A Civilian for Silo

by J. A. Hornbuckle

  It was a dump.

  We were standing in what I thought was the living room but it was hard to be sure because the once white walls and speckled gray, worn linoleum didn’t speak of a room to relax in. Maybe it was the huge plaid furniture piled to one side that gave an indication what room in which we were standing. It couldn’t have been from the mountains of boxes stacked close to the walls.

  Silo moved to the room on the left, his heavy boots thudding as he moved to turn on the overhead fluorescent lights. Whoever heard of having industrial lighting in their home? Or living in a house without an entrance hall so that delivery or service personnel could immediately see into your private space?

  I didn’t move from my place next to the front door, tightly gripping my purse, but just let my eyes roam. Sweet baby Jesus, he expected us to live here?

  “The old owners left all the appliances!” I heard him boom. There was the squeak of hinges before he went on. “And the cabinets are made of fucking wood, not that fiberboard shit!” He came back and snagged my hand, a huge grin creasing his face. “Let’s go check out the rest, princess.”

  Oh let’s not and say we did, my mind yelled. Let’s go to the nearest Hilton until you can find me some place more habitable to live. But I followed along behind him, my pace much slower since I was still getting used to walking after so many hours of being in the truck.

  The front of the house was laid out in an open u-shape and after a short hallway, I saw a bathroom on our left that was covered in 1940’s pink tile. Pink. Before I could even completely process the image, Silo was turning to the right, going down another hallway where three bedrooms were located. “This is perfect,” he murmured as he flipped light switches, prowling into each room.

  I felt a chill down my spine.

  Perfect? For whom?

  Reversing his steps, we went back to the main hallway and at the end of it found the master bedroom and another full bathroom. His huge king-size bed complete with its large wooden bedstead had been set up right in the middle of the room with suitcases and boxes strewn across the uncovered mattress.

  “Recruits did a good job getting things settled,” Silo said looking around. “Won’t fucking take much to get it into shape.”

  I thought he was kidding. I mean, he had to be since everything was in such disarray! It would take a team of people hours to unpack just to make the hovel he’d dragged me to look like a home worth living in. But one quick glance told me he was dead-on serious.

  Almost as if he could feel my eyes on him, Silo turned back to me.

  “You gotta be fucking wiped, Shell. Let’s get you set up first and then I’ll…”

  “Hello? Si? You here, dude?” came the call from the front of the house.

  “Oh, shit!” Silo’s face paled and I saw his eyes flicker to the doorway then back to me. “It’s fucking Hardwood!”

  Hardwood? Wasn’t that the Hellion he’d mentioned earlier? And what kind of name was Hardwood, for goodness sakes?

  “You gotta hide, baby! Go into the bathroom and close the fucking door, yeah? I’ll get rid of him right away,” Silo whispered, picking me up and taking two steps into the master bath. “Don’t come out until I come get you.”

  I could feel my heart booming and the adrenaline begin in reaction to how Silo was behaving, but I didn’t know what had caused the panic I saw in his face. “Why?” I whispered back on a tremulous breath. Setting me on the closed toilet seat, he went to the door and just before he closed it all the way, he turned back.

  “That’s Lulu’s man,” was all he said. But it was enough for me to shut my mouth and widen my eyes.

  *.*.*.*.*

  “Brand and Reese had me and Rinse bring over the double bed you said you needed,” Hardwood explained after the two men had greeted one another with fist bumps. Looking beyond the beefy recruit, Silo saw Trey’s soon to be brother-in-law unwinding the ropes from around a mattress set in the back of Hardwood’s truck.

  “Thanks.” He knew the three of them could have the bed he’d borrowed for Shelly set up in no time. And they did, up to and including finding a small table and lamp Reese had sent over. There had even been a box of bedding that included pillows in the load.

  After tucking the blanket in, Silo stood back to admire their handiwork. It might not be up to a princess’s standards, but at least she’d be able to sleep sweet.

  He heard the rustle of a plastic bag from behind him and turned to see Rinse pawing through the contents. “Who you got with you, big guy?” the much younger man asked, pulling a lacy bra partway out the sack. “A girl? One of the Honeys?”

