by Nikki Bloom
I crossed to the wall and pressed my ear into it, trying to hear what was going on outside. There were voices, many of them, and foot stamping.
A dance club?
Occam’s razor said I was probably in the biker bar from the other day. I went to the door and listened intently for approaching footsteps. There was nothing but silence. I crossed over to the desk, picked up the chair and dragged it to the door. I placed it just next to the door and then sat down, waiting.
It took something like an hour for the woman to return. I stood up quickly as I heard her footsteps and crossed to the other side of the door so that when she opened the door, I would be hidden. I expected her to exercise some caution, but she just walked into the room without so much as a look around to see where I was. She crossed to the desk and picked up the plate. I hesitated, wondering if I should just run out, but if I did that, she’d be on me in a second. I dashed to the chair and picked it up, raising it on top of my head and charging like I was in the Battle of the Bastards.
She turned just as I reached her and screamed even as I swung the chair. To my shock, the downward trajectory was stopped cold and there was a huge man between us, looming over me.
Rooster.
He snatched the chair out of my hand and threw it to the ground. The woman ran out and shut the door behind her as Rooster grabbed my arms and dragged me over to the bed.
I knew that look in his eyes. I’d seen it every day on Eugene’s face. It always preceded some gratuitous act of violence.
I fought. I kicked out, I struggled to free myself from his hold, but his grip on me was effortless and unyielding. Suddenly he stopped, taking one hand from around my wrist and burying it in my hair, pulling it mercilessly. I screamed as loud as I could, calling for help with every breath I had.
He used my hair to fling me onto the bed, and then put his knee on my stomach to keep me still.
“Please. Please. Please. Don’t. Let me go. Please.” I began to cry, just letting the tears and snot mix on my face in the ugliest display of terror I could manage. I was hoping to put him off but no dice. He grabbed the hem of my dress, trying to pull it upwards. It was form-fitting and so it wasn’t an easy thing to do without my cooperation.
He stopped trying after a while, reaching for the hem and trying to tear it off me.
“No. no. no. Please stop.” I continued crying and begging as he continued to ignore me. He grunted with frustration before he turned me over, finally remembering that dresses had zippers.
“Rooster!” another voice spoke from the doorway, dripping with authority, “Leave her.”
“Why?” Rooster was panting, his fat hand still on my zipper.
“Lost Boys are negotiating for her release. I guaranteed safety.”
Rooster grunted. “Now why’d you go and do that?”
“Because apparently she’s Domenic Cliff’s wife and worth a lot more if she’s undamaged.”
I gritted my teeth, unable to stop myself reacting to their words.
Undamaged? What am I, a shipment of iPads?
Rooster sighed. “Fuck.” Clearly he was frustrated but he took his knee off my thigh and backed off. I knew I’d dodged a bullet. Imagine surviving fifteen years of Eugene, avoiding rape and then having to give it up to some random biker. Couldn’t be me.
I hadn’t failed to realize that if the Lost Boys were negotiating, it meant Dom and Nico not only knew where I was but were close.
Well thank heavens for small mercies.
I thought about just sitting there meekly and waiting for them to find me. But the thought of Rooster deciding that having me was worth going against his club president kept me jittery and hypervigilant. Every time I heard a footfall, my heart leapt into my throat.
I crept slowly to the door, putting my ear against it. There were clearly people outside, talking to each other. I tried the door and to my surprise, it was unlocked. I guess Rooster must have forgot to lock it after he left. I wondered what to do. Dom’s words kept ringing in my head. How hard he’d worked to get away from his MC. If they helped to get me out of this jam, they might own both Dom and my brother for life. I had to make a break for it.
I crouched down, easing the door open and peering out. I recognized the two guys standing against the opposite wall a few meters down the hall as the probies.
“How much you think they’ll ask for?” one of them, very pimply and red with excitement, asked the fat one.
He shrugged. “The guy’s really rich I hear, so probably a lot.”
The small guy shook his head. “I can’t believe Rooster just…kidnapped her. He has like balls of steel, man.”
“I don’t think he knew she was married.”
The small guy shrugged. “Whatever, man. You got a blunt on you?”
As they lit up, I crouched low and eased my way into the corridor. There was one dim bulb that did nothing to dispel the shadows and I stuck as much as I could to the dark places. They were too busy lighting up and enjoying their fantasies of unlimited wealth to notice me.
I shimmied away towards the dark, wondering if this was a lost cause. There was probably no way out at the end of this very long corridor. I could hear the probies talking, clearly not having raised any alarm as yet. Suddenly I ran out of wall and had to look behind me to see that I’d shimmied my way into a dead end. There was a broom closet at the end of a short alcove and that was it.
With a sigh, I crept forward and burrowed in there. Never have I been so grateful for being petite.
I crouched behind the buckets and mops and closed the door, huddling in the dark as I tried to think of a new plan. It took a while for the probies to realize they were guarding an empty room. I felt like I’d been in the closet for fucking ever before I heard a shout of alarm and running footsteps.
