The door opens and Roadrunner comes inside. Looking over in surprise as I didn’t think he should be out of bed, I can’t remember a man ever looking so white and pale. I rush over. “For goodness sake, sit down, Road. Before you fall over.”
“I’m fine.” He waves me off, but nevertheless crashes down on the seat Carmen vacates for him. He looks across to Beef and tilts his head. Beef nods, and without alerting the woman, goes out to take up station outside. Jill gets up and goes over to Roadrunner, but he waves her away, looking pointedly at the black sack Sophie had shoved into her hand.
I leave them to sort themselves out. The old ladies follow me into the kitchen, where Crystal leans her butt against the counter and folds her arms. “Spill.”
I don’t pretend to misunderstand her. Motioning for the others to come close, I lower my voice. “The slaver gang are coming to try to take the women back. The club’s obviously not going to take that lying down.”
“They’re fighting.” Crystal puts her hand over her heart, her eyes open wide. I can see a pulse beating in her temple.
“Drum’s got this,” I assure her, fiercely. “It won’t be anything they can’t handle.”
“That’s why Joker and Beef are here?” Sandy’s shaking her head. “In case they get through?”
I pat her hand. “A precautionary measure, but there’s no way into the back of the compound, and the boys have taken all their toys. We’ll all be fine, Sandy.”
Carmen’s fingers go to her mouth. “But will they? Shit, it’s what I hate about this life. The waiting, the not knowing what’s going on.”
As she speaks, I realise this life’s going to be mine. Can I live with it? I’ll have to if I want to be with Drum.
“Doesn’t mean we have to like it.”
I nod at Crystal. “But it’s the biker we fell in love with. Which means we have to accept everything that goes along with it.”
“You brought them here.” Jill’s voice makes me swing around; she’s carrying a bag full of trash. “If it wasn’t for you, our men would never have got involved,” she continues, scathingly.
Carmen rounds on her. “They’re not your fucking men. They’re ours. And don’t you forget it.”
“Not all of them,” she continues, and then points at me. “And if you think you’re enough to satisfy the prez, you’re going to be very disappointed, hon.” She looks me over from top to toe. “You ain’t got enough to hold his attention for long. And he ain’t gonna be satisfied with just one. Me and Allie, we know how to keep him goin’ all night… Ouch!” She rubs her cheek where I’ve just slapped her. Hard.
I’m not a violent person, but I know that to not literally slap her down at this point would be a sign of weakness. I follow my action up with words. “I’d be very careful if I were you, hon. Reckon Drum would have you out on your ass if he knew what you’ve been saying to me.”
She’s got no comeback; she knows I’ve only stated the truth. I might not know much about biker life, but I know enough to understand you don’t insult or threaten the president’s old lady—not if you’re a lowly sweet butt. As she realises she could lose the place where she lives, and the biker cock she so loves, she takes a step away, physically stepping down. I indicate the door behind me, and she disappears with the trash.
Reappearing a moment later with empty hands. “Storm’s brewing,” she says, merrily, as she goes back into the main room.
I glance at Sandy, who’s stifling a laugh. “Message received and understood there I think, Sam.”
And now we’re all grinning and turn to the task at hand, getting lunch ready. It’s what they do, get on with business as usual while trying not to worry about their men. And what I now have to learn to do too.
It’s when we’re circulating with trays of food that the storm hits in earnest, God’s fireworks in an impressive display while rain pelts down, drumming on the roof of the building we’re in. Some of the women jump with the thunder, the flash of lightning almost synchronised with the sound showing the storm’s right overhead. One crash so loud most of us jump a little nervously.
“Is it always like this?” I ask Beef who’s come back inside, maintaining his vigilance at the window.
“Only in summer,” he replies.
Chapter 36
Drummer
We might almost be getting washed away, but at least it’s helping to disperse the blood the police had luckily missed—along with any other evidence should they come back and investigate further. Dart and Blade have been scouting around picking up all the spent shells they can find. We know how to leave a scene clean.
