Captive (6 page)

Unfortunately today is not shaping up to be my day, and it’s only about to get worse. Much worse. Epically worse…

President of Vengeance MC – Furnace, Colorado

              The only fucking phone call I never wanted to get was one from Addie. Not because I don’t want to hear from her, I do, but I don’t want to answer because she never calls me unless something’s wrong. I call her, and I do it regularly. Whether it’s to check-in, ask her about her day, take her pulse on how she’s handling things down in Blackwater, doesn’t matter, I like hearing her sweet voice, especially when she sounds all excited, and shit. This isn’t one of those phone calls though. This is one that chills the blood running in my veins instantly, making my heart race, and my mind calculate how long it’ll take me and Diesel driving 120mph to get to her.

After snagging my phone off the desk in front of me I bark,

“Addie, what’s wrong? Tell me you’re ok.” It might sound like an overreaction to anyone else, but Adelyn is the most independent woman I’ve ever known, and if she’s bitten the bullet to call me something is most definitely fucking wrong.

“J-J-Jackson, I need you to come down here please,” she says sniffling into the mouth piece.

That’s another thing, our Addie doesn’t cry. As in,
never
. I‘ve seen her sparring with Jump, a brother that weighs in around 230 pounds, who accidentally landed a fist to her temple, and she didn’t spill a tear. She’s fucking tough, her emotions more often than not locked down tight.

“I need more brothers with me than just Diesel, sweetheart?”

“Y-yes. Can you bring Fury too?” Her voice is hesitant. It doesn’t need to be, there isn’t a man in my MC that wouldn’t lay his life down for Adelyn any day of the week, and twice on Sunday’s.

“Sure, sweetheart. I’ll round them up, and be on my bike in five. Is there anything I need to know, Addie? Do I need an arsenal, has someone hurt you?” There’s a damn good chance she won’t tell me shit unless I’m standing in front of her prying it out of her. Adelyn’s been that way since Diesel and I first found her shivering, curled into a ball in foetal position on the steps of the clubhouse fifteen years ago. There’s not a doubt in my mind that the tiny woman that will always own a piece of my heart has secrets buried so deep they’ll never work their way out.

Clearing her throat she says,

“No, just you and the boys. You don’t need to empty the armoury.”

It’d be funny if it wasn’t true. Vengeance has what’s akin to a fully stocked armoury available, and ready for situations exactly like this. If I needed to I could hand a weapon to almost every resident of Colorado before running out.

“You hand tight sweetheart. Go to Reaper, he knows the score. He’ll watch over you till we can get there.” She doesn’t reply. Nothing. If I couldn’t hear her faint sniffles I’d think she’d hung up. “Addie? You hear me?”

Huffing a loud breath she replies,

“I heard, but I’m safe to stay home. I’ll lock up tight and wait for you to get here, okay?”

I don’t like it, and I’d fucking prefer she head down to Skin Fusion letting Reaper keep an eye on her, but I know if Adelyn’s turned down the suggestion there’s a good reason why.

“You make fucking sure you’re shut up tight, Addie. Doors, windows, fucking skylights if you’ve got them. Check them all. I want you to text me every fifteen minutes. Just an ‘I’m okay’ will do, but I want something from you no less than every fifteen minutes, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She sounds so fucking defeated, so unlike the bright and bubbly Adelyn I know. And it breaks my heart. Tears it to pieces.

“I’ve gotta go get the guys, and call Priest to let him know we’re riding that way. I’ll be there soon, sweetheart. Whatever this is, we’ll work it out.” Saying our goodbye’s I realise too late that she didn’t answer my question about whether she was hurt or not. All the more reason to get the fuck out of here ASAP.

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil for I am the meanest motherfucker of them all.”

-
      
Bikers Guide to Life

“What!” I bark into the phone. Today’s already gone to shit, so it doesn’t really matter if I piss off another person or ten, there’s no redeeming the clusterfuck that makes up the last four hours of my life. What started out to be not an altogether shitty morning quickly turned into a day I’d like nothing more than to forget as fast as humanly possible.

Waking up with my hand on my already rock hard, ready to blow cock was a good start to any morning. Jerking myself off to the memory of Adelyn’s sweet, wet mouth wrapped around my cock while I pulled her dreadlocks to the side watching those plump lips devour my shaft was far from unpleasant. As a matter of fact, it was the hardest I’d come outside when I was buried deep inside her.

You know what they say though; it’s all downhill from there. And of course it would be. There’s nothing better than getting off to thoughts of a sexy blonde goddess on her knees before you, worshiping your cock, so it makes sense that shit wouldn’t stay that good. I didn’t for one second think it’d turn to a shit fight from hell though.

Toby got the flu two days ago, and is still out with it. Fucking asshole forgot to reschedule all his appointments too, so that meant lucky me along with Kendall, and Adelyn had to pick up the slack. Not that I’d mind usually, it’s just that the last three and a half weeks have been even more strained at the shop without adding extra shifts, longer hours, not to mention adding Adelyn and I in close proximity to the mix. That was pure torture. There was nothing I wanted more than to reach out and touch her. Run my fingers along the silky smooth skin that lines the inside of her thighs. I wanted to lick the long column of her throat, nip at the sensitive spot below her ear, and make her moan for me.

