by L. Ann Marie
I laugh. “Does that ever work?”
“No.” He sounds disgusted.
“If you build the pot, I’ll give it to you first. The money can go to the PTSD fund at the Women’s Center. I need a couple of dates so she can get the time from the hospital.”
“Sounds good. What does she want big?” Now he’s happy.
“Karaoke. Buffet style dinner, but karaoke.” I’m holding my laugh as he groans.
“Fuck. Okay. I’ll text you the dates I have open and will only tell the Brothers you asked for dates.”
“Perfect. I’m going to play with Uncle Danny to get the pot higher.” He laughs and hangs up. He’ll build the pot just to win more than Uncle Danny.
“Why are you playing with Uncle Danny?”
“The bet.” I turn around. “Oh my fuckin’ God. It’s better than I imagined.”
She tilts her head. “Bet?”
“That is the sexiest fuckin’ thing I have ever seen.” I walk toward her and she steps back putting her hands up.
“Stop! Bet?”
I’m scanning her body looking at how her ink is pointing to all my favorite spots. Fuck. “They bet on the wedding date and give the money to a charity or something like that. I picked the PTSD fund. We can’t go out until I fuck you in this bathing suit, or right out of it, I don’t know yet.” I take a step and her hands stop me.
She’s shaking her head. “We’ll miss low tide. We have to go now.”
“I’ll buy you quahogs.” I put my hand on her side. “This bathing suit is so fuckin’ sexy. My map is perfect.”
She spins away. “I’m quahogging. You can come with me or take a damn picture and jerk off here while I go, but I am going.”
What the fuck? “You’re serious? You are not going out there without me in that fuckin’ suit.”
She grabs her bag. “Then you better be following me and my suit that covers everything that needs to be covered.”
She’s out the door. “Fuckin’ women!” I jog to catch up to her. “You’re covered, but my map points to all the precious treasures that are mine.”
She laughs. “They’ll be yours in the water and maybe I’ll let you find them after I get my quahogs. If I don’t get my quahogs, you don’t get the treasures.”
I stop and watch her ass with ink moving as she walks. Shit, it goes through her legs and frames the suit with little curls hiding under it. She’s determined to get fuckin’ quahogs and I think that’s fuckin’ sexy too. “It’s the fuckin’ suit. My head is fucked.” I follow mumbling and get the pitchfork and net bag with the buoy from the shed. “This is the dumbest fuckin’ thing I’ve ever done. Women and their damn bathing suits,” I growl following her right into the water.
She’s in three feet of freezing water twisting to find quahogs with her toes looking like that. Jesus. I pass her knowing the water is going to kill my burning fuckin’ hard on, so I can dig for fuckin’ quahogs. That is the only way I’m getting in that damn suit.
She’s laughing and I’m still pissed. I have about twelve quahogs in the bag and I’m ignoring her. “Look!”
“I’m not looking at you until the fuckin’ bag is full.” I throw another in the bag.
She laughs, pissing me off. “Then you can stop now.”
“What?” My head spins toward her. She’s holding a potato bag filled with quahogs against her. Her nipples are hard against the top that’s killing me. I take her bag and drop it in the net bag with the buoy, hook the wrist band with the pitchfork to the top of the buoy and grab her hand pulling her further into the water.
“Isn’t this too cold to um perform?”
“I’m hard as a rock and the water hasn’t done a fuckin’ thing to fix that.”
“But it’s freezing.”
“You don’t say.” As soon as we clear the rock I pull her to me lifting her and biting that nipple that’s teasing me. “We are going to a private beach on our honeymoon and you’re wearing this suit.” I move the material and get her nipple in my mouth.
