Over the next few days, the three women actively but subtly recruited for the new cleaning crew. Spence, Marsh and Eric played it cool, as if they don’t know what is going on, playing their part and acting as if they still supported the club.

 

The three women uncovered several more wives and girlfriends that were unhappy with the current situation, but they were unable to turn their men from the club. The women acknowledged their men were not happy with the direction the club is going, but the bond ran deep with the club and they wouldn’t turn against it. The three women recruiting didn’t dare mention that a coup was being plotted to help sway any of the men for fear that it would get back to Todd and his close circle of supporters.

 

Liv was the last to give up, but even she finally had to admit it was unlikely they could turn anyone else to their cause. Despite their failure to bolster their ranks, all thought that if the club began to pivot away from the darkness that had taken over, most of the members would leap at the chance to help depose Todd and his cronies.

 

Three weeks to the day after Liv had come to He’s Not Here looking for help, the eight of them agreed to meet in He’s Not Here after it closed. Marsh and Spence knew about each other, as Marsh had recruited Spence directly, but neither knew who else had joined. Eric was likewise unaware of who else was in on the plot.

 

“This is it?” Eric asked Jules dubiously when he and Rachel joined the other six at the table.

 

“This is it,” he confirmed.

 

“More will join once they see that Todd is in trouble,” Liv said with confidence. “They just need an excuse to bale on the club.”

 

“I agree,” Exotic said. “I have a couple of girls that are be willing to help, even if their men won’t.”

 

“What’s the plan?” Spence asked.

 

“To remove Todd from power and to take back the club,” Jules said firmly.

 

“Good plan. You have any idea on how to do that?” Marsh asked as he rolled his eyes and looked at Jules under his eyebrows.

 

“It’s going to be hard with just the four of us—”

 

“No shit,” Eric muttered.

 

“—so we have to start out small,” Jules finished. “I’m thinking we get the cartel to do some of the heavy lifting for us.”

 

“And how do you plan to do that?” Marsh asked.

 

“I think we should start running intercepts again. But this time, we take the drugs from Forsaken 99. I don’t think the Andres Cartel is going to take kindly to their mules losing their drugs, do you? Especially when the drugs just… disappear. No cops, no arrests, just poof, and they’re gone,” Jules said making a popping motion with his fingers.

 

Spence chuckled. “I like this plan. There is some kind of sweet justice in having the cartel put the squeeze on the club. But then what? Wait for the cartel to take out Todd?”

 

“That works for me, if it works out that way. But I had something a little sneakier in mind. Would you agree that if we could produce proof that Todd orchestrated the hit on the members that would turn the club against him?”

 

Jules watched as everyone at the table nodded except Rachel. She knew his plan because she had helped him hammer out the details over the last couple of days.

 

“Then what I propose is we keep intercepting the drug until the cartel sends someone to find out what the hell is going on. Then we bag that guy and we squeeze him. If he doesn’t know what we want, then we will use him to get the next guy.”

 

“That sounds risky as shit!” Eric objected.

 

“I never said this would be easy. Look, if you want to back out now, no hard feelings. But I’m depending on you to keep our secret.”

 

“I didn’t say that!” Eric said firmly. “But going toe to toe with the cartel is a good way to get our nuts cut off.”

 

“I agree. We are going to have to be very careful to hide what we are doing and make sure the cartel thinks that it’s Forsaken 99 that’s screwing them over. But I don’t know any other way to get the proof. We need it straight from the horse’s mouth that Todd called in the hit. I’m not sure anything less will do it.”

 

“Fuck…” Spence mumbled. “I don’t know if I can do this, Jules. I have my family to think about.”

 

“You worry about fixing this mess, I’ll worry about our family,” Tammy said firmly. “I don’t want Randall and Stu Two growing up in some drug infested hell-hole. I’ll take them up to Abilene and stay with mom and dad if I have to. I remember what it was like when we moved here and I’m not raising our kids like that. Just don’t do something stupid and get yourself killed.”

 

“We’ll watch his back, Tammy. We’ll have to watch all of our backs,” Marsh softly.

 

Spence looked at his wife then touched her face softly. “I won’t. But I don’t know how long this might take. It took years to clean up the town before.”

 

“You have until the kids start back to school,” Tammy said then smiled. “I’m not planning on leaving at all. We’re only going to go if it gets really dangerous.”

 

“You heard the lady, boys. That gives us, what, about three weeks?” Eric teased.

 

“No problem,” Marsh said with grin of his own. “What are we going to do in our spare time?”

 

“You really think you can draw the cartel up here?” Spence asked, trying to pull the conversation back on track.

