I’m relieved to hear him say the words since he was the one who almost got us all killed.
“I think trying to take them out on their turf is a bad idea. We’ll never get the one up.” Clint’s always been the voice of reason. He brings a lot to the table.
“Agreed, but how do we go about it? It can’t be in public.” Stoner rarely speaks, but since losing Jimmy he can taste the revenge and I’ve seen him when he gets the munchies.
“What about an ambush of our own? X style.” I wish I can take the words back as soon as they leave my mouth.
Jesse leans back in his chair with his hands locked behind his head. “I knew I wasn’t the only one thinking about it, but like I said, we can’t go off half cocked. We gotta be smart about this or the next hit leaves us destroyed, for good.”
“Not to mention, Zombie’s still running around rogue ready to take out anyone with a clean kill shot, especially Patsy. If he’s protected, we wipe out the Kings, we wipe out Zombie.” The Pistol Kings are our worst enemies, but Zombie is always right there, floating around in my fore thoughts. It’s personal. And not just for me, either. He managed to dig his way under someone else’s skin as well.
Clint balls his fists. “He’s not getting within a mile of Patsy. I’ll make sure of that. I’ve promised her and I intend to keep it.”
I’m not surprised to hear him talk that way. I’ve seen the evolvement over the last twenty-four hours. Clint didn’t give of himself easily, but when he did, he was all in.
“Tomorrow, we have a patch over vote. Also, call any nomads within a hundred-mile radius and tell them to stay on high alert.” Jesse is finally starting to sound like himself again.
“Cabin?” Herc speaks for the first time since sitting down.
“Can’t. Zombie’s been there. The place is no good to us right now.”
“We can’t just sit around with our dicks in our hands.” Adrenaline is flooding my body. I bounce my knee under the table, struggling to remain calm.
Jesse snaps his head in my direction. “Care to elaborate?”
“Our VP wasn’t just murdered, but defiled. Jolene and Patsy’s safety net has been breached. We need to be proactive, not running. We need to make a plan, track down Zombie. Fuck his protection. We take them out first.”
The Prez lights up a fat joint and takes a long pull. “Are you trying to get more of our brothers killed? You’re talking about walking right into a war zone. We haven’t done any intel. They may have more chapters, certainly more arsenal. We know they’re buying from the Jukes. We have what’s in this fucking club house. I’m responsible for this crew, this family, the people under this roof – including the women and children.”
“You know it can be done.” I say to him.
“Fine, add it to tomorrow’s agenda and we’ll take a vote. Alright, any other business? No? Good.” Jesse slams the gavel.
We don’t move fast, having nowhere to rush off too. Jesse and Clint linger. Stoner lights up and reclines in the chair. I look for Jolene. I find her helping Ruth take inventory of the kitchen.
I don’t act. I just watch. She jumps right in where needed, just like the good old days. Long before the fire, before she slipped away, before she disappeared from my life. She seems so natural working alongside Ruth. Everything you would expect from a VP’s old lady.
My brothers file out of the room, causing a commotion. Jo turns and catches me watching her. She grins, the kind of smile the makes the balls of her cheeks cause her gorgeous eyes to tip upward.
Everything else just fades away, evaporating into the background. All these years I thought I had a reason to fight. Looking back on it now, I had nothing, no one. And just like that – my reason for living is all wrapped up in a pair of snug blue jeans and an ‘X’ tank top covered by one of my flannels.
CHAPTER FIVE
(Jolene)
My insides quake when the crew comes nearly crawling through the front door. Finding out about Jimmy X was too much on the club. The MC can’t take another hit, not one this bad.
We hole up in the Clubhouse waiting for Pop to tell us what to do next. My pop. I remember riding around the back roads, sitting on his lap trying to grip the oversized steering wheel as he taught me to drive. The midnight BBQs with the club. Family. I always thought I was on top of the world to have Jesse Miller as my Pop. A local celebrity. People looked up to him and I let that shit go to my head, even today.
