by Amity Cross
I nodded. “The old man isn’t very happy since he still owns the place.”
“Obviously.”
“He’ll get it back,” I murmured, checking my hair in the mirror. “We’ll all get back what we’ve lost.”
“To a certain extent.”
I looked at Chaser’s reflection in the mirror and held onto my sigh. We didn’t need this right now. Strength was in short supply, and we had to gather all we could find for the climax.
“I’ve got to wash this off,” I said, eyeing him.
He pushed off the doorframe. “I have to go see Gasket, anyway.”
“You came to see me first?” I grinned, my lips pulling lopsidedly.
“Of course, I did.”
I blew him a kiss as he left, watching him go with an air of female appreciation.
Leaning over the bath, I washed out the bleach, shampooed, and blasted my pale yellow locks with the hairdryer. Thinking about tomorrow night, I slapped on the toner and watched my fried hair suck up the color. If I came face-to-face with King again, would I have the guts to pull the trigger? I’d stared into his cold eyes and felt his power, so I knew how overwhelming he could be. This wasn’t like facing my father. This was that moment in the desert amplified times a million.
Checking the color of my hair, I swallowed hard. Yeah, I could do it, and it had nothing to do with pulling a trigger. I would take King down any way possible. He deserves it. I was taking his game, turning it back on him, and shoving the ragged remains right up his asshole. See how you like it, then.
Washing off the toner, I dried my hair one last time. Standing in front of the mirror, I stared at my reflection, hardly recognizing the hard-ass bitch looking back at me. The last few months had taken their toll, shedding weight from my body and replacing some of it with muscle. Whoever this bitch was, she looked tough as. Toned, sexy, determined. Hair like ice, eyes like fire, and a heart full of both.
Dragging my fingers through my new do, it felt strange. My hair was just below my jaw, the ends slightly uneven but jagged and totally rock ‘n’ roll. With my torn-up T-shirt, jeans, and boots, I looked like a grunge rocker off to a rock concert, not a strung-out woman about to embark on a hit.
Not sure if that was a good thing or not, I went out into the bedroom. Chaser was sitting on the bed, waiting for me, his talk with Gasket over. Rising to his feet, he raked his gaze over my body, taking in the new me.
“So?” I asked.
He combed his fingers through my hair, then picked up a strand and inspected it.
“Do you like it?” I murmured.
“It’s different.”
“Good. That’s the point.”
“You didn’t have to go that far, you know.”
“It’s just hair. It’ll grow back.”
“I hear that’s how it works.”
“I feel like a different person,” I said. “The hair… It completes the picture. If you don’t like it, I can change it back after.”
“If you want to change your hair, then change it. It’s none of my business. Hair isn’t who you are.”
I frowned. “Are you okay?”
“I feel…raw,” he murmured.
“You’re evolving, too,” I whispered. “Stings like a bitch, doesn’t it?”
His lips twitched. “Yeah.”
“Is Gasket good?”
“Everything’s progressing on schedule,” he replied. “All we have to do now is wait until tomorrow.”
“Las Vegas tomorrow night.”
He nodded.
I sat on the bed, suddenly weak at the knees. The air was so heavy with the incoming storm that all I wanted to do was grab onto Chaser and never let go. I wanted to draw him into a little cocoon and stay there forever. Just him and me.
He sat beside me, his arm circling my waist. Just his touch was enough to send a bolt of longing between my legs.
“What do you hope for, Chaser?”
“You want to know about my hopes and dreams?” he asked with a laugh. “Shit.”
“Yeah. So?”
He grunted.
“This has to do with after. We’ve talked about it but not seriously,” I said. “So let’s make a concrete plan. Something to get us through the next couple of days. Something to look forward to.”
Chaser lowered his gaze and picked up my hand. Rubbing his fingers over mine, he nodded. “You go first.”
