Sin closes his eyes and rubs his lids. “Her only hope for a good match at this point would be if Logan has kept this to himself. He isn’t one for stirring trouble. It’s possible he hasn’t said anything.”
“I let my jealousy control my actions. It was foolish. I admit that.”
“I haven’t heard any talk floating around the bar about this. I think Logan has kept quiet so far.” If anything were going around, the whisky bar would be the first place you’d hear about it. Tongues become loose in this place.
“We need to keep it that way, so your job is to fix this with Logan. Immediately.”
I hate the thought of telling him there’s nothing between Ellison and me. It’ll only fuel his drive to claim her. But I have to do what’s best for Ellison’s future. If I have to eat crow to make this right for her then I will.
“I’ll take care of it tonight.”
“Why take care of this shite at all? You’ve already admitted you love her so why not claim Ellison as your mate? She’s becoming one of us and needs a husband anyway so go on and marry her, for fuck’s sake.”
I guess that does sound easier to Leith, but like always, he hasn’t considered the consequences. He never does, and that’s why he’s in the mess he’s in with Lorna. “Think about it, Leith. She’s our leader’s sister-in-law. What does that make her?”
“Your cousin’s wife’s sister.”
“No, you smart-arse. She’s a target for The Order—a huge one they’d love to get their hands on. I’m a doctor. What good am I for protection if they decide to come for her while I’m out on a call that can’t be handled at the infirmary? She suffers because of me. She dies because of me. I don’t choose that for her.”
“Who is this pussy and what has he done with Jamie Breckenridge—a badass motherfucker who isn’t afraid of some Order members?”
“I love Ellison and I’ll hand her over to a brother who can protect her better than I can if that’s in the best interest of her staying alive. If you think that makes me a pussy, then fuck you. My decision isn’t the easy way out. You have no idea what kind of hell I’m going through.”
“The hell I don’t. The Order came on my turf and tried to take Lorna. Do you remember what I did? This whisky bar owner killed two of the three fuckers in here and then went after the third one that escaped. I did it. Me. Not a Fellowship foot soldier. Not a gunner or guerrilla. Not some guard assigned to watch over Lorna. I protected her. When they came back and tried again, who took a bullet to keep them from getting her? Me. I don’t want to hear a word about how you can’t take care of Ellison. That’s shite.”
Everything Leith just said is true. He has saved Lorna on two separate occasions. And Greer once. The Order didn’t get their hands on them because of him—a whisky bar owner. Not a fighter.
“Well that adds a shite load of confusion to what I’m already feeling.”
“Don’t count yourself out because you’re a doctor instead of a soldier.”
Leith has made some valid points worthy of thought. “You’ve given me new considerations to take into account.”
“I know all too well what it’s like to not get the girl. I don’t want that for you, mate.”
Greer comes to our table and rubs her hands over Leith’s shoulders in an overtly friendly manner. “Looks like we need another round here.”
I could definitely use another drink. “Stat.”
“No worries. You know I’ve got the trio covered.” Greer squeezes Leith’s shoulder and leans down so her mouth is against his ear. “Just a whisky for you, boss?”
“Aye.”
“O… kay then.”
Greer’s aggressive behavior makes me question the sincerity of Leith’s love for Lorna. “Are you still shagging her?”
“Not since the day everything went down with Lorna.” That was almost a year ago.
The interaction I just witnessed didn’t look like that of two people who are no longer intimate. “She’s rubbing your shoulders like you just bent her over the desk in your office and gave her a good reaming.”
“Swear to God I haven’t touched her.” Leith looks at Greer fetching our drinks at the bar and then back at us. “I think I may have to let her go. She won’t take no for an answer.”
Sin chuckles. “Leith Duncan is going to fire a barmaid because she wants to fuck. That’s a new one.”
Leith lowers his head. “I’m pretty sure Lorna knows I used to shag Greer.”
