Chapter 8
Peering out of the window, I”m trying to stop my hands from shaking. “Cupcake, did he hurt you?”
“No, Dad.” My voice is a mere whisper. I feel so out of place right now. I”m not where I”m supposed to be. I”ve never seen Rock so furious and I dare to say scared. Why? How? My mind is about to blow for how many questions I have.
I squeeze my eyes tight trying to calm down. Dad doesn’t need to be worried anymore. To be honest, all I wanted was to stay longer in his arms but with Dad there I had to move away. “Dad, how do you know him?”
“Rock?” he asks, looking at me and I nod. “When I became the new sheriff, I knew there were things I wanted to change here. Newtok, at that time, was different.” He pauses and it seems he’s trying to choose what to say. What are you hiding dad? “The crime rate was way higher, and I didn”t like it. It wasn”t safe to live here, but I wanted it to be.” He sighs. “I first met Rock because of his fiancée.” My heart stops beating. “She was involved in a car accident. I was the one who worked on the case.”
Shifting in my seat I turn toward him; I need to know more. “What happened?”
Dad flashes the lights while entering Newtok. “She didn”t make it.”
“That”s terrible.” I gasp, chills of terrors rushing down my skin. Is that the reason he showed up? It doesn’t make any sense. How did he know?
“I’ve been told to close the case, or I”d lose my job. I did it and guilt was eating me up after that.” He turns right, taking the long way toward home. “I couldn’t even sleep, and I put myself in his shoes.”
“But if you didn”t have evidence, why feel guilty?”
His grip on the steering wheel tightens. “Because I had plenty of them. I went to Rock and informed him about the case, promising him I”d have done everything to help him to find who did it.”
“Did you find them?”
“Yes,” he glances over at me. “it turns out The Vipers organized everything.”
Why am I feeling like I don”t know anything about the town I live in? “Who are The Vipers?”
“Newtok was controlled by two bikers’ clubs: The Black Panthers and The Vipers. There has always been a territorial war between the two of them.”
My mouth drops open. A war? Sounds so surreal. “I didn”t know that.”
“Rock is their president.” Dad”s voice doesn”t flinch. There”s no reproach, hate or disdain in his voice.
I”ve seen Rock”s tattoos, but no snakes were painted, still I can”t help but ask about it. “Of The Vipers?”
“No, cupcake, of The Black Panthers.” The corner of his mouth raises up. “Rock helps me keep The Vipers out of Newtok.”
What? Is it even a thing? Bikers and police working together sounds more like a movie thing. “I thought the bikers were against the law, like owning illegal activities or something like that.”
“They do, but not here, cupcake. We”ve cleaned out of the town from drugs, and weapons.”
“So The Black Panthers are not involved in drugs?”
“Just smoke, and I”m okay with that. They don”t sell it to kids, and some are curative.”
I can”t believe dad believes for real in this bullshit. “Dad, come on, it”s still drugs.”
“I know, but they helped Jill when the doctors said no medicine could relieve her pain.”
Mom? I”m speechless. If they have helped Mom, then they”ll have all my respect. “So, they”re good guys?”
“Don”t tell anyone I say it, but yes, they are, otherwise I wouldn’t ask their help tonight.” He replies as he crosses the gate of my house.
Dad has called Rock for me? That’s why they were there. And I thank God they showed up. I don’t even know what was going on. I never did wrong to anyone and still someone chased me till here. Why?
Getting out of the car, I reach for my suitcase, but dad takes it, carrying it for me. “Try to rest, cupcake, I”ll be here, don”t worry.”
While searching for my keys, I look over my shoulder. “I”m okay, Dad, just exhausted. Go home. Pamela must be worried.”
“You sure?” I can see he’s holding back from giving me a piece of mind since the agreement was, I should have come home tomorrow. Dad doesn’t like when I’m driving at night, let alone after a competition.
“Yes, Dad. Thank you.” I hug him. I spot Foster, dad”s colleague, outside the gate. I didn”t notice he was following us, and I wave at him.
“Call me if you need anything, okay?”
“I”ll be fine, Dad.”
“Put that damn thing to charge.” His remark sinks deep. I can’t imagine how worried he was when my battery died.
I kiss his cheek. “Will do, have a good night.”
After heading inside, I lock the door and go upstairs. I need a shower to wash my fear away. I should have stayed in the hotel and come back tomorrow. All this mess wouldn’t have happened. Plugging the cellphone to the charger I toss the bag on the chair and head to the bathroom. The hot spray warms my body but still I can’t stop shaking. What the hell did just happen? Tears stream down my face and I drop on my knees crying my heart out. When I get up to shut the faucet, the water is almost cold, and I decide to wash.
