Fueling the Edge

by Liberty Parker

  “No one can make sure I’m safe, Harmony. The entire Warped Henchmen MC would have to be taken out to ensure I’m not on the run for the rest of my life.” That unfortunately, is the brutal truth of my situation. I’ll always be in hiding, looking over my shoulder. I will never be safe as long as there’s even one survivor out there, lurking around. They are all spineless snakes, slithering from place to place, looking for their next prey to sink their venomous teeth into. My body shivers as I think of the things I’ve witnessed take place. There was this one girl, Aria, who was grabbed off the streets. She’s still held firmly in their clutches. I tried to get her away when I escaped. The problem I ran into, each time I tried to get near her, is that she was closely monitored by Viper. He’s the VP of the Warped Henchmen. His obsession with her is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. She can’t even pee without him by her side.

  She never was out and about without sporting a new bruise. She’s a fighter, and he’s never been able to break her the way he’s wanted to. I haven’t had many restful nights of sleep, as she plagues my thoughts each time I close my eyes. I’ve had nightmares about things I’ve witnessed done to her. I hope someday she manages to escape the same way I did.

  * * *

  Edge

  * * *

  “This meeting is called to order. That means everyone shuts the fuck up,” Rogue issues the only warning he’ll provide us. “We have a lot to go over today, some decisions need to be made, and they need to be made quickly. Shadow, get your laptop out and ready to do your thing.” Instead of saying anything, he loads up his laptop and has it up and ready to go in no time.

  “What do ya need, Rogue?” he asks, as his fingers are already typing away.

  “I need every piece of dirt you can find on the Warped Henchmen MC,” he orders. “I want to know what the last thing is they ate, and what their shitting schedule is. I want everything! I don’t care how insignificant something seems to you, I need to know about it. Now.” He pointedly looks at him.

  “On it.” Shadow’s fingers begin to move so smoothly over the keyboard I can barely keep up with them as they hit the keys.

  “Next, Edge share with us everything you know about Talia and her situation.” His dark glare turns toward me before he sits back in a relaxed position. Anyone that knows him however, knows differently.

  “I don’t know much more than you do,” blowing out a breath of air before I continue, “Talia was young and impressionable when she met Snowman. She fell hard for his lies and deceit. Exactly what she said when you were in the room is the extent of what I know. But, for those of you who weren’t privy to that conversation, he basically snowballed her.” That was a poor and unintentional pun that I regret almost instantaneously. “She wholeheartedly believed that he loved her. Was going to provide for her and take care of her for as long as she lived. Once he had her patched and a ring on her finger things changed from my understanding. He laid hands on her and allowed his brothers to do the same. She escaped one night after having had enough and ended up at a bar where she met Briggs. He then took her in, eventually allowing her to live in some apocalypse type shelter buried in a hill. She survived off of fruits and vegetables from her own garden and feeding off of the wild mostly.” Which still freaks me the fuck out as I feel my body shudder slightly.

  “Anything else?” Rogue questions me, rubbing his thumb intently over his lower lip.

  “That’s really all I’m aware of.” Which doesn’t make me happy. I want to know everything, because this asshole is going to lose his life. I’m going to be his judge, jury and executioner.

  “Which makes you ponder the question,” Sandman interrupts. “How many other women have they done this to?” I’ve already wondered the same thing.

  “Which is what we’re going to find out,” Rogue answers. “We know that they’re involved in skin trading, amongst other things. The things I’ve heard about this club, tells me they are going to come after her full-throttle. We may be going to war, gentlemen.”

  “Good. I still have some pent-up aggression from the last time I need to unleash,” Pyro excitedly announces, while popping his knuckles.

  “I’m down,” Phantom announces with an evil gleam in his eyes. He may only hold the title of secretary, but he’s as mean as they come. Let’s just say I’m glad he’s on my side. I’ve seen first-hand what he’s capable of, and even I’ve had nightmares after watching him brawl with someone else. That says a lot, because not much messes with my head. I’ve seen and done my own share of fear-inducing acts. But Phantom, he puts me to shame. The day he witnessed the brutal slaughter of his father changed him forever.

