Sly (Dragon Riders MC Book 5) Read online

  Ben chuckled. “What about your front door?”

  Sly pulled me closely against his body. “Just trust me. I wouldn’t take your sister back there with me if I didn't know it was one-hundred percent safe.”

  My brother sighed. “Well, you won’t be staying the night there or anything. We have to get a jump on Skeleton tonight. I can give you guys two or three hours, but once midnight hits? We roll.”

  I furrowed my brow. “What’s he talking about, Sly?”

  He gazed into my eyes. “Your brother and us have cut a deal. We help him take down Skeleton and his crew for good, and in exchange we get our lives back.”

  Ben snickered. “And I get my hands on all the surveillance information they’ve gathered on Skeleton and this bullshit crew of his.”

  Sly kissed my temple. “Including the names and addresses of another crew helping Skeleton to run drugs all across the state.”

  I shook my head slowly. “This guy really sucks, doesn’t he?”

  Sly chuckled. “That’s one way to put it.”

  After that, we rode in silence all the way back to Sly’s place. My brother talked us through the timeline of how things would go down tonight, and the more I listened, the more worried I became. Were the other guys okay? What about the girls? Had the bar been raided, too?

  Sly pressed his lips to my ear. “Don’t you worry, beautiful. This nightmare is almost over.”

  And I wanted to believe him so badly.

  Ben drove us back to Sly’s place and we headed upstairs. Walking into the room made me feel on edge and jumpy. But I busied myself with trying to clean up the place. I stripped Sly’s bed and put new sheets on it while he went into his dungeon and placed everything back onto the wall. There were dishes that had been shattered, so I tracked down a broom and swept the whole of the studio apartment as Sly rearranged furniture and picked random things off the floor.

  Like pillows.

  And a cell phone charger next to the kitchen table.

  And the kitchen table itself.

  “Fucking hell, this place is a wreck,” he murmured.

  I walked over to the front door. “You’ll need a new door.”

  “You think the FBI will pay for it?”

  I shrugged. “No clue. But I bet you could finagle my brother into getting one for you.”

  “Nah. I’ll just fix this one and be done with it for now.”

  I scoffed. “Not if I’m going to be staying over.”

  “What?”

  I peered over my shoulder. “If you want me to come stay on any sort of a regular basis, you’re going to have a door that isn’t already busted up. Got it?”

  He grinned. “Ten-four, beautiful.”

  It took us all of three hours to get his place back in decent-enough shape. But all too soon, my brother came knocking on the door. I looked over at Sly as he finished putting up the last of the dishes that hadn’t been busted in the raid, and when his eyes met mine, worry pooled in my gut.

  “Are you sure you have to do this?” I asked.

  My brother knocked again. “It’s time, Sly. We gotta head out.”

  Sly walked over to me. “I promise, I’ll be back before sunrise.”

  I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Come back to me. Okay?”

  His forehead pressed against my own. “I promise.”

  As my brother continued knocking, he captured my lips in the sweetest kiss that sent my heart spiraling down an endless, dark tunnel. I was Sly’s girl, no matter what happened. No matter where we went or what we did, I’d always love this man.

  “I love you, Tara.”

  My eyes met his. “What did you say?”

  He smiled. “I love you. And I’m coming back. You have my word.”

  My eyes watered over as my heart took flight. “Oh, my God. I love you, too. So, so, so much.”

  Then, with one last deep kiss as my brother sighed heavily on the other side of the door, I sent him back off into the darkness.

  Hoping and praying he’d stay true to his word.

  19

  Sly

  It felt weird having Chai—I mean, Ben—to my side in the SUV. But it did give us a chance to talk. I mean, I didn’t want to. I only had the energy to focus on bringing Skeleton down once and for all. But since he had direct access to me, it didn’t shock me that he used that to his advantage..

  Ben cleared his throat. “So, you and Tara.”

  I pointed. “Take that left.”

  He furrowed his brow. “Wait, how did you know?”

