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Emma didn’t think she could take another minute of silence. She’d not heard anything from Rafe, but there had been a lot of calls about what had happened after she’d left. What she didn’t know is what happened to Rafe. Her phone beeped, and she knew before she looked down it was going to be Rafe. However, even when she saw the message that looked as if it came from Miss Marlene, she felt just a touch of the stress of the night melt away.
Her friend, Adrian, had left to comfort the club and she was left to herself. Joe had called to tell her that he would question her soon. He didn’t understand how it was that Rafe, Mark, and she had disappeared. Then, when the smoke cleared, her Old Man was dead, and they were both gone. She was happy that he was on the phone and not in her face because she knew the guilt was caked on like make-up. Adrian had taken the phone from her and told him that Emma was distraught and slightly scolded him for breaking the news of Mark’s death in the way that he had. Joe had seemed content with the assessment from Adrian about her pale skin and tremors. Consequently, he allowed her to stay where she was and not come in with her friend to the club house.
Now, she was alone, still freaked out, and hoping that this ball of trouble she and Rafe had created didn’t blow up and kill them all. She never thought that Mark would end up dead after a talk with Rafe. It hadn’t even crossed her mind. There was a difference between knowing these were rough and ready to fight men and seeing the results.
Miss Marlene: I’m where I dropped you off. Are you alone or do you need to come to me?
She read the message from Rafe and texted a response. Walk down the alley where you dropped me off and I’ll be waiting on the porch.
Looking out the window, she wondered if there was anyone watching her, but then knew she was getting paranoid. Everyone was at the club house, mourning the loss of their dear friend and moneymaker. She was alone—at least for now. She saw Rafe walking down the alley. Although her body was still bruised and battered, a wave of something skittered up her spine. It was probably because she asked him to do something—and even though it didn’t work out the way she’d wanted it to work—he’d done it for her. She was so very thankful for what he’d done, even though she’d not be able to voice that with another soul. He saw her, and she waved him up.
She ushered him into her friend’s house and wondered if she should have met him somewhere else. Not that she had a place of her own, but she was going to have to work on that. After this experience, she was definitely getting away from the club scene.
“Hello, sexy,” Rafe’s grin warmed the chills away from her body that had been present since she entered the cab and drove away from Shaffer’s Lounge. She wished Rafe had climbed into the cab with her and they had gone away together, but that wasn’t to be. She was with a warrior, and he wanted to talk to Mark and try to work this through.
“Hey,” she replied, not knowing why she was feeling a little off balance and shy. “I heard you got into some trouble with your talk. It didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped it go.”
“That’s putting it mildly; but, with his mouth going a mile a minute about what he wanted to do to you and then pulling a gun on me...there was no way that discussion was going to end without some bloodshed. I’m sorry about that, baby.” Rafe looked at her like she was going to be upset that the man was dead. She probably should be; but, if the treatment she’d received before they got to the club was supposed to be her daily routine, she had been really lucky that Rafe did what he’d done.
“Don’t be sorry on my account. I’m just wondering what this is going to mean for you.” Emma put her hand on his cheek and enjoyed the rough scratch of his light beard. He had scruff yesterday and now it was a bit more than that. It was amazing that she had just joined up with him last night. It seemed like forever had happened in the space of a little less than 24 hours.
“I’m still working that through. I know you said you wanted to run off together, and I’m going to look into how to make that a reality; but, I’m going to need some patience from you. Our clubs aren’t best of buddies, but I don’t want any bloodshed over what happened. I need to make sure your safe, as well.”
Emma knew he was trying to cover all the bases, but she just wanted to quit the whole club thing and leave with Rafe. She knew he had more responsibilities than she had and it would take some time for him to get everything in order; but, she couldn’t help wanting what she wanted. She nodded though because she believed in him—and he’d done so much for her. In her mind, this meant that she was definitely more than a one-night stand...but she wanted to ask.
“This may seem a bit off-topic; but, with you considering the request that we run off together, does that mean you feel more for me than the quick fucks we’ve shared? I know a bit about your history with women, at least from what I’ve heard, but I just want to make sure the vibe I’m getting from you is the same one I think it is.”
