by Vi Carter
Come on, Brooke, get a damn grip.
When the light doesn’t turn on, I flick it up and down a few times. My fingers slowly slip from the switch as the shadow moves. My stomach plummets, and my heart rate rises rapidly.
“If you leave now, the next time you see your brother, he will be in a body bag.”
A whimper lodges itself in my throat. Blood roars in my ears, and I’m rooted to the spot.
The shadow moves away from the fridge and steps closer to the door.
The closer he gets, the more air I manage to drag into my system as my heart slows down. Ink works its way up his neck and onto his face, his brown hair is cropped, and the side of his head is shaved.
“What are you doing in my home, Ghost?”
Ghost has crashed in the spare room more times than I can count. I made breakfast for this guy, sat with him and my brother while they got high.
But the idea of him being in my home without my permission leaves me feeling caged.
“Brooke, where’s Carter ?”
“I have no idea,” I frown as I notice the ink on the side of his head drips slowly. “You’re bleeding. What happened?”
Ghost raises his hand, cutting off my concern. “I’ll ask you again, where’s Carter?”
Ghost comes closer to me, and I fold my arms across my chest. “I already told you, I don’t know. I want you to leave.” My heart rate had finally settled down, and right now, I just wanted him out of my home.
“Where’s Carter?” Ghost’s voice rises, and he touches his bleeding head. What the hell had my brother gotten into? I take a step back out into the hall. I’d never seen Ghost violent before, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt me.
“He rang me telling me not to come home,” I say honestly. “That’s all I know. Now I want you to leave. Don’t make me ring the cops.” I wouldn’t do that because whatever Ghost was tied up in, so was Carter, and no matter what, I would protect my brother.
Ghost moves closer and stops only inches away from me. He’s in my personal space, and I want him away from me now.
“I’ve already told you, I don’t know. Now get the hell out of my face and out of my apartment.”
His smile is fast and sharp, but it dissolves quickly as he wedges his forearm under my chin and pushes me until my back hits the wall. He leans forward, and my small remaining personal space is gone now. His breath is harsh as it fans across my face, and I try to turn away from him, but he pushes his arm harder under my chin, cutting off vital air.
“I am not fucking around. Where’s your brother at?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong fucking answer.”
I try to gulp, but the pressure of his forearm against my windpipe is too much. I can’t breathe, I can’t swallow. I can’t move. My body goes into utter panic mode, and I begin to jerk and claw at his arms and face; any available skin I see, I’m trying to tear at.
Two hundred pounds of sheer force from his body rams against me, pinning me to the wall. I try to gulp air but instead settle for short sporadic breaths. White lights flash in front of my eyes until I’m engulfed in total darkness. I try to fight to the last second so I can remain alert to what is happening. I’m airborne before Ghost's sharp shoulder digs into my stomach—the blood pools in my head. I blink, and Tyler, the pothead waves at me.
No, no. I stir as the steps come close to my face before air kisses my flushed skin.
“Let me go.” The mumble leaves my lips as I’m hauled into the back of a car.
Ghost’s face reappears, and he presses a smelly rag against my lips. I can’t breathe. I can’t think as I’m pulled back into the darkness.
***
I wake up to the sound of some sort of party. Deep voices and laughter assault my aching head. I attempt to sit, and my body cries out as if it’s layered with hundreds of bruises. My breaths are hard to take in, like my lungs are only working for the first time
I blink rapidly, feeling a hand on my stomach, I lash out, but my hand is restrained instantly.
Ghost snarls. “Whoa, it’s just the doctor checking you over. You had quite the fall.”
I lift my head to see where I am, but my head is pushed back down onto a hard surface. I glance around. I’m lying in some kind of restaurant booth. The dark mahogany wood is worn, and the leather seat coverings are faded.
“Ghost, will you fuck off already?”
I see Snapper’s head appear; he winks at me before pulling my top back over my stomach. I’m trying to pull away again, but more pain ignites along my back. “What happened?” I croak.
