Chapter Four
Trident
Since neither of us had thought to shut the curtains last night, when the sun rose enough to hit the window, the rays woke me. While I was not normally a fan of being blasted in the face with a bright light, I didn’t mind it today, not when I had my little Ula’ula M?’ī beside me. Reaching down I gave my aching cock a stroke as I rolled over with a grin ready to wake Jacie up in the best way.
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
Looked like my morning wood wouldn’t get any relief, since I was fucking alone in the damn bed. Running my hand over the spot where she’d been revealed cold sheets. Shifting to sit on the edge of the bed left me staring through the open door to the clearly empty bathroom. The little coward had snuck off on me. She could think again if she thought I’d give up that easy. I’d claimed her last night. I never fucked a woman without gloving up unless I was making her mine. When I found my little runaway, I’d make sure she knew what being mine meant.
With a shake of my head, I went to the bathroom. If she hadn’t left me with an aching dick, I’d have been impressed at her stealth. Ever since going through USMC Hell Week, I’d woken at the slightest of noises. Seemed like several rounds of sex with Jacie had me sleeping like the dead.
Returning to the room, I snatched up my clothes and cursed again when I noticed what was missing.
“Damn woman.”
Oh, she was gonna pay for this little stunt when I caught up with her. Taking a man’s underwear was not okay, especially when said man was gonna have to ride for over five hours soon. I was well aware my woman would throw it in my face that I hadn’t given her a choice, considering I’d torn hers up in my need to get her naked last night, but that was bullshit. If she hadn’t up and ghosted me, I’d have made sure to have her cleaned up and well taken care of. She wouldn’t have even remembered she was missing her damn panties.
After pulling up my jeans and carefully zipping them closed over my aching dick, I grabbed the scraps of her underwear and shoved them into my pocket. Wasn’t gonna leave that behind. Shrugging into my cut, I put my jewelry on and tucked my phone and wallet away. Then I was out in the hallway, glancing left and right while I stroked a hand over my beard. Where would my little runaway be hiding? Her ride was a sweet black Harley Davidson Softail Breakout 114. I’d heard how loud that little beast could roar, and knew full well I’d have woken up, along with most of the others staying here, if she’d even tried to start it, let alone if she’d taken off on it.
With a sigh I headed toward the stairs. I couldn’t go knocking on doors to find her. Last thing I needed this morning was Taz, or any of the other Charon brothers, up in my grill about my intentions or some other shit. What was between me and Jacie was just that: between me and her. Once on the ground floor, it didn’t take long to scan over everyone who’d crashed in the main room. It was nothing unusual to have folks sleeping all over the place after a big party. Some of the snoring men had club girls draped over them, while a couple were awake and putting their women to good use. Doing what I’d wanted to do to Jacie when I’d woken up earlier.
Lucky bastards.
As I passed the table where all of us SCMC brothers had dropped our shirts after we’d gotten in yesterday, I snatched mine and tucked one end into my back pocket as I continued on my way. A quick pass down the hallway that led to the club’s offices, where I’d found her last night, turned up nothing but silence and empty or locked rooms. Next I headed to the kitchen, where I found Stone sitting at the big center table, nursing a coffee.
“Morning, Trident.” He ran his gaze over me. “Considering how early you disappeared last night, figured you’d be looking way more satisfied than you do this morning. You luck out or something?”
I ran a hand over my beard and gave it a tug as I contemplated how I should answer the man who wasn’t just a fellow SCMC member; he was also Flick’s biological brother. He raised an eyebrow my way.
“Cat got your tongue? If it helps, I was tailing Animal all day and night yesterday. Stayed in the hallway so none of you would see me, but I saw how you played hero to my brother-in-law’s baby sis.”
Fucker already knew I’d spent the night with Jacie. Glaring his way, I was about to rip into him, but he cut me off before I could.
“So long as you don’t plan on hurtin’ her, I ain’t got a problem with you being with Jacie, but I will caution you to think it through before it gets serious. Animal’s got a helluva hard on for her, and if you start bringing her around the clubhouse, waving her under his nose, shit’ll get outta control fast.”
