Kalki, p.2
LD, page 2
I was suddenly aware of my attire. Raven was wearing a robe, she must have been expecting the men to return, but I was wearing a tiny pair of lacy boy shorts and a cropped top that exposed the thin gold chain hanging low on my hips. When LD’s eyes took that in I swear his nostrils flared and his jaw tightened. Maybe I had imagined his response, but I wasn't imaging the fisted hands hanging at his sides.
It suddenly felt as if he and I were the only two people in the room.
With my heart in my throat I pulled my eyes away, meeting the twinkle of humor in Raven's. "Shit! I'll be right back!" I spun on my heel, face on fire when I realized that my shorts had ridden up between my butt cheeks. I rushed from the room and down the hallway, hearing the men's chuckles and Raven's muttering as she scolded them.
When I reached my bedroom I closed the door and leaned against it for a moment, trying to stop my racing heart. The look on LD's face had been frightening. Then why did it excite me? I ran my arm over my hard nipples, feeling the tingle, and then rushed to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror, sighing at the woman who looked back at me. I could always blame my flushed cheeks on embarrassment, but I knew the truth.
I was attracted to LD.
Even though he'd come right out and said that he didn't like me, it hadn’t changed what I felt about him. There was just something about him, and there had been from the very beginning when I'd met him for the first time when he and his brothers had showed up outside of their business. They'd reminded me of warriors, sitting on their huge bikes, dressed all in black, and reeking of testosterone and danger.
The others had been friendly, but LD had looked on without emotion or acknowledgement of any kind. He'd just sat there on his bike, arms crossed, with the coldest expression I'd ever seen on his rugged face. He hadn't cared to introduce himself as his brothers had. Hadn't returned my welcoming smile.
His attitude hadn't improved over the months that had followed. The few times that he'd come around, he'd remained just as standoffish. Especially the time that he'd walked in to find me and Holly having lunch together. He'd dropped off a few invoices, picked up a zippered bag, and left with barely a word to Holly. I remember giving Holly a confused look at the time, and she'd just shrugged and mumbled, "That's LD."
After that I hadn't questioned his abrupt comings and goings, deciding that was just his way. But I did watch him, covertly, when I didn't think he'd notice, and I couldn't deny that the big brute got my blood hot. It bothered me more than I was willing to admit that he didn't like me. I was a very likable person. Maybe I reminded him of someone else who he didn't like. Who knew?
All I knew was that I'd spent enough time thinking about him.
I shook my head and went back into the bedroom where my bag was. I pulled out my red bikini, a pair of shorts, and tee and quickly dressed, and then slipped my feet into sandals. Raven and I were meeting everyone at Bobbie's to spend a day tanning poolside, and then later we were going to the Desert Rebels’ clubhouse.
Holly was the reason I was now friends with Raven, Annie, JoJo, Bobbie, Ellie, and Demon's sister, Annabelle. Working side-by-side, Holly and I had become close friends, and I missed her terribly. Three months after opening the construction office she'd taken off. I knew why she'd left and where she was, and I lived with the guilt of that knowledge every day, but I'd promised her that I would keep her secret and her whereabouts to myself. My only condition had been that she stay in touch with me.
I brushed my long hair and twisted it up into a messy knot on top of my head. I was pretty low maintenance when I wasn't working, and today was no different. No makeup, no perfume, no freaking heels. I'd forgotten what a casual day off felt like. Not that Illuminations was open twenty-four-seven, but it was six days out of the week, and I was there most of the time, even when Teresa worked. Sundays were a fog because I usually slept in till noon and then spent the rest of the day doing housework, laundry, and grocery shopping.
I left my room and hesitated halfway down the hallway. I could still hear voices downstairs, which meant that the men hadn't gone. I chastised myself for being a coward and took a deep breath before continuing down. As soon as I entered the kitchen I wished that I hadn't, because Raven was nowhere in sight. Neither was Cole. God, don't tell me they were off doing the dirty again.
Sax and LD were sitting at the island, each holding a cup of coffee and talking low. When they noticed me their conversation halted abruptly. I smiled at the serious expressions on their faces. "Where's Raven?"
