by Flora Burgos
“No. Nothing like that. We’re riding out tonight. It ends today, and we’re getting her back. I need you to be strong and stay safe, though. I can’t face going out there and fighting these bastards if I don’t know you’re safe and locked down here. Can you promise me that you’ll stay? No matter what?”
I wanted to lash out. I wanted to tell him that there was no way in hell, but I couldn’t. Maisie was my friend, but she may as well be his sister, and this was eating at him. The last thing he needed was for me to fall down on him now. So, I nodded. If what he needed was for me to be here holding down the fort, then that was what he was going to damn well get.
He smiled and brushed the hair from my cheek, pushing it behind my ear. “Brass balls. When that motherfucker was declaring open season on you? He told me my girl had brass balls. Through and through, you were made for the life, and you were made to be my old lady. Best fuckin’ thing that ever happened to me, you and that car and that dog limping onto the island. You watch. Before this life is over, I’m gonna make all three of you shine. Fuckin’ love you, Sweetness.”
After dropping that bomb on me, he kissed me and led me back out of the room to the others.
There was a woman walking across the room with Nomad. She had black hair, her left arm was sleeved out, and her bottom left lip was pierced. I looked at Jinx in askance, but he just shrugged. Whoever she was, Nomad saw us making our way back through the room and dropped an arm around her shoulder to lead her to us.
As she got closer, I realized that she had a bruise on her cheek and scratches on her hands and throat. I wasn’t sure what that was about, but I knew a girl in trouble when I saw one. I stopped and stood on my toes to kiss Jinx’s jaw before pulling away and introducing myself.
Sticking out a hand, I said, “Hey, I’m Roxanne.”
She eyeballed me and then, after hesitating and looking up to Nomad, she put her hand out as well and said, “Hey, Roxanne, I’m Mitchey.”
Nomad took over the introductions after that, saying, “Mitch, my brother, Jinx. He’s the prez, and Roxanne is his old lady. Bro, my girl, Mitch.”
Jinx gave her a nod in greeting and said, “Sweetness, why don’t you get Mitchey a drink and introduce her to Zeus? Birdie’ll be back in a bit, and we’re going to be rolling out. I need you to hold down the fort. I’ll have the prospects and a couple brothers on y’all for precaution, but I don’t ‘spect much of anything here.”
I nodded. “And my gun?”
He grinned. “It’s in our room, Rox.”
I got a tap on the ass, and then the two men broke away from us and made their way to the others.
Left to our own devices, I decided that to start, I needed my gun, and then we could use a drink.
It was going to be a long night.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Roxanne
I held it together and maintained my composure as long as I could. I did what I perceived as my duty and entertained the quiet woman Nomad had brought to us. Introducing her to my Zeus seemed to break the ice a little, but I could tell she was uncomfortable. We made idle chitchat, nothing in depth because I had no clue what to say to her. She had just shown up while our guys were getting ready to head out on a do-or-die mission like modern-day vigilantes, and I, for one, was scared shitless.
I didn’t fall apart until after all the men had rolled out. The thunder of dozens of bikes roaring in the night shook the walls. Then Birdie came over and sat next to me, right where she had not that long ago when Maisie had pulled cards from her tarot deck and proclaimed life-changing events for her and me.
There had been a foolishness to us that night, the way we were hanging out and having fun even though there was a war being declared. We were safe and sound in our fortress with knights who rode steel ponies and adorned themselves with tattoos as war paint. Secure in the knowledge that nothing outside could touch us. The boys had us, Birdie, me, and the other old ladies attached to the club under protection, but no one thought Maisie would need it. It had never crossed anyone’s mind, and now we were all paying the piper because God only knew what they were doing to her while they had her.
Birdie sat next to me and held my hand. I drew strength from her. She wouldn’t leave my side until the boys were back; after all, she had more to lose than anyone else. Her husband and her son were out there fighting side by side with Jinx and the rest.
My cell began to ring, and I didn’t bother to see who was calling. There were so many people who had my number now that it could be anyone, and I couldn’t afford to miss a single call.
I was shocked to hell and back when I heard the voice on the other end of the line, though.
“Roxy?” Fuck. Fuck.
“Norm?” I asked even though I knew it was him.
“Baby, I just got sprung, and Mama says she hasn’t seen or heard from you in months. I’m home now. It’s time to come back.”
No way in hell.
“Norm, I’m not coming back. I have a life. I’m not even in the state anymore. It’s done.”
“Roxy,” he began again in his nasally placating voice, “c’mon, girl. It’s time to get back home. Don’t make me come after you.”
Soon, really soon, he would start with the begging. He always did, which was when I used to cave just to shut him up. I had held my tongue and played the nice girl, but I was a motherfucking MC president’s old lady, and my only real friend was in the bad guys’ clutches, living through who even knew what. It was time to take off the gloves and give him the truth for once in his life.
