Chapter 35
JACK
The day dawns bright, and there’s a low simmer of happiness deep in my gut. Today, I get to do the thing I love most in this world… well, second most these days, after fantasizing about Camile.
Today, I get to ride out with some of the guys.
It’s been too long since we had a ride on the bikes, and that I get to spend some time with my old chapter on the road before they head back makes me feel good.
It’s not all for the joy of it, though. The ride out serves two purposes.
One, it shows any other bikers around the area that these are still our roads, and two, it brings the guys together.
Since we have no idea if the cartel is still after Camile, we can’t all go.
Even if we took Camile, it would leave some of the ol’ ladies who don’t join us on the ride-outs, and their kids, vulnerable.
Not that many of the ol’ ladies don’t enjoy riding with their man, but there are a few who don’t for various reasons.
Hell, we even have a couple of guys who are true old-timers, who rarely get on their bikes anymore either, but I won’t throw them out of the club just because they’re in their late seventies.
So, we’ve agreed that Ghost, Rook, and I from our chapter, plus Crow, Zoo, Phoenix, and a few others from the Jackal Riders, will ride out, and the others will stay here, with Ace, Saul, and Big Mike making sure everyone is safe.
Ace planned out a fairly short route, but one that takes us to the eastern edge of our road territory on one side. In a few days, I’ll send some other guys out to ride to the north and western edges.
Part of me feels bad that I’m leaving Camile, but hell, I need this.
After that mutual masturbation session with her, I haven’t been able to take my thoughts off her.
I keep replaying those moments over and over.
She’s lit a spark inside me that I’d believed was long dead.
After I lost my wife, I thought that part of my life was over, but now everything has changed.
I’m hungering for her as though I’m a young man again, and I know she feels the same way.
But though everything has changed inside me, nothing has changed about our situation, and I’m frustrated in a way I’ve never been before. I’m a man who gets what he wants, and fuck, I want her.
I’m going to fucking explode if I don’t do something to burn off some adrenaline. I’ll become a danger to myself and others.
Maybe even Camile.
After I’ve showered and gotten dressed, I grab a quick breakfast and down a strong coffee, then meet the men who are coming by the clubhouse.
Ghost is already there when I arrive, and he looks like shit. Paler than ever, the man appears as if he hasn’t slept in a month, and his face is serious.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“Nothing,” he replies, sullen and uncommunicative, even for him.
I know I can be a grumpy son of a bitch, but he’s got it nailed today.
“Do you think this is a bad idea?” I gesture at the motorcycles and the rapidly growing gathering of bikers around me.
“No, the ride-out is fine.”
I narrow my eyes. “So, what is it?”
His chest rumbles with a growl. “Nothing, Jack. Leave it.”
I clench my jaw because my men don’t talk to me that way—not even him—but just as I’m about to say something, Rook saunters up. He takes one look at Ghost, and his cheeks turn bright red.
What the actual fuck?
I look between them. “Did something happen?”
“Morning, Prez.” Ace saunters up to the little gathering and gives Rook his usual sarcastic smirk, and a nod at Ghost.
I’m about to ask him if he knows what the hell is going on between Rook and Ghost, when movement distracts me. It’s Camile walking toward us, up the path from the house she’s staying in.
The morning sun hits her, the shiny strands of her dark hair catching the light. She takes my breath away. She’s wearing a short, casual dress in a change from her much loved jeans, and her tan, lean legs look incredible.
“You ready?” Ace asks her with a grin.
She nods then glances at me, and there’s something in her gaze I can’t name.
“What are you guys up to?” I ask, trying—and failing—not to experience a shot of jealousy at the easy way Ace gets to spend one-on-one time with her.
“Getting some breakfast, for us and the snails,” Camile answers.
“Snails?” I demand. “What fucking snails?”
“Ace has rescued some snails.” She smiles. “We’ll ask in the canteen for any vegetable cuttings.”
I can’t suppress the shudder that rolls over me. “Where are they?” I ask patiently.
“In the house.” Camile shrugs.
“Your house?”
“Yes.”
“I was worried rats or something might eat them in the barn,” Ace says. Then he scratches his head. “Although the cats should stop the rats.”
“Cats? Plural?” Ghost stares at Ace. “I thought it was one cat, and her kittens?”
“It might be two cats now… and the kittens,” Ace admits.
“Jesus fucking Christ, it’s not a zoo,” Ghost explodes.
Ace holds Ghost’s gaze. “Ghost, you seem tense. I thought you’d be in a good mood this morning.”
