Property of Woods, page 3
Am I that transparent?
“Something like that. I was having the strangest dream that I was being chased by a green stinky cloud and then I woke up and realized I wasn’t dreaming at all.” I wave a hand across my face, fanning the air.
“Smartass.”
I smile, and he chucks a pillow at me. It lands short, dropping to the floor between our beds.
“You’re a real comedian. You ever thought of doing standup?” he grumbles, and we reach for the fallen pillow at the same time. His rough fingers glide over mine. “Sorry.” Woods pulls away and I hand him the pillow. “You should get some shuteye. It’s a long way to Arkansas.”
“Right. You might think about lighting a candle.”
“Ha. Ha. Cute. Real cute, Jessika.” He ends on my name, his voice thick with exhaustion and a hint of something I can’t quite place. Something I’m not sure I want to explore.
Something I shouldn’t entertain, and yet I’m growing more curious about him and that expression in his eyes that makes my heart skip a beat every time he looks at me.
Things have been sexually charged between us since this morning. Since I did something completely reckless and out of character for me.
We had sex on the couch in Big Daddy’s office. I’m not a girl who just goes around fucking any guy she meets. But Woods is different. At least I hope he is.
I need him to be different.
It was probably a terrible idea to spread my legs to him without knowing a thing about him, but at that moment, being with him was exactly what I wanted. What I needed.
To forget about Thad. To forget that not only did my husband never give a damn about me, he wants me dead.
So here I am. On the run, hoping Big Daddy kills him before he gets the chance to come after me.
Nervousness flutters in my lower belly. I don’t know what I’m doing. I left everything and everyone behind. Climbed on the back of a stranger’s motorcycle on a hope and a prayer that wherever he’s going, it has to be better than what I’m running from. He could leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere. He could kill me if he so desired. No one would ever find me and yet I trust he won’t hurt me. He’s as rough and tough as far as bikers come, but there’s this softness in his brown eyes when he looks at me. Like his soul and mine recognize one another.
Like we’ve met before.
Perhaps in another life we were connected somehow.
It sounds cliché and a little silly, but that’s the way he makes me feel. Familiar. Safe. Like he’d do whatever it takes to protect me.
Which is as crazy as it sounds. He doesn’t know me and owes me nothing.
He’s protecting me as a favor to Big Daddy, Gwynee’s man. I don’t know why she wanted to help me. Maybe she felt guilty for not warning me fully about the type of guy Thad was. Though he never hit her. Only cheated on her the whole time they were together. I was so damn blind. I thought I was special.
That he’d be different with me. That he’d change for me.
The joke was all on me.
I’m not that special.
Gwynee didn’t owe me anything, but the man I married did. If I’d been her, I would have hated myself. I married the man who cheated on her. I don’t know what I would have done in her shoes, but I’m grateful either way.
I yawn and close my eyes, praying for sleep to claim me and for Thad to stop haunting my dreams.
“Good night, Woods.”
“Night, butterfly.” The endearment comes out gravelly and deep, warming me deep in the center of my belly in ways it shouldn’t.
I’m still married and have no business being attracted to this handsome biker.
If he wasn’t suffering from food poisoning, I know, given the chance, I’d fuck him again. One night with him was better than the months I spent blinded by Thad.
I settle back into the covers and attempt to find a comfortable position. Silence stretches between us, but my thoughts won’t stop racing.
What will Arkansas be like? Where will I stay? What will I do? How long will I have to hide from Thad and the bad men he went into business with to take down Big Daddy?
If I’m lucky, the Kings of Anarchy MC will kill him before he realizes that I’m gone. Would save me the cost of filing for a divorce. It’s terrible to think such thoughts. But Thad would kill me, given the chance to try. I saw the murderous glint in his eyes. He wanted me dead. He never loved me. That evil bastard doesn’t know how to love. All he does is take and destroy. He fooled me. I won’t make that mistake a second time.
