Chapter 22
This whole evening had gone even better than I imagined.
I laughed, ate, and drank.
I was introduced to so many of the club’s friends and close employees.
Everyone was super friendly and welcoming. I was extra thrilled to meet Henna. Scorpion had intrigued me with his tales of her. She was a darling, and I instantly liked her. I had the best time I ever remembered having at a gathering. I felt the acceptance and even love coming from more than Scorpion. Jamila and I were getting along wonderfully. She was what I wished I’d had for a mother all my life. When I told her that, she hugged me and said not to worry, I was hers now. She insisted I could call her Mom if I wanted. I cried.
We were gathered, waiting for the minutes to finish ticking down so we could usher in the new year and toast it.
I was elated with all that was to come.
I had a new job that sounded challenging yet gave me tons of freedom and autonomy.
I was marrying the man I loved and adored. I gained a huge family. And who knows, I might even start on our family this year. I knew Scorpion was open to us having a baby whenever I was ready.
I was so proud all evening, not only to show off the unbelievable ring he got me, but also my cut.
Seeing the Property of Scorpion on the back made my breath catch, and my heart jumped when I looked down and saw my nickname on the front.
He’d done it.
I was officially his Desert Blossom. Jamila teased me about it.
It was ten minutes before midnight.
Scorpion excused himself.
He promised to be right back.
He winked at me, so I knew what he was about to do. It was about time. I’d been bursting to say something for days. I walked over to stand by Tiago. He was laughing at a chuckling Thunder.
“What are you two laughing about? Or is it better I don’t know?”
“Paige, it’s probably better we don’t tell you, but we will if you insist,” Thunder said.
“Does it have to do with women and sex?”
“How did you know?” Tiago asked.
“Men think about sex on average eight times a day.”
“And women, what? Don’t think of it at all,” Thunder challenged.
“I don’t know about other women, but I’m in line with the same research that says men do it eight times.
The study claims women do it six times.”
“And why do you think women do it less than men?” Tiago asked.
“Because we have to spend so much time keeping men in line and out of trouble that we don’t have time to do it the dozen or more times a day we’d like,” I said with a smirk.
This got them both protesting, and we were in the middle of a friendly argument when Scorpion returned.
He made his way over to Tiago.
He wasn’t alone.
Accompanying him were Fenrir and another dog. People had asked where Fenrir was, and I played it off that there were too many people for him to be comfortable. It was a lie. He was keeping the other dog company.
Both men stopped talking and checked out the dogs.
“Who is this monster? You didn’t tell us you got another dog.
Fenrir needs a playmate, but this one will eat him,” Tiago said.
He was eyeing the massive dog, who was alertly returning his scrutiny.
“Laugh it up, but he’s properly trained and not into eating anything or anyone who doesn’t deserve it,” Scorpion told him.
The other club members gathered around to listen, and so did most of the guests.
Cautiously, Tiago held out his hand to let it be sniffed.
As the dog moved over to do it, Scorpion went on talking.
“This big guy is a Cane Corso, which is a bull mastiff dog.
Anyone would think twice before messing with him.
He’s also very smart, extensively trained, and was in need of a home.”
“Well, he seems to be calm enough,” Thunder said as he indicated Tiago petting the dog, who was the same height as his wheelchair, which I knew was three feet.
“He is unless threatened, or his owner and family are threatened, then he’ll tear you apart.
His name is Dozer,” Scorpion added.
He winked at me.
I fought back my giggle.
Several people were remarking about how apt his name was and how unusual and gorgeous his brindle coat was.
Tiago looked up at my man.
“Then you should have nothing to worry about when it comes to Paige or your future kids with these two.”
“True, but Dozer isn’t ours,” I added.
I couldn’t help it.
Tiago got a puzzled look.
“Then whose is he?” he asked.
He was still petting Dozer.
“Yours,” Scorpion said.
Tiago’s hand froze.
Astonishment covered his face.
