by J. L. Leslie
I know they don’t understand the burden the thought of them getting hurt puts on me, but according to Kane, every Raven is capable of making their own decisions, including me. I have to trust that I’m making the right decision.
If I change my mind, if I believe for one second that staying here is the wrong choice, I’ll leave. I won’t even look back.
“I’ll be around the store.” The prospect informs me. He’s very tall and very different. Very quiet, too. These are the first words he’s spoken to me since he picked me up to bring me to work. He sort of reminds me of Lurch from the Addams family.
Mr. Greene gave me a tour of the store, letting me know that Tuesdays are normally slow days, therefore good first days. He showed me where the private employee restrooms were and the break room, then set me up stocking on the canned goods aisles.
Two hours have passed, and I’m still stocking. I don’t mind the work at all. It’s taken my mind off the fact that I have a personal bodyguard with me today. It’s kept me from thinking about how easily Eddie hacked into the camera feed here, simply so the Ravens can keep an eye on me. But most of all, it’s kept me from wondering what the Sinners have in store for me for when they do find me. I have no doubt in my mind that they will find me.
I’ve seen Lurch lurking around a little. When I see him and think of him as lurking Lurch, I feel terrible. He’s a nice man and I’m being rude. He’s the one having to hang out at Wal-Mart all day for me. Poor lurking Lurch.
“Lurch?”
I startle so badly that I drop the can of baked beans I’m holding onto my foot. “Holy shit!”
I limp around a second before bending down and retrieving the now dented can of beans and putting it on the shelf. Kane eyes me, clearly fighting back laughter.
“Good thing you’re not wearing flip-flops,” he grins. “The can would probably still be rolling to get away from those lime-green toes of yours.”
“You are not funny right now!” I hiss. “That hurt!”
“Really? I didn’t feel a thing.”
“Not funny,” I scold.
“It’s kinda funny.”
I glare at him, realization of him picking on my toenail polish sinking in. The fact he noticed what color they were also sinking in.
“Do you not like my choice of toenail polish?” I scoff. “It has glitter in it.”
Kane laughs, shaking his head. “I suppose it’s kinda cute.”
I point up to his baseball cap. “I suppose that’s kinda cute.”
Crap. I’m flirting. I am flirting with Kane Bryce. What is it about this man? I don’t want to date a biker. I definitely don’t want to date a biker that’s involved in a motorcycle club. But Kane…
~Kane~
Katy McGuire is the exact opposite of the type of women I go for. I told my sister this just this morning after she nagged me for so long I finally caved and told her about Katy.
Don’t get me wrong, I like beautiful women. But I like beautiful women who aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty. Who aren’t afraid of being with a man like me. Katy is beautiful, but she’s a little cookie-cutter. She has this appearance that makes her seem like she should be sipping tea on a porch behind a white picket fence.
But that’s only an appearance.
She has an attitude that comes out here and there that tells me she’s a Raven. That she has a side to her that no one else knows. The same way she accused me of having a side that I don’t let others see. If she didn’t have that side, she wouldn’t have survived with the Sinners.
I talked to Lincoln. I know she was with them for almost five years. Five fucking years. You don’t last that long unless there’s a part of you that belongs there. She can deny it all she wants. She’s old lady material.
“So, what brings you to Wal-Mart on this beautiful day?” she questions me, and I can tell by the grin on her face that she’s fucking with me. “You can tell me.”
I laugh at her playfulness. “I know.”
“Mr. Kane?”
“Yeah, Lurch…Lloyd?” Fuck. Now she’s got me calling the kid Lurch. He gives me a funny look before explaining why he came over to us.
“There’s a suspicious person in electronics.”
Katy looks over at me, her blue eyes wide with concern. I know she made the decision to stay here in Verdana, but it’s clear that she could change her mind any second.
“Well, why the fuck did you leave him?” I question him, and his face goes pale. “Stay here with her.”
