Prodigal Son (21 page)

When I heard Bug’s bike coming down the street, I checked on the roast I had in the oven, looked in the mirror to make sure I looked okay, and I waited for him to come inside.

“Krystal,” he called as he opened the door.

“Right here,” I answered, a smile fixed on my face.

“Jesus Christ,” he said, looking around the living room. “What the hell happened here?”

“I cleaned up. I decided that since I’d moved in, I’d get everything fixed up. I even planted some flowers out back. Want to come see?”

“I don’t give a shit about any flowers. I’m hungry, and I’m tired. I need a shower and a nap.”

“I have a roast in the oven with potatoes and carrots. It’ll be ready in about forty-five minutes or so.”

Bug grunted in response. “It’s the fuckin’ Fourth of July, Krystal. We should be having burgers on the grill.” He walked over to the refrigerator. “We have any beer?”

“Of course. I didn’t really think about the fact that it’s a holiday. Is roast okay?”

“You can ask Joker and the boys when they get here.”

“You invited people over? I had no idea.”

“It’s my fuckin’ house, isn’t it? I always have the guys over for the Fourth, ‘cause we can walk to see the fireworks at the park down the street. Usually, J.C. brings a bunch of fireworks and we blow shit up in the yard.”

“We’re going to need more food. I only planned on a dinner for two.”

“Guess you better get to the store, then,” Bug said as he tossed a bottle cap onto the counter. “I’m gonna go shower and lay down for a little while.”

I was furious that Bug had made plans without talking to me and just expected me to take care of everything, but I wasn’t going to let him get to me. I could do this — be patient and wait it out. “What time are people coming over?”

“Whenever they fuckin’ feel like it. Probably a couple of hours. You have plenty of time to shop and get dinner ready.”

“How many people should I plan on for dinner?”

“All the guys are invited. I guess most of them will show up.”

“Old ladies?”

“It’s a family fuckin’ holiday, Krystal. I’m sure they guys will bring their old ladies or some young hot pussy, if they ain’t got an old lady.” Bug reached down and stroked himself through his jeans. “Speaking of pussy, I ain’t had yours in days. I want a fuck before I shower.”

Ugh. I had zero desire to sleep with Bug, but I really had no choice, not if I wanted to keep the peace. We walked into the bedroom, and Bug unbuttoned his jeans and pulled out his cock, which — thankfully — was erect. He was always at his worst when he couldn’t get it up. With one hand fondling himself, he reached out, lifted up my shirt, and pinched my nipple, hard enough to make my eyes water.

“Want it rough and hard, bitch?” He pulled the thin, sheer fabric of my bra aside and exposed my breast, pulling at my nipple until my skin reddened slightly. “Bet you missed my dick while I was gone.”

I stepped back and pulled off my t-shirt and unhooked my bra, tossing both onto the dresser. I just wanted to get the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. If I was lucky, Bug would cum quickly, and I could get the fuck out of the house for a little while.

“Take your jeans off,” he said, as he continued to stroke himself.

I stripped completely down, and Bug pulled his jeans down over his hips. He let go of his cock long enough to reach out and pinch both of my nipples so hard that I couldn’t help but cry out, and as I took hold of his cock, I could feel it stiffen even more at the sound of my cry of pain. He really was a sick fucker. He let go of my tits, turned me around roughly, and shoved my face into the comforter on the bed. He slapped my ass hard enough to leave a mark, I was sure, and he shoved his fingers into my pussy.

“Jesus, Krystal, you’re dry as dust.”

I couldn’t hide the fact that Bug didn’t turn me on. If I’d had some warning, I’d have lubed myself up so that he wouldn’t know that the prospect of having sex with him didn’t exactly get my juices flowing.

“Here, baby, let me help,” I said, hoping to deflect his attention. I grabbed the bottle of lube that I kept in the nightstand, and I used it to cover his cock, working it with my hands, hoping that I’d get him closer to cumming so that he wouldn’t spend as long inside me. “Want me to suck your cock?” I asked.

“No. You can do that later tonight. Turn around, bend over, and spread your legs.”

If those words had been coming from someone else, they’d have turned me on. I loved men to be assertive in the bedroom, but when Bug ordered me around, it just made him feel weaker somehow, like his orders were trying to compensate for the fact that he had a smaller than average cock that he couldn’t even keep hard all the time.

