Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SMOKE
Sipping the amber liquid from the glass in my hand, I do not flinch at the burn in my throat, I welcome it.
It has been three days since we buried Bobby-Jay. Three days since I walked away from Taya in the barn. She has been in my fucking head, messing with me. I fucked up yesterday on a run. We almost lost our truck because my mind was on Taya and the way she feels against me, under me.
Luckily for me, Intel saw the punks coming and we were able to stop them from trying to steal our truck filled with guns that we were transporting to our buyer.
Picking up the bottle, I add more to my glass, then set the bottle back down. I need to get fucked up, need to get images of Taya coming out of my head, before I go over to the farm and take her, claiming her as mine.
“Smoke, come sit,” I hear behind me.
Looking over my shoulder I see Intel sitting in a chair, Morgan, his favorite Dreamer, perched on his lap, smiling at me. Intel will fuck any man who flashes him his ass, but he loves a man with flare, someone who has some feminine qualities, and Morgan has that, as he calls himself a twink. Yep, I had to look that shit up when I first heard it.
Slipping off the stool my ass has been planted on for the last two hours, I step over to the men sitting around, some like Intel have Dreamers with them, but they hold no interest for me now.
“Cheer up, buttercup. Life can’t be that hard, can it?” Morgan says, his voice has a slight high pitch to it. “Go and fuck a Dreamer; there are plenty who are willing to take your dick.” He winks.
Intel pinches his side, making him yelp, before Morgan buries his head in my brother’s neck, then I watch as Intel’s eyes close and his hips jolt a little.
Dirty fuckers.
“Not interested,” I huff, knocking back the liquid in my glass.
Reaching around for the bottle, I don’t see it. Shit, I left the fucking bottle on the bar.
Looking around the room, I see my bottle and go to stand up, but I am pushed back down by tiny hands and the overwhelming scent of lavender, which makes my stomach curdle.
“I can make you feel good, Smoke, I know that you like my tongue on you.” The Dreamer licks my neck before I can react.
Fucking whiskey is slowing my reaction times.
“Take it, brother. You have been tense for days, ever since we left Bobby-Jay’s funeral. You have been sulking like a fucking teenager,” Jericho calls from across the table.
“Fuck off.” I flip him the bird, making people laugh. “Prospect, bring me the bottle,” I bellow.
I try removing the Dreamer off my lap, but the bitch keeps a firm hold on me.
“Up, honey. You need to go.”
She giggles, leaning in to kiss my neck, but I dodge her efforts.
“Stop,” I growl, attempting to push her off me.
I do not want another woman touching me; I only want Taya’s hands on me. Her hand snakes into my hair, and I yank my head back, gripping her wrist, making her eyes go wide.
No woman has ever made me feel the way that Taya has, and it scares the fuck out of me, but I see challenge in our future and so much more between us. When I plan my future, I see her in it, unlike what my childhood was like.
My life growing up was filled with fancy parties, expensive cars, mixed with liars and conniving cunts who would do whatever it took to get what they wanted. I was brought up with so much wealth, it makes the most famous Hollywood actors look poor.
It was the money that drove me from my family. I was tired of being forced into shit that I hated and would not stand by. Being forced to marry a teenage girl so two families could become more powerful in society was the last straw.
Everyone marries for a different reason, most out of love and support. Images of Taya flash through my head, her standing next to another man on her wedding day.
Not fucking happening, I need to see her.
I push to my feet, causing the Dreamer to fall to the floor.
“What the fuck, brother?” I hear someone say the same time a loud high-pitched yelp sounds out.
Looking down, I see the Dreamer looking up at me, scowling. Fucking hell, I made her fall to the floor. A part of me thinks she deserves it for not respecting my boundaries but another side of me hates that I might have hurt her.
Reaching down, I help her to her feet. As soon as she is stable on her feet, her arms go around my waist and she leans in, kissing my jaw before I can stop her.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me right now?” I hear being bellowed.
I turn to see Carson and Corbin glaring at me. They look like they want to slice me up and feed me to Taya’s pigs.
“You fucking cunt. We knew that you were not good enough for her.” Corbin starts for me, but I stand my ground.
“It was not what it looked like, man.” Locke comes forward to defend me, his voice firm, holding no room for argument.
“Like hell it didn’t. He was about to leave with the whore, to fuck her. Cheating on my sister.”
“I would never cheat on Taya,” I snarl at him.
He steps closer, Carson right behind him.
“You are seeing something completely different than the rest of us, boys,” Crow adds, stepping closer.
Everyone stops and stares at us, waiting to see what the hell will happen next. Me, I can tell that these two men want to rip me apart and with the way I am feeling right now, I would let them.
“Of course you would defend your brother. Bros before hoes, right?” Carson snaps.
I inch forward, gritting my teeth. “Do not put your sister in the same category, fucker.”
“Why not? You have. Fucking her, then leaving her after our father’s funeral, not bothering to check on her.” His voice is tight.
“I never fucked her at the funeral, you prick. I would never disrespect your father like that.” The earlier whiskey buzz is gone, and my mind is now clear.
“We saw you leave the barn, you bastard. Taya came out a little while after,” Corbin throws out.
“We talked, that’s it. I may be a dick, but I respect your sister too much to take advantage of her in that state.”
The brothers both scoff, shaking their heads, showing me they do not believe me.
“My sister wouldn’t lower herself to that standard on the day we buried our father. You are fucking lying,” Corbin growls, his face red, the vein pulsing at his temple.
His nostrils flare and I see the movement before it happens. Corbin lunges for me, landing a punch to my jaw. We stumble backward, hitting the floor hard, and air escapes my lungs.
“You fucker.” He hits me, catching me in the gut. “You hurt her. You broke her heart.”
We tussle, but it doesn’t last long before we are pulled apart.
“You are fucking hurt, you stupid cunt. You were shot two weeks ago,” Crow bellows at him. “Your father made that deal, not just the club or Smoke. If you think that your sister is heartbroken, then look at what is in front of you both.” He nods to me.
I yank my arm out of Sniper and Intel’s hold.
The room is silent, you can hear a pin drop.
Shaking my head, swiping the blood that is trickling from the corner of my mouth, my nostrils flare, my breathing harsh and fast as I look at them. I see Taya in them, making my heart crack a little more.
“Fuck you,” I hiss, my voice hard. “I would never intentionally hurt your sister. Remember this, your father came to us for help in protecting Taya. I stepped up, because I like her, really fucking like her and this was my chance to get close to her, while adding protection. You may see it as a dick move, but everyone but Taya can see what I feel for her, so we agreed it would be me who got close to her. I hated lying to her, ask my brothers, but it was a fucking must. It wasn’t all for show.” I spit blood on the floor, spinning on my heel, leaving the room, collecting the whiskey bottle on the way.
I hear someone mutter, “Smoke and mirrors were needed, boy.”
I reach my room, slamming the door behind me. Stripping out of my clothes before I fall onto my bed, pushing down images of Taya in my head, I drink myself into unconsciousness.