Deadly Seduction (9 page)

He walked inside and looked around the dim area. The air ventilation worked because the usually hazy Clubhouse smelled of smoke but it wasn’t abrasive and a bluish haze hadn’t been left behind as the sun streaked light through one of the windows and directly onto the bar area.

A prospect, O’Neal, tended the bar area while he cleaned the area and emptied ashtrays. He was a hard worker, sponsored by Quinn, although everyone called him Cell because he had the fortunate habit of being able to wipe compromised cell phones and replace them with completely clean numbers and histories.

He was also a former Air Force member who served four duties in Afghanistan before he was honorably discharged after a bullet shattered his shoulder. He’d had it re-broken and a competent Club doctor had operated on him. He would be fine and it was almost a guarantee he would be the next to be patched in when they got past that night and the whole “Riley” situation.

It was a pity too because his father didn’t want to do much of anything until Riley was taken care of; Cillian understood why but that didn’t make his job any easier.

“Want a beer?” O’Neal questioned as he pulled up to the bar and took a seat.

“Nah, a shot of Bushmills should go a long way though.” Cillian lit a Camel and blew smoke from his nostrils in frustration. “The old man around?”

“In the chapel. He’s speaking informally to all the old school members.”

Cillian grabbed his Bushmills Irish whiskey, stood and walked toward the oak double doors, which led to chapel. He knocked before his father finally said, “Come on in.”

He walked inside and found his father, Dizzy, inside with Brendan and Sean. All three of them were the founding members of Lucifer’s Saints and their sons were also members of the club.

Kink was Sean’s son and Cricket belonged to Brendan. Both their mothers had been Saint Slappers because unlike Dizzy, neither man wanted the stability of an old lady or a family; the Club
was
their family.

They’d come over to the States during the whole Northern Irish conflict with the English and really respected the Hell’s Angels and what they’d done for the biker community. It was also the perfect cover for several men who had active IRA records in the UK while they could be protected by powerful Irish relatives here in the States.

They’d decided to name their MC Lucifer’s Saints because although the work they did was dirty, it was for a greater good.

The charter club moved from Boston to their current location where they knew there was no major biker presence since the Italian Mafia and Raymond Jackson controlled most of the crime. Granted, Raymond was several years’ younger than his father but he’d already been a young and very determined man who had no choice but to make it.

The White Knights were the only MC in Northern Nevada at the time and were not respected by anyone who’d counted. They were also a nightmare for local law enforcement until the Demon’s Bastards founded their charter club in Pine Bluff.

Pine Bluff’s Sheriff, Nathaniel Briggs, was married to Lorna Hughes’ cousin and her husband, Tom “Jonesy” Hughes, was President of the Demon’s Bastards. The Bastards had started off as a family MC that, unofficially, became outlaw due to their various dealings with Raymond Jackson and the Italian Mafia.

Even though there was a friendly rivalry between the two clubs, there was no pure hatred or animosity. They were both trying to earn; Jonesy liked a sure bet and preferred dealing with the Italians and Jackson. Both shared a certain code of honor and avoided disputes at all costs. They also earned most of their money running women, gaming, and loan sharking along with several huge arms’ deals each year but not enough to bring any real heat to their organizations.

Dizzy had always been reckless, and a gambling man. He dealt with
Aztecas Infierno
and the Koslakov Mafia—one of the infamous oligarchy families who ruled Russia with an iron fist and instructed the President of Russia what to do—because they were unpredictable, animalistic and more brutal than his MC was capable of becoming.

For instance, Dimitri Koslakov and his sister, Zusha Koslakova, were absolutely brutal in the way they dispensed punishment to their enemies and insubordinates. They would have taken great pride in handling Riley. Quinn had, unfortunately, vouched for him instead of allowing the Russians to do a background check, and it fell on the Club to take care of the situation.

That’s where Cillian came into the picture, and the precise reason why he would be responsible for murdering the traitor in their midst.

The three men looked at him as he walked inside the room and he met each pair of eyes, from the pale gray-green eyes of Brendan with his typical ginger hair peppered with gray, and mostly gray beard.

Sean’s bright aquamarine eyes, pale gray-blond hair and tanned, weather-beaten yet handsome face had aged with time but he was still sharp as a tack.

