Horse (Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club Book 6) (8 page)

Horse

I’d wanted to bring her to the clubhouse from the start, but I’d known she couldn’t handle it.

She’d grown to trust Dawg and Ghost, though, and she’d done okay around a few other brothers here and there. I knew Dawg would stick close to make sure she was okay, and hoped with her in between us, she’d manage.

We could hear the partying from the parking lot, and I pulled her closer to me as we walked to the door. I wanted to pick her up, but knew she’d rather face the wolves on her own two feet. I also noted the shutters had already been opened, and guessed Dawg must’ve texted someone on the way.

Dawg jumped up on a table as we walked in, whistled to get everyone’s attention, and introduced Gabby to the room. I lifted her onto my shoulder and announced, “She’s mine. If she tells me any of you have harassed her, or touched her when she didn’t want to be touched, you’ll answer to me.”

When I let her down, Gen and Harmony came to get her, and since she didn’t smell terrified, I let her go.

Dawg followed the women and I grinned at him, knowing he’d keep an eye on her from a distance. I wasn’t sure what had kicked in his protective streak, but it was apparently a mile wide where my little bunny was concerned and I was glad he had her back.

As we walked to a group of bikers, Ghost leaned towards me and muttered, “It almost sounded like you’d be okay with us touching her if she’s okay with it? You might want to clarify that, brother.”

I looked at the wolves around me and explained, “Bears and bunnies aren’t as monogamous as wolves. Still, you want a piece of her, she’ll have to be okay with it. Brother or not, you make advances after she’s turned you down, I’ll tear into you.”

Duke and the other guys had been on their bikes, so they’d arrived before us and already had a beer in their hands. Duke looked at me now and shook his head. “We’ll give it a trial run, but the rules have always been that you leave a brother’s woman alone. If there are any problems, we go back to the rules and your woman’ll just have to be okay with the fact all the brothers are off limits to her once she’s claimed by one of us.”

I shrugged. “Seems to have worked out okay for Bash and Dawg.”

“Special circumstance,” said Bash, “and the two of them don’t fool around unless I’m there.”

I shrugged. “The point is, I’m winning her heart, but if I’d walked in and made it clear no one touched her because she’s mine, she’d have taken issue with it. Neither of us has promised the other monogamy, and I don’t think either of us is interested in asking for it.”

* * * *

Gabby

When Horse let me down, Gen and Harmony came to get me as if we were long lost best friends. They pulled me with them to a sofa against a wall, and when I looked towards Horse for help, he just smiled like this was normal.

I was introduced to so many people, I knew I’d never remember them, and I warned, “I’m good with faces but terrible with names, so please don’t get your feelings hurt if I ask for names again later.”

“We’re just excited you’re finally here,” said Harmony. “Horse is a stand-up guy, and we wanted to get to know his new woman better. What took him so long to bring you by?”

The humans must not know I’m a rabbit, and I wasn’t sure how to answer. I looked towards Angelica, who said, “I’m sure they had their reasons, but she’s here now and I have a different third degree I want to give her — is it true he’s hung like a horse?”

I looked across the room towards Horse for help, but he was talking to some of the other bikers. I was on my own and had no idea how to answer. Thankfully, Gen laughed and said, “Yay, someone else who doesn’t want to talk about sex like it’s what she had for lunch.”

“No,” said Angelica, “that’s not it. She isn’t embarrassed — she just doesn’t know what Horse would be comfortable with her telling us, right?”

I nodded and Dawg came up from behind me and touched me so I’d know he was there, and then wrapped his arms around me as he said, “It’s okay, Bunny. You can tell them
all
about Horse’s huge cock. He won’t mind.”

“No,” said Gen, her eyes huge. “Not the two of you, too!”

