Chapter 12
twelve
DARCY
Hands that feel foreign tremor as I reach for the documents that free myself and Owen. My heart beats rapidly in my ears as I scan each word looking for the loophole. There has to be one. It would be just like Seth to pull something, like not initialling in a spot or writing someone else’s name. I flip to the last page to check, and sure enough, it’s Seth’s handwriting. I double check each page one by one, but every spot is initialed or signed in the proper places. Is it possible? Am I free?
With my mind reeling out of control, I start to break things down into smaller, easier to digest snippets.
Point one: I was never married. It’s all the same to me. The relationship is long dead either way. It’s the ironic finale of my disastrous marriage…which never actually was.
Point two: I have full custody of Owen with no visitation. Even if he wants parenting time, which I seriously doubt, it’s not in Owen’s best interest. These papers are going straight to an attorney with my first paycheck to make sure they’re legally binding.
Point three: Seth’s gone for good. With the club keeping him away, I’m more rid of him than I ever hoped to be. The first two points were eventualities. I can do a better job raising Owen without him. Dane keeping him out of Parran soothes my mind. He can’t come back looking for money or a place to crash.
I think Seth has reached an all time low. It takes an extra special type of person to be thrown out of two different states by two different motorcycle clubs in one month.
My body feels lighter, all of the tension inside of me has released. Seth is gone. I’m free. It’s surreal after a week of waiting for him to come home from his bender. The path ahead of me is clearer now, more easily navigated.
My mind begins to swirl like a hurricane. Dane sits still with a stubborn set to his jaw, and the unapologetic glare of a man admitting his sin—casting a man out of his own home because he wants his wife.
I can only imagine how it all came about. Seth is always scheming. He wouldn’t sign the paperwork unless there was something in it for him.
It confirms my suspicions. Seth owes a debt to the club. Knowing him, gambling. Truth be told, I don’t care. I don’t even feel the mildest twinge of guilt—not when it means my child is given the life he deserves. Seth got himself into this mess.
One last thought permeates the fog in my brain. Dane protects what’s his. There are only so many ways to take that.
He isn’t doing this because he wants to fuck me. “What do you mean you protect what’s yours?”
“I mean that you’re my property. I already told the club I’m claiming you and the baby. Making it official at church tonight.”
“Your property?” I scoff. “I’ve had enough men controlling my life, don’tcha think?”
“It’s not what you think it is, Darcy. Being my property means you’re mine to protect, to care for, and yeah, sometimes I call the shots. That's pretty much just because I’m a jealous bastard and protective as hell when it comes to you. If I ask you to go put more clothes on, it’s not because I want to hide your beauty. It’s because other men are going to look at you, I’ll find out, and it won’t end well for them. If I tell you not to leave Parran or the house for a few days, it’s because I need you somewhere secure while I deal with shit. All I really want is for you to be safe, and mine.”
Well doesn’t this sound like the fucked up monologue in an old Julia Roberts movie. As dysfunctional as it is, it still makes my stomach do flip flops. “I’m not going to do everything you say just because you snap your fingers.”
“With time, you’ll learn to listen, because I’ll have gained your trust, and you’ll know it’s for the best,” he says confidently. “And I’m making you my old lady if you aren’t clear on that…”
The members of the club seem to have two modes with women. Either they barely remember the woman’s name, or it’s tattooed across their neck—what Yogi calls an Old Lady stamp. Everything in extremes.
I know what that means in their world to be an old lady. It means forever. Too fast, too soon. He may be ready to dive head first, but I want the time to get to know him before I make any sort of commitment. “If we do this…” I start cautiously.
His lip quirks, and he raises an audacious eyebrow in my direction. “You have my mark on your neck from playing yesterday. It’s safe to say we are already doing this.” Leaning over, he kisses the spot I’ve attempted to cover with makeup. It’s a soft caress, and when he looks back up at me his eyes are already twinkling with carnal possession. That delicate touch of his lips, that look is all it takes for my body to start tingling with awareness.
“Okay if we keep exploring things..”
“Not if, when ,” he corrects again as he leans down to kiss the other side of my neck. He licks his way up to my ear, and my breath catches, stifling a moan.
“Dane I can’t think if you keep doing that,” I say in a husky voice.
He moves his lips from my neck before looking down at me with hooded eyes, and presses his body against mine. “Good. Less thinking, more feeling. Why don’t you let me take you into the bedroom and eat your pussy until you get out of that head of yours? I want to watch you come again on my tongue.”
With a gentle push on his chest, I move away and scooch a good two feet down on the sofa. The last thing I need is to agree to something I shouldn't in a lust filled haze. “I need you to listen to me,” I plead.
