The Ties That Bind 2 Read online

  Copyright © January 2018 by D. A. Young

  Cover Art by T. E. Black Designs

  Editing by Little Pear Editing Services

  Interior Formatting by Champagne Book Design

  Proofing by Ideality Consulting

  NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY BE COMMUNICATED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL. THIS INCLUDES PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR BY ANY INFORMATION STORAGE OR RETRIEVAL SYSTEM WITHOUT THE WRITTEN USE OF THE AUTHOR’S CONSENT.

  This book is a work of fiction and intended for mature audiences aged 18+ only.

  All names, characters, places, businesses and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales or events is entirely coincidental.

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Books by DA Young

  The Ties That Bind Playlist

  Author’s Letter

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty- Four

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  WHISKEY ROW SERIES

  SWEET OBSESSION

  NEW BEGINNINGS

  THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

  PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

  NO GREATER LOVE

  ALL WE EVER NEEDED

  BAYMOOR SERIES

  THE FARMER & THE BELLE

  LOST & FOUND

  CIRCLE OF FRIENDS NOVELLA SERIES

  SECOND CHANCES

  FOREVER YOURS

  THE TIES THAT BIND SERIES

  BOOK ONE

  BOOK TWO

  BAXTER PARK

  WINNER TAKES ALL (A KISMET COVE COLLABORATION)

  Interested in what I’m doing next?

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  And/or my blog

  Renegades—X Ambassadors

  Would I Lie To You—Eurythmics

  Keep Ya Head Up—2Pac

  Heavy—Linkin Park ft. Kiiara

  Dreamlover—Mariah Carey

  Streets of Philadelphia—Bruce Springsteen

  Heaven Help Me—Deon Estus

  Under The Bridge—Red Hot Chili Peppers

  I’ll Be There—Mariah Carey ft. Trey Lorenz

  Wonderful Tonight—Eric Clapton

  Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover—Sophie B. Hawkins

  What Becomes of the Brokenhearted—Jimmy Ruffin

  Don’t Walk Away—Jade

  Survivor—Destiny’s Child

  Time After Time—Cyndi Lauper

  Wild Night—John Mellencamp & Meshell Ndgeocello

  Everybody Plays the Fool—Aaron Neville

  Some Nights—Fun

  Animals—Maroon 5

  You Remind Me—Mary J. Blige

  Stay—Eternal

  Big Girls Don’t Cry—Fergie

  Hello!

  Welcome back to The Ties That Bind. As previously stated, the series is written in three installments starting in the past and leads us to the present. Book two picks up approximately five months after Billy departs Chatham, leaving Ransom in a world of hurt.

  Will these lovebirds be able to find their way back to each other? Will Harley, Pitch, and Digger see the error of their vile ways? Is Slade ready to put his hound dog tendencies behind him? And if so, is it too late for him and Claudia? Or has an unexpected attraction she has to another sealed the fate of their marriage?

  All of the answers to those questions can be found in this book, but please read the disclaimers first! The playlist from book one represents book two as well.

  I hope you will enjoy this roller coaster adventure as much as I have enjoyed writing it as we travel from California to New Mexico and learn more about these characters along the way.

  Happy Reading!

  To my readers—thank you always, for your continued support.

  To Champagne Book Design, T.E. Black Designs, Little Pear Editing, & Ideality Consulting—thank you so much for making the adventure and its packaging come together seamlessly! For always going above and beyond, doing more and understanding my vision. Thank you Emma K, for your invaluable information.

  Sincerely,

  D. A. Young

  Chatham, New Mexico

  The clicking and whirring noises interrupted Billy’s soundless sleep, prompting her to slowly blink her eyes open as she tried to comprehend what was happening. The indentation on the pillow next to her was the only confirmation that Billy hadn’t been alone.

  Where was Ransom?

  Click! Whir. Click!

  Billy squinted sleepily when she located Ransom across the room with that damned camera hiding his face. Again. “I should’ve known.”

  Her generous mouth poking out, she pulled the bed sheets over her head. “Babe! Enough with the pictures already! Don’t you have enough?! Please come back to bed.”

  Ransom smiled at her sulking. The pout was a childish gesture, but of course, his fancypants managed to turn it into a seductive one that beckoned him to steal a taste of her luscious, ripe mouth that she knew just how to work for him alone. His body tightened with anticipation at the thought.

  “I thought I made it clear to you that I’d never have enough of you, Billy,” he replied, grinning wolfishly. Ransom focused his lens on her red nails and nutmeg complexion, a striking contrast against the snow white sheets, and snapped away. “You never heard the saying ‘You can never have too much of a good thing’?”

  Billy lowered her shield slightly to reveal rumpled black waves tumbling over her forehead, slashing black eyebrows, and those luminous orbs that sucker-punched Ransom every time she trained them on him. They were onyx inkwells that swirled with her emotions. Presently, they danced with laughter as she peeked at Ransom playfully, head cocked to the side, silently appraising him. Those enchanting eyes were like a physical caress that forced Ransom’s libido into overdrive.

