Chapter 23

TRAX

Night comes earlier now that summer is over. The sky is overcast so I can't even see the stars overhead as I take another drag off my cigarette. The clubhouse is filled with brothers as we get ready to do this run tonight. That's why I'm smoking outside enjoying the quiet.

I need a minute to myself.

I love being a Road Devil. It was Merle's thing way before it became mine. Even though I thought I knew what it was about, I didn't until they patched me in. One day I was a civilian as we call non-club members and the next Truck asks me if I want to patch in without being a prospect. I never knew that could happen, but apparently, they felt I had done my dues. Not to mention tracking and finding Truck's young niece when she got lost in the woods was what sealed the deal.

Now I can't imagine life without the MC. Except, it's different now. It's not just me anymore. I got Sophie, so I'm finding my priorities are changing. I'm not leaving the Devils. Fuck, no. It's that getting wasted and fucking the club whores no longer appeals to me.

Sure I'll throw back a few shots of Jack with no fucking problem, but I don't need to drink anymore until I forget my name. Hell, I don't even want to. Those days were few and far between, but each weekend I could get lit with the best of them.

Not anymore. Well, at least not that bad anymore.

The Hellions.

They serve a purpose, but it's one that I no longer need. Easy, overused pussy holds no appeal for me. None so fucking ever. The only place my dick is happy these days is inside of Sophie. Never thought I'd be happy with just one woman, but damn she's all I want.

We've been living here at the clubhouse for about a month. This ain't a place for a couple to be. It's too crazy and we need more privacy, so I think I'm gonna push for her to find a place for us. I got plenty of cash I saved over the years so we could possibly buy a place outright.

I ain't saying I'm rich, but I didn't need to spend much of what I made all these years, so the safe in my room is pretty damn full. I grew up in rented rundown houses and now I could afford to pay cash for a one. How's that for a guy that didn't finish school and grew up being told he was a worthless piece of shit every day?

It's not been long for Sophie and me, but I'm not letting her go anywhere, so we might as well move out of the clubhouse. It makes perfect fucking sense. Scares to me fucking death, but it's something I gotta do. The clubhouse isn't working for us.

She hasn't complained once. Not fucking once about having to be here. Yet, I know she's ain't comfortable here. This life is new to her and living in the same place as horny single guys who fuck out in the open all the time, I'm sure ain't her thing. Not to mention, I've fucked these whores, too and she doesn't need them thrown in her face every damn day.

I don't regret what I've done under this roof, but there's only one woman I need now. Sophie needs to feel comfortable where she lives and this sure isn't the place. That's why with me being gone tonight, she's spending the night with her cousin, Chrissy. Since Diesel is on this run with me, Sophie said she and Chrissy were having a girls' night together. I was happy for her but my brain automatically shuts off when she started talking about chick flicks and ice cream.

It's good that she's out of the clubhouse since I'm not there.

I've made the decision that we need to move out of here and I'm good with that. I'll talk to her when I get back from this run. I don't want to leave, but I gotta. I suppose it's a compliment that Mace wanted me to do this but it's the damn last thing I want to do. The last run I did, I came back to Sophie being kidnapped. I know that's not going to happen again since that fucker is dead, but it's still there in the back of my mind.

I just don't want to go, but I am. The guys won't hear a single complaint out of me, but I'm not looking forward to being without her. That sounds like a total pussy thing to say, but this girl has me so damn crazy that she's all I can think out.

All fucking day long, I'm thinking about her.

If I told any of the brothers about this they'd laugh in my face. A month Sophie's been living in my room and sleeping in my bed. Only four fucking weeks and I can't imagine a night without her.

I laugh at myself as I take the last drag off of my cigarette before blowing smoke out into the night air. If this is what being pussy-whipped is all about, then I am all for it.

"Shit, Trax is smiling. Is the fucking world coming to an end? Maybe that zombie apocalypse is happening?"

I looked over and saw Cue and Raven laughing at me. "Shut up you fuckers. Can't even have a peaceful smoke without getting harassed around here." I was losing my touch. Typically, the guys didn't tease me, especially the younger brothers.

