Roman, page 9
“I get it. One thing at a time. Let’s find Brick. Maybe he knows where she is.”
I took out my phone and shot off a text to the VP. No response. That wasn’t like him. Maybe he was in a meeting with Sting.
“I’m going to check her room again,” Winter said. “Maybe I just missed her in passing somehow.”
“I’ll meet you in a minute. Gonna check in with Sting. Haven’t seen him in a couple of days. It’s possible he knows where Brick is.”
After kissing Winter once more, I made my way to Sting’s office. The president was at his deck, his feet propped up. Brick was passed out on the couch. The place reeked of whisky.
“What’s going on?”
Brick grumbled intelligibly while Sting just frowned at the big man.
“Someone went on a bender the last couple of days.” Sting nodded toward Brick. “Something’s got him in a real snit this time.”
“Not sure I’ve ever seen him do this to himself. What the fuck?”
“He’s been sleeping it off for about twelve hours now. When he wakes up, I’ll get answers.”
“I was looking for him to see if he’d seen Serelda, but I can see that’s not gonna work.”
“No.” He raised an eyebrow. “There a problem with Serelda?”
“Yeah. Winter can’t find her. Those two always communicate their whereabouts. Even if it’s just across the fucking room.” I exchanged a hard look with Sting. “Something’s wrong.”
“I get that.” He sighed as he picked up the phone. “Stitches, get to my office with some of that banana shit for drunks. I need my VP sober.” He slammed the phone down and grumbled something about skinning Brick alive when this was over.
“I’d like to see you try that. He only lets you beat up on him ‘cause you’re the president.”
“No shit? Well, he’ll take this too.”
“Ain’t a crime to get drunk, you know.”
“Not if it was because something went down with him and his woman.”
That got my attention. “So it’s not just me.” Sting gave me a look like I was an idiot. “I’m not stupid, brother. I figured it out all on my own.”
“Yeah? Too bad that dumbass didn’t.” He gestured to Brick.
“You’re sure one thing has to do with the other?”
“Don’t believe in coincidences. Besides, even if it doesn’t, he’s taken her on as a protector. He wants to get all rip-roarin’ drunk, he finds someone to babysit while he does.”
I winced. “Not sure I’d add the babysitting part where Winter can hear.”
That got a grin out of Sting. “Or my woman. Iris would bust my balls.”
Stitches entered the room with an IV bag of bright yellow liquid. “It’s called a banana bag, and it doesn’t sober up drunks. It rehydrates them along with other shit you wouldn’t understand, and I don’t feel like explainin’.” The doc knelt beside Brick and tied a tourniquet around his upper arm before swabbing it with an alcohol prep. “Brick!” He smacked the other man’s face several times in an effort to wake him up. He wasn’t gentle about it. “Wake the fuck up, man.”
“Whassup? Wha’der’ya doin’?”
“Fixin’ to stick a big-ass needle in your arm. You move or take a swing at me, I’ll jab it in your chest. Decompress a fuckin’ lung or some shit, then leave you to die a gruesome death.”
I snorted and Sting had to cover his mouth to keep from smiling.
Brick frowned up at Stitches, then looked around. “Where’m I?”
“My fuckin’ office. You got black-out drunk and puked all over the bar. Didn’t want my VP to pass out and drown in his own vomit, so I brought you here to babysit.”
Brick stuck his chin up. “I can get drunk on my own. Don’t need no fuckin’ baby -- OW! What the fuck, man?”
Stitches had stuck him in the bend of his elbow with an orange-bottomed IV needle. “Suck it up, buttercup. I ain’t waitin’ half a fuckin’ hour for this shit to go in. I got shit to do.”
“What’s that got to do with the fact that fuckin’ hurt?”
“Normally, I’d use an eighteen-gauge needle on a patient needin’ fluids. Goes in fast but isn’t so big if feels like you’re gettin’ stabbed. Since I had to leave two of the most talented blowjob experts I’ve ever had to come fix your sorry ass, you don’t get the courtesy of savin’ you a little pain. You get quick. So I used a fourteen. Two sizes bigger than I normally would.”
