Voodoo (Royal Bastards MC: Ankeny IA)

by Kristine Allen

  Both men laughed again. When I’d found out who Ogun’s tattoo artist was, I’d almost refused. Because I was embarrassed as hell. I was so thankful that neither of them had mentioned the first night I’d met Chains.

  “We’re almost done, babe,” Chains said in his slightly gravelly voice. His large inked hands were surprisingly gentle, except for the torture device he was wielding against my poor skin. I’d found myself wondering if the man had ink everywhere but his dick. Because after the show I’d caught at the party, I knew there was nothing on it. My face flamed at the memory.

  “It doesn’t look stupid, does it? You’re not putting something people are going to laugh at, are you?” I asked for about the twentieth time since we’d started. In all honesty, I was shocked that I’d agreed to get a tattoo essentially sight unseen. My first one, at that.

  “I promise,” he murmured. I could tell by the way Ogun looked at him that they were staring at each other in a silent conversation. An uneasy feeling blossomed in my chest.

  “Ogun?” My voice had risen an octave by the end of his name. He was leaning against the wall as he watched over Chains as he worked. I glared at him petulantly.

  “You’ll see it when he’s done. It’s turning out pretty sick. Chains does good work, don’t worry.”

  Chains again chuckled. A huffing growl escaped me as he wiped my skin for the seven thousandth time.

  After an undeterminable time passed, he wiped the area at the base of my neck for possibly the fifty thousandth time. “You wanna see it before I cover it up?”

  “Yes!” exploded from my bruised lips.

  I hopped up off the chair, and he handed me a mirror. I used it and the one on the wall to look at the first tattoo I’d ever received. Once I realized what it said, I shouted, “Voodoo! What the fuck?”

  “Chill, babe. It’s beautiful,” he said with an unrepentant smile. My jaw was on the floor as I looked into the mirror again.

  Yeah, it really was beautiful, but holy fucking shit! There was a delicate Mardi Gras mask brilliantly colored in red and black. Above it were the words “Property of” while below it was “Voodoo.” It was truly a work of art, but the words nearly had me hyperventilating.

  “Cover it,” I said in a muted voice as I dropped the mirror to the counter.

  “What do you think?” asked Chains, and I whirled on him with narrowed eyes, because I was sure I heard laughter in his question. He obviously thought this was funny, but his expression was nothing but expectant as he waited for my answer.

  “You do good work. It’s beautiful,” I said tightly, because it was the truth. It really was. Then my eyes flashed to Voodoo. He had a smug look on his handsome face, but his ass was mine as soon as we got home.

  Home.

  Holy shit, I hadn’t been at his house one night and I was thinking of it as home. Then it dawned on me; we hadn’t discussed what our living arrangements would be, or what me being “his” entailed as far as accommodations.

  Chains carefully dressed the new tattoo.

  My nostrils flared, and my teeth were grinding as I watched my “keeper” hand Chains a wad of bills.

  “Brother, you don’t owe me anything,” Chains said as he tried to hand the money back.

  “Bullshit. This is your job, and if you won’t take it as payment, then it’s a tip for a job exceptionally well done.”

  Chains rolled his eyes, but obviously realized he’d be fighting a losing battle if he didn’t take it. “Thanks, brother. You gonna come in so we can start on that sleeve?”

  Voodoo grinned. “Soon,” he said. In my mind, I was referring to him as Voodoo because I was pissed as fuck at him.

  Chains gave me an after-care instructions sheet and explained everything to me. He gave me a small tin of whatever it was he’d said to put on it. Honestly, everything he said was a dull murmur over the incessant buzzing I still heard in my head. Maybe that was my fuming anger.

  Without saying a word, I headed out to wait for Voodoo by the door. My arms were crossed angrily in front of me, and I tapped one foot impatiently.

  I had to braid my hair to the side so it wouldn’t be across the covered but tender area of my neck. I pulled the helmet on in a huff and got on behind him. He had the nerve to chuckle as he started the bike. The vibrations of his laughter gave him away as I pressed my chest to his back and wrapped my arms around his leather vest.

