Chapter Four

Stormy

Romeo plucked pieces of bacon off his glazed maple donut and piled them on a napkin next to Levi, who demanded a girl named Pippa give hers up as well.

“Just take the whole topping.” Pippa leaned over the table and peeled off the frosting, nuts, and bacon bits from her donut. “No sacrifice is too much for the bean.”

Levi patted her belly. “See, that’s why Pippa will be your favorite,” she said to her tummy.

I broke a small piece off my donut and ate it. An hour after Bullet had left, Levi’s quiet knock had pulled me from the depressing room and out here to the chapel of the MC. The television in the corner played, and the voices blended with the nameless faces.

Not that Levi hadn’t been making introductions, but I’d given up trying to remember.

Romeo and Blue had their names on their leather cuts. And so did the girl Jazzy. She had her blonde hair tied up in a black bandana .

“Are you here with Blue?” Jazzy asked. Her lips pursed. “Even if you are, you’re not changing your name,” she said to him.

Levi leaned into me. “Blue for blue balls. Hana has a few other names for him. You’ll meet her tonight, but not until late. Saturdays are busy for her at Wild Ink.” She took another bite of her donut. “Now that she has her own tattoo shop, she’s crazy busy inking bikers.”

Blue bumped his shoulder against Jazzy’s. “Whether or not I’m getting my dick wet doesn’t change that my balls are always in play. You’re either busting them, or I’m ready to nut from working with Bullet’s girls.”

“Since Stormy is one of Bullet’s girls,” Levi said. “You’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

“No,” I snapped, and it seemed like everyone at the table stared. “I mean, I’m not one of Bullet’s girls .” I emphasized the word. “I don’t work for him, or he doesn’t work for me.” I tried to clarify, but obviously, I was making the conversation awkward. “He’s not my manager.”

Blue chuckled. “Don’t worry.” His smile was soft and his eyes warm. “Bullet already made it clear you weren’t going to be working for him.” He arched a brow. “But Bristol was fighting for you.”

“She doesn’t need to do that.” The few bites of donut settled like rocks in my gut. “When did you see him?” Not that I needed him to answer. Bullet had to have gone to Bristol as soon as he left here. Why wouldn’t he? I was safe behind the fence, and she was his lover .

“Romeo!” A little girl squealed. She dropped the box in her hands and rushed toward our table.

“Lilibug.” Romeo jumped from his seat just as the girl threw herself into his arms. “Did you score?” He spun her around and sat her on a stool.

The little girl’s lips puckered into a pout. “No, and I got a yellow warning.”

“They give penalties to five-year-olds?” Levi asked.

“No penalties, but Lili is a Heller. Soccer is full contact with my girl. She likes to throw elbows.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Only accidentally on purpose because Myra wouldn’t get out of my way. And I can’t be a Heller. My mom said no.” Her lips formed an O, and her blue eyes widened. “Can I have a donut?”

“I didn’t think you liked braids.” Jazzy tugged on her braid. “You look amazing.”

She reached into the center of the table for a donut. “You don’t have to lie. Dad doesn’t know how to do a Princess Leia bun.” Her hair had been divided into two mostly equal parts and braided. A pink and white striped shirt had the number eleven on the back and her team name, the Cherry Blossoms, on the front.

I tilted my head to look under the table. She wore one pink and one white soccer sock over her shin guards, but she wasn’t wearing cleats. Instead, worn, pink, canvas ballet slippers covered her feet.

“Lili.” The firm command came from the doorway.

The little girl snapped her gaze over her shoulder. “Want a donut?” she asked the biker holding a suitcase in one hand and a large box in the other. Long hair, lightened from the sun to a caramel brown, fell to his shoulders. With the flick of his head, the sexy waves shifted away from his face.

“No, I want you to grab this box and take it to the room.”

Lili took another big bite of donut as she rolled her eyes. “I’m having donuts with Romeo.” The way she said Romeo rolled off her tongue like a song.

“Now, Lili.” A muscle ticked in his clean-shaven jaw. Sunglasses covered his eyes, but his brows pinched with the crease in his forehead. He had a couple of tattoos on his forearms, and an edge of another coiled halfway up his neck on the left side.

