Page 17

Chapter seventeen

Life’s been fucking chaotic lately. With everything going on between Bailee’s shit and the club shit, we’ve barely had any time together.

My craving for her doesn’t lessen. It seems to get stronger the more time I go without her. The shit that fucking scares me is that it’s not just sexual. We satisfy that part over the phone together every night. Now, there’s a hunger in my gut to know things about her. Everything we’ve had in the past was surface-level shit because I couldn’t and wouldn’t let it be more. I cared about her a fuck-ton but wasn’t wanting to settle. Plus, when she had come into my life, I’d just been coming off the ridiculous crush I had on Emmy Lou. That shit was gone completely after the first couple times with Bailee. That woman stole my attention, and truth be told, I ain’t ever taken it away from her no matter who the fuck I’ve been with. Probably should have. Hell, I tried fucking hard to—with Heather, club whores, fender fluff, and other townies—but it was always her in my mind when I was getting off.

Shitty as fuck, but it is what it is. No use kicking myself in the nuts about it repeatedly.

What I’m feeling for this damn woman now rivals whatever the fuck I’d felt for her in the past. I guess that’s why it’s so fucking terrifying. I ain’t any more ready for her now than I was before, not with everything going on and not with Heather still trying to pull her bullshit. Bitch is lucky she’s the mother to my daughter. It’s the only reason she’s still around and the only reason she’s gotten away with so much more shit than I’d normally let anyone pull.

I’m about to head to Wraith and Nova’s to pick up Lyric when my phone rings and Wraith’s name flashes over the screen.

“All good, Pres?”

“Just got a call from Crow. We need to meet him at Trinity. Shit’s gone down at Sage’s work and it’s bad. Nova couldn’t get a hold of her. We’ve got Bozo on protection along with Pierce’s guys, but we haven’t heard much yet. Firecracker is coming so she can be there for her sister. Her mom is staying with the kids. You good with that, brother, or do you need to grab your girl?”

“All good. Meet you there.”

Unsure what we’re dealing with, I head to the basement and the hidden armory I keep down there. I strap my guns into the holsters at my shoulders, shove my tomahawks into the holders at my hips, and grab a couple other weapons I’m proficient with—a garrote, a few more spare knives.

By the time I make it to my bike, I look like I’m going to war, and considering the shit we’ve been coming across, we just might be.

Needing Bailee to be safe, I pull up her contact and hit the call icon, listening to it ring as I lock up.

“Hey,” she murmurs in greeting.

Other than the sound of her voice, it’s quiet on her end, so I’m guessing she’s in her apartment. My shoulders loosen and I shake my head, not even realizing I had been tense until then. “You good, Hummingbird?”

“If you’re asking if I’m safe, the answer to that is yes. I’m tucked all nice and snug down in the apartment. I’d be more comfortable if I had a big burly biker in bed with me. If you’re asking if I’m okay, then physically, yes, but mentally, no. I’m exhausted from all the running and hiding, and I freaking miss you, okay? I know that’s against our rules, and I probably wouldn’t even be admitting this except see my previous comment about being freaking exhausted.”

“Better only be one fuckin’ burly biker in your goddamn bed, baby girl, or I’m goin’ to spank that ass,” I growl, tossing my leg over the seat, connecting the phone to my Bluetooth, and rolling backward so I can turn around.

“Of course, that’s all you heard,” she mutters.

“Miss you too, baby girl. Stay by the phone. Shit’s goin’ down with Crow’s Old Lady. I’ll call you back when I can. Doors locked, Lee.”

“Be safe, Steel. You better call me, and if you come to me hurt, I’m kicking your butt after I heal you.”

The worry in her voice does some crazy shit to my insides. Instead of acknowledging that, I turn the key in the ignition and flick my wrist, sending my bike roaring to life.

“I get you, ass,” she says with a laugh. “Made you gooey inside, huh?”

“Fuckin’ wench,” I mutter. “Later, baby girl.”

The loud roar of pipes coming up behind me after I’m on the road has me glancing in the mirror. A grim smile curls my lips when I spot my club brothers, and we automatically fall into a semi-formation once we’re all caught up and riding together.

Most times when I’m on my bike and riding with my brothers, it’s peaceful and free. Tonight, it’s not as peaceful as I wish it was, because if I’m to judge the savage and empty expression on Crow’s face when he glances over at me, we’re about to walk into hell with no fucking idea of what we’re facing or what the outcome is going to be.