  He still didn’t know how he’d been lucky enough to wind up with this gorgeous woman, but Ransom planned to never let her go. Fuck soulmates. They were on some deeper shit, and he would go to war with anyone suicidal enough to disrespect or get between them. Billy’s love and support made Ransom a better man. She believed in him and allowed him to be who he was: a man desperately in love with her but still a ruthless enforcer for the Immortals MC. When he was with her, club business and worries ceased to exist, and Ransom was determined to keep it that way. His baby didn’t need to know all the grim details of his job. Billy just needed to know that he’d take lives before he let any harm come to her.

  Ransom smiled as she lowered the bed sheet further, revealing the delicate pendant with the diamond flaming skull emblem hanging from her slender neck. Normally, it was tucked underneath her clothing, but when it was just the two of them, his poor Billy often found herself in the precarious position of being naked, wearing only the jewelry he’d given her. The platinum pendant nestled perfectly between her lush breasts, which were one of the many favorite things he adored about his Old Lady. The chain was impressive but in no way did it rival the rock on her left hand. Ransom had refus
ed a wedding ring, opting for ink instead to proclaim to the world that he belonged to his fancypants. While Ransom insisted on jewelry for his wife, Billy had opposed it vehemently.

  “Just never stop loving me,” she’d insisted with a stubborn tilt of her pointed chin. “That’s all I need! You and your love, Ransom Lawson. I don’t need expensive decrees for the world to know we belong to each other.”

  Bullshit.

  Of course, she’d say that.

  Billy didn’t need or want anything of monetary value because she was a fucking heiress to a wine empire, not to mention, independently wealthy in her own right.

  “Well, it must not be true if you’re all the way over there and I’m in this big bed all by myself,” she teased, wiggling her brows. She blew him a kiss as one hand slipped beneath the sheet. “Come back to bed, my love. You’re sorely missed.”

  Ransom set the camera down and approached her with purposeful intent. His mission? To continue his quest of ruining her repeatedly for other men. Billy smiled adoringly at him, and per usual, Ransom was humbled by the glowing expression of love on her face. Intense feelings of pride sweltered inside of him when Billy allowed him to peel her cover away, unveiling her rounded belly. She didn’t have too much longer to go now, and he was excited to learn if their first child would be a daughter or son. Billy insisted on the sex being a surprise. And because Ransom could never fucking deny her anything, he went along, even though she insisted he could find out and just not tell her. Smiling at his awed expression, she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down over her. Carefully, Ransom arranged himself between her thighs.

  “Tell me again, wildthing,” he ordered gruffly, pressing a kiss to her belly. They grinned when he got a vigorous kick in response.

  “If you insist.” Billy twirled a lock of his hair around her finger, softly exhaling her truth as his lips found hers.

  “We love you, husband.”

  Ransom’s eyes flew open at the insistent pounding on his door. His heart was thundering with a frenzied urgency, threatening to burst through his chest. He bit back a stream of profanity, pissed at the disruption of his dream. A dream so sweet and beautiful that, sometimes, Ransom wanted it more than his next breath. Simultaneously he struggled to breathe and calm his racing heart.

  Christ, he was a fucking mess.

  That’s what Willamina “Billy” Stanton had done to him.

  Even after leaving Ransom high and dry months ago, she was still an intricate part of him, and he was now foolishly realizing that she always would be. Billy stole into his dreams nightly, seducing him not just with her high-octane presence but a ‘‘happily ever after’’ that Ransom wanted badly enough to kill for it. He despised himself for being so weak and Billy even more because of it. It wasn’t enough that she’d abandoned him, leaving Ransom a shell of his former self. It was the fact that he couldn’t move past her.

  No matter how hard he tried with countless, faceless women.

  The pounding on the door continued. Ransom chose to ignore it. He already knew who was on the other side, harassing him at the ass crack of dawn.

  “Um, should you get that?” a timid voice squeaked in his left ear. Ransom jerked back in surprise and turned in its direction. He grimaced at the timid brunette occupying his bed, mascara crusting her nervous brown eyes. “Or do you want me to?”

  Damn.

  Ransom thought she’d left a long time ago, which meant that she’d broken his cardinal number one rule.

  No staying after fucking.

  He scratched at his beard thoughtfully. Maybe she didn’t know? Then again, how could she? They’d only met last night. His memories were fuzzy around the edges. On his life, he couldn’t recall if they’d even had the mandatory discussion. What exactly did happen last night? Ransom remembered celebrating with his brothers at Club Flex because he’d been selected by his father and Prez, Slade, to help out a northern California chapter of their MC.

  “I’ll get it. I’m sure it’s just Shakes.”

  This new voice came from Ransom’s right, surprising the fuck out of him again. He twisted his head in that direction and saw Minnie, a buzzed-cut blonde that he’d been fucking with regularly, for over a month now, lying next to him with her eyes closed. Well, hell. She was a stripper at Flex with a banging body that was all natural. Slowly, Minnie opened her eyes and winked at Ransom.

  “Before you go all apeshit about us being here, remember, you were the one who insisted we stay. You also said you’d make it worth our while.”

  Ransom grinned as flashbacks started to roll in. “And did I live up to my end of the bargain?”

