CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Isaac woke and didn’t feel Lilli. He lifted his head, worried, and found her sleeping on top of the covers, her head at the foot of the bed, her feet on her pillow. She was sometimes a fairly athletic sleeper, usually when she was having a bad night. This, though, was a first—and if she’d dreamt, she hadn’t woken him, which would also be a first, he thought. She looked relaxed, so he switched his own position and slid up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pressing his face into her hair.
He was done sleeping, but he wasn’t done being close to Lilli. She didn’t even stir when he brought her close, so he relaxed and let his brain kick into gear. His meet with Becker in Tulsa had gone as well as he could have expected. Becker was unwilling to offer manpower, but they cut a decent deal on firepower, and Becker would handle the transport, freeing the Horde up from that expense of time and risk. Then Show had called him while he and Lilli were on the road home with two pieces of critical information: first, that his own meet with Dandy in Joplin had been a bust, and second, that Wyatt had called in—he and Ray were coming home.
That was yesterday. He and Lilli had gotten in late, unpacked the trailer, and gone to bed. He didn’t share with her what Show had told him; he wanted to keep hold of every possible second with her trouble with Ray set to the side. It had been late when they finally turned in, and they had both been tired, so they had simply curled up to sleep.
She sighed and snuggled deeper into his arms. Isaac’s cock, alert since he’d lain behind her, swelled full, but he simply held her more tightly, taking in the encompassing sensation of completeness he felt merely being close to her like this, knowing that he had her trust. He moved his hand to press it against her flat, firm belly, his fingers splayed wide. What their weekend away had told him unequivocally was that Lilli was his one true. He wanted a life with her. A long one. He wanted a family with her. He’d been surprised, too, at the lake, when the thought of her full of his child had made his heart expand, and he’d seen, bright and clear, the life he wanted. His woman, his child. A family, done right. Love filling his home in a way it never had in his lifetime.
They had Ray to deal with. He had Ellis, too. But he swore a vow right then, mouthing the words, that he would get them through this shit or die trying. He would keep her.
He could no longer be still, and he let his top hand roam her sleek, strong body, stroking the long planes of her legs and arm, cupping the curves of her ass, her tits. He tweaked a nipple, and she moaned and gently scissored her legs.
Nuzzling against the nape of her neck, he murmured, “There’s my girl,” and moved a little so that he could slide his bottom arm under her head. He felt her make way for him—she was awake.
“Are you faking?” he whispered.
“I never fake.” He could hear the smile in her sleep-sultry voice.
He chuckled. “That’s good to know.” He took her breast in his bottom hand and pushed his top hand between her legs. She was wet for him, and she arched her back, kicking her leg back to hook over his, leaving herself open to his touch. She reached between her legs to grip his cock, already trying to bring him into her.
He took her hand away and rolled over onto her. “Easy, Sport. I’m gonna linger over you this morning.”
She huffed. “I thought you liked our wild fucks.”
He traced his nose and lips over the contours of her beautiful, clear face, moving down the side of her neck. He loved the little hollow at the base of her throat, and he paused to lap at it. “You know I do, baby. I love it rough with you. It’s explosive. You are hot and strong and can take everything I can give you.” He groaned and flexed at the thought. But things were about to explode around them. On this very day, in fact. He knew that, but she didn’t, not yet. He wanted to linger, savor, love. As he kissed her, all over, down her arms, over her belly, across her breasts, he whispered to her. “But right now, I want to take some time and feel the way we slide together. I want it to build up. I want to fill you up over and over, I want to feel your skin moving under mine.”
She stilled, and so did he. He looked up, checking her response. “Jesus Christ, Isaac.” She sounded breathless.
Not sure yet whether she was still frustrated, he grinned a little. “You okay, Sport?”
He saw her swallow. “Yeah. That was sexy as hell. Do that. I want to fuck like that.”
His lips on her belly, he shook his head. “I’m not gonna fuck you, baby. I’m gonna move you. Let me. Let me have you.” She nodded, and he felt her relax completely, like she’d flipped a switch. With a smile, he ducked between her thighs and tasted her. He took his fill.
That morning, he made her come over and over, slowly, with his mouth and his hands and his cock. He made her come until she cried mercy. Then they showered together, and he brought her off again. Always in the back of his mind was the knowledge that this could be their last time alone together, and he did everything he could to make it count.
Then, he took her to Marie’s for breakfast. They greeted the regulars, and Lilli had her usual, as did Isaac. He watched her eat her waffles, carefully filling every square with syrup before she dug in. When she looked up and caught him staring, her lips glistening with syrup, he smiled. “I love you, Sport. You’re it for me. You fill up a space in me I didn’t even know was empty.”
