Taken by Temptation

by Liberty Parker

  Wasp and Tic get off of their bikes and we follow their lead. They give us a sign to hold back as they walk up to Emilio. Justice and I follow at a safe distance, not wanting to not follow orders, but it’s our job to be close by in case of trouble. We hang back just enough not to be perceived as a threat, but not far enough away to not hear what’s being said.

  “Mr. Martinez,” Wasp says holding out his hand. “I’m Wasp, President of the Rage Ryders MC. This here is my VP, Tic, we’re here for a meeting scheduled with you by Sniper.”

  “Yes, Mr. Wasp, I am Emilio Martinez and it is a pleasure to meet yours and your men’s acquaintance,” he says with his head held high, like he’s better than us. I hear Justice huff out a ‘smug bastard’ and then a chuckle. I don’t think it was a humorous laugh however, I think it’s more of an ‘oh shit, what have I gotten myself into’ type of laugh. He, however, has caught the attention of Emilio with his antics.

  “And who might you be?” Emilio asks, directing his question Justice’s way. Justice squares his shoulders, showing no remorse or fear of him. Instantly on guard since I have no clue if Emilio will see this as disrespectful, I decide I need to keep a closer eye on my friend.

  “My name is Justice, Mr. Martinez. I am an officer, more of an enforcer with the Rage Ryders and I am to be your future son-in-law.”

  “I see,” Emilio says, “We must get to know each other then, Justice, enforcer for the Rage Ryders MC. I look forward to having a conversation with you after our meeting today.” And just like that he turns his back and dismisses Justice as if he has no importance here. I feel very sorry for my friend, when I see what the head of the family is like that he’s being married into. I don’t know if he’ll be able to hold his tongue and show this man any respect, let alone sit at a table for a family dinner. I don’t think Emilio realizes yet just what it is he signed up for when he made this deal. I do hope, however, that I get invited to one of their family gatherings. I’d love to see my friend in his element.

  “Let’s go inside and have a seat, shall we?” Emilio asks Wasp and Tic, while using his hands in the direction he wishes for them to go. Justice and I fall into step with them when they all go to head inside the doors. There’s no way in hell my Prez and VP will be going in there blind and unprotected.

  Chapter 34

  Ghost

  We’ve been in this hot as fuck warehouse going on two hours now, but I have to say it’s worth it and the information we’ve been given is enough to chop Valdez’s organization off at the knees. Emilio wasn’t playing around when he made this deal with us, I just hope he doesn’t stab us in the back at some point. Bristol’s words from earlier are playing on repeat in my head. I don’t trust anyone that’s associated with that slime ball, Johnny Valdez. He’s a snake who’s only associated with other reptiles. He’s not trustworthy, and I highly doubt anyone that works with him, or for him is any more trustworthy.

  I trust my girl’s instincts, and hers were screaming at her that he’s not trustworthy, being that he’s part of Valdez’s organization. I need to keep my eyes wide open and my ears on constant alert. I’m not hearing or feeling any deception here, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any. I’ve been wrong before, but this time I have a reason not to be.

  “I would like to speak with my future son-in-law in private if I may?” Emilio asks us, once again using his hands to indicate he’d like for us to leave the building. None of us are willing to leave the building, so we walk over by the door and stop. We lean up against the wall making our stance of this is as far as we’re willing to go. Justice gives us a head nod in thanks and we all return with one of our own. We’re just like the military, we never leave a man behind or alone, as the case may be.

  “You think he’s talking to him about his future bride, or just giving him a wedding date to show up for?” Wasp asks us, voicing the very question that was just running through my head.

  “Who knows, this guy’s head is so far up his own ass, he probably assumes Justice will just show for a wedding not wanting a meeting with his future bride first,” Tic answers Wasp.

  “I guess we’ll be finding out sooner rather than later,” I say, nodding my head in Justice’s direction as he heads our way.

  “How does it feel to be summoned by your future in-law?” I ask.

  “Fuck off,” is his only reply, causing all of us to cut up in laughter.

  “Go fuck yourselves,” Justice pipes up while walking away from us.

  “Guess his first meeting with Daddy dearest didn’t go so well,” Tic announces as he gets the bird over Justice’s shoulder. At least he’s still paying attention, but I have a feeling we’ve taken this as far as he’ll allow us to.

  “What’s next Prez?”

  “Well, we have all the important information, we’ll come up with a plan once we get back. I’m ready to take this motherfucker down,” is all he says as we make our way out of the warehouse and mount our bikes. Wasp makes a circle in the air with his finger indicating he’s ready to get the hell out of dodge. Like the good minions we are, we follow his lead, all of us anxious to get back and hash out a plan.

  Justice

  I am so livid at the conversation I had with Martinez that I stew on it on the ride back to the warehouse.

  “So, you’re to be my daughter’s future spouse. Are you considered to be in high standard within’ your club? I don’t want my girl marrying too far beneath her.”

  “Martinez, I am the protector of my club. I am in charge of security and keeping order within the club. I keep the brothers in line and dole out punishment to fit the crime. I keep peace and order, and to answer your question, I am just beneath the VP, as far as officers are concerned,” I seethe out in anger towards him. I hate smug, know-it-all assholes.

