Zane straddled the only chair in the cell and faced Doreen, resting his elbows on the metal back. “So who’s looking after your kid?” He’d never thought about the people their prisoners left behind, and especially not kids, but now that he had one of his own, he wondered how it all worked in the context of his world. What would happen to Ty if Viper snatched Evie and threw her in his dungeon? What kind of boy was he? Would he curl up in his room and cry? Would he dial 911? Would he go to a friend’s house?
Would he call his dad?
His fingers tightened on the chair. Fuck. What the fuck was he doing here when Viper was still roaming the streets? He’d arranged for two brothers to watch their house, but he should be there looking after his own damn family instead of trying to take care of this one.
“Like I’m going to tell you.” Confident now that Dax was out of the room, Doreen shuffled back on the bed and leaned against the wall, her gaze focused on the table where Dax had left his equipment.
“I got a kid, too.” The unfamiliar words slipped off his tongue. “Just wanted to make sure yours wasn’t alone.” He glanced up at the camera, hoped the mic was off. He’d never live it down if the brothers heard him showing concern for a prisoner. Hell, they’d be shocked he showed concern for anyone. He had a reputation as a loner, an “ice man,” and he liked to keep it that way.
Doreen exhaled a long breath. “He’s with my mom in another town. Viper sends all the kids away. He doesn’t want the women he’s fucking to be distracted. It’s hard to blow a man when your kid is whining for juice, especially because no one bothers with closed doors in the Black Jack clubhouse. MC women don’t get a choice of where they get fucked.”
She gave him a sly look, her eyes slightly narrowed and a smirk on her lips. “Just like your redhead from the shop. She’s got no choice either. Viper wants her bad. Never seen him want a woman the way he wants her.”
“She’s with me.”
“And I was with Axle. Look what happened to him.”
Zane forced his muscles to relax, feigning disinterest. “Viper killed him to get you?”
Doreen opened her mouth and then closed it again, her eyes flicking back to the table. “It’s a long story and not one I’m wantin’ to share unless you’re gonna let me outta here. But I think it’s pretty damn obvious that Viper doesn’t let anyone or anything stand in the way of what he wants.”
“Neither do I.”
“So why are you here talking to me? He’s probably on his way to get your redhead right now.”
* * *
Evie dusted the tank of the Honda CB600F Hornet. Her client loved the matte black but needed a touch-up on the paint. The factory had put the clear coat over the decals and when he pulled them off the marks were visible. Even worse, the aftermarket front end’s color was off from the rest of the bike. Not a big job. She had a stock of color match paint and there weren’t many dents to fill. Maybe three hours and then she could get back to the work she enjoyed best, the custom designs, creative artwork that reflected the owner with a little bit of her soul thrown in.
Stan and Gene were working on a Kawasaki Ninja in the corner, badly damaged after the owner had skidded in the rain and dropped his bike under a stopped SUV. The fenders were dented beyond repair and there was substantial mechanical damage—almost a write-off, but not enough for the bike’s insurers who were footing the bill. Insurance claims made up the bulk of the mechanics’ work, taking them away from the custom builds that had first drawn them to Bill’s shop.
“Morning, all.” As if on cue, Bill walked into the shop through the back door, all relaxed like he hadn’t just up and disappeared a week ago. “Can anyone tell me why the back entrance is covered in bullet holes?”
Big Bill, so named because he was six feet five inches tall and maybe half as wide, with long, dark shaggy hair and a thick beard to match. He had inherited the shop from his old man, and although he loved bikes, he wasn’t a businessman. After running the shop into the red in its first three months of operation, he’d hired the best staff he could find and let them run the shop for him.
“How about you tell us first where you were?” Evie folded her arms across her chest. She’d been happy to partner with Bill when he first approached her, but now she was pretty much running the show on her own and his unreliability was becoming an issue.
“Tables in Helena were calling, darlin’. I was feeling lucky.”
