CHAPTER FIVE

– HEATH –

"This room looks occupied," Bran states and throws a glare over her shoulder at me.

I kick the door shut and flip the lock. "It's my room. Hayden and I share a house, but we each have a room here at the clubhouse as well."

She glances at the door and lets her eyes hit my blue ones. "I'm not going to be some notch on your bedpost or part of a game between you and your twin to beat him by getting in my pants first or anything like that."

I've never taken the time to appreciate the color of a woman's eyes. Hers are captivating with the disarray of blue, flaring up when she's angry. Before Bran, there was only a need to get off. Bran is different, just trying to kiss her took fucking effort.

"You might have a twin sister, but all I'm interested in is you. I knew there was something not right when I thought I ran into you at the entrance of the gym, and I'm not talking about the nose piercing you have on your left and your sister on the right nostril. I noticed more than the visual difference before I knew there were two of you," I honestly tell her and add in a slightly annoyed tone, "I don't keep track of who I fuck, so there's no game."

Bran waves a dismissive hand. "I don't care about details you caught between me and Dee. And the hot minute of celibacy your twin mentioned was all the hint I needed that you don't keep track of who you dip your cock in. Besides, no judgment 'cause it's your life, but you and I?" She's now pointing at the front of her shirt. "We should heed all the warning bells of what happens whenever we're trying to kiss. There's a solid hint there that we shouldn't get naked together."

"I disagree. Getting laid is easy, having to work for something and earning it by fighting to get over any hurdles life throws at you is unique and much more satisfying. I think I prefer it the hard way because that sure as shit never happened before."

"I'm sure you prefer it the hard way 'cause no one likes a limp dick." She huffs out a breath and stalks over to the closet.

I can't help but chuckle and follow her movements. "What are you doing?"

She pulls out a shirt, smells it, and turns to face me. "I'm going to take a shower, crawl into bed, and shut my eyes to get some rest. It might still be early in the day, but I'm ready for it to be over."

I give her a nod. "I'll ask my mother for a change of clothes and I can order something to eat if you're hungry."

"Whatever," she grumbles and disappears into the bathroom.

Releasing a harsh breath out of frustration, I leave my room and come face-to-face with my twin. His room is right next to mine and he's leaning his forehead against the door, his hands on either side of his head while he's slightly bent at the waist. The whole pose mirrors defeat.

"You okay?" I question.

Hayden surges up and points at his room. "That is one frustrating, drop-dead gorgeous, foul-mouthed bitch. Holy shit, she's a gem. I need to shove my cock into her mouth to shut her up while I fingerfuck her pussy to give her a brain-shattering orgasm. Motherfucker, have you seen those lips? Damn, man."

I snicker. "Let me guess, you told her something similar, didn't you?"

He rubs his crotch. "I meant it as a fucking compliment, at least I think there was one in there somewhere. I wasn't even finished telling her and she kneed me in the balls. Never saw it coming either. Fucking ninja moves I tell ya."

"Those two are different, man. Can't you tell?" I shake my head.

His hand swings to the door of his room. "That's what I'm trying to tell you, and her. Dammit, how are we gonna play this, eh? Any ideas? I need those legs spread, and fast."

Anger flares hot inside me. He doesn't get it. Hayden has always been a "run and don't look for potholes" person, making him face-plant into the road on more than one occasion. I've always looked where I'm going, and it might make me cautious and Hayden more reckless than I am, but I guess that's the slight difference between us. Besides him being an insensitive asshole who thinks with the little head between his legs instead of the one on his fucking shoulders.

I shove two fingers against his pecs. "Fucking think, asshole. We're not going to play anyone. At least, I'm not. I finally got to kiss Bran, and I don't give a fuck if it was cut short by coffee spilling all over us. It was sweet, hot, exciting, everything wrapped in one, lighting my whole body up."

"Sweet, hot, and exciting…you're talking about the coffee?" Hayden asks with a straight face.

Narrowing my eyes, I seriously contemplate hitting him on the head, or kneeing him in the balls like Dee just did.

Hayden smacks my shoulder. "I'm fucking with you, man. Jealous even. You're three steps ahead of me. While I need to ice my cock, you probably get to shove it somewhere warm, tight, and wet."

I shake my head. "Sometimes I wonder if we're related."

"Hey, one look in the mirror will make any doubt vanish like that." He snaps his fingers.

"I'm going to ask Ma for some clean clothes. Bran is taking a shower and I want her to be comfortable," I tell the idiot.

"Smart," he murmurs. "I'm coming with you."

I stay silent and stalk down the hallway in search of my mother. She's in the kitchen, chopping veggies while talking to someone on the phone.

It doesn't take long for me to know who she called when the voice of my aunt fills the kitchen. "Put me down for a hundred on Heath, and another hundred on Hayden."

My mother snorts. "You do know you're balancing yourself out, right? What's the use of placing a bet if you're gonna put equal money on both?"

