Dice (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #3) (19 page)

He brought his mouth back to mine, and I gripped his length, slowly easing myself onto it. A moan rumbled up his throat as I took him completely. My head fell against his as his hands tightened on my hips. Two bodies, two souls joining together to move as one.

He slid his hand over my hip, down my thigh, and back up to my clit. His thumb grazed the swollen nub, and my body shuddered in response. His tongue slid across my collarbone and up my neck as he rubbed small circles against the bundle of nerves.

I rocked against him, pressing myself closer to his touch, absorbing every sensation. My hips flexed, back arched and my heart beat wildly and crazily, full of so much love for this man.

Desire coiled in my core and my breathing became ragged. “I’m so close,” I cried out.

“Wait for me, baby,” he said, pumping into me harder and faster. Holding me against his chest, I could feel his heart beat against mine, thumping in tune with each other, both racing for the finish line.

My nails dug into his shoulder as I tried to hold out. Tried to fight the growing need to fall off the edge and surrender to satiated bliss.

“I can’t…” I panted, as a string of whimpers and moans exploded from my mouth and cut off the rest of my words.

He thrust into me again and my strength dissolved. My inner muscles tensed tightening and curling desperate for a release. I clenched his shoulder harder, and he growled against my ear.

“Go ahead, baby. Come for me.” His words were my undoing. Tingling heat expanded inside me, moving through me like a rush of lava until it erupted into sweet, delicious convulsions. “That’s my girl.” He pumped into me once more, the feel of his orgasm, the hot, slick release, sending me spiraling again.

My body went limp against him, and I pressed a kiss to where my nails left bright red marks on his shoulder. He buried his head into the crook of my neck, and we stayed like that until the sun came up.

I
t was
a sunny day when we buried Miles. It was fitting, as if he were shining his light down on us and reminding us to celebrate his life instead of mourning it. Still it was hard. Each and every one of us felt a bit of responsibility. Felt that if we just said something or did something maybe he’d still be with us.

The vision of his lifeless body hanging from the ceiling beams haunted my dreams and my thoughts. His blank stare was there every time I closed my eyes and, in some sick way, I knew that’s exactly what he wanted. He had a demented sense of humor, and I’m sure that didn’t change in death.

We stood at the cemetery, staring at the black coffin that would be his final resting place. Phil said a few words before joining his old lady and draping his arm around her shoulders. Allison squeezed my hand, and Aubree’s sobs broke through the silence.

One by one, people tossed a flower at the base of the coffin. First Phil and his wife, then Braxton, Beast and Hudson. Tears flowed freely down Sienna’s face even though I could tell she was trying so hard to force them back. DC rested on her hip and, when Kade placed his flower down, he took his son.

Sienna shook her head, and rested her hand on the shiny black surface. “I’ll never forgive you for this, you bastard,” she said with a laugh. “But thank you.” She stood there for a moment, staring down at the coffin. Because of Miles and his so-called confession, Sienna never had to worry about the truth coming out. It would be buried with him. She bent down, placing the flower with the others, then went right into Kade’s arms.

Cash and Aubree walked up next. She cried into Cash’s cut, wiping her nose with what was left of a tissue. “I’m sorry I was such a pain in the ass. Nobody will ever hang a sign like you. I’ll miss…” She choked on her words and ran off. Cash dropped his flower, patted the casket and took off after his old lady, wrapping her in his embrace.

Allison squeezed my hand again, and I drew strength from it. I took a deep breath, not ready to say goodbye to my friend, but knowing time was against us. Allison placed her flower and then rested her hand against my chest. “You okay?” she asked, and I nodded.

She stepped away to give me a moment, and I bent down with my own flower. “I don’t know how I’m going to do this without you.” Tears threatened to rise and I forced them back. I needed to be strong. Miles wouldn’t want us to be sad. He wouldn’t want us to suffer. He’d want us to rejoice, knowing he led the life he wanted. “You always thought you were the fuck up. The bad guy. But what you did? The confession? Fuck, man, you’re a goddamned hero. I’ll miss you, brother.” I tossed the flower with the rest of them and stood up. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out Miles’ comb, resting it on top of the casket before saying my final goodbye.

Allison waited for me, her red hair blowing in the wind and her cobalt eyes full of concern. I went to her, taking her in my arms and kissing her head. Today sucked. It was one of the worst days of my life, but having Allison here, made it a little easier.

“Let’s go get drunk,” Beast grunted. He went to move past us when his body went rigid. His breathing grew heavy, and I glanced around his large frame to see what the problem was.

Every muscle in my body tensed as my eyes landed on Angelo and Matias.

“What the fuck are they doing here?” Cash growled. He pushed Aubree behind him. Kade & I both stepped in front of our girls. If either of them as much batted an eyelash in their direction, I would rip their throats out.

“S, take DC and the girls to the car and get the fuck out of here,” Kade said.

Normally, Sienna would have put up a fight, but with DC now she didn’t argue. She took the keys from Kade’s hands and ushered the girls away. My body was on full alert, panic just on the cusp of taking control, until I heard the engine of Sienna’s car start and the sound fade into the distance.

Beast’s fists clenched and unclenched. “I’ll fucking kill them.”

