by Brook Greene
“He does alright.” I guess, Leo and I have never had any kind of conversation leading me to believe otherwise. I panic at the thought, I don’t know Leo or anything about him. And my Dad being the ever expert cop he is will know this about two questions deep.
“How long you been seeing this boy?” Leo is thirty eight he is far from being a boy and I don’t think what we are doing can be considered dating but we do see a lot of each other.
“Not long.” I am still avoiding eye contact with my father , the human lie detector.
“But yet you are living with him?” Here it goes the condescending judgmental man that I left behind.
“We are not living together, I am staying here for a little while.” The sheepishness is starting to fade and the adult woman that I am is taking over, ‘why?”
“I find it a little concerning I show up at your apartment to find out you were moved out by a bunch of men riding motorcycles. And to also find out you had been attacked at your job and this being the reason the man you have only being seeing around a week is the one who moved you out and into his home.” Seems he has gotten the whole story from Ms. Evelyn, my neighbor, that fucking nosey old lady.
“That seems like it pretty much in a nutshell Dad. So why are you here?” I turn because I am over this avoiding shit, let’s get it all out and on the table.
“My daughter was attacked at work knocked out and assaulted to the point she needed to stay in the hospital overnight.” He has turned his full interrogation stare on me.
“Oh is that all, no biggy see,’ I stand and turn for him, ‘all better.”
“I get the strange feeling Avery you don’t want me here.” He stands placing his hands on his hips.
“No Dad I am happy to see you, it's just not a great time for a surprise visit or a game of twenty questions about my life.”
My Dad started to say something as Leo decided to reenter the room, I look up and send a silent thank you to whoever sent him in.
“Everything okay in here?” he asked as he crossed over to me stopping behind me and encircling my waist with his hands.
This notion is not lost on my father as his eyes travel over Leo’s exposed arms that are displaying his intricate tattoos, his eyes land on the two large hands that are placed passively on my body. He takes a step back, ‘Leo Tucker is it?”
“Oh how rude of me, Dad this is Leo,’ I turn, ‘Leo this is my Dad, Kent Delany.” Leo takes a hand from me and extends it out to my father who reluctantly takes it. I see my father try to grip Leo’s hand with some pressure, which doesn’t faze Leo in the least.
“Nice to meet you sir.” Leo’s voice is sexy and deep, his eyes are dark with suspicion.
“The jury is still out on you son.” Dad retreats his hand.
“Dad!” I gasp in horror at how rude my father is being.
“It’s okay Avery it’s the typical response, judging a book by its cover.” His eyes are dead locked on my Dad’s.
“Okay glad we had this little meeting, Dad are you staying with Aunt Shirley?” I attempt at breaking the stale mate between the two.
“I am.” He answers never taking his eyes from Leo. Leo encircles my waist again dragging me into him. My Dad snorts his displeasure with the gesture.
“Would you like to stay for dinner Kent?” Leo offers and I nearly choke on my spit.
“No thank you, I have plans for this evening but I will be in town for a week or so. I will contact you and we will set up a time.” He stands and looks at me, ‘please be more careful Avery Grace?” He hugs me.
“No need to worry about Avery Grace here Mr. Delany,” Leo has his arm around my shoulder and gives it a squeeze, ‘she isn’t going back to that shithole of a job.” Leo takes his glance from me and lands it on my father.
“I am not sure if that is supposed to be comforting or not,‘ Dad turns and heads for the door, ‘are these your friends Leo?” He stands and surveys all the bikes and people that are somewhat a rough looking bunch.
“Yes they are, good people too, you would know that if you got to know them.” The pit in my stomach continues to grow at a rapid pace.
“Dad I will call you tomorrow and we can meet for lunch, does that sound good?” I go over to him walking into his arms.
“Sounds like a plan,’ his eyes shift up from me and back to Leo, ‘will we be dining alone?”
