Kellan (24 page)

“Yes,” I cried out. I needed him touching me in every way he could. I couldn’t hold back another second. My movements became wild, erratic as I bobbed up and down on him. Kellan leaned up and ran his tongue along the
sensitive bud of my nipple, sending shock waves through me that nearly unseated me. But he kept that steadying hand on me, this time gripping my ass.
 

“Fuck me,” he whispered. His teeth grazed my nipple to just the point of pain, but not quite. I almost couldn’t contain the sensations. His hot, turgid cock filled deep inside me, the rough pad of his thumb as he ran it along my other nipple, his fingers digging into my ass, drawing me down even deeper.
 

“Let go,” he said. “I want to watch you come. I want to feel it.”
 

“Yes!” I fucked him with abandon. He’d bared his soul to me, I wanted to do the same. I would do anything with him. We were just beginning. Something happened at that moment that I knew would change things between us, maybe forever. He awakened dark desires in me I didn’t know I had. And for the first time ever, I trusted someone enough to take the journey with me.
 

“Let go,” he said. And I did. My orgasm came hard and strong, sending waves of pleasure from between my legs to the roots of my hair and the tips of my toes. I arched my back, bringing my breasts closer to his waiting lips. Kellan kissed me there as if he knew anything else might be more than I could handle.
 

I came around him, soaking us both. The slick sounds of my movements filled the room. Then, when the last shock waves spread through me, I seemed to lose all strength. But Kellan was there. With strong, sure hands, he guided me down, setting me gently on the bed beside him. He feathered soft kisses across my forehead and smoothed my hair back.
 

“God, you’re beautiful like this,” he said. “I love to watch you. I plan to do a hell of a lot more of it. That okay with you?”
 

I reached up and threaded my fingers through his hair, pulling him down to kiss me. “That’s more than okay with me.”
 

He smoothed the hair back away from my face which had grown sticky with sweat.
 

“You know I don’t want to, but I think I’d better take off. I’m guessing you don’t want me to still be here when Justin and Mitch get here.”
 

I sat up and groaned the instant I did it. I was going to be sore in places I didn’t know I had in a few hours.
 

“Yeah. Back to reality.”
 

Kellan pulled me back, his eyes serious, his grip firm. “Mallory. This is reality. You get that right?” He waved his hand in the space between us.
 

“I know,” I said. When he didn’t move, I said it again. “I know. Kellan. I’m not pulling away. Or at least, I swear I’ll try not to. It’s just not something I’m used to. You know. Having someone else to lean on. That’s always been a pretty risky proposition for me.”
 

He smiled. “You think it isn’t for me? For anyone? You don’t have the market cornered on self-defense. But because Mitch is just a kid and his dad just about died last night, I kind of want to ease into this where he’s concerned.”
 

I scooted off the bed and hunted for my t-shirt. It was hopeless.
 

“I need to get a shower before they get here.”
 

Kellan’s sultry laugh washed over me smooth as silk. God, it was so hard to think straight with him stretched out on the bed like that.
 

“Yeah. You do. I’ll show myself out. But then you’re going to call me later. Come to dinner.  Unless you want me to send the cavalry in to drag you out of the house.”
 

“Hmm. I’ve seen your cavalry. Very impressive.”
 

“Yep.”
 

I put my hands up in surrender. “Okay. Okay. I promise. I won’t dodge you.”
 

Kellan pointed his finger and tapped me on the forehead. Then he got up, put himself back together and muscled his jeans on. He had an easier time finding the remnants of his wardrobe than I did. He gave me a playful swat on my bare ass as he threw his cut over his shoulder.
 

“I’ll see you tonight. Dinner. The
Den
. Not taking no for an answer. You need to eat. Mitch needs to get to know me.”
 

I gave Kellan a salute that made him cringe. “That’s pathetic. If this were basic I’d make you drop and give me fifty.” He walked toward me and gripped my elbows, drawing me to him. I went up on my tiptoes to kiss him. My nipples brushed against his leather jacket, sending a new wave of desire straight through me.
 