“You better go,” Levi said. “I’ll watch your donut.”

“You’ll eat it. Romeo,” that sweet voice crooned, “watch my donut.” She pushed her donut away from Levi and slid off the stool. On her way to the box on the floor, she executed a tombé pas de bourrée landing in coupé .

“She dances,” I said under my breath. Butterflies flitted in my belly. I remembered being her age and living in my ballet slippers. She lifted the box off the floor and chirped nonstop at her dad as she followed him out of the chapel. “Who was that?”

“Steele and his little girl, Lili. He’s going through a divorce,” Pippa said. “His ex is making it ugly.”

Levi licked the last crumbs of her donut from her fingers. “He’s moving into Dozer’s old room.”

“Who all lives here?” I asked .

Levi pinched her brows and counted off the names on her fingers. “Blade has a room, but he pretty much lives with Hana at Pippa and Dozer’s.”

“Romeo and Levi moved into Rogue’s old room,” Jazzy said. “Good thing the walls can’t talk.”

“Because they’d be screaming and cursing now that they’ve heard Levi.” Romeo nuzzled Levi’s neck.

Levi laughed. “Don’t make me pee.” She pushed him away. “At least now we don’t have to share the bathroom.”

“Cruz has our old room,” Romeo said.

“Steele is across from you.” Levi held up two more fingers. “Pike and Brenna. Oh, and Kodiak is in the room across from us.”

“You’ll get to know everyone,” Romeo said. “There’s always someone around.”

It didn’t really matter. This was temporary.

Lili was still chattering as she followed her dad out of the chapel, returning again with more boxes. Only this time, Steele held the door for two women with arms laden with department store bags.

“Isn’t it a little early for you?” Jazzy braced a hand on her hip as she spoke to the women who approached.

“Actually, yes. And I’m surprised you can walk without a limp. Lucky bitch.” She gave Jazzy a hug. “I’m looking for Stormy. You?”

I nodded and slid off the chair. Her gaze raked down my body, and her lips twitched into a smile. “I’m Clover. This is Lacey.”

I didn’t need to ask if Lacey was one of Bullet’s girls. I’d seen her with Bristol at the Landing Strip. I assumed the other one was, too .

“Bullet had us pick up some things for you. There’s more in the car.”

“I’ll get it.” Romeo kissed Levi’s cheek. “Be right back.”

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and propelled me toward the door, following Clover and Lacey outside. No wonder the little girl sang his name. There was something sweet and charming about him, but with the twist of those smiling lips, you just knew there was nothing innocent about him.

No wonder he was called Romeo. And the man who promised to help me was called Bullet. What was wrong with me and wanting what I shouldn’t? I was obsessing over a man I couldn’t have and shouldn’t want.

“I’m not one of his girls, and I never will be. This is temporary,” I said to Romeo as we stood at the open back of a silver SUV. Lacey handed me two fluffy white pillows, then hustled around to the passenger door for more bags. “I don’t want him buying me anything.”

“It’s all good,” Romeo said. “What you got going with Bullet isn’t anyone’s business. That he’d bring you here is all I need to know. We got your back, Stormy. This shit,” he said indicating the bags. “This is Bullet taking care of his business. You’re his business.”

But I wasn’t. His business was sex, and I was waiting to run.

“Need help?” I glanced into Steele’s smiling face as he reached into the back of the SUV for a bag.

Standing between them, I felt small and strangely protected. Their leather cuts declared them as dangerous. Road names gave them anonymity, but they didn’t seem to hide who they were.

For the first time in longer than I could remember, I wasn’t suffocating on fear. I followed Romeo and Steele back into the MC.

“We’re neighbors,” Steele said, setting the bags on the bed.

Lili followed him into the room. “Are you moving in, too?” She wrinkled her nose as she glanced around.

“Nice step from tombé pas de bourrée and landing in coupé ,” I said.

Her mouth dropped open. “Do you take ballet, too?”

I sat on the edge of the bed. “I used to.”

“Ms. Baird says I can’t do my solo if I don’t practice my pirouette.” She chewed on her thumb nail. Without saying a word, Steele gently pulled her thumb from her mouth. She furrowed her brows. “Want to see my solo?”

