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Leo
Sipping on the coffee Chris had poured for me the minute I sat down at the bar I scanned the packed common room behind me in the mirror behind the bar. It was easy to pick out where the problems were going to come from should we stay here longer than anticipated.
The club whores who hadn’t been kicked out by Ice. Sigh.
Why was it always the club whores who started shit that the brothers had to finish? Even back home it was the same shit. It was as if the bitches thought because they got the brothers’ dicks they could say and do as they pleased. And when they started a whisper campaign it caused endless problems between brothers, their old ladies and girlfriends.
What interested me was the obvious divide between the whores. One small group was very visible in their disdain for the rest of the whores. They stayed in a small group on the couches at the back of the room, not circulating like the other women. Interesting. Very interesting.
My parents never hid the way Reid and I had come into the world. We both knew we were the result of dad screwing club whores. Mama hated them, never said it out loud, but it was right there in her eyes and dad made sure she knew he wasn’t ever going there again. And he hasn’t, he’s been faithful to his old lady, whether at the clubhouse or on a run, he didn’t cheat. Instead they video chatted when he was on the road, every single night before going to sleep. Alone.
Or in Mama’s case, not so alone. When we were younger their big bed filled up with migrating kids throughout the night.
When I found the man I wanted to settle down with I wanted what they had. A love that was strong enough to withstand the worst and grow into the greatest love between two people. My parents were the ultimate example of an enduring love.
“What has you so deep in thought?” DC’s voice broke into my thoughts.
Glancing at her before looking down at my coffee. “I was thinking about my parents. About how much they’ve survived and how in love they still are. They are quite sickening sometimes but my brothers and I grew up knowing they loved each other and they loved us.”
“Your parents sound like they’re awesome.” Chris leant on the bar across from me and smiled. “Mine, not so much.”
“My dad is awesome but always busy so things slip through the cracks all the time. But he’s trying, so there’s that.” DC shrugged.
“We were lucky to have Viv and Grave as our parents, you won’t find any of us disagreeing with that.” But then I thought about Reid. “Except maybe Reid, he always wanted to know about his biological mother and why she wasn’t in his life. Me, I couldn’t give a shit about my biological, she’s dead, so there’s that. My Mama adopted me and loved me no matter how I came to be. I wouldn’t change it for anything. I think when Reid’s head got all screwed up he came here to find her, to see if there could be something between them. I would bet my best set of knives he was disappointed in what he found.”
“He never said a word about his family, always cut off conversations that got even close.” Chris said softly. “All the brothers talk when they get in a certain mood after drinking but not Army, not ever. He kept a part of himself to himself. Always.”
I nodded in agreement. That was Reid alright. Or that was the Reid that came home after the shit that went down on his last deployment.
DC swivelled in her chair until she faced my side and I turned to look at her. “Why don’t we address the elephant in the room while the men aren’t around to get involved? The shit that went down yesterday and earlier in Hawk’s office.”
I turned to face her and lifted an eyebrow. “If you think I’m about to spill my guts about my feelings you’d better think again. Not happening. She did what she did, you and your posse did what you did. She apologised. As far as the club’s concerned it’s done. As far as I’m concerned...it’s gonna take me a while to trust any of you.”
Glancing at Chris I smiled. “Not you though, you and Genna aren’t included in that statement.”
DC didn’t hesitate. “Good, trust is something a person has to earn. You can’t give it to someone because of who they’re affiliated to. Now that it’s out of the way, I have a question. What exactly do you do at your club?”
I was totally okay with the change of subject.
“I’m the general manager of the strip clubs and bars that the club owns.”
“Is that like managing but reporting to a brother who is actually in charge?”
Laughing I shook my head. “Nope, I’m in charge, totally. I have managers at each of the venues but they report to me and I report to Maniac, our prez. My main office is at one of the strip clubs but I have a home office as well.”
“You said strip clubs and bars, plural. How many?” Chris asked with wide eyes.
“Three strip clubs and two bars with another bar/restaurant we’re busy building right now. Jamie, my assistant, is running things while I’m here so I’m not worried about things going sideways while I’m not there.”
