CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series)

by James, Nicole

  “God that would be heavenly.”

  He released her and aimed her sleepy body toward the door, giving her a smack on the butt to get her moving.

  “Oww.” She turned back to him and grinned. “Mister, that’s a hundred bucks extra around here, you know?”

  He grinned. “Oh, is it, now? You been studying up on the price list, babe? Thinking of getting into a new line of work?”

  “Do you know how much these girls make, Crash?”

  “Yep. Don’t be getting any ideas about a new career.”

  “I could make a fortune,” she teased him, shaking her ass. “Don’t you think?”

  He shook his head. “God, you’re adorable. Go!”

  “Did you know that everything is a la carte? Stacy told me if they want to play with her tits it costs seventy-five bucks extra, and if they want to suck her nipples, it’s a hundred.” She gave him a ‘can you believe it’ look.

  “Yeah, babe. I know.” He laughed.

  “Oh, you do? Have you been with them?” she teased.

  “No, Shannon! Seriously? Are you fucking shitting me? Do you think I gotta pay for it?”

  “Well…no.”

  “Go. I’ll make the coffee. Damn, babe.” He turned toward the coffeemaker, shaking his head. Shannon could see his shoulders shaking with his laughter. She giggled and walked out.

  When she returned a few minutes later, he had a fresh pot of coffee brewed and a steaming Styrofoam cup waiting for her. He moved to the refrigerator and opened it. Pulling a container of creamer out of the door, he held it up and asked, “French Vanilla creamer?”

  “God, yes.”

  He moved to her and poured some in her cup. “Say when.”

  “When.” He grinned and returned the container to the fridge as she took a sip. “Hmm. Delicious.”

  He came over and kissed her. Pulling back, he licked his lips. “Absolutely.”

  Shannon smiled up at him, thinking how sexy he was, even after having been up all night. He turned, and taking her hand, he led her out the sliding doors on to the patio. They sat in some mismatched lawn chairs, sipping their coffee. It was already warm outside and promised to be another hot day. The sky was clear and the sun was breaking higher on the horizon. Three bikes sat in a line, their chrome reflecting the bright morning sun. Shannon frowned over at Crash. “Where are the other two bikes?”

  He grinned back at her. “You don’t miss a thing do you, Princess?”

  “There were five of you last night.”

  He nodded. “Wolf and Red Dog had to leave to take care of something last night. Don’t worry, they should be back soon, then we’ll be leaving.”

  Cole walked out the sliding door with his own coffee. Shannon’s eyes met his, reading in his look that he hadn’t forgotten the talk he’d promised they’d have. He took the chair next to Crash and opposite her. Crash looked over at him.

  “Everything settled?”

  “Yup.” Cole set his cup on the ground between his feet and pulled out a cigarette and lighter, striking the flame on with a flip of his thumb. He paused with the lighter half way, his penetrating gaze flicking up to meet hers. “Story time, sweetheart.”

  Shannon swallowed. How was he going to react when she told him about Nicklaus? Would he think she was more trouble than he wanted to deal with? Then what? Would he insist they dump her off somewhere? Maybe even leave her here? Her gaze strayed to Crash. Would he let Cole do something like that to her? Would he have a choice? She knew his loyalty was first and foremost to the club. Always had been, probably always would be. So, where did that leave her? Her gaze returned to Cole. Somehow, she had a feeling it all came down to him. And she’d basically lied to him, well, maybe not lied, but she sure hadn’t told him the truth. She’d misled him. And she was sure, in his eyes, she’d used him. That wasn’t going to go over well. Not with a man like Cole.

  “I’m waiting, darlin’,” Cole prompted, sipping his coffee.

  “I…I didn’t tell you everything,” she admitted straight out. No sense beating around the bush, he already knew that much anyway.

  “No shit.”

  “I should have told you, but I was afraid if you knew, you wouldn’t help me.”

  “Just tell me the story, Shannon. All of it.”

