Taking Avery: A Lilith's Army MC Novel

by Ker Dukey

  I always had to be wary of how my father would react to my actions, and my dreams for that matter. And, as I told Slade, I knew my father would never have allowed school if it wouldn’t benefit him in some way. I’m not sure in which way it would be any advantage to him. Nevertheless, I’m under no illusion that he would not profit from my education.

  “Kiss me,” Slade orders, confusing me for a moment with his sudden demand. But when I hear Scorch approaching, I lock my lips with his and kiss him with a realistic fury.

  His large hand grips my breast and I wince at the pain from such a harsh squeeze. But his kiss soothes the ache when he slips his tongue between my lips and brings all my thoughts back to the fierceness of his mouth on mine. It’s like he is idolizing me with just his kiss, the devotion and dedication he abuses my mouth with making me squirm in need. I have never felt anything like it. I’m not even sure I like him having this much control over me. I don’t want him to arouse me. I want to hate him. But I find myself intrigued by him. He isn’t like any other biker. Even the fact that he drinks lemon tea is totally uncharacteristic, and some of the words he uses are so widely divergent that I sometimes forget he’s the son of the Lilith’s Army president. Although, he does still have a roughness about him; that dominant and imposing personality that all bikers have. It’s like being in the company of Jekyll and Hyde, and I’m not sure I can keep up with the ever-changing sides of him.

  “So,” Scorch looks at me, passing me a beer when Slade finally breaks our kiss. “Where did you two meet?”

  “A bar,” I answer simply.

  “Oh yeah? Which one?”

  “Jenny’s,” Slade interjects when I can’t help but pause.

  Knowing Scorch picked up on my hesitation, I narrow my eyes at Slade. “Was it? I thought it was that new place by Widow’s Creek. Jesus, how wasted was I?”

  He laughs, his eyes once again showing that I had pleased him with my quick thinking. “You were totally wasted, princess.”

  I giggle. “I remember your pick up line though.”

  He bites into his lip, smirking. “Go on then.”

  “It was sooo lame, Slade.” I turn to Scorch and roll my eyes. “If you were a booger, I’d pick you first.”

  “Fuck’s sake!” Scorch howls, slapping his thigh. “I’m surprised she didn’t fuck you over and steal your wallet after that!”

  Slade shrugs, the small flash of fire in his eyes making me feel smug. “Ah, I thought it was quite appropriate.”

  “Appropriate?” I scoff. “How?”

  “Cos’ you were wearing that cute green skirt. You know the one, the leather one that only just covers your ass. I remember dancing with you, and I swear it was so short that I could have slipped my dick all the way up your ass right in the middle of that dancefloor and no one would have known.”

  Feigning indignation, I gasp. “I happen to think I look good in that skirt!”

  He grins, a great big dirty smirk. “It looked better on my floor the next morning.”

  I roll my eyes.

  Our banter seems to have appeased Scorch’s uncertainty over our relationship and he relaxes into the sofa. “Well, I’ll be honest,” he says, “I’m not sure I like you taking my brother away from me, but I like ya’.”

  Shaking my head, I say, “Hey. I’m not Slade’s keeper. I’m his old lady, not his brother.”

  Another concealed squeeze of my thigh tells me I’ve said the right thing again. Maybe this won’t be as hard as I think. Maybe I’ve been panicking for nothing.

  This could work. I’ll never fall in love with Slade, but if this sham of a marriage keeps the peace between the Cutters and Lilith’s Army then who am I to try and fight it? I pray that it’s bearable, and it seems to be going okay so far. I have to wonder what’s to come when Slade finally gets bored of me though. When we’re a few weeks into our marriage and he doesn’t feel like he has to act anymore. Who will he become then? And furthermore, who the hell will I become?

  The Prez stares at me, his eyebrow elevated in question.

  “Went okay.”

  His nod is as somber as his expression. “I appreciate this, Slade.”

  “I’d give my life for the club, Prez. You know that.”

  “I do, son. Shame your brother doesn’t share your loyalty.”

