Storm (Devil's Hornets MC) (8 page)

As soon as he saw Gina come out of the bathroom and she gave him the death glare, he knew the gig was up. That woman had the biggest mouth, but she was the president’s old lady so no one could say anything to her or about her. She knew all the secrets and had no filter.

He was walking in front of Natalie, just wanting to get to the car before they started this conversation. There were times when he wanted to stop the double life he was leading and other times he just wanted to keep the peace for a few more minutes. Now that he could see a possibility that this thing with Natalie could be over, he was pissed. Maybe if he’d have told her himself, he wouldn’t have to look at the betrayal that was in her eyes.

When they got in the car, she sat looking out the window. He took a breath to explain himself, and although she didn’t know this, it wasn’t something he normally did… for anyone. For her, he would bare himself because he knew what it felt like to be let down, and the fact that it was him who did that made him sick.

“Just give me a minute,” she said with a voice that sounded hollow and pained.

“Alright.” The drive home was nothing like the drive to the event, and he missed the teasing looks and demeanor she portrayed. It wasn’t just the sex. Being with her doing normal things like watching television, whether it was discussing something on the news or playing on of those game shows and keeping score, was fun. She was someone he wanted to be with.

When they pulled up to her house, he was convinced that it was over. She hadn’t said a word or looked over in his direction, but he was going to talk this over with her. If she didn’t want to continue with the way they were going after she knew who he really was, he couldn’t complain about that.

She got to her couch and flopped down like a balloon with a slow leak, and he sat down next to her.

“I guess I know why you didn’t want to tell me what you did for a living.” She had her eyes closed, but the sorrow in her voice was enough to tell him she was close to tears.

“When I found out about your father, I made a decision to keep it from you. At that time, I wasn’t sure how long we were going to be together, and let’s face it what I’m doing isn’t legal. It’s not something a person just blurts out.”

“I’ve put together that you started doing this for your family when your father walked out on you and your mother and she was sick, but why are you still doing it?”

“It’s good money, and I’ve been doing it so long I don’t know if I could do anything else. I definitely wouldn’t be able to do anything else and get this kind of money. I have always wanted my mother to live in style. She deserves it, and now that she’s dealing with diabetes, neuropathy, and heart problems, I just don’t want her to worry and live in the lap of luxury.” He could see that she was thinking about the reasons and rationale he was putting out there, but the final decision was hers. At least her eyes were open, but she wasn’t really looking at him.

“I understand that you didn’t want to tell me about what you did for a living, but why did you have the Devil’s Hornet’s protect my business? Was I in danger? I told you how my father took me around all that danger without a thought or care, and you do the same thing. I get that you were trying to protect me, but I was still unaware.” She sat up and turned toward him, and as happy as he was that she had turned her blue eyes his way, now he had to look at all the questions and accusations that lived there.

“I get what you are trying to do, and I can’t stop you from making that comparison, but I did everything in my power to protect you. Not many people know we’re together, but I wanted to make sure that you were okay.”

She moved over to him, and he folded her into his arms. “I’m not sure what to do with this, Jack. Honesty is very important to me, and I feel like you lied by omission. Every time I asked you about your job, you distracted me, and I don’t know if I can forgive that. Why didn’t you just tell me? I get that it’s illegal, and I get that you know my history, but Gina approached me in a bathroom and basically asked me why I was ignoring the club. Can you see how that would be upsetting to me?”

Holding her felt like holding air. Probably because he could see how this could fade fast. When his phone rang, he looked at the number and couldn’t believe it. This was not the time for an emergency, but the number on his phone told him that it was one. Untangling himself from Natalie felt wrong, but he didn’t want her to hear more than she needed to, because unlike her father, he didn’t want her anywhere near this.

“I’ve got to go, but I’ll be back when I’m done, and we’ll talk this out.”

She nodded, and he accepted that as she was accepting that he had to leave now and that he’d come back. Walking out the door, he missed the kiss that usually went with his departure. What the hell? It had only been three weeks, and he was like an old married man missing his wife or concerned that a woman was mad at him. It was strange, but it was what it was, and he had to accept that this was something he wanted to continue, just like he may have to accept that this was something she didn’t want.

“I don’t know how long this is going to be, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He felt like he was being repetitive, but everything felt so disorganized and wrong.

“I’ll be here,” she said with a smirk on her face. What did that mean? He couldn’t afford to stand here and wait for her to say good bye to him properly. With one final nod, he headed out and hoped his life wasn’t going to be as cold and dark as the last few minutes of being with Natalie was.