“What do you think it is?” Rafe stood there and allowed her to rub her hands through his hair, massage his neck, and bring her hands down to his chest. She’d been doing that again and again throughout their conversation because she just loved to touch him. Plus, she didn’t know if this would be the last time. He was talking like it wasn’t, but she wanted to be sure.
“I think you’re acting differently than I’ve heard you act around most women, and I’m hoping that means you feel something for me more than you usually do.”
He hiked her up a bit to kiss her fully on the mouth, and she opened for him enjoying the sensation of his beard against her face and the tangy taste of beer on his tongue. “I don’t believe I’d have done all this for just anyone, Emma. I don’t know if it’s our slightly shared past, the way we get along, or the exuberant way you suck my cock; but, I want to know more about you. I’m far from finished with you.”
That wasn’t a declaration of love, and she’d not expected one, but it was more than she thought she’d have gotten on this occasion. She nodded and smiled, happy with what he’d given her and excited that this thing wasn’t over.
“Besides the bruising on your beautiful breasts, did he touch you anywhere else?” Rafe’s voice was lowered, and she could tell he was trying to be comforting.
She shook her head, not wanting to spend another minute thinking or talking about what Mark had done to her. It was over and done with, and since he was no longer walking among the living, she’d decided that she was going to forget that whole incident. There was no point in being upset or feeling like a victim. Rafe had handled it, and she didn’t’ think anyone had ever come to her aid like he had before in her life. The feeling of being validated, she wouldn’t change for anything in the world. If he stopped seeing her today, she would still have that to keep with her forever.
He deepened his kiss and even with her body aching a bit, she wanted this man to fill the space that always felt empty when he was near her.
Loosening her pants, she backed up and pulled them off. She left her pretty panties on, just because she thought they looked cute on her, and she wanted him to see them.
He fingered the black lace and at the top of the waist band. “Very pretty, but not as pretty as your sweet pink pussy.”
She gasped because the way he said things along with his sexy voice made her wetter than she already was. She placed her hand on his cock to see if he was feeling even half of what she was. His thick turgid cock pulsed so hard in her hand that she could feel it though his pants. The squeeze she gave him brought a smile to his sexy mouth, and she watched it as he worked the seam of her pussy through her panties. He looked as though he fully enjoyed making her damp panties wetter. Hard enough to feel but not hard enough to come, she lightly rode his finger while he kissed her neck.
“You don’t have much to say, huh? Good to know I’ve just taken your words away. Now, let’s see what I can do to make you a bit more vocal. He sat her down on the couch and spread her legs so he could pull her wet panties to the side and stroke her whole opening from her clit to that space near her ass.
“I don’t want to wait, Rafe. Fill me up. I want to watch you come apart riding me hard.” Emma was pleased to see his excitement turn to an inferno of desire in his eyes. He wanted to be inside of her, and she wanted it, too. Emma knew he was holding back because he felt she’d been attacked, but she wasn’t going to let that hold them back from what they had together.
“I know you do, but I don’t want you to be hurt any more than you already are. I’m going to give you what you want, but I have to make sure you are into it as much as I am.” Rafe didn’t look like he was going to give her the wild ride that she wanted, but she trusted that he’d satisfy her and that was really all she could have asked for. However, she gave him a play pout anyway. “You make me lose my mind, woman. How long is your friend going to be out?”
“She is over at the club house with everyone else. I’m sure she will be gone a while since she’ll be consoling all of the bikers.”
“Have you talked to your president, yet?” Rafe was picking a fine time to go into this. She wanted to release some stress and pressure in the very best way possible, and he was not helping her mood.
“Yes, Rafe, I have. But, if you could just make me feel good with your body rubbing on mine for a few minutes, I could tell you all the details. Right now, I’m a bit worked up.”
He laughed at her impatience but pulled out his cock, stroked it a few times, and covered himself with a condom. “Alright Emma, I’ll take care of your needs; but, I need to know I’m not causing you pain.”