But now, he’s heart broken. I’ve never seen him at a loss.
I break from my thoughts before the ball in my throat grows to a sob. “Ruth, what should we be doing about gathering supplies? There’s not enough here to carry us for long.”
“Well, we can’t afford to separate and run out. We’re just gonna have to get what we can from here and the house. That’s all we can do. Maybe we can send Herc out if we end up heading up North. Jessa awake yet?”
“No, and I ain’t poking that sleeping bear.” My nerves are shot and the last thing I need is to deal with my sister and her incessant drama.
Church is over and the boys are haggard. They’re worn down and beaten. It is obvious that they are attempting to protect the women from the severity of the truth, but I can see right through the façade. I know all of them too well. I’d been in the life too long.
I walk up to Ronin and slip my arms around his bulging neck. “Wanna talk?”
“Sorry, sugar. Not this time.” He plants a kiss on top of my head and grabs a beer.
I sit, half listening, to one of the X bitches griping about how long she’s been waiting to become an old lady and how she’s got her sights set on Clint. She obviously doesn’t know what she is getting herself into. I have no advice, deciding to let her hang herself.
I watch Ronin. Not only is he giving me the cold shoulder, but he’s freezing out everyone. His mind is going a hundred miles a minute and he appears so tense he might explode.
“Looks like you’re on the same playing field as the rest of us now, the all precious Jolene.” Jessa slurs the words that she spits at me.
Shit, that didn’t take long.
“We’ll never be equals, and you’ll never accept that.” I leave her standing with her eyes round and her mouth wide. I’ve always hated fighting with my only sister, but damn if she isn’t consistent.
“Patsy, you ok, hun?” I spot her sitting alone on a cot in the corner.
She attempts a smile and nod. “I just can’t help but feel like this is all my fault. Jimmy X is dead because of me. The boys are at war because of me.” Her voice garbles, struggling to hold back tears that eventually spill.
“Honey, you can’t look at it like that. We know why you did the things you did and it was out of your control. You have to let that go or it’s going to eat you up inside. The boys know what they’re doing. They’ll fix it just like they always do. You have to trust them and do what they say.”
She nods again, snuggling a pillow to her chest. “I can’t figure out why Clint’s being so nice to me. I know he hates me for putting the club in jeopardy.”
I clasp her hand in mine. “Being angry for a while and hate are two totally different things. Clint never hated you. He just didn’t know how to take you at the time. It looks like times are changing.”
Clint is walking in our direction. I take that as my cue to get up and leave, squeezing his arm as I pass. He smiles, holding a small plate of food and a beer. I’m assuming for Patsy.
A pain pierces my temple. I need a break from the chaos. I disappear down the hall and duck into Ronin’s room. I lie on the bed and my muscles immediately begin to ache as they slowly relax. My mind is reeling, but I finally doze off with my face buried in a pillow that smells just like him.
***
“Hey, darlin. Everyone is wondering where you got off to.” Ronin’s hand is up under my tank top and caressing my bare back.
“My head couldn’t take it anymore. Hope you don’t mind.”
“What kind of crazy ass
response is that? Why would I ever mind having you in my bed? If I had my way, this is where you would stay – always.”
“Yeah, well, bad timing. What’s going on out there? I know it’s heavy, but you’re acting strange.”
He drops his head and tugs on his beard. “Babe, things are just tense. Really. It’s no big deal. There’s a lot on my plate.”
“I guess. And you know you don’t have to carry that on your own anymore. I’m here for you. Whatever you need. Someone to listen, or to talk. Or for a good, um, release.” I curl my lips into a slight smirk.
“Damn, I forget sometimes that you’re not eighteen anymore.” Ronin tugs his shirt up over his head, tossing it to the floor.
I move forward and sit on my knees directly in front of him. I help him slip off his jeans after he kicks his boots across the room. His huge hard on springs free.
“Your turn,” he says.
“Don’t be so impatient.”
