Creed: Ruthless Bastards (RBMC Book 5)

by Chelsea Handcock

  Recently discharged, dishonorably, of course; at least that’s what his now doctored service record revealed, thanks to Talon and Jinx. If the fuckers saw his real service record, he wouldn’t stand a chance getting in close to any of the MC’s around Hazard. Hell, if any of them got ahold of a picture of him in his dress blues with his medals filling his chest, he was fucked. Creed just hoped that shit was hidden deep too. It wasn’t like he’d sent anyone one, anyway, not even his aunt. He needed them to think he was looking to cause some trouble and needing to pick up some quick cash. He also needed them to think he didn’t give a shit about how he had to do it.

  Shake would fill in the rest for anyone who was interested in knowing about him. At least, that was the plan. Creed knew if asked, his aunt wouldn’t give away about him either. Even if she was pissed off at him. She was loyal to a fault. He just hoped she didn’t have to get involved. That was the one sticking point in his plan. He didn’t want her to be involved, but in Hazard, everyone knew everyone and chances people not associating them with one another were slim to none. He would do his best to keep her out of it. He just needed the in before he moved on to the bigger fish in Lexington and then ultimately Frankfort. Hazard was just a stepping stone.

  Shake would be easy. All Creed had to do was hype his cousin up about wanting to make some quick cash, and the asshole would be all over it. For his cut, of course; the slimy fucker never changed. Unlike his aunt. He still couldn’t figure out what happened to her or what was going on. Aunt Kim never cowed down to anyone; she was about as far from submissive as he was. Kim was a force to be reckoned with on a good day. Why she was acting so out of character for that asshole, Creed didn’t have a clue, worse yet, he didn’t like it one fucking bit. It took him all of one phone call to find out the man’s last name, but that was a far as he had got. Becky, his aunt’s best friend had been as tight-lipped as his aunt. She did say Kim knew what she was doing, and Creed should stay out of it, blah fucking blah.

  It was bullshit. Kim was never the type to play games, and he wondered why the hell she was doing it now. Pacing around the dingy hotel room, Creed decided to pull in the big guns. It didn’t take Talon long to answer.

  “Creed? Hey man, what’s up, you doing good?” Shit, Creed thought as soon as he heard the hesitancy in Tal’s voice. He hadn’t followed procedure. When the guys were out on a mission, they were trained to punch in a four-digit code before dial any of the RBMC numbers. One said everything was all clear, and the other meant they were in trouble. Creed hadn’t done either.

  Sitting down on the bed, Creed put his elbow on his knee, placing his hand on his forehead, trying to rub out the headache that was forming. Fuck, it was such a rookie mistake, he was embarrassed.

  “Tal, shit, my bad, dude, 10-106, all is secure. I got up in some family shit and blanked.”

  “Mission status?”

  Creed didn’t question Tal’s bluntness, it had saved members in the past who were out in the field. Getting back up, he started pacing the room while he gave his mission details. After his epic fuck-up, he needed to mind his Ps and Qs for the rest of this phone call, or Tuck would be pulling him out quicker than shit.

  “Ongoing, contact not made. Still looking for my in. I’m calling in a personal request,” Creed said.

  There was a silence on the other end of the line that lasted long enough for Creed to pull his phone back and look at the screen to make sure it was still connected to Talon. He was still connected. Putting it back to his ear he was about to say Tal’s name. When the Talon said, “Go.” Creed relayed the details he knew.

  “I need whatever you can get on Ben Williams, Caucasian male, five eight about two hundred and thirty pounds, brown hair and eyes. Lives in Hazard, Kentucky or close by. Age between forty-five and fifty.”

  “Full package or simple workup?” Talon asked.

  Creed stopped pacing and smiled. It paid to have the friends he did. A simple package would get him the fuckers address, work address, phone number, and known associates, but a full package would give Creed everything from the time he ate dinner to the last time he took a shit. He replied immediately, “Full package.” His Aunt might not want him in her business, but he wasn’t going to give her choice.

