Leo
Waking up at the club isn’t as clean as waking up at home, yet, I fucking love it here. It’s my second home, it always has been, it always will be.
Swinging my leg out over the edge of the bed, I remember I’m not alone and shove the sheets back over Zara. I sit up and reach for my smokes on the nightstand and light one up.
“Smoking is bad for you.”
Looking over my shoulder, Zara has woken up, but she isn’t interested in getting up and leaving me the fuck alone.
“So I’ve heard,” I grunt.
I don’t care, perhaps I’ll quit one day, but for now, I’ll smoke on.
My phone rings out and I lean over and snatch my jeans off the floor. I should’ve known it would be mom’s name flashing up on the screen. I hit accept.
“How are you, and Luca? Have you been watching out for him?”
Good morning to you too I think to myself.
“Mom, it’s been one night, he’s fine. He stayed in dad’s room and as far as I know, he’s still asleep.”
A warm hand snakes up my back and then two hands squeeze my shoulders. It feels nice, a little weak, but nice. Taking a lungful of smoke in, I exhale and watch the smoke billow around the room, hitting the rays of light peaking through the shades.
“Keep your eye on him, you know how he gets sometimes, if he starts listening to gossip, who’ll know what he’ll do.”
Luca, my younger brother by seven years, is hot-headed and would rather throw a punch then ask questions, and he’s only fifteen.
“I’ll get him to the hospital and you can watch him yourself,” I say, and take another drag on the cigarette before it burns down between my fingers.
“Bring him soon, I want to see him for myself.”
Rolling my eyes for the second time during this call, I’m grateful she can’t see and give me a slap. One thing she hates is you rolling your eyes at her.
“I’ll go wake him now, okay?”
“Thank you.”
She hangs up on me and I throw the phone on the nightstand and stub out my cigarette in the ashtray.
“Is your dad still doing okay?” Zara asks, and I realise mom didn’t mention him.
“Yeah, he’s fine,” I tell her.
If something had happened in the night, she would’ve said, for sure. She would’ve called before now.
“So, if your dad didn’t make it, you would become the president?” she asks, hesitantly.
My face instantly scrunchies up, what the fuck? Why is everyone so quick to be rid of my dad and for me to take his patch?
Shoving my legs into my jeans, I jump up to my feet and button up. Searching the floor for my bag, I remember I dumped it by the door and pull out a clean tee and hoodie.
“Sparky would become president, he’s my dad’s VP for a reason.”
“But, you’re Cas’s son, you should be next in line.”
“I’m well aware of who my dad is, and if I wanted the patch it would be mine when the time comes, but I don’t, so I don’t see the point in talking about this any longer.”
I shove my arms through my cut and grab my phone off the nightstand and pick up my smokes and keys.
“And don’t be going around spreading rumours about my dad, he is fine, and he will be home before you get the chance to miss him.”
I leave her in my bed and open the door. The hall is quiet, and I head for dad’s room. It isn’t locked, and I walk in and stop dead in my tracks. I was ready to be my usual dick self and wake him, but my little brother is not alone.
Curled up against him is a young girl. Her dirty blond hair is tied up on top of her head, and her button nose is nestled against Luca. She seems to be around the same age as him.
It seems like I wasn’t the only son who was getting some while dad was lying in hospital. I’m kind of impressed.
“Luc,” I grunt, and get nothing.
“Luca!” I repeat, raising my voice.
The girl is the first to come around and she panics when she sees me hovering by the bed. It’s like Luca can sense her panic and he sits up alert, keeping his arm over her.
“Leo,” he sighs with relief seeing me.
“Mom wants you at the hospital, I’m taking you now, no arguments,” I warn him, “I suggest you lose the girl.”
His hand squeezes her arm and I tilt my head, narrowing my eyes. Is he protecting her from me? This is fucking weird.