"Talking to Cole in the bedroom."
Sure they are, I thought to myself. They'd "talked" their way through half the night. I kept my eyes on Sax. "Can I fix either of you something to eat while you wait?" I'd stayed with Raven and Cole a few times now and felt confident enough to give their food away. If I'd learned one thing with my association with the club, it was that they were all one, big, happy family.
As expected, LD remained unmoving and emotionless. Sax was more polite.
"No thanks, sweetheart. We'll grab a bite on the road." He brought his cup to his mouth and sipped.
I felt bad for Sax. I'd only known him briefly before Holly had left, but the girls had told me that he'd changed, had begun to drink more since she'd gone. Knowing what I knew about Holly, it was hard to meet his eyes, but I reminded myself that Holly was my friend and I'd made her a promise that I intended to keep.
My gaze shifted to LD, and my smile grew. Why, I wasn’t sure, since he looked scary as hell, but perhaps some part of me thought that I could win him over with friendship. Kill him with kindness. His mouth tightened, and I fought the sudden urge to reach up and smooth my thumb over it until it relaxed. I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, watching the darkness in his eyes settle there.
An unexpected spike of electricity ran through me as if he'd touched me physically. I caught my breath at the intensity of the feeling gripping me. It wasn't any one feeling, but a mixture of arousal, fear, and confusion. If just a look from LD caused me to feel this way, what would his touch do to me?
I'd probably never find out.
"What about you, LD?" It was as if I purposely set out to irritate him. "Is there anything you want?"
He ignored me, instead taking a long drink of coffee. But his eyes remained on me the entire time, like twin daggers intent on doing the most damage. I don't know how I kept the smile on my face. I shrugged, "Your loss." I turned to the fridge before he could see the smirk my words had put on my mouth.
As I was reaching for a yogurt on the bottom rack in the back I heard Raven and Cole coming down the hallway and took a breath of relief. By the time I straightened from the fridge and closed the door they had entered the kitchen. I swung around and bravely met LD's cold eyes.
"Oh, good, you're ready," Raven quipped when she saw me. "The boys are going to give us a ride over to Bobbie's.
What?! On their bikes? I tried to school my expression not to reveal the sudden panic I felt. Raven would be on the back of Cole's bike, but who was I riding with? Sax and LD were both without old ladies, but everyone in the club knew that Sax still considered himself to be with Holly. Would he want another woman on the back of his bike?
I knew that the men of the Desert Rebels were faithful to their old ladies, so I doubted it.
That left me with LD.
I swallowed hard as equal measures of dread and anticipation ran through me.
Chapter 3
LD
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I knew why Cole wanted to give Raven a ride to Demon's. He never turned down a chance to have his old lady up snug against his back. Christ, I couldn't blame him for that, but that meant that Jolene would be riding with me, because I knew sure as shit that Sax wasn't going to put another woman on the back of his bike. Not until he got over Holly and accepted the fact that she might never come back. The woman had fucking messed with my brother's head. She'd been gone for months now, but he still held out hope that she'd come to the realization that they were meant to be together.
They'd had problems in the past, mainly of the baby-making-kind. Holly wanted kids. Sax didn't. But it had been her rape that had been the final catalyst that had come between them. Holly hadn't been able to deal with it, and after three months of trying to, she'd walked away. Sure, she'd left Sax a note, but that was some hard shit for a brother to handle, the woman that you loved saying it was over and that she needed to find herself again.
Didn't make sense to me, but who was I to question it? And if Jolene or any of the old ladies knew anything about where Holly was, they weren't talking. My bet was that Jolene knew something. She and Holly had gotten tight during the three months that they'd worked in close proximity. But it was none of my concern. If it was meant to be, Holly would figure her shit out.
I only wanted to see my brother whole again.
Just like my brothers wanted to see me whole again, but that wasn't going to happen. Couldn't bring back my wife and son. Couldn't make me unsee their fucking deaths. Couldn't make me feel any less of a failure for not protecting them. I would live with that shit for the rest of my fucking life. It was what I deserved. The pain never went away. The yearning to see my sweet Caroline and Johnny again. He'd be a grown man by now.
