Emmie
There was a strange flutter in my stomach every time I thought about the piece of paper Wire had left behind -- a marriage certificate. Mine! It baffled the hell out of me that he’d been able to do something like that, and I still wasn’t quite convinced he’d done it as a way to save me. I’d heard him tell Tank that it was obvious the biker wanted to keep me. There was a huge difference in keeping me and marrying me. Tank was right. We were still strangers, even if we had been intimate already. I really wasn’t sorry that Tank was all mine.
It was completely insane, but with him I felt safe and like someone truly cared what happened to me. With the way Lupita had recently acted, I wasn’t entirely sure that she loved me as much as I loved her. Did she really see me as being so pathetic that a guy like Tank wouldn’t want me over her? He’d shown me exactly how much he wanted me.
My hand went to my belly when I thought about the possibility of carrying his baby. We’d been careless, and I knew it was wrong, but at the same time the thought of being pregnant with his child made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I’d always wanted a family of my own, ever since I’d realized mine was so badly broken. Even before I’d found out who my dad was, I’d known that our family wasn’t like other families. My dad had never been the type to give hugs, or praise for that matter. It was like I didn’t exist, until he could use me to further a business deal. My children would never feel unwanted or unloved! I’d do everything I could to give them the best life possible. Not the kind money buys, but the kind built on love and affection.
The front door flew open so hard it banged into the wall, and several female voices drifted to me before the women stepped into view. I was thankful I’d gotten dressed after Tank left. I’d never expected people to just barge in without knocking. My jaw dropped a little when they just bustled right in and made themselves at home. Who were they? Each of them wore one of the black cuts like Tank did, except theirs said Property of and a name.
“Um, hi,” I said cautiously.
The blonde that seemed to be the ringleader smiled broadly. “We couldn’t wait another second to meet you. I’m Ridley, Venom’s wife.”
“Finally,” one of them muttered.
I didn’t have any idea who Venom was, even though the name was familiar. Tank must have mentioned him. For that matter, the name Ridley left me with the feeling I’d heard it too. Right now, all I could do was focus on the women staring at me. I now understood what a zoo animal felt like, or a fish in a bowl. What did they want? Why were they here?
“I’m Emmie,” I said, even though I had a feeling they already knew that.
“Wire told us all about you,” said a woman with long black hair. “I’m Isabella, Torch’s wife.”
Now Wire I was familiar with, thanks to the marriage certificate I couldn’t stop thinking about. If he’d told them about me, did they know that…
“Where’s your ring?” the third asked. “I’m Darian by the way, Bull’s wife.”
“Ring?” I asked and looked down at my hands. Huh. I hadn’t even thought about a wedding ring. Then again, I doubted that Tank had either, since neither of us had known that Wire married us over the computer. Who the hell did that? And how?
“Wire said you and Tank are married,” Isabella said, then she pursed her lips. “That sneaky little shit. He did that hocus pocus with his computer, didn’t he?”
I nodded, not knowing what else to say.
“He may be more devious than any of us realized,” Darian said. “And if he was able to do that all along, why didn’t he do that for any of us?”
“Speak for yourself,” Isabella said. “I for one loved my wedding to Torch. It’s a memory I’ll cherish always.”
Ridley snickered. “Yeah, right. What you remember is what happened after the wedding. Pretty sure half the compound heard you.”
Isabella’s cheeks flushed. “Hush. Like you and Venom are any better. You’ve been together over nine years and have three kids, but you’re still all over each other.”
Ridley shrugged and smiled. “So, Emmie. Tell us all about you.”
“Um.” I looked at the three women, feeling a bit overwhelmed. “I’m Lupita’s sister. The FBI agent who helped you back about two years ago?”
Darian’s eyes went wide. “The one in prison?”
I blinked. Did they not hear that Lupita had been at the compound? I wasn’t sure it was my place to say anything, so I kept quiet.
“Okay, so your sister is a badass. That doesn’t tell us anything about you, except who you’re related to,” Isabella said.
