“Luke was…” He hesitated. “He was my son and I loved him, but he was headstrong. The business…he wasn’t suited to it.”
Damn straight he wasn’t.
“If I can help, Father, I will.”
He drummed his fingers against the desk. “Perhaps your major will finally come into use. I wasn’t happy with you studying economics, but maybe everything happens for a reason.”
I pressed my knees together and surged upward with an elegance that had been imbued in me thanks to two terms at a Swiss finishing school—yeah, they still existed, God help me—and strode over to his desk. Standing where Paul and Alix had, I showed none of the weaknesses they did. The school hadn’t taught me that, my father had, and I maintained eye contact as I declared, “All I’ve ever wanted is to make you proud, Father.”
He blinked slowly, then murmured, “You just did, Lily.”
Smiling, I informed him, “I’ll be away to Crosskeys. Perhaps Joseph will be there.”
“Tread lightly, child. This requires the precision of a surgeon and not a butcher.”
Apt considering that was probably how you could describe me and Luke. I was careful. Luke wasn’t.
“I won’t let you down.”
He hummed. “I’m sure you won’t.”
But it wasn’t a threat, more than anything, it felt hopeful. Like he wanted to believe in me. Like he wanted to think I was on his side.
With another smile, I turned on my heel and made my way toward the doors. I knew he studied my ass, knew it and loathed him for it, and I only really breathed a sigh of relief once I was outside of his office and down the hall, because I knew he had cameras on those double doors.
When I made it to the landing and started down the curved staircase that swirled into the foyer with a flourish, I saw Alix standing there.
“You didn’t have to do that,” he said softly. Gratefully.
It was always useful to have someone’s gratitude. “You did nothing wrong. It’s a trying time for everyone.”
He didn’t say anything, but from the flicker in his eyes, I knew he was more upset about the Chiefs winning the Superbowl than he was about my dick of a brother’s death.
I patted him on the shoulder, even as I began moving down the corridor to the west wing of the property where my quarters were.
About twenty steps away, and without turning back, I called out, “I’ll be going to Crosskeys within the hour, Paul.”
“We’ll be ready,” he assured me.
I nodded and carried on toward my destination. Not even in here could I relax. Father had cameras in my bedroom too, probably my bathroom as well. Pervert. So I maintained my expression and retreated to the space I used as an office. Not that I had much work to do, in fact, I was nothing more than a doll who lived in here, one my father used as a puppet to hang off his arm when the appropriate time came for him to show the image of a family man to the world at large.
The space was simple with a glass desk, a white leather tubular chair that rocked when I took a seat, and a laptop that purred to life when I clicked my mouse.
After I checked my email, I signed out again and reached for my phone that I left beside my mouse. Aware my father could be watching, I tried to do everything in my power to avoid his suspicions. Only when I’d behaved with what I considered normalcy, I lifted my phone and searched for the number the guy from the MC had given me.
He hadn’t replied to the message I’d sent this morning, hadn’t told me if they’d found the women Luke had been keeping prisoner there, and truth be told, I was glad because I wasn’t sure if my father could access my phone remotely. A thought that made my nerves churn and, rather than tap out what I wanted to say, I stared at my manicure for a few moments then, sucking in a breath, typed, So glad we met.
Maybe it was a weird way to start a conversation, but if my dad was monitoring my phone, then hopefully he wouldn’t find this too disconcerting. I met a lot of people, after all. I dealt with a lot of people too.
Friends were encouraged.
Links to other important families were vital to keeping our peak place in society.
Him: Excuse me?
I wished I knew his name. Mr. Green Eyes wasn’t going to cut it. The guy wasn’t exactly James Bond. If anything, with everything about him disreputable, from his cut and patches to that tousled mass of hair, he was more likely to be a villain in a Bond movie than a friend of 007.
Me: It was a pleasure to meet you. I’d like to meet again.
There was a pause then as, I figured, he was getting on the same page as me.
