“Wake up you lazy little bitch,” Lilith slams some food down on the table and goes over to shake me. When she grabs my shoulder to roll me over I jump up jabbing Lilith in the side with the pen as hard and deep as I can. I take off running towards the door as Lilith is cussing and screaming and holding the pen sticking out of her bleeding flesh. I get out of the bedroom door and to the stairs taking steps two at a time. It seems like forever but merely seconds and I make it up the stairs and into the upstairs area but I’m grabbed around the waist and spun around by another man I haven’t seen before.
“Little spit fire, aren’t ya?” he laughs as he’s keeping a tight hold of me and I’m flailing uselessly. Chains walks over to me and though I’m fighting with all my might it isn’t enough. Chains sticks a needle in my arm while the other man holds it against my body and soon I start to get really groggy. Calibar, the man that had grabbed me starts walking me over to a chair but before he lets me fall into it, Lilith comes up and punches me right in the face. I then fall into the recliner and am barely awake. My cheek is throbbing and it’s the only thing keeping me awake at this moment. I’m trying to hear and see what’s going on but it’s getting harder and harder to keep my eyes open. When Lilith punched me, it hurt herself too from the stretching and she doubles over in pain herself from hitting me while wounded.
“Dammit Lils! I can’t have her all beat the hell up when I meet with Reaper,” Chains growls.
“Do you see what that cunt did to me?” she cries out in anger and pain. “I think she hit something important, I need a doc,” she says weakly before falling to the floor. Noone is paying any attention to me at that point and I smile at that but I can no longer keep my eyes open. At that point, Lilith falls to the floor and passes out with a pool of blood gushing into the floor from the stab wound I gave her.
“Now what?” Luther asks.
“Frodo, you take the girl, put her in the car and take her to the back of the Old Rusty Barn. Park in the back out of sight, like I said” orders Chains.
“What about Lils?” asks Luther.
“I’m done with that bitch and her causing me problems. Put her in the silo and meet me at O.R.B.,” states their leader.
It’s at that point I completely pass out and don’t hear anything else or know what is happening.
CHAPTER THREE
Benelli Vice President
It’s a club party tonight for the guys to cut loose. We are celebrating the success of the weed dispensary contract we got with the state a few months ago when it became legal in Illinois. We’ve been working our asses off to make this happen and our second quarterly report came in and it’s been a very lucrative deal. We weren’t hurting for money by any means with all the businesses the club owns, but this will set us up for life. This will allow us to get into the other avenues we want to take the club in. I want it to be more of a help to not only the community but to actually save people. I want us to make a difference in the world. We’ve had some smaller issues with the rival MC, the Vengeful Demons for years. There was something involving my mom and dad but we never got the story, just that there is bad blood between them. I know that club is into some shady shit, I can feel it. Maybe it’s the soldier in me but my gut says something major is coming our way and they are involved.
“Hey brother, why are you always so damn serious? Lighten up, it’s a party,” my brother Remington tells me slapping a hand on my shoulder while reaching over the bar to grab a bottle of whiskey with the other.
“Who are you talking to? You get as serious as me. Remember that time someone was being mouthy to Lyric at the club? If I hadn’t of stepped in before you, that man would be 6 feet under now,” I remind him.
“Yeah, well he deserved it for talking to her like that. If he talked to her like that, I guarantee you she’s not the first. Besides, that’s my job right? The enforcer, the righter of wrongs?” he tries to laugh it off but I know there’s a special place in that ice cold heart of his for Lyric. He tries to deny it and does his best to not get involved with her since she was taken in by Cuda and that makes her more like a sister. At least to me.
Remington pours the two of us a double shot and we down them with ease. “Seriously dude, look at all the ass in here tonight! I know you won’t tap the club girls but there is a shit ton of hang arounds here. Surely there has to be one or two here that will change that attitude. We are celebrating, in case you forgot. Hell, I see twins over there that I think need some attention,” he says and I look over to where he motioned.. I’m not going to deny they aren’t hot in a slutty kind of way but damn it, I want more than that.
