Link: Ruthless Bastards (RBMC Book 3)

by Chelsea Handcock

  It was for her own good, Link justified. He didn’t want her caught up in this mess any more than she already was. He wanted her safe. He wanted her to be the one person he didn’t fuck up trying to help. He, fuck, he really did care about her. As he watched her run up to the porch, he wanted to yell at her to stop, to apologize, but Link never apologized, and he wouldn’t start now. He would do this, he would get her back to Lexington, and he would forget about her; that was what was best for both of them. So why did even thinking those words hurt his heart?

  Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he made his way to his bike and mounted it; time to get the hell out of here. He would come back in the morning and check out the other entrance to the caves Carrington was talking about, then he would deal with the other shit he had to do. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he wasn’t stunned to see who it was. Accepting the call, he said, “Val, meet me at the club in twenty, we need to talk.”

  He didn’t even wait for her response. He knew she’d be there, she just wouldn’t like what he had to say. But knowing what he was about to do, lightened some of the weight he’d been carrying on his shoulders for way too long. This needed to be done, now. The trip to the Clubhouse took less than five minutes. Pulling up to the gate, he stopped his bike and Crash came over.

  “Val will be here soon. Send her to Tuck’s office for me, okay?”

  “Will do VP, anything else?”

  “Nope, that should do it. Tuck and the others already head out?”

  “Yeah, about an hour ago. Said you were in charge until further notice.”

  “Okay, heads up, Val might come in happy, but she’s going to leave pissed off. Spread the word that after tonight, unless another Brother brings her onto the property, she is no longer welcome. I don’t care what she says, understand?”

  “Perfectly, VP.”

  Link didn’t miss the slight smile on the man’s lips. Crash was a good guy and a great Prospect. Link and the rest of the brothers had high hopes for him with the RBMC. Crash knew when to do his job and when to keep his mouth shut. That was something not a lot of the men were able to do; they usually needed their opinions to be heard. Link didn’t know a lot about the man’s story; Talon had sponsored him for admittance into the MC. But looking at him, Link was aware the man had secrets; the shadows in Crash’s eyes reminded Link of the ones he saw in the mirror every day.

  Link parked his bike and made his way into the Clubhouse. This place always made him smile; it was a mindfuck for any passerby because the outside looked nothing like what one would expect to see as a Clubhouse for a motorcycle club. No, the old plantation house looked more like a stately manor. The outside looked pristine and grand, but the inside was a different story. The house still had all its architectural details, but they had made it their own. The front door opened into the common room which held a bar, several tables, and enough room for a dance floor. It wasn’t the original concept for the house, but it worked for them.

  Currently, several of his Brothers, a few of the Puppets, and hanger-ons were partying in the room. Link didn’t stop to talk, moving straight for the back hall and Tuck’s office. He wanted to get situated before Val decided to make an appearance. He was determined to make sure the woman knew that this was it.

  While waiting, Link did some paperwork Tuck had left for him; it didn’t take long for his guest to arrive. Val was one of those people who wasn’t happy she was aging and did everything in her power to prevent times effect on her appearance. She wore clothes more fitted for a teenager or twenty-year-old. Not to mention the massive amount of plastic surgery she had over the years. She didn’t even look like herself anymore. The result wasn’t pretty. She was no longer the head cheerleader with the pretty face and banging body. She was a woman creeping up on middle age who showed her wear.

  “Val, take a seat, we need to talk,” Link said before she could do what Link knew she was going to try. He watched her put out her bottom lip and pout like it was cute; it wasn’t. Leaning back in the leather chair, Link steepled his fingers under his chin and studied her. After a couple of seconds, she started to squirm, like he knew she would. They had an arrangement, and Val hadn’t been keeping up her end.

  “We're done, Val, this game we’ve been playing for all these years is over. I don’t want to see your ass here again, you're banned from the RBMC, and I’ll make sure every single Brother knows it.” When she started to respond Link stopped her with a look. “You knew the deal going into this, any information you have about this Club or the Brother’s in it, you tell me. Funny how when Talon’s ass was on the line, you didn’t know or say shit. I warned you what would happen the last time you kept those lips sealed.”

