by Silver James
“What about my bike?”
He glanced up at his mom and then at me. “It’s broken. You’ll have to come back. We hid it in the barn out back. Nobody’ll find it.”
“What’s goin’ on?” Something bad had gone down. They both stank of ammonia and that meant fear. And Pretty moved funny, like she was having trouble walking.
“You just need to leave, ’kay? We’ll get you in Mom’s car and take you to wherever you need to go. You can come back later to fix your motorcycle. But you gotta go. Now.”
Pretty disappeared, and I heard her clattering down the stairs. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and Jonah helped by sticking my feet through the legs of the jeans he held. Then he let me lean on him as I stood, pulled ’em up and buttoned ’em. I struggled into a tee shirt the kid held out. My cut was thrown over the footboard. I struggled into the vest and only grimaced a couple of times.
“What’s goin’ on, kid?”
He didn’t shrug so much as hunch his shoulders but he wouldn’t look at me. “You just…you gotta go, mister.”
“Easy. My name’s Easy.”
“Nobody can find you here. We gotta get you back to the Nightriders, ’kay. That’s just the way it is.”
We got downstairs without breaking our necks. Pretty and the baby were nowhere to be found. Jonah walked me outside. His mom was in the driver’s seat of an old beater. Noni was in a car seat thing in the back. I folded into the front seat and buckled the seatbelt. Jonah climbed in back with his sister.
I thought my directions were coherent, but Pretty got lost a couple of times. When we pulled up at the clubhouse, she was pale and her hands white-knuckled where they gripped the steering wheel. Three armed prospects stood at the gate. I got the window rolled down and hollered. They opened up and Pretty drove through.
Gravedigger appeared in front of the car, and she slammed on the brakes. He ripped open the driver’s side door and jerked her out, handing her off to the prospects before leaning in the car. He glanced at the kids, his forehead wrinkled up, and then he checked me out.
“Where the fuck you been?”
“Long story.”
“The Russian’s pissed.”
“Figured.”
My door opened and Hardass was there to help me out. I glanced into the backseat. “Stay in the car, Jonah. Keep Noni with you.”
“What about my mom?” His voice only wavered a little.
Hardy leaned in. “She has to talk to the Russian. She’ll be back.”
“She’ll be fine, kid.”
“Promise?” His eyes were the size of half dollars.
“Yeah. I promise.”
He studied me for a long moment. “Okay then.”
I walked into the clubhouse under my own power, but Hardy stayed close in case I did a face plant. Now that I was up and moving, I felt stronger and almost back to normal. Digger gave one of the prospects instructions to keep Pretty out in the clubroom until the Russian wanted her, and then he ordered the other two back to the gate. He glanced at me.
“We’ve been on lock down since you disappeared.”
I scrubbed at my jaw. Time was still sort of relative. “How long have I been gone?”
“Six days.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah.” He glanced back at Pretty then opened the massive wooden doors to the room where we held church. He ushered me in, following and shutting the doors behind us. The Russian was there, along with the other officers. You had to be a Wolf to be an officer, but most Nightriders were human. I didn’t like the looks on the cadres’ faces. Damn. I’d be damn lucky to survive the night.
Chapter 3
JONAH
MOM HAD BEEN GONE FOREVER. With the car turned off, I couldn’t tell how much time had gone by. Noni needed to pee, and I knew Mom would be mad if she wet her pants. I unhooked her and hauled her out of the car seat. The guys who’d come back out after Mom went inside were down at the gate and not paying attention to us. I opened the door and put my finger to my mouth to shush Noni. I thought I could sneak her in, find a bathroom, and get her back outside before anybody noticed.
I held her hand tight. When we got to the front door, I worried for a minute that it might be locked, but it opened when I pushed on it. There was an entry hall like at school, and it opened into a huge room. The music was so loud it made Noni cry. I gave her a shake and she stopped. I didn’t see any doors out here. We’d have to go into the big room.
I stuck my head around the corner. If I could find the bathroom door, we’d make a run for it, and maybe the people in that room would be too busy to notice. That’s when I saw Mom. Three guys had her up on a pool table. There were some women there, laughing and saying bad words. Noni tugged on me. She stood there with her legs crossed and tears in her eyes. I didn’t see Easy.
