by J. J. Baxter
Blayd
The Reckless Riders MC Book 1
J J Baxter
© Copyright 2020 - All rights reserved.
It is not legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locations is purely coincidental.
Contents
1. Against the Wind
2. Hit Him Where it Hurts
3. Chasing New Blood
4. Hooked on the Kill
5. Get Me a Gun
6. The Dawn’s Cruel
7. Welcome to the Family
8. Burns Like a Wildfire
9. She’s Got a Secret
10. Falling on the Job
11. You Don’t Betray the Club
12. The Interrogation
13. Ride With Us or Die Trying
14. We Ain’t Kids Anymore
15. We Run the Road
16. Paper Trail
17. Missing in Action
18. I Won’t Talk
19. Squash the Bug
20. You’re One of Us Now
The End
CONNECT WITH J.J. BAXTER
About the Author
MEET THE RECKLESS RIDERS
ALSO BY J.J.BAXTER
1
Against the Wind
I’ve lived my life in a maelstrom. I’d been the kid who could never get his act together, blaming his dysfunctional family for how hard it was to rebuild his life. All I ever wanted to do was run away and never look back. I found myself in Las Vegas, Sin City, hoping it would be the fresh start I’d been looking for from the moment I decided to leave home.
I could feel the change in the air, the heat on my back, searing through my leather jacket as I rode out on the bike that I’d spent my life savings on. It was my prized possession, the only thing I could truly count on. I’d been disappointed more times than I could count, hoping that the day would come where I would find purpose in my life again, but somehow as I rode in I felt like this might just be the place to reinvent myself.
I rushed past cars that were starting to build up on the highway, all with somewhere to go, but I had no idea where I might end up. I was experiencing the open road in all of its glory, knowing it would only be a matter of time before I got myself wrapped up in trouble again. Trying to make ends meet ever since I left home had been rough, especially because I’d spent my time pickpocketing strangers and stealing whatever I could to get by. It had been good for a while, until people started to notice and the last place I wanted to end up was in jail.
I was in the heart of the city now, taking in all of the bustling crowds and the strip, packed with tourists. Yes, it seemed like the place to be, but I knew it was far too lively for me to ever feel comfortable. I’d been a lone rider my entire life, but I was good with that. I never liked being around people. I had my duffle bag flung over my shoulder as I continued on my journey, reaching the outskirts of town just as the sun had begun to set.
All I had to guide me were the streetlights illuminating the empty road, until I happened upon a bar with a gaudy neon sign that read Lazy Pint. I could feel my stomach start to rumble, and the need for a drink settled in my bones, telling me that it was probably time I got some rest. I’d been on the road all day, with nowhere to go, hoping I would find someone I’d be able to steal a wallet off of with enough cash to get me a room for the night. I knew that a bar this far out of the city would be the perfect place to start.
I parked my bike, noticing there were quite a few others outside as well. I never even thought this would be a biker bar, but at least it would be easier fitting in. I entered, taking in the scent of alcohol and cigarettes in the air, scanning the room to see who would venture out to a place like this. It did seem like the perfect stop after a long ride, a place where I felt like I could blend in for a change.
For the better half of my adult life, I’d spent most of it trying to conform to my family’s wishes, trying to be the one to fix my dysfunctional family. To give us all a second chance at a better life, but I wasn’t cut out for that sort of thing. I had no choice but to get the fuck out of there. I didn’t want to be bound by their rules anymore, telling me I had to get my act together or they were going to put me out on the street. I was young, naive, believing they could dictate my decisions after they’d spent the majority of their lives drunk, slamming empty beer bottles over the fireplace, sleeping their days away in a house they most certainly could not afford.
It felt good to be free of them, to no longer have to worry about their lives overshadowing mine, because I was out on my own now. I intended to do whatever I pleased and nothing had better get in my way. I was met with a beautiful bartender the moment I took a seat on the stool to the far end of the bar, separating myself from everyone else.
She grinned at me, leaning over the bar to ask me what I would be having for the night.
I smiled at her, taking in her blushing cheeks, her beautiful body, and the way her golden hair cascaded down the front of her chest.
“What will it be?” she asked.
I put my hands up, letting her take the reins, because I wanted to see what she came up with. “Why don’t you surprise me?”
She nodded politely, grabbing a glass from behind her and picking out her most expensive label of Scotch. Setting it on the bar top, she smiled.
“Smart girl,” I said, chuckling as I lifted the glass to my lips, indulging in the dense, dark liquid as it ran down my throat.
She tilted her head at me. “I’ve never seen you around here before, because I would certainly remember such a handsome face.” She gave me a wink.
