Chapter Twenty-Four
S utton licked her lips. The syrup she’d dipped her waffle in was unlike any she’d tasted before. The sweet maple syrup had hints of vanilla and cinnamon.
“Ayesha, where did you get this syrup?”
“Isn’t it just the best? I swear I could pour it on tons of things, and it would be delicious.” Her friend gave her the name and let her take a picture of the label while she pulled another pan of egg bake from the oven. She discovered the contents of the yummy goodness were eggs, baked ham, cheese, onions, and more cheese on top. Once the egg bake finished baking like you’d do with lasagna, Ayesha added more cheese and left the foil off, so the cheese browned to perfection. Whatever the hell it was, Sutton was happy Ayesha wasn’t stingy with her recipe ’cause she was making it when she had time off.
Her heart clenched, wondering if Kendrick would be around then or if she’d be able to travel to see him with her work schedule as it was. Her hand shook. Thinking about not seeing him hurt.
“Hey, ladies. Looks like I’m just in time for my sister’s famous breaky,” Tiana gushed as she stepped into the kitchen through the mudroom.
“Girl, I’m so glad you could make it. Where’s Mick?”
“Here. That sister of yours has no idea how to walk anywhere. Always running,” Mick growled.
Tiana spun to face Mick. “Pfft. You like chasing me. Look, we’re just in time to eat. Do you need any help?”
“Grab some extra plates and set the table, please. We need two extra settings.” Ayesha nodded.
“Thanks for the invitation, Ayesha. It smells delicious. Can I do anything?” Mick asked.
“Have a seat. Oh, have you met Andre and Sutton?”
Sutton waved to Mick. “I’ve seen you with Tiana. I work at the hospital. This is Andre. He came to Jeter’s wedding with his older brother Kendrick.”
The two men shook hands. Andre’s large frame dwarfed Mick, which didn’t surprise her since Andre was huge compared to most men she’d met.
She’d almost eaten an entire monster waffle by the time Kendrick and King entered the kitchen. His presence settled something within her she didn’t know needed settling.
“Hey. Did you save some for me?” he eyed her plate and then the counter.
She was sure the drool from more than the food dribbled down her chin. “Yeah,” she said, holding up her plate.
“Hmm, looks like you’ve eaten half of my share.” He chuckled, the sound sending shivers straight to her core. How could this man make her want to jump him in a room full of people?
He turned his back, giving her a perfect view of his ass in the well-worn denim. The faded jeans fit him like a glove, hugging his ass. She’d felt the muscles in his spectacular butt as he’d fucked her senseless.
She liked watching him as he walked. The denim molded to his thighs in a comfortable way, not like a pair of skinny jeans you’d see nowadays on some guys, but like they’d been made to fit him specifically. She wondered if he had all of his clothes tailored for him. The denim was nicely faded. Her hands itched to touch them to see if they were as soft as they looked. The shirt molded to his muscles, too. The outline of his pecs was visible through the thin material. She’d seen a lot of men in polo shirts, but Kendrick wearing one was next-level drool-worthy.
“Girl, you need me to help roll your tongue back into your mouth?”
Tiana’s teasing words had her jolting to attention.
“It’s not my fault. Have you seen him? Oh god, did I say that out loud?” She covered her face with both hands.
“You did, but that’s okay. Just like Jeter, Kendrick is super fucking sexy. If I weren’t head over tootsies in love and lust with my ole’ man, I’d totally be drooling over that sexy man.”
“Who the fuck are you drooling over?” Mick asked, pulling Tiana out of her seat before settling her onto his lap.
She laughed, tugging on his beard. “I only drool over one cantankerous man, my love, and that’s you.” Her lips covered his as his hand disappeared under her hair.
“Hey, no fucking at the kitchen table. My children are off to school, but I’m right here,” Ayesha grumbled.
A plate of waffles and egg bake settled in front of Tiana and was placed next to Sutton as Kendrick slid onto the chair. He leaned close to Sutton, his warm breath fanning her neck. “This smells good, but your pussy is still my favorite.”
Her fork dropped from her hand, laughter falling from her lips at his audacious words. “Kendrick Calderone. I swear you say things just to get a rise out of me.”
His brows wiggled. “Baby girl, the only thing that’s risen is my dick. Well, I can’t say for sure, but the other men here probably have the same affliction. I don’t know and don’t care to know for sure. My statement still stands true, though. Eat up.” He licked the lobe of her ear before settling back into his chair.
She blew out a breath as they all settled into eating. King stood at the counter with Ayesha, feeding her between his own bites. They were so cute in a sexy way that she’d always envied.
The phone next to Kendrick rang, making her jump. Her eyes flew toward the man beside her as he wiped his mouth before grabbing the cellular device. He looked at the caller ID, then swiped his finger across the screen.
“Where the fuck are you?” he barked.
She shifted to put her hand on his leg, needing to show him she was there for him. Whatever the person on the other end said had Kendrick’s entire body tensing.
“Jeter, I need you to listen to me. After your wedding, some shit went down. You know Sutton, right?” Kendrick paused for a bit and grunted. “She was kidnapped down the road from the MC compound. We got her back, but, fuck, they took her again right out from under our noses. The fucker responsible for the second time was none other than Frankie Dragna. He and my ex are a thing, I guess.”
Finally, he relaxed as he listened for a few minutes. “Fuck no. I don’t give two shits about Taysey. The whore could get eaten by a damn great white shark for all I’d care. I would probably feel more for the beast because he’d be the one to get something after ingesting her bitch ass.”
“That’s a little harsh, brother. I like the visual, though.” King pulled a chair out from the table, turning it to straddle as he settled his arms on the top.
