King (Grit Chapter Book 2) (6 page)

Clara frowned, staring at Hank. She didn’t know that anything was wrong with him. “Is everything okay?”

“All up here is okay. It’s the damn body. Cancer—it’s a bitch, right?”

“Cancer?” Clara didn’t like that.

“Don’t think about it. Go on, I’m going to open up, and I already see the parking lot filling up.”

Gritting her teeth, Clara entered the staffroom. After placing her bag in the locker that Hank gave her, she slammed it closed and rested her head on her arms.

Cancer had a lot to answer to. She’d worked as a care worker in a hospital children’s ward. God, that had been the worst few months of her life. She had been around sick kids, loving them, coming to see how strong they were, and then losing them.

“Ah, fresh meat,” a guy said, entering the staffroom.

Clara took a deep breath, stepping away from the locker room.

“Bill?” she asked, seeing the other employee Hank had told her about.

“That’s right.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Heading out to the store, she went toward Hank, who was waiting for her. For the first hour of the store opening, Hank shadowed her while Bill did the work. There was also a Ben, Tiffany, and Lance who worked at the hardware store. All of them seemed friendly enough. It didn’t take Clara long to get into the swing of things. When she wasn’t serving, she was helping people find what they were looking for. Of course, most of them knew where everything was. Several of the men who visited tried to get her to go out with them. Of course, that was not something she ever did.

“Oh wow, it really is happening,” Bill said, looking over her shoulder.

Clara held a box of cables, and she looked behind her to see several of the Soldiers of Wrath: Grit Chapter members heading into the store.

“I want to prospect with them. They’re so fucking bad ass. You’ve got to prove yourself that it makes college hazing seem like child’s play,” Bill said.

She recognized Payne and of course King. Her pussy went wet instantly at the sight of him and the thought of what they’d done. She hated the reaction she was having. Would she ever be the same?

K
ing wasn’t going to lie and say he was at the hardware store because he needed some fucking tools. No, Vicky had come back to the club looking all sad and shit, and he’d overheard her talking to Payne. She was upset Clara wasn’t hanging at the club and when she mentioned she’d gotten a temporary job at Hank’s, well, King knew what he wanted to do.

Ever since he’d been balls-deep in her tight little pussy she’d all he’d been able to think about. Fuck, he hadn’t even been able to get hard for any of the bitches at the club, not that he wanted to. But before Clara came into the picture he’d had no problem getting wood just watching some pussy rubbing up and down on the stripper pole at the club. No, he shook his head, now all he saw was Clara.

Maybe he just needed another piece of ass? But he wanted more than just that sweet ass, wanted more than her tight fucking cunt riding up and down on his cock.

He heard the little bell above the door at Hank’s hardware go off, but his focus was on Clara. She was behind the counter, her eyes wide as she took note of him. It was clear she was right in this moment as he was, and that felt pretty damn good.

“I bet she’s wet right now,” Payne said from beside him, and King turned and clocked him in the arm.

“Watch it, man,” King said, his focus already back on Clara. She had her head turned away, and he could see her cheeks were red. Fuck, he wanted her again. His cock was already semi-hard just from the thought of bending her over the counter and fucking her so hard she couldn’t walk straight after the fact.

“You got it bad, King,” Payne said again, but he moved out of the way just as King was about to deck him. Payne started laughing and walked to the cordless tool section. “If you’re going after that piece then go after it already. I got shit to do at the clubhouse.”

King ignored Payne and walked up to where Clara stood. There was a guy close to her, staring at him and his cut.

“H-hey, man,” the guy said, slightly stuttering the words out. King tipped his chin but didn’t respond. He just looked at Clara again.

“You’re avoiding me and the club, why?” Although he’d heard enough from Vicky talking, King wanted to hear it from Clara. She looked at him then, her eyes slightly narrowed. Oh he liked the fire in her. Turned him the hell on.

“I don’t need to explain anything. I’m not going to be here for very long anyway.”

He cocked an eyebrow and leaned against the counter, his arms crossed now. “So you just wanted my cock and now you’re tossing me aside?” He could have laughed at his statement, but he kept his expression stoic.

She snorted and looked at the other man, who didn’t even seem to be listening to their conversation.

“Like you’ve never fucked a woman and tossed her aside.”

He shrugged. “Never said I didn’t do that. I asked if that’s why you let me be balls deep inside of you. You just itching for some dick?” He watched her cheeks get pink again, and he grinned.

She glanced at the other man again. “Can you give us a minutes, please?”

“Leave,” was all King said. The guy scurried off, and King turned back to stare at Clara. “You wanted him gone because I embarrassed you?” She didn’t answer, but she didn’t need to, because the way she acted was proof enough.

He’d gotten under her skin.

“Yeah, you embarrassed me because you talked so bluntly about what we did.”

