by K E Osborn
They all stop chuckling and stare at me wide eyed. “Wow! You really do have an answer for everything don’t you?” Switch asks.
Smiling, I nod. “Yes,” I simply say and my phone alerts me to another text.
Danger: Never a dull moment with the Satan’s Savages. I hope everyone is okay. I won’t tell Lunar the club’s in lockdown, she’ll worry. But let me know when it’s safe to come by, and we’ll pop in when we’re able. Later dude.
Me: No worries, I’ll message as soon as the lockdown is lifted. Hope you’re looking after our girl. Keep it cool. Laters.
I hit send and look up to see everyone watching me. “What?”
“You gonna tell us who you’re talkin’ to, lover boy?” Steel asks.
Rolling my eyes, I put my phone back in my pocket and roll my shoulders. “It’s not Shay.”
Steel tilts his head like he’s worried I’m texting other girls behind her back already.
“Oh, far out, you guys are so fucking nosey. It was Danger, the rocker, Lunar’s man. He wants to come and say hi when lockdown is lifted. There… you happy?”
Steel stiffens like I knew he would and flares his nostrils slightly. “Will Lunar come with him?”
I shrug. “Dunno brother, but I’m sure she’d want to see everyone, it’s been ages.”
He exhales and looks over toward Flame. “Willow won’t like her bein’ here.”
“Then you have till the end of lockdown to get her used to the idea of her coming by. Anyway, Lunar isn’t after you anymore, Steel, she’s with Danger. Haven’t you seen them together all throughout the Aussie tabloids?”
He raises an eyebrow and shakes his head. “I’m not really a gossip magazine type of guy, Techie.”
“Well then, trust me, they’re a strong couple. She won’t be coming after you, and if you and Flame are strong, like I know you are, there won’t be an issue anyway, right?” I tell him and he cracks his neck from side to side.
“Brothers, church, now,” Gator calls out across the room, and everyone stands. I look across at Steel, who still seems uneasy, but I slap his shoulder as we walk to the assembly room.,
“It’ll be fine, Steel, I promise.”
He nods as we enter and we take our seats. The smell of freshly poured whiskey permeates the air as I glance back at the bar to see the open bottle and a glass on top. Gator’s obviously been drinking before we came in here—he must be stressed. He bangs his gavel on the desk, the loud bang reverberates off the walls as we all lean back in our comfortable high-backed chairs.
“Church is in session. So further from yesterday, Gadget has made contact with the leader of the Syndicate, which just so happens to be Tyrell’s cousin. I’ve set up a meeting with him, and I want to show up in numbers. I need Steel, Techie, Gadget, Behemoth, Lookout, Crash, Jigsaw, Jock and Reverend all by my side for this. Are you all in?”
“Aye,” we all call out in unison around the table.
“Good, I’ll have everyone else stay back to protect the club while it’s still in lockdown, and Switch is in charge. We ride now, brothers. Church is adjourned.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
We all stand up and start to move out to the compound. On the way out I see Shay and smile at her. She steps over to me as the other guys continue, and I stop briefly facing her.
“Is everything okay?”
Sighing, I tilt my head. “Can’t really say, but I’m leaving the clubhouse for a bit, going for a ride. When I get back can I see you?”
She swallows hard watching the other guys walking away. “There’s a lot of you going, during a lockdown that’s not a good sign. Just be safe, Techie. Stay alive, okay?” I reach out and touch her face.
“Just for you, Peach.”
She smiles chewing on her bottom lip, looking like she’s holding back on doing something. I furrow my brows at her, and she slumps her shoulders and smiles. “Fuck it.” She leans up on her toes grabbing my shoulders and presses her tender lips to my cheek. The warmth of her lips filters through my cheek down my side and straight to my cock making it twitch in my jeans. My eyes close briefly just relishing in the contact. I think minutely about turning my head so my lips can meet with hers, but it’s too soon. My hand moves to her slender waist, and I hold her to me as I enjoy the moment.
