Underneath His Armor

by James Cox

  Then the door opened.

  I pulled apart from Lover so fast I was almost dizzy. “Get out!” My voice was dark and brooding. I looked into Grim’s blue eyes. He didn’t say anything, then again, he usually didn’t. Grim just eased the door closed. I started breathing again and looked at Lover. His lips were red, the bottom sporting a line of crimson from where I broke the skin. His neck had marks from my fingers. They would fade too quickly, I wanted them to last. I kicked the nearest chair.

  “Did that make you feel better?” he muttered, wiping at the blood with his tongue.

  “Yes. It did.” I kicked another chair because it actually did make me feel less like dirt on the bottom of a boot. “This is why we can’t start anything, Lover.” I shook my head. “If that had been a peacekeeper? If that had been anybody not from the club?” Someone seeing you perform homosexual acts without proof would get you a few years on Earth. With undeniable proof, it was death, execution.

  He remained silent. Wise man.

  I shook my head again. My cock was fucking raging between my legs. I pulled the door open so hard it swung and hit the wall. I walked into the living area where most of the guys were. They just looked up from what they were doing. I marched past them all, through the hallway, and into the garage. I jumped on my bike. I knew it was the only way I was going to get past all these feelings welling up inside me. My hover bike roared to life and I drove it out of the garage too fast. I broke speed limits and hunched slightly as I ran away from the biggest threat in my life, Lover.

  Chapter Four

  I drove to the edge of our city, the only one on Mars. It was like being in the middle of New York’s suburbs and then suddenly nothing but red dirt and rock. I came to the end of the road. Literally. From here on, the road became dry, dusty land with heavy equipment and further off was a preserve of trees like an oasis in an earth desert. I stayed here for a while. Just sitting on my bike and staring out. Mar’s axis tilt was so similar to Earth that we had nearly all the same seasons and daylight time. It was fading now, sending shadows across the red dirt. It was spring, but the temperature was cool enough for me to wear just my cut that showed I was part of the Outlaw MC. There was a patch on front that read President. I was fighting the government, breaking laws every day and one man had me too hard up to think. Maybe we should fuck. Maybe getting this out of my system, whatever’s between us, would help. Or it could lead to deeper feelings and even more complications. Damn it, I’d known Lover since we were kids. I doubt one night of hot, passionate, sweaty sex would make me throw him to the side. And that kiss had nearly knocked me on my fucking ass. Again. I took a few deep breaths but kicking chairs sure as hell made me feel better.

  Earth was just another bright star somewhere in the sky. It’s a little more round because it’s a planet, but it’s not like we could see the blue oceans here like you can from the moon. However, thanks to our orbit, once every twenty-six months, we come so close to alignment with Earth I could make out its bright glow. I could see those white clouds, the browns, and the blues. That day you would always find me outside staring up, thinking about the past. Days of old. Earth before we destroyed her. I’ve seen the pictures. Her beauty had been unmatched, magnificent, and pure. Of course, now it was a prison colony.

  The first time I went to Earth it had been with Liam. We were both caught with two slaves, trying to get them out of the city. We managed to save them, but they caught us. There were only two witnesses, but no fatal proof, so we got sentenced to a year in prison for attempting to break a cardinal rule. That had been the first time either of us did hard time. We stuck together and had our asses beat on more than one occasion. We made some new friends after a while and spread the word about the Outlaws. It was actually a good experience. Liam and me, back to back, facing horny men looking for some free ass. That was nearly fifteen years ago. I suddenly felt fucking old, much more than forty.

  I stayed out there for a few hours then I returned home to my club, my family. And, of course, who found me but Lover. He was the only one still in the living room. The others had apparently already cleared out. Why did that not surprise me? “What?”

  “Why are you so determined to fight us?”

  I threw my head back and let out a deep breath. “Now is not the time, Lover. My dick should not take first priority.”

  “Fine.” He stood.

  I glanced at his crotch. Hey, I couldn’t help it that my gaze strayed.

  “I’ll let our kiss go for now. But eventually, Outlaw, I want more.”

