Always & Forever (Battle Born MC Book 4) Read online

  Always & Forever

  Scarlett Black

  Always & Forever

  Copyright © 2019 By Scarlett Black

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever, including but not limited to being stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, groups, businesses, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Art by Dana Hoffman

  Edited by Dana Hoffman

  WARNING: This book contains sexual situations and VERY adult themes. Recommended for 18 and above.

  Always & Forever

  Timing is everything.

  Can I have the kind of love that would last for always and forever?

  Now that I am ready, I don’t know who the right man for me is.

  I crave a love that soars high, beyond this earth.

  A love that will steal my heart and innocence.

  The craving to be claimed and taken as one man’s woman is my dream.

  Both of them wanting me at the same time feels like a ticking time bomb that’s waiting to go off. A bomb that can destroy one, or all of us. Passion that will unlock secrets and set us down to the path for our future.

  Timing is everything for love to last always and forever.

  Chapter 1

  Solo

  I watch her from my seat at the back table in The Black Rose bar.

  Tami.

  She has no idea how beautiful she is. She’s young, naive and inexperienced. Still, her innocence is stunning, and I want it all for myself.

  I see her leaning over the bar top, and her toned body does not go unnoticed by the customer who she’s collecting some cash from. All I want to do is run my hands through her soft, golden blonde strands and over her silky skin. My heartbeat picks up and hammers in my chest at the idea of her, of us together.

  I’ve been watching her for this past year or so, and her twenty-first birthday is coming up. I used to think when she was first brought here that she would find a normal life for herself, away from the bar, the club and all the chaos. But, she generally looks happy here, and has made a home for herself amongst the thieves. Myself included.

  I’ve waited with hopeful eyes, seeing her change from the timid girl she was when we first found her to a woman finding her place in our world. She has become one of us and is fucking perfect. Doesn’t matter to me if she loves the club life or not, I just need her by my side.

  I’m not the only one who’s been seeing it either. I know that now is the time to go after her. I’ve waited long enough for her to decide if she wanted to leave or stay here with us. Patiently, I’ve been watching her grow and find herself, waiting for her to know who she was after all she went through so early in her life.

  Pawn is sitting in the chair next to mine, drinking his beer in quiet contemplation. He, like me, is watching as Cowboy strolls, unknowingly, into what I consider my territory, then sits on a stool at the bar. He is making Tami blush with whatever he’s telling her as he brings the beer bottle up to his lips, smirking at his own swagger. He downs the rest and tilts his head back as he sets the bottle on the bar. Tami chuckles lightly at him and leans forward to take the empty bottle from him. Her shirt falls open with her movement, exposing a light pink lace bra. Cowboy’s eyes stay focused on her tits until her head comes back up. He looks at her face and waits for any sign from her to take things further. Tami smiles and turns away, continuing with her work behind the bar without engaging him, but not dismissing him either. What the fuck.

  Heat surfaces on my cheeks as I’m watching him stalk her like a lion that’s ready to pounce on his prey. Her innocence shines through, not recognizing the predator sitting in front of her, smiling his sharp, white teeth.

  My other problem is Pawn. We’ve been friends for a long time and prospected together. He has liked her as much as me since she started working here. We’d both carry those heavy boxes for Vegas through the bar just to get a look at her. We knew where they went, but, man, we had it bad for her then, and it has only grown since. Blade would have cut our dicks off too since she was so young at the time, and we were just prospects.

  I believe that we’ve both held off going after Tami because we both know how much the other one wants her. We don’t want to lose our friendship because we are brothers first. Fuck it, though, it’s time. If one of us doesn’t claim her, and soon, Cowboy or one of the other brothers will. I have no doubt about it.

  “Are you both about done staring?” Vegas teases as she slides into the seat next to us. She startles me out my daydream and I look at her. Why is she here? This can’t be good.

  “Should you be in the bar?” Pawn gives her shit with a smirk.

  “Funny, smartass.” Vegas runs a loving hand over her pregnant belly. Dana takes a seat next to her, also sporting a pregnant belly. These bitches are happy as hell, and are also very fucking nosy. “Dana and I are wondering what the hell you two are waiting for.” She tilts her head to the side waiting for us to answer her.

  “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Playing stupid, I take a pull from my beer, trying to play it off like I don’t know. My eyes stay glued to Vegas and do not drift to the bar. The bitch will read me like a game of poker the second I hesitate.

  “Really?” Dana drawls out grabbing the attention of the table. “Okay, then. We can go ahead and tell Blade and Axl to not hold the brothers back anymore? You see, Vegas and I have done you two shitheads a favor here. We’ve been telling the Prez and VP that Tami isn’t ready for a man yet, but Vegas and I see it.” Dana takes a breath and looks over to the bar where Cowboy is, watching Tami go about her job stocking and cleaning. Looking back at us, she continues, “She’s very ready, curious, and lonely too.”