“Sure.”

She spun on her heels and ran across the hall to their room. The door slammed against the wall. “Daddy, where’s my stuff?” Something tipped and clamored to the floor.

“Are you sure you want calamity Jane in here? She’s five going on twenty-five.” Steele raked his fingers through his hair, tucking it behind his ears. Then realizing we hadn’t been introduced, he extended his hand. “Steele. You met Lili.”

“Stormy.” I slipped my hand into his for two beats of my heart, then pulled away. I’d been in the Landing Strip long enough to know a lingering touch could be interpreted into an invitation to a private party in a backroom. We were alone in a bedroom, and I also recognized the tingle in my belly was anxiety, not arousal.

He slid his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and leaned against the doorjamb, not really in the room, but definitely not in the hall. “I thought I’d met all the old ladies, but I haven’t seen you around.”

“I’m not anyone’s old lady. I had my first ride on the back of Bullet’s motorcycle today.”

“Ah, one of Bullet’s girls.”

I recognized interest in his words and judgement in his tone.

“I’m not one of his girls.” Maybe I should start every conversation with a disclaimer. Not one of his girls, but if you’d been at the Landing Strip in the last month, you’d already know too much about me. Before he could ask me to elaborate, I said, “I’ll just be here a couple of days.” What did I say to him? I was along for a ride, but I had no idea where I was headed and had no idea how to get off.

Another crash sounded from across the hall, then Lili breathlessly rushed back into my room. Her hair had come loose from her braids. She wore a sparkling purple tutu, tights with a snag in the knee, and her worn slippers.

“Out,” she said to her dad, pushed him into the hall, and tried to close the door. He braced a hand against it. “Daddy, it has to be a surprise.”

His gaze rested on mine. I nodded, and he let the door close.

“You need to warm up before you dance. ”

With a vigorous nod, she stood in first position.

While she rushed through a few moves and stretches, I dug into the first bag at my feet. Towels, sheets, pillows, and blankets. I tore off the tags and organized as Lili chatted about the girls in her ballet class.

One bag was filled with toiletries. “Before you perform, do you want me to fix your hair?”

“Yes, please.” Her wide smile revealed a few missing teeth.

I patted the bed. She sat in front of me, and I gently unbraided her hair. I wasn’t sure how to do a Princess Leia bun, but I could make her look like a prima ballerina. This was safe. This was comfortable.

As I did her hair, she chatted nonstop. Once I had two French braids running from her forehead to the crown of her skull, I smoothed her hair into a tight bun.

“We need bobby pins, but maybe there’s hairspray in one of these bags.” I filtered through another bag with shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and a bunch of other bottles until I found the hairspray. With her elastic bands and a few squirts, I set Lili’s bun.

“Look in the mirror.”

She stood in front of the dresser and tilted her head left and right. “I’m going to dance so good now.”

I cleared off a space on the bed and sat with my legs crossed. “I’m ready.”

“We need the song.”

“I’ll hear the music in your movement. I promise. ”

I smiled as Lili moved through her positions and steps. I covered my laugh with a clap during her barrel rolls as her legs and arms struggled to work together. When she finished, she bowed, lifted her gaze to me, and waited for my final reaction.

I launched onto my knees and clapped. “Beautiful.”

She jumped onto the bed, tumbling the pillows to the floor. “Do you want me to help you make the bed?”

While we worked on the room, she told the full, unabridged version of her mom and dad, their divorce, her mom’s boyfriend, how her mom hated the Hellers, but Dad paid the bills, so she had to shut up about it . I was pretty sure she was repeating her mother’s words since she did a head wobble to go with the snappy tone.

After we made the bed and organized the room, I gathered the empty bags. Since I didn’t have a lot of clothes, all of which were still in Bristol’s car, we used two of the dresser drawers for the towels and the old sheets Levi had given me.

“I’m hungry,” she said.

I was too. I’d had a few bites of donut, but then I’d come into the room. I didn’t even know what time it was. I didn’t have a phone.

“We should ask my dad to get us a pizza.” She swung the door open.

“I’m sure your dad wants to spend time with you.” She’d disclosed this was the first weekend she’d had with him because he hadn’t had a place to take her. Now, he did. But her mom wasn’t happy she would be around all those whores and heathens . Again with the tone and attitude of a bitter woman going through a divorce.

