Brutal Boxer by Naomi Porter

11

Boxer

I hadn’t felt this out of control since I was a pussy-whipped teenager. Seeing Aspen on Lynx’s lap sent me reeling. A murderous rage directed at my brother flooded my chest. When he called her sweetheart, it escalated. It was what he called all the women he bedded. He wanted Aspen. I knew the motherfucker did the second he’d used one of his ridiculous pick-up lines on her.

I shouldn’t have given a fuck. Shouldn’t have behaved like he’d betrayed me. He hadn’t, but it sure felt like it. Worse yet, it all went down with my brothers watching me turn into a jealous man for the first time ever.

What the fuck was wrong with me? I hated Aspen with a capital H.

Hated her more than anyone else.

But I couldn’t overlook the damage I’d caused to her already injured wrist. The red seeping through the gauze made me sick. My club and I didn’t harm women. We weren’t those kinds of animals. Animals still, but only toward our enemy. The vilest men. Those that hurt women and children. The type that kicked dogs and skinned cats alive. Evil, corrupt men like Casso Campbell, who’d held a woman captive by handcuffing her to a bed. When I grabbed Aspen, I’d been no better.

“Can we use her to draw Cass out?” Ciro’s question jerked my attention back to the conversation at hand.

“Oh, God,” Aspen muttered, her slim arm trembling against mine.

“Use her like bait?” Storm’s steely eyes darted to mine.

Ciro snorted. “It’s the fastest way to get him. My sources tell me he’s going nuts. He’d come running if he knew you had her.”

I shook my head.

Storm glanced at Raul, who appeared displeased with Ciro. Fucking Mafia was unapologetic when it came to getting what they wanted. They’d do anything, hurt anyone. The Remottis’ wanted the club to take out Casso. It’d been a little over a month since they requested our help. As payment, they’d give us one hundred million dollars. Crazy sons of bitches. We’d taken a vote the week after Thanksgiving. We wouldn’t get involved with the Mafia. Not even for a crap ton of money.

Now with Aspen here, we were involved anyway.

“No, that’s not how we roll. Using an innocent woman to catch a dangerous man won’t ever happen.”

Ciro sighed. “Can I speak to her?”

Aspen jolted, sitting taller in the chair. She cleared her throat like she knew Storm would say yes.

“Sure. You’re on speaker. She can hear you.”

“Figured as much.” Ciro paused for a moment. “Aspen, I apologize for what that monster did to you. I hope you understand the family would’ve rescued you if we could’ve gotten through his security.”

Christ, I wanted to slam my fist on Storm’s cell phone and end this call. The fucker knew all along she’d been held captive and didn’t do a damn thing to help her. When Hero and the others returned from Canada, he’d told us about a woman being held captive. We still voted to not get mixed up in Mafia business. Fuck, I felt like shit now that I knew the woman had been Aspen.

“What do you want, Ciro?” Aspen’s tone was cold. She flipped a one-eighty, going from a frightened mouse to a tough-ass bitch. I gotta say, I was impressed with her swift change.

“It’s good you’re angry. Ready to fight. You’ll need that ire in your blood for when Casso gets you. And make no mistake, Aspen. He will get you.” The bravado in Ciro’s voice made me seethe.

“Do you think I don’t know that, Ciro?” Aspen sounded bored. “Tell me something I don’t already know. If you have nothing of value to offer, you’re just wasting our time.”

Eyebrows shot up around the table. My brothers nodded, showing respect for Aspen’s grit. She’d displayed vulnerability earlier when I’d grabbed her but powered through it, unwilling to let me win. She’d earned my respect.

Had she ever really lost it?

Ciro cleared his throat as if annoyed. “I see why that bastard wants you so much. It’s that iron will. I hear it through the phone. No wonder he had to handcuff you to the bed.”

“Enough!” Storm barked.

Aspen raised her hand to Prez. “Ciro, I will never go with Cass willingly. I’d rather die than be his prisoner again. I promise you, he can try, but I won’t go back with him.”

“So what? You’ll take your own life?” Ciro asked.

“If it means not being with Cass, yes.”

I nearly broke my neck, whipping my head toward her. “Are you out of your fucking mind?” I shouted, my face inches away from hers.

Ciro’s laughter filled the room. “I’d say so after being with that maniac.”

Aspen jutted out her chin, a fearless glint in her eyes. Holy shit, she meant it. She’d kill herself before going back with Campbell.

Not fucking happening.

My club would keep Aspen safe. I would protect her… as I would any woman from a demented son of a bitch like Casso Campbell. Not because it was Aspen… or so I told myself.

“I’ve heard enough. Let’s get back to business.” Storm redirected the call.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Aspen’s words. Would she really take her own life? I hadn’t wanted to think about what she might’ve gone through. My stomach roiled at how I brutally grabbed her wrist. Had she experienced so much worse from Campbell that it made her wish to be dead rather than be at his mercy?

Fuck. My chest felt like it would cave in.

“Did you hear me, Box?” Storm’s annoyed voice cut through my thoughts.

“What?”

Storm’s jaw twitched. “We can move her to one of my dad’s safe houses in South Dakota until we eliminate Campbell.”

“When do you want us to leave?” Lynx asked.

My heart jerked. “Who’s taking her?”

Storm narrowed his stormy gray eyes. “Lynx, Wolf, Jill, and Hollywood will go with her once we know Casso’s whereabouts.”

“Lynx? Absolutely not.” What the ever-loving fuck was I doing?

Storm rocked in his chair, then grabbed the mallet and slammed it on the table. “Meeting adjourned. Clear out so I can have a word with my enforcer in private.”