  “His name is Nicklaus Ralston III, he owns Ralston Aluminum and several other things. He’s a rich and powerful associate of my father’s.” She proceeded to tell him everything, about the way he’d pursued her and how he’d begun to try to control her. She told him about the drugs he’d started giving her, and how he’d terrorized anyone who helped her. And finally about seeing Nicklaus’s men in Lake Tahoe. “He had to have somehow connected me to the club. How else would he have been able to find me?”

  Cole ran his hand over his face and flung his cigarette away violently. “Shit.”

  Shannon’s eyes moved between Cole and Crash, her eyes pooling. Crash was leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees. He looked at her, saw her reaction, and his hand was suddenly on her knee. “Shannon, it’s gonna be okay.”

  Cole stood looking down at him, his eyebrows raised. “You don’t really know that, Crash.”

  Crash looked up at him. “Yeah, I do. He’s not getting his hands on her.”

  Cole blew out a frustrated breath, his eyes returning to Shannon’s. “This would have been a hell of a lot easier, if you’d just come clean in the beginning. I coulda had guys watching him, keeping an eye on his movements, hell, something. Anything would be better than dealing with this shit blind, babe.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Fuck!” he growled and walked off toward the bikes, pulling his cell out.

  Shannon’s eyes came back to Crash. “What’s going to happen? Is he going to send me back?”

  “Fuck, no, Shannon. Not a chance.”

  “But…” Her eyes followed Cole’s retreating back. He looked so pissed.

  “Baby, look at me. I’m not gonna let that happen. I promised you he wouldn’t touch you, and I meant it. You believe me?”

  She just stared at him.

  “Shannon, do you believe me?”

  She nodded.

  “He’s just pissed. He’d never turn you over, Shannon. Relax. Okay?”

  She nodded again.

  Crash stood and leaned down to brush a kiss on her forehead. “Finish your coffee. Sounds like the boys are back.” Shannon heard the distant rumble of a couple of motorcycles. “You all right?”

  “Yes.”

  Crash walked over to the bikes where Cole stood. They spoke, but they were too far away for Shannon to hear what was said. A moment later, Red Dog and Wolf rolled up. There were now five Harleys all in a pretty row, gleaming in the sun. Shannon lifted her cup and sipped her coffee. She took a deep breath. She had to put her faith in Crash. He promised he’d take care of her. She had to calm down and believe it would all be okay.

  Wolf dismounted. Red Dog pulled his helmet off, but sat on his bike. They both looked exhausted to Crash. He knew how they felt.

  Cole looked over at Red Dog. “He taken care of?”

  “Yup.”

  “Any problems?”

  Red Dog climbed slowly off his bike. “Nope.”

  “The money?”

  “We got it. All of it.”

  “Good.” Cole nodded.

  Red Dog yawned. “If I don’t get some sleep, I’m gonna be in a really bad mood all day.”

  Wolf looked over at him, grinning. “Yeah? So how would that be any different than any other day of the week?”

  “Ha. Ha. Ha. You’re a laugh a minute.”

  “I try.” Wolf walked over to Cole. “Where’s Green?”

  “He’s in there with a Cowgirl and Pocahontas,” Crash supplied.

  The guys looked toward the house, saying nothing.

  “What, nobody’s gonna touch that?” Cole asked, squinting into the sun.

  “Why? This is the most normal thing he’s ever done,�
�� Red Dog replied, and they all burst out laughing.

  Cole’s cell went off, and he stepped away to take a call. When he finished the call, he informed the boys, “Mack wants us to stop off in Reno. He made a deal for a shipment of slot machines. We’re taking delivery and arranging transport for them.”

  “Where are they going?”

  “Birmingham Chapter.”

  “How’re they getting there?”

  “Mack’s got Cajun and a couple prospects bringing up a truck. They’ll meet us and take them to Birmingham.”

  “Where’s this going down?”

  “We’re meeting the connection at some dry cleaners on the west side. Don’t know where the drop is until we meet the guy.”

  Green walked up a few minutes later.

  “Done?” Crash asked, fighting a grin.

  “I believe the word you’re looking for is Bravo,” Green replied.

  Crash snorted.

  “How’s it hangin’, Buffalo Bill?” Red Dog asked.

