Turning Wheels (Satan's Devils MC #1): A Blood Brothers Spin off

by Manda Mellett

  Drum subjects me to his steely gaze, “Good point you’re making there VP, I’ll give their presidents the third degree, don’t want them dumpin’ their misfits here.”

  Beef raises his hand, “One of the bouncers at the strip club has expressed an interest in prospectin’.”

  “He seem likely?”

  “He’s got to get himself a proper bike. Rides a rice rocket at the moment.”

  Cries of derision go swiftly round, Drummer bangs his meaty fist hard on the table, “Shut the fuck up and let the man speak!”

  “He competes in off-road events so doubt he’ll get rid of it, but as long as he doesn’t bring it around here,” Beef continues, “He’s a good man, not too handsy with the dancers and gets on with his shit without needin’ to be told.”

  “Well, when he’s got a decent ride bring him around, we’ll see what we make of him. Right, anythin’ else?”

  As is becoming typical at what we assume to be the end of the meeting, there’s an interruption. And again it’s Mouse who leans forwards, “I’ve been contacted via the dark web,” he starts.

  What’s this going to be? Guns, drugs? I sit back and fold my arms. As far as I’m concerned, the dark web, recently, hasn’t held good news for us.

  “Yeah, a woman made contact. She’s got a rep for being an ace hacker.”

  “You findin’ it hard getting’ women in the real world, Mouse?” Dart laughs at his own joke.

  Mouse flips him a finger, “She’s trying to get a trace on Sophie.”

  Yes, since I’ve told them she’s staying, I’m educating them on the use of her real name. They still slip up at times, though. Sometimes just to get a rise out of her. But what he’s said is worrying, and I sit forwards again. He’s certainly got my attention.

  “Is the name of her friend, the one she was coverin’ for, a Zoe Baker?” He directs this question at me.

  I think. Zoe definitely, but I don’t think she ever gave me a family name. “Could be.” It’s the only answer I’ll commit to.

  “Well this hacker, who won’t identify herself, says that a Zoe Baker is tryin’ to find her.”

  “Why contact you, Mouse?” It’s caught Drum’s interest.

  Mouse shrugs, “She’s probably found out the same information that I did. I tracked the contract to the Demons, and she might have picked my connection up from there.”

  We all swear as he mentions their name.

  Drum’s eyes crease, “How she link it to you?”

  “I can’t tell you exactly. This hacker might be talented enough to follow my footprint. Though naturally, I tried to hide it. But she’s got a rep, this woman. A good one; she’s fuckin’ genius. She knows Sophie’s being protected by an MC, and I think she’s narrowin’ down which it might be. And she’s not asking for much, only that this Zoe wants her to phone her. Given me the number to call.”

  Drum glances at me, and I stare back at him, trying to work it through in my head. With St John-Davies and his sidekick dead, there shouldn’t be anyone nefarious attempting to find her, and if it is her friend, then I know my woman would be over the moon.

  Our prez is waiting for me to give my opinion, so I let him in on my thoughts. “Lettin’ Soph ring the number isn’t admittin’ she’s here. Just that we know where she is.”

  Rock groans, “And could invite shit down on us again.”

  “You’re right to be cautious, brother.” Drum strokes his beard. I wait for him to offer his view. It’s a few moments before he does and I suspect he’s been running through possible implications before he speaks. “Mouse, get back to this hacker and ask her to tell you somethin’ only Zoe would know about Soph. Check it out that way. If it comes out it’s kosher, we’ll get Sophie to make the call. But on loudspeaker, so we can all hear and judge what they’re sayin’. We don’t need more trouble. Now’s the time to move forward and heal.”

  And if it is Sophie’s friend, the healing would be good for her too.

  Mouse has been tapping on his keyboard; he looks up. “She’s online right now. Wraith, can you think of anythin’ to ask?”

  It comes into my mind at once, and with a laugh, I say, “What was Sophie doing when she ticked somethin’ off on her bucket list with an electrician.”

  We wait. This is going to be interesting.

  It only takes a few seconds before Mouse laughs out loud and reads the response, “Well, Zoe’s hopin’ she’s got the right electrician, there could have been more than one she says, but she thinks you’re referrin’ to fuckin’ him in a broom cupboard at her place of work.”