“Is this what you’ve always wanted to do?” DC asked curiosity all over her face.
Shaking my head I laughed. “No, I wanted to be a brother, but of course, no dick and all of that. So this was the next best thing.”
DC bounced in her seat and smiled wide.
“Oh God! Me too. I wanted to be part of the club too. I was pissed when my dad told me that it was for boys only. I was so pissed I decided that I would show them all. I would be the better than the best freaking brother at the club.” She winked. “Now the bastards are scared of me and I love it.”
I grinned. “If you can’t join ’em, beat them at their own game. That’s what you’re saying right?”
She grinned and nodded. We swivelled back to the bar and picked up our coffees and sipped almost at the same time. Chris shook her head and made big eyes at us.
“The two of you would be seriously bad news should you ever decide to gang up on someone. I can just see it in your eyes. You both have that predatory glint.”
Smiling I shook my head as if I didn’t believe her or was as dangerous as she made me out to be. DC though, that woman was truly bad news, it was right there in her dark eyes. I could see it and she knew I could. And maybe she wanted me to see it, as a sort of warning. I don’t know and actually, I didn’t care.
“Can you tell me what the meeting is all about today? Hawk was being a closed mouthed ass this morning because he was pissed at Beryl and at me.” She once again changed the subject.
Sighing I nodded. “We’ve just been to the Embassy to arrange the repatriation of Reid’s body to the States. Only to be told they can’t help us until we bring them the correct paperwork. That means paperwork with the name Reid Lawrence Jordan on it. And unfortunately all the paperwork here has that stupid alias of his on them.”
“Shit, that’s not good. But I’m sure Ice will be able to clear that up for you and if there’s a hiccup then Ziggy will fix it so that it disappears.”
“I hope so because we need to get him home to our parents. They aren’t doing so good right now, especially my Mama. They need a body to mourn and so on. Plus there’s the club and everything that goes along with that. He grew up with some of those brothers and they all want to pay their respects. And then there’s the Marines, I’m sure they have to be informed and they might want to participate in his funeral. I just don’t know at this stage.” The sadness that I haven’t been able to shake engulfed me and I sighed heavily. “It just feels like it’s not real, that he’s just on another deployment and will walk through the door any minute with a big grin on his face. And then I remember that shiny black fucking coffin.”
Putting my elbows on the bar I clasped my hands together in front of my mouth and just breathed.
“And what about Wolf? How are things with him claiming you as his old lady?”
Damn, why did she have to go there?
“We’re okay. And it’s going as well as can be expected under the circumstances.”
“That kiss he gave you was hot as hell, just saying.” Chris smirked. “I think you should know the man has serious rules about getting with a woman and I think you broke them all.”
She made big eyes at me and grinned.
“Let me tell you those bitches over there were shocked as hell about that kiss. There’s not one of them who hasn’t tried to snag your man and crashed and burned. He very, very seldomly fucked a club slut and then only one of the ABG’s, never one of the others.”
I frowned. “ABG’s?”
“It stands for Aunt Beryl’s Girls and they are the girls she approves of because they help her out with cooking and cleaning around here. There are only five of us at the moment. And before you ask, no, I’ve never fucked your man. And please don’t ask me which of the girls have. I can’t tell you that. Just know that it’s been a while since he touched one of them, like months actually.”
I held both my hands up to stop her spewing more.
“Hey, don’t stress. I grew up in a club, I know how it works. A brother fucks around with the club sluts and once he finds his old lady he stops, hopefully. A few of the guys back home are good guys who don’t cheat on their women. But like men all over the world there are those bastards who aren’t satisfied with just one pussy, they like variety. It’s very difficult to ignore especially if his woman is a friend. That’s why I have very few friends at the club. I keep my distance, that way I don’t cut a brother’s nuts off for cheating on a friend.”
“You must get in so much trouble with your prez.” DC grinned.
Shrugging I pushed my empty mug towards Chris and watched as she topped me up. “I used to, but over time I’ve learned to pick my battles. That is one battle I will never win so I’ve had to let it go.”
