“Mick still have hamburgers and fries?”
“I guess. He has bar food, but—”
“Good, I’m hungry,” Jo said, bringing the tow truck to a stop in the parking lot of Rosie’s.
“Jo, this is a—”
“Biker bar. I know. Is that red Trans Am Curt Demaris’s?”
Rachel looked closer at the car in question. Several of the locals still hit Mick’s, leaving before the bikers showed up after dark.
“Yes. It’s the same one he’s driven since high school.”
“I heard he’s the coach now.”
“Yes.” Rachel knew Curt was a sore subject with Jo. He had been the one accused of trying to rape Jo. “Let’s go to King’s.”
“I feel like eating here. It’ll bring back old memories,” Jo said grimly. “Dad used to bring me here when my mom was at work so that he could get a drink.”
“Jo, some memories aren’t worth repeating.”
“And some are worth confronting,” she said ominously, getting out of the truck.
Rachel sighed. She liked Mick, but she was really beginning to dislike his bar.
She went inside after Jo. There wasn’t that many customers; Curt and… Rachel swallowed hard when she saw him sitting with Jared. The two were cousins and not only did both believe they were God’s gift to women, but both were asses. It wasn’t a good combination.
Jo sat down at a table not too far away from the men. She was staring a hole through Curt until Mick came to take their order. Jo’s expression softened as she got up from the table to hug the man who twirled her around. Rachel was surprised at the closeness the two shared.
“I heard you were back in town.” Mick’s misty eyes stared down at Jo.
Jo grinned back. “I told Rachel I needed a good hamburger and fries.”
“Coming up. What can I get you, Rachel?”
“I’ll take the same.”
While Mick went back behind the bar, Rachel felt everyone’s eyes on them. Not only Jared and Curt’s, but Train was sitting across the room with Crash. She saw him reaching for his phone. She knew he was calling Cash. She wasn’t going to feel guilty; she owed no explanations to Cash about what she was doing. From the look on Train’s face, however, he didn’t agree with her. She blushed bright red remembering Friday night.
“So, I hear you and Cash are an item.”
Rachel waited until Mick placed two beers in front of them then left before answering. “I wouldn’t say we’re an item.”
“What would you say, then?”
Rachel cleared her throat. “I don’t know.”
“I see he hasn’t changed since I’ve been gone. None of the women in town knew, either.”
Rachel nodded, knowing Jo wasn’t trying to be mean, just trying to help her get her head on straight.
“He’s with the biker club that moved into town?”
“Yes.”
Jo laughed at her answer. “I never took you for a biker’s woman, Rachel. Hell, you and Lily were the only virgins left in our class when I left town.”
Rachel winced. Jo hadn’t had an easy time being Lyle’s daughter. She was still staring a hole in Curt’s back.
As they ate the food Mick brought a while later, Rachel was anxious to eat and leave, feeling the tension coming from Jo as the minutes ticked by.
They were finishing their beers when Curt got up from the table, coming to theirs.
“I heard you were back in town, Jo. It’s good to see you.”
“Why, so you can get me drunk, and then you and your cousin can rape me again?”
Curt’s mouth dropped open.
Rachel was shocked. The gossip around town had been vicious about Jo, but none had said that he had actually raped her.
“You were lucky my mom didn’t want to drag me through a court hearing, or you and Jared would still be sitting in prison.”
Curt leaned down. “I didn’t rape you; you begged us for it.”
Rachel gasped as Jo picked up her beer bottle and smashed it over Curt’s head. Jo then jumped up, going for the knife she had used to cut her burger.
Rachel slowly got up from the table, not seeing Cash, Rider, and Knox come into the bar. She simply stood, not wanting to try to reason with Jo or distract her.
Curt was furious that Jo had a steak knife poised above his throat.
“Lie again, and I’ll cut your fuckin’ throat,” Jo threatened. “I wanted to vomit when I found out you’re coaching. You’re no role model for high school boys.”
