Vicious Cycle

by Katie Ashley

  “You have my word.”

  “I’m not sure it’s worth anything.”

  “In this case, it is. Rest assured that I’m not a double-crosser, Miss Evans. When I say something, I mean it. I’m sure your father could attest to that. I told him I would kill him if he didn’t back off, and look what happened.”

  “Get out!” I shrieked, as rage shook through me.

  A cruel laugh escaped from Sigel. “You’re so very unhospitable. But I will honor your request for now.” He strode over to the door before turning back to me. “You can expect to hear from me within the next few days. When I call, I will expect a prompt delivery. No stalling and no excuses. You can also get any ideas out of your pretty little head about enlisting help from the Raiders.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of doing anything that would risk not ridding you completely from my life.”

  “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll be in touch.”

  And then he disappeared just as quickly as he had appeared. As the emotional weight of Sigel’s admission crashed over me, I began to hyperventilate. Gripping the edge of my desk, I wheezed in and out. Breathe, Alex. Just breathe.

  I repeated the phrase over and over in my mind like a mantra. Then I realized I wasn’t the only one saying it. Jerking my head up, I gazed into Archer’s concerned face. With a weak smile, he once again repeated, “Just breathe.”

  Launching myself out of the chair, I wrapped my arms around him. I needed comfort as desperately as I did air.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry I wasn’t here. His men cornered me in the bathroom and held me at gunpoint until he was finished.” I whimpered in protest when he pulled away. Scanning my face, he asked, “Did he hurt you? Did he touch you? Fuck, Alex, did he hurt you in any way?”

  “No. He didn’t hurt or touch me.”

  When I didn’t volunteer any other information, Archer sighed. “Thank God you’re all right.”

  “Take me home.”

  His brows lined. “To your house?”

  I shook my head. “No, to the compound.”

  “You sure you’re able to ride? I can call someone to pick us up.”

  “Just get me home now. Please.”

  “Anything for you, Alex,” Archer replied. Sliding his arm around my hip, he pulled me to him. With my head against his chest, I leaned on his strength as we walked outside.

  When we got to the door leading outside, I hesitated slightly. “It’s all right. I’m right here,” Archer reassured me. As I gazed up into his face, I couldn’t help noticing the way his eyes cautiously scanned the surroundings as well as the way he clenched and unclenched his jaw. He looked like a man on edge, and I couldn’t blame him. Not only had two of his club members been taken out, but he had just been jumped.

  At the sight of his motorcycle, I faltered. I couldn’t help the paranoia that something had been done to his bike.

  “You all right?” he questioned.

  “Do you think your bike was tampered with?”

  Archer’s brows shot up in surprise. “I wouldn’t think so. If they wanted to harm us, they had the chance.”

  My mind automatically went to my parents and how when they left for school that morning, they felt they were safe in their SUV. “Just twitchy, I guess.”

  “Just a sec,” Archer said. He then made a wide circle around his bike. “No boot prints.”

  “Would they even show?”

  “If they’d been riding, they would have left some mark, especially considering there’s patches of sediment and dirt all around the parking lot.” He nodded. “It would show.”

  “If you say so,” I replied, feeling unconvinced.

  Scratching the back of his neck, Archer said, “Listen, Alex, it ain’t my business, but I would imagine if Sigel came all the way out here to meet with you, there’s something he wants. Something that you, and you alone, will give him.” When I refused to answer, Archer said, “That fact alone would mean nothing was going to happen to you. At least not now.”

  With a quick nod of my head, I replied, “Okay. But I’ve changed my mind. I’m not ready to go back to the compound just yet.”

  He gave me a questioning look. “So you wanna go somewhere else?”

  “No. I just need to ride for a little while.”

  “Okay, I can do that.”

  I’m sure he thought I had absolutely lost my mind since in one minute I was worried about the motorcycle blowing up and then in the next I wanted to be on it for a long time.