Snapper wipes his forehead with the back of his hand and blows out. “Ghost dropped you; that’s what happened.”
“I didn’t drop her. The damn cops were waiting outside her apartment building, and I saw them before they saw me. I had no other choice than to throw her in the dumpster. I didn’t know it was empty.”
Snapper shakes his head, his attention returning to me. “Lucky for you, nothing appears to be broken; bruised, yes, but you’ll survive.”
Ghost stands, grabbing my top; he yanks me out of the booth and hauls me to my feet. I try to pull away from him, but he drags me back close to his side.
“I’m going to take her to Thorn.”
Snapper stands, “I’ll take the lady to Thorn, thank you.” He stares at Ghost. “On your way.”
I can see the defiance in Ghost’s eyes, though he releases me. I stumble from the sudden loosening, but Snapper catches me. He wraps his arms around my waist, holding me up. I don’t want him touching me, but walking with no aid doesn’t feel possible right now.
“It’s okay, Brooke, we’ll get you cleaned up.”
I noticed he said to clean up, not take you home. It's only now I get a chance to look around. I’m in a bar; it’s dimly lit. The room is full of bikers, and they carry on chatting amongst one another as if unaware of my existence. I try to make eye contact with someone, anyone who will help me. I see Everest, Stone, Eagle, and more familiar faces, none of whom meet my gaze.
The doors behind the bar swing open, and Snapper stops walking as Thorn enters the bar. His dark lifeless gaze lands on me.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Thorn’s voice carries an authority that pulses through the bar, Snapper’s grip on me slackens, and I fall from his embrace. My knees take the impact of my fall, the burn racing up into my thighs, and I hiss in pain.
Thorn walks towards us. I watch his every step until he’s towering over me, his inky black eyes narrow, and he frowns. “What the fuck is she doing in my bar?”
I can’t look away from him. The way he says ‘she’ is like I’m nothing.
Thorn laughs, but it holds no real humor, “Unless she’s here to suck my cock, get rid of her.”
“She’s Carter's sister.” Ghost announces.
Thorn’s jaw ticks and he glowers at me. “Is that right?”
CHAPTER THREE
THORN
WIDE GREEN EYES stare up at me; they swim with fear, and so they fucking should. I remember Brooke when she was a young girl. She’s not a girl anymore; even in that loose-fitting top and baggy jeans, I can see all her curves. Her eyes dart around the space as her pulse flickers rapidly in her neck.
“Carter’s little sister,” I say slowly and with a smirk.
She shakes her head while tugging on the sleeves of her top.
“Where is he?” I drop the pretense and take a step toward Brooke. I expect her to recoil from me, but she holds her head high. Her cheeks are tinged with red as she continues to keep everyone in her line of sight.
“I don’t know, Thorn.”
I laugh, and a few of my men snigger along with me. “Don’t use my name like you know me, sweetheart.”
The heat travels faster across her face. Her pouty mouth turns down, but she still stands tall. Blood flecks along her collarbone catch my attention. I look to Ghost, who’s leaning against a table, his arms folded. His head w
ound still leaks, but I’ll expect a report on what happened to Brooke. She looks pretty roughed up. It really shouldn’t fucking bother me, but it does. I don’t like to see pretty things damaged.
“I don’t know where my brother is,” Brooke's answer drags my attention back to her.
“He was gone when I got there, so I thought she might do as a substitute.” Ghost moves towards us, and I don’t see fear in Brooke’s eyes as she tracks him. I see hate. She knows him?
“She’s no fucking substitute for my money!” I bark at Ghost.
I take another step toward Brooke, eliminating the space between us. I tower over her, and she has to crane her neck back. “I think I’ll keep you until Carter returns with my money.” I’m tempted to touch her pretty face.
“You can’t just keep me.” Her outrage is quick. She has no idea of the world she stumbled into.
The bar doors open, and Stone steps in. He waves a slick black phone at me. “He dumped it a few blocks away from his apartment.”
Brooke doesn’t move as Stone speaks to me. My gaze flickers to her, and her lids flutter closed.