They seemed to be confused if the thunder of footsteps was any indication. There was a lot of shouting and thudding of flesh on flesh. I didn’t know if they were stumbling into each other or having a knock down drag out. I just focused on not breathing loudly.
“What is going on here?” a very familiar voice said.
“None of your business! What are you doing behind here?”
“I was looking for the little gentleman’s room?”
Someone made a disgusted sound. If I wasn’t wrong, I heard someone mutter the f-word under their breath. “You’re in the wrong place. It’s the other way.”
“Oh.” There were no retreating footsteps. “You seem to have lost something?”
“That’s none of your business! Get out of here.”
I heard Chaz’s very distinct gait as he no doubt sashayed away. Immediately, the probies began arguing again, this time apparently over who was going to tell Sunny that I’d disappeared. Suddenly someone cursed and there was a lot of shuffling around and complaints. “I can’t see shit. Light your phone!”
“I don’t have it! It’s under the bar.”
“Well then let’s go get it or find out what happened to the bulb.”
From their conversation, I had to deduce that Chaz had done something to the light. I eased the door open, feeling my way out in the pitch dark.
“Nico?” I jumped though I knew the voice even when it was hissing.
“Hey, Chaz. Fancy meeting you here,” I whispered.
“Oh, my dear! Your husband’s going crazy and your brother has had to restrain him from killing everyone. The MC’s being unreasonable, and that New Orleans guy is issuing death threats. It’s mad.”
“Recap later. Escape now.” I reached out, feeling for him and brushed his shirt, grabbing on to him for dear life. We took off at speed and hid in the men’s room, which was currently empty. “Okay, I’m gonna hoist you through the window. I already texted your hubby. He should be waiting on the other side.”
“What about you?”
“Oh, I’m gonna go back to the table and resume negotiations.”
“Is it safe?”
He gave me a look that was clear
even in the dim light. “I’m a lawyer!”
My heart was pounding triple time. I could feel the vein in my neck throbbing, and my hands were shaking with fear. I let Chaz boost me up before scrambling up the tiny window and shimmering out. A pair of hands grabbed me and the next thing I knew I was nestled tightly against Dom’s chest. It was a while before he thrust me back, examining me closely.
“Are you alright?”
I nodded and swallowed, unable to speak. He grabbed my hand. “This way.”
Instead of heading towards the road, he turned towards the grassy field between the bar and the next building. He pulled me along and I wondered where we were going until I saw the bike.
He didn’t have to pull me along anymore because I increased my pace, running after him. We both jumped on the motorbike and took off. I leaned my chin on his shoulder so I could talk to him.
“Dom, where’s Morgan?”
“He’s…safe. We’ll call him when we get where we’re going. Now hush, I need to focus.”
I nodded, holding on tight and wishing I’d had time to put on a helmet. Dom was flying.
Eventually, we stopped off at a gas station to fill up and Dom handed me a helmet. He was dressed in full leather and looked much different from the suave businessman he channeled in everyday life. His tattoo was visible: a skull and crossbones etched into his collarbone.
“Morgan?” My worry for my brother had not abated.
“I…” He sighed. “If I tell you that he’s perfectly safe, will that be enough until we reach our destination? It’s a long story.”
I nodded jerkily and we got back on the road. We traveled for an interminable time, Dom eating up the road like it was nothing. I was surprised at how much I trusted him not to kill us.
Eventually we arrived at our destination: a picturesque cottage in Upstate New York, overlooking Lake George. It was very picturesque, with all the wooden paneling, the huge bay windows, and the view. I flopped down on the couch and turned to Dom. He was pacing in front of me, avoiding my eyes.
“Are you alright?” he asked again.
“I’m fine.”
He glanced at me and then away. “They didn’t…” He stopped and took a deep, shaky breath.
“Didn’t what?”
“Touch you or something?”
I blinked at him before I shook my head. “Not as far as I know.”
He took a deep breath again, running his hands through his hair. “Nico…”
“I’m fine, I promise. I don’t really feel… there’s no sign. I mean Rooster tried but someone stopped him. They said I was guaranteed safety or something.”
He stopped pacing to stare at me. “But you’re not sure? Did they like, drug you?”
“I can’t remember. I just woke up in a room and…” I shrugged.
I could see that I was really stressing Dom out. I wished I could say something to soothe his frazzled nerves, but I had no more information. But speaking of information. “Are Morgan and Chaz safe?”
He sighed. “Yeah. I mean, I guess there might be some anger when they discover you flew the coop, but they can hardly blame Morgan for that. Or Chaz.”
“What were you guys doing there?”
Dom sighed. “Morgan, Chaz, and…our former club president, Tank, were negotiating with the Satanists for your release. I’d authorized for them to offer carte blanche. Whatever the Satanists wanted for your safe return.”
I lost my breath a little at the implications of that little speech. “Oh…I see. So how did Chaz know where to look for me?”
Dom smirked even as he shrugged. “I have no idea. I just got a text to act cool and meet you outside the men’s room window on the south side. I didn’t ask questions.”
“Why didn’t you tell Morgan and…Tank? To leave?”