“Mmm. What else would you make me do?”
 

Kellan bit his bottom lip and looked toward the ceiling. “If I don’t take off now, I’m never leaving.”
 

I kissed him again. “I’ll see you tonight.”
 

“That a promise?”
 

I nodded. “It’s a promise. I do want Mitch to get to know you too.” I hesitated before I finished my next thought. Mitch needed more positive male role models in his life. Especially now. But I wasn’t going to pretend what was happening with Kellan and I wasn’t brand new. Dinner tonight was good. But after that, I needed to take it slow.
 

Kellan smoothed my hair back and tucked it behind my ears. “You let me know if you need anything today. I can be here or send one of the guys in just a few minutes.”
 

“We’ll be fine. But thank you.”
 

After one more kiss, Kellan finally left. I hugged my arms to my chest and pressed my temple against the door frame. I listened as the front door shut then I heard the sound of Kellan’s Jeep as he drove away.
 

I had maybe fifteen minutes before Justin and Mitch got back. I blew a hair away from my face and headed for the shower. I ran it hot, letting the water sluice away the last twenty-four hours. A day ago, my mind and heart were filled with dread. Worry for my father. Worry over my feelings for Kellan and what they meant. Now though, I felt relief. Renewed purpose. It was a dangerous feeling, I knew, but one I welcomed. It
could
be okay. Maybe it was time for me to take a chance on my own happiness for a change. And I found my heart aching a little too. Kellan had only been gone a few minutes and already I missed him. My heart fluttered at the newness of the feeling. It was one I’d never really let myself indulge in.
 

I stepped out of the shower, toweled off and threw on a fresh pair of jeans and a vee-necked t-shirt. As soon as Mitch got here, he’d want to head straight to the hospital so I didn’t even really have time to dry my hair. Instead, I wound it into a top knot and headed out for the kitchen. Good sex made me famished. I only wished Kellan could have stayed. I fantasized about cooking him breakfast for lunch.
 

I reached in the fridge for some OJ when someone knocked on the door. “What the hell, Jus?” He must have forgotten his key.
 

With the juice carton still in my hand I headed for the front door. I saw a familiar leather-jacketed arm through the sheer curtain in the bay window. My heart started to pound in my chest again. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. It was crazy. Mitch was going to be back any second, but dammit if I didn’t feel straight-up joy when I opened that door.
 

When I did open it, the world fell away. It took a second for my brain to catch up with my eyes. He was tall. Dark. With fierce eyes and a wide, flat nose that looked like every bone had been shattered through the bridge. He wore a black leather cut, just like Kellan’s. Except it wasn’t Kellan’s. His patch read Devil’s Hawks, with a red-eyed bird of prey sewn just beneath it.
 

I gripped the doorknob and for a split second, some crazy part of my brain thought the screen door might stop him. It didn’t though. Of course it didn’t. I tried to slam the storm door in his face but I wasn’t quick enough. For the rest of my life, I’d have nightmares about never being quick enough.
 

He burst through the screen door and grabbed my arm as I screamed. Then he reached around and stuffed something into my mouth. I struggled, clawing, trying to scream again. But my head filled with haze and my limbs went numb. The last thing I remember were his dirty leather boots and spilled orange juice as my legs gave out and I hit the floor.
 

Chapter Twenty Five

Kellan
 

I tasted Mallory’s lips on mine as I rode back to the
Den
. I felt the curve of her hips beneath my fingers and the slick warmth of her as she straddled me. My balls clenched at the memory and it was all I could do to focus on anything else as I pulled into the parking lot. It was just after five o’clock; she’d call me soon and I’d have her back in my arms by nightfall. It felt too damn long.
 

Brax came out the back door as I parked my bike and hooked my helmet on the handlebars. He looked grim with bags under his eyes like he hadn’t slept in days. He probably hadn’t.
 

“Hey,” he said. “I was just about to ride over and get you.”
 

