Taken by Temptation

by Liberty Parker

  An hour later she’s cried herself back into a fitful sleep and it’s taking everything I have to remain calm on the outside for her while rage that I’ve never felt before consumes me on the inside. I want to demolish everything in my path, but knowing destruction of our property is not allowed, I have to hold it all in which isn’t making things any better for my mental state of mind. Three words kept playing in my mind—maim, kill and protect. I’m gonna maim and kill that motherfucker and protect her from everything that could harm her in life. Especially him! I don’t just want to destroy him, I want to obliterate him and everything he holds dear. A man like him only cares about a few things, mostly money and power. I intend to remove both of those from his life before I take his breath from his body...permanently. I loathe this man with every fiber of my being. Not sure how much longer I can lay here and keep it all in, so I’m relieved when there is a knock on my door. I’m not sure how long I have lain here and stewed in my anger and revenge plotting, but the knock on my door means there’s information. I need it, I want it, I desire it, I crave it. Knowledge is key for taking care of business, and I am no longer able to be Brady right now. Ghost has taken over and I don’t want Bristol to see me this way. I get up and put my boots and cut back on and head out the door. Justice is waiting for me on the other side.

  “We have information that needs to be brought to the brothers immediately. Emergency meeting now, brother.”

  “I need one of the girls to go sit with Bristol, I don’t want her alone right now,” I tell him as I head to the common room to see if they’re in there. I’m soon thanking my lucky stars when I don’t see just one of them but both of them sitting on the couch talking quietly together.

  “Ladies, could one of you go sit in my room with my girl. I don’t want her to be alone when she wakes up.” Neither one of them says a word, they just stand up and give me a head nod in acknowledgment and take off towards my room. Satisfied that she won’t be alone, I make my way to meet my brothers.

  When I walk into the room I can immediately feel the tension that is present. It’s so thick you could cut it with a knife. From my observation, it seems only Wasp, Tic, Justice and Tazer know for a fact what is going on, the other brothers are like me and just feel the anger in the atmosphere around us. This is going to be one fucked-up meeting from the look my brothers are sending my way. They are all angered on Bristol’s behalf and I couldn’t love my family any more in this moment. The love and devotion we have for each other and the Ol’ ladies is something people have had to capture in books, but until you’ve lived it you have no way of understanding the depth of devotion we have for each other.

  Wasp bangs on the table. “Bringin’ this meeting to order,” he calls out. “We have some important information that has been discovered and it’s time sensitive and we can’t put this off. We have a traitor among us boys.” You can hear the collective cursing and sighs in the room. I think we all had our suspicions that something bad was going on around here. None of us were able to put our finger on what that was exactly. “Calm down everyone and let me fuckin’ finish!” Wasp screams out, his patience it seems is pretty thin at the moment. Can’t say that I really blame him, he does carry the weight of the entire MC on his shoulders, and this must be tearin’ him in two. “It isn’t a brother, it’s a fuckin’ bitch.” It dawns on me immediately who he’s referring to and I’m ready to get my hands on that stupid cunt! I should’ve knows something was up with that shady bitch and how she kept attempting to attach herself to me and make Bristol feel unworthy of the position she so deserves as my Ol’ lady.

  “It’s that stupid bitch, Tasha, isn’t it?” I ask as I stand from the table. I need to move, I can’t just sit still right now. I have so much tension in my body that needs releasing, and I’m not sure how to accomplish that at this point in time. So, I begin to pace around the table and my brothers are watching me. I know that they’re worried because I can be unpredictable in my anger at times. Right now, however, I need to be in complete control.

  We don’t take out women or children as a code of honor, but this bitch has put us all in danger—especially my woman. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with her. Wasp takes the words out of my head and speaks them aloud.

  “We don’t take out women or children, however, in this case I think we need to make an exception. We can’t sit back and allow this type of betrayal in our club. Let’s talk this out and see what the majority feeling is on how to take care of this.”

  “She’s more dangerous to us right now than any enemy we are facing. She could take down the entire club with just one phone call,” Justice says.

  There are murmurings of agreement all around the table, myself included. I have to forget about the fact that she’s a woman and remember that she’s the enemy, regardless of her gender.

  “Then it’s settled, we take her out. My question is, who can do it knowing she’s female?” Wasp asks us all the question.

  “I’m the enforcer, and it’s my woman, I’ll do it,” I say to everyone.

  “I’ll be by your side,” Justice says, “You won’t be doing it alone.”

  “Thank you, brother,” I tell him.

  “Then it’s settled,” Wasp says, “Ghost and Justice will take care of it. Meeting adjourned.”

  We all walk out into the common room together and see her sitting at a table in the center of the room. We walk up to her and surround her where she sits.

  “Tasha,” I call out to her. She’s looking a little pale as she sees us all surrounding her with no escape in sight. “We need you to come with us,” I tell her.

  “Sure thing honey,” she says to me and I can hear the nervousness in her voice. “What’s going on?” she asks me as she gets up and stands.

