From The Ashes (The Knights of Mayhem Book 3) (18 page)

“Wait.”  Eno walks in with us holding a piece of paper in his hand.  “This was stuck to the door with a knife.”  He hands it to me.  I keep Hollis in my arms and open it at her back.  The handwriting is almost to the point of being unreadable, but I can make out
‘
You Can’t Run Forever, Hollis, and Roman can’t save you
’
.  I fold it up and hand it back to Eno, gesturing with a nod for him to put it away. I cast a glance at the others then lean placing a kiss on Hollis’s hair.  Holding her tight to me, I can feel her body shaking.  “He won’t get to you baby, I promise.”  I whisper in her ear.

Hollis

Emily got most of the glass out of my foot when we were sitting on the bathroom floor, waiting for something to happen.  She’d done the best she could in the dark with a flashlight and a pair of tweezers, but I can still feel the sharp sting of a few leftover pieces each time I take a step.

We pull through the gate in Emily’s SUV to a parking lot full of activity.  A man I’ve never seen before is standing at the gate and pulls it closed behind us, locking it with a padlock, then he rushes to our aid as we start to exit the vehicle.  Roman offers his hand to man who could give him a run for his money in the looks department.  His sandy blond hair falls unkempt around his ears and the industrial lights glint off his piercings.  His sea green eyes cut to me and a smile reveals a set of perfectly white teeth.

“Hollis, this is Matthew Killian. Matty boy, this is Hollis.”  He offers me his hand and I take it with a smile.

“Matthew.”

“Hollis.”

Roman steps between us.  “That’s enough, Matty. Just because you’re newly divorced, doesn’t mean every woman is your new plaything.” 

“Hey, what the hell are the Bastards doing here, acting like they own the joint?”  Matty asks as he follows us into the compound.

“Fill you in later, but know it’s a necessary evil.”  He nods to Roman.

Roman helps me out of the back seat by cradling me in his arms.  “Avery brought her kit. She’s going to fix you up, baby.”  He carries me into the full clubhouse.  There are several I recognize from the party days, but there are four with cuts on―the Bastards.  The biggest one turns to me and we make eye contact. I look away, searching to see if anyone saw it.   Roman sits me on the couch then looks around for Avery.

A sweet looking brunette sits on the couch beside me, offering me her hand.  “Hi, I’m Kayla Scott, Beekers girlfriend and DEA agent extraordinaire.”

I take her hand and give it a gentle shake.  “Hollis.  You’re an agent too?”

“Yeah. Awesome, huh?”  Her hair is cut in a bob that makes her slender face seem almost doll perfect.  Her big brown eyes hold an innocence I’ve only ever seen when Caden stares back at me. 

“It is, actually.”  I look around the room, letting my eyes land on the new additions with cuts and I readjust my position, hoping to let go of the weight of his stare on me.  It doesn’t work and he never looks away from me, but he smiles.

A loud slap from the direction of the bar grabs everyone’s attention.   “You touch me again, you nasty ass son-of-a-bitch, you will have to sit down to take a piss for the rest of your useless fucking life,”  Piper screams at one of the Bastards.  “Cause I will cut your dick off, asshole.”

Roman looks over at Dalton whose standing beside him.  “You better go handle that.”

Dalton looks at him confused.  “She’s your sister.”

I lean up and look at him in disgust.  “She’s your girlfriend. Wait, are you scared, Dalton?”  I pucker my lips, giving him a baby talk voice.

He puffs out his chest and starts to saunter over to Piper.  “Fuck no I’m not scared.”

“Hey, Dex is it?”  We all watch as Dalton steps between the man and Piper.

The man stands from the stool and comes up to Dalton’s chin, but he doesn’t seem intimidated.  “You need to get your club pussy in check.”

Dalton plows his right fist into the guys face, knocking him to the floor.  Dalton leans over him.  “She’s mine, asshole. Don’t ever talk to her or any of the other women in this clubhouse that way again.  We don’t have club pussy.”  With his actions, I have developed a new respect for Dalton Haynes.

Leo goes to stand beside Dalton.  “These women are ours, so if you want a fast, cheap fuck, go to the local bar, but don’t lay a hand on another one here.”

