Crank's Rescue (Hell Raiders MC Book 6), page 5
For the time being, though, my biggest battle lay in keeping my fucking hands off Sarah. Before, I fucked her like I would never see her again. Things changed, though, and I wanted to see a whole lot more of her. If I scared her off now, I might never win her trust. Despite the raging need to burn myself into her mind and body, to mark her as mine, I worked hard to keep a little distance. That hadn't stopped me from stocking up on condoms when I went out for coffee and donuts, though. And I planned to use every one of them, but the time needed to be right. She deserved more than to have me go at her like an animal.
Her tense muscles slowly relaxed under my fingers, and she yawned—which I found adorable. Eventually, Sarah dozed, leaving me to think my outrageously dirty thoughts. The things I wanted to do to her would make a whore blush. I liked to fuck as much as any man, but this new, driving need threw me off balance. A compulsion to possess her, consume her, and mark her as my woman in a way that left no doubt made my heart race.
I tried to force my mind back to the situation facing us, and refine the plan to bring down Sennit and his kid raping buddies, with absolutely no fucking luck. Every time I started to think about how to lay my plan out to Fergus, Prez of the Ghost Walkers, fantasies about Sarah's body jumped in to distract me.
Fuck. I needed my head clear for this meet. The Walkers were a substantial club of mostly Native Americans, with a broad territory, and their hands in just about every pie. Operating on their turf without their approval, and assistance, would prove impossible. Last time, we managed to just notify them of our presence, but we had the necessary manpower to do the job. This time, I needed some of their people in the game. I just hoped to fuck they would commit to bringing the bastard and his buddies down.
I went over my plan again, searching for loopholes and weaknesses. Sennit was the loose cannon. I needed to know how he would react when things started going south for him, and he fucking figured out his days were numbered. He would make trouble. Of that, I had no fucking doubt. But he could easily hurt an innocent in the process, and I wanted to avoid that. Collateral damage always turned into bad press for MCs, no matter the surrounding circumstances.
Sarah shifted in my arms, turning to snuggle her cheek into my chest. A soft smile crossed her face. What was she thinking, or dreaming, to give her that smile? Was it about me? I fucking hoped so.
What the hell was my fucking problem? I never cared about how a woman felt before, or whether they were happy or not. And now I found myself hoping I put a smile on a chick's face while she slept. Fucking pathetic. I hadn't even properly fucked her since I came back. Hell, I'd barely got her off at all before I lost myself. I never had an issue with control before. I could fuck as long as the chick let me, and beyond, but with Sarah, I had to consciously hold back from the moment she opened her sweet mouth to me. Even now, just thinking about it, my dick hardened with need for her.
Shit. I spent the next few minutes trying to get my mind off Sarah—nearly impossible with her cuddled in my arms. No matter how silky her hair felt between my fingers, I had to keep my shit together. The risk to Sarah scared the fuck out of me. If I slipped, she could get killed, if Sennit had the balls. That thought turned my stomach and made me want to crawl inside her. Yeah, I couldn't handle losing her. I would have to do whatever it took to keep her safe, and preferably in my bed for a good long while.
She moved a little, roused up, blinking at me with sleepy, sexy eyes. That soft smile settled on her lips again, and something loosened in my chest. That smile was mine.
"Mornin', sleepyhead." I tightened my arms around her when she would have sat up. "Nope, you're not going anywhere. Got you right where I want you."
The smile changed and her teeth sank into her full bottom lip. "Oh, really?"
I tilted my hips a little so she could feel my hard-on. "Really." If it was the last thing I ever did, I had to have her again. The decision wasn't even fully formed before I flipped her under me, and settled my mouth over hers. The moan she gave in response loosened that thing in my chest a little more. I didn't take time to analyze it, though. To hell with waiting for the right time.
Sarah's mouth softened under mine, and she opened willingly for me. I refused to hurry. I spent a long time exploring her mouth, learning all her secrets, before I moved to her neck. Absolutely everything, like how when I ran my tongue along the shell of her ear, she whimpered with desire, I had to know it all. Ever fucking bit of her. Like how my teeth raked over a pulse point made her groan with need, and arch against me.
