Shadow's Surrender: Insurgents Motorcycle Club (Insurgents MC Romance Book 14)

by Chiah Wilder

The sound of his phone’s ringtone startled him and seemed out of place among the stillness of the landscape. Shadow glanced at the screen and the corners of his mouth turned up.

  “Hey, baby,” he said.

  “Hi. I just wanted to hear your voice,” Scarlett said.

  “Yours is just what I needed right now.”

  “What’re you doing?”

  “Hanging out back by the river. I tied a few on pretty good last night, so my head is a fuckin’ mess.”

  She chuckled. “What was the occasion?”

  “We never need one at the club.”

  “Are you too hungover to have dinner at my place? I’m grilling steaks, onions, and red peppers.”

  “I’ll be there, babe. I thought we’d go for a bike ride tomorrow after work. There’s a rock festival in Silverton that I’d like to take you to.”

  “That sounds great, but I can’t go. I’m sorry, but I have a committee meeting for the upcoming gala. We’ll be going over the programs, addressing all the invitations, and a bunch of other things. I’d love it if you were at my place when I got home, though.”

  He chuckled. “You can count on that.”

  “Hmm …”

  “You at work?”

  “Yes, but I’m leaving pretty soon. You can come by at any time.”

  “I’ll be there in an hour, darlin’.”

  “I can’t wait to see you,” she whispered. “Bye.”

  Shadow put the phone down on the grass and looked back at the river. Part of him was still in disbelief that he’d found his mother’s murderer after all this time. Then all at once, an overwhelming urge to have his mother next to him grabbed hold of him like a vise.

  “You’d really like Scarlett, Mom. She’s a good woman,” he said out loud. A strange idea then popped into his head. “Did you bring her to me? That would be something you’d do. She’s the type of girl I know you’d want for me to settle down with.”

  Shadow tilted his head back and squinted. White clouds scuttled across the cornflower blue sky; several birds circled and dipped in the great expanse as if in a graceful dance. After a long while, he rose to his feet and walked up the small incline, then entered the club and made his way to his room and changed his clothes.

  An hour later he had Scarlett in his arms, their lips fused in a fiery kiss. Her moans and small whimpers fueled Shadow’s constant desire for her, and he scooped her up in his arms and walked slowly to the bedroom.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  The golden orange and smoky purple streaks melted into gray under the moonlight. Shadow glanced out the window while he massaged the ache in the back of his neck. He’d been bent over the computer for most of the day, and his dry eyes and aching neck were the result of no breaks. Whenever he got involved in something, time would rush by without him noticing it.

  He looked over at the wall clock: 7:15 p.m. Scarlett had texted him over an hour ago, saying she would be home later than she’d thought. Shadow planned to make her his signature dish: shrimp scampi. It was a favorite of his mother’s and whenever shrimp had gone on sale, she’d snatch it up. His mom had often told him that if he learned to cook only one dish, it had to be shrimp scampi, and so she’d taught him how to do so.

  Shadow had gone to the grocery store before coming in to work, and now he walked over to the small fridge and took out the bag of shrimp, a container of basil, and a bottle of white wine imported from France. He locked the office door, then set the alarm before exiting the warehouse. Glancing around, he didn’t spot any of the brothers or prospects and wondered if Hawk and Banger had reconsidered having someone watch over him. Since the whole babysitting shit had come up a couple days before, Shadow hadn’t noticed anyone tailing him.

  The only sounds came from the silhouettes of trees, their branches swaying in the wind of a newly silver sky, and the soft scampering of a nocturnal animal taking cover in the bushes.

  He crossed the lot, put the groceries and wine in the saddle bags, then jumped on his bike and headed over to Scarlett’s. That night, he wanted to pamper her, to give her the princess treatment, then after dinner he’d put aside his gentlemanly ways and bang her good and hard—just the way she loved it.

  Shadow parked in front of her building and lifted his chin at the desk attendant as he walked over to the elevators. Scarlett had put his name on the list as a permanent guest so he didn’t have to keep signing in and showing his damn driver’s license.

