Butch Read online

  “Give me an hour and I’ll come and get you all,” Butch said. He kept hold of her hand, refusing to let go.

  “I appreciate it,” Tiny said, cursing.

  Climbing on the back of Butch’s bike, she placed the helmet on then wrapped her arms around his body. They took off before she got a chance to say anything to Eva or the others. Butch pulled up outside of her house.

  “What are you doing?” she asked, refusing to let go.

  “I’ve got to get to the clubhouse to grab the cab. It’s got enough seats to bring them all home.”

  “Why can’t I come with you?” She’d enjoyed this morning with him, even going to the jail and meeting Gonzalez.

  “This is club business, and I don’t want you to be part of it.”

  “You’re not part of the club,” she said.

  “It’s not the same. You don’t know what this is about. I don’t want you to get hurt, honey. Please, go and get Matthew, and we’ll do something fun.”

  She climbed off the bike, removing the helmet. “You can’t keep me away forever.”

  “It’s not about that, babe.”

  “When are you going to realize the club is part of you?” She reached out, touching his chest. “It’s in here.”

  He removed her hand, kissing her knuckles.

  “No, it’s not. I’ve moved on. I want to move on.”

  “And yet when you got that call there was a fire in your eyes that I’ve never seen before. It has nothing to do with lust or even love, but you’re happy when you’re part of the club. Washing dishes and playing normal boyfriend is not who you are.” Cheryl didn’t need him to pretend to be something he wasn’t. She liked him the way he was.

  “Baby, it’s over.”

  “No, I don’t think it’s over.” She withdrew her hand, letting out a sigh. “Go, help them, and I’ll see you when I can.” Taking a step away from him, she walked in the direction of her mother’s house. For a long time Butch stayed by her house, obviously watching her. Only when she heard the sound of his bike leaving did she chance a glance back. Butch was going to regret his decision to leave the club if he didn’t open his eyes soon. Letting herself into her mother’s house, she scented the pancakes the moment she stepped inside.

  “Hey, Mom,” she said, calling out.

  “I’m in the kitchen.” Closing the door behind her, she walked into the kitchen. Matthew was sitting at the counter clapping his hands the moment he saw her. Chuckling, she pulled him out of the high chair and kissed him. “Did you have a nice night, honey?”

  “The best, Mom, thank you for having him.” She kissed Matthew’s cheek, blowing a raspberry on the delicate flesh.

  “He’s always a pleasure. Never moans unless he wants something. I’m happy for the company.”

  Rocking her son, Cheryl listened to her mother talk as she bustled around the kitchen. Her mother had always liked to produce a home cooked meal no matter how long it took to get all the ingredients together. Cheryl had been spoilt for choice, and her experience in the kitchen had come from her. “Butch told me he loved me,” she said, letting the words spill out.

  Her mother paused, glancing over her shoulder at her. “Really?”

  “I love him. He’s amazing, attentive, hot—great, now I’ve said hot.” Licking her lips, memories of the way he’d touched and made love to her last night filled her mind. He’d been rough yet delicate. Butch set her body aflame with desire.

  “Have you talked to his father yet?” She pointed at Matthew.

  Cheryl shook her head. “I will soon. I promise. I know I’m going to need to see him, but I don’t know. He doesn’t want anything to do with Matthew, I mean, why would he?”

  “I don’t know, honey. You’ve got to give the man a chance. He’s with The Skulls, so he’s always got something going on. Doesn’t he own a fancy casino back in Vegas?”

  She shrugged. There wasn’t much she did know about Alex. Their relationship had been fleeting, and the only lasting consequence sat in her lap. Cheryl hadn’t been sitting around mourning for Alex, or wishing for him to come home. There were a few times she wished he turned up as she’d been terrified of raising a child alone. She’d never been alone though, as her mother had stuck by her through thick and thin.

  “I want you to be happy, Cheryl. I really do.”

