Diego: Leatherbacks MC (43 page)

              “Maybe we should—”

              “My belt won’t feel so good now after two spankings. Better watch what you’re going to say.”
              “Fine.” I let out a long breath. He was right. I’d already tried the logical approach with him.  “You’re okay with this? With Jayson making me live in his apartment? Me cleaning and cooking for him, fucking him when he stumbles into bed at night?” I shoved away from him. He could pretend all he wanted, but there was no good side the situation. 

              “Lucy,” he warned, with his voice and his eyes, but I ignored him.

              “No. You know I can’t fight him. You know he’s going to fuck me, make me do all the dirty things he’s always made me do. How can you look at me like I’m not the whore that I am?” Tears now ran down my cheeks and I didn’t bother to wipe them away. I hugged myself, stepping back when he looked like he would spring forward to touch me. Instead of reaching for me, his shoulders dropped, his mouth tightened.

              “If you ever call yourself that again, a spanking will be the least of the punishments coming your way.” His voice was hard, harder than I’d ever heard it. He pointed a finger at me. “You are no fucking whore—not like that. I hate the fucking idea of that asshole touching you, and if I could go over there right now and tear him in two, I would. I will get back here as soon as I can.” He stepped toward me, stalking me as I stepped away. I couldn’t handle his touch. If he touched me, he would make me melt. Make me believe things were going to work out for us, but I knew they wouldn’t.

My retreat ended when I bumped into the wall.  He flashed me a wicked grin as he trapped me further by putting his hands on the wall on either side of me, and pushing his body against mine.  I looked up at him, ready to tell him to move, to beg him to let me go, but his lips captured mine before I was able to get out one sound.

Everything in me softened. The tension disappeared, the fear, the anger, all washed away with his possessive kiss. His hands moved to cup my face, holding me where he wanted me, where I wanted to be. Under him, under his power, and his command. He didn’t yield, not one inch, until he was ready, and even then he continued to hold me close to him, our noses touching, our eyes locked without each other.

“I will get you out of there. I promise.” A vow, spoken low and with more determination than I had ever heard him use. “Sit tight. I will make him pay for everything, I swear it.”

I couldn’t do anything except blink, another tear slipping down my cheek. “I don’t want you

to get hurt,” I whispered.             

              “It’s gonna take a lot more than Jayson and some cartel assholes to keep me away from you.” He gave me another kiss, shorter but with as much power as the first. “Keep your phone on you at all times. I will text as soon as possible. If you need me, if you need anything you text me. I’ll get someone out here to help. Do you understand?”

              “Yeah.” I nodded.

              He wiped the tears from my cheeks and released me. The cool air brushed against me without him pressed against me and I wanted to pull him back. I wanted to wrap myself around his waist and beg him to stay. To take me with him. Not to leave me behind. But I knew he couldn’t. He had to do this, had to take care of whatever he was being sent on. I could handle another week; I could do that for him. For us.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

MASON

              Getting into Mexico couldn’t have been easier.  They practically opened their arms to us at the border. Except for the dirty look they gave Tick. It was the tattoos on his head; I warned him about those. My tats were pretty easy to cover up with sleeves. We just looked like two American guys headed down to Mexico for a week’s vacation. The border patrol never even questioned the need for such a large van for just two guys.

              Getting back through to go home would be different. We knew that and still hadn’t figured out how to get across the border without being stopped. I hoped Bernardo would have some ideas. Spending a decade or two in prison was not on my bucket list of things to do. Massy promised to kill Tick if anything happened to him on this trip.

              “Shit.” Tick whistled as we turned down the last road toward Bernardo’s place. A fucking fortress was laid out before us. Two men stood outside a guard tower holding machine guns. Thankfully, Tick remembered enough Spanish from high school to tell him who we were and they let us through—after making a quick call to the house.

              Several men stood at the front steps of the massive home watching us pull up the drive. Once I parked the van, two of them left the pack and headed to my door.

              “Mason Day.”  The man that opened my door did not look like any drug dealer or thug I’d ever seen. He sported a tailor made suit, with shoes that undoubtedly could pay my mom’s rent for a few months. His dark hair was slicked back, and not a single tooth was missing. 

              “That’s me.” I hopped out of the van and offered my hand. “That there is Tick.” I nodded toward Tick, who stood at the front of the van looking more uncomfortable than he had at the border. 

