by Jayne Blue
I couldn’t wait to watch The Judge deal with Ridge’s positive i.d. of the Devil’s Hawks.
I did have one bit of advice for Cruz while we waited for the shooting case.
“You need to bring it all into one location,” I said.
“What do you mean?”
“Your club and your businesses need to be within spitting distance. Last night, you were lucky Jules was there with water. If your Wolf Den were next door, Devil’s Hawks would never have had the stones to torch you. You’d be right there to shut that shit down.”
“Yeah. I know you’re right.”
“If we hadn’t been warned that shop would have burned to the ground and all the clients’ property with it.”
“That would have been the death blow to the Great Wolves Southwood.” Cruz was a realist. He knew the situation. He knew they were hanging by a thread, and that thread was fraying.
“You have enough space there at the shop. Start planning. Make a new Wolf Den there.”
“What about cash?”
“You’ll have it. You’ve got two earners started, the security and the garage. In six months, if we keep Devil’s Hawks from fucking with you again, the new Wolf Den will pay for itself.”
“Shit if we could get a liquor license we could earn from that too.” Cruz was thinking. That was good. He needed to keep thinking and move from survival to thrive mode for his guys and their future.
Something in the air shifted and I knew Jules was in the room. I looked at the back of the courtroom, and there she was, Jules. But she wasn’t looking at me. The Judge was smiling at her. Were those false teeth? Probably.
I muscled down the urge to vomit, and again, realizing what she was enduring, made me more determined to get her out.
The Judge read the file. The three fuckers who Ridge pointed out were all there. The orange jumpsuits looked good on them. Boone, Dirt, and Headlock looked just like I remembered them when I’d fucked all three of them up on the side of the road.
And now they’d shot Ridge, set the fucking shop on fire, and they came within inches of hurting Jules, all in one night. They were busy assholes for sure. The Judge spoke, he had a deep voice, it was clear, and it was as if everything he said was the law. I was about to learn how true that was.
“No positive i.d., dark conditions, and an unreliable witness?” The Judge said it all like it was fact. He scribbled something on the file.
“Insufficient evidence to hold them. Tanner, you could maybe not bring this flimsy stuff in front of me. Waste of the court’s time.” The Judge was addressing the prosecutor who looked resigned to the situation. What the fuck did he mean, no positive i.d., Ridge had it on lock.
This was the way it worked here apparently. The Judge said what fact was. Even it was bullshit.
I looked again, and Jules was gone. Shit.
I stormed up to the prosecutor, Greg Tanner, The Judge had said.
“What’s he talking about unreliable witness? My guy has a bullet hole in his side.”
“Your guy is a known gang banger with a prior. And he lost blood last night, was weak, in shock.”
“Ridge? You’re shitting me, right? Fifteen years ago, possession. That’s hardly a reason to throw this out. And are you the prosecutor or a parrot?”
“The three men he accused have completely clean records.” Boone, Dirt, and Headlock filed past me. They were on their way to being released free and clear. Each looked at me with a smile
They were going to walk. I couldn’t fucking believe it.
Cruz put a hand on my shoulder.
“Ease up. This is what we’re dealing with here. All the time. They’ll find a way to put you in jail, and it will miraculously stick.” Cruz said. The prosecutor left me speechless with Cruz. They were fighting dirty here no question.
“Look, I want to help. I do. But The Judge, well you saw. If you get me something else. Something solid.” Tanner looked honest. He looked like he wanted to help. But in the end, he couldn’t do dick if The Judge let every suspect walk.
The Judge had called a lunch recess, and I wondered where Jules was. Where had she gone after the ruling? I wanted to connect with her, reassure her that I’d come up with something. Even though I didn’t know what the fuck to do with a corrupt judge and this Goddamn evil club.
I didn’t have to wonder about her father.
He was outside the courtroom to collect his piece of shit crew.