“I’ll wait for you in the bar, don’t keep me waiting. I’ve got shit to do, and mom will be on my case until she sees you.” It sounds like he is her favourite, but we’re both smothered by her love, he’s just the one who is still living at home.
I spin around and make it to the door before I hear her speak. Her voice is timid, and she seeks reassurance from Luca.
“Can you take me home?” she asks him.
“I told you, I got you.”
I leave them to sort out whatever shit is going on, and head down to the bar. No one is around, and I take out my phone and fall onto the couch.
Five minutes later, Luca comes down and he’s followed by his guest. I note they’re holding hands and he doesn’t look happy with me. Like I care.
“Where are we dropping the girl?” I ask, rising to my feet.
We’ll have to take the truck and that puts me in a bad mood.
“Apparently, she’s going home. I’ll give you the directions when we get to town.”
Raising one eyebrow at his tone, I know I’m going to regret it, but I still ask.
“Is everything all good?”
His eyes sweep over her and she silently pleads with him not to, fuck I don’t know, fight her on this?
“Everything’s fine,” he snaps, and they walk out in front of me.
I’ve asked, he replied, I move on.
As I pass by the bar, I pick up the keys to dad’s truck and shield my eyes against the early morning sun. It’s too bright, it burns my retinas.
The drive into town is quiet and the girl sidles up closely to Luca and he strokes her hand as he holds it on his lap.
Luca and I have a seven-year age gap, but we’re usually pretty close. He hasn’t been a big talker since he hit puberty, and I respected it, but I would’ve thought he would’ve told me if he had a girlfriend. He clearly has something tender going on with this girl.
“She lives on Samson Drive…”
“Can you drop me off at Hanks, please?” she asks me herself.
“How will you get home from there?” Luca asks her.
I listen in with intrigue and decide to head for the diner. It’s what the girl wants.
“I’ll walk, like I have done a hundred times before.”
“If I give you my key, you can go back to mine. No one’s home, you’ll be okay there until I get home.”
Seriously, Luca?
Still, I keep my mouth firmly shut and pull into the parking lot. She’s already pulling away from him before the truck comes to a stop.
“I’ll take home some breakfast, it will all be forgotten by now,” she grinds out, not wanting to talk in front of me.
She opens the door and Luca is quick to follow her out. He chases her down the few steps she had gone and blocks her way.
I cut the engine to try and listen in to their conversation, which looks heated, but I can’t hear shit.
I can see her lean up and kiss him on the cheek and then I see him dig out a few bills and give them to her.
Who the hell is this girl?
She is the first to walk away and Luca watches her until she disappears through the diner door.
He stands frozen for a beat and then backtracks to the truck. As soon as he’s in and the door is closed, I start the truck and throw it into gear.
“What’s the deal with the chick?”
“She’s my friend,” is all he says.
“A friend? I can’t remember the last time I slept with a friend.”
“Cause you sleep with everyone and have no
friends,” he throws back at me.
“Fair enough,” I shrug.
“Seriously though, you never said you had a girlfriend.”
“Because she isn’t my girlfriend, she’s just a friend.”
“Does mom know about this friend?”
Instead of answering, he puts on his earphones and blasts music into his ears. I get the hint and leave him be.
I turn the radio on to save me from having to listen to the buzz coming from his earphones and wonder when my little brother started to lose his baby face.
His shoulders are broader, and his jaw is more angular. His neck is looking thicker, and I reckon he’s going to be bigger than me.
“Have you been working out?”
I forget he’s wearing his earphones, and whack him across the arm, as much as I can from across the seat.
“What?” he moans, rubbing his arm.
“I asked if you’ve been working out?”
“Some.”
“Why?”
He doesn’t play sports, and he isn’t into wrestling. Maybe I’m wrong, he could be the star quarterback for all I know about him these days.
“I want to be strong, and fast, ready for anything.”
“Are you expecting anything to happen?”
His eyes slide back to the window and I frown. He’s definitely hiding something.
