Burn (10 page)

T
hey rode for thirty miles before Mercer had to stop.
 
He’d made it longer than he thought he would with his injuries, and really, he was sure thirty miles was far enough away.
 
For now, at least.
 
The fight wasn’t over, not by a damn long shot.
 
After the Rattlers had attacked the Black Ice clubhouse, Mercer was happy to let Fixer and the few surviving Rattlers go.
 
If they had tucked their tail between their legs and gotten lost forever, then they could’ve done whatever they wanted as long as they never showed their faces in Rawlins again.
 
But they had doubled down on their promise to destroy Black Ice and kidnap Danni—there was no way in hell Mercer was going to let that slide.

The rented a couple of hotel rooms in a cheap little place alongside the highway.
 
They sat in Mercer and Danni’s room, smoking cigarettes, drinking Tennessee whiskey, and coming up with their next move.

“How many of them are there?” asked Mercer.

“There’s Fixer, Tommy, and two other guys I never caught the names of.
 
Of course there was Roscoe, but not anymore.”

Mercer put his arm around her.
 
He knew that killing was sometimes a necessary part of life, but wasn’t easy.
 

“We killed one on the street, so there’s three of them and two of us,” said Cruz.

“Three of us,” said Danni.
 
“I think I’ve proved I can handle myself.”

“You have,” said Mercer, “but your fighting days are done.
 
I never wanted you to see this side of things.
 
I have half a mind to ride to the nearest airport and put you on a plane back to Rawlins, except I’m not letting you out of my sight again.”

“I think we should call for backup.
 
Get Doc and Red out here,” said Cruz.

“You don’t think the two of us can handle four Rattlers?” asked Mercer, chiding Cruz just a little.

Cruz shook his head, a serious look on his face.
 
“I don’t think there are just four Rattlers.
 
I swear to God, every time we think we got these guys wiped out, two more sprout up.
 
Plus all the weapons.
 
If that warehouse we took was unguarded, then what do you think they have hidden around here?
 
I mean seriously, this club is fucked up.
 
Have you ever heard of an MC that had bases scattered everywhere?
 
And that’s just what’s on the map we took.
 
Who knows what else is going on?”

It was a good point.
 
Mercer had always thought the Rattlers were just some punk club, but the truth was, they were far more dangerous than he’d ever imagined.
 

“What do you suggest, then?” asked Mercer.

“You’re not going to like it,” said Cruz.

“Try me.”

“We take off and get our asses back to Rawlins.
 
Then we rebuild Black Ice, make it stronger than ever.
 
Then we can come back and take these bastards down.”

“You’re right.
 
I don’t like it.
 
I’m not letting them walk after they hurt Danni.
 
Besides, if we take the time to rebuild, what do you think they’ll be like in the future?
 
You’re already worried about how much power they have now.”

Cruz nodded.
 
“Then let’s get on the phone and call in the help we do have.
 
It’ll take Doc and Red about seven hours to get here.
 
We call them now, they can be here before sunup tomorrow.”

Mercer thought. “OK, here’s the plan.
 
Tonight when it gets dark, you and I are going back to that cabin.
 
There’s a road due west of it.
 
We can leave the bikes there and hike a couple miles through the woods.
 
We’ll do some recon, see what the Rattlers have.
 
If it looks like we can take them, then we do it.
 
If not, we make the call to Doc and Red.”

Cruz agreed and went back to his room to get a little rest before they headed out.
 
There were about two hours before dark, and now that Mercer was reunited with Danni, he had no interest in getting rest.

As soon as the door was closed, he was on her, tearing at her clothes to get them off as fast as possible.
 
He had longed for her, and she for him.
 
All their time apart had increased their desire for each other.
 
Her hands were on his body, under his shirt, lifting it up and above his head.
 
She tossed the shirt in a corner and moved on to his pants.
 
She unbuckled his belt and popped the button on his pants.

Mercer’s hands went down her back, feeling the tight muscles of her back.
 
His hand found the hem of her shirt.
 
He roughly grabbed hold of it and lifted it over her head.
 
Hooking a finger in her bra strap, he pulled it from her shoulder.
 
He kissed her bare shoulder while her hands slid around his sides.
 
Danni closed her eyes.
 
She loved the feel of his lips on her skin.
 
She felt her heart beat faster as his mouth moved from her shoulder to her neck.
 
His hand was at the base of her neck, holding her tight as he kissed her hard.

“Just because we’ve been apart isn’t a reason to be gentle,” she said.

He pushed her down on the bed and grabbed her jeans.
 
They were off in a single yank and balled up on the floor next to her shirt.
 
Mercer spread her legs and kissed up her cool thigh.
 
Danni ran her hands through his hair as his tongue made its way closer to between her legs.
 
Her head went back on the pillow, her eyes closed, mouth open in ecstasy.
 

Mercer’s tongue went up her leg, over her wet panties, and down the other side.
 
She shuddered as he passed over her wet spot.
 
He pulled her underwear to the side and she felt his tongue slide up her wet slit.
 