I’ve went through the wild stage, the party stage, the having any girl I wanted, I think we all go through that, but I’m over it now. I want what my Uncle Winchester and Aunt Sheila have. Those two have been in love since way before I was born and they are still head over heels with each other. I want to find that, someone to laugh with and grow old with, someone that knows me even better than I know myself.
I look over and see my dad over by the pool table with Reaper. They’ve been best friends since they served together and then started this club. They are chugging beers, telling stories, laughing and playing pool with Breezy and Goldie. The club girls being overly flirty and showing their cleavage and ass as they lean across the pool table to take their shots. Dad slaps Goldie’s ass and she giggles and shakes it more. I roll my eyes at them. I know dad didn’t exactly have it easy with mom when she was alive and yeah, he has every right to do what he wants, but I really don’t want to have to see it and turn around facing the bar again. I wish some damn woman would come along and knock the rug right out from under him. Truth be told, I wish that for me as well.
Phoenix and Lucky come over to the bar and ask the girl behind it for a couple beers. Lucky tries to hand me a hit of his joint and I decline so he takes in another hit. Phoenix lights a Marlboro and offers me one and that I do accept. “Your dad and Reaper are drunk off their asses tonight,” Lucky says.
“Yeah, they’re gonna be feeling it in the morning,” I say.
“I’m gonna go right out to the river, you guys wanna go?” Phoenix asks.
Lucky is sitting and has his back to the bar, his arms propped against it, “Nah, I’m too lit to ride. I’m gonna hit it with Jinx,” he nods his head towards where she is and she bounces over. She immediately wraps her arms around him and starts kissing his neck.
“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” I tell Phoenix and put out my cigarette and take the last swig of my beer.
As we walk to the door Justice walks in, all 6’7” of him. He scans the party and pulls his keys out of his pocket, “You ridin’?”
“Fuck yeah, we are,” Phoenix says, “you in?”
“This ain’t my scene, you feel me?” Justice says and we nod in agreement and head outside.
We climb on our bikes and hear the roar of them coming to life and head off down the road. Phoenix cranks up the music on his bike and we look at him and smile. “Ah, hell nah!” Justice says and laughs. It was a song that Phoenix used to play in Bagram to get Justice riled because it was too country. Justice would try and change it to rap. Before we left Afghanistan though, Phoenix had us all learning how to line dance to it. That was a good memory of our time there.
Phoenix wasn’t much of a talker but the guy loved his music, and could that boy sing! I swear he could have made it as a star but he was happy coming back with me and joining the Unfortunate Souls and doing gigs locally. He said he was too big of a guy to be a heartthrob. Yeah, he’s a bigger guy but he’s solid. He has medium length, dirty blonde hair that usually a mess between his overthinking things, running his hands through it and working in the garage.
Justice on the other hand is a really tall and, I’m secure enough in my manhood to say, good looking, black man. Women tend to drool when they see him and when they hear his deep voice that’s it, none of us stand a chance with the ladies if he’s around.
Me, I have my
black hair just like my dad and brother. Right now it’s at that needs to either grow out or be cut stage and drives me crazy. My beard and mustache I keep pretty trimmed. I’m not ripped but I keep in good shape. I have big brown eyes that give me an “I can kick your ass, don’t try me,” look about them. For the most part though, I’m a laid back kind of guy. I like to laugh and have fun but I’ll admit when dad stepped down and I took his place as the VP I may have started taking things more seriously. I want this club to continue to succeed and I want so many things for it. The club is expanding with a charter in St. Louis and one in Indiana. They are a bit rowdier than the original but they are still willing to drop everything at a moments notice and help us out when we need it. I was born and raised in the Unfortunate Souls MC, it’s the only life other than the army that I’ve ever known.
