“What are you, a junky looking for his next fix? I’m not giving you shit. I’ll have you arrested before you even get out of the parking lot.”
“I’m not a junky. I’m your worst fucking nightmare. Sit the hell down,” I said, shoving him onto the stool in front of a computer. “Me and you are going to have a little talk.”
“I don’t talk to criminals.”
“Funny, considering you’re a criminal yourself.”
The bastard actually had the nerve to laugh at me and I pulled my hand back, ready to pistol whip the shit out of him, but then decided against it. I didn’t need to leave any evidence of this meeting.
“Why don’t you stop wasting my time and tell me why you’re here?” he said.
“You’re a stupid fuck, aren’t you? See this?” I waved the gun in front of his face. “Don’t make me plaster your brains all over that white wall.”
“You do that, and you wouldn’t be able to make it out of here without half of Washington looking for your ass.”
“Which is exactly why you and me are going to have a civil conversation. So, here’s the deal. My club needs your help, and you’re going to help us.”
“Why the hell would I do that?” He was a cocky son of a bitch with an attitude. I’d give him that. He definitely wasn’t used to other people giving orders and demands.
“Because if you don’t.” I knelt down in front of him, looking the pervy bastard directly in his beady eyes. “All your deepest darkest secrets will be let out so everyone will know what sort of sick bastard you really are.”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, but by the way he shifted in his seat, the sweat beading on his forehead, and the slight hint of fear in his eyes, I could see he didn’t need me to explain any further.
“Most guys like their girls young,” I said. “Young and legal. The shit you’re into will have you looking at minimum twenty years.”
“You have no proof,” he spat and, this time, I was the one laughing.
“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong. I have proof for days. Seems you’ve been into this shit for over a decade.”
His lip curled, and his eyes seethed with rage.
“So, either we have a deal or you can tell Big Sammy in the slammer that I said hi.”
He ran a hand through his hair, and his jaw ticked. “Fine,” he ground out through his teeth.
I slid my gun back into place and smiled, smacking him on the back. “See, doc, that wasn’t so bad, now was it?”
An hour later, after I flushed out the details with the sicko doc, I got back on my bike and took the long way home, needing to lose myself in the road.
6
Sienna
Being pregnant was a shit ton of maintenance. I hated doctors. Despised them actually. My mother died in a hospital, and I’d always blamed the fucking doctors for it. I’d rather suffer than subject myself to some over educated asshole that only knew how to prescribe medication. Unfortunately, I couldn’t cure a pregnancy by self-medication. I needed a sonogram, and to make sure my baby was healthy.
My baby. A couple weeks ago, those words freaked me out, but each time I thought it, the less scary it became. I was almost at the point of acceptance, even though I still hadn’t told anyone but Dice. He offered to come with me today, but I needed to do this on my own. He had enough to worry about with the club and work. He didn’t need to take on big brother duty, too. Besides, in order to keep this secret, I made an appointment a few towns over, and listening to him lecture me on coming out was not something I was in the mood to deal with.
The other day, when Kade caught me by my bike and basically undressed me with his eyes, I wanted so desperately to take him up on his offer. It would have been easy to agree to one more night of passion, but that’s what got me into this mess in the first place.
I couldn’t get pregnant again, basic science told me that, but if that night taught me anything, it was that hooking up with Kade was a mistake. I felt like someone above was punishing me for my misstep by making me bear a child of the man I had always gone out of my way to ignore.
I kept him at a distance for a reason. When he looked at me, so intensely, whether it was from across the parking lot, or the same room, I felt like he saw me as someone I wasn’t. He looked at me like I belonged on a pedestal, and that was so far from the truth. I wasn’t the perfect girl he created in his mind. Truth of it was, I couldn’t give him what he wanted and I had no desire to be anybody’s old lady. Especially not anybody’s property.
Besides, I watched my father idolize my mother, and, after her death, he was so desperate to fill that void, turning from one failed marriage to the next. By divorce number four, he finally gave up trying.
Happily ever after didn’t exist. Happy was nothing more than a fleeting moment, and I wasn’t enough of a fool enough to chase after a fairy tale.
My gas tank was nearing empty, so I pulled into the first gas station I came upon. I drove up to the first empty pump, and slid my debit card in the slot.
Across the lot, I watched a woman get in a car, holding a pack of smokes, and the urge to get my nicotine fix was strong. I quit cold turkey because I knew it was the right thing to do. I just didn’t expect the cravings. I didn’t know what was worse, the nicotine cravings or morning sickness. Both equally sucked.
Loud voices caught my attention, and I peered over my shoulder to a group of guys acting like a bunch of assholes. My eyes locked on one of the men, and it took only a second for my brain to register who he was.
It was kind of hard to forget the pudgy bastard with long black hair slicked back into a tight ponytail.
Fuck. I’d remember that asshole anywhere. He was one of Gordita’s boys, and had been randomly showing up in Black Hills. Last time I saw him was at the last Righteous Outlaws charity event. He and one of his brothers were roaming around the outskirts of the event like lions stalking their prey. They wound up leaving before anyone had to intervene, but it was obvious they were looking to stir up trouble.
