by Chiah Wilder
Where is Cara? He needed to talk to her to find out what she thought was so urgent. Why couldn’t she keep her nose out of this mess like he had asked her to? She’d always been a curious girl. Back when they were kids, she’d questioned everything, and whenever they’d watch police shows together, she’d tell him how she would’ve done things differently. He smiled to himself; he and Cara had been so close growing up. Over the last few years, they had drifted apart, and he knew it was more his fault than hers because he was the one who’d distanced himself. He felt vulnerable, like his world was closing in around him, and he didn’t want Cara to see his weakness.
I’m so stressed. All Cara cares about is her lowlife, outlaw biker. The thought of her with Hawk revolted him. How can Cara even think of going out with a man like Hawk? Why does she find him attractive, he’s—
Tires crunching on the snow in front of the mine interrupted Eric’s thoughts. He peered out the doorway and saw Cara park her sports car.
“It’s about time. You’re late. I was ready to leave,” Eric said when she entered the shack.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be late. How are you? You look tired,” she commented.
“Work is a pain in the ass, and Nancy is driving me nuts with all the wedding plans. I’ll be glad when that’s all over. You look great, rested and happy,” he said, his eyes scanning her face.
She laughed. “A few days off works wonders.”
“What’s this emergency that made you drag us out in the freezing cold?”
She took a deep breath then opened her purse and removed several folded sheets of paper. Handing them to Eric, she said, “A friend of mine sent this to me. He works with law enforcement, so he’s going to share this with the detectives.”
“Share what?” Eric said, taking the papers from her. “What the hell is this?”
“Your court schedules, your sentencings, your convictions, and your mistrials.”
Eric looked at her, puzzled. “Why are you giving this to me?”
“Why are you protecting the Deadly Demons Nomads? Look at your record—most of your mistrials had the Nomads as defendants. When they have been convicted, you gave them community service or deferred sentences. Eric, you haven’t sent a Nomad to prison in the last two years, and yet, you’re all over the Insurgents for crimes they haven’t committed or ones that aren’t a big deal. Why?”
“Is this what this goddamn rendezvous is all about? You want to protect your boyfriend’s dirt bag gang?”
“No,” she said in a soft voice. “I want to understand the disparity in justice, that’s all.”
“What are you trying to say? What are you accusing me of?” Eric’s face turned red as he screamed at her.
“I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m trying to understand what your connection to the Deadly Demons Nomads is.”
“We’re his supplier, fuckin’ cunt.” Viper’s icy snarl cooled down the tension between the cousins. Both Cara and Eric whirled around at the sound, Viper’s narrow eyes shining like sleet in the darkness.
“What are you doing here?” Eric yelled.
Cara whispered, “You know this guy?”
Eric hung his head, mumbling something inaudible.
Viper smirked. “He knows me well, sweetheart. We’ve been doin’ business for a while now, haven’t we, Judge?”
Eric grimaced. “Leave her out of this.”
“Out of what? Eric, tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Go on, Judge. Tell her what the fuck’s goin’ on. And I’m not leavin’ her outta shit. The whore wanted to be involved, and now she’s very involved.
“Eric?” Cara stared at him.
Eric covered his face with his hands, then Cara watched as he removed them, a scowl replacing his concerned look. “You couldn’t keep your goddamn nose out of this, could you, Cara? I begged you. I told you to back off. I fucking warned you to stay out of this, but you couldn’t do it, could you? Now there’s nothing I can do. Nothing.”
“What are you talking about? Are these guys paying you big money? If you needed money, you could have come to me or my dad. I would’ve helped you. What possessed you to go to them of all people?”
“You think this is about money? This has nothing to do with money! If only it did, life would be a lot simpler.” Eric turned away from her.
Cara moved toward him, but Viper put his foot out and tripped her. “Stay where you are, bitch.”
“Why are you involved with these guys? Tell me now, Eric.”
Shaking his head, Eric mouthed the words, “I can’t.”
Viper sneered, “Enough of this bullshit. You wanna know why the judge here came to us? He had a craving so bad, sweetheart, nothing could satisfy him except young, pretty things. He needed us to feed his hunger.”
“That’s enough, Viper!”