“Of course Lorna knows. You paraded Greer in and out of your office in Lorna’s face.” I actually applaud how Sin shows no mercy as he reminds Leith of what he did to hurt Lorna.
Leith groans as he leans back in his chair and presses his palms against the sides of his head. “I’m so fucking sorry for everything I did to her.”
“Bleu mentioned something a few days ago. You still employ Greer, the woman you used to fuck in your office while Lorna took over her workload. Think about what kind of message that sends.”
Leith closes his eyes. “Shite. That’s bad.”
“I’ve heard you say a thousand times you want Lorna back as your head barmaid. Do you really think she’s going to come back as long as Greer is here? But let’s pretend she caves and returns to her old position. How many times would she watch Greer rub on you before she told you to fuck off?”
“Greer has to go. I can’t let her be the catalyst that drives Lorna further away.”
“I rarely see Lorna since she left the bar.” It’s like she fell off the face of the earth. “What is she doing now?”
“Hating me.”
“Lorna hates what you did to her. Not you. Big difference.”
“I hate you, you son of a bitch. That sort of leads me to believe she could.”
I’ve seen the love Lorna has for Leith. It’s powerful but she is a stubborn, headstrong lass. She wears her pain like stilettos, only allowing you to see the beauty while she hides the pain.
“Lorna only said that because she was embarrassed. You yanked her off stage in front of a crowded audience of brothers.”
Leith asked Sin and me to go to the strip club with him that night in case anything went down. The fight he and Lorna had afterwards was bad. Very bad.
Leith pounds his chest with his hands. “What she should have been embarrassed about was her tits hanging out for all the brothers to see.”
“She wasn’t topless.” Yet.
“She was untying the string when I got up there. She was about to show her tits to every brother in the audience.”
Why can’t Lorna see that she was hurting herself as much as she was hurting Leith? “You stopped her. She didn’t show them anything they wouldn’t see if she were at the beach wearing a bikini.”
Leith sits back in his chair, shaking his head. “She’s still so damn angry. I know I fucked up but how long is she going to punish me? It’s been almost a year.”
“I don’t know, mate.” I’ve been told women have long memories.
“I love the fuck out of her. I just want to take her in my arms and tell her how sorry I am, but she won’t even let me do that. She refuses to listen to anything I have to say.”
There’s always been a storm brewing with Leith and Lorna. I saw it coming when the three of us were fucking her. It’s why I stopped. I didn’t want to be there when the shite went down.
Sin was somewhat of a selfish bastard back then so he was completely oblivious to what was happening between Leith and Lorna. I should have said something. I should have warned him to stop before it was too late. But I was silent because I didn’t want to rock the boat. I will always regret that decision. What we did with Lorna will always hang over our heads.
Sin and Leith healed their relationship after Bleu insisted they talk about their troubles. But I’ve never had that conversation with Leith. I’ve never asked him to forgive me. I’ve never asked him to put my past with Lorna behind us.
And I haven’t told Ellison what I did with one of her best frie
nds. Granted, it happened before I knew her but it isn’t pretty. I don’t know what she’ll think about it.
“You need to show Lorna you don’t see her as a whore. Romance her.”
“Hard to romance someone who won’t give you the time of day.”
“I’m sure women like romance, but Ellison told me that she wants an alpha who takes what he wants and is unapologetic about it. A man in control. Maybe it’s time you stopped giving Lorna the option of ignoring you.”
“My wife is tough but she likes being dominated when it comes to sex.” Sin shrugs. “Jamie could be onto something here. Maybe you don’t give her the option of not listening.”
“Oh, looky here. It’s the motherfucking titty police.”
Neil and Ross. I hate those fuckers. Always getting drunk here at Duncan’s and mouthing off about some nonsense.
“Titty Police. What’s that supposed to mean?” Leith asks the question but we all know what Neil is referring to.