Then he shook his head.
“Scorpion, man, you know I can’t care for a dog.
If I could, I’d be all over having one.
They need exercise and stuff I can’t give him.
He’s amazing, but I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.
Dozer is a special dog.
He’s been trained and passed his training to become a service dog.
He’s specifically been trained to help someone with mobility issues. You can see he’s huge. He weighs about one hundred sixty, and he can help you stand, transfer, or, if you fall, get up. He’s adept at other things, but those are the ones I thought you might need. He’ll bond with you, and as for exercise, he’ll require some, but he’s been leash-trained extensively, so he won’t run off with you hanging onto the leash screaming,” Scorpion teased.
Tiago sat there staring at Dozer.
He was back to petting him.
He was quiet for a long time.
I was afraid he’d continue to say no. Scorpion and I went to a lot of work finding this dog, and it was a miracle he was available. We thought it was karma that it happened, which meant Dozer was destined for Tiago.
Finally, Tiago spoke.
His voice sounded choked.
“How? Those dogs take years to train, have huge waiting lists, and they cost the earth.”
“True, but in Dozer’s case, he was trained and destined for another person.
Unfortunately, that individual died.
The trainers should’ve given him to the next person on the waiting list.
However, it seems he was too intimidating for the other potential owners. They wanted smaller dogs. He’s been waiting for someone to give him a forever home for six months. Tiago, do you want him to have to go back to that lonely existence?” I asked.
“Nobody wants him? How can that be? You’re such a good boy, aren’t you?” T crooned, which Dozer responded to by putting his head down on his knee.
“How much did he cost?” he asked.
“It’s been taken care of.
Since no one has wanted him, we got a deal.
We’ve got his bedding, toys, food, and leash at the house.
I need to know. Should I take his stuff and him back?” Scorpion asked. He moved toward them.
Tiago scowled at him.
“Fuck no, you’re not taking him back.
Don’t you dare touch my dog.
If you try it, I’ll have him eat you,” he partially threatened.
This caused everyone to laugh.
“Well, that’s settled.
I hope you’re ready.
Get your drinks, everyone.
It’s three minutes until midnight,” Diablo shouted. There was a scramble for those without one to grab something. Tiago continued to murmur to Dozer and pet him.
When it struck midnight, we shouted Happy New Year, and Diablo shouted a toast.
Afterward, we went outside to watch the fireworks the club had set up for the occasion.
I saw Diablo wake up Jaycee and take her out to watch.
She’d passed out earlier on her favorite couch. She kept asking for Fenrir all night and was upset when I said he stayed home. When she spotted him, she ran to him. The two of them became attached at the hip.
I was surprised at how well both dogs did with the noise.
Chasin had these baby ear muffs on to block out the noise.
He slept through the colorful display.
Scorpion had kissed me passionately and now held me at his side.
Mom was talking to Jauhnna.
It seemed by the way Tiago didn’t let his hand drop from Dozer that we’d done the right thing.
We wanted him to have as much normalcy as possible. What a way to start the year.
***
The party had become more adult-themed, so Diablo took his family home.
Jamila returned to the guesthouse.
We offered for her to stay with us, but she said we needed alone time.
She winked when she said it. We would’ve assisted Tiago in getting him situated with Dozer, but Thunder volunteered to do it. It seemed that on party nights like this, Tiago would stay in a room at the clubhouse. It was his whenever he needed it. I was glad he wouldn’t be driving, though he’d drunk much less than any of us. As for Fenrir, Jaycee had begged for him to go home with them. Diablo gave in. So that meant we had the house to ourselves.
However, all of that was forgotten as Scorpion grabbed me and pushed me over the back of the couch in the living room.
He pressed himself against me.
I could feel his erection digging into me.
I moaned. I didn’t know what it was, but I’d been turned on more than usual tonight. Any chance I got to rub against him, brush a hand over his crotch, or whisper naughty things in his ears, I did it.
