A biker for Christmas (Jokers' Wrath MC & MC Sinners) Read online

“You’re telling me.” I giggle, my voice wispy and soft.

  “Glad we’re here,” he tells me.

  “You and me both. Mercy wouldn’t be happy knowing we ended up on the same cruise as the Joker’s, though.”

  “Yeah,” he mutters. “Fancy that. Oh well, we got no issues with them. I’m sure they’ll stay out of our way.”

  “We could just get along with them, you know, for the kids’ sakes. It wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

  “We can’t be friends with another club. Just doesn’t work that way. We respect each other for the kids’ sakes, but we’re not goin’ to be hangin’ out with them.”

  “I really don’t understand why. They seem like good people. Club business doesn’t have to come into it.”

  “Trust me, baby, it finds a way. Somethin’ happens, and they’ve got their own rules and we’ve got ours. We clash. Then shit really hits the fan and those kids suffer. We’re not goin’ to do that to them.”

  “I’d like to get to know Mack and Jaylah more, though. For Diesel and Mercy’s sake. I mean, what if they have kids? We’re all going to have to get along.”

  “Yeah,” he murmurs. “We see the kids and they see the kids, at different times. It’s what normal families do every day, honey. This time is no different.”

  I huff. He’s not going to move on it, and I get it, of course I do. Another club is the biggest no-no for them. They don’t get there if they don’t have to go there, and he’s right, something goes down and they will clash. But surely there’s a way around it, surely we can all be at one family gathering and it not wind up blowing up. Eventually, we’re going to have to figure out how to do that, right?

  “We should get up,” I say, softly rolling from his arms. “The others are waiting for us by the pool.”

  He grabs me as I roll, pulling me back toward him and pressing his lips to my neck. “Who says I’m done with you?”

  I giggle. “We have ten days to play, baby. Right now, I want to get drunk, soak in the sun and enjoy myself.”

  “You sayin’ you’re not enjoyin’ yourself when my mouth is deep in your pussy?”

  I flush. “Oh, I never said that. Not at all.”

  “Good,” he murmurs. “Then one more round and we’ll go out.”

  He flips me over to my stomach and trails kisses down my spine.

  One more round won’t hurt.

  Oh, no.

  It won’t hurt at all.

  “YOU TWO BEEN BUSY BUSY.” Addi laughs when we finally arrive at the pool, my cheeks flushed, my body relaxed and more than ready to continue on with the day and the night.

  “Oh, you have no idea.” I laugh, sitting down beside her on a chaise lounge.

  She hands me a cocktail she had waiting, and I take it, sipping the cool fruity liquid.

  “Yeah, we played a little, too.” She grins, glancing at Cade who is talking to the other guys at the pool bar. “It’s nice to be able to do it without thought.”

  “Do it.” Serenity chuckles. “Sounds so ...”

  “So old,” I finish, laughing.

  “Ugh,” Addi groans. “We are old, aren’t we? It’s like one minute we’re in our prime, the next we’re fighting off wrinkles.”

  “You don’t have wrinkles,” I scoff.

  She points to a frown line between her brows. “What do you call that?”

  “Aging gracefully,” I tell her, and we all laugh.

  “It’s crazy. Like every time I look in the mirror, my body is changing. I’m getting old,” she huffs.

  “You’re not even close to being old.”

  “We have grown ass children,” Serenity points out, then cringes. “When did that happen?”

  “Anyway—” I wave a hand “—we’re here, and while we’re here, we’re not going to think about anything else but having a blast. So, get drinking, ladies, it’s time to get our party on.”

  “Hey, did you see the Joker’s ladies before? They were here when we got here but they left. It’s kind of weird, don’t you think?” Addi asks.

  I shrug, I don’t mind the ladies myself. I mean, obviously I don’t have a great deal of choice considering Diesel is with Mercedes but in the few interactions I’ve had with them, they seem super nice and really fun. I’ve got nothing against them, that’s for sure.

  “I like them,” I say, sipping my cocktail. “Don’t you?”