Fucking Lynx was on his feet first. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get you a drink.” He helped Aspen out of her chair. I wanted to clobber him. Break his perfect nose.

“What the fuck is going on with you, brother?” Storm glowered looking between Hero and me. It seemed the SAA needed to stay for this ass whipping Storm was about to give. “I’ve never seen you possessive over a woman.”

“She’s not just any woman, and you fucking know it,” I bit back like a rabid dog. “She’s not allowed to get cozy with any of the brothers because she isn’t fucking staying around! Once we’ve ensured her safety, I want her gone.”

Hero reclined in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. “Christ Almighty.”

“What? If you have something to say, brother, fucking say it.” I had lost my cool.

“All right, motherfucker.” Hero leaned forward in his chair, eyes narrowed. “You’re acting like a man in love with a woman he can’t have but desperately wants. So much so, he’d kill for her. Kill anyone who touches her, like Lynx.”

Storm nodded. “About sums up my thoughts.”

I dropped my gaze to my fisted hand on the table, not knowing what to say. Prez and Hero nailed how I felt.

Aspen had destroyed me, shredded my soul. We should’ve been married with a couple of kids, living out our dreams… together. I hated her for pulling the rug out from under me when I was at boot camp. Hated her for ignoring my calls. Hated her for sending my letters back with a fucking return to sender on them. The guys in my unit had laughed their asses off. Told me I needed to forget about that bitch and move the fuck on. It was humiliating. They made me hate her even more.

I lifted my head. “Anyone else can go with her. Just not Lynx.” I didn’t think he’d try to get her into bed, but he’d flirt. Be sweet to her as he was to most women. I’d go insane just thinking of them together in close confined quarters for days, maybe weeks.

He’d fall in love with her.

Jesus Christ, any man would fall in love with her. She’d grown into a gorgeous woman. She was beautiful back when we were together. But now? I saw the looks my brothers gave her. It wasn’t just me hypnotized by her beauty.

Storm growled. “You don’t call the shots, asshole. If not Lynx, then you can go.”

“Me? Not happening.” I shook my head adamantly. If I was losing this much control now, who knew what I’d do if I had to stay with her. I might be cruel to her the way she hurt me.

Storm stood. “There’s no one else. Either you or Lynx.” He stalked out of the room.

I stared at Hero across from me. “Why is this happening? Why is she back after all this time?”

We lifted out of our chairs.

Hero shrugged. “Shit happens we don’t understand, brother.”

“It would be a mistake for me to go.”

“Would it?” Hero jerked his chin to Misty, leaning against the wall as we exited church. “Seems to me you have a choice to make.” He strolled off.

Misty batted her lashes. “Hey, handsome. Congratulations on winning.” She pushed off the wall, wrapped her arms around my neck, and kissed me. I ran my hand over her ass as she ground her pussy into me. “Let’s go to your room.”

“And do what?” As if I didn’t know what Misty had in mind. “You know we don’t fuck anymore.” But she gave good head, so I might make an exception.

She tittered into my mouth. “Just give me another chance. I want your cock, Boxer.”

Misty was shoved out of my arms.

“Get gone, Misty. I need to talk to Boxer,” Libby hissed at the baffled kitten.

“But we were just—”

“But nothing.” Libby took my hand and led me to the stairs. “Go suck someone else’s dick.”

I stifled a snort. Libby had her eye on Misty after the crap she’d pulled on me. Storm was pissed, but he’d left it up to the members to protect themselves or vote to kick her out. So far, none of the guys wanted her gone until we got a replacement or two. We really needed some new girls. Pickings were slim, even with Storm and Hero having their old ladies.

At the top of the stairs, I caught a glimpse of my ex watching Libby and me. She stepped back into the bar like she hadn’t been gawking at us. Whatever. She needed to know how things worked around here.

I shut my bedroom door as Libby made herself comfortable on my bed. Shit, if things were going to get ugly around here, or I had to go into hiding for an undetermined amount of time, I needed to fuck my brains out first, so I wouldn’t get tempted by Aspen.

“You look like hell,” Libby told me, amusement in her voice. But her eyes said it all. She was concerned.

I rubbed my bruised ribs. “Been better.”

“I heard Wolf tell Jill to get a to-go bag packed and saw Lynx hovering around Snow.”

“Don’t call her that,” I growled.

Libby’s eyebrows shot up. “Wow. Okay.” She got to her feet and went to the door. “You obviously need to take a chill pill.”

“No, don’t go.” I pushed her against the door, pressing my forehead to hers. “Sorry. I’m fucked up right now. Almost lost the goddamn fight because of her.” I heaved out a breath. “She’s not Snow. She’s Aspen.”

Libby cradled my face in her hands. “I can see this is tearing you up.”

“You have no idea.” I winced as a sharp pain stabbed my heart. “I just want her gone.”

“Do you really? The way you’re acting, I’d say you still want her. I mean, why else would you call out her name during sex? Why do you only want me? It’s my blonde hair and green eyes, isn’t it?”

Fuck, I felt ashamed hearing it from her lips.

“I was a fucking idiot. I’d held myself back, guarding my heart for what? Aspen and I have been over for a long time. We aren’t ever getting back together.” My chest squeezed as the realization hit.

Aspen and I are never getting back together. She’s never going to be mine.

She arched her brow. “Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry I treated you like you were her. It was wrong.” Man, I felt like a dick.

She smiled sweetly. “You know it didn’t bother me, baby. I enjoy being with you.” She unzipped my jeans. “Do you want me?”

I nodded, crushing my lips to hers.