“You’ve tortured me all damn night, Blossom.
You came out dressed to tantalize, and then you had to keep touching me and telling me all those things you wanted to do, but you wouldn’t leave with me.
What you’re about to get is your fault,” he growled in my ear.
I shivered, but not in fear.
It was pure desire.
“What am I about to get?” I asked.
“I’m stripping these clothes off and fucking you right here.
There will be no foreplay or slow.
It’ll be fast and hard.
I’m riding the edge, Paige. Can you handle it? If not, go to our room and stay there. I’ll come when I calm down.”
He edged back.
Panicking, I reached back and grabbed his hip.
“Don’t move.
I can handle whatever you give me, Rick.
Take me.
I’m ready. I’m so wet and hot for you. Ram that beautiful cock inside of me and fuck me,” I begged.
He groaned, and then he was frantically undoing my jeans.
I tried to help, but he slapped my hands.
I hung there moaning as he yanked them and my panties to my ankles.
As he impatiently worked them past my feet. I heard them hit the floor when he tossed them aside. He stood and pulled me upright.
My cut was removed.
He laid it on the back of the couch next to me.
I lifted my arms, knowing he was coming for my top.
It was off in a blink, and my bra wasn’t far behind. Then, he surprised me when he picked up my property cut.
“Put this back on.
I want to see my name as I take you,” he rasped.
That idea made me wetter.
My nipples were hard nubs.
My pussy felt like it was on fire.
I put my arms through the holes. As I was straightening it on me, I heard the rasp of a zipper and then the rustle of fabric. He wasn’t wasting time getting naked.
I yelped in surprise when his hand landed in the middle of my back, and I was pushed down over the couch again.
Then the broad head of his cock probed my entrance, followed by a hard thrust, which drove his thick cock into my pussy in one fast, hard push.
I wailed out his name because it felt so good. “Rick!”
“God, you feel amazing.
I’ve been dreaming for hours of this.
Why does it always get better and better?” he muttered hoarsely.
He was powering in and out of me.
I gripped the couch with my nails.
I knew he didn’t expect an answer, but I gave him one.
“I don’t know, but it’s the same for me, too, Shaykhi,” I panted.
I had asked his mom how to say different words in Arabic.
Although many people spoke Egyptian Arabic, she and his dad had been raised to speak standard Arabic.
Scorpion became wilder when I called him my sheik.
“Yes, that’s it, my zahrat alsahra', my desert blossom.
I’m gonna make you scream so loud, the whole compound hears us,” he promised.
“Yes, do it,” I demanded.
The next thing I knew, as I was pushing my ass back to meet his thrusts, his hands moved.
One gripped a tit, kneading it and plucking at the nipple while his other hand slid around and down to circle my clit.
My knees went weak as jolts of pleasure rushed through my body.
I tightened around him, which caused him to increase his efforts.
It took only a couple of minutes for him to push me over the edge, and I came.
I did scream, though I wasn’t sure if the whole place could hear me. I knew my cum was running down his balls and thighs just like it was running down my thighs. He didn’t stop stroking in and out, even when I slumped over the couch back.
It wasn’t until my senses began to return that it registered he was still hard and fucking me.
I moaned this time because he was already causing my body to respond again.
“Rick, baby, what’s wrong? You didn’t come,” I rasped.
“That’s right, but it wasn’t because I didn’t want to.
I just can’t let it end that soon.
I love being inside of you, Paige.
If I could stay here twenty-four-seven, I would. This, being with you in every way, not just sexually, is heaven for me. Now, hold on,” he breathed.
Suddenly, he moved his hands again.
One gripped my hip, and he used it to pull me back and push me forward on his cock.
The other gripped the back of my neck and pushed me further over the couch.
My feet came off the floor, and he used both hands to help him thrust harder and faster.
I whimpered and pleaded as the tension built.
I wasn’t sure I could survive it.
“Please, oh God, I’m gonna die.
