Move the Sun (Signal Bend Series) Read online

  Holy God. She didn’t hesitate. “Yes, Isaac. Fuck, you know it would. What the hell are you suggesting?”

  He dropped his hand, and for a scant moment he looked badly hurt. Then: “You’re right. I don’t know what—you’re right. I know where there’s a drugstore. Let’s go.” He pressed a light kiss to her cheek and mounted his bike.

  Lilli’s heart was pounding. They’d crossed a line somewhere, and now they were in territory she had no map for.

  ~oOo~

  On Sunday, the weather threatened rain, and the show attendance was down because of it. Saturday had been so good, though, that nobody seemed to mind much. They just kept an eye on the skies, prepared to protect their work if the rains came. They didn’t.

  The show ended several hours earlier the second day, and, with little stock left, they had the trailer hitched, packed and ready to go within an hour of closing. Though a lot of the artists were camping one more night and leaving in the morning, Isaac and Lilli were heading home that night. But Isaac had Horde business in Tulsa, so he left Lilli to pack up their camp while he rode out to conduct it.

  As she was packing up the campfire cooking gear, she felt a tingle at the nape of her neck and turned around. Her new friend Lucinda was standing akimbo on the road just at the edge of their site, glaring at her. Lilli walked up to her. “Something you need?” She pointed to Lucinda’s face. “A matched set, perhaps? I’m just as good when I lead with my left.”

  The older woman sneered. “Just thought I’d let you know—if you want to keep him, you better come with him to every one of these things. Because I’m taking him back.”

  Lilli was done with this sad broad. She smiled and turned away. She was hoping Lucinda would grab her again, but she didn’t.

  Just then, they heard the roar of a Harley, and Lilli turned back around as Isaac rode up. Lucinda stood pat as he parked and dismounted, setting his helmet on the handlebars. He looked straight at Lilli, strode up to her, and kissed her deeply, his hands on her ass. When he pulled away, he winked at her before he turned to the other woman standing there. “Cin,” he said.

  Lucinda turned on her heel and stalked away. Lilli had seen the hurt on her face, though, and she felt a stab of pity. She could understand feeling possessive of Isaac. He was something special. And he was hers. The ferocity with which she felt that claim surprised the hell out of her.

  Isaac turned back to her, his hands on her hips. He drew her tight to him. “You want to tell me what’s been going on between the two of you this weekend?”

  Lilli thought about that for a moment. She considered blowing it off, but decided to just be straight with him. “Your friend Cin isn’t ready to give you up. She put me on notice that she plans to get you back. We’re probably not going to be BFFs.”

  Isaac shook his head, a wry smile pulling up one side of his mouth. “I figured her eye wasn’t from a love bite.” His face clouded over then, showed an edge of anger. “I’m sorry, Sport. She never had me. You know that, right? I’ll talk to her, make sure she backs the fuck off.”

  “No, Isaac. It’s okay. I know we’re solid. I’m pissed, not threatened. I’ve got it handled.”

  He didn’t look satisfied with that, so she repeated herself. “It really is okay. I mean, she gets all up on you again, and I will break several important bones in her body, but you don’t need to intervene, at least not now. I got it.”

  Laughing now, he kissed her head. “Lucinda does not know the hornet’s nest she stuck her hand in, that’s true.”

  Lilli nodded. “Exactly.” She remembered that he’d been off at a club meeting. “Hey—everything go okay with your thing?”

  “It did. Pretty well.” She didn’t ask more, and he didn’t offer.

  Isaac slid his arm around her waist. “You ready to hit the road, Sport?”

  Whatever had happened between them in that moment at the lake seemed forgotten. Or, not forgotten—Lilli certainly had not—but set aside. She’d taken her pills, and she and Isaac were as they should be. “Yep. All packed. “

  With another kiss to the top of her head, he went to trailer the bike. Then they went around camp to say their goodbyes. Lilli felt wistful; she liked it here. She liked these people—with one key exception—and she’d liked the way she and Isaac were. She didn’t want to face what Signal Bend had waiting for them.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Isaac woke and didn’t feel Lilli. He lifted his head, worried, and found her sleeping on top of the covers, her head at the foot of the bed, her feet on her pillow. She was sometimes a fairly athletic sleeper, usually when she was having a bad night. This, though, was a first—and if she’d dreamt, she hadn’t woken him, which would also be a first, he thought. She looked relaxed, so he switched his own position and slid up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pressing his face into her hair.

