“I am not...”
“Seein’ you out there, smilin’ at the men as you serve beers makes me fuckin’ angry. I want to take you, then and there, and slam you against the wall and let everyone here know you’re mine. I want to spread your legs and drive my cock deep, claiming you, owning you.”
“Cade, you’re insa...”
“Sugar, shut the fuck up. You know you’re my girl now. You’ve known that since the day I took you on the back of my bike. I don’t just take girls like that. If I wanna fuck, that’s just what I do, but it ain’t never like that. You’re callin’ for me, and I can’t look back. I need to claim you, and now you’re playin’ with me.”
“You might have claimed me,” I growl. “But I didn’t claim you.”
“Did you take my cock?”
“What? You know the answer to that,” I snap, frustrated.
“Then you claimed me, too.”
“Cade, you’re fucking delusion-”
“I warned you once,” he growls, cutting me off. “I won’t fuckin’ do it again. Shut the fuck up, sugar. Now, I’m gonna kiss you ‘coz I’ve been without those sweet lips while you play stupid little bullshit games with me. I won’t be without for another minute. Open your lips, baby, and kiss me.”
He doesn’t let me answer; he simply grips the back of my head, tangles his fingers into my hair, and pulls me close. I expect his lips to crash down over mine, but he just grazes them across, causing shivers to run down my spine. Cade knows I want him, he’s known since the day I laid on his bike and let him claim me. He sees something deep inside me, a want that I don’t recognize fully yet, and he’s pulling it from me, both hands wrapped tightly around it. I lean into him, wanting to deepen the kiss, but he pulls back. He tastes so good, just a touch, and I need more but he won’t give it to me. Instead, he just stares down at me with hungry eyes.
“My house, tonight. You be there, or I come and find you. Don’t think I’m fuckin’ kidding, Addison. Be there.”
“I don’t even know where you live,” I retort.
“You do, babe, ‘coz I fucked you on the bike right outside my front door.”
Ohhhh, so that was his house. Thank God for that.
I swallow, licking my bottom lip. He doesn’t give me a chance to argue any further. He lets me go and moves away before I can take my next breath. I stare at the empty space a moment longer, before letting out a rude snort. Cade Duke is going to see that he doesn’t get to order me around.
I won’t be at his house tonight.
Let’s see how he takes that.
~*CHAPTER 8*~
PAST
“Addison, baby, you’re killing me.”
I smile up at Billy. He reaches over, takes my hair in his fingers and twirls it. We’re driving, and for the first time in years, I feel completely at ease. I run my fingers up his thigh. When you’re nineteen years old – which we both are – that’s an extremely sexual gesture. He’s all stiff and squirming, begging me to stop teasing him. I’m giggling. I almost forgot what giggling felt like.
“I’m not doing anything,” I smile innocently.
He grins, flashing me his charming, crooked smile. His blonde hair blows in the wind and his eyes twinkle with amusement.
“I won’t be able to drop you off if you keep that up.”
I frown now. “I wish you didn’t have to drop me off.”
He gives me a pained smile. “I know, baby, but for now I can’t keep you. I have to get a place first.”
I nod, knowing that’s the truth. He’s trying. He’s trying to get out of his parents’ house and find a way to save me. I’m sure he will too. At least, I hope he will. Right now, he’s my light at the end of the tunnel. If that light snuffs out, I really don’t think I’ll find another one.
“We’ll be fine,” he assures me as he turns onto my street.
My heart sinks, that quickly. There’s nothing but darkness here.
“Thanks, for today,” I whisper as Billy comes to a stop.
He reaches over taking my face in his hands. “I’ll find a way to save you, Addison. I swear.”
I lean over and brush my lips across his. He tangles his fingers in my hair and deepens the kiss. Finally, we break apart, my heart thudding. He strokes a thumb down my cheek.
“I’ll call you, I promise.”
“The phone has been disconnected again,” I sigh.
He keeps his smile, even though I see he wants to frown.
