Joe manages to say with a straight face.
A chuckle sounds out and it’s only after looking around the table that it hits me. The noise is coming from Justice. He leans forward, dropping a kiss to Joe’s crown as she grins up at him.
“Awwww,” Loyal whispers from her place beside me.
“Anyway,” Jay says, back to business. “There were 23 casualties at the Keep and Damian told us there were another five at the church where you found Nathaniel and Camel Man.”
Noise breaks out again as everyone celebrates, only for it to be cut short by Theo diving across the table and banging the gavel.
“Ah, sorry Prez,” Theo mumbles, gently handing back Dex’s gavel. “Um, as I was saying, that doesn’t really put a dent in Ashfall’s army. From what Camel Man told us, we’re looking at a congregation of around 200.”
“Holy shit,” Vex whispers.
“How the fuck did they rebuild so fast? There weren't even that many people in Eden’s Keep,” Saint adds.
“They were building before Blanche,” Jay offers simply, then shares a look with Theo.
“Royal Landry had children with women outside of Eden’s Keep. A lot more.”
“More Sages? Jesus,” TumTum mutters under his breath and I glare at him. He grins back, unapologetically.
“These kids, they gonna be a problem?” Dex asks the important question.
“At least one of them is Ashfall’s prophet. The others all seem to be on some sort of council from what I can tell.”
“Them keeping the same Eden’s Keep setup is helpful,” Vex says.
“In what way?” Flack asks, intrigued.
“We already know how they work. We have inside knowledge,” Loyal replies.
“Yeah? But so do they.” Omen adds and we all sit in uncomfortable silence.
He’s right. Ashfall seemed to know how the MC worked. Some of them knew our names, our roles. We might think we know them, but they know us as well.
Sniper taps his finger on the table, our attention on the quiet VP. “They’re not the only ones with eyes on the inside.”
“Meaning?” Dex asks, brow raised.
“Meaning, I know a guy.” Sniper holds Dex’s gaze until Dex huffs and relaxes into his chair.
“Well, I'll be damned. Touché, motherfuckers.”
I sit back in my chair, dumbfounded but not shocked. A small smile plays on my lips as I remember the exact words Damian used in the SUV with Nathaniel.
“Game’s on.”
Chef
I lean against my girl as I wait for Sage. With the cloud of a fucking mole hanging over our heads we figured we may as well raise two middle fingers to Ashfall and cut up like only an MC can. Which is why me, I’m leaning against my bike, waiting on my woman.
“Coming!” Sage calls, jogging my way, hands in her lush hair, pulling it back with a hair band.
There’s a small strip of skin showing between her tank top and her jeans and what I wouldn't give to run my tongue over that spot. Just not now, in front of her uncles and my brothers and our Prez. Or her delinquent friends who are grinning at me, humping the air.
“You need better friends, babe,” I tease as she presses her lips to mine.
“Why? I love them!”
“I’m sure you do,” I reply drily, swinging my leg over my bike.
Taking a seat, Sage settles behind me, arms wrapped around my waist. She feels fucking perfect back there.
I share a look with Justice who has Joe on the back of his bike, and I know he knows how I feel.
So does Sniper with Nell on the back of his, and Vex with Loyal.
The rest of our single brothers all roll their eyes or make comments, but none of their bullshit will wipe the smile off my face.
“Hey, Sage! Now Nathaniel’s gone, you thinking about divorcing this asshole yet?” TumTum teases and I lunge toward him, almost tipping me and Sage from my bike.
“No way! I don’t believe in returns,” Sage laughs behind me.
“Oh I can’t wait til you meet your match, brother,” I tell TumTum with a smile. And a bit of menace.
His eyes grow wide. “Shit.”
“Yeah, shit is right.” Dex adds as he rolls past us, laughing. “TumTum, lead the way.”
TumTum does his thing, fist raised in the air, then pointing in the direction we’re headed.
We roll out, one after the other, pipes loud in the air and the vibrations beneath us.
We’re a fucking force to be reckoned with, like this.
Just one roaring juggernaut in the sticky Louisiana air, wind in our hair, and nothing but us and the road.
Out here, Sage laughing at my back, arms tight around my waist, her ring on my finger, this is what I deserve. It’s what I always deserved but I had to learn the hard fucking way to get it through my thick skull.
Sage’s arms squeeze me gently, hand drifting down and settling on my cock. “You happy?”
“More than you’ll fucking ever know, babe.”
I rest my hand on her calf and squeeze gently, asking her, no, telling her to keep her roaming hands at bay. Not just for our safety, but for the safety of my fucking jeans.
“Babe.”
“At the first sign of a turnaround, I need you to take me home.”
“Babe?” I glance over my shoulder, and instead of worry, written all over Sage’s face is mischief.
Pure fucking mischief.
