“He’s not going to be happy,” Widow reminds me.
“When is he ever happy?” I retort, bringing the whiskey to my lips, taking a heavy drag. I glance up to the clock and see it’s now past seven in the evening. Kat has been sitting in the basement with her parents all day long. I didn’t want to interrupt, and I won’t. They have a lot to catch up on after her being gone for all of these years and it’s refreshing to know that they’re spending time together. I’m so happy for her. You wouldn’t catch me dead spending that much time with my crazy family.
“If he wants the Demons, he can just fucking take them. Does he think it will be hard now? The Reapers will be looking for blood. The second Fist lays down his plan, I’m sure as hell going to mark those clubhouse walls a lovely shade of crimson”
Widow smiles, leaning back in his chair.
“What’s that for?”
“Can’t say I’ve ever seen you this happy to kill”
“I know the people in the Demons. They’re atrocities, the lowest of the low. Those are the men my father didn’t take when he had his blowout with Rage years ago. My father took the decent men, while Rage kept patching anyone who wanted in. I know how these men are. I had to fucking live with them. So yes, this time I’m happy to end lives.”
“This isn’t just about the type of scum the Demons are. This is about the girl.”
“Of course, it is.” I grumble, bringing the whiskey back to my lips I take another sip, overlooking my surroundings.
The club is decently packed tonight. I see Nomad’s as well as Reapers here, in addition to Widow being the only Brotherhood member. The Reapers run their club much differently. Fist dabbles in the drug trade, using it as a way to keep the club afloat. It brings in a lot of cash, so I can’t blame him there. I just wonder if the brothers dabble with the drugs, or if Fist makes it a rule for them to stay clean. They have club whores here, I don’t know their names, but I see quite a few, especially this beautiful Asian one that Fist keeps around him. He doesn’t pay any mind to the others, even as they ogle over him. That’s the thing about the club whores, they all want the Prez, but the Prez hardly ever wants them.
The main patched brothers are Dracus, Bolt, Booger, Kade, Zane, Zorro, Grim, Dixon, Hawk, Bull, Tank and Axel. I’ve been looking at their cuts to learn their names. Bolt and Dracus are two out of the three Father’s that Kat has. If that isn’t confusing as shit, I don’t know what is.
Fist brings the beautiful Asian woman on top of his lap, muttering what I can imagine are filthy filled words into her ear. The moment her cheeks flush with a bright filled red I know it to be true.
From the corner of my eye, I see the brother named Booger at the bar. I’ve overheard a little bit about the beauty he’s speaking to, her name is Camila and I know a lot more about her then she knows. My uncles are the Cartel, I don’t even say that they’re the head of it anymore. The cartel is who they are, the air that fills their lungs and the blood that flows through their veins.
Rafael is in control, being the eldest Ramirez brother, next in line is Alej. I don’t have a good relationship at all with my uncles, but I will say that my relationship with Alej is better than Rafael. Rafael is a snake, scum. He would be good friends with Rage I think. They’re similar in many aspects. Amara had told me a few months ago my uncle had been looking for a girl, not a Camila, but a Maria and that they were sisters. I doubt I have all the details. Does one ever have all the information? No.
She told me a bogus story my uncle spewed out about how Maria was his fiancé and had gone missing. He’d hoped that by finding Camila, she would lead him to her sister.
Now listen, I know my uncle. He is just like Rage. They would actually be good friends if my father wasn’t telling Rafael how Rage had betrayed the familia, how he had hurt my mother. Rafael, even with his nature…he holds familia above all. And my mother, well, she is familia.
I know that this is one of the girls that Rafael seeks, but I have no intention on telling him she’s here. In my opinion, she’s much safer here, so she will stay. “You’re paying a lot of attention to Camila, brother,” Blackjack says as he takes a seat next to me, placing his beer on top of the table. “Aren’t you with Kat?”
“Yeah, not giving Camila that kind of attention, brother. Just curious about her backstory is all.” I listen to Blackjack as he speaks about Camila, telling me things I already know. Knowledge is power, and you never give too much away. I thought I knew a lot, but until Blackjack spoke to me, I realized that I only knew part of the story.
