Raiden's Choice (A Ravens MC Novel Book 1)

by J. L. Leslie

  When I instinctually rise off the bed, his strong hand pushes me back down. When I squirm and moan beneath him, he pushes two fingers inside me, making me quiver and pant.

  Luka’s mouth and hands work me until I shudder with my orgasm and he laps it up. The only time I have to recover is while he sheathes himself, but then he’s there, sliding his large cock inside me.

  “Fuck.” he hisses and I dig my fingernails into his shoulders. He starts moving and I close my eyes, reveling in the feel of Luka Varelli inside me. Reveling in me, finally getting to be me.

  My legs intertwine with his and his arms frame my body as he grinds into me. I raise my pelvis to meet his every thrust. His lips are on my neck, then my ear, then my lips.

  The moment between us is so heated and raw that I can’t seem to get enough of his taste. I can’t get close enough to him. I know I’m clinging to him to the point that I don’t know where I end and he begins, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He just keeps moving and so do I.

  I finally tear my lips from his only to cry out his name as another mind-blowing orgasm tears through me. Luka groans and pours his release into me while his name is still on my lips.

  His words are raspy in my ear and as he says them, I fear they might eventually ring true.

  “You’re gonna be the death of me, Raiden Daughtry.”

  I blink back tears and kiss his shoulder, forcing myself to have this weekend. I can have one weekend with Luka. I damn well deserve it.

  ~Luka~

  Waking up to an empty bed wasn’t exactly what I was expecting this morning. Not after the intense sex between me and Raiden last night. In fact, intense is a fucking understatement. I don’t know if I have ever been so lost in a woman just to wake up to the smell of sex instead of the opportunity for another repeat.

  So I’ve showered and dressed in a pair of jeans and a Sex Pistols t-shirt so I can head down for breakfast, even though it’s closer to lunch now.

  Dax has outdone himself with a full buffet at the venue. It doesn’t take me long to have my plate completely loaded down. I take a seat beside Hayes and grin at the jars of peanut butter on each table. Quite of few people have peanut butter on their pancakes. I’m starting to think it’s a Ravens tradition.

  “Where’d you disappear to last night?” Hayes asks. “You missed all the fun. Topless chicken.”

  I laugh. “Turned in early.”

  “You are not cashing in on all the tits and ass this club has to offer.” he scolds.

  Before he can continue, Dax interrupts with an announcement. All eyes and ears turn to him.

  “Most of you know I plan a game each year…a little competition.” he grins. “When you assholes are done stuffing your faces, I’ve set up a little something outside. It’s a paintball war!”

  “Fuck yeah!” Hayes cheers.

  “And since we have some lovely ladies here, I’ve decided to give them a team of their own. Each territory will have their own team and paintball color. Women will have their own team and since we all love their pink pussies so much…their paintball color is pink.”

  The men let out a yell of appreciation and that’s when I see Raiden. She’s sitting beside a redheaded woman and she doesn’t look too happy with her dad right now. A few seconds later, I see her huddling the women around her table and I know she’s probably talking strategy.

  When we finish eating, everyone heads outside. I let out a whistle at the set up Dax has created. Bales of hay and large fiberglass boulders are set up as hiding places. There’s even some above-ground tunnels in place.

  Dax distributes the weapons and paintballs, while explaining where team members go when they’re executed. Some of the members are already teasing the women.

  I take a look at Raiden, who has braided her hair and now has a black bandana tied around her head. She’s wearing matching gloves on her hands and I know she’s taking this competition seriously.

  “I like this look.” I whisper into her hair and I see her cheeks flush.

  “You ready to get pink splattered across your ass?” she smirks.

  “You have two minutes to get into position!” Dax yells and everyone scatters. I realize no one from my team talked strategy with me. As far as I know, it’s every man out for himself.

  I can see Pummel, Niles, and Shepherd in position behind some hay. I’m tucked into a tunnel and ready to shoot anyone who’s not a Verdana Raven.

  The whistle blows and I hear paintballs start whizzing. Shepherd lets out a curse as pink splashes across his helmet. Whoa. Where did that even come from?

