For Her Honor (7 page)

And when he saw the gooseflesh on her arm after kissing her fingers, he knew then and there his curiosity went way beyond just getting an end to her story.
She wasn’t only beautiful, but had a dry sense of humor and could toss a comeback when needed. If she was raised to be some sheltered, society bunny, she sure didn’t act it. Again, more twists and turns to the story of Karen.

Standing up, he
stretched his body, working out the kink in his neck. Passing the foot of the bed to the bathroom, he stopped to get a glimpse of her face, but it was too dark. The stark white of the bathroom blasted his eyes as soon as he turned the lights on. As he took a piss, he looked at the stuff she had on the counter. A little bag of makeup, a bottle of perfume and moisturizer. After using the sink, he uncapped the perfume and held it to his nose. It wasn’t flowery or spicy, but clean.

He put it back down and left the bathroom to f
ind Karen sitting up, looking at him over her shoulder. “You’re still here.” A statement, not a question.

“Still rainin’.
Wasn’t breakin’ my word, sweetheart. Which is why the other side of the bed is still turned up.”

She didn’t reply, simply hummed then plopped her head back down.
Taking that as an invitation to remain, he found the remote, got comfy and tried to find something better to fall back to sleep to.

“Lay down.”

It was quiet and muffled, but he heard it. “Excuse me?”

Karen raised her head and tossed him a look over her shoulder.
“Sorry. I didn’t think you needed instructions. Pull back the covers, lay down, close your eyes and breathe.”

Oh, no she didn’t
, he thought, even though he couldn’t contain a proud smile. “Guess we’re even. Sure you trust me? When I sleep with women, it rarely involves the literal.”

She let out a lusty yawn. “Guess there’s a first for everything, Romeo.”

He didn’t want to sleep. He wanted to wake her up and kiss the sass out of her. Damn, this fucking woman. Lie down? In bed? Next to her? Probably smelling like that pretty perfume? Sleep could fuck itself. But she’d pulled off the gloves and threw them down. To prove he was nothing but a dog whose dick jumped at the first scent of pussy wasn’t in his repertoire.

He toed off
his boots, shed his cut, pulled off his t-shirt and unclasped his wallet and chain. Pulling back the covers, he gingerly got in. The sheets didn’t have that motel-detergent smell he was familiar with, having had his share of road trysts over the years. They were soft and cool. And smelled like her. He was hard within seconds.

