The Wolf Read online

  “Well, aren’t you presumptuous?” She struggles in my arms before I let her down in front of my room at the club.

  Once again, my hands drift to her hips and although I continue to tell myself it’s only to help her stay upright, I know it is a lie. My hands mold to her figure and even through her clothes I can feel the heat of her skin. I wonder if I run my hands to cup her ass or breasts if they would fit my hands just as perfectly. She intoxicates me like no alcohol or drug ever has and I have to keep my wits or I’ll be completely lost in her.

  “Presumptuous?” I question while holding her in place.

  Her gaze travels the length of my body at a luxurious pace and again it feels like a touch.

  “Assuming I would sleep with you because I’m drunk and you saved me.”

  Although I have imagined fucking her in the past few hours since I first saw her, I would never take advantage of a woman, drunk or not. I prefer a woman to be awake and aware when I fuck her. Thrusting her against the closed door, I press my body flush with hers. She takes a sharp breath and before my eyes, I can see the truth. Her pupils are dilated and her breathing is shallow. Slowly, I bump my erection against her belly, pulling a moan from her.

  Stifling a groan, I lean down and whisper in her ear. “I promise you, Blue, the last thing I want to do tonight is fuck your drunk ass.”

  Pushing away, I turn and leave. It may be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. If I don’t walk away from her now, I will fuck her against the door, not caring whether she is drunk or claimed by Viking or if anyone could see us. For the second time in mere hours, I don’t look back as I leave. When I get downstairs, I move straight toward Beast.

  “Hey, brother, is Justice still looking to become a prospect?”

  “Yeah, only thing that kid wants. Turned eighteen last week so I was going to bring it up at the next church meeting.”

  “Don’t even worry. He’s been hanging around here the last couple of years. Call his ass and tell him to be here at eight tomorrow morning. He’s gonna be in charge of the bar and I will make sure to get him a prospect cut.”

  Beast nods but doesn’t ask any questions. He knows me well enough that once I’ve made up my mind, there’s very little that can change it.

  Moving behind the bar, I nod at Pope. From below the bar, I remove the handbag that Jessie’s always carrying with her and toss it on the counter in front of her. Her head snaps in my direction.

  “Get out.” The command in my voice is clear and can be heard above the music currently playing.

  “Wolf?” Jessie has a look of confusion on her face that only serves to piss me off all the more.

  “Get out, Jessie, and don’t come back. You are no longer welcome at the Gypsy Bastards clubhouse or any of our other businesses.”

  Her eyes are large and I can see she wants to open up the waterworks.

  “Is this about that blonde bitch?”

  “If I hadn’t caught her, she could have been seriously hurt. You did that shit on purpose. You would have caused more problems than your ass has ever been worth. Get your shit and get out.”

  In the blink of an eye, she’s on me and trying to claw my eyes out. Beast pulls her off me and throws her over his shoulder before carrying her out the side door. All the way, she screams and curses about getting revenge and not being treated like a piece of trash. When Beast returns, he closes and locks the door. For a few moments, we can still hear Jessie screaming outside and pounding on the door before Mad Dog turns the volume up on the music.

  Pope looks toward me before he lifts his drink in my direction. “Good riddance to bad rubbish.” And everyone bursts out laughing.

  Scanning my surroundings, I look for Viking. The conversation we have to have might not be something to look forward to but I’m loyal to my brothers. Having these thoughts and feelings about a brother’s woman, even if she is just a casual piece of ass, isn’t something I enjoy.

  As I make my way to where he’s standing, I steady myself for what could be an oncoming battle. What I don’t expect are the words he tosses my way before heading upstairs.

  “I have no claim on that girl and from what I know, she’s unattached. But I love her and I will hurt you if you hurt her. Got it?”

  Chapter Seven

  Hadley

  Waking slowly, I take a deep breath and gauge the severity of my hangover. All in all, I should survive as soon as I pee and brush my teeth. I lift my head and take in my surroundings. Beige walls, dark wood dresser, the double bed I am currently sitting on, and a bedside table with a lamp. In the corner is a lone chair made from iron with a wooden seat. The bedding on the bed is dark blue and the lampshade is black. The room is devoid of any personal items and there’s no way of identifying whose room I’m in.