              “Tick?” the greeter asked, looking confused.

              “Uh…yeah. It’s a nickname.” I shrugged. “When we were kids, he had a nervous tick in his cheek,” I explained, ignoring the daggers Tick’s glare shot at me. He hated when I explained the name to anyone, so probably more so that I was telling the cartel. “Long time ago.” I waved off the topic. 

              “The other men?” 

              “They should be here tomorrow. We spread out.” He seemed appeased by my explanation and guided us to the house.

              “My name is Julio, Bernardo’s brother. You’ll be spending the week with us, please let me show you inside. Bernardo is out on business and will meet with you at dinner.” Tick and I exchanged a look then grabbed our bags from the van before following him up the stairs into the house.

              Bernardo hadn’t given me the impression that he held much class, but by the look of his house the man had expensive tastes. Marble flooring covered the foyer. A crystal chandelier dangled from the vaulted ceiling, small rainbows playing on the walls from the sunlight peering in through the massive arched windows on the second floor.

              “Yeah. Thanks.” Tick looked around the place and gave me a look that reminded me of when we were kids walking through the museum in the city. Our moms would take us on one of those free days they had a few times a year, and Tick would worry about breaking something because his mom told us that if we broke something we’d have to pay for it. And if we didn’t have the cash, we’d have to live there until we earned the money. As a kid, I’d thought it an empty threat, one we’d never have to face, but now as an adult I had a horrible feeling tracking my every thought. It was a reality for Lucy. I’d left her behind with Jayson. I’d left her in his tortuous hands. I’d actually walked away, knowing he’d be using her body while I was gone. Could I have sunk any lower?

              All for what? The club? For money? Fuck. I could have sent her and my mom away on a plane far away from Jayson. Forcing Lucy would have been necessary, but at least then I would know his fucking hands wouldn’t be anywhere near her. Instead, I sent her back, told her to hold tight until I finished this last fucking run.

              “Hey. Get your head out of your ass.” Tick gave me a shove as we headed up the winding staircase toward the second floor.

              “You can use this room.” Julio pushed the doors open to a room that looked like it belonged in a museum, not a house.

              “Wow. You guys really make bank.” Tick whistled and walked into the room, tossing his duffle bag on the nearest loveseat.

              Julio gave a half grin. “My brother does well enough. His wife, Carmella, likes the finer things. If it were up to my brother, we’d all be living in a warehouse working round the clock.” The way he said Carmella’s name struck me as different. Julio spoke perfect English, with only a small hint of an accent. His polished look, his elegant mannerisms—at first I’d guess he was gay, but after seeing his eyes light up at the mention of Bernardo’s wife, I realized the truth of the situation.

              “When did you say Bernardo will be back?” I slid the bag from my shoulder.

              “Sometime tonight. We’ll have dinner when he returns. If you need anything just pick up the phone. It rings the kitchen and someone can bring you whatever you need.”

              “Thanks.” Tick nodded and started looking around the room. I gave a nod and Julio disappeared through the doors, closing them behind him. “Well, fuck, look at this place.” Tick held out his arms and nodded.

              “Don’t’ get too comfortable,” I warned him. “We have shit to do. First we figure out how to get back through border patrol. I’m sure Bernardo will have a plan; we just need to make sure it’s safe. We aren’t going to have the firepower his men usually do.”

              “Yeah. He has men to do this run over the border, why drag our asses down here for it?” Tick asked for the third time, and for the third time I shook my head, unable to answer.

              “I don’t know. I don’t like it though, so keep your eyes open.” I eyed the bed in the next room. It had been a long drive down, and that bed looked almost as inviting as Lucy sitting a few feet away from me. “I’m getting a few z’s before Bernardo comes back,” I announced, and headed in that direction, already starting to kick off my boots.

              I’d rather jump back in the van and head home to Lucy, but I’d have wait it out. Then I’d get to her as fast as possible and get her the fuck away from Jayson. Good standing or not, we were gone as soon as I got back.

***

              Bernardo never showed for dinner. Julio made some excuse for him as we sat down in the expansive dining room. Wearing my usual shirt and jeans with my leather cut, I felt under dressed among all of the crystal and silver being passed around the table. Even though Tick and I ate alone with Julio, the full table had been set and utilized.

              “Your president, Marcus.” Julio wiped his napkin over his lips. “He’s a good man? Honest?”

