Lincoln's Choice (A Ravens MC Novel Book 2)

by J. L. Leslie

  I look over at Sabrina and it shocks me to see that she’s enjoying this. She has a slight smirk on her face and she squirms on the barstool she’s sitting on as though she needs to relieve an ache. She turns her gaze to me and her cheeks heat red, but not with embarrassment. She licks her lips and the corner of her mouth tilts up in a playful smile.

  I tear my gaze from hers as the room erupts in a cheer. I know Sully must be finished with Thad, but I don’t even look in their direction. I slip out the back door and let it close behind me. I doubt I’ll be missed.

  I pull the pack of cigarettes from my back pocket. I put the cancer stick to my lips, but before I can light it the door bursts open. Sully stumbles outside and begins retching against the side of the building, steadying herself with one hand against the wall.

  “Shit.” I mumble and toss the cigarette down.

  I come to her side and reach for her hair. She skitters away, a fearful look on her face until she realizes it’s me. I gather her wavy, blonde hair in my hands and do my best to keep her from getting vomit in it. She retches until she empties her stomach and then she apologizes.

  “Don’t.” I tell her. “You okay?”

  She stands up straight, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “I will be.”

  I don’t follow after her when she walks away. I imagine after what just happened, she needs some time alone.

  I look for my tossed cigarette and pick it up. I dust the dirt off it and light it up. I close my eyes at the first inhale, letting it fill my lungs. I savor each drag until it reaches the filter, then I put it out. The music from inside the clubhouse is still blaring, but I don’t bother going back inside.

  Once I’m on my bike, I drive to my dad’s and slip in his back door. I know I should just go to my apartment. It is mine and I pay the rent there, but it doesn’t feel like home tonight. The clubhouse sure as shit doesn’t either.

  “You know you don’t have to sneak in when you want to see me.” my dad quirks.

  I shoot him a grin. “You got an extra blanket?”

  “Hall closet.” He answers. “You’re making a habit of this. Don’t you have an apartment?”

  I ignore him and walk down the hall, knowing exactly where to look. According to Luka, he never moved anything from where my mom put it. I wish I could remember her, but I don’t. Not anything about her. I don’t really think Luka does either. I think he just remembers what he’s been told. He was too young. Hell, I was being born when she died.

  “You made up with your brother yet?” he asks when I come back into the living room.

  “What brother?” I grumble, and settle onto the couch.

  I turn my back to him, letting him know I’m not in the mood for conversation and I’m relieved when he doesn’t try to carry one on. He doesn’t agree with the life I’ve chosen to live and that’s fine with me. He doesn’t have to. I’m just not going to argue with him about it.

  When I close my eyes, I can hear a re-run of Bonanza playing in the background and the clink of a beer bottle as my dad places it back down on the coffee table. I let the sound from the television drown out the thoughts of turmoil in the club. Surely everyone can’t be happy with Thad Harrison and his way of life. I’m sure as shit not.

  ~Sully~

  I pop the fill cap on the tank, pull the plug beneath the bike and then watch the oil drain into the drain pan. While it’s draining, I go ahead and get some 20W50 and a new filter from the shelf. The Rykers’ clubhouse may not double as a public motorcycle garage, but Cal always kept it fully stocked. Right now, I’m changing the oil on his bike. I’ve been changing the oil and doing the upkeep on the bike since I came around the Rykers. Good thing my dad taught me a lot about cars and bikes when I was a teen. He said it would never hurt for me to know those things.I sit back for a moment and look at Cal’s bike. I love the new paint job. Now that I’m finished, it seems like it’s my bike and no longer his.

  “Sully? Girl, you in here?” Sabrina’s voice calls through the garage doors and then I see her red head peak around the corner.

  “Yeah.” I answer, not necessarily wanting company, but not wanting to be rude either.

  “Where’d you run off to last night?” she asks, popping a piece of gum in her mouth. “I thought you’d be ready for more action after that.”

  She would think that. Only someone like Sabrina would think being forced to suck a man’s dick in front of a room full of people would make me want to fuck him after.