“I worked at the diner until Tank brought me here yesterday.” Had that only been one day ago? It seemed like weeks, or even months, had passed in that time. “I was a student before things turned ugly.”
“We heard about your dad and the man claiming to be your fiancé,” Darian said. “No worries. The guys will handle it. They’ve protected each of us at some point. It’s how most of us ended up here. Except Isabella. Her dad made a deal with Torch for services rendered.”
Isabella snorted. “Thanks. Make me sound like a prize to be won.”
Ridley nudged her. “I’m pretty sure Torch thinks you are a prize.”
“Why are you here?” I asked, just blurting it out. Not that it wouldn’t be nice to have friends, but these women didn’t know me, hadn’t even known I existed until now. I didn’t understand what they wanted. People weren’t nice unless they wanted something, right?
“Ridley, I told you that you should have prepared her,” Darian said. “Good thing we didn’t bring the entire crew.”
“There’s more of you?” I asked. I wasn’t certain if the idea intrigued me, or scared me. The three women in front of me seemed to be a force to be reckoned with, and envisioning more of them was a bit frightening. Lupita was powerful and strong, but these ladies had a presence that might have even overwhelmed my sister.
“Oh, yeah. Wraith just married Rin about two years ago. It was so romantic. They had a Christmas wedding! Let’s see… Preacher and Kayla are together, then there’s Tex and Kalani. Hmm. Rocky and Mara, although she tends to keep to herself. Who am I missing?” Ridley asked.
“Zipper and Delphine. Not to mention Laken is married to Ryker, and while he’s not a Dixie Reaper, she’s Flicker’s sister,” Isabella said. “I’m sure you already know that Tank has a sister, Josie, but she’s with the Devil’s Boneyard. They’re close, so I’m sure he’s mentioned her.”
“Their VP is my dad,” Darian said. “You’ll see the Boneyard crew around here pretty often. They don’t live that far off either.”
I felt like I’d fallen down a rabbit hole, except unlike Alice, I was pretty sure I was going to land on my head when I reached the end. Too many names to remember, and way too much information to process all at once. I still didn’t entirely understand the MC thing, and it sounded like it was a big group. Would I fit in? These women seemed confident and strong, and I felt very far from either of those things.
“Told you we should have waited,” Isabella said under her breath but just loud enough for me to hear. “I think we’ve broken her.”
“No, I’m… just thinking. I only met Tank yesterday and now Wire says we’re married. I don’t know anything about Tank or the Dixie Reapers, much less any other clubs. I feel a little… lost.”
“It will be fine,” Darian said. “I ended up here completely by accident. I didn’t even know my dad was a biker at that time. We’d never met. But the Dixie Reapers welcomed me and made me family, and they welcomed my dad too even though he’s from another club.”
“It’s kind of their thing, but don’t let on that you know,” Isabella said. “They take in strays. The guys can be completely badass and tough when they need to be, but when it comes to women and kids? Complete teddy bears. Well, innocent women anyway. Cross the MC or hurt a kid and the guys won’t care if the person is male or female. Justice will be served.”
“And not in the legal way,” Ridley said, “but you get used to it. As long as the guys stay out of jail, I really don’t care how they handle things. They get the job done, and as far as I’m concerned, they’re providing a service to this community. Anyone they put six feet under deserved it and probably hurt innocents.”
“So they’re like modern day superheroes but without the capes?” I asked.
Darian snickered. “I can’t wait to tell Bull that one. Wonder if I can convince him to dress up as Thor for Halloween this year?”
“With that long blond hair and beard? He’d be a good one, or maybe a Viking marauder,” Ridley said.
“Really?” Darian asked. “You want to arm Bull with a broadsword? Or an ax?”
“Well, you were going to give him that hammer thing Thor carries around. That’s just as bad,” Ridley said.
“Thank you, ladies,” Isabella said. “I now know what the club’s next charitable event will be. Superheroes visiting the children’s ward at the hospital. Maybe they can make it a regular thing.”
“Yeah, like you’re getting Venom or the other guys to dress up in those leotard things,” Ridley said. “But if you do, I’m taking pictures. Lots of pictures. They may even make it onto social media, or the local paper.”
