B00M39ZWUO EBOK

by Michelle Woods - Catching Trick (Red Devils MC #3) , 25th July

  “Good,” Tiny called, climbing on his bike, Racheal exited the shop climbing on with him. “Do it now.”

  Then Tiny was roaring away on his bike with his old lady clinging to him. Pulling out his phone Trick called Bone.

  “Yeah,” Bone answered.

  “Put Pretty Boy on her for now. I will have to work on her some before she’s ready for the safe house.”

  “Figured that was how it would go. I tried the safe house the first time and she refused then too, as you know. I told you that it would be that way,” Bone chuckled. Making Trick grit his teeth in annoyance.

  “Just put a tail on her, Bone. I’m still pissed that you didn’t tell me.”

  “She didn’t want you to know, and you have no claim on her. Told you that, too,” Bone replied, a hard warning in his voice that made him a good president for the club. That edge was the reason he was the president of their MC, even though he was only thirty two.

  “The hell with that, Bone. You know damned well that I needed to know about this shit! I earned the right to know. She’s been my sister’s best friend for years. I need to know if she’s threatened!”

  “On that, we disagree. She didn’t want you to know, and she is allowed to make that choice. Unless she’s property.” Bone growled, over the phone causing Trick to clasp his fists in anger. His teeth were clenched so tight it was a wonder that his jaw didn’t break.

  “I don’t want to talk about this again. It just pisses me off. Have Pretty Boy watch her, damn it!” Trick wanted to tell Bone that he’d strangle the man if he didn’t let him know if Katie was in danger. He only refrained because he knew that Bone didn’t respond well to threats, and he would most likely, not tell Trick anything regarding Katie’s safety just to be a dick.

  As he hung up the phone heading into the shop, he wondered if Katie was okay. His stomach was still in knots, over the way she’d looked while kicking him out. Shaking off the strange sense of unease he felt, he went back into the shop. He was just entering his office when his phone rang again.

  “Yeah,” he answered.

  “Well, hello to you too, big brother,” Charity muttered, laughing.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Trick wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone right now. Not even his sister who he normally enjoyed talking to.

  “I was wondering, if tomorrow night you wanted to go to Frenzy with me?”

  “Why?” He demanded not in the mood to play around. Charity always wanted something when she asked him to go to Frenzy, an upscale restaurant, which served his favorite dish, clams. It had started when she was ten. She’d wanted a new bike and their father wasn’t in agreement that she needed a new one. She’d come to him with her big doe eyes, and a pout asking to go to Frenzy, which even then was his favorite restaurant. He had agreed, and somewhere after the first batch of clams, she’d dropped the bomb. She’d even cried, because all her friends had new bikes, she was the only one with an old beat up one.

  Two days later, she’d been riding her new bike with her friends, preening, because she was the only one with a new bike. That was the first time he’d been suckered, but it hadn’t been the last time. Now, when she asked him to take her there, he knew always knew that something was up. Her asking him to meet her for dinner meant she wanted something.

  “Just meet me and we can talk about it, Trick,” Charity demanded.

  “Fine, what time?”

  “Six thirty.”

  “Okay, see you tomorrow night,” Trick growled, pissed off that shit was hitting the fan all at once.

  “Damn, you’re cranky! I’ll see you tomorrow hope you’re in a better mood,” Charity muttered, before hanging up.

  Pissed, Trick slammed the door to his office, plopping into his chair with a huff of anger. He was so mad that he’d fucked things up with Katie this morning. Running his hands through his hair, he rested his head in his hands wondering what the hell he was going to do to fix this shit.

  Katie pulled herself up from the crumpled heap she’d fallen into after Trick left, with her heart broken and her head pounding. Crying so hard had given her a massive headache. She walked into the den, and stood at her computer, she didn’t bother sitting down. She just hit save and shut it down. Working on her new book wasn’t going to happen today she was still too upset. Deciding that she should go lay down, and maybe take something for this headache, she entered the kitchen.

