Full Heat: A Brothers of Mayhem Novel (5 page)

Mary Jane rapidly pushed buttons on the remote, shaking it as if the action would speed it up. The TV blasted on, nearly exploding her eardrums, causing her to jump and scramble to find the volume control. Toggling the button, she kicked back in the other recliner, pretending that she’d been in his room all along, not listening to their conversation.

Storm charged into the room, coming to a skidding stop.

With a calmness she didn’t feel, she looked over her shoulder and raised her eyebrows as if saying, What’s all the rush?

He glared at her, his eyes narrowed.

Really, she’d tried not to do it, but she couldn’t hold it back. She burst out laughing. Maybe her nerves made her laughter a touch hysterical, but as tense as the situation had been earlier, it felt good to laugh uncontrollably.

The incredulous look on his face ratcheted up her amusement. Straightening the chair, she bent over, holding her stomach. The remote thudded to the floor.

Out of the corners of her wet eyes, she noticed his expression change to disbelief. Had he never seen a person laugh so hard?

“Sorry.” She inhaled deeply, trying to catch her breath. “I couldn’t”—another deep breath—“help it.”

He leaned his back against the wall and crossed his arms as he continued to watch.

Shoving hair from her face, she grinned. “What had you expected to see when you came running in here?”

“I heard gunshots.”

That was when she noticed the program was an old western, cowboys firing their weapons. Storm had come to her rescue. What a nice guy.

“Everything’s okay.” She liked how his lips twitched as if he was fighting a grin.

What a fine specimen of a man: broad shoulders stretching a thin T-shirt, lean hips with jeans riding low and showing the waistband of his underwear, and long legs with big feet wearing shit-kickers, thick-soled motorcycle boots. His hair swept back from his forehead ended at the collar of his open vest. The shadow of a beard prevented his looks from being pretty along with the faint, thin scar across his chin. That only toughened him more.

His gaze remained on hers.

She’d gradually quit laughing as her smile faded away.

“Come here, Mary Jane,” Storm said in a hoarse tone.

She wanted to say no. She hated how her curiosity put her in impossible spots. The memory of that kiss earlier had her body tingling and craving more. Everything about the man excited her. She wanted him more than any person she’d ever known. That was a lot of people. In her last couple of years with Jimmy, the older man had ensured she met all kinds of men in the hope she would find someone to love and love her back. Jimmy had worried about her being alone.

Yet out of nowhere, Storm fit the bill for her all the way around. Commanding, sexy, and fascinating, he had an unconventional mind that matched hers.

Without realizing she’d moved, she halted mere inches away. She felt the heat radiating off his body. Maybe she was a bit of a daredevil to taunt him like she did.

“Here I am,” she said breathlessly.

With a fluid twist, he grabbed her wrists and crossed them above her head as he pressed them to the wall with one hand, her chest heaved against his sternum. His other hand clutched a handful of hair and pulled back enough to have her look into his eyes.

No words, but his eyes told her so much. He wanted her and hated it. She didn’t understand why she knew that, but she saw the debate in those wintry eyes. His mouth covered hers, tongue thrusting, stroking along hers. Without pause, she imitated his moves, loving how he hummed as if he was tasting something wonderful. He tightened his hold on her hair. She gasped, and for a split second she thought about biting him for punishment but decided she liked kissing him too much. Each swipe of his tongue against hers sent a pulsation straight down until her pussy rippled. Without considering the ramifications, she rolled her hips up until she felt his hard cock. She always found it to be fantastic how boys—no, men—could have a part of their body lengthen and harden like that.

He released her hair. His hand cupped a breast as his thumb rotated around her taunt nipple, and squeezed before traveling down her torso, over her quivering stomach and thighs, reaching down to her knee. He lifted it high enough for his groin to press to the heartbeat between her legs. She released a long moan that quickly turned to a groan when the banging on the door became louder.

“Hey, boss! You’re needed downstairs. The Skull’s here.”

Storm’s head dropped to the curve of her neck. Before she could stop him, he bit her. Hard.

She screamed and pushed him away.

His smirk pissed her off.

“Are you nuts? That hurt.” She rubbed the place, feeling a slight indention. Chances were good she’d have a bruise. What had she thought about the day before, about him biting and being dangerous? He’d just proven her right.

