Abandon (Midnight Saints MC Book 1)

by Iris Sweetwater

  I woke to cool, soothing cloths swiping over my bare skin. I tried to take a deep breath, but it was impossible. My torso was wrapped tightly with some type of bandage. I raised my left hand to rip off the offending bandage but discovered that hand was useless. A cast covered it and my wrist.

  “Don’t try to move,” Jacob said in a deceptively kind voice. “The nurse will take care of everything, babe. She’s just giving you a bath. You’re gonna be fine, eventually. Remember? The damn Midnight Saints stole you and beat the shit out of you. I’ll pay them back, I swear. I’ll cut off their dicks for hurting my ol’ lady.”

  So, that was the lie he’d told to get me medical aid. Now, he was warning me to go along with the charade. I would. What choice did I have?

  “I’m all done, Reagen,” the nurse told me. “I’m sorry if I caused you any discomfort. The button I put in your right hand will deliver some more morphine if you need it. Don’t try to remove the bandage. It’s meant to hold your broken rib in place. I promise it would hurt much worse without the tight binding. We wanted to do a rape kit, but your husband refused to allow it. Do you know who did this to you?”

  “Just leave her the fuck alone!” Jacob burst out, showing his true nature. “She don’t know which of them faggots did it. I told you she wants to put all this behind her. It’s up to the club to get revenge, not the damn assholes we call cops.”

  The poor nurse fled. If I was her, I’d never return. I closed my eyes, hoping to die, or at least pass back out. I didn’t care to look at Jacob’s lying face or hear his lame ass excuses.

  “I’m sorry, babe. I wouldn’t have done this if you hadn’t provoked me. You know I’m on edge. You always seem to push the wrong buttons on me. Can’t you just do your duty, and shut your damn mouth? I want a whore in my bed and eye candy on my arm. That’s all. It’s easy. When you obey, I treat you good, right?”

  One orgasm for every ten fucks was his idea of treating me good. Not making me bleed for a day or two was his idea of kindness. Hiding my bruises under expensive leather was supposed to make me proud to be his ol’ lady. I was only twenty-five and felt as if my life was over.

  “I’ve got to leave. You keep your mouth shut. If that bitch tells the cops you’re awake, they’ll come back. You stick with my story. You didn’t see the faces, just the patches on their jackets. You didn’t want a rape kit done ‘cause there were too many that took you. You want to forget it happened, and you trust me to take care of everything,” Jacob ordered as he held my broken wrist squeezed in his hand as a warning.

  I nodded but never opened my eyes. The tears behind my lids would fall if I did.

  Jacob kissed my forehead and whispered for my ears alone, “You ever vomit on my dick again, and it will be your body in a casket instead of a hospital bed. You understand, bitch?”

  I did, and at that moment, I didn’t really care. He never looked back as he left the room. It was a good thing since tears were streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks. I pushed the morphine button over and over, but only a small trickle entered my veins. It wasn’t enough to kill me or even stop the pain in my heart.

  Chapter 3

  Seth

  Kara didn’t try to run or hide from us. She had no reason to. It was obvious she had no clue where Maxum was. She hadn’t heard from him and was glad.

  “He was in the church on Sunday. Then, he made his usual trip to the children’s ward at the hospital. I didn’t go with him. He ragged on me about my choice of clothes . . . again— too much cleavage and leg for his precious, prudish congregation. He’s embarrassed to claim me as his offspring. Who gives a rat’s ass? I am who I am. Screw him! He hasn’t scared me since I was fifteen and took a lover bigger and tougher than him. What do you want with him?” she asked calmly.

  Tony hesitated to say anything, but I wasn’t so thoughtful. I told it like it was. “We’ve heard some bad shit about the Prez. The rumors say he’s into drugs and may have betrayed us. He supposedly has taken control of the assassins.”

  “The Shadow Order?” Kara asked. “Shit! Maybe dear Daddy finally got some hard-ass balls. It’s about fucking time.”

  “It’s gonna be hell for us, Kara. There will be an all-out war that will leave too many of us dead if that’s true. Don’t you give a damn about the members of the club?” I asked.

