Neither Black Nor White (Iron Dogz MC, #6)

by René Van Dalen

  “Oh sweet baby Jesus. I’m never drinking with Cuba again. This is it, never again.” I moaned, dropping my hand but keeping my eyes tightly shut.

  “That’s what you said the last time and the time before that and the time before that.” A wiseass voice snipped as the scent of coffee drifted up my nose.

  I carefully opened one eye and stared malevolently at a smirking Star. Bitch. Just because she hasn’t been drinking since she fell pregnant was no excuse to drag my sins out into the open.

  I reached for the mug filled with my lifesaver. “I think this time I mean it. Those freaking Mojitos she mixed knocked me for a solid six.”

  Placing the mug in my hand Star patted my shoulder with a raised eyebrow. “And I’ve heard that one before too.” She snipped as she walked out of my room. “Drink your coffee and get up. You don’t have a lot of time before the bikers come knocking on our door. You need to have a shower and at least try not to look like you’re dying.” She pointed at my bedside table as she walked towards the stairs. “There’s a glass of water and two headache pills on your bedside table, take them, now.”

  I stuck my tongue out as she disappeared.

  “I saw that!” She shouted and I wobbled my head from side to side as I mimicked her then had to stop as my poor head complained bitterly. Setting my mug down I took the pills, picked up the glass of water and swallowed them down. My tummy gave a nasty turn and I drew in a slow breath before picking up my coffee and sipping. No way was I going to vomit.

  Twenty minutes later I was showered and dressed for the day in a pair of battered jeans, a black tee and biker boots. I slowly walked down to the first floor where our kitchen was to get something to eat, taking care not to jar my still aching head. Everyone was sitting around the large dining room table and I wasn’t the only one looking badly hung over. I had some company in that department. And then there was Bruno, he sat at the head of the table, his face like a thunder cloud as he looked at our sorry asses.

  “Don’t think I don’t know something is going down here today, ladies.” He growled at us. “I suggest you let me in on what’s happening so my men and I aren’t caught unprepared.”

  Evvie sat with her elbows on the table and her head in her hands across from me and she lifted her head slightly, lifted one hand away from a painfully red looking eye to mumble. “Tell him, we’re so damned hung over we’ll be useless as back up.” She turned her head slightly to stare balefully at Cuba who sat nonchalantly sipping on a cup of tea as if last night had never happened.

  “I hate you and I hate your Mojitos.” Evvie grumbled before she once again covered her eye.

  Star marched in carrying a tray and placed glasses of water and a container of strong painkillers in the centre of the table before going back into the kitchen. Thank heavens she gave me two earlier because the evil dwarfs banging hammers on the inside of my head were slowly starting to fade.

  “Okay.” I looked right at him then told him what was about to happen. I saw the pissed off look flash across his face before he hid it.

  “So, to recap. You have a secret tunnel that you will be using later this morning to let the bastards from next door into your building.” He suddenly exploded. “How the fuck do you think we’re supposed to keep you safe if you don’t tell me about shit like the tunnel, and when you invite criminals inside your walls!”

  I don’t think he wanted an answer, it was a rhetorical question.

  I cleared my throat loudly and when I had his full attention waved my hand around the table. “Criminals, hello. And yes, I know it sounds like absolute stupidity but we need them, B-man. You and I both know there’s no way in hell I’m getting into and out of the Iron Dogz’s compound unscathed. I’d rather try to make a deal. A deal that would ensure no one dies or gets hurt because of the bloody sperm-donor and his granny-fuck.”

  Bruno sighed. “Face, sweetheart, these guys are not like anyone you’ve ever gone up against. How do you know you can trust them to deal fairly with you?”

  “I’ve done my research, B-man.” Star said softly as she and Mads set the food down on the table and sat down. “I could find no proof that the Iron Dogz or the Sinners Sons ever double crossed those they dealt with. Both clubs have a rep for sticking to the letter of a deal and that’s what we need. We need to make a deal that will benefit them and us and we have the information to do just that.”

