He had no intention of leaving the woman he cared about behind while he went back to West Virginia. He had been attempting to see if she had begun to have any deep feelings for him. Instead, it had backfired and she had stormed out on him while he had tried to calm down his aunt.

  Sex Piston concerned his aunt because she was familiar with both his ex-wife and Star’s mother. Sex Piston seemed worse with her attitude than both of them together. Stud knew she had no reason for concern; Sex Piston was the exact opposite of the other women. They only were concerned about themselves while Sex Piston gave everything to everyone else; sacrificing her own wants and needs.

  “You going to put up with that shit?” Bear remarked by his side as Jace walked up to Sex Piston’s table to ask her to dance. He watched as she got to her feet, leaving her friends at their table as she seductively glided to the dance floor on those high heels that she managed to walk on, defying gravity.

  She was dressed to draw every man’s eyes to her body in a black dress. It had black netting around her shoulders, a patch of black leather just wide enough to cover her breasts, and another patch of black netting circled her flat stomach before a second circle of black leather covered her from her hips downward to the top of her thighs.

  Stud swallowed a long drink of beer, his cock hardening behind his jeans. Moving uncomfortably, he sat the beer slowly back down on the bar when he really wanted to smash it against Jace’s smug face as his hand went to Sex Piston’s hip, pulling her close.

  The security guards’ radios went off simultaneously. Stud looked across the bar at them as their radios blared a warning signal. Both men stood up, leaving in a hurry. Stud wondered what could have lit a fire under their asses to have both of them running out of the clubhouse. The TV above the bar gave a warning as the thought crossed his mind.

  Stud read the warning; an Amber Alert had been issued. A toddler had been kidnapped from a local home. Stud read the description. The child was thought to be in the custody of her mother.

  His cell phone distracted him from reading the rest of the alert message. Answering it, he heard his aunt screaming hysterically into the phone.

  “Slow down; I can’t understand you…” Stud listened to Aunt Katy describe Star’s mother coming by for a visit. Katy could tell she was high as a kite and refused to let her hold Star. Candi had attacked her, knocking her down to the floor. She had grabbed Star and took off. Stud heard Meri and Keri screaming and crying in the background.

  “I’ll find her, Katy. Calm the girls down. I swear I’ll find her.” Stud hung up from his aunt, his hand clutching the bar in both terror for his daughter and fury at Candi for endangering Star by driving with the baby when she was stoned.

  Stud turned to Bear, realizing the Club had gone quiet, listening to his conversation. All knew that something terrible had happened, if not the exact details.

  “What’s up?” Bear asked as his brothers listened unashamedly.

  “Candi took Star.” Stud gathered his thoughts so that he could make a plan. He opened his mouth, directing his brothers, taking command while holding his fear for his daughter at bay.

  “Pike, take Jace. Go to Candi’s place and call me as soon as you get there. Rock and Blade, separate and hit every dealer; see if they know of any place she would hide. Dozer, go to the bridge crossing over to Treepoint, keep an eye out for her car. The rest of us are going to split up and hit the other way out of town.”

  The brothers filed out of the clubhouse. Stud went out the door, hearing Sex Piston call his name, but he kept going. He had to find his daughter then he would deal with Sex Piston.

  He came to a stop when he got outside. The brothers were also stopped in their tracks, looking at the woman walking unsteadily across the parking lot.

  “I was coming to see you, Stud!” Candi called out to him, holding a crying Star.

  “Give her to me, Candi. You’re scaring her.” Stud took a step toward her, but stopped suddenly. Candi had started backing up when she saw the large number of members coming out of the club. She was almost up to the edge of the parking lot which had a drop off of about six feet. At the bottom was a small creek that ran behind the club.

  Stud had talked to Skulls about getting it fenced off; concerned one of the brothers would drunkenly fall off. Skulls had shrugged and said it wouldn’t be the first time. It was then that Stud knew the extent of what Sex Piston had grown up in. Skulls was a good man and biker, but he was careless where safety was concerned.