“What’s going on, Luc?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
Narrowing my eyes, I concentrate on the road instead of losing my shit with him. He’s unbearable.
“I’ll drag it out of you if I have to, I’ll pull over and beat it from you,” I warn him.
“Why? I’ve told you I can handle myself and you want to go some? I’m not a kid anymore, Leo, I will fight back.”
“Whoa, calm down, I just want to make sure you’re okay and if I can help, I will. You know I’m here if you need me.”
His eyes darken, and his jaw sets tight as he stares across at me.
“You’re the club now, but if I need my brother, I’ll be sure to try and find him.”
My mouth open and closes numerous times, and still nothing comes out. Nothing has changed over the years for him to say that.
“What’s with the attitude?”
He shoves his headphones back on and I don’t bother trying to push him for answers, he can be exhausting. Hopefully he’ll grow out of it.
The hospital comes into view and I’m grateful I can get out of the truck and away from him soon. Half of me wants to punch him and the other half wants to ignore the little prick. We don’t speak as we park up, nor do we speak as we walk through the hospital.
Dad is awake and sitting up in bed when I open the door to his private room, and mom is asleep on the spare cot someone has brought in.
“Don’t wake her,” he warns, and Luca beats me to the chair beside him.
I sit my ass on the bottom of the bed and stop myself from going for my smokes. Fucking hospitals and their rules, although they did save my dad’s life.
“How you doing, dad?” Luca asks him, “I wanted to come last night, but mom said to wait.”
“It’s okay, son. It’s good to see you two though. For a beat, I didn’t think I would see you ever again.”
My eyebrows pull together hearing him talk like this. He’s not the weak type, or the giving up type. It must’ve been bad, and I wasn’t there, I stayed behind because dad asked me to.
“Before your mom wakes up, I want to say we’ll find who done this to me, and he will fucking die. But, in the future, if I’m not so lucky again, I want you both to promise me you’ll look after your mom. I don’t mean pop in, and check on her, I mean really look out for her.”
“It goes without saying, old man,” I assure him.
Nodding his head, he’s satisfied with my answer and smiles down at Luca.
“Apparently you had some girl in my room last night.”
My brother’s cheeks burn, and he hangs his head, hiding his surprise.
“Don’t look so shocked, I know everything that happens under that roof, especially when it comes to you two.”
“She’s just a girl from town, she gives it up for everyone,” he smirks, and if I’m not mistaken, he blatantly lied to dad’s face.
It’s clear as day dad is trying to hide his amusement, but he fails when he chuckles.
“As long as you’re being safe, I don’t need to be a granddaddy to the town whore’s off spring given to her by my fifteen-year-old boy.”
“Trust me, dad, I’m not going to get caught out.”
I’m keeping my mouth firmly fucking closed. This is on Luca if dad finds out the truth that his son is lying to him without sweating it. The girl in his bed this morning was not the town whore and they didn’t do anymore than sleep. She was fucking fully clothed for Christ’s sake, and the way Luca was with her, it was more than a hook-up. I know that for sure.
“That’s good to hear, now, I want you to stay at the club while I’m in here. Leo will get you what you need, I doubt your mom will leave until I do.”
We both nod as mom wakes, and the day passes painfully slowly. I love my dad, but I spring out of the room like a jack-in-the-box when it’s time to leave.
By the time I arrive back at the club, brothers are everywhere, and Sparky is calling for everyone’s attention. I watch Luca find a chair in the corner and pull out his phone. Dad spent a couple of hours on the phone with Sparky this afternoon and dad has given him strict instructions about what he wants to happen.
I slide onto a stool at the bar and Tal, one of the prospects, passes me a beer. I nod and sink half the bottle before I turn and listen in to Sparky.
“After staying up all night and all day, Slade has found the guy who shot Cas. The little prick won’t even know we’re coming for him. We’ve got a clear look of his face on the footage from the gas station, and there is a tattoo on his hand of a star, clear as day. We know for sure who we are after.”