  “Very good,” he says, like I wasn’t just being disrespectful to him. I want him to realize I’ll take no shit off him now or in the future.

  “Once this is taken care of, I would like to have the wedding take place as soon as possible. Let’s say the week after this is all put behind us.”

  “I would like to meet my future bride before the wedding,” I tell him.

  “That won’t be necessary,” he has the nerve to say to me.

  “I beg to differ with your conclusion, Sir. I would like the chance to at least be on friendly terms with her before I tie myself to her forever.”

  “Will it change anything?” he has the gall to ask.

  “No,” I answer honestly, ‘cause I know it can’t. A deal is a deal, and I have given my word and I am nothing more than a man of his word.

  “Then it will not be necessary, you will meet her at the altar. I will get word to your President of the date and time. See you there, Son.”

  With that he dismisses me and turns to speak to his men. I hope I’m not expected to spend holidays and other bullshit with him. I’ll end up causing war by taking the son of a bitch out!

  I surely hope my bride hasn’t inherited her father’s demeanor, otherwise I will be spending as much time away from her as possible. I don’t care what the club says, if she is like him, she will be a wife by name and paper only. I will not subject myself to a life of misery so this asshole has something to hold over our heads.

  Chapter 35

  Bristol

  The guys have only been gone for an hour when the bell to the front gate rings. Levi answers the gate phone and is told there is a package needing to be signed for. I guess special deliveries don’t have a timeline for deliver, I thought those types of packages were delivered more in the daytime than in the evening. When he makes it back inside not even ten minutes later he calls my name, letting me know the package is mine. I’m not expecting anything, but thinking it might be something school-related I go over so I can open the package.

  I pick it up, noting the odd weight to the package. It can’t be school books, so I have no clue what could be inside of this box. Thinking of it, it’s oddly packaged as well. It’s surrounded i
n duct tape, making my job of opening it just that much harder. Carson walks over to me and opens up his pocket knife, handing it to me. I take it and start slicing apart the duct tape. It’s a slow methodical job and it takes me forever to get it open. Once I get the box open I see something inside wrapped in a garbage bag. Levi and Carson both look at each other with hesitance in their eyes. I’m getting nervous about what lies inside of this package.

  Deciding to go ahead and open it, I drop the box and scream out in agony. Inside of the garbage bag is my mother’s dismembered head. I run for the bathroom to vomit everything inside of my stomach. I don’t care for my mother, but to see the look of fear on her face I know she must’ve suffered dearly as her head was disassembled from her body. Thinking of it again has me retching up bile. I’ve already emptied out anything of substance and now it’s just acid that’s left. Someone is behind me pulling my hair back and placing a cool washcloth over my forehead. I don’t have the energy or strength to turn around and see who it is. I hear pieces and bits of conversation around me.

  “There was a note inside....”

  “Should we call the guys?”

  “Was that really her Mom?”

  “It’s going to be alright Bristol, we’ve got you.”

  I couldn’t tell you who was saying what, and frankly I don’t give a damn. That was my mother’s head! How, why would someone do this? I feel myself get pulled under with an anxiety attack that comes on quickly and I allow myself to succumb to the darkness.

  Ghost

  We turn all of our phones off when we’re in any type of meeting, being distracted isn’t a good thing when your life may be on the line. When we pull over for gas I remember along with the others to turn my phone on. It lights up with notifications putting me on alert instantly. I look over and see Wasp on his phone, he looks over at me and the expression on his face lets me know whatever he is hearing is not good news.

  He winces and looks away from me, I go over to him to see if I can hear what’s goin’ on from his side of the conversation. “We’re on our way, we’ll be there in the next fifteen minutes. Stay away from it and I don’t want anyone else touching it. Go ahead and put it in our meeting room. See you soon, brother.”

  “What’s going on?” I ask him, knowing in my gut this has something to do with my girl.

  “Before you completely freak out Ghost, I wanna tell you Bristol is fine.” I feel a but coming on here and I’m waiting to hear what that will be.

  “But...” I prompt him.

  “But, she got a package delivered, it’s not pretty brother.”

  “Okay, get on with it so I can get back to her, Prez.”

  “Fuck!” he screams out. “She was delivered her mother’s dismembered head.”

  “What!” I scream. “That’s impossible, she’s at a safe house.”

  “We left her there unprotected as punishment. She was easy pickin’ if someone figured out where that safe house was located, Ghost.”

  He’s right. “Motherfucker! I need to get back to her,” I say over my shoulder as I turn and run back over to my bike. I swing my leg over and start my beast up. I’m going to push her to her limits so I can get to my girl as quickly as possible. I need to be there, now!

  As I pull away, I see Tic run back out of the convenience store, he went in to pay for gas. I know we’re supposed to stay together, but I can’t wait, I need to be on the road now.