  With a short nod he accepted her explanation then laid down the law according to Bruno. “I’ll be in that conference room with you. If not, then this meet will not take place.”

  Cuba giggled and raised her mug towards him. “Fine, daddy, you can hold our hands during the meeting.”

  He just gave her his death stare then looked back at me. “Do we have an agreement, Face?”

  I sighed. “Yes, we do. But you can’t be all pissy with them because it’s going to be difficult enough to tell them what’s going on and then persuade them to help us.”

  A short nod was his answer. I could see he wasn’t done asking questions but we were attacking the food like ravenous animals and he knew no more answers would be forthcoming while we ate.

  An hour later, after the dishes had been done and the conference room set up with glasses, water and juice, Cuba and I opened the pantry door to descend down the stairs into the tunnel. I was nervous but hid it behind my game face. We stood leaning against the wall on opposite sides of the door as the seconds ticked by too damned slowly. Star was watching the tunnel and would open the door as soon as the men arrived.

  And then it was time. The soft buzz of the mechanism inside the door alerted us to the fact that the men were on their way.

  “They’re almost at the door, Face. I’m opening it now.” Star’s voice sounded in the bud I had in my ear. She wasn’t using her usual line of communication today.

  The door silently opened and I stepped through to meet War and those who had come with him. There were more men in the tunnel that I had expected. Shit. Bruno was going to do his nut.

  “Good morning.” I greeted with a tip of my head.

  War did the same, giving me a slight head tilt. “Good morning, Face.” He said in a gruff voice.

  “I see you brought a few men to the meeting.” I said as I looked over the men behind him.

  If I thought my comment would push him into explaining himself I was wrong. He gave me a one word answer.

  “Yes.”

  I looked at Cuba and she shrugged.

  “Okay.” I sighed and tipped my head towards our tunnel. “Please follow me so we can get this show on the road. Cuba will close the door once we’re all inside.”

  I turned and stepped back into the tunnel and as I walked I listened to the sounds of their boots as they followed me. Climbing the stairs up into the pantry where Evvie stood waiting I gave her a slight tip of the head to indicate the men were behind me, she quickly moved out of the way.

  War’s eyes took in everything as we walked out of the pantry and small kitchen into the conference room.

  “Evvie, can you arrange for more chairs please? We’ve got more visitors than I expected.” I said but War held up a hand and we both looked at him.

  “Not everyone will sit down at the table with us. Only officers sit at the table, it’s a biker thing.” He smiled. “Let’s see if we have enough and if not one of my men can help carry the chairs in.”

  Sneaky bastard. I grinned at him. “You want to see what it looks like out there, don’t you?”

  He grinned, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “Hell, yes. I’ve been curious to see what the hell you women have done with the place.”

  “Maybe if we come to an agreement to work together, to be allies in fact, I’ll arrange a tour for you. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised about our home.”

  “So, you live here permanently?” One of the men who had been in the tunnel with him yesterday asked.

  Cuba answered before I could. “Yes, we do. It’s more secure than a house could ever be
and we like living together. You can blame prison for that. We got used to having each other close.”

  “So the four of you did time together?” Wheels asked as he looked at the four of us in the room.

  “Yes, we did. There’s seven of us actually. Star is getting her things together and Pet is helping her. They’ll be here any minute now. Carla isn’t here at the moment, she’ll only be back later.” I explained, giving him the bare minimum. He didn’t need to know Carla was at her daughter’s graduation and would only be back on Monday evening, it was none of his business anyway.

  All their attention was suddenly on the door as Star walked in with Stella on one hip and her laptop under her other arm. Pet followed behind with bags, the folded up playpen and all the other shit that goes along with babies. Mads helped Pet to set up the baby’s stuff in the corner closest to where Star always sat.

  “Sorry, we took a bit longer than expected. Stella needed a change.” Star tilted her body towards me and I grabbed the baby out of her arms and kissed her fat smiling cheeks.

