Chapter 7
ROOK
I didn’t expect PD to get on the back of my bike, but he did without hesitation, and I hated how warm that made me feel on the inside.
I didn’t think too many of our brothers would do the same.
His arms wound around me, and I took a deep breath as I focused on the road rather than the tightness that came with his grip.
He could’ve held on to the back of the bike, but instead he chose me.
A thousand thoughts assaulted my already tired brain.
After Dallas had given me the meds and the pain had lessened enough for me to walk, I’d gone directly into action, especially after King had gotten the call from River that the police hadn’t taken PD to the station.
All the horrible images of the things they could be doing to him had filled my head and sent me into a panic.
Funnily enough, it was Josh who had calmed me down.
“Breathe,” he murmured as he crouched in front of me, stroking my hair. “Focus on me. PD will be okay. He’s strong.”
Right after, Destiny had contacted us to tell us about his call from PD, and rage had filled me instead.
Why would he risk himself for something we should be doing together?
PD was one of the calmest people I knew, and for him to promise revenge and try to exact it, the police really must’ve pissed him off.
As I turned the bike in at the junkyard and clubhouse, riding past the metal fence, all my concern bubbled into a deeper emotion that left me hurt and furious at PD. He was willing to risk prison, a place very far away from me, for this retaliation. I could’ve lost him.
I stopped the bike near the line of motorcycles already beside the clubhouse and turned it off.
The navy blue siding on the massive two-story building looked good, or at least, the bit lit up beside the front door did.
Not too long ago, Barber’s punishment for being a dickhead one night had been to power wash it.
The blacked-out windows looked like holes, but there wasn’t much to be done about that.
Once PD slid free, I did the same before I turned to him and jabbed his solid chest with a finger.
“What the fuck was that?” I growled. I was on the verge of losing my shit or maybe I’d already passed that point.
PD frowned. “He hurt you, Will. Those fucking pigs hurt you.”
I laughed. “So, your great idea was what? Go and kick his head in?” I cursed under my breath and ran a hand through my hair, ignoring the twinge that came from my ribs. “Fuck, PD. You would’ve been sent to prison, and he’d be a fucking martyr, a reason for the Feds to take us all down.”
I didn’t give him a chance to respond. I spun on my heel, ignoring the pain that struck me with the action, and stormed into the clubhouse, nearly knocking the front door off the hinges as I went.
I stalked into the barroom, where more than a few of our brothers were gathered.
They eyed me carefully, aware of where we’d been and how we’d gone to get PD back.
Clearly, they were wary of my mood. I didn’t blame them.
I fell onto a stool at the bar, anger fizzling out to helplessness as Josh slid a beer in front of me. He didn’t ask how I was doing and I was fucking thankful. I didn’t want to answer any more questions tonight.
It didn’t take long before PD slid onto the seat next to mine, his eyebrows furrowed, a slight pout to his mouth.
That tempting bottom lip of his stuck out.
I didn’t stare for too long because then I’d forgive him too fast. What was wrong with me lately?
I hated everything, was furious at everyone, yet also was a shell of a man. Empty.
“I’m sorry,” PD whispered after he waved his hand at Josh to signal he didn’t want a drink.
In the light of the room, he looked different.
Bruised. I hadn’t realized how dirty and battered he was in the dark, but now he was visible for me to see every wound on his handsome face.
I hated the purple tinges scattered indiscriminately on his skin.
The bruising wasn’t only on his face but along his arms, too.
I reached out to touch his wrist, curling my fingers around it, and he froze. “What did they do to you?”
He shrugged. “Had me in the trunk. They played tenderize the biker. That’s all.”
“Fuck.” I rubbed my face, caught between the urge to still be mad at him, but also furious for him. He’d gone through hell today and it was all because I couldn’t keep my stupid mouth shut.
“Hey.” He laid a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I was more fucking concerned about you.”
“You shouldn’t have been,” I growled out, resisting the urge to knock his hand off in embarrassment.
I hated that his concern was always about me when it should’ve been about his own safety.
It’d always been that way, since the moment we’d met.
He’d taken care of me, had my back in ways not even my family did.
His hand slid down my arm until he laid it on top of mine, and my gaze zeroed in on his touch, warmth spreading through me that made him feel like a safety blanket.
