“I don’t t-t-hink I can do it, D-d-drummer. I-I-I’m s-s-sorry.”
Drummer’s lips thin, then he looks at Beef. Beef nods, and Drummer stands to leave. “I can’t, and won’t force you,” he says. “Fuck knows what hell you’ll be walkin’ into there. But it’s the only way I can see to get Rock released. Jill hasn’t returned, so we can only make one assumption. If she found the Riders, whether she did willingly or not, Jill will have given the game away. They’ll know you’re here, Becca.”
“I n-need to get away.”
“I’ll talk to her, Drummer.” Beef looks tired and tense.
Drummer stares at him, then back at me. “I’ll speak to you in the morning, Becca. You can tell me your decision then.” He starts toward the door, then turns back. “Whatever you decide, Becca, no one will think the worst of you. Especially after our lack of protection tonight.” Then, finally, he’s gone.
Beef’s big, tall, burly. He might have saved me… He scares me. “I-I-I-d prefer to go back to my room, Beef.”
Leaving his post by the door, he comes over. “If you do, you won’t feel safe, not with all the drunken fuckers walkin’ around. You need rest, Becca. Need to regain your strength so you can think straight. You’ll be better off here stayin’ with me.”
Shaking my head, I refute that. “I d-d-don’t want…”
“Fuck it,” he snarls as he comes over and lies down on the bed, his arms pulling me toward him, his front to my back. “Just relax, don’t fight me. Rock’s my best fuckin’ friend, and if you’re his woman, ain’t gonna be me or anyone else makin’ you do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
“I’m n-n-not Rock’s,” I protest.
Beef doesn’t argue. “Even if you’re not Rock’s, he cared about you enough to get you out of that place. Nothing will happen to you while I’m around.”
He sounds so sincere. Although I’m surrounded by him, can smell his perspiration tinged with beer, for the first time since Petty and Roller trapped me I feel protected. Beef’s hand gently strokes my arm, and, against all odds, gradually I start to relax. The tremors shaking my body slow, and when I speak next my stutter has all but gone. But I know I won’t be able to sleep.
“Tell me about Rock, please?”
He sighs, and while I can’t see it, I think he’s smiling into my hair, his voice vibrating against my shorn head as he tells me. “First met Rock when he was a prospect and Bastard was still the prez. He was a wild’un back in those days, but from the start he gave his all to the club. When he was a prospect he took the rap for a patched member and spent a year in the joint. He was still inside when the cops invaded the club. Like a few of us old timers, he was one of the only ones not arrested or dead. He’d grown up when he was released. When he came out Drum had become the prez. Of course, doing what he had, Rock was patched in immediately. Threw himself behind getting out of all the shit Bastard had us into. Never gave cause for any of us not to trust him. That’s why it was so hard to believe he’d turned traitor.”
“That’s him as a member, what about him as a man?” My eyes feel heavy and close at Beef’s almost hypnotic voice.
“I think that’s for him to let you know, not me,” Beef murmurs. “But he’d never hurt a woman, never dream of it. Whatever you think, he never led Jill on. Sure, he’d fucked her, but not recently. Anything else was all in her head. He backed right off when he saw she was thinking that all her sweet butt dreams would come true. But a sweet butt never ends up riding up behind a brother.”
If he says anything else, I didn’t hear it. His voice, having gone so soft for such a big man, lulls me into a restless sleep, brimming with bad dreams. Visions alternating between being back in the cellar and being forced by Petty and Roller wake me with screams. Beef’s soft touch on my arm and a gentle rocking motion each time I rouse soon has me back to sleep. His calming presence makes me thankful I didn’t insist on going back to my own room.
Morning comes far too soon. Beef, true to his word and not leaving me for a moment, escorts me to the suite next door and waits outside while I dress in jeans and a light sweater, a nod to the slight chill in the autumn air. Then he takes me down to the clubhouse. It’s full, but again he’s there, right at my back.