She arches for me and I see the ink on the side teasing me. Fuck, I want to spank her ass for teasing me. I think about that ink wrapping through her legs and moan moving to the other nipple. “Untie one side of that sexy bottom so I can get my treasure Precious.” She moans holding the hair at the nape of my neck and I slide my shorts down. When her hand moves from her side to my shoulder, I slide in slow. Her pussy is hot in the cold water and I slide in farther. “Precious this isn’t going to last. Your pussy feels so warm and good.” She moans and arches back. I take the nipple she’s offering and move faster. When I bite, she yells. I watch her come, thinking she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I need more and move, catching just the tip in my teeth. She’s moaning louder and I know I’ll get to see it again. “Come with me so I can see it again Precious. So fuckin’ beautiful.” She moves a hand in between us and I’m gone. “Fuck!” She yells my name and bucks against me arching her back more showing me that ink and her tits in the moonlight. “Fuckin’ beautiful. Love you Precious.” She moans and falls against me. I don’t even try to move. It’s all I can do to keep us up with the water rolling around us.
“That was hot,” she mumbles against my chest.
I laugh. “Give me a minute Precious.” I breathe deep and let it out slow. “Hold your bottoms.” She does and I slide out. When my shorts are up I fix her top, and walk her back to the buoy. I turn around and set her down. The water is higher, but not too bad. I get her bottom tied back up and kiss her. “I was a dick. Your fuckin’ bathing suit is better than I pictured and it pissed me off. Next time you can show me before we hit the water so I’m not a dick to you.”
She laughs. I shake my head while she does. “I liked how this worked out. Knowing you like what I’m wearing is a turn on too.” She walks in front of me and I feel my dick twitch. Jesus. I say every fuck I know, following her ass moving in the moonlight. After dropping the bag and pitchfork it’s a short walk home. I fill the sink and she puts the quahogs in then I fuck her on the table.
“I need to shop for more bathing suits.”
I laugh standing up. “I’ll call Nancy. When you go for a dress she’ll have them waiting.”
“I love Nancy.” I laugh more and clean her up. “I have to cook the quahogs.”
“Yeah. I’ll get the pan.” I shake my head. It’s eleven-thirty and we’re cooking quahogs. I fuckin’ love her.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Two days
Taylor
Since Beth is working, I go to the support meeting. I’m shocked to see so many Brothers here. I throw chin and sit toward the back. Jessie gets up and seems to be running the meeting. He didn’t even tell me he was coming and he runs it? I watch and listen with a lump the size of a baseball in my throat. I listen to two men talk about a friend and the other a brother. Jessie asks for advice, then tells them to keep pushing therapy and keep talking. Every day find a reason to check in, even if it’s to ask a stupid question.
I think back and they’ve all done that. I thought it was odd sometimes, but never saw that they were just checking in. Prez stands up and tells the men to get with other friends and form a net for information and contact. When Prez sits, another Brother stands and tells about a Vet he’s working with and how the net is working.
I get up and move to the door without making a sound. My Brothers have had my back long before the worst hit me. Sheila had no problem talking to Prez. She was always talking to me. They knew then.
A hand on my shoulder stops me. I close my eyes. “This is the place you can help most. We can tell how we handled it, but you can tell how you received it. I can’t think of a better way to get more people help than right here Brother,” Darren says.
“You knew.”
“Yeah Brother, we all knew. We grew up together. We trained and went to school together. As soon as you got back we knew something was off. Jeremy told Prez—he had us give you your time. Nothing was going to happen unti
l you wanted it. I’m so fuckin’ glad Dakota fucked up and we got you before it got bad and Beth was there alone. You’re my Brother, but more Taylor. I’m so fuckin’ happy to see you moving on and happy with more than just Mucimi making you smile.”
I think about that. He’s right. I was holding onto Mucimi to keep me connected to some form of happy. “Was I a dick to everyone?”
He laughs. “You remember before I got my glasses?”
I look at him and smile. “Yeah.”
“You were nothing close to that.” Since he’s smiling I do. “Come help us out. It would be so much easier if we knew what would work and what won’t.”
I follow him back in. He moves closer to the front. Jessie is standing and smiles throwing me chin. “I’d like to tell you why it’s such a secret, but I think Taylor can answer better. Can you repeat the question for him?”
