“I’ve got to go out, Michael’s got me running an errand for him again.”
“Better than this shit, I’m sure of that,” he grunts, holding up rubber gloves and a bucket.
I liked him as soon as we had our first conversation on my first day here. He doesn’t give a fuck what people think about him and I like that.
“Can I borrow your truck for a couple of hours?” I ask him, already reaching for his keys behind the bar along with my hoodie.
“Yeah sure.”
I don’t hang around and leave quickly before anyone else can hold me up. The truck is where he always parks it and I climb in and turn the ignition on.
Backing out of the garages I spot Michael watching me, he nods once and disappears into the bar.
He said Big Ron was on his way back to town so I ride out to the town border and park up on the side of the road. After a seconds thought, I jump out and lift the hood to make it look like I’ve broken down. Lighting up a cigarette I wait him out and come to the conclusion that if this is a test and I fail by actually killing him then I’ll kill Michael for setting me up and then run. Moving from place to place isn’t new to me and if I have to do it again, I will. I really need this not to be test, the Lost Souls club is the first place I’ve felt like I belonged and the thought of moving on fills me with dread. I want to be a part of this club and killing the big guy doesn’t bother me. It should but it don’t. As much as I hate being a prospect having to do the grunt work, it was a means to an end. An end where I would be wanted and respected.
Just like Michael told me a headlight shines bright as it rides into town and I quickly look around to see if we’re alone. As the rider gets closer I see it is definitely Big Ron and flag him down.
He rolls to a stop and my heart thumps erratically.
“What are you doing out here, prospect?” he asks.
“Running an errand for Michael but the truck has broken down,” I lie.
“I’ll take a look for you,” he offers, swinging his leg off his bike.
When he walks closer to me and to the truck his size looms over us and makes the truck and myself look tiny.
“How long have you been out here?” he asks, leaning over the engine.
I pull out the gun and decide not to waste time thinking too much. I’ve never killed anyone before, I’ve come close in fights when they got out of hand but never gone all the way.
He hears me click the safety off and spins around.
“What the fuck?”
“I’d say I’m sorry but I’m not. I need to do this,” I tell him.
“You don’t have to do nothing, prospect. Put down the gun and we’ll talk about this,” he urges.
“There’s nothing to talk about, I’ve been given my order and I’m going to go through with it.”
His mouth opens and closes but before he can say a word, I squeeze the trigger. The force jolts my arm and I stumble back slightly.
Big Ron collapses to the floor and he isn’t moving. Shoving the gun back into my pocket, I fall to my knees to make sure he is dead. The bullet hit him straight in the heart and by the looks of it, one bullet was all it took to take him out.
Dragging his dead weight across the grass verge, I dump him just off the road and scatter dry leaves and grass over his body.
I leave his bike parked where it is and drop the hood on Sparky’s truck. The sooner I get out of here the better.
Keeping to the same story I told Sparky I turn the ignition on and drive towards town, leaving Big Ron dead in the leaves.
The diner is still open when I drive by so I make a fast U-turn and park up. It’s pretty quiet inside the diner so I’m thankful I will be remembered if asked and plus my order of burger and fries gets done quickly.
Back in the truck I stuff the gun into the bag and take a minute to get my pulse under control. It slowly begins to sink in what I have done, I shot him and he died. It’s what I was told to do and I don’t feel bad. I should feel bad but I don’t feel anything.
The clubhouse is crammed with brothers when I return and I push my way through to Michael’s office.
“You’re back then,” Sparky smiles, as I pass the bar.
“Yeah, I feel like a fuckin’ delivery boy,” I mutter loud enough for him to hear over the music.
“Better than bathroom duty boy,” he smirks.
I nod and carry on to the back.
I knock on the office door and wait for the okay to enter.
“Come in,” Michael yells and I open the door.
Thankfully he’s alone and I close the door behind me.
I put the bag on his desk and step back.
Michael stands and peaks into the bag and smiles.
“Haven’t had a burger in weeks, Kitty’s been on a health kick and it’s driving me crazy,” he laughs.
“It’s done,” I tell him when he doesn’t ask.
“Where?”
“On the edge of town just like you said. The gun is in the bag, I thought you would want to get rid of it.”
He doesn’t mention anything about it and takes the food out and puts the bagged gun in his desk drawer.
“At the next meeting, you’ll be patched in. This needed to be done, Big Ron wasn’t who we all thought he was and there’s no room for anyone here who can’t keep their mouths shut.”
I understand what he is saying, don’t tell anyone what I did tonight. To be honest, I plan on forgetting it as soon as I walk out of this room. I will remember to be cautious when I’m patched in when it comes to Michael. The man is ruthless and will take anyone out who gets in his way and I don’t want that to happen to me.
“Do you need anything else tonight?”
“No, you’re free to go.”
I don’t realize how hard it’s been to breathe until it dawns on me that it really wasn’t a test and within in the next couple of days I’ll be patched in and wearing the cut proudly with my name on it.