I can’t, I can’t,” I begged mindlessly.
“Yes, you can.
This is all yours.
I’ve never been this hard or ready to blow.
I’m filling your pussy up until you drip for hours. Your man’s cum will be all in you, Blossom.”
The couch was moving, and I feared we’d break it, but he didn’t seem to care.
I lost track of how long it took, but when my entire body tightened and I went rigid as I came, I yelled until my throat was sore.
Scorpion made this animalistic noise as he jerked and gave me the load he promised.
I thought he’d never stop. By the time we were both done, we hung over the back. He was lying on top of me.
“Are we dead?” I whispered.
My whole self felt like I was floating.
He groaned.
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Well, at least we went together.
I love you, Rick.”
“And I love you, Paige.
Thank you for coming back when you had every reason not to.
And for giving me a chance after everything I said and did.”
“It was fate.”
“Fuck, I love fate,” he groaned.
Scorpion: Two Months Later
Life was getting better every day.
Sometimes, I was afraid I’d wake up to find it was all a dream.
My life with Paige was more than I imagined it could be with anyone.
That was despite having been punished by the club for what I did to Paige years ago. I anticipated a beatdown and maybe paying a big fine. I should’ve recalled that my president’s name was Diablo, and he was diabolical.
The bastard knew that losing money and being beaten wouldn’t be that big of a deal to me, so he went for what really hurt.
I adored Paige, and I couldn’t get enough of her.
Whether we were just talking, spending time together, or making love, it didn’t matter as long as I had her near.
Our lovemaking was incredible and daily. To pay me back, Diablo took his family to Dublin Falls to see his daughter and her family, even though they’d come for Christmas. When they went, they took Paige with them.
She hadn’t wanted to go, but she had been coached by Jauhnna on the importance of the club teaching me a lesson, so she very reluctantly went.
And as part of that week-long trip, we’d been forbidden to call or text each other.
I damn near died.
When she returned, we’d been frantic for each other, but I still swore I suffered more than her. Diablo apologized to Paige for inflicting discomfort on her. He said he’d make it up to her.
Thank God that was over with, and the wedding was coming.
It took longer than I initially thought since she wanted a more traditional wedding.
I wanted her to have what she wanted, so I could wait.
In every way that counted in my world, she was already my wife.
Mom was having a blast assisting in the planning.
I’d heard she was working on my aunt Janan to move to Florida.
Mom was thinking about having grandbabies.
She didn’t want to be hours away when that happened. I would love it if she did return. We missed her. And it would be great to have my aunt close, too.
We were gathered at the clubhouse.
Most of us had gone on a ride.
We’d arranged to cook out on the grills when we returned.
For that part, Tiago and Dozer came over. Tiago kept Fenrir while we went riding. You could see how much it killed him not to be able to ride with us. All of us hated it.
We’d all been back a while and were relaxing.
The weather was nice, so we went outside.
I had Paige on my lap.
A group of us were in a circle of chairs, talking and laughing. Tiago asked where we went on our ride. We told him. Then, Diablo mentioned that something was going on with one of the bikes. He asked us to come check it out. The whole bunch got up, including Jauhnna, Paige, and two of the kids.
Walking into Diablo’s large garage at the house, there sat his Harley and Victory bikes.
Across from them was a tarp over a bulky object.
Diablo stopped next to his Harley.
Tiago rode his chair right up close.
“It could be something in the mechanical part, Diablo, or it might be in the computer chips that they use now in bikes.
If you can’t find anything mechanically wrong, I’ll see if I can find it in the microchips,” he offered.
“I’ll do that, but this isn’t the bike I wanted to look at.
What would you say about this one?” Diablo asked as he moved to the tarp-covered mound.
He tore off the cover.
What was revealed was a bike, but it had some modifications. Some were noticeable, and others were not so noticeable. Attached to the side of it was a sidecar.
