Treats Aren't Always Sweet

by Harley McRide

  She pulled up into the spot in front of the house she was going to be occupying. Nike and Bob would be right next door, which was a relief in case she needed anything. It was a nice house, two floors with four bedrooms, two on each floor. She figured she and Jilly would be upstairs with Buddy, and the guys could take downstairs, since she was being forced to room with them.

  War pulled up with a rumble and she turned. She had been looking at the house, and hearing a motorcycle wasn’t startling to her so she hadn’t noticed he was getting close. But she did take advantage of the scene though. War and Stone were both tall, although War more so than Stone. His black hair cut close to his face and he wore a goatee; he was slightly older than Stone but no less hot. His bike had a custom paint job on the tank, flames with the Ops Warriors’ patch on the top, it was cool as shit, although she refused to tell him that.

  “What do you think?” War asked and she frowned.

  “Why? They are all the same, I have stayed in the houses before you know,” Treat said and War grinned.

  “This is not the club’s house, babe.” War laughed loudly.

  “What?” she asked confused and looked at the other houses. All of the members houses had little signs on them, it was kinda funny. In fact, right next door was Free and Bic’s house, which would make it easier for them to help out if needed.

  They were cute, all painted white, looking fresh and new. If she were honest, Treat expected them to have picket fences and shit as well, that is how sweet they looked. But the fronts were slightly different, each with their own colored shutters, the one they were standing in front of have pale blue ones, it gave the house a Caribbean feel. But it was the screened in front porch that did it for Treat, she could just imagine having a cup of coffee on the porch in the morning with her sister while Buddy played safely with them. Yeah, this was something they never had.

  “Our house, babe, why would Stone and I move into a house to protect you when we have plenty of room here,” War said and took her hand. She pulled away from him and yelled.

  “No way, you all said it was a safe house,” she snapped.

  “It is, the safest house on the compound. Stone and I will be right here, and Free next door. What could be safer?” War replied.

  “This was not the deal,” Treat argued.

  War got real serious and leaned in. “It may not have been the deal at first but it is now. We don’t know where that asshole is and we are not taking the chance he would find her and her son. This is the best way, and sorry if you are a little bent out of shape about the whole thing, but get over it. Stone and I are doing this, you can like it or not, which I prefer you like it, but if you don’t, tough,” War growled.

  Treat frowned, okay, when she told Shady to give them the green light to make up for their past digressions with her best friend at the time, she figured they would at least kiss ass a little. War was not kissing ass at all, he was doing the same thing he always did, which was tell her what to do, this wasn’t going like she figured it would.

  “Yeah okay, War, I hear you, now you hear me. I can protect my sister and her baby just fine if being nice and polite is going to be an issue for you. I don’t give a shit if this is where you decided we needed to be, this is not where we are staying. Now call and tell Free to get us a house, you two can come stay there for a few days until we are safe and then you can leave. I can handle it from there,” Treat said firmly and War glared at her and then reached around her and grabbed her bag and walked toward the house. “Hey.”

  War paused briefly and snapped, “I am not spending the next few weeks with you in my house for the first time arguing with you. Stone and I have been waiting for this opportunity so get the chip off your shoulder. We fucked up; we know that, we apologized for that like a million times. Were we dumbasses, yes, but you know, regardless of the fact we should never had anything to do with Trick, we could have if we wanted it. We were not together, there was no commitment, and you know that ‘cause we made that clear. So really you don’t have a right to be pissed off too much more about it, since honestly we have been punished a fuck of a lot for a so called fuck session, the bitch was just used to make a point. It was us acting out because we were all hot and bothered about your dancing and we got jealous when other guys were touching you in the first place. Not that I am saying you were in the wrong dancing, ‘cause that is what you do. No, what I am saying is we were not prepared and fucked up in a huge way. Now, I have explained that shit, and it is over. I am not spending the rest of my life apologizing for a stupid fuck up.”

  Treat stared at him, did he really just say that to her? Seriously? He thinks he can just throw that out there and everything is fine? Does he know how the female mind work?

  “Uh, yeah, okay,” Treat snapped back. “I get you both think it is just a blip on your screen and it normally would be. However, what you don’t know since you have never taken the chance to get to know me, is that there are a few things I can take and there are some I cannot. That being said, here is your first lesson in thinking Treat is always sweet, when I dance, no one touches me, at all, before, after, during, none. The guys know it and they also make it real clear to anyone who attempts this. Which should you have actually asked, you would have known? The other part to that, is this, no one touches me ever unless I choose to let them, and when I choose to let someone, it means something to me. Another thing you would have known if you would have put out the effort to get to know me even a little.”

  War sighed and turned walking to the front door. “I see we aren’t going to let this shit go.”

  Treat growled. “You see right.”

  “Tough shit, you are staying here it has already been decided,” War snapped and they walked to their front door. War and Stone already knew what was inside, they had laughed when Free told them. Slider and Cajun had waited until they left this morning before breaking in, the bastards.