The orange glow of flames eating up Trinity lights up the darkness and greets us long before we actually reach our destination. The blaze is still burning hot when we pull up, and battle-weary firefighters are going to war with the sea of flames as they try to save any part of the building they can.

There’s a warning in my gut the moment we come to a stop and I spot the two body bags laying reverently on the sidewalk. That warning builds into a tight ball of dread when I take in the look in Sage and Jagger’s eyes as they stare at the bags. Someone has taken tremendous care when placing them.

My fists clench, and I fight the urge to grab one of my weapons. It’d be useless, because right now, the enemy has no goddamn face. I won’t know who the hell I’m fighting as we’ve yet to figure out who the fuck is behind Crow’s shit.

I shift my eyes around the area, cataloging details and searching for more threats. They pass over a familiar hunk of carbon, steel, and chrome before it registers. Somehow, I missed it when we rode up, but Bozo’s bike is sitting like a lone soldier next to the ambulance.

I’m about to search through the crowd for him when Wraith calls out to Crow, and my body locks solid at his question.

“Crow, where’s Bozo? His bike is here, but I don’t see him.”

My gut clenches when Crow’s reply is a respectful nod toward the black bags.

Ah, fuck.

I squeeze my eyes shut tight as pain and rage collide inside me, creating such a wrathful vortex, it could probably go to war with the orange inferno raging in front of me and come out the victor.

“Fuck,” Wraith whispers, the cracking of his voice the only outward sign of his grief. “This is fucking bullshit.” He pierces Crow with such a savage look, I’d about think he was the devil himself. “I want whoever the fuck is responsible for this. I want their goddamn head on a silver fucking platter at my table.” Wraith glances around so that he’s addressing us all. “Am I understood? Whoever started this fire took our brother from us while he was trying to protect an Old Lady.”

Growls rumble out around me, blending in with the roaring of the fire, the grief-stricken cries from Sage and the others who have had to bear witness and feel this loss, and the frustrated shouts from the exhausted firefighters.

“We find them and we show them what happens when you mess with one of ours,” Wraith roars then tosses his head back and opens his mouth to let out a devastated howl. We all follow our President, letting out our own desolate howl that grabs the attention of the people around us.

Grief and pain continuously try to crowd their way back in, but I fight them off, not ready to deal with it.

Sage, Crow’s Old Lady, locks eyes with her man then takes off sprinting toward him. The big man braces himself to catch his tiny woman and locks her tightly in his arms. I catch the first few words out of her mouth and step away, giving them the privacy they should have.

Wraith and Nova stick around while the others and I split off to check in with Voodoo, the President of the Hades Hellions. For this mission, and because we’re in his city, they’re our allies, and we’re working together to find the motherfucker who did this.

My phone chimes as I’m in the middle of a conversation with Voodoo and Darko, the Hades Hellions Enforcer, so I step away and pull it from my pocket.

HUMMINGBIRD

Hey, bossman. Thinking about you. Whatever is happening, I’m right here if you need me.

Fuck. This damn woman. I don’t know how she knew that I needed her at this moment, but just reading that text allows me to take a breath deep enough to finally shove the grief into the steel vault in my mind until I’m ready to deal with it.

My fingers hover over the screen as I think about replying. I want time with her outside of Sinful Saloon, but the only place right now that’s safe enough for her would be my place. Except my place has my daughter, and I don’t know if I’m good with sharing her with Bailee yet. Lyric is my fucking world, and that introduction would have a hell of a lot of permanence attached to it. Not sure how ready I am for that level of absoluteness.

But tonight, Lyric is at Wraith and Nova’s with Nova’s mom, Miriam, so there’s no worry about them meeting.

STEEL

Grab an overnight bag. You’re coming to my place.

HUMMINGBIRD

You sure, Jericho?

STEEL

Pack the damn bag, Hummingbird. Be there when we finish up.

HUMMINGBIRD

Okay. Be safe. kiss emoji

I stare at our conversation for a few minutes longer before locking the screen and shoving it back into my pocket, then I rejoin the conversation. At least until Crow’s whistle echoes through the air and turns our attention his way. We all crowd around him after he waves and nods us over.