We made our way to the chapel. Holy shit. How long had we been in the room? The doors were propped open, music played through the speakers in the ceiling, beer flowed from the taps, and laughter permeated the air along with the delicious aroma of barbecue.

Lili ran across the room to her dad. I stood along the wall. I didn’t belong out here. I took two hesitant steps backwards. Before I could make my escape back to the bedroom, Steele waved me over to his table.

I shook my head, spun, and ran into a mouthful of solid chest. Strong fingers clutched my biceps before I tumbled to my ass. My pulse jolted, and my skin electrified with his touch. Not in a good way, but in a way that had me wanting to run, where every nerve and synapse fired for self-preservation.

Heat from his body seeped into me, the scent of cigarettes and sweat surrounded me, and his size overpowered me, like an approaching storm I couldn’t escape. “Sorry,” I stammered.

The worn leather of his cut couldn’t conceal the gun tucked against his side. The patches on his chest said his name was Rogue, and he was the vice president. One of those patches should have come with a warning label for him.

The need to break free barreled through me. Saliva pooled in my mouth. Oh my god, he was huge. His wide chest curved into sculpted shoulders and a thick neck covered in tattoos .

I lifted my gaze, and my knees nearly buckled. Then he popped a sucker into his mouth and smiled. “You must be Bullet’s girl.”

Bullet

I’d spent the whole fucking day avoiding the girl sitting in a back bedroom of the MC. Avoided her because Bristol’s words hit harder than a right hook from Rogue. Stormy made it clear she wanted out of town. I’d heard that before. At one time, Jinx had been looking to run, too. She’d stayed.

Sometimes, I wondered if Lacey would have jumped from a building if she hadn’t felt safe with me. Skye had fallen harder than any of my girls, passed around by her former boyfriend and used to pay his drug debts.

Stormy hadn’t said shit about what her life was like with Barras. Had we not been at the warehouse, she’d be in a situation now that would make being one of my girls seem like a Fortune-500 career.

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about fucking her. I did, too many times to count. I’d been fucking her in my dreams for months. She fucked with my head and my emotions. I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else touching her. That made her dangerous. I didn’t get territorial over pussy.

Bikes filled the lot of the MC. Sparks snapped like fireflies from the barrel near the doors, and the scent of grilling meat saturated the air. Torch had converted two 55-gallon oil drums into barbecues. Blade gave me a nod as I rode past the long stretch of Harleys and parked. I lit a cigarette and joined my MC brothers.

“Did you talk to Romeo?” I asked Blade.

He nodded. Our prez was young, but solid. The kid grew up with a mom on meth and a dad on heroin, yet somehow, he’d come out all right. “The board agreed to meet in the morning.”

I understood the delay. There were too many people in the chapel who would ask too many questions. Saturday nights were about family and food. The bar would be busy with hang-arounds looking to check out the MC.

More motorcycles rode into the parking lot. Bristol drove in and squeezed her car into the slot between the hearse and Levi’s little yellow compact.

I crossed the parking lot. “Are you just getting here?” I asked her as she slid out of the driver’s seat.

“Yes.” She went to the rear door on the driver’s side, bent over, and leaned into the backseat. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.” She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “I just planned to rest my eyes.” Her ass brushed against my groin as she backed out of the car. “Sorry.” She handed me Stormy’s duffel and adjusted her T-shirt to lower the V and show off her amazing rack. “I napped all afternoon. How’s Stormy?”

“I assume she’s fine.” I carried the duffel and walked with her to the MC. “I’m just getting back, too.”

“You left her alone all day?”

“Don’t ride my ass.” I already felt like shit .

I followed her into the MC. My eyes took a moment to adjust from the late-afternoon sunshine to the dim lighting in the chapel.

Bristol shifted and glanced up at me. “I see Scarlett and Skye. Catch me later?”

I nodded, and she pivoted through the crowd to the far table. I scanned the crowd.

Prospects worked behind the bar. Hana and her group were laughing at their favorite toy, Blue. Levi stood in front of Romeo, and his hands cradled her belly.