I couldn’t imagine Tank dressing up in one of those things, but it did make me laugh. The more the women talked, the more at ease I felt around them. They seemed happy, and it gave me hope that maybe I could find that same happiness with Tank. In all the times I’d pictured myself settling down, it had never been with a biker, or anyone as hardened as Tank. But like the ladies said, hard exterior and soft teddy bear inside.
“I know Tank doesn’t want you leaving the compound,” Ridley said, “but sometimes we hang out at the clubhouse during the day. The sluts aren’t around then.”
Wait. What?
“Sluts?” I asked.
“Um.” Ridley looked at the other two before focusing on me again. “There are women who hang around the club, sleep with any of the guys who ask, in hopes of becoming an old lady. Or maybe some of them just like the thrill of being used by bikers. Whatever the case, at night, the clubhouse tends to have mostly if not fully naked women running around.”
Well, that was news to me, and not the good kind. Tank had said he was with a lot of women before me, but I hadn’t realized they were still here. Did he still see them every day?
“And Tank goes there at night?”
“He used to,” Darian said. “I’m sure that he won’t now that he’s married. And even when the guys go who have wives or old ladies at home, they make sure the sluts leave them alone. Once a Reaper settles down, they never want another woman.”
I hoped they were right. Tank might not have married me of his own free will, but the fact remained that according to the state records, we were in fact husband and wife. I just didn’t know if that meant anything to him. It seemed like he wanted me in his life, and wanted me as his wife, but what if someone better came along? I’d never been as secure as Lupita, and now it was going to bite me in the ass. I just knew if Tank went to the clubhouse at night, I’d worry myself to death that he was with another woman. I hated being that type of person, but I didn’t know how to shut it off. Maybe after we knew each other better, I’d feel more secure that he wouldn’t cheat on me.
“You shouldn’t have said anything,” Darian muttered. “He obviously hasn’t told her much about this way of life.”
“Better to know than find out the hard way, right?” I asked.
“If Tank didn’t rip into Wire, then I’m sure everything is fine,” Isabella said. “He’s never been shy about expressing his opinions. The fact you don’t have a lawyer here writing up divorce papers tells me that he wants to be married to you, which means you’re the only woman he wants.”
“What if I’m not enough?” I asked. “He wanted Lupita, and I’m nothing like her. She’s all strong and mouthy, and I’m just… not. What if he regrets being stuck with me?”
“Ladies, out,” Tank said from the doorway, his voice deep and commanding.
I hadn’t even noticed him standing there, and now I felt like an idiot. My cheeks burned with embarrassment as the women scurried out. After the front door shut, he moved closer, dragging a chair over, and took a seat across from me, close enough our knees were nearly touching. I couldn’t look at him, feeling completely humiliated. How much had he heard? Was he angry with me?
He reached for my hand and slid something onto my finger. I blinked at the sapphire that sparkled in the light. It was plain white gold with a big stone in the center, and had a diamond encrusted band paired with it. I stared, not sure what to think, feel, or even say. I’d been thinking he didn’t really want me, and he’d been out buying me a ring? How had he even known what size to get? It was a perfect fit.
He held another ring out to me, this one a man’s ring in white gold. I took it from him and lifted my gaze to meet his. He was watching me intently, but didn’t say anything. Tank held out his left hand and I slid the ring onto his finger. My heart was hammering in my chest and my fingers tightened on his.
“Emmie, I think there are some things we need to discuss,” he said.
Right. Like what I should and shouldn’t say around the other ladies. Or anyone for that matter. I felt like such an idiot. Even though I didn’t know Tank very well, it had been wrong of me to voice my concerns about his intentions in front of the women in his club. I should have gone to him if I was worried.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
“Why are you having such a hard time believing that I want to be with you and only you?” he asked.
“Have you seen you? You’re like every woman’s fantasy, and I’m… I’m like a female version of the Pillsbury Doughboy. My sister is graceful and strong, and very independent. She’s the kind of woman who can make a man beg.”
