Riggs (The Kings of Retribution MC, Louisiana Chapter Book 1)

by Crystal Daniels

  Pike. He's their VP.

  "Luna, how did you get mixed up with these guys?" She hands my notebook back over so I can answer.

  I became involved with the President. Stupid, I know. I thought he was a good guy. He treated me well enough. That all changed when I saw something I shouldn't have. He beat me. Dumped my body on the side of the road and left me for dead. I survived. Now he is sitting in jail until the trial. And I am the key witness.

  Once I deliver the blow, Sofia explains we need to tell The Kings what we know. I agree and follow her out to the living room where we are met by her boyfriend Sam and a tall, bearded man wearing a cut with a patch that reads PRESIDENT. The man in front of me oozes authority. He carries a certain kind of demeanor; one that says he is not to be messed with. Trying to calm my nerves, I allow Sofia to lead me over to the sofa where we both sit. The two men begin exchanging words with Sofia. I am unable to make out what they are saying. I know the exact moment Sofia mentions Savage Outlaw because the big burly man in front of us spits out a curse and his face looks murderous. His actions cause me to shrink back into the sofa. Sofia notices my reaction and is quick to calm me. "It's okay. Nobody here is going to hurt you. The Kings are not like that — I promise." I close my eyes and nod. I trust her.

  Not worried about trying to keep up with the conversation, I sit patiently while the three discuss the situation at hand. An hour later I watch as the bearded man who Sofia mentioned a second ago that his name is Jake, pulls out his phone. He turns his back to me, so I am unable to decipher what is going on. By the look on his face, I know it isn't good. A second later, Jake shocks me when he strides in front of me, crouching down to eye level. He looks me straight in my eyes, and his face softens. "You mean somethin' to Sofia, so that means you mean somthin' to the club. You are now under The Kings' protection." The look on Jake's face says he meant every word he said, and I have a feeling I can trust these people. Sofia is right. They are not like Savage Outlaw.

  While Sam and Jake continue to pace the living room and say words I don't understand I sit here a jumbled mess of nerves. As for Sofia, she is sitting next to me like this is just another day at the office. I guess when you've been around the club life for so long, you become used to this sort of drama. I don't know how they do it. I wasn't with Rex long enough, nor did he bring me in on his day to day business. I was left in the dark when it came to Savage Outlaw. Only now it's not just me who is paying the price of my being naïve. With a tap on my shoulder, Sofia brings my attention back to her. She goes on to explain that we have to leave New Hope and follow the guys back to the clubhouse. That we will be staying there under their protection until The Kings can get a handle on the situation. The mention of living at their clubhouse brings out a whole new slew of emotions from me. The last time I was at an MC clubhouse I watched a man get murdered and nearly lost my own life. Pushing my fears away, I trust in Sofia and go along with the plan.

  Sam and Jake take their leave minutes after two other men whose names are Grey and Blake arrive. Sofia said they would be escorting us to the clubhouse. As I make my way back to my bedroom to pack, Sofia follows me in. "I'll help you pack a few things." With my guilty conscious getting the better of me, I hang my head and scribble on my pad.

  I didn't mean to cause trouble. I should leave.

  "No. The club will do whatever it takes to keep you safe and find this guy." Sofia says the same moment Emma appears at the door. Emma and Sofia go about exchanging words. Sofia is no doubt telling her of today's events and about our new living arrangements. I watch as Emma frowns, and it doesn't help the overwhelming sense of guilt I'm carrying around. Countless lives are being affected because of me. I need to figure out a way to fix everything before another person gets hurt, and before I disrupt any more lives. I briefly wonder if I should get in contact with Detective Brooks, but quickly squashed that idea. No. It's time to handle this on my own. I need to leave.

  Thirty minutes later, we all pile into Sofia's car as we make the drive to the clubhouse and following close behind on their bikes is Grey and Blake. The trip to the clubhouse takes about twenty minutes. I watch as Emma and Sofia carry on a conversation up front. It's times like this when I wish I could hear. Sometimes I feel left out. Not that the girls are doing anything to exclude me intentionally, but it still sucks, nonetheless.