Burying myself inside her would be the pinnacle of perfection. Somewhere I wanted to be more than my next breath. But I couldn’t. There was no way I could separate myself from what I’m starting to feel for her, and still be able to fuck her, make her cum for me. I’ve never had that problem before. The women I took to bed were simply that; women I fucked. Adelyn is different. And if I was being honest, it was already too late. I’m skating the edge of a slippery slope that’s heading nowhere good. Without a doubt I know that if I spend any more time with Adelyn than is absolutely necessary I’ll be admitting my feelings to her in less than a day. And that is not something either of us need.

After I was the asshole to end all assholes the morning I left Adelyn’s house, it took me less than half an hour to realise my mistake. Shit, I can’t even call it a mistake, it was more than that; it was a fucking cruel, and unnecessary. There isn’t an hour that’s gone by since I haven’t wanted to apologise, beg her to forgive me. But did I? Fuck no! That’s what a reasonable adult would do, and I’m nothing if not unreasonable.

I’ve asked myself a million times why I said that shit to her. Why I practically accused the most amazing woman I’ve ever met of being a slut. Worse still, a slut with a sexually transmittable disease. What the fuck is wrong with me?

In my defence, and I know all too well I shouldn’t bother trying to justify what I did, but truthfully it was the only thing I could think of to do that might buy me some time to rebuild the walls threatening to break open with all the emotion she bought out in me. Could I have done it in a nicer, more considerate way? Fuck yes. Could I have explained to her it was better for her, better for me, not to take it any further than that one night? Abso-fucking-lutely.

My problem was that I was scared shitless she’d see through my explanations, still am, and that she’d see straight to the heart of what my issues are, what I really felt for her. In the end what I did, I did for reasons of self-preservation, to save myself the trouble of explaining to the one woman who sees past my bullshit that I don’t want her, because let’s face it, I do. I want her so much it physically hurts, and Adelyn is nothing if not insightful, she’d know it too. She picks up on every nuance of peoples’ behaviour, reads their facial expressions, their body language in seconds, and she’s fucking spot on with her insights. It’s something I noticed within days of taking her on at the shop. I can only assume her sizing people up because second nature based on the situations she found herself in when she was in foster care.

Realising I’d drifted off to thoughts of Adelyn,
again
, I’m bought back to the present by an infuriated Boss.

“Are you listening to a goddamned word I’ve said motherfucker?” I don’t answer because honestly I don’t think he’ll want to know I was just thinking about sinking balls deep into a woman that’s akin to his sister. “Yeah, didn’t think so asshole, so I’ll repeat that shit so you get me this time. I fucking said, get your ass up, and over to Ade’s house fucking now. Somethings wrong and I’m still an hour out.”

My brain seems to have had a minor malfunction because I’m sure he just said something’s wrong with Adelyn, but I can’t hear over of the roaring sound of blood in my ears.

“What? What the fuck’s wrong?” I know I sound like a pussy right now, voice shaking and shit, but that doesn’t change the fact that adrenaline thick and fierce is running through my veins catapulting me out of bed faster than ever before.

“Jesus Christ, Reaper. Are you fucking with me? I said something’s wrong with my girl, and I’m an hour out. Been on the road for an hour and a half now, got Diesel and Fury with me. She called about an hour and forty-five ago telling me I needed to get down there. I’ve got no clue what the fuck is going on, and she told me she was safe at home, she’d lock up tight. It’s not that I don’t trust she will lock that fucking house down like no mans’ business, but I want someone on her till we get there. You’re that someone, so move your ass and for fucks sake call me if you get there, and shit’s not right.”

There were so many things wrong with that statement I don’t know where to begin, so like any biker I zone in on the one that set my blood to boiling point.

“She’s not your fucking girl, so watch it yeah? I’m on my bike in five, but when you get here you and I are gonna have us a little chat.”

Not a time for chuckling, but the bastard does anyway.

“Yeah, I think you’re right about that, been a long time coming too. You make sure she’s safe, and not a hair on her head is harmed, and I’ll sit down and have that chat with you, with the promise I won’t fucking kill you before you can say your piece.” And with that he hangs up not giving me a chance to tell him to fuck off, that he’d never stand a chance to put a bullet in me before I took his ass out. It’s true too. There’s no way I’d let Jackson ‘Boss’ Car best me in this century, or the next. Call it pride, call me cocky, but no matter what you call it I know there isn’t a man that’d be able to take me down unless I allowed it. And in the case of Adelyn, I wouldn’t be allowing any man to best me.

I’m dressed in seconds. On my bike in less than two minutes. And pulling into her driveway in just over ten. I hate that she called Boss first. I hate that she didn’t feel comfortable enough to come to me. But what I hate the most is that I haven’t been here to protect her. That my issues got in the way a-fucking-gain.

The day after making love to Adelyn I broke off all ties with Beth. It wasn’t nice. It wasn’t pretty. And it sure as shit didn’t end in us remaining friends. Not that I would’ve wanted to, the chick is batshit crazy, a stage five clinger to begin with. The last thing I need is for a woman I’ve had my dick in to still be
any
part of my life.

