by Karen Renee
Roll
Fury coursed through Roll’s veins as he pulled into the forecourt of the compound. Major and Patch were standing outside the clubhouse smoking. Both men perked up as Roll guided his bike straight to them.
He didn’t speak until he powered off his bike. “Iggy just tried to broadside us in a fuckin’ parking lot. He was right behind us, but plowed into a Corolla. Doubtful he’ll stop for that accident. Need to lock the gates, brothers.”
Patch lifted his chin and hustled to the gate, while Major pulled his cell out to notify Volt. Trixie dismounted behind him. As soon as she was clear, he swung off his bike and pulled his cell from its holster. He was pulling up Ray’s contact when Major asked, “He really try that shit in a parking lot in broad daylight? Christ. Fucking unhinged.”
Nothing about Roll’s bike was quiet, so it was no surprise when Blood and other brothers who were inside came out to see what was going down. He saw Major was giving them the low-down and Trixie was filling in details for them. After the third ring, his brother picked up.
“Roll, you know I’m with Momma—”
“Yeah. Wouldn’t call if this shit weren’t important. Someone was waitin’ for me after having coffee with Leah. I’m not certain someone else isn’t keepin’ tabs on your daughter.”
“Fuck,” his brother hissed.
That was the extent of it. Ray spoke before Roll could. “I can’t send them away again. It isn’t spring break any more, and Leah’s got testing and shit coming up. What am I supposed to do, Mr. Outlaw?”
He bit back his sarcastic response of ‘Not act like a judgmental asshole.’ “Be vigilant. I got some tech guys who could set up some cameras and shit so you’ll know if someone’s watchin’ your house.”
Ray sighed. “Fine. I’d rather my girls stay safe at this point. Any other great news for me, brother?”
In some ways, it was strange that hearing Ray call him brother didn’t resonate the same way it did when any of his MC brothers called him that.
There wasn’t time for Roll to speculate on why that was, so he replied, “No. Take care, Ray. Give Momma my love.”
He disconnected and Blood walked over to him. “Volt’s gonna be here in twenty. Emergency session of church. Normally I’d be surprised Iggy came after you this way, but the asshole’s never been right in the head. It’s almost too bad the Biloxi brothers left for Daytona today.”
Roll didn’t share that sentiment, so he let it go. He hooked an arm around Trixie’s neck and led her straight to his room. As they made their way there, she wrapped her arms around his waist.
With the door closed, he turned in her hold. “How the fuck did you know it was Iggy?”
Her chin dipped while her eyes moved to the side and she bit her lower lip. He wanted to kiss that look off her face, but this was too damn important.
Finally, she answered. “Admittedly, he wasn’t my best decision. But I don’t think anyone’s got a schnozz like his other than that blue eagle Muppet guy. Believe me, it would be difficult not to remember his face.”
With a groan he closed his eyes. Seeing her expectant face when he opened them, there was more force than he intended as he said, “Jesus!”
Her eyes flared. “You aren’t blaming me for this shit, are you?”
He yanked her to his chest. “Absolutely not. Just hitting me hard that you were right. Christ almighty, were you ever right.”
She glanced at him sideways. “Right about what?”
“Nearly pains me to say it, but pretty much everything.”
She pouted her lips to the side. “Following an intense high speed truck chase on motorcycle is not the time to bust out my camera and other recording devices to mark this historic event, but what do you mean, I’m right about ‘pretty much everything?’”
Roll wanted to laugh, but instead blew a breath out through his nose.
“I mean, all those years ago I should’ve asked you how old you were. Maybe it would’ve kept you away from fuckin’ Iggy way back when, I don’t know. I damn sure should’ve come clean about what I wanted for you and how I couldn’t give it to you.”
Her finger pressed gently on his lips. “Stop it,” she whispered.
He felt his cock twitch. There was something sultry about her whispering, no matter what she was whispering about. Fortunately, or unfortunately as far as his cock was concerned, she reverted to her normal tone.