Brick gave him a hard stare. “Got no idea what that fuckin’ means.”
Stitches finished taping down the IV site and hooked up the fluids, hanging them on the IV pole he’d brought with him. “I can always load him up with potassium, Sting. It’ll hurt like a motherfucker goin’ in, then give him horrific chest pain right before it stops his heart. Detectable in an autopsy, but then someone would have to find his sorry ass to do one.”
“Not until after he helps us find Serelda.” Sting crossed his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. Brick jerked like Sting had struck him before bounding to his feet. Stitches reached out and shoved him back down.
“What? Where’d she go?”
“Not sure she’s gone. Just can’t find her. When was the last time you seen her?”
Brick looked away. Guiltily? “Yesterday.”
When he said nothing, Sting prompted. “And?”
Brick scrubbed a hand over his face. “And… she saw me at the party.”
“That can’t be all of it,” I said. That feeling of dread got much stronger.
“I was with a couple of the club girls. Didn’t start out that way, but it ended that way. Serelda saw and…” He sighed heavily. “I didn’t think the girl was interested in me that way.”
“How could you possibly not know?”
We all turned to see Winter standing in the open door. Stitches hadn’t shut it after he came in. Winter looked ready to do murder.
“She never said anything!” Brick tried to defend himself, but I could see it was a half-hearted attempt at best. He knew he’d fucked up. “I thought she wanted me around for my size. So I could scare off anyone she felt threatened by.” Brick’s obvious panic was cutting through the last of the alcohol in his blood, adrenaline taking over.
Winter stepped forward and, before I knew what she intended to do, slapped Brick with all the strength in her slight body. “You fucking bastard!” Brick looked as stunned as I felt. We all knew Winter had it in her, but I never expected this. Should have. Even given the seriousness of the situation, her show of aggression made my cock stand up at attention.
“Sexy as fuck…”
She whipped her head around to me, bringing her fury with her. “You think this is a game? No one hurts my sister, Roman. No one!” She turned back to Brick. “You better pray we find Serelda quickly, or I will cut off your fuckin’ balls! We’ll see how well your whores like you then!”
“We’ll find her, honey. I swear.” Roman was the one who spoke, though Brick looked just as determined.
“Damned fuckin’ straight we’ll find her!” Then, to my complete and utter horror, Winter burst into tears. I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly. She’d told me when I hugged her like that she felt safe. Secure. I knew she needed that kind of hug more than ever now.
“Wylde!” Sting called out. The tech guy’s office was next to the president’s. Sure enough, the other man appeared in the doorway.
“Prez?”
“Pull surveillance around the clubhouse and the grounds over the last twenty-four hours. Need you to find Serelda.”
“She leave the compound?”
“Not sure. Possibly.”
Wylde nodded. “Not a problem. She got her phone with her?”
I pulled back and looked down at Winter. “Has she answered any of your texts?”
“No. But I didn’t find her phone anywhere.”
“I’ll start there,” Wilde said with a nod. “When I programmed her phone to have everyone’s numbers I also put a tracker in it. If she’s got it on her, it’ll lead me straight to her.”
“You what?”
“Relax, honey.” I kissed her lips once to take the sting out of the tracker thing. “We’ve all got one. It’s a safety thing.”
Wylde headed back to his office, and we all followed. Brick grumbled when he had to push the IV pole, but Stitches just smacked the back of his head and told him to stop being a fucking pussy.
Once behind his computer, Wylde’s fingers flew over the keyboard and clicked the mouse over and over. “Yeah. She’s got her phone with her. Using the maps app right now. Let me access her camera to make sure she didn’t ditch it.” A few seconds later, he gave a crisp, satisfied nod. “There’s our girl.” He turned the monitor around for us all to see. Serelda was looking at her phone, then up, then back down. Then she went out of frame. Looked like she had it in her hand as she walked.
“Where is she?”