He leaned down to her face. “Yes. I’m batshit insane, and it would be best that you remember that.” He opened the door, and without looking back, he said, “Don’t try coming downstairs to listen again. If I or one of the Brothers catch you, it won’t be pretty. Understood?” He finally cut his eyes her way.

She wanted to throw a lamp at him. Instead she flipped him the bird.

“Definitely later. Got business now.” He shut the door.

Definitely later? Oh, my. Tingling enveloped her body again.

After taking a couple deep breaths to regain control, she waited until she heard his big-ass boots clump down the stairs, then slowly cracked open the door. No matter what he thought, she wasn’t crazy enough to eavesdrop again, but she wanted to see if her assumption was correct. It was that curiosity problem of hers rearing its ugly head again. She peeked into the hallway.

Standing across the hallway facing her door was the tall, lanky Mayhem Brother called Wolf. Arms crossed and head leaning back, he stared down at her.

“Get your ass back in there.” He growled each word.

“What if I want a drink?” Silly excuse, but she wanted to test how far Storm would go to keep her in his room.

“There’s a mini-fridge in the table between the recliners. Bottled water and sodas.” His tone lightened up some.

So she pressed on. “No beer?”

“The boss don’t drink alcohol.”

“That’s right. I remember him saying that before. Why? Is he in AA’s twelve-step program?”

“AA?” Wolf wrinkled his forehead in confusion. “The boss? You’ve got to drink in the first place. He’s allergic. Shit!” He rubbed his chin. “He’ll beat the shit out of me if he finds out I told you that.”

“Why? Is it a secret?”

“No. But he’d rather outsiders not know. Some days, I agree with my big brother. I have a big mouth.”

Deciding she’d better not press to find out more about Storm, she let it drop.

“When you say brother, do you mean your sibling?” she asked.

Wolf grinned. An evil one, like Little Red Riding Hood had probably seen right before she got eaten.

“Yeah. My asshole of a blood brother.”

“Is he a Mayhem Brother?”

“He is, no, was. Let’s say he disappeared after several of the Brothers were arrested.”

“You haven’t heard from him since? He hasn’t written, emailed, called you?” She couldn’t imagine having a sibling and not keeping in contact. She’d always wanted a brother or sister.

Wolf looked away. “We were never that close. Hey, I don’t want to talk about him.”

Her heart squeezed at the misery on the big guy’s face. He loved his brother, but the asshole didn’t care enough to let him know where he was.

“Hey, you want to come in and show me how to play Grand Theft Auto? I noticed Storm has it. Jimmy loved to play, but his game was an older version.” When Wolf hesitated, she said, “You’ll still be guarding me.”

Wolf looked toward the stairwell, then at her. “Sure.”

She turned and began to set up the game.

Storm’s fists itched to flatten the club’s national president’s nose.

Speed had come into the local clubhouse and announced they were having a special church meeting. It was a slap in Storm’s face. Sure, as the Skull of the Brothers of Mayhem MC, Speed had a right to do whatever he wanted, but common courtesies were usually shown to the local prez. Not this time.

Mitch “Speed” Crane stood in front of the large conference room, arms crossed as he glared at everyone milling around.

“Get your asses in a chair and shut the fuck up!”

The man was in rare form. His thinning hair held in a stringy ponytail trailed down his back and his gut hung over a large belt buckle with the club’s skull logo. His face was flushed red, enough to concern Storm in spite of his anger. Speed had been his foster father, caring for Storm and his sister after his old man was arrested. He owed the older man a lot.

Storm leaned to one side, with one arm on the back of his VP’s chair and his legs stretched out, making people step over them as they made their way to seats. Wolf wouldn’t need his chair as he had babysitting duty. And Speed was using Storm’s chair. It was his right. So Storm sat at the opposite end.

“Everyone close your motherfucking mouths!” Speed waited another couple minutes until his sergeant at arms’s whistle cut through the room. The talk settled down to a rumble. “About fucking time.” Speed adjusted his belt buckle and puffed out his chest. “I’ve received some news. One of our own has been released for good behavior —for a hell-raiser, that’s fucking amazing—and he’s with us today! It’s time to celebrate! Come on in, Easy.”

