Crash by Jeanne St. James

Chapter Seventeen

“Gotsick of your shit real quick, didn’t she? What caused her to run home? Your needle dick or forcin’ her to stay in that shithole of yours?”

“You mean the shithole that belongs to all of us?” Crash asked Hawk, who was on the back side of the bar, leaning into it and wearing a shit-eating grin.

Fucker.

The VP continued, “Never once made my woman stay overnight up there. Got more sense than that.”

Yeah, but Crash had seen the man drag Kiki upstairs plenty of times to fuck her when they first met and he was chasing her tail, panting like a rabid dog.

“You already had your own fuckin’ place, asshole,” Crash growled.

“Yeah, but you’re in your goddamn forties now, ass-wipe. ‘Bout time you start actin’ like a fuckin’ adult. She ain’t an air-headed eighteen-year-old lookin’ for a quick screw. She needs someone whose balls have dropped.”

“Maybe his ain’t dropped yet,” Linc said with a grin as he moved next to Hawk and placed a draft beer in front of Crash.

“Listen, boy, bein’ able to pump out babies don’t make you a man,” Crash reminded Linc.

He didn’t come into The Iron Horse to subject himself to a rash of shit. He came for company since he was feeling kind of lonely after Liz left. Not that he was admitting that to any of these fuckers. His excuse for drinking on the public side was to watch the Pirates game on the big screens. Not that he gave a fuck about baseball.

He should just go back over to the private bar in church and drink with Grizz. Or head over to Heaven’s Angels and hang with Moose for a few hours.

Or get his ass out there and look for his own place.

But he didn’t want to find a place just yet. Not until he was sure Liz was coming back to him. He also didn’t want to jinx it by putting the cart before the horse.

Coop joined them and threw a section of the local newspaper on the bar in front of him. “Classifieds. Lot of places for rent, cheap-ass motherfucker. Get out some of that moldy scratch of yours.”

“Ain’t cheap,” Crash grumbled.

Linc snorted and moved down the bar to help another customer.

“Lazy, then,” Coop said.

“You still live upstairs, too, fucker.”

Coop shrugged while Hawk grabbed the newspaper and crumpled it up. “He ain’t rentin’ a fuckin’ place. He moves outta church, he’s movin’ into the compound.”

Crash grimaced. Even though the gated neighborhood was owned by the club, it still wasn’t cheap to buy the lot and build a damn house. Yeah, he’d be paying the club for it but being interest-free didn’t mean it was free. A house to match the size of the rest already in the neighborhood cost some crazy scratch since most were big enough to house a family. Or in some cases a small army.

There was no way Z or Hawk would let him plop one of those tiny homes on one of those lots.

He didn’t need anything big. He had no family.

He only wanted Liz.

He only needed a comfy bed, a shitter and—

Hold the fuck up. Did she want kids?

For fuck’s sake, he never even asked. While he was in his forties, she was only in her early thirties. She might want some.

Fuck. That might need to be a conversation. And soon.

He also needed to decide if that was what he wanted if that was what she wanted.

He never wanted an ol’ lady or kids before and now… Christ, suddenly he was rethinking putting his foot into that trap. His brain must be glitching again.

“Anyway, she ain’t gone for good. Just needed to break some news to the Fury prez and his ol’ lady.”

Fuck.Maybe he shouldn’t have let that slip.

“What news?” Hawk asked, planting his palms on the bar top and leaning his weight into them. “The fact that she made a huge mistake with a dumb fucker named Crash? She on her knees up there beggin’ Trip to take her back as a sweet butt?”

Crash stared at the tall man with the short mohawk haircut, wondering how much he should tell him. That was her personal business. It wasn’t a secret now that she broke the news to Stella, but still… It wasn’t his story to tell. Was it?

But when he didn’t respond to Hawk’s ball-busting or answer his question, a muscle popped in the VP’s cheek and his dark eyes narrowed on him. “Asked you a goddamn question, Crash. Expect a fuckin’ answer.”

Maybe he could skirt around it for now. At least until Liz got back. “She discovered somethin’ after she left.”