I glance back at Woods, who is already snoring and pray whatever is meant for me will find me.
But maybe, just maybe, it already has.
Morning comes far too soon. I groan and stretch, my body aching with each movement from a night of restlessness paired with a lumpy mattress. Not to mention I’m not used to spending hour upon hour riding a motorcycle. Even if that motorcycle comes attached to a good-looking man like Woods.
He exits the bathroom and shoots me an apologetic expression. “I’d wait about ten minutes before goin’ in there.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
“I’ve gotta check in with my guys. Be ready to ride out in twenty.” He lights up a cigarette as he goes out the door, leaving a cloud of smoke behind him. I’d normally find the habit nasty. Only I’m discovering when it comes to this man, he makes everything attractive.
I brave the bathroom and wash up as best I can with the meager bar of complimentary soap and threadbare wash cloth. This place is definitely low budget, and I won’t miss it. Though anything is better than being with Thad.
I’m nervous about what’s going to come. I don’t have a dollar to my name. When I ran out of the house to escape Thad, I left with only the clothes on my back. I don’t even have my phone. Big Daddy said he’d ship some of my stuff to me, but I don’t know how high that is on his list of priorities.
I’m at the mercy of Woods. Completely dependent on him until then. I slip my borrowed boots on and fasten my hair into two braids, so my hair isn’t whipping around and getting all knotted up. Outside of the motel room, Woods is pacing at the edge of the parking lot, engaged in what appears to be a heated phone conversation. I hope it’s not something to do with me.
The rest of his crew are standing around their bikes, preparing for the rest of our ride to Arkansas.
“Hey girl. Did my brother keep you up all night with his snoring?” Willow, also known as Low, bumps her shoulder against mine.
“That and his rip roaring farts.”
“Ew.” She scrunches her nose up as her lips twist into a disgusted expression. “He’s so gross.”
“He’s lucky he’s hot.” The words slip out before I can take them back.
Low busts out laughing. “Don’t let Faye hear you say that.”
“Who?”
“His wife.”
“Oh.” My stomach drops to my feet and shatters into a million pieces. Once again, I was an idiot. Gullible must be written on my forehead. Must be the first thing men pick up on about me. Like a flashing neon sign. Easy. Naïve.
Jessika Cohen is fucking stupid and an easy target.
Low must notice my horrified look because she says, “He didn’t tell you?”
“It didn’t come up. Not that we’ve talked that much.”
Her eyes widen.
“I didn’t mean that how it sounded. He doesn’t talk a lot.” I don’t want her thinking I’m a home wrecker. If I’d known Woods was married, I never would have gone there. A lump the size of a golf ball lodges in my throat, and I want to vomit. Woods is no better than Thad. I feel sick to my stomach.
What’s wrong with me?
Why do I keep making the same mistakes?
“Right. Your secret is safe with me.”
“There’s no secret.” No one can find out about us. No one.
“You’ve got the hots for my brother.” She winks and skips off before I can tell her any different.
Great. For all I know, Low could be going to call her sister-in-law to tell her she’s married to a cheating bastard. Just what I need. The wife of the man who is doing me a favor to want to beat me up because she thinks I’m trying to steal her man. That isn’t happening, but why do I feel disappointed? It must be the shock of the past twenty-four hours. Or maybe I stupidly allowed myself to believe that some of Gwynee’s good fortune was rubbing off on me. The day she ended things with Thad, she met Big Daddy, who treats her like gold. The night I left Thad, I met Woods.
I’m an idiot. Our meeting wasn’t fate. There was no higher power forcing us together. He just happened to be there. He owes me nothing, so why does learning he has a wife feel a lot like another heartbreak?
He didn’t tell me he was married, but I didn’t ask. I stupidly threw myself at him.
I won’t make that mistake a second time.
He glances back at me, and I look away to keep my tears at bay.
God, did I want him to be better than the rest.
I’m pissed, but mainly at myself.