He had black hair, black jeans, black leather, and a fucking black heart for sure. Gray streaks looked like steel in his hair. He had a mean look about him. There was a snarl on his lips for anyone who dared to meet his eye. He liked having everyone under his boot. He counted on the fact that everyone was afraid of him.
Except I wasn’t. I’d take him on right now.
Sonny Maldonado walked up to me. Calm as you, please. His voice was ravaged by years of smoking. A Marlboro was hanging from his lips as he spoke to me for the first time.
“Ryder. That your name? Let me tell you something Ryder. This is our town. Cruz here is a reject from my club. And now he’s collected a whole shitty little band of pussies who couldn’t cut it. You’re new here. So I’m going to let you in on something. I run this town. I run The Judge, and I decide who fucks my daughter.”
That had me seeing red. I charged at him and my fist found his nose. Blood spewed from it and then he gave it back, landing a punch on my jaw. I felt the flesh inside my cheek open.
Before I knew it, Cruz was pulling me back, and Headlock was doing the same for Sonny Maldonado.
“Fuck you, Maldonado.” I spit a chunk of blood and gristle from my mouth and onto the sidewalk. He wiped a streak of blood from his nose and laughed at me.
Cruz held me a vice grip. I was ready to go again, finish it right here. Nice to meet you, Daddy, let me kick your fucking ass, was running through my mind.
“You aren’t making shit better with this,” Cruz said to me under his breath to me.
“Listen to Cruz Ryder. Remember I decide who’s in the cage with my daughter.” He looked up, and I followed his eye line.
That’s when I saw what he wanted me to see. Above us, I could see the courthouse window, and Jules was there. She didn’t see us or wasn’t looking. Her eyes were somewhere else. Maybe her soul was too.
The Judge stood behind her. He put his wrinkly old lips on her neck, his creepy hand stroked her bare arm. And then he reached up and shut the blind. I threw up in my mouth.
“You son of a bitch,” I said, and Maldonado laughed and turned away from us as if I wasn’t going to murder him in the street. I would have, and Cruz knew it. He tightened his grip on me and pushed me up against the building.
“Ryder, RYDER stop.”
“That fucker. He can’t…” I was sputtering. I saw spots. I tried to watch Maldonado drive away on his bike, but Cruz was in my face.
“Let’s go. Not now. Not on the street.” Cruz was trying to get me to be sensible. I didn’t feel sensible at all. I could see still Sonny Maldonado laughing, and I would forever see that Judge with his lips on Jules.
This had to end.
I had to get her free. I had to get this town free of the fucking Devil’s Hawks.
And I had to do it fast.
Chapter Twenty
Jules
Part of me hoped that Ryder was right. That The Judge would put Daddy’s worst three minions in jail and throw away the key. But only a small part of me hoped that. Most of me understood that it wouldn’t happen.
I watched them all walk free and knew there was no way out. Not the way Ryder thought of it anyway.
I was to meet The Judge in his office after his morning docket was cleared. This was my job now. Meeting Richard Wexler whenever he needed me to meet him. My Daddy thought it was too funny if he thought of me at all.
I was squared away. Daddy had me trapped. I was the ultimate payoff for The Judge doing what Daddy wanted.
I looked around at the office, a
nd there was a photo of Richard being sworn in as a judge. It was dated twenty-five years ago. The same amount of time that Daddy had been the Prez of the Devil’s Hawks. He’d been a young president, my mom had told me, and now I knew why. His ruthlessness combined with a judge in his pocket made him the king of this world. A king that no one crossed until me.
But it wasn’t long until he had me right where he needed me again.
I thought I could do it. I thought I could marry The Judge. I would still have my jewelry business, and that would be enough.
It would have to be enough. But seeing Ryder again made me realize it would never be enough. I needed to be free. I needed to stop Daddy.
But how?
My mind raced. Daddy would never let me out of this deal. He would haul me back here if I ran and he’d kill anyone who tried to help me.
I had to do it on my own. I heard The Judge in the hall talking to his secretary.
“No interruptions for an hour Irene while I’m having lunch with Juliet.”
