by K E Osborn
She chuckles. “Babe, I probably know more than you do.”
“Show off, Miss Mensa.”
She winces sympathetically and leans in pressing her Peach flavoured lips to mine.
CHAPTER THIRTY
STEEL’S POV
We just tucked Jackson into bed, and now I’m sliding into bed with my fiancée and our pet pig. It’s so nice to have Petunia back. I missed the little piece of bacon. Flame cuddles into my side, as I pull the covers up and Petunia circles in between my legs on the covers, then finally finds a place and settles down in between them. Taking in a deep breath with my woman under my arm and my pet on my legs, I feel like I’m right where I need to be. Turning my head, I kiss Flame’s forehead. She’s a little pasty, but I ignore it as she lets out a long drawn out sigh, and I look down at her furrowing my brows.
“What’s wrong?”
She shrugs. “Nothing really, I’ve just been feeling off for a couple of days. I’ve been busy helping Kiara settle in. We’ve been home for a couple of days now, this jet lag should be settling down by now.”
Leaning down I kiss her and hold her tighter. “You should go to the doctor tomorrow, just in case you’ve caught some bug?”
She nods and cuddles into me further. “Okay, I’ll go, but right now I need to go to sleep. I love you.”
“I love you too, babe.”
***
Flame heads off in her yellow car out the gates and off to her doctor’s appointment. Waving at her as she leaves, I turn to head back inside the clubrooms wondering what I’m going to do today. The club has nothing on the agenda for a while, so we can all just bum about and do whatever we want. Which sometimes is great, but then again sometimes it can be as boring as batshit too.
Walking into the clubroom, I sit down just relaxing and taking in the atmosphere. Everyone’s in a great mood. The vacation did everyone good, and love is in the air in this club. It’s so great to see Gator and Meli finally on track as they sit on the lounge together cuddling, showing everyone their public displays of affection. Gator would never touch Meli in public before. He really has done a complete one-eighty and the change in his stress levels has almost evaporated. He was way too hung up on what he thought he should be doing, and what he actually should be doing. I’m glad Techie and Shay talked some sense into him.
“Steel, there’s a box here for you,” Crash calls out as he brings in the mail.
Furrowing my brows, I shift over to the table where he places it. Gator walks over along with everyone else. A parcel in a biker club is never usually a good thing.
“You expecting anything, VP?” Gator asks, and I shake my head.
“No.”
Gator huffs and grits his teeth. “Be careful. I know our debt with the Riot Brothers is supposedly over, but who knows what this is.”
Grabbing Wesley, I slice open the masking tape and nothing happens. Always a good first sign. Pulling back the cardboard flaps, I look inside to see a bloody heart with a dagger in it.
“Jesus Christ,” I say as my body slumps.
Gator and the others move in looking in the box, and all gasp as Gator pulls out the note.
“Steel… your family took everything from me. So I’ll take everything from you. Revenge is coming, and it will be ever so sweet,” Gator reads from the note.
A cold sweat washes over my body as I feel lightheaded and nauseous. My heart is pounding as I pull out my phone and dial Flame’s number. It rings and rings but finally she picks up.
“Hey.”
“Babe, I need you to come back here immediately.”
She exhales and is quiet for a moment. “I’m just paying the doctor, and I’ll come right back. I’m scared to ask, but is everyone okay?” she asks, her voice stern and calm.
“We’re fine, just get here. Okay?”
She huffs. “I won’t be long.”
She hangs up the phone, and I can tell she’s pissed. She knows something’s going down, but I just need her here. Luckily the doctor is only minutes away. Pushing the phone back in my pocket, I run my hands through my hair and pace the floor. “Who the fuck could this be?” I say to no one in particular.
Gator shrugs. “Someone your dad hurt?”
“Maybe, but there’s so many, and why now? All this time later? Shit! Mum.” Pulling my phone back out I dial her number, and she answers after two rings.
“If it isn’t my bouncing baby boy.”
