by Harley Wylde
There was already a truck in the driveway with the engine running, so I knew one of my brothers had realized I wouldn’t be able to take my bike. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to thank them, or start cussing because I felt like a damn cripple. I tossed the bag into the backseat, then removed the gun from the back of my jeans. I put it in the compartment in the armrest for easy access, but hoped like hell I wouldn’t need it. Technically, you weren’t supposed to store a firearm in the car that was loaded, but it wasn’t like we gave a shit about the law. We broke it a hundred different ways all the damn time.
I pulled away and went straight to the gates where Dingo, Blades, Badger, Slash, and Hot Shot were already waiting. Slash took the lead with the others following and I started to pull forward and take the rear position when someone pounded on the passenger side. I stopped and Beau jumped in. He held up his hands and I knew it wasn’t his idea to babysit me, but I could understand. If my hands got too bad, it made sense to have someone else who could drive for a while.
“Fine. But don’t speak to me,” I said as I pulled forward again, catching up to my brothers and taking the rear spot.
“For the record, I volunteered when they said they needed someone in the truck with you,” Beau said. “I have a lot of shit to make up for.”
I snorted. That was a fucking understatement. After the hell he’d left Meiling in, I was surprised Dingo hadn’t just fucking outright killed him. If it had been my woman, Beau would be in pieces buried in multiple graves by now. I might have even left him alive while I hacked him up.
“You don’t have to even acknowledge I’m here, but if you need me to drive at some point just let me know. Slash said they were driving straight through with minimal stops.”
Great. Just fucking great. I sighed, knowing I’d have to ask him to drive at least once, maybe more. Nothing could make me feel more like shit than admitting I couldn’t do something as well as a damn Prospect. I knew it wasn’t my fault and couldn’t be helped, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow.
If we made it back home safe and sound, I’d have to talk to Grizzly and Slash. As much as I wanted to give the club everything I could, trips like these just weren’t going to be possible. I’d only tried this once since the incident, and it hadn’t gone too well. Probably why they’d stuck me with Beau.
There were times I wasn’t sure if I was any damn good to them anymore. I couldn’t work a keyboard as well as before. Yeah, I could get shit started and do basic stuff a ten-year-old could figure out, but any heavy lifting had to come from outside the club. Couldn’t drive long distance without help. Couldn’t lift heavy shit, or grip things for too long. What fucking good was I?
My phone started ringing and I tried to pull it from my pocket. I fumbled it a few times, trying to answer the fucking thing before I threw it at Beau.
“Take care of that.”
He cleared his throat and showed me the screen. Elena. I didn’t remember putting her number in my phone, but I didn’t keep it locked and she’d had plenty of chances to do something like that. Beau handed the phone back and I answered the call, putting the phone to my ear.
“Everything okay, angel?” I asked.
“How far away are you?” she asked, her voice so soft I barely heard her. My stomach knotted and I jerked the truck over to the side of the highway, stopping.
“Elena, what’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure. There was a loud bang and a lot of popping sounds. I heard a lot of shouting and now everything is quiet. Too quiet.” She let out a breath that sounded shaky even over the phone. “I’m scared, Noah.”
“I’m coming. Find a place to hide and stay there. Make sure your phone is on silent so it won’t make any noises and give away your location.”
“Hurry.”
The line went dead and I tossed the phone on the seat, then yanked the steering wheel, and headed back the way we’d come. Beau didn’t say anything, but as I pressed the pedal harder, he reached up to grab onto the oh-shit handle. A glance in the rearview showed that one of my brothers had turned around as well, but the others kept going. I didn’t know if he was coming to find out what was going on, or if someone had called him too.
Beau glanced in the sideview mirror, then turned to look out the back. “I think it’s Blades.”
“Whoever it is, I hope they were warned there’s trouble ahead. Elena said she heard a loud bang and a lot of pops, some shouts, and then it all went quiet. I think the compound is under attack, or was. I have no idea who the winning side was, but I’m not taking any chances.”
