“Care to tell me something, Brogan?” he whispered in my ear.
“Nothing to tell,” I said, giving him a quick squeeze, and pushed out of his hold.
“Really?” He frowned. “You’re lying to me.”
“You need to mind your own business, Greyson,” I told him. “You’re my stepbrother.”
“That’s not what you used to say when you begged for it,” he bit out.
“That was years ago. You need to move on.” I shoved out of his grip and took a step toward Coby.
“So, Coby.” Greyson stood up. “How do I taste?”
Coby’s eyes narrowed.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I yelled at Greyson. “Do what you came here for and leave. You got me? Stop being such a dick.”
Benny pushed Greyson back a step. “You need to watch what you say about my sister.”
“She’s my sister too,” Greyson threw back.
“That card flew out the window when you fucked her.” Benny shoved him.
“She wanted it just as much as I did,” Greyson said, stepping in Benny’s face.
Brox and Blake both came forward, followed by everyone else. We had an audience, and as much as I wanted to drive my fist through Greyson’s face, now was not the time. This was a private matter no matter how much he tried to be an asshole.
“You guys, stop,” I pushed myself between Greyson and Benny. “We’re not doing this here. Remember what happened last time?”
“Yeah, fucker got a broken nose.” Brox smirked, shaking out his hand. “Can I hit him again?”
“No,” I cried.
“All right, ladies.” Angel cupped Greyson’s neck. “How about we have that meeting with my fiancé. That is why you came here, right?”
Greyson grunted.
“Brogan.”
I winced at the deep voice in my ear.
“You need to explain yourself before I spank it out of you,” Coby demanded, wrapping a strong hand around my upper arm.
“I know.” I took a breath. “Greyson, if you’re not here on business, I suggest you leave.” At that point, Jay came toward us.
“Grey, tell me what you found,” she barked, stepping between him and Benny.
I pulled out of Coby’s grip and stomped to the room we always used for our club meetings.
Coby shut the door behind him, leaned against it and crossed his arms under his chest. “You and your stepbrother fucked.”
I paced back and forth, rubbing the back of my neck. “It’s not something I’m proud of.”
“Will he be a problem?”
I stopped suddenly. “No.” I shook my head. “Whatever he thinks, nothing is going to happen again. We had sex years ago. I was bored. Our parents died a couple months before. I just wanted to feel something.”
“Did it help?”
“No,” I muttered. “It made me feel worse but I couldn’t stop myself. Benny had just joined the military. The twins were away all the time. Greyson and I spent months together. Just him and I. One thing led to another.”
“He’s in love with you,” Coby said, scratching the scruff on his jaw.
“Is it that obvious?” I sighed, slumping onto the couch.
“Do you love him?”
My breath hitched. I never thought about it but … “He’s family. I’ll always love him like a brother but I won’t lie to you. Yes, a part of me loves him just a little more.”
“Have you fucked him recently?”
My head snapped up when Coby didn’t question my feelings. Who was this man and why the hell was he so damn perfect? “God, no. I’ve been with other men since him but no one has curbed this itch until …”
“What?”
“You.”
***
(Coby)
I got it. It made complete sense why Brogan turned to the one person she trusted to make her feel somewhat normal during a difficult time in her life. I never liked Greyson. He was cocky and thought his shit didn’t stink just because he was the president of a motorcycle club. He meant well but I was man enough to admit that I was jealous. I wanted those years with Brogan. I wanted to be close to her like he was. I wish I could have known her when she lost her parents so I could have held her and took care of her.
These thoughts racing through my mind were new and unexpected. I wasn’t a man who fell hard and fast but something about Brogan drew me to her. She and I were one in the same.
When I found out Greyson fucked her, even though it had been years before, I had the sudden urge to wrap my hands around his throat. I imagined squeezing until his eyes bulged, smirking down at him until he begged for his life. A life that didn’t deserve the air he needed to survive my grip.
It took everything in me not to throw Brogan up against the wall and force myself inside of her until she was coming undone around me. But I didn’t. I wouldn’t. I was fucked over by a woman once. It wouldn’t happen again. No matter how much I enjoyed being with Brogan.
“I thought Greyson was over it.” Brogan waved a hand in front of her. “I know I’m irresistible but he needs to move on.”
I chuckled, sitting down beside her on the couch. What was with this woman who could make me laugh for no apparent reason at all?
“You’re irresistible as fuck,” I whispered in her ear, wrapping my hand around her throat. I loved controlling her and when she submitted to me.
Her mouth parted, her head falling back against the couch. “Coby.”
“I love when you moan my name.” I licked up the length of her neck, biting gently at the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “Why do you affect me this way?”
Brogan dug her fingers into my thigh. “Because I’m the only one who can make you feel good.”
Fuck me, I loved how confident she was. I had never met a woman who knew what she liked in bed as much as Brogan did.
Brushing my thumb across her bottom lip, I pushed it into her mouth.
She sucked and pulled, much like she did my cock.