However it was the crystal blue eyes of his father and his healthy head of brown hair, close-cut brown beard and still sexy good looks who commanded the attention of all in the room.

Cillian was a carbon copy of his father; there was no mistaking them being father and son. Not to mention he had just as much charisma and a physical presence like his father but he chose to play his talents down. Dizzy didn’t like to share and he had no intention of a fight with his son for attention or authority. It was the reason why Cillian made the perfect VP. He knew his father wasn’t ready to hand over the gavel yet but when he did, it wouldn’t be a moment before he knew his son would be capable of running the Club; that included having a competent old lady because a Club President was only as good as the woman behind him.

There was no way Cillian would ever have become Club President with Brianna at his side. She wasn’t strong enough and her whorish behavior did not endear herself to her soon-to-be-ex father-in-law. Now that he’d gotten rid of her, he had no idea how long she would be around but it was obvious he wouldn’t be able to divorce her at the moment, not when everything was about to go down. It would be too risky.

Dizzy smiled at his son before he motioned him to take a seat. “So, you left Brianna and you are ready for tonight, yes?”

“Do I have a choice?” Cillian raised curious eyebrows in his direction. “Riley has to be eliminated and I said I would do it.”

Dizzy nodded at Sean, their former Sergeant-at-Arms turned co-Treasurer with Quinn. Cillian’s youngest brother was also the computer expert of the Club; he wasn’t nearly as good as Trey Lennon, the Saints’ computer expert, but he was adequate enough.

Sean had a wooden box in front of him and he slid the box in Cillian’s direction. He opened up the box and was faced with a silver Desert Eagle nine millimeter with a full clip next to the gun.

“They are hollow points. Collect the shells when you’re done. This gun is untraceable and it has always been the official gun we have used when taking down Fed agents. Without a weapon then part of their case falls apart. I am the only person who knows where this gun is kept so bring it back when you finish with it. Is that understand?” Sean explained in his rough Irish brogue.

Cillian smoked his cigarette and turned the gun over and over, admiring the beauty of the piece of weaponry.

“You like it, dontcha?” Brendan questioned, stating the obvious.

“It’s a beautiful piece. Weaponry like this…you don’t see it very often.”

“Well, you’ll be seeing more of them.” Dizzy glared at his son before he glanced at his two oldest friends. “I spoke to Raymond Jackson and he has a connection…Israeli…they have a whole case. The guy is a former Mossad agent and won’t tell Raymond how he acquired them. They were originally supposed to be delivered to some despot in the Middle East but he got an attack of conscience and sold them to Mr. Jackson.”

Cillian’s father searched his eyes. “I suppose you and Gisela are on speaking terms again? She called me this morning and informed me she would be taking the case when we could get her more information about the issue. She also said she could draw up the legal separation paperwork for you and Brianna but the divorce would have to wait until this legal situation is taken care of.”

The last bit of news caused Cillian’s heart to drop straight into his stomach. “Why do I have to stay married to that slapper, Da?” His veins bulged against his neck as he stood and his fists hit the table harder than he meant.

Dizzy smirked while his blue eyes twinkled coolly. “You daft fooker—pull your head out of that French perfumed smelling pussy for a moment—a wife can’t testify against her husband. I think Gisela was thinking of this while all you’re doing is thinkin’ with your pecker.”

He looked away from his father as he sat back down with a look of contrition. “Sorry, Da. I don’t know what came over me.”

“I know what came over you…a certain sexy piece of arse you’ve been slobbering over since you two were fifteen. You’ve got my blessin’, son. If we can arrange something with her father and get this whole Misty-Drake shit taken care of then you can be with her…after you take care of the elephant in the room.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good, now let’s get back down to business. And then after we finish here, you go on over to see Gisela so you can sign the paperwork so her paralegal can send it to the courthouse before the end of the day. In the meantime, Sean, why don’t you go over logistics?”

Cillian listened although part of him zoned their voices out.

If he couldn’t leave Brianna in the near future, what the hell did that mean for his relationship with Gisella?

Chapter Six

Gisela

“What are you doing?”

I looked up from the legal separation I’d drafted that morning and checked that all my “I’s” were dotted and my “T’s” crossed. I didn’t need to hear from Dizzy any time in the future.

