Hidden Heat (Brothers of Mayhem #1)

by Carla Swafford

  “What’s wrong, Cass?”

  Her gaze was glued on Harper. “When I said my brother, why did you give that look?”

  “I’m not sure what you mean,” the older man said, his tone cool.

  “For a cop, you’re a terrible liar. I thought being good at telling lies was a requirement.”

  “Cass,” Thorn warned. He stepped in front of her, but she pushed him away and moved up to Harper.

  With a jab of her finger into the man’s chest, she said, “He’s only seventeen. They won’t let him be a prospect until he’s eighteen. So he knows nothing.” Each word Cass spoke came out sharp as glass. She was certainly pissed.

  Harper looked at Thorn and raised his eyebrows.

  He had to admit he enjoyed seeing such a spark in her eyes. She had a temper, but the times it had appeared she’d been fighting to protect the brother she loved. He wondered how it would feel to be loved like that. Totally and unconditionally.

  The Savalas family was a close-knit one, with all of the jealousies and petty arguments in place. With their lifestyle, they were guaranteed to be a volatile group. His mom and dad were young when they had him. They tried to be different: an honest Savalas couple. But so much went wrong once his mom died days after having Wolf. His dad for several years tried his best to carry on, but his passion for vodka took over his life. During those years, he gave in to family pressure and returned to the criminal fold.

  When Thorn had told his dad he wanted to join the army at seventeen, his dad had happily signed the paperwork. He’d said that he could only handle one teenager at a time. Uncle Sam could deal with him. A week into training, Thorn received the news his dad had died in a car accident. He’d driven his truck into a telephone pole. The insurance had required an autopsy, and it showed his old man’s blood-alcohol level was double the legal limit. Thorn could’ve prevented it if he’d been there. He’d been the one driving that route for his dad’s business.

  No, he couldn’t remember being loved like Cass loved her brother. The Savalas family wasn’t created that way.

  Harper’s answer pulled Thorn back into the conversation.

  “Cassidy, we’re after Stonewall and his officers.”

  Shit! Thorn could tell Dean had dodged answering her question. What did he have on the boy?

  Cass glared at Harper and then at Thorn. “Get me away from him before I do something that you’ll regret, because I sure as hell won’t.” She stomped back to the bike, giving them her back.

  Thorn blocked Harper from following her.

  In a low voice, in the hope Cass wouldn’t hear, Thorn said, “What do you think you’ve accomplished by provoking her? You better not have fucked this up. She’s my ticket to being trusted. Then we can move on.”

  “She’s tougher than you give her credit for. She understands that if she doesn’t play nice and help, her brother is forfeit.”

  “Harper, you’re a real asshole. Maybe you’ve been a cop too long and forgotten there are good people out there too.”

  “And maybe you’ve been undercover too long. You’re beginning to sympathize with your biker buddies and their whores.”

  Without realizing what he’d done, Thorn had the front of Harper’s shirt in his grip and the man pressed to the post. Almost nose to nose, he warned him, “You better watch your fucking mouth. She’s not what you think.”

  “You’re falling for her.” Harper’s look of pity ate at Thorn. He wanted to bash in his face.

  “You keep proving what a dumb-ass you are.” Thorn released him and backed away. “It’s my job. I’ll be in touch if I have anything to tell.”

  Fury at himself and Harper shook Thorn to the core. Self-control was one of his strong suits, but nothing he’d done in the last few minutes proved that. Sure, he didn’t beat the shit out of Harper, but he’d grabbed the man’s shirt, threatened him. What the hell was going through his mind? He needed to get a grip and not let the man’s ignorant opinion bother him.

  When Thorn strapped on his helmet, he glanced over at Cass. She looked as if she couldn’t figure something out.

  He snapped, “What?”

  “Nothing.” She bit her bottom lip as she watched him with those big, brown eyes.

  Trying to tamp down the urge to fight, he rubbed his eyes and ran a hand down his face. When he looked at her again, she was still staring. Had she been close enough to hear what he and Harper had said?

  She waited until he straddled the seat before sliding in and leaning against his back. When she held on tight, the niggling worry that she’d overheard them eased off.