The biggest of the men moves to stand toe to toe with Leo, Oz Kellen.  They’re of equal height and build.  “You heard him, boys, they’re off limits.”  He’s not as good looking as Leo, but there is something about him that attracts women in droves. 

The man Piper had slapped is just as built as the rest.  He’s a stoner, and his name is Dexter Aaron.  His dark hair is shaved into a buzz cut and the tight tee he is wearing displays his ripped frame.  His arms are full sleeves of black ink, starting at his knuckles, traveling up until they disappear under his shirt, leading up to the ones on his neck that stop at his chin. 

The other two look as if they should be hanging out with our men.

One is Shane Moses, nicknamed Mose. He has a boyish smile and a babyface that is in complete contrast with his sinful body.   Which only makes me wonder what had gone wrong in his life to land him on the other side of the law.

Then there’s Cruz Lloyd, leaning up against the bar, laughing at the whole situation.  His sandy blond hair lays messy around his head, but the best part are his eyes.  There isn’t a blue on the color wheel that compares to them.  He’s tall, lean and tan and the star of every female’s erotic dream. 

I let my eyes follow his long legs up to the fine ass. Roman clears his throat and I jerk my head away from Cruz and turn it to Roman with the sweetest smile I can muster.  “Hi, honey.”

“See something you like?”  His neck has started to turn red.

“Just looking at the menu, baby, but I already have my entrée.”  I wiggle my eyebrows at him.

He huffs at my statement, rolling his eyes.  “Remember that.”  He goes to stand with Leo and Dalton.

The air is so thick you could cut it with a knife, and we’re finding it hard to peel our eyes away from the men at the bar.  Avery lowers herself down on the coffee table, sitting in front of Kayla and me.  I turn to face her and the sight makes my heart hurt.  The once purple color around her eyes has turned into a nasty egg yolk color.  I reach and let my thumb trace the curve of her eye.

“Avery, I am so sorry.”  She smiles as I draw my hand back.

“I know, Hollis.”  She smiles up at me through her thick lashes.  “We all have our monsters we run from at night.”  We look at each other for another second.  She tears her eyes away, to busy herself in the medical kit she’s sat on the table.

She may have absolved me of any wrongdoing in the incident, but I’m still eaten up with guilt.  Emily comes over, sitting between me and Kayla.  “Get caught?”  she asks.

“Yep.”  I smile at Cruz who nods at me with a devilish grin on his face.  He’s walking sin on a stick.

“Me too,”  Avery admits. We’re all having a hard time pulling our eyes away from the fresh meat. Emily had joined us after she’d gotten Caden settled in their room. 

Avery sighs, calling my attention to her.  “Looks like we’re stuck here all weekend.  I don’t understand why we can’t just all be at my house.  It’s big enough.”  She rubs her hand down her ever-growing belly.  It would be much more comfortable than this place.  There’s not so many stagnant memories there like there are here.  All the men settle down and begin to talk quietly. 

“Kayla, can I ask a question?”  I turn her.

“Sure, I might not be able to answer it though.  I might be DEA, but since Beeker and I have started dating, they treat me like I’m a delicate flower,”  she scoffs.

“Like one of us, you mean?”  Avery cuts her eyes to the girl.

“That’s not what I meant, Avery, and you know it.  So, Hollis … question?”  She shifts uncomfortably.

“Why are they here?”  I point to Oz, hoping he doesn’t out me in front of everyone.

“They have direct ties to Markus and they’re hoping to use said connection to flush him out.  But after tonight, who knows what they’re hanging around for.”  She stands.  “I need a beer. How about the rest of you?”

We all stand and go over to the bar and join Piper, who’s still fuming from the Dex incident, and I’m thankful for the first time her anger isn’t directed at me.  Kayla leans in, kisses Beeker and takes the beer he had just opened for one of the Bastards.  “Thank you, baby.”  He then opens one for the rest of us, except for Avery.

She salutes him with her water bottle.  “Don’t mind me, I’ll just enjoy this nice cold bottle of nothing,”  she says flatly as she rubs her belly.  “Okay, little one. You can come out any time now, ‘cause momma needs a drink.”

