“Does this music have a name?” she asked curiously.
“Country.” He shrugged. “It’s not terrible, but I’ve listened to this shit so many times it’s a miracle my ears haven’t exploded.”
They went quiet again as the singer crooned about his lady and a trailer and a field of buckwheat. After thirty minutes, the album ended and Jamie swiftly intercepted Rylan’s hand before he could load the next one.
“Oh my God. No more!” she begged. “I’m ready to hang myself here.”
“Fine, then as my copilot, you need to entertain me in other ways so I don’t pass out like this asshole back there—” He jerked a thumb at Kade, who was out like a light. “Know any games?”
“I know all kinds of games.” She winked at him.
Rylan’s blue eyes instantly smoldered. His tongue came out to moisten his bottom lip, and it was so sexy it sent a bolt of heat right to her core.
“Yeah?” he prompted, those eyes continuing to gleam.
“Oh yeah.”
She slid closer and rested her hand on his groin, shivering when she felt him hardening beneath her palm. She gave a slight stroke, and his hands tightened around the steering wheel. Another teasing stroke, and a groan escaped his lips.
Rylan rocked his hips and thrust into her hand. “Fuck, baby, you’re killing me. Undo my pants.”
Feminine power. It was a heady thing.
Jamie had been fourteen when she realized how much power a woman truly possessed. The men at her camp, her father included, were the toughest, baddest dudes she’d ever known. They hunted to feed the group, fought off bandits and Enforcers, did everything they could to keep everyone safe. The women had been equally tough, but with young children in the camp, the role of caretaker naturally fell to the females.
To Jamie it had always seemed that the men commanded more power—until the day she’d kissed a boy for the first time and watched him turn into a puddle of mush at her feet. In that moment, the toughest boy she’d ever met would have done anything for her. Ripped the shirt off his back to keep her warm, walked on hot coals to keep her safe, stepped in front of a bullet to keep her alive.
In a world where you had to utilize every skill in your repertoire, the realization that sex and seduction could be used as a tool had been a goddamn eye-opener.
But she didn’t have an agenda at the moment. She didn’t want to use Rylan or persuade him into doing something for her. She just wanted him. Period.
Smiling, she slowly dragged his zipper down and slid her hand inside his pants. He jerked when she curled her fingers around his heavy shaft, then moaned when she dipped her head and brought her tongue out for a taste.
Keeping one hand on the wheel, Rylan threaded the other one through her hair and choked out, “I like this game.”
* * *
It was midnight when they finally neared their destination. About a mile out of Foxworth, Lennox slowed the bike and conducted his usual sweep of the area. He’d been there numerous times and had never encountered any trouble before, but he’d be a fool to take the seemingly secure surroundings at face value. The West City Enforcers were well trained—they knew how to remain invisible, and they excelled at biding their time until the opportunity for an ambush presented itself.
But there was no trouble to be had tonight. A sharp whistle from Pike confirmed that the area was clear, and Lennox sped up toward the huge steel gates surrounding the little town. On the east end of the main gate was a raised landing to accommodate an armed guard, who monitored all arrivals. Another guard manned the back gate, while several others patrolled the perimeter. It was a twenty-four-hour security detail, and every guard reported directly to Reese.
Lennox stopped in front of the gate, which was over ten feet high. Reese’s group had laid claim to Foxworth about four years ago; it had taken nearly half that time to erect the gates, which had involved hauling in sheets of metal from nearby factories and shipyards in order to complete the project. He wholly approved of their efforts. As much as he’d loved his old house, he’d never felt entirely safe there. At Foxworth, he always felt safe, which was all sorts of fucked-up, because he knew damn well that safety was nothing but an illusion.
The dark-clad figure standing above the entrance trained his rifle at the approaching motorcycles. Rylan waved from the front seat of the Jeep. With the vehicle’s top down, the guard had a clear view of him.
A second later, a metallic grinding filled the night air as the gate slid open and two of Reese’s people waved the convoy in.
