Slinging me into the passenger side seat of a black SUV he points at me, ‘stay,’ commands me like I am a puppy.
I cross my arms over my chest and sulk like a child, ‘you are an asshole!’ I scream at him through the windshield as he rounds the front of the vehicle to his side.
Sliding up into his perch, he turns his aggravated gaze at me, ‘Yeah I might be but I am the asshole that is going to keep you alive.” Eno is in the backseat doing a terrible job at hiding his laughter. Leo looks in the rear view mirror, ‘shut up Eno, she doesn’t need any more encouragement.” He tears his eyes away after the warning and pulls out of the parking garage into the street taking me god only knows where.
We drive in silence for which I am thankful, until Leo’s phone rings, ‘yeah.”
His eyes never leave the road ahead of him, ‘okay fine, did you get all the stuff? Yeah, yeah I know no more than what she already is, so might as well get it over with right?”
Leo goes silent for a few moments and lets the other person talk, shaking his head in either agreement or waiting for the other person to finish, ‘okay I said fine,’ he pauses, then eyes me and grins, ‘that’s fine put her in with me.” Then he ends the call. I train my gaze back to the hood of the black SUV trying to control my jealous anger, that asshole is talking about moving somebody in with him with me sitting in the car.
After another fifteen minutes we pull onto a narrow paved drive, the fence running up either side is impeccable and I see the field is occupied by a few horses. The grass is the greenest I have ever seen, and the yellow daisy dotting the rolling hill is almost painting worthy.
The road is semi long but the scenery makes up for having to be in the vehicle with Leo.
Not taking my eyes away from the window I verbalize the realization just now hitting me, ‘I take it you are not going to let me and Piper live in our apartment for a while are you?”
“Now you’re catching on baby.” He smirks and tries to rub my leg but I jerk it from him at the last second.
I see Piper’s car parked beside a large white Ford and several more vehicles dot the yard and all the lights seem to be on in the house. It is a two story rustic log cabin mansion, there are several people sitting in the patio furniture that fill the space on the large wraparound porch .
We stop right in front of the steps leading up to everyone, ‘wait for me to help you out baby, the doc said you might be a little unsteady for a few days.” Leo’s voice is laced with concern.
“I will be just fine.” As I fling open my door to exit the vehicle. Before I can get all the way out Leo is at my side putting his arm around my waist.
“Damnit woman why can’t you do one thing I ask you to do.” He grumbles as he hauls me into his side.
“Because you never ask me to do anything, you just tell me.” I reply just as snarky.
“Okay fine,’ he looks back at Eno who is standing watching as the scene unfolds with a humorous expression lining his face, ‘get her bags brother.” Eno nods and laughs as he turns and pulls my stuff out of the backseat.
We make the walk through all the people, the men rise for Leo and the woman nod at me. Leo opens the door to just as many people inside as there is out, and the inside of the home is just as cavernous as the outside promises.
It is wall to wall hardwoods with interior walls being all D log, the large staircase is the focal point of the room, climbs up and separates to each side at the top. I peruse the rest of the room and from what I can see of the furniture that isn’t occupied is all leather. From the large recliner in the corner to the sectional setting at an angle in front of the oversized flat screen TV hanging on the wall opposite it.
Piper comes running out of the sea of people, ‘Avery baby.” Her arms are around my neck and kisses are being planted all over my face, ‘sorry baby he bulldozed me this morning.”
I give her a sympathetic smile knowing all too well what it is like to be run over by Leo Tucker’s will, ‘It's okay honey, I understand completely.“ Shooting a look in Leo’s direction, who is amused by my comment.
Leo leads me to the stairs and then up them. We take a left at the top and round them as all eyes in the house are still on us, ‘in here is my room, I had Piper pack some more of your things to bring here.” He opens the French doors into an equally impressive room. From the size of the king bed to the deep blue’s, burgundies and browns that accent the room. If I didn’t know Leo I would seriously think a very large gay man lived here.
