Tempting Country: Ruthless Sinners MC

by Wilder, L.

  Country

  “I went to check in on Jagger yesterday.”

  Menace had been oddly quiet as we got things loaded up for the run. The second he mentioned Jagger’s name, I figured out why. “How’s he doing?”

  “He’s making it.” Menace stopped, then looked over his shoulder, ensuring that no one was within earshot before continuing, “He said something that’s been bugging me.”

  “Okay, what exactly did Jagger say?”

  “Well, we were talking about Rossi and all the bullshit he put Parker through. I was going on a rant over how he should’ve never gotten off, and he shouldn’t have. The motherfucker killed her entire fucking family and Lynch’s grandparents. He should’ve gotten the fucking chair.”

  “I can’t disagree with you there.”

  Parker was Menace’s ol’ lady. They met when she came to the strip club looking for a job. One thing led to another, and Menace discovered she was on the run from Rossi—the Italian mafia asshole who’d killed her folks. In hopes of derailing Rossi, Menace took Parker to Billy’s, and Billy gave them both the help they needed. But Rossi was still an issue. The club wasn’t in the position to go toe to toe with the mafia, so we left it up to the court system. Unfortunately, that didn’t turn out as we’d hoped. Rossi got off, but just as he was making his way down the courthouse steps, he was killed. Everyone, including Viper, thought Menace had a hand in his death, but we were wrong. We still weren’t 100 percent sure who was behind it, and we might never know—or so I thought.

  I was curious to hear what Jagger had told him, so I pushed, “So, what did he say that’s bugging you?”

  “Something like, ‘I’m glad it all worked out, and the guy got what was coming to him.’”

  “Sorry, brother, but I’m not gettin’ why that would bug ya. We’re all glad the guy got what was coming to him.”

  “No, brother. It’s not what he said. It’s the way he said it. It’s hard to explain, but I got the feeling he had something to do with it.”

  “Did you ask him about it?”

  “Yeah, of course, I asked him, but he blew me off. Made it sound like the whole idea was crazy, but I just don’t know.” Menace’s brows were furrowed as he asked, “Do you think it’s even remotely possible that he could’ve had a hand in taking down Rossi?”

  Menace wasn’t one to confide in me or anyone for that matter. He typically sorted shit out on his own, so even though I usually joked around about anything and everything, I didn’t want to make light of my brother’s concerns, especially over something like this. I closed the SUV’s door, then turned to face him. “Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him. There’s no telling the kind of connections he’s made. He could’ve struck some kind of deal with another inmate, and the rest is history.”

  “Yeah, but to go and do something like that without running it by Viper ... or even me. I mean, damn, he’s still a Sinner. You don’t do that kind of shit without talking to somebody.”

  “I get what you’re saying, but you gotta remember, he’s living in a completely different world. They have their own rules inside, their own code, and he’s doing what he’s gotta do to survive. No matter how many times you go and see him, you’ve got no idea the hell he goes through in that place. So, if he happened to have something to do with Rossi’s death, you can bet your life he did it for you.”

  “So, what should I do?”

  “Not a damn thing. You let this dog lie, brother. It’s the only thing you can do.”

  “And if there’s blowback to the club?”

  “Jagger wouldn’t have done anything that’d cause the club harm. You know that.” I motioned my hand to Rafe and Axel as they started walking towards us. “Now, pipe down, Francis and let it be. We’ve gotta get going.”

  “You’re right.” He started walking over to the others and said, “Thanks, brother.”

  “Don’t mention it.”

  After we made sure everything was loaded and secured, Menace and I got into the SUV with Rafe and Axel. With Axel behind the wheel, we pulled through the main gate and were on our way to Knoxville—the halfway point between our clubhouse and the North Carolina Sinners’ chapter. Viper and Dax, the president of the NC chapter, decided it would be easier to meet there once a month to make our exchange. The three-and-a-half-hour ride versus the six-and-a-half suited me just fine. I figured the sooner we got there and back, the sooner I could get back home and over to the Manor to see about Kiersten. While she didn’t say anything specific, I got the feeling that something was weighing on her mind, and I wanted to make sure she was okay.

