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

by James, Nicole

  Crash pushed it away. “All right.”

  Cole stood and hit him lightly in the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s get some coffee.”

  *****

  Artie Gorman was in the gravel parking lot behind The Queen of Hearts. He finished loading a couple of boxes into the trunk of his Cadillac and straightened, slamming it shut. “Shit!” He jumped back startled to see the two men standing there in their Evil Dead cuts, grins on their faces.

  “Hey,” Crash greeted him.

  “Oh, hey,” Artie mumbled.

  Crash glanced down at the vehicle. “Nice car.” Before Artie could respond, Crash grabbed him by the back of the neck and slammed his face into the trunk.

  *****

  Shannon stood in her bedroom at the French doors that led to the second floor veranda overlooking the rear gardens. Turning, she looked over at her sister. “Shelby, I don’t need this right now. I’m done talking about it. I’m done thinking about it. I can’t do this anymore.”

  “You need to do this. Look at you. You haven’t left the house since the funeral.” She strolled over to Shannon’s dresser and picked up one of the half dozen prescription bottles. “You’re not sleeping. You’re not eating. You’re back on all these damn pills again.”

  “My father died!” Shannon screamed at her. “Can you get off my back?”

  “My father died, too, Shannon.”

  “Well, maybe I’m not as strong as you.”

  “You were when you first came home. You were stronger than I’ve ever seen you. And it was because of him, wasn’t it?”

  Shannon put her hand on the paned glass, pressing her forehead to its coolness. She wished to God she’d never shared her feelings with her sister. She wished she’d never confided in her how broken hearted she’d been when she found out Crash practically put the gun in their father’s hand. She’d broken down and confessed everything that had happened between them. She shook her head. And now her sister was going to throw it all back in her face. “Shelby, I don’t want to talk about this. I should have never told you anything.”

  “Well, you need to talk about it. Someone has to talk some sense into you, because you’re being unreasonable. That man loved you. Everything he did was for you.”

  “Shelby, you didn’t even know the man.”

  “I know what you’ve told me. And I saw how much he cared for you the day he brought you home.”

  “He told our father the best thing he could do for us was blow his brains out. That’s why he killed himself. How can I forgive that? How can you?”

  “What a load of crap.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Shannon, our father was being investigated by the SEC. That’s really why he killed himself. He was going to jail.”

  Shannon frowned. “The Securities and Exchange Commission? How do you know that?”

  “Uncle Bill had his attorney look into it.”

  “What?”

  “Dad had until noon that day to turn himself in. He took the coward’s way out. He didn’t want to go to prison, Shannon. It was as simple as that. He didn’t think about what this would do to Mom, or you or me. He didn’t think about us at all. And anything in that note that says any different is bullshit. It was a purely selfish act. He was thinking only of himself.”

  *****

  Late that night, Cole, Wolf, Cajun and Green returned to the clubhouse, walked in and sat at the bar. Crash walked in behind them, grabbed a bottle from behind the bar and moved past his brothers to a dark table in the corner. Cole’s eyes followed him. He hated having to stand by as his brother fell into a deep depression. Not even Crash’s brothers, who had always been a family to him, could help him with this pain.

  Not even other women could get his mind off the grief. He just wasn’t interested in them. If one tried to come on to him, he shook them off. The first time he tried to be kind about it. If any of them were brazen enough or stupid enough to try a second come on, he got nasty, usually barking at them to leave him the fuck alone.

  Wolf looked over at Crash. “Maybe he needs to get laid.”

  Cole tapped his cigarette in the ashtray. “Yeah, but there’s only one woman he wants.”

  Mack walked up and took a seat next to Cole. “How’d it go?”

  “To hell,” Cole answered.

  “What happened? You get the money?”

  “Yeah. Artie’s not gonna be a problem again.”

  “You sure?”

  “After the way Crash roughed him up, yeah.”

  Mack could see his VP was still bothered by something. “And?”

