Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Parker (Spider)
Judging by the look on my mom's face, I know I'm in for some shit. With my dad at her back looking like he has a lecture on the tip of his tongue too, there's no doubt they're about to embarrass me in front of everyone.
"Can we not right now, please?" I mutter, trying to usher them away from literally the entire club.
Dad glances around. "No, I think this is the perfect time to hash this out. Care to explain to me the rumors I've been hearing?"
"Treating that woman the way you have, I oughta ground you for the rest of your life, Parker," Mom hisses, curly blonde hair whipping in the breeze.
Effortlessly, as if he doesn't even notice, Dad maneuvers her hair away from his face and tucks it around her shoulders. They're so perfect together, and like every other time I witness the ease with which they love each other, self-doubt creeps in. I'll never have what they do.
"Are you listening to your mother?"
Sighing, I glance over my shoulder at the woman they're defending against me. Cassie bounces on her toes in front of Koa, both practically giddy about the long day ahead of us.
Don't get me wrong, I love going on these rides, but having Cassidy on the back of Maddox's bike is stressing me the fuck out. I should just be glad she's wearing proper attire.
The sexy as fuck all-black outfit from neck to ankles, paired with her bright red boots with scuff marks, still draws way too much fucking attention.
"Let them look," Mom sasses. "They all know she's yours."
Without taking my eyes off Cassidy, I growl, "Which means they shouldn't have their eyes anywhere near what's mine."
"Watch your tone," Dad snaps, slamming a hand down on my shoulder. "And in case you didn't realize it, you just claimed her."
I open my mouth to, what? Deny it? Everyone knows I'm following her around like a dog with a fucking treat. In this instance, I'm a ridiculously possessive MC president chasing a curvy redhead who is hellbent on carving a Cassidy-size space in my club. And heart.
Fuck.
Mom all but stomps her foot at my silence. The realization that I'm stressing her out enough to have a physical reaction makes me feel horrible. "If she's yours, Parker, why are we hearing what an ass you've been? This better not be about me."
"Mom, you know I can't get attached. Especially at a time like this. I can't go through what Dad did when you—"
I swallow and look away. Except this time I can't look at Cassidy.
I can't fathom falling in love with someone who isn't as ruthless as I am.
Someone who won't kill to protect themselves or know how to fight off the biggest man in the room.
There's a comfort in loving three MC presidents; my worry for them is far less than it would be with Cassidy.
Hell, my mom knew how to defend herself and exactly what to do when in danger, but she was still fucking kidnapped and held captive for weeks.
"If she died...Mom, I've watched you and Dad mourn Noah all these years after he died. That pain doesn't go away. I don't know if I'd survive it." A flicker of pain zips through my mother's gaze before she settles the emotion into understanding and empathy.
"Parker, kid," Dad says thickly, reaching for me. "Noah's death didn't come as a surprise to us. We entered our relationship with him knowing he was sick. His death wasn't some kind of accident or the work of our enemies."
I force myself to stay still and accept his gentle touch on my bicep. All I want to do is end this conversation, get on my bike, and outrun my fucking feelings. Why do I have so many damn feelings?!
Leaning in, I take my voice down an octave and hiss a rant that makes my heart clench and wither.
"He still died, Dad. The love of your lives died.
What if Cassie's sick too?! What if she gets taken from me like Mom?
! I'm not as strong as you are. I won't be able to keep myself together.
I'll fly off the rails so fucking far, nothing will bring me back. "
"You don't need to come back, honey," Mom responds softly, cupping my cheek.
"If she's taken from you, then you better lose your fucking shit, or the rest of us will for you.
Hell, look at that." She gestures to the group of men laughing with Cassie and dragging her from bike to bike to show off their engines. "We will all go off the rails for her."
"Your mother's right," Dad agrees with a curt nod. "You aren't the last one to hop on board. You're just the last one to realize you've already boarded the Cassie train."
"Dad, is that an innuendo?!" Koa hoots, jogging over to us with way too much glee for this conversation.
Ugh. Leave it to Koa to make something gross.
Grunting, I pull away from my parents. Let their adopted pseudo child get the brunt of their lectures. "Good. Distract them while I go bleach my ears." Before I leave them, I place a kiss on my mom's cheek and shake Dad's hand.
