A LIL' LESS LOST (The Kingsmen Book 2) (13 page)

Lil's squeezed my hand tight, and I wedged her slightly behind me, buffering her from these outsiders. The dick-wad eyed me cautiously. There was a silent understanding between the two of us... he behaved himself and I let him walk out of here in one piece. He's new enough in town, but been here long enough to know not to fuck around with a Kingsman.

He cleared his throat. “Julia Keagan?”

Lil's breathed in deep enough for me to hear. “Yes...?”

“We've been going to some pretty far lengths to find you, young lady...”

Butch stood up from the barstool he'd been warming. “Obviously not far enough... she's been right here.”

Shit. Butch was on parole, as usual, and I don't fucking need this to be going from bad to worse right now. Tiny pushes his pop back down hard on the round seat, with a loud thud. I feel Lil's jump a bit from the sound of it. I hold her tighter.

The douchebag with a badge ignores Butch. “I have some questions for you, if you don't mind.”

Now I take a turn to intervene. “This really isn't a good time. She's not feeling well.”

He sizes me up. I have no doubt that I fit every preconceived stereotype this dick has of me. That's all right. It's my very own badge of honor that I fucking wear with pride.

Lil's pushed gently past me. “It's OK, baby... I'd like to see why he was looking for me. Straighten this out.”

Detective Flattery smiled in victory. He scanned the room, taking in all of the leather-born-men standing at the ready. Some of the out of towners had stuck around, lingering behind and swelling our ranks. It was an impressive show of force. One that I'm sure made an impression on him.

“We should go downtown... have a little but more privacy.”

Yeah right. As if i'd
ever
let that happen.

Pop stepped past the crowd. “You can use the boardroom. Plenty of privacy in there. No need to take this any further than necessary.” He was calling the detective's bluff. This was Pop's club, his place. He was just pissing and marking his territory.

The pig gave in and followed us toward the boardroom. He moved toward the table and took a seat at the head of it, in Pop's seat. I could hear the grinding sounds coming from Pops' concealed teeth. No cop had ever walked through these doors without a warrant, invited to stay, no less... and violated our boardroom like this.

I held my mouth to Lil's ear, kissing her, offering her whatever reinforcement and strength I could. “I'll be right outside if you need me, baby.” She held her palm to my chest, flattened over the barrier to my heart. She closed her eyes and forced a smile.

I shut the door behind me, propping myself against the sturdy oak facing the room of supporters. Pop broke the silence first, “Time for a drink, boys. Line 'em up.”

The cops watched us closely. It was barely noon but it never stopped us before... took the edge of things, you know? Clink pulled up a seat next to me. He had just as much vested in the outcome of this shit show as I did. Clink has a pretty good streak of luck going. He's the only Kingsman in this charter that has been able to avoid the slammer. He's come close a bunch of times, but was able to squirm out of whatever shit he got caught up in. It's how he got his road name. Clink. 'Cause he's never been in one. I'm sure he wasn't looking to break his record now.

The empties were starting to pile up on the bar top, with the prospects barely able to keep up with the brothers' drink orders. Time was passing slowly. Too fucking slow. My eyes found themselves constantly creeping over to the boardroom doors.

A freshly showered Charlie sauntered up behind us. “Well, I'm out boys. Just thought I'd say bye.”

Clink turned on his stool to face her, bottle in hand. “Sugar... I can't leave just yet. Why don't you park it over there by the chicks and we'll head out in a bit?” He took a sip of his imported beer and undressed her with his eyes.

The jingling of keys drew my attention as I glanced over my shoulder to the interaction between the two of them.

“Don't call me sugar.”

I practically showered my mouthful of beer over the prospect in front of me. This broad was somethin' else. No one gave Clink any shit, especially some piece of ass. “No need. I've got my Jeep back. T.J. just finished up with it. I'll catch you later.”

Pop slapped his hand on my back hard, overhearing the little discussion. “Clink... you gonna introduce your girl?”

Charlie smiled awkwardly at Vince. It was a very forced smile... pretty uncommon for when newbies met the big boss for the first time. Usually they tried to make a good impression, kiss ass a bit.

“Actually... I'm about to jet... maybe some other time?” She nodded to each of us half-heartedly.

And she was out. Clink took a long swig from the glass bottle. “Not a word, brother. Not one fucking word.”

Pop took the opportunity to muss up Clink's hair and move along.

I smiled and laughed under my breath. “You... uh.. you gonna make that a regular?”