  I rolled my eyes. “You’re not the only person with a group that knows how to track someone down. I know where we’re headed, too.”

  Silence fell between us as he took a sharp left, the tires screeching across the pavement.

  I sighed. “If you announce us like that, though, we won’t find the bastard anywhere.”

  He chuckled. “Yeah, well, consider it my style.”

  “No wonder you suck at your job then.”

  He barked with laughter. “I see why my sister likes you now.”

  I furrowed my brow. “What?”

  He took a hard right. “You’re snappy, like she is. Quick-witted, and all that.”

  “Sounds about right.”

  “But I’m her brother. And we need to talk about this.”

  I cleared my throat. “Guess that depends, then.”

  “On?”

  I looked over at him. “Whether you’re going to fight with me or not. Because it won’t matter how upset you get. At the end of the day, if Tara wants to be with me, then that’s what she’s going to do.”

  “I agree.”

  I cleared my throat. “And one more thi—what?”

  He snickered. “I said I agree.”

  I blinked. “Right. Well. There. Okay. I’m glad.”

  He chuckled with glee. “Look, I know my sister like the back of my hand. And when she puts her mind to something? There’s no turning her away. It’s how she got to be so tenacious. It’s why she lives her life on the edge the way she does, acting like there’s no tomorrow. No future to bank on.”

  “Same way I live my life. I’ve got no guarantee I’ll wake up tomorrow morning. So, why waste a perfectly good day doing shit I don’t want to do?”

  “You sound like my sister, exactly.”

  I grinned. “Because we were made for each other.”

  He took another sharp turn as those words hung in the air. And while I expected Ben to rebuttal, he didn’t. He didn’t confirm or deny anything, but he also didn’t unleash some sort of hellish, brotherly rage in my direction. So, I took the win as I could. Because either way someone sliced it, this wasn’t the moment to be having some dumbass heart-to-heart conversation.

  We had a trafficking ring to take down.

  “Your guys meeting us there?” Ben asked.

  I shook my head. “My guys are already there. They’re giving me a textual play by play of what’s happening.”

  “What!? Let me see your phone.”

  The car swerved as he reached for my cell, but I held it away from him.

  “Why don’t you just focus on the road and I’ll read, yeah?” I asked.

  He gripped the steering wheel tightly. “What’s going on? What do they see?”

  I scrolled through the surveillance pictures Link sent me.

  “Looks like they’re holed up in another random abandoned building. It’s nowhere inside their usual hunting grounds, though.”

  Ben nodded. “Doesn’t shock me. If they know someone’s onto them—which they do—then they’ll switch things up to throw us off.”

  I smiled devilishly. “Yeah, well, little do they know their time is about to come up.”

  “Can I just say one thing, though?”

  “Say whatever you need to say to clear your mind. Because once we get to Skeleton? We have to focus on that.”

  He nodded. “Of course. Yes. I just want to know that you’re going to take care of my sister.” />
  My eyes locked with the profile of his face. “You have my word.”

  “Any trouble you get into, try not to rope her into it.”

  “Never again.”

  He sighed. “Then, let your guys know that I’ll make sure the investigation into you guys is completely squashed by the end of this. I’ll let my superiors know how much help you guys have been in tracking down this crew.”

  I saw an opportunity for my whole family and took it. “I’ll agree under one condition.”

  He scoffed. “The fuck? I’m essentially giving you permission to date my sister and you’re leveraging that?”

  “Don’t get it twisted, I never needed your permission. But I want to make sure the rest of my family is taken care of.”

  He shook his head. “You’re not getting any money out of this deal.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Ben, I’ve got enough money. I don’t need that shit. What I want is for you to make sure that your head—as well as others—are turned away from my crew.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  I shook my head. “Tara’s going to stay out of trouble. I’ll make sure of that. I want her to have the best life possible, but I want that for my entire family.”

  He nodded slowly. “For your crew and their girls, too.”

  “Yes. They’re Tara’s family, now. As are you. And family sticks together.”