  The laughter rings out from all directions, and I scowl, suddenly realising perhaps that wasn’t the best question to ask in front of my brothers.

  “How you gonna top that, Wraith?” Slick waggles his tongue after throwing out his question.

  “Shut the fuck up!” I swear back at him, and now it’s my finger jerking up in the air.

  “Oh, and Zoe says to tell Soph that she gets the sex thing now.”

  Blade snorts, “Hey, glad you said we could listen in to the call now, Drum. I can’t fuckin’ wait for this!”

  Drum’s laughing along with the rest of us, “Neither can I, brother. Wraith, get her down here now.”

  Not quite sure whether to chuckle along with the rest of them or to dread what the phone call might reveal, I leave the meeting room and make my way to the kitchen where I’m sure I’ll find my woman. And that’s where I do, indeed, find her, up to her elbows mixing something in a bowl. Sneaking up behind in the silent way I’m known for, I lift her hair to reveal her neck and give her a kiss.

  “That better be you, Wraith, else my man will have something to say to you.”

  “If it was anybody else they’d be dead by now,” I tell her, directly into her ear.

  Now she turns to face me, “Is the meeting finished?”

  “Almost, but can you come and join us for a moment?”

  Her face falls, “What? Why? Oh God,” she covers her mouth with her hand, and her eyes widen, “What’s happened?”

  Shit, I forgot the last time Drum called her in was to tell her about that fucking contract on her head, so I rush to reassure her, “Nothin’ bad, darlin’, the boys just want you to do somethin’ for them.”

  Wiping flour off her hands with a cloth, she excuses herself with the other women who are looking at her with various expressions of concern to envy. Women, as a rule, don’t get invited to church. Although I’ve tried to put her mind at ease, she’s paled, and she’s breathing fast.

  As we approach the door, there’s laughter coming from behind it, and she sends me a quizzical look which only deepens when I take her inside, drawing her around to my customary seat at the table and pulling her onto my lap. As Drum wastes no time handing her a burner phone and a piece of paper, her eyebrows are almost up to her hairline.

  I open my mouth to explain, but with a mischievous expression making his eyes sparkle, Drum stops me, “Just let her make the call, VP.”

  Grinning, anticipating her reaction when she hears who I hope is on the other end, I state, “We want you to make a call for us, darlin’.”

  Her brow furrows, and she glances around at the rest of the members who are all looking at me with varying expressions of amusement and expectation. “What, why? What do you want me to say?”

  I wonder what’s going through her head, but Drum just gives her a prod, “Just ring the number, sweetheart.”

  She shakes her head and looks down at the phone in bemusement, and then at the number on the piece of paper in case the answer lies there. It doesn’t of course. My grin widens as I wonder whether she thinks she’s going to be ringing a sex line or something and will end up the butt of the joke. But after throwing me a sharp look, letting me know in no uncertain terms if something like that the case I’ll suffer for it later, she picks up the phone and carefully taps the numbers in the keypad. Then I take it from her, put it on speaker, and puts it in the middle of the table. It
rings a couple of times.

  “Hi.” A female voice answers.

  “Er… hi?” Sophie responds.

  “Shit, she doesn’t recognise her,” Dart whispers.

  “Shush,” Drum admonishes him.

  But then the other voice says, “Soph? Oh my God! Is that you, Sophie?”

  Her hand covers her lips, and for a moment I don’t think she’s capable of responding, but then the words come spilling out, “Fuck, Zoe? Is that really you, bitch? What the fuck have you been up to? And who are you fucking?”

  “Soph! Sophie! Are you alright? Where the fuck are you?” Zoe’s speaking through her tears and Sophie’s having a hard job fighting hers.

  “Fuck, Zoe, you won’t believe what’s been happening to me… But you? Are you safe? Where are you?” her voice is so breathy and eager.

  “Yeah, I’m good Soph. Really good. Hey, you’re not going to believe this, babe, I’m getting married. You gotta come to my wedding.”

  “What? Who? You’re getting fucking married, bitch? What the hell have you been up to? You’re not rushing into anything again, are you?” Sophie’s eyes narrow and presumably she remembers what happened the last time Zoe got herself at a man.

