Night Shift (Nightriders Motorcycle Club Book 1)

by Silver James

  Repo, Radar, and Gravedigger were lording over the biggest grill setup I’d ever seen. It was fifteen feet long, had a metal chimney at one end, and about six different lids. The aroma wafting from it was divine. A handful of kids played on the fortified swing set built for Jonah and Noni. At my nod, they took off to join the others. At least Easy hadn’t lied. There were other kids here.

  I handed Hollywood the boxes of cookies, and I grabbed two of the pies. Sunny was in charge of the kitchen, but smiled as soon as Hollywood asked where to put desserts. “That table back there, hon. Whatcha’ got?”

  He shrugged. “No clue. Easy’s woman brought ’em.” He stepped sideways, leaving me standing there, exposed.

  Sunny glared, but didn’t say anything. Some women I’d never seen before were present so she was probably keeping our club business in-house. We sure wouldn’t want the neighbors to hear us squabbling, now would we?

  “Those are cookies.” I ran down the list. “This is a deep dish apple pie, and I think this one is the chocolate meringue. I have more pies and three cakes out in the Jeep.”

  “Damn, girl. Did you buy out a bakery?” A brassy redhead sauntered up. “I’m Marie, Deadhead’s old lady. He’s president of the Topeka chapter.”

  “Oh, hi. I’m Sam. I’m Easy’s…old lady.” I didn’t mean to stumble over the words. I’d been practicing saying them all week. “Old lady” was a whole lot better than “Easy’s property.” Sunny snorted and rolled her eyes before giving me her back. “And no, these aren’t store bought. I’ve been baking all week.”

  With Marie’s help, we got the goodies unloaded, and I moved the Jeep, under Hollywood’s direction, to the designated parking area. With a reminder to Jonah to look after his little sister, I squared my shoulders and marched back into the kitchen. To hell with Sunny and Ginger and anyone else who thought I was pond scum. I’d do my part despite them.

  I ended up supervising the club whores on cleaning detail. First, they had to scrub all the unassigned bedrooms and bathrooms in the Barracks. We even put fresh sheets on the beds. I guess some of the out-of-town bikers would be sleeping here. Or getting fucked if the conversation swirling around me was any indication. By the time I wrangled them into doing a thorough job with the clubroom and bar, I was hot, sweaty, and out of sorts. I needed to go home and clean up. I thought about using the bathroom in Easy’s room, but I no longer kept clothes here. Once we had possession of the house, I moved every scrap of my stuff. I couldn’t put the clubhouse in my rearview mirror fast enough.

  Making a mental note to pack a go-bag to leave in Easy’s room in case of emergency, I headed back to the kitchen. I didn’t make the mistake of reaching for a can of Diet Coke in the fridge. I’d been told bluntly that unless I stocked my own, I could just drink water from the tap. That’s what I did. I grabbed a plastic glass advertising a local restaurant and filled it from the sink faucet. The old ladies, including about ten more I’d never seen before, were gathered around the huge table. Everyone ignored me so Sunny and Ginger must have filled them in on my lack of status.

  I rolled my shoulders in an attempt to ignore the hurt. I didn’t want to be one of them anyway. Sneaking home to clean up and change would mean corralling Jonah and Noni. They wouldn’t be happy. This was the first time they’d had other kids to play with since their mom was killed. I couldn’t do it to them.

  The clubroom was full and getting fuller as more people arrived. Rowdy, loud, the bikers were already drinking. Girls, some I’d never seen before, filtered in and sized up the men, and received heated looks in return. I scuttled out the front door and found a shady nook tucked back where I could watch the activity at the front gate. Six Nightriders were on duty, including two fully patched-in members. The guy called Wizard was one of them. I wasn’t positive, but I got the Wolf vibe from him, just like I did Hollywood.

  Members brought their vehicles through the gates, men on bikes sometimes followed by women in cars. Sort of hard to transport food on a motorcycle. Non-members—the idiot kids who thought they wanted to grow up to be Nightriders, and the girls out for a thrill with a big, bad biker had to park outside the fence, along the road. I watched for Easy in vain.

  The sun was setting when Hollywood reappeared. “C’mon, hon. The party’s around back.”

  “I’m waiting for Easy.”

