"Harder," I whispered.

Smoke's savage growl seemed to reverberate in my soul, and I tensed around him. The sensation of him inside of me, his fingers playing with me, and his sweat-slick body rubbing against mine tipped me over the edge into a harsh orgasm. My body clenched down, making Smoke work to pull out of me and thrust back in. After three strokes that perfectly matched the pulsing release tearing through me, he came with a roar.

Panting, he collapsed next to me, his body gleaming with sweat and his damp curls sticking to his face. When we both settled enough to think, I languidly stroked his bicep with my fingernails and smiled. "Apology accepted."

He snorted, then hauled me to his side. "Good. Don't like you being pissed at me."

"Shhh," I gently placed my fingertips on his full, kiss-swollen lips. "Love you, but I'm exhausted. Can we just sleep?"

"Yeah, baby girl, we can sleep."

After turning off the lights he pulled me close, and it took me a long time to fall asleep as I worried about the future.

Chapter Five.

Smoke glanced over at me in the cab of his truck for at least the hundredth time, his lips moving like he wanted to say something, but once again, he held himself back. I wondered what it was that was bothering him, but my mind was more focused on where we were going. It turns out the Iron Horse MC had chapters all over the US, including Denver, Colorado, where my sister and mom were rumored to be. It had taken us two days to get up there, and I was beat. We'd be staying at one of the Iron Horse compounds on the outskirts of Denver in Golden, Colorado. For some reason that seemed to upset Smoke.

The tension in the truck built until I couldn't take it anymore. "Smoke, what's bothering you? If you don't let it out soon, I'm going to head-butt you."

His grip tightened on the wheel, and he kept his eyes on the road. "The Denver Iron Horse chapter is different from the Austin one. Since the Austin chapter is the founding chapter, the original Iron Horse MC, we tend to have members who are a little older, a little wiser. The Denver chapter has a lot of young guys, and they're wild."

"Wild how?"

"More into partying and they keep their clubhouse stocked with sweet butts. Don't get me wrong, my brothers make money and pull their weight, but they're more interested in getting their dicks wet with some random sweet butt than taking on old ladies."

"Sweet butts? Oh, the club sluts."

He shrugged uncomfortably. "Yeah. There are a few who even live at the clubhouse, and they outnumber the old ladies. I don't get involved in female bullshit, but in the few times I've been up there, I noticed that the brothers who respect their women keep their old ladies away from the clubhouse most of the time."

My stomach soured as I imagined a scene out of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Instead of Dolly Parton greeting me with a song, it was a bunch of angry chicks trying to get my man, and I did not like it one bit. "Huh."

He sighed. "If any of those bitches give you any trouble, I want you to come right to me, got it?"

"What kind of trouble?"

My gaze went to my backpack and duffle where I had two different guns and a shit ton of ammo thanks to my dad, not to mention what was in our bags in the backseat. While we were up in Colorado, my dad was doing his own search at the places he knew Billie might run to. Mimi was staying at home in case Sarah showed up, but I had a feeling I'd see Mimi sooner rather than later, probably with some of my Italian cousins in tow.

Smoke's expression softened as his lips curled into a half-smile that made my heart speed up. "Not the kind that you need to be killing bitches over, but they may give you shit, and I know you have a temper. 'Sides, you could get hurt...or they could. Either way, it won't help you keep a low profile."

I gave him an incredulous look that he ignored. "What kind of shit are they going to give me exactly?"

I swear, a hint of a flush colored Smoke's tanned cheeks. "Chick shit. You know, just being bitches. You, my beautiful baby, outrank them, and there are a couple I've...known who are going to be pissed that I made you my old lady, especially when a few of them have begged to wear my patch. I fuckin' hate that drama caused by my past keeps coming up, and I would stop it if I could, but I can't. And I won't lie to you about this shit. Not even to make you feel better."

I wanted to ask him what the hell he meant by outranking them, but my burning jealousy seemed to take over my mouth and brain, and I only focused on the fact that I was going to be surrounded by women who knew what Smoke looked like when he had an orgasm. "How many of them have you fucked?"

