by A. J. Downey
I held out my hand for it and Nox handed it to me, he gave me a meaningful look and I shook my head. I couldn’t promise him what he wanted, that I wouldn’t do something stupid or wind up in jail. His shoulders dropped and he tilted his head his expression screaming really, dude?
I had one word for him, “Maren.”
That shut him up. He sighed and hung his head. He’d pulled some stupid shit for his girl only around six months ago or so. Stupid shit that could have and would have ended his career and ruined his clean record. He wasn’t one to fuckin’ talk. Only luck and some strong armed tactics by cover of night kept his ass straight and the cops out of it.
“I don’t plan on killin’ nobody,” I said softly so only he could hear. “But I am about to fuck some shit up.”
“Just be careful,” he muttered.
“Careful as a virgin on her wedding night,” Archer said sucking his teeth.
“Man, fuck you dude. You have Mel and the boys to worry about now.” I told him.
“I get locked up, the club’ll take care of things ‘til I get out.”
“Jesus, Archer, there’s more than just finances and shit to take care of now. Those boys don’t need an absentee father,” Nox hissed.
“It’s a moot fuckin’ point. Nox, Arch, take your asses back to the clubhouse and post up. Watch your brother’s girl. Rush, Reave, Cell, Dray, you’re with me.” Dragon ordered.
“Trig, Blue, Data, head on back to the club with Nox and Rush and wait for our phone call. Data, listen to the scanners and have bail money ready should it come to that.”
“Yeah, you got it.”
“Em is gonna fuckin’ kill me if I get locked up,” Dray griped.
“It’s fuckin’ family,” Dragon said. “You’re in this to win this because you got a boy on the way.”
“We don’t know it’s a boy, yet.” Dray protested.
“It’s a boy,” Dragon said and grinned.
“Girl pops out I’m going to laugh at your ass,” I said.
“Girl pops out I’ma be like, ‘you better put that back,’” Dray said.
Laughter went around and we mounted up. I’d added one thing to my bike for the trip we were agreed on and about to make. It was time for a public display of what happened when you fucked with a Sacred Hearts’ man’s family. Let alone the president’s. I patted the end of the bat sticking out of one of my bags and hit the ignition on my bike, starting her up. I fell into formation and when we reached the highway went right towards the freeway that’d take us to the city, while the rest of the boys peeled off left to go back to the club.
I was amped, I was ready and I was gonna hurt a motherfucker. I was gonna hurt him bad. We rode out toward the GDG and hell rode with us. When we got there, we stopped about two blocks away and put on shades, covering the lower half of our faces bandito style with bandanas and pulling on baseball hats, generic black nothing with a logo or traceable. Last thing we did was take duct tape to our rear plates to cover them up from any eyes in the sky. We were as prepared as we were going to get. I straddled my bike and pulled on a pair of gloves, everyone else doing the same. Wouldn’t do to leave fingerprints behind.
We rode right into the lot of the office complex that housed their offices, gliding right up to the front of the place, parking the bikes haphazardly and pretty much taking up all their parking. I pulled the bat out of my bag and went to the front door. Locked and on a buzzer. Well fuck that shit.
“Batter up!” Duracell crowed and I adjusted my grip, tested my swing, and took out the front door. The glass shattered on the second or third hit, crumbling in a sparkling fall. Safety glass, like the shit that had cut up my Bailey last night when the hired goons this motherfucker had sent shot out her fuckin’ truck windows.
“You can’t come in here, I’m calling the police!” his secretary was screaming and Cell pointed his gun in her face.
“You ain’t doin’ shit but sitting down and shutting the fuck up while we have a chat with your boss!” he snarled.
“Which way?” Dray demanded. She stood with her hands up and pointed down a hall. Dragon led the way with me right on his heels and Reaver right on mine. Dray stayed back with Cell to keep him on a leash.