“Hang on. I’m putting you on speaker.”
“Yo, Cowboy, you running off and leaving your cell at home ain’t cool,” King growled.
“Yeah, I didn’t realize I left it until we were already at Heathrow Airport. My wife kept my head filled with too many other things. I was going to buy one when we got here, but we knew you had Vittoria’s number. We figured if you needed us, you’d try hers if you couldn’t get me.”
Sutton forked a bite into her mouth to hide her grin. The man was on his honeymoon, which, in her opinion, meant he had many more pressing things on his mind. Hell, she’d be pissed her newlywed husband didn’t appear to have his head in the clouds, or at least his mind on her and them.
“Ah, I remember the days King was solely focused on making love to me. I think he even forgot to lock our playroom once, and some young, impressionable girl found her way in. If I remember correctly, the sight might’ve scandalized the poor girl,” Ayesha said. She laughed as she came to the table, picking up empty plates.
Sutton looked between the couple, wondering why anyone would get scandalized by a playroom.
King barked out a laugh. “Now, look who’s scandalizing guests. Care to explain to Sutton what you’re talking about, little dove?”
Ayesha’s cheeks turned a bright red.
“On that note, Vittoria and I are going to head to our next destination. I might’ve procured some protection while we were near the airport. In fact, it was close to Windsor Castle. And yes, they work. I have plenty of ammo in case I need it. We’ll ditch them before we head back to the airport. No way will I risk either of us getting caught with them.”
“What happens if you get stopped and they search you?” King’s hardened tone silenced the room. He was frowning, a look so foreboding she worried for Jeter’s safety when he returned.
“King, would you go halfway across the globe and not have a way to protect your ole’ lady?” Jeter growled.
The big bad president let out a sigh. “Don’t get caught, and don’t get killed, asshole. When you get back be prepared to wash bikes or do some other menial task.”
“See you in a week, Prez. Kendrick, stay safe, and whatever you do, don’t get your ass killed. Andre, you there?” Jeter asked.
“Of course,” Andre said. He sat up straighter in the chair across from Sutton.
“Don’t let my brother do anything stupid. Remember, that’s my job. Yeehaw and all that shit.”
“I swear I will not let him do anything stupid. We won’t be getting into trouble while out of the country, that’s for damn sure. As for washing bikes...can he do it shirtless and maybe in a pair of boxer briefs?” Vittoria asked.
“Jesus fucking Christ. Are all of you women after us men for our bodies?” King asked.
Ayesha and Tiana raised their hands, nodding vigorously.
“I’ll hold the both of you to that promise. Vittoria, you make sure he checks in with us twice a day. This threat is serious.” King didn’t let them off the hook, which Sutton could sense Kendrick appreciated.
“So, back to the playroom?” Andre asked, dark eyes twinkling.
Ayesha tossed a napkin at him. “I was going to offer you a cinnamon roll I baked last night. Now you get none.”
Andre stood up, his chair scraping loudly before falling to his knees. “I apologize. Please, don’t punish me by withholding food. I’m a starving boy.”
“Fucking pussy,” King muttered.
Kendrick rolled his eyes as Ayesha snorted. There was no missing the smile on her friend's face as she walked to the fridge, though. “Fine, you can have one, but that one doesn’t get any,” Ayesha mumbled.
King tossed his head back, laughing and slapping his hand on the table. “Ah, you and I know you’ll be hand-feeding me a cinnamon roll if I tell you to.”
Again, Ayesha’s cheeks turned red as she grumbled.
Sutton and Kendrick sat up at the clubhouse that night, enjoying drinks and dancing, when he looked at his phone and tensed. His eyes hardened. She didn’t have to ask to know he’d received something she wouldn’t like.
“Somebody took you the last time I left you here. However, I can’t risk ignoring this lead. Yet, the thought of taking you with me makes me sick to my stomach.” He looked around the club.
“Who did the message come from?”
Kendrick showed her the screen. She sucked in a breath as she read. Keys, the man who seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere, found Frankie.
“Why would he be moving closer to here? He has to know you have several dozen armed men and security here.”
He shrugged. She wasn’t an idiot, and neither was he.
“There’s more than one inside here he can get to,” she said. It was the only logical answer.
King and Duke came into view as the crowd parted for the President and VP of the MC. Their commanding presence alone could make men and women shiver in fear or lust. Tonight, those in the area were giving them both a wide berth as neither man looked pleased.
“Kendrick, I see Keys sent you the same message he did us?”
“It appears that way. Do you have any clue who else Frankie could get to within your club?” Kendrick asked, his jaw clenching.
She reached for his hand, needing his touch.
“I’d like to say it can’t be a brother who’d betray his oath. The penalty for that is...let’s just say it’s not something one would do under normal circumstances. We have prospects who we don’t let into our inner circle without being backed by a brother. That shit is also not an easy thing to undertake. Fuck, my gut is usually right on the money when it comes to the men I let ride with me and my brothers. There’s been one bastard who didn’t make the cut.” King looked away for a moment, his eyes cutting back to them with a hardness that terrified Sutton.
“If we follow this lead, will Sutton be safe here?”
King looked around the crowded clubhouse and smiled. “Let’s get a drink to celebrate,” he thundered.
Sutton and Kendrick followed King and Duke to the closest counter that was serving drinks.
“Hose, get me a Maker’s. What’re you drinking?” King looked at Sutton before cutting his eyes back to Kendrick.
Kendrick tugged on Sutton’s hair, running his fingers through the long strands. “Nothing for me, brother. I’m going to head out of here shortly and take Sutton for a drive. She plans to show me her favorite place up the road where she swears you can see the moon almost sitting on top of the mountain like a scene out of a movie.”