The Queen of Carnage

by Wright, Candice

  She looks up at me and suddenly she looks so much younger than her twenty-two years.

  “Shit, this is all my fault. I should never have brought the Kings to your place.” I’m truly kicking myself now.

  How could you possibly have known, Luna? Besides, you’re the only friend I’ve got. I was willing to take the risk to keep you.

  “I swear to you—” I’m cut off by the clanking of the door and Orion’s furious voice.

  “Then where the fuck is she, Gecko? You brought her back here. She was your responsibility until you handed her over to me. I swear to god, if anything has happened to her, I’ll gut you myself. Why do you think this bitch will know where she is?”

  “Because they’re friends, Orion, or at least Luna thinks so.” Yes, because I’m such a simpering idiot that my instincts can’t be trusted.

  “That’s because Luna is—” I cut him off before he needs a shovel to dig himself out of the grave I will put him in.

  “Luna is what, honey lumpkins?” I mock, my tone saccharine sweet.

  “What the fuck are you doing down here?” he fumes as he stomps down the last of the creaky steps.

  “If Megan is expected to stay down here for saving my and Parker’s life, then I deserve to be down here for placing hers in danger.”

  “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Do you know what cut Weasel was wearing?

  “I’m going to go out on a limb and say a Chaos Demons cut.”

  “Right, and if he was there for her, then she’s tied to them somehow. I don’t want you anywhere near her.”

  “Well, that’s just not going to work for me, Adonis,” I tell him as he finally stalks his way over to me. “If you touch me, Orion, I will shoot you in your sleep.”

  He doesn’t listen. Instead, he bends down and picks me up and tosses me over his shoulder, barking out an order for Gecko to watch Megan. I have to have faith that Gecko won’t hurt her, but Gramps didn’t raise no fool. The hoodie Megan is wearing is also the hoodie with the gun in its pocket.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Orion drags me up to Joker’s office where the man himself is sitting behind his desk. Gage and Halo are standing, looking angry with me, and King is on the sofa looking tired and pissed off. Rebel, Half-pint, and Chewy are all gathered around too and none of them look happy to see me. So be it.

  I’m tossed unceremoniously onto the chair in front of the desk and Orion takes his place next to Halo. I sit up straight, refusing to let them intimidate me, and watch King. Despite his tired appearance, I know he is anything but frail and weak.

  “Hi, King. You look like shit.”

  He shakes his head at me. “You’re becoming a liability, Luna.”

  “Then perhaps you shouldn’t have had me kidnapped.”

  “Watch your mouth, lady. Don’t think because you’re fucking the VP you have any sway over this club,” Joker barks at me from behind his desk. This guy is something else.

  “The thought never crossed my mind, Joker. All I care about is protecting someone who has earned it. I am nothing if not loyal.”

  “Yes, but the question is, Luna, who are you loyal to?”

  “Pres?” Halo speaks but shuts up when Joker glares at him.

  “I’m loyal to the people who have earned it. Isn’t that how loyalty is supposed to work?”

  “And have we earned your loyalty, Luna?” Joker sneers at my name. I stare at him a beat before I realize he’s serious. I burst out laughing, not caring how disrespectful it is. Even when Joker bangs his fist on the desk, I can’t stop. The tears are streaming down my face as I try to get the hiccups under control enough for me to speak.

  “I saved your dog. That got me a thirty-day stay. I got thrown in at the deep end when I found myself filling in a club sandwich but I just rolled with it. I was almost raped a few feet from where you all stood and yet I was labeled the troublemaker because, what? I stopped him? I left and solved your problem but you guys dragged me back here. Oh, and let's not forget I was knocked unconscious and locked in one of the cells overnight naked. I was lucky to make it through but I still gave you all the benefit of the doubt and agreed to give it a go with the three guys next to you. And here we are, yet again. Isn’t it funny how after being attacked, shooting a guy to death, and almost watching my friend get sexually assaulted, I get the interrogation chair instead of the protection this club keeps saying it’s all about?”