Clothes refused to melt away, no matter how much I wanted them to, so I had to take the time to remove them, but when they were gone, and I could see and touch all of Sarah's naked glory…well, the effort was worth it. As much as I sought to learn and explore her, Sarah returned it all in spades. This woman possessed the ability to fucking rock my world with just a touch.
The moment I slid inside her, I knew. The thing in my chest uncoiled with an explosion of awareness. How had I fucking missed this before? She was it. Destiny, fate, what the fuck ever you want to call it. That's what Sarah was to me. In the few short moments before I spilled myself into her, my whole universe turned inside out. It was no longer just me against the world. I had Sarah now.
She clung to me after, as we both struggled to catch our breath, and I wondered if she felt it, too. How the fuck could she not? I rolled to my back, keeping my arms around her, and pulled her as close to me as possible. Was I supposed to say something? Tell her? Or wait? After some consideration, waiting seemed like the way to go. If she didn't realize it yet, my saying it out loud might scare her away. What I felt was too fucking intense, unnatural. I couldn't risk losing her so soon. So I stayed silent, and let my touch say it. The messy condom needed taken care of, but I didn't give a shit at the moment, as long as she stayed in my arms.
The phone rang, breaking the spell, but I was tempted to fucking ignore it, and just stay there in that hotel room for eternity, holding my woman to me, keeping her close and safe. That call might provide the key to a future without fear for her, though, and I couldn't let that pass.
"Yeah."
"Hey, man, boss got you a meet an' greet with that ol' boy. Texting you the deets." Dix ended the call, having said all he needed to.
Sarah looked up at me, her face still flushed from sex. "Everything okay?"
Her lips drew me in before I could answer, and I lost long moments exploring them again. Finally, I managed to pull away. "Fucking perfect, now. Kellen managed to get me a meeting with someone who can help, if he will."
Confusion darkened her eyes a little. "I thought you said we shouldn't involve the police or anything yet."
I chuckled a little. "Darlin', these boys ain't cops." My phone buzzed with an incoming text. I checked quickly. "Shit, we have to get moving. The meet's in two hours."
"Oh. I guess you'll have to get ready, then."
"Not just me, darlin'. You know the details about Sennit. They need to hear it straight from you." Besides, I wasn't fucking letting her out of my sight. These men were not my Brothers, and therefore, not to be trusted with my woman.
A faint crease appeared between her brows. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm not usually that great around non-police types. They all think I want to take their kids away."
Irresistible. I smoothed my thumb over that little frown. "These guys won't think that."
"How can you be so sure?" Worry tinged her voice.
"For one, they don't actually live right here. And two, they're kind of a law unto themselves." Should I prepare her a little more for the Walkers? No fucking clue how to do that, though. They were…unique. Only one brief meet-up with a few of them left a lasting impression on me.
"That doesn't matter. Most people don't like caseworkers, or trust them."
Well, I couldn't deny that fact. "You'll have to trust me, okay? They wouldn't have agreed to a meet if they were going to hold your job against you. Kellen filled Fergus, the Prez, in a little, and he's agreed to consider putting his club's resources behind us to bring down Sennit. But he'll want to talk to you himself, too."
She paled. "Club? As in biker gang? Like yours?"
"Motorcycle Club. Just some folks who enjoy riding bikes. Whatever the individual members get up to is not related to the Club. Remember that." That little technical difference had to be drilled into her head. "And yes, kind of like the Hell Raiders."
She shook her head. "I can't be associated with criminals, Crank. I'll lose my job."
"They are not criminals. Neither am I." That hurt a little, but I had to admit, some of the Walkers were probably up to their fucking necks in crime, just like some of the Raiders. I stepped over the line sometimes, but I tried to mostly skirt the legal bullshit. Fucking prison held no appeal for me.
One hand lifted to lay along my jaw. "I didn't mean it that way, Crank." She sat up. "I guess it's just that I know you, and feel safe with you. I don't know those people, and I'm nervous."