“You don’t fuckin’ tell me shit, sicko.” In one long stride, Viper was in front of Eric, grabbing him by the neck and squeezing. Eric gasped for breath. “You got that, asshole?” Viper’s eyes blazed as he pressed tighter around Eric’s throat.
“Stop it! Leave him alone!” Cara rushed over and pounded on Viper’s back. Viper released Eric only to backhand Cara. Falling backwards, she landed on the plank floor, her lip cut open and bleeding. She wiped her mouth and glared at Viper.
“You’ll be punished for that, and I’m going to enjoy every second of taming you, slut.”
Eric, bent over, wheezing as he tried to catch his breath. Viper shoved him against the wall. “You fuckin’ said you’d take care of this slut, and you didn’t. I’ll do the job you weren’t man enough to do.” Facing Cara, Viper said, “Your asshole cousin isn’t a man. He’s nothin’ but a perverted wimp, who gets off on playing with and cutting young pussies. He’s not even man enough to get his own bitches. Yeah, that’s right, sweetheart. Your upstanding cousin is the fuckin’ Mountainside Strangler. How’s that for a family tree?” He laughed without mirth.
“What?” Cara folded her arms over her trembling body as she darted her eyes from Eric to Viper. Eric cast his gaze to the floor, unable to look her in the eye.
She wailed, “This isn’t true! Tell me this isn’t true, Eric. Tell me he’s making this up. Tell me it isn’t true. Eric, tell me! Oh, please, tell me this isn’t true.” Her teeth chattered as sobs racked her body. “This can’t be true. I know you, Eric, you’re my blood. We grew up together. We went on double-dates. We shared secrets. We were so close. Why aren’t you denying this? I don’t believe it. I won’t believe it. Oh, my God!” Holding her hands over her face, Cara crumpled to the ground as her sobs overtook her body.
Waiting for her wailing to subside, Eric finally spoke, his voice cracking. “I’m sorry, Cara. I am.”
Cara, tears streaming down her face, searched his face to find answers. “How can this be happening?”
“I don’t expect you to understand. I’ve always been two people, good and bad, but the bad won out. The Nomads bring women to me no one wants or will look for, and I help them get their trafficking trucks and meth through this county. I have a hunger I can’t control. I know you don’t understand that—no one does—but to me, it’s real, and it’s with me most of the time. It worked until you started nosing around. I told you to leave it alone. I told you.” Eric buried his face in his hands again.
Cara looked fixedly at Eric. “You are not the Eric I know and love.”
“Sorry to break up the family reunion, but we gotta take care of business,” Viper snapped.
* * *
Why the fuck isn’t Cara picking up her phone? Hawk set his cell down for the second time, worry creasing his brow. He didn’t want to think the worst, figuring she was in the shower or maybe she fell asleep. His gut told him something wasn’t right, and his woman was in trouble, but before he called her again, one of the wholesalers came into the dispensary. Vowing to call her after he finished his business transaction, Hawk decided if she didn’t pick up her phone, he’d haul ass back to th
e clubhouse.
* * *
Two Nomads walked into the shack. One went by Eric, and the other stood by the doorway. They looked somewhat familiar to Cara. She knew she had seen them before, but she couldn’t place them.
Viper ogled Cara as he clucked his tongue. “I’m gonna have some fun biting those big tits, bitch. You’ve caused me all kinds of trouble. You fucked up my association with the good judge, you got the damn cops to look in places they never should’ve, and your fuckin’ man did some serious damage at my clubhouse. I’m gonna show you how a good slut is supposed to behave. Hawk’s been too soft on your ass and pussy. I plan on changing that.” Viper strode over to her.
Cara, still reeling from Eric’s revelation, didn’t pay attention to what Viper said. I should have listened to Hawk and waited for him to come home. Devastated at learning about Eric, she still couldn’t fathom the enormity of the situation.
She felt Viper’s hands around her arms as he jerked her to her feet, and she stood in his grip like a rag doll. Grabbing her hair, he pulled it, forced her head back, and placed his thin lips on hers while his tongue coerced her mouth open. His serpent-like tongue darted in and out of her mouth as his hand clasped her nipple, pinching it viciously. As she cried out in pain, Viper twisted her nipple harder and jammed his knee into her pussy while his hardness rubbed against her belly. As a wave of nausea hit her, she shoved Viper away, bent over, and threw up.
