Chapter 20

King/Dante

As a father, there is no greater feeling than knowing that your kids are happy. It didn't matter whether my kids were seven, or twenty-seven, the urge to protect them and look out for them was still as strong as ever.

Abby and Rome had been separated by the time Jag and Molly got married. Hell, Abby hadn't even been able to bring herself to come to the ceremony. But today, for the first time, I got the pleasure of seeing both of my sons standing next to their wives, knowing that both had found the kind of happiness that most people can only dream of. That knowledge brought a kind of peace that settled over me, and I'd found myself tearing up like a fucking pussy at one point. There were only a few things that could have made the day better – having my mom and BeBe there and having Ella by my side.

During the celebratory dinner at one of Luca Rossi's restaurants, I'd pulled out my phone to see some texts from Ella. She'd sent pictures from the anniversary party. The first had been a picture of her and another woman. The other woman was a little taller and not quite as curvy as Ella, but you could tell they were related, so I assumed it was her cousin Kim. The next picture included Ella and Kim with an older couple, clearly the aunt and uncle. The resemblance among the three women was obvious, and I wondered if they looked like Ella's Gran. There were other pictures of Ella with Mia and Hunter, and I ended up saving one of those as the lock screen photo on my cell phone. In it, Ella was laughing and looking right at the camera. I swear I felt those pretty blue eyes of hers staring straight into my soul.

Sinner settled into the seat next to me and I glanced up to find him looking at my phone. He raised his head and pinned me with a look, and I braced for a lecture.

"She's been through a lot, son. Her, and those kids."

He raised his beer bottle to his lips and took a long sip, then set it back down with a muted thud. "You've been through a lot, too, but I think you and Eleanor will be good for each other. Your mama would have liked her, too. Just don't fuck it up." With that sage advice, he pushed his chair back, grabbed his bottle of beer, and wandered off to talk to Viking, Trick, and Lucky.

"Yeah, that was fuckin' helpful, old man," I mumbled under my breath, although I was grateful to have his blessing, such as it was.

Luckily, Church the next morning was short and sweet. Most of the brothers had carried on partying back here at the clubhouse after leaving the restaurant, and there were more hungover faces around the table than I'd seen in a while. While I normally would have given them shit over it, I didn't bother today. I was just glad to be getting out of there a little early. I was anxious to get to Ella's place.

"All right, if there's nothing else, let's get the fuck out of here. Stay safe and keep your asses out of trouble this week." I pounded my fist on the table in my usual sign that Church was dismissed, grinning slightly when Trick grabbed his head and moaned. He was looking like roadkill this morning, and Lucky, sitting next to him, didn't look much better.

I followed Cowboy from the room, letting him know that I would not be staying for our usual family lunch.

"Plans with Ella?" The smirk on his face faded when I told him I was taking her for a ride.

"Seriously? You're puttin' her on the back of your bike?"

"Damn straight I am."

"Well, butter my butt and call me biscuit. She's finally givin' you a chance, huh?"

I rolled my eyes at him, wondering why the fuck we'd been friends all these years when he said stupid hillbilly shit like that. I flipped him off, and I could still hear him laughing as I headed out the door.

Twenty-five minutes later I rang the doorbell at Ella's house. She pulled the door open a moment later, and I tried not to drool as I took in the sight of her.

She was wearing a pair of well-worn blue jeans that hugged her every curve, and a dark blue T-shirt that did nothing to hide the shape of her tits. I glanced down, noting she had on socks, but no shoes.

"Come on in. I just have to put on my boots."

I bent down to kiss her cheek as she stepped aside to let me in. I caught a whiff of sugar cookies, and realized it was coming from Ella herself. I wondered if it was lotion. Then I wondered if she would object if I tried to lick her from head to toe. My cock thickened behind my zipper at that thought, and I forced myself to back off.

Stick to the fucking plan, Morgan . Or rather, stick to the plan of not fucking.

Ella sat down on the couch and picked up a brown leather hiking boot. I glanced around the living room, noticing the house seemed unnaturally quiet. "Where are the kids?"

She paused in the act of lacing up the boot to tell me that Clayton had picked them up a few minutes ago. She looked pissed off, a fact which was reinforced as she jerked the laces a little tighter than necessary.

"Everything OK, sugar?"

She huffed and rolled her eyes, then picked up the other boot and slipped it on. "Clayton is just being a dickhead, as usual. He's supposed to get them for a month every summer. He only ever takes them for two weeks. They always end up going to visit his parents in Florida, and Clayton and Sabrina spend the entire two weeks playing golf or lounging on the beach while his parents entertain the kids. The kids and his parents don't care, but it's the principle of the thing. This year, his parents wanted to take the kids on a week-long Caribbean cruise, and then have them stay with them in Florida for a week after that. We planned it months ago, and the kids are really excited." She finished tying the boot, then stood up and slung a small purse over her head, settling it across her body.

