After the Ride (Night Riders Motorcycle Club Book 2) (9 page)

Lauren trembled where she sat, but she pressed him to continue.

“I went after her,” he said. “I never rode so fast. And then there… there…”

He shattered. Blake’s body shook as he tried to fight back the tears that still spilled down his cheeks. Lauren tried to draw him closer.

“Don’t,” he hissed. He tried to push away from her, but Lauren wouldn’t let him go.

“Tell me,” she insisted. “Keep talking—”

“I barely recognized her when I got there.”  He pushed her back to the bed, and his hard eyes hovered over her. There was an unmistakable sadness behind the anger. “She was sliced,” he hissed. “Shredded. Broken. And… they were there. They stripped me. Whipped my back raw. Made me look at her body the whole time.”

Now that she knew the origin of his scars and what seeing her on the ground had to have done to him, Lauren touched his back again and cooed into his ear.

“I’m so sorry, Blake. I’m so sorry.”

He felt limp against her body, but Blake kept talking.

“They dumped me back at camp,” Blake muttered. “Joe said we should run. Paul wanted to regroup.”

Lifting her eyes to his, Lauren held her tongue. Which side did he fall on?

“We had to run then,” he said. “They’d have killed us all if we didn’t move. I let Ashley down. I—”

“No,” Lauren said. “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Yes it was,” he said. “I should never have let her go off on her own.”

He suddenly focused on her face. Grabbing her hair, he peered intently into her eyes.

“So don’t you run from me again.” he said. “Don’t you make me re-live that night.”

Maybe it was wrong, maybe she was signing up for captivity, but at the sight of his anguished face, Lauren brushed her fears aside and took him into her arms. “You don’t have to,” she promised. “Come here.”

They lay against the bed, and Lauren kissed his chest as he held her hands tightly.

“Lauren?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she promised. “Not now. Not ever.”

Kissing his mouth, Blake’s lips were tight against hers. Lauren pushed his pants from his thighs, and she felt his cock hard against her thigh as she curled her legs around his.

“Blake?”

He averted her eyes, and Lauren was quick to bring his gaze back to her face as she kissed his cheeks.

“I’m not leaving you,” she promised. “You saved me. Let me save you.”

Rolling him to his back, Lauren found his cock hard, and she slipped around him. Blake’s piece felt weak as her flesh encased his, but when she grinded her nails into his arms and savored his length, he started to grow inside her.

“That’s it,” she said. “Just be with me. Let me help you.”

Blake stayed soft inside her, but as she twisted her hips around his cock, he started to throb, and Lauren let her hair fall to his chest as she kissed his flesh and stroked his sides.

“I won’t leave you,” she said. “I won’t…”

As his pulse intensified, she felt a sudden kinship with Paul. They both had to meet their partners’ needs to make them feel safe. Grace needed a chaste hold.

Blake needed this.

“Come here.”

Lauren fell closer to him, and Blake moaned as her cunt demanded more of his cock. Her hips spread wider, and Blake suddenly pushed off the bed and grabbed her breasts.

“I’m with you,” she promised. “There’s nowhere else I want to be.”

As her body rocked against his, Lauren sighed at the feel of his cock expanding around her. He moved deeper inside her, and Blake moaned into her neck, whispering with each thrust.

“Say that again,” he ordered.

Lauren threw her head back as he singed her pussy with another thrust, and she clutched his back as she moaned her pleasure.

“I’m not… I’m not going to leave you.”

She was ready for him to hoist her off the bed and slam her body to the wall, whatever he needed. She started to lift her body up when Blake stunned her by pushing her to the sheets and sighing into her face.

“I’m holding you to that,” Blake said.

He wrapped her arms around her and held her close. Lauren’s lips parted at the feel of his cock, gentle but sure as it probed her sensitive flesh. His hands were hard as he held her down, but she focused on the flesh between her legs. He started to slip away from her, but then his return was smooth and sure.

“Yes,” she moaned. “Hold me to it. Hold me to you.”

In his arms, Lauren rested her head to his shoulder, and she smiled at the feel of his cock releasing inside her. The sweet stream of his lust made her want to scream. Everyone still at camp must have already pressed their ears to the makeshift walls, just waiting for her cries. But suddenly Lauren wanted to give her moans to no one but Blake as she wrapped her arms around his neck and sighed into his shoulder.

“That feels good,” Blake muttered. “More.”

Lauren smiled at his order, and she sighed into his skin as he finished around her, and once he had drained his cock, and his head fell to her breasts, they rested together against the sheets, and Lauren stroked his face.

“Are you lying?” she teased.

“What… what do you mean?” he asked between pants.

“Who wants more now?” Lauren asked.

Smiling into her eyes, Blake dragged her closer and stroked her back. “I do,” he said. “Will you stay with me? Ride with me?”

Lauren nodded, and she felt content as he held her tight, and she moved to his lips and kissed him quickly.