Wraith asks him what’s going on, and after handing his Old Lady off to her sister, he passes Wraith his phone. Whatever he reads there has him spitting out a curse, then he passes it to Voodoo.

Voodoo passes the phone to the next person, and it continues until I’m holding it in my hand.

UNKNOWN

Picture of everyone standing in front of fire

Too bad the pretty little bird had to be rescued by the clown. Does his death hurt you, Crow?

Motherfucker is taunting my VP. The fuck?

We all wait for Crow to address us. After some silent communication with Wraith, he faces us and runs his eyes over the large group. Our VP has always been a man of few words, so we listen to what he has to say.

“Somewhere out here is the person threatening my goddamn Old Lady. It doesn’t fucking matter that I haven’t claimed her in the club yet, we’ll get to that. What does matter is that someone has been threatening to take her from me for a while now. Tonight, they finally made good on their threat and nearly succeeded. Our brother died being a hero and protecting my pretty girl. This person,” he holds up his phone with a little wave, “is taunting us with his death. Like Wraith, I want this motherfucker found. The only difference is, I want to be the one putting this bastard’s head on a silver platter. I don’t care how long it takes us, we’re going to tear this fucking city up tonight looking for this person. We have the picture, and luckily for us, we have Tweek and Jagger, which means they should be able to give us an estimated position. Phantom and Blade may be able to get us closer since this is what they’re good with.”

Phantom and Blade nod in confirmation, then Crow turns to Voodoo and asks his permission to go hunting for this bastard in his city. The malicious smile that flows over Voodoo’s face says he’s as excited for the hunt as the rest of us are, and him giving Crow permission as long as they get to play too only confirms it.

We come together and begin planning as Voodoo and Darko stay behind to deal with the police. Once there’s a set plan in place and we each know our roles, we stand guard quietly as Jagger and Tweek work their magic.

It’s not long before Tweek lets us know they have a direction on the cell tower the last ping came from. Phantom and Blade use that information and their knowledge and experience from their time in the service to get us to the exact spot where the photo was taken.

Unfortunately, the damn bastard who did all this is already gone and the only thing he left behind is the broken pieces of a phone with a note underneath.

Wraith passes it to me, and my teeth grind together as I read the words written on it.

Five, six, Firefly has more in his bag of tricks. Catch me if you can.

“Fuck,” I mutter. “So, we can expect more shit to go down. We need to find this motherfucker before we lose anyone else, Pres.”

“We won’t let up until we do,” he replies, grabbing the note back and sliding it into the plastic bag Phantom handed him after we found it.

When I can tell we’re going to be at this all night, I take the time to send a message to Bailee.

STEEL

Hey, baby girl. Gonna be longer than I expected. We’ll have to reschedule.

HUMMINGBIRD

Nope. I don’t care how long it takes or what you finish. You come get me. I know something has happened and I need to be with you.

I’m unable to deal with the emotions Bailee stirs in me right now, so I just keep my reply short.

STEEL

Be there when I get there.

HUMMINGBIRD

Okay, bossman. Please stay safe. Not real sure I’d be fine if something happened to you.

Goddamn woman.

Shoving my phone into my pocket, I join my brothers in the search for this Firefly fucker. We search all over the city late into the night and on into the early morning with no luck. He didn’t leave Louisville, not after everything he’s gone through to cause the trouble he has for Crow and the club, which means there’s someone around here who’s got balls big enough to go against two fucking clubs to help him go into hiding.

More small fucking brain than big balls, if you ask me, because everybody knows how stupid it is to go against one club let alone two of them.

It’s fucking ironic considering the goddamn situation I’ve found myself in with my own club. Which is just another reminder I need to get a plan in place for Lyric in case shit goes sour with the club. I’d like to have faith that they’d hear me out, but one of our main rules is to never betray the club. What I’m doing for Bailee, even if I am doing it to protect them also, they’re going to see it as betrayal. I’m just unsure how they’re going to respond when they find out.

I just hope I can talk them into protecting my daughter and Bailee before they settle on their decision.

Once Wraith and Crow dismiss us to get some rest, I check in with Nova to make sure Lyric is okay staying with her until tomorrow. She left not long after we took off on our hunt to take Sage home and get back to the kids. When she replies that Lyric is welcome to stay, I thank her and head for Bailee.

