Tempted: The Numb MC

by Olivia Stephens

  “God dammit,” Keith hissed under his breath, as he changed direction and made his way back to Lee and Seton. He was in a bad mood when he walked into the auto shop, thankful for the fact that it was Kristina’s day off. The fact that he knew her schedule so well pissed him off further. The boys were sitting out back smoking cigarettes when Keith joined them. From the expressions on their faces, Keith could tell they were discussing something important.

  “What’s happening?” Keith asked as he walked into their circle.

  Tucker was the kind of guy who always wore a goofy grin, but today he fixed worried eyes on Keith. “We just received a call.”

  “Kovic,” Keith hissed immediately.

  “Kovic,” Tucker repeated.

  “What did he say?”

  “What he’s been saying for the last few weeks,” Tucker continued. “Except this time… he wants to meet with Miles.”

  It was only then that Keith realized that Miles was not in the circle. “Where is Miles?” Keith asked, looking around at the boys that had become his family.

  “Not here,” Tucker replied. “We haven’t told him yet.”

  “He’s the president,” Keith said at once. “He should have been the first one to be informed.”

  “I know,” Tucker said with a trace of annoyance. “But he rushed off this morning… apparently there were some… complications with the baby.”

  Keith’s eyes widened. “Erica…?”

  “She’s alright for the moment, but Miles doesn’t want to leave her now,” Tucker explained. “And I wasn’t sure if—”

  “No, you were right not to have told him,” Keith said quickly. “We can handle this ourselves.”

  Gordon was one of the older gang members, and at forty-eight he usually offered up the most sensible advice. He twirled his fingers around his exceptional handle bar moustache and fixed his eyes on Keith. “We can’t put off this meeting any longer. Kovic is getting impatient and the more impatient he gets… the more dangerous he will become.”

  “I know,” Keith agreed. “Which is why I intend to meet him in Miles place.”

  A few of the boys exchanged glances, and Keith knew they had their doubts about his course of action. “You have reservations?” he asked, addressing them all.

  “He wanted it to be a one-on-one meeting,” Brendan spoke quietly. “Just Miles and him. Given your history with Kovic, I don’t that’s the best idea.”

  Keith brushed off the concern impatiently. “This is business… it has to be handled.”

  “It does,” Gordon nodded. “But not by you.”

  “I am the vice president,” Keith pointed out. “I pick up the slack when Miles is absent. If the president can’t make it, it’s the vice president’s job to step up. Kovic will consider it an insult if anyone but me shows up.”

  He saw the truth of his words in their eyes. Kovic would definitely take offense, he would consider it to be an insult, and that would hinder the meeting. True as that might be, Keith didn’t give a shit about causing Kovic offense. What he really wanted was to stand in front of the bastard and deny him everything he wanted. It wouldn’t be nearly enough for everything he had done, but it was a start.

  “When does he want to have this one-on-one meeting?” Keith asked.

  “Tomorrow,” Gordon replied. “Twelve, midnight.”

  Keith rolled his eyes. “He has a flair for the dramatics, doesn’t he?"

  “A couple of us will run back up,” Tucker said standing up.

  “No,” Keith said harshly. “I’ll go alone.”

  “He won’t know we’re there,” Tucker said quickly. “It’s just a precautionary measure… considering—”

  “I said no,” Keith snapped. “I won’t have him thinking I’m afraid of him. I will go alone.”

  He stood his ground and stared each of them down until he was sure none of them would oppose him. When he was satisfied that they would follow his orders he nodded. “Let’s keep this from Miles until we know that Erica and the baby are out of harm’s way.”

  “Ok,” Tucker said with a nod, and the rest of the gang murmured in agreement.

  Keith went home that night with his head heavy with thoughts. A part of him recognized the insensibility of his plan, and another part, the larger part of him wanted desperately to face Kovic again. He didn’t know why he was putting himself through this self-inflicted torture, because he knew that despite the meeting, there was no way he could actually do to Kovic what he had wanted to do for the past two years.

  That night, as he lay in bed, Keith imagined how satisfying it would be to feel his hands around Kovic’s neck while he watched the life drain from his eyes. He imagined those small, dark eyes grow wide with fear before they were finally extinguished for good. That image was so perfect that Keith felt his brain whir awake and he knew that sleep would be hard to come by that night.

  Slowly, he tried to turn his thoughts away from Kovic, and almost inevitably, they landed on Kristina. Her hair had been tied back and her whole face and been on full display. She had the kind of features that didn’t really fit in anywhere. They were vaguely exotic and they gave her blue eyes and dark hair spirit that removed the commonality from it.

  Her body was tight, and Keith felt the blood rise in his penis just thinking of it. Unable to fight it any longer, Keith closed his eyes and imagined the night they had fucked in the back rooms of Lee and Seton. It was almost as though he had captured the whole thing on film. It was an almost perfect recall from the time he grabbed her hand among gyrating bodies to the final climax when he had spent himself inside her and she was still shuddering beneath him from the second orgasm.

