A Savage Kinda Love

by Kiki Leach

  "It's coming."

  "When?! 'Cause as of now, it's still up in the goddamn air; floating around like your brain cells seem to be doing."

  "Fuck you -- Don't be an asshole," I said.

  "It's what I do best." He paused. "What the fuck is he gonna do out there while you go to school? Knit a pair of muthafuckin' sweaters?"

  "It's California, they won't be needed, but maybe he can make you a better ball sack and you can toss the one that seems to keep them twisted," I shot back. He muttered something under his breath and sat back. "Do you realize once I'm gone again, that's it?!"

  "What the fuck are you tryna say?" asked Joker. "You want out or some shit?"

  "I've already been out."

  "He means permanently, Cheyenne, and I think you know that shit," said Eyes.

  I looked away from them and shrugged. "I don't know."

  "Yeah, the fuck she does, brotha!" Loco pointed. "That shit is clear as muthafuckin' day -- plastered across her goddamn face of purity like a fuckin' highlighter. She wants her ass outta this shit for good."

  Eyes turned to me and swallowed hard. "That's too fuckin' bad."

  "Nix ain't gonna go for that shit," mumbled T-Rex.

  "Nix has nothing to do with what I choose to do or how I choose to have it done outside of these walls," I replied. "Like I said--"

  "Taz ain't gonna go for that shit." Loco smirked while picking at the strings on the arm of his chair. "That's gonna hit him where it fuckin' hurts."

  "You were right in saying that what you did best was be an asshole." I turned back to Eyes and tempered my breathing. "You can't control what I choose to do or how I choose to do it once I'm gone this time, and you can't use another member in order to play on my guilt. I'm not coming back once this is over."

  "Nobody's tryna control your ass, Cheyenne," said Joker.

  "Then what the hell is this about?"

  "We're your goddamn family, girl," Eyes stepped forward. "Whether you wanna continue riding with that shit or not, and regardless of the bullshit your old man pulled."

  "That same bullshit is what you wanted him dead for."

  "We let the muthafucka live."

  "It wasn't your choice."

  "No, the fuck it wasn't." Loco stood up from his chair, towering over me as he stepped next to Eyes. "Even if Taz was the one making sure the shit happened -- we could've undercut his ass and taken him out."

  "And you would've been next to him as a result."

  "You fuckin' think so?" He chuckled in disbelief while lifting a hand to his chest. "By the hands of that simple assed muthafucka? Nah. I don't."

  "He's your VP."

  "Not by fuckin' choice."

  "Yo." Joker stepped forward. "You asked what the fuck else Prez mentioned to us back there." I looked to him and nodded. "He said if you don't give up your white boy after we get back what's owed, he's liable to have him taken out."

  My mouth fell open as I eyed him from head to toe in mild disbelief. "You're full of shit--"

  "I'm not; he said he would and he muthafuckin' will if he has to, Chey. This shit is serious to him."

  "Only because he's a liar."

  "What the fuck is he lying about?" asked Loco.

  "Everything -- Ask him." I rolled my eyes from his and turned to T-Rex. "Did he honestly say that to you before coming in here?" He nodded. "Even if he has no real reason to want Nikko dead after he's gotten what he wanted."

  "Maybe he does," mumbled T-Rex. "Maybe you're gonna have to be the one figuring out just what the fuck that shit might be."

  "I think I already know what it might be, and that's the problem."

  I shoved myself between Eyes and Loco and scurried toward the door.

  "What the fuck are you gonna do, Chey?" asked Loco. "Jump in front of a goddamn bullet to save his ass?"

  "No." I glanced back at him while resting my hand on top of the knob. "But I might just push yours in front to save him instead."

  "You fuckin' think you could?"

  "I fuckin' know it."

  I hurried from the room and closed the door, but stopped short of heading outside in favor of making a phone call straight to Rikers.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Rolling In(to) the Deep

  Nikko's POV

  The silence between them had become deafening.

