Situation Normal: Inked Brotherhood (Lima Six Motorcycle Club Book 2) (7 page)

“You don’t mind staying?” he asked Leo.

“Go.”

“Thanks man, I owe you,” he said as he moved out from behind the bar.

“Cute girl,” Leo said as Will escorted the woman out.

“Yeah. She’s the town optometrist I think.”

“Oh? Does he need glasses?”

Jamie giggled. “No… I don’t think so.”

Leo chuckled. “From the way she was hanging on him as they left, I’m guessing she wants to
see
if he can take care of her.”

Jamie grinned. “Thanks for offering to stay. I don’t think he would have left otherwise.”

“You know this means you will have to stay at my place tonight… in case he takes her to your house.”

“Oh dear,” she moaned dramatically, “what a shame.”

***

By the time Leo and Jamie arrived at his house, he was dead on his feet. It was almost two, and he had been up since six that morning. He wanted Jamie, wanted her badly, but he was wiped.

Jamie crawled into bed beside him and he snuggled her in tight. She had seen Leo beginning to droop as the evening wore on. They were going to have to come to some accommodation on their schedules. She was a night owl, sleeping from three or four in the morning until noon or so the next day, made that way by the bar’s hours. But Leo, he had to be up and gone early for his job.

Having Will to help had been a godsend, allowing her scoot out early some nights. It was impacting the profitability of the bar, but she was more than willing to trade that for quality time with Leo.

“Thank you… thank you for being here for me,” he murmured as he kissed her shoulders. “I… don’t know how I would have made it through the last month without you.”

“Shhh… no dark thoughts, okay? I’m here for you,” she whispered. His words weren’t exactly a confession of undying love, but they warmed her deep in her soul. “The last month, since you fell asleep on my couch, has been as happy as any I can remember.”

“I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

“I’m glad I did. I had no idea of the strength you have to bear that for so long. And I’m happy to help you share the load.”

“You have,” he sighed and she could tell he was sliding into sleep.

“Sleep,” she whispered as his breathing became slow, deep and regular. He had confessed to poor sleeping and nightmares, but since they have been sharing a bed, he had slept peacefully… even when they didn’t make love.
Perhaps that is the greatest compliment of all -- that his newfound peace is because of me… not what I do to him.

She smiled, remembering the storage room from six hours before. She would let him sleep and gather his strength, but when he woke up… they would pick up where they left off. She could always nap after he left for work… because if he could recapture that feeling in the morning, she was certain she would need the rest.

***

The next morning she heard the shower start in the next room.
Shit! I didn’t even hear the alarm!
She stretched and yawned, groaning in misery as she pulled herself out of sleep. She could feel sleep pulling at her, so she rolled out of the bed and relieved herself, not wanting to fall back asleep before Leo finished his shower. She had plans for Mr. Graves this morning.

When she heard the shower stop she began to feign sleep, positioning herself in the sexist position she could, covers tossed back, one hand carelessly placed between her legs as if touching herself, the other thrown over her head.

She could sense his closeness when he came back into the room. She imagined him still dripping with water, his cock hard, and she fought to remain still and not smile so to not give away the trap. As she hoped, he sat on the side of the bed and touched her lips gently with his own. It was his normal good morning kiss, but rather than her normal sleepy acceptance, she responded, offering her tongue as she slowly, as if coming out a deep sleep, wrapped him in her embrace. He settled onto her and then rolled over the top of her, holding her tight so that she came to rest on his chest.

“You’re not fooling anyone,” he whispered as their lips parted. “I saw you rinse your mouth out.”

“Does it matter?” she asked, a little disappointed that she hadn’t fooled him.

“No. Good pose though.”

“I thought you would like it. Are you going to be late for work?”

“Oh yeah,” he murmured as he pulled her back into the kiss. 

“Do you remember last night? How you felt? How you wanted me? I want that… I want you to feel like that again… I want you to want me like that,” she gasped as he fought her way up out of the kiss.

