Everleigh…

At about the fourth yawn, Skids declared that our chess lessons were over for the night. I pouted, absorbed in his teachings and with a sigh, lovingly put away the hand-carved pieces in their velvet-lined little drawers on either side of the raised board.

It was a beautiful piece that I’d found packed away in an old suitcase with a busted lock in the loft. The suitcase had been trash, but this treasure had to be kept.

I picked up my nightgown, a find from the local thrift store, all peach satin and ivory lace, and probably straight out of the 1970’s with that vintage feel. It fit like a dream and made me feel beautiful.

I slipped into the bathroom and changed into it, and when I came out, the men were all in various stages of getting ready for bed, themselves. I crept up to the loft, Yale staring at me with those dark eyes that felt like they could burn a hole right through me if only they weren’t so cold.

I paused at the top of the narrow stairs and rested a hand on the rail that ran the length of the loft. I was going to miss the soft golden lamplight and the old wood worn to a satin finish. I was going to miss the quiet, the rushing sound of the river through the porch screen, and the lazy chirp of insects. Narcos stared at me from the edge of the bed and a sorrow passed briefly between us. I could tell he mourned the loss of our time together, too, the end of the peace and the solace this special place brought to us amidst the chaos, and the magic of it that brought us together despite, what seemed from the outside, absolute insurmountable odds.

I would treasure the scars on my hands, I decided. It was a momentary pain that had been unbelievably worth it, if only for the way he looked at me now.

“Come to bed, babe,” he murmured softly, and Driller, who’d been hauling his shirt off over his head, completed the action.

With a crooked grin and a wink, he said, “Ladies first.”

I went to Narcos, who backed his way across the bed and turned on his side, putting his back against the metal bars of the daybed’s surround. I slid across the crisp sheet and cuddled up to him, fitting my head on his shoulder, beneath his chin. His arm drifted across my shoulder, holding me to him as his partner and friend slid onto the bed behind me. I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, stiffening with uncertainty.

“You’re all good, bright-eyes,” Driller whispered in my ear, and he laid an arm gently over my waist, his hand resting on Narcos like they’d done this before. It struck me that they probably had, but something about this felt like, at least to me, that it held more weight.

I closed my eyes and relaxed slowly into the front of my lover’s body while his best friend pressed a light kiss to the back of my shoulder, his hand smoothing lightly over the satin of my gown, over the swell of my hip, to lightly squeeze my thigh with reassurance.

“Ain’t no place safer than between the two of us with three brothers to go through downstairs,” Driller murmured, his breath stirring my hair.

I realized he was right and I reached back and rested a hand on his jeans-clad leg. He chuckled lightly and settled and before long, was breathing deep and even. I listened to that deep and even breath, felt the rise and fall of his chest against my back, and listened to the steady tick of my lover’s heart beneath my other ear.

It was a rhythm and cadence that was hard to resist and before long, I was sound asleep myself and honestly, had never felt safer or more protected ‒ more cherished ‒ in my life.

The next morning, I was woken by the weight of my hair being swept aside and the soft press of lips to the back of my shoulder, making tracks to the back of my neck. I sighed out happily, and those silky soft lips pressed a kiss behind my ear. A girl could get used to waking up like this.

“Good morning, bright-eyes.”

I shivered and opened my eyes to Narcos smiling down on me, though it hadn’t been his voice in my ear.

Driller’s hand smoothed over my hip and halfway to my knee, much like it had the night before and I shivered again. He chuckled, his lips still behind my ear and with the sound, the warmth of his breath against my skin and gently stirring my hair, I felt my eyes widen and a gasp escape my lips.

Narcos’ smile became a pleased grin. I honestly didn’t know what to make of that, but at the same time, I was drowning in guilt over how aroused I had become. Driller got up slowly and backed off the bed, standing and giving a stretch. I backed away from Narcos to get up, but he grabbed me gently around the waist and dipped his head.

I turned my face up to his and felt relief flood my veins as he kissed me gently.

I could definitely get used to waking up like this.

“Don’t you kinky fuckers make this any more complicated for me than it already is,” Yale called from downstairs and I froze.