  I make my way from the bed, head into the bathroom, and search for a spare toothbrush. When I find one, I say a little prayer of thanks it’s still closed in its original wrapper. Deciding I need a shower, I rummage through the chest of drawers until I find a black t-shirt with the club logo on it. It will have to do until I can get home.

  In the shower, I wrack my mind for details about the previous night. Talking, drinking, meeting new people, dancing, falling, and eyes the color of a storm. Mortification moves through me when I remember the conversation we had in the hallway. Alcohol has always had a way of removing the filter between my mind and my mouth.

  Finishing up in the shower, I decide to find my mystery man and apologize for my behavior. Dressed in my jeans from last night, I put on the Gypsy Bastards t-shirt and tie it in a knot at my waist and secure my wet hair in a messy bun atop my head. With my heels in my hand, I make my way downstairs where I spot Sparrow sitting alone at the bar.

  “Morning, chica.” Sparrow smiles at me when he sees me approaching. “How’s the hangover?”

  “Not as bad as you would expect, but I would love a Bloody Mary.”

  The man behind the bar smiles at me and gets to work. From my vantage point, I can freely enjoy his good looks. Tall and athletic with dark skin and dreadlocks that hang way past his shoulders. Although I can tell he’s still young, he exudes confidence and it only serves to make him more attractive.

  “The shirt suits you,” Sparrow comments from beside me.

  A blush spreads across my cheeks, and I know I’ve been caught ogling the bartender. Dreadlock man places my drink in front of me and I take a sip before replying.

  “I have no idea whose room that was but I owe them a toothbrush and will get the shirt back as soon as possible.”

  “No worries, girl. Wolf won’t mind.”

  The snort that follows from behind the bar has me thinking Wolf would definitely mind. Before I can question who Wolf is—because I’m sure I didn’t meet him last night—the side door opens and a woman with a little boy who is the exact copy of his daddy enters. The little boy breaks away from his mother before running toward me and flinging himself into my arms.

  “Hadley!” he squeals loudly.

  “Hey, Gage,” I say, hugging him tightly. “How are you doing, mi piqueno amigo?”

  “What does that mean?” Gage looks at me with his large brown eyes, waiting for my answer.

  “It means my little friend.”

  Gage smiles like I just gifted him the moon before squirming to get down. Running toward his mother and father, I watch them. His mother is a tiny woman, maybe five feet tall with long, luscious, chocolate-brown hair, large, almond-shaped eyes, and clear, tan skin.

  “We’re fucked, Niko. I have to go into the hospital as three of the girls called in sick today. You’re leaving on a run in an hour with the guys and the damn babysitter is drunk. What are we going to do with Gage?”

  His wife is clearly stressed out and upset. Before I can reconsider, I open my mouth and words come pouring out. “I can watch him.”

  Both of their gazes land on me.

  “I know you’re not club ass because I would kill my husband for bringing my so
n near any of those whores. So who are you?”

  “Um, my name is Hadley.” I nervously wave at her before I realize what I’m doing. “I’m a waitress at Dusk and most definitely not a club whore. And for the record, I would help you kick Sparrow’s ass if he brought Gage near those nasty bitches.”

  Laughter tinkles from her. “I’m Luna. His wife.” She nods her head in Sparrow’s direction. “And from this first meeting, I have a feeling we’ll definitely become great friends.”

  “Can I stay with Hadley, Momma?”

  “Well, that depends. What does your dad think?” Luna winks at me before turning to Sparrow.

  “I don’t mind, but Justice will be with you at all times.” Sparrow looks me directly in the eye as he motions to the dreadlock man before continuing. “Agreed?”

  “Agreed.”

  “Great. Please let Sparrow know if you need anything before he leaves.” Luna is already making her way to the door. “Sparrow is a great judge of character and if he says it’s okay then so do I. Get my number from him in case you need anything, although I doubt I would be able to answer. I’m so late. Love you both.”