“Mum, listen… you gotta pack some shit quickly, and get over here as soon as you can, okay?”
She is quiet much like Flame was. “Lockdown?” she asks.
“Yeah, for you, yeah.”
She exhales. “Okay, I’ll be there quickly. How bad is it Dylan?”
“I don’t know, Mum, just don’t waste any time okay?”
“Okay, packing now. See you soon.”
Hanging up, I start to pace again and then something clicks in my mind. “Kat said somethin’ about them being sweet, and the note said revenge will be sweet. Do you think it’s connected?”
Gator stiffens and shakes his head. “I’m not sure. Gadget and Techie, do a sweep, check for any bugs, any traces of explosives, anything that seems out of place. The debutants showing up out of nowhere, for no real reason, and now this? It seems suss to me.”
“Me too, it’s got to be the debutants. I just don’t know which one of them was screwed over, I didn’t recognise any of them.”
“Maybe ask Amelia if she’s heard of them, see if she can figure it out,” Gator suggests.
“Might be our only lead.”
“Let’s just hope nothing happens before we find out.”
The clubroom door opens, and we all turn reaching for our pieces to see it’s Flame and Jackson. I quickly close the lid on the box as she rushes toward me, and Jackson runs over to Trigger.
“What’s going on?”
Exhaling, I grab her and pull her to me. “There’s been a threat against my family.”
She slumps her body and exhales. “Oh, for fuck’s sake… what now?”
I wince. “We’re not sure who, but someone wants revenge on my family.”
“What for?”
“Flame, I don’t know.”
She huffs, and I pull her closer to me resting my forehead against hers. “It’s gonna be all right.”
“Is it? We have Jackson to think about now.”
“I know, Mum’s coming here too so she can help watch him.”
“Is this something to do with your dad?”
“Probably, I haven’t pissed anyone off lately, and I have no idea what this revenge is about. All I know is I’m gonna protect you and Jackson with everythin’ I have.”
Her bottom lip trembles and her muscles tighten. “You said this club would be different, Steel. So far we’ve had another club mess with the compound. I’ve been kidnapped, and now we have threats. Sounds like Virginia to me.”
“This club is nothin’ like Virginia. Yes, we’ve seen some trouble lately, but the guys here are descent, you gotta admit that?”
She sighs slumping her shoulders. “Sorry, it’s just… this is a lot for me to take in. It’s just emotional.”
Furrowing my brows, I lean in kissing her. “I’m sorry, babe. I hate this is happenin’, but nothin’ is gonna happen to you, I swear it.”
“He’s right, Flame. You have a whole club watching your back,” Gator confirms.
“Thanks,” she says closing her eyes and swaying on the spot briefly.
“Shit, are you okay? What did the doctor say?”
She opens her eyes and takes a deep, steadying breath with a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, just a bad case of jet lag. Should settle down in a few days. Nothing to worry your pretty head about.”
“You’re lucky I love you.”
“Oh really? You act all big and tough, but you don’t fool me biker boy.”
“Oh God, you guys are gross,” Mooch calls out making us all chuckle.
“Shut up,
Mooch, just ‘cause you don’t have someone warmin’ your bed at night,” I tease.
Flame slaps me in the chest as Mooch huffs and storms off.
“Right, we gotta get in contact with Kat. See if she knows anything.”
I nod, and the door opens again and this time it’s Mum who walks in. That was quick. She’s getting good at this.
“Hey Mum, glad you’re here.”
“Well, if there’s a lockdown, I guess I don’t have a choice. Where is everyone else?”
“It’s just my family on lockdown, Ma.”
She tilts her head and slants her posture to the side placing her hand on her hip. “What the fuck have you gone and done?”
Everyone chuckles, I click my tongue to the roof of my mouth while rolling my eyes. “Nothin’, we don’t know what this is about… but it is specifically aimed at me.”
“Right, well then which fucker’s gonna help me with my bags?”
Jock steps forward tilts his head in greeting and smiles at mum. “I will Lassie, good to see you again Amelia.”