"None of your business," he said in a gentle voice then sighed. "That's another thing that's gonna to piss you off. I've spoiled you, tried to keep you sheltered from some aspects of the MC life that you won't like. You have to face the fact that for a lot of guys in the world of the Iron Horse MC, bitches don't count."

"Excuse me?" My temper flared and I swore if I had hackles they'd be standing straight up.

"Just the way it is, babe. This is a man's world. They'll give you respect because you're my old lady, and if they disrespect you, they disrespect me, but you can't run your mouth to them like you do to me and Beach. These young guys are still all hung up on pride and reputation, and making a name for themselves. If you insulted them and were anyone but my woman, you'd pay a price. But as my woman, you're a reflection of me and under my protection. If you start some shit with one of the members, it'll get messy quick. I really don't want to have to deal with a bunch of pissed off brothers while trying to save your tight little ass."

I had an idea that by 'it'll get messy' he meant blood would be spilled, or in his case blowtorches lit, but there was no way I was going to sit back and let people insult, patronize, or otherwise mess with me. I'd been bullied as a child and there was no way I was going to allow myself to be bullied now. "So I'm just supposed to take their shit like a good little girl?"

Turning away from me, he quickly scanned the road before swerving around a slow moving car in the fast lane. The big engine of his truck purred, and I slid further into my comfortable seat, turning to face him full on. With my arms crossed, I glared at him and waited for him to answer. I couldn't wait to hear what kind of epic bullshit he was going to come up with to justify his statement.

His voice was unexpectedly grave as he said, "They may say some things that piss you off. They may treat you like a second-class citizen, but I need you to keep your temper in check. I'm not saying you have to take any shit from anyone-you absolutely do not have to put up with any bullshit-but if you can walk away from a fight, do it. I don't want you putting yourself in any situation where you could get hurt, got me? So don't start arguments. Walk away. You got a problem, you come to me, and I'll take care of it. We've got bigger things to worry about than you hurting some young hothead's pride."

"Got it," I knew I sounded surly as I examined my unpolished fingernails. Fuck him for making sense. Yes, I was being very moody and cranky, but I was tired. The constant tension of waiting for someone to attack us on the open road sent bursts of adrenaline through me whenever a car passed too close. We were both wound up, and it showed in the way we were snipping at each other. Even if the clubhouse was swarming with an infestation of sluts, I'd kick my way through them to reach a clean bed.

Please, God, let the room be clean. Not man-clean, but really clean. I sighed and returned my attention to Smoke who kept his gaze stiffly on the road.

"Look, in the world of the MC, a man's word and his reputation are more important than anything. I get respect because I've earned it and showed that I'll do what I need to do to keep it. If I let you run your mouth, I look weak, and there are men who would kill to be the founding house's Master at Arms. People respect me, and I plan to keep it that way 'cause that respect is gonna keep you alive. So just turn the other cheek, and I will destroy whoever pissed you off when the time is right."

Anger clenched my gut as mental images of me bowing and scraping to a bunch of faceless bikers came to mind even as my heart warmed at his crazy overprotective nature.

"This is bullshit."

"It is, but it's my world babe. Normally, I would've taken my time getting you used to it, would've sent you over to Scarlett's house back home so she could explain it to you, but ain't nothing normal about your life right now. I'm askin' you to hold your tongue, and I'll do everything I can to protect you and keep you safe. That means you may be spending some time alone while I try to find your Ma, and I need you to not bitch about it. Sooner we find your mom and sister, sooner we can go home. Just remember, no matter what happens you'll be coming home with me to our home. Ours."

I turned his words over in my mind. My independent nature rebelled at the thought of playing a subservient role to Smoke outside of the bedroom even as the girly part of me squee'd at the way Smoke said ours.

Yeah, a hundred years ago, this meek and mild female bullshit might have been normal, but I was raised to be independent by a woman who would cut the throat of any man who disrespected her. My mind switched back to the sweet butts again, and I turned slightly in my seat so I was sitting up taller. I didn't like arguing with Smoke. I wanted to reach out and touch him, and reassure myself he still liked me. I was self-aware enough to realize that this dependence on him was a weakness of mine, so I made myself continue to address my concerns about all of this with Smoke.

