by Lena Bourne
What the fuck is going on? Shouldn’t they all be happy to hear this? The waitress with the huge boobs is standing a few feet away from us, biting her nails, her eyes filled with fear.
“Who here believes the lovely Brandy?” Monarch asks after basking in the fearful silence for a few heartbeats.
“Fucking no one!”
“The bitch double-crossed you!”
“She’s a fucking liar!”
“Show her what we do with liar and traitors!”
And that’s just a few of the hundred shouts in the same vein that I can decipher. Female voices are raised along with the males.
The rat has gnawed its way into my stomach and it’s devouring me from the inside now.
What the fuck do I do?
I stand up again and this time Ace, Blaze, and even Stormi all rise with me, but Blaze is still holding me back firmly.
“What the fuck?” I snap at him. “I’m not gonna watch her die.”
Her eyes finally find mine, and she smiles, whispers something, and I have no idea what to make of it, though it chases the pain of this scene away quite completely.
“What do you say we have some fun with her first,” Monarch says, guffawing. “I know a lot of you have been dying to fuck her all these years. So, being the good Monarch I am, I’m gonna give one of you that chance tonight.”
The cheers that erupt at that are deafening and the whole place is shaking from the chairs and feet slamming against the wooden floor.
“A little auction, I’m thinking,” Monarch muses. “Money, service, women, anything goes. I’ll choose the winner. Amaze me!”
Brenda turns to him, horror and pleading mixing in her eyes as she says something to him. But he just smiles and whispers something in her ear. Something that makes her face turn as white snow.
He leaves her standing alone as he takes his seat on the leather sofa. “Proceed to outbid each other!”
Men start shouting offers—money, service, bikes, their fucking wives—but Monarch remains unimpressed, denying them all.
“How much money you got on you?” Blaze asks. “We can just buy her.”
“He’s not gonna sell her to us,” Ace says, and Stormi nods along. “This is just a show. He probably has worse shit planned for her.”
“Over my dead body,” I say. “Let’s grab her and go, and I’ll kill the old bastard on our way out.”
“None of us will get out alive if you try that,” Ace says. “We’ll get her out, don’t worry, but we gotta be smart about this.”
Just then Monarch stands up and claps his hands until silence falls over the room again. “You’re not offering enough, not nearly enough. Maybe it’s because you don’t know the full level of perfection you’re bidding one. Let me show you!”
He strides over to Brenda and rips open her dress with no warning, the tiny, shiny things that looked like stars flying everywhere like the universe just exploded. Which it did.
She’s standing there naked now, in impossibly high heels, trying to cover herself with arms way too thin for the job. And even those Monarch rips away as he orders her to let them see.
She has eyes just for me again, and this time no peace enters me through her gaze. None at all. Only a wish to end this humiliation right not before it gets worse. End it by giving my life. I owe her that. She saved my life, I wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t shot that Sinner. And I don’t want to live my life without her. My life is worth nothing without her. Every eye on her nakedness is a scratch to my own.
I rip my arm from Blaze’s grasp so hard he stumbles back as I leap up on the table.
“I offer you your life for her, fat man!” I yell, my voice so loud it echoes off the walls in the silence.
They’re all staring at me, Brenda’s eyes soft and hopeful. Everyone, including Monarch, was struck speechless by my words. Words I’ll back up as best I can.
“Why if it isn’t your new boyfriend, Brenda,” Monarch says in a quiet, steady, mocking tone, but I can hear his seething anger underneath it. “The one who took you out to fancy lunches and paid for that sleazy motel room we found you in. Look how brave he is. You can watch him die later. Bring him to me.”
“Do nothing,” I hiss over my shoulder at Blaze. “I got a plan.”
Then I charge towards the podium and Brenda. And I let Monarch’s men take me halfway there and drag me the rest of the way to the podium.
It’s not much of a plan. But at least now I’m close enough to Monarch to kill him.