“Hide, Noni.” I gave her push and ran into the room. I had to save Mom. I hit one of the guys and grabbed his belt to pull him away. “Leave her alone! Where’s Easy? He promised!” I tried to hit him but he shoved me away.
“They’re in fuckin’ church, you little asshole. We get to play until it’s over.” The man glanced toward a big wooden door. I jumped up off the floor and ran to it.
EASY
THE RUSSIAN STARED AT ME. I didn’t stare back. His looks could be deceptive—all bemused and shit one second, deadly the next. The fucker was a gawddamned genius, and as quick and mean as a viper. He wasn’t particularly happy with me at the moment and it showed.
“You have created a problem, Easy. Do you understand what I say?”
“Yeah, I know.” A smart man didn’t make excuses, just took whatever got dished out. He’d reamed me a new one for dropping out of sight for a week. I made a promise to my ass to get Kevlar boxers if my butt and me made it out of church intact.
“Now tell me.”
“I stopped in Barney’s to pick up the payment. Got a beer and a burger. Hell Dogs came in like they owned the fuckin’ place.”
“Did they see you?”
“Didn’t think so. I boogied out the back. Fuckin’ bartender probably told ’em. Fuckin’ Bumfuck, Nowhere. I didn’t have any bars on my cell phone. By the time I did, they’d caught up and shot me.”
“The woman?”
“I crawled to her house. She’s a nurse or something. Fixed me up but I was pretty much out of it.”
“She saw your patch?” When I nodded, he added, “If she recognized it, why did she not call?”
“Yeah, about that. I lost my phone when I crashed the bike after I got shot. Broke hers when she tried to get me inside her place. She doesn’t have a land line.”
Before I could continue her kid burst through the door hellbent to beat the shit out of me.
“You promised!” he screamed. “You promised nobody would hurt her. Not like before.”
I didn’t move fast enough. The Russian grabbed Jonah by the scruff and held him out at arm’s length like the kid weighed no more than a sack of garbage.
“What do you mean before?” Jonah kicked and squirmed but couldn’t get free. The Russian shook him. “Answer me.”
“Before. When those other men came. Lookin’ for him! They hurt her. They…” All the air whooshed out and the kid wilted. “They did things. Made her do things.”
“You saw this?”
Jonah grimaced and nodded. “When they came, she told me to get Noni and hide. Told us we couldn’t make a peep. No matter what. That as long as we were quiet, we’d be safe.” His eyes cut my way. “He’d be safe.”
Well, fuck. That explained the bruises I’d seen. And other shit. Like the way she walked, sort of shuffling like something was broken. The Hell Dogs had come looking, found her alone, and being Dogs, they raped her. I felt sick. Like puke up my guts sick. She didn’t give me up. I’d slept through the whole damn attack, too weak to do a fuckin’ thing to help her. I owed her now, even though we’d all be dead if she’d said anything. She was smart enough to know that.
&n
bsp; I found my voice. “What about Noni?”
A tear slipped from his eye, and he brushed it away with the back of one hand. “I covered her eyes and mouth. She was crying. We hid in the cupboard ’cuz we didn’t have time to get out of the house and hide in the cellar.”
“Why do you come in here?” The Russian shook Jonah again.
“Those men. Out there. They’re…they’re…doin’ stuff to my mom.” His eyes found me again. “You promised when she said she’d bring you here. You promised nobody would hurt her or us. That you’d get out and go away and we’d be safe. But we’re not.” He started kicking and swinging again. “Let me go. I have to help my mom!”
Well, fuck. I pushed to my feet but the Russian was already through the door, Hardy and Gravedigger right on his ass. We trooped into the clubroom and sure ’nuff, three of the prospects had Pretty Woman pinned spread-eagled on the pool table. They’d stripped off her jeans. Two of the club whores watched, smirking. I wanted to slap those bitches. Instead, I went for the asshole holding his dick between Pretty’s legs. Digger and Hardy went for the other two.
I hauled the guy off and felt something rip in my side. I didn’t give a shit. I wanted to pound the bastard into a greasy pile of shit.
“You gawddamn motherfucker!” I tore into the prospect, and he punched me in the mouth.
