Lincoln's Choice (A Ravens MC Novel Book 2)

by J. L. Leslie

  I twirl a few strands of the black wig I’m wearing and wait for some movement. So far, I’ve only taken two pictures of three Drycos members entering their clubhouse. Each of them wore the same green bandana that the three members wore that day in the restaurant. The trouble is, I can’t get a good enough picture to see the printing on it. I know we need that for whatever this intel is for. I need to get closer.

  I slip out of the car and walk across the street. Unlike the Rykers and Ravens clubhouses, the Drycos clubhouse is in a main area of town. The Ravens clubhouse was located behind Victoria’s Diner. It’s not necessarily secluded, but it’s also not on a main street like the Drycos clubhouse. The Drycos clubhouse honestly looks like a warehouse of some sort. At one time, it most likely was. It’s a large building, with lots of windows. Not ideal for a motorcycle clubhouse. There’s zero privacy, but then again, they don’t seem like they mind that.

  I head around back and climb on top of a dumpster so that I can peer into a window. I’ve never seen inside the Drycos clubhouse, but it surprises me to see there are no pool tables or televisions. There is a kitchen and bar and what appears to be a living room. Members are gathered around a large table and it looks like they are playing Dominoes. I can hear them talking about a shipment they’re expecting.

  “Once we stock up at the warehouse on Douglas, we won’t need any more supplies for at least six months.” One of them says. I’ve done my homework and I know he’s the president, Antonio.

  “Are we splitting the delivery between Douglas and Rochester?”

  “No. I’ve seen too many DEAs snooping around the Rochester location. Douglas will hold it all.” Antonio answers.

  I raise my camera, zoom in, and snap a few pictures. Once I climb down, I walk around the building further and look into those windows. So, the bedrooms are on the backside of the building. It appears that they sleep four to a room. It doesn’t look like anyone has a private room, except for maybe the president.

  I hear a door shut and take that as my cue to get the hell out of there. I ease around and make it to the side of the building, but stop dead in my tracks when I hear voices. I know I have my pocketknife shoved down in my boot, but I don’t know that I’ll have time to get it.

  “Don’t be so fucking rough this time.” a man groans. “Do you have lube?”

  “Just bend over, Lago. You know you fucking like it.” His partner hisses. “Now quiet. We only have a few minutes.”

  My eyes grow wide. The Drycos are known for murdering homosexuals and lesbians and two of their male members are fucking behind their own clubhouse! I inch my way back to the edge of the building and squat down low. I peek around the corner and sure enough, Lago is taking it up the rear by one of the guys that was with him at the restaurant.

  I look down at the camera and even though I probably shouldn’t, I take a picture. I don’t know how if it will help us or not, but it damn sure can’t hurt. Then I stand and hurry back to the car before anyone sees me.

  As I drive, I feel nervous, but excited. I pulled it off. I did the job I was trusted to do. Now if I can only finish the job I started.

  Chapter Ten

  ~Lincoln~

  I pull my bike to a stop on Hosford Street, only about a block from The Lion’s Den. I’ve been patrolling with Jason and Hayes for almost three hours and I’m ready for a cigarette break. I get my pack from my pocket and light one up, ignoring Sully’s voice in my head telling me I should quit.

  “Saw you come in with Sully.” Jason mentions and I shrug.

  “She was at the cemetery.” I answer. It’s none of his business who I’m fucking, even if she is our late president’s old lady.

  “Oh shit, man, you fucking that?” Hayes laughs. “Damn! I always wanted a piece of that! When Cal would bring her to our meetings- ”

  “I’m not.” I cut him off.

  Hayes is not my favorite Ryker and that’s putting it fucking mildly. He’s immature and disrespectful. The fact that he betrayed the Ravens doesn’t sit well with me either. I don’t trust him. Why should we believe that he’s not still working for them?

  “Tell me again how you got out of that warehouse?” I glare at him, exhaling smoke as I speak. “Your story changes every time you tell it.”

  Hayes shifts on his feet. “I told you. Your brother killed Chase and Cal. I was lucky to get out alive before Fisk burned the motherfucker down.”