  He was done sleeping, but he wasn’t done being close to Lilli. She didn’t even stir when he brought her close, so he relaxed and let his brain kick into gear. His meet with Becker in Tulsa had gone as well as he could have expected. Becker was unwilling to offer manpower, but they cut a decent deal on firepower, and Becker would handle the transport, freeing the Horde up from that expense of time and risk. Then Show had called him while he and Lilli were on the road home with two pieces of critical information: first, that his own meet with Dandy in Joplin had been a bust, and second, that Wyatt had called in—he and Ray were coming home.

  That was yesterday. He and Lilli had gotten in late, unpacked the trailer, and gone to bed. He didn’t share with her what Show had told him; he wanted to keep hold of every possible second with her trouble with Ray set to the side. It had been late when they finally turned in, and they had both been tired, so they had simply curled up to sleep.

  She sighed and snuggled deeper into his arms. Isaac’s cock, alert since he’d lain behind her, swelled full, but he simply held her more tightly, taking in the encompassing sensation of completeness he felt merely being close to her like this, knowing that he had her trust. He moved his hand to press it against her flat, firm belly, his fingers splayed wide. What their weekend away had told him unequivocally was that Lilli was his one true. He wanted a life with her. A long one. He wanted a family with her. He’d been surprised, too, at the lake, when the thought of her full of his child had made his heart expand, and he’d seen, bright and clear, the life he wanted. His woman, his child. A family, done right. Love filling his home in a way it never had in his lifetime.

  They had Ray to deal with. He had Ellis, too. But he swore a vow right then, mouthing the words, that he would get them through this shit or die trying. He would keep her.

  He could no longer be still, and he let his top hand roam her sleek, strong body, stroking the long planes of her legs and arm, cupping the curves of her ass, her tits. He tweaked a nipple, and she moaned and gently scissored her legs.

  Nuzzling against the nape of her neck, he murmured, “There’s my girl,” and moved a little so that he could slide his bottom arm under her head. He felt her make way for him—she was awake.

  “Are you faking?” he whispered.

  “I never fake.” He could hear the smile in her sleep-sultry voice.

  He chuckled. “That’s good to know.” He took her breast in his bottom hand and pushed his top hand between her legs. She was wet for him, and she arched her back, kicking her leg back to hook over his, leaving herself open to his touch. She reached between her legs to grip his cock, already trying to bring him into her.

  He took her hand away and rolled over onto her. “Easy, Sport. I’m gonna linger over you this morning.”

  She huffed. “I thought you liked our wild fucks.”

  He traced his nose and lips over the contours of her beautiful, clear face, moving down the side of her neck. He loved the little hollow at the base of her throat, and he paused to lap at it. “You know I do, baby. I love it rough with you. It’s explosive. You are hot and strong and can take everything I can
give you.” He groaned and flexed at the thought. But things were about to explode around them. On this very day, in fact. He knew that, but she didn’t, not yet. He wanted to linger, savor, love. As he kissed her, all over, down her arms, over her belly, across her breasts, he whispered to her. “But right now, I want to take some time and feel the way we slide together. I want it to build up. I want to fill you up over and over, I want to feel your skin moving under mine.”

  She stilled, and so did he. He looked up, checking her response. “Jesus Christ, Isaac.” She sounded breathless.

  Not sure yet whether she was still frustrated, he grinned a little. “You okay, Sport?”

  He saw her swallow. “Yeah. That was sexy as hell. Do that. I want to fuck like that.”

  His lips on her belly, he shook his head. “I’m not gonna fuck you, baby. I’m gonna move you. Let me. Let me have you.” She nodded, and he felt her relax completely, like she’d flipped a switch. With a smile, he ducked between her thighs and tasted her. He took his fill.

  That morning, he made her come over and over, slowly, with his mouth and his hands and his cock. He made her come until she cried mercy. Then they showered together, and he brought her off again. Always in the back of his mind was the knowledge that this could be their last time alone together, and he did everything he could to make it count.