Slick gets the last truck loaded, and we make our very wet way up to the compound, deciding to go on foot and come back for the bikes when it’s drier. I never thought I’d be grateful to the extremes of the Arizona weather, but it’s certainly been on our side today. The threat of being caught out in a flood may have added to the police officer’s decision to believe our story and head back to the city.
Reaching the clubhouse, it’s already full of men cheering and clinking bottles of beer together. With the prospects up with Sam, Dart’s behind the bar. A sense of satisfaction washes over me. We’re all alive, and we’ve eliminated our enemy. I feel empathy with my brothers’ desire to party. But there’s more work to do before we can relax.
Seeing Doc standing waiting, I throw him a nod, indicating my arm. Quickly he confirms what I already knew, the bullet had just clipped me and already the bleeding has stopped. It still stings, but isn’t incapacitating. He applies a bandage, then goes back to checking out the others.
A slap on my back almost has me reeling. “Peg.” I greet my sergeant-at-arms.
The frown on his face shows he’s not ready to start celebrating, and that like me, he’s well aware our work is far from done. He gets straight to the point. “Got twenty bodies to dispose of, Prez. That’s a fuckin’ lot for us to handle.”
Like him, I’m worried about that. It’s got to be done quick. Before the police department comes calling again, this time with a warrant. Or the feds. I give a loud whistle. “Red, Snake, Wraith, and Blade, with me!” Having caught their attention, I wave to show they should make their way into the meeting room.
Devil approaches. “You need me to sit in on this?”
“Nah, man. Best you’re not involved now.”
As he nods in agreement, I guess I don’t have to spell out to him what we’re going to be discussing. “Okay then. I’ve contacted the feds. They’ll be coming to collect the women early tomorrow morning. They’re making arrangements to get them into their protection programme or whatever. I’ve finished here now, so I’ll be on my way, Drummer. You’ve got my number should you need anything.”
I clasp his hand in mine, and reaching around him with the other, pull him to me in a hug. He’s fought beside me and my brothers today. In my world, that counts for a lot. When we pull apart he lifts his chin, then makes his way out of the clubhouse, receiving slaps on his back from the rest of my brothers when they realise he’s taking his leave. As the scarred man disappears out of the door, I wonder whether our paths will ever cross again.
But now it’s time to join the others. Entering the meeting room, I wave them to seats around the table. When they’re settled, I start on a high. “Good fuckin’ work today. Especially your man, Marvel, Snake.”
The president of the San Diego chapter’s face splits into a grin. “Seems he likes the excitement here. He’s a good brother. And yours if you want him. Make up for that fucker Buster.”
Wraith swears when he hears the name, it left him with a bad taste in his mouth about brothers from the Southern Cali chapter. “You sure about him, Snake?”
Snake is well aware why Wraith’s challenging him and doesn’t take umbrage. “Yeah, I’ll be sorry to lose him, but you seem to need all the men you can get here.” He looks at me and smirks. “Mother chapter sees more than its fair share of fuckin’ action.”
I shrug. Lately,
he’s not wrong about that. And we are on a recruitment drive. “Thanks for the offer, Snake, we may very well take you up on it. And I’m grateful to both you and Red having our six today.”
“No worries, brother.” The two presidents speak in unison.
I drum my fingers against the table. “As you said, we’re not unused to problems here, but this one’s left a residue that’s a lot bigger than we normally handle.” I pause, and my gaze takes in the men seated around me, so they’re left in no doubt about the seriousness of the situation. “We’ve got twenty dead bodies need disposin’ of. And before the law comes knockin’.”
“Any undertakers in your pocket?”
Snake’s suggesting cremation. “Couldn’t handle the volume,” I reply, shaking my head, already having dismissed that option. We might pay a bribe and get one or two into the incinerator, but no amount of money would get anyone to agree to look the other way with the volume we’ve got on our hands.
Blade’s tapping his teeth with his knife. “Drain the swimming pool, fill it with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide …”
“Ew, fuck that, man. I like swimming in there.” Peg’s looking disgusted.
Well, at least the enforcer’s thinking,
“It would take too long I think. Don’t you have to heat it up to the right temperature? Would need to boil a fuck load of kettles.” Wraith’s taking the suggestion seriously.
