Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Get Real about Freedom
M orning came and brought with it a fierce, well-earned headache for Nelle. She realized she was in nothing but a T-shirt that didn’t cover as much as she had hoped down past her hips.
Slade was already wide awake, functioning, dressed and ready for another day of outlaw living. When he saw her awake, he nodded to her. “We have a lot to talk about, sweetheart.”
“Not sure what you expect,” she said, rubbing her head. “I told you last night…”
“You gave me bits and pieces. I need everything. Someone took out your sisters. And I think they’ll come for you next. Right?”
“Wow. What a way to start the morning. Not even a cup of coffee?”
Slade curled his lip at her. “Coffee is out at the bar. You remember Maggie?”
“Yeah,” Nelle whispered.
“I’ll be back in a little bit. Then I want the whole story.”
“You don’t have to be a hero here, Slade. I don’t need to be saved.”
“I never said I was saving your ass, sweetheart. I’m saving my club from the heat you brought to it.”
That made Nelle swallow hard and feel two inches tall. She watched Slade rip the bedroom door open and leave. That’s when she quickly jumped up out of the bed and ran to the bathroom to find what she could of her own clothing. When she felt like she was going to puke, she ran to the bathroom sink and splashed water on her face.
She left her panties on the bathroom floor but put her bra back on. She put the T-shirt over that, but she still needed pants. Her black jeans had dried vomit on the knees…
“Gross,” Nelle whispered.
She had no choice but to wear them. She did take a towel, wet it and wipe the knees. She also found a bottle of cologne and sprayed her jeans. Now she smelled like Slade. Her nose tingled at the scent and her brain sent instant signals between her legs.
“Fuck,” she whispered, remembering how it felt last night when Slade stripped her. Showered her. Picked her up out of the shower. Touching her. Yet nothing else happened. That made Nelle feel even better about herself.
I can’t even get a biker to fuck me… wonderful.
She tucked a small part of the end of the T-shirt into her jeans to give herself somewhat of a more normal look. The hangover still pounded in her head as though there was an active construction site set up just behind her eyes.
When she finally made it out to the bar, she plopped down and recognized Maggie. The two women nodded at each other.
“You look like shit,” a woman’s voice next to Nelle said.
“Thanks,” Nelle said. “Glad I asked for your opinion.”
“Watch your fucking mouth near me,” the woman said.
Nelle look at the woman. “Oh?”
“You wearing any ink?”
“No.”
“Yeah. Definitely watch your mouth.”
“I’m just trying to get some coffee and then get the fuck out of here.”
“A fuck and run? Interesting. Who were you with last night?”
“First off, who I fuck isn’t your business,” Nelle said. “Second, I didn’t fuck anyone. I was with Slade.”
“Oh, shit. You’re… you’re Nelle. Oh, damn. I am so sorry about your sisters. I’m Nova. I’m Linc’s girl.”
Nelle swallowed hard. “Slade thought he could solve the case by asking questions. Didn’t work out so well.”
Maggie brought coffee over.
“You’re my hero,” Nelle said to her.
“My heart aches for you,” Maggie said.
“I don’t need pity. Believe me, I’ve got enough in my own head and heart.”
“You should stick around,” Nova said. “Let these guys help out. Especially Slade.”
“He’s one of the good ones,” Maggie said.
Nova laughed. “I thought you’d hate him since he didn’t ink you up. How many times did you two fuck again?”
“Very funny,” Maggie said.
“Wait, you’ve slept with Slade?” Nelle asked.
It wasn’t her business…
“Yeah,” Maggie said. “That’s what I do around here.”
“ Deecee ,” Nova whispered to Nelle.
“What?” Nelle asked.
“ Deecee. Stands for Devil’s Cunt . It’s the outlaws way of labeling the women around here. I’m wearing Linc’s ink, so I’m untouchable. You had permission last night to be here, but right now, you’re free game. You get stuck here…”
“You suck a lot of cock and take a lot of cock,” Maggie said. “It’s worth it. You mostly have protection.”
Nelle sipped the coffee, her head throbbing and racing.
“Look, I’m sorry my sisters were killed in this town and these guys run it. Or whatever it is they do here. But I have to get out of here. There’s nothing I can do to help. My sisters…”
Nelle sipped more coffee.
“Just hang out here with me,” Nova said. “Nobody will bother you if you’re with me.”
“You might have to make out a little though,” Maggie said.
“Well, that’s sort of true,” Nova said. “Just kidding. It’s not.”
Nelle put her coffee cup down.
Nova grabbed her hand. “I was there. The pizza place. I saw…”
“You saw?”
“I saw,” Nova repeated. “Linc flipped the table. He held me down and kept me safe. It was just…”
“I’m glad you had someone to do that for you,” Nelle said. “Obviously my sister didn’t!”
Nelle jumped up and took off running for the door. Custer and Warden turned their eyes away from their morning coffee and glass of whiskey.
As Nelle ran, she felt her heart racing uncontrollably fast, waiting for someone to grab for her and stop her. Some dirty outlaw who could throw her over his shoulder with ease. Who wasn’t afraid of getting scratched and screamed at by a woman.
She pictured herself being tied up. Chained up. Handcuffed to a bed or in some storage closet or something even more dangerous.
The adrenaline kicked in and she ran. Out of the clubhouse. Through the parking lot. The big gates were slightly ajar, opening more and more. Nelle saw her only chance to run like hell, away from the motorcycle club.
Reminding herself that she came here last night with Slade. That she drank so much whiskey straight that she threw up on his boots, on his floor, and on herself. That he stripped her naked and put her in the shower. That she wore one of his T-shirts right now and was not wearing panties. Those were left on his bathroom floor like some naughty trophy.
A van pulled into the parking lot and the guys at the gate walked to the windows. Nelle positioned herself behind one of the open gate doors and slowly inched along and around. Nobody called her name. Nobody called the generic ‘Hey! Who are you?’
Nelle escaped but she was far from free .
After finding her car and driving back to the antique shop, Nelle found another bouquet of flowers waiting for her from Bucky, along with another sweet note of him telling her she’s strong and he’ll always be there for her. She threw the note out.
She looked around the antique store, with its musty smell and haunted vibe. Then she went to her apartment and took a proper hot shower. Washing herself head to toe. Her shampoo. Her soap.
She then fell into her bed, belly first. Exhaustion began to overthrow the adrenaline. She caught herself grabbing at the covers though. A familiar ache and warmth tickling at her hips and working down to her inner thighs.
The thought of Slade taking her clothes off. Peeling her panties down her legs…
What if he just kissed me right then and there? Huh? His lips against my lower back. Then moving down. His strong hands bending me forward. Then his hands moving to my ass, kneading and spreading… his hot breath against my pussy. His tongue flickering at me from behind. Teasing my pussy… then turning me around. Grabbing my hips, holding me steady. His tongue slapping against my desperate clit…
Nelle kept her eyes open the entire time as the lower half of her body began to grind against her own bed. She only paused long enough to reach for a throw pillow and place it between her legs.
Then she started to move again.
Harder. Faster.
Groaning. Whimpering.
Wishing it were Slade’s tongue making her feel good instead of some cheap pillow.