The Light Beneath the Dark: Motorcycle Club MM romance (Dark River Stone Collective Book 1)
Page 16
We’d planned an early ride to avoid the heat of the day and prevent us from melting in our leathers. I’d opted for wearing jeans with my leather jacket. The large patch over my back, with the word, Killer, and the club emblem above, identified who I was.
As I took off and roared down the dirt road, all that could be heard behind me was the sound of motorcycles. The usual buzz I got from one of these planned rides was absent when all I could think about what would come next. What it could mean to the future I was starting to envision with Mason.
I sighed into the wind as it brushed over my face. When he’d left me yesterday morning to go home and get changed for work, I’d said goodbye with mixed emotions. With plans that didn’t include him in my weekend, it had left a sour taste in my mouth I didn’t like.
Up till now, I’d kept the club and him completely separate. I didn’t talk about it in front of him and shut him down when he asked any questions that could lead to me revealing anything that could touch him professionally. I was more than aware that having a relationship with me could create waves in his law practice.
So, I’d brushed off his suggestion that he come with me this weekend and get to know the men in the club. The offer left me stunned, but the reality of what this weekend was all about sat between us, whether he knew it or not. I wasn’t sure if he sensed I was holding back, but plans had been set in motion and, as I was president, I couldn’t back down, regardless of how shitty it left me feeling when Mason had tried and failed miserably to hide his disappointment at my refusal of his offer.
I squeezed the accelerator, increasing my speed and hoping to outrun the face filling my head as I hit the highway. Deal with the club issues first, then think about what happens next with Mason.
What if the club issues are what happens next with Mason? My shoulders tensed. The club comes first, it always has.
Does it mean that it always has to?
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mason
I roamed around my apartment, feeling at loose ends with no extra work to occupy my time and no Linc or River to have fun with. I was miffed that Linc had refused my offer to go with him this weekend. And okay, I wasn’t all that keen on getting on the back of his big ass motorcycle, but I’d offered like a good boyfriend should.
Recalling the impenetrable mask his face had become, my stomach knotted unpleasantly. I had a feeling this weekend away up in Austin was about more than just a ride. But Linc was locked down tighter than Fort Knox when it came to talking about the club or club business.
When I’d mentioned taking out a suit against Miss Fink, after her continued bad mouthing of Linc to anyone who’d listen, he’d shut me down. It was frustrating as fuck, when all I wanted to do was help him, protect him. I understood that he’d never had anyone offer that kind of support, except maybe the club members, but I needed him to see he could trust me.
The palm of the hand he’d kissed, then laid against his chest, tingled, and warmth spread through me. He does trust me. That action showed me how much, after what he’d mentioned when I’d first touched his chest without thought. Then why didn’t he want me to go with him this weekend?
I threw up my arms in frustration and went to find my phone to see if Luis was going to the gym. I needed to burn off some of this excess energy that wouldn’t let me settle. If I couldn’t be with Linc and River, then my older brother was my next best option.
“Yo, what are you ringing me for on a Saturday morning?” Luis answered on the second ring, sounding far too chirper.
“I’m at loose ends and wanted to know if you’re training today?”
“Is the Pope Catholic? Of course, I’m going to the gym.” He chuckled, and there was the sound of rasping like he was brushing at his whiskers.
“Want a buddy?”
“What’s up? I’d have thought you’d be hanging with Linc now that the two of you are an item. I didn’t get that wrong, did I? It sure looked like there was something between the two of you the last time I saw you both at Mom and Dad’s.”
“We are, I think.” I groaned at how pathetic I sounded.
“Oh, right…okay. Meet me at the gym in thirty, and we can talk then.”
With that, Luis ended the call and I went to change into some gym gear before heading out with my sports bag slung over my shoulder. In the car, I opened the windows to try and dispel some of the heat as I eyed the cloudless blue sky. I swallowed a sigh and slipped my sunglasses on to stop the from sun blinding me. Blasting out Carrie Underwood, I pulled out of my parking space and drove down the street with the hope a couple of hours in the gym would release the knots in my stomach.
At the gym, I stored my sports bag in the locker they’d allocated to me and walked out of the locker room to find my brother.
What the hell had compelled me to believe this was a good idea?
Two hours later, I gasped for air. The muscles in my legs screamed at me to stop torturing them as Luis, the bastard, made me pay for my stupidity. The quivering in my thighs increased as I pressed my feet flat to the plate and pushed up until my knees locked out.
“That’s it. Remember to squeeze your abdominal muscles to protect your lower back,” he reminded me.
“How the fuck do you squeeze something that feels like a noodle?” I ground out through my gritted teeth as I tried to do as he suggested.
“Remember, you wanted to come and train with me.” he fired back with an evil grin on his face.
The second the metal clanged, and the weight released off my legs. I let go of the grab bars at my sides and used an arm to swipe at my forehead before more sweat could sting my eyes. “I said workout, not, kill me,” I panted, not at all ashamed I was completely out of breath. We’d been at this for two very long hours. There wasn’t a part of me that didn’t know it.
I twisted and grunted as I sat up on the edge of the leg press. “You’re a sadist, you know that?”