  “I’m happy, Mom. Butch makes me happy.” She smiled, tightening her arms around Matthew. “Alex wasn’t anything special. I mean, he was there, and then he wasn’t. There were no lasting feelings. Butch, I miss him all the time. He’s out now, and I hope he’s okay. I’m not going to stalk him or anything. I don’t know, maybe we’re moving too fast after finding out about Alex, but I don’t think we are. He means everything to me, Mom.” She pushed her hair off her face.

  When Matthew started to get restless, she placed him back in the high chair.

  “I don’t know what you’re going through. If he makes you happy then I’ll be happy for you. I never want you to suffer, Cheryl. Never in all this world did I want you to go through what you’ve gone through.” Her mother placed pancakes in front of her son then handed her a plate. She took the food, diving into the fluffy pancakes. “When you told me you were pregnant, I was worried. Raising a child is tough. Raising a child alone is even harder.”

  “You did it for the most part.”

  “But your father couldn’t hack it, honey. He was happier going out and sleeping with everything than sticking by his woman,” her mother said, reaching over to touch her hand.

  “Butch would never do that to me.” Cheryl knew without a shadow of a doubt that Butch would love her and be loyal to her. The Skulls were many things, but they were loyal to each other.

  “I know. I’ve got the right to worry about you. You’re my daughter, and I’ll keep worrying about you for many years to come. I should warn you, I’ll always worry about you.”

  Cheryl smiled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  ****

  Frederick chuckled as he entered his hotel room. The scent of bleach overwhelmed him the moment he closed the door. “Fuck, Ronald, it stinks.”

  “Tell that to Homer. He got in a mess with the girl, and now he’s cleaning up the mess.”

  Ah, the smell of victory. He was going to have The Skulls and Chaos Bleeds eating out of the palm of his hands.

  “What’s the next stage of your plan, boss? We’ve got another delivery of coke due and a shipment of at least a hundred girls that need to start earning their keep,” Ronald said.

  Walking to his supply of scotch, Frederick poured out three glasses. Homer appeared wearing a blood smeared apron. The sight appalled Frederick, but there was nothing he could do. That ship had already sailed.

  “We’re putting pressure on Tiny and his men. Gash will be out within three weeks, but he’s going to be coming out to a whole load of shit.”

  He took another sip of the strong, expensive spirit. His father didn’t have the first clue of how to handle an MC group. All of the men who’d come before him really thought they knew their shit. They were all mistaken. Frederick knew how to get what he wanted and kill every motherfucker who got in his way. Devil and Tiny were only the first. Soon he’d own both MCs, both towns, and along the way he’d get Vegas and start to expand his business out. He’d be more powerful than any fucking criminal known to mankind. Whoever thought of trying to sell shit on his turf would have to pay their dues. Gonzalez didn’t intend to come cheap. After his father had taken out the Savage Brothers over twenty years ago, Frederick thought it would only expand from there. Instead, his father had gone back home, leaving it all dead. He was going to change all that. “Daddy left a loose end from a long time ago. I want you to find Becca Stanford, kill her, and send the head to The Skulls. When you do that, send Ashley’s to Chaos Bleeds. We’re going to get what we want, boys. I can almost taste it.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Two days later

  After bailing those bastards out Butch
hadn’t heard a peep out of them. They had their kids back with the help of Rupert, but did he get anything? No. No one had come to see him, not to even thank him for what he did. His hard work had come down to nothing.

  “Come on, Butch, we need those dishes, pronto.”

  He glared at the boy demanding he work faster. In the beginning working at the café had been fun, a change from the norm. Now, it pissed him off. It was hot outside, and the back of the café was steaming hot from all the hot water and food being cooked. He hadn’t seen the sun in almost three hours, and he was pissed. The only consolation prize for him was Cheryl. Going to bed with her every night made up for the hours spent in the café.

  The problem, it was getting harder to want to go to work. The Skulls were his home. He wouldn’t go back; he couldn’t go back. Cheryl was going to be in too much danger if he joined The Skulls.

  “Butch?”

