Lock and Key (37 page)

“What’s up, Boner?”

“Came for Little Sister.”

“Over there,” Creeper said.

I turned over on the sofa, and raised my head. I swiped the dribble from the edge of my mouth with the back of my hand. My leather jacket slid down my chest. My neck was stiff, my lower back was very unhappy.

Boner stood over me. He pulled his lips into a firm line. “Hey, get up. Any coffee around? Can’t stand that shit they sell on the road.”

I got up on a sigh, stretched out my arms, then snaked them around his middle. “Don’t think what they have here is much better,” I mumbled into his chest.

He planted a kiss on my forehead. “Whatever.”

“I’ll make you a cup.”

His hand gripped my jaw, his green eyes darkened. “Better make one for yourself, too.”

I shuffled behind the small semi-circle shaped bar. Boner stood in the middle of Butler’s clubroom, his hands on his hips. An infomercial hawking frying pans blared from the television. The new club mouse was on her knees between Creeper’s legs finishing up his blow job. He was slumped back on the sofa across from the one where I had been napping. I had woken up to his muffled grunts and her sucking sounds along with the enthusiastic voice of the frying pan lady on TV. Two recruits prepped a bong at a small round table in the corner. Butler sat at the bar smoking a cigarette and nursing a beer.

“You in a rush?” Butler asked.

“Got shit to do, can’t stick around,” Boner said.

“I told her I’d bring her, but…” He brought his cigarette to his lips once more.

Boner shook his head at him “Look at you man. How you gonna stay on your scooter?”

Butler only smirked at him. Boner leaned in closer to him. “Look. At. You.”

“Fuck off, man. I’m just hanging, enjoying time with my girl. It was a long weekend, what can I say?” Butler said. He wiped his hands over his eyes and flicked his cigarette into a dirty coffee mug. “Right, baby?”

I filled the coffeemaker with water, smacked the cover over the filter I had filled with coffee, and snapped the power button on. I leaned on the bar.

“Oh, yeah?” Boner exhaled.

Butler rubbed his chest and let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah, man.”

“The coffee around here must be some sort of miracle brew then,” Boner said. I shook my head at him.

“What?” Butler lit another cigarette.

The coffeemaker dripped its black liquid into the glass pot. My gaze settled on the antiquated Mr. Coffee which shuddered on the counter. Boner flicked on his lighter and lit a cigarette.

Drip. Shake. Drip. Hiss. Drip.

“Here you go.” I placed the white mug filled with hot coffee on the bar by Boner’s arm. “One sugar.”

He took the mug and drank. “You ready to go?” he asked, his voice low.

“Bag’s by the door.” I filled a cup for myself.

Boner pulled on his cigarette. Butler winked at me and jerked his head to the side. I rounded the bar, and his arm wrapped around my middle and pulled me in between his legs. Boner watched us from behind his mug of coffee.

Butler buried his face in the side of my neck. “When am I gonna see you again, babe?”

“Got a lot to do right now,” I said. “Have to find somewhere to live, find a job, set up my nephew. Real life, you know?”

His mouth touched mine. The acrid taste of the tobacco laced my lips with a bitter tang. Butler’s hand rubbed over my rear, and he smirked at me.

“What is it?” I asked.

Butler’s lips brushed my ear. “Love that ass, baby. You gonna let me in next time?”

Oh, for Pete’s sake.

Last night in bed Butler had tried to lick my wildflower tattoo, but I had pushed him away and turned over on my back. He didn’t say a word, but he knew. Instead he pulled me over again and used my rear end as a pillow for his head for optimum viewing of the Kitty Show down below us on the floor. He absently swirled his fingers between my legs. I dozed off, but woke up when he suddenly flipped me on my back.

He bent my knees, slid his hands under my rear, and went down on me. I laughed. Butler’s eyes blazed. He gripped my thighs and became relentless. But I couldn’t stop laughing, even through the multiple orgasms. I suppose all that vodka with lemon I had for dinner had done me in.

Boner scowled at us and plonked his mug down on the bar. “Time to hit the road, Little Sister. Let’s go.”

I pulled out of Butler’s embrace. He squeezed my hand and released it. “Take care, babe,” he said.

I gave him a smile and a wave of my hand. Boner nabbed my duffel bag and we headed for the door.

“Drive safe, kids,” Creeper muttered. He flipped channels on the television while the new girl sat on the floor at his side and wiped her face and neck with a paper towel.

Outside we charged towards Boner’s bike. His lips smashed together as he packed away my bag. “What the fuck?”

I zipped up my leather jacket and jammed my gloves on my hands. I nabbed the helmet from him. He stared at me, his eyes wide.

“Let’s go!” I said.

He muttered a string of obscenities as we mounted his Harley. He gunned the engine and shoved the kickstand.

Hallefreakinglujah.

“He’s a sitting duck.” Jump folded his hands across his chest and leaned back in his chair.

“Wasted off his ass, the rest of them crawling around, doing their thing. I’m telling you, they’re making it real easy for the Demon Seeds to just walk in there and take what they want, and that’s all she wrote,” Boner said.

“What about Crank?” I asked. “Did you find him?” I slumped back in the armchair in Jump’s office. My back was tired after the long ride in the cold air coupled with the stress of yet another delightful few days with Butler. My head was still in a hangover fog. Luckily, I had chained up any stray post-Butler emotions like self-loathing and guilt, and had tossed them overboard on the highway a while back in order to deal with this “debriefing.”

Lock stood in the doorway, his arms crossed. His dark gaze fell on me. It was still there, that enigmatic swirl of taut emotions. The self-loathing and guilt started nibbling at me again. I fidgeted in my chair.