“I have two men at the airport keeping watch.” Stone steps up beside me.
Brooke’s green eyes grow wider as she takes him in. He watches her as he lights up a smoke. He blows out smoke into the air.
I grin when Brooke looks back at me.
“You can’t do this.”
I let my smirk grow. “Oh, sweetheart.” I nod at Ghost, who takes her arm.
She pulls away from him. “Don’t touch me.”
He grabs her again, and when she dodges out of his grasp, I grab her. She freezes under my touch as I drag her to the back of the bar. She keeps glancing over her shoulder.
“He can’t do this.” She’s waiting for someone to stop this or to intervene, but that won’t happen.
One of the rooms in the back has a double bed that’s unmade. One of the guys must have crashed here last night. I push her in, and she stumbles.
“This is kidnapping.” Her lip trembled as she speaks.
I should leave her and get back to my men, but her fear of being alone with me is growing, and I just can’t help but stay. I close the door behind me and step closer to her. Her eyes dart around the space.
“Your brother stole from me.” Saying the words has anger lacing itself through my system and my words.
“I’m not my brother.” She holds her chin higher.
“No, you’re not.” I let my eyes roam across her slim frame. Color flames up along her neck. She folds her arms across her chest as if that will stop me from looking at her.
She flashes a glance at the door, and I suppress a grin. She takes a step towards it, and I move closer to her.
“I’ll let you go once he returns.” I’m expecting her anger, but her eyes waver. “What do I do in the meantime?”
I tilt my head. “That’s up to you.”
Her nostrils flare, and she glances away from me, but I continue stepping closer. The sweet scent of vanilla rolls off her, and as I lean in, I inhale.
She freezes but doesn’t move. When I lean out and look at her, she isn’t looking at me. Touching her chin, I tilt her head back, and she meets my gaze that dips low to her lips. Her tongue darts out and licks them, and I almost take it as an invitation to kiss her.
“If he doesn’t?” Her question is a whisper, but I fucking hear it.
If he doesn’t, I’m rightly fucked, that’s what. I ball my hands into fists and take a step away from her.
“He’d better.” I turn on my heel as anger thrashes through my veins. He’d fucking better return with my money.
I pull the door closed behind me and turn the lock.
“He’s a junkie. He ain’t going to come for her.” Stone pushes off the wall and falls into line beside me as we enter the bar. The music is back on, and everything has returned to normal.
“We need to find him. That money is for the gym.”
I stop Stone from walking away by gripping his shoulder. “I can’t go down a different road, Stone.” I refused to turn into my father and dabble in drugs, but if this fell through, I might have no choice. Things were different now; the club was growing, we had more mouths to feed, and sixty G’s wasn’t easy to come by. I knew I could have so much more in the morning if I walked the same path as my father, but that road was littered with bodies and destruction. I didn’t believe anything good would come from it.
“We’ll find him.” Stone nods at me; he gets what this means. He knows the shit that goes around in my head.
“Who’s the girl?” Flood doesn’t acknowledge Stone. Flood barely acknowledges any members of the club. Stone doesn’t really give a shit; he’s used to Flood’s ways; right now, I’m not in the mood for my baby brother's attitude.
“None of your business.” I take the drink from Everest’s outstretched hand and take a large gulp.
Flood doesn’t leave it. “She didn’t look like she wanted to be here.”
I glance at him from the corner of my eye. “She doesn’t.”
He nods, and his jaw tightens. “I turn a blind eye to a lot of things that go down here.”
I face him. “What’s your point?”
“That isn’t right.”
I grin at him. “Get off your moral horse. The money that runs through this place is all from illegal stuff. You know that. So don’t start pulling out your fucking moral compass and pointing it at me.”
I take another drink, and he stomps back to the bar where he belongs.
Snapper is stitching up Ghost’s head. I slide in beside them. I want to ask what the fuck happened to Brooke, why she had blood on her, but I don’t. Eagle sits down across from me.
