Owned by the Outlaw (13 page)

After he had taken her again at the motel room, this
time far longer than last time, he felt on edge and about to tear his skin off.
He may have played it off like he wasn’t pissed at the stunt Malice had pulled,
but the fact of the matter was he was so fucking pissed he wanted to destroy
something until his knuckles bled.

“Dude, you are about to shift.”

Stinger cut a nasty glare over at Diesel, who was
chuckling at him over by the pool table. The male was expecting a baby with his
old lady, Maggie. Singer had honestly never thought he’d live to see the day
when the Grizzly MC VP would settle down, but when he claimed Maggie there was
a big change in the rough talking and violent outlaw biker. “Fuck you,” Stinger
gritted out and then turned away from Diesel just as the other male started to
laugh harder.

“Who is getting fucked?” Court came out of the
backroom with a case of beer in his hands and a joint between his lips. He was
grinning, and there was no doubt he knew what the hell they had been talking
about. He just wanted to be a smart mouthed asshole.

“You are when I shove my boot up your ass. And I’m
about to do the same to that fucker.” Stinger glared at Diesel, who was chuckling
so hard he had to brace his hand on the wall to support
himself
.
“Laugh it up, motherfucker.”

Court set the case on the counter and inhaled deeply
from his joint. He stared at Stinger, and a somber expression covered his face.
“You are on edge, man.
This because you finally claimed a
female?”
Court leaned against the counter but didn’t wait for Stinger to
respond. “Because I’ll tell you, if you’re fighting it, don’t. It’ll only make
it more painful, and you’ll just lose in the end anyway.”

“True story,” Diesel said from behind him right
before the sound of pool balls cracking filled the room. “You’ve seen it happen
from all of us. Better just tuck your tail between your legs and surrender.”

“I’m not trying to fight claiming her. Molly is
already mine. I made that clear to her and that motherfucker Malice when he
showed up at the motel room this morning.” The room grew silent, and he looked
around to see all the members of the MC staring at him. He hadn’t told anyone
that the woman that was his used to be Malice’s old lady, never even told them
that he wanted her. Although Dallas had realized something was up since he was
the one that had stopped him from kicking Malice’s ass back at the warehouse
when all he did was talk to Molly.

“
We talking
about Malice
from The Brothers?” Drevin asked from behind the bar.
 

Stinger wanted to give a smart assed retort, because
he was on edge and any little annoyance grated on his nerves, but instead he
nodded and clenched his jaw.

“Stinger, man, I’m all for you taking what’s yours,
and caring for a female that you want as your old lady, but are you sure you
want to go there?” Jagger asked.

Stinger didn’t respond right away, but he did scan
the room. All of the members were at the clubhouse: Diesel, Court, Dallas,
Brick, Drevin, and even Jagger. They loved their women, but sometimes they also
needed to be with the crew, and right now he was thankful they were all in one
place. Besides, a few of them had to head to the barn to man the fights, and
make sure shit stayed sane since some of The Brothers were going to be doing
the bare-knuckle fights with some other humans. He didn’t respond, and instead
leveled a stare at the Grizzly President. Jagger held his hands up in
surrender.

“No sweat. You know the club has your back, but we
also don’t want to start shit with another club that we are in good with,
right?” It was phrased as a question, but there was also that hint of a
warning, too. “I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.” Jagger
brought his beer to his mouth and took a long drink. He finished it off and set
the empty bottle on the table. “Besides, if anyone thought to come between me
and my old lady,” Jagger took on a hard, menacing look. “I’d tear them the fuck
down until there was nothing left.” The room grew silent after their President
had spoken, but it wasn’t just Jagger that felt that way. Any Grizzly MC member
would fuck anyone up that meant to get between them and their woman.

“But if she isn’t with Malice anymore, why is he
getting between you two?” Drevin asked.

“He thinks he has some kind of fucking claim on her
because she used to be his old lady and they have a kid together, although I
think it is more than that. I think he feels I’m trying to move in and take
away his kid or something.” Stinger started pacing the length of the club. He
needed to fight, to burn off some of this wild energy inside of him. But they’d
be at the barn soon enough, and then he’d be jumping in with a shifter and
letting all of that aggression out on him.

****

Molly looked at the last wound on one of the girls
at The Brothers’ cabin, and smiled up at her. All of them were healing nicely,
and Molly could even see a visible change in the girls, see their confidence
and their strength returning. She might not agree with how they made their
living, but she had no room to pass judgment on anyone. She packed up the
medical supplies Lucien had made sure was at the cabin for the women, and
headed out of the living room where they had all congregated. The sound of
several Harleys pulling up outside had her walking over to window and looking
out. She saw a few guys from the club park their bikes in front of the house,
and saw Malice’s SUV. Her ex climbed out of the vehicle and got their son out
of the back seat. Although Malice had a very pissed off look on his face, when
Dakota started talking to him his face changed into an expression that was
softer. Dakota was all but bouncing up and down, and she grabbed her bag off
the floor by the door and headed outside. She really didn’t want her son here.
No offense to the women, but she wasn’t about to sugarcoat what this place
actually was—a whorehouse.

She opened the door and stepped onto the porch. A
few MC members were leaning against the banister. They glanced over at her,
gave her the chin tilt greeting, and then went back to talking to each other.

“Momma.”
Dakota screamed out in his tiny voice and came running up to her.

She picked him up, and the air left her when he
wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed. Molly looked over at Malice, who
was doing a pretty good job of avoiding her. God, she felt like she was in high
school. Malice moved away from the crew who were dismounting off their bikes,
and walked toward her.

“
You heading
out now?”

She set Dakota on the ground, and he ran up to Pierce,
who had walked over to them from around the house.

“Airplane,” Dakota squealed out.

