Page 8

Chapter Eight

B y the time my plane lands in California, it’s four o’clock in the morning. I step out of the terminal to one of my favorite sights. Cass is sound asleep in a chair waiting for me. I gently place a hand on his shoulder to wake him.

“Hey, sleepy head,” I say softly. Cass bolts upright, grabbing my wrist.

“Easy, killer. It’s just me.” He looks up at me, his eyes drinking me in.

“Hey, I’m little and brittle. Could you ease up on that death grip?” I ask, staring at his hand on my wrist.

Realizing he still has my wrist in his hand, he quickly releases his grip. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry, baby.”

The sound of him calling me baby puts a ridiculous smile on my face. Maybe he does kind of like me. I know I enjoy that endearment.

Cass rises from the chair and kisses me. Every emotion he has is urged into my lips. There’s so much passion where his lips meet mine. Cass pulls away and rests his forehead on mine, our noses still touching. His eyes are closed and on his face is a combination of relief and happiness, buried beneath a smile.

“My god, I missed you pretty girl,” he says, his eyes still closed.

I rub my nose against his. “Ditto.”

Trying to contain myself, I wrap my arms around Cass’s waist and run my hands up his back and across his shoulders before kissing him again. There’s this intense feeling where our lips meet. I envision it like electricity flowing between them. Like blue sparks coursing between us, a spark of electricity that radiates through my whole body.

“Slow down, Turbo,” Cass growls, his lips slowly inching away from mine.

I purse my lips in protest. “Sorry,” I say the words, but I’m not. I’m not feeling sorry at all. Cass flashes me that smile that I love so much sending heat straight to my core. Holy fuck. I need to get him to the hotel. Right now.

“Let’s get out of here.” Cass grabs my hand and all but drags me through the airport.

“Nice dress,” Cass says, almost sarcastically.

“Thank you. This smoking hot biker sent it to me.” I beam.

Once we reach the parking lot, Cass stops at the passenger door of a black Ford F-150. He opens it and motions for me to get in. I step between him and the truck but stop short, turning to face him without getting in yet. I grab him by the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine. Our kiss is needy. It’s messy. Rough. I twist my fingers in his hair as our lips mesh. I don’t know that I’ve ever been kissed like this and damn it, I need more of it. Nothing else in the world exists. Nothing matters but his lips making blue sparks on mine

Cass slams me against the side of the truck, the open passenger door serving as some sort of wall that separates us from anyone else. I gasp to fight the scream that threatens to escape when my bare ass touches the cold metal of the truck.

Cass doesn’t say anything, a smirk is the only indication he realized what happened. He picks my legs up and I’m grateful I slipped my underwear off in the bathroom before boarding the plane. Risky? A bit. Out of character for me? Much. Worth it? Abso-fuckin-lutely.

Cass’s hands explore my body and when they reach my thighs, he stops as his fingers reach bare skin. He realizes that there is nothing separating my pussy and his fingers. He begins to tease my clit, the look in his eyes animalistic as he toys with me. Rubbing one finger at a time over me ever so slightly. We both let out a hushed moan when Cass’s fingers find my entrance and he inserts one slowly.

“You’re so fucking wet for me. That’s my wet pussy.” Cass runs his finger from my entrance, up to my clit, then back down again. I whimper, aching for him to give me more.

I trace my hands over his chest, his stomach, down to his hard cock that waits just beneath his blue jeans. Cass moans into my mouth, his lips lingering in a parted “O” shape, giving me the perfect opportunity to bite his bottom lip. Cass thrusts his hips forward, pressing himself harder into my hand. I tug at his belt, finally getting it undone and freeing him from his jeans. Cass’s moans turn me on even more. His fingers move charismatically on my clit while I long-stroke his dick. Ecstasy consumes me and I know I’m building for that sweet release that’s just around the corner.

I shove his hand away and drag his hips to mine. That’s all the initiative he needs because he slides inside, giving me all of him in one sharp movement. The sting of him slamming inside makes me see stars for a split second, that feeling so good I lose my breath.

“Baby, you feel so fucking good inside me. Fuck me, baby,” I encourage him as he taunts me, grinding his hips slowly.