  Nikko straightened himself along the edge of the picnic table after taking one last swig of tequila and placed the bottle on the bench alongside his right foot; he eyed Nix with a certain degree of skepticism that had remained on his face since before heading outside and cleared his throat.

  Listening to him ramble for nearly an hour before now about the Renegades and how it all worked within and outside the walls of the clubhouse and garage was both informative and infuriating in the same way he remembered listening to his old man discuss the inside workings of his casinos and connections to the mafia; though now, it was also life threatening.

  But the motherfucker had never been one to back down from what he wanted and who he wanted it from, even when challenged to bow out by an asshole ready to send him to his grave for it.

  As he took another hit from his joint, Nix turned to Nikko and jutted his chin. "That cigar was enough to make me wanna catch a muthafucka's case for even tryna pass it off as the real goddamn thing; shoulda known when Eyes brought it back from the goddamn liquor store up the block that it wouldn't be worth shit after the first light up, but I'm about to finish this shit here on my own. You want?" He showed his hand while rolling the joint between his fingers and bent his head aside.

  "Nah, thanks, I'm good."

  "You're sure?" he questioned.

  Nikko nodded. "I've been tryna back away from all that shit since being out; cigarettes too."

  "Good for you." He took another hit before dipping his head back to blow out a wad of white smoke. "You know, Chey used to inhale these like candy when she was younger out here." He snickered. "Used to see her picking blunts from my pockets while we had church, snatching a couple for her and Taz to light up out back."

  "Your current VP?"

  He held back a grin while bobbing his head. "They were thick as thieves when they were kids -- always running around together with another one on their tail, Brandi; she's out here tonight, maybe they saw each other while she was inside. Anyway, her and Taz were as close as two people could get before she hightailed it the fuck outta here for school. Didn't think she'd ever wanna look back, but I feel like she was maybe hoping for a certain kinda reunion after seeing him again." Nikko flared his nostrils and swallowed hard. "I get the feeling she's yet to mention his ass to yours just yet."

  "She's mentioned him. But maybe he's not important enough for me to hear about more than once."

  "Or maybe he's too goddamn important and she ain't ready to go there with your ass just yet." He arched a brow while taking another drag. "You sure you don't want--?"

  "Nope."

  He glared. "You two still ain't set a goddamn date for this shit, have you?"

  "We're still working on it."

  "Still working on what?" Nix turned to him and shook his head. "What the fuck is there left to contemplate in knowing why this shit needs to happen, and now? God knows I was never for it in the first place, but dragging your feet ain't gonna make it any better for either one of you; sure as fuck not for your old man or this club."

  "We just need more time to talk about everything that's coming our way with all of it; haven't had enough of it since I've been out."

  "Yet you've had enough time for other shit, I'm guessing?" Nikko sighed heavily in response. Nix chuckled. "You don't need to talk about what the fuck I already know, but..." He tossed his joint to the ground and crushed the heel of his boot along the lit tip. "You're gonna need to talk to somebody on this shit, especially a muthafucka that knows Chey inside and out the way I do."

  "Is that why you wanted me out here with you in the first place?"

  "You thought for another fuckin
' reason?" Nix smirked. "My goal was to see what the fuck you're all about beyond the shit you've been feeding her since before you got out -- beyond your old man or the shit I already know, and I can see shit clearly."

  "She's seen the worst of what I can be for herself."

  "And you're doing what now? Showing her the goddamn best?"

  "I'm fuckin' trying. It's all I can do at this point."

  He paused while eyeing him from the top of his head straight down to the tips of his goddamn shoes. "What the fuck are you feeling for her outside of all this shit? 'Cause let me tell you right now, muthafucka, that if you break her down more than what the fuck she's already been through with other assholes, it'll be yours hanging from the tail end of a lead pipe once all this shit with the money is said and fuckin' done."

  "I believe that shit--"

  "Good," he snapped. "'Cause I don't fuck around when it comes to my baby girl. Her old man has been pure shit since before she was born but I've made damn sure to let her know that not every muthafucka in her life is gonna treat her like she's less than or doesn't matter because of it. You can do that shit for her -- by all means, remain as you are right by her side. If you can't, hightail it the fuck outta all this shit while you still can."

