Treat: Steel Saints MC

by Evelyn Glass

  “You’re leaving?”

  “Yes. There is nothing here for me now.”

  “What about your new life?”

  “What new life, Jack? You’ve got no buyer. You can’t sell the cars… they’re too hot. You said so yourself. The best thing you could do is sink them in Elephant Butte or Caballo Lake.” She turned to face him. “I will be forever grateful for what you did for me. For taking me in and… being kind. But you don’t need me around anymore. I’m nothing but bad luck. Every time I try to get my life together something bad happens and I…”

  Jack pulled her to him and held her tight to her chest. He said nothing, and after a moment he felt her shudder as she began to weep softly. “Shhh…” he murmured as he rocked her gently. “It’s going to be okay.”

  “How? How is it going to be okay?” she sniffed.

  “I don’t know. But I gave you my word. I can’t do the million that I promised you, but I have a little money put aside. And I will get you a new identity.”

  Tina wept harder as his kindness and generosity touching her deeply. Not since her father died had she ever felt so… loved? Protected? Cared for? She didn’t know, but her emotions overwhelmed her and she sobbed into Jack’s chest. “I don’t want your money, Jack,” she finally said as she tried to pull herself together and dry her tears. “Why would you do that for me?”

  “We made a deal,” he said.

  “The deal fell through.”

  “But you fulfilled your end.”

  It was true, she had, but she still couldn’t take his money… not after all he had done for her. Today made her week. She had worked and paid her debt to him for breaking the window to get into the clubhouse. She was free to go and she couldn’t impose on his kindness further. “I stand with the others,” she said. “I’ll get paid when everyone else does.”

  He smiled as his cheek rested on her head. A week ago she would have leapt at that deal. “And the new identity?”

  “When I can pay for it myself. You’ve done enough for me already. I can’t... I won’t... ask you to do more.”

  “So you are just going to leave?”

  “There is nothing I can help with now.”

  “Stay,” he said. “Just give us a few days. A week. Let’s see if we can turn up another buyer.”

  Tina pushed out of his arms. “Why, Jack? Tell me why you want me to stay.”

  He looked at her and he felt a flutter in his heart as something changed inside of him. That same kicked dog look she had a week ago was back as the weight of her troubles crushed the life out of her.

  “Because I want you to. I want you to stay, not because you owe me anything, but because you want to.”

  She looked into his eyes and whimpered, gathered herself, then whimpered again as tears leaked from her eyes. She wanted to stay, but why would he want her? The twenty-four-year-old fuck-up that had pissed her life away and gone to prison for it.

  “But why?”

  “Why what?” he asked.

  “Why do you want me to stay? Why do you care? Nic told me how you have a different woman every night. She said that me being here a week was a long-term relationship for you. So why do you want me to stay? I don’t understand… I don’t understand why you care, why you are being so nice to me.”

  He looked at her while he tried to understand his motives himself. “I don’t know,” he finally said. “Nic’s right about me. I’m not proud of that, but it is the way I am. The way I was. But… you’re different somehow. I just want you to stay.”

  “For how long?”

  “Until you are ready to go.”

  That stopped her cold. “What are you saying, Jack?” she asked.

  “I don’t know! Look, my whole world was turned upside down not a half-hour ago. I don’t know what I’m going to do with these fucking cars. I just need something, someone, I can depend on.”

  “And that’s me?”

  “Yes. In hindsight you’re the only reason this worked at all. Had it not been for you there is no way we could have pulled this off. Other than that little fib with the money, which I can understand, you haven’t lied to me.” He paused as he looked into her eyes, then decided to come clean. “Tina, I like and admire you. I like the fact that life has shit all over you, kept knocking you down, and you kept getting back up. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been after your dad died, and then your mother got all weird over it, and you were forced to basically fend for yourself. You did what you had to survive, and you did. I need some of your strength right now.”

  She looked at him and swallowed hard as she tried to reel in her emotions. Nobody had ever admired her before—not for anything positive anyway. She stepped to him and embraced him as she placed her head on his chest so she could listen to his thudding heart.

  “I’ll stay,” she murmured.

  He relaxed as tension he didn’t even know he held flowed out of him at her words. He slid his arms around her. “Thank you.”

  She didn’t move or respond as she smiled softly. Possibly the shittiest day of her life just got a little better. “What are we going to do?” she asked, her smile growing a bit wider at the use of the word we instead of you.

  Jack picked up on her wording. “We are going to find another buyer and sell these fucking cars. Even if we only get a million or two for them, they will be gone and this whole fucked up mess will be nothing but a bad memory.”

  “How can I help?”