Prez looks back and throws me chin. I don’t sit, but listen and answer the best that I can. Some of the questions are harder than others, but I answer everything honestly. I’m so relieved when there isn’t anything else for me. Darren slaps my back. “This is so much better than guessing at shit.”
I nod looking around. No one’s looking at me, they’re all paying attention to Jessie and the guy that’s talking to him. They want information. Beth was right. This is where they can use the information to help.
The meeting breaks up and Brothers thank me. I’m surprised and glad I made a difference here. “Will you come back next week? Not everyone shows every week. We’ll be moving to once a month when the information gets out and all the people are in place, but for right now we’re doing weekly.”
“Yeah Jessie. I’ll be here.”
Prez slaps my back. “Glad you were here Brother. You don’t like the other meetings?”
I think about how to answer that. “I had help right from the beginning. Thank fuck you knew what to do. I sure as hell didn’t. Because of that I didn’t have it like they do. Some can’t function in jobs and life. I wasn’t that bad, even at my worst. Helping where I can, works better for me.” I shrug.
“Mitch says working from hope is the best way to start everything,” Jessie says.
“Sounds right to me. Let’s grab a beer at the Club,” Prez says walking out.
We all follow. It feels good to have this back. It’s been a while since I’ve felt a part of them. As we’re riding it hits me, I’ve always been a part of them. I just couldn’t see it.
Chapter Twenty-Three
One week
Beth
“I love everything! Thank you! You’re like a clothes angel.” I hug her and CJ laughs.
“We think the same thing. Did Holly and Lily tell you about the panties?”
I nod laughing. That isn’t a conversation I’ll forget anytime soon. “Yes, they told me all about kryptonite panties versus Victoria’s. I only got one box from Victoria’s and Jess ordered me kryptonite panties.” It was over two hundred dollars. They’re crazy with panties.
She’s nodding her head as if this is a serious conversation and I hold my laugh in because she’s going to be my mother-in-law. I’m not starting that off on the wrong foot. “For some reason they won’t rip the kryptonites. I just don’t get it.”
“Because they’re Badass. Bob told me he can’t rip Badass off my body, it’s too fuckin’ sexy.”
I crack up. Amanda is funny as hell. I cannot picture Bob having that conversation with her, but she says he talks all the time. CJ said it’s a lie. I just don’t know him well enough to know if it’s true.
Tess hands me a margarita. “He talks and Rich said almost the same thing. Patches isn’t so vocal about the kryptonites. I think he likes Victoria’s better.”
“Jax rips them all. I just go with Victoria’s now. I don’t have to do a thing to get them,” Sheila says.
Jess hits her arm telling her about the impact on the environment and Sheila rolls her eyes. “You tell Jax the difference in panties and the environmental impact and let him order different. I haven’t bought clothes in years, now I don’t even have to get panties. I love my fuckin’ life just the way it is. You want change, talk to Jax.”
“I’m talking to all of them. We need to be the change if we want to make a change in this world,” Jess says and Kate laughs.
I love them all already. I can’t imagine growing up with these women. It’s no wonder the kids are the way they are.
“Do you have the date yet Beth?” MC Jess asks.
I was warned about this. “I do, but I’m not allowed to say.”
Mitch laughs bouncing up and down. They have to be the happiest people I’ve ever met. Marty tells me to keep it close. I nod getting a smile.
“She won’t let it go. She’s an old lady all the way,” Lily says making me smile. I am.
“Chopper’s here,” Bob says.
Tess makes me laugh, “See, he talks.”
We hug and say goodbye to everyone and get driven to the MC Club where a different helicopter is. Taylor’s dad is flying us back. Sheila and Lily are quiet. “What’s wrong?”
Eliza laughs. “Knew you’d be an old lady. Since Dakota isn’t here, something is going on. Sheila’s listening to see if anything is said from Ops and Lily is hoping the kids are safe.”
“Oh.” I have no idea what to say to that. I remember how bad I felt when her boy was taken. “Can I do anything for you Lily?”
She gives me a smile. “I’m fine and will be better once I see my boys.”
“They’re fine. Mucimi is throwing pictures.” Holly smiles at her.
