Veiled Amor by V. Theia

EPILOGUE

“The long kiss goodbye.” - Mateo Mercado

 

 

Living a life that was wholly hers meant Lucia had experienced a lot of adventuring in the last six months. She and Capone had traveled. First, he’d taken her out of the country to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic while her dad’s trial was going on in the States. He’d wanted her as far away as possible because she’d been hounded by the press for a statement.

By the time they’d arrived home, her father was serving fifty nine years in jail without parole. He’d tried calling and writing, but she wasn’t ready for that. She might never be ready. Saying sorry now didn’t make up for the years of shit that came before it. And she was okay with her decision because what she had filled her completely.

Capone’s love was a soft, warm hug and a cocktail of intoxication.

Next on their travels was a trip back to NOLA to see Jacie and Tiger, plus the rest of the Louisiana gang. Tiger was even more possessive over the tiny woman, much to Lucia’s amusement when she teased she was taking Jacie home.

It was crazy to feel this happy when not so long ago they were both alone. And as it turned out, Lucia was too late to get on the pill. Her man was more potent than a Greek God on Viagra.

Lucia was totally knocked up.

She still smiled, thinking of how he peacock strutted the day they saw two little heartbeats on the ultrasound. And worse when they discovered they were having two boys. Capone hadn’t come down off cloud nine yet.

Three Mercado boys to adore.

When she was in her second trimester, they took a week-long trip to Puerto Rico. It was fun seeing where the tiny biker-to-be had grown up. Their kids might not have many blood relatives, but she always wants them to know their heritage.

“Hey,” she felt a nudge, and Lucia blinked, looking to her left at two amused faces, “you were off in pregnancy brain again,” Erin said, sliding a bottle of fizzy water across to her. She looked at their cocktails longingly, pouting as she took a sip.

“I was thinking about how handsome Capone looked this morning,” she smirked to hear Erin, who was employed as the MC house mouse, and Angela groan, as they always did when Lucia got mushy about her man. She couldn’t help it; he was a tall drink of yummy.

“Swear to god, you have enough sex to power the city.”

“One of us needs to.” She countered.

“Don’t look at me, I told you, I’m off men,” Erin scoffed, sipping her drink and looking like a model in a silver bodycon dress. Lucia had noticed more than one man looking her way, and Erin gave them the freeze.

Angela had talked them into a night out at the new Denver casino opening. Having grown up surrounded by millionaire mansions and men with too much money, she could smell the wealth in the atmosphere. Lucia had already gambled her $200 and lost, and didn’t intend to lose anymore. She was content to spend a few hours with her friends.

It was noted they had one of the VIP tables because of Angela. The young woman who welcomed Lucia into the biker fold had fast become one of her closest friends. She was wickedly clever, like scarily so, Lucia always thought Angela was like chess; ten moves ahead. Angela was sexy as sin and had the men panting around her to prove it. No one ever questioned how she got into twenty-one and over places like she did because she could produce fake documents like an expert.

The casino was gorgeous, it matched Vegas, that was for sure.

“Tell us again why you’re not getting laid,” Angela added to the conversation, though her eyes constantly strayed around the casino, watchful as a cat. “I can name at least three prospects who wouldn’t mind a sugar mama.”

Erin chuckled and rolled her pretty eyes. “I told you, the last guy I slept with went into rehab the very next day, no text or anything. He hasn’t been seen since. It kind of wounds the ego, you know. I’m done with men.”

“You gonna try eating the kitty cat?”

Erin laughed at Angela’s question. Lucia nearly choked on her fizzy water.

“I have vibrators, lots of them, and they don’t cause any trouble. Plus, I don’t have to kick their stupid asses out when they fuck up.”

That was fair enough. Lucia lived that life once, until Capone rode in like an avenging demon and gave her all the bossy sex she could want. Plus, he loved using her sex toys on her which was a win-win for her.

She felt twitchy knowing he was at home, all sexy and probably naked.