Curt was smart enough to remain silent.
“I’m back now, Curt, and I’m not fifteen anymore.”
“I can see that.”
Rachel thought he was stupid for smarting off while in such a position.
“Um, Jo, I know he’s a piece of shit, but he’s not worth going to jail over.” Rachel tried to reason with the woman who had changed since they had last known each other.
“No, he’s not.” Jo removed the knife before sitting back down at the table.
Curt moved away; this time smart enough to keep his mouth shut with The Last Riders looking on.
Cash, Rider, Train, and Knox took seats around the table while Rachel introduced the men.
“You going to arrest me?” Jo questioned Knox who was wearing his uniform.
“No, I’m going to buy you a beer.” Knox motioned Mick to bring a round. “He always pretended to be a little too nice for my taste.”
“It’s all an act,” Jo confirmed.
Rachel was glad she had never taken Curt up on the numerous invitations he had sent her way.
“What did he do to piss you off? Dump you?” Rider spoke up, reaching for a beer.
As Rachel winced at Rider’s words, Jo glared at him before responding. “No, he raped me after a football game.” Rider choked on his beer. “To men like you, it probably doesn’t matter, but it meant a lot to me.”
“What the hell? Fuck…I had no idea. What do you mean, men like me? I’ve never taken a woman against her will.” The usually affable Rider was getting his comeuppance.
Rachel took a drink of her beer to hide her smile.
“No? So you don’t just expect every woman to want to have sex with you because you’re good-looking?”
“You think I’m good-looking?”
“Jesus.” Jo looked toward Rachel. “He a friend of yours?”
Rachel didn’t know how to reply, so she went for the truth. “Not really.”
Rider looked at Cash. “You know she’s not getting my vote, right?”
“You running for something?” Jo cut in.
Rachel blushed bright red, throwing a killing look at Rider, who scowled back unrepentantly. “No.”
“Yes.” Rachel glowered at Cash as he answered.
At that point, Jo’s cell phone rang. Cash shrugged unconcernedly as Jo talked.
“I need to go. There’s been a wreck outside of town. I’ll drive you home—”
“I’ll take care of it. You go on,” Cash broke in.
When Jo cast her a quick look, Rachel nodded her head reluctantly, wishing she hadn’t when Jo left. Rachel felt uncomfortable sitting alone among the men.
Knox finished his beer. “My deputy is handling the wreck. I’m going home early and waking Diamond up,” he said, getting to his feet.
“Later,” Cash said, not taking his eyes off Rachel.
She had ignored his calls and texts for the last few days. Instead of laying into her, though, he stood up and took her hand, leading her to the dance floor. They danced silently for several minutes since the music was so loud. It was just her luck that the next song was low and slow.
“You okay?”
“Yes.” She didn’t avoid his eyes as he stared down into hers.
“Rachel…”
“Cash, I don’t want to talk about it. Please?” Cash’s hands gripped her waist tighter.
“We’ll talk about it later, okay?”
Relieved, Rachel’s
head fell to his chest, enjoying being held by him.
The bar began to fill. Raci, Stori, and Jewell came in while she was still on the dance floor with Cash. Each of the women grabbed someone to dance with. At their enjoyment, Rachel felt herself relax when the music returned to a fast-paced beat. She didn’t worry about her two left feet, only of Cash’s body moving against hers.
“Let’s go back to the clubhouse.”
Rachel didn’t protest; all the worries of what she had let happen before evaporating as she felt her body begin to anticipate what was waiting for her at the clubhouse.
When they got there, Cash took her to his room, closing the door behind them. He didn’t bother trying to make it to the bed. With her raising her dress up so he could remove her panties, he slid deep inside of her.
Rachel couldn’t hold back her scream as he entered her in one hard thrust.
“Fuck, vixen, you’re tight.”
Her arms slipped around his neck as he fucked her.