I see all my bags have been deposited on the one side of the bed. Piper had even remembered to bring me my favorite sleeping pillow. The hot pink cover stood out like a sore thumb on the lush bedding. I feel my anger start to subside as I am hit with the fact he is really trying to help me.
Leo takes a step back from me, ‘well what do you think?” His eye brows shoot up with the question.
“I think if I didn’t know you, I would be thinking you were gay.” He smiles for the first time today since leaving the hospital. I am glad he took my comment as my attempt at trying to lighten the mood.
His laugh has returned and it is music to my ears, ‘Hell I hired someone to decorate it for me, just moved in last month. I spent three years building this place to get it exactly right.” He walks over to me and kisses my hair, ‘now it is.” My sweet Leo, wait no I am supposed to mad at him.
“Do you need to lay down or anything?” Both his arms have snaked around me bringing me into him, ‘or something else if you are feeling up to it.” His devious smile starches his face.
“Oh Leo really?” I push his chest playfully.
“Hey you can’t fault a man for trying.” His laugh is deep and throaty his chest moves with each bellow. I lay my cheek against to feel it move.
“Can I lie down for a bit, my head is starting to hurt.” I close my eyes and breath him in.
“Sure babe, I will send Piper up with some aspirin and water in a minute,’ he points, ‘there are your bags and there,’ I turn to see a fresh Knights of Mayhem tee shirt laid out on the bed, ‘are your pjs.” Kissing me again acting like he doesn’t want to leave me. He lets his arms fall from me, ‘holler if you need me for anything.” He takes a step back and eyes me, ‘you are safe here babe, god bless a man who tries to get to you here.”
“I know,’ I turn and walk to the bed, ‘and Leo.” He stops with his hand on the doorknob, ‘thank you and sorry about earlier.” For some strange reason I have shed my anger like an old worn coat.
“I like your fire.” He clicks the door closed gently behind him.
I walk around just touching things, running my fingers over Leo’s stuff, committing to memory everything about him. The watches are lined up in perfect order on the dresser, to the chromed knobs on the drawers. All man, all biker, I pick up his cologne and smell him, and the deep oaky fragrance is oaky and clean.
Going to what I am guessing is my side of the bed, I riffle through my things taking out my toothbrush, I go to the bathroom and it is just as beautiful as the rest of the house. From the large shower to the deep tub I think I will take a soak in.
Running it full, I take off my jeans gingerly as the pain to my middle has returned. I hope a long soak takes care of the pain before Leo comes back wanting me, and he will eventually want me.
The water is heavenly as I sink down into the sweet pea scented bubbles, I had piled my hair up on my head and folded a towel up to lay my head on. Closing my eyes I take in the healing powers of the water as it surrounds my body relaxing the kinks out of my muscles.
I lay my head back as the scenes from yesterday flash through my head in snippets. From him coming up behind me, the men grabbing my arms restraining me, to his nasty hand running over my skin and down me belly. His fingers twisted in my hair and he touches me in places. The fear of not being able to move comes over as I feel something grab my shoulder. I jump and slosh water out all over the floor, ‘wow Avery, it’s just me.” Piper is leaning over me holding two pills and a
glass of water, ‘you okay?”
Sitting up taking her offer, ‘yeah just jumpy I guess it will take me a little while to get passed it.” Swallowing I sit the glass down on the side of the tub.
“It will take longer than a little while, you okay or do you want me to stay?” Her concern is obvious but I can also see she wants to get back to Dalton, ‘I can go and get Leo is you want.”
I wave her on, ‘no go ahead and go back, I was going to take a nap anyway.” Waiting until she left I dry off and put on my shirt and climb into bed, I see the sun is straight overhead. The grass in the pasture just outside the fence surrounding the drive blows with the soft summer wind, the peaceful sweeps of the blades are the last things to fill my eyes before they close.
