by Sassie Lewis
Nodding his head his father took another swig of his beer before placing it down on the table. “There was a threat made against the club.”
That had Chase’s hard-on deflating and every protective instinct in his body screaming for him to run up the stairs and get Vanessa.
“She’s fine, Chase. How the fuck do ya think I knew you were here before you even pulled up the street?”
“Then why am I just hearing about this?” As VP he should have been the second person to know. If not the first. It was his job to deal with shit and take any issues they faced to his president.
“Your phone was off. I rang the shop and Frog was pretty certain you’d be heading in this direction. Also mentioned something about you trying to race out in only your underwear.” His Prez shook his head. “Anyway, call came in about ten minutes before you got here. Someone attacked Charleston. Place is completely gone, the only thing left was a list. They’ve named every one of our chapters, and it seems they’re leaving us for last.”
Hell’s Exiles wasn’t a huge MC but they were big enough, with four chapters scattered across the US. They’d first formed about eighty years ago, and as each of the original four married they split off to different states. But Nevada was the mother chapter. The birthplace of Hell’s Exiles.
“The fact we’re last doesn’t sound coincidental to me. And we don’t really make it known we’re the head.”
“Yeah I’m thinking the same thing. I’ve already got boys watching the house. Any members with women and kids have been ordered to either bunk up as small groups or take in a few of the single guys to live with them. No woman or child is to be unprotected.”
The way Quin said it had Chase’s stomach turning. Their MC had one hard and fast rule; never harm an innocent. “Fuckers didn’t just go after the club, did they?” He knew the answer before his Prez voiced it.
“No!”
Jumping from his chair, Chase stormed through the back door. He didn’t want to wake the girls but he couldn’t hold his anger in either. Picking up one of the pool loungers he slammed it against the concrete a few times before throwing it across the yard. Until he could find flesh to pound his fist against, it was going to have to do. Breath heaving, he spun around and stared up at his old bedroom window. He hadn’t even fully claimed her yet, but already some asshole was threatening her.
“She’s safe, Chase. They all are.”
“For how long?”
“You really think I’m going to sit back while these fuckers destroy what my grandfather built?”
No, he hadn’t, but at that moment he wasn’t thinking about anything but Vanessa. Turning away from where his woman slept, he looked at his Prez and started thinking like the VP.
“I’ll send a crew to Charleston to look around. Make sure those we’ve lost are taken care of. I’ll pull money from the trust for any family left behind.” His Prez nodded. “I’ll organize a meet tomorrow morning, at the factory. Those on guard duty at the time can check in with me later.”
“Make the meet midday. Got a few things to deal with in the morning.”
“Got it, Prez.” Turning back to the house he looked at the window again, and asked the most important question.
“Who are our best prospects? I’ve not been back long enough to have spent any real time with ’em.”
“Tommy and Rico. I’ve already got Rico on Becca when Blake’s busy.”
Chase raised an eyebrow at that. His dad had one of their best enforcers on baby-sitting duty? “I’ve been having some issues with your sister lately. At least with Blake I know she can’t talk him around to her ways. I’ve lost three prospects because of that girl. She bats her damn eyelashes and they all turn into pussy-whipped pansy, doing whatever she asks. Blake’s too fucking dominant to fall for her games.”
Chase just shook his head. It didn’t matter, Becca wasn’t his woman. Vanessa was.
“I want Tommy on Nessa unless she’s with me. And dad, I’m taking her home tomorrow. I’ll put some boys on my house too.”
He wasn’t asking permission, Vanessa was his and he was going to make sure she was safe. His dad looked ready to say something but shook his head before nodding.
“You know your sister’s gonna be pissed.”
“Too bad. You telling Bianca about this?” Club business was club business, and as a rule wasn’t to be shared, even with wives. But his dad had almost lost Bianca the last time shit had gone down, because he’d kept it from her.
“Just what she needs to know. She’ll be good with that.”
“Fine. Tomorrow.”
Fishing out his phone, Chase turned it back on, his notifications going crazy the moment it had service. Ignoring the messages, he started putting the calls out. At least while busy he could ignore the need to storm up to his old room, throw Vanessa over his shoulder and drag her back to his place.
One more night. It was all he had to wait until he’d make her fully his.
Chapter Eight
Nessa rolled and rubbed her face into the pillow. She’d had the weirdest dream. Chase and her had gotten into some kind of argument before he’d proceeded to give her the best orgasm of her life. Knowing she’d dreamed about him again should piss her off, but she was feeling too relaxed to be shitty with her dream self for letting the damn man in again.
Peeling open an eye she looked at the bedside clock. Fuck, she hadn’t set the alarm. Jumping up, Nessa froze and looked down at her very naked body. She never slept naked, never! Spinning back to the bed, she pulled back the sheets and found the towel crumpled at the end.
“Well fuck, I should’ve known.” She might be damn good with a pen and paper but her imagination had never been good enough to bring on the kind of pleasure she’d experienced the night before.
Twirling in circles, Nessa expected to find Chase somewhere in the room. After spinning three times and coming up with nothing but a dizzy head, she gave up. It was too damn early to deal with the realization that the little up-against-the-wall tryst was not a dream. And fuck it, she was running late and it was that damn asshole’s fault.
