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

by J. L. Leslie

  Another shot rings out, this time Lago, a Drycos member, falls. I remember him from the restaurant fight. I can see panic begin to set in throughout both clubs. Both accusing the other of having snipers on the rooftops.

  Gil looks up, taking his gun off the remaining Drycos members and one of them takes a shot at him, his bullet tearing through his side. I drop down to the side of my bike, using my handle bars as a makeshift shield and fire at the two Drycos that are left standing. All hell breaks loose as bullets starts flying and whizzing by my head.

  Gil lies in a puddle of his own blood while Lazarus has taken the same stance as myself. I focus on my target, listening to his screams as he raises his gun. I breathe out as I fire and watch as he clutches his neck where my shot landed. Blood spurts from between his fingers, his life slowly leaving him as he sinks to his knees. Lazarus has handled the other Drycos and together, we stand, surveying the damage that’s been done. Gil is alive, but barely.

  “We need to call Thad for a cleanup and get Gil to the clubhouse to be stitched up. He should be…”

  I choke on the splatter of blood that hits me in the face and mouth. I taste bits of flesh on my tongue and feel it on my skin before I hear Lazarus hit the ground.

  “Fuck!” I yell, caught off guard.

  I look around to the rooftops and I swear, I see a flash of long, wavy brown hair walking away. I knew the woman who saved me could also be a cold-blooded killer.

  ~Sully~

  “What are you doing here?” I whisper to Katy…er…Mack, when he comes to the bar to get another drink.

  “I said I was coming to meet with you. I didn’t waste time.” He smiles, leaning close to me and wrapping his arm around my waist.

  Something about his smile is unconvincing though. I get this uneasy feeling in my gut that something is not right about Mack Jacobson.

  “We should meet in private then. Discuss what we need to do next.” I tell him, anxious to report everything back to the FBI and shut this whole operation down.

  “Not yet. I need to blend in.” he replies, a sly grin on his face as he drops his hand from my waist and grabs his drink from the table.

  I watch him saunter off towards Thad and join him at the pool table. He fits right in. It’s almost as if he’s been living in this world already. Much longer than me.

  I watch him laugh with Thad and the other members as he plays pool. I slip my phone from my pocket, disappointed that Lincoln hasn’t called, and go to my camera. As Mack plays, I snap a photo of him.

  I move off the barstool and get ready to leave and head to Lincoln’s apartment. I see no reason to stay at the clubhouse any longer. I’ve made my appearance at Thad’s celebration party long enough. I wave to Sabrina, but only make it a couple of steps when the door burst open.

  Lincoln stumbles in holding Gil to his side. Blood covers Lincoln’s face and clothes. Gil is stark white, blood soaked through the side of his shirt. I can’t even tell if he’s alive. Lincoln reaches the couch and tosses Gil’s limp body down to it.

  “What the hell is going on?” Thad’s voice thunders over the loud music.

  “I fucking called you!” Lincoln yells, anger clear in his tone.

  I grab a washcloth and a bottle of water from the bar and rush over to Gil. Someone turns the music off and all I can hear is Lincoln’s labored breathing as he leans against the pool table behind me.

  “We need a cleanup on Hillendale, fucking ASAP. Jason, take the new releases and remind them of how to do it.” Lincoln orders. “The bodies are in an empty storefront and the bikes are parked around back. Be sure to send Lazarus and Hayes families their usual compensation and let them know there won’t be any funeral.”

  “Wait a damned minute!” Thad intercedes. “I give the fucking ord…”

  “I fucking called and you didn’t answer!” Lincoln growls. “You’re the damned president and when a member calls, you answer! Instead, you’re here partying and getting your nuts off! Hayes is dead! Lazarus is fucking dead!”

  I pull the washcloth from Gil’s wound. I’m not doing any good pressing it to it. He’s gone. I’m certain he was already dead when Lincoln brought him in.

  “Gil is dead.” I say, quietly.