“You’re one to talk!” Driller called back, caustically.

I looked at Narcos curiously and he pressed a finger to his lips in the classic shushing motion and winked one of his smiling green eyes at me. I relaxed and trusted that he would tell me later.

“Fuck this noise,” Golden groaned. “I want my bed and my woman. You’re all fuckin’ knees and elbows, old man.”

“Not like I was going to snuggle your dumb ass,” Skids grumbled, and I stuffed a hand against my mouth to stifle a giggle.

Narcos cracked a grin and I lost it, I couldn’t help it. The giggle escaped.

“What’s so funny?” Skids demanded and Driller rolled his eyes. “No laughter before coffee.”

“No nothing before coffee,” Golden called out and I could hear the eye roll in his voice.

“I’ll make some coffee, then,” I murmured, only loud enough for Driller and Narcos to hear.

“Huh,” Driller said, as I stood and stretched myself. “I guess I’m one of the chosen ones.”

I blushed and smiled what Narcos called my ‘Mona Lisa smile’ and padded down the stairs to the kitchen.

Coffee was made, the dragons were slain, and everyone was much happier for it. Although how on earth they drank their coffee black, I would never know. We didn’t have any milk left, so it was tea with honey for me.

I held up the jar and waggled it back and forth at Narcos.

“We got about an hour before we have to hit the road?” he asked.

“What for?” Skids wanted to know, and Yale echoed the inquiry with his expression.

“Everleigh to run an errand.”

Yale shook his head and I twisted my lips into disappointment. It would have been nice to get a little more before we left. The hive was huge and I wanted to try my completed beekeeper’s hat, which rested on top of my leather bag.

“What did you want to do?” Skids asked. Then he smiled; “You tell us yourself, we’ll make the time.”

I scowled at his blatant attempt at bribery, and with them all staring at me intently, drew a breath. My throat squeezed tight and all I managed to get out was a short, strangled noise.

“Easy now, take your time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, but the builders had to start somewhere, with at least one brick. Come on now, you can lay that brick.” Skid’s voice was gentle, encouraging, and I looked to Narcos, helpless.

“Just you and me, babe. Talk to me,” he said quietly.

I opened my mouth, drew a deep breath, and stammered out, “I’d like to get more honey.”

I blushed furiously at the light smattering of applause and Skids said, “Narcos, what do you got around here for breakfast?”

Narcos came to me and kissed my forehead, “You did good, baby. You did real good. Go quick.”

I rushed through getting dressed, grabbed my basket with its kitchen knife and jars, and bolted out the back door, hat in hand, before any of them could change their minds.

I made quick work of my special errand, and said goodbye to my bees, the woods, the river, and the sense of peace it had brought me. I didn’t take too much honey, just a few jelly jars to hopefully last me until I could come back. One of them, I planned to give our hostess, wherever we were going.

When I slipped back in the back door of the cabin, I was greeted by some rather thoughtful looks. I blushed and set the jars on the table, and gave a little shrug.

“Now, that’s impressive,” Yale stated and I had to smile.

“Definitely a unique skill,” Skids agreed.

“I’m impressed,” Golden said and I got the impression that he didn’t impress all that easily. He let out a gusty sigh and said, “Now can we please go home? I miss my woman.”

“Whipped,” Yale said dryly, and Golden raised an eyebrow.

“Like you don’t miss Aly,” he accused.

“Oh, for sure,” Yale said and I could tell he just barely bit back saying more, but the sinister, dirty grin he shot in Golden’s direction coupled with the hints dropped the night before led me to believe that if whips were involved, Yale was the one wielding them. It made my mouth a little dry just thinking about it and I wondered if I would ever meet the woman he was with and what she was like.

Meek. I thought to myself. She would have to be. Meek and subservient.

I shoved my judgments about a woman I didn’t know to the back of my mind and helped with loading things out the front door and down the long walk to the motorcycles. The old truck was pulled into the garage, the cabin closed up tightly.

Skids came out with the chessboard and put it into one of his saddlebags. When I stared at him, he chuckled and told me, “Don’t look at me in that tone of voice. Lessons ain’t over, yet. Gonna need something to keep teaching you on.”

