The Dirty Dozen: MC Edition

by Kay Maree

  “Fuck. Off.”

  Silence, finally.

  I put my phone on silent for a reason. I don’t want to talk to anyone, see anyone, I just want to be left the fuck alone to sleep.

  Brrrbrrrbrr.

  “Motherfucker, unless you want a bullet to the dick, fuck off, and let me sleep,” I growled answering the phone. Lack of sleep making my words slurred.

  “Knock, knock, asshole.”

  “Aries, I am serious. Fuck. Off. I’ve been back in the country for less than four hours. I’ve been home for an hour. Piss off.”

  I hung up the phone throwing it on the pile of discarded clothes on the floor rolling onto my stomach hugging my pillow to me.

  “I said knock, knock asshole,” Aries barked as the bedsheets were ripped from my body. “Huh, no tan lines. Leo, you kinky fucker. Get up we need to talk.”

  “Fuck,” I groaned into my pillow, punching the mattress.

  I knew if I didn’t get up Aries would only come back, and I would end up with a bed full of water or a butt crack full of ice. I got out of bed and stomped downstairs.

  “You better have pants on or at least your junk covered, I don’t need the sight of that…” a disgusted shake racked his body, “… spoiling my breakfast.”

  “You’re in my house fuck face, deal with it,” I grouched falling into one of the tall sleigh back stools. I scrubbed my hands over my face scratching at my beard. I was tired as fuck and not in the mood to deal with his crap. “Jealousy is a curse.”

  “Jealousy, please,” Aries scoffed. “You think your man meat is impressive? You do know cocks come in adult sizes, right.”

  “Why the fuck, are you here?” I asked my best friend and boss.

  “I wanted to come and see my best friend, who I haven’t been in the same room with for more than five minutes in the last two years.”

  “And,” I prompted.

  I knew Aries all too fucking well, and he knew me. He damn well knew I needed at least five hours of sleep before I could deal with anyone. He was deliberately being cagey, and I was not in the mood.

  “I have a job for you.”

  “And you can get the fuck out of my house.” I stood heading towards the stairs. “Let yourself out.”

  “Leo, sit the fuck down.”

  “No, Aries c’mon man. I’ve been gone for almost two years. Yeah, I might have been home here and there but no more than seventy-two hours before I had to take off again. That was a big fucking assignment. I am fried dude, mentally and physically. I need downtime. I need to sleep. I need to decompress. Shit, I need to get laid. I’m serious I need a month before I even think about taking on another case.”

  “I know man; I do. Which is why I wouldn’t be asking you if it wasn’t important?” All playful joking had fled his voice. The mood in my kitchen became sombre.

  “Why can’t one of the other’s do it?”

  “Because, like I said it’s important.”

  “Everything we do is important Aries, it’s the nature of the gig,” I reminded him.

  “This one is different. It’s personal. It’s important to me and I want you on it.”

  “What could be so fucking important you want me do back-to-back assignments?”

  “Shut up and take this.” He placed a large caramel latte in front of me.

  “You think you can bribe me with coffee?” He slid a container full of fluffy pancakes and a mountain of bacon in front of me. “Maple syrup?”

  “What do you think I am, a monster?” He jeered sliding a container of the amber goodness and a file to me.

  “This looks awfully thin,” I remarked around a mouthful of food, tapping the file. “What the hell Aries? This thing has like four sheets of paper in it, where’s the background check, the case notes, the preliminary investigation? I don’t know, a photo of the fucking contact.”

  “I know it’s a little light, but this case is different. It needs to be moved on quickly.”

  “Why?”

  “It needs to be handled with care; full attention needs to be given to it.”

  “Aries, what’s the fucking case?” I asked around a mouthful of bacon.

  “Someone is trying to kill my cousin.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Leo

  The information Aries gave me was virtually non-existent.

  He’d received a call from his cousin Will, saying there has been some strange goings on with his business, that there had been an attempt on his life.

  I’ve never met any of Aries family. I haven’t met Will, I’ve never even heard of him before. I didn’t think he had any, apart from the guys at Zodiac. Considering where I’m headed, I now know why. I don’t know why Aries thinks this Will guy is going to even listen to me. It’s more likely I’ll get my head blown off, than it is that I’ll even get through the damn gate.

  “Fuck you Aries.”

  I parked my matte black pickup half a block away from my destination and headed off on foot towards the compound.

  “Easy boys, easy,” I muttered as the giant gates came into view. They’d know I was coming. Hell, they probably tagged me from the moment my boots hit the asphalt.

  I slowly approached the compound gates, raising my hands in the air. I know I’ve been spotted. I can feel their eyes on me. I clocked at least two sharpshooters, and a more obvious guy in the guard tower with a pump-action shotgun. The distraction, while your focus is on him you don’t notice the sharpshooters.

  “That’s far enough,” a voice boomed as a spotlight pointed at me. I stopped; raising my hands a little higher. “You’re in the wrong place asshole.”

  “I’m here to see Will,” I called back.

  “No Will here. Now turn around and fuck off.”