His brows waggled at me as he glanced over to the guy using the shoulder press. “You think I’m a sadist, Peters?”
The guy didn’t look in our direction when he answered, “Yep. That’s why your body looks like that and the rest of us mere mortals can only dream about looking as good as you.”
Hoping my legs would hold me, I got up, clutching at the bench press and laughing at Luis’s bewildered expression. “You do have a mirror, right?”
His face pinked with what looked like embarrassment before he glanced away. Letting it slide, because right then all I wanted was a hot shower and some food, I limped off toward the locker room.
I’d gotten only a couple of steps before Luis shouted, “Where do you think you’re going? We haven’t finished.”
I glanced over my shoulder and widened my eyes in horror for effect. “Not finished. I think you’ll find that I was finished about an hour ago. Now, I’m going to limp into the shower and pray I’ve enough energy to go home, lay on my couch, eat junk food, and binge watch some crap on Netflix.”
He rolled his eyes at me, and I shook my head before heading to grab a shower. By the time I’d exited the gym and bought enough groceries to see me through the weekend, I’d have willingly begged someone to carry me up to my apartment.
I spent the rest of the day cursing my brother while trying not to move. Every muscle in my body felt like it’d been put in the dryer on full heat and had come out half the size and refusing to stretch back.
Late the following morning, when I finally woke after a fitful night’s sleep, I’d somehow forgotten what Luis had done to me. I cursed when I couldn’t figure out what hurt the most as I shifted over the mattress to the edge of the bed. It was a close call between my thighs and my triceps. Both were in agreement that the next time I had a harebrained idea to get Luis to distract me with a workout, I was to sign myself into the hospital because I clearly wasn’t in my right mind.
I managed to get to the bathroom to pee, but only after I’d furniture walked around my bedroom. It was humiliating, and I was
thankful that Linc wasn’t there to witness my shame. Then I remembered that it was his fault. If he’d let me go with him, then I wouldn’t be in this mess.
Once I managed to get back to the bed, I relaxed back against the headboard and picked up my phone. The second I opened it, a message flashed up from a number I didn’t recognize. My heart thumped against my ribs as I opened the message with trembling fingers and read.
SOS! Come to this address and say nothing to no one!
After a quick search, I found where the place was outide Austin. Some instinct told me this was not someone messing with me, so I gingerly got up and dressed. It took twice as long as usual with my body rebelling at the activity.
By the time I’d gotten to my car, there was a tight band around my chest stopping me from taking a decent breath. Had something happened to Linc? Had he gotten himself into more trouble? Had he taken matters into his own hands? It was the last question that worried me the most. Linc’s refusal to talk about the whole situation once the case had been thrown out of court, left me trying not to think too hard on the whys and whatfores, and if it had been some sort of setup.
There’d been a lot of documented issues with rival bike clubs over the years, and there was evidently no love lost between Linc and other clubs. Yet I suspected that maybe what had happened began closer to home. And if I were honest, it was why I’d been feeling antsy since Linc informed me he’d be going away this weekend. He wasn’t a man to let folks double cross him and then walk away, without there being any retribution.
Thoughts circled around my head as I drove faster than the speed limit, with my need to make sure Linc was alright. I wasn’t sure what I’d do if he wasn’t.
Stop jumping the gun. If Linc needs you, then you need to be clear headed.
I clutched at my steering wheel, keeping my gaze on the asphalt while I worked to breathe through the panic that maybe this time, I wouldn’t be able to help, to save him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Lincoln
We’d arrived mid-morning on the outskirts of Round Rock, the day before. Dog and his men had been there to greet us at the large cabin we’d rented for the weekend. It wasn’t unlike the clubhouse, huge and made of logs, sat deep in the woods, and off the beaten track. I was told it was used for retreats and such. It had enough beds to sleep twenty people, seventeen less than we needed, but it was normal for folks to just crash wherever they fell after drinking their body weight in liquor.
This trip had started like they all did, with a huge barbecue and more alcohol than a bar, being consumed as club members let rip. These get-togethers, away from respective partners, were all about partying hard. As one of the few clubs that allowed women to claim a patch, these weekends could be unpredictable to say the least.
I’d heard that there’d been talk, after my Granddaddy had died, to ban women from obtaining membership. At the time, Swifty had been married to one of the club whores, and that put a stop to that. So, used to the club always having female members, a few with bigger balls than some men, I’d left it as it was. Then Nutty had come along. She’d fought hard to gain her patch, and with it, my respect. When River had been born, and Nutty had stepped into to help, I’d never have contemplated changing things.
I’d spoken to Nutty about this weekend, and she’d chosen to stay home and look after River. It was the only time I left River, and this time I was glad Nutty opted to keep out of what was about to go down. The storm had been brewing last night while I’d waited to see if the traitors would show themselves. Tensions had mounted between some of the men, but it appeared they, like me, had their own agendas.
