Chapter 40
Ember
I sit at a table sipping a beer I probably shouldn’t have because of my injuries but after the last few days, I fucking need a beer.
Someone pulls out a chair next to me, and I look over to see Levi sitting down. She’s twirling a pen in her fingers, a trait I’ve noticed about her and while I want to ask about it, I won’t.
“They held up better than I thought they would,” she says quietly and I nod as we both watch the group of women and kids leave for the night with Mae, Mary, and a few of the Steel Archangels members as they head over to the shelter.
“I was worried a few of them would want to bail right away because I know what they’ve been through. But I think it helps that all of the guys here have been extremely respectful and are going out of their way to make them as comfortable as possible,” I reply.
I look around their clubhouse grounds, wondering if this is what our clubhouse will end up looking like someday.
There are probably a dozen houses not too far away.
There’s a pool, a massive grilling area, several tables scattered around, and there are quite a few firepits as well.
There’s even a playground where Levi is watching her twin toddlers playing along with the other children.
“You guys have a pretty nice setup here,” I tell her and she hums as she looks around.
“It started off with just a few houses, the firepits, and a smaller grill area, but as the club grew, more and more of us ended up building houses and expanding things. Because of an attack years ago before I came here, the club requires everyone to live either in the clubhouse or in a house on clubhouse property. It’s easier to protect everyone if we’re in one place. ”
I frown as I look back over at the rows of houses. “What about if another attack happens though? Won’t those in the houses be cut off from everyone else?”
Levi shakes her head. “No. When we expanded shortly after I came here, we built underground tunnels under each house that led to a central safe room underground and from there we can also get to the clubhouse. We got the idea from another Old Lady in our Junction Creek chapter, Lark. She’s with my brother, Reaper, the President of that chapter.
” She pauses as the corner of her lips twitch.
“And by brother, I mean found family. I have no biological siblings, but my found family is huge.”
I nod, deciding to mention that idea to Tico for our clubhouse.
“I get that. I only have a younger sister, Pyper, but we both consider Daemon our brother and his aunt and uncle, our aunt and uncle.”
Someone calls her name and she holds up a hand before leaning in close. “Tomorrow, come see me after breakfast. There are a few little care packages that I want to send back with you.”
I stare at her, confused, but she just winks at me and walks off. A moment later, arms wrap around me. I hum as I lean back into Tico’s familiar embrace, breathing in his sandalwood and leather scent, mixed with a bit of motor oil from his bike.
He nibbles my ear and I clamp my mouth shut to keep from moaning out loud, but I can’t help clenching my thighs together. After riding behind him for almost five hours today and with all the flirty looks and touches he’s been giving me tonight, I need him.
“Diego,” I say quietly and he laughs huskily in my ear.
“Does my Ol’ Lady need me?”
A whimper slips past my lips before I can stop it, and I can feel him grinning against my skin.
Then I’m suddenly airborne as he lifts me, tossing me over his shoulder.
He grabs my drink and stalks towards the clubhouse as cat calls ring out.
I recognize a particularly loud one and look up, flipping Daemon off—which has him and a few others laughing even louder.
Tico walks upstairs towards our room and I grin, wanting to tease him back as well. I smack his ass before squeezing it, but then I yelp and moan when he does the same thing to me.
“Be careful how much you tease me, Vicious. I’m already barely hanging on by a thread.”
Unlocking the door, he quickly enters and then the world spins again as he sets me down, pushes me up against the door and his lips slam down on mine.
I moan, sinking into him as my hands roam over his chest, down to his stomach and then under his shirt, needing to feel his skin.
“I need you, Diego.”
He nips my lip. “What mi mujer (my woman) wants, mi mujer (my woman) gets.”
He picks me up again and I giggle when he tosses me and I bounce on our bed, but then the giggle dies in my throat as he takes off his cut, reaches behind his head and pulls off his shirt.
I don’t know why, but that move is just incredibly sexy to me.
Right up there with forearm, hand, and tattoo porn, because yes, all three are sexy to me.
I take off my cut, which thankfully wasn’t damaged at all in this whole ordeal, and then take off my shirt.
I wince when the material gets stuck on some tape Patch put on my arm.
Since I hadn’t been allowed to shower the past four days, I was insanely thankful to be able to shower and that someone was able to lend me some clothes.