I was a hard worker. I was loyal to the core. I'd have my brother's backs without question, but I wasn't known to be a cheerful guy. Didn't have much to laugh about unless one of the guys did something stupid. That just ain't me.

Well, it ain't the old me. This newer version has me more relaxed and if I laugh now and then, so be it. Life is finally fucking good for me so if I smile once in a while, these assholes will have to deal with it.

The door to the club swings open as guys start to pour out. "Let's go you fuckers," Mace calls out heading toward his bike.

A few of the guys are quickly storing their shit in their saddlebags. None of us have our cuts showing. We're all wearing black hoodies over them to try to keep us as low-key as possible. That is if nine guys and a van surrounding an eighteen-wheeler could ever be low-fucking-key.

We're gonna spread out to keep an eye on things, but if anyone with a badge sees us on the backcountry roads we're screwed up the ass. That's why we're using the hiding in plain sight option tonight. We're gonna be protecting that shipment without looking like we are.

Coming home will be easy. We can all ride together and since it'll be the middle of the night, there will be fewer eyes on us. Even if we're seen, the shipment of whatever we are guarding will be long gone. Just a bunch of bikers out for a late-night ride.

"Good to have you with us, brother," Sugar says throws a leg over his bike.

"Thanks, man." I secure my lid under my chin while waiting for the signal to go. It's about a forty-five minute trip to where we are meeting up with the tractor-trailer.

"Everything still good with the ol' lady?" He's shouting over the roar as nine Harley's come alive.

I nod my head as Mace gives the signal to head out. The sooner we get going the sooner I'm back to my warm bed with my hot woman.

The first half of the night goes without a hitch. We met up with the truck and got to Nashville a little after one in the morning. I try not to groan as I get off my bike. That many hours riding without a break will make any guy's ass sore, except none of us are pussy enough to show it.

I see Diesel making his way over to me, so I acknowledge him with a "Hey."

"You gonna call and check in on Sophie?" Diesel asks.

I hadn't thought about that. "Should I? Are you checking in on Chrissy?"

"Always do. Figured if I did and you didn't, that may fuck you up with the ol' lady." The brother's got my back. He's been with Chrissy a lot longer than I've been with Sophie. Too many guys would've been pissed off, but I appreciate him checking in with me.

"Do you think they're up?"

Diesel chuckled, "I sent a text first and they're still up. If I know those two they are well into their second or third bottle of wine."

I took off my leather gloves shoving them into the pocket of my hoodie. "What happened to ice cream and chick flicks?"

"I lived with those two for months. I'm sure there's some movie playing in the background, but when I left there wasn't any ice cream in the freezer, but I saw four new bottles of wine taking up the space in the refrigerator where my beer goes. I'm about to call her right now, but I guarantee you they're both drunk." He saw my skepticism. "Go call her. Chrissy gets real horny when she's drunk and I call her. Maybe it runs in the family?" Diesel said with a wink before he took a few steps away from me.

Only one way to find out.

I pull out my cell and hit the speed dial for Sophie. After the fourth ring, I hear, "Baby!"

I turn away from the guys and smile. Diesel was right. She's toasted. "Having fun, Soph?"

"I love my cousin," she giggles.

"As long as you don't share that pussy with her, I'm good."

"Daryl! I can't believe you said that!" Her words are sloppy drunk, but I'm getting a kick out of it.

I hear Chrissy yell at her what did I say. And my Sophie tells her. Chrissy drunkenly hollers back, "Trax, I am so fucking tasting her pussy tonight!" I had my eyes on Diesel and watch his shoot to mine and he mouth's "What the fuck?"

There's no way I can't help but break out laughing. Then I suddenly wonder what if Chrissy means it? Have they done girl on girl shit in the past?

"You tell her I own that pussy of yours, so you better not let anyone else, including your horny cousin near it. Got that, Sophie?" I growl since I'm no longer sure they were joking around.

"Chrissy, he's not letting you near my pussy. Says he owns it." All Sophie can do it laugh. I've never seen this side of her, but I like that she's having fun even if she's drunk off her ass.