She grinned smugly and took another big bite. She looked happy and at her ease. She was perfect.
When they were done, he rode her back to her little house. Not knowing yet that Ray was back, she planned to spend the day working.
~oOo~
For the first time in his memory, Isaac hated walking into the Night Horde clubhouse.
Even before he crossed the threshold, he felt the weight fold over his shoulders like a mantle. Ray Hobson. Lawrence Ellis. So much trouble focused on the club. He couldn’t shake the notion that his brief weekend with Lilli had been some sort of last hurrah. The choices he would make this day could determine the fate of his club and his town, and would determine the course of his life and Lilli’s.
When Isaac came into the Hall, Dan was standing at the bar. He was about to do his shift patrolling the town, Isaac knew. Wyatt was at the bar, too; he and Dan were drinking coffee and chatting.
“Hold up, D. Let me talk to Wyatt a minute; I’m gonna send him out with you.”
Showdown had been pondering the chess game, obviously, but his eyes were on Isaac now. “Show, why don’t you head back to the office with Wyatt and me. We can get him up to speed on what he missed.”
Isaac and Show sat Wyatt down in the office and filled him in about Ellis and the Northsiders, and the new plan for keeping watch against trouble. When Wyatt was caught up and understood the plan for actively patrolling the town and surrounding farms, Isaac leaned back in his desk chair and asked, “How was your trip? Ray doin’ okay?” Show gave him a sharpish look but said nothing.
Wyatt shrugged, looking morose. “Trip was okay. Put a pile of fish in the freezer for the next fish fry. Ray’s Ray. Ain’t really been right since he got back. Thought getting him out in the woods, doing somethin’ we always did, tradition or whatever, might shake him loose some. But I don’t know. He’s got shit goin’ on in his head.”
Isaac leaned forward. “What kind of shit?”
Wyatt simply shrugged again and said, “War shit,” but there was something in his eyes. Isaac saw it and knew: Wyatt knew about what had happened. Ray had told his brother. Isaac wasn’t sure how or whether that changed the plan, but it was something to be aware of.
He sent Wyatt out to take off with Dan. When he and Show were alone in the office, he asked his VP, “You ready for this?”
Show nodded. “Are you?”
Isaac was chomping at the bit, in fact. “We got four hours. Let’s get it done.” They waited until Dan and Wyatt left, and then they took the club van and drove south to Ray’s place.
~oOo~
They found Ray in his underwear, already half drunk, barely past noon. They got him dressed and brought him to the clubhouse promising all the booze he could drink.
What he really wanted to do was drag Ray’s sorry, drunk ass back to the room and torture the truth out of him. Isaac didn’t need Victor for it, either. He was more than happy to get Ray’s blood under his fingernails. But Show had talked him down from that idea. They were sticking with the plan. Ply the bastard with alcohol, get him blubbering. The thought sickened Isaac. It was plain that Ray was experiencing some kind of guilt over what he’d done. He was a broken shadow of a man. Good. Fine. Whatever. His guilt, when he’d never made an attempt to come clean and set to rights what parts of his crime he could, was hollow and self-indulgent.
Isaac wasn’t sure how he was going to sit next to this guy and drink with him. He had to do it, though, and he had to do it friendly. So he and Show sat Ray between them and got the booze flowing.
For a long time, Ray just blathered. He talked about their trip. He talked about Wyatt. He talked ad nauseum about hot chicks he’d supposedly banged. And he talked plenty about Afghanistan, too, but it was all gloryhound bullshit. Then, finally, when Isaac was beginning to worry that he’d pass out before they could get it out of him, he started moaning about losing his commission and being discharged after being passed over twice for promotion to Major.
In the midst of that pity party, Ray muttered, “Handed that damn cunt her oak leaf on a fucking platter.” Isaac’s ears perked up and his fists clenched. He looked at Show, who cocked his head and gave it a slow shake, his eyes turning to Isaac’s fists on the bar.
Isaac relaxed his hands and took a breath. “What d’you mean, Ray?”
Ray had been staring at his half-full glass. He looked up, startled, when Isaac asked. He seemed to be trying to think what it was he said, then, getting it, shrugged. “Hotshot chick pilot gettin’ favors, prob’ly cuz she was givin’ favors, you know what I mean. Got upped right past me, way before her time. She was supposed to be some big deal, but she got where she did on her knees, I guarantee you.”
Nope. Isaac couldn’t deal. Torturing the truth out of Ray was suddenly his only possible option. He came off the barstool fast, surprising Ray and Show. Show covered, flashing Isaac a look that said, you will fuck this up, if you can’t maintain, and then he asked Ray, “Sounds like a shit situation, buddy. Anything you could do about it?”