  He walks out of his spot and heads to the Execution Lounge. Niles takes a shot at a Sacramento Raven and is successful, but then he’s taken out with a pink blast to the chest. Shepherd goes down as well. Pink splatter to the helmet.

  I stay perfectly still and watch the chaos around me. I take out anyone who gets close. Blue, green, red, and yellow paintballs are flying and hitting their targets, but then out of nowhere, a pink paintball takes them down.

  I still don’t know where the shooters are. I haven’t seen a single woman come out of their hiding place. As far as I know, none of them have been hit.

  I’m getting the sick feeling like I’m this tiny prey and the hunters are all around me. I slowly inch forward in the tunnel, but not enough to where my head will be seen.

  “Fuck!” I curse and snatch my hand back from the opening. A small dab of pink paint covers my knuckles. A familiar throaty laughter fills the air.

  I crawl out of the tunnel and see Raiden pushing a haystack off herself. The Ravens start applauding. I look for the other women and they come out of the bathroom. The bathroom?

  “That was fun!” Raiden says, breathlessly.

  “You mean to tell me you did that shit by yourself?” Pummel asks. “Bullshit!”

  The women burst out laughing and Raiden doesn’t comment. I can still hear Pummel cursing and trying to figure out how he got bested by a woman as I take her hand and lead her away from the crowd.

  “Oh, don’t tell me you’re pissed too.” she complains.

  I push the door open to a supply closet and usher her inside. “I’m impressed.” I tell her and push her chest to the door. “And we only have a few minutes before someone comes looking for us.”

  “Oh…” she sighs and helps me unbutton her jeans. I shove mine down and roll a condom on. I bend her forward just a bit and line my cock at her entrance. I watch the tip disappear and then I slam inside her with one quick thrust.

  “Luka…” she moans.

  I grip her hips and fuck her roughly, pounding into her with all I have. I don’t want her to forget this weekend. I want her to know I was here. I want to leave my mark on her somehow.

  I don’t want her to go back home and be able to pretend this didn’t happen. Pretend she no longer wants me once Monday gets here. Pretend she loves Griffin Knowles.

  I sure as hell can’t pretend I’ll be okay with him touching her like this. Especially now that I’ve had her. I’m fucked…and I know it.

  Chapter Twelve

  ~Raiden~

  Back to the real world. Or my pretend world. I know that my pretend world is my real world and I have to get my head back into it. The weekend is over and my fling with Luka Varelli is over too. It was fun. Hot. Intense. Mind blowing. While it lasted.

  Now I’m back home and the mask is back in place. Griffin is finished with his CLE and is on his way to my house. I could hear something in his voice, excitement maybe, and I know it has to do with the bust that was done.

  The vehicle with the military grade weapons has been seized and impounded. I know there’s no chance the vehicle itself will trace back to the Ravens, but there is a very slim possibility the weapons will. It’ll take some damn good digging though. I doubt my dad would have agreed to the tip off had he feared anyone would dig deep enough.

  My dad has been running this weapons deal since he became president. My grandfather ran the same deal before him
. Not a single member of the Ravens knows the full details of the deal and according to my father, the only person who will is the next president.

  The only information I know about it is that we get the weapons from a dealer in San Diego. Some former military contact that my grandpa has. I don’t know how he gets the weapons and my dad won’t reveal that. Not even to me. I’m pretty certain my mom knew though.

  The pickup is made and our deliveries go to independent militia units and fellow motorcycle clubs along the West Coast. Homegrown men and women who have been affected by the gun laws.

  The Ravens don’t distribute illegal drugs and we don’t deal in human trafficking. We sell weapons and we don’t sell them to terrorists. My grandpa and father trust the groups we sell to, so I have to do so as well.

  “Hey, babe!” Griffin calls out as he walks in. I sit up from where I’m curled up on my couch and give him room to sit next to me. “How was your grandmother?”

  “She was happy I was able to stay two nights this time.” I tell him. “She said I still don’t get to come often enough and she’s anxious to meet you.”