  “Listen to me, Stud.” She took another step back.

  Stud stood still. “I’m listening.”

  “I want Star back. I need her,” Candi whined.

  “We’ll talk about it. We can work something out.” Stud would promise her anything to get Star to safety.

  Candi started rubbing Star’s hair, trying to soothe the terrified girl. Stud was afraid to take another step forward for fear of her falling over the embankment.

  “Candi, how you doing? It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you around.” Stud watched as Sex Piston came up beside him.

  “Sex Piston, is that you?”

  “Yeah, it’s me, Candi. I’ve been wondering where you’ve been.” Sex Piston moved a few inches away from Stud.

  “I heard about you and Stud. He won’t let me have my kid. He’s got to listen to me,” Candi said, almost losing her balance when she switched Star to her other hip.

  “I think he’s listening to you now, Candi.” Sex Piston took another step away from Stud, moving more toward the left side of the parking lot away from the clubhouse. Candi’s eyes followed her, but she kept switching back and forth between her and Stud, keeping both of them within her sights.

  “You look worn out; want to have a seat in my car and rest for a minute until you’re feeling better? I could hold Star for you.”

  “You’re trying to take my Star now that you got Stud. My baby doesn’t need you playing mommy. She already has one.” She poked herself with her finger. “I’m her mother. She doesn’t need another one of his sluts pretending to be.”

  “I know that you’re her mother, Candi. Every time I look at her I see your pretty eyes. She looks a lot like you.”

  Stud watch as Killyama moved stealthy to the side, sneaking up from the back of the building, moving through the shadows so that Candi couldn’t see her.

  Star started crying harder. It broke something in Sex Piston that she didn’t think could be broken anymore.

  Stud could only watch in admiration as Sex Piston tried to lure Candi away from the embankment.

  “Sexy. I want Sexy,” his daughter cried, holding out her arms to Sex Piston.

  “Shut up, Star,” Candi screamed at her daughter.

  “Candi,” calmly Sex Piston held out her arms, terror on her face, “please, please let that baby go. You’re scaring her.”

  Stud was standing there, watching the woman he loved drop all her guards and pride to get Star safe.

  “What the hell do you care?”

  “I love her, and I’m begging you to hand me Star because you’re her mother and when you’re not drugged out of your fucking mind, you’re going to be sick at how much danger you’ve put her in tonight.”

  Candi stopped weaving for a split second, her gaze never leaving Sex Piston’s tear-streaked face.

  “Please, Candi, I’m begging you. Give her to me.” Sex Piston took a step forward and Candi started to take another step back, but came up against Killyama who braced her weight steady before putting her hands in her hair, tugging her head backward at an awkward angle.

  “You’re going to stand still and gently give that baby to Sex Piston right now because if you don’t, you stupid bitch, I’m going to break your fucking neck and take her out of your cold, dead hands.” Killyama’s cold and concise voice saved Candi’s life, giving her a moment’s clarity long enough not to resist Sex Piston when she took Star away from her.

  As soon as Sex Piston got the baby away, Killyama threw C
andi roughly to the ground, grinding her face into the gravel of the parking lot several times before Pike and Blade could pull the vicious woman away.

  Stud went to Sex Piston, wanting desperately to hold his daughter, but he saw he would have to wait in line. He had wondered and always somehow knew Sex Piston’s capacity for love; now it was on display before him.

  She was on her knees in the graveled parking lot, holding Star to her chest, crying into her neck as if her world was shattered. Crazy Bitch, Fat Louise, T.A. and then Killyama surrounded her, trying to give her privacy until she could regain control. When Stud saw her friends look of concern, he knew that Sex Piston had never even shown this side to them.

  “Sex Piston.” Stud went to her, going down on his haunches beside her, his hand rubbing Star’s curls. “She’s safe. You’re holding her, and she’s safe.” A shuddering breath had her nodding her head as she turned sideways, handing him Star.