  Chapter 14

  The sunset on the beach looked so romantic, and Cassidy wanted to enjoy it, but Thorn’s handler’s attitude still irked her.

  They’d stopped at a souvenir shop on the way back. She remained near the bike—so not in the mood to shop—while he purchased tee shirts for their cover story. She had a lot of thinking to do. Though most of the conversation between Thorn and Dean had been muffled, she’d caught enough to realize they’d argued about her.

  Nothing unusual about someone disliking her without giving her a chance. All her life, because of who her dad was, she’d had to deal with teachers, potential friends’ parents, anyone who expected the worst from her. She’d tried to grin and bear it, but she was helping the guy, and he still talked like that to her. So, no surprise when she and Dean got along like a tub of bathwater and electricity. Another reason Thorn was special and unique. He never prejudged her.

  But when she’d heard Dean accuse Thorn of falling for her, her heart stopped. Guys didn’t fall in love with her. They fucked and manipulated her and then went on their merry way. She was only a good-time girl. No. That wasn’t her anymore. Nowadays, she was the girl who worked and bitched about her brother. There hadn’t been anything else in her life until Thorn scooped her up and did his best to keep her safe.

  Besides, from Thorn’s reaction to his handler’s accusation, he didn’t agree, and acted pissed about it. Was it because he hated the idea of loving someone like her?

  Her feelings for him were confusing. Was she really in love with him? Or did he represent everything she wanted? Psychologists would have a field day with her. She hated the Brothers of Mayhem Motorcycle Club and all they represented, but she wanted a member immersed in their culture as much as her parents had been. The hotness of him being badass enough to be a Mayhem Brother, but only pretending to be one, turned her on. She loved the contradiction. She didn’t trust law enforcement, but knowing Thorn was on the right side of the law freaking moistened her panties. Maybe it was a little of having her cake and eating it too.

  White armor on a bad boy. Oh, Mr. Sex On A Stick!

  “Yo! Wake up.” Thorn walked up and tossed her a sack.

  “What?” She caught it and opened one side of the saddlebags to stuff it inside.

  “No. Put it on. It’s for you.” He busied himself with strapping on a helmet as she opened the plastic sack and pulled out a black shirt. In white print, the front read, “Brothers of Mayhem OL” and on the back, in large letters, “Property of Thorn.”

  Why did her heart pound so hard? Knowing that he wanted to tell the world she belonged to him had her knees almost giving out. No one had ever wanted to let others know. Tears welled in her eyes.

  “You don’t have to wear it. Just thought it would be a good excuse for how long it took. I called ahead before we left and had them fix it up for us.” Though his tone and words said it was just a cover story, something in his eyes said he wanted to see her in it.

  She pulled it over her other tee shirt. Normally, she’d change when they reached the beach where the rest of the club waited, but seeing it on was important to her too. It was a little snug. She traced the O and L with a finger. His sweetness in ordering it for her and using the initials instead of the full term she hated had to mean something. Though, truthfully, it didn’t bother her as much anymore. Could it be that her being his old lady made the difference?r />
  Oh, hell. She had it bad. He was going to break her heart when he moved on to his next case.

  She tugged on her helmet, keeping her head down, and slid in behind him, pressing her lips to his back. Chances were he couldn’t feel it, but that was okay. She had no way to explain how she felt. At the least not in a way she wanted to vocalize at the moment.

  As soon as they pulled into the public-beach parking lot, Wolf waved Thorn over to the side. Equal in height, their heads bent together in a rapid conversation. Whatever was being said wasn’t a happy subject. The brothers looked off to the side, and Cassidy followed their gaze. The furious look on Stonewall’s face warned everyone to take cover. In the next moment, she spotted Storm. What was he doing there?

  Before she reached her brother, he turned to answer Twofer and she stopped. The word PROSPECT on a lone bottom rocker across the back of his denim vest said it all. He was taking the last step to being a Brother.

  When he looked her way, his face darkened as his gaze traveled over her new tee shirt. One blond eyebrow lifted in ironic acceptance of what it meant.

  He nodded and walked away.

  How could a little brother keep breaking her heart? There had been no hope for her, but she’d wanted so much more for him.

