by Jamie Begley
Chapter 12
“You win.” Max threw his cards down on the table.
“If you took your mind off that bitch, you might win a hand.” Buzzard raked up the small amount of cash that Max had left.
“Go buy us some burgers.” Max didn’t deny his attention hadn’t been on the game.
Buzzard’s chair scraped back from the table. “Be back in ten.”
Max looked down at his watch, checking the time again. It had been twelve hours since the cops had raided the clubhouse, and they hadn’t heard any news yet. He was already steaming with anger from Casey’s duplicity; as a result, worry about the brothers only escalated his already frayed temper. He had stayed away from her other than to let her out to go to the bathroom and feed her some lunch.
The sound of the freight elevator opening had him raising his eyes. It was too soon for Buzzard to be back.
The brothers filed out of the elevator with grim faces.
“What happened?” Max stood from the table, ready to face Ice’s recriminations for giving Casey the opportunity to snitch on them.
“We managed to get through by the skin of our teeth,” Ice told him, his frostbitten gaze meeting Max’s head-on. “The clubhouse is wrecked, but the cops didn’t find anything. Bring her out.”
Max went to the room Casey was being held in. Opening the door, he saw her sitting dejectedly on the bed.
“Ice wants to talk to you.” He hardened himself against the flash of fear she showed before she was able to smooth out her features and pretend to be calm.
She stood then walked outside the room and sat in the chair Ice motioned for her to take. The brothers surrounded her. Max was familiar with the tactic of trying to intimidate before they even began.
Casey stared at Ice in trepidation, and Max sensed she was more frightened of Ice than Jackal. She was smart. Jackal didn’t make a move unless it was directed by Ice.
“You ready to tell me why you decided to take a shit on our club?”
Casey remained silent.
Ice arched a brow at her before turning to Jackal. “Give me her phone.”
Jackal handed him the phone. “It takes her thumbprint to open it.”
“She has two; take your pick.” Ice tossed him the phone.
Max lifted one of Casey’s hands, expecting her to fight, but she didn’t. He pressed her thumb against the button, and the phone immediately opened. He handed it back to Ice who scrolled through it.
“It’s clean. The only things on it are the pictures she took from the computer. She didn’t even put a contact list of numbers.” Ice stared down at Casey. “We found the stash of information you had on us at your apartment. There isn’t much you found out from your snooping. The check Max gave you opened all the doors you needed, didn’t it?”
“How?” Max asked, his hands clenching into fists.
“She used the number of the account on the check you gave her to trace other accounts that made deposits to that account, which led to other accounts. Once she had yours, she had it all, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” Casey admitted.
“She wasn’t working at the Quik and Go for the extra money, either, were you?”
“No, everyone in Queen City knows he sells drugs out of the back room. I figured if he was selling the drugs, he was giving you a share of the money.”
Max kicked one of the empty chairs across the floor. “I fucking watched her every night so she wouldn’t get robbed, and she was fucking putting us away!”
“She’s smart. She accomplished what the police and the FBI couldn’t do—search the club without probable cause—which is why they went after her, isn’t it?”
Casey nodded.
“The thing I’m curious about is, why now? You could have done this anytime, so what made you decide to help them?”
“Maybe I was bored. Maybe I was sick and tired of your club running the city.” Casey’s sarcastic reply only brought a tight smile to Ice’s lips.
“No, I don’t think that’s it. I don’t think that’s it at all, Casey. I think something set this whole thing off. You get pissed when Mugg left Renee like every man she had?”
Casey leaned back in her seat. “If you want to think that, then go ahead. I told you why.”
“You haven’t told us a fucking thing,” Max burst out, getting tired of the bullshit.
“You want me to tell you something? Use better passwords. Don’t pick ones named after your dogs. You’ve become so arrogant, thinking no one can touch your little club, that you became sloppy.”
Max was surprised Ice wasn’t flipping out on her when he only nodded.
“You’re right. All the information you had is useless now, though. Everything has been wiped clean. We have all the papers you had at your apartment, even the ones you hid in your safe deposit at the bank.”
Casey hadn’t seemed concerned until Ice mentioned the safe-deposit box. “How did you…?”
“That would be my secret, now wouldn’t it? And, since you’re not sharing, I see no need to.” Ice pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, handing them to Max.
“Take her home.”
Max didn’t know who was more surprised by Ice’s order: him or Casey.
“That’s it? You’re letting me go?”
“That’s it. You don’t have anything else on us, so I see no need to keep you any longer.”
Casey stood, obviously wise enough to leave before Ice changed his mind, then took a step forward.
“Oh, by the way, if you try to bring any kidnapping charges against us, I have five brothers prepared to swear that you’ve spent the last day fucking their brains out.” Ice pulled his own phone out of his pocket. Pushing a few buttons, he turned the phone to face Casey. It showed her plastered against the wall with Stump all over her. “I don’t have to prove it, just place doubt on any of your claims of kidnapping, and I think this little piece of video proves that, don’t you?”