 

“If we can make Forsaken 99 look dirty, then yes, I think we can. Todd will deny that the club is screwing the cartel, of course, and I can’t see them not sending someone to find out what is going on. If we’re really lucky, maybe we can make the Andres Cartel think the club has switched to the Cuervo Cartel. That would really stir the shit. Maybe Andres will take care of Todd for us.”

 

“What about the rest of the brothers? Aren’t you worried about them getting caught up in the blood shed if that happens?” Marsh asked.

 

“Yes. I don’t want to see anyone killed. But I am determined to take the club or destroy it. If we can’t turn the other members, then…” He let the sentence dangle.

 

Marsh stared at Jules a moment then heaved a sigh. “I guess we better figure out how to turn them before it gets to that point, huh?”

 

“Point of order, here. How the hell are we going to do all of this with just the four of us? And how are we going to know where to make the intercepts?” Spence asked.

 

“You can’t,” Rachel said. “That’s where Exotic, Tammy and Liv come in. And me too. We’re going to have to find out when and where the exchanges happen. Do you think you can do that?” she asked as she looked at the other three women.

 

Exotic and Liv looked at each other and smiled. “Bet I can find out before you can,” Exotic challenged.

 

“You’re on,” Liv replied.

 

“We can also bird dog the drugs. With three or four of us, it will be easier to tail the drugs without getting caught.”

 

“I don’t know if I like this idea,” Eric said. “This is something I have to do, but I don’t know that I want Exotic involved in this.”

 

“Eric, honey, I’m already involved. You saw what happened to Wade. They killed his whole family. Like it or not, I’m in this as deep as you are.”

 

“It should be fairly safe. We’ll just be following them in our cars. If we do it right, they won’t even know we are there,” Rachel explained.

 

“I don’t know,” Tammy said. “The kids…”

 

“We know,” Rachel said. “The three of us can handle it. Maybe I will ask Kristen and Pam if they want in on this. They have score to settle as well.”

 

Tammy relaxed visibly. “Thanks. I will help where I can, but I can’t leave the kids on a moment’s notice.”

 

Liv patted Tammy on the hand. “You have to take care of your family first. We get it. Don’t sweat it. Exotic, Rachel and I can handle it.”

 

“So what’s the next step?” Marsh asked.

 

“We find out when an exchange is made and we bag the drugs,” Jules said. “That’s on Liv and Exotic. Which reminds me, Kelly, when the hell did you change your name? And why?”

 

Exotic grinned. “You like it? Eric started calling me that and I decided I liked it. Makes me sound all mysterious, don’t you think? Exotic Archer sounds so much better than Kelly Wagner. Or even Kelly Archer.”

 

Jules grinned. “Exotic Archer. Makes me think you should be wearing knee high leather boots, skin tight leotards, and a cape.”

 

“I only wear those at home, for Eric,” she said with a wink at Eric.

 

“Why don’t you wear something like that?” Marsh asked Liv with a grin.

 

“Because I don’t need them,” Liv purred, causing everyone to snicker.

 

“Anything else?” Jules asked to pull the conversation back on the subject at hand.

 

“Liv, Tammy and I will continue to see who we can turn. As the club begins to go down the shitter, maybe we can pick off a few more. Maybe.”

 

“Just don’t give away our secret,” Jules cautioned.

 

“No. Don’t worry. We’ll be careful. The last thing I want is to have Eric having to watch his back with the club while he is doing this.”

 

“Marsh and Spence, too,” Liv added for good measure.

 

“Tammy? You okay?” Rachel asked.

 

“A little scared. I thought we were past all of this. And with the boys and all…”

 

“I know. Do what you have to to keep your family safe,” Jules said.

 

“Don’t worry, Pie. We’ll be okay,” Spence said.

 

“Pie?” Marsh asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

Both Tammy and Spence blushed. “Short for Sweetiepie,” Spence mumbled.

 

“I think it’s sweet,” Rachel said, trying to rescue them from their embarrassment.

 

“So do I... Snookums,” Eric said as he elbowed Spence.

 

As the group began to break up, Jules couldn’t stop smiling. This is the Forsaken 99 he remembered.

 

***

 

“I sure hope the hell I didn’t make a mistake letting you talk me into letting the women help,” Jules said later as they prepared for bed. “Tammy made me realize there is more to think about than just taking the club back.”

 

“What? Don’t you think we women can take care of ourselves?”

 

“I didn’t say that.”

 

“No, but you were thinking it.”

 

“What? You can read my mind now?”

 

“That’s nothing new. I know what you are thinking before you do sometimes.”

 

“Oh yeah? What am I thinking now?”