I turned to stare out the window. Southwood was Daddy’s territory. The town was under his thumb and thanks to The Judge the Devil’s Hawks had run wild here. The unholy bargain Daddy and The Judge had made had to have cost Daddy a lot of money over the years. Part of what they stole went right to The Judge’s coffers.
“Hello, delicious.” I stared into nothingness as The Judge lifted my hair and kissed my neck. His fingers were tight around my arm. I was there every day now for his lunch time. Sometimes he wanted to play with me, his favorite toy, others, he just wanted me there.
I stared out over the town, at nothing, at the sky, as he slid the blinds closed. This meant he wanted to play with me.
“Dear I need to sit.” He dragged me behind him as he sat down in the big leather chair behind his impressive mahogany desk. He put down the files he’d carried into the room and had me sit on top of the same desk as well. What would he want to look at today?
“How was your morning?” I asked. A plan was starting to form in my head as The Judge glued his eyes to my breasts.
“Oh, just a few easy decisions that will keep us both happy.” The Judge slid me forward so he could sit comfortably and look at me.
“Really? With Daddy’s Club?” The Judge nodded and flicked at the top button of my blouse. I’d broken a rule. Buttons were difficult for his old fingers. He had me take over.
“Yes. Faster dear. I want to enjoy my lunch.” I undid my blouse, and he sat and stared. I’d learned to always wear a bra since our first encounter. Sometimes it even stayed on.
As I sat, with him staring, my plan got firmer even if The Judge couldn’t.
“You’re the first person who I ever felt safe with Richard,” I said. And slowly I stood up and positioned myself on his lap. I was careful to keep my weight on chair’s arms. The Judge was frail. He was old. And he was mine. Not Daddy’s. That was my revelation. My weapon.
“I’m so glad puppet.” He said. I took the food I’d brought him for lunch and fed it to him a bit at a time while sitting, blouse open, on his lap. The glaze I’d seen in his eyes was my opportunity.
“Do you miss the money?” I said and put a pout on my face.
“No, your Daddy paid me plenty over the years, and I invested wisely. You are a much better arrangement.”
“Are you sure?” And I used every ounce of my focus to shift the power I had with The Judge. I had the power dammit. I reached to the front of my bra and unclipped the front. I spilled out right in front of his nose. It was evil. It was calculated. I knew it. But it was my way out. I knew that now too.
“I’m very sure.” The Judge was looking at me as if I was his lunch now. I’d never been so forward with him. I’d never taken the initiative I’d only passively took his hands, mouth, and eyes on me.
This seemed to be all that was required to keep him wrapped around my finger. But I needed more. I needed trust and information.
So I took it further.
“Richard, will you let me re-decorate your office?” I asked as he struggled to swallow a piece of the sandwich I’d packed him.
“Why in the world? It’s fine as it is.”
“I just want it to be nice for you. And I want to be useful,” I said.
“It’s extra work child, you don’t want to work.” I swallowed hard and decided to make sure Richard said yes to everything I wanted.
“I just want to make you happy since you make me feel so safe.” I grabbed the glass of water he had on the desk.
I let the condensation drip onto my chest. The Judge licked his lips.
“You make me very, very happy. And do whatever you want. I’ll tell Irene to give you a key.” Richard leaned in and lapped up the water droplet that had settled on the juncture between my breasts. I was in control of him.
I was completely grossed out. But I’d done it. I’d convinced him to let me be here in his office without him.
“Here Richard let me help you.” I took one of his arthritic hands into mine and slowly used my strong fingers to massage his painful joints.
“Heavenly, simply heavenly.” He placed his head on my chest as I continued to work on his gnarled knuckles. He breathed heavily on my nipples, and I heard him giggle. He used his other hand to inch up my skirt. His hand stayed on my outer thigh. He never asked to go further than that. I hoped to God that stayed the case. I hoped to God he still planned to keep me “pure” until the wedding night.