  “You can’t. I can’t. The Sons are compartmentalized. That way if the shit hits the fan, it doesn’t drag us all down. Brett and Cheryl will be making some calls. If anyone can find a buyer, those two can.”

  “They’re married?”

  “No. Not even dating, why?”

  “No reason. I was just wondering if they were like Marshall and Nic, Seth and Michelle.”

  “Tina and Jack?” he teased.

  “We’re not married,” she pointed out.

  “I know. But no, they are not even an item. Cheryl is a full member of the Sons.”

  “So if you have women members, why isn’t it the ‘Desert Sons and Daughters’?” she asked with a smile as she pulled out of his arms.

  “The club jackets are already made up.”

  “Oh,” she said, then snickered.

  ***

  That night, as they lay in Jack’s bed and snuggled, he was quiet. They had made love that morning, and they had been going morning and night most days. But tonight he was passive, more interested in snuggling than fucking. Tina could understand that. It was Jack’s ass that was really on the line. All the other members of the Sons had plausible deniability, but not Jack. If anyone took a fall it would be him, so she could understand his slight brooding passivity tonight. As he gently caressed her thigh and breast she smiled into the darkness. Before Jack, she thought the only reason to be in bed with a man was to fuck. But just being held in his warm embrace… there was something to be said for that as well.

  He held Tina snuggly to him. He’s wasn’t sure why, but just having her close made him feel better. If she could survive all the shit she’s been through then he could surely survive this. This was the first time in the more than five years of the Sons running this kind of business that they had been left holding the bag. It was bound to happen sooner or later, he mused, but why did it have to happen on this deal? He pulled her a bit tighter to him. He wanted her, but at the same time, just holding her calmed him. That is what he needed right now… some stability and calm.

  Earlier in the day, all the Sons had snickered as they watched a local weekly news roundup program on the big screen in the lounge. Their heist was the lead story and pushed the rest of the week’s news off the headlines. The report valued their theft at more than one hundred million and the police were completely stymied. They were unable to figure out how the thieves had managed to get in and get out without being seen or heard, setting off no alarm, and left not one shred of evidence. The Sons had laughed out loud when the
police spokesman expressed confidence the culprits would be apprehended soon.

  That was before the deal had gone to shit, of course. Now it wasn’t so damn funny because, given enough time, they would get caught. You can’t hide six blood-red antique Ferraris forever.

  “Jack?” she whispered.

  “Yes.”

  “It’s going to be okay,” she said with confidence.

  He smiled. If she believed it, then it probably would be.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  For the next three days Brett and Cheryl scoured their contacts as they looked for a buyer. Their theft made national news and was reported on all the major news networks, the Sunday evening news of national networks, and all four local stations. The cars were so hot that even at rock bottom prices nobody would even touch them. Then the show promoter offered a $100,000 reward for the return of the cars and information leading to the capture of the person or persons responsible.

  As much as Jack tried to hide it, Tina could see the worry in his face and eyes. She suggested again they dump the cars into a lake, but he couldn’t bring himself to destroy the near priceless cars.

  Five days after the theft, and after consulting with Marshall and Seth, Jack rented six storage buildings in six different locations around Albuquerque. Using the Sons’ enclosed trailer and a borrowed truck he relocated the cars in three trips. Only Seth, Marshall, and Jack knew the location of the cars in an effort to reduce the number of potential leaks. They also sped the delivery of the Jag and BMW stored in the warehouse and suspended any additional business until the heat cooled.

  A full week after the theft they were no longer the lead news story, but were still in the news and the pressure on the Albuquerque police was intense. The police couldn’t drop it. This wasn’t like the theft of a Honda or Toyota, or even a $100,000 Mercedes… this is a big deal. If they failed to solve the case they would have egg on their collective faces and heads would roll.

  They continued to make love but Jack's moods swung wildly. Some nights he was subdued, loving, and tender... other nights he was wild, the sex aggressive and full of fiery passion as he took her over and over until they were both sweaty, panting, and exhausted.

  Monday, while they prepared lunch, the little light in the family area blinked to announce that someone had stepped through the invisible beam across the walk to the main door. They weren't expecting anyone and looked at each other.

  “You want me to see who it is?” Tina asked.

  Jack shrugged. “I'll get it.”

  Tina finished slicing the apple, then wiped her hands before she followed Jack into the warehouse. As she walked up behind him she could see the black uniform of Albuquerque’s finest. Her first thought was to turn and walk away, but she forced herself to stand behind Jack to avoid raising any suspicion.

  “This is just a routine investigation,” the officer said. “We had a report of a lot of activity in the area. With the recent theft I'm sure you have heard about, we are just following up on all leads.”