  “When Talia’s feeling up to it, we need to speak with her. Find out everything she knows about the inner-workings of the Henchmen. Even if she doesn’t realize she knows something that will help us out. Something inside of me says that we need to ask some questions,” Rogue states, now twirling his thumbs around one another. His hands and fingers are always roaming while contemplating.

  “I’ll let her know.” A conversation I’m not looking forward to. Her past seems to be a highly sore topic of conversation. She’d rather skin a rabbit, then open up.

  “Keep researching, Shadow. For now, there’s not much else we can do. Once we have more intel, I’ll call everyone back in. Keep your phones handy, it may be at a moment’s notice. For now, Talia is under complete protection from this club.” Rogue smashes his balled-up fist on the table letting us know he means business and this meeting is about over.

  Everyone agrees, and with that, church is ended.

  When I leave the meeting, I go in search of Talia. When I find her, she’s not in my room as I expected, but in the kitchen with Harmony. I was hoping the two of them would hit it off, good to know my gut instinct was right. “Talia, I need to talk to you. Privately,” I mutter while side-eyeing Harmony. She knows how this works.

  “I’ll see you later, Talia.” She stands up and gives Talia a gentle squeeze on the shoulder as she walks out of the room. “Merc!” she shouts as she’s walking out. “The baby wants ice cream!” she finishes as she exits the room.

  “Later, Harmony,” Talia responds under her breath, her eyes never straying from me as she says this. “Is everything okay, Edge?”

  “That depends.” Grabbing the chair next to her, I flip it around and straddle it. “I know this is going to be hard on you, Talia. But Rogue would like to have you attend a meeting and help us understand the Henchmen better.” I watch as the color drains from her face.

  “I don’t know how much I’ll be able to help, Edge.” She begins to play with the hem of my shirt. Seeing her in my clothes begins to melt a piece of the ice formed around my heart.

  “You may not realize that you know something. All you have to do is let us ask questions and answer them as honestly as you can. We need to stop them, Talia. Their reign of terror needs to be terminated. Women need to be safe. That can’t happen if they’re still out there continuing to do what they are.”

  “I agree,” she hesitantly concurs with me. “They aren’t good people, Edge. Not all of the women they have were wined and dined like I was. Some of them were snatched off of the streets illegally. They’re there against their will and are treated like trash. Whatever I can do to help you end them, I’ll do my best.” As the color comes back to her face, and her shoulders square, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride at the strong woman she is.

  “I’ll let Rogue know.” I lean over and place my hand on top of hers. “In the meantime, I need to know more about your relationship with Snowman.”

  “I told you.” She gives me a look of trepidation.

  “I don’t want the fly-by version, Talia. I want every detail of your treatment. I need to know the intimate details so I can get a feel for him. I need to know how his mind works. What triggers him, what his weaknesses are.” Swallowing thickly, the residue of my words nearly make me feel ill. The thought of this bastard taking someone so beautiful,
so caring, and tossing her mentally, physically and emotionally around like yesterday's garbage is unconscionable.

  “Okay.” She swallows then closes her eyes, and I watch as she gets lost in memories of her past. Reluctantly, she shares the hopes and dreams of a young woman, only to end on the worst beating I’ve ever heard a woman endure. Something most men wouldn’t be able to come back from. Reassuring me that my impressions of her, are true and solid.

  When she concludes her tale of horrors, I stand up and pull her up to me. I engulf her in a tight embrace, trying to sooth the anguish she’s just spoken of. My brothers are going to go ballistic when they hear her story.

  Chapter Six

  Edge

  Needing to get rid of my pent-up frustration. I hand Talia over to the company of Harmony and go get my gym clothes on. Most of my brothers work out here, but I choose to keep a membership at the local facility. We have the simplistic things like a treadmill and punching bags. Right now, however, I need to feel the burn of my muscles ripping. I need to fight the weight, it’s going to take a lot to tame the beast down inside of me. I’ve only been this angry a couple of times in my life. Once when my family was taken out, and when Harmony was kidnapped.

