Skull Kings MC: the collection Read online

  Skull Kings MC:

  the collection

  Sage L. Morgan

  Copyright © 2014 Sage L. Morgan

  All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or part, without the express written consent of the author.

  All characters are 18 years of age or older, even when not specified.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  First Time Rider | Sage L. Morgan

  Ride or Die

  Biker Chick

  Author’s Note

  First Time Rider

  Sage L. Morgan

  Carmen beckoned for me. Oh no, not again. I heaved an inward sigh and fixed a smile on my face.

  “What’s up?” I asked.

  “Terrence wants to see you in his office.”

  I tried not to look worried. “But I just seated a five-top.”

  “I’ll take care of them for you. Shouldn’t be too long, right?” Her smile was sympathetic.

  “Yeah, thanks.”

  I pushed through the kitchen and made my way toward Terrence’s office. It was only my second week of work, and I’d been called back there nearly every day. My new co-workers thought I was just getting chewed out for being a bit slower than everyone else. I was actually getting pretty good at waiting tables, but I didn’t mind if they thought otherwise.

  The truth was a lot worse than that.

  I stood in front of Terrence’s door and took a few breaths before knocking. I could hear the heavy steps of his boots echoing inside as he crossed the room to answer. “Who is it?”

  “You know who it is.”

  “Oh, hiya Aspen,” Terrence said. His face peered through a crack in the door. He swung it wide once he was assured that I was alone. “Come on in.”

  I entered the small room. Unlike the dining room outside, Terrence’s office was untidy and disorganized, littered with old order forms and coffee cups. However, he always made sure to clear off his desk whenever he planned to call for me. I sat down on the edge of it, just as I’d been instructed for every one of my office visits.

  “You know what to do,” Terrence said, standing in front of me with his arms crossed.

  Steadily, I began to unbutton my shorts and slid them off. I’d learned a while ago that panties were only a nuisance, so my bare pussy was exposed to the air. Terrence licked his pink lips, coating them with saliva.

  Without missing a beat, Terrence knelt on the floor between my knees and buried his face in my thighs. I threw my gaze at the ceiling, counting the seconds until I could get back to work.

  “Mm,” he intoned, his voice muffled by my flesh. He took my hand and put it on top of his head.

  I turned my hand into a fist, gripping his sand-colored hair.

  Terrence’s tongue traced a line up my slit, and I suppressed a shiver. Even though I hated him, he really did know how to work his tongue. I bit my lip, choking back the moan that threatened to push out of me.

  “You like that, don’t you? You little slut,” Terrence muttered.

  “Yes,” I whispered. It didn’t matter if it was a lie or the truth. It was what he wanted to hear.

  Terrence drew my folds apart and flicked his tongue at my clit, making me gasp. He chuckled when he heard the catch in my breath and quickened his pace. The room filled with the sounds of his slurping and suckling, and I could hear my own hollow breaths echoing inside of my head, growing louder by the second. Heat flushed through my body, concentrating in between my legs where Terrence was eating me out.

  “You’re getting so wet for me, Aspen,” Terrence said.

  I felt myself twitch inside as I leaked juices onto the desk. Terrence rolled the flat of his tongue over my slick folds, nibbling gently with his lips and teeth before moving back to my clit. I widened my thighs, giving him more access as his mouth clamped over my pussy. He pushed his finger inside of me, all the way down to the knuckle. I grabbed the edge of the desk and leaned back.

  “Oh, god,” I whispered.

  “Yeah, baby. Come for me. You know you want to.”

  My hips rose and fell in front of his face, almost on their own accord. I could feel something coiling up inside me, craving for a release. Terrence slurped and licked, keeping a masterful rhythm while stroking his finger at my g-spot. My pussy was clamped around him, clenching tighter and tighter in anticipation. We both knew I was getting close.

  “Come on, Aspen, you little bitch,” Terrence muttered in between licks. He bared his teeth as he spoke, making him look like a wolf kneeling in front of me.

