by B. B. Hamel
Now I was his, and I was going to use all my newfound strength to help hm.
I pulled back, breaking the kiss, and ran my fingers through his hair.
“Call the guys together. Call them into my shop later today.”
He let out a frustrated growl. “Make it worth my while.”
I reached down between his legs and felt his hard cock strain against his boxer briefs.
“Promise you’ll call.”
“I swear.”
I dropped down to my knees in front of him and slid his briefs down to the ground. His thick cock barely fit in my mouth but I sucked him anyway, let him slide his shaft deep into my mouth. I listened to his mouths as I pulled back and stroked him, staring into his eyes, and I knew in that moment that this was right where I wanted to be, the place I needed to be.
I sucked him faster, let him growl and grab my hair, and when he came on my tongue I swallowed every drop with a smile on my lips.
I got to my feet and he kissed me, slow and deep.
“This better be a good plan,” he whispered, giving me a lazy, drunken smile.
I laughed as he grabbed my ass then went off to make the calls.
I stood in front of the crew and let my eyes roam over them. Danny sat toward the front of the room next to the windows eating a Snickers bar while the others stood in loose clumps around the shirt racks. I leaned back against the counter and Owain stood next to me, arms crossed over my chest.
“I know we don’t get everyone in one room like this often,” he said as the tense, nervous conversation died down. “But Leigh has something she wants to bring to everyone’s attention.”
I looked around and half expected Camillo to make some comment. Instead, he stared back at me with a flat expression, both his eyes covered in thick black bruises.
“Last night wasn’t enough.”
I saw a couple angry expressions. Rolan looked unhappy, and the twins seemed like they were personally offended. Owain held up his hands before everyone could start talking at once and kept the peace while I continued.
“Last night was a start, but if we keep going this way it’ll only drag on for a long time.” I took a breath and met their gaze with as much confidence as I could muster. I thought about Owain’s hands on my body, his lips close to mine, and pushed forward. “I want to do something drastic. The Jackals know about me and they know I’m directly involved in the pill business. I think they’ll come after me if I put myself out there.”
Owain stared at me with a hint of anger and betrayal. I tried not to look at him because I knew it might change my mind.
But the fact was, I was the perfect bait. The Jackals knew me and they thought I was weak. They’d want to hurt me after what happened last night, after their clubhouse was burned to the ground. If I put myself out there in a position of weakness, I didn’t think they could resist.
“So you want to be bait?” Martin was the one that spike up first, which surprised me. He didn’t come to the raid the night before.
“That’s the idea, broadly speaking. I think they’ll see me as the weak link here and take any opportunity. I want to lure Clifton out and take him down, chop the head off the snake, and I’m willing to risk myself to make it happen.”
“No,” Owain said. “We’re not using you as bait again.”
“It’s my idea this time.”
“I don’t care. I said no.”
“If she wants to do it, she has a right,” Martin said, his expression studiously blank.
Owain’s nostrils flared as he turned to the older man. “Watch what you say,” he rumbled. “I don’t have a lot of patience for you right now.”
“And I don’t have a lot of patience for a protracted war. If she thinks she can take Clifton out in one attack, we need to consider it.”
“He’s right,” Rolan said. “I think she has a good idea here.”
“Of course you do. None of you give a shit whether she lives or dies.” Owain’s hands clenched into fists.
“Maybe you’re too close to the girl,” Viktor said.
“Mother fucker,” Owain started, and took a step forward, but I put a hand on his chest.
He seethed for a moment, staring at them, before turning to me.
“Just think about it,” I said before he could argue. “Clifton’s going to want to project strength after what happened, right? What better way than to kill me himself? My plan’s simple. We’ll leak that there’s a new pill delivery coming, and I’m the one picking it up. I’ll take a van down somewhere safe with all you guys around and basically wait for the Jackals to attack. Once they come for me, you all show up and murder the crap out of them.”
Rolan laughed. “Murder the crap out of them. That’s putting it nicely.”
“You’d be in too much danger,” Owain said. “No way we can do it.”
“We’ll find a spot that’ll work. I trust you guys.”
Martin snorted. “Lord knows why.”
“She means she trusts me.” Owain glared at him again then shut his eyes and took a breath. I could tell he was struggling to keep it together, which surprised me
I knew he wouldn’t like this plan. It really was a big risk for me, but he put me in harm’s way once before and I thought he could do it again.
Things changed since then. Whatever bond we had grew deeper, and now that bond was holding him back from making the decision that was best for the full crew. I could see it clear as day—Rolan was right, Owain cared about me too much.
If he couldn’t make the decision then I’d make it for him.
I looked out at the group. “All those in favor of this plan, raise your hand.”
Hands went up instantly. Owain turned and glared at the group, but it was too late. He was the only person that didn’t vote yes right away.
“Fuckers,” he growled. “We’re not doing this. I’m in charge of this crew, and I’m telling you all—”
I put a hand on his arm. “Owain. We’re doing it.”