“I want to go see Yvette,” I said. “I want to see how Sam’s doing. Besides, I made her a promise.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. We were in some town by a McDonald’s. You and me. I can’t even remember where now. I told her if I ever got through to the other side of this, I’d let her know. I want to let her know. In person.”
“Okay,” he agreed. “Then we go there first.”
“Then I want to hole up someplace quiet and fuck our brains out. I want to do it all kinds of ways. We haven’t done anal yet.”
His eyes darkened, and his grip tightened around my waist. “Sounds like paradise.”
“What about you?”
“Me? I’m still thinking about you wanting anal sex.”
“I’m serious, Chaser.”
He thought for a moment, his brow creasing with the effort. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“When you left Fortitude, why did you pick New York?”
“Honestly? It was the farthest place away from here. There wasn’t any deep and powerful meaning. I didn’t want to seek my fortunes on Broadway or anything. I just wanted to run far, far away.” I studied his expression but got nothing. “Are you disappointed?”
“No.”
“Chaser, I… I never belonged anywhere before. Not really. But I belong with you now. The place doesn’t matter.”
“That’s what I was thinking,” he said, cupping my cheek. “It doesn’t matter where we go as long as we’re together.”
I grinned. “See? I said you were getting soft. Like a big, squishy teddy bear.”
“Fuck me.” He groaned and rolled his eyes. “What did I say about ruining my reputation?”
Straddling his lap, I fisted my hands in his hair and tugged his head back. “Am I denting your fragile male ego?”
“No. I’m too hard for that.”
“So, when we win, we’ll go to New York,” I murmured.
“And fuck our brains out.”
“Then?”
“Then we’ll go to Montana and see how green it really is.”
I laughed softly, grinding into his crotch. “It would be fun to learn to ride a horse, but for now, I’d be happy to ride your cock.”
“Sounds like a good idea.”
He dragged my T-shirt up and over my head, and the warm air kissed my skin. It felt strange not having my hair brush against my back, but Chaser’s hands more than made up for it. He caressed the curve of my spine, undoing the clasp on my bra and freeing my breasts. He took one nipple into his mouth, licking and sucking the sensitive bud. Pleasure boiled between my legs, and I moved, rubbing my clit against him.
He flipped me back onto the bed, tearing off his T-shirt and stripping down to his skin. I shimmied out of my own jeans, watching his erect cock glisten. Finally, he climbed over me, pressing his weight against my body as his lips claimed mine.
We kissed long and hard, our tongues exploring, savoring the taste of each other. As his cock stroked my clit, our breathing quickened as our pleasure rose. When he finally thrust into me, I almost came. I quivered around his length, desperate to savor this moment. The feel of him in me, the taste of his mouth, the firmness of his touch, the sounds he made while he fucked.
“You’re so wet,” he whispered into my ear. “So fucking wet.” He drew back and slid into me. “I love you, Sloane.”
“I love you.” I spread my legs as wide as I could and dug my fingers into his back. A moan escaped my lips as he increased his pace, his cock gliding in and out of my slickness.
We came together, which hardly ever happened, and drifted off to sleep in each other’s arms. Entwined, tangled, together.
When the sun came up, Chaser received word from Watts.
Our deal with the FBI had come through.
Signed, sealed, and delivered.
Chapter 23
Sloane
We didn’t waste any time after we got confirmation from Watts.
Dressing, we gathered our bags and triple-checked our guns and ammo before making our way down to the garage. Everyone was assembled, waiting for the word to move out. For better or worse, today was going to be a big day in the history of Fortitude MC.
“Holy hell, your hair!”
I gave Spike a bitchy look and flipped him the bird.
Someone let out a wolf whistle, and a few guys laughed, lifting the serious tone that filled the grease-scented space. For their benefit, I did a little twirl, flicked my platinum locks, and blew a kiss.