“Hindsight is always perfect, but it’s also always a perfect waste of damn time, so don’t do it. Okay?”
God, she could be so sensible. It was actually one of the many things he loved about her.
“Okay, baby. I’m sorry we had to dodge so much traffic gettin’ back here. As much as I hate the fuckin’ idea, I’m thinkin’ we’re gonna have to wear helmets for a while, or we’re takin’ a cage everywhere we go.”
Her dejected sigh was answer enough for him.
“Yeah. I don’t like it either, babe. Though I have heard there are helmets with Bluetooth, which would’ve been damn handy about an hour ago.”
“No doubt about that,” she deadpanned and he chuckled.
***
Roll got to church later than he would’ve wanted because he was making out with Trixie in his room. This meant he was leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. Volt was running things down for the brothers who hadn’t heard yet.
“So, it seems the Devil Lancers didn’t like our form of retribution,” Blood observed.
“If that’s the case, why didn’t the entire club come for Roll or at least another brother in a cage, or something more challenging?” Beast asked. He saw the look on Roll’s face and added, “Not that I wanted you and your woman to have a bigger challenge, I’m just pointing out one guy could be a loose cannon.”
Volt’s eyes had a skeptical glint to them, making it clear he was mulling that over. “That’s not an assumption I’m willing to make. Heathen’s behind bars. I haven’t heard, but my guess is that he isn’t likely to be let go on his own recognizance, but that isn’t to say he can’t post bail. So, until he’s out again, Iggy might have gone rogue, or he might’ve been given some seriously fucked-up marching orders.”
“In the meantime, what about our women? Because seriously, goin’ after a brother on his bike is one thing, but with a woman at his back, that shit’s fuckin’ whacked.” Razor said.
“Agreed,” Volt replied. “If you’re gonna ride, wear a helmet. I know that shit’s restrictive as fuck, but I’d rather not lose any brothers. And if you refuse to keep your respective women off your bikes, they need headgear too.”
Roll thought the room would fall into silence, but to his surprise, Blood groaned.
“Got somethin’ you want to say, Veep?” Volt asked.
Blood stroked his goatee for a moment. “Yeah. Instead of tellin’ everyone to dig out their helmets or go get one, why in the fuck aren’t we goin’ after these assholes? Yeah, we attacked their prospects, but those fuckin’ prospects proved they had shit worth by fallin’ into our trap. Nothin’ ties us to the incineration of their cook-house, as far as they know. Even as a rogue member, Iggy needs to be taught a fuckin’ lesson, and us bidin’ our time to do just that makes us look like a bunch of fuckin’ pussies.”
No question, Blood was dead right. In the days when Teach was president there was no way in fuck they would’ve locked the gates and called a session of church. The brothers would’ve rallied together and gone after Iggy and dealt with the fall-out later on.
Volt waited some time before he spoke. “If our intentions were different, you’re right. I’d have no hesitation about going after any damn one of those fuckers. Nobody forces us to change how we do things, whether that’s how we ride or who we take on as our Ol’ Ladies. We live our lives and let others live theirs. Iggy’s move today was an assault on a brother and his property. It demands the highest form of retaliation, but with Heathen in the joint, I believe we should hold off.”
“Since when—” Beas
t started, but cut himself off because he wasn’t an officer and realized he was speaking out of turn.
Had he not been standing right in front of him, Roll would’ve missed the grin forming on Cal’s lips before Cal said, “By all means, Beast, finish what you have to say.”
Beast’s trepidation was nearly palpable as he hesitated. “Well. Since when do we hold off on jackshit because another MC’s president is in fuckin’ jail?”
There were grumbles around the table from Major, Patch, Turk and Rage. They would agree with that sort of vengeance. Roll saw both sides of the situation, which was a blessing and a curse. God knew he had learned that lesson a few months back when shit hit the fan with Liar and Andrea.
“We got any markers with somebody who can tell us whether Heathen’ll make bail?” Roll asked.