  Minnie rolled to her knees and stretched, giving the bed’s other two occupants a show of her tanned, svelte form, impressive tits, and a pussy covered by a baby-soft thatch of golden hair. “Damn straight you did, lover.”

  She pressed a swift kiss to Ransom’s neck then leaned over him, giving a lingering one to the receptive brunette before climbing over both of them.

  “And then you insisted on us giving you a show. Haven’t done that in a while, but I’m happy to report that Katy here is no longer a virgin when it comes to women.” Minnie winked at their shy bed companion. “Isn’t that right, sugar?”

  Ransom was amused at the scarlet flush spreading all over Katy’s body. Minnie kissed her again, this time more thoroughly. The other woman snaked her arms around her neck with a whimper, hungry for more. Minnie broke the kiss and grinned at Ransom.

  “Who would have thought Chatham’s school teacher was an undercover freak for some girl-on-girl action, right?”

  Ah.

  Now he remembered everything in vivid detail.

  The pounding increased. Both Ransom and Katy turned to enjoy the view of Minnie’s trim backside as she went to answer the door, without a stitch of clothing on. She opened it and Shakes almost hit her in the face with his raised fist. “Fucking good morning to you too, Gomez.”

  “Holy shit, Minnie!” Lucas “Shakes” Gomez exclaimed, dropping his hand as he thoroughly eye-fucked her, zeroing in on her crotch with a smirk. “I knew you were a natural blonde.”

  “Yeah, well, you fucking act like one, asshole!” she retorted, slugging the behemoth, raven-haired biker in the shoulder. She sauntered away, deliberately adding an inviting switch to her hips for his benefit. Minnie was pissed that Shakes, in the three years that they’d known each other, was able to remain immune to her wiles and obvious assets. “Come on, Katy, let’s go and grab some breakfast.”

  The brunette turned back to Ransom with a hopeful smile. He steeled himself at her smitten expression. “Uh—I’d like to see you again. Should I leave my number? You can call if you want to, which I hope you will. Or maybe I can call y—”

  Giggling at Ransom’s horrified look, Minnie slapped her hand over Katy’s mouth and urged her out of bed. “Don’t worry; I’ll school her on your rules, baby.”

  “I’d appreciate that,” he muttered, grateful for her intervention.

  She sighed lustily and rumpled his hair. “But damn! Can you really blame her?”

  The women gathered their clothes and quickly dressed. Embarrassed by her faux pas, Katy left without looking at either man. Minnie lingered to wrap her arms around Shakes’ waist. With a calculated look, she offered, “I’m free later if you wanna swing by and finally see what you’ve been missing out on?”

  Chuckling quietly, he removed her arms and took a slight step back, covering his nose. “Damn, girl! At least brush the dick out of your mouth before you run around propositioning folks.”

  Unwilling to admit that his umpteenth rejection stung as much as the first time, Minnie shoved him away from her. “Fuck you, Shakes! I didn’t want to see your scrawny little dick anyway!”

  “Not even if we were both wearing hazmat suits and God proclaimed you a reborn virgin, Minnie,” Shakes returned seriously. “And my shit would only seem ‘little’ to someone whose pussy has been stretched wider than the Grand Can
yon.”

  Ransom waited until the women left to address his best friend. “The fuck, man?” he chuckled. “Why’d you have to go at Minnie like that? You’ve had a hard-on for her since she arrived, and I ain’t talkin’ about your dick, brother. What gives?”

  Shakes’ face reflected the disgust he felt. “That bitch is an opportunist, and you’re giving her exactly what she wants by fucking with her. I hope you’re the one providing the condoms. I bet she wouldn’t hesitate to screw you to the wall in more ways than one if the opportunity presented itself.”

  Ransom swung his legs over the edge of the bed. “But that’s all I’m doing with her and shit yeah, I’m the one handling the condoms! I’d never trust a female to do that.”

  Shakes relaxed. “As long as you ain’t hittin’ shit raw is all I’m saying. Chicks these days can look like ‘Mary Poppins’ and are more radioactive than Chernobyl between their thighs.”

  He laughed with his friend, but Ransom was savoring a memory. One of him being tangled up with Billy to the point that he didn’t know where his limbs ended and hers began. It was the last time they’d made love, and Ransom intentionally went bareback. Knowing that he couldn’t give her what they both wanted, he’d desperately wanted to leave something of himself behind. Ransom was partially ashamed to admit that he’d hoped to plant a seed to tie her to him permanently. It was a dick move, no lie, and one he wasn’t particularly proud of. But still…that damn dream. That’s all it was, though. He’d best remember it, too.

  Abruptly, he changed the subject. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

  “Pops said we got twelve cars to load down. Our asses need to be at the shop pronto! Afterward, I thought I’d swing by the Inferno for lunch,” Shakes finished casually.

  “Motherfucker, you just wanna sit your pretty ass up there and make goo-goo eyes at Lorelai! You need to cut that shit out before Marcus blows your fucking balls off,” Ransom direly warned his friend, trying to ignore the sharp pang of acknowledgment Marcus’ association to Billy caused.