“Come on,” I urgently instruct, watching her hands and feet, giving her precise instructions. As soon as she’s out I have my body around her. A bullet will have to go through me first, and with my size, I should stop it. I eye her worriedly, she’s coughing. Having been in there a few seconds longer, she’d inhaled more shit than myself. Doctor? Ambulance? Nah, I’ll take the risk she’ll be alright. Need to get her to a place of safety.
“My bike’s out front.” Thank fuck I had the foresight to park it away from her house, though originally that had been for a different reason. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
“Don’t I need to stay to talk to the authorities? Beef, can the house be saved?”
I’m carrying her again, simply because it’s easier than trying to navigate her around to where I want her to go. People are coming out of their houses.
“She alright? I called 911,” asks and states a concerned neighbour.
“I’m taking her to get checked out,” I shout back, hoping no one stops us as I go to my bike. People look stunned, but luckily no one steps up to prevent me whisking her away. My quick glance around shows various expressions from shock, to sympathy, to onlookers’ enjoyment and curiosity seeing someone else’s house burn.
Then, I’m at my bike. “Get on babe.”
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere a lot fuckin’ safer than this.”
Chapter Fifteen
She’s hanging onto my waist so fucking tightly. Taking my left hand off the handlebars once I’ve shifted into top, I reach down and squeeze her hand tightly, giving her what little comfort I can as I get to my destination as fast as possible. My senses are on high alert, I can almost feel danger breathing down my neck.
My head whirls with the implications. Someone locked a blind woman’s escape route and then set fire to her house. There had been no one waiting out back, they were that confident she wouldn’t get out. I’m filled with rage, wondering what the fuck would have happened if I hadn’t been there today, and if Stevie hadn’t had such good hearing that got us out of the living room at the right time?
I could have been killed too.
There’s no doubt now. Someone wants Stevie dead. They are not going to succeed. Not if I’ve got anything to say about it. That I myself had been in danger now makes this personal for me too.
I’ve been checking my rearview as I’ve been riding, no one seems to be following me, even when I’d made the diversion I had. I’m pleased as fuck when at last the gates of the clubhouse, reinforced after the attack a few weeks back, appear before me. The prospect has those gates opening as soon as he recognises my bike.
“Prospect!” I yell, as I dismount. After quite closing the gates he comes running over. I explain fast, “Don’t think I’ve got a tail—”
I don’t need to explain what I want when he interrupts, “I’ll keep my eyes open.”
I may not know him, but something tells me Dan’s good. He knew immediately what I wanted.
“Where am I?” Instead of looking around, Stevie’s clearly listening hard. Someone is working on their bike, revving the engine. Loud voices reach us from the clubroom.
“I’ve brought you to the clubhouse…”
“Take me to a motel,” she immediately insists, for the first time seeming frightened and wary.
I can see how coming to a biker compound could be scary, even for a sighted woman. For her? I’d had no time to prepare her. It must be terrifying. To be honest, all I had on my mind was getting her away from whoever wanted her dead, and what place could be safer than being among my brothers? I hadn’t spared a thought for how she would feel about it. I take hold of her hand, she grasps it like an anchor.
“Babe,” I’m thinking aloud. “You’ve been found. That’s a definite. I don’t know who’s after you or how many. You haven’t told me anything, so you probably know better than I. If they found you once, they could find you again. If I took you to a motel, you wouldn’t have the same protection we can give you here.”
“You say we.” She’s keeping her voice down. “Why should your friends help me?”
“Don’t forget, it was my brother’s suggestion to extend our security services to you. And even if that wasn’t the case, they’ll do it for me.”
Her eyes squeeze tightly. “But you said your brothers were in Tucson…”
“Any man in any chapter is my brother.” Dan’s watching the gate, but I’m only too aware the strong steel slats will keep out most things, but not a bullet. “Babe, let’s get you inside. Don’t like that you’re out in the open.”
“Describe it to me, Beef. What type of building is this?”
Information. That’s what she needs. “It’s an old steel mill that’s been converted.”
