Just Right (Legion of Guardians Book 3)

by Xyla Turner

  Damn, that sounds like a great idea.

  When we returned to the corner of the outdoor bar where we left the crew, there were three additions. Lori, her guy, and Donna.

  "Awww, shit," Shay muttered. "Good luck, man."

  She sauntered over to Bronx, kissed him on the lips and snuggled into her man. They sat gazing at each other like the rest of us weren't around and it was then that it hit me almost like lightening; that's what I wanted. I hadn't before nor didn't think I ever would but now I wanted that shit. The partner who just knew what to do.

  "Pollo," Donna purred as she saddled up to me. "Thanks for the invite."

  Her hands started to roam over my body and then she stood on her toes as her body pressed to me and whispered in my ear, "Missed you last time. Hoping tonight I get lucky."

  Her hand started to descend towards my crotch but I grabbed her by the wrist and asked, “What do you think you’re doing?”

  She was acting strange.

  All eyes were on us including Lori’s and even then, there wasn’t an ounce of jealousy. She just appeared curious as to how this would play out.

  Who was I foolin? I was dead to her.

  So, I pulled Donna by the wrist and dragged her outside.

  “Won't ask again,” I said through gritted teeth. “The fuck is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing, Apollo. I might have had a little too much tonight, that's all,” she said.

  “Too much of what?”

  She eyed me which explained it all. A prospect walked by so I stopped and asked him, “You been drinking?”

  “No, Apollo.” He nodded.

  “Good, take her home,” I told him.

  “No, I wanted to stay with you,” she cried.

  Looking her in her face, I said the truth which was the only thing that would work. Apparently, I had a knack for it.

  “We don't do that. You fuck me and go on with your job. We don't do events or stay any fucking where together,” I said, “So get on the recruit’s bike and go home.”

  “Who is it?” she sneered. “Which one of those bitches is it? It's between the black one and the short haired one.”

  She eyed me closer or as much as she could then she said, “It's the short haired one. You're too loyal to fuck with another man’s woman. Ah, but I saw the way you look at the short haired one. Yes, it's that bitch.”

  “Get on, now,” I yelled at the recruit.

  He grabbed her by the waist and put her on his bike to take her home or whatever address she gave him. It wasn't my concern and just as I was about to go to my room, someone stopped me.

  “Hey, Apollo,” a voice called.

  Yeah, this was going to make it official. I did not like this guy, even without knowing him.

  “What?” I turned.

  “Just wanted to tell ya thanks for doing the garden for Loriline. She loves it,” Henry said.

  “Just making amends.” I nodded and turned to keep walking.

  “Yeah, about those amends. That's over now, right?” This caused me to stop. “You've repaid the debt. The garden looks exactly like the magazine. So you're good, right?”

  Shit, the man must feel threatened by me; but there wasn't a reason he should. Lori didn't want anything to do with me.

  “Why?” I asked.

  “I mean.” He laughed. “You've done more than enough already. Are you a designer or something? That job alone could cost tens of thousands of dollars. There's that and then there's the other thing. You know, seems weird with you coming around now. I'm just the boyfriend, not sure how she feels about it, but I can almost guarantee it's awkward for her.”

  “So if you don't know, what are you saying?” I asked.

  “Ah, nothing man. Just wanted to know if you're amends were over or not.” He laughed.

  “No, I reckon they aren't.” I looked at him and decided to return to the party.

  Looked like my day wasn't over just yet. She wanted this dude?

  Couldn't be.

  Soon as I walked in, Lori glanced my way then returned her attention back to Kylie and Shay. Shay simply smirked at me and kept talking. The guys were over near the back so I joined them for a little more fun. Bear saddled up to me after a while and said, “I fucked up man.”

  “Haven't we all?” I nodded.

  “Yeah, I guess so. I want her man.” Bear laughed. “I really do.”

  Nobody could ever say I didn't vote for love because before I could stop myself, I answered, “Then fucking take her. At least she wants you back.”

