#lenarchive

“Are you jealous?”

Vegas snarls. Pete’s choker is fastened so tight around his neck that even slipping one finger under it is a challenge. Vegas doesn’t give up, though. His forefinger slithers in, ends up snugly sandwiched between the material and the softness of Pete’s flushed skin. Vegas feels his pulse under his fingertips, and the way his heart rate picks up as he hooks the digit around the collar and tugs at it harshly, like you would to a disobedient dog. [. . .]

Pete is a good lay, possibly the best Vegas has ever had, but nothing more than that. Never. At least, that’s what Vegas keeps telling the latter—and most importantly, himself—in order to sleep at night. There’s no place for jealousy in this miserable arrangement of theirs. Vegas feels like Pete needs the reminder. “You wish,” he spits, right before he makes matters worse. “You’re nothing but a cheap piece of ass to me, and don’t you ever forget it. I couldn’t care less how many more people you have sex with.”

Pete should feel dirty and humiliated. He does. He likes it. Vegas knows that. He sees it in the way his skin flushes an even deeper red, chest heaving with labored breaths. “What I really wish for,” Pete says after a while, voice cracking. He’s so affected. He tries swallowing past the sudden lump in his throat, to no avail. Vegas waits for him to recompose himself enough to keep talking, unusually patient. “—is for you to fuck me.”

Now, it was finally time to get undressed. She’d stalled around long enough, trying to postpone the embarrassment of the moment because she truly had no idea how she’d cope with it. “Are you…” Snake started, then promptly stopped to clear her throat. Nervousness had her voice cracking, for fuck’s sake, as if she was nothing more than an inexperienced teenager. “Are you going to leave?”

Happy knew exactly what she meant, and yet he decided to pretend he didn’t. A sardonic smile pulling at his full lips, he once again leaned against the marble of Snake’s sink and asked, “Do you want me to?”

They’d known each other for close to seven years, now. They’d gone through so many things. Happy had seen her defeated, on top of the world, exhausted, flirty, sad, protective, unsure, combative, naked. So many times. There was no place left for shame in the weird bond they still somehow shared. At least, so he thought.

For Snake, this was different. While it was true they’d shared close to anything under the Sun already, Happy had never seen her pregnant. Of course, at week twenty–seven her belly was so big it was impossible not to notice it, but her baggy clothes still managed to hide the actual proportions of that heavy truth. What would Happy think of her body, now?

She was carrying his babies, and while she had no problems with stretchmarks, weight gain and all kind of unpleasant stuff that brought along, she couldn’t help feeling self–conscious about it. Was Happy ready for this? Would he still find her… Sexy? And why was she even bothering with shit like this? They weren’t together anymore. They would never ever be, probably. So what if Happy didn’t find her attractive?

Danika, on the other hand, had other plans. With an all new perkiness, she sprang up from her seat and followed her employer in the foyer. Colette was talking to SAMCRO’s president, of course, but the mint–haired escort caught nothing of their exchange.

“Got you,” she said, perfectly manicured hands landing on the leather of Chibs’ shirt. “No more avoiding me.”

The Scot visibly tensed under her touch, and Danika had to swallow against the sudden urge to rub herself all over him. She’d seen the way his muscles flexed and widened while he was manhandling her, and couldn’t wait to relive the experience, but there were other pressing matters they needed to discuss first. “Pardon?” he bit out as soon as he realized he wasn’t getting rid of her, not this time.

His thick, crisp accent had a shiver descend down Danika’s spine, and because she absolutely couldn’t help herself — what a fool — she found herself going up on her toes, chin landing on Chibs’ cool shoulder. They were even closer now, their scents mingling, Danika’s soft breasts pressed against the side of the arm she was still holding onto like a lifeline. “You’ve been prancing in and out of my house as you damn please, and never once stopped to say hi.”

Chibs’ jaw muscles flexed as well — it was so easy to rile him up, God — then he smiled at her, dimples as deep and endearing as his scars. Danika had tried caressing them one time, and that hadn’t ended up well. Chibs was… Complicated, to say the least. She needed to thread lightly if she wished not to scare him off for good. “Hi,” he muttered, sarcasm dripping from his voice. He’d given her what she wanted, no? And now it was time for him to go.

“There was an explosion at the clubhouse. It’s gone,” Tara said, choosing to rip the band–aid right off. “TM is still salvageable, I think, but it’s gonna take some time.”

