Chapter 25
Melody
“ H ound, where are you taking me?” I asked as he handed me a helmet to get on the slight death trap of a motor vehicle. I wasn’t scared but I’d never been on a motorcycle. As much as the man had rearranged my guts, I was wary of the trust there on his chrome machine.
“Now why would I go and ruin a surprise?” he said cryptically. He saw the helmet in my hands, gripping it tightly. He pried it from my hands and fixed my hair to accommodate the helmet. Strapping it across my chin, he pulled me forward by the bottom of it. “Or I could just cancel it all together, and I could take you back to bed. There’s a little red thing in the guest bedroom nightstand.”
A flush of red spread across my cheeks. The fucker found it. “You wouldn’t.”
“You know the answer to that.” He winked.
I wanted to be mad, embarrassed, but that turned me on too much. I crossed my legs as he walked to the bike and started it. I could understand the beauty of the ride, but nerves shook me. I looked up to watch him, my bearded alpha man, looking like a wet dream in his boots, jeans, and his cut. I lost all sense of speech just gawking at him. He swung his leg over the saddle.
“Alright, honey. Step over and swing your leg. Be careful of the muffler.” he instructed. I took his hand and mounted the vibrating bike. The amount of power behind the vibrations were going to be a test, especially when I leaned back finding something to hang on to. But Hound pulled me forward, cradling his back side. He took my arms and wrapped them along his thick waist. My arms could barely come together.
What do you expect when the man was a damn mountain?
He huffed. “Where do you want to hang on?”
On the ground, preferably.
Without any other thought, my hands gripped the top of his thighs. He groaned. I started to retreat but he pulled them back on top. “You’re going to be trouble.”
I shook my head, but he just chuckled and soon we were on the road. Between the vibrations of the engine and my hands placed on his thighs, I was hanging on to more than just my life.
My heart beat hard in my chest; I wasn’t ready for him weaving in and out of traffic, commanding the roads. I gripped his thighs the more he sped through traffic. And yet underneath me, the vibrations hit my center and a new sensation occurred. Self-consciously I got lost in the feeling to the point where I hadn’t realized we were at a stoplight and I caught Hound’s eyes in the side mirror.
I followed his gaze to my hand placement, I wasn’t reaching his thighs, but cupping his cock over his jeans. My eyes widened and my hands retreated faster than I’d ever moved. I caught the small smirk on his lips.
“I’m sorry,” I shouted before he took off again and my hands moved back to his thighs. I tried to fight off the growing ache of a pending orgasm. I tried to move and adjust my position, but it intensified. I was helpless and I didn’t know how much longer it would be until we arrived at our destination.
My body moved along with the bike, turning and weaving. I mentally pleaded that the agony would leave as soon as possible, because I didn’t know how much longer until I was going to combust.
Almost to the point of tears, we stopped in a small parking lot, outside of downtown where a parked food truck was housed.
But Hound didn’t turn off the bike. Instead, he got off and sat back on it backward, facing me. His searing touch was almost enough to set me off. He took off my helmet, fixing my hair, only to put a strand behind my ear. “How did you enjoy your first ride?” He cocked an eyebrow.
I sucked in my lips because telling him that the bike was getting me to the verge of an orgasm and still building was embarrassing enough.
“Um, it was… Fine.” I held back as best to not give it away, but the man wasn’t born yesterday.
“Mm, just fine?” he said, scooting closer to me. “I think you may have enjoyed it a little more than you think.”
“Hound,” I growled out, but faded as the vibrations continued. We were in public for God’s sake. I was in need like a damn wanton woman in a western film.
With a short chuckle, he grabbed the back of my head and pulled me into a deep kiss, one that continued to send that floating feeling in my head, like everything was wiped away. I couldn’t hold back any more, and shortly found release from the pulsing ache. I melted further into his kiss, his mouth covering my moans of pleasure.
When my breathing evened, he cut off the bike, and softly transformed the kiss.
I pulled back and in a breathless voice said, “You cocky bastard.”
He licked his lips, “Yes, I’m one lucky cocky bastard.”
We got off, walking hand in hand toward the lot with the truck that was surrounded by other patrons and picnic tables. Alongside were heating lamps just in case the chill air crept in. Stopped for a second, I shook my head as I realized, “You’re taking me on a date?”
The smug bastard turned, “For the first part and then we might have some visitors, who knows?”