I grip the base of his cock with one hand and use my nails to graze his abdomen with the other, taking him into my mouth. He instantly throws his head backwards and moans, making me wet. I circle the head with my tongue, tasting him, before I take in as much length as possible while pumping at the same time. He grates his hands through my hair. He balls up a fist full and guides me back and forth, dictating the perfect rhythm.
I like when he takes control. It’s the perfect combination. It hurts, but just enough to make my sex pulse. I want more of him. I go deeper, feeling the veins throb in my throat. His moaning turns deep and guttural. I feel his eyes on me as he empties himself into my mouth as I swallow every drop.
As soon as he’s done, he immediately strips me of my clothes and flips me over on all fours. I hear the condom wrapper. He stands at the edge of the bed and fills me with his hard cock. Gripping me by the waist, he hammers harder. His hand meets my sensitive backside, leaving one stinging handprint after another. Each pummel making me moan through gritted teeth. I rock my hips backwards, riding him.
“Yes,” I groan. “Fuck me.”
As I get closer, Ronin tugs my hair harder. I feel his muscles clench. One final pump sends an orgasm through both of our bodies. He batters me from behind until he’s empty again, my body collapsing under his weight.
He rotates onto his back. Still breathing heavy, Ronin pulls me up to rest between his strong, sweaty legs. The fact that I can feel his heart racing against my skin enthralls me.
“My ass is going to hurt for days.” I’m only halfway joking. The sting makes my heart quicken.
“Just marking what’s mine.” He chuckles and I playfully bite him on the chest.
“There’s a lot going on to be in here playing hooky.”
“Sugar, you have no idea.” He wraps his arms tighter around my shoulders.
“Maybe not, but you can fill me in.” I peer up at him, batting my eyelashes. I can see the playing around has worn off when Ronin rests his head back on the headboard.
“I wish it were that easy. I can’t say anything. Club business, under orders.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think that’s it.” I sit up and look him in the eye. “You have something else going on. Your mind is somewhere else. You know I’m here for you and you always feel better when you unload. You can’t keep this all bottled up. You’re gonna have to let me in, baby.” I grip his face in my hands, pressing my lips to his.
He brushes the back of his hand across my cheek. “I just need a little more time. I promise, sugar, you’re the first person I’ll be talking to when the time is right. You have to trust me.”
“Just remember, baby, you’re not alone.”
***
“Ok, girls, we managed to get our hands on some food. Let’s throw some meal plans together and figure out what we’re working with,” Ruth shouts.
Women fall in line, taking care of the odd and ends. The bar is already stocked with beer and liquor, the first two necessities for a lockdown.
Things are getting real and it’s making my stomach nauseous. Ronin’s making small talk with some of the guys. I can read the pain in his eyes. The pain of wearing the VP patch, yet, he wears it proudly.
The bitches are busy servicing the soldiers as they pay their respects to Jimmy X. It’s hard enough losing a brother, but losing a VP is a huge loss. A rough hit. The boys need this time together. Time to unwind before the next battle.
Jessa is in her element, ready to play the part of head bitch. She’s fluttering around the room, drinking and smoking dope, waiting to see which lucky bastard she’s gonna hook up with for the night.
I search for Ronin and find him huddled up talking with a man I don’t recognize. They’re deep in conversation.
Pop is resting, his feet propped up against the wall. He’s giving off the impression that he’s relaxing, but that’s not the case. Not even close. I see his wheels spinning. His gaze darting around, taking it all in. Jesse Miller doesn’t miss a thing.
I check on Patsy. Relieved to find that she’s asleep in Clint’s room. For such a big brood, he’s always had a nurturing side. Hell, he practically kept Ronin alive after we lost the baby.
Clint sneaks up behind me. “She’s doing good. Sleep is what she needs.”
I nod. “Yeah, thanks for taking care of her. She’s really taken to you.”
“I gave her a bad time when we found out about Zombie. When I heard about all she’d gone through because of that cock sucker, I wanted to kick my own ass. I pray I’m the one that finds that sadistic son of a bitch first.”