 

“You’re thinking how you’re going to take me to bed and make love to me until we’re both exhausted.”

 

That wasn’t what he was thinking about. Well, not until now. Maybe she did know what he was thinking before he did. “Is not.”

 

“Is too,” she said with a grin.

 

“Well, it wasn’t until you mentioned it.”

 

“See? I told you I knew what you were thinking before you do.”

 

He blinked at her a couple of times as he wondered how she had so effortlessly backed him into a corner. She twittered out a laugh as she pulled on his hand, steering him toward their bedroom.

 

“Come on, ‘Snookums,’ I need you to do something for me.”

 

As they snuggled into the bed, Jules slowly undressed her, his lips dancing along freshly exposed skin. He paused in his slow stripping of her to return to her lips.

 

“You need us,” she whispered between his soft kisses of her lips. “We can help.”

 

“I know. But I worry. If anything were to happen to you. To any of you. I don’t think I can live with that.”

 

“Shhh… Everything is going to be okay,” she whispered as she kissed him this time. “We’ll be careful. But this is something I have to do. I need this. I need this to help me deal with Will’s death. I’m so… angry… I need this to help me let go. I need to be part of making sure justice is served. I need it. The other night, when I thought it was all slipping away, I—”

 

“I know,” Jules interrupted so she wouldn’t go to that dark place again. “But I need you to be careful. I need you to make sure the other women are careful. You’ve seen what Todd is willing to do. They can say they understand, but you know what can happen.”

 

“Yes. I will. I don’t want any more innocent blood spilled.”

 

“Me either.”

 

They stared into each other eyes a moment and Jules could feel his heart warming with his feelings for her. She was much more than a friend now. So much more. He should tell her how he felt about her, but he held his tongue, afraid of giving voice to what he felt so clearly, afraid of how she may react.

 

She watched Jules’s face softened as he looked at her, his eyes peering into her as if he was staring into the depths of her soul. He had been looking at her more and more often with that tender expression, the one that was so clear between Exotic and Eric, Spence and Tammy and Liv and Marsh. A look of love perhaps? He hadn’t said the words, but she could sense that things were changing between them. They were no longer just sex partners, they were lovers in every sense of the word. She longed to hear him say the words, as she ached to tell him how she felt, but she needed him to commit first. She had to be sure he felt the same way before she could bring herself to say the words, to give her heart fully over to him. She smiled at him as his lips touched her own. She had fallen in love with Mr. Julian Franklin Rivera, and for tonight, showing him how she felt was enough.

 

He began kissing down her body again, pausing to nuzzle, lick and tease her nipples. She sighed in contentment. Sometimes their lovemaking was fast, hard and athletic. Other times, like tonight, it was slow, loving and gentle. As he continued to work his way down, his lips fluttering over her skin in gossamer light touches, she began to move under the delicious feel of his lips. Removing the last of her covering, he breathed lightly on her womanhood as he teased her with kisses on her thighs and stomach. But she didn’t want the teasing tonight. She wanted to feel his closeness, to share in their coming together, to allow the deep feelings to flow through their joining.

 

She tugged lightly on his arms, pulling him gently upwards. “No… not tonight,” she breathed, not wanting to be worked into a froth of desire so she could enjoy their coupling.

 

As he returned his lips to hers, she pushed at his underwear, taking his hardness into her hand and stroking him gently as he hovered over her.

 

“Are you ready?” he whispered.

 

“Yes,” she sighed in response.

 

He took a moment to remove his boxers then busied himself at her breasts a moment, enjoying the pleasing of her as he positioned himself between her legs. Taking her lips, he kissed her softly as he entered her, sighing to each other’s mouths, giving and taking breath in pleasure. He lowered himself, adding a bit of weight, enjoying the press of her flesh to his as he slid into her in a slow, pleasurable rhythm.

 

She sighed, her eyes closing in pleasure, pleasure of the flesh and of the soul. Never had she had anyone fill her so completely, the warmth of his touch flowing through her and filling a hollow space she didn’t even knew existed. Each of his slow, sensuous, plunges filled her with joy as his hands gently held her head and caressed her face while he softly touched her lips with his own. She wanted to shout in pleasure, not of the flesh, but of the soul, and she smiled.

 

“What?” he whispered as her smile in the dim light of their room sent a thrill rippling through him.

 

“Nothing…”

 

“Tell me…”

 

“Nothing,” she repeated. “Just you make me feel so… alive. Like nothing can touch me, that I can do anything.”

 

He smiled, tasting her lips once more. “As you do me,” he whispered. And she did. She had pulled him from the darkness of his past, the shining light of her kindness and compassion lighting his path as struggled to throw off his guilt and shame. Sometimes the darkness tried to return, to claim him once more, but each time she smiled at him, touched him, touching his face in that way she has, the light returned and banished the darkness once more.