Lennox drove into a gravel-lined courtyard littered with dozens of other vehicles. He killed the engine and glanced around, noting that not much had changed since his last visit.
Foxworth was nothing more than one street with a town square and park in its center, and one- to three-story shops lining both sides of the wide lane. The gates had been built to enclose just the main stretch; there were several very nice properties in the surrounding area, but Reese wanted everybody close by, so storefronts and boutiques had been converted into living quarters. The town’s rec center served as a gathering place, and there was even one restaurant that was completely operational.
Foxworth was downright paradise compared to some of the other communities Lennox had visited.
He removed his helmet and slid off the bike, turning toward the Jeep as Jamie popped out of the passenger’s seat. She was surprisingly light on her feet. Then again, she’d just spent hours in a car with the object of her affection.
Annoyance clamped around Lennox’s windpipe. He tried to force it away, but the vise only squeezed tighter when Rylan stepped out. His jeans were unzipped.
So that was why Jamie was so chipper. She’d blown Rylan on the ride over.
Lennox met Rylan’s eyes and nodded at the man’s crotch. With a wink, Rylan zipped up and wandered toward Kade to help him unload the Jeep.
Knowing Jamie’s mouth had been on Rylan brought simultaneous jolts of heat and resentment. Jamie knew her way around a man’s cock, so damned if the thought of her sucking someone off didn’t turn him on.
Sadly, Lennox would never be lucky enough to experience that magic mouth on his dick. He’d gone to great lengths to preserve their friendship by solidly keeping sex out of the equation.
“I was hoping you’d be here.” A throaty voice sounded from his left, and then Reese appeared and tugged him toward her for a hug.
She looked as gorgeous as ever. Her hair, the color of burnished copper, streamed over one shoulder in long waves. Black pants and a tight black tee hugged her endless supply of curves, showing off a pair of spectacular tits and an ass he’d dug his fingers into on more than one occasion.
Lennox kissed her cheek, then pulled back and examined her. Her brown eyes, usually shrewd and alert, were lined with exhaustion.
“You look tired,” he said frankly.
Reese sighed. “I am tired. Sloan and I butchered a cow today. Took hours.”
Sloan was Reese’s number two. The burly, bearded man served as her shadow, which was why Lennox wasn’t surprised to find him lurking a few feet away, his watchful gaze fixed on his queen.
“I’m glad you’re here.” A slow smile curved Reese’s full red lips. “I was starting to get bored.”
He grinned. “What, the forty-odd dicks in this place aren’t enough to satisfy you?”
“Not like yours.” She swept her gaze over his arms, chest, and groin, then licked her lips. “Fuck, I’m really glad you’re here.”
“What about me?” came Rylan’s careless voice. “Happy to see me?”
In the blink of an eye, Reese’s demeanor went from seductive to displeased. “Rylan,” she said coolly.
“Reese.” The blond man bent his tall frame to kiss her cheek, and though she let him, she didn’t seem to enjoy it. “You look beautiful as always, my queen.” He gave an exagg
erated bow that made Reese roll her eyes.
“Thanks.”
One syllable was all she spared before dismissing Rylan from her gaze. Shifting around, she leaned up on her tiptoes to press her mouth to Lennox’s.
The kiss was brief but molten hot. Reese’s tongue curled around his in a teasing stroke before she nibbled on his bottom lip and murmured, “Come find me later, honey. We’ve got lots of catching up to do.”
As she drifted off to greet Pike, Rylan let out a heavy sigh. “Tell me your secret, brother. How do you get her to stick her tongue down your throat like that?”
He snickered. “Easy. I don’t annoy her.”
“I don’t do it on purpose,” Rylan protested.
Lennox couldn’t disagree. Rylan was the least annoying person he’d ever met, yet Reese was constantly swatting him away like a bothersome fly buzzing around her head. Lennox couldn’t even begin to figure out why that was. Reese was a strange creature, happily welcoming some men into her bed, while being incredibly selective about others.