  “I thought Cal was with Raiden and Griffin.” I test him, hoping he’ll cave and tell me Raiden was there. My gut tells me she was. Otherwise, I don’t believe Luka would’ve blown his cover so quickly.

  “I already told you, Raiden Daughtry wasn’t in the warehouse.” Hayes grits out. “Man, that night was so fucked up! Fisk never should have started the fire.”

  “Yeah, you ran like a fucking pussy.” I growl.

  “There was nothing I could do!” he argues.

  Jason interrupts us. “Enough! It’s over!”

  I see him look down at his phone and then he climbs on his bike. “Thad wants us at The Lion’s Den. Sully is back.”

  I fall in behind him and Hayes and ride the short distance to the night club Cal opened a few months ago. I haven’t frequented it often since my release. I was always more of a Diesels type of man. Of course, now that I’m Ryker, I’m not necessarily welcome there.

  We bypass the long line outside the building and ignore the complaints from those standing in it. The Lion’s Den is a popular establishment and not because of the watered-down whiskey it serves. About two months after its opening, Cal realized it was a hot spot for drugs. It’s now one of our main distribution spots.

  It’s simple. Patrons who order a Dirty Ryker want to meet with the Ryker on duty who has the goods. If they make it through a security check, they’re lead to a small back room and the exchange is made. The security check consists of a full pat down for weapons and an ID check by our new tech guy, Morrell. Hopefully, he won’t meet our last tech guy’s fate and get his head shot off.

  The only time I come in here, is when I’m the Dirty Ryker.

  “There’s Thad.” Jason points out.

  I can tell that Jason is intrigued by Thad. He’s already fallen right in line and served himself up as second-in-command. This doesn’t exactly surprise me. He and Cal were very close as well.

  Thad is standing with his arm around Sully’s waist, his hand resting just over her ass. I grit my teeth, jealousy surging me through me. This takes me by surprise. I don’t get jealous of the other members fucking around with Sabrina. Hell, I witness the shit they do, but seeing Thad with his hand possessively on Sully makes me envious. She’s not even mine.

  It doesn’t matter that we’ve fucked a couple of times. It doesn’t matter that seeing his hand on her ass reminds me of how soft her flesh is or that I haven’t tasted every inch of her yet. I haven’t even run my fingers over the lily tattoo on her side. She’s not mine.

  As we approach, Thad greets us with a smile. “She fucking did it! This bitch fucking did it!”

  He smashes his lips to Sully’s cheek and she smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. I notice then that she has little marks on her neck and across her chest, evidence of Thad’s teeth on her skin. Rage ignites inside me, but I tamper it down. He’s our president at the moment and despite the fact that he murdered Burch in cold blood, I can’t do the same to him. I wouldn’t have the support of our members.

  Hayes nudges me and says with a smirk, “Well, we know who is tapping that ass!”

  I don’t give him the satisfaction of a response. Thad might be “tapping that ass,” as Hayes so bluntly put it, but he’s not doing it with Sully’s consent. That fact makes me want to cut his nuts off and shove them up ass.

  ~Sully~

  The sickening taste of vomit has been ever present in the back of my throat since Thad spurted his cum on my stomach a little over an hour ago…right after I’d given him the camera with photos of the Drycos and told him the intel I’d ove
rhead regarding their warehouses. I can still feel the stickiness on my skin since he refused to let me shower before we left for The Lion’s Den. It’s fucking disgusting.

  “Sully did such a fine job, we have all we need.” Thad beams. “I’m not worried about their fucking schedule.”

  As I stand here now, with his arm around my waist, I can look at Lincoln and see that he knows. He knows what’s happened between Thad and me. He looked at my neck and his jaw clenched, probably with the same disgust that I feel. Thad left marks on me. Marks that I wouldn’t mind had they come from Lincoln, but they were his. He’d nipped at my flesh and at times, roughly bit my skin as if he wanted every Ryker to know he’d fucked his son’s old lady.

  “We should celebrate.” Hayes suggests, a big goofy smile on his face. “Where’s the whores!”