  “Justice and I need a favor, could you just follow us please?” I ask, not wanting to give her any idea that there is something seriously wrong. Justice looks at me and takes in my expression and knows what I’m up to.

  “We could really use your help darlin’,” he says to her in his gentle voice none of us are used to. Alerting the other women to an issue at hand, they look at us but we give them nothing.

  “I thought you ladies were going to stay with Bristol?” I ask them.

  “She’s taking a shower, then coming out to join us,” Kori answers me.

  Justice grabs a hold of Tasha’s arm and leads her to the basement. I haven’t been down there since all the fiasco surrounding Riley’s kidnapping and dealing with Justin, Wasps brother. I can still remember doling out punishments during that time, I haven’t been down there since then and the situation is different, but will see the same ending. I follow Justice and Tasha down the basement and mentally prepare myself for what is about to take place. A sense of calmness washes over me since I know I’m doing this for my club.

  For my woman.

  For her safety.

  For our family.

  Once we reach the basement Tasha says, “Are you boys into kink or something?”

  “Ya, somethin’,” Justice answers as he drags her towards one of the rooms we have down here. I see all the color drain from her face, I can see in her eyes that she knows she’s been busted.

  “Look guys, why don’t you tell me what’s going on so we can get out of here. This place gives me the creeps,” she says to us. Once we’re completely in the room, Justice walks her over to the only chair in the room and shoves her into it. Then he starts talking to her and I take my position, leaning up against the door. I cross my arms over my chest and cross one leg over the other. This is what I call my no bullshit stance.

  “So, Tasha, let’s get to the point and not bullshit one another. We know that you’re in bed with Johnny Valdez. What I want to know is what all does he know about us and what is it exactly you’re supposed to do here?”

  “What...what, what do you mean?” she stammers out.

  “Don’t fuck us around here, Tasha!” I scream at her. “We know about your messages w
ith him, we aren’t in the mood for fuckin’ lies,” I tell her.

  “Oh god, oh god, you don’t understand! I don’t have any choice.”

  “What do you mean?” Justice asks her.

  “He boug...bought me from my dad, I have to do what he says or he’ll kill me,” she stammers out. Justice and I look at each other, both of us knowing this is a real possibility. It is his MO after all.

  “What does he want?” Justice asks her.

  “Bristol,” is her only response and it’s the only word I needed to hear.

  “You are to stay in here until we figure out what the next game plan is,” Justice informs her and I know we need to take this to the guys before we take this woman’s life. She may very well be another one of his victims.

  Chapter 37

  Ghost

  “What are we gonna do man, if she’s an innocent in all of this we can’t kill her?” I ask Justice as we climb back up the stairs.

  “We can’t just let her go either, and we can’t trust her out and about in the clubhouse. I don’t trust her,” he tells me.

  “I don’t know, man, I don’t trust her either, but fuck if I can kill an innocent woman,” I tell him in all honesty.

  “We need to tell Wasp and let him decide what we’re gonna do.” And I know he’s right, but this situation is fucked up. Once we make it up the stairs and walk into the main room, I see my girl. I know we need to take this to Wasp immediately, but I need to check in with her.

  “Go ahead go check on your girl, I’ll take this to Prez,” Justice tells me, shoving me lightly towards my sweet cheeks. When I make it over to her, I can see she’s still upset but she smiles when she sees me.

  “Brady,” is all she says to me as I pull her up off the couch where she’s sitting between Kori and Ashton and pull her into me. I hold onto her tightly and breathe her in. This seems to be something that calms the raging beast inside of me, I do it as much as I can without seeming like I’m some sorta freak.

  “How’re you holding up, sweet cheeks?”

  “I think I’m still in shock. I didn’t like my mother, you know that, but to see her like that was too much. The thought of ever seeing her again didn’t appeal to me, but the way she died was so horrific. I can only imagine what she went through and the fear and horror she felt at what was happening to her. It’s playing a constant loop in my mind and I can’t get it to stop.”

  “I’m so sorry, sweet cheeks, but he will pay for his crimes against you, your mother and this club. I guarantee it.” What do you say in a situation like this to make someone feel better? I have no clue if there is such a thing, so I do what I can—and that’s hold her tight and close to me. I let my arms and lips tell her what words cannot. Still holding her in my arms, I kiss the top of her head and she melts further into me.

  Bristol

  I can feel his love surrounding me and I melt into his embrace. He seems to always know what I need and when I need it. He is so in tune with me and my body that I feel joy deep down into my bones and can’t imagine ever being in anyone else’s arms.

  “Thank you for always being here for me Brady, and always knowing what I need.”

  “I will always be here to hold you and love you, sweet cheeks. You’re stuck with me till the end of our days. I’m never going anywhere without you, life is just throwing us some curveballs right now, but we will make it to the other side of this tragedy. I promise.”

  “I know baby, I know.”

  Just as the last words leave my mouth, Wasp comes slamming out of his office yelling for all members to join him in the meeting room. My stomach drops, what in the world is going on now?

  “I’ve gotta go, sweet cheeks. Stay with your girls, ya?”