Volt arched an eyebrow at him, but Vamp chimed in. “What fuckin’ difference does it make? He makes bail or he doesn’t. A shithead like fuckin’ Iggy needs to be taken down regardless of where their fuckin’ president lays his head down.”
Exchanging a look with Volt, Roll was reminded why he wasn’t president material. Being diplomatic was not in Roll’s wheelhouse, and he never wanted it to be.
Volt cleared his throat. “We kill Iggy, no matter how justified, we’re starting war. I don’t mind starting war, but that means lives can be lost. Can tell you right now, I don’t want to lose a single brother because we should’ve waited a day or even two days.”
“Be better if we knew if they had allies or not,” Major added.
“Right. I’d rather not start a war without knowing things like that either, Major. Alliances are critical always, but never more so than when war is breaking out. Gonna put it to a vote, so what I say next is not meant to sway that vote, but waiting a day, maybe two, damn sure beats the amount of time wasted on a funeral for one of our own.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Trixie
I was in a minor daze after Roll pressed me up against his door and made out with me for so long before Church. It hit me that it was Saturday, and normally I’d swing by and see my father. That wasn’t likely to happen today, but I dug my phone out of my back pocket so I could at least call him.
“Hello,” he said in his gravelly voice.
“Hey, Dad, it’s Trixie.”
“Hi, darlin’. If you called to talk to your mother, she just left to go see your uncle. While I’m thinkin’ of it, you need to get home before curfew tonight.”
I sighed as quietly as I could. This happened sometimes. Depending on the medications he was on, and if a nurse looked anything like Mom, he would slip back in time. What had me concerned was how frequently it was happening lately. There was no doubt he would need to have constant care soon. It was another reason I was so eager to be a manager. I’d have more money to put him in a better place than what Medicare covered. The stress of having my father but at the same time not having him was brutal as hell. My every instinct was to grab my purse and drive down to see him while Roll was in Church, but I knew better.
Between the high-speed chase and the stress of Dad’s condition, I needed a drink. It wasn’t even noon yet, but I did not give a fuck. An Irish coffee would be just what the doctor ordered. There was nobody in the kitchen, so I filled a mug with coffee, but was careful to leave room for the good stuff. I took my cup and went behind the bar. While I was stirring the Bailey’s and whiskey into my mug, Abby came over.
“Shit, Trix. Drinkin’ before eleven, what the hell?”
I narrowed my eyes at her. I may not have given a fuck, but Abby didn’t normally give me a ration of shit. “You have a Devil Lancer try to broadside you and your man on his bike this morning?” I snipped.
She held her hands up in a surrendering gesture. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just somethin’ like that normally doesn’t drive you to drink. No pun intended.”
I semi-glared at her. “Bullshit. The moment someone says ‘no pun intended,’ you can bet your ass they meant that shit as intended. The only people who make unintentional puns are people who have to have that shit pointed out to them.”
“Well, aren’t you in a mood?”
I sighed and forced myself to dial back the bitchy. “Yeah. You’re right. The chase normally wouldn’t make me drink, but on top of that my Dad’s having an off-day, if my phone call with him is any sign.”
“Oh, no,” she said, but the look on her face said so much more.
As much as I loved Abby, I didn’t know how she did it, being a nurse and all. It seemed like just because she was a nurse, anyone and everyone would ask for her opinion on anything health-related. God knows, I’d done it myself, more than once. She knew all about my father and how he had home nurse visits every other day of the week, and she’d even introduced me to other nurse friends of hers who had suggestions on care facilities for when the time came.
I swallowed a sip of my drink. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be unloading this—”
She smacked the bar and made me jump. “Listen here, Trixie Baker, I’d be pissed as all hell if you held that shit inside and didn’t unload it to me. Christ. You keep sayin’ shit like that, you’re gonna drive me to drink.”
“Can’t have that now, can we?”
“No, we can’t,” she said with a devious smile.
