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

by René Van Dalen

  As Kid teased my mouth fell open in shocked gasp. He didn’t dare, but he did, he so did.

  “I worked damned hard on this ass and there will be no extra bits added.”

  Kid held his hands up with an easy grin. “Baby, before we get into an argument about the delectability of your ass let’s get out of here and ride. Okay?”

  “Yes, because you’re not going to win an argument about my ass anyway.” I said with a little shrug.

  Rock laughed and shook his head. “Face, babe, you have the best ass I’ve seen on a woman in a very long time but Kid is right, a little bit extra wouldn’t make it any less spectacular.”

  “Men.” I muttered as I stood and gathered my phone and slipped it into my back pack. “Always telling you they won’t mind some extra on your ass and when it happens they complain to their friends that their woman has a fat ass.” I dragged my jacket off the back of my chair but Kid took it from me and dropped it on the table.

  The laughing ass pulled me into his arms and rested both hands on my ass and squeezed. “Baby, this ass is sexy as hell and right now it’s mine, so let’s not argue about it, hmm?” He whispered against my ear then turned his head and kissed the skin just behind my ear and I shivered in reaction.

  He hummed in appreciation but stepped away. “Let’s get out of here, Noe. If we have time I want to stop by the clubhouse and introduce you to Hawk and his old lady.”

  Shit. I wasn’t expecting that to happen today but I nodded and allowed him to once again grab my backpack while I shrugged into my jacket then followed him out of the restaurant.

  But this time instead of just striding out the door he stopped several times to greet men who stood as he approached. The fisted hands, slap on the back stuff seemed to go on and on while I stood and watched. Not that he forgot about me, not at all. He introduced me as his woman to all of them. And not as Face either, he introduced me as Noelle. Seems like he didn’t like my nick name. But whether he liked it or not Face would always be one of my names.

  After a lot of head nods and handshakes we were eventually out of there and back on the road. We rode over the mountain and through the town of Brits before heading back around past the dam back towards Joburg. I enjoyed the ride until we hit the road towards their compound. I wouldn’t say I was afraid of meeting Hawk Walker, more cautious than anything else.

  Their security was formidable. It started even before we got near the compound itself. Cameras followed our progress up to the high white walls with men in small watchtowers following our progress towards the gate. It was a heavy steel one with the Iron Dogz MC’s emblem on it. There were guards in a guard house with bulletproof windows and an intercom who controlled the access to the grounds.

  Kid slowed and slowly idled forward as the gate opened and we rode through. I stayed silent as he parked then held his hand out for me to take. I took it and swung my leg over to stand next to his bike. Undoing my helmet I set it on the seat, unzipped my jacket and ruffled my hair to try to make it look more presentable.

  When I was done my hand was grabbed in a big rough one and I was unceremoniously dragged after him as he strode towards the front door. I had to almost jog to try and keep up.

  “If you don’t slow down I’m going to kick you in the ass.” I threatened when I almost face planted.

  He abruptly stopped and turned. He was back to being the cold and emotionless ass I had met in Cape Town and I immediately ripped my hand from his. I did not want to be attached to the asshole in front of me.

  “I don’t need to be dragged inside like a bitch on a leash. I can walk by myself thank you very much.” I snarled as I crossed my arms over my chest.

  “Fine. Suit yourself.” He barked at me, looked me over coldly then turned and stalked into the clubhouse.

  The other two men followed him inside after giving me a quick look but Rock stayed with me. “Fuck. I don’t know what his fucking problem is but I’ll stick with you, I promise.”

  “If I ask will you take me back to the house?” I gritted out. Then tightly clenched my teeth before I said more than I should. I didn’t want to go inside that damned clubhouse but I knew I needed to keep up the pretence in case someone was watching. Plus I needed to meet Hawk Walker.

  “Yes. I will. You ask me to take you and we leave immediately.”

