Never by Blue Saffire
Chapter 4
The Pickup
Gutter
I pull up to the bus station and hop out of my truck to scan the place. I see a few women wrestling with their children and some lanky guy, staring down at his phone. When the guy looks up, his eyes widen. Avoiding eye contact with me, he looks back down quickly.
I snort. That’s not my guy. I go to do another sweep of the people buzzing around the station, wondering if I should move inside. My gaze moves past a little redhead that’s drooling all over herself as she ogles me.
Her daddy should’ve taught her better than to look for fun with men like me. I’m not interested either way. I haven’t been interested in a real live woman in years.
Not after what I’ve been through. I tend to steer clear of women, and men, for that matter. I’ve heard the rumors around the club that I’m a faggot.
I’ve never tried to correct them because I just don’t give a fuck. However, I’m not gay. My cousin Terry, now he’s gay as the day is long. What happened to us broke him in ways I fight to forget. He got it a hell of a lot worse than I did. Terry decided to turn to men for comfort from our past. I stay away from people when it comes to sex, period.
I groan inwardly when I catch the redhead out the corner of my eye, gaining the confidence to approach me. I don’t have time for this shit. As my annoyance starts to rise, someone else pulls my attention from behind red.
It’s like my chest is blown out as my gaze lands on her. She’s fucking gorgeous. For the first time in years, my cock stirs to life, twitching behind my jeans.
The first thing that grabs my attention is her haircut. The sides of her hair are cut short into a low fade. At the top, she has just enough hair to stand up in a little shark fin. The fact that she doesn’t have enough hair to obstruct her face only draws emphasis to her long as fuck lashes.
Her chocolate skin glows, making the details of her haircut that much more stunning to her face. Those lips… I’ve never wanted to kiss a woman more in my life. I lower my glance to her full breasts, stretching the hell out of the tank top she’s wearing under the leather jacket her mounds have shoved open.
Her curvy legs are encased in a pair of black leather riding pants that should take away from her figure, but only mold to her long legs in the most inviting way. Her small feet are covered in a pair of badass black rider boots to complete her look. She’s tall. She has to be at least five-eight, five-nine.
Something inside me rears up, loving the fact that while she’s pretty tall, I still tower over her at six feet, five and a half inches. If I ever wanted a woman to fit in my arms, she would be the one. When her chocolate brown eyes lock on mine, I have to reach out to place a hand on the side of my truck before my knees give out.
Fucking gorgeous.
Sal
Damn, he’s big. Pictures don’t do him any justice. I feel breathless as I move toward him with purpose. We need to get out of here, fast, but that isn’t all that’s moving my legs.
I’m drawn to this man like something is connecting me to all six feet and change of him. I’m five feet, eight and a half inches tall and he still makes me feel small. Anyone in their right mind would pick up on the vibes this guy gives off and would stay away from him.
I guess it’s safe to say I lost my mind a long time ago, when I became damaged. So, like a moth, I’m moving right to the flame.
It is all I can do not to run right into his arms. I turn and head for the passenger side of the truck instead. His dark eyes follow me.
At least, I think they’re dark. His lashes are so long. Gutter would be pretty if he wasn’t so rugged. The long dark lashes, his full pink lips, and slightly pointed nose soften his face.
Then you have the scuff on his sharp jaw and the harder planes of his face that say all sexy male and masculine appeal. Although, I think even with a clean morning’s shave, he would still have that tough edge.
There is just something about him that screams, look at me. I should be in movies or on the cover of magazines. I’m gorgeous.
When I reach for the handle of the passenger door, he lifts a brow at me. I tilt my head to the side. I get ready to ask him if he was expecting someone else when a redhead walks up to his side and practically throws her boobs onto his arm.
“Hey,” she breathes next to him.
He reluctantly pulls his gaze away from me to look at her. I cover my mouth to keep from bursting into laughter when he flings her off his arm and takes a step away. The snarl on his face is hilarious.