Him: When? Where?
I licked my lips, thrilled he understood. Or, at least, hoping he managed to discern my intent.
Me: Crosskeys? Next thirty minutes?
Him: Okay.
Releasing a relieved breath, I gnawed on my bottom lip for a little while, then closed my eyes and hoped this would work out.
I was living by a rule that had existed since the beginning of time.
The enemy of my enemy was my friend.
In this instance, the Satan’s Sinners were my allies.
They just didn’t know it yet.
* * *
Link
Tink pulled a face when I shoved the plug into her ass and told her, “Keep it there until I get back.”
“It’s cold.”
Amused, I informed her, “Your asshole will soon warm it up.”
She huffed then rolled onto her belly, displaying that fine tushy of hers for me to ogle. And fuck, I ogled it. She was both small and curvy yet frail with it too, and she wasn’t a bitch. Today, I’d needed that.
Fuck, had I.
We’d screwed but Tink was kind too, and when I’d fucked her to try to forget what I’d seen in the early hours of the morning? She hadn’t minded. She’d just spread her legs and let me find solace between them.
You couldn’t fuck your way out of a bad place, but it was better than nothing in my opinion.
I slapped her perky ass cheek after I pulled on my jeans and tugged up the zipper. I had half a boner so it wasn’t comfortable, but I’d done worse for the MC than go to some swank as fuck country club and talk to some rich bitch. Especially when that rich bitch seemed to need to talk to us. She’d given us those coordinates when we’d been fucked over trying to find any hint of land the Lancaster cunt might have owned, somewhere he could store humans like they were fucking hamsters, but we’d come up with nothing. Lancaster’s sister had been the key.
“Hurry back,” Tink whined, and although I didn’t like whiners, I just smirked at her because I knew she hated butt plugs and she knew I loved them.
That was the price of fucking me.
I was all about the ass.
Just thinking about it made my dick harden as I strolled out of my room and headed down to the office where I knew Rex would be.
I tapped once but didn’t bother waiting on his shout—perk of being on the council—and the second I was inside, scanned it, saw Nyx and Stone were there, and muttered, “Heads up.”
Tossing my phone at Rex, he caught it with a scowl, then eyed the text and frowned even harder.
“She wants to meet with you again?”
“You’ve learned to read at last,” I joked, grinning when he flipped me the bird.
That was usually how I was greeted.
Most people got a wave hello, I got told to ram something up my ass.
Yum.
Better than any greeting I knew, that was for fucking sure.
“Lancaster’s sister?” Nyx questioned, his brow puckering as he strode around the desk and leaned over Rex’s chair to study the screen too.
Why a few text bubbles were causing such confusion, I wasn’t sure, but from the way they were analyzing it, it was like they were trying to translate the Rosetta fucking stone.
“Yep. Just texted now. At a really inconvenient moment.”
Stone snorted. “Always thinking with your dick, Link. Glad to se
e some things never change.”
“See you’ve still got a stone up your ass, honey,” I retorted with a beaming grin. “Wish I’d been the one to put it there. But then, you always were Steel’s, weren’t you?”
She hissed, her mouth tensing before she surprised the shit out of me by muttering, “Shame he’s the only one who never figured that the fuck out.”
I cocked a brow at that, and so did Nyx and Rex, because if any two people were made for each other, it was Steel and Stone—even their names sounded like a folk band. A match made in heaven—but Rex cleared his throat and instead asked, “You’re going?”
“Told her I would. Just keeping you in the loop.” I folded my arms across my chest and turned to Stone, none of the fire in my voice this time as I questioned, “How are things?”
“Things could be worse,” she admitted. “But they’re not at death’s door. With all the stuff Rex managed to get in—I want to know how you got that kind of shit so quickly too,” she intoned darkly, shooting him a glance to which he just smirked. “Anyway, we kept them alive, but there are a lot of sores to deal with, infections… They need IVs with antibiotics, more shit than we have on hand honestly.”
