Page 10 of The Biker’s Secret Claim (Chaos Brothers MC #2)

Ghost

Apparently, I haven’t been clear enough about who the fuck I am, because this stupid fucker comes at me with a baseball bat like I’m a sane man.

I’m not.

I crave violence. I crave it like he craves routine, and I don’t like the way he grabbed my girl. I don’t like the way he just broke her fucking door. I don’t like the way he ruined our night.

Cock swinging, I take the bat from his tiny little hands and smash it against his shoulder. It’s a light swing and he’ll walk away from it. “You come at me again, I’ll knock your fucking head off your shoulders.”

I glance back at Nicole who’s tugging the T-shirt I left on the counter down over her pretty curved frame. I hate that tonight went like this. She deserves more. “Go to the back room, baby, and get my pistol. I left it on your desk.”

“Your pistol? You have a gun? You don’t need a gun. He’s just an asshole. He’s leaving and he’ll be back tomorrow with the money for this very expensive door. Right, Aaron?” She steps toward the banker slowly. “What the hell is your problem?”

“You wanted something outside of routine. Here it is!” The scrawny guy with buzzed hair and a suit turns red.

“Plus, I came to check on you because I left you in the rain. I didn’t think you’d be on the town hitman the second I drove away, or has this been going on?

You two seemed to know each other pretty well earlier. ”

She tilts her head to the side and crosses her arms over her chest. “We weren’t a thing while we were together. Nothing else is any of your business.”

The banker glances toward me, running his gaze down over my frame and locking at my cock. It’s fair. My cock is sizeable and deserves recognition. “You could put some pants on.”

“Don’t think I need to. You’re leaving, and I’m not finished just yet.”

He lets out a breath and sizes me up again before glancing toward Nicole. It’s still raining outside and there’s a cool breeze whipping in with it. I’ve never had the urge to pull a woman close for the sake of keeping her warm before, but here it is, barreling at me like an uncontrollable urge.

I reach out for her, wrapping her trembling frame against the heat of my naked body.

“She’s cold, and we’re done with this conversation. You had your chance with her. Two years, and what did you do with it?”

I’d slam the door in his face, but there isn’t one, so I lift the bat onto my shoulder instead. “Get the fuck out and get us that money by morning, with interest, or you’ll have problems.”

He tilts his head to the side and smiles coyly as though he’s got the upper hand. “I’ll bring the money for the door, but I know things about you, hitman, and I’ll make sure everyone in town knows them too. Nicole should know who’s she’s messing with.”

I laugh him off. “Something tells me you don’t know shit about fuck, little boy. And if you think you do, you should know you’re fucking with five grown men who hunt people for a living. Stay the fuck away or you’ll see what happens when you play games with the wrong people.”

The silence stretches unbelievably long. This dude is such a fucking asshole. His jaw tightens, and his fingers twitch. They’re small tells, but they’re enough to let me know he’s weighing his options, deciding how much this moment is truly worth.

He hesitates, just for a second, but I catch the moment. The flicker of doubt racing through his head. The realization that he never cared about Nicole enough to risk his own life or routine for any of it. And just like that, I know he won’t be a problem anymore.

The tension lingers as he steps back into the night. “Whatever! Good luck with this fucking bitch.”

I should murder him for that statement alone. The urge manifests fast and instinctively. My fists tighten, but I let him leave.

Not because he doesn’t deserve it, or because it wouldn’t be easy, but because Nicole is watching. If I do what I’ve done so many times before, I know exactly what she’ll see, and I refuse to look like a monster in her eyes.

“Oh my God.” Nicole grabs the flannel bottoms off the floor and hands them toward me. “You really like showing that thing off, don’t you?”

I grin and tug them on slowly. “I mean, if the opportunity presents itself.”

I’m not sure where to go from here. I’m terrible with emotions and relationship shit, but I want to get better at it for her. That said, I have no right dragging her into my world of depravity. She’s young. She’s got her whole life ahead of her.

“I’m gonna text my buddies. They’ll come fix the door tonight.”

“No, it’s okay. I mean, where would we even get a new door?”

