by Ryan Michele
I pull Bristyl behind me, feeling the need to pound this little fucker in the face. “Cooper motherfuckin’ Cruz, brother in the Ravage MC, that’s who I am, motherfucker. Want me to show you?”
Pops steps in, putting himself right in the situation, as my father and brothers move up around us.
“Get your boy to calm his shit, Regg,” Pops orders.
“Hunter, stop,” Regg orders.
The asshole takes a calming breath and steps back.
“Your daughter is in the middle of this. Cooper says she’s Ravage. Therefore, she is. Our club doesn’t work like yours, if those are your rules for your women. Kids are always protected, bein’ in the club or not. Not here to tell you how to run your shit, ’cause that’s on you. I’m tellin’ you where we’re comin’ from. Bristyl is our business.”
“And where the fuck were you when that asshole had his hands on her?” I bark at the brothers and father. “Oh, I forgot, you don’t protect your own.”
Bristyl grips the back of my cut tightly. “Please stop,” she whispers.
“Didn’t know it was her!” Regg barks back.
“Find that damn hard to believe,” Rhys cuts in. “Unless you have somethin’ on them and they wanted to keep you out of it.”
“Bingo!” Ryker calls out, and I hear my father chuckle. “We have a winner.”
“Don’t worry about what I’ve got goin’ on.” Her father looks around. “Shit’s gonna get real. Those fuckers know who Bristyl is.”
“Oh, and now you give a shit?” my father says, putting his hand on my shoulder and giving it a knowing squeeze. “Seems to me you gave up that right.”
“Damn straight. I respect your patch and your position, but man to man, she’s mine. My responsibility. Mine to protect.” I let out a huge sigh, remembering stories Bristyl told me about her mother. It baffles me that this man would say such a thing to his daughter. “How would your ol’ lady have felt about this shit?”
Regg’s body jerks at the mention of his woman, like he’s surprised I know about her.
“From what I heard, she adored her daughter,” I continue.
“Fuck you, you little prick.” He steps closer, but Pops is between us.
“Wouldn’t talk to him like that, Regg. He’s got a fuck of a punch. VP of this club or not, he won’t back down,” Ryker warns.
Bristyl peeks her head around me. “Dad, what you said to me … what you want me to do, Mom would have never gone along with that. Where’d you go wrong? What’s happening to you? This isn’t you.”
Regg lets out a huge breath, then rubs his hands over his face before tilting it up toward the ceiling. “Fuck!” he yells then picks up a large cement block from the floor and throws it hard, slamming into the hood of a car.
Bristyl jumps.
“Fuck, Dad. My car!” Stone screams.
Regg turns toward his son. “Does it look like I fuckin’ care right now?”
Stone takes a step back.
“Go get Wolf. Meeting. Now,” Regg orders.
“I can’t believe you fuckin’ did that to my car,” Stone says, walking out of the place.
“Seems we have a lot to talk about,” Pops says. He’s not kidding one damn bit.
“Guess shit’s gonna get interesting. And here I thought laundromat girl was sugar and spice and everything nice,” Ryker quips, stepping closer and smiling down at Bristyl. Never once have I wanted to punch a brother for looking at a woman, but that woman has never been Bristyl.
“Cut the shit,” I growl.
He throws his hands up in mock surrender, smile still on his lips. “Down, tiger. I’m not gonna take your toy.”
My blood boils, but Bristyl giving me a squeeze and me inhaling her flowery scent grounds me. This isn’t the time or the place to get into it with Ryker.
The door bursts open, and Wolf walks in with Stone on his heels. “Can someone tell me what the fuck is goin’ on here?”
“Seems like my daughter is the cause of Red Devils and their shit,” Regg says to Wolf.
Wolf looks at Bristyl, then me, his eyes narrowing into slits. “Care to tell me why the fuck you’re holdin’ her?”
No, I fucking don’t.
Looking over at Pops, he nods. Out of respect for him and Wolf, who is the president of Sinisters, I speak, but I do it so they understand there is no room for discussion on any of this. “Bristyl is mine. I’m takin’ her home to Georgia after all this shit is cleared up.”