Her face paled as she watched herself on the video. “Yes.”
Her strangled reply contented Ice enough to put the phone back in his pocket.
“Are we done? Can I go home now?” she asked.
“Go. And, Casey, if you think you’re going to cause any more trouble for the club, think again. I don’t like hurting women, but I have no compunction about hurting another man.” Ice held his hand out to Jackal, who removed something from his jacket, raising it for Casey to see.
“Don’t you touch my brother.” Casey lunged for the photograph in Jackal’s hand. He handed Ice the picture before he grabbed Casey’s arms, pinning them to her sides.
“Max told me you didn’t give a shit about any repercussions for Renee. From the look on your face in this picture, I don’t think you want to see your pretty brother’s face destroyed, do you?”
“Stay away from Cole!” Casey screamed.
Ice dropped the picture onto the floor and smashed it with his boot. “Then don’t make me. Stay the fuck out of club business and away from the cops, or I’m going to go looking for him, and I will find him.”
Casey jerked away from Jackal, going to her knees to pick up the mangled picture and shaking off the broken glass before regaining her feet.
“You win. Cole has nothing to do with this.”
“Good. Then I see we understand each other. I’m willing to let bygones be bygones this time. Don’t make me regret my generosity.”
Once she gave a sharp nod, Max took her to the elevator. Neither one talked as they went outside to his motorcycle and Max sat on his bike.
“Get on.”
She climbed on behind him, still holding the picture in her hand as they rode out of the warehouse. Max didn’t bother with the blindfold. It was obvious Casey would do what it took to keep the Predators away from Cole.
He drove her to her apartment. When she climbed off and started to walk away, he stopped her.
“Casey, Ice wasn’t bluffing.” Max refused to feel any sympathy for the woman who h
ad fucked him and betrayed him in the same night.
“I know he wasn’t,” she said before running to the steps that led to her apartment.
Max backed out of the parking spot, riding back toward the clubhouse. He dreaded walking through the clubhouse doors for the first time since he had become a member. It was because of his screw-ups that Casey had managed to find out about the club’s private accounts. Ice wasn’t going to let either him or Casey off the hook as easily as he had pretended.
There was always hell to pay when you betrayed a Predator.
* * *
Max found the brothers waiting for him inside the clubhouse.
“Ice, I’m sorry, brother. I fucked up.”
The president of the Predators set his beer down on the counter. The impassive face Ice had presented to Casey was gone.
“I want you to find out exactly why that bitch did what she did.”
Max nodded, not about to argue with a furious Ice.
“I want you to use her the way she used you and the club. When you’re done with her, toss her ass to the other brothers to use. Our asses would all be sitting in jail if Jackal hadn’t rigged that silent alarm to the office door.”
“I know.”
“I don’t give a fuck how you do it, but I want that bitch paid back for what she did!”
“I’ll take care of it, Ice. I swear on my oath that I’ll make her my bitch, and she’ll regret betraying us.”
“See that you do, Max. She made fools of us. We were too complacent, and that’s on us all. If she does it again, it’s all on you.”
Chapter 13
Casey entered her apartment, closing the door behind her before leaning back against it. She was still in disbelief over being released without being hurt.
“It’s a relief to see they let you go.”
She jumped when the man stood from her living room couch.
“No thanks to you or the police!” Her panicked gaze watched as Fisk Delaney’s eyes ran over her. She assumed he was looking for bruises or marks.
“I take it you were caught?”
“Yes, they found me when I was downloading the information from the computer. It’s over. They have everything. I can’t help you anymore. You need to get out and stay away from me in the future. You’ll have to find someone else to help bring the Predators down. I’m out of it from now on.”
“It’s not that easy, Casey.” Fisk took a step toward her.
“Yes, it is.” Casey moved to the side, opening her door.
“I’ll leave, but when you change your mind, call me.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “Why would I call? You’ve proven that no one can help me. I should have done what I always do and taken care of the problem myself.”
Fisk shook his head. “You can’t handle this alone.”
“Watch me.”
“We will.” Fisk stopped in the doorway. “I wish it could have gone down better for you.”
“So do I.” Casey turned her face from him, not wanting his sympathy.
The door closing allowed her to focus on the destruction that had taken place in her apartment since her absence. Every piece of furniture had been destroyed. Fisk had been sitting on the only salvageable couch cushion. The bedroom was even worse than the living room. She would have to get new furniture, which she couldn’t afford.
“Jackal wanted to make sure he didn’t leave anything behind, didn’t he?” she asked her silent apartment.
Casey went into her kitchen to get trash bags. The second one was almost filled when she heard a knock on her door. Fear flew through her veins at the thought that the Predators had come back.
Straightening her shoulders, she went to her door, trying to remember if she had locked it after Fisk had left. The moment she looked through the peephole, she wished she hadn’t bothered. Preparing herself mentally, she opened the door.
A sharp slap knocked her back a step before she was able to regain her balance.
“You stupid bitch! What were you thinking?” Renee stormed inside the apartment, her sweet perfume in stark contrast to the venom and coarse language spewing from her as she railed against Casey.