“Techie, we gotta go, sorry brother,” Steel calls out and Shay breaks away from me. Her lips leave my cheek, and the warmth disappears from my body as she slowly backs away. My hand stays on her waist though, as I look into her eyes.
“Be safe,” she whispers.
“I’ll be back, just make sure you’re here when I am,” I instruct, and she nods.
“Deal.”
Smiling, I slowly and regretfully take my hand from her waist, turning to walk off. I want to turn back to look at her, but I’m scared if I do, I’ll want to go back to her. So I keep moving forward toward Steel and out the red door to my Hog.
Steel has a smug looking grin as I pass him.
“What?”
“No, nothin’ Mr. I’m-As-Smitten-As-Fuck.”
Rolling my eyes, I punch him on the arm and keep walking, I can’t be bothered getting into an argument with him, also because I think he’s probably correct.
Mounting my ride, I pull on my lid as Gator and Lookout take off starting the convoy. Ramming my lid down, I don’t bother to do it up as I start my bike, kick back the stand and pull on the throttle making my way into the line to head out of the compound. Jock pulls up the back door, he’s our most experienced rider, so that’s the right spot for him. We pull out onto the road leading out to the main road into the streets of Aldinga, and as always, the people on the pathways watch the convoy of bikers with unease. Even though we never cause any harm or fuss in these parts, we always get the same reaction from the crowds.
As I drive past a tree, I notice a man standing in the shadows. He’s watching us intently, but the poor guy’s face is deformed down one side with intense scarring. Something about him is familiar to me. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I whizz past too fast to pay much attention. I figure if he was out to harm the club there were a number of us riding past, he had his opportunity to take us all out and he didn’t, so he’s probably no one and means nothing.
I continue to follow Gator toward the meet spot for the Jones’s and the Cypress Syndicate. We pull up at an abandoned carpark on the outskirts of Port Noarlunga. There’s two black cages and the Jones’s all standing around when we arrive.
There doesn’t seem to be much tension in the air as we park. The Syndicate aren’t showing any hostility or signs of aggression, but still my guard is up.
We dismount our Hogs and walk up to them.
“Gator it’s good to see you again,” the same man as last time says.
Gator nods and sniffs, tilting his head in a greeting. “I would say it’s good to see you, too. But let’s be honest, it’s not. Mister…” he pauses as obviously we’re not sure who this guy is.
He laughs and nods. “Oh, of course, sorry. I’m Randell Jones,” he offers putting out his hand for Gator to shake.
He doesn’t.
I remember from the file Gadget made that Randell is Tyrell’s cousin and the leader of the Cypress Syndicate. This is the head honcho right here in the flesh.
“So Randell, you’re the leader of the Cypress Syndicate. It’s good to finally put a face to the name I’ve read so much about,” Gator tells him.
“Oh, so you’ve been doing research. I guess I’m not surprised, but then again you should know how powerful we really are, how ruthless and influential we can be.”
Gator shrugs and scoffs. “I know you have more money than sense, and you throw it wherever it’s needed to suit you.”
I tense up feeling this is not going how the Syndicate was hoping, which is of course, not a good thing for us either.
Randell exhales and swallows studying Gator up and down, which makes Gator frown. “Okay, here’s the deal. We don’t want the kid. We
just want Nikita alive and well to do with as we wish, no questions asked.”
Steel scoffs and steps forward clenching his fists, and Gator places his hand on Steel’s chest holding him back. He huffs as his breaths come out harsh and fast through his nose.
“We don’t know where either of them are. We told you that yesterday,” Gator lies and Randell fakes a smile and nods to one of his men.
He pulls out a tablet similar to mine punching in something and then shows Randell. He smiles and looks at Gator. “Funny, ‘cause the tracker on her phone has her at your clubhouse.”
My chest tightens as we all look at Lookout. He was meant to take that from her and make sure she had nothing trackable on her. He scrunches up his face and begins to breathe heavy as Gator stiffens his posture and clears his throat rubbing his chin.
“So, the way I see it, now that you know you can’t play with us anymore, we’ll be lenient and give you an extension. Only once more, though. Another twenty-four hours to give us the girl or shit gets bloody.”