“I remember…” he said and he could feel his passion beginning to spool up, coiling like a spring waiting for release.

She watched as the pupils in his eyes dilated, like they had the previous night, speaking of his need, and she felt a deep thrill pass through her. It was like the first night when she had seen that look of need, but amplified and turned up to eleven. Unburdened for the first time since their joining, his power radiated over her, making her heart race. He rolled over then hovered over her, staring deep into her eyes. She remained still, meeting his gaze, allowing him to choose the manner of their pleasure.

“Shit…” he growled as his phone rang.
It’s not even seven o’clock! Who the hell is calling me at this hour?

“Leave it,” she begged, but she could feel the moment slipping away.

He hesitated, torn by indecision. “Fuck!” he snarled and snatched up the phone. “Graves!” he barked into the phone.

“Leo. Chuck Vanderford. Sorry to call you so early, but Ron Terrill just called and has asked to meet with me. He said he needed to talk to me. I want you to be here. Can you meet us in my office at seven-thirty?”

“Yes sir, Mr. Vanderford. I’m just about ready to walk out the door,” he lied, struggling to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

“Thanks, Leo. I appreciate that.”

“No…” Jamie groaned the moment he clicked the phone off.

“That mother-fucking Ron! I don’t know what shit he is up to now, but I have to go. I’m sorry, babe. I really am. Forgive me?”

“Yeah,” she sighed in exasperation. “But you owe me... and I intend to collect.”

“I know. And I am looking forward to having to pay up. But I have to go,” he said as he rolled out of the bed.

As he bent to kiss her, she gave his erect cock a caress, just to be a bitch. “You call me when you’re done. If Ron fucked this up by being a dick, I will cut his nuts off.”

He gave her one more quick kiss, longing to join her in the bed, then rose. “I will, but you’ll have to wait your turn.”

***

Ninety minutes later, Leo shook Charles Vanderford’s hand and accepted a slap on the back before Vanderford shook his head in amazement, turned, and walk back into his office. He had beaten Ron to Vanderford’s office by less than five minutes and he had braced himself for a fight, but Ron was all smiles and expressed gratitude that Leo was there to help smooth things over.

It quickly became clear that Ron didn’t needed any help. He had come across very sincere and apologetic, admitting that he had overstepped his bounds. Further, he agreed that the rancher consortium should reduce their level of support to a level appropriate for their current needs.

Leo sat in the guest chair beside Ron, as flabbergasted as he was the night before, when Ron apologized to the entire club. The meeting was productive and by the time they had finished, Vanderford had agreed to restore their funding if the need arose.

The moment Vanderford’s door closed, Leo pulled his phone to call Jamie. In the three years that he had known him, Leo couldn’t remember Ron apologizing for
anything.
And now he has apologized
twice
in just two days. For the first time in a long time, Leo felt like everything was coming together. As the phone began to ring, he smiled. He might just have to go in even later than he thought this morning.

CHAPTER SEVEN

With Ron back on board and Lima 6 once again in the good graces of the rancher consortium, Leo began to relax more and more. Jamie and her brother had agreed to split the days and shifts at the bar so that they could each enjoy some free time.

Before Leo had come into her life, she lived for her work. She would sometime date on Sunday or Monday, but if that was inconvenient for the boyfriend, that was just too bad. But with Leo, she cherished her time with him.

Two weeks after Ron’s about face, she moved in with Leo. It was a loose arrangement, consisting of mainly moving some clothes to his house, but doing so gave Will the run of her house without having her hanging around. He and Ellen were beginning to date steadily, and as she shared a house with another girl, it gave them some privacy as well. That was her story, and she was sticking with it, though in truth she couldn’t be happier sharing Leo’s bed every night.

The day after Will arrived on a used Harley he had purchased, Ron nominated him for a prospect. The purely formal vote was taken and was unanimous. The rest of the members rode him hard, as was their nature, giving him every shit job they could think of, but Leo assured him it was just a rite of passage, and it would pass. Will accepted the jobs with good humor and dedication. It had been a while since they had a prospect to keep their bikes cleaned and polished, and Leo availed himself of the opportunity to have his bike waxed until it gleamed.