  He pulled me away from the wall where I’d plastered my back, turned me around, and tapped the patch on my jacket. “Says here PROPERTY OF EASY. You’ll be safe enough.”

  How did I explain it wasn’t the brothers I was worried about, but their women? Before I opened my mouth, he looped an arm around my neck and walked me the long way around the building. It made me wonder what was happening inside the clubroom. I definitely needed to keep the kids out of there.

  Tables, chairs, and benches had miraculously appeared in the rough square created by the main building, the Barracks, and the garage. Dang. I was probably in trouble with the old ladies again for not being there to fetch and carry.

  Hollywood hip-bumped me, as if he’d read my mind. “We big strong men do the set up and tear down and tend the meat. But the old ladies are starting to bring food out. You need to help with that.”

  And then it occurred to me. Easy wasn’t coming, and he’d asked Hollywood to look after me. I should be pissed, but a sense of relief settled over me. Still, I needed to confirm my suspicions. “Easy won’t be here, will he?”

  “Sorry, babe. The Russian sent him over to Chasin’ Tail to handle things tonight. Shit happens when a brother gets bumped to the bottom of the totem pole. He’s on the night shift;s garbage detail until Russki decides Easy’s paid his penance. Besides, with most of us here, civilian assholes might get the idea they can cause problems.”

  Easy knew I wouldn’t have come without him. I heard the squeal of children’s laughter, and my gaze immediately landed on Jonah and Noni. They were both playing with kids their own ages. And having a ball. That’s why Easy had lied by omission to me. Pissed me off that he’d lie, and we would have a very heated discussion about his propensity to do so, but I couldn’t deny the kids this chance to be normal for awhile.

  I ducked from under Hollywood’s arm. “Thanks. Guess it’s time to get back to work.”

  Trudging across the grass, I avoided direct contact with anyone and slipped through the kitchen door. I grabbed dishes from the table and headed back out to put them on the buffet tables. I laughed. Buffet and biker were not two terms that should go together. Once the food was out, the Russian stood in the middle of the square, backed by his officers—minus Easy—and seven other men, all wearing chapter president patches. Old ladies scrambled to grab kids and shush them.

  The Russian’s voice, tinted with his accent, rang in the air. “Welcome, brothers. Nightriders forever. Forever Nightriders.” He raised his beer bottle and more than three hundred voices repeated the mantra. So much for long, boring speeches.

  A bonfire flared to life and the women who had children guided them to the food table, filling their plates and getting them settled at a table set aside just for them. Jonah fended for himself while I shepherded Noni through the line. Once they found places to sit, I headed to the dessert table, then my Jeep. Jonah loved my deep dish apple pie and Noni would want her box of Nillas. I snagged their desserts, made sure Noni was eating without help, and drifted off to hide in the shadows.

  Alone. I’d better get used to it. Without Easy beside me, I felt lost and out of sorts. I didn’t fit in here. Never would. But Easy was a Nightrider, and I was more than his old lady. I was his mate. He was so firmly entrenched in my heart I’d never get him out. And didn’t want to. Granted, the sex was abso-freaking-amazing, but there was more between us. I had a bone-deep need for him. And he was firmly entrenched in the Nightriders. I couldn’t separate those halves of him. I wouldn’t. So for him, and for the kids to be safe, I’d accept being the outsider. Being ostracized was a small price to pay. And, once we were away from these walls, noth
ing else mattered. Just Easy. Just…us.

  Chapter 18

  SAM

  THE FAMILY PART of this shindig wound down as kids got sleepy. The adult entertainment portion ramped up. Couples filtered into the shadows, and the clubroom had been posted off limits to minors. I’d held out hope that Hollywood was wrong and Easy would appear after all. He hadn’t, and Noni was all but asleep on my lap.

  I struggled to stand up with her. When had the little dickens gotten so big? Hollywood appeared out of the dark, Jonah in tow. He took Noni from me and carried her to my Jeep. With the baby in her car seat and Jonah buckled in, I turned to Hollywood.

  “Thanks for your help tonight. I’ll be back in the morning to help clean up.”

  “Wait for me at the gate, hon. I’ll grab my bike and follow you home.”

  “That’s not necessary. Really. We live close, and I’m used to taking care of myself.” I glanced over his shoulder. A blonde with big boobs watched us, and she was not happy that Hollywood was paying attention to me. “Besides, I think you have other plans for the night.” I gave him a wink-wink-nudge-nudge with my elbow. “Go get laid, Hollywood.”