We park our bikes at the Mississippi River and walk to the bank, a lonely barge slowly trudges by as Justice throws some wood in the fire pit we have at this spot, and Phoenix gets it started. We reminisce about our time at Bagram, Afghanistan and try to concentrate on the good things, but it’s not all good times or we wouldn’t have been needed there. We try and keep it as light as possible and enjoy our time at the river and our ride. Phoenix is going to help me put on the custom fenders I just got for my bike tomorrow. Justice has plans to go see his momma and auntie. After a couple hours we put out the fire and they head back to their rooms at the clubhouse and I head for my house and my big, ‘ol dog Luna. That’s the only woman I’ll share my bed with right now. I haven’t found anyone yet that I’d want to take to my home.
Reaper
Club President
I wake up pulling the naked girl off the top of me and head to the bathroom. “Get up, Breezy. It’s morning and you need to get out of here,” I tell her as I’m picking up all the clothes thrown around the room.
“Ahhhh Reaper, come on, I was having the best dream,” Breezy the big busted, plump, curvy red head tells me. She looks at me with those big, hazel eyes and even bigger, full, pouty lips.
“Go on, Breezy, you know the rules. Out you go,” I say tossing her her clothes that were scattered everywhere. Damn, we were pretty wild last night, I think to myself remembering the drinking, dancing and partying the club did. Hell, I don’t even remember coming back to my room. Good times, I think as I head towards the bathroom. Breezy heads out as my phone goes off, alerting me of a text. I finish taking a piss and head back to the end table and grab it. “I need some damn coffee,” I grumble while opening my cell. It says unknown.
I’ve got something of yours
Old Rusty Barn 60 minutes
Come alone
That’s all it says, along with a picture. That picture knocked the breath out of me. I grab my gut then bend over putting my hands on my knees. I take in a few deep breaths and look at the phone again. It’s an old picture of me and the only woman I ever truly loved, Michelle. My mind isn’t even fully awake yet, and it’s racing. “FUUUUCK!” I yell loudly in a deep, scary tone.
“What is it? You ok?” Breezy asks frantically while running back towards the bedroom door. Lucky and Ruger that were in the main hall half asleep with Goldie and Jinx come rushing too. They all jumped hearing my gruff shout and came running. Great, now I’ve got a crowd heading to my door. Ruger is my age and my right-hand man, even if he stepped down as VP a few years ago. Lucky is a huge guy with red hair and beard, extremely broad shoulders and covered in colorful tats. He’s our treasurer and comic relief. Jinx is the newest and youngest of our girls at 21. She has long, thick, multi-colored hair with part of it pulled in pig tails. This month its light pinks and blues, but you just never know with that girl. She’s a little clumsy, hence her name, but she’s fun to be around. Goldie, well, she reminded us of Goldie Locks and the 3 bears the first time she showed up.
Lyric comes running too, she lives here, but she’s not a club girl, she’s Justice’s cousin and Cuda’s god-daughter. She is in manager positions throughout the club. She moved in with Cuda and Izzy after her parents died and then moved to the clubhouse when she turned 18. She oversees the club girls, and she doesn’t take any shit from the girls, or us. Her black hair and beautiful milk chocolate eyes can steal your soul. She’s originally from New Orleans and you look at her and think all things creole, secrets and magic. She’s in college and smart as fuck. She spends most of her time studying when she’s not giving us hell.
“Get it together, man!” I tell myself. “I’m okay guys, stubbed my fucking toe.” I quickly yell back so they don’t come in. Too late, I grab my foot, acting like I really did.
“Shit man, the way you yelled I thought you got your dick stuck in something,” Lucky chuckles.
“I’m fine, fucker. Why don’t you go see if Goldie or Jinx needs your “Lucky Charms,” I try to joke it off to get them out of my room at the clubhouse?
Jinx bops over to Lucky, wrapping around his body ready to get some “charms” for herself. Lyric just rolls her eyes and grabs my foot to check it out. She looks up at me knowing there is nothing physically wrong with me, but keeps it to herself. Like I said, she’s smart as fuck. “Alright everyone, let’s give this man some peace and get out of here,” Lyric tells them. They all file out and back into the main hall and kitchen. Thank God for that woman.
“You sure your okay?” Breezy sympathetically asks as she’s leaving.