  I nodded then went back to the bike and dug my back pack out of his saddlebag and slung it over my shoulder. I left my helmet where it was, I’d get it before we left. I knew we would be taking a car to get home because Rock would not put me on the back of his bike and no way was I riding his fender anyway.

  “Right. Let’s get this shit over with.” I rolled my neck and listened to the clicking of my tense muscles. Damn it to hell.

  Rock stayed right next to me as we walked through the front door into the common room of the club. It was full of men and women hanging out, drinking and laughing. As we walked towards the bar a tense silence fell over them. The two of us were very obviously out of place.

  Kid leant against the bar, a beer in hand and a small smile on his face chatting to some of the men. He pretended not to notice me which was fine with me. I wasn’t here for him anyway. I gave him one quick sideways glance then searched for the man I had come to meet. Hawk Walker.

  “I’m going to see Hawk before we go, okay?” I said to Rock but he was staring at Kid with a pissed off look on his face and didn’t respond. Leaving his side I walked towards the boss of this place.

  He watched me as I walked over, stopped in front of him and waited. I didn’t have to wait long.

  “You are fucking tall.” He said as he looked me up and down.

  “I am.” I agreed then held a hand out. “Face Murchison.”

  He took my hand and gave a short hard clasp and immediately let go. “Hawk Walker. We have some things to discuss. Grab a beer and follow me.”

  “No thanks on the beer. Let’s just get this done so I can get back to my people.” I said coldly.

  He narrowed his eyes then looked from me to the bar and back again. “He’s already fucking up. Fine, let’s sit down and discuss the way forward.”

  I followed Hawk out of the common room and the voices that had picked up after we started talking fell silent once again. I heard boots behind me and assumed it was Rock following me into the office. I should have checked because if I had I would have refused to talk to these fuckers. Kid came storming into the office behind me and tried to put his hand on me and I whirled away from him ready to put him on his ass if he touched me.

  “Get the fuck away from me, asshole.” I gritted out as I moved to a chair in front of the desk, ignoring him and focussing on Hawk.

  “War’s nonsensical plan is very obviously not going to work. We’re following my plan from here on out.” I unzipped the side pocket on my back pack and pulled out the USB. “This is what I’m going to supposedly steal from you. I’ll be in and out of your compound sometime within the next week or so just to make it look real. I want to get this done as soon as possible and get back home.”

  “No.” Kid snapped. “We stick to the original plan.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “Man, you have some balls on you. You think I’ll let you make me look like a pussy in front of your club? Not going to happen. You set me up by taking me to that stupid restaurant and introducing me as your woman to those fuckers just to bring me back here and treat me like I’m some slut you picked up on a street corner. Fuck you.”

  “Noe.” He growled as if in warning and I again shook my head.

  “The name is Face, Face Murchison.” I informed him coldly.

  He was about to say something when my phone started ringing with the ringtone I had assigned to the asshole in Cape Town. I peremptorily shushed him as I took my phone out and answered the call, putting it on speaker.

  “What do you want?” I growled.

  That sickening laugh of his had my gut clenching and I gritted my teeth not to say anything. I had to wait him ou
t.

  “Scarcely engaged and already cheating on your man.” He virtually crowed with glee.

  “I needed a way to get inside and the biker was easy meat. I use what I have to, Murchison, you know this. What the fuck do you want? I’m busy working here.”

  “I’m thinking I want the information sooner rather than later. I was just informed he took you to the clubhouse. Get me what I want, today or there will be consequences you won’t like.”

  I snorted in disgust. “Tell your little spies to get their facts straight, asshole. I might be inside but I’m surrounded by Dogz. Only a fool will try to pull a job right under their damned noses. And I’m no fucking fool.”

  “When you get back here I’m going to delight in cleaning that filthy mouth of yours, Noelle. Once I’m done with you you’ll never swear again. Get me what I need and do it soon or else.” With that last threat he ended the call and I turned my phone off and slipped it back into my back pack.