  “I can’t give you more.” What if we fell in love? What if we were caught? What if Lover was the one dead or in prison?

  “If you can’t give me more than a hot fuck, then why don’t you go spread the prospect’s ass cheeks?” He stepped up to me. “I’ll tell you why. You don’t love him. You love me.”

  I snorted, rolling my eyes. I think I did a good job of hiding the truth. A stool skidded across the room thanks to my foot. He was right. I’ve loved him since we were kids. “Go fuck the prospect yourself. Or Romeo. Hell, you can go shove your dick in a wet pussy and I couldn’t care less.”

  Lover smiled.

  I was going for nonchalant and he was smiling. It unnerved me.

  “Your crotch is saying something different.”

  Yeah, I felt my cock growing but I hadn’t realized he noticed the bulge in my jeans yet. “As vice president of the Outlaw MC, get your eyes off my dick, your head out of your pants, and find a way to take down Wexmen.” I walked away. I had to because if I didn’t, I would have kissed Lover. He was my weakness, my Achilles’ heel. I headed for my room, slamming the door shut so hard the wall trembled.

  Chapter Five

  Riding my hover bike always improved my mood. The wind in my face, the feel of all that power between my legs. It was sturdier than the old bikes on Earth. The hover technology improved every year so the ride was smoother. There were air generators every couple of blocks. It was a high, white pole with a square at the end. Looked like those telephone poles that used to litter Earth. They gave off a humming noise if you were close enough, but the air was also fresher the closer you got to it. The sun was high in the sky and warmth crawled along my skin like a bug. I scratched at the stubble on my chin. I hadn’t shaved in a day or so, but the gruff look worked for me. It made me stand out among the normals but also look like a man that spends too many hours working.

  My men rode behind me and we slowed as one. I pulled into the nearest space. The hover bike descended and I swung my leg as the others parked. If anyone asked, we were motorcycle enthusiasts going for parts. The building on the left, the one without any lights on, was a place we frequented. It was a barter store that specialized in technology. This fine establishment was owned by Harley J. Smithson. And no, I wasn’t sure if that was his real name. We meet years ago over the last starter pin when the supplies were low and deliveries were few. He was the first one to mention his dislike of Wexmen and through careful chatter, Harley turned out to be a good friend in this slowly developing war.

  I shoved the door with my hands. The glass was cold against my palms. The minute I entered this abandoned looking place, it opened up to a small room that was dimly lit. Harley had sheltered Justice for a while before the big man decided to go start his own MC. “Anybody home?”

  The archway led to a brighter room where a figure curled himself from a low seat. Harley was a little younger than me, maybe thirty or so. He is what they call a ginger. That orange-red hair and the dusting of freckles on his cheeks stood out. But Harley always had a great big smile. “Mr. Outlaw.” He grinned as it said it. “’ow’s the ‘over bike business?”

  Did I forget to mention that sexy accent? It was damn hot but didn’t do much more than nudge my dick awake. Hell, I haven’t fucked anyone since Lover’s lips first touched mine. That’s just fucking sad. “Doing real good.”

  He was more buff than the last time I’d seen him, the blue shirt stretched over his ches
t like it was nearly at its limit. “W’at can I do fer such fine friends o’ mine?”

  “I need some parts. Big ones.” I glanced at the harmless-looking square box with wires sticking out of it. The machine looked like a broken component, but Harley was a lot smarter than he looked.

  “Aye, mate. I ‘ave some big parts in back.” Harley winked.

  It was like a stroke to the cock, but it wasn’t his hands I was imagining. I glanced at Lover. “Much appreciated.”

  Harley went into the back. I heard him shuffle some things around then return. He placed a box on the counter.

  “You need anything fixed, stop by the garage.” I turned away.

  “Yer arse is looking fine, me friend.”

