Glancing back at his brother-in-law in the rearview mirror, Ryder responded, “Trust me, I fucking know.”
Raine slapped her husband’s arm. “I have not been a hormonal basket case.”
“Whatever you say, dear,” he teased, pulling off at the rest stop.
We all filed out of the truck, and I waited outside while everyone else used the dingy facilities. I stared at my phone. Bear had promised he would let me know right when he got to the clubhouse and I knew he was still on the road, but I hated waiting. I hated knowing what he was planning to do. I hated that he would have more blood on his hands and it was all my fault.
Feeling someone staring at me, I gripped my Kimber where it was concealed in the back of my jeans.
All of a sudden, a man was within a foot of me, his rank breath and trucker stench making my skin crawl.
I puffed out my chest, standing my ground. “Can I help you?”
“Aren’t you a pretty sight to be standing out in the middle of this truck stop all by your lonesome.” His yellowing teeth matched the jaundice in his black eyes.
I let a smirk play on my lips as I closed the gap between us. “You think so?”
He bit his lip as he tried to grab my arm.
“Wrong move,” I barked, shoving the barrel of my gun right into his side. “Now go climb back into the shithole you crawled out of.”
“Everything all right out here?” Ryder asked as Collin followed him out of the men’s room.
“I was just teaching our new friend here to not mess with a lady.”
His eyes grew three sizes as his hands flew into the air and he took hurried steps back. “I don’t want any trouble,” he stammered as he retreated across the poorly lit parking lot.
“Well, fuck, Scarlett—looks like you should be the one protecting us.” Collin put his hand on my shoulder. “But are you all right?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m used to dealing with fucking scumbags like him.”
* * *
Three pee breaks later, we finally pulled up to the cabin. It was tucked away at the top of a mountain, cloaked in weeping willows.
Two men were sitting on the front porch, wearing cuts and smoking cigars.
“Took y’all long enough,” the older of the two called out as he made his way down the front steps.
“You know how it is, man.” Ryder pointed over at Raine’s giant belly.
“That I do, son. That I very well do—four times over. Welcome, ladies. I’m Blaz, and this is Carson.” He turned to me and said, “I’m sorry we’re not meeting under better circumstances.”
“I am too.” I sighed as Raine put her hand on my shoulder.
“It’s good to see you again, gents. It’s been too long—y’all need to make it down from the mountain sometime.” Raine hugged both of them before gripping my hand for comfort.
“Trust me, I couldn’t agree more,” he responded to Raine before turning to Crickett. “Now aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
“Good to see you, Blaz. Thank you for having us.” Crickett kissed him on the cheek.
“Abigail’s inside cooking up her famous mac and cheese, if y’all are hungry,” Carson stated as he led us into the log cabin.
“The baby definitely needs some food.” Raine rubbed her stomach as she made her way into the kitchen with Crickett and me in tow.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in.” Abigail’s face lit up as she hooked her arms around Crickett and Raine’s necks, her long graying hair up in a high ponytail. She was tall, slender, and had one of the best boob jobs I’d ever seen on someone her age. Dressed in all black and riding boots, I could tell she had been in the biker world for longer than I’d been alive. It was comforting, to say the least.
“You must be Scarlett.” Her kind voice was sugary as she wrapped me in a hug. “You’re safe now, sweetheart. Exes can be a bit of a bitch when they’re out for blood.”
“Yes ma’am, you got that one right. Already made me lay my bike down on the side of the road and left me for dead once. I don’t want to know what he would do if he found me this time.” It should have felt weird to say it, but I knew these women wouldn’t bat an eyelash at the skeletons that riddled my closet.
“Well, fuck him. I’m sure he’ll get what’s coming for him soon.”
My cell started blaring in my back pocket with the sounds of Bear’s ringtone, Jimmy Buffett’s God’s Own Drunk.
I rushed out onto the front porch to answer. “Hey, hubby.”
“Y’all make it to the cabin yet?” His husky voice melted my heart instantly.
“Just got in.”
“I just got to Wheeler’s and have to talk with Jax, just wanted to make sure you were all right.”
“Thanks for calling.”
“Anything for you, wife.”
“I love you.”
“And I love you, darlin’. Get some rest. I’ll check in with you tomorrow mornin’.”
The call was short and sweet, but it was better than nothing.
We each ate more than our fill of five cheese-drenched macaroni, and before I knew it, I was lying in bed staring up at a ceiling fan as it spun on the ceiling. Exhaustion was getting the better of me, and I slowly drifted off into a tormented, nightmare-filled sleep.
I was barreling down the highway, running to Atlanta on my Royal Enfield Thunderbird. The sun had just set and the glow of streetlights illuminated my ride, reflecting off the pavement as I made my brazen escape.
The traffic was light, only a few cars ahead of me. It was calming, the night air wrapping around me. It was just me and the road, and I loved being almost completely alone with just the low hum of my engine and the sound of the asphalt under the two wheels of my chrome-covered steed.