The doors to the meeting room opened and the brothers filed out. By the looks on their faces, the meeting was not a good one, but then again anyone trying to take out a biker was never a good reason to meet. One of the prospects came around the bar, but none of the brothers looked like they wanted a beverage.
Roll spied me and sauntered over to us. “What’re you doin’ behind the bar, woman?”
I raised my mug. “Havin’ a cuppa joe that’s been improved, thanks to some of my favorite Irish products.”
When I put the mug down after another sip, Roll grabbed it and downed the rest of it. I frowned. “Okay. I know why my morning went to shit, but what the hell, Roll?”
“Club business,” he muttered.
I thought Abby would share the look I gave her, but she just shrugged. Times like these always made me wonder if I was really made of Ol’ Lady material, because I wasn’t like the others. No way could I let this ‘club business’ explanation stand. I shook my head and focused on Roll. “I need to go see my Dad. A nurse saw him today, and he’s under the impression my mother just left to see Uncle Derrick and that I need to be home before curfew.”
“Oh, God,” Abby said, her tone laced with sympathy.
“Yeah,” I whispered.
Roll pointed at the prospect. “Leave out the back gate, be on the lookout for anyone tailing you. Especially an older model white Ford F-150. It’s clean, but plain. No window tinting. You see that vehicle, take evasive measures. Go to the storage facility. I got a black Hyundai Sonata parked in the back.” He handed a set of keys to the prospect. “Bring it back and come in the back gate when you do.”
“Gotcha,” the blond-haired man replied, and sauntered away.
“My car’s already here, Roll. I didn’t make my drink that strong, and you had half of it, so I can drive us.”
Roll lifted an eyebrow. “Know that. Your car’s also bright fuckin’ red and has a label on it screaming it’s you, so that’s not happening.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine.”
Roll
He knew Trixie hated being in the dark, but there was no way he was going to tell her that in a couple day’s time the club would be going to war because of Iggy. She did not know her powerful appeal to men like him as the quintessential biker bitch. That meant she didn’t know that after her last run-in with Iggy so many years ago, he’d been looking for her. By the time she came ‘round the Riot compound, Iggy had moved on, but no way in hell Roll was going to tell her that shit. Not then, and not now if he could help it.
He had fucked up in his twenties by not communicating with her, so there was part of him thinking not-communicating now would be another mistake. Yet he wanted t
o shield her from Iggy’s fucked-up ways, and if that meant keeping this shit to himself, then that’s what he’d do.
Trixie slid into the passenger side of his Sonata. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m stunned you can actually fit into this car.”
“Shut your mouth,” he said, trying not to chuckle.
“What? I’m serious. Had I not been in a snit about you driving my car, I probably would’ve been surprised you could fit in her, too, but I wasn’t happy about you driving her, and looking so hot while you did it.”
“And the fact that I drive her better than you.”
Even with her head turned toward the window, he knew she was rolling her eyes at him. “You shut up.”
He saw Rage moving to his bike, and Roll honked at him while rolling down his window. “Yo, Rage!”
Rage lifted his chin and came their way. “What’s up?”
“You headed somewhere important?”
“Not really, why?”
“We’re goin’ to see her Dad in Green Cove. While we’re out, we might as well get her shit from the apartment. Was thinkin’ you can meet us down there with your Explorer around two?”
“Will do,” he said, with a flick of two fingers at Roll.
***
Trixie was exceptionally quiet during the drive, so Roll reached over and squeezed her thigh, but at his touch, she jerked.
“You scared the hell out of me.”
“Sorry, babe. Knew you were in your head over there, just wanted to calm you down.”
She sighed and looked at him like that was a challenge he wouldn’t be able to tackle. “That’s a damn tall order, Roll.”
“Why?”
She chuckled without humor. “’Cause this shit’s happening so frequently with him. I know he’s gonna need more than just in-home nurse visits soon. When I’m around and he’s lucid, I get so excited I forget to ask him about his finances. Not even sure he’d share that info with me anyway, but I have no idea how I’m gonna be able to afford putting him somewhere or moving him in with me.”