“Leave her alone,” Eric said.
“What are you gonna do if I don’t?” Viper challenged, and Eric just hung his head. “I didn’t think your wimp ass would come to her rescue.” The other two Nomads laughed. The one closest to Eric punched him in the stomach, and he groaned as he sank to his knees.
Viper jerked Cara up by her hair once again. “Your break’s over, bitch. Rinse with this.” He shoved a bottle of beer in her hands. As Cara rinsed and spit out the beer, she knew she was in trouble. There was no doubt in her mind that Viper, and the other two thugs, would rape her. She didn’t think they were going to kill her yet, but she was pretty sure she would be hoping they would.
Viper knocked the beer bottle out of her hand, clasped her face, and kissed her mouth hard. This time Cara didn’t resist, and as the wound from her split lip opened, her blood flowed. Viper plunged his tongue deep into her mouth. I could bite down hard and give the asshole some of his own medicine. It would be worth it for that moment, but I’m sure he’d make me pay for it. Oh, Hawk, I’m sorry.
Viper slammed her down on her knees then unzipped his pants. Cara squirmed as she tried to turn her head away from him. “Keep your face still, slut, or I’ll beat the shit outta you.” He slapped her across the face; the blood from her nose was cool against her hot cheeks.
“After you’re done with this bitch, I want a piece of her stuck-up ass. I’ve wanted her pussy ever since I’d seen her at Rusty’s,” the bearded man said. The other Nomad sniggered, nodding in agreement.
Through bleary eyes, Cara looked at the two men and remembered them as the jerks who came on to her and Sherrie at Rusty’s after they bought them drinks. Never thinking she’d see them again, she gritted her teeth at the irony of the situation.
“You can have her when I’m done,” Viper said to Rot.
Rot leered at Cara and while cupping his crotch, he licked his lips. As the bile rose in her throat, she gagged.
“Hey, boss, Prez is on the phone. He wants to speak to you,” Beaver said, holding the phone in his hands.
Cursing under his breath, Viper kicked Cara’s legs. “I’ll be back soon, cunt, and when I come back, I’m gonna fuck your mouth so hard you won’t be able to talk for a week.” Rot and Beaver hooted, and Viper took the phone outside.
Beaver, by the doorway, asked Viper, “What does Reaper want?”
“Wants to know why the fuck we were holding out on him with the sex trafficking and meth sales. He’s also madder than hell we’ve stirred up all this shit with the Insurgents.” Viper glared at Cara. “If this cunt would’ve stayed outta this, none of this would’ve happened. Bitch is gonna pay!”
“What’s Reaper gonna do?” Rot piped in.
“I don’t give a fuck about Reaper,” Viper spat. “I just want to fuck the slut, and knowing she’s Hawk’s whore is gonna make it sweeter.” A cruel smile cracked his face as he lit a cigarette.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Ruben, why in the hell isn’t Cara answering her phone? I’ve called her three times,” Hawk said, worry in his voice.
“She went up to her room to read about an hour ago,” Ruben told him.
“Are you talking about Cara?” Johnnie asked.
“What of it, Prospect?” Ruben said. “Prospects should speak when spoken to.”
“She left to do an errand. I opened the gate for her.”
“Are you sure?” Ruben said.
“Yep.”
“What the fuck is going on over there? Did he say Cara left?” Hawk yelled.
“Chas, run upstairs to Hawk’s room and see if Cara’s there,” Ruben said.
“Weren’t you supposed to be watching her? What happened?” Hawk demanded.
“She said she wanted to read, and then Kylie came up to me and started talking. Shit, I was double-teamed by the women. Fuck. Sorry, Hawk. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”
Chas came back into the great room and shook his head. “She’s not there.”
“Fuck,” Hawk muttered. “I’m on my way.”
Hawk raced to his bike and hauled ass back to the clubhouse.
When he burst through the front doors, Ruben said, “Sorry, brother. I fucked up.”