  Without another word to him, I took the helmet and got on the motorcycle. We took off out of the parking lot. Archer drove us out of town and down one of the off-the-beaten-path roads into the more rural areas. As I rode, things became clearer and clearer in my mind. I had come to a crossroads I’d never imagined possible.

  “Pull over!” I shouted over the roar of the engine.

  Archer didn’t glance back at me. Instead, he found a turnaround in a thicket of trees. When he stopped, I didn’t immediately get off. “You need the bathroom?”

  “Turn off the engine.” When he obeyed me, I drew in a deep breath. “Archer, if I were to ask you for your help, would you give it without question?”

  Slowly, he turned around to look at me. “I don’t think I like where this is going.”

  I licked my dry lips. “If I were to ask your help to do something that would protect Willow and the club, would you do it?”

  “It depends.” He scratched the stubble on his chin. “What do you want?”

  “First you have to swear that even if you don’t agree to do it, you won’t tell any of the Raiders.”

  Archer’s eyes widened, and he hopped off the bike. He stalked around a moment before he began pacing. “You’re putting me between a rock and a fucking hard place.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of asking you this unless it was a matter of life and death.”

  My words only seemed to agitate him more, and he continued to pace. He’d almost worn a hole in the gravel when he finally stopped. He sighed so hard his body shuddered. Then he turned to me. “You have my word. Now, what is it?”

  As best I could, I tried relating to him what had come to me while on our drive. He listened raptly without interrupting to question me. When I was done, he stared at me almost incredulously. “You’re serious.”

  “I am.”

  “That’s fucking bat-shit crazy.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s where I am.”

  I expected him to resume his pacing. Instead, he walked back over to me. His blue eyes burned into mine as he stared me down. “I’m in.”

  I couldn’t help my gasp of surprise. “You are?”

  “Even though I should tell you to go fuck yourself for putting me in this situation, I get it. I really do.”

  “Thank you.”

  Shaking his head, he slung his leg over the bike. “Save the gratitude until we both come out of this alive.”

  I laughed nervously. “It’s a deal.”

  I don’t know how Archer managed to alert them, but when we arrived at the compound, Raiders came spilling out of the clubhouse to meet us. Rev and Bishop magically appeared. They escorted me inside. Instead of taking me to Deacon’s room, they ushered me into the boardroom. Rev pulled a chair out for me and motioned for me to have a seat. “Talk to us, Alex,” he urged.

  Holding up my hand, I said, “I’m a little shaken up, but for the most part, I’m fine.”

  Bishop surveyed my face. “He didn’t try anything physical with you, did he?”

  “My virtue is safe,” I replied with a humorless smile.

  “It damn well better be. If he dared to lay one finger on you, we’d bring a fucking firestorm down on him,” Bishop growled.

  I drew in a deep breath and prepared to broach the subject I was wary of. “I need you to teach me how to use a knife.”

  Rev and Bishop exchanged a glance. “Alex, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Rev said.

  “Would you prefer I be defe
nseless the next time I have a run-in with Sigel or one of his thugs?”

  “We’ll always protect you,” Rev argued.

  Cocking my brows, I said, “Like today?”

  “I suppose you have a point.”

  “Do you realize that if I had been armed with a knife or a gun, I could have taken Sigel out? Just like that.” I snapped my fingers for emphasis.

  Crossing his tattooed arms over his chest, Bishop replied, “Well, that’s nice to think, but you’re not really the knife-toting kind.”

  “Basically, I’m a weak, helpless female?” I countered.

  He grimaced. “I didn’t say that.”

  “No, you alluded to it, and that’s just as bad.”

  When I turned my gaze on Rev, he gave me a look of appraisal before nodding his head. “You need to learn how to defend yourself.”

  “Seriously?” Bishop questioned, his blue eyes widening.

  “Alex is right. We can’t ensure that we’ll always be able to protect her. Even with Deacon gone, she’s obviously still a target for Sigel. That’s all the more reason for her to know how to defend herself.”

  Realizing he had lost, Bishop exhaled sharply. “If you say so.”

  Rev nodded. “Go to the shop and get her something she can use.”