Unfortunately, Bill had a gambling habit and had fallen into gun running for the Jacks as a way to earn money to feed his addiction. But when the Sinners took over the arms trade in Montana, and his work started drying up, he started skimming off the shipments and selling weapons on the side. Only Evie and Connie knew where he kept his stash, and only then because they’d just happened to be driving past the Conundrum cemetery one Saturday evening, and spotted Bill’s Harley Fat Boy with Evie’s custom paint on the fender. His daddy was still helping him out, he said, when they called out to him from the fence, even from the grave.
“Jacks and Sinners had a shoot-out the day after Axle came to the shop, and you slipped out the side door and left us alone.” Evie mounted the tank on one of the stands Bill had bought for her work after he realized she was bringing in more clients than the mechanics and the sales departments together. He’d also splurged for some high-end paint guns and a supply of paints from most of the well-known dealerships.
Bill had the good grace to look sheepish. “Sorry about that, but I didn’t want to take the risk he had a message for me, too.” He looked back over his shoulder, as if he were expecting someone to be there. “Got a little antsy when I saw a coupla Jacks buzzing around my house the other week, but things seem to have cooled off. I heard Axle bit the bullet so at least we won’t be seeing him around here anymore. Jacks left him with their initials carved into his chest.”
So Viper hadn’t been lying. “Do you know who…?”
“Word on the street is he pissed off Viper.” Bill waggled a finger at her. “I hope you finally got the message not to get involved with him, or it will be you lying in the county morgue.”
“Thanks for the concern, but I’m done with outlaw bikers. I had my wake-up call last night.” Evie didn’t know where she stood with Zane, but she did know that a man who would hurt her once would do it again. And Viper … Well, no question that relationship was over.
“I had a wake-up call, too,” Bill said. “That’s why I’m here. I’m gonna tie up a few loose ends and then I’m taking some of those guns up to Great Falls. Got a Canadian buyer who can get them across the border. You’ll be in charge.”
“I think I’ll start off giving myself a raise.” Evie gave him a half smile. “Since I’ll be doing twice as much work.”
Bill laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. “You already do all the work. That’s how I can be as relaxed as I am. I know the shop will be in good hands.”
“Why are you still skimming, Bill?” She followed him to the door. “If Viper really killed one of his own men, imagine what he’s going to do to you. Is it really worth the risk?”
“Got nothing much in my life except the thrill of living on the edge.” Bill traced one of the worry lines on her forehead. “It’s a gamble, darlin’. Just like at the tables. Maybe I’ll win. Maybe I’ll lose, but at least I’ve enjoyed the game.”
The rumble of motorcycle engines reverberated around the building, and Bill paused, half in and half out of the shop. “Anyone expecting a client or six?”
“Two Man Crew are coming in today for a tune-up.” Stan called out. “I think they said they were bringing in five bikes.”
“Must be them.” Bill let out a relieved breath. “For a minute there I thought it was the Jacks. I’ll be in my office. Back in five to say goodbye.”
After he left, Evie headed to the paint rack for some matte black Honda paint. She tested the paint against the fender and waited for it to dry. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Something nagged at the back of her mind, a
nd she felt a growing sense of unease. She checked her client book to see who was next on the list and made a few calls for pickups. After half an hour, she left her work and went to talk to Stan.
“Did Two Man Crew show up?”
“Not yet. They’re probably out front talking to Bill and Connie. They always buy new gear when they come in.”
“They’ve been out there a long time,” Evie said. “I’ll go check on them.”
She tidied her equipment away and then pushed open the shop door, her nose wrinkling as the familiar scents of paint and gasoline, morphed into the sharp, tangy odor of … blood.
A moan broke the stillness. The sound of rapid, panting breaths, the crack of flesh on bone. Bill. Shirtless and on his knees in front of the helmet display, his hands and feet tied, blood trickling down his chest. Black Jacks scattered around the shop. Connie. Near the rack of leather jackets. A Black Jack with his arm around her waist. One hand over her mouth.
