Crash & Burn (2 page)

Crash fought back the bile rising in his throat.

“You set fire to their clubhouse before he ever got around to doing much more than humiliating me. He’d make me crawl on all fours like a dog, kept me chained near his table and bed, and fed me from a bowl on the floor. But he never touched me intimately. I don’t know if he was just working up to it, or if he had other plans for me.

In all that time, I never once saw him with a woman, so maybe he didn’t swing that way.”

Burn stared at her with a hunger that startled Crash. “Are you telling us you’re still a virgin?”

Her face flushed, but she nodded.

“I don’t know how the hell you remained untouched after living with both the Black Daggers and the Double Deuces, but you are one damn lucky young lady,” Blitz said. “I’m still pissed that some of them escaped because you had to be saved, but I suppose that isn’t entirely your fault. It isn’t like you were there of your own free will.”

“No, sir.”

Blitz smiled at the “sir” comment, then turned his gaze to Crash and Burn. “So, boys. The question remains what are you going to do with her? She’s a liability, so I can’t have her running around out there, with knowledge of who set that fire. But she isn’t going to fit in around here as a party girl either.”

Burn growled.

“I agree with my brother. She definitely isn’t going to be a party girl.”

Blitz’s eyebrows shot up. “Then what will she be?”

“Our mate,” Burn said.

“Mate?” Willow asked. “What’s that?”

Blitz laughed, a full belly laugh. “Honey, they want you to be their wife.”

“Their?” she squeaked. “As in both of them?”

Blitz nodded. “Crash and Burn are tiger twins, who share absolutely everything.

They’ve been mouthing off for years about how, when they found their mate, they were going to share the same woman. Now, I’m not going to force you to mate with them, but you have my blessing if that’s a road you wish to travel. You know the M.C.

lifestyle, and you’re obviously tough as nails to have survived what you did. And you
will
live with the Steel Riders. As what remains to be determined. If I were you, I’d take them up on their offer.”

Willow looked a little shocked as she glanced back and forth between Crash and Burn. “You don’t know me. Why would you want to claim me as your wife?”

Crash leaned in close and sniffed her, now that the smell of smoke was gone. She still smelled a little smoky, but there was underlying floral scent that teased his nose. A purr rumbled out of him and he kissed her softly on the cheek.

“Are you familiar with shifters?” Crash asked.

She shook her head. “Until you turned from tiger to man, I didn’t know they existed.”

“Shifter lore states that every shifter has a destined mate out in the world somewhere. We’re told we’ll recognize this mate by touch or scent, or maybe both. I recognized you by touch because my nose was fucked up from the smoke, but now that I can smell again, you smell like you’re mine,” Crash said.

Burn leaned in to sniff along her neck before pulling back. “I have to agree with Crash. I felt the pull when I helped you at the Double Deuces’ clubhouse, but now you smell right too. I would imagine after a bath, you’d smell even more like ours. There’s still a hint of smoke clinging to your skin right now.”

“And this mating is a forever kind of thing?” she asked. “You aren’t going to claim me today then pass me off to someone else next month?”

Crash growled. “We’ll kill any male who touches you.”

She nodded. “May I have a little time to get used to the idea?”

“Fine,” Blitz said. “But you sleep with them. What you do in that bed is entirely up to you, but I have nowhere else to put you right now. I’m considering this matter closed, but if you decide not to mate with them, I’ll need to know so we can figure out something else. I can’t have you wandering around and getting into things. Besides, if Crash and Burn don’t claim you, the other club members are going to think you’re free for entertainment purposes.”

She blanched again, but nodded. “Is a shower and change of clothes possible?”

Crash scratched his jaw. “A shower is doable, and you can wear something of ours for now, but we’ll have to work on getting you some clothes that fit. If you’ll give us your sizes from the skin out, shoes too, then we’ll see you have a few things to get you by until you can shop for your own things.”

Willow stood. “Then by all means, show me to the shower. The Double Deuces

hadn’t let me shower for the last two days so I would imagine I stink under the smoke smell. The smoke is definitely an improvement.”

Crash didn’t agree with that assessment, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

With a nod to Blitz, he led Willow to their room, with Burn following close behind.