“Hey Jock. Show me those guns, Scotsman,” she says.
He lifts up her bags as I shake my head at her behaviour.
“Usual room?” she asks.
I look to Gator, who nods. “Yeah, Ma.”
“Good, let’s go Scotty.”
“Aye, Lassie.” Jock hoists her bags and takes off after her. Shaking my head, I chuckle slightly glad that Mum seems in better spirits these days.
WILLOW’S POV
As I leave the doctor’s surgery for the second day in a row, my heart’s racing. I’m nervous about my results, and what they mean, but more importantly how Steel will take the news. I’m shaking all over, and I know I’m not concentrating on my driving properly as I think about all the options in my head. It was hard as hell to get Steel to even let me go out today, considering what’s happening at the club, but there’s been no other threats, and I desperately needed my results. The only way he’d let me out was if Paulie tailed me, which I’d agreed to. Otherwise I couldn’t have gone. But he’s kept out of my way and hasn’t asked any questions. I lied to Steel about where I was going, though, and it was a big lie too. I told him I needed to get a special formula for Jackson, and Steel knowing absolutely nothing about kids, just figured it was something Jackson needed. Which obviously a five-year-old does not need formula. Big lie Willow! Love the guy, but he has no clue. I didn’t want to worry him. I carry that burden now on my own.
I’m headed down the long stretch of road toward the clubhouse. I’m about five hundred metres out when a man comes into my line of vision on the side of the road. I find it odd because he’s in the middle of nowhere. Then suddenly, he throws something out in front of my car.
I slam on my breaks, but my tyres collide with the object popping them instantly. My steering wheel lurches spinning out of my grip forcing the car to swerve, and everything slows down into slow motion as the car tilts, rolling onto its side sliding along the bitumen. My seatbelt rams against my body as I scream out placing my hands on the roof above me as the windows smash. The metal collapsing in on itself grates on my ears as it glides along the ground.
I have no idea what’s happening to Paulie right now. The car finally comes to a halt, and I gather my bearings, but I’m dizzy as I hear a scuffling and what sounds like a fist fight, then a thud, like something hit the bitumen hard. A gentle oozing of warmth runs down my cheek, and the feeling shocks me as I bring my hand up to note my head is bleeding. As I reach up and unbuckle my seatbelt, I fall to the side as sections of broken glass puncture my skin. I cry out in pain as my heart races fast and I try to gain control of my thoughts, but my head is all over the place. The grating of metal makes me look up to see the man opening the car door. I scream out as I see his deformed face. It looks like he’s been shot or something equally as horrible. He reaches in grabbing me by my shirt as I struggle against him, but I’m weak from the crash.
He pulls me up and out of the car and I yell out for Paulie, but as I look over I notice he’s unconscious on the ground. I scream again, and the man wraps his hand around my mouth halting my screams, as he pulls his body flush with mine.
“Be quiet now, flickering Flame, I don’t want you to burn out too quickly.”
My body shudders at his words, and he reaches out dropping a piece of paper into the car. He pulls me along with him toward another car that’s parked behind the bushes, but I can hardly walk so he’s practically carrying me.
When we get to his car, he pulls out a pair of handcuffs. I tense as he wraps them around my wrists then places me on the passenger side. I’m not silly. I know it’s better to comply rather than try and run before you have all your strength, because if I ran and he caught me, it would only antagonise him. Right now, I have to let this play out. My guess is that paper note was for Steel. And I have every faith that he’ll find me.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
STEEL’S POV
I’m sitting outside with Gator and Techie when we hear a loud bang followed by some scraping. We all look up and Gator nods to Techie. He looks at the security feed on his tablet and shakes his head.
“I can’t see anything.”
“That was weird, though, right?” Gator asks.
“Yeah very,” I reply.
“Techie, can you get the cameras to look down the street at all?” Gator asks.
“I can configure them to change the angle, but it’ll take a minute.”
“Okay, do it.”
Techie fiddles for a while as we impatiently wait, and then he furrows his brows and winces.