  "I don't plan on leaving her once this shit is over; wanting her to be the one at my side for all this wasn't something I just fell into after seeing her face."

  "Then do fuckin' tell 'cause it sure as shit sounds like it."

  "What I saw in her eyes was a woman allowing me to fuckin' breathe when I felt like I was drowning on the goddamn inside. She saw the anger and rage in what I did on that courtyard and even beyond it seems to think I can still be better than whatever the fuck I am right now."

  "Can you? For her? Beyond all this shit?"

  "I can fuckin' try, which is what I've already said; I don't make any promises that I can't keep to anybody, but I can fuckin' try for her."

  "And what the fuck makes her so goddamn different and special from anybody else you've ever been with before now? What makes her more than being just pussy to you?"

  "Because of who the fuck she is as a person," he said. "Because of who the fuck she allows me to be when I'm with her. She's worth more than most I've ever known before in my life; worth more than even my own."

  "Goddamn. That shit's pretty motherfuckin' powerful, as long as you actually mean what the fuck you're saying to me."

  "I do."

  He lowered his eyes as a rush of surprise overwhelmed him, a rush of belief that this asshole was more than his words, and nodded while folding his arms. "You think Chino is gonna actually stay locked up once you finally get the rights back to his cash? 'Cause if you had the connections to get out with his help, chances are that asshole is gonna have the same and more of it."

  "I think he'll try everything he can to keep from staying locked up, 'cause it's just who the fuck he is. Will he be able to make it out alive? Doubtful."

  "You know this shit for a goddamn fact?"

  "Nope. Just a hunch on it, which is why if he's as smart as he's always told me he was before getting his ass caught up for fuckin' around with this shit, he'll keep himself in check behind bars."

  "You know he fucked around with the wrong kinda pussy that night; shit can turn out deadly when you don't know just how the hell to treat it with respect."

  "Yeah..." Nikko looked aside. "Cats have never really been my kinda thing, but I know when one starts scratching that I need to move the fuck out of its way."

  Nix laughed aloud and pointed. "I don't wanna start liking your ass for this shit, but I think I might have to for more than just Cheyenne's sake."

  Nikko grinned.

  "Yo, brother!" Nix looked toward the club as Loco jogged out to them and glared. "Prez is wanting to see us in his office about the ride out tomorrow."

  "What the fuck is he wanting to see my ass for when it'll be stuck here taking care of the goddamn garage while you're out there doing pussy runs with the rest of those assholes?"

  Loco chuckled. "He just told me to find your ass so that he can discuss some shit about it before heading out."

  He grunted. "Where's Chey?"

  "Inside somewhere, I guess. She was talking to Brandi for a bit, then headed off somewhere toward the back with a phone in her hand."

  "Was she by herself?" asked Nikko.

  Loco looked to him while lifting a brow in irritation and nodded. "Yeah, she was by herself; don't think she was looking to have any company with her right now though."

  "And you know this just from looking at her?"

  "I know the face of a woman that wants to be left the fuck alone when I see one," he retorted.

  "Must mean you've seen that shit often? At least more than once."

  "Yo..." Nix swallowed back a chortle while shifting his eyes to the ground and shaking his head. "White boy's got some pretty big balls over here."

  "Yeahhhh, and if he wants to keep 'em in place behind that tiny dick, he'll keep his fuckin' mouth shut from here on."

  "Don't think it'll be possible no matter how hard you might try in making it happen," said Nikko. "And my dick is far from tiny."

  "Is that fuckin' so?" Loco snarled while moving forward; Nix stepped between them. "Are you asking for a motherfuckin' beatdown right outside my own goddamn club? 'Cause I ain't above handing one out tonight; making that face of yours more black and blue than it's already been."

  "Why don't we save the dick measuring contest for another goddamn night?" said Nix. "When we're all sober and everybody's ready to whip one out knowing goddamn well that I'm gonna fuckin' win."