"Sabrina has decided she wants to go to Hawaii, so of course, Clayton is ditching his kids and his parents to follow her golden pussy to Oahu instead. So not only is he giving up his time with the kids, but it also means I have to send the kids on the plane to Florida by themselves."

She stopped fidgeting with her purse strap when I stepped closer and pulled her into my arms. "I know they're old enough to travel on their own. Hell, Hunter will be eighteen in four months, and I know he'll look out for Mia. I just can't believe their dad is so fucking cavalier about spending time with his family."

She wrapped her arms tighter around me, and I nuzzled my face in her hair. "He didn't even have the damned balls to tell me himself. His mom called me this morning to get the kids' flight details and was shocked that he hadn't told me yet. She said he called them and told them about it last month. Last month! God, he's such a fucking chickenshit."

I rubbed my hands up and down her back, trying to soothe her. It must have worked, because after a moment or two, she relaxed her body against mine.

"What really makes me sad is that the kids didn't even care. We were all having breakfast when my former mother-in-law called, and I put her on speakerphone so the kids could talk to her, too. So, they found out the same time I did." Her voice was quiet now, and I could barely hear her. "They didn't even stop eating their pancakes. Mia rolled her eyes, and Hunter just shrugged and reached for the last of the bacon."

She shifted a little and I loosened my hold. She took a small step back and raised her head to look at me. She had such a sad expression on her face that I wanted to track down the dumb motherfucker and kick his ass until he came to his senses. "I talked to them once we got off the phone, trying to make sure they weren't upset. I thought maybe they were just trying to be tough and strong in front of me, but Mia told me they're so used to their dad letting them down that it didn't even phase them anymore. Hunter agreed with her, and then they finished eating like it was no big deal."

"You've raised a couple of great kids, sugar, despite their asshole father. They both know they'll always have you, and they'll be OK."

"Thank you," she whispered, then stood up on her toes to press a kiss to my cheek. She raised her hand and cupped my jaw, scratching her fingertips through the short hair of my beard. Goosebumps skated down my spine, and my cock twitched in my jeans again. I knew if we stood there much longer, we'd never make it out to my bike.

"Do you still feel up to a ride? I thought we could stop at a great little diner I know first, then head south."

Her eyes lit with a gleam that bordered on unholy, and I should have known I was in trouble. She ran her fingers down over my cut, then slid under it to caress my abs. My dick throbbed, hardening behind my zipper as it came alive at her touch.

"Or we could stay here, since we have the house to ourselves." Her voice was sexy and seductive, and it was all I could do to force myself to stop her hand from drifting toward my belt buckle.

"You're killing me here, sugar. I'm trying my damnedest to behave myself, remember?"

She rolled her eyes and pouted, which would normally irritate the hell out of me. With Ella though, it was cute as fuck.

"Fine, let's go for a ride," she reluctantly agreed. "I've been looking forward to that, too."

I smiled, loving the fact that she enjoyed riding. I couldn't wait to feel her body wrapped around me, holding on tight. I'd prefer it if we were in bed at the time, but on the back of my bike would have to do. For now, anyway.

After a brief reminder of the rules of riding, I stashed her purse in one of my saddlebags while she fastened the helmet I'd borrowed from Abby. I didn't normally wear one when riding, making do with a pair of wraparound sunglasses instead. She mounted the bike like a pro, then scooted close as instructed. Having her at my back was a foreign feeling to me, but one I knew I could quickly get used to.

Ten minutes later, I was ready to curse Ella and the makers of Harley-Davidson as my dick tried it's best to break through the denim of my jeans.

I'd fired up the bike, and that's when the trouble started. Her arms had wrapped around my waist, then tightened as we took off down the road. By the time we'd idled at a stoplight less than a mile away, her hands slid a little lower, resting on my belt buckle. My cock took notice of her proximity, as did every single fucking nerve ending in my whole damned body. At the next red light, she'd loosened her arms and rested her hands on my thighs instead. I thought I was imagining things when her hands lightly massaged my thigh muscles, her fingers grazing my inner thighs in a way that made my balls throb, just begging to be played with.

I was on the verge of letting out a really fucking unmanly whimper of need when the light turned green. Ella dutifully wrapped her arms around my waist again, only to let them rest over my fucking zipper. It was then that I realized that my sweet Ella was a devil in disguise. I'd assumed her touches were innocent, and she hadn't known the effect she was having on me. As I pulled into the diner's parking lot and crab-walked the bike into a space near the door, I realized the truth. Her thighs tightened around my hips at the exact moment that she slid one hand lower and cupped the bulge between my legs.

"Holy fuck," I muttered as my dick throbbed under her touch. I turned off the bike and heard Ella's muffled giggle from under the helmet as the sound of the engine faded away.