“It’s just the glass that needs replacing. We’ve got a bunch of it up at the shop. Tennessee will cut a piece for me, and we’ll get this sealed back up. You’ll have every bear and raccoon for miles in here if you don’t.”

I see hesitation in her eyes, but we both know what she needs, and I plan on taking care of it.

She stares up at me, pinches her lips together, and narrows her gaze. “What exactly are we doing here?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, we were supposed to be a one-night thing. An adventure. You don’t need to fix my door or my shop.”

“I want to. I also want to finish what we started. You still deserve your adventure.” I’m trying to speak it into existence, though I’m getting the sense that the vibe has changed.

“So, you’re the guy who helps me with home repairs and services my engine?” She exhales as though she’s been holding everything in. “I can’t make any promises right now, Ghost.”

“Okay, I’m not asking for one.” My jaw tenses with the weight of whatever’s happening between us. I fully understand the concept of a one-night adventure, it’s what we agreed on, but if that’s all this was, we’re standing too close, and the words are hanging with far too much fucking weight.

She glances at the broken door then back at me as something enters her gaze that pulls my chest tight. I sit back on the chair and pull her onto my lap, settling my hands on her hips, holding her… like I have no right to do.

“I’m an idiot. I mean, Aaron is a dick but—”

“No, don’t do that. Don’t justify him. He left you in the pouring rain after years of acting like an idiot. You’re not to blame here.”

“I should’ve seen that we weren’t meant to be a long time ago. He doesn’t want kids. He doesn’t want anything.”

“You want kids?”

She nods slowly. “Yeah, a houseful. I have this fantasy where I’m mother of the century and my kids all know it.”

I laugh under my breath. “That is a fantasy. I don’t think kids ever realize the sacrifices their moms make for them. My mom was great, worked herself ragged keeping life together for us, but she passed away when I was young. I don’t think she got half the things she wanted. She deserved better.”

“I’m sorry. That must’ve been hard. Sounds like she made an impact on you, though.” She scratches lightly at the back of my head as we talk. “You want kids of your own someday?”

I should say no. I should steer the conversation elsewhere, but I don’t.

“I wager I’m too damn old now. But truthfully, I’ve never thought much past survival.”

“Maybe you should.” Her expression doesn’t change, like she already knew the answer before I said it. Then all at once, she presses her forehead against my shoulder, exhaling deeply, her weight settling in like she’s finally letting herself relax, finally letting herself be held.

I shouldn’t be thinking about how she fits against me, how she sounds, how badly I want to protect her from everyone and everything.

I can’t overcomplicate the night.

Her fingertip grazes over the scar on my neck. “How did you get this? One of your grand adventures?”

“My father used to be in the business. He was one of the best.” The words come out steadily, but there’s weight behind them I don’t usually let surface.

“He knew how to move, and he was ruthless. At a very young age, he taught me how to see a threat before it becomes a problem. Then one day, he became the problem.” I tap my thumb absentmindedly against the back of her hand.

“He set me up, gave me a mark, told me the job would be easy.” I huff out a laugh. “He lied.”

She exhales, eyes flickering to mine. “Why would he do that?”

“Because he wanted to teach me a lesson. He wanted to prove to me I wasn’t smart enough, wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t as good as him.”

“So what happened? How’d you get the scar?”

“The mark had protection I wasn’t expecting. He slicked a knife quick across my neck before I could take him out. It was a close call, an eighth of an inch away from my artery.”

She draws her finger across the scar as though she’s trying to understand me. “It looks like it hurt in more ways than one. I’m sorry your dad was so… awful.”

The room is still, except for the cool air slipping in from the broken door.

I inhale slowly, breathing in the coconut scent in her hair.

“I mean, it could have been worse. He could have let me play video games. Seriously though, that scar reminds me that trust should never be given blindly and that I’m not as invincible as I’d like to be. ” I let out a heavy breath.

“And yet you keep going.” Her eyes lift to mine, uncertain of what this all means.

My voice is rougher than I’d like as I say, “Some things you don’t walk away from.”

Her fingers linger a second longer then fall away as though she knows how dangerous this moment is, but neither of us move.

Neither of us take the out we both know we should.

Instead, the space between us crackles with something dangerous, something inevitable, something that scares the living hell out of me.