I did what he asked, and as I spread my legs, I felt him pushing his now-slick cock into me. He pumped a few times, and I could tell that he wasn’t going to last long, thank God. I couldn’t help but compare the way Bug felt as he kept shoving himself inside me and leaving me completely unsatisfied with the way I’d felt with Luke’s huge cock inside me, filling me up and making me scream. As I thought about Luke, I started to move and I could feel my pussy start to get a little wet. I thought that I might actually have a chance at an orgasm when I felt Bug shudder as he came. He pulled out and left me there without saying a word.

When I heard the shower turn on in the bathroom, I got up, got dressed, and promised myself that I’d spend some time with my vibrator and my memories of Luke later.

“I’m heading to the store,” I called out, not caring if Bug even heard me.

I pulled my tips from the night before out of my purse and counted the stack of cash, hoping that I had enough money to get burgers, buns, and a couple of sides for everyone. I figured that I should have enough to cover it, and I headed out to the car. I couldn’t help but wonder if Luke would be coming, and it occurred to me that he might not come alone. I really hated the prospect of watching him with some club slut hanging all over him, but since I was with Bug, I figured I really had no right to complain. Someday, my life would be different.

“I’ll take the potato salad out. Need help with anything else?”

Sable had been a huge help, showing up early, just as I’d gotten back from the grocery store.

“No, I think that does it,” I answered, filling some bowls with chips and salsa. “Thanks so much for your help. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”

From out back I could hear the sounds of the men laughing, firecrackers exploding, and slutty little club whores giggling. The last time I’d been outside to deliver a round of beers, fucking Bug had Angel sitting on his lap. While I was inside working to put together the last minute party that Bug had planned, he was out there with his hand on some slut’s ass. Right in front of me. I set the salsa jar down and took a deep breath, closing my eyes and trying to calm myself down.

I really shouldn’t be upset. It wasn’t like I really wanted Bug for myself, but the disrespect just got to me. I had to get it under control, though. I didn’t want to start a fight at all, much less in front of all the Sons, especially Luke.

Luke had shown up last, smelling like the expensive Ritz soap and looking like a fantasy, blond hair windblown and in need of a haircut. I’d watched him from the window as he pulled into the drive on his new bike, and I fantasized about how much I wanted to climb on the back of that bike and have him take me away from everything. The only consolation in the whole evening was that he had shown up alone.

“Hey.”

I jumped, startled to hear Luke’s voice interrupt my thoughts about him.

“Hey, yourself,” I replied, busying myself with replacing the lid on the salsa jar and topping off the chips in the bowl.

“Need a hand with anything?”

“I think I’ve got it, but thanks. Sable was a life saver.”

“Yeah,” Luke said, stepping inside the kitchen and looking out the window at the scene in the back yard. “I think I’m pretty lucky to have found my birth parents. They’re good people.”

“They sure seem happy that you’re here.”

“Yeah, I got to spend a lot of time with Joker on the Arizona run, and he’s a good man. Not perfect, but a good man.”

I looked into Luke’s eyes and remembered how much I’d enjoyed talking to him. I snuck a glance outside to make sure Bug was still out there. “Did you enjoy the run?”

“Krystal, it was amazing. So much freedom. The only thing I can think of that would make it better would be to have an awesome girl on the back of the bike with me.”

“Well, from what I’ve heard about these trips, I wouldn’t imagine that you were lonely.”

“No, I wasn’t, but as much as I love women, I’d rather be with the right one than with a string of meaningless fucks.”

This was dangerous territory. I didn’t know if Luke knew how much I really liked him, but I couldn’t have Bug walking in on the two of us talking about sex. I had my plan to get out, and I wasn’t going to let a little flirtation with Luke get in my way.

“Well, I hope you find the right one,” I said as I picked up the salsa and chips to head outside.

I stopped in my tracks when I felt Luke’s hands on my hips as I’d attempted to pass him on the way to the door.

“What if I already have?” he whispered in my ear, bending forward so that I could feel his lips barely brushing my ear.

I turned around to face him, and I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and feel that golden stubble on his jawline brush against my cheek, my throat, my whole body. But I couldn’t. I still wasn’t entirely sure that Bug wasn’t plotting some kind of revenge, but I knew for sure that if he walked into the kitchen and found me in Luke’s arms, that he would kill me.