Her foot kicked Angela’s under the table as a cocktail server dropped off another round of drinks they hadn’t ordered. Lucia knew who they’d come from. “Looks like whatshisface wants you.” As a group, they looked over the room to see Jay Benz motioning Angela with a tip of his chin. No lie, the man was popular as the devil standing in an ink-black suit and tie and a dark wool overcoat in the same color.

It was his casino opening night.

As handsome as he might be, the man stank of trouble.

And for some unknown reason, Angela was associated with him.

It worried Lucia and Erin.

“I don’t like him,” Erin chimed without a filter, not for the first time, “he’s old enough to be your dad. Why does he want to be giving you chin lifts?”

“Bet he wants to be her daddy…” cackled Lucia.

“Relax, grandma,” Angela said, standing to her supermodel stature, so gorgeous in a tight red dress and midi leather jacket and red soled shoes. “You don’t have to worry about me, I know what I’m doing.”

“Do you, though?” Lucia asked.

Turning her back to Jay Benz, the smile which had been on Angela’s face melted away as if she’d been wearing a mask this whole time. Serious eyes, so much older than her age. Intelligent kind of serious. Secretive kind of serious.

“Yes, girls. I do. I’ll be right back.”

They both watched her threading her way through the crowd and stood talking to the sinful man for a few minutes, nodding in places, looking like a queen who could hold her court and do it effortlessly.

“Men like that are trouble with a capital T,” Erin hummed, sipping her drink.

“Bet he knows how to burn up the sheets, though.”

Erin laughed, “I’ll stick to my loyal vibes.”

The girls cheered to vibrators.

Then Lucia texted the love of her life.

 

 

Lucia: Are you naked?

Capone: Does my wife want me to be?

 

 

Oh, yeah. They hadn’t waited even a month after everything went down to get married. “I’m going to ask you to marry me someday soon, and you’re gonna say yes.” He told her not long after they’d gotten home from Miami. Lucia had smiled into his chest. “Bossy.” Three days later, he’d asked, and Lucia said yes. Now she was the real Mrs. Mercado she’d always longed to be.

 

 

Lucia: I wouldn’t mind if your pants were on the bedroom floor when I got home.

 

 

Capone was sly as fuck and sexy with it. He knew her pregnant hormones drove her crazy sometimes. Made her mad or weepy, but mostly she was hungry or horny. It was a nightmare if she were both at the same time. Having insider info about Lucia in his arsenal meant he used his superpowers for evil and turned her on at all hours. They had to stop on the side of the road for God’s sake last week while he finger-fucked her into satisfaction. And then she tucked into a double serving of drive-thru fries.

Fortunately, since the bitch-cop, Sofia, mysteriously was transferred to another state, they didn’t have to worry about being pulled over. Thank goodness, seeing as Lucia’s hormones ruled the roost.

Ugh, she missed him, but Lucia didn’t want to ditch the girls so early.

She lasted two more hours.

Judge was waiting outside to drive them home.

Capone wasn’t naked when she let herself into their apartment. Still, it wasn’t bad because he was standing at the kitchen counter slicing fruit (her craving was fruit, fruit, and more fruit, so her loving husband made her a big bowl of fruit salad every night to nibble on) and he was dancing.

If not already job done, her ovaries would have released a flood of eggs for how horny she felt watching that perfect backside dancing to Safari by J. Balvin, blasting from Alexa. He was singing along too. Badly. Capone might be the total package, the sexiest and most lovely man on the earth, but dear god, he sounded like a wounded squirrel when he tried to sing.

As she kicked off her shoes, she tossed the purse onto the couch and watched him, her hands going to her rounded stomach, while the boys did their rendition of salsa dancing in her womb.

She felt like one of those cartoon characters with love pouring out of her eyeballs.

Every day it got worse.

She had a husband who loved her more than life itself; she knew this because he wasn’t stingy with his love affirmations. But his love language, as she’d discovered, was doing things for her. Her car needed seeing to? Capone was there before she even had to ask. She wanted to change the nursery color? He had it sorted.

Lucky didn’t even describe how she felt.

She was cherished every day.

“Get over here and kiss your husband,” he said in his raspy voice, without turning around. When he did, his eyes were amused and smoldering.

Of course, he knew she was home.