  A grin split his face. “Oh, fuck yeah.” He hissed out a breath and ducked his head to check on the kids. Noni was already asleep, and Jonah was engrossed in some video game on my smart phone. “Sorry.”

  I waved away his language slip in front of the kids. “It’s not like Easy doesn’t do it all the time. Have fun.”

  Still, he hesitated. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.”

  The prospects opened the gate for us, and I drove through, with a big sigh of relief. I’d survived. It wasn’t very late, only about eleven, but the streets seemed deserted. Hair prickled on my arms, and I started paying closer attention to my surroundings. The Nightriders’ compound sat on the edge of an industrial area, not too far from a major highway. The lights of a convenience store glimmered up ahead, and I realized how dark this area actually was.

  Crossing an intersection with no street lights, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. There was a car parked midway down the side street. And bikes. I got a really bad feeling. I circled through the store’s parking lot and headed back. This was probably one of the stupidest things I’d ever done, especially since the kids were with me, but I had to check out the situation. Taking a couple of turns, I got on the cross street so I could use my headlights to see.

  I’d seen a similar car parked not far from mine. Teri. Toni. Something like that. She lived with a Nightrider named Sandhog. Had she had car trouble or something? One of the guys surrounding her turned around to stare at me just as I got a good look at the back patch on another. Hell Dogs.

  “Jonah, call Easy. Tell him we need help right now. Near that convenience store on Parris and a Hundred and Fortieth.”

  “Aunt Sam? What’s wrong?”

  “Trouble, Jojo. Stay out of sight and call Easy.” I dug under my seat before I remembered Easy had taken all the weapons out. I didn’t have my pistol. I didn’t have my knife. Damn, damn, damn.

  One of the Hell Dogs shielded his eyes from the glare of my lights and started walking toward us. I flicked on my brights, threw the transmission in reverse, and goosed the accelerator. When I hit the next intersection, I shifted into the drive and whipped the Jeep around the corner, headed away. But I wasn’t leaving. I couldn’t leave Teri alone with them. God only knew what they’d do to her. She was a quiet girl, a little shy, but sweet and more than willing to help out wherever she was needed. A part of my brain heard Jonah leave a desperate message.

  “He didn’t answer, Aunt Sam. What do I do now?”

  I racked my brain for numbers. A month and a half ago, I would have just called 9-1-1 but now? Maybe I’d fallen too deeply into the rabbit hole of MC existence, but I knew they wouldn’t want the cops involved. It was up to me to get Teri out of there.

  “Sunny. Find Sunny’s number in my phone. Call her. Tell her Teri is in trouble, that Hell Dogs have her.”

  I pulled into a dark parking lot not far from the store. “Stay in the Jeep, Jonah. And keep the doors locked. Don’t open them for anyone but me, Easy, or one of the Nightriders you know. Understood?”

  He nodded mutely then returned his attention to my phone. I got out, rummaged around until I found the crowbar in my emergency kit. It would have to do for a weapon. As I closed the hatch, I heard Jojo talking.

  “Aunt Sunny? Aunt Sunny? Please. We need you. We need Easy and Uncle Repo and everyone. Bad trouble, Aunt Sunny. Aunt Sam says it’s Hell Dogs, and they have Teri. Aunt Sunny? Are you there?”

  I didn’t have time to find out if she’d answered. It didn’t occur to me that she might ignore the call because it came from my phone. All I knew was Teri needed help, and I was the only one available.

  EASY

  THREE DRUNKEN BRAWLS. A dancer who got stiffed on her private party fee. A shortage of Jack Daniels. A typical Saturday night at Chasin’ Tail. I knew why I got the shit detail. Russki wanted to cut Sam’s support out from under her to see how she handled the party without me. Pissed me off, but who was I to argue. I couldn’t fix things for her. She had to do it herself. That was just a fact of MC life.

  The phone in my back pocket buzzed. I checked caller ID. Sam. Probably calling to say she and the kids were home. Hollywood would have followed them so it was all good. Two guys pushed back from the bar and stood nose-to-nose. Time to break up another fucking fight.