Brenda
The first time I noticed Colt as Monarch led me through the crowd to his podium, I was sure I lost my mind. Lost it in the best way possible, imagining my love has come to rescue me from Monarch’s clutches, but I knew better.
Until I locked eyes with him.
Then I knew he was truly here. For me. His eyes told me that beyond a shadow of a doubt. My biggest dream come true, for real, no illusion and faking necessary.
Then Monarch pulled me along, practically dragged me up those three steps to his leather sofa throne, and spun me around so hard the room somersaulted around me and wasn’t quite sitting right even after he delivered his little speech, revealing his plan for me. His sick and twisted plan. I was such an idiot to think I had him wrapped around my finger again. He doesn’t forgive. And he lets no man touch what is his.
But I knew something else too. The ripped clothes and broken makeup stuff told me that clearly. He means to batter me some, break me some, and then he’ll be satisfied, then he’ll put me back together. Then I’ll be forgiven. Good. I can take a battering. If Colt is waiting for me on the other side, I can do anything. I tried to tell him not to do anything stupid or rash, whispered it to him as soon as I found his eyes in the sea of glaring, angry ones surrounding me. The only eyes full of love and nothing but love for me.
There was no way he could’ve heard what I said, but I hoped he did too. I believed he did.
I was wrong. He didn’t.
I can’t say my whole body didn’t melt with love and hope as he made his offer for me.
But now they’re dragging him up here, and Monarch is so pissed off he’s seething like a pot of boiling water from it.
I no longer have any reason to think either one of us will survive this.
“You’re an idiot, Colt,” I hiss at him as they drag him up the three stairs. “I told you I can handle this.”
He looks so confused and hurt I smile, willing him to feel all the love and happiness at seeing him again I feel. “But I love you more than anything else in the world,” I tell him. “Thank you for being my knight in shining armor.”
He grins at me. “Anytime, princess. Now and forever.”
Which might be a very short time for us. The front door slams open in the distance, bringing in a waft of cold, clear air from outside, like the winds of destiny blowing clean and fresh. In a very twisted way, this is still the very best day of my life.
“Enough jabbering!” Monarch says in a clipped voice that tells me he is beyond livid, despite the perfectly calm voice he’s using. “How about we make this fun? Maybe the two lovebirds can put on a little show for us.”
Then he turns back to the room. “And bring me the ones who were with him to, I don’t want any more interruptions.”
Stormi is there, and Ace and that best friend of Colt’s. I didn’t notice them before. I only saw him and now my heart is once again racing in fear. This is all the backup he brought? It’s worse than if he came alone.
“Now,” Monarch says, turning to us, while the three of them put up a fight by the door. A huge silver hunting knife is suddenly in his hand.
“You will kill her,” he tells Colt. He’s totally lost his grip on reality. He was near the edge before, with all his pretending he’s really a king and such, but now he’s sailed right off that edge into stark, raving madness.
“No, I won’t,” Colt says, and it’s a clear statement of fact, no shock or fear or anything of the sort in his voi
ce.
“You will if you don’t want to watch every man in here fuck her,” Monarch says. “I’ll have them fucking her for as long it takes to kill her. I’m sure we can find a dog or two to help them along.”
Revulsion replaces the stark calm in Colt’s eyes. It’s quickly replaced by fear, and something very close to regret.
“I’m sorry,” he says to me, and I have no idea why. He doesn’t mean it. He won’t let any of those things happen. Will he what?
He turns to Monarch and extends his hand. “Give me the knife.”
“What for?” I yell. “He’s just fucking with you, Colt. He’s so full of shit he reeks of it. Don’t fall for his bullshit.”
“Stop talking, bitch!” Monarch yells, backhanding me so viciously the whole world goes black before I even feel any pain.
I stumble and almost fall, would have, if Colt didn’t catch me. It’s only because of his strong arm holding me steady that I manage to hold onto consciousness and my sight.
“Oh, fuck it!” Monarch roars. “I’ll kill them both myself. No one fucks with the King!”
