Jett (Savaged Souls MC, #3)

by KJ Dahlen

  What did that Jett say once he woke up? Gunner didn’t even vote in the Tribunal? That didn’t make sense. As President, he should have been the one voice that counted. Unless this club was whack?

  Boomer was beginning to drift off to sleep but he shook his head trying to remain awake as his thoughts kept running in his mind. No, what Gunner did was sentence his kid to die, tied in the woods for wild pigs to feast on. His hands curled into fists when he thought about it. There was nothing left of his son to bury as wild pigs never left anything behind. If the wild pigs didn’t get Blacky, the wolves would have. Either way, there was nothing left of his son to say he was even here, to show that he’d ever lived... except for the memories he left behind.

  And for that alone, Gunner would die by his hands and Boomer would destroy his MC. Dammit, if it was the last thing in this life he ever did he’d make sure Gunner died by his own hand. For now, he was stuck here but he wouldn’t be here for long. As soon as it was dark, he would be free to move around the city as the shadows of the night hide a lot of sins.

  He didn’t try getting up to check things out, as he knew he would be safe. No one knew where he was and therefore, they would not be looking for him, so he allowed himself to sleep some. He was safe for now anyway, how long that lasted was up to him.

  Gunner, Cobra and Boone watched and waited while two separate teams left the compound to search the two sites Dana had told them about. The men wore trackers, so they could be seen on Rigger’s monitors.

  DeeDee spent the morning telling them all of what she could remember about her uncle including what he was like as an MC leader. His road name was Boomer and from all accounts, he was a real bastard.

  Dana remembered other things about the old man and told them Boomer’s bike was always hidden about a block or so away from where he stayed at the garage, as he didn’t want anyone to know he was there. He always parked it in the same place which was under a raised deck at the back of a house a block away from the old garage.

  Gypsy and Tramper rode past the abandoned house Dana pointed out and sure enough, when they drove through the overgrown driveway to the back of the house, they saw a bike under the deck.

  Tramper grabbed his phone and called it in to Gunner.

  “Yeah, what did you find?”

  “The bike is where Dana said it would,” Tramper told him. When he described it to Gunner, Dana confirmed it belonged to the old man.

  “I want you to disable it, so if he gets past us he can’t use it,” Gunner instructed. “Then I want you and Gypsy to find a place to watch the garage without being seen. I’ll send a few more brothers over there to help you.”

  “You got it,” Tramper replied.

  It didn’t take him long to disable Boomer’s ride and find an out of the way spot to watch the garage and the bike. The Texas sun was hot that afternoon but nothing they weren’t used too. Tramper noted he wasn’t alone, although no one from the team had checked in with him. Gunner had texted him to let him know everyone was in place. They just needed Boomer to make the first move.

  It was late afternoon when they saw movement in the garage. Everyone was alerted as they saw the back door open and Boomer stood there in the doorway, bold as brass.

  Gunner himself watched from where he was hidden as the other man stepped out into the fading sunlight.

  Boomer walked slowly, not seeming to be in any kind of a hurry.

  Gunner sneered at the man, as he got closer to where he was standing.

  Boomer passed him and walked down the alley to where his bike was parked. He dragged the bike out from under the deck and tried to start it.

  Gunner grinned when the engine didn’t start. He watched, as the other man got angry and began looking over his bike to find the reason it wouldn’t start. But Gunner knew Tramper well enough to know he wouldn’t find the reason anytime soon. Tramper was a whiz as a mechanic.

  Gunner’s grin widened as he read the anger growing when Boomer couldn’t find out why his bike wouldn’t start. He gave the signal for the men to stay back, he knew they had to be careful. Boomer was more than likely armed and when you trap a monster with nowhere to run, he’ll fight to the death every time. They all knew this and Gunner didn’t want any of his men to get hurt.

  Then Boomer seemed to figure out what was wrong, and he then looked around the area carefully. Fixing the problem, he got on his bike and took off down the main street of town.

  Gunner signaled his men to follow him.

