Lucien's War (3 page)

“
You feeling
okay?” Kink said.

“I’m
good.
Just got a lot on my mind these days.”

Kink
nodded, still with his arm around Cookie, but had this concerned look on his
face. “Yeah, I know the feeling. Callie will be heading off to college for the
weekend. Some kind of orientation thing or some shit, and man, I tell you, I’m
already freaking out.” Kink rubbed the back of his neck, and Cookie smiled.

Lucien
felt this tightness in his gut, had this itchiness under his skin, and knew
that he shouldn’t be feeling this way over Callie leaving. This was good for
her, and the fact he had kept his distance, and that she was moving away from
all of this were good things. He stared at the man he considered a brother, his
VP, and the father of the woman he knew he cared about more than any other
female in the entire fucking planet. He was toeing the line on this, and if he
did what he really wanted to do, then he’d be crossing it, hurting Kink, and
possibly bringing his club down from the ramifications of it all. To tell his
VP what had happened all those months ago now seemed pointless, but as he
stared at the other man, he opened his mouth, about to tell Kink everything.
There should be no secrets between them, yet he had kept something like this
from her father, all because of what?
Because he was hard up
for her?
Because she had asked him not to?
No,
it was because he loved Callie, and cared about Kink, and saying anything would
be disastrous.

Yeah,
he loved her, fucking loved her more than he had a right to. He had never cared
about a woman for more than a few hours at a time, screwing them to show his
affection, and then walking away. He could be a cold, cruel bastard, but with
Callie he wanted to show her that he could be gentle, that he wasn’t made up of
all violence. That was what she deserved.

“Kink,
man,” Lucien said and swallowed past the lump in his throat. He couldn’t keep
this a secret anymore, because already so much time had passed.

“Hey,”
Pierce shouted out, his drunken ass weaving toward them, beer bottle held high.
“We need to get this fucking party started, get some pussy up in here for some
action, and get my horny ass fixed up.” Pierce pushed between Kink and Lucien,
set his beer bottle on the counter, and gestured for another from the prospect
behind the counter.

“And
that’s our cue to get the fuck out of here,” Kink said and took Cookie away
from the bar. He clapped Lucien on the shoulder as he passed, but instead of
Lucien speaking up he leaned on the bar and sighed.

God,
what a fucking pussy he was.

Lucien
stared at the front door and watched as Kink and his old lady left. He was
fucked up, and needed to get out of here and clear his head. Turning away from
the bar he saw Pepper, one of the club girls, moving toward him, this smile on
her face, and her tits barely restrained under her top. Having no sex for this
long was hard as fuck, but he was not about to go there with club pussy, or any
other woman for that matter. He needed to figure out what the fuck he was going
to do, and how he was going to get Callie off the brain.

“Hey
there,” Pepper said with this seductive grin on her face, and her hands already
moving toward his chest. He took hold of her wrists and pushed her away.

“No,
Pepper.” Lucien turned and grabbed the shot the prospect gave him. After
downing it, he knew he needed to get the fuck out of here.

“Come
on, Lucien. It’s been a long damn time since you were with me,” Pepper said on
a pout. “I want to feel that big
ol
’ dick filling me
up, baby.” She grinned, her eyes slightly bloodshot, and the scent of stale
cigarettes covered her. “You got someone else?”

Yes.

“I
have whiskey dick, so it
ain’t
happening tonight.” Of
course that was a lie, because he could have gotten hard for Callie in a
fucking second, rock hard like steel just by thinking about her. And damn, he
was getting a
stiffie
right now just as the thought
of Callie slammed into his head.

“Really?
Because, baby,
you look like you’re ready to go.” Pepper grabbed his crotch, and he moved
away.

That
wasn’t for her, for damn sure. Shaking his head at Pepper, he turned before she
started grinding herself on him and headed out of the clubhouse. He’d go to his
place, work out until he couldn’t see straight, shower, and then rub one off
while thinking about the woman that made him feel so damn on edge, and so
possessive at just the thought of her. He hoped in the morning things would
look a little clearer, but he wasn’t holding his breath.

Chapter Three

The
clubhouse was quiet, but Callie was thankful for that. It was pretty early in
the morning, and although she figured either the guys at the clubhouse would be
asleep or, she hoped, not there, she wasn’t holding her breath. Most likely
she’d see some naked club pussy lying around, beer bottles lining on the
ground, and smell the stench of spilled booze and pot filling the air.

She
had seen Lucien’s Harley parked outside, but she hadn’t noticed any other bikes
or even vehicles on club property. She had gotten off lucky if Lucien was, in
fact, here and alone, but the more realistic scenario was that there would be a
club whore draped over him like a blanket.

Callie
hadn’t been thinking straight when she got in her car, the back packed with an
overnight bag for her weekend trip to Baker, and then headed on the road.
College was the last thing on her mind, even three months later, because she
still thought about her mom, and still wanted Lucien. These last few months had
made her realize he was most definitely either avoiding her, or she had been
totally off base in thinking he reciprocated her feelings.

God,
Callie actually loved him. Even after that one time where she stayed at
Lucien’s house because she had been too drunk to go home, and hadn’t known whom
else to go to, Lucien had only been innocent and protective in his actions
toward her. He had made sure she was safe, had protected her when some thugs had
tried to take advantage of her in her inebriated state, and although he was so
much older than she was and was her father’s club president, she still wanted
him. He was all she thought about, all she craved. Not even spending time with
her friend Ian could help distract her from what she wanted, and that was a
too-old-for-her biker club president.