He leaned back, spreading his legs further on the floor to balance himself out. “Who the fuck knows? I take things one night at a time. Or morning, or afternoon...” He laughed at his own expense and drank the remaining beer from his bottle.

“Well, as long as you decide to keep spending those nights with her, make sure to keep an eye on her ass. I caught her poking around this morning.”

That piqued his curiosity. “Did you now?”

******

Lil's spent close to an hour with the detective. I kept close to the boardroom just in case I was needed, sitting nervously at the bar waiting. The beers kept my hands busy, occupied so I wouldn't fidget around nervously trying to pass the time. When the boardroom doors finally opened and they stepped out I had a pretty healthy buzz going on. Pounding eight beers on an empty stomach will do that to you.

Flattery was handing his business card over to Lil's by the time I got to them. “Thank you for your time, Miss Keagan.  I
will
be in touch.”

Really? I pulled Lil's close, offering my body for her to lean against even if just for a moment. She looks ragged, exhausted. This jerk was trying to intimidate her, I'm sure of it. I throw him the coldest stare I can and hold my girl tight. I was used to dealing with assholes like this... comes with the territory of what I do on a daily basis, but Lil's has never been in a position like this before.

He nodded to her, and then to me before making his way out. His little rookie lapdogs followed behind him on his way. Once he cleared the door, I heard Lil's let out a long breath and sink into me. She didn't speak.. she didn't need to. I know her well enough to know that she's still processing shit. This last little bit just got added to the pile.

Ma rushed over and searched over Lil's. “Come on, baby girl... let's get you some food and a nice hot shower. It'll make you feel better, I promise.”

Lil's let's go of me and followed ma into the kitchen without so much as a peep. My baby has a spine of steel, even though she may not know it. I could see it from the beginning and it was one of the reasons why I fell for her. Seeing her like this, without so much as a smart-ass attitude at being ordered around like a child was damn unsettling to me.

Ma looked over to me and raised her eyebrows, she must be noticing this all too. All I could do was shrug my shoulders and shake my head.

 
******

We had Leo make a sweep over of the entire clubhouse, making sure the cops didn't leave little presents of the electronic form behind. Once we were given the “all clear,” a few of us met up behind closed doors to touch base on the newest predicament we found ourselves in. For as long as men have worn the Kingsmen patch in this town, we've been a target for some group or another. We may be out of the sights of Shade and the Slayers, but things were starting to feel like we were entering the crosshairs of a different type of target.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

LILS

The kitchen at the clubhouse was nowhere near as cozy as the one at Jay's house, but it was filled with love. Ma was twirling herself around between the stainless steel counters grabbing this and chopping that... all the while humming some ridiculous tune and shaking her ass. I may feel like a beat-up punching bag right now but even in my funk I wasn't immune to ma's charms.

The kitchen was fully stocked to handle all of the out-of-towners, so I was given several choices. I didn't have much of an appetite, but I knew better than to try to argue with ma. The woman was on a mission to cook and feed.

“Lil's!” I could barely prepare myself for the tiny little girl throwing herself at me, arms trying to close around my middle. I hadn't seen Ava in years but there was no doubt in my mind who this little sprite was.

Picking her tiny frame up I was able to sit her on the empty counter top in front of me without much effort. She was about seven years old now, as I quickly did the math in my head. She definitely had more than a few growth spurts since the last time I had set eyes on her, but her rosy-red chubby cheeks were still the same and her eyes still danced when they looked at you. She was the happiest child I had ever met, and I was envious of her carefree little world.

“Hey, kiddo! When did you get so big?” I asked teasingly as she giggled when I plucked at her little button nose playfully.

“Lil's... I'm a big girl now! I sleep in a big girl bed and momma lets me pick out my own clothes and I'm allowed to stay up until eight o'clock and I can wear earrings and I take tap lessons and daddy says I can have a puppy for my birthday and I can ride my bike without the training wheels and...”

I quickly covered her mouth lightly with the pads of my two fingers, laughing. “And... you can still talk a mile a minute!”

Ava's little cheeks blushed an even darker shade of crimson. She finally paused and took a breath. “Miss Jean is fixing us sandwiches...” I propositioned. Her eyes lit up at the mention of food. This kid was a bottomless pit when it came to eating.

I squinted down to her cherub-like face. “PB and J? No crusts? Cut into little triangles?”

She bobbed her head up and down fast enough to give whiplash, “Yes please!”

I smiled and nodded over at ma, who had already broken out the peanut butter. I set a third plate on the counter and we added Little Miss Chatterbox to our luncheon. Ma had fixed some soup and crackers along with some chicken salad sandwiches for us, and we sat all sat down together devouring the feast.

