by M. Kristine
Picking up her phone and flicking it to unlock, fuck me, Senna has no password, no pin and me on my bike looking over my shoulder. When did she take this? I see in that moment that this is more than just a crush, she's a hurricane and I am in the middle of it.
I look at the playlist on her phone it’s all sad songs, sad love songs. She’s broken. I made her this way. I am the reason that she’s so fucking sad and hell bent on destroying her body with liquor because she’s stuck here with me. I know how hard it is for her. I see it each time she looks at me because I feel it too. We both just want to fall into this storm and get wiped away together.
I want her and she wants me but wanting her will end up in the rather fucking end of me. I want to save her from herself though. She needs to see that no matter what she thinks, knows, feels or how mad she is right now I want her just as fucking much as I always have. It’s killing me this not having, touching, kissing, fucking owing her.
So, I search up Seethers Broken ft Amy Lee and place it into her playlist. I push repeat so it will repeat this one song over and over. She will wake up and she will know it was me. I was here and I fucking need the hurricane that is Senna Austin.
Kissing her forehead, breathing her in, she mummers in her sleep. As she rolls slightly, her hand falls from the blanket gliding down my thigh. My thick jeans feel like they aren't even on me as her heat sears a path of fire over my skin. That one small moment has my demons begging to taste her.
“Fuck me, Senna, what am I going to do?” I breath out to her sleeping body. Pulling my hungry eyes from her body I step from the room. If I stayed any longer, I would have hopped into that bed and fucking made sweet love to her body.
Grabbing my helmet and boots from the couch I walk down the hallway flicking Flame a text to let him know I'm out and he's in. Tag team this crazy women who drives us both insane, me well for different reasons. My best friend knows that, so he knows she is to be watched like a precious black diamond. She just annoys him like a little sister would, well I should say she torments him. Looking up as I place my phone in the inside pocket of my cut, I am greeted by Capone exiting a Saylor’s bedroom.
“Lost, brother?” I ask him. He freezes in place. I see the mental war he's having with making up a lie or telling me the truth.
“Viper, brother, um, yeah.” he turns his face red his body shaking, “I thought it was my room. bit lost you know half asleep and all just looking for the pisser.”
Nodding at him while placing my gloves on my hands “Easy to do brother.” Slapping my hand on his shoulder “Hold the fort, yeah? I'm out for a bit. Flame is coming to watch Senna.” The look of relief on his face says it all. I know what he's up too and I plan on pulling him up but right now I need a breather.
“All good brother.” he says as I walk past him and outside. The sun will be rising in about 30 minutes and I wanna be at Devil's Peak by then.
Pulling up to the peak I pull my helmet from my head. I kick the stand down on my bike and walk to the spot where a few weeks ago I sat with the woman who has captivated me in more ways than one. She eases me. Eases the pain, eases the stress and eases the torment. Life’s a cunt, isn't it.
Watching the skyline turn to a blood orange before me and pulling a smoke from the pack, lighting it, I settle back in and watch as the dawn of a new day rises and wipes away the shit from the past day. I have fallen in love with the daughter of my club president. I didn't mean to and I can't seem to stop it. I have tried. I have killed men. Bashed men fucked countless women.
Smoked, drank, done lines of speed. Shot people, shot shit and lifted weights, boxed worked out and ran. Still I can't seem to escape her and her haunting green eyes. She pulls me back to life when the dark gets too much and it's that dark that scared her. I am too much too handle for her stunning soul.
Pulling into the clubhouse, I felt like I had been riding for days. This whole Senna and safe house shit’s pulling me under a blanket where I can't even see straight.
“Afternoon babe.” Mrs H says as I walk in cracking the lid of a bud light for me.
“Look like you need this son.” her warm tone washes over me as my eyes meet hers. She is home. This is home, yet I still wanna leave. Need to leave.
“Something stronger would be better Mrs H” leaning over kissing her cheek.