“I can’t let you do that, Monarch,” a calm, collected voice says. It’s so welcome and so familiar, I’m sure I lost my mind again. But Colt heard him too, and his face is the textbook example of shocked surprise as he stares in the direction of the voice.
“These two belong to me,” Cross says. “And I’ll take them back now. I can’t let you hurt them. You understand what I’m saying, right?”
Cross isn’t alone. He’s got like half his MC with him, at least. All except him have their faces covered by black bandanas, and their cuts clearly read Devil’s Nightmare MC now. The silence in the room is even deeper than it was before when Monarch first offered me to the highest bidder. They didn’t believe they were hearing him right then, and they probably don’t believe their eyes and ears now.
Even I understand what Cross is saying. It’s either Monarch hands us over or the Devils do what they’re best at—kill them all and take us anyway.
“This bitch is mine,” Monarch yells. “She betrayed me and she’ll pay for it. You can have the guy.”
Cross grins and shakes his head. “I’ll have them both. One way or another.”
Monarch is seething worse than ever. He’s not the most rational man at the best of times and this is so far from the best of times it couldn’t be farther. Plus, Cross’ arrival and demand cut right through Monarch’s revenge fantasy which I’m sure he’s been crafting since the night I disappeared. I bet Josh was supposed to be in Colt’s place.
Silent minutes tick by, dragging. Everyone’s silent, everyone’s waiting for Monarch’s decision. And I’m afraid I’m the only one who already knows what it will be. There will be blood, as Monarch is so fond of saying before they ride to kill someone who’s wronged them.
25
Brenda
The silence in the room has a physical presence. I can hear Monarch’s labored, slightly wheezy breathing clearly and it sounds like a landslide is about to go off. The eyes of all the Kings MC members are fixed on him so pointedly, I’m surprised he’s not going up in flames from the intensity of their looks. Everyone’s waiting with bated breath for what he’ll do next. I hesitate any of them really want to fight Devil’s Nightmare MC, but I know most of them feed off Monarch’s craziness and will be happy to go along if that’s what he wants to do.
The Devil’s aren’t tense, they’re just standing there in quiet alertness, as though they don’t care which side up this coin toss lands. They’re as ready to fight the Kings as they are to walk out of here without a fight. Even Colt is like that beside me as he looks at Monarch, waiting for the decision. How can he be so damn calm when we’ll be the first to get sliced up by Monarch when this fight breaks out?
Stormi isn’t in the room anymore. Good. I hope she’s far away by now. She shouldn’t have to see this carnage.
Monarch takes a deeper, wheezier breath, and the crowd of Kings sort of ripples. Then he opens his hands, the knife dangling from his right hand. “All right, Cross. Have it your way. I’m not losing men over this worthless bitch. But you should watch your back with her, she’s cagy and conniving.”
I dare not breathe. Is he lying? Is he sincere? Is he really gonna just let me go?
“Drop the knife and let them come down,” Cross says. I doubt I’ve ever been as surprised by anything in my life as I am when the Monarch’s knife clatters to the wooden boards of the podium. He even takes a step back and waves away his guys who closed ranks on the steps.
Colt takes off his jacket and wraps it around me. It’s heavy and warm and long enough to cover my naked ass for which I’m very grateful. It also smells like him, which finally loosens the tight knot of fear in my stomach. For the minutes I watched certain death coming, I forgot I was naked for all to see, but now I’m glad I don’t have to make the walk of shame, victorious though it would be.
I dare not believe this actually worked, that Monarch doesn’t have one more trick up his sleeve as we walk through the throng of Kings, all of whom are bristling with anger that some express by muttered curses and spitting in my path.
But once the cool air outside washes over my face and Colt finally wraps both his arms around me, kissing me so deeply and passionately, I feel like I’m floating on those same waters of unconsciousness I floated under for the last few days. Only this time they’re warm and pleasant and sweet and so very, very magical.