Jamie joined them, carting her duffel bag in one hand. “Where are we sleeping?” she asked Lennox. “The usual place?”
He nodded in response. Whenever they came to Foxworth, the two of them usually crashed in adjoining rooms that had once made up the office and waiting area of a law firm.
“I’ll drop our bags off.” He relieved her of the duffel, cursing when he felt its heft. “What the hell did you pack in here, love? Bricks?”
“We’re here for a month,” she said defensively. “I brought a little bit of everything.”
Lennox smothered a sigh. Traveling with Jamie could be a pain in the ass sometimes.
She glanced at Rylan. “You guys aren’t starting the training stuff tonight, are you?”
“Hell no. We can start tomorrow.” Rylan’s blue eyes danced impishly. “Tonight we party.”
5
“You asked him to come, sweetheart.” Sloan voiced the gruff words after Reese had directed yet another dark glare in Rylan’s direction.
She gritted her teeth at the unwelcome reminder. Yes, she’d requested Rylan’s presence. Yes, she’d all but threatened to cut off Connor’s balls if he didn’t send Rylan and Pike her way. But that didn’t mean she had to like it.
“Because I need him,” she muttered in response. “He and Pike understand combat—they’ll be able to teach our people everything they need to know.”
“Your people,” Sloan corrected.
She smiled wryly. “I might give the orders, but they all know I don’t make a single decision without your input.”
They reached the front stoop of the two-story building Reese called home. Sloan stopped by the rail and fixed those serious hazel eyes on her.
His steady gaze unnerved her, as it always did when she found herself the focus of it. Only two people had the ability to read her, to dive into her mind and know exactly what she was thinking. One of them was dead. The other was very much alive, and far too willing to use that skill to his advantage.
“Remind me again why we don’t like him,” he said.
The mocking note in his tone grated on her nerves. “Because he’s a wild card. And we don’t like wild cards.”
Sloan nodded.
She knew what he really wanted to say. That Rylan’s total recklessness and unpredictable nature reminded her too much of Jake. Which was the truth—the similarities between the two men were damn near eerie. They even shared a physical resemblance with their fair hair and blue eyes. Jake had been smaller, though, only a few inches taller than Reese, and lanky in contrast to Rylan’s broad, muscular frame.
If she was basing her opinion on looks alone, she would’ve fucked Rylan’s brains out a year ago. Didn’t matter that he reminded her of her dead lover, because her dead lover had been one of the sexiest, most magnetic men she’d ever met. Jake might have turned into a tyrant by the time he died, but her attraction to him had remained stronger than ever despite that.
No, it was Rylan’s complete lack of self-preservation that concerned her. His inability to walk the path of least resistance. The way he dove headfirst into danger without a single thought to his own well-being or that of others. She suspected he fed off the thrill, the adrenaline high, and maybe that worked well for him, but it wasn’t the way Reese operated.
“We need to be smart about how we handle this,” she told Sloan. “Keep an eye on him while he’s here.”
“You think Connor was suspicious?”
“I know Connor was suspicious.” She cursed under her breath. Connor was a major thorn in her side sometimes. The man was too perceptive for his own good, not to mention a ruthless motherfucker. If he caught so much as a whiff that she might be placing his men in danger, he wouldn’t hesitate to slit her throat.
Her gaze drifted toward the small building that housed the recreation center. Rylan and Pike were already headed in that direction. From the carefree spring to Rylan’s long stride, she knew exactly what he’d be doing when he got there. Dropping his pants and sticking his dick in the first available pussy.
And that was just fine by Reese. Let him screw to his heart’s content. Rylan’s sex drive bordered on addiction, and she was happy to provide him with all the sexual distractions at her disposal. Her girls enjoyed his company. They’d keep him busy enough that he wouldn’t think too hard about everything else going on around him.
“What do you need me to do?” Sloan said in a low voice.