  I chuckled. Harley could charm the foreskin off a dick. I left the store. Now we had our explosives. We pulled into a parking garage near Harley’s building. It had a secret exit. I was all for that. It was there we placed our masks on and waited for Justice and his MC. We didn’t wait long. It took about five minutes before we heard the low rumble of engines. Nearly a dozen bikes made their way through a dark tunnel from another part of the city. The passageway branched out so there was no way to give credit to any accidental witnesses. I knew Justice led them. It was real fucking easy to spot his frame. We were all covered up. Black pants, black shirts with long sleeves, and dark gloves with the newest lining so we had a solid grip. Our masks were identical, covering our hair and necks. No one would be able to describe us, other than tall or short. It made the life of an outlaw a little easier.

  Justice and I rode side by side back through the tunnel and headed toward the auction house. We shared leadership. I didn’t mind since it was his plan. He didn’t seem to have too many qualms about me either. It made for a better working environment.

  We exited the tunnel on our hover bikes going fast enough for the construction signs to be too blurry to read. Our destination was the auction house. It was at the edge of the tall buildings that made up the center of the city. I hoped Justice’s intel was right about there being fewer guards. The streets were empty thanks to the route we took. It was longer but less chance of being seen. Our masks had technology that would jam any camera so we had extra protection with that. Why did I have this sinking feeling in my gut? Nerves. Probably from all the shit going on with Lover lately. Damn him.

  We turned a dark corner where the smaller buildings were busy closing up shop. We passed pedestrians. A few of them watched, others smiled and looked away. We had support to take down the government, but they couldn’t be vocal about it. Now we had to hurry in case one of those that saw us called about activity.

  The building was the only one in all of Mars that was not square. It was a half circle, two levels with a basement. Justice and I led the charge. We rolled right up to the stairs and as we went, pulled out guns. Mine was old-fashioned but reliable. His was the newer model, laser shot, with precision aiming but had an alarming tendency to burn out. I aimed at the first guard and caught him right in the chest. He stumbled off the wide stairs into a garden below. Justice fired, hitting the second guard. I couldn’t see where he landed, the shadows were too great. The shots made little sound thanks to a few modifications from Grim.

  Then we drove up the fucking stairs. My bike hit the door at top speed and it flew open. I entered a large foyer room with a fancy chandelier hovering above me. There were three doors. The moment they opened, guards swarmed the room. More than there should have been. I leaned left, my bike tilted, and the air pressure from the underside made the guard hesitate. That’s all we needed. The Underground MC members and my men stormed the room. They started firing. I rode the tilted bike to the large doors, slamming into them. I opened one, finding an office empty. I used the open door as cover as the loud gun battle went on.

  Justice and half his men went for the stairs to the basement.

  We covered this area. The loud pops were followed by heavy thuds. A few guards ran into another room and barred the door. Reinforcements would be here soon. “Move your ass,” I yelled then put a bullet through the last guard standing.

  Mayhem’s bulky frame shoved off his hover bike. He ran past me into the office. He’d set the charges in several places. Grim and Romeo watched his back. That left Lover, Deviant, Chaos, and Whip to man the front door and the room that the remaining guards were hiding in. The rest of Justice’s men ran down the stairs to help get the slaves out.

  I glanced at Lover. He was breathing heavily but was unscathed by the fight. I had to make sure no one got hit. One drop of blood and they could test it for our DNA. All blood is in a database for comparison. If one of my guys bled, we’d have to stop and drop some dissolvent on it, and then haul ass out of here. I was hoping we wouldn’t have to do that this mission.

  Chaos watched the front door then nodded toward me. Beau was supposed to be driving a long black bus to get the slaves on and then flee. It was a big task, one we didn’t normally reserve for prospects, but Chaos wanted Beau to be a full member. This would ensure that jump in rank.

  I heard footsteps on the stairs. My guns went up automatically. That’s when I saw them. Men. It didn’t matter that they were dark of skin. What mattered is that they were human. They bled, they felt pain, they felt joy, they were human beings. These men were slaves in the eyes of the law and by God I would fucking change that in my lifetime.

  “Get on the bus,” Chaos yelled. He started leading them.