  Turning right, Sofia pulls onto a dirt road. We drive for about a mile before we come upon a closed gate. Sitting behind the entrance is a large compound surrounded by a tall fence. You would think we arrived at a maximum-security prison. The gate slides open, and Sofia pulls up to the side of The Kings clubhouse and parks. Grey and Blake park their bikes then promptly help us ladies with our bags. I unintentionally flinch when Grey goes to help me and curse myself when I notice a look I can't decipher cross his face. He motions to Sofia, who comes to stand beside me while Grey and Blake lead us inside.

  I appreciate the fact that Sofia has taken hold of my hand to keep me calm as we walk inside. When we step through the doors, I survey the room. It looks to be a large common room equipped with a couple of pool tables and a bar along with a sofa and a few chairs. It's a far cry from the Savage Outlaw clubhouse. Rex and his men lived like animals. The Kings clubhouse is clean and carries only a hint of cigarette smoke. Sofia grabs my attention and motions up the stairs. "All the rooms are located upstairs." Emma and I follow Sofia upstairs. She guides me to the room where I'll be staying. "I'm going to take Emma to her room, then I'll come back and check on you," Sofia says before she leaves, allowing me to get settled.

  Once she closes the door behind her, I toss my bags on the bed and plop down on the edge. Three moves in one six weeks. That's a record, even from when I was a foster kid. Determined to make the best of my situation until I can come up with a game plan to get out of here, I go about unpacking a few things.

  Finished putting my things away, I stand at the bedroom window and stare out at the lush green grass. Some of the club members must have children because I see a giant swing set with an attached slide along with what looks like a sandbox. A smile tugs at my lips at the thought of children. I work with children every day at the daycare center, and I miss seeing their faces. I'm brought out of my memories when I sense I am no longer alone. Turning, I see Sofia standing at the door. Behind her is a woman dressed in sexy clothes and covered in an array of tattoos. She's beautiful. "Luna, this is Raine," Sofia introduces, and I give her a small wave. When Raine lifts her hands and begins to sign, both Sofia and I are shocked. I'm also thrilled as hell. It feels like forever since I've been around someone who I can communicate with. Without skipping a beat, I sign back. A moment later Sofia smiles and excuses herself, leaving Raine and me to talk.

  "I heard a little about what you are going through. I'm so sorry," Raine says.

  "Thank you. I only wish my past wasn't causing problems for everyone here. If I thought any of this would have happened, I wouldn't have come."

  "Nobody here blames you. It's not your fault. You can't control other people's actions. Just know The Kings will take care of everything. Trust me; you won't find a better group of people. The Kings family is the most loyal I've ever met. You'll see when you get to meet the rest of them later. I know you've already met Sam, Jake, Grey, and Blake, but that's not even half the family."

  "Are you with one of the members?" I ask.

  Raine gives me a smirk. "No, honey. I'm one of two club girls. Ember and I tend to the unattached brothers."

  Reading between the lines of 'tend to,' I don't ask her to elaborate. I'm pretty sure I get it. Besides, I'm not one to judge and Raine has been nothing but amazing since we've met.

  "Anyway, I hope they all know how grateful I am for their help," I change the subject.

  "I'm sure they are," Raine smiles. "No worries, Luna. You're in good hands here."

  The next morning Raine comes to my room inviting me to eat breakfast with her. Having her by my side has made my stress level decrease immensely. As we
sit at the table along with Sofia, Sam, Grey, Blake, and a woman named Lisa, Raine helps to keep me clued in on the current conversation. Sofia and Emma have a doctor's appointment today, and Sofia is trying to assure me I don't have to come. But I am sick of being scared, so I am adamant about coming along with them today. My response earns me an approving smile from several people in the room. Since Lisa, who happens to be an old lady of one of the members, was kind enough to cook breakfast, me, along with Emma and Sofia, offered to clean the kitchen. With the three of us working together, it doesn't take long to complete the task. Once we finish, we head out to the main room of the clubhouse where Sam and Grey are waiting to drive us to town.