Beau grabbed his phone and started texting. I didn’t know who he was trying to reach and I didn’t much care right then. All I could think about was getting to Elena. We’d only been gone about thirty minutes, if that. Since I was driving a lot faster than before, I hoped we’d get there in about fifteen or less. As we neared the clubhouse, I saw the black plumes of smoke and my heart nearly seized.
What the fuck?
I didn’t even slow down as I hit the town limits and I flew through the open gates of the compound. The clubhouse looked like it had been in a warzone. Most of the building was gone and the other half was falling down. The two houses closest to it were also in shambles. Bodies lay across the parking lot, and I saw two that said Prospect across the back. The other bodies weren’t wearing colors.
A woman stood in the center of it all, her hair looking a little fried, and her clothes were covered in grime. She was screaming and waving a gun around. The truck either hadn’t caught her attention, or she’d decided we weren’t a threat. It was in that moment I realized who she was yelling at.
I jumped out of the truck. “Elena!”
My woman turned a startled gaze my way before focusing on the idiot with the gun. She kept ranting, and I couldn’t make sense of it at first.
“You couldn’t just marry him? You ruined everything! We had a plan. It was all a done deal, then you went and fucked it up,” the woman screamed.
I caught movement from the side of the clubhouse that was still mostly standing. I couldn’t make out who it was, but he was wearing Devil’s Fury colors. When he turned back around and I saw the rifle, I knew exactly who was there. Only Steel had a 12 gauge like that one. The crack of the rifle echoed around us as the woman fell to the ground. I didn’t even stop to see if she was dead, just went running straight for Elena.
“I told you to fucking hide,” I yelled as I jerked her into my arms. My heart was about to beat out of my chest.
“I didn’t have a choice,” she said. “Shella was out there. One of your guys got her away when I distracted Martha.”
“Martha?” I asked.
“Martha Simms. She went to our church. I didn’t even realize she was that close to Garrison, but if any of her ramblings were to be believed, she was in on it with him. How many people are involved in this? Is the entire church in on it?” she asked.
“I don’t know, angel. I’m just thankful as fuck that you’re all right. I nearly had a heart attack when I realized you were in trouble.” I hesitated a second, not wanting to scare her further. “Any idea how she knew where to find you?”
“She didn’t say. I didn’t have a phone she could track. I thought I turned off the GPS thing in my car. How else could she have done it?” she asked.
I didn’t know, but I’d love to find out. Although, if we settled this issue, then it wouldn’t matter if anyone knew where she was because she’d be safe from these assholes.
“Is anyone else concerned that Blades was right behind us but didn’t come through the gates?” Beau asked as he walked over. “Or the fact Wire and Lavender could have been in the clubhouse?”
Steel joined us, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. “Bike flew past right as you came barreling through the gate. Guessing it was Blades, in which case, he saw something you missed. We’ll probably get a call for a clean-up soon. Wire and Lavender took their kid home already. Left about ten minutes after y’all drov
e off. As for you two, Slash said he still needs you. Reinforcements are heading our way, and part of the Hades Abyss are joining you in Oklahoma.”
I held Elena tighter, knowing there was no damn way I could leave her here. Not with the gates wide open and the clubhouse blown apart. I still wasn’t sure what had happened, but it seemed I didn’t have time to ask questions right now.
“Take her with you,” Steel said. “The Boneyard crew is offering spots to the women for now, but I know you won’t sleep easy with her so far away. Not with all the shit circling her. Havoc, Jackal, and Stripes are coming to get Meiling and the others.”
Beau started back for the truck. “I’ll take you to your house so Elena can pack a bag. I’ll drive to Bryson Corners. She needs you right now.”
