Chapter Eighteen #2
Her gaze snaps up to me. “A ride? Raider, aside from the quick ride here the other day, I’ve never ridden before.”
“Good thing is you're riding with me,” I murmur softly to her. “So go get dressed, and then we’ll go. I promise you will love it, and you’re a fucking natural.”
Anastasia doesn’t say anything before going up on her toes and kissing me quickly on the mouth, then she turns and limps back towards the kitchen.
I stand there watching the way her ass looks in those tight as hell leggings she has on.
Fuck, I cannot wait to get my hands, mouth, and dick on and in that woman. Claiming her as mine forever.
“Is it just me, or does all of this seem to be falling into place a little too easily?” Pope breaks into my fantasy and now has my full attention.
“What has you second-guessing things?” I look over at him.
Pope is one of my oldest friends. We’ve always joked about whose gut instincts were better, mine or his.
He got the name Pope and holds the title of Chaplin because he has always been our voice of reason and at times the keeper of our souls.
The man never says much. He’s more of a sit back and watch kind of guy.
So, the fact that he is bringing my attention to something means I should listen.
“For over a year we had nothing at all. No leads, no answers, and then in less than five days we know all of it. Not only that, but add in Auntie Lynn’s house goes up in flames.
At this rate, that feels like something separate.
Maybe just a little too convenient, but not connected to the sex trafficking.
Something just seems too easy, like we’re being set up. ” Pope isn’t wrong.
“Who would benefit from our taking the fall or our going to war?” I question him because now I’m starting to see what he means.
“Wouldn’t everyone that wants our territory, shipment lines, contacts with the Italians, and whoever the fuck runs the port? I mean, fuck, the Albanians have been trying to push in for years. I don’t know, it just seems too easy suddenly.” He shakes his head.
“You’ve never steered us wrong before. I want you in the meeting with Anastasia and Ainsley.
You might have been close to Anastasia when we were kids, but I truthfully believe you will be the most clear-headed about things, and right now more than ever we need someone not completely emotionally attached to the situation.
” Honesty is the only thing I can give him right now.
“I’ll be there.” Pope then goes to the bar where Ivy and Sunny are talking quietly.
He wraps his arm around Sunny when he gets there, taking her drink from her and finishing it.
I don’t know what he says to her, but she smiles sweetly up at him, nodding.
Sunny makes her way around the bar, grabbing a few beers before sashaying toward his room.
Ivy glares at their backs as they go until she sees me standing there.
Just like that, the glare falls away, and a smile spreads across her face.
Yeah, not getting involved in that, I nod at her before making my way outside.
As I go, I pull my phone out and shoot a text to Anastasia to meet me outside when she’s ready.
Stepping through the door into the bright light of the day, I call Remedy.
“What’s up, brother?” he answers, sounding slightly out of breath.
“You around to take a look at Tasia’s leg?” I speak into the phone.
“I’m on the ambulance out of Fire Station Five. If you bring her by here, anyone of us can look at it,” he states.
“Perfect. I’m taking her on a bike ride, so we’ll swing by there first,” I agree, hanging up just as Anastasia comes out the door.
My jaw drops as she makes her way to me, only slightly limping.
Her jeans hug her just right. The long sleeve black shirt she is wearing amplifies her perfect breasts under a black leather jacket.
Someone has braided her hair down her back in the perfect style for riding.
I wrap my arm around her waist as soon as she comes close.
“You're so fucking beautiful,” I whisper, kissing her hard on the lips.
Anastasia relaxes in my hold, fisting my cut and pulling me tighter to her body.
I slide my hands down, cupping her ass and picking her up to wrap her legs around my waist. Just as things start to get carried away, the sound of a vehicle pulling in breaks us apart.
Looking back over my shoulder, I see Twitch pulling through the gate.
Anastasia drops her face onto my chest, chuckling.
“To this day, nothing has changed. When I’m with you, nothing else in the world matters but you,” she groans, a blush creeping down her face and along her chest.
“I can’t say that I’m disappointed to hear that,” I smirk at her, loving the fact that her blush gets redder.
I set her down on her feet when I hear Twitch’s car door close. He looks back and forth between us with a knowing look in his eyes. I give him a look daring him to say something.
“Rusher is at practice. We had no issues there. I know the coaches and let them know he isn’t to leave with anyone who isn’t club until further notice,” Twitch informs us.
“Who exactly said you could make that call?” I demand not liking that he took it upon himself to do so.
Once again, the kid doesn’t shy away or back down, though being Satchel’s kid, I shouldn’t expect anything less.
“With everything going on, we needed to make sure the boy was safe. I didn’t stay there and watch him like my gut told me I needed to.
So, I made sure nothing could happen to him while he was there alone. ”
Anastasia steps around me. “Thank you, Twitch. That means a lot.”
He turns a little red. “No problem. Not that at this point you’ve got any real issues considering who your boy plays ball with.”
Narrowing my eyes at him, I say, “We’re going to have a conversation about what all this means later.”
He gives me a salute before walking away.
I watch him go, shaking my head because I still haven’t figured that kid out, which is one of the few reasons he hasn’t been brought up for a vote to be patched.
Anastasia wraps her arm around my waist, laying her head on my chest. For the first time in way too many years, I feel at peace and that maybe I’m exactly where I should be.
“Let’s get riding, Tasia.” I pat her on the ass, grab her helmet and place it on her head.
Her smile is wide and bright, stretching to her eyes that are shining bright.