  Justice

  I watch as my brother is delivered the news, he loses all color to his face and I’m worried about him and pray he doesn’t have an accident on his ride home. I can’t even imagine how opening up a package and seein’ your mother’s head has affected Bristol. No matter how much you dislike your parents, losing them, especially in that manner isn’t a good thing. Neither emotionally or physically. I’m sure this is going to take a toll on her body, knowing she suffers from anxiety from her childhood, and how the body reacts to shock, I know this isn’t gonna be good. She’s become like a sister to me and I can’t fathom what she’s going to be going through.

  I vow here and now that I won’t stop until I know this motherfucker is in the ground where he belongs. Who the fuck does this guy thing he’s playing with? If he thinks the shock value of this will have us giving her up to him, he needs to rethink his stance. And how the fuck did he know to have the package delivered today? While there were none of us there with the girls, other than Carson and Levi that is.

  Motherfucker! We have a god damned traitor in our midst. I will find out for sure and I will deal with them personally. It’s the only thing that makes sense. If we were all there, no one would have the gonads to deliver such a package. Someone is keeping tabs on us for this guy, and I am going to make them suffer for such treasonous actions.

  As soon as we reach the clubhouse, I pull Tic and Wasp aside and share my suspicions with them.

  “Who do you think it could be?” Wasp asks me for my opinion.

  “Honestly, I have no clue,” I tell them.

  “I don’t think it’s a brother,” Tic states, “I’ll have them all checked out anyways, but I have a feeling it’s someone new inside of our walls. I really want to concentrate on anyone who’s new. All the patched members care for Bristol, and we haven’t had any trouble out of any of them and none of them have been acting off.”

  “I haven’t been around as much as you two have, with being out of commission for as long as I have been. I’d feel better if I could check everyone out, especially phones. Do I have ya’lls permission to proceed?”

  “Go for it,” Wasp says while Tic says, “Get it done.”

  “Just putting this out there, no one will be an exception to my investigation, it will include brothers, Ol’ ladies and club babes. We don’t have any new hangers or proby’s so we don’t have to worry about that,” I tell them.

  “Check that new bitch Tasha out, she has a hard on for Bristol,” Tic tells me.

  “I’ll start with her first.” I leave them alone ready to find one of our computer whiz kids. I see Tazer first and grab him up and lead him to the meeting room for some privacy. Tazer was my prospect that I sponsored, I’ve had him vetted and trust him completely. When I tell him our suspicions, he leaves me to head off and do his thing. What I don’t tell him however, is that I will be doing some research of my own. And unfortunately, that means I have to check him out too. I’m really good at recon work and can get more off of a person than what the computer can tell you. I’m positive I won’t find anything wrong with him, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

  Not even two hours later, Tazer comes into the common room where I’m sitting enjoying a beer. “Hey Justice, need to speak to you in private,” he says to me and I notice some papers in his hands and he looks pissed as fuck. Knowing I’m in for a long night, I go behind the bar and grab two beers. I figure he’ll be needing one as well. I motion for him to follow me to my room where I know we’ll have some privacy for the talk we need to have.

  “I started with that bitch first like you asked me to, and man, it isn’t good. She’s our traitor.”

  “Are you sure?” I ask him, we need to be one hundred percent positive before we ruin someone’s life.

  “I have the proof right here in my hands,” he says, shoving the papers he’s been carrying at me. I hand him his beer and take a seat at my desk so I can go through the papers. There are text messages with a corresponding number that came up on our intel for one Johnny Valdez. I recognize the number immediately.

  They start off a few weeks ago...I skim through them and am not happy at my findings.

  Tasha: I’m not making much headway with Ghost.

  Johnny: Try harder

  A couple days later:

  Tasha: I tried intimidating Bristol, got my ass beat for my efforts. I don’t think this plan of yours is going to work Johnny.

  Johnny: Tasha! Stop playing around and get the job done! I will not accept failure!

  The rest are a lot of the same ty
pe of messages until I get to tonight’s text.

  Tasha: They’ve all left. Deliver package immediately, not sure how long they will be gone for. Word from grapevine is they’re at some meeting and not expected to be gone long. Hurry!

  Johnny: Well done, you will be rewarded for your work.

  That’s all the proof I need for Wasp and Tic to be satisfied of who the traitor is. I pull out my phone and send off a text to both of them.

  Found the traitor!

  Wasp: Meet me in my office, now.

  Chapter 36

  Ghost

  I walked straight through the clubhouse and to our room where I knew my girl would be. She was curled into a protective ball and I could see tearstains on her beautiful face. My fear for her turned into anger toward him. Who the fuck does something like that to a person, it’s bad enough for her to know her mother is gone, but for it to be shoved in her face...literally is the most disgusting thing one person could do to another. Not being able to stand seeing her this way, I remove my boots and my cut and slide in the bed next to her.

  She immediately moved into my embrace and woke up crying. I couldn’t do anything for her other than hold her and whisper how it was going to be okay and how I’d take care of everything. She kept repeating over and over again that her mother was dead. After an hour of her sobbing into my chest, anger radiated every square inch of my body. I was ready to dole out some revenge in honor of my girl. She’s the most caring and loving woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of having in my life, something I didn’t want to see her lose. She deserves peace and happiness, and I intend to deliver those things to her for the rest of our lives.