Sticks & Stones, Bullets & Bones (The Devil's Apostles MC)

by Annie Buff

  Holy shit he had just asked her out! She wanted to go so badly. Just being out on a Saturday night would be amazing, being out with him was a one in a million. She knew she was pretty enough, but he was model gorgeous and she had to wonder. “Is this date out of pity? I mean you’re like cover model handsome and I’m just me.”

  He looked at her like she was crazy, this woman in front of him had no idea just how beautiful he thought she was. “Never! Woman have you not looked in a mirror? You’re beautiful and I would kill, or die to spend the evening with you!”

  Wisha knew this was a bad idea, it had disaster written all over it. Not because they would clash, no that was the furthest from the truth. The attraction she felt from the moment she met him said this was not a one and done thing. He wanted more from her, maybe more than she could give. Her brain was screaming no, but her heart said go for it. “I know I’m going to regret this, but yes I’ll go spend some time with you.”

  Zeke Canfield was walking on air, she had just agreed to go out with him! Now where to take her that conveyed ‘nice guy’? Definitely not the haunts he and his brotherhood went to. He needed classy but not overkill. He’d ask Peyton, she would know the perfect place.

  In the meantime, they needed to talk to Smoke, who just happened to be coming up the drive. When Smoke turned off the bike Bones met him on the gravel explaining Wisha, her problem and her request in an excited rush that made Smoke smile.

  “Damn man, your old lady is a cop ? You got fucked!” Smoke told him with a chuckle and walked over to say hello to Wisha.

  “Morning, I’m Smoke.” Lightly shaking her hand, he continued, “I hear you need some help. Tell me everything and I’ll see what we can do.”

  Once again Wisha explained what had been happening in her department and how she wound up back in uniform.

  “That’s a big one.” Smoke re plied thoughtfully after she had finished explaining, “I haven’t heard anything through the grapevine, but I’ll call Temple. If we help you, that means you owe us. Are you prepared for that? I will call on you and you can’t say no. Understand?”

  She nodded that she understood, and the price was worth it. Seeing those assholes in jail was worth any favor she would owe the Devil’s.

  Date Night

  Bones was wearing a path in the carpet at the clubhouse, Peyton had said she wanted to see him before he went to pick up Wisha. He had decided on a sushi place he liked, hoping she would too. His Queen had been adamant about him wearing nice pants and a shirt that had buttons.

  Bones thought he looked good, but it had been years since he tried to impress a woman. Wisha wasn’t just any woman, she was thewoman! He knew it without any doubt, now he had to convince her she was supposed to be his. Now he knew how Smoke felt when he met Peyton. Bones had that same emotion he saw in his President’s eyes.

  “Oh wow Zeke! I didn’t think yo u cleaned up quite that well.” Peyton joked with him.

  He took the ribbing from her, she was the closest thing to a sister he had and Bones adored her. She was giving him a once over and straitening his collar as she grinned.

  “You look good, she’s going to love you. Trust me, just be yourself. Women want to see you being yourself and not trying too hard. Let her see the man I get to see, you’re a great man Zeke. Show her that.” Peyton always knew what to say. That was more than likely the reason they all loved her. He smiled and kissed her cheek as he headed to his car.

  He rode the bike in almost every kind of weather, but for a date with Wisha he chose the car. The Hemi Cuda was his favorite out of all the cages he owned, and it was red. He fired it up with a throaty roar from the exhaust and headed into town to pick up his dream girl.

  Wisha had changed clothes half a dozen times, not knowing what would be appropriate for a date with Dr. Cover Model. He really was that handsome, but from the way he talked and acted he didn’t know. Or maybe he didn’t care about his looks.

  One thing he did care about was his Harley. It was spotless and the paint was incredible. The purple tank with phantom skulls stood out from the rest. She thought of what it would be like to ride on the back with him. Getting to feel the muscles in his abdomen as she held on to him. Wisha wondered if the tats on his arms continued on his chest, was he smooth or was there chest hair and how was the lower landscaping.