Ron was a changed man. The cartel had started testing them again, sending mules into their territory. Leo didn’t feel the need to run every intercept anymore—he had other things to occupy his time now—but he did run the first intercept when Ron called him.

He was a bit hurt that Carlos, their snitch in the Prieto Cartel, now called Ron directly, though he couldn’t really blame him. Leo had promised to pull his family out and then burned him. It was a club decision, but it still bothered him.

When they stopped the mule’s SUV, Leo was holding the driver on his knees at gunpoint. When Ron pulled the kilo package of cocaine, one of fifty, from the back of the truck, Leo brought his weapon to his shoulder and prepared to end the man’s life. Before he could pull the trigger, Ron had stopped him.

That had caused a row on the intercept team, but Ron stood firm, saying the killings had to stop. Leo had mixed feelings about letting the man live, but punctuated Ron’s threat of certain death if he were to ever return with a quick gunbutt to the face. Apparently the threat worked, because nobody had seen the same face twice.

***

Sunday, Leo and Will were cruising the back roads around Vallecito with Jamie and Ellen on the back of their bikes. Will was rapidly becoming his closest friend since the death of Tuck and Two-Tone.

“Are you taking us to your ‘thinking rock?’” Jamie called in his ear over the wind and engine noise.

“No. That’s my place. Well, our place,” he called back. “Why?”

“No reason. But I’m glad it is staying our secret.”

“I like Will, but some things I’m not willing to share.”

“You shared it with me.”

“You’re… more… than a friend.”

She reached around him and gave his gentlemen parts a single soft stroke. “As are you.”

“You had better stop that unless you want to get skinned up when I crash,” he teased.

“What do you think of Ellen?” Jamie asked, changing the subject.

“What about her? I like her, why? What do you think of her?”

“I was just wondering what you thought of her. It’s hard sometimes because he’s my brother. It seems to me like she leads him around by his cock.” She couldn’t hear him laugh, but she could feel it in his back. “What?”

“And that is different than how it has been for the last million years, how?”

“I don’t do that! Do I?”

“Yes… but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I do not!” she protested.

“No… you don’t use your sexual favors to get your way. But you do make me want to do anything you ask… by just being you.”

“That had damn well better be a compliment, Leo Graves,” she warned sternly, but with a smile he could see in his rearview mirror.

“Oh, trust me, it is. You just make me… shit… we’ve got trouble,” he said as the DEA Tahoe flashed past then braked hard and began to turn around.

Jamie looked over her shoulder. “What do they want? We’re just out riding on your bike.”

“It’s probably Lundergrund out to bust my balls again. But I don’t know why she would be in a DEA vehicle.”

“Lundergrund? Who’s that?”

“ICE. I’ve told you about her.”

“Is she that cop that keeps hitting on you?”

“Not hitting on me… she’s just… slimy,” he said as he coasted to a stop at the side of the road, Will rolling to a stop beside him.

“What’s going on?” Will asked as the SUV pulled up behind them.

“Just let me do the talking, okay?” Leo asked. Will nodded but said nothing as the two officers stepped out of the truck. “Are you carrying?”

“Yeah.”

“Afternoon Officer Lundergrund,” Leo said as Kary Lundergrund stepped up from the passenger side of the SUV. We are armed.”

“Leo…” she cooed, “you know I don’t care about that. Who’s your friends?”

“Jamie, Ellen and Will,” Leo said.

“They have last names?”

“Yes.”

“Look, asshole—” the driver of the SUV began, but Lundergrund held up her hand to quieten the man.

“Leo… why are we always like this? I really don’t think you like me.”

“Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Let’s see some ID,” she said, her voice hardening.

“Get off,” Leo said, and then eased the bike to the side stand after Jamie dismounted. “The women are not armed… just Will and I.”

“I don’t have my ID with me,” Jamie sneered. “I didn’t realize the Gestapo was going to be out busting my ass today.”