Fuck. Sixteen years was a long, damned time.
The conversation happening around me eventually drew me back to the present. Raven was gathering up our coffee cups and placing them into the dishwasher. Jolene added her spoon before she tossed the empty yogurt container into the trash. I watched her graceful movements for a minute, watched the way her tits strained the limits of the tee she was wearing, the way her shorts barely covered that sweet ass. The women were spending the day at Demon's pool, so I bet that she was wearing that smoking hot red bikini beneath her clothes.
"We gotta head out, brothers." Cole draped his arm across the back of his old lady. They headed toward the door.
No one said anything until we reached our bikes.
"Um, who do I ride with?"
I could hear the worry in her southern drawl, the sexy twang going straight to my dick. Cole had mounted his hog and was assisting Raven when he glanced over at us. Sax lowered his eyes to the ground as he climbed on his bike, a clear sign that he didn't want another woman on his bike but that he didn't want to seem like a wuss by saying it. I inhaled a ragged breath and glared at Cole.
"She can ride with me." I climbed on and started my bike, hardly acknowledging Jolene as she walked to me. I wondered if she'd ever ridden before, finally meeting her eyes.
"Ever ridden?" I growled, clenching my back teeth. She shook her head. Great. Just fucking great. I glared at Cole again, my look telling him that this wasn't his brightest move. He shrugged, a knowing smirk on his face. Later I'd knock that off. "Climb on. Hold on. Lean into the curves with me."
"That's it?" Jolene asked innocently sliding her hot cunt up against my backside. Next came her arms as they slid around my torso, her hands linking just above my belt buckle.
Jesus H. Christ, the feel of her full tits against my back was going to be my undoing. It'd be a miracle if I didn't wreck my bike before we reached Demon's.
I didn't answer Jolene’s question. I'd already told her the basics. If she couldn't follow the instructions it was on her. She wasn't going to like riding with me because I rode fast. Hell, we all did, but not usually when we had a woman behind us, and that was something I never had.
I ignored both brothers as I jerked forward and took off down the road. Jolene jerked backwards sharply with a shriek but quickly tightened her arms around me. The next thing I felt was her head against my shoulder. I turned mine to the side, realizing immediately that I'd made a mistake. Her light floral scent hit me right in the nose, and like a fucking fool looking for his next fix, I inhaled it deeply into my lungs.
I could feel her legs against the back of mine, and I resisted the urge to reach back and clasp her naked thigh. The thought of that silky flesh beneath my hand caused my dick to throb. If her hands slipped down just a little further Jolene would know without a doubt that I was fucking turned on, and that she was the reason. I had to remind myself that she wasn't mine, and never would be. Touching--or anything else--was off limits.
A glance at my speedometer revealed that I was pushing eighty. I knew Sax and Cole were right behind me. Even though it was still early morning the sun was beating down on us like a bitch, and we were riding against hot, dry wind. The stretch of highway we were traveling was right through the desert, tumbleweeds, dry brush, and lots of fucking dirt. Off-roads took adventurous travelers anywhere, some disappearing into the mountains, some through gorges, and a few ended up at beautiful lakesides. The hills were dotted with abandoned mines and homes.
I felt Jolene shift behind me and wondered if her ass had gone to sleep. More likely she was getting a little action on her clit. I grinned like a bastard. It was almost a given that a woman riding a bike for the first time had an orgasm. They weren't prepared for the constant vibration of the bike between their legs. When her thighs clamped tighter against me and I felt the subtle thrust of her pussy against me, I reached down to rub my dick.
Fuck. It wouldn't take much to lose my load if I let my imagination run a little wild. It had been a damned long time since I'd rubbed one off. Too fucking long since I'd had a woman in my bed. Jolene's hands unlinked and suddenly her fucking nails were biting into my abs. Holy shit, the sting felt good. Before I realized what I was doing, I snatched her hand and brought it down to cover my hard-on. I didn't have to like the woman to let her get me off. What I wouldn't have given to undo my pants enough for her to slip her hand inside. I showed her the action my dick wanted and pulled my hand away once she caught on.