“Hound Dog,” I said.
“Oh, so serious?”
“Please tell me you’re not killing two birds with one stone?”
“I like it when things go my way, most of the time,” he said, pulling me along with him.
“If I had known I’d be meeting your friends or brothers, whatever you call them, I’d have dressed better you know.” I started to complain, looking down at my jeans and long sleeve off the shoulder shirt, and an oversized jacket I found from a thrift store.
“You’re beautiful the way you are, and my brothers will accept that whether they like it or not.” His voice sounded so sure that it would be this way.
The man kept shocking me. I expected more fights or something, or a longer timeline. I started to think that I wasn’t deserving of a man like this, one that listened and was completely obsessed with me. I mean you only read about it in books and here I was living that not-so-fictional relationship.
I smiled and went along with Hound.
And the date was just that, a date. Two people connecting in a shared place, opening up about the world they live in and how they see it. Conversations became easier with him. We talked about his brother, Memphis in North Carolina, where apparently they are completely opposite. He told me about his dad and mama, how he did everything he could to support them when he was Nash Young. He was a family man, a protective provider. It wasn’t until the producers that his heart became hardened.
We talked about music, which only made me fall for him a little more. The scariest thought was that I was falling for him and I hadn’t worked up the courage to tell him. But here outside the house walls, we were like two normal people sharing a weird bond that others might not understand, and that was okay. Because in my eyes, it was just Hound and I.
I kept noticing him staring at me. “What are you gawking at?”
He simply shook his head. “Just getting lost in you.”
I threw my dirty napkin at him, “That was so cheesy, where did you pick up that line?”
“What? You don’t like it?”
“Not when it sounds like that, coming from your mouth.”
“Oh, I’m sure that you like something from my mouth.”
There he went making me blush like a sinner in church.
“But, seriously, how did I get so lucky?”
I shrugged, taking another bite of my tacos from the truck. “Well, that’s what happens when you save me from terrible men, only to bump into each other and you take me home only to then tell me that you were pretty much off limits.”
“I did not tell you that I was off limits. I said that I wasn’t good for you.”
“Same difference. And you still didn’t listen to yourself,” I said, laughing at him and his casual nods.
“And yet, it was the best decision I made,” he said with a mouth full of food.
I smiled softly, thinking that this would be our life. Most people would think that this wouldn’t last or I wouldn’t survive. But one look at Hound Dog and I knew for a fact, he wasn’t looking elsewhere.
“So.” I cleared my throat. “Is there anything else I need to know about rules or guidelines or history about the club?”
He gawked at me, as he put down the potential bite he was about to take. “Like what, honey?”
Little did he know that it would open the flood gate of words, “Well, like if I’m with you, am I supposed to act a certain way? Bake cookies for the club? Attend events? Am I supposed to stay quiet, in the background? How much can I tell people like Sadie or our friend group? If your brothers see me with you, what does that mean for them? Will I expect to see them show up now at our home?” I kept running off questions and I met his gaze to find a stupid smile on his face. “What? Did I say something wrong?” He just stared at me with awe and wonder. While I was being serious, he looked like cupid just shot an arrow at his ass.
He happily sighed, “My sweet little songbird.” He chuckled.
“What?” I raised my voice. He shook his head. “I swear to all that's good and pure, if you don’t tell me, I will be calling you by your first name.”
He just smirked, before reaching for my hand. “You said our home.”
I did? I tried to replay my words that spewed out of my mouth. Our home. Fuck, I was getting in deep with him, like wearing my heart on my sleeve. “I’m sorry, it’s your home, I know.” I took my hand back and started to rub over my chest as I got lost in thought.
I knew that this was what we wanted, but we had skipped so many damn steps that reassurance was something I needed.
There wasn’t anger in his eyes, it was confusion.
He got up, moved closer to me, and straddled the bench seat, turning my chin to meet him, “It’s our home.”
Home wasn’t an object, it’s a feeling and it was leading towards him. He gently kissed my forehead, before a shadow casted over us.
My eyes widened as I was met with a smiling clean shaven, blonde man. There was a twinkle in his eyes, like a spark of pure happiness and yet a dash of mischief.
“Well, Prez, you finally set her free,” blondie said. “Seems like a sweetheart, innocent, too good for you, you sap.”