“Same with me. It freaking pisses me off when I see it and I have to avoid that particular brother for weeks just in case I lose my shit around him. Why put your patch on a woman if you’re going to keep fucking the club whores? I don’t get it.” DC shook her head in confusion.
“I know. I once told my brother Ren that it’s the same as if I had a brother’s patch on my back but I was still fucking several other guys when he wasn’t around. He nearly lost his shit. Said only a whore would do shit like that. That’s when I called one of his best friends a whore because although he has an old lady, that I know he loves, he’s still fucking the club whores when he’s on a run. Let’s just say Ren wasn’t happy with me, not for a very long while.” Tilting my head to the side it suddenly hit me. “Wow, I totally missed it. Ren stopped going with the club whores right around the same time. Hmm, my argument must have made an impression.”
DC watched with interest as I silently worked through the revelation in my mind.
Chris broke into my self imposed haze.
“So, Lure, is he available or does he have someone back home?”
I jerked my eyes to hers and she blushed. Red creeped up over her chest and neck and over her cheeks as I watched her with a small grin.
“There’s a reason his road name is Lure. According to his club brothers his smile is like a fishing lure, he throws it out there and pulls women in effortlessly.” My grin only got wider as Chris got redder.
“Well, will you look at that.” DC teased. “I think our Chris has been lured in by that smile and is hooked.”
“I’m not.” She protested vehemently. “I was just asking.”
“And why would you ask about Lure and not about Breaker or Magic or even my brother? I think the lady doth protest too much.”
“Ooh, check that out, paraphrasing Shakespeare no less.” DC chuckled. “Answer that one if you can, Chrissie.”
“You two are full of nonsense. I was just asking.” Chris frowned at us as the red slowly receded.
“Okay, let me ease the situation a bit.” I said with a sly smile. “Dive, Lure and Breaker are very, very single and they haven’t been serious about a woman ever. Magic, now there’s a different story. Until about four months ago he was dating one of my best friends, Evie. I have no idea exactly what went wrong because neither one of them will talk to me about it. I do know it involved club whores and was serious, like very serious. I’m hoping they work it out because they were good together.”
DC rubbed her hands together as if she was getting ready to start a hot gossip session.
“What about you? There has to be a man or two back home who are anxiously waiting for you to get home.”
I snorted and shook my head. “Hell no, there’s no one waiting for me. I kicked the last one to the curb because I caught him with two club whores and that was it. I was stupid to start shit with the dick in the first place and now I’m having problems shaking him off.”
“Is he one of those clingers?” Chris was leaning on her forearms to get closer.
“He’s worse. He thinks if he claims me it gives him an automatic seat at the table. Stupid ass.”
DC was about to answer when we heard the sound of boots echoing down the passage coming towards the common room.
The meeting was over and hopefully the paperwork issue had been sorted so we could start the arrangements to take Reid home.
One look at Dive’s face told me that he wasn’t happy, not at all.
Shit.
He came straight to me and slung his arm around my shoulders. “Walk with me, Leo.”
He drew me off the bar stool, walked me through the clubhouse and out through the front doors. He headed over to the side of the building and onto the lawn before he stopped.
He didn’t let me hang and started explaining as soon as we were far enough away from any ears.
“We’re gonna have to stay here longer than expected. It’s gonna take time to get the paperwork sorted without alerting the authorities that we’re fuckin’ with it. We can’t chance goin’ to the States with forged papers because if we get caught we’ll end up in a federal prison. Ice is gonna approach some people to help us with the name change on all the relevant paperwork. Every fuckin’ thing is in his fuckin’ alias and that bitch of an egg donor of his knew exactly who he was and kept quiet. There’s a reason for it and hopefully we’ll know what it is very fuckin’ soon.”
I stood with my arms crossed as I listened to him explaining but there was something he wasn’t telling me.
“What else? Give it all to me, Dive. Don’t hold back, tell me everything.”
He rubbed his hands over his face and scrubbed them through his hair before he sighed heavily.
“There’s some other shit goin’ down but its club shit that I can’t discuss with you, darlin’. But gettin’ back to our extended stay.”
He looked uncomfortable, my rough and ready brother looking uncomfortable wasn’t an everyday sight. More like never.
