For a night that started out being about his need for a good hard fuck he sure didn’t ignore me one bit. I got mine, over, and over, and over again. Gunner became completely engrossed in me, us, and the pain that resulted from our passion.
At first I was hesitant to react and fuel his fervor. That didn’t last long as I realized my reactions are exactly what he’s looking for. He wants to see the pain and passion exchange places on my face. By the time he lost himself for the third time it was almost four in the morning.
If I hadn’t pointed that out he’d have kept going.
Instead he pulled my leg and arm over his body and kissed the top of my head. “I needed that. You okay?”
I yawned. “Sore and tired, but fine. You feel better?”
“Honestly? Not really. I didn’t get what I was looking for.”
I felt my heart hiccup.
He must have felt it too and hugged me tight. “That came out wrong.” He touched my chin lifting it up looking for me. “I got a lot more. I was complete selfish jerk, and you refused to let me wallow in my own greed without even trying. I’m too blown away to find the right words, but you need to know I’ve never felt so loved in my life.” He kissed my forehead and let his head drop back on the pillow. “You officially have me wrapped around your cute little finger.”
I exhaled my relief and shifted finding the exact right spot where I like to sleep. “You’ve been wrapped around my finger for years. I tried to untie you, set you free, but you tied yourself in a knot around my heart instead.”
“That just gave me a tattoo idea.” He yawned and fell asleep almost immediately after. I tried to stay awake long enough to replay tonight’s intense love making over in my head but didn’t make it very far.
Evidently when Gunner is mad at me he thinks fucking me as hard as he can will help. Help how I don’t know. I do know I’m damn sore, and he’s still grumpy as fuck. He didn’t sleep last night. Not just because he was busy torturing me gloriously, but because he’s entirely too worried.
Emilio has already made one drive-by so I went out front to smoke a joint and wait until he makes his second pass. My favorite Smith & Wesson .40 at my back, and one of Gunner’s knives on the back of my left hip. I doubt I’ll get a chance to use the knife, and if I have to pull the gun it’ll probably be too late.
My nerves are shot as it is, seeing Emilio’s car pull into my parking lot, again, sent my heart racing. “Here we go.”
I walked towards the car as it went to pass flicking the roach to my right.
Emilio motioned for his driver to stop and hung his arm out the window like the cocky fuck he is. “Hola bonita. Miss me?”
“Every second of every day. Can we talk for a minute? Privately.” Breathe. Exude confidence. Men like Emilio don’t respect weakness. Ironically neither does Gunner, and they’re nothing alike. Or are they? Focus.
He opened the door and stood so I backed up a few steps as a show of respect. “Habla chica. I ain’t got all day.”
“I want to discuss a truce. As nice as your car is, the drive-by’s aren’t so good for business.” Breathe.
He stepped close like I was offering something else. “How you gonna make it up to me? I should have killed you for what you did to my little cousin. Maybe I fuck you and we even.”
“Sorry, but I’m taken.” And entirely too sore to have sex again!! Focus. “How many of your guys got bad prison ink?”
He looked confused and stepped back. “You knocking my ink bitch?”
“No, not at all. You do what you can with what you got.” I showed him my left wrist. “I did this with a needle and a package of red pens after my parents were murdered by a truck driver that didn’t keep up with his medical requirements. I needed to refocus the pain. I’m offering to clean up some of your ink. They’ll still be prison tats, but with some touching up you’ll give the appearance of respecting the tattoos, and what they mean, by taking care of them. I can make it look like you can afford to have your ink touched up. Money and power, and all that.” Whew! That was hard not to stammer through.
He just stared at me for what seemed like forever. Somehow I knew to just wait it out while his little brain did some serious processing. “You do it for free. Keep your biker friends on a leash.”
“My shop is Switzerland. I already talked to Slider. I’ll do my best to schedule your appointments so there’s little or no contact between you that would lead to a fight. Look, I’m sorry about your cousin. I’ll apologize in person if that’s what it takes. He scared me. I wasn’t aiming, I just shot. I didn’t know if he was going to rape me, or kill me, or what. Please try to understand. I had no intention of shooting him where I did.”