  I wince, the shame Brenner brought on him blatant in the heaviness of his tone. “He’ll get there one day.”

  My dad scoffs but refrains from argument with a slow shake of his head. “We’ll have to make the announcement soon. Brothers are already talking.”

  Well, that was a given. I had brought Avery back to the club rather than going home to my place, just to check in and get some updates from my dad. The shocked gawps and low whispers when I’d asked Denise, Bomber’s old lady, to watch over her while I speak to the Prez in private, hadn’t been surprising. But what had been unexpected was the anger in the pit of my gut with each look of hunger that had followed her around. Fuck that shit. Avery is mine, and it’s unwritten law that no brother will touch her.

  “So, what’s she like?”

  I muse over that question for a moment before replying, “Erratic. She’s nothing like any woman I’ve ever known before.”

  His laugh is hearty and loud, and slapping me on the back, he gives me a wink. “Tough ones to bed down are always the best.”

  I chuckle, and needing to change the direction, I tip my head. “You heard from Brig?”

  “Should I have? He knows nothing about his princess being here.”

  I scoff at his term for Avery. “He’s been in touch with her, but as far as I know, she hasn’t told him shit about anything.”

  He twists his lips, stunned by my revelation.

  “Yeah. Came as a shock for me too. Thought she’d have sold us out big time.”

  Prez deliberates his own ideas for a moment then shrugs. “Kid knows it could start a war. A war the Cutters would lose their shit to. Head on her shoulders, that one. And resilient. Not many kids would give up their freedom like that.”

  “No.” I can’t help but feel a little resentful. “Just me and her then, huh?”

  A fist rattles the door before it flies open. Copper’s face is red as he tries to suck air into his lungs. “Prez, shit’s gone down. Stormy…”

  “What the fuck?” I stiffen with dread. “He okay?”

  Copper bites into his bottom lip, his pale face telling me that Stormy is far from okay.

  “He was just shopping. Just fuckin’ grocery shopping,” Copper explains, his voice shaky and weird. “They… I don’t fuckin’ know what went down, but he’s been stabbed. And not just once. It’s bad, man.”

  “Fuck!” Prez hisses, grabbing his jacket. “Where is he?”

  “Rosie Steele’s.”

  “What the fuck’s he doing at Rosie Steele’s? That’s in the next county, not the nearest hospital!”

  Copper shrugs. “I dunno. Just took the call, Prez. I didn’t have time to ask questions.”

  Prez shoots him a glare, Copper’s tone disrespectful yet understandable. “Get Kiwi to rally,” he orders. “I’ll update you as and when.”

  Copper nods then turns to me when I grab my cut from the back of the chair. “We’ll take care of your woman, Frost.”

  I nod.

  Avery stares at me with confusion when Prez and I stride out of his office and across the room toward the door. Her mouth is slightly parted and she looks panicked, realizing I’m leaving her. Knowing I need to make a declaration in front of my brothers, I change direction and walk over to her.

  Her eyes flash when I take her chin in my fingers and lift her face so her gaze meets mine. “Gotta deal with something, princess. The brothers will respect you, but, even so, stick with Denise.”

  For a split second, she looks torn, fear dancing in her eyes, but sensing my distress, she nods quickly. “Okay. I’ll be fine. Go.”

  Bruising her lips, I kiss her hard, cupping the back of her head to hold her stea
dy. There’s a murmur of gasps and titters around the room, but I barely hear them. I’m lost in the feel of her lips against mine, the deep sense of calm from her touch both confusing me and soothing me.

  She’s breathless when I finally pull away, and the chaos in her eyes tells me she felt everything I just felt.

  “I’ll be back soon. Keep strong, princess.”

  She nods and gives me a soft smile. “Keep safe, Slade.”

  There’s more tubes and wires inserted into Stormy than appears skin. The docs have induced a coma so his body can heal better.

  From what we can gather from a few bystanders, horrified by the violence they’d been witness to, he’d been jumped in the Walmart parking lot. Thing was, from their accounts, it didn’t sound like it had been Cutters. Prez had let out a sigh of relief about that, the peace between us already hanging by a thread, especially when the news of Avery and I tying the knot gets to Brig.