  I stood my ground, my stance relaxed but alert. I needed to get in and see Aries’ cousin so I could get this new assignment over and done with.

  “I’m not leaving until I speak to Will.”

  “Listen guy, you have till the count of five to make it to the end of the block, before I open fire.”

  “No, you listen asshole,” I shot back. “I have been back in the country for less than a day. I’m hungry, tired and I could use a fucking drink. Just get this Will fucker out here, we need to talk. Aries sent me.”

  “What did you say?” The guy in the Tower asked.

  “Aries sent me,” I replied raising my voice.

  “Aries sent you?”

  “That’s what I said.”

  The guy in the tower lent over the railing talking to someone below, behind the heavy steel fence.

  “Turn around …. Slowly,” the guy in the tower shouted.

  “I’m unarmed.”

  “That’s great, now turn the fuck around pretty boy or hit the fucking road.”

  Fuck this guy. I turned as instructed until my back was to the fence.

  “I’m lifting my shirt. Like I said, I’m unarmed. Don’t fucking shoot me.” I kept one hand in the air as I lifted the back of my shirt to prove I didn’t have any hidden weapons. I moved to face the fence again. “Satisfied?”

  I’ve known Aries most of my life, but like I said I’ve never met his cousin. The file said he was a member of Knights Fury MC, but it didn’t list his position. I figured he held a position of power, why else would I be meeting him at the club instead of at an alternate location.

  Things have changed with Knights Fury since I’ve been away. My last assignment required me to be out of the country more than I would have liked. Busting one of the biggest sex trafficking rings took me all over the world and things changed with Knights Fury and the town of Wolfpine while I was gone.

  I did a quick web search on Knights Fury before I left home. I knew about the MC, their reputation, everyone did. My web search revealed Boss died of cancer and his kid took over. I found information on the new President – Danger, but I couldn’t find anything about Will. He didn’t seem to exist. I fig
ured by best bet was to go through Danger.

  Danger by name, danger by reputation, and not the type of guy you would want to piss off. I needed to get on his good side to get to Will.

  The motor kicked in and the gate crept open. A shadowed figure appeared in the opening.

  “Are you Will?” I still couldn’t make out the features of the man. The light flared behind him distorting my field of vision making him look like a ghost.

  “So, Aries sent you, did he? What could that asshole possibly want?”

  That was not the voice of a man.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Leo

  “Do you think you could drop the light? Your burning my retinas out with that bastard.” I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the light.

  “Slow your roll there, hotshot,” the guy from the tower yelled cocking his gun.

  “What exactly the fuck am I going to do by blocking the light from my eyes, huh?”

  The woman laughed, it was light, warm, and lilting. It hit me right in the gut. Like being struck by lightning.

  “Ace drop the light,” she ordered. The light swung to the ground; it was still in my eyes just not as much. I blinked rapidly attempting to clear my vision.

  “Thanks.”

  “Now, tall dark and pissed off, what can I do for you?” The woman asked.

  “You can start by getting Will out here.”

  “And what do you want with Will?” She asked folding her arms over her chest.

  “Look lady as much as I would love to stand around and chat, I am too fucking tired for this shit. I asked for Will, not his side piece.”

  Again, she laughed and again I felt it like a physical thing. An awareness rippled across my skin. It was like she was standing beside me whispering in my ear.

  “Oh, I do love it when they roll up here all macho acting like their balls are bigger than their brains.”

  The surrounding men laughed, and my last nerve frayed.

  “It is pretty fucking funny,” the guy in the tower added.

  “I’m so glad y’all find it so amusing,” I sneered. My patience was unravelling. I am way too tired for this cryptic game playing shit.

  “So, funny man, what do you want?” She asked her voice light; she was obviously smiling.

  “Get Will out here. I will discuss what I want with him and no one else.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Yes, it’s fucking so. Do you know what? Fuck this shit, Aries can kiss my ass. I don’t have to put up with this crap,” I turned to walk away only to stop at the sound of the pump-action shotgun being loaded. I raised my hands turning to the woman who had four men at her back.

  “I asked you a question. What can I do for you?”

  “Are you Will? Because I’ll only speak with Will and no one else. I am tired, hungry and at this point I am beyond pissed off.” I scrubbed a hand down my face, in frustration. “Babe, I would really like it if people would stop screwing me around.”

  “Willow Robertson, at your service,” she said brightly stepping forward holding out her hand. “But you can call me Danger.”

  Well fuck me.

  The President of Knights Fury was a girl.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Leo

  She stood waiting for me to shake her offered hand.

  It was a trap.

  I knew it was a trap.

  But still, I had to play her little game. I took her hand in mine; a firm handshake. She grinned and within a split second, she had me spun; my arm twisted up behind my back.

  “Listen funny man, I am nobody's Babe. Now, you have exactly five seconds to explain who you are and why you are here, before I let Bullet blow your head off.”

  She was strong. Stronger than I would have thought for a woman her size. She is tall and curvy, but she had a delicate softness about her, hidden underneath all her fight and anger. She was used to being in command, in control, having her orders followed, but I was not going to submit that easily.