It doesn’t take me long to get to the electronics department. I spot the guy almost instantly. His eyes are scanning everyone in the department, looking around as though he’s trying to find someone.
I can see why Lloyd was suspicious of him, only he’s staying in one area, not moving around the department. He’s not searching for someone. He’s searching for something.
“What do you think?”
Fuck me. I grit my teeth, trying not to lose my temper with this fuck-up. “I think he’s a shoplifter. Either that, or he’s a distraction so that when you leave Katy by herself, she’s exposed so the real perp can grab her and we’d be none the fucking wiser, you fucking moron.”
“I didn’t realize,” Lloyd murmurs, clearly ashamed.
We leave the shoplifter in the electronics department and start back to the canned goods aisle where, hopefully, Katy still is. When she sees us approaching, she stands up from the small stool she’s sitting on.
“False alarm. Barney-Fucking-Fife here just busted a shoplifter,” I joke, then see the fear in her eyes. I step to her and put my hand around the back of her neck, pulling her to my chest for a moment. “Hey, you’re fine. Everything’s okay.”
Her hands grip my sides, seeking comfort, and I let her have it until my phone rings. I ease away from her and motion for Lloyd to come with me. I would much rather be the one to stay and keep an eye on her, but Dax has other plans for me.
I do give Lloyd a warning before I leave though. Fuck up again, and I’ll cut his fucking balls off.
Chapter Eleven
~Griffin~
I slam the folder on Kane Bryce closed and mumble a curse. Dead end. Everything about that asshole has been a dead end. I’ve performed a background check, gone on everything Steve Willis, the former DA, had in his personal file, and even spoke with the DA who prosecuted him in New York. Nothing.
The family he was hugging in Garnerville doesn’t exist. He had a sister back in New York, but she died eight years ago. Parents are deceased as well. According to the DA, Kane was mixed up in a street gang there back when he was a teen. Did some time in juvie, and when he was released, he moved to California. No family. It’s like the fucker is a ghost.
I shake my head and grab my briefcase so that I can head down to court. I’m unsettled by all of this, but can’t do a damn thing about it. Instead, I plaster on a fake smile and greet the judge as I settle in for a long hearing.
Two hours in, I silence my phone yet another time and try to focus on what the judge is saying. I know he can hear the annoying buzzing coming from my pocket because he’s glanced in my direction each time it’s gone off.
The moment he dismisses court, I grab my briefcase and shuffle out of the room. I pull my phone from my pocket and mumble a curse. Ollie. My CI has been calling me. He’s been MIA for weeks and now he’s calling.
“Hey, Griff!”
I barely stifle the low growl before turning to face the public defender. He knows I hate being called that, yet he practically yells it across the hall.
“Be sure to get me that Discovery!”
“Fuck you,” I mumble, but call out, “Will do, Harry!”
The moment the words are out of my mouth, I feel a strong grip on my forearm. I snatch away and the person grabbing me tumbles to the floor. Immediately, people passing by reach out to help and I see that it’s Ollie.
He climbs to his feet and reaches for me. I grab his arm and haul him down the hall and into the
nearest restroom. I check the stalls to ensure we’re alone before I lay into him.
“What the fuck are you thinking?” I hiss. “This is the damn courthouse! Have you lost your mind?”
“I need out, man,” he groans. “You don’t know who these people are.”
He’s strung out. That’s pretty clear. His clothes are dirty and obviously soiled because he smells of piss and shit. His eyes are glazed over from whatever drugs he’s on.
“We have a deal, Ollie. If you can’t hold up your end of the bargain, then I can’t hold up mine.”
He drops to his knees. “I can’t, man, I fucking can’t! They’re coming! Fuck, they’re here!” Ollie falls over onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. “They got the farm! They’re gonna fucking kill everyone.”
I leave him like this. He’s not where I can talk to him, so I don’t bother. Making a deal with him was a waste of time. I should have known better. The only thing beneficial to come out of my working with him is the tiny bit of information he just provided me with.