I wipe my hands over my face, thinking this is one of the most bizarre conversations I’ve ever had.
“Any pig farms around here?” Snake’s rubbing his hands with glee as if he’s enjoying himself. He would; it’s not his problem.
Peg sneers, “I think the farmers might notice if we dumped that amount in their pens.”
“Not if you chopped them up first.”
I wince, thinking of amount of body parts that would entail.
“What about a wood chipper?”
“Pieces would fly everywhere! We’d never clear them up.” Wraith raises his eyebrows at Peg.
“We could wrap them up and deliver them to the feds. They brought them to our door in the first place.”
I roll my eyes at Blade. Yeah, that sounds great. The feds are just looking for a reason to shut us down. Mass murder would work.
My brothers are tossing ideas around, but in my mind, there’s only one option. We need to bury them. Up in the forest above the compound. And, very carefully.
I bang the gavel. “What I need is men.”
“You thinking the old route, Prez?”
“Yeah, Wraith. Need to bury ‘em deep though.”
“We can provide manpower. You got enough shovels? At least the earth will be damp with all this rain.” Red’s pulling at his fingers as if getting ready to get his hands dirty. He nods at Snake, who gives him a jerk of his chin in return.
Now it’s my turn to grin. “Don’t need shovels,” I tell them. “We work construction out of the compound. Got a digger on the site. Just need men to cover the tracks, and to go out hunting.”
“Hunting?” Red frowns.
“Yeah, get a few wild animals to bury on top.”
Wraith nods. “Not foolproof, but does help fool the cadaver dogs.”
“Just got to make sure no one goes lookin’.” And it’s down to me to be convincing enough to prevent that. Somehow.
“We don’t cover our tracks. We make more.”
My eyebrows rise as I look at Peg, wondering if he’s gone mad. “What the fuck you talkin’ about?”
A smile slowly spreads across the sergeant-at-arms face. “I don’t want to lose my patch over this, but I’m thinkin’ about having a ride on that rice rocket of the prospect’s.”
I’m still not certain where he’s going with this. Wraith, too, is looking bemused.
Seeing we’re still not with him, Peg explains, “We dig the trench, make it narrow, the width of the digger. Cover the bodies, then continue moving the earth around the forest, making a track. I’ll take the dirt bike around a few times—hell, anyone who’s up for it can have a go. Cover our tracks, literally.”
“Road’s bike’s here, in the shop. Sam was working on it with him. It’s ready to roll as he was going to race on Sunday.” And instead, he got shot.
Thanking Blade for his information, I consider the idea. My fit of apoplexy averted when I understood Peg had not lost his mind. I now find myself giving a cautiously optimistic grin. “Peg, fuck it. It could work! Anyone else got a better idea? No?” Looking around the table, I see Peg’s plans caught everyone’s interest. Picking up the gavel, I bang it down hard. “Okay let’s fuckin’ get to it.”
As I get to my feet, Blade and Wraith are both telling Peg they’ll take a few turns with the bike. They even seem to be enthusiastic about helping it look like the track’s been well used. Fuck me, getting down in the dirt isn’t for me, but it might be interesting to watch for a laugh. I start looking forward to a bit of entertainment—once the bodies are buried, of course.
“Wraith?”
My VP turns.
“I’m going up to see Sam. Wanna come with? Viper, Heart, and Bullet might as well come before the ol’ ladies go crazy. Then we can go up to the forest.”
Peg waves us away. “Go see to your women. Give us a couple of hours, Prez. With the digger and the brothers we got to help, it won’t take long. Once the bodies are underground, we can have us some fun.”
“Good idea, Peg!” Now it’s my turn to slap his back, and I make sure he can feel it.
I lead our merry band of pussy-whipped men—nah, I’m not afraid to admit it, Sam’s about got me tied up in knots—up to the house where the women are. I don’t know or care how the others greet their old ladies, as soon as mine notices me, she runs over and leaps into my arms, her legs going up and around my waist. Bracing myself so I don’t stagger and fall under the impact, I look into the beautiful eyes that just a few short hours ago, I feared I’d never see again, and lower my mouth to hers in a punishing kiss.