  “Trust and loyalty runs both ways, Luna. You haven’t earned it either,” King says softly from the sofa.

  “And how was I supposed to earn it, King? Tell me what I should have done differently. Should I have let canine King get killed? No, wait, then you wouldn’t have met me at all and you would have been none the wiser about Weasel being a traitor. So that leaves, what? Me getting raped. Was that how I was supposed to earn my loyalty, on my back?”

  Joker stands and pulls his gun and points it at my head.

  “Joker!” Orion barks. I watch as Halo, Gage, and Orion pull their guns and point them at their president. Relief so immense I have to fight from bursting into tears rushes through me.

  “Oh, come on, Orion, haven’t you learned anything about women leading you around by your cock from your mother?”

  “Don’t!” King barks at him.

  Orion doesn’t break Joker’s stare but laughs at him nastily. “Maybe my mother was the smart one after all, ’cause let’s face it, Luna’s right about all of us. We threw things at her left, right, and center and expected her to do as she was told. We gave her a pat on the head and expected her to comply but failed her every step of the way. Now she’s sitting here with a gun pointed at her,” he states. “No fucking way.”

  “I’m with Orion, Pres, that’s my old lady,” Gage replies.

  Joker sneers at him. “You weren’t bothered when you were stripping her naked and locking her in the cell. But then, maybe you enjoyed her when she was a little more compliant.” Everyone freezes at his words. Even Chewy looks at him with an odd expression on his face.

  “Did you just imply I fucked Luna when she was unconscious?” Gage asks, shocked.

  Joker shrugs like it means nothing to debase one of his men’s characters. “You three keep calling her your old lady but I don’t see a cut or a tattoo. Maybe you should rectify that before I decide to take her from you as is my right as President.” Who the fuck is this man?

  “Like hell, you will!” Halo steps forward and lays a hand upon my shoulder.

  “It’s in the bylaws, Halo, as you well know. I’m the fucking president. I can do whatever the fuck I like.”

  “It’s also in the bylaws that we claim old ladies in our group of multiples. Two at a minimum, but I don’t remember you claiming Melinda. King did but you and John were happy to fuck your way around the club without committing yourselves. So maybe you should practice what you preach, old man. You don’t get to pick and choose which rules suit you. You’re pissed that John split and Melinda left with him but you had no right to her. King got to mourn the loss of his old lady but she was just another whore to you. And yet you act like she did you a huge disservice when it was the other way around. It’s been over twenty years, old man, let it go,” Halo snaps at him.

  “I will do whatever I damn well please,” Joker yells, spit flying from his mouth. “Get the fuck out of my office and take your whore with you. I have someone to see.” The look on his face makes my blood run cold.

  “You might as well shoot me now,” I tell Joker, looking him dead in the eye. “Because the only way I’m going to let you harm Megan is over my dead body. So fucking shoot me!” I stand up even as Halo grips my shoulder hard enough to leave bruises.

  “You don’t get to call the shots around here, missy, I do. You’d do well to remember that. I need answers only she can give and I plan on getting them.”

  “Let me guess, by any means necessary, right?” I feel Gage step up behind me and wrap his arm around my waist.

  �
�Well, good luck with that.” I laugh in his face before continuing. “Megan’s deaf, Joker, and can’t speak.” No way will he ever learn any differently from me.

  “What were you gonna do when she didn’t answer you, beat her to death?” I demand. King looks over my shoulder to Halo who must nod in confirmation.

  “And let me guess, you just happen to know sign language?” Joker asks, his voice full of sarcasm and spite. I sign to him that he is a giant asshole and I hope he gets eaten by a crocodile. He raises an eyebrow at me in question.

  “It just happens that my gramps was deaf so I do indeed know sign language, thanks for asking.” Rebel coughs into his hand to hide his laugh but I just smile sweetly at Joker.

  “Fine, you can come but you three have shit to take care off.”

  “Not a chance. I’m coming too and before you say anything else, as VP, I need to be there,” Orion says.