  “I don’t want anyone to die, Seth, but I also don’t want to deal with anything concerning the club. I’m totally sick of all the shit that goes with it. Everyone wants power, control, and to lord it over the others. They lie, cheat, fuck, and kill their way to the top. It’s barbaric and childish all at once.”

  “You could help change that,” Tony replied. “Help me figure this shit out. If Maxum is innocent, then you could help us prove it. If he’s a fucking turncoat, then you can stand by me to take over the Midnight Saints.”

  “I’ll repeat it one more freaking time— I don’t want to be part of the fucking Midnight Saints. Go back to your prison of stupid rules and hierarchy, and leave me the hell alone. All I have to give you is some advice. Dear Daddy, was never what you believed him to be. He has a hidden dark side. Watch your backs. I have since birth.”

  Tony tore open the door and stomped his way through it, but Kara called out to me once more, “Would you have done it, Seth?”

  “Done what?” I asked, stopping to look at her confused face.

  “Would you have hurt me to get your fucking information? That’s what Tony had ordered, right?”

  I looked down at my feet, slightly ashamed for a moment. Then, I took a deep breath and looked Kara straight in her pretty eyes to say, “You’re damned right, I would have. I’m loyal to the core. It’s not personal, Kara, just business.”

  She nodded but added, “How sad and shitty loyalty has become.” Then, the door closed firmly in my face.

  I heard a fist hitting flesh. Tony shouted out, “Get your slow ass over here.” Then, a body hit the ground.

  I ran and joined the bloody fight. Two slick-headed, punk-ass gang members tried to steal our bikes. Tony caught them in the act and took them both on at once. His nose was bleeding, but he was still on his feet.

  One piece of gang shit was under Tony’s feet, while the other was clinging to his back. He had a chokehold on Tony. I ripped the bastard off and kicked him in the kidneys. Tony’s right foot was planted on the other fool’s throat, daring him to move so he could crush the man’s windpipe.

  My opponent tried to pull some slick karate shit, aiming a flying foot for my head. I swiveled, laughed, and pulled a switchblade. He lunged, but I was faster. I sliced through his shirt and blood burst from his side. He bellowed and ran away.

  Tony leaned down and slowly cut a line down the other punk’s cheek. He ordered, “Tell your asshole leader to leave the Midnight Saints alone unless he wants dead little boys littering the streets. Get the fuck up and get out of here. Every time you look in the mirror, remember where you got that scar, and how I could have ended your sorry excuse for a life, but didn’t.”

  We stared at each other, covered in blood. A bit was ours, but most of it wasn’t. The fight had eased the tension in us, and he began to laugh. The curtain at Kara’s window moved. She stuck a hand behind it and shot us the finger. In other words, she was telling us to go fuck ourselves. We laughed harder. It was fucking unbelievable to be alive.

  We straddled our Harleys and spun out of the parking lot at top speed. Our meeting house, on the ridge of a nearby mountain, was our target. The Blue Ridge mountains gave us privacy, quiet, and a safe place to let off steam. Our meeting house was well-protected at all times. To others, it appeared no different than any other dwelling in the area. Inside, it was a different matter. There was, of course, a kitchen, several bathrooms, and bedrooms for the members’ use. But there was also an arsenal of weapons in the converted basement, high tech communication, streaming live video of the mountain around us, a game room, a ninety-inch four-k television, a meeting room, and a fully stocked bar. In on
e corner of the basement was a soundproof room for ‘interrogation.’ I had a feeling we would need the use of it very soon.

  We never made it past the first curve of the treacherous, winding mountain road. The simultaneous buzzing of our emergency phones sent us swerving in the path of opposing traffic to make a sudden, dangerous U-turn. Brakes squealed, horns honked, and metal met metal as cars collided. We didn’t dare glance back at the wreckage we had caused, because there wasn’t time to waste on others. We were needed at the bar, and not for a drinking party. There was trouble requiring all club members and their guns.

  The bar was off the beaten path, hidden behind large trees, and isolated from most of society. That proved to be excellent planning. All hell had broken loose by the time we screeched to a stop. Our guns were out and firing before we were off the bikes. It was an all-out shitstorm of war.