Normally, I’d smack the shit out of him for giving orders, but he was right about my woman needing me. I kept an arm around her as I led her over to the still-running vehicle. I opened the back door and helped her in, then got in right next to her. It didn’t take long to pack a week’s worth of clothes for her, and any other essentials she needed, then we were back on the road. I remained in the back so I could keep her calm.
This shit was getting ridiculous. Whatever it took, we had to put a stop to Bastard and Shepherd.
Chapter Eleven
Elena
I didn’t know what I’d expected of the trip to Bryson Corners, but the Savage Raptors’ compound wasn’t like anything I’d seen before. Sure, they had a clubhouse like the Devil’s Fury, and I had no doubt there were wild parties there too. They also had a garage where they worked on their bikes, enough homes for their members, a group of three duplexes that seemed to be used for guests, and a small building that I’d been told had studio apartments for the Prospects and a few of the club girls. They’d spared my delicate sensibilities by not calling them whores or sluts. I’d barely refrained from rolling my eyes when they tried to put a different spin on exactly why those women were here.
Their club was bigger than I’d thought it would be. Since the Devil’s Fury felt like they needed to help, I was expecting small numbers. I’d never remember all the people I’d met so far. I lost count after about the fifteenth patched member, and I knew they had at least another twenty, plus all the Prospects. Outlaw had refused to leave my side, and kept muttering something about me not having a property cut yet. Not that I thought he had to worry. He’d done just about everything except pee on me to make sure everyone knew I was off-limits. It would have been cute if hadn’t been so damn annoying.
My stomach was in knots already because I knew that Garrison was somewhere nearby, and my foster father too, most likely. Since Martha had come for me, I had to wonder if they knew their operation had been blown apart. She’d said I messed everything up. I wasn’t quite sure what that meant. It could have been something as simple as they needed another woman to replace me, or it could have meant they knew the club was on to them.
“Outlaw, you’re the one who first discovered this mess. We need you to go into Church and tell them how it all started,” Slash said.
Outlaw’s hand tightened on mine and I knew he was about to refuse. I wasn’t sure what was and wasn’t allowed. I tried to make eye contact with Dingo, hoping he would understand Outlaw’s fear of releasing me and find a solution. He finally noticed what must have been a panicked expression on my face and he hustled over from where he’d been talking to two Raptors.
“What’s going on?” Dingo asked as he stopped in front of us.
“I need Outlaw to head into Church with the Raptors,” Slash said.
Dingo’s gaze dropped to where Outlaw was gripping my hand. I was starting to worry I’d lose feeling in my fingers. For someone who said their hands didn’t work that great, he sure did have strength when he needed it.
“Elena can hang with me while you go take care of that,” Dingo said. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
Outlaw reluctantly released me. I leaned up to kiss his cheek and watched him walk off with Slash. Flexing my hand, I stared at my fingers and wondered when the tingling sensation would go away. Dingo laughed softly and slung his arm around my shoulders, leading me back over to the men he’d been talking to.
“Elena, this is Stinger and Truth. Guys, this is Outlaw’s woman,” Dingo said, motioning to each as he introduced them.
Truth eyed me up and down. “She’s not marked.”
Marked? Did he mean the property thing? Or was I supposed to wear a damn sign that said I belonged to someone?
“We don’t necessarily ink our women,” Dingo said. “They can get a property stamp if they want one, but we only make them wear a cut. Hers just hasn’t been finished yet.”
“And he let her come here?” Stinger asked.
“Someone tried to kill me and blew apart the gates at the compound,” I said. I felt Dingo tense next to me and I looked up, realizing that perhaps he hadn’t known that. “Meiling and China were fine. They were being sent to the Devil’s Boneyard with the other women. Slash apparently set it up so I thought you knew.”
“This related to what’s going on here?” Truth asked.
“The guy you know as Bastard was part of my foster father’s church. He wanted to marry me, but I ran off when everyone was getting too pushy about it. One of the ladies from church attacked the compound with some other men,” I said.
“What men?” Dingo asked.