“Hawk is insistin’ that you stay here, at their clubhouse with Wolf. He insists it will be safer for you.”
As he was talking I was already shaking my head from side to side. “No, I refuse. I’m not stayin’ here without you guys. After the shit that went down when we got here I don’ feel safe here. I’m not doin’ it Dive.”
And there went my accent giving away how upset I was.
“Baby girl, no way will we leave you here on your own, I swear. Two of us will be on you at all times. The club has some cottages near here where we will be stayin’. Reaper and the boys will be here as well. You won’t be alone, I swear.”
“But I will be alone in there.” I said as I pointed at the clubhouse. “You will be stayin’ somewhere else while I’m in there with them. They don’t like me here, Dive. You heard what they were sayin’ when we walked in. If one of those people start on me I’m gonna cut ‘em, you know I will. And I won’t be sorry.”
My big brother suddenly grinned. “When have you ever been sorry, little darlin’?”
I shrugged then gave a big sigh. “You’ve already voted on this shit, haven’t you?”
He gave an almost apologetic shrug and nodded. “We have, and you’re stayin’ here with Wolf.”
“So this whole talk was in actual fact a load of fuckin’ bullshit. The decision has been made and you were told to tell me to suck it up and deal.” I snarled at him.
“Not in those words, no, but somethin’ close to it.” He grabbed my face in his hands and looked into my eyes and I saw something I never thought I would see in my brother’s eyes. Fear.
“I’m not supposed to tell you this but fuck ‘em, you need to know, Leo. There are photos of you at the funeral on the internet. Photos of you cryin’ over his coffin, standin’ next to the hearse and of you on the back of Wolf’s bike. Someone took photos and posted them online, put your fuckin’ name to them and that you belong to the Shadow Wraiths. It’s fuckin’ everywhere. Ziggy is doin’ his best to get rid of ‘em but you know once it’s out there, it’s very difficult to erase all trace of ‘em.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Why? What’s so important about me being at his funeral that they would put it on the web? Is this shit from back home that followed us here, Dive?” So many questions I had and I knew for most of them I wouldn’t receive any answers.
“I can’t answer that, sweetheart, because I don’t know. What I do know is that I don’t like it. We should have been flyin’ under the radar out here and we’re not. And that’s the main reason why I agreed to you stayin’ here at their fuckin’ clubhouse.”
My shoulders slumped as I sighed.
“Fine, but I need you to know I’m not happy about this shit. Promise me you and the guys will be close and you won’t just leave me to rot in there. And I need to ride my bike. Even if all I can do is ride up and down the road out there at least it will be an escape from the shit inside.”
Dive started shaking his head and I quickly shut him up.
“No. Don’t you start with me, Dive. You know I can’t stand being locked up. You need to make them see that I need this to keep from hurting someone. I give you my word all I’ll do is ride around the compound and down the road. What can it hurt?”
“Jeezuz, Leo.” My brother growled at me. “You’re a fuckin’ pain in my ass, you know that, right? Fine, I’ll make arrangements with their prez to allow you to ride. But you need to listen to me and hear me, baby girl. You only ride where they say you can. You don’t push them for more. Do I have your word?”
Sighing in resignation I nodded.
“You have my word. I’ll stay here and only ride where they say I can. What about this claiming bullshit? Will I have to share a room with the bastard?”
I felt him behind me before he even said a word. His voice was pissed off to the max when it came.
“Nothing that we’re doing is bullshit. We’re doing it to keep your ass from getting hurt or worse. You will share my room as my old lady and respect my brothers and their women. I don’t need any fucking problems from you. I’m doing you and your club a fucking favour and you had best remember that, princess. This is my home and you will fucking respect everyone inside it. Test me, princess. Test me and see how I’ll teach you to respect your betters.”
I whirled to give him a piece of my mind but he was already furiously stomping off to who knows where. As he disappeared around the corner of the clubhouse I was in a full on rage. I needed to hit something or ride. I swung back to Dive only to catch a sly smirk on his face that he quickly sucked back when I punched him on the arm. Bastard.
“Get me permission to ride. I’m gonna need it if this is the way that asshole is gonna act around me. Only so much aggravation from the bastard I can take.” I spat at my brother before I stalked off, leaving the shit laughing at my retreating back.