  Green grinned, “No clue what you’re talking about.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  “You get ‘roped ‘n tied’?” Wolf asked, grinning.

  “More like ‘tarred ‘n feathered’,” Red Dog replied with a chuckle.

  The guys burst out laughing.

  Green glared at Crash. “Apparently some people don’t know when to shut up.”

  “Maybe you need to perfect your poker face,” Crash snapped right back. “Or pull the feather out of your beard, dumbass.”

  Green frowned and reached up, running his fingers through his beard. He pulled free the stray feather that must have come from Pocahontas’s costume and looked at it. “How about that, a memento.”

  Red Dog looked over at Green and shook his head. “You’re startin’ to worry me.”

  Shannon looked down at the camera screen, studying the shot she’d just taken. The guys standing in front of their bikes laughing hysterically at something one of them had said. Smiling, she slipped the camera back into her purse, happy with the shot.

  An ear-piercing whistle split the air, and she looked up to see Crash motioning to her. “Babe! Come on. We’re leaving.”

  A half an hour later, they pulled down some back streets into an old industrial area on the west side of Reno. They slowly rolled down the street. There were low metal buildings on the left containing a bunch of small businesses. Garage door, office door, garage door, office door with just enough room in front for off-street parking to pull up to the building. They rolled past an auto-detailing company, a roofing contractor, a pest control business and cabinetry shop. Cole turned in and stopped between a metal fabricator on the left and a produce supplier on the right. Five bikes rolled up and stopped in front of a blank door numbered 1925. There were no signs or logos of any kind to identify what business occupied this space.

  They all looked around, taking in the building and adjacent businesses. Red Dog was the first to point out the obvious. “This don’t look like a dry cleaner.”

  Crash looked over at Cole. “You sure this is it?”

  Cole pulled a slip of paper out of his pocket. “1925 Dixon Rd. Yep. This is it.” He dropped his kickstand. “Come on.”

  They all dismounted. Wolf eyed the business adjacent to the left. “Check out the custom chopper.” They turned to see a metallic green chopper parked in front. On the side of the gas tank was an image of the face of Frankenstein.

  “Damn,” Green whispered.

  “That’s killer,” Red Dog added.

  Cole tried the door knob. Finding it locked, he banged on the door. They waited. Crash eyed the outside of the building. Suddenly the door cracked open, and a small elderly oriental man poked his head out.

  Cole frowned and announced, “Lookin’ for Caesar.”

  The oriental man stuck his head out further and took in the five bikers. Then he pointed to Cole and Crash. “You. You. No more.”

  Cole and Crash exchanged a look. Crash turned to Red Dog nodding to Shannon. “Don’t let her out of your sight.”

  “Gotcha,” Dog replied and looped an arm around Shannon’s neck. “Come on, doll. Let’s go look at Frankie.” He pulled her toward the chopper.

  Wolf and Green sat sideways on their bikes. Green lit a smoke, and Wolf’s shades scanned the street.

  Crash and Cole followed the man inside. They passed what appeared to be an actual dry cleaning business. It looked like one of those places that all the corner storefront places shipped their shirts and shit to. They followed the old man all the way to the back of the building where he stepped past a big man steam pressing shirts and moved aside a hidden panel. He stepped through and motioned them to follow.

  Cole and Crash exchanged looks. Cole went through the opening into a hidden room with lines and lines of slot machines and people sitting on barstools in front of each machine, playing away.

  “Christ,” Crash murmured, following him through.

  “Quite the little setup, huh?” Cole whispered back.

  The oriental man motioned over to a large Spanish man who was standing to the side with his arms folded. The big man eyed Cole and Crash up and down, taking in the leather cuts.

  “You Caesar?” Cole asked.

  “You Cole?”

  Cole nodded.

  The big man nodded his head for them to follow him. They moved through the rows of slots, taking a right and moving down another row of slots. Then a left through another plywood panel into a separate area. When they stepped through, they saw about two dozen unplugged machines.

  “Deal was you were taking six. Fourteen grand a piece.”

  “Deal was we take six at twelve grand each.”