“Her sister is with Reed at the Skulls Renegade in Tennessee. A lot of attention has been on her sister, Maria by the cartel and it’s best that we keep them both separate. If they told Maria the cartel would be bound to show up and while we can handle a lot, we can’t fucking handle a war with the Ramirez’s. Our job is to protect Camila, so we’ll do it. We just have to be careful.” No one knows who my uncles are. It’s the plus side of your father being the bastard child. No one can tie you with the things your family has done. I’m a Raines, not a Ramirez.
“What else do you know about her?” I inquire.
“There are rumors, but nothing definitive. I know the girl has a lot of demons, granted I understand why. She hasn’t exactly had it easy.”
I nod at his assessment. No, I don’t think she has. I think to myself.
Booger hops of the bar stool, mutters something to Camila and she breaks out into a full toothy grin as he walks away and comes towards us. He takes a seat next to Widow, leaning back in his chair. “Fuck.”
“Fist is going to have your head, Boog. Tread carefully with that one.”
“I can’t exactly tread carefully when I’ve been warned to stay away from her,” Booger says, glancing back at Camila, both of them maintain eye contact for a moment before she darts back down a hallway.
“He wants you to leave her alone?” I ask.
“Yeah, she’s too good for me, too young for me. All that bullshit. Don’t see Fist telling you that, though, Blackjack. Shit, I don’t even have as big as an age gap as you and Ash do.”
“There’s a difference, Ashley isn’t a teenager”
“Fuck. She’s jailbait?” I say, looking to Booger, not really sure how that girl is under the age of eighteen. She’s way too developed.
“No, she’s nineteen,” Booger corrects, glaring at Blackjack.
“Camila has gone through a lot, the last thing she needs is you fucking with her head.”
“I don’t want to fuck with her head, just the other parts of her,” he chuckles, staring Blackjack down.
“Which is exactly why Fist is being so adamant on you staying the hell away from her. I don’t give a fuck if that was just a joke or not. It’s been made clear for you to keep your distance and you haven’t done it. Camila isn’t one of the club whores. You can’t treat her the same way you treat them.” I can instantly tell that the Reapers love that girl. Blackjack is looking out for her as an older brother, and I can imagine Fist is looking out for her as he would a daughter.
“If she was a club whore I would’ve already had myself buried deep inside of her. Now that I think about it, it’s not like she’s stopped me from getting to that point. I don’t because I respect her and want to get to know her. Sure, I make shitty jokes. It’s who I am. Get down from your high and mighty horse, Blackjack. You’ve been in the same exact place I have.”
“My relationship with Ashley is much different. How about we don’t go there,” he hisses, grabbing his beer, he walks away from the table, out through the doors that lead into the club.
Well, this has made for an interesting night.
Chapter 14
To know what a person has done, and to know who a person is are two very different things. -Hannah Kent
Kat
“Okay, I know this is freaking whacked as hell, but I’m super excited right now!” Ashley is jumping up and down for joy as she helps me pick something to wear tonight. I guess
it’s a big deal. My first club party since being back home, and I am dubbed the guest of honor. I thought I might feel weird at first, odd, like I shouldn’t be here, but I don’t. The only thing I feel is a sense of peace, and what a welcomed surprise that was. Don’t get me wrong, I know we’re not out of the woods yet and hellfire is bound to come crashing down on us sooner rather than later, but I will enjoy tonight. I’ll enjoy the moment.
“I missed you.” My confession slips out, not intending to make this fun occasion something sad. Ashley puts down the jeans that she had in her hands and walks over to me, trapping me in the tightest hug known to man.
“I missed you too, way more than you think I did. I’m sure of it. I never stopped thinking about you, every single day I prayed, hoping you were still alive. I’m just…I’m so glad you’re home.”
