Tank

by Trixie Brewster

Chapter 19

  Angela

  I heard the commotion going on behind me, but I couldn’t get the images out of my head. I was only twenty when it happened. I had just started college, things were going good. I had Ivan at the campus as my security detail. I just wanted the man to see that I was growing up. But I didn’t really want him that way, not really, he was like a big brother to me. I loved him, but not like that. He was the older brother I never had. I just wanted him to notice that I was no longer a child and to treat me like an adult. Instead, he treated me like a child, I couldn’t have too many drinks, had to have a bedtime and all that childish stuff. Ivan always called me his deirfiur, which means sister in Gaelic.

  I was happy that I had an older brother that I was able to choose, but I hated being treated like a child. I was twenty for crying out loud, in one year, I would be legal to drink. I wanted the freedom that I never had growing up. The threats were gone, I didn’t understand why I couldn’t just live and be happy, and free.

  I had decided to try and get away from Ivan, work to outsmart him. I was going to meet Molly at a frat party on campus. No big deal I was still on campus. Plus it had been seven years since I was last in their grips I didn’t need to worry about anything. Right.

  I had sent a text to Ivan, telling him I was headed for bed. I gave it thirty minutes, then I snuck out my dorm window and ran in the dark, towards the frat party. I had never felt more alive and naughty than I had at that moment.

  Man, I was young and dumb as a damned doornail. If I only had seen the man in the shadows, if I had only been five minutes earlier. If I had only listened to Ivan and my Da and took their worries seriously. But I didn’t. Instead, I wanted freedom. Just a small taste was all I wanted. If I had known what that little taste of freedom would cost me, I would have happily forgotten about any freedom and lived my life in perfect happiness even if it killed me slowly on the inside.

  “Hey, Mamacita, looking good.” The man emerged from the shadows. There was no way he was in college. He had neck tattoos and two tears on his cheek. But in my naïve thinking, I just kept walking. I didn’t pay him any mind. I figured if I ignored the problem, he would just walk away. Keeping my head down and not making eye contact. I moved a little faster, hoping he would just walk off.

  I could hear his boots behind me walking faster as I walked more quickly. I panicked and dialed Ivan on my phone. Before I could see if he answered, I felt the hands on my upper arms that were sure to leave bruises. All I could get out was a squeak before I was thrown against an alley wall. I looked around me in a frantic, trying to keep my head down and making quick glances at the men surrounding me. They were all Hispanic, and all had similar tattoos as the one that I saw first.

  “Took you long enough, Juan.” His English was broken and thick in accent.

  “The bitch didn’t even look at me.” The one that followed me leered at me. Apparently, his name was Juan.

  “Stupid Irish trash. Finally, got you away from the big Irish fucker.” The third ass face commented on. I didn’t know what to do. My father always told me, ‘The Irish drink and fight. If you can’t drink it, fight it.’ Juan made a move towards me and cornered me against the wall. There was no way that I was going down without a fight.

  So, I did. I fought against Juan. I kicked, and I screamed, and I yelled for Ivan. I was terrified that something terrible was going to happen to me. The fourth ass face ripped my shirt off my body as I screamed and tried to kick. He ripped my shirt to tatters with his hands and stuffed part of it in my mouth. No matter how hard I wanted to cry out, it was muffled. No one would be able to hear my pleas. And no one was coming to help me this time. I was truly all alone this time, no angels coming in to save me this time. The cartel made sure of that last time.

  “Good thinking shutting her the fuck up.” The Juan man said, sneering in my face. I kicked at him again. This time I got a response. He backhanded me so hard my head swiveled from left to right. I tasted the blood in my mouth, but I continued to fight. I wasn’t going to let them touch me or rape me. I wouldn’t allow it to happen. I was still a virgin! I couldn’t allow this to happen to me. I tried to get away from them, but there were too many. There were four of them and only one of me.

  “I like it when they fight.” Juan sneered in my face as he pulled my jeans down. I kick and yelled as loud as I could with the shirt in my mouth. My boots kept him from pulling my jeans all the way off. I continued to fight them as I waited for someone to come save me. I hated that I was the little victim again. I didn’t want to have to be saved. I tried to protect myself. But it didn’t matter when his lackeys held me down. The tears started, and I couldn’t make them stop. I knew what he had planned for me, and there was nothing for me to do to escape it.