My fingers twist hard in his hair at the nape of his neck, and I bring his lips down to meet mine. He kisses me, hard, just as hard as he slammed into me. My head tilts back and I stare up into his eyes.

“I want you to fuck me, hard,” I beg.

Cass’s hands slip beneath my ass cheeks, spreading me open from the bottom so I can take all of him. He continues his assault, his pace faster and his grip on my ass tight. I smirk, knowing that he’s getting close.

He repositions me against the truck, pounding into me. I gasp, mouth wide from the sting of the cold metal on my ass. My tongue circles his ear, and I lean in to whisper to him.

“Come with me, baby.” Knowing that will send him over the edge. Cass slows his pace but rams harder with each thrust. I gaze into his eyes as my own orgasm threatens to unravel me at the seams.

“Choke me. I’m coming for you,” I choke out as my orgasm rips through me. Cass’s hand wraps around my throat, stifling the moan that dares to escape my lips.

“Keep coming for me, baby. Fuck yeah,” Cass lets out as he slams into me once more, hard. A subtle look of pleasure creeps onto my face as I feel Cass come inside me.

“Holy fuck,” Cass breaths, his head slamming onto my chest. Beads of sweat trickle down his forehead, his hair damp from all the work he put in holding me up and pleasuring us both. I run a hand through his hair, my head resting against the window of the truck behind me.

“Yes, holy fuck. I so missed you,” I huff, lifting his head up so I can kiss him again.

“I missed you too, baby.”

Cass unwraps my legs from around his waist and sets me down onto the ground.

“Now to bring you to our hotel and I’ve got to get to work,” he says, buckling his belt and straightening his shirt.

I hop into the passenger seat with a pout. “But I just got here.” I stick my bottom lip out and widen my eyes. Cass smirks at me.

“I know and you need to get some rest. By the time you wake up, I’ll be back and you and I have plans this evening.”

He closes my door and gets into the driver’s side. I find myself leaning over the center console to kiss him again. His lips just fit so well with mine and I want to take advantage of every moment I can.

“We have to go,” he breathes, his voice barely a whisper.

My inner goddess dances at the thought of what I do to him when I kiss him. I hope I set his soul on fire in the same way that he does mine.

“Yes sir.”

I sit back in my seat and buckle my seatbelt. Cass cranks the truck and plugs his phone into the auxiliary cord. Zac Brown Band erupts through the speakers before I even kick my shoes off and pull my legs into the seat with me. The view when we turn out of the parking garage is breathtaking. The sun is just beginning to rise above the horizon, lighting up the city in a variety of shades of red and orange.

Cass rests his hand on the center console and, instinctively, I place my hand in his. He lifts my hand to his mouth and presses a soft kiss to each individual finger, making me giggle and leaving a smile on my face.

Today, for the first time in what feels like an eternity, I’m not worried about everything else in my life. I’m not worried about the late payments on my rent, the stress of the grand opening of the bar and hoping it does well, or anything else. Today, I’m finally feeling back to myself, feeling like I can conquer anything that comes my way and enjoying being alive.

I feel Cass’s eyes burning into my skin.

“What?” I ask.

“Just looking at how beautiful you are,” he says, turning his eyes back to the highway in front of us.

“How long is it to the hotel?” I ask. Not that it matters. I don’t care if we ever leave this truck.

“It’s about twenty minutes away. Why? You wanting to get away from me already?”

I laugh at his remark. “Not in the least. But sleep does sound pretty good right about now.” I suppress a yawn.

“Oh yeah. You’re going to be down for the count as soon as your head hits the pillow.”

My phone chimes in the cupholder next to me. I don’t remember putting it there, so Cass must have done it before… I shiver at the thought of what happened outside the airport.

“Are you cold?” Cass asks, reaching to turn the heater on.

“ No . No, that wasn’t a shiver from being cold,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. His eyes darken and a playful smile crosses his face.

“Oh. Well. Ahh,” he hums, licking one finger and marking an invisible tally mark into the air. “I’ll take it.”

