Dingo (Devil's Fury MC 1) Page 6

  “They’re a law unto themselves, Mei. The police don’t matter around here, or any other authority. What Grizzly says, goes. He’s the one in charge of it all. The President. Dingo is a patched member, which means he has status in the club, and their protection, but he’s not high up enough to claim an officer’s spot.” He moved closer. “Then there’s guys like me. I’m a Prospect, which means I get the shit jobs as a way to prove myself worthy of being a patched member. The black vests, like mine, are called cuts. Dingo’s has the club name and his name on his. Mine just says Prospect. The officers will be like Dingo and have their names on theirs, but also their positions.”

  I opened and shut my mouth, not knowing where to even begin with the questions. For that matter, did I really want to know? If they didn’t care about the police, didn’t that make them just as bad as my foster family? As bad as Trotter? Had I only traded one evil for another?

  Dingo’s blue-gray eyes flashed in my mind. No. There was no hatred or evil in his gaze. Only kindness, and a gentleness that I craved. I didn’t know about the others, but I was certain that he was a good man.

  “The club gets their money by illegal means, mostly, and it’s divided among the members. Officers get a bigger cut, and anyone who helps with a certain job gets a higher percentage from that particular task than someone who didn’t participate at all. They’d kill to protect their own, Mei, and with you being Dingo’s ol’ lady, that means they’ll protect you too.” He folded his arms, then winced and dropped them back to his sides. “You’re his, Mei. Call it a girlfriend or whatever you want.”

  He’d… claimed me? Made me his girlfriend just by saying I belonged to him? Or rather by his club telling him that I was now his. I didn’t know how he felt about it. He’d seemed more concerned with how I’d react, but he had to have remained single all this time for a reason. Was he angry that he was now responsible for me?

  “He’s a decent guy, Mei. I wouldn’t leave you here with him if I thought he’d ever hurt you. I can’t promise he’ll be faithful. The guys get plenty of pussy up at the clubhouse. You saw what it was like last night. All those women are here voluntarily, and eager to take a ride on any cock at the clubhouse. Your man included.”

  Could I live like that? Knowing he expected me to remain faithful, but he could be with whoever he wanted? Was that where he was now? He’d said it was club business, but what if he was really with a woman? It wasn’t like he was in love with me, or me with him, but I’d hoped that this time was really different.

  I heard the rumble of a motorcycle getting close and Beau tensed, moving to the window and peering outside. He cursed and ran for the front door and bolted from the house. I heard shouting and got up to look through the blinds. Dingo had Beau on the ground, beating on him again. I wanted to intervene, to tell him that Beau hadn’t meant any harm, but part of me was scared that he’d turn that anger my way.

  When he released Beau and started striding toward the house, I backed away from the window and watched the doorway. Dingo came in, slammed the door shut, and turned toward me. He was breathing heavily, his face was flushed, and there was still fury sparking in his eyes.

  “Did he touch you?” he demanded.

  “No. He didn’t get close to me.”

  Dingo came closer, not stopping until I could feel the heat of his body. “Why was he here?”

  “I don’t know. He just showed up and let himself in.” I wanted to back up, but I didn’t. He’d called me strong, brave. I wanted to prove him right and not run away like a frightened mouse. “I think he was trying to apologize for leaving me all those years ago.”

  Dingo leaned closer and buried his face against my neck, breathing me in. He settled his hands on my waist and pulled me closer. I could feel his heart pounding and I realized he wasn’t just angry because Beau was here with me. Alone. He was upset because he’d been worried about me. I placed my hands on his shoulders, then slid them down his back.

  “I’m okay,” I said. “I was scared at first, but he didn’t touch me.”

  “If he’d laid a finger on you, I think I’d have killed him.” His voice was a deep rumble, but the sound soothed me. “Only mine for a few hours and already I’m willing to commit murder if someone does anything to hurt you. Hell, I was ready to tear apart the men who abused you before you were even mine.”

