I WALKED INTO the club, my thoughts occupied by the last few hours. I’d left Dani asleep in my bed, waking her briefly to tell her where I was going, before kissing her and watching as she fell back into slumber.
I’d stopped at the front desk of my building to inform the doorman that Dani was in my apartment and to not let her leave without talking with me first.
I took a minute to grab my mail, running into my neighbor, Macey Stone, a nurse at the local hospital.
“Hey, Booker,” Macey said as she thumbed through her mail.
The gorgeous red–head looked like she’d just come in from a run
“Hey, Mace. Where’s your husband?”
“Dallas got called into work.” She wrinkled her nose. “I really wish criminals would be more sensitive to our schedule. I’ve only had one full day with him this week.”
I chuckled. Macey’s husband was an FBI agent and that was all I cared to know about him.
“Did I hear you tell Trevor you’ve got a lady visitor!”
I grinned. “My woman’s staying with me for a few days. Her name’s Dani.”
“Awesome. If I get a chance, I’ll go introduce myself.” Macey scanned her mail. “Payton’s coming over to get the rest of her stuff, so we’ll both go.”
Payton had been Macey’s roommate up until Macey got married.
I smiled. “I think she’d really like that.”
“Gotta hit the shower,” Macey said. “See ya.”
“Bye, babe,” I said, and headed to the garage.
“Booker,” Crow said, pulling me back to the present.
“Hey.” I glanced up to see the Prez with a glass of whiskey in his hand. “Shit, already?”
“Fuckin‘ shit day. Book.”
“Gonna get worse.”
“Figured.” He started toward the back of the building. “Let’s talk in my office.”
I kicked the door closed behind me and flopped down in one of the chairs facing Crow’s desk. “You got K&R insurance on your kid?”
Crow sat in my office chair and scowled. “How do you know about that?”
“I found out from the asshole who stole Dani’s money.”
Crow pulled out his cell phone and put it to his ear. “Hatch, I want Flea on Ashley twenty–four–seven Yeah. I don’t give a flyin‘ fuck if she don’t want it, she don’t got a choice. Update meeah” He hung up. “Talk to me.”
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“This douchebag has records on several folks who have insurance policies over two mil, including Dani. He seems mostly interested in kidnap and ransom, but he’s got half a dozen accidental death ones as well. I’m diggin‘ deeper and I’ve got Train and Grizz on ‘im until I can figure out what his game is. I cross–referenced the names on the policies and no one’s been kidnapped or killed so far, but I’m thinkin‘ he wants to benefit from this information, so I’m assuming he’ll either act on it or sell it.”
“Fuck,” Crow said. “You got your woman?”
I nodded. “She’s safe. I’m gonna talk to her brother and father and see what they think.”
“Tread lightly there.”
“No, I’m gonna fill them in on all the club’s business, including our not so above–board dealings. Then I’m gonna hand them all the money and hold my hands out for the cuffs.”
Crow laughed. “Fuck you, Book.”
“Got me a woman I like better, Crow.” I grinned. “But thanks for the offer.”
Crow sipped his drink. “Anything else?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Don’t know if you want to bring this up at church, but figured you could use the next few days to make that call.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Things good with Hawk?”
“I’m not gonna kill him, if that’s what you’re askin.”
“Need you two to work this out, Booker. Can’t have two of my top men at each other’s throats.”
“How ‘bout you stay the fuck out of it?”
Crow leaned forward, arms on the desk. “Right now, it’s not fuckin‘ with the club, but if it starts to, I’ll be gettin‘ in the fuckin‘ middle and neither of you’ll like it. Get me? And I swear to Christ, if I have to get Hatch involved, it’ll be worse.”
I nodded, stamping down my irritation.
“Cookie had a computer question. After you help him, you take care of your woman.”
I stood and forced myself not to slam the door behind me. Hawk was a pain in the ass, and not the good kind like Dani. The ‘needed to be taken out back and beat to death‘ kind.
I found Cookie in the alcove behind the pool table. Sometimes the older kids worked on homework after school or in the rare case of a club lockdown. Cookie was sitting at the one facing the side window and looked about ready to blow a gasket.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Fuckin‘ virus,” Cookie answered,
I shoved the older man aside and went about diagnosing the issu. “Who was last on this?”
“Dirk’s kid.”
Matthew was fifteen and already a hell–raiser. I shook my head. Well, Matt’s been havin‘ a little fun. He’s downloaded some sketchy porn.”