 

The moved together, two becoming one, until she shuddered as a pleasant warmness flowed through her, causing her to sigh. He paused at she took a deep breath, smiling in contentment.

 

“That was nice,” she whispered as he offered his lips, lips that she took, wanting to feel their touch. As he started to move again, she gently pushed him away, breaking off the kiss. “Stop,” she murmured.

 

“You okay?”

 

“Yes,” she smiled, pushing at him gently until he pulled out. She continued to push at him, steering him to his back. She turned with him then pulled him into the seated position as she lowered herself onto him, taking him inside again with a soft sigh as she curled her legs behind him and wrapped him in her arms. They sat, two people becoming one, holding each other, his hands softly cupping her ass, unmoving except for the gentle fluttering of his lips on the hollow of her neck. She knew he hadn’t climaxed, but he seemed content to simply hold her for as long as she wished… and she wanted him to hold her forever.

 

He just wanted to hold her, to feel the warmth of her skin and the warmth of her compassion. She gently pushed his head back and he smiled as he looked into her eyes. She looked as if she were going to say something, but smiled softly at him and slowly bent to take his lips with her own. As they kissed she began to thrust her hips, her weight bearing down on him making the gently rocking motion incredibly intense. He tightened his grip, pulling her more fully into him, holding her tight, never wanting to let her go.

 

“You like that?” she whispered, holding his head to her chest with a hand.

 

“Yes.”

 

She smiled, thrilling at the pleasure she was giving, and receiving. “Are you going to come?”

 

“Yes,” he breathed.

 

She began to rock harder, the excitement of driving Jules to his climax revving her up. She had selected this position to recapture that magical moment on his thinking rock, recalling how close she had felt to him there, but she hadn’t expected them to come in this position. Even on the rock they had to change to a better position to reach their climax, but hearing him admit he was going to come as he held her close and tight made her reach for her own orgasm.

 

“I’m going to come,” she murmured to plant the seed in her own mind.

 

“Come with me,” he whispered as his orgasm began to press down on him. He kissed at her neck, enjoying the feel of her skin against his lips. “I’m going to come, Rachel. I’m going to come.”

 

She tightened her grip around the back of his neck and head, pulling him in tighter, her own orgasm beginning to form. “Wait. Please wait,” she whispered. “I want to come with you.”

 

Something about this position, her weight pressing him deep into her, the feel of her body against his own, her sensuous movement, was driving him on. He shuddered as he fought off the orgasm’s first attempt to take him

 

“I can’t hold it,” he groaned out, his eyes tightly closed as his fought against the climax pressing down upon him again.

 

Hearing the stain of his voice as he shifted his hands to her back, pulling her in even tighter and clinging to her, excited more than she expected. She was definitely going to come again.

 

“Not yet,” she gasped and her own face crinkled as she strained to reach her orgasm before Jules was overwhelmed by his.

 

“Stop!” he begged, but it was too late. His essence exploded from him, making him grunt with the searing waves of pleasure as Rachel continued to thrust hard and fast on him. He clung to her, battling through the release as his orgasm soared.

 

Hearing Jules cry out softly as he held her tight was enough to push her over the edge into her own climax. As her release burned through her, she stilled her driving hips with a gasp, allowing her orgasm to flow. She felt Jules relax under her, his breath warm and erotic against her skin as he blew out a long breath. She tipped her head over and laid her cheek against his head, breathing deep, feeling as close to him as she had ever felt to anyone, ever. Once again she longed to tell him how she felt, but held her tongue, afraid of spoiling this special moment.

 

He held her, eyes closed, content in ways he couldn’t recall feeling before. As his breathing slowed, he could feel a smile tugging at his lips. He started to tell her how he felt but didn’t, unsure of her reaction and unwilling spoil the moment. He held her a moment longer before he slowly, gently, tumbled her to the bed. He followed the roll coming to rest hovering over her where he could stare into her eyes.

 

“What?” she asked as she reached up and touched his face.

 

He considered telling her what he was thinking, that he was falling hard for her, but refrained. He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t tell her, fear or rejection perhaps, but he simply smiled and kissed her softly. “Nothing. Just thinking about how far I have come since we… became lovers.”

 

She smiled. He had come a long way, the darkness that seemed to surround him no longer shadowed his eyes, and perhaps that was the greatest compliment of all. She slid her hand behind his head and pulled him to her breast, holding him there as her eyes closed in contentment until, wrapped in each other’s arms, warm and at peace, she slid slowly into sleep.