Stormy wasn’t with them. I’d feel even worse if she was sitting alone in the bedroom. But she wasn’t. She’d obviously made some friends. I sidled around the edge of the room.

Fuck, she was pretty. She hadn’t seen me yet. Vega sat next to her with his arm stretched across the back of her chair. Jazzy and her dad, Sully, were at the table. Rogue had to be around here somewhere. A little girl sat between her and Steele.

Vega raised a hand and waved me over. Stormy lifted her head. Her gaze connected with mine, and I felt the impact from chest to gut and a lot fucking lower. My balls tightened, and my cock kicked.

Soft curls framed her face. A hint of makeup dusted her cheeks, and a stroke of black lined her upper eyelid. Long lashes darkened her already chocolate eyes.

Scarlett stepped in front of me and wrapped her arms around me. “I’ve been waiting for you. ”

I had to pry my focus from Stormy. “Later,” I said to Scarlett, disengaged her arms, and took a step back from her. “I need to talk to Sully.”

I wanted to get to Stormy, but Steele had her attention. He leaned over his kid and whispered into Stormy’s ear. Her lips stretched wide with her smile.

I wanted to stalk her. I wanted in her fucking head because she was fucking with mine. What the fuck was she doing with Steele? Stepping around Scarlett, I crossed the room.

Jazzy plucked the sucker from her mouth. “Your new girl is tits,” she said to me.

Stormy’s brow arched. “Is that a good thing? And I’m not one of his girls.”

“Lucky for me,” Steele said and winked at Stormy as he tipped a longneck bottle of beer to his lips.

She fucking laughed. Nah, fuck that. “I need to talk to you,” I said to her.

“Save my place?” she said to Lili as she scooted her chair back.

“Don’t go.” Lili reached for her hand.

“I promise, I’ll just be a minute.” Her lips curled with a small smile. She sidled around the table. When she noticed I held her duffel bag, she tried to take it.

“I got it.” I nodded toward the hallway. She stepped in front of me. I reached to put my hand on her lower back but let my fingers fall to my side. I couldn’t touch her and not want more. Right now, I wanted my fingers around her neck, her breath on my lips, and her body writhing under mine. I’d settle for one of those fucking smiles she’d given to Steele .

“You met Steele.”

“Yep.” The one word landed with a snap. “I met Scarlett and Skye. Oh, and this morning, Lacey and Clover were here.” She opened the door to our room. “I thanked them for all the stuff, but they let me know you take care of your girls.” Her lips pursed. “And by take care of, I mean, they were explicit.”

I smiled, and she rolled her eyes. Whatever they said, wouldn’t come close to disclosing the shit I’d done. “Stormy—”

“Say less. I’ve heard enough.” She walked in ahead of me. “Levi made sure to introduce me to all the girls. I’m grateful most of the guys have their names on their cuts because I can’t remember them all.”

I paused. “Is this our room?”

I’d asked the girls to pick up some things to make her more comfortable, but they’d transformed the room. A soft gray comforter covered the bed with a few fluffy pillows at the head and a soft throw blanket at the foot.

I set the duffel on the dresser next to bottles of shampoo and shit. A cool evening breeze blew through the open window, but the room carried the provocative scent of wildflowers and vanilla. Her perfume.

“This doesn’t have to be our room.” She grabbed the duffel, unzipped it, and dug through the items. “Steele moved in across the hall. If I need anything, I can ask him.” She pulled baggies full of money from the side. Her shoulders dropped, and she let out a ragged exhale. “I’ll pay him for his services. ”

“Not happening.” I crossed my arms over my chest.

“I didn’t ask for your permission.” She set the money on top of the dresser. “It’s all I have,” she said. “It’ll be enough to get me the hell out of here.”

“You sound irritated.”

“Why should I be irritated?” She opened a drawer and shoved the clothes from the duffel inside. Then she grabbed the cash and dropped onto her hands and knees. “I just don’t want to, I don’t know… I guess I don’t want to be an interference in your life.”

Her words were muffled by her position. A position that had my cock pressing against the fly of my jeans. I adjusted before she could notice, and a low groan climbed up my throat. Her ass swayed as she pushed the baggie under the dresser as far as her fingers allowed.