  “Well, you definitely got me all hot and bothered.” Sabrina laughs. “

  Had me squirming in my seat.”

  I don’t acknowledge that Sabrina has even said this to me. I know she’s a kinky bitch. Cal and I used to like getting the club whores to put on shows for the members and prospects and it was her idea to have the women do stripteases and go down on each other. The members loved it. As for the club whores, we didn’t really care what they thought about it. That was part of being a club whore. No one ever complained.

  “It wouldn’t surprise me if Thad didn’t want to go another round with you.” she rambles. “I mean, he barely lasted three minutes. When I suck Lincoln off, I think I’ll get fucking lockjaw he takes so damn long.”

  I roll my eyes and focus on getting the new filter on the bike instead of listening to her talk about having her mouth around Lincoln Varelli’s cock. Especially, when I’ve yet to have the pleasure. Unfortunately, Sabrina never takes silence as a hint that I don’t want conversation.

  “Hell, last night I didn’t even give Hayes a blow job.”

  “Hayes?” I ask, forgetting that I didn’t want to talk to her. “He’s back?”

  “Yeah. Lincoln disappeared on me after your little show and I needed to relieve the ache. You know I’m not a one-man woman.” she grins. “Anyway, Hayes had these beads and I let him put them in my ass and oh my fuck, Sully!”

  “I gotta go, Sabrina.” I cut her off.

  “You should try it!” she calls after me as I walk out of the garage.

  I wipe my hands on the oversized coveralls I’m wearing and head towards Cal’s room. As I walk through the clubhouse, several members are milling about, but no one pays me any attention. I slip through them, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself. As I come to the end of the hall, I hear my name being called and I cringe. I look down the opposite hall and see Thad standing at the door to the office. He waves his hand for me to come to him.

  I look down at my stained attire and try to think of an excuse so that I can avoid him. Maybe being dirty will be a turn off. I walk back through the main room and to the office. I take a seat across from him and wait for him to let me know why he’s called me in here. I don’t want to speak unless he speaks to me.

  Thad opens a desk drawer and grabs a file. He flips through it before tossing it towards me. It slides across the desk and stops just short of the edge.

  “What is District 32?” he questions.

  I pick up the file and open it. I blink a few times, shocked to see that Cal kept everything. Every picture, every transaction. It’s all there. Even though we had decided not to keep written documentation of this job for fear that someone in the club might find it or if the club were raided, it would be found.

  “I’m waiting.” Thad grits out.

  “District 32 is Cal’s distribution deal with Juan Gordino. After I make a full review and select the packages, Juan supplies them to us, Cal makes the sales at an auction. Juan gets thirty percent.” I spill. No need in trying to lie when it’s all there in writing.

  “Exactly what are these packages?”

  I glance down at the file and back up at Thad. I know he already knows this answer since he’s reviewed the file. “Women. Young women.”

  Thad’s jaw clenches and he leans forward to grab the file. I watch him flip through it and study the photos of some of the women who will be coming in on the next delivery. The file has them marked by date. Their name and age are also there.
r />   “Human trafficking?”

  “These women actually choose to do this. They want to escape the homes they are in now in search of a better life. The clients Cal sells to are businessmen, respectable men, and they will not mistreat these women. It’s most likely a better life for them.” I explain.

  “Was this Cal’s idea?”

  “Of course.” I answer, honestly.

  “And you support it?” he says, tightly.

  “I agreed with Cal’s plan and I always supported what he chose to do with this club.”

  “And what about me?” Thad challenges, his green eyes flashing.

  “I will support your wishes as long as you are acting president.”

  “Good. I want to meet Juan Gordino and I want all the details of the next sale. Since Cal is no longer here, I’ll need to be brought up to speed.”

  “I understand. I have already brought in another member to assist with the arrangement.” I don’t have to be happy about it, but I understand. He’s the president now.

  “And who is this other member?”

  I reply, “Lincoln Varelli. It was prior to your arrival, sir.” I see his jaw clench as he crosses his arms. “Anything else, sir?”