  Before Silo could take Rinse to task, though, Hardwood stepped up and grabbed the crinkled carrier bag Shelly had used as a suitcase from the kid’s hands before slapping the back of his head. “We don’t question, douche. We just fucking do. Got it?”

  Rinse glared at Hardwood before throwing a chin thrust Silo’s way. “Sorry, brother.”

  Silo hid his grin and began to move the men out of the room. “Appreciate your help, boys. Have either one of you decided if you’re going to stay in Missoula or come to Billings yet?” At the moment, Silo really didn’t give a shit, but felt the need to say something more as he bustled the men out of the house and back out to the sidewalk.

  “Lulu and I are still talking about it. What with Julie in school and all…” Hardwood’s speech held the edges of his Texas roots which usually only came out when the man was either tired, stressed or had been drinking. “I don’t think making my sister pull up sticks again is a good idea. Not after all she’s been through.”

  Silo couldn’t disagree, after being a part of the rescue team of Hardwood’s girls when they’d been kidnapped by a rival club at Lulu and Shelly’s father’s request. The end of which had found Lulu with a broken jaw. While Lil’ Taste, as the Honeys liked to call Hardwood’s much younger sister, was left with night terrors.

  “I let Brand know I’m interested but he said you guys were still working on getting the managers and council in place. Said he’d get back to me,” Rinse offered, turning Silo’s mind a different direction. He made a mental note to get the house set up for internet as soon as fucking possible in order to stay in touch with the men in Missoula. “Think you could put in a good word for me, Si?”

  Silo opened his mouth to blast the recruit but once again Hardwood took charge of the younger man. “Christ! You are a fucking piece of work, Rinse! Thought you said y’all wanted to drive. So go sitcha ass in the truck so we can get on the fuckin’ road.” As Rinse hurried to do as he was told, Hardwood’s eyes met Silo’s and he shook his head as if in disbelief at the younger man’s daring. “We gotta hit it. You need anything else before we leave?”

  Silo didn’t try to hide his grin from Hardwood, a man Lulu called Mel, who was already becoming a valued Hellion member and had won his approval in shortening his year-long recruit status. “Nah, think I can fucking handle it from here. Safe journey, man.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Oh, ah. Hardwood? Has Lulu heard from her sister?” Silo felt it was important to find out Lulu’s take on Shelly’s disappearance.

  Opening the passenger door and pulling himself up into the seat, Silo saw Hardwood’s forehead crease as he seemed to consider the bald biker’s question. “Not that I know of. Last I heard Shelly was talking about going on vacation to get away from all the shit the Feds were throwing at her. Why? You need me to get a message to her or something?”

  Silo knew the last bit was because Lulu had witnessed his and Shelly’s goodbye in the middle of Hardwood’s dining room and had obviously passed the info on to her man. “Nah. Just curious.”

  “Okay. Be seeing you. Good luck in your new place,” the other man said before shutting his door and reaching for the seatbelt. Silo stood and watched as the other truck pulled away from the curb before turning to his own still loaded truck parked in the driveway. Not familiar with the neighborhood, he pulled his keys from his pocket as he dec
ided to pull it into the garage in back. No sense in giving someone with sticky fingers an opportunity, he thought before remembering what his own sticky fingers had gotten up to on the side of the highway just a few hours earlier. Even his cock stirred at the memory.

  Determined to carry out his plans for tonguing Shelly, he hurried through his tasks before returning to the house.

  “What took you so long?” she asked sleepily. His girl was sitting sideways on the toilet, her arms resting on the vanity and cradling her head. “I heard the truck start up but didn’t know if it was okay to come out.”

  “Oh, baby. Sorry.” His voice was only a croon in the quiet of the house. He bent and lifted her, holding her carefully as he moved through the halls and deposited her on her bed. “Get your rest, princess.”

  She gave him an owl-eyed blink as he backed out of her room, softly closing her door.