I laugh. “This is too weird, but so good to know they’re all safe.” Everyone seems to relax, which strikes me as way too weird. The baby throwing Holly pictures in her head is calming every adult I can see. Whatever works, I guess.
* * *
Taylor
“Motherfucker is gone,” Jessie growls out. We came up to check the utility room up here and the ledge of the wall.
It took us for-fuckin’-ever to get here. All our clothes were gone again. Our lockers were opened one fuckin’ time according to Security. Thank fuck my gear wasn’t in it. I don’t trust the locker room since the last time.
I’m scanning the roof looking for anything left behind. This is someone that’s off. He can’t be that good. Walking east I see it, a water bottle and glove. A shell casing is against the roof wall. “Jessie.”
He pulls rubber gloves on and a bag from his pocket. I’m amazed at what people keep in their pockets, but he always has PD shit in there. Being SAA, he is at the PD scenes that go bad. I guess he’s learned to be ready for it.
He tells Prez what he’s got. Jax wants someone he trusts to pick it up. I look at Jessie. “He’s thinking PD,” I tell him, holding my mic.
“Yeah.”
“Aaron is on his way,” Prez tells us.
Someone in PD that works out of this substation. I think of the trainees, but don’t know where they’re from. I hold my mic. “They’re tracked. We should be able to track to here if it’s PD.”
He nods. “Jax would have it. After the pussy/detective tracking was leaked, it’s not common knowledge, but it’s out there.”
Fuck. Aaron comes running across the roof. Jessie hands him the bags. “You do forensics yet?”
Aaron smiles. “I’m doing it now. Driscoll and Jax gave me free rein in the lab. Jared is on his way to help with this one.”
Jessie slaps his back. “Fuckin’ nice. Go have some fun Brother.”
We follow him off the roof and look around the building, then the sidewalk in front and back. I shut my mic off and I look at him, “Tunnels?”
He flips his mic too. “That’s what I’m thinking. How the fuck is someone making it without being seen to three buildings, now without some type of bag or visible gun. Let’s go see Smithy.”
“We never heard of tunnels before now and all of a sudden every fuckin’ pussy is using them. Seems too coincidental.”
“It was out
with the rapist, then just a couple of weeks ago. Could be it’s an idea that was usable to the pussy.”
“Yeah. Even though we held it, PD and Security had it. If it’s PD that would fit.”
At the bikes, he tells Prez we have a stop to make before we come in. Since they can track us he doesn’t say where.
Back at Security we go right to the meeting room. Brantley comes running in with his laptop. “I don’t have the downtown maps on here yet. It will take me a couple of days to get this in, but I can connect you from the paper maps.”
I laugh. “Slow down Brant. We haven’t even looked at it all together. Smithy was getting ready to go out and just handed them to us.”
He sits relieved. “Where’s he going? We could use him. He knows the tunnels that are closed and how to get around them.”
“Does it matter? He isn’t here,” Jessie says and Brantley starts typing.
The hologram board shows and he’s got the whole outside of two towns mapped out. “It only matters if you’re in the tunnel trying to find your way around. Now that you know we don’t have the completed maps, you won’t be ready to fuckin’ shoot me when you get lost. Since I’m not the one going down there it doesn’t matter to me.”
I crack up. “Fuckin’ Badass shines through at the best times.”
Jessie smiles shaking his head. “I liked it better when you were afraid I’d shoot you.”
Brantley is pulling the maps closer to him. “I like it better now that you don’t know if I’d shoot back.”
Prez laughs walking in. “Jax is on his way. Leave Brantley alone; he’s guiding you down there. I’d be afraid he’d get you so lost it’d take two days to find your way out.”
I laugh and Jessie sits hard. “What the fuck ever. Fuckin’ Brother takes out Ortiz and acts like this now. I got no one left to hang in fuckin’ pop-ups.”
I look at Prez. “This is starting to look like VP getting bored. He tries hanging me from a flag pole, I’m shooting him.” Jessie pegs me a finger.