  The morning flies by, and the appointments didn't take long since their doctor is the wife of one of the members. She has her practice in town. I have to say the more time I spend with these people, the more I am surprised. Our last stop of the day before heading back to the clubhouse was The Cookie Jar. It turns out the beautiful red-headed woman who owns the bakery is Jake's wife, Grace.

  I'm staring out the car window at the green pastures and breathtaking mountains after leaving the bakery when suddenly all hell breaks loose. The SUV we are riding in swerves, and my body is jerked to the left the same moment one of the SUV windows shatters, spraying broken glass everywhere. Bracing my hands on the seat in front of me, I take in the stricken looks on everyone's face. That's when I cut my eyes out the window to see a man hanging out the window of a dark blue sedan pointing a gun at us. Bringing my attention back to Sofia, I watch as she climbs over the seat and motions for Emma and me to get down on the floorboard. Doing as instructed, I tuck myself into a ball and cover my head with my arms. I get a sense of deja vu as the memory of this exact thing happened just a few weeks ago. While Sofia, Emma and I huddle together, we continue to get jerked around as shattered glass continues to fly all around us. Peeking through my arms, I see Sofia on the phone; hopefully calling for help. It's weird how something can happen in slow motion yet so fast because the next thing I know is we come to a stop on the dirt road leading to the compound as the SUV is engulfed in a tide of dust. My heart feels as though it's going to beat right out of my chest. Experiencing complete and utter chaos as a deaf person is much different than those around us. Because I don't have the sense of hearing, it causes my other senses to heighten. Although I can't listen to what's going on, I feel it tenfold. The tension and fear in the air surrounding us in so thick it's suffocating.

  Clutching the headrest in front of me, I raise up to look at my surroundings to find Sam and Grey with their doors open and their weapons drawn. Seconds tick by before Jake and another man I have yet to meet emerge from the cloud of smoke. We breathe a sigh of relief as both back doors are yanked open. Sofia launches herself into Sam's arms the same moment Grey starts fussing over Emma. A wave of jealousy comes over me as I watch both women receive special attention. I'm not mad about it, but I do envy it. I thought I had found that with Rex. Now I'm left wondering if it's something I'll ever have. A man who looks at me the way Sam looks at Sofia; like she is his whole world. He would walk through the rigid depths of hell to give her what her heart desires.

  The men waste no time ushering us back to the clubhouse, and it doesn't take long for the rest of The Kings family to show as Jake declares lockdown. Sofia takes the time to walk me around to make introductions with the rest of her family, who start arriving shortly after we do. She begins with a gorgeous brown-haired woman named Bella along with her sister, who looks like her opposite being tall with blonde hair. Bella is married to the club's VP, Logan while Alba is married to the club's Enforcer, Gabriel. When I asked which one, they pointed across the room and said the grumpy looking one with a beard. Next, we stopped over by the bar and said a quick hello to Mila who I had already met when I first arrived at New Hope House. I found out her husband's name is Reid, and he's the club's Road Captain. Turning to me, Sofia says, "the only guy left to meet is Quinn."

  Not missing a beat from her place beside me Raine translates when I start to sign. "Is Quinn the one married to the doctor?"

  "That would be him," she smiles. "Other than Quinn, this is my family," Sofia spreads her arms, obviously proud of the company she keeps as she should be. They're all great.

  "You're fortunate to have them," I tell her. And she is. I used to dream of having a family, but by the time I aged out of the system, I gave up on the notion. Taking one last look around at all the men, women and children milling around, I turn back to Sofia. "Would it be okay if I go to my room?"

  "Sure. I'll check on you in a minute. I'm just going to make sure nobody needs help with anything."

  Nodding in agreement, I give the ladies a small smile before escaping to my room. Keeping her word, Sofia arrives fifteen minutes later to check on me.

  Chapter Five

  Riggs

  It's been three days since our trip to Texas, and since I haven't heard from Jake. I'm assuming our visit took care of the problem they were having with McGregor. Needing some downtime, I'm out here bright and early, on the boat with Pop, plucking crawfish traps from the water. "These are some fat fuckers," I look at them as I pull another trap into the boat.

  "That's some good eatin' right there," Pop boasts, proud of his haul. "You forget, I know these waters and all the sweet spots."