A hot shiver raced down my spine. I couldn’t get enough of her. She was the beginning to my end, and I had a feeling that our time together had only just started.
I wanted Coby. Every single thing about him. I wanted to dive into his mind and find out all his dark and dirty secrets. He hadn’t shown me much. Only giving me a tidbit of the information that laid on the surface.
But I never expected Greyson to react the way he did. He never confronted the other men I had slept with. What was it about Coby that made him blow up?
It had been a couple of days since I saw Greyson. He left without a goodbye, informing Jay and the other girls that another club had been hit including, yet again, another death.
With every fiber of my being, I knew it was Charles Brian and his men. He was proving a point. Letting us know that we may have stopped him once but it won’t happen again. Or that was what he liked to think.
We had found out from an informant that Charles had Johnny and his men stir up trouble with us and the guys. But we hadn’t heard from them since. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be the last we would see of Johnny though. It was just a matter of when.
Coby had stayed away. He didn’t call. He didn’t text. He didn’t email.
My fist landed against the punching bag followed by my knee. I hit. I cursed. I danced.
The more I hit the bag, the more frustrated I became. My muscles burned, aching at the torture I was causing them. But it was the only way I could feel something other than this hurt over being ignored by Coby.
Suddenly, a whoosh hit me square in the chest. I fell back, landing hard on the mat. The breath was knocked out of my lungs as I gasped for the air I wasn’t allowed.
A thick fog washed over me, stars dancing in my vision. Yelling and voices sounded around me, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
Loud screeching pierced my ear drums.
Everything hurt. My skin. My muscles. My bones.
With a shaky hand, I reached
up to touch my face when a thick liquid coated my fingers. A red crimson shade dripped from the tips.
A heavy bang sounded again, debris from the ceiling falling around me.
I lifted my arms, shielding myself from getting hit in the head but the impact on my body still hurt like a motherfucker.
I groaned, pushing the pieces of cement and brick off me. “Fuck,” I bit out, rolling over onto my side. The world around me tilted and wavered. Impending nausea struck me suddenly. Breathing through it, I rose onto all fours.
“Get everyone out!” I heard someone scream.
“Shit.”
“Where’s Creena?”
“She’s outside.”
“Max?”
“She wasn’t in the club, thank God.”
“What happened?”
“We’ve been hit.”
Shit. Our club was the next one on Charles’ list. I wasn’t sure how bad the damage was but the way I was feeling, death would have been better.
“Where the fuck is she?”
My heart jumped at the new voice but I still couldn’t make out who said what.
“I don’t know.”
“She was working out.”
“Fuck.”
“Brogan!”
My chest rose and fell with ragged breath but I couldn’t force the words to leave my mouth. I’m in here. Please help me. I can’t move.
Warm arms wrapped around my middle, lifting me against a hard body. “I got her,” the same voice rumbled. “I got you, beautiful girl.”
The voice was gentle, giving me the solace to finally close my eyes. Maybe this was how it would end. And that was when the world went black.
***
“Wake up for me, Brogan. Give me see those beautiful eyes.”
I groaned, my head ringing.
“Wake up.” A soft mouth covered mine. “Please.”
My eyes fluttered open, landing on Coby’s handsome face. “Coby,” I whispered, my throat raw as sand paper.
“I’m here.” He brushed my hair off my forehead. “Do you remember what happened?”
I shook my head.
“The club was hit.” He looked behind him, his brows narrowing in the center. “Everyone is waiting out in the hall.”
I followed his gaze and that was when I realized that we were in the hospital. “Tell me.”
“You’re bruised up and you have a couple scratches but it’s nothing life threatening,” his shoulders relaxed. “You’re going to be sore for a couple of days but it won’t feel any worse than when we workout hard.” Or he fucked me rough but those words never left his mouth. His eyes darkened.
Attempting to sit up, my arms shook beneath my weight. “I want to go home.”
Coby let out a sigh. “There is no home anymore, Brogan. Not until the club gets fixed up.”
“What?” My eyes widened. I pinched the bridge of my nose, attempting to ward off the impending migraine.
Coby kissed my forehead. “We’ll figure out something.”
We?
Just when I was about to ask what the hell he was talking about, everyone filed into the room.
I was sure that more than a couple visitors were not allowed but at that moment, I didn’t overly care.
The loud chatter pierced into my brain.
“Shut up,” Coby barked, silencing the room.
“Someone tell me what’s going on.” I sat up straighter, holding onto Coby’s arm.
He shifted his weight, sitting beside me on the bed.
No one seemed to notice. If they did, they didn’t anything.
I was a fool to think that I could hide my feelings for Coby from my sisters. “Someone. Talk.”
“The club got hit hard,” Jay ground out. “It’s not livable and it’s going to take weeks for it to be fixed up.”
“We’ll start on it tomorrow,” Asher interrupted. “But even with all the help, there’s no way we can make it so you ladies can live in it for at least another month or so. Anything we can salvage, we’ll put away in storage.”