Little Ava and I would make the occasional funny face to one another and laugh at the other while trying to finish our plates. Ma just grinned and smiled at the exchange.

“Ava...? You in here, darlin'?” A loud male voice called into the room followed soon after by 'T', or Trojan as he was once known. That was before he met Sarah and settled down some. She put an end to that road name real quick, and out of respect for her, he was now called by just the initial. Well, most of the time anyway. I've heard the brothers slip up every now and again and bring out the old name for shits and giggles. Usually either when drunk, or just trying to piss him off, and never around Ava.

“Hey Lil's! Welcome home, sweetheart.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and hugged into me. “We've been meaning to stop by and see you but things have been so crazy at the house with the baby and all...”

T and Sarah had just had their second baby a little less than a month ago. Thanks to Jean I was filled in on the baby's name and gender. “I heard! Congratulations Poppa! So does Alex look like his dad or what?”

T grinned. “Nah... Thank the good lord! They both take after their mom in that department. I'd bring him in to meet you but Sarah's off changing his clothes. He
somehow
wound up with stickers all over his onesie...”

All of our eyes shot over to Ava. She looked like she had just been caught trying to pillage the cookie jar.

“No you didn't...” I half laughed at the little girl who was very slowly sliding out of her chair. She smirked back at us and took off running.

“Good to see you, Lil's... I gotta go catch that one before she gets herself into even more trouble.”

Ma called out to the back of T's cut as he headed off to find his little menace of a daughter. “Could be worse T... she could have done it to your bike again!”

We cracked up, laughing our way through the rest of our lunch. It felt good to let loose, have fun at someone else's expense. Things were too serious lately... it was nice to have a distraction, even if just for a few moments.

Our laughter faded and we sat silent. Ma reached her hand over to cover mine and squeezed lovingly. We didn't need words right now. There was nothing really to say. It meant more than any attempt at small talk, just to be near each other. To be around family.

I inhaled deep. “Thanks for the lunch, ma.”

She patted my hand and nodded, reaching for my plate and clearing away the remnants of our meal. The clinking and clattering of dishes in the large metal sink gave new life to the recently quieted room. Jean began humming her little song again and sashaying her hips around while rinsing the plates clean.

I appreciated everything about this woman. She was a great mom, friend, caretaker, and I just knew she was  going to be a kick-ass grandma.

******

I was able to help ma clear the dishes, even with her protests. Why the fuck was everyone treating me like I'm a goddamned piece of fine china that they're afraid will break into a thousand pieces? It's starting to really piss me off. I'm not some delicate little wallflower who was afraid of life. I finished drying the pan and peck ma on the cheek, throwing my dish towel onto the nearest counter.

“Thanks again, ma... I'm gonna go take a shower.” She eyed me curiously but silently agreed.
Damn!
There it is again. That look of pity. This is getting a little out of hand. I've seen some really terrible shit happen to the people in this club, this family. The pity thing doesn't fly too well with them and it's not sitting well with me either. I need to get a grip.

Jay's room wasn't far from the kitchen and I'm able to make it there without anymore pathetic interactions with sympathizers. Closing the door behind me, I rest on it as it clicks into place. Deep breaths flow in and out of my lungs as I contemplate the situation. Some bad shit went down. Some people were hurt, lost. Good and bad... but it happened. I can't change it. I can only change how it affects me and the people I love. I've hurt these people too many times before with my impulsivity and stupidity. No more. I need to be better than this. I need to be the woman that Jay needs, my family needs. My baby will need.

The bathroom here is nothing compared to the luxurious little retreat that Jay created for me back at his house, but it fulfilled the basic needs required. Hot water, soap, and some privacy were all I needed right now. I stood in the tiny stall and soaked myself under the falling rain. The steam helped to clear my thinking a bit.

This is it.. I would give myself these few minutes to wallow in this shit and then put it behind me. Be done with it for now. I had seen Jay do this countless times before. Something happens, it rattles him and then he takes off for a while to deal with it. When he comes back, he's like a new person... he doesn't let let it get the best of him. If he can do it, I can sure as hell do it.

The cascading water falls over me, mixing with the tears I purposely let out. I was finally letting go of this ugliness inside. I was releasing my grief and sorrow for Emily, my hatred of Shade, and my anger at myself for being the impetus for this whole situation. The sobs flowed from deep within making their exit and leaving behind a blank space that can now be filled with the important things that I can do from here on in. I was a kid when I first fell in love with Jay. Nobody expected too much from a kid, but she is long gone now.

