Trust (Trojans MC Book 6) (3 page)

“You don’t need to change for me. I like your ass just fine the way it is.”

“It jiggles.” Her cheeks heated at just admitting her body wiggled.

“So, it’ll give me something to hold on to when I’m fucking you. Nothing wrong in that.”

She covered her cheeks. “Sometimes you shock me with what you say. There’s never any filter.”

“Baby, filtering shit will only hurt others in the long term. I say what I mean, and I’m not nasty when I do say shit. Some stuff you don’t say, and other shit you do.” He shrugged. “No more putting yourself down, or talking about going on diets in my company, got it?”

“Got it.”

He went back to emptying his bags, and she took a seat at the table. “So, um, what are you going to make?”

“Well, that will be answered in this card, right here.” He held out a card and started to read. “Okay, we’re having a pesto chicken pasta with a chocolate soufflé.”

“Wow, that doesn’t sound hard at all.”

“Don’t worry, baby,” he said, pulling out a bottle of wine. “You’re going to have a glass of this, and relax. We’re going to chat. Nothing stressful about that.”

Beth hesitated. She hadn’t had a drink since that night that changed her whole world.
Why are you refusing? Knuckles would never hurt you.

“It’s up to you if you want a drink, Beth. I’m not going to force you. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Biting her lip, she stared at the bottle of red wine, and nodded. “I’ll have a small glass.”

“Again, you don’t need to have a lot.” He got a glass out of her cupboard and poured a generous amount, handing it to her. She held it in her hand, sniffing into the glass at first.

Instead of drinking, she merely held the glass in her hand, and smiled at him. “What was going to be your idea of a date?”

“There’s a little picnic spot up near by the lake.” Knuckles smirked. “I actually caught some guy there from another MC.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Nah, he was just having some quiet time, nothing to worry about. I was checking it out a few days ago. I wanted to take you there. That was what I
was
going to do.”

“Holly and Mary have other ideas?”

“I tell you, those women could get anyone to do anything. They’re deadly.”

“Do the others know that they get you to cook?”

“Not a chance. I’d rather die than admit I’m a sucker like this.”

Once he had everything spread out on the table, Beth took a sip of her wine, and slowly found herself relaxing as he worked the ingredients. He diced up vegetables, throwing them into a baking dish, seasoned them with spices, herbs, and olive oil, tossing them around before placing them in a preheated oven. Next, he worked on the chicken, seasoning it up, and putting it to one side.

She enjoyed watching him cook, his hands moving so swiftly and efficiently. He prepared the ramekins for the chocolate soufflé. Before she knew it, the glass was empty, and she was reaching for the bottle again, pouring them both a glass of wine. He put the finishing touches to the tray of baked chicken, and cooked the pasta. Once the chicken was out, he let it rest, and immediately placed in the chocolate soufflé. Her mouth was watering.

Throughout it all, they had talked about Holly and Mary, and how successful their blog had become.

“Now, my lady, our dinner awaits.” He put a plate in front of her, and the scents were just sublime.

“This smells so good.”

Cutting into the chicken, she gathered up some spicy sauce and took a bite, moaning as she did.

The sound of a cell phone going off made her look toward Knuckles. He smirked. “They want to know how it goes.”

She moaned again. “This is divine. If I’d known you could cook like this, I’d have had you around more often.”

“Why do you think I used this as my initial date?” He winked. “No one can resist a man that cooks.”

“Very true.”

He put his cell phone away. “How are you finding Clinton?”

“The guy I work for?”

“Yep.”

“Um, it’s just a job. He’s very demanding, and requests excellence from everyone around him. I don’t believe he’s ever lost a case, and he hopes to keep it that way.”

“He can be an asshole.”

“That too. People don’t hire him to lose.” She respected Clinton. He was a hard-ass who made sure he won. He knew a variety of different laws, and as such, his office offered several different kinds of lawyer. If someone came into his offices needing advice or a lawyer for an area that Clinton wasn’t part of, then he found the next available man for the job. He was a businessman, a competitor, and offered much more than many lawyering groups. It was what shocked her that he chose a small town like Vale Valley to conduct his business.

When she asked him, he always said that Vale Valley was in his blood, and he didn’t see a reason to abandon what he loved and what he knew. She couldn’t fault him, not really.

“You respect him?”

“He’s many things, and he’s a great boss. I don’t see a reason not to respect him.” She finished her dinner, moaning at the last bite. “Do you not like him?”

