A Civilian for Silo

by J. A. Hornbuckle

  “Yo-you do?”

  “Abso-fucking-lutely.” God, just the feel of his hot breath on my skin as he spoke made parts of me throb! “But the best part, baby? Wanna know the fucking best part of it all?”

  I couldn’t speak, completely lost in the sensations he was creating so I nodded instead.

  “It’s when I do this,” he whispered on a groan as he glided his erection inside me, using one long stroke to go all the way in. “Every time I fucking put myself inside you is like I’ve discovered my own personal heaven.”

  His words, kisses and lingering touches had already gotten me halfway, so I shouldn’t have been surprised by how fast my orgasm rose up inside me. But it did. And I was, to the point that I felt my hips take on a life of their own and begin to do exactly as he’d described. How my hips lifted and fell as I stroked myself all along the hard, full length of him.

  “That’s it, Shell. Work me. Just like that, baby,” he urged on a hoarse sigh. “Oh fuck that’s good.”

  “I’m so close, Silo,” I whimpered and wrapped my legs around his waist for better leverage. He’d raised up, his palms on either side of my head and I felt him shift, putting a hand between us at where we were joined. And using his thumb against my swollen nub of pleasure, he brought me the rest of the way to goal.

  It wasn’t but a handful of strokes later, I both felt and heard him find his own release.

  As we laid there, still entwined and waiting for both our breath and heartbeats to come back to some semblance of normal, I realized he was right.

  I did wiggle. A lot.

  He left to take care of the condom and I rearranged our covers and straightened my shirt-as-a-nightgown. “Silo? You know those men that bothered Reese and Brand?” I asked as he came back to bed.

  “Yeah, what about them?” He yawned so big and so wide, his jaw cracked.

  “Do you guys know who they are or why they were hassling Brand and Reese? I mean, I don’t know all that much about motorcycle clubs except for the Hellions and those people that chased me but…” He shot out a hand, palm towards me as if to tell me to be quiet. His eyes went from a sleepy bluey-gray to thunderstorm gray within seconds.

  “Oh, FUCK!” he roared so loud and from such a deep place I jumped. “How could I be so motherfucking stupid? Fuck!”

  There was a knock on the bedroom door while Silo raced to get into his jeans, sans underwear. After receiving permission to enter, I saw a messy-haired Mel poke his head into the room. “Everything okay in here?”

  “I need you to call Trey while I call Brand,” Silo said as he moved swiftly around the bed. “Those fuckers that are creating all the fucking havoc? They’re the same ass-wipes that tried to get Shell.”

  Mel’s gaze widened as it flicked to me before going back to Silo. “It’s not just the meth deal then?”

  “Don’t fucking think so, bro’.”

  And I watched both men move out of the room as they pulled out their cellphones.

  “Shelly?” I saw both Lulu and Julie standing in the bedroom doorway. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t honestly know,” I mumbled and pulled the covers back. “But I freaking aim to find out!”

  *.*.*.*.*

  “That would be a typical Milosevic move to have multiple people or groups searching for the same and all would be promised a reward,” Brand explained with a yawn that came through the phone connection loud and clear. “So it is more than possible that the VDs are hitting us on two fronts. One to get to Lulu or Shelly as well as trying to get us involved in their fight with the Czars.”

  Silo knew the man would know having spent so long in the ATF and studying the Serbian group so closely. “Any idea how I should handle this?”

  “Not anything other than what you are doing, since you refuse to take your woman and her sister to an unknown location.” Brand’s voice held the edge of censure at Silo’s refusal to run.

  “I ain’t no coward, brother and won’t leave my boys to deal with the mess our girls are in.” Silo’s mumble was firm and held more than a note of pride.

  “Do either of the sisters know how to use a gun?” Brand’s concern for the Palmer women’s safety showed exactly why Brand was the perfect man to hold the Billings gavel.

  “Yes. I outfitted Shell. It was Dare who got Lulu and Hardwood equipped and taught them how to shoot back in Missoula.”