  “We’ve got another problem to deal with.”

  “What’s that?”

  Cole lifted his chin towards Crash. “Him.”

  “Yeah? How’s he doing?”

  “We met up with Wolf, Green and Cajun at Marty’s on the way back.”

  “So?”

  “Crash earned his name again today,” Wolf put in.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Let’s just say we owe Marty a new window,” Cole explained.

  “Christ, another bar fight?”

  Wolf grinned. “You should have been there. He threw this poor son-of-a-bitch through the window, and the guy didn’t stop rolling until he was half way out in traffic.”

  Green laughed. “And then he threw his barstool out after him for good measure.”

  *****

  That night, Cole lie in bed with Angel cuddled up against him, his fingers stroking up and down her arm. “He’s no better.”

  “The time back home didn’t help?”

  Cole shook his head. “I’ve never seen him like this, Angel. He was always laughing, cutting up, so full of life. Always optimistic. The glass was always half full. Always. But now, fuck, baby, I’m watching my best friend fade away, just fucking fade away. And I don’t know how to help him.”

  Angel lifted her head to look up at him, her palm cupping his face. “He just needs time, baby. That’s all. It just takes time.”

  “Yeah.”

  They were quiet for a few minutes, and then Cole broke the silence. “He needs her, babe.”

  “Has he tried to contact her?”

  “I don’t think so, but I’ve seen him reject some incoming calls the last couple of days. I think maybe it’s her.”

  “Maybe you could talk to him. Tell him to give it another try, give her another chance.”

  “He’s not gonna listen.”

  “You should try, Cole.” When he remained silent, she pressed him. “Promise me you’ll try.”

  He nodded. “Okay, Mama. I promise.”

  As it turned out, Cole didn’t have to talk Crash into contacting Shannon. Because the next day, she made the first move.

  CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

  Shannon stood on the street outside Crash’s loft. She pressed the intercom button. “Crash?”

  She got no answer.

  She tried again. “Please, just let me come up and talk to you.”

  She looked up at the building wondering if he was even home. She stood there for a few moments wondering what else to try. He wasn’t answering her calls. She could leave a note, but she didn’t know if he’d see it. She could go to the clubhouse, but she had a feeling she wouldn’t be welcome, and she really didn’t want to humiliate herself in front of all his brothers, and that’s exactly what she figured Crash would demand. She would have to totally humble herself in front of him. He would take nothing less. God, that’s what it was going to come to, going to the club and apologizing, begging even, in front of all of them.

  She bit her lip, staring up at the building when she heard the sound. The loud roar of motorcycles, blocks away still, but getting closer. Her head twisted, her eyes searching out the source. They roared around the corner, four of them, as the garage door behind her began to roll up. She recognized them immediately, her eyes moving over each one. Crash. Cole. Red Dog and Wolf.

  She saw the moment Crash spotted her, his leg c
oming down as he eased back on the throttle and pulled up on the brakes. He rolled in off the street, stopping at the sidewalk where she stood staring back at him. And then he twisted the throttle and rolled on into the garage, his brothers following him inside. She stood hesitantly in the entrance watching as he put the kickstand down and threw his leg over the bike turning to face her as he ripped his helmet off and threw it violently across to a corner of the garage. “Got nothin’ to say to you, Shannon.” He lifted his chin toward the street. “Get out of here.”

  She swallowed in the face of his harshness, but she stiffened her spine and took it. “No. We need to talk.”

  “I want nothing to do with you, Shannon.” He turned toward the elevator as the others all dismounted, staying quietly out of it.

  “Crash, please. Just talk to me,” she tried again in a softer voice, stepping further into his garage.

  He turned, stalked to her and got right in her face. “You chose to believe your miserable fuck of a father over me. We got nothin’ to talk about. Understand? Nothing.”