Hawk’s spine snapped straight as he instantly went into club officer mode. “Besides your micro-dick? What? Somethin’ that might affect us?”

Crash picked up his pint glass and took a long swallow of the Iron City draft. He winced. He should’ve been more specific and asked Linc for a Yuengling, instead of just whatever was on tap.

Hawk would knock him upside the head if Crash wasted the lager by pouring it down the drain. Especially since he was drinking for free. He’d just need to nut up and finish it, then get something better the next round.

“Rig shoot a load in your ears, cloggin’ ‘em? Ain’t you fuckin’ hearin’ me?” Hawk growled.

“Heard you,” Crash said on a sigh. “It’s her business. She wants to share, she will when she gets back.”

His eyebrows rose and his tattooed head tipped to the side. “She now in your bed?”

He knew what Hawk was asking. The answer was that she was. He only hoped that would continue and that nothing happening up in Manning Grove this week would change that. “Yeah.”

“You plannin’ on claimin’ her at the table?”

He hesitated.

Linc came back over and tapped the bar with his finger. “He better. It might be the only shot he got to claim some permanent pussy before he gets old enough to get permanent limp dick instead.”

“Yeah, gotta snag ‘em while you can. While everythin’ still functions,” Coop added in passing.

“Shut the fuck up, asshole. You ain’t even got an ol’ lady yet yourself.”

“Ain’t as old as dirt like you, though.” Coop grabbed his crotch and shook it. “Gonna be a long time before my dick breaks.” He pointed one finger straight up into the air. “Your clock’s tickin’, brother. Tick fuckin’ tock.” He slowly curled that finger into his palm like it was a dick going limp.

Asshole.

Crash picked up a nearby coaster and whipped it at Coop, who ducked and laughed as he quickly moved down the bar out of fist range.

Crash went to take another swig of his beer, but Hawk grabbed it and put it out of his reach. “No beer ’til you fuckin’ spill it.”

He surged to his feet. “Grizz’ll be better company. Fuck you all.”

Hawk roared, “Sit the fuck down!” so loudly all the bar patrons went silent for a moment. He lowered his voice and leaned in. “Let me fuckin’ remind you that we ain’t lookin’ for trouble between the two clubs. So, you better start fuckin’ talkin’. Wanna know what she found out and how it’s gonna affect us.”

Crash settled back on his stool and jerked his chin toward the sweating pint glass. “It might not affect us at all.”

“Might. Not likin’ that word.” Hawk slid the beer back in front of Crash. “Explain.”

Crash shrugged and took another sip of the Iron City draft, trying not to wince at the taste. “She’s the daughter of a Blood Fury Original.”

Hawk stilled and simply stared at him. After a few seconds, he prodded, “Yeah, and?”

“And no one knew. Well, she did, she just didn’t know who her father was. She only knew he was a Fury member.”

“Yeah, and?”

“Yeah, and…”

“Don’t make me fuckin’ thump you,” Hawk warned.

“Yeah, you don’t want him thumpin’ you. Take it from me. Not as bad as Diesel but it’ll still make you hurt for fuckin’ days,” Coop warned from where he stood in a safety zone two customers down.

“Get me a Yuengling and not this monkey piss,” Crash ordered the younger biker, pushing the pint glass away.

“You drink that first,” Hawk ordered, pushing it back.

Crash grabbed a cigarette from the pack by his hand and before he could tuck it between his lips, Hawk grabbed it, snapped it in two and threw it on the floor. Then while locking his gaze with Crash’s, the club’s VP ground it under his boot.

Christ. Cigarettes cost a goddamn fortune.

“Lucky that wasn’t your neck, brother,” Linc said, laughing as he squeezed behind Hawk, carrying some empties to the recycle bin at the end of the bar.

“She found out she’s Stella’s sister. Or half-sister. Pop’s a guy named Crazy Pete. Or was. He’s dead now.”

Hawk’s brow dropped low and he scratched the back of his thumb across one of the heavy creases. “Stella. That’s the prez’s new wife, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn,” Hawk said, straightening to a stand and scrubbing a hand down his cheek. “That could be a good thing.”