  The whole way back to his house, I so wanted to fuck with him by grabbing his junk, but I was afraid he’d wreck. I’d find another way to get even.

  We’d parked in the garage and the door was slowly rolling down before he spoke. “Babe, I know you’re upset,” he began.

  I jumped off the bike. “Upset? You think I’m upset? I’m fucking livid, Ogun Dupré!”

  Laughing, he took the helmet I shoved into his stomach and hung it from the bike. I stormed to the door, only to realize I didn’t know the code to get in. It took the wind out of my sails, and I deflated.

  He reached around me and punched the code in slow enough for me to see what it was. “You want me to know your code?”

  “Of course. It’s your home now too. Unless you want to find a different place. My duplex was fine for me and Zaka, but maybe we need a bigger place for the kids.” He opened the door, and Sasha barreled into me like I’d been gone for forty days and nights.

  “Kids?” I asked in shock.

  He commanded the dogs to sit, then motioned to Zaka and Sasha. “Yeah. The kids.”

  At their expectant expressions, I caved, and my anger began to dissipate.

  “Oh my God, this is for real, huh?” I inhaled sharply and released it in a shuddering exhale. His hands gripped my shoulders, and he gently turned me to face him. One hand lifted my chin to look up at him.

  “Did you really doubt that it was? When I say something, I mean it. Yeah, this is for real.”

  “So I went from my father owning me and using me to being owned by you,” I said as my eyes filled with tears. The devastation I felt was choking me.

  Disbelief flickered across his face. “Fucking hell, Kira. That’s not what that means. I don’t own you, but you are mine. That tells every motherfucker out there that if a hair on your head gets harmed, they answer to me. And there will be nowhere they can hide from my wrath.”

  Still unsure, I quietly turned and went to the bedroom. I dug out a pair of pajamas and got ready for bed. Not waiting on Ogun, I climbed into bed and curled on my side. My emotions were a jumbled mess.

  Right as I was dozing off, the bed dipped behind me, and his stupidly sculpted arm reached around to tug me into the curve of his body. “You’re on my side of the bed,” he murmured in my ear before he kissed the top of my shoulder to the side of the bandage.

  Too tired to care, I absorbed his warmth and slipped into a restless sleep.

  The next day, I was still upset with him. After I took care of the dogs, I wanted to just head to work. Unfortunately, my vehicle was at home. It was the same reason I hadn’t grabbed my bag and Sasha and headed home the night before.

  After dressing in my red scrubs that were standard for the clinic, I waited for him to finish the call he was on. Because I didn’t want to answer a bunch of questions, I wore the back of my hair down, with only the top put up to keep it out of my face.

  Once he ended his call, he gave me a wary glance. “You still mad?”

  I grunted noncommittally. Wisely, he held his tongue as he pulled his boots on and slipped his arms into his vest, that I’d learned was called a cut. The night before, Chains had explained it was short for “cut-off” from when they had cut the sleeves off a jacket.

  “Sasha, come,” I commanded. She obeyed, but she gave me a pouty sad-eyed gaze before looking back to Zaka.

  “Zaka, guard,” he said. The black dog dropped to his haunches but also seemed to be pouting.

  Before we got in the Jeep, he took the cut off again, and I was confused. Why put it on, only to take it off again before he got in t
he vehicle? He folded it inside out and settled it between him and the seat belt. Like he actually buckled the thing into the seat belt by his hip.

  Sasha was subdued the entire way to the clinic—as if she not only missed Zaka but was feeding off the tension between me and Ogun.

  “I’ll pick you up at closing?” he asked me.

  “Geneva can come get me,” I tried.

  “Let me rephrase that. I’ll see you when the clinic closes,” he said firmly. My gaze found his, and I froze as his hand wrapped around the back of my neck and pulled me close. “I’m giving you today to wrap your head around all this. I said you were mine, and I meant it. I also wasn’t playing around when I said it wasn’t temporary. I finally got you where I want you, and I’m not letting go. Got it?”

  Eyes wide, heart hammering, and lungs seized, I nodded.