I put my hand back on the handlebar. It would be a shame to have an accident and ruin a perfectly good opportunity for us both to get off and relieve some of the tension between us. Not to mention that an accident at eighty would undoubtedly kill us both. As her hand applied pressure to my dick I felt her hips moving behind me, just as Sax pulled up next to me, throwing me a knowing smirk and then shooting off ahead of me.
Fuck you, Brother, I thought.
I wasn't going to acknowledge anything. I wasn't going to deny it, either. There was nothing wrong with a man using a willing woman to get off. She was getting hers, too. I knew the second Jolene climaxed when her hand clamped down on my dick and squeezed me to fucking completion. The wind disguised my grunt, and I exploded beneath her hand, while I enjoyed the subtle gyrations of her cunt against my ass as she rode her own orgasm to completion.
Perfect timing.
I slowed to take the turn onto Demon's property. I'd have to hit the john while I was there to clean up the fucking mess in my pants. Jesus. The last time I’d come in my pants I'd been a horny teenager lusting after my high school math teacher. I sucked in a few breaths, still feeling a twitch now and again from my sensitive dick. I wondered how Jolene was feeling, and grinned.
I wondered if she thought this would change anything between us.
She was going to be disappointed if she did.
Some of the bitches that hung around the clubhouse thought that if you let them give you an orgasm it meant something, or that it was going to lead to something more. That was why I rarely messed with any of them, and especially the hang arounds. In the past I'd used Lulu for relief. She was a sweet woman, knew when to shut up, do the deed, and leave. But then I'd caught wind that she had feelings for me, and I’d stopped going to her.
Demon had a circular drive at the front of his house, and a three-car garage off to the side. Couldn't ride around back because of the pool. The fucking thing took up more than half of the back yard and was fenced in for privacy. My brothers and I came to a stop, and Raven slid off the back of Cole's bike like a pro. I could feel Jolene's hesitation, turning sideways enough to see her out of the corner of my eye. I wordlessly held my hand back for her take it and dismount. She put her small hand in mine and got off. I smirked when I felt her shaking.
The front door of the house opened, and a smiling Bobbie stepped outside. Demon had been smart to claim her as his old lady. She wasn't just a pretty face. She was a fighter and had proved that she was a survivor more than once with all of the shit that had come her way.
"I heard you guys coming," she explained in an excited tone. She didn't try to disguise the surprise in her eyes as she realized that Jolene had been on the back of my bike.
"Where's your old man?" Sax asked, sitting back on his seat while lighting up.
"He's coming," she smiled.
Either Sax or Cole snorted, but neither brother said anything. Bobbie rolled her eyes, ignoring them.
"Oh, my God, Jolene, is this your first time on a bike?"
The concern in Bobbie's voice caused me to cut my eyes to the woman standing next to my bike as I climbed off.
An embarrassed laugh escaped Jolene. "Can you tell?" She was holding out her leg and looking down at it.
My gaze traveled down and narrowed on the small burn mark left behind from the exhaust pipes. Fuck. I should have warned her about the pipes. I pressed my mouth, pissed that I'd let my aversion to having her on my bike get to me.
"Honey, that must hurt like a bitch!" Raven gasped with rounded eyes.
Jolene laughed it off. "It stung for a second, but it didn't take away from the enjoyment of my first ride."
Her eyes flickered to me but darted away just as fast. "If someone would have warned me about the hot pipes, I would have known to keep my legs away from them. Guess LD was just too eager to get off."
What.
The.
Fuck.
I didn't let her innocent tone fool me, meeting the amusement in her beautiful eyes. Suddenly all eyes were on me, and I didn't like it. Sax and Cole looked on with knowing smirks. Bobbie and Raven's expressions reflected round-eyed confusion. Did Jolene think she was cute, putting me on the spot like that? I unclenched my back teeth, but kept my glare directly on her. "I wasn't the only one who got off."