  Joker relents. “Fine, fuck it.”

  Everyone finally lowers their guns. Gage and Halo kiss a cheek each, forgetting they were mad at me. They let me go with Orion, who links his fingers through mine. We make our way down to the cells again. Gecko is standing sentry against the wall outside the cell. Megan is sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest and her head tucked down, her long black hair hiding most of her face.

  Gecko opens the door when we approach. As soon as it’s open, I let go of Orion’s hand and scoot around Joker to get to her. I drop down on my knees in front of her and tap her shoulder, leaning back out of swinging distance. Now her reactions makes more sense.

  “Hey!” Orion shouts but I hold my hand up to him.

  “She has a startle response and didn’t know who it was.” Her eyes connect with mine and she takes a deep breath, checking me over.

  You okay? she signs. I nod. She dips her head and looks at my belly. You sure?

  I nod in response, not having had time to process nugget yet with all the shit going on. “How you doing? Think you’re up to answering a couple of questions?” I sign and say out loud for everyone else’s benefit.

  Okay, she agrees.

  I step aside so she can see Joker and Orion properly, and can read their lips if she wants, when I hear Joker suck in a sharp breath.

  “Melly?” he whispers, staring at Megan like he’s seen a ghost. She isn’t looking at him, though, she’s looking at Orion. I take in her face and turn to look up at him and find him frozen on the spot.

  “Erm… I feel like I’ve missed something here.” I make sure Megan can see my hands so she knows what I’m saying.

  “That fucking cunt didn’t take long, did she? Jesus, she fucks off and leaves the kids she has so she can make another one with the asshole she left us for. Bet the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Joker’s voice is scathing.

  I have no idea what he’s talking about but I sign what he says so Megan can shine some light on the situation. I watch her turn to face him as I finish signing. I’m surprised when her fear and uncertainty melt away, only to be replaced with white-hot fury. She climbs to her feet with a look of murder on her face which, given the long black hair and the fact she is covered from head to toe in blood, makes her look like the killer from one of those creepy Japanese horror flicks.

  I wait for her to sign something but instead, she shocks the shit out of me by launching herself at Joker. She punches and kicks and bites, making a wild keening noise before he backhands her and she tumbles to the floor.

  “Fucking psychotic bitch.” He seethes, wiping blood from his split lip with the back of his hand.

  I wrap my arms around her as she sobs inconsolably. I look up at Orion, who is looking at Joker like he doesn’t recognize him at all.

  “That is the last time you touch her, Joker,” Orion tells him in no uncertain terms, his anger barely held in check.

  “She attacked me!” Joker yells.

  “She’s my fucking sister!” Orion roars back.

  Holy fuck. I pull away from Megan’s embrace and look at her, really look at her, and see what was right in front of me all along.

  Melly is Melinda, Orion’s mother who left.

  “Fuck me,” I whisper, shocked, as I swipe her tears with the pad of my thumb. She tenses when Orion crouches down beside us.

  “That won’t happen again, Megan, I swear,” Orion tells her, making sure she can see his lips.

  “I’m Logan. I’m your brother.” Two seconds later, Megan is in his arms with her head buried in his shoulder. He looks at me in a state of panic for a moment, before wrapping his arms carefully around her.

  “How fucking touching. Tell me, how is mother dearest?” Joker asks spitefully. I stand up but Orion reaches out and snags my arm.

  “She can’t fucking hear you, Joker. Which part of that don’t you understand?” This fucking guy makes me so mad.

  “You will show me some respect!” he shouts at me but I just shake my head in disgust.

  “You are not my president.”

  He smiles before nodding at Orion. “Maybe not, but I’m his. I can strip that pretty little cut of his and then what will you do?”

  “Is that right?” Orion tucks Megan under one arm and grabs my hand with the other, walking us toward the cell door, but Joker steps in front of us and blocks the way.

