Opal (Rugged Skulls MC Book 2) Read online

  Edge takes the package from River and takes it over to a picnic table. He drops it down before coming back to us. River’s gaze bounces between us all.

  “From the intense faces I can tell that some really bad shit is going down. Has it got something to do with Omen being back in town?” he asks casually, tucking his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.

  Hearing the words that just came out of his mouth has my calm, serene vibes vanish. I hear mutters behind us, and I feel Magnum step forward, taking over.

  “Where did you see him, River?” Magnum asks in his firm but direct MC President voice. A voice that means do not fuck with him and tell him what he wants to hear.

  “He was down by the docks earlier today. He was walking into an old, run-down boathouse. I thought it was strange because one, you ran him out of town, and two, no one has used that boathouse in years. One of dad’s friends is looking into buying it but they say the floor is unstable.”

  “Motherfucking cunt!” Sarge snarls.

  “That fucker needs to die, brother,” Rookie fumes from my other side, and I give him a nod. “We can string him up, bleed the prick dry like the pig he is,” he states.

  “Which one? Can you tell us exactly where it is?” Magnum asks. For some reason, my voice has vanished, but thank God for my brothers, who have stepped up and asked all the right questions.

  “I can take you there. Show you. I want in on whatever the hell is happening,” River states.

  “Not happening, brother. Your sister would kick my ass if anything happened to you,” Edge argues. He has a point. Synclare is a hotheaded woman, and her family is everything to her.

  “He can come. More hands the better. But you get hurt, man, there is no way in hell I’m facing your spitfire of a sister. She’s a redheaded version of my old lady, which means she can kick some serious ass,” Magnum pipes in. River nods and we go inside to set the plans in place.

  I nod at River, thankful for his offer. We all go back inside the clubhouse, heading directly for church. I see Archie sitting with Risky at the bar, Tucker at his side. The boy runs to me, hugging my legs. I bend at the waist and hug him to me, kissing the top of his head.

  “I need to go with the boys. Stay with your uncle and Risky, okay?”

  He gives me a nod and goes back to his uncle, who gives me a chin lift. A gentleman’s sign of a blessing, as my dad used to say. As I get to the room, each of the boys are already sitting in their seats. River is leaning against the wall as a mark of respect for the club, since he isn’t a member.

  Taking my seat, I look at each of my brothers, before we set the plan in place.

  “Now, let’s plan to take these fuckers down,” Magnum snarls, and we get to work. This is mine and Sarge’s specialty.

  Looking over the docks, my heart beats calmly in my chest, but it beats with the need to get down there and get my woman out of there and home safe. Looking over each of the buildings that are below us, I know she’s in one of them.

  “It’s that one with the blue roof,” River tells us.

  My gaze zooms in on it like I can see her through the walls. My fists clench and my breathing picks up. The adrenaline courses through my body as we carefully make our way down. We fan out, surrounding the building.

  “Remember I want them alive,” I tell my brothers.

  With nods from them, we get closer to the run-down building. I can see what River was talking about. The paint is peeling off the walls, and the tin roof is rusting amongst the blue paint. The windows are boarded over, so we can’t see in and they can’t see out. We’re going in blind.

  Pulling my gun out from the waistband of my jeans, I aim at the door. I hear the whistle and we all go hell for leather. I lift my foot and kick the door in. There’s one guy sitting on a chair just inside the door, and Magnum takes him down before he can even realize what’s happened.

  He slumps in the chair, dead.

  I hear her scream and my blood boils in my veins. With Magnum at my back, I make my way down the short hallway and into the bigger room. I see Omen but not Creep.

  “You want her, Opal, come and get her. She will never leave here alive.”

  “Clear.”

  “Clear.”

  “Empty.”

  Each of my brothers call out, clearing the building. They step into the room, having my back. Omen smirks, holding a gun to Jodie’s temple. The grip on my gun tightens as I calm my breathing. One wrong move and he could take my woman out.

  “Where is Creep?” I demand.

  He laughs and Jodie whimpers as he pushes the barrel of the gun harder against her. Keeping my face neutral, I drop my gaze to meet hers. The pain and anguish I see is a fucking killer.