Her breathing quickened and she felt a slight fear that she was going to come too quickly, but Mercer sensed that from her and slowed his motions.

While one of his hands kept her legs spread, the other lightly moved up her stomach and found her breast.
 
He pinched her nipple lightly, teasing her with the steamy mixture of pain and pleasure.
 
He worked her masterfully, knowing her body as well as she did, anticipating her wants.
 
Mercer’s tongue went right up to that wonderful spot.
 
She loved that he did this for her.
 
He didn’t question the manliness of it—he just wanted to make her feel good, and he very much did that.
 

He continued to lick her, work her with his tongue.
 
Then he slowly put two fingers inside her.
 
She thought it was too much at first, it had been too long since they had been together, but he went slowly, giving her time, and when they were in all the way, she moaned out loud from the glorious feeling.
 
Mercer pumped her with his fingers over and over, but never letting her orgasm break through.

After bringing her to the edge and backing off several times, she wanted to return the favor, so she guided his face from between her legs and pushed him down on the bed.
 
He was still wearing his pants, but when she straddled him, she could feel his erection through the denim.
 
She moved her hips, grinding herself into him, driving him wild with desire.
 
He made a move to get his pants off, but she grabbed his wrists and held him back.
 
He was such a strong man, a powerful man, but Danni liked it when he let her take control, to feel some of that power.

Danni slid down his body, stopping when her face got to his belt.
 
She pulled the zipper down, revealing navy blue boxers beneath his jeans.
 
Grabbed the pants, she pulled them slowly, teasing him, taking extra care to drive him wild.
 
When his pants were off, she moved back up his body, her face inches away from his crotch.
 

She didn’t take off his underwear right away.
 
This reunion had been such a long time coming that Danni didn’t want it to end too soon.
 
She felt his cock through the thin fabric, it was rock hard, and she could tell he was going crazy.
 
It twitched a little at her touch.
 
She licked up his shaft through his underwear, giving him a small preview of what was to come.
 

Finally, she gave him a little relief by pulling his boxers down.
 
She grabbed his thick member and glided her hand over his shaft, stroking him slowly.
 
She looked up and watched Mercer staring at her.
 
She could see the desperation in his eyes for her to go faster, but she kept her pace.

Danni licked from the base of his shaft up to the tip of his head, then swallowed every inch of him.
 
As she moved her head back and forth, she moved her hand in unison, giving him double satisfaction.
 
Mercer’s head hit the pillow, finally getting what he so desperately needed.
 
As she tasted him, he guided her by lightly placing his hand on the back of her head.
 
It was her turn to bring him to the edge and back off.
 
Every time she felt his big cock twitch, she backed off, heating him up and cooling him off, over and over again.

Mercer decided enough was enough and took what he wanted—just how Danni liked it.
 
He withdrew himself from her mouth and pushed her flat on the bed.
 
He spread her legs wide, her wet sex glistening in the dark light.
 
She grabbed his penis and guided it to her.
 
Mercer paused at her opening, teasing her a bit more before she begged him to take her.

He slid into her and finally they were joined.
 
Danni wrapped her legs around Mercer’s waist.
 
They moved as one, losing themselves completely in the act, aware of each other on a base level as they brought one another to the brink of orgasm, neither one of them daring to back off this time.
 

When they were so close, it seemed they would go mad if they didn’t erupt, all romantic pretense had left their bodies and they just needed to fuck each other, consumed by carnal delight.
 
Danni’s fingernails dug hard into Mercer’s back as he pumped her hard.
 
Both of them exploded, their pent-up desire released upon each other.

Mercer stayed inside her long after they finished, not wanting to lose the feeling of being so close to her, but eventually pulled himself from her.
 
They lay in each other’s arms, not speaking, but simply knowing they were together, forever.
 
At least for those precious minutes, nothing in the world was powerful enough to drive them apart again.

C
ruz was standing outside when Danni walked out into the cool night air.
 
He was leaning against the wall of the motel, staring into the distance, not really looking at anything.
 
He looked up when he heard her approaching.

“Hey,” he said, giving her a warm smile.
 

“Hey,” she said back at him.

He offered her a cigarette and she took it.
 
He lit it for her, and they were both quiet.
 
It was a weird moment for them, but Danni didn’t want it to be.
 
They had betrayed Mercer with their kiss, but that seemed like a long time ago, even though it was just a few days.

Cruz said, “I’m glad you and Mercer patched things up.”

Danni smiled.
 
“Thanks.
 
I’m happy with did too.
 
And I’m happy that we’re friends.”

She said it that way, emphasizing the word “friends” to make sure he got the point even though she was sure he did.
 
There wasn’t any hint of romantic intention in his eyes.
 
There was a warmness to them, but Danni saw past that into the sadness that filled Cruz’s life.
 

Danni knew that look.
 
It was something she had seen in other men, the.
 
The broken romantics who thought the love of a good woman would make the pain go away.
 
The ones that thought she could fix them.
 
She couldn’t though.
 
Danni could never make them understand that she was just as guilty and fumbling her way through life as they were.
 
She was strong and could take care of herself, but she couldn’t save them.