Stanson informed the Outlaws, and then Dice informed me, that this guy was one of Gordita’s biological sons. His name was Matias, and he had a rap sheet a mile long, ranging from petty larceny to assault. I had a feeling he had quite a few more offenses that were never recorded.
Any hope that he didn’t recognize me went out the fucking window when his lip curled and he smirked, looking too amused for my liking. I didn’t run and hide from douchebags like him, but I knew when I was an easy target. Considering I was out of RO’s territory, alone and female, I knew these guys would take advantage. Normally, I’d be ready for the confrontation, but my stomach decided to knot up at the thought, reminding me that I wasn’t really alone right now.
It was hard to put my tail in between my leg, and hightail it the hell out of there though. Against everything I believed in, I hurried with the gas, pulling the nozzle out of the tank, before I was done pumping and shoving it back into its place.
I kicked my leg over my bike, and fired it up, but just as I was about to burn rubber out of there, the bastard stepped in front of me, blocking my way. The arrogant asshole actually stood there, trying to intimidate me by acting like a tough guy, but all that did was push out his already protruding gut, which made me want to run him over with my bike.
His cronies flanked him two deep on each side, and I wondered if I’d be able to get to my gun in my boot before they could reach me.
“Look who we have here,” Matias, the leader of the pack said. He peered at me over his black sunglasses, then rested his grimy hands on my bike.
Anger boiled in my blood. Nobody touched my fucking bike, especially not a lowlife like this piece of shit.
“Can I help you with something? If not, I have somewhere to be,” I said, my words precise and void of emotion, making sure to keep eye contact. The minute you showed fear to assholes like him, you opened yourself up for them to pounce. There would be no pouncing here today. I wasn’t scared of hi
m. I grew up with guys who were ten times more intimidating than he could ever be. In one quick move, I could break all five of his fingers and have him on his knees with the barrel of my gun pointed at his temple. Unfortunately, with his posse in tow it would be a little difficult to pull that off without setting myself up for disaster.
“Since you’re in our territory, I think I’ll be the one to decide when you can and can’t leave,” Matias said, inching his finger until it grazed mine. I tore my hand away from his creepy touch and crossed my arms. “Little jumpy, are we?”
I straightened and leaned over, staring right through his cheap sunglasses to his eyes. “No, I just don’t like when trash touches me.”
He laughed. “You have a mouth on you, chica.”
“Most people do.”
“Smart ass, I like it.” He licked his lips, and I had to keep mine pressed together to keep from vomiting.
“Are we through here?” I asked, losing my patience. This was the last thing I felt like dealing with today. He reached out, his finger going for my cheek, when I grabbed it and twisted it away. “Don’t fucking touch me.”
“Feisty, too. Look at that, even without your guys to protect you.”
“I don’t need anyone to protect me. Don’t make me prove that because I won’t think twice about putting a bullet between your fucking eyes to match your brother.”
Matias’ body stiffened, and his dark eyes raged with fire. “How do you know that?” he demanded.
Fuck. Sometimes my big mouth got me into shit, and I needed to think quickly on my feet to get me out of it. Of course I wouldn’t know where Anthony was shot. The news didn’t disclose that information. I needed to fix this before Matias put the pieces together and realized that the Montamos didn’t kill his brothers and, in fact, one of the Righteous Outlaws did. Technically, she wasn’t an Outlaw just an old lady, but that wouldn’t stop Gordita and her army from turning their war from Montamos onto the Outlaws. Cash would be furious with me and Aubree. And even though Aubree was all yellow and sunshiney and totally opposite of everything I stood for, for whatever reason I felt protective of the bubbley chick.
She’d grown on me these past few months, and I’d dare say she was becoming a friend. If it ever got out that she was the one who killed Anthony, Gordita’s son, they would kill her. Cash would never forgive me. He’d probably get himself killed in her honor. And I would never forgive me.
I didn’t show any sign of intimidation, keeping my stance lax and carefree. “His body was found just outside Black Hills jurisdiction. Don’t think for a second that the Outlaws don’t know every little thing that goes on in our town and the outskirts. It might not have been public knowledge, but that doesn’t mean the information was under lock and key.”
The fire in his eyes settled to a simmer. “Don’t ever threaten me again. I can easily put a bullet between your eyes, and not think twice about it.”
“Do that, and start a war,” I said. “You and I both know that’s not wise for either sides, especially since you’re currently battling one on a different front.”
He clapped his hands together. “We’re always up for a challenge.”
“You don’t have the man power.”
“Oh, but we will. We’re growing every single day, chica. Pretty soon, Black Hills and all the surrounding areas will be our territory, and you and your little club will be nothing more than a pathetic memory.”
“You know, it’s not healthy to live in a dream because reality will eventually bite you in your ass. And I, for one, can’t wait to see that happen. Now, you’re either going to shoot me or let me go. The choice is yours.” My voice rose, catching the attention of several other patrons.
A guy looked over at me like I was some damsel in distress. He had no fucking clue who I was or what I was capable of. I didn’t need to be rescued because, when it came to my life, I was my own hero.
