“Just going over the details once more.” I nodded.
“Good. Good. I’m headed to Bernardo’s home now. Carmella, you will follow me in one hour.”
“Where does he think she is now?” Tick leaned forward, his hands folded over his plate.
“He believes I’m visiting my mother for breakfast.” Carmella smiled, a plastic smile. “She lives just up the road.”
“We won’t be seeing you after this is finished. We are leaving straight away for home,” I interjected before Tick could start asking more questions. I could see his distrust and disgust in his eyes for Carmella, but that shit needed to be kept buried. We had enough trouble coming our way, we didn't need to add cartel lover’s revenge to that.
“Yes, I understand.”
“And we never met you before. If you come up to our part of the world, you never knew us.” Tick stood from his chair, the fierceness was back in his expression.
“Of course.” Julio nodded.
Tick didn’t say anything else, he just walked out of the room. I sighed then stood from my chair, giving Julio a nod. “He’s wound up a bit.” I jerked a thumb toward the door Tick had just disappeared through.
“I understand.” Julio patted Carmella’s shoulder. “Understand that if you are caught, you don’t know me. I will not be helping you escape if you don't get out of there before you are tracked down.”
“Yeah. I figured.” I nodded toward Carmella then went after Tick. I wanted out of that house, out of that fucking town, and out of that fucking country. Quick.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
LUCY
My bag was packed and hidden in the front hall closet. I parked my car a block down the road, not in the motor pool like usual. No one even noticed when I walked through the gates that afternoon after moving it. Since Jayson claimed me, the other guys didn’t seem to see me anymore. It was as though I’d become transparent. Since I wasn't available to fuck or suck, I simply didn’t exist for them. Suited me just fine.
The clock kept ticking away as I sat in the bedroom. I needed Jayson to get home and fall asleep before I left. I needed as much time between my leaving and him finding out as I could get. I had the note ready, same as usual. Gone for coffee. He wouldn’t know what time I left that note, and wouldn’t think much about my not being around for a few hours after he woke up. He usually didn’t send me a text until around noon. Plenty of time for me to get to where I was going. But first he needed to get his ass home.
Just as I was about text him, against my better judgement, the front door slammed and I heard his booted feet head for the bedroom.
“Lucy!” He threw open the bedroom door and stood in the doorway, taking up most of the space. “Where were you today? I haven’t seen you all day.” His tone wavered, softened as he closed the door behind him. I could smell the beer on him, but he wasn't drunk.
“I was here most of the day,” I lied. “Looking at nursing programs.” Another lie.
“Huh. You should be at the clubhouse at night with me. Unless I tell you to go home.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “Come here and take off my boots for me.” He waved me over. Swallowing hard, I pushed myself to do as he said. Fighting him would only get me a sore jaw or a black eye, and I needed him to get to sleep. If I pissed him off, he’d be up for a few more hours stewing about it.
I knelt on the floor in front of him and pulled off each boot, holding my breath as I did so. The man needed odor eaters. When I started to get up, he pushed my back down. “While you’re there.” He grinned while unbuckling his belt. I swallowed again, this time to keep the bile from rising up. He leaned back to unbutton his jeans, his belly getting in the way. Pulling down his jeans and boxers far enough that his short, fat cock sprang free and bobbed in front of me. “Go ahead, suck it.” Fat fingers laced into my hair, dragging my face forward.
In my mind I imagined Mason. Imagined him pulling my hair, sinking his dick into my mouth, farther into my throat. That image didn’t scare me, didn’t repulse me. The sensation of this prick’s fingers on my head made my stomach twist into knots. I licked my lips, trying to keep my mouth wet and get through this as quickly as possible. I let him shove his cock into my mouth. “Fuck, that's good.” He held onto my head as I moved up and down, taking him all the way wasn’t difficult, not like with Mason.
I kept my eyes closed, clenched, trying to keep out the sight of who was sitting in front of me, his legs spread around me. I could wipe out the sight of him, but the smell and feel of him couldn’t be swept away. His balls tightened, lifted. I swirled my tongue over the engorged head of his cock, hoping to speed up his orgasm, but he yanked me away before he did. “Over the bed.” He held my hair, pulling me to my feet. He wasn't grabbing me close to my scalp like Mason. Jayson wasn’t trying to control my movements, he only wanted to get me where he wanted me. He pulled my hair, much like a boy on a school yard, and pushed me over the bed.
I hadn’t changed out of my clothes yet so he shoved my shirt up over my hips and yanked down my panties. I heard the tear and his little laugh. “Whoops,” he said as he pulled my ass cheeks apart.
“Condom!” I yelled when I felt the head of his dick pressing against my dry entrance. “Jayson, please. Condom.”
He growled. “Fuck. Fine.” I heard the drawer of his nightstand grind as it opened, the ripping of the foil packet, and I sighed. At least I’d have some barrier between him and me. I hoped the rubber had some lubricant, but gritted my teeth and prepared for the worst as his cock pushed against me again.