Chapter Sixteen

Roman

A yawn slips out and I turn to see Hollis sitting on the couch with Avery, Kayla, and Emily. Piper’s slumped in the chair beside them.  I give her a nod and a smile which she returns with a sleepy haze to her eyes. 

All of us, including the Bastards, are surrounding the bar, leaning against it.  Eno breaks the silence as he looks at his phone.  “Hey guys, gotta go.”

Leo grabs his arm as he moves to exit.  “No one rides alone and I’m wiped, as are the rest of us, so whatever booty call it is, text back and tell her she can wait.”

This pisses Eno off immediately.  “What the fuck ever, man. I’ll go if I want to and you can’t do a damn thing about it.”  He tries to break free from his brother’s grasp.  I see the past jumping up to bite Leo in ass.  We all know but a word is never spoken about it.

Oz chunks his bottle into the trash.  “He can ride with us.  We’re headed into town to see what information we can kick up.”  We all turn to the man who makes the offer, eyeing him skeptically.  He holds up his hands.  “Hey, I was just offering.  Let the fucker try his odds alone, I don’t give a shit.”

Eno turns to Leo.  “See, not riding alone.”  He turns to Oz.  “Meet you out there in five … need to change real quick.”  He takes off in the direction of his room.  Five minutes later, reemerging freshly showered and smelling like a cheap whore.  “Ready? See you assholes later.”  He takes the shot out of Leo’s hand and throws it back.

Leo shakes his head.  “Where did I go wrong?” 

Avery comes up to stand beside Leo, wrapping her arms around him.  “Where are you going?”  she asks a now fidgety Eno.

“To see Joy.”  Leo rats him out to her. 

Avery’s face screws up with anger at the mention of the woman’s name.  She reaches out and slaps the back of Eno’s head.  “You’re a dumbass. Don’t bring her around me, do you understand, you idiot?”  She turns to Leo.  “Say something to him.” 

“What the hell do you want me to say?  He isn’t like our kid or anything.” 

“Who the hell do you think washes his clothes, fixes his meals, and pays his bills?  Yes, he’s just like our child and he’s acting like one, so treat him like the horny little teenager who’s thinking with his dick.”  She stomps off in the direction of the rooms.

Leo rests his eyes on his little brother.  “You dumb fuck, do you see what you just did?”  He sighs as he turns to go soothe Avery.

Dalton leans in.  “You are an immature idiot, just in case you don’t think we all see it.” Cowboy’s laugh bellows through the cavernous space of the great room.

“Love you too, man.  I’ve seen you stoop just as low for a piece of ass,”  Eno throws back at him.

“I never ventured into hell for it though,”  Dalton says as he turns away.

“Seriously, be careful.”  I tell him, then look over at Oz.  “Watch him. If anything happens to him, we’ll be coming after you.”  I warn.  I watch them leave, eyeing the women on the couch as the guy’s head for the door. 

“I’m wiped,”  I tell Dalton and Cowboy who agree with me.  “Going to get some sleep.”  I stand, slapping Dalton on the back as I walk to a sleeping Hollis.  I lean down to pick her up and cradle her against me.

Hollis bats her eyes a few times before she can focus.  “What are you doing?”  she asks in a sleep laden voice.

“Getting you girls to bed.” 

“Oh, okay.”  She reaches her arms up to me and I take them, pulling her so I can cradle her against me.  Emily does the same to Cowboy, and Dalton just falls on Piper and we depart the room to the sounds of my sister squealing.  I shake my head and look at Cowboy.  “There are so many things wrong with that.” 

He laughs.  “Maybe, but they’re happy so you let it slide.”  I nod my head in agreement.  “We’re good for tonight. Matthew and Beeker are outside watching and Kayla’s gone to bed already.”  Cowboy and I carry our women side by side down the hall to our rooms.  “I can’t wait ‘til all of this is fucking over, man.”

“Me too, brother, me too.”  He stops before entering his room where they’d put a sleeping Caden when we had all first arrived.  He chews his lip and takes a deep breath, looking at me.  “But what price are we going to have pay for that end?”

“I think for the first time in a long time the odds are in our favor.”  I nod as I turn for our room.  It’s bathed in a dim orange light from the small lamp sitting on the bedside table. The blackout curtains are always drawn due to the odd hours we’ve all been working.  We would steal away and get a quick nap in when we could.  I bring her up and kiss her forehead.  “You want to take off these clothes?”

