He shook his head, his expression one of horrified respect. “You’re a little nuts, you know that?”
I didn’t answer him as I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hey, Creed.” I listened to him cuss loudly and creatively for a minute. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” I finally said, stopping the litany of cuss words. “Did you have Weasel spy on me?”
“Yes,” he stated bluntly. “I prefer to call it keeping an eye on you but spying works. You’re f-ing lucky he called me. What the hell were you thinking?”
“That Fat Willy is a fat bastard and he needed to be told some things.”
“You didn’t think to wait till I came back?”
“I didn’t actually think he’d attack me,” I argued defensively and the line grew silent. “Creed?”
“He attacked you?” The question was calm, too calm, and I was suddenly worried I’d be indirectly responsible for Creed killing another man.
“He tried,” I said carefully. “Deacon and Johnny stopped him.”
“Did he lay a fucking finger on you?”
“No,” I answered truthfully, holding my breath.
A loud breath gusted in my ear. “You’re okay.” It was a statement but I nodded in agreement anyway before hurriedly responding, “Yes,” when he still didn’t say anything.
“I’ll be there in a couple of hours,” he informed me and I made a sound of agreement. “It would be sooner but I’m literally two hours away.”
“It’s fine. I’m fine. Fat Willy not so much.”
“Fat Willy’s day is only going to get worse when I get there,” he promised, his voice sending a shiver down my spine.
“Be careful,” I squeaked and a low chuckle met my ears.
“You be careful,” he murmured throatily. “Try not to cause any more trouble before I get back.”
Chapter Seven
Creed
I hung up the phone with a sigh, relief that she was okay warring with fury that a club member had threatened her, attacked her, I corrected myself with a low snarl.
“She a’ight?”
I nodded tightly, my fist slamming into the wall as I tried to contain my simmering temper. Willy was a dead man, I told myself in an attempt to quell the rage so we could finish the job. “Willy went after her.”
“Fuck,” Clutch cursed, his hands forming fists as his muscles swelled. “She’s okay?”
“Deacon and Johnny intervened,” I answered, forcing the words though my tight throat. I kept picturing that fat ass laying a hand on Jailbait’s delicate skin and it was all I could do not to put another hole in the wall.
“That’s good,” Clutch said, relieved. “Guess we’ll be giving Willy a little lesson in manners when we get back.”
I nodded tightly, pacing the small area as my muscles coiled, ready to spring at the slightest provocation.
“You still want to do this?” Clutch questioned carefully, keeping a smart distance.
“Have too,” I answered shortly, already regretting the decision to help Monty even though it’d been my idea. “Let’s get this over with.”
***
“I don’t have a problem with breaking and entering but this seems like bad juju,” Clutch said in a hushed voice as he broke the lock on the back door.
“It’s for Jailbait,” I replied, unconcerned as I entered the back door of the crematorium. “She deserves a little peace of mind.”
“I’m not arguing that, but we’re fucking breaking into a freaking funeral home…you know, where they keep dead people.”
I shot him a disbelieving stare. “Seriously? You afraid of dead people now?”
“It’s creepy!”
I shook my head and moved further into the room. We were lucky the place didn’t have cameras, or halfway decent security. I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything more since the state was paying them cut rates to dispose of their unclaimed bodies. “Noah said her mom was cremated here.”
Clutch stopped short as he hissed, “What? They burn bodies here?”
“It’s a crematorium,” I replied. “Where they cremate people,” I continued when he gave me a blank stare.
“Ugh, man. Damn.” Clutch shuddered. “Let’s hurry up and get the hell out of here. I’d rather face twenty Aces than stay here.”
“You want to wait by the bikes?” I asked, amused despite myself at the discovery of Clutch’s squeamishness around dead bodies.
“No,” he grunted, puffing up at the implication of weakness. “Just let’s get her mom and go.”
We found the room where they kept the remains and it only took a second to find Lilah Spencer. “Box is kind of small,” Clutch observed, eyeing it warily as I lifted it off the shelf. “You sure there ain’t another one?”
