Will peeked out of an eye mischievously. "Easy with that, Goldie Locks," he kidded.

  "Oh no, we'll be locked in here forever," Laura teased.

  "What will we eat?" he replied rhetorically as he freed her breast from its satiny cup. He craned up to take her into his mouth. He flicked his tongue against her erect nipple throwing off her scheme to erotically bathe him. He was going to commandeer the sensuality most assuredly. He released her and trailed the curve of her breast, following it to her ribs, the sensitive skin of her abdomen. Her breath pulsed as his tongue twirled the center of her navel.

  She was now half way up the shower wall, trying to give him access to her body where his mouth wanted to go. She was straddling him now, bracing herself by holding hands with him. She squatted against his lips and received pure pleasure.

  He cupped her buttocks and she was now sitting in his hands. He twirled her around and directed her body under the rushing water. She reached between and hurried her orgasm along. It slammed her, rushing her entire body with the most exquisite climax. The warmth of the water over her sensitive body elongated the duration of the sweet spasms. Will entered her with his fingers, antagonized her hot channel.

  He withdrew from her and tasted it on his own fingers, then lowered her onto his erection. With his powerful grip around her hips, he lifted her up and down, pumping her body onto his. He growled through his orgasm as it overtook him with a fury. Laura's skin was once again oily from contact with him. The water was cooling. They were going to be filmy again if they didn't rinse fast.

  She pulled away from him and got on her knees on the Berber rug. She washed him, rinsed him, and began once again to work him with the firm grip of her hand. Will was hard again. Laura leaned over the side of the tub and took him into her mouth. She pressed his erection to the soft pliant flesh of her cheek and drew tightly. Working up as much saliva as she could manage, she flicked her tongue against the tip of the head of his penis. Will gripped her head and pumped into her mouth. Laura rose up. She trailed her lips up and down his shaft. She drew her tongue atop his testicles. He was called to the gods. A surge of power and pleasure coursed throughout her.

  Will rose out of the water of the tub like Poseidon. He carried her to the bed whose cover was so thick and plush it soaked up the water off of their bodies. He drove into her again. Laura lifted her ankles and rested them on his massive shoulders. Will looked like a god above her, broad and marble-solid.

  "I love this so much," she murmured lazily. She reached up and twisted his nipple gently.

  "Mmm," he grumbled.

  Will's pace picked up causing her breasts to bob up and down rhythmically. She cupped them, pushed one up towards her mouth and stretched her tongue to the tip of her nipple. Will mouthed a kiss for her to signal how sweet she felt for him, but his stamina crumbled. He made the telltale sign he was on the path to climax when his head tilted back and his eyes fluttered upward. Low guttural noises rose up from deep within him. Suddenly he was roaring, coming within her.

  Laura cocked her leg back and pumped it in counter rhythm to his, to fuel his pleasure with more pleasure. She was torturing him; she knew it, for he bucked wildly within her. He could stand no more, literally. Will collapsed on the mattress beside her.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  The bright beach light lifted the blinds of Will's cozy room far too early. Laura could use more sleep time. The sleep in the simple comfort was fabulous. She awoke peaceful, albeit a little groggy.

  She yawned.

  Will drew a powerful arm around her. "Sleepy head. We did get quite a work out." He rolled her back against him and spooned. "We can take this cuddling downstairs on the deck. It has very comfortable bench seats." His giant hands coursed the planes of her body. "We have space heaters so it's lovely in the cool air while the sun is rising. I can make you breakfast.

  "Sold," said Laura.

  "And I'm pretty sure I heard the guys go for a run. We'll probably have the place to ourselves."

  “I didn’t hear anything,” she smiled. “You must have vampire hearing. When did they go?”

  “This is Ocean Beach, Goldie Locks. I think it’s a misdemeanor if you don’t work out,” he teased. Will’s hands were now actively roaming her, but her stomach growled and put a halt to it. It warmed her. Between the two forces that ruled him, sex and nurturing, nurturing won out.