  Treat followed into the house slowly. She knew she wouldn’t win this battle so she chose to just go along with it, which was until she could talk to Bic and Free about the situation. She had a little bit of time, her sister wouldn’t be let out of the hospital for at least a week, and she would bunk with Bob and Nike until then.

  However, when she walked into the living room she had to admit the place was plush. Who knew to rough bikers would have good taste. The place looked masculine, with the darker colors and the huge TV, but it was nice. The furniture was leather, which she smiled at, of course it was. She hated to admit she was a little impressed. When she hit the kitchen though she froze, what the fuck? It was fucking huge, and it was totally whacked out with high end stainless steel appliances, marble black countertops, and glass front cupboards that showed amazingly nice matching dishes. Wow, Treat thought, and then her eyes were drawn to the gorgeous classy wood plank table.

  War walked to a small pantry off to the side ignoring the fact there was some man tied to a chair glaring at him and waiting apparently for someone to pull the gag out of his mouth. War walked back into the kitchen with a bag of bread, set it on the counter, and then opened the fridge.

  “Uh,” Treat said, clearing her throat a little.

  “You want a sandwich before we go to the hospital. I hate their cafeteria food, and if we are there for a few hours I am gonna get hungry,” War said calmly.

  Treat’s eyes widened, “War, there is a man tied to a chair in your kitchen.”

  War grinned and looked over his shoulder. “I know, it is your present from Slider and Cajun.”

  “Present? They gave me a man as a present? Not sure I know what to do with that,” Treat said and walked over to the man and pulled the gag out of his mouth. “Why are you my present?”

  War turned around and leaned back on the counter, crossing his boot covered feet and grinned while the little man began to sputter and talk.

  “Where is Cajun, man?” the man whined. “I told him I would pay him back, I don’t know why he had to go and ‘nap me to make his p
oint.”

  Treat frowned and repeated, “He said you were my present, why are you my present?”

  The man’s little shifty eyes looked at her, he was taller and skinny, and looked like he needed a bath, but Treat wasn’t sure that was going to help. The man looked crazy, he had long blond dreadlocks, a pierced lip and eyebrow, and was wearing what looked like ‘Hemp’ made clothes that were rainbow colored.

  “Yeah, yeah, man, I mean chica,” the man said quickly. “I am Boony, the best paper maker in Cali. I am your new employee Caj said. He is my man, Caj, helped Boony out without asking questions a while back. Coulda been a mess, man, and Caj just stepped in an’ cleaned it up. Was fucking shiz-nit, chica, told me I owned him one and now he is pulling the tab.”

  Treat grinned, she kinda liked the little weirdo. “Sorry, didn’t get what the hell you were saying other than Cajun helped you out with something and you are now my employee. But what do you do?”

  “Paper maker, chica, best one you will ever find.” Boony grinned.

  War said quietly, “He makes IDs and any paperwork needed to start over for anyone.”

  Treat nodded but still frowned. “You don’t steal identities do you, we don’t need that.”

  Boony looked shocked. “Hell no, chica, I am prime, make shit up for everything. You give me a new name I can build a past, fucking credit score and everything that no one would ever question.”

  Treat thought for a minute and then looked at War, this guy was perfect, but they couldn’t keep him tied to a chair forever. She wasn’t that cold, but maybe the basement, they could make a nice place down there.

  “Ooookay,” she said slowly and then slumped a little, she couldn’t keep him her prisoner. “So you are okay with being an employee?”

  Boony grinned. “Sure,” he said chirpy although still tied to a chair it seemed like he had little choice. “I can hang here, been hanging on Coronado beach for a while, but getting tired of showering in the beach showers, man, people piss in those, it is kinda gross.”

  “You don’t have a house?” Treat asked.

  “Nah,” Boony said. “Don’t like to be confined you know, after I got out…”

  “You were in the military?” Treat said hesitantly.

  “Hey, yeah, where I met Caj, he kinda cleaned up a situation I had while trying to help a female escape the country. Came back, but seriously was a little messed up, couldn’t be in small places and shiz like that.” Boony shrugged. She had a hard time thinking of him being in uniform at anytime, it looked like maybe he baked a few too many of his brain cells.

  “Well, how are you gonna…” Treat started and Boony laughed.

  “Chica, Caj and his ‘brother’, said there is a lean-to behind the house on the small beach. I am good there, uh, just need to get released from uh captivity you know. Caj wanted me to just wait for you but I knew I would get antsy, told him I would meet you; he didn’t believe me since I was having a little toke at the time. I can’t believe he ‘napped me though, gonna need to talk about that. Anyway, my bag is out back, he said, if you untie me, show me the lean-to, and I will get settled. All my gear is in my bag, I will give you a list of supplies I need, but need a secure desktop to work my magic for the reals.”

  Treat laughed and shook her head and then looked at War who shrugged. He hadn’t said a word but was looking at Boony like he was a strange alien who was sitting in his kitchen.