“Well, I’ll come by and see you tomorrow.”
I kiss him goodbye, and with a heavy heart, I walk up my front steps. When I get to the rickety front door, I turn back and stare at Billy’s car disappearing down the street. I give it a sad smile, and step inside. The first thing I smell is vomit, then I see my mother on the floor, choking on her own sick, her face turning blue as her she struggles to breathe. She’s too high, too floppy, and incapable of stopping her own vomit from choking her. With a sigh, and a slump of my shoulders, I get to work doing what I do best.
Looking after a woman I despise, because she’s all I have.
That’s what I like to call tragic.
~*PRESENT*~
It’s dark when I leave the compound, and it’s late. I finished work earlier, but I spent a bit of time with Jackson. Surprisingly, we had a decent conversation. I may have also been avoiding running into Cade. I know he went home hours ago. I also know I was meant to be there hours ago. So, here I am, walking down the dark road on my own. It’s really not safe, but I’m used to it. It’s getting cool, and a light breeze tickles my face. I hear the rumbling sound of a truck coming in my direction, so I step off the road a little further. When the truck stops, I turn to see why. My heart begins to thump, an instant reaction to a strange truck pulling over at this time of the night.
The truck engine stops, so I quickly begin walking again at a more rapid pace. I dig about for my phone just in case I need to run and call someone at the same time. I hear the truck door slam, and a set of heavy boots striding at a rapid pace towards me. I spin around, throwing my hands up. “Back up!”
“What the fuck are you doin’ walkin’ around at night on your own? I thought you had a fuckin’ lift!”
It’s Cade. Of course it is.
“I’m going home,” I say, breathing heavily to try and steady my thumping heart.
“Pardon?” he says, his voice rough.
“You heard me, I’m going home. You can’t just order me over to your house Cade, it doesn’t work like that.”
“Yeah, babe, it fuckin’ does.”
I glare at him. I can just see him in the light.
“No, babe, it fuckin’ doesn’t,” I mock, turning.
“Addison, I’ll toss you in that fuckin’ truck. Don’t make me use force.”
I gape and turn back. “Are you serious? You can’t force me to go with you.”
“It wouldn’t be force if you just accepted you want me as much as I fuckin’ want you.”
“You’ve lost it, you know that?”
“Three seconds to get in the truck.”
“You are insane...”
“Three.”
“Fuck you, Cade.”
“Two.”
“I’m not going with you!”
“One.”
He steps forward, drops his shoulder and lifts me up in one motion. I squeal and pound my fists on his back, but he simply keeps striding towards his truck. He opens the door and throws me in, then, through my squirming, he also manages to buckles me in. Before he closes the door, he leans down close, “Don’t even think about tryin’ to get out, or I’ll tie you to the fuckin’ chair.”
My mouth drops open as he closes the door and walks around the driver’s side, gets in and slams the door. What kind of biker drives a truck anyway? I cross my arms and stare out the window as he pulls onto the highway.
“I’m not fucking you. You’re wasting your time.”
He snorts. “Sugar, my cock is goin’ inside y
ou tonight and you know it. You also know I’m not wasting my time, because you and I both know, you could have fought me off if you really wanted to.”
Damn him.
“You’re a frustrating, intense man, do you hear me?” I say, turning to stare at him.
In the moonlight, his profile looks dazzling. Strong, square jaw. Perfect Roman nose and full lips. He’s divine.
“Yeah, sugar, I’m hearin’ ya.”
My lips twitch and he looks at me from the corner of his eye. He grins, and my heart throbs.
“You’re gonna smile for me tonight, baby. I’ll make sure of it.”
I turn and stare out the window, because what he doesn’t know, is that I’m already smiling.
~*CHAPTER 9*~
PRESENT
Cade’s house, is totally not what I expected a man like him to have. The large, pretty white home is quite enchanting. When we get out of the truck and walk inside, I am in awe. It’s massive, with polished wooden floors, white timber walls and some seriously nice furniture. It is, without a doubt, the nicest house I’ve ever seen. I stare around, mouth open, completely lost for words. Cade walks up behind me, sweeps my hair off my neck and trails his lips over the back. I feel my body begin to quake, and I stare down at his hands sliding around my waist.
