Chapter 9
Thorn flicked the smoking stub into the gravel and called the number his brother had given him. A few rings later, voicemail notified him the box was full. What had he expected?
Just then the thundering sound of a Harley echoed down the street. A couple of seconds later, his motorcycle followed the curve and headed toward the warehouse’s parking lot. His brother pulled up, grinning like an idiot.
“Trick here?” Wolf pulled off the helmet and smoothed back his hair.
“Yeah. He’s pissed that I took his hog. You said he okayed it.”
“I said he would be okay with it.” Wolf stood.
His brother hadn’t changed one bit, never thinking through the consequences of his actions. Tired and not a little stressed out, he said, “You can drive his truck back.”
“Listen, Thorn, I didn’t mind working on your bike. I love Harleys, but you’re not the boss of me.” Wolf knocked his shoulder into Thorn’s and continued on into the warehouse.
Raising one eyebrow, Wolf sounded like he did when they were kids. Some things never changed. With a slight lift of his eyebrows, Thorn followed his brother inside. The shouting and no music were his first clues that something was wrong.
Thorn shook his head.
Across the room, Cass held the neck of a broken bottle, and was waving it at Mac. The big guy’s frown showed how unhappy he was with Cass’s threat. Stonewall sat at a table laughing his ass off.
Maybe he needed to rethink the CI idea. Hell, he couldn’t leave her alone for a minute.
Mac took a step toward her. “Bitch, you better put that down before I break your jaw and shut you up good. I’m tired of hearing you whine about your brother. Maybe he’s more than a brother, heh? I heard you liked them to line up. Maybe little brother helped out.” His bushy eyebrows rose.
“You asshole!” She swung. Before Mac reached her, Thorn threw a chair between the two. One leg caught the bottle, knocking it out of her hand. Mac stumbled back and fell to his butt. For such a big man, he sprang up quickly. As he reached out for Cass, Thorn moved between them.
Mac grabbed the back of Thorn’s vest instead of Cass’s shirt. With a twist, Thorn pushed Cass out of the way and turned.
“Don’t touch my colors!” He really didn’t give a damn about the skull and bones on his clothes, but a Brother would fight over a slight to their club insignia before fighting over an old lady.
An uppercut to Mac’s double chin rocked his head back; a crunch echoed in the room. Pain vibrated all the way to Thorn’s shoulder, his fist and arm numb as if he had hit concrete. Mac stopped and blinked before he slowly crumbled to the floor. Who would’ve ever guessed the man had a glass jaw?
Ah, hell! What had he done now? His instinctive reaction to protect Cass had overcome his common sense. There had to be a better way to protect her than breaking the jaw of the VP of the club. That was not the way to go about earning trust. No way would they let him in their smuggling racket at this rate.
Stonewall slapped Thorn’s shoulder, and an ache shot through the numbness. “That was fucking amazing. Mac will be so fucking mad. I don’t remember anyone knocking him out. Come on. We need to talk.”
Thorn wasn’t sure how to respond to Stonewall’s jocularity. Before he could make up his mind if it was a trap or not, a loud screech jerked his attention to Cass.
She stood, hands on hips, glaring at him. “Where’s my brother? I need to check the damage your VP did to him.”
Cheeks flushed, eyes sparking with anger, her female righteous fury was a sight to behold. If it wouldn’t sabotage his operation, he’d scoop her up in his arms and walk out of there. The woman had bigger balls than most of the men in the MC.
What would it take to make her as protective of him? He shook his head.
Cass needed to calm down before Stonewall did something drastic to her that Thorn couldn’t stop. Her family connections could only take her so far. He walked over to Cass and grabbed her by the back of the head with one hand and covered her mouth with the other. She stepped back until the wall stopped her. He pressed his body to hers. Leaning in close to her ear, surprised by her acceptance of his rough handling, he whispered, “For God’s sake, follow my lead. Or you’ll get us both killed.”
Her big, brown eyes wide, she gave a faint nod.
