Eve approached me with Warden Matthews by her side. “Jonesy’s ready to see you, Kyra. Remember, he knows about everything. Nothing stays quiet in the world you live in and to say he’s upset you’re engaged to Trey Lennon is putting it rather mildly. The man is livid, angry with you, and blames you for everything that happened to the Bastards.”
“Even if it’s his fault?” I shot back in anger. “I didn’t put a gun to his head and ask him to make any deals with Aztecas Infierno. Hell, they tried to kill us in Southern California and almost succeeded. I hate those bastards for what they did to my club. Thanks to them, Kink doesn’t have an old lady, has been goin’ crazy with grief and Chantal has had to step up as a mother figure to his sons, her nephews. She’s a kid herself—hell, she’s only nineteen. If my father wants someone to blame, he should take a good look in the mirror because he did this to himself.”
“Come on, let’s get this over with,” she replied in a no-nonsense manner as we walked through another set of security doors and were led into a private visitor’s room.
My father aged considerably since I’d seen him last. He sat in his orange jumpsuit, his wrists handcuffed to the desk. He hadn’t shaved in a while and his skin looked sallow, dark circles under his brilliant blue eyes, the same color as my own. His reddish-brown hair, flecked with gray, looked greasy and unkempt, thrown into a messy ponytail while his hands bunched together in fists. If he could have stood and slapped the shit out of me, he would’ve gladly done it and dealt with the consequence of his actions.
“What the fuck are you doin’ here?” my father greeted me coldly. “I gave you the chance to come back but you spit in my face and now you’re engaged to a fuckin’ Saint. Do you know how humiliating that is to me?”
I sat down across from my dad. “You know what’s humiliating for me? Knowing you hate Dizzy so much, you’d be willing to put my life at risk just to seek your petty revenge on a crime that happened over thirty years ago. I know what he did to you but that doesn’t absolve you from your own sins, Dad. ‘He that is without sin among you, let him be the first to cast a stone at her,’ do you remember that passage in the book of John?”
“’Course I do. I’m the one who taught it to you,” he muttered, refusing to look at me.
“Have you not ordered the deaths of men? If Dizzy hurt you when he murdered your brother then didn’t you stab him in the back when you viciously took his son from him and incorporated him into the Bastards? You knew all along and, yet, you’re just as culpable with deciding Trey’s destiny as Dizzy was.
“He could have gone to MIT or CalTech. He should have gone to college and you should have waited until he came back before you made him a prospect but you didn’t. It was your own personal little ‘fuck you’ to Dizzy,” I explained in an unwavering tone.
Dad slammed his fists against the table. “That boy always knew what he wanted, including my own fucking daughter. You think I would ever forgive him for what he did to you?”
“What did he do to me, Dad?”
“That fucking D&C you had…you blamed it on the college boy you was datin’ at the time. But the two of you had one night together all them years ago. Both of you…stinkin’ drunk…fuckin’ at the club party for Trey’s celebration and him bein’ voted into the club. I never forgot that—how could I when I knew the two of you would be nothin’ but trouble? And I was right. Now, he’s taken you away from me forever, and that cocksucker has won. Doesn’t matter what I ever did, Dizzy still always managed to one-up me. Stupid fuckin’ mick…came here with nothin’, and still managed to get everythin’.”
My heart sank at my father’s words. It was true and I couldn’t believe after all this time, I’d forgotten about the history between Trey and I. When he fucked me that night at my condo the previous November, it wasn’t the first time we’d consummated our relationship. I’d been too drunk to remember that night so long ago when we were young, wild, and free but Trey certainly remembered, and so did my father. How could I have been so thoughtless and stupid? My past had come back to haunt me and there was nothing I could do about it.
I refused to cry this time. It didn’t matter anymore. I’d decided my destiny and would follow through with the plans I’d made for my life.