I can tell Diesel's hearing the same conversation I am as he's shaking his head with a big smile on his face. Chrissy starts shouting at Sophie again even though I'm sure they're in the same room. "Well, you tell, Trax that he ain't here and…what, baby?" There's a few seconds of silence and I can see Diesel talking to her in a quiet voice before Chrissy slurs, "D says I can't have your pussy until Trax and he can watch. That if he smells pussy on me when he gets home he won't fuck me in the ass. I sure love it when he does that so no pussy for me…"

"Fuckin' hell, your cousin is crazy," I laugh into the phone.

"I know isn't she great?"

"Yeah, but I could without knowing she likes it up the ass."

Sophie giggles back at me. "Fuck Daryl, I heard them having sex multiples times a day, nothing surprises me with them. I walked in on them a time or two and Chrissy just smiled at me as they kept on going at it as I ran to my room. I miss you, baby."

"Miss you too, Soph." I saw Mace waving me and Diesel over so I have to go. "Listen, baby. I gotta go, but I want you naked in bed tonight. When Diesel and get back, you're gonna wake up with my dick in you. Be ready."

"Can't wait!"

I didn't want to say good-bye but I had to. "Bye, Soph. See you in a few hours."

"Love you," she said before she hung up.

Hold on, did she just say that? I don't have the time to process what she said as Mace is yelling at me to get my damn fucking ass over there. I slide my phone into my back jean's pocket as I head over to where everyone is. Did she know she said that? She's drunk, so did she really mean it? We've never said the "I love you's yet." Sure, she's my ol' lady but I thought I may love her, but hell I'm not sure. I know I don't want anyone else with her and I can't get her out of my head, but is that love? No one's ever loved me before so what the fuck does that mean?

This ain't the time for me to be stressing over it. I got a job to do that we need to finish before I can see her again. We need to stand united with Mace as he finishes this deal. I put my best pissed off face on and cross my arms over my chest. I know we all look like a bunch of fucking tough motherfuckers.

When we picked up the eighteen-wheeler, Mace demanded they show us what we were guarding. The Road Devils may play slightly on the wrong side of the law, but there is shit that we don't do and that's deal with sex trafficking. Sure, we own a strip club, but those girls do that shit willingly. We don't force them to do anything. Sex trafficking is a whole nuther fucking ball game that we don't do. Good thing that trailer was full of drugs hidden within boxes of feminine hygiene shit and guns behind a fake wall.

All the club does is provide security for these deliveries. We don't deal or distribute that shit anymore. While we're still dirty, it's not as bad as when the club did deal drugs and sell guns. We're semi-legit. That's the best we can do these days and still survive.

We all watch Mace get handed an overstuffed envelope. I know that's our payment in cash. No one moves a muscle until he tells us to. We need to show him respect as our Road Captain so these assholes he's dealing with know we have his back. Don't trust anyone except your brothers.

Mace shakes the guy's hand and struts back over to us. "We're done. There's an all-night diner about a mile from here. We'll head there and recharge with some fucking food and coffee before we head home. We're outta here."

Leaving this dark warehouse has me one step closer to getting back to my woman. We refuel on burgers and pancakes, before taking the only piss break on the return trip. It'll be straight driving back to Angel Valley and I for one have not a damn problem with that.

The miles are passing under our wheels and we're making good progress toward home. We're taking a different route back, but it puts us closer to the Outlaw Knight's territory. Without saying anything we're all on edge until we get off this back road and hit the edge of town. Our town.

Suddenly, I see Ghost blow a tire and his bike is swerving all over the road. Gunfire erupts around us and bikes start to swerve wildly. I know Ghost's tire wasn't an accident. We all lost the black hoodies as we started the trip back home. It's after four in the morning so we didn't think wearing the cuts would matter.

Apparently, that made us a target.

I reach for the gun that's under my cut when I feel a searing pain in my right shoulder. I know instantly I've been shot. I try to hit the throttle to get me the fuck outta there when I get hit again in my side. That one takes me down as the pain rips through me. When I hit the pavement, I lose all ability to breathe. Just before everything goes dark, I think of my woman waiting for me and pray I get to see her again.

Sophie

Chrissy hangs up with Diesel at the same time I do with Daryl. We're both laughing and we're both pretty wasted. Then I have a sobering thought. "Oh my, God."

"That was so much fun," Chrissy slurs.