She raises her chin slightly. “Going to need you to help me, Beef.” She doesn’t ask helplessly, just matter of fact.
“I’ll be by your side, Stevie. And if I’m not, I’ll make sure one of the women is with you. You won’t be alone.” I’ll need to fill in Demon and the rest of his men, can’t personally guarantee to stick with her.
I watch as she draws her shoulders back and takes a deep breath. “Okay, lead on.”
I’m a quick learner. I put my arm firmly around her. “There’s a curb here, Stevie. Only a couple of inches. Yeah, that’s it, you got it. Now three steps to the door. You okay?” We get to the door, I open it, noticing the strip at the bottom in time to warn her so she doesn’t trip. That darn mat that’s always slipping and bunching up is the next obstacle, I ease her over it.
I’m concentrating so hard on watching her feet that I don’t see what’s in front of me until…
Christ. “What the fuck?”
At the sound of the slap Stevie stiffens and moves closer to my side seeking protection for dangers unseen while I stare at the woman who’s just walloped me around the face.
“Beef! You fucking cheat! I knew I couldn’t trust you. You wouldn’t go with a whore, that’s what you said, and now you’re walking in with one.”
“Mommy,” a voice wails.
Without taking her accusing eyes off me, Sally holds out her hand for her middle child, Eliza.
Well fuck. I’m shocked enough that she’s here, but not only that, she’s brought all three fucking kids.
I’ve just been almost burned to death in a fire, I do not need this. Having cheated death for a second time, I’m not at my best, and at a complete loss as to what to say.
The silence extends until someone else speaks.
“Sally isn’t it?” I start to open my mouth, but Stevie continues, “I know what this looks like, but there is nothing between Beef and myself.”
“He’s holding you freaking close,” Sally complains.
“Because I’ve not been here before and I’m blind.”
Sally’s mouth drops. “You’re blind?” Her voice rises incredulously. “But you don’t look like you are.”
“I wouldn’t know.” Stevie’s mouth quirks. “Now, Beef. Can you plant me somewhere I can sit down? It would seem you need to have a discussion with Sally.”
“Can’t you see anything at all?” Aden, at seven has always impressed me. He’s staring with wonder at the woman by my side. “I’ve never met a blind person before.”
Kaylee takes her three-year-old thumb out of her mouth. “What’s blind?”
“She can’t see anything,” Aden patiently explains.
“The lady can’t see?” Kaylee repeats, then puts her palms over her eyes as though trying it out for herself.
Stevie may have no sight, but she’s not blind. “Why don’t you kids come sit with me and I’ll tell you what it’s like not to have your sight. Then your mommy and Beef can have a chat.”
I lead her to a couch. An amused Pyro and Ink stand, making room for Stevie. Pyro leans in, then his expression changes rapidly to one of concern. “You smell like you’ve been in a fire, Beef. What happened?”
I’m not surprised P
yro sussed it out so fast. Fires and he have a certain relationship. Mimicking him, I incline my body toward his. “Fucker locked her back door and threw a fuckin’ bomb in the house she was living in.”
“Jesus.” Ink, overhearing, looks from me to Stevie and then to Sally who’s standing at the bar with her arms folded over her chest watching me talk with a suspicious expression on her face. “And you came back to this? All you fuckin’ need.”
“Er,” Stevie speaks, her head tilted toward us. “I don’t know what their mom would say, but can we hold off on the swearing in front of the kids?”
Sally wouldn’t have the nerve to say shit. To me, perhaps, but not to men she doesn’t know, or can’t even see.
“You okay, babe?” Ink’s looking down at her in concern. His worried eyes flick to me.
“Shocked, but okay,” she replies. “Don’t think I’ve got my head around it yet.” She coughs, making me frown.
Pyro catches my unease and tilts his head toward the bar. “Go sort her out.” Her being the woman glaring at me. “I’ll fill Demon in and Ink can look after the girl. We’ll get Rusty to look at her too.”