However, taking a shower meant undoing the work Chief did so Patch looked over my injuries afterwards.
At my wince, Diego freezes and then he’s at my side with a worried look on his face.
“Are you okay? Do I need to go get Patch? We don’t have to do anything tonight, Ember—”
I put a finger to his lips, stopping his worried ramble. “I’m okay, Diego. My shirt just got caught on some tape and pulled at my skin, that’s all. I might not be able to go as rough until my arm fully heals, but I want this. I want you.”
His eyes turn molten and I moan when he kisses me deeply.
After a few moments, he breaks away, kissing down my jaw as his hands work to undo my bra.
He flings it across the room, and my hands fly to the back of his head when his mouth closes around my nipple.
His hands squeeze my breasts, and I moan again when I feel his teeth grazing my nipple.
He switches breasts and my hips rise, needing friction and finding none.
A whimper slips past my lips and Diego chuckles.
“I think mi mujer (my woman) might be a little impatient,” he teases and I scowl.
“Diego if you don’t touch me, I’m going to take matters into my own hands.”
Diego playfully nips my skin in response but thankfully, he moves down my body. He pops the button on my shorts and slides them down my legs along with my panties. I’m grateful I wore sandals tonight, because I don’t think I’d be able to wait for him to take off my boots. I need him too badly.
The first swipe of his tongue through my pussy damn near has my hips jumping off the bed, and his heavy arm drapes over my hips, preventing me from moving. He inserts a finger and I fist the sheets in my hands as he sucks on my clit.
“Diego!” I cry out as he pistons his finger in and out of me.
My orgasm starts to build quickly, which he must be able to sense because he inserts another finger and then another. I close my eyes as I try to roll my hips, desperate for more friction.
“Eyes on me, Vicious.”
My eyes snap open and fuck does the scorching look he gives me push the pleasure up a notch.
“So close. I’m so close, Diego,” I pant and then I cry out in frustration when he suddenly pulls away.
He grabs my ankles, pulls me closer to the edge of the bed and then slams into me.
My eyes roll back in pleasure as my orgasm crashes over me, and through it all, Diego doesn’t stop. I cling to him as he pounds into me, the desperation in his eyes mirrors my own.
Emotions roll through me and suddenly tears spring to my eyes, but Diego seems to know that they aren’t from pain, they’re from almost losing him. His pace slows and he leans down, kisses me deeply. Every movement almost seems to bring us closer, deeper as we continue to cling to each other.
Another orgasm crashes into me from out of nowhere and I cry out suddenly, my body tensing and my back arching off the bed. My orgasm triggers Diego, and after he cums, we lay there in each other’s arms, our bodies still trembling from the aftershocks.
Diego strokes my jaw as his eyes turn misty. “I almost lost you before I could even tell you. I love you, Ember. So damn fucking much.”
Tears streak down my cheeks and into my hair at his words and he kisses me again, his thumbs trying to dry my tears that don’t seem to want to stop.
“I love you, too, Diego. I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to tell you when Jerry…” My voice trails off and my throat tightens at the memory of Jerry’s gun barrel pressing into my forehead.
Diego places a finger on my lips and then kisses me again. “No one is ever taking you from me again.”
“Or you from me.”
We lay like that for a while longer and only when my skin pebbles from the cold does Diego pull out of me. It’s then that I realize he hadn’t fully undressed—he’d just shoved down his boxers and jeans earlier.
He completely strips and then heads into the bathroom before coming back with a damp cloth to clean me up.
We slide under the covers and I can’t stop my smile when he pulls me close into his arms. He presses a kiss to my forehead and I sigh in contentment as I snuggle into him, drifting off to sleep.
The next morning, Levi catches us just as we finish breakfast. She’s carrying a box and when Diego sees it, he barks out a laugh.
“Is that what I think it is, Levi?”
Levi grins darkly and it’s the first time that I’m seeing this darker side of Levi, but she doesn’t say anything in response.
Diego shakes his head and kisses my forehead. “I’ll take the dishes into the kitchen. You can head into Thor’s office with Levi.”
I look between them, confused, but end up following Levi. She shuts the door behind her and gestures for me to sit on the couch.
“To understand what’s in this box and what led up to it, I need to tell you my story.”