Burning Ember (44 page)

Ember grabs my cut and I don’t know if she means to, but she clings to me and pulls me closer. The way she responds to my kiss and my touch, makes me feel like a fucking titan. Larger than life and more powerful than a mortal man.

When I finally pull away, her cheeks are red as the new ride I bought Edge, and her eyes are glazed and as bright as the sea. Her lips also look swollen and abused.

I relink our hands and turn toward the party.

Griz is the first one to let the jokes fly as he approaches us. “Was wonderin’ when you were gonna man the fuck up and claim that prize.” Smiling, he asks Doll, “You sure you want this ornery bastard?”

I give his laughing ass a little push. “She’s made her choice.”

Griz winks at her. “I guess she has.”

It takes nearly twenty minutes for everyone to get their licks in. But I take it all. I deserve it. And I’ve done what I needed to do. Every fucker out here now knows she’s my girl.

Looking over at Ember, I ask, “You hungry?”

“Starving.”

Pulling her toward the tables lined with food, I say, “Let’s get some of this before it’s gone.”

Side by side, we load up our plates. But before I can follow Doll to a table, I get waylaid by Nick.

“Can I steal him for a sec?” she asks Ember.

“Sure.” Ember’s brows rise slightly.

My instinct is not to leave her alone out here. I’m slightly irritated that is exactly what I’m going to have to do. “Find a seat, and save me a spot. I’ll be right there,” I tell her. My eyes follow her as she walks off and takes a seat beside Lil’ at one of the picnic tables.

Throwing me a smug expression, Nick says, “I see you’re one of the smart one’s after all.”

“Whatcha need, Nick?”

She waves me into the clubhouse. “Let’s talk inside for a minute, and then you can help me bring out the pies your girl made.” I check on Ember and see she’s having a conversation with Lil’ and Taffy. She looks like she’s doing fine and Goose is there at the table, so I trust he’ll watch out for her if need be.

I follow Nick through the backdoor of the clubhouse and into the kitchen. Once she double checks that we’re alone, she says, “I want someone else on watch at the house besides Rigor.”

Eyeing her curiously, I ask, “Why? What happened?”

“Nothin’ yet. But he and Taffy are getting closer than I’d like to see them get. I want you to put a stop to it, pull him from the house, and talk to him. Cap may not pull through, but if he does that boy’ll be nothin’ but soil.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

She pats my arm. “I thought you would. It’s better for everyone this way. Rig’s a good kid.” She pulls two pies from the pantry and hands one to me. Then she pulls out one more and heads out of the kitchen. Through the kitchen window, I find the prospect. Sure enough, he has his eyes on Taffy.

Yep, I need to squash this. Rigor is only about two months away from earning his patch. But if Dozer or Edge catches wind of his interest in Taffy, that’ll never happen. Although he’s mostly a miserable kind of guy, he’s one of the best prospects we’ve ever had.

Exiting the backdoor, I jerk to a halt as I come face to face with Star.

“Hey, Mav.”

“What are you doin’ out here?”

“Grinder told me to bring out another bag of ice.”

Bullshit.
Grinder hates this bitch and he’d never ask her for shit. Especially to come outside when the yard is full of old ladies who’d love nothing more than to get their hands on her.

“Get back inside,” I snap. Looking around I see half of the old ladies already watching her and glaring.

Star trails her fingers up my arm and goes up on her tips toes. “Come with me, and I’ll let you bend me over your desk again.”

Snatching my arm away, I grate out, “Let me be crystal fuckin’ clear. The only reason I brought you back here was to make Edge’s night, not mine. There is only one woman I want touchin’ me and in case you haven’t figured it out, it’s not you. If you come within three fuckin’ feet of me again, or say shit like that to me again, you’re done. And this time you won’t be walkin’ the fuck out. You feel me?”

“Yes. S-shit, Mav. I—”

“Get inside. Now.”

She hustles inside and I glower at everyone who looks over at me. Especially Taz, because he’s laughin’ his ass off. He flings his hand up and down and mimics the sound of a whip.