  Dana has the most expressive eyes. I can see her concern for Tami. She wants us to have her, and she wants Tami to be happy. I can’t say a word back, and we all know why. What will happen to Pawn and me in the long run? Can the guy who loses here still stay in the club, and can we stay friends? What a fucking dangerous game of roulette.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Pawn

  “You do nothing, like you both have been, and you both are going to lose. Is that what you guys want? It’s gonna suck either way.” Vegas lets out a long exhale. “You two have to come to terms with one of you having her and one of you letting her go. We know you two wouldn’t say the words out loud.” She points her finger at both of our faces, “It’s time to man up, boys.”

  Dana pushes her chair back as she gets up, and warns, “All bets are off. We can’t hold her back for you two anymore.”

  They walk away as we sit here with their words now drifting like ghosts around us. They both look for signs on our faces while they walk back to the office, abandoning Solo and I in the heavy silence that they’re leaving in their wake.

  “Solo, I don’t-” My throat tightens at the words we’ve left unspoken for so long. “I can’t separate our lives and I can’t choose between the two of you.” My gaze leaves Tami, and I look at my beer bottle, turning it around on the table. Fuck, who wouldn’t want the bitch? I wonder if she could handle the shit I would want from her. I don’t think she would.

  “I hear you, brother, but the Ol’ Ladies, they are right. One of us doesn’t go for her, she will end up with one of the other brothers. And if I’m going to los
e her, I would rather go down trying, man.” I can hear the determination in Solo’s voice.

  “Alright, but how are we gonna do this?” My gut sinks, knowing this is going to be hard.

  “We aren’t going to do shit, man. Tami is going to decide for herself,” he states, and I know that, in his mind, he’s already won. Fuck, but if I don’t try, I will always wonder.

  “No matter what, whoever she chooses, the other one walks away, and we stay friends till we die, brother.” Holding my fist out, Solo bumps his fist with mine and agrees.

  “Aye, brother, until we die.”

  Both of us willingly face the consequences of what could be the end of our friendship, all in the name of love.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Tami

  Cowboy and some of the other MC brothers do flirt with me occasionally. I’ve held off their advances for a long time, waiting for Solo or Pawn to make a move for me. I shake my head at myself, disappointed with how long I’ve been waiting for them.

  I’ve come to the realization that they aren’t interested. I’m just a simple girl and they must enjoy the experienced club girls that they can have whenever they need. God knows I’ve caught both doing some crazy stuff around here. Even though Cowboy is older, he’s sexy, and also likes flirting with me. Not to mention, the two I’ve been waiting for have been ignoring me all night.

  Cowboy has this southern charm and, God, those dimples of his are sexy. I watch as he takes his hat off and sets it on the bar top. I can’t help but look over his shoulder and see Pawn and Solo fist bump each other, and my heart sinks. Turning back around, I do what I normally do and get lost in my job, doing my best to become invisible to the world. The loneliness creeps in around me once again.

  Hours later, the bar has finally closed and I’m picking up the chairs to set them on the tabletops. I hear something scratching across the floor, and I jump around at the sound. Terrified, my heartbeat is pumping in my ears. I hold my hand at my throat and see Solo standing there with a chair in his hand, flipping it over, then setting it on the table. He wears a devilish smile and winks at me.

  “Didn’t mean to scare you, Tami. I’ll give you a hand with the chairs. What are you doing here alone? Where are the security guards?” He looks around then back to me with a pointed look, seeming to appear mad that I’m alone in the building.

  “They left. I told them that I was leaving, but sometimes I like to stay here at night and finish it.” Solo nods along to what I’m telling him.

  “How long?”

  “It takes me about an hour to sweep and mop the floor.”

  “No, sweetheart,” he sets a chair down and stills, “how long have you been doing this alone at night?”

  Oh shit, I just got myself and the guards in trouble. “Not long,” I lie and go to grab another chair.

  Solo’s hand lightly covers my own, halting my movement. “I’m not mad, Tami. Look at me?”

  Letting go of the chair, I slowly bring my eyes up to gaze into Solo’s dark brown ones. My heartrate picks back up and my muscles tense up at standing this close to him. His cologne hits my nose. My eyes take advantage and rake over his face. They notice every detail of his strong features and dark short hair. My body hums in anticipation of what will happen next.

  Solo runs his hand up my arm and over my shoulder, stopping right under my chin. His hand tilts my face up a little more, forcing me to look at him. His questioning eyes look down at me while his thumb rubs slowly back and forth across my cheek. I close my eyes involuntarily at his soft, intimate touch. Never having a man look at me this way, it scares me and excites me all the same.

  “Tami, I’m not mad.” His voice gets closer to my ear. “Feel this.” He takes my left hand and places it over his heart. “Do you feel how hard my heart is beating?”

  Opening my eyes, I find his looking into mine. “Yes, it’s beating so fast,” I answer and hear the awe that’s lacing my voice.

  “I’ve waited a long time to be this close to you. I see you.”

  My eyes dart back and forth between his, looking for answers in them that I know I can’t find today. “You have?” My words sound small and quiet.