“The Bastard Riders have arrived.” Eagle downs a pint in one mouthful. He doesn’t fucking need it. But he has a sharp eye for trouble. That’s why we call him Eagle.
“How many?” I ask. My mind hasn’t left Brooke. The fear in her wide green eyes has me shifting in the seat. I need to get laid.
“Fourteen, and they are heading this way.”
Ghost hisses as Snapper put another stitch in his head.
“Can you go easy?” Ghost asks through gritted teeth.
“Don’t be a pussy.” Snapper pushes the needle into Ghost’s scalp again, and I slide out of the booth. Everest meets me halfway across the room with a fresh drink that I take. He was still acting like a Prospect.
“You’re a member now; leave that shit to the new Prospect.”
His grin is wide; his cut barely covers his huge frame. “I’m so fucking grateful, Thorn; I’ve never had much of family.”
“We are your family now.” I mean it. That’s what this club was: family. It was thicker than blood. I know I’m being watched, and when I look up, I see Flood glaring at me as he dries a pint glass.
“I didn’t think I’d have Stone’s vote. I swear I was fucking nervous.”
I take a drink from my beer before releasing Flood from my glare. He was pissing me off.
“Stone likes you.” The bar door opens, and Cole steps in; he’s the president of the Bastard Riders. His gaze jumps around the room until it lands on me. He nods his head before stepping into the bar. The noise level reduces as his men follow him.
“Really?”
I glance at Everest, who’s oblivious to our visitors. “Yeah.”
“I thought he hated me.”
“Everyone thinks that.” I pat Everest on the arm, and he glances at Cole as he walks up to me. I greet him with a half hug.
“Thanks for letting us pass.”
“Have a drink.” It wasn’t a request, and he knew it.
“Go have a drink,” Cole speaks over his shoulder, and his men fan out and disappear in the crowd; slowly, the noise returns.
“How many riders?” I ask as I take a drink from the bottle I still hold.
“Fourteen.” He answers straight away, and it’s what Eagle had said.
“No business in my town,�
�� I repeat the warning. He doesn’t like it, a muscle works in Cole’s jaw, but he nods.
“What about business with you?”
I grin. “That we can discuss.” I walk to the bar, and Cole follows. There is a tension in the space that I expected; we didn’t stop by each other’s turf unless there was business, and even then, we didn’t like other clubs.
“Two beers,” I order from Flood, who pushes his glasses upon his face. Fuck me. He looks so out of place.
“A Prospect?” Cole asks, and I turn to him, leaning against the bar.
“My baby brother.”
He holds up his hands. “No disrespect.”
I take the beer from Flood and slide Cole’s over to him. He hesitates before drinking it, poisoning someone was beneath me. If I wanted someone dead, I’d put a bullet in between their eyes.
“So, this business proposition?” I ask, placing the bottle back on the counter. I take a quick glance around the room. Snapper is watching me and I can tell the old man isn’t happy with Cole and his guys being here.
My ma is watching me too while she chats with Eagle, but her gaze flicks to me every couple of minutes.
“We need some things picked up at the North Docks.”
I turn back towards the bar. “No.”
I know what things he means, and if I put my foot down the path, I was rightly fucked.
“It’s a pick-up, Thorn.”
I face Cole and swallow the rest of my beer. “I said, no.”
We stare at each other for a few moments before he finally nods.
The rumble of bikes is distant, but I hear it above all the noise. My eyes meet Cole’s, and his widen; he’s heard the same thing.
The two front windows shatter inward as bullets rain down on us. I hit the ground hard and cover my head as glasses explode above me—pieces of glass shower down onto the floor. Screams mingle with cries. I push my body up and crawl across the broken glass. One of the Bastard Riders’ lifeless eyes stares up at the ceiling. Blood pools around his torso where bullets tore flesh and bone.
I spot my ma; she’s under a table, her eyes meet mine. “Stay there.” I hit the floor until my stomach scrapes along the glass as they fire another round of bullets into the bar. The roar of engines ends the reign on us, and I’m up, stepping over more Bastard Riders.
