Page 60 of Girth (Marked Skulls MC 1)
“I’m sorry, okay? Things were shitty between us and even shittier at home. Mom and Dad fought, and shit was kicking up with the club. You never came home to visit, so what the hell was I supposed to think?”
“That the tension in the house was why I didn’t want to come home,” I said. “But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t return my phone calls. Shit, Colt. I called you when stuff got real for me. When I lost my virginity and when my whole dorm was on fucking fire. When I was at my most fearful and needed my brother’s voice in my ear. And you weren’t there. For any of it.”
I tipped my beer back and guzzled as Colt’s eyes watched my movements.
“I don’t want your apologies,” I said as I slammed my beer bottle down. “I just want you to be better. To hear what I need from you and have you take it to heart. What men say to me don’t matter. I can banter and be crude with the best of them. It’s just how they communicate, and it doesn’t bother me. If you did, this would be different. You know what does bother me?”
“What?” Colt asked.
“You fucking not listening. When I call, you need to pick up. At the very least, your ass needs to call me back. Okay? We can fucking start there.”
“Okay,” he said. “I promise.”
“Now, go get that new prospect of yours some fucking food. Man’s got some muscles. He needs to eat,” I said.
“What were the two of you talking about earlier?” he asked.
“How fucking pathetic you looked yelling at everyone,” I said with a grin. “I still can’t believe that’s Rider Rider.”
“I know, right? Fucking had me in bug eyes when he came home from his first deployment. You wanna come over and have some food?”
“I’m gonna get some fresh air first. Too much testosterone in this place. I can’t breathe.”
“Okay,” he said with a grin. “But get some food and sit with us. Talk with us. Update us on shit. I wanna know what’s going on in your life.”
“Good. Because I’m ready to talk about it.”
Chapter 11
Rider
I had no idea what to do. Zoey was talking with Colt at the bar while the guys kept talking about her behind her back. How she’d ‘filled out nicely’ and how they all ‘wanted a slice of her.’ The conversation made me sick to my stomach, and I knew I needed to get away from it before I said something that would incriminate the both of us. Doc was eyeing me closely as I slipped away from my chair, my legs carrying me outside as my anger bubbled inside of me.
But a few seconds later, someone busted outside as well.
And I knew exactly who it was.
I turned around and laid my eyes on Zoey as she stood in front of me. She was looking up at me with those beautiful green eyes, and I wanted to take her in my arms. I wanted to whisk her back to my place and have my way with her. I wanted to shower her body with kisses and fuck her until she couldn’t remember her own damn name.
I wanted to print her into my life forever.
As much as I wanted to be a part of The Fallen Reapers, I wanted her more. As much as I didn’t want to cause any drama with my best friend, I wanted his sister more. She had struck a chord with me I couldn’t shake. Her actions when we were together drew me into a web I didn’t want to wrangle my way out of. The way she had kissed my scars on her lips. The way she had regarded me as a whole man. The way she never assumed control in bed simply because I had injuries… it was what I wanted. What I needed.
She didn’t see me as someone who was broken. She saw me as a full man.
A whole man.
And I didn’t want to lose that.
I craned my neck to keep her in my view as she closed the distance between our bodies. Her hand rose up to cup my cheek, and I nuzzled into her touch. Our faces grew closer as her breath pulsed against my lips, beckoning for me as I pressed my lips against hers.
I didn’t care who saw us. All I cared about was feeling her again.
I slipped my arm around her waist as her hands tangled in my hair. Our tongues collided in front of the bar, right where everyone could see us. My arms came up and wrapped around her, pulling her closer to me as I picked her up off her feet. I felt her giggle into the kiss, my mouth swallowing her sounds as my body heated for her.
The rumble of motorcycles were heard in the distance as the ground vibrated beneath my feet. I planted Zoey back on the ground, our lips still connected with each other. The rumble was getting louder as my hands explored her body, but as the sound got closer, I forced our lips apart.
“Hell of a kiss,” Zoey said breathlessly.
My military instincts were kicking in. My cock wanted me to ignore the sounds, but my gut couldn’t shake them. The entire club was at Milo’s right now. Ushering me in as a prospect and using it as an excuse to drink and party. Their guard was down, and their stomachs were full of a substance that would soon render them idiotic and weak.
We were exposed, and as the motorcycles grew closer, I felt that tingle trickle up my back.
The tingle I always got when I knew an enemy was watching us.
“Get inside. Now,” I said.
“What? What’s going on?” Zoey asked.
“Get the fuck inside. I’ll explain later,” I said.
Why would there be another group of motorcycles nearby? The Fallen Reapers occupied this territory fair and square. We defended it. We protected it. We serviced it. This was our town. Our turf. There was no reason to hear that many motorcycles riding through together, especially since all of us were at the bar.
Which meant there could only be one reason as to why.
I shoved Zoey back into the bar as Colt eyed me. He had seen me with her. I could see him fuming with anger until the sound hit his ears as well. I saw guys shuffling Zoey towards the back of the kitchen, getting her out of harm’s way as Colt and Doc rushed out the doors. We all looked towards the sound and saw the group of motorcycles cresting the hill, and all of us clenched our fists.
They were wearing red fucking cuts.
“The Red Horsemen,” Doc said.
“What the fuck are they doing here?” Colt asked.
“Isn’t that the new club that just set themselves up a couple years ago?” I asked.
“What the fuck’s going on out here?” Bruiser asked.
“Oh shit. Is that who I think it is?” Fender asked.
“I think they’re looking for a fight, gentlemen,” Doc said.
“Haven’t they gotten their asses beat enough already?” Colt asked.
The Red Horsemen had a lot of beef with The Fallen Reapers. When they established themselves a couple of years ago, I remembered Colt bitching about them. About how they would come into town, take what they felt was theirs, and the club would have to roll out at all sorts of hours in the morning and the night time to chase them back out of town. One time, Doc and the guys chased them all the way to the fucking California border. Right along the San Andreas fault before they jumped it and disappeared.
The Red Horsemen weren’t just looking for trouble.
They were looking to take over our turf.
“All they wanna do is have another dick measuring contest,” Grave said. “But we all know who’s gonna win that one.”
“That’s fine and all, but I count at least thirty of them,” I said.
“You can see that shit from this far away?” Colt asked.
“I can. Thirty-four, to be exact.”
“Can you read anything else on them?” Doc asked.
“I can see their outlines well. I’m not a fucking eagle,” I said.
“Just wondering, kid. Don’t need to get defensive. You’re in enough hot shit as it is,” Doc said.
“What the hell’s going on!?”
Zoey’s voice caught me off guard as I whipped around and looked at her.
“Why the hell are you out here?” I asked. “You need to get back inside.”
“Not until I know you’re safe,” Zoey said.
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