“They weren’t wearing any identifying marks. Steel was there. He may know more,” I said.
“You boys always have this much drama over there?” Stinger asked.
I tipped my head to the side and studied the men. “Wasn’t Bastard one of yours? Seems to me the drama started here.”
Dingo coughed, but I felt him shaking with laughter. The look he cast my way told me I should probably shut up, even if he did find me amusing. Truth’s narrowed gaze said the Raptors didn’t appreciate it so much.
“Mouthy wench,” Stinger said. “Might want to watch that around here. It seems the Devil’s Fury is a little more lax with their women.”
I glanced around, almost expecting to see women with leashes the way he was talking. I’d known that bikers were different and I needed to watch what I said or did. The last thing I wanted was for Outlaw to get in trouble because of me, or for these guys to look down on him.
“She’s just shook up from what happened,” Dingo said. “Besides, she’s only been around the club a short while. It will take her some time to adjust.”
“Didn’t start out as a club girl?” Truth asked.
My back stiffened. Not that I looked down on those women, but no, I most certainly hadn’t been one of them. Until Outlaw had claimed me, I’d still been a virgin. No man had ever seen me naked except him. For that matter, I’d never seen a naked man until him either.
“This one is the reverend’s foster daughter,” Dingo said. “She was sweet and innocent before Outlaw corrupted her.”
Truth came closer, his eyes going dark. “Are you telling me this bitch lived with that man? And you think she’s not been a part of it? I bet she’s been feeding them information. That it? You a rat?”
“N-No,” I stammered. “I’d never do anything to hurt Outlaw or his club.”
He snarled like an angry beast. “Bullshit. I bet I can make you talk.”
Before I could process what was happening, he’d yanked me away from Dingo and was dragging me to a back hall. I heard Dingo struggling to reach me, but when I looked over my shoulder I saw that three of the Raptors had him pinned. My heart was slamming against my ribs, and I barely kept my footing as Truth pulled me down the dark hallway and shoved me into a room.
I stumbled and caught myself against a metal table. He took advantage and cuffed me to it. Yanking hard, I tried to break free, but I couldn’t. I cried out as he slammed me down on the table, my cheek pressed to the cold surface.
“They may trust you, but I don’t.”
“Please,” I begged. “I’m not part of what
’s happening. I didn’t even know about the Devil’s Fury before I ran away.”
He leaned over me, caging me in and pushing me harder into the unforgiving metal table. “Did they send you down there? Make you pretend to be a virgin so you could snag the club’s attention? Because you screwed up. Should have fucked an officer instead of Outlaw.”
Tears burned my eyes, but I couldn’t even try to fight back. The way he’d pinned me, I couldn’t move, could barely even breathe. I heard a crash from somewhere nearby and a roar of outrage. The door to the room slammed into the wall and Outlaw threw himself at Truth. They fell to the floor and Outlaw immediately started hitting the other man.
“Jesus.” My gaze shot to the doorway as I tried to stand up. An older man stood there, horror in his eyes as he looked from the men on the floor to me. He quickly came into the room and unfastened the cuffs. “Sorry, girly. Not sure what came over Truth.”
I turned to face the men and saw Truth slam Outlaw’s head into the wall. As he staggered and slumped to the floor, I screamed and tried to run to him, but the man who had freed me held me back.
“Truth, get the fuck out and go straight to my damn office,” the man yelled.
“But, Pres…”
The man holding onto me growled. “I said right the fuck now. You’ve fucked up royally this time. She’s protected by the Devil’s Fury, one of their ol’ ladies. What the hell is wrong with you?”
Truth spat blood on the floor. “She’s the reverend’s daughter. You don’t find that a little too convenient?”
“You’re a fucking idiot. If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have known we have a damn rat, or that Bastard was still alive.” The man released me and I ran to Outlaw, kneeling beside him as Truth was shoved from the room. “I’ll have some men come in and get him up. The club doctor can look him over.”