To punctuate my point, the morning after the most mind-blowing sex of my life, I walked into my house to find an underwear only clad Beth passed out on my couch. Now where most of my brothers would be all over that in seconds, it served to do nothing aside from piss me the fuck off.

“What the fuck are you doing in my house,” I bark, shaking her shoulder to wake her ass up.

Startling, and almost rolling off the couch Beth sits up glaring daggers at me.

“Where were you? You said you’d come over last night?”

I don’t know where she get this shit from. I never said I’d see her last night, or any night before that. I tell her I’ll drop in if I can, if I want to. I don’t promise women things I can’t deliver on, hence never promising her a damn thing.

“Never said that, Beth.  Told you I’d be over if my bike bought me that way, and I didn’t. So answer the fucking question, what the fuck are you doing here dressed like that,” I ask gesturing to her attire, or lack thereof.

Raising one overly plucked brow at me she runs her hand down her taut stomach, in what she probably believes is a provocative move. It’s not. I know what sexy is now. Truly sexy, not the pretend bullshit Beth’s trying to pull. The real honest to God underrated, natural sexiness that Adelyn possesses is more of a turn on than this will ever be. And in that moment I find myself wondering what in the hell I ever saw in Beth.

Beth walks toward me with an over emphasised sway of her hips still trailing her fingertips over her skin. A week ago my cock would’ve stood up and taken notice, now he’s fucking shrivelling by the second, trying to retreat into my abdomen in disgust.

“You like it? I bought it especially for you.” Her voice is low, and again what she assumes is sensual. The sound grates on me, make me want to kick her ass out, dressed like that or not.

Perusing her lingerie I can’t find a single thing about it redeeming. Where she’s wearing a black lace bra and thong, garters and matching sheer stockings with lace tops, I find my mind wandering to the hot pink satin with lace trim, and boy-short panties Adelyn was wearing last night. The way they contrasted against her perfect pale skin. The way they cupped her gorgeous heart shaped ass, and the bra framed her tits for my viewing pleasure. Granted they hadn’t stayed on long, but while they were I appreciated every second of how good they looked on her desperate to see what other colours she owned.

Focusing on the here and now is going to be difficult. Fuck that, it’s going to be nearly impossible. The images of Adelyn and her lingerie covered body, her mouth sighing my name, and the feel of her pussy around my cock is distracting me from doing what I need to, what I should’ve done months ago. Shaking my head free of the images assaulting me I say,

“You get that I’ve got grandbabies yeah? I could’ve come home with either one of them, and they’d get an eyeful of what you’re wearing, better yet, what you’re not wearing. That shit isn’t on. It’s also why you don’t have a fucking key Beth. You and I aren’t like that, you know it, and I know it. What I don’t know though is why you thought it was okay to break into my fucking house, and lay yourself out like a desert buffet.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” She screeches. “Since when do you turn down a willing woman, and why are you pissed about this? I didn’t break in either. Steel was leaving when I got here, he let me in when I told him I was waiting for you. Unlike you, he didn’t want me waiting out in the cold for you to get home at God knows when.” That reminds me I’ll need to have a little chat with my son about letting bitches into my house. I know why he was here, Cal left his blanket here the night before, and the little kid couldn’t sleep without it apparently. That shit didn’t matter right now though, him letting Beth in did.

“I don’t give a fuck if my boy let you in, you shouldn’t have been here for him to do it in the first place. And you’re right, I don’t usually turn down wet, warm pussy, but as of now I am. We’re done, Beth. This shit is over with.” If I thought that’d be the end of it I was dead wrong. Lucky for me I’m not stupid. I knew she wouldn’t let it go at that. The only woman in the history of all women that let something drop so easily was Adelyn, and she was a complete anomaly.

Beth looks at me in utter disbelief.

“If this is about me being here this morning I’ll go. We can just forget about me being here, and go back to normal. Don’t throw us away because of some silly misunderstanding, Max.”

Is she for fucking real? Not only does she know that invading my space isn’t some ‘silly misunderstanding’ as she puts it, it’s a fucking violation of my privacy. I don’t let women into my home, the only home my son’s ever known, and the only place that’s all mine. Beth also knows not to call me by my given name. That’s something reserved for my family only. Well my family, and Adelyn. Adelyn can moan, scream, or whisper my given name any time she like. In fact I encourage it. I fucking damn near demand it.

Snarling at her I spit out,

“This isn’t about that, and you don’t get to call me anything but Reaper. Never invited you to call me anything else, and I never will. This is about you not getting the picture when I told you this shit was casual. You wanted to push it. You wanted to classify us as something we’re not, and I let you. That was my mistake. But this, you coming here, think I’d want you to be in my space, in my home without permission just proves you don’t know a fucking thing about me. I fucking told you I don’t do relationships, and you wouldn’t be the one to change that. I told you when we were done I’d tell you, and there wouldn’t be a discussion about it. You want to take this somewhere else in your mind, then that’s on you, not me. Now get your shit, and get the fuck out.” It was harsh, but it was the truth.