“Bus station. Not sure where she’s headed, but I’ll know soon. My guess would be she’s goin’ back to Lake Worth.”
Brick stood and reached for the IV in his arm. “On my way.”
“You ain’t goin’ nowhere until you’re completely sober.” Stitches shook his head. “And if you rip out the IV, I’ll put one in two more sizes bigger.”
“No, I want Brick to go after her.” Sting waved his hand. “He dug his own hole with this one. Time he buried himself in it. Send Atlas with him, Roman. Then you go take the edge off your woman before she cuts one of us. Stitches don’t need the work when he’s already in a bad mood.”
“I want to go after my sister.” Winter stuck her chin up in a stubborn tilt.
“I know you do.” Sting acknowledged her but wasn’t harsh about it. “You can go to her when Brick gets her back.”
“She probably doesn’t want anything to do with him anymore,” Winter grumbled, but I could see she wasn’t going to fight this. Which meant she knew Brick was the man for her sister. If Brick could get Serelda to forgive him and let him back into her life, I knew my brother would make things right with her.
“Don’t blame her, honey.” I fixed my gaze on Brick. “Sting’s right, though. Brick ran her off. He needs to be the one to bring her back.”
“We all good?” Sting looked around the room. Everyone but Stitches gave grunts or nods. Stitches just scowled.
“He falls on his ass he’s on his own. And he better not fuckin’ drive or take his fuckin’ weapon or I’ll make good on my threat to kill him.”
“Noted.” Sting clapped Wylde on the shoulder. “Good work, brother. Brick? You better fuckin’ bring her home. And she better be fuckin’ ecstatic to be here when she gets back.”
Tall order, but if anyone could pull it off, it was Brick. I knew he loved that girl even if he didn’t realize it himself. It might have started out with his strong protective instincts, but his feelings had grown. Right now, he looked devastated.
“I’ll bring her home to you, little sister.” Brick looked squarely at Winter. “I swear it on my life.”
Epilogue
Winter
“I want to go after my sister, Roman.” I’d kept quiet until we got into our room, but I wasn’t letting this go.
“I know you do, baby, but let Sting handle this.”
“If she saw Brick with one of your club whores, she’ll be devastated!”
“Look at me, baby. Look at me.” When I did, he framed my face in his hands. “Did she ever say anything to make you think she wanted Brick for more than a friend or protector?”
I thought back. “No. But anyone could see it. Brick should have seen!”
“I know, honey. But he’s a guy. Either he thought she was just infatuated with him, or he was too busy taking care of her to see she had deeper feelings. Brick can be a dumbass sometimes with emotions, but he’s the best man I know. He’s VP because Sting and Warlock both trust him with their lives and the lives of everyone in this club. He’s a fierce protector of what he considers his. My guess is he thought Serelda wouldn’t be interested in him that way because of everything the two of you went through. His mistake was underestimating your sister. He won’t make the same mistake twice.”
I sighed. I got it. We were hard to read. Given we’d cut ourselves off from any kind of sexual relationships for so long, it was no wonder Brick was confused. I wasn’t sure he could mend their relationship, given Serelda had insecurities as deep as mine, but he needed to be given the chance. For both their sakes.
“I love you, Roman. If this doesn’t work out between Brick and Serelda, I’m going to need to take her away for a while. Probably back to Black Reign. I can’t be separated from her.”
“I understand. I’ll be with you wherever you have to go. Just don’t count Brick out yet. OK?”
“OK.” I smiled up at him.
“Now. It could be a while before Brick coaxes her back. Keep your phone with you in case she calls or texts, but come to bed with me.” He winked. “I’ll help you pass the time.”
“Oh, you will, will you?” I stepped into his arms, loving how he surrounded me. “How you planning on doing that?”
“I’ll have to show you. And you’ve got too many clothes on.” His wicked expression was all the encouragement I needed.
Once we were both naked, he spread me out on the bed and pushed my thighs apart and to my chest. “Need my daily treat.”