  Brand gave a low whistle at the news. “I’ve seen our boy in action and Dare knows what he is doing. Bit of a rough instructor, though.”

  For the first time during their conversation, Silo felt his tension ease. “I think if they fucking come at us, we’ll be able to hold our own. I have plenty of weapons and more than enough ammo to hold them off.”

  “They would be beyond stupid to initiate a fire fight in a residential neighborhood, Silo.”

  “The group fucking accosted you and Reese in a crowded restaurant, amigo. Just how fucking brilliant was that, huh?” Silo shot back.

  “Point taken,” Brand conceded. “I will get the intel to the rest of the club. For the moment, I want you and Hardwood to stick with your girls until I give you the all-clear. Understand?”

  “Yep.”

  “You will call me if we can do anything, yes?” Silo knew Brand was letting him know that both he and the entire Hellion contingency had Silo and Hardwood’s back. At Silo’s affirmative, Brand offered only one more piece of advice. “Stay safe, brother, while you protect those in your care.”

  *.*.*.*.*

  Not much sleep was had by any in our house that night. I’d lain in the shelter of Silo’s arms but I don’t think either one of us closed our eyes until right before dawn.

  Even little Jules had very little sleep which was evident by her grumpy mood the next morning. “But I don’t want to go to school!”

  “You’ve got to, pretty girl,” Lulu countered, brushing the little one’s golden tresses into a high ponytail.

  “Why can’t I stay here with you and Mel?”

  “Because we’re going to be busy and won’t have time to be with you.” Since when did Lulu have so much patience? Her time with Mel and Julie had done something to my sister—evened out her temper, made her more patient and approachable in a way I couldn’t put my finger on. After watching her with Jules, I could see Lulu as a mother, a role I’d never imagined for her back in Albuquerque.

  “Enough with the questions, baby girl,” Mel said coming into the dining room with Julie’s backpack in one hand. “We need to get this show on the road and get you to class!” Turning back to the three of us, he gave a dimpled smile before dropping a peck to my sister’s cheek. “Be back in a bit, Lu.”

  Standing at the sink I saw Mel back his big truck out of the garage and Lulu came to where I stood, her eyes following his progress. “I was going to see if she could go stay with Reesie and Brand or one of the other couples but Mel said all the Hellions were in danger because of that other club.”

  I couldn’t dream of what it must’ve been like having the responsibility of a child in those circumstances so I couldn’t give her any words of comfort. I just rubbed her back in sympathy.

  “Shell?” I heard Silo call and turned to see him standing by the dining room table with my gun in its case. “Even though you ain’t got a CC, I want this on you or within fucking reach 24/7.” Both his face and his voice were deadly serious, so I took the case and pulled out the small handgun he’d given me.

  “Neither one of you are to open the fucking door, I don’t give a fuck who it is. You get me?” Wow, we were back to being told things in Silo’s outside voice. “Want the two of you to stay the hell away from all the windows, too.”

  “Can we at least open the mini-blinds?” I asked on a snarky tone. “Or do we have to live in the damn dark until this is done?”

  “You and your goddamn mouth, Shell,” he mumbled, turning away while shaking his head.

  I saw Lulu’s grin and arched an eyebrow her way. “Why do you do that? Isn�
�t it along the lines of poking the bear in a cage?”

  “Because he gets his boxers in a bunch so easily. Besides, I know the man loves my goddamn mouth,” I responded with a grin, tucking the small pistol into the back of my jeans. “Are you carrying?”

  My sister opened the cardigan she had on and I saw she was wearing a shoulder holster. I was jealous that she had an accessory I didn’t.

  “Braggart!” I announced with a quick pout and went to the freezer to pull out something for dinner. We’d still need to eat as we waited for the upcoming biker siege as I was calling it in my mind.

  I heard Silo setting up his laptop in the living room and watched Lulu looking around our house. “What am I supposed to do?” She asked on a whisper. “Silo doesn’t like the TV on when he’s working.”