Speeding through her morning ritual, Nessa raced down the stairs. When she had enough money to move, she was going to miss living there. The Anderson house felt more like home than the one she grew up in. Hell she’d been calling Becca’s mom Momma A since the sixth grade when her own hadn’t bothered to show up for mother daughter day—yet again.
Stepping into the kitchen she was greeted by the woman herself. “Morning Nessa.”
“Morning, Momma A.”
“Tommy’s waiting out front for you. Do me a favor, don’t go off anywhere without him today.”
Turning from grabbing an apple Nessa looked at her adopted mother. Worry etched her features. “Is everything okay?”
“Just some club stuff.” She smiled, but Nessa could tell it was forced. She’d never been directly involved in club business but she wasn’t stupid. She knew the club was into a heap of illegal shit, but for the most part Hell’s Exiles kept the town safe and civilians out of it. Besides, whether she was blood and part of the MC or not, the Andersons were her family.
“Okay. I won’t go anywhere without him.” Shoving the apple in her bag she gave the woman a big squeezing hug before racing out the door.
Tommy waited near his bike. Over the past month they’d formed a friendship, but he was acting differently. He wouldn’t look at her and when she climbed on behind him he scooted forward, putting a bit of space between them. It was the gun strapped to his back that had fear seeping into her bones. Bringing with it a stupid need to see Chase.
Fuck the man for confusing her.
“Hey you.” Nessa looked up from the piece she was working for a new client and smiled at her best friend. It had been an odd day. The mood at the shop was both somber and tense. And she would swear more of the club
guys—than normal—had come in and made a point of seeing how she was doing; some of them she hadn’t even met before.
“What are you doing here?” Nessa snatched her work away before Becca could crinkle it with her butt. “Watch where you’re putting that fat ass.”
“You’re one to talk heifer. Now let’s get out of here, I’m hungry and I want pie.”
“Do you really think that ass needs pie?”
Standing up, Becca swayed her hips. “Don’t be jealous of the ass. Not everyone’s butt can look this good in plaid.”
Nessa couldn’t hold back her laughter. Besties since the fifth grade, it had been their mutual affliction of being the chubby girls in school which had brought them together. Unlike Becca who didn’t get teased— because the kids were a little smarter than to go there—Nessa was the one they all bullied. That was until Becca had stepped in. At ten the raven beauty had walked up to her and said, “It’s cool to be fat. They’re all just jealous, ’cause seriously girl, their asses don’t look this good in plaid.” Referring to the hideous catholic school uniforms. It had been their motto ever since.
Grabbing her hand, Becca dragged Nessa from the shop and over to the café. Still giggling, it wasn’t until they sat in a booth that she remembered. “Shit, I’m not meant to go anywhere without Tommy.” Standing up, Nessa looked around to see if he’d followed her.
“Sit down, Nessa. We’re good; my leech is at the counter.” Looking up again, Nessa spotted Blake. She didn’t know him well, but knew enough to know he wasn’t just a prospect but someone in the upper circle of the club. He stared back at her, his eyes almost black. The café door banging opened pulled her attention from Blake to watch Tommy race in. The poor man looked terrified until he spotted Blake. Nodding at the other biker who flicked his head in their direction, he stomped over to where her and Becca sat.
“Are you trying to get me killed?”
“What’s it to you, Tommy? I’ve got the moody one following me.”
“I’m not talking to you, Becca. I’m meant to stick to Nessa and to quote your brother, ‘anything happens to my woman and I’ll skin you alive, boy.’ So I’ll ask again, you trying to get me killed?”
Becca’s “Oh, fuck no!” Had every head in the diner turning towards them.
Well, shit. Her best friend didn’t look happy. Ignoring her for a second, Nessa apologized to Tommy before turning back to a very pissed off Becca.
“You going to tell me what the fuck is going on with you and my brother? Because for three years, every time I’ve so much as mentioned his name, you’ve referred to him as ‘Oh, that asshole’ “ Becca raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow at her and Nessa couldn’t help but notice how similar the action was to the raised brow look Chase had given her.
Even pissed to the hilt her bestie was beautiful, another thing she had in common with her freakin’ brother. Slumping in her seat, Nessa tried to figure out an answer. Honesty was probably the way to handle it because Nessa was still confused. “I have no idea what Tommy’s talking about. Your mom was the one who told me not to go anywhere without him. As for Chase? I have no fucking clue.”
“Bullshit!”
“Look, you know I did his ink yesterday?” Becca nodded once. “Well, when I got home last night he was in my room. Started going on about how I was his,” she could feel her face flaming at the memory. “Seriously this morning I thought it was all some weird dream.”
Becca tilted her head to the side, then snapped forward. “Oh, my, God. You didn’t. You screwed my brother.” The mother in the booth behind them glared over her shoulder.
“Jesus, Becca. Lower your freakin’ voice.”
“Screw ’em.” She waved her hand around like she was some kind of princess, which she sort of was. It was just that her crown was a motorbike helmet rather than a tiara. “Okay I should totally be disgusted, because ya know, brother and all, but deets girl. I want deets!”