  He drew back, but didn’t release me. I looked up into his eyes and the emotions swirling in their depths made me breathless. No one had ever looked at me like that. I reached up and gently stroked his beard, surprised that it felt so soft. When he’d kissed me, it hadn’t been scratchy like I’d feared. He let me explore as I petted his beard, then ran my fingers through his hair at the base of his neck.

  “Or maybe I’ve just known from the moment I saw you that you were mine,” he said. “When I saw what Demon was doing, what he’d demanded of you, it was the first time I’d ever wanted to hit him.”

  “Beau said your club gave me to you,” I said, needing to hear the truth from him.

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  “Dingo, if you don’t really want me here, if I’m an inconvenience, then I can go.”

  His lips twitched, and he gave me a slight smile. “I want you here, Mei. They only said you were mine because they knew I was going to claim you -- eventually. I’d hoped to give you time, show you that I wouldn’t hurt you. They just sped up the timeline. You’re mine, beautiful. Always.”

  “And are you mine?” I asked, almost fearing his answer.

  “Yeah.” His gaze locked on mine. “And when the time is right, when you’re ready, I have no doubt you’ll make sure everyone knows it.”

  I tipped my head to the side, assessing his words. “Does that mean I have your permission to go off on any women who try to get in your pants?”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, baby. In fact, I hope one day you’ll be confident enough to show those bitches not to mess with you. The girls at the clubhouse can be a bit… territorial. None of them are claimed, but they want to be. They’ll see you as a threat, and they’ll likely try to get me to sleep with them. It’s just part of this way of life, Mei.”

  I didn’t know how I felt about that, but I’d have to learn to live with it. Or find a way to make those women fear me if they came anywhere near Dingo. Then again, if I wasn’t keeping him satisfied, I couldn’t very well expect him to turn them away. Could I? I’d never been in any sort of relationship before and had no idea what the rules were, or if there even were rules.

  “We have time, Mei. You don’t have to figure it all out right now. I can see you have questions, and I expect you to. Ask me whatever you want. If it’s not something I can share, then I’ll tell you.”

  “Am I the only one?”

  “The only woman I’ve claimed?” he asked.

  I chewed my lip. “Yes and no. I mean, yes, I want to know the answer to that, but I also meant, are there other women here who belong to just one guy?”

  “You’re the only one I’ve ever claimed, sweetheart. Only one I’ll ever claim. As to the other, Badger has an ol’ lady. Adalia is the Pres’s daughter, and he has two other adopted daughters. Neither belong to anyone, though. In fact, one is scared of her own shadow so you probably won’t see much of her. She tends to stay in Grizzly’s house.”

  That only gave me more questions, but I decided that if I learned too much more right this moment, my head might explode. Like he’d said, we had time. I didn’t have to find out everything right now. What little I’d been told so far was enough for the time being. I’d just take the rest as it came. Living life the way I had, I’d learned to roll with the punches. Sometimes literally.

  “Is your business over for the day?” I asked.

  He nodded.

  “So you can spend some time with me?”

  Dingo looked over at the TV before dropping his gaze to me, an eyebrow arched. “Do you expect me to watch that sappy shit?”

  I didn’t answer right away. Mostly b
ecause I liked watching that “sappy shit” as he’d called it. He cracked a smile, then pressed a quick kiss to my lips.

  “We can watch whatever you want, Mei. I was only teasing you. I’ll even sit on the couch with you.”

  I led him across the living room and let him sit first, then I curled up against him. He put an arm around my shoulders and held me close. It was the closest I’d ever gotten to what I imagined normal would be like. I’d never dated, never cuddled with someone. But I had feeling that the next few weeks I would experience a lot of firsts. Dingo seemed determined to make my life better, and he already had. I didn’t really believe in God or Fate, but something had made me come here last night, some unseen force, and I’d be forever grateful. If I hadn’t shown up, if Beau hadn’t come to get me earlier, then I wouldn’t be here right now.