  “Link, I didn’t know anything about Talon and his arrest. You have to believe me,” Val pleaded and even shed a few tears, but Link knew better. She was lying through her teeth. Everyone thought they had been doing each other for years. He let everyone believe it because that was part of the bargain; Val wanted her husband and father to think she was banging a biker. Link let her suck him off occasionally, and he even returned the favor once or twice, but in the last five years, they hadn’t done anything else. This was a business arrangement, pure and straightforward, and Val Haslet was about to be fired.

  “That’s a bunch of bullshit, Val,” Link laughed and leaned forward, so she knew that he meant business, “and you know it. Your husband signed the warrant. He even came to court on the day of Talon’s sentencing. You seem to forget, I know all your secrets and where the skeletons are buried. You're lucky I’m only cutting you off.” Link watched as the color drained from Val’s face. He knew the shock would quickly be replaced with fury. Val didn’t like being told no.

  “Speaking of court, I heard Carrington’s back in town. I wonder, does this little declaration have anything to do with her? Still trying to get that piece of ass, Link? She turned you down in high school after you made a fool out of yourself, waiting on her. What makes you think she would lower herself now?”

  Yeah, Val was a spiteful bitch back in the day. When Link had asked Carrington out, Val had gotten extremely jealous. He was a kid and hadn’t thought anything of it then, but now, he wondered exactly what the bitch might do.

  “Carrington was here to get Tal off, nothing else. But I did hear she and your husband had a rather heated conversation in the parking lot. I wonder if James is still holding a torch for the one who got away? You know, the chosen bride, not his current one.”

  “Fuck you, Link, my husband is kept perfectly happy. She was his parents’ choice, not his, something you need to remember. He has me now, and that little twat is nothing. He was probably telling her to leave town before Theodore got wind of her arrival. My husband doesn’t like cleaning up after trash.”

  That really got Link laughing because although Val had the breeding and status in Defiance, she was trash through and through. The woman slept with anything and anybody. Link could never understand why James Haslet put up with it; he sure as hell wouldn’t.

  “Tell me what the plan is, Val, or get the hell out. I meant what I said, you’re out, but I could make an exception if you make it worth my while.” Link leaned back in the chair again. He didn’t expect much from Val, but she liked playing at the Clubhouse, so he knew she would give him something. He would make a small concession for her which didn’t involve him in any way; he was serious when he said he was done.

  Val glared back at him, but then said, “Fine, I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but some people want the RBMC shut down and gone from Defiance.”

  “Really,” Link laughed, “and that’s different this time, how exactly?” Shaking his head and sucking his teeth to make that noise that everyone knows means, what the hell, Link continued, “That’s not going to get you what you want, Val. Someone is always trying to get the RBMC shut down. Now tell me what you really know or get the hell out. I don’t have the time or the patience for your games today.”

  “Fuck you
, Link,” Val screeched as she made her way toward the door. Before she made it through Link gave her one more thing to think about. “Think about this, Val, I’ll lift the ban and let the Brothers fuck you and all your little friends, but you need to give me what I want. I’ll give you twenty-four hours to think about it, then the deal is off the table permanently and so is your ass, understand?”

  “We’ll see about that, Link, you aren’t the only patched member of this club,” Val snarled.

  “I’m the only one who counts where you’re concerned unless you think Tuck will overrule me. Never did have any luck getting him into bed, did you, Val?”

  Link didn’t even flinch when the door slammed, he had expected it; Val was nothing if not predictable. Sitting back, Link enjoyed the silence for a second. Hell, having Val off his back and finally getting shot of her was like removing a ten-ton boulder from his back. He should have done it years ago.

  Now he needed to remove some other boulders and all would be great with his world. Grabbing his phone out of his pocket, he called Jinx. He didn’t bother with niceties or even a hello.