Ella let go of me and sat back, and I looked over my shoulder to see her taking off the helmet. She passed it to me with a smile, then steadied herself with her hands on my shoulders as she prepared to dismount. She nodded as I remembered to warn her about the danger of the hot pipes, then swung her leg over and got off the bike in a graceful move that made it look like she'd ridden for years.

I quickly got off and tucked the helmet under my arm, then reached for her hand and threaded my fingers through hers. I used our joined hands to tug her to me, then dipped my head and pressed a kiss on her upturned lips.

"You are a naughty, naughty, woman, Eleanor Chadwick."

"Only under the right circumstances," she retorted with a wicked smirk.

"You consider the back of my fucking bike to be the right circumstances?" I whispered in her ear, taking the opportunity to deliver a small nip to her earlobe that made her entire body shiver.

"It felt right to me," she informed me with a grin on her face that was equal parts sexy and adorable. I found myself laughing as I escorted her to the diner's entrance, letting go of her hand just long enough to open the door for her.

The place was an informal, seat-yourself kind of restaurant, which used to be owned by one of my mom's friends. Her daughter Margie ran things now, but as I looked around, I didn't see her working. I guided Ella to an empty booth in the corner, then slid onto the bench seat across from hers. I set the helmet down next to me and handed her a plastic-coated menu.

Despite me telling her how good the burgers were, Ella insisted on ordering a turkey club on a whole wheat wrap. I was on the verge of giving her hell if she was trying to watch her weight or some shit, when she also ordered a chocolate shake to go with it. I smiled in satisfaction, then ordered my own burger, with fries and a strawberry shake.

"Best milkshakes in town," I assured her as the young woman waiting on us hurried to the kitchen to place our orders.

It didn't take long for our food to be delivered to the table, and conversation flowed easily while we ate. In no time, we were walking back out to the bike. I hesitated while handing the helmet to Ella, then shot her a wicked grin. To hell with this no-sex bullshit. I should have known better than to listen to Jagger and his stupid idea. Ella clearly wanted me, and I sure as fuck wanted her. It was pure torture to deny it any longer.

"As much as I hate to say it, I need you to behave yourself while we ride, sugar. Otherwise, we're gonna end up in a ditch somewhere." Her face flushed and I leaned down to gently kiss her. "Just wait ‘til we get back to your place. Then you can touch me wherever you want, I promise," I whispered against her lips.

I felt her lips form into a grin, and she whispered back. "That's good, honey, because I intend to do a lot of touching."

My dick throbbed at her words, and I debated skipping the ride and heading straight back to her house instead. The decision was made for me when I remembered her excitement at being on my bike, and how good it felt to have her there.

We were on the road moments later, Ella's hands wrapped around my waist and her front plastered to my back. We rode for two hours, stopping briefly to give her a chance to stretch her legs a little since she wasn't used to riding. As we pulled back into her driveway, I think she was as sorry as I was that our ride had come to an end for the day.

"I can't wait to do that again," she said with a huge smile as she unlocked her door and stepped inside. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to fluff it up where the helmet had flattened it down a little.

"Quit fussing with your hair, sugar. You look fine."

"I know I have helmet hair, Dante. I can tell it's all flat," she scoffed. I gently grabbed her hands and pulled them to my mouth to kiss her fingers.

"Then let's go upstairs. I'll pull and tug on it while I fuck you. Then you'll have a good reason for it to be messed up." Her fingertips curled around mine as she looked up at me with a twinkle in her eyes.

"That sounds like an excellent plan," she said huskily, then walked backwards toward the staircase while keeping hold of my hands. I dropped her hands and reached for her, yanking her flush against me and making her squeal in surprise.

"Turn around and walk up those stairs, woman. I want to watch that sweet ass of yours bounce with every single step."

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in shock. I turned her in my arms, so she faced the stairs, then gave her ass a gentle smack.

"Move woman and remember…I wanna see it bounce."

She glared at me over her shoulder, then spoiled it by laughing. I let her get a few steps ahead of me on the stairs, so I'd be eye-level with her ass, grinning as she added a little extra sway to her movements. By the time she reached the top of the stairs, my dick was rock-hard, and I was sure I was drooling a little.

I took the last two steps at one time, grabbing her around the waist as I hustled her into her bedroom. I had the presence of mind to shut and lock the door, then ripped off my cut and tossed it on the chair in the corner. Normally, I'd show it more care than that, but I had other priorities at the moment. I grabbed the back of my shirt as I strode toward the bed, pulling it over my head and letting it fall to the floor. I retrieved a rubber from my wallet, one I'd replaced out of habit after the last time I'd fucked her. I tossed it on the bed, then turned to look at Ella.

She stood there watching my every move, her eyes burning with desire as they devoured every inch of my exposed chest. I flexed my muscles for her and reached for my belt. She licked her lips as I opened it, then flipped open the button on my jeans.

"Sugar, as pretty as you are just standing there, you'd better get those clothes off. Otherwise, I'm gonna end up ripping them off of you.