Survivor's Remorse: Brothers of Ink and Steel (11 page)

“I have never been as sure of anything in my life,” she whispered. “Are you sure?”

“Yes… I want you… I
need
you...” he said as he took her lips again, with more intensity this time.

As he spoke of his desire, her passions roared even higher. His words may mean nothing in morning’s light, but tonight they warmed her in a way she had never felt before. Their kiss took on a life of its own as their lips parted and their tongues began a slow and intimate dance. She pressed in tighter to him, feeling the heat of his body against her own. He felt hot, almost feverish, even through their clothes.

He gently pulled away from the kiss and looked into her eyes. Never had he wanted a woman as much as he wanted this one standing before him. He reached to her face again, caressing her cheek with his thumb before he drew his fingers down her neck.

She shivered in anticipation as Leo’s fingers slid down her neck and across her throat, his other hand joining his first to slowly unbutton her shirt. As her first button was freed, she reached to his shirt, and his first button answered in kind. Their fingers walked down their buttons until she pushed his shirt from his shoulders and allowed it to fall to the floor. Her fingers traced the puckered scar on his left shoulder then the larger one lower, under his heart. She was no doctor, but to leave a scar such as the one on his chest, his wound must have been severe. Her eyes welled with tears again as she caressed the disfigured skin with her lips.

He stood still and let her explore his wounds, something most women wanted to do. But rather than tolerate it, he found that with each touch of her fingers or lips, his pain faded a tiny bit and the darkness that consumed him brightened in equal measure. Her inspection complete, she straightened and brought his lips to hers with a hand behind his head.

As she pulled his head down into a kiss, Leo’s hands went to her back and pulled her in tight, then began to explore, sliding along her back until he touched the clasps of her bra. He worked the catches and she felt the material relax as it loosened. She stepped back, breaking the kiss, and slowly removed her covering, his eyes shifting back and forth between her face and the slow reveal of her breasts.

Jamie began removing her pants, stepping out of them before settling onto her bed and holding her hands out beseechingly. He joined her on the bed, sitting only long enough to finish removing his pants. He slowly rolled her to her back, and as she moved she opened herself to him. He moved with her as he positioned himself between her legs and slowly entered her.

As he entered, her head tilted back as she gasped in pleasure. When her back slowly straightened, his lips were waiting to take hers. As they kissed her hands glided along his back, holding him to her as she reveled with the feeling of him inside of her. As much as she was enjoying the kiss, and she was enjoying it a great deal, indeed, her desire was consuming her and she needed more air to feed the flame. She pushed his lips to her neck and held them tightly to her as he began to move.

When Jamie broke the kiss, he began to move… slowly, gently, luxuriating in the moment unlike any time before. The feel of her hands holding him tight, the warm wetness of her womanhood, her soft sighs with each gentle thrust inflamed him, but he won’t fuck her, not like the women in the past. No… she was already too special to him to simply want to tease in pleasure, as if it were a game. With Jamie, he wanted to experience this moment, this connection between two people. He wanted to…
live!

She felt a hard shudder go through him as he gasped and then whimpered into her neck. Had he come so soon? But she felt the tempo of his thrusts increase, his slow, easy motion becoming firmer and more deliberate. He whimpered again and she realized what she was hearing were the soft cries of him releasing his pain. Perhaps not all, but some, and she burned with desire. She pulled his lips to hers and they kissed, long and passionately, as he took what she willingly gave. Her climax was coming hard and fast, surrounding her, drowning her as her skin burned in erotic fire. With a shudder and gasp of her own, she was overwhelmed with her pleasure, holding him tightly, unable to breathe, mewling quietly into the night.

As Jamie tipped into her orgasm, her quiet cry of climax cut him to his core. His orgasm appeared from nowhere, rushing down upon him before he could push back and struck him like a thunderclap. With a final hard thrust, Leo drove into Jamie’s depths as he reared up and issued a single sharp bark of completion. He held himself up, his arms quivering in the aftermath of his release before his orgasm washed away, leaving him feeling spent and weak. He settled softly into her, kissing her gently and at length before he lowered his head to her shoulder. Neither said anything, their joining having said all that needed saying.

As she took her fill of his kiss, Leo gently worked his arms under her and pulled her snuggly tight while still supporting most of his weight. He held her thus as his breathing slowed, and she was content. She had been fucked harder, and longer, but tonight was magical in its own way and she felt a connection with Leo, that intangible something that says this person is special. She sighed, deeply content.

He felt himself finally fall from within her. He had stayed hard far longer than he expected and he wanted to enjoy the closeness he felt with Jamie for as long as possible. With a sigh, he rolled off of her, smiling as she clung to him a fraction longer, silently signaling her desire to remain close. He lightly tugged at her, urging her to snuggle in tight, and she did, sighing as she settled into his arms.