“What the fuck, asshole! She’s not wearing a property patch. The bitch was standing here and she didn’t say no.”
My claws itched to come out, and I was primed to rip the fucker’s throat out. Instead, I tossed him against the wall. The back of his head connected with the open mouth of the Wolf pelt we had hanging on the wall. That old Wolf might be dead and skinned but he was still a motherfucker. One of his canines ripped open the back of the prospect’s head. The scent of hot blood mixed with sweat, fear, and lust. I took a step toward the asshole.
“Enough.”
The word came out all quiet-like, but every last one of us knew the Russian meant business. I glanced over and almost lost my hold on the fuckwad I was ready to kill. The Russian held Jonah, the kid’s face planted against his chest so the boy couldn’t see what was happening to his momma. Jonah’s arms were wrapped around the Russian’s neck with his legs clamped around the big man’s waist. I was glad the kid couldn’t see the Russian’s face and was double damn happy I wasn’t one of those prospects. I glanced at Gravedigger. He’d have work to do before the night was done.
Something sticky dribbled along my side, and I glanced down. A bright red splotch stained my tee shirt. Yeah, I’d torn open the stitches. When I quit being pissed off it was gonna hurt like a sumbitch. A couple more members rushed in. Two of ’em grabbed the guy I was holding. I looked over at the pool table. PW had curled up in a fetal ball. I picked her up, and my heart almost shredded at her whimper.
“Shhh, darlin’. It’s me. It’s Easy. I’m not gonna hurt you.”
She quieted as I carried her over to the Barracks. Adrenaline still ran hot inside me so she felt light. I had a room in the other building, one nobody fucked with. I laid her on my bed and threw a blanket over her. Footsteps shuffled behind me, and I whirled, ready to deck whoever was stupid enough to follow. It was Sunny, one of the old ladies. She held PW’s jeans and shoes.
“Can I help, Easy?” She glanced at the bed and winced. “Repo and I walked in after it was over. He’s going with Digger. I followed you.”
Sunny was Repo’s property and a sweet thing, all bright like her name. Pretty would probably feel better with another woman around. I nodded to Sunny, and she sat down on the bed. “Hey, sugar. My name’s Sunny. You’re gonna be okay now. Easy and I’ll take care of you.”
Pretty opened her eyes and fixed on me. I could barely swallow the rage burning in my gut as I choked out the question. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She dropped her gaze. “What difference would it make?”
“It makes a big damn difference. Trust me.” I swallowed the bile in my throat and reached for the blanket. “I don’t wanna embarrass you, but I gotta see, babe. I gotta see what those Hell Dog fuckers did to you.”
I pulled the blanket back, and opened her knees. I thought I was ready. I wasn’t. Bruised flesh, cuts, her pussy so swollen I didn’t know how she could walk at all. “Fuck.”
“Yes,” she murmured. “They did.”
“No, babe. What they did was rape. And they’ll pay. I promise.” Those last words rang a little hollow. I’d made a lot of promises to Pretty and her kids. So far, I hadn’t kept one of them.
“Would you like to take a bath?” Sunny leaned closer, pulling attention to herself.
Pretty nodded.
“Okay. I’ll run one for you and find some clean clothes that will fit.”
All the sudden, Pretty came up off the bed, whites showin’ around her eyes. “Jojo! Noni!”
I grabbed her and glanced at Sunny. I knew Jonah was okay. Well, as okay as a kid could be with the Russian. I’d totally forgotten about Noni. “I’ll find her. Take care of the Pretty Woman, Sunny.”
Out in the clubroom, I found Jonah sitting on the bar eating a bowl of ice cream with the Russian. That stopped me dead in my tracks. Who knew the Russian might have a soft streak?
“Not a word, Easy.” Hardy nudged me in the back. “I need to look at your wound.”
I nodded absently. Hardy was our medic. He’d been one for real and saw combat in Afghanistan. “In a minute. I gotta find Noni.” As soon as I said her name, Jonah almost dropped his bowl. The kid went white and looked as guilty as Cain. He made to jump off the bar, but the Russian wrapped him up with an arm around the kid’s waist.
“Noni?”
“My sister.” Jonah looked close to bawlin’ again. “I told her to go hide when…when…”
The Russian cut him off so the kid didn’t have to say the words. “We will find her.”
