King (Grit Chapter Book 2) (5 page)

“And you don’t think it’s capable of being done in one place.”

“I know it’s not. Life gets boring and predictable.”

“She’s been running from that all of her life,” Vicky said.

Staring at her friend, Clara didn’t have any witty retort or a comeback. She had no words.

Clara didn’t believe that she had been running away from anything. She simply hated the sameness. Life was meant to be lived but if she settled down in one place, there was nothing to look forward to. That wasn’t running away.

“Maybe you haven’t found the right person to stay with,” King said.

She turned toward the man who had been in her life for a matter of hours. He had a great cock, but other than that, she had no intention of anything developing between them. “It’s not about finding the right person. Some people are made to stay in one place. I’m not made that way.”

“You don’t want a family?”

“No, I don’t. I don’t want to get pregnant, or get married, or settle down with the picket fence.” Clara looked down at the potato chips, and any appetite or desire she had was now all but gone. It was once a dream of hers, but that had soon faded away. It was easier to be alone than to commit to someone. “You know what? It’s getting late, and I think it’s time I checked into a hotel room.”

Y
ou need to make up your damn mind.

Clara lay on the motel bed, staring at the stained ceiling, wondering what in the hell was wrong with her. She’d been at the clubhouse for only a few hours, fucked some random biker, watched her friend get screwed as well, and then she’d bolted out of there.

Scrubbing a hand over her face, she exhaled, knowing these next two weeks would be hard. It wasn’t because she was staying here and not wandering like she had been doing, but because she knew she’d be seeing king again. There was just something about the big biker that had every part of her tightening. Her frightened her, but not in the way that she feared he’d hurt her. He scared her in the way that told her he was dangerous, would kill with his bare hands, and didn’t give a shit about the repercussions. He was the type of man that did what he wanted when he wanted and when he’d held her, touched her, everything else had faded away.

Clara had never been loose with her body, and although she’d been with men, enjoyed herself, she never felt anything toward them except that initial arousal, but with King the chemistry had been instant, and she’d been so swept up in it she hadn’t known what to do aside from just react to it all.

Even now her pussy was still sore from King’s big cock, and the remembrance of what they’d done played through her mind on repeat.

The truth was she’d never seen herself with a husband or family, but that didn’t mean having it in her life wouldn’t be nice to have. Clara had also explored things, just let the wind take her where she should go. Not having to worry about anything or anyone but herself let her fully experience life. Thinking about having a man by her side, someone strong and opinionated, someone who made her feel this tightness in her gut, this flutter in her heart, had heat filling her.

Be realistic. You think King wants anything to do with you aside from the easy piece of ass you gave him?

She closed her eyes, knowing that was the truth. She’d stay two weeks, enjoy her time with her friend, make a little money, and then she’d be off to explore more of the world. She didn’t need anything more than what she enjoyed.

But even thinking that had her feeling a little detached.

K
ing sat behind the desk in the meeting room and went over some paperwork, a half empty bottle of vodka on the table beside him. He hadn’t bothered with a cup and shouldn’t be thinking about anything aside the orders for the hardware store they’d dipped their fingers in.

Trying to clear his mind, he reached for the bottle and took a drink straight from it. The hardware store was a newer venture for the club, something that was legit, and a place to clean any dirty money they had rolling in. The original owner, Hank, was old and had been diagnosed with cancer. It was a shitty outcome, but they’d known the man for years. He’d helped them out many times, and getting into business with Hank would mean his business wouldn’t go under. The club would make sure his legacy stayed alive, and they’d also have a good place to clean their money for the business.

But staring at the paperwork didn’t help his concentration, because all he could think about was Clara. It had been less than twenty-four hours since they’d fucked, and although he’d been with plenty of women, had never had any attachment to them, there was something different about Clara. She made his stomach tighten, his heart beat a little faster, and the very thought of her being with any other motherfucker made him see red.

He grabbed a joint and brought it to his lips, lighting up the end and then inhaling deeply. Leaning back on the chair and staring at the wall across the room, he pictured her in his head. He’d gone with her and Vicky to the motel to drop her off. Vicky had complained, wanting her to stay at the clubhouse, but Clara was headstrong. He liked that about her, like a strong woman that knew what she wanted in life, and Clara definitely did.

He took another drink from the bottle, his body relaxed, but his need for her just as strong as it had been hours before. Thinking about going to that motel room and fucking her senseless played through his head, but for as much as he wanted her he wasn’t about to rush her either, not in that way. He may not be in love with her, but he definitely felt something instant with her, something he’d never felt with any other woman before. There was something magnetic, electric with Clara, and fuck did it turn him on. He could see her not giving in easily, could see that resistance that made his cock hard. As it was the fucker was like a steel rod between his thighs, wanting to be buried in her tight, wet cunt.