****
The dip in the bed wakes me as I haven’t moved from my position, I roll aching all over. It is now dark outside and I feel as Leo climbs in beside me placing an arm around my stomach, ‘hey babe how are you feeling?”
“Okay just a little stiff. Everybody gone?” I blink my eyes trying to bring his gorgeous face into focus.
“There are still a few standing watch but yeah most of everybody’s gone now.” He rolls me into him and tucks me under his arm, ‘go back to sleep now baby he can’t touch you here.” I cringe at the word touch and Leo feels it.
“What was that?” He rolls me back tilting up my chin so that he can get a look at me.
“Oh just the thought of him.” I lie and I can see Leo can tell I am only handing out half truths.
“Are you lying to me about anything Avery?” His eyebrows were stitched together.
“No Leo, I’m not.” I lie to his face again, actually I am not lying I am omitting, ‘can you tell me what it was over?’
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, ‘I guess I owe you that baby,’ he pauses again. I watch as he goes through the internal struggle of me knowing who he really is and what he has really done. But does it matter this isn’t permanent, Leo said so himself.
“Why does it matter if you tell me, I am not a permanent fixture in your life right?” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth.
“The state of this relationship has nothing to do with it.” He goes quiet again, ‘okay we haven’t always been on the good side of the law. We have had our hands in a little bit of everything from running guns to peddling pussy.” He stops and gauges the shocked look on my face, ‘no not the illegal kind, we own a strip joint, don’t worry it is all legal baby. It’s the other stuff I lost my ass on.” He rolls back on his back and takes a beer sitting on the bedside table and pulls from it. He clears his throat again, ‘Maxwell Cain came to me around four years ago right when I had taken the gavel and propositioned me with an offer I should have refused. Because if brought a world of shit down on the club that we have been trying to get out from under ever since, you still with me?”
I nod, ‘yes.”
He stops and leans up on one elbow looking down at me, ‘make me a promise Avery.” His request is out of left field.
“Promise you what?” I am intrigued now.
“Before I tell you the rest of the bad I need to tell you this,’ he pauses and finishes the beer. Getting up from the bed I can see he is shirtless and is wearing a pair of drawstring pants. I hear the bottle crack in the trashcan as the door opens and he moves through it. Several minutes pass as he reenters the room with another beer and a glass of amber liquid. Climbing back on the bed with me he leans up against the head board, ‘here drink this you will probably need more by the time I am done.” I can smell he had a few while he was gone too.
I take the tumbler and swirl its contents, I have never been a whiskey drinker but by judging the look on his face I should start now. Gulping it down quickly the fast and easy burn of the expensive liquid strangely eases all the pains. He tugs me back down so my cheek is laying on his bare chest. I close my eyes and relish the feeling of his warm skin on my face.
“Avery I have never met anyone like you, in all my thirty eight years.” I suck in a breath and know he is going all out in the baring of the soul department.
“Not for the sake of looking either,’ he pauses and smiles raising his eyebrows, ‘but when you stepped out of Piper’s car that day it was like all the air in the world had been sucked out. As dumbass as it sounds, I had to have you from the minute I laid eyes on you at Mayhem.” I am guessing he feels much like I am feeling right now, my lungs are burning my stomach is doing somersaults making my extremities tingle.
“Can I have another please?” I ask as I sit up and look down at him holding out the empty glass.
“I’ll go get the bottle.” He is gone and disappeared into the darkness of the hallway again.
I lean back and take a few short breaths trying to calm my nerves. My head has started to spin along with my stomach. Leo reappears in the door holding a bottle of Reservoir Straight Rye and another glass.
He reaches and switches on the light, ‘hold your glass over here.” He prompts me in doing so he fills it almost to the rim, ‘take sips its strong.”
I feel the welcome burn as it slides down my throat. I take my place back at his side, ‘Avery, if it is at all possible please promise you will stay after I tell you what I have done, and know I am doing everything I can to fix it and make it right.”
“Leo what could you have possibly done that is so bad?” I know by the look in his eyes, his mistakes have affected a lot of people.