He laughs. “Yours? You’re mistaken boy.”
My body vibrates as anger pulses through me. Respect or not, this fucker will not talk to me like that. Absolutely not. Good thing for him, I’ve learned control.
“I’m not a motherfuckin’ boy. I’ll wipe you out and anyone else who gets in my fuckin’ way.”
Pops steps in front of me and holds up his hand as Bristyl squeezes me again. I look down at her.
“It’s okay,” she says softly.
Oh, how wrong she is.
Pops speaks, “Wolf, we’ve got problems with the Red Devils because of shit that went down at Burnout. Bristyl and her friend were the ones we were protectin’. So, that means this is your problem, too.”
Wolf laughs again, then looks at Bristyl. “The fuck it is. You decide if you’re gonna take Sterling or take us all?”
“Shut the fuck up!” I bark as Bristyl jumps.
“It was you. You told them they had to do it.” Her voice starts quiet, but grows in strength. “You told them to give me the ultimatum. You did that to me and my family!”
Wolf continues to chuckle. “All women are good for is fuckin’ and makin’ babies. Got no other use for ’em. Got no other use for you, except ridin’ my cock or someone else’s in the club. You’re born and bred a Sinister, and that’s where you’ll stay.”
Regg has a hard time looking at his daughter, and she calls him out on it. Meanwhile, my mind reels from the declaration of this man. He’s not going to let her go? This is going to be an all-out fight for Bristyl. One that I will win.
“Dad. Because of him?”
“Club rules, Bristyl.”
“Since when?” she asks. “When did he tell you to do this?”
“None of your concern. Now get away from that boy and get your ass over here,” Wolf orders.
I push Bristyl back behind me. Yep, I’m fighting my way out of this shit. Fine by me, too. Let’s fucking do this.
“She’s not going anywhere with you, you sorry excuse of a man.” This surprises me because it comes from Regg, who has his gun pulled out and on Wolf.
Holy fuck!
Regg holds his piece steady as I keep Bristyl behind me while angling toward the door. Having no fucking clue what’s going on here, precautions need to be taken.
I reach for my piece as I hear my brothers unlock theirs.
Wolf chuckles. “What’re you gonna do? End me? Nah, you’ll fall in line, just like you’re gonna get that bitch of a daughter in line and makin’ Sinister babies, and do what I motherfuckin’ tell you to do.”
“This ends here.” Regg pulls the trigger, and a loud crack echoes throughout the room as the bullet hits Wolf right between the eyes. He falls to the concrete floor in a heap.
“What the fuck’s goin’ on here?” Pops barks out harshly, his gun aimed right at Regg.
Tension runs thick as Stone, Hunter, and Racer have guns in their hands, too. Nevertheless, it’s the shocked expressions on their faces that have me believing this was not a planned incident. At least there’s that.
Bristyl screams, and I pull her to me, pushing her head against my chest. Hell if I know if she’s ever seen a dead body before. I do know it’s not something that leaves your brain, and I need to protect her from that.
Regg lowers his gun to his side. “Ain’t takin’ anymore of his shit. He’s not runnin’ the club right and was sendin’ us down the wrong path. Fuckin’ over it. I failed my kid once; I’m not doin’ it again.”
“What have you done, Dad?” Sto
ne asks in shock.
“Takin’ back this club.” Regg shakes his head. “You know I didn’t like this shit. Didn’t want to tell Bristyl that. Yeah, we got shit goin’, but fuck, it’s all Wolf’s fault. I’m over it. We need to clean shit up and get this club back to where it was before Wolf went wrong.”
“Is Bristyl in serious danger?” I ask, not really giving a shit about their bonding pissing match. They want to stab their president in the back, that’s on them. The fact that we have to be witnesses to it pisses me off because it puts us in something we don’t need to be in.
“She ain’t safe, but we’ll make her safe,” Regg says as Bristyl turns her head while I try to stop her.
She sucks in a deep breath, no doubt seeing the man lying on the floor in a pool of blood. “I’m not staying.”
“You don’t have to leave. Everything can stay the same,” Regg practically pleads.