  Addi nods quickly. “No, I do. I just can’t believe we ended up on the same cruise. It almost seems ...”

  “Set up?” Serenity finishes. “I doubt it. They looked as shocked as we did when they saw us. I think if anything they’re just trying to escape like we are. Good for them, really. God knows we all need a break sometimes. If anyone should understand what they live with every day, it’s us, considering we’re in a club too.”

  “That’s true,” Addi points out. “Maybe we’ll catch up with them at some point. I do like Jaylah; I can’t deny that.”

  I laugh. “She’s a funny one, that’s for sure. Diesel is so serious, then you meet Jay and it’s like black and white, you know?”

  “That’s because she’s not his mother.” Serenity shrugs.

  “She raised him,” I point out.

  “Different DNA.” Addi purses her lips. “It makes us up, even if we don’t like it. Also, there’s Mack. Have you ever tried having a conversation with that man?”

  I snort. “Gosh, you have no idea. He’s like a brick wall. They’re certainly an odd match, kind of like Mercedes and Diesel, really.”

  Addi nods. “Hilarious.”

  “You ladies need another round?”

  I tip my head back when a shadow forms over my body to see Spike leaning over me, grinning. His big body is half naked, which of course, I don’t mind, however I do know there are a lot of women here that will currently be ogling him. I’m not entirely sure I’m okay with that, considering half of them are younger and do not have wrinkles.

  Spike barely looks like he’s aged at all, and if he has, it has only added to his incredible looks. He’s filled out more, gotten bigger and stronger, his face has become more chiseled and defined, but he has not gotten worse. He’s incredible. Even after all this time, I still look at him and flush when I realize he’s mine. Then I fuck him, because why the hell not? That’s the joy of having someone that is yours—you can rip their clothes off whenever the need arises.

  “I think you should put some clothes on, strutting around in front of all the young ladies like that,” I mumble.

  Addi snorts, making Cade give her a sideways glance. Serenity grins and looks over at Jackson who sits on the edge of her chaise lounge and places a hand on her leg, running it up slowly. She’s a good deal younger than him, and considering he’s Addi’s father, he probably looks a little older than the rest of the guys. Still, he’s so stinking hot age also doesn’t do anything but make him look so much better.

  “You should put some clothes on, lot of young men around, too,” Spike throws back, his grin getting bigger.

  “Pffft,” I snort. “They’re not going to want this old bag of bones.”

  Addison bursts out laughing and shakes her head, standing. “I’m getting some more drinks. You guys are too funny.”

  Spike places a hand on the top of my head, stepping closer, making my skin prickle. Then he leans down and in my ear and says, “I’ll fuckin’ have this old bag of bones over anything, any day. Fuck, all I want to do is bury my cock in you, seein’ you sittin’ here lookin’ so fuckin’ good.”

  Oh, boy.

  Round three, perhaps?

  This vacation is going to be epic.

  I just know it.

  2

  JAYLAH

  “HI, JAY,” CIARA’S VOICE fills my ears, and I turn on my bar stool to see her approaching from behind me, looking as beautiful as she always does. It’s not a wonder Mercedes is such a stunning young girl, Ciara and Spike are something to look at, no doubt about it.

  “Ciara, hey.” I smile, sliding a s
tool toward her with my foot.

  It’s getting louder and louder by the minute in this club, so I have to scoot closer to her to hear her, but I’m glad she approached us. They came in only a few minutes ago, and of course went to the opposite side of the club. I still don’t get why we can’t talk to them. Hell, there is no business going down on here, why shouldn’t we be able to leave it all on the shore where it belongs and just enjoy ourselves and each other here?

  “Can you believe we’re all on the same cruise ship?” She laughs, sitting on the stool and ordering a round of drinks for the table.

  “I know, right, and even funnier that we’re all pretending like the others don’t exist. I swear it’s like y’all have some sort of rare disease. Don’t come over here, we might catch it!”

  She laughs, shaking her head. “Biker men, hey. You can take the man on a cruise but you can’t leave the biker behind.”