The two pricks made their way across the cemetery with smiles on their faces. Angelo held his hands out as he got closer to us. “Beautiful day for a funeral, isn’t it?”

“Why so sad?” Matias asked, flanking Angelo’s side.

“What the fuck do you want?” Cash spat, the veins in his neck bulging and pulsing.

Angelo’s smile widened. “We’re just here to make sure the bastard’s dead.”

I lunged toward him, but Kade grabbed me. “Not here,” he said, nodding his head to where Stanson still stood.

Cash’s jaw ticked. “You came, you saw, now it’s time to get the fuck out of here.”

Angelo stepped toward Cash, and the rest of us reached for our guns. I didn’t give a shit if Stanson was just on the other side of the cemetery. I would put a fucking bullet through this prick’s head in a goddamned heartbeat if I had to.

“You might think this is over,” Angelo said. “But it’s not. This is just the beginning.”

“Is that a threat?” Cash asked, straightening to his full height and dwarfing Angelo.

“That’s a promise,” Matias said.

“Have a nice day, boys,” Angelo said and started walking away. He stopped, turned and spit on Miles’s casket.

Anger consumed me and my fingers twitched on my gun. The only thing that kept me from pulling it out and ending the piece of shit was Allison. I couldn’t be with her if I was in jail for murder. I told her I belonged with her and, because of that promise and that alone, I let my hand fall to my side.

We stood united as Angelo and Matias drove away. Stanson joined us shortly after, looking out to the dust that was still settling from the tires.

“Should I be worried?” Stanson asked.

“You’ll be retiring soon. Don’t worry about it,” Cash said.

“My kid’s coming to replace me, so believe me, I’m fucking worrying about it. If there’s something I need to know, you better damn well tell me.”

Cash’s Adam apple bounced as he swallowed, the iron steel gaze softening slightly. “I don’t know.”

“What did they say?” Stanson asked.

“They’re just talking out of their asses. I don’t think we have anything to be worried about. The minute I start worrying, I’ll let you know.”

Stanson nodded. “That’s all I ever asked.”

We drove our bikes back to the clubhouse and met up with the girls. Allison swiveled on the bar stool, catching my gaze across the room, and every tight muscle in my body relaxed. She jumped off, coming to me and taking my face in her hands. “Everything okay?”

I hated the fear marking her beautiful face, the distress in her eyes. I turned my mouth to her palm and kissed it. “Everything’s fine.”

But it wasn’t fine. I couldn’t keep doing this. The panic that rose inside of me when I spotted Angelo and Matias. The fear that something could happen to Allison, or something could happen to me in front of her, was enough to freeze me in place. Enough to make me question if this life was still the life I wanted. Needed.

“Time for shots,” Braxton said, holding up the bottle of Jack. He poured the dark liquid in a straight line across a row of shot glasses. Everyone gathered taking one for themselves. We all held the glasses high.

It was time to celebrate a man who was known to party all night, and there was no better way. So, with a smile I said, “For Miles.”

“For Miles,” everyone cheered in unison and threw back the first of many shots.

A
week later
, Allison lay in my arms, naked and glowing from her most recent orgasm. I ran my fingers up and down her back, loving the feel of her soft skin against the roughness of my own.

“Mmm,” she moaned before looking up at me and smiling. “What are you thinking about?”

“What makes you think I’m thinking?”

She pushed up and pressed her fingers to the bridge of my nose. “You get these wrinkles right here when you’re in deep thought about something. So, spill. What’s going on in that head of yours?” I took a deep breath, but couldn’t find the words. Allison sat up, crossing her legs beneath her. “What is it?”

“Last week, at the funeral when Angelo and Matias showed up, I have never been so scared in my life. I was terrified that something would happen to you.”

“Nothing did,” she said, resting her hand on my cheek.

“But it could have. Or something could have happened to me or any of the guys. Shit like that. That’s nothing I ever want you to see.”

“You can’t protect me from everything.”

“No, maybe not, but I can protect you from this life.”

“How? This is who you are.”

It was something I had been thinking about for a while, even before Miles decided to hang himself from the ceiling. “It was. It’s not anymore. The club will always be a part of me, just like you said Miles would always be. The guys will always be my brothers, but I can’t be the man you deserve if I stay.”

“But that’s the man I fell in love with, and I knew what I was getting myself into.”

I kissed her palm. “And I love you for that. I know you didn’t plan any of this.”

“No, I didn’t, but I wouldn’t change it.” She sighed. “Except for the lie. I need to tell Kade. I’ve waited long enough. It’s been a week since the funeral. I think it’s time. We can’t move on or do anything until I come clean.”

“Sienna invited us over for dinner tonight,” I said.

“Then, that settles it. I’ll tell them tonight. Then, we can decide what to do next. If Sienna doesn’t slit my throat with a kitchen knife.” Allison was joking, but, if she knew Sienna’s secret, she never would have used those words.

“I’ll protect you,” I said with a laugh, tossing her beneath me, and hovering over her.

She smiled up at me with those sexy full lips. Her eyes fluttered shut, as I ran my hand up her thigh and slipped my finger against her slick folds.

Looking down at her, so sweet and beautiful, my decision was already made. I just hoped my brothers stood by me and not against me when I told them.