  Thad stands and begins unbuckling his pants and I feel sick to my stomach. This is not the life I expected to have when I came to the Rykers. This level of fucked up is not what I wanted when I chose to become Cal’s old lady.

  “Bend over this desk. I need my daily fuck.”

  Chapter Nine

  ~Lincoln~

  “I’m glad you agreed to come meet with me, Lincoln.” Griffin Knowles says and I just glare at him.

  Truth is, I’m not sure why I agreed to come meet with him. I thought we both said all we’d needed to say already. It’s certainly not because he’s standing in as the District Attorney. It’s not because we’re friends because we sure as fuck aren’t that. Maybe it’s because I wanted another look at the man who kept me behind bars a hell of a lot longer than I deserved to be. Maybe it’s because I know if he would have done his job the right way, I never would have gone through the things I did in there. I probably would not have been locked up in the first place.

  “Why am I here?” I question. “Again.”

  “We said some harsh words the last time we spoke.” he admits. “I want to offer you my apologies for- ”

  “Your apologies?” I scoff. “You want to fucking apologize to me?”

  Griffin runs a hand through his blonde locks and sighs. “I didn’t exactly do right by you, Lincoln, and I realize that now. I shouldn’t have- ”

  “Do you have any idea what it’s like to live in a jail cell?” I ask him and I know he doesn’t know that answer. “Do you know what it’s like to walk out to gen pop and wonder if the person behind you is going to shank you or if the person next to you in the shower is going to try and fuck you up the ass while you rinse the soap out of your eyes?”

  “Lincoln- ”

  “You sure as shit don’t.” I say, flatly and stand from the chair I’m sitting in. “You just want to sit in your big office with your fancy leather chairs and put people in that situation because you think it’s righteous. You think it will help you catch the bigger fucking fish. You don’t know jack shit, Griffin Knowles. Shove your apology up your hoity-toity ass.”

  “Lincoln, I’m trying to help you! You don’t know everything!”

  “Fuck you!”

  I walk out of his office without looking back. I don’t need Griffin’s apology or his fucking help. It won’t erase what happened. It won’t make me feel better about it and sure as hell won’t make the nightmares go away.

  I push the door open to exit the building and barely miss the brunette that’s coming inside. She steps past me and then I hear her say my name.

  “Raiden, right?”

  She smiles and nods. I noticed her look down at my hand and I follow her gaze to the Ryker “R” tattooed on the inside of my wrist. “I see you got your mark.”

  “Yep.” I reply and then see she’s holding some papers in her hand. “The Ravens still got the DA’s office in their back pocket?”

  She laughs at this and I can see why Luka fell for her. Aside from being gorgeous, I consider her to be the person who saved my life, despite her telling me a “team” worked on me at the hospital after I was attacked.

  “Now we both know which club had the DA on their payroll.” she grins. “I’m actually bringing my dad’s official statement to Griffin. He doesn’t do the courthouse scene and Luka is at work at the mill.”

  At the mention of Luka’s name, I look towards the parking lot, ready to make my exit.

  “You should talk to him, Lincoln. He misses you.” she tells me, a pleading look in her dark, brown eyes.

  “It was good to see you, Raiden. Take care of yourself.”

  I continue towards the parking lot and I don’t look back at her. I need to go somewhere to clear my head. Since Thad came into the picture, I’ve begun to second guess everything even more. He shot Burch in the back of the head as though he were our enemy, not one of our own. If he could do that to one of us, what else would we do to our own?

  There was a time I always trusted my brother and never would have doubted him. Then I met Cal and I trusted him too. When he recruited me for the Rykers, it didn’t seem like he was spouting off bullshit to get me in the club. It sounded like he was pouring his heart out to me about something he was passionate about. Why would he turn around and have me attacked? It makes no sense. None of it does.

  I climb on my bike and drive to a place where I hope I can get some solitude. Where three men were just laid to rest. I slow my bike to a stop and walk over to the spot where I stood just yesterday. I lower myself to the ground and lie down, folding my arms beneath my head.