  I heard the wailing of sirens. “Shit. Party is coming to an end.” I yelled loud enough to echo down the stairs. It was quiet enough for me to hear Justice curse. I glanced at the door that the peacekeepers hid behind. The knob was rattling. Apparently, they were getting their courage back as they heard backup. I fired twice into the wooden frame, just enough to scare them into staying the fuck back. It didn’t work.

  Four bullets came my way. I ducked back. The last of the slaves ran out. Justice’s men came back up, and they returned fire. The smell of ammo and singed wood burned my nostrils.

  “Done,” Mayhem yelled. He didn’t so much as run but walked angrily toward the exit.

  I lifted two fingers and pointed to the doors. My guys got on their bikes. The sirens were getting closer. I heard the roar of engines. They started driving. Justice followed his men. He waited by the front door. I ran across the space. Two shots fired out. No of them hit me. That’s when I saw Lover. He was still here. Fucking hell. Stupid fucker. I straightened my fallen bike and hopped on. “Get out of here, now!”

  Lover jumped on his bike. Justice was right behind me. The three of us shifted to go faster down the stairs over the small walkway, spraying the flowers so hard with the air pressure that petals flew in all directions.

  We turned the corner as three peacekeeper cars came down the opposite road. Guards were running out of the building. I didn’t think they could reach us or that they’d waste the ammo and try. But even over the wind I could hear a single shot ring out. It was loud, echoing, thanks to the buildings. It whizzed past my shoulder so fast I couldn’t move out of the way. My breath froze in my lungs as I watched it in route for Lover’s head. “Down!” But my words were slow motion. Each syllable was drawn out. All I could do was watch as the thick bullet flew through the darkness toward the man I loved.

  Lover turned his head, glancing at me. He winced as the bullet skidded along his cheek. Blood splattered over his shoulder. The bullet slammed into a wall. Lover slowed and covered his face with his hand.

  I took a breath, forgetting that I needed to breathe. My bike was nearly even with Lover. “Are you whole?” He was fucking hit. The bullet had struck my Liam.

  Lover shook his head but didn’t speak.

  I think they planned to come after us. The peacekeeper cars were on the brink of the corner when the building exploded. The noise was insane. It seemed to echo off the walls like a living, breathing creature. It made my ears ring and the glass around us shatter. People in those buildings started screaming. Big puffs of smoke
rose. I heard smaller booms then the loud crunch as the building collapsed.

  We drove fast, our bikes eating the path like it was starving. Buildings flew past. Chaos stopped his bike and Beau hopped on behind him. The bus was driven by one of the Justice’s men. They all made their way back down the tunnel. We parted ways in there, heading for the parking garage. If anyone checked security, we were in there waiting for a new part from Harley’s. He was a friend of the club so he’d back us up. When we returned, I could hear the loud wailing of sirens. We had to get back to the clubhouse. We had to get our alibi set.

  The wind chilled my skin, or maybe it was fear. Lover’s hand was still on his face. Bright jagged lines of crimson were staining his gloves. I stayed close. Cursing, praying, and then more cursing as we pulled onto our street. We pulled the bikes right into the garage door that was opened. It closed behind us.

  “Lover?” My voice sounded unsteady as I shoved off my bike. I hadn’t even turned it off as I rushed to his side. My mask stuck to my sweaty face and I had to jerk it over my scalp. Then I carefully grabbed Lover’s mask and removed it. “Deep?”

  “No.”

  He was sitting sideways on his bike. I stood before him. He flinched but didn’t make a sound. Then Lover pulled his hand away. There was a profound gash from the bullet along his cheek. The blood was already starting to dry, but the fucker would need stitches. I shivered. “Beau. Burn this fucking mask. Use the dissolvent on the entire garage.” I thought the bullet had gone deeper. I thought maybe it had been something fatal. Knowing that Lover was going to survive this wound made the tension in my shoulders ease. “Grim stitch him up.” I cleared my throat. “Mayhem, Deviant, get up to the bar, show your faces.” My voice sounded stronger now. “Whip, make sure Justice made it clear of that.” I watched as Lover stood. He had steadier legs than I did. I waited for everyone to leave the garage.