  Ten minutes later, my wolf was ready to chew his way out of my gut. Something was wrong. Bad wrong. Sam. I jerked the phone out my pocket. She’d left a message—five in fact. It wasn’t her voice when I hit play on the last one.

  “Dad! Dad, you gotta come quick. Hell Dogs. They’ve got Aunt Sam. Nobody’s answering their phones. Nobody’s coming to help. Please, daddy. Where are you?”

  Dad? Jonah called me dad, but I didn’t have time to consider the implication. Sam was in trouble. Where the fuck was Hollywood? I grabbed the prospect working the front door. “Call for backup. There’s shit going down. I gotta go.”

  On the way to my bike, I listened to the rest of the messages. Sam and the kids weren’t far from the compound. I called Sam’s phone, got a busy signal. Fuck. I called Repo. No answer. I called Digger. No answer. I called fucking Hollywood.

  “Fuck off, Easy. She went home forty-five minutes ago. She’s fine, and I’m fucking a sexy blonde.” He cut the call off.

  I planned to cut off his balls for this. I dialed the Russian. He answered on the first ring. I could hear the sounds of sex in the background. Some club whore was probably on her knees sucking him off. I didn’t fucking care.

  “Jonah fucking called me. Sam and the kids are in trouble with Hell Dogs. There was something about Sandhog’s old lady, too. The store at Parris and One-forty. If anything happens to her, to them, I’m going fucking rogue, you bastard.” I hung up before he said anything and jammed the phone in my pocket.

  I was probably doing a hundred when I imagined Sam’s voice in my head.

  Easy? Easy where are you? Need you. Trouble. So much trouble.

  “I’m comin’, baby. Hang on. Just hang the fuck on.”

  I set a new land speed record getting from Chasin’ Tail to that fucking store. Sam’s Jeep was parked nearby. Wizard and two prospects stood next to it. Wiz flashed a thumbs up as I drove by. The kids were okay. Down the block, the street was clogged with choppers. I was off and running as my kickstand barely touched pavement.

  Sam stood on the sidewalk by herself, her arms wrapped across her chest. There was blood on her face, and she looked so brittle that one wrong word might shatter her. Sandhog was there, cuddling his old lady. Teri cried softly, her face buried in Hog’s chest. Russki, Digger, Hardy, and Hollywood stood over a body. My wolf lost his shit. Three steps and I punched Hollywood in the face.

  “You fucking dickwad.” I hauled him up and hit him again before Digger and Hardy pulled me off.

  “Easy. Do
not do something you will regret.” Russki’s threat wasn’t loud, but it was damned effective.

  “Too busy fucking some bitch to take care of my mate. That’s all I asked of you, bro.” Guilt welled up inside. I’d ignored her call, too, but fuckin’ A, I was working, doing what my president and Alpha told me to do, taking care of club business. And did the fucking club take care of my business? Fuck no.

  “Easy.” Russki again, only this time, the ice in his voice brought me to heel.

  I backed away, turned to Sam. She just stood there, staring at me. “Sam?”

  “Don’t touch me.”

  Ah, fuck. The hurt on her face twisted in my gut. Betrayed. She felt betrayed. By everyone, but especially me.

  “What happened?”

  “We were headed home. I’d told Hollywood to stay at the compound. I passed this street, saw something. Circled around. Teri was surrounded by four Hell Dogs. I—Jonah tried to call you. Tried to call Sunny.” Her breath hitched. “Nobody answered.”

  I growled at that. This petty revenge shit had gone fucking far enough. It had almost cost me Sam and the kids.

  “I couldn’t leave Teri. I had to help.”

  Fuck. I’d taken all the weapons out of her Jeep, at the Russian’s command. I cleared my throat and glanced at the Hell Dog bleeding all over the asphalt. “Who did that?”

  “Me.”

  “How?” Not that I didn’t believe her, but the more I got Sam to talk, the less brittle she seemed.

  “He thought he could take me. I hit him in the gut with that.” She pointed to a bloody crow bar next to the body. “When he doubled over, I put my knee in his face, and then I kicked him in the nuts.”

  Forcing a grin, I swiped a finger across her arm. “You know, that makes me kinda hot.”

  She raised her eyes to meet mine. Fuck. They looked bruised, broken. “One of them will probably have a broken wrist. He had a knife. I hit him. He didn’t fight after that. The other two let go of Teri. I told her to run, but she was too scared.”