Page 27 of Acid

I shake my head. “Nah, a trouble free life is a boring one.” I laugh as we ride.

The ride back to the club was quiet, solemn. We are all deep in thought, thinking of a way to fix this, a way to keep us and our families safe. As we arrive back at the club, it’s late. We had been longer than expected.

Before we enter, Ghost stops and turns to us, placing his index finger on his lips, a simple gesture. “Shhh,” he reiterates from our earlier discussion. “Church tomorrow after breakfast,” he adds. We all nod, now all desperate to get in and pour a strong drink and forget, just for tonight, the threat that is closing in around us.

The prospects that were lounging around jump to their feet in hurried fear as we enter. They scurry behind the bar ready to make our drinks. The ol’ ladies come over, greeting their respective men. Each one of my brothers wrap them in their arms, savouring their scent and the feel of their body against theirs, needing that comfort, that calming effect they bring them.

I tap the bar and point to the bottle behind the bar. “Give me that and a glass,” I demand.

The prospect nods, not asking any questions and just hands me over the bottle. I pour myself a knuckle’s worth before knocking it back in one. I repeat this three more times before I feel her at my side.

“Two nights running? I’m surprised you have a liver left,” she teases softly next to me.

I look to my left and see her smiling up at me, looking a little awkward after today’s earlier naked events. “It’s been a day,” is all I say before pouring myself another one. “Fancy joining me?” I ask.

She shakes her head no. “Oh god, no. I don’t think I could survive that again,” she says, letting out a small laugh. She looks down at her hands, fiddling with her fingers.

“Just say what is on your mind, darlin’,” I tell her, knowing her well enough to know that she’s battling internally whether to say what is eating her up inside.

Her warm brown eyes connect with mine, and her cheeks start to turn a light shade of pink. “Just that er, we are okay, right?” she asks. “I mean, like from earlier today. I shouldn’t have just walked in seeing you like that, and um, well I suppose the same goes for you seeing me, or at least the outline of me through the curtain.” She takes a deep breath at the end of her rant.

I look her up and down, remembering how fucking amazing her body is under her clothes. She bites down on her bottom lip, like she knows exactly what I’m thinking. “We are good. It’s just the human body, darlin’,” I assure her, when part of me wants to take her back to my room and explore every damn inch of her body.

She lets out a relieved sigh. “Phew.” She smiles.

I don’t smile. I just continue to look into those rich brown eyes. “And darlin’, I didn’t see just your outline. I saw eve-ry-thing,” I confess, watching as her cheeks turn a darker shade of pink.

A spark flares in her eyes. “You didn’t see everything, or you would have seen my other tattoo,” she says, a wicked smile playing on her lips.

I raise my brow and look her up and down, again wondering where that tattoo could be. A part of me wants to search her body and look for it. “I guess it would be out of the question if I could hunt for it?” I ask.

She reaches over, snatches the glass from my hand and downs the whisky from the glass. She coughs and wheezes. “Sweet lord, that burns.” She coughs. “To answer your question, that would be a big fat no.”

I laugh and take the glass from her and pour myself another before I knock it back. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“True but thank you. As it does wonders for my confidence, you know. He that shall not be named.” She pauses, rolling her eyes. “He always said I needed to work on my body. I mean, I tried, I really did, but it’s not like I could afford to join a gym or anything. I managed to keep most of my weight off because I couldn’t afford to eat, and walking up and down those flights of stairs each day helped, but I’ve never really got rid of the mom bod, you know? There still that little pouch bit and then there are the thighs and the ass. They just won’t shrink, no matter what I do.” She sighs.

I frown at her like she’s lost her fucking mind. “Mama,” I groan, my voice deep in warning. Her eyes spark with something when I call her that. I shake my head. “You have a body that should be worshipped, and you have curves that would bring men to their fucking knees. Don’t ever fucking let me hear you put yourself down like that again,” I chastise. Her mouthhangs open, and I can see she’s unsure how to respond to my compliment. “And if I hear you put yourself down like that again, I will take you over my knee,” I warn.

She sucks in a breath at my threat, and I notice her hands grip into tight fists at her side. I smile, knowing I’ve awakened a little something within her.

I lean in closer to her, my mouth close to her ear. “As your friend, I’m going to tell you that when you are healed, when you are ready, you need a release, then Scar will happily help you with that,” I tell her, leaning back.

Her gaze darts to Scar. “I, I can’t believe you just said that,” she says in shock.

I shrug. “We all need a release at some point. Why hide it? Just don’t expect more than his dick. I don’t think he’s capable of offering more than that,” I add.

“Jesus, this is a weird fucking friendship,” she mutters.

I can’t contain the laughter bubbling up within me. “Ain’t nothing weird about it, darlin’. Just friends talking about sex.”

“While flirting,” she adds.

“Ain’t no one died because of a bit of flirting.” I wink.

“No, but you might want to warn a girl before you start,” she counters.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

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