The rubber provided some moisture as he pushed into me. I grunted from the invasion, but not from any sort of fullness. His nails dug into my hips as he continued to push into me. I gripped the bedspread and buried my face in it, waiting for it to be over. He didn’t take his time, he plowed into me and groaned, stilling his hips as his orgasm finally ended the ordeal. He slapped my ass as he pulled free saying, “A little more enthusiasm next time.” I rolled my eyes before I stood up and righted my skirt, kicking my panties off.
He peeled off the condom and threw it in the trash can near the bed before shoving off his jeans. After pulling off his shirt and yanking his boxers back up he climbed into bed. He punched his lumpy pillow and settled himself under the covers. “You coming to bed?” he asked, his eyes closed already.
“Just need to clean up and change,” I mumbled, and headed for the bathroom. Condom or not, I needed to wash off the remnants of that asshole from my body.
By the time I finished the quick shower, I could hear his snoring from the bathroom. I crept through the bedroom and quietly closed the door behind me before I ran for the front hall closet. I put the note by phone in the kitchen, tied my shoes, and made my way for the door. Pausing only a moment to be sure I could still hear Jayson’s strangled snores, I walked out of his apartment and ran toward my car.
The moon lit my way as I made my way through the motor pool. Most of the guys were already inside, either fucking their way to sleep or passed out. The one or two stragglers were busy with each other or working their way into a pair of panties. No one paid me any mind. The gates were still open, much to my relief, and I made it out onto the street without being stopped. My heart still raced, continued pounding heavily as I ran down the road to my car. My freedom.
The choking of my engine finally released the clenched fist around my lungs and I took my first steady breath as I threw the car into drive and I floored the gas.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
MASON
People swarmed the marketplace. I’d never seen so many people crushed into one narrow street before. Even at the rallies there was more room to breathe than in this mob. Tick and I wiggled our way through the food carts and merchants, making our way toward the apartment building Carmela told us about.
“What is that smell?” Tick looked at me over his shoulder, making a sour face.
“I think it’s the tobacco shop, just keep moving.” I gave him a little shove. The less we
were seen, the better. Carmella and Bernardo would be there any minute, and we had to be in position. The noise of the crowd hopefully would cover any sound Tick’s gun made; even with a silencer I didn’t trust that we wouldn’t be heard.
“There.” Tick pointed out the building, and we made our way to the entrance. Thankfully no one was hanging around outside the door and we were able to walk straight in and start heading up the stairs.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out as we made our way up the narrow stairwell that reeked of piss and beer.
“Mason?” The voice sounded familiar, but I didn’t recognize it.
“Yeah.” I gestured to Tick to keep moving when he stopped to check on me. “Who’s this?”
“Lucas.” The voice grunted. “Where are you?”
“I don’t see how that’s your business.” I kept my pace, walking up the stairs.
He gave another grunt. “Well, look, if you’re down in Mexico trying to take care of Bernardo for his brother, don’t.” That made me stop in my tracks. Tick found the door to the apartment and was busy getting it open.
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“That situation is being handled.” I didn’t like the evasive answers. Why would Julio bring us down there if he had another solution planned? Or did Jayson find out about the plan and send his own men down to take care of it for Julio, or to save Bernardo?
“Thanks for the heads up,” I spat, and clicked off the call. I wasn’t going to let the damn Disciples fuck with the plan, for all I knew they were down here trying to make the same deal with Julio. I didn’t really give a fuck anymore who got the territory or who worked with the cartel, but I wasn’t going to get myself killed for fucking this up because of some mysterious phone call.
“Who was that?” Tick popped the lock and pushed the door to the apartment open. We both stepped back as the smell of mildew and rot drifted out. “Fuck.” Tick covered his mouth and headed into the empty cell. The kitchen and living room shared the same space, and lucky us, the people who had left the place hadn’t emptied the fridge.
I pulled my t-shirt up over my nose and searched out the window that overlooked the market. We were five stories above the crowd, and Carmela had been right about the sun; it blared from behind us. I spotted Carmela. Her twisted up hair was being held up with rhinestone pins that twinkled in the sunlight. She stood at a merchant cart looking over pelts of fabric. Why would the wife of a cartel family need to shop in the crowded, dirty street market for fabric?
“There he is, just behind Carmela.” Tick pointed over my shoulder. “Let me get set up.” He slipped the bag carrying the rifle Julio had given us from his shoulder and began assembling it with the silencer.
I watched the crowd, looking over at the other buildings. Lucas said the situation was being handled. What the fuck did that mean? Was there another team out there aiming for Bernardo, too? Or did they know about the hit and Bernardo was going to hit us instead?
“Lucas said that we might want to rethink this, that the situation was being handled,” I told Tick. He paused and looked up at me.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“I don’t know.” I looked back out the window, they were getting closer. “You know, I’m getting real fucking tired of this cryptic shit!”