Hawk glared at him. He was madder than hell, but he knew Ruben felt like shit about Cara. He said, “I gotta get her. I’ll need you, Jax, and Chas to come with me.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“I figured she wouldn’t listen to me, so I installed GPS on her phone. I can track her. It looks like she’s over by Prospect’s Mine. Let’s go. My gut’s telling me Viper’s not far away.”
They jumped on their Harleys and rode against the wind. If anything happens to Cara, I’ll never forgive myself. I’m gonna kill that fuckin’ Viper. Fuck! They rode fast and hard, and when they were one mile from the abandoned mine, Hawk motioned for them to cruise in. He didn’t want his arrival announced.
* * *
“Now, where were we, bitch?” Viper snarled as he came in from outside. Cara cringed as he approached her. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he dragged her in front of him. “Mouth open wide.”
“Stop it, leave her alone,” Eric said.
“Fuck! Will you shut that whiny motherfucker up?”
“Anything you say, Prez.” Rot took out his hunting knife, and in one swift move, slit Eric’s throat. He gurgled, then grew silent as his body landed with a thud on the cold, wood floor. Cara’s screams bounced off the shack’s walls.
Viper punched her in the face. “You’ll be next, if you don’t stop.” Tugging her face to his crotch, he unzipped his pants and pried her mouth open. “Let’s have some fun, whore.”
Chapter Thirty
Hawk crept toward the illuminated shack like a panther stalking his prey. He moved silently, freezing every so often to avoid detection. Jax and Chas, hidden by the shrubs, sneaked on each side of the shack and positioned themselves by a window dirtied from age. Ruben stood watch in the distance in case other Nomads were in the area.
Beaver stood just outside the shack and watched his prez smack Cara’s face. Shrouded in the darkness, Hawk seethed as he saw Beaver rub his dick while his eyes fixed on the scene unfolding in the shack. The more Cara cried and twisted away from Viper, the harder Viper yanked her head back. Beaver’s hiss through his teeth when Viper cut Cara’s t-shirt and bra down the middle enraged Hawk. Viper’s coarse, smoker’s voice filtered outside the shack. “You got great tits, sweetheart. I can’t wait to squeeze and bite them. Open up, slut. You got some cock to suck. Damn, your tits feel good in my
hands.” Beaver rubbed himself harder and harder, and Hawk saw red.
Before he could jerk off again, Beaver was down on his stomach, a hand over his mouth and a wild beast on his back. He didn’t have a chance to fight back, and in a matter of seconds, he was out cold. Hawk motioned Chas to drag the asshole’s body away.
Hawk, looking through the small window to the right of the shack’s door, saw Eric’s motionless body in a pool of blood, Rot jerking off, and Viper in front of a kneeling Cara, who was bruised and bloody. He saw her lips quiver, her exposed breasts, and Viper stuffing his dick in her mouth. In a flash, all logic and reason dissipated, and Hawk became feral.
He rushed into the small room and sprang toward Viper. With his arms extended, Hawk grasped Viper’s neck and shoulders, placed his hands around Viper’s neck, and pressed tightly. Viper, startled by the attack, thrashed his arms before he regained his balance, looping his leg around one of Hawk’s and kicking it out from under him. Hawk fell down and Rot, wielding a small hunting knife, threw his weight on top of him. Grabbing Rot’s arms, Hawk fought to keep the knife away from him. As Hawk fended off Viper and Rot, Jax stormed in and dashed over to help his brother.
The loud pop deafened Cara’s ears, and everything presented itself in slow motion: Hawk’s fight, Jax’s shocked look as blood oozed out of his lower stomach, Viper’s .22 revolver pointed at Hawk’s head, Chas frozen at the door. There was no doubt in her mind that Viper aimed to kill Hawk, and if Chas rushed toward Viper, Hawk and Jax would both be killed. Feeling like she was in a dream, placid-faced Cara picked up a splintered plank covered in cobwebs and dust, stood behind Viper, threw her arms back, and slammed the rotting plank on the back of Viper’s skull. It sounded like wooden sticks breaking. Dropping the gun, Viper fell to his knees as dark-red streaks gushed down his neck. He toppled over onto the rough floor, and the dirt, like a sponge, sopped up his blood.