“Why?” I demand, looking between them again, knowing I am missing something.
“It’s just a lovely, sunny day is all, and you’re about to go on a ride-out.” Ace shrugs. “A really good ride-out, planned by moi.”
“I like you speaking French.” Camile giggles at his one, badly accented word, and hangs off his arm, staring up at him adoringly.
I’m starting to hate that fucker.
“Are you drunk?” I ask her, deliberately being an asshole.
“We’re drunk on life, aren’t we, baby?” Ace slings his arm around her shoulder as if she’s his and his alone and kisses her cheek.
The rage and possession that swells up inside me is so strong, it’s all I can do not to reach for the piece strapped to my side and shoot him in the face.
That’s not good. Not good at all. She should be with Ace; they suit one another.
He can keep her safe. He’s more than psychotic enough to be her guard dog.
I’m pretty sure Rook is regularly involved with them, too.
Maybe I’ll take the kid to one side when we stop for a break on the ride today and ask him what the deal is with Ghost.
I could ask Camile, but she’ll give me her big, wide-eyed look, then I won’t be able to resist her any longer.
God knows how I am still managing it. She’s a constant occupation of my thoughts.
I jerk off to the memory of my lips at her throat and my fingers in her pussy in the dark bar.
I think about how she looked when she came at my command.
I dream about her and wake up hot, and sweaty, my limbs all tangled in my sheets.
Yeah, I’ve got it bad, and worse, it’s not just lust. I’m getting deeper feelings for her. Real ones.
She’s so damned brave that she puts me and all our men to shame.
“Okay, we need to get going,” Ghost grouses.
“Be careful,” Camile says to him.
Then she strides up to Ghost and wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him.
Ghost goes stiff and doesn’t hug her back. Ace shakes his head as if he’s disappointed in him, and Ghost doesn’t meet his eye. Now I really am going to have a talk with Rook once we pull over for a drink and stretch our legs.
She then moves to Rook and hugs him, too. My green-eyed monster is roaring inside me, livid at the way she’s lavishing attention on all these men and not me.
It should be me!
It could be me…
No, I can’t think like that.
I swing my leg over my bike and climb on in order to give me something to do so I don’t murder Rook, Ghost, and Ace with my bare hands.
As I’m about to turn the key and rev the engine, the scent of something beachy engulfs me, and Camile’s slender arms wrap around my neck.
“Come back to me soon, Jack. I don’t feel right when you’re not nearby.”
Her words are whispered into my neck, so the others can’t hear, but they hit me hard.
I turn to her and rub my thumb over her plump lower lip, unable to resist. “We’ll be back within a couple of hours, Baby-girl.”
When I pull my thumb back, she darts her tongue out and follows the path it took. Damn. My cock hardens at just that. I’ve got it bad.
“Maybe, when you get back, you can tell me what you want to do to me again?” she suggests and throws me a wink.
Then without waiting for my reply, as if she knows it will be a no, she steps back and blows me a kiss.
Damn it, in front of everyone gathered here, the minx blows me a kiss.
Unable to stop myself, I beckon her back with a crook of my finger. A smile plays on her lips, and she practically skips her way back up to my bike.
I lower my voice. “Keep that up, and I’ll put you over my knee and give you a spanking when I get back.”
Her dark eyes light up. “Is that a promise? Because I’ll keep you to it.”
Again, without waiting for my response, she spins away.
Fuck my life. I groan to myself and pull my bandana up.
“You look sexy in that bandana, Prez,” Ace says with a cheeky grin.
I growl at him in response. “Don’t let those fucking snails get anywhere near me.”
“I won’t.” His face sobers. “I take phobias very seriously.”
“It’s not a fucking phobia. I just don’t like them.”
“Of course, whatever you say, Prez.”
Ace keeps his face straight, but I can tell he’s dying to laugh.
I’m finding out what the hell has gone on between Ghost and these guys, and I’m going to have a serious talk with Camile.
I want to make sure she knows what’s she’s getting into.
It’s time I got my head out of my ass and got back on top of things with the club.
Mind made up, I jerk my chin at Ace. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”
“Never.”
He laces his fingers through hers, and my jaw clenches. She shoots Ace the kind of flirty, sexy smile she uses on me, and something knots inside my chest.
I want them to be together, because I want her to be loved how she deserves to be loved, but it also kills me.
I look around, making sure everyone is here who is supposed to be here. I catch the eye of the Jackal Riders—Crow, Zoo, and Phoenix—and jerk my chin in acknowledgement that we’re ready to go.