Dragon stopped in front of the big man’s office, reared back, and kicked that fucker in with one blow. The door flew back and hit the wall, swinging forward violently. The man behind the desk, olive skinned and dark haired wasn’t no slouch. He was a bigger dude, the cut of his suit screaming ‘tailored to fit’ but it looked like he knew how to throw down.
I walked right up to his desk as he set his phone gently back in its cradle saying, “I’ve called the police.”
“Bully for you,” I breathed and he leaned back.
“Get up.” Dragon ordered.
The man stood up slowly, cautiously and came around the desk. I backed off and gave him some room. Dragon who was a head and shoulders shorter than the guy looked up at him.
“You know what happens when you fuck with our family, culo?” It was everything in me not to laugh. Dragon was pouring on his stereotypical, Mexican gangbanger, hood rat persona; which he only did when working on problems like this. It fucked with the cops when they came knocking looking for the Mexican dude expecting him to sound a certain way, only to have D. come out sounding like a down home country hick. He’d adapted entirely too well to his environment, comin’ up around these parts, and despite his appearance sounded like a white ass, country bumpkin, motherfucker when he talked.
“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Giangiulio said, and was pretty much sneering at our president.
“You really don’t want to find out, dude.” Reaver said smiling.
“Oh?”
You know, I really hated these rich ass fuckwits who thought their money could get them out of any problem that came along.
“We’re going to ruin your life,” I said and Dragon and Reaver froze at my tone. “Pull down everything you’ve built brick by fucking brick. You try to touch anyone in any way that doesn’t have to do with a boardroom, or whatever legal way you have to fuckin’ deal with ‘em. I’m gonna find you and I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you.”
He laughed, or started to, but I gut checked him with the bat. He doubled over and I brought it down across his back and wasn’t too gentle about it. He sprawled face first on his nice office carpet.
“You’ve graduated to the major leagues, motherfucker. Don’t think for a minute we ain’t serious. We’re watching you.” Reaver said and his gaze was as cold as a winter’s sky. Dude coughed and tried to get up, so I served his ass more of a beat down.
“That’s for Renaldo Hernandez,” I said. “You don’t even want to know what retribution for Bailey Berling is gonna look like. You’ve got two days to wrap the shit up surrounding Blue Hills. Two days to drop whatever pipe dream of a project you got surrounding that place. You don’t, I’m comin’ back and hell’s comin’ with me. I meant it, motherfucker… brick by goddamn brick.”
We needed to leave if he had called the cops, so we did. When we went back out the lobby, Dray and Cell went first, Dragon next, then me, then Reaver bringing up the rear. We got on our bikes and rode out, taking the opposite end of the office complex that the sirens were coming in from. We got out, by the skin of our teeth, now it was on to phase two of our little plan. We were pretty much expecting a raid on the club as well as some of us having our asses thrown in jail, at least for questioning that night, but there wasn’t going to be much the cops could do with all of us giving each other alibis.
The cops could and would hassle us for a few hours, but that was all they’d be able to do. We knew how the game was played and we were all in. It was just a question on if we were gonna get away with it.
Right now, we couldn’t worry about it. We got about five miles from the place and put our cuts in our saddlebags. The cops were going to be looking for Sacred Hearts guys, not single riders. Next, we pulled the tape from ou
r plates and availed ourselves of our baseball hats and bandanas, throwing them in a random dumpster. We split up from there, taking a joy ride in any direction for about ten, fifteen minutes before turning and heading back towards the club.
I didn’t get stopped, and I didn’t see any of the other guys stopped and getting hooked up for a ride back to the pokey. Looked like we were in the clear until the police came knocking. It’d take them a while though.
I parked my bike back at the club, Dragon was already here and Reaver, but Dray and Cell were still in the wind. I gave a nod to Dragon when I came through the door and he came up to me. No women were in sight, it was just us guys out here. Good deal.
“Dray made it home just fine. He’s got a damn fine Queen in that woman, she’ll cover his ass. She gets it.”
“And Cell?”
