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Chapter Nineteen

Ten Below Zero

D arrow made a quick right into a parking lot with a liquor store, a laundromat, and a tattoo parlor. He felt Mara grip at him tighter, wanting to know what was going on. Drix followed Darrow. The two motorcycles behind Drix made the same move, proving to Darrow they were definitely being followed.

Darrow rode around to the back of the building. When he stopped, he climbed off his ride, almost tossing Mara to the ground. He caught her. “You need to hide somewhere. We’re being followed.”

“What?” Mara asked.

“There’s no time. Go into the laundromat right now. Just sit and wait.”

“Darrow…”

“Now, babe,” he growled.

By then Drix had parked his ride, sideways, just like Darrow’s. They had a sort of steel wall, but both Darrow and Drix knew they were not going to hide behind their motorcycles.

Mara hurried away, touching her stomach, heart racing. She went to the side of the building but not completely around it. Her nerves shook with fear and fury.

Darrow sent a text to Slade, letting him know something was going down. The other two motorcycles were now facing Darrow and Drix, their lights on, blaring, engines growling.

“Trying to scare us, brother,” Darrow said to Drix. “Don’t let it get to you.”

“Get to me?” Drix asked. “Watch this.”

Drix pulled out a gun and shot a bullseye at the right motorcycle, smashing the headlight, killing the blinding illumination.

“Fuck, prospect ,” Darrow growled.

The other headlight turned off. The only light in the back of the parking was a crooked, rusty bar that hung from the roof with a buzzing, slightly yellow hue.

“Better have a good reason for this,” Darrow called out. “We’ve had a long fucking day and you cowboys are in the wrong part of town.”

The two men approached, not seeming to care that both Darrow and Drix were holding guns.

“You won’t shoot us,” one of them said. “You can’t afford to start a war right.”

“Ain’t that right, guys?”

The other guy turned his head just a little and Darrow saw the light hit his neck. The number thirteen tattooed on his throat. SS13 , Darrow thought. You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

“You’re way out of line here, boys,” Darrow said. “I’ve got guys on the way.”

“Can’t take us by yourselves?” Neck Tattoo asked.

The other guy pulled out a huge knife and held it up to his face. “Word travels fast. So many issues. We can’t wait to overrun this town. Our vision is a hot cup of coffee in the morning and a nice hit of yellow bunny .”

The two guys started to laugh.

“Do not shoot unless I give the order,” Darrow whispered to Drix. “We’re going to fuck these scumbags up and send a message. Knife Guy is going to attack. I don’t want to shoot him. Neck Tattoo … I’m lighting him up right now…”

Darrow began to shoot. He knew where to shoot, how to shoot, and reveled in ways to torture a human but keep them alive. He had spent many hours sitting with Priest discussing the subject. Priest had a fascination with it.

A bullet to Neck Tattoo ’s left shoulder, then right shoulder. Gun pointed down a little, left kneecap, shattered. Gun pointed down a little more, right foot, ouch… Neck Tattoo stumbled back into his own motorcycle and fell to the ground in a state of shock.

Knife Guy ran at Darrow, wanting to bury the gigantic blade into Darrow’s neck.

“No!” Mara screamed from the side of the building where she had watched the scene of violence unfold.

Her sudden scream caused Darrow to turn his head. It also caused Drix to lose his focus for a split second, allowing Knife Guy to slash at the side of Drix’s neck.

“Fuck,” Darrow growled as he threw a left punch, hitting Knife Guy in the face, causing him to step back.

The right side of Drix’s neck oozed blood, but he didn’t seem to care about it at all. He instead went after Knife Guy , stealing the knife, tossing it behind him, and then proceeded to punch Knife Guy several times. Drix then turned on Knife Guy’s motorcycle and throttled it a few times before killing the engine.

“What the fuck are you doing, prospect ?” Darrow called out.

Drix didn’t respond. He grabbed Knife Guy by the hair and then slammed his face off the exhaust of the motorcycle, holding him there, letting his skin sizzle.