“I’ll show you our stock,” Rex told her softly.
“What stock?”
“Rex has turned into a Doomsdayer,” I teased, laughing when Rex glared at me.
“I’m not a fucking Doomsdayer. I keep that shit because our world can turn upside down in an instant. Case in point right this fucking second.”
Stone shoved her hands into her jeans pockets, which made the denim cupping her ass tighten delightfully. Casting her tight butt a longing glance, I focused on her when Nyx, having returned to the other side of Rex’s desk, elbowed me in the side.
I knew why.
She was Steel’s.
She pretty much had a ‘no entry’ sign tatted on her pussy. Even if Steel hadn’t staked a claim, not officially in the bylaws of the MC at any rate, that didn’t mean a claim hadn’t been made. Fuck, it had been made when they were both eight.
I rubbed a hand over my face as I thought back to then, thought back to those times when shit had been so much simpler and yet so fucking complicated too.
We hadn’t had the weight of the MC’s governing on our shoulders, but somehow that made things easier also. We were in charge now, we answered to no one, and I was big enough to admit that I loved that Rex was the only one who could boss me around.
Rex narrowed his eyes and, utterly unapologetically, stated, “I get my gear here and there.”
The answer just irked Stone all the more. “You mean you steal it?”
He shrugged. “I buy it. It’s all above board.”
“How can it be above board if you have vials of antibiotics?”
“Told you, he’s a Doomsdayer,” I muttered. “He’s got all kinds of shit on hand, and we have contacts now. We’re pretty much pharmaceutical reps.”
Even though I knew she was pissed, Stone laughed at that. “Don’t think pharma reps wear cuts and ride Harleys.”
I grinned at her. “They don’t know what they’re missing out on.”
“I’ll bet,” she said drolly. Blowing out a breath, she muttered, “Guess it’s for the good in this case, but I want it known that I’m not happy about it, Rex.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’ll take note of that, Stone.”
“You should,” she grumbled. “If I’m gonna be your resident doctor, then you should fucking listen to me.”
Despite myself, my shoulders straightened at that. “You’re gonna be our doc?”
“Why the hell do you think Rex has paid for my education?” Stone frowned at me. “I’ll be working in West Orange the second I get my license, but I’ll be on hand for the MC.”
Rex was a clever bastard. He’d done pretty much the same thing with Rachel Laker, the MC’s attorney. She was homegrown too, her career funded by the Sinners.
We were criminals with a team of white-collar folk to save our asses when shit hit the fan.
“Huh,” was all I said to that, because, in all honesty, I never imagined Stone would return home after completing her education. There was a lot of water under the bridge for her here, and I’d thought she’d just pay Rex back when she was a rich as fuck doctor with her practice.
I reached over to hook my arm around her shoulder though and, squeezing her tight, grumbled, “You’re a pain in my ass, Stone, but I’ll be glad when you’re back.”
Her lips curved. “Thanks, I think.”
I bumped her side with mine, then asked, “You gonna get them girls right before you leave?”
She sighed. “They need constant attention, so yeah. I’m calling in a few favors. I have maybe five days to play with. I know it’s not much, but it’s all I can afford at this point in the school year.”
Rex nodded. “I get it, Stone. You’ll do what you can and, in the interim, maybe show Giulia how to help? JoJo and Jingles too?”
She pulled a face. If Giulia had made her dislike of the sweetbutts known with broken noses and bald patches from hair-pulling, that was nothing compared to what Stone had done in her time.
“The first few days are critical, so I’m hoping to steer them out of the infections they’re all dealing with. But, without more equipment on hand…” A puff of air escaped her. “I can only do so much.”
Rex rocked back in his seat, his expression thoughtful. “Might be time for the MC to start thinking about saving up for some kind of private office for you. That’s some costly shit so we’ll need to prepare a budget.”
Her brow puckered. “I’m not going to get my license for another year.”