Drummer’s been waiting for my arrival. Bolstered by Beef’s presence, remembering Rock as I’d known him, and his friend’s confirmation that he was a good man, I nod to the president. A little hesitantly, but definitely positively. Taking it as a signal, Drummer jumps up onto the bar and whistles loudly with two fingers in his mouth to get everyone’s attention. Then he gestures at me. Once again, Beef doesn’t leave me as he helps clear a path up to the bar.
“Okay. Now this here’s Becca. Take a good look at her. She ain’t wearin’ a property patch, as she’s Rock’s, and as he’s not here, he hasn’t been able to get her one yet.”
“Is Rock a traitor, or…”
“Rock’s a fuckin’ hero,” Drummer snarls. “He went undercover. I kept that quiet, even from my own brothers, in order to protect him. And today we’re going to get him out.” He pauses and tugs at his salt and pepper beard. “Thing is, we’ve reason to believe they no longer trust him. We wanted to go in yesterday before they could hurt him too much, but needed more brothers at our back.”
Shouts of ‘We’re with you! Let’s go get Rock!’ go around the room, along with a stamping of feet. I shrink back into Beef. They’re like a bunch of angry animals, baying for blood.
“We did our part, Drum. Hopefully made them believe we weren’t gonna support you,” a deep voice shouts out.
“Thanks, Red. As did you, Hellfire, Snatcher, and Lost.”
“Sure did!”
“Fuck yes.”
“They’re not expecting us to have back up. You’ll go before us, and we’ll give you time to get set up. Becca…” He breaks off and looks down at me. I close my eyes briefly, summoning up the tenuous courage that I’d lost last night, and then open them and again nod. “Becca, here,” he continues, “she’s coming with us. They were holding her prisoner, treating her badly, but we know they’ll want her back. We plan to offer her in exchange for Rock.”
“If you’re wrong and his cover’s not been blown… You asking for him lets them know he’s still one of yours, Drum.”
Drummer gives an evil looking twisted grin. “It might, Hellfire, though not if I ask to exchange her for my traitor.”
“We know you’re rescuing a brother. But what will Chaos believe is so important for us to make the exchange?”
“Chaos will buy that we’re looking for two things. Information and retribution. Same reasons he took Rock in.”
Hellfire’s not giving up. “Stupid bunch of motherfuckers. As you say, Rock’s brave. Any other club would have killed him or kicked him back to you. He took one fuck of a chance walking in there.”
“Exactly. And Chaos’s stupidity, over-confidence of any of that shit, is why I think we have a good chance of making this work.”
The tall man with the striking red hair speaks again. “What if they won’t make the exchange? What if the bitch isn’t as important as you think to them? Or you could be overpowered, she could be taken or simply…”
Killed. That’s what he means. Beef’s hand rubs up and down my back.
Drummer looks down at me and winks. “They need her alive. We threaten to kill her if they don’t let Rock go.”
The man pushes through the crowd and stands in front of Drummer, which puts him beside me. He’s even taller up close, with freckles on his face which no way detract from his features. A colouring that normally doesn’t appeal to me, but he wears it well. His hand comes out to rest on my shoulder making me jump.
“Look at her, Drummer. You must see the state she’s in.” Glancing down at me, he mouths, ‘sorry’, then lifts his face toward the Satan’s Devils Tucson chapter prez. “You’re leading her straight into the hands of those motherfuckers. I don’t like that part of your plan.”
&n
bsp; Neither do I.
“Red. When have I ever let you down?” Drummer roars, then waits until quiet settles again. “As soon as she approaches the door, you’ll be waiting. They want her so much, their focus will be on the front of the club, you’ll be hidden in the treeline behind, and on my signal attack from the back, that will push any left inside out to where we’re waiting. We’ll have snipers set up to take out as many as they can when they flood out the door, then we’ll come join you and mop up. After that Slick will set explosives to bring that fuckin’ place to the ground.”
Red stares at him for a moment, then says in a voice equally as loud as Drummer’s, “That will work. I brought my best snipers, as you asked.”
Drummer nods as though he had no doubts anyone would support him. “Time’s of the essence. Workin’ on the worst that could have happened, need to seize the best chance to rescue Rock while he’s still breathin’. That’s why the attack, originally timed for Saturday, has been brought forward to today.”