“There’s nothing else to say, Papa,” I murmured. “You’re right, perhaps you have every reason in the world to hate Dizzy but your feelings for him are why you lost me. I will always love you, until your untimely death—or mine—but I won’t stand by you while you go through this. The Bastards will never have my loyalty or my respect again. The life I lived with you is no more. Good luck and goodbye.”
I stood and glanced at Eve. “I know you wanted to talk to my father on your own. I’ll wait outside if you don’t mind.”
She smiled slightly and nodded her head. “Believe me, I understand.”
“Wait a minute,” my father said as I reached the door with a prison officer by my side to walk me out.
“What is it, Father?”
“I just wanted to say that it’s not over. I know I don’t have no reason to be loyal to Aztecas Infierno since they think I’m a rat already. Everyone does now that I’m being moved to Supermax but…they’re gonna come after the club and they’re gonna destroy it. They want it all—Northern Nevada, Vegas, California, and the rest of the West Coast.
“They’re gonna get it too, even if they destroy themselves in the process of eliminating the Saints. Maureen planted a seed her son is gonna sow and believe me, if anyone knows about vengeance, it’s Carlito. That is where he shows his Cox side of the family…he’s patient, baby. Don’t ever let your guard down if you wanna see you and your old man reach my age.”
I didn’t bother to respond because I had nothing else left to say to my father. Our semblance of a relationship was over and either he would try to run the Bastards from a prison cell or naturally transfer power to my brother, Evan. No matter what they decided to do, it wasn’t my decision or my concern.
I walked outside of the prison and breathed in the fresh Nevada air. I couldn’t leave this place fast enough. I had a day of relaxation and fun at the club and an evening with my man planned that night.
We were celebrating the official transition of the Saints’ Vegas chapter being handed over from the old guard to Hardy and Ronan. Although we could have celebrated the event in Sin City, Hardy and Ronan insisted the event be held at the Birch Tree compound. We’d taken an FBI helicopter from Carson City to Lovelock and would be taking it back after Eve finished speaking to my father.
It seemed like ages passed but around twenty minutes later, Eve emerged with her FBI cronies following behind her. As soon as she reached me, we walked side-by-side.
“Turns out your father loves his club more than anything else,” she began in a quiet voice. “He’s decided to tell us everything he knows in exchange for a reduced sentence.”
I strode next to her, my heart thundering in my chest. “How long will he be inside?”
“The judge will give him a two year sentence for aiding and abetting criminals wanted by the government under RICO. He’ll serve six months at Florence ADX in solitary confinement and pay a fine of three million dollars to the government.” She turned toward me, her hazel-green eyes bright with emotion. “It’s nothing, but he’ll spend the rest of his life lookin’ over his shoulder as long as members of Aztecas Infierno are free.”
“What about Fernando and Carlito? The Feds don’t have enough to charge either one of them?”
“Not when Emilio is taking the blame and telling us he ran the organization. We’re imposing the max and going through their records with a fine tooth comb. We’ve seized assets and we’ll continue to do our best to bring in Carlito—he’s wanted for questioning after all, but Fernando is running the club and he’s clean as a whistle. We have nothing to tie him to anything. He was never at any of the meetings and, for a VP, he sure doesn’t participate in much.”
“It might be due to his sexual pro
clivities,” I murmured in response. “Fernando is bisexual and he’s never tried to hide it. Emilio considers his younger brother to be an embarrassment to say the least.”
“Yes, I know all about Fernando and his…sexual orientation. I have a whole file on the Navarro family,” Eve remarked as we continued to walk toward the helicopter. “The only sons of Ricardo and Amelie Navarro, the couple emigrated from Cadiz, Spain to Ensenada, Mexico while she was pregnant with Emilio. Ricardo was a Spaniard but Amelie was Belgian—half-Flemish and half-Walloon.
“Sardonically speaking, men who have no skin in the game run a cartel founded on defending the realization of the great Aztec revolution. Men of Western European origin, wearing brown-face while playing the part of the oppressed and downtrodden, fighting a motorcycle club full of Irish people who were oppressed and downtrodden in their native country. If that isn’t irony, I don’t know what else to call it.”