Capone, months ago, put a tracking app on her phone, one in her car and another in a piece of jewelry she wore daily. Any other woman might have objected to being so closely monitored, but she knew it was for his peace of mind.

“Sexy girl,” he rumbled against her neck when she walked into his arms.

“Oh, sure. My waddle is hella sexy.”

A hand swatted her behind, and she felt a hot stirring down below. “Sexy, I said.” Mmm, he was very good at that too. Making her feel desirable, especially on days when Lucia felt as big as a submarine. “How is mi amor? Did you have a good night with the girls? Are my sons making you ache?”

“It was fun, but you know I’m always glad to come home.”

They loved being together. More often than not, Lucia was there with him at the club.

Preacher still let them use his pool, but he always gave them the stink-eye as if he’d known what they got up to that first time. She prayed their backyard didn’t have cameras for the times Capone got frisky with his hands under the water and in her bikini bottoms.

And she’d found a love of going on long rides with Capone until she was too big.

If she was with Capone, Lucia was happy. Her heart was a simple organ and needed little.

“And the aches?”

He worried, so she didn’t lie. Her blood pressure was higher than usual, but she was carrying two big babies; give her a break. “A little.” He swayed her to the music, holding two hands under her bump to relieve her of the weight. God, it felt incredible. “Do you know what I want?”

He rumbled a noise with his mouth to her throat. “Tell me, amor, what you want and how it involves my obliging dick.”

She laughed and pinched the skin on his ribs. He always knew, didn’t he?

“I want a warm bath and to climb into bed.”

“With me and my dick?”

“Of course.”

Capone grinned, and he leaned down to kiss her. A kiss that ignited her body and set fire to her soul. She clung to his shirt front, breathless with her skin tingling. He still went to her head like a bottle of tequila.

“Relax in the family room, micorazón. I’ll run you a bath.”

“You’re the best husband ever. And I should know, I’ve had two.”

She earned another swat on her butt.

Half-asleep when he came back, she smelled the lavender bubbles when he lifted her into his arms. Lucia curled hers around Capone’s neck and nuzzled his stubble jawline. “Are you going to join me?”

“You know I hate that smelly shit.”

“You could make an exception one time, Giancarlo.” She coaxed, moving her lips over his ear gauge.

“I don’t want to stink like a meadow.”

Lucia would take offense if she weren’t so sleepy. Cooking two Mercado boys, who were always so active, was tiring work. She slid down his body so he could undress her. It was another wife perk she reveled in and he kissed her belly as he helped her out of the panties.

“You’re going to smell like us and sex anyway, so what does it matter?”

Capone cocked an arrogant brow and turned her tummy over with hot flips. He could be sexy without even trying.

“You have a point. Climb in, Lucia, you’re practically asleep.”

“I can rally for sex, don’t you worry your biker head about that, baby.”

He chuckled, his eyes appraising her body in a slow perusal.

She’d been more self-conscious of her body when she was a size 3. Now she was round and pregnant all over, she felt incredibly womanly and loved when Capone put his eyes, hands, and mouth on her. She sent him a wink over her shoulder as she sank into the suds, moaning with pleasure as the water enveloped her.

That’s when she heard the clank of a belt being undone, and she smiled to herself.

“You are a damn tease, wife.”

“And you love it.”

He didn’t deny it. Sinking into the water behind her, Capone pulled Lucia into his chest. Now this was bliss.

This weekend there was a big biker get-together on Renegade Souls grounds. Then, the weekend after, it was a birthday party plus housewarming for Rider and Zara’s new place. Lucia was thriving in her new family.

It went without saying, though, spending time just with Capone, heaven itself.

It turned into paradise when her impatient man slipped his hand into the water and found where she was slick and ready for him. Lucia moaned his name when he found the easy rhythm, rubbing her slowly at first, working her until her legs shook.

“That’s right, mi amor. Rattle the fucking walls crying my name. I waited long enough to hear it, didn’t I?”

“Yes,” she agreed.

And fed the ego of her insatiable man, who she loved more than life itself.

After all, he’d given her the life she was living now; she owed him.