"Yeah, but I think I may have fucked up."

"Hell no. We left them riding home with a hard-on."

Chrissy didn't hear what I said to Daryl and even if she did she has no idea that we haven't used the "L" word yet. And I just did.

Sure I meant it, but this wasn't how I wanted to tell him. I was hoping for a more intimate time than me uttering it while I'm half-wasted. I'm drunk enough to be stupid, but sober enough to know I never should've said that to him over the phone for the first time. That's why I hung up so fast not waiting for him to say anything in return.

"Chrissy!"

"What?"

I down the remainder of my wine in one shot. "I told him I loved him."

"So?" She wasn't getting it.

"That was the first time! I told him I loved him over the phone, while I'm drunk, for the first fucking time! How could I have been so stupid!" I cry not caring that tears are starting to flow down my cheeks.

Chrissy sits down next to me and draws me into a hug. "I get it. The timing may have sucked due to all those bottles of wine we drank, but he has to know you love him. You're his ol' lady for fuck's sake and you put up with his cranky ass."

"He's not cranky," I whined.

"Not anymore, thanks to you. It'll be alright, Sophie. Let's say we get some sleep before they make it home. I doubt either of us will be sleeping after that."

I wipe my tears away with my hands. "That sounds like a good idea. Should we clean up first?"

The coffee table is littered with two empty wine bottles with a third half-full. Our glasses are still there along with the junk food we've been snacking on all night.

"Naw. We can do it in the morning. Let's head up." Chrissy gets up and turns off just a few lights leaving some on for the guys when they get back.

We head to the stairs, but I stop. I just gotta ask her, so I blurt out," You really like getting fucked in the ass?"

Instead of laughing at me or telling me to mind my own fucking business, I get a sexy side smile from her. "You have no idea how much I like it. Because I do, D holds back on it for special times. God, there's nothing like having his big dick in my ass," she sighed. "You and Trax do it?"

I know my eyes got big at the thought. I just don't know if we could do that. "He hinted at it once, but we've never even gotten close. He's really big, Chrissy. I'm afraid it'll hurt too much."

"Not if he preps you for it. I know you saw Diesel's dick and he's pretty damn big. I do just fine, so you have no worries."

I remember the night I saw Diesel coming down the stairs buck ass naked sporting a semi. I was watching late-night TV, I had but I hoped he thought I was asleep. That was until he told me to make sure I turned out the lights. Diesel was big, but Daryl was bigger. "Except, one thing."

"What's that?"

"Daryl is bigger than Diesel."

Chrissy stopped climbing the stair and turned to me. "Really?"

"Really."

"Well hell, leave it to the quiet ones to be hung like a damn stallion," she laughed. "Way to go, Sophie!"

Chrissy high-fived me as we laughed our way up the stairs. I had my hand on the doorknob to my room when she called out, "Need any lube? We got plenty."

"You are crazy, cousin! Goodnight," I giggled closing the door behind me. I loved that girl.

I stripped off my clothes, folding them on the chair in the corner. The t-shirt I brought to wear to bed stayed in my overnight bag. Daryl wanted me naked when he got back, so I would sleep in the nude while my body waited for him to claim it.

Just as I drifted off to sleep, I wondered if I should have taken Chrissy up on that offer of the lube.

I was sound asleep when I was woken up by loud knocking on my door. It took me a few moments to realize that I wasn't at the clubhouse but in my old room at Chrissy's. A sleepy glance at the clock showed it was only four-thirty in the morning. Daryl would have walked into the unlocked room, so I had no idea who it could be besides Chrissy.

"Sophie, are you awake?"

Okay, it was Chrissy. "I am now, are the guys back?" I yawned.

"Can I come in?"

I started to get very uneasy. Something was going on and I got the feeling it wasn't good. I pulled the sheet up to cover myself since I hadn't worn any clothes to bed. "Are you alone?"

"Yes." Why was her voice so shaky?

"Alright, come in."

Chrissy had a robe wrapped tightly around her thin body as she came into the room. "What's going on?" I asked her.

"Throw something on and come downstairs. Okay?"

"Why? What's going on?"

"I don't know, but Bear and Colt are here and they want us downstairs. I'm scared, Soph." Tears started to roll down Chrissy's cheeks.