Dawg chuckled and said, “No, Duchess, it’s purely platonic between me and Bunny, but ya’ll need to take it easy on her or she might not come back.” He kissed my cheek and let go of me slowly before wandering off, and I shook my head in bewilderment. “I have no idea what that was about, but if ya’ll want to give me dimensions of your men’s cocks, I’ll share what Horse’s is.”

They all laughed and Harmony changed the subject. “How did you meet him?”

“I was considering buying a gun and he took me to lunch.”

“Did you buy one?”

I shook my head. “No, but I haven’t ruled it out. I live alone in an apartment near campus and there are so many
noises
in the city.”

“Campus?” asked Harmony. “Are you going to UTC?”

I nodded, which of course brought about the inevitable question about what I’m studying, and then an awkward silence when I told them my majors, and why.

“Does Horse know?” asked Gen.

“Yeah, and he had the same initial reaction ya’ll have. I don’t want to get into my motivations tonight, but suffice it to say once we talked, he seems to be okay with it.”

“I had some problems with local LEO a while back,” said Angelica, “and an FBI agent stepped in and helped me. They aren’t all bad, but you have to understand that LEO of any kind aren’t welcome on RTMC property except under very special circumstances, and usually only during parties where there’s a reason to offer a one-time invitation.”

“It’ll be years before I graduate, so we’ll deal with that when and if the time comes,” I told them. “My goal is more analyst than agent, and they may not want me anyway. With the degrees I’ll have, there are several jobs I’ll be able to go for. FBI analyst is at the top of my list but it isn’t the only thing I’d enjoy doing.”

“Word has it you’re close to Ghost,” said Angelica, thankfully changing the subject. “He’s kind of the mystery man around here. I got to know him a little when he helped me with some training, but none of the ol’ladies know anything about him, and as far as I can tell, even the people who’ve fucked him don’t know much. What can you tell us about him?”

Horse had explained the women who are officially claimed by a brother are known as their ol’ladies, and he’d warned me they consider it a badge of honor and I shouldn’t poke fun at the term. So, I answered their question as best I could. “He can sneak up on you without you knowing it, and it’s freaky. At first, I wondered if naming a black guy Ghost was some kind of joke, but I eventually figured out it’s ‘cause he’s as quiet as one. I’ve spent time around him and I feel comfortable with him… safe. I feel
safe
with him. I don’t think I know much about him, though. He doesn’t answer personal questions, or even not-so-personal questions.”

Angelica sighed. “Yeah. I know he’d protect me whatever the cost if he was with me and there was a problem, but none of us know shit about his history, and our men aren’t telling us anything, either.”

These were the ‘cool girls’, and I was wondering why they’d pulled me into their inner circle when Angelica said, “The RTMC is a family, and Horse is ours. He’s claimed you, so we claim you, too. We want you to feel welcome here and we want you to come back, because we miss Horse when he’s with you. He’s a loner, but his presence fills the room even when he’s just sitting in the corner drinking beer and watching the game.”

“Okay ladies, let’s call across the street for something — do we want sangria or margaritas or what?” asked Gen.

“Hell,” said Angelica, “let’s just move the party over there so we can all order what we want.” She looked at me and explained, “The RTMC owns the bar across the way. Want to go get drunk with us?”

“I’m kind of a lightweight,” I told her, “but I can probably have one drink.”

The girls all looked at each other with glee, and the next thing I knew the group of us were headed across the parking lot. I was sure Horse saw us go, but I didn’t get a chance to stop and talk to him.

Harmony ordered me an iced tea, and I could tell it had a little alcohol in it but had no idea how hard it was going to kick me. I had three of them before the other women got me on the dance floor, and when I first smelled Horse, I was dirty dancing with Bethany while her three boyfriends watched.

Sometime after my fourth drink, I needed to use the restroom and didn’t think to get someone to go with me. I was in the little hallway where you decide whether to go in the men’s or ladies’ when Duke came out of the men’s and walked to me, and my flee or freeze response was to freeze. Terror burned all of the alcohol out of my system until my nice buzz was gone and I was afraid I would puke on the President of the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club. I’d been fine with him while in Horse’s arms, but alone with him in a little hallway was still apparently too much.