And as I suspected he would, eventually he closed his eyes and fell asleep as though I was his human pillow, with one hand on my thigh.
I didn’t care. He couldn’t do more than paw and drool. But I could do a lot more. In this very room.
I just needed enough time for my plan to work. As far as anyone else was concerned, I was loyal to The Judge and no one else. But more than that The Judge trusted me.
After his lunch hour was over my plan was solidified. I finally had a way out. Or at least a chance at one.
But I was afraid to tell Ryder. And he didn’t make it easy for me.
Ryder was waiting for me at my place.
“I’m getting you out of here,” he said.
“I told you The Judge and Daddy are tight.” Ryder was as mad as I’d ever seen him. He raised voice and stalked around the room. My easy going biker beach bum had hit the limits of his patience. But I still needed more.
“I don’t care. I don’t care about Great Wolves or Devil’s Hawks or any of it. I only care that I get you out of here. That Judge had all the evidence he needed and didn’t do dick. You can’t fight these people.”
“I need you to trust me.” Ryder was as mad as I’d ever seen him. Even angrier than when he’d first confronted me in this very room about leaving him.
“I do trust you. I don’t trust them. Let me just put you on my bike. We’ll get out of Michigan, out of the country if we need to.”
“So you’re willing to leave your club?”
“I am. It’s not even a question.”
“I am not going to be the one who pulls you out of your club.”
“It’s not up to you. We’re going,” Ryder was desperate to get me out of the situation. I was desperate too. I’d learned my lesson about running without a solid plan. It would fail. I would fail, and Daddy would win.
“Nothing has been up to me, except running to you. I love you. But if you love me you’ll listen to what I want to do.”
“Wait. You what?” Ryder’s emotions shifted from pleading and desperation to utter surprise. His panther-like stalking around my loft stopped. I’d blurted what should have been softly delivered with a kiss or a Hallmark card. Blurt. And then I did it again.
“I love you.”
“I love you too Jules,” Ryder walked toward me and took my face in his hands, “So much. More than anything.”
Ryder put his lips on mine. They were warm, soft, and so tender. It was beautiful. And it was right. It was an “I Love You” kiss. So many of ours were, “I Want You
” kisses. Also good, but this kiss was deeper. It told me it really was Ryder and me against the world.
I pulled back and looked at his face. He was so handsome it took my breath away. But it was his eyes. Where Daddy’s eyes were cruel and mocking. Ryder’s eyes were kind. There was a smile in them for me always. There was a smile in them for most the people he met.
He may be a biker but he was a different breed than Daddy, and I wanted to spend my life where he was.
“If we’re going to have a life together, and I want that Ryder. I learned how much I want that these least six months. If we’re going to have a life together, I need to take Daddy down.”
“You want me to kill him? Because I fucking will.”
“No, I don’t want you to ruin your life. We’re going to put Daddy away.”
“How? The Judge is in his pocket.”
“No, The Judge is in my pocket.” Ryder looked at me with suspicion, but he was going to have to trust me if this was going to work.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ryder
I loved and hated Jules’s plan. But it was the best one we had so I agreed. My part of it was easy. And I relished it. But her part? I hoped I could survive the shit she was going to have to deal with.
The Great Wolves MC in Southwood was going to fuck with the Devil’s Hawks. I checked in with Sawyer and let him know what was going down.
“I’m going to get under his skin.”
“Sounds like you are already, or were with that daughter.” Sawyer pointed out.
“It’s going to get ugly for a few days, but that’s the point.”
“There’s no brokering a peace? Split the town or some sort of compromise?” It was Sawyer’s job to look at all the options.
“I’ve got all the club here on board. They’ve been terrorized by Devil’s Hawks for decades. And it’s gotten worse the more they’ve gotten legit. They actually have more members because of the rep of the Great Wolves name but the Hawks have intensified their bullshit. There will be no peace between these clubs if Sonny Maldonado is in charge.”
“Ok. You’re not the Prez there but you know I hold you responsible for those brothers.”