When I reach my office, I call Dax. As much as I despise him, when we last met, we agreed to work together. At least, we agreed to keep each other informed. We both have a common interest. We both want the town we live in to be safe.
“Just received news that the Sinners are in town,” I tell him.
“Same here.” Prick. Pisses me off that I’m the one calling first. “I’m sending some people out to find out where they’ve set up.”
“My guy tells me it’s a farm. You know anyone who has a farm for sale?” I ask him and hear him chuckle.
“Only one.”
~Kane~
I’m silent as I ride shotgun with Luka and Raiden. Her sniper rifle lies in the very back of the Explorer. Today, she won’t be taking any shots unless it becomes necessary. Today, we’re using it to scope out Lancaster Farms.
Last time she was here, she dropped Bill Pace right on the front porch. It took the police three days to find him. If the Sinners have set up shop out here, they picked a damn fine place to do it. No one around for miles. You can hear anyone coming, and no one can hear you screaming.
Luka parks about a mile from the Lancaster gate, pulling the Explorer down into a ditch to conceal it as much as possible. He’ll wait here and be a lookout while me and Raiden go check out things.
I wait for Raiden to get her rifle and give Luka a kiss before we set out on foot. We’re quiet as we walk, both comfortable with the silence, and I’ve always liked that about Raiden. She doesn’t feel the need to chat or discuss what we’re doing. She just knows what the hell to do.
We top the hill that peaks over the farm, and we both drop to our knees. We crawl slowly, moving on our elbows and knees until we’re as close as we can get without being spotted. Raiden sets her rifle up and peers through the scope.
Without the scope, I can see people milling around outside. There’s a moving truck parked beside the cabin and it’s being unloaded. They have a nice haul of boxes with them.
We want specifics though. We know what the key members look like and we need to see who all Ford has sent here to our town. He may have decided to come with them. We simply need to see what kind of army we’re facing and exactly what it is they’re unloading.
“We have a problem,” Raiden whispers. “They’re all here, everyone. And I’m pretty sure they have just as good of a supplier as we have if the AR-15s on the dash of that truck are any indication.”
That is a problem. We’ve always been outnumbered. The Rykers and the Drycos always had numbers on us, and if the fuckers would’ve been smart, they’d have teamed up against us. The problem with them all being here in Verdana with the arsenal they brought, is that they’re here for the long-term. They aren’t just sending a team to take out the people they’re seeking vengeance on. They’re putting down roots. They came here with the intention of staying, or to die trying.
Raiden and I pull back, leaving the same way we came. Luka is perched on the hood of the Explorer when we get back. I open the back for Raiden to put her rifle away. She’s as careful with it as if it were a newborn child.
“I gotta take a leak,” I tell them before we get on the road again.
I hear them talking while I take care of my business. Their words are muffled, but I’m sure she’s filling him in on what we saw. When I get in the truck, I can see their hands clasped together over the console.
Any other time, I would give them shit about how we can’t even go on an assignment without the two of them doing some mushy shit. Today, I sit back and let them have their moment. It makes me realize how I’ve never been remotely close to having one of these moments of my own.
Chapter Twelve
~Katy~
Taking a shower knowing that Lloyd is waiting in my living room is only slightly unnerving. I assured him that I was safe now that I was home, but he told me he would not leave my side. He murmured something about Kane and preferring to keep his balls. I don’t want to know.
He followed me around the rest of the day. I could barely turn a corner without seeing him. I worried that Mr. Greene would become suspicious of him, but if he did, he never said a word.
I turn the water off and quickly dry off. I get dressed quicker than usual as well. I don’t think Lloyd would barge in or anything, but just in case. I look at myself in the mirror and smile at how my hair looks in a messy bun.
I open my drawer with my nail polish in it and decide to go with hot pink this time. While Sully was buying vibrating cock rings, I was adding to my nail polish collection. I climb onto the bathroom counter and go to work on my toes. I’m finishing my first coat when I hear a light tap on my door.