“Because I don’t want a repeat of this. I want them to sort it out. I already texted Morgan; he knows you’re safe. We have the power now. He can make sure they never come near you again.”
“How?”
He looked at me. “By whatever means necessary.”
21
Domenic
Zoom meetings aren’t just for office folk. We had Tank on the line with Sunny McDermott, President of the Satanists in ten minutes after our altercation with Curly. I spoke to Tank, offered him anything he might want and he said to me. “It’s your wife, Dom. I ain’t gon’ make you pay to get ‘er back. She’s family.”
I did not know what to think, but I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, calling us family clearly came with obligations, so I had no doubt he’d be calling in my debt to him sooner or later.
“Thanks, Tank.”
“No problem. Now you want me to speak with this man or what?”
We requested for an audience with the club president, who happened to be close by.
“That guy Rooster was with him,” I told Nico, now that I had her home. “After we apprised them on why we needed to talk, they went back into the office and there was some shouting.” I flicked her a glance and a side smile. “Something about running things by him first.”
“Mmm.” She inclined her head, indicating that I should continue. I crossed over to the kitchen, searching for coffee in the cupboards, so I could make her a cup.
“Are you hungry?”
‘Not more than I’m curious.”
I opened the cupboard where there was a random jar of cookies and a bag of coffee. I set up the coffee maker, put some biscuits on a plate and took them to her. “Well, anyway, when they came out, they were willing to negotiate. Apparently, the club president didn’t sanction the kidnapping, but he was more than happy to benefit from it.”
“Did they ask for money?”
“Equity.” My lips twisted. “Though I’m not sure they knew exactly what that meant themselves. Kinda got the feeling someone else was calling the shots.”
“You think it’s a set up.”
I met her eyes, cocking my eyebrows, but said nothing. She sighed, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“For going off half-cocked and all that. For not explaining what happened properly.”
I came to her and seated myself next to her. “I think we both fucked up on that one. Don’t they say that one of the pillars of marriage is communication?” I took a cookie and bit into it. “We suck at it.”
She laughed, leaning towards me, her bosom pressing against my arm. “Well…I don’t know. We don’t suck at all types of communication.”
“Yeah, we definitely have the sex down pat.”
She lay her head on my shoulder. “He just came out of nowhere, you know? I wasn’t expecting it. Wasn’t expecting him. Didn’t know what to do. So I thought I’d ask my lawyer.”
“Not me?”
“I didn’t know that I trusted you yet. I needed to speak to someone I knew would give me some good advice, you know?”
I sighed, knowing full well what she was saying.
She lifted her head and looked at me. “I didn’t get the grant, by the way.”
I blinked at her, actually surprised about that. “I’m sorry. I wish there was something I could do about that.”
She sighed, pursing her lips and shaking her head. “There’s nothing.”
“Hey…” I reached out and palmed her cheek gently. “Don’t give up just yet. There are still ways we can fight the power.”
She giggled. “I guess…” She shook her head. “But not this year. In a way, I’m glad I didn’t get it. Not like this.”
“That’s my girl.” I smiled at her, and for a time, we allowed ourselves to get lost in each other’s eyes.
She placed her cheek on my palm, her eyes soft and open. I couldn’t but lean in, our lips touching in the gentlest way possible, yet it made my heart beat faster and my hands tremble.
My hand snaked around to the back of her neck, pulling her into me. Our mouths got needier, greedier, more urgent. She pulled my leather ja
cket off and then slid her hands underneath my shirt. Her palms caressed along my skin, making me shiver.
I pulled back to look in her eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay to do this?”
She frowned at me, seemingly puzzled by my reluctance. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I just… what if…”
Suddenly her eyes widened as she got what I was asking. “I said nothing happened. Now stop trying to give me trauma and kiss me.”
I smiled, wide and happy. “Yes, ma’am.” I leaned in and recaptured her lips, playfully nipping at her as my hand wound around her waist, pulling her flush against me. Her tongue flicked out and licked against my teeth.
I released her waist, so that I could coax her top off. She arched into me as I leaned down to take her nipple in my mouth, just holding it in there, not suckling but warming it. She made a needy sound, arching into me and rubbing herself against me.
I slithered my hands underneath her thighs and picked her up. I carried her down the hall to the master bedroom. “Ooh, my manz is so strong,” she cooed.
I laughed, inordinately pleased that she’d called me her man, even if she was joking. “Yeah, he is.”
I dropped her on the bed and she bounced a little before sitting up and unzipping her pants. She pulled them down, together with her shoes, and dropped them on the floor, not breaking eye contact the entire time. She lay back, her bob a dark stain on the white pillow, pouty red lips calling to me, hazel eyes blinking slowly, drawing me in.
I could get on board with this type of hypnosis.
Pulling my shirt off, I reached for my fly. She lurched forward, a hand up to stop me. “No. Let me.”
I dropped my trembling hand, nodding acquiescence. I didn’t even know what she wanted me to let her do, but I wasn’t about to stand in her way. She unzipped me, pulling down my bike leathers with difficulty. I wiggled a bit to help, stepping on the hem so as to make them easier to pull off.