“Besides my boobs, nothing else was exposed. I do appreciate you not touching them, even though I want you to. I want your touch to replace the hurt, and I want to remember your mouth on me not his.”
Rafe was kneeling on the couch she was splayed out on, and he lifted her shirt and helped her unfastened her bra. He stared at her for so long, she wondered what he was going to do. Then, he leaned over her and drew her nipple into his mouth. He sucked on her lightly and licked her hard nipples. She was surprised that they would even get hard, but he took the same care with the other one as he did with the first.
She shouldn’t have been surprised, but she was. He’d been so helpful to her with Mark. Now, he was erasing some of the pain of the evening. He placed a light kiss on both of her breasts and then looked into her eyes.
“Thank you, Rafe. That means more than you know.” She wasn’t one to cry—because she’d learned that it did nothing—but his gentleness almost undid her.
He didn’t respond to her words, but he slipped his cock up and down the crease of her opening, and she could hardly stop her hips from bucking up to meet his. Placing the tip of his cock on her clit, he pushed against her a few times until she was practically panting.
She looked up and him and his smirky smile told her he knew how much she liked being teased a bit before he fed her his cock in one fell swoop, which was what happened the very next breath, and she was so grateful for it. His thrusts weren’t as wild as some of the times they’d been together, but they were deep and firm—like he meant every stroke and each one meant something different.
“I know you want to come, baby, but wait until I tell you to.” Rafe’s voice was raspy, and she was more excited hearing the arousal in his tone.
“I’m so close. I don’t know if I can hold back, but I’ll try.”
He stopped his stroke, and she wanted to scream with frustration.
“Promise me you won’t come until I say or I stop?”
She couldn’t believe that he was saying something like this to her. She was also surprised that it turned her on as much as it did. His cock pulsed and jumped inside her, so she knew that he couldn’t keep her on the string forever.
He didn’t move one inch—with the exception of his twitching cock—so she decided she’d better say something. “I promise.”
The wicked smile was back, and he gave her thrust after thrust of his thick, hard dick—just like she liked it. She started to worry as her body wound up, ready to release in an orgasm that was going to help relieve some of her stress.
“Rafe,” she called out, trying to warn him that she wasn’t going to last long. He looked at her but continued to pump long and hard.
“Not yet, Emma.” He was panting a bit, but he wasn’t looking like the end was near for him. Damn it. She shouldn’t have sucked him off in the bathroom, then he’d be ready to blow like she was.
It was a lot of effort to hold back when he was trying so hard to break her, but she thought she had it under control.
“Now, baby, now.” Rafe growled out, and she let go of something that released the flood of pulses and contractions in her body with an orgasm so strong it hurt a little. She heard him come, but because he’d wanted them to do it together, she didn’t get a chance to watch him. He probably didn’t know that he was one of her favorite things to watch. With all his masculine beauty, his head back and hips pumping, she could almost come again thinking of it.
He pulled out of her, and she got up to clean them both up. Then, the icy fear of intuition covered her body in goose bumps. Nothing had changed and there was no one around, but she felt it.
Giving him a warm wash cloth, she watched him clean up as she did the same. They both finished putting on their clothes, and she waited to hear what they were supposed to do next.
“I’m going to go back to the club and see what can be done about this, Emma. I don’t think your people know what went on yet—and maybe we can use that to our favor.”
“What am I supposed to do?” Emma wasn’t really good at lying or being asked a lot of questions; but, if he had a plan, she would trust that it would work out for the both of them.
“Just do what you normally do for the next few days. I’ll get in touch with you with your cell.”
He stood up, and his phone started ringing. Pulling it out of his pocket, he put it on speaker so he could finish getting himself together.
“Rafe.” Emma didn’t know who was on the other side of the line, but he sounded a bit frantic.
“Hey, Fat J.—what’s up?” Rafe said, sitting down to put his boots back on.
“Look, I’m not sure where you are, but some of the Headless Reapers are on their way over to where Emma is. They found a message on Marks phone from her telling him to go to the parking lot to meet her and they have questions.”