She snuggled in close, throwing an arm and leg over Leo possessively. It’s was still early for her, not even eleven o’clock, but she was so relaxed, so warm and content, her joining with Leo surpassing any fantasy she could dream up, that sleep came to her easily.

As she slid into a deep sleep, Leo held her, enjoying her warmth and her weight against him. He could feel his eyes growing heavy, and he welcomed the sleep. Unafraid, Leo coasted into sleep… his dreams quiet for the first time in a very long time.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The happy ditty of his phone pulled Leo from his sleep. The windows were bright with morning light. It took a moment for him to remember where he was, but the warm softness snuggled at his side reminded him and he smiled. He looked to the side table, but quickly realized the sound was coming from lower, on the floor.

Jamie felt him moving and there was an annoyingly cheerful tune playing in her room. As Leo pulled away, she grasped at him. “No…” she mumbled as she flopped from her side to her stomach when he slid out from under her. “Tell them you will call back later,” she said as she slapped around with her eyes closed until she found his body… a body she tried to pull back to her.

“It’s Ron,” he said softly. She sighed deeply, eyes still closed, and listened, waiting for her moment to pull him back into her bed for round two. “This is Leo.” Pause. “What?” he shouted. “When?” She sat up, realizing that round two might have to wait. “Shit. Okay. I’ll be right there. Shit!” he spat when he hung up.

“What is it?”

“The clubhouse burned down last night – probably the cartel. I guess we have received our warning. You better get dressed. I guess someone would have called, but you better check on
He’s Not Here.
If the cartel knew about the clubhouse, you can bet your ass they know about HNH.

She felt a chill pass through her as she tossed the covers aside.

***

“Shit…” Leo murmured as he dismounted. Before him lay the charred remains of their clubhouse. The house was still standing but it was gutted – a total write-off.

“Well I guess that war you were trying so fucking hard to avoid started anyway,” Ron sneered.

“Yeah,” Leo said as he pursed his lips in annoyance at Ron’s attitude. This wasn’t his fucking fault!

“Are you finally ready to do something about it?”

“Yeah. We have to hit back, and hard. I didn’t want this, but the cartel has given us no choice.”

“It’s about fucking time. Welcome back aboard.”

“Yeah. Fuck!” Leo turned and stomped to his bike.
A lot of people are going to die…

***

“Everything okay?” he asked as he dismounted in the HNH parking lot.

“Seems okay,” Jamie replied. “How’s the clubhouse.”

“Destroyed. The outside walls are still up, mostly, but the rest…”

“I’m sorry, Leo. It was the cartel?”

“Had to be. House and barn both burning down at the same time?”

“I guess you’re right. What now?”

“Now, we take the war to them. We’ll find a target, something soft that will hurt, and we take it out. Try to make them think twice before they do this again, but you should close up for a few days just to be safe.”

“Forget that! I close when
I
decide to close. I’m not going to let some limp dick, cokehead, piece of shit from Mexico run me out of business.”

“Jamie, be reasonable. This is the Prieto Cartel we are talking about. They’re—”

“I’m being reasonable,” she interrupted. “The building is insured, as are the contents. If they want to burn it down, they will. They won’t try that when we are open or they will be picking shot out of their ass. And I can’t stay here twenty-four seven.”

“It’s not the building I’m worried about.”

“You know only the first two shots are bird shot, right? If I still have to shoot after two shots, I’m going to be pissed off. That’s when you get the double-ought buck.”

“Jamie, damnit! You—”

“Look, if you are so worried about it, I’ll have the police cruise by occasionally.”

“The police won’t be able to do shit! They won’t station an officer full time without a clear threat, and all the cartel would have to do is hit when the police aren’t here, which will be most of the time.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“I
suggest
you stay home for a few days until we can sort this shit out.”

“Nope. Not going to happen. Suggest something else. Why don’t you and a couple of the guys hang around? Would that satisfy you?”

Leo paused while he thought it over.
That would work. Three men should be enough. Three men, more or less, won’t make much of a difference on a hit and run, but they could make a hell of difference if the cartel came calling.

“Yeah. I’ll set it up.”

“I think you are worrying for no reason, but if you do this, you make
damn
sure you are on the protection detail. You can stay at my place to keep me safe. And warm. Not to mentioned relaxed.”

“Jamie… this is no laughing matter.”

“Do you see me laughing?” she asked with a smile.

“No, but I’m not sure you are taking it seriously either.”

“Leo, I’m more worried about you, and Lima 6, than I am about me. If they were going to hit the bar, they would have done so last night, don’t you think?”

She has a point there. But this situation can spiral out of control… and quickly.
“Yeah… you’re probably right. But your bar is the next logical target if they were to hit us again.”

“I guess you had better be on your guard, then, huh?”

Leo gave Jamie his best sarcastic smile. “Hang on and let me make a phone call.” He tapped at the screen a moment. “Ron, Leo. Listen, I think we need to put a protection detail on Jamie... Yeah, but if they were to hit again, this is where they’re likely to hit us. They must know this is our home-away-from-home… Just three men, I think… I’m thinking me, Tuck, and Two-Tone. Okay. Thanks, Ron. I’ll let them know.” Leo dropped the phone in his pocket. “We’re all set. You heard who?”