Damn it, I wanted to whisk her away on the back of my bike and take her somewhere to get the edge off for a little while. I truly wondered if she would be interested, because I would love to have a woman share my bed with me, only to leave first thing in the morning. I wasn’t much for commitment, or caring about anything except to enjoy my freedom but a part of me wondered if that would ever change. “Just got into town. I was riding around and somehow, I ended up here.”
She smiled at me, as though she already knew my tells.
I still wasn’t sure if this was the place for me, because I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been anywhere that truly felt like home. I knew that only time would tell, and it would be wasted energy to start worrying about it now.
“Ah, I already knew you were a biker from the moment you walked through the door. I don’t think there are many people here that aren’t bikers. Trust me, love, this is the place for you.” She took a cherry from the bin, popping it into her mouth while she tied the stem with her tongue.
She was teasing me, so I leaned in to ask her if she wanted to come with me when her shift was over.
Suddenly, a man shoved himself into me, trying to pick a fight.
“What the fuck is your problem?” I asked.
“Vicky, what are you doing with this fool?” the man asked.
I looked down at her name tag, realizing that she probably had unfinished business with this man and I truly didn’t want to get in the middle of this.
“Get out of here, Ray.” Vicky rolled her eyes. “I told you a long time ago that I wasn’t going to be messing around with you anymore.”
Ray reached over the bar trying to grab
her.
I swatted his hand away, letting him know he wasn’t going to lay a hand on her on my watch.
“Who the fuck do you think you are? Huh?” Ray barked. “Rolling up to our bar, hitting on my woman?”
“Hey, man she didn’t look taken to me,” I replied. “I suggest you get out of my way. I can see why she’s out here flirting with other guys. You’re a dick.”
She smiled nervously at me, like she already knew they were getting ready to beat me to a pulp.
I didn’t care much, as Ray threw the first punch, and I hit him back as hard as I could, feeling the pain in my hand.
He staggered back, holding onto the bar for support to steady himself. “Get him, boys,” he instructed.
All of his biker friends moved in while taking jabs at me.
Each of them were hitting me from every angle, but I didn’t flinch once. I got my hits in where I could, evading their cuffs and strikes for as long as I could before Ray nearly knocked me right out. He stood over me, while I grabbed onto the barstool, trying to get back onto my feet, but he kicked me with his iron-toed boot, ready to finish the job.
Everyone in the bar had fallen silent, watching everything unfold.
I truly thought the man was going to knock me unconscious, but I stared up at him, never breaking his gaze.
Then someone came up behind him, telling him to back off.
Ray grew angrier, as the man managed to put out the fire inside of him, long enough to help me to my feet.
“Get out of here, boys. No more trouble tonight,” the new man said.
He must’ve been a regular, because Ray and his men scoffed, getting ready to take off before anyone could get another word in.
“Fine, Scotch. You deal with him,” Ray said, addressing the man who towered over me.
Scotch extended his hand, so he could help me to my feet.
I took it, thanking him.
It seemed everyone realized the show was finally over. They all went back to drinking, enjoying each other’s company like nothing happened.
I felt curious about Scotch, a man who seemed to have quite a bit of power around here and the way he’d managed to talk those men down without so much as lifting a finger.
“I just have to say, out of all the men they’ve beaten down for talking to Vicky, you stood the best chance,” he said.
“Is this a thing that happens often?” I asked, wiping the blood from my lip with the hem of my t-shirt.
“Yeah it does, unfortunately,” he replied. “You didn’t even flinch when he struck you. You’re like a double-edged sword. Two faces, I like it. I can offer you a way to put that to good use,”
His words intrigued me, because up until this point, I hadn’t really thought about what it would mean to be a part of something other than riding around on my own, hoping to find something to do, other than another trip. “What do you have in mind?” I asked.
“I saw your bike outside and I know it’s yours because I haven’t seen it around here before. We could use another man like you in the Reckless Riders, because something tells me that you’re the kind of man who likes to attract trouble. To most, that would be something to avoid, but I can see how it could be useful to have you around. What do you say? Wanna prospect?”
“I’ll think about it.” For so long, I’d been the kind of person to turn down every opportunity to be a part of something that didn’t belong to me or that I couldn’t control, but now I realized just how lonely this kind of life really was. I got a good look at all the bikers in the room and they all looked like they belonged to something much bigger than themselves. I felt the overwhelming urge to take Scotch up on his offer. But I had no idea if I was ready for that sort of thing, ready to give up my freedom, and be loyal to a biker club that I truly knew nothing about.
“Well, I’ll see you back here soon, Blayd,” he said.
I paused at the name, but I didn’t mind the sound of it actually.