  Chapter Six

  Dingo

  The rest of the day had flown by and now that it was nearing midnight I was faced with a new dilemma. I’d given Mei her own room, but that was before I’d claimed her. Now that she was mine, I wanted her in my bed. I just didn’t want her to feel like she had to be there. Not so soon anyway. We were strangers, and she’d lived through hell for years. If anyone deserved some space, it was her.

  She yawned so wide that her jaw cracked and I knew she’d reached her limit for the day. I stood and pulled her up with me. She blinked at me a few times, then gave me a sleepy smile. Getting her to follow me to the hall was simple enough, but I stopped, not knowing which door to go through.

  “Mei, I’m going to leave this one up to you. I gave you the guest room and you’re welcome to use it until you’re ready for more. Even if you do come to my room tonight, I’m not expecting anything from you. We can just share a bed and sleep. If being in the guest room with a locked door makes you feel better, then I’m okay with that too.”

  She chewed her lower lip as she stared at the guest room, then glanced toward my bedroom. I didn’t want her to feel pressured, so I released her hand and backed toward my room. Mei took a step toward me, then paused. I could tell she felt conflicted, but I needed her to make this decision completely on her own. I might be an asshole to most people, but not with her.

  I moved farther back into my room, then turned and walked off. She’d either follow or decide to sleep in her own bed. As much as I’d love to have here by my side tonight, I’d understand if she chose to lock herself away. Her entire world had turned upside down. In my opinion, it was for the better, but after knowing nothing but pain and ugliness, it would probably be difficult for her to just accept that things were different now. If our roles were reversed, I’d be skeptical as hell about all this.

  My brothers would probably think I was being too soft with Mei. I’d always been a take what I want kind of guy, and they were the same way. Not that we ever forced ourselves on women, but those who came to the clubhouse were willing and ready. Or so I’d always believed. I hadn’t seen Mei last night, but I’d heard about her showing up. If Beau hadn’t scared her off, she’d likely have ended up on her back or against a wall with my brothers none the wiser about the hell she’d been through. Or the fact that she’d only been searching for a place to sleep, and she’d been more than ready to exchange her body for a bed and some food. It sickened me and had me second-guessing the others who came to our gates. Were any of them like Mei? Had I been with someone who was just trying to find a way off the streets for a bit?

  I scrubbed my hands over my head, wishing I knew for certain I’d never taken advantage of someone. I didn’t want to be like those guys, the men like Trotter who didn’t care if a woman was willing or not. The thought that I could have hurt a woman sickened me. No, I didn’t make a living in an honest way, but there were some lines I refused to cross. Hurting kids or women was one of them.

  I hadn’t even realized I was pacing until Mei pressed her hands against my chest and stopped my forward motion.

  “Did you think I wasn’t coming in here?” she asked. “Is that what has you so agitated?”

  I shook my head, not wanting to voice my concerns. I didn’t want her to fear me, or think less of me. Right now, she saw me as some sort of hero. I wasn’t. Not even close, but to her… I liked being her white knight.

  “Dingo.” She reached up and placed her hand on my cheek. “Jameson, what’s wrong?”

  “Just questioning some things right now. About my past.”

  She brushed her fingers over my beard and stared up at me intently. I didn’t think she’d say anything at first, but she surprised me. “Didn’t you tell me that the past was behind us? If it’s something you can’t change, then let it go. Worrying over it doesn’t make a difference now, does it?”

  I blew out a breath. “No, it doesn’t.”

  It didn’t lessen my guilt any, though. And I had to wonder if any of my brothers had started to contemplate the same thing. We’d never had cause to question any of the women who came here. It was always assumed they wanted to be here, wanted bragging rights or the chance to be claimed. Maybe it was pure arrogance that made us feel that way, but now Mei had blown that theory to hell and back. If she’d come here as a means of escape, then others probably had at some point too. Had they needed our help?

  If I kept thinking about it, I’d just drive myself crazy. She was right. I couldn’t change the past, but I could try to make sure the future of the club was different. I’d have to wait and either talk to Grizzly one-on-one, or bring it up at Church next time.