              I looked at Tick, wondering how to respond. Tick stuffed his mouth with a forkful of chicken dish we’d been served. “I don’t think you get to where he is in life without being at least a little dishonest, but yeah, I guess he’s an honest man.” 

              Julio gave a slight nod and reached for his glass of wine. “But he’s not above stepping on people as he climbs the ladder, eh?” What the fuck. I didn't do politics.

              “He was president when I joined the club, so I don't know about that.” It would be better not to be having the conversation at all, but if I had to answer the questions, I would have to tread lightly.

              “Ah.” Julio’s eyebrows raised. “And you?” He gave Tick a pointed look. 

              “Same here.” Tick shoveled in another mouthful of food and gave me a worried glance.

              “My brother. He’s stepped, stomped, killed, whatever he thought necessary to get to where he is.”

              “I can understand that. This business you're in, it’s not so safe.” I looked at the glass of wine in front of my plate and wished for a beer.

              “To say the least.” Julio snorted.

              “Bernardo isn’t just away on business,” Tick finally chimed in, placing his silverware on his now empty plate. He rested his elbows on the table and covered his fist with his hand. His eyes focused and determined. “We aren't down here for a simple run over the border.” He nodded in my direction.

              Julio studied him silently, looking between him and myself. His expression didn’t give me any hints about his thoughts as the moments ticked by. “No,” he agreed, and sat back in his chair. He gave a wave and three men walked into the room. Each dressed as fine as himself and all armed with a machine gun slung over their shoulders. 

              “Julio…” I started to stand, but he waved me back into my seat.

              “Don't worry about them.” He said something to them in Spanish that I couldn’t understand and they all nodded and each moved to stand in one of the three doorways of the room. “They keep others out.”

              “What for?” The pleasantries were over. 

              “Marcus and I, we’ve been in discussions about your dealing with my brother and this other gang—”

              “Club,” Tick interjected.

              “Yes. Club.” Julio waved. “My brother—he wants to pit you two against each other, see who’s the stronger and let that club keep the territory. He wants to expand further and further north, into territories that are already taken by other cartel leaders. This means there will be a war between them. It has taken decades to build these territory lines, these truces. It’s a delicate thing between these men. My brother wants to spit on all the work and all the blood that has gone into it because he is greedy.”

              “What does this have to do with us?” I demanded. The sagging feeling in my stomach that I had when we climbed into the van nearly a day ago suddenly returned with more force.

              “My brother is to be relieved of his duty.” Julio folded his hands over his plate and delivered the news as though he were telling us that he wanted ice cream for dessert. “Marcus and I, we’ve come to an agreement. He’ll have full territory rights.”

              “Why bring us down here for that? The Disciples aren’t going to let that happen so quietly back home.”

              “The Disciples are a shitty group of men. I’ve been there, met with that Jayson. I’ve also seen that whore house in the back of their club. Abused women being raped daily.” He paused for a moment, standing from his chair as a woman dressed in a short red dress walked into the room, brushing past the guard. Her chestnut hair swept up into a neat bun on the top of her head showed her long neck and glimmering earrings. She glided right to Julio and placed her hands on his chest before reaching up on her tiptoes to place a chaste kiss to his cheek. “Carmella, you were to wait upstairs,” he chided quietly.

              She responded softly in Spanish, but I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was giving him her excuse for disregarding his instructions. He raised an eyebrow at her and sighed.  He turned to us then, his arm slipping around her waist. “As you can see, Carmella would like to join us. Obviously, you can see which side of this disagreement with my brother she is on.” He led her around his chair and pulled out the empty seat to his left, next to Tick.

              “Bernardo doesn’t know his wife is with you?” Tick asked, keeping his eyes off of Carmella.

              “My husband is a blind fool,” she spat. I remembered at that moment her husband walking Lucy into the back rooms at the clubhouse. The urge to run across the room and rip out his throat for even looking at my girl. I had sat by and let him take her, let him put his hands on her. Another of my failings.

              “He thinks I don’t know he fucks every woman he meets. He thinks I’m the fool. Julio has told me of the sex trafficking those other men do. It is bad enough my husband allows drugs to be sold to children, but now he wants to do business with men who steal women and rape them, and allow others to rape them.” Her voice hardened as she spoke, though her eyes never left Julio.  He reached across to her and rested his hand on top of hers. “I won’t have it.”