  With two air-blown kisses, Luna is out the door and on her way. Gage runs toward the pool table and starts playing with the balls lying there.

  “Thanks, chica. You’re a complete lifesaver. “

  “No worries.” I smile at Sparrow. “I love kids and Gage is great. I think we’ll have a great time today.”

  “Any plans?”

  “Thought of maybe taking him to the aquarium. It’s always a fun place and should keep us busy for most of the day.”

  “Sounds like a great idea. You’re here with your truck, Justice?” Sparrow turns away from me to talk to Justice, who only nods at him.

  “Great.” Sparrow motions to the empty clubhouse. “There won’t be anyone around today so you guys can leave whenever you’re ready.”

  I look at Justice for confirmation again, he only nods.

  “Gage, let’s do this little buddy.”

  Gage runs over and jumps into my arms again. Sparrow shoves a bundle of cash into my hand, kisses his son goodbye, and we’re off. After getting into Justice’s truck, we make our way out just as some of the guys are arriving. Gage waves at them from his spot on the back seat as we head out for our day of adventure.

  ****

  Wolf

  After a restless night with little to no sleep, I haul my ass out of bed, shower, get dressed, and hop on my bike to make my way to the clubhouse. We have a run today. Nothing too complicated, just drive two hours away and do a gun drop for the cartel. New day, during daylight hours, and at a new location. We’re hoping to avoid the same fuckup as last time.

  Halfway to the clubhouse, I fall in behind some of the other guys as we make our way through town. The rumbling of motorcycles can be heard from far away. As we pass through a residential area, the kids outside smile and wave at us as we pass. The Gypsy Bastards are well-loved. We do all we can to keep unsavory characters out of town, keep the drugs away from the schools, and even do a charity run every now and then.

  Reaching the clubhouse, I arrive just in time to witness Blue climbing into Justice’s truck, wearing one of my shirts. Anger floods me. Where the hell is she going? And why is Justice the one taking her?

  The plan was to find her once I got to the clubhouse and apologize for being such a rude asshole last night. But she has to be here for me to accomplish any of that. Sparrow comes walking out of the clubhouse to greet us all. While the guys get the shipment situated I pull him aside to find out what the fuck is going on. Instantly, he lifts his hands in surrender.

  “Mi hermano, I have seen the way that you watch that girl, even after just one night. Since Amber died, you’ve been a shadow of the man I once knew, but I see it coming back. Anger, lust, and so many other emotions, and they all seem tied in her.” He shakes his head at me. “Don’t fuck this up, man. Your girl’s watching Gage today and Justice is watching them both. That’s what we have prospects for.”

  For several moments, I stare at him before walking away. He chuckles behind me and I almost turn around and beat the fuck out of him. But I don’t, I keep moving to my bike. Time to get this show on the road.

  The drive seems to take forever. The road feels never-ending and with it my thoughts have the chance to run wild. Blue. The woman who walked into my life and turned it upside down without even knowing it. Perhaps Sparrow is right. Maybe she can breathe life back into me. What I need to do now is figure out how to get her to forgive me for my shitty behavior last night and start spending some time with me.

  The drop goes off without a hitch. The cartel is happy and in return that makes us very happy. Driving back to Gypsy Falls, I don’t have anything but one thought on my mind. Finding my girl and have a conversation with her. At least to start with.

  Making our way to the aquarium as we enter town, I lay my plan out in my mind. Everything I want to say is already mapped out in my mind. For the first time in five years, I’m looking forward to the future. I want to get to know this woman and perhaps she’ll be able to fill this gaping hole in my heart and soul.

  Chapter Eight

  Hadley

  Before we head to the aquarium, we stop at my apartment so I can get my sneakers. There’s no way I would be able to keep up with a kid while wearing stilettos. Arriving at the aquarium, Gage turns into a mini tornado of excitement. We are constantly moving from spot to spot and looking at the same thing three and four times, but he’s so happy. The day speeds by in a blur of dolphins, penguins, and other sea life. After a few hours, we find a table in the food court and sit down for lunch. The food court is outside, allowing us to spend some time in the afternoon sun and listen to the noises around us.