After wearing my pajamas I sit on my bed and peering at my phone I spot forty calls from Dad and several from Rock too. I jump out of the bed, take my jacket, wear my sneakers and head out.
It seems I have the angel and the devil on my shoulders, fighting each other on what I should do or say. Face him or just wait for him to open up with me. Is that even a choice? Weren”t we supposed to fight for those who we care about? Fuck! I need to know. If I’m wrong, it’ll hurt like hell. I’m well aware of it but I need to. I need to breathe and he’s the only oxygen I need right now. Even if only for a few minutes.
Crossing the neighborhood gate feels awkward and I haven’t missed the smirk on the guy’s faces as they checked on my ID. By night this place looks quiet, and…safe. It’s like stepping into another world. Houses are lined up along the driveway, bikes are parked on the lateral driveway while in front of the garage are parked a car or two. There’s plenty of space between the houses and I guess it is for privacy. When I came here on my bike, I hadn”t looked around, but I’d dare to say this looks more like a fancy neighborhood than a biker”s one. It seems bikers have a good taste after all. I park in front of his house and kill the engine. Maybe he”s not here or worse maybe he”s with someone. “Please be alone.” I murmur under my breath, while I take out my cell phone and start typing a text but then I change my mind and hit the call button.
“Hello?” His voice hits me. I can hear his tiredness mixed with…worry?
“Hey, Rock, it”s Ashley.” All my bravery fades away as I peer at the steering wheel.
I hear sheet noises in the background and my heart stops “Is everything okay, Princess?”
One beat.
Two beats.
Three beats.
“Yeah, how are you?”
He chuckles. “I”m good, I was trying to sleep.”
“Are you alone?” I ask, wanting to slap myself. “Home. I mean, are you home?”
“I”m home and alone, Princess.” He heaves out a long breath.
“Then open up.”
“Open… you”re here?” The lights of his bedroom switch on.
“Yeah…” I say as I take the key off and get out of my car.
The door swings open, and my mouth dries in a second while staring at Rock wearing just his pants. Sweet mother of lord.
Seeing her call scared the hell out of me. My heart was about to get out of my chest.
The more I tried to forget her the more she sank into my mind and after tonight I was darn sure she would ever want to have anything to do with me. I wanted to follow her home, but it would have raised more questions from Harrison than I would like. Di informed me they got home safe and a patrol was escorting them but still she followed my orders and followed them until home.
Opening the front door and seeing her here makes my heart race again. “Hi, Princess.”
“Hi, Rock.” She peers at me. I can feel her gaze on every inch of my chest following my tattoos.
I move from the door letting her come in. She takes off her jacket and my mouth goes dry instantly. Fuck me, she’s wearing almost nothing.
“Is it a new trend?” I ask, amused.
She looks down at her pajama shaking her head. “I just got out of the shower.”
“Hmm…” I shut my eyes because images of her naked pop back into my mind. Again. It’s a fucking torture.
I walk to the fridge and open it trying to focus on something else otherwise I’ll pin her to the wall and claim her right now and to hell all my good purposes. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I”m okay.”
I take out a beer and sit on a stool waiting for her to say something. She stares at me and I get lost in her amazing eyes.
“Rock,” she eventually whispers.
“Princess.”
“I thought nothing scares you.”
Taking a sip of beer, I cock a brow at her. “Indeed.” Lie! Tonight shook me more than I like to admit. I relived my worst nightmare and rode at the lightning speed to make sure to get there before it would have happened again. “What makes you think I”m scared?”
Placing the bottle on the table, I get up to throw the cape I was fisting to keep me grounded here and not on my fears.
“This,” she places a hand on my back. It takes just so little to make me feel like someone has injected a shot of life into my veins. Her touch burns and my heart starts its race. “I know you can feel it too, or… at least I hope you do.”
I turn around to face her, trapping her between my arms and the kitchen island.
“Tell me you don”t and I”ll walk away from here and from your life.” You should, but I don’t want to.
“I”m not the man for you,” I admit feeling my heart bleed even more, but it”s true. I don”t want to ruin her life. I don”t want her to regret choosing me. All I want for her is happiness and chasing her dreams.
“Why? Because you”re a biker?” She rolls her eyes, while touching my chest.
“I’m not a simple biker, Ashley.” She scowls. “I’m The Black Panthers’ President.”
“And?” Her eyes are glued to mine, and reading that determination in them it’s like a punch in my throat.
She won’t back off.
She’s not scared of me.
Of what we are.
Fuck me!Wrapping my arms around her, I tug her closer, taking hold of her mouth. Until now it seemed to have two hands around my neck cutting off my oxygen but now that grip loosen while Ash kisses me back with such burning passion that zeroes every voice, fear, noise and time. The world disappears and there’s only her.