  “That fucker pussied out. He left hours ago. Something about getting his kid.” He chuckles. Jodie sobs harder and the sound resonates through my body like you wouldn’t believe.

  “He will never get that boy. He is mine, fucker, just like his mother. Now, are you going to come quietly?” I ask, keeping my cool while still keeping my gun trained on him.

  “Since when do I ever do anything quietly, motherfucker? Every cunt I fucked screamed, and that British bitch would have too, if she hadn’t been such a stuck-up bitch and set her man on me.” Omen snarls, showing his disgust toward Click for turning him down.

  “She had good taste; she knew you were a creepy fucker,” Slide pipes in. He’s been quiet lately. I need to have a sit down with him and find out why.

  “She’s a fucking whore, fucking two men—” He doesn’t finish his sentence as his head goes flying back following a loud as fuck bang behind me.

  My head snaps in the direction and I see Slade standing there with his gun pointing in the direction that Omen was just in.

  “What? The fucker was waffling on and pissing me off. Click is a good friend of ours. Plus, that dirty bastard touched Ida when we first got together. I was waiting for the right moment to take him down,” Slade states, sounding bored.

  Magnum and the boys chuckle, tucking their guns away.

  “I wanted him alive, Slade,” I growl at him. He shrugs.

  “You can play with Creep instead,” he says and walks out of the room.

  Whimpering gets my attention and I turn to run toward Jodie. Gripping her face, I try to wipe the tears away, but they keep falling. Her body jerks with her sobs.

  “Fuck, baby, I am so sorry. I should have protected you better. I’m sorry. Shit, I love you, Jodie Simms.”

  “Brother,” Magnum says from my side. I look at him and he hands me a black hoodie to cover her body. Sarge cuts the rope around her wrists and ankles, and once she’s free, I lift her against my body.

  “Stefan,” she cries into my chest. “Tucker?”

  “He’s safe, baby. He’s at the clubhouse with Archie, the old ladies and a few prospects. He is fine.”

  She cries harder, relieved that her boy is safe back at the Tower.

  “Thank you,” she whispers. I hug her tighter and she winces. I loosen my hold, but she tightens her grip around my neck, so I keep her tight against me. She needs me as much as I need her right now.

  “Let’s get her to the hospital, brother,” Magnum says. His gaze lands on Jodie and his fists ball at his sides.

  Nodding, he, along with Slide, help me to my feet while I keep Jodie in my arms. They support me when I stand, making sure I don’t topple over. With a sigh, I walk out of the building, each of the boys following me.

  Rookie opens the truck door that Slade had gone to collect and bring closer. With a nod, he helps me onto the seat, making sure that Jodie stays secure in my arms. Magnum appears next to us. He leans in and touches Jodie’s head, before looking at me.

  “Go. We’ll follow you to the hospital.” With that, he closes the door and off we go, with Slade and Rookie in the front.

  “I am never letting you out of my sight again.” I kiss the top of her head, and she slowly looks up at me, giving me a small smile.

  �
�I’m good with that. I knew you would come for me, that you wouldn’t hand Tucker over to him. Thank you.” Her voice is quiet but firm. I would expect most women to break over something like this, but my woman is a badass.

  “No thanks needed. You and Tuck are mine, babe.”

  With a soft smile, she closes her eyes and falls asleep against me. Once we get to the hospital it’s a flurry of activity. Jodie is taken from me and moved to a room to be checked over.

  Magnum and the rest of the club arrive and sit with me in the waiting room. I stand over by the window, watching the clouds move across the sky freely with no way of knowing where they are going.

  Just like life. You never know what will happen or when. In the Army, you wear the protection but that doesn’t mean that something can’t sneak its way past it; a bullet, or a piece of shrapnel.

  With a click of your fingers your life can be completely wiped out, and you leave the ones you love behind. So, from today, my world just expanded from the club. Even though I already called ‘dibs’ on Jodie, it also applies to Tucker.

  “Family of Jodie Simms?” comes a voice behind me. I turn around to face an older looking doctor.

