“You can trust me.”
He raises one blond eyebrow.
“I know how to keep my mouth shut.”
“Lawyer-client confidence.” He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I’ve heard.”
I snort because I guess Hope has laid some groundwork for me here. “I understand why you’re hesitant. And, honestly, you’re right. I have no idea what’s going to happen when my uncle gets out of jail.”
He crosses his arms over his chest and if I didn’t know better, I might think he’s mad on my behalf.
“I understand the importance of the club in your lives. It’s clear that you’re more than a club. You’re a family. I respect that.”
He doesn’t respond or move, so I continue. “It’s different from the club I grew up around. So much different. I already love Teller and I’m halfway in love with the club.”
“You realize those patches are more symbolic than anything, right?” he asks.
“Not having them means if we’re somewhere and I fuck up, Teller’s the only one responsible for me, right?”
“Charlotte, I can tell you right now, no matter where we are or what you’re wearing, not one brother in this club is gonna let anyone lay a finger on you.”
“Even you?”
“Even me. As long as you treat my brother well, we’ll always have your back.”
My eyes well up a little and I sniffle. “Thank you.” I hold my arms out. “Can I hug you? Truce?”
His expression darkens. “I’m not a hugger.”
“You let Hope hug you.”
“I don’t let Hope do anything, she just does it,” he grumbles, sliding his gaze toward the clubhouse. Probably to make sure Rock’s not around to catch him saying anything negative about his wife.
Finally, he relents and gives me a quick squeeze that knocks the breath out of me. “Trinity must be sturdier than she looks,” I mutter.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
Before we go back inside to the party, he says, “I think you’re good for him, Charlotte. Whether you’re good for the club, I’m not sure yet.”
“Fair enough.”
Again, he seems shocked.
Score one for me!
“You seen Rock?” I ask Z.
“War room.”
“Oh, Christ, is Hope in there too?”
He shakes with laughter and nods at the bar where Hope’s talking to Swan.
“Thank fuck.”
The party’s too loud to bother knocking, so I just open the door.
Wrath and Rock are sitting at the table sharing a bottle of scotch.
“She’s got big brass ones.” Wrath laughs. “Came and told me she wants to earn the club’s trust.” He shakes his head. “And that I’d be shitty at my job if I just accepted her right away,” he finishes, laughing even harder.
Rock nods and glances up. “Hey, Teller.”
“Hey.”
Wrath turns and grins when he sees me. “Pull up a chair. We were just talking about you.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
I take Z’s chair and Rock passes me a glass. Wrath leans over and pours.
“I was just telling Rock, maybe after you’ve settled into your new place, you should ask for another vote.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Marcel and I leave the clubhouse late and decide to spend the night in our new house.
Our new house.
I still can’t believe it.
It’s not ideal. Although he made sure we had a bed—of course he did—the only finished bathroom is downstairs. I almost break my neck in the middle of the night trying to find it.
“Maybe tomorrow we sleep downstairs,” I say when Marcel wakes up.
He runs the back of his hand over my cheek. “You should’ve woken me up.”
“To take me to the bathroom? Let’s save something for our old age.”
He closes his eyes and shakes with laughter. I flick his side with my fingers. “Stop laughing at me.”
He’s warm and pulls me closer as I run my hand down his body. “Ooo, are you naked under there?” I ask, peeking under the sheet.
He growls and rolls over on top of me. “Fuck, yeah I am.”
He takes his time, kissing and licking my neck, slowly sliding down my body.
“Oh, God,” I gasp when he parts my legs and runs his tongue over me. My hands grab his hair and he groans. “I want to wake up with your face in my pussy every day.”
“Done,” he mumbles, licking and sucking harder. “Come all over my face, Sunshine. Then I’m going to fuck you.”
Whatever witty comeback I had dies as he latches onto my clit. “Fuck. Don’t stop.”
His phone buzzes on the nightstand next to me. “Ignore it,” he murmurs. “I’m not done.”
I stretch, arching my back to give him better access and he slides two fingers inside me, rubbing the exact spot that makes my toes curl.
“Marcel, I’m so close.” My breath comes out in harsh little panting noises. “Please make me come.”
His phone goes off again.
I scream in frustration and punch the mattress. “Just answer it.”
“What?” he answers his phone, kneeling up to give me a fantastic view of his glorious morning wood.
I reach out and wrap my hand around his cock, slowly stroking.
His expression morphs from annoyed to furious. “What? When. Where is he now?”
Alarmed by his tone, I sit up and try to listen in.
“All right. Thanks for letting me know, man. Appreciate it.”
“What?” I ask as soon as he hangs up.
He’s stopped from answering by his phone going off again. “Fuck me,” he grumbles. “Yeah?”
He flashes a tight smile while he listens. “Where are you taking him? Okay. Thanks.”
This time he shuts the phone off and sets it on my nightstand.
“What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” he says, lowering his body over mine. “It can wait. I need to finish what we started.”
I stop him with a hand against his chest. “I don’t think I could come if you put a gun to my head now.”
“Let’s not get that extreme. Give me a minute to work my magic.”