  As she neared the counter, she heard her phone that she was charging beside the coffee pot, ringing. Picking it up, she looked and saw that Charity was calling. Damn, she really didn’t want to talk to her right now. Her brother had just ripped her heart out and Charity knew her better than anyone. With a sigh she answered the call, Charity might need something.

  “Hello,” she croaked, her throat still raw from her tear fest.

  “Wow, you sound sick. Are you okay?” Charity asked.

  “I’m fine. I just was feeling a bit congested today.” She lied, hoping Charity wouldn’t question her further.

  “Oh, that sucks. I was just calling to see what you’re doing on Thursday. I’m going to be in town, and wondered if you’d want to go dancing or shopping. I miss spending time with you, but you know I had to get away from Devils Falls and Tricks overbearing protectiveness.”

  Hearing Tricks name made Katie’s heart squeeze painfully. She wanted to scream, instead she replied. “Sure, sounds fun. Let’s do both.”

  “Super! I can’t wait. Alright, I have to get back to work and I’m sure you’re writing. I will talk to you tomorrow and well finalize the details. Hope you’re feeling better by then.”

  Hitting end on the cell, then setting it on the counter, Katie wanted to cry all over again. It was just too much. Trick had been the man she’d wanted for years and finally today he’d kissed her. Only he was immediately disgusted by their kisses, and wanted to forget it had ever happened. She took something for her head, she was heading to her room to read when her phone rang again.

  Thinking Charity must have forgotten something, she answered, “What did you forget?”

  “Ummm…nothing. I just called you?” Mary Ann said, with a laugh.

  “Oh, sorry thought you were Charity.”

  “Ha, I see how I rate,” Mary Ann grumbled.

  “Shut up, you know that I love you both the same,” Katie said, sitting down on the stool.

  “What’s wrong?” Mary Ann suddenly asked.

  Dang, she was good. She always knew when something was wrong with Katie, even over the phone. She must have a sixth sense or something.

  “It’s noth…”

  “No, it’s not nothing, Katie. What happened?” Mary Ann demanded.

  “Trick,” was all Katie got out before Mary Ann demanded.

  “What did that man do now? He just can’t seem to stop torturing you. I think you need to walk away from this insane lust you have for him. He’s an asshole. He always wants to run off any man you’re with, but then his balls shrink. It’s disgusting that the man insists that you’re too young, but he won’t allow you to form an attachment with anyone else. He just keeps stringing you along. It has to stop, Katie!” Mary Ann finished the tirade with a yell.

  “Wow, tell me how you really feel, why don’t you?” Katie was shocked that Mary Ann was so vehement about how Trick treated her. She’d had no idea that Mary Ann felt this way about her and Trick’s sad relationship. Ha, if you could call what they had, a relationship. She was still so pissed off and hurt that she wanted to scream.

  “Katie, you need to move on. I have a friend who would be perfect for you. Let me set you up with him, please,” Mary Ann begged.

  “Fine,” Katie replied. She was tired of putting her life on hold for a man who wasn’t interested in her. She was going to force herself to get over Trick. Today had shown her that the man was never going to get his head out of his ass long enough to notice that she’d finally grown up. She wasn’t going to wait any longer, four years of her life wasted on that man was enough
She wasn’t going to waste a single minute more.

  “Fine, really? You’ll date him?” Mary Ann sounded shocked by her easy acceptance. Katie knew that was because all the other times she’d set Katie up with men, she had fought her for days before finally agreeing to go out with the man. She was turning over a new leaf. No more waiting for a man who didn’t want her. She was done putting her life on hold for him.

  “Yes, really.”

  “Yes! Finally,” Mary Ann’s gleeful shout made her head hurt all over again.

  “Calm down! It’s just a date. I’m not saying I’m going to marry him and have his babies or anything,” Katie grumbled.

  “I know, but you’re finally ready to move on. What changed?”