“This is how it’s going down,” Gasket said, nodding to acknowledge our arrival. “We ride for Las Vegas in half an hour. Mayhem crew—you’ll hold tight until seven p.m. after which, you’ll enter the casino from separate entrances. Head inside, gamble, drink, be complete assholes. Make that security team work for it. My crew—we’ll stake out Monroe’s and watch their comings and goings. We’ll need to play it by ear. If they leave, we’ll need to follow. At seven p.m., we’ll strike, no matter where they are. Got it?”
The bikers nodded and confirmed their agreement.
“Whatever happens tonight, the Hollow Riders will be in the ground,” he added. “No excuses.”
“Sloane and I will enter the Halcyon just after seven,” Chaser said, eyeing the mayhem crew of Bones, Hopper, Stewie, Ringer, and Davis. “We’re counting on you to be our smoke screen.”
“Things might get rough without warning,” I said. “You’ll need to be ready to make shit up on the fly.”
“We’ve got your back,” Hopper said with a nod. “Don’t worry about us. You worry about getting the big man.”
“Then saddle up,” Gasket said. “You know the plan. Stick to it.”
The bikers began to move, gathering up their stuff, and the garage filled with the noise of mobilization.
“Take care of yourself, kid,” Gasket said.
“Don’t get yourself killed,” I replied, throwing my arms around him. “I expect to see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Same here.” He sniffed, his voice wavering.
“Are you crying?” I pulled back and made a face.
“No way.”
I saw his eyes sparkling, and I laughed. “Liar.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Free and clear, okay?”
I nodded and smoothed down his vest. “Courage in pain and adversity.”
“And you, kid.” He stepped back, raising a fist. “Fortitude! Let’s ride!”
The assembled bikers sprang into action and filed out the roller door. We followed, wishing them luck as we went. Spike, Butcher, Ratchet, Bones, Stewie, Hopper…all of them.
We lingered on the pavement as the entire club powered up their motorcycles and formed a convoy on the street. One by one, they moved off, their engines roaring as they departed. It was a hell of a sight.
“That’s not exactly inconspicuous,” I said, plugging my ears.
“They know what they’re doing,” Chaser replied, pulling the car keys from his pocket. “This isn’t their first rumble.”
I knew these were seasoned men, but it didn’t help knowing they were en route to a bloodbath. When Gasket said they would deal with the Hollow Riders, he meant to kill them. But who was I to fret over it? We were going to kill King and anyone else who got in our way. Our forever depended on it.
“So many things could go wrong with this,” I said, starting to feel nauseous.
“And so many things can go right,” he replied.
I took a deep breath and held onto it for a second. Finally, I let it out like I was letting go of the last shred of fear and doubt I’d been holding onto.
“Are you ready?” Chaser asked.
“Yes. I’m ready.”
I leaned back in my chair and watched the stream of people walking up and down the Las Vegas Strip.
Earlier, we’d met Watts on the way into the city. Chaser took the signed letter with our deal from him, inspected it closely, then sent the biker on his way to join the mayhem crew. Apparently, it was legitimate, but I didn’t know much about these things. I trusted his judgment.
In the distance, I could see the spiked tower of the Halcyon rising toward the sky. We kept a few blocks and a casino or two between us, waiting for go time. We hadn’t heard from Gasket or the mayhem crew, but I knew we wouldn’t until the operation was over. I wondered if that was what made me so queasy. Not knowing what was going on.
I turned my attention to the Strip in front of us. We’d chosen a little diner to wait at, ordering some food and drinks, and sat at an outside table hidden in a corner. From here, we could see the comings and goings of the restaurant and watch the foot traffic.
It felt strange sitting on the most populated street in Nevada as a wanted criminal with a thousand and one security cameras and police officers around me. I pushed my sunglasses up my nose and glanced at the sky. The sun was starting to go down.
I was also getting used to the constant furnace that the sun and the baked desert bedrock created. I didn’t even notice the underboob sweat anymore. Typical. The moment we get to the crescendo, and I finally learn to deal with the heat.
Chaser glanced at his watch.
“What’s the time?” I asked.
“Six forty.”
“I need to go to the toilet,” I said with a groan.