My effort to create space proves fruitless as Dane moves right next to me again, and holds my chin in his palm. “You have my full attention.”
“As you said, we’re both adults. There’s no reason to rush into things. And it’s way too early to tell people I’m your old lady.”
“Is that it?” His eyes narrow with displeasure. He doesn’t agree but doesn’t argue either. He’s going to be difficult.
“No, one more thing. I’m all Owen has. If you’re over before he goes to bed, you need to know he’ll need my attention.”
“That was presumed. You aren’t all Owen has anymore though, and I hope you realize that soon. After the little man is asleep…well that’s my playtime with Mama. I want your attention for myself.”
He moves to stand, staring at me for a moment. “Now my turn.”
He walks over to an end table and starts emptying his pockets. Without looking in my direction he starts, “One: Seth no longer exists in our world.”
I nod, the easiest thing he could ask of me. I start to pick at my cuticles, nervous about what else he’s going to ask of me.
A key chain falls onto the maple wood, then he reaches into the wallet chain, disconnecting it from his belt loop without looking at me. “Two, I won’t have you living in another man’s house. This is a hard line for me. I own several you can choose from, but this is the nicest and the closest to work.”
“Wait, you want me to move in here? Isn’t this your home?”
He pulls off the large silver ring he always wears, leaving it next to his wallet. “It’s one of them, yes, which is why it comes with the advantage of already being furnished.”
“And you won’t be here?” Otherwise, it might be the answer to all of my prayers. We’ll need to work out the particulars when he’s a little less testy.
Shit tends to follow Seth, so staying in the house, even if his mother allowed it, isn’t the best idea.
He shakes his head, lips pursed, “I’ll have to be at the clubhouse more than I’d like, so I can’t live in town right now. Which brings me to point three.”
The wallet thumps on the console, and he gives me a pointed look. “The only way we’re going to have any real time together is if you come to the compound to stay on the weekends and special events. The rest of the time, I’ll come to you as I can.”
That's it? The man has given me pretty much everything I want, and in return, all he asks is that I not talk about my ex, move into a beautiful house I would have rented on my own anyway, and come to the clubhouse on the weekends.
Where’s the catch?
“Pending further discussion, agreed,” I say. “With stipulations about living here.”
A slow, satisfied grin grows on his face. “Good. Now, come kiss your man.”
Wetting my lips, I move to stand and wander over to Dane. His muscles are rippling, legs spread wide. When I’m within arms reach, he hooks his fingers in the belt loops of my jeans and pulls me to him. His palms slide across the denim to cup my bottom, blue eyes dancing with amusement as he waits for me to comply. I do, sealing the deal with a slow sweet peck.
This entire experience is surreal. In an instant, my life is a thousand times better. Dane did this. After I end the kiss, I wrap my arms around his waist, my hands far from touching one another, and rest my head against his chest, listening to the rapid thump thump thump of his heart.
He runs his hand down the length of my hair and kisses the top of my head. “You okay now?”
“God yes. You’ve taken a massive weight off my shoulders.” The funny thing is, even with this lunatic telling me I’m his property, I feel freer than I ever have.
“I’m going to send a few text messages so we can spend the afternoon alone in peace. I think we deserve some alone time.”
“It’s the middle of the work day….”
“Your boss says it’s okay. After tonight’s meeting, I’m going to be busier than ever. I want to spend as much time with you as I can, while I can.” He leans down and kisses my lips, the conversation over. My heart squeezes tight in my chest. How do you argue with a man when all he wants is, well, you?
“Let me go make a call, and then I’m all yours.” He leaves me with a wink, and goes into the back of the house, flipping on lights, turning down the air conditioner. I assume he’ll go out of earshot, but I catch bits and pieces of the entire conversation. “I will deal with that at church tonight,” he tells the person on the other end of the line. His voice travels as he walks down the hallway and out of sight.
A short time later, he walks back into the living room barefoot, his cut gone, t-shirt untucked. “Tell Presh to lay off with the text messages, would ya? I already promised Darcy’s coming tonight with the baby,” he says to whoever is on the other end of the phone. He smiles when he says the last part. A second later he hangs up, powers his phone down, and lays it next to the console. The guys call Dane’s grandmother Presh, but to me, she’s Ms. Lina, the sweet southern lady I volunteered with at the food bank.
“Ms. Lina’s going to be there tonight?”
“Yes, and she’s very eager to see you and Owen. I should have assumed from the get-go you know Presh.”
“We’ve spent a lot of time bonding while packing food boxes,” I explain. “Dare I ask why your grandmother is going to be at a manager’s meeting?”
