“Condom,” she choked out between pushes.

“No. You’re mine. This pussy is mine.” She didn’t argue; instead her eyes rolled in the back of her head as her body arched up from the bed. As my dick slid in her wet heat, it took everything I had to wait to come. Screaming, she called out my name over and over again. I didn’t show her any mercy, if anything, I pounded harder.

As she came a third time, I released deep inside her body. Every part of my body shook as I felt her deep in my soul. Collapsing on top of her, I slowly rolled to the side, taking her with me.

“So, you’re pretty pissed, huh?” she asked, smiling, trying to catch her breath.

“Better now.”

“Good.” She squeezed me tight. I’d missed feeling her, shit; I’ve only been gone a couple of days.

I hated to break this up, “Diamond wants to see you.”

“Shit. I swear I didn’t start this shit.” Her voice was laced with concern.

“He just wants to know what happened and what was said. We gotta get this shit taken care of.”

Nodding, she rolled out of bed giving me an awesome look at her hot ass and making my dick hard again. We didn’t have time; Diamond was waiting.

Walking out to the clubhouse, Princess was in front. She gave chin lifts to the guys sitting around the bar. Dagger came up to her, “You okay?”

“Of course.” She shrugged it off.

“Good, can’t have your sweet ass getting shot.” I tried to contain the growl that came out of my throat, but it was no use. It only made Dagger laugh. When Princess reached behind her, grabbing my hand, latching our fingers together, I couldn’t help the smug grin.

“Princess. Get in here!” Diamond called from his office. “You too, Cruz.”

Princess held my hand into the room. Not gonna lie, it excited me that she was acknowledging us to the club. Finally.

“Sit,” Princess and I sat next to each other on the couch while Diamond sat in the chair by his desk.

“So, quite a shit storm you got going on, girl.”

“Diamond, I didn’t start this…” Princess began, shaking her head as she squeezed my hand. I reciprocated.

“I know. We gotta figure out what the fuck is going on. Tell me from the beginning.” As Princess replayed the scene, she released my hand. Hearing step by step what happened and what was said, something was off with this whole situation.

“Why was the message that you love her?” Diamond stared at her.

“I promised you I wouldn’t start shit. Figured it was a way of saying what I wanted to say without lying.” She shrugged her shoulders as if it wasn’t a big deal. But I knew it was. She followed Diamond’s orders and damn if that didn’t make my pride swell.

“You haven’t contacted her at all?”

“No, Sir.”

“So why is she coming after you?”

“Not quite sure. Preemptive strike? She knows I want her; it’s no secret.” Diamond eyed me secretly communicating that he agreed. Something was not right with this. “I did do one thing…” Princess let out a deep breath. “I didn’t contact her, but I did have her looked into.”

“Like how?” Diamond asked, lacing his fingers and setting them on the table.

Princess pulled out a folded manila envelope from inside her leather jacket. “A friend from inside, Deara, got this for me.” Diamond opened the envelope, scattering the contents inside as he looked at each of them and pushed them towards me. “I just got them, and I haven’t done anything with them.”

“This friend, how the hell did she get them?” I asked, wondering how much deeper this shit went.

“She’s part of the Lambalinis’ group.”

“You got involved with them?” My temper flared. There was no way I wanted her involved with those assholes. They’d cut her throat out and not think twice about it.

“It’s fine. I helped Deara out inside; she owed me. It was just payback. There’s no blowback.”

“You’re sure?” Diamond asked suspiciously.

“Positive. She even said she’d do whatever I needed to get this bitch taken care of. And I believe her.”

“I’m taking you at your word.”

She smiled. “Yes, Sir. What’s the plan with Babs?”

“Club business,” Diamond answered.

“With all due respect, the bitch had her boy toy goons shoot up my studio. It’s my business, too.”

Diamond stared at her, his eyes deadpanned. “You’ll know what you need to know.”

“What do you want me to do?” she asked sheepishly as she backed down from Diamond. I knew it was killing her not to be let into the loop of shit.

“Right now, clean up the studio and take care of the girls. You let us handle Rabbit’s crew, and if that includes Babs, then so be it.”

“When the time comes, do I get Babs?”

“She will pay for putting you in.” When he didn’t give her a definite answer, she sighed in defeat.

The door banged as it flew open. All of our eyes shot to Ma. “Get out here. Mel’s here for Cooper.”