  I grabbed his head and drove his face into my pussy. He attacked my clit with renewed energy.

  “Oh,” I whispered. My eyelids fluttered.

  Terrence reached up with his free hand and grabbed my breast, squeezing it through layers of fabric. My nipples peaked inside of my bra, awakened by his violent touch. He slid his fingers between the buttons of my shirt, brushing them against the fleshy tops of my breasts. I resisted the urge to flinch away from him.

  “I’m close!” I finally cried.

  I clenched my eyes shut and heaved, forcing myself to be quiet, as I came in Terrence’s mouth. He didn’t move away and continued to lick at my pussy, even after I finished coming. He liked to torture me that way, stinging my hyper-sensitive clit with his tongue and watching me twist and squirm on his fingers.

  “Please,” I whimpered.

  Terrence was panting when he raised himself to his feet. He grabbed my head and forced his finger into my mouth, making me suck my own juices off of him. His breaths were short and ragged as I dragged my tongue around his skin.

  “That’s right, bitch. Lick it clean.” When he leaned in for a kiss, I turned away.

  “How much longer will I have to do this?” I asked.

  Terrence snorted. “For as long as you want to work here, darling.”

  My eyes locked onto his, brimming with fire. “That wasn’t our deal.”

  “What deal?” Terrence asked. He laughed at my shocked expression. “Did you really think I would risk my business for some drifter whore like you? I hired you to work under the table, no questions asked, no social security number. You know how much trouble I could get in for that? So here’s the deal as I see it. As long as I’m putting my ass and business on the line, keeping you safe from whatever you’re hiding from, you’ll be at my beck and call showing me just how much you appreciate my generosity.”

  A flurry of emotions rushed through me: disbelief, fear, rage, confusion.

  “Now,” Terrence continued, “come give your boss a kiss.”

  * * *

  Hours fell off of the clock as I worked through the lunch rush, and I was able to keep Terrence out of my mind. But things slowed down by four, and all of Terrence’s cruel words came rushing back.

  “I have parent-teacher conferences next Thursday,” I heard Carmen say. “Could I have that off?”

  “Sure,” Terrence replied. “I bet Aspen could use the extra hours.”

  I tried to look busy as Carmen strolled out from the kitchen, looking grateful.

  “Honestly, I’m glad that Terrence bought the bar off of Harry. He’s actually a decent boss to work for.”

  “I wouldn’t know,” I said.

  “Wouldn’t you?” Carmen cocked an eyebrow suggestively.

  “What?”

  Carmen leaned her elbows onto the bar. I could feel her gaze on my shoulders as I rolled up forks and knives inside of napkins.

  “I know you’ve been fucking Terrence,” she said.

  I felt my stomach turn to lead. A knife fell out of my hand. “What?” I choked out.

  Carmen laughed. “Don’t wo
rry. Nobody else knows but me.”

  “How did you know?”

  Carmen leaned close, invading my space with the floral scent of her perfume. “Every time you come out of that office, your skin has this rosy glow. I used to look like that right after...you know.”

  I reached out and grabbed her wrist. A look of surprise flashed across her face.

  “You can’t tell anyone,” I said.

  Carmen patted my hand. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Your secret’s safe with me.” She winked. “By the way, just between us girls—”

  The bell on the door jingled, cutting her off mid-sentence.

  “I’ll take it,” I said, jumping off of the barstool. “Welcome to Buddy’s!”

  A man in a leather jacket strolled through the door and made a beeline for a corner booth. Oh, no. I rushed ahead of him, cutting him off from his path.

  “Sorry, that’s Liam’s table,” I said.

  The man turned to me, his eyebrows raised in a look of surprise. “Aspen,” he said in a deep, throaty voice. “It’s me.”

  I recognized the three large rings he wore on his right hand. My eyes turned round. “Oh!” I couldn’t help but stare. I was used to Liam with a beard and a mop of unruly curls, but today he was clean-shaven with his hair trimmed to his ears. It took years off of his face, and I was surprised to see that he actually looked closer to my age than my dad’s, which was what I initially thought.