  “Gil is fucking dead.” Lincoln repeats. “You can thank the fucking Drycos for the loss of our three members.” Lincoln stalks towards the bathroom and then calls over his shoulder, “By the way, those Drycos are fucking dead too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  ~Lincoln~

  I stare at my blood covered face in the mirror, letting the water at the faucet run until it’s scalding hot. I’m exhausted from dragging five dead bodies to an empty building. I couldn’t leave them lying in the street. Five dead bodies. The man staring back at me is accusing. Traitor.

  But then I stare into his soulless eyes…my eyes…and I forgive myself. I know I’m doing what needs to be done. I remind myself of the excruciating pain I felt as I was stabbed. The way I fought, but was overpowered and slammed to the floor. The way three men raped me. How they laughed and taunted me as I lie there dying.

  Then, I remind myself of the times I stole for those men, the Rykers. Beat for the Rykers. Killed for the Rykers.

  I won’t have to do that anymore. It’ll be over. I’ll be free.

  I wash the blood from my face and leave the accusing man behind. I refuse to feel guilt over what I have chosen to do. The Rykers betrayed me. The people I call my family. This time I’m choosing the right family. Luka never betrayed me. If anything, I betrayed him.

  I walk through the clubhouse and Gil’s body is gone from the couch where it lay only minutes ago. Sully is hugging a blonde woman that I know Gil used to fool around with. I almost leave without her. I should leave without her.

  “You ready?” I ask, lightly touching her shoulder.

  I can see that she’s surprised. I don’t blame her. I told myself I could stay away from her. I don’t trust her, so I can’t be with her. But that’s not true. I can’t stay away from her.

  “Yes.”

  Sully slips her hand into mine and despite the slight turmoil I feel around her, the need I have for her overcomes it. She might have known what Cal planned for me, but I know there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn’t save me anymore then than she can now.

  I lead Sully outside to my bike. The leather seat has remnants of blood on it so I use my already soiled t-shirt to wipe it off before I climb on. When she gets on behind me, I feel like she is where she’s meant to be. My bike is supposed to have her riding on the back.

  I fire up the engine and speed out of the clubhouse parking lot. Sully grips her arms tightly around my waist as I speed through Verdana. I rest my palm over her hands as I drive to my apartment.

  We’re both silent as I park and we walk inside. I know the awkwardness between us is because I shut her out. I put my walls up and locked her on the outside.

  “I’m going to shower.” I tell her and head down the hall to the bathroom.

  I leave the door unlocked on the off chance that she’ll decide to join me. I doubt she will, but just in case. I hang my cut on the door knob and strip the ruined clothes off me. I don’t bother putting them in the basket, but throw them in the trash instead.

  When I step under the shower spray, blood and grime wash into the tub and down the drain. I wash my hair twice, not wanting a single piece of Lazarus left on me. It’s time like this that I wish I shaved my head instead of leaving it long like I have. I scrub my face, feeling as though no matter how hard I scrub, I won’t be clean. This has become a constant feeling with me.

  I turn the water off and step out of the shower. I towel off and wrap the towel around my waist. The apartment is silent when I open the door and step into the hallway. My bedroom door is open and soft light emits into the hallway.

  I step into the room and Sully is sitting on my bed wearing only a t-shirt, a single candle lit on my dresser. It illuminates her, showing me the concern etch
ed on her beautiful face.

  I move towards the bed and tilt her chin up when I reach her. Her ocean blue eyes are glassy with tears that I’ve caused. My chest tightens. What has this woman done to me?

  “You stopped talking to me.” She says. “I know that sounds very childish, but I missed you.”

  I pull her up until she’s on her knees at the edge of the bed. She rests her arms on my shoulders and I curl mine around her waist. I was stupid to think I could keep her out. That I could stop this thing from happening between us. We’re both too far gone.

  We are far from fucking perfect. I’m keeping secrets. I’d bet my life that she sure as hell is too. Whatever they are, they can stay hidden for now. Mine will.“I missed you, too.” I admit and I feel the walls I built tumbling down. I taste the sweetness of her lips, sweeping my tongue across hers. The power of her kiss consumes me. It makes me feel weightless. Like I’m on the outside looking at myself.

  Sully murmurs against my lips, “I love you, Lincoln.”