  “Get the fuck out of my kitchen and fuck off,” he said, yelling out at the other man. Ten minutes later the manager walked in.

  “Butch, we need to talk.”

  Throwing the dishes to the floor, he heard every single one crash onto the tiled ground. “Fuck you and fuck your job.” He removed the apron and slammed it against the man’s chest.

  Why did you think this was going to work in the first place?

  The Skulls is your place.

  Walking out of the café he didn’t stop until he was in the florist. Cheryl was serving Nash as she finished wrapping a bunch of roses in a bow.

  “Butch, what are you doing here?” she asked.

  Nash was staring at him.

  “I quit my job,” he said, moving closer to the counter. Matthew was with her mother like he was most days Cheryl was at work. In a year he would be in school, and neither of them would have to worry.

  “You quit? How is that possible?” she asked, handing the bouquet to Nash.

  He watched the other man pay, clearly listening to the conversation.

  “I couldn’t stand it anymore. I can’t work there.”

  Cheryl gave him a pointed look then focused her gaze on Nash. He shook his head. No, he wasn’t going back to The Skulls, even if he wanted to. Butch knew he was being an ass, but he had his reasons for doing what he was doing.

  “I’ll find more work.”

  “Where? There’s not much call for work in Fort Wills,” she said.

  “I’ll find something.”

  “Or you could stop being a disloyal bastard and come back and work for the club,” Nash said.

  “I’m not talking to you.”

  “You bailed us out because you owed us a favor.”

  “Yeah, and look what happened. I got kicked out of the conversation. It’s the last time I owe you shit.” The moment he’d picked the crew up and driven them to the clubhouse, they’d all shut him out.

  “You’ve told us more than once you don’t want to be part of the club. What went down was club business. It had nothing to do with you.” Nash’s arms were folded as they stared at each other. They’d kicked him out of the meeting, and he wasn’t even surprised. He had nothing to do with the club at his own choice, yet it still fucking hurt.

  “I got that. I’m not part of the club anymore. I’m fine, really, I’m fucking done.” Butch glared at the other man with his leather cut.

  Stop being a fucking baby.

  “Butch, he’s a customer.”

  “Don’t you worry your head about it, doll. Butch is simply being a cunt. Sophia will love these, thank you.” Nash took his card and walked out of the store.

  “What the hell was that?” Cheryl asked, turning on him. Her arms were folded, and she looked ready to murder him.

  “He’s an asshole, and he knows what he was doing. He was causing me problems.” Butch shrugged.

  “I don’t care what he is to you, Butch. He was a customer, and I don’t own this place. Whatever you do to drive away sales risks my job.” She tapped a hand to her chest. “I can get fired, and I need the money.”

  “What if this was your shop?” he asked, firing the question at her.

  “What?”

  He smiled, rounding the counter and tugging her into his arms. She melted against him within seconds. His cock hardened wanting inside her tight, hot warmth.

  “I’d buy you this place, and then you could do whatever the hell you want with it.”

  “You can’t do that. It’s so expensive.” She stared at his chest.

  “Not if you’re my wife it wouldn’t be.”

  She jerked, staring up at him. Staring into her eyes, Butch knew there was nowhere else he wanted to be.

  “You’ve just quit your job.”

  “I’ve got money and investments with the club. Tiny stopped my percentage a few months ago, but I got plenty from all the savings of the last three years. Whizz works the stock markets for the club so there’s more than enough money to go around. We all put a percentage in, and at the end of the month, we get money back. Some of the brothers don’t put money in, and they earn what they can at the club, baby. Because of that, I’ve got enough money to put a deposit on this place. I’ve not spent much of my money that I earned in the last three years. My biggest expense so far is renting out that apartment, and I’ve been working as well, babe.” Reaching down, he gripped her ass moaning as she rubbed against his cock.

  “Is that a proposal?” she asked.

  “Cheryl, will you marry me?”

  Her mouth fell open.

  “Do you not know what to say?” he asked.

