Chapter Twenty-Six
Lucky stared at the amber liquid in the glass. What was it, his third? Fourth? Did it matter? Was it concerning that he no longer felt any different after a few drinks than he did stone cold sober? He leaned over and placed the glass next to the open bottle on the ground near his Adirondack chair. His alcohol consumption had shot through the roof since Kori left him.
What a fuckin’ pussy he’d become. Here he was, once again, getting wasted and thinking about a woman who probably hadn’t spared two brain cells on him since he left. Beyond pathetic.
“Okay, time’s up.” Acer jogged the three steps up to Lucky’s back deck. “The place is nice. I was wondering if you ever planned to invite anyone out here.”
Lucky had rented a house in Crystal Rock a week ago and if anyone asked, no he did not rent it with Kori in mind. He’d always wanted a house with a large porch, oversized bathtub, impressive kitchen…
Jesus, he was getting sick of himself.
“What do you mean, time’s up?” Luck grabbed the bottle and offered it to Acer who waved it away.
Acer lowered himself into a second chair next to Lucky’s. “I’m good, brother. What I mean is your wallowing. Hiding out. Drinking yourself to death. Whatever you want to call it. Time’s up. It’s done. Time to talk to someone about the reason you came to Crystal Rock. The reason you’re working so hard each day at marinating your liver. The reason you haven’t slept with a single woman in the month you’ve been here.”
Lucky huffed out a harsh laugh. So much for thinking he had everyone fooled. He put up a good front. Smiles, flirts, winks, but just couldn’t bring himself to touch a woman who wasn’t Kori, let alone fuck one. The thought almost made him ill.
More evidence of the pussy he’d become.
“There has to be a reason you left Vegas. I’m sorry I’ve been so wrapped up in my own shit since you arrived that I haven’t had much time to check in with you.”
Leave it to Acer to realize not all was as it seemed. He was one smart motherfucker, had grown up in a world of wealth and power Lucky would never know anything about. Yet somehow, they hit it off. “How’s Fia?”
“She’s hanging in. Actually, she’s doing pretty well. And she’s sitting in her car in the driveway. Told me I had fifteen minutes to talk to you then she was coming to do the job herself.”
“Well that explains why I didn’t hear your bike.”
“Quit stalling.”
“You know, I’m not really one for a heart to heart.” Reaching for the bottle again, he took a healthy drink. Screw the glass. The bottle was much more efficient.
“Shut the fuck up and talk to me before I sic Fia on your ass.” Acer held a hand out for the bottle and took a drink this time when Lucky handed it over.
“Fia can come after my ass anytime she wants.” Lucky laughed as Acer’s middle finger went up.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten that you hit on my woman recently.” Acer took a healthy swig then returned the bottle to Lucky.
“Please, you know I wouldn’t have touched her even if she begged.” Fia had been abducted and assaulted by a sadistic man less than a year ago. With Acer’s help, she was moving past the trauma, but had a lot of issues with her confidence as a woman. Lucky told her he’d gladly sleep with her if and when she’d felt ready. Of course, he hadn’t meant it. One, his head was too fucked up over Kori and two, he’d never betray a brother like that. But the offer went a long way toward squashing her fears of being seen as a desirable woman again.
“I know that now that I’ve watched you steer clear of anything female over the last month. At the time? I wanted to pound your ass.”
Laughter erupted from Lucky’s gut. Damn, that felt good. This was exactly what he’d been missing in Vegas for quite some time. The brotherhood here was strong whereas it had been disintegrating in Vegas, even before he learned about the drugs. He hadn’t even realized it was happening, but now that he was essentially with a new club, the differences were glaring.
He tipped his head back and stared at the clear blue sky, not a wisp of a cloud in sight. Sweat dotted his forehead and soaked his T-shirt, partly from the almost one-hundred-degree day and partly from the stress of what he knew he had to do.
“There’s some shit going down in Vegas, bad shit.” Even though he wasn’t even touching on what was actually happening, guilt hit him like a sledge hammer. He felt dirty, like a diseased sewer rat.
Acer’s back straightened. “Christ, Luck, I had no idea. Do they need help up there? Man power? Where’s the threat coming from?”
Lucky shook his head and gave Acer the respect of looking him straight in the eye. “It’s internal trouble. Like I said, bad shit. Stuff I should have probably taken straight to Shiv when I got here. Hell, before I got here. But, there are…complications. And then I walked into a mess here with the threat from your father. But that’s resolved and I’ve run out of time. I need to talk to them.”
“Man, you are a cryptic bastard. I get it though. They need to hear first if it’s a problem within the club. Bad, you say?” The bottle was passed between the them again and Acer took a long drink.
“The worst.”
“Shit.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”
Footsteps sounded around the side of the house and Fia appeared a few seconds later. “I gave you guys one extra minute.” She winked. “I’m just generous like that.”
As she climbed the steps, Acer held a hand out. “Thanks, baby. You’re too good to us.”
With a laugh, she took his hand and allowed him to pull her onto his lap. It was nice to see her looking relaxed and at happy in Acer’s arms. She’d been through hell and still reacted negatively when in close quarters with most men. But not Acer, and surprisingly, not so much with Lucky. She seemed to have taken to him and trusted he’d never hurt her or breach her invisible boundaries.
Acer nuzzled her neck and whispered something in her ear that had her giggling and swatting his arm. “Behave,” she whispered, then turned to Lucky. “So, Lucky, tell me her name.”
She had to ask just as the liquor filled his mouth. Damn her feminine insight. He sucked in a breath and choked as the bourbon sloshed down his windpipe. “Whose…name?” he asked between coughs.
Legs crossed and back resting against Acer’s chest, she cocked her head and smiled. “The woman who messed with your head. The woman you’re apparently saving yourself for.”
It was Acer’s turn to choke this time, although the bastard wasn’t drinking anything. He could suffocate on his spit for all Lucky cared.
Saving himself. Christ, if he hadn’t sounded like a pussy before, he sure did now. The worst part was that Fia was entirely right. He wasn’t chasing any chicks on the negative chances that he’d somehow get Kori back. What a loser.
Fia smiled a satisfied grin as though she enjoyed getting under his skin. Her glee at his expense was almost worth it after observing her have a few panic attacks and seeing her almost killed by a psycho.
“All right, nosey. There was a woman. There isn’t anymore. That’s all you’re getting. Hope you’re happy.”
Her grin spread practically to her ears. “Good enough for now, my friend. But I’ll be back for more later.”
“One of those complications you mentioned?” Acer asked.
Lucky nodded. The complication.
“Shiv and Striker should both be at the clubhouse if you want to ride with us. Figure you may not want to drive after all that.” Acer pointed to the bottle still in Lucky’s hand.
Questions were visible in Fia’s eyes, but like a good ol’ lady, she didn’t voice them. It would be a waste of breath. Neither Lucky or Acer would tell her what was going on. Not at this point anyway. Maybe later, if the situation became dangerous or there was a threat to the families they’d be clued in. But not now. Fia had been with Acer long enough to know how it worked.
Lucky rose from his chair. “Shit, let’s go.” It was now or never.