“Good to see you again,” Stevie speaks up. “Pyro wasn’t it? And pleased to meet you.” As she holds out her hand, I’m pleased one after the other Ink and Pyro take it then Ink starts introducing himself.
After exchanging chin lifts with Pyro, I feel confident I’m leaving Stevie in safe hands. I turn away and stride toward the last woman I expected to see in the Pueblo clubhouse.
For a moment I just stand in front of her, noticing she’s staring at my cheek which must be red by now. I almost don’t trust myself to speak. Half-turning, I see Stevie’s entertaining the kids, if that’s the right word. She’s got all three of them with their hands covering their eyes and has already got them passing a glass between them. I suspect she’s encouraging them to explore it by touch.
“Come.” If Sally and I are going to have words, I don’t want everyone overhearing. Having entered my home and in such an explosive manner, there’s only one way this is going to end, and that’s not how she wants it. I lead her out the back of the clubhouse and over to one of the picnic benches, noting as I do, Stevie can never come out here, or not by herself. Even Max would find it hard to navigate. The ground is covered in crap, bricks, pieces of concrete, half-demolished walls. That great fucking fire pit, the furnace where they used to melt down half a train at a time, would be a death trap.
“Sit.” I point. She does. I plant my ass on the opposite side of the picnic bench.
She stares at me, then looks down. “I’m sorry, I got it wrong.” Her bottom lip is trembling. “I thought…”
“Know what it looked like Sal. That girl’s not been here before.”
“Don’t you hold people like them by the arm, not cuddle them?” Her question shows me she’s not convinced. And Stevie’s people, not people like her. Christ, Sally can’t cope as well as her and she’s got full use of her eyes.
“Told you what happened. That’s all the explanation you’re going to get. Now, why the fuck are you here?”
Sally finds her hands interesting. “The kids missed you.”
I shake my head. “First thing Sal, we’ve been through this. Never played dad to those kids.” For this very reason. So they wouldn’t get attached if things didn’t work out. Somehow, deep inside, I’d had my doubts from the start. Like the kids well enough, played with them too, but always remained on the sideline. “Second, I’ve only been gone two days.”
“It’s been longer than that. You’ve been living at the club, I missed you,” she admits at last. “You weren’t around much, but you were there to do stuff. When the air conditioning stopped working, and I called you, you sounded so cold. I thought something was wrong. I couldn’t sleep for worry. It was different when you were in Tucson. Tash had told me you weren’t—”
“You didn’t trust me,” I reply, stopping her from saying my brother’s woman had reported back I wasn’t sleeping with whores. Looks like me and Blade will have words.
I gaze at her, not sure whether I’m angry or upset. She’s got no spy here. She’s clearly been sitting on her own putting herself through hell thinking as soon as I arrived I was dipping my cock in every available pussy, despite the promise I’d made. So much so, she did what I didn’t think she was capable of and came to seek me out. In some ways I’m impressed. “How the fuck did you get here, Sal?”
“We flew. I booked the tickets when I couldn’t sleep.”
Makes sense. Well, they can just fly back. “Impressed you did that, Sally. I’m glad you did.” I feel guilt at the smile which appears on her face, but my next words wipe it off fast. “We need to talk.”
“Beef—”
“No. It’s my turn, Sally. The fact you don’t trust me fuckin’ hurts. No, don’t deny it. Your reaction without asking questions first; when you saw me walk in with Stevie you thought I’d confirmed your suspicions. I’ve barely been here two days, and yet already you had to come find me. You don’t trust me, I’ve got a job to do here. Seems you’d be happier without worrying what I’m getting up to, and I’ll be able to concentrate better, if we part ways now.”
“Beef,” she starts, pleadingly. “I thought you’d let us stay. I wanted you to be pleased that you had your family with you. Hoped you’d be missing us as much as we miss you.”
Hoped, yeah. But I notice she hadn’t said it had been her expectation. It was fear that had driven her here, she was afraid she’d already lost me. She has, she’s just moved me telling her up on the agenda.