  Their men would follow and set up the capture of Boomer.

  He got into a truck with Cobra driving and they made their way to the road leading toward the warehouse.

  After Cobra parked the truck, the wait began.

  A short time later, bikes began rolling in along with another truck.

  Gunner looked over at Cobra and smiled. “Showtime.”

  Cobra rubbed his hands together. “Good, cause I owe that bastard for Jett.”

  They both watched as several men dragged Boomer’s unconscious bloody body into the warehouse. They had done to him what he’d done to Jett. Ran him off the road. Boomer looked a little worse for wear but he was still alive.

  He and Cobra watched as his men zip tied his wrists together and hung him from the same hook he’d hung Jett on.

  Then Gunner’s phone pinged and he dug it out of his pocket. When he read the message, he swore and looked over at Cobra. “My men just found Scorpion. They circled by the shack and they found him inside, tied up and unconscious.”

  “What the hell? He’s been a busy boy, huh? But what does he want with Scorpion?” Cobra asked.

  Both men looked over at Boomer.

  “Scorpion thinks Boomer is related to him and he wants his due,” explained him.

  “Is he still alive?” Cobra wanted to know.

  “Yeah but apparently, Boomer beat the hell out of him and left him to die,” Gunner stated.

  Cobra turned his head slowly to look at the unconscious man hanging from the hook. “This fucker has a lot to answer for doesn’t he?”

  “And we’re just the men to ask the questions.” Gunner growled.

  Jett slept most of the afternoon with Dana sitting beside him.

  When DeeDee brought her lunch, Dana smiled at her mom but couldn’t meet her eyes as she muttered, “Thank you.” She still had a lot to make up for and she wasn’t quite sure how to do it.

  When she looked back up at Jett, she noticed his eyes were open. He held out his hand.

  When she took, it he pulled her closer. “Lay with me,” he whispered.

  She sat her plate down, got up, and moved onto the bed. He moved over to the very edge of the bed and let her crawl in beside him. She snuggled in and laid her head on his chest but didn’t move around too much as she knew he was injured. As soon as his arms wrapped around her, she felt the calm envelope her.

  She turned her face into him and breathed deeply. Inhaling his scent, she closed her eyes. Her heart beat a little faster and his heartbeat was echoing in her ear.

  “Settle down girl,” he whispered in her ear. “This isn’t the time or the place, we can’t act on that yet.”

  Dana groaned, but she tried to calm herself down.

  He brushed his lips on her temple. “Soon, but not just yet.”

  “You’re driving me crazy. I hope you know that,” she whispered back.”

  “Good, because I’m hanging here by a thread. Why should I be the only one suffering?” He chuckled in her ear.

  His hot breath and the deep sound of his low laughter brought goosebumps to her arms. Soon, his breathing evened out and she knew he was sleeping again. She leaned up on her elbow and looked at him closely. His skin felt warm under her fingertips as she ran them down his chest to his belly. She didn’t dare go any further but she wanted to. Oh, she really wanted to but like he said....they didn’t dare, not here, not yet.

  She didn’t know why he believed in her but she was so very glad he did. He had given her th
e strength to do what she had to do. She knew she had some work to do yet to redeem herself in the club but now she had the power and the will to make the amends she needed to make. Maybe someday, she would earn back her place, but she was more than willing to share it with her sister and her mother. She hoped she would get the chance to know them both.

  She closed her eyes for what seemed like just moments then felt the cold steel of a blade press down on her neck. Her eyes snapped open but she couldn’t turn her head as the blade pressed deeper.

  “You stupid little bitch,” a voice whispered in her ear. “I should end everyone’s pain and just slit your throat. You would deserve nothing less for betraying me.”

  She turned her head slowly and felt a drop of blood run down her throat as the blade cut her skin. Her eye met the blazing hatred in his gaze as she recognized his face. It looked the same except for the insanity in his eyes. “How are you still alive?” she whispered.