Knife Guy screamed, vomited. Drix left him there and walked back toward Darrow.

“Man, you’re a sick and crazy fuck,” Darrow said.

Drix moved his mouth for a second…

… and then he collapsed into Darrow’s arms.

Mara threw up. Then she brushed her teeth. She had no idea if throwing up was because of the pregnancy or what had just transpired. Or the sudden and intense shock of the pregnancy itself.

Things made a little more sense in her head. The sudden non-desire for alcohol and pills. The constant weird feeling in her stomach too. It was all just…

She took a deep breath. Her body was fertile and Darrow really had some strong swimmers. Mara never had to worry about getting pregnant. Sex had become second nature in a way. Just go for it. Try to enjoy it…

Darrow ruined all of that though, in a good way. Darrow made her come. Made her scream. Darrow went deep, hard, fast, and made her feel things she never thought she would feel.

And Darrow got her pregnant too.

Mara opened the bathroom door and saw Darrow standing there, blood all over his T-shirt. Some dried to his skin. This time it wasn’t his blood. Not like the fight with Linc. The blood this time came from the prospect.

“Is he…”

“He’s okay,” Darrow said. “It bled like crazy but just needed a few stitches. That kid got lucky. Really lucky.”

“That was my… my fault…” Mara’s chin quivered. “I could have gotten him killed. I could have gotten you killed. If he died… that would’ve been my fault…”

Darrow touched Mara’s face. “Yeah. That’s exactly right, babe. Because you didn’t fucking listen.”

Not the answer Mara expected but she knew it was the one she deserved. Even still, she felt like someone had taken her breath. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched Darrow walk away. Her chin quivered and now all she wanted was a glass of wine and two Xanax. She touched her stomach, knowing she would never do anything to harm the life inside her.

“I panicked,” she said from across the apartment. “The fucking violence, Darrow. It never ends. I should know that by now. I should be used to it by now. But it just never ends. You were protecting me. So was that prospect.”

“Drix,” Darrow said without looking back. “His name is Drix. No more calling him a prospect. He took a big knife to the neck tonight for me and because of you.”

“Stop it!” Mara yelled. “Stop saying it like that! I watched you shoot someone four times, Darrow. Four times! And then I almost saw you get stabbed! Of course I’m going to call out. I can’t lose you. I need you. I…”

Mara caught the rest of her words and her breath in her throat. She gasped. A few tears jumped from her eyes. This was the outlaw life though. Life beyond society and laws. Sometimes it felt like living on another planet. Mara had lived in this life for far too long. Yet with Darrow it was different. The good kind of different. With Fitz there was nothing but darkness. Playing her useless role. The only time she maybe felt alive was when Fitz fucked her, but even then… it felt forced. Almost mechanical.

Mara walked toward Darrow. She took deep, shaky breaths. Once close enough she touched his back. Tracing the carefully stitched lines that made up the SOFRAW name.

“I need you, Darrow,” she confessed. “I’ve needed you for so long. I’m carrying your baby. Losing you… to some scum fucks…”

“What the hell do you know about who was following us?” Darrow growled.

“I saw the tattoo on the guy’s neck. SS13 . I don’t know much, but I know it’s some crew. Club. Gang. Whatever you want to call it. They’re the drug ones.”

Darrow slowly turned. Mara reached her hands up into Darrow’s leather cut, wanting to take it off. He allowed her to do so. She would not touch the bloody shirt though. Even if the blood was dry. That was someone else’s blood. That was just… too much .