Thorn lifted his hand from her mouth, taking a tender caress at her bottom lip with a finger.
She whispered, “I’m all he has and he’s just a kid.”
“I understand, but Stonewall may get tired of your smart mouth. Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.”
“You wouldn’t dare hit me.”
“Damn it, that’s not what I mean. I don’t want to hit Stonewall. You know the whole club would come down on me, and it wouldn’t be pretty.”
“You’re right.” She grinned.
He stared at her a moment longer. At times, she acted a little crazy when it came to her brother, but at least he could reason with her. Unable to resist, he brushed her cheek with his thumb, her hair hanging around her face hiding the touch.
In a louder voice, he said, “That’s right. You’re my property, and you better not forget I won’t put up with your shit. Go back to the room. Wait for me.” He released her and moved away.
He could see her whole body quiver.
Uncertain she would play along, he lifted an eyebrow. She turned, head held high, and marched toward the stairs.
As if his ears had popped opened from air-cabin pressure, everyone began laughing and hooting at once.
“I never thought I would see the day that Cassidy Ryder would be tamed.” Stonewall tossed him a beer. “It’s only right that it was a Brother to do it. Let’s drink to this fucking awe-inspiring occasion.”
Thorn forced himself to go with Stonewall, instead of following Cass. He wanted to explain, to offer her the CI role, anything to check on her.
What the hell was wrong with him? He’d never let anyone come between him and the job.
They walked further into the large warehouse and down a hallway that ran along a wall of tall, grime-coated windows. Then they entered the heart of the club, the room where church—what they called their club meetings—was held. Thorn had never been invited. Even when he was patched in, they’d done the ceremony at the Skull and Bones.
On the far brick wall was a huge sign with the Brothers of Mayhem’s logo, a skull with its tongue sticking out, as if taunting the onlooker. In the center of the room was a long, fancy dining-room table. It looked out of place with its high gloss. The chairs surrounding it didn’t match, each a different color and style. There were roughhewn benches lining three of the walls. Stonewall pointed Thorn to one. He took a seat and watched the officers of the club take their places. Mac walked in holding his jaw and glared at Thorn. He hadn’t broken it after all. As VP, his place was to the right of Stonewall, who sat at the head of the table. The secretary straddled the chair on Stonewall’s left. Bubba was what a lot of people called a good ol’ boy. All smiles, with thinning hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was as tall as he was wide. Due to his size, he often rode a trike, a three-wheel motorcycle.
The enforcer was unlike what most expected of a man responsible for the club’s protection. Jabber was barely five foot eight in his bare feet. He talked a hundred miles an hour, but was the meanest son of a bitch on the planet. Thorn had already seen him beat a stranger almost a foot taller to a bloody pulp. The man had merely walked into the Skull and Bones asking for directions to the nearest gas station. Jabber hadn’t liked the way he’d asked.
A handful of other long-term members shuffled in. Thorn leaned back when Trick and Wolf walked in. What the hell were they doing there?
When his uncle sat at the other end of the table and Wolf stretched out on the bench behind him, Thorn became really concerned.
Stonewall slammed his fist on the table. “Okay. Church is now in session. Our partner, Trick Savalas, has something to say about the shipment
of parts due to ship next week.”
Shit. Partner? When Thorn brought down the operation, he would be putting the patriarch of his family in prison too, along with his little brother, and most likely Cass’s. Brothers were becoming a pain in the ass.
—
Cassidy stopped at the bottom of the steps. If he thought for one moment she would be waiting whenever he decided to return, he had something coming. No one would be cumming tonight if she had anything more to say about it.
She cringed at the stupid pun.
Goodness knows, she needed to keep her sense of humor or she would go crazy. She was tired of the club screwing with her life, with her brother. How much longer could she live like this?
She wanted no part of what she’d seen growing up. But she understood what her brother saw in it all. The men were feared by everyone around them. With the uncertainties he’d endured as a kid, the club would give him some of that control. For a woman it was different. Most of the Mayhem Brothers thought nothing of slapping around their old ladies, especially any of the female hangers-on. That was the reason she had taken the bat. But now she needed to use that little bit of courage to take Storm out of there.