  “We don’t have time to get the boots off. Hurry, the Boss will be mad if we are late. Get your revenge, and let’s go.” The fourth man said to Juan. The fear that went through my body froze me in place. Juan was getting revenge against my father. He was targeting me to get to my Dad. I couldn’t move a muscle as fear took over me. I thought about anything other than where I was and what was about to happen. Closing my eyes and willing my body not to feel anything. I tried to think of the cabin we used to vacation to. It didn’t work. The pain that I felt was something no one should ever have to feel. “Fucking yeah, she was a virgin,” Juan yelled out to his buddies. I cried but not for the loss of my virginity or what they were doing to me. I refused to cry about that. I cried because I was so mad that this happened again, because of who my father was.

  As he kept on defiling my body, I tried to compartmentalize the pain and the horror of what was happening to me. I closed my eyes and thought of sunshine and bumblebees and the flowers that surrounded the cabin. When he was done doing whatever he was doing, he spat on me and walked away, laughing to his buddies.

  I listened and waited to make sure they were not coming back before I pulled my pants up and attempted to cover up with what was left of my shirt. I knew I should probably go to the police, or call my dad, but I just couldn’t bring it to myself to start another war. I felt numb for the longest time after it happened. My therapist that I was already seeing for my trauma seven years ago, noticed and brought up my behavior.

  When I finally told someone besides my angel, she helped me to cope with what I was feeling. She suggest different activities such as masturbation to help me get over with what had happened. Slowly I came back around, and slowly I started dressing the way I used to. I lost the carefree girl and in its place, was the smart-mouthed woman.

  “My deirfiur, My deirfiur.” I heard someone saying. I felt a warm hand slide down my face. “Angela, look at me, my precious sister.” I opened my eyes. I wasn’t in that alleyway all those years ago. I was safe here in Tank’s clubhouse. “Ivan?” My eyes focused on the man that had protected me as best he could. I never told him about that night. I didn’t want him to be upset that he failed because he didn’t fail, I did. I failed myself and my father that night. That faithful night sealed my resolution to not be a victim but a survivor. I was proving it by being attracted to Tank and to be able to have sex again without screaming when a man touched me. Therapy had been good for me, I truly felt like I had been revived. That night was just a distant memory, yes it was a stain on my soul, but I refused to be brought down. I attended all kinds of therapy over the years to keep going. I had to keep moving forward.

  “Yes, Angie, I am here. Sorry, I left you, but I had to.” Ivan’s green eyes were so vivid to me, but I was missing Tank’s blue eyes looking at me. After he found out what happened to me, he would probably drop me fast. I needed to get him out of my mind. But I wanted the damn man. I tried to push him to his limits even farther. I hated to admit to myself, but I had fallen hard for the man. But it couldn’t happen, because of me, they were here. Because of me, his brothers were fighting. I needed to leave and let them live without this Cartel breathing down their necks.

  “It’s okay. Ivan.”
I whispered to him. I would not cry, not again. I would let that happen when I got home. Panic took over as I realized I couldn’t go back home. They found me again. What is this, three damned times now? Would I always have to live like this, changing my name, changing cities? I refused to leave Cali. Cali was my home, it was where I grew up, had all my memories, both good and bad. I refuse to let them win. I feel like if I move and leave everything behind, then they win. I couldn’t allow that to happen.

  They had my mother, I had to get her back, but something in me whispered that it was too late for her. If they snuffed out her life, I knew without a doubt that actual hell on earth would be set free, named Evan O’Malley. The cartel would be beheaded and torn to shreds. My father was a lot of things, but something that I learned early on was that he genuinely could be a monster. The only balm he had was my mother. She made the world a safer place, she kept the devil locked away. Without her to console my father, the world might as well be burning outside these walls.

  I looked for Tank and saw him standing in the doorway to the place where all the other men were yelling and fighting. They needed to talk it out, not fight it out. That was what the cartel was hoping for. My leg and heart hurt. When our eyes met, he took a step to me. Ivan glared at Tank. “Sister, who is he to ya?” Who was Tank to me? My fuck, buddy? My boyfriend?