And Ray started to cry. Isaac stood there, rage jackhammering through his veins, and waited to see if Ray would end this fucking farce and spill. “I tried, man, but it all fucked up. It was s’pose to just be her and that pussy new kid flying with her. She was s’pose to go on a cargo run. Just her and the kid. No big loss. But then we had hostiles, and everything went to shit.”
Isaac stepped back, went around the bar and busied himself getting a fresh bottle of whiskey. What he’d heard made him want to bash Ray’s head in; he needed a little bit of distance. He let Show keep the lead.
Show put his huge hand on Ray’s back. “Aw man, that’s tough. You’re saying, what, you did something to make her crash?”
Ray was crying hard now; he nodded. “Just s’pose to be her and the kid! Wouldn’t have killed ‘em, just blown her ride, got her taken her off flight duty. All I wanted—get her out of the damn air. She wasn’t s’pose ta be flyin’ transport that day.”
Show, his voice easy, encouraging, asked, “Transport?” And Ray dropped his head to the bar. Blubbering heavily, his head resting on his arms, facing Show, he told the same story Lilli had already told them. Isaac’s fist was clenched so tight around the bottle of whiskey he was still holding it was shaking. When he noticed, he put the bottle back on the shelf. This bastard had had his last drink on the Horde.
He came back around the bar and slapped a hand down on Ray’s sloped shoulder. “Hey, buddy. What say we take you back to the dorms and you can kick back awhile, wait for Wyatt?” Ray nodded miserably, and Show walk-dragged him back to one of the rooms.
When Show came back out, Isaac asked, “We good?”
Show nodded. “I was already on board, brother. That’ll be enough for Victor and CJ both. Bart and Len, too. Probably everybody but Wyatt. That’s some bad shit he did. He’s got to pay. I’d want him dead even without your girl.”
“We need to pull everybody in, get this dealt with.” Isaac wanted it done before he left the clubhouse. All of it. Done.
Leaning on the bar, Show asked, “How’re we gonna handle Wyatt? This won’t go down easy with him.”
“We keep Ray, let Lilli deal with him here. That neutralizes Wyatt, keeps him from acting against the club and setting off a whole new set of troubles.” Isaac pulled his burner and nodded at Show’s pocket. “You call in the club. I need to talk to Lilli.”
She picked up on the second ring. “Hey, Sport. Got some news.”
“What’s up?” He could tell she was distracted, probably deep in whatever work she was doing.
“Ray’s back. We did like you asked—got him drunk, he told the whole sick story.”
There was a long silence before she responded. “Where is he now?”
“Passed out here. We’re calling in the club for the vote right now. Should go our way, baby. We’ll keep him here, and I’ll call you when the vote’s through. You can deal with him here.”
This time, there was no hesitation on her end, and when she spoke, her voice was strong and authoritative. He heard the military officer she’d been. “Absolutely not. No, Isaac. It doesn’t go down in your clubhouse. You have to stay clear of this. Get him home. I’ll deal with him.”
“Lilli, there are too many moving parts. It’s gotta be here.” The only way he could think of to keep Wyatt out of trouble was to keep both him and his brother in sight.
But Lilli was resolute. “I won’t, Isaac. No. It brings the club way too far into this. I won’t do it.”
He tried again. “Lilli—,” but then he realized that he was alone on the call; she’d ended the connection. Fuck. He also knew she wouldn’t pick up again if he called back. She’d made her decision. FUCK.
“Show. Hold on. Change of plan.” Rover was in the corner, playing Galaga on one of the old arcade games. Isaac called him over. “Rove’s gonna take Ray back home and hang out with him until he hears otherwise from you or me.” He turned to Rover. “Just keep him home, buddy. That’s your job today. Get Ray home and keep him there until you get word from me or Show. Got it?”
Rover got it. He and Show went back and roused Ray. When they got him into the van and Rover took off, Show came back to Isaac. “What the hell, boss?”
He shook his head. “God save me from women who think they know better. Lilli doesn’t want it goin’ down in the clubhouse. She’s trying to keep us clear.”
“I get that. She’s a good girl, but we’re not clear. No way we can be.”
“I know.” But his woman was stubborn and sure she was right.
~oOo~
By the time the club was in the Keep, surrounding the ebony table, Show and Isaac had been able to talk to Bart, Len, Victor, and CJ. All were shocked about what Ray had done and how Lilli was involved. All were dismayed at the way it bore down on a brother and sorry for what Wyatt would face. But all were in agreement that the club should not stand in Lilli’s way. Dan had been out with Wyatt, and Havoc had been out on a repair job and late back to the clubhouse, so they would be hearing of all this for the first time at the table, with Wyatt. They were wild cards. Wyatt was not. This was going to be a hard vote.