My cheeks are starting to ache from the constant smile on my face. I stare down at my phone and open the two unread texts waiting for me.

Mindy: Let me know when you land. And HAVE FUN!

Unknown: It’s Scott. Tell Cass to call me when he can, no rush. Didn’t want to interrupt him while he waited. I figure he was asleep. He needs that.

I respond to both of them Mindy first.

Lilly: Landed. And the fun has already begun.

Lilly: Will do.

“Scott said to call him when you get a minute.”

Cass’s abrupt laughter echoing through the truck startles me.

“Why didn’t he just text me?”

“He said he didn’t want to interrupt you while you slept, basically.”

Cass shakes his head. “Now I’m starting to wonder who is babysitting who.”

“I’m definitely babysitting you. Someone has to fend off all of these women throwing themselves at you.” I grin and shoot him a wink.

“Please. Women do not throw themselves at me. I’m just a man.”

Yeah, a man who has no idea how fucking sexy he is. He could have nearly any woman he wanted. Any single one of them.

“I’m glad you think that. Even if your thoughts are the furthest thing from the truth.”

Cass looks at me out of the corner of his eyes, the curve of his lips twitching, holding back a smile. Hardcore biker has a soft side and it’s fucking adorable.

I sit quietly as I take in the sight of Cass, driving and enjoying the music playing. The sun dances on his face perfectly. Beautiful rays shine on his eyes, making them glisten with the shades of dark blue and green hues. One arm rests on the steering wheel while the other is propped on the center console holding my hand. I take this moment to scan every inch of him.

His goatee is black with just enough strands of gray in it to make me have to rub my thighs together. The wetness of my pussy makes my leg twitch, a combination of arousal and Cass’s orgasm inside me moments ago. His right arm has a tattoo of a gargoyle-looking claw that wraps around his arm, making up one of his half-sleeves. His left arm has an actual gargoyle on it, wings spread, curving down his arm. The black shirt he wears fits just tight enough around him to outline every muscle from the top of his shoulders to his lower abdomen.

My hands trace over the bottom of his tattoo and before I know it, I’m running my hands over his shoulders and back down his arms. Cass cuts his eyes at me, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“What? You just feel so fucking good.”

I continue to explore his upper body with my hands, undeterred by his side-eye.

“You better stop. You’re going to make me late for work.”

Make him late for work? Yes. Yes, please.

“And I can’t be late today,” Cass says firmly, crushing all of the wishful thoughts I had of taking advantage of him when we get to the hotel.

Cass’s phone rings, killing the music playing through the speakers. Being connected to the auxiliary, there’s no name showing on the radio screen. When Cass glances at the number on his phone, his whole demeanor changes. His body tenses and the soft look that had been on his face only moments before is now long gone. In its place is a cold, distant stare. I can tell that in this moment, this is not the man I know.

“Cass.” The voice on the other end of the line belongs to a man, his voice gruff. It’s deep and raspy and void of emotion.

“Curt,” Cass says.

“Your ride is waiting at the hotel. Where are you?”

Cass takes in a breath and grits his teeth. He isn’t happy about whatever it is that is happening.

“I’m on my way. I will come to you,” Cass growls.

“Get here. You’re late,” Curt barks and the call ends.

What the hell was that about?

“I’m dropping you off at the front door of the hotel. I’m not coming in. I’ve got to go. I’m late,” Cass says, his voice dry and cold.

“Okay.”

I manage to get the word out, unsure of if Cass can hear me or not. Who is this man and what happened to the sweet, playful man that was just here moments ago? I’m starting to question why I’m here. I don’t feel welcome anymore and I’m unsure of what to say, if anything.

When we arrive at the hotel, Cass’s face is a statue. There’s no life in it. I lean over to kiss Cass before getting out and he doesn’t budge. He simply hands me the key card.

What the fuck? Slightly annoyed and a little upset, I take the key and get out of the truck. I storm toward the entrance to the hotel but only after making sure I slam the truck door when I get out. I’m pissed and he’s going to know it. I don’t care. There is no reason for him to ignore the fuck out of me like that, especially after our morning. He asked me to come here. He made it possible. I didn’t ask for this and I sure as hell didn’t ask to be treated like shit once I got here.