  “My man, Kadar, is nothing like Ethan. Oh and I’ve been finding out what this sex thing is all about, Soph. That’s what.”

  “You’re fucking kidding me. You found someone with a big dick at last?”

  “I’ve told you before, Soph. I’m not discussing the size of my man’s cock with you. But let’s just say he doesn’t disappoint.” There’s a short burst of masculine laughter in the background.

  Next to me, Drum laughs and from behind his hand says in a stage whisper, “Dirty mouths on these bitches.”

  “Hey, who’s that, is there someone else there?”

  “Oh, sorry,” Sophie explains, “You’re on speaker. Got some news of my own. I’m with my man here, Zoe. And you’re not going to believe this; he’s the fucking Vice President of a bloody motorcycle club in Arizona.”

  “What? Hang on a minute, got my man here too. He’s a sheikh. Fucking topped you there, bitch! Hey, Kadar, come over here a sec. I’ll put mine on speaker too. Soph, I just cannot freaking believe I’m speaking to you at last babe. I have missed you so frigging much!”

  There’s a moment’s quiet, and then, “Hello? My name’s Kadar, Emir of Amahad, to whom am I speaking?” He talks in a cultured voice with only a hint of an accent.

  There’re some snorts and other brothers are falling about the table in laughter. I wave at them to hush.

  “I’m Drummer, President of the Satan’s Devils motorcycle club here in Arizona. With me are my brothers, and Wraith, Sophie’s ol’ man.”

  A chuckle from the emir’s end, “Somehow I’m thinking you’re not talking about her father.”

  “No, I’m her fiancé.” I cut in.

  “Fiancé? Bloody hell, Soph, you move as fast as I do. The two of us engaged to be married! Who’d have thought it?”

  “So when’s the wedding?” They both ask together and have to take a moment to stop giggling.

  “You first,” Sophie offers.

  “In two weeks―it has to be fast. I’m preggers, babe.”

  “Fuck. Zoe! You taking the piss or what?” Sophie’s wide eyes glance around the room as though we should be as shocked as she is.

  “No, it’s the truth, I’m pregnant! It wasn’t planned. But we’re so happy about it. So, Soph. So, can you come?”

  Now the male voice again, “If you could you’d put the fucking icing on our wedding cake, Sophie. Zoe’s been wishing she knew where you were so she could send you an invite.”

  Again the table falls about at the swear word falling from the lips of such an eminent man. Once more I shush them, particularly when they start imitating his accent.

  Drum’s glare has more success and our end quietens again.

  “I’d love to come, if I can,” She casts me a slightly nervous look, and questions me with her eyes, “But where the fuck is it?”

  “It’s in Amahad. Soph, I need you. You’ll be a bridesmaid, along with Sheikha Aiza, that’s Kadar’s sister, and Sheikha Cara will be my matron of honour. Oh, it will be fantastic.”

  “Where the fuck’s Amahad?” I ask, my eyes creasing with concern, and not a little disturbed at the fancy titles she’s dropping in there.

  “Just off the Persian Gulf,” Mouse replies to me as if that’s going to help any. My knowledge of geography obviously needs brushing up.

  “Oh you must come, Sophie. I’m petrified of a state wedding, and you’ll have to hold my hand.”

  State wedding?

  “Oh, and don’t worry, babe. We’ll sort it out, so you’ll be okay in the wheelchair.”

  Sophie beams, even though her friend can’t see her, “I don’t use one anymore. I walk on a prosthesis. And that’s thanks to this club.”

  Zoe gasps in obvious delight but doesn’t get the chance to say anything.

  “Drummer,” It’s Kadar taking over the call from their end again, “Am I right in thinking it’s your club has been keeping Sophie safe and protected?”

  “Tryin’ to, yes.” Drum gives an honest response.

  There’s whispering the other end. “I’m sorry, but I need to tell you that while we’ve dealt with the greater danger, Hargreaves, St John-Davies’ sidekick has disappeared into the wind. It’s just possible he’s deranged enough to see Sophie as unfinished business.”

  Drum glances at me, I nod. “And I think we need to tell you that there’s no reason to worry on that score anymore.” He gives a chin lift to Shooter sitting at the end of the table.