“Probably not.” Leo has shoved his hands down into the pockets of his worn jeans, had it been any other time I would have to wipe the drool from my lips. I have started to feel like a ping pong ball on a table being slapped back and forth with paddles.
“I will walk you to your car Dad.” I try and urge him out the door. Leo kisses me on the forehead and lets me go.
Reaching his hand out to my father, ‘Nice to meet you Mr. Delany. I look forward to seeing you again, soon.”
Taking Leo’s hand my father gives it a stiff shake, ‘me to Leo, me to.” Dad follows me to the door and out across the porch and out to his car. Stopping at the driver side he turns to me, ‘Avery baby do you know what you have gotten into?”
Sighing, ‘yes Dad I do and I am fine.” Crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the side.
He pushes a strained of hair away from my face, ‘you look fine,’ he tilts his head back at the house, ‘and he doesn’t look much better. I notice two other of his boys look a little worse for wear too.”
Pulling my face away from his hand, ‘Dad please just leave it.”
“Avery I can’t leave it alone, you are my daughter and I worry about you.”
“There is no need for you to worry,’ I sweep my arm around the grounds at all the people littering the area, ‘I think the safety issue is pretty much so covered.”
“Are you doing this to punish me?” The arrogance of this man is not surprising.
“I assure you father not one of my actions is intended to punish you, not everything has to do with you or is about you.” I go to step away from his car, ‘I am an adult and will go wherever, stay with and see anyone I please. I no longer need to ask your permission or clear my actions with you.”
His face is flush with anger, ‘That is fine Avery but I think you are letting your raw emotions blind you to the truth.”
“The truth about what or more about who?” I prop my hands on my hips.
Shaking his head dismissing the conversation, ‘never mind that now, I just want for you to be careful okay?” He leans in and kisses my forehead before climbing into his car and driving away.
Completely exhausted from having to deal with my father I drag ass back up to the porch and lift my eyes to see a welcome site, Leo has come outside and is sitting on the top step. He reaches his hand out to me and I take the vacant spot to his left.
Leo tucks me into his side, ‘rough man uh?” His mood is light and easy, and I don’t understand why he just had a DEA agent in his house. You would think with all his activities he would be freaking out just like me.
“He is a DEA agent Leo, he is on his way right now to blow up my Aunt’s computer and phone trying to find things out about you and your band of merry men.”
“Not worried about it, are you?” He turns to me.
“Hell yes I am worried about it.” Turning to him I am surprised by his nonchalance.
“Why would you be?” He has leaned back on his forearms resting on the edge of the porch stretching his long legs out in front of us.
“Because,’ I try not to talk to loud so the prying eyes and ears of the people around us can't hear, ‘after your half confession last night I am wondering if the other end of the story didn’t end with you in jail somewhere.” I lay my head on my hands propping them up on my knees.
“If it makes you feel any better it didn’t.” He bumps me with his knee, ‘now were we not interrupted on our way to do something?” His eyes have gone deviously black, ‘if you are feeling up to it, of course.” His eyes shift down to between my legs and then back up.
�
�I am guessing I need to go and see a doctor.” I look down as I nudge the wood of the step with my foot.
“If you want I will have Alice make you an appointment.” He goes to stand.
I take his arm quickly, ‘no Leo I can take care of it.”
The rest of the day Piper and me with a bunch of cool women shuffle food in and out of the kitchen, going around and cleaning up after the men as they sit and wait for someone to show.
Around nine everyone had left to gone home leaving only a few to keep watch over the occupants in the house, namely me. The silence is defining.
I am standing in the state of the art kitchen placing the last of the glasses into the dishwasher when I feel a hard body behind me. Leo places his hands on my hip and leans in to whisper in my ear, ‘hey baby how you holding up?”
“I feel really good right now,’ I turn around to face him, ‘your friends are wonderful. I think Kayla is my favorite.”
His eyes light up, ‘I knew she would be she reminds me a lot of you.”
“Really?” I lean to raise the door closing it and locking it into place before turning it on.