  I spun to the right, ripping my arm from her grasp. With a huff and a rush of air leaving her lungs, her back slammed up against my chest, an arm locking hers to her sides and a hand at her throat.

  “Willow Robertson. Danger. Cute. Your parents big Lost in Space fans? Danger, Will Robertson, Danger.”

  Without warning she threw her head back; I saw it coming moving my head to the side a split second before she connected with my jaw. The back of her head instead hitting my collarbone. She stomped on my foot, dropping her weight, breaking my hold on her. She spun, swept her leg, knocking me to the ground. Danger jumped on me sitting on my chest, a hand around my throat. I raised my hands, palms lying flat on the gravel beside my head.

  “What do you want?”

  “Aries sent me.”

  “About what?”

  I slapped her hand away from me. Moving quickly trapping both her wrists in one hand the other around her throat. I pulled her face to mine.

  “Zodiac.”

  She pushed herself forward, pressing her throat against my hand. Moving her lips towards my ear.

  “We should talk in private.”

  “Ya, think?”

  She smirked, twisting, biting into my bicep. The pure shock of her teeth biting into my flesh loosened my grip. She pulled a hand from mine.

  “Oh Babe, you are going to be so much fun,” I laughed.

  She licked her lips, raised an eyebrow at me, grinning as she cocked a gun, pressing the cold metal of a barrel between my eyes.

  “Oh, funny man, you have no idea.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Danger

  “Get him up and get him inside.” I command climbing off the man. Tank and Dozer hauled him to his feet. “Check him first.”

  “I said I was unarmed,” he snarled.

  “Still gotta check asshole,” Wolf snapped back.

  The man drew himself up to his full height placing his hands on the top of his head, his broad shoulders flexing with the movement. His shirt rose up at the back revealing a hint of a tattoo and a slither of tanned skin above his low-slung jeans.

  I walked around him, watching him.

  He snarled at me.

  I grinned and blew him a kiss.

  “Hey, watch the hands,” the man growled as the boys roughly patted him down.

  “He’s clear,” Wolf declared loud enough for everyone to hear and none too gently shoved him in the back. “Get moving.”

  “Put him in my office. I want to speak with him alone.”

  I walked behind the boys watching the way the man moved. It was so effortlessly casual you would be forgiven for thinking he was recklessly naïve of his surroundings. Unless, like me, you noticed every move he made was measured, calculated, executed with precision.

  Every movement made with a purpose.

  Every muscle coiled ready to attack.

  Every movement of his eyes taking in his surroundings.

  So, this was the guy my cousin sent. Four days ago, I called my cousin Aries, and left a message; I need Zodiac.

  I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist my call for help. Aries and I had always been close, like brother and sister. We were in each other’s lives probably more than was healthy, but we had one rule; we do not discuss business.

  I stay out of his, and he stays the hell out of mine.

  As it was, desperate times call for desperate measures.

  Someone has painted a target on the Knights Fury, on me, and I wanted it off.

  So, I called Aries for help, fresh eyes, perspective.

  “You’ve called Aries… What?!........beep.”

  I still can’t believe that’s his business voicemail message.

  “Aries, hey, it’s Willow. I feel stupid for even making this call. It’s probably nothing. I’m sure it’s nothing. I need you to look at something for me. I need you to do your Aries thing and tell me I’m worried for nothing. Something's up with m
y house. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I can feel it. I feel it Aries. I am in danger. I need your help.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Danger

  “Who’s the lush?” Maggie, the MC cook and surrogate mum asked snapping me out of my thoughts.

  “I’m about to find out. Aries sent him,” I explained.

  “What the hell is that fool cousin of yours up to now?”

  “Who knows?” I shrugged nonchalantly, like I didn’t have a care in the world, when, every care rested squarely on my shoulders. “He’s probably some little lost lamb looking for a home. He just turned up saying Aries sent him. So, now, big bad Danger must make a grown man cry to find out. I’ll catch you round, Maggie.”

  Outwardly it might not have shown, but I was glad he was here. I needed a second set of eyes on the situation. My wish is that I will walk into my office, tell Aries’ man what has been going on, and he will tell me there’s nothing to worry about. That I’m just being paranoid, that it’s all in my head.

  But if wishes were horses, we’d all be riding rainbows.

  “Prez, this is a bad idea,” Wolf, warned blocking my office door.

  “They usually are,” I shrugged.

  “Seriously though D,” he said dropping his voice. “I don’t think you should be alone with this guy, not until we know who the fuck he is and what hell he wants.”

  Wolf has always acted like my overprotective big brother. Even though I have proven time and time again, that I can take care of myself, yet he still feels the need to look out for me. If I didn’t love him as much as I do, it would annoy the shit out of me.

  “I’ll be fine Wolf, I promise. Aries sent him. There is no way Aries would send him if it meant putting me in harm’s way.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “Why?” I asked. There was something in the way he said it that had me thinking, did Wolf feel it too? That something was off in the MC.

  “I don’t know, it’s just a feeling. Something’s off. D you’ve always trusted my gut before, I need you to do it now, with this,” he pleaded.