  “I will baby, go see what’s going on, I want to get this shit storm over with.” He gives me one more kiss on my head and takes off to meet with his brothers. I go back and sit next to my girls, taking comfort from their presence alone. We start talking about our guys, the club and I tell them about my decision to continue on with my general education before I begin real estate school. I am lost in conversation and temporarily forget my troubles.

  Ghost

  Once everyone has been filled in on what we learned with Tasha in the basement, we decide to leave her down there until we have a handle on this situation with Johnny Valdez. We send Carson and Levi down in the basement with food, water and a mattress for her to lay on. As we make our way out of the room together, there is an explosion from the front of the clubhouse. Windows shatter, I’m thrown back up off my feet along with those who are standing next to me. I get to my feet as quickly as possible, the only thing on my mind is finding Bristol and protecting her. I find her hiding behind the couch, and relief instantly hits me.

  We start ushering the women and children to the panic room that is down in the basement. Once they’re down there and I know they’ll make it there in once piece, I run to the artillery closet and get my guns out. This is where we store our personal guns so that there’s no chance of small fingers getting a hold of them. We don’t carry them on our person unless we’re out on a run or have a meeting with another MC or group or organization. It keeps the women and kids safe.

  As I get my guns I see the clubhouse in chaos. My brothers are crouched down hiding behind the bar, tables, couches and shadowed corners. Gunfire is exploding everywhere, instead of hiding, I go out guns blazin’. I have a gun in each hand and take out anyone who isn’t a brother, I see one guy crouched down and he has his pistol aimed at Tic. I set my sights on him and aim at his head. I make direct contact with the middle of his forehead and he goes down. It feels like we’re in the middle of a showdown at the O.K Corral. Blood is spilling out left and right. I keep going, taking out as many people as I can, I feel a searing pain in my left shoulder rendering that arm useless in my pursuits.

  Not letting the pain or uselessness of my arm deter me, we finally have taken out all of the men who’ve breached the inside of the club. We take up positions by the windows leading to the front, which is where all the shots were fired from. Wasp screams out orders for Justice, Tarzan, Tazer and Soldier to cover the back exits. We may not have been breached from the back, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t planning on hitting us from behind.

  I look out the window and see Johnny Valdez in the flesh hiding behind an open door to a SUV sitting just beyond the outside gate. This fucker has balls of steel sitting there watching us slaughter his men. A fucking coward that’s hiding behind his men instead of facing us head on. I put a text out to Soldier and let him know that the fucker is here and what his position is. He sends me back a response.

  Let me get to the roof and set up my rifle. Keep them busy for another five minutes so I can make it up there and set up. I’ll end that fucker now.

  10-4 I send him back in response.

  I get the guys’ attention and signal to them where Johnny is and show my fingers going up the stairs then my gun. This lets them know what Soldier is up to. I get a head nod in acknowledgment and I know we’re all on the same page.

  Chapter 38

  Bristol

  We ran down the basement steps and ran towards the panic room, I hear someone screaming from one of the rooms to let them out. I go over to the door prepared to do just that when Kori grabs my hand and pulls me away.

  “We can’t just leave whoever is in that room alone!”

  “Yes, we can,” is her only response, I don’t want to pull on her too hard since she’s pregnant so I just follow her lead. I feel a sense of guilt wash over me and I try to go back to the door once again, but this time Ashton pushes me towards the panic room. Feeling defeated, I go along with them without any further protest. Why is there a person locked in that room?

  “The guys will make sure no one gets to her,” Ashton tells me once the door closes and locks behind us.

  “If that person is safe and doesn’t need the panic room with us, why on earth do we have to come in here?”

 
“Because, Ol’ ladies are protected before traitorous club whores,” Kori tells me. I suddenly realize that Lil’ bit is attached at her mother’s hip and she looks frightened enough that I don’t want to add to that. Instead I let the information I just learned about a traitor who is also a club whore alone. Lil’ bit has been through too much in her young life for me to scare her more than she already is by arguing with her mother and Ash.

  Leaning down to her height, I tell her we’ll all be alright. That her Daddy and Uncles will make sure we’re all safe. She gives me a small shaky smile which lets me know I’ve made the right decision of letting the conversation die. I watch as she puts her hands around her mother’s middle and buries herself into her mom. We can’t hear anything beyond these walls, I feel panicked and claustrophobic. There’s a small bathroom inside of the panic room which only holds a small sink and toilet. Feeling violently ill, I run into the room and deposit my stomach of everything it holds. I barely make it in time, but I feel worse when I hear Lil’ bit’s whimpers and sobs from my actions. There’s nothing I can do about it right now as much as I’m mentally willing myself to get it together.

  Ashton kneels next to me and places a cool washcloth over my forehead.

  “Thank you,” I tell her.

  “You’re welcome sweetie.”

  “What do you think is going on up there? You think everyone is going to be okay?”

  “I think we need to trust our men and know that they are doing everything they can to end the threat to us and the club. None of them will be taken down easily. You need to believe in your heart that your man and the others will come out of this safe.”