  “Not involved in this, babe,” War muttered and said, “Just telling you though, he isn’t using the shower here, he can use the one in the clubhouse bathroom.”

  Chapter Seven

  It took a hour to get Boony situated in his new shelter, which Treat really had to say was a bit weird, considering it used to be used to house animals who were marked for transport. But the strange man seemed to be happy, especially with his view, which she thought was fantastic as well.

  The bedroom they showed her was on the main floor, she argued she wanted to be closer to her sister on the top floor, but they showed her they had already changed one of the rooms into a nursery, while the other was being outfitted with a hospital bed for the time being. The guys had moved into one of the rooms on the main floor with twin beds, she had grinned when she saw the beds since they didn’t look like they would hold the two men. The one they gave her was the master bedroom with its own bathroom. It was huge, a king size bed covered in a pale blue blanket with light brown pillows made her think of the beach, it was perfect. The furniture was all white washed and vintage just like she had always pictured the perfect house. Damn them to hell and back.

  Now they were headed to the hospital, Stone had come in on the end of the grand tour and hadn’t known what to make of Boony either; the two huge bikers just seemed to take him in. Treat giggled the whole time. She was really going to need to thank Cajun and Slider for their present, he wasn’t only entertaining, but he had shown her some of his own IDs, which were amazing. He really could do what he said, which would come in helpful when they wanted to give a woman a new life.

  One other perk that Boony had was he could cut the sexual tension in half when he was around, mostly because the guys were focused on trying to decipher what the man was saying half the time so they didn’t focus on her. The other half, they were trying not to kill the little man who was extremely touchy feely. From the moment Treat released him, he had been touching her. The man threw an arm around her shoulder, grabbed her hand when they walked to the lean-to, and then kissed her on both cheeks, by then both of the guys were ready to thump the man, but he was so harmless it was too hard.

  The three bikes pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and Treat almost ditched her bike and ran for the entrance because she had seen her parents enter the front door of the hospital in their Sunday finest since her mother was wearing a dress and her father actual pants and not jeans. Shit, they were going to cause problems.

  Stone stopped right next to her as she swung her leg over the seat and then moved. “Hey, baby,” he said as she stormed by him, ignoring him.

  “Babe,” War called and stepped off his bike quickly and caught her arm. “Hey, slow down there.”

  “My parents are here,” she muttered and pulled her arm out of his hand and both men cursed under their breath, stalking with their long legs til they were right with Treat who seemed to be ready for battle.

  “I cannot believe them,” she muttered and then stepped into the lobby of the large hospital and looked around. “Shit, they are probably up on the floor by now.”

  War grabbed her arm and walked to the elevators. “Listen, we get up there you do not talk. We will handle it, you go to your sister.”

  “Like hell I will,” Treat snapped.

  Stone and War both moved to corner her in the elevator. “You will do what we say or you will go back to the compound. Right now, with all this shit you are planning, you do not need to draw attention to yourself, or Jilly. Now, before the doors open, what is it going to be? Are you letting us take point or are you gonna blow this situation sky high in a public place where we will be the ones who the cops will question.”

  Treat glared at the two men, she knew they were right, and it sucked. “Fine,” she muttered. “But if they make a scene, all bets are off. I can take the high road as long as they are not trying to be something they are not.”

  “Let us handle it,” Stone said firmly.

  The doors to the elevator opened and Treat reluctantly nodded sharply. Right when she stepped off, she saw her father and mother standing with the doctor whom she had already spoken to this morning. She had also told the doctor to not tell them anything, which thankfully he was apparently doing.

  “I am sorry,” the doctor said and looked over his shoulder with obvious relief when he saw Treat and the guys. “Ms. Thompson’s status is only able to immediate family members who she placed on the list last night when she was admitted. You are not on there.”

  “I am her father,” their dad said calmly, playing the pa
rt of the concerned parent. “Her mother and I have been worried sick, we just want to see her and talk to her. Our grandson is missing, and we don’t know where he is, we are going to have to call the police since her husband has been out all night looking for him.”

  The doctor moved aside as War and Stone stepped forward while Stone guided her around her parents and then gently pushed her toward her sister’s room that was currently being guarded by Match again.

  She frowned ‘cause she wanted to listen and argue with her parents but Match raised an eyebrow and motioned with his head to come over to him. With a sigh, she went, but she didn’t walk into the room, she turned to listen.

  “The doctor got to them before they even got to the door, he had just walked out,” Match whispered into her ear. She nodded slightly and just leaned back, seeking a little comfort. Seeing her parents pissed her the fuck off, but it also brought up some bad memoires. Match seemed to understand, he put an arm around the front of her shoulders, putting his arm under her chin, enabling her to rest her chin on it.

  “I was just explaining to Ms. Thompson’s parents, that due to the new HIPPAA laws, if you are not on the list placed by the patient, I cannot tell them anything. Now, if you will excuse me please, I have other patients,” he said to the parents who were standing with their mouths open.

  “Wait a minute,” her father said and the doctor turned back and frowned.