“Promise me Avery.” His hands have begun to shake.
“I promise.” I mumble unsure as to what I had just agreed.
“It was just a job in the beginning but it didn’t pan out the way we had planned. I uh, asked two of my stripers to mule some drugs.” He takes another sip and looks at me, ‘offered them a shit load of money and those poor girls are always in search of a quick buck. So they agreed immediately without even knowing what I was wanting them to do, simply because I was the one who asked.”
Finishing the glass I set it on my side table and turn to see a curious Leo devouring me with his eyes. I climbed on top of him and began to kiss him. I had heard enough and didn’t care to hear the rest so the only way I knew to shut him up was too busy his mouth with other things.
His soft lips engulf mine as his tongue dove into my mouth. His hungry hands searched my body for a resting place, finding it on my ass his grip is fearsome and not relenting.
“I need you now Avery.” He spoke into my mouth as he flipped me on my back. His hands traveled down my body stopping to caresses the skin on my belly and then finding my spot he pressed in a finger to find me wet and waiting and something else.
“Ouch.” I jump at the sudden intrusion.
Leo lend up to look at me, ‘What Avery.” He continues to kiss my neck adding another finger.
“Ouch!” I cry out again taking Leo by the wrist. He jumps to his knees and I know now I must tell him the whole story but before I can my knees are flung over my head.
“Avery,” his eyes are going between my sex and my face, ‘what the fuck happened, did he get to you?’
“No-“ I start to answer but I am cut off.
“Bullshit Avery, mother fucker.” He screams as he jumps from the bed pacing the floor running his hands through his hair, ‘why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because of this,’ I look at him, ‘the way you are acting right now.”
“He fucked you and you think that is something you should keep from me?” He screams are echoing through the house.
“He didn’t rape me Leo, he just used his,’ I pause and look elsewhere but in his eyes. I feel dirty and used and unable to look him in the face, ‘he used his hand he never got that far.”
“Oh he didn’t, did he?” in his anger he runs his fist through the wall left of the door.
“No Leo he didn’t.” A welcome reprieve from Leo comes in the form as a knock on the door.
“Leo man is everything alright?’ It is Roman on the other side; he must have h
eard Leo shouting.
Leo turns his back to me, ‘cover the fuck up Avery.” He demands as he slings the door wide to find Roman standing in much the same attire as Leo. Only to be joined moments later by Dalton and Piper.
“What the hell is going on around here?” A disheveled Piper is bitchy when she gets interrupted.
Taking a deep breath he rubs his hands through his hair, ‘everything is fine man, Avery and I are just having a discussion.” He grits out of his clenched teeth. I watch as Roman looks past Leo at me raising his eyebrows as if to ask me if everything is okay.
Waving my hand in the air, ‘it's fine really, you guys go back to bed and I will try and keep him quiet.” I watch as the others retreat back to their rooms and Leo slams the door and turns on me.
Leo throws his head back in disgust, ‘that is what the fucker meant today when he said he had a taste. Shit!” His voice carries through the room and bounces off my chest, the reverberation nearly knocking me on my back.
He rakes his arm down his dresser, littering the floor with its contents. He stalks to the door, ‘stay put Avery I’m going out for a while.” He commands, I nod knowing arguing with him isn’t going to be a good idea. Minutes later I hear his bike crank up as the gravel pelts the side of the house as he peels out. I hear the murmurs of voices coming from the hall, being Roman and Dalton. Not long after I hear Romans truck leave the premises as well.
I fling myself back onto the bed and study the blurry ceiling, what was Leo doing down at the prison much less why was he talking to the piece of shit? Not wanting to think of him or Leo’s reaction I close my eyes and count the pulse beats aching my head.
I can't stop the tears from running, once again I am left a crying heap of a mess in Leo’s wake. I lay back and stare at the ceiling for what seems like an eternity before I drift off to an exhausted sleep.
****
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