“How do you know she didn’t break free, and Prez just happened to find her,” another voice entered. When the man with the other voice came into view, I started to get nervous. Like meeting the parents only meeting your club members.
I was rendered speechless. Hound released a growl. “She’s mine.”
All the possessiveness he had just got me hot. I stood up to extend a friendly gesture, because being a quiet little mouse in the background wasn’t going to go over well with me.
“And y’all must be the unexpected visitors he was talking about, I mean I was expecting someone more handsome-r, but you’ll do,” I gripped blondie and mystery man’s hands to shake.
Hound busted out in laughter.
“Nah, she charmed him, that’s why she’s got the balls on her. Bet you got him wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?” Mystery man retorted.
I turned to see Hound turned in our direction, so I slipped into his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Why, whatever do you mean?” I pouted. Hound’s body turned possessive as one arm wrapped around my waist and the other hand gripping my thigh.
“Okay, now y’all are just gross.” Blondie winced. “You turned the man into a happy simp.”
“It’s that voodoo beauty. One look and you’re under her spell.” Mystery man commented.
Hound’s hold got tighter, I glared at him. “Easy, baby, you might pop your favorite parts.”
“Mine,” Hound claimed.
“Yes, yes, you big grump, she’s yours. Only a special woman would make you even crazier than you’ve ever been,” Blondie joked.
He wasn’t wrong.
Hound rested his chin on my shoulder. “Melody, I’d like you to meet two people that have known me longer than most people in the club.”
They knew him as Nash. “The blonde jokester is my right hand man, B.B. Don’t let the smile fool you, the man can be a cruel son of a bitch. But one the best people to help lead the pack.”
I smiled in his direction. This was his best friend. Someone to help take the burden off of Hound. At least that was the hope.
“And this is Otis, too smart for his own good. Also our in-house lawyer and club secretary, if we are ever in a pinch,” Hound said. “But don’t play cards with him, the man will take your money.”
Otis had caramel skin, his dark buzzed beard chiseled his features. But he had a softness to his eyes that were a comfort. Any woman would be lucky to have him.
“Not my fault you hadn’t learned your lesson. Every. Time.” Otis laughed.
The men shared a spout of laughter. I was a little lucky to see this side of him, a side that was more than what I saw. I eased into him, still sitting in his lap.
We carried on conversations as they swapped stories of the past, allowing a perfect stranger to know and hear them. They had gotten comfortable, joining in our lunch. Hound Dog had turned into a complete mush, as Otis and B.B kept reminiscing. Hound would kiss my shoulder blades, nuzzle into my neck, and never let me off his lap.
“You remember when Otis was prospecting and he had to go get Blue out on bail,” B.B sparked a new story.
Otis had stuffed his mouth, looking up from his plate with wide eyes, he shook his head, almost pleading with them not to continue. But Hound joined in the story, “Yep, and he kept saying that it was a joke or a cruel task for a prospect.” Hound’s deep voice vibrated against my back.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because what he didn’t know was that Blue was arrested in Bucksnort, Tennessee,” Hound explained.
“And?” I asked, missing the whole joke.
B.B took a swig of his beer before answering, “Because we had given him directions to Kentucky and Otis was pissed because he had gotten pulled over.”
“Wait, how did he get lost in Kentucky?” realizing that they were playing their poor friend.
Otis finished chewing, pounded his fist on the table, “Because these motherfuckers told me Bucksnort was in Ohio and fucking screwed up my GPS.”
I shook my head. “How’s that even possible?”
“I knew a guy,” Hound answered, as B.B snickered.
“Hound got his little cousin’s friend to mess with it.” Otis scowled at them.
“You didn’t think to consult like an actual roadmap?” I countered.
The men went silent, and B.B cocked his head, “Oh, well he didn’t think of that before we left.”
“You didn’t tell her the best part.” Otis jokingly shook his head, “That little cousin and his friend are Waylan and Blaze.”
I bursted out laughing, “So motorcycle club is a family affair I take it.”
We continued on until Hound’s phone buzzed. When he took it out, it took everything in me not to fall on the floor. Hound shot up bringing his phone to his ear. I tried to stand but he gestured for me to stay with the guys.
He walked away, far enough where I couldn’t hear the conversation. That’s when I knew something was wrong, when Otis got up from the other side of the table and sat next to me. They weren’t consoling me from my confusion.
They were guarding me.