A sharp knock on the door next to them had her stiffening. Cash’s hand briefly left her long enough to open the door to Train on the other side. Rachel was pinned to the wall by Cash’s body.
“Want some company?”
“Take the bed,” Cash grunted, not stopping his thrusting inside her.
Rachel’s eyes followed Train as he removed his clothes.
“Want him to leave?”
“No,” Rachel moaned.
“Good.” Cash turned toward the bed where Train lay sprawled, sliding his hand up and down his cock.
“You going to help a brother out?”
“Yes.” Cash laid her within Train’s reach. As he watched Rachel hand grip Train’s dick, he thought his cock would burst.
She was everything he had ever wanted in a woman. Her sexuality demanded satisfaction while trusting him to hold Train back.
He lifted her ass and slid his cock back inside her, giving her what she needed. He reached forward, his hand going to her hair, pulling her hand off Train’s cock.
“Whose woman are you?”
“Yours,” she whimpered.
“You’re only giving what I want you to take. You understand me? No one but me gets this pussy. No one but me is going to make you come. No one is going to take this sweet ass but me. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Rachel whimpered as he smacked her ass while pounding his cock inside of her.
“Cash…?” Train moaned while his hand slid on his cock.
“Ask me.”
“Can I have her mouth?” Train groaned.
“You want his dick?”
“Yes.” Rachel started shuddering. The erotic commands he was giving her were ratcheting her desire to a place she was trying to reach, her hips thrusting back frantically against his.
“Give it to him, then.”
Rachel’s mouth covered Train’s cock as the man’s head fell back against the headboard. She let the men guide her into an explosive climax that had Cash moving to the side so that she could lie down next to Train before lying down on her other side.
Pinned between the two men, she hadn’t noticed Rider and Bliss had come in until she heard the noise from the other side of the room. Bliss was riding Rider while they had watched Train and Cash play with her.
She wanted to pull the covers over her, but Train had his chest pressed against her back, lifting her breast to Cash’s mouth. Rachel couldn’t help herself from watching Rider and Bliss as the men brought her body back to life. Seeing the envy in the other woman’s eyes, Rachel knew Bliss wanted to trade places with her.
Rachel looked into Cash’s eyes, recognizing the enjoyment he got from watching her with Train. It was the same enjoyment she got from seeing his pleasure.
She had sworn to herself that it wouldn’t happen again, that it was a one-time thing. She had come back to the clubhouse tonight, still lying to herself.
Rachel remembered one of her mother’s favorite quotes: Hell is paved with good intentions.
Chapter 37
“Damn it to Hell!” He was going to beat her ass when he caught up with her.
Cash sat up in the bed, angry Rachel was gone. She didn’t have to work today; therefore, her ass should still have been next to him.
Train came out of the shower, drying his hair. “What’s up your ass?”
Cash threw him a furious look. “When did she leave?”
Train shrugged. “I don’t know. She was gone when I woke up fifteen minutes ago.”
Cash got out of bed, going to take a shower. He had wanted to make sure she was okay when she woke up; he was deathly afraid of what the harsh light of day might have her feeling. She hadn’t wanted to talk about last Friday night, had avoided him most of the week. If that had frightened her, last night would have her leaving town.
His stomach was clenched in fear at the thought of losing her. Dammit, he should have thought of that last night before letting Train join in. Train, of all his biker brothers, was the most caring of the women, and he had noticed Rachel’s eyes on him when he had been with the other women. Cash thought her gift allowed her to sense the pain hidden inside Train.
He had thought… Hell, he had fucked up. If he lost her now, he didn’t know what to do.
The numerous phone calls and pleas he had received from women now came back to haunt him. Rachel’s indecision over her feelings and the terror of possibly losing her made him want to call her and settle it. Only the need to see for himself made him wait the few minutes it would take to reach Mag’s house.
He was almost to the front door of the clubhouse when the phone rang.