  When Bruno walked into the room shortly after the bikers stiffened almost as one.

  “War, good morning.” Bruno was at least being civil.

  “Morning, Nichols.” War greeted with a short nod.

  Bruno greeted the rest of them with that male chin lift all these badasses seem to have down to a fine art. Unfortunately for him Stella saw him and started clapping her hands in delight and reaching for him, babbling unintelligibly.

  “Hey, baby girl. How’s my girl this morning? I’m glad to see you survived your drunken aunties’ shenanigans last night.” He spoke to her and she babbled along as they had a long conversation before he set her down in her playpen where she happily started playing.

  “Right, let’s have a seat and start this meeting.” I said as I pointed War to the head of the table opposite me and left it to the rest to find places to sit. Despite War saying not to bring in more chairs Evvie had brought in a stack we kept in the fake office for just this reason.

  The conference table was a large oval and easily seated fourteen people which were exactly how many I had expected. The four extra guys took chairs and set them up, two on either side of the table against the wall.

  “Let’s start with introductions. I’m Face and on my left we have Cuba, Star and Bruno and on my right Evvie, Mads and Pet. I’m sure you already know we work for Bruno’s company. We test the security systems they install before the client signs off on them.” I left it at that and looked at War expectantly.

  He sat totally relaxed in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. “As you can see from our kuttes there are two different clubs here today, the Sinners Sons and the Iron Dogz. I’ll start with our visitors. Over there on the right we have my son, Kid and his men, Spider, Scar with Dizzy and Buzz behind them.”

  The man he called his son closed his eyes and shook his head as some of the men chuckled, War smiled but continued introducing his men.

  “On my right is my other son, Rock and on my left is Wheels and Ram and sitting behind them is Brick and Nuts.”

  Bruno leant forward and frowned in confusion. “I know of only one son, War, but it’s obvious you have two. How is it possible that no one knew this?”

  “That’s not relevant right now, Nichols. I’m here for answers. How the hell did you get into my property without detection, Face?”

  And so it started, I was expecting it but still...

  “I bought the property with Bruno’s help as you already know.” I left out that it was actually Dom who bought it for us. “We started renovations and were looking into ways to exit the building undetected. I’m sure you already know about our back door.” I paused and War nodded. Dammit. “One night we were coming back in after a job and had been told the coast was clear to approach. You gave us headaches with those damned cameras on the roof, at first.” I winked at him and he twirled a finger for me to move along with the story. So I did.

  “Imagine our surprise when we ran past the empty warehouse to hear a buzz where there should have been silence. We dived for cover and watched as some of your men drove a blacked out van out of the warehouse that was supposed to be empty. That’s when we realised you had a way into the warehouse, most probably a tunnel as we couldn’t find any sign of a door in your back wall.”

  He opened his mouth to reply but I held up a hand and continued.

  “We ran into a problem one night and couldn’t get back inside without being seen. We had to retreat and wait it out until the girls could come and get us. It was impossible to hide a tunnel entrance on the property behind ours. That’s when we decided to cut into your tunnel, but, we decided right from the start we’d only make use of it in emergencies and believe me we stuck to that decision. I give you my word we have not stuck our noses into your business. It’s none of our concern.”

  The Sinners all nodded but their eyes were lazered on to me.

  “You used the tunnel two days in a row, why?” Rock asked the question before War could.

  I drew in a breath. “I had to ask a friend for a favour. For safety for my family. When he agreed we had to use the tunnel the second time to get my niece out. We couldn’t fit the stretcher through our back door without causing her pain and discomfort.”

  Wheels leant forward. “We’re aware that you escorted your family here from the Children’s Hospital. Why not leave her where she’ll receive the best treatment?”

  “Because their sperm donor has a long damned reach.” Evvie snapped.

  War leant back in his chair and tapped a beringed finger against his lower lip. “We know Murchison came to see you, what does he have to do with getting your family to safety?”