Everyone’s attention remained on Thorn and Stonewall laughing and talking as they headed down a back hallway and out of sight. The rest of the Brothers continued their partying. Suddenly everyone began whistling and hollering. A woman stood on the bar and stripped for the clapping crowd. Cassidy took advantage of their attention being directed the opposite way and slipped along the wall to the basement door. The door had a big steel bar across it, dropped onto metal hooks, locking anyone inside. She’d seen it when Thorn had pressed her to the wall.
She pulled. It didn’t move. No matter how much she tugged, the bar refused to budge. In frustration, she stood back and examined the frame. Then she noticed a thin lever off to the side. She shoved it with the heel of her hand. The sound of metal grinding against metal encouraged her. Trying the bar again, it slid easily to one side and off. Perfect. Though the music was loud and had covered the noise she was making, she carefully leaned it against the wall before opening the door. Dark stairs led to a light at the bottom. She tiptoed down the steps until she came to the end of the stairwell. She peeked around. Sprawled out in the middle of the room, Storm was alone and unmoving.
The world went all white and then dimmed before she caught the handrail.
“Please don’t be dead, please don’t be dead.” She rushed to his side and touched his neck. That was how they did it on TV. She easily felt his pulse. Releasing a long sigh, she closed her eyes in relief for a second. He was alive. “Wake up. We’ve got to get out of here.”
“Hmm.” He stretched as if waking from a nap. “Damn, this is the hardest, cold-ass bed.”
“You’re on the floor of the clubhouse’s basement. Get up. Let’s go.” She pulled on his shirt.
Storm turned over and she gasped. Blood covered his temple. He left a small pool of it on the floor.
“Those assholes! Let me find a baseball bat and I’ll make sure they bleed too. Who beat you again?”
His fingers tested the wound. “Just me being clumsy.”
“It looks like someone hit you in the head with a two-by-four.” Then she remembered Mitch talking about how Stonewall favored that weapon.
Storm’s confused look cleared, and as if he’d read her mind, he said, “Mac hits like a girl. Besides making me bite the side of my mouth and making my nose bleed for a couple minutes, he didn’t hurt me. Nothing that hasn’t happened before.” He shook his head as he added, “No, it wasn’t Stonewall. I was trying to escape through the window up there, and the boxes I stacked fell with me on top of them.”
That was when Cassidy noticed the broken and scattered crates near the wall.
“Let’s go. We’ll go home, and I’ll check that wound.”
“Haven’t you noticed? We’re locked in here.”
She almost laughed. The knock to the head had slowed down his senses.
“Silly, how do you think I got down here? We’ll sneak back out the way I came in.”
“Good. I need to get you away from that bastard, Thorn. He thinks he can make you his slut.”
She cringed at that last word. Hearing her brother say it hurt. “He wouldn’t do that. He’s not that way.”
Storm jerked his gaze to her, then quickly held his head and cursed. She wanted to help, but she had a feeling he didn’t want her babying him. He rubbed his forehead and said, “Don’t tell me that you’re falling for his act. What happened to you saying you’ll never be a biker’s old lady?”
“I’m not. Don’t worry about that. Let’s get you to Mitch and safety, and then we can talk about what to do next.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I belong with the Brothers.”
“What have I been trying to tell you all these years? What has Mitch told you?” She wanted to shake him.
A sullen look crossed his face. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Mitch doesn’t hate the Brothers. He only hates Stonewall.”
“He always called the Brothers scum of the earth, and much worse.”
“That was to keep you away from them. Janet made Mitch promise not to let you become an old lady. The club life is harder on women. The Brothers are not known for treating their women right.”
“What about you? If you become a Brother, you’ll be like them. Will you treat the girl you love like a whore? Do you really plan to become like them?” She nodded toward the ceiling.