Of course, keeping her at the clubhouse had its perks, and thinking about her in his bed for the next two weeks sounded like a good fucking idea, but she’d come to him on her own, just like she had tonight. He had patience, and he knew one thing without a doubt ... he wanted Clara for more than one night.

And when King wanted something he wasn’t going to stop until it was his.

“Y
ou could come to the clubhouse,” Vicky said.

“Not going to happen.” Clara moved around the motel room, grabbing some of her makeup, and walking toward the mirror. She had only been in Grit for twenty-four hours, and surprisingly, and very gratefully, had been able to find a temporary position at a hardware store. The sweet old man, Hank, had given her a job on the spot, after she had answered only a few questions. It was really funny, to be honest. He would only hire her if she could point to different tools and give him a little clue as to what they used for.

The most obvious one, he asked her to find a hammer. Seriously? Did men here not know that women knew what a hammer was?

“You could work at the clubhouse.”

“Look, Vicky,” Clara said, moving to stand in front of her friend. She cupped Vicky’s cheek and pressed a kiss to it. “This is
your
life, okay. This is not my life. You’re a club woman, and you’ve got something going on with the Prez, and I respect that. Please, respect my decision that I don’t want to spend my two weeks inside a biker club.”

“They’d leave you alone. I promised you, you wouldn’t have to fuck anyone or anything, and I mean that.”

“I missed you too,” Clara said. She stepped away and finished brushing her hair before tying it up in a ponytail.

“Was this because of the sex? It has been a long time since we had sex with each other.”

Clara held her hand up. “We didn’t have sex with each other, okay. We had sex with other guys in the company of each other, and I don’t mind.” She really didn’t. It was something they had actually done a lot when they were in high school. Mostly that had been making out, though.

“If you’re working away from the club, I’m not going to see you.”

“You’re going to see me. You’re here right now, and if you ever want to do any DIY, you know where to find me.” Clara gave her a wink and chuckled. She grabbed her purse and walked toward the door. “Are you going to see me out?”

She didn’t have far to walk. Clara had gotten the motel within the center of the town of Grit. The hardware store was about a ten-minute walk along one stretch of road with shops on either side. She rather liked the quaint little town. Only there was nothing quaint about the bad-ass biker club that ruled the town.

Vicky pouted, and Clara kept on chuckling. “You’ve not seen me for months, honey, and now you’re pouting.”

“All those months you weren’t here for me to talk to, and now you’re here but you’re going to be busy.”

“I like working. You know that.”

“I also know it’s going to be the key to making you leave. I don’t want you to leave.”

“You don’t?”

Clara closed and locked her motel room door. Wrapping an arm around her friend, she pressed a kiss to her head once again.

“You’re my sister in the only way that matters, Clara.”

Releasing her friend, they both started walking in the direction of the hardware store. “I’m not leaving for two weeks.”

“You see, that’s my point. You’re going to leave. Is settling down really all that bad?”

“Vicky?”

“Please. I know you, and I know with this job you’re going to get bored and when you’re bored, you’re going to move on.”

They had both stopped in the street.

“I’m not like you.” Clara forced a smile. “Can we stop making this complicated and just enjoy the fact, we’re here, we’re together?”

Her friend finally nodded. Vicky was always dependent on her. Clara wondered if her friend would have found herself in a biker club if she’d stayed. Pushing those doubts aside, she hugged her friend. “I’ll stay for as long as I can.”

“I’ll see you later today? Lunch?”

“Sure.”

Clara waited until Vicky walked away before making her way toward the hardware store. Hiking her bag up her shoulder, she made her way through the open front doors,

Hank was at the front desk of the hardware store as she entered.

“You made it.”

“I did. Am I dressed appropriately?” She wore some jeans and one of the company shirts with the logo on it. Giving him a little twirl, she smiled.

“Damn, the guys are going to be coming in by the thousands to get a look at you.”

“You’re a charmer, Hank.”

“I tell you, if I was twenty years younger.”

He gave her that look that let Clara know he wasn’t thinking very appropriately. Hank was a sweetie. He had a couple of daughters himself, and she’d seen the way he was with the ladies, never crossing that line.

“Only twenty?” she asked, raising a brow.

Hank gave her a wink.

“You’re a horn dog. I’m going to go and put my bag in the back. Okay?”

“Sure thing. I’ll just open up the store.” She started toward the staffroom, when Hank called back to her. “The guys who have taken over the store will be stopping by to look over the books.”

“I thought you owned this place.”

“Oh I do. I can still work here, and I don’t have to worry about all the other shit. I’m just here until the good man takes me.”