I just want to get her to my place so I can slide between my pretty little Hummingbird’s thighs and let her help me forget for a while.

The Sinful Saloon parking lot is nearly empty, which isn’t unusual at this time of day. Most of our patrons don’t show up until the evening, after they’re off work and when Kenna and the others are headlining.

Heading around the back, I make my way down the small incline that leads to the apartments and knock, giving her a chance to answer before I use my key to get in.

The apartment has that fresh scent you get when someone’s just spent hours cleaning. Underneath that, the deep scent of freshly brewed dark roasted coffee beans blends with the lemon and cinnamon notes of whatever products she cleaned with. The smells tease my nostrils and lead me to the kitchen, where the beautiful woman is humming as she washes dishes.

I’m fucking exhausted, but contentment settles inside me as I lean against the doorjamb and watch her.

Fuck, she’s so damn beautiful.

Her ass sways side-to-side in her tiny as fuck booty shorts to whatever tune she hears in her head. Her bright red hair is a spiky mess, and her skin glistens with the sweat she’s released during her cleaning, but she’s still the most exquisite woman I’ve ever seen.

Bailee twirls to toss something in the trash and her arm freezes in midair. A little squeal escapes past her lips, and she places a hand on her chest.

I feel like an ass when her face drains of color and she wobbles on her feet.

“Fuck. Didn’t mean to scare you, baby girl,” I mutter, hurrying over and wrapping her in my arms.

“What the hell, Jericho? How did you get in here?”

“Got a key,” I murmur, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

I release a deep sigh as her weight and heat settle against me. After everything that’s happened, this right here is what I need.

“Do you want me to come to your place or do you want to stay here?” she asks, leaning back to stare up at me.

My eyes run over her face, noting the bruised tint underneath hers and the exhaustion in their depths.

Lifting one of my hands, I trace a finger over the darkened hue under her left eye. “You get any sleep?”

She leans into my touch and exhales. “Silly question, bossman. Couldn’t do that as long as you were still out there.”

My fingers drift until they’re grasping her chin, then I pull her mouth to mine. I brush our lips together a few times before shoving my tongue inside to tangle with hers.

She moans into my mouth and tries to get closer. Before we get too out of hand, I pull back, catching her lip between my teeth and giving a gentle tug.

“Go get your bag, baby girl. Want you in my arms in my bed. Jeans and boots on, and grab the helmet I bought you.”

Her eyes light up. “I finally get to go for a ride?”

My lips twitch. “Yeah, baby girl. Your ass gets to be on the bike.”

She does a little hip shimmy, and this time, a tired chuckle comes out.

Fucking cute.

“I need to switch out the bags.” She grabs my beard and lifts to her toes to brush her lips against mine. “I’ll be fast. Get a cup of coffee while I do that.”

While she’s doing what she does, I grab a cup of the black brew and send off a message to Reva letting her know that Bailee won’t be in tonight.

My Hummingbird comes flitting back into the kitchen with a bag strapped to her back. Her hands are wrapped around the straps as she rocks back and forth on her booted feet.

“Ready,” she states with a wide smile.

I believe it’s the first genuine one I’ve seen on her since before we split. The last time I recall seeing a smile that free on her face was years in the past, before I broke her heart by pulling her into the toxic mess with me and Heather.

Like now, that insidious voice whispers, but I brush it away.

Now is fucking different because Heather and I are done for good this time.

The way Bailee fucking skips to the bike is cute as hell. Despite everything going on around us, there’s something so damn innocent about it.

She waits impatiently, bouncing around while I get settled, and when I crook my finger, she steps closer and passes me the helmet. It only takes a few minutes to get it strapped onto her head, then she rushes to toss her leg over the seat and snuggle up behind me.

Bailee slides her hands under my shirt, her nails digging in when my muscles contract, and I grit my teeth as my dick stiffens behind my jeans. My chest vibrates with the groan that rumbles through it.

I wrap my hands around her thighs and pull her until the heat of her pussy warms my back. She wiggles around, rubbing against me, her moan rattling against my neck as she buries her face in it.

“You don’t behave, goin’ to fuck you right here in the goddamn parkin’ lot, and that’s too dangerous for both of us,” I growl, digging my fingers into the flesh of her thick thigh.

“Sorry,” she breathes out.