I was seething. Who the hell did he think he was talking to? And calling me a princess? And them being my betters? What the fuck? No, not just no, oh hell no.
It did not get any better when I stormed into the clubhouse and up to the bar. DC was no longer around but Chris was still there serving drinks. I needed a stiff one right now. Unfortunately she wasn’t alone at the bar, there were three club sluts hanging on the brothers sitting at the bar. I sat down and ignored them, waiting for Chris to finish with them before coming to me.
Hopefully those bitches would leave me the fuck alone to calm my shit down. If they didn’t there was going to be hell to pay because no way would I keep my mouth shut for a club slut.
Yeah, call me a princess, asshole, I’ll show you a fucking princess.
Chris took one look at my face and reached for the Jack on the shelf, set a shot glass down in front of me and filled it. Picking it up I shot it and dropped my head as the burn streaked through my throat and chest. Tapping the bar with the glass I watched as she filled it up again.
“You okay, Leo?” She asked very quietly, not letting her voice reach the far too interested bitches down on the other end of the bar.
I shook my head slowly from side to side.
Aaand, that’s when one of those bitches decided to fuck with me.
“You think you can walk in here and act like you own the place? We all saw that kutte. You’re bought and paid for by your lowlife club. You’re just a slut trying to snag herself a patch. I had him first bitch and he’ll always come back for more because my pussy is the best. He told me so, repeatedly.” The bitch finished all self-importantly.
I slowly swivelled on my chair and looked her over from top to bottom. The bitch was dressed in typical club whore fashion, short tight skirt, barely there tank and stripper shoes. She was of average height and had tits and ass in abundance with dark hair that poofed out around her head and curled around her shoulders. I didn’t miss the fact that she was very pretty but her eyes were sly and nasty.
“Tracy!” Chris snapped but the bitch ignored her, keeping her eyes on me.
“Is that all you got? Nothin’ more? Damn, you’re pathetic. Let me enlighten you, club slut. For your information and anyone else who wants to test me, I will fuckin’ cut you the next time you disrespect me. I’m no club whore or a patch bunny. I was born into my club. A legacy. The only daughter of the VP of the Shadow Wraiths MC of Savannah, Georgia. And bitch, you know what that makes me. Yeah, I can see it startin’ to sink in. Club royalty, bitch. You only get this one warnin’, come at me again and no one will ever want to look at your face again.” I stared in to her shocked and scared eyes. “You got me? Nod your fuckin’ head to say you do.”
She nodded frantically then ran out as if her ass was on fire when I waved her away. Swivelling back to Chris I shook my head.
“I get so fucking tired of having this talk with the fucking club sluts. Back home they know not to come at me with their bullshit. If they do they learn really quickly that they will regret it for the rest of their lives.”
Tapping the bar I slid my shot glass towards her.
“Let’s get drunk, Chris. What do you say?”
Laughter glinted in her eyes as she shook her head. “I’m going to fucking love having you here giving those bitches hell. Shit, it’s going to make me sad when you go home.”
Leaning forward I whispered. “Don’t be sad, come with me when I go.”
Her eyes widened and she gasped. Her mouth opened to answer me but she didn’t get a chance. My arm was grabbed and I was rudely ripped off my chair. Stumbling to get my feet back under me I reached for my knife but stopped when I realised it was Wolf.
An enraged Wolf. Shoving his face into mine he growled at me through his tightly clenched teeth.
“I warned you. I fucking warned you to respect everyone in this building. You had to fucking test me, didn’t you?”
“Wolf, she di...” Chris tried to interrupt but he silenced her with a commanding wave.
When he propelled me along with him my eyes lit on the smirking fucking whore. I lifted my free hand and slowly dragged it across my throat while keeping my eyes on her as Wolf dragged me out of the room and up the stairs. I smiled evilly as she shrunk into herself and slithered away.