  Loco stared into his face and glowered. "Prez is wanting to see your ass inside."

  "Yeah, along with yours muthafucka -- let's go."

  Loco pointed. "I'm not finished with this asshole yet--"

  "He's finished with yours," said Nix. "Let's fuckin' go." He threw a hand into his chest and pointed behind him.

  Loco sucked in a breath, then slowly released it through a harsh grunt and mumbled to himself while turning on his heel.

  Nix nodded toward Nikko before shoving his hand into Loco's back and forcing him back into the club.

  As they disappeared behind clouds of smoke and the smell of low grade beer, behind fellow bikers entwined with club whores and more shit wasted music, Nikko reached into the front pocket of his pants for his cell and dialed up Cheyenne.

  She answered after the first ring.

  "Hey." He sighed in relief after hearing her voice; she was calm; he needed to take in some of that feeling for himself. "What's going on -- Are you still outside with Nix?"

  "I'm still out here, yeah, but he headed back in with Loco; something about how Snake wanted to see 'em in his office."

  "Do you know what about?"

  He anxiously scratched the back of his neck, fearful of letting her know more than she should. "Some shit about a ride out tomorrow."

  "Oh. Well, I'll be back out there in a few minutes and we can leave. I'm in one of the rooms in the back trying to get Rox on the phone about something for more than five minutes before his privileges get cut for the night."

  He frowned. "Something go down in there with you and Snake?"

  "Not in the way you might be thinking, but... I'll let you know what he said on the way back home."

  "Alright..." He pressed his mouth against the speaker and muttered, "Don't take too goddamn long in there."

  "I won't. Bye."

  The smile in her voice widened his own before hanging up.

  Seconds later, a motorcycle roared into the lot and found an empty spot alongside Cheyenne's car. Nikko glowered while shoving his phone back into his pocket and remained in place until the asshole finally cut his engine and hopped to the ground.

  He pulled back when he noticed the names on his patch, and sneered.

  Vice President

  Tasmanian Devil

  "Shit." He sucked in a breath as the son of a bitch stepped toward him
and pointed.

  "I'm assuming with you being out here by yourself that you're Nikko," said Taz.

  "Yeah." He swallowed back more of what he wanted to say in return. "You're the club's VP?"

  "In the goddamn flesh." A sly grin parted Taz's lips as he fixed the lapels of his cut. "You said that shit pretty matter of fact which means Chey must've let you know about me since you two linked up?"

  Nikko chuckled, determined to keep the asshole's ego at bay. "Chey's had other shit on her mind since being back."

  "Understandable. But if not her, how else would you know who the hell I was?"

  He pushed out his bottom lip and shrugged. "Wild goddamn guess? Or I'm a motherfuckin' rocket scientist who can actually read the words staring at me on your cut." He stopped to once again hold himself back from saying more than he knew he should. Taz glowered. "Nix mentioned you while we were out here talking before he had to move back inside."

  "What the hell did that old man have to say about me?"

  "Enough. But I was just heading back in for myself to get Chey so we could finally start making our way back home."

  "She would know where to find you if she needs to, correct?" he questioned. "So..." Taz threw his hands together and bobbed his head. Nikko grimaced. "You came out here with her?"

  "No doubt -- she asked. Didn't wanna be alone, which I can't blame her for after seeing all this shit up close and personal for myself; not to mention, I don't think I would've known how the hell to get out here otherwise."

  "GPS is pretty goddamn good from what I hear; solid if you know how the fuck to use it."

  "True. Though I don't think a goddamn thing could ever beat having your woman actually sitting right next to you in the passenger seat, telling you exactly where the fuck it is you need to go without question."

  "She's 'your woman'?"

  "Was she ever yours?"

  Taz gulped to hold back the anger building within. "You drove her car down here?"

  "I did, yeah."

  "Mm. That shit's pretty funny considering how often she used to say when we were kids that she'd never let another muthafucka take over the wheel of her car. Said it'd make her feel too goddamn boxed in."