“It’s not about like. He’s got a bit of a reputation with the women in his life.”

She chuckled. “I know. I’ve seen them coming into his office, all thinking they’re the ones that are going to snag him. They never do.”

“Always keeping them at bay?”

“Always.”

“Let’s enjoy dessert.”

Beth poured them another glass of wine as Knuckles finished serving up dessert. Taking the spoon he offered, she placed it inside the light soufflé, and took a spoonful. It was beautiful.

“This is the best food I’ve ever had.”

“Good.”

Once the food was finished and the dishes washed, they made their way toward the television. The bottle of wine was left on the table, and Beth changed to soda. She wasn’t interested in getting drunk, and she felt happy with herself. Having a few glasses of wine was a victory for her. Of course, she doubted if she would have been able to do with without Knuckles there. He made her feel safe.

He placed his arm along her shoulders, and within minutes she was resting against him. Knuckles kissed the top of her head, and she couldn’t help but think about the feel of him his hands teasing her pussy.

Her nipples grew hard, and she closed her eyes, trying to bring her body into focus. Knuckles ran his hands down her body, creating so much sensation as he touched her bare arm.

“You haven’t touched me tonight,” she said.

“I know.”

“I thought you would.”

“I’m not in a rush to end something this good between us. I want you to learn to trust me, Beth. It’s not about rushing you into fucking. We’re going to take it slowly.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not an asshole.”

“You fingered my pussy last night.”

“I know. It’s not going to happen tonight. This isn’t about rushing you.” Glancing up at him, she saw the sincerity in his gaze. “Believe me, Beth, I want to bend you over, and fuck you so damn hard that it hurts. Anyone else, I’d have done that. I want you to feel me everywhere, to be everywhere for you.”

“You are.”

“Then let’s keep it that way.” He kissed her head, which only served to frustrate her. Even though she was somewhat frustrated, she couldn’t help but smile. This was what always made Knuckles different. He was so patient with her, never willing to rush, and yet, like last night, he had the ability to surprise her.

Chapter Three

“Are you working on my car?” Eliza asked.

Brass looked up from where he was ordering the parts to stare at the woman who had dumped a piece of shit car in their garage. No, he couldn’t deal with cars. He was the one who tended to handle the business side, ordering what was needed, and take payments. Rusty Frank had been by thirty minutes ago to pick his piece of shit up.

“No.”

He didn’t like the way he was feeling when he was around this woman. This was their second encounter, and words were failing him. It wasn’t like she was a celebrity or a porn star that he might have beaten off to a time or two. What was it about her?

“Oh.”

“We have to order your stuff first.”

“You don’t have anything waiting around in the back?” She gave him a smile, but he saw it was forced. There wasn’t even an ounce of flirtation about her, which he found … weird. Most women he’d come across loved to fuck with a bad boy. Now, this woman, she looked ready to hightail it out of there. Of course, it could have something to do with the fact she was a fucking loaded. A princess with daddy’s plastic.

“Do you know the first thing about fixing a car, or do you only ever rely on what your father can do?” he asked.

She visibly paled. “You ran my name?”

“We’ve got our ways.”

“Will my dad know that you ran my name?”

“No. We have people who specialize in being discreet.” Diaz always made sure his searches didn’t alert any authorities. “You running?”

“No, I’m not running.”

“Then why were you afraid of Daddy finding out where you were?” he asked. Why was he asking all of these questions? He didn’t give a fuck, not really. She was a woman, and he could have anyone he wanted. There was a full club of waiting pussy at the clubhouse.

“I’m not afraid. I just don’t want him to be here. If he was, he’d find a way to convince me to do what he wanted rather than what I wanted.”

Folding his arms, his curiosity got the better of him. “What does he want you to do?”

She sighed. “You already know I come from a wealthy family, I don’t see why I should pretend. He wants me to do what every single father wants their daughter to do. He wants me to marry the guy he’s picked out for me.”

“What do you want?”

“To not get married. It’s stupid, but I actually want to live my life a little first. See new things, experience new things.”

“This is what you’re doing, breaking away?”

“Yeah, I guess I am. Or at least I’m trying to break away. I don’t know. Every time I’ve tried it in the past, he’s always found me. Him, and the guy he wants me to marry.” She ran fingers through her hair, and he caught the tattoo decorating up her arm. It looked like interwoven black leaves, very dark, yet beautiful at the same time.

