Chapter Twenty #2
“Everyone pulls their weight regardless of whether they are male or female. But here I sit, deadweight, everyone waiting on me.”
Keys shook his head. “Babe, that is one fucked-up view you have of yourself, and it doesn’t even begin to come close to the truth.
You’re one of our greatest assets. And, woman, even if you weren’t able to do everything you do, loving Savage is what is needed more than anything else.
No one else would ever love him the way you do. ”
Lyric had that look on her face, the one that said she thought he was the best man in the world. Seychelle looked at Savage the same way.
She’s upset because she thinks I want a baby. I don’t know where she got that idea, but she’s certain I need a kid. She’s equally certain she can’t have children.
Savage was already on the move, coming from the back toward them.
As he did, Ice and Soleil entered. Ice brought Soleil over to the circle of chairs and reintroduced her to Lyric.
She’d been introduced once at the grand opening of the salon.
He knew Lyric thought Soleil was beautiful and a perfect “biker babe,” something she didn’t believe about herself.
He wanted to point out to her how everyone had their own insecurities.
Savage pulled Seychelle’s thighs apart and knelt between them. “Seychelle, baby, you’re going to have to get over this nonsense, or I’m going to have to put the smackdown on Reaper.”
Anya giggled and clapped her hand over her mouth.
Savage glared at her. “I blame you too, you little sex maniac.” He framed Seychelle’s face.
“Reaper is all about sex. Anya claims she wants a baby, but what she really wants is for Reaper to fuck her every fifteen minutes. She’s been watching those nature programs on lions.
Naturally, he’s all about obliging. We don’t need an excuse.
I’m all in—just crook your little finger. ”
Soleil nearly fell off her chair laughing. “You sound just like Ice. You do know there are other reasons to have sex.”
The three men exchanged exaggerated puzzled looks. “There are?”
Even Seychelle burst out laughing. “Anya is a bit of a sex maniac,” she agreed. “I had no idea you were watching lion documentaries. How inspiring.”
Anya rolled her eyes. “I mentioned to Savage and Reaper that male lions seem to have a lot of stamina. That’s all. Who knew it would become some kind of challenge?”
Seychelle’s laughter sounded very much like musical bells. “So that’s why Savage has been playing lord of the castle every hour. He does have stamina, so the fifteen-minute time thing wouldn’t work for us.”
The other women joined in the laughter.
“You think I’m going to let that lug of a brother outdo me?” Savage asked.
Keys shook his head, leaned down, and kissed the top of Lyric’s head. “Anya, make certain Lyric knows which room is Lana’s. Please look after her.”
“No worries,” Anya said brightly. “We’ll have fun while all of you are doing whatever it is you’re up to.”
Keys caught Lyric’s chin and turned her face up to him. “You good?”
“I’m good. Just come home to me.”
“Won’t be long. Don’t leave the compound.”
“I imagine if I tried, there would be some big, bad biker boy standing in front of the door.”
“I imagine you’re correct,” Keys said.
“While the lot of you are gone”—Seychelle flashed Savage a smirk—“we will be plotting how to outsmart your big, bad biker boy. I hope it’s one of those tattletale snitches Hyde or Glitch.”
“You outsmart either of those two, woman, and you’re going to be in trouble like you’ve never known,” Savage said.
Keys knew Savage meant it. He had no problem punishing his woman.
She didn’t look in the least bit concerned.
In fact, she looked as if she took what he said as a challenge and maybe even looked forward to his punishment, which pretty much negated Savage’s threat.
The other women were nodding in agreement as if they were already conspiring.
“If any of you leave the compound, Hyde and Glitch lose their patch,” Keys decreed.
There was no amusement whatsoever in his tone.
To him the safety of the women was paramount.
If the two prospects failed in keeping them safe, they weren’t Torpedo Ink material.
“They only have a few more months until they’ve earned their patch. You four could get them thrown out.”
“Sheesh, Keys,” Anya said. “Way to take all the fun out of our pajama party. The idea was to see who could come up with the best escape plan. Seychelle, Soleil and I have been working with Sabelia, learning how to get toads to help us. We’d planned on teaching Lyric while we wait for our heroes to return.
Now you’ve gone and ruined our fun. Seriously, Lyric, your old man needs to get a sense of humor. ”
“Toads?” Lyric echoed.