I shrugged, not sure, and double checked the shelf, and shook my head. “There’s only one. Must be it.”
We got out without anyone seeing us and as I tucked the sealed box carefully in my bag, I heard Clutch mutter, “Nothing says I love you like a dead loved one’s remains.”
“No one said anything about love,” I said shortly. “She’s been through some traumatic shit, a’ight?”
“Oh yeah, no doubt. I wasn’t talking about her though,” Clutch replied with a closed mouth smile.
“I’m not in love with her,” I denied forcefully, my eyes glittering a warning.
“Mmmhmmm,” he hummed in response and my temper snapped.
“What would you know about it anyway? You’ve spent years following after Ronnie like a puppy dog.”
“Which makes me a goddamn expert,” he retorted without an ounce of heat. “I watched Cord do the same damn thing with Ashley. Trust me when I say I recognize the emotion.” My throat bobbed and I opened my mouth to apologize for my puppy dog comment when he waved his hand. “Don’t bother. You didn’t say anything that ain’t true.” He smiled ruefully. “Now, let’s get home to your girl.”
***
When we rolled in to the club it was lit up like the 4th of July and we eyed each other as we parked the bikes.
“They having a party we didn’t know about?”
“Maybe its something to do with Fat Willy,” I suggested, cracking my knuckles as I smiled in anticipation of slamming them into his ugly mug.
“And the whole club came?” Clutch questioned, scanning the rows of bikes.
“Let’s get inside and see what’s going on.”
I stopped short in the doorway, only moving enough to let Clutch slid in as I stared at the divided room. Club members were scattered around, their attention focused on the two standing in the center of the room, both of them with their arms crossed stubbornly across their chest. The women were all clustered in the corner, whispering as they eyed the duo.
“What the hell?” Clutch murmured under his breath. I was already striding toward Jailbait and Johnny, passing Crew and Hank with a nod. Deacon stood to the side with Fat Willy sitting sullenly next to him. I almost made a detour to crack in his face when I heard Jailbait.
“They have a right,” she stated, glaring mutinously at Johnny.
“It’s club business,” Johnny replied impatiently. “We’ve been over this. He’ll be punished.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Jailbait said impatiently. “Creed will make sure of it, but my point is that the punishment should fit the crime.”
“And your suggestion would be?”
“Let the women he hurt have a say in how he’s punished.”
I slowed when she said that, eyeing Johnny carefully. He tilted his head up to the ceiling, looking like he was praying for patience. “It’s not a bad idea,” I interjected, coming up to them.
“And why am I not surprised you agree with her?” Johnny questioned, not seeming to need an answer but I gave him one anyway.
“Because you agree with her too,” I replied, having recognized his expression.
“Whoa, I must have misunderstood you,” Sloan exclaimed. “It sounds like Johnny thinks I’m right.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but what you’re suggesting isn’t unreasonable,” Johnny replied, his expression warning her not to make too much of it.
“So, the women can decide his punishment?”
“Partially,” Johnny conceded and her head tilted to the side. “I’ll consider their suggestions for any punishment, but his club status will be decided by a vote of the entire club.”
I lifted my eyebrows. That explained why there were so many here tonight, but I hadn’t expected Johnny to bring it to a vote. He caught my glance and shook his head slightly. “Don’t even think of arguing with me, Creed. I’ll let you get your pound of flesh, don’t worry.”
“Oh, I wasn’t worried about that,” I assured him. “But I do agree with Jailbait that the women should also get their pound since they are the injured parties.”
Johnny nodded stiffly. “Go and find out what they want, Jailbait,” he ordered, smiling at her surprise. “Since you’re their new spokesperson.”
She straightened, nodding sharply as she marched over to the women. I saw Mary in the herd of women and wondered what they considered just desserts. They whispered for a few minutes and when Jailbait stepped back, more than a few of them had satisfied smiles on their faces.