“The look on your face right now, it makes my heart hurt, sugar.”
I swallow down my emotions and turn to face him. Right now, I don’t want to fight him. Him bringing me here, and pushing me even when I fought him, that tells me that to him, I am so much more than just sex. He’s a hard man; there’s no doubt about that, and being with him wouldn’t be easy. I don’t even know if being with him is something that I should be doing, but right now, in this moment, I’m okay with doing it.
“Saying sweet things doesn’t suit you, biker,” I say in a small voice.
He chuckles. “Yeah, got ya. I’ll go back to being an ass.”
My lips twitch again, and he stares down at them. “I’ll get that smile, sugar. Now, have you eaten?”
I feel my eyes widen and he snorts, shrugging off his leather jacket.
“What? Don’t think a biker can cook?”
I put my hands up in defense. “Hey, I didn’t say that.”
“No, spose’ you didn’t. Now, have you eaten?”
I shake my head, eating isn’t something I do a lot of. Habit I guess. That’s what happens when you don’t have a great deal of food offered during your life.
“Right, we’re goin’ to cook somethin’ up, then I’m goin’ to fuck you until you’re screamin’ my name.”
My brows shoot up. “I love how you assume you’re that good.”
He leans in close, sliding his tongue across my bottom lip. “I am that good, sugar, and you know it.”
I bite his tongue. He grunts, wraps his arms around my waist and presses against me. He tilts his head, pushes forward, and turns his licking into a deep kiss that has my entire body sparking to life. I hook my fingers through the loops on his jeans and pull his hips against my pelvis, enjoying the feeling of his hard cock riding against me.
“I may have a few tricks up my sleeve to make you squeal,” I murmur, sliding my hand around to rub against his cock.
He makes a purring sound and leans down to nip my earlobe. “Bring it on. Ain’t nothin’ you do, is gonna make me squeal.”
I grin at him. “Is that a challenge, biker?”
He slaps my ass and then lets me go. “It most certainly is a challenge.”
“Well consider it accepted!” I call after him as he makes his way into the large kitchen.
“Well consider me fuckin’ thrilled.”
I am beaming inside as I follow him into the large kitchen with white counter tops and stainless steel appliances. I grip the counter and lift myself until I’m sitting on it. I watch Cade dig through the fridge to come out with a mass of ingredients. Many men say they can cook. Whether it actually tastes good or not, is to be decided upon serving. My guess, Cade can cook.
“You just gonna sit there and watch?” he says, throwing some steak down onto a cutting board.
“It’s proper manners to cook for a lady, you know.”
“Ain’t got manners, and there ain’t no lady here.”
I thump his shoulder and he chuckles.
“So, is this your common wooing technique?”
He looks up at me mid-way through trimming the fat off the steak.
“One, sugar, I don’t woo women. I don’t have to. Two, do I look like the type to woo, even if I had to? Three, you’re the first girl I’ve cooked for in at least five years.”
“How old are you, gramps?”
He shakes his head, but I can see a ghost of a smile playing around his mouth. “I’m twenty-nine.”
I feel my expression change to one of shock. I knew Cade was older than me, but I didn’t realize he was eight years old than me.
“Too old for you?” he murmurs when he notices my expression.
“No, why would you think that?”
“You’re giving me a horrified expression.”
Change of subject, Addison.
“I just think you’re young to be a vice president of a MC club. That’s a big thing.”
He shrugs. “Not for me.”
“Why’d you join?”
He pulls out a potato and begins peeling it. “Jack’s helped me. I was in a bad place and he pulled me from it. We got close, he trusted me, so he gave me the role two years ago.”
“My dad is the reason?”
He nods, giving me a quick glance. “Shocked by that?”