  “Need some company?” Mercenary and Sandman come up to me as I straddle my bike. Merc and I have become close since he rescued and brought my tiny Outlaw back to us. My sister, my best friend—Harmony, known throughout the club as Outlaw. A road name she has earned rightfully so for herself. My brothers, who always have my back, see the anger radiating off of me and want to be there to support me in the only way they know how. Kicking ass and taking names. This time it will be machinery as our intended victim.

  Four hours later, my muscles ache in the best of ways. The anger that was present inside of me has simmered to a low boiling point. It no longer holds my body hostage in its grip. “Feeling better, brother?” Sandman asks me.

  “Better, but not completely over it,” I answer, as we dismount our bikes in front of the clubhouse. “I won’t be content until we eliminate the fucking pussy ass Henchmen.”

  “Understandable,” Mercenary says to me. “I wasn’t at ease until Marcum had met his demise. The worry I carried on my shoulders had me not knowing which way to turn. All I felt was pure unadulterated fury.”

  “That’s exactly what I’m feeling. The difference is, Talia isn’t mine. Not in the same sense that Harmony is yours.” That conclusion nearly has my knees buckling. I don’t understand what that woman has done to me, I’m not sure if I like it or not. But I can’t seem to get her out of my head. She has my heart thawing a little at a time.

  “I can help you relieve some of that tension, Edge.” The blowjob brunette, who also goes by the name Angie, appears out of nowhere.

  “No thanks, go ride my brother’s dick. I want your mouth and pussy nowhere near my cock.” The thought alone of her touching me again has my stomach ready to revolt. Not to mention, my dick shrinks whenever she opens her mouth and talks.

  “I’m not taken by one man, Edge. I can make you feel good. Surely you haven’t forgotten?” She saunters our way, adding an extra swing to her hips.

  “Not one more step,” my tone is harsh. No way it could be misinterpreted for anything other than the way it’s meant—to halt her progress and make her take a step back. Which, she doesn’t do. Angering me further than what I was before I left hours ago. “Do not come any closer, I’m warning you.”

  “Get the fuck away from him, slut!” I hear the door bang open as Harmony makes her way to us. She goes up on her toes and gives Mercenary a kiss on his lips. It’s quick, but she’s made her claim in front of Angie.

  “Don’t worry, Princess.” Angie sneers in her direction. “I have no interest in your man.”

  “What did you just call me?” This is the part where Harmony disappears, and Outlaw comes out to play. Nobody gets away with calling her that term of endearment, outside of her father, Rogue. Her old man can’t even get away with calling her that.

  “Don’t do it, Harmony,” Mercenary says in a bored tone. He knows that no one can hold her back when her hackles have risen. The only thing that makes me want to step forward is that she’s pregnant.

  “Harmony? You can’t do this. You have to think of your baby,” admonishing her this way only awards me with a narrowed look.

  “Nobody is going to hurt my baby. Are they, guttersnipe?” She turns her menacing glance in Angie’s direction.

  “I have no interest in fighting you,” blowjob Angie inserts. “But if you attack me, it’s every woman for herself.”

  “Harmony may not be able to do anything in her condition. But I can,” Talia enters the conversation. Where the fuck did she come from? I will not let her do this. She’s got enough on her plate as it is.

  “Oh yeah? And what exactly is it you think you can do about it?” Angie taunts Talia. In a blink of an eye, Talia has Angie on the ground, pounding away. She’s got her fist balled up and landing blows that make me proud. Angie reaches up to grab a handful of Talia’s hair. This seems to trigger something deep inside of Talia. A look crosses her face, causing me to worry that she no longer plans on simply teaching her a lesson. No, she’s out for blood. Her hits turn from punishing to lethal.

  “Somebody get her off of me! This bitch is nuts,” Angie hollers out as she endures blow after blow at the hands of Talia. “She’s going to kill me.”

  “Good,” Harmony chuckles. “Sluts like you need to learn how the food chain works around here.”

  “Talia.” I call out, trying to gain her attention. “Talia, you’re going to kill her if you keep it up. You’re a nurse. You’re supposed to heal people, not take their lives.” My words are the right ones to say, but my actions don’t back them up. Every swing she makes, has my dick growing harder by the second.