Emilio nodded and took a couple steps backwards. “You’ll start tomorrow morning at nine. If you do a good job we’ll continue this agreement, and you will apologize to my cousin.” His accent isn’t so strong now. “You’ll do it in front of my crew tomorrow. Don’t fuck with me punta.” The accent is back in full force now. “I’ll make that bitch slap the other day look like a day at the spa.”
“I never wanted to tango with you. All I wanted to do was defend myself.” I explained, again, carefully.
He nodded lifting his chin high with the arrogance of a gang leader. “Nine. Tomorrow. Tell your biker friends to keep their distance.” He looked around. “I know they’re out there.”
“They can’t help protecting me. Old habits and all that. We good?”
“For now.” He dropped back down into the little white Nissan.
“So, no more drive-by’s?” I need to know.
“The next drive-by will be the last. Go do your work chica.” He did that thing with his chin again. “Hasta manana.” Emilio motioned for the driver to get going. The dirt that piece of shit car kicked up had me closing my eyes and covering my mouth with my shirt.
“Asshole.” I pulled open the front door and headed straight for the whiskey bottle in the kitchen. Fuck glasses. I drank three good gulps straight from the bottle before sliding to the floor.
Liah ran in and sat down across from me. “You’re still alive, so I take it things went well?”
I exhaled trying to calm down. “I’ll be out of business in days with all this free ink I’ve roped myself into doing.” I took another draw from the bottle as Gunner appeared and leaned his ass against the counter across from me while folding his arms across his chest.
“That’s what you offered him? Free ink?” He asked in that gravely voice of his.
“It’s my only bargaining chip.” I took another drink then offered the bottle to Liah. “Take this away from me.”
She did and stole a sip before putting it up on the counter behind her. “You okay?”
“No. I’m going to do this ink, then sell this place and move. I’m done. I can’t live like this. It won’t stop with this job. They’ll find a way to keep using me.” Why this didn’t occur to me before I don’t know. Denial I suppose. Stubbornness in that I really really really want to keep this place.
“You’re not moving.” Gunner ground out.
I ran my hand through my hair before leaning back to bang my head against the cabinet. “Stupid.” What made me think I could come back home and pull all this off?? Being Gunner’s old lady is just too much. I can’t pull this off, let alone lead his club at his side. I’m no Salina. I’m just not that strong.
“Liah, can I have a moment alone with my wife?”
“Of course.” She touched my knee using it to help her stand up. “It’s gonna be okay V. I’ll help you with the freebies. I know a guy that’s looking for a side job. He can handle the paid jobs for us. Breathe babe, we got this.”
Her words should be comforting, but they’re not. Of course I’d never tell her that. “Thanks Liah.” I hope I sound more convincing than I feel.
She left and Gunner knelt in front of me with his elbows on his knees. “Look at me.” I did. “Don’t give up on your dream just because of this asshole. You m
ade a deal, and as long as you hold up your end of it he has no grounds to rearrange the deal.”
“It’s not just that. I don’t care about fixing their ink. The problem is money. I can’t afford to fix all these tattoos and stay in business. I’m going to have to shut down, it’s just a matter of time.”
Gunner reached out and pinched my chin between his fingers until I looked him in the eye. “I won’t let you lose this place. I’m not rich, but I can afford to help you keep things going until this is over. I’ll talk to Slider and have him tell the guys to hold off on the repairs until it’s done so you’re not overwhelmed with work you’re not getting paid for. Okay?”
I’m going to cry. I hate crying. Gunner hates crying. “I can’t ask you to do all that. I made a promise to Slider.”
“A promise he won’t have any problem waiting to collect on. I got your back Violet. Always have, always will. Now get up and let me take you to lunch.” His knees popped as he pulled me to my feet. “Fuck. You know you’re getting old when you start to sound like a fucking bowl of Rice Krispies when you move.”