“You left me no choice,” Casey said, closing the door.
“Me? Don’t blame this shit on me! This is all you, because you can’t leave things alone.”
At that moment, Casey hated her mother. She wanted to strike back at her so badly she had to gouge her nails into her palms to prevent herself from strangling the woman who had never cared about anyone but herself.
“If you’re not going to help, you can leave.”
“Why should I help you? This is all your mess,” Renee snapped.
“My mess? This is all because you’ve never accepted responsibility for anything. What do you expect me to do?”
“I expect for you to straighten this shit out, or so help me God, I’ll take the responsibility you want me to.”
Casey paled. “You wouldn’t.”
“Then don’t test me, Casey. I love Mugg, and I won’t have another of my marriages ruined because of my selfish kids.”
“We’re done, Renee,” Casey told her. The last hope she’d had that Renee at some point in life would realize the consequences of her actions and try to make reparations died a silent death.
“Yes, we are,” Renee snapped, kicking a cushion out of the way as she went toward the door. She slung it open, only to barrel into a man who had been about to knock.
“What are you doing here? Ice send you over to make sure she keeps her mouth shut? I already took care of it. She’ll behave from now on.”
Max’s eyes went back and forth between them. “Mugg know you’re here?”
Renee’s face paled. “I was leaving.”
“That would be a good idea. Mugg told you to stay out of it, and I suggest you listen to him.”
Renee gave a sharp look in her direction before turning back to Max, patting him on his cheek. “You’re the perfect son.” With that, her mother left her alone with Max.
Hurt blossomed in Casey’s chest at Renee’s words, not for herself, but for Cole. She had to blink back tears as she bent and continued to clean the mess.
“Need some help?” Max asked casually, as if he hadn’t kidnapped her earlier in the day.
“No.”
Max disregarded her answer, taking a trash bag from the box on the counter. Casey ignored him as they both began stuffing the fragments of her life into the bags. When the living room was straightened and the bags were sitting beside the door, Max picked up several to carry them outside and was gone for a while.
Casey went to the bedroom, disheartened, and was just beginning to feel relieved when he returned, walking in the door with a pizza.
“Come and sit down. We’ll clean the bedroom after we eat,” Max said, taking a chair at the table.
Casey took two beers from the refrigerator and sat across from him.
“Why are you here, Max?”
He swallowed the large bite he had taken before he answered. “I figured you could use some help, and I had nothing better to do tonight.” He shrugged. “Renee left a mark on you.”
“I’ll cover it with makeup before I go to work tomorrow.”
“She done that before?” Max stared at her harshly, demanding an answer.
“Only a couple times when we were kids. Renee doesn’t like to discipline, but when she does, she gets her message across.”
“I’ll make sure she stays away until she calms down,” Max promised.
“Why do you care? I’m not a fool, Max. You don’t have to pretend to be nice. Ice has told you to keep an eye on me, so let’s not make believe you’re here for any other reason.”
“Whatever trouble you’re in, Casey, I can help if you just ask. You didn’t suddenly decide to take on the Predators. Ice knows that—we all know that—so until we find out why, yeah, we’re going to keep tabs on you.”
“Then I guess we’re at a stand-off, be
cause I’m not going to explain why.”
“Then get used to my company. You want another piece of pizza?”
After they finished eating, they went to work again. It was midnight before the bedroom was finally cleaned.
“I should make Jackal come and help,” Max said, lifting the trash bags.
“Take a picture of his face when you do. I could use a good laugh.” Casey threw a blanket over the ripped mattress. It was going to have to do until she could get another one.
“I’m going to head back to the club after I put these in the dumpster. You need anything before I leave?” He paused in the bedroom doorway.
“No, thanks.” Casey stared at the large man in her bedroom, trying not to remember that it was only last night they had been together intimately. “I’m sorry for using you, Max. I hope it didn’t get you in trouble with your friends.”
“Ice and I have been together a long time, and he knows I didn’t know what you were up to. We’re cool.”
Casey knew he was lying. She had placed a wedge between Max and the Predators. Belatedly, she wished she had used Stump for her plans. She didn’t want Max held personally responsible for her actions.
“I’m glad.” Casey pretended to believe him as she followed Max to the front door. As he was about to step through the doorway, she laid a hand on his forearm. “If I could explain, I would, but I can’t.” It was the best she could give him, though she wished she could give him more. He deserved at least an apology from her.
“That’ll have to do for now, won’t it? Trust me, Casey; no one wants to fix what you did more than me.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she promised, dropping her hand.
“You do that.” Max carried the bags out, leaving her behind.
Casey was tempted to run after him and tell him everything. Instead, she closed the door behind him, shutting him out the way she did everyone.
* * *
“Can I borrow one of your pens? Mine have all run dry.”
Casey smiled as a potential new customer for the bank walked away with her new bottle opener.
“Sure, here you go.” Casey handed the woman the ink pen then brushed her hair back from her face.