“Ash,” I breathe, while trying to control my savage heart. “You make me feel alive and that”s what scares me.”
The smile on her face is worth millions. “I missed you.”
Resting my forehead on hers, I drink her in while gritting my teeth. “You haven”t picked up any of my calls.”
“You didn”t come over, that”s what I wanted.” She smirks with her gaze glued to mine. “I wanted you to move your ass, man up and face me.”
“I did,” I admit. Every night, I”ve spent some hours out of her place, just to be sure she was okay.
“When?”
“Every single day,” I confess, feeling more like a stalker.
Ashley cups my face and places a tender kiss over my lips. “I won”t let you run away, Rock. You can push me away how much you want, but I”m not going to leave.”
The thrum of my heart is so powerful that it aches in my chest. Goddammit, I wished to hear those words, but she needs to know what monster I am. “Princess, there are things you don”t know about me.”
Placing her hands on my chest she pushes me toward the chair. “Like what?”
“My name.” Grabbing her hips, I make her sit on my lap.
“True, which is?”
“Zane.” Her smile melts me.
“I like it, but Rock fits you perfectly.” Her fingers graze over my skin igniting the flame within it.
“I missed you so much, Princess.” More than the air I breathe.
Following the tattoo on my chest, she seems lost in her thoughts. “What”s your biggest secret, Rock?”
“You won’t like them.”
“More than one?” She cocks a brow at me, and I nod. “Okay, tell me.”
“I unlived a man.”
Her eyes lift on mine but don’t flinch. “The man who killed your fiancée?”
“Yes.” I needed to know he”s burning in hell for what he did.
The determination in her eyes is something I didn”t expect. “He was a piece of shit; he deserved a painful death.”
“Doesn”t it scare you?”
“No, I’m not scared of you, Rock, it makes me love you more.”
Blinking a few times I try to see if I heard it right. “What did you say?”
“I”m not scared of you, Rock.”
“After that.”
“Oh, that I love you.” She repeats it, she loves me. I open my mouth, but no sounds comes out.
“God, Princess…” I kiss her, leaving her breathless. Picking her up, I take her to my bedroom. How can a pure soul love a demon like me?
“If you drop me, I”ll kick your ass for a lifetime.”
“Is that a promise?” I ask, amused once in my bedroom.
“Rock, don”t you dare…” she starts warning me before I let her drop on my bed, making her squeal.
“A lifetime, huh?” I crawl over her, and kiss her neck “where do I need to sign up for?” I let my hands caress her thighs, up to her shoulder touching her silky skin. Lowering the suspenders of her pajama, I kiss her breast and suck on her nipple. “It”s here?” I help her take off the top, and suck the other one. “or maybe here?” I bite it, making her moan. Licking my way down, I pull off her shorts and panties. “Tell me baby, where?”
“Rock,” her voice shakes while I softly blow on her skin.
Looking up I can’t help but smile. “Hmm?”
“I want you inside of me,” she whispers as I trace with the tip of my tongue her belly button.
“Such a greedy naughty girl.” My fingers travel down her perfectly shaved pussy, making her shiver.
God I”ll die for the biggest blue balls ever, but I don”t want to rush things. I spread her legs further, rest them on my shoulders as I start to tease her, taste and nibble at her pussy. Because I fucking own this piece of heaven. I was the first and I”ll be the last to make her mine.
Plugging my tongue in her, she starts to shake, already fisting the sheets. She tastes even better than I recall. I played that night on repeat, day and night. Mine.
I take off my pants and seeing her lusty look makes my dick throb. I crawl on her and rub my cock over her slit making her whine.
I reach the bedside table and grab a condom.
“You don”t need it,” she throws it on the floor. “I”m on a pill, Rock, I want to feel you.”
Taking hold of her lips, I pull her closer and sink into her.
Heaven.
Peace.
Home.
I roll with her on top of me. Her surprised look makes me love her even more. “Ride me, baby.” I growl feeling how deep I”m in her. She moves her hips, spreading her thighs more, letting me go deeper while her nails dig in my skin. “Fuck, baby. Yes.” I grab her hips, helping her to ride me while I feel her clench her walls around me. “Come for me, Princess,” she meets my thrust for thrust in a wild race. I can feel her juices all over me as I plunge into her mercilessly.
“Oh God.” Her eyes roll back in ecstasy.
When her climax explodes squeezing my dick so hard I hug her, consuming her lips as I follow her.
“Stay here,” I murmur on her shoulder, still out of breath.
“You can”t run away from your own house.”
I burst out laughing, pulling her into another kiss. “I don”t need to, Princess. I love you.” Her smile makes my heart do some somersaults. That”s what I want to see for the rest of my life. Her smile. Her flushed skin. Her tits bounce for me.