“Babe, we really need to hit the road,” I call out as I reach for the door.
Gutter turns back to me again. His eyes narrowed. “Okay, Sal,” he raises a questioning brow.
I smirk and give him a small nod. His eyes roam over me and he nods back. With that, I open the door and climb up into the huge truck. Gutter gets in as well, not even looking back to see the pouty, disappointed look on the redhead’s face. It’s priceless. She shoots me a dirty glare once Gutter starts the truck.
He looks over at me again, taking me in like I’m his next meal. I try not to suck in my breath when I get a good look at his eyes. They’re not dark at all. Not in color, at least. They’re a mix of blue and gray, tipping his face more on the side of pretty, I decide. He is breathtaking, even with the faint scar that runs from the base of his neck and disappears behind his ear.
“You’re Sal,” he grunts in a low, sexy voice.
“The one and only,” I say and frown when my voice comes out all breathy.
He knits his brows while studying my face, but he doesn’t reply right away. Then he does, and it almost brings a smile to my face. Something that’s hard to do for any man nowadays. Well, with the exception of King or Mix.
“You don’t look like a Sal to me,” he says gruffly.
“Actually, it’s Salalia, family calls me Sal for short. I’ve never liked my name.” I shrug.
“Salalia,” he says, and I swear, a grin forms on his lips.
With that, he throws the truck into gear and backs out of the space. I look longingly over my shoulder at his bike on the truck bed. It’s a custom with a sick paint job. I want a better look, but that will have to wait.
I pull out one of my last three burner phones and text King to let him know I’m with Gutter. A minute later, Gutter’s phone starts to ring. He grunts at the screen after he pulls it from his cut.
“I’ve got her, Prez,” he says as he answers the phone, placing it on speaker.
“Good, that’s my baby sister, Gutter. I don’t think I need to say more, but I will anyway. Kill anyone that looks at her wrong and ask questions later. Get her here safe,” King replies.
“Not a question, Prez,” Gutter says and glances over at me.
There’s something like recognition in his eyes. He turns back to the road and ends the call. I snort to myself. He’s just as short as King, if not more so. No nonsense, to the point.
“I thought you looked like Eva,” he says, almost to himself. “Never knew there were more of you.”
“Just me,” I mutter back.
“God bless King.” He snorts.
I turn to glare at the side of his face, but I don’t say anything. I’m too tired to get into it with this gorgeous grump. The coffee and adrenaline are wearing off and my body is crashing.
Gutter
She isn’t just gorgeous; she smells fucking amazing. Like cotton candy and pineapples and all types of things that are sweet and delicious to have on your tongue. I know from seeing firsthand how crazy King gets over his sister, Eva. That adds one more reason why I shouldn’t have a reaction to the girl sitting across from me in my truck.
I peek over at her for the millionth time. She’s just as beautiful in her sleep. The way her long lashes fan across her high cheekbones makes her look like a doll. A chocolate doll I want to taste so fucking bad my head is buzzing.
The drive home is going to take about two days. We haven’t been driving long, but I’m exhausted from keeping late nights. I needed to take care of some repairs on my place and there’s always my own mental torture.
Some nights, I don’t sleep at all. When I start to feel caged in, it’s worse. This is one of those times.
I pull into a bed-and-breakfast I’ve trusted a few times. From King’s words, I know I need to watch our backs. There’s never much that needs to be said between me and the prez. I get him and he gets me.
I read between the lines. Baby girl is in some type of trouble and it’s my job to get her home safe. It’s what I do, but I can’t do that if I’m not alert. Before it gets too late, I want to attempt to get a few hours of shut-eye and then get back on the road before daybreak.
Even though the bed-and-breakfast is off the road, I drive around the back of the place to park out of sight. I cut the engine and turn to Sleeping Beauty beside me, frowning as I think of the best way to wake her up.