  “Good.” His firm lips stole my resolve the second they assaulted mine in a sinfully wicked battle. His teeth grabbed my lip as he broke the kiss, and I sagged into him, hand clutching his plain black T-shirt. His tongue stroked across my lip that was still held in his teeth, sending a shiver of desire through me.

  When he let me go, my chest was slowly heaving. It took a minute to gather my scattered brain cells. Running my tongue across my lips, I tasted him and sighed.

  “How do you do that?” I rasped.

  “It’s a talent,” he murmured with a smirk.

  I was in trouble.

  “I’ll see you later,” I said before unhooking Sasha. After I got out of the vehicle, I said, “Come.”

  She hopped out and waited for me to head inside. Once I had my work tote, I looked back at him. “You don’t fight fair.”

  His sexy smile was megawatt. “Never said I did.”

  He waited for me to get inside before he backed out to go do whatever it was he did for the farm he worked at. I’d never really asked, but I remembered his forms had listed one of the most prominent hog farms in the area as his employer.

  It was an unusually busy day that I was extremely thankful for, because it kept my mind occupied.

  I should’ve known my father wouldn’t let my “indiscretions” slide.

  “Cage The Beast”—Adelita’s Way

  “I heard Kira is wearing your brand,” Angel said with a repressed grin the second I walked into the clubhouse. He and Croc smirked from where they were playing pool, and I wanted to knock their heads together.

  “Fuck, you all gossip worse than a bunch of chicks,” I said with an exasperated huff as I gave Chains a disgusted eye-roll. He’d obviously been running his mouth.

  “Never thought I’d see the day when Voodoo was pussy-whipped,” said Ghost from the bar. Narrowing my eyes, I looked at the glass of ice water in front of him. With a smirk, I flipped him off, and the glass tipped over, spilling water all over his leg.

  “You fucker!” He jumped up, standing the cup up. “That was fucking cold!”

  “Quit whining. It’s only water. You’ll dry,” I said with a smug expression. Croc chuckled, and the water on the bar gathered up and landed in the glass. Water was his thing. He could manipulate it and control it like it was a part of him.

  Ghost rolled his eyes and muttered, “Show off.”

  “Voodoo! My office. Now,” Venom said from the entry to the back hall.

  “Oooo, you’re in trouble!” Ghost chided with a grin. Again, I offered him a one-finger salute as the rest of my brothers laughed.

  “Don’t you fuckers have shit to do? I know there are jobs waiting to be completed in the shop. If you need a list of things to keep you busy, I think the shitters could use an extra deep clean.” Venom loudly announced to the room. They all scattered, and I followed Venom down the hall.

  He moved to stand behind his heavy wood desk. When I sat across from him, he dropped a folder in front of me with a loud smack as it hit the table.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “Is it true? Kira Baranov aka Kalashnik is officially your ol’ lady?”

  “Yeah,” I replied warily, with my fingers preparing to open the folder.

  “She got your brand already?” Venom asked.

  “You know she does if you’re asking me if she’s my ol’ lady. What’s in the folder?” Suddenly, I didn’t feel like I wanted to see it.

  “De Luca took you up on your offer. When you see what’s in there, you may wish you’d sacrificed her. This could bring a whole shitload of trouble with it if you aren’t careful, brother.” Venom said with a serious glint in his eye.

  Trepidation filled me as I flipped open the cover. Inside, were pictures that turned my stomach. With each one I flipped over, rage and hatred burned. When I’d seen the last one, he tossed three more images on the pile. They fanned slightly and I picked them up.

  “De Luca said the girl lives if you can take out Grishka Kalashnik, but first, he wants Ivan Miloslavsky ruined and Anatoly Kalashnik’s head in a box.” My eyes lifted from the images of the three men.

  “In a box, literally?” I asked with a raised brow.

  “Yes. Literally.”

  “Done.” I sifted through the repulsive images of the things her father had done until I found the one that made my blood boil.

  “Who’s the fat fuck?” I asked with barely repressed fury. The pens in the cup on Venom’s desk rattled and fell over. Venom sighed and shook his head as he righted them.

  “That’s Lester Damen. He’s the oldest son of former senator Frank Damen. Rich as Croesus. Twisted as fuck—whole family is.” Venom spat out his reply as if it left a bad taste in his mouth.