  “Well, there’s laundry, dishes, floors to sweep and mop, bathrooms to clean…” I let my voice run out since her nose scrunched up at each of my suggestions.

  “I know! How about I make us some cookies?” Her voice was bright and cheerful, very out of place with my current mood.

  “Yeah, you do that,” I retorted. “I’m gonna go play Susie Badass Homemaker and clean the master bathroom.”

  As I rounded the corner into the living room, I caught Silo’s shoulders shaking in silent mirth. “What’s so funny, big guy?”

  “Susie Badass Homemaker?” came his response. Instead of detailing it, I simply turned around and showed him where I’d stored my gun. “A homemaker with an especially fine ass!” he amended, with an eyebrow waggle. I dropped my shirt and stuck my tongue out over my shoulder which gained me another chuckle.

  I had to admit, I rather enjoyed having Silo home during the day even if we were all waiting for the biker siege to begin.

  Whenever that might be.

  Chapter Twenty Five

  Former Federal Agent David Moore had parked his car around the corner and walked to the Kettering house using the sidewalk on their side of the street. He’d waited and waited in his car before making his daring attempt, but the only people he’d seen leaving was the younger, thick muscled man and the little girl, presumably to take her to school. Neither the burly, bald biker nor Michelle’s ditz of a sister had left yet.

  Which had him puzzled. To his knowledge, this was a regular weekday and they should’ve left for their jobs at their regular time. Times he’d carefully noted and had included in his plans. But the change in their routine sent alarm bells off in his head.

  Although the feeling could’ve been the result of only eating off the different fast food restaurant’s dollar menus for his meals and sleeping in his car. Luckily he’d been able to procure an old, mangy sleeping bag at one of the second hand shops which was just thick enough to prevent him from dying of hypothermia, but not enough to keep him from waking due to the cold. The combination of the two: the lack of food and broken, inadequate sleep had left him weak, dizzy and very jumpy.

  But it had solidified his resolve to get Michelle out at the earliest possible moment. And he knew she was as anxious to be with him as he was with her! All it would take, all that would be needed was for him to tell her of his true feelings for her so she could declare hers as well. To convince her he was now ready for their new lives, their perfect and wonderful life together, to start! Mr. and Mrs. David Moore, deliriously happy, forever and ever.

  David couldn’t see any movement behind the blinds that were, that morning, only partially open.

  ‘Where are they and what were they doing?’ he mused silently.

  The far side of the driveway had an even worse view of the house than his former vantage point across the street.

  He looked around the large Kettering yard. It was dotted with large stately trees that were losing most of their leaves and shrubs of different sizes. Perhaps he could get closer to the house by using the shrubs for cover. He felt the beading of sweat prickle at his hairline and underneath his arms as he mental traced a path through the yard noting which bushes he could use for cover.

  ‘You should’ve gotten to her before now’, he chided himself. ‘Then you wouldn’t be almost wetting yourself at the thought of simply sneaking up to the house.’

  But it had to be done and it had to be that day! He didn’t have enough cash to feed himself another twenty-four hours so it was imperative that he get Michelle away and married immediately!

  Inhaling deeply, the former agent skittered, doing a fast walk before crouching at the first set of shrubs. Eyeing the adjacent tree, he thought he’d be hidden if he stood sideways and took off at a brisk duck walk before he could change his mind. Once in place, he removed his hat and wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve. Peeking around the trunk, he carefully watched for any movement in the kitchen window which was the only opening on that side of the house.

  Perfect! If he could cross the driveway in a straight line as fast as possible, there’d be no one to see him, no one to observe his stealthy movements. Why, the one lone window was so high, he could even walk upright against the edge of the house. And from there enter the house through the back door!

  Once his spine was pressed into the aluminum siding, David did a quick but quiet sidestep only pausing to listen for any noises underneath the kitchen window. Someone was humming a melody he didn’t recognize so he knew it couldn’t be his Michelle. They shared the same wonderful taste in both Opera and Classical and whatever the tune was that he heard, he knew it wasn’t in either of their tastes.