With my face schooled to reveal none of what I was thinking, I entered the large room, my gaze landing on Nola, sitting on Ned’s lap. My lip curled up as he stroked her bare thigh and revulsion caused bile to burn the back of my throat. The betrayal was so huge, I had to clamp my jaw tight to stop myself showing the rage that wanted to savage the bold-faced fucking traitor. Although I’d known Ned had been working to undermine my authority, it was a different thing to come face to face with it.
Sid had come to find me only minutes earlier to inform me that Nola had appeared and caused a stir. He’d barely kept hold of his temper as I’d dressed for battle. I wore a tank top with the club emblem on the front and my name on the back. It showed off my tattooed arms and the sheath strapped to my arm, holding my favored blade. There was no mistaking that I meant business, and silence descended around the room.
What had I done to deserve this treachery?
With no obvious answer, I shook off what couldn’t be changed. It didn’t matter why they’d targeted me, only that they had. To bring Nola here was a declaration of war and showed how far things had spiraled out of control.
The betrayal was locked down for now as I continued to move deeper into the lion’s den. The sound of my boots and Sid’s thudding against the wood was the only noise in the house. We stopped in the middle of the large, open-plan room, Sid remaining at my back, his own blade on display, tucked into the waistband of his leathers.
The weight of the sheath strapped to my wrist was comforting and my fingers twitched in anticipation. I carefully moved my gaze to meet the stare of every person in the room, searching to see who was with me and who wasn’t.
There seemed to be a split between the old timers and the prospects, with one exception, Beau. He’d clearly opted for the wrong side, and the way he fidgeted on the leather chair he’d sprawled out on said he knew it, too.
When Dog had left the day before, there had been no mention of his return this morning, so when the sound of motorcycles cut through the silence, several faces lost their color at what that meant. There was the heavy clatter of booted feet, followed by the front door opening and ten men entering the room. Dog and Rattlesnake led the way.
There were several murmurs as Dog came and stood on my left side, opposite Sid. Only then did I focus my gaze on Ned.
“Why?” I rasped, through a throat that was parched.
There was a collective gasp from half of the room as men and women turned their attention to Ned, but no one uttered a word, understanding whatever this was, it was between me and Ned.
Nola, the stupid bitch, got off Ned’s knee and faced off with me, giving me an ugly sneer. “Dirty fucking fag—” She got no further as one of the women closest to her, Tina, got up and punched her in the face. The sound of bone grinding on bone was followed by blood spurting out of Nola’s nose. It fountained over her hands as she cried out. But no one, not even Ned, came to her rescue as Tina took hold of her by the hair and dragged her kicking and screaming toward Dog’s men.
Tina threw Nola on the ground and spat on her. She glanced at Dog. “She wants to be a club whore, I’m sure you’ll have space for her.”
I felt no sense of remorse as one of Dog’s men came forward and hauled Nola up. He threw her over his shoulder like she weighed nothing. Her body flopped as her head bounced off the guy’s broad back, smearing blood over his leather. The last thing I heard of them was the guy slapping her wriggling ass none too gently as the door closed behind him.
The silence returned as I focused back on Ned. “You need a whore to speak for you?” I growled, taking a threatening step closer to him.
“You think I’m frightened of a pansy who likes to take it up the ass,” he spat out, his voice full of venom.
I felt Sid shift at my side, and I lifted my hand to still him while I held Ned’s gaze. “We’re gonna find out,” I threatened.
The tension rolling off certain club members increased, so I relaxed my stance, resigned to this fight. A small part of me mourned, since these men and women had been my family, my place of safety. Now they were my enemy because…of who I chose to fuck? It had to be more than that, surely? They’d always known I was gay.
There was no time to find an answer when Doddie, Stevie, and Ricky moved together to surround me, while Beau pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at me.
“Argh, you fuckerrrrr,” Beau screamed as the gun clattered to the floor and his brother, Ram, quickly picked it up and shoved into the back of his leathers. His face was a grim mask as he watched Beau grab at the arm that had my knife embedded in it. Blood trickled down onto the wooden floor, but I had no time to think about the mess as Doddie attempted to sucker punch me.
All hell broke loose as I spun on my heel and blocked the hit. The sounds of grunts, swearing, and shouts filled the cabin as those still loyal to me fought with the traitors, but my focus was on the ring leaders. I slammed my fist into Doddie’s face, catching him on the temple and busting his eyebrow open. He staggered back blindly as blood ran down into his eye and he fell.
The second he fell, hands grabbed at my T-shirt and I shifted my attention to Stevie. He had a rep of being a dirty fighter and I wasn’t surprised by the gleam of steel that came toward my face. “Rat bastard,” I growled as he slashed air, rather than my face, as I shifted.
I dodged his next attack and used my height to keep out of reach of the lethal knife. The thin blade could slice muscle from bone, and I’d prefer mine left where it was. I pivoted to the left and as he came at me, I lifted my booted foot to kick high, right up into his arm pit. He screamed, and the force propelled him into two men fighting behind him. The knife he held, dropped from his lifeless arm, and I hoped I’d caused enough damage to the nerves that ran under his arm that he’d never be able to use it again.
When both Ricky and Ned approached me with more caution, I had time to suck in several deep breaths to settle my racing heart. “Is this really ‘cause I’m gay?” I ground out, needing to know.