“That’s just nerves.”
“Sexy, huh?” I smiled in an attempt to alleviate some of the churnings in my small bowel.
“Sunset is seven-oh-five,” he said, his lips quirking. Not infallible to toilet humor…noted. “We’ll move then.”
“Okay.”
“You got everything?”
I felt the weight of the Fortitude executioner pressing into the small of my back, hidden by the oversized T-shirt I’d donned that morning. It wasn’t exactly a tactical outfit, but tonight wasn’t about fashion. We needed to blend in until we got to the upper floors of the Halcyon. Then it wouldn’t matter.
Nodding, I brushed my fingers over the other Glock I had hidden at my waist. The revolver only had six bullets in it, so additional firepower was a must. If it weren’t for the symbolic justice my father’s gun represented, I would’ve just brought the Glock.
“This’ll go fast,” he said. “Whatever you do, don’t stop walking, okay?”
“I won’t.”
We rose from the table, and Chaser tossed a couple of notes down, setting an empty glass over them so they wouldn’t blow away. Taking my hand, he led me out onto the street, and we walked the two blocks to the Halcyon in silence.
At this stage, we’d said everything that needed to be said. We’d made our plans, said what was in our hearts, and shed all our fears. This was the moment we’d been working toward since the moment we met. Revenge, justice…it was a little of both.
We were one step away from forever.
“Keep your head down,” Chaser said. “The cameras won’t be able to get a clear picture of you that way.”
“Do you think they’ve got facial recognition?”
“Probably.”
“Then you better keep your head down. I’ve got a fabulous new do.”
Following Chaser’s advice, I lowered my head, and we walked hand in hand into the casino. In the immediate foyer were a few clothing boutiques, a lingerie store, and several restaurants. Then the slot machines began to take over. Rows upon rows of flashing lights and electronic beeps assaulted our eyes as we were jostled by thousands of gamblers elbowing to find the perfect machine. I saw one lady kiss each quarter before she put it into an Ancient Egyptian themed machine, and I w
ished that winning a jackpot was the most of my worries.
When we made it to the main gaming floor, we glanced toward the mass of roulette tables and caught a glimpse of a scuffle erupting between staff and a few men. Security guards were rushing over, shouting and talking into their walkie-talkies. Someone picked up a chair and flung it, the metal crashing into a table, sending chips flying. Chaser grasped my arm and tugged me in the opposite direction as a brawl erupted. The mayhem crew was coming through.
“Head down,” he murmured as two men sprinted past us. They didn’t even glance our way as they rushed to break up the fight, which was getting louder by the second.
I caught a glimpse of Hopper in the distance, bolting down a row of slot machines to join in the madness.
Finally, we made it to the foyer of the hotel and stood in front of the bank of elevators. I pressed the call button, and as we waited, the revolver felt heavy against my back. When an elderly couple stood near us, I swallowed hard. There was no way they would know who we were, but I didn’t like lingering. I glanced at them out the corner of my eye, but they weren’t even looking at us. They were watching for the elevator.
A ding signaled a car had arrived, and a set of doors swished open to our right. A few people exited the car, laughing and chattering, and didn’t bother looking at us.
I darted into the elevator, keeping my head angled toward the floor. There were cameras in here, likely in the roof, but I wasn’t looking up to find out.
The elderly couple went to step into the elevator with us, and Chaser held up his hand. “This one’s taken.”
I jammed my finger on the close button as they blinked at us in confusion. The doors slid shut, and we were alone. They had no idea they were staying at a hotel owned by a madman, but then again, the deeper you went into this place, the more perverted it became. Dark sexual fantasy knew no bounds.
Chaser pressed the button for the penthouse, but it wouldn’t light up.
“You need the right keycard,” I said.
Chaser grunted and pressed the button for the floor below. The button shone red, and we began to rise.
“How are we going to get up there? You don’t expect me to scale the…” I shut my mouth, suddenly anxious the cameras had ears, too.