“Cute,” Lundergrund said. “What about you two?”

Will pulled his driver’s license from his wallet and handed it over.

Ellen shrugged. “I left mine in my purse at Will’s house.”

“There is no motorcycle endorsement on this license,” Kary said, snapping the card with a finger.

“What do you want, Lundergrund?” Leo interjected. He knew this wasn’t a traffic stop, but this was how she played the game.

“Besides your hot little body? Information.”

“What kind of information?” he asked, trying not to grin as Jamie stared at her with daggers in her eyes.

“It seems that the DEA thinks drugs are flowing through Lima 6 territory. They asked me to help them out since you and I have such a… close… relationship,” she said seductively as she stepped in close and scraped Will’s license under his chin.

Leo snatched the card from Lundergrund’s fingers and handed it back to Will. “I wouldn’t know anything about that. Will and I are just out for a nice ride in the country… with some pleasant companionship.”

“So I see,” Lundergrund said as she gave Jamie an obvious appraising look. “You don’t know anything about drugs? I would feel bad if anything… happened… to your companion because of drug runners. That would be a real shame.”

“I think I can take care of her.”

“Ooooh… of that I have no doubt. You know, Leo, when you were just small time thugs playing cops and robbers, the DEA had bigger fish to fry. But a lot of drugs are coming up 118. A lot more than there used to be, a lot more than can reasonably be explained. If we find out you and your motorcycle pals are muling drugs… I will bust your balls. And that will be a real shame… because then who would take of your friend here? Hmmm?” 

“Officer Lundergrund, I have told you before, we are just a group of guys that like to ride motorcycles. I don’t know anything about drugs, or illegals, or any other illegal activity.”

“So you have said.” Lundergrund smiled. “But this is DEA’s gig now. I am just along to make introductions. Congratulations, Leo… you’ve just moved up to the big leagues.”

As she turned, to head back to the SUV, she paused then turned back. “Enjoy him while you can sweetheart,” Lundergrund said to Jamie. “You may not have the chance much longer.” With a nasty smile, she turned back toward the SUV without a second glance.

As the SUV pulled onto the road, Jamie gave it a vicious middle finger. “If you have ever fucked that...
bitch...
we’re done!”

Leo began to chuckle. “God no. She would eat me alive.”

“I don’t know, I thought she was kind of hot,” Will said then ducked and grinned when Ellen punched him.

“I would like to have ten minutes in a locked room with her. I will kick her fucking ass!” Jamie snarled.

“Just calm down. That is exactly the reaction she wants. If you get pissed off, you might say or do something to help her. Just let it roll off of you.”

She stared down the road after the SUV. “Okay… but I would still like to have ten minutes alone with her.”

“Yeah!” Will agreed with a huge grin. “You two, nude, covered in baby oil, in a caged death match! We’ll sell tickets! We’ll be rich!”

“Is being a pervert a requirement of being in the club?” Jamie asked as they turned to the bikes to mount up.

“No… but it helps,” Leo said as he grinned at Will.

As Jamie settled on the bike behind him, his grin widened as he looked at her in the rearview. “Actually… that sounds pretty hot,” he said just loud enough for her to hear.

Jamie brought her head forward in a sharp motion, hitting him in the back of the head with his helmet.

“Owww! Shit! That hurt!” he cried as he rubbed the back of his head.

“Remember that before I have to kick your ass.”

“Nude… with baby oil?”

“Owww! Damnit!” he cried again when she repeated the head-butt.

“Let’s just go,” she growled, but she was smiling.
Getting down and dirty in a cage match with Leo, covered in baby oil, doesn’t sound so bad…

With a laugh he thumbed the bike to life and stomped it into gear.

As he pulled out onto the road, he gave the throttle a firm twist, the Harley bellowing as he banged up through the gears, still grinning at Jamie’s reaction to Lundergrund. As the bike settled into the cruise, his smile faded.
I wonder what Lundergrund meant about the flow of drugs being more than can be explained?