Page 22 of Rise In Arms

“What the fuck was that?” Tracker says, slapping me hard on the back once we enter the motel room next door to where the girls are.

“What do you mean?” I answer, throwing my cut on one of two single armchairs in the room and looking around at my surroundings.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice how fine she is. I saw the way you kept lookin’ at her.”

I turn and glare at Tracker. “I saw you doin’ it too, now shut your mouth.”

Tracker raises his palms at me. “Hey, no need to get all pissed, she’s one hot piece of ass, that’s all I’m sayin’. Pity she has a bun in the oven.”

“Yeah, well, she’s not the one I’m worried about,” I say seriously. “It’s my sister. If Hazel’s got herself caught up in all this, that means she’s involved. If Blake’s after Charity, then he’s after Hazel too, and there’s no way I’m letting him get his hands on my sister.

Tracker sighs. “So, what’s the plan?”

I run both of my hands through my hair. “Right now, I’m tired as fuck. I need to get me some shut-eye. I’ll have a clearer mind in the morning.”

“I’m taking the bed,” Bear calls out from near the doorway.

“Like fuck you are, I am,” Tracker argues.

“Both of you fuckers are on the floor, I’m taking the bed,” I demand.

“Hey…?” Tracker starts, then stops when he sees I’m dead serious.

“Shut it. Now, I’m tired, let’s not argue. I’m taking the bed and that’s final.”

“Fine with me, brother,” Tracker says rolling his eyes. He pulls off his shirt, unbuckles his jeans and kicks them off. Realizing he’s gone commando when they hit the floor, I turn my head to the side and close my eyes, trying like fuck to get rid of the image of his cock in my face.

“Fuck, man, put some clothes on, will ya?”

I hear Tracker’s laugh, and I hesitantly open my eyes and look back over to where he’s standing, still trying to avoid another eyeful of his cock.

“Hey, I got nothing to hide,” he says placing his hands on his hips, still butt-naked. He reaches up and pulls his bandana off from around his head and then settles down on the floor, grabbing one of the pillows from the bed on his way down.

I shake my head. The fucker has no shame.

I walk to the bathroom to take a leak, and once done I splash my face with water, noticing that there’s a red handprint on my face when I look in the mirror. I smile, she’s one wildcat, that’s for sure. I walk back out into the main room, Bear’s made himself comfortable on the foldout sofa, already out, snoring loudly.

I kick off my boots, lift my shirt off, and finish undressing by removing my jeans. Unlike Tracker, I have boxers on. I’d normally go to bed naked, but not tonight, with my brothers in the room. I lie flat on my back, one hand on my stomach and the other above my head. My mind starts to wander back to Charity and I find myself recalling every inch of her body. She’s beautiful, not like the average definition society gives beautiful—her beauty is something else, exotic even.

I was not prepared for her to be the one who walked out of the bathroom, expecting Hazel because that’s where her phone led us. I’d taken a seat on the bed while she’d finished off her shower, but what emerged from the bathroom wasn’t what I’d expected. Instead of my sister, a woman with beautiful long brown hair, blue eyes, and a tight and fit body emerged, and that was just the beginning of what had my heart suddenly racing and my mouth going dry. Her lips, her voice, and fuck, when she slapped me, my cock hardened instantly. She’s got some fire in her belly, that’s for sure, and it was like packaging on an already sweet gift.

But that’s not all she has in her belly, I remind myself. There’s someone else’s baby there, and not just anyone, Blake fucking Reynold’s. Bear was right when he said I’d fought him back in the day. We were both amateurs, just starting out. He beat me in a fight, and when I wanted a rematch, he’d already left the city. Didn’t know where he went to at the time, but it turns out he flew to California to train with the big guns, got some professional fights, with all the perks of sponsors and shit. Me, I went on fighting underground, trying to earn some fast cash. Sure I’d been offered to fight in legit fights, but that wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to be in the spotlight. Fighting was business, and that was all. I didn’t want to make a career out of it, I just wanted the cash that came with it.

My body hadn’t reacted to any woman in a long time, like it did when Jasmine was around. That was until tonight, when I laid eyes on Charity. There’s a part of me that feels the need to protect her, keep her safe from Blake. He’s hurt her, laid his hands on her, and by the sound of it doesn’t want the baby. A man that can’t take care of his woman and his child is not a man in my eyes, just like my fucking old man. If he comes for her, I will do what I can to protect her.

Fuck! What am I thinking? Why this overwhelming urge to protect her? I put it down to the fact she’s my sister’s best friend, and I would do anything for my sister. Yeah, Trigger, keep telling yourself that.

I knock on the girls’ door the next morning with coffee and breakfast in hand. I got up early to check on Hazel’s car and concluded it’s a death trap, and there ain’t no way I’m allowing her to drive the rest of the way to the clubhouse. I’ve called in the boys and asked Torch to ride up here with Blaze to tow Hazel’s car back. Looks like the girls are gonna have to ride back with us.

“Who is it?” Charity asks warily through the closed door.

“It’s Trigger, let me in.”

She cracks the door open an inch, the security chain still in place, and her eyes widen when she sees what I have in my hand. Suddenly the door is closed, then seconds later is opened wider and the food is snatched out of my hand and she’s opening the bag, taking out the croissants I bought.

“You’re welcome,” I say, kicking the door shut and placing the coffees on a small side table next to the rumpled-up bed. She sits down on the edge of the mattress, ignoring me completely as she takes a huge bite out of the pastry, moaning with her eyes shut as she chews. Fuck, that sound is like music to my ears, and I find myself needing to adjust my growing cock when her tongue sneaks out to lick up all the crumbs from her lips.

Her eyes open again when she finishes chewing that mouthful, and she looks up at me, smiling. She’s fucking gorgeous. Today she’s dressed in jeans, and a fitted black top that reveals her shoulder on one side. She has white Converse on her feet, and her hair is down, flowing over her back in shining waves.

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