Iron Claw MC: The Collective

by Erin Trejo

  “I didn’t say I would do it!” Defending herself, I shake my head.

  “I know you wouldn’t. I’d blaze that motherfucker up!” Nina laughs before laying her head on my shoulder.

  “I don’t have it in me to cheat. Some women do though. They just do it and don’t think. I think it’s disgusting.” Well, I guess that’s good to know. She isn’t the cheating type. I’d hate to have to kill someone else over her.

  “So, this Matthews shit. Your guys said they’ve seen him around that house?” Nodding my head, I take a long pull from my beer.

  “A lot more lately. I figure that’s where he’s been hidin’ out. At least lately.” Nina’s hand lands on my thigh, squeezing gently. My dick responds like it always does. She doesn’t miss it either.

  “We roll in, we grab him.” B shrugs before shoving out of his seat. I watch him head towards the bathroom before I look back at Luck.

  “I don’t want her near that house. If he wants a fight, I’ll give it.” Luck nods knowing that I’m not joking about this.

  “So, Nina. What do you think about being an old lady?” Luck asks. I chuckle before Nina sits up.

  “What do you mean?” She looks at Luck, confusion etched across her face. It’s adorable as fuck.

  “Bein’ Blaze’s old lady. You like it?” Her head snaps around to look up at me. A giant grin is plastered over my face.

  “Is that what I am?” She asks. Her blue eyes are so big and beautiful as she looks up at me.

  “You’re gonna be a lot more than that, sweetheart.” The smile that pulls across her face ignites a spark in me. She may be younger than I am but she is perfect. Perfect for me, perfect for my heart.

  “I love you, Blaze.” Luck almost chokes on his drink making us all laugh.

  “I love you too.”

  Stay back

  Chapter 50

  We finished our meal in a comfortable silence. Nina hasn’t stopped smiling which melts me inside.

  That girl can do things to me that I never knew and all without a damn word leaving her lips. Her looks, the sparkle in her eyes. That’s all I need.

  We pull off a block over from the house that Matthew’s been hiding out in. I’ve had guys keeping track of him lately.

  “I would cuff you to the bike but I know you can pick a lock.” Setting my helmet on the seat in from of Nina, she grins up at me.

  “I want to go.” Shaking my head, that’s crossing a line. A line I’m not willing to pass with her safety.

  “Not happenin’. Shit could get dangerous.” Nina climbs off the back quickly before crossing her arms over her chest. Fuck she’s defiant as hell. So why does that stir my dick up?

  “I want to see him, Blaze. I want to know why he sent people after me!” Here she goes. Here is that attitude I’ve grown to love and hate all at once.

  “You will get your time with him, Nina. Not now though. We don’t know what kind of fire power we’re workin’ with in there.” She doesn’t seem to care either way. The look in her eyes tells me all I need to know. She isn’t going to sit this one out.

  “Goddamn it, Nina!” Tugging at my hair, Luck walks over to stand next to me.

  “Shit’s too dangerous, sweetheart. There’s three of us but we don’t know how many of them. Blaze is right on this one. Stay back until we have hands on him. If shit gets bad, Blaze could get hurt.” I watch Nina’s face for a reaction. When those words leave his mouth, her looks change. Her whole demeanor changes.

  Her arms drop to her sides before she moves in closer to me.

  “Ok. I’ll stay back. I don’t want you hurt.” She says. Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her against my body. Her warmth engulfs me.

  I nuzzle my face into her hair, inhaling the scent of her.

  “Thank you. I didn’t want to have to worry about you bein’ that close.” Nina shoves her face further into my chest before I let her go.

  Pulling back, she looks up at me with a small smile.

  “Don’t get hurt.” Her soft words pull at everything in me. I wish I didn’t have to leave her but I need to get a handle on this.

  “I’ll be fine. Stay here on the bike. Don’t move. As soon as we have him, I’ll be back to you. I’m havin’ one of my friends come sit with you.” Nina nods slowly unsure of everything that’s happening. I can’t say that I blame her though.

  Pressing my lips to hers, I have to feel her one more time.

  Just in case things get worse.

  Unease

  Chapter 51

  The sense of unease filters through my body. I hated leaving Nina with Smitty even though I fully trust him. It was the leaving her part that eats at me.

  We park the truck in front of the house that we think he’s in. My guys watched him go in but not come back out. He must be inside.

  “You ready?” Luck asks. He checks his gun as I do the same.

  “Yep. Let’s get this fucker to the basement.” B laughs before looking up at me.

  “You love that shit.” He says with a grin. He knows me. Of course, I do.

  Fire is intriguing but watching it eat away at some worthless fucks skin is even better. It’s a sick kind of thrill.

  “I’ll love it even more since the fucker stole from us.” Knowing in the back of my mind, I want him for Nina too. He sent people after her. He’s wanted her dead and I want to know why.

  “Let’s move.” I say. Luck hops out of the truck glancing around at our surroundings.

  I can’t say this is the best areas but there are a lot of houses and things so that makes our job easier. It gives us some sort of cover.