I don’t give a shit about TM, Snake wanted to say. But she didn’t. Partly because speaking was proving to be oh–so difficult. What was she supposed to say, anyway? “Are you...” she started after some time, gulping and breathing through the nausea and sudden hyperventilation. “Are y’all okay?”

What if anybody got hurt? What if anybody died, and she’d had no idea for days?

“Yes,” Tara breathed promptly, probably sensing her panic. “We’re a little freaked out, but no one got hurt.”

“Thank God.”

“I’m staying at Gemma’s with the kids. Abel hasn’t slept in days. He’s barely eaten.”

Snake felt her heart squeeze painfully at the sudden realization. “They were there, too?”

Tara nodded, even if she knew nobody would see her. “We all were. Sons were about to go into Church. It was done on purpose,” she explained. “The Irish wanted all of us dead.”

Of course it’d been them. “But, why? Why are they doing this, still? Why aren’t they accepting any of Jax’s proposals?”

“I don’t know, babe. I refuse to try and understand how their pea brains work,” Tara said, and no matter how absurd it was, Snake almost felt like giggling. “Other charters are okay, though. They’re all reunited in Chester, now. I wanted you to know since I don’t think Happy’s gonna have much time to fill you in. It’s been tough for him. Well, for all of them, obviously. That was their home.”

“Tell me what you want, princess,” Happy ordered, his voice rough, knowing full well she wouldn’t put up a fight. He had to make sure though, so he let one of his hands caress her breasts. So close to where she needed his touch the most, but never really there.

Snake squirmed against his warm body — more than aware of what exactly Happy was doing and loving it all the same — and thought that if he really wanted her to beg, then she would. “You,” she whispered, and Happy hummed low in his throat, clearly satisfied with the answer.

Not fully, though. “Only me?”

Snake shook her head immediately. Once again, he was proving to know her better than anyone else. “No,” she said, because she had absolutely nothing to hide — or be ashamed of. Happy was open–minded enough to accept the fact that sometimes she just wanted to kiss girls, girls, girls.

Both his hands moved on her hips, and she couldn’t help spreading her legs just a little bit, hoping he’d give her more and more. “Who else do you want?”

“I’ll let you choose. I’m not picky.”

So Happy did. Or at least he tried to. Barbara — that was the name on her necklace, anyway — was strutting around in a purple mini–dress and strappy heels. Snake gave her a long once–over, then turned to face Happy again, her cheeks now suddenly flooded with color. “She looks like me,” she grumbled, because she did. Blonde hair, light eyes, puffy lips — and huge tits, of fucking course. Happy had a type for sure. “Not her. I’d feel like I’m fucking my own twin or something.”

“Then you choose,” Happy conceded, barely holding in a laugh.

Snake started searching for the right girl, feeling so naughty, and dirty, and good. Finally, her eyes fell on Wanda. There was something about her that instantly lured her in. She looked incredibly young, her blonde hair falling in elegant curls over her shoulders. When their gazes locked, she gave her the biggest smile — something so pure, almost girl–next–door like — and Snake noticed they were almond shaped and oh, so bright.

“I want her,” she immediately said, and nodded in Wanda’s direction, so that she’d understand she could approach them. She did, her perky little ass looking like perfection wrapped in the skirt she was wearing.

“Shut the fuck up,” he growled, so rough her guts twisted with an unexpected wave of lust. That was the Happy she knew and adored.

“Make me.” Snake had to provoke him, because that was what they did. Bickering was just another form of foreplay, for them. Happy didn’t think about it twice, and instantly went for her lips. Snake jerked away from him barely in time, unable to contain a shocked gasp. “I don’t wanna kiss you right now!”

That wasn’t exactly true, to be honest. Of course she wanted to kiss him. Always. But even after rinsing her mouth and violently brushing her teeth for ages, she still felt dirty and stinky. Happy didn’t deserve to experience that. Or so Snake thought.

Before she could actually even notice, he’d forced her hand away from his lips and went for it anyway. It was fast and soft. Snake’s eyes were wild with disbelief when she murmured, “You’re disgusting.”

Happy laughed, tightening his grip around her waist just a little bit more. Snake burrowed in deeper, clinging around his torso harder and hiding her face against his neck once again. Happy had never been one for cuddles. Just the thought of it always had his skin crawling. But right at that moment, he felt like there was nothing he’d rather do than give her the physical comfort she deserved. “You love it.”