  —

  “Where the fuck have you been?” Stonewall stopped in front of Thorn. “Razz just told me we have a snitch.” Each word spoken was accompanied by spittle. His body visibly shook with fury.

  Razz, the president of the Mobile chapter, hated Stonewall’s guts and wanted his position. For someone to voice such an accusation, though, there had to be evidence, or at the least a witness.

  “In the mother chapter or the club?” Thorn didn’t have to work hard for the shocked look that was quickly followed by a disgusted one. He was shocked that the information had gotten out. Only three people, make that four with Cassidy, knew of his undercover existence. The look of disgust came easy, as he’d worked too long and hard for it to end like this. If he even lived for the next twenty-four hours. He forced his gaze to stay on Stonewall’s face.

  Claws of worry dug into his shoulders, pushing him to check on Cass, to make sure she was okay, but that would push Stonewall’s suspicion toward her. He wasn’t sure how she would react. Would she give it away by freaking out?

  “He heard the asshole is in our chapter, but no name. Yet.” Stonewall’s narrowed gaze swept over the Brothers spread across the beach.

  “How will you find out?” He figured it would be normal to ask.

  “Jabber said we could do another background check. One a little more thorough, and we’ll compare it to the original ones. Something might give us a clue.”

  When Thorn first became a prospect, they had performed a background check. Nothing elaborate, from what he’d heard. He’d signed a permission form for them to run a credit check. That easily told them where he worked, what kind of money he made, and where he lived. According to the usual records provided to the credit agencies, anyway. Everything provided by the friendly Sand County Sheriff’s Office.

  His background story showed he’d been recently discharged from the army, with a little change on the year’s last digit, and hadn’t found a job. So when he lucked into the bartender gig at the Skulls and Bones, it had placed him at the right spot.

  He should feel relieved that Stonewall told him all of that, indicating he wasn’t a suspect, but Thorn wasn’t sure if he was being played.

  “Jabber is going to start with your old lady. I have a feeling she’s involved. She’s been crying about how we’re using her brother. The fucking little bastard has been begging to join since he was twelve.” Stonewall laughed and slapped Thorn on the back.

  “No way. She’s not involved.” If he hadn’t taken up for his old lady, it would appear odd.

  “You better remember, no Brother lets a little pussy get in the way of chapter business. If she is, I’ll let you have the honor of dumping her in the middle of Smith Lake.” The merciless grin on Stonewall’s face warned Thorn to never let the prez get his hands on Cass.

  “Sure. But it’s not her.” Thorn filed away the information on what Stonewall thought was a good place to dump a body. There were a couple of missing persons connected with the Brothers of Mayhem that Harper could investigate. Smith Lake could certainly be the place. Between the depth of the lake and the long-ago submerged trees beneath the surface, bodies might never turn up.

  “Fuck! With the Thirty-Second nipping at our heels and the cops breathing down our necks, it’s fucking up our plans. I’ll call Trick. We’ll have to stall on the date. Too dangerous to move the goods. Shit! The whole world is going down in flames. They don’t know it, but I’ll fucking make sure we’re the last ones standing.” He paced back and forth cussing and glaring at anyone who walked nearby.

  That was the last thing Thorn needed. No stalling. He wanted the operation over with. He wanted Cass out of the middle.

  What had he been thinking, letting her get involved? He could handle being under fire, but no matter how capable Cass appeared, this was too dangerous. He was a fucking idiot.

  “Bullhead! Bring me Thorn’s ol’ lady!”

  Thorn wanted to hit the asshole in the face.

  Chapter 15

  Cassidy jerked at the arm held tightly by Bullhead.

  “Let go of me. Can you not read? The back of my shirt says ‘Property of Thorn.’ If he finds out you’ve touched me, he’ll beat you to a pulp.”

  “That scrawny ass—”

  Thorn kicked in the back of Bullhead’s knee. Sand splattered several sunbathers when the big guy landed hard on the beach. Before he could reach his feet, Thorn slammed his doubled fists between Bullhead’s shoulder blades and an oomph escaped him a second before his body went limp.

  “Hurry. We’re out of here.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Stonewall believes you’re a snitch.”