“So? Rex is right. Can’t imagine that shit is cheap.” I knocked her in the side again. “I can just see you being the physician in West Orange.” I snickered. “Just think, all those fucking brats at school who used to think they could laugh at us…who’s laughing when you roll up in a beamer?”
Stone narrowed her eyes at me, then to Rex, growled, “You can’t just change my career plan, Rex. I want to work in the ER. It’s where my heart is.”
“And we need you to have equipment we can use. Legit equipment,” he retorted, waving a hand. “The local ER will be glad to have you working for them, right?”
Her growl deepened. “You’re not going to listen to me, are you?” She didn’t give him a chance to reply which, I figured, was smart because she already knew the answer.
Rex had invested in her for a reason, and that reason had just been handed down.
He winced when she stalked off, then pretty much thrust herself out the door before slamming it shut. “I thought I was starting to miss having her around the place.”
Nyx snorted. “Famous last words. She was the only bitch who could ever stand up to you.”
“I don’t know. Giulia’s pretty good at that shit too,” I mused.
Nyx’s smirk was enough to make me chuckle. “Giulia’s afraid of no one.”
Maybe her own shadow at the moment, but I knew he was right. Giulia had balls, that was for sure. She was entitled to be a little shaky after what went down, but Nyx wasn’t the only one who liked her attitude.
Even more, I liked that she was good for my brother. Nyx needed somebody strong at his side, someone who’d have his back too. Giulia was all that and more. Sure, they hadn’t been together long, but in our world, you lived hard and died young, so you knew the score before most people stopped scratching their asses long enough to get on with shit.
“Why the fuck Steel let her go, I have zero idea,” Rex muttered, his gaze still on the door like it was wobbling with the force of Stone’s wrath.
“Because he doesn’t know what to do with her,” I said dryly. “She isn’t an easy lay, she’s his friend. Who he wants to fuck. While not wanting to settle down.” Made sense to me.
“Having an Old Lady isn’t too bad.” Nyx leaned against the desk, settling in like we were going to gossip like old fucking bats at the h
air salon.
“Not all Old Ladies are created equal,” was all I said, cocking a brow at him, watching as he grimaced, knowing what I was saying without me having to say another word.
Our parents weren’t exactly people to look up to, and though most of our moms had been Old Ladies, they’d also been sluts who’d cheated on our fathers.
Of course, our fathers had cheated on them too.
Sluts and manwhores. Was it any wonder Nyx had settled down when he was close to forty and with a woman who’d probably lop off his cock if he dared stray?
“Look, I ain’t got time for this,” I mumbled. “I need to get going.”
“What do you think she wants?” Rex inquired, his focus back on me now.
“Dunno. Only one way to find out.” I smirked at him as I gave him a salute—of the one-fingered variety—shared it with Nyx who shook his head, then swaggered out.
Now I’d checked in with my Prez, I could hurry the fuck on.
The second I was on the back of my hog, even though nothing was right with my world, somehow, everything fucking was. I could blot out the entire clusterfuck that was going down around me when the wind was smashing into my face as I went full throttle, hurtling down the highway to reach one of the swankiest country clubs in the area.
The Originals, the bastards who’d founded Satan’s Sinners, must have had a real giggle when they’d broken ground on our compound. We were smack in the middle of three of the finest elite clubs in the area, and we pissed them off more than they annoyed the shit out of us.
The sun was bleak today, almost like it was in mourning for what had happened yesterday, but the wind was bolstering and the threat of rain encouraged me to edge over the speed limit. It was only because of the dreary sun that I saw a deputy hiding out behind a copse of trees five minutes away from town, so I slowed down to the legal limit, hiding my smirk as I drove past, smug that I’d caught them out in an attempt to hijack drivers.
Fucking pigs.
Huffing to myself, I bypassed the highway which was boring as fuck with nothing more than row after row of fields interspersed with housing estates, and finally made it onto the country club grounds.
Link: SATAN’S SINNERS’ MC: TWO Page 7