“Yes,”  She answers.  I reluctantly tip her so she can stand on her own.  “You got a t-shirt I can wear?  We were in such a hurry to leave, I left most of my stuff at Emily’s.”

“Sure, baby.”  I cross over to the chest in the corner and pull a fresh tee from it.  I turn and stop to watch as she peels herself out of her jeans and shirt.  It’s a wondrous sight. Her curves are soft and subtle, perfect on her tall frame.  She kicks her jeans over to the chair and I watch in awe.  I love this woman more than life. I would give up my life for her safety and well-being.

“I love you,”  I blurt out, taking her off guard.  She turns to me with a heart stopping smile.  “I always have, loved you, I mean.”  I shove the t-shirt out to her.  “I’m sorry I haven’t told you before, but for some reason, I needed you to know now.”

She smiles at me, closing the space between us.  Her small hand caresses my cheek and she lets her thumb turn down my bottom lip.  I give her entrance and feel as my heart swells to the point it could explode.  This is what I’ve been searching for in every woman, like Avery, but in the back of mind, I knew Hollis was the only one I could really have this with.

“You never had to say it because I knew. I could feel it.”  She raises her other hand to cradle my face.  “We’ve been each other’s since we met. This, what is between us is like lightening, only happens once.”

I gather her up into my arms, holding her as close as I can get her.   “Why do I feel like I’m going to lose you again?”

She kisses my softly.  “Because that’s all we know is loss.  Don’t worry, baby, I’m not going anywhere this time.”

“You better not.”  I walk us to the bed, turning so I fall to my back, pulling her on top of me.  “I don’t think I could live through it this time.”

She playfully smacks my chest.  “Stop talking that way, Roman. Shit, you know how to kill a moment, don’t ya?”   She lays her head on my chest and we drift off to sleep, holding onto each other for dear life.

Hollis

I roll off of Roman and snuggle down into the space between his arm and chest.  I breathe him in and close my eyes as thoughts of him engulf me.  I’m safe. I snuggle down deeper and tighten my arms around him.  The room is dark, so I have no clue as to what time of day it is, but I know I don’t want to move from where I am right now.  I feel if I move, everything will change, the foreboding hangs heavy in the air. 

I feel a small smile grace my lips at the thought of him telling me he loves me, yet even with the euphoria of the confession, I can’t shake the feeling the other shoe is about to drop. 

Roman stirs, pulling his arm out from under my head and rolls his back to me.  I sigh at the wonderful sight of his tattoos. I begin to lightly trace them with my finger.  The elaborate tribal art ebbs and flows over his muscular back.  

As quiet as I can, I get up from the bed and venture out into the silent clubhouse.  All the doors are closed down the hall, so I assume they all must still be asleep.  I get to the bar and climb up on a stool and look around the much different looking room.  All the posters of half-naked women sitting on the back of bikes are gone and antique metal Harley signs hang in their place.  It has a more classier feel to it, then the party den it used to be.  I guess there isn’t the need to give the impression they are a hell raising biker gang anymore.

“Hey.”  I jump at the word as Leo comes up beside me.  I didn’t even hear him.  “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”  His hair is wet from a recent shower and he smells so good I fight the urge to lean in and sniff him.  He pulls out a pack of smokes, offering me one but I decline.  I hadn’t smoked in years and didn’t want to start the habit back up.  He pulls one out for himself and lights it up.  He draws in a puff then holds the cigarette out, studying it.  “I have to quit when the baby comes. Avery said she doesn’t want me smelling like smoke when I hold her.”

“I have to agree with her.”  I smile at him as he enjoys his vice. 

We sit in silence for a while, which I find I’m getting more comfortable with the more time I spend around the group.  They’re big on abbreviated silences.  “So, what are we going to do?”

He cuts his eyes to me.  “I haven’t figured out what to fucking do yet Hollis.”  He puts out his cigarette.  “I don’t like all this sitting around, waiting for him to do something.  He’s a sick motherfucker, but I guess you already know that.”