  “Amen to that. How have you been?”

  She smiles, nodding. “Really good. Glad to be getting a break though, if I’m honest. What about you?”

  “Same, seriously, I needed this more than anything.”

  “How’s Mack doing?”

  My face changes, just slightly. I know she can see it, but she doesn’t say anything, she just keeps on smiling. It’s hard, really it is, to be sitting here while the other men are out grabbing their ladies on the dance floor, looking like they want to eat them alive. Mack is sitting at the end of the bar. Last time I checked he wasn’t even looking at me. I sat here, waiting for them to finish dancing, figuring he’d come over and sit by me.

  He didn’t.

  Whatever is going on with him, it’s proving to be getting worse and worse.

  Not better and better.

  “He’s great,” I lie to Ciara. “Sulking at the end of the bar, something different. Those men are moody, you should warn Mercedes. They’re like hot pockets. You think they’re just warm on the outside then boom, you’re getting splattered with all the heat they keep trapped inside.”

  Ciara laughs. “That’s one way of putting it. Yeah, she’s told me Diesel can be moody.”

  “Just like his daddy,” I point out. “Still, they’re a good pair, aren’t they? How is Mercedes?”

  “She’s doing really well.” Ciara smiles.

  “She’s a great girl, we really do love having her over.”

  “When they actually visit.” Ciara rolls her eyes.

  I laugh. “We’re old now, you know. They can’t be seen with us.”

  We both giggle and the bartender brings Ciara’s round of drinks to the counter on a tray. She stands and thanks him then looks to me. “You girls should come and hang out with us by the pool or something one of these days. We don’t bite.”

  I smile at her. “Sounds good to me.”

  “See you, Jay!”

  She disappears with her drinks into the crowd and I look over to Mack, expecting to see him sitting alone, staring at nothing with a drink in his hand still. Only that’s not what I see. What I see is a beautiful, and I mean beautiful, young woman sitting beside him on a barstool. She’s blond, locks and locks of it flowing down her seemingly flawless body. Her big perky breasts are bulging out of her tight red dress.

  Seems the way, doesn’t it?

  Why don’t we ever see an average girl, maybe just the same as us, trying to chat up our men? It’s always someone that is so damned good looking you wonder how the hell you even managed to snag him in the first place because he could have had anyone.

  Then you remind yourself you’re a god damned warrior princess, and you’re fucking beautiful, and you will not compare yourself to perfection Barbie over there.

  Dang it.

  My heart stutters in my chest, which is a feeling I’m not familiar with. It’s been a long time since I’ve worried about silly things like jealousy or insecurity. I mean, Mack and I have been together for so long, all those things are long passed. I don’t even think about them anymore, let alone worry about them. Yet here I am, staring at him, with her, feeling like I’m going to combust right here in this club.

  The worst part, the absolute worst part, is when he laughs.

  Not just smiles.

  Laughs.

  He looks at her, she tells him something, and he laughs. Okay, he’s not throwing his head back and bringing the whole place down with his cackles, but he does laugh just enough that his shoulders shake slightly.

  It feels like my soul is being slowly ripped from my chest.

  He’s laughing.

  At her.

  I can barely get a damned smile, hell, I can barely get him to speak to me.

  Everything in my world feels like it stops. For the longest moment, I can’t move, or think, or hear. I can’t even feel. I just stare at him, the way his eyes crinkle and light up when he laughs, the way his shoulders shake just a little, the way his hands seem to relax and his body loses some of its tension.

  Am I the cause for his problems?

  Nothing else seems to make any sense. After all, if it wasn’t me, then he’d be with me right now instead of with her. He’d be laughing with me, making love to me, sitting by me. Not another woman. Definitely not another woman.

  I turn, my eyes burning, my brain swimming with a thousand different thoughts. Should I go over there? Make a scene? Or should I just walk away, pretend I didn’t see a thing? Should I approach him about it later, have a conversation? Do I dare ask him what it is I’ve done wrong for him to be treating me the way he is? Or do I walk out onto the dance floor, drink a whole lot more, and try to forget I ever saw the love of my life with another woman?