  ~Sully~

  Lincoln doesn’t return my words, but it doesn’t matter. I mean them. Hearing him say them back to me isn’t important. I need him to know that I do. Especially when I know that I might not get the opportunity to tell him again. Now that Mack is here, I don’t know tomorrow holds. He might call in his team and I’ll get to go home. Wherever that is.

  Lincoln might be arrested. I can’t guarantee his freedom. I’ll argue for it. Hell, I’ll beg for it, but I can’t guarantee it.

  He might not forgive me when he finds out who I really am. I want to tell him. I want to tell him all my secrets, but I’m more afraid of telling him those than telling him I love him.

  Lincoln raises my arms over my head and pulls my shirt off. I tug on his towel and let it drop to the floor. His gaze roams over my naked flesh as my eyes roam over his. I let my fingertips trail over his chest, stopping on his nipple rings. I lean over and pull the metal into my mouth, grazing my teeth over his sensitive skin. Goosebumps rise over his flesh. I give the same attention to his other nipple, alternating between the two.

  “You should get this pierced.” I smile, gripping his cock and stroking it with both hands.

  “If you get this pierced.” He counters, sliding his fingers between my wet folds. He pushes two inside me and pumps while massaging my clit with his thumb.

  “We can go together.” I agree and hear him chuckle.

  “Lie back.” He instructs. “I need you.”

  I need you. Damn, I love hearing those words from his mouth. He’s greedy and devouring and that’s exactly the way I want him to be.

  I do as he says and Lincoln pushes my knees up so that my feet rests on his shoulders. He sucks my clit between his teeth and gently bites down before licking my center. I writhe beneath him, moaning and crying out. He repeats his ministrations and I grip his hair tightly, holding his face to my pussy.

  “Please…so good…”

  My body trembles as I come, my juices flowing into Lincoln’s mouth. My thighs quake at the sides of his face and he squeezes them with his fingertips, enjoying the way he makes me feel.

  My legs are still shaking when he rises to his knees and positions my legs so that my feet are resting on his shoulders. He easily slides into me, my pussy wet with arousal and from his mouth. He thrusts into me, slowly, while he kisses my feet.

  “You feel good.” He whispers between kisses. “You always feel so fucking good.”

  I arch against the bed, never feeling such intimacy and arousal as I do at this very moment. I swear, I believe seeing my legs against Lincoln’s chest, him driving into me and him kissing my feet might be the most erotic sight I’ve ever seen. He thumbs my clit when he begins to pick up his pace. My breasts bounce with each powerful thrust and my orgasm begins to build.

  “I need to be deeper, Sully.” Lincoln says. “I need to fuck you deeper…I need you…”

  Keeping my legs over his shoulders, Lincoln lowers himself until he’s nearly lying on top of me. This position makes me gasp at how deeply he’s able to fuck me and he does so relentlessly, driving himself to the hilt. A sheen of sweat covers his tattooed skin.

  “God…Lincoln…oh my god!”

  “Yes, that’s it, Sully! Fuck, yes!” Lincoln groans.

  Lincoln drives in and out, pounding inside me and each time he sinks in, I know I never want to lose him. I’ll sacrifice myself for him if I have to. He deserves someone who’ll do that for him.

  “Now, baby!”

  “Lincoln!” I cry out and his seed releases deep within me as I come, filling me as he holds me against him.

  “Fuck, I love you, Sully!”

  Lincoln’s admission comes out in a groan as he collapses on top of me. His breathing is labored as he feathers kisses over my cheek and down to my neck. I struggle to catch my breath. I stroke my fingertips over his arm and to his shoulder.

  “When you left the other night, I had this beautiful dream about us.” I tell him and he shifts until he withdraws from me and curls against my side. “We looked different, but I knew it was us. We were riding off on your bike. Free from all of this.”

  I hear him sigh and I can hear the longing in it. I want the dream to be true. I want to make it happen for us, but I don’t know how. So, I tell him what I hate to even admit out loud.