“Won’t Ron miss his three best guys?”

Leo laughed lightly. “I thought he sounded relieved I was going to stay behind.”

***

Leo gave Tuck and Two-Tone a call after Jamie left for home. With only three guys, they didn’t have the ability to guard the bar and Jamie at the same time, so they were going to focus on Jamie. The bar would be guarded by extension when she was there. Leo would cover the overnights and afternoons, while Tuck and Two-Tone would alternate evenings. He could skip out of work, where Tuck and Two-Tone couldn’t as easily.

After putting the protection detail in motion, Leo made the rounds and checked on his crews. He explained to them what was going on and that they knew what to do, but to call him if they needed him. He would bring Jamie with him, if he needed to.

He had a good laugh when one of the crews said to expect their call about every two hours. When he questioned why, the foreman told him it was so they could look at Jamie, his tone making it sound as if the answer should have been obvious.

Still chuckling over the craziness of his crew, he stopped by his house and packed a small bag of clothes, chucking a couple of boxes of ammunition for his pistol in the case as well. After Iraq, he had promised himself that he would
never
run out of ammo again.

He debated taking the Tahoe, but decided to take the bike again. If he had to run, the Tahoe would offer more protection, but the bike would be more maneuverable and allow him to go places a car couldn’t follow. If they had to run in a car, Jamie’s Honda Accord would probably be a better choice than his lumbering Tahoe anyway.

Less than two hours after he had left HNH, he parked his bike in her drive, Jamie’s Accord and the 1950 taking up the garage. He walked up to her front door, case in hand, his eyes in constant motion as he stopped and rapped on her door.

***

Jamie opened the door moments after Leo’s rap. She received a slight tingle at the sight of his bag. “Does that mean you’re spending the night?”

“Yes. If that is okay.”

“I think that is a wonderful idea,” she said flowing into him as he shut the door. He took her into his embrace and kissed her, but he seemed slightly distant. “Everything okay?” she asked as she pulled back, concerned that something had changed from last night.

“Yes. Fine,” he said. He sat his bag on the floor and this time he kissed her right and proper. “But I won’t be in your bed. Not tonight. Probably not for the next several nights.”

“You’re sure there is nothing wrong?” she asked, afraid of his answer.

“No. Nothing is wrong. But I can’t be… distracted. Not now.”

“How could I possibly be any safer than having you in the bedroom with me?”

“By having me in the living room, so that I can engage them
before
they get to your bedroom.”

“Leo, don’t you think you are overreacting just a little?”

“I hope so.”

***

“It’s time to go,” Jamie said as she walked past Leo dressed in her black and whites.

“Okay,” he said as he hopped out of the chair and slid his holstered sidearm into the small of his back. “But before we go,” he said as he stepped up to her and pulled her close and once again kissed her properly.

She pulled back from the kiss feeling flushed and breathless. He had been enjoyable company, talking with her with more enthusiasm and energy than he had shown in weeks, but he had made no move to seduce her in any way – until now.

“What was that all about? And why now, when we can’t do anything about it?”

“I have been wanting to do that all day, but I forced myself to wait until we are leaving so I can’t get… distracted.”

“You are a class A butthole, you know that?” she asked, her grin softening her words. Getting me all heated up right before work. Maybe I will call in sick again.”

Leo smiled. “Go ahead.”

Jamie stared at him a moment. “Shit... Let’s go.”

His smile grew wider. “That’s what I thought. I can’t see you calling in sick two days in a row unless you are at death’s door.”

“Where’s my damn phone?”

Leo handed her his.

She took it and stared at it a moment before handing it back. “You’re still a class A butthole,” she growled playfully as she turned toward the door. “Are you really not going to sleep with me tonight?” she asked as they banged along in the HNH truck.

“I want to more than you can possibly know. But no… not if I can prevent myself.”

“But there is no problem between us, after last night, is there? I mean, you’re not trying to push me away are you? If you are, I would rather you just tell me.”

“Jamie… no…” he said as he turned from her to look out his window at the passing houses a moment, trying to put into words how he felt. He turned to face her again. “Something happened last night. I can’t explain it, but I feel… better… than I have in months. Years maybe. I would like nothing more than to take you into my arms right this minute and hold you forever. But I can’t. I don’t think you realize how dangerous the Prieto Cartel can be. They would kill you without a second thought. You are too closely associated with us to be safe. I can’t let anything happen to you. I just can’t. Nothing is wrong, and you would be doing me a great kindness not to tempt me too much.”

She had glanced at Leo as she drove, and she could see how serious he was taking this. Maybe she
was
whistling past the graveyard. “Okay. But after this is all over…?”

“Then I will take you to my bed and make love to you as often as I can, for as long as I can.”