  There’s silence, then Zoe breaths almost inaudibly, “Thank God.”

  “If I understand you correctly I hope it was with extreme prejudice, but I won’t ask for details.” That’s from Kadar. Drum’s eyebrows rise, and I wonder about the character we’re talking to. Apart from the polite manner of speaking, we could be having a conversion with a president of another motorcycle club.

  The emir continues speaking, “We’d like to thank you for protecting my woman’s girl, so I extend the invitation to our wedding to all your members of your club.”

  “Why, thank you, Kadar. Er, am I breaking protocol by addressin’ you without a title?”

  “Fuck no,” the emir responds with a laugh, “I don’t count this as an official call. And for your information, my sister-in-law, Cara, assures me this is a clean line.”

  “That’s the hacker,” Mouse whispers.

  Drum continues with a nod that the man on the other end of the line obviously can’t see, “It might not be easy for us to travel so far, but we thank you kindly for the invitation.”

  Whispering the other end, then an abrupt, ‘Of course’, then to us, “Don’t worry about getting here. I’ll send the private jet for you.”

  Dart’s literally on the floor, his chair having falling over backwards and his hand is clutching his belly with laughter. Dollar’s mouth’s drops open; Beef is nudging Slick and Heart’s simply beaming. The others have reactions somewhere in between. Mouse is tapping on his laptop and then turns it round to show us the Amahadian Royal Jet. I might know bikes a whole lot better than planes, but it certainly isn’t a small two seater affair. More like a jumbo jet.

  Drum’s leg is bouncing, and his strumming his fingers on the table, “Tell you what, Kadar, you give us the dates and that and we’ll have words this end and get back to you. Appreciate the mighty fine offer you’re makin’ there.” Then after a pause, he adds, “Look, I don’t want to blow smoke up your ass, so I’ll give it to you straight. I ain’t thinkin’ my boys will fit into the whole royal weddin’ thing you’ve got going.”

  The two at the other end of the line laugh loudly, and it’s Zoe who replies, “Oh there’ll be a fine mix of people here, and I can’t think your boys can be any of a rougher lot than the desert sheikhs.”

  Again we hear male laughter, “She’s not wrong the
re. Oh, we’ll have the standard less tolerable formal stuff, but the celebrations will include showing off fighting and riding skills.”

  “Bikes?” Beef has been quiet up to now but that wakes him up.

  “I’m afraid not,” you can almost hear the smile in the emir’s voice. “Horses or camels.”

  “I’m up for that!” Mouse, who was partly brought up on the reservation, obviously has some prowess in that area.

  Suddenly there’s a buzz around the table; this wedding is starting to sound quite appealing.

  “What about wives or ol’ ladies?” Heart asks, “And kids?”

  Drum raises his eyebrow, “You’ve only got the one, haven’t you? Unless you’re a fuckin’ fast worker.”

  Heart shrugs as Kadar replies, “Just get back to me with the numbers. We’ll sort it out.”

  “Oh, Soph, I can’t wait to see you. And I want to show you what I’ve done with the harem…”

  “Your bloke’s got a fucking harem? You have to share him?”

  “Way to go, man!” Viper’s nodding in approval. He fuckin’ would be.

  “No, it’s not used like that anymore.” Zoe’s laughing loudly at my girl’s question. “I’d cut his cock off if he looked at anyone else.”

  Drum looks around at his men, they’re all looking like they haven’t had so much fun in ages. “Kadar, man, it’s been good speakin’ to you, but maybe Soph and Zoe would like to get together for a private chat now they’ve connected again. But I’d like to thank you. We’ve had a fuckin’ tryin’ time of it lately, and a trip to Amahad― at least for some of us, obviously we can’t all make it―sounds mighty fine.” His pointed gaze rounding the assembled group reminds us we couldn’t all go and leave the compound unprotected or the businesses unmanned, “So I’d like to thank you for that.”

  “No problem, Drummer. It was nice speaking to you.” Then, quietly, obviously to the woman with him, “Okay to say your goodbyes now, habiti?”

  “Yes, Hey, Soph, got to go and keep my man happy now. You ring again soon, okay?”