  He remembered how wonderful that moment had been, when he had grabbed her ass and she had gripped him harder at his back. Her flesh was soft and pliant and she had made him feel as though she didn’t care what he did to her, as long as he did it well. He wondered what it was about this particular girl that had got him so riled up. He wondered why she alone occupied his thoughts out of all the women he had slept with.

  Guess I must be special then. Keith heard her voice speak the words as though she were whispering them in his ear. “She must be,” Keith whispered to himself, as he stared up at the ceiling, wondering if he had the power to fight against his crumbling will. He fell asleep with the realization that resisting her was going to be an uphill battle, one that he feared he had already lost.

  Chapter Seven

  Keith

  Keith could feel his anger rise with every step he took that brought him closer to seeing Anton Kovic. He wondered if he was doing the smart thing, but this was one area where his sense took a back seat to emotion. This kind of emotion was impossible to deny.

  The streets were deserted and the only light came from the bright glow of the sun and streetlights that were situated quite a distance away. Kovic had obviously wanted some coverage during the meeting, and Keith secretly agreed. He was not sure how the night would go, but he wanted to be prepared either way. If it was going to come down to a fight, he wanted to make sure that no one would ever see his face.

  He arrived at the designated meeting place with a few minutes to spare and waited anxiously, breaking his knuckles three times just for something to do. He was encased in shadow and wondering when Kovic was going to show up when a sound to his left alerted his attention to a human presence.

  “Hello, Keith,” Kovic said amicably, as though the two were old friends. “It’s been a long time. I was expecting Miles.”

  “Miles was unavoidably detained,” Keith replied, impressed with how well he was managing to contain his rage.

  “Well, I can’t say I’m sorry,” Kovic replied. “It’ll be much more fun dealing with you.”

  “Why is that fucker?”

  Kovic laughed. “That’s why.”

  “You wanted this meeting… so stop wasting my time and tell me what you came here to say,” Keith hissed.

  “I think you already know,” Kovic sai
d, as his eyes narrowed visibly. “You have cartels along the border that you trade with. If we were to partner—”

  “That’s not going to happen,” Keith interrupted fiercely.

  “Come on,” Kovic said in a tone that was almost wheedling. “This is a business after all.”

  “And colluding with you is most certainly not a smart business decision.”

  “I disagree—”

  “You would.”

  Kovic continued as though there had been no disruption. “We could combine our forces. You could profit from our contacts.”

  “We don’t deal in drugs or whores,” Keith said bitingly. “So what would we need with your contacts?"

  Keith could tell that Kovic’s patience was running out. He had badly wanted to make this deal with as little resistance as possible, but he was starting to realize that that wasn’t going to happen. “You’re being a fool,” he spat.

  “That’s a matter of opinion,” Keith said bluntly. “But I want to make sure one thing is very clear between us. The weapons trade is our fucking turf. Stay off of it and I will resist the urge to beat your face into the ground. The Iron Dragons will never do business with the Rusted Chains.”

  Kovic’s eyes narrowed further and the resemblance of civility that lingered on his face, disappeared into thin air. He looked like an angry bull that had been pushed into the corner, and Keith realized that he was relieved to have an excuse to start a physical confrontation with him. He held his ground a moment longer, knowing that despite everything, he did not want to make the first move towards Kovic.

  “How have you been, Keith?” Kovic asked with surprising concern in his voice.

  The tone and the manner in which Kovic’s face had settled made him uneasy, and he knew there was something brewing. “I know you don’t give a fuck about me,” Keith said harshly. “So talk straight and stop wasting my time.”

  “I was just curious,” Kovic said with an innocent shrug. “I mean life must be difficult… without the lovely Natalie to keep you warm at night.”

  He hissed her name as though it had never belonged to a person, and Keith felt his fists respond to the statement. “You fucking bastard,” he all but screamed. “Don’t you dare... how DARE speak her name?!”

  Kovic’s face lit up into an open smile that suggested that was exactly the reaction he had been hoping for. “I don’t blame you for still being upset,” Kovic went on, as though Keith hadn’t spoken. “She had a banging body. I’d miss that, too. My one regret is that I didn’t fuck her before I killed her.”

  Keith felt adrenaline burst through his body as he shot forward with his eyes trained on Kovic. He wasn’t sure if his charge was silent or accompanied by a scream of rage, all he was aware of was that Kovic’s smug and satisfied face turned pale as he backed up and made a signal that Keith did not recognize.

  Keith managed to land a well-aimed punch, and Kovic went flying onto the side of the road, his face stained with fresh blood. His eyes were wide with surprise, but there was purpose there as he repeated the signal and suddenly Keith found himself pushed away from Kovic by some invisible source that had escaped his notice.

  Panting heavily and not even close to being satisfied, Keith moved towards Kovic, but rough hands on either side of him stopped him in his tracks. It was only then that Keith realized that Kovic had brought reinforcements.