Took us close to twenty minutes, even with our noses. The little dickens had hidden in the very back of one of the kitchen cabinets. She only came out when Jonah crawled in after her. She didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. In fact, she didn’t do anything but stare at us, with those big ol’ blue eyes of hers. She didn’t even whimper when the Russian picked her up, but she didn’t relax either.
“Tell the mother they are fine.”
The kid stared at the Russian with those innocent blue eyes of hers. “I have to go peepee,” she whispered.
That was my clue to skedaddle. When I got back to my room, Pretty was dressed. Her clothes had been ripped so she wore one of my tees and a pair of jeans belonging to one of the old ladies. She sat on the edge of my bed, hands clasped between her knees as Sunny combed out her wet hair.
Both of them looked up at me, and I think I smiled. “Kids are fine, babe. They’re havin’ ice cream.”
Hardy followed me in, first aid kit in hand. That’s when Pretty Woman noticed the blood.
“You’re hurt again.”
I shrugged. “Yeah. I probably ripped the stitches when I—” Hardy nailed me in the back with his elbow, and I clamped my jaw so fast I almost bit my tongue.
She nodded, but none of us missed the shudder that ran through her. “I…” She inhaled and let her breath out slowly. “Give me a minute then I’ll fix it.” Her hands were shaking so hard there was no way she could do anything.
“I got this, sugar.” Hardy pushed me into a chair and knelt beside me. He went to work without another word. It was one reason he and I got along. Neither of us was much for talkin’ about shit. We’d rather do. At the moment, I really wanted to do. I wanted to find those motherfuckin’ Hell Dogs. When I got my hands on them, I’d make damn sure they suffered for what they’d done to Pretty Woman. And I planned on ripping off the heads off those Nightrider prospects. They were dead meat and their whores with them.
Chapter 4
JONAH
I HEARD MOTORCYCLES. For a minute, I thought maybe it was Easy and the Nightriders. They’d taken care of Noni and me and Mom, and aft
er a couple of days, we got to come home. Easy said they’d come out soon to pick up his motorcycle. That was two weeks ago. I looked out the window but didn’t recognize the men riding in circles in the front yard. Then I caught a glimpse of the back of one vest. Cut. Easy called his vest a cut. The patch showed a dog with horns. Hell Dogs. I knew the guy parked right in the middle of them. The Bastard had found Mom. I had to get us out the back door, get us hidden until they left.
Noni was in her room playing tea party with her stuffed bear. I grabbed her and dragged her downstairs. Mom was trying to call someone on her new cell phone.
“Hide, baby,” she hissed. “Take Noni and hide. No matter what happens, don’t come out.”
I didn’t want to leave Mom, but it was up to me to take care of Noni. If the Bastard got his hands on my sister, bad stuff would happen to her. Really bad stuff. That’s why Mom had gotten Aunt Sam to help us hide. We’d been safe for almost a year. Until Easy showed up. They’d found us because of him. I grabbed Noni’s coat and put it on her, then grabbed mine.
“Jojo, after they leave, you have to go. You and Noni will need help. Go to Easy. He’ll take care of you.”
I wanted to argue. This was all Easy’s fault, but Mom was right. The Nightriders hated the Hell Dogs. They’d keep Noni safe. “Mom?”
“Go, baby. I’ll be fine. Don’t let them find you.”
Noni didn’t want to leave. I had to pick her up and carry her out the back door. There was a cellar back behind the barn. Mom had cleaned it up. Put water and cookies and a flashlight in it. In case of storms, she’d said, but I knew it was in case we needed to hide. I took Noni there and we got inside. I closed the door and bolted it, just like Mom taught me. She’d come. After those men left. Mom would come to get us, and everything would be okay.
Noni finally fell asleep. I turned off the flashlight to save batteries and sat on the steps right beneath the door. I couldn’t hear anything. No yelling. No engines. I was scared, like pee-in-my-pants scared. Bad things would happen to us if Mom didn’t come. The Bastard would get ahold of Noni. And my old man… I didn’t want to think about him. He was a cop, but he beat Mom and me. He’d have a bad day, come home, get drunk, and he’d start in on her. She tried to get divorced, but nobody believed he beat her because he was a cop and stuff.