Keeping my expression neutral took some effort. Because him warning me like that fucking stung. We’d known each other for a long time, so for him to think for even a moment that I’d knowingly cause any female harm was bullshit.
“You know me better than that, Stone. I wouldn’t ever hurt any woman, especially not one I’ve claimed.”
This conversation was making my already bad mood worse by the second. Since I’d have to ride back to Cutler soon, I couldn’t self-medicate with alcohol. That left me with caffeine. Turning away from the table, I headed toward the row of pod machines to make myself the strongest coffee I could find.
“You already put her under your protection? Not sure that’s wise, Trident. Not only does that girl have fucking trouble from our club after her, she’s a wild one and loves her freedom about as much as any mustang I’ve ever seen. You think you’re gonna be able to tame the untamable, brother? Because she’s been very fucking vocal about not wanting to be patched by anyone. Drives Taz up the damn wall that she won’t even accept a Charon Daughter of the Club cut.”
With a shake of my head, I removed my drink from the machine now that it was done and took a mouthful before I turned to face him and leaned against the bench.
“That woman is mine. I made it crystal fucking clear to her last night that I was claiming her. Made sure I got her consent before I had her screaming my name.”
He scoffed, humor lighting his eyes. “That so? Tell me, brother, was she not paying attention when you told her? Because you don’t fucking look like a man who’s just pinned down his old lady. Nor do I see her by your side this morning.”
Bastard had to call me out.
“Fuck off, Stone. She got spooked this morning, is all. Soon as I find my little runaway, I’ll set her straight. And Animal will back the fuck off now that I’ve claimed her. He knows better than to come after a brother’s woman, especially mine.”
Animal had tried to best me more than once in the past, and it had never ended well for him. Even before he fell into drugs, he kept thinking just because he was younger and an officer that meant he was the bigger man. He wasn’t. Only reason I wasn’t an officer was because I didn’t fucking want to be one. I was happy being an enforcer. And with his recent escalating drug use, I doubted he’d be an officer for much longer. The SCMC needed a treasurer who could think straight with a clear enough mind to fucking count.
I cleared my throat, “So, ah, speaking of her whereabouts. I don’t suppose you’ve seen her? Know where she’d be hiding?”
He laughed then, a dark chuckle that sounded strange coming from the man. He’d earned his road name because he’d been stone cold, never showing any emotion. At least, he had been until he and his sister reconnected a few years back. Since then he’d come out of his shell, slowly becoming more human. The changes took some getting used to.
“Haven’t seen her, man. But I doubt she’s left the clubhouse. That bike of hers would’ve woken near everyone in the clubhouse if she’d ridden out, and I doubt she’d try to walk home. It’s a bit of a hike from here, and if she had taken off on foot, she’d have sum’ explaining to do later to her brother about why she left without her ride.”
After taking another mouthful of coffee, I straightened and strode toward the door.
“I figured the same. She ain’t hiding in an empty office like she was last night either. Ain’t in here. Doubt she’d be out in the yard, but I’ll go check.”
Before I could make it out of the room, Stone called out again.
“Trident?”
“Yeah?”
He spoke as he stood, moving over to put his mug in the sink. “You know as well as I do, she’s most likely in one of the rooms upstairs, which means you’re shit outta luck. Because if you start knocking on doors, you’ll have the whole Charon MC on your ass in a heartbeat. Listen, she ain’t going anywhere anytime soon. Not only is she staying in Bridgewater to be near her brother and family, she’s working for the Charons now, too. She’s settled in well, but Taz has made it so no man is game to even look in her direction, so you got some time to lock her down.”
He gave me a friendly clap on the shoulder as he passed me then headed toward the main room while I went the other way, out into the rear yard. Once outside it didn’t take long to realize I was alone with nothing but some mess from the party that the prospects and club girls would no doubt clean up soon. Putting my mug down on the picnic table, I took off my cut, then grabbing my shirt from my pocket, put the thing on before I shrugged back into my colors.