  Solo chuckles and kisses the corner of my mouth. My body feels frozen to the spot. “Yeah, blondie, I most definitely see you.” His hands squeeze me ever so softly before letting go. “Now let’s get these chairs up and the floors clean, then I’ll take you home.”

  Making an effort to relax a bit more, I breathe out a long exhale of expectations that have built up over the years. My muscles slowly relax when I join him in doing just that, working together in a steady rhythm until it’s all done. Then we walk out to the parking lot.

  Solo walks over to his bike and hands me his helmet. I hesitate at his offering, not sure if I’m ready to ride at his back, and, also, the car I bought is parked right next to us.

  “I’m-a- thanks, but I think I’ll take my car tonight.”

  “Okay,” Solo brushes off my denial easily. “I’m going to follow you home, though.”

  “That’s good.” What’s wrong with me? That’s good? Shit. Shaking my head, I smile at him and jump into my car. Solo does follow me home.

  After a long day at work, the emotions catch up to me as I lay awake and wonder what the hell is going on in the universe.

  Why now?

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Thank God today is Wednesday. The Black Rose is closed, and the other thing I didn’t mention to Solo last night was that I always work late on Tuesday nights so that I can clean houses on my day off from the bar. I’m fortunate that Vegas and Dana pay me the same wage I make at the bar to clean their houses. I walk down the hallway with a cleaning supplies bucket and an excited Dana and Vegas are trailing behind me with their coffees in hand.

  “Stop, woman!” Dana yells at me. “Here, I brought you a coffee so sit with us,” she whines.

  “You brought me a coffee to interrogate me.”

  “At least I bring my hostages coffee,” she smirks.

  “I have a lot to do today, Dana,” I say in protest.

  “It’s okay, I don’t care when you get it done.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  Vegas chuckles next to her as she’s sipping on her own coffee, then says to Dana, “I just would like to have this moment noted and acknowledged, the date and time when you turned into a boss bitch, like me.”

  If the devil was a woman and beautiful, it would be Vegas, minus the horns.

  “Duly noted,” Dana agrees, nodding her head at her. “Tami, sit and spill to us pregnant ladies everything that happened last night,” she bats her eyes at me.

  “Fine.” Dropping the cleaning supplies, I sit in the bay window while my demon bosses sit across from me on the bed, tentatively waiting for me to spill. “Cowboy flirted around with me a little last night. Not completely unusual there. But he was a little more aggressive than normal. Then, when I was cleaning up the bar last night, Solo showed up there, and then he followed me home.” I shrug, hoping they will let me go soon.

  “Nah-ah, nice try, rookie,” Vegas calls me out on it. “You left out a whole lot more after Cowboy. Backup and start there again.”

  Shit. Giving in, I tell them exactly what happened after everyone left the bar. Two teary eyed pregnant women hold their coffees in their laps, untouched.

  “Should you be drinking coffee while pregnant?” I ask pointing at their drinks.

  Vegas wipes a tear away. “We can have one caffeinated beverage a day. I made Dana give up her coke to drink coffee with me today.”

  Nodding my head along, not really understanding, I move to stand up. Dana holds her hand out. “Wait, what is going to happened next?” she eagerly asks.

  “I really don’t know what is going to happen next. I’ve been alone for so long, and never had a boyfriend, so I really don’t get what to do or say.”

  Vegas’ eyes shine, and she smiles. “Babe, first thing you have to do is narrow down the options, okay? Since y
ou’re getting used to the whole dating thing, maybe only flirt with the guys you know you want attention from.”

  “Okay, that’s a good place to start.” Only flirt with the guys I like, easy enough.

  The only question I have is, how do I know what, or rather who, I want attention from?

  Chapter 2

  Pawn

  I toss my phone back and forth in my hands and think over and over about what I should do about Tami. Should I call her? I already asked Vegas for her number and I have it, but calling or texting doesn’t seem like enough. The bar is closed today, so I know she’s off. I could just go find her and pick her up. Like a surprise? I don’t know how to date girls. I never really have put the effort into it. In high school, it was all parties and fucking. Nothing has really changed since then actually.

  “What the fuck are you sitting around like a bitch for? What is it?” Spider sits next to me at the bar at the club, and the new prospect slides a beer over to us both.

  “Thinking about what the best option is there with Tami. Should I pick her up or call her?” The indecision is overwhelming my senses right now. I run my hands over my tired face, and then through my hair, before I grab my beer and chug half of it in one go. I should just blaze and forget about this drama.

  “If I knew a hot young bitch was waiting around for me to take her out, do you think I’d be sitting in this bar with you?” Spider lays it out for me like I should have realized this already. “That depends though. If you just want a fuck with her, I would say no. She’s not the fuck and run kinda bitch. That woman has strings and the kind you could make a family with.”

  “Fuck,” I jump up from the bar stool. “I guess I want to find out. I know that much.” I turn around and march down the hallway to the garage when I get a ping from my phone.

  Spider: Address, dipshit. 307 S. Center St.