With my heart in my throat I asked, "While you're away handling shit, will you be messing around with any of the sweet butts?"

He looked at me, and he was not pleased. A flash of disappointment streaked through his deep brown eyes, momentarily turned amber by the sunlight streaming through the windshield. "No, Swan, I won't be fucking around on you. You're the only woman I want. I won't lie-lots of my brothers ain't exactly loyal, but I am. You? You're my blessing, my redemption. You think I'd destroy us by sticking my dick in some slut? Never. No one has ever made me feel as good as you. What we have is special, and the last thing you ever have to worry about is me cheating on you. I've been through enough evil to recognize just how extraordinary you are and the chance that the Universe has given me with you. I'm not gonna fuck it up over used cunt."

I was still pissed, but his promise made me feel a little bit better, and I didn't like that I'd stung him with my words. "You sure going to the clubhouse is a good idea? I mean why don't we stay at a hotel or something?"

"Because the clubhouse is a fortress. It'll be a lot harder to get to you in there than in a hotel room. Look, the Denver chapter ain't a bad place, it's just not a place for old ladies. You'll be the first one to ever stay there for any extended period of time, so there's gonna be a learning curve with those guys. Yeah?"

"Yeah." I closed my eyes and leaned my head against the window.

"I might be blowing shit all out of proportion, things might go smooth as silk, but I wanted to prepare you for the worst case scenario so you aren't surprised about anything. Shit's movin' fast, even for me. I can't imagine how hard it is for you to deal with everything, so I'm trying my best to prepare you. At the very least, you'll have a lot of downtime for the next few days while I scout around. We'll get you set up with one of those e-readers, and I'll give you my credit card. You buy those BDSM erotic romances you like so much and pick a scene from one of your books. If you behave all day, I'll make that scene come true as long as it doesn't involve another man."

My lower lip trembled even as desire warmed the flesh between my legs. If he wouldn't want a threesome with another man, maybe he'd want me with another woman. It took me a moment to find my voice, to tell him one of my greatest fears, something I could never do with him. I know he liked it, and I was afraid that he'd get bored with me if I wouldn't-couldn't-indulge his kink. "Smoke, please don't ask me to bring another woman into our bed."

I startled when he abruptly pulled off the freeway, the wind of a passing semi shaking the truck slightly as he slammed it into park.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" He grasped my chin in a firm hold and made me look at him. "There will never be anyone in bed but us, Swan. I mean it. Yeah, I've done that shit in my past, but even a thousand women at once couldn't compete with one minute with you. Everything I need to be happy is right here in front of me."

A tear managed to escape as I imagined what it would be like to walk in on Smoke in the same way I walked in on Stewart. "'Kay."

"Have I done anything to break your trust in me?"

"No. I'm sorry, I...if you betrayed me, I don't know if I could survive it. I love you in a way I've never loved anyone. Sometimes it confuses me, becomes hard for me to understand and handle. I'm sorry I'm bad at this relationship stuff, but if you give me some time, I swear I'll get better. It's just...this is a lot to process, but I won't let you down."

"Baby," he purred in that husky voice that never failed to make my insides melt, "You're perfect just the way you are."

I nodded and held his hand tightly as we resumed our trip, and I stared off in the distance where the Rocky Mountains pierced the sky.

I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I was aware of was Smoke gently stroking my cheek. "Time to wake up."

Blinking slowly, I sat up in my seat, yawned and took a good stretch. It had been a long fucking drive. Even though we'd both taken turns behind the wheel, my energy was almost non-existent. As my brain began to come back online, I saw that we were in an industrial area with lots of warehouses off in the distance and vast tracts of land on three sides. The trees were thick, and I took a deep breath, catching some unfamiliar smells. "Where are we?"

"Welcome to the Iron Horse MC, Denver Chapter. This is the main clubhouse in Golden Colorado, just outside of Denver, that they use for big gatherings 'cause it's in the middle of nowhere, and no one's gonna call the cops complaining about noise. They got another clubhouse in the city, but that's above the club's garage and is mostly used for...business."

