Page 25 of Sunshine & Ink

She was practically fucking humping his leg, her perfect ass wiggling in that skintight skirt as she whispered things in Raker’s ear.

What was she saying to him? I wondered jealously.

He slapped her on the ass, and the sight of his big hand coming down on her plump cheeks seemed seared into my vision. He slapped her ass like he was so comfortable, like he’d slapped her ass hundreds of time and knew just how her cheeks would jiggle.

I dropped my eyes quickly to avoid him seeing how I was watching like a little green-eyed monster.

He never promised me faithfulness, I reminded myself as I gripped the side of the picnic table so hard I felt splinters digging into my palms.

He promised only that no one else would fuck me but him.

I clung to that promise as they sat down across from me, Raker casually grabbing a handful of fries and the burger in his hand.

My eyes were on my food so I wouldn’t give anything away, even though my stomach was twisting still, nausea roiling in my gut.

What was wrong with me?

I tried to shake the feeling off, but the nerves and anxiety almost overpowered me.

That night Raker and the other MCs slept outside The Fountain, where the Elders would come from their secret home in the Celestial Abode to coax and guide the water from the earth.

Not being next to him only shattered the rest of my rattled nerves, as I walked with the other club girls to the Fountain.

The Fountain was an earthen mound in the desert, and the Elders would pray over it to coax the reluctant water from the earth.

We were always required to abstain from water the whole morning before a Ceremony.

Thirst lay on my tongue, the dry hunger familiar as a friend.

Even though I had access to more water than I’d ever seen in my life with the Saints MC, I didn’t know if I would ever forget how familiar this dry, aching need was.

It was a huge honor to be here with Raker. I had never been close enough before to see much of the Ceremony.

I knew what was going to happen though, and my stomach twisted in anticipation.

The Ceremony also determined water restrictions. Most of Resurrected had the same water restrictions, but those could be increased or decreased in accordance with behavior.

The Elders themselves came out as the other girls and I knelt on the ground, the holy ones surrounded by the powerful muscular Priests who acted as their bodyguards.

From my vantage point with the Saints, I looked around to see the other MCs lined up at the front, Elizabeth herself getting to stand respectfully instead of kneel. Because of course she was pure and we were whores.

I felt a flicker of unusual defiance in my gut. I felt sick to my stomach and very tired. Why should she get to stand while we had to kneel? There was nothing holier about Elizabeth than the rest of us. My friends Amira and Bridget were kind. Why shouldn’t they get recognized for their good deeds too?

The Ceremony started with the traditional prayer of thanks to the Elders for giving us water, then moved into the Elders admonishments and moral guidelines.

The words all blended together with me as I stared at Raker’s tall, harsh form, standing in a line with the other MC Presidents.

Of course, the Saints MC had the biggest water allotment, and the Elders moved to give each Prez the ceremonial first drink, a special crystal goblet full of pure, sparkling water.

Carefully, without spilling a drop, an Elder poured a clear stream into Raker’s mouth. He had to stand on a big stool because Raker was so tall, and my eyes gobbled the seductive sight down. Craved the broad width of his shoulders and the water he had, my mouth so dry my tongue stuck to the roof, and I didn’t know if I craved water or Raker the most.

“Take and give,” the Elder intoned. “May you distribute the blessings of the land in any way you see fit, and always remember who gave them to you.”

Hell, it was going to still takes ages until they’d let us go so I could get a drink.

Was he going to give the water to Elizabeth first, with her perfect beautiful devout face? I felt jealous again.

And Raker turned and took two steps into the crowd. Then he put hard hands onmychin, tipping my face up for him. For a moment I was frozen until his big fingers pulled gently down on my lips.

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