One Step Too Close - Coffin Nails MC Louisiana (Gay Biker Stepbrother Romance) (Sex & Mayhem Book 6) (45 page)
Authors: K.A. Merikan
“So you will be all
mine. You and me on the road.”
Ryder smirked. “Only if
you visit the kid with me. You know you’ll be in his life.”
Jed’s smile widened, and
even the ugly green tiles couldn’t stifle his beauty. “I will. My home will be
wherever you are.”
Ryder pushed open the
door of the stall and pulled Jed out. He didn’t feel like leaving yet.
“He’s so tiny,” Ryder
whispered, holding his son in his hands for the first time. Tony’s head was
much smaller than Ryder’s fist, and the baby seemed so fragile.
His son
.
He’d created another human being. No matter how messed up his world was, he
would make sure the little guy wanted for nothing. And he’d be so handsome in
the future, with a face that clearly bore a resemblance to Jess, but with a
nose shaped somewhat like Ryder’s. Ryder would provide for him and visit as
frequently as possible.
Jed came closer, and
Tony grabbed his finger, looking around with a soft, inquisitive gaze. “I can’t
believe you’re a dad.”
Ryder laughed and slowly
rocked the baby against his chest, glancing up at Jess, who sat in the chair
next to the sofa, watching Ryder’s every move. Her eyes were puffy from lack of
sleep, but she seemed fine, and even the delivery had been exceptionally quick
for a first-time mother, apparently. Ryder and Jed had been doing jobs for the
club since they officially gained the Nomad status, but they could stay close-by
and even visited Jess two times since she’d moved into Ryder’s old house. Jo
was living with her to help out with Tony, but Ryder felt like the two of them
wouldn’t stay there forever. He was okay with that as long as they moved
someplace where he could drive by on a regular basis. In a way, he was angry
that Jess didn’t want him around as much as he wanted, but he supposed it was
better this way. Maybe she was right? Maybe Tony would choose a different path?
Only time would tell.
Being on the road with
Jed was everything Ryder thought it would be. Just before they left for a big
run for the first time, he had been anxious over what it would really be like
without all their friends and family around, but even the bickering over who
was to set up their tent for the night was all right. No little quarrel that they’d
been through could break them apart. Not when there was sex and tenderness on
the line. Sooner or later, they always missed each other too much to stay
silent. They even developed a system where Jed would find most of the places
they wanted to go to, and Ryder would establish the route and lead the way. Jed
still missed his sports bike, but Ryder was secretly happy that Jed wasn’t
racing, and on the road, one could only own so many things, so there was no
point for Jed to try to save up for a new one.
Every now and then, they
could splash out on a hotel, or visit some gay bar. They never stayed anywhere
for long enough to be recognized, and three months down the road, the sex was
only getting better. Life was good, and only the sporadic contact with Dad sometimes
brought Ryder down. Wolver and Jed had stopped speaking, and it was something
Jed didn’t want to discuss, but Ryder was sure it hurt him deep down like a
tick he couldn’t pull out.
It had been a struggle
to leave, but ultimately, no chapter wanted men who didn’t want to be there,
and so he and Jed could make their own way. When they last saw Axe, it hadn’t
been
pleasant
, but at least civil, even though the bastard turned a bit
green when he looked at them together. Not that Ryder cared. No one would be telling
an outlaw how to live his life.
Ryder had never been so
free, and the longer they traveled, the more he understood just how much toll
the life in their hometown had put on him. Sometimes they’d take odd jobs on
the road, just to keep afloat, but he was fine with that as long as he’d get
his pay at the end of the day and was free to do whatever he wanted after he
was done. His mind was clearer, and he found himself smiling much more since it
was just them and their rides.
Wolver came through the
door with an unusual smile, and approached them both, even though he made no
eye contact with Jed. He said
hi
to Jess, but quickly turned back to his
grandson. “Tony. It’s a good name.”
“Jed, you wanna hold
him?” asked Ryder, knowing that the new grandpa’s attention would automatically
transfer to the person holding the kid. Another bonus of that situation was
that Wolver would most probably not yell at Jed again while the tiny newborn
was in the room.
Jed smiled at Ryder,
despite firmly keeping to the policy of not looking at their dad.
“Just don’t drop him,
please,” Jess said from her armchair.
“I can be gentle,” Jed
said as Ryder passed Tony into his arms.
“He’s got really steady
hands,” said Ryder and gave Jed a little wink. He had been reminded just how steady
they could be hours ago, when Jed held him down during a quick fuck on the
road.
“Hi, little guy. I’m
your uncle. You’ll see a lot of me.” Jed smiled despite their dad standing just
a few inches away, like the least chatty elephant in the room.
Jess barely hid a scowl,
and Ryder sighed. He knew very well that his presence didn’t make her life any
easier. With him and Jed hovering around Tony, she had less chance of actually
meeting anyone she could be with, and their presence also meant more motorcycles
in junior’s life.
“I mean, we won’t be
here all the time, obviously, but it looks like we can stay a bit, help you
with Tony. It’s not like he can get hooked on the smell of oil just yet.”
“He’ll get to do
whatever he wants,” Jed said to the baby with a smile, but it was a clear dig
at Wolver.
Ryder sighed and looked
up at their father, whose face was marred with a deep frown that made his
forehead resemble the folds of a brain. “How’s things at the club?”