The sound of tires screeching as I walk through the automatic doors of the hotel makes my blood boil. I try to fight back the tears that are burning my eyes and then I have to fight angry tears at the thought of why I’m even upset in the first place.

I walk into a clean, pristine hotel room. Nothing is out of place. There’s a suitcase on the luggage rack inside the closet with only a few items of Cass’s clothing. On the desk, there’s a notebook open to a page with writing. Nothing written in the notebook makes any sense, though. It’s just a list of movie titles.

“So, he’s into music and movies. Nice.”

Exhaustion sets in as I lay across the bed. I’ve been awake for entirely too long and the orgasm I had only an hour ago has taken the rest of the energy I had left. Well, that and the simmering frustration.

The last thing that crosses my mind before the darkness of sleep engulfs me is Cass and why he had been so ugly to me. I don’t dream. Everything is dark and for the first time in weeks, I think I truly rested.

I wake to a knock on the hotel room door. I bolt upright, rubbing my eyes. I try to get my bearings about me as I scan the room. Where am I? Hotel. Cass. California. Another knock sounds and I get up to answer it. Looking through the peephole, I notice a man that has the same purple and gold rebel flag patch that Cass does on his cut.

“Can I help you?” I ask, running a hand over my face. The man holds up two bags labeled ‘Tauna’s Boutique’.

“Cass sent me here with clothes for you,” the guy outside the door says.

I open the door and look at the man standing in front of me. He’s my height, a bit shorter maybe by an inch, with a dark-purple bandana on his head and a goatee that hangs down nearly three inches.

“You can come in,” I say stepping aside for the man to enter. He walks in and sets the bags down, but not before I notice the bottom rocker on his cut that reads ‘Prospect’.

“I’m Shorty,” he says.

“Lilly.”

“Nice to meet you. I had my wife go do some shopping for you. Cass said you needed something to wear because you ended up here without clothes.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

I offer him a small smile.

“I’ve got to get out of here, but Cass told me to leave my number with you in case you need anything while he is working.”

Shorty hands me a piece of paper with his number scrawled on it before walking out the door. As soon as he’s gone, I dump the contents of the bags of clothes onto the bed. Shorty’s wife did great. Wow. I sift through all the items, finding three dresses, two pairs of jeans, and two shirts along with a bottle of perfume.

At least he did something sweet to try to make up for his actions yesterday. Yesterday? What time is it?

I check the clock by the bed. Four o’clock. I’ve only slept part of the day away. If Cass works a regular day, then he should be getting back any minute. But who knows what kind of work day he’s going to have with the way that call went this morning. He said he would be back by the time I woke up and if Shorty wouldn’t have woken me up, I would’ve probably slept for a few more hours.

My stomach grumbles and I realize I’m starving. I wonder if they have a room service menu around here. I find menus for multiple restaurants that deliver here and one for actual hotel room service.

I find a cheeseburger on my stomach’s wish list and call one in. Then I remember that Cass could be back at any moment so I order a second one.

It doesn’t take long for the burgers to make it to the room, and I devour mine in two minutes flat.

Oh shit. I probably have texts and phone calls galore. I scoop it off the night stand and it’s ringing when I pick it up. Mindy’s name flashes across the screen.

“Hello love,” I rasp, my voice thick with sleep.

“Hey! I’ve been trying to get in touch with you since I got up this morning. What have you been doing?” she asks, her voice cheerful.

“Sleeping,” I answer.

“Oh. I forgot that you had been up for forever and a day by the time you actually made it to Cali. Okay, so anyway, to the reason I was calling. The new bartenders are amazing!” Mindy’s happiness explodes through the phone at an octave too high for the amount of awake that I am right now.

“Are they?” I ask.

“Yes! Ryan is doing a phenomenal job at everything. She isn’t a seasoned bartender, but I think that with the right training, she will be just as good as you and me. And Lucy is right on track, too. Make sure you tell Cass thank you for me. He really has helped by bringing those two in.” Mindy’s bubbly voice makes me smile.

“Will do. Whenever he gets off work. He should be getting here any minute now. I’m so happy the girls are working out.”