"Oh shit!" I cried out. The covers went flying and I didn't care that my cousin saw me naked. I didn't bring a robe, so I quickly slipped into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that I grabbed out my bag. I glanced at myself in the mirror and didn't care that my hair was a disaster, but not wearing a bra was definitely noticeable. "Fuck, I need a bra."

Faster than ever I had my shirt up and one on. "Let's go."

I grabbed Chrissy's hand on my way out the door, but she didn't move. "C'mon Chrissy, we need to go!"

"What…what if it's bad, Soph? I'm afraid." Panic was clearly all over Chrissy's face. Did she think I wasn't scared to death too?

"Together we'll deal with whatever it is. So let's go and find out. We don't have any other choice, Chrissy." My voice sounded stronger than I felt. I knew deep down something bad had happened on the run the guys did that night.

I had no idea what it entailed as it fell under "club business," which meant we weren't to know what it was. Except with neither Daryl nor Diesel here and both the President and VP of the club were, it wasn't good news.

Chrissy and I came down the stairs hand in hand. Family sticks together…no matter what.

Both Bear and Colt had stern looks on their faces as we approached them. "What happened?" I asked not giving either of them a chance to begin.

Bear stepped forward toward me. I could feel the tension radiating off him. My eyes never left his as he approached me. "On the way back from the run, they got ambushed."

I heard Chrissy gasp at his words. Why was he addressing me and not both of us? "Ambushed? What does that mean Bear? Is Daryl…I mean Trax dead?"

I swear my heart was about to beat right out of my chest. Was the man I waited my entire life to find gone? Was Diesel dead? Were they all dead?"

Bear's hard eyes soften just a bit as he reached out, putting a hand on my shoulder. I was about to scream at him to answer me when he said, "Trax's not dead but he's hurt real bad, Sophie. He got shot a couple of times."

"What about Diesel?" Chrissy interrupted.

"He got hit in the leg, babe. He'll be fine," Bear told her before turning back to me. "The guys have everyone that got hit on the way to the hospital so we need to go. Like now. I need you girls to get dressed and Colt and I will take you there. Chrissy you may want to take the car so you can bring Diesel back, but we need to go."

It sounded bad, but at least he wasn't dead. At least not yet. I needed to get to him. Daryl needs to know I'm there for him and how much I love him. "Give us five minutes max."

Chrissy was already running for the stairs, but I stopped and turned around to these two intimidating men. "Did anyone not make it?"

"Cue. We lost Cueball." I heard the slight hitch in his voice. I didn't know the man well, but these men were all brothers by choice and losing one was going to hit them all very hard.

"I'm so sorry." I looked at Bear then Colt before dashing upstairs.

I threw my hair into a ponytail before quickly putting on any real clothes. A shirt, jeans, and ankle boots were pulled on in record time. No makeup or anything else. Daryl needed me.

My purse strap went over my head as I hit the bottom step. Chrissy was already waiting. "Let's go," I told the president and vice president of the motorcycle club that we all belonged to. Chrissy was calmer than before so she agreed to take her car so Diesel could come home in it. Colt would follow her while I road behind Bear on his bike to the hospital.

I knew he wasn't going to go the speed limit and would get us both there as fast as he could. Even though I had only ridden with Daryl before I wasn't nervous about riding with behind Bear. I quickly slid in behind him as the motorcycle roared to life. I had barely wrapped my arms around him as the bike took off.

I had my face resting against his leather-clad back as he broke every motor vehicle law there was getting us to the hospital as fast as possible. I couldn't help the tears streaming down my cheeks as we rode the quiet roads in this early morning hour. This was my time to cry because when we got to the hospital I was going to be strong for my man.

As much as I wanted to fall to pieces, I was going to prove myself to be a strong ol' lady even though I was still learning what that was. But I knew a weak, emotional mess was not what he or the MC needed from me. I was going to be strong, but if he died on me, all of that was going out the proverbial window.

It would crush me if I lost him. So as the wind flew past us as Bear's bike raced through the dark roads of Angel Valley, I prayed for Daryl to live. He had to. He was my life. Without him, I might as well be dead myself.