  “It’s going to take a day to two to compile a full package, anything we need to know in the meantime?”

  “Nope, all is as it is supposed to be. Send the package to my email when done. Got to go.” Creed hung up the phone because his mission was finally starting. The other thing about the crappy motel. The walls were thin, and from the sounds coming from the room next door, his cousin was done with his afternoon delight.

  Creed moved over to the window, keeping clear of the nasty curtain, Creed pulled the dust coated metal blind, just enough so he could look through but not be seen. He heard the door shut, then the clicking of some chick’s heels on the cracked asphalt outside. Seeing the woman, he almost laughed; looked like Shake was still paying for it because if that chick wasn’t a hooker, he wasn’t a man. And from the looks of it, she wasn’t the high-end variety, either, nope back alley was more her speed. Fucked-up make-up, track marks on skinny, scab-littered, thin arms. Frizzy, teased-out helmet hair and barely there spandex dress that looked about as clean as the bedspread in his room. Hell, it was even the same color. To each their own, he thought. But definitely not for him.

  Creed moved away and listened at the wall that connected the two rooms. When the toilet flushed, he knew he had a couple more seconds to time this just right. Not having anything to grab because he didn’t bring anything into the room, Creed waited for a count of five before opening the door. He saw Shake through his peripheral vision but kept his eyes on his phone. Walking at a fast clip, it didn’t take him long to run right into the smaller man, just as he’d planned.

  “What the fuck, man! Watch where you're going,” Shake screeched. If Creed wasn’t playing a game, he would have laughed, his cousin wasn’t intimidating in the least. Creed could take him with both hands tied behind his back, but he had to give it to the man, he had balls.

  Shake was a small man, maybe five foot six and weighed all of a buck twenty. What he had in spades was bravado and a Napoleon complex with narcissistic tendencies. Which gave the little man a set of balls that only the gun in the small of his back could back up. Creed had clocked the gun in the small of Shakes back within two seconds of coming out of the door.

  “Shit, man, sorry, my bitch is driving me nuts.”

  “Creed? Well, I’ll be damned,” Shake said, stopping to pull Creed into an awkward hug, slapping him on the back with more force then necessary. Creed pulled Shake back like he was puzzled, then smiled.

  “Well, shit, Shake, I had no idea I would run into you here. It’s been a long time, how you’ve been?”

  “Oh, same old shit, just a different day. You here to see Aunt Kim?”

  “Naw, man, I’ll stop in and see her, but I’m looking to get some quick cash and head on out again,” Creed watched Shake’s eyes light up at the mention of fast money, and he knew he had him, he just needed to play it cool for Shake to take the rest of the bait he was laying out. “Can’t stay in one place too long, you know how it is. Hazard just seemed like a good place to stop. Figured I could hook up with one of the local MC’s and see if they have anything that needs to be handled before I head out again.”

  “Huh, you're looking to hook up with a Club? Doesn’t seem like your style.”

  Damn, Creed thought, he must have pushed a little too hard or pulled the trigger too fast. Shake was suspicious. Fuck, could he get anything right today? He needed to get his head in the game and pretty damn fast. Then something dawned on him; Shake kept on sucking in air through his nose and wiping at it. The boy had a habit, and from the look of his dilated, bloodshot eyes, it had a pretty good hold of him. Creed rubbed his arms like he had a chill and looked around the parking lot like someone was hiding out there.

  “Yeah, man, things change, got my
ass kicked out of the Air Force, and fuckers won’t fill my meds anymore. Need to get what I need, and it cost bank. Holding down a nine-to-five doesn’t fit with my lifestyle if you know what I mean?” Creed almost sighed when the glimmer of greed came back in Shakes eyes. Yeah, he had him.

  “So, you staying here,” Shake asked?

  “Yeah, seems like a good enough place. Didn’t want Aunt Kim to get word I was in town until I was ready to deal with the bitch. Can’t have her cramping my game when I’m trying to get shit done.”