She felt safe with me? "Darlin', you shouldn't feel too safe around me. I'm the big bad wolf, ready to eat you up." I leaned to rake my teeth over her throat and growl a little.
She shuddered in reaction. "I don't think that's such a bad thing." She tilted her head, baring her throat more to me.
A sense of power, unlike anything I ever experienced, raced through me. Nobody ever trusted me that much. Ever. I could break this woman, and she trusted me not to.
Fuck the time. I grabbed a fresh condom and pulled her under me and slid inside her with one deep thrust. She wrapped herself around me and held on tight as I drove us both over the edge of ecstasy again.
Sarah:
I tried my best to keep my nerves from showing as we rode to meet with Crank's friends. It all seemed surreal. Everything. From having Crank come to me, and having such incredible sex with him, to going to a meeting with a biker gang. No matter what he said, I couldn't turn off that phrase in my mind. They certainly weren't Boy Scouts.
Almost an hour later, we pulled into a parking lot outside a small bakery. I blinked at Crank in surprise. He wanted donuts at a time like this?
He smiled at me, and my bones melted. "Come on. Time to meet Fergus and his boys."
My heart sank into my stomach. "Here? At a bakery?" The idea seemed ludicrous.
"Yeah, here. The Walkers own the bakery and several of their women run it." He got out and came around to open my door. "Just stay beside me, and be ready to answer some questions."
My hand shook as I put it in his and let him help me down from the big SUV. Suddenly, Sennit and his thugs looked far less dangerous. Crank settled his warm hand on my lower back, and the fear subsided as he guided me inside. He wouldn't let anything happen to me.
Delicious aromas competed for attention inside, and a glass display case held an assortment of beautiful, intricate cakes. Another display brimmed with more kinds of pastries and donuts than I'd ever seen in one place. One section held nothing but cupcakes of unimaginable variety. Behind the counter, a refrigerated case held cakes and pies waiting to be picked up.
"This place is incredible!" I stared around at everything, unable to take it all in.
"Hi, welcome to Betty Blue's. Can I help you?" A redhead who looked like a 1950s pinup model smiled brightly from behind the counter.
"Yeah, we'll have the daily special." Crank didn't miss a beat, as if he came there all the time.
"Sure thing, sugar. Right this way." She came out from behind the counter and wove between the tables with a strut like a model on the catwalk. The smile she sent Crank meant he could have whatever was on her menu.
Jealousy surged through me, and I moved closer to Crank, plastering myself to his side. He glanced at me with one dark brow raised, then his gaze traveled to the waitress' butt, and he gave a knowing grin, but draped his arm around my neck. His big hand hovered just over my breast, reminding me of the sensations he could create with it. It felt natural to slip my arm around him and let my hand rest at his hip.
We reached a set of double doors marked 'Private', and the waitress halted and turned to face us. She took in the way Crank's palm practically cupped my breast, and smirked. "Wait right here. Someone will be out to show you in." She turned to go, but paused at my side. "I like it both ways, sweetheart. Just let me know if you need anything." She winked, then sashayed back the way we came.
My heart skipped a beat and I gasped as her words registered. Had that woman really just propositioned me? Heat surged to my cheeks as one of the doors opened.
"You're from Kentucky?" The skinny young man with the scraggly beard standing in the door looked us over doubtfully.
"Crank. Kellen told me the daily special here is really good."
The man nodded. "Come on." He turned to lead us through.
Crank leaned down to kiss the top of my head. "Stay close, darlin'."
I nodded. He didn't have to tell me twice. My stomach turned flip-flops as I took in our surroundings. We walked down an aisle created by pallets of supplies, all stacked higher than my head. The cool, dry air was at least a welcome relief from the heat outside.
The low light shielded most of the details from me, but I felt Crank's body coil with tension. Then we reached the end of the aisle and turned the corner into a large open area. A heavy plank table sat in the center, surrounded by an assortment of camp chairs, stools, and other makeshift seating.
