Page 45 of Triple Threat

With no one in the room with me, I let the tears fall from my eyes as I set the bag down on my work counter. It’s a large stainless steel table in the middle of the kitchen. I sink down onto one of the stools I ordered for the table and rest my head against the cold metal table. The tears don’t stop as someone makes their way in the room with me and rests his hand on my back. I’m guessing it’s Tank just by the size of his hand.

“My son is a fuckin’ dumbass. He’s stubborn as fuck and once he lets you in, you’re in for life. Just give him time, sweetheart. I know he loves ya. He just has to wrap his fuckin’ head around that fact. You two have been dancin’ around one another for a long time. And I know you got somethin’ in the works with Ricochet and Paige. If you ever need to talk, I’m here. I’ll keep your secrets and no one will ever know what’s said between us. Not even Maddie and I love that woman with every beat of my heart,” Tank tells me, rubbing his hand up and down my back.

“Thank you, Tank,” I whisper as I keep my head down and wait for the tears to dry up. “But you’re wrong. He doesn’t love me. I was nothing more than a piece of ass to him. And that was okay for a while. Now, it’s not. I’ll be okay eventually.”

I really don’t want to cry over Hawkeye anymore. The tears are wasted on a man who won’t ever love me. I knew that shit going into our arrangement and I still caught feelings for the fucker. Hawkeye owns my heart, soul, and everything about me. I’ve given that man more than anyone else despite knowing it wouldn’t be returned. That’s on me. Sitting up, I dry my tears and eat the food Hawkeye brought me. He got me a cup of soup, crackers, some toast, and a bottle of ginger ale. It’s exactly what I need to settle my stomach. And I know I told him I wasn’t going to eat it right now, but I’m starving.

Tank leaves me in the kitchen on my own. I eat my lunch and toss everything away before going back out to work. It doesn’t take us very long to get the orders put away that I received today. Riggs and Kountry don’t say another word to me and it hurts. They were becoming good friends and Hawkeye had to open his damn mouth and ruin it. I’m over his possessive bullshit when he can’t man up and admit how he really feels. Fuck Hawkeye!

Chapter Thirty-Three

Hawkeye

OVER THE LAST week and a half, I’ve seen the biker parked anywhere in the area of where Tara is. She’s been sticking close to the compound unless she’s at the shop working. I can’t believe I lost my shit the way I did in front of my dad and the other guys. I might as well have fucking pissed on her leg to mark her as mine. My dad had every right to go off on me because I know more than anyone that he’d never let a damn thing happen to Tara or anyone else he was protecting. Seeing Riggs and Kountry hitting on Tara made me jealous as fuck and I snapped. For the first time in my life, I felt like Ricochet with the way I lost my temper.

Today we’re about to have church and I’m the first one in the room. Sitting in my seat, I don’t look at anything but the table in front of me. My hat is pulled down low. It’s been a long time since I’ve worn one, but this way I can watch Tara without her realizing it when she’s in the clubhouse. It’s becoming my favorite pastime and one I could spend countless hours doing. Watching her laugh with another man fucking guts me though. Especially when that man is either Riggs or Kountry. I like both men and think they’re good additions to the club. However, they’re quickly becoming my enemies with the way they’re always hanging all over Tara. She might not be mine, but they’ll never know the sounds she makes when they bury their cock deep in her pussy or feel her wrap around their length as they pound in and out of her.

I’m so lost in my head with thoughts of Tara that I don’t realize the table is full and Venom’s ready to call church. It’s not until he slams the gavel on the table in front of him that I snap back to reality.

“Meetin’ in session. Hawkeye has been keepin’ an eye on a lone biker who’s been stalkin’ Tara. He found him at the trailer park almost two weeks ago now. Since then, he’s been near her shop, down the road from the clubhouse, and ridin’ slowly throughout town. Slow enough to pay close attention to everyone walkin’ down the side of the road. Yeah, you all knew just enough to understand we were on the watch for someone. Now, we need to step our shit up. Hawkeye, have you noticed anythin’ that stands out about this asshole?” Venom questions me as I look at him and no one else.