  Stormy’s chest lifts and drops rhythmically, each forced rush of oxygen the machine pumps into his lungs telling me he’s still alive. For now. Prez sits in a chair by his side, concern and worry giving his eyes even more lines.

  “Docs say he’s gonna make it, Prez.”

  He doesn’t answer me, just continues to glance from the monitors then back to Stormy’s face.

  “We need to step up the hunt for his old lady. His kids need to be fucking here.” I grunt.

  This time he does answer me, but it’s with a deep growl of anger. “Bitch needs to step up, not us.”

  “I’ll see what I can come up with. Some fucker is hiding her. No one just vanishes into thin air. There’ll be a trail somewhere.”

  “Doesn’t make sense, Slade. Stormy’s a fucker, but he ain’t got enemies that would come after him like this.”

  I nod, agreeing with him. “You think his wife has something to do with it?”

  His lips twist and he clicks his tongue. “Thought did occur to me. Never hurt a bitch, but I swear I’ll gut her if this is her shit.”

  Laying my hand on his shoulder, I give it a light squeeze. As much as my old man can be a ruthless bastard, his love for each brother is admirable. I hope, when the time comes, I’ll be as good a president as he’s been.

  “I’ll update the club and get a crew finding out what the fuck went on. I need to settle Avery in, but I’ll be back.”

  He nods, his attention on Stormy’s swelling and deflating chest. I don’t know if he heard me, but it doesn’t really matter. He knows I’m with him and I’ll take care of things in his absence.

  As I turn to leave, I’m shocked frozen by the sight of Marie, Stormy’s old lady, standing in the doorway. Her fearful gaze is on her husband, her face pale and her whole body trembling as she uses the doorframe to support herself.

  “Well, fuck.”

  My old man turns around when he hears the shock in my voice. His lip curls with hatred and I snatch out my hand to grab him when he shoots out of his chair. “Not now. Not here.”

  Marie finally looks to me, and the heartache in her eyes confuses me. “Frost, I…”

  Dropping my dad’s arm, I reach out for Marie when her knees buckle and she drops.

  “It’s okay. I’ve got ya’.”

  Her sobs fill my ears and hurt my heart.

  “Don’t give us no fucking crocodile tears, bitch,” Prez spits out. “You left the man high and dry, snatching his fucking kids away from him!”

  Marie shakes her head as I lower her into the seat beside Stormy. Hesitantly, she takes his hand in hers and gently curls her fingers around it. “You don’t understand.”

  “Then fucking enlighten us!” Prez growls. His body is tense, ready to pounce on her. I stand close, ready to pull him back if needed.

  Marie sighs. It’s then I notice how thin she’s become in the six weeks she’s been AWOL. Her face is pale and covered in blemishes, and exhaustion leaks from every pore. She keeps her gaze on Stormy as she speaks. “I did something stupid.” Her voice is quiet and I still to listen. A fresh sob rips from her and she lowers her face in shame. “I… uhh…” She glances up at Prez and grimaces. “I’m sorry, Tank. I didn’t know what to do.”

  “About?”

  Swallowing, she turns back to Stormy. “I… I have a gambling addiction.”

  Closing my eyes, I sigh. “Fuck.”

  She nods. “I just thought that if I kept going, my luck had to change soon. But it didn’t. I tried but just got deeper and deeper. And then Terry said…”

  “Wait! Terry Drabble?” I ask, referring to the cunt of all fucking loan sharks.

  Again, she nods with even more shame. “I missed a payment and he put interest on it. He said every day I was late more interest would be added. It went fucking crazy.”

  “Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?”

  Tears spill down her cheeks when she looks up at me. “I was ashamed! Stormy has given his life for me. I love him. His respect means more than anything to me.”

  I nod. I get that. Stormy loved Marie like fucking crazy, that’s why it had been a shock when she’d taken off.

  “So…?” I urge her on.

