Beyond the Cut (Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club #2)(57)
“I bought two presents.” She went up on her toes and kissed him, her voice a breathy whisper. “One naughty. One nice.”
His tongue parted her lips and he thrust inside, consuming her. The world melted away until there was only Dawn, her soft body pressed up against him, her fingers threading through her hair, his hard length between them, and her hot, wet mouth on his.
“Please tell me this is the naughty one ’cause I’m f*cking hard all over again.”
Dawn feathered kisses up his neck and along his jaw, and then she pressed her lips to his ear. “Cade, honey, this is the nice one.”
FOURTEEN
I will wear the symbols of brotherhood with pride.
SINNER’S TRIBE CREED
Dawn placed the steaming plate of bacon and eggs on her tray and lifted it from the counter. The diner was unusually quiet this morning so the cooks had been overly generous with the portions. Stan wouldn’t be pleased. He was only just back from a vacation he’d decided to take the day after Cade visited the restaurant and things had slipped in his absence.
“Table three wants more coffee.” He came up behind Dawn, his belly brushing against her back as he reached for the coffeepot. Dawn cringed. Despite Cade’s warning, nothing had changed. Or maybe, it had. She felt different today. Although she needed the job, she wasn’t prepared to sacrifice her self-worth to keep it, or to tolerate any disrespect.
Just like a Sinner.
She spun around and shoved Stan away. “Back off.”
Stan’s mouth dropped open and he took a step back. She’d never warned him off so forcefully before, but today the words slipped out before she could stop them.
“I like working here, Stan. This is the only restaurant close to the school and you’ve been very accommodating by letting me take my morning break during our busy time so I can see my girls. And of course, I need the money. But all this touching has to stop. Whether it is accidental or intentional, I don’t like it, and if you touch me again, I’m going to break your arm.”
She didn’t know if she could, in fact, break his arm, although Doug had taught arm bars in his self-defense class and she figured if she twisted hard enough, it just might break. But it sounded good and it felt even better. Resolved. Like she was holding a loaded gun. Maybe if she showed that kind of attitude to Shelly-Ann she wouldn’t be hiding under trees wearing a wig to see her own kids. And she wouldn’t be forking out all her extra cash so Shelly-Ann could drive a Cadillac while she had to take her girls around on the bus.
The front door slammed open and the little bell in the doorframe tinkled. She looked up and smiled when Doug walked into the restaurant, still riding the high from making Stan back down.
“I’ll take table six.” She gestured Doug to an empty booth in the corner and joined him a few moments later.
“Hey, Doug. You’re looking good.” He always looked better in civilian clothes than in uniform, and today he was clean-shaven and all decked out in a blue-and-white-striped shirt with crisp blue jeans—the kind of jeans Cade would never wear. Her mouth watered at the thought of Cade’s worn, low-rise jeans, tight in all the right places, and she almost missed Doug’s next words.
“You missed our monthly drinks last night. And you didn’t return my calls. I was worried about you. After what happened at your house…”
Damn. She’d totally forgotten about the monthly meet-up with her self-defense class. After moving to Conundrum, she’d taken the course as part of a therapy program to get over Jimmy’s abuse, and made some close, supportive friends, including Doug. After the course finished, Doug suggested a monthly drinks night to stay in touch, and Dawn had never missed a night.
“I’m so sorry. I totally forgot. I was at … a party.” She couldn’t bring herself to tell him she’d spent the night becoming Cade’s old lady in more ways than one.
“Good to hear you’re getting out.” He fiddled with the napkin on the table. “I thought maybe you’d turned to the dark side and joined the Sinners. Your friend Cade can be pretty overbearing. Kinda like Jimmy.”
Ouch. That stung. And so unlike Doug she almost couldn’t believe he’d said it. Sharp barbs were so not Doug’s style.
“He’s nothing like Jimmy.” Aside from the violence, beatings, and torture that seemed to be as much a part of Sinner life as it was with the Brethren. But the violence was directed outside the club, not in.
Doug clasped Dawn’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “I came to see you this morning because I’ve got some exciting news. We’ve been through the tapes from the bus shelter and the sheriff agrees we have enough evidence to charge Jimmy for assault. When we bring him in, we’ll question him about the break-in as well.”
“That’s great.” She smiled through clenched teeth while her stomach twisted in a knot. What had she been thinking? There was no way the police would be able to hold Jimmy. Once he was out on bail, he’d come for her, and he would show no mercy. Where would the police be then? According him due process while she bled out on the floor? Although she hated to admit it, the biker system worked better. There was no presumption of innocence, no proof beyond a reasonable doubt. There were no long delays before trial, plea bargains, or paying off judges. Jimmy did something bad, Jimmy was punished. End of story.