The warm stream of salty wetness from my eyes slowed, eventually giving way to a clarity I had never felt before. A weight was gone from my shoulders and the clenching knot in my stomach released. I lathered up and scrubbed away all reminders of the last few days. This was a fresh start, a new beginning. I was cleansing my soul. I had allowed myself a minute to wallow in this, feeling fragile and vulnerable, but no more. It kind of feels like a rebirth, a salvaging from the ruin.

******

JAY

   Well, no one ever claimed the Kingsmen were anything but blunt. There was no use in wasting any time or energy tying to make light of a situation that was clearly one giant clusterfuck. I reclined back into the hard wooden chair below me as we sorted through the facts.

“Nothing.... I got nothing,” Dewey lets out, clearly exasperated.

Pop shakes his head in disbelief. “How the fuck is that even possible? We spend at least ten large a month! Every fucking month! How is it that we don't have an inside track at what the fuck is goin' on here?!”

The boys looked at each other nervously, just as any employee would feel when the boss came down hard. We were a family, but the MC was also run like a business. We brought in enough to support ourselves and live pretty comfortably. That type of business has a lot of overhead... money we spend on the regular to ensure that we can stay “in business”. Not only did we
not
get a heads up that our clubhouse was about to be visited by Flattery and his men, but now there wasn't even a peep as to why they were honing in on Lil's. We had expected a few questions, thanks in part to Marie's little 911 tip last night. But no way was an hour-long interrogation in the realm of normal for a false tip on a missing person and a mixup with an abandoned car.

“It's not coming from local departments... it can't be. That's the only explanation,” Clink deduced.

Pop rested his elbows on the aged dark wood. He thumbed his chin, rubbing the skin harshly while contemplating the possibility. He seemed to be resigning himself to Clink's position.

“I want Leo on this. He does whatever hot shot computer shit it is that he does all day, but I want to know what they have on us, on Lil's. I want to know every fucking detail!”

He slammed his fist down hard on the table surface.

“And under
NO
circumstances do I want that prick in my clubhouse again!” Pop stood up fast and hard pushing his chair back with tremendous force into the corner of the room where it ricocheted against the wall and splintered into several large pieces. Pop looked at the debris, it seemed to only fuel his anger. “And get me another fucking chair!”

******

I have a damn headache. The buzz I was getting from the beers has long since worn off. When it rains, it fucking pours. Since all this shit started with Shade, it's been a nonstop sucking typhoon.

“Hey, baby.. I've been looking for you.”

I look up, breaking from my trance-like state. Lil's stands in the doorway, leaning against the thick frame. God... just looking at this woman melts away the shit weighing on my brain. She looks fresh, alert and, fuck me, she actually has a smile on her lips.

The meeting pretty much ended when Pops stormed off. I stayed behind, sitting in the quiet trying to work through this and come up with some sort of explanation. The burden was heavy but it wasn't one I wanted to share with my girl. I pull my chair out from the table just enough and patted my knee. “C'mere baby.”

Her lips twitched into a grin and she sauntered over. Rather than taking the open invitation to sit on my thigh, she throws her leg over me and smiles like a seductress as she lowers herself slowly, straddling me. I grab out to hold her ass and guide it the rest of the way down. I watch her closely as she settles in and closes her eyes in satisfaction when she hits the bottom. We may have a couple layers of clothes between us, but this is the closest I've been to my baby in days. I can tell from the appeasement that just washed over her face that she feels it, too. Like a honing beacon calling her home, my cock was beckoning to her.

She slips her arms around my neck and we look into each other. Past each others eyes, and deep into each other. Our breathing comes in tune with the other's, and we just stay still.. taking this moment for all it's worth.

I moan my satisfaction at having her close. “You good, baby girl?”

Lil's lets out a high pitched giggle. “I'm good, Jay. I'm... good.” She lowers her lips, sweeping them over mine softly, but I want more. I held her into me, unwilling to part lips from hers. She feels so good, so fucking good right now. I growl deep at the need ripping at my insides.

She tears her moist lips apart from my mouth.

“Baby...” she almost pleads. “Take me for a ride...”

I push her hips deep into me and knead her ass hard. “I'll take you for a ride...”

She swats at me half-heartedly. I raise my eyebrows high. '
What?..'

“Baby... I need to get out of here.. get some fresh air. Let's take a ride.”

Oh. That kind of ride. I let out my disappointment. She sees it dripping off of me.