“I can’t see me doing the nine to five. I love motorcycles. The freedom to do what I want, when I want. This life is what I understand. Any girl who wants to be with me will have to understand the club comes first.” He stood and gently fingered his temple.
“The drugs? You want that?”
“I can handle it.”
“Famous last words of a tweaker.” Furious beyond measure, she pushed off the floor and glared. “You better not be smoking meth!”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyway, I’ll be eighteen soon.”
“I’m so sick of hearing that.”
“Maybe people wouldn’t say it so often if you’d fucking listen. You’re as hardheaded as Mitch. You need to stay out of my business.”
He might as well have hit her. She glanced away. No way would she let him see her tearing up. He didn’t want or need her anymore. Her heart felt broken. And she felt alone, terribly alone.
“I’m not giving up on you. You’re better than any of the Brothers. You deserve more.”
“Better than that asshole you’ve been fucking.”
She raised her hand to shake a finger at him. He jerked back.
What had he thought she would do, hit him? She clenched her fist and dropped it to her side. Unlike her parents, she would never strike Storm. The Brothers solved every problem with violence, and that savagery influenced his way of thinking. But to flinch away from her, that was too much.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. He’s a good man.” She wanted to tell him the whole truth, but by the way he was talking, she wasn’t sure if she could trust him.
“If it quacks, has feathers, and waddles, it’s a duck.” Anger radiated from his whole body.
When he got in that mood, there was no talking to him. She’d try again tomorrow, away from the clubhouse. Not wanting him to see her act like a crybaby, she turned and ran up the stairs. She reached the top so fast she tripped into strong arms.
Chapter 10
Cassidy stared up into Jabber’s leering face. She tried to back up, but his arms tightened.
“Let me go.” She looked away, pushing at his chest. He was like a rabid dog. If she stared into his eyes, he would attack. She knew about his perversions, how he loved to dish out pain. She never wanted his hands on her again.
“What a pretty little thing to jump in my arms like you did. Can’t believe you’re Thorn’s old lady. Where is that lucky son of a bitc
h? Maybe you’ve decided you need a real man. Maybe your old man’s wanker is the size of a thorn. Maybe that’s how he got that name.” He roared with laughter.
The man was sick enough to think that was funny.
“Get away from my old lady.” The deep voice came from the left of her. Talk about relieved—she almost laughed. Instead, she exhaled and silently thanked her guardian angel.
Jabber grinned, keeping his gaze on Thorn, and put a hand over one breast and squeezed. Hard.
Pain exploded in her chest. She had to swallow to keep from screaming or throwing up.
Air ruffled her hair as Thorn’s right slammed into Jabber’s nose. In an instant, Jabber pushed her away. She spun her arms like propellers as she teetered on the top basement step. Hands grabbed her by the waist. She looked to see who saved her. Her brother had followed and caught her in time. He steadied her, taking a step away from the stairwell. Heart pumping in fear for Thorn, she remained still so as not to turn his attention to her.
Jabber attacked, running headfirst toward Thorn’s stomach. Thorn moved to the side and the shorter man changed his momentum and swung a fist that caught the taller man in the kidney. Thorn grunted but remained standing, and elbowed Jabber in the back between his shoulder blades. The two men threw one punch after another. They landed on tables and jumped back to their feet to toss chairs, breaking the furniture in their quest to beat each other into unconsciousness. Finally, Jabber tripped and landed flat on his back, struggling for breath. Thorn placed a foot on his chest and pressed. The grin on his face looked diabolical, as if he enjoyed hurting the man.
“Swear to me you won’t touch Cass again, and I’ll let you walk out of here without a broken bone as a reminder.”
“Suck my dick!”
“Beg all you want, but that’s not my thing.”
“You motherfucker!”
Thorn leaned down and lifted Jabber’s arm. Cassidy knew he could break it easily with a slight twist.
“Enough! Let him go.” Stonewall strode into the room glaring at Thorn. “You hit Mac and now Jabber. Leave me a few men to help run the club.”
Hidden Heat (Brothers of Mayhem #1) Page 9
