Woods (Aces MC Series Book 5)

by Aimee-Louise Foster

  "Do you mind if I don't talk," I asked Cade in a way of explaining that I wasn't up for making conversation for the sake of it.

  He sniggered, "That's fine with me babe, I ain't the chatty type anyway."

  "Thank you." It made the rest of the journey in the confines of the van more bearable now that I'd cleared the air.

  Before long Cade pulled up outside my house, "Thanks for the ride, I really appreciate it."

  "You're welcome babe but if you encounter anymore trouble just give one of us a call."

  I smiled and opened the door to slither from the seat, it had been another eventful day but I was now pleased that I was home.

  I opened the door, Doris lifted her head to see who was entering and then settled back down in her basket. She wouldn't do much if I were a burglar anyway, she'd probably lick them to death. I was still feeling a little shaky after today's events, I wanted to be in the sanctuary of my own room, which had quickly become my haven.

  I eagerly made my way upstairs and entered the room as I did I breathed in the familiar smell making me feel a little safer. I striped from my clothes and immediately reached for my comfortable pyjamas, I wasn't going out this evening so it didn't matter what I was wearing. I was consumed in my own thoughts that I didn't hear the door open, I just saw the reflection in the window and turned grabbing my jewellery box in the process and threw it towards the doorway.

  "What the fuck?"

  "Get out," I screamed not recognising my own voice as I picked up my hairdryer and threw it at him also.

  "Lauren what the fuck's going on?" I burst into tears and collapsed on the floor retching letting everything come out.

  "Come here babe," Mark made his way across my bedroom and sat beside me, wrapping me in his arms to hold me close. His smell was powerful, his smell was safe like my bedroom. I knew that if Mark was around no one else could hurt me and I allowed myself to totally relax in his arms and cry like I'd never cried before. The snot dripped from my nose and my tears joined the stream but he didn't care, he cradled me in his arms like he had done since I was a baby. Mark smoothed my hair and pushed it from my face in a caring motion that only a big brother could do. We sat in comfortable silence and my heavy breathing was the only thing that could now be heard.

  "You okay babe?" he asked still soothing my head. I simply nodded, I wasn't ready to talk. "I spoke to James about this recently, he said it's perfectly natural. Grief can come out years later in a number of different ways. You just have to remember that I'm always here should you need to talk. I miss them every day the same as you and we need to be supportive of each other forever in order to get through this."

  Mark thought I was crying over the loss of our parents but I allowed him to think that because it was just easier. It also meant that if I were quiet or just wanted time alone, I could do so without too many questions being asked.

  "I've been asked to go away again by the club babe but if you need me here you only need to say and I'm sure Duke will understand." He looked at me with so much love.

  I managed a small smile, "I'm fine Mark I'm just being silly. You scared me and I just reacted to the situation and let emotions get the better of me. I've got so many people to look out for me while you're away and I'll be busy studying for my exams anyway."

  "Only if you're sure." I could see that he was stuck between a rock and a hard place but I also enjoyed having space and didn't want him fussing around me.

  "I'm sure," I wiggled from his embrace and leaned on the bed to help me stand. Mark continued to sit on the floor, he pulled his knees up and hugged them close to his chest.

  "Despite everything, I just want you to know that I've tried my best." His statement took me by surprise, I'd never questioned anything regarding Mark's commitment. "It hasn't been easy. I lived on my own for a long time, doing my own thing before you came to live with me and then all of a sudden I was responsible for another person. Now don't get me wrong, I've absolutely loved having you here and because of you I've had to sort my act out which is a good thing but what I'm trying to say and I know I'm making a complete hash of it, is that we're both hurting but we're stronger together."

  "Come here you big softy," I held out my hands for him to take and helped pull him up from the floor. Wrapping my arms around his middle I held him tight and squeezed, "I love you to the moon and back, you know that right?" I felt movement but I couldn't see his reaction from where my head was positioned. I squeezed him again, "I can't hear you!"