  He stared at me a bit then he mumbled, “You're goddamn right.”

  Bear got up and said, “Word of advice man. You may need to take what's yours too. Fuck him.”

  Then he stalked off, picked up Dessy while she was on the dance floor with another guy, and brought her back over to the booth behind me sitting her on his lap. I couldn't help but hear them so I figured I'd just keep listening.

  “What are you doing Bear?” Dessy asked.

  “Want you on my lap,” he answered.

  “Why, Bear?” She was sassing him.

  Damn, she was like her cousin.

  “You want to be over my knee with all that mouth?” he asked.

  “I'd have to be yours for that to happen. Right?” Dessy was in full sass mode.

  “I'd make an exception,” he replied.

  “I wouldn't.”

  Oh shit.

  The booths started moving like maybe she was trying to get off his lap.

  “Stop!” Bear seethed.

  “Why? You don't want to fuck with me but I can't be with anyone else? Who does that, Bear? I'm not playing that game with you…”

  She was abruptly cut off and then I heard kissing noises.

  “I do want you, sweetheart. Can't stop thinking about you, ever. That smile, your lips, those eyes. I'm all fucked up.” Bear was mumbling against something.

  “But ….?” she asked.

  “You're so fucking young. What do you want with an old man? I got nothing for you. There won't be all-nighters, money, wealth or even stocks. I ain't got that shit.”

  “What do you take me for?” Dessy snapped. “Because I'm younger than you, I have to want something? I told you before, I just want you. Why is that so hard to believe? I simply want you.”

  Bear sighed and I heard nothing else from them. No kissing noises, only silence. I didn't want to peek but they were probably doing what Bronx and Shay were doing earlier.

  I turned towards Razor who was watching a pregnant Kylie on stage getting ready to sing. I felt like I was surrounded by all this romance and I was destined to have cheap thrills. It was unreal. I was not going to anybody’s heaven with the shit I'd done but damn, a little peace on earth would have been nice.

  A glass shattered and the crowd started to chant but this time it was because of a guy who had Lori by the wrist. Shay was helping Kylie and Bronx was on the other side of Razor. Her boyfriend was trying to talk with the guy as Lori was struggling to get away.

  What the fuck?

  I was immediately on the move.

  “Apollo,” Razor called but I kept moving towards the commotion.

  “Listen, there's no need for all of this.” Henry was trying to negotiate.

  “I'm just gonna do a little dirty dancing with her.” The man was pulling Lori towards the dance floor.

  “That's my girlfriend and she doesn't want to dance with you,” Henry pleaded again.

  “Get off of me, you asshole.” Lori started hitting the guy. “Let me go.”

  He shook her and that put some pep in my step. I leaped in the air and punched the guy in the face. With the force behind my punch he let her go and fell to the ground. I proceeded to follow up with a few more punches before I heard Lori screaming for me to stop.

  Looking down, I saw the guy wasn't moving. Then I looked at Lori on her hands and knees next to me.

  “Please, stop.” She had tears in her eyes. “Connor, please.”

&nb
sp; I blinked and saw her boyfriend standing with the phone in his hand and a look of horror on his face. Standing up, Bronx and Razor were beside me and I saw a few of our guys on the floor.

  “I was going to call the police,” Henry finally said.

  My face, like many others, twisted in disgust as they looked at him but I kept my eyes on her.

  Call the fucking cops?

  She stood up and kept her eyes on me for what seemed like eternity. Many things passed in those few moments and what I'd hoped to communicate was the following.

  You're really with this ass hat?

  Can you see I'm sorry?

  I'd always protect you.

  He was going to call the fucking cops!

  In her gaze, I'd like to think she was communicating the following with me:

  Stop showing up the man.

  I see you're sorry but that's not enough.

  I know you'd protect me.

  There's so much I want to say but can't.

  "Lori," I called but she turned away from me and went out the door.