“Not a fuckin’ thing. He wears all fuckin’ black, has a full face helmet with a tinted visor. Also wears gloves, long sleeves, and keeps his fuckin’ neck covered. You can’t see an inch of skin on the man. His bike is all stock and straight black. There’s no markin’ of any kind on the bike to pick it out if it’s just parked somewhere. I’ve tried to follow him and he fuckin’ loses me every damn time. I can’t find out where he’s hidin’ or where he goes when he’s not stalkin’ Tara,” I tell him, keeping my gaze locked on his. “I can’t tell you if it’s fuckin’ Lucifer or not. The only thing I know is that it’s the same guy every fuckin’ time. Same build, height, and all that shit.”

“Fuck. Goose, have you been able to find anythin’ on the cameras around town or anythin’? I know we got them up on every fuckin’ business, the clubhouse, the gate around the clubhouse, and wherever else you’ve put them. Tell me you’ve been able to fuckin’ catch somethin’ from that shit,” Venom asks, waiting for Goose to pull his nose out of his laptop so he can answer the question.

“Not a fuckin’ thing. I know this started out with him only comin’ out at night. Now he’s comin’ out durin’ the day and there always seems to be some kind of problem with the cameras whenever he shows up. They go down, are played in a loop, somethin’. Based on that, I don’t think it’s Lucifer. Not unless he’s got someone to do that shit for him. We all know he’s not smart enough to hack a damn thing. This guy’s a fuckin’ ghost and I’ve been tryin’ everythin’ to find him when I know he’s been in town. Hawkeye usually calls me so I can search for him exactly where he’s at,” Goose answers as I slam my fist against the table in front of me.

“Okay. We’re callin’ all ol’ ladies and kids on lockdown. I want the rest of you out scourin’ town every fuckin’ second of the day and night. With all three clubs together and the help of the Phantom Bastards, we can fuckin’ take shifts and make this shit work. Hawkeye and Otter will put all of our guys on a rotation. You go out when you’re supposed to and always ride in fuckin’ pairs. I don’t want anyone ridin’ alone. We all saw what the fuck happened when Kevlar went out on his own. I’ll not be goin’ to see another brother in the hospital lookin’ the way he did. We fucked up and it won’t happen again. I want the two of you workin’ on that shit as soon as church is over. Get the list taken care of and let everyone know who they’re ridin’ with and what times they’ll be out searchin’.

“Now, for the last piece of business for the day. We all know this fucker is after Tara now. None of the ol’ ladies and kids have left the compound so he’s goin’ after her. We can only offer her so much protection as a friend of the club. If the other two chapters leave, we’re gonna be spread fuckin’ thin and might not have the manpower to stay with her until this is all said and done. So, I’ve talked to the single guys from the other chapters and I know every fuckin’ one of them are ready to step up and claim Tara. They’re willin’ to move here since she’s almost ready to open her shop and have the blessin’ of Grim and Gage if they’re the ones to step up. I also know we got some single guys here in this chapter. So, if any of you guys wanna step up and claim Tara, you better fuckin’ speak up right now. The only thing holdin’ those other guys back is this meetin’. They’re waitin’ on word from me before they make their move,” Venom throws out, his voice making rage simmer in my veins. I’m fucking ready to gut any man at this table who says one word about claiming Tara.

These men are my brothers and I need to have their back. I can’t be thinking about beating the fuck outta them over a woman. Yeah, I feel as if I have first dibs on her, but can I really spend the rest of my life with an ol’ lady? I don’t know if it’s something I can do. Not when I’ve told myself for so long that I didn’t want a woman of my own or kids. That’s everything Tara wants. She wants kids and while I know I can give them to her, I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to make it happen.

“She’s fuckin’ mine!” I growl out, finally looking around the table to see every fucking man sitting next to me smirking.

“Good. I’m glad you finally got your head out of your ass, Hawkeye. You have twenty-four hours to claim her. I’ll order your rag for her today. I’m gonna make sure a rush is put on it so everyone knows exactly who Tara belongs to. Anythin’ else today?” Venom says, enjoying this shit way too much.

When no one says anything, Venom slams the gavel on the table and adjourns church. I’m the first one out of my seat and through the doors of our meeting room. I head straight for the common room and find Tara sitting at a table with Paige, Lyric, Kasey, and my mom. Walking right up to her, I grab her hand in mine to pull her out of my chair. I don’t say a word as I lead her from the common room and toward my room at the clubhouse. Before I claim her, I want to talk to Tara.