  Liam smiled, lighting up his eyes. Why hadn’t I ever noticed his eyes before?

  “What? Do I look that bad?” He rubbed his chin self-consciously.

  I snapped my mouth shut, realizing that I’d been grinning like an idiot. “No,” I began faintly, “I’m just surprised.” I gulped as he slid down into his usual seat. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I’m glad you’re protecting my special table. You deserve a raise.”

  Don’t hold your breath, I thought at him. “What’s with the new look, anyhow?”

  “Oh, you know. The weather’s warming up, and it gets kinda hot under my helmet.”

  “I see.”

  I could feel a blush creeping up my neck as Liam regarded me. He was a regular and someone I knew pretty well, so why did I feel like I was standing naked in front of him? My skin tingled, aware of every breath that left his parted lips. I felt the sudden urge to collapse into a chair and fan myself.

  “So, will you be having your usual?” I squeaked.

  Liam grinned and knocked his rings against the table. “You know me so well.”

  It was just me, Terrence, and two cooks on Thursday. Terrence stayed in his office most of the time, leaving me free to breeze through a light lunch shift without watching for him over my shoulder. Just as I finished busing my last table, the door jingled.

  “Sorry, we’re closed for lunch,” I was prepared to say, but the words never left my mouth.

  A trio of young, tattooed men with shaved heads stood in the doorway, regarding the restaurant with defiant expressions. They were dressed in leather and chains, and at first glance looked like Skull Kings, which were Liam’s crew. But after a moment, I noticed that these men had red sleeves rather than black, and an unfamiliar pattern of patches decorated their jackets. I didn’t know much about motorcycle clubs, but I knew that they weren’t wearing the Skull Kings colors.

  Which meant they were part of another club.

  And even if we were closed, I knew that Liam wouldn’t appreciate a gang of non-Kings sitting at his favorite table, which seemed like what they intended to do.

  “Um, excuse me,” I began.

  “They’re fine, Aspen.”

  I turned around. Terrence stepped out of the kitchen, wearing the wide, twitchy smile he reserved for customers.

  “We’re having a lunch meeting. Why don’t you take your break in the back?” Terrence said. He walked past me and shook hands with the men, urging them to sit anywhere. They chose Liam’s table.

  Immediately, I imagined Liam and his gang, a tightly-knit group of burly men whom the townspeople seemed to fear for some undetectable reason. They made the other waitresses nervous despite their generous tipping habits, but these guys today were somehow...worse. And my boss was giving them Liam’s table.

  My anxiety dissolved when I pictured Terrence with a few ring-shaped cuts in his cheek.

  I strained my ears from behind the kitchen doors, trying to hear what was going on, but the men talked in hushed, careful tones. I chewed on my lip as I considered whether or not Liam should know about this. Finally, I just shook my head.

  Let Terrence deal with him on his own.

  * * *

  “Slow day, huh?” Terrence said conversationally as he closed out the register.

  “Uh-huh.” I extended my hand, not in the mood to linger.

  Terrence handed me the day’s tips. “Well, good night.”

  That’s it? I stared at him curiously, but he was concentrating hard on receipts. He didn’t seem to be in the mood for blackmail at all. With a shrug, I turned on my heel and hitched my purse over my shoulder.

  “Good night,” I echoed. And good riddance.

  I let the door swing shut behind me and paused on the sidewalk as I dug for my keys. The lights in the restaurant blinked out, which meant Terrence was almost done closing shop and was about to step out. I walked into the parking lot to avoid him.

  “Hey there.”

  I jumped. My heart jackhammered through my chest. “Jesus!”

  The man on the motorcycle held up his hands. There were red sleeves on his leather jacket. “Whoa. Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. I’m Ryan.”

  I squinted at him through the darkness. He was one of Terrence’s associates from earlier. My blood pressure eased back down. “It’s fine.”