Scanning the yard again, I shook my head. I knew Stone was right. My little runaway was being a coward and hiding in one of the upstairs rooms and I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
Dropping down to sit on the picnic table, I sipped at my brew as I tried to think of an excuse to return to Bridgewater in the next few days. There was no way I was letting my little spitfire escape me for long. Didn’t matter she hadn’t given me her phone number or address.
That had me pausing with my mug at my lips.
“Motherfucker!”
Stone had said that it was too far for her to walk home; that meant he damn well knew where she lived. Climbing off the table, I was about to head inside when my phone dinged with an incoming message. Pulling the device out, I saw it was from Tank, the club’s Sargent at Arms.
Rolling out in 10 for home. Be ready.
Guess I’d have to wait on grilling Stone for info until after we got back to Cutler.
***
Jacie
I’d stayed hidden away until nearly lunch time the following morning, making sure that not only had all the SCMC guys cleared out, but most of the Charons too. Then I’d slipped quietly downstairs and outside. After I’d managed to escape without anyone trying to talk to me, I’d been riding high thinking that I’d managed to get away with my clandestine night with a biker. But as the sun set I realized I hadn’t been that lucky.
My apartment above Athena Security, where I worked, had some advantages. Like the state of the art security system that meant I’d been able to watch my big bro from the moment he came roaring in on his bike, to when he pounded up the stairs to my door. Where he ignored the perfectly functioning doorbell and instead started pounding his fist on the thick timber.
With a sigh, I pulled open the door, and smiled sweetly at my frowning sibling.
“Hey Taz, whatcha doing in my neck of the woods? Wanna coffee? Beer? Vegemite and cheese sandwich maybe?”
His expression blanked for a moment before, with a shake of his head, he was back to frowning while he pushed past me to enter my apartment.
“You and your fucking Vegemite sandwiches…”
The Aussie condiment that resembled black tar wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Mostly because they ate it wrong. It wasn’t like peanut butter, you had to use a light hand. A small smear of that salty goodness over a thick slice of cheese on buttered bread was delicious perfection.
Ignoring his cursing, I shut and locked the door behind him. Mumbling under my breath as I did. “Come on in, Taz. Make yourself at home.”
“Don’t pull that shit with me, Jacie. Trying to distract me with a trip down memory lane ain’t gonna save you. What the fuck happened last night after you left the rear yard? I couldn’t find you after I got done with that bloody prospect. The ladies said you’d just gone inside for a drink, but you never came back. Me and Flick didn’t see you inside when we headed home later either, but I sure as fuck noticed that your bike was still in the same spot this morning as it had been last night. So, what gives?”
As much as I’d known this confrontation was coming, I wasn’t ready for it. It had been the main reason I’d been laying low all day today. Mind you, I could have had a month to come up with the perfect thing to say and it wouldn’t have mattered. Not when my big bro was behaving like some sort of medieval throwback who thought he could control my every move just because he was born first and had a dick. That shit got my temper fired up like nothing else could. And when I got riled up like I currently was, anything I may have planned to say went straight out the window as my emotions took over.
Before I knew what I was doing, I was standing toe to toe with him. He was a full foot taller than me, but that didn’t stop me from glaring up at him with all the fire I could muster. With one hand on my hip, I used the other one to poke a finger against the center of his chest. Right between where I knew he had my and our mum’s names inked on his skin.
“Don’t you dare come at me like I’m some wayward underage teen caught smoking behind the school oval! I’m twenty-fucking-six years old, Donny! If I want to spend a night with a bloke, that’s up to me. Not you.”
His eyes had widened a moment when I used his birth name, but soon narrowed again before he grabbed my hand in his to stop me from poking him again.
“Dammit, Jacie. I knew I shouldn’t have given in on having one of the brothers shadow you at yesterday’s party. You spent the whole night with this fool? Who was it? One of ours or a Satan’s Cowboy? Who am I killing for daring to lay a finger on my sweet baby sister?”
Pulling my hand from his grip, I stepped away and rolled my eyes before glaring at him again.