It wasn’t a good thing for Crash if Trip dropped the hammer and forced Liz to stay in Manning Grove. Or tried to.

If he made that demand, Crash would be hopping on his sled and taking the almost four-hour trip north to have a word with him.

“Z needs to know,” Hawk then said. “If she really wants to be with your ass and you don’t fuck that up, then it would be kinda like Caitie hookin’ up with Magnum. Made the alliance stronger. Good way to create a family bond between the clubs. Kinda likin’ that.”

“Ain’t doin’ it for club politics,” Crash said with a frown.

“But if it helps the DAMC, then it’s a fuckin’ bonus.” He tipped his head and stared at Crash. “Though, not holdin’ out hope that you can hang onto her. She’s a hot piece of ass whose got more sense in her little toe than you do in your whole goddamn body.”

“Ain’t a piece of ass,” Crash grumbled.

Hawk cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah? Was she a sweet butt?”

“Was, yeah.”

“Then you know what the fuck that entails.” Both of Hawk’s eyebrows shot up and his lips twisted. “Fuck. Also means she mighta done her sister’s ol’ man.”

Crash shook his head. “Stella was already wearin’ Trip’s cut when Liz joined the club.”

“That don’t mean shit.”

“True. But you saw the two of them during their weddin’ weekend. No way Trip was steppin’ out on Stella. Liz also told me she never did him.”

Hawk smiled. “Damn, brother. You might’ve done good by snaggin’ her.”

“We ain’t royalty, Hawk. Don’t see how it’d make a damn difference.”

“And that’s why you’ve never sat on the executive committee. Can’t see the forest for the trees.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

Hawk shook his head. “If I gotta explain it, then that saying fits you.”

“What-fuckin-ever,” Crash muttered.

“Thinkin’ if you’re lucky and she comes back, you need to claim her at the table. Gonna run it by the committee. We can have a special meetin’ for that.”

“What the fuck, Hawk! Ain’t gonna be pushed into that. Ain’t gonna push her into that, either.”

“You’re gonna do what’s best for the club.”

Crash sat back and considered the tall man on the other side of the bar.

“What skills she got besides givin’—”

“Don’t even fuckin’ finish that,” Crash growled, cutting him off.

Hawk grinned and nodded. “Yeah, you just proved you got it bad. Stop pretendin’ you don’t wanna claim her. You already did,” he tapped one of his thick fingers against his temple, “up here.”

While the motherfucker was right, he wasn’t agreeing with him. He also wasn’t going to claim Liz just because the fucking club officers wanted a stronger bond with the Fury.

In the DAMC, claiming an ol’ lady was as good as putting a ring on her finger. Liz had been single all her life the same as Crash. Just because she came down to Shadow Valley to be with him didn’t mean she wanted anything more.

She’d slept in Ozzy’s bed for the past two years and didn’t want anything more with him. She’d only slept in Crash’s bed for a little over two weeks.

Unfortunately, Hawk wasn’t done busting his balls yet. “See the signs. Know why?” The VP jabbed a finger in his direction. “‘Cause I was you once. Almost fucked that up. You know when you know.” He leaned in and said quietly, “And you know. Don’t fuck it up.”

You know.

“We all got another half of us out there. Kiki’s mine. Is Liz yours? Know it’s hard for you to use your fuckin’ pea brain, but try. It ain’t only gonna be good for the two clubs but it’s gonna be good for you, too. Now, I’m done bein’ goddamn Dr. Phil.”

Coop snorted halfway down the bar. Hawk shot him a look that shut the younger biker up.

Linc sidled up to Hawk. “Kiki’s the best thing that ever happened to Hawk. Jayde’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Coop’s fist is the best thing that ever happened to him. Don’t be a Coop for the rest of your life, brother.” He grinned and moved on down the bar.

“Ain’t gonna rush you but give it some serious thought,” Hawk said.

Crash’s side vibrated and he quickly dug into the inside pocket of his cut for his cell phone, hoping it was Liz.

It wasn’t.

He swiped his finger across the screen and put the phone to his ear. “What’s up?”

“Kat needs a sparring partner. You in?”