  “Everything.” I sighed heavily and closed my eyes for a few seconds. The next part was going to be difficult. Very damned difficult.

  “Murchison and his granny-fuck are blackmailing me. He poisoned my niece and if I don’t do what he wants he won’t give me the antidote and she’ll die.” Shocked faces stared back at me as I continued. “I won’t allow that to happen. He might think he has me in a corner but I’ve been there before and I survived, I will again.” I snarled angrily.

  War’s hand stopped me from continuing. “Is she getting the necessary medical care? If not we can help.”

  I nodded an acknowledgement of his offer but it wasn’t needed. “She’s receiving the best care money can buy and no one, not even us, know where they are. I trust the man guarding them. He hates Murchison and his granny-fuck as much as what I do, maybe even more.”

  “Who or what the hell is a granny-fuck?” The man called Kid asked.

  My eyes dropped to the front of his kutte where his road name was and his designation in his club. He was a very dangerous man to cross. I would have to be careful around him. I shoved it to the back of my mind for later.

  “Murchison has been fucking Winifred Harrison Maingarde, the granny-fuck, for as long as I can remember. I suspect they were a thing even before he killed my mother.”

  The one they called Spider had been watching me with narrowed eyes and he now jumped in.

  “Your father killed your mother for the old bag, is that what you’re saying?”

  I shook my head. “No, he did it because he could and because he likes hurting people.”

  I held up a hand when they were about to delve deeper into my family history that didn’t concern anyone right now.

  “To get back to the reason for the meeting. We needed the tunnel to get Tersha out and when you caught us it gave me the opportunity to talk to you without him finding out.” I tapped the file folder on the table in front of me. “About this.”

  “When he came to see me he told me Tersha would die if I didn’t infiltrate and steal information from a certain group. He left this file with very detailed background information on the leaders of the group and their extended families. Before I give you the file I needed you to know how dangerous he is. By now you know he would kill his own famil
y to get what he wants.” I slowly pushed the file away from me and towards Kid.

  All eyes turned to him as he frowned and reached out for it. I watched his face as he opened it and swore, both Spider and Rock leant over to see what he was swearing at. Absolute fury transformed their faces as Kid paged through the file.

  I kept my breathing steady but Cuba’s hand reached under the table and grabbed onto my knee that was bouncing wildly, stopping the motion.

  “Even if he promised me millions of dollars I wouldn’t take this job.” I pointed at the file. “You need to warn your people before he starts playing with those who are most vulnerable.”

  “Face, what the fuck are you doing?” Bruno snarled at me. “You know what happens when you refuse to do a job. You fucking know.”

  I tried to smile but failed, badly. “I know, but I can’t do this. You know even if I got in and got the damned file he’s whining about he’s going to blackmail me into working for the Syndicate. I won’t drag my friends into that cesspool.” I shook my head. “I won’t have that on my conscience.”

  Bruno threw his head back and rubbed his hands over his face and then shoved his fingers into his short hair. He was shaking his head from side to side when he looked back at me.

  “I can’t. I can’t let you do this again. You spent ten fucking years inside because you protected my family. It’s time for me to protect you, and that’s why we’re going to find a way out of this fuck up. If we have to kill them...” He shrugged his big shoulders.

  Before I could answer him War jumped right in. “Are you saying she was railroaded? That she didn’t commit the crime she was sent to prison for?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Bruno snarled and then he damned well gave them the truth.

  “She was sent to infiltrate my home and steal a file. Only when she stepped into the room that was supposed to be my study she found it was my baby girl’s room. That’s when she realised she had been sent to kidnap my baby and hand her over to him. Instead of doing the job she left me a message. Told me she couldn’t do it and to get my family to safety immediately. I packed up my family and drove them to a safe location. By the time I got back and found out who had left me that message it was too late to save her. He’d already set her up and done that fucked up shit to her face. I used my influence to get her sent to a prison where my unit had some influence and we could keep an eye on her.” He grinned. “I should have known she could look after herself.”