“Well, I ordered some Japanese takeout and I have too much work to actually take a physical lunch. What’s up?”

Kyra sat on my desk and tapped her expensive Montblanc pen on the shiny oak surface. “Leo’s outside in the reception area. He’s insisting he be allowed to speak to you.”

I rolled my eyes and sighed loudly.

After the night before with Cillian, I couldn’t stop thinking about the man. He was the only subject on my mind.

It hadn’t been easy to call up Desmond Cox and basically admit that we’d slept together. Nor had it been easy to let him know that he had a daughter-in-law that he would have to keep for a while longer. The decision definitely put a monkey wrench in any plans I had to get with him. I couldn’t exactly justify sleeping with a married man, even if I had been doing it for years with Leo.

The man waiting out in the lobby for me who I definitely not want to see. Not at that moment when I’d slept with another man the night before. I was also conspiring to help him in a plan that could ultimately cause me to lose my license to practice law in Nevada or any other state in the union.

Cillian had told me about a crime he planned to commit beforehand and that made me an accomplice to his crime. However, it wasn’t like neither Kyra nor I had bent the law to our advantage before, even if what I was doing went well beyond merely bending the law.

“Earth to Gisela—did you hear a word I said? Leo is in the lobby, and we both know how he feels about waiting.” My business partner’s blue eyes glared at me as she crossed her arms against her chest and tapped her foot insistently.

“Tell him he can keep waiting too. I have absolutely no intention of stopping my whole day just so he can be catered to. Sorry, not gonna happen.”

The door to my office burst open and a pissed off, blue-eyed, crimson-face Leonardo Abandonato stared me down. “Hey, babe, what the hell am I doing waiting in the lobby?”

I looked up from my work to briefly acknowledge his presence before I looked at my Apple MacBook Pro again. “What do you want, Leo? You didn’t make an appointment and I’m booked all day.”

“So, it’s like that now? Baby, you’re on retainer—”

“Yeah? And my other clients are too. What’s your point exactly?”

Leo stepped forward toward me before he shot a withering look in Kyra’s direction. She glared at him with bright blue eyes before she glanced at me. “I’ll be in my office if you need me. In the meantime, I’ll leave your door open just in case there is any trouble.”

I waited until she walked out before I gave him all my attention. “What’s the issue now, Leo? Marital problems or trouble with the law?”

“The former, not the latter. However, that is neither here nor there. How are you? I haven’t seen you in a while and I miss us fuckin’, and I miss you…a lot.”

I was a terrible human being.

Part of my attraction to Leo stemmed from his Northern European features he inherited from his Swedish-Finnish American mother. He possessed chestnut hair with burnished gold highlights, a pale olive complexion, angular features and the clearest blue-gray eyes. He was also taller than his father at six foot exactly and had a lean, toned shape that suited his trademark Armani suits and Prada loafers perfectly.

He reminded me enough of Cillian to keep the pain at bay but had enough of his own abrasive personality, he was definitely his own person.

My shoulders slumped in defeat and I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. “Listen, I know I am about to do something completely and totally crappy but I can’t continue our arrangement. It has nothing to do with your wife and everything to do with me.” I paused before I concluded with, “I’m sorry.”

Leo stared at me with a dismissive look on his face before he burst out laughing. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Did I stutter?” I glared at him with annoyance clearly present in my eyes. “It’s not working and like I have told you before, I never agreed to anything with you for any length of time. I’m my own free person and you’re married. This isn’t working.”

Leo’s jaw set firmly before he squeezed his lips so hard together, the color drained from them and left them a sickly alabaster. “This is about that biker trash you used to date, isn’t it?”

I looked back at my MacBook Pro, and refused to acknowledge the question. “I never dated any biker trash so I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“Jesus Christ, Gisela—we’re
all
the same age. Do you think I’ve forgotten that seven month period you disappeared off the face of the earth? Ironically, Cillian also did a runner but he didn’t come back for
years
. What happened to you while you were gone, and why the hell did you leave in the first place?”

Now, I was fucking angry. Everyone knew better than to ask me about that time I was gone during my teenage years. To be honest, it wasn’t anyone’s business, and second of all, only three people other than Desmond, Bronaugh, and my parents knew about what happened.