“You think we’re just going to hand her over to you motherfuckers, we’d rather shove our shiny cocks up your motherfucken arses and pound them till next Tuesday than give her up, you pansy arse bitches,” Lookout says racing toward Randell. Behemoth grabs Lookout by the back of his cut stopping him from reaching Randell before he can bitch slap him.
“Shut up, Lookout,” Behemoth says quietly forcing Lookout to glance back at his best friend, huff, and then calm down.
“Like I said, you have twenty-four hours to hand over Nikita. Make it happen, Gator,” Randell warns. He then turns toward his car along with his lackeys. They slide in their vehicles, and the dirt flicks up into the air circling with the dust and pebbles as they speed off out of the carpark.
I turn to Gator and Steel and shake my head. “I don’t like this guys,” I announce, and Gator shakes his head running his fingers through his long blond hair.
“I don’t like this either, Techie.”
“We can’t hand her over, Gator,” Steel suggests.
Gator frowns at him, saying nothing, then walks to his ride and pulls on his lid. “Let’s get back to the clubhouse. We can discuss it more there, not out in the open.”
We all nod and rush to our bikes to make our way back.
***
As we all congregate in the middle of the compound, Lookout starts to pace the yard. His heavy footsteps can be heard over the light chatter as his hard boots pound the concrete.
“This is a motherfucken joke, Prez. We need to figure something out ‘cause Niki ain’t going with those fucking cock suckers. Who knows what they’ll do to her, Prez… rape, violence, they might even kill her. Those fucken motherfuckers think they can just come and take her, well they’ll have to step over my dead body and pound my arse with a million dildo’s before they get to her,” Lookout yells out to no one in particular.
“Lookout stop, Nikita is safe for the moment. The phone thing is an issue but—”
“I didn’t even know she had another motherfucken phone on her. She must’ve been hiding it from me, the stupid fucken woman. I already took one from her. I swear I need to smack her rosy cheeks and pound that arse for not being straight with me,” Lookout interrupts Behemoth.
“Okay, enough, Niki needs to be moved. They know where she is, that puts everyone here in danger,” Gator berates.
“But what if that’s what they’re waiting for? Us to leave with her without the safety of the compound?” Jock asks.
And unfortunately he has a point, but so does Gator, Niki being here puts everyone at risk. Puts Shay at risk. But leaving puts Niki at risk. This is so fucked up.
“Steel?” Gator asks seeking consult from his VP.
He shakes his head rubbing his chin. “I don’t know. They know she’s here, but leavin’ is a risk… we’re fucked either way, Prez.”
Gator groans running his hands through his hair and huffs out a long breath. “Okay, if we move her now, where can we take her?”
“Bullet at Bendigo?” Steel suggests.
“I’m going with her,” Lookout adds.
Gator nods and exhales. “Okay, she leaves now, in a cage. And get every fucking piece of technology she has and burn it, the stupid fucking woman.”
We all move off to head inside. Lookout will get her and Jackson packed, and then I’m assuming we’ll all be at the gate to see them off, just in case there’s any issues.
I wander inside as Lookout races off, and we all spread out in our own directions. I spot Shay, she sees me and smiles so wide it shocks me to the spot. She rushes over and wraps her arms around my neck pressing her entire body flush to mine. I don’t react for the briefest of moments, because I’m just so stunned, but once her warmth invades my senses, my arms quickly wrap around her waist holding her to me as she nuzzles into my chest.
“Oh, thank God, I was so worried.”
Opening my eyes wide, my lips turn up slightly. “You were?”
She pulls back and looks up at me furrowing her eyebrows and frowns. “Of course, douche bag, you and your brothers went off to meet with some bad guys, of course I was worried. Normally that ends in bloodshed. I know how these things work. I’ve been around clubs long enough to know when a mass of bikers leave together it’s for safety in numbers. And normally not all of them come back, and the ones who do generally have some holes in them.”
Smiling, I can’t help but think of Virginia and how that’s exactly what would have happened today, but this club is different, we settle things by talking, not with our guns.