He turned and looked at me, and I could see the pain in his eyes. I was betraying him in a way by taking away some of his power in front of his men. His jaw worked and his muscled bulged, but eventually he hung his head and raised a hand.
The room was deadly silent and thick with unspoken tension.
“All right,” he said and looked up again. “You all want this? Then we’ll do it. But if the girl dies, I can promise that each and every one of you will die with her.”
Viktor lit up a cigarette. “No problem, boss.”
He looked at me with hurt and shook his head then walked out of the room. He disappeared into the back and slammed the door shut behind him.
Martin let out a sigh. “He’ll calm down.”
“He will,” I agreed. “But now we’d better iron out these details, because I really don’t want to die.”
Danny laughed from his spot by the windows and tilted his head. “You’re not so bad, you know.”
“Thanks, I guess.”
“That’s a high compliment, coming from him.” Rolan crouched down and sighed. “Let’s get started before Owain changes his mind and comes in here swinging.”
I laughed, sat on the floor next to him, and for the next two hours we talked over the plan as a group.
I could’ve backed out at any point, and I almost thought they expected it. But instead, I stayed put, and once we had a decent plan in place—I felt readier than I ever imagined I would.
Ready to take the fight to Clifton. Ready to kill him if I had to.
I thought about squeezing the trigger in the firing range, and I knew I could do it in the real world if it came to that.
Squeeze the trigger and end this stupid war.
23
Owain
I tried not to rage.
I really tried. It was hard for me, a man that was used to being listened to, a man used to getting what he wanted through sheer force of will.
It wasn’t that she stepped up with a
plan and got the boys to vote on it without my consent. That sort of thing happened sometimes, and I’d be a shit crew leader if I let that sort of thing affect me one way or the other. The guys made their own decisions from time to time and I learned to abide by them when they voted.
No, it was that she didn’t seem to care about her own safety the same way I did.
We didn’t speak for the rest of the day. I was too angry and I knew I’d say something stupid and make things worse. I kept to myself and let them do all the planning, and when it was finished, I had Rolan fill me in while Viktor drove Leigh back to my place.
“What do you think?” I asked.
He shrugged and stretched his back. “It could work.”
“You know Clifton. He’s not stupid.”
“But he’s desperate, and she’s sort of playing on them. She’s right that they’ll think she’s the weak link.”
“Because she is.”
Rolan smirked and shook his head. “I’m not so sure about that, boss.”
I paced around the shop and peered out the front window. “Tell me it can work and I’ll keep my mouth shut. But I’m not going to stand by and let her get blown to pieces all for some bullshit, half-cocked plan.”
“It can work. I promise you that.”
I hung my head for a moment then let out a breath. “Okay then. We’ll do it.”
“Good. I was afraid you’d have to fight her for control of the crew and I’m not totally sure you’d win that one.”
I laughed, unable to help myself. Rolan grinned at me and leaned up against the counter.
“I’m heading back to the house. Stay here and watch the shop.”
“Roger that, boss.”
I left and took the long way to my car. I passed people on the sidewalk, men in business suits, older women walking little white dogs, packs of young kids on bikes, dudes sitting on stoops drinking from containers covered in paper bags, the whole city teeming with life. Even among all these people, among all the women I’d met and fucked and taken for my own, I never once imagined I’d find someone like Leigh, someone that made me feel like this—like I couldn’t live without her, like losing her would be worse than losing my own life.
It was fucked. It threatened to break me.
But I knew she was right. She wanted to move forward with this plan because it had a chance at working, and if it did then she’d save a lot of lives in the process.
I had to trust her, even if it pissed me off.
My car was warm when I got inside and headed back home. The sun sat low in the sky and the head radiated up from the asphalt. I found a spot out front and headed in through the door, the cool AC air rolling along my skin. Leigh stood in the kitchen sipping from a mug and staring off into space—and jumped when I approached.
“Hey, I didn’t expect you back so soon.”
“I’ve been thinking.” I stood in the doorway to the kitchen and stared at her. “We should talk.”
“Ominous.” She smiled a little.
“What you did today was stupid. You know that, right?”
“You’re just mad because you don’t want me to do this.”
“You’re right, I don’t. But you also stepped up and went over my head, which isn’t something I’d let pass lightly. You understand how that looked, right?”
“I understand.” She chewed on her lip. “If it helps, I am sorry.”
“I know you are.” I took step toward her and steadied myself. I felt my heart beating so hard it vibrated my skin. I reached out and touched her cheek then pulled her against me.
I held her tight and kissed her hair. She hugged me back, burying her face in my chest, and for a moment we stayed like that, bodies intertwined. I didn’t want the moment to stop—I know that sooner or later, she’d put herself in harm’s way, and every time that happened I couldn’t guarantee she’d come out of it in one piece.
I needed her, and that really fucked me up.