  “Have a cage and my equipment waiting out front in the morning. I might have found another way into the caves. I want to check it out first thing. Oh, and have someone bring the map we made up for the tunnels to Tuck's office.”

  Jinx was proficient as hell, one of the best computer hackers and surveillance guys Link had ever met. He wasn’t as good as Talon, but he came damn close. He’d also served with Link and saved his ass on more than one occasion. Now there was a man with secrets. None of them really knew anything about him other than his service record, which was impeccable.

  Not even five minutes later, there was a knock at the office door. The Prospect who entered wasn’t one Link was all that familiar with, he was new, Blade had sponsored him. He looked the part, but he was young, really young. Link had been so caught up in what was going on with the Club, he’d let a few things slip by him. One of the main things was vetting the Prospects; he didn’t know this man and that wasn’t good. He would fix that later. Holding out his hand, the Prospect gave him the maps. When it looked like he was going to talk, Link shook his head. He needed to get this done first, and he didn’t want to deal with the Prospect now, that would come later. Thankfully, the man took the hint and left the office.

  Link cleared the desk, laying out the makeshift map. He and his brother had worked on this for hours, going from memories. He knew there would be discrepancies; it had been years. He would be going in at a new entrance, so everything would need to be modified. But Carrington wouldn’t be showing him anything. She needed to keep her ass out of the tunnels and away from any danger. Yeah, like that would ever happen; the woman would walk right into a fire if she thought she could save someone. He admired her tenacity more than he cared to admit.

  Chapter 12

  Carri felt like a fool. A few clipped words from Link, and she was running like the little girl she used to be, not the confident, successful woman she was today. She’d been foolish enough to think they made some kind of connection back there at the pond. She’d even gotten her hopes up they could at least be friendly with each other. Carri didn’t like a lot of the things Link had done in the past or, hell, even a couple of hours ago—his mouth had a way of getting him in trouble—but for a couple of minutes there, she’d seen a different side to the man.

  He cared deeply for the people he considered family. She knew some of his past, everyone in Defiance did because there was always gossip about the Frost brothers or worse yet, their mother. She knew Link had been responsible for his brothers from a very young age and that his mother left them for long periods of time. Carri also knew Link took that responsibility seriously, it was the way he watched out for Whiskey and Talon back when they were all in school.

  If someone messed with either of them, they knew Link wouldn’t be far behind, and he would make them pay. What had astounded her was his abrupt departure to the Service, dragging Whiskey right along with him, leaving Talon behind. She hadn’t seen that one coming, and she knew that Talon hadn’t either. They were friends, and although he never once mentioned it, she knew it had hurt him. Maybe that was his way, he cared, but he couldn’t stick around for the long haul. Carri didn’t know, and she didn’t have the brain power to figure it out.

  Carri was hurt and wanted the comfort of her friend. Climbing the stairs, she went right to Addy who held up the end of the blanket covering her. Carri didn’t need another invitation, she burrowed right in.

  “I’m sorry Addy, I just…” Carri paused her emotions getting the better of her then stuttered, “why didn’t you tell me? I would have been here for you, Addy, you know that.”

  “Yeah, I do Carri,” Addy sighed, but hugged her closer, “and that’s one of the reasons I didn’t tell you everything going on. I didn’t want you to run to my rescue again. The other reason, well I know you’re going to hate this even more, but when I agreed to become Whiskey’s Old Lady, I decided to put him and the Club first. That doesn’t mean I don’t love and care for you as much as I always have, it just means I can’t talk about things that have to do with the Club.”

  Carri knew what she was saying, she was an outsider and not entitled to the information; that stung.

  “I know what you’re thinking, and you're wrong. I still need you and there are things going on that, hell, Carri, I wanted you to come back. I needed you here, and Tal’s case was the way to make that happen.”

  “What’s going on, Addy, what aren’t you telling me? Why did you need me? I would have come with or without Tal’s case, you have to know that.”