Wraith snorts. “It’ll work whenever we do it, Prez. With all our brothers behind us.”
Another man comes forward, Red greeting him as Hellfire, who I’ve heard speaking but had been unable to get sight of. He’s nodding his head. “Whatever chapter we’re from, whichever part of the country, we’re all Devils, and Rock’s one of ours. We don’t leave a brother to be tortured and killed.
His words are a signal for everyone to start shouting something which sounds like a battle cry. ‘Ride Satan’s Devils.’ ‘Satan’s Devils Ride.’ It’s deafening when it repeats around the room, almost never ending as it’s carried by echoes.
While Beef nudges me in the direction of the kitchen I know I’m dismissed. Beef stays glued to my side as I grab a coffee while avoiding taking anything to eat. As I drink I hear shouts and orders from the clubroom. The men are obviously sorting themselves out as cries go up for the snipers to identify themselves. While that’s going on I raise my eyes over my coffee cup, then tug Beef’s hand. Petty and Roller are standing in the doorway.
Both look very worse for wear. Petty’s nose looks broken, and Roller’s got a swollen jaw. Both have black eyes and walk stiffly. They nod at Beef, then at me.
“I’m sorry,” Petty starts.
“Me too,” Roller butts in.
Petty gives him a quick look, then his eyes come back to me. “We didn’t know who you were. Would never have touched you if we did. You’re a brave fuckin’ lady, didn’t need us to pressure you.”
I still don’t trust them, but feel braver with Beef with me. It only takes a second to connect their injuries with his sore knuckles last night. I don’t know what will happen today, whether Drummer’s plan will work or I’ll find myself a prisoner again. In the scheme of things, what didn’t happen last night pales into insignificance.
After a few awkward seconds pass I sigh and give them absolution. “I wasn’t wearing a cut.”
“Didn’t matter if you were or not,” Beef snarls, making both men flinch. “It’s not you, Becs, who needs to apologise.”
Petty and Roller look contrite. Petty shakes his head. “Lesson learned, Becca.”
“Not yet,” Beef says inscrutably. “But it probably will be once Red’s dealt with you.”
With identical chin lifts, one causing a wince, they turn and re-join the others in the clubroom.
“Not your fault, Becca.” Beef gently raises my head to face him. “Not your fault. Nothing you did wrong.”
Then I can think no more of the odious pair as the roaring of bikes reaches us. Drummer’s plan’s now in action, and I understand there’s no turning back as the Devils mount up and ride out to take up position. My stomach boils with acid each passing minute, thinking there are a million things that could go wrong today. I trust and hope Drummer knows what he’s doing.
Beef sees me wringing my hands together and covers them with his own. “We’ve got this,” he starts. “We’ll get both you and Rock home. You’ll never have to worry about the fuckin’ Riders again.” He squeezes my fingers. “After that, we’ll sort out your problems with this Hawk. You’ll be free to do whatever you want.”
I’ve got over two years to deal with Hawk. It’s the next two hours I’m more worried about. I’m unable to forget how much danger I’m heading into when at last Drummer fetches me and takes me out to an SUV. Beef leaves me to ride his bike with the rest of his brothers.
Drummer’s voice mumbles reassuringly. “Chaos will accept the exchange, I’ve no doubt of that. I’ll let you go to him.” Drummer advises, “Try not to go inside. The snipers should take out most of their men who come out front to see what’s happening. Any others that stay in the clubhouse will find themselves fighting a rear action against Red’s boys. As soon as it’s safe I’ll give you the signal to run to me.” He turns his eyes from the road for a second. “We won’t leave you with them, I promise you that.”
“I thought you were going to give me a phone…”
“Change of plans, Becca. We’ve got the manpower behind us. Not exposing you to those bastards again. If Rock… If Rock’s not able to come out, we’ll go to him instead. But hopefully Chaos will bring him to us.”
I bite my lip. That plan sounds better to me. “Drummer, if it goes wrong… If there’s a chance he’ll take me for real, please shoot me instead, will you?” I can’t go back to that cellar. I just can’t.