It made me smile and nod in appreciation as he made sure that the board was secured and safe.

Narcos ended up bungee-cording my leather bag down tight behind my seat, and I held out my beekeeper’s hat with a worried frown. He asked, “Anybody got any ideas on how to get this back with us without killing it?”

“Should fit sideways in one of my bags. Give it here.” Narcos handed it over to Driller, who worked for several moments, kneeling by the side of his bike. He stood up triumphantly and said, “We’re good to go.”

It was a long ride with a few stops along the way. I expected to go over the bay bridge and into the city, but we turned off the freeway just before it and wound up in a very nice neighborhood of houses in various sizes, some older and some newly built.

The garage door on one of the houses started to trundle up at the sound of the approaching bikes, and without hesitation Narcos pulled past the pickup parked on the street, up the driveway, and into the garage, stopping beside another motorcycle parked to one side. I jumped off and worked at the chinstrap of my helmet, weary from the long ride. The garage door began to shut even as the rest of our entourage heeled down their kickstands outside.

“You made it,” a voice called, and I jumped slightly.

“Sure did. Everleigh, Youngblood. Youngblood, this is Everleigh.”

“Nice to meet you, Everleigh.” The man nodded politely, sandy hair over a fair face with a slightly Latin cast to his features. His steely blue eyes roved over my face even as mine roved his. He smiled, flashing dimples, and I nodded politely in return.

“Ev, baby,” Narcos murmured and I jumped slightly and turned back to him. He held out my leather bag, which he’d unstrapped as Youngblood and I took one another’s measure. I took it, and Youngblood held open the door leading from inside of the garage to inside his house. I scurried past him nervously as Narcos caught up and followed me through.

I was half-met by the rest of the men coming through the front door, which was held by a woman with long, straight, dark hair and equally dark eyes. She was lovely, and reminded me of a young Monica Bellucci.

She shut the door behind them and turned, smiling, and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Chrissy.” I raised a hand and gave her a feeble wave. She was beautiful, compared to me, and my insecurities raged.

“That’s Everleigh,” Driller said with a shrug. “She needs to get better at talking.”

I scowled at him and he raised his eyebrows. “Tell me when I’m lying, bright-eyes.” I scowled harder and he gave me a tight-lipped smile. “That’s what I thought.”

I gave him the finger without thinking, and immediately blushed a bright crimson. Chrissy just laughed.

“Looks like she’s got you pegged,” she said.

“I’m an asshole,” he agreed, then pointed to a round patch on his cut. “Got the merit badge to prove it.” I blinked and moved a little closer and, sure enough, the patch was of the letter ‘A’ with wings behind it in the middle, and ‘Asshole’ curved at the top and ‘Merit Badge’ curving up from the bottom.

I closed my eyes and shook my head faintly while the rest of the guys laughed softly. Chrissy rolled her eyes behind Driller when I opened mine and smiled.

“You’re probably exhausted,” she said and I shrugged faintly. The ride was long, but I was used to long rides. It wasn’t so bad; I loved to ride and it was probably the last time I would get to for a while.

“Come on, I’ll show you up to the guest room and the guest bath.” I nodded and glanced at Narcos who gave me an encouraging smile and nod of his head.

I hefted my bag of clothes and followed Chrissy upstairs and down the hall. She touched a door and said, “Bathroom is here, and the guest room…” She trailed up the hall two more doors and touched a door in the opposite wall to the bathroom and turned, “is right here.” She twisted the knob, shoving it in. It stuck slightly in the frame and she grimaced.

“I keep telling Tony he needs to fix that. One of his brothers stayed with us and got angry. He slammed it so hard it hasn’t been quite right since.”

I waved it off. Truthfully, I liked that it stuck. It would give me a split second longer to react if things went wrong.

She smiled at me and said, “You really don’t say much do you?” I shook my head and her smile grew. It was warm and inviting, and I thought to myself, I could easily like Chrissy.

“Well, that’s all right. Would you like me to leave you to it for now?” I nodded and she gave a slight nod in return, before she startled a bit and said, “Oh! I almost forgot, towels and washcloths are here in the hall closet.”