  I won't argue with the truth. "That's the last of them. Twenty pods, emptied, and put back in the water."

  "Good — good. This, along with what I'll pick up from Allen's, will be more than enough to feed our bunch." He sits back in his seat and steers us out of shallow water.

  While my grandad purges the crawfish, the men and I set up the tables and chairs outside. Other club members start to arrive not long after the grills are fired up. As I stride across the yard heading toward the shed to grab the massive boiler and propane to start the crawfish, my brother's blue bronco slowly makes its way down the long dirt road leading to the house. After coming to a jerking stop, the engine cuts off. Piper, my niece, opens the driver's door and jumps out.

  "Uncle Abel," she closes the door and waves.

  "I see your dad is letting you drive." I stop walking as my niece jogs in my direction, then wraps her arms around my waist once she reaches me.

  "We would have been here sooner if grandpa here," she gestures with her thumb, pointing over her shoulder, toward Cain whose making his way toward us, "would have let me drive the speed limit."

  "It's not your driving I have a problem with, Bean; it's the other dipshits on the road," my brother states.

  Piper huffs then rolls her eyes. "Dad, an old couple, who looked like they were in their eighties, driving an old Cadillac, even passed us."

  "And?" Cain says utterly unaffected by her frustration.

  "The old lady flipped me the bird," Piper's hands go to her hips. "And you did nothing besides laugh." The banter between the two causes me to chuckle.

  Cain pulls his daughter into his chest, then kisses her on top of the head. "Don't prosecute me for protecting the most important person in my life."

  "It's too much. Just like when you taught me how to ride a bike for the first time," Piper mumbles. Cain bursts with laughter, and I join him at the mention of that memory. "I mean, who wraps their kid in bubble wrap — to ride a bike — with training wheels." Piper looks at her dad, trying her best to act serious.

  "Go see if your Gampy needs a hand in the kitchen." I use the name she's called him since she first learned to talk. "He's in there cooking up his special BBQ sauce," I tell my niece. Handing the truck keys to her dad, Piper takes off toward the house. I turn to my brother. "She's growing up too fast."

  Cain follows me as I finish making my way to the shed. "Man, I can't keep up. One day she's learning to ride a bike the next she's driving." I hand him the large boiler. "And to make matters worse, she announced yesterday that a boy asked her to the school dance," Cain adds.

  God help the young man or any young man who shows interest in Piper. "
She's a good kid, brother, with a good head on her shoulders." Grabbing the propane tank and base, I carry them across the yard to the patio, with Cain behind me.

  "It's more the fact that I know what's going through the minds of these hormonal shit heads. I don't trust them." Cain's face turns to stone.

  I stop what I'm doing and get serious for a moment. "Piper has been raised by a bunch of bikers. You've taught her how to take care of herself. She knows self-defense. She can handle a weapon as well as any of us, and most importantly, she has a dad that will move the heavens to keep her safe." I clasp his shoulder. "You've done well so far. It's time to sit back a little bit and let Piper show you that she has learned from the best and is capable of making good choices."

  Cain nods and clears his throat. "Put me to work," he says, changing the subject.

  "The crawfish could probably use another rinse. They're in the garage."

  "On it," Cain salutes, then turns on his heels.

  Strolling over to the back door, I bend, lifting the lid on the cooler, and pluck a chilled beer from the ice bath it's sitting in. Popping the cap off, I toss it in the trash can to my left. I'm taking a long pull from the bottle when my phone rings. Pulling it from my pocket, I look down to see Jake's cell number on the screen.

  "Hey, brother. How's it going?"

  "Not good, brother. I'm not calling for a casual chat. I need a few extra men up here. We have ourselves a situation." Jake's voice sounds concerned. "A young woman under our protection is wanted by another MC — Savage Outlaw. You heard of them?" Jake asks.

  "Can't say that I have, brother. How high is the threat level?"

  Jake lets out a long exhale. "High. One of the fuckers attacked Sofia at work the other day. He was lookin' for the new girl who moved into New Hope House the other week. Her name is Luna Novak. Yesterday a few of their men tried to gun down two of my men along with the three women in the SUV — one of those women being Luna."