His jaw is set firmly as he replies, “It won’t come to that.”
I just wish I was as confident as him. “But will you promise?” The desperation in my voice must reach him.
He’s silent for a moment, then, “I promise,” he answers grimly.
When you’re going somewhere you’re looking forward to the journey seems slow. When you’re approaching the last place on earth you want to be, it’s over far too fast. Long before I’ve made peace with myself or am anywhere near ready, we’re approaching the outskirts of Tucson, and then out into open desert. All too soon we start travelling along the track and the farmhouse, and outbuildings come into sight.
Drummer pulls up and goes to join his men, who have left their bikes. We’re still some way out, but within sight of the place the Riders use as their clubhouse. Almost before he reaches his brothers his phone rings. Straining to hear from the inside of the SUV, I can only just make out his side of the conversation.
“Not a social call, no. You’ve got something I want, and I’ve got something in exchange.”
Beef opens the door, helps me out, and stands me where I can be seen. I grow cold when he puts a gun to my head and the reality of the situation catches up with me.
“Give us Rock and I’ll send Becca in unharmed. If you don’t. We’ll shoot her,” Drummer tells the man on the end of the phone. There’s a pause, then his voice changes as he snarls, “Because we want to deal with the traitor ourselves, of fuckin’ course. Why do you think we want him?”
Drummer swears. “He better be able to walk out. And yes, we’ll come closer. Any funny games and she’s dead, I’m warnin’ you, Chaos. I know you need her alive.”
He ends the call and signals us. Drummer, Blade, and Peg start walking forward. Beef puts a hand around my arm, and without changing the position of his weapon at my head drags me after them. I don’t have to pretend my reluctance.
It seems like a mile, but is no more than a few hundred yards, and soon we’re about fifty feet from the veranda where a dozen or so Riders are waiting.
Chaos stands in no man’s land, halfway between us and the door to the clubhouse, a smaller group of his men surrounding him. As Drummer predicted, others are coming out the front, swarming like bees to honey to see what’s going on.
“We don’t let her go until Rock comes out,” Drummer calls.
Beef bends his head. “Look like you’re scared.”
He doesn’t have to tell me to act. I’m terrified. Now faced with Chaos, I want to go back to the Satan’s Devils’ compound. Or anywhere. Just not here. I whimper softly.
/> There’s a pause when nothing happens, a space of time that seems to draw out to the point where I want to scream. Then the clubhouse door opens, two men walk out carrying Rock. They throw him to the ground. He catches himself and rolls over, preventing himself landing on his back. I gasp. From his shoulder blades to his waist, his skin looks like raw hamburger meat.
Chaos steps back and kicks him on the ass. “Crawl back to your brothers,” he sneers. “Sounds like they want to finish the job I’ve started.” As Rock starts to move slowly forward, clearly in terrible pain, Chaos changes his attention to me. “Bring the girl to me.”
I start struggling, no pretence needed, my body automatically protesting even being near to the man who’d treated me so cruelly. But it has no effect, Beef pulls me relentlessly forward. Chaos is eager, taking more steps as though anxious to come face to face. His men dog his footsteps.
As we come alongside Rock, Beef suddenly falls, dragging me down with him and rolls over to cover me as shots start ringing out.
Chapter 16
Rock
They tried to pump me for more information. I repeated only what I’d previously said, trying to convince them I was on their side, that they were fools if they thought I was planted to gain intelligence about their club. Lying to give myself time. Time for a rescue. The problem is, Drummer might not know I’m in trouble. We hadn’t arranged regular times for me to check in, the threat of exposing me too dangerous. I don’t know how the fuck Jill knew about the Chaos Riders, or where to find them, or what the Satan’s Devils know about why she’s missing. She could have given them a valid excuse for all I know. Even if Drummer is aware of my situation, I’m not certain I’ll last long enough for him to come for me.
My back is agony. At times in the night I’d have welcomed someone to kill me, a merciful bullet instead of this constant burning and throbbing pain which feels like a thousand hot knives poking into me. Finally, when daylight broke, it wasn’t me they came for, but Jill.
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