  Red Dog and Wolf exchanged a look, both uncomfortable witnessing the exchange. They both liked Shannon and hated to see this. They gave her a sympathetic look as Crash stalked away from Shannon and got on the elevator, leaving them all standing there.

  Cole’s eyes moved to her, and he shook his head.

  Shannon met his look, her eyes stinging with unshed tears as the pain caused by Crash’s words ripped through her. She begged him softly, “Cole, please. I just want to talk to him. I need to make this right.” She gestured toward the elevator shaft as they heard the elevator hit the second floor, and the gate crash open. “We have something good.”

  “You had something good,” he corrected, and she felt the tears spill over and down her cheeks. “You fucked it all up. You. Not him.”

  She nodded, her head dropping, knowing the truth in his words. Had she done so much damage that it was now beyond repair? It broke her heart as the realization overwhelmed her that it was possible this couldn’t be fixed. She felt her shoulders shake, as Cole advanced. He walked over, his hand going to the back of her neck, and he pulled her close, kissing the top of her head.

  “Babe. Go home. Call me later.” He pulled back, looking down into her tear-filled eyes. “Okay?”

  She nodded and ran from the garage, heading to her car.

  Cole watched her go, and then turned back to Red Dog and Wolf. “Give me a minute with him?”

  They both nodded, sitting back sideways on their seats.

  Cole rode the elevator up. Throwing the gate open, he stalked off, finding Crash at the refrigerator gulping down a beer. Twisting at the waist, his eyes took in Cole. He reached inside, and a moment later a bottle of beer was sailing through the air towards him. Cole reached up and caught it, but set it down on the granite island unopened.

  “Where’s Wolf and Dog?”

  “Downstairs.”

  Crash’s eyes sharpened with understanding. “Not talking about this, Cole.”

  “Yeah, you are.” Cole watched as Crash let out an exasperated breath and leaned back against the counter.

  “That an order?”

  “If it needs to be.”

  Crash looked off shaking his head and mumbled under his breath, “Fucking bullshit.”

  Cole stared at him, not sure how to begin.

  Crash turned back to him. “What? What do you want me to say here?”

  “I want you to pull your head out of your ass. You got feelings for this woman. I’ve seen it. You’ve admitted it.”

  Crash shook his head, insisting, “It’s done.”

  “It’s not done. She was standing outside your door. That doesn’t say done to me.” Crash didn’t respond, but Cole could see his words were having an effect on him. He was getting through. “Give her another chance, brother. What have you got to lose? You’re life’s shit without her.”

  “She blames me for her father’s death. She flat out doesn’t believe in me. What’s changed?”

  “Crash, people are capable of change. I’ve seen it. Some people are capable of changing more in one day than others are in a whole life time.”

  “And you think that’s Shannon?”

  “Brother, we turned her life upside down. You cut through all her bullshit, stripped away all those barriers, got her off the pills. Hell, yeah, I think that’s Shannon.”

  Crash remained stubbornly silent, just shaking his head.

  “She fucked up, brother. And she realized it. She was standing down there willing to admit it. You too big a man to accept a fucking apology?”

  Still Crash said nothing.

  “Christ, you’re stubborn. You know there are damn few women, quality women like her that would have anything to do with men who live the kind of life we live. Shannon wanted you regardless.” Cole stared at Crash wondering seriously how long the stubborn was going to last. “She’s drop dead gorgeous, smart, sexy as hell, willing to put up with you, and she makes us all laugh. What’s not to love? What in that equation isn’t worth a second chance?”

  “Weren’t you the one not too long ago warning me off her?”

  “Yeah, well I was wrong. She’s the whole package, brother. That’s hard to find. Don’t give up on it. Give it another shot.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Brother-”

  Crash cut him off, jabbing his finger at him. “You lost Angel once, Cole. You look me in the eye, and tell me you could stand to lose her again.”

  They both knew the answer to that one.