The sneaky son of a bitch.

Storm sat up straight, and his gaze followed his old man’s every self-assured step through the room until he stood beside Speed. So he’d gone to the Skull and acted as if he hadn’t stopped by and asked to return to his chapter. Like a kid who was told no by one parent, he decided to try another. He knew if Storm protested, he’d look weak to his Brothers.

The asshole.

Shouting filled the room. Most of the older men slapped his back and shook his hand. Storm’s chest expanded when he noticed several from his chapter stayed away. He didn’t believe it was a sign of allegiance to him. If Easy stirred up trouble and caused the chapter to choose allegiances, that could actually mean the end of the Sand County chapter. Brothers fighting Brothers was not allowed. The Skull’s only option would be to close it down, regardless of the fact that it was the mother chapter, to prevent bloodshed.

Speed banged his fist onto the table.

“Tonight, we celebrate! Bring beer, whiskey, whatever you like, and of course, bring your bitches and old ladies. A man needs pussy when he’s done without for…” He looked at Easy for the answer.

“Let’s say a hell of a long time!” Easy’s smirk deepened when his gaze met Storm’s.

With a roar, the room exploded with laughter and talk about the blowout that night. A couple of Storm’s men looked his way, he nodded. With the Skull saying they would party, they had no choice but to prepare for an all-nighter, and Storm’s rule about no women in the clubhouse would be ignored. Fuck, he’d already broken the rule himself.

The crowd flowed out of church, down the hall, and into the large outer room and around the bar. All the prospects headed for the door to purchase the alcohol needed to infuse their revelry.

Storm sat alone in the conference room. Frustration pulled at his shoulders. He’d wanted things to be better after being paroled. That was why he’d tried to direct the club into more legal businesses. The bodyguard work would be simple and quick money. No addictions, no arrests, and they could still set their own schedule. Still be free.

A hand stuck in his field of vision drew his attention up. “How about we call it even?” Easy’s smug look dared Storm to strike. “Son?”

Yep. Push it, asshole.

Fury churned in his gut. The man had never been a dad, unless all dads beat their wives to a pulp and slapped their kids around.

The need to hit the old man built, but he stood to leave without a word. Yet he was unable to resist slamming his shoulder into the old man’s, knocking him out of the way.

As Storm expected, Easy burst out laughing like a maniac. Definitely, a good word to describe him.

Later, with the party in full swing, women appeared to come out of the woodwork. The scene brought so many memories to mind from when he was a kid. His sister had loved to party with the Brothers until things went horribly wrong and her boyfriend had died. That had also been when he got sick from drinking the leftover bottle of whiskey he’d found laying around.

His sister had loved him. Cassidy had tried her best to keep him from the Brothers of Mayhem the last few years before he was sent to the big house. She even wrote to him while he was there. When he’d gotten out, he’d sent Wolf to the little town in Oregon where the post office box number was located. He’d wanted to see if she was okay and persuade her to come back to Alabama. Wolf discovered she’d moved without a forwarding address, and Storm hadn’t heard from her in the months he’d been out.

Family would let a person down, but the Brothers took care of their own. He’d heard that all his life, and it appeared to be true.

“Hey, boy.”

Shit! He hated it when Speed called him that. But he guessed it was a habit, and he was old as dirt. To him, everyone was a boy. Besides, he was the Skull. He could call him dipshit and there wouldn’t be a damn thing he could do about it.

“What can I do for you, Skull?”

“I heard that you got some prime pussy waiting upstairs. Bring her down and let us get a look.” Flushed, Speed swayed as he waited.

From all appearances, Speed and Easy had been drinking for the last few hours. Storm didn’t want to inflict on Mary Jane the crudeness and cruelty that could immerse a Brothers of Mayhem party.

“She’s a client. Best for her to stay where she’s at.”

Speed crossed his arms and leaned his head back.

Damn. He was going to be hardheaded about it.

“I heard she slept in your room last night. I want to see the woman that can get your cock out. Bring her down now.”

Storm didn’t look around. He knew what everyone said about him, how prison had screwed up his mind. Several of the bitches that hung around the club had offered him a ride after giving him a blowjob. He’d forced them to follow his no-touch rules, and most never asked for a second round. Only one kept coming back.