  I call them my family and in my mind, I believe that to be true. But in my heart…I’m starting to have my doubts. What if what my real flesh and blood told me was the truth? What if my Ryker family was the ones behind my attack in jail? Could they have done that to me? As much as I don’t want to believe that, doubt has a way of creeping in and creating paranoia if you let it.

  I hear leaves crunch and I sit up, immediately regretting that I didn’t grab my gun from my jacket before I laid down until I see that it’s only Sully. She gives me a soft smile and shoves her hands in the pockets of her jeans.

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s fine. You just never know. I wouldn’t put it past the Ravens or the Drycos to pull some shit at a cemetery.” I tell her.

  “Do you really think they would?” she asks, seriously. “I mean, we didn’t do anything at Sonny’s funeral after we burned the diner down. I sort of think funerals and burial sites are sacred.”

  “I wouldn’t put anything past anyone.” I answer, honestly. “Shit, I just got my ass handed to me at a Mexican restaurant.”

  “Until I saved that ass.” she laughs.

  “I would’ve handled it.” I assure her. “Did you know about the diner?” I ask, changing the subject.

  “Yes.”

  “For the record, I think the diner was a mistake.” I put out there. “It had nothing to do with Raven business. It wasn’t necessary or even a beneficial move really.”

  “Cal didn’t get his way. He wanted a meeting and he didn’t get it.” she shrugs.

  “He didn’t really want a meeting though, did he?” I ask and she laughs a little.

  “Of course not, you know a truce can never be made. He just didn’t like being turned down so he had Fisk and Chase burn down the diner. It wasn’t his best moment. Obviously, karma came back to bite all three of them in the ass.”

  I laugh and stand up. “Yeah, it did.”

  “I really think it had something to do with Raiden Daughtry. He said it didn’t, but sometimes he talked about her and he seemed so pissed that she didn’t set up the meeting. He never mentioned the diner before until after he saw her about the meeting and then again at the hospital wh
en you were…”

  “After my attack.”

  She looks down. “Yes. That was when he chose to burn down the diner.”

  “Like it was some kind of retaliation?”

  She nods. “Something like that.”

  “So, Cal burned down the diner because I was attacked?” I ask, point blank, in the hopes that I’ll get a yes or no answer.

  Sully looks over at me and I’ll be damned if I can’t read the expression on her face. “Lincoln, I don’t think Cal ever did anything specifically for anyone else. He burned down the diner because he wanted to.”

  I nod, even though it isn’t the answer I really wanted, deep down, it’s the answer I knew I would get. It explains why I sat in jail when the Rykers had the DA on our payroll. Because Cal wanted me to.

  I start to ask Sully about that. Ask her if she knew anything about my charges and what went down the night I was arrested, when I get a call from Jason. I step a few feet away from her as I answer the phone.

  “I talked with Thad about our plan with the Drycos. He wants Sully gathering intel tonight.” he says and it’s almost as if he knows I’m with her when I didn’t even know I would be with her. “He’s putting the call in to her in a few minutes.”

  “Good deal. Do you need me back at the clubhouse?” I ask.

  “Yeah. He wants us going out on patrol early tonight. Made the comment about us being lazy assholes.” Jason snickers.

  “Be right there.”

  ~Sully~

  I lean back in the seat of the Nissan Maxima I’m sitting in. The car smells a little like weed, but Daphne assured me her little sister didn’t mind us borrowing it. It was already waiting for me when Lincoln and I arrived at the clubhouse. We didn’t want to use any of our vehicles in the off chance that a Drycos might recognize it.

  I barely had time to change my clothes and be given instructions when Thad was shoving me out the door. I pulled out at the same time that Lincoln and several members pulled out to go on patrol. According to Thad, our patrolling isn’t effective. I think he just wants action. When the Rykers patrol, the job is to ride our area and ensure no Raven or Drycos is in it. You don’t go to their area and engage. Thad doesn’t seem to understand that.