“What the fuck’s wrong with you?” Crash asked Steel, one of the In the Shadows Security former special forces guys.

The toothpick-chewing Shadow grunted. “On a job right now.”

Fuck, while he needed to blow off some steam and take his mind off whatever was happening with Liz up in Manning Grove and also clear his head to give what Hawk said some serious thought, he normally didn’t like sparring with women.

Though, Kat wasn’t just any woman. That was one reason why she could deal with the biggest asshole on the Shadows team, right after the reigning King of Assholes himself, Diesel.

“Yeah. Have Slade shoot me a text to tell me when.”

His phone went dark. Typical fucking Shadow, just ending the call without a warning.

He shook his head and took another sip of the swill water in front of him. “Gotta go punch a woman with bigger balls than you all.”

Hawk snorted. “Last time you did that it looked like the MMA queen used you as a heavy bag.”

Before he could answer, a text popped up on his screen from Slade: You up for going a round in the ring with the champ?

Crash texted back: Tell her to bring it, brother.

He grimaced after he pushed Send. He instantly regretted that response. Especially after Slade sent back a laughing emoji quickly followed by a picture of Crash the last time Kat kicked his ass. He deleted the reminder and slammed his phone face down onto the bar.

While Kat was a pretty woman, what she’d done to Crash wasn’t.

Yeah, hopefully Slade didn’t pass that last message along since he would like to see another day of sunshine.

Hopefully, that sunshine would shine down on him again soon.

* * *

Crash groanedas he moved stiffly through the courtyard. Kat had kicked his fucking ass and smiled around her mouthguard the whole time while doing it.

He could hardly roll out of bed this morning. His empty bed. It was coming up on a week since Liz returned to Manning Grove. Besides a few quick texts and short phone conversations, she hadn’t said when she was coming back to Shadow Valley.

Because she hadn’t, he was losing hope.

She’d been busy helping Stella out at Crazy Pete’s so she could spend as much time as possible with her sister.

Crash was glad shit was going well between them, but the moment he heard Stella was knocked up, the pit in his stomach had turned into a boulder. She now had one more reason to stay right where she currently was.

If she didn’t come home to him in the next day or two, he would make a trip up to the Grove next weekend.

But, fuck, next weekend felt like a lifetime away.

It was goddamn Fourth of July this weekend. She should be here with him since everyone in the DAMC was partying tonight to celebrate. A huge pig had been slow-roasting on the spit all day, Dirty Deeds rocked out on stage, a massive bonfire roared brightly and there was plenty of bud and beer to go around. Enough for everyone to get thoroughly baked and blitzed if they wanted to.

Usually, the kiddies didn’t stick around this late during a big shindig like this, but tonight there would be a fireworks display, so his brothers and the club’s sweet butts were told to take any X-rated shit behind closed doors until the fireworks were over and the kids were shuttled home.

The parents, or their house mouse, were given until eleven p.m. to do just that. After that magical hour struck, anything went. And usually did.

But right now it was creeping up on ten p.m. and the sky was now dark. They’d stopped feeding the bonfire a while ago so it would die down a bit and they’d shut off the area spotlights in a few minutes, so the fireworks the club spent a small fortune on could be seen.

Fireworks on July fourth had become a tradition once some of the DAMC kids got old enough to appreciate them. They also always had a crowd fill The Iron Horse’s front parking lot to watch from outside the fence. Some of the Valley’s citizens even tailgated all evening out there. It brought in a fuckload of scratch for the roadhouse, so it was a win-win and helped finance those colorful explosions.

If Shadow Valley PD ever tried to shut down their display, they’d have a riot on their hands from the Valley residents alone. It also helped that one of their own was behind the gate, watching with his family.

Crash glanced over to where Axel and Bella sat in lawn chairs with their eight and a half-year-old twins, Liam and Laney, sitting on a blanket in front of the couple with their cousins Gage and Adrianna, Linc and Jayde’s kids who were close to the same age. He suddenly and unexpectedly pictured him and Liz in Axel and Bella’s place.

Crash realized he could have that if he wanted it. If Liz wanted it.

But she would need to come back to him first.