I don’t even crack a smile. “You don’t need to make some phone calls?”
“No,” he answers, drawing out the word. “At the moment, I want to finish fucking you.”
His morning-rough voice is sexy as hell, but I can’t help laughing.
He dips down and nuzzles my neck. “I can’t love you up right if you’re laughing at me,” he murmurs against my ear.
“Aw, you wanna love me up?” I tease, inching my body down the bed.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks, as he lands on the mattress next to me.
Without words, I tease and lick my way down his chest, trace his abs with my tongue. “God, I could bounce quarters off you.”
“I want something bouncing on me and it’s not quarters.”
“In a minute.”
He raises an eyebrow, and I feel even bolder. He presses his elbows into the mattress and lifts himself up, all the muscles I just spent time admiring flex and tighten, reminding me of how powerful he is.
I reach down and wrap my hand around him. “Let’s get you nice and hard again.”
“You calling me soft, Sunshine?” He lies back and tucks his hands behind his head, watching me with an amused smile playing over his lips.
My lips move in closer, lightly grazing the tip.
“My girl wants to get her mouth on my cock bad, huh?”
My girl.
Wow. I used to hate anyone calling me girl. But in this moment, warmth spreads through me.
In my hand, he’s hard and hot. I grip him tighter and wrap my lips around the head of his cock.
“Aw fuck,” he moans, letting his head fall back. His eyes close and he gives himself over to me as I suck and lick. He
shifts his hips, allowing me to take him deeper. He rests his hand on the back of my head.
“Your mouth is fucking heaven.” His fingers twist in my hair. “But I want your pussy.”
Shaking with desire, I pull back. He holds out his hands. “Come on. Show me how much of my dick you can take.”
“Fuck,” I moan as I slide down. “All of it. I want all of it.”
When he’s buried inside me, he grips my hips and rocks me back and forth. “Good girl. Love being deep inside of you.”
I lean back and sigh as his hand tightens around my neck.
“Keep riding me. Don’t stop.”
His hand squeezes tighter, matching the need rising inside me. He keeps speaking soft, dirty words of encouragement but I’m lost, gasping with pleasure and grinding against him.
My orgasm exhausts me and I’m ready to collapse.
“No, no, dirty girl. My turn.”
I nod frantically, always wanting him to find as much pleasure as I do.
He bucks me off easily, and I land on my hands and knees.
“That’s right,” he murmurs. “Ass up.” He squeezes one cheek and grabs my hips, sinking inside me.
“Oh, fuck,” I mumble against the blankets.
“What’s that, Sunshine? You gonna come for me again?”
“I don’t think I can.”
“A few minutes ago you didn’t think you were going to come at all. So, let’s see what we can do.”
“You’re relentless.”
He laughs and slides his hand between my legs, rubbing my clit until I’m climbing that peak again.
This time, he follows me, groaning in pleasure as his orgasm hits.
“That’s better,” he mumbles as he falls down next to me. “Now I’m ready to start the day.”
I chuckle and snuggle up against him. We lay there in a naked heap, catching our breath together.
“Now will you tell me what those calls were about?”
He sighs and turns to face me. “Merlin made bail this morning.”
“Shit. Really?”
“The first call was from my buddy, Liam. The second was from your boyfriend, Hudson.”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Who’s your boyfriend?” he teases.
“I don’t have a boyfriend. I have an old man,” I say, climbing over him.
He cups my cheek with one hand. “Yeah, you do, Sunshine.”
“So, I guess I better get ready for my chat with Chuck,” I say as I sit up.
I don’t even make it to the edge of the bed before Marcel pulls me back down.
“No.”
“I’m not asking your permission.” I stroke my fingers over his cheek. “I would like your help though.”
“I’m not leaving you alone with him.”
“Good.” I press a soft kiss against his lips. “I don’t think I could do it without you.”
We get dressed and I take Charlotte up to the clubhouse. While we were busy and my phone was off, Whisper apparently called Rock to set something up.
“Where the fuck you been?” Z says as soon as he sees us. “I’ve been calling you for half an hour and it keeps going to voicemail.”
“Oops.”
“Christ, you spend one night in your new house and you’re slacking off.”
“If it helps, he was in the middle of some very important business at the time,” Charlotte says with a straight face.
“Unless you’re gonna give me details, I don’t want to hear it,” Z grumbles. “Get your ass in the war room, Teller.”
I nudge Charlotte toward the couch. “Hang out here. This won’t take long.”
Rock, Wrath, and Murphy are waiting at the table when Z and I enter.
“At least we know he was serious about helping us out,” Wrath says.
“A biker’s word is all he’s got sometimes.” Rock taps his knuckles against the table. “That’s why I can’t believe this shit. Ulfric was always decent.” He glances at Wrath. “We go way back with their club.”
“I remember.” Wrath shrugs. “Whisper definitely worked my last nerve from time to time—”
Z butts in. “Who doesn’t work your last nerve?”
“You’re working it right now, asshole.” Wrath faces Rock again, dismissing Z. “Overall, Whisper’s usually honest.”