  “So…” She bites into her lip as a choked whimper makes her turn away again. “Terry offered me a way out.”

  The way she closes her eyes in distress tells me everything I need to know.

  “Fuck, Marie.”

  She nods. “Yeah. I fucked him.”

  “Jesus!” Prez sighs, running his hands through his hair.

  “I thought it would be okay, that once the debt was settled I could go back to being happy. Stormy wouldn’t ever have to know and we’d just get on with life. But I couldn’t cope with the guilt. It ate me up! Every time Stormy looked at me the way he did, I wanted to tear my heart out. Every time he slid inside me, I knew I had tainted what had been so special, what had always been his. The pain of it became unreal. The guilt was fucking consuming me.”

  “So you left.”

  She nods. “I just want him to be happy. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. He deserves so much better than me.”

  “That may be, Marie,” Prez cuts in. “But that’s for Stormy to decide. You shoulda been honest from get-go. Stormy’s a good one. One of my best.”

  “Don’t you think I know that? This will break him. It will take away the core of the man I fell in love with!”

  “How are the kids?” I ask.

  “They hate me and miss their daddy.”

  Dropping to crouch in front of her, I lay my hand on her arm. “You think Terry did this?”

  She shrugs. “I don’t know. My debt was paid, so why would he? Doesn’t make sense.”

  “No.” I sigh and look to my father. “But at least it gives us a place to start.”

  “Get on it,” my old man orders.

  “You gonna be okay with Marie?” I ask quietly as I pull him to one side.

  He looks at Marie but then relents and nods his head. “She’s a stupid bitch, but that doesn’t make her a bad one. It’s up to Stormy what happens to her, not me.”

  I nod in agreement. “I’ll give Terry a visit. I got validation?”

  He nods firmly, my question of whether I can wipe the motherfucker out or not answered without a single word.

  Taking another glance at my sleeping brother, I feel the stir of revenge bubble in my gut. It would be good to let some of this pent-up frustration out, and better on Terry than on some dumb bitch who’d quickly open her legs for me. I don’t acknowledge the feeling of guilt at the thought of screwing someone other than my old lady. I just put that down to the need for vengeance.

  I’m just about to breathe fresh air and get the sting of whatever shit they use to clean these floors with out of my nostrils when I’m shoulder-barged, the hit almost knocking me into some poor woman carrying a kid.

  “What the fuck?” I growl.

  The red-rimmed eyes of the county sheriff greet me. “Watch where you’re walking.” He sneers. I want to retort with some wisecrack but he
looks like shit, and I know why. He’s also flanked by another officer who’s glaring at me, wanting me to give him an excuse to shoot me.

  “We will need to speak to you,” he adds, giving me his full attention.

  I pull a cigarette from the packet and tap it on the box. “About?” I quirk a brow and stick the white nicotine stick in my mouth.

  “The road rash we brought in earlier,” he goads. He’s talking about Stormy like he’s a piece of shit stuck to his over-polished shoe.

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about. I’m here visiting my grandmother.” I smile tightly.

  His eyes narrow on me, and something is calculating about the way he stares, knocking like a woodpecker at my head for answers I don’t have for him; or I do, but would go to ground before spilling them.

  “He was wearing your colors. Do you want to find out what happened to him?”

  “Anyone wearing our colors is our concern. Trust me on that.”

  His jaw tightens and he nods. “Oh, I know. Trust me on that.”

  Before I can dissect what the fuck just went down, he blows past me and disappears inside. Fucking perfect.

  Being inside a clubhouse isn’t new to me, but this one feels different somehow. I’m used to being known by everyone and mostly ignored unless I want something, but right now, everyone is staring at me like I’m a fucking wizard about to perform magic tricks for them.

  “Don’t sweat it, darlin’. They just never seen Frost with a girl before.” Denise smirks, pouring a drink and offering it to me. I shake my head. She shrugs and tips the glass back, swallowing the contents and hissing when the amber liquid disappears down her throat.

  What did she mean ‘never seen Frost with a girl’? Is he into men? No way.