“I thought you did somethin‘ so the kids couldn’t get to it.”
“I did, but I didn’t go all out. Most kids will get up against the security and not know how to get around it. Matt’s figured it
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out.”
“Little shit.”
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I chuckled. “I’m gonna have to wipe everything and reinstall, bu it’ll take me a while.” I unhooked the computer from the monitor and pulled it from under the table. “Have one of the recruits bring this to my place. I’ll upgrade the other computers now and fix this before church.”
Cookie nodded and went off to find someone to courier the computer to my place. After I put protection software on the rest of the kids‘ computers, I took off for home, hoping to get some time with Dani before we had to leave for her parents‘ place.
I walked into my condo to find Payton and Macey sitting at my kitchen island laughing at something Dani had just said. Dani handed Macey a glass of water and smiled over at me. I tried to keep the disappointment off my face at finding Dani up and clothed. She’d pulled her hair back into a ponytail and wore her sex glasses, and she looked adorable.
“Hi, honey,” she said.
“Hey, babe.” I closed the door. “Mace, Payton. Good to see you again.”
I made my way to Dani and leaned down to kiss her.
She stroked my cheek. “Get everything sorted?”
I grinned. “Kind of. You call your mom?”
Dani nodded. “Yep. All set.”
“This is our cue to leave you two,” Macey said.
“Uh, yeah,” Payton added.
“You don’t need to rush off,” Dani countered.
“See, that’s where you’re wrong.” Macey giggled. “He has the same look on his face that Dallas gets when he wants to be alone with me.”
“And, not that I’m an expert because I have no one who gives a damn, but I see it too,” Payton retorted.
“You are ridiculous,” Macey said.
“But I’m right,” Payton added.
Macey shook her head and then focused on Dani again. “Well, wre gonna let you kids be alone.”
I chuckled. “Smart women.”
“Booker,” Dani admonished.
“What? It’s true. I do want alone time with you.”
Dani shook her head and pushed away from me. “I’ll walk you oft”
I grabbed a beer and flopped onto the sofa. I heard Payton and Macey still arguing as they left, and I thought they’d be perfect for some television sitcom. They were hilarious.
I dropped my head back when Dani stood behind me and leane down to kiss me, our faces upside down. “How was your meeting?”
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“Everyone’s on the same page for the moment.” I took her hand and tugged her around in front of me, pulling her onto my lap and setting my beer aside, so I could wrap my arms around her. “What did you think of Macey and Payton?”
“They’re really sweet.” Dani smiled. “They’re also gorgeous.”
“Are they?”
“Nice save.” Dani ran her fingers through my hair. “What’s the look Macey was talking about?”
“I don’t think I gave a look,” I said. “But I had hoped you’d still be naked and in bed.”
“At three o’clock in the afternoon?”
“Yes.”
Dani laughed. “Are you suggesting that I just spend my days naked and in bed, awaiting you to service me whenever you require sex?”
I couldn’t stop a wide grin. “Is that an option!”
She leaned down and kissed me. “I’m open to negotiations.”
I drew in a quick breath. “What time do we need to be at your parents‘ place?”
“Six.”
I kept her in my arms as I rose to my feet. “Let’s start negotiating
Dani giggled, and I carried her to the bedroom
Danielle
I arched my back trying to get closer, but Austin gripped my waist and held me still. I let out a frustrated groan and his chuckle irked me further. I was on my hands and knees, Austin kneeling behind me and he was taking his sweet time making me come.
“Greedy,” he whispered as he slid into me again… slowly.
“Honey,” I rasped. “Harder.”
He reached between my legs with one hand and fingered my clit while rolling a nipple with the other, then he slid his hand to my waist and anchored me. “Up, baby.”
I sat up and he adjusted me so that I was straddling him backwards, his chest to my back. This position drove him deeper into me and I dropped my head back onto his shoulder. “Austin,” I whispered.
“You okay?”
“I can’t get close enough.”
He laid his hand on mine at my stomach and linked our fingers together. Guiding our hands between my legs, he kissed my neck. “Touch yourself, baby.”
“Um..”
“Want me to show you?”
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I nodded and he laid his hand over mine again. As he helped me raise and lower my body onto him, the combination of him inside of me and both our hands working my clit, I nearly llapsed when my orgasm hit. Austin rolled me onto my back and slid back inside of me, surging in faster and faster until felt the pulse of his climax and found myself coming again despite the fact I was so wiped out.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and started to giggle.