“I will always think about you.” His eyebrows dipped, and I could almost read his thoughts as they flitted through his mind, reaching the conversation he wanted to be having. “You kissed me.”
I winced. Fuck. I’d forgotten about that already.
I’d reacted on an impulse when he was at Johnston’s house, all my desires and worry about him blasting to the surface, which erupted in me kissing him.
I didn’t regret it for a second, but trying to explain my reasoning to PD suddenly left my brain buzzing with absolute silence.
My exhale came out as a stuttered breath. “I . . . . Yeah. Yeah, I did.”
Panic joined in with the torrent of emotions that swelled in my chest. Had I ruined our friendship?
He tapped his fingers against mine. “You should do it again.”
His words caused a pause in my world. Every frightened thought disappeared as my mind took the time to comprehend what he’d said. Since the accident, it sometimes took a little longer to understand.
“What?” I asked.
“Kiss me again, Will.” He leaned toward me, his lips pressed together and his eyes wide, almost begging. He looked vulnerable this way, and he’d only reached halfway toward me before he stopped, giving me the option to lean forward. “I want it.”
Everything in me was warning me not to start this, that I’d only end up brokenhearted because this man was my best friend, but I couldn’t stop—no, I didn’t want to. I surged forward, my mouth crashing against his.
He groaned, grasping my face between his hands, and stood so I had to tilt my head back to let him get closer. He fit between my legs, snug as the right puzzle piece.
Behind us, cheers filled the room, probably for us, but I ignored them. I’d waited too long for this moment, for the taste of PD’s lips, and I wasn’t going to let anyone else take my attention.
PD broke the kiss first, his chest heaving. He grinned hesitantly and stroked his finger down my cheek. “Let’s go up to your room.”
“PD and Will, sitting in a tree, F-U-C-K-I-N-G.” Barber laughed and hooted when PD gave him a venomous glare.
The idiot was tall and had lean muscles.
Plus, his tattooed face was far too pretty, with angular lines.
Someone who did as much hell raising as him shouldn’t be so attractive.
But maybe that was the only reason he was still alive.
He lounged on one of the black leather couches against the wall, his partner Quain half on his lap as he scrolled on his phone.
“Shut the fuck up, Barber,” Scar growled from where he stood near the pool table, the cue held in his hand. “Or you’ll get your ass kicked.”
Barber waggled his eyebrows, and I groaned, aware of an incoming dirty joke. He wouldn’t be Barber if he didn’t have something sexual to say, especially when it came to Scar. “Do you have Charley’s cum in your ass, Scar? Something’s stuck up there.”
Quain sighed heavily enough that I could hear it. He stood and held up his hands. “Anything that happens is on you, Luke. You know exactly what takes place when you shit stir.”
“Baby,” Barber whined, trying to catch Quain’s wrist but missing as Quain took a step away.
Scar snorted and shook his head at me and PD. “Don’t worry about it, he’s not worth it.”
“Hey!” Barber huffed. “My baby thinks I am.”
“Do I?” Quain drawled, but it was hard to miss the twitch at the corner of his mouth, the usual stoniness nowhere to be seen as he shifted back into Barber’s gravitational force, as if being anywhere but beside Barber was too much pain.
That’s what I craved—to be wanted with such intensity that being away from me hurt—and I needed it with PD. He was the only one I dreamed about.
PD laced his fingers with mine and tugged on my hand gently. “Let’s go upstairs. I want to make sure you’ve taken your meds.”
“What am I, a kid?” I snapped. My shoulders tensed and I went to take a step back from him, but he gripped my fingers tighter.
PD gave me a pleading stare as he shuffled in closer. “That isn’t what I’m doing.” He lowered his voice and tipped his head closer to me. “I want . . . . I want you. It’s no one else’s business what we do.”
I let out a breath between my teeth and nodded, pleasure simmering low in my stomach. My cock twitched as images of what we were about to do filled my brain.
PD tugged me gently toward the stairs, but not before flipping Barber the bird as we went.
He guided me up the steps to my room, and the moment we made it through the door and closed it behind us, he paused and looked at me.
His gray eyes were brighter, and it was difficult to tear my gaze away from his.
“Do you know how long I’ve needed you to kiss me?” PD growled out, his voice so deep he almost sounded like a completely different person. He grasped my other hand and dragged me closer. My ribs twinged, but I managed to hold in a grunt.