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
MICHAEL
“Come on, I haven’t got all day,” I yell into the bar.
The party went on later than usual last night and no one is moving faster than a snail this morning and it’s driving me crazy.
“My head hurts,” Oak whines taking his seat.
“Get over it, we’ve got business to get through.”
“No we haven’t, we’ve got trouble, come out here,” Micky says, bursting into the room.
Everyone looks to him and follows him out into the bar.
On the floor and covered with a blanket is a huge lump.
“Everyone move back,” I order, making my way to the front of the crowd.
Peeling back the blanket uncovers Big Ron’s face and further inspection shows a bullet hole in the middle of his chest. No other marks on him but the shot hole.
He fucking did it, I knew he would. Shock floats around the bar and everyone goes quiet.
“Get him out of here, take him to the warehouse on the edge of town and keep him there until I tell you what to do,” I order Sparky and Slade.
With Cas being the one to kill him, Slade and Sparky need to be a part of it just as much and them being the ones to transport the body gets them in deeper with club business.
“The rest of you in the back room now,” I bark out.
Surprisingly, my brothers remain quiet until we are all sat around the table in the backroom.
“You know who did this, don’t you?” Micky growls.
“Yeah we do, this is down to the Raging Riders, motherfuckers,” Oak roars, slamming his fist down on the table.
“What are we going to do?” Pope asks, speaking for the first time in months.
“We’re going to war and not stopping until we take out every motherfucker wearing their cut,” Micky yells.
This is the way it carries on for a further hour and a half, slamming my own fist on the table. I lose my patience and call for silence. I didn’t need to mention the Raging Riders, they came to that c
onclusion all on their own. Just what I planned.
“It’s been open season on Raging fucks for a long time but it’s time to step it up,” I begin, “With them killing Big Ron, it only means that we kill them, eye for an eye, body for a body. Happy hunting brothers.”
Cheers and hollers fill the room and after I’ve given them freedom to go for revenge it take long for them to forget Big Ron, for the moment.
“With another body out we’re going to need more brothers to get us through this war. I suggest we patch in Cas, Sparky and Slade. They all bring something to the table and we need the numbers.”
Nods of agreement makes this easier.
“As usual, we’ll take a vote. Who’s in favour of Castiel Jackson, Slade McCarthy and Jason ‘Sparky’ Carter becoming Lost Souls brothers?”
“Cas is clever and strong, Sparky is an explosive little shit and Slade on that computer of his is fucking scary, I say, aye,” Oak says.
Not one brother disagrees and I smile gleefully.
“Then it’s settled, later tonight we’ll welcome them in. Is there anything else you want to discuss?” I ask the table.
Micky taps his fingers on the table and we all look to him and wait to see what he has to say.
“You all know Flo hasn’t been well lately, I finally got her to go see the doc and they ran a bunch of tests. They say she has cancer, man.”
“Mick, I’m so sorry,” Oak rumbles.
More apologies fly around the room and he accepts them all.
“She has to start chemo soon so I won’t be around as much. I need to be with her whenever she needs me.”
“That goes without saying brother,” I finally speak.
“Does she need anything?” Oak asks him.
Micky shakes his head and pushes out of his chair.
“I’m gonna get home, she’s still in shock and doesn’t want to be on her own for long.”
“Go, we understand,” I tell him.
I’ve never been keen on Flo, she was always whispering in Rayna’s ear shit about me but I never wished her dead, which she will be if the chemo isn’t successful. Micky on the other hand, I do wish dead. I haven’t forgotten about him and never will but for the moment until we know how Flo is going to be he has a reprieve. I like the thought of him knowing how it feels to lose someone he loves. Let him live with those feelings of regrets and guilt.
“Turn the music down,” I order.
Everyone apart from Micky is here and since he already gave his vote, he doesn’t need to be here in person.
“Cas, Sparky and Slade come over here please,” I yell to them.
The three of them glance between themselves and walk over to me warily.
“Don’t look so scared, this is a good night,” I assure them.
Cas knows what’s coming and nudges Sparky beside him.
“Earlier we all took a vote whether or not these prospects deserve to wear our patch. It is with great fuckin’ pleasure that we all voted…you in.”
I hand each of them their own cut with their own Lost Soul patch and I feel the club get stronger. A new generation of Lost Souls and not only will they make up the numbers, they will help in bringing down the enemy in the most fashionable of ways.
“Bring in the girls,” I instruct, “Have fun our new brothers,” I smile, knowing they will do.
The whores wrap around the fresh meat and everyone raises their drinks in the air.
“Lost Souls till we die,” they chant over and over.
A new era is about to begin and everything I’m putting together can finally be set into motion.
EPILOGUE
It doesn’t matter how many years pass, they all feel like the same to me. The body count has been ridiculously high for both clubs. In the last two years Hunter has gone into hiding and nothing we’ve done has brought the fucker out.