"Hey, I might be old, but I'm not stupid, bitch. I know betting the same amount on either twin is like placing no bet at all. Though, either way, I win. Heath is smart enough to knock the woman up to tie her to him if she's as fierce as you said she is. Hayden? He thinks every pussy is a bun that needs his wiener to make it tasteful. You said the chicks are twins, so he'll simply fuck up by knocking up the other twin. See? That's why it's no fun to bet on those two, the end result will be the same, even if their actions and motivation are different."

"Thanks for the words of wisdom, Aunt Lynn," Hayden grumbles.

"You're welcome, sweetie. Gotta go. Blue, chat later. Oh, and Hayden? Don't be a dick by using it, butter the bun before you shove your wiener in there, it's more tasteful and will leave a nice review to guarantee a repeat."

We're all blinking slowly to process Lynn's words after she hangs up.

Hayden clears his throat and says, "Ma, do you have some clean clothes I can give Dee? I'd like her to take a shower and get comfortable with clean shit, and get some sleep."

My head whips my idea-stealing twin's way and I'm about to snarl at him when my mother states, "Heath, mind walking with me? Hayden, finish chopping my veggies while I get you some clothes to give to Dee."

She stalks out of the kitchen and leaves me to rush after her. I hear my twin curse, but he will be chopping veggies no matter what. We might both be wearing a president patch, however, when our mother tells us to do something? We fucking do it.

"The clothes were your idea," my mother states, and it doesn't even sound like a question 'cause she knows my twin always pulls this shit.

"Yeah. She was going through my clothes and picked a shirt before disappearing into the bathroom. I told her I was going to ask you, and when I left I found Hayden leaning against the door of his room."

She grins. "Let me guess, his mouth got him–"

"Kneed in the dick? Yeah." I return her grin.

Arriving at their home, we walk in and find my father sitting at the dinner table, sketching on a piece of paper.

"Still not ready with designing the greenhouse?" I question, making his head pop up.

He grimaces and grumbles, "Blue orchids are a pain in the ass and need the right environment, so it's going to take a while before I get shit right."

My mother leans in and brushes a kiss on my father's cheek. "It's greatly appreciated."

He grunts and gets back to sketching. I take a moment to watch the two of them. The way my mother looks at him as if he's holding her heart and gently caresses it. When she turns to walk away, my father's gaze follows her with the same look of love that's grown pure and solid over decades of being together. Much like a carbon atom forming a strong bond, eventually transforming into a diamond. It's as fucking pure as it can get.

I now realize that right there is something I crave. After years of indulging a wild streak to live carelessly and free, I want something solid to come home to. When I mentioned to Hayden I was done with easy pussy it wasn't with the thought in the back of my head of wanting an old lady. Though, I'm man enough to admit after I met Bran? I do now.

It's definitely her and what that woman evokes inside me, I'm fucking sure of it. I've run into countless women over the years and had my fair share of fucks, none of them draw me to them the way Bran has a pull on me. It's a connection, something special I want to explore if it's anything like the bond my parents have. The only way to do that is to be open to it and hope to fuck she's on the same wavelength.

My parents might have met under different circumstances since they were neighbors and grew up next door to one another. Lynn was my mother's best friend, my father is Lynn's brother. Shit happened and my grandfather took my mother to Japan. The time apart made their connection flame up once my mother returned to town.

They had to overcome a lot while the club also endured some pretty dangerous shit. Also, something the club is facing right now. Hell, I was almost gunned down in the street today if it wasn't for Bran taking the fucker out first.

Damn, that could have gone wrong in so many different ways. A chill runs up my spine at the thought of not experiencing moments with the woman who spikes my interest. Hell, just the thought of not living another day is enough for me to man the fuck up and live like there's no tomorrow.

"I'll pack two bags with a change of clothes for each of the girls. Anything else?" my mother asks.

Her question roams around in my head. She's already in the shower, probably using my soap. I frown when I remember how Bran's scent was off this morning, and then it was clear it wasn't Bran but Dee instead.

"She smells sweet, nothing like her twin," I blurt, and now I'm wincing again due to sounding stupid.

My mother gives me a gentle smile. "Some people think twins are exactly the same, but looking alike doesn't mean shit. The way you look at her gave you away, and with you mentioning her scent…you can definitely tell the difference between the two of them, huh?"

"I just met her," I mutter.

I keep quiet about the few crucial details I instantly noticed when I ran into Dee thinking it was Bran, knowing in my gut there was something wrong.

"That might be, but you do notice the difference between those two. From what I've encountered, Dee is a little more snarky. I think that's why Bran did the interview the first day. I don't know about Dee smelling different, though."

I shrug. "Bran smells sweet, like strawberries, cherries, and pineapple. Dee is…I don't know citrus and crispy fresh, I can't explain it. When I'm close to that woman I don't feel the same pull as with Bran, it's fucking weird."

"Look at you noticing a woman's scent. Wait here." She pats my chest and dashes into the bathroom while I frown down at myself.

What the fuck is this feminine chitchat? Did I grow a pussy out of the blue and didn't get the memo? My mother comes back with an arm full of bottles and dumps them onto her bed.