Their room wasn’t much to look at, just a large California King bed, dresser, and a small desk and chair. There was a TV on the dresser, but as Crash looked around the place, he realized that with them claiming a mate, they were going to need more space. Time to go house hunting! Well, if they could convince Willow to be theirs.

Burn grabbed some paper and a pen while Crash dug through the dresser for

shorts and a tee. Burn motioned for Willow to sit on the bed, but she shook her head.

“I’ll make the bedding smell like smoke. It’s best if I stand until I’ve had a shower.”

“Tell me your sizes, or…” Burn held out the paper and pen. “You can write them down. Your handwriting is probably more legible than mine anyway.”

Willow wrote everything down for them and then handed the paper back to

Burn who pocketed it. Crash handed her a tee and some shorts with a drawstring waist.

He knew they would swallow her, but maybe she’d be comfortable until Burn returned with some clothing for her own.

“You shower,” Burn said. “And I’ll go get some things for you. Doubt I’ll be back before you’re done though. Our clothes are going to swallow you, but they’ll have to do for about an hour. I should be back by then.”

“Uh, Burn…maybe you should ask Blaze if his mate can go with you? I have a

feeling what we like on a woman, and what a woman likes to wear, are probably two different things.” Crash smiled. “Might as well make sure she’s comfortable.”

“Right.” Burn looked at Willow. “Would that make you feel better? If I had a female’s help? Blaze is newly mated, but Luna is sweet. She’s the town librarian.”

“Librarian? I have a feeling she dresses different from what I’m used to. You have to remember, I was raised by bikers. Just get me some jeans, tanks, and boots. I can pick out the rest later. You did say I could go shopping?”

Burn nodded. “We’ll both take you either tomorrow or day after, depending on what’s going on around here.”

“Then yeah, two tanks, the kind with a built in bra, and some jeans. Also, I’ll just need undies and I can wait on bras until I can try them on.”

Burn nodded, gave Crash a salute, and headed out, closing the door behind him.

Crash walked over to the bathroom, flipped on the light and pulled a towel off the shelf on the wall. He realized belatedly that their soaps would be too harsh for her.

“Wait just one minute and I’ll be right back.”

Crash ran into the hall, hoping he could catch Blaze before the grizzly went home to his mate. He caught the bear just as he was walking out the door.

“Blaze, I need a favor.”

“What is it? I want to get home to Luna.”

“Did Luna leave any bath products in your shower? Maybe some shampoo and

shower gel?”

Blaze frowned. “I think there’s a little left in there. What do you need with it?”

“Willow. I was about to let her take a shower and realized we only had manly smelling things in the shower. I thought, if you didn’t think Luna would mind, that maybe we could have what was in your bathroom and we’d replace it tomorrow when we take Willow shopping.”

Blaze nodded. “All right. Let’s get it so I can go home. And you don’t have to replace it. I’m sure Luna would love an excuse to shop.”

Blaze opened his room, got the shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel out of the bathroom and handed it all off to Crash. The tiger thanked him once more before running back to his room with his meager offering to Willow. When she saw what he held, a smile blossomed across her face. She eagerly reached for the items.

“I haven’t had feminine things… Well, ever.”

“There’s not much left in them, but we’ll let you buy some bath products, and whatever else you need, when we take you shopping tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Crash.” Her eyes teared, but before he could say anything, she

snatched the clothes off the bed and locked herself in the bathroom.

Burn had managed to get the things Willow had asked for, but when it came to women’s shoes, he was at a loss. Most of the boots had sky high heels and he wasn’t sure she would want those, not if she was going to ride on the back of his bike—or Crash’s. He kept looking, but nothing seemed right. Finally, he gave up and checked out with the clothing items. He’d just have to go to an actual shoe store for what he wanted, or rather, what he thought Willow needed.

Once he had the bags stashed on the floorboard of the truck he’d borrowed, he drove to the only shoe store he knew of in town. What he really needed was the Harley-Davidson shop two towns over, but it was so late there was no way they’d be open when he got there. But now that he knew what size Willow wore, he could surprise her with a pair at any time. Maybe even a Harley tee.