  He sniggered, "Yes I know that you love me."

  "Well good because I do and I can't fault anything that you've done for me over the years. So stop being so soft, you're supposed to be a big burly biker for god's sake."

  It was his turn to now squeeze me, "Cheeky bitch." His phone bleeped and he loosened his arms to read the text. He sighed, "I've gotta get going babe you know the rules."

  "I know the rules, now go I've got studying to do."

  Mark placed a kiss on the top of my head and smiled as he slowly left the room. I removed my shoes and fell onto the bed letting my body sink into the mattress as thoughts of today ran through my mind. I hadn't contemplated bumping into Aiden at school but I would now need to be more careful through fear of another attack as I didn't think I'd be able to be as strong as I first thought.

  Woods

  "Are you sure this is the place?" I sneered as we walked further into the bar.

  "This is the address I was given," Recon sniggered. "You're such a snob, you worried you'll get your boots dirty."

  Fucking boots dirty, we'd need fumigating when we left this shit hole I thought to myself as I took in my surroundings including the clientele.

  "Hi babe, can I have two bottles of Becks when you're ready." The barmaid smiled uncomfortably and I caught her eye veer to the booth at the back of the bar near the toilets.

  I waited for her to get our drinks and turned to Recon, "What's going on at the back?"

  Recon glanced over my shoulder, "It looks like a bloke wearing a cut but I can't quite see from here."

  I nodded my head, we'd have to investigate because this was our territory and we couldn't have a patched member from a rival club on our turf.

  The barmaid placed our drinks on the bar, "£6.60 when you're ready."

  "While you're here love, can you tell me what you know about Amber?" Recon held up the most recent photograph we had of her.

  She took a look and shrugged, "Sorry I can't help you there, never seen her before in my life."

  "So how long you worked here then?" I asked knowing that Amber was doing the odd shift here and rented a room off the owner of this bar up until a month before her death.

  "I've been here around four years," she stated coldly not wanting to talk to us. "Is that all?"

  She was brave I'd give her that, "Yeah that's all for now!" I watched as she walked further down the bar and sat at a stool to flick through her magazine.

  "What's she hiding?"

  Recon shook his head, "I don't know yet."

  "So what's the plan of action?" I asked glancing around the bar.

  "I think we should hang around for a while and see what crops up." I caught him staring at a group of women who were giggling and looking over our way.

  "I'm just gonna take a piss," I stood groaning as my boots touched the sticky floor and made my way to the back of the bar. I glanced at the group in the furthest booth to see a young lad wearing another clubs colours. I groaned knowing that I'd have to say something, I just wanted to ask a few questions regarding Amber and get on my way but it was looking that my evening was going to be more eventful.

  I turned towards the group and folded my arms across my chest, "You have two options mate, you either give me your colours or I'm going to take them."

  He frowned and looked down at his cut. He was a member of the Skulls and although we didn't have any beef with them, we couldn't allow anyone to be in our territory without permission.

  "It's more tha
n my life's worth giving you these," he answered as if he had an option.

  I sniggered, "I don't think you understand the severity of the situation. Now I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt coz you're a probate for the Skulls but I want your colours and I need to see some ID."

  I had now piqued Recon's interest and he slowly made his way towards me. The probate gave me his wallet and I removed his driving licence. "Jarrod Baker," I handed back his wallet and took my mobile from my pocket to call Diesel.

  "What's up?"

  "We've come across a probate for the Skulls at the bar," I glanced in his direction to see Recon play with him like a cat would a mouse. He was man handling him and removing his colours roughly and I could see the anguish on the young lads face.

  "What's his name?"

  "Jarrod Baker."

  "Okay well you know what to do, take it and I'll call Flex to come and pick it up at a convenient time. If he doesn't put up a fight just give him a slap to remind him how fucking stupid he's been but I'm sure he'll get worse from his club."

  "Alright then mate."