  My feet take me to my answer.

  Walking me right over to the Hell’s Knights. They’re all sitting at a round table, laughing and drinking. I don’t know what leads me to come to their table, perhaps because they don’t know, to them I’m a stranger. Someone whose secrets they’re unfamiliar with. If I go to Ash or Santana, they’re going to know something is wrong, they’re going to ask questions, and I’ll be damned if I let this trip get ruined because of issues I’ve been keeping to myself.

  No, instead I’ll simply talk to fresh faces.

  Faces I know, deep down, will make Mack wild with anger.

  Or will it?

  Will he even care?

  Am I being petty?

  Probably.

  I stop at the table and all of them look up at me, their eyes taking me in, their chattering stopping. They’re probably not going to want me in their little circle, and that’s fine, I understand. I’m part of another club, a club they’re trying to avoid, but I’m hoping they’ll let me have a few drinks with them. What’s the harm in that?

  “Jay,” Ciara says, smiling, “what brings you over here?”

  “I thought I’d break all the rules and come and say hello. We’re on a cruise, after all. Shouldn’t we be able to leave business behind?”

  The men glance at each other, then back up at me. “Your old boy know you’re over here?” Jackson, father of Addison and President of the club, asks.

  “He does. I’m not here to stir trouble. I mean, our clubs are kind of joined being that our kids are together. The least we can do is get along here and there, right?”

  “I’m all for it,” Addison says, slapping her hand down on the seat beside her. “Sit on down, sister.”

  I smile, and when Cade nods at me, I sit down. That’s enough of a go ahead for me. I scoot in closer, and Serenity slides me a drink. I know all of their names, for obvious reasons I learned everything I could about them. Not to mention I have met them all, even though I don’t actually know them all that well.

  “How are you enjoying the cruise so far?” I ask them, getting comfortable.

  I can almost feel the burn in the back of my head as no doubt the members of our club are looking at me, wondering what in the hell it is I’m doing.

  “We’ll let you know after we sleep for a night,” Spike murmurs, and I grin at him.


  Spike is intimidating, and big, and awfully scary but I know he’s a good man. Hell, I know what he’d do for his daughter, and I know he’s raised her well. He doesn’t scare me, not even a little, even if sometimes I’m sure he wished he did.

  “Not a fan of motion?” I laugh softly.

  “Not at all,” he mutters, glancing at Ciara who gives him a wink.

  My heart aches, and I turn slowly to glance over at Mack, who is watching me now with a look on his face that screams murder. I hold his eyes, locking onto those deep-brown depths, and letting everything I can’t say travel through my stare. We hold gazes for a few moments, then I turn back to the group. That’s my way of saying fuck you.

  A big fuck you.

  I THROW MY HEAD BACK laughing as Addison, Ciara, Ash, and I stumble down the halls, trying to find our rooms. After I sat with the Knights, it kind of broke the ice. More drinks and a hell of a lot of dancing later, and we ended up at another club with the girls, my girls included. Santana went home after she had one too many to drink, along with Serenity. The rest of us kept on partying. We lost the men a long time ago.

  The last time I saw Mack, he was still in that bar.

  I didn’t look at him as I left.

  I didn’t even glance in his direction.

  I couldn’t. I couldn’t bear to see what I feared the most—that he didn’t care.

  The ladies followed me, promising their men to behave and that we’d only be dancing. We did. We danced and danced and hung out with the other girls like they were part of the family. Finally, when the clubs closed and we were told it was time to head on home, we stumbled our way out and are now desperately trying to find our rooms.

  It’s incredibly hard on a ship this size; when you are so unfamiliar with it, everything looks the same.

  “I think we’re on the wrong floor,” Ash hiccups, her arm hooked through mine, mostly to stop her falling over.

  “No no.” Ciara throws a hand out in front of us. “This is the right one. It just goes on forever and ever. We’re all on the same floor.”

  “Are you sure?” I ask, scrunching my nose up, trying not to trip over my own feet.