“Yeah, you ready for bed I am spent babe?” He rests his forehead on mine.
I pat his shoulder, ‘no you go on up and I will be up in a few, just let me finish down here.” I kiss his nose and give him a weak smile.
“I can help if you want.” His eyes are soft and I am sure that he wasn’t far from climbing up on the counter and taking me right there in his kitchen had it been long enough to accommodate his large body.
“No I got this.” He gives me a hard squeeze and kisses me softly on the lips.
“Don’t be long.” He steps back and starts to the stairs.
“Oh Leo.” I throw up my hand to stop him.
He turns, ‘yeah babe?”
“I have an appointment in the morning to see the doctor.” I wring the dish towel in my hands.
“Great, I will have to send Beeker with you though, no going out alone and all.” His eyebrows go up letting me know it is a side effect of the past three days.
“Sure he is a good kid.” I smile.
He sighs heavy, ‘I think that little fucker is sweet on you.” He chuckles as he takes the steps two at a time.
****
Leo
I use these minutes alone while Avery finishes to call Kent, ‘hey what was that shit, you could have outed all of us.”
“I am sure you have briefed them all, they are not to let on we know each other.” He sighs heavily with the load we are all carrying, being this deceptive is weighing heavy on the whole crew.
“They do but it doesn’t mean someone might slip up or something.” I throw my jeans into the growing dirty laundry pile, damn I need to do the wash.
“Plus I was a little on the worried side about my daughter, I thought you said you had broke things off with her?”
“I thought I had too,’ I pause slumping down on the side of the bed, ‘but I couldn’t stay away, I guess you know how it is.”
“Look Leo I need to know you can handle keeping her safe from here on out until we get this shit locked down.”
‘I have got Beeker with her until whenever. Listen I have been thinking and maybe we should go ahead and tell her everything. And man, she really does know what you do.” The knot in my gut is twisting tight at the thought of letting our little secret loose and then the thought of her reacting how I am guessing she is going to.
“Not just yet, let’s wait and see how she does being kept on house arrest,’ he sighs, ‘I knew she had a slight clue.”
“Easy for you to say old man I am the one having to deal with her.”
He chuckles, ‘I know, I am excited to see you handle this.”
I snap the phone shut and lie back on the bed staring up at the ceiling, closing my eyes I hear her soft foot falls coming up the steps. The bed dips slightly as she climbs in next to me, tugging her into my arms I send another round of thanks up to whomever for having her here with me.
****
Avery
I change into my tee shirt but this time I leave on my panties, not wanting to tempt Leo in anyway. I climb in next to him as he drags me into his side and tucks me under his arm. His breathing steadies and I watch his chest move under the soft light he has left on in the bathroom for me. I lay my hand palm down on his chest and say a silent prayer my father doesn’t find anything incriminating against Leo Tucker.
I wake up in what can only be heaven on earth, wrapped up in the arms of a man, I sigh realizing I am finding it hard to think about without going all gushy. His breathing is even but I am in a vice grip and cannot move from his side.
We snuggle for a few minutes then Leo is up and in the shower, getting ready for the day, ‘sorry I can’t go with you today.” He sits down on the bed as he puts on his boots, ‘gotta work and make a livin’” he leans back into me and pulls me up to my knees as he stands, ‘but I will be waiting for you to call me after you see the doc, okay?”
I smile, ‘just as soon as I walk out I promise.”
He kisses me as we walk down the steps to the waiting eyes of Piper, Dalton and Roman.
“Morning, model couple,’ Piper chirps with a shit eating grin spread across her face.
“Morning Piper,’ Leo grunts as he steps off the last step tugging me close behind him. He makes us coffee and we all five sit at the island in the kitchen. Around eight the boys leave for work but not before Leo plants a deep passionate kiss on me right in the view of Roman.
He smiles over his shoulder at a very disgruntled Roman, ‘ready man.” He pats my ass as he leaves for good measure. I am starting to love it when he does it, because he seems to do it a lot.