I keep my arms wrapped around my cousin, holding onto her for dear life. Ashley had always been my best friend, from the moment we were born, it was instantaneous. I pull away, giving her a soft smirk and go to the bed, looking at the options she laid out for me. When she came down into the basement the only thing she did was roll her eyes at the selection of clothing Damon bought for me, disappear into thin air and came back thirty minutes later with a boatload of clothes.
As we rummaged through the clothes she brought me, Ashley filled me in on the last few years. How her and Blackjack, a man who was handsome as hell even when we were kids, now are together and have a baby girl named Noelle, and everything that happened with her ex-husband, Harry. It seems that neither of us had it easy. Life is hard though, it doesn’t come easy to anyone. Especially Reapers women. There’s always something rough bound to happen, but maybe that’s the pessimist slipping out of me.
“So, you and Damon, huh?” She waggles her eyebrows, giggling at me. I grab a pair of cutoff denim shorts in a deep shade of navy, almost black and pair it with a deep green off the shoulder shirt. I get undressed as Ashley does, changing into our outfits that we’ll wear tonight in the clubhouse. There’s no point in wearing a bra with it, so I don’t.
“Yeah, that happened,” I confirm, not really sure how it happened, but not disappointed that it did. There’s something about him that I just can’t quite put my fingers on, but I love it. A sense of mystery that maybe I just don’t want to figure out.
“I’m not surprised. I had a feeling it was going to happen. If when we were kids was any indication, I should’ve known.” She laughs, pulling her shirt over her head.
“What do you mean?” I ask curiously, turning around as I sit on the bed that Damon and I shared last night.
“You don’t remember…do you?” She smirks devilishly, before she laughs and goes on to tell me a story of when we were kids. Apparently, I’d met Damon a couple of times when we were small. I don’t remember it, though. Ash goes on, telling me about a little boy named D…and then I remember.
The three of us had played together a couple of times when we were little, so little that I’m surprised Ashley even remembers it. She goes on to tell me how her and Damon were good friends growing up, but of course how her Dad would take her when he went to meet with Roman Raines, the Prez of The Brotherhood MC. It doesn’t really make me happy when she jokes about her Dad probably doing that as a way to pair her with Damon, but the only thing she wanted to do was stab him.
It seems like they have an interesting relationship, to say the least. “If it makes you feel better, I doubt he remembers Katie either” Ashley laughs, calling me my childhood nickname. I can’t help but cringe. I’m so not a Katie, I don’t even know who started that….wait…it was my Uncle Cracker, bastard.
Both Ashley and I finish getting dressed and walk out the front door of her Dad’s house. “Can you tell me about Jordyn and Nova?” I ask her, curious about my sisters.
She cocks her head back and laughs. “Well, they’re actually a lot like you. The three of you could be weird triplets, all of you have the same straight long brown hair. Jordyn already has those curves, she’s built a lot like Bolt so that makes sense and Nova….well…you’ll see”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, except she’s the sassiest little thing around here. She runs the roost.” Ash laughs, and for some reason I don’t think she’s kidding.
“She’s a total spitfire. She’s like…,” Ashley trails off, not saying a thing.
“Like what?”
“Well, after I thought about it I can’t really compare her to anything else. She’s just very, uh…sassy, and sometimes rude?” She says it like she questions it.
“How old is she?”
“Seven, going on forty.”
“Ah, well. This is going to be fun,” I mumble, causing Ash to laugh next to me. She hooks her arm into mine as we walk down through the field until we reach the clubhouse parking lot, the gravel making crunching sounds under our chucks. For some reason, I’m not as nervous as I thought I was going to be.
The second we walk through the doors, I spot Damon immediately and try to walk towards him but can’t as Ash tugs me in another direction. “C’mon, I have someone I want you to meet.” I’m dragged along with Ashley as she approaches the makeshift bar, and a cute little Latina girl behind it.
“Hola, I’m Camila. You must be Kat, the one Ashley won’t shut up about,” she giggles, and I laugh instantly brought alive by this girl’s personality.
“Yeah, guess that’s me,” I mutter, feeling a little odd if I’m being a little open. I’m so used to being closed off, especially from my time with the Demons, it’s going to take a little bit of getting used to.