“Oh, hell no!” Princess said, jumping up faster than both Diamond and I. Walking into the main room of the clubhouse, Mel stood with her hand on her hip, glaring at Princess as she got closer. “What the fuck are you doing here?” Princess’s voice was cold as ice.

“I want my boy,” Mel said, dismissing her and looking at me, which was the wrong move. Princess moved in front of her, going toe-to-toe.

“You want him. Get through me first,” she growled.

“You’re not keeping my son, Bitch.” Mel didn’t see the punch coming as Princess’s fist landed right in her jaw, causing her to hold her face in agony. “You bitch!” Mel started to go after Princess, but I knew this shit had to be over.

“Enough!” I yelled causing Princess to flinch, but she brought herself in check as she came and stood behind me. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to contain the rage flowing through me and the urge to wrap my hands back around this bitch’s throat again. “Mel, you need to leave. Cooper’s not going anywhere. The lawyers already drawn up the papers, and you are not to be on club property.”

Mel’s face dropped, turning white as a sheet. “What papers?”

“Custody. You’ll get them tomorrow and sign them. Otherwise, I’ll give the police all the pictures, and documentation I have regarding your drug use, and the bruises found on my boy.”

Princess grabbed my arm, squeezing it tight, “She hit him…” she whispered. Putting my hand on hers, I gave it a gentle squeeze. Mel’s eyes grew wide.

“If you think this bitch is a better mom to my boy than me, you are sadly mistaken.”

“You call her a bitch again and I’ll move the fuck out of her way and let her take care of you. Get out. Sign the damn papers or go to jail… you choose.” I could see in her eyes that Mel wanted to fight. Mel turned and walked out the door. When the door shut, Princess let go of my arm turned and walked down the hallway without a word.

“Cruz, in here, now.” Pops’ voice came from behind me pointing to chapel.

Following Pops and Diamond to the table, they shut the door behind us, sitting in our respective places. “You serious about my daughter or you playing?”

I was actually surprised it took Pops this long to ask. “Serious.”

“So she’s your ol’ lady?”

“Yes.”

“She agree with that?” he asked, smirking.

“Working on it.” Both Pops and Diamond full out laughed, causing me to do the same. “Pops, she’s tough, but I’m not giving her up.”

“Good. You got that bitch, Mel, under control?” Diamond asked.

“Burnzies drew up the paperwork. She should be gone for good in a couple of days. And if, for some reason that doesn’t work, I’ll make her gone.”

“Good. Shit’s gonna get deep.” I eyed Pops as he spoke. “Insider says that Babs is feeding Rabbit a bunch of shit about Princess threatening her.”

“Shit,” I groaned while lighting up a smoke.

“That’s why the shit storm. I called for a meeting, but he hasn’t responded. But there’s more.” He paused to look at Diamond. “There are whispers of another set-up going down to put Princess back inside.”

Anger surged. “What the fuck?”

“And if Princess kills her, there will be a million dollar bounty on her head.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Babs’s pussy that good to get Rabbit to fall for this shit?”

“Apparently.” Diamond stretched back in his chair placing his hands behind his head as he eyed me.

“So, what’s the plan?” I asked, rubbing my hands over my head.

“We’re gonna go through all the info that Princess got, see what we can find and what clues we can come up with for this supposed set up. You need to keep a short leash on her. Which I know will be easy.” Pops chuckled. “We wait to hear back from Rabbit and see if he’s got any sense left. And you go find that bitch who came in here with Danny and get what you can out of her.”

“What about her?” I asked, wanting to make sure that when I opened my mouth to her it wouldn’t be the end of me.

“She knows what she needs to for now.” Nodding my head, Diamond gave me the chin lift, which meant I was dismissed.

Princess was curled up on my corner recliner holding Cooper in her arms as he slept. As she brushed away the silent tears, our eyes met. The pain inside of them made my heart ache. Kneeling in front of them, I placed one hand on Coop and the other on her knee. “You okay, Baby?”

“No. I’m not,” she whispered.

“Talk to me.” Princess looked down at Cooper in her arms taking one hand and brushing the hair out of his face as she placed a kiss on his forehead.

“She can’t have him. I won’t allow it.” Princess’s tone went from gentle to fierce in seconds. “Cooper’s mine. I won’t allow him to be hurt. I’ll kill her before she touches him again.” A grin covered my face. “I’m not kidding, Cruz. I will end her if she touches him.”