“Yeah, Breezy, I’m good. I’ve gotta make a run to Devil’s Backbone for some parts. Fix me a coffee, will ya?” I ask.
“Sure babe,” Breezy says and bops along back to the kitchen.
Well, THAT took way more time that I don’t have. I scramble around throwing on my clothes and cut as quickly as I can. I carefully slide my knife down in my boot and my 9mm Beretta in the back of my jeans and head out of my bedroom at the clubhouse. Breezy runs up with my cup of coffee and I blow on it then chug it down, needing the quick shot of caffeine. I hand the cup back to Breezy and light a smoke. She may be one of the club’s community pussy but she really was a sweet girl. I give a tug at her chin and give her a quick kiss, “Thanks, Breezy. If I’m not back in an hour, send the troops.”
Lyric, hearing my comment about the troops follows me outside, “anything we need to know?”
“I’ll be okay hon, you know me,” I chuckle trying to lighten the mood and fool her. I know it’s useless, but I give it a shot.
“Yeah, I know you Reaper,” she gives me a look telling me she ain’t dumb, and she knows something is up. I hop on my bike and start the engine, hearing it purr for me. It’s not the classic I’ve been fixing up at the garage, but this is my baby too. She leans over and kisses me on the cheek, “be careful old man.”
“Old man? Hell Lyric, I’m only 50. I’m in my prime. When I get back, I’ll show you how prime,” I tell her laughing, knowing that would never happen.
Then it takes a more serious tone as I watch her lips and she softly whispers, “Just come back, okay.” My head nods in a yes, but not sure if I will be able to keep that promise. Looking into my rearview mirror she stands, almost hugging herself, watching me until she is no longer in site.
I’m going down the road picking up speed and I’m wondering what the hell is going on. How the hell did they get Michelle? I haven’t seen her in 22 years. How did they find her when I haven’t been able to? My mind is going 90mph along with the Harley. I’m traveling from Illinois into Kentucky, not a long drive, but long enough to fill my brain with ideas. It has to be the Vengeful Demons. They’re the only bad news in Devil’s Backbone where the Old Rusty Barn is. I mean you have some meth heads and other drug addicts, but they wouldn’t be able to find her and kidnap her. Vengeful Demons is the only explanation.
They’re a dirty MC in Kentucky and we are in Illinois, but the only thing separating our clubs is that old Mississippi River bridge. Devil’s Backbone is a way bigger city than our New Freedom, IL, but we like it like that. The slower pace, the less crime. Our club owns some businesses in New Freedom, D
evil’s Backbone and the neighboring towns including the weed dispensaries we have the contract for, a bar, strip joint, a mom and pop diner, a donut shop down the road from one of the dispensaries and others. All up and up legal and that’s the way it’s going to stay. We’re even considering purchasing a road construction company. I’ve spent many years building this club up since we all got out of the military. Ruger, my best friend, and I grew up and served together. When we got out we started this club with his older brother Winchester, and a few other retired soldiers.
I need to come up with a plan, but if truth be told, I am going in blind and Chains is calling the shots. If he has hurt Michelle, he’s a dead man. He’s a dead man anyway for this. No one lays a hand on my Belle and I look at the tat on my hand and remember her.
I can still remember the scent of her like it was yesterday, Love’s Baby Soft. That perfume of soft, sweet innocence, of stolen kisses in the dark. Laying on a blanket out on the sandy dirt of the river as the moon shone down on our glistening bodies. Sweaty from the Indian summer and making out. Passion like I’ve never felt before or since, you know the one. When you're young and you’re kissing and touching and feeling in a furious fever. Turning and tumbling with every sense heightened. Butterflies. Yeah, even I fucking felt them. Knowing though, I didn’t have a curfew like she did while staying with her friend and her parents. Izzy was 20, but they were strict with her, though I knew who Izzy was with now and exactly how wild she was. I was going to get in every single taste and feel of Michelle I could get before she had to leave each night.
Benelli's Elle: Unfortunate Souls MC Book One Page 3