She’d been sitting here, on the couch where Jack had left her, for the last three hours. There was a lot of thinking that had gone on, and there were a lot of decisions made. She remembered the feeling of watching her father leave on his late night runs and her praying and wishing that he would come back home safely. It was a promise that she made to herself that she wouldn’t do it again for anyone. It was a child’s promise, but she could see the wisdom in it even at her age.

The door opened, and she got the same thrill of excitement she always got when Jack was nearby, but her decision had been made by fate. Who would have thought that tonight when she was curled up into him his phone would ring, and she would have to watch him go out into the dangerous situation this soon after she’d found out what he did for a living.

“You didn’t have to wait up,” he said, sounding as tired as she felt.

“I know, but I wanted to wait up to talk to you.”

He looked like he knew what she was going to say, but she wasn’t a coward. She would say what she was really thinking, and she would look him in the face when she did it. The people who broke up by text, letter, email, or voicemail couldn’t really be people, because that is the most insensitive thing that could be done.

“When you walked out that door a few hours ago I was so worried that you’d not come back, and I don’t know if that’s something I want to deal with.” She watched him and waited for what he was going to say, but she thought that he explained himself all he was going to earlier.

“I’m not going to say that I like what you’ve chosen, but I will say that I understand it.” He got up and started walking to the door. He wasn’t going to say anything else? She knew she was being childish. First, she wanted him to let her free to do what she wanted to do, and then she wanted him to fight for her. She had been through a lot, and what she really needed was time and a good counselor.

She followed him to the door and had to hold herself back from touching him as he walked out the door. Prepared to close the door as soon as he cleared the doorway, Natalie was just trying to hold herself together for the next few minutes and after that it was all over, but the shouting… and there would be shouting.

He turned right as he cleared the door and pulled her into his arms.

“I was wrong not to tell you what I did, especially knowing your background and your childhood. The only thing I can say is that I was having so much fun that I didn’t want it to stop. It was selfish, and I should have thought it through, especially the part about your safety. I should have let it be your choice, but I didn’t, and I apologize. Don’t think I blame you for any of this or think ill of you, because I don’t.”

Jack was blurry to her because of the tears that clouded her eyes, but she didn’t want any of them to fall. The time would come when she was alone in her bed and she could let it all out, but not now. If she did, he would comfort her, and the next thing she knew, she’d be on her knees sucking his cock like a sex addict going through withdrawals.

One tear did fall because she could see him better now, and she felt his thumb brush her tear into her cheek. Slowly, he brought his mouth down to her, and she couldn’t deny either of them one last kiss. She thought about how hungry she’d been for affection, fun, and spontaneous over the top sex, and he’d provided everything she’d ever want and more. His lips were warm and full. The perfect balance between sexy and serious, this kiss was one to write home about.

Softly pushing him away was all she was going to be able to do, and she hoped that it would be enough so he understood that she couldn’t take much more. He stepped away with a sad smile on his face and studied her like there was going to be a grade changing test on her face. One thing... how could one thing be so very important? She wouldn’t be able to explain it, but she felt like he knew.

“Good night Natalie,” he said, and she couldn’t let it go.

“Good night?”

“Right. I’m not ready to say goodbye, so for now I’ll say good night.” With one more kiss on her lips, he turned and walked down the hallway just as silently as he’d probably walked up.

The house was deathly quiet, and although she had lived like this for years upon years, she had changed her level of normal and this was eerily quiet.

“It’s a brand new day, Natalie,” she said to the empty room and wanted to break shit up like she saw people do on television, but she knew she’d paid for all of this. Walking to the window, she wanted to see if she could look at Jack once more. He was visible from her window, and his quick strides were carrying him farther and farther away. When he reached his car, he paused for a moment and looked up at her briefly before getting in his car and driving away.

It had been three weeks, and Natalie hadn’t seen or heard from Jack. That should be a good thing, but it wasn’t. She hadn’t counted on losing him feeling like a physical pain. It was so bad that she’d actually gone to the doctor’s office to see if she had the flu, and then she thought she was pregnant, but she was perfectly healthy the doctor informed her.

She looked at the bad ass biker guy who was in to buy another flower arrangement for some event, and Natalie wondered why she didn’t notice how many guys like that she’d had come into her shop before Gina had informed her. Business had been booming because Jack had encouraged them to buy flowers from her and often. It was like she was the official florist of The Devil’s Hornets, and that hadn’t changed in the last few weeks. She’d been waiting for business to slow down to where it had been before, but it hadn’t.