“You don’t strike me as the type of woman that gives a shit what people think.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t care, but you and I don’t know each other all that well, and I don’t want my business spread out all like that.”

He grinned wider.

She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, causing her breasts to plump out even more.

Damn, I want her in my bed, under me, and butt naked for me to worship.

“You think this is funny?” she said, but he could see she was fighting a smile.

“I do.” He leaned forward on the counter, loving that she didn’t back down. “And I think you’re thinking this is a good time, too.”

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. “Listen, I’m going to be upfront.”

He grinned and nodded. “That’s all I’d expect from a person.”

“Look, why is everyone giving me a hard time about making Grit a temporary stop?” She shrugged. “You’ve known me for a day and Vicky and I could carry on a friendship if I were on the moon.” A moment of silence passed. “But if you’re looking for something more,” she shook her head, “I can’t give you that.”

He cocked another brow. He wasn’t about to admit that was exactly what he wanted ... more. He could let her think what she wanted, that he’d be okay with her lying down with him, but the fact remained he wanted a hell of a lot more with Clara. He often didn’t run across things he couldn’t figure out, but with Clara he was finding she was one of those things that had him up in knots. He wanted—no—needed to lean more about her.

C
lara sagged when King and Payne left the store. She’d actually gone there with him, despite telling herself she wasn’t going to. This was not what this trip was supposed to be about, but here she was in this “temporary” job, agreeing to have some kind of sex fling with a biker.

If I’m going to be here, I might as well enjoy myself, right?

“God,” she whispered. This was bad, because she felt something for King after that one encounter. It wasn’t love but was obviously lust. It wasn’t just that, though. There was chemistry, an electrical charge between them she’d never felt before.

This is either going to fuck everything up, or be one of the craziest rides of my life.

Hell, she would bet money that this experience would be both of those things.

A
t the end of the day, King was waiting for her. He stared at the front entrance of Hank’s store, watching her and Hank through the front window as she closed things down for the evening. Hank was a good guy, and he was pleased that the older man had decided to give her a chance. It had been so long since she’d been to Grit that she was like a new person. In Grit the locals at times were very pessimistic about outsiders, especially ones that are just passing through. At least she didn’t have to worry about that.

Grit had a lot of bad history with shit like that.

The Soldiers had to leave their little clubhouse to come and take care of things—deal with shit. The locals, of course, rarely ever said thank you, maybe too afraid deep down. But the MC didn’t give a fuck. There had been several petitions over the years to try to ride them out of town. Nothing had stuck, and nothing was ever going to stick either. They brought too much money into this town and allowed a lot of people a way to earn a living.

If the club was to move, pack up all of its shit along with all of its legal businesses, then Grit would fold within a month and turn into one of those ghost towns.

King was across the street, partially hidden by the shadows. He watched as Clara left the shop, walking beside Hank.

She stopped, laughing at something the man said and clutching her stomach at the joke Hank had clearly told her. Knowing the old boy, it was something dirty.

He smiled. Clara was a good woman. He liked her, and even though he didn’t really know her, from what he’d heard Vicky say, Clara would be the kind of wife who’d love her husband completely.

Why did she feel the need to always be on the move?

Clara was a good woman, a strong woman. She’d make a perfect old lady. She was a force to be reckoned with.

They moved closer to him, and Hank stopped and grinned at him.

“I see your boy is here,” Hank said to Clara but stared at King. “Be warned, King. If I was twenty years younger, I’d be the one taking this lady home.”

Clara chuckled.

“Make it thirty, old man. Don’t even try to lie about your age. We all know you’re old.”

“Ah, the cocky little shit is trying to show you he’s big and bad, Clara. Don’t believe him.”

“I don’t.” Clara was smiling. “I’ve come to see men like to talk a big game. They all act the big bad but when you kick them in the balls, they all crumble at your feet.” She gave Hank a sweet smile. “So, we’re closed on Sundays, but we open bright and early Monday?”

“You’re going to be here come Monday?” Hank asked.

“I don’t know. Probably. I promised Vicky I’d stay for a while, and I hate to let her down.”

“I need to send Vicky something. She’s helped out at the shop a few times without wanting to be paid.”

“Don’t worry,” Clara said. “She’s just as happy with a box of condoms.”

They all laughed.

“Right, I’m going to leave you young kids in peace.”

King and Clara watched as Hank drove out of the parking lot. “I like him,” Clara said. “He’s a sweet guy.”

He wasn’t about to be the one to tell her that he was dying.

She came across as being this strong, independent woman, but he couldn’t help but wonder what pain she was hiding. Clara was a woman hiding from something, he just didn’t know what.

“He does okay. He’s happy with the club, and we’ve saved him a time or two in the past. Some bastards tried to rob him. Instead of calling the cops, he called us, and we were here and took care of the little shits.” Yes, he was bragging. For some reason he wanted to look good for Clara. He wanted her to see him as a man that could protect her.