The men sitting at the table drew my attention more than anything. Although they all wore the black leather vests and jeans Crank's buddies favored, the similarities ended there. Dark bronzed faces with penetrating black eyes turned our way. The men all had dark hair, ranging from blue-black, to dark brown, but while some wore military style crew cuts, long braids rested on a few shoulders. One man, large and imposing, had thick, blue-black hair surrounding his shoulders in a silky-looking curtain.
Two sported shaved heads, except for a circular patch at the crowns of their heads. The remaining section of hair had been allowed to grow long, and woven into complex plaits that swung to nearly waist length. Those two stood, somber, with arms crossed over their chests, behind the man who wore his long hair loose.
All of them were heavily tattooed, and wore what appeared to be bone piercings in ears, eyebrows, noses, and lips. I couldn't imagine a fiercer looking group of men. The man with his hair down rose to stand, hands on hips, and for the first time, I noticed what looked like a bone breast-plate, like some Plains Indians warriors wore before Europeans came along.
"You must be Crank." His voice rumbled, deeper than I expected.
"I am. And you must be Fergus."
"Truth. And who is the enchanting creature at your side?" The man's feral smile sent a chill up my spine.
Crank chuckled. "Down boy. This is my ol' lady, Sarah. She's also the one with the information on the dirty social worker."
Ol' lady? I tried to remember how Crank's buddies used that term.
Fergus laughed aloud. "You can't blame an Injun for trying." He returned to his seat, and motioned Crank to sit, as well. He sent one of the others to find a proper chair for me. "How can we help? And what do you offer in return?"
I sat there, feeling conspicuous and extremely uncomfortable, while Crank outlined Sennit's operation, and his plan to take it all down. The meticulous thought process behind the idea astounded me, but the feeling of overlooking something huge persisted.
Crank bargained with Fergus for what seemed like hours before a deal was struck. Finally, though, they stood and clasped forearms, then returned to their seats. Relief settled in, and my shoulders relaxed a little, until that nagging little doubt returned. What had I missed? There had to be something.
Fergus turned to me. "Okay, Sarah. Your turn. How do I get a girl into your system where this asshole can find her?"
Well, there it was. The big glaring hole in the plan. "I, uh, I'm not sure." I looked to Crank in panic, then explained. "Sennit knows I'm on to him. Any file that originates with me will be suspicious. I don't know how to get her in without putting her at risk." It was a nice thought, anyway. Bringing down someone who used the system to profit was one thing, but to stop someone who used the same system to victimize innocents? That was vital. And now we had no way to do it.
Crank shook his head. "So the file doesn't originate with you. Tell me exactly what happens when a new case file starts. How does a kid end up in the system?"
I spent the next half hour walking him through everything from the initial complaint call and investigation, to the child being placed. Once he realized how it worked, Crank would admit the loss. Nothing could be done without compromising anyone attached to this hypothetical file. But as I explained, he made a few notes on a pad, and nodded a lot. The men around the table half listened, and occupied themselves with more interesting pursuits, like cleaning their nails with huge hunting knives.
I finished, and Crank tapped his pen on the notepad for a few seconds. "Okay. I need the full names of everyone who works in your office."
"How does that help?" Yes, maybe I should just hand over the information he asked for, but those people were my friends and coworkers. I owed it to them to not just hand their information over without question.
Crank flashed me a smile, one I recognized from when we took Fabio's niece and nephew from the home where Sennit ordered me to place them. It came when we sped away from the house in my work car, and I demanded he stop and let me out. He told me intended to keep me alive, whether I wanted him to or not.
"Sarah. I need the names. With them, I can hack the system and initiate the case under someone else's credentials. I'll be able to backdate everything, so our file gets immediate attention."
When he explained it that way, it sort of made sense. So then why did I still feel like some astronomical base was still left uncovered? "Okay. I'll give you everything I know on them all."
"So there we go. The girl will be as safe as we can make it, considering Sennit's actions of the past. And you know exactly how it'll be done." Crank stood, and clasped hands with Fergus again.