We walked the rest of the way in silence as I thought long and hard about the situation. Both Eve and my father had given me key pieces to a puzzle I could take back to the Saints and they could use to their advantage. I would speak to Gisela first and together, we would decide what to do.
The helicopter ride back to Carson City ended much too quickly though it did give me some extra time to formulate a plan. Eve said goodbye to me before she smiled encouragingly.
“I know what your father said to you today was harsh but it’s good you’ve left the Bastards with a clear conscience. There’s so much you need to know about the Saints MC and I’m sure Trey will share it with you when the time comes. Until then, take care of yourself and my son. Stay safe, all right, honey?”
“I will. Thank you.”
She embraced me warmly before letting go and strode quickly to a black Chevy Tahoe owned by the Feds. The windows were smoked to limo-tint; as soon as the back door closed, I couldn’t see her anymore. I turned around, unlocked my own SUV and slid inside.
The drive to Birch Tree was quick and uneventful. As soon as I arrived at the clubhouse, Trey met me shortly after I parked the Range Rover.
The club had undergone changes since the drive-by. The whole compound now had a ten-foot high cement wall. Although it should have seemed oppressive, we all felt safer. This didn’t mean another attack couldn’t happen but we would have a lot more protection.
Dizzy had also called in a favor. Saints members who had either gone Nomad, or wanted to leave their club for other reasons were allowed to relocate to Birch Tree. The charter had grown by another ten men who’d all been at Miranda’s funeral so it was actually nice having more bodies here at the compound.
Everyone I knew and loved was here for the Vegas chapter celebration on a perfectly beautiful, peaceful summer day.
Gisela and Cillian sat next to one another on a picnic bench next to the park. Caitlin and Declan played with Kink’s sons, Killian and Braedan.
Bookie, Quinn, and Cricket barbequed sausages, hamburgers, and hot dogs while Cell and Paddy served up drinks to everyone at an outside bar.
Kink and Hardy spoke in hushed tones with beer bottles in their hands while Chantal and Marian watched the kids and spoke animatedly to each other.
Ronan and Naomi sat across from Dizzy and Bronaugh. The conversation looked serious though every now and then, they all smiled or laughed. Brendan and Sean chatted with each other while several club whores walked around keeping prospects and the single men in the club company.
I watched everyone around me before staring at the man I loved with all my heart.
“Is everything gonna be okay?” Trey questioned after we embraced and kissed one another.
“Yeah, I think so. I’ve made my peace with the past and I’m ready to move forward.”
“With me, I hope.”
“Always with you. I love you so much, I’d do anything for you.”
Trey leaned in to me until our foreheads touched gently. “I’m glad to hear that because there’s some stuff I gotta tell you. Shit you need to know about the club if we’re gonna make a go at this. You’re gonna be my wife, my old lady—we won’t have any secrets between the two of us. You got it?”
“I’ve always known that, honey,” I whispered to him.
“Good ’cause it’s not just you and me against the world anymore. We got the club to watch our backs. Knowin’ you went through all this shit with me and yet, you’re still here—I plan on keepin’ you.”
“There’s no issue there because you’re never gettin’ rid of me.”
Trey laughed out loud. “That’s good to know. We’re gonna be facin’ more shit in the future. Our lives are gonna be in flux. Shit’s about to get real deep and I need you to be with me.”
I laughed and kissed his lips yet again. “There’s no where else I’d rather be than by your side, honey.”
That was the honest to goodness truth.
Men had come and gone from my life but Trey was the one.
I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
The club, the life, and this man—we would all ride and die together.
Love kept us going, while brotherhood was our sword and shield.
Nothing felt as good as knowing I finally had a family again, and no matter what happened we would stand by each other.
There were outside forces determined to tear us down but through it all, we would band together and become stronger. This was my life and I was determined to live it to the fullest with the Saints as my club, and Trey by my side.