“I just pray he’s found, period.”
He arches his dark brow. “You got that shit right.”
I glance over my shoulder and peer up at him. “Don’t you hurt her.”
“Never.” He gives me a quick hug and disappears down the hallway.
Never. That’s a weighty word.
CHAPTER SIX
(Ronin)
I try, once again, to fall asleep. It’s impossible. I can’t sleep knowing the Pistol Kings have the Executioners on their hit list. I can’t think with Jolene in danger.
I have to keep her safe. She’s the only thing that matters.
I watch her sleep. Her long hair is fanned out across the pillow and she must have kicked off her covers. Her t-shirt has ridden up, revealing her tight tummy, and a tiny, black thong with little strings is lining her slim hips.
She owns that deep down part of me. That small part of me that is good, my spirit or soul, whatever the fuck they want to call it. She owns it. Better her than me.
She stirs. “Hey baby. Come to bed.”
I lie next to her, coiling my arms around her tiny frame. I roll her up, resting her against my inked chest. That X that connects us, forever. I can feel the rise and fall of her breath as her perfect tits move with her breathing. She’s out again. I remember back to what it was like to not have her in my life. It sends an immediate boulder straight to my gut. That’s a reality I can’t survive.
***
Banging coming from down the hallway wakes me from a short sleep.
“Wakey, wakey.” Stoner hollers from the other side of the door. He knows better than to open it.
Jolene’s nowhere to be seen, which sends me jumping up from the bed. I tug on my boots and grab a shirt. I rush into the main hall, barely able to breathe until I lay eyes on her in the kitchen. She’s pouring coffee for some of the boys, the ones who are smart enough to stay away from the liquor for breakfast.
“Hey baby, here’s your coffee.” She leans in with a satisfied kiss and hands me my mug.
“Damn, you’re a sight for sore eyes.” I smack her on the ass. “Prez?”
“Haven’t seen him all morning.”
I survey the room. “Really? Ruth, you seen the old man?”
“He rode off with Wizard this morning. Said they had some business to take care of. I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Want some breakfast?”
I shake my head. Fucking strange. Why the hell does he keep disap
pearing? It’s the same bullshit he used to pull with Zombie. We’re in the middle of a fucking war and he doesn’t tell us what’s going on. He simply vanishes.
“Did he leave any instructions?”
Ruth shakes her head. “Nope, just said they’d be back soon. I imagine status quo.”
“Fuck.” I finish off my mug of coffee and Jolene quickly fills it again. “Sitting here with my thumb up my ass isn’t doing a damn bit of good.”
Ruth sits across from me. “Look, I know it’s hard stepping into a new role, but just hold on. Shit will fall into place. You have to be patient.”
“My patience is wearing thin.”
“Spoken like a true Executioner.” She snickers and gets back to work.
Billy is helping to clean up the main room. Most of the bitches are still entertaining the boys and nomads who needed to let off some steam. Everyone is in their place. Everyone has their orders. Everyone but me. The new VP without a fucking clue.
Clint strolls down the hallway with Patsy snuggled up tight under his arm. The way they are both looking at one another is priceless. I saw it coming a mile away, but to finally see it in person is pretty fucking cool. Clint deserves some real happiness.
“Morning, brother.” He clasps me on the shoulder as he walks by.
Patsy jumps right in where needed. Clint and I share a knowing look and he smirks before lowering his head.
I try to refrain from losing my shit, appearing calm. However, on the inside, I’m pissed and it’s growing, like a big angry ball pitted deep in my gut. I’m tired of sitting back like a fucking prospect.
“Alright, listen up. Hey! Over there, listen the fuck up! We need to gather our personal arsenal. Find whatever you can get your hands on and pool them together here on the table. Get your asses up and busy. This ain’t a goddamn vacation.” I shout, sitting back down.
The guys stir, mumbling under their breath.
“Babe, you sure you’re doing ok?” Jolene sits in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.
Exacting Revenge Page 3