  They loaded up in the elevator and pushed the button. As it descended, it shut off. Stopped. With both of them in it. Laura only mildly panicked because Will was with her.

  “Are you making a pass at me?” she kidded.

  She put her arms around his waist and felt his fear. He pulled away from her and began feeling around the elevator. Even in the pitch-blackness, she could tell he didn’t like the situation one bit. Now she was worried.

  He flipped a switch repeatedly. “The emergency light isn’t coming on and the speaker isn’t working,” he muttered.

  Just as she was about to climb up him, like a cub up a tree, to safety, power was restored and the elevator miraculously began moving. It landed on the floor with the kitchen, living room and deck and opened up, otherwise uneventfully.

  “We don’t need coffee now. I am awake,” he gripped her to him reassuringly.

  Laura was not comforted but she was relieved. She was glad to be on solid ground. “Are there stairs that go up and down to these floors? I don’t think I like the elevator anymore,” she remarked.

  “That’s never happened,” he said. He led her to the deck and turned the space heaters on. He directed her to a couple of hearty throws and made sure she was comfortable before going back into the house for coffee.

  The sun on the deck was brilliant and warm despite the slightly chilled winter beach breeze. The decked was off to the side of the house, so it had an ocean view but it also peeked into the windows of the neighbors behind them. Because those windows had ocean views, they generally had no drapery. The lives of those beach dwellers were on display.

  Laura scanned the gallery of windows, offering snapshots of lifestyle, taste and habits when she fixed on one in particular. For there inside, was a man staring back at her. There was no doubt; he was watching her as she had been her.

  It was hard to tell whether the man just had a ‘beach’ appearance. Many of the people had a throwback look of longish, natural hair and earthy appearances, but that “hippy” look could cross over easily to a biker look. Because of the elevator incident, Laura’s mind went right to the Marauders. But that couldn’t be; they weren’t supposed to be out in California.

  Will returned with two piping hot cups of coffee. The coffee was delicious – so good that Laura had to sip twice before murmuring that she and Will had an audience. She told Will this quietly and from the side of her mouth, instructing him to not look up.

  But Will didn’t listen. He raised his head slowly and looked at the gawker directly. The gawker smiled and waved. “Nothing to worry about yet. Just act casually. Of course, unless you’re into it, deck sex is off the table,” Will teased.

  Though she knew he was joking, she could tell he was bothered. “Actually, I am kind of cold,” she lied.

  And he knew she had. He cut his look to her, his eye wide brilliant eyes so beautifully lined with dark lashes. Laura’s breath caught, he was so handsome. “Really?” he demanded. “Can you brave it? We are safe. I promise.”

  “Yes, of course,” she agreed.

  “The housekeeper is here and she is making us up some breakfast. She has fresh tortillas going.”

  Despite Will’s statement that all was safe, he sat on the side of Laura nearest the voyeur. The boisterous sound of the morning runners entering the house calmed her. She felt better now knowing there were more people in the house. Having Knights’ Disciples around was like having a personal army. The runners came straight to Will and Laura on the deck.

  “Morning,” said Lucas with a smile.

  Even though the Knights’ Disciples were understandably untrusting of her younger brother, Laura liked that they were spending their time together civilly and positively. Pete, Darren, and Lucas and an Ocean Beach Disciple name Brett simultaneously cocked their head upward to the man watching their every move.

  “Is this guy jacking off to us or what?” asked Lucas.

  “Recognize him?” Will asked softly.

  “No not really,” said Lucas.

  “You?” Will asked Brett.

  Brett answered, “I might. We could certainly find out. These places behind us are all rentals. Hard to say who lives in them. I know a few of the owners. Not sure if I know who owns the one the guy’s in. It is split up by level so it’s a much multi-tenant building right now. But if we look up who owns it, I can say whether I know them and we can find out who he is.”

  Will looked right at Laura and used her words. “Sold.”

  “Or I can beat it out of him,” Lucas offered seriously.

  Will scowled at him. “Once a Marauder always a Marauder?”