“Not going to happen when you have to be watching the girls and actually.” Her eyes scan the clubhouse, “Where are the girls?” Taking a pull of the ice-cold beer it settles in my empty stomach and I instantly feel sick
“At the safe house with Cap and Flame I needed...”
“Viper,” cut off by the billowing bellow of the president of this club house. “You’re here for what reason?” he roars storming toward me as Mrs H’s hand finds mine
“I'll make you some food you look like you will need a meal and I'll pour you a whisky after this. You're going to need it. He’s been like a bear with a sore thumb sine you all went into outside lockdown. I nod at her as Ace points to the doors of church
“You in there, now.” picking up my beer and running my hand over my tense neck, dragging me feet, I head into church.
“Why the fuck aren’t you at the safe house?” he barks at me before I can even sit down. “Well?” he roars again. Fuck me.
“Well your daughter is crazy and the other one is just plain moody, and Flame is watching them. I needed to get out and sort some shit.” running my hand along the side of my jaw.
“What shit is more important than my daughters.”
Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. “Enough with yelling at me.”
Ace’s phone buzzes inside his pocket cutting the stare off. He was about to really blow his lid. I could see it in the way his jaw clenched over his words before he was about to fire them. I watch as he pulls the phone from his pocket taking another pull from the beer and lighting a cigarette.
“What?” he barks. Watching him carefully as I smoke and sip my beer. “And this is?” looking over to him his features not giving anything away. They’re stone cold and on edge.
“What makes you think I have an I'll scratch your back; you scratch mine mentality.” Watching him closely as the vein in his neck turns purple under pressure, I’m ready to step in, in an instant.
“Favor, I owe you no favors,” his tone us deathly wild. I place my hands on the table and push myself up as he mummers and nods and mummers his face changing color as the conversation carries on.
“I don't bargain with anyone, son, and definitely not the fucking Cartel.” With that I round the table fast. Cigarette in hand and bottle of beer left forgotten stabbing the smoke out in the ashtray.
“Speaker, put it on speaker.” I snap out to Ace he shakes his head at me holding his hand up to silence me. Not happening. My eyes narrow in him as he rolls his eyes, pulling the phone from his ear and hitting the speaker icon. The thick Mexican accent rasps out through the room.
“Favor a favor you will give unless you want that little safe house blown up,” he threatens. Oh fuck, no he didn’t. Whom-ever this dick bag is he better watch himself Cartel or not you fuck with what I care about and you better be ready to pay with your head in a bag.
“Well, son, I don't work too well with threats, so best you try again.” Ace bites down into the phone. It’s inches from his mouth, spittle flying over the screen. He’s seething and I don't blame him.
“626 Creeks Road ring a bell there, Prez.” my eyes go wide Ace fists clenched knuckles going white. “Or 732 Skull Valley Road hitting home, Brother.” The way he says Brother sends a chill up my spine.
“Yeah, just go with it. Fuck that means they have eyes on us.” I breathe out sweat beading down my spine.
“Fuck, I’m here and she’s alone.” My fists balling digging my nails into my palms.
“Or 891 Wildfire Crescent.”
Again, that voice its rattling me like really fucking shaking my core and I’m on hard man to rattle.
“That's my Mum and
Lane’s safehouse ACE come on.” snapping at him my nerves are fragging and I am starting to become unstable as the demon starts to pace inside me, my body tightening with rigid taut muscles.
“What the fuck do you want?” Ace grits out anger filling the room fast. Shits getting real.
“Well a few men that one of your important men shot up and killed reached out to me wanting retribution.” the word retribution rolls out over his thick accent and cuts through the rage filled silence.
I listen closely for any sounds that may give me a clue of his whereabouts as I flick a quick text to Blade to get here fast with his phone tracer and laptop. The only sound I can hear is him smoking taking a long drawn out puff of his cigarette and blowing it out again after a few seconds that actually feel like minutes. I am left listening for anything while my brain runs with where the fuck is Blade and Flame better be watching Senna.