He seemed to immediately know he’d scared me, and he put his hands out to the side in an attempt to show me he didn’t mean me harm, but it didn’t help. “Hey, hey, Gabby. You’re safe here. None of the brothers will hurt you.”

Dawg came to my side and put one arm around me as he said, “Duke’s safe, little bunny. This is a safe place. Did you have one too many wolves come knocking at your door tonight?”

I forced air into my lungs as I managed a nod, and he turned me towards him and said, “I’m going to put my other arm around you now. You’re safe here. Get a few more breaths and then maybe Duke can give you a hug?”

My fear spiked again and he chuckled into my neck. “It’s okay, Gabby. Duke won’t hurt you, and he’s the President so you can’t get terrified when he comes near.”

I turned my face so I could see Duke and said, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I’m reacting like this. Sometimes my body just won’t cooperate. Please don’t be mad!”

He smiled but didn’t move any closer as he said, “Well, aren’t you a sweet little thing, and Dawg has a way with skittish women, so it’s no surprise you’re good with him.” He held his hand out, palm up. “Maybe it’ll help if you touch me first, while Dawg has you?”

I cautiously reached my hand out and slowly put it on top of his, and he gently turned his hand and wrapped his fingers around mine. “I just wanted to tell you that Gen and Harmony know about wolves and other critters, and it’ll make it easier on all of us if you tell them what you are. They’ve been bound, so you’re free to do so.”

“I’m not sure this is the place for that conversation. You’re free to tell them later, though. So is Brain, if it’s easier for him to tell Harmony.”

He grinned and lifted his other arm in an invitation for a hug. “You don’t smell terrified anymore, give me a hug and then I’ll walk you to the bar and buy you anther iced tea, since it appears Harmony got you hooked on them and I think I might have fucked up your buzz.”

I couldn’t relax in Duke’s arms, but I managed the hug without freezing or running, which was saying a lot.

I finally went into the bathroom, and Duke and Dawg were waiting for me when I came out. Dawg put his arm around me as I walked to a table between him and Duke, and I saw that Horse had been watching and listening to the entire exchange. He’d let me handle it without rushing to my rescue, but he’d been close in case I’d needed him. I sat between Horse and Duke as I drank yet another Long Island Iced Tea, and then Dawg walked me back to the dance floor and practically handed me back to Bethany. Her eyes lit up when she saw me, her arm went around me, and we went right back to dancing as if we’d never stopped.

* * * *

Horse

I’d never thought to ask her if she’s bisexual or not, but watching her with Bethany gave me the distinct impression she might be. The human women were all three sheets to the wind, and I was glad the other ol’ladies had taken her under their wing.

Not to mention the way Dawg took care of her. If I’d come running to her rescue every time she got scared, it wouldn’t have looked good. But having another brother do it was okay. I can’t explain why, it’s just the way it works.

At the moment, I wanted to take my little bunny out back and fuck her through a wall, but I knew it was important for her to bond with the other ol’ladies, so I watched them and managed to not drag her out back like a Neanderthal.

The women got another drink at some point before they went back to dancing, and Gabs and Bethany seemed to always find each other on the dance floor. Jonathan is often on the dance floor with Bethany, but her men seemed to be enjoying the show as well, and they stayed on the sidelines and watched, too.

However, when a slow song finally came on I walked onto the dance floor and picked Gabby up, turned her towards me, and ordered her to wrap her legs around me. She did, and I danced with her draped around me, her head on my shoulder as she told me how drunk she was.

“I noticed, but you look like you’re having fun.”

“Duke’s kinda scary, but Dawg helped me keep from making a total idiot of myself. I only made a ninety-percent idiot, I think.”

“Why does Duke scare you more than the rest of the MC?”