“I love you.”

“There’s something else bothering you,” she prompted, hoping Happy would take her bait and just... Let go.

“There are many things bothering me,” he admitted, then heaved out a sigh. He wasn’t looking at her when he talked next, and Snake knew exactly why. “It’s weird. I don’t like what we’re becoming. I have no idea when it started to change, but it did, and I don’t know what’s gonna happen to this club. These are my brothers, but I feel like there’s something dividing us all. There’s people lying and doing whatever they want as if it’s nothing. As if this doesn’t mean anything anymore. And I guess it doesn’t, somehow, to some of them. Not to me. This is my family. I have nothing left.”

Snake nodded. “I know what you mean. I felt the same with Tara today. We haven’t seen each other in two weeks, but it might as well have been years. It’s all so different now. And I can’t seem to shake off the feeling she’s hiding something from me.”

“Yeah, I get that with everyone. It’s making me go insane. I doubt every word, every gesture. And I don’t like it.” They’d known each other for six years, and Happy had never opened up that much. Not to her, not to anyone. Part of him felt scarily exposed, the other was relieved. The weight on his chest felt undoubtedly lighter now.

A sudden sense of guilt twisted her insides so hard Snake almost found herself breathless. She was hiding something from Happy, too. There she was, keeping another pregnancy for herself even after promising there would be no more secrets between them. Happy didn’t deserve that.

“I really, really love this,” she said, as soon as her little laugh died down. Her fingers were still stroking the snake on Happy’s chest, following every curve and scale.

Of course she loved it. “It reminds me of you.” Happy confessed, and Snake’s movements halted for the briefest of moments.

Then, faking composure, she went back to her ministrations. “So you do think about me.”

She’d managed to keep her voice tone light and unbothered, not wanting to scare him away with deep conversation. But Happy knew just how much she needed reassurances, and was finally ready to give her some. “All the fucking time.”

Silence engulfed his dorm room for the longest of times, but eventually Snake found some strength to talk. “Even when you’re with other women?”

[. . .] “Especially then.” Happy confessed, and again, the breath was knocked out of her.

[. . .] “I can’t have sex with men anymore. I tried multiple times, and my brain always went back to you. Everyone pales in comparison,” she confessed. And then felt the need to specify something else entirely. “So, if you still can’t believe Luz is yours, here’s other proof. I haven’t been with anyone else, since you. I’ll never be with anyone else.”

Oh, but Happy did believe her. There was no more denying it: he was Luz’s father, indeed. No matter how hard to accept that had been or just how incredible everything still felt. [. . .]

With millions of different thoughts swirling around in his head, he lost himself in the same kind of contemplation Snake had reserved to his tattoos. She had some of her own, not too big but all the more beautiful. Despite never telling her, Happy had fantasized about inking her body for the longest of times. It was a masterpiece, the most perfect canvas he’d ever laid eyes upon, and his fingers always itched with the need to mark her up. Possibly with his crow. Maybe someday...

Because he needed to shoo away such stupid thoughts, Happy murmured, “And I love this,” his fingers following the lines of the Mexican black kingsnake grazing the skin of her right hip. It was her biggest tattoo, with the snake’s head ending right above her navel, peeking up at her face from between her breasts.

From where he was laying, Happy could also see the ink bracelet adorning Snake’s wrist. Jaime’s name was carved in the inside of it, almost impossible to notice unless you really paid attention to the intricate design. And yet, Happy knew. Just like he knew, even without having to see them, about the light bulb on Snake’s left ankle — for Luz — and Kip’s birth date decorating her mid–thigh, sexily ready to peek out under miniskirts and shorts in the summer.

The sudden awareness of the fact no other man had touched her tattoos except him, knowing that no one else had even seen them or come to know what they meant filled him with pride and elation. Until another realization hit him. “You did have sex with women, though.” Happy observed, so sure of being right he didn’t even need to ask. Sort of. “Did you?”

Snake couldn’t help the sudden snort that escaped her lips. “Of course I did,” she confirmed lightly, because she had nothing to hide. Happy knew about her bisexuality and had always been more than okay with it. Snake hoped he didn’t change his mind in the two years they’d spent apart. Raising her head from his chest, she looked for his face before asking, “I deserve to have some fun, too, don’t you think?”

That she did. And even if he didn’t say it out loud, Snake knew.