Taking another deep breath, I tried to clear my mind and focus on the situation like my father taught me. First thing for me to make sure was covered would be my freakish reaction to strangers. Just the thought of them touching me made gooseflesh rise along my arms. There was no way I could avoid mentioning it, but I hated how vulnerable my issues made me to new situations.

Trying to keep my tone quiet I murmured, "Hey, do they know not to touch me?"

"Yeah, I made sure Khan knows. I had Vance tell him."

"Khan?"

"The Denver chapter president. Good guy, and his old lady is as nice as can be. Normally, she'd be the one keeping the sweet butts in line, but she doesn't like confrontations like that. Too sweet, kinda like your friend, Lyric. Gentle souls. You'll meet her and some of the other old ladies tonight while I take care of some business."

"What kind of business?"

"The kind that's none of your business." I opened my mouth up to argue, but he held up his hand. "It's club business, and I can't talk about it, not even with you. Sometimes it's just better if you don't know."

I wanted to argue, but he was right. While I knew about my father's arms dealing, I'd never been officially told about it. It was kind of like an unspoken rule in my dad's house that when he had clients coming over, I'd just disappear. I'm sure if I dug deep enough I could find out what Smoke did for the club other than 'protection', but sometimes ignorance was bliss. Besides, I had enough things to worry about at the moment.

The thought that Smoke might have killed people, lots of people, troubled me if I dwelled on it too much, so instead, I forced myself to look around and find the escape routes. My father had drilled it into my head to always scope out any new place, and I fell back on hundreds of hours of training, scanning the area around me and forcing my racing thoughts to focus on one thing: Survival.

As we pulled up the wide gravel drive leading to the formidable three-story dark brick building I was officially tired of being cooped up in the truck. When we parked in the oversized, freshly paved, almost full lot I was feeling antsy enough to want out ASAP. It was late afternoon and the air was refreshingly cool and clear after the stifling heat of Texas. I did a quick look around, noting the differences between the Austin clubhouse and the Denver one. Unlike Austin, there wasn't any playground equipment here. Even in the fading light of the setting sun, I could see the landscaping around the clubhouse was lacking a woman's touch. The lawn was cut and the bushes trimmed, but that was about it other than two big, round, stone fire pits and a random scattering of picnic tables.

Dressed in a tight, black babydoll t-shirt with the Iron Horse MC logo on the front, I stretched out, working the kinks out of my back. A moment later Smoke had me turned and held me to his chest. Then he used his talented hands to gently press on my spine, causing delicious cracks that made the muscles of my upper back relax. I purred in pleasure and gave him a soft kiss in thanks as my senses hummed with delight.

"Swear to God you're the hottest piece of ass I've ever seen," he growled out.

The man was insatiable, and I loved it. My body warmed in response to his words, and I slowly raised my gaze to meet those dark, beloved eyes of his. I enjoyed a leisurely inspection of his magnificent body until I stared at his full lips, the need to taste him growing into an obsession. Passion flared between us and I barely managed to hold back a little moan as he squeezed my hips, reminding me of the way he'd hold them while he pounded into me. Just the memory of his skill in bed gave me a little shiver that left me squirming for his touch.

He placed a gentle, passionate kiss on my lips before he leaned back and sighed. "You ready to face what might or might not be happening in that club? It's almost dark and a bunch of my brothers are here, which means there might be some shit I'd rather you not see going on inside."

I snorted. "Thanks, but I already got to see an orgy at your clubhouse."

He flinched. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Fuckin' Vance should have taken you in the back entrance like I told him to."

With a shrug, I lifted my chin in the direction of two men walking across the lot toward us. The man on the left was just plain beautiful. Around Smoke's age with a solid body beneath his tight t-shirt, vest, and jeans, along with narrow, baby blue eyes and a cupid's bow mouth. He was like a sexy angel come down to earth with his bleached blond cap of curls, but the look in his eyes was scary. They were cold and calculating as he stared at me, then to Smoke, then back to me again.