Owed him.

Owned him.

It was the same thing, she was a Mercado, so she’d know.

“Oh, god, don’t tease me, Giancarlo,” she pleaded. His fingers had turned wicked.

And so did his chuckle against the side of her throat. “We have nothing but time, amor.”

Thank God.

She smiled into her pleasure.

 

 

* * *

 

 

A look into the future

 

Mateo Mercado looked every inch the relaxed man as he smoked the last of his joint and stubbed it out, knocking the woman’s hand from his arm as he stood to his height. The clubhouse was always busy and overrun with women at the weekends, but especially this one, seeing as it was Dax’s old man’s birthday. Grinder was a legend.

Swear to God, there was always something for their club family to get together. If it were any other bunch of people that Mateo didn’t give a fuck about, he’d say they were dysfunctional, co-dependent. But he’d do anything for his club and his family, so he always rocked up carrying a bottle of whatever, for whatever party it was.

Tonight was different, and he was ready to get out of there.

On his way out, he caught his twin’s eyes across the room.

Diego was sprawled on a couch, legs out in front of him, laughing with their friends. A chick on his lap, another cuddled up to his side. Good-looking fucker always got the women. They both had from an early age, but only Mateo would know Diego wasn’t screwing with any of them currently. He wouldn’t blab. The brothers had an unspoken rule, they took each other’s backs no matter what, even if they hated each other that day. It was something their dad drummed into them from birth. Diego lifted his chin to Mateo, a slight smirk on his face. Mateo mirrored the move, raising his hand to let his brother know he was taking off for the night.

Only Diego knew where he was going.

They’d meet for breakfast tomorrow, as always.

“You’re not leaving, are you, baby? The night has only started.” A groupie intercepted his escape, winding her bare arms around his waist. Mateo detangled himself from the woman and her overpowering perfume, giving her a crooked grin. “Sorry, places to go.”

“Looks like you disappointed her,” a deep voice said behind him as he sent the woman off. Mateo stopped in his tracks. Again. This time to face someone he liked.

“Hey, papá. I’m sure she’ll get over it.”

Capone half-smirked and clapped Mateo on the shoulder. “Leaving so soon?”

“Yeah, I already talked to the birthday boy.”

“Grinder does like a party. Where you headed to, Son?”

“Got somewhere to be. You and Ma hanging around?”

“For a while, sí. She hasn’t tried the cake yet.”

Both men grinned. There wasn’t a cake Lucia Mercado didn’t like. And it was the easiest way to bribe her. All the Mercado men knew this.

“Give her a hug from me.”

“You could give her that hug yourself.”

“I’m on the way out if people would quit stopping me.”

Capone arched his brow in that knowing way of his. Sometimes Mateo suspected their dad could see into their brains and knew all the shit the twins got up to. He sure as hell had known all the crap they did in their teen years, but borrowing cars and fighting were long behind Diego and Mateo.

“You’ve been disappearing a lot lately. You in trouble, Son?”

“I hardly disappear, papá. I got places to be is all.”

“Who is she?”

Mateo relaxed his shoulders and flashed a grin. “Go enjoy your night with Ma.”

Capone smirked, and they went in for a hug. “You too.”

He wasn’t five steps outside, nearly to his Harley, when someone called his name. Jesus fucking Christ. He spun around to face Knox. “What is it, Alpha?”

“What’s the hurry?”

“Fuck’s sake, why is everyone up my ass tonight?”

Knox laughed and held up his hands in a submissive pose as he approached. The men were the same size, but in the club world, Alpha outranked him, seeing as he was next in line to take the prez gavel. The pair had been friends since birth, and Knox made no secret of wanting Mateo to be his VP one day.

“Whoa, calm your tits, I was only asking. You need to get laid, bro, if you’re this bad tempered.”

“I’m trying,” he breathed, “but no fucker will let me leave.”

Knox laughed again, a beer bottle hanging from his hand. “I hear that. Have a good night, bro. I gotta get a keg from the shed, or Lawless will rip my head off.”

“Better him than the bossy lunatic he’s shackled to.”

“I hear that.”