“It’s all good, Peach, I was always coming back to you.”
She lets go of me and takes a deep breath looking me up and down. “You don’t even look like you’ve been in a fight, maybe you just went bowling or something?”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes me, and I shake my head at her. “You’re adorable. There was trouble, but we sorted it out by talking, not with fists or guns. But it’s not quite over yet, I’m sure there’s more trouble on the way.”
“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t mess up that pretty face of yours.”
I scoff. “I’m not pretty, I’m rough and manly.”
She giggles and nods. “Sorry, yes tough and macho and completely dickish.”
I grab her waist pulling her body flush to mine. She lets out a little squeal at my sudden movement as I lean in and kiss her forehead. She giggles and leans into my kiss. Her skin beneath my lips is so warm and silky it makes me want to kiss every inch of her. But I won’t, especially not in public.
“Techie, we’re ready to see off the package,” Crash calls out. I nod letting Shay go and take a deep breath to look down at her.
“Make sure you stay in here, okay? Until I come back in to find you.”
She nods and smiles. “Sure thing, boss man.”
I chuckle and turn walking toward the red door where Willow’s saying goodbye to Jackson. The pain filled moans of her crying, tears at my heart as she cuddles into him, and I look to Steel as he softly rubs her back. Poor Flame, she really loves that kid.
“Flame, we gotta let them go, baby,” Steel informs Flame as she sniffs and hands Jackson back to Niki, who’s crying too.
“Thanks for everything, Willow. I’ll miss you. I hope I get to see you again soon,” Niki says leaning in embracing Flame.
“Me too. Good luck. Be safe. Take care of our boy.” Flame starts to cry again and turns racing back past me into the clubroom toward Meli, who grabs her and wraps her arms around her tightly for comfort.
“Why is Miss Willow so sad, Mama?” Jackson asks sounding deflated. He has no idea what’s going on poor kid.
“It’s okay, baby, we’re going on a trip. You, me, and Lookout—”
“Can Steel come?”
“No, sorry buddy I have to stay here with Miss Willow,” Steel tells him scruffing his hair.
“But I wanna stay with you!” Jackson whimpers, his little brown eyes starting to mist up with
tears.
“Hey, you have to be a big brave boy for your mummy now,” Steel says.
He shakes his head reaching his hands out for Steel.
I take a deep breath as Niki tries to pull Jackson back and he squirms even harder.
“I’ll take him to the car?” Steel suggests and Niki nods letting Jackson jump into Steel’s arms.
Jackson snuggles into Steel completely, and I find it sad that they may never see each other again. The poor kid is so attached to him, and I think Steel’s really attached to him too. This will be hard for Steel. We walk outside to the waiting car, and we’re all standing around. Lookout is going to drive them to Bendigo and notify us when he arrives, from there we’re not sure what’s going to happen, but we can figure it out as we go.
Niki is hugging all my brothers, and Steel still has hold of Jackson, who isn’t letting go for anything. But I’m pretty sure Steel’s enjoying their last moments together.
Gadget presses the button to open the gates so the car can leave as soon as they get in, but as the gate opens, we all freeze when we see a giant van waiting in the driveway barricading the exit, and a row of Syndicate members all standing there blocking our access. We all stare at them, and it’s like watching in slow motion. They raise their guns, and before we have time to even move our hands to our weapons, they open fire aiming their guns only at certain people.
We all run for cover behind the car, but the Syndicate move in and start grabbing us one by one. The echo of Jackson’s agonizing screams is almost drowned out by the gunfire, and I’m quickly caught by a Syndicate arsehole and my hands are pulled behind me as I’m marched back in front of the car. My heart is racing as I turn to look for Steel. He has Jackson, who’s clinging to him as a man drags them toward the front like me. Another man has Gator, another Lookout, and another is dragging Niki by her hair as she screams and tries to fight him. My chest heaves as she’s forced to her knees in front of us all. I scan the area to see no one has Behemoth or Blake, and as I search a little further I see two bodies on the ground and blood pooling alongside them, but I can’t see their faces as they’re behind the car.