She goes to move her hands away from my skin, but I place mine over hers, holding them in place.

“Didn’t fuckin’ say to stop touchin’ me. Watch rubbin’ that hot cunt against me, though. We get to my place, I’ll take care of that need you feel clawin’ at you.” I squeeze her fingers. “Ready to ride, baby girl?”

“I was born ready, bossman.”

I flick my wrist and send the bike rumbling underneath us, smirking when Bailee’s moan teases my ear. “Hold tight, Hummingbird.”

As we fly down the highway, Bailee lets out a delighted laugh, her arms loosening from around me. When I glance in the side mirror, she’s got her head tossed back so she can feel the wind on her face, and her arms are spread out to the sides as if she’s a bird spreading her wings to fly.

There’s something pretty damn magical about knowing my woman feels the same freedom on the back of my bike as I do on the front of it.

As exhausted as I am, and as bad as I want inside my Hummingbird, there’s no way in hell I’m going to cut her ride short. She’s been wanting this for as long as I can remember. This wasn’t something we did in the past because when a woman gets on the bike of your bike, it means something. Hell, in all the years I was with Heather, her ass never touched the seat on this thing. It was something she fucking hated too, but I wasn’t going to have someone at my back that I didn’t plan on being there for the long haul.

I may not be clear about having Bailee in the same place as my daughter yet, but I know she’s the only one I want on the back of my bike for the foreseeable future.

My stomach rumbles with hunger, so I swing us into the drive-thru of the restaurant closest to my house, passing the food off to her to hold until I make it to the house.

Bailee jumps off the bike before I can give her a warning about jelly legs, and as much as I shouldn’t chuckle when she wobbles and almost goes down, I’m unable to hold it in.

She smacks me in the shoulder with a chuckle and then hangs her helmet off the handlebar. “Asshole. You could’ve been a gentleman and at least tried to catch me.”

Climbing off, I stand in front of her and grasp her chin in my hand. “We both know I ain’t no gentleman, baby.” Her plump bottom lip calls my name, and I glide my finger over it. “Once I finish eatin’ my breakfast, goin’ to eat you for dessert and show you just how much of not a gentleman I am.”

Her eyes heat, and she smiles wickedly before grabbing my hand. “Well, hell. Come on then, bossman. Let’s get this food in your belly so I can get your face between my legs.”

“Hold on to that food tight, Hummingbird. You drop it, the only thing I’ll be eatin’ is something out of my fridge,” I order, stuffing my shoulder into her stomach and tossing her over it.

I smack her ass when she tries to wiggle free and then shove my hand between her thighs to cup around the heat in her jeans. She stills, letting out a moan, and I chuckle as I carry us to my door.

It takes a juggling act, but I eventually get the door unlocked and us inside and into the kitchen before I drop her onto one of the barstools. She starts unloading the bags while I grab drinks from the fridge.

“Beer, soda, or water? All I got.”

“Beer.”

I swipe two bottles from the top shelf and smack the door shut with my hip, striding back over to her. Twisting the cap off hers, I set it in front of her then do the same for my own, taking a seat next to her.

Bailee angles her body toward me, but for the first few minutes, we eat in peaceful quiet.

“What happened, Jericho?” she asks quietly, her hand settling on my thigh.

My muscles bunch under her palm, and she starts to remove it, believing it was her touch that’s unwanted when the truth is I ain’t used to having someone give a shit outside of my parents and it continues to fuck me up. Got my club brothers, but that’s a different kind of loyalty, love, and care than you get from someone caring because they care .

And damned if that isn’t fucking scary as hell.

“Lost a brother tonight,” I tell her, my voice as empty as the bottle of beer I just finished.

I get up to grab another, but she shoves me back in my seat.

“Let me get it.” She sits in front of me after grabbing it and settles her hands on my shoulders. “I’m sorry, bossman. I know those words don’t help, and I know they’ll never make up for that loss, but I’m still sorry you’re having to feel it, nonetheless. I’m not going to make you talk about it, but I’m here if you ever want to, yeah?”

Her hands squeeze my shoulders, and her lips brush against the top of my head before she scoots back around to take her place on the stool beside me.

We continue to eat in silence for a few minutes longer, but the softness and warmth she just gave to me fucks with my insides so bad that I can’t help but want to open up to her. I can’t help but want to flay myself open, bleed this pain from my veins, and trust that she’ll be there to wipe up behind me when I’ve eradicated it from my system.