I do my best to fake enthusiasm, but I’m not feeling very enthusiastic if we’re being honest. After the way things were when Cass left, I’m confused.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Mindy asks.

“Nothing love, I’m just still a little tired.” Please believe it. Please.

“Oh. Did I wake you up? I didn’t even ask. Damn, I’m so inconsiderate.”

“No, you didn’t wake me up. A Prospect did. Cass sent me clothes.”

“Aw. That’s so sweet!”

Mindy really needs to work on this bubbly shit. It’s morning. At least for me.

“Yes ma’am. I think I’m going back to sleep for a few more hours. I’m still pretty tired.” I’m somehow groggier now than when I first answered the phone.

“Okay, my little drifter. Get some sleep. I’ll keep you posted on any new happenings around the bar. Love you! Have fun and get home safe.”

“Love you, too. Bye.”

I thumb the end call button and set my phone next to the bed. I lay there, eyes closed, contemplating my life. I’m still tired, probably because of the long flight on top of not sleeping for a day. I need a shower, then sleep.

I shower and crawl back into bed with nothing on. There are no clothes for me to sleep in and sleeping naked sounds so comfy and perfect. The bed is huge, making the mattress mold perfectly around me. Before I get too comfortable, I grab my phone and send a text to Cass.

Lilly: When will you be back?

I wait for a few minutes, trying to force my eyes open but finally, I give in to the exhaustion and let sleep take me. The next few hours consist of dreams of Cass and when I open my eyes, it’s pitch black in the hotel room. The only light comes from the alarm clock next to the bed. Twelve-eighteen. It’s after midnight. Wow I can’t believe I slept that long. Where’s Cass? I pat the bed next to me finding it empty.

My stomach sinks a bit as I turn on the lamp. He isn’t in the other bed either. I reach for my phone and there are no messages or missed calls. What the fuck?

Panic begins to creep in as I dial Cass’s number. It rings and rings until finally it goes to voicemail. He didn’t answer and he hasn’t read the text I sent before I fell asleep. I cannot lay in this bed any longer. I feel like something’s wrong. Somethings off. Right? It has to be. I step into a pair of the blue jeans and tug one of the shirts over my head. I put on the shoes I arrived in and head downstairs to the hotel lobby.

My head is reeling. If he got off work at a decent time, he should have been back here long before now. Unless he decided to go out to a bar or to see someone else or…whatever. But he wouldn’t have wanted me here if there was someone else he had to go see in that way. I don’t even know where he works. I have no fucking idea where to go to find him. Fuck!

Unsure of where I’m going yet, I call for a cab to come and get me anyway. The cab driver arrives in no time and I climb in.

“Where do you need to go, Miss?” he asks.

“Are there any biker hangouts around here?” I ask, hoping I don’t sound as ridiculous as I feel by asking that. The cab driver chuckles at my question, making my cheeks flush with embarrassment.

“Only about twenty of them. Which one are you looking for?” he asks.

“I don’t really know.”

“Are you looking for a particular MC or just any place where you can find a biker?” the cab driver inquires.

“I’m looking for Lucifer’s Hounds,” I say reluctantly, unsure of if this was a bad idea or not. Too late. Can’t take it back now.

“Lucifer’s Hounds? They have their own bar about ten minutes up the road.”

I smile at the cab driver’s words. “Take me there.”

If there were any place Cass would be, it would be at the bar his club owned. At least that’s what I’m hoping for. It takes less than ten minutes to get from the hotel to the bar. The sign outside is lit up in neon yellow with the name “Killin’ Time” blinking in purple letters. There are about fifteen bikes parked in front of the bar, but I don’t see Cass’s truck anywhere.

“You sure you want to be at this place, Miss?” the cab driver asks, looking concerned for my safety.

“I’m sure,” I reassure him.

“How much do I owe you?”

“Fifteen dollars.” I hand him a twenty and step out, my stomach in a small knot.