  “I know what you mean. She’s been on a tear lately. Shake you need to grow up and move out of your Momma’s house, you need to get a job, blah blah blah, on and on. She doesn’t know when to shut up and let a man do what he has to. Always saying I’m hurting my momma. Momma is just fine when I drop the cash on the table.”

  “Maybe I’ll stop in and see your momma, it’s been a while,” Creed said, still acting crazy. He had to keep on reminding himself to look around and rub at himself.

  “You low on your ‘medication’ now?”

  “Yeah, man, you got anything to help me out? I sure would appreciate it,” Creed said, licking his lips like he could taste the junk before even seeing it. Shake looked like he had just won the fucking lottery, having Creed in his back pocket, or so he thought, would be a big turn on for him. They’d always been rivals as children, Creed always coming out on top. Top of his class, MVP of the football team, and Aunt Kim’s favorite. The golden boy of the family while Shake was the black sheep.

  “I got something, but it’s going to cost you.” Creed looked down at his boots and slumped his shoulders a little.

  “Shit, man, I don’t have much right now, but I could sure use some help. Anything you need done?”

  “Fuck, Creed, I ain’t job services, and I don’t have a lawn you can mow. This shit costs money.” Creed did laugh that time but covered it with a cough. Shake didn’t pay for his stash, he bargained for it, just like he was doing now.

  “Well, if you can’t,” Creed said, walking by the guy toward his bike.

  “Oh, hold up a second, I didn’t say I didn’t have any, just that it costs money. But since your family and in a bad way, I’ll hook you up, this one time.”

  Creed watched as Shake reached down into his boot and pulled out a little tin foil wrapped square. Damn his cousin was playing with the big boys if he was carrying heroin around. Creed started to shake some more and reached for it expecting the other man to do exactly what he did by moving the package away. Then putting his hand back out to him.

  “Now, this shit ain’t free, but it will get you through a couple of hours. How about you meet me at Shack in say two hours? You remember the place right out of 101?”

  “Yeah, I remember, it can’t believe that piece of shit is still standing after all these years.”

  Not only standing but thriving. Like I said meet me there in two hours, I might be able to come up with a way for you to pay me back and hook you up with a few people who could help you pay for all the medicine you need. After my cut of course.”

  “Hey, man, anything,” Creed said, taking the package, bouncing foot to foot. Hell, he was just glad no one, he knew, change that, respected, was watching him right now. Creed started to walk back toward his room when Shake grabbed his arm. Creed let him turn him around even made his eyes big, just for the effect of being startled.

  “Hold up, don’t forget Frankie’s in two hours. If I have to come and hunt you down, I might just forget that we’re family.”

  “I’ll be there Shake, thanks, man,” Creed nodded his head enthusiastically like Shake had just given him the best gift. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

  Shake nodded and waved Creed off as he turned away. Creed followed suit and went back to his hotel room. Once inside, he shut the door and watched his cousin pull out of the parking lot.

  Game on.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Tessa drove around Hazard trying to figure out what to do next. She couldn’t go home, just the thought of Grinder showing up there while she was alone scared the crap out of her. Tessa also couldn’t go to Junie’s where she would have typically gone if they hadn’t just gotten into it. She didn’t have a whole lot of friends she could just call up and ask for a place to stay for the night.

  No, that was the problem with working all the time, going to school, and studying the rest of the time. She had no life which equaled no friends. Sure, she had people in her life she could have coffee with, study, or even chat with, but she didn’t have anyone she was close to except for Maria, Junie, and Rena. Maria lived hours away, and she had her own set of issues. Issues Tessa didn’t even want to get involved with; maybe, Tessa thought, I’m not that good of a friend after all. That is why I don’t have anyone I can call right now. Shouldn’t everyone have someone they can call?