“Maybe not the best idea, Wildfire, to have you hanging out with these three,” Keys said. “Evidently, I put it out of my mind how bad they can get. Their men have all turned into pussies, letting them walk all over them. It’s getting out of hand.”
“I agree wholeheartedly with that assessment,” Savage said, laughing as he stood, not in the least offended by the accusation.
“Reaper would as well. We talk about it all the time.” The palm of his hand shaped Seychelle’s face, his thumb sliding in a caress along her jaw. “Be good, baby. I’ll be back soon.”
The teasing smile faded from Seychelle’s face to be replaced by sheer tension. Keys winced, knowing Lyric was watching the display of affection between a man she was a little afraid of and a woman she liked and perhaps identified with.
“Come back to me, Savage.”
“You know I always do,” he said. “I’ve told you I’ll always get to you, no matter what.”
“Are you taking your phone?”
Lyric’s head went up alertly, and she looked straight at Keys.
He cursed silently, but met her gaze. He should have warned her he wouldn’t have it on him.
He’d told her there would be times he wouldn’t be able to communicate when he was in the field, but he should have, in private, reiterated the information.
Navigating a relationship sometimes felt like walking through a minefield.
“Baby.” Savage’s voice was gentle. “You know I won’t be. You need anything, text Code’s emergency number. He’ll answer as soon as possible. You’ll have Hyde and Glitch and several of the men from Trinity here if you need anything.”
“Sometimes I just need to know you’re safe.”
“By now, Seychelle, you should know I’m coming back to you. I’d walk through hell to get back to you. Just know that, and if you need anything while I’m gone, don’t hesitate to ask for it. Lissa and Scarlet will be here if you don’t want to ask the men.”
Keys wasn’t surprised Savage had tacked that on. Seychelle was still a little hesitant around everyone. She was becoming more at ease, but that didn’t mean she was comfortable. He was leaving Lyric, and she didn’t even know the women that well. She wasn’t yet comfortable around any of them.
He reached for her hand again, sliding his thumb along the back of it in a caress.
In a quiet apology. “Trying to learn how to make you comfortable in unfamiliar situations, Wildfire. I should have thought about this and prepared you,” he told her privately, not wanting to call attention to her discomfort or lack of knowledge in front of everyone. That was on him.
Lyric’s expression instantly grew soft. She looked at him with love.
He had gone on hundreds of clandestine operations, most of the time never expecting to return.
His brothers and sisters had always had his back, but he’d never experienced this…
having someone who loved him the way Lyric did waiting for him.
“It makes it easier for me to know Seychelle needs extra care right now. I’m good at that. I can be a distraction for her. Maybe help her,” Lyric responded.
“Every time I think it’s impossible to love you more, you prove me wrong.
” He meant that. He leaned down and kissed each eyelid, the tip of her nose, and then the corners of her mouth.
He should have stopped there, but her mouth was irresistible to him.
He kissed her, bringing her half out of her seat, one arm locked behind her back.
He tasted everything he would ever need.
Her love. Who knew love had a taste? He was addicted to that taste, that feeling.
She was the best thing in his life. He knew the club should be his number one reason for living.
His brothers and sisters. But it was Lyric.
He hadn’t even known how or when it happened.
She’d gotten in so deep; he knew he would never get her out—nor would he ever want to.
“I’m going to be fine, Keys,” she whispered when he pressed his forehead to hers. “There won’t be any need to worry about me. You just make sure you get back to me.”
“I will.”
“Give me your word.”
“You have my word,” he agreed instantly. “And I know you don’t like guns, but I packed one in your bag. You keep your word to me if you need to.”
She’d killed one man, and it had taken its toll on her, but after that first moment of awareness, she nodded her head. “I’ll be safe,” she reiterated.
“Come on, you two,” Ice said. “The steam is building up in here. Czar’s giving us the signal, and we’d better get moving. Got to be out of here before dawn.”
Keys took one last look at Lyric and turned away, allowing the monster in him to come closer to the surface.
They had two missions to complete on a tight timeline.
The first was to get to the victims being held by the militia in the caves above Headed for Hell’s territory.
The second was to convince the leader of the militia that it would be a good idea to move his people off the mountain to another location and be done with his moneymaking trafficking scheme.
They wanted him to know he was in bed with the wrong people.