She ducked back out into the hall and I left my bag on the bed and stood in the room’s doorway. She opened a narrow door in the hall and revealed shelves of towels and washcloths and neatly-organized spare bathroom products like bars of soap, hand soap for the sink, and others, like Q-tips, cotton balls, and first-aid stuff.

I nodded and admired the organization of it all.

I liked to be organized, which had been easier said than done, living with a bunch of drunk-off-their-asses and drugged-out-of-their-minds bikers. It was nice being in a home without holes in the walls or graffiti done in Sharpie, where it didn’t stink of weed and there weren’t beer stains – or worse – in the carpets, and nicotine didn’t practically drip from the ceilings.

It was bright in Tony and Chrissy’s home, too. The curtains were gauzy for privacy, the thicker drapes open to let the light in. Much better than having a big Harley-Davidson faux-fur blanket tacked over the windows, which had aluminum foil in them.

I felt like I had been living in a cave, and it was nice to be somewhere full of light and air.

I pressed my lips together and wanted to say ‘thank you’, wanted to say ‘it was beautiful here and someday I wished I had a home like it’, but the words wouldn’t come. Chrissy sensed I wanted to say something, like people often did, and waited me out patiently, but I finally shook my head.

“Just relax, our castle is your castle for now. No pressure to be social; everything at your own pace.”

I nodded, grateful, and she gave a little wave and drifted back down the hall, disappearing down the stairs.

I waited a heartbeat or two and raided her towel closet for a pair of dark towels I didn’t think my hair would accidentally dye, or if it did, it at least wouldn’t show. I went and got a dress out of my bag and winced at how rolling it had wrinkled it, but beggars couldn’t be choosers and I was grateful for Golden’s packing help.

I opened the closet in the bedroom and breathed a sigh of relief at the empty hangers along the rod. I plucked one down for the dress and brought it into the bathroom with me. I figured a hot shower would be really nice and the steam might help release some of the wrinkles.

It wasn’t long before I had some company. I heard the door open and peeked around the curtain, relieved when I saw Narcos. He set about stripping down and I went back to washing the grit from the road out of my hair. He stepped in the tub and buried his hands in my long, long hair and stepped close to me. I immediately relaxed, smiling faintly while the hot water sluiced through my locks.

“You’re so fuckin’ beautiful to me it hurts sometimes,” he said, in a rough whisper that was barely audible above the shower spray. I opened my eyes and his smile, a match for my own, was something else, as his earthy green eyes traveled over my face. I put my arms around him and cuddled close, and he sighed in contentment.

“I want you,” I murmured and he chuckled and nodded.

“Right back at‘cha, babe.”

“Mm, should probably settle in and maybe wait until it’s just you and me, huh?” I asked softly.

He nodded, but bent and kissed me anyways. It was like heaven, but I ached for more, for a deeper touch that only he seemed to be able to give me. When he loved my body, I swore it was like he touched me soul-deep, a connection so fine and otherworldly, I could suddenly believe that soulmates was a thing.

He gathered me close and we rested, standing beneath the hot shower spray, washing one another clean, holding each other, kissing, touching; drinking the water from one another’s skins. I don’t know how long we showered together, but it was enough for the water to grow tepid. We got out and started all over again, running towels over each other, exploring every inch between us through the rough, absorbent material.

“You’re killing me, babe. With every look from those jewel-bright eyes, I lose another little piece of myself to you.” He kissed me softly and whispered against my lips, “And I don’t regret it.”

I shuddered and would have given anything for him to take me. Hard, soft, I didn’t care as long as he was inside me, against me, moving over me, but alas, it wasn’t to be. A knock fell on the other side of the bathroom door and Tony called out gently, “Food’s ready.”

I hid my face against Narcos’ chest as we both laughed softly, like a pair of teens caught necking on the front porch, caught by the girl’s father… a rite of passage I’d never experienced, and I thanked my lucky stars for that. My father likely would have beaten my ass six ways to Sunday.

“Come on, let’s get dressed and get some food in us,” he said softly, smoothing my hair back from my face. I stared up into his, memorizing his smile, the light in his eyes as he looked at me and I felt like I was falling, except I never wanted to stop.