  “Right. So, as you heard I’ll be doing the supposed job sooner rather than later. Suits me just fine. I need to get back to Dom anyway.” I looked right into those golden predators eyes of Hawk and was surprised when he smiled then burst out laughing.

  I didn’t get it. At all, and it pissed me off even more, but somehow I kept my mouth shut.

  “Fuck, you remind me of my old lady, the same pissed off vibe.” He tipped his head to the side as he looked at me. “Did you ever meet her when she worked with Pixie?”

  I shook my head. “No, never had the honour.” I wondered where the hell he was going with this.

  “At first she told me to fuck off as well, didn’t last though.” He swung a finger between Kid and I. “There’s a fuckload of tension here between the two of you. What gives?”

  Snorting I gestured towards the ass in the chair next to mine. “You mean you didn’t notice how he scraped me off the minute he got back on his home turf? Strange, I thought you were observant.”

  He laughed even harder then slipped his phone out of the pocket of his kutte and dialled. “Baby, can you come to my office for a minute?” He listened and smiled, ended the call and dropped the phone on his desk.

  We sat in silence as we waited for Jasmine “DC/Demon” Michaels. I had watched her fight a few times before my life imploded but we had never met. And when I got out and returned to the underground fights she no longer lived in Cape Town, so again, no chance of a meeting.

  She came barrelling into the office and came to a stop next to my chair. I slowly stood and looked down at her. She had aged since the last time I had seen her but for the better. She was all woman now and comfortable in her skin.

  “Noelle Gunderson, as I live and breathe.” I cringed as she called me by that name. I hadn’t heard it in a very long time. “I watched you fight a few times but never had the chance to meet you. I know it is old news but I’d still like to pay my respects. I’m sorry for your loss. I heard that Olaf was a great guy. His death was unexpected.” She took my hands in hers and I nodded in acceptance.

  A heavy silence fell after she dropped that piece of information. I was well aware that their guy would never have found anything about Olaf Gunderson in my background. Star had swept it clean and my involvement with his death was nowhere to be found. For the most part I had shoved the memories down so deep I didn’t think about it either.

  “What. The. Fuck. Who the fuck is Olaf?” Kid snarled viciously.

  Before I could answer DC did. “Shut up, asshole. She married her bodyguard and then he was murdered and she was sent to prison. You back off her, right now.” She warned coldly.

  “Hold on, hold on, now, little bird. None of us knew anything about this. There’s nothing in her background check about it. How is that possible?” Hawk soothed and demanded answers at the same time.

  “Star cleaned it while we were in prison.” I avoided looking at the asshole as I answered Hawk.

  “How did he die?” The fucker just wouldn’t shut up. He kept on stirring shit up and I lost it.

  “Murchison murdered him, he had us strung up opposite one another, I think. I was roofied so all I have are flashes of what happened. He did it because Olaf dared to fuck and marry me without his consent. He had the marriage annulled, then set me up and that’s the end of the story. It’s done.” I swiped a hand through the air to indicate how done I was only to have the fucker grab it in both of his.

  I jerked around and snarled at him like a wild animal but he didn’t pay any attention. The bastard was going down, that’s all I knew and as I moved to take him down he slammed me up against his chest and tightened his arms around me. My feet were still free and I was going to kick him until I broke his damned shins, and then he started apologising and I froze.

  “I’m sorry, so incredibly sorry. I’m a fucking ass and I know right now you want to kill me but I need you to hear me out. Please.”

  I dropped my forehead to his shoulder so I didn’t have to look into those damned eyes and stood quietly as he talked. Telling me he had a hard time trusting females and he was trying to put some space between us because I was making him feel shit he shouldn’t be feeling.

  Boo-hoo-hoo. Cry me a damned river.

  “No problem with giving you space. You’ve got it, so much space we don’t have to see each other ever again, asshole.” I snarled as I extricated myself from his arms.

  I turned to DC and held out my hand towards her. “Pleased that I got to meet you before going back to Cape To...”

  “Wait, wait, wait.” She had both hands up in the air. “Are you in training?”