***
I come to a skid outside our cabin, not even bothering to park neatly or anywhere near Sage’s little dinky car. If I could fucking park inside the front door I would. This woman has gotten me so keyed up I’ve been leaking cum for the last seven miles.
I kick the door open, catching it with my hand before it swings back on Sage, who has climbed me like a spider monkey and is currently grinding her hot little pussy against me.
“Clothes off. Now,” she says, unfurling her legs and dropping to her feet.
She kicks off her boots before unbuttoning her jeans, shoving them down her thick thighs until they puddle on the floor.
“Move!” she growls at me, hands roughly gripping the bottom of my shirt, trying to get it up and over my head.
Her eyes darken when she sees my chest, still littered with healing scars.
“Hey, hey, look at me, only me.” I tilt her face up so she has nowhere to look but into my eyes. “He’s fucking dead. We won, babe. You and me.” I press my lips to hers, my tongue licking the seam of her lips, asking for permission.
Sage grips the back of my head, holding me to her tighter, harder, our tongues dueling, kiss becoming frantic. If I have any hope of lasting and not embarrassing myself I need to slow us down.
I tear my lips from hers, my hand resting gently at the base of her throat.
Pinning her to the wall I lean my head down, and gently bite at her bra clad tits.
I don’t know how she managed to get so many layers off to my one shirt, but fuck, I’m not complaining when I have her heaving tits in my face.
“So. Fucking. Perfect." I nip at each breast, stopping to suck her pert nipple through the lace, causing Sage to groan, her head thumping back against the wall in pleasure.
Her pleas are music to my ears, but it’s not what I want.
I want her screaming my name, eyes closed, legs shaking as she creams on my fingers.
The thought of it has my mouth watering and my fingers trailing gently up the inside of her thigh.
A growl slips out of my when I reach her slick upper thighs.
“Damn babe, is this for me?” I ask, playfully nipping at her throat.
“All for you, always,” she whispers and it’s almost my undoing.
My fingers trail higher, higher until I reach her wet heat.
My middle finger dips into her tight pussy and a breath hisses out of me.
She’s so fucking wet as I pump my fingers, first one, then a second, then another until I have three buried deep inside her.
She rides my hand in earnest as my hand around her throat holds her in position.
She bucks faster and faster and I can feel the moment she reaches the peak and then tumbles over, her pussy gripping my fingers, drawing me in deeper and deeper until I can't take anymore.
Until I rip through the button on my jeans, shoving them and my underwear down just enough that I can lift Sage and sheath myself inside her in one smooth motion.
She cries out, her pussy still spasming as it grasps my cock, trying to milk me for all I’m worth.
“Takoda, fuck, it’s too much, too much.”
“No,” I growl, my voice foreign to my ears, “you’re going to take it, take every. Last. inch.” I fuck up into her, an arm wrapped around her back, the other gripping her ass.
I use my grip on her to fuck her harder, harder, pulling her off my cock before slamming back into her.
She screams my name again, her legs clamping tighter around me and the tell tale tingles start at the base of my back, growing until my body stiffens and I groan out my orgasm.
Sage’s pussy clamps down again, and she flings forward in my arms, gripping tight as her teeth bite into the meaty part of my shoulder, the pain mixed with pleasure causing my cock to jump and Sage to groan.
Holy fuck. I stumble into the lounge, dropping onto the couch, Sage in my lap, arms tight around me.
My head spins and I’m pretty certain Sage has taken a chunk out of my shoulder.
We sit in silence, Sage’s heartbeat matching mine as our chests press together, breaths coming slower, and a sense of calm settling over us.
A hoarse giggle bursts out of Sage, and she presses a kiss to my abused shoulder. “I bit it, so it’s mine.”
I slap her ass cheek, revelling in the jiggle it creates. “And I slapped it, so it’s mine.”
Sage straightens and sits back slightly, looking down at where we’re still joined. “You messed it up, it’s yours.”
“Mine,” I whisper, pushing her hair back, over her shoulders.
Sage snorts. “Possessive much?”
“A little.”
“Good, because you’re mine too.” She settles into my arms, hers tucked up like little t-rex arms between us. “Do you wanna get divorced?”
“Fuck no!” I reply in an instant. “Do you?”
“Fuck no,” Sage replies just as quick and I can feel her lips tilt up.
“I love you, Sage. More than words can ever say.”
“I love you too, Takoda. Even if you were a dumbass for a while there.”
I laugh, the movement causing Sage to bounce in my lap. And there goes my cock, hardening again.
Sage does a little wriggle, then moans as the angle adjusts and my cock hits someplace deep inside her that she likes.
“Takoda?”
“Hmm?”
“Am I your ride or die?”
“Yup.”
She gives me a sly grin as she moves higher up on her knees, then drops down into my lap. “Then let's ride!”