by Riley, C. L.
“Okay, everyone; listen up. You all know my old lady, Sally. She, however, doesn’t know who the fuck any of you are. So go easy on her. She’s trying to get back in the swing of things and is going to be serving drinks. Any questions?”
“Why don’t we tell Sally who we are?” a man who looked like an older, leaner version of Boone added. “Right now, we’re all strangers.”
A few of the guys grunted what I guessed was their approval.
The Boone look-alike went first. “I’m Bones, President, and your old man’s dad, which makes me your father-in-law. This here is his step-mom, Jazzy.”
Jazzy gave me a friendly smile, the first so far. I returned it, with relief. Having Boone’s step-mom’s approval meant a lot.
“Nice to meet you.” I wasn’t sure what to say, so I stuck to the basics.
Bones continued with the introductions. He motioned to the man closest to him. “Leg.”
Leg nodded, but stayed silent. His expression was more inquisitive than anything else. I was curious too, about the nickname, but didn’t dare ask. Boone had explained everyone’s road name had significance. I’d ask him in private later.
“To my left, Wolf and his old lady, Harmony. She’s the one who picked up your new wardrobe. And if you ever hear Wolf howl, get out of his way fast.”
Chuckles rippled through the group, confirming Bone’s warning.
“Thanks, Harmony. I appreciate you taking time to replenish my supplies.”
I wanted to ask why she’d selected such trashy clothes, but again kept the comments to myself. Insulting her choices would be insulting her, as her attire mirrored my own. In fact, both she and Jazzy were dressed like me. The brunette and a skinny redhead looked more like true trash, with their over abundance of makeup, and skirts so short I prayed they’d remembered their panties.
I was more relieved than I’d ever admit, when Harmony smiled back. These women were likely my friends, and I couldn’t even remember them.
“Crusher, Eggs, Spyder, and you’ve met Tinker and Tweaker,” Bones finished.
I couldn’t help it; I had to know. I glanced at the man he’d called Eggs and asked, “Eggs?”
Jazzy laughed. “Just give it a few minutes. You’ll know why soon enough.”
“Hey,” Eggs shot back.
Leg shoved him away. “Oh, yeah. You will definitely figure it out.”
As they moved toward the bar, I waited for them to introduce the girls who’d arrived with them. No one seemed inclined to do it, so I asked. “You didn’t introduce the other ladies.”
“Ladies …?” Crusher scoffed. “We didn’t introduce them, because they ain’t no one to introduce, and they sure as shit ain’t ladies.”
Not sure what to say, I glanced at the two in question. The brunette glared at Crusher, and her cheeks burned hot, like the temper I suspected she was fighting to control. The redhead appeared embarrassed, but remained silent, lowering her gaze.
“I’ll remember that later, when you want me to suck your dick, Crusher,” the brunette snipped.
He shook his head, laughing. “Point taken. Come here and give me some attention.” He patted his lap.
O-kay…? I guessed I was looking at club whores. The ones Boone told me about, who hung out hoping to become old ladies. They were like biker groupies or something, sleeping their way through the brothers. The thought of either of them fucking Boone didn’t settle well with me. Making it worse, I couldn’t remember if they had been with him, or not. I was clueless.
But I didn’t have time to worry about what I couldn’t remember; everyone was ready to drink. With Boone pointing out where to find things, and Tinker vaulting over the bar to help out, I got caught up in my new role playing bartender.
More guys poured in and the place filled up. The jukebox kicked on and the atmosphere shifted, turning into a party. Pool games and dart boards were popular destinations. Another group of women arrived, clinging to the men. A few flirted openly with Boone, but he didn’t seem interested. Thank God. I couldn’t handle watching him feel up some slut in front of me. The idea that I enjoyed him touching other women seemed unbelievable.
Unbelievable. This whole situation was unbelievable.
What if he was lying and taking advantage of my memory loss? Granted our boys seemed to really know me, but how could I be sure Boone was who he said he was?