  The attackers, wearing black from head to toe, including over their faces, had come seeking a battle. They had easily found it. The Midnight Saints fought for the safety of those inside the bar, our rights to our territory, and our own lives.

  Smoke billowed from a corner of the bar, but the fire causing it had been put out. The sudden, surprising addition of our Harleys and two others caught the attention of our enemies. Shouts of warning went up, and they split ranks to turn and fire at us. A bullet whizzed by my ear, narrowly missing my head. At the same time, an explosion came from nearby as a Harley went up in flames.

  I screamed, “Are you fucking kidding me?” Then, I shot the legs from under the bomber, and he fell close to the fire. His arm was lit, and he screamed in agony.

  “Stop, drop, and roll, you fuckwad!” Tony yelled, laughing maniacally.

  A rifle stuck out the upstairs window of the bar. I knew it to be Elle’s room. It appeared she was aiming at my head, but I heard the body fall behind me. The bitch saved my ass since I hadn’t seen the dick sneak up on my flank— I owed her.

  I tackled a man before he had a chance to shoot at Vince, our youngest member. We rolled in the dirt, and I pulled the knife from his waist. We struggled for possession of it. He bit my arm, trying to loosen my grip. As payback, I kneed him in the nuts.

  “You damn pissant! I’ll slice off your nuts for that!” he screamed in my ear.

  “You won’t get the fucking chance, you asshole!” I told him, securing possession of the knife and stabbing him in the gut.

  I stood on unsteady legs and stumbled over a body. It was one of ours— wide-eyed and staring at the sky sightlessly. Sickened, I began shooting at anything dressed in black that moved.

  Another explosion vibrated the air— a truck. Metal rained from the sky, and everyone dropped for cover, but I took a large piece in my left leg. I cursed as pain tore through my senses. Blood poured from the wound, but only for an instant. The hot metal cauterized it— I guess it was my lucky day.

  I tried to get up. I wanted to end the fuckers who had dared start this, but I couldn’t stand up. I shot from where I lay and took pleasure in the high-pitched squeal that came from whoever I’d hit in the spine.

  Sirens sounded from far away. Obviously, the gunshots and explosions had been heard by someone. The black-clothed attackers began to back away, trying to escape before the law arrived. We allowed it because none of us wanted to be found in this position.

  They took as many of their wounded as they could, but left their dead behind. Those of us who were still standing dragged all the bodies into the dense woods. We’d sort them out later. Our wounded, including me, were hurriedly taken to the basement. There were medical supplies there. Some stayed behind to tend us, but Tony and others of high rank went back up to face the law. Explanations for the attack would have to wait. We had to convince the cops we were innocent.

  I was one of the first handled. All they had to do was get that metal shit out of me. It stung like hell, but they wrapped it up. I could limp a little and be fine. It wasn‘t like some others. I made my way back out to see how I could help if at all. My duty was to Tony right now.

  Elle and Tony greeted the officers as they arrived. Only Elle knew the truth of how the war had begun, and we needed as much truth in the explanation as possible to be convincing.

  Firemen had the burning truck and bike put out in a matter of minutes. They checked on the smoldering corner of the bar and deemed it finished.

  Officer Greely was familiar with us. He’d been here before. “Hold off on arrests,” he told those with him. “I want explanations first. There’s always some logical excuse when this place gets shot up.”

  The other officers grumbled but stayed near the entrance. Officer Greely took the seat Tony offered, and the soda Elle brought him. It paid to be nice to the cops.

  “Well, let’s hear it,” he sighed, knowing he’d never prove we had done anything wrong.

  “I was tending bar when an army of trucks pulled in. They all looked the same, big and black, with dark tinted windows,” Elle began. “The bouncer did his best to stop the five men who invaded the bar, but they took him down easily. He has some broken bones and a head injury. He’ll be needing the ambulance I hear arriving. Devon won’t need help, though. He’s past that point. He never had a chance.”

  “What?” we heard Tony scream.