  “Na. Na. Na. That’s bullshit. Price was fourteen.”

  “These them?” Cole nodded to the slots.

  “No. Same model. Yours are in a storage locker couple blocks from here. We work a deal, I turn the keys to the locker over to you. You load up on your own time, at your own risk.”

  “Yeah, well, we need to see what we’re getting. Then we’ll decide whether they’re worth twelve or fourteen.”

  Caesar didn’t like it, but he nodded. He turned and signaled to another man. “Jose. You’re with me.” Then he led Cole and Crash back outside. He took in the other three guys and turned back to Cole. “They stay here.”

  Cole nodded.

  Caesar and Jose headed to a van and climbed in.

  Cole turned to Wolf. “Get a hold of Mack. Find out where Cajun is with that truck.”

  “Yeah, boss,” Wolf replied.

  Crash walked over to Shannon and cupped her jaw, his fingers sliding behind her ear. “Be right back, Princess.”

  She looked up at him with worry in her eyes, but she nodded, saying nothing. He pulled her face up for a quick kiss, and then he climbed on his bike. Cole and Crash pulled out, following the van down the street.

  Shannon waited with Red Dog, Green and Wolf, who was on the phone with someone about that truck Cole had mentioned. “I don’t care if your GPS is fucked up. You got the address, use some initiative and just find it!” He hung up, cursing. “Stupid son-of-a-bitch!”

  Red Dog looked over at Shannon. “You doin’ okay, honey?”

  “Yes, fine. I just don’t like standing around here.”

  “No, that ain’t it. You just don’t like being away from your man.”

  “My man?”

  “Don’t even try that coy shit with me. Everybody in the club knows what went down at the fights the other night.”

  She blushed and kicked at a stone, her hands in her back pockets. “I suppose they do.”

  “Ain’t nothing to be shy about, darlin’.”

  She looked up at him from under a lock of hair. “Thank you for that night, by the way.”

  “For what?”

  She shrugged. “You were really sweet to me.”

  “Sweet? I ain’t sweet.”

  “Yes, you are. You act all gruff, but you’re really a sweetheart.”


  “Yeah, well, you know, don’t spread it around,” he grumbled.

  She grinned. “I’ll keep your secret.”

  About twenty minutes later, Red Dog’s cell rang. He pulled it out and put it to his ear. “Yo.”

  After a short conversation he held his phone out to Shannon. She looked at it, and then him. “What?”

  “Your man.”

  She took the phone from him and put it to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Babe. You’re on the back of Dog’s bike. He’s gonna bring you to me. You good with that?” Shannon’s eyes went to Red Dog, who was standing with his arms crossed, his eyes on her.

  She nodded, “Okay.”

  “All right. See you in a minute. Put Dog back on.”

  She held the phone out to him. “He wants to talk to you.”

  He took it and put it to his ear. “Yeah?” After a short conversation, he disconnected. “Mount up.”

  Green and Wolf moved to their bikes, and Shannon followed Red Dog to his. She waited while he threw his leg over and lifted the bike off its kickstand. Then he fired it up and turned to her. “Climb on.”

  Shannon settled behind him and put her hands on his hips. They pulled out and headed down the street. They made a couple of rights and lefts, Red Dog leading the way. They crossed under the interstate, and Shannon noticed a mortuary on the right. They came to a light and made a left. They passed two run-down motels on the left and a package store. Red Dog signaled and slowed up for traffic waiting to make another left in the middle of the four-lane highway. Shannon looked at the street sign of the side street they were waiting to turn onto. It read Cemetery Road. She started to get a little nervous. Where the hell were they going?

  The three bikes made the turn. The side street ran along the back of one of the run down motels on their left and a large fenced-in dirt lot that had some dump trucks parked in it on the right. They passed the back of the motel and came to what appeared to be a back entrance to a mini-storage unit facility. Cole was standing at the gate and opened it for them. They rolled through, and three units down on the right were Cole and Crash’s parked bikes, Crash standing next to them. Red Dog stopped, and Shannon got off. Crash walked over to her, taking her hand and pulling her to the side. The three men dismounted.