Bash (Diablo Disciples MC #6)

TWENTY

Charlotte

As panicky as Lottie had been about attending the MC party, she shouldn’t have worried because the biker women welcomed her like they’d always been friends.

As they moved outside, her eyes immediately sought Bash and found him watching her.

Those anxious butterflies quivered in her stomach.

Dying to go to him, to feel those strong arms band around her and never let her go.

Before she could, her phone pinged with a message, and she frowned, looking at the unknown number. It was from Nora, asking to talk.

Without a reply, Lottie deleted it and set the phone to silent.

The picnic tables were set up close enough so people could converse with each other. Bash grabbed her hand when she was near and dropped his mouth to hers. His lips tasted of potent liquor and everything masculine that he was.

“How was it?” he asked, and she melted to see he was interested in her answer.

“Meeting Rory Kidd was everything I hoped it would be. But they’re all so nice. I’ve had fun talking with them.”

His smile lit her up.

“I’m glad, Charlotte. So, you’ll come back?”

“Hm, maybe.” She answered, trying to be all cool and coy as she batted her lashes. “If you ask me nicely.”

“You know how nice I can be.” His undertone was clear.

Boy. His tactics of niceness left her wet and needy for his territorial touch, especially his attention.

Every day, it got a little worse.

“You’re a chameleon, aren’t you, Bash?” she asked, always genuinely intrigued by his fascinating layers. They’d chosen a picnic table by themselves, but plenty of people were around having fun. However, Lottie only had eyes for her man, who was straddling a bench. “You’ve been patient with me. Kind and generous with your time. You make me laugh more than anyone. And I relax around you. But there’s this other thing about you…”

“What’s that, darling?” he asked, a dark smirk kicked up the corner of his lip.

“It’s like you’re holding yourself in check.”

“I don’t hide shit from you, Charlotte.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. You use your friendly gloves on me because you think I might bolt if you show me who you are.”

Bash’s eyebrow lifted. “Are you thinking about bolting?”

Lottie snorted. “Hardly. I enjoy kissing you.”

“And other things.” He reminded her flirtily. She ought to have known there wasn’t an inch of Bash, which was gentlemanly. Of course, he’d bring up how easily he could make her come.

“Yes,” she tapped his chest in a chastising motion, “and other things.”

The only man she registered on a chemical level was him. Something about him immediately drew her in, even when she’d tried to avoid him.

That feeling was the driving force of all her recent decisions.

“Whatever you think or feel, you don’t have to water down for me.” She shared. “Even if we’re not on the same page yet, I’d like an open dialog between us.”

“I can do that,” he agreed. “Does that mean I can tell you I’m dying to put you on my lap, so I can feel how wet you are, before I make you cry an orgasm into my mouth?”

Every inch of Lottie’s hair was set ablaze. Not literally , because she’d seen the ramifications of hair being on fire, and it was not something she wished for. But no part of her body was unaffected by his words. In her mind, she could see herself climbing onto Bash’s lap, almost hearing herself moaning as he slipped past her panties to check out her dripping arousal.

“You’re mean.” She complained playfully. The way Bash’s eyes would flare with passion when she told him she needed something from him. She was certain he’d do it right there.

He knew he’d flustered her and he flashed her a little smirk. “Just truthful, darling.”

The following hours flew by quickly.

She ate a wide variety of foods until she felt like she would explode.

She laughed so much at everyone’s stories. Learning more about Bash as he cradled her hand. Quite a few times, if she was left alone for any time, men who weren’t Diablos asked who she belonged to, and there was a slash of warmth through her chest every time she gave Bash’s name.

By the fourth time she was asked, Lottie was nearly high on endorphins, declaring that Bash was her man. She’d left him in the backyard, building the bonfire, and went to find a bathroom. She ran into Scarlett and asked for directions.

“Oh, girl, I have a key for our bathroom. We don’t want any gross boys in there.” She produced a key from her back pocket and showed Lottie where to go. Scarlett stayed in the four-stall bathroom until she was finished and washed up. “The best thing I asked Axel to build.” She said. “I’m all for equality, but a girl doesn’t need to see the gross bathroom habits men have.”

“You asked your husband to build you a separate bathroom in his club? And he did?”

“Yep.”

“Wow.” Lottie was impressed that this pint-sized woman had such influence in a male environment. “Why do I think that’s romantic? It’s so practical, my type of gift.”

“I know, right? I want a hot tub next, but Axel won’t install one at the club. He said he’d shoot anyone in the face if they saw me without clothes.” Scarlett looked delighted recounting her man’s words, and Lottie couldn’t help but laugh.

They remained talking for several more minutes.