After
saying goodbye for the weekend to Cookie and her dad, Callie had intended just
to go right to the university, but then she had found herself pulling into the
driveway of The Brothers of Menace clubhouse. She shouldn’t have come here, but
she had to say goodbye to Lucien, because after this weekend she’d come home,
pack up her shit, and then head off to college for good. She’d put this town
and him behind her, and try to start her life.

Moving
through the clubhouse proved that it was empty, but that didn’t stop her from
continuing toward the meeting room, or wondering where everyone was. She was just
thankful she wouldn’t have to answer any questions as to why she had come here,
or risk one of the members telling her dad that she had come to talk to Lucien.
But the truth was she hadn’t even thought about any of that as she drove here.
No one knew what had happened to her and Lucien, how he had saved her and let
her crash at his place. Although they hadn’t done anything, he hadn’t told
Kink, as per her request. Although she had told Lucien she’d tell her dad, she
hadn’t yet. She was afraid of her father’s anger toward a situation that hadn’t
been anything but innocent, of what it would do to his relationship with
Lucien,
and the fact he would jump to conclusions. Maybe
because the clubhouse was empty aside from Lucien was fate trying to help her
out?

Wishful
thinking on her part.

She
went into the meeting room, but it was empty. The sound of something in the
back hallway had her turning and moving toward that direction. She made her way
forward as if her mind and body were disconnected, and her need to do this
drove her forward. She meant to just tell him goodbye, but maybe her
need
to see him, and the fact she was
actually telling him she was leaving, would have him finally opening up to her?
Whether he told her that he didn’t want her, or finally admitted that he wanted
her, too, she needed to hear him say
something
.
Callie needed him to tell her
anything
.
She had this feeling in the pit f her stomach every time she thought about him,
every time she saw him. It grew with each passing day, consumed her, and it was
close to bursting from her and taking her down.

Making
her way forward, she followed the light noise that could be heard behind one of
the doors at the end of the hallway. It was slightly ajar, and when she pushed
it open a little more it was to see Lucien’s powerful and tattooed muscular
back. He was sitting at a small desk, and although she couldn’t see what he was
doing, she heard the sound of
clicking
and
thunking
metal against the table. She knew the sounds well, had heard them in her dad’s
house when he was cleaning his guns. Lucien was shirtless, and the jeans he
wore were low on his narrow hips. God, she could remember what the front of him
looked like all those months ago when she had been at his house and he stepped
out of his bedroom. He had just gotten out of the shower, his massively
muscular body toned and covered in tattoos. And then there had been the
Brothers of Menace patch tattoo in the center of his chest, so big, so
powerful, and screaming that he was dangerous.

Swallowing
past the nervousness, she knocked on his door. He turned just his head and
looked over his shoulder at her, and although she knew she was probably the
last person he expected to see, he showed no emotion.

“Callie?”
He said her name in that deep voice of his, the one that she had imagined many
times over when she closed her eyes. He stood and turned, and she let her gaze
travel over his chest. The Brothers of Menace patch tattoo took up the center
of his chest, and she felt herself grow warm at the sight of his muscular and
powerful form standing in front of her. He was so big compared to her, and
although she had never considered herself a tiny thing, compared to him she
felt just like that. They stared at each other, and after an awkward few
seconds he finally spoke again.

“What
are you doing here?”

“I…”
She licked her lips, glanced around his room, and then focused on him again. “I
just wanted to say goodbye.”

He
nodded slowly and then rubbed his palms on his thighs. She looked at his chest
again, felt her heart flutter, and then felt her throat tighten at the thought
of all the things she wanted to say.

“I’m
leaving for the weekend to check out Baker and get my dorm and schedule
information.” She heard the tremor in her voice, knew that she was probably
shaking slightly, because right now she felt like she might pass out.

He
nodded. “College is good for you, Callie. You’ll meet new people, learn stuff
that will help you out in life, and maybe find a guy your own age that will
treat you like the princess you are.”

His
words struck right in her heart, and she breathed out. Had he realized what he
had just said? The expression on his face told her he hadn’t meant to say
anything like that, but the words were already out there, hanging between them,
and making her long for his touch.

“Shit,
I hadn’t meant to say some of that.” He lifted a hand and rubbed the back of
his neck. The way his bicep clenched and flexed had this potent desire moving
through her, and she actually felt herself taking a step closer to him.

“I’m
glad you said something.”

“Callie,
there can’t ever be anything between us.” He scrubbed a hand over his hair and
breathed out. “Being with you would mean I’d have to cross a dangerous line,
and I can’t do that no matter how much I want you.” His voice broke on the last
word.

Her
heart was thundering in her chest. Beads of sweat covered the valley between
her breasts, and she could only think about being with him. He said they
couldn’t be anything together, that being with her was a line he wasn’t going
to cross, and she knew he was right. But he had said he wanted her, and she
wanted him. Something inside of her snapped, and she moved toward him without
thinking about anything else aside from being with Lucien. She was close enough
to touch him, but he was a big man, at least eight inches taller than her
five-foot-seven height.

Callie
breathed heavily, feeling herself grow dizzy from the need to touch him.

“Callie,
what are you doing?” His voice was deep and husky, and slightly hoarse.

“I
don’t know, Lucien.” She saw him glance down at her mouth, and she licked her
lips. She couldn’t stop herself, couldn’t hold her emotions in check when there
was all this sexual chemistry. It was like a living entity between them, and
moving back and forth until she was drowning in it, suffocating from the
intensity of it. Her hands were shaking, but she lifted them and placed her
open palms right on his hard chest. His skin was warm and smooth, hard and
powerful. He had his fingers on her wrists, wrapped gently around the bone, but
didn’t push her away. He flexed his fingers around her, almost like he wanted
to send her away from him, but was unable to.