“Everything okay with Jeannette?” I knew she’d been released from the hospital. Her bruises were superficial but she’d been scared to death. Brax said she’d woken up screaming for three nights now. Brax’s bloodshot eyes told me he’d stayed awake with her. It was nothing less than I’d do if it had been Mallory. A shudder went through me just thinking about what else I’d do if it had been Mallory.
 

Brax had shown unbelievable restraint.  We’d asked him to. Until we had solid proof of who we were dealing with, we just didn’t have the numbers not to play it smart. God, I couldn’t think about that. My fists curled at my sides and I let out a hard breath.
 

“She’s gone,” Brax said; his eyes flicked downward.
 

“What do you mean, gone?” My mind went a thousand places.
 

Brax shrugged. “She’s got a kid, Kel. She’s scared for him. I tried to talk her down but she’s got her mind made up. She went to stay with her sister in Fort Wayne.”
 

I stepped forward and put my hand on Brax’s shoulder. “We’ll get this shit handled, Brax. Then we’ll get her back here.”
 

Brax looked up; pain etched deep lines in the corner of his eyes. “She’s not coming back, Kellan. She’s already got a new job lined up and met with her advisor to see about transferring her college credits to a school down there.”
 

“Shit. Dammit, I’m sorry, Brax.”
 

“I couldn’t even make a good effort of trying to talk her out of it. I don’t want her hurt. Right now, it looks like keeping her far away from me and this club is the best way to do that.”
 

“Just hang in there. We’ve been through worse. You’re the last person I need to tell that to.”
 

He shrugged as we turned and headed back into the
Den
. It was only then I noticed the three bikes parked on the other side of the dumpster. Colt was back. And he’d brought friends from Green Bluff. Their timing couldn’t be more welcome. My blood boiled with each step though. The fucking Hawks had succeeded in scaring off one of my best employees and Brax’s girl. I’d be damned if I’d lose anyone else over this.
 

“Sly and Dex have come out from Green Bluff,” Brax said. “That’s why I was coming out to get you. Colt’s got some information he wanted us to hear altogether.”
 

I could guess what it was. Sly was the president of the Green Bluff charter. Dex was his V.P. They wouldn’t have ridden all the way out here if shit weren’t serious.
 

I heard deep laughter coming from the bar. A big dude with dark hair and a beard peppered with gray leaned against it on his elbows. Tate stood behind the bar and handed him another cold one. He heard us come in and turned. He stood up and turned toward me. He was one big fucker. Broad shouldered and wolfish. Dex. This was Dex. I knew him by reputation. Not long ago, he’d been set up and done hard time for some other bastard’s crime in order to protect the club. He was a man I’d been dying to meet.
 

“Kel!” Colt came out from the back room. Sly Cullinan came with him. Sly was tall, blond, with a boyish face and a deep dimple when he smiled. The kind that chicks went for. He looked pure California and larger than life. It was his leadership that made it possible for the other charters to get out of the one percenter shit and make a go of it with bars like mine and the gym Colt ran. Cast iron balls, that one. And he’d proven more than once he had this club’s back. I slapped Brax on the shoulder. Sly and Dex being here could only improve things.
 

We made introductions and Colt invited everybody back to the big conference table. Colt took the head of the table as was his right. Sly and Dex might run the original charter, but Lincolnshire was all ours and Colt was in charge. I sat at his right hand.
 

“You’ve done a hell of a job with this place,” Sly said. “I actually think I like your set-up better than mine.”
 

I smiled. “Awe, that’s probably coz all you’ve got are those California pussies hanging around. Probably got more smart cars parked in your lot than bikes.”
 

Sly smiled back, flipped me off, and we had a good laugh. It was like that for a while as we talked about the club’s numbers, issues Colt had with the gym, and new trainers they were sending out to work with some of the fighters. Sly was hoping we’d grow big enough to host some title bouts down this way. Some major promoters were hoping to siphon those off to Cleveland or even Detroit, but Colt and Dex had some ideas on how to keep things local. They were good ideas too. I could see Colt’s wheels spinning and his eyes lit up. They were talking numbers that made my own head spin. The kind that would change all of our lifestyles for good. That is, if we could figure out how to keep our people safe.