Blade crashes through the door Ace eyes fall to the noise as I pull him in fast slamming him down on my pulled-out chair as I scribble a few quick bits of important information. His eyes watch as I write, his nostrils flare. Stopping he looks at me eyes wild with anger. We don't take threats lightly or laying down for that matter. Nodding at me he flicks his laptop open and Ace sends me a strained smile and slight nod of good thinking.
“It’s a long shot but you never know.” I mouth out to Ace as I pull another smoke from my pack and drain the last of my warm Bud Light.
“So, to keep you and yours safe here is what I have planned. The men that want your important man and I mean the one with whom your daughter is in love with. Not the one you’re thinking of either. The VP’s son. Who is he? Ahhh, yes, the enforcer of your club. The notorious Viper. Those men who want him to have a rather large warehouse on tribal land just out of San Antonio. It’s filled with candy. Candy that I want. In return I will tell my boys to not rape your daughters and wives and leave all their fingers on for now. I will also deal with your other Mexican wanna be gang banger problem.”
He stops talking, just like that, offering nothing more on the subject. I am left reeling at his admission and I fucking hope like god that Ace didn’t pick up on that for my sake. Waiting with bated breath and most probably borrowed air I watch Ace. Blade trying hard and fast to gain a wireless connection to the cell tower this guy’s call is bouncing off but it's bouncing so fast between three different ones it's hard for him to pinpoint the right one.
“That’s it. Just the fucking candy and it’s over. I don't like to be backed into a corner and I don't play too nicely when my family is being used as a pawn in others games, BROTHER,” he grinds out brother with such force and ownership that it makes my insides clench in fear.
“Oh, NO.” he starts to laugh evil and taunting “Brother, that's just the beginning of, what shall we call it, a rather long and beautiful partnership.”
“Fuck me, Ace, this guy is fucked.” shaking my head at Ace I can read his mind.
“Don't. Don't do it. I’ll find a way to stop him.” searching his face for anything other than what I know is about to come from his mouth. He would never place the girls at risk, even without thinking he will sign a contract with the devil for them to stay this side of heaven and breathing.
“I see. That is how this is going to play out is it.” Ace says looking at Blade as he types and decodes and sets little red pinheads all over a fucking map on his laptop screen.
“Bingo.” Blade whispers loud enough for us both to snap our eyes back down to the laptop and there is a blue pinhead now and it's on the location of Mrs Austin's safe house. Ace pales. his face screaming with silent rage as his body taunts.
This isn’t good at fucking all.
“Give me the fucking location and leave my fucking wife alone.” Ace snaps out looking me dead in the eye. I watch as his hand moves over the paper Blade pushed over scribbling down the location.
“That's it.” he snaps into the thick air around us.
“For now. Oh, Mr. Austin remember I am always watching.” with that the line goes dead and Ace blows up. All the self control he was holding onto during that phone call disappears as Blade quickly reaches for his laptop. Aces hands find the side of the table and flips that fucker over like it was paper, not a solid wooden table with our club’s logo carved into it.
Next up is the chairs shattering the glass walls that keep what's in here private from what's out there. Sudden gasps and yelps shoot through the club as glass shatters in shards to the wooden floor. Mrs H’s eyes zone in on us and her hands fly to her hips. Ace picks up another chair and screaming at the top of his lungs he begins to smash the chair over the end of the upturned table.
Walking out past Mrs H her hand holding up my glass of whiskey I down the whole contents in one gulp. I walk up the stairs and begin to kick open every door up there hollering at the men to get up. Flicking my cell from my pocket I call the next charter over. Calling them in for reinforcements and setting out a request for them to rally all the boys they can. Next on my list is the sister chapter to us. This guy ain’t going to threaten what’s mine and fucking live to tell the story.
Chapter Nineteen
Viper
“Hey, Viper, you fucking my daughter are ya?” his tone bitter and cold.