“Stopped at the diner to eat and see that waitress of his and Blue’s.”
“Them fuckers ever gonna pull the trigger on that?” I wondered out loud.
“Don’t know, not my business. I guess Dani gave Bailey one of her anxiety pills and it knocked Bailey on her ass. She’s been asleep in your room. I think now would be a good time for you to get cleaned up and look in on her.”
I nodded, “Might be a minute before I get to see her again if we missed something.”
“Even careful criminals fuck up eventually,” Dragon agreed.
“What’s next?”
“Data’s been monitoring their shit, you fucked up Giangiulio pretty good, broke a couple ribs. They transported him to the hospital out there in the big city.”
“Too bad they didn’t take him to Mercy General.”
“Right?” Dragon chuckled, an evil little sound.
“I’m gonna grab a shower and see about Bailey, I suppose we’ll know if and when the cops get here.”
“Might be a few days, but yeah. Yeah we will. Take care of that bat,” he ordered.
“Already on it.”
I took it out back and to my woodshop, sliced it into kindling and dumped it in the fire pit out back. A little lighter fluid, a match, and presto, one piece of evidence that wouldn’t be of any use. Especially since I dumped a bunch of cookies from other projects and similar woods in with them.
“Little early for a fire, isn’t it?” Dani asked from her shop and I smiled.
“Figured barbecue for lunch,” I called back.
“Ah,” she said all-knowing. I laid the cooking grate over the fire and gave her a nod.
“She’s out cold,” she called after me. “Probably will be for a while yet.”
“Thanks for looking after her,” I called back.
“Of course.”
I went to my room and unlocked the door, something fell on the other side of it at as I pushed it open, making it tough to get the door open. It was slow going, I didn’t want to break anything, not knowing what it was, but I got it open far enough that I could slip through. Turns out it was towels that’d fallen off the back of the door. Probably where Bailey had hung them after using them. I picked them up and the big one was mostly dry, the smaller one still quite a bit damp.
She was fast asleep in my bed, her hands tucked beneath her cheek like some sort of angel. I watched her for a lot longer than I had a right to before I grabbed my toiletry kit out of my dresser drawer and went back out and down the hall to the bathroom.
I showered and scrubbed up, took my time to shave off the five o’clock shadow that had just plain gotten away from me into a full on scruff. Reaver poked his head in and I said, “Cops here?”
“No, man. I was just coming after my work boots.”
“Oh, they’re right there,” I said and pointed. I was still shaving, face half full of cream so I kept at it.
“Hayden’s pissed again,” he said a bit glumly and I turned.
“What that you might get arrested?”
“Yeah, but she gets it.”
“Go fuck the ornery out of her,” I suggested.
“I think I might need a new trick,” he said wrinkling his nose.
“Tried flowers or chocolate yet?” I asked.
“Oo! Hey, good idea. I’m going to have to try that.”
“Hey, Reave?” I said as he was halfway out the door with his boots in hand.
“Yeah?”
“Thanks, man. I don’t want to see your marriage take a hit because of this, so if you gotta stand down…”
“I will if I need to, the whole Florida and thinking I was dead thing? It wasn’t maybe such a good plan. There’s still a lot of shit there from that.”
“She thought she lost you forever, man. I can’t really imagine what that’s like.”
“I love her,” he said and it sounded like a confession which was weird. Usually Reaver wasn’t this fuckin’ sappy. At least not with me.
“I know, man.”
“You love Bailey, you know what it’s like now,” he said glacial eyes boring into mine with an intensity that creeped me the fuck out. “Welcome to the club inside the club, brother,” he said, and with that, he bounced. Ducking back outside the door and taking off back up the hall.
“Fuckin’ weirdo,” I muttered, but I’d be lying if his words hadn’t meant something to me. They’d actually touched pretty deep.