  When I turned toward my car, Ryan’s two friends were leaned up against it. The shorter one pushed himself off and strolled toward me.

  “What’s your hurry? Don’t you want to hang out with us?” he said. His smile was cold.

  I kept the restaurant in the corner of my eye. The lights were still off, but Terrence had yet to step through the door.

  “Don’t worry about your boss,” Ryan said. “We have a little arrangement.”

  “Arrangement?”

  “Let’s just say he owes us a favor,” Ryan’s burly cohort explained.

  “And we’re taking what’s owed to us,” added the third.

  I never thought my heart could possibly pound as hard as it did that moment. I felt my pulse in my arms, in the soles of my feet. I took a few steps backward. The two men in front of me jerked their arms, maneuvering themselves around me, while Ryan swung off of his bike.

  “This is Terrence’s business, not mine,” I said.

  The men laughed. I gripped my purse strap in my fist. Ryan took two steps forward, hooking his thumbs in his pockets and wearing a sinister grin.

  “Let’s go for a ride,” he said.

  I saw movement in the corner of my vision. Without even a second thought, I lifted my purse and heaved it in an arc. It connected against a jaw, cracking through the air. The man groaned and crumpled to the ground.

  “What the—”

  Crack—

  The second man flew backward, ricocheting off the hood of a car.

  “Hey!” Ryan bellowed.

  I was high from my adrenaline, buzzing on a different plane of existence. There was no logic, no reason, only fear and instinct. The men on the ground were getting back on their feet, and Ryan’s rage-red face glowered, cutting through the darkness.

  I took off into the night.

  I ran, blind with fear, until my legs gave out. I collapsed against a wall, heaving, and blinked at my surroundings. I perceived the shape of the buildings on the street, some of them familiar. My hand groped along the brick wall.

  Eli’s Gardening Store, read the sign on the window.

  I closed my eyes and leaned against the wall. I knew where I was. I was safe, but damn, my car was still in the lot of
Buddy’s Sports Bar. Still, I was closer to my apartment than work, anyhow.

  Not long after I started walking, I heard the unmistakable growl of a motorcycle in the distance. My heart flew into my mouth and I side-stepped into a shadowed alleyway. The growls grew louder, closer, and I saw the beam of a single headlight slicing down the center of the road. I retreated further into the shadows with my purse gripped to my chest.

  The motorcycle’s engine rattled as the driver slowed. The headlight crawled along. Then, the motorcycle was right in front of me.

  I jerked myself to action when I saw the flaming skull logo. “Hey!”

  The driver stopped. I ran out from my hiding place, waving wildly. Everything that happened earlier was crouched inside of me, wound up like springs and ready to explode.

  “Aspen! Jesus, I’ve been looking all over for you!”

  I’d been meaning to tell the Skull King member what had happened at Buddy’s until I recognized Liam’s voice. My chest swelled. My muscles felt heavy and leaden, and I was suddenly exhausted. I ran right to the middle of the street and stopped beside his bike, close enough to touch the leather sleeves of his jacket. The heat of the engine was comforting, somehow.

  I threw myself into his arms. “You’ve been looking for me?” I whispered. I wanted to burst into tears out of sheer gratitude.

  Liam’s body tensed under my hands in surprise. Then, his shoulders relaxed, and he collected me in his arms. I looked up at him. In the uneven lights cast by the street lamps, the planes of his freshly-shaved face were even more dramatic than before. His expression seemed to morph between angry and frightened.

  “Terrence gave me a call. Said he saw you being attacked.”

  “What else did he say?”

  “He said you knocked out the thugs and took off before he had a chance to intervene. The guys got away.” He put his hand to my chin and tilted my face to the side, then the other. “Are you hurt?”

  I shuddered at his touch. It had been so long since a man had touched me that way, out of genuine concern. I closed my eyes.

  “Aspen.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re shaking.”

  I stared at the T-shirt stretched across his chest. The logo was of a stylized human skull encased in flames, the symbol of his motorcycle club. I concentrated hard.