The man on the right was the exact opposite of the blond's otherworldly good looks. He was a massive black man, with a tight military haircut and built like a brick wall. Tattoos, barely visible on his dark skin, covered his thick arms, and a rather gnarly scar ran up the left side of his neck to disappear behind his ear. He was far too rough to ever be called handsome in a conventional sense of the word, but there was something about him, the balance of the bold features of his face, that made him striking. He was the kind of guy you would stop and take a second look at walking down the street, especially when you noticed his beautiful, pale green eyes. Despite his stern, no bullshit look, he gave me a wink that I can only describe as flirty. I giggled, and he briefly smiled just the slightest bit before his expression hardened again.

Smoke sighed and shook his head as he stared at the approaching men. "Don't fall for any of their bullshit. They'll try to charm your panties off, but neither of 'em means it. I know these guys well. They're gonna fuck with me by trying to hit on you."

"Boys and their macho crap," I said with a barely concealed smirk.

True to Smoke's prediction, the blond angel reached us first and gave me a blatant going over from head to toe, but it wasn't sexual-more assessing than anything. There was something very commanding about his presence, and I found myself unable to hold his intense gaze. Then his brow furrowed and he tilted his head as he stared at me. "Holy fuck, ya look like yer sister. I mean I knew you were twins, but damn."

I smiled and gave him a small wave, hoping he wouldn't try to shake hands. "Hi, I'm Swan."

The big black man with the super short hair to the right of the blond guy made a low, humming sound deep in his throat. "Mmmm, twins. So nice to have you here, beautiful."

"Fuck off," Smoke replied and looped a very possessive arm around my waist. "Mine."

"Yours?" the blond asked with a surprised look warming his gaze. "What do you mean...yours?"

The guy with the pretty green eyes grinned, and I noticed he had a deep dimple in his cheek. It only added to his strong-featured appearance, and I could almost bet he was devastating when he turned on the charm. When he caught my considering look, he smiled even more and gave me another wink. Yep, not a man who would ever grace the cover of a magazine, but I'd bet, despite his lack of traditional good looks, he had no problem finding a woman with his abundance of natural charisma. I grinned at him and he smiled back.

Smoke didn't like that one bit. "Swan is my old lady, so keep your fuckin' hands off, and mind your fuckin' manners."

The angel made a choking sound, and I looked over at him then back to the green-eyed man who was staring at me like I was some new, exotic species of plant that had suddenly sprouted from the ground. The blond guy rubbed his mouth. "Vance never said anything about Swan being your old lady."

The scar on the black man's neck moved as he swallowed hard, his gaze darting between me and Smoke. "We got some...ahhh...entertainment inside. Something she might find objectionable if she's anything like Sarah."

Making a groaning sound, the blond guy looked to the sky. "If she's anything like Sarah, objectionable is far too mild of a word."

"Swan's worse," Smoke muttered, ignoring my glare.

Worse? What the hell did he mean by worse?

"Fuck," the blond said and gave Smoke a dark look. "Tila got together a bunch of the sweet butts to give you a welcome party. We thought you were just on guard duty with Swan."

"Tila? Sweet butts?" I asked, then gave Smoke a narrow-eyed look. "What kind of party is he talking about?"

Smoke glared at the blond. "The kind I have no fucking interest in attending."

The big man with the gorgeous eyes held his hands up, the cut muscles of his arms flexing. "Sorry, man, we didn't know." He turned his gaze on me. "Swan, nice to meet you, my name's Hulk. Please don't judge us by the trash inside. We meant no disrespect to Smoke, but there is no way we can stop a party once it's started. Brothers would get irate."

I couldn't help but smirk. "Hulk, like The Incredible Hulk? I guess I can see it with all your muscles."

A true smile with a killer dimple lit his face, turning him from average to handsome. "Thank you, but that ain't the part of me that is so big it makes women call me 'incredible'."

I was sure my face was as red as a boiled lobster. All I managed in reply was a weak, "Oh."

"Shut the fuck up"-the blond shook his head at Hulk-"or Smoke's gonna drive some railroad spikes through your eyes before lighting your dick on fire."

"What?" I choked out.

"Nothin'," the blond replied and tipped his head in my direction with a small smile. "Name's, Breaker."