“Give Vale Valley a chance. It may surprise you.”

“From what I’ve heard, there’s an MC.”

“Ah, you’ve already heard of us.” He smirked. Trust the townsfolk in the diner to let her know who to look out for.

“Us? You’re a Trojan?”

“Trojan MC, proud and happy. This shop is owned by the club. The guy who’s dealing with your car, he’s a club brother as well. You also met the Prez yesterday. He was working on some of the bikes that were in the shop.”

“Wow, um, I didn’t actually anticipate ever meeting an MC.”

“Why not? We’re not dangerous.” He smiled. “Most of the time, that is.”

“Are you flirting with me?” she asked.

“Honey, I flirt with everyone. Like I said, take a chance, and stick around. You may find your rebellion staring you right in the face.”

Brass stared down at her full body, knowing he’d gladly show her exactly what he’d do with her. His cock pressed against his pants, and he wanted her, badly.

He would wait. The interest was there, he saw it.

Soon, he’d see how far his little miss prim and proper would go.

****

Matthew sat in his old room feeling somewhat disconnected from it all. He’d been at college well over six months, and even though it was great, it wasn’t home, nor was it high school. Fuck, he wasn’t homesick. Nah, he’d grown up a lot since he’d been here last, and since he wanted to join the Trojans. He was still going to do that. Trojans were in his blood, and one day he’d do everything that was needed to prove his love and loyalty to the club.

Opening the draw next to his bed, he removed the single picture he had of her, along with the bag that he had placed the pregnancy test. Luna Daniels. She had unwound him, and showed him exactly what it meant to be a man. He’d fucked her over in more ways than one. They had been study partners, and he’d taken the next step, screwing her in the back of his father’s pickup struck, taking her virginity. He’d hurt her as well. Thinking back to that moment when he slid into her tight pussy, he’d been in heaven, and she’d been in hell. Gritting his teeth, he ran his thumb across her picture, wondering what she was doing, who she was doing.

He’d fucked her, hurt her, and moved onto the next available pussy without a care for what it did to her. The condom had broken, and he’d warned her but hadn’t expected anything to come of it. When she’d come to him to say that her period was late, he’d been scared shitless. He was too young to have a kid. Then of course as he started to think about it, he rather liked the idea of being a father. Luna was amazing, and he really did care about her. Most of the guys at school hadn’t seen how great she was. They’d been too hung up on her size. She’d been all curves, and he liked curves. Before his dad started screwing Holly, Matthew recalled having a hard-on about her. Once she became his step-mom, it had taken on a completely different direction. No fucking way was he ever going to beat off to his step-mom.

At the time, he’d wanted that kid more than anything. He already planned to marry Luna, even if she didn’t like him. When she’d come out of the bathroom, shattering his entire world, Matthew hadn’t known what to do. He pretended to not care. Once his parents left, he’d gone in and found the pregnancy test, placing it inside this plastic bag. It was probably wrong of him, but it meant something to him at least. No one else would ever know what it meant.

Luna wouldn’t talk to him. He didn’t tell anyone what happened, and they seemed to go back to school, having nothing to do with each other.

Damn, he missed her.

A knock at the door had him putting everything away. He rested his hands on his knees and called for whoever it was to come in. Holly peeked her head around the door.

“You’ve been up here a long time. Duke’s waiting for you. So is Drake.”

“I’ll be down in a minute.” He ran fingers through his hair, looking around, wishing for something … more.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Yeah, of course—you don’t sound so convinced.”

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

She came in and closed the door. “I saw Luna the other day.”

His heart started to race.

“Where?”

“Around town. I tried to talk to her, but she seemed a little uncomfortable. Did the two of you ever talk about what happened between you?”

“No. We didn’t. It just happened, and then, nothing.” He cleared his throat, wishing the questions would stop.

“You care about her?”

“I don’t know—”

“Matthew, before you thought you got her pregnant, you were an asshole like most guys. Going around screwing everything you could get your hands on. I got it, I didn’t like it, and I thought your respect for girls in general was pretty damn poor.” She held her hand up as he went to talk. “But you’re different now. You’ve changed. I don’t know if it’s the baby scare, or if you actually liked Luna. Getting pregnant, it changes people. It changed your father, and it changed me. It changes everyone. If you see her, or when you see her, stop, talk.”

“If she doesn’t want to? It’s not down to if I don’t want to talk. I can’t make her talk to me.”