What I didn’t expect was to be almost violently shoved into the room when we reached it. I jerked away from him, he shoved and shit happened. Stumbling into the room I slipped on a shirt lying on the wooden floor but instead off falling on my ass I went flying across the room. Crashing into a chest of drawers. Thank fuck I hit it sideways and not with my face. The sharp edges smashed into my ribs and robbed me of my breath with the pain. I moaned but cut the sound off as I slowly pushed myself off the floor, clasping a hand over my side. I looked up and met his eyes. Where they had been furious before they were now wide and shocked and he had his hand out as if reaching to help me up.
“Fuck, I didn’t mean to do that. I’m so fucking sorry.”
I flinched away from him and he cringed. Not saying a word, I stood glaring at him.
I knew he hadn’t meant to send me flying across the room the way I had, but he did. And I got hurt. By the look on his face I knew he was shocked and horrified.
I didn’t give a fuck. He had gone too far.
“I need my brother.” I hissed very softly.
“Not happening, Leo. You’re my old lady and I’ll look after you. I’m sorry you fell but you have to realise you started this shit.” His angry frown was back. “I warned you and you went ahead and disrespected my brothers. I can’t allow that to stand.” His voice had softened as he spoke and the anger had disappeared.
Snorting with disgust I shook my head. “I haven’t spoken to or disrespected any of your brothers. But it seems your slut knows you’re a sucker for a few fake tears. She tells her sob story and you believe every word and put your hands on me. So be it. Glad to know exactly what type of man you are and where we stand.”
I turned my back on him and looked around the room. Seeing the open door of a bathroom I painfully made my way over, ignoring him. Shuffling inside I closed and locked the door behind me. Thank heavens there was a full mirror behind the basin and I slowly pulled my tee out of my pants lifted it up and inspected my sore ribs and hip. Fuck, I was going to have a gnarly bruise. Touching the area hurt like hell but I pushed and inspected until I was satisfied I hadn’t damaged my ribs. It was just a very bad bruise. I didn’t even try to tuck my shirt back into my pants, I left it hanging as I grabbed the wash cloth. I needed a cold compress to stop the swelling and bruising. Holding it under the cold water I painfully wrung it out then held it against my aching side.
While I had been busy in the bathroom the room on the other side of the door had been silent and I hoped like hell the fucker had left.
Opening the door I carefully walked out but stopped when I saw him standing in front of the window. He swung around and his eyes immediately went to my hand holding the cloth to my side. He slowly came towards me.
“I’m so fucking sorry, Leo. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear it was an accident, I only meant to shove you inside then you jerked out of my hand, slipped and went flying into the chest of drawers.” His hands reached out and carefully lifted my shirt. I let him. I even let him pull my hand away to take a look at my side.
“Jesus, fuck.” He whispered. “Never going to forget or forgive myself for this shit. Never, not as long as I live.”
“Good, I hope you fuckin’ live a very long time to regret this shit.” I hissed angrily.
“Leo, please, let me help you. You need to lie down with an icepack on that bruise.” He didn’t wait for me to answer as he lead me over to his bed.
The next few minutes felt absolutely surreal. He had gone from enraged to caring within the blink of an eye.
And I let him.
I was out of my clothes and down to my panties and bra then carefully lifted and settled in his bed. He had a few of those icepacks that you cracked to get the chemicals to do their job and he placed two on me. One on my ribs, the other on my hip. But he wasn’t finished. I was given pain killers and covered with a soft quilt before he dragged a chair over and sat down next to the bed.
“Tell me what happened.”
And at last the bastard asked the million dollar question he should have asked before losing his shit.
Too fucking late.
“You know what, fuck you. Go find out for yourself, I’m done wasting my time and breath on you. Get out, go play with your fuckin’ slut.” My head was feeling all swirly as I glared at him and pulled a face as if I smelt something bad. “You have really bad taste in sluts. Shoulda’ gone wit’ class li’ Chris but nooo, you gone wit’ de trash. Goo’ ta kno’.” I slurred.
My eyes started getting really heavy and slipping closed. Drugs. He fuckin’ drugged me. Bastard.
“Wha’ chu gi’ me?” I mumbled as I tried to force my eyelids to obey.
“Just something for the pain, baby. Sleep, I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“Don’ do me no fav...”
And that was it. I was out like a damned light.