  Stud got to his feet before reaching down and helping Sex Piston get to hers. Several police cars drove onto the parking lot, screeching to a stop. Their lights bright in the dark night.

  Sex Piston’s hands smoothed away her tears as she went to her car. Her crew following closely behind her. Stud wanted to stop her from leaving, but knew he had to talk to the police and straighten out the mess Candi had made.

  Sighing in regret, he turned back to the officers as they approached. Star’s arms twined around his neck. Relief at her being safe brought tears to his own eyes.

  Right now, all his women needed him, but he had to take care of the bullshit that Candi had created first before he could restore order and reassure them that everything was okay, including the woman who had driven away without a backward glance.

  She didn’t know that it was the last time she would be walking away from him.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Sex Piston stood beside her sister in the tiny clerk’s office. She had answered her phone that morning to her sister’s voice filled with laughter as she told her to get her ass to the courthouse and bring Ma and Pops if they wanted to see her get married.

  She had jumped out of bed and called her crew, setting up a small reception for them afterward at the clubhouse before getting herself dressed. She had managed to get Ma and Pops organized enough to get them all there with five minutes to spare.

  The small room was already filled to capacity with Viper, Diamond, Razer, Beth, Lily, Shade, Rider and Train. Diamond gave her a happy smile as the judge began. It was short and sweet with the happy couple kissing each other before Diamond turned to their parents, giving each of them a hug.

  Sex Piston managed to maneuver herself through the crowd to give her sister a brief hug before telling her that she had set up the reception for her. Diamond gave her a grateful smile before telling everyone in the room.

  The drive back to Jamestown thankfully gave her friends time enough to gather the needed supplies for the unplanned celebration. When Sex Piston and her parents walked in the door, she was happy with the results that had been accomplished in such a short time.

  Stud and all the Destructors that Diamond had grown up with had been told, plus the Blue Horseman had every intention of taking part if liquor was provided. Many had left work early for the chance to party.

  Sex Piston hadn’t seen Stud since Candi had pulled her stunt with Star. Skulls had told her that Stud had spent the last two days trying to get help for Candi while at the same time legally protecting Star’s rights, making sure Candi would never get near Star again.

  She found a table before all of them could be taken. Crazy Bitch and Killyama took a seat, having grabbed the beer.

  “Think she’s knocked up?” Crazy Bitch asked.

  “No, Diamond would plan on getting pregnant three years in advance,” Sex Piston answered her.

  A chair was pulled out and Stud took a seat next to her. All the women stared at him as he placed a casual arm across the back of her chair. Diamond sat down on her other side.

  “Next time, give us a little warning, Diamond,” Sex Piston told her sister while ignoring Stud’s possessive behavior.

  “There’s not going to be a next time,” laughed Diamond, not getting upset at her sister’s snarky remark. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, handing it to Sex Piston.

  Curiously, she opened it to find it was a check. The amount had her eyes opening wide as she stared at Diamond in surprise.

  “Who you wanting me to kill?” Sex Piston asked, not understanding why Diamond would give her so much money.

  “No one. That’s to pay you back. I tried to give it to Mom and Dad.” Her smile disappeared before she reached out and took Sex Piston’s hand. “They told me you were the one to help pay for my college. All those babysitting jobs you took; you gave Ma the money for me. You even dropped out of high school senior year despite Ma and Pops begging you not to get a full time job.

  “It took three times as long for you to get through beauty school because you were still giving Ma your money for me.” Diamond’s eyes shone with love for Sex Piston as she recounted Sex Piston’s sacrifices for her.

  “I didn’t know, and all those times I was bitching at you for not educating yourself better, you just ignored me.” Diamond bit her lip, gazing at her little sister.

  “You were a better sister to me than I was to you. I was the older one and I should have watched out for you. I failed you, Sex Piston, and I’m deeply ashamed. I thought you were the one instigating the fights, stealing all the girls’ boyfriends. Instead, it was the other way around and you were protecting me to keep me from getting hurt again.