I cracked up.
“There’s my girl.” He draped his arm around me and took me to my favorite steakhouse for a giant prime rib and a huge beer.
11
It’s been three months and Violet is still ass deep in free tattoo repairs. She’s exhausted, frustrated, and drinking more than usual just to sleep at night. Evidently these Loco Lobos like to share some of their more gruesome tales while getting their repairs done by Violet. I’m pretty sure they’re doing it on purpose to keep her scared, and under their thumb.
Something that’s starting to piss me the fuck off. We haven’t had sex in weeks adding to my frustration. I can handle not getting laid, but the lack of intimacy that’s come about as a result of all this shit is unacceptable, and distracting.
“Gunner.” Goat snapped his fingers in my face. “The fuck dude?”
I let the air out of my lungs and looked around the table. “Sorry. This shit with Violet is getting out of control. Control being the operative word. Emilio is trying to measure dicks with me over my old lady. I don’t like it, to say the least.”
“Yeah, I wondered how long you were going to let that play out.” Joe chimed in. “We need to do something before he starts thinking he can exert his power any more.”
“Call a meeting.” Slider ordered. “Make sure it’s somewhere out in the open. Joe I want you on sniper duty. It’s time to nip this in the butt.”
“Is it butt or bud? I never understood that saying.” Goat, ever the comedian, chimed in.
“You’ll have to ask Deputy Fife.” Slider stood. “Meeting adjourned. Gunner, come with me.”
I followed him outside and over to one of the picnic tables for some privacy. “What’s up?”
“How’s Violet holding up?”
“Not good. Emilio is taking advantage of this agreement, and his guys are filling her head with stories causing her to have nightmares. I want them off our turf boss.” I hinted at the war Violet is trying to avoid by doing all this.
“Yeah, me too. This is going to get ugly. I’m concerned Violet’s place is going to end up torched in the battle. We both know Lobos like to burn shit down.” He reminded me.
“Fuck.” I drove my hand through my tangled hair ripping through them in my frustration and anger.
“I have an idea, you can run it by her tonight. I want you to empty that place of anything important or uninsured. Violet can work out of here until we get this resolved. If shit doesn’t go right, which we both know it rarely does, I don’t want her to lose everything.”
“She’ll appreciate, then refuse your offer.”
“It’s not an offer, it’s an order. To both of you. I also don’t like you two out at your place all alone. I called Drake this morning. He’s sending a crew down to run full security on your place.”
I ripped my bandana off my head. “Fuck.”
“Better safe than sorry. What are the chances Lobos know where you live?”
“Not sure. They’d have to know my real name. As far as I know that’s still a secret.”
“I’ll talk to Joe and see if he can find out somehow. Everything on the internet anymore. If someone was doing some digging he might be able to tell us who, when, and why.”
“Sounds good. Fuck this is a mess. We haven’t been to war in a long time Slider. Not like this.”
“You’re the Guns. Are we properly stocked?”
“Always. I guess I better get over there and round up some troops.” I can’t seem to breathe right today and exhaled a lot more air from my lungs than I thought I’d been holding in. “Who knew we’d be going to war over my woman.”
He gripped my shoulder. “At least you finally got a woman. It’s nice to see you moving on instead of wasting time with those bimbos. We’ll protect Violet, and with any luck run this gang out of town.”
“Emilio is just a cartel puppet. Fucking with him is going to point us to the larger cartel pulling the strings, which will start an even bigger war. We need to consider that when we talk to these assholes.” I advised.
“I will. You go back to the shop and start moving your wife’s shit. I’m going to call some neighboring chapters and put them on call.”
“All I do is move my wife’s shit. I move her into the apartment here, I move her out to college, I move in with her then move her in with me. Fuck. I might as well start a damn moving company!” I complained managing to find an ounce of humor in this mess.
“You should hire Wrangler. I hear he’s driving Celeste nuts.”