“You’re my responsibility. You don’t need to hide your money. No one in the MC will steal from me. Since you’re with me, that includes you.”

She stood and pushed her bangs from her face. “No, I’m not. I’m not one of your girls.”

I rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck. “And you never will be.”

“Thanks. Although I doubt you meant it as a compliment considering your girls, but I’ll take it as one. I’m not going to get on my knees for you. I’m grateful to you, but I’m not paying you with sexual services.”

“Fuck, brown eyes.” I growled. “That isn’t what I meant. You’re beautiful—”

“I wasn’t fishing for a compliment. ”

“Let me finish. That attitude would emasculate most men.”

She cocked a brow. “I’m glad there isn’t going to be any weird attraction between us.”

“I wouldn’t say that. I said most men, not me. You don’t need me to tell you that you look good. Those assholes at the Landing Strip paid to see your pussy, not to hear you bitch.”

That was the wrong thing to say. Her shoulders stiffened as she stepped closer. Her eyes narrowed, and her brows furrowed.

“I don’t take clients to bed, so don’t even go there. Don’t forget you were fucking Bristol last night.” Breath gusted over her slightly parted lips.

I couldn’t forget. I couldn’t forget a fucking thing about Stormy. But I couldn’t deny her reactions to me were valid. Anyone but her, I wouldn’t’ve treated any different than one of my girls. I would’ve fucked her, rolled out of bed, and gone home.

But she was different. She was the woman I couldn’t stop thinking about.

If I had known who was in the bed, I wouldn’t have been balls deep in Bristol. “I fucked one of my whores last night. Like you said, I didn’t know it was going to be a slumber party.”

She spun around and ignored my comment. “I appreciate the offer of help, but everyone is getting the wrong idea about us. You’re Bristol’s biker-boyfriend-pimp, and I’m a liability.” She finally looked at me. “But I’m not your liability.”

“I’m not in a relationship with Bristol. ”

“You are. And one I won’t be in the middle of.” She was breathing hard, and her pulse fluttered in the hollow of her throat. She touched her tongue to her lip, and then swallowed. “I think if we wait a couple days, I can get out of town. If I go to Vegas, I can dance, and it’s far from here.”

She wanted to run. Maybe from her ex. Maybe from me. I couldn’t let her go, not until I knew she’d be safe.

“You don’t want to live your life looking over your shoulder.”

She rested her hand on my forearm. The soft touch of her fingertips burned like fire against my flesh. I uncrossed my arms and took a step back from her. Jesus, one touch had my gut knotted and heat slipping beneath my skin.

She tucked her fingers into the back pocket of her jeans. “I can’t stay.”

“Decide once you don’t have a reason to run.”

“Even without Emerson, I’m always going to have a reason to run.” She brushed past me.

Maybe she was right. No way was she sticking around. Not for a guy like me. And not for any of my Heller brothers.

“Stay away from Steele.”

She twisted and glanced over her shoulder. “Why?”

Because I didn’t like the way he looked at her, and I fucking hated the way she had looked at him. “Like you just said, you won’t be here long enough to make friends.”

“I know, and you’re right.” She tilted her head. “I hate that I need your help. ”

Her gaze penetrated mine, hitting me in the gut and sinking lower. The brattier her attitude, the harder she made my cock.

“But I know I do,” she continued. “Because I don’t want to make the situation worse, I’m willing to do what you tell me to.”

She shouldn’t say shit like that to me. I’d tell her to keep those brown eyes locked on mine as I split her thighs and buried my face between her legs.

Her hand rested on the door handle. “If I need your permission on who I spend time with or become friends with while I’m here in the MC, then I’ll go. Because you don’t get to make those decisions.”

“I’m not talking about friendship. I’m talking about fucking my brothers.”

She turned and walked out, and I didn’t have to guess who she was going to.

Fuck. I wanted in her bed, but Stormy was never going to forget about last night. But she was mistaken if she believed I’d let her play old lady to another patch in my club.

Two minutes later, I made my way back into the chapel and sat next to Sully at the table with Kodiak, Vega, and Rogue. Skye sat on Kodiak’s lap. She held five cards in her hand. Kodiak pressed his lips to her bare shoulder and pointed to the cards she should keep and tugged on the two she should discard.