  “I need to shower before I get in bed. You’re welcome to use another of my shirts. I didn’t think to get you pajamas, but we can fix that tomorrow.” I glanced at the clock by the bed. “Or rather, later today.”

  She took a step back. I wanted to reach for her, bring her back closer to me, but I let her go. If I didn’t put some space between us, I’d be tempted to ask for more from her than I should.

  “Do you sleep on a particular side?” she asked.

  I glanced at the bed and wished I’d thought to at least change the sheets. It wasn’t like I’d had anyone in my bed, but I didn’t think I’d put fresh ones on in nearly a week. I also didn’t want to stop and change them right now. With my luck, she’d think I was trying to get rid of the scent of another woman or some shit.

  “The right, but it doesn’t matter. You can have whichever side you’d like.”

  She gave me a slight smile. “Jameson, I’m just happy to sleep in a bed. I don’t care what side it’s on.”

  I tried not to wince. I hadn’t really needed the reminder of the shitty life she’d had up to this point. If I dwelled on it too much, I’d go on a killing spree. Part of the business I’d had to take care of included asking a favor of Outlaw. I wanted the names of the men in any videos online of Mei. And even more than that, I wanted all those damn things taken offline. I knew it wouldn’t destroy the originals and they would possibly go right back up, but I had a feeling he’d get Wire and Lavender to work a bit of magic. Maybe they could even trace where the videos originated and wipe out those systems.

  Wishful thinking, maybe, but I could hope. The last thing I wanted was for Mei to have a constant reminder out there of what she’d suffered. Once the videos were handled, then I’d take care of the rest. I would make each and every one of those men pay, no matter how far I had to go, or what I had to do. I’d kill them all if given a chance, and I’d make them die very slowly. They needed to suffer before drawing their last breath.

  “I’ll be back in a minute,” I said, stopping at the dresser long enough to pull out a change of underwear and a pair of sweatpants, then I hurried into the bathroom.

  I shut the door and set my things on the counter. I could hear her on the other side of the door. It was strange having someone in my house, especially in my bedroom. It wasn’t that I’d been celibate by any means, even though it had been a while since I’d fucked any of the club whores. I just hadn’t ever brought someone home. The clubhouse had served my needs well enough. My bedroom had alwa
ys been my sanctuary. Hell, my entire house had been a no-fly zone for the fairer sex. I’d only been a patched member for a few years and had lived at the clubhouse before that. The house had been a perk of becoming a full-fledged member of the Devil’s Fury.

  I started the shower and waited until steam billowed out of the stall before I stripped out of my clothes and stepped under the spray. The first thing I’d done when I moved in was remodel the bathroom. My shower didn’t have a door, just an open area that was wide enough for someone to walk through. The exterior of the shower was made of glass cubes from floor to ceiling that let in the light from the main part of the bathroom. I braced my hand on the wall and let the water beat against me.

  If felt like all kinds of fucked-up that I was hard right now. She’d been abused, horribly, and yet every time I looked at her my dick came to instant attention. I wanted to kick my own ass. While I hadn’t been with a woman for a bit, my hand had been just fine. I looked down at my cock and contemplated jerking off, releasing some tension and getting myself under better control. If I crawled into bed with her while I had a raging hard-on, she’d probably run back to her room.

  I slicked my palm with some soap and stroked from root to tip. Closing my eyes, I pictured Mei in here with me, her hand tugging on my dick. My balls drew up as I imagined her dropping to her knees and looking up at me with those beautiful eyes. Biting my lip, I stifled my groan as I moved my hand faster. It only took a few seconds before I was coming, spraying cum all over the wall. My heart pounded against my chest as I cleaned up the mess. It still hadn’t been enough. My cock was still semi-hard, and I knew it wouldn’t take much to be fully erect again.

  Changing the water to a much cooler setting, I hoped it would be enough to make me shrink some more. Even though I’d brought underwear to put on under the sweats, it still wouldn’t hide much if I got turned-on again. All Mei had to do was look at me -- hell, just be in the same room with me -- and I was ready to go. I’d never had such a strong reaction to someone before.