  Then, he took her to Marie’s for breakfast. They greeted the regulars, and Lilli had her usual, as did Isaac. He watched her eat her waffles, carefully filling every square with syrup before she dug in. When she looked up and caught him staring, her lips glistening with syrup, he smiled. “I love you, Sport. You’re it for me. You fill up a space in me I didn’t even know was empty.”

  She grinned smugly and took another big bite. She looked happy and at her ease. She was perfect.

  When they were done, he rode her back to her little house. Not knowing yet that Ray was back, she planned to spend the day working.

  ~oOo~

  For the first time in his memory, Isaac hated walking into the Night Horde clubhouse.

  Even before he crossed the threshold, he felt the weight fold over his shoulders like a mantle. Ray Hobson. Lawrence Ellis. So much trouble focused on the club. He couldn’t shake the notion that his brief weekend with Lilli had been some sort of last hurrah. The choices he would make this day could determine the fate of his club and his town, and would determine the course of his life and Lilli’s.

  When Isaac came into the Hall, Dan was standing at the bar. He was about to do his shift patrolling the town, Isaac knew. Wyatt was at the bar, too; he and Dan were drinking coffee and chatting.

  “Hold up, D. Let me talk to Wyatt a minute; I’m gonna send him out with you.”

  Showdown had been pondering the chess game, obviously, but his eyes were on Isaac now. “Show, why don’t you head back to the office with Wyatt and me. We can get him up to speed on what he missed.”

  Isaac and Show sat Wyatt down in the office and filled him in about Ellis and the Northsiders, and the new plan for keeping watch against trouble. When Wyatt was caught up and understood the plan for actively patrolling the town and surrounding farms, Isaac leaned back in his desk chair and asked, “How was your trip? Ray doin’ okay?” Show gave him a sharpish look but said nothing.

  Wyatt shrugged, looking morose. “Trip was okay. Put a pile of fish in the freezer for the next fish fry. Ray’s Ray. Ain’t really been right since he got back. Thought getting him out in the woods, doing somethin’ we always did, tradition or whatever, might shake him loose some. But I don’t know. He’s got shit goin’ on in his head.”

  Isaac leaned forward. “What kind of shit?”

  Wyatt simply shrugged again and said, “War shit,” but there was something in his eyes. Isaac saw it and knew: Wyatt knew about what had happened. Ray had told his brother. Isaac wasn’t sure how or whether that changed the plan, but it was something to be aware of.

  He sent Wyatt out to take off with Dan. When he and Show were alone in the office, he asked his VP, “You ready for this?”

  Show nodded. “Are you?”

  Isaac was chomping at the bit, in fact. “We got four hours. Let’s get it done.” They waited until Dan and Wyatt left, and then they took the club van and drove south to Ray’s place.

  ~oOo~

  They found Ray in his underwear, already half drunk, barely past noon. They got him dressed and brought him to the clubhouse promising all the booze he could drink.

  What he really wanted to do was drag Ray’s sorry, drunk ass back to the room and torture the truth out of him. Isaac didn’t need Victor for it, either. He was more than happy to get Ray’s blood under his fingernails. But Show had talked him down from that idea. They were sticking with the plan. Ply the bastard with alcohol, get him blubbering. The thought sickened Isaac. It was plain that Ray was experiencing some kind of guilt over what he’d done. He was a broken shadow of a man. Good. Fine. Whatever. His guilt, when he’d never made an attempt to come clean and set to rights what parts of his crime he could, was hollow and self-indulgent.

  Isaac wasn’t sure how he was going to sit next to this guy and drink with him. He had to do it, though, and he had to do it friendly. So he and Show sat Ray between them and got the booze flowing.

  For a long time, Ray just blathered. He talked about their trip. He talked about Wyatt. He talked ad nauseum about hot chicks he’d supposedly banged. And he talked plenty about Afghanistan, too, but it was all gloryhound bullshit. Then, finally, when Isaac was beginning to worry that he’d pass out before they could get it out of him, he started moaning about losing his commission and being discharged after being passed over twice for promotion to Major.