  Shadow looked at his reflection in the mirrored elevator doors: a bottle of wine in one hand, a couple of bags of groceries in the other. If anyone would’ve told him two months ago that he’d be making dinner for a woman he loved, Shadow would’ve punched them out. He shook his head and chuckled, then stepped out when the doors opened on Scarlett’s floor.

  He unlocked the door and entered the condo. It was quiet except for the low hum of some of the kitchen appliances. When Shadow walked into the living room, he saw the silhouette of a woman sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs.

  “Hey, baby,” he said. “I guess you finished sooner than you thought. Why the hell are you sitting in the dark?” He felt around on the wall and found a light switch.

  After he flipped it on, Shadow widened his eyes in surprise as his gaze fell on Scarlett’s mother, sitting with her legs crossed on one of Scarlett’s favorite chairs.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” he growled as he took a few steps forward.

  Pamela laughed dryly. “No ‘Hello, Mrs. Mansfield’? I can’t believe my daughter is involved with such a Neanderthal.”

  Shadow walked away and into the kitchen.

  “You haven’t answered my question as to why you’re here,” he said, putting the groceries into the refrigerator.

  “I wanted to speak to Scarlett since she makes it a point to come by the house whenever I’m not there.”

  “That should tell you she doesn’t want to see you. Did you bribe the attendant to get inside?” He took out a box of linguine from the pantry and set it on the counter. The last thing he wanted was for his woman to be upset, so he had to get her bitch mom to leave.

  “Scarlett has always been a very spoiled and silly girl.”

  “Your daughter and I love each other, and I told your husband the same thing.” Shadow pulled out the pasta pot and filled it with water.

  “Love,” she scoffed. “What you are talking about is desire—just brutal desire.”

  “Call it whatever the fuck you want, but I don’t want you upsetting my woman tonight.”

  Pamela snorted. “Your woman. What a perfectly crass thing to say.” A small pause. “You’re white trash.”

  “Damn straight I am, lady.” He slammed the filled pot on the stove. This is getting old.

  “The thought of you pawing my daughter makes me sick to my stomach.”

  “Then don’t think about it.” Shadow leaned against the quartz counter, his jaw clenching so tightly he thought it might break. “You’ve said your shit, now get out.”

  “If you think I’m going to allow you to ruin the Mansfield name, you’ve underestimated me.”

  Shadow marched back into the living room.

  “I have worked hard to be in the position I’m in, and I’m not letting some lowlife come into my family and take it all away. I know what it means to be poor, to live among trash, and I worked my ass off to make sure I’d never go back there again. So don’t even think for one second that my husband or I will accept you. How much do you want to stay away from Scarlett?”

  Raw anger shot through him. “You think this is about money?”

  Pamela lifted her chin arrogantly. “Isn’t everything?”

  “I don’t need your fuckin’ money.”

  Her upper lip curled in disdain. “Everyone can be bought.” She lifted her hand and two gold bracelets jangled as she smoothed her hair.

  Then a quick tiny glimmer drew his attention to her throat and the necklace that fell just at her collarbone. His heart pounded in hi
s ears as the image of his mother wearing the silver necklace with the red coral and turquoise pendant burned in his brain. He’d given it to his mother and it was the one thing that couldn’t be located after her murder. And now Pamela Mansfield had his mother’s prized possession around her neck.

  “Where the fuck did you get that?” he growled, stalking toward her.

  “Where the fuck do you think?” A smug smile twisted her lips. “Don’t come any closer.” Scarlett’s mother reached into her purse, took out a gun, and pointed it at him.

  Rooted to the spot, his gaze took in the .22 caliber, then cut to the bangles on her arm. “Flo’s, I’m guessing.” It felt like cotton was stuffed into his mouth, but he wouldn’t let this bitch know she’d thrown him for a major loop. Scarlett’s mom murdered Ma? Is she covering up for her husband? Huntington. Are they fucking each other. Dammit. I didn’t expect this. He moved his arm, reaching slowly behind him for his .38 special.

  “Keep your hands where I can see them,” she ordered.

  “Who gave you that necklace?”

  “Your mother—well, technically she didn’t give it to me. I took it.” A broad smile cracked her face.