  “I owe you my law degree, and even the life I’ll be leading with Knox. I would have never gotten to know him if I hadn’t had to take his case. That money will never equal the life you have given me. Thank you.”

  Sex Piston couldn’t say anything around the lump in her throat, finally just managing to give a smile.

  “I’m so proud of you,” Diamond told her.

  “Enough to let me have a spot on your island if zombies attack?” Sex Piston joked.

  “You know it,” Diamond said seriously.

  “You guys are creeping me the fuck out. I need another beer,” Killyama said, getting to her feet.

  Knox came to their table. “Let’s dance.”

  “Okay.” Diamond stood up. She leaned down, hugging her sister close before letting her go.

  Knox gazed down at his new sister-in-law and pulled her to her feet before pulling her into a bear hug. “I’m a lucky man. I married a woman I love and now I have a sister. I’ve never had a family, Sex Piston, and I plan on enjoying having you and your parents as mine.” His bald-headed badassness was ruined by the twinkle in his eyes. “Especially if you’re the one who cooks when we have dinner at your parents’ house.”

  “I think I can manage that.”

  Killyama, who had returned with her beer, turned on her heel again. “Pike, get your ass over here and dance with me. I can’t handle all this mushy bullshit.”

  Sex Piston grinned at Killyama’s abrasive behavior. Knox grinned, too, as he took Diamond’s hand and led her to the dance floor. Sex Piston sat back down at the table where Stud’s arm was still around the back of her chair.

  Crazy Bitch stared at them a moment before yelling, “Blade!” Giving a wicked grin, she also took off to the dance floor. Blade joined her with a frightened look.

  “Your men are pussies,” she said, watching Pike dance as far away from Killyama as he could.

  “Do you blame them?” Stud asked.

  “No, both Crazy Bitch and Killyama could take them,” Sex Piston bragged.

  Bear sat down at the table, pulling T.A. down to sit on his lap. Fat Louise tried to cut in with Pike and Killyama, but two of the biker bitches were more than he could handle and he retreated back to the bar.

  Later, Sex Piston and everyone else in the bar cheered when the happy couple left for their honeymoon. They were riding Knox’s bi
ke to Florida to see their new island.

  Sex Piston seriously needed to find out who Shade was buying his reefer from.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Let’s get out of here.” Stud took her hand, dragging her from the club without giving her a chance to tell her crew she was leaving.

  Stud’s bike was parked outside. Sex Piston climbed on behind him and then the bike roared out of the parking lot, making Sex Piston cling tighter to Stud, scooting closer to him on the seat so that her thighs could nestle next to his. The friction of his jeans against her bare thighs had Sex Piston’s body reminding her that they hadn’t fucked since before the argument the night she had met his aunt.

  Star’s kidnapping had kept him busy and she hadn’t gone over to his house to see the girls. She had wanted to regroup, but this time it was harder to do. Star had made her realize that she couldn’t keep Stud out of her heart because he was already there.

  Sex Piston dragged herself from her thoughts, realizing that they were going out of Jamestown and heading toward Treepoint. Sex Piston enjoyed the ride, wishing she could enjoy the wind rushing by, but her pops had only instilled one rule when he had taught her to ride and that was to always ride with a helmet.

  Expecting to go directly to Treepoint, Sex Piston was surprised when Stud turned at a side road that led up a winding path of one of the mountains. She had seen the turn off several times on the way to see Beth, but had never paid it much attention.

  He followed the curvy road that gradually grew steeper and steeper. Sex Piston’s hold tightened even further at the sheer drop off on the side of the road, but her confidence in Stud never faltered. Even when a deer ran across the road, he handled the bike with expert precision.

  After fifteen minutes, he slowed down, taking an even smaller side road for about a half mile before pulling onto a long driveway that had a gated entrance. Stud pulled his bike up to a metal box that he inserted a key into. The heavy gate slid open and Stud’s bike drove through the entrance.