  “I wasn’t a Marauder. I got away from them. I am here. I want to be a Knights’ Disciples. I was once on that path. I am on it again. I will prove it to you.”

  “Whatever you say,” Will said facetiously.

  The housekeeper, Mirna, came to the door to announce breakfast was ready.

  “Do we eat out here? Or do we go in doors?” Pete asked. “I don’t really want Skippy up there to check out how much salt I put on my eggs.”

  “I understand but I don’t want to go inside either and make him think he’s bothered us,” said Will.

  Laura was struck with inspiration. She started fake sneezing her head off. She didn’t let on that she was pulling their leg.

  “I’m allergic to something out here,” she said

  That was that. The crowd milled inside the house to the dining room to eat there. Once they were situated, Will leaned into Laura. His body, his energy was so warm and electric. “Well played, Goldie Locks.”

  “Well,” she replied weakly.

  He gently, firmly gripped the ticklish part of her knee under the table. Because she controlled her reaction, the effect spread throughout her. She wondered immediately if it was obvious as it felt. Her breath was tight and she was dizzied, so turned on by him. He reached over her and poured her coffee, then passed the carafe around the table.

  There was some discussion of who the voyeur might have been. It wasn’t necessarily a Marauder connection stalking Lucas. He could have been lots of things, including high. They were reminding each other not to think the worse.

  Laura thought it was strange, though, that Will didn’t tell the table that they had lost power in the elevator. When Mirna came out to ask about, Will knew that the power had been lost in the entire house.

  Pete asked questions. “The power shut off?” Pete inquired.

  Mirna confirmed. Laura started to share about the scary elevator ride but Will cut her off. “Why don’t we change the subject,” Will interrupted. “We’ll look into it, Mirna It was probably a one-time deal.”

  Will’s words acted like a signal of some kind. Just as he uttered them, there was an unexpected clunking on the deck following by a pounding on the sliding glass door.

  “That’s not friendly,” said Darren and the men, including Lucas, rose, on the ready.

  Laura stood up as well. Will said, “No. In fact, I want you to go in the kitchen with Mirna just in case.”

  “In case what?” Laura demanded.

  “Now!” he bellowed. He looked like a fiend and she did what he was told.

  It was if they had their plan rehearsed. Two Disciples went to the sliding glass door and the other two dispersed, one to the front door and Laura could hear the other take the stairs down to the garage. Laura and Mirna remained in the kitchen as ordered. Alas, Laura didn’t speak Spanish and Mirna didn’t speak much English. Both women did the same thing: they were very still and listened.

  “Yes?” Will asked bluntly as he opened the slider.

  “Yes?” Is that all you can say?” said the man.

  “You’ve been staring at us. I figured you can tell us why,” replied Will.

  “Why don’t you let me in and I will tell you why,” said the man. His voice was high-pitched for a hefty man but cocky. His hand kept traveling to, or trying to travel to, his waistband. But his fearful eyes were on Will and he hesitated.

  “Why don’t you just say what you have to say and get the fuck out of here,” said Will.

  “I have a message for Luke and for Will,” he said.

  Laura and Mirna peeked out the window onto the deck.

  Knights’ Disciples and Lucas now surrounded the man. Lucas spoke, “Now why the hell would we want to hear a message for those two bitches.”

  Laura could tell, even with the filters of the window and the distance, that Lucas’s boldness was not appreciated. Darren stood behind the man and shook his head. The other Disciples remained still as statues.

  “Hey where is everyone?” Becky’s gleeful voice asked as she appeared from around the garage side of the house.

  Her sudden appearance was nearly a fatal move. Everyone on the deck drew a weapon. Only the bad guy was drawing on Will. He was no match for Will. Will slammed his forearm with such force that the man released the knife. The weapon clacked against the decking as it landed. Meanwhile, Becky fainted and fell to the ground.

  “Oh!” the man hollered. “I think you broke my arm!”