She pulled back and I stooped to kiss her. She kissed me back, taking a deep breath as she did it. Her taste flooded my lips and I felt a growl at my throat. She purred like a kitten as I steered her back toward the counter then lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around my hips as my hands moved down her body, along her hips, and down between her legs.
I unbuttoned her jeans and got them off then kissed her neck as my fingers caressed over her panties. She groaned into my mouth and I could feel her wet making the cotton damp. She wiggled her hips and I pushed her panties aside, letting my fingers glide up and down her gorgeous slit, making her groan, deep and throaty and gorgeous.
I grabbed her hair with my other hand and pressed two fingers deep inside her. She groaned then gasped as I bit her lip and stared into her eyes.
“I don’t want you to go on this stupid mission. I want you to stay here, soaking wet, wearing nothing, waiting for me to come home to please you. I want you to come for me, again and again, because you’re mine, my little diamond, my beautiful thing. You’re all mine. I’m not the kind of man that shares or risks losing something he wants.”
“And I’m something you want?” She blinked, stared into my eyes as I pulled my fingers back and teased her clit.
“That’s right.”
“You know this is right. If it works—”
“If it works, but that’s not a definite.”
“If it works, it could end the war before it really begins.”
I moved faster along her clit as she let out soft moans and gasps. “I don’t want to risk you anymore. We’ve come too far for that.”
“You have to.” Her body tensed and she tossed back her head. “Oh god, Owain.”
“I’m not about to let you go.” I licked her faster as she gripped my hair tight and rolled her hips against my mouth. I could taste her pleasure and I wanted her to feel it, wanted her to know how badly I needed her now, how she’d come into my life and I knew I couldn’t let her go—no matter what happened, no matter where we ended up.
Fuck, she was mine, all mine, and as she came on my tongue, her moans filling my mind, her taste flooding my mouth, I knew I’d never stop, never back down.
I pulled up as her orgasm passed and kissed her. I kissed her long and deep, let her taste her own cum on my tongue, then looked into her eyes.
“I’ll trust you if you trust me.”
“I can do that.”
“Good.” I bit her lower lip gently. “Then we’ll do this together.”
I pulled her against me and held her tight, my mind a mess of conflicting feelings—but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a future, like there was something worth fighting for.
24
Leigh
I sat behind the wheel of a rented white van and stared out the windshield at Twenty-first street.
Nothing happened. It was a quiet evening, the moon shone through the trees, an old couple sat on a stoop and watched everyone that passed, and I sat there wondering how I found myself in this position.
In the back, crouched down among a stack of wooden crates, was Owain.
I couldn’t talk to him. That was part of the deal. If Clifton and his guys were watching then they’d be suspicious if they saw me start talking.
The plan was simple in idea, but complicated in execution. Late last night, Owain hid in the back of an unmarked white van, and earlier this evening I went through the motions of renting that van and helping Viktor fill the back up with crates. Owain was stuck back there and had been for almost twenty-four hours. He went in with water, an extra bottle, and some food, since he wouldn’t be able to leave for any reason at all, and I hadn’t heard a word from him.
Since Owain was never around, or at least never in sight, the Jackals wouldn’t expect him to be hidden back there. After the back was full, I got behind the wheel and took a long, circuitous route through south Philly, almost as if I were trying to shake anyone following me—when in reality, I was going nice and slow and hoping that the Jackals weren’
t so stupid that they’d let me go.
I drove down the block and turned left onto McKean Street. I felt my hands tremble and a strange nervous sensation came over me as I rolled slowly from block to block, keeping my eye peeling for anyone following, but not spotting anything nearby. My stop was getting close and the streetlights didn’t feel like they gave off enough to see by, but we’d gone over this step by step already. I saw a car repair shop on my left followed by a low, grayish building that looked like nothing more than a brick wall with a blue garage door right in the center. I pulled over in front of the door, killed the engine, and took a deep breath.
I bent over to unbuckle my belt, and as my face turned toward the ground, I spoke. “I hope you’re still alive back there.”
“Not supposed to talk.”
“They can’t see me. I’m going in now. Good luck.”
He grunted in response and I was relieved he hadn’t passed out from heatstroke or something.
I got out of the van and walked up to the garage door. It was locked with a padlock, but I had a key shoved in my pocket. I pulled it out, took off the pad, and tossed it aside before rolling up the door.
Inside was an empty garage. There were tools hanging from pegs shoved into wooden squares along the walls and several car lifts. Motor oil stained the concrete floor and the whole place smelled like body odor, cheap leather, and gasoline. Usually this place was full of guys working on cars, but tonight they’d been cleared out.
A single man wearing a dark suit came walking toward me out of the gloom. I jumped as he appeared and tiled his head.
Dante smiled at me and gestured toward the door. “You were followed?”
I crossed my arms and looked nervously outside. “I hope so.”
“They won’t attack you here since the Jackals know this is my spot. They’re not dumb enough to piss me off.”
“That’s fine. I figured.”
“Once you leave, though—then you’re fair game.”
“That’s the idea.”
He snorted. “You really want this to go down?”