Nash’s band went quiet and once they left the stage, the spotlights went out, leaving only the glow of what was left of the bonfire.

Some of the smaller kids began to shout excitedly and run around, waving their sparklers. Some of the older kids shot off bottle rockets.

And an M80 explosion could be heard in the distance.

Then it began. The impressive show that set back the club a few thousand bucks. The committee voted years ago to have it done professionally, and also done safely, so no one lost any limbs.

One thing Crash noticed throughout the years, most of Diesel’s Shadows never came to party on Independence Day. Most, if not all, suffered from PTSD and fireworks tended to put them on edge. Or worse.

A couple of them would show up earlier and leave before dark, while their women would stick around with their kids.

The only one who had stayed tonight was Steel with his wife Kat and their two-year-old daughter Piper, who was sitting on the man’s wide shoulders with her little face turned toward the sky and her mouth gaping open in wonder. The Shadow must have rolled back into town after his wife kicked Crash’s ass yesterday in the practice ring at Shadow Valley Fitness.

How fucking convenient.

He started when arms snaked under his cut and wrapped around his waist. But he knew who it was immediately by her scent. Something that was now rooted in his soul.

Sunflowers and sunshine.

His Sunny was back. Thank fuck.

Relief flooded every cell in his body.

“Beautiful,” she said close to his ear over the chest-pounding booms of the fireworks.

He grinned, grabbed her arm and pulled her around until she was in front of him. He tipped his face down to hers. “Yeah, you are.”

She smiled. “I meant the fireworks.”

Fuck, that smile. It was brighter than the fireworks in the sky.

“After I left, I realized you never told me how you got your road name. You said that was a story you’d tell me after a few more orgasms,” she reminded him. “I’d say we’ve shared more than a few.”

“Yeah,” he breathed. “A fuckload more than a few. And I hope a fuckload more to come.”

“Tell me now.”

His road name was the last thing he wanted to talk about right now, but she kept her promise to return, so he’d gladly give her what he promised, too.

A promise he forgot to deliver.

He shrugged. “Ain’t a big story. Dumped my sled when I was a prospect, the patched members at the time began to bust my balls by callin’ me Crash. It stuck. Ended up keepin’ it once I patched in since I was workin’ at the body shop. It fit.”

“Makes sense.”

While the reason behind his road name wasn’t important, what he noticed she wore was. Her sunflower sundress. Did she wear that on purpose? Did she wear that just for him?

He wanted to pull that silky dress up her thighs, bend her over one of the picnic tables and welcome her home the right way. “You wearin’ panties?”

“Am I?”

He slid his hand down to her ass and tucked them under her dress, doing his best not to expose her to the younger eyes as he did his research. “Fuck no,” he breathed.

“Huh. I must have forgotten them by accident.” The next explosion of light was reflected in her eyes making them twinkle. Or maybe that was just her.

When the next large display lit the sky, she gasped and grabbed his chin to turn his face one way and then the other as she inspected it. “What happened? Did you get into a fight?”

Her happiness was gone too soon.

“Yeah. Someone ran their mouth and I had to teach him a lesson,” was his story.

“Why do you bikers always have to use your fists instead of your words?”

“Answered that yourself when you included the word bikers.”

Her lips flattened out and she shook her head.

“Don’t let him lie to you,” came from a female voice near them.

Diamond.

Shit.

Liz turned her head toward Slade’s ol’ lady. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Diamond returned the greeting. “Glad to see you back. We figured you came to your senses and were happy you managed to escape.”

Liz did her sexy, husky laugh and his eyes ended up glued to her delicate throat as she did so. He wanted to wrap her long blonde hair around his fist and kiss her until she was breathless.

“We were losing hope anyone would ever want to deal with his crazy ass,” Diamond continued.

“He’s got a great ass,” Liz said with a wink.

“I’ve seen it,” Diamond announced dryly. “More times than I’d like.”

“So, what happened to his face if it wasn’t a fight?” Liz asked her.

“Oh, it was sort of a fight. Just not a brawl.”

Liz’s eyebrows pinned together.

