Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Maddox (Shade)
Having Cassie on the back of my bike has been a dream come true. A really sexy dream with the benefit of my heart stumbling all over itself like a teenager in love.
On the other hand, it's my worst fucking nightmare. Each time she flings her arms out to the side to enjoy the freedom of our ride, my stomach falls through my ass. My entrails are smeared all over the goddamn highway.
Disgusting, but that's how my gut feels helping her off my motorcycle for the last time. The high of our run together mixed with coming down from the stress of her safety could make me sleep for a week.
"Thank you," she whispers once I've helped get her matte-black helmet off.
The goosebumps that pebble her neck and chest at the touch of my gloved fingers make it that much harder not to take her in my arms and make her mine again.
Her body knows me. As does her heart and mind.
Cassie could have told me to fuck off and rode on one of the other guys' bikes.
Nope. My woman strode straight to mine and claimed her seat.
She didn't even lift an eyebrow to challenge me. Cassie just knew where she belonged. On the back of my bike. The same one I bent her over and attempted to squander any possibility of what we just shared.
I'm such a bastard.
Today and all the days she's been living in my neck of the dangerous woods have shown me what an absolute idiot I've been. Cassidy Sterling is meant to be here. It's written all over my club's faces when they greet her and push her around like she's already a patched-in member.
Hearing her express any kind of appreciation toward me is a reminder of what a complete fucking asshole I've been. Not that I'll stop, but I will definitely be treating her the way she should be treated right along with my dickish self I know she loves.
"Don't thank me for something I should have done a long time ago, sweet girl."
Her breath catches at the endearment I used when there was no doubt we would spend the rest of our lives together.
Un-fucking-fortunately, I'm still madly in love with three men, one of whom can't keep his mouth shut.
"You got that right," Koa snarks. His usual smirk is absent, and his arms are crossed. I still have a lot of making up to do to convince the guys I won't hurt her again.
I bite my tongue to keep from starting a fight with him—he's just being defensive of her. As he should be. "That ass is mine later," I growl instead because sexual threats are always well received when it comes to my partners.
Koa's eyes flare with want, and his posture droops like he's already completely pliant for me. Fuck I love when he's eager.
Cassie's long red nails dig into my chest, drawing my attention. "Maybe I can take a crack at it first?" she flirts, eyeing Koa like he's the snack she's desperately craving.
"I—" Koa sputters. He looks at me as if I can help him. "Was that a butt crack joke? Or are you actually going to peg me? Fuck, Maddox, can we please get her a strap on?! That would be so hot!"
Parker and Ripley choose that moment to enter our circle. Ripley eyes Koa with genuine confusion and asks, "Why would you need her to fuck your tight hole when you have three willing cocks surrounding you every day?"
"Yeah, Koa, are we not enough for you?" Parker continues, missing Ripley's seriousness.
Ripley lurches forward like he got shot in the back. But before he can fly off the rails into worry and insecurity, Cassie's rushing to him. "We were joking. Even if he did want me to peg him, I swear he's more than happy with the three of you, okay?"
With Cassie's hands on his cheeks, Rip takes a steadying breath and nods. "Yeah. Right. Sorry."
She frowns, not understanding his sudden gruffness, which is more Parker's style. Inching forward, I place one hand on her hip and the other on Ripley's shoulder.
"Ripley was raised to be ruthless and never let anything past him. When he reads a social situation wrong, it's triggering," I explain, knowing he doesn't mind.
Cassie doesn't say anything, just turns her attention back to Ripley as if waiting for him to continue. Poor guy sighs and steps back only to be met with Koa and Parker at his sides.
"My uncle was a good man. He had to be for Parker's mom and dad to fall in love with him. But growing up with my only parent sick with cancer, being strong was the only option. There were too many times I messed up understanding the doctors, and it left Noah to explain it to me all over again."
Parker's usually tight features soften for him.
"Noah never would have faulted you for that.
You were under so much stress trying to be the caretaker and provider from such a young age.
Learning how to be the man of the house at the age of six is ridiculous, but to be raised by the club's enforcer who was battling cancer all his adult life... "
Koa looks wrecked as he studies Ripley, his other side of the coin.
Those two have something I've never quite understood.
They complete each other like yin and yang.
Sunshine and darkness who can meet in an epic eclipse of similarities.
"Rip, nobody expects you to do everything right.
Hell, I just intruded on what would have been a good moment between Cassie and Mads because I couldn't get my feelings under wraps in time. "
Ripley clears his throat, and I know the conversation is over. "Right. Thanks. Pet, let's get you some water." He reaches for her, and she goes willingly, even with a bit of relief on her face.
"Ice and ibuprofen, too," Parker follows, eyes hard. "She's flinched seven times since getting off Maddox's fucking bike. BANDAID!"
"Jesus, Parker," Cassie hisses, voice almost lost to me in the crowd of my MC. "Don't do that. I'm fine. Leave the man alone. He's—"
Bandaid intercepts them with a bag slung over his shoulder. "Who's hurt?"
"Cassidy's in pain," Ripley declares, pulling her into the clubhouse, but not before I hear him suggest getting an IV set up for hydration.
Koa's warmth grounds me back into my body, but my heart stays obediently with Cassie. "Are we worried about that?" my partner murmurs, leaning against me.
I scratch my fingers through my beard, thinking about the chaotic few minutes we just had. Is this the rest of my life? Five very different personalities and feelings sharing a single conversation that splits into a million different unhinged sidetracks? "With which part?"
He chuckles a throaty sound that reminds me he'll need his throat fucked later too. "I was talking about the fact that Parker and Ripley are worried enough about whatever's hurting her to have Bandaid check her out and put a needle in her arm for fluids."
Fuck. Fuck.
Parker noticed something I didn't. I was so lost in the experience of her clinging to me that I got swept up into pegging thoughts which went right to worry for Ripley. Cringing, I grab Koa's hand and tug him toward the clubhouse.
"Yes. We should be fucking worried. Damn it, how did I not notice she was in pain?"