“Fuck off,” I growl at him. He’s now holding his stomach and stumbling as he laughs harder.

Yeah, he has every right to yank my chain. I’ve officially been with Doll for less than an hour and I’m already whipped. Crazy, considering I haven’t even had the pleasure of tasting or feeling her pussy on my tongue or wrapped around my cock yet.

Which is something I plan to rectify as soon as possible.

The sun disappeared two hours ago, and like an unspoken signal, the party begins to change gears. Some old ladies leave, kids are taken home, and clubpieces start parading around the yard. Then the music gets cranked up, the kegs get rolled out, and the prospects start building fires in the fire pits.

In no time, the place is crawling with bodies. Some are members from other chapters, while others are from support clubs who’ve traveled into town to celebrate with us.

They flood into the yard and fill the clubhouse.

The party gets more out of control as time passes and through it all, I study Doll. Pay attention to her physical responses. I feel it every time her body tenses or her pulse quickens. I watch the emotions flickering across her face, amusement, disgust, shock, and even curiosity. Sometimes she shrinks into my side, or squeezes my hand, and other times she simply fixes her gaze in a direction to avoid witnessing sexual activities going on around us.

I escorted Doll inside a bit ago so she could use the bathroom, and we both got an eyeful of Edge being double-teamed by two strippers in the middle of the main room. One was topless, and the other had nothing on but pasties. Both were doing a hell of a lot more than stripping.

Not once does she condemn, judge, or bolt. Which is what I’ve been braced for all night.

At the same time, I need to know if she can handle us at our worst.

It’s a test every old lady has to pass.

The fact she’s passing with flying colors has me pulling her tighter to me.

We’re sitting at the picnic table. One of my arms is wrapped around her waist, and my other hand is lying on the table gripping a beer. She’s leaning back against my chest and her thighs rest against mine as we straddle the bench. I can tell by her relaxed posture, small smile, and steady breaths, she’s at ease with the brothers and their women gathered around us.

Lil’s on Goose’s lap, and she and Taz are warning Bodie to stay away from the slutty brunette currently eye fucking him from across the yard. The girl is wrapped around a Greenback and not just any Greenback, but Deeds who we call Sonny Psycho for a reason. He’s Pappy’s son, and he’s batshit mental. He arrived with Smoke and a few other GBs an hour ago. The chick who won’t stop staring at Bodie is wearing her man’s property patch. In our world that means she’s off limits. Bodie knows this. And he’s usually not one to stir up trouble for the club. But he also loves fucking with Taz, so he keeps looking over at her.

A female shriek rings out across the yard. A chorus of cheers follow. I look over to see Cajun, the El Paso chapter president strolling away with a woman over his shoulder.

As my eyes travel back over the party, my gaze locks with Smoke’s. He’s stayed out of sight most of the night, where the other Greenbacks are partying hard. He’s standing behind a raging fire as shadows and flames dance eerily over the front of his face. His gaze moves from me to Doll, but she’s sitting right in front of Bodie. I realize he’s witnessing the exchange between Bodie and Deed’s old lady.

“Knock it off,” I tell Bodie. “Smoke’s got your number.”

The table turns quiet for a moment. Taz, never one to let opportunity for trouble pass him, turns around and searches the party for the Greenback’s VP.

“Let it go, T.” I shake my head and take a sip of my beer.

“So what do you think of your first HOC party, Pumpkin?” Lil’ questions. “Pretty crazy right? Is it as bad as you thought it’d be?”

Ember looks around. “It’s what I expected, only—”

“With more dicks and naked chicks,” Bodie takes a hit on his joint and wiggles his eyebrows.

She laughs. “Yeah. More of everything. I didn’t know it would be this big. I didn’t know biker gangs hang out together.”

“Club, little stray,” Taz corrects her. “We’re not a street gang of baggy-ass-pants-wearin’-pussies.”

“Oh. Sorry, I—”

While glaring at Taz, I whisper against her temple, “Nothin’ to be sorry about. It’s a different world. Takes some time to get used to.”