  He was so furious that he threw a clumsy kick at Will. Will swept the man's feet out from under him and he crashed into the deck. The Disciples towered around him while Lucas tended to Becky. The Disciples hoisted the fallen man to a bench seat. Darren searched him. The man laughed wildly. Laura cracked the kitchen window so she and Mirna could listen.

  "You won't find anything. If you're looking for a wallet or a weapon, you got the one and only I brought," he said.

  "What's your name," Will demanded. "And who are you with?"

  Brett's eyes narrowed. "He's with 5th Street L.L. L.L. stands for Los Lobos."

  "If I am," the man retorted, "then you guys are in some deep shit."

  Brett took hold of the man's arm. "Is that so? How about we take you to their leader and meet them face-to-face, let them know how we screwed up. How we all screwed up."

  Will's tone was sarcastic. "We'll know right away if this guy is a Los Lobos. They wouldn't be too happy to find out someone went around making people think he was a member of their club when he wasn't."

  "I never said I was," he answered.

  Will scoffed. "You acting alone then?"

  The men, except for Lucas, closed ranks around him. Lucas guided Becky around front.

  "Okay," hollered the man. "I'm not with anyone. I got a call from someone out east. They asked me a bunch of questions about where I lived in relation to this address, asked me what kind of view I had of your place and if I wanted to make some money. They told me specifically to find out if someone named Will and Lucas were at this address."

  "Did they coach you on how to get that information?" Will asked.

  "Yeah. I’m just a guy out on medical disability. I rent the middle level over there," he insisted.

  "I guess they didn't care if you sang, if they randomly picked you," noted Pete. "Just for the record, you're dispensable to them. They had no plan to back your play if you got into trouble. You are on your own."

  "That's right. Your best bet is to work with us. Only we can save you now," said Will.

  The man shook his head. "I am in deep."

  "Yep," answered Will. "The question is where did the caller get the idea that we were coming out here. Do you have the answer to that?"

  "No. He just said they had reason to believe you were out here and I needed to confirm."

  "Did they pay you?" Will asked.

  "Yeah. Half upfront. They direct deposited five hundred dollars into my bank account. I was to get another five hundred when I confirmed."

  Pete and Darren took a silent cue and gathered the man up to his feet. "We'll take him down to the club and work it out, boss."

  "Wait," protested the guy. "I am not going anywhere with you. What guarantee do I have that you're not going to screw me over?"

  "Because right now, we need you. We're going to track who sent you money. And because we have a reputation to uphold. We just promised you if you work with us, we will protect you. And I just said it again. Unlike the people who contacted you, our word means something."

  Pete, Darren and Brett took the guy off, not through the house but around it. Laura and Mirna came out of the kitchen and were sitting at the dining room table with cups of coffee. Meanwhile Lucas brought Becky inside.

  Will scolded Lucas. "What is she doing here?" he asked Lucas.

  "I didn't know she was coming over," Lucas defended himself. "She just showed up. You guys said it was okay if she came out here. We are starting over here. Life as usual, just out here."

  Will interrogated Becky. "Yes, we did say you could come out here. We met you. We liked you. We thought you were a positive move for Lucas here. And then when we took you under our wing, we were very specific that you couldn't tell anyone you were coming out here. Not for a while. So who did you accidentally tell?"

  Becky fidgeted and was evasive. In fact, she didn't have to answer. It was obvious that Will was right in his assumptions. Becky had spoken to someone.

  "Listen," Will continued patiently. "If you just tell us who we can fix this thing. No good can come from dishonesty. In fact, if you don't fess up, one of us could get killed. You don't want that, do you?"

  Becky didn't answer. Now Lucas wanted answers. "Hey," he urged her. "Just answer the questions."

  Her hesitation seemed to fill in the blank anyway. Will started to make very good guesses. "So how did you meet her, Lucas?"

  "She cut hair. I met her at the diner next to her shop," Lucas answered.

  "Did she flirt with you or was it just a chance encounter?" asked Will.

  As Lucas recalled, the fact that nothing had been by accident between Becky and him washed over his face while guilt showed on Becky's. She was a spy just like the guy on the deck that the Disciples had just taken away.