“I… I love you,” I whispered, scared how he might react. I didn’t have to worry. His arms went around me and he held me tightly to his hard body as if I had just given him a gift that was too perfect.

“I love you, too, babe,” he murmured into my hair, then he drew back, pressing his forehead to mine. “I’m gonna take care of you,” he whispered. “It’ll take a little time, but I promise, you’re gonna be happy again.”

I smiled and whispered back, “I’m always happy when I’m with you,” and it was true. He let me be me and loved me anyway. and that was so very precious.

“We shouldn’t keep them waiting,” he whispered. “You’re gonna have to be quiet tonight, I have every intention of making love to you once we’re alone.”

I nodded, “I want that.”

“I love that you want it.”

I smiled and shook my head lightly, “Not it, you.”

He chuckled and we broke apart, dressing quickly. I whipped my hair into a tight bun at the nape of my neck and secured it with a hair elastic as he opened the bathroom door for me. I padded barefoot down the hall with him close at my back in a fresh pair of jeans and a tee. He swung his motorcycle cut on, sliding his arms through the holes for them and tugging it in front to settle it onto his frame.

I let him go ahead of me when we reached the top of the stairs, trailing along just behind him, fingers linked. I stared at the colors of his true patch, at the knight’s piece picked out in indigo thread on the large, gray shield and thought to myself, Indeed, these colors suit him so much better.

His protective nature captivated me, the safety I felt in his arms, the concern and love with which he touched me… it was everything I had dared to dream of for myself but that I’d never thought possible. I kept waiting to wake up from this beautiful but terrible dream but I wasn’t sleeping. I was wide awake, for once in my life, and realizing that this was it. This was what I wanted and what my life could be and all I needed to do was speak the truth…

Wonderful smells hit us halfway down the stairs and I felt my stomach rumble in complaint that I hadn’t really fed it since this morning. When we’d stopped for lunch, I hadn’t been hungry, and so I hadn’t bothered ordering. Narcos hadn’t liked it, but he, grudgingly, hadn’t forced the issue, either.

Youngblood stepped through the back sliding door with a platter of grilled vegetables, the steaks already on the table.

I went to the chair Narcos held out for me and sank into the seat, glad he let me scoot myself in, rather than taking out the backs of my knees trying to help.

He sat next to me; we were all gathered around one end of the long table. Chrissy held up her glass of white wine with a raised eyebrow and I smiled and gave a nod.

“Thank you,” I managed, when she brought a glass back from the kitchen counter for me. She smiled big and said, “You’re welcome.”

Narcos smiled at me, too and squeezed my knee under the table, the small gesture bursting with pride.

Grilled steak and vegetables, fluffy dinner rolls, and fresh green salad greeted my eyes, which were likely bigger than my stomach, so I started small.

“Wh-where’s everyone else?” I asked.

“Golden wanted to get back to Lys and his nephew, Yale wanted to get back to Aly, and Skids wanted to get back to the 10-13, his one and only love,” Youngblood answered.

“Oh,” I murmured, self-conscious, more than just my palms sweating. It took a force of will to keep my breath even, to not suck in air, even though it felt like my chest was being crushed as though a great fist held me, the fingers tightening, wringing the very air out of my lungs.

“What about Driller?”

“Sounded like his trap may have caught something in it,” Chrissy said, taking an elegant sip from her wineglass.

“Oh, okay…” I trailed off.

Just speaking those few words in front of these two strangers had me hot and flushed, sweating and panicking in a way that made my stomach do barrel rolls. I wanted to leap from my seat and run and hide, but I forced myself to stay put, telling myself over and over that Narcos was here and he wouldn’t let anything happen to me. The weight of his hand on my knee was definitely a reassuring thing.

He looked sideways at me and shot me a smile that made me want to melt, saying, “You’re doing real good, babe.”

“Agreed,” Chrissy said.

“When do you go to trial?” Youngblood asked his wife, and Chrissy finished her bite before speaking.