“He always wanted to be a dad.” I can feel her eyes on me, but I keep mine averted and on the label I’m peeling from my bottle. “Was this goddamn clown, always makin’ people laugh, always needin’ to make people smile. He’d cut you into a million pieces you fucked with people he cared about, but that silly motherfucker dreamed of nothing more than being a father. Countin’ the days ‘til he found someone to love his brand of fucked-up so he could love ‘em back and make babies.” The quiet chuckle I release is full of sadness. “‘Til then, he was content dotin’ on all the club ones.” I glance over at her and find tears rolling down her cheeks. Reaching over, I wipe them from her face. “Always told me to do what I had to do to make my little girl happy. That nothing else mattered more than her happiness. It’s not hard makin’ my daughter happy.”

“Unless it makes you unhappy,” she whispers.

I shrug, looking away so she can’t see anything in my eyes I ain’t ready for her to see. “Sometimes that’s the price we pay as a parent.”

Bailee reaches over to grab hold of my beard and tugs my face around then releases me. “You’re a great dad, Jericho. I don’t know if you hear that often enough, but I wanted to tell you anyway. I may not have ever seen you two together, but I know you and I’ve witnessed the lengths you go to for your daughter.”

Fucking woman.

Wrapping my hand around the warm skin at the back of her neck, I pull her until our faces are smooshed together and we’re fucking each other with our tongues. Keeping our mouths connected, I clamber to my feet as she twists her body toward me and spreads her thighs so I can step between them. Bailee slides her hands under my clothes until they’re splayed against the skin of my back, then she hooks one leg around mine, scooting to the end of the stool and bringing her pussy snug against the bulge in my jeans.

She moans, digging her nails in and undulating her hips to create friction between us.

Dark desire beats at the base of my spine as the smell of her arousal fills the air around us.

I pull away from her mouth, trailing my lips across the skin of her jaw until I’m at her ear. “Goin’ to be my good little girl and help me forget for a little while, Hummingbird?” She makes a strangled noise, and my laugh is dark, deep, and a bit wicked. “Goin’ to work this tight little cunt over my cock and let us both watch as I split it wide open?” She shudders, and I nip at her earlobe. “Goin’ to let me use you and abuse this pretty pink pussy until my mind shuts down and I can’t think anymore?”

My lips and teeth kiss and nip their way over her, and when I reach that erogenous zone right at the crease of her collarbone and neck, I bite down and suck her skin into my mouth. She whimpers, her nails digging deeper into the flesh of my back until they break through. I jerk my mouth away, letting out a sharp hiss of pleasure as I shove my jean-covered cock against her.

“Words, baby girl,” I bark.

“Yes, bossman. Fuck me. Let me fuck you. I don’t care. Just get inside me. Please. Use me and abuse me. Let me help you forget. I need to help you forget,” she cries, her fingers desperate as they work the button on my jeans.

While she does that, I carefully remove my cut and lay it across the counter, grabbing the back of my shirt and tugging it over my head before tossing it away, then I help her remove my jeans.

I grunt and surge forward into the heat of her hand once she wraps it around me. Dropping one hand to wrap around hers on my cock, I grip the counter with the other to hold myself steady so my goddamn knees don’t buckle.

She climbs to her feet and starts to drop to her knees when a sudden coolness hits my core.

My hand quickly leaves the counter to wrap around the base of her neck. “What are you doin’?”

She pouts. “I want you in my mouth.”

Visions try to cloud in, but I snap the steel door shut before they can and keep staring into her beautiful eyes as I use them as an anchor. “Much as I love the feel of those juicy fuckin’ lips on my cock, baby girl, I want my mouth on that pretty pussy a hell of a lot more.”

I don’t pretend to not see the questions or concerns in her eyes. I just choose not to acknowledge them as I grab her hand and drag her behind me to my room. There are some things I’d rather stay buried in that vault, and if I give this woman an inch, she’ll have them out and in the open in no time. It’s not something I’m ready for, and since she’s already agreed to help me forget, I can help her do the same.

Our shit will be there for us to deal with tomorrow and the day after that. Right now, being buried inside silky sweet heat sounds a hell of a lot better than facing anything else.