  We were about an hour into our drive when Axel turned back to me and asked, “What’s up with you?”

  “Huh?”

  “You sick or something?”

  “What the hell are you talking about, brother?”

  “You haven’t said two words since we got in the truck,” Axel explained. “We usually can’t get you to shut your trap, so I figure there’s gotta be something wrong.”

  “Ah, he’s all right. Just pining over his latest honey hole.” Rafe snickered.

  I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I was too fucking angry with Rafe’s referral to Kiersten, so I simply sat there and glared at him. When he realized he’d overstepped, he quickly apologized. “Oh, come on, brother. You know I didn’t mean nothin’ by it. I was just messin’ around.”

  Again, I didn’t respond. If I had, it would’ve just given the guys fuel for the fire, and I simply wasn’t in the mood. I should’ve expected it. I’d given both Rafe and Menace all kinds of hell when they met their ol’ ladies—especially Rafe. Then again, the asshole had it coming. Marlowe worked at Crockett’s, and like all men who crossed paths with her, I found her attractive and even asked her out. I hadn’t been into her like I was with Kiersten. I was just looking to get laid, and I was pretty sure she knew it. That’s why Marlowe made me think she was a lesbian. She had me thinking it for months—right up until the day she and Rafe hooked up. I didn’t hold any ill-will towards either of them. Hell, those two were meant for each other. In all the years I’d known Rafe, I’d never seen my brother so happy.

  That had me thinking about Kiersten, and once my mind was on her, everything around me turned into a blur. So much so, I hadn’t even realized that we’d pulled up to our destination until Rafe gave me a nudge. “Hey, pull your head out of your ass, brother. We’re here.”

  Not believing that I’d been so out of sorts, I glanced out the window and saw the back of the old football stadium where we’d agreed to meet up with our NC chapter. It had been closed down for years and was away from any watchful eyes. I knew the others were waiting, so I ran my hand over my face and tried to clear the fog as I grumbled, “I’ll be damned.”

  “You alright?”

  “Yeah, I’m good.” I opened my door. “Let’s do this.”

  By the time Rafe and I got out of the truck, Axel and Menace were already out and reacquainting themselves with the brothers from the NC chapter. We’d met them before, but that was at a gathering with some of the other Sinner chapters. Between all the booze and crowds of people, it was often hard to keep track of who was who. I happened to recognize Bates, their club’s sergeant-at-arms. At six-four and two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle, the man was hard to forget. Bates had jet-black hair and tattoos covering most of his exposed body, including his throat and hands. Even though the guy was a bit menacing, he’d always seemed cool whenever we were together, so I walked over and gave him a bro hug. “Hey, brother. How’s it going? It’s been a while.”

  “Yes, it has. It’s been going good. You been making it all right?”

  “Can’t complain. And you?”

  “The same.” He motioned his hand towards the others. “I’m sure you remember Fallon, our enforcer.”

  Fallon wasn’t as tall as Bates, but he was just as built and had his own fair share of tats. His hair was long like mine and pulled back into a braid. I gave him a side hug as I re
plied, “I do. It’s good to see ya again, brother.”

  He nodded, then turned to introduce us all to the two younger guys standing beside him. “And this is Hugo and Reed. I’m not sure if you had a chance to meet at the last gathering.”

  “Not sure if we did. Anyway, it’s always good to meet a fellow brother.” Menace turned to Bates and said, “We gotta do better about gettin’ the clubs together.”

  “Yeah, we do. It’s been too long.”

  Getting right down to business, Axel motioned his head towards the truck. “We’ve got the product. Twenty pounds like we discussed.”

  “This shit really as good as Viper says?”

  “Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t.” Axel was our VP for a reason. He was level-headed and forthright, but at the same time, he didn’t take shit from anyone. He told it like it was, and he expected everyone else to do the same. While these were our fellow brothers, we were there to do business, and he treated it as such. “You shouldn’t have any trouble moving it, but if you do, let us know, and we’ll make some adjustments to the size of the take.”