“What?” Gator asks.
“I think a car has crashed about five hundred metres down the road.”
Gator and I both look up. “What?”
“Steel… the car is yellow.”
As it sinks in, my heart leaps into my throat and I jump up and start running faster than my feet can take me as I stumble all over the place.
“Steel, get in the cage, it’ll be quicker,” Gator calls out.
I turn running toward the van and slide in the passenger seat, while Gator starts the engine and Techie opens the gate. Every inch of me is pulsating with fear. I’m running so hot I can’t breathe, as we speed out of the gate and down the road. The wreckage looks shocking as we drive up to it, and I can clearly see a bike next to it and someone flat out on the ground.
“Fuck! Flame,” I call out.
Leaning forward trying to see—Gator slides the car to a halt—I feel physically sick as I observe Paulie unconscious on the ground. Racing to the car as Gator runs to Paulie, I jump up to see if she’s inside but there’s nothing, no trace of her at all, only speckles of blood. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
A chill runs down my spine as Gator slaps Paulie’s face to wake him. I run my hands through my hair as I breathe harshly, the bile actually creeps up my throat.
“Paulie, wake the fuck up,” Gator demands.
Panic surges through me as I race over to Paulie and slap him hard, the sting on my palm radiates up my arm as he jolts awake and Gator glares at me.
“Fuck… my head,” Paulie murmurs.
“Who took her?” I ask.
Paulie shakes his head. “I don’t… fuck! I don’t remember anything.”
Gator walks off to the car. “Brother, you gotta remember somethin’, this is my woman were talkin’ about.”
“Steel, there’s a note,” Gator calls out and my stomach sinks.
I turn to Gator. “Tell me she’s okay?”
“It just says, revenge is sweet, and then there’s an address.”
“Okay, let’s go.” I walk back toward the cage, but Gator grabs me.
“Steel, we need to go prepared.”
“No! You and me, we go now.”
“Steel, think about this. Safety in numbers.”
“Gator… please! Who knows who has her or what they’re doin’ to her. Do you see this car? Who knows how badly injured she is. Gator, I need
to get to her, and I’m goin’ now. Are you with me?”
He runs his hands through his hair and exhales. “Fuck. Okay, but it’s on record that this is a bad idea.”
“Noted, let’s go.”
“Paulie, you okay to make it back to the clubhouse?” Gator asks.
“Yeah, go… I’ll be fine. I’ll tell everyone what’s going on.”
“Thanks, prospect.”
We get in the van, Gator starts it up, and I don’t even bother to do up my belt as I lean forward hoping that it will somehow get me to her faster.
The drive isn’t far, and we pull up at an abandoned farm yard. We walk toward the old style farm house with our guns drawn. Stepping up onto the wooden porch, a gunshot echoes through the air and we both jolt back with our backs against the house as we look at each other taking steadying breaths. I can’t help but notice the lack of Hogs, so I’m curious to see who this is.
“Steel, I want you to come in unarmed and alone. Gator you stay outside at all times,” a voice belts out from inside the house.
I look to Gator and furrow my brows. I know that voice, but I just can’t place it.
“Steel… no. Don’t you dare go in unarmed,” Gator whispers.
I shake my head placing my gun on the wooden boards.
“Fuck, Steel!”
“Don’t follow me in Gator… I’m serious!”
“You’re the worst fucking VP ever.”
“I love you too, bro.” I duck inside the house with my hands raised in the air in surrender, and slowly walk the hall. The floorboards underneath me creak and moan with every step. The house is dark, the only light is from the windows shining through.
“Okay, I’m here. Where’s my girl?” I call out.
“In here.”
I turn toward the voice and follow from where it came. Upon entering a large lounge room, I see Flame sitting in a wooden chair with sticks around the bottom like kindling for a fire.
I freeze as my heart leaps into my chest and look up to see a disfigured man, who looks oddly familiar. I furrow my brows and step in looking down at Flame. “You okay?”