“Luke, I can’t.” I said, shaking my head in regret. “I’m with Bug to keep myself safe until I can leave Denver forever and start a new life for myself. He’ll kill me if he thinks I’m fooling around with you behind his back.”

Luke turned and looked out the window. “He doesn’t look like he’s terribly concerned about you right this minute. He has his hands all over Angel’s tits.”

“Luke, I really couldn’t give a shit about where he puts his hands, but his rules for me are different. He will kill me.”

“Krystal,” Luke said, taking the bowls from my hands and setting them on the counter. He took both of my hands in his, and I felt tears threaten at the unexpectedly sweet gesture. “I had a revelation of sorts on the road. I’ve spent all my life worrying about what other people would think and trying to do the right thing, even if it meant putting what I really wanted on the back burner.”

“That’s what makes you a nice person.”

“No,” he said, shaking his head and squeezing my hands. “That’s what makes me a pushover. I’m done being that guy. I’m done being the guy who watches the sexiest woman he’s ever met go home with a piece of shit like Bug. I know he’s my brother in the Sons, but he doesn’t deserve you. Krystal, you deserve a man who will treat you with respect and who is strong enough to protect you from all the petty, cruel bullies like Bug.”

“Luke, I have a plan to get myself out of this fucking mess I’ve created for myself. I’m glad you had your revelation, but I can’t afford to piss Bug off. I really can’t.”

Luke looked at me, still holding my hands, his blue eyes holding me in his very serious gaze. “Krystal, I want you. I want you more than I’ve ever wanted any other woman, and I don’t mean just for sex. You’re smart, you’re fun, you’re sweet, and to top it all off, you’re absolutely fucking gorgeous. I want you.” He dropped my hands and put his hands on either side of my face, holding me gently. “I think you want me, too, but if I’m wrong, just tell me, and I’ll leave you alone.”

I didn’t know what to say. Luke was, quite simply, the man of my dreams, but I was stuck, so stuck, that I was afraid that if I answered him honestly, that one or both of us would regret it. I decided to be honest. “Luke, I do want you, but I’m scared. Scared of Bug and what he’ll do to both of us.”

“Krystal, I’m brave enough for both of us. Let me handle Bug.”

“You don’t know him like I do. If you’re not scared of him, you’re a fool.”

“No, the old Luke — the one who wore a tie to his corporate job in Arizona — he would have been scared of Bug. I’m not. I want you, and I’m going to have you, Krystal. You know we belong together.”

He tilted my face up and bent to kiss me, but I pulled away, too afraid of what might happen if anyone walked inside the kitchen.

“Luke, I want to, but I can’t.” I grabbed the bowls and headed for the door once again.

Luke put his hand on the doorknob and paused before he opened the door for me. “Krystal, one way or another, we’re going to be together. I’ll let you go for now, and I’ll let you pretend that you want to be with Bug while you get your head together, but I will have you. You will be mine. Don’t forget that.”

I felt like I couldn’t breathe as I headed outside, an artificial smile plastered on my face. I didn’t see Bug anywhere, and I nearly panicked at the thought that he might have seen me and Luke in the kitchen.

“Where’s Bug?” I asked no one in particular.

No one in the group would make eye contact with me except for Kris, the girl who tended bar at the clubhouse most nights. She’d never been particularly friendly to me, and I knew something was up when she smiled at me and pointed to the yard on the side of the house. It was then that I realized that Angel was missing from the group as well. I was fairly certain that the two of them were together, and I had a pretty good guess as to what they were doing. I hesitated for a moment, trying to decide if I really wanted to walk around the corner and see what Bug and Angel were doing, and I saw Sable’s concerned expression.

As unsettled as I was by the conversation I’d just had with Luke, I wasn’t sure I was thinking very clearly, but all I could wrap my head around was my anger at Bug. He’d dumped this party preparation on me with no notice, and then he’d gone off to fool around with Angel while I cooked for his friends. Fuck him.

I took off for the side of the house, and I turned the corner to see Bug’s bare ass pumping while he fucked Angel from behind. She was bent over the big wooden box that housed the trash cans, and I could hear her whimper as Bug pulled her hair. The harder he pulled, the louder her cries and the harder he fucked her. I stood and watched, disgusted by the fact that he’d had sex with me just a couple of hours earlier. While I watched, Bug pulled Angel’s hair even harder, and he started thrusting so hard that the girl tried to slow him down.