  Tank answers for me, “My woman.” Really caveman much. He gives me a look that is begging for me to challenge him.

  “That so, Angela?” I nod my head. Ivan helps me to stand up. Tank picks me up bridal style and takes me up the stairs to his room. Hanging on to his neck as he takes the stairs two at a time. I notice that Ivan is wearing a cut like Tanks but has a different club name on the back. Huh, when did Ivan go biker? For as long as I could remember, Ivan had been working with my dad.

  “Angie, who is that guy?” Tank asks me as he sets me down on the bed.

  “Ivan, he was like a big brother growing up. Tank, I didn’t want this to happen. You have to know that right. I-uh god, I can't believe that I got your club caught up in my mess.” Hanging my head, I refuse to look at him. He has to hate me getting his club caught up with the La Moscias. They had a hard-on for my family. The only information I had I already gave to them.

  “So, no competition then. Good.” I couldn’t keep the laugh away.

  “Tank, you are so bad.”

  “Yeah, you like it when I am bad. Baby.” I finally looked up at him. He was smiling down at me. How could he be smiling at a time like this? It made no damn sense. His smile fell as he looked at my bum leg. “How is your leg feeling?”

  I thought for a second to lie to him and say everything was okay. When I stomped my foot in irritation like a spoiled brat if hurt. “It hurts a little. I shouldn’t have stomped my foot.”

  “Yeah, that was kind of stupid. But it was cute.” He Kissed my nose, and I sighed on the inside.

  “Really, Tank. Cute, I acted like a spoiled brat.” Crossing my arms over my chest to get the point across. I could be the spoiled little princess if so chose to be.

  “Yeah, but you got your point across. We stopped arguing, didn’t we?” Tank mirrored my actions. He looked better with his arms crossed. Those big beefy arms that felt so good around me. I needed to get my head examined. Here we are about to have to fight for our lives, and all I think about is Tank’s arms looking so damned good, and how bad I wanted to jump his bones.

  “No, my scream did that.”

  “How did you get past the damned prospects anyway?” Smiling at him, I wasn’t going to tell him how I did it. It was easy; actually, I just acted like I was drunk on pain medication walking sluggish and dragging my leg behind me like a sick, wounded animal. Then I made my move and busted in on their little man meeting. Easy peasy.

  “Not giving up my secrets.” Shaking my head, Tank raised a brow at my antics.

  “When that leg heals, I plan on making you tell me.”

  “And just how do you plan on doing that?” I wanted to know what he thought he had that could get me to spill my guts.

  “I have my ways, teach.”

  A knock sounded on the door, then it opened, and an older gentleman came into the room. “Glad to see you are awake.”

  “Doc.” Tank nodded at the man. Ah, so the doctor around here. He must have been the one to pull the slug out of me. I didn’t really look at him when he was stitching me up. I was lost in my thoughts and self-loathing. But looking at the man now, I can see gray taking over his temples. But the man knows how to hold himself. Shoulders thrown back, the man demanded a sense of respect. Even in his older age, he was handsome.

  “They need you down there. Some shit is getting out of hand.” Doc motioned for Tank to leave. He nodded before he left, he came to the bed. “Be on best behavior, babe.” Tank said as he leaned down and gave me a gentle kiss on the lips. Then he left the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

  “Angie, tell me, are you on birth control? Is there any chance you could be pregnant?” The question took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting that. Straight to the point, I could respect that.

  “Um, yes, I take the pill daily, so no, I shouldn’t be pregnant.” He nodded his head as he pulled out a bottle from his black bag.

  “Good, here is some painkillers to keep most of the pain away. Now here is the bad part, your birth control is about to be knocked out of the water. With these antibiotics, tell Tank to glove up if you two don’t want kids.” He put the pills on the nightstand by the bed. “Rest, you need rest. Although I don’t know how much you are going to get in the next couple of days.”

  I didn’t like that at all. Why was I not going to be getting any rest? What in the hell were they going to do, hide me away? No, I needed to find a way to get away. I refused to go into hiding, these assholes needed to be stopped and taken on a different path away from Tank and his club.