I noticed earlier how Ember had taken an interest in the different club colors being represented on the back of biker jackets. The only one I could tell that she didn’t particularly like was the Greenback’s patch. It’s of an evil leprechaun that’s missing all but two of its teeth, standing on a pile of bones and holding a skull in his hand. In fact, when she saw it, her face paled and her gaze darted away.

Looking around at the different colors being sported, I tell her, “These are the clubs we’re friendly with. We support each other and watch each other’s backs.”

“Bikers tend to stick together,” Bodie adds.

Lil’ continues, “We meet up for parties and runs, rallies, and at Sturgis.”

“Because it’s us against the fuckin’ world.” Bodie opens his arms and raises his voice, which has Ember laughing again.

“There are certain clubs and gangs you need to watch out for and stay clear of,” Taz warns.

Glaring up at him, I snarl, “Jesus, what’s with you tonight? Back off.”

Taz shrugs. “What? You gotta warn her about shit.”

“Yeah, but fuck, can we give it to her in small doses, so you don’t scare her the hell away? I’m trying to get her to stick around, not send her runnin’ for the fuckin’ hills.”

Ember turns her head so our eyes meet. “I think you’re forgetting I’ve already been around this for two weeks. And Lily’s already told me some of this. I’m not scared, just curious about what I’m getting into with you.” Her smile is sexy and teasing. Without a second thought as to all the people who are going to see us, I kiss her. For a moment she kisses me back, but when Griz shouts, “Take that shit into the clubhouse,” from behind us, and grumbles, “I don’t need to be seein’ you mackin’ on my girl here,” she breaks away from our kiss.

“She’s my girl,” I growl.

Griz takes a seat on the other side of Ember and gives me a shit-eating grin. After slamming the bottle of tequila on the table, he starts placing shots glasses on the table. Lita has more she’s carried out and does the same.

Edge comes up to stand beside Taz. “This better be important, ol’ man, that bitch was deep throating my shit and takin’ it like a pro.”

He looks like he’s been through hell and heaven and back. His hair is spiked all over and his eyes are barely open. It’s obvious by the way his cut hangs off him, he lost a lot of fuckin’ weight in lock up.

“We’re fuckin’ celebratin’!” Griz hollers. “Edge is finally the fuck home. Mav has pulled the fork out of his ass. And I just got word from Nick that Cap moved his fingers tonight. No goddamn lie. He’s gonna wake the fuck up, you just wait and see if he don’t. I knew the reaper wouldn’t be able to drag him down.”

Pulling out my phone, I see a text from Nick saying exactly what Griz said. I text her back and let her know I’ll come by the hospital tomorrow.

“We’re all doin’ shots,” Griz declares. “Rigor! Get your skinny, miserable ass over here!”

Griz throws his arm over my girl and briefly pulls her away from me. He plants a big kiss on her cheek, and has her laughing. To me he says, “Keep this woman happy, you hear?”

“I plan on it. Now give her the fuck back.”

As Rigor makes his way over, Griz starts pouring shots. He hands them out one by one. We all slam them back. The liquid burns for a heartbeat, but then warms me from my belly to the tips of my fingers. Ember immediately starts choking on hers and the guys raze her, while I rub her back. I almost tell them to knock it off, but when she recovers, she throws their taunts right back at them. Gives as good as she gets it.

Watching them all together like this, and seeing Ember fit in our little group, sends a cool feeling of contentment coursing through me.

This is how it’s supposed to be.

My family, my friends, and my girl.

It’s all I’ve ever wanted. All I’ve ever needed.

Turning my head, I nuzzle my nose behind Doll’s ear. “I can’t wait to get you on the back of my bike.” She leans into me and her scent fills my lungs as I take her in. I nibble on her ear for a second and then whisper, “And I can’t wait to taste you again.”

A shudder rakes down her body and I smile against her cheek.

I’ve discovered over the course of the night that she’s not used to public displays of affection. But the more I touch her, the more she warms to my touch, which works for me, because I can’t go more than a few minutes without touching her or having my lips on her somewhere.