  We make our way across the street, straight towards the door.

  B nods towards the side, letting us know he’s going around back. A quick nod and we step up to the door.

  My heart hammers in my chest. I want so much to kill that fucker on site but I know I can’t.

  Luck reaches for the knob, surprising us both when it’s unlocked. As soon as the door opens, shots are fired.

  We return fire but keep moving inside. That motherfucker will pay for this shit.

  I spot B coming in through the back as we advance into the room.

  “Left!” B hollers before I spin my gun in that direction. Pulling the trigger, I watch the man fall to the floor.

  “Back room!” Luck nods towards the door as I move in. I know these guys have my back.

  Kicking the side door open, Matthew cowers in the corner. A smile pulls across my face seeing just how scared he is. This son of a bitch has evaded us for so long and here he is. Sitting right in front of me like the coward that he is.

  “Been a while since I’ve saw you. Can’t say that I missed you either.” His eyes lock with mine but when they move over and his mouth falls open, I know she’s there.

  FUCK!

  Get out alive

  Chapter 52

  “Nina.” Her name falls from his lips so easily. The child he tried to have killed. The one he didn’t want anymore.

  My eyes track her as she walks past me into the room.

  “Dad.” The silence in the room is eerier than anything I’ve ever felt before.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Pushing himself up, he stands mere feet from the girl I love, the girl that will watch as I make her father pay for what he’s done to her.

  “Doesn’t matter, does it?” She says. He looks over at me as I grin like a fool. Yeah, she’s mine motherfucker.

  “I never thought I’d see you fucking a deadbeat like that.” He says, nodding towards me, I grin bigger.

  Nina takes a step towards him, her hands clenched at her sides.

  Luck screams from behind us but it’s not until I hear the boom of a gun being fired that I realize what’s happening.

  B falls to the ground next to me, blood pooling around his head.

  Luck’s in the room in no time after a second shot is fired. My stomach lurches as the realization of what was happening hits me.

  I r
ush Nina, pulling her around behind me before aiming at Matthew’s head.

  “Get him out of here alive. If you don’t take him, I will kill him.” I growl. Luck moves quickly.

  He quickly zip ties Matthew’s hands together before dragging him towards the door. My heart slams in my chest as I look down at B’s body.

  “That bullet was meant for me, wasn’t it?” Nina realizes the reality of what could have happened only seconds before.

  I can’t move. I can’t breathe. That bullet was meant for her. B took it. Just like he was supposed to.

  “Oh, my god! I killed him!” Nina screams before I feel her hands digging into the back of my shirt.

  I spin to grab her, pulling her into my chest.

  “It’s ok.” Is it? All I asked her to do was stay on the damn bike and wait. Now my brother is dead.

  Dragging her out of the room and past the bodies that litter the floor, I know what I have to do.

  Luck stands outside the truck where he’s apparently knocked Matthew out, with a gas can in his hands.

  I reach for it, taking it in my hand. Reality is a harsh reminder of the world we live in.

  Swallowing hard, Nina cries harder when I turn around.

  I walk back inside, pouring the gas over everything including one of my friends.

  “See you in the afterlife.”

  Much needed space

  Chapter 53

  I sent Nina back in the truck with Luck. I needed the space. I needed a while to myself to process.

  B was doing his job; I know that in my mind but my heart says otherwise.

  She’s defiant! She doesn’t listen to what I tell her to do. I don’t know how to make this work with her if she doesn’t follow directions.

  This wasn’t just a little thing like picking a lock. This got someone else killed. If she would have stayed on the damn bike, none of this would have happened. She would have been safe on the back of my bike. She would have been wrapped around me, riding back home to handle her dad.

  Now, I’m riding alone. Trying to reason out what just happened. Trying to justify what happened and make it right in my mind.

  I don’t know how though. Fuck! If she would have just listened!

  I pull into the club house parking lot behind the van. Nina jumps out first, rushing straight for the door.

  Ironic how she runs towards danger, not away from it like normal people.

  Pulling my helmet off, Damion and a few others come out to greet us. The somber looks on their faces eats away at me.

  Luck called them on the ride home like he was told to do. I can’t say that I feel anything right now though.

  “He did what was needed.” Damion’s hand lands on my shoulder, like that was going to help me now.

  “Yeah.” That’s the only word that will form in my mind. Dropping his hand, he walks towards the truck. I grab the bag out of my saddle bag that I took from Matthew’s back room.

  It wasn’t all of what he stole but it was a good bit. Sorry son of a bitch was planning on running again from the looks of things.

  “Count this.” Passing the bag off to Trig, I head inside to the bar. The last place I need to be is near Nina. I don’t want to lose myself and take it out on her right now.

  Sunny sets a bottle of vodka down in front of me knowing that I need it right now.

  I need to get this wrapped up in my head so I can handle Matthew.

  When it all crumbles

  Chapter 54

  Time does little to heal. A part of me stays locked up.

  I don’t know which part it is either. I’m pissed about what happened to B, but it’s more than that. I’m pissed that Nina, yet again didn’t listen to me.