  “That’s me.” I step forward, the boys at my back. He smiles at me and shakes my hand.

  “Jodie is doing fine. A few bruised ribs, split lip, and some bruising around her right eye. I have cleaned up the bite marks, and they don’t look like they will scar. Nothing is broken and no internal injuries. She’s a lucky lady,” he explains, and I nod in relief.

  “Thanks, Doc. When can I take her home?” I ask.

  “I’d like to keep her in overnight just to make sure. Can I just say, I hope the sheriff doesn’t get his hands on this person, but justice gets served, anyway. Have a good day, gentlemen,” he states and leaves the room.

  I stand there in shock at what he just said. A doctor of his caliber wanting us, in not so many words, to make sure that the person who hurt Jodie is taken care of.

  “Fuck, that man is my hero,” Slide says and some of the boys laugh in agreement.

  “Right, boys, I’m off to see my old lady. See you dirty bastards later.”

  Twenty-Seven

  Jodie

  Who would have thought that a bunch of sexy tattooed bikers could be so sweet?

  I’m currently sitting on a very soft leather couch in the main room at the clubhouse. There are so many pillows surrounding me, you would think I’m in a pillow store. I have a very pretty pink, cream and gray crochet skull blanket that Kara let me borrow.

  Tucker is tucked under my arm; he hasn’t left my side since Opal brought me home this morning. The doctors told me that I had some bruising, nothing serious, and I was kept in overnight just as a precaution.

  The club has been waiting on me hand and foot since I’ve been home. I told Opal that I didn’t want to sit in his room and stare at the four walls, that I would rather be out here people watching. Watching the club relax in their natural environment. The drinks are flowing, and some Regs are here, but they’ve been warned to keep it tame as Tuck is in the room.

  “You okay there, darlin’?” I look over to see Rookie taking the seat next to the sofa I’m on. Opal has just left to get me, Tuck and himself something to eat. He has been doting on us, but I told him he needs to eat too.

  “I’m good. Aching but it could be worse, you know,” I tell him with a smile.

  He returns the smile and I swear I would sway and swoon if I was standing. Add in the sexy eyes and his Irish accent. Rookie adjusts the baseball cap on his head while keeping his eyes locked on mine, and I feel a blush creeping up my cheeks.

  “That’s good, babe.” He gives me another smile and goes to speak again but someone calls for Tucker.

  “Can I go, Mom? Or do you need me to take care of you?” My heart melts for my baby boy. He’s eight years old and wants to take care of me. In many, many years to come, he will make an amazing husband.

  “Yeah, go on, baby, but don’t go outside unless you tell Opal or me, okay?” With a nod and a kiss to my cheek, he darts off across the room to Sweets and Lash’s children.

  I smile as my boy meets his friends and they all lay on the floor playing some game with dice and plastic chips.

  “You did good with the lad, darlin’. He will do you proud when he gets older,” Rookie says, pulling my gaze from Tucker. I smile at him, fiddling with the blanket covering my lap.

  “Thanks, Rookie. What part of Ireland are you from?” I enquire.

  “Belfast. My family is still over there. I’m hoping I can get my ma and my brother to come over and visit soon,” he explains.

  I see in his eyes that he loves his family and would love to see them again. I saw my family at the hospital yesterday. My mother gushed over Opal and the boys, while my dad stared them down and asked a bunch of questions as to where Roy was because he wasn’t at the boathouse when they found me and killed Omen.

  I vaguely remember Roy fleeing, telling Omen that he knew how to get to Tucker and that Omen could do what he wanted with me.

  I lick my lips, my breathing picking up as I remember the way Omen touched me, telling me over and over again that I would pay for what the club did to him; that I would blame the club for losing Tucker.

  “Babe, breathe for me, yeah. Come on now.”

  I feel hands cup my face and everything comes back into focus. I see a worried looking Irishman speaking to me in that swoon worthy way.

  “Breathe with me.” I do as he says and my breathing calms. I can feel my cheeks heat up as we sit and stare at each other. Before I can pull away, my brain to mouth filter stutters.

