Endurance

by Georgia Cates

  “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 Sin 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.”

  “Our girls’ night was cut short. If Bleu doesn’t need me to stay with the babies, I think we should come for a visit tomorrow night.”

  Lorna shakes her head. “Can’t.”

  “Come on, Lolo. It’ll be fun.”

  She shakes her head again. “I’m sure Westlyn will be happy to go with you.”

  “Maybe next time.”

  “Doubt that.” I was right. Lorna won’t step foot in Duncan’s as long as Greer is there.

  I give Leith an upward nod in Lorna’s direction as they’re leaving, an unspoken message that conveys stop being a pussy. Take control of this situation. Make her hear you. He returns the same nod and I translate it as his nonverbal communication for hell, yeah.

  Maybe.

  We move to trauma two and I crawl onto the bed a second time. “I should have had a few more whiskies. Or a bottle. I know this is going to hurt like hell.”

  Ellison pulls off the dressing. “This is a big laceration, Jamie. There’s no shame in letting me give you some local. It’s stupid to endure the pain when you don’t have to.”

  I wonder if Ellison realizes she used the word endure. “I don’t need it. I can endure the pain.”

  “Masochist.”

  “I think I could be because there’s no way I won’t be at Duncan’s tomorrow night.” I can already predict that going will mean trouble. But I can’t stay away.

  “Why would going to Duncan’s for a good time tomorrow night make you a masochist?”

  “Mac, you don’t see it . . . and that is one of the most beautiful things about you.”

  She stops cleaning my wound and looks up at me. “What do I not see?”

  “My brothers are the moths and you are the flame. You’ll draw them in. They won’t be able to resist you.”

  She laughs beneath her breath. “Men I care nothing about can’t resist me, but the man I want and love can. Talk about irony. Fate must be having one hell of a laugh at my expense.”

  She’s wrong. I can’t resist her. Not even a little bit.

  Ellison straightens as she loads the needle holder. “Are you ready to do this?”

  “Aye.”

  Endure the pain.

  Suffer. Cope. Tolerate.

  This will be good practice for what’s to come.

  Westlyn and I enter Duncan’s and it’s painfully obvious that we’re the center of attention. Well, I’m the center of attention—just like the night of my claiming announcement. All eyes are on me. And to make it worse, Leith sees me as soon as we enter the bar and calls out, “There’s the bonny surgeon who saved my arm.”

  Oh, God. Kill me now.

  Leith jumps and slides over the bar instead of walking around it. It’s kind of a hot move. I bet Lorna doesn’t mind watching him do that.

  “This way, ladies. I have a special table just for you.”

  Leith leads us to the back and pulls out two chairs. The table looks just like all the others so I fail to see what makes it so unique.

  “Shite, Ellison. Leith’s giving us the trinity table.”

  “What’s the trinity table?”

  “It’s where Leith, Sin, and Jamie sit. Always. It’s their table. No one else is allowed to sit here. Ever.”

  “You get a private barmaid when you sit at this table.” Leith waves over a tiny blonde. “Greer will bring you anything you want. All you have to do is ask.” Greer. This is my first time meeting this woman but I have an immediate distaste for her. She has caused my friend a lot of pain.

  “Give them anything they want. And I do mean anything. If they ask you to stand on your head and spin while you sing ‘I Once Loved a Lass’ then you do it.”

  Those aren’t the orders you give to a woman you’re sleeping with. Or have any affection for. I believe Leith when he says he hasn’t touched her in almost a year. I hate that Lorna wasn’t here to hear Leith tell Gr
eer that. I suspect she’d have enjoyed it.

  “This is Ellison MacAllister. She’s Bleu’s sister.”

  “I know who she is.” Wow. Greer spews acid like Linda Blair in The Exorcist. “What can I bring you?”

  I don’t guess I should expect to be welcomed by all Fellowship women. Many of them probably see me as competition. But I’m not—unless they’re after Jamie.

  “Hmm. Not sure. Don’t really think I’m in a whisky mood tonight.” I don’t want to go home wasted. Jamie and I are still making up for the two days we lost while we kept the babies.

  Greer dramatically huffs. “You do know this is a whisky bar? It’s what we serve.”