  “But it was only a dream. I woke up and realized it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. We’re both still who we are.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  ~Lincoln~

  I stir behind Sully, her naked backside making my cock twitch. My phone is ringing, but I have no idea where it is. I’m not even sure what time it is. From the looks of my window, barely sunrise.

  I rub my cock against her ass, enjoying the moment a little longer and pushing back the nagging thoughts in my head that I should tell her what I’m doing. I should warn her of what I’ve become. She might not take it too lightly that I’m a traitor. I know she despises Thad, but she’s been with the Rykers for almost two years. Longer than I have been. If she knew I told Griffin where our warehouses were located and when our deliveries were, she might feel the need to warn the others. Even though she didn’t warn me.

  I ease my arm out from beneath Sully and get out of the bed. It’s safer for her if she doesn’t know. She doesn’t need to be involved. This is my fight. My choice.

  My phone has started ringing again so I slip out of my room and find it on the bathroom counter. Thad. It would serve his ass right for me to not answer at all.

  “Yeah.”

  “We have a fucking problem. Get to the clubhouse.” He clips and hangs up.

  No explanation. Nothing. It’s 4:30 a.m. Whatever the problem is, apparently, it’s a big one. I’m certain it’s exactly what we need after losing three men.

  I grab my cut off the door knob and go back to my room to get jeans and a shirt. I dress quietly, but wake Sully before I leave to let her know where I’m going. At twenty-four, I’ve never felt the need to do this. To tell someone where I was going before I left. To be considerate like that.

  I lock the apartment up behind me and drive off to the clubhouse. When I arrive, it’s pure chaos. Members are loading boxes from the clubhouse into vehicles. They seem panicked.

  “What the fuck is going on?” I question Jason as he walks by with a box in his arms.

  “DEA just raided two of our warehouses. Got everything. We had some stock here so we’re moving it to a new location.” He explains.

  “How’d they find them?” I ask, already knowing the answer. I wasn’t aware Griffin would have had the DEA move in so quickly though. Obviously, he didn’t trust me.

  “Don’t know what the fuck happened. Those warehouses haven’t been looked at in years.”

  “Anything to tie them back to us?”

  Jason nods, shifting the box in his arms. “Fucking Travis and Dean were dropping a load at one and Clay and Adam were dropping at the other. DEA literally caught us in the act.”

&nb
sp; “I’ll go get some boxes.” I say, solemnly.

  I know the deliveries that were being made were our shipments for the next three months. Our supplier is a dealer from Los Angeles. If we don’t make our monthly payment for the shipment we received, the dealer will be after us. He’ll be after Thad. The president.

  I walk into the clubhouse and Thad and his new friend are barking out orders, clearing out the supplies we had stocked here. He motions for me to come to them.

  “The raid is a devastating blow to our shipment. There’s no pointing asking the dealer for more. He won’t go for that.” He informs me.

  “Understood.” I agree.

  “I’ll be contacting Governor Chaise for another auction. That’s the only way to ensure we make our payments to the dealer on time. We don’t have enough stock to cover our losses.”

  “How many women?”

  “The remaining ones we got from Juan. The club whores will have to pick up the slack at The Lion’s Den. I’ll get Sabrina to recruit some of her friends to come to work.”

  I keep my face passive, showing no emotion, at the thought that four women will be sold at auction the way Avina was. Of course, I have no idea if she is happy with her new life or if she wishes she’d never left her home. Maybe the auction will be better for these women then working as prostitutes.

  “Did you get to meet Mack?” Thad asks, motioning to the man beside him. “I know we had a lot of shit going on, losing our members and all, but you two should be formally introduced. Mack Jacobson, this is the future president of the Rykers, Lincoln Varelli. Linc, this is my step-brother, Mack Jacobson.”

  ~Sully~

  I’m put on hold yet again. I can’t shake the feeling that Mack isn’t who he claims to be. Katy. Mack. FBI. Something is wrong.

  “FBI, Sacramento. How may I assist you?” The woman answers, her voice friendly and professional.

  “Yes, ma’am. I’m not sure how to explain this. I’m calling about my handler. I’ve been working undercover for almost two years. My name is Alexandria McGuire.”