  He peeked over at me. “I’ll make sure the investigation is squashed and that the federal agents I work with stay clear of you guys.”

  I grinned. “Then, let’s go get this asshole once and for all.”

  Ben laid the gas on thick as we sped down a back country road right toward our final destination. But about a mile up the road, gunfire rang out. I looked over at Ben and watched him hunker down behind the wheel of the car before he rolled down our windows.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Aim out the window. I’m charging this fucking place.”

  I smiled wildly. “I like your style.”

  “Hey, family has to stick together, right?”

  I aimed my gun out the window. “You’re damn right they do.”

  Gunshots rang out closer as bike engines revved and roared. As we tore through the metal chain-linked door, I aimed down the barrel of my gun and popped off shots as Ben tore up the beat-up gravel drive. Men in ripped jeans and ratty leather jackets poured out of every orifice of the worn-down warehouse building in the middle of fucking nowhere, but my head was on a swivel for my guys.

  Until finally, I laid eyes on Link.

  “Over there. They need cover now!” I exclaimed.

  Ben cut the wheel tightly to the right as the SUV started taking bullets. He came to a stop in front of Link and Bowser, who quickly hopped into the back. As Ben rode around the building, firing shots out of his own rolled-down window, I picked Skeleton’s men off one by one.

  Until we had the entire core of the crew gathered in Ben’s work vehicle.

  “All right, where to next?” Ben asked.

  Link panted. “You mean you don’t know?”

  I grinned. “Park around back. We need to go in and find those girls.”

  Bowser paused. “Someone wanna fill me in on what’s going on?”

  I turned around, looking over my shoulder. “We got a Fed in the family now, that’s what’s going on.”

  Ash laughed from his gut. “My man!”

  Knuckles patted my shoulder. “Happy for you, dude.”

  Ben cleared his throat. “Not to spoil a happy moment, but I see Skeleton.”

  My head whipped around. “Let’s get this fucker.”

  I watched as Skeleton made a break for the woods and I decided that wasn’t going to be good enough. So, I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed halfway out the window.

  “What are you doing!?” Ben exclaimed.

  I held my gun out. “Just keep driving until you catch up to him. That asshole isn’t getting to those woods.”

  I narrowed my eyes as I focused the barrel of my gun against the back of his head. One shot, and I could take this man out for good. And as wonderful as it would have been to watch that man’s blood stain the grass beneath his feet, there was something else I wanted just a bit more than that.

  Justice for the girls he tortured.

  “Take the fucking shot!” Link roared.

  And as I pulled my trigger, I knew I had him.

  Everything happened in slow motion the second I heard that thunderous crack. It seemed like the entire world stilled around me as I watched Skeleton collapse to his knees. I aimed for his shoulder when I saw him reach for his gun, and as the second bullet fired from my chamber, I watched his entire body spin around before plummeting to the ground.

  Ben’s voice roared out his window. “He’s down, he’s down! Move, move, move, move!”

  Tires squealed in the distance as Ben picked up a radio in his car. I threw my door open and high-tailed it beside Link as all of the guys rushed Skeleton writhing on the ground in pain. As I wrapped around his left side, Link went to his right, and together we hoisted him up as he wailed about his knee.

  “You took out my fucking kneecap!” he shrieked.

  Link grinned. “Nice shot.”

  I snickered. “I’m more privy to the one I put in his—”

  Skeleton cried out. “Aaaahhhh, stop that!”

  I smiled brightly. “His shoulder. I’m more privy to that one.”

  Link shook his head. “You’re a sick man, you know that?”

  I shrugged. “Eh, I’ve done worse.”

  Link barked with laughter. “I believe it.”

  Men dressed in all black with the letters “FBI” printed across the front of their vests came and scooped Skeleton away from us. I turned around and locked my eyes with that disgusting human being as Ben yelled off in the distance, directing his men into the warehouse. One by one, girls of every size, shape, and color were led out of that building. And some of them looked like they hadn’t had a proper shower in weeks.