Cheers for violence fill the bar and I finish my beer, another one is passed my way and I take it without hesitation.
“While Cas is in the hospital, Leo, JJ, Ricky and Dex will ride with me and pick up the fuckin’ prick and the plan is to bring him back here. We’re leaving in an hour.”
Someone to my left sits down and demands a shot of vodka. It turns out to be Zach and I ignore him, taking my beer across to the chairs by the pool table. I park my ass and before I can see who’s winning the game, Pippa is falling into my lap. Her long auburn hair grazes against my arm softly, and her heavy perfume clings to me.
“Hey, Leo. How’s Cas?”
“He’s doing good,” I tell her, and catch Zara throwing me shade from across the room. I avoid her line of sight and focus on the game JJ has just won. Pippa winds her arm around my neck, and I wish I had time for her this evening. Out of her and Zara, I prefer Pippa. She’s a lot more flexible and adventurous.
“Looks like shit is finally shaking up,” JJ grins, taking a seat at the table by me.
“My dad was shot, shit’s definitely shaking up.”
“You know what I mean.”
Pippa starts kissing along my jaw and down onto my neck as India barges by JJ and sits opposite me. Little India McCarthy. Well, not so little anymore and Slade’s one and only daughter.
“Zara’s over there plotting your death,” she mutters.
“I think I can handle her,” I smirk.
“I was talking to Miss Easy on your lap,” she laughs.
“Hey!” Pippa moans, lifting her head from my neck.
I hide the smile on my face from Pippa and throw a mock glare at India. She cocks her eyebrow and smirks back. She throws up her feet and rests them on the edge of JJ’s chair, nudging his leg out of her way.
“Back off, McCarthy. Daddy’s too tired to keep his eye on you today,” JJ warns her.
It’s always been me and JJ against India. Zach could care less when it comes to her, but Slade, he runs to her rescue
every time, and when she doesn’t get her way, she heads straight for him.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Jason?” she snipes at him, knowing how he hates being called anything but JJ.
“You know exactly what I mean, every time we say something you don’t like, you run to daddy and nark on us,” he tells her, and sits forward, running his hand up her calf. She shocks the shit out of me when she doesn’t pull away from him. The last time we touched her, she was fourteen and we threw her bikini clad body into the lakes while everyone was hanging out there during a heatwave. She was pissed with us, and JJ copped a knee to the balls. I was quick enough to escape her wrath and fled the scene laughing my ass off.
“I wonder if you’d tell him all about us if we were to fuck?” he pushes on.
Pippa sits watching on the same as I and I’m more than fucking intrigued to see where this goes.
Flicking my eyes over to Slade, he’s busy showing Sparky something on his laptop and Zach still has his back to us at the bar.
JJ pushes his luck and pulls India’s chair closer to him, closing the gap between them, and leans in her face. She doesn’t move and neither do I.
“How about it, Indie, shall we go up to my room and I’ll show you what you’ve been missing out on?”
For a beat, she doesn’t say anything and my gut sinks. Before I can work out why I care, she raises her hand and holds his cheek.
“The only thing I’m missing out on not going to your room, is catching your gross diseases.”
None of us see it coming, as her right fist flies into his stomach. He’s too close to her to see it coming, and it winds the shit out of him. Coughing and spluttering, brothers around us start to take notice and JJ clutches his stomach.
“When you think of me, remember this isn’t the first time I could’ve brought you to your knees, and yet, you’ll never get me on mine.”
She knocks the air out of me with her words and an image of her on her knees looking up at me hits me, and my dick throbs. As fast as it appears, it’s gone, and I’m left smirking. India McCarthy is ruthless, and I’m impressed.
“What’s going on?” Sparky hollers over at us.
“Nothing, Uncle Sparky. JJ’s just got a tickle in his throat, I think he’s allergic to his own bullshit.”
His Father's Son_Sons of Lost Souls MC Book 1 Page 2