  "Anything regarding Amber?"

  "Not a dicky bird, it's as if no one wants to talk about her."

  "Interesting, okay keep me posted of any other events." He ended the call and I returned my phone to my pocket. I heard a commotion and turned to see Recon holding the lad by the scruff of his neck and giving him a few slaps across his cheeks. Not hard enough to break anything but enough to scare.

  "I'm sorry I just didn't know," his head moved from side to side with every slap that Recon gave.

  "Well now you do and Flex ain't gonna be happy that we have this," he lifted his cut and shook it.

  "Right there's nothing else here that will help us, let's do one." I nodded towards the door and Recon followed. It was only then that I realised how quiet the bar had become as the punters watched the altercation.

  "For fucks sake, everywhere I go there's drama," Recon chuckled as I pushed on the door. A bloke dressed in protective leathers and wearing a full motorcycle helmet met me. He took one look at myself and Recon entering the car park from the bar and took off at speed. I glanced at Recon confused before I took chase. I was making ground on him when a bin flew over my head and caught the bloke's legs sending him flying through the air before he slid across the gravel. I scrambled on the ground and grabbed his legs to pin him before he could get away.

  "Get the fuck off, you're squashing me." That wasn't a bloke that was a bird, I quickly moved and lifted her visor but didn't recognise the girl.

  "What you doing running from us?" I asked getting to my feet and brushing down my jeans.

  "Oops you've got his boots dirty," Recon sniggered joining us. He held out his hand and she grasped it pulling herself to her feet.

  She unclasped her helmet and held it under her arm, "I thought you were someone else."

  "Who?" Recon asked aggressively.

  "That's none of your fucking business."

  She was fiery and brave to take on the two of us with such a mouth. "But I'm making it my business. You ran away from us so you're obviously hiding something!"

  "Not necessarily," she answered petulantly.

  Recon narrowed his eyes frustrated by her lack of respect, he was used to getting what he wanted especially from females.

  I snatched the photo from Recons pocket and unfolded it to show the young girl, "Do you know Amber?"

  "Yeah I know Amber, she used to work here. Spent most of her time fucked up on drugs but when she was clean she was alright."

  I was surprised how honest she was, "Do you know of anyone that may want to hurt her?"

  "Why is she injured?"

  I glanced at Recon before looking back at the girl, "She's dead."

  "Shit!" She seemed genuinely surprised but I was intrigued as to what she knew. "Have you spoken to her ex, apparently they didn't get on."

  I sniggered, "That's a fucking understatement." She cocked her brow, "It wasn't him."

  "She used to go off with a few punters, you know offered services to pay for her habit but like I say I didn't know her that well."

  "Okay..." I gestured with my hand asking for a name.

  "Jen," she replied.

  "Okay, well thank you Jen."

  We turned and walked back towards our motorcycles, "Erm lads, guys whatever your names are." I heard her jog after us. "Any chance you've seen this girl on your travels?" she took a flyer from her pocket and handed it to me. She was a good looking girl but she didn't ring any bells, I passed it to Recon for him to take a look also. "Who is she to you?"

  "My sister, she's been missing for a couple of weeks now." I saw a flash on sincerity and this was the first time she'd dropped her guard.

  "What's her story?" Recon asked.

  "Erm...I think she was running away from someone or if she hadn't been she should've."

  "And is that someone a member of a particular club?" Jen nodded and I understood.

  "Can I take this and ask some of the guys?" Recon held the flyer in his hand.

  "Would you do that for me? Thank you so much I really appreciate that." Her tone had now changed and I thought this may be the real Jen rather than the stuck up bitch we met earlier.

  "And that's your mobile number on the bottom should I find out anything." I shook my head understanding what Recon was playing at, her level of challenge had obviously intrigued him.

  "Yes and how should I get hold of you should I remember anything regarding Amber?"

  He smiled knowing that she may be interested, "The clubhouse, come to the clubhouse in Waltham Abbey and ask for Recon."

