that’s the problem, he thought . “But that’s just the way of the club. No ties. No commitments.”
“Then bikers are assholes,” she said with a smirk.
“And now you’re a biker bitch. It’s what you said you wanted. How’s it feel?”
She stared at Leo a moment then gave him a crooked grin. “I like the way bikers fuck, but I think I would rather go back to being a cowgirl. At least the cowboys don’t kick me in the ass as soon as we’re done,” she said as she pulled on her pants.
“And a nice ass it is, too,” he said as he slid his hand over the curve of her buttocks as she bent to shove her foot into her boot.
“Asshole.”
“Bitch.” They stared at each other a moment before she began to giggle and shake her head. “Buy you a beer?” he asked.
“I think that is the least you could do.”
Yes… it probably is, he thought as they walked back toward the party.
***
“Did you fuck her?” Tuck asked, stepping up to Leo as Anna took her beer and rejoined her friends.
“Yeah.”
“How was it?”
“Empty.”
“Empty? What do you mean?”
“I mean… it was just fucking. I got my rocks off, but it’s not like you and Maggie. There’s no… connection. No… something. I don’t know. I just feel hollow inside, like there is something missing.”
Tuck looked into his friend’s eyes and could see the pain. “Mags and I are about to leave. Can you ride?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“You need to go home. Sleep it off. Tomorrow will be a new day. Forget about all this shit that is dragging you down. You have to let it go.”
“Easier said than done.”
“I know, but if I can help, or if you need anything, you call me,” Tuck said sternly as he made a gun out of his fingers and pointed at Leo.
“Okay. I will. I think I’m out of here right behind you. I just want to check in with Ron before I leave.”
After Tuck left, Leo tracked down Ron and made his goodbyes. As he was walking out he saw Fitz, the treasurer, lying in a chaise with his old lady, sucking face.
Leo gave the chair a bump with his toe. “You want me to make the deposit tomorrow?”
Stuart Fitzgibbons pulled his attention away from what he was doing long enough to look at Leo. “That would be great, if you don’t mind.” He looked at the woman squeezed into the chaise with him. “I think I’m going to be busy. The envelope is in the safe.”
Leo gave his head a shake. “Enjoy yourself.”
“Oh… he will,” the woman purred as she took his lips for her own again.
***
Leo rode through the cooling night, the Harley singing its song. He didn’t know what he was doing anymore. He felt lost and adrift.
When he reached his house, he kicked the door shut and went directly to the cabinet with the Jack. Not even bothering with a glass, he took a hard pull from the bottle that made him growl through gritted teeth. Picking up a glass, he took the bottle and a glass with him to the living room. He couldn’t face the dreams again. Not tonight.
With determined effort, he downed shot after shot to silence the voices as he flipped through his photo book. With the bottle nearly empty, he finally fell into a restless sleep in the wee hours of the morning, the book still open on his lap.
CHAPTER FIVE
Saturday morning, Jamie was hauling ass down 118. She had slept in, luxuriating in bed after her early night. It was only four hours from Van Horn to Vallecito, and she should arrive about noon, or a littler after. That gave her four hours to unload the van and get ready for the bar to open. Plenty of time.
She smiled as the van strained up another rise in the road. Back when she first started making these runs with her dad, they could get everything he needed in the back of the 1950. If she kept growing, she was going to have to add on. Jamie drummed her fingers on the wheel. Her
Serenity King, Pepper Pace, Aliyah Burke, Erosa Knowles, Latrivia Nelson, Tianna Laveen, Bridget Midway, Yvette Hines