I cocked a bored eyebrow, waiting for a response. “So, what’s it going to be, Matias? People want to know,” I said, scanning my hand around the parking lot to all the witnesses.
His gaze followed my hand, and he shifted from one foot to the other, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Stay out of our territory, bitch. Or next time I won’t be so nice.”
“That goes both ways.” I was sick and tired of him and his brothers strolling into Black Hills, putting the community on edge. No more stalking prey and purposely showing up at our events to try and put fear into us. It was a wasted effort on their part, but I was still fed up with having to see them on my home turf. Just because the club wasn’t going to do anything about it, afraid to make waves and choosing to ignore them, it didn’t mean I was going to sit back and do the same.
Lines needed to be drawn, and they needed to be drawn now. Enough of this pussyfooting around these assholes, and letting them call the shots. I knew Daddy didn’t want to start a war, and I got that, I did, but sometimes a sitting duck was an open invitation.
“You have no authority,” Matias said, and my lip curled in annoyance.
I was born and raised in the club, but, just because I was female, my input didn’t count for shit. People like Matias didn’t respect me. Not that I’d think he’d respect even my father, but at least he’d take his words to mean something more than empty threats. Still, Matias didn’t need to know any of that.
“You’d be a fool to think that. Just look at who calls the shot on your end,” I said, in case he needed a reminder that his mother was the one running the show and pulling all the strings. He would be nothing without her.
The guy from across the lot now started making his way toward us. He had some muscle to him, but that was no match for the arsenal I’m sure these guys were packing. I bet he thought he was saving a damsel, but a few more steps and he’d be the damsel in need of saving.
I revved my engine, and glared at Matias to move out of my damn way. He stared me down for a moment, before lifting his hand to his crew and sidestepping.
Relief flooded me as I pulled onto the street and, for the first time, I felt like my threats weren’t empty. That, somewhere in him, Matias knew I wasn’t playing games. It made me feel powerful and gave me a sense of worth. I would do my part for the club, even if they didn’t want me to, because I followed their mantra: righteousness, brotherhood, respect, and loyalty.
I might not be fully a part of the brotherhood, but, for me, the club still came above everything else. Too bad, in a few months, I’d be sporting a huge stomach and nobody was going to take me seriously. There was nothing threatening about a woman ready to pop. But, for now, I would hang on to that little victory and worry about the rest later.
7
Kade
Church had always been a place where I actually felt like I belonged. After Dad bailed, Mom wanted nothing to do with me. Getting into trouble seemed to be the only thing I was good at. If it weren’t for Cash and his old man, I don’t know where I’d be. They brought me into this club, into the brotherhood, giving me a family I never thought I would have. They protected me from my biggest enemy: myself. I owed them my life.
Once those big wood doors closed, shutting out the rest of the clubhouse, we grabbed our seats. Sitting around the large oak table, carved with the Righteous Outlaws symbol in the middle: a shield representing the original four Horsemen of the club: righteousness, brotherhood, respect, and loyalty, I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be. I felt like I was home.
I sat in my usual spot next to Cash, and waited for Nick to begin. He folded his massive hands together on the table, and let out a sigh we all knew well. He was pissed off about something.
“Another body showed up last night. This one practically sitting on the town line.”
“Montamos?” Dice asked.
Nick nodded. “So, most likely taken out by Gordita’s army of puppies. The question is, are they getting sloppy? Or are they trying to drag us into this war they have going on with Montamos?”
“That woul
d be fucking stupid. Two against one, their odds are shot.”
“Not necessarily,” I said, leaning forward. “Remember, she’s smuggling in illegals. We have no idea how big of an army she’s creating.”
“Kade’s right,” Cash said. “For all we know, they’re bringing them in by the dozens.”
“We should just kill her,” Beast mumbled.
Nick rolled his eyes, and ran a hand down his long grey beard. “We’re not going to kill her.”
“Why not? She’s like a queen bee. You kill her, and the hive crumbles.”
“You don’t think she has someone who would be willing to jump into her position and re-form the army?” Phil replied, proving why he was our Vice President. He always backed Nick up, and was the voice of reason amongst the group. “Restructure it to possibly be bigger and stronger? Someone who is crazier than she is? Look at Montamos. When Carlos was killed, Angelo was happy to take over. Look how that turned out. Carlos might have been an enemy, but at least he was willing to make a deal. Now, we’re stuck with Angelo, power hungry and reckless. Getting rid of the person on top doesn’t always work in our favor. We have to play this smart.”
“Phil’s right,” Nick said. “Let them threaten us. Let them show up here, and try to intimidate us. Just ignore them. They want to get a reaction out of us. One wrong move, and they’ll be on our asses. I don’t know about any of you, but I’m kind of enjoying the peace and quiet since Montamos has been busy dealing with these assholes. Let them kill each other and, for now, let’s stay the fuck out of it. Deal?”
We all stated our agreement, though Beast didn’t do so without a grumble.
“Next order of business. We need volunteers to go down to Florida and pick up a shipment.”
Bulletproof (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #2) Page 5