“Crank’s a Demon Seed newbie, but our brothers think he’s a One-Eyed recruit,” Lock said. “He’s been up in ND for almost a year now. He’s the go-between.”

“What else?” asked Jump.

“Creeper’s got a bug up his ass all the time,” I said. “He’s a very suspicious son of a bitch and doesn’t mind showing it. Then again, he always had a problem with Dig, so he doesn’t like having me around.”

Lock’s brow snapped. “That’s it. I don’t want her up there with them again. It’s too dangerous. We got some good information. Take her off it now.”

My skin heated at the tone in his voice. I leaned my elbows on my knees and kept my eyes on the floor.

“Let’s not rush this,” Jump said.

“Rush? Are you shitting me? She’s been up there three times already. So far she’s managed to avoid Crank catching on that she recognizes him. Creeper’s on her ass. Not to mention the possibility of getting herself killed or maimed or worse on the back of that coked-up asshat’s bike.”

“I’m with Lock.” Boner put down his empty beer can on Jump’s desk, crossed his arms over his head and leaned back against the wall. “There’s a seriously whacked vibe in that joint. I don’t like it, and I don’t like Sister up there alone. Butler’s fucking lost it. She’s gonna lose it too.”

Lock’s fingers gripped my chin and tilted my face. His eyes were stony, his brow rigid.

I peeled Lock’s fingers off me, turned my face away from him, and slumped back in the chair. Just his touch after all this time, those brown black eyes on me. My breath knotted in my chest. But there was no room for that knot, and it only left an ache inside me.

Lock’s eyes remained on me. “Grace?”

“Sorry to disappoint you Jump, but we don’t fuck,” I said. “It’s difficult for him.

“Aw, man.” Boner rubbed his face with his palms.

“Butler needs help,” I said, my voice small. “Your brother needs you. You need to think about that and deal with it.”

“Shit,” Boner muttered.

Jump shook his head and rolled his eyes. He leaned back in his chair once again and rubbed his jaw.

I dragged my fingers through my hair and sighed. That was it, I was done. I had nothing more to give. I needed sleep, real sleep, but I wasn’t so sure I’d ever get it again.

Jump let out a laugh. We glanced up at him. His fingers smoothed over his mustache.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Shit, hon,” he said. “You ain’t even getting laid out of this deal? That does suck.”

Boner tossed his beer can at Jump’s head. “Such a motherfucker!”

“Fuck you, asshole!”

“Why are you talking to her like that?” Boner’s eyes bulged. “Look at her! You think this shit is easy for her? I sure don’t like watching it. I sure didn’t like what I saw today.”

Boner kicked the metal trash can, and it exploded against the opposite wall. Jump hurled more curses at him.

I pushed myself up off the chair.

Lock had vanished.

“Don’t let go, Jake. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Lock revved the engine. Jake’s tight gaze jumped to mine. I gave him a thumbs-up and a smile, and he nodded at me, his eyes round as saucers.

Lock’s Fat Bob roared off down the club’s track. Not fast and not too slow. I was riveted. I recorded a video of this momentous occasion with my cell phone camera. They rounded the track a third time. Lock leaned down and said something to Jake. Jake glanced up at him, and they both grinned. Warmth slid through my chest.

My cell phone rang. “Damn.” Butler’s name flashed at me in neon green.

“Hey.”

“Babe. Haven’t heard from you. Just got back from that trip I’d told you about.”

“Oh, right. Everything go okay?” I asked.

“It’s all good. Very good,” he said and let out a chuckle. “Want to celebrate with you. Take you out. Get your sexy ass up here.”

“I got my dad in town, Butler. I need to be with him and my nephew right now,” my voice trailed off.

The bike zoomed past me once more. Jake pressed his little body back against Miller as they both leaned into the curve. That warmth shifted inside me again. A smile danced across my lips.

“Babe, you at the club?”

“Hmm? No, I’m in town getting some ice cream for Jake,” I said. “I’ll call you later when I can talk, okay?”

“Alright, beautiful. Later.”

I tapped the screen. I hadn’t seen Butler in over a week. It was a relief I’d like to hang onto for a bit longer. I took photos of Jake and Lock as they zipped by me.

“Got a minute?”

Jump stood at my side, his face tight.

“I was just going to come find you. What’s up?”

“Need you to come with me and check something out.”

He didn’t look happy. He also had blood spattered across his sleeve.

“Uh, okay.”

“You’re gonna like this, Sister,” he said. His eyes went to Lock and Jake rounding a tight curve on the track. “How’s Jake?”

“As long as we’re distracting him with some sort of electronic entertainment or fast food, then, yeah, he seems okay.

Jump sighed. “Rough.”

“Lock thought Jake would enjoy it. It’s his first ride.”

Lock had been keeping Jake busy at the shed. When I stopped by to pick him up for lunch an hour ago, Lock pulled me aside and told me he wanted to take Jake for a ride.

“Oh. That’s a great idea.”

“Give me your phone,” he said.

“My phone?”

“I want to call Alex and ask him if it’s alright.”

My heart squeezed. Once again, even in the eye of our current shit storm, his compassion, his kindness, hadn’t faded.

I pressed my phone into his hand. He called Alex and they spoke. Lock handed me my phone back.

“Get his jacket, Grace” he said. His eyes soft.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me. I want to help Jake any way I can. He needs us now. Really needs us.”

My eyes stung. “Yes he does,” I whispered.

He held my gaze then let out a heavy breath and looked away squeezing my arm. “I’ve got a kid’s helmet around here somewhere,” he mumbled.