  Thad and Jason cheer, giving me the opportunity to slip from Thad’s embrace. I don’t look back as I make my way to the back entrance and out the door. I need some air and I need it quick.

  “Sully, wait!”

  “Lincoln…I can’t…I just can’t right now.” I manage to get out.

  The past few days suddenly feel like a pile of bricks on my chest. Cal being gone and the fact that I might lose everything I’ve worked so hard for. Whatever the fuck this is I’m doing with Lincoln. Probably a huge mistake. Thad showing up and derailing the Rykers. There’s no other way to put that. He’s going to derail the entire club, including me.

  Lincoln doesn’t try to pull me into his arms or hug me like most caring men would. He doesn’t try to tell me everything is going to be alright or that I shouldn’t worry. Instead, he looks right at me and asks, “What do you need?”

  “I…uh…what?” I stammer.

  “What is it that you need, Sully?”

  “He’s fixing to be moving his stuff into Cal’s room.” I state. I know it’s coming and it’s just a matter of time. “I have to get my stuff out and to the trailer park.”

  I haven’t stayed with the club whores in almost two years. They live together in one of the rental trailers, but most of the time they spend their nights with various Rykers members at the clubhouse.

  Lincoln mumbles a curse. “You can stay at my place.”

  I look at him dumbfounded. “You can’t mean that.”

  He runs a hand through his dirty, blonde hair. “I’m hardly even there. I’ll stay at my room at the clubhouse until you figure something else out.”

  “I can’t ask you to do that for me, Lincoln.”

  “You didn’t fucking ask me to.” he sighs, irritation in his voice.

  Then he puts his hands on either side of my neck, rubbing his thumbs over the marks that mar my skin. His mouth is so close to mine, I can feel his breath fanning over my face. I swallow and lick my lips, aching for him to kiss me. He doesn’t.

  “Here’s my key. Get a cab and go pack your things. I’m at 323 Raulerson Ave Apt 14B.”

  Just like before, he kisses my forehead and walks away. I walk around to the front of the nightclub and hail a cab back to the clubhouse.

  With the exception of a few members who are on surveillance duty, the clubhouse is empty. They don’t pay me any attention as I enter and head back to Cal’s room.

  I don’t have much to pack, but I don’t want to waste time. I don’t want Thad showing up while I’m getting my things. I want to be gone. It only crosses my mind for a brief moment that moving out of the clubhouse could slow me down on getting info for Katy, but staying in this room with Thad is not a fucking option.

  I open the closet and grab the duffel bag I used when I first came to the Rykers and sit it on the bed. I pack all of my clothes into the duffel.

  I don’t take my time folding each item of clothing like I should. The cab is waiting and I don’t want him driving off. Most of the clothes I own are clothes Cal bought for me, including the three evening gowns he purchased for the auctions at governor’s estate. I leave them in their garment bags and lay them on top of the duffel. When I came to the Rykers, I owned a total of three outfits. I left my home with the clothes on my back and the shoes on my feet.

  I never had much while growing up in Tennessee and that was okay with me. My parents were poor and had to work for everything we had. My older sister, Katy, got a job as a junior in high school to help out. Then she was recruited by a modeling agent right after graduation and there was mention that once I graduated high school the following year, he would come back for me.

  Katy thought it was her big break and so did my parents. She wouldn’t have to live in the trailer park with us any longer. She could go earn some money and get out of Tennessee. Maybe she would send some money to us once she got settled. Maybe she would get me a job too. Watching her get on a plane to California was the last time I saw her. That was seven years ago. I still have the letter she wrote to me telling me she met someone. A biker.

  I push thoughts of my sister, the real Katy, out of my head and look back at the dresser. The only clothes left are Cal’s clothes. I grab one of his t-shirts and put it in the duffel, beside his leather jacket and the garment bags, and then I go to the closet. I only own three pairs of shoes. My boots, my black strappy heels, and a pair of flip-flops that I wear down to the beach sometimes.

  I get my toiletries and I grab the one picture of me and Cal from the dresser and toss it all on top. Thad doesn’t deserve to have it. That’s it. That’s all I own and it all fits into one bag. Pretty fucking pathetic.