“Oh, that’s rich. I’m surprised lightning didn’t strike you down just now. What a load of utter bullshit. Just because you’re all about living the blissful married life now, dear brother, don’t think for a moment that I haven’t heard the bloody stories of how much of a man whore you were before Flick came along and threw you on your arse .”
I smirked at the blush that spread over his cheeks while he looked away as I’d finished speaking. Yeah, being called out wasn’t fun. I was pretty damn sure Taz would prefer no one remembered how, soon after he’d met Flick, he’d come up and grabbed her from behind at the club bar, Styx. Not realizing it was Taz, Flick had pulled some martial arts move that resulted in Taz being flat on his back in the middle of the bar. I would have paid big bucks to get a copy of that on video, but apparently no one was fast enough with their phone to record it. Damn shame that was.
“That’s different!”
I cut him off, my temper flaring even brighter.
“Oh, don’t you dare try to toss some bloody double standard garbage at me! I’ve been here eight months, Taz. Eight fucking months. I let your overbearing, overprotective bullshit slide in the beginning because I figured you couldn’t help it while you adjusted to the knowledge that I was alive. But enough already! I’m a grown arse adult and can make my own choices. That includes if I want to have sex! We’re not living in the middle ages where you get to control my life just because you’ve got a dick and I don’t.” I paused to shake my head. “And what the hell gives with you judging me for hooking up with a biker anyway? Since you’re so happy living it up in the MC life, I’d have thought you’d be all over me being brought more fully into the fold.”
He’d actually paled as I ranted, which left me speechless for a moment. Me having sex upset him that much? Damn. This being closer to my big brother thing was turning out to be a lot more complex than I’d anticipated.
After a minute or so, the loud shrill of Taz’s phone snapped us both out of the awkward silence that had settled over us. Blowing out a breath, I ran my hands through my hair as I began to pace the room.
“Yeah, Mac?”
His eyes widened and he stumbled as he roared into the phone, “What the fuck do you mean she’s bleeding?”
Instantly, everything else fell away, concern for my sister-in-law taking its place. Rushing to stand in front of my brother, I rested a palm on his shoulder, steadying him as I held his fear filled gaze with mine while he listened to whatever Mac was saying.
“I’ll meet you at the hospital.”
After he ended the call, he seemed to stall out. As though he couldn’t quite process what was going on. Wrapping my arms around his waist I leaned in and gave him a tight hug for a few moments before releasing him to take charge.
“Let’s get moving. I’ll follow you. Unless you want to borrow one of the club cars and I’ll drive you?”
Because Athena Security was a Charon MC owned business, and all the employees rode bikes, the club kept a couple of their cars here for when a case called for one to be used.
“Bikes will be faster. Let’s go.”
Quickly switching my sneakers for my riding boots, I grabbed my jacket, helmet and keys and was out the door, running to catch up to Taz who already had his helmet on and was starting his bike.
Bridgewater was small enough of a town that it didn’t take long to get anywhere, especially when you didn’t care about speed limits or road rules. Following Taz, we got there in under five minutes and pulled into the parking lot at the same time Mac pulled up to the emergency entrance in his car.
Taz didn’t bother turning off his bike before he dismounted and took off. When he paused a few meters away, taking his helmet off before he turned back, I called out to him.
“Leave your helmet there. I’ve got you covered. Go to Flick.”
“Thanks, sis.”
He sprinted to Mac’s car, leaning into the front passenger seat to scoop his wife up into his arms before he turned and rushed inside. Once they were out of sight, I quickly got both our bikes sorted, with our helmets secured, before I hurried toward the entrance.
I hit the waiting room just as Taz was carrying Flick through to the back. I hoped Flick was being treated quickly because someone had called ahead, and not because she or the baby were in trouble. Knowing I wouldn’t be allowed to go back with them, I went over to Mac.
“Did they say anything about what could be causing her to bleed?”
He moved his focus from the closed door to me, worry clear in his expression.
He shook his head. “Nah, they said nothing before they rushed her through. Guess I best go move the car. Be back in five.”
I nodded and took a seat with a direct view of the door they’d gone through. Settling in to pray everything would be okay with Flick and the baby while I waited for news.