Fuck, it
had better stop raining soon.

~~~***~~~

The A/C still hummed, but it was curtained sunshine that greeted Taz’s senses when he woke up. The suck-ass overnight weather had ushered in a good morning, made just a bit better by the mass of dark-red hair spread across his arm. The little lady had all but clung to the edge of the bed while he slept in the chair, but was practically plastered to him now that he was in the bed. She still slept light and quiet, her body warm under the covers and that hair as silky as the skin on her arms and legs. It was six-forty-five, and his morning boner was seriously challenged. He’d better get a fucking medal for this.

Get up and leave, dude
, Taz’s other head told him, even as his body didn’t want to leave the comfort of the bed and the female in it. Instead he further tortured himself by turning his face into her hair and taking a deep breath. It wasn’t like he’d never woken up with a woman before. He preferred not to, but when rounds of hard sex exhausted him and his partner to the point that they both collapsed until morning, he wasn’t a tool about it. Most members he knew had a knack for kicking bitches out who were still there in the morning. Though it was awkward, Taz had never been cruel. He credited his ma for instilling in him that respect. A nudge or a tap on the ass to get them up and get the hint was usually enough.

But it w
as the other way around here. He was in her bed after playing private investigator the night before. He should just slowly disengage himself and leave before she woke up and really freaked out……..

“Oh, shit!”

Too late.

As if reading his thoughts, Karen’s eyes flew open
, and she realized her position. And his. She jerked her body up, along with the covers, leaving her a clean view of his naked-from-the-waist-up body. “What? How?”

“Good mornin’ to you
, too,” he shot back. He felt like having some fun and drew his arms back to stretch himself out. Oh, how she was checking him out, no matter how pissed she appeared. “You invited me in, remember?”

She didn’t move to get out, just continued to look shocked to f
ind him there, as well as being practically wrapped around him. “Yeah, but…….you didn’t…”

“Nope, all you.
Woke up and found you like that. And,” he motioned down below, “as you can see I still left my jeans on, so your honor’s intact.”

Making some sort of a snorting sound, Karen scooted out of bed. “My honor.
What a joke,” she murmured.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.” She went to the window and peeked out the curtain. “Turned out to be a nice morning.”

He flung the
covers back and got up. “And that’s my cue to leave, I suppose. Bet you got lots to do today.”

Karen rolled her eyes.
“That’s a joke too.” Catching herself, she shook her head. “Sorry. Excuse me.”

While she di
sappeared into the bathroom, he threw on everything but his cut. He heard the toilet flush and the sink run until she came out wiping her mouth. She looked disheartened. “Something I said?”

She shook her head.
“No. It’s all on me.”

Whatever it was that
had brought her to West Virginia had a lot to do with that last statement. He really wanted to stay to try to pry her open a bit, but he’d be pushing his luck. Plus, he had to be at the body shop by ten. He’d have another opportunity, knowing she wasn’t going anywhere soon. “When do you start working for Eva?”

“Next Tuesday and Thursday
. I’ll be working at the bank on the other days.”

Oh, this was interesting.
She’d be working two jobs right in the plaza, practically under his nose. Yeah, she definitely wasn’t going anywhere. “So, I guess you’re stayin’?”

“For the time being.”

He looked around the room. “What about a place?”

“The Super 8 has
to do until I figure something out.”

That sharp-witted sassiness had wilted.
In its place was a woman who looked as if she’d lost everything. Maybe she had. He pressed her enough. He wasn’t going to press his luck further, so he hooked up his wallet then reached for his cut. “Sorry about last night. But thanks for not sticking me out in that shit.”

“Sure.
And thanks for not asking any more questions.”

She looked good standing there with that tousled hair and long t-shirt covering those tiny tits and an even tinier pair of shorts, making it look as if she
had nothing on underneath. She looked too fucking good for him not to do something about it. He wasn’t about to wake up in bed with a woman without getting something out of it. After shrugging his cut on, he threaded his fingers through her hair. She looked prepared to jump back, but held still while he read her face. Those pale green eyes were gorgeous, that thick dark-red hair teased his fingers, and a pair of lips parted in anticipation. He gave her his most vibrant smile then kissed her cheek. She sucked in her breath a bit as he moved to her mouth. She tasted like peppermint toothpaste. Gently, he nibbled his lips on the corner of hers. Her hand clutched his arm, which made his cock twitch. If they kept this up, they were going to wind up back in that bed, where sleep was not an option.

He reluctantly pulled away, running a thumb down her cheek.
“I’ll see you in town, Karen. Bank on it.” He caught his own joke. “No pun intended.”

She smiled.

He loved it.

Chapter Seven

Two mornings later, the seven members of the Mountain Skulls sat around the
heavy, oak table in church. It was only nine-thirty, with the temperature already seventy degrees and climbing. Most of the guys had legitimate day jobs, which warranted the early morning meets to discuss business of an illegitimate nature. And Vic Connors believed in punctuality, getting to the point and on with the day as soon as possible. The sixty-year-old president was also in his usual crabby mood.

“Sit down.
Let’s do this quick. Got a town shindig Elle’s dragging me to.”

Part of t
he Mountain Skulls steady relationship with Tippitt was Vic’s wife’s heavy involvement in town hall, its officials and the workings within. And to keep up appearances, Vic had to bite the bullet every now and then by attending town functions with her. When everyone was seated, he banged the gavel to officially begin. “Got two items on the table, gentlemen. First, the new Skulls charter in Ohio. The good news - everything’s set. Bad news - it’s tomorrow. We’re riding out early to Lakeland. Should get there in time for the political shit, patch in the members then drink or fuck to your heart’s content. Hogs got rooms set up in case no one wants to ride back. Figure this way you can all sleep in Sunday morning. Any questions?”

“Where’s the new clubhouse gonna be?” Tanner asked.