“Diablo, did you get the sidecar so Jaycee can ride with you and Jauhnna? When Chasin gets older, they’ll be fighting over who gets to ride in it.
What’s up with some of these things?” Tiago asked as he rolled closer to look at the modifications.
“I won’t be riding it, so no arguments,” Pres declared.
“Is Jauhnna getting her license?” he asked.
“No, I’m not.
I love riding with my man, but no way would I do it by myself,” Jauhnna confessed.
“Then I don’t get it.
Why do you have this?” Tiago asked.
“Well, we want you to have a way to join us on our next ride,” I volunteered.
His eyes rounded, his mouth dropped open, and he shook his head.
“There’s no way I can ride.
You know that.
Unless you mean I get in the sidecar and someone else drives it.”
“No, that’s not what we meant.
You’d be on the bike.
The car is for Dozer.
You can’t leave him behind. As for you not being able to ride it, yes, you can. Let us show you what these modifications do,” Butcher chimed in.
It took twenty minutes to run through the changes made to it.
The thing was fully tricked out.
It had a dual brake system on the hand controls, a stabilizer bar, a reverse gear, a push-button electric gear shifter, a retractable trike wheel, an automatic transmission, dual kickstands, and a wheelchair carrier.
When we were done explaining all the modifications and how they would allow him to ride, he was crying.
It was hard for him to choke it out past his tears, but he asked, “How? I don’t understand.”
“It seems that a lot of progress has been made in the modification of bikes for disabled riders since your accident.
We had no idea until Paige told us about an article she read in one of her nursing blogs.
There was information on a few organizations that do them, and we called around.” I explained, and then added that they had this one mostly done, and we only asked them to add a thing or two.
He was about to make me cry.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because you deserve to feel this freedom again.
We know how much you miss riding.
And because it’s required,” Diablo informed him.
“Required? Required for what?” Tiago asked.
He was wiping his eyes.
“You can’t join the club unless you can ride a bike.
Nothing in the bylaws says it has to be a certain kind or even has to have only two wheels.
We want you to accept this, Tiago.
You’ve waited long enough to get your patch and become a Horseman. We’re not taking no for an answer. Don’t make us get rough,” Butcher grunted.
“You want me in the club?” he asked incredulously.
“Fuck yeah, we’ve always wanted that.
Your accident and subsequent shit made us think it was impossible.
I don’t know why the hell we didn’t think of checking into this.
But we have now, and this is it. We’ve bought it, so you can’t send it back,” I added.
“You’ve got to let me pay you guys for it.
You refused to tell me what Dozer cost, although I know it was a fortune.
This wasn’t cheap either,” he protested.
“We didn’t spend our money on it or Dozer,” Thunder smirked.
“What do you mean?” Tiago asked.
“This bike and your dog were ways that we thought were justified expenditures of the money that my family had hidden and made over the years.
They stole a huge chunk of your life.
I can’t give back the use of your legs, but we can give you things that make it easier,” Paige told him.
T grabbed her and hauled her down to him so he could hug and kiss her.
They whispered to each other for a minute or more before he let her up.
He was grinning.
“I’ll take it.”
“Whew, thank God, because if you hadn’t, this would’ve been a waste of more money,” Wolverine said as he took a cut out from the saddlebag on T’s bike.
His cut, in addition to the Horsemen of Wrath name and logo on the back, had his road name on the front.
We’d decided to tease him with it.
Tiago took it reverently.
When he saw his road name, he burst out laughing.
“You fuckers, you just had to do that, didn’t you?”
“You like it?” Jauhnna asked, sounding unsure.
“I love it.
It’s fucking ironic as hell,” he said.
As he slipped it on, the name Swerve was visible.
As we gathered to congratulate and welcome him to the club, I wondered what else might be changing in my life and that of my club brothers, especially my newest one.
It took over thirteen years, but we were both where we finally belonged, and it was all due to the incredible woman next to me, who was smiling and holding me close.
It was all due to my desert blossom.