  They had time. Time enough for him to get her flat on her back and spread-eagle in order to taste the delight nestled between her thighs.

  He wanted her awake enough to be able to enjoy what he was going to do to her.

  For fucking hours, if she let him.

  *.*.*.*.*

  I woke up peeved.

  Pissed at not recognizing the room I was in. Aching because of the soft mattress after days of sleeping either in Grandpa Kettering’s hospital bed or Silo’s special mattress. Angry because he’d promised me one thing and then hadn’t followed through.

  The bastard.

  But then mornings were not my thing. I was a turtle when I first woke up, slowing inching my head out into the real world until it came into focus. And until reality sharpened, usually after multiple cups of coffee, it didn’t take much to set me on edge.

  And that morning found me definitely on edge. More definitively on the pissy side of it.

  I pushed the covers away and swung my legs over the edge of the mattress before sitting up, hearing sounds from deep within the house. He was already up and moving, although I had no clue as to what time it was, the sun peeking around the heavy curtains told me it was still early morning.

  A clock, I thought to myself. I really needed a clock in my room.

  Grabbing both my purse and pulling out some underclothes, yoga pants and another t-shirt, I opened the door as quietly as I could and glanced down the hall, seeing the door to the horrendously pink bathroom standing open. I tiptoed down as quietly as possible. I didn’t want him to see me all rumpled from sleep and probably wearing my mood on my face.

  But just as I stepped over the bathroom’s threshold, I heard him boom, “morning, baby!” His voice was overly cheerful and way too loud for whatever hour it was. I lifted a limp hand, the one holding my purse in response as he thudded his way to me.

  “Since we had shit-all food in the house, I went out and got doughnuts and coffee.” God. Seriously? I was normally still asleep most of the mornings when he’d left and hadn’t been subjected to his morning mood which I discovered to be just a little too perky for my taste and the hour.

  “Great,” I growled and took a swipe at a wayward curl that had drifted over my eye before turning to close the door. Firmly. Practically in his face.

  “Just join me in the kitchen when you’re done with your shit.” And crude. The man could swear, that much I’d known, but did he have to do it so freaking early in the day? It was like fingernails on a chalk board.

  I didn’t respond and just got on with my ‘shit’, which included a shower, taking my time in the hopes my mood would improve over the course of things.

  It didn’t and I took extra minutes in putting things away and making my bed. Anything to prevent me from being subjected to him and his loud voice, that damn effervescent attitude. He was as bad as Lulu! I couldn’t hang out in my room forever though and caffeine was not only a staple of my diet, but a necessity, so after a time and without anything left to delay me, I made my way into the kitchen.

  “Morning.” It came out more as a grouse than a greeting but I couldn’t muster any more enthusiasm.

  He turned from the counter and looked me over. “You okay?”

  “Just ducky.”

  “You don’t look fucking ducky.” I caught his top-to-toe perusal before he continued. “You look pissed.”

  The man was courting death and didn’t have a clue.

  So I decided to let him in on that fact. As nicely as possible, of course. “If I were you, I’d shut it.”

  Realization must’ve dawned because he turned back to the counter and let me sip the dark, heady ambrosia from the huge foam cup. When the level of coffee was at the half-way point, I felt more human and better able to deal with the day. “Sorry. Mornings aren’t good for me.”

  His shoulders seemed to shrug, or was it shake, but he didn’t turn around.

  “Lulu was always able to greet the day with a smile.” I still sounded stilted, but felt he deserved an explanation. “I’m a little…slow to get going.”

  His laughter rang out as he turned, holding a hand up to his mouth as the other one held a partially eaten maple bar.

  He swallowed quickly. “Shit, Shell, seriously? You wake up with the morning grumps every fucking day?”

  I could only nod behind the cup I held at my lips. Just the smell of the coffee was invigorating and I closed my eyes to savor it. When I opened them, I saw he was towering over me.

  “Yeah, well. You’re just gonna have to fucking get over that crap,” he said with a wide smile before leaning down and kissing my forehead. At the feel of his lips, I felt an unfurling inside me taking the last of the dregs of sleep with it. His hands were braced on either side of the countertop I was leaning against, and just to show I didn’t harbor any bad feelings for what he’d subjected me to in his morning glee, I moved the cup aside and placed my head on his chest.