I steady my breathing and walk through the door. I’m surprised by what I find on the other side of the door. From every stereo-type I’ve ever heard, I expected to see strippers and half-naked women walking around, dancing and giving out blowjobs at the bar like they’re candy. However, that wasn’t the case at all. It’s seems surprisingly normal. The jukebox plays a George Jones tune and there are a few patch holders sitting at the bar drinking beer and bullshitting.

No one cat-calls me as I walk in, nor does anyone give me so much as a second glance. It’s got a laid-back atmosphere and everyone seems to be having a good time. I look at the men sitting at the bar, like really look at them. Almost every single one of them is Lucifer’s Hounds. A crowd of people begin hollering and whistling, drawing my attention to the back of the bar.

There’s a small dance floor with a crowd of people creating a small circle around Shorty, the prospect that delivered my clothes earlier, bouncing everywhere in the center, dancing his ass off.

“Lilly!” Shorty yells my name when he sees me.

He begins moving in my direction and the crowd around him moves, clearing a path to me.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, half out of breath.

“Looking for Cass.” I cross my arms over my chest defensively.

Shorty half-ass giggles. “He isn’t here. But you can uncross your arms. No one here is going to make you leave.” I sigh and uncross my arms.

“You want a drink?” Shorty asks, leading me over to the bar.

“Sure. Have you heard from Cass?” I ask.

“Nope. Not a word. What are you drinking?”

“Crown and Seven. Double please.” I flash him a sarcastic smile as he steps behind the bar to make me a drink.

Where the fuck is Cass? Why am I even here if he didn’t plan on being around at all? My mind is racing, making me grateful for the drink Shorty sets in front of me.

“Thank you.”

Shorty bows and waves his hand. “You’re welcome. Are you hanging out for a little while or are you going on a search for Cass?”

I take a long sip of my drink, sigh, and turn toward Shorty. “I have no idea. I’m not going on a manhunt, that’s for sure.”

I take another sip and scan the bar. Everyone is talking and the place actually has welcoming feel about it. Shorty walks back to the crowd he was in the middle of earlier, leaving me to sit alone at the bar. Closing time is right around the corner and although I’m not tired, I don’t feel like sitting in a bar alone any longer.

I leave my drink sitting on the bar and make my way through the crowd until I find Shorty. “I’m going to get out of here. I don’t feel like being out and socializing.”

Shorty wraps me into a hug. “Okay. How are you getting back to your hotel?” he asks.

“Calling a cab. The same way that I got here,” I say, as if it’s blatantly obvious and he should know.

“No ma’am. I have a cage. I will bring you. Cass would kill me if I let you leave out of here alone in a town that you don’t know anyone in.”

Shorty grabs me by the arm and leads me to the door. I don’t protest. I hate being alone, especially in an unfamiliar town. I stop at the driver door of a gray Toyota Corolla.

“Hop in,” he says, plopping down in the driver’s seat. The drive from the bar to the hotel is short and quiet. Shorty doesn’t say much and because he knows where the hotel is, I don’t have to try and give him directions.

It’s two o’clock on the dot when I walk into the hotel room. It’s in the exact same condition I left it, messy and empty. I let out a sigh and lay across the bed in the dark. Where is he? This sucks. I just want to be held, and I want my spot. I want to be curled up in his arms, my head on his chest. I lie here in the dark, while I contemplate my life.

Just as I am drifting off to sleep, the sound of a key card in the door draws my attention. The door clicks open. I roll over to see a very sleepy looking Cass. He must think I’m asleep as he walks quietly to his suitcase. After rummaging through it, he walks quietly into the bathroom. A few minutes later, the sound of the shower turning on filters through the thin walls. I swear it only takes him a solid minute before the shower is turning off and Cass is walking out of the bathroom and crawling into bed beside me.

He has to be exhausted. He didn’t sleep last night aside from the cat nap he got at the airport, I’m sure. Cass wraps an arm around my waist, his hand resting on my lower stomach just between my hip and my thigh. I lift my hand to cover his and inch back until my back is flush against Cass.

“I missed you today,” I whisper, all of my anger dissipating at just the feel of his skin on mine.

“Ditto, baby.” And just like that, every worry and negative thought I had throughout the evening is gone and the only thing in the world that matters is being right where I am. Home.