  “I’m pregnant,” Addy blurted out, and it took Carri a couple of seconds to register what she’d actually said. No wonder she was scared. With everything that had happened with Sunshine, losing the precious girl, Carri knew being pregnant again would be a constant worry for her friend, she would be thinking of her miscarriage the whole time.

  “Oh, Addy, things are different now, you’re not alone, you have help. You aren’t trying to take care of Pops and run the farm to keep a roof over your head. And Aiden is here this time, you have to know he’ll help. Have you been to a doctor? I mean, I know you have to be worried, but you're tough and you're healthy. This pregnancy doesn’t have to be like Sunshine’s. What does Whiskey say?” Carri needed to get used to calling Aiden Whiskey; it seemed the guys preferred to be called by their road names instead of their birth names. Link was easy, but Whiskey and Talon, that was giving her some problems.

  “I haven’t told him. I only found out two weeks ago, and I know it’s stupid, but what if he does what he did before and leaves? I mean this pregnancy wasn’t planned. We haven’t even talked about kids, other than a slim possibility of maybe someday. We haven’t been back together long enough.”

  “Okay, stop it right there, Addy. What the hell? You didn’t get knocked up on your own. This is his child, too, and if he takes off, so what? You aren’t alone, and we aren’t sixteen anymore. Hell, I’ll be the baby daddy. But, Addy, you have to know that won’t happen. He loves you, even I can see that, and I haven’t even forgiven him yet. You need to tell him and let the cards fall where they may. But I have to say, I think that man will amaze you and probably beat your ass for keeping this from him.”

  “You might be right, but damn, Carri, it’s bringing everything up again, and I’m freaking out.”

  “Honey, you can forgive someone, but you’ll never forget, that’s just the way it goes. But by the same token, you need to let Whiskey in, tell him all of this, everything you’re feeling. If he turns out to be a dick about it, I’m here now, and I’ll gladly kick his ass, but you know deep down, that won’t be the case. The man is pacing the family room, waiting for you to come in.” Carri pointed to the window. “Watch, every three seconds he makes a turn. That’s not a man who’s going to let you down. That right there is a man who’s as desperate for you as you are for him. Talk to him, this is too important to
keep to yourself.”

  “I know,” Addy sighed and laid her head against Carri’s shoulder, “and I’ll think about it. I just needed someone to kick me in the ass and get my head out of the past.”

  “Well, honey,” Carri laughed, “anytime you need your assed kicked, you know who to call. I’m open twenty-four seven and ready, willing, and able to do the job. Just don’t expect me to change any diapers; that’s where I’m drawing the line in the sand. I’ll spoil your kid like nobody’s business. I’ll be the best auntie ever, but hell to the no on poopy diapers, that stuff needs to be kept right in the immediate family.”

  Addy laughed like Carri knew she would; it felt good to be here for her friend. She wanted more of these moments.

  “Carri, you said you would be the baby daddy, and baby daddies change diapers.”

  “Oh no, this baby daddy doesn’t. I’ll buy presents, feed the kid ice cream and candy, then send him home to you. But I do have one suggestion, if it’s a girl, you need to name it Moonbeam or something, you already had Sunshine now you need to make it full circle with the moon.” Carri heard Addy sniffle, so she quickly said, “Although if it’s a boy and he has any of his daddy’s and uncle’s genes, you might want to call him Storm because that kid will be out of control. I’m just saying.”

  “Speaking of Storm’s uncles, you and Link seemed to be pretty cozy there for a second before you took off running.” Carri nudged Addy with her shoulder.

  “You think? Hmm, I don’t think I remember that.”

  “Oh, come on, Carri, there are some definite sparks flying between you and Link. I saw it when he first walked in the kitchen. You still want him.”

  “No, what I want is to do him. See, the problem with Lincoln Frost is he’s one sexy as hell man, one who knows it. But as soon as he opens that mouth, all that sexy fades away and what it leaves behind is not what I’m willing to deal with, understand?”