They fist-bumped, and the men went their separate ways. Fucking finally.

The ride took a while, but he eventually pulled into a secluded cabin halfway up the mountain. His blood started bubbling under his skin as he approached, knowing what was behind the door and how long it had been.

His apartment was unavailable because everyone was always banging on his door.

No, this was better. Private.

Matteo’s heart started thumping as he let himself in.

“Could you think of anywhere more out of the way? Why not screw two states over so you’re not seen with me?”

The tension he’d been holding onto all day released, and he flashed a grin at his lover. “If you’re gonna bitch, at least get on your knees to bitch.”

“Don’t be a prick right now, Mateo.”

“Why not? You love it.”

The guy grumbled, and Mateo caught him around the back of his neck. As always, electricity shot down into his arms when he touched Pasha.

This fucking heat had come out of nowhere for them both and made it impossible to ignore.

For years they fought.

They bickered.

They warred.

They ignored.

But it always came back to this connection neither could fight.

Two men who’d only had relationships with women were hot for each other.

Hotter than anything he’d ever felt before.

It was a compulsion.

His mom would say an addiction if he ever spoke to her about it.

“Shut the fuck up, Pash, and kiss me.”

Pasha groaned as Mateo yanked him forward by the shirt. The two men came together like an eruption of chemicals and gases the moment they touched, and Mateo felt at peace once more when he had Pasha’s tongue wrapped around his.

“Fuck. I missed this.”

“Whose fault is that?” Pasha accused, still with a bite of irritation in his tone.

“It’s mine. Now, we gonna take off our clothes or stand here yapping all night?”

When Pasha smirked, it was with his whole soul. Mateo always joked he had some wicked Russian in his blood to make him look like a movie villain.

Sexy Russian knew it too.

He felt Pasha cup his nape, tightening his long fingers, and Mateo trembled.

“Get your damn clothes off, Mateo. But don’t talk. You know you piss me off when your mouth opens.”

“Not always. You like my mouth open.” He shot back.

Pasha grunted but didn’t argue.

It wasn’t coordinated when they tugged off their clothes.

Or when they fucked for hours.

All Mateo knew was he had to get as much of Pasha as he could.

The guy would hate him tomorrow.

He’d accepted that.

He couldn’t tell Pasha because he would have talked him out of it. Entirely too easily.

Pasha was Mateo’s weakness. The one person he’d been drawn to all his life.

They’d hated each other, but never far from each other either.

As he smoothed his fingertips up his sleeping lover’s back, he etched the man to memory. His ink and scars, the long length of his body, and the defined muscles he’d watched Pasha pack on in the last few years. He was a brain, so fucking clever, too bright for Mateo, who only just scraped through graduating and didn’t bother with college.

Pasha was going to do some important shit.

And Mateo wouldn’t hold the guy back from having the best life.

He fingered through Pasha’s hair as the sun came up.

He hadn’t been able to hold the hours back, no matter how much he’d tried.

Tomorrow always came.

“Be fucking spectacular.” He told his lover in Spanish, kissing the back of his neck.

Mateo dressed quickly and left Pasha sleeping.

He wasn’t surprised to find Diego sleeping outside in his silver Canyon. Rapping knuckles on the window, his twin came awake, alert like a damn rodent. The window came down.

“What are you doing here?”

Twin telepathy sucked sometimes.

“You know why.” Mateo did. “You sure about this?”

No. He wanted to stay.

Wanted to walk back into that cabin and maul his lover again, kiss him, and tell Pasha he was his fucking everything, even when he pissed him off.

The pull was hurting him.

“Yeah.”

Diego nodded, his eyes on the cabin behind Mateo.

Of course, his twin would be here.

They were headed in different directions for the first time in their life, and the prospect was daunting to them both.

Mateo swung his leg over his bike. “I’ll follow you down the mountain.”

He took one last look behind him.

It would be a long damn time before he saw Pasha again.

And when he did, the man would hate him even more.

 

THE END

 

 

 

More to come from the Renegade Souls MC with Arson’s story.

And then the end of the series with the psycho you’ve been waiting for! – Stay Tuned.