  When I went to follow her, Razor tagged my arm and shook his head. I knew what that meant and he was right but when would be my time?

  Henry's punk ass followed her out and the rest of us started picking up the guys on the floor to toss them out as well. Then I went to my room because I could have seriously hurt something that night. A few minutes later, Bronx was at my door.

  "Shay said you need to put your hand in this." He tossed a bag of ice towards me as I lay on the bed watching television and sipping on my last beer.

  "Tell her thanks." I nodded.

  "You into Lori now?" he asked.

  My eyes turned back to the television because I was in no mood for a lecture.

  "I fucking knew it." He laughed as he plopped down on my sofa.

  My head swiveled around to look at the serious man with a smile as wide as the Atlantic Ocean.

  "What?" I asked.

  "I knew that shit." He laughed. "Fuck, I knew it. Well, Razor called it too but the recruits were betting against you. Bear was torn."

  "When has my love life been anyone’s concern?" I was fully alert.

  "Ever since you started banging that nurse and the headboard was keeping folks up. That's when."

  Fuck.

  I needed to get my own place and soon.

  "She ain't interested in me. Not after our last major scene," I finally said.

  "Man, you got to make her interested. Not sure if Shay told you how we got together but I had done some fucked up shit. Not as fucked up as yours though." He laughed. "However, she hated my goddamn guts. Wouldn't even look at me and nearly didn't talk to me for like four years. That shit was agonizing. Being so close and couldn't touch the one thing I wanted. Day after day."

  "Yeah, she told me," I said.

  "Yeah, but what she didn't tell you was that it wasn't until a man had a knife to her throat and I saw what I wanted about to lose her life that I said, fuck all of the other shit. I needed to take what was mine." He eyed me with one eyebrow up.

  Shaking my head in the negative, I started thinking about that guy holding her wrist and jerking her.

  "That shit will fuck with you. Not ever getting the chance to at least see if the woman in your dreams could be your reality." Bronx leaned forward. "God forbid, if Lori died today or tomorrow, or even got married, what would your biggest regret be or would you have any?"

  "That I never got to make amends," I answered honestly.

  "You did that. I saw that fucking garden. That's talent," Bronx complimented. "We'll talk about that later but you made amends."

  "No, I did something nice for her. That's not amends. I want to talk to her, tell her I'm sorry and I didn't mean the shit I said. Tell her how I really feel." Flicking the television off, I swung my legs to the side of my bed. "That's what I'd regret."

  "You're a Guardian, a biker and most importantly, you're Apollo," Bronx started. "You live freer than any man I know, so go on and live with no regrets."

  He stood up and headed towards the door.

  "I think you'll be surprised by the results." Bronx gave his parting words.

  Everybody had an opinion opposing mine about the approach with Lori. Leaving her alone was my opinion but everybody else had other ideas.

  Maybe it was time to fucking listen.

  Six

  One Kiss

  Lori:

  A few days ago, Henry had stopped by with flowers, a beautiful card, and his apology for leaving. He had said he felt that I was saying something about his sexual performance and that it had triggered a bad response. The man never answered my question, so I figured I'd bring it up another time when it wasn't so fresh.

  "Girl," Shay exclaimed. "Who knew the man had these kinds of skills?"

  We were all standing outside in my yard that could have seriously been pictured in a magazine or something. It was exactly like the one in the picture yet even better. Connor planted my vegetables, put in the shrubs, the pavers, sod, the designs, and painted the fence that surrounded the yard. White, just like in the picture.

  Henry turned pale when I told him who did it; then he wanted to know how I felt about him being back around. I explained it was him making amends and he seemed to calm down a bit.

  However, after the incident at the party, I sort of lost my shit. Henry followed me out but I was outdone and so upset about everything that had just taken place.

  "Loriline, where are you going?" Henry had called after me.

  "Home!" I yelled.

  "Come on, I'll take you." He had caught up to me.

  That made more sense but I was still livid and not at just one person but everybody.