  “Ah, Shell,” he breathed into my hair but didn’t continue.

  We stayed in that position for more than a few moments before the ring of his cellphone interrupted our quiet communion. He dropped another kiss on my hairline as he moved away to answer.

  “Yeah? Fuck! Seriously? Jay-sus. Sure. Plenty of room and always welcome.” His voice was hard, clipped and caused my heart to speed up with the tension it exuded. “Tonight or tomorrow. Don’t make no fucking difference to us. Just get here safe, yeah?”

  I waited as he slowly disconnected the call and tucked the shiny rectangle back into his pocket. Silo raised his eyes to mine and I saw they were now a dark, stormy gray.

  “Somebody tried to get to Lulu last night.”

  Oh my God! Lulu was still a target, was still in danger?

  “Is she…okay?” I asked through a tight, constricted airway, in a voice that I almost couldn’t hear over the booming of my heart.

  “Yeah. Hardwood had Ryley and Dare over to keep an eye out and they prevented the fuckers from entering the house and getting to her and his kid sister, Julie.”

  I swallowed and tried to dislodge the lump in my throat, a layer of ice coating my belly. “That’s twice, Si’. They’ve gone after her twice.”

  “I know, baby.” His eyes were the color of age-darkened pewter with his emotions. “And how many times have they made a play for you?”

  The ice moved to my veins and I stilled. I hadn’t told him, hadn’t given him a single clue about how my life had been back in Albuquerque, much less the scenario that had brought him to me. “A few.” My whisper of just the two syllables seemed to echo in the tiled kitchen.

  I heard him sigh before he pulled me against him tightly, tucking my head into his chest. “We need to get to the bottom of it, Shell, in order to stop them.”

  I didn’t respond but I knew he was right. I’d kept up a high profile once I’d left him and gone back to Albuquerque, which I’d hoped had taken the attention off Lulu. But had me living in constant fear, always looking over my shoulder and in my rearview mirror. I just wasn’t ready to talk about it because, at least in my mind, giving voice to what I’d been throu
gh would somehow make it more…real. And less like a bad dream.

  “I told them to come here, baby. We’ve got the room and I’ve wanted Hardwood in Billings since the beginning.”

  “Are they going to come?”

  He straightened and put his hands back on the counter bracketing my hips. “Yeah, Shell. Hardwood, Lulu and little Jules will be here either tonight or tomorrow so we’ve got to go fucking shopping in order to kit out their rooms. You okay with that?”

  I raised my eyes to his, squirming at the thought of Lulu’s reaction to discovering I’d been in Montana for a couple of weeks and hadn’t contacted her. Knowing my sister, there would be hell to pay for my deception.

  Grabbing at the first non-scary thought that came to mind in order not to dwell on what was going on or what would happen, I blurted, “can we get a TV?”

  And Silo, the man who had somehow become the perfect harbor in the shit-storm of my life, rolled his eyes before dropping his lips to mine. “Goddamn, Shelly. The shit I do to keep you happy…”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Shelly! For the last time, sitcha ass down and relax, baby.” Silo’s boom made me jump and pause in mid-fluff of one of the new throw pillows I’d carefully seated on the couch.

  Casting my eyes around the new furniture, I bit my lip. I knew what I was doing, what I always did when I was nervous which was to fiddle, fidget or pace. Somehow I’d been doing all three and was driving the big man crazy.

  Either that or he was still on edge at how a trip to purchase beds for our upcoming visitors had turned into almost a full replacement of his entire house. Gone was the worn plaid and plain wood. Now the living room held a sleek, black leather sectional and glass topped tables adorned with large-based lamps, which I suspected Brand had talked Silo into while Reese and I were deciding between a princess bed or something with a canopy for Julie’s room. All-in-all, it had been a very successful trip on many levels because the new furniture and area rugs created a home from the cold hovel it had been just the night before.