They attack us but when we go to hit them back, he’s gone again and we only get his foot soldiers.
His blood for blood threat has always remained in my mind and the way things are going these days it’s that threat that is going to bring him out of hiding.
“What are you thinking?” Kitty asks, sliding her arms around my waist.
“That I need a plan to draw out Hunter once and for all and I think the only way to do that is to use someone close to me.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Something he once said to me after I killed his brother.”
She pulls away and pulls a face like I slapped her.
“Are you thinking of using me?” she shrieks as quietly as she can.
“Of course not.”
I reckon he’d love to take Kitty from me but it’s not her he really wants. Alannah is the one he’d love to get his dirty hands on and now she’s twenty-one he could be around any corner at any time.
“What exactly did he say?” she asks, taking a seat next to me.
“Blood for blood.”
“But, your only blood is Lana,” she says as if I didn’t already know that.
“I know that, babe.”
She bites her lip and her eyes get this busy crazy look in them and gets me worried.
“What are you thinking?” I ask, turning her question back on her.
“What if…”
Nothing ever ends well that begins with what if.
“What if you used Alannah to draw out Hunter? If he thought Alannah was cast out and alone he might come out from wherever he is and you can finally get him.”
“You are bat shit crazy woman, how in the world would I get away with casting her out and why would you think I would?”
“Think about it Michael, all you have to do is act the concerned uncle and tell her she deserves a better life away from the club. Make her stay at the house in town and put a prospect on her to watch out so you know if Hunter comes around. She’ll be away from everyone but still close enough to keep her safe. Nothing will happen to her if we do this right.”
“We?”
“Yes we, I’m always with you Michael. You can finally end the Raging Riders club and all it takes it to use Alannah as bait. No one will know but us and it will finally end.”
I take a minute to think this through, at first I thought she was crazy but this doesn’t sound too crazy now it is sinking in.
A part of me genuinely wants different for Alannah, Rayna would have pushed her to go and see the big wide world, but the other part of me promised my brother I would always keep her safe.
“I told Mark I would protect her, I’m going to have to break that promise if I go through with your plan.”
“No you won’t. Put a prospect on her, he can live with her or whatever. Nothing will happen to her, Michael.”
“She still has another year at college, I don’t want anything messing that up.”
“Michael, this has been going on for years, what’s another nine months? When she graduates next year she’ll want to come home and that’s when you do it.”
It’s not a bad plan to be honest.
“There is still one problem,” I mutter.
“I don’t see one.”
“Cas.”
They think I haven’t noticed, they think their little meet ups and secret kisses have escaped my attention. He could get in the way of these potential new plans, the club is all Cas has and when he was promoted to VP last month I had hoped he would leave her alone thinking he had more to lose now. Instead, over the summer they have gotten closer and closer. I’ve kept my mouth shut seeing where it was headed but now, I need it to stop. Cas didn’t strike me as a guy who take on an old lady as young as he is and as whorish as he is.
If it gets serious between them this plan won’t work because he wouldn’t let her out of his sight.
“She’s the niece of his President. I’m sure you can pull rank and force him to stay away from her,” she says, before leaving me alone in my office.
She’s right, I am the President and it won’t look strange to anyone th
at I would be angry that one of the brothers is trying it on with my niece.
Leaving my office seconds after Kitty, I’m glad to see everyone is in the bar.
“I need the brothers in the garage now,” I yell making sure they all hear.
I don’t wait for them to follow and head for the garage myself, thinking quickly with every step about how this is going to go down.
Turning on the lights and pushing the tool boxes out of the way, I have my plan.
“What’s goin’ on, Michael?” Oak asks, being the first one in and everyone following him.
“Wait and see,” I tell him, making sure everyone is here.
They all congregate in a semi-circle and look at me in confusion as to why they have been called here.
Just before I’m about to fill them in Cas appears in the doorway and saunters in.
“Ah, now we can begin,” I start, “It’s come to my attention that a brother has been going behind my back with my niece.”
Pope jumps to his feet and looks pissed scanning each and every man. Surprisingly Oak doesn’t look like this is the first time he’s heard this. Then again, if I had caught them together then maybe he has too.
“Everyone here knows Alannah is not to be touched, she’s my niece and the founder of this club’s daughter. I take it as disrespect to my brother and personally myself. Did you honestly think you could get away with this, Cas?”
All eyes shoot to him and he purposefully lifts his chin and squares his shoulders. I knew the kid was fearless but against me, I thought he’d at least look partially guilty.
“What do you have to say for yourself? Do you deny it?”
He steps into the middle of the surrounding brothers and faces us all head on.
“I don’t deny it, I know it was wrong but I do have feelings for her, Michael. I was just coming to talk to you about her. I want your blessing to be with her.”
Biker Born: The Lost Souls MC Series (The Lost Souls Series Book 4) Page 25