  I’ve done everything I can to protect her but she still feels the need to go against everything I say.

  I’m torn and all my reserves are slowly crumbling. I let her have a part of me that I shouldn’t have.

  I gave her pieces of me despite what happened with Ally. I let her infiltrate my heart when I knew I should have kept my guard up.

  Now I have a friend, a brother that’s dead and a girl I don’t know what to do with.

  Damion’s been having his fun with Matthew in the basement since we brought him here yesterday.

  I await my turn but the issue with Nina still stays front and center.

  “You ok?” Luck sits next to me at the bar. Nodding once, I don’t feel like talking this shit out although I know he wants to.

  “She didn’t cause it, Blaze.” Snapping my head around to look at him, I almost lose my shit. How the hell can he even say that?

  “What the fuck, Luck? She didn’t fuckin’ listen! I told her to keep her ass outside.” Luck shakes his head. Here it comes.

  “It would have happened anyway. You would have been the target, Blaze.” He says. That may be true but not the way I look at it.

  I throw my hand up, brushing him off before shoving off the stool.

  “You’re gonna lose somethin’ good, brother. You’ll regret that shit.” He says. I don’t look back over at him. I can’t.

  He’s right and deep down I know he is.

  I stomp down the stairs before stepping in front of the door. Damion has been beating the shit out of Matthew all damn night. I can’t say that I blame him there.

  “You ready for your turn?” His eyes are bright when he turns to face me.

  When the fuck am I not ready for this?

  Bloodshed

  Chapter 55

  I pace the room in front of Matthew. I want nothing more than to light his ass up and watch him burn but I also want to know why he did what he did.

  Damion has him pretty well fucked but I will fuck him harder. I think he knows that too.

  “How long have you been fucking my daughter?” He has the nerve to ask. Oh look. The asshole speaks.

  “Why does that matter? She’s mine.” His eyes dance with questions. Questions that I refuse to answer. My business with Nina has nothing to do with him.

  “Why did you want her dead?” I ask. His laughter infuriates me. I don’t find trying to kill your own child that amusing.

  “I’m not making it out of here. She was a liability.” A liability?

  “You targeted your own kid? What the fuck kind of man are you!” Throwing a punch, I watch the blood splatter from his face.

  What kind of person does that!

  “She was costing me too much! As much as I tried to push her away, they went back.” His words slam into me when I hear her gasp.

  Looking up, Nina stands in the doorway with Damion. Her mouth hangs open. My heart falls in my chest. She heard what he said. It isn’t as though she didn’t already know but I suppose hearing it is far worse.

  “You wanted me dead because I cost you money?” Matthew snaps his head around to see Nina before she walks further into the room.

  She comes to stand next to me, crossing her arms over her chest as she looks at the man that has never been a father to her.

  “You don’t understand.” He says. Matthew doesn’t look her in the eye, how could he?

  “Really? You sold me out to keep your money. You ordered me killed! What is it I don’t understand?” She screams. Shaking his head, she leans down, grabbing his bloodied face in her hands.

  “You left me to be raped. You left me to be beaten and starved. Do you have any idea what those people did to me? The scars that now mark my whole body are nothing compared to what they did to me inside. They took so much from me and you let them!” He shows no signs of remorse. None at all.

  “And you decided that you would just fuck one of your kidnappers? A little ironic, isn’t it?” He says. Nina pulls away from him quickly before reaching into my pocket. I don’t move to stop her either.

  Instead, I step around to the back of Matthew. I watch the fire in Nina’s eyes. She’s taken so much at the hands of this man that it memorizes me to watch her take a little piece of herself back.

  She flicks the lighter
a few times watching the flame. She seems to be as intrigued with it as I am.

  “Hit after hit. Stab after stab. Man after man. I cried myself to sleep so many nights. I cried out for you. I wanted you to come and take it all away but you didn’t. You left me to your hell. In the end, that’s what it was. It was your hell to endure, not mine!” Her eyes come to meet mine.

  There’s a silent question in them. One I want to answer for her.

  Nodding my head once, she lowers the flame to his shirt.

  As much as I wanted to hurt him and take out my frustrations, she needed it more. She needed to make it right for herself.

  I couldn’t be that selfish and take that chance away from her.

  Ashes to ashes

  Chapter 56

  No one likes the fire more than I do. No one understands it the way I do.

  But with a fire comes ashes. Nina sits in the room with those ashes.

  I can’t comfort her. I don’t know how. How do you tell someone that’s been hurt as badly as she has that it’s ok to not feel? Should she feel?

  That was her father after all. The one person that should have taken care of her. The one that should have loved her.

  “I need some time off, Damion.” I tell him. Knowing that it was coming, he doesn’t argue as we both stand watching her.

  “Yeah, you got it. This shit’s over.” He says. Slapping his hand down on my shoulder, he turns to head upstairs but I stay glued in place.

  It amazes me that a single tear hasn’t escaped her eye. Maybe this is her way of coping.

  Nina reaches down, lifting the ash into her. She lets it filter through her fingers, watching it slowly make its way back to the ground.