I finished up with no more interruptions and went back to my room, slipping in quietly. I shut and locked it behind me and put my shit away. I opened up the closet and ditched the wet towels in the hamper I had in there and rolled the door back shut. Bailey didn’t even stir. Not even when I got into bed and pulled her into the spoon of my body, laughing to myself when my hand caressed the curve of her ass to discover one of the three pairs of boxers I owned.
The laughter died when I thought about how she literally had no clothes now. Not even a pair of shoes for her damn feet. I pulled her close and she whimpered in her sleep from me holding her a touch too tight, but damn… I don’t even want to think about how close last night and early this morning had been. The bullet hole through the farm truck’s windshield, if the trajectory had been just a few inches different I wouldn’t be holding her. I’d be sitting somewhere covered in her blood trying to figure out how to watch the whole fucking world burn.
“Rush,” she murmured and I looked down into sleepy brown eyes.
“Sleep, baby. I’m right here.” She twined around me, throwing her leg over both of mine and cuddling into my side, her head on my chest, arm across my ribs, and it was perfect. I kissed the top of her head and closed my own eyes. Sleep came quickly, her warm, toned body pressed safe into mine.
Chapter 28
Bailey
I stirred sometime after dark. I knew it was after dark, because when I opened my eyes, I could barely make out the glow of light from the high window over Rush’s bed. I pushed off of him and made a frightened sound when I realized the shifting light was firelight. God, had they followed us here? Was the club burning?
“Easy, babe. It’s just the fire pit going outside.”
More masculine laughter erupted and I swallowed hard, realizing what it was that’d woken me up. Rush pulled me back against his nude body and ran his hands over my skin, under his shirt.
“Sorry, I think I’m going to be jumpy for a while.”
“Can’t say I blame you.”
“When did you get back?” I asked.
“You don’t remember?”
I shook my head, “Mm-mm.”
“You were out, then. You said my name and everything.”
“I don’t remember.”
“It’s cool, don’t sweat it. The shit Dani gave you was good shit. I’m kind of surprised you’re awake at all.”
“Me too, to be honest.”
“Still groggy?”
“Yeah, it’s like I’m hung over from whatever she gave me.”
“Yeah, that can happen. You hungry?”
She frowned a little, “Starving actually.”
“K, let me get dressed, we can go raid the kitchen in the main h
ouse.”
“Um, I’m not sure I should go out there like this.”
“Your ass is covered, it’s fine, baby.” He climbed over me and got out of bed, pulling on a pair of black lounge pants. He pulled on a black wifebeater over his head and I sighed, watching the black material slide over his golden skin, obscuring the tattoo and musculature of his back.
He pulled me to my feet and shrugged his into a pair of rubber soled sheepskin house slippers. Looking over his shoulder he asked, “Ready?” I nodded and took his hand and followed him down the hall to the door to the outside. He opened it up, but before I could step outside in bare feet, he picked me up. I yipped and put my arms around his neck and he carried me smoothly to the back door of the club’s main building.
“Hey, Bailey!” one of the guys called from over by the fire and I blushed furiously, glad for the cover of darkness and called back, “Um, hi!”
Rush set me down inside the back door and called, “Back in a minute guys, gotta forage for food.”
The big blond, Trigger, called out, “My Sunshine’s in there, you won’t have to search hard.”
We found a small woman in the kitchen with long auburn hair, along with Reaver’s wife, Hayden.
“Hi,” she said softly with a megawatt smile, “I’m Ashton.” She came over wiping her hands on her apron and shook my hand.
“Bailey, nice to meet you.”
“We were just talking about you,” Hayden said and I blinked.
“You’re about Evy’s size, um, Dray calls her Em. She’s going to bring some clothes tomorrow and we were going to see about picking you out some clothes.” Ashton said.
“I think a girl’s shopping trip is probably just about something you need right now.”
I put my hands on the counter and leaned on them, thinking furiously. “I’ll have to go by the bank in person and pull some cash,” I said and Ashton smiled, nodding. “Except I don’t have ID anymore. Everything went up with the house.”
“No passport?” Ashton asked meekly.