Jailbait came back slowly, licking her lips nervously as she reached us.
“Well, what do the hens want?” Johnny asked and Jailbait took a deep breath.
“Fifteen minutes alone with him,” she replied as she cleared her throat. “With him strapped face down on a table.”
I’m not sure what my expression was but Johnny’s face was downright stunned.
“Fifteen uninterrupted minutes,” Jailbait clarified. “No questions asked.”
At that, Johnny opened his mouth and then closed it, glancing at me for help. I shrugged, not knowing what to tell him.
“What they’re asking isn’t unreasonable and he’ll still be alive when they’re…done,” Jailbait added with a sickly smile.
“It’s the,” Johnny stopped. “You know I don’t want to know.” He glanced at me again. “I agree with their request. Any objections, Creed?”
I eyed Jailbait, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable. “Are you going to be participating?” She shook her head frantically.
“No, no,” she insisted. “Absolutely not. He didn’t do anything to me.”
“He threatened you,” I argued immediately. “He will pay for that.”
“And I’m fine with you punishing him for it,” she assured me with a nod. “But I don’t need to join the women for what they have in mind.”
Johnny seemed a little less confident in his decision to allow the women their fifteen minutes, but he nodded to Deacon. “Strap him to a table,” he ordered and Jailbait stepped forward.
“A bed,” she corrected, giving an apologetic smile. “Can you strap him to a bed?”
I bit my lip as Johnny’s expression changed to horrified dismay. Deacon paused and Fat Willy stared at Jailbait in a way that made my fists clench.
“Do it,” I snapped, suddenly okay with whatever the women had decided to do to him. “Do what she wants.”
Deacon nodded and dragged Willy toward the women, who were all smiling eagerly. They followed Deacon, clapping their hands and I heard one woman cry, “I vote we use King Kong.” Her words met with a roar of approval.
A few minutes later Deacon returned, nodding to us before making a beeline to Norah. Jailbait pointed to them. “Is that Norah?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“I’d like to thank her,” Jailbait murmured, excusing herself.
“Jesus Christ what are they going to do to him?” Johnny muttered, right before a loud squeal pierced the air, causing the room to fall silent. “Forget I asked,” he answered himself, gazing at me. “How did it go with Monty?”
“Easy run,” I said, trying to ignore the increasingly high pitched squeals. “In and out, no sign of the Aces.”
“You took a while to get back,” he mentioned, turning away from the back of the bar where they’d taken Fat Willy.
“I had another stop to make,” I replied, not wanting to talk about where I’d went. Johnny nodded and we both winced as a particularly loud cry came from the back.
“It’s time to vote,” Johnny called out loudly, speaking over the pathetic whimpers we could all hear. “You all know what Fat Willy did. The women requested fifteen minutes as part of his punishment,” he gestured to the back, “They received them. Now, we decide if he remains a Rebel.”
“The women have a right to punish him, but so do I,” I announced, catching the eye of every man there. “He attempted to attack Jailbait and I won’t allow that to stand without my own brand of punishment.” There were a consensus of nods and I could feel Jailbait’s gaze on me. “I don’t relish the idea of someone who would abuse a woman being allowed to remain a Rebel. That’s not what we stand for,” I reminded them, motioning for Jailbait to come stand by my side. She came to a stop next to me, tilting her head to look up at me.
“What are you going to do if they vote for him to remain a Rebel?”
“Kill him.” She blinked at my instantaneous answer but didn’t have a chance to comment as Johnny spoke.
“This is a straight for or against vote,” Johnny stated. “Anyone for allowing Fat Willy to remain a Rebel?”
No hands raised as the men glanced at each other. Almost all of them had old ladies and kids, and it didn’t sit right with any of them to know what Willy had been doing.
“Against?”
My hand was the first to go up followed by everyone else’s. “It’s unanimous. Fat Willy is stripped of club membership.”
Gloria came waltzing from the back, a wide smile on her face. “We’re done,” she announced. “You can have him now.”