  “What, you think because our prisoner is your sister, she can just stroll out of here? I don’t fucking think so.” He reaches forward and grabs Megan’s arm hard, making her yelp.

  “Let go, old man, before I put you on your ass,” Orion growls at him.

  Joker eyes Orion, weighing the pros and cons of persisting but must realize he’s no match against him and lets go. Orion walks us out of the cell with Gecko looking between us and Joker before following us out. It looks like lines are being drawn. Now it’s time to see which side people will choose.

  We make our way up to Orion’s room. He hands Megan off to me and asks Gecko to round up the other few he knows will be loyal to him. I pull Megan into the bathroom and sit her on the toilet seat. I grab a washcloth, gently scrubbing away the blood from her skin. What she really needs is a shower but this room is going to be full of angry men in a minute, so that’s not an option. Orion pokes his head around the door and scans us both to make sure we’re okay. I can’t help it, I’m so fucking proud of him right now I walk up to him and plant a big smacker on his lips.

  “You’re the bomb, Orion.” He kisses me a little harder before grabbing my ass and pulling me closer.

  A cough makes us pull apart as Megan makes a gagging motion, making me laugh. Orion smiles at her. He walks over and bends down in front of her.

  “I didn’t know about you, Megan, I swear.” She nods and offers him a small smile. I’m guessing she didn’t know about him either.

  I can hear rowdy voices coming from the bedroom. I guess everyone is here already. He stands and gestures for us both to follow. We head into the now packed bedroom, Megan hovering a little behind my back trying to blend into the background. I maneuver us into the corner so she has nothing but her back against the wall, to make her feel a little safer.

  “What’s going on, Orion? Joker’s calling for church and we’re all up here.” Diesel stands with his arms folded over his chest.

  “Megan, come here,” Orion asks and I sign for her. She looks at me with wide eyes but she swallows down her nerves and walks toward him. When she’s close enough, he hooks his arm around her shoulder, making a few of the men look at me funny.

  “Diesel, this is Megan, our sister.” The room is so quiet for a second you could hear a pin drop.

  “What?” Diesel asks in shock.

  Orion slips a finger under her jaw, lifting her head so she can look at him before he speaks.

  “Megan, this is your other brother, Leo, or Diesel.” She turns her head to look at him, waiting for acceptance or rejection. It’s clear on her face. She’s an open book and everyone in this room can read her.

  “Does this mean I’m not the baby anymore? Well,
thank fuck for that,” Diesel states as he tugs her gently from Orion’s arms and hugs her. She grips him tightly and I can see her shaking from here as she cries silent tears. Diesel mouths over her shoulder to Orion, “What the fuck?”

  “Well, I don’t even know where to begin. I think Joker’s starting to lose it. I don’t know whether it’s the fact that King is sick or if he has always been this much of a dick and I just never noticed but something's got to give.”

  “Orion, watch what you’re saying, man,” Gage warns as he walks into the room with Halo behind him. They spot me in the corner and make their way over to flank me, much like my brothers did earlier.

  “No, Gage, enough is enough. It’s time for him to step down. I need to know who’s going to support me and who’s going to be against me.”

  There is a banging on the door before “church” is hollered out.

  “I have a feeling this meeting is to ask for my cut. He alluded to as much in the cellar after he smacked Megan in the face. He’s already pulled a gun on Luna tonight and don’t even get me started on all the other crazy shit. I love my club and I love my brothers but it’s time for a change before Joker turns us into something we’re not,” Orion tells the room.

  “What you're talking about is treason,” Rebel warns him.

  “What he’s talking about is survival. I was given orders to teach a man a lesson.” Halo looks down at me as he says that and squeezes my hand a little tighter.

  “Nothing new there. I didn’t think anything of it. People know the score. If you borrow money from us, you better be prepared to pay it back, in cash or blood.” He’s talking to the room at large but he never looks away from me, waiting for my reaction. I’m guessing he’s expecting me to look at him with loathing and pull away. I’m not naïve. I didn’t exactly think he knitted sweaters for the club.