“Okay, I think I’ve distracted you long enough. Are you ready for your surprise, Lottie?” With a radiant glow, the woman locked up and linked arms with Lottie.

“Surprise? What surprise?”

“Oh, you’ll see, but you’re gonna die.”

And you know what? Lottie almost died when they stepped outside again. Everyone was hanging out around the massive bonfire in different groups. It wasn’t pitch black yet. She searched for the one face she liked the best in a sea of bikers.

When she spotted him, she stumbled and froze like she’d been zapped with a freeze-ray gun.

“Surprise, Lottie,” Scarlett whispered, as she nudged her and then took off to sit with Axel. But all Lottie saw and heard was Rory Kidd singing.

Her favorite artist of all time was not only the sweetest person ever in real life, but was singing right there!

If it had only been that, Lottie would have been ecstatic.

But there was more.

Her boyfriend chilling beside her, accompanying Rory by strumming an acoustic guitar. His fingers danced on the strings as Rory sang her famous lyrics.

She didn’t even know he played an instrument! And look how crazily good he was with his head dipped over it, never missing a note of Rory’s song “ Flowers of Sugar Dreams .” It was a slow, sultry song, and Rory’s voice was incredible, giving Lottie chills on the back of her neck.

But there was more.

After Rory’s song ended, she smiled at Bash. He kept playing, but the tune transformed into something else.

And then the guy of her dreams started singing.

It wasn’t some random mumbling or him goofing around.

Bash had some serious singing skills.

His voice was so raspy and sexy, and he didn’t miss a single note. The sound flowed from his throat like he’d been singing for years. His voice had a rough, whiskey-drenched quality, making certain words come out gravelly.

Lottie’s emotions amplified, and her feet wanted to run because she couldn’t process how extraordinarily huge those feelings were when Bash’s gaze held firm.

The song was by Luke Combs, and as Bash powered through the lyrics, ‘ When she gets that come-get-me look in her eyes, well, it kinda scares me the way she drives me wild .’ Lottie’s hands went up to hold her beaming cheeks, as that heart of hers threatened to thump right out of her chest. His voice was a replica for Teddy Swims.

There was no space to catch a breath for the sexiness she was hearing.

She was tempted to crawl to him on hands and knees until she was curled around his legs. Lottie couldn’t look away as another layer of her biker boyfriend was revealed.

He was electric . So dynamic. She was having an out-of-body experience, transfixed by him.

He was the type of guy she never thought she’d be into. Strong and extremely dominant. But there was no denying her feelings or the connection they shared.

As the song progressed, Rory Kidd chimed in with a few lines. Their blended voices sounded perfect together. Bash was looking directly at her while he sang a love song.

Once it finished, the rest of the group whooped and hollered, clapping for them both.

Lottie realized she hadn’t moved an inch, kept spellbound by her biker boyfriend with the singing voice of a sex god.

The world could have imploded at that moment, and nothing would have pulled Lottie’s focus away from Bash as he carefully put down the guitar, and started through the crowd toward her.

His stride ate up the space, his eyes burned into hers, and Lottie nearly expired.

She felt excitement and fear, her heart racing uncontrollably as if he had instantly bared his soul to her. She was so excited, she unglued her feet and met Bash halfway.

“You didn’t tell me you could sing.”

He half smiled. “I can’t, not really.”

“Shut up. You were fantastic, Bash. I nearly died. Rory Kidd singing right in front of my eyes. But then you started singing, and I wanted to explode into glitter. It was so good. No, it wasn’t good. It was freaking incredible .” Unable to stop her joy from spilling all over.

She was too shy to ask if he’d sang it for her.

But there was no need, not really, not when Bash cupped the side of her face and leaned in to kiss her. Lottie immediately went up on her tiptoes, feeling how his tongue gained entry to her mouth, and the boil of lust whispered between them.

His kiss made Lottie realize she didn’t want to go back to being alone. As they kissed more passionately, she came to a decision and knew it was the right choice.

She was going to say his full name, and Bash would know what she was asking for.

Despite the roughness, she loved how he handled her ponytail. She enjoyed it all, his biting and groaning into her mouth. Lottie needed him to take her somewhere, she didn’t care where.

But then she was ripped from his mouth when she heard someone yell, “Prez!” there was panic in the scream as everyone looked toward the back door.

The bikers all shot to their feet and headed over to the younger guy wearing the prospect vest.

“We need Denver, Prez. Dillion got hit badly. He’s slashed up.”

“Who the fuck by?” growled Axel, already striding inside. Bash was the only one who didn’t follow the other bikers. With a frown, he held onto her arm. “I’ll take you home, Charlotte.”

“Denver isn’t here, Bash, remember? He took Casey home.”