“When it isn’t so crazy we should all hang out,” Camila says.
“When isn’t it crazy?” Ashley cackles.
“Okay, you’ve got me there. Now, let me make you some margaritas!” I watch as Camila does her thing, moving around the back of the bar, grabbing glasses. I’ve never tended bar before, so I wouldn’t know where to start, but it’s like this girl has done it her entire life. Before I know it, there are two drinks placed in front of Ashley and me. “Go on, take a sip. You’ll love it. I made you both mango margarita’s tonight.”
I take the glass in front of me, using my fingers to bring the straw to my lips and take a sip. The sweet and tart taste hits my taste buds all at once, overwhelming my senses in pleasure. This drink tastes like a freaking fiesta! It’s so good!
I don’t even realize I’m moaning until Ashley starts giggling next to me. “Never had a margarita before?”
“Oh, I’ve had them…just never good ones.”
I don’t pay attention to the time as we sit at the bar, both Ashley and I laughing with Camila. One drink turned into three…or maybe it’s four now? I can’t remember, but what I do know is that the warm and fuzzy feeling taking over my body feels amazing, and I don’t want it to stop. Camila mumbled to me about her sister for a second, or maybe she was talking about mine? But which one…all I heard was sister…yeah, it had to be hers! “What do you call a gummy bear with no teeth?” Ashley asks us, taking another sip from her margarita.
“Uh…I think you just ruined that joke. It’s ‘What do you call a bear with no teeth?’ A gummy bear!” Camila laughs, toppling over the bar. “Ugh, where is Boogsie at? Anyone seen him?”
I glance around the bar, the faces becoming a little blurred and turn back to Camila. “Who is Boogsie?”
“Booger. I think she’s talking about Boogs,” Ashley giggles, drinking more.
“You know, Fist doesn’t want him to come near me, but I want Boog to come near me, and on me, and in me…”
“Hot damn, someone’s a little drunk,” Ash comments.
“I think we’re all a little drunk.” I hiccup, giggling afterwards.
“Tell your Padre to leave Boog alone, he’s gonna scare him off and I like him. I feel safe around him, Ashley. He’s not the way you all think he is with me. He’s nice, and sweet, and genui…What’s the word?”
“Genuine?” I say
>
“Yes! That!”
“He’s older than you.” Ashley grumbles, looking up at Camila.
“Like you’ve got room to talk!”
“Okay, fine, fineee! I’ll see what I can do, but once my Dad makes up his mind there’s not really any changing it.”
“Well, if he doesn’t then it’s too bad for him. I don’t plan on being alone my entire life here. I want to be happy and Fist is the person holding me back from that. What if Boog is my happiness, and if he isn’t, what if it’s someone else? Either way, your Dad told them all to stay away, and Boog is the one who doesn’t care, who still wants to get to know me.”
“True. He’s fighting for you,” Ashley smiles, and I do too.
Camila pops three shots on the table, filling them up with tequila. “On three…one…two…three!” We all grab the shots at the same time and slam them back, letting the liquid hit our stomach. The heat radiates through me, making me feel alive, something I haven’t felt in such a long time.
Hands envelop me, wrapping around my waist and a chest presses up against me. I let out a shriek and look up, a devilish smirk greets me. “You a little drunk, Kitten?”
I make a deep throated sound, looking into his eyes. “Ah, and she purrs. So, I’ll take that as a yes”
“Mhm,” I murmur, snaking my hand up his chest, bringing his head down to my neck, I speak softly, over the loud chatter of everyone around us. “I don’t want to purr. I want you to make me scream.”
Damon turns me towards him, sliding his hands around me and pulls me into his arms. I wrap my legs around him, laying my head on his chest as he walks us out of the clubhouse. I hear mumbled goodbye’s, and then we’re out in the hot Montana air. He walks us up to the house, opening the door and sets me down on the ground. I waver from the left to the right, the alcohol overtaking my system. “Fuck…you know they’re all still at the club, baby…”
Havoc- Reapers MC Boxset Page 39