“Further north. Fulton maybe. Gonna be cold as a nun’s tit in the winter, but these guys are ready. Conti said the new ring covers the Michigan and Indiana border, so we’re talking action from three states.”

“Didn’t know Caprese
wanted to move so far west,” Ben added.

“That’s as far as they’ll go,” Aero spoke up.
“The heroin enterprise stays east. Adamo has that locked tight and doesn’t want to ruffle feathers with any other families. Gambling isn’t so territorial, so Conti said they’re testing the waters by inching out as far as they can.”

“And may even spread a bit south into Kentucky and Tennessee,” Doug cut in.

“So,” Vic continued, “get your beauty sleep, boys. On the road no later than eight tomorrow.”

There were a few groans
, as an early day meant an early night of booze and broads - two things Taz indulged in at week’s end. He worked hard and wanted to play hard after punching out. But club business overrode everything else in his life – including his personal one. His ma always knew he’d find himself on the Skull’s doorstep after barely making it through high school. He’d been fascinated by those motorcycles blasting through this tiny town ever since they’d come creeping around for a place to set up shop back in 1987. He had just turned ten and was in full Tasmanian Devil-mode when he wanted to ditch his ten-speed, straddle a Harley and ride off towards trouble.

And after proving his skills
with fixing cars at the age of nineteen, the Skulls made use of the black-haired kid with a nose and tongue ring popping up and trying to sneak in during their weekend parties to drink. While his ma was spending twelve hours a day getting the bakery up and running, Taz had relied on neighbors to look out for him. One was an older gentleman who spent his retirement refurbishing a sweet ’55 Chevy Bel Air. Out of sheer boredom, teenage Taz had become his unofficial assistant and gained a plethora of knowledge about rebuilding and restoring cars.

He had been twenty
-one when asked to prospect, earning his Skull patch almost three years later. He was loyal to the bone, but the club had wanted him to ‘age’ just a bit more. Taz had never been impatient about the wait, and he was now part of something he’d wanted since he was a kid. And it wasn’t only his proficiency with working out dents and scratches that had earned him clout, but also his penchant for inflicting psychological and physical hurt without blinking an eye.

Two years into his prospect patch, he
’d demonstrated that tendency when a customer who felt he’d been taken for a ride on his bill had come back one night to vandalize the body shop. Little had he known, Taz had fallen asleep in the office after taking inventory. His senses were on alert, when he knew he wasn’t alone and smelled gasoline. Storming out of the office, he knocked the guy to the floor of the shop, and his clothes absorbed the fuel. Grabbing a blowtorch, Taz dragged the guy outside and kicked him in the gut until he was immobile. He then fired up the torch as two members came tearing from the clubhouse in time to witness.

“Somethin
g’s gonna be on fire tonight, asshole, and it ain’t gonna be the shop.”

He had his foot on the guy’s chest to keep him still as he lowered the blowtorch.
The members stopped him just in time and wound up kicking the shit out of the guy before dropping him on the steps of the local clinic. On that day, Taz really earned his ‘devil’ status.

“And the other issue?” Ben broke in.

“Conti wants to know if we’re interested in some collection work,” Vic replied.

Taz perked up.
This had suddenly gotten very interesting. “Details, please?”

Vic laughed over hitting
Taz’s sweet spot. “You really need an explanation?”

Fucking finally.
“Who, what, when and where?” Taz didn’t have to ask ‘how.’ That was always left to his discretion.

“Sound a little desperate, Taz-O,” Doug said.
He immediately hated Doug calling him that, but was in too good a mood to care. Even though it’d been two days, he still had that interesting night and morning with Karen in the back of his mind. He hadn’t seen her around town yet, nor had he made any further night visits to the Super 8. Monday would be here soon enough. She’d be on her first day at the bank. Maybe it was time to open an account.

“Conti will
supply the details when ready. Just be on standby.” Vic paused to look from Taz to Ben. “Both of you.”

Ben looked surprised.
“Can’t collect from a dead man, pres. Conti really wants to go that far?”

“Only if there’s nothing to collect.
Lessons need to be learned.”

Tanner looked uncomfortable.
He was usually the one who nit-picked and questioned everything, but with good reason behind it. “Shit, Vic. Aren’t the Skulls past the stage that we gotta get back to leg-breakin’?”

“It’s about showing our new financial provider our willingness to do what needs to be done.
We ain’t cemented long enough to turn down a request. Wanna keep those graces we’re in good.”

“Yeah, but Ben’s ol’ lady’s the ol’
don’s
daughter,” Doug said. “Ain’t that good graces enough?”

“No, it isn’t.” B
en spoke up for his wife before Vic could answer. “Eva did her part. Carmine’s dead. Debt settled.” The club’s enforcer didn’t care for Doug’s big mouth or his wife’s name being dragged back into club business. “It
got
us this gig. But we gotta
keep
it.”

Taz loved watching Ben put Doug in his place.
Even though the guy would throw himself under an eighteen wheeler for his president, Doug sometimes had the habit of saying the wrong thing. And Ben was usually the guy to call him out on it. It also still amazed him to watch that six-foot-six mountain of a man be protective of his wife’s name and her secret association to the Caprese family.

“We got willing participants, so we do what they want,” Vic said, getting an enthusiastic nod of approval from Taz. “Anything else before I put on my happy face for the town selectman?”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Taz leaned back in his chair.
“Charles fronted us the material to fix the office door. Zippy ain’t goin’ nowhere till it’s done.”

“I’ll give
him a hand,” young Wesley cut in. “Wanna make sure it gets done right.”

“Yeah, speaking of Charles, any fallout from what happened Monday at the mill?” Aero asked.

Ben shook his head. “Nah. Mallory’s been quiet since.”

“But he was
not
happy,” Tanner added. “And a wounded animal’s dangerous. Don’t think he’ll pull that shit and come back, but I don’t trust him either.”

Vic sighed
then grabbed the mallet. “Eyes and ears open, boys. All we can do.” He slammed it down. “Now get outta here and play well with others.”