“Not my case, love. It’s Yale’s and I’m not sure when he’s taking it to trial. He’s been fighting it out through a barrage of motions from the defense. My guess would be sooner rather than later.”

“He have enough of a case to go to trial with?” he asked.

“For what? The drugs or the murder?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and stared at the last few bites on my plate. I didn’t like thinking about that: listening to King and his men laugh over killing that man, imitating him as he’d begged for them not to shoot him. I forced one more bite, then stood with my plate and moved to the kitchen. The conversation at the table ceased and all three sets of eyes followed me.

“You don’t have to do that,” Chrissy said kindly, when I started to rinse my plate and work my way through the rest of the dishes. I shook my head and continued to do them, rinsing them at the sink and loading the dishwasher. I needed to be up and doing something.

“I think a change of subject is in order,” Youngblood said.

“Pretty much the only subject with you, Mr. Homicide Detective,” Narcos said and I looked back.

Youngblood was nodding, but his steely blue eyes were fixed on me, solemn and apologetic.

I finished up in the kitchen, and finished my wine, and by the time I was through, I just wanted to go lay down. My tiredness had caught up with me.

“I’m going to go lay down,” I forced out and the conversation, once again ceased. I wanted to run screaming into the night, when, once again, all eyes were turned on me. I hated that and I was desperately afraid of what it would be like with a courtroom full of people, the rest of the gang, the Knights of Crescentia, in the gallery, glaring, mocking, and threatening.

“Okay, babe. Be right up,” Narcos said, worry tingeing his voice.

I nodded a bit too quickly and made my escape to a murmured “Good night” from Chrissy.

Once inside the guest room, I leaned heavily inside the closed door and felt a little better, imagining, for the moment, that I could somehow magically shut this door and shut out all that was happening. I swallowed hard. I felt like entirely too much was riding on my shoulders and that scared me. I mean, what if the jury didn’t believe me? What if King didn’t go away?

I knew too much.

Narcos had betrayed them.

They wouldn’t stop. Not until we were both dead, and I didn’t want to die.

I stared at the back of my hand where it was pressed to the bedroom door, at the slight slash of pink scar marring the back of it, where the nail had come through. I closed my eyes and tried not to think about the look in Narcos’ eyes, the pain there, as he’d driven the nail through my palm.

A part of me had always known something about his look hadn’t been right that night… that he hadn’t wanted to, but that he couldn’t give up. I couldn’t give up, either. No matter how frightening, no matter how much I just wanted to find a quiet corner of some wilderness and carve out a solitary life for myself, I knew I wouldn’t be able to survive that way, either. As introverted as I was, I was also prone to a terrible loneliness. I needed people around me; I knew that about myself.

I slipped the dress off over my head and hung it in the closet, setting my bag on the floor inside. I found a nightgown and stepped into it, shrugging into the straps just as a light double tap fell on the bedroom door. I turned and it opened, Narcos slipping inside with me and shutting it firmly behind him.

“You okay, babe?”

I went to him and held myself to him tightly. He put his arms around me and smoothed those big hands up and down my arms, warming my skin. The house had central air and it was quite a bit cooler than what I had grown used to at the cabin.

“Let me get ready for bed,” he murmured, and held up the blankets for me to scoot under. I got into bed and his eyes met mine, his expression grave as he searched my face. I tipped my head in curiosity and he drew in a shaky breath, as if trying to decide if he should say anything or not.

He shook his head and dropped his eyes as he pulled his shirt over his head and discarded it on a nearby chair. He went for his belt and my gaze followed his every movement, sliding over every smooth, chiseled inch of him as I marveled. This big, beautiful man not only loved me, wanted me, and promised to protect me, he meant it with every fiber of his being and that wowed me like nothing else, left me sitting in awe any time I really allowed myself to take the time to think about it.

He stripped down to his boxers and got into bed beside me, his blunt fingertips trailing in a ghostly touch down my cheek.

“I’d give anything to heal you of your pained blue silence, babe. Give anything to just take the fear and anxiety away.”

I smiled, no words needed, and grasped his bearded cheeks between my palms and kissed him full-on, pouring all of my love, my pride in him, and the joy that he brought me into the kiss, along with all the passion I held.