He leaned up on his arms and smiled down at me. “I’m glad my love–making is comical.”
“I just came six times in less than an hour and was pretty much expecting you to do your thing while I lay there. But then I freakin‘ came again, and I have no idea how I could possibly find the strength to not have it completely kill me, so yeah, I’m a little punchy.”
He chuckled. “My job is done.”
I smiled and stroked his neck. “If my parents ask why I’m walking funny, I need a cover story.”
Austin rolled off me and laughed. “Running injury?”
I snorted. “You need to know something about me. I don’t run. Even when being chased. They can just have me.”
“We’ll figure something out.” He slid off the bed and headed to the bathroom while I tried to maneuver my body of jelly under the covers. I was suddenly freezing.
Austin returned and climbed in beside me. “Doctor this week, yeah?”
“If I can get in, yes.”
He pulled me up against him. “We can always go to a clinic together. I’ll get tested so you don’t have to worry, and you can get on the pill.”
I rolled to face him. “Would there be any reason for me to worry”
“I’m not a monk, babe.”
“I know,” I said. “But how long has it been since you’ve been with anyone?”
“I plead the fifth.”
“Why?” I asked slowly.
“Because it hasn’t been as long as you would probably like.”
“Just tell me.”
“About two weeks,” he said.
“What? Seriously?” I sat up. “Just a few days before you met me you were in a relationship?”
He shook his head and tugged me onto his chest.
“Hook up?” I asked.
“Yeah, babe. Had a few of those.”
“How many is a few?”
“You probably don’t want to know,” he admitted.
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I bit my lip. “Who was the last one?”
“You probably don’t want to know that either.”
I pushed off of him and sat up on my knees. “Why don’t I want to know that?”
He dragged his hands down his face.
“Austin?” I pressed.
“Fuck,” he whispered. “Tiff.”
I let out a shocked squeal. “Tiff? As in the biker slut who was giving me the stink eye? That Tiff?”
“Yeah.”
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“Ohmigod.” I scrambled off the bed and made a run for the bathroom, my stomach suddenly roiling. I couldn’t believe how sick I felt, and my stomach continued to rebel even after I’d emptied everything in it.
“Babe?” Austin called from behind the locked door.
“Go away.”
“Let me in.”
“No,” I grumbled. “I’m dying. You shouldn’t have to watch it.”
“You’re actually sick?”
I reached up and unlocked the door. “As opposed to?”
He peeked in. “I thought you were just upset.”
“Well, I’m that too.”
“I’m so sorry, baby.” He hunkered down beside me and pulled my hair away from my face. “You’re burning up.”
“Bonus.”
“I’m gonna run the bath.” He rose to his feet. “Let’s get that fever lown.”
I stayed plastered against the toilet, buck naked, as my man filled the tub, grabbed towels, and then helped me off the floor and into the bath… also buck naked. I would have laughed had Iot been so pathetically ill.
I dropped my head back against the rim of the tub and sighed. The warm water covered me all the way to my neck and it was divine.
“Dani?”
“Hmm,” Linumbled.
“I’m gonna call your brother, yeah?”
“Why?” I opened my eyes and frowned. He’d pulled on pajama ottoms and that kind of made me sad.
“Because you’re way too sick to go tonight, but I still need to talk to him.”
“Oh, right.” I closed my eyes again. “K.”
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I vaguely registered his voice as he called my brother, but my bolly felt like lead and I didn’t even have the energy to listen.
“Babe?”
“Mmm?” Austin’s cool hand fluttered across my forehead.
“Wake up, baby. Gonna get you dried off and back into bed.”
“Can’t move.”
I groaned when I heard the clunk of the drain being opened and the water whooshing down the drain.
“Okay, honey, let’s get you up.”
I swallowed, my throat dry and rough. “No.”
“You’re gonna freeze if we don’t get you into bed.”
I forced my eyes open and frowned. “I don’t care.”
Austin chuckled as his hands went under my armpits and he lifted me onto shaky legs, wrapping a huge towel around my body and scooping me from the tub. He sat me on a chair in front of the mirror and gently brushed out my hair. Since I could barely keep my eyes open, he secured the mass with a scrunchy and then helped me back into bed.
I crawled under the sheets and sighed as the coolness of the pillowcase connected with my cheek.
“I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”
“K,” I whispered, and passed out.
AD