~~~***~~~

Taz was right. This Super 8 would not do long term.

Karen was up
, showered, and dressed in a leaf-print tank dress and black sandals by ten. She finished securing her hair into a low chignon, put on the pair of pearl studs her parents had given her at graduation, then grabbed her purse. She needed to start looking for a permanent residence.

But where?
Which town? It only made sense to find something in Tippitt. It would allow her to sleep as late as possible and not put any further wear on her ten-year-old vehicle, not to mention save on fuel. After she left the motel, she got coffee and a bagel from a roadside canteen, then jumped on I70 heading north. Towards Tippitt.

As unn
erved as she still was about Taz appearing outside her motel room two nights ago, she still couldn’t get that kiss out of her head. And if it wasn’t sensation enough to send that strange warmth surging through her again, she remembered waking up with her face plastered to his ribs. A muscled, tattooed body was the first thing her eyes had found when she opened them, followed by a pair of silver rings affixed to his nipples. Now
that
must’ve hurt as much as that tongue stud. Oh, God the tongue stud and what he’d insinuated. She hadn’t known whether to be appalled or…..aroused.

He was
as much a mystery to her as she was probably to him. Maybe it was best to keep it that way, but as long as she was spending five days a week in the center of his hometown, that idea evaporated. Not to mention, the thought of someone like
her
with someone like
him
was a bit ludicrous. And as soon as she thought that, she scolded herself. Shit, did she really just think that? That was something her mother would say, which immediately made Karen recoil.

Still,
a big-city girl with a small-town biker just didn’t jive. Yeah, opposites attracted, but she was talking way past a one-eighty here. Nor was she was looking for a relationship, casual or otherwise. She had bigger fish to fry right now and needed a place with a stove to cook it on. And before she knew it, she was entering that town with the quirky name and a bunch of establishments playing upon it. She sought out the local businesses, looking for something with a realtor sign, but found none. So far, she was only on speaking terms with four people – Jane Marsh, Eva, Taz and his mom. Well, five if she counted Ben’s grunt of hello. Jane looked too stiff to approach until she knew her better, Eva was most likely working at home and Taz was way out of the question this soon, even if she knew where to find him. That would leave one person, and oh, how thrilled Janice Morrell would be to know she’d wound up in bed with her son two days ago.

Before she knew it, Karen found herself pulling into the plaza and all the way down.
Once inside the bakery, that heavenly smell enveloped her. A girl who looked to still be in high school was filling up several white boxes with a variety of pastries before tying them up with string. The customer, a tall, well-dressed woman carrying an embossed satchel, took the boxes and walked past Karen on the way out.

“Tina, you done with Elle’s order……..”
Janice walked out from the back and stopped upon seeing Karen. “Oh. Hello.”

“Good morning, Janice.
I was wondering if I could ask you something.”

“Hold on, hon.” Janice loudly cleared her throat
, then addressed the young girl. “You take care of Elle?”

“All set.”

Nodding, Janice waved Karen over to the opposite counter. She inhaled deeply. “I can gain five pounds just smelling everything.”

“Doing stuffed breads in back.
Lots of late graduation parties and picnics still going on. So, what brings you here, hon? You start work yet?”

“N
ot until Monday. Just wondering if there’s a realtor in town? Want to check out what’s available.”

Janice’s eyes
lit up. “You gonna move here?”

“Not sure.
Just looking.”

“Exactly what are you looking for?
A house?”

Karen shook her head.
“No. I’m a single girl. Why would I want a house?”

“Never know.
Eva bought a house on her own not even a year ago. Now she’s got a man, a wedding ring and tot in her tummy. Never know what you might catch.”

This woman was desperate to make a love connection for her, but Karen couldn’t afford that route even if she wanted to.
“I don’t have the money for a down payment. Rental’s fine for now. Small. Cheap.”

“Hey,
I think I may know of something.” She reached into the back pocket of her acid wash – yes,
acid wash
– jeans and pulled out her phone. “Hang on, hon.”

~~~***~~~

“If that door ain’t flush, your head’s gonna do just that – down a toilet full of shit.”