Grabbing one of the bottles, she pops the lid and holds it under my nose. "Good?"

I have no other choice than to take a whiff and instantly rear my head back. "Too coconutty."

Switching to another bottle, I get another smell of something citrusy and shake my head. The whole thing repeats until my nose gets teased with a hint of cherry blossom along with a hint of something else.

"This." I take the bottle from her hand. "This one comes close. What is it? Wash stuff?"

My mother rolls her eyes and takes the bottle back to shove it into a backpack, along with some clothes. "No, silly. It's body lotion to rub into your skin. Any idea what your brother's girl would like?"

"How the fuck would I know?" I grumble. "Besides, she kicked him in the balls, it's not like they're gonna hook up. Aunt Lynn isn't going to break even 'cause Hayden's cock won't come near Dee's–"

"Tone it down, Heath. My damn ears ring with the shit you're saying. Seriously, I'm used to a lot, but that doesn't mean I have to listen to my kids blabbering those words out while I'm standing in front of them. Now pick a damn bottle, preferably one you think stinks."

I point at the one that doesn't smell sweet or fruity. She nods and shoves the bottle into another bag.

"Grab a tub of protein ice cream I made from the fridge. Bran and I were talking about it during her interview. She mentioned pistachio ice cream was her favorite and it made me want some, so I made a batch last night."

"Thanks, Ma." I shoot her a grin, take the backpack she's holding out to me, and head for the fridge.

"Go ahead and get the stuff to Bran. I need to have a little chat with Hayden in the kitchen," my mother states when I glance her way.

"Good luck." I chuckle and slip out the door.

I jog back to the clubhouse. My phone rings when I'm about to enter through the back door. Coming to a stop, I take it from my pocket and glance at the screen. Shit. It's Archer, this can't be good.

"Cousin, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I rumble.

"Brandee Bray was created three months ago for Branna and Deanna Durnam. Their father was gunned down at a gas station. Deanna was a witness. The police report mentioned something about them being in the wrong place, wrong time and all. The case still has to go to trial. I can drop off a file if you want all the details," Archer rattles.

I take a moment to process the tiny flow of information before answering. "Will it interfere with our or their lives at this point? I mean, do I have to read all the information or let it rest for now? Wait, are you calling me as a warning? Do you think they're going to bring their own brand of insanity to the table if we keep 'em here at the clubhouse?"

Archer releases a deep sigh. "That's not why I called. I only wanted to give you the option of having the information because the FBI buried the info quite deep since it's still an ongoing case they are building. If you ask me? I think those two girls were dealt a shitty hand. Those twins are trying to fly under the radar until the trial comes. They end up in your town where they're yet again confronted with MC shit. It's why Bran was carrying a gun, for protection."

"We're handling the MC shit and will keep both of them safe," I grit. "Thanks, by the way, we appreciate Broken Deeds's help."

"Don't mention it," he grumbles. "And I fucking mean it, Heath. I might have a contract with the government to let justice prevail no matter what, but that doesn't involve my cousins' MC's shit. Get my drift? I only made this call because my mother called me."

I wince at the mention of Aunt Lynn.

Archer sighs. "She made me run a background check on those twins to make sure they would be solid old lady material."

I can't stop myself from asking. "And?"

Archer chuckles. "I think I'm going to place a bet."

The line disconnects and I pull the phone away from my ear to stare at it. What the fuck? Shaking my head, I shove the phone into my pocket and stalk into the clubhouse. Once inside my room, I lock the door. The shower isn't running anymore but the bathroom door is still locked.

I rasp my knuckles against the wood and slightly raise my voice. "I have some clean clothes for you."

The door opens a crack and I swallow hard at the mere glimpse of Bran wearing nothing but my shirt. Water drops glide from her hair and onto the fabric. It's slightly darker than the ice blonde now that it's wet.

"Thanks," she softly states and takes the backpack.

"I…uhm…I also picked some lotion." Fuck, what am I saying? Clearing my throat, I add, "I'm gonna go to the kitchen and grab a spoon for the protein ice cream my mother made for you. It's pistachio."

Her eyes go wide and she steps into the room. "For real?"

I hold up the tub of ice cream and she drops the backpack to the floor to grab it. Opening the lid, she scoops some onto her finger and shoves it into her mouth. Eyes closed she fucking moans, making my cock rise to attention.

"Good?" I croak.

She bobs her head, slides her finger through the ice cream again, and holds it up in front of my mouth. Grabbing her wrist, I keep our eyes locked as I take her finger into my mouth. Fuck. I swear my cock hardens to the point of pain. Lightly sucking her finger, I catch the desire dilating her pupils.

My heart starts to race, pumping lust through my veins, and with it creating a burning need to have this woman. Fuck the problems and danger we're in or the fact we just met. If my body reacts to her this fierce with a mere touch? Why deny ourselves pleasure?

Hell, earlier today I could have died if it wasn't for this woman. All the reason to celebrate life, take all the joy it gives and praise her pussy for saving my life. She's fucking earned my cock any way she wants to have it.