Sully dealt her two replacements.

The bet went to Vega. “I’m out.” He tossed his cards face down .

The game continued, but my focus was on Stormy, still sitting at the table with Steele and his kid, and now, Bristol sat between her and Steele. Good. Although I could take it as another sign that I was too obsessed with Stormy. And she was just as aware of me as she licked barbecue sauce from her fingertip. Every few seconds, our gazes connected.

Steele grabbed her empty beer bottle and headed to the altar for another round. Bristol leaned over and must have said something about Steele because they both tracked his movement.

“You got a claim on that girl,” Sully spoke quietly. “Your prospect should know better.”

“I got no claim on her, and he’s not a prospect anymore.” I shifted my attention off Stormy.

Laughter erupted from the table next to us. Jazzy cheered on Blue as he chugged a beer. Once Romeo knocked up Levi, the girls migrated to Blue. But unlike Romeo, they weren’t trying to fuck him but mother him.

Scarlett slid into the chair next to me, blocking my view of Stormy. “I’m going to party with Skye and Kodiak. Are you coming with us?”

I leaned back in my chair and stared across the room. I’d only turned away for a moment, and in that time, she’d played musical chairs with Bristol. She might as well climb into Steele’s lap or onto the back of his bike. Like she said, she was going to fuck who she wanted. And since she wasn’t one of my girls, she’d made it clear she didn’t need my permission.

Stormy smiled at something Steele said. Her stare switched to me, and the smile slipped from her lips. She glanced away quickly and tipped her beer to her mouth. When she lowered it, her tongue slicked across her bottom lip, leaving a glossy coat. Her gaze flickered to me once more, then she dipped her chin and tucked her hair behind her ear.

I wasn’t going to watch her fuck my friend. I’d take care of Barras, but Stormy had just made herself off limits. Rejection tasted like shit, but I wasn’t permanent, and neither was she. Scarlett didn’t deserve to be a substitute for what I wanted, but I couldn’t find a fuck-all to give.

“Let’s go.”

Skye slid off Kodiak’s lap. Scarlett stood, took my hand, and led me out of the room. I didn’t look back because I didn’t want to see those brown eyes focused on anyone but me. I couldn’t watch her flirt with Steele and not want to pound him into the ground.

Even as I entered Kodiak’s room, my dick and my head were having a conflict of interests. My dick wasn’t interested, but I was going to fuck Stormy out of my head.

As soon as the door closed, Kodiak had Skye backed against the wall with one hand around her throat, the other in her panties, and his tongue in her mouth. Her hands worked on getting his clothes off.

Scarlett tugged me toward the bed. I dropped down and scooted back.

“Kodiak has blow, but I got a little something from Romeo.” The mattress squeaked as she climbed onto my lap, her knees braced along my thighs, and her pussy centered over my flaccid cock .

Scarlett pulled a joint from inside her bra, and I reached into my cut for my lighter. Her red lips pinched the end of the joint while I raked my thumb over the metal wheel of my Zippo, sparked the flint, and brought the flame to the tip.

Paper sizzled, and the pungent scent of good weed wafted from the curl of smoke. She inhaled as I shrugged out of my cut and tossed it to the side. Passing the joint to me, I took a hit, and she lifted the edge of my T-shirt, stripping my chest bare.

My mind mellowed. I tilted my head, and her warm lips sucked along my neck. “You’re going to have to get me there, kitten.”

“I missed this,” she purred, rocking into my groin, trying to stir life into my uninterested dick. Her nails scored my abdominals on her way to the waistband of my jeans. With a tug, she had the buckle of my leather belt loose and the prong sprung open.

Nah, this wasn’t working for me. My dick was still soft. “Get undressed.” I needed her big tits in my face, and the heat of her pussy warming my cock. Not the images of Stormy. Not the way her voice softened with her insecurities and cut like a fucking razor’s edge with attitude. She was a contradiction and sexy as fuck.

“What’s wrong?” Scarlett’s voice lowered, keeping the question as private as possible with Kodiak’s moans filling the air and Skye gagging on his cock. Scarlett ripped her shirt over her head.