  Westlyn gives me her don’t-listen-to-her eye-roll. “Kenrick can make you anything but I love his Rusty Nail. It’s magic. That’s what I’m ordering.”

  I have no idea what’s in a Rusty Nail and there’s no way I’m asking Greer since she’s wearing her ass on her shoulders. “Sure. I’ll give that a try.”

  She says nothing as she slaps two napkins on the table and walks off. I bet Leith, Jamie, and Sin don’t get this kind of service.

  “What a bitch. Think I should watch her to make sure she doesn’t spit in my drink?”

  “Might not be a bad idea for both of us to watch. She clearly isn’t happy about serving us.” I was actually thinking it was more me than Westlyn. Her anger seemed to be focused in my direction.

  “Do you think it’s because we’re Lorna’s friends?”

  “Doubtful. I don’t think she knows anything about Leith and Lorna’s past. Few people do. To Greer, it probably just looked like a regular boss-employee relationship.”

  “Miss MacAllister?”

  I look up and see one of the men I danced with after my claiming announcement. Derek? Darrell? Shit. I can’t remember. “Oh, hi. How are you?”

  “I’m well. I was wondering if I could buy you a drink and maybe steal another dance with you?”

  I really don’t want to be bugged tonight. I just want to enjoy some drinks with my friend and then go home to Jamie and have some crazy good sex before cuddling up naked beside him and falling asleep.

  “I promised Westlyn this would be a girls-only night out. No men allowed, I’m afraid.”

  “I understand. Enjoy your girls’ night.”

  I wait until Derek or Darrell or whoever is gone to say anything. “The last time I danced with the brothers, Jamie drank a half-bottle of whisky and ended up leaving the party with another woman.”

  “What!”

  “Adaira drove him home, which upset me until he told me she was into women.”

  “Aye. She has a girlfriend outside of The Fellowship.”

  “Miss MacAllister?” Dammit. They aren’t going to leave me alone.

  It’s the pit boss from the casino. I actually remember his name. “Hi, Alan. How are you?”

  “I’m good. Better now that I’ve run into you.”

  “That’s a sweet thing to say.”

  “I was wondering if you’d like to take a walk with me later?”

  “I promised Westlyn this would be a girls-only night. No men allowed.” Same song, second verse, except this time I make a pouty face.

  “Next time you want to have a girls’ night, come to the casino. I’ll make sure you have a good time.” Alan winks and it gives me the creeps.

  “Yeah. Sounds like fun.”

  Alan turns to walk away and Westlyn smiles while whispering below her breath, “I don’t envy you.”

  It’s annoying. “Do we even want to stay if our conversation is going to be interrupted every two minutes?”

  “I think it’ll get better now that you’ve shot down the first two. Word will spread, and they’ll be too afraid to approach for fear of pissing you off.”

  “Maybe. We’ll see.” I don’t plan on being harassed all night.

  “Did you know Lorna hasn’t stepped foot in this place since the day she overheard Leith talking about her to Sin?”

  “I had no idea. Just like I don’t know anything about their history. She never talks about it. What in the world happened to bring them to this horrible place they’re in?” I’m one of her best friends. Shouldn’t she confide in me?

  “You need to ask Jamie. If you’re going to find out, it should come from him. Not me.” I don’t like the way that sounds.

  “Why should Jamie be the one to tell me about Leith and Lorna’s conflict?”

  “He was part of it.”

  Part of it? That could mean a lot of different things, and my inquisitive brain imagines at least a hundred scenarios. None of them good. “You’re scaring me, Wes.”

  “It happened years ago. Jamie didn’t know you then.” No one says that unless sex is involved.

  Damn. The man I love was sleeping with one of my best friends?

  It was years ago. Long before me. I can’t hold the past against either of them. But I can’t not know what happened.

  “Two. Rusty. Nails.” Greer slams our drinks on the table and shoves mine toward me so hard it turns over and spills in my lap.

  “Shit.” I jump up from my seat and try to shake off the liquid but it’s too late. My dress absorbed most of it on impact.

  “Oops. Sorry about that.” Greer’s apology is about as real as her blonde hair.