Unlocking the door, I step back to let her enter the room first. Following her in, I shut and lock the door behind me. Tara stands in the middle of the room and waits to find out what’s going on. She’s so fucking confused and doesn’t know what’s going on. I step up close to her and take a minute to compose myself after getting so pissed off in church. Yeah, I realize Venom fucking played me, but maybe that’s what I fucking needed. To be forced to step up and get out of my own fucking head.

“Some shit went down in church just now. Venom has been talkin’ to all the single guys to give them the option to claim you as their ol’ lady for an extra layer of protection. When he brought it to the table, I claimed you, sweets. I want you to be my ol’ lady,” I tell her, figuring it’s best to just rip the Band-Aid off.

Tara looks up at me for so long I’m not sure if she can even talk any longer or if I’ve shocked her silent. When she finally opens her mouth, I honestly don’t know what she’s gonna say to me. But, she’s not slapping me across the face so I’m gonna count that as a win.

“You did what? Are you crazy, Hawkeye? You don’t want an ol’ lady and you’ve made that perfectly clear. Like I said, I know an ol’ lady is for life and that there’s no backing out of this shit once it’s done. I’m not about to fucking force you to claim me as your ol’ lady when it’s the last thing you want. I’m sure I can find someone else to claim me as theirs and let you off the hook. I’ve been tellin’ you I’m not gonna force you into anythin’ and that’s what I meant. This seems as if you’re fucking making a decision you don’t truly want because you don’t want anyone else to be with me,” she practically shouts at me, her dark blue eyes turning even darker as she yells at me with her hands on her hips and her head slightly tipped to the side.

Tara is looking at me as if I’ve lost my damn mind right now and maybe I have. However, I feel deep in my gut this is the right decision to make for myself. Tara is mine and has been since the second I laid eyes on her.

“No one’s forcin’ me to do a fuckin’ thing, sweets. I claimed you because you’re mine. You’ve been mine since the second I saw you in the clubhouse the day you were introduced to us all by Venom. From that second, I couldn’t get you out of my head and knew I needed you in my life in some way. So, I’m not gonna fuckin’ complain for a second about havin’ you as my ol’ lady. If I didn’t want to make it happen, I wouldn’t have spoken up in church to stake my claim. Now I’ve got twenty-four hours to claim you, Tara. Have to do that shit in front of the club. The only thing is I don’t have a rag for you. Not yet. Venom is callin’ right now to get one with a rush order,” I tell her, stepping up into her space. “So, now the choice is yours. You need to tell me right now if you want to be my ol’ lady or not. Like you won’t force me to do anythin’, I’m not about to force you into anythin’ either.”

“I’ve only ever wanted to be yours, Hawkeye. I gave you my heart a long time ago. And I know for you this doesn’t mean what it does with every other couple. More than likely this shit will be in name only and that’s okay. If it keeps me safe from this fucker stalking me, then I’ll do what I have to do. So, yes, I’ll be your ol’ lady, Hawkeye,” she tells me, her voice barely above a whisper.

I’m not about to let my girl think I don’t fucking want her. It’s never been about not wanting Tara. I want her more than I need to take my next breath. She lights up my fucking world, gives me what I need when I don’t even know what the fuck that is, and has given it to me straight. She told me flat out what she wanted from me and stuck to what she said when it was over. I’ve been trying really hard to give her the space she wanted, but unfortunately, I can’t do that. Not any longer.

“Tara, you’ve had me from the second I saw you here in the common room of the clubhouse. It’s been me fightin’ what I wanted from the very beginnin’. I thought I could keep it casual and only fuck you. That I could work you out of my system and that would be the end of things. That’s not what happened though. Every fuckin’ time I sunk my cock into your pussy, I got addicted more and more to you. I wanted to stay there and hold you all night long. I’ve never fuckin’ done that shit in my life. Not even with that bitch I told you about in high school. Now, I’m done fuckin’ fightin’ what I feel for you. I want you as mine and in more than name only. I want everythin’ you get with an ol’ lady. Sweets, you’re in my bed from now on,” I tell her, reaching out to grip her hips as if she’s gonna run from me.

“Are you sure this is what you want, Brax?” she questions, her voice a whisper once again as she looks up at me through her lashes.

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