"Parker," Mom insists, grabbing my hand to keep me from leaving. "The traumas we've worked hard to heal and grow from are not for you to carry."
Looking deep into her eyes, I see her plea for me to believe her. I do, but..."I love you too much not to hold some of your pain, Momma. You know that."
"And I love you too much to watch you hold yourself back from a woman who adores you even when you're a dick. Now stop thinking about me and focus on her." With that, she pushes me back and glances over my shoulder. "Oh look at that, she's already on the back of Mads' bike."
"What?!" I snap, whirling around and sprinting to her reckless ass. If someone doesn't move, they're shoved until I'm plucking the redhead off the damn seat. "Off. Now."
Blinking up at me with wide eyes and mouth popped open in surprise, she waits for me to explain. "I want to do a full check of it before you start risking your fucking life."
"Jesus, Parker. It's my bike. Mine." Maddox slams a hand on his chest. "You really think I wouldn't quadruple-check everything on my motorcycle before putting my woman on it?"
"Our woman," I growl. Waiting until I'm on the ground, with my back to them, to squeeze my eyes shut, I curse myself for the slip of the tongue. "So I need to check too."
Cassidy's small giggle doesn't disrupt me, but when she asks the men around her for a painkiller, I'm off the ground so fucking fast my head spins. "What hurts?"
The only thing that makes me realize I'm acting unhinged is Ripley's over-the-top reaction too. "You can't go. Run canceled. We're staying."
Maddox leans his ass against his bike, crosses his arms, and raises an eyebrow at her. Can you handle their crazy? He's challenging her rather than reeling us back in.
A bottle rattles as it's tossed through the air at her. She catches it and thanks Ticket with a smile. I almost see red. Almost. She takes three pills, then levels me and Ripley with a bored stare.
"The old ladies told me I'll get sore on this long of a ride. So I'm preparing myself. Calm down."
Now I understand why a man should never tell a woman to calm down. It literally does the opposite.
Grinding my teeth together, I close the space between us, only to realize Ripley followed.
With her pinned between our bodies and my fingers trailing up her thigh, along the curve of her hip, past her belly, she tenses.
The moment my fingers graze her puckered nipple hidden beneath her tight black long-sleeve shirt, she practically fucking melts.
Head tilted back, looking up at me like I could do no wrong, I take full advantage. Bending low, our breaths become one for a thundering beat of our hearts. Just when she thinks I'm about to give her a kiss, I break the spell.
Hand on her jaw, I twist her head to the side enough to draw a delicious whimper from her throat that I bet is so fucking tight it would strangle my cock. "The moment you hop off Maddox's bike, one of us is going to make an example out of you, Cassidy. Or should I call you my kinky slut?"
At the same time I tease her dirty side, Ripley presses his hand between me and Cassie to cup her pussy. "You're so warm and ripe for the taking," Ripley rumbles in her other ear, almost reverently and with regret.
"Too bad naughty women have to wait, huh?" She gasps my name when I pinch her nipple with my free hand. "Remember this the next time you think it's a good idea to mouth off in front of our men."
As fast as I teased her to the brink, I release her, wavering at the edge of pleasure. Flushed and needy, she stands in Ripley's arms with bright blue eyes begging me to give her body the attention it needs.
Licking my lips, I try for just a hint of her flavor. She looks like my wet fucking dream standing there in her leathers, red cheeks, blown pupils, red wavy hair, and greedy cunt. "Now be good while I make sure you're safe for the first leg of the trip."
Maddy glowers at me as I kneel beside his legs. The desire to suck him off or tease him too is there, but I have a safety check to do.
"If she comes from the vibrations of the bike with her legs around me and I'm unable to do anything about it, I'll edge you for a fucking week."
Grinning up at him like a damn fool who just very openly accepted a woman as mine, I fire back, "I hope you'll do your worst, boss."
His rumbling moan, Koa's throaty chuckle, and Cassidy's pleas with Ripley to fix the problem I caused give me way too much joy.
I fear it's too late to back out because my dad is right.
I'm completely fucking invested, and the scene I just put on in front of everyone is the wake-up call I never wanted.
Now my heart is completely out of the safety of my chest, walking around in our dangerous world. Four people own it, and every single one of them is always at risk.
One thing is for certain...I'll do anything for them, even if it means sacrificing the parts of me I claim are moral.