“Fuck. If Julio would fuck his brother’s wife, and kill his brother, why the fuck are we trusting him that this is going to go down the way he says.” Tick growled, looking through the scope of his rifle.
I watched Bernardo and his wife make their way closer to us. Tick moved next to me, getting more comfortable in his position. A band began playing beneath us, a trio of guitar players began singing and making their way through the crowd. People clapped. An argument broke out at one of the merchant stands.
“What do you want me to do, Mason?” Tick nudged my knee with his elbow. The stifling heat of the apartment didn’t help clear up my thoughts. Sweat dripped down the side of my face.
A shot rang out, echoing through the narrow street. Bernardo fell face down over a merchant stand. Another shot, and a screaming Carmella fell slack to the ground, her mouth still agape. I looked down at Tick, who was looking back at me with just as stunned an expression as I felt. “What the fuck?” He leaned out the window, looking for the shooter.
The crowd panicked. People ran in every direction, ducking into the stores, down alleyways. “Fuck, there’s Julio.” I pointed at the lone man walking steadily down the street, as though he had no cares in the world. People flew past him, bumping him as they made their way down the street, but he just continued to walk as though nothing had just happened.
“Let’s get the hell out of here. This isn’t our fight anymore.” I tugged at Tick’s shirt. He nodded and quickly unassembled the rifle and threw it into the bag. “Just leave that here.” I kicked the bag across the room, watching it glide across the dirty floor and slide beneath the couch. Tick removed his gloves and shoved them into his back pocket. “Let’s go.”
“Where we going?” he asked as we ran down the stairs.
“Home,” I yelled, and led us away from the apartment, down an alley. Out of sight of the chaotic market place, we ran to the van we’d parked out of the way. Once there, we jumped in.
“What about Julio?” Tick ran his hand over his smooth head. “Fuck! What the fuck happened?”
“I don’t think we were meant to kill Bernardo.” I shifted gears and turned down another dirt road. “I think we were a decoy.”
“For what?”
“For Julio.” I shrugged. “Let them all sort that shit out. I’m out. I’m done. Marcus sent us down here for this shit. The club didn’t take a vote on this, this was his doing.” Tick’s eyes were on me as we bumped along the rough road, but I had nothing else to say. I was done. The MC would move on without me, and I was fine with that. I had a girl to get home to. A girl to get the fuck out of trouble and get her safe and in my bed. That was the reason I drove north like a bat out of hell. Lucy.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
LUCY
I began to see the ribs about my car were completely valid. I only managed to get fifty miles away before the radiator burst. Luckily, I had already pulled off the highway to get gas when the smoke began to billow from under the hood. The mechanic at the gas station said it would only take an hour or two to get the hose replaced and fix up the radiator well enough to keep going. The only trouble was, the labor alone ate up half of what I had stashed in my purse. The parts took a good chunk of the rest. If Mr. Doyle didn’t let me work out a deal to pay for the cabin, I’d be homeless real quick.
The texts from Jayson started right after I got my car back on the road. Took him longer than I thought to figure out I wasn’t coming back. At first he just asked where I was. Then he started to demand I get back home. By the time I turned my car into the narrow road headed up to the cabin, he was slinging threats. Why he thought I’d come running back after he threatened to slice my throat for being disrespectful made no sense to me, but then again it was Jayson. He never made any sense to me.
The only person I worried about was Mason. I still had no idea where he was or what he was up to. I hadn’t texted him, not wanting to mess up whatever job he was doing. I knew he’d be mad when he got back and found me gone. He had told me to stay put, and I had done the exact opposite of that.
“Hey! Lucy!” Mr. Doyle grinned at me with his wide mouth grin. He’d always had that smile for me when my mom and I would come up to stay in the cabin. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
He stepped out onto the porch and gave me a big hug. He’d always been a huggy type of person. Not in that old man creepy way, just in a genuine nice to see you way.
“No, I didn’t make a reservation. I was sort of hoping the cabin was free though?”
He looked over my shoulder at my car. “Where’s your ma?” He got that worried look on his face. I’d seen it before. He knew she’d been sick the last time we had used the cabi
n, and now he was bracing himself for the news.
“She passed. A few months ago.” I took a deep breath.
“You in trouble?” He narrowed his eyes and looked me over.
“No. Not really. I’m just looking for a place to relax for a few weeks, while I look for work and an apartment or something,” I explained.
He gave me a slow nod. “The cabin’s open. I’m real sorry to hear about your mom. She was such a great lady. Never understood why no man ever snatched her up.” He felt around his pocket then pulled out a key ring. “Do you remember how to get up there?”
“Sure do. Thank you so much. I can pay you—”
“No. I won’t have it. I don’t have any reservations until next month. Stay until then. Everyone needs help getting back on their feet now and then.” He shifted his feet and looked back at my car. “You sure that will make it up the road?”
Mason: Inked Reapers MC Page 16