“Just try to turn me away.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lauren awoke in Blake’s arms feeling happy. Despite everything she had felt and all that she had learned the night before, Lauren pushed those thoughts aside and cuddled closer to his chest. His skin felt warm against her cheek, and Lauren smiled as his sleeping heart pounded into her ear. Here was another chance to run. She knew that this day was going to be a journey into the unknown, and maybe she’d be smarter to dress fast and flee from his side.

But I don’t want to.

She wanted nothing but to stay at near him and see where he would lead her. Kissing his sleeping lips, she pulled back when his head twisted around the pillow, and she waited without breathing as his eyes blinked and he focused on her.

“You’re still here,” he said.

“I am,” Lauren promised.

Taking his face in her hands, Lauren stroked his chin and brought her lips to his again. Blake’s kiss was slow, but his tongue mingled around hers, and he stretched up to envelop her waist in his arms.

“Good,” he said when their lips parted. “Just what I wanted to hear.”

Blake kissed down her arms, and Lauren giggled as he nuzzled her breasts and licked her nipples. Lauren sighed at the feel of his tongue against her flesh, and she reluctantly lifted his face from her chest and peered into his eyes.

“Do you trust me now?” she teased.

“You didn’t run off again.”

He turned her body back to the bed, and Lauren laughed as he buried his head in her middle and twirled his tongue around her naval. She was still sighing when he lifted his head and starred into her eyes.

“Ride or die?” Blake said.

Even as it sounded ominous, Lauren nodded and stroked his cheek. “I’m on deck,” Lauren said. “With you. Only you.”

She kissed his waiting lips, and as he melted into her arms, Lauren clasped him closer. Even when their mouths parted, she hungrily kissed his cheeks, working her lips around her own slashes. But he said that he didn’t mind her marks, and she kissed him there and settled into his hair.

“Blake?”

He dragged her face to his eyes. His smile was faint, but she saw the corners of his lips turn up, and she mirrored his motions with a wide grin.

“That’s what I want to see,” Blake said. “Only want to see you smiling.”

He kissed her again, and Lauren stretched her body against his as she parted her lips.“When do we have to leave?”.

“Soon,” Blake answered. He propped his body up on his elbow and looked down at her. “It’s gonna be okay,” he said. “You know that, right?”

Lauren scanned his face. She could see ancient torments clouding his eyes as he waited for her answer, and she touched his face and nodded her head. “I trust you,” Lauren said. “I’m even okay if I’m just one of your toys.”

Blake’s jaw clenched, and he lifted her into his arms and brought her face close to his. “You’re more than that,” he said. “You’re my… you’re my girl.”

He kissed her again before resting his head to her neck.

“That okay with you?” Blake asked.

“It is,” Lauren said. “I’ll follow you.”

Blake pecked her cheek, and she lamented the loss of his body as he left the bed and started pulling on his jeans. The loss of his naked form saddened her, but his chest was still hers for the taking as he sat back on the bed, and Lauren stroked his tight flesh.

“Want to tell me where we’re going?” she asked.

As he pressed his feet into his boots, Blake pursed his lips and playfully shook his head. “You’ll know when we get there,” he promised. “Bet you’re gonna like it.”

Falling into him, Lauren clung to him again, and she kissed his neck softly. “With you?” she murmured. “I’ll love it.”

Their mouths met, and Lauren’s entire body buzzed around his kiss when a sharp cry pierced the air, and Lauren tensed against Blake’s side. “What’s that?” she whispered.

“I better find out.”

Blake moved for his gun, and as soon as Lauren thought that he was in danger, she stepped from the bed and slid the pinned dress over her shoulders. Blake saw her dressed, and he pushed her back and wildly shook his head.

“Stay here.” he said.

“Blake, I—”

“It there’s trouble, then I don’t want you in it.”

“But—”

“You said that you would listen to me. I need you to listen.”

Lauren hung her head and fell back to the bed. Nodding softly, she cringed at the sound of the door opening, and as she saw his form starting to depart, she reached for him. “Please come back,” she whispered. “Don’t leave me alone”

Blake turned back, and he started to speak when a gunshot cracked through the air. Lauren hurried to Blake’s side, and he winded his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his chest. His eyes darted into camp with a grunt.

“Fuck,” he said. “We gotta go.”

Lauren stepped close to his side, but Blake pushed her behind his back and glared over his shoulder.

“Stay close,” he said. “Stay where I can touch you.”

“I will,” she said. “I promise.”

As they headed into the camp, Lauren stayed close to Blake’s side, and she stopped when she saw the Night Riders with their weapons drawn. But they were still as Paul lay crumpled against the sand. Lauren saw the blood trailing from his temple, and as she turned her eyes to the left, she saw Grace shuddering in her dress as Eric Shaller had his arm wrapped around her waist, the barrel of his gun pressed to her cheek.