  With one last disapproving look in our direction, Bishop headed out the door. Turning his attention to me, Rev asked, “Where’s the first place you would think to go for if you were going to stab someone?”

  Furrowing my brows, I replied, “The heart?”

  Rev shook his head. “While ultimately lethal, you gotta get through a hard-as-hell breastbone to get to it. You want something that will immediately incapacitate your enemy.”

  Reaching out, he brought his hands to my neck. His fingers worked down the side. “You want to try to sever one of the carotid arteries here on the neck. They pump blood to the brain. Since it controls every organ function, you want to take out the main nervous system. Fifteen to twenty seconds after a hit, your enemy will be beyond help and likely unconscious. Then you’re good to go.”

  “Isn’t there a way to kill them instantly?”

  “No, but without help, taking out a carotid will ensure they die. Plus, with them incapacitated, it gives you the time you need to get away.”

  “Okay.”

  Rev released my neck. “Once you’ve got them down, a few stabs or slices to the abdomen are good.” Pressing against my stomach, he said, “Here.” Then he moved his hand up slightly. “Here.” And then he dropped it below my navel. “And here.”

  Bishop returned at that point with a shiny pocketknife. With one push of a button, a long blade flipped out. “See how this feels in your hand.”

  Drawing in a deep breath, I reached out for the knife. Except for cutting steak or carving a pumpkin, I’d never held such a knife in my hands. I didn’t know when the time came to it if I would actually be able to use it. But I had to be willing to try.

  As the steel blade caught the light, a feeling of empowerment came over me. It wasn’t an AK-47 or a grenade, but I knew it would save my life. Most important of all, a jab and a cut could end someone else’s life—someone who was a threat to me and those I loved. Someone like Sigel.

  “You think you can use it when shit gets real?” Bishop questioned.

  “Yeah, I do,” I answered honestly.

  He smiled. “Something tells me that you can. You’re a tough little cookie.”

  “Thanks.” I continued eyeing the knife with morbid fascination, imagining the damage it could do on Sigel. “So you guys keep war prizes from your enemies?”

  When I dared to glance up, both Rev and Bishop stared at me with almost unreadable expressions. “Do you?” I repeated.

  “Why do you want to know?”

  Shrugging, I replied, “Just curious.”

  “Bullshit! What the fuck did Sigel say to you?” Bishop demanded.

  “The less you know about it the better,” I whispered.

  Rev reached out to put his hands on my shoulders. “Alex, you need to tell us what Sigel said to you about war prizes.”

  Shaking my head, I bit down on my lip, trying to prevent myself from betraying too much information. Rev’s grip tightened on me. “He wants something that was once the Knights’, doesn’t he?”

  “Please, Rev.”

  “Dammit, Alex. I don’t care what he threatened you with. You have to tell us!” Rev shouted.

  “He wants his son’s cut—the one Deacon took after he killed him. He’s to call me in a few days, and I have to bring it to him. If I do this, he will leave me and Willow alone. But I can’t involve any of the Raiders, or people will get hurt.”

  Rev and Bishop exchanged a glance. “It’s here, isn’t it?” I asked. When they didn’t respond, I said, “Please.”

  Taking my hand, Rev pulled me out of my chair. He walked me down to the end of the room. On the left-hand side of the door was a closet. Surprisingly, he didn’t reach for a key to unlock it. Instead, he opened it. When I glanced inside, I gasped. Sitting on the middle shelf was a leather cut emblazoned with Nazi symbols. I reached out to take it, but Rev held me back. “You don’t take it now. When Sigel calls you about the meeting, then you’ll get it.”

  Although I was frustrated, I didn’t let my emotions betray me. “Okay. It’s probably better keeping it here anyway.”

  “We’ll expect to be involved. Even if we have to hang back when it comes to you turning it over, we’ll still have your back.”

  I smiled. “Thank you. I appreciate that. I didn’t want to have to do this on my own.”

  Rev and Bishop seemed relieved with my response. Slinging his arm across my shoulder, Bishop said, “Why don’t you let me buy you some dinner?”