  “You’ve taken me by surprise. I was angry at you, and now I can’t be mad at you.” The smile on her lips was worth it. She looked totally taken aback.

  “Well, don’t keep me in suspense, honey. Tell me if you’ll marry me or not?” he asked, impatient to know her answer.

  She was the first woman he’d asked to marry him.

  “You’re being serious?”

  “Serious as I’ve ever been about anything. Marry me, Cheryl.” He closed the distance, claiming her lips. From the instant he left her this morning, he’d wanted the feel of her lips against his. He was turning into a fucking pussy with how he felt about her.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you.” She answered him in between kisses. Laughing, he picked her up, spinning her around. He’d never been so happy about anything in his life. Cheryl was going to be his woman.

  “Do you think we can get out of here?” he asked.

  “No, I can’t get out of here yet. I’ve got to finish work.”

  He didn’t like that for an answer. “Give me your manager’s number,” he said.

  “Butch, you can’t force her to give me time off.”

  “I’m not going to do anything. I’ve got to make a call.” He rubbed his nose against hers, trying to relieve the tension. “Trust me, baby. I wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

  She let out a sigh. He watched her ass as she left the store to grab the number. When she came back inside, he gazed at her large tits. They were huge, and he wanted them naked, swinging in front of him.

  “Here, please, she’s a nice woman. Don’t be mean.”

  “Honey, I’m not mean.”

  Taking the card from her, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number. After thirty minutes of negotiation, he had bought a florist shop for his future wife. He called a lawyer to finish up the contract then entered the store as Cheryl hung up the phone.

  “What did you do or say?” she asked.

  “I wanted you off for the remainder of the day. Did it work?”

  She tilted her head to the side, glaring at him. “You know it worked. She gave me the time off and told me to take care of you.”

  Butch chuckled.

  “What did you say?”

  “I gave her over the asking price for this place.”

  “You’ve bought it already?” she asked, looking surprised.

  “I’ve got the down payment on this place, and I’ve already booked an appointment with the bank. You’ve
got nothing to worry about. Everything should go through within a matter of weeks. Your name will be above the door, and you can make your own hours and choose your customers.”

  Her hand went to her hip. “I’m not refusing The Skulls. They spend a lot of money here, Butch.”

  He shrugged. “If we can expand you’ll get the customers elsewhere. Come on, let’s get you home.” Butch took over, leading her out of the florist shop, closing it up and climbing on the back of his bike. She put the helmet on but refused to hold onto his waist. “Hold on, Cheryl.”

  “I’m not going to turn them away. I don’t care what you think. They spend good money, and you’d be crazy to cut them out of your life. They’re your family, Butch.”

  “We’ll talk about this when we’re home.” When he got her home, he was getting her naked. His dick was aching for some relief. In the weeks to come he had a wedding to plan, and a ring to purchase so every fucker knew who she belonged to.

  You’re still running away from The Skulls. They’re your family.

  The reasons for leaving The Skulls were falling away, little by little. He wanted to go back to them, but then he couldn’t help but feel it was a weak decision. Turning on the ignition, he pulled away from the curb and took off toward her home. She headed inside the house as he put the bike away. When he entered he closed the door and followed the sound of her moving around.

  She was filling up the kettle with water. He waited until she put it down before wrapping his arms around her waist. Pressing his face against her neck, he groaned at the smell of her. She always smelled amazing to him.

  Cupping her tits, he rubbed his cock against her ass. “I need you, Cheryl.”

  ****

  Refusing Butch was out of the question. Whenever he touched her, Cheryl just couldn’t say no. His touch sent her pulse aflame with need. She no longer wanted to talk about The Skulls or him returning to his crew. After he bailed them out, he’d been moody at being shut out. She knew he wasn’t used to being cut off from the family. The Skulls were his family.

  The problem she faced was trying to show him that he could have the best of both worlds. She didn’t care about his association with the club. Living in Fort Wills, she’d seen the good and bad that the club did. More often than not, The Skulls took care of them. She didn’t have anything bad to say about them.