“No!” Lauren screamed. “Let her—”

Blake pressed his arm to the held her air and held her back. As Nate kicked Paul hard, the other Night Riders appeared ready to waste him when Eric forced Grace closer to his body and cocked his trigger.

“Let’s just all calm down,” Eric said. “Nate wants more than you fucks running away.”

He glared at Blake and released a vindictive laugh.

“I just want the slut I paid for.”

Keeping Grace’s wriggling form close to his chest, his gun still at her head, he kicked Paul’s side, and Nate pointed his gun in Blake’s direction.

“On your knees,” Nate hissed. “Now.”

Lauren gripped his arm and stepped past him. “He’s not—”

“I’ll blow your head off if you don’t hold still.”

Shrinking back, Lauren took Blake’s hand and whispered into his back. “Don’t let him hurt Grace,” she muttered. “She can’t take anymore.”

“Leave her alone,” Paul groaned. “Don’t—”

Nate kicked his sides hard. Blake and the other Night Riders snarled at the sound of his strikes, and Grace struggled in Eric’s arms as he pushed his hand between her legs and pressed his gun closer to her temple.

“What do you say, Blake?” Eric challenged.

“We had a deal,” Blake said. “We’re clearing out in the morning.”

“Not before you’re in a grave beside my brother.”

Nate charged forward, and a shot from Hugo’s gun brought him back to Paul’s prostrate form. Blake breathed hard and ordered the crew to stand down when Eric tore Grace’s dress from her body.

“Don’t!” Lauren screamed as she saw Grace’s naked body trembling in the night. As Grace struggled, Shaller tugged at her nipples, and the Night Riders were ready to pounce when Nate pounded Paul’s back with the butt of his gun and glared at Blake.

“Could all be over real quick,” Nate said. “Come with us, Blake, and the others can go on their merry way.”

Glancing over his shoulder, Blake peered into her eyes, and Lauren felt his longing to touch her even as he kept his hands around his gun.

“You’re asking me to trade myself for her. That it, Shaller?” Blake asked.

As soon as he spoke, Lauren stretched to the tips of her toes and clung to his neck. “No! That’s not what I want. I—”

“Lauren.”

Kissing her quickly, Lauren clasped his back as she peered at Paul and saw Grace shuddering.

“There has to be another—”

“Lauren…”

He tossed his gun to Eric’s feet and took her into his arms.

“What are you—?”

“I’m just glad that I had the chance to show you what you really were to me.”

He kissed her lips and raised his hands. Lauren held her breath as he neared Nate’s side.

“Do what you gotta do,” Blake said. “I’m here.”

Blake was unarmed. Lauren’s eyes curled towards Trent and Hugo, and she silently pleaded with them to make a stand and stop this. But the boys held back as Blake pressed his hands into the air and knelt by Nate’s side.

“Do what you gotta do,” Blake said. “Just let her go.”

Nate aimed his gun at Blake’s head. His eyes slammed shut, and when Lauren saw that she was about to lose him, she charged forward and forgot all fear.

“Don’t you dare, you fucker!”

Nate shifted his aim to Lauren, and she paused as the bullet was ready to meet her brain. Ready to die without wanting to, Blake leapt from the sand, and he pressed Lauren to the ground as the bullet whizzed over their heads.

“Why?” Blake hissed as he pressed her closer to the sand. “I told you that I—”

“And I don’t want to lose you. I… no!”

Nate lifted her away from Blake’s side, and he ordered her to open her mouth. Lauren pressed her lips together, and a few shots whizzed about her ankles as Nate darted back and Blake waved his hands in the air.

“Stop!” he screamed. “Let’s just all take a deep breath.”

“Nicely put,” Nate said as he pushed his hands to Lauren’s throat and hissed into her ear.

“Open.”

Reluctantly, Lauren curled her lips around the cold metal, and she could almost feel the bullet cutting into her brain when another shot rang out.

“Oh God!”

She fell from Nate as his slipped to the ground in a bloody heap, and as Lauren looked through the strands of her fallen hair, she saw Callie charging forward with a shotgun in her arms.

Maybe Callie should be the one in charge.

“Let her go, Shaller!” Callie ordered.

Grace was still in his hold, and when Lauren saw her lip quivering, her body shaking, Lauren charged forward and pushed Eric from Grace’s side. His gun fell away, and Lauren was on him, his fists flailing as she rained blows on his chest.

“You fucker!” Lauren hissed. “You don’t touch her!”

Eric wrestled her to her back and pressed her into the sand.

“Maybe I could touch you.”

She cringed at the feel of his fingers running up her skirt, and Lauren heard Blake’s voice crying for him to stop when a bang hit the hair. Lauren saw Eric’s eyes grow wide, and his bald head started to leak blood into her hair when Blake pushed him away and took Lauren in his arms.

“Are you okay?” Blake asked as he smoothed his hands through her hair.

“I’m fine,” Lauren said. “I… oh God! Grace!”