Kyra, Cillian, and I.

Over the years, Drake pieced most of the story together but there was a six year age difference between the two of us, and not even he knew the whole story.

Now, here was a man whom I’d had a casual love affair with—though no feelings of love or any other strong emotions had been exchanged between us—had the gall to question me about a highly personal event in my life.

“I would like you to leave my office.”

“Gisela, stop acting like a child—”

“
Right now!
” I exclaimed, blood vessels standing out on my forehead, and my whole face, neck and ears felt so hot against my own skin, I’d swear I was suffering from a fever if I didn’t know it was from my temper alone.

Leo turned around to walk out when two burly members of Lucifer’s Saints, Ronan and Cricket stood in the doorway, both with their pieces drawn.

“No offense, man, to you, your father, or the Abandonato crew but if a lady asks you to leave her office, I think that is a pretty damn good idea.” Ronan leaned against the frame of the doorway.

Leo was clearly ready to dig his heels in. “Why should I listen to you two fucks when you don’t even buy product from us?”

“Because the underworld is very small…much smaller than you think and we all have secrets we want to stay dead and buried, that’s why.” Cricket never turned to look at Leo, he didn’t have to since the radiance of his menacing power was hard to miss in his stature and demeanor.

He and Ronan were both only in their mid-twenties, but Club life had made them hard already. Cricket’s shaggy wheat colored hair was slicked back and touched his shoulders. He sported a goatee, and the menacing look in his cerulean blue eyes was enough for anyone to know he was no angel, and had seen more than his fair share of violence.

His short-sleeved white tee-shirt, which displayed powerful muscles and tattoos on both arms, his left already a sleeve, proved he wasn’t afraid of where he came from, who he was associated with and how he’d acquired and maintained his power.

I gazed at Leo with daggers in my eyes. “Just leave and I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my personal life. What went on between Cillian and I had nothing to do with this place at all and it’s no one’s business except his and mine.”

Although Leo refused to admit defeat, he finally turned away from me and left my office, brushing past Ronan and Cricket as if they were dirt.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I rose shakily to my feet. “Something I can help you with, guys?”

Ronan turned toward Cricket and nodded his head. The biker left the room and Ronan closed the door behind him before he blocked it with his solid frame. “You do realize what Cillian told you was Club business, right?”

I nodded. “His secrets are also protected by attorney-client privilege—what’s your point?”

“Nothin’ really. I just wanted to make sure my brother backed the right horse this time, know what I mean?”

What the hell was it with today and everyone wanting to talk about Cillian?

“I just drew up his legal separation papers. I’ll make sure my paralegal gets them to the courthouse on time. There should be no issues with the arrangement as is—”

“When did Brianna sign them?”

“This morning around ten. My paralegal stopped by and she was still up. There was no hostility what so ever, she signed and Renee left.”

“And Cillian?”

“He’s due in shortly. Your father said he would send him over after he finished speaking to him about Club business. I didn’t ask what it was about and he didn’t tell me.” I leaned against my desk and looked at Ronan from head to toe.

Kyra once boasted about how there were no
ugly
Cox men, and she wasn’t mistaken. Even this one was good looking and sexy as hell, over six feet tall with a figure that had seen a lot of body building though he’d kept it within limits. His arms were also covered in tattoos and he was lightly tanned from the sun. His eyes were his most arresting trait: violet-blue and at once gorgeous and dangerous.

He could look at a person and his eyes would seem so empty, they would appear to reflect the bottomless pits of his soul. He gazed at me like that now and the sheer penetration alone forced me to look away and down at the oak table I leaned against.

“You’re still in love with him, aren’t you?”

I glanced at him and regretted it immediately. It was phrased as a question but I only had to stare at him and quickly averted my gaze before Ronan knew it was true.

“You’re secret’s safe with me. I’m no choir boy, you know. I had…quite the reputation of fucking Saint Slappers and a few Demon scrubbers as well. That didn’t go down too well with Pops.” He laughed before he became serious again and crossed his arms against his chest. “Naomi’s back in town and I’ve carried a torch for her since high school. I know I’m not supposed to even look at her because…well, she’s black…and believe me, we
know
about black women.