I’ll never learn.
Seems like hard is the only road I know.
I’m more like my mother than I care to admit.
Attracted to men who only want to use me.
Maybe I can sneak off and make my way back home. I look around, trying to remember where we are. I have no idea where we are. I have no phone. No money. All I’ve got is a broken heart.
And what a stupid fucking heart it is.
I can’t believe I fell for the savior act Woods has going on.
Fool me once, shame on me.
I’m on my own.
The only person I can trust is myself, even if I have shit taste in men.
Chapter Four
“When are you coming home? You were supposed to be here last night,” Faye bitches like she always does.
“Had a change of plans.”
“And you couldn’t be bothered to tell me? I’ve been worried sick.”
“Spent ninety percent of the night shitting my brains out from food poisoning.”
“Well, are you okay?”
“I’ve been better, but I’ve also been worse. How’s Henry?”
“Hasn’t shut up since you left. You know how he is. Goes room to room looking for you. I gave him one of your shirts and he pissed on it.”
I snort at that. My little buddy has an attitude. Since the moment he showed up on my front porch looking like a wet rat disguised as a kitten.
“Be home in about seven hours if I don’t kill over from this food poisoning. Make sure there’s a room ready at the clubhouse.”
“For who?”
“Club business.”
“Right. It’s always club business.”
“Don’t give me no lip, woman. Not when I’m not there to shut you up by ramming my dick down your throat.”
“That would require you actually being here.”
“Maybe I’d want to be there if you didn’t nag me to fucking death. You could’ve come. Your family would have loved to see you.”
“I told you it was Leona’s bridal shower. I couldn’t miss it. I’m her maid of honor.”
And I’m just your fucking husband. I don’t voice the thought. It’d only lead to another argument. One of many we’ve been having lately. Faye and I have reached what some call the seven-year itch. We’ve been reduced to roommate status. People who share a space but not a life. I’ve been trying to push through and find any reason to stay with her, but Faye’s a bitch and doesn’t make it easy to want to try.
I don’t know why I try. I know why she stays. She loves the status being my ol’ lady gives her. Loves being the queen bee. But she doesn’t love me. Not the way she once pretended to, and I can’t help but wonder why either of us bothers with this fucking charade.
I asked her to ride to California on the back of my bike. Thought it’d give us some much-needed time together. Her arms wrapped around me for the ride. Her body pressed to mine in my tent at night.
That maybe we’d reignite that short-lived spark we had.
Instead, I rode out without her and now I’m riding back with a beautiful yet broken beauty that isn’t my wife. Faye will raise ten kinds of hell when I roll through that gate with Jessika’s tits pressed to my back and I’ll pay the price because the look on her face will be well worth it to remind her that she’s fucking replaceable. If she doesn’t want to be with me, there’s five more bitches eager to take her spot any fucking day of the week.
“See you when I get back.” I end the call and glance back toward the motel. My gaze immediately lands on Jessika. My favor to Big Daddy. Getting her out of Anarchy. Away from the men who will be hunting her for exposing their plan to take him out.
Her bastard of a husband will be too busy trying to survive Big Daddy to worry about where Jessika has disappeared to, but that doesn’t mean the cartel won’t have her on their radar. She needs to lay low until this shit blows over. No better place to do it than Devil’s Creek. My personal slice of heaven. A small town where everyone knows everyone but doesn’t share our secrets with outsiders. She’ll be safe there under the protection of my chapter of the KOAMC. Under my protection.
Under me.
Fuck me, she is too damn tempting and sweet.
She looks cute wearing my white t-shirt tied up at her waist paired with them tight-fitting jeans that hug her curvy hips and fine ass. I’ve never been jealous of a pair of jeans until now. I shouldn’t be checking her out in front of everyone, but I’m a man and notice when a woman looks damn good and fuck me if she isn’t gorgeous. A walking fantasy. She’s trouble. In every sense of the word. Bad guys are after her and physically, she’s just my type. Dirty blonde hair, gorgeous baby blues, and pouty red lips you just want to taste. She’s in a danger and I’m compelled to be the man who saves her.