  “I didn’t get a chance to tell you, Tony,” Elle continued. “The five dicks who broke in headed straight for the office. They were looking for you. Devon was in there doing some paperwork for me. He looked like you from the back, and they shot him in the head. He’s still there. None of us touched him or even entered the room. Our guys shot back, in self-defense of course. All hell broke loose, so I called in reinforcement. Tony and some others came. There were explosions. The men in the trucks set bombs or something. When they heard the sirens, they hightailed it out of here. Before you ask, the answer is no. I never saw their faces.”

  Tony’s chair slammed against the wall, where he’d thrown it. “Son of a bitch, asshole, dickwads killed our Sergeant at Arms, and I’m just now hearing about it!”

  “Settle down, son. We’ll take care of it,” Officer Greely tried to soothe.

  “Like hell you will! That bullet was meant for me. My friend is dead because I wasn’t here. This is my war, not the laws. You can fucking kiss my ass!” Tony screamed.

  “Watch it, boy! You best not speak to me that way. I’ll skip this interview and drag your sorry ass to jail just because I can,” the officer replied, waving back the ones who had come to protect him.

  “I’m not a damn boy! Stop shitting around and do your duty, or I will. Those fuckers will be dead by tomorrow if I find them,” Tony spouted.

  “Think before you speak, boy. Because of the threats you’re making, I can haul you in. And then, if we find any of the attackers dead, we’ll also know where to find the perpetrator. Do you get my drift?”

  “He’s right, Tony. Stop this. You’re making things worse. I know you’re hurting due to Devon’s death. So am I. We all are. Let them do their thing, take fingerprints and blood samples and shit. I want poor Devon to be settled comfortably, but that won’t happen until the crime scene has been gone over.”

  The tears leaking from Elle’s eyes convinced Tony to stop ranting. He went behind the bar, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and guzzled it. Revenge would come soon enough. He wouldn’t announce it to the cops, and they would never find the bodies.

  The cops eventually left us, though they weren’t satisfied with our explanation. The evidence of a bloodbath outside was obvious, but they couldn’t prove who had done the shooting. Our guns had mysteriously disappeared, just like the bodies in the gully of the forest. The entrance to the basement was well hidden, so the injured were never discovered. We were good at what we did.

  The injured were scattered to different doctors around the closest town, men who were paid well by the club to keep quiet. I was taken to old Doc Sanders, who lived up in the higher elevation. He was retired but still tended the Midnight Saints as he had done for those who came befor
e us.

  Tony had the grim duty of identifying both sets of the dead— our friends and the enemies left behind. Thankfully, we had lost only three of our own, including Devon. The other six were identified by tattoos on their wrists as coming from the Shadow Order. An assassination order had been put out for Tony, but they had mistakenly shot Devon. They would pay for that mistake.

  Chapter 4

  Reagen

  Jacob sent some of the other ol’ ladies to pick me up. Heaven forbid he be sorry enough to have some sympathy. The women oohed and cooed over my injuries. They had eaten up Jacob’s explanations for what had happened like a tasty bowl of ice cream. Stupid bitches! Someday they would find out the truth the hard way.

  I was pampered for a week. Jacob was kept away so he wouldn’t have to suffer seeing his ol’ lady all bruised and broken. What a load of shit! Every bruise and break had happened at his own hand. They should have been skinning him alive, not coddling his sorry ass.

  The day I was taken back to our home felt like a death sentence to me. I was certain Jacob would make me pay dearly for the time I’d been gone, and for the interruption in his life. I wasn’t stupid enough to think he had been celibate while I was laid up, and I definitely wasn’t foolish enough to mention it, but I knew he would expect me to perform my “duties” that very night. I was already nauseated at the thought, yet I had to hold in my vomit. I had been warned about it, hadn’t I?

  Damn it all to hell! I should have found a way to escape from the hospital. Sure, Jacob had made sure I was guarded at all times, supposedly for my safety, but escaping there would have been far more likely to happen than from here. He’d chain me to the bed if necessary. Hell, he’d do it just for fun. He was that evil. When he split from the Midnight Saints to join the Blue Diablos, I should have begged for sanctuary. If I could get away, maybe it was still an option.