“He’s right, dude. She can’t keep her eyes off you,” Hardwood agreed softly before chuckling. “Damn. Lulu was right!”
Silo felt a flare of hope, the first in more than a few days at his president’s advice. It had shattered his heart when he’d finally found the nerve to go back into the house, into his room, to only discover all her stuff had been removed. And rather than press the point, he’d kept his distance.
Had no longer sought her out with a hug or a kiss on her forehead in greeting.
Hadn’t teased her in order to get her fiery, to make her eyes blaze with ire.
No. He’d kept to himself and had respected the space she’d put between them.
But it had been the hardest thing he’d ever done in his life, up to and including the burying his beloved grandparents. To take himself away from his Shelly and all the beauty she’d brought into his life had almost taken the life right out of him, and he’d regulated himself to being nothing more than her tenacious guard-dog who would keep her safe.
Oh but she’d come to mean so much more to him than that of a fucking owner!
He glanced up again and was surprised, actually more than shocked, to see her eyes fully on him as her mouth held the soft tilt of a small smile. Their gazes held and he was loath to break it even as the meats under his care spitted and flared on the grill.
“Dude! That shit is gonna burn!” Hardwood grabbed the fork from Silo’s unnerved fingers as the man shoved him aside.
Silo blinked and saw the younger brother was right.
Coming back to himself, Silo viewed the empty brown bottle he still had in his grip and stepped to the large trash can before going to the cooler for another. But his mind was elsewhere. Caught up in the warm eyes and sultry smile she’d given him before Hardwood had brought him back to reality.
“Hey, big guy,” he heard from behind him and he almost made himself dizzy as he stood up quickly, turning towards where she was standing with her hands tucked into her back pockets. Which only put her bountiful rack on perfect display underneath the deep ruby top she was wearing.
He swallowed deeply and felt the punch of her beauty in the hardness of his cock. “Hey, princess.”
“Wanna dance?”
“Absolutely, Shell,” he said, reaching a shaking hand out towards her and feeling the warmth of her palm as it met his.
When she squeezed her fingers before moving into the circle of his arms in order to perform a slow dance the next song provided, he felt as if he’d come home.
He tried to keep his distance, tried to keep the beast that was roaring for release in her sweet firm wet flesh out of the mix, but his girl was having none of it. As she pressed tightly to him, he couldn’t help it, couldn’t help mouthing the words his heart and cock throbbed with the need to proclaim to the motherfucking world.
‘I love you, Shell,’ he said silently against the top of her head, against the curls that seemed to bounce of their own accord, even at just her smallest movement.
*.*.*.*.*
I was just a little bit tipsy, just enough to give me the courage to approach him though I’d kept an eye on him all night.
God, he was in his element. Wielding the long fork with authority and talking with the other big men around the grill with ease.
He had seemed content with me removing myself from his room, from his bed, and had made no overtures to reconnect. Something I’d concluded as being the right thing for us to do.
What we had wouldn’t last over the long haul so why get more involved?
But, the longer he’d stayed away, the more he’d removed himself from me, the more I wanted him.
Missed him.
Desired him.
And able to see him in one of his natural settings only added fuel to the yearning that had been growing inside me.
The eyes of the other girls, the ones Tight had called ‘the local bitches’, had also taken notice of his large muscled physique. I’d seen their gazes become hot as they’d swept down his tall length, catching on the breadth of his shoulders, his thin waist. At the significant package hidden in his jeans.
And had left me fuming!
Sure, he wasn’t the best-looking guy of the Hellion bunch. Too manly with his sharp jaw, of his deep-set eyes. But it was the bloom of his mouth, a mouth made to excite and inflame a woman. Just as much as it was his large hands that could be so gentle and yet achingly precise in what a woman needed to feel.
Silo was just the kind of man that got a girl’s motor running but who didn’t seem to realize it.
That caused me to hum in the deepest recesses of myself with only a look.
Lulu leaned towards me, putting her lips right next to my ear. “If you don’t snag him, don’t let the other girls know he’s with you, then someone else is gonna grab him.” Which was all it had taken for me to stand on shaking legs in order to quickly get to where he was.
But I’d almost lost my nerve at the last second and had shoved my hands into my back pockets as if feeling my own butt would give me courage.
“Hey big guy,” I’d offered as my sparkling opening salvo and on a squeak. Damn! Where’d all my social graces gone? I swallowed and tried again. “Want to dance?”
I couldn’t have told you if he even spoke.
All I remember is that he took the hand I’d unconsciously held out and squeezed my fingers before pulling me into his wide, warm chest.
‘You love him,’ that voice in my head cried.
Do not, I immediately shot back.
But even then, I knew I was probably lying.
Chapter Seventeen
David Moore sat outside the closed gates of the newly constructed buildings that comprised the Hellion compound in Billings only partially able to see the party that was going on behind one of the buildings.
It had taken him more than a few days to determine that Silo had indeed moved Michelle. But David had been hard pressed to discover exactly where they’d gone. At wit’s end, he’d finally called Hellion Construction’s main line and asked to speak with the low-life who’d inveigled his way into Michelle’s life, her confidence.