  I grab the duffel and my toiletry bag and head out. The members on surveillance duty eye me suspiciously as I walk through the main room. I know without a doubt they’ll be ratting me out. They can do what they want, they won’t know where I am.

  The cab driver pops the trunk and I toss everything inside. When I get in the backseat, I tell the driver the address. I pull out my phone, my fingers itching to call Katy and demand a meeting. I feel like I’ve done enough even though he tells me I haven’t. I never imagined when he approached three years ago that I would still be doing this. I thought it would be over by now.

  Chapter Eleven

  ~Lincoln~

  I wince, trying to get comfortable on the lumpy mattress. I haven’t slept at the clubhouse since I got my apartment. Hell, I’ve barely slept at my apartment either. I tend to crash on my dad’s couch. I roll over, thinking that may help, and Sabrina yelps in pain when I land on her hair.

  I sit up in frustration and toss the sheet off my legs. Sabrina curls under it without even waking up. An empty tequila bottle sits on my nightstand, right beside my overflowing ashtray. I suppose that explains the naked redhead and lack of nightmares.

  I stand up and the moment my feet hit the floor, I cringe. I close my eyes and shake my head, mumbling a curse under my breath. I lean down and pick up the used condom that I’m standing on. At least I used one. Then again, I’ve always strapped one on when it came to Sabrina. My lapse in sanity when it comes to rubbers has only been with Sully.

  I walk around my bed, picking up my clothes as I do so. When I get into the bathroom, I toss the condom into the garbage and then turn the shower on. My shower isn’t near as nice as Cal’s, but all members do have their own private bathrooms in their rooms. Prospects have to bunk three to a room and share two bathrooms that are down their hallway. Been there, done that.

  I shower quickly and dress even quicker. Sabrina is still asleep when I exit. Jason and Trent are already waiting in the main room when I come out. Three green bandanas and black hoodies are lying on the bar top.

  I’ve already expressed my opinion on our job for today, but our president didn’t take heed to my concerns. We don’t have enough intel on the Drycos to be moving forward with our plans. I definitely disagree with our first hit.

  “Here’s your bandana.” Trent tosses me the bandana and I shove it in my back pocket. “You got your piece?”

  I nod and pick up one of the hoodies. “Tell me again why we chose Diesel’s. Makes no fucking sense.”

 
“That’s where the boss said.” Trent answers and I can hear it in his tone that he doesn’t necessarily agree with our task either.

  “I guess if the boss says to do it, we do it then.” I comment as we head outside.

  I know as we drive off that this was my plan, my idea, but I never suggested hitting Diesel’s. Diesel knows my voice. Shit, he knows all of our voices and will probably recognize each and every one of us despite wearing a bandana over the lower half of our faces.

  The plan was theft on the businesses in the tourist district and at night. Not in the middle of the fucking day. We are supposed to be caught on camera, not have witnesses. The Ravens will never believe the Drycos made a hit in broad fucking daylight. And they will never believe they would hit Diesel’s club. There might be profit there, but Diesel is not someone to fuck around with.

  Maybe that’s what Thad wants. For it to be known we pulled this job. Doing it in the daylight puts us at risk for someone to see our bikes. It doesn’t matter that we plan to park them two blocks down the street. We haven’t even cased this job. We’re only going off Morrell’s info that today is when Diesel receives his delivery. My suspicion is that Thad wants us to hit the place because it’s a popular Raven hangout and it’s a rivalry nightclub for The Lion’s Den.

  Thad’s thought is that if we stop their delivery, then there’s no alcohol while the doors are open tonight. Everyone will come to The Lion’s Den instead. Stupid idea if you ask me. The Lion’s Den is popular enough because of the constant drug flow. It doesn’t need Diesel’s to be shut down.

  We park our bikes and I look over at Jason, who is in charge of this heist. He gives us the go ahead to move out. We raise our bandanas to cover our mouths and noses. To anyone on the streets, we look like three Drycos members, dressed in their bandanas and hoodies.