  “Tell De Luca I’ll throw him in for free.” I tossed the images to the desk as my lip curled.

  “Voodoo….” He said my name in warning.

  “No. This is not negotiable. That fucker paid a million dollars to her piece of shit father for her motherfucking virginity. She was fifteen fucking years old. I’ll deliver him to hell myself if I have to, with his dick shoved so far down his throat he’ll be shitting it out as he swallows.” Violence radiated through me, and the need to unleash the darkness within was nearly uncontrollable. “You want to put it to a vote, that’s fine. But if I have to, I’ll step away from the club and do it on my own.”

  The beast was lunging and gnashing its teeth.

  Venom set his hand on my forearm, and the room stilled. The snarling creature slunk back to its corner, and I sat breathing heavily as I stared into Venom’s odd-colored eyes.

  “We’ll put it to the vote, but I want you to keep your shit together. You can’t throw your entire life away because you are trying to protect her.”

  Unwavering, I met his gaze. “Yes, I absolutely can. She’s mine. I had a vision about her,” I admitted in a low voice. He sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Voodoo, your visions aren’t always exact,” he tried to argue, but I was having none of it.

  “My visions have become increasingly accurate over the years, and you know it. Hell, I just had the one about Axel and his ol’ lady out in Arizona. You know I was spot-on with that shit.” I paused. “Look, I actually saw us getting married, but I also saw her hurt. That part I need to prevent if I’m able.” I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated.

  “So you’re basing your future and love on a vision?” Venom asked in disbelief.

  “No,” I said slowly, like I was talking to a three-year-old. “I already had a pretty deep attraction to her. My vision simply showed me I was on the right track with her. And that picture of Lester Damen? Burn it. That’s the reason he’s mine. The girl in the image is my woman, and I don’t want my brothers seeing her like that.”

  His head dropped for a second, and I heard him mutter “Fuck” before he met my gaze again.

  “Fine. Call church for tonight. If the brothers are on board, then Damen is yours. If they aren’t? You don’t touch him.” His words were final, and I was left grinding my teeth. Despite my feelings, I knew he was right. My personal feelings couldn’t be allowed to destroy my club. I praye
d they’d be on board.

  After I showed the brothers the shit that Lester Damen had been guilty of and told them what he’d done to Kira, they were well on board with my needs. Not a single one hesitated to give me their vote. The fact that Kalashnik had allowed photographs of his own daughter being raped as her oldest brother held her down was beyond repulsive.

  I’d happily put a bullet between both of their eyes. That was after I had a little revenge against them and Damen.

  When I pulled up outside the vet clinic, I’d intended to wait in the Jeep, but I decided there was no time like the present to show my hand. Especially if my instincts were correct and she hadn’t said a word yet.

  The bell on the door rang as I stepped through, and Veronica gave me a big flirtatious grin. “Hey, Voodoo. Everything okay with Zaka?” She bit her lip.

  “Oh, yeah. He’s great. I’m here to pick up Kira.” The stunned disappointment on her young face was almost comical. It had me feeling half bad for her. I’d never led her on, though, so I didn’t feel guilty.

  I heard nails rapidly clicking on the floor before Sasha came from the back hall. She excitedly dove for me, and I chuckled but made her obey. “No, Sasha. Settle.”

  She immediately sat, and I could’ve sworn she was grinning at me as her tongue lolled out of her mouth. I rewarded her with affection as I scratched and ruffled her fur.

  “You have all the women eating out of your hand,” said Veronica as she leaned over the counter. I heard a snort and turned to the hall where Kira stood with her arms crossed. Her sassy attitude made me smirk.

  “All but one, it would seem,” I said, trying not to laugh as she rolled her eyes. “You about ready, babe?” I threw that last bit in to alleviate any question of where my feelings were aligned. Veronica sighed.

  “I thought you’d wait outside,” Kira huffed. I looked up at her from where I crouched, scratching her dog’s belly.

  “You thought wrong.” I shrugged, and laughter slipped out when she rolled her eyes and turned to Veronica to ensure there wasn’t any emergencies that had popped up.