  I shrugged. “I’m always in training.”

  She grinned and bounced in place. “I have a favour to ask, a huge favour. I have a fight coming up but I don’t have anyone scheduled for the opening fight. Would you be interested if I can find you an opponent?”

  “If the fight is within the next week or so I might be able to do it but no longer than that. I need to get back home soon. And in all fairness, there’s only one person I’ll change my arrangements for and I doubt you’ll be able to organise it at such short notice.”

  She got a very sly look on her face. “What if I tell you I can get you Delia Savage?”

  With that she had my full attention. “You get her and I’m there. How far am I allowed to go?”

  The demon she hid behind her smiles surfaced and grinned at me and the evil bitch in me grinned right back. “Permanent disfigurement and incapacitation. Will that satisfy you?”

  “Absolutely, I’ve been waiting years to get my hands on her.”

  “A vengeance fight, perfect.” She rubbed her hands together with glee.

  “What the hell are you two cooking up?” Hawk growled at us.

  I answered while still looking at DC and saw the knowledge in her eyes. Somehow she had known what that bitch had done. How?

  “Delia Savage is a fight club slut and the reason Olaf was murdered. She went to Murchison and ran her mouth about us because he wouldn’t fuck her. No one is going to fuck her ever again once I’m done with her.” I said in an even tone.

  “Be at the Warriors Gym tomorrow morning at eight. We’ll train with Grizz and Alien to get fight ready for Friday. The Road Warriors can get the buzz going and the place will be packed. Phoenix and Demon on the same bill, we’ll drive the punters crazy and make the club plenty of moola.” She laughed with glee when I nodded in agreement.

  Snapping her fingers at me she demanded my phone and I gave it to her. Tapping her number in she called her own phone and handed mine back to me.

  “There, I’ve got yours and you’ve got mine. I’ll call you later to keep you in the loop of developments. A bit of information I found for you, Delia Savage moved up here shortly after Olaf’s funeral and she’s a friend of this one’s sister.” She nodded towards Kid. “She whores between all the clubs and fights at Underground. The only reason the Warriors allow her to fight is because she draws a crowd and apparently she gives great head. As we both know, men
are dogs who think with their dicks. She makes her money fighting but she’s getting sloppy. Does she know you as Face?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I was given the name in prison. I only fight now and again and Rooster insists that I wear a mask and use the name they gave me. As if I was some fucking WWF wrestler or something.”

  DC smiled and shook her head. “No, he’s protecting you, that’s why he insists on the mask and the name. You have no idea how many people have your back, Face, no idea.”

  I frowned but let it go. I would think about it later.

  All I could think about was that I had a vengeance match I had been trying to arrange for the last five years set up within minutes because of DC Michaels.

  For the moment I no longer cared about Murchison, Kid or any of their shit.

  My focus was solely on getting Delia the Savage in the octagon and taking her down. Permanently if I could get away with it.

  And with DC’s help I knew I would get away with it.

  I couldn’t bloody wait.

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  Kid

  In the blink of an eye and because of his own stupidity everything they had so meticulously planned went down the fucking toilet.

  Face was determined to keep him at a distance and go it alone. Something he couldn’t and wouldn’t allow.

  And what was that she said about slipping in and out of the compound sometime during the week? Has she found a weakness in their security? He had so many questions he wanted answers for and he knew she wouldn’t give them to him. While DC had been talking to Noelle his prez had been texting. It was most probably to Ziggy to inform him of what they had just discovered. And why hadn’t DC told Hawk that she knew who Noelle was?

  So many fucking questions and so much shit he needed to clear up.

  His gut had churned when DC mentioned her very short marriage and the death of her man. If he was honest with himself it was equal parts jealousy and sympathy.

  Jesus. She had suffered more than any of them had been aware of. And he had forced himself through her cold façade just so he could fuck her and leave her once he was done. And what exactly did that say about him? Clearly he was as much of an asshole as she thought he was.