I left the Lazy Pint, knowing it wouldn’t be long before I returned.
2
Hit Him Where it Hurts
I made my way into the dingy apartment, hoping it would work for my time in town, because I needed to keep a low profile. This was quite possibly one of the biggest contracts I’d had in a while, and I wondered just how much I would pocket after it was done. I wasn’t just out here in Las Vegas looking for a good time, hoping to blow off some steam from my previously failed marriage, I was here to hunt down the leader of the city’s most notable biker gang. I’d heard stories about the things they do out here, the people they exploited for their own selfish gain. So, I wouldn’t mind having a hand in a little bit of justice myself.
I wasn’t sure who was employing me for this one, but I knew they had to be high rollers for the amount they were willing to pay to see a man dead. Right now, my only move was to gather as much information as possible, because I had to make sure that when the leader went down, the rest of his members went down with him.
I only had his name to go off of, because apparently, it was enough to get people talking around town. Scotch. A part of me was ultimately curious about his story, about how he managed to become the way he was today, but I had to quiet that side of myself, knowing I wasn’t allowed to get emotionally involved. I remembered the last time I had a soft spot for one of my contract kills, and it truly didn’t end well. I did my research before blowing into town, making sure to rent a bike that would be sufficient enough to get me some credit around here, knowing that I certainly had no choice but to fit in. The minute they started to sniff me out, realizing I was anything but someone wanting to get close to them, I would be finished.
I looked through my files, spreading them all out on the crate next to my couch that was passing for a coffee table. I had newspaper clippings of rumored stories, and just about everything to give me the start I needed to unravel Scotch’s club. I had no idea what they called themselves, what their primary focus was out here, but I could only imagine it wasn’t good. I had to start looking in the places no one would think to venture into, scoping out what they hid away from the rest of the world. Where they conducted their underhanded business.
This would be my first biker takedown, and I had a feeling it would end up being more challenging than all of the rich men I’d taken out, the ones who were poisoning the market, as well as ruining their marriages, cheating their business partners, and whatever other dirty deeds that could be thought up. I was never too impartial in choosing a case, because it helped me get by, helped me stay on my feet. After the life I’d led, that was all I could’ve really hoped for.
I remembered my time at home, living with two parents who wanted to see me flourish but never paid much attention to help me get there. It had been one cheating scandal after another with them, and I’d gotten sick of their big beautiful mansion, opting for anywhere else that didn’t include their highly dysfunctional behavior. It wasn’t until I grew older that I realized they didn’t care much about me at all. They only wanted to protect their precious reputation, and that wasn’t something I wanted to spend the rest of my life trying to shelter.
There came a time where I had to leave, where I had to start my life on my own. Then I got involved with the wrong kind of people. Though, I had to be grateful to them because if it weren’t for those troubling few years, I wouldn’t have picked up the skills necessary to lead me to taking down some of the world’s most heinous criminals. I felt proud of my progress, but I knew I still had a long way to go.
I packed up my things, flinging my satchel bag over my shoulder while I headed downstairs and out to the parking lot. The sun was beating down on my sable-colored leather jacket, while I pulled my hair back into a low bun, riding out onto the open road for my first order of business. I’d been at this long enough to know where to find the best gossip on the people in town that everyone seemed to be afraid of. The townsfolk liked to gossip about them during the early hours of the day, because the night was reserved for th
ose areas to be overrun by the very people they had been talking about. I planned on infiltrating both scenarios, making sure I had enough information before I blindly went in for the kill, because this contract was different than the rest. I had to gather enough information about all of their operations if I expected any sort of payment. So, I was determined to learn every little detail about what they were truly up to.
I parked outside of a bar called the Lazy Pint, heading inside to see the day drinkers, those who were sharing their small appetizer plates and chatting about what had been going on around town, and the few off-duty cops who were talking up the bartenders with beer bottles in their hands.
I walked straight up to the bar, smiling at the two police officers who seemed to be checking me out. Getting them to talk would help my case. Leading me right to Scotch and his mysterious MC that everyone seemed to know about, but no one wanted to discuss.
I supposed I hoped to take advantage and get some valuable information before the day was out.
The bartender grinned at me politely, asking me what I would like to drink.
I asked her for a Whiskey. It was far too early in the day to be putting back that kind of hard liquor, but I knew it could work as a conversation-starter with the two men sitting next to me, trying to pass as anything but the cops I knew they were.
They wore blue button-down shirts and jeans, their sleeves rolled up as they shared a drink, trying to look like a typical local, but I saw right through them. I’d gotten quite good at sniffing out the cops over the years, because they were exactly the kind of people I wanted to avoid.