I ran my knuckle over Jailbait’s jawbone as I stepped away from her, feeling her eyes follow me all the way to the back, Deacon and Clutch joining me.
“Jesus,” I choked as Deacon and Clutch gagged. I held my breath against the smell as we dragged him from the bed as he whimpered. Once we’d cleared the room, I took a deep breath and instantly regretted it. Fat Willy was the source of the smell and I was pretty sure sewers smelled better than him.
“God, remind me never to piss off any of these women,” Clutch muttered, trying to stand down wind of him. “Especially yours, Creed.”
I nodded, not willing to risk opening my mouth as we shoved Willy down the hall, his stride a little bow legged. We got him out the door and he stumbled into the circle of guys who’d gathered to watch the beating he had coming.
Johnny stepped forward. “The club voted. You’re out,” he stated emotionlessly. Fat Willy spun around, staring at the guys who glared back at him.
“You fucking kidding me?” He shouted at them. “You gonna throw me out cause some little piece of ass stuck her nose where it didn’t belong?” My fist cut off whatever else he was about to say about Jailbait as fury flashed through me. I’d trusted him and every other guy in the club to protect Jailbait and to realize he would have hurt her…..
My fist pounded into him, blood and teeth flying as he tried to scramble out of my reach but I kept going as rage coursed through me. I needed someone to pay for the fact that I hadn’t killed Grant yet and at the moment Willy would do.
Sound broke through my haze as arms gripped me, lifting me off Fat Willy and dragging me back. “Creed, enough,” Clutch roared as I struggled to go back after him. Deacon had my other side and together they held me as some of the other guys went to Willy, checking him.
“He’s still alive,” one of them announced and I felt Clutch exhale next to me. “Probably needs to go to the hospital though.”
“Eh, dump him at home. He lives, he lives, he dies, he dies,” Johnny told them, slipping a cigarette between his lips as he walked up to me. “Feel better?”
I rolled my shoulders, or at least attempted to, but Clutch and Deacon held me fast. “I’m not going a
fter him,” I informed them as I pulled against their hold. “I swear,” I added in exasperation when they still didn’t release me. They relaxed their hold and I nodded to them. “Thanks,” I muttered and they dipped their heads. “But you could have let me kill him.”
Deacon made a scoffing sound as he shook his head. “Man, I’m going home to cuddle with my girl, you fuckers do what you want.”
“Good idea,” Clutch nodded to him. “Can I join you?”
“Hell no,” Deacon replied good-naturedly, clapping him on the chest. “You stay here and keep an eye on our temperamental friend.”
“That’s a damn full time job,” Clutch replied, shaking his head sadly. “But I think I’m about to be replaced.” We followed his gaze to the back door where Jailbait stood under the light of the bare bulb, hugging herself as she watched us. “One, two,” I heard Clutch muttering under his breath as I started toward her. “And there he goes.”
Crew intercepted me, “Are you alright?”
“Right as rain, brother,” I answered, one corner of my mouth lifting in reassurance. “Don’t worry about me.” I winced as I made a fist. “Do me a favor though?”
“Sure,” he agreed readily, “Anything.”
“Take care of the dogs for me tonight. I’ll be over in the morning.”
“Done,” he answered instantly and I grasped his arms as I muttered, “Thanks.”
I made my way to Jailbait, her gaze downcast as she made circles on the ground with her foot. “Hey,” I murmured, keeping my distance as she glanced up at me.
“Hey, yourself,” she replied, eyeing me. “Safe to assume most of that isn’t your blood?”
I glanced down and saw blood smeared all over my white t-shirt. I shook my head and reached behind me to yank the shirt off. I tossed it into the fire someone had started in one of the old drums we had lying around, and then glanced back at her. “See? Not mine.”
She nodded, her gaze bouncing between my face and chest nervously. “Should probably clean those up,” she mentioned, gesturing to my hands.
Jailbait (Southern Rebels MC Book 1) Page 14