  Making it to the far back corner, he did a quick peek to determine where the back door was located. And as he pulled his head back and began to step around, the door to the garage began to roll up.

  Oh no! Someone was coming!

  Panicked, he searched for a sheltered place, but could only see more shrubs and trees! He needed to hide as fast as possible since he could hear the roar of a truck pulling into the driveway. David ran on shaking legs to the next group of thick bushes and threw himself to the ground behind them, dislodging his hat and skinning his back on the siding in the process. But there was no way he was going to move to either rub at the abrasions or retrieve his cap, not with the sounds of heavy boots thudding on pavement.

  Suddenly, he heard a high pitched whine and a soft thud followed by a low deep voice murmuring, “What the hell?” Feeling he had no choice, David raised his head and saw the younger beefier man standing at the edge of the garage, rubbing his thumb over a hole that had been punctured in the siding. There was no sign of the young girl that had been with him when he left.

  David knew the shape of the perforation and his mind connected it with the previous sound. It had been made by a bullet!

  The other man quickly turned his upper body and peered at the street but there came another high pitched whine and the former agent saw the beefy guy begin to drop as he leaned. But he leaned too far while still twisting at the waist and fell hard, his thick arms wind-milling. There was a sickening ‘thunk’ as the biker’s head met the driveway and David saw his big body go completely limp.

  The former federal agent’s face creased into a smile as his heart calmed. It seemed as if fate had finally taken notice and had provided him a boon by taking down the other man, a Hellion. One who was sure to have been an obstacle in David rescuing Michelle from the hell she was mired in.

  *.*.*.*.*

  Silo heard Hardwood’s truck pull in and the garage door go up. Pushing the laptop to the side, he stood. He needed to work out a plan with the other man on what to do if the VDs came to the house directly. Hitching up his pants, he stepped between the couch and the ottoman just before he heard the tinkle of glass and watched the new big-screen TV explode in a shower of glass shards.

  “Everybody down!” He roared and dropped to the floor space on the short side of the sectional. There was another noise and from where he laid, he could see the mini-blinds in the dining room move before there was a deep thud in the bowels of the kitchen. Turning his head, he yelled down the hall. “Shell?!”


  “Here, Si’, I’m okay.” She was laying on the floor next to the door, only her pale face visible.

  “Lulu?”

  “I’m good, Silo.” There was a shushing sound and soon he was able to see the perfectly coiffed Lulu as she army crawled towards him. It was the first time he seen the HC receptionist without her heels.

  “I want you to get with Shelly and stay there.” He knew he was talking too loud for the situation but he didn’t give a fuck. Priority number one was to get the sisters safe. Without a word, she continued on her way past him and he made a mental note to determine if Shelly would ever fucking follow his instructions without an argument. If her sister could, maybe there was hope.

  He looked down at his hands, not remembering when he pulled out his weapon. Actually, both the gun at his back and the one in his boot were then snuggled into each palm, just the way he needed them to be. As soon as Lulu was in the master bedroom, he did his own version of an army crawl but his movement must’ve have been seen from outside because a barrage of bullets took out the remaining glass in both the dining room and the big picture window in the living room. Changing positions, he belly-crept to the thick oak front door. While he could hear and feel the occasional percussion as bullets hit it, nothing was penetrating. Yet.

  Silo mentally reviewed his options even as the bullets kept coming. With most of the kitchen cabinets along the far wall, there was no place to shield himself in order to get to the back door. Eyeing the table, he thought it would be big and thick enough to be propped up against the broken window and provide him with some kind of cover. Enough at least to allow him access to the back porch and then outside.

  It was gonna be tricky, though since the goddamn motherfucking bullets kept flying.

  *.*.*.*.*

  “Are you really okay, Lulu?” I asked on a squeak. She and I were curled up in fetal positions with our hands over our heads that were against the bedroom floor. Although why each of us thought that was the safest posture was anyone’s guess.