Mara stared into Darrow’s eyes. Her hands found themselves finding solace at the more-than-obvious bulge in his jeans. Opening the button. Unzipping his jeans. Her fingertips greeted with Darrow’s pubic hair. He didn’t wear boxers or briefs. It was just jeans… and then cock…

Her inner thighs shivered with need. Her hands pulled at the front of Darrow’s open jeans, inching them down. Her right hand touched hard skin. His cock felt packed with steel, her fingertips unable to grip him and touch. She added her other hand. And there was still cock to spare…

With a hard tug, Mara pulled at Darrow. She gritted her teeth and groaned. She began to stroke him, repeating the same motion over and over. After a few silent seconds of pulling at his cock, Mara felt her knees start to bend. An instinctive command took control over her. She knew what her outlaw needed. Plus, she had to repent. Her stupid decision to not listen to Darrow almost cost Darrow and Drix their lives.

She kept seeing it in her mind… the biggest knife she ever saw, slicing against the side of the Drix’s neck. It was obvious what happened after that was pure adrenaline from Drix.

He collapsed into Darrow’s arms…

Mara was on her knees in front of Darrow’s throbbing cock. Her tongue inched forward and she lovingly traced along one of his full veins. Along the underside of his shaft, up to the full head of his cock.

Darrow dropped down to his knees and placed his hand to Drix’s neck. He told Drix to stay calm and take breaths. That everything was going to be okay. It was going to be just fine.

Mara’s mouth opened wide and she moved over the head of Darrow’s cock. Her lips swallowing over the well-defined ridge of his tip. She stayed right there, rocking back and forth, feeling him pulsing.

Darrow grabbed at Mara’s hair, balling it up tight. He then thrust, sliding more of his cock into her mouth.

Slade and Monte showed up just a minute or so later. There was no time to waste since they were all out back of some businesses. And a gun had been fired. This was becoming one big mess for sure. Slade ordered Monte to get Virus on the phone and get him and Dolph here with two vans to clean up the mess.

Mara felt Darrow’s cock teasing the back of her tongue. His stiffness beginning to test her gag reflex, which, quite honestly, wasn’t all that great at the moment. Darrow then pulled back, removing his cock from her mouth. Mara groaned and tightened her grip, which made the sound loud and wet when he popped free.

She looked up at him. “I’m sorry.”

“I know you are, babe,” Darrow said. “Now stand up.”

Mara did as she was told. Her hands gripped at Darrow’s cock once more. This time her hands move more freely, her saliva acting as a lube. She pumped her hands hard. Fast. Gripping as much as she could. Gritting her teeth. Just staring in Darrow’s eyes.

Darrow quickly grabbed for Mara and told her they needed to leave. She was pregnant and priority one. Slade and Monte agreed with that. They would load up Drix into a van and get him medical attention. As far as the SS13 guys, they’d end up in another van. Something was said about calling Chief Dick and getting his help too…

Mara’s left hand squeezed at the head of Darrow’s cock. Her right hand moved up and down his shaft. For Darrow, his interest in a hand job was probably the same as someone turning on an air conditioner when it was ten below zero outside. But something about Mara though…

The way she looked up at him. The sorrow and sadness in her eyes. He touched her face. His hand moved down to her neck. Her throat. He didn’t squeeze. No fucking way now. Not with her carrying his baby.

Darrow used his other hand and lifted Mara’s shirt. He touched her stomach. It hit him. Hard. He was going to be a father. Fuck, he was a father right now. There was life in her womb. Tonight, he protected his unborn child and the woman carrying it.

Darrow growled and felt a sudden rush from his balls up through his cock. He couldn’t believe he was going to come. From a fucking hand job. His cock stiffened and then released.

Mara gasped and looked down, watching the first rope of cum land on her shirt, her belly, and on Darrow’s hand. She kept going, stroking him, feeling him throb in her hand, watching his hot cum jump from his cock.

Darrow finally grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away. Strings of cum clung with vicious force before breaking away. Darrow took a few breaths. He moved Mara’s left hand toward her mouth. He rubbed her thumb against her bottom lip, watching his cum stick to her.

Mara licked her bottom lip and sighed at the warm, salty taste of her outlaw. Next step?

Take Mara into the shower so they could both get cleaned up, properly fuck, and then sleep away everything that happened tonight.