  During lunch, we all talk to one another. Justice tells me about becoming a prospect for the club, about his brother who I now know is Beast, and his sister Grace. Gage tells me about his friend Liam whose father is Luger—another club member. He tells me about school and the puppy he recently got for his birthday.

  My stories are less personal. Mostly, I talk about tattoos and my dad’s car but we still manage to have more fun together than I’ve had in years. Sitting beside Justice with Gage across from us, I can easily see how some would assume we are a family. Laughing and joking, we’re oblivious to anything happening around us.

  Gage’s little face lights up before he takes off running. Turning, I see him jump into his father’s waiting arms before he starts talking animatedly about our day. Beside Sparrow is the man from last night, and he’s glaring at Justice.

  “Gotta go, Hadley. But I’ll probably see you around.” He hugs me and kisses my cheek before taking off.

  Sparrow, Gage, and my mystery man join me at the table.

  “Thank you again for doing this for us. Gage seems to have enjoyed his time with you.” Sparrow smiles at his son and the look of love in his eyes is clear for anyone to see. Feeling the tears gather in my eyes, I look away. Seeing Sparrow with Gage makes me miss my father more than I thought was possible.

  “It really was my pleasure. If at any time you need help and I’m not working, I would gladly do it again.”

  “You’re a saint, chica. Estoy agradicido.”

  “No need to be grateful. I enjoyed it just as much as he did.” Leaning over, Gage and I fist bump each other while smiling like loons. I reach into my jean pocket, remove the bundle of cash he handed me earlier, and put it on the table in front of him.

  “Here’s your money back, too. We didn’t need it.”

  Sparrow shakes his head but takes the cash and puts it into his pocket. “Time to go, Gage. Gotta head home and see your momma. Say goodbye to Hadley and Wolf.”

  Gage scrambles from his father’s lap and hugs me close. My gaze follows the man I now know to be Wolf as his gaze bores into me.

  “Gracias, Hadley.” Gage presses a kiss to my cheek and at that moment, I see a look of softness and longing move over Wo
lf’s face.

  “Of course, Gage.”

  He grabs his father’s hand as he waves at Wolf before they make their way out of the aquarium.

  “I just want to apologize for last night. Alcohol tends to remove my filter and I end up saying a lot of stupid shit.” Apologizing isn’t one of my strong suits and all through my apology, I stare directly at my intertwined fingers. Slowly, I lift my gaze toward him to gauge his reaction.

  “My shirt looks good on you.” He nods toward my chest.

  “I’ll get it back to you.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Let’s get you home.”

  Wolf rises from the table before moving toward the entrance. When we reach the parking lot, I see him move toward the most beautiful 1958 Harley Davidson Duo-glide I’ve ever seen. Matte black with chrome finishing and custom leather work. Wolf clears his throat and I look back toward him. He has a quizzical expression on his face and I wait for him to say something.

  “Seems like you might be in love there, Blue.” He smirks at me.

  Running my hand along the leather seat, I burst out laughing. “You may be right.”

  He hands me a helmet as he straddles the Harley and I hop on behind him. We make our way through town toward my apartment. The fact that he knows where to go without asking me doesn’t surprise me at all. The moment you get involved with a club, they tend to know everything about you, and that includes your address. The wind whips through my hair and I remember why I have always loved riding on a motorcycle.

  As we pull up outside my apartment, I wish the ride had lasted longer. After unclasping my hands from around his waist, I remove the helmet and dismount.

  “Thank you for the ride, Wolf. I’ll have your shirt cleaned and get it back to you soon.”

  He stares at me like he has something to say, but simply nods.

  Walking away from him, I wish he would call me back or say something. There’s definitely something there. There’s a mutual attraction between us. The hard-on I just saw pressing against the front of his jeans is all the evidence I need. But he says nothing as I make my way up the stairs to my apartment.