Suddenly, the blaring of a horn and the bright headlights of a car took me by surprise. I whipped my head around just in time to see Jasper’s blue sedan connecting with my back tire. There was nothing I could do in that split second other than try to swerve out of his way, but it was futile. With loudly scraping metal and squealing tires, my bike lay down on its side, throwing my body like a ragdoll, off the shoulder and into the grass with a hard thump.
I couldn’t move. My ears rang. My body was in excruciating pain. Within seconds, my entire world went blank as I fell into the darkness.
I gasped as I woke up. The memory of the night I left Jasper had tortured me since it had happened. I couldn’t believe everything that had changed since that night when he almost killed me. I rapidly glanced around the room, and it took me a few seconds to remember where the heck I was.
You’re safe. I had to keep reminding myself of that. Everything is going to be fine soon enough.
Grabbing my phone off the nightstand, I dialed Bear, and his sleepy voice answered on the first ring.
“Babe?”
“I just needed to hear your voice,” I confessed.
“Are you all right?” I could hear the panic waking him up.
“Yeah, just a bad dream.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Sorry for waking you.”
“Never be sorry. If you need me, I’m always here.”
Chapter 5
Bear
Sitting in the kitchen, I stared down at the black coffee as the steam danced out of the mug. I had just finished cleaning up the broken front window and the food massacre Scarlett and I had ignored when we hightailed out of town.
We had no idea where Jasper was hiding. I hated just sitting on my hands with my thumb up my ass, waiting for a tip to come in. Knowing Scarlett was safe was my only solace, and this was all just new territory for me.
I was used to dealing with rival clubs, drug deals, gunrunning, and taking out other outlaws. There was a code and order to all that bullshit and it and it was all old hat, stuff I could handle with one hand tied behind my back, but this was a whole other animal.
Just as I was about to throw my mug across the room, my phone rang.
&nb
sp; “Justus, please tell me you have something for me,” I barked into the receiver. There was no time for simple pleasantries like hello.
“I’m going to ride out to your house now. We need to talk.”
“See you soon.”
“Be there in ten.”
As soon as he hung up, I dialed Jax.
“Yeah, brother?” he asked.
“Come to my place. Justus is on his way.”
“Consider me already there.”
I paced on the front porch as the guys pulled up on their bikes at the same time.
“Thanks for coming this early in the morning.” I shook Justus’s hand before we all took seats in the rocking chairs.
He pulled a folded manila envelope out of the inside of his riding boot. “My DA friend has been keeping a close watch on Jasper Keen ever since he was first picked up for that double homicide.”
I glanced over at Jaxon as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“Yeah, I’ve been keeping a close eye on him too.” My breathing was heavy, my heart pounding, in my ears.
“They found some weird discrepancy with the DNA evidence—the chain of custody got all fucked up, so he was let out on a technicality. Slimy lawyer, if you ask me, using his connections to get away with murder. Probably paid some poor schmuck off or something.” Justus leaned back in his chair as he looked at both of us. “Now, just between us, I know this is all bullshit. I don’t know how y’all did it, but good fucking job because he should have never seen the outside of that prison cell.”
I bit my tongue. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He shook his head. “I know you’re not going to admit it to me, but I also know you had a damn good reason for doing it. Anyway, I have his location. He’s hiding out at some broad’s place about twenty minutes from here.”
He handed me the thin folder before standing.
“Thanks for this,” I muttered before getting up to walk him over to his bike.
“Look, he’s not going to go down without a fight, and a dead lawyer is a hard sell in front of a jury. Just be careful.” He looked down at my hand. “I guess congratulations are in order.”
I crossed my arms and let a little bit of joy take over my face for a change. “Thanks. It happened yesterday, kind of a last-minute thing.”
“I’m happy for you and Scarlett. I hope this little problem of yours doesn’t fuck up the honeymoon period too much.”
“Ain’t gonna let it get that far.”
“Sounds like a good plan.” He let his engine roar to life before he waved goodbye.
Jax joined me in the driveway. “I guess we have a wolf to go catch.”
I patted him on the back. “More like a lamb ready for the slaughter.”
* * *
Jax and I rode out to the address Justus had given us. It was a small home in a nice, quiet suburban neighborhood, one of those where the houses were too close together for their own good and they all looked the fucking same. It belonged to Lilith Rollins, the chick Scarlett had caught Jasper cheating on her with.
How could it be this easy?
How could he be this dumb?
I liked being underestimated—it made my job easier than usual.
The car that had sped away from my house only a couple nights before sat in the driveway, mocking me. I had half a mind to just kick down the front door and put a bullet in both of their heads, but I couldn’t be hasty. Justus was right—I needed to be smart if I didn’t want to get roped for a double homicide myself. That wouldn’t be the best wedding present to give to my old lady.
We parked down the block then stalked around the house. It wasn’t even seven in the morning yet, and I was confident that little Jasper was still taking his last restful slumber.
We saw there was a sliding door off the back patio, a door around the side that led into the two-car garage, and the front door. My guys would easily be able to pick the lock, sneak in, and masterfully pull off a kidnapping. I just had to figure out what to do with the chick.
“Let’s head to the clubhouse. We need to figure this shit out.” I hopped back onto my bike and led the way.