“That’s what you don’t get. I was already leaving, just not this soon. This”—she gestures between her and Regg—“is broken. I love you, but you made some fucked-up choices that I need to deal with. I get the club, Dad. Mom taught me well, which you seem to forget. But what you almost did … I can’t. I need to build a life for myself. Going away is the only option. If it’s not with Cooper, then it’s somewhere else. I need to do what’s right for me.”
I drape my arms around her and pull her back to my chest as I lean down and kiss the top of her head, trying to give her the reassurance she needs.
“I know it’s fucked-up. I’m ownin’ that shit, but it’s done. I’ll make sure of it,” her father tries.
“The decision is made. My car is already packed with everything I own. The files are all up to date. Numbers and contacts are all on the desk. I’m not changing my mind.”
“Fuck.” Regg runs his hands through his hair, pain and other emotions playing on his face. I’m happy he feels like shit for what he did to Bristyl. It’s the least he deserves. “We’ve got shit to clean up. Pops, we’ll have to do this another time.”
“Fine by us,” Pops says.
“I’m not givin’ you up. You may be movin’, but we’ll be up there to see ya. Family is goin’ back to the way it was, not the fucked-up mess it’s become,” Regg says.
I feel Bristyl lean into me harder, and I take her weight willingly.
“Let’s head out,” Pops announces while my father slaps me on the shoulder.
Bristyl pulls herself out of my arms, and I reluctantly let go. She runs to her father, his gun still in his hand, and wraps her arms around him. I don’t know what she says to him, but his shoulders sag. She does the same with her brothers, while each one gives me the eye of death. Bring it, motherfuckers.
“Come on, beautiful.”
She takes my hand, and I get her the hell away from all this shit.
17
Bristyl
Ryker drives my car while I ride on the back of Cooper’s bike, helmet firmly in place. Ryker mumbled something about going to get his bike later, but I really didn’t it pay it much mind. As we pull away, my heart breaks a little more. The ride is short to the hotel that’s just outside of town. It’s a mom and pop shop that’s been around for years.
Cooper tells me to hop off and I do, numbness seeping through me. I don’t know what to think. It’s all a clumped up clusterfuck of emotions at once. I’m pissed at my father and brothers. I’m even more pissed at Wolf. I’m scared to death my father will go to jail for killing Wolf. Not to mention, I saw it. That’s a torment in and of itself. The blood everywhere on the floor, just running to the floor drain like it’s an everyday occurrence.
Wolf came around a lot back when mom was alive. Over the years, he changed, and I made it a point to steer clear of him. He wasn’t a man who liked to have his hands in everything, so he left me alone. It’s bad, but I don’t feel sad that he’s dead.
On the flip side of the fear and anger, I’m happy to have Coop in my arms. Part of me wishes we could just hide away somewhere for a while and block everything in the world out. I know better than that, but a woman can dream.
His warm hands grip mine as we walk up the rickety stairs to the top floor where he opens the door. The smell of musk instantly hits my nostrils. I’m pretty sure the only time this place gets business is when bikers come to town.
Sitting on the bed, I stare at my hands. Cooper has to be pissed at me for not telling him I’m a Sinisters’ daughter. I never lied, but I didn’t tell him the truth, either.
I blow out a deep breath. “I should have told you about my father and brothers. The reason I didn’t is because I liked that you didn’t know they were in my life. Every time a guy came around, my brothers would scare them off or beat the hell out of them. We are new, and I didn’t want my affiliation with them to affect us. Not that I’m a part of them—they’ve made that perfectly clear—but …” I trail off, knowing that I’m rambling, yet unable to stop myself. “I know the life. I know my place. Well, I thought I did. What my mom taught me isn’t what has happened to me. Everything is confusing. It’s more of a mess because they want me back, and I’m not going.”
Cooper kneels on the ratted carpet in front of me, cupping my knees as I look into those beautiful blue eyes.
“No, I’m not happy you didn’t tell me, but beautiful, we’ll work that shit out. I need to know you’re okay after what you saw.”
I shake my head. “No, I’m not, but I love my father. He did some fucked up things, but I love him and know him. He wouldn’t have done that unless he didn’t have any other choice. I don’t know how to feel about Wolf being the one to call those shots about my life. I don’t know how to feel about a lot of it right now. I need time to process it.”