  “I had to fight for the right to live and now... so will you.” Blacky snarled at her as he spoke in a hushed tone. “They tied me to a fucking tree and cut me, hoping the smell of my blood would draw the beasts. Only problem they made was not sticking around to make sure the beasts came. I managed to break free when the first animal showed up. He bit through the rope and I fought it off. I survived by sheer guts and my own will but you won’t. I’ll make sure of that.”

  “What are you going to do?” she whispered fearfully.

  “You are coming with me,” Blacky said in a low whisper. “You wake him up and I’ll kill him.” He motioned his head to Jett. “You alert anyone else that I’m here, and I’ll make sure to slit your throat before they even get near us. So you will die first. You and me are going for a walk. Get up.”

  Dana got up quietly and carefully without waking Jett. She didn’t dare look at him, instead she kept her eyes on Blacky. She noted his clothes were drenched in dried and fresh blood and he now walked with a limp.

  He grabbed her wrist and pulled it up high behind her back till she whimpered in pain. Blacky quickly put his hand over her mouth and whispered at her to shut the hell up.

  He pushed her down the hall and out the back door. They kept to the shadows until they reached the fence line.

  She noted Blacky had already cut a hole in the chain link just big enough to slither through. They disappeared into the trees just beyond the compound.

  Dana looked back one last time and was saddened to think she might not make it back this time. She would never get to redeem herself, never have the man she loved, never see her family again.

  Chapter Eleven

  As Blacky pushed Dana through the wooded area surrounding the compound, she prayed. She still had her tennis shoes on, so she knew they could track her whereabouts but she also figured that wouldn’t help her right now. “So how did you get loose in the first place?” If she could distract him some, it would work to her favor

  Blacky snarled. “You think that was the first time someone left me for dead? I got my own ways to survive, but I’ll tell you anyway. I learned from my father to be prepared for just about anything. He bullied and beat me until I got big enough to fight back. It all stopped then but I learned to keep certain shit on me all the time in case someone caught me unawares.”

  Dana, in fact was surprised Blacky came back to the compound at all. She would have thought because he escaped death, he would have dragged himself as far away from this place as possible to recover.

  But she had also seen the insanity in his eyes briefly as he held the knife to her throat in the Infirmary. Dana also noticed Becky slide silently from the bed she occupied to the floor. Dana prayed the other woman would notify the club and help would be on its way soon.

  After all, Blacky had almost killed the girl once. She knew what the man was like. As he continued pushing her onward, she began to notice something about Blacky. He wasn’t moving as fast and he seemed to be struggling just to stand upright. Maybe when they cut him and left him to die was working in her favor now? She knew he was still bleeding and all she had to do was hang on.

  Blacky stumbled, grabbing her hair dragging her to the ground as he went down.

  Dana screamed as she fell to her knees.

  Blacky landed partially on top of her. “You stupid bitch!” he shouted as he slowly pushed himself off of her. He wrapped her hair around his wrist as he laid there on his back breathing heavily. Every move he made was slow and laborious now but he still hung on to the knife with his other hand. He closed his eyes for a moment, as weakness seemed to wash over him. His eyes snapped open again and he knew he had to get farther away than this or he would end up dying in these woods. He turned his head slowly to glare at the girl. “Lord, I hate this fucking place. I hate your dad and I hate you.”

  “Yeah well, I’m not too fond of you either.” Dana snarled at him. She tried to pull away but he tightened his hold on her hair and pulled her closer to him. Dana wanted to scream and maybe in the past she would have but now, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. “Face it old man, you’re done for. You got nothing left to bargain with. Your money is gone, your power is gone, the club has stripped you of everything you own, and now you’re laying here on the ground in the dirt bleeding to death. You got nothing left to bargain with.”

  “Thanks to your fucking dad!” Blacky retorted. “He took everything, I spent a lifetime earning. Between him and your mother, they got it all. I knew I should have made sure she was dead the day she gave birth to Gunner’s spawn. I should have slit her throat all those years ago.” He narrowed his eyes as he glared at her. “I only let you and your sister live to distract your dad. You were supposed to distract him while I built up my business and for the most part, you did what you were supposed to do. You grew up spoiled and demanding just like I thought you would.”

