Saving Glory (Hells Saints Motorcycle Club Book 4) (22 page)

There’s nothing better than waking up cradled in the strong arms of a beautiful man
, Glory thought to herself as she snuggled against Jules’s big warm body. She watched the sunlight stream in through the closed plantation shutters and dapple light on his muscled chest. It had been a month since the shoot-out and Jules’s leg was healing incredibly well. He was not quite at the point of being able to get back on his bike. Nor was Jules at the point where he was performing his workouts at pre-injury intensity but that would come in time. And while Jules had begun to spend more and more time at the compound, he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to return there full time and that suited Glory just fine. She loved the clean soapy smell of him on her sheets and she never slept better than in the safety of his arms.

The time that Jules spent recovering at the lake house was not only good for him, it was good for
them
. It gave Jules and Glory a chance to spend time together in a whole different way. It gave them a chance to see each other in a light that was not shadowed by outside influences and dangerous circumstance.

While she cherished the bubble-like existence this time allowed them, Glory knew it would not last forever.

She still had no idea where they were headed.

Their relationship was like an intricate jigsaw puzzle that sat on the edge of a very long, scarred and battered table waiting to be solved. Some of the jagged pieces fit so easily—and others not so much.

But Glory figured that one way or the other it would all work itself out in time.

So feeling that, she decided to relax, and treat herself to a much needed vacation from worry even if for just a little while.

Mornings were Glory’s favorite time of day and she had always been an early riser. She enjoyed the peacefulness of being the first one awake in the house, but more often than not the musical notes of weights clanking and the smell of coffee brewing would waft up the stairs signaling that Hal had beat her to it.

This morning Glory slept in later than usual. When her eyes were coaxed open by the sound of an engine running and a car door slamming, she sat up in bed and looked out the window. Glory peered out just in time to see Hal drive away in one of the club trucks with Diego behind the wheel.

“Babe.” Jules rumbled his good morning by sliding a hand down along her naked back and settling on the base of her spine.

Glory looked over her shoulder and smiled softly. “Morning.”

“What are you doing?” He moved his palm to the top of her rounded ass and squeezed it. “Come back to bed.”

Glory let out a low laugh and, remembering the previous night’s marathon love making session, she swatted his hand away. “Don’t you ever get enough?”

“Nope.”

“My brother just left with Diego,” she told him.

“Yeah. I know,” Jules mumbled then reached out, pulled her back to his side and ran a slow hand over the globe of her breast, down her rib cage, to her stomach and below.

“You know?” Glory asked a little breathlessly.

Jules answered by slipping his hand between her legs.

With reluctance, Glory moved out of his reach and pulled up the sheet up protectively. “I’m talking to you, Jules.”

“Talk to me later, Glory.” Jules tugged the sheet back down. Then with a wicked smile he pulled her back to him and non-too-gently flipped her over on her stomach.

“Stop it!” She let out a gasp of laughter as she felt his big arm press down on the base of her spine and hold her prisoner against the mattress. Glory twisted in protest trying to get herself free. She took in a sharp breath of pleasure when she felt the weight of his body cover hers and the hard length of his erection settle at the bottom of her ass cheeks.

“I said talk later,” Jules whispered low and husky into her ear. Then he ran a callused palm over her smooth rounded bottom and growled out in mock threat, “Now, are you gonna listen to me, or am I gonna have to spank you?”

Glory started in surprise then grinned. “You’re gonna have to spank me,” she whispered back friskily.

She could sense his surprise and his hesitation. But instead of the swat she thoroughly expected, Glory felt the rough skin of Jules’s palm move over her plump cheek in slow erotic circles. “I could never hurt you, Glory. Not even in play.” Then he added with a grin, “But baby, I do seriously love your ass.”

And with a quick motion he pulled Glory’s hips up until her bottom was totally exposed and sitting high in the air. Then he commanded in a voice thick with desire “Now open up for me, honey.”

A shiver of pleasured anticipation coursed through her as she obeyed his command.

Jules growled out his appreciation as he ran his hand up the inside of her thighs until he found the damp triangle. Then ever so slowly he parted her intimate lips and teased a finger along the slick folds.

Murmuring soft and low to her, Jules entered her in with gentle steady thrusts. Glory answered his need by arching her spine and pushing back against Jules’s erection. With strong hands he pulled on her hips and rocked her in rhythmic movements until Glory felt herself begin to build to a strong climax. Moaning, she dropped her head to the mattress and clutched the headboard while a shiver of pleasure rippled through her body. When he reached around and tweaked her swollen nipples, Glory clenched tight around his enormous erection and wrapped him in a silken grip. With a low moan, Jules’s hands tightened powerfully on Glory’s hips and he rode her hard. Jules pushed and pulled and twisted and turned her at his will until he released hot and hard inside of her.

Minutes later they were still lying side by side catching their breath and slowing the beat of their hearts.

“You and I are good at this,” she murmured thoughtfully.

“You and I are good at a lot of things together.” Jules pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. “Now get out of bed and let me show you how good we are at fucking in the shower.” Jules jumped out of bed and pulled a laughing, protesting Glory along to the bathroom.

About twenty minutes later a very satisfied, and wonderfully sore Glory stood in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear. A suitcase was packed and waiting on the bed. To Glory’s unending delight Crow had called last week and invited them to spend some time with he and his family in Havengate. Glory couldn’t wait to meet Crow’s wife and their boys. She had been looking forward to it all week and had spent hours deciding on little gifts for their sons, Jett and Raven.