“Where’s your ol’ man? Think he’s lookin’ for you,” Crash said quickly. He tipped his head and said, “Hear Sawyer callin’ for his momma.”

Diamond huffed out a laugh. “Uh huh. You just don’t want your woman to know the truth.”

Liz turned to him. “What truth?” She poked at his gut. “Tell me.”

“Get lost, Di,” Crash growled.

“Lying isn’t a good way to keep a woman. Just saying.” She shot him a look that spoke volumes and wandered away in the direction of Slade, and their two boys, Hudson and Sawyer.

“I promise never to lie to you if you promise to do the same.”

He dropped his gaze from a retreating Di back to Liz. “Ain’t a big deal.”

Her eyes flicked over his face. “Sure looks like it.”

Crash reluctantly asked, “Ever hear of Kat Callahan?”

Liz’s eyes went wide. “Kat Callahan, the champion MMA fighter?”

“The one.”

“Did you do something to piss her off?”

“No. Sometimes I’m her sparrin’ partner when no one else is available.” Or no one wanted to be her damn punching bag.

“Holy shit,” Liz whispered. “And she did that to you?”

He grimaced at the touch of humor in her voice. What man wants to admit to a woman kicking his ass?

Not fucking one.

He sighed. “Yeah.”

Liz rolled her lips under. “Well, good for you. Some men would never fight a woman. I’m glad to hear you’re such a feminist.”

A loud snort came from behind them in the dark.

Jesus fuck.

He couldn’t have a serious conversation with her with all the nosy fuckers lurking around in the dark. Plus, sundress or not, he preferred to have any conversation with her naked.

He dropped his arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the side door of church. Where they could get more privacy. Where he could do X-rated things to her out of the eyesight of everyone under eighteen.

“We’re going to miss the rest of the fireworks,” she complained.

“Gonna go upstairs and make our own.”

“I… uh…” She dug in her heels, forcing him to stop near the door.

Fuck. Did she only come back to say goodbye to his face? Was he misreading this whole situation? Was he that fucking clueless?

He held his breath.

“I got us a motel room. For now. Until we find something better.”

Until we find something better. That meant…

His breath rushed from him. “You’re back.” Now he knew for sure it wasn’t to say goodbye but to stay.

“I wouldn’t be standing here if I wasn’t.”

“Best news I’ve heard all fuckin’ week.”

She grinned up at him, and then reached up to slide her fingers down his beard. “Let’s not let this get out of control. You’re far too handsome to cover that face with a messy bush.”

He hooked her around the waist, pulled her into him and took her mouth, not giving a shit some people nearby were watching them instead of the colorful display in the sky.

“Damn, asshole, here I thought you preferred dick all this time,” Diesel grumbled as he came out the side door and lumbered past them. “Guess I lost that bet.”

The kiss came to a quick end when Liz laughed. “Does everyone always bust your balls?”

“It’s a fuckin’ Olympic sport around here.”

She tapped his cheek. “I think sticking around here will be fun.”

He dropped his head until they were almost nose-to-nose. “Oh, it’s gonna be fuckin’ fun, Sunny. Promise.”

“Just so you know, I’m going to keep my place with Dan for now. This way I can go up every other weekend or so to spend some time with Trip and Stella. Especially after the baby is born. If she needs help, I want to be there for her.”

“Why the weekend?” She had a job that she could do anywhere. She didn’t need to wait for a weekend.

She interlaced her fingers with his and gave them a squeeze. “Because I would like it if you’d go with me.”

Damn.

He glanced around quickly to make sure none of his asshole brothers were eavesdropping before he said, “Wherever you want me to go, I’ll go. As long as we call Shadow Valley home.”

“I don’t have a problem with that.”

“I do got a problem, though.”

“What’s that?” she asked.

“That might be my favorite dress, but like it better when you ain’t wearin’ it.”

She wiggled her eyebrows. “That’s a problem easily solved.”

“That it is, Sunny.”

Liz tugged on his hand. “Then let’s go solve it.”

He didn’t lie when he said he’d follow her ray of sunshine anywhere.

Suddenly, both the night and his future seemed so much brighter.

Because in his world, the sun would now always be shining.