“Come on, we gotta move,” Cross tells us sharply. And even though I absolutely do not want to stop kissing Colt, we both obey immediately.
I wrap my arms very tightly around his waist as I lean against his back, the thrumming of the bike and the fresh night air, the sweetest lullaby I’ve ever heard. I could sleep for a thousand years. And the best part is, I know Colt’s kiss would always wake me.
Colt
Brenda’s sound asleep as we pull up in the parking lot of our clubhouse here in Vegas. The building’s dark, only a faint amber light coming from the shaded windows of the bar downstairs. The night silence is rent with the sound and echoes of bikes arriving. I’m surprised to see how many rode with Cross to get me and Brenda out of there—I’m pretty sure it’s everyone staying at this clubhouse plus a good number of those that were taking care of the Sinners.
Most of them greet me as they file into the clubhouse.
Cross is waiting for me near the entrance, shadowed by Tank and Ace. I don’t want to wake Brenda, but not speaking to Cross is not an option.
“Wait here,” I whisper to her as she stirs while I’m getting off my bike. She sees where we are, sees Cross, sees the sea of my brothers walking into the building and her eyes are very wide as she silently nods. She has no need to be afraid. I think. I hope.
“Thank you, Cross,” I say as I approach. “You didn’t need to come to help me, but you did. And I’m forever in debt to you now.”
Tank chuckles at my words. “Damn straight, kid.”
Cross just nods at my words. “It was stupid walking in there with no plan and hardly any backup. It’s a good thing Ace called me. As for helping you out, I meant what I said. You and your woman were very valuable to us these last few days, so you’re both one of us, so to speak.”
All I can do is nod like an idiot, while I force myself to not thank him some more like an even worse idiot.
“But I expect you to show better judgment next time something like this occurs to you,” Cross says sternly.
“Although if it was your woman about to get gang-raped by a whole MC, you’d probably not judge things very clearly either,” Tank says, clapping Cross on the back.
I expected Cross to get pissed at that, but instead, he turns to his friend and grins. “Who knows? The main thing is that it's done, and it’s not gonna happen again.”
He looks at me sternly, and I swallow hard and nod.
“Hawk would never forgive me if I squandered you away like this. He says you’re the most observant guy he�
��s ever met, and certainly the most useful of all of us to him. So he wants you to report to him as soon as you’re back in Pleasantville.”
“Gladly,” I say, not really believing my ears. Is Cross actually praising me? Not that he’s not the type of guy to give credit where it’s due. It’s just that I’m not used to getting any.
“But you can take a couple of days off first,” he adds. “It’s been a long couple of weeks and you’ve earned it. But stay out of sight of the Kings. I don’t want to have to go fish you out of there again.”
“I’ll…we’ll leave Vegas tonight,” I say.
He nods, Tank slaps me on the back, Ace nods at me as they file into the clubhouse.
I have to fight the urge to skip and whoop as walk back to my bike. And Brenda. Brenda, who’s smiling widely at me, her eyes sparkling brighter than the starry sky above us. I can’t believe she’s finally all mine. But we have the rest of our lives to convince me. And I can’t wait to get started.
Brenda
I wake up to birds singing, a faint breeze that smells of roses and the sea on my face, and the softest, most comfortable bed I’ve ever woken up in beneath me. The best part is the kiss that roused me. Soft and deep, slow and sensuous, but on the edges of it is such passion, such desire, that thousands of butterflies are fluttering their tiny wings in my stomach, begging to be released.
I open my eyes to gaze into Colt’s warm face as he breaks away from the kiss.
“How’s your head?” he asks, and there’s concern in his voice, true caring, but also a very clear wish to know whether we can take the kisses to third base or not.
I smile and slide my fingers through his hair, before letting my palm rest on his cheek. “I barely feel it.”
That’s almost the truth. The bump on my forehead still throbs, but not like a serious wound. It’s healing, and I know just the thing to make it heal even faster.