“Yes, he is.”  A chill runs down my spine as the memories of Markus’s cruelty surface.  I’d seen him hand it out to his men and on more than one occasion, I’d been on the receiving end of it too.   I lift my eyes to him and it must be written all over my face, the brutality that is Markus Lewis.  “Is Zach still in jail?”

He scoffs.  “That little fucker will never see the light of day as a free man again.”  He pulls out another smoke and lights up.  I can tell he’s trying to calm his anger, but his shaking hands give him away.  “He better be thankful he’s behind bars because if he wasn’t, he would be six feet under.”  The words make my skin crawl, and then I wonder if that’s how deep Roman had put Megan.  “What are you thinking about so hard?”

“Hmm … nothing really.  I can’t believe we slept all day.”  Think, you idiot, say something. I could never be a poker player.  “Um, do you want me to start dinner? Do you have something in mind you want me to cook?”

“We sleep all day a lot when the assignments have us out at all hours.” He smiles at me.  “Dinner would be great. Avery will wake up starved to death, and we have a house full.”  He loves her. The change she’s caused in this once gruff, hateful man is amazing.  I did like the demanding foul-mouthed biker he was the last time I was hanging around, but this side of him is way sexier. The lip ring helps too. 

I stand, clapping my hands together.  “Then show me the way.”  He jumps to his feet and I follow him into the kitchen. 

“So what can you make?”  He asks over his shoulder.

I never thought in a million years I would be having a civil conversation with Leo Tucker.  “I can make a mean spaghetti.”

“Then spaghetti it is.”  He goes to work, pulling the ingredients together, placing them on the center island.  

The door swinging open pulls our attention, only to see Roman walk through.  “Hey, babe. Woke up alone.”  He crosses over to me, pulling me into his arms and giving me a panty melting kiss.  He tilts me back and gives me a once over.  “Hey beautiful.” 

“Stop, please. I would like to have an appetite when Hollis gets dinner ready,”  Leo gags.

Roman turns to him.  “Shut it, asshole. You and Avery were the sappiest two I have ever seen.”

“Not true. Emily and Cowboy were gross,”  Leo laughs.

“That is true.”  Roman agrees.

“Stop it, both of you. I thought they were always cute.”  I turn, dumping the massive amount of hamburger meat into the frying pan I’d dug out of the cabinet.  I adjust the temperature and begin cutting up the peppers, onions and mushrooms.  Dumping the vegetables into the pan with the meat, I turn and work on getting the sauce ready.  Most times I would make my own, but given the amount of sauce we’re going to need, it’s just easier to pour it out of the can.

With all the food cooking, I turn to see Roman and Leo in a very serious, quiet discussion.  I try not to listen but I strain my ears in their direction because curiosity always gets the best of me. I lean into the island and look at Roman and smile.  He returns the pleasantry but I can see the worry behind his eyes. He’s trying to keep something from me. 

The rest of the crew begins to filter in one at a time, each going over to the stove to inspect what I’ve been cooking.  Piper stops beside me and I can tell she wants to say something.  “Go ahead, say it … this is all my fault.”

“Yes, it is.”  I look at her, shocked, but then she smiles back at me.  “But it’s a good reason it’s your fault.  You stood up to that fucker and brought us Caden.  I bet that bitch is driving herself crazy right now, trying to figure out how to get her back and hurt us.”  She leans in, wrapping her arm around my shoulder and giving it a squeeze. I tense at the gesture.  “Anyway, let’s get the food on the table. Avery becomes an evil bitch when she’s hungry.”  I watch in shocked silence as she walks by her brother, giving him a soft punch to the gut as she passes.  He looks up at me and smiles and for the first time in a long time, I belong somewhere; I belong with this group.

“I heard that, you hussy,”  Avery throws back to us over her shoulder as she stands at the stove, stirring the massive pot of sauce I made.

“See, I told you.”  Piper snickers as she grabs the plates from the island and heads for the door. 

We all settle in at the table and begin to fill our plates when Leo looks up and around the table, then he stands.  We watch him, a bit curious.  “I know we’re not the most religious people to walk this planet, but I think a blessing for this meal is in order.”  He holds out his hands to either side of him and Avery and Dalton take them. They offer the same as we make a circle around the table and bow our heads, then close our eyes as Leo blesses the meal.