“Oh but he’s gone,” advised the young¸ female voice who had answered. “Mr. Kettering went to Billings. Can I give you his new number?”
With that news, David has used his badge number to access Silas Kettering’s credit information, taking note of not only the purchases, but the new address he’d registered with the U.S. Postal service. One that had turned out to be the actual Hellion compound located in Billings.
After checking into yet another low priced motel and sitting in the cheapest of rental cars, David watched the loud party from his parking space across the street. Luckily, this far out there weren’t any streetlights and he felt the darkness covered both him and the POS car he’d been forced to take. His money was quickly evaporating and even though he’d told his superiors he was taking a two-week vacation, he only had a handful of days left in order to convince the woman of his dreams that he was the man of hers.
But he’d caught a glimpse of the two of them, of his Michelle and the dirty scum she was with, swaying on the edge of the crowd as the music blared. Music he’d never allow into his house, much less at a party that he and Michelle would attend! She wasn’t rock and roll, wasn’t the sort of woman for even country much less rap. She was one that needed the gentle trills of classical with its sweeping emotions and movements, the sheer complexity of the historical masters to bring out her real self.
The real Michelle, he knew, could be coaxed back out.
She needed him and only him to get back to herself.
But her little foray into the seedier side of life was starting to fray on his last nerve! His eyes roamed over the couple as they moved, taking in the small circle the big biker led her around, the man’s filthy face pressed up against her gleaming curls. His huge paws as they roamed the perfect curve of Michelle’s spine, before dropping to the spectacular roundness of her seat.
/> The scum!
David felt the throb in the veins of his forehead as he watched the other man feel up the woman David had already claimed as his own. The dirt-bag had no right to treat the lady as nothing more than one of the sluts, the whores, that motorcycle clubs seemed to attract.
She was more than those others!
So very much more!
And that the other man didn’t recognize it made the agent’s blood boil.
He caught the sound of motorcycle pipes coming up from behind where he’d parked and David slid down in his seat while reaching for his binoculars with night-vision. Certainly, he’d taken them from Albuquerque without prior permission, but he’d somehow known he’d need them in his time in Montana.
There were four bikers that cut off their lights about a quarter of a mile before where the closed gates stood, and then shut off their engines a good fifty yards after that. David watched as the men coasted until they were, two by two, even with the beginning of the fence. He saw the man in front pull something from his jacket and jammed the eyepieces of the binoculars against his eyes. It was a bottle. A bottle with something sticking out of the top of it. The man, who appeared to be Latino, reached into his jeans and proceeded to set the top alight before holding it out to another man who lit his own bottle and passed it behind him.
Soon all four men held a flaming bottle in each hand before they began to pitch them up and over the fence.
Molotov cocktails!
With Michelle trapped inside!
Oh, Christ…he needed to call this in, needed to get the authorities out as soon as possible. But on the claim of…what? Malicious mayhem? Destruction of property?
His hand automatically went to his phone before he stilled, his eyes on the flames that were spreading on the other side of the chain-link fence before moving to the ensuing chaos of the group inside once the flames were spotted.
He couldn’t report it.
Not with the cellphone that he had, the one that was registered to the FBI. Where any call was automatically tagged and recorded. And he didn’t think he’d be able to rightly explain his presence lurking outside a known biker club’s headquarters while on vacation. Witnessing a crime in progress, while stalking the woman of his desires. And the key to unreported millions.
A portion that was soon to be his.
The hoodlums outside the fence sat on their machines and watched, their wide smiles sparkling brightly in the glow of the high flames. As soon as the Hellions raced to where the fire was billowing, brandishing extinguishers, the other men kicked started their rides and took off into the night, leaving David the only person, the only vehicle on the dead-end road.
As fast as possible, David started up the older model sedan he’d rented and pulled a quick u-turn to make his own get-away while his hands sweated on the steering wheel at his own cowardice.
At not making a play to save his Michelle.
*.*.*.*.*
“So no one saw the fuckers?” Trey’s frustration came through the speakerphone loud and clear although with a tin-can sound.
“No. The gates were closed and almost all of us were in the back on the new patio.” Brand’s explanation was just as it should have been: brief and concise, stating only the facts.
“What’d ya mean ‘almost’?”
“A couple of fucking brothers were already involved in the new goddamn rooms,” Silo replied, using a hand to fan at some of the smoke that still hovered in the night air.
“But everybody’s good, yeah?”
“Yes, Trey. Everyone is safe and there is only minimal damage to the driveway.” Silo glanced at the Billings president and saw the anger brewing there. “We will check the video feeds, but without street lights to illuminate the road, I am unsure how much will be visible.”
The voice captured on the speakerphone of Brand’s cell let out a long sigh. “The Czar’s had similar doings last week according to their new pres. Only one of the bottles rolled before exploding and caught two of their men. Per the fucker that holds the gavel, Shark or whatever his name is, it’s the VD club that likes to play with fire.”