“No, Sally. You’ve got more strength than you realise. Coming here? Well that’s shown me that. Should show it to you, too. Takes guts to walk into a strange clubhouse.”
She doesn’t look like I’m paying her a compliment, but I am. Her lip trembles again. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come here.”
“Nah, Sal. You only advanced the timetable a bit. We were never going to work out, long term.”
“Have you been faithful, Beef?”
I hate that she has to ask. But I give her the words she needs. “Yeah, Sal. I have.”
She goes quiet. Then asks, “Are we really over?”
I settle for nodding my head. She wipes a tear from her eye as I try and think of ways to help her out. “You’ve got options, Sally. You should plan for your future. You could go home, back to where your parents are. They might be helpful with the kids.”
Surprisingly, she shakes her head. “No, I don’t want to do that. Eliza’s settled in school. Aden too. Even Kaylee likes her playgroup. I still see Tash and Marcia from the club.” She nibbles her lip. “In fact, Sam came to see me yesterday. It’s why I’m here.”
Sam? Drummer’s old lady? What’s she doing talking to Sally and making her come all this way to see me? Inwardly I bristle. I’ll be calling my old prez very soon and demanding to know why Sam’s been interfering in what should be something between a woman and a man. Then I’ll speak to Blade too and get them all sorted at once.
“Sam suggested I should let you go. Well, not in so many words, but that was her meaning.”
My assessment of Sam has done a dramatic one-eighty.
“She worried me. Suggested how I could be independent, and that I really don’t need you.”
“No?” My lips quirk. Not to be needed? That doesn’t bother me at all.
“I, also, I, er…”
“Spit it out, Sal.”
“In the, er, bedroom. You want more, don’t you?”
I don’t immediately reply. What do I say without making her think she’s a failure? After some deliberation, I decide to be honest. “Yeah. Sometimes, Sal, I need someone to know my needs before I do myself. It’s not me to always be in control. There’s nothing wrong with you, just you’re—”
“Wrong for you?” she replies. Then nods. “I knew, Beef, I knew. But I’ve been relying on people so long, I panicked. That’s why I’m here, to reach you before you starte
d to look elsewhere. I wanted to, I don’t know. Yes, I do. I wanted you to take one look at me and see what you were missing.”
Trouble is. I haven’t missed her at all. I keep quiet about that.
She goes quiet. I keep my face impassive. I fucking hate situations and conversations like this, it’s why I avoid them. Hate disappointing people, not being able to live up to what they want. Exactly why I was a coward and wanted things to just fizzle out between us. My heart breaks for her, almost as much as it would if our situations were reversed.
She watches me, then seems to focus on a handful of birds pecking at the ground, trying to find crumbs left over from a barbeque or perhaps just insects and worms. A glance back at me, then defeat comes into her eyes.
“Can you arrange a motel for us? We’ll fly home in the morning.”
She’s on her own in a strange town. I’ll have to get Stevie settled first, but making this offer seems the least I can do. “Want me to stay with you?”
Her eyes close. She seems to have an internal battle with herself, then she opens them and says with fresh determination, “No, Beef. We’ll say goodbye here. If you can make the arrangements, then point me to somewhere the kids can have some fun. I’ll turn this trip into something about them.”
I regard her before nodding. Her acceptance I’m not coming back to her is welcome, and so too, is the way she’s straightening her back, taking responsibility. It’s what I wanted for her all along. Was I holding her back? Quite possibly.
As to a suggestion for the kid’s entertainment, I’m too new here to know, but I’m sure one of my brothers will have an idea.
It turns out to be easy. Pal knows a hotel close to a pizza parlour and an ice rink. Apparently, that will do. He even offers to give Sally a lift there as Demon, not surprisingly, wants a word with me. It’s not after all, every day that a member almost gets killed in a house fire.
I say goodbye to the kids, who Stevie’s been keeping entertained, then watch the four walk out the door.
I’d love to say I feel some regret as Sally leaves, but I can’t. Instead, I’m filled with relief.
Satan's Devils MC Colorado Boxset 1 Books 1 - 3 Page 84