Viper. Holding a knife in the air.
Everyone turned away from her, watching the show.
“Please.” Bill groaned. “I don’t know nothing about missing weapons. I swear it.”
Viper sliced the knife across Bill’s shoulder, leaving a thick red trail down to his heart. Bill shrieked, the pain in his voice stabbing through Evie’s chest. Without thinking, she ran for the cash register where Bill kept his shotgun.
“Morning, kitten. I was just coming in to see you.” Viper turned, wiped the sweat from his brow with bloody fingers, leaving a smear across his forehead. His dark, soulless eyes froze her mid-step. He sheathed his knife and stretched out his hand, gesturing her forward as Bill keened to the side.
“Please stop. Don’t hurt him anymore.” She saw no point asking why he was beating on Bill, or even pretending she didn’t know. Time was of the essence, the shotgun was in reach, and she had no interest in games.
Viper mocked a sympathetic look. “I’m afraid we have to hurt him. Then we have to kill him. He tried to cheat us and steal our weapons. No one disrespects the Jacks. I thought you got that message last night.”
Oh, she got the message. Loud and clear. He didn’t need the veiled threats to remind her that she’d made the biggest mistake of her life the night she agreed to that first date. She reached under the counter and felt around for the gun.
“Come give me a kiss, Evangeline.” He cupped his groin and made a lewd gesture with his hips. “Nothing gets a man off more than a good beating. And there’s no point looking for the weapon. Your friend already tried that, and you can see the result.”
Evie glanced over at Connie, spotted the bruise on her cheek, tears rolling down her face, her Big Bill’s shirt torn at the neck. Nausea roiled in her belly and she gripped the counter to hold herself up. “I know where the weapons are. If you let him go, I’ll take you there.”
“I gave you an order; I expect you to obey.” Viper snapped his fingers and pointed at the floor beside him, a thin smile gracing the merciless slash of his mouth. “Now. Or I’ll kill him in front of you.”
So this was the side he had hidden from her beneath a veneer of civility. His cold, dark, malevolent gaze sent a chill through her body, but not as much as the implacable resolve on his face. Bill was going to die unless she saved him. And yet, without a gun, what could she do?
She trailed her hand along the shelf under the counter as she walked, her fingers brushing papers, pens, and, finally, the packing knife Connie used to open boxes. She closed her hand around the wooden handle, and slid it under her sleeve, the five-inch serrated blade pressing against her wrist. It was nothing compared to the blade Viper carried, and she doubted she would be able to do much damage, but maybe she could cause enough of a distraction to call for help.
“Please.” She begged when she reached him. “Don’t do this.”
“There’s a good kitten.” Viper put an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Evie bent as far back as she could, trying not to touch his shirt, even as the acrid scents of blood, sweat, and leather assailed her nostrils. But Viper tightened his grip and pulled her closer, grinding his erection into her stomach. Evie fought back the bile that rose in her throat. God, the violence turned him on.
“After I’m done here, I’m going to take you back to the clubhouse and I’m gonna fuck you the way I wanted to fuck you when I first saw you out in your shop.” Viper threaded his hand through her hair and yanked her head back. “I wanna hear my name on your lips when you scream, kitten. And then I wanna hear you scream just for fun.”
“I thought you wanted me because I was different from the others.” Evie wondered how much of this was posturing and how much was real. She couldn’t reconcile the beast of a man who held her now with the charming biker who had wined and dined her over the past four weeks.
“But you’re not,” he said. “You made the wrong choice last night when you got on that Sinner’s bike. I did warn you, sweet Evangeline. Now I’m gonna have to beat that sweet outta you, which is the last thing I wanted to do. You’ll wind up as hard and rough as an old lady, and I already got one of those.”
“You have an old lady?” She looked at him aghast and laughter erupted from Viper’s chest.
“Yeah, I got an old lady. And a clubhouse full of sweet butts to soothe the ache from playing games with you. Did you think you were the only one? Or that you could get me all wound up and then walk away? Man like me has needs, kitten. Booze, drugs, women, sex, and goddamn justice for what the Sinners did.”