“You’re Duke’s son, Matthew. Make her talk to you, and I don’t mean violence. Just be your charming self, and before she realizes it, there she is, coffee, a cinnamon bun, and a conversation.” She patted his knee. “Think about it. Otherwise you’re going to spend your whole life looking back to this moment, wondering what could have been.”

“Do you ever look back?” he asked.

“No. There’s not a moment I regret. Don’t make your life about regrets either.”

****

“So, how was it?” Mary asked, coming toward him with Starlight, her daughter, trailing behind her. They were both covered in chocolate, and when he entered the clubhouse kitchen, he saw the counters laden with chocolate brownies.

“What the hell happened here?”

“We’re testing out a variety of brownies for our blog. Also, I can take them to the diner.”

“Daddy hates it when you go to the diner.”

“Shush, Star,” Mary said, smiling.

Knuckles looked at Mary’s flushed face. “Is that what is causing all the problems with Pike?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Pike hates Mac,” Starlight said.

Knuckles chuckled. “Where’s Holly?”

“Matthew came in early, so she’s staying behind to see them off. She’ll be back with Bell in no time. Are you going to tell us what happened?”

“Here are the rest of your ingredients. It went down amazingly well, all things considered. Beth wasn’t expecting me to cook at her place, and we watched the movie as well. It was … good.”

Mary squealed. “That’s great.”

“Hold on, I said it was good.”

“Which means great to me.”

“How?”

“Are you going on a second date?”

“Yeah.”

“See, we made her comfortable with food and a movie. Beth’s not like a lot of women. You want her to get comfortable around you. Don’t go blasting her with whatever you had planned.”

“I was going to take her for a picnic up by the lake. The secluded spot near the trees.”

Mary paused. “Nah, it would have been sweet, but it was filled with promise of more.”

“How so?” he asked.

She turned to her daughter and asked her to go find her father, waiting until Star was out of earshot before speaking. “It’s simple. A quiet, secluded picnic with a sunset. Just the two of you, a blanket, conversation, alone. It would lead to something. Beth, she needs to have a slower, more frustrating approach.”

Knuckles sat down after pouring himself a coffee, thinking about it. “I could have put too much pressure on her?”

“Precisely. You don’t want to pressure a woman. It makes us skittish, and when we become skittish, we tend to want to find a reason to bail.” She shrugged.

“Taking that in, last night was a huge success. I’m picking her up tonight. We’re going to see a movie.”

“Good. Dinner afterwards?” Mary asked.

“Yeah.”

“Taking things slow is always good.”

Knuckles agreed. He picked up a brownie and took a large bite, tasting the hint of chili, and not finding it offensive. “These are quite good.”

Pike entered the kitchen with Starlight on his hip. “She was sent to find me.” He kissed her cheek, blowing a raspberry.

“Relationship convo is all,” Mary said. “We can get tucked into brownie-making now.” She turned around and started working on the chocolate she was cutting up.

Starlight wiggled out of her father’s arms and rushed toward her mother. Taking his coffee and an extra brownie, Knuckles left the kitchen, only to find Pike left straight after, following behind him.

“Wow, you’re not going to handle that?” Knuckles asked.

“When you have problems in your marriage, you learn when to walk away.”

They made their way out toward their bikes. Knuckles took a seat on the wall, basking in the warm summer sun.

“So, trouble in paradise?” Knuckles turned toward Pike. “You cheated on her?”

“Fuck, no.” Pike visibly recoiled. “What the fuck makes you think that? She tell you that shit?”

“Nope. Just your woman turned her back on you, and there was a time you fucked everything. Just an initial hunch.”

Pike snorted. “I wonder if it would be easier to just fuck someone. Maybe she can see it from my side.”

“Your side?”

“Her and Mac, they’re getting close again, okay? To the point that five times last week, I had to pick her up from his diner, and she thinks I’m pissed off because I didn’t get sex. She hasn’t got a clue that she’s so fucking beautiful, and Mac wants her.” Pike paused, shaking his head. “I thought he’d get one of his own women by now, but no. He’s still there with mine.”

“Are you sure?” Knuckles asked. Mac had once had a soft spot for Mary, but that was years ago. Then again, he did give her half the diner, and also she had the control over the menu. Maybe there was something going on, or at least, Mac trying to create trouble in paradise.

“Yeah, I’m sure. I’ve got my own dick. I know when a guy is trying to take from me, and it’s not happening. Not today, not tomorrow. Mary is mine.”