For a woman who’d looked ready to murder her a few minutes ago, Becca now bounced in her seat, excitement radiating from her. Waiting for the waitress to finish placing their orders in front of them, Nessa thought about what to tell her. The answer was simple; everything.
“…but I’m still confused on what he actually wants from me, Becca.” Nessa finished running through every minute of the past two days. Becca just stared, licking her spoon. Then the heifer threw the utensil at Nessa’s head.
“Hey! What the hell was that for?”
“You really aren’t that dense, Vanessa Marie Randall.”
Fuck, she hated when people used her full name. Probably because it was also her mother’s name, and she couldn’t stand the breeders.
“And if you think about throwing that cake at me I will shave off your eyebrows while you sleep. Now my special friend, a few things about bikers, that honestly after growing up around my family you should already know.
“One: they’re assholes. Two: the club will always come first. Just ask my mom. Three: when they want something, they don’t ask, they take. And four: if one of them declares you ‘their woman’ you’re basically now hitched to the man.”
Well damn, it had been kind of what she’d been thinking. But fuck, the man hadn’t even taken her out on a date. And yeah she loved the club, but the idea of always coming second didn’t sit right with her. “Umm, I’m not real sure about all this, Becca.”
“Suck it up sister, ’cause it looks like my asshole brother has staked his claim. But hey look at the bright side; we really are sisters now.”
Not quite ready to deal with what Becca was telling her—because honestly who wouldn’t go a little crazy finding out their teenage crush wasn’t only crushing back, but apparently saw you as a piece of property they could keep?—Nessa changed the subject. “So do you know what’s got everyone so tense?”
“I heard dad on the phone, from what I can make out something happened in Charleston. And it must’ve been big ’cause the leech over there almost followed me into the bathroom today.” Becca flicked her thumb over her shoulder. “I can feel those freaky black eyes drilling holes in me.”
Looking up, Nessa shivered at Blake’s intense gaze. Shaking off the feeling, she grabbed hold of Becca’s hand. “Just stay safe okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. But I gotta jet, fucking exams to study for. Have I told you how much I hate you for leaving me alone at that god-awful school?”
“Yup. But at least this way you only need to walk across the hall to visit me. If I’d stayed there you’d have to drive to what ever maximum security they would’ve put me in.”
“This is true.” Becca winked at her.
Her best friend had known how close she’d actually came to shoving the end of her pencil into her teacher’s neck that day. Lucky for Nessa, Becca had been there to tackle her to the floor before she could commit her first homicide.
Chapter Nine
Chase paced the factory. Most of the boys had left, with only those of the inner circle remaining. The meeting had been about making sure every member of Hell’s Exiles knew what to do if and when things went south, and see if anyone had heard anything. Which was pretty much nothing. What they had found out wasn’t sitting right with him. Fucking hell, they didn’t even have a clue what triggered the attack. There’d been no warning they were going to take a strike. And there were no current turf wars going on. Where possible they made damn fucking sure not to cross into other territories. If they did they paid their dues to the other club, or made sure they were more than discreet about being where they shouldn’t be.
Everyone was on edge. It wasn’t because this was their first fight, and it fucking-well wouldn’t be their last, but never before had they been hit without a single idea of who was hitting them. If it wasn’t for his need to claim and protect Vanessa, Chase would have been on his bike and heading to Charleston hours ago.
The sound o
f a soft alarm alerted them to someone entering the compound and they all turned to the security monitors. “’bout fucking time.”
Chase had been waiting on Zane and Blake, their two best enforcers, to arrive. Zane had been a sharpshooter with the army before joining Hell’s Exiles. Man was a fucking legend with a gun, and a whiz with anything tech. Blake was just a scary motherfucker. Five years Chase’s senior, the six-foot-nine, built like a brick shithouse enforcer, wasn’t to be messed with.
Grabbing a few beers out of the fridge, Chase waited for them to get inside. He wanted this shit over so he could go and pick up Vanessa.
“I swear that girl wants me to paddle her ass.” Blake’s voice bellowed through the facotry. A look of murder filling his black eyes.
Chase clenched his hand tightly around the bottle. “You touch my sister and we’re going to have an issue, Blake. Just do your fucking job.”
The man marched towards him, his face a mask of anger. Every man in that factory was dangerous; all had blood on their hands. If Blake wanted a fight, Chase was more-than-the-fuck up for one. He’d been hanging to pound his fist into something since finding out about this mess.
“Then let me do my job and get someone else to babysit her. Because if I find that girl trying to escape out another window, club princess or not, I am going to put her over my fucking knee.” Blake stood toe-to-toe with him.
“You challenging me, Blake?”
Chase wasn’t the vice president because he was Quin’s son. He’d fucking earned his position, just like every one of them in the room.
“No challenge. We’ve got more important shit to deal with. But we will have a problem if someone doesn’t handle the princess.”
Chase could understand Blake’s frustration. Because fuck if he had a clue why their Prez had put the big guy on babysitting duty to start with. “Done. Now let’s get down to business.”