  A guttural growl vibrated in the back of his throat.

  “This entire situation is distasteful and ironic. I thought I was done with your family when I punished your mother for fucking my husband, but now you’re humping my daughter. You’re just like your white-trash mother.”

  Scarlett’s dad was my mom’s sugar daddy? What the fuck?

  “You’re too proud, too macho to even blink an eye, but you must be exploding inside. My husband is like all men—a dirty, vile pig. Since he makes my skin crawl, I looked the other way when he sought physical enjoyment with other women. It worked between us—I kept a good home, raised the children, and did all the social things a wealthy wife is supposed to do. He provided very well for me all these years. Then he met your mother at that strip club she worked at. I never thought that would be a problem, but the stupid old fart fell in love with her.” Pamela laughed heartily.

  “You’re a fuckin’ bitch,” he grunted.

  “And you’re going to join your slutty mother. She was taking my husband away from me. What woman goes out with a married man who has three children? She was breaking up our home.”

  “Your respectable husband told her he was getting a divorce. I knew something was up with him. I should’ve taken care of it long ago.”

  “But you didn’t, so I had to step in. I didn’t want to be the divorced woman in town who everyone pitied and spoke about in hushed voices behind my back. Your mother was a threat to my marriage, my way of life … my survival. I had no choice—it was either her or me. You should know about that. You’re in that criminal club. I’m sure you’ve killed for survival.” Another dry laugh. “You see … you and I are not all that different.”

  Shadow forced himself to stay where he was rather than to rush the bitch. He had no doubt that she knew how to use the gun in her hands. And with the short distance between them, being shot by a .22 could kill him, or do some serious damage.

  “Does he know you murdered my mom?” I wanna wrap my hands around her fuckin’ neck and squeeze the life outta her. She needs to suffer like Ma did.

  “No. The only one who knew was that nosy and greedy friend of hers—Flo. She came by to talk to your mom that night and caught me leaving the apartment covered in blood. I should’ve killed her right then and there, but I panicked and fled.” She shook her head. “A stupid mistake that cost me millions and a lot of unnecessary stress. And she kept getting greedier.”

  “So you offed her.”

  “You have such a way with words.” Another large smile.

  Shadow glanced at the glowing numbers on the microwave and realized that Scarlett could be home at any moment. There was no way he could risk this crazy bitch hurting his woman. He’d have to rush her—there was no other option.

  “Bruce Huntington told me about your mother and George. I’ll always be indebted to him for that because I doubt if I would’ve ever found out until it was too late. He was taken with your mother, too, but she rebuffed all his advances. Anyway, now you’ve come around and screwed up all the plans I had for Scarlett and Warren. I promised Bruce I would make it happen.”

  “So he knew you killed my mom?”

  Pamela shrugged. “I never told him, but he may have figured it out. Who knows?” A short pause. “And now it’s your turn. You should’ve stayed away from Scarlett. You’re a good-looking man, and I’m sure your motorcycle and leather jacket gets you plenty of women. You shouldn’t have infiltrated my family.”

  Then a series of raps on the door diverted Pamela’s attention for a nanosecond, but it was enough time for Shadow to move to the side and jump over to her. He felt the bullet when it hit. It was like a metal rod tapping the inner side of his left wrist.

  “You fuckin’ cunt!” Shadow grabbed the gun and pistol whipped her repeatedly.

  Just then, Smokey and Helm broke through the front door—ripping it completely off its frame. The sound of wood cracking and splintering filled Shadow’s ears, but his rage boiled over and he kept beating his mother’s killer over and over again, his arms still flailing after Smokey and Helm pulled him away.

  “She killed my mother. That fuckin’ bitch destroyed my mother’s life. My life! I’m gonna make her pay!”

  Smokey held him tight but Shadow kicked and cussed even though his wrist hurt like hell and blood was dripping on Scarlett’s pristine marble floor.

  “Call Doc,” Smokey said to Helm. “Get him over here stat. Then go find a towel so we can stop the bleeding.”