There were some nights she couldn’t sleep because she’d grown used to sleeping in the bed next to him, and her bed was once again cold and lonely. It was her own fault this was happening, but she had thought about it, and she didn’t know if she was willing to let Jack go without a fight. It was probably too late. A man like Jack could have any woman he wanted, so would he really wait for her, or would he have moved on? Did his anger get cemented when she’d asked him to go? She didn’t know the answer to any of these questions, and she didn’t know where he hung out. The only thing she knew was where he lived, and she was going to have to make use of that information.

She’d left one of the few workers she had in the store by herself. Natalie knew the woman could handle it, but she had tried to get as much work done before the woman came in. There was something about doing her own arrangements, and she was particular about having them all look as perfect as possible.

Waiting at the door with a cactus plant wrapped in a leather bow, she worked on getting the courage to knock. She didn’t know how long she’d stood there before the door opened, but Natalie was shocked, and she still didn’t know what to say.

“Natalie?” It was Jack’s mother, and she looked like she wasn’t feeling well. Not at all the smiley spry woman she’d met the last time she delivered flowers.

“I have a delivery for Jack.” That wasn’t the best intro because honestly the woman could have just taken the plant and been done with it, but she looked like she was going to invite her in, and Natalie was happy that she hadn’t had to say more. The older woman started to allow access, but then she stopped.

“If you are the reason there’s been a change in my son, and you’re here to fix it, then I’m glad you’ve come, but if you’re planning to do more damage you’re not welcome into our home.” His mother’s eyes narrowed, and she could see the resemblance between the two.

“I never planned to do any damage to Jack… before or now. I just wanted to speak to him.”

The woman walked Natalie through the house, and she got to see just how big the place was. When they got to a large door, Jack’s mother opened it and allowed her to go in then closed the door behind her.

Natalie really should have thought this through. No one knew where she was, and then she’d been led somewhere, and she didn’t know where she was, but she could sense that Jack was somewhere around.

It was like a house within a house. Wherever she was had a large kitchen and dining room along with a living room, and it was all furnished just as beautifully as the rest of the house, but it had a more masculine feel.

As she got deeper in, she could hear the soft rhythmic breathing of Jack’s slumber. She wasn’t sure what she should do. Being that he was in a field where there were probably guns and other weapons he had access to, she wasn’t sure how she felt about waking him up, but she’d try it from the door.

His breathing changed as soon as she got to his doorway.

“Jack?” She called softly, and he rolled over and turned on the light on his bedside table. Words couldn’t describe how happy she was to see him. He looked delicious, fresh from sleep, and rumpled. Her heart dropped when she saw the lump in the bed next to him. She started walking backward as she talked quickly. “I’m sorry, Jack. Your mother let me in. I didn’t know you had company. I’ll just leave your plant by the door.”

Humiliated, she made a bee line for the door, but was stopped by a fresh from the bed Jake as he pulled her into his arms. She should fight being there because he was straight from another woman’s arms, and the thought made her sick to her stomach. It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about this scenario, but she’d doubted it just because she’d never been offered a chance to sleep in his bed. He’d always been at her house.

“Damn. You come in here, wake me up, and then make me be quick on my feet to catch you,” he said, and although she fought herself hard in the end, she snuggled into his chest missing him more than she was upset at the way she’d found him.

“I didn’t know you had company, but I wanted to talk to you.”

“Why didn’t you just call me?”

“Good question. I threw away your number so I wouldn’t call you in a weak moment then I couldn’t find a way to reach you, so I thought I’d deliver a plant as a way in.”

“Come on back to my room,” he said as he released her.

“I have no desire to meet the woman you replaced me with.” Was the man crazy? She was trying to hold it together because she had to walk out of here with her dignity, but he was pushing it. Maybe he wanted to hurt her like she’d done to him, but she wasn’t going to just accept that.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s no one in my bed.” He walked back to the bedroom, and she followed behind him.

The room was empty, but there was still a lump in the bed. Now that she could see more clearly, they were pillows that graced his bed; there were a few that had been displaced and looked like it could be a sleeping form. She really knew how to make an entrance.

“Thanks for the plant. I’m glad it’s a cactus because I’d probably kill it otherwise. Now why did you really come here?” He sat on the bed and looked at her. She was glad he didn’t offer her a seat because she would have chosen to sit next to him, and her pussy was already clenching with him so nearby, expecting to be fulfilled and pleasured.