“They’ll call him in. Come on, we’ll walk around to the front.” Again, he tried to direct her, but Lottie shrugged off his hand.

“I can help.”

“Baby, no.” he frowned. “I don’t want you around this shit.”

Lottie gained insight into his thoughts from his tone. He attempted to shield her from the trouble at the Diablos’ door. He wanted her to see the Diablos in the most positive way possible, so she wouldn’t end their relationship. Everything she’d told him about her apprehensions about dating in the past year was valid.

But it was also different now.

The Diablos weren’t the monsters she thought they might be.

And she was stronger than Bash was giving her credit for. Putting on her nursing attitude, she faced him. “I can help. Take me inside?”

He gusted a sigh, but grabbed her hand.

It wasn’t quite pandemonium inside the clubhouse, but Lottie could have cut the tension with a knife. Axel was asking questions of the uninjured guy. From what she’d gleaned, the two prospects had been sent out to do a pickup and were jumped by masked men. Dillion coming off worse.

“Axel, Charlotte can look at the probie,” Bash spoke, and all those bikers turned her way.

Axel didn’t hesitate. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Does Denver have a room to work in?”

The boy was lying on a medical grade table when Axel showed her to their medical room. He was shirtless, and there was a thick towel wrapped around his arm, stained red with his blood. He looked around her age, maybe a little younger, and his face was taut with pain, draining of color until he was pale as flour.

Thankfully, Lottie’s training kicked in and gave her a sense of calmness.

“I need everyone out to give me space.” She issued and heard feet moving as she walked to the wall-to-ceiling storage unit, crammed with every paraphernalia needed for a medical room.

“I guess I know where Denver’s blackmailing went to.” She mumbled and caught the sound of deep male laughter from behind her. As she looked around, her gaze landed on Axel standing in the doorway.

“What’s your name?” she asked the injured guy, sterilizing her hands and donning a plastic apron and gloves.

“Dillion,” he groaned, thankfully still stubbornly alert. “Is it bad?”

“Let’s look, shall we? Why didn’t you go to the hospital, Dillion?”

His eyes flicked behind her. She saw Axel staring back with his stoic face, and the older man spoke. “That doesn’t matter, babe. Can you help him?”

She would try.

The wound was severe. Despite needing stitches, Dillion retained full movement in his fingers, and fortunately, the artery was not damaged. It would’ve been a more dire emergency, and Lottie wasn’t a surgeon.

She found what she needed from well-organized and labeled drawers and had a syringe of pain reliever loaded.

“Are you okay if I touch you, Dillion?”

“Yeah, yeah, babe, go for it, please.” He grimaced, white as a ghost and sweating.

“I don’t have the full equipment to treat him properly,” she directed toward Axel, “he ought to have an X-ray.”

“Just do your best, babe.” The president of the club told her.

“I’m giving you some pain relief first before I clean and stitch you up.”

“Thank fuck, yeah, gimme it all, babe. I’ll love you so fucking much.” The man groaned with a half-smile.

But all Lottie heard was the growl coming from behind her. “Watch your fucking mouth, probie.” Warned Bash. Her man acting like an unhinged demon, watching her every move. She brushed it off, blaming the situation while the bikers watched in the doorway.

“You’re gonna be fine, Dill,” said the other prospect. He was the one who looked most worried. “Bash’s nurse is gonna fix you.”

Bash’s nurse. That’s who she was now. She’d smile about it later when she had time to reflect.

Once she got Dillion all drugged and calm, she started fixing his arm. It was bad, and he surely would have scars once healed. She didn’t get why he didn’t go to the hospital. The plastic surgeon would’ve done a way better job than her.

As Dillion reached out to say something, Bash abruptly surged forward, preventing her from answering the patient.

“Bash, you need to give me some space.”

“You do not fucking touch her.” He hissed.

That was it. She spun around with her hands full of medical tools and told him, “Out, I need you out, Bash. You’re not helping right now. I mean it.”

Her man stood there, staring as he dropped his head. “Does he need to be half-naked, Charlotte?”

She got less annoyed because her guy was jealous she was touching someone, even if it wasn’t sexual. He was so jealous , she wanted to do giddy backflips. Note to self: learn how to backflip.

“Yes, now out, please. This is what I do, Bash. I’m helping your people.” She reminded him. Bash gusted a sigh, shot the prospect a stare, and stepped out of the room but didn’t go far, positioning himself with Axel and Chains.

“You keep your hands on that table where I can see them, probie.” Cautioned Bash.

“You got it, boss, hands are right here.”

“If he cuts them off, I’ll try to sew them back on the right arms,” she told Dillion, giving him a teasing grin, and he laughed. “Thanks, I think.”