  “That’s awfully sweet of you, but I need to go home in a little while to get some more clothes and check on things.”

  Rev’s brows drew together in worry. “We can send Archer or Crazy Ace there.”

  I laughed. “As tempting as it sounds to have the prospects pick out my clothes and raid my underwear drawer, I need to do this myself. Maybe even sleep in my own bed.”

  Bishop glanced between me and Rev. “You really think that’s a good idea after what happened with Sigel today?”

  “He won’t do anything to me until he gets the cut.”

  “She’s right,” Rev replied.

  “I still don’t like the idea of you anywhere outside the compound,” Bishop said.

  I patted his shoulder. “Thanks for being overprotective.”

  He winked. “Anytime, babe.”

  Rev pressed the knife into the palm of my hand. “Just in case.”

  “Thank you.”

  Bishop whistled at Archer, who immediately came over. “I want you to go home with Alex. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything.”

  “You got it.”

  As we started to the door, I glanced over at Archer. “Aren’t you tired of babysitting me?”

  He grinned. “You’re pretty easy compared to some of the really fucked-up things that prospects are usually forced to do.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “Besides, I like being with you.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, you remind me of my little sister.”

  Playfully punching him in the arm, I said, “Hey now, last time I checked, I was the one older than you.”

  “Yeah, but you guys act the same.”

  “I get it now.” When Archer started to the clubhouse door, I stopped him. “Can you give me ten minutes? I need to get some of my clothes together to do laundry.”

  “Sure. Take as long as you need.”

  A moment passed between us, and Archer nodded in acknowledgment. I then made my way down the hall to Deacon’s room. When I slipped inside, I went to the closet to grab my bag. After dumping everything out onto the closet floor, I brought the bag over to the bed. I took out my makeup bag and pulled out a small pair of scissors from i
t.

  After cutting part of the bottom lining of my bag, I left the plastic flap half on. I threw a few shirts and pants inside before heading out into the hallway. When I got to the main room, I found it empty. Walking over to the boardroom door, I opened it. I knew Archer had ensured that it would be unlocked.

  The room was plunged in darkness, and Rev and Bishop were no longer there. Glancing over my shoulder, I slipped inside. I hurried over to the closet. I tossed out my clothes, then threw open the closet door. Rev and Bishop were far too trusting, because the cut still sat on the shelf. I grabbed it and stuffed it under the loose flap of my bag. I put the clothes back on top of it and then zipped it up. I shut the closet door fast and then raced out of the room. Thankfully, no one was there to see me.

  I tried easing my frantic breaths as I headed outside to meet Archer. He was waiting for me by his bike. “Ready?” he asked, his brows rising.

  I nodded. “Yeah. I got everything.”

  “Good.” He slid across the seat of his motorcycle while I picked up the helmet that had pretty much become my own. After I put it on, I climbed on behind him. As my arms slid around his waist, I once again had to fight to keep my emotions in check. While each time it seemed to get a little easier being on the back of a bike, it didn’t dull the pain of losing Deacon.

  Later, as we pulled into my driveway, I couldn’t help the tightening in my chest at the sight of the house that had once been my happy home. After my attack, I didn’t think it would ever feel happy again. That, coupled with losing Deacon, made me seriously consider putting it on the market.

  When I started up the walk, I realized that Archer wasn’t beside me. Turning around, I cocked my brows at him. “Aren’t you coming in?”

  He shook his head. “Gonna do a walk around. Then I’ll probably stay out here on the porch.”

  “You don’t mean you’re going to sleep in one of the chairs?”

  “I won’t be sleeping.”

  “But I have a perfectly good couch inside, not to mention a guest bedroom.”

  “Alex, when your protection is put on my shoulders, I take it very seriously. I ain’t gonna be caught sleeping if Sigel decides to strike.”

  Realizing I wasn’t going to break his resolve, I nodded. “All right, then. But it’s looked like it was going to storm all day. If it does, you’re coming inside. I won’t have you struck by lightning.”