“And you don’t think men would beg to be with you?” he asked.
“Why would they?”
He abruptly stood and tugged on my hand. Without a word, he led me back to the bedroom, then kicked the door shut. When he opened the closet, there was a full-length mirror hanging on the inside of the door. Slowly, he began to remove first my clothes and then his. I tried to look away, but he turned my chin until I was staring at our reflection.
“What do you see?” he asked.
“A woman who needs to lay off the cookies?”
His gaze held mine in the mirror, and I could tell he wasn’t pleased with my answer. He slid his hands down my sides to my hips, then one palm gave my ass a squeeze.
“I fantasized about this ass for weeks. It’s perfect, and it made me hard just thinking about you bent over and begging to be fucked.” He moved his hand back to my hip. “And these curves? They’re gorgeous. You’re gorgeous, Emmie. I could worship your breasts for hours, and I love the way your softer body presses against me when I’m inside you. I’m glad you’re not stick thin. There’s nothing wrong with those women, but I like a woman who gives me something to hold onto.”
“Zach…” My heart gave a ping. No one had ever said something like that to me before. Even though I hadn’t dated, I’d heard enough comments about putting down the donut or getting a salad that it had made me doubt myself. Guys had hit on me and made lewd suggestions, but none had ever asked me out. I’d given those people power over me. “I never felt beautiful until last night. The way you looked at me was something I’d dreamed of often and thought I’d never have. Guys only ever wanted to get into my pants, and even those were few and far between. Especially if they met Lupita. I’ve never been on a date.”
“If you had walked in with your sister the first time I met her, I never would have even glanced her way. You’ve held me captive since the first moment I saw you, Emmie. The guys teased me about the number of times I ate at the diner, just so I could be near you.” He shrugged. “And I may have followed you back to the motel after every shift to make sure you made it into your room safely.”
Tears pricked my eyes. “You did that for me? Even before we’d spoken?”
He nodded.
I turned in his embrace and placed my hands on his broad chest. I could feel the thump of his heart against my palms. Slow and steady. The warmth in his eyes wasn’t lust, but something a little more. The hard cock trapped between us said enough about how much he desired me, but I was starting to think that maybe what we had went beyond that. It seemed unthinkable since we’d only met yesterday, but maybe Wire had been right. When you know, you just know. If the right person comes along, maybe it doesn’t take weeks, months, or years to be certain.
“No one has ever made me feel as special, or as wanted as you do. I think part of my self-doubt is that I’m worried it’s all too good to be true. That I’ll wake up tomorrow and find out it was a dream. You seem too perfect, Zach, and it scares me. The only men I’ve known were people like my father, or the players at school who just wanted notches on their bedposts. You aren’t like them.”
“Em, don’t make me out to be something I’m not. I’m no angel. I’ve killed people, and those I left alive wished they were dead. I’ve run guns and drugs, slept with more women than I care to admit.”
“And maybe to some people that makes you a bad person. The way you look at me, the tender way you touch me, shows me that there’s more to you than all that other stuff. Maybe it’s a side that only I get to see, and I’m all right with that. I could easily fall for you, Zach.”
“Good,” he said as his head lowered toward mine. He stopped when our noses touched. “Because I’m already falling for you, Em.”
When he kissed me, it felt like I was burning from the inside, and my toes curled as I melted against him. Zach was everything I’d ever wanted, and never dared to dream I’d have. To some, he might be dangerous and deadly, but the only danger I faced was having him break my heart.
He lifted me and carried me over to the bed, then gently laid me down. His heated gaze caressed me from head to toe before he lowered his body over mine. I welcome his weight as he pressed me into the mattress, his cock already hard and leaking pre-cum. Zach kissed me until I was breathless. My heart felt like it was racing and I was already trembling. Just the power of his lips was enough to make me beg for more.
“You deserve a man who will take all the time in the world to worship every inch of you,” he said, his voice deep and rumbling. “Someone who will leave no doubt that you’re the most desirable woman in the world.”
“Zach, if you take all the time in the world, I might combust. I already want you.”