We walked into the clubhouse where all of my soldiers were waiting at the ready.
“Get everyone around the table. I have to make a call real quick.”
Jax nodded and started rounding up the guys.
I pulled out a fresh burner and called my wife’s number. Scarlett answered right away.
“Good morning, handsome.” I could hear her yawning.
“Mornin’, my love. Did you get any rest?”
“A little. I think Crickett is making breakfast—something smells delicious.”
“Crickett and Abigail are good like that.”
“How is everything?” Her voice got lower as she asked.
“We found him.”
“I feel like there is a but coming soon.”
“He’s hiding out with Lilith, and I can’t leave any witnesses,” I explained.
“She’s innocent.” Scarlett’s voice cracked a little.
“Not entirely—she is hiding him.”
“I trust that you’ll make the right decision, babe.”
“I just wanted to let you know what was going on. Know I will always tell you everything I can.”
“I know that.” Her tone relaxed a little.
“I love you, darlin’.”
“I love you, too.”
“I gotta go,” I said with a sigh.
“Bear? One thing?”
“What’s up?”
“Bring them here, alive. I want them to see me one last time.”
“As you wish.”
I walked in and took my place at the head of the table. As I cracked my neck, bloodlust and the excitement of the hunt took over. Scarlett’s wish was my command, and I would have been lying if I said it didn’t excite me that she was just as fucked up as the rest of us. She was a true old lady, and she proved it to me daily.
“As you all know, Scarlett’s ex paid us a visit the other night. We know where he’s hiding out, and I have a plan.”
Jax raised an eyebrow at me.
“Well, Scarlett finished out the plan for me just now, and I have to be honest, it’s fucking brilliant.”
“Whatever you guys need, brother. We’re ready and waiting for orders.” Knox slammed his hand on the table. “Anyone that threatens one of our women needs to meet his maker.”
“Here, here!” Knox agreed.
“We’ll wait until it gets dark then we’ll rip that slime-covered lawyer from his bed. The only thing is we have to take the gash he’s hiding out with along for the ride. She’ll point the finger at us far too quickly, and that is heat none of us will be able to shake.”
“As far I’m concerned, that bitch is going to rot in hell alongside the bastard.” Jax’s face contorted as he thumbed the top of his coffee cup. His mind was a deviant devil’s playground, and I could see the beautifully evil wheels turning.
“We’re going to deliver them to Scarlett alive, and then we’ll make moves from there.”
“How’s Ryder going to feel about that with Crickett and Raine up at the cabin with them?” Jax asked.
I put my hand on his shoulder. “There’s a shed out back, so we can keep the girls in their little bubble, safely inside the cabin. Besides, we all know Crickett and Raine are no strangers to the mayhem.”
Chapter 6
Bear
I rode solo on my bike with Jax, Brock, and Knox following in the van. I wanted this to be an in-and-out job, quick and painless. I knew Jasper would put up a fight, but he was no match for me. That poor shmuck stood at least a foot shorter than me and had no idea what he’d done by throwing that brick through an outlaw’s window. He’d started a war I was eager to finish.
Brock quickly picked the cheap lock on the front door, and the house was deathly quiet and completely dark as we entered. We had masks on for good measure, just in case anyone saw us�
��neighborhood watch programs had really made sneaking into suburban houses harder than necessary.
We slipped into the master bedroom at the back of the house. I watched for a second as the pair lay there sleeping so soundly, unaware of the danger that had just crept in.
This lady really should have gotten a dog.
I nodded to Jax and Knox. They swiftly put Ziploc bags over Jasper and Lilith’s mouths and noses, holding on tight as they were startled awake. Both of our captives tried to fight off their attackers, but to no avail. Jax sat on Jasper’s chest as I zip-tied his hands and feet, and Brock and Knox did the same with Lilith. Their muffled cries slowly died out as their bodies went limp from lack of oxygen. Within two minutes we had the van backed up into the garage and were throwing our passed-out hostages into a large cage in the back of the blacked-out vehicle.
Cloaked in the darkness of night, we made the three-hour drive up to Sweetwater to deliver my princess her presents.
Finally, we pulled up next to Ryder’s truck. With my gun drawn, I stood ready as Knox opened the back doors of the van.
Jasper was screaming, “Do you know who I am, motherfucker? You’re going to pay for this!”
Lilith was curled up in a ball in the corner, bawling her eyes out.
I stepped up to the metal of the cage, growling, “Do you know who the fuck I am, you spineless piece of donkey shit? Should have stayed safely locked away in the nice cell we made for you.”
He tried to spit in my face but missed by a mile. “You can go fuck yourself.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Oh, no. I plan to go fuck my wife after all of this is settled. You might know her—her name is Scarlett.”
All of the color drained from him face. “Shit,” he murmured.
“Take them to the shed. I have to go get my old lady.”
Scarlett
I jumped to my feet as Bear’s wide frame filled the doorway at the front of the cabin.
The Unacceptables Series Box Set Two: Books Five through Nine with Exclusive Bonus Chapters Page 18