  This was torture and she really needed to stop and find something to wear. He would be there in thirty minutes. Bones said he was taking her to a nice dinner and not on the bike so she could dress up. Wisha had no idea where but dressing up was worth any place he decided on, even if she didn’t like it. In the end, she chose an oversized V-neck lavender sweater and black leggings with her little ballet flats. It was dressy enough for anything the junction had and it was comfortable. She thought about swapping purses but the sound of a heavy engine outside with beefy exhaust told her the time was up.

  Zeke Canfield drove through town trying figure out how to be Zeke. He’d been Bones for so long he had all but forgotten how to act around a lady. Even Peyton was like one of the guys, she told dirty jokes, and belched right along with them. She had said be himself, but doing that he wasn’t Zeke. That kid changed years ago, when he and Smoke had met.

  Somehow, he needed to be a little bit of both, he just was not sure how exactly to do it. He did listen to Peyton when she told him to stop and buy flowers, not roses though. A fall bouquet of something pretty since it was November and the florist had a really nice selection. All he knew was this was his one chance, and he’d be damned if he fucked this up.

  He pulled up outside her little cottage and cut the engine. He knew she heard him, the Cuda was a beast. You could hear him coming from five blocks away. He sat, working up the courage to get out of his car. Bones took a deep breath, grabbed the bouquet and headed for the front door. Tonight was about to change his life.

  He raised a hand to knock and the door opened. Wisha stood in front of him looking every bit as sinful as he imagined she would. Thanks to Peyton, he handed her the sunflowers and the blushing she did told him he did good.

  “Hi, you look amazing! All I’ve got is a big wow!” That caused her to blush again. “Thank you, and the flowers are beautiful. Did you want to go, or we could have a drink first?”

  He did want to stay, but drinks weren’t what he had on his mind. Her naked and cuffed to the headboard crossed his mind, but he knew that wasn’t going to happen. That took trust and if they got to that point it would be later in the relationship. “We Should go, I made reservations at Pu Sheng. I hope you like sushi, I was completely guessing.”

  Wisha loved sushi, most people turned their nose up at the idea of raw fish but it was so much more than what they thought. “Wow seriously I love it and it’s been eons since I had decent sushi.” This felt good, almost right and that thought scared her to death.

  Wisha knew exactly what Bones and his friends were all about. It was

  everything she wasn’t. He was the bad boy and she was the good girl. Maybe it was time to live a little, stop being such a goody two shoes and have some fun, walk on the wild side for once in her life.

  Dinner was as good as Bones hoped it would be. They shared a platter full of everything and split a bottle of red Zinfandel. With each sip he loosened up a little more and began to share things about himself with her.

  “Oh my god, you’re Caesar Canfield’s son? Everyone knows that name. The best of the best in neurosurgery. Why didn’t you start your own practice?”

  For him practicing medicine was different, he wanted to help people that couldn’t afford a trip to the doctor’s office. “A lot in my world changed when I met Smoke McAllister. It was exactly what I needed. The freedom of the bike, the club and the brotherhood. It’s hard to explain, but the Devil’s are more of a family to me than my own ever was. I still practice, help folks in town that can’t pay. My father is all about the glory. I don’t work that way, never have. And then there’s Peyton.”

  He had to laugh rem
embering how she came to his defense. His Queen was an incredible friend. He’d probably be lost without her, they all would.

  “Yeah she’s a firecracker.” Wisha agreed, “Did I hear you call her Queen?” He proceeded to tell Wisha about the night Peyton earned her crown. How she ordered a dozen mean bikers to sit and listen. He smiled remembering that night. And Rennie, kneeling and pledging his allegiance to her and the rest of them following his lead.

  “Wow! They actually did that? I thought women were just property, you know seen and not heard.”

  That was how it was at one time, but over the years that had changed. Smoke wasn’t about that, his woman was going to be all his. Then once he met Peyton and realized just how stubborn and pig headed she could be he knew he met his match.