“I don’t want you to ever doubt how beautiful you are, or how perfect. And just to make sure you learn that lesson, I’m going to make sure you take everything I have to give.”
What did that mean? I blinked up at him and before I could process what was happening, he’d rearranged me on the bed and shackled my hands to the headboard. I stared at the cuffs before looking at Zach again.
“Where did those come from? I don’t remember them being there before.”
“They weren’t,” he said. “I hung them on the headboard before I left to see Torch. I know you didn’t think you’d be into this sort of thing, but I’d thought we could play with them. I’d have stopped the second you weren’t into it. Now they’ll serve another purpose.”
“And that would be?”
“To keep you from moving too much. Unless you want your legs tied, I’d suggest you hold still.”
My heart skipped a beat. Tie my legs? I wasn’t sure if I was extremely turned on by the idea, or slightly disturbed. Since I hadn’t had sex before Zach, I didn’t really have any experience with bondage. Despite the fact I liked to read rather spicy books, finding myself in this position didn’t feel at all the way I’d thought it would. I trusted him, but the thought of being helpless made my twist my hands and squirm a little. If it were anyone else, I’d be really damn scared right now.
His gaze softened a moment as he stared at me. “You okay, baby? I can unfasten them if you want. I would never ask you do something you don’t enjoy, not in the bedroom anyway.”
“No, they’re fine. I’m just… not used to something like this.”
“Then I guess I’d better take your mind off it.” Zach flashed me a grin, then lowered his head to my breasts, licking first one nipple, then the other. He grazed the second one with his teeth and a shiver raked my body. He took his time, lavishing attention on one breast, then the other, before moving back again. My nipples were throbbing, and so was my pussy. My hands clenched as I jerked at the handcuffs, wanting to hold him closer to me.
“Patience, sweetheart,” he murmured as he kissed his way down my body.
I felt like I was on fire, and as his shoulders spread my thighs wider, my breath froze in my lungs. The first swipe of his tongue against my wet folds had me keening and tightening my legs against him. He only chuckled when I squeezed him, then went back to teasing me without mercy.
He flicked my clit, then traced around it. My legs trembled and I tugged on the cuffs again. Zach gripped my hips and speared me with his tongue, thrusting it in and out. I whimpered and begged, wanting to come. When he sucked my clit into his mouth, I screamed with the force of my release, stars bursting behind my closed eyelids. It felt like I’d left my body before I came crashing back down. My chest heaved with every breath as he rose above me, his hips pressing against mine.
“Zach,” I said softly.
His gaze held mine as he sank into me, stretching me slowly. When every inch of his cock filled me, I wrapped my legs around his waist. Zach pulled back, then drove into me with enough force the headboard smacked against the wall. Every thrust was harder and deeper than the last, until he was slamming into me. My body was tightening and I knew I would come even harder than before.
“So close,” I said. “Don’t stop!”
He growled and took me even faster. I cried out his name as I came again, squeezing his cock until I felt the warmth of his cum inside me. His strokes slowed, but he didn’t stop until my breathing turned ragged and I felt boneless. As he kissed me softly, I felt his hand at my wrists, and then the cuffs were unlocked.
I glanced up and tried not to snicker as I saw the crack in the wall had gotten even bigger. If he was going to keep breaking the wall, we’d have to either pad the sheetrock or move the bed to the center of the room.
“Any doubts that I think you’re the most desirable, most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen?” he asked.
“No,” I said softly. “I’m sorry I doubted you before. It wasn’t you that I was doubting, not really. It was me. I’ve never had anyone notice me when my sister was around, and I guess I worried the same would happen with you.”
“You’re mine, Emmie. My wife. Reapers don’t divorce, so you’re stuck with me forever. I gave you the option to have Wire make it all vanish, but I’m taking that off the table. If you wanted out of this marriage, you had your chance. I will always be faithful to you, and I expect the same in return. We may not have said vows, but it doesn’t make you any less mine.”
“There’s no one I want but you, Zach.”
He kissed me and cuddled me close. With his name on my lips, I fell asleep. There was nowhere safer than being in his embrace.