  “Don’t care. This bitch asked for it when she opened her mouth. There are those who don’t deserve our self-restraint.” While saying this, she continues what she’s doing, and what gets me the most, is that she doesn’t sound breathless as she talks to me. I walk over to them and lean against the building where they’re having their catfight. Casually, I lean against the brick, crossing my ankle over the other one, lacing my fingers in the waistband of my shorts. I’m not even trying to hide the hard-on I have. When Angie finally blacks out, Rogue and Stitches run over.

  “Get your woman, Edge,” Rogue casually requests.

  “She’s good,” I reply, not wanting to get in her way.

  “Now, Edge! Or I will,” Stitches proclaims. The fury painted on his face makes me wonder if this Angie bitch has gotten under his skin.

  “There, I’m done.” Talia stands up and brushes her hair from her face.

  “She needs to be gone, Daddy,” Harmony tells her father. “That was a fight that this whacko intended for me.”

  “Excuse me?” The look on Rogue’s face is priceless. “You took my daughter’s fight so she didn’t have to?” He turns his attention to Talia.

  “She’s pregnant. She shouldn’t be fighting in her condition. So I helped her out.” She innocently shrugs her shoulders.

  “She receives no medical attention,” Rogue points at Stitches. “Throw her out of my house. She is hearby banned.” About motherfucking time. “She ever steps one foot near my club and it’s on your head, Stitches. Plus, you are to break all ties with her.” Everyone knows you don’t go against a direct order handed down by your president.

  “Whatever you say, Rogue.” Stitches reluctantly grabs her by her arm and drags her outside of the gates. His jaw twitches the whole time. We need to find him another woman to warm his bed. He needs to get all thoughts of her gone. Sandman looks over at me, and I can tell he’s thinking the same way as I am.

  * * *

  Talia

  * * *

  I’m not one who usually ruts around on the ground fighting. But that bitch, Angie, had it coming. I was more than happy to take Harmony’s place. Who the fuck taunts a pregn
ant woman into fighting? Watching her taken away like the trash she is, gives me a sense of foreboding. I have an inkling that this bitch is going to come back and bite us all in the ass.

  “You good?” Edge walks up, grabbing my hands, inspecting my knuckles.

  “I’ve had worse.” Which unfortunately, is the truth.

  “Let’s go get you cleaned up, Trouble.” He mirthlessly laughs. “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “Glad I could entertain you.” My snarkiness emerges. I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to him. He pushes buttons that haven’t been touched in a very long time. “I just need some peroxide and antibacterial ointment.”

  “I have a first aid kit under my bathroom sink. Come on, slugger.” He grabs me by the elbow and escorts me through the club. I’m not sure what came over me when I heard that Angie chick talking shit to Edge and Harmony. But something possessive, an all-consuming anger took over. These are quickly becoming my people, and I won’t sit by while someone threatens them in any way.

  When we enter his bathroom, he grabs my hips and hoists me up on the counter. He spreads my legs and bends down between them. My heart rate spikes, and my breathing becomes sporadic. The corner of his lip lifts up, letting me know that I didn’t hide any of it from him. “Soon,” he mutters under his breath. If I hadn’t been paying attention, I would have missed it.

  I’m sure the heat from my face has made an outward appearance. “Soon what, Edge?” My voice hitches slightly and between that, and the unintentional vulnerability in my voice, it catches his attention. Standing back up, with the kit in his hand, he unzips it pulling out the items I told him I needed. He sprays the peroxide on my hand. Instantly it begins cleansing my wounds. White, foamy bubbles begin to form on my overly-heated skin. I hiss at the coolness of the liquid. He leans over and blows on it. “You know, you just infected me with your germs.” He smiles at me, and the dimples in his cheeks cause my libido to jump into overdrive. What the fuck is wrong with me? I swore off all men, especially those involved in the MC type of life. I promised myself when I escaped Snowman, I’d never go down that path again. “Edge,” his name raspily leaves my throat. His eyes meet mine, and before another word is uttered, he slams his lips down onto my own. I’ve never experienced a kiss that is so full of passion, and desire before. It consumes me, and before I know it, I’m lost in his perusal of my tongue. I whimper into his mouth while he moans into mine.