Evie swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I told you last night … I’m not with them.”
He pulled her hair so hard she feared he would rip it from her scalp. “That why you jumped on that Sinner’s bike last night, Evangeline? After I laid my claim, and made it clear that you belonged to me, you invited him over for a quick fuck anyway? You think I wouldn’t be watching? I’d say that’s cheating, but to be fair, I hadn’t fucked you yet so maybe you didn’t understand. I’ll be taking care of that problem right after I take care of your boss.” He took her mouth in a bruising kiss, his teeth scraping over the tender skin of her lips, his tongue ravaging her mouth until she fought for breath.
“That damn pussy you’ve been keeping under lock and key better be as sweet as your fucking mouth.” He held her against him and drew a weapon from beneath his cut. “Now stay right here while I teach Bill what happens when you fuck with Jacks.”
She turned her head, gasping. “I’ll come with you if you let Bill go.”
“Only place Bill is going is to ground,” he growled. “And you’re going with me because I say. There is no negotiating.”
“No!” Heart pounding, she slid the knife from her sleeve and plunged it into his shoulder.
“Fucking bitch.” Viper shoved her away and ripped out the knife. His face contorted in a snarl and then he tossed the knife to the side and stalked toward her. Evie scrambled to her feet, but before she could run, he was on her, his hand around her throat, his body coming at her like a freight train. He slammed her up against the wall so hard, her vision blurred and then he pressed his lips to her ear, keeping his voice so low only she could hear. “Why the fuck did you do that? Why? I thought you learned your lesson last night. Nothing you do is gonna change the fact that Bill’s a dead man. And now I gotta punish you and I gotta do it in front of my men or I lose face ’cause I got stabbed by a fucking bitch. I didn’t want this, Evangeline. I wanted you the way you were when I met you. Sweet, soft, and untainted. Now I gotta break you, and when I do, what I wanted from you is gonna be fucking gone.”
Sweat trickled down her breasts and she heard Connie sob. He seemed totally unaffected by the stab wound, although blood seeped through his shirt. With a disgusted snort, he released her neck and then shoved her forward until she was only a few feet away from Bill.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered when Bill looked up at her, his eyes glazed over with pain. “I tried.”
“S’okay.” His voice cracked. “So
metimes you win. Sometimes you lose. Take care of my store, love. Look after yourself.”
The crack of the gunshot came so close she caught her breath, stiffened. Bill slumped to the ground and Evie screamed, her knees shaking so hard, she would have fallen if Viper hadn’t grabbed her with his free hand.
“Love that sound,” he murmured.
She didn’t know if he was referring to the gun or her scream, but either way she wanted his filthy, murdering hands off her. She twisted in his grasp, only to find herself facedown on the counter, her hands pinned behind her back.
“Your turn for punishment, kitten.” Viper leaned over her, pressing her hips into the counter with the weight of his body. “What’s it gonna be? My dick or my belt. Either way, you’ll be getting both by the end of the night, but the boys here need to see what happens when you disrespect your man.”
“Go to hell.”
“You might want to do as the lady asks.” T-Rex stepped through the door to the shop with a semiautomatic rifle in each hand. “Get away from her. She’s Sinner property.”
A flicker of annoyance crossed Viper’s face. He pulled Evie up and held her in front of him like a shield. “This doesn’t involve you, pup. And put those guns away before you shoot off your fucking dick. She’s my property. I marked her and right now I’m gonna fuck her. You want in on the action, stand in line.”
“Let her go.” T-Rex leveled his weapons and Evie squeezed her eyes shut. She had no idea if T-Rex was a good enough shot to hit Viper and miss her, but she hadn’t missed the brief flicker of indecision in his face, and she suspected Viper hadn’t missed it either.
The Sinner’s Tribe Motorcycle Club, Books 1-3 Page 78