  “No worries there. Folks back home are always looking for a good smoke. We shouldn’t have any problem unloading it.” Bates turned to Hugo and Reed. “Get the goods and load it in the truck.”

  Rafe and I followed the brothers to the back of the truck, then helped them move the bags over to theirs. Once we had Kiersten’s odor-proof bags secured under the rear compartment, they closed the door and I said, “Bring the bags back on the next exchange.”

  “Will do.”

  We made our way back to the others, and I heard Fallon ask, “You boys wanna grab something to eat before you head back?”

  “Appreciate the offer, brother, but like you, we got a long drive home.”

  “That we do.”

  After we all said our goodbyes, Fallon gave Axel a brotherly pat on the bicep as he said, “You boys have a safe trip home.”

  “You too, brother.”

  Rafe and I followed Menace and Axel to our truck and got inside. None of us spoke as Axel eased out of the old parking lot and headed back home. We talked a little about how well everything had gone, and I had no doubt that Viper would be pleased. I hoped the same would hold true for Lynch and the other brothers who went to Atlanta to meet up with our South Carolina chapter. They had a farther distance to travel, so we weren’t surprised that we made it back to the clubhouse before them. We met briefly with Viper, then Menace announced, “I’m going to head over to Stilettos and see how things are going there.”

  “I’ll take a ride over there with you.” Rafe glanced over at me as he asked, “You coming with?”

  I nodded, then followed them both out to the parking lot. Once we were on our bikes, Rafe and I followed Menace out the gate and towards Stilettos. While the two strip clubs did exceptionally well on their own, we made a small fortune by having our girls sell coke to some of our wealthier regulars. The girls were exceptional—not only at stripping but also at moving goods. Marijuana was a hot commodity in Tennessee, so I had no doubt they’d do well with our latest endeavor. As soon as we got to the club, Menace checked to make sure things were running smoothly with the girls while Rafe and I strolled over to the bar next to Locke and Bear. They were talking with Marlowe while she took a break from bartending. As soon as we sat down, she asked, “What are you doing here?”

  “Damn, Lowe. Don’t gotta sound so disappointed to see us,” I teased.

  “You know I’m not. I just wasn’t expecting you guys to be back so soon.” As usual, she was practically beaming as she turned her attention to Rafe. “I’m glad y’all made it back okay. Did everything go the way you hoped?”

  “It went fine.”

  “Good. Glad to hear it.” Even though Marlowe worked for the club and was Rafe’s ol’ lady, she didn’t know all the ins and outs of the club. None of the women did. All she knew was what she needed to know—that we had a run and would be gone for the day. “Can I get you guys something to drink?”

  “I’m good,” Rafe answered.

  “Yeah, I’m good, too.” I turned to Locke as I asked, “How have things been going here?”

  “There haven’t been any major blowups since the last rumble with Lynch and those rowdy assholes, so I’d say they’ve been all right.”

  “You realize you just jinxed us, right?”

  “Suits me fine.” A mischievous grin crossed his face. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a little excitement around here.”

  “I’m just fine without it, thanks.”

  “You know, the girls are moving the new product fast. I wouldn’t be surprised if we needed more by the end of the month.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, I was just as surprised as you are. It looks like going into business with her was the right move.”

  He hadn’t finished his sentence when Menace came up behind us. He seemed more than pleased. “Locke is right. I just checked in with Candy and the others, and they haven’t had any problem moving it. In fact, they’ve had several clients come back for more.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be glad to hear that.”

  “Viper, too.”

  The next couple of days seemed to drag by. I tried to keep myself busy with the brothers and taking on extra shifts at the club, but it did little to keep me from thinking about Kiersten. I was tempted to just go and see her, but she was studying for her midterms, and I didn’t want to distract her. Besides, I’d be seeing her soon. We’d made plans to get together for the weekend. She’d come down and hang out at the club with me, and then we’d head back to the Manor together. Only that wasn’t the way it played out.

  After a long shift at Stilettos, I was completely wiped and ready to call it a night. I decided to skip going home and headed over to the clubhouse to crash for the night. I’d barely made it through the front door when Menace came rushing down the hall to meet me. “Have you checked your phone?”