  “You won’t find another club like ours.” Bones explained, “Smoke rules, but trust me he asks her first. That would never happen in any other club. But it works for us. She’s a great friend.”

  Wisha could see that, just from how he talked about her. Bones had the utmost respect for his President’s wife.

  “This will make you laugh. When I told her I was taking you out she grilled me on where we were going and told me no hangouts and to wear buttons.” The smile on his faced stretched, even with the days growth on his jaw he was still absolutely stunning to look at.

  Wisha knew he was going to be hell to walk away from. She always ran when it got too deep. Love terrified her, and if the feelings she was having now were any indication, Wisha would be running too soon, all over again.

  Smoke had called Temple; all the brothers were present at the table except Bones. He wasn’t needed, he and Smoke had spent hours discussing how this had to go.

  “So we’re really gonna investigate the cops?” Krispy asked his President. They had named him that during his Prospect period, not because he was big but because of his love of doughnuts. The kid always had one in his hand. And because of that, his Sponsor Knuckles had decided Krispy Kreme was the perfect name.

  “Yeah kid we are, Bones needs us to do this. The favor owed will be worth it. Having a cop in pocket is always a good thing.” That fact was one they all agreed on, having an in with the cops was never bad.

  “Prospect,” Smoke looked to Rory, “your face is one the cops don’t know, so you’re gonna be the one around town looking into things. Leave the cut and take the truck. Listen and watch, you know what to do.”

  Rory knew exactly what Smoke needed from him. He’d done many recon missions in the army. This was an assignment he would excel at, and one he was thrilled to get. “I got it Prez, no worries. I live for this shit.” And he did, he missed the action of active service.

  With Skinny dead and Jefé in hiding there had been no action. The Prospect needed something, anything. He was working on his list of chores, but most of that was boring club business. Since his buddy Nix had returned to Las Vegas, he had nothing exciting to do. They were all still looking for Jefé, but had gotten no leads so investigating the cops sounded like fun.

  Bones and Wisha had taken a walk through the park by the restaurant. He’d taken a hold of her hand and she hadn’t objected, so he kept holding it as they walked and talked.

  “So why a cop? I mean most women get into things like nursing and such.” That was true, most women did but Wisha wasn’t most women. She had an abusive father and she swore as a little girl, no man would ever hurt her again.

  “My dad was one of those that liked to take his frustration out on my mother, sister and me. I knew then I needed to find a way to protect women like my mom, and becoming a police officer made perfect sense.

  “Lately I’ve be en thinking about quitting. I became a cop to help people and it’s not the same as it was when I started. The men I work with are more like criminals and the criminals are the good guys.” She shook her head, not really knowing where the line was anymore.

  Bones understood where she was coming from. They were technically the bad guys according to the law, but his club did so much good it was hard to feel like a criminal.

  “We’re not as bad as you think Wisha . The club does so much for the community, like fundraisers for the schools and I provide medical care for those with no insurance. I’ve never taken a dime from those people. They bring me payment in other forms. I’ve had fresh eggs, baked goods, pot roasts, one lady does my laundry because she feels she has to do something to pay me.

  “ Being a doctor is about caring for the sick, not making a fortune. I have enough money I’ll never need to work again, but honestly it really doesn’t mean as much as you’d think.” And it didn’t. Having money was nice, but he could live without it. Bones rarely dipped into his funds. The last time was to buy his bike. He paid cash for it, and for his house.

  “That’s what I’m struggling with,” she confided, “the fact that you are the bad guy, but the good guy too. And I really like you, probably more than I should. This is complicated.”

  He was about to complicate the hell out of everything; that’s when he stopped walking and took her face in his hands. He leaned in and when their lips met, he felt a jolt of electricity. The deeper he kissed her, the more he felt it.

  His world had just upended and Bones wanted more. As they broke for much needed air he heard it. The whizzing, like a bee, followed by a loud muzzle report from too close nearby. Someone was shooting at them.