When I wave her over, she has this uneasy expression on her face. Pinched brows, tight lips, sadness is in her eyes. “Everything okay?”
“Peachy keen.”
I study her for a minute. “Did someone say something?”
“You mean, did anyone tell me about the wife you failed to mention?”
“Look.”
“You know what? Don’t explain. It doesn’t matter. We can pretend nothing happened. No one has to know.”
“Is that what you want?”
“Yeah.” She drops the conversation there. Easy. Simple.
My gut tells me this is far from over, but if this is her play, I’ll let her have it for now.
I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking fucking her and putting her on the back of my bike. Guess that’s the problem. I wasn’t thinking. At least not with my goddamned brains.
“Good. Let’s hit the road.”
Jessika climbs on my bike, wrapping her arms snug around my center. The pointed end of her helmet resting on my shoulder. Her touch feels a little too good. Especially when I’m missing the way shit used to be between Faye and me. The problem is, I’m uncertain if I miss Faye or companionship. I’d been faithful up until last night outside of an occasional blowjob on the road, but has she?
That’s a question I keep asking myself, but don’t know if I really want the answer. Because it means I’ve failed.
And I don’t fail.
At anything.
When we married, she made me promise her two things. If I stepped out on her, I’d never do it at home where it could be rubbed in her face and that I’d never get anyone pregnant.
Fuck me.
I didn’t even ask Jessika if she was on the pill. Bringing it up now would only make me look like an even bigger asshole.
Her husband beat the shit out of her and I took advantage.
I’ll make it up to her somehow. Some fucking way.
I manage to ride a few hours before I’m pulling off for the bathroom. Jessika was right about those fucking gas station burritos. I’m dehydrated and feel as though my insides are going to blow out of my asshole if I don’t vomit them up first.
“Fuck, man. You look like hell,” Gray, my VP says as I stumble out of the bathroom wanting nothing more than to crawl into a soft bed and shut the world out for ten hours until I sleep this shit off.
“No shit, Sherlock.”
“Are you going to be able to ride?”
I stare at the reflection of my men in the gas station window, but my gaze immediately locks in on someone it shouldn’t. Jessika. I’m drawn to her like a fucking magnet, unable to keep my eyes off her. She’s cramming white powdered donuts into her mouth, looking like she’s been blowing a clown’s dick with all that white sugar around her pretty lips.
She catches me staring at her and I glance away, pretending I wasn’t staring at her mouth, wondering if her lips taste as sweet as I’m imagining. I’ve not had a taste of them being she has stitches, but since last night all I’ve wanted is to kiss her fucking stupid.
My stomach grumbles, interrupting my thoughts. Reminding me I can’t be tempted to stray from my wife again.
I’ve got to get my shit together.
This shit is embarrassing. I’m supposed to be the bad ass president of a motorcycle club and can’t ride for nearly shitting my pants every twenty minutes. I should let her ride with Gray, but he’s got my sister riding bitch with him, and I know Low damn sure isn’t about to give up that seat. I’m well aware my little sister has a crush on my VP, but he swears he doesn’t see her that way. He views her the same way I do. Like family, or so he claims. It’d break her heart if she knew he has a thing going on with Madz, one of the club girls.
One day, that scene is going to play out. It’ll be bad. It’ll hurt, but she’ll get over it.
“We can stop over for one more night.”
“And have Faye accuse me of being delayed because I’m fucking around on her? No thanks.” The truth is, I don’t trust myself to spend another night alone in a room with Jessika and not make another pass at her. She doesn’t need that right now and I’m a married man. I need to act like it. Faye’s name tattooed across my finger itches in reminder. I made a promise. Gave my word to cherish and honor her as my ol’ lady.