“So how’d they miss that Merlin was such an asshole?” I grumble because I’m not in the mood to listen to anything resembling praise for the Wolf Knights right now.
“What are you going to do?” Murphy asks.
“Beat the truth out of him,” I answer. Dead serious too.
No one laughs or disagrees with me.
“You bringing Charlotte?” Murphy asks.
I run my hands over my hair and down the back of my neck a few times, considering all the ways this can go wrong. “Fuck, I don’t want to. But she knows what questions to ask better than I do.”
Rock slaps the table. “Let’s do it.”
“Now?” I ask.
“Whisper’s waiting for us,” Wrath explains.
Charlotte’s waiting in the living room and doesn’t question where we’re going.
Rock, Wrath, Z, and Murphy all ride to the Wolf Knights’ clubhouse with us. Charlotte feels so good at my back, I want to continue down the highway. Keep on riding and take her far away from any more pain.
Because I know whatever we learn from Merlin today will hurt.
When we arrive at the clubhouse, Whisper’s waiting outside. He shakes all our hands before settling his gaze on Charlotte.
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I never knew.” He seems genuine in his concern. Charlotte straightens up and nods in response.
“Did he give you anything?” I ask.
Whisper doesn’t hesitate to answer. Even though my president’s standing right behind me, this is my show today. “Not yet. Said he won’t discuss it with anyone except her.”
“She’s not going in alone.” I crack my knuckles. “You okay with what’s about to happen?”
“We owe you a debt.” That’s a yes as far as I’m concerned. He glances at Charlotte again. “You too. Cash and blood. That’s how we pay our debts.”
“Amen to that,” I grumble.
Charlotte remains silent and I’d give anything to hear her thoughts.
We follow Whisper inside and he leads us downstairs, someplace I’ve never been in their clubhouse. The way Charlotte shivers and holds onto my hand, I don’t think she’s been here either.
Whisper opens a dark wood door with a small window at the top.
Merlin’s inside, sitting behind a metal table. On closer inspection, I notice he’s actually handcuffed to the table.
“You son of a bitch, Whisper. We’ve been brothers for decades and you’re handing me over to this fucker?”
“I ain’t handing you over to anyone, but you owe this girl some answers.”
“That’s it?”
Whisper strokes a hand over his beard. “Well, if he roughs you up a little, you kind of have it coming, no?”
It seems Whisper might’ve had a few beating-the-shit-out-of-Merlin fantasies of his own lately.
“Fuck you,” Merlin spits.
Whisper backs out of the room, pulling me along. “Give me your word he’ll still be breathing when you’re done.”
“I want some answers from him. That’s all,” Charlotte says.
But Whisper wasn’t asking her, he was looking at me. He raises an eyebrow, waiting for my answer.
“As long as he doesn’t try to hurt her again, you have my word.”
I don’t think Whisper expected anything other than a ‘yes’ from me, but he can’t argue either.
After he leaves, I turn to my brothers, lifting my chin, silently asking them to wait here in the hallway.
“We’re right here, Teller. Go on,” Rock answers.
Settling my hand at the small of her back, I guide Charlotte into the room ahead of me.
Merlin finally seems to notice that she’s here. “Come to stab me again?” He laughs. “Never saw that coming.” He holds his fingers an inch apart. “Doctors said you came this close to killing me.”
“You make one move toward her and I’ll fucking kill you,” I warn him. “Don’t give a fuck what arrangement our clubs have made.”
Merlin dips his chin, acknowledging my threat. I pull out the chair across from him and Charlotte takes it. I’ll move to the back of the room in a minute to give them the illusion of privacy, even though the room’s so small, I’ll be able to hear every word between them.
I have a feeling Charlotte’s going to need me. And I intend to stay right here with her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Teller leans in and kisses my cheek. “You’ve got this, Sunshine,” he whispers against my ear. “I’ll be right here.”
My uncle locks eyes with Teller. Cold electricity crackles between them. On the outside, Teller appears calm and doesn’t flinch.
“I know you think it’s insignificant,” I say, drawing Chuck’s attention away from Teller, “but I need you to tell me the truth about the night I was raped.” Saying the words out loud gives me a sense of power over the situation. Something I desperately need to carry me through this meeting.
Teller steps back, giving me space. He’s right, I can handle this. His presence surrounds me like a warm blanket of safety.
Uncle Chuck drops his head, staring at his hand that’s bound to the table. “Char, I know I’m a bastard. I’ve given you a lot of reasons to hate me and don’t deserve your trust. But please, for your sake, let this go. You have a good life. Forget about that night.”
It’s the most sincere, honest statement that’s come out of Chuck’s mouth in years. Maybe I should heed the warning, but I can’t. Not after everything that’s happened. “You’re right. My life was perfectly fine without you and your club in it. You’re the one who brought all of this up again. If you stayed out of our relationship none of this would’ve happened. You could’ve kept your awful secrets.”
He picks up his head and glares at Teller. “Known you since you were a little girl, Char. Lawyer or not. You’re too fucking honest. I knew if you two got close, you’d end up confiding the whole story to him. And I knew that motherfucker wouldn’t let something like that go.”