Taking in a deep breath gritting out “NO,” before I turn, I make sure all emotion is out of my eyes and the Viper is in the place of a man who is in fact in love with his daughter.
“You wanna say that again, boy, and the truth this time.” Ace cocks his gun pointing it right at me. I turn to face him just as Flame flies in, the blood drains from his face and pales at the sight.
“Oh, fuck me.’ he mummers as brothers from other chapters mull around us forming a circle as my other brothers pull in closer.
“You know about this Flame.” Ace asks him, his eyes not leaving mine. I don't even blink and I see flame approach, his hands out the front of him standing beside me
“No, boss. It’s not what you think.” I instantly feel sorry for Flame. Talk about wrong place at the wrong time and now he's pulled into it with that one answer.
“Oh, Senna and Saylor have like a full-blown frat party at the safe house and I can't control it.” he mouths out.
“Got something to say Flame.” Ace roars and Flames flinches.
“Nope just your daughters are wanting some of Mrs H’s hampers. You know with all that girly shit. I just came to grab some. That ok, boss.” he asks. Ace’s features soften slightly. He's all mush when it comes to them.
“Oh, and Viper and Senna? Nothing’s happened, but you would be fucking lucky if he wives her up coz then no matter what she will be safe, always.’ he bites out my eyes snapping to his.
“What the fuck” I bite out punching him in the arm.
“Well its fucking true, isn't it.” he says looking at me while rubbing his arm. Flame and I were brothers before this club, before he knew I was a club kid. He came into it with me from school. We went through all of school together and then he proved his place and gained a patch saving me from an ambush one night when we were out. Shooting the guy right between the eyes.
“Bro, you didn't need to say that.” my eyes narrow on him as I hear the click of Ace’s gun fuck it.
“Well isn't this what this little Mexican standoff is all about.” Flame smiles at me and then Ace. He’s getting me back for the time when we were kids and I shot him in the ass while we were target shooting out in the field behind the club. Fucking dick, I'm going to shoot him again and this time will be in his dick.
“Trust. I gave you trust, and you know I don't trust easily. You have gone and broken that trust.” Ace specks to me and Flame now with primal authority.
“You think that Senna is a game? Do you think she can handle the dark that comes with you Viper?” his gun moves from my chest to my head. “You’re one of the best enforcers I have ever had. You get shit done; kill, remove, reload so what makes you think I want Senna with someone like you. My daughter, my baby around the toxi
c nightmares that will come with loving you?”
Biting the inside of my cheek I forget that Ace knows me better than even my father. He knows the demons I live with, the shadows that follow me. “So, what am I meant to do, huh.” snapping my eyes from Flame to him
“Flame, you can leave and take the food to my girls.” Wow, ok, has he got like bipolar or something. He's all nice and calm voice, all smooth and peaceful. “I think that-”
“You don't get to think here, Viper.” he yells at me taking a step closer the gun still raised. “You have broken a law that’s what not thinking has done to you.” he spits out with rage dancing behind his eyes.
“I actually have been thinking. I haven’t fucked Senna. I have been pushing her away for years.” I say to him. His eyes go from rage to a full-blown Hulk moment as the gun slams into my skull, the cool barrel pressing in the middle of my forehead.
“Oh, so you have been mocking her then have you. What, she’s not good enough, Viper, for you?” what the fuck. Bipolar, he definitely is fucking bipolar. “You have been playing with the president's daughter. Breaking laws, but she's not good enough for you to acknowledge.”
Oh my god, is that a rhetorical question, cause I’m not even trying to answer that. Any which way I answer will end up with me getting a bullet and I didn’t even get my dick wet with Senna, just my fingers. Fucking hell. But I'm not sorry about it, cause at the end of it all it’s her eyes that pull me back from the dark. Loving her is hard. I wish it wasn't that it was simple. Like right now I wish we weren't in a club where rules are in place for reasons like this. The gun goes from my head to my leg back to my head and down again to my leg and then my arm. Flame eyes me as he walks out with fuck knows what in a basket.