“Yeah?”
“This Cash?”
“Yes. Who’s this?” He didn’t recognize the feminine voice on the other end of the line.
“Connie. You gave me a hundred to call if I heard anything.”
“I remember who you are. Got any news for me?”
“They came in last night. A couple of them hit the bottle pretty hard and started mouthing off that everyone would know who they were after today. Kind of creeped me out, you know?”
“Anything else?” Cash questioned, going back inside the house to find Viper.
“They kept talking about Molly’s Valley.”
“Molly’s Valley?”
“Yes. That’s all I heard.”
“Thanks. I’ll drop some more money off for the info,” Cash promised before hanging up.
Why would Scorpion be interested in Molly’s Valley? It was on the other side of Jamestown, close to where Lily had gone to college.
Cash called Viper, filling him in during the short time it took Viper to walk to the kitchen.
“Why in the fuck would they be interested in Molly’s Valley? From what I remember, it’s nothing but farmland,” Cash asked Viper.
They quit talking about it when Shade and Lily entered the kitchen. While Lily went for the refrigerator to pour herself some orange juice, Shade drank his coffee, ignoring his wife’s baleful glances.
“What has you two looking so serious?” Shade asked.
“We just got some information that Scorpion might have an interest in Molly’s Valley. It doesn’t make sense to buy property there. There’s no…” Cash tried to watch his words so Lily wouldn’t become alarmed.
“No one can buy property in Molly’s Valley,” Lily stated, sitting down at the table. All three pairs of eyes fixated on her. “Well, they can’t.” She shrugged. “Ask Rachel; she’s the one who wrote a huge paper on it in high school. She wanted to do her paper on the effects of mining on the water, but she was too afraid she would be run out of town.”
“Why can’t anyone buy property in Molly’s Valley?” Cash tried to keep her on track.
“Because it’s a depository for nuclear waste.” The men at the table paled. Lily nodded at their reaction. “I know. It’s frightening what happened. From what I remember from Rachel’s report, there was ground seepage. They have to monitor it forever.”
??
?Why aren’t there any signs? How didn’t I know this?” Cash asked, surprised something of that scale had been sitting practically in his front yard and he hadn’t had a clue it existed.
“I have no idea.” Lily shrugged. “Like I said, ask Rachel. She got an A on her paper. None of us could hardly understand a word of it, but she gave lists of the companies who stored their waste there. She’s writing her doctoral dissertation on it. She had to get special permission from the state and federal governments to take soil samples. She’s writing about some kind of isotopes.”
“Transuranic?” Cash asked sharply, remembering his chemistry.
“That’s it!” Lily exclaimed. “I would call her and ask to make sure, but there’s no cell reception there. She went there today to get some samples; her paper is due next week.”
“Holy fuck!” he said, getting out of his chair and running after Viper. “Shade, call Lucky. Tell him everything and to notify Homeland Security.”
Cash followed Viper’s lead as they hauled ass toward Molly’s Valley. He prayed, bargained, and pleaded the whole way there, something he hadn’t done in a long time and didn’t think himself capable of.
They cut their motors as they drew close, seeing the gate standing open. He knew they were too late.
The men climbed off their bikes, motioning for Stud’s men, who were coming in, to go quiet, also. They made a line in the long grass, trying to shield themselves as they moved through the land.
His eyes momentarily caught Lucky’s when they found the guards dead outside the facility.
The men, many who had served together in the Navy, took the lead while Stud’s men came behind as backup.
Once they entered the building, it wasn’t hard to find them. Rachel’s screams could be heard, leading them in her direction.
Cash’s military training went out the door; instead, he became the man he had been born to be. He reached inside his pockets, pulling out his brass knuckles. The men inside thought they wanted a new government, but he was about to give them a whole new world.
* * *
Rachel sat on the dirty concrete floor. “You have to stop. You don’t know what you’re doing,” she screamed.