  It is true, I do have a grandmother in Stockton. That’s where my dad’s mom lives, my grandpa’s wife. Only, if I visited her, she wouldn’t know who I was or that I was even there. Her mind has been claimed by Alzheimer’s to the point that she doesn’t even recognize my dad or grandpa. She doesn’t remember anything about her life with the Ravens or any of her family.

  “Maybe one day soon.” he assures me. “The CLE was boring as hell, but it’s over now. I’m glad to be back home.”

  He pulls my feet into his lap and starts massaging them. I relax into the couch cushions, enjoying the feel of his hands pressing into the arch of my feet.

  Griffin doesn’t mention anything about the bust. Not a word. He typically doesn’t and in a way, I’m grateful for that. It would be a little shitty if he constantly tried to throw it in my face when he attempted to bust my father’s club for something.

  I shift on the couch and feel Griffin’s hand inching up my leg. Normally, I would enjoy this. I’d want him to touch me. I’d ache for him to. Now, I just can’t let him touch me tonight. Not yet.

  “Griffin, I’m not feeling too well. I think grandma had some kind of bug and I might’ve picked it up.” I lie.

  “Do you need me to get you anything?” he offers and I feel like a shit for lying. Griffin’s not a bad guy. We’re both doing what we need to for our jobs and we both enjoy each other’s bodies. I just know I wouldn’t be fair to him tonight if I let him have me.

  “No, let’s just watch TV if that’s okay.”

  He nods and pulls me to him so that I’m resting against his chest. A little while later, Griffin carries me to bed and crawls in beside me. I snuggle against him and breathe in his familiar scent.

  If this were my real life, it would be so much easier. No more Ravens, Rykers, or Drycos. No more killing. No more pretending.

  I could try to be happy if this were my real life. If it’s what I grew up knowing. I could possibly learn how to be a regular woman. Someone who comes home and doesn’t worry that her father might get killed doing his job. Someone who comes home and is happy with her boyfriend or better yet, her husband. Her normal husband. Not be married to a motorcycle club member. Not be worried about his fate every day.

  I could be happy. If this were what I wanted.

  ~Luka~

  “Hey, brother.” I answer the moment the operator patches him through. Despite Linc having money on his books, he rarely calls. “Sorry I haven’t made it by for a while, but I’ll be there to visit soon.”

  Since I’ve gotten back from the bike rally, I’ve been too busy to do much of anything. I know that’s no excuse and I feel like a dickhead for not seeing my brother. When I haven’t been working at the mill, I’ve been with the Ravens. I’m either patrolling or I’m getting called in to put my enforcer skills to use. I’ve learned quite a bit about the business dealings of the Ravens, mainly about the properties they own, but nothing really regarding the weapons. Dax has kept me so busy, I haven’t even had time to try and see Raiden. Something tells me this is no accident.

  “It’s fine.” he answers.

  I can tell in his voice that something is going on. He doesn’t sound like himself. Not at all.

  “I can probably get by there this afternoon.” I tell him. “Just let me take care of a few things.”

  “No, don’t.” he says, quickly. “I’m sure you’re too busy with the Ravens anyway.”

  And there it is. “Lincoln, it’s not what you think. I’m doing this to get you out…”

  “Don’t say that!” he hisses. “You don’t know who might be listening.”

  Now he just sounds insane. And paranoid. “Did something happen, Linc? Don’t give me that bullshit again about being a clumsy motherfucker! Tell me!”

  “Luka…”

  The desperation in his voice is heartbreaking and I know. I know he’s going through pure hell and I’m not doing shit to help him. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I was supposed to get him out of there.

  “Just hang out with your new brotherhood. I’ll be fucking stuck in this place.” he grits out.

  “It’s not what you think, Lincoln. You know this isn’t my lifestyle.” I tell him.

  “It is now.”

  “Lincoln!” I call out, but he’s hung up already.

  I drive down to the jail and request a visit only to find out that he’s refusing to see me. I slowly walk out of the building, stunned that Lincoln blocked me as a visitor.

  “Coming to see baby bro?”