“I’ve missed you… a lot. There were things I promised myself when I was younger and waiting for my father to come home from his dealing in the street, and I would make myself sick with worry. When I didn’t know what you did, I wasn’t concerned about your late nights and your safety; I assumed you had a safe and stable job.”

“I want to touch you, Natalie, but we both know if that happens, the talking stops, and I want you to say what you planned on saying to me.”

He was so thoughtful, and her heart melted a bit more in the face of his consideration.

“I want to see what we can do to work this out… if it’s not too late. I know it’s been a while, but I’m hoping that you’ll consider getting back together.”

“So you kick me out of your house and your life, have absolutely no contact with me for three weeks, and now you walk back in here with a house plant and expect everything to be fine?” His voice was cool and detached. She hadn’t thought about what he was going to say to her suggestion. Maybe it was too much to think he’d just accept her back after she’d dumped him, but he lied to her.

“Jack—” she said getting ready to give him a piece of her mind, but he had a smile on his face and was walking over from the bed.

“I was just trying to give you a bit of the hell you gave me, but I understand what you were feeling, and these last few weeks, I’ve tried to think about what I could have done differently. I told you I didn’t have much experience with women, but for you I really wanted to try. My career choice was going to be a sticking point, and I was thinking of options of how to work that out when I was outed by the president’s old lady.”

Natalie walked back to the bed with Jack and couldn’t believe she was back with him that easily.

“I’m not going to apologize for our time apart. I had to get used to the idea of what you do and what it means to me, but I missed you so much it was hard not to make an exception.”

“I don’t want anyone knowing about us from the club. You did a good job of acting like we weren’t together with Gina, and I’d rather you not be involved in any club activities.”

“You don’t want me around your friends?”

“They are like family, but they are the part of the family you’d protect your family from. I love them all, I just don’t want you involved with them.” He held her hand, and somehow that made the blow that he didn’t want her around that part of his life a bit easier.

“How long are you going to live a double life? It’s got to be difficult and tiring.” It was hard to look at him and not want to touch him, but she’d come over there for answers and to apologize. She’d already done one, and she wanted to do the other, but the man was intoxicating.

“I’d do whatever I could to keep you safe. The world of drug dealing isn’t a soft and easy place, and I want you to be protected.”

“Is that why you put me on protection duty with the club?”

“They have a lot of places in your neighborhood that pay the club to keep them safe.”

“Is it an installment payment, or am I on the free trial, because no one has asked me for any money.”

“I’ve paid it for you, and I’ll continue to pay it. It meant a lot to me that you were safe… even if you weren’t with me. Even more when you weren’t with me.”

She walked over to the bed, and she laid down with him wondering if she’d made a mistake. Was she being a slave to her desire, or did she think being the girlfriend of a big drug dealer would work out in the long run?

He pulled her into his arms, and automatically his hands ended up on her breast and her ass, and she felt right at home. She fell with him on the bed at the same time the window exploded across the room. It took a few seconds for her to figure out what had happened, but it still wasn’t clear in her mind. Was it a bullet or a ball that had done the damage? Jack had great reflexes and was on it in a flash.

“Keep down,” he said as he rolled over her to get his gun and edged his way to the window so he could look out.

The change between getting ready to fuck and getting ready to fight made the metallic taste in her mouth strong, and her heart was pounding so loud in her ears that she couldn’t hear any outside noises for a few seconds. He instructed her to crawl to the door of his room, and then he led her out of the bedroom and into the living room. Jack sat her on the couch and pulled on some clothes he had laying on the couch.

“I’m going to see what’s going on, and you’ll be safe here.” He pulled her into a quick kiss, and her mind was still spinning. “Welcome back, Natalie. I missed you more than I ever thought I could miss anyone.” He left the room quickly, and she noticed that there was another way to get into the house from the outside because he’d pulled a gun from a drawer in the living room and was out the door before she could figure out what was going on.

She sat there and wondered if she’d made the right choice. The dim room held no answers for her as she waited for her man, the drug dealer, to return. There were times she felt like someone was watching her, and it wasn’t the friendly interest of a male suitor. It was a dark and angry presence. Maybe she should tell Jack about that when he returned, or maybe she could try to settle into the decision she’d made.

Either way, she was going to see where this rabbit hole lead, because if she was going to be traveling with Jack, how bad could it be?