  Chapter 20

  Tank

  I didn’t want to leave Angie, but apparently shit had hit the fan again. I get that this is some serious shit. The cartel bearing down on us is nothing to laugh at or joke about. They could end all of us easily and quickly if we don’t get our heads wrapped around this shitstorm. This guy Ivan might be connected with Angie, but I don’t like him. Thinking he has a right to her. I get that he might be seen as family to her, but damn it all to hell, the man is getting on my damned nerves, and I haven’t even met him officially yet.

  “What do ya mean you're not retaliating yet?” I can hear the little Irish shit yelling from the top of the stairs. Taking a deep breath, I make it to the chapel in record time.

  “We need to focus on getting Angie to safety first.” Brick says calmly. He looks and talks calm, but I bet he is seething on the inside. Little Irish boy had better keep that red-headed temper to himself.

  “Angela, her name is Angela.”

  “She goes by Angie,” I say calmly to the Irish shithead. Crossing my arms over my chest. Letting him know that I wasn’t going to back down. He was overstepping coming in our clubhouse like he owned the place.

  “You’re just the boy toy anyways. You know nothing of this.” Brick glances at me and smirks and shakes his head, telling me not to get involved physically, not yet anyway.

  “Actually, Tank is our SAA, he knows all about what is going on. It is his job. Listen here, Ivan. You may be patched in with the Death Bringers our ally. But I will not allow your outburst in my clubhouse. If you cannot contain your temper, you will be asked to leave my chapel.” Brick crossed his arms over his chest, a move his Ol’ Lady calls the don’t fuck with me stance.

  “Sorry, I just want these fuckers taken out. They have been a pain in our arses.” Brick nods as I take my seat at the table and wait for the plan of all plans. The first thing is first getting all the women and children somewhere safe. We have several safehouses in the state. It might be wise to get them all to a safehouse.

  Brick sits back down in his seat, not showing any sign of weakness or worry. The man is
doing better than what I would be doing in his position. “Listen up, we need to focus on getting women and children to the safehouses. Tank, I already know where you and Angie will be staying.” I have a clue as to which safe house we will be staying at. A secluded cabin in the mountains. Nodding, I agree whole heartily.

  “After we get the women and children, we need to focus on taking these bastards down. I plan on having a meet with Evan to see how he wants to play this. We might have to cash in a few markers. Anyone against this?” Not a single word was spoken. We all knew that going against this cartel would be hard, most of us might not come out alive. We needed allies, we needed more manpower, more gun power behind us. Jag had goons, two. Troy and P, they were formidable on their own, but they wouldn’t be enough. We might have to call in all of our allies from the north and south of us, we might even have to ask Axe the president of the Death Bringers to war with us. I know without a doubt that he will come. But I hate to have to admit that we need help.

  The gavel slamming down brought me out of my thoughts. I hated leaving my brothers with this shitstorm to deal with while I was at a cabin with my woman lying in wait for all this shit to pass. “Tank, stay behind.” Brick ordered as my brothers filed out. “Tank, you are not any less of a member for doing this. Got me, brother?” I must’ve had my worries all over my face.

  “Got you.”

  “You and Angie are going to take the black SUV and get the hell out of here tonight. Take two burner phones with you, stay in contact once a day, no more no less.”

  “Got it, once a day.” Damn, this trip could be annoying as fuck.

  “Now get gone, Tank.” Nodding my head, I turned to go and tell my Angie that we have to run yet again.

  Knocking on my door, I wait for her to answer. After two more knocks and I don’t hear anything, I open the door and find her sleeping. This woman here is something else, she can be all feisty telling people off, even when she is in danger, then there is this side. The side that shows how vulnerable she can be. When we sleep, we are at risk, our bodies shut down. Sleeping leaves us open to being hurt, destroyed if the wrong person is given access to our vulnerable sides. I watch her like a creep as she sleeps, I reach out and run a finger down her cheek. Her skin is always so damned soft. My woman can be a badass, but she is sweet and ready for me in the bedroom. That is something a man can come home to.