At the shoe store, he told the sales associate what he was looking for and the woman was happy to help. Perhaps a little too happy, with her light touches and flirtatious smile. He finally had to mention a girlfriend to get her to back off. He bought the boots, then hauled ass back to the clubhouse, anxious to check on Willow. Not that he thought anything would happen to her while Crash was watching over her. He trusted his twin completely to keep their woman safe.

Burn parked the truck, gathered the sacks, and then entered the clubhouse, tossing the truck keys to the Prospect behind the bar. The door to their room was shut and he cautiously opened it, not wanting his M.C. brothers to get an eyeful of their woman. He only saw Crash, sitting on the end of the bed watching TV, until he moved further into the room. As he shut the door, he turned and got an eyeful of Willow sleeping in the middle of the bed. She’d either never pulled up the covers or had kicked them off and her long, bare legs were something to behold.

“She been out long?” Burn asked.

“About twenty minutes. I was going to feed her before she went to sleep, but I guess she was too exhausted. I can’t even imagine what she’s been through today. The fire had to drag her down. Hell, we probably should have called doc to listen to her lungs and make sure she was okay.”

“If she’s coughing tomorrow, we’ll give him a call. Something tells me she won’t want someone poking and prodding at her right now. Not after everything she’s been through. Hell, just thinking about what those assholes did to her makes me want to hunt down the ones who escaped and torture the shit out of them.”

“At least they didn’t molest her.”

Burn snorted. “That she’s admitted. For all we know, they were all hands with her. I believe her though when she says she wasn’t raped. I just don’t believe for one minute that they never copped a feel.”

Crash turned to watch her. “Well, all that’s over now. She’s ours, even if she doesn’t realize it yet. I know she may need some time to sort things out in her mind, but really, what other choice does she have? You heard Blitz. She can’t roam free, and if she’s in the club, and she doesn’t belong to anyone, that makes her fair game for everyone. I don’t see her choosing that option.”

“Me neither. Let’s just show her that she can trust us, that we’re going to put her first, and see where things go. I know we haven’t been actively seeking a mate, but I think she’s definitely the one.”

“You felt the spark too?”

Burn nodded.

“I guess we’ll just have to be
very
persuasive.” Crash grinned. “Just imagine…

she’s never been kissed, never been held. Hell, I have a feeling she’s never had an orgasm, because I doubt she was left alone where she could pleasure herself.”

“Well,” Burn looked at her, “we could start with the holding part. Why don’t you switch off the TV and we’ll climb into bed. If we cuddle her between us; do you think she’ll scream when she wakes up?”

“I think she trusts us enough not to, unless she doesn’t remember where she is when she wakes, which is a possibility.”

Burn tucked the shopping bags under the desk and began stripping. When he’d gotten down to his underwear, he paused. “Maybe we should wear those pajama pants Ma sent for Christmas. Think she saw this coming and knew we might need them?”

“With Ma, anything is possible. But yeah, I think those pants would be a good idea. I don’t want to move too fast with Willow, but I don’t want to move at a snail’s pace either. We need to find a way to gain more of her trust and get her to understand that her best shot at survival, and a happy life, is to choose us.”

“We’ll work on that tomorrow.” Burn pulled out the two pairs of pajama pants and tossed one to Crash. “I don’t know about you, but I’m kind of psyched that this is our first night with our mate.”

Crash smiled. “She’s perfect, isn’t she?”

They both looked at Willow. Her hair fanned across Burn’s pillow and her hands were tucked under her chin as she curled onto her side, facing Crash’s side of the bed.

She looked so damn sweet and innocent lying there, and despite the fact she’d lived her life around M.C.’s, she really was sweet and innocent. She’d never had a childhood to speak of and hadn’t been allowed to fully change into an adult. She was stuck somewhere in between.

Burn finished changing first and slid into bed, lying on his side and pulling Willow back against his chest. Crash turned off the TV and shut off the light, then claimed the other side of the bed. Crash smoothed her hair back from her face and lightly kissed her cheek before lying on the pillow next to her. Crash placed his hand on her hip and Burn wrapped an arm around her waist. With their mate secure between them, Burn felt the tension ease from his shoulders, his muscles relax along his spine, and for the first time in his life, he was truly content.