Pierce grinned and scooped up Dakota. He promptly
put him on his shoulders and ran around the property. Molly couldn’t help but
laugh at the sight of a big, muscular biker running around all because her son
had asked. She looked over at Malice. “Not yet. I actually might stay one more
day.”

Malice didn’t show any expression on his face.
“Because of Stinger?”
He kept his voice low and controlled.

“Does it really matter? Besides, it isn’t like I
couldn’t use some time off, and I’m sure you’d like to see Dakota one more day
if you aren’t busy.” Being a hospice nurse allowed her to make her own
schedule, but being in that line of work always meant she dealt with dying
people. It wasn’t all bad, though. She got comfort and strength in being with
them during their last moments of life, easing their passing and not allowing
them to die alone. It was a rewarding job as much as it was a depressing one.
Having some time away, even if it was for only another twenty-four hours, was a
nice thing to have.

“Where are you staying?
That
motel?”

“Since my options are limited, yeah.”

“Well, then if you’re staying another day do you mind
if I keep Dakota? It isn’t like I get to see him as much as I’d like.” He
glanced over at their son.

“Sure, as long as you have the extra time.”

He shrugged. “I always make time for my kid, Molly.”
When she didn’t answer he ran his hand through his short dark hair, messing up
the strands so they stood on end.

“If you’re sure, then I know Dakota would love to
spend some time with you.”

He nodded. “I have some things to take care of earlier
this evening, but I can swing by the motel and get him after that. I’ll call
you with a definite time.”

“Okay.” They stared at each other for several
seconds, and she hated that there was this awkwardness between them. They might
have been split for a while, but there had always been this comfortableness
when they saw each other. Now it was just weird.

“Listen, I did a lot of thinking, and you’re right.”

This had her lifting a brow in surprise. “You are
actually agreeing with me on something?
On what exactly?”

He looked over at the two guys that were talking on
the porch, and waited until they looked up at him. “Can you find something to
do?
Somewhere else?”
The guys nodded and walked off
the porch and to the back of the cabin. “Listen, Molly, I knew things were over
the moment you broke up with me. I never had any kind of delusions that we
would get back together.”

She stayed silent, because for the first time since
they split they were actually talking about this. It seemed stupid to do so now
since so much time had passed, and especially since Malice had been acting the
complete opposite despite what he had just said.

“I am stubborn and like things to go my way. You
know that better than anyone.” He looked at the ground for a second, as if
trying to process his thoughts, and then looked at her once more. “I won’t lie
and say I am not fucking pissed and jealous that you left me, but it isn’t
because I think I still have a chance with you. I love you, but I’m not in love
with you, and I know you feel the same way.”

She didn’t respond, because she liked that he was
being so honest.

“The fact you talked about not liking the MC
lifestyle, but then leaving me and going to another MC member did sting, but it
was my pride that was wounded, Molly.”

“I didn’t break things off and purposefully go to
another biker, Malice.”

“Yeah, I know, and it seems totally fucking
ridiculous since it has been so long, but that is how I feel, you know that.”

She nodded. “Malice, it isn’t like we have just
broken up. It’s been nearly two years. I didn’t just jump into a relationship
with another MC member.”

He was grinding his teeth again, a bad habit he had when
his control was slipping. “I know that, Molly, but I guess the stubborn asshole
part of me said ‘fuck it’ to that point. Regardless, I believe in keeping my
things close to me, and I still consider you one of those.”

Hearing him say that was surprising. He was
admitting he was wrong, and that had been maybe the first time since she had
met him that he had actually done that outright. Even if he had known he had
done something wrong Malice never apologized. He did other things: dinner,
flowers, sex. It was how he was, and how all men of his breed were. A Brother was
a different kind of man. He was a ruthless, determined, dominant man that was
used to living life a certain way. Malice’s father had been a Brother of Menace
member, so it ran in her ex’s blood. He had grown up in that world, and it was
a far different atmosphere from what a non-MC member lived.

“Listen, I’m not going to stand in anyone’s way,
okay? You want him, fine, have him. But no way in
hell will
Stinger be a father to my kid.”

Molly shook her head. “God, Malice. I’ll say this
again, because obviously when I told you this after we broke up you didn’t
comprehend.” She moved down the steps of the porch and stopped in front of him.
“No one will take your place as Dakota’s father. It doesn’t matter if I have a
relationship with Stinger, or anyone else for that matter. That is not a worry
you need to have, okay?” They stared at each other for a few seconds.

“That isn’t a worry, because it isn’t going to
happen.” He glanced over at Dakota and Pierce, who were making their way over
to them.

Dakota held out his arms for her, and she pulled him
off of Pierce’s shoulders. “You want to spend one more night with Daddy?”
Dakota started rambling after she said that, and Molly smiled at the excitement
in her son’s voice. Being so far away meant he didn’t get to see Malice as much
as either of them would have liked. “Daddy will come and pick you up later,
okay? Say bye to him until then.” She kissed Dakota on the cheek. She handed
him over to Malice and turned to grab her things off the porch while they said
their goodbyes. Agreeing to stay one more day had been as much for her as much
as it had been because Stinger had asked her. She wanted to spend more time
with him, wanted to get to know him on more than just a sexual level. Sure,
they had spoken about themselves, but it had been brief, and between heated
kisses. But there was also a very selfish part of her that wanted more than
just talking. Having him above her, and inside of her, had been an experience
she had never had before.
And if Malice hadn’t been able to
keep Dakota again tonight?
Well, that would have been okay because if
things were going to naturally progress with her and Stinger he needed to meet
her son. She also wanted Dakota to like Stinger, and if her little boy didn’t
then she would have to evaluate that, too. Her son meant more to her than any
relationship, but she also couldn’t deny that there was something more than a
sexual connection between her and Stinger, and she wanted to find out how deep
that went.