  Maria had primarily raised her from the time she was fourteen, and her aunt kicked her out. She was only five years older, one of her brother’s old girlfriends, but she opened her door and let Tessa stay when she needed someone the most. Maria had a small studio apartment and she let Tessa crash on the couch until they could afford something better. She was the one who made sure Tessa got to school and did well, insisting that she have a B average to stay with her. Tessa doubted she would have kicked her out, but she never really risked it either. Maria was also the one who taught her how to live, cook, clean, and pay bills, all things she didn’t have a clue about. Tessa had stayed with her until she left Hazard several years ago. At the time, she understood Maria needed to leave, but still, a small part of her, if she were honest, a huge part of her was hurt because she’d left just like everyone else in Tessa’s life. The only difference, Maria still cared enough to come back and visit or at least call every once in a while, and Tessa had paid her back by being a self-absorbed bitch.

  Tessa watched out the window with tears in her eyes, trying to stay focused on driving. At least it wasn’t raining. Looking around, she realized she wanted to leave Hazard. There wasn’t anything here for her anymore. If she could just get done with school and move on. But she didn’t want to let anyone down, not her brother or Maria. She wanted to make something of herself, prove to them and herself she could. That the past didn’t matter, she wasn’t just some piece of garbage that could be thrown away. But most of all she wanted to succeed at something not just survive. But every single time she got close to her goal, something happened. Hell, it had taken her almost seven years to get a four-year nursing degree.

  Hazard was one of those places people and trailers went to die. There wasn’t anything there, every mile you drove on the main road you could see another double-wide or house that was haphazardly boarded up or hell, sometimes, just beat to shit and left abandoned. Laughing hysterically, she thought yep just like me.

  Tessa’s phone rang, and she reached for her purse pulling into the center console and started digging, counting the rings before she knew it would switch to voicemail. By the time it hit the fifth ring, and Tessa still hadn’t gotten it out, she pulled over to the side of the road and dumped the entire contents of her purse on the passenger seat. How pathetic was it that it still took a few minutes to find the damn thing under all the trash and crap she kept in her purse? Picking up the phone, Tessa raised it in the air in victory. Hey, it was the small achievements, she thought, especially tonight. The missed call was from Rena. Tessa just stared at the phone for a minute, debating if she should call her back or just let it go for the night and call her tomorrow. Tessa shook her head, yeah that would be tomorrow.

  Tessa needed to come up with a game plan for tonight. She picked up her wallet and much to her disappointment only found twenty-five dollars. She knew she couldn’t afford a hotel for the night. She looked at her credit cards all lined up in her wallet and sighed; they would be a great help right now if they weren’t maxed out. Then she remembered the tips she left sitting at the bar in her apron. That would have helped, but no way in hell was she going to
go back to the Shack to get it. She would just count that money gone like everything else in her life.

  Tessa briefly considered just going home; she had a small stash of money she could grab and leave, or she could just barricade herself in the closet and hope Grinder thought she was gone. With her luck though, he would probably break in and wait, and she would be stuck in the closet until he left. Worse yet, found and trapped in the closet, not being able to get away from him. Yep, not going to happen.

  Driving around all night was a possibility though. So was driving to the local Walmart, parking her car, and sleeping in it. She’d heard somewhere they wouldn’t kick you out or call the cops. Bonus, Tessa laughed to herself until she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. She was reduced to considering sleeping in her car at Walmart, how much worse could her life get?

  Looking back at her phone, she thought about just calling Rena back and begging a place to stay for the night. But considering she’d also just gotten Tessa fired tonight, she couldn’t make herself do it. Her friendship with Rena was complicated. They had bonded over their mutual issues, and she wouldn’t say they had a great friendship, but they did have one, an odd one, but nonetheless, it was still a friendship. Rena lived in a world Tessa didn’t understand or want to. Rena partied hard and lived her life to the fullest, or at least, that was what she said. Tessa kind of thought Rena, just like her, was looking for something. They just approached it in different ways. There was a small part of Tessa that wanted to be more like Rena or even Maria. To try to live a little and pull herself out the shell she had created. To be crazy and wild even if it was just for a night or two.