  “Run!” He yelled as he looked for cover. He had his forty-five out already and she was bringing her Glock up from a concealed holster as they found a van to shield them. “Fuck! I can’t even get one goddamned night out without some asshole shooting at me!” Bones was livid.

  “We need to call this in, get back up here!” Wisha told him urgently while peeking around the bumper of the van, looking for muzzle flash from the shooter.

  Bones shook his head, nobody was calling the cops until he knew if it was them doing the shooting. Bones pulled out his phone and sent a nine-one-one to the brotherhood stating bullets were flying.

  “No way sweetheart, I sent the Prez a message. The Calvary is coming. For all we know that isthe cops shooting at us and I’m not taking any chances.” Bones figured if it was the cops. They could easily explain away shooting a member of the Devil’s without any problems. Wisha would just be collateral damage and he wasn’t having that.

  “Why would cops be shooting at us?” Then it hit her, if it was in fact those cops she reported she was in deep shit. What easier way to get rid of their problem. They would be called heroes and she a dirty cop, consorting with a known gang member.

  The rumble of a dozen Harley

  Davidson’s seemed to scare off the shooter or shooters, so the couple stepped out from their hiding place behind the van to meet up with Bone’s brothers.

  Bones went to talk to his President, and Wisha went into cop mode. She walked in the direction of where the gunfire had come from, collecting what brass she could find. The casings told her these weren’t police issue weapons. Her department carried nine millimeters, these were forty-fives and bigger. She took what she found back to Smoke, she knew he would want this information.

  Smoke looked at the shell casings in his hand, shaking his head. “Knew the radio silence was too good to be true. These aren’t police issue.” He told Bones and his Prospect as he held out his hand. Rory knew exactly who these belonged to. It looked like he was about to get the action he’d been missing.

  “ Should I put in a call to Nix?” The Prospect asked, “You know he loves to blow things up.” Smoke nodded, knowing they would need the extra help. He’d been expecting this for months, and the cockroach had finally come out of hiding.

  He and Bones explained to Wisha who had been shooting at them and why. She still wanted to inform her department, but Smoke said absolutely no. This needed to stay in house.

  “The cartel! Are you all crazy? We need help and you guys don’t want the cops? What the fuck!” Wisha couldn’t fathom not wanting help, no matter who was helping. And she
couldn’t believe nobody had called the police at this point. Someone had to have heard the gunshots. But still no sirens, no officers, nothing.

  “Angel, the cops can’t help with this. We’ll deal with it our own way, and trust me when I say you don’t want to know.” Bones told her as they parted with the brotherhood so he could take her home. He had work to do, Smoke hadn’t said anything but he knew. Bones was

  expected at the clubhouse ten minutes ago.

  As he walked her to the door, Bones had this deep seeded need to claim her, make her understand she belonged to him but now wasn’t the time. He didn’t say anything, just crushed his mouth to hers giving her a kiss Wisha would never forget. As he walked away he had to look one more time. She was touching her lips, and at that moment he knew.

  “Theres so much more Angel, so much more. And that will come, just be patient with me. There’s business before

  pleasure.” Bones jumped in his Cuda and gunned the throttle. Business was waiting on him.

  A Cockroach Problem

  Bones met the rest of the brotherhood in the Church room in the clubhouse. Smoke stood at the head of the table, his normal spot. What wouldn’t be normal in any other club was the person to his right, His wife. Peyton was present at almost every Church meeting. She and Smoke worked as a team, and the brothers all respected and admired her tenacity and her intelligence. They all knew she was the brains and Smoke was the brawn.

  “Where is my Prospect? He needs to get his ass here! Didn’t anyone tell him?” Smoke was already mad, and with the absence of Rory, his anger was

  escalating.

  “Nero he’s coming.” Peyton told him, tying to put out the fire “I sent him into town. Let’s just do this, we can tell Rory when he gets back.” Smoke wasn’t going to argue, not in front of the brotherhood. He knew he wouldn’t win anyway. That’s the one thing he’d learned over the last year, he would only win if she let him.