  "Okay and thank you once again."

  I strolled towards our motorcycles in silence, "What?"

  I turned to Recon, "What?" I shrugged with a smile on my face.

  "You want to say something I know you do."

  "Clubhouse, come to the clubhouse and ask for Recon." I air quoted taking the piss.

  He sniggered, "Well did you see her? A good looking bird in leather and can ride."

  "Yeah a sports bike," I sniggered.

  "Look if a girl can ride a girl can ride, you know what I'm saying?" he gyrated his hips mimicking a sex act. I shook my head, sometimes I'm sure that blokes' brains were in his pants.

  "Come on stop fucking about and let's get back to the clubhouse. I have a feeling they'll be waiting for that." I referred to the cut that Recon was folding and stuffing inside his cut.

  He smiled, "I think we're in for a fun evening."

  I let Recon enter the clubhouse first, he loved the drama and I was happy for him to tell the story of how we got the probate's colours. That would be a lesson learned very quickly for that poor lad and I wouldn't want to be in his shoes when he returned without it. The code was that you didn't give your colours to anyone not even for your old lady to hold, as they were sacred to you. Now I know that I would fight with every breath to keep mine so for a probate as the Skulls called their prospects to just hand it over, he'd most certainly get a kicking if not worse if they wanted to make an example of him.

  "Good evening lads," Recon held up the cut and threw it on top of the bar.

  Duke walked over to us, "What was he thinking?"

  "I don't know but it was as if he didn't know."

  Duke frowned, "Really?"

  "Yeah, look I may be talking completely out of turn but I think this was a test."

  "What do you mean?" Diesel had now pulled up a stool and sat at the bar.

  "We tell our prospects about territories and where you can and can't wear your colours. I just don't believe the Skulls wouldn't have told him. He'd been probating for the club for four months."

  Duke grasped his chin and rubbed it thoughtfully, "What they going to gain by doing it? I just don't understand talk to me, what are you thinking Woods?"

  "Despite all what's gone on and how friendly Flex pretends to be, I just don't trust him Duke. You know you had a feeling regarding Rev, well I have that fe
eling regarding Flex."

  "But we've had him and the club under surveillance for a long time now and nothing has come up that would concern me."

  "I'm not saying there should be, I'm just saying that I don't trust him."

  "Well I've said we'll meet him at the industrial estate." I was usually the person to sort out arrangements regarding meetings but the industrial estate in Waltham Cross was perfect for such a meeting.

  "What did he say, when you told him we'd taken the boys colours?" I asked taking a bottle of water from the fridge.

  "He wasn't amused, said we were taking the piss but I reminded him that actually the lad was taking the piss," Diesel chuckled.

  "Well this should be a fun meeting." Recon rested his feet on one of the stools, "Who you taking?"

  "We're gonna have a few of us there but we're high profile so I don't want us all to have toys." Duke was right, we couldn't all carry just in case we were pulled over but it was protocol that the Sergeant at Arms and prospects were armed.

  "I want Recon, Buster, Cade and Ramsey with toys and the rest of you can be a little nondescript with blades. Should you wish to take other weapons that's up to you but I'm not being responsible should you get caught."

  "Woods look over this for me, we put this together quickly but can you see any issues?" I glanced over the map they'd put together. There were men on each side of the car park, a car to block off their exit and two further vehicles in strategic positions should we need to chase.

  "Looks fine to me but I'd put a look out here and here," I said pointing to the drawing. I knew the estate well and there was a blind spot, I didn't want us being caught unawares.

  "Okay we can do that." Duke glanced at his watch, "Right we better be going to get everyone in place on time."

  "Do you think they'll cause trouble?" Lyric looked concerned.

  I shrugged, "Who knows if they have a hidden agenda then yes."

  The group armed themselves with various weapons and we looked like a force to be reckoned with as we drove from the yard in unison.