“Norman, look. I do not have time for this, so I’m just going to tell you. I’ve moved on. I’m in a relationship with a man you do not want to mess with. A man who is out right now attacking bastards with what amounts to an army of bikers to get my friend back. I don’t love you. I don’t even like you. And I don’t know if I ever did. I’m gone, and I’m never coming back. And one more thing? I took your fucking dog. Not only does he not fight, but every night when I crawl into bed with my biker, my dog is right there with us. He drinks beer with the boys, likes peanuts and pizza more than anything else, and he will never be scared or hurt again.”
With that, I disconnected the call.
Maisie had called it all with a single tarot card. The ending of my old life and the beginning of my new one.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jinx
It was a shit show if I had ever seen one.
We got the drop on them, but they knew something was going on. Hell, if they had pushed Maisie, she would have been able to tell them that we were funneling reinforcements onto the island in droves. So, they knew what our plan was, at least in part, and the only ace we had was that they didn’t know when. But regardless, they were prepared.
The only major plus we had was that they hadn’t called us, so they didn’t know that we knew. Scratch had gone to the diner to see Maisie, and when he found out that she hadn’t come back from lunch, he had them pull surveillance footage and was able to identify one of the Bangers doing a snatch and grab as she walked around the side of the building.
So, when we roared up a good thirty bikes deep, they got a pretty good idea fast about what we were up to. Then everything had gone downhill.
They had started firing on us as soon as we were in range, and currently, Scratch was around the building with Pops and some of the others trying to breach the back while we returned fire in the front. Nome had grabbed some odds and ends and was working to rig an explosive device, his specialty in the military, so that we could get some headway against these fuckers.
I knew for a fact that we had taken a few of the fuckers out. I had no clue how many, but every bullet that was fired put one of our own at risk of getting hit by his own people, so I was cautious. This wasn’t a Wild West shootout for my boys.
Nome gave the high sign, and we lay down cover fire while he ran for the door. He tossed it on the doorstep, then turned and ran for cover again.
When the device
went off, the door blew back on its hinges, and as the smoke cleared, I was watching for any movement.
Nada.
Sweat was pouring down my face, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the door long enough to swipe it away. I had to keep watch. The most miniscule movement could alert me to someone sneaking around to draw a sight on one of ours.
We watched for several moments, and then I threw up a hand and led the way to the entrance.
It was dead silent in there except for the creaking of the mortally damaged building. I felt my phone vibrating and dug it out one-handed, leaning against the wall next to the door. A quick glance showed me that it was Vincent.
I hit Go and said, “What?” Damned if I would let the fucker have the first word.
“Jinx, amigo, what the hell was that about, huh? You just drop in for a visit and tear my house apart?”
“Where is she, motherfucker? And where the hell are you?”
He laughed, and I felt a tingle of unease run down my spine when he said, “My boys had a good time with that one. I really wish I could be there to see Scratch when he finds his pretty psychic. I just called to let you know that on our way out, one of my boys got a little trigger happy, and your long-haired old man is lying in the back, bled out by now, I’m sure.”
The line went dead, and my blood ran cold.
I ran through the questions in my mind as quickly as possible. Is it a trap? Are they still in the house? Have they actually gotten out?
Scratch yelled out from further in the house, “Found her! Get your asses in here!”
That sealed it for me; I turned and said, “Yo! You three on me, and the rest with Scratch. Fucker says they got Pops, and he’s down. Go!”
We ran back out the front door and started to run around the side of the house when one of the boys shouted, “Brother, they just went Splitsville on three ATVs! Bastards were out a window before we realized what was going on.”
Fuck!
I didn’t stop to talk. If they were gone, they weren’t a threat and not my problem at the moment.
My heart dropped when I got to the back of the house and saw the old bastard who was as close to a father as I had left lying in a puddle of his own blood. One of the brothers behind me pulled out his phone and dialed emergency as I ran to him and knelt down to check for a pulse, and thank fuck, it was there.
“Come on, old man, get the hell up. We don’t got time for this shit.”
He groaned, and my heart skipped a beat with relief. “Shit. Get over here and put some pressure on this bullet hole. I’m going to run in and check on Scratch and Maisie and see how bad things are in there!”
Scratch was holding Maisie on the floor in his arms while she was sobbing. I pushed my way to them, and when I saw Maisie, the ice water in my veins turned to lava.
Oh no, oh hell no.
Her face was bloodied, and tears mixed with the crimson from fresh wounds. Her hair had been hacked away in places, and she was only wearing one shoe. The shirt she had worn that day was hanging loosely from her in shreds, and her pants were gone.
I didn’t ask. Couldn’t form the words. But in that moment, I knew that this wouldn’t be over until I had put a bullet in Vincent’s head and we eliminated every Banger on the island.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Roxanne
Standing over his hospital bed, I didn’t expect the first tear, but the second was equally astounding. As I dabbed a finger to my lid, I realized I couldn’t staunch the flow. Before I knew it, I was sobbing quietly, standing there looking down at his wrinkled and hairy face.
I would never understand how it had happened, and how it had happened so quickly, but these idiot men had somehow managed to make me fall in love with them all. Here I was, trying to silently cry so I wouldn’t wake Pops up, and I was emotional because he was in the hospital with a gunshot wound.
When I looked up at him, his eyes were open, and he lifted a hand to pull the oxygen mask up from his face, so I could hear him. “Whatcha cryin’ about, Gypsygirl?”