  “You have nice eyes and a very sexy voice.” It just slips from my lips and I gasp.

  His chuckle fills the space between us, and I smile at him, but the next voice has my breath stilling in my chest as I look over Rookie’s shoulder and see Opal storming toward us with a large tray of food and drinks.

  “Shit,” I mutter, pulling back from Rookie. He winks as he chuckles at me and sits back in his seat, stretching his legs out.

  “What’s going on here?” Opal demands. He places the tray on the small table in front of the sofa I’m sitting on, then straightens to full height and crosses his arms across his chest.

  The material of the black V-neck t-shirt he’s wearing pulls tight, and I’m pretty sure I hear the material protest. I lick my lips again as my gaze traces over the bulging biceps and pecs that belong to me.

  “See something you like, baby? Or would you prefer a bit of Irish between those thighs of yours?”

  I stare at him, not quite believing he just said that to me. My gaze moves from his to Rookie’s, and he just winks at me again, before leaning forward and stealing a strawberry from one of the plates, popping it into his mouth. I can’t seem to tear my eyes away.

  “Should I leave you to it?” My gaze snaps to Opal and I see him smirking down at me. My shoulders drop in relief.

  “Brother, you know the ladies love me, and yours is no fucking exception,” Rookie replies and wiggles his eyebrows at Opal.

  “Sit down, you brute. Rookie was just keeping me company until you came back.” My smile falters a little as I continue, “Plus, he helped with my minor panic attack.”

  His cheeky smile fades and he sits next to me, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me into his lap. I rest my head on his shoulder and breathe in his manly scent, before laying a kiss to his neck. He shivers under my touch and I smile against him, loving that I can affect this man so much.

  “Baby, why didn’t you call me?” Opal asks, sliding his hand up and down my thigh.

  “I was right here, brother, and it just happened seconds before you walked in. But your girl is fine, yeah. You know I would never touch your girl like that, brother. She’s family. No one walks alone,” Rookie says before standing and stepping close. He and Opal fist bump and Rookie leans down and kisses my head, earning a growl from Opal.

  “Yeah, brother, I know, but you k
eep those fucking Irish lips off my girl in future, yeah,” Opal jokes with his brother and my heart warms even more for this man and his club.

  They are rough, ready, and rugged, but damn they are loyal and a brotherhood.

  “Only if she wants that,” Rookie laughs as he replies to Opal, who throws a slice of apple at him as he walks off. Rookie flips him the bird over his shoulder and joins the boys at the bar.

  I shift and use one of my hands to cup Opal’s jaw, forcing him to look at me. His piercing blue eyes penetrate my amber ones that I know he loves so much. My heart stutters in my chest. My eyes bounce between his and I can see love and adoration shining through as clear as a Florida day. Something shifts between us in that moment as my heart recognizes that it loves this man and I never plan on letting him go.

  He not only saved me, but he kept my son safe. He found a way to get me home safe and sound without putting Tucker at risk. Kara told me all about what happened when her ex took Edge’s nephew and she traded her place for his. She is a fucking superstar.

  “You are the only man I want, Stefan Bryant. You not only brought me home to my boys, but you kept my baby boy safe. He is my main priority, so I thank you for that. You are my Opal, my calming gem,” I explain. Then I kiss his lips in a kiss so full of feelings, love, loyalty, and heartfelt promises.

  We kiss for minutes it feels like, but when I kiss this man, I lose track of time as everything around us fades away. His hand on my thigh slides up and down, before settling on my butt. He gives it a squeeze.

  I giggle against his mouth and he smiles. I pull away to see his face. I love seeing the serene look that covers his features, and it makes me so happy that I helped put it there. He leans in and kisses me again, and the whiskers of his stubble tickle my lips, making me giggle again. I pull back, licking them, and his gaze drops to my mouth. He groans and grips the back of my head, kissing me more forcefully this time, branding me right down to my soul.

  Someone clears their throat and I snap back, completely forgetting that we’re in the main room at the clubhouse. I look up to see who interrupted us and my back stiffens.