  “You fucking coward,” Keith hissed. “This was supposed to be a private, one-on-one meeting.”

  Kovic wiped the blood off his face and stood up slowly. “I’ve never been real good at keeping my word.”

  “There is such a thing as a code of honor.”

  Kovic laughed out loud, and Keith was able to see that there was blood in his mouth, too. It had stained his teeth, giving him the appearance of a mad man.

  “You’re a criminal,” Kovic spat. “And you speak of honor.”

  “No matter what you are or what you do, there is always a code of honor,” Keith said, repeating the words that Miles’s father had taught them both before he had passed. “There are rules in everything, and if you don’t follow them, you’re fucked.”

  “The only one fucked in this situation…is you,” Kovic said slowly, as he took a step forward.

  Keith struggled against the two giant men that held him, but it seemed as though they were both made out of steel. They barely moved against him. As Keith took a closer look at both men, he realized they were not part of Kovic’s gang.

  “You’re hiring bodyguards now?” Keith asked incredulously. “Are you kidding?”

  Kovic seemed unconcerned. “I’m an important man now, which means I have many enemies. I have to take necessary safety precautions.”

  “You have always been a coward,” Keith said slowly, hoping his words would penetrate. “That is the reason you were able to kill a defenseless woman then, and it is the reason you can’t stand in front of me and fight like a man now.”

  “You can talk all you want,” Kovic said with a hiss. “You’re not going to be able to bait me. I am where I am because I didn’t follow the rules. I take what I want, when I want. Fuck the consequences, fuck the rules, and fuck the circumstances. If you won’t step aside and give me what I want, then I will take what I need from you.”

  Kovic came a little closer, and Keith felt a henchman’s grip tighten around his arms. “Now I want to make one thing very clear between us. I’m going to start weapons trading; I’m going to liquidate your assets, kill every last Dragon, and sell their bitches. But this time, I’m going to fuck them first and then sell them.”

  Keith screamed with rage as he tried to rip free from the hands that were holding him back. A blow to the back of his head sent him tumbling onto the concrete beneath him, and then he heard Kovic’s voice one last time before he retreated into the shadows. “Teach him a lesson,” Kovic said quietly. “Teach him never to fuck with Anton Kovic.”

  Kovic’s form disappeared behind his henchman, and Keith realized he was surrounded. Four massive, burly men stood in a tight circle, with himself in the middle. Keith stood and rotated slowly, staring every single one of them right in the eye. He was not afraid of any of them…and he wanted them to know it.

  “Come on, what the fuck are you waiting for?” Keith demanded, as he unleashed the rage that he had saved for Kovic.

  Chapter Eight

  Kristina

  Kristina felt a sense of fatigue overwhelm her as she made her way to a lecture. Her lethargy had little to do with actual exhaustion and more to do with her growing disinterest in social politics. Her professor’s teaching style was boring and monotonous, and her grades had stayed stubbornly in the B minus range. She had passed the deadline for dropping the class, however, and now she was bitterly regretting her decision to continue it.

  It was as she was wondering how to survive the remainder of the semester that she noticed the impressive bike that was casually parked close to one of the campus buildings. She recognized it immediately, and suddenly the disinterest she was feeling was replaced by a racing heart and immense expectation. Kristina hated how excited she was at the possibility of seeing Keith again, but at this point, there was no denying that her infatuation with him was here to stay.

  The route she took was usually deserted, which was why she took it, and she was thankful for that fact today, as she moved closer to the bike and looked around searchingly, wondering where Keith was. She couldn’t imagine he would just leave his bike and disappear. She had just turned the corner when she noticed something strange sticking out from behind thin underbrush. The excitement in her chest transformed into fear as she rushed forward.

  “Oh my God, Keith!” she gasped as she took in Keith’s crumpled form. He was on his back, his eyes were closed and his face was bruised and bloody.

  Without taking a breath, Kristina let her bag and the two books she was carrying tumble to the floor as she rushed to his side. She knelt down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder as she shook him gently.
“Keith,” she said in alarm. “Keith, are you alright?”

  He stirred at the sound of his name, and it made Kristina feel instantly better. Encouraged by his response to her voice, she kept stroking his arm because she didn’t know what else to do. She hoped at the very least that it would give him some measure of comfort. Slowly, he started coming to, and Kristina realized that she needed to put aside her panic if she was going to be able to help him at all.

  She took a deep, measured breath and then removed the light blue sweater she was wearing and started wiping away the grime that stained his face. She could almost smell the dried blood that had stained his clothes and imprinted itself onto his body, covering half his tattoos in the process.

  “Keith,” Kristina said again as his eyes blinked open. He looked shocked to see her face, but almost immediately she saw realization dawn as he recalled what had happened to him. “Keith,” Kristina said for want of some way to start the conversation. “Are you alright?”