  “Let’s just say that I know for sure that he’s not interested in starting anything with me, and leave it at that. I will never get what I want from him.” Katie said, leaning back against the cabinets behind her, as she talked to Mary Ann. She was so tired of not being good enough because she was too young. She just wanted respect from the man, didn’t he know that?

  “Oh, sweetie, I’m so very sorry. I wish it wasn’t that way. I know how much you care about him.”

  “Yeah, it’s okay. I will be alright. Are you going to have this man, who’d better be blow my mind sexy, call me?” Katie asked, getting up and heading into her computer room. Perhaps she would write after all, she was defiantly mad enough to write a death scene, now.

  The next morning Katie was entering her office to work on her latest novel with her coffee in hand. Her phone buzzed on the desk where she’d left it last night after talking to Mary Ann.

  “Hello?” Katie said unsure, the number that flashed on her screen wasn’t one she recognized.

  “Hi, I’m the lame guy your friends trying to set you up with. I know, I know. Blind dates are the worst. Names, Travis Fields. And your Katie, at least I hope you’re Katie, or I’ve just made a bigger ass of myself than I’d planned.” Travis paused and Katie wanted to giggle. He was funny. “This is Katie, right? Otherwise this is even more embarrassing than being set up on a blind date because I’m too lame to find my own.”

  “Well, I am Katie, but I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m the lame one who needed a date so bad my friends have started throwing them at me.” Katie laughed. She already liked him and she had only spoke to him for a few minutes. Maybe this could work. If he was this charming when she met him. He just might convince her shattered heart that it should take a chance on him.

  “Is that happening to you, too? I tell you it is a little disheartening. Our friend thinks we’re just useless when it comes to finding someone to date. It’s kinda sad, really.” Travis grumbled.

  “I know, right? I really hate that I’ve become Mary Ann’s charity case!” Katie smiled, sitting down and taking a sip of her coffee.

  “You? Ha, this is the third blind date this month for me. All my friends say I don’t date and it’s not healthy. So, here I am calling a complete stranger to set up a date, just so I can be normal.”

  Laughing, Katie set her coffee down, leaning back in her chair.

  “Katie, I guess we should get to the date part, huh? Do you like Frenzy? I’ve found that for awkward first dates, it’s a perfect place to eat. See, you can get a private table and stare awkwardly at the person across the table.”

  Katie let out another laugh, before she replied, “I love Frenzy. They have the best clams. I think it’s a date. And I have a feeling that with you around there will be no awkward, silent staring.”

  “We can hope. I’m much better at over the phone banter than in person banter though, that’s why my friends all set me up.” Travis said, with a light chuckle.

  “I think we can muddle through.” Katie murmured, with another laugh. “If not, there’s always a second option.”

  “Oh, what’s that?”

  “I could call you.” Katie said with a grin, hearing his loud guffaw.

  “Katie, I think that might be awkward for the other dinners. But you’re right I don’t think it will be a problem. Do you want to meet there or do you want me to pick you up? I’m a bit old fashion, I like to pick the lady up.” Travis told her with a chuckle.

  “Old fashioned girl, here. Pick me up.” After giving him her address and setting up for him to pick her up at six thirty. She hung up with a smile on her face and hope filling her heart. He might be just the thing she needed. A light hearted, fun man who understood it was okay to want a woman. He was also according to Mary Ann, thirty four, only two years younger than Trick and he didn’t seem to mind that she was younger than him. This could work. Maybe she could get over this sad desperation she felt for Trick.

  She wanted to have a life for once. It was so frustrating to want something so badly your whole body seemed to vibrate with the need, only to be denied that want, over and over. At some point you had to decide that enough was enough and move on. She was ready, after the disaster yesterday to move on. Trick was never going to want her the way she did him. He just thought of her as a sister he needed to care for.