  “I understand,” Jack said, so cool Tina thought she might get frostbite. “How can I help?”

  “May I take a look around the warehouse?”

  “Do you have a warrant?”

  “No, sir. As I said, this is just a routine check.”

  “Would you like to use my phone to call for a warrant?” Jack asked.

  The officer smiled. “No. That won't be necessary, sir. As I said, we are just following up on leads. It was reported that there is a lot of activity involving cars and motorcycles at this location.”

  “I understand, officer. This unit belongs to my friends and me. We use it to store and work on our cars and motorcycles. You bring a warrant and I will be happy to let you look around. I have nothing to hide… but you have rules.”

  “I understand, sir,” the officer said. “Thank you for your time.” He smiled and a nodded before he turned and retreated to his car.

  “You think they know anything?” Tina asked nervously as the officer backed the prowler out of the parking space.

  Jack shut and relocked the door. “I doubt it. If they suspected anything they would have shown up with more than just one cop and they would have brought a warrant.”

  “Why didn't you let him look around? There is nothing here for him to find.”

  “Because if they want to search they have procedures they have to follow. I intend for them to follow them,” he said as they returned to his apartment located in the back of the warehouse.

  “Don’t you think that will make them more suspicious?”

  “So what if it does? There still isn't anything for them to find in here. Let 'em search. But I don't have to make easy for them.” As they ate lunch, Jack made some calls and encouraged the Sons with motorcycles stored in the clubhouse to come get them… “Just in case.”

  Within two hours of Jack's calls, only Jack's two bikes, along with his Audi and the enclosed car trailer, remained. A good thing, too. Less than an hour after the last hog left, the officer that had originally asked to search the warehouse, along with two others, returned with a warrant. “Babe,” Jack said, intentionally not calling her by name as he looked over the warrant, “Go back to the apartment and shut the door. This warrant gives them the right to search the warehouse for stolen cars. Do not allow them into the apartment. If they want to search that, they need another warrant. Understand?”

  She nodded, her stomach full of butterflies, but she did as he said.

  “Right this way, officers,” Jack said as he opened the door wide.

  The search didn't take long since they were standing in what amounted to a big hollow box. When Jack produced the license, registration, and proof of insurance for the two hogs and the Audi, the three officers thanked him for his cooperation and left.

  “You think they know?” Tina asked when Jack came through the door to the apartment.

  “No. I think they are fishing. Somebody probably saw us with cars in here sometime in the past and reported it to the cops… trying to help them out. They knew as soon as they stepped in here the cars weren't here, but they had to do something.”

  “And the apartment?”

  “The law says they can only search for what they came looking for. The warrant said they were looking for stolen cars. Since there was no way to get a car into my apartment, they had no right to search there. That was mostly for their benefit… so they would know I knew what they could and couldn’t do. And to have an excuse to get you out of sight.”

  “What are you… some kind of lawyer, too?” Tina asked, impressed.

  “No… But in this line of work, it pays to know your rights.”

  “They’re closing in, aren’t they?” she asked, worried.

  “Maybe. It’s too early to panic. Now that they have searched here, they probably won’t be back. There is nothing to tie us to the theft. I think we’re okay.”

  “We should go.”

  “Go where, Tina?”

  “Anywhere! Somewhere where they won’t find us.”

  He could see the worry in her eyes. “You can leave if you want,” he said as gently as possible.

  “Come with me! Please, Jack!”

  “I can’t leave. Not yet.”

  “Why?” she cried in frustration.

  “This is my home. I can’t just leave until I have no choice. But I understand if you want to leave.”

  Tina wanted to scream in frustration, torn between her desire to run and her desire to stay with Jack. Running was like an old friend… it was how she handled every problem in her life and the need to escape called to her. But she was tired of running and being alone.

  “You’re such an asshole!” she finally snarled before falling into his embrace. “If you won’t come with me, I’m staying,” she said into his chest, holding him tight.

  They stood in the embrace for a moment, his cheek resting on her head, until she felt him move. She looked up and their lips met almost by instinct. The kiss star
ted out slow, gentle, and sweet, but she needed to feel his touch, needed to renew that tenuous connection that was forming between them. As the kiss deepened she pressed in tight and molded her body to his as her passion and desire sprung to life.

  Jack could feel his need for her tugging at him as their tongues began to slash at each other while his hands slid under her top so he could feel her skin. He pulled back from the kiss and read the desire in her eyes—the same desire he felt in his own. She plucked at his collar with her fingers as they stared into each other’s eyes while their lips touched in quick, gossamer-light touches before he lifted her into his arms and carried her to their bedroom.