  “I am,” she whispered as she tried to keep up with his long legs.

  “He doesn’t really believe it, but he’s been wanting for an excuse to get between your legs, and this would do it.”

  “What’s wrong with him? He’s old enough to be my father. Ewww.”

  He slid to a stop. “That’s what worries you?”

  “He won’t hurt me. Mitch would kill him.” She wanted to say Thorn wouldn’t allow it, but truthfully, she was unsure if Thorn would stop Stonewall. It would fuck up his operation. Where had that thought come from? Maybe that asshole handler of Thorn’s had gotten to her.

  “I don’t think Mitch can save you if Stonewall can prove that you’re working with cops.”

  “I’ll tell him it’s all a big misunderstanding. That it has to be someone else. That Easy’s daughter wouldn’t ever do that.” Thorn looked at her as if she were insane. Maybe she was. “What? Running away won’t work. The Brothers have connections everywhere. Probably in the Sand County Sheriff’s Office too.”

  That stopped him in his tracks.

  “What do you mean?”

  He pulled her into his arms. She guessed he wanted it to look as if they were lovers taking a few minutes to talk privately. Ironically, they were.

  “Dad used to talk about how he had a friend in the sheriff’s office. He never said his name, but Dean is about my dad’s age.”

  “What are you up to?”

  “One of the things I learned living with my parents and the Cranes, nothing is ever what it seems.” She’d hate for Dean to be a bad cop, but that was only for Thorn’s sake. The stricken look on his face said that his boss meant something to Thorn. “Listen, running off will only screw up your…plans.”

  A couple walked by. Cassidy waited until they were alone, or alone as they could get with almost a hundred Brothers swarming the beach with them.

  “Let me worry about my operation. I need you safe. I’ll think up some lie to tell Stonewall about taking you away. He’ll chalk it up to boyfriend jealousy.”

  “Now wh
o’s acting dumb? Stonewall is smarter than that. You told me that yourself.”

  Thorn opened his mouth and then slowly closed it. “When did you become the level-headed one?” Eyelids lowered and dark blue eyes smoldered. “I’m tempted to ignore everything you said and throw you over my shoulder and look for a motel.”

  Her heart picked up speed. His arms pulled her in closer and squeezed.

  “Maybe I’ll turn you over my knee and spank you.”

  She grinned. “You and what army?”

  “I am a former Ranger. I think I can handle a baseball-bat-wielding female.” In the dim light of evening, his bright smile caused her to blink. He was so damn sexy.

  She teased, “Will you wear your uniform for me sometime?”

  His smile slowly faded.

  Oh, yeah. They wouldn’t be together after he brought down the Brothers of Mayhem.

  “Cass, I—”

  “Damn you, Thorn.” Stonewall interrupted as he walked up with a sandy Bullhead on one side and a glowering Crush on the other. “I’m going to fine your ass next time you beat on a Brother. Bring her with you. We’ll talk over at the tent.” Stonewall loved to levy fines whenever it suited him. That was how he bought his latest bike.

  The wind from the gulf picked up speed and shook the large canopy tent Stonewall had set up near the water. Several tourists grumbled when it blocked their view, but no one dared complain too loud.

  Cassidy could tell by the expression in Thorn’s eyes that he wanted to take her and run for it. It was so sweet. It wasn’t because he was a coward, but because he worried about her. Was that natural-cop mode, to protect and serve, or did he personally care for her? Sure, they had sex a few times. She knew well that didn’t mean anything to guys, but he was a better person than most.

  Stonewall sat in a folding canvas chair with a beer stuck in the hole of one arm. Several half-naked women stretched out on beach towels like harem girls near his feet.

  “Cassidy, you’ve very clearly expressed your feelings about the Brothers every time you came looking for your brother. Out of respect for your father and Mitch, we’ve ignored your disrespect to me and the club.” The warning was becoming clearer by the second. “As Thorn has warned you, we have a snitch in the Mayhem. You could easily be that person. If you tell us now, I’ll let you go home. That is, as long as you promise not to come near us again. Thorn understands you’d be forbidden fruit.” The tone came across all reasonable and fatherly.