  Shadow jerked away from his friend’s grip. “I wanna kill her,” he said, looking at Pamela, who was slumped over and not moving.

  “You may have already done that,” Smokey said as he went over and took her pulse. He shook his head. “Nah, she’s still alive. Lemme call Banger and see what he wants us to do.”

  Shadow stalked over to the murderer and ripped his mother’s necklace off Pamela’s neck. A low moan escaped her lips and her lids fluttered open. He stared at her dilated pupils as she groaned softly while holding her head.

  “Tell Banger the bitch’s got a concussion.”

  “I’m so dizzy,” she whined.

  “Life’s a bitch,” Shadow replied, glaring at her.

  “Here,” Helm said, handing him a large towel.

  Shadow wrapped it tightly around his wrist then pulled out his phone with his other hand and called Scarlett. He had to make sure she didn’t come to the condo; he couldn’t let her see what was going on.

  “Hi, Shadow. I’m just leaving now.” Her voice sounded like a ray of light in the middle of all the darkness.

  “Hey. I’m gonna ask you to do something and I can’t tell you why. You’re just gonna have to trust me and do what I say.”

  “You’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

  “You need to go to your parents’ house. Don’t come here.”

  “Why?”

  A sharp, narrow fingernail of irritation scratched along his spine. “I just told you that I can’t tell you. Trust me, okay?”

  After a moment of hesitation, he heard her breathe quickly. “Okay. You’ll call me, right?”

  Relief washed over him. “I’ll call you, but be patient if you don’t hear from me for a while. It doesn’t mean I won’t call you. I love you, babe.” But your mother destroyed my life fifteen years ago.

  “I love you too. Please stay safe. I’ll wait for your call.”

  Shadow saw Doc rush into the condo.

  “I gotta go, Scarlett. I’ll talk to you later.” He shoved the phone in his jeans pocket and walked over to Doc.

  “What happened?” Doc asked him.

  “The bitch shot me.”

  Doc darted his eyes from Shadow to Pamela then back to Shadow. “Sit down and let me take a look.” He unwrapped the blood-soaked towel.

  “If it wasn’t for
Smokey and Helm, things would’ve turned out differently. They were the distraction I needed.”

  “We were your ‘baby sitters’ tonight,” Helm said, clasping Shadow’s shoulder.

  Smokey strode over and bent down on his haunches next to Shadow. “Banger’s calling Chief Landon. It was self-defense.”

  “Actually, it was,” Shadow said. His gaze locked with the bitch’s. “It was a matter of survival.”

  Smokey scratched his chin. “Yeah … stick with that. The cunt came after you, shot you, and you had to hit her ’cause she kept coming at you. She was so fuckin’ crazed, beating her was the only way to get her off you.”

  “That’s the way it happened,” Shadow said without breaking eye contact with her.

  “I have to get the bullet out,” Doc said. “Let’s go to my office so I can take an x-ray to see what’s going on inside. It doesn’t look like any tendons were damaged, but I want to be sure, and I have to see about the bone.”

  “Fuck,” Shadow muttered. “I gotta wait for the fuckin’ badges.”

  “They’re on their way up.” Helm stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

  Detectives McCue and Ibuado walked in and rushed over to Shadow.

  “What happened here?” McCue asked, his eyes shifting from Shadow to Pamela.

  “This crazy bitch murdered my mother. She killed Flo too. She’s wearing her bracelets, and the cunt had this on around her neck.” He handed over the necklace to the cop. “I gave that to my mom years ago.”

  McCue nodded. “I remember it was the only thing missing.”

  The paramedics transferred Pamela to a stretcher, then wheeled her out. Two uniformed badges followed behind them.

  “Landon said it was self-defense. She shot you?” McCue asked.

  “Damn straight. She’s a fuckin’ psycho bitch.”

  “Okay.” He wrote some stuff in a notepad.

  Doc cleared his throat. “Shadow needs immediate attention.”

  The detective nodded. “Go ahead. I know where to find you to get your statement.”

  When Shadow stood up, he swayed on his feet. Smokey and Helm rushed over and each wrapped an arm around him, holding him steady as they slowly walked out of the condo.