Cooper brings his hands to the side of my face. “You take all the time you need.”
When he rises, fear hits me that he’s going to leave me. Instead, he pulls me onto the bed with him, my back to his front, his safety and warmth surrounding me.
I let it out. The swirl of emotions that come from the pit of my stomach and roll like a tidal wave all around me. Tears fall, then sobs, then hiccups, and it all continues for much longer that I would like to admit. At some point, I cry myself to sleep.
I wake to voices around me. Soft murmurs, actually. My head feels like I swam in the clouds for a while before it all comes back to me. Everything that was said. Everything that happened. Wolf’s opened eyes staring up to the ceiling while blood ran from his forehead.
My body jackknifes out of bed as my eyes fly open, looking around in a panic. Then strong arms are surrounding me. I tug and fight, my senses not clear.
“Shh … beautiful.” The words are soft, and I instantly sag upon hearing Cooper, who pulls me closer to his body. He maneuvers his legs out in front of us, me in between them, his arm wrapped around me, and my back to his front.
As my eyes dart around the room, I see several of the Ravage MC standing in front of me, including Pops, the guy who hit on me at the rally, the scary guy, Ryker, and the guy who helped Leah—Green. Turning my head, I see a couple of other guys, all looking at me intently.
“What’s going on?” The question is intended for anyone in the room at this point, but I prefer Cooper to answer.
He doesn’t.
“We have a meeting and need to figure out what to do with you,” Pops says with a small smile tipping his lip. His long, black beard has some gray mixed in, the same as his hair. His eyes, though, are powder blue and stand out intently. He appears strong, yet under it he looks a bit tired.
“Can’t I stay here?” I look over my shoulder at Cooper.
“Yeah, but I don’t want you here alone until we figure out what the fuck is going on. We have our own mess to deal with, with the Red Devils. Now we’re in a deeper mess until we figure out what trouble Wolf has put you in.”
“You really don’t think he singled me out or anything, do you? I mean, he wanted me to be part of the club and … you know.” I can’t say the words. Th
e thought of having sex with Sterling or anyone in that club makes my stomach roil.
“What do you think?” Cooper responds.
That roil turns more.
“Bristyl, are you okay?” One of the guys who looks a lot like Cooper comes up to me. “Son, she’s turnin’ pale.”
My head feels light. I shake myself clear. No way in hell am I passing out or doing something stupid.
I suck in a deep breath. “Can I please have some water?”
The big guy beside me twists off a cap on a bottle and hands it to me.
“Thanks.” Taking a few sips, my equilibrium comes back on track. Focus, that’s what needs to be done right now.
The guy smiles, and it reminds me so much of Cooper. “Are you Cooper’s dad?”
The man laughs. “That obvious, huh?”
“The smile. It’s the same.”
The arms around me tighten. “That’s my ol’ man. Cruz, they call him.”
I look at his cut and see it has no other title on it, so his rank is just a member, like Cooper.
“Hi.”
These men have to think I’m the most pitiful thing.
“Got some color back in your cheeks,” Cruz says, rising. “Coop, you’ve gotta come. No choice. We can have Ryker, Green, and Jacks stay back with her.”
“Babysitting duty?” Ryker whines, and my eyes cut to him.
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Good, because I’m not the sittin’ type,” Ryker fires back.
“Low man on the totem pole. Left the prospects back at the club,” the guy who hit on me at the rally says. His cut reads Dagger. Geez, I wonder if that means he’s good with a blade. I sure as hell don’t want to find out.
“Seriously, you’re pullin’ that card?” Ryker retorts. He must have balls of steel, because the scary man, whose cut reads Rhys, doesn’t look happy.
“Not pullin’ shit. It is what it is. Get the fuck over it,” Dagger fires back.
“Alright, cut the bullshit,” Pops interjects. “This is what’s happenin’. Coop, you come with us. Derek, Jacks, and Ryker are stayin’ here, watchin’ your brother’s woman. And if you got a fuckin’ problem with that, then we got problems.”