She looked at her watch and bit down on her lip. Jules had been on his cell for a while now and Glory knew by the rough barks and the monosyllabic responses that the conversation involved club business.

Club business.

A phrase that she had heard often and felt sure must have been explicitly created for the sole purpose of stopping the Saints in their tracks.

No matter what. No matter where. No matter why.

No matter who.              

Club business took precedence over everything. In the years since Glory’s involvement in the club, she had lost count of how many times she had watched the Saints women band together and carry on when their men were called away at a moment’s notice on
Club business
. Children’s birthday parties, club cookouts, family vacations, school graduations and even weddings were fair game.

That tie to the club and to each other was a strong one.

A sacred bond.

And one that would not be broken.

Glory ran her fingers absently along the silk sash of her short robe as she moved toward the dresser. Lost in thought she pulled open the top drawer and fumbled through the intimate garments until she settled on a white lace bra and panty set. After a quick glance out the window at the gray sky, Glory pulled a pair of jeans and T-shirt out of the closet and laid them on the bed. She was just about to get dressed when she heard the heavy pound of footsteps that signaled the end of Jules’s phone conversation

“I just have to throw my clothes on and I’m good to go.” Glory turned towards the bedroom threshold in happy anticipation.

“We’re gonna have to delay the trip, babe.” Jules swaggered into the room. He sported a wide grin as if he were delivering news of winning a grand prize instead of the delay of their plans.

“Oh? Well okay. I have a few things I can do around here. So do you think we can leave by lunch time?” Glory asked with hope.

“Pretty,” Jules commented absently as he picked up the soft lace panty with a strong finger. Then he looked at her and shook his head. “No, babe. We’re not going. Not today anyway.”

“Tomorrow?” she asked warily.

“No. Not tomorrow.” He shook his head. “Club business.”

And there it was.

Glory couldn’t keep the disappointed frustration from ringing out of her voice. “But I bought gifts for the kids, and a really cute bikini for the beach. Can’t whatever it is wait? I was really looking forward to this.”

When Jules shook his head with that self-satisfied grin still in place she regarded him with suspicion.

“What’s going on, Jules?”

“Babe, like I said
Club business,
” Jules said with emphasis. Then he grabbed his boots from the corner of the room, sat down on the bed and bent to pull them on.

When Glory stood with her hands on her hips and a look of exasperation on her face, Jules looked back at her and sighed.

“Babe, I’m sorry for the short notice, but the club has a thing and this
thing
is the first order of business I’ve been able to help out with since I caught that damn bullet. Now you know I can’t go into detail. I can just tell you that it feels damn good to be able to do my part again to help out my brothers.” Jules practically sang out the words.

Glory turned her back on him and began to unpack with fury. She pulled open the dresser drawers and slammed them shut again as she stuffed her clothes back inside the chest.

After the third hard slam, Jules called out behind her, “Hey, Glory. Stop acting so pissed-off. You know this kind of stuff can’t be helped. It is what it is.”

“Really? That’s the best you can come up with?” Glory swung around to him.

“Look, if you want to, you can leave the bag packed. I’ll put in a call to Crow and ask if next week works for them.” His tone was conciliatory.

Glory shook her head in frustration. “Women aren’t like men, Jules. We don’t recycle the same three tee-shirts and jeans. I am going to have to unpack. I need those clothes.”

“Okay.” Jules shrugged, stood up and stamped his foot into his boot. “Damn left foot is bigger. Does that happen to chicks too? The one foot bigger than the other thing?”

“I don’t know.” Glory waved her hand in annoyance. Because aside from the disappointment she felt at the cancelled trip, a familiar fear had started to grow in the pit of her stomach. She implored him, “Can you at least tell if what you are going to do is dangerous? Or illegal? Is it something that could get you hurt? Or arrested?”

Or killed?

“Stop being such a little worry wart.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head before releasing her.

“Can you just tell me one thing? Anything?” Glory pressed him.

“Come on, Babe. You know I can’t discuss this shit with you.”  Jules lifted his Saints cut from the back of the chair, slipped the worn leather over his broad shoulders, and headed for the door.

“I’ll be in touch as soon as I can.” Jules turned to her before crossing the threshold.

“Oh no you won’t!” She huffed out at him in no uncertain terms. Then Glory turned her back on Jules, threw off her robe and began getting dressed. She pulled and buttoned and zipped with a vengeance while she heard him mutter angrily into his cell behind her. Only after she had pushed a last angry foot into her sneaker did she turn around to face him.

Jules shoved the cell in his pocket and gave her his full attention.

“We got five minutes to talk this through then I definitely have to go. But in that time we are going to get this settled, because I sure as fuck am not leaving until I find out what this is really about.” He stood against the doorway, effectively blocking her way out.

“Okay. So tell me what’s going on then? Where are you going?” Glory flung a hand on her hip. “And when will you be back?”

“Jesus.” Jules muttered and rubbed a hand over his jaw. “You know I can’t.”

“Never mind then. Just go. Run off to do God knows what. God knows where. And with God knows who.” Glory’s body trembled in anger. Then she added with sarcasm, “No, wait that’s wrong, isn’t it? We do know all of that, don’t we? We know that you are heading out with a barely healed bullet wound in your leg to help out your brothers with something that for all I know might be as deadly and dangerous as what got you hurt in the first place.” Glory sounded out as fear-driven fury filled her. “Well, go right ahead, Jules. You can go put your life on the line again and again and again and again and I can’t stop you. I don’t have the
right
to stop you…”

“The
right
?” Jules eyes lit with sudden understanding as he walked towards her. “Jesus. Is that what this is about? Is this about you and me?”