“What?” Emma couldn’t hold back that squeal of surprise.
“Damn. That’s what I thought.” Fat J. sounded like he was torn about what to do. “From what I’d heard they are paying a friendly call to her to make sure she’s alright and find out if she was threatened in any way. I got this information just seconds ago, but the men left some time ago.”
“I don’t want to leave her here alone with them,” Rafe said, finishing with his boots and throwing on his leather vest with his club’s logo on the back.
“They won’t harm her to the best of my knowledge; but, if they find you there, it will be the death of both of you. She is supposed to be where they think she is. Get out of there now, Rafe.”
“I hear you, Fat. I’m leaving.” Rafe disconnected the call and prepared to leave. He stopped to give her a kiss on the mouth. “Keep your cell nearby. I’ll text you to see if you’re free to call.”
“Alright.” Emma felt like this was the beginning of a dangerous end, and she didn’t want to let on that she was scared to death of the visitors who would soon be at her door. She knew Fat J. was right about them finding him here and what that would mean for them both. He was a rival, and she’d be a traitor. Both of those offenses could cause her club to kill her.
He walked toward the door and a loud banging made Rafe freeze in his tracks. “Emma. Open up me and some of the boys want to make sure everything is okay. Someone said you had some company in here, and we want to check on you.”
The pounding was loud enough to sound like the police, and she hoped that they didn’t plan on busting open the door; but, the way they were knocking was rattling the door frame.
She hadn’t said anything, and she turned to put her slippers on, hoping she came up with something to say about a guest someone said she had. Would opening the door to these men be the last thing she ever did?
Rafe had moved to the back bedroom door, and she waved him inside. She could tell he didn’t want to leave her but he had to. This was life or death. For both of them.
The knock came again, and although it was hard to believe they were louder and more insistent than the first one. “We are going to count to three, and then we’re busting this door down.”
Emma moved quickly to get to the door, but they counted one, two, three so quickly she couldn’t get to the door before they broke it open.
“Damn, guys. I was on my way to answer it. I was in the bathroom.” She was proud that she sounded like she was out of breath from running to the door, but she was really scared to death. Her blood pressure made her feel like she’d run a marathon although she’d not moved much from this spot.
“Where is he?” One of the older bikers asked, and she hoped she could pull this off.
“Who?”
“Don’t play dumb, honey. Whoever was in here. We think it was Rafael Neal. That’s what a witness said they saw.”
“We had a pizza delivered earlier. Maybe that’s what someone saw.” This sounded ridiculous even to her ears.
“A pizza, huh? You keep the pizza man here for a little recreation?” They doubted her story, and she had no idea what she could do to make them believe her.
“No.” She shook her head and looked toward the bedroom door.
The older biker followed her gaze and told her to be quiet. She couldn’t believe she’d given herself away like that. The crew of them walked toward the door and pushed it open. They were in there for a few seconds that felt like forever.
“Where is he?” The older man asked again.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m the only one here.” She hoped she was right; but, since they were still asking questions, Rafe must have gotten out of there somehow.
“Come along with us. We have some questions for you.” The man took her by the arm and brought her along with him.
“I can’t leave now. You kicked my friend’s door open. If we leave, someone could come and take all of her stuff.”
“Well, that’s nice of you to think of that. How about we leave Jimmy here until we can get someone to fix Adrian’s door. He can also wait and see if your ‘pizza man’ makes another appearance.”
“Alright, but where are you taking me?” Emma wanted to keep them talking for as long as possible—because if she kept talking, maybe she could keep living.
“Joe has a few questions for you that just popped into his mind, and he thought you may have the answers.”
“I’ll try to help in any way I can.” Emma wondered what was next for her and if she’d ever see her lover again. She was strong and capable. This was the mantra that was going to get her through this.
The man holding her arm turned to the older man. “Get the video camera footage, maybe we can see the pizza guy on there.”
Emma’s heart felt like it’d had dropped to her stomach, but she kept her head up and kept walking. Was she walking to her doom? She didn’t know, but fate had brought her here so she would just hold on for the ride.