Isaac took a moment to collect this thoughts, then looked around at the faces of his brothers. “We have a hard vote today, brothers. I need to tell you a story first, so bear with me.” Without naming Ray or Lilli, he told the story they’d both told. He watched each man’s reaction. Most had heard it once before. Dan and Havoc clearly had not, and he could tell from their reactions that they would most likely vote with the rest to stay out of Lilli’s way. But Isaac was especially interested to watch Wyatt’s reaction. He looked surprised as well, but not in the same way. Wyatt looked surprised as if a secret he’d held had been revealed.
Isaac had been right. Wyatt had already known what his brother had done.
When Isaac finished, he said, “And here’s why it puts us around the table today. The female pilot I’ve been talking about is my Lilli. The bastard who rigged her copter to fail is Ray Hobson. He confessed to me and Show this afternoon. Lilli is here to render justice. Because Ray is family to a brother, we need to vote on whether he remains under club protection.”
Wyatt leaned forward, stunned. “Goddammit, Isaac. You can’t be saying you’re putting my brother’s life to a fucking vote! He did nothing to the club. This isn’t club business—or if it is, he is our business. He’s my business, my responsibility.”
Isaac leaned forward, too. “It’s not our retaliation, that’s true. And we’re not taking it. But we have to decide as a club whether we’re prepared to defend a man who got almost a dozen men killed because he thought having a woman doing the same job as him made his dick look small. Defend him against my old lady—also family to the club.”
There was a collective sense of shock in the room. Isaac was pushing it here; he hadn’t even talked to Lilli about this. But the stakes were high, and he had to go all in. Poker might not be his game, but sometimes he had to play.
Wyatt virtually threw himself out of his chair. “Your old lady? How can she be your old lady? You’ve known her, what, a month? A little more? Fuck, I haven’t even seen the bitch yet! She’s no family to me!”
Isaac was out of his chair, now, too, ready to fight. Show grabbed him. Dan grabbed Wyatt. Show urged Isaac to sit, but he would not until Dan wrangled Wyatt back into his chair. Then Isaac sat. Still standing, Show spoke.
“Seems to me Lilli’s status is between Isaac and her, and it’s not on point. The point is this: I heard Ray confess. His side of the story jives right up with what Lilli told me. It’s a true story, boys, and it’s an awful thing he did. He got away with it, and he let Lilli take the fall. No matter what we vote, I won’t stand in the way of her justice. Nothing can bring back the men whose lives ended because Ray didn’t like a woman getting up on him.” He looked at Wyatt. “I’m sorry, brother. But you know this is how things work. A man pays what he owes.”
Wyatt looked stricken but said only, “Vote.” Show sat down.
Isaac went around the table. The final tally was 8 to 1. Ray had lost club protection. Wyatt stormed out of the Keep. Isaac pointed at Dan and Havoc. “Keep an eye on him. He stays put. I don’t want him doing something stupid and digging himself a hole.” Havoc went straight out.
Dan was set to follow, but then CJ spoke up, his gruff voice filling the room. CJ and Wyatt were close. “Point him at a girl. Wy never turns down pussy, ‘specially when he’s het up.”
Isaac nodded, knowing Ceej was right. “LaVonne’s out there. She likes Wyatt.” With one quick nod of his head, Dan headed into the Hall.
Isaac held Show and Len back. He needed to get some things straight with his VP and SAA. Now that Lilli had refused to handle her job in the clubhouse, they had to decide how they would proceed. They talked it out fully, Show offering several scenarios. He was a long view guy.
But Len had the simplest, and thus likely the best, take. “Why don’t we let her do what she wants to do? I say we stay out of it. If she needs help, I gotta figure she’ll ask you for it, boss. We decide then.”
Show nodded. “He’s right, Isaac. She wants us as far out as we can be. That’s not far enough, but it’s the right call for the club. Give her the reins. She came in with a plan. Let’s let her work it.”
Isaac knew they were right. It was the right call for the club. They would have their hands full keeping a lid on Wyatt. But Lilli was his woman. In many ways, ways he’d not thought possible until now, she was his life. He had no idea how he was going to sit back and let this happen without offering her his aid. But he’d have to figure it out.
“Okay. You’re right. I need to call her, tell her we’re out of her way.”
She didn’t answer. He called Rover. He didn’t answer, either. He called Ray. Strike three.
Isaac looked at Show. “I need to know what Wyatt’s been doing since he left this room.”