“It means I looked at Lorna’s tits through her pub uniform the entire time she worked for you, and I was finally going to get to see them bare. Maybe even get a handful of them for the right kind of tip, but you fucked it up for me.”
Oh, shite. That was the wrong thing to say to Leith.
“You, motherfucker.” Leith springs up from his chair, flipping it backward on to the floor, as he lunges at Neil with a clenched hand ready to take a swing. Leith’s fist makes contact with the center of Neil’s face. I instantly recognize the broken nose before the blood gushes or the moaning begins. You just don’t go around starting fights with someone who’s been boxing for as long as us. Dumb fucker.
Sin and I get up from the table to move away from the brawl going down and Ross charges, knocking me to the floor and landing on top of me. Oh, fuck no. Shite’s not going down like this.
I flip us over so I’m on top and punch the bastard three good times before I feel a sharp pain to my right bicep. And then I see the blood. The motherfucker knifed me. I grab his wrist and slam it against the floor, freeing the blade from his hand, before I get to my feet and kick the shite out of him.
I hear Sin’s commanding voice over my shoulder. I hate when he uses that tone on me. “Stop, Jamie. We need Ross to fight in the takeover. He won’t be able to do that if you maim or kill him.”
I get one last kick in on Ross. “Arsehole can go to the emergency room. I’m not treating the fucker who knifed me for no good reason. Don’t care if he’s drunk or not.”
“There’ll be no emergency room for these two tonight. They get to visit Sangster for penance first.” Sin motions for two handlers to come forward and carry Neil and Ross away.
Those have to be the two dumbest fuckers in The Fellowship. I’m ashamed to call them brothers.
I take my arm out of my sleeve and examine the cut on my bicep. “Who takes care of the doctor? We didn’t think that one through very well, did we?”
“You have a nurse who can stitch that.”
“Not in her scope of practice.”
“It is tonight.”
Sin takes his phone from his pocket. “I’ll tell Ellison to meet us at the infirmary.”
Sin grins at Leith before he phones Ellison. “Lorna’s at my house right now. She might come too if you were injured while defending her honor. She might even offer a little gratitude.”
Leith takes his knife from his back pocket and cuts a gash across the top of his lower arm. “Will this need stitches?”
Leith holds out his arm for me to assess. “A few.”
“Maybe her leader should request her presence so she can hold my hand for support since I fought valiantly to defend her honor.”
“Done.”
The front door of the infirmary opens after we pull into the drive. Leith has a clear view of Lorna standing in the doorway… waiting for him.
“She came. I almost can’t believe my eyes.” Leith is unmoving after I turn off the engine. “I’m nervous. I haven’t seen her since the strip club.”
“What are you going to say to her?”
“No idea.”
“It’s going to take Ellison a while to stitch me up. I’m going to have her do you first. I figure you’ll be out of here in thirty minutes or less. You might want to ask Lorna for a ride home and use that time alone to take control and make her hear what you have to say.”
“I think I have to if there’s any hope for us.”
Ellison rushes to me as we approach the house and inspects the blood-soaked towel around my arm. “Doc, you’re supposed to treat patients. Not become one.”
“I assure you this was no fault of my own.”
“What happened?”
“We were minding our own business when Rutherford came by our table and mouthed off about Lorna. Leith jumped him. Sin and I were moving away from the table when Underwood charged me. No idea why. Was showing him what years of boxing with Leith and Sin had taught me. Guessing he knew he was getting his arse kicked so he knifed me.”
Ellison puts her hands on each side of my face. “Still think you’re not a fighter?”
She kisses my mouth before I have a chance to reply. “Let’s get you inside so I can have a better look at these wounds under the exam light.”
Ellison sends Leith and Lorna to trauma one and follows me into trauma two. “I’m sure you’re aware I’ve never sutured before.”
“I’m sure you’re aware I don’t care. Besides, I already know you can do it because you’re talented.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere, Doc.”