“Never said it was a manager’s meeting. Just said it was mandatory,” he says with a scoff, sitting back on the couch. Grabbing me by the hips, he pulls me onto his lap and drapes my legs across his. “Don’t get me wrong, Sugar, I love Presh, but she is the very last thing I want to talk about right now.”
“Understandable,” I say with a slow smile. We’re going to spend the afternoon together…in every way. He didn’t fit me into his schedule, he cleared everything, hours before a big meeting so that we could be alone. Nobody’s ever done that for me before.
As he leans in, the length of his hair falls forward. His lips capture mine, making my body tingle. It goes on forever, Dane slowly building the intensity inside of me. I feel him start to grow hard as the kiss goes on and on. His hand is in my hair, mine around his neck when he groans and rolls me onto my back. He rests his weight on his forearms and he looks down at me. “I was tested last week and had the results rushed. They’re in the kitchen if you want to see them.”
“Was I that much of a foregone conclusion?”
“Dreams are important Darcy, and being inside of that pussy raw is pretty damn high on my list.”
He doesn’t give me a chance to answer, his lips ravaging me until I’m breathless. I’m already achy between my legs, whimpering. Eyes blazing, his movements become frantic as he strips me of my jeans. I try to pull his t-shirt off, wanting to touch his muscled chest. We both sit up as he helps me, pulling it over his head with swift movements, exposing his six pack and a trail of light brown hair leading downward. After looking for so long, I’m eager to touch his Adonis perfect body.
I trace my hand down further and further along its path until I’m cupping the hardness hidden behind denim. I stroke my hand against it, Dane groaning with pleasure. Feeling brave, I pull down the zipper, freeing his cock. I want to taste him. I work my hand up and down the length. Dane groans, pulling me into a deep kiss. His thighs start to shake, his breathing becomes rapid and I know he’s about to finish in my hand. I break off the kiss to give him my mouth to finish in, but he tosses me onto my back again. “I’m finishing in your pussy. I’m pulling you into a sixty-nine later though. The only thing that sounds better than your mouth on my cock is eating your pussy at the same time.”
He rips my panties down and off before laying on top of me again, his weight pushing me into the soft cushion of the wide couch. “There’s a rule in the club. You have to fuck a woman twice before you can claim them. I’d planned on daring anyone to say a word otherwise, but now that we’re here, I think it’s best to make it official.”
“You have to sleep with a woman multiple times to claim her? This is an official rule?” I ask with incredulity.
“I didn’t make them, Sugar. I just follow them. When we’re done though, that’s it. You’re mine in every way.”
He doesn’t give me a chance to answer, his mouth coming back down onto mine. He fumbles unbuttoning my top, exposing my nursing bra. His forehead is lined with confusion at the clasps. “It’s so I can pump easily,” I explain, my face going a little warm at the matronly lingerie. The soft knit is convenient and comfortable, but not the sexiest thing in the world.
“It’s what’s inside that interests me, Sugar,” he says in a husky tone as the tip of his tongue starts to lick circles on my chest. He fumbles around for a second with the hook on one side before saying, “Fuck it,” impatiently, and pulls the entire bra up and off, exposing my breasts to him. He draws a lazy circle around the peaked nipple, then does the same with the other. “I’m going to come back to these once we’re in the bedroom. I think we both need to take the edge off.”
His hand comes between us and between my legs as he keeps eye contact. He pushes his fingers into my folds, and in a hoarse voice he says, “So wet and ready for me.” His eyes are soft and dreamy with arousal.
My legs tremble as he glides his fingers along my clit, my breathing becoming rapid. He runs the pad of his thumb in agonizingly slow circles, sending me into a desperate frenzy, enough to stoke the fire, but not to give relief. “Please Dane,” I plead in desperation.
With a sinister grin, Dane hooks my legs into his arms, “I like my name on your lips, Darcy.”
Dane slides his tip into my core. With shallow thrusts, he works his way in until his hips are flush against my body. His palm slides to cup my breast, the thumb brushing against my nipple. My orgasm rushes through me, hitting with the intensity and speed of a lightning bolt. My legs spasm wrapped around Dane, my core clenches, and I moan, long and loud as he pounds into me over and over again with relentless pumps. Dane grabs my hips, thrusting until he bottoms out inside of me. A sudden warmth fills me as he takes one last leisurely stroke and stays there, buried to the hilt. His eyes have darkened, face rigid as he moves over me, bracing himself up on his arms.
His forehead touches mine as our ragged breathing evens out. He’s still inside of me when he asks in a tone far too casual for the occasion, “So, did I just get you pregnant?”