“Oh yeah, she’s due any day now isn’t she?”
***
“No. Forget it. Just. No. I won’t cower. Gunner!!” I yelled at him when he started packing things in a box.
“You’re not cowering Violet, you’re being smart. This has gone on too long, and I won’t have him torturing you with these stories that keep giving you nightmares.”
“If I start working out of the club I won’t be able to finish my deal with the Lobos.” I pointed out.
“That deal is done. We’re meeting with Lobos tomorrow.”
“You are?? WHY??!!” I’m going to have a panic attack.
He looked up with that death glare of his. “Get your shit, put a sign on the door, and stop acting like I can’t make you do exactly what the fuck I want you to do. I’m not playing Violet. Get your guns and whatever else you can’t live without, then get the fuck in my truck!!” Gunner has yelled at me plenty of times, but never with this level of ferocity.
It shook me. “Okay. Shit.” So much for my brilliant plan to make peace. Now I’ve got the Mexicans mad at me, Exiles, I’m sure, are none to happy with me, and now the love of my life is yelling at me. Sometimes I just want to run away to Canada and hunt moose or some shit. There’s moose in Canada, right?
The next few hours sucked. We had to make three trips to the club with all my crap. Salina set me up in her office and handed Liah a card that would get her in the club anytime. Slider has everyone on restricted access.
Salina’s office isn’t big enough for both of us so we set up a corner in the bar for either of us to work depending on the customer’s preference. Mostly I’m pissed off that I’m being put out like this, but I also feel safe for the first time in over a month.
It was almost midnight by the time Gunner took me home. I put my head on his lap and cried as quietly as I could.
He’s driving so he put his right arm down along the length of my side and patted my ass. “I can hear you crying.”
I sniffled and smiled because his accusation amused me for some odd reason. “Is this what our life together is going to be like? Constantly being put on lockdown at every threat?”
“Actually, no. I have an idea I need to run by you and Slider. He’s not going to like it, and neither are you, but it’s the safest thing to do.”
“Mind telling me what that is?”
“For now? Yes. Yo
u need to get some rest. Those bags under your eyes would cost you extra at the airport.”
“Oh bite me. It’s all your fault.”
“Yeah, I’m the one that shot a guy in the nuts.” I may never live this one down.
I felt the truck hit the dirt driveway so I sat up knowing we’re almost home. “People shouldn’t fuck with me. I may seem normal on the surface, but I’m seriously disturbed underneath.”
“No you’re not.
“You said your mother was Mexican, right?” I asked a nagging question.
“So? What of it?”
“She’s still alive?”
“You know she is.” He looked over at me. “What are you getting at?”
“What if Lobos knew you were half Mexican? Do you think they’d back off then?”
“No. They’d hunt down my mother and use her to get to me. Like they’re about to do to you if we’re not careful. I don’t want them digging too deep and finding out I’m a Colson. That would tear down everything Slider and I have worked all these years to maintain.”
“What I don’t get is why. Why not just tell people you’re a Colson?”
He put the truck in park and turned to face me. “Years ago Slider decided he didn’t want the club to in any way shape or form to resemble the mob. We’ve always butted heads, at least until Andy came along. Things are better now, but Slider still wants to maintain that even though a Colson runs the club, that doesn’t mean they are the club. The club is everybody. Goat, Red, Salina, you. The list goes on. If people knew Goat had no intentions of ever being VP then we might as well change the name to Colson MC. The club is about WAY more than just our fucked up family.”
“How have you kept your last name a secret all these years? Hasn’t someone pulled your ID at some point? You know, done some digging as they say on TV.” I need to stop watching all those damn crime shows. Nah. I like my shows.
“I have a fake ID I use on jobs. My, our, house is in a company name where I’m a silent partner with a guy I went to college with. The company I work for is owned by the same guy, so I use my alias on taxes. As far as the government is concerned Charles Colson lives in New Mexico working as a mechanic.”
Violet's Guns: Book 9 of Colson Brothers Series Page 12