“You, you big, stupid moron. I don’t have a dad, but I have you, and I figure that’s about the same. I ca—” My words broke off, and I had to breathe in to calm myself. Then I wailed out, “I can’t lose you.”
His face softened, and he smiled, saying, “Oh, Roxanne. I’m all good, darlin’. Gonna be back on my barstool and my hog in just a few days. I’ll drink a beer with Zeus, and we’ll place bets on my Chihuahua races.”
I laughed through the tears,. “It’s a date,” I said, smiling at him.
I left after a few more moments and went three rooms down the hall to see my friend. She wasn’t talking to anyone right now, and I knew it was going to kill to see her lying in her hospital bed with that far-away look in her eyes, but I had to. She had been there for me from the first time we’d met, and my friend needed me. If all I could do was sit in her room and give her silent company, then I was going to do it.
I walked over to her bed and saw that her eyes were red. She’d been crying again. My own eyes burned again when I saw that. I sniffled and then bent to her forehead to brush my cheek to her, saying, “Hey, Maisie. I just wanted to come sit with you for a little bit. I miss you being around everywhere I am. I need you to get better so you can read my cards—”
The animalistic wail that came from her chest scared me. Frantically, she started to jerk her head from side to side. I jumped up from my seat and started to panic. “Oh God, no. What, Maisie? Do I need to get someone?”
She quickly shook her head faster and made an effort to get herself under control. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply before whispering in the softest of voices, “No cards. No cards. No cards.” Over and over again.
“Okay, hun. No cards. I hear you.”
This calmed her enough that I dared to ask in the quietest voice I could muster, “Are you okay, Maisie?”
She shook her head back and for twice to let me know that no, she was not okay.
I tried again. “Can you talk about it?”
Again, she shook her head.
I drew in a breath and said, “Okay. Do you want me to leave?”
I met her eyes, and she shook her head twice more.
No.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jinx
It was Alabama who came through. He called me and told me that they had tracked down Vincent and the Bangers he had taken with him as protection. There were five in total, and they were holed up in an abandoned warehouse but couldn’t get off the island because of police presence. His words were, “I’m going to wait five minutes, and then I’m walking out and getting in a cruiser. Don’t be there when I get there, man. I don’t want to see you go down.”
“Appreciate it, brother. I owe you.” I wasted no time rounding everyone up and rolling out.
We rode up on the warehouse in three and a half minutes. My only objective was to take out everyone inside and get back home.
We were spread out around the house and not backing down. There was going to be blood spilled today, and while this may only be a battle and the start of a much bigger war, they were going to know that this island wasn’t going to lie down and take it.
I walked right up to the door and put my boot to it. It opened easily enough, and I stormed in. I heard a door creak further down the hall and made my way toward it, ready, just ready.
The first idiot popped his head around the corner, and I didn’t give him the chance to retreat. I fired, and he dropped.
I heard two other shots ring out and kept moving. I was going to drill a bullet in Vincent’s head. I wasn’t leaving here until I did.
When I came through a doorway and heard the screen door leading to the back of the house slam shut, I moved to it as quickly and quietly as I could.
Pushing the door open with my boot, I leaned back to look around the doorjamb and saw that two of our guys had Vincent pinned down and their guns aimed at him. I let the screen door slam shut behind me and loosened
my posture. I wanted to look at ease when he saw me, not like I was in a hurry to blow his brains out and get the fuck out of there before LEOs showed up.
I nodded to the men and said, “Let ‘em up. I want him to run, so I can tell everyone how he ran from us and was too pussy to fight like a man. Beating pretty girls with pink hair and shooting old men. Can’t fight a man your own size, can you?”
I watched in disgust as he rose to his feet and lifted his head to take me in.
“Right. Take a good look at me, motherfucker, because mine is the last face you’re ever going to see.”
Vincent’s lip curled, and he said, “Kill me. More will come. El Jefe wants Galveston, and what he wants, he gets.”
“See, man, I was willing to live and let live as long as you were staying in your own neighborhood. I didn’t like it, but it was the agreement. But you took my family, and when you did that, you brought the worst of us down on you. I hope you burn in hell, you miserable piece of shit.”
I lifted my gun and fired, bringing an end to a life that had no business existing in the first place.
I looked up to see that all of the men who had come along for the ride were standing around watching me, waiting for what, I wasn’t sure, but I nodded my head and said, “Alright, brothers. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
When we were far enough away that we wouldn’t look suspicious, I pulled to the shoulder and called Alabama.
“It’s done, brother. I owe you.”
“We’re five minutes out. Are you and your boys clear?”
“We are, and I hate that you’re going to be up all night, clearing away dead criminals, but I’m really thankful to you for giving him to me. That debt? I won’t ever be able to repay.”
Alabama paused for a weighted moment and then said softly before disconnecting the call, “Brother, you don’t owe me shit. We became family on a creek bank twenty-two years ago, and nothing will ever change that. Go home and hug your girl, tell her she’s got to meet me soon, and let Nome and Scratch know. Anything, man, just let me know.”