****
Beeker drove me to the doctors and waited patiently out in the lobby. I sit on the uncomfortable examining table for what seemed like hours before the doctor entered.
I was thankful for a woman, I don’t think I could take a strange man poking or prodding me at the moment. The news was good, no permanent damage and the great news I should be healed in around two days.
“I am going to want you to come back in two to three weeks for a follow up examine, okay Avery, do you have any questions?”
I pause and twiddle my fingers study the ceiling, ‘um doc I was just wondering-“ I pause again embarrassed to ask the question.
“When will it be okay for you to have sex again?”
“Yes thank god I couldn’t get it out, I have a boyfriend with a very, should we say, needy sex life.”
She laughs, ‘Avery nothing to be embarrassed about, I would say if you take it easy until Thursday you should be fine, but go slow and be careful. Is there anything else, oh do you need any birth control?”
Jumping down from the table, ‘yeah, in all the chaos my pills have gotten lost in the fray, thank you again.” I walk out of the door prescription in hand to see most of the women in the lobby eyeing Beeker curiously. His tattoos contrasting with his baby face and kind blue eyes are an anomaly. Beeker comes to stand behind me as I make another appointment in four weeks.
I turn to him, ‘ready?” I ask with a smile on my face.
“Yes please get me out of here and away from all these pregnant woman.” He whispers not wanting any of his new admirers to hear him. Laughing I open the door and take out my phone to call Leo.
“Hey babe,’ His low voice sends chills to all the right places.
“Hey.” My insides turn to mush and it is evident in my voice.
“Everything go okay?” I hear a scuffle in the back ground.
“Yeah, what is going on?”
“Not much, just these dumbasses working for me, so the doc said you will be fine?” I hear a muffled grunt.
“She did but she wants to see me again in a month to check things out again. “
“Good, good have Beeker bring you back here instead of the house, everyone is here.”
“Where is Piper?”
“She is at
Daltons.”
“And where is that?”
“Babe can we talk when you get here I have to go out here and man the children.”
“Okay see you in a few.” I disconnect the call and follow Beeker to the vehicle.
When we are well on our way back to the shop I call Piper.
“Hey slut,’ She greets me with her usual salutation for me.
“Hey whore, what up?”
“Not much, just sitting her by the pool.” I hear a liquid flowing through a straw.
“Pool?”
“At Dalton’s apartment complex, hell if you weren’t under house arrest I would invite you over but we know that alpha male of yours isn’t going to let you out of his sight.” I hear the slurping again.
“I was this morning, Beeker was the one who took me to the doctor.” I hold my hand over the phone and look over at Beeker, ‘I don’t guess I could get you to take me to Daltons could I?”
I am met by an adamant, ‘no!,” from Beeker.
“Sorry Pipe no can do, Beeker is under strict orders to get me to Leo.”
“See I told you, that boy has got it b-a-d!”
“No he doesn’t I am just a piece of ass.” I hear Beeker snort at the statement in unison with Piper, ‘What?’ I ask both of them. Beeker just shakes his head prompting me to remind myself later to ask him a bunch of questions.
“Anyway I will see you later at the clubhouse meeting and all.” She ends the call before I can say bye.
I slip my phone back into my purse and turn to Beeker, ‘so Beek, tell me why I am not just a piece of ass to your boss?”
He shifts uncomfortable in his seat, ‘I really don’t think it is my place to say anything.”
“If it is me asking, I think it is.” If I am going to be treated like the President’s woman I am going to use it for intensive purposes. I watch as the loyalty he has for Leo and the affection he has for me fight for prevalence in his mind.
“Well you didn’t hear it from me.” I throws his eyes over to me to see if I agree.
“No actually Beeker, Eno has spoken of it too so I would like to hear from someone who sees and hears all, you know kind of like a second opinion.” I should feel bad about putting the poor boy in such a spot but at this point in time I really don’t care.