The question didn’t surprise her. She and Sloan had been through hell and back together—the man did whatever she asked. There was no line he wouldn’t cross for her.
“Do what you do best,” she answered, arching a playful eyebrow. “Pay attention and keep your mouth shut.”
He flashed a rare grin. “Just the way I like it.”
* * *
The rec hall was bustling with activity when Lennox arrived after stashing his and Jamie’s bags. A few dozen people filled up the space, holding various containers of alcohol and in various states of undress. Pulsing bass music blasted through the room. It shook the walls and the linoleum floor beneath Lennox’s heavy boots as he made his way through the crowd.
Several women wandered over to greet him, and he smacked kisses on their cheeks before continuing toward a group of familiar faces.
Beckett broke out in a wide grin at the sight of him. “Len! My man! You made it.” The tattooed mechanic slapped Lennox’s arm in greeting before yanking him in for a hug.
Lennox grinned at his old friend. “You know I don’t pass up any opportunity to come here. Hey, Trav.”
Travis stepped forward to bump his fist against Lennox’s. “Good to see you, man.”
He shook hands with a few of the other guys, who he was friendly with but not close to—Nash, Davis, and Rick.
“Heard your place got ambushed by Enforcers,” Nash said sympathetically. “Fuckin’ blows, man.”
“Yeah, wasn’t too happy about that,” he admitted.
“So you and your girls are living with Connor now?” Davis looked intrigued.
Lennox nodded, accepting the whiskey bottle Beckett passed his way. He took a deep swig and welcomed the burn that hit his stomach. Reese had the best booze, high-grade stuff she smuggled in from the city. It was potent shit.
“How’s that working out for you?” Davis pressed when he didn’t elaborate. “Connor’s woman there too?”
“Where else would she be?”
“Hot as hell, that one,” Rick drawled. “Con wouldn’t let anyone touch her when she was here.”
Lennox thought about Hudson’s tight body and flowing golden hair, and could understand exactly why Connor would want to lock that shit up. “Do you blame him?” His attention was diverted when loud laughter echoed from the vicinity of the pool table. “Well, fuck me. When did you get the table refelted
?”
Last time he’d visited, the green felt was in tatters after decades of use. Sinking a ball in any of the pockets had been like navigating a damn minefield.
“Last week,” Beckett revealed. “Sloan and Trav were out on a supply run and came across an abandoned pub about a hundred miles south.”
Travis rolled his dark eyes. “Sloan wouldn’t leave until we’d stripped every billiards table in the place. You should’ve seen how carefully he was slicing off the felt. Like he’d rather cut off his own finger than bring Reese an inferior product.”
Lennox had to laugh. It was no secret that Sloan would walk through fire for Reese, but the man’s unwavering loyalty was intense sometimes.
“Beck!”
The men turned as Jamie flew up to the group. Blue eyes shining happily, she threw her arms around Beckett, who lifted her off her feet and hugged her tight.
Seeing Jamie look so happy flooded Lennox’s chest with warmth. Maybe it was a good thing he’d allowed her to come along. They’d been through too much shit lately—losing their home, losing their close friend Nell . . . Fuck, now his chest was aching, because he was suddenly hit with the memory of Jamie sitting on the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks as she held Nell’s lifeless body in her arms.
The ambush on their house had been an unwelcome reminder of how fleeting life in the free land could be. People died. They always fucking died. But even knowing that, Lennox felt wrecked every time he was forced to grieve for someone he’d cared about.
Tonight wasn’t about grieving, though. It was about seeing old friends and having fun. Enjoying a rare respite from the bullshit beyond Foxworth’s gates.
“I missed you,” Jamie told Beckett before planting her lips square on his mouth.
Beckett slipped her some tongue, then lowered her down and slung an arm around her shoulder. “Missed you too, babe.” His hand nonchalantly eased lower to cup her left breast over her tight black tank.
In retaliation, she reached out and squeezed one of Beckett’s sculpted pecs, hard enough to make him wince.