A grumbled response sounded around the room.
“My bike,” I gasped. “Is she okay?”
“Yes, baby,” Coby muttered. “She’s fine.”
A breath left me on a whoosh. “Good.” I tapped his hand. “Good. Anything else?”
“Max will continue staying with Jay and me,” Angel said. “I don’t want any of you by yourselves until this shit is handled.”
“We can meet up at the tattoo shop,” Jay added. “Saves everyone having to drive out into the country. Vince is staying there while his place gets fumigated since Violet moved.”
Vince. I frowned. Oh, right. Stone. Jay had been the only one to call him by his first name.
“Okay, that’s settled.” Angel nodded to Creena. “What about you?”
“She can stay with Asher and me,” Meeka stated. “Brogan can as well.”
“Brogan’s staying with me,” Coby said, his face impassive.
“Are you sure?” Angel asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Did I fucking stutter?” Coby grabbed my hand. “I said she’s staying with me.”
“Well …” Angel looked between us.
My cheeks heated.
“How come I am always the last to know anything?” Angel shook his head.
“You have other things on the mind, baby.” Jay kissed his cheek. “Coby, you keep my sister safe.”
Coby nodded once, squeezing my hand. “I will.”
***
(Coby)
I had no intention of letting our group know that there was something going on between Brogan and me. I was a private man. I wasn’t even into public displays of affection but knowing that Brogan could be far away from me, I jumped on the chance to have her where I could see and touch her but most importantly, take care of her. Even if she hadn’t been the crossfire of the newest explosion, I would have wanted her home with me.
A couple hours later and the doctor gave the go ahead to discharge Brogan. I reassured him that she would be taken care of and that we would be back if anything happened.
While I drove us out of the small town, I glanced over at her sitting in the passenger seat. With her hand tight in mine, I could finally relax. After seeing her in the rubble, bruised and bloodied, it took me back to a time where I had feelings I couldn’t control. Pain. Heartache. So much death. I could still hear the screams.
“Where are we going?” Brogan asked, sitting up in the seat. She winced but no complaints about pain left her mouth.
“I’m taking you to my home.”
“Your home?” she turned to me. “I thought you lived with Dale.”
“I do,” I told her. “When I’m in town. But I also live in the city.”
“Really?” she frowned. “What else don’t I know about you, Porter?”
A shiver shot straight to my dick. God, I loved when she called me by my last name. “Many things, little one.”
She harrumphed, crossing her arms under chest. “You know everything about me, yet I know shit about you.”
I laughed. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
“What the hell is your problem?” she snapped.
“Woman, you know more shit about me than anyone.” Even my fucking wife. I forced those thoughts out of my head. I would not think about her. She ruined everything. My life. Me. It was her fault I turned out the way I did.
“Well, I find that hard to believe when you hardly talk except to tell me what to do when we’re fucking.”
I gripped the steering wheel. “What went on in my life before you is not important.”
“How is it not, Coby?” she huffed. “I can’t deal with this shit right now. Why did you even bring me with you? Is it just to control me and fuck me whenever you feel like it?”
Without even thinking, I pulled the vehicle to the side of the road. The tires screeched, the car coming to a halt as horns blared past us.
“Listen to me good, litt
le girl,” I turned to her and pinched her chin, forcing her to look up at me. “I’ve led a hard fucking life. I don’t want to talk about it because I don’t want it to taint what we have. You got me? I’ve been burned. Fucked over. Broken down into nothing, and I only had myself to bring me back up. The military is all that I have. I live for it. Breathe it. It’s my fucking life. I will tell you when I want to tell you. Not before. Understood?”
Brogan glared, shoving her head from my grip. “I like you but you’re being a big asshole right now.”
I grunted. It was what I was known for. Quiet. Brooding. Blah blah, fucking blah.
“Be patient with me,” I said, brushing my thumb over her bottom lip.
“I’ve been patient, Coby.”
Her words struck a chord with me. She had been patient. More patient than most women would have been. I needed to get it together before I lost her too.
Coby was an asshole. But no matter how much of a dick he could be, it attracted me to him even more. There was something really wrong with me.
When we pulled up in front of a large apartment building, I couldn’t believe that Coby actually lived in the city. Especially in one of the most expensive condominiums out there.
“You live here?” I asked, gazing out the window.
“I own it.” Coby grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles.
“You own it,” I tested the words on my tongue. Somehow, I was not surprised. The man had secrets and was closed like a vault. Of course he owned the building. It only made sense. God, I was losing it.
“I inherited it from my grandfather. He owned this line of condos with some hotels and restaurants as well.”
“Really?” My eyes widened.
“I’m his only grandson, so when he died, everything was put in my name.” Coby rolled down his window when we pulled up to a gate guarded by two security men.
“Mr. Porter,” the young man greeted. “You in for the night?”
“Yes.” Coby gripped my hand.
“Have a good evening.” The man motioned to his partner, indicating for us to drive through.
Coby led us down into a parking garage.