  Dana nodded. “Yeah, I did a good job being a selfish brat, then Winona came here and you couldn’t keep your shit together. She was your ace in the hole wasn’t she? You knew if dad ever found her, your world would fall apart and it did, didn’t it?” She glared at him. “You knew I would react as the hateful princess I was the whole time. But we turned the tables on you didn’t we? I may have played my part but Dad didn’t. Winona didn’t either. You must have known then the truth would eventually come out,” Dana chuckled. “But then, Mom showed up. All your effort, all your work was for what? You lost everything anyway.”

  “Not all of it,” Blacky assured her. “I still got you. Gunner will lose this time.”

  Dana refused to give in or give up. She could see he was fading fast. She just needed a little bit more time. She laid there but stretched out her hand slowly, so he wouldn’t notice. Her fingers found a branch she hoped would be big enough to lay him out.

  She watched as Blacky closed his eyes again to catch his second wind. She could see the knife was loosening in his grip and felt his hand loosen in her hair as well, his grip wasn’t as tight as it had been before. She slowly lifted the branch high over her head without moving anything but her hand then she pulled herself away and struck quickly. Bringing the branch down hard on his head.

  Blacky roared out in pain when the branch hit him then he slumped on the ground. The thud when the branch hit his head echoed in the silence of the woods. His grip on her hair dropped as well as the knife.

  Breathing heavily, Dana quickly got to her feet to run just as the shadows around her moved. She screamed out as two of the shadows became men as they rushed toward them.

  Jett also stumbled out of the darkness and wrapped her in his arms.

  She looked up at him in surprise and asked, “What are you doing here?”

  “Did you think I wouldn’t come?” he asked.

  Dana snuggled into him more. “I wasn’t sure anyone knew I was even gone.”

  “We knew,” he told her. “Becky told us this bastard was still alive. She hid herself as soon as he came in. He wasn’t paying any attention to her. She said he only had eyes on you. Almost a
s soon as you two left the clubhouse, she called out to Patriot and me, telling us you were gone and with whom. We were following you both the whole time. But we had to wait for the right time so we didn’t get you killed.” He looked over at the others, as they were zip tying Blacky.

  Thor, Cobra’s VP lifted his head and announced, “Cobra texted and said to deliver him to the warehouse. Gunner wants to give them both a brief reunion as they hadn’t seen each other for damn near twenty years.” Thor shook his head as he smiled. He watched as the men lifted a sluggish Blacky. “Your Pops and my prez are waiting for true payback.”

  Marco, one of Cobra’s men chuckled. “Yeah, I bet father and son got lots to talk about before they get on their way to hell.”

  “You tell Gunner I got his daughter and she’s safe as a baby.” Jett nodded at Marco.

  He nodded while staring at Jett and Dana.

  They all started to return to the clubhouse as the three men holding Blacky followed practically carrying the man.

  “Wait, “Dana called out. The men stopped and she nodded toward Blacky. “Tell my dad he’s got stuff to help him escape hidden on his body that he said his dad taught him. That’s how he planned to get away from the woods.”

  The men looked down at the unconscious Blacky then dragged him away.

  Jett turned back to go back to the clubhouse. Dana helped him walk the long way back. When they got there, she pushed the main door open and was greeted by Winona and her mom.

  “Oh thank god, you’re all right,” DeeDee whispered.

  Dana assisted Jett to a chair and nodded. “That man is insane, truly insane.” She shook her head.

  Jett looked up at her and asked, “Did he say anything about how he got loose?”

  “Yes, one of the wolves bit through the rope but he pretty much did the rest. He said that he always carried stuff that would help him escape from just about anywhere. He said his dad bullied him until he got big enough to fight back. Then his dad left him alone.”

  “What a lousy bastard,” Boone growled. “What dad does that to their own kid?”