  Cole’s jaw clenched as if he was trying to make himself say the words, tell Crash he could do it, when he knew it’d be a lie. “But, Crash, I wouldn’t have her now if I didn’t take the chance and give it another shot.” When Crash just shook his head, Cole tried again. “Crash, you have no idea how hard I had to work to get Angel to give me another shot.”

  Again Crash shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t lose her again. I can’t lose another person right now. Don’t you get it? I can’t let her in because if it all goes south again, I won’t survive it.”

  “Brother-”

  “Cole, just let it go.”

  *****

  That evening, Cole and Angel were in the kitchen. She was trying to frost a cake, and he was reaching around her, swiping at the icing with his finger. She smacked his hand. “Cole!”

  He grinned around his finger. “Hmm. Delicious.”

  “At least let me finish it, then I’ll gladly cut you a slice.”

  Laughing, he put his hands on her hips and kissed the side of her neck. “You take too long. Hurry up.”

  She turned with the frosting-coated butter knife in her hand and jabbed it at him. “Go.”

  He laughed, backing up, his hands in the air in surrender. His cell phone went off, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Looking at the screen, he put it to his ear.

  “Hey, sweetheart.”

  Angel immediately swiveled her head, her brows arching at the endearment.

  “It’s Shannon,” he told her.

  Angel grabbed the phone out of his hand and put it to her ear. “Shannon?”

  “Hey, Angel. How are you?”

  “I just baked a cake. Get your butt over here.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Shannon, Cole told me about your visit today. Now, get in your car, and get over here. Now.” She could see Cole chuckling out of the corner of her eye.

  “Give it up, Shannon,” he called out. “She’s not gonna let up until you do.”

  Angel grinned at him and said into the phone, “He’s right, babe. I’m like a dog with a bone when I get something in my head. And I’m determined we’re going to fix this.”

  Twenty minutes later, Shannon pulled down their long drive.

  Cole met her at the door, holding it open for her. He gave her a hug. “Good to see you, honey.”

  She hugged him back.

  Angel was next in line with a big hug.
“Come on, sit down. I’ve got a pot of coffee on.”

  “Cut the cake already,” Cole said.

  Angel grinned. “I made him wait. He’s been trying to get a piece since I pulled it out of the oven.”

  They all sat at the island. Well, Angel and Shannon sat, Cole stood leaning back against the sink, shoveling cake in his mouth as soon as Angel passed him the plate.

  Angel barely waited until Shannon took a sip of coffee before she started in. “Well, spill.”

  “He won’t talk to me. I’ve called him. I’ve left messages. And today I finally got the guts up to go see him. I don’t know what else to do.” Shannon held her hands up.

  Angel reached across the island, laying her hand over Shannon’s. “Don’t give up on him. Cole came this close to giving up on me.” She held her hand up, her fingers an inch apart. “And I thank God every night that he didn’t.”

  “You’re lucky I didn’t. You were being one stubborn woman, babe.” Cole paused with the fork halfway to his mouth and winked at her.

  “I’m very lucky, baby.” Angel smiled back at him.

  Cole set his plate in the sink and walked over to her. He put his hand on her head and bent to kiss the top of her head. Then he dipped his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Maybe later tonight you can get naked and show me just how appreciative you are.”

  Her hand slid to the side of his face, and she turned her head to kiss his check. “It’s a date, honey.” She yanked his arm and pulled him down to the chair next to her. “Now sit down, and tell us what Crash said.”

  “Babe, isn’t this girl-talk. You don’t need me.”

  “Yes, we do. Please tell me what he said,” Shannon begged.

  Cole blew out a breath and sat back, knowing he wasn’t getting out of this without at least a couple minutes of chick talk. “He really didn’t want to talk about it, but he’s hurting. It’s not all you. Losing his family and all-”

  Shannon interrupted. “Wait, what?”

  Cole and Angel simultaneously turned to each other and asked, “You didn’t tell her?”

  Then simultaneously responded, “When would I have told her?”