“I got a lot of shit on my mind.” And it all centered on the one woman who was in the chapel with my former prospect. I trusted Steele. Like Kodiak, after my time double crossing the Crawlers, he’d become my brother.

But I didn’t want him touching Stormy. I wanted those big brown eyes to stare up at me and her tight body underneath me. Small breasts and hard nipples.

Scarlett stilled while still touching me. “What’s going on, Bullet?”

“Fuck.” I was distracted with my head still in the chapel wondering if Steele had his hands on her. I’d barely touched her, but her skin was like silk under my fingertips.

“Do you want to do a line?”

“Fuck, no. You know I don’t.” I’d done enough blow in my life to never want it again. Fuck feeling amped when I could float on the mellow intoxication of Romeo’s weed. Leaning back on one arm, I drew in a long pull from the joint, held it in my lungs, leaned my head back, and waited for the euphoric high to hit my bloodstream.

The bed dipped, and Skye crawled over me and took a hit from the joint. She glanced over her shoulder as Kodiak snorted a line of coke off her ass, then licked the residue.

Scarlett stared at Kodiak and licked her lips.

“Are you riding the rails with your sister and Kodiak or getting high with me?” I asked.

Kodiak was a former Crawler, but he wasn’t a snowblower, strictly rec use. Gray area with the MC’s current bylaws. I’d have a conversation with him tomorrow. But Skye was young, still wanted to play hard, and she didn’t know how to say no. I wasn’t taking on another snow bunny. Coke inevitably led to the cartels. Fuck that shit. Never again.

Skye braced on her bent elbows, her mouth a breath from mine, and her ass in the air. Kodiak stood at the edge of the bed. I stared into her blown eyes. Her mouth opened, and a ragged wail ripped from her throat. Her tits bounced and jiggled as Kodiak fucked her from behind.

Scarlett took the roach from my finger, inhaled three puffs, then she leaned over to the nightstand, and dropped it into the ashtray.

“I’m with you. But I’m not sure you’re here with me.” She opened her mouth over mine, sucked my tongue then used her teeth on my bottom lip to keep me there. I curled my fingers around the back of her neck and slammed my mouth against hers.

I’d kiss her because the woman in the chapel was too clean for me. I kissed her, grabbed her tit, and rolled her nipple between my thumb and finger. But I was doing a shit job of convincing my dick to get involved.

“Don’t you want to be here with me?” she asked, hovering over me.

I ran my fingers through her long hair. “Ah, kitten, you know you’re my girl.”

Her eyes softened. “Is it her? The girl you brought here.”

I groaned and draped my arm over my face. “It’s complicated.”

Her lips trailed along my neck and down my chest. “She’s pretty. Bristol seems to like her.”

I growled, and her teeth plucked my nipple piercing. I closed my eyes, but all I could see was Stormy with her long legs in a bathtub, and her wide eyes as she climbed onto my bike. My cock kicked, and Scarlett shifted lower, licking along my abdominals.

Scarlett ran her palm along the ladder of my ribs, but I could still feel Stormy’s arms wrapped around me, sliding across my skin as we leaned into a corner, and then gripping me tighter as I accelerated on the bike and her thighs braced my flanks.

Blood surged into my shaft, and my balls grew heavy.

The zipper on my jeans lowered, and my cock stretched against my groin, hard and heavy. Her delicate fingers circled my shaft, but then she squeezed the base, surging pressure into the pulsing head just the way I liked it, and I was reminded that it wasn’t Stormy sliding her pierced tongue along the shaft, but Scarlett.

I couldn’t smell the wildflower and vanilla scent of her perfume beneath the heavy cloying odor of weed. Scarlett’s mouth was familiar and confident, not the tremble of Stormy’s lips or the vulnerability in her eyes.

Scarlett sucked me into her warm, wet mouth, and her tongue twisted around the bar through the head. I ran my hands into her hair, but instead of soft, short curls, Scarlett’s long dark hair slid through my fingers.

I leaned up on my elbow. “Kitten—” I wanted to tell her to stop, that this wasn’t fair to her. She wasn’t the one I wanted .

Scarlett dropped to her knees on the floor. She curled her fingers into my jeans and tugged them lower. “I’ll make you forget her.”