I didn't react. I didn't have the capacity to at that moment. So many threats in such a small amount of time. I walked out of the room in silence. The tray I was carrying clattered on the bar when I dropped it, and then I walked through the crowded lounge and headed for my room. Jessica called out to me, but I didn't care. I needed to get away. I knew Jayson wouldn't let me leave the compound, so I buried myself in my room.
I had to get a message to Mason. He had been so determined the last time we talked. There had to be a way to get a message to him to drop the idea. To forget me. I was dead weight at this point. Jayson didn't let anyone touch me after he dropped his idea on me, he kept his word on that. He even didn't come to me either.
Putting all my hopes into one basket, I dressed and headed out the door. I left a message that I was getting breakfast. Jayson didn't respond, so I took that as a go ahead. I'd conveniently left out where I'd be getting breakfast from. Mason had been at the diner the last time I ran into him outside the club. I hoped to hell he was there now.
The sun blared into my car, heating up the already humid space, and again I promised to get the air conditioner fixed before full on summer hit. The clubhouse had been empty, the guys still sleeping off their drinks from the night before, so no one seemed to be tailing me. I doubted Jayson thought I'd try to see Mason so soon after his threat to kill him. If I was lucky, Mason would be at the diner with that friend of his. Then I could get him to help me talk sense into him.
Luck was on my side for once. I saw his bike as I pulled into the lot and sighed with relief.
He sat with Tick in a corner booth, and immediately he caught my stare. I could see the tension build in his muscles and immediately he looked out the window to see who was with me. I shook my head as I walked over toward him, sliding into a chair at the table next to him.
"Sit here." He slid over in his seat, but again I shook my head and picked up the menu.
"I can't. I just came to tell you, Jayson is serious. You have to stay away from me. And whatever your deal is with the club-they aren't honoring it. I don't know any details other than they are trying to shake you guys loose."
"We already knew that, darlin'." Tick's thick voice answered me. I blushed. Of course they already knew that.
"Good. I just wanted to tell you that. You have to stay away. Please." The rev of an engine caught my attention and I looked out the window. Sting. Fuck. What was he doing? "Just stay." I ran for the bathrooms. He was alone. He was probably just picking up some bagels. I'd wait him out.
I heard Mason call my name. But I didn't hear him move. He followed me into the bathroom, shoving the door closed and bolting the lock. "You're going to get yourself fucking killed." I shoved his chest.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
MASON
"What are you talking about? What's going on?" Seeing her walk into the diner had made my morning-until she sat down and opened her mouth.
She shoved her hair behind her ear and wiped her eyes. Had she been crying? "Jayson said if he caught me so much as looking at you, he'd kill you."
"I can take care of myself," I assured her, reaching out to her.
She slapped my hands away and took a shaky breath. "And your mom."
My blood ran cold. I dropped my hands back to my sides and let the sentence hang between us, refusing to grasp it just yet. "My mom?"
"Yeah. He said he'd kill you both."
"Lucy, that fucker is a dead man," I promised her. My teeth clenched so hard my jaw ached. Part of me wanted to rush back out into the diner and rip Sting's throat out just for being related to that asshole.
"No." She took another deep breath. "I came down here because I need you to back off, okay? Everything's fucked up and I don't want you or your mom to get hurt."
I grabbed her, wrapping my hand around her neck and pulled her to my chest. My arms captured her before she could wiggle away and held her tight. "Baby." I rested my chin on her head. "He's not going to lay a finger on my mom. Or you. Ever again."
"There's more." I let up on my grasp enough for her to talk. "He's taking me as his old lady."
"Fuck no." I let her go and began to pace the room. Seeing as it was barely large enough for me to take more than three long strides I probably looked a bit more manic than I would have liked. "That's not going to happen."
"He said it was either his old lady or the club's Mama." She said the words but I could see she didn't fully understand them. Being the club's Mama meant she belonged to all of them. Every member owned her and would do what they wanted with her. She'd service them any way they wanted.
"Then we go to Jayson, and I'll pay what you owe. You come back to my club and be my old lady until I can get the funds together to retire from the club. I've been with them long enough; as long as I leave in good standing we won't have any problems." She was already shaking her head at me. I wanted to bend her over the sink and spank her disagreeable ass, then sink my dick so fast into her she screamed my name. It'd been forever since I touched her.
"No. Doing that would only cause trouble between the two clubs, and I doubt you'd get your good standing badge if you did that."
I wanted to laugh over her terminology. This woman had no business in a MC clubhouse. She was right though. Marcus made it fucking clear I was to steer clear of her. But how the fuck was I supposed to do that now? It was bad enough when Jayson had toyed with the idea of making her an old lady, but that he'd proposed it? Threatened to turn her into the club's maid and whore if she didn't … it was different now.
Before I could stop myself, but not that I would have, I grabbed her chin and captured her mouth under mine. Her lips trembled beneath my touch. When the kiss broke, and I looked down into her eyes, I was surprised to find her staring up at me with such sadness.
"What is it? I promise you, he won't touch you." I pushed her hair from her face, letting my fingers drag across her skin and down her neck.
"You can't stop him. I can't either." There it was again. Sadness. For the moment she was right. My chest ached at the tension there, the helpless sensation of wanting to save and protect her, and being powerless to do it. It wouldn't just mean being kicked from the club, it could mean our lives. Her life, my life-fuck, if Jayson was as crazed as he seemed, my mom could be in trouble, too.
"Right now, let's look at right now." I kissed her again, her lips, her cheeks. "Just this minute. We'll figure out the rest later."
Her hands pressed against my chest. "Sting is out there." The reminder did not stifle the erection pressing against my zipper. Every second I was with Lucy was a second too long without touching her. I needed her, and right now, she needed me. I grasped her hands, pulling them up to my lips and pressing a kiss to both wrists.
"Put these behind your back, and don't let me see them again. Understood?" I moved her hands behind her and waited for her nod before I let go. "Good." I kissed her collarbone, a kiss, a nip, a lick, making my way down to where little sundress we buttoned. "Fuck, I love these cotton dresses of yours." I unbuttoned each button, kissing my way down. Pushing the fabric aside, I freed one breast. "Fuck." I grinned at her while I lightly flicked her nipple with the tip of my tongue. I heard her hiss, felt her body tighten. Again I flicked, then bit, a little more pressure and she rewarded me with that delicious moan of hers. "Careful, not too loud," I playfully chastised her as I moved over to the other breast. I sucked her nipple into my mouth, toying with the peak with my tongue and sucking hard.
She kept her moan low, but I still heard it, felt the vibration from it in her chest. "Fuck, your tits are gorgeous." I licked her chin, catching her off guard while I continued to massage both breasts with my hands. "If we weren't here, I'd stripe them." Her eyes widened with that promise, and my cock pushed harder against the zipper of my jeans. "Would you like that? If I took my crop to your tits?"
"Yes, Mason." She licked her bottom lip, her eyes watching as I kissed my way down her stomach, unbuttoning the last button and flipping the material to the side.