  "Can we talk about this?" Henry asked when he pulled up to my house.

  "No, we can't talk about this," I said as I hopped out. "I do not ever want to discuss this."

  Slamming his car door, I ran in the house, locked the deadbolt, and went to bed. Not with thoughts of Connor.

  Definitely not him.

  The next morning, I was at the gym early, running to burn off some steam. There was a lot to burn and then I went to the punching bags because running didn't seem to work like I wanted. I didn't pay attention to the guy in there but by the sixth punch, I felt a presence near me.

  "Need me to hold the bag?" he asked.

  "Fuck!" I yelled. "Not you."

  Connor.

  "Leave me alone Connor, okay?" I narrowed my eyes on him.

  "No," he said and held the bag. "Punch."

  Fine.

  My right fist connected with the bag as hard as I could.

  "Feel better?" he asked.

  "When you leave, yes I will."

  "You don't mean that," he countered.

  "Oh, try me," I said.

  "Okay, Lori." Connor stepped around the bag and walked towards me. "Prove it."

  "Prove what?" He took another step into my space.

  "Prove to me that you will feel better when I am gone," he challenged.

  Oh God, he was in my face and those searing eyes were on me just like the night of the fight.

  "Apo..." His lips were on mine and my God, he was kissing me.

  No, I was kissing him.

  Wait, we were both kissing each other. His hands were on my ass, then my thighs and then my legs were wrapped around his tight, sweaty body. My back hit something and I could feel his long cock rubbing against my center.

  Good God, his tongue was down my throat and I was letting him have whatever he wanted. Fucking Connor had played me once again and there I was letting him put me on the defensive. Unclenching my hands in his long hair, I pushed him away.

  He let me down and when I was good and steady, I lifted my hand and smacked the dog shit out of him.

  "Don't you ever put your mouth, hands or body on me again. You don't have the right, not even to be in the same room alone with me. Ever!" I screamed and left.

  It was overreacting but this was my life and
Connor Locklear would never destroy or be a part of its destruction again. It wasn't entirely his fault he was a goddamn accessory.

  A couple of days later, Henry and I had dinner at my parents’ house. He'd met them plenty of times before but my dad had insisted that Henry come, even though I just wanted it to be us. To my shock and surprise, after dinner, instead of receiving dessert, there was a black box on my dessert tray and a kneeling Henry at the side of my chair.

  I almost screamed.

  "Henry what are you doing?" I asked.

  "Loriline, you are the best thing that has happened to me. I knew you were special when I first met you and now almost a year later, I know I'd be a fool to let this opportunity pass me by. I love you with all my heart and I'm not saying we need to get married right now or even in a year but please do me the honor of pledging your hand in marriage." Henry's eyes were wide with hope and filled with adoration.

  My mom had gasped and was digging her fingers into my father's arm; who looked like he was none too happy.

  "Loriline?" Henry called. "You're all I need."

  My head nodded as I begin to think of what I'd been through and who'd helped me transition. It was Henry and I needed that sort of stability in my life. So, I said, "Yes."

  "Oh my God," he exclaimed and rose to his feet, pulling me with him. "Wow! I'm the luckiest man alive."

  We embraced for a few minutes and then my mom squeezed the living hell out of me and my dad shook Henry's hand and pulled me in for a hug as well.

  "You sure about this?" he whispered.

  "Yeah, Dad. Henry's a good man," I whispered back.

  "I don't doubt he is but is he the good man for you?" he asked.

  I didn't answer that but squeezed him tighter to say not to worry. Everything would work out just fine.

  When I told my girls that Henry proposed and I accepted, they weren't all that enthusiastic either.

  "Why are y'all looking at me like that?" I asked. "What, I have to be married to a biker to be friends?"

  "Now, hold on one goddamn minute." Shay narrowed her eyes at me. "You come in here, flop on a seat and sullenly say that Henry asked you to marry him and you said yes. But you want us to be all happy and excited about it even when you're not?"