  “No. Why?” I pulled it out and looked down at the screen. When I didn’t have any messages, I asked, “What’s going on?”

  “I got an alert on my phone. Looks like there’s a fire at the Manor.” Per Viper’s request, Menace had been given access to all the security at Kiersten’s place, so we would also be notified if there were any security breaches. Menace seemed worried when he said, “Riggs called, and they got the same alert but haven’t been able to get a hold of Braylon or Kiersten. I haven’t either. I tried calling Widow and Jackal and can’t seem to get them either.”

  “Where?” Without waiting for him to answer, I called Kiersten’s phone but didn’t get an answer. I called a second and third time, but still no answer. Frantic, I looked back at Menace and asked, “Where’s the fucking fire, brother?”

  “That’s just it. We’re not sure. On my end, it looks like the whole damn place is up in flames, but when I checked the cameras, I’m not seeing a damn thing. No smoke. No flames. So, maybe it’s just a glitch or something.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not taking any chances.” I turned and headed back outside. “I’m heading over there.”

  “Hold up ... I’m going, too. Need to let Viper know and get Hawk or whoever else is here to tag along. Better to be safe than sorry.”

  I nodded, then waited as Menace contacted Viper. Once he’d gotten the go-ahead, we rounded up Lynch and Hawk, then gathered whatever artillery we had at the clubhouse and jumped into the SUV. Moments later, we were through the clubhouse gates and speeding towards the Manor. I’d never been what I would consider to be a fearful man. No matter what was going on with the club, I’d always faced whatever came my way without giving it a second thought, but the mere idea of Kiersten being in danger terrified me.

  I prayed that there was nothing to be worried about.

  But if that wasn’t the case, if Kiersten truly were in danger, then nothing would stand in my way of protecting her.

  Absolutely nothing.

  Fourteen

  Kiersten
>
  After spending days cramming for my microbiology and phycology midterms, my brain felt like complete mush. I couldn’t even blink without thinking about bacteria, fungi, and single-celled organisms. I wanted to believe that all my studying had paid off, but I wasn’t so sure. Usually, it all came pretty naturally to me. I never really had to study all that much, just enough to review the basics, but I’d been so distracted with work and everything in between that I wasn’t as focused as usual. So much so, I might’ve tanked one of the tests, which was something I’d never done before—not even once.

  But at least there was one positive. I hadn’t seen Drake since the night I ran into him at the gas station. He’d never missed class before, so I was surprised he hadn’t shown up to take his exam. I took it as a blessing and left campus without that eerie feeling of someone watching me. A storm was rolling in, so my ride home took a bit longer than I’d hoped. Once I made it back, I checked in with Braylon and Widow. It had been a while since we’d had a bad storm, and I wanted to make sure we were prepared. They were both sitting in the office eating dinner when I walked in looking like a drowned rat. “It’s getting pretty nasty out there.”

  “Yeah, we noticed,” Braylon answered. “Did you forget your umbrella?”

  “Of course, I did.” I giggled. “I didn’t remember it until I stepped out of class and saw that it was pouring.”

  “Sounds about right.”

  “So, are we good for tonight and this crazy storm?”

  “Yeah, we’ve been watching the weather, and it looks like the worst of it should be past us in an hour or so.” Braylon glanced over at Widow and said, “I’ll keep watch tonight and make sure the generator kicks on if the power goes out.”

  “Okay, great. I’m going to do my rounds, then I’ve got some studying to do. Just let me know if you guys need anything.”

  “Will do.”

  I left them both and headed down the hall. I stopped by each room, checked the timers on the lights, and made sure the daily checklist had been completed. Once I was done, I hurried back to my place. As soon as I’d dried off, I made myself a batch of ramen noodles and a glass of chocolate milk, then carried them into the living room. I spent the next couple of hours watching a scary movie while finishing up an assignment for my genetics class. By the time I was done, the storm had started to let up, so I took a long, hot bath and put on my pj’s. I was so looking forward to a good night’s sleep as I crawled into bed and snuggled under my covers. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.