“How about we go for a
smoke?” Wolver grumbled, and they left Jed with the baby as they walked out to
the kitchen, and through the back door.
Ryder was already
anticipating hearing some bad news, but it didn’t come.
“It’s going well. Axe
stepped up, Tower straightened out our accounting. The gym’s got a fucking
disco ball.” Wolver lit himself a cigarette and leaned against the wooden
railing of the patio.
Ryder laughed and rubbed
his face. Despite the disappointment and animosities, he still cared for Wolver
and his brothers. He wanted them to succeed, and it felt good to just talk
after all the crap that had happened. “Look at that. The moment I’m gone, you
guys finally go afloat. Maybe that’s what was meant to be.”
“Now they know that if
the shit hits the fan, no one is standing between it and them.” Wolver laughed
and shook his head. “Business is going well with Toro, so there’s a stream of
work to take care of.”
Ryder patted Wolver on
the shoulder. He’d be visiting Ripper on another day, and possibly attending a
party, but he was intent on dedicating most of his time to Tony. Jess would be
happy about some time off too, he was certain. Maybe he would be a part-time
dad, but at least he’d do his best while he was there. “You guys deserve it.”
“So…” Wolver took a long
drag of smoke. “How’s Jed doing?’
Ryder bit the inside of
his lips, surprised by the question. Wolver didn’t seem to want to talk to Jed
at all. “Why didn’t you ask him?”
Wolver groaned. “I don’t
know how to talk to him anymore. I just want to know if he’s okay on the road.”
Ryder took a cigarette
from Wolver’s pack and lit it, not sure whether he was angry or just sad.
“Nothing’s changed. He’s the same he’s always been, only much happier.” Only
after they’d gotten together had Ryder realized just how moody and easily
agitated Jed had been. Ryder had always taken it as a given, that is was Jed’s
personality. It turned out that when the sexual frustration and unrequited love
were removed from the picture, he was a well-adjusted, if a bit reckless man.
Wolver grunted something
and watched his cigarette as he let the ash fall to the ground. “Just look out
for him, okay? He always gets into trouble when he’s on his own.”
Ryder’s mouth curved
into a smile as he thought of all the times they laughed, fucked, watched
movies on the road. He and Jed were a perfectly normal couple, only happier
than most. “He’s okay now. You don’t have to worry.”
“And don’t let him get a
sports bike again. He’s a menace to society on that thing.” Wolver’s frown
deepened, but Ryder was still happy to hear the words. They spoke of care,
despite Wolver’s attitude toward Jed-the-gay-man. He’d come around one day.
“He can’t have two now.”
Ryder slowly moved around and peeked inside through the window. Jed looked at
Tony wide-eyed, only to make an exaggerated grimace of sadness. Even Jess
laughed in her chair and spoke, but Ryder couldn’t hear what she said. Jed said
something as well, but then his eyes settled on Ryder, and his handsome face
spread into a brilliant smile.
Ryder nodded, breathing
in the smoke, but he knew it wasn’t the cigarette that made his heart feel all
warm.
“Don’t worry, D
ad. I’ll always look out for him.”
The end
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One Step Too Close
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K. A. Merikan are a team of writers, who are
mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and
survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s
slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her
to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency
GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and
research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite pushing thirty, she
needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.
They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out
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Merikan book, one thing you can be sure of - it will be full of surprises.
The Devil’s Ride
Sex & Mayhem #2
— You don’t fuck with the club president’s son. —
Tooth.
Vice President of the Coffin
Nails Motorcycle Club. On a neverending quest for vengeance. The last thing he
needs is becoming a permanent babysitter for a male hooker.
Lucifer.
Fallen. Lost. Alone.
After a childhood filled with neglect and
abuse, followed by his mother’s suicide, Lucifer set out into the world alone.
There was nothing for him out there other than taking it one day at a time. As
the bastard son of the Coffin Nails club president, Lucifer never got much fatherly
love. So when the Nails show up at the strip joint Lucifer works in, the last
thing he expects is to be put in the custody of Tooth, the Vice President
famous for his gruesome interrogation techniques. The man proves to be the
sexiest beast Lucifer has ever met. He’s also older, straight, and an itch Luci
can’t ever scratch.
Tooth’s life came to a halt twelve years ago.
His lover got brutally murdered, police never found the perpetrators, and all
leads were dead ends. To find peace and his own justice, Tooth joined the
Coffin Nails, but years on, he’s gotten nowhere with the case, yet still lives
on with the burning fire for revenge.
Babysitting a deeply scarred teenager with a
talent for disappearing is the last thing on his bucket list. He promised
himself to never get attached to someone like him again. To make sure the
openly gay boy is safe in the clubhouse, Tooth is stuck keeping an eye on him.
The big, blue, attention seeking gaze is drawing Tooth in, but fucking the
president’s son is a complete no-go, even when both their feelings go beyond
lust.
What Tooth doesn’t know is that Lucifer might
hold the key to the closure Tooth so desperately needs.
POSSIBLE SPOILERS:
WARNING
Contains adult content: a gritty
storyline, sex, explicit language, violence and abuse. Inappropriate use of
dental tools and milk.
Themes:
Prostitution, Outlaw Motorcycle
Club, organized crime, homophobia, family issues, coming out,
discipline/punishment, organ snatching, hurt-comfort, age gap
Genre:
contemporary homoerotic dark
romance
Available at all major retailers