  In the midst of that pity party, Ray muttered, “Handed that damn cunt her oak leaf on a fucking platter.” Isaac’s ears perked up and his fists clenched. He looked at Show, who cocked his head and gave it a slow shake, his eyes turning to Isaac’s fists on the bar.

  Isaac relaxed his hands and took a breath. “What d’you mean, Ray?”

  Ray had been staring at his half-full glass. He looked up, startled, when Isaac asked. He seemed to be trying to think what it was he said, then, getting it, shrugged. “Hotshot chick pilot gettin’ favors, prob’ly cuz she was givin’ favors, you know what I mean. Got upped right past me, way before her time. She was supposed to be some big deal, but she got where she did on her knees, I guarantee you.”

  Nope. Isaac couldn’t deal. Torturing the truth out of Ray was suddenly his only possible option. He came off the barstool fast, surprising Ray and Show. Show covered, flashing Isaac a look that said, you will fuck this up, if you can’t maintain, and then he asked Ray, “Sounds like a shit situation, buddy. Anything you could do about it?”

  And Ray started to cry. Isaac stood there, rage jackhammering through his veins, and waited to see if Ray would end this fucking farce and spill. “I tried, man, but it all fucked up. It was s’pose to just be her and that pussy new kid flying with her. She was s’pose to go on a cargo run. Just her and the kid. No big loss. But then we had hostiles, and everything went to shit.”

  Isaac stepped back, went around the bar and busied himself getting a fresh bottle of whiskey. What he’d heard made him want to bash Ray’s head in; he needed a little bit of distance. He let Show keep the lead.

  Show put his huge hand on Ray’s back. “Aw man, that’s tough. You’re saying, what, you did something to make her crash?”

  Ray was crying hard now; he nodded. “Just s’pose to be her and the kid! Wouldn’t have killed ‘em, just blown her ride, got her taken her off flight duty. All I wanted—get her out of the damn air. She wasn’t s’pose ta be flyin’ transport that day.”

  Show, his voice easy, encouraging, asked, “Transport?” And Ray dropped his head to the bar. Blubbering heavily, his head resting on his arms, facing Show, he told the same story Lilli had already told them. Isaac’s fist was clenched so tight around the bottle of whiskey he was still holding it was shaking. When he noti
ced, he put the bottle back on the shelf. This bastard had had his last drink on the Horde.

  He came back around the bar and slapped a hand down on Ray’s sloped shoulder. “Hey, buddy. What say we take you back to the dorms and you can kick back awhile, wait for Wyatt?” Ray nodded miserably, and Show walk-dragged him back to one of the rooms.

  When Show came back out, Isaac asked, “We good?”

  Show nodded. “I was already on board, brother. That’ll be enough for Victor and CJ both. Bart and Len, too. Probably everybody but Wyatt. That’s some bad shit he did. He’s got to pay. I’d want him dead even without your girl.”

  “We need to pull everybody in, get this dealt with.” Isaac wanted it done before he left the clubhouse. All of it. Done.

  Leaning on the bar, Show asked, “How’re we gonna handle Wyatt? This won’t go down easy with him.”

  “We keep Ray, let Lilli deal with him here. That neutralizes Wyatt, keeps him from acting against the club and setting off a whole new set of troubles.” Isaac pulled his burner and nodded at Show’s pocket. “You call in the club. I need to talk to Lilli.”

  She picked up on the second ring. “Hey, Sport. Got some news.”

  “What’s up?” He could tell she was distracted, probably deep in whatever work she was doing.

  “Ray’s back. We did like you asked—got him drunk, he told the whole sick story.”

  There was a long silence before she responded. “Where is he now?”

  “Passed out here. We’re calling in the club for the vote right now. Should go our way, baby. We’ll keep him here, and I’ll call you when the vote’s through. You can deal with him here.”

  This time, there was no hesitation on her end, and when she spoke, her voice was strong and authoritative. He heard the military officer she’d been. “Absolutely not. No, Isaac. It doesn’t go down in your clubhouse. You have to stay clear of this. Get him home. I’ll deal with him.”

  “Lilli, there are too many moving parts. It’s gotta be here.” The only way he could think of to keep Wyatt out of trouble was to keep both him and his brother in sight.