His tongue snaked out and swiped from my pussy to my clit. I arched my back, moaning loudly as pleasure engulfed me. I must have believed Brick was what my sister needed. Otherwise, I could never be here like this. I’d be pacing the floor losing my mind. But the big man was so protective of her, I knew he’d do whatever she needed. I actually trusted someone other than myself to take care of Serelda outside of Black Reign.
Then Roman covered my pussy with his mouth and plunged his tongue deep inside me, and I let it all go. I’d never thought I’d ever find pleasure in a man’s arms, let alone pleasure like Roman gave me. I finally understood what the big deal was. The rush was as addicting as the man himself. Roman. My very own biker.
“Oh, God! I love you so much, Roman!” I screamed as I came, needing to let him know how I felt. Needing him to know he was just as important to my life as Serelda was. He was my rock. My salvation. The man who would take care of me and defend me with his dying breath.
“Love you too, baby.” He crawled up the bed to cover me with his delicious, big body. “You want to be on top?”
“No. I want you just like this.” I brought him down for a kiss as he entered me in a slow, wet glide. I whimpered as he situated himself, giving me time to adjust.
Roman caught my hands in his, lacing our fingers together as he brought them over my head. I looked up into his eyes, waiting for panic to seize me. When it didn’t, I smiled at him in wonder.
“Roman? Oh, wow!” I shivered and my clit throbbed.
“You good? Need me to let you go?”
“No! Don’t you dare!”
He gave me a cocky grin. Then he moved inside me.
Though he held me down, his movements weren’t aggressive, and all I could think about was the pleasure. The excitement. I never thought I’d be able to appreciate the appeal of a big man.
Roman was everything I never thought I’d ever want in a man. Big. Scary-looking. Rough. Gorgeous. Yet I’d never felt threatened by him. Even when he’d been so startled to find us in his truck where we’d hidden, he’d been gruff, but I hadn’t been frightened of him.
Now? All I felt was the love he’d professed for me. I could feel his love every time he touched me. In every kiss.
“Feel good, baby?”
“You know it does. Can’t you feel my pussy squeezing your cock?”
“Fuck!” His body slickened with sweat, and his dick swelled inside me. “Yeah, I can fuckin’ feel it.”
I leaned up and whispered in his ear. “It wants your cum.”
Roman arched his back and roared to the ceiling. My words must have surprised him, because there was no warning. His hot seed bursting inside me triggered my own release, and I screamed as I clung to him, my body floating on a sea of sensation.
“Fuck me.” Roman gasped as he collapsed on top of me. He kissed my neck and shoulder as I came down from the orgasmic high he’d caused in me.
“Already did that.” I tried to laugh but could barely get words out.
“Yeah. You did.” He rolled over so that I lay sprawled on top of him, then pulled the covers over us. “I’ll clean us up in a minute. Right now, I just want to hold you for a while.”
“Fine by me.” I sighed. “Best. Distraction. Ever.”
Roman chuckled softly. “It was.”
“I might need more distraction later.”
“Just say the word. I gotcha.”
“This is real. Right? You and me? I didn’t just dream all this, did I?”
“Everything about this is real. Feels like a dream to me, too, but I’ve already pinched myself several times and I haven’t woken up, so…”
“At least I’m not the only one.” I sighed contentedly. “I want to stay with you forever.”
“Just try to leave. I’ll follow and bring you right back to my side.”
“Same for you.”
I must have dozed off for a bit, because the next thing I knew, Roman was cleaning between my legs and pulling me against him to lay my head on his chest. Could life get any better?
OK. Yes. It could.
But that would be up to Brick. If he managed to make Serelda happy, my life would be complete. I’d have to wait for that one. But weren’t all good things worth waiting for? We’d see.
We’d see.
Marteeka Karland
Erotic romance author by night, emergency room tech/clerk by day, Marteeka Karland works really hard to drive everyone in her life completely and totally nuts. She has been creating stories from her warped imagination since she was in the third grade. Her love of writing blossomed throughout her teenage years until it developed into the totally unorthodox and irreverent style her English teachers tried so hard to rid her of.