“I’ll be out soon, Lurch,” I call out, then add, “Lloyd!”
The doorknob jimmies and I curse when the door opens. I’m dressed, but pissed that he picked the lock and came in without my permission. I rest my forehead on my knee and grit out an obscenity.
“Women with pink toenails shouldn’t be using that sort of language,” Kane scolds.
My head shoots up, and I point my finger at him. “Yeah? Well, strange men shouldn’t be barging into women’s bathrooms!”
“Strange?” he questions, approaching me with a devilish look in his eyes. “You have slept in my bed before.”
This reminder makes my cheeks heat to a deep shade of red. “Yes, but–”
“And,” he interrupts, pulling my legs off the counter and around his waist. “If I recall correctly, I finger-fucked you until you passed out.”
Well, shit. “I suppose that may have happened, but a gentleman–”
“I’m no gentleman, Katy,” he cuts me off yet again. He picks up my hand and brings it to his mouth. “I saw something today, and it made me think of you.”
I have to swallow before I can answer. “What was it?”
“It’s not important. Just something that made me curious, so I came here.”
“You can tell me,” I assure him, and he kisses the palm of my hand.
“I know.”
Kane closes the space between us and devours my mouth. I hook my ankles together behind his back and pull him closer, not caring if I’m messing up my freshly painted toenails. He releases my hands and immediately, I enclose them around his neck.
If he were to lift me and carry me to my room, I wouldn’t protest. I can guarantee, I wouldn’t pass out this time. But he doesn’t do this. His hands grip my ass and holds my body flush against him while he kisses me. The same fire I felt the first time he kissed me courses through my limbs and settles at my core, making my clit throb.
My kiss with Griffin was different. I shouldn’t compare the two, but I can’t help myself. I’ve always looked at him like he was my knight in shining armor, rescuing me from the nightmare I was in. With Griffin, his kiss held a promise that my future could be different. That I could live the life I’ve always wanted to. Away from motorcycle clubs. Away from fear. He can give me that. He can give me those things I w
ant.
Kane’s kiss promises me a life with a motorcycle club. Staying in this nightmare. Full of fear. He’s definitely not my knight in shining armor. He’s more like the dragon. He can’t keep the danger away. He’s part of that danger. But I know he will damn sure protect me from that fear. He will always keep me safe. He’ll show me the type of motorcycle club life I want. The one, at one time, I thought I was supposed to have. He’ll give me that.
~Kane~
I’m hard as a fucking rock, but I don’t make a move to take things further. I can’t. Not because I don’t want to, but because when I fuck Katy, I want her to be sure. I don’t want to see any regret on her face. I don’t want her thinking it was a mistake.
Damn, how can a simple kiss be so satisfying? How can a simple kiss have me feeling so fucking accomplished? It’s only a kiss.
This waiting bullshit isn’t me. None of this is me. I should be blowing my load in a willing club whore somewhere right now. Not standing here wanting to kiss pink toenails. Fuck me.
I take a step back, ending our kiss so that I don’t jerk her pants down and fuck her against the counter right now. I’m definitely losing my self-control. In my mind, she stands and sheds her clothes then turns around, showing me her glistening pussy. In reality, she sits there, her lips swollen from my ravaging kiss.
“I’ll wait out here,” I tell her, and I’ll be damned if I can’t hear the shakiness in my voice. Like some fucking kid.
I drop down on her sofa, adjusting my aching cock before I do. I flip through her channels and chuckle when I find Gone In 60 Seconds. I leave it there.
I watch the dog scene, and I’m shaking my head when her phone starts ringing, vibrating the cushion beside me. The screen flashes a photo of the DA and my jaw clenches. I fight the urge to answer it and tell him to fuck off. I’m not a jealous man, and I won’t become one now. She’s not even my old lady.
Katy rushes into the living room and grabs the phone off the sofa. “Hey,” she answers, glancing over at me a moment before slipping down the hall.