“Does that include me getting in your pants? ’Cause that’s where I really want to be.” This surge of adrenaline needs an outlet.
“We’ll see.”
I crawl onto the bed, lying on my side with my injured arm up for Ellison to examine. “Oh, Jamie. That’s a long gash. And deep.”
“That’s why I want you to stitch Leith first. He needs two or three tiny sutures and then he can be on his way.” I grin. “It’ll give you a chance to practice your skills before you work on me.”
“Will you watch and talk me through doing Leith’s?”
“Of course. I’ve always got your back, baby.”
Ellison goes to the shelves of supplies. “That should be dressed with something besides a filthy towel from the bar until I can clean and close it.”
“This was all Greer could find.”
Ellison spins around to look at me. “Greer?”
“Aye. Greer is Leith’s head barmaid at the bar.”
“I know exactly who she is.” Ellison returns to searching through the medical supplies. “Please don’t say that name in front of Lorna. It’ll upset her.”
“I won’t.”
Ellison opens a package of sterile four by fours and prepares them to dress my wound.
“Leith isn’t fucking Greer. He hasn’t touched her in almost a year. He loves Lorna. She’s the one he wants.”
“He has a funny way of showing it.”
“Leith fucked up with Lorna and he knows it. He’s trying to make things right with her, but she isn’t making it easy on him.”
Ellison narrows her eyes. Boy, she didn’t like that comment. “Is she supposed to make it easy on him after the things he’s done?”
“I’m not saying she should be easy on him but it’s been almost a year. There’s only so much punishment he can take before he says to hell with it.” Lorna can’t keep this up and expect him to stick around forever.
“Is he getting ready to throw in the towel?”
“He’s not giving up on her yet, but I don’t see him holding on much longer if something doesn’t change soon.”
“I agree something has to change. They’re both miserable.”
I hope Leith listens to my advice and takes control of the situation instead of letting Lorna run the show. “Maybe tonight will help. It’s an accomplishment that they’re together for the first time in a while.”
“Lorna freaked out when Si
n called. She was shaking like a leaf the whole way here.”
“Good. She needs to feel some kind of emotion for him besides anger and resentment. The fear of losing him might help her get her priorities straight.” The words aren’t out of my mouth before I realize how my statement pertains to our own situation.
“Yeah. You’d think that might help someone get his priorities in order. But it hasn’t.”
She applies two strips of adhesive to hold the four-by-four in place over my wound. “Come on. Let’s go do this.”
Ellison sutures Leith like it’s something she’s done no less than a thousand times. I’m not surprised; she’s great at everything she does.
When she finishes the last suture she looks at me over her shoulder for approval. “Looks good?”
“Perfect.” I continue peeking around her to admire her work. “I think my girl has done a better job stitching you than I would have.”
“Nothing like a woman’s touch.” Don’t I know that? And I’ve missed hers. Bad.
Leith takes a look at his forearm. “I’ve required a lot of these in my life and this set looks better than any I’ve ever had.”
“Glad you approve, Leith.” Ellison grins as she pushes away on the rolling stool and removes her gloves. “Next patient?”
I groan loudly. “I dread this like a motherfucker.”
“Quit acting like a puss.”
“You got three stitches, Leith. I’m getting no less than twelve.”
“Well, good luck with that.” Leith gets off the bed and looks at Lorna. “Don’t have my car. Can I catch a ride home?”
Lorna shrugs. “Yeah.”
“Drinks are on me next time you’re in the bar, lass.”
Ellison’s eyes widen. “Am I allowed to go to Duncan’s now?”
Sin has been very careful about Ellison’s association with the brothers. Until her recent decision to join The Fellowship, Duncan’s hasn’t been on her list of approved places to visit. And I wish it weren’t now. The brothers are going to be all over her.
“Hell, yeah. Anytime you want a drink or a dance, come see me at the bar. I have to take care of the lass who sewed up my arm.”
Complete Sin Box Set Page 83