  “I hope someone slaughters him in prison,” I murmured.

  Link patted my shoulder. “I’d rather see him rot, to be honest.”

  I watched with succinct finality as every single member of the Golden Jags were hauled off in handcuffs. They were a motley crew of misfits, but they were also brutish and rough. A couple of the FBI officers had to wrangle them to the ground before binding their ankles as well as their wrists. It really was a sight to watch.

  Ash walked up to my side. “Guess they’re going down swinging.”

  Knuckles jogged up behind us. “Got the last man that dashed off into the woods. Ben’s got him now.”

  I nodded. “We did good work today, guys.”

  Bowser high-fived me. “Damn right, we did.”

  Ben jogged up to us. “The Bureau can’t thank you guys enough for your help.”

  He shook each one of our hands before I drew in a deep breath.

  “Well, as much as I’d like to hang around and torch the place, I got someone waiting for me back at my place.”

  Ash chuckled. “Told you you’d figure it out one day.”

  I shot him a look. “Thin ice, man.”

  He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Hey, it’s just nice to see you happy for once.”

  Link nodded. “He’s got that right.”

  Ben smiled brightly. “Come on, I’ll get you back to your place.”

  The ride back to my place seemed long and arduous. But when Ben dropped me off, he left me with a hug. It felt good to not be in such contention with someone who was important to Tara. Especially since all of us were going to be family from now on.

  “You take care of her,” he said.

  I nodded as I backed up toward the apartment. “You got it, man. You know I will.”

  “Just gotta cover my ass in case I need to kill you.”

  I grinned. “Don’t I know it. You drive safe, okay?”

  Ben called after me. “And
tell Tara to call me tomorrow! She owes me coffee!”

  I jogged up the stairs two by two and set my sights on my busted door. Well, a door that should’ve been busted anyway. I furrowed my brow at the pristine door that now sat on the hinges of my studio apartment, and before I could even jiggle the knob the door ripped open.

  Revealing Tara in nothing but my shirt and a pair of socks.

  “Some of my brother’s guys came by to put a new door on. Hence, the coffee I owe Ben.”

  I nodded mindlessly. “Right.”

  She giggled. “You gonna come in? Or are you gonna keep me waiting?”

  And as I charged through the front door, taking the woman I loved into my arms, I kicked the front door closed behind me. Our lips crashed together as I gripped her ass cheeks, feeling her jump just so she could lock her legs around me. I reached behind me and fumbled with the lock on the door. I heard it flip just as our tongues fell together, causing a warm shiver to rush down my spine.

  Then, with her body wrapped around my own, I walked her back into my dungeon so I could show her just how much I loved her.

  All night long, if she’d let me.

  20

  Tara

  Six Months Later

  My voice sounded muffled as I bucked against Sly’s face. “Right there. Right there. Right—aah!”

  Sly spanked my thigh. “Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to talk with your mouth full?”

  My toes curled. “Please.”

  He chuckled before his face fell back between my legs and his tongue shot me straight into the clouds. My eyes rolled back as my toes curled, feeling his tongue slither and snake around my swollen clit. His cock pulsed down the back of my throat, dripping precum into my stomach to wake me up from a long night of exploration and debauchery.

  Just like it had been for the past six months.

  “Shit, Tara,” he hissed.

  I whimpered. “So close. Sly, please.”

  He lapped deeply at my clit. “Not until I’m ready to come. Understood?”

  I groaned. “Damn it, please. Come on.”

  He spanked my thigh again. “Not. Until. I’m ready.”

  I clenched my muscles as tightly as I could while juices dripped down my ass crack. I gripped any part of Sly I could hold onto as his body blanketed my own from the rest of the world. The morning sun slowly rose, pouring through the windows of his bedroom. The bed banged against the wall as he pounded down the back of my throat, fucking my face in ways I’d come to adore. I opened my body up for his taking and let him use me. I tasted his thickening arousal as it slid down the back of my throat.