Page 12 of Pearl (Royal Harlots MC, Phoenix, Az. #1)
Carver
I ’m only away from her for a few minutes, as long as it takes to make a couple sandwiches, grab a bag of chips and a couple cold beers. It feels like an eternity, thinking about the image of her sliding a delicate finger through that wet little pussy. All for me.
I push the door open with my foot, carrying our food into the room, only to find my little fantasy curled into my pillow, golden hair spread, and sleeping soundly.
Something tightens in my chest, seeing her so relaxed, with her guard down, in my space.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I eat my sandwich without ever taking my eyes from the beauty who’s somehow managed to get under my skin, in the most unimaginable of ways.
The minute I slide into bed and curl her to me, she wakes slightly. A stroke to the side of her neck calms her. “Just me, baby. Go back to sleep.”
The rhythmic sound of her breathing calms me too. Just soaking in her nearness fills a void that’s been deep and wide open for so many years without ever before having a thought of filling it.
I wake a few hours later to the caress of her touch, her finger gently passing over ever feature of my face as though memorizing it for good.
Maybe I’ve watched too many movies, but it feels like something that happens right before the girl says goodbye in a good movie, and I’m damn sure not ready for that.
My eyes meet hers in the dim light. “You trying to get to know me better or to say goodbye?”
“Real emotions, real feelings, and no bullshit?” she whispers.
I reach beneath her nape and kiss her soundly on the mouth. “Always.”
Her voice trembles. “A little scared of my feelings right now. Things are happening way too fast. I mean, it’s been a minute, a real long minute since I trusted anyone who wasn’t female or one of my crew. The stuff that happened today, I’m still trying to process it all. Do you work for the mob?”
My jaw tightens. “Not exactly, but I do some work for them.”
“You gonna tell me who those men were at the bar? I have been around the block. The two bikers clearly work for the Larussio crew.”
I stroke her cheek. “It’s a little complicated baby.
The Rivalry used to run for the Larussios exclusively, take care of things that needed distance from the family.
Capone, the tall, intense bald-headed man with tattoos trailing down his neck.
He was their prez. Still is, but the Desert Riders have been in Vegas a long time.
Their president Ryker a while back took a job from an enemy of the Larussios, unknowingly rumored to contain product that was cut with pure street poison. ”
Her mouth opens slightly.
“Yeah, you can imagine how that went over. The Larussios had just built their new casino in the most prime piece of real estate on the strip. They pulled both groups in for a sit down out in the desert and put a stop to the product getting out on the street.”
“Damn. Ryker and his crew got lucky the Larussios didn’t carve them up.”
“Ryker and his crew didn’t know what they were running, and they proved themselves to the Larussios and when the Larussios needed to expand, they patched the two groups together, but not all of the crew.
Only the ones Ryker and the Larussios thought were worthy.
The rest are still Desert Riders and mean as hell.
I’m certain that we ran into some of them today. ”
Pearl’s eyes grow wide. “Wow, the two presidents didn’t seem to have much animosity towards each other. Quite the opposite in fact. Two leaders becoming friends, that definitely doesn’t usually happen.”
“Yeah, they’re both good guys. I’ve worked for each of them over the years, and if two leaders can make it work, it will be them.
There’s a lot of territory to cover, so my guess is they keep the division that way, but all stay under the Larussios’ protection.
No matter the arrangement, I know they’re all fucking protective of that family. ”
“Maybe, but the rest of those bikers saw Larussio walk in, and they scattered out of that room as quick as they could. Even the bunnies knew not to dawdle.”
I laugh. “You noticed that, huh? Well, I’m sure everyone’s heard the rumors about what happened down on Fremont Street.
Not sure what started the fight, but a biker group, maybe even part of the Desert Riders, I’m not sure, but they took a shot at the boss’s little brother. Messed him up pretty bad.”
Salvatore Larussio didn’t even fucking give them until daylight.
Capone and Ryker’s crews took a bunch of them out, and left the others barely alive with the scrolly, bloody L carved into their chests.
At least the Larussio you met today didn’t do that.
He’s been known to, though. Don’t fuck with the Larussios. Anything else you want to know?”
Pearl’s eyes meet mine. “And where do you come in? The truth. How much work do you do for these guys?”
She has every right to ask, every right to be afraid.
But it’s not like she and her ladies are running on the right side of the law either.
Yet, my ties to the mafia without being a member of the club does leave me as a very easy loose end to get rid of if they should ever feel the need.
No brothers to back me up, to have my ass, or to ensure the care of my ol’ lady if shit goes south without notice.
Nothing I’ve ever had to worry about before.
I draw her to me, coaxing her chin up, meeting her worried gaze. “There’s a buffer between me and the Larussios, baby. I get my jobs through Capone and Ryker. For the Larussios many times no doubt, but I don’t run in the same circles with them and their enforcers. This job was just a fluke.”
Pearl exhales a long deep breath. “How the fuck do we make this work? I’m in Phoenix, and that’s not going to change, Carver. I owe Duchess for everything she’s done for me, and me and the ladies, we help a lot of women I’m not willing to abandon.”
I run a finger over her lips. “Shh, baby… these things have a way of sorting themselves out. We’re both free spirits, we do what we want, for the people we want, and damn anything that tries to constrain or hold us back.
This is no different. I’m in Phoenix a couple times a week, at least. I can look for more runs that would bring me back this way more often. ”