“A little, but I guess I can understand it.”
“He changed my world. He dragged me from a shitty place.”
I cross my legs, press my palms to the counter and lean forward. “What sort of bad place?”
“Drugs, sex, crime...guilt.”
“Guilt?”
He stiffens a touch, and I notice it. What is Cade hiding? What did he do that would make him feel enough guilt that he can’t even say the word without stiffening? Is that why he’s so determined to be with me? Can he see himself in me? Or is he trying to fix me because he couldn’t fix himself? Humans are like that sometimes, they seek something to put back together when they’re broken and can’t fix themselves. I guess it’s just a comfort; it makes us feel better, like we haven’t completely lost ourselves – we like to believe there’s still a part in there, that can be saved.
“That’s a story I ain’t willin’ to tell.”
I nod, completely understanding. I am not ready to tell my story either. And boy, do I have a story to tell.
“I understand that.”
He stops peeling the potato and looks up. “That ain’t the reaction I expected.”
“What reaction did you think you would get?”
“Most girls roll their eyes and pout, or try to soothe me with words that mean sweet fuck all to me.”
I shrug, meeting his gaze. “I’ve been in a place I don’t really want to share with the world. I know what it’s like to have a story you don’t want to tell. Not all stories have to be told, you know, sometimes...sometimes they are better left closed.”
He stares at me a long moment, his gaze deep. “Ain’t ever heard it put that way, but sugar, I like it.”
I nod, looking down. He drops what he’s doing, walks over and lifts my chin until my eyes meet his.
“I know what you went through was all kinds of fucked up, and one day maybe you’ll tell me about it, just like maybe I’ll tell you. If you wanna tell me bits, the lot, or none, that’s up to you. I ain’t ever gonna push, just like I’m never gonna judge. Your life was bad; I see it in your eyes. When you grin, your face is empty, and I have no doubt when you smile, your eyes won’t shine like they should. One day though, baby, I will make them shine.”
I swallow, and I do something I have never done in my life, I reach out for him. I take his face, stroke my thumb over his lip ring, then I le
an down and I kiss him. It’s soft, gentle and there’s something behind it I am so afraid to face. If I face it, then I have to face what I’m running from. If I face that, then I know things are going to change for me in big ways. I pull back, and Cade locks eyes with me for the longest moment, before he turns back towards his preparation. Taking a deep breath, I decide it’s time to change the subject and steer it away from this emotional stuff; it’s too much to process right now.
“So, Britney...where does she fit in all this?”
He grunts, shaking his head. “She’s a fuckin’ pain in the ass.”
“Why do you sleep with her?”
“Haven’t fucked her since you showed up.”
This surprises me. It truly does. “Why?”
“You know why, sugar. Don’t make me do sappy – I can say nice shit, but I don’t do sappy.”
“Okay, so you stopped fucking her to fuck me. Why is she so convinced she’s the only one you go back to?”
“Because she was for a long time.”
“Oh, you two were together?”
Makes a little more sense now.
“Not exactly. She came in with one of the other guys. It didn’t work out, so she became a drifter. She slept around with the members, worked the bar, wormed her way into the club and that’s when she took a liking to me. Britney’s a wild fuck, so I spent a bit of time with her. She became a regular fuck. I know what you think of me, sugar, you think I get around and I won’t lie and say I haven’t, but I prefer one constant. Britney was that for a long time, over three years to be precise, but she got on my nerves. She started pushing to be my old lady, and there was no way in fuck that was happening, so I dropped her. I still fucked her, but no way near as frequently.”
“Oh, okay...well then...”
He grins. “Shocked, babe?”
“No, it’s exactly how I pinned your relationship with her. She’s quite determined to be the only woman you have in your life.”
“Well, she don’t get to make that choice for me. Watch out for her, yeah?”
I wave my hand. “Seriously? Britney? Not worried at all.”
“Sugar, she don’t play nice. Watch out for her.”
“I’m fine.”
“Babe...”