She opens for me immediately, our tongues probe and meet, our teeth clashing together in such a violent coupling as though joining that part of our body we reaffirm the bond between us. My hands squeeze her ass, my cock hardening of its own accord and I know that I need her. Now.
Groaning, I release my hold, letting her slip down my body, knowing by her gasp she feels how hard I am. Her eyes widen, her mouth loosens against mine as she pulls back just enough to tell me, “I need you, Drum. Now.”
Thank fuck she’s on the same wavelength. I keep one arm tight around her, and draw her away from the other women, taking her out of the house and over to mine. Opening the door, I push her inside, her body is pliant and willing. As soon as we enter she turns, her hands going to the bottom of her t-shirt and pulling it over her head. Then she’s removing her bra, shorts, and her panties until she’s naked before me.
My hand shakes, the pent-up emotion, the relief that we’re both alive and the danger behind us makes my touch almost reverent. As I trace the healing scars marring her beautiful breasts, and then the blue/black bruising on her side, my gut clenches at what she had to suffer.
“No one is ever going to hurt you a-fuckin’-gain.” My vow is as serious as any made in a church.
She smiles as she cups my face. “You can’t promise that, Drum. Much as I’d like to believe it, if I’m your old lady, it comes with risks. Just as I can’t promise to keep you safe either.”
“I’ll do everything I can to protect you.”
“You’ve got too many clothes on.” Her voice is husky as she pushes my cut from my shoulders, taking it off and folding it neatly before putting it on a chair. Then she returns and treats my shirt with far less devotion. I bend so she can pull it off, and she discards it on the floor. She pauses, her eyes seeing the bandage on my arm.
“Drum… This…” Her hands reach out gingerly.
I’m not letting anything get in the way of what I want. “It’s nothing. It’s a scratch. Not even bleeding
.” I flex my arm to show it’s not going to stop me.
She examines my face and then gives a nod, accepting my words.
Her fingers toy with the button on my waistband, a twinkling in her eyes as she makes me wait. And then she’s unfastening it, carefully undoing the zip and pushing my jeans around my hips. As my turgid cock springs free she reaches forward, first placing a kiss on the tip, then flicking out her tongue to lick the pre-cum from my slit. My hand goes to the wall behind me as I feel my legs weaken.
With a small satisfied smile, she falls to her knees, and with a gentle tap silently asks me to lift my legs so she can remove one boot, and then the other. Now she’s removing my pants. Women have stripped me before, fuck, I’ve done everything and had everything done to me that it’s possible for a man to experience, but never have I felt such sensations as this woman summons forth from me. An arousal that’s almost painful in its intensity, an emotion that makes me want to fall to my knees and worship her. Her hands, so much smaller than mine, unusually calloused for a woman, affect me more than any other’s smooth manicured touch has ever done.
My cock throbs, twitching all by itself, as I wait in agonizing expectation for what she’ll do next.
Her fingers start to rise, gently trailing up my legs. When she reaches my thighs, she looks up. I gaze at her face, her pupils dilated, her breathing coming quickly. Her lips curve, one side more than the other. “Use me, Drum.”
I don’t waste a moment taking advantage of the gift she’s giving to me, my hands going to her head and taking hold of her hair. “Open your mouth.” My voice is gruff as I tug her toward me and she takes me inside. I push in, hard. “Relax your throat, breathe through your nose,” I instruct, as I start to fuck her mouth wildly, almost out of control. I push in; she gags, I pull quickly out.
“Don’t stop,” she gasps. “Make me feel alive, Drum.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.” Fuck, but she’s tempting me.
“Do it, Drum!” Her fingernails of one hand dig into my ass, holding me tight to her, the other palms my balls. She wants this. She needs this. I start thrusting again, not holding back. She gags again, but I ignore her, I’m not holding her tight enough to force her, if she couldn’t handle this she’d pull away.
Drummer's Beat (Satan's Devils #2) (Satan's Devils MC) Page 33