  Chapter 6

  A few hours later, Katie decided that she needed to go into town to get some coffee and a few other things from the local grocery store. It wasn’t as big as the department store in Titus, but it carried just about everything the club sold, and some things they didn’t. It was run by Torch and his old lady, Marta. She looked at the clock realizing it was twelve. If she wanted to get into town and back in time to prepare for her date with Travis, she needed to get a move on it. Grabbing her purse she headed out to her truck. Opening the door and getting in, she pulled her keys out before she noticed the box sitting on the passenger seat.

  A package wrapped in string about the size of a large shoe box sat next to her. Shit, her stalker was back. She reach into her purse pulling out her phone. She found the number she needed and pushed send. It rang twice before she heard a gruff voice answer.

  “Yeah, what’s up?” Pretty Boy asked.

  “How far away are you?” She questioned, grabbing her purse, opening the door, needing to get out of the truck and away from that box. She slid out of the truck, her phone still to her ear.

  “Be there in a second.” Pretty Boy said before he hung up.

  A few seconds later, she watched him push his hog out of the woods near the house. She wasn’t surprised by his appearance. She’d known that Trick and Bone would have him watch her. It was the way the club worked. If you were family, then you were protected even when you didn’t want to be protected. Katie watch him put down the kick stand, then he was striding towards her with a grim expression.

  “What’s wrong?” He demanded, when he came to a halt beside the truck, standing in front of her with a worried frown.

  “I received another gift.” She replied with a shudder of distaste. Remembering the last gifts her stalker had left for her. They’d all been creepy, but the one that made her shudder in utter disgust was the second one she’d received. It had been filled with roaches and other bugs that had poured out of the box the second she opened it. They were disgusting creatures, roaches. She’d had nightmares for a week about them crawling on her in her sleep. No way in hell was she opening another one or these creepy gifts. Some of the others had been confusing. A severed dolls head, a ripped up shirt, and dead flowers were among the items, as well as strangely altered printed scenes from her books.

  “Damn, it’s escalating. The taunts were never this close together before. I was here only ten minutes after your father left this morning. How the hell did they get it into the truck that quick? What is it this time?” Pretty Boy asked, rubbing his forehead in agitation.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t open it. After the bugs, I will not open another gift from this madman! They probably put it in sometime last night.” Katie growled.

  With a sigh of displeasure, he grumbled, “Okay, just let me get it out of the truck, then I’ll open it.” Pretty Boy walked to the passenger side and opened the
door.

  Taking out the package, he set it on a nearby rock and cut the string. Opening the lid gingerly waiting to see if anything popped out. When nothing did he opened the box completely. Inside was a doll with hair the same as hers taped to its head. With the eyes gouged out and a knife in its heart.

  “Well that’s a lovely gift!” Katie exclaimed, trembling a bit from the implied threat. Her stalker was definitely back and he was sending her a message that he was not going to play nice.

  “I gotta call Bone.” Pretty Boy stepped away far enough that she was unable to hear his conversation, while Katie leaned on the door of the truck, waiting. She knew what was coming. When Pretty Boy hung up, she waited watching him.

  “Bone, thinks we need another set of eyes on you. He’s calling in Log. He wants us to take shifts. It would help if you’d go into the safe house.”

  “No, I won’t let this person run me off. He needs to understand that I am not going to live my life in fear. If I do, he wins.” Katie wasn’t going to play this game with her stalker. They had better realize that as soon as Trick got wind of this he was going to shit a brick. Then he was going to start actively hunting whoever this was, and when he found them, they better pray to god that someone else in the club got there first. Otherwise they would be dead.

  “Katie this would be easier if you were safe. Don’t be stubborn. Bone will only allow it for a short time before he will force the issue. You…” Katie’s phone began to ring, interrupting whatever else he had to say.

  Katie sighed, when she saw who the caller was. “Yeah?”

  “What the hell! Why didn’t you call me?” Trick demanded.

  Katie rolled her eyes. She wouldn’t be surprised if the man was foaming at the mouth. The man was such a dick. Why would she call him? He wasn’t her keeper, her brother or her old man. She didn’t need to tell him anything.