  Bleu was very clear about something. If I end up with Jamie, he sits on the council, which means he’s in a leadership role. He will need a strong woman by his side. As his wife, I can’t be like other women. I can’t feed into female drama and play their catty games. But when their behavior is unacceptable, they need to understand that I won’t tolerate it.

  “It’s okay. Accidents happen. Except that wasn’t an accident.”

  “It slipped out of my hand.”

  “When someone shows you who they are, you’re wise to believe them. And what you just showed me is that you play catty games and you’re a liar. Thank you for making it clear early on that I should never trust you.”

  “Ellison’s right. That was no accident. What’s your problem?”

  Greer cuts her eyes at me. “She’s my problem.”

  “I don’t know you. How the hell could I possibly be your problem?”

  “I’ve had this job for two years. I walk in today, and I’m told to clean out my locker after my shift because I’m no longer employed here. And then I’m told to serve you. Give you anything you want. At. His. Table. The table Leith doesn’t allow anyone to sit at except his two best mates. All of this happens after you’re put on the claiming block.”

  “I’m not the reason you’re losing your job.”

  “Liar. You told Leith he couldn’t claim you until I was gone because you’re jealous of me. Jealous of our relationship. Jealous of us fucking.”

  I laugh aloud because her theory is so ridiculous. “I didn’t tell Leith to fire you, and he isn’t claiming me. You lost your job on your own. I had nothing to do with that.” I shake my dress to see how soaked it is. “And I happen to know you’re full of shit for saying you’re still fucking Leith. He hasn’t touched you in months—almost a year. Do you know why? Because he’s in love with someone. And. It’s. Not. You.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Trust me.” I hold up my hand and form an O. “Zero. Shits. Given.”

  I glance toward the back of the bar. “Toilet?” I’m beginning to get used to saying that instead of bathroom.

  “Last door on the left,” Westlyn says.

  “I’d like another Rusty Nail, please. This time served in a glass with a straw. Not my lap.” And I’ll think about not telling her to stand on her head and sing.

  I march toward the ladies’ room but I’m stopped when I’m grabbed around my waist from behind. “Is someone wearing wet panties?” Jamie’s warm breath travels over my ear and causes goosebumps to erupt over the entire right side of my body.

  “Oh yes. My panties are very wet indeed.” As is my dress.

  Jamie pulls on my waist and
leads me backward into a room of shelves filled with bottles of liquor and supplies. He spins me around and pushes me so I’m pressed against the wall. “Those wet panties must come off, Miss MacAllister. You can’t walk around in those. Might catch cold.”

  He bends down and pushes up my wet dress before leaning forward to lick the front triangle of my soaked panties. “I do believe that is the best cocktail I’ve ever tasted.”

  The wet fabric makes my skin even more sensitive to the caress of his tongue. I’m instantly turned on. “Oh, that feels good.”

  He pushes his tongue between my legs and then slowly drags it upward. It’s amazing how all the little tingles fire at once and at the same place in the center of my groin.

  “I saw you put these next-to-nothing knickers on when you were getting ready and I wanted to spank your bum for wearing something so sexy around my brothers.” He pushes the wet crotch to the side and licks my bare skin. “Taking them off you—that’s all I’ve been able to think about since I watched you pull them up your beautiful legs.”

  “I’ll let you take them off.”

  “If I do, I’m going to fuck you against this wall. Your back will bear the evidence of how hard.”

  “Do it.”

  Jamie drags the wet lace down my legs and I hold his shoulders as I step out of them one foot at a time. “I’ve been wanting to fuck you while you’re in your high heels. I especially like the way these come up and wrap around your ankle. They speak to me.”

  Hearing him say that makes me giggle a little. “What do these shoes say?”

  “You want to feel sexy. Look sexy. And trust me. You do.” He notices. Worth the effort after all.

  Jamie stands upright and unzips his pants. “I didn’t know it was possible to want someone this much.”

  When he finishes, he comes forward and grabs my face so his palms are pressed to my cheeks. “You consume my every thought, Mac. I think about you all the time.”

  “I think about you all the time too.”

  He presses a quick kiss to my mouth before grabbing the back of my thighs and lifting me. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and hold tightly as he positions his cock at my entrance. And then slides inside me. Filling me up. “Fuck, Mac. Feels so good.”