Silo knew Trey was referring to the Vitas Diablos, a Mexican gang, who had been working with Montana’s only other formal motorcycle club, the Black Czars, to distribute crystal meth. But the first shipment into the state had been seized by the Big Horn County Sheriff’s office. The VD club was still looking for payment from the Czars, even though none of their council outside of the old, now deader-than-dead president had known about the risky business venture.
And the Czars had been clamoring for help from the Hellions in getting the fucking VD off their asses.
“Are we then assuming that our fire is due to the VD/Czar clash?” The hand Brand used to hold the phone tightened. Like most of the Hellions, he’d voted against getting involved in the dispute of the two clubs.
“Am thinking someone wants to fucking force Hellion involvement,” came the growled reply from the phone.
“But without any ID, we can’t be sure it was them. For all we fucking know, it could’ve been a local who has a goddamn grudge against men who ride.” Silo didn’t want the Hellions in the middle of the trouble the Czars had brought on themselves. “Or maybe one of our new neighbors ain’t fucking fond of our music.”
Brand rolled his eyes at Silo’s words. “I will review the tapes and see about getting more illumination on our portion of the road since the city doesn’t seem to want to do it.”
“Well, technically, the road is on private land…” Hardwood started from behind Silo’s shoulder. The bald biker twisted to give the younger man a glare.
“Hardwood’s right,” Trey said with another deep sigh. “Not enough damage for an insurance claim means there’s no need to get Johnny Law into play.”
“I do not want the police engaged so early in our settling.” Brand’s voice was firm. “In this venture, I do not want whatever suspicions they might have regarding clubs to mar either our business or the possible relationship with law enforcement in this part of the state.”
“Agreed. I’ll let you handle it. Let me know if you catch anything on the fucking vid, yeah?” Trey disconnected without any additional fanfare, which only attested to his frustration.
Silo turned to the younger, newest member. “You get Lulu and Shelly home. I’ll be there when Brand and I are finished.”
“Sure,” Hardwood mumbled, taking out his keys. “You want me to see Reese home too?”
“She will stay with me until we are finished,” Brand threw over his shoulder as he made his way to where his wife stood with the other women clustered on the back patio.
As the other two men followed, Silo turned to Hardwood. “You guard them with your fucking life, amigo.”
“On it, brother,” was the only response Hardwood could give.
*.*.*.*.*
I stirred the pitcher of lemonade before taking it back to the table and began pouring refills in the other women’s glasses. It had been three days since the fire and I’d only caught glimpses of Silo. He was usually up and gone by the time I got up and didn’t get home until long after we had all gone to bed.
I missed him.
I’d seen him once when he and Hardwood had their heads together over a file folder, but after only glancing my way, he’d gone back to whatever it was that they were working on. And his lack of attention, after I’d made an attempt to mend whatever was broken between us, hurt.
Even Lulu was busy, often asking me if I could pick up Jules from school. Something I did willingly because I not only liked the little girl, it gave me something to do besides think about Silo. About me and the whole of ‘him-and-me’ while pushing a vacuum or a dust mop over the floors. Geez, but Montana seemed to have a lot of dirt and dust, finding me stymied in my attempts to keep the house reasonably clean.
“But I just became a Honey and am still learning the ropes myself,” the youngest girl at the table murmured.
“Yeah, but you
still know more than those sluts that want to join in the fun!” Tight, whose real name was actually Sophia, patted Liv’s hand and I saw a blush spread over the strawberry blonde’s creamy, pale skin. Which was in stark comparison to Tight’s dark, smoldering look. A look the tall brunette exaggerated by the use of makeup, in order to play up her Mediterranean coloring and dark eyes.
“We’re all just learning, Livvy,” Reese added and opened the notebook she’d brought with her. “I’m learning what I need to in order to lead the Honeys and Lulu’s man was just promoted to full member, so she’s a new Honey as well.” She gave a small laugh and looked around the table. “In fact, I think Tight’s been a Honey the longest of our group and she’s only been around, what? Three years?”
“Three and a half,” Tight corrected, picking at a nail.
“Okay, three and a half!” We all joined in Reese’s laughter. “So, it’s up to us to decide who we might want to have in our chapter of the Hellion Honeys. There were twelve that asked about it last night and I thought…”
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I started. “But I’m not with a Hellion and am not a part of the Honeys. Do you want me to leave? I mean, I can go do something in my room or…”
Reese waved a hand my way as if to wipe away my words. “Shit! Everyone knows that you and Silo are together even if y’all don’t, so in my mind that makes you one of us.”
I sat back in my chair and glanced at my sister who had a perfectly arched eyebrow raised in the ‘I-told-you-so’ position. Sometimes, Lulu got on my last nerve.
Did everyone but he and I view us as a couple? Because it sure seemed that way!
Reese reached into her stylish, though large handbag and pulled out a sheaf of papers covered in very tiny writing. “While the men were reviewing the video tapes of the fire, I tried to make notes about the girls that expressed an interest in becoming a Honey.”
“What kind of notes?” Lulu asked as she leaned to peer at the papers.
“Names, physical descriptions and my impression of them.”
A Civilian for Silo Page 18