The End
The Rough Riders Series continues with
Dangerous Alliance
(Ronan & Naomi ’s story)
Coming Autumn of 2014
Forever Ride
Book Two of the Hellions Ride Series
By Chelsea Camaron
Blurb
Events happen in life that can awaken our truest and deepest desires. They also show us our greatest fears. Sometimes we are forced to face those fears, other times we build walls that can't be broken to protect ourselves.
A profound connection these two once shared. A strong friendship once formed was shattered. Fate has stepped in and shaken both their worlds.
The danger, the wild, the chaos, and the lifestyle of the Hellions world has become far too much for Savannah 'Sass' Perchton. Swearing off bikers and attempting a 'normal' life, she has settled. She's committed to Nick, her country club, pretty boy. She's found a way to be content.
Things aren't always what they seem. Wrap an empty box in pretty paper and a bow, it may look amazing, but it's still a hollow shell.
He's a Hellions playboy. A different chick in his bed, off on a different ride, and always something new. He's Frank 'Tank' Oleander, Haywood's Hellions Road Chief. Throttle down and life is good.
The fast pace of the Hellions life catches up to him. At a crossroads, he's forced to face some life changing thoughts or succumb to the darkness of death. Teetering on the brink of giving in, her voice is all he's holding onto. The coma he can't pull himself out of, her voice is what he holds onto.
She's sworn off bikers. He’s facing the Reaper. Can he pull through? Can she ever see past the lifestyle to the heart of the man behind the cut? Will they find their Forever Ride?
Excerpt from Forever Ride
~Tank~
Darkness. Shadows. Blackness. Gloom. Sadness. I’m engulfed in obscurity, vagueness, and murkiness. Oblivion. I’m not completely gone, but I’m not here either. Lost. Tumbling. Absent.
The soft voice comes through. Gentle, kind, loving, and sad all break through. The light in the dark, the sounds of her, the feel of her, knowing she’s here it pulls me through the shades of black. The citrus smell of her invades my senses. I’m fighting to open my eyes. I want to see her. No, I need to see her. The depths of those emerald green eyes that once danced in my presence, I crave that connection. Fighting with everything in me to see her, but yet nothing is working.
She’s touching me. I can feel her squeeze my hand. She’s
rubbing my arm. It’s a relaxed brush, a tickle almost. Come on Tank, move your hand, I think to myself. Damn it, I can’t do anything. Fuck, I need her to know, I’m right here with her.
“I have to go to work. Roundman and my dad will be by later to see you. I’ll come back tomorrow,” I hear her say with somber undertones.
She’s carrying a heavy burden. A weight I want to lift away. I feel her sorrow. Why? What’s bothering her? Is it my situation? Why can’t I wake up and tell her, it’s going to be okay? Her hands move off my arm and hand, I feel her push off the bed and lean over me. She brushes her hand through my hair and touches her lips ever so softly to my forehead.
“Bye, Tank, until tomorrow. Come back to us,” she whispers barely audible.
The darkness threatens to consume me again as I hold tight to her words. Roundman and her dad, they’ll be coming. The Hellions motorcycle club, my brothers, my Prez and VP will be here. Moments from the past come flooding back to me.
From the day I became in debt to Roundman, he owned my afternoons and weekends with the Hellions working. The gradual progression of my responsibilities over time as I earn my place and the respect of the brothers around me. At first, I was shop clean-up for the garage. As business picks up for the guys, my tasks become more important. In a year’s time, they have me running parts and errands after they could see I was reliable. Eventually, I find myself turning wrenches alongside the Roundman and Danza.
My mom doesn’t like me spending so much time with the club. She tries to intervene, but Uncle Kenny steps in and reminds her, the Hellions are more than providing for her and my sisters now. Since the day Roundman said he would take care of them, he has. Our rent is paid in full for the year. Our electric, gas, and water bills continue to show regular payments leaving credits left over into the coming months. Groceries are consistently show up in our pantry and refrigerator while we are out. Uncle Kenny tells her not to question it. Just learn to accept the hand being extended.
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