“Are you just going to stare at me?” she asks sleepily, before cracking open an eye.
I snort as she opens both eyes and looks around. She stiffens as the unfamiliar and sparse surroundings come into view. Her gaze turns cold and she looks at me. The fear in her eyes jumps out at me. It’s an emotion I never want her to have around me.
From her expression, her brain seems to be calculating. I witness the survivor within. She’s getting ready for action. Just knowing what I’m witnessing in her eyes rubs me raw.
I open my door and start out of the truck. When I’m halfway out of the cage, I turn to look over my shoulder.
“We could both use some sleep. We’ll get a room and be back on the road first thing,” I grumble, stepping all the way out of the truck.
I slam the door harder than I mean to, but I already understand that look in her eyes. She’s been hurt before, which makes me wonder if that’s what she’s running from now. My blood is boiling in my veins. I know that look, I know I do, I’m ready to explode.
Sal slides out of the truck with that backpack of hers cradled tightly in her arms. I take in a breath to calm my temper. As we enter the B & B, the young clerk who’s usually behind the counter is there. Her eyes widen as they land on me. It’s been a while since I’ve been this way.
The Lost Souls have been keeping me busy lately. I usually stop here on more personal trips. I don’t think Sal would take too kindly to some of the dives I’ve stopped at on club business.
“Hey there,” the clerk says breathily as she roams her gaze over me the way she always does. She bites her lip and smiles. “Long time, no see. I was hoping you would stop by soon.”
I grunt and reach for the sign-in book. I never give this girl the impression something will ever happen between us and that’s not going to change today. Fuck, especially not today.
I can feel Sal’s eyes on the both of us. Not many things make me nervous, but the way she’s burning a hole in the side of my skull has me hyperaware of everything around me. I want to tell her she’s the only one that even remotely turns me on, but I just focus on my task so we can get our room.
I pull out cash and count out the usual, tossing it onto the counter. We need to speed this up. The young clerk takes the money. I know she has told me her name more than once, I just never bothered to remember it. After counting the money, she looks at Sal and frowns.
“This is for one room,” the girl states the obvious.
Sal stiffens beside me once again, but this time when I look at her, her eyes are blazing with fury. She moves closer to me and places her small hand on my chest. I swear my cock loses his mind and goes hard as a fucking rock.
“Is that a problem?” Sal says possessively and the shit turns me the fuck on even more.
“I… I… well, are you guys married or something?” the clerk says with an annoyed pout.
I get ready to growl at the little twit when Sal steps into me even more and runs her fingers into the short strands at the nape of my neck. I flinch, not used to being touched like that. Not ever wanting to be touched like that, until now.
I look down into Sal’s eyes and she smiles and winks at me. On instinct, I place my hands on her hips and it’s like coming home. She fits my huge palms perfectly.
“Actually, I just became his old lady. Just as good as being married. Isn’t that right, baby?” Sal taunts.
Hearing those words and her claim makes something snap in my fucked-up head. All at once, I see my name tatted on her smooth brown skin. I envision my cut on her shoulders. Images of Sal writhing beneath me consume me so viciously, I think they’re real.
I cup her face between my hands and crush her full lips with mine. Her gasp of surprise leaves room for my tongue and growl of possession. I devour her mouth, nipping and sucking at her lips as she wraps her arms around my neck.
My hard cock throbs against my jeans painfully as it stabs into her belly. With each of her sexy whimpers, I’m lost more and more. Each sound tells my brain that she’s mine, that I need to take her.
I break the kiss, only to grunt at the clerk. “Key, now.”
She hurries to pass me the key to our room. I grab Sal’s backpack in one hand and lift her onto my waist with the other. Swiftly, I head toward our room.
We lock eyes the entire way up the stairs. My blue-gray eyes telling her everything I plan to do to her when I get her behind closed doors. For the first time in—no, make that ever—I want to fuck and I want to fuck hard.