  I glance over and see Cal Harrison leaning against his bike lighting up a cigarette. A pretty blonde is perched on the back of it. He lets her take a long drag before getting one himself.

  “I won’t lie to you, he looks pretty fucked up.” Cal comments. “No telling what’s happening to him in there. I got my guys looking out for him, but there are more Ravens in lockup than there are Rykers. You should talk to your pres about that.”

  I ignore his jab and stalk towards my bike. The Ravens have no reason to bother Lincoln while he’s in lockup. Dax wouldn’t let that happen. Would he?

  “You joined the wrong club, Luka. Isn’t that right, Sully?” Cal asks and I see him turn to the blonde. She nods her head and looks over her shoulder at me. She looks vaguely familiar, but I don’t place her. Probably just someone I saw in passing on the MMA circuit.

  I drive out to the dirt track on Jefferson and then call Knowles. I’m a little surprised when he picks up.

  “You got something for me?”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” I growl. “I’ve delivered, asshole. What the hell do you have for me? How about a release date?” I hear his condescending laugh and it makes my blood boil. “Do you have any idea what’s happening to my brother? Are you behind it?”

  “I honestly don’t care about what’s happening to your brother. You’re my asset and you haven’t provided me with anything yet. The raid was a bust. I’m still trying to sort that shit out. The property the van was on wasn’t even Raven property! Nothing is tying back to them!”

  “Not my problem. The vehicle belongs to them and so do the weapons. Figure out how to do your damn job because I’ve done mine!”

  “All you’ve given me is shit, Luka! Nothing concrete!” he complains.

  “What the fuck do you want from me?” I yell.

  “I want Dax Daughtry!”

  Chapter Thirteen

  ~Raiden~

  I check the size on the sundress and then put it back. Although the size is right, I’m not in the mood for buying bright colors today. The jeans and pink tee I have on don’t really suit me either. I’m in the mood for all black today, but that isn’t who I’m supposed to be.

  It’s been three weeks since the bike rally. Things are back to normal. Pretty much. I haven’t seen or spoken to Luka. There hasn’t been a reason to. It’s not like we’re friends or
anything. We have absolutely no reason to be around each other. Besides, it’s better this way.

  Griffin is busting his ass trying to figure out the details of the raid. The military grade weapons were found in a van on some property owned by Fred Matthews. Of course, he’s now deceased, thanks to me.

  Griffin was able to trace the van back to Denver Wilson, but he’s also deceased. Has been for many years and he has no link to the Ravens or the Rykers. The weapons have no serial numbers and he hasn’t been able to find out where they came from. He’s hit a dead end. Of course, I knew this would happen too.

  He’s been taking out his frustration on me. Sexually. I can’t really complain. The more I try to lose myself in Griffin, the easier it is for me not to think about Luka. We had one weekend together and it’s over now. I’m with Griffin and I will be for however long is necessary. I accept that this is the way my life is.

  “I bet you look pretty damn sexy in leather.” I tense as fingers trail over the exposed flesh of my arm. “In fact, I know you do. Doesn’t daddy ever let you be part of the club?”

  I glance over my shoulder and Cal Harrison stands right behind me, breathing down my neck. He smells like cigarette smoke and alcohol despite it only being ten a.m.

  “I guess your boyfriend wouldn’t like that too much though, would he?” he leans close and whispers. His lips graze over my cheek, but I don’t flinch. I refuse to give him the satisfaction. “I want a meeting with your dear old dad.”

  “I’m not sure why you believe I can assist you with that, Cal.” I reply and continue flipping through the clothes on the rack as though his presence doesn’t affect me. It did at one time. God, he affected me at one time, but not anymore. He’s not the same person he was when he was nineteen.

  Cal Harrison is unnerving in an unexpected way. He has charm and good looks with blonde hair and green eyes. He has a smile that would make little old ladies swoon. Unfortunately, he has no soul. He’s ruthless and conniving. He doesn’t care who he hurts or defiles as long as he comes away unscathed. He definitely came away unscathed when it came to me. I was the one who got hurt.