Harmony leaned across the bar and motioned me over, putting an end to my questions. “Hey, you’ve done enough. Let the prospects take over for the night. Let’s talk.”
She nodded at Tweaker. He had already joined his twin and was pulling more beers from the industrial cooler.
I grabbed one and joined Harmony on the opposite side of the bar, planting myself on a stool. It felt good to be off my feet. If today’s chores had been light duty, I wasn’t sure I could handle my regular schedule. And, if I didn’t know better, I’d almost think I’d never done a day of work in my entire life. People waiting on me sounded a whole lot better.
“How are you doing, Sally? Really?” Harmony patted my hand.
I sighed and took a long drink. “I don’t know. This is so overwhelming. I can’t remember anything. I keep wondering if this is real. Is Boone really my husband? We seem so different.”
“He really cares about you. And, yes, you are different. But opposites attract, right?”
“I guess.”
“You’re doing great, and you should know he can’t keep his eyes off you. I was watching him while you worked. That man has it bad for you. Taming a man like Boone is no easy task, but I’d say your well on your way to doing just that.”
I started to respond when the door swung open with such velocity, it battered the wall behind it; two men rushed in. They went straight to Bones and Boone.
A few minute later, Bones shouted over the music, raising his hand. “We got a problem. We’re going on lockdown. Grab your families, spread the word and get back as soon as you can.” He resumed talking to the cluster of men, who’d gathered around him.
“What does that mean?” My chest constricted, as renewed fear coursed through me. Something bad had happened! Maybe my would-be-killers had found me?
Harmony quickly explained, “There’s been a serious threat to the club. Lockdown brings everyone together, here. We have underground facilities too. We’re set up to handle a fucking nuclear war, if we have to.”
I wanted to demand more answers, but Wolf was already at her side, whispering in her ear. Her eyes widened and she nodded, her mouth set in a firm line. He pulled her close and kissed her hard. If I wasn’t so scared, I might have been turned on by their passionate display.
“Sally …” Boone grabbed my arm. “I have to ride out. We have a problem at the Treasure Cove. One of our girls, a stripper, was killed. There was another fire. I can’t tell you more. Please don’t go outside for any reason. You’ll be safe here, okay?”
I couldn’t help it, my whole body trembled. Another fire meant my assailants were involved.
“Fuck. I don’t want to leave you.” Like Wolf had with Harmony, he pulled me to his chest. Slipping a finger under my chin, he lifted my head. Only his mouth didn’t plunder mine the way Wolf’s had plundered Harmony’s, instead he brushed his lips gently against mine. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
I just nodded.
“Boone! Let’s go!” His father bellowed.
When he followed Bones out the door, any doubts I had about him being my husband went with them.
Someone who kissed me with such tenderness could only have my best interest in mind.
Boone
Conner Mills and his ATF buddies were busy at work when we arrived, picking at the fire scene like hungry buzzards on a corpse. We stayed out of their way and quickly rounded up our onsite security.
According to their report, The Cove had been packed with the after dinner crowd, who were detained inside and being questioned by local police. The Dungeon hadn’t yet opened for business, one
thing in our favor. The general public wasn’t privy to our underground kink club, and right now wasn’t the ideal time to bring its existence to the forefront.
Julia, one of our newest dancers, had gone out to her car for a break and never returned. Her car had blown up with her inside. The cameras covering the parking lot showed two men wearing Hells Guardian cuts, pouring gasoline on her charger and tossing matches when they’d finished soaking it. Julia made one attempt to escape before the explosion, but was hit in the head and shoved back inside.
Several witnesses also identified our enemies’ colors, explaining they’d fled north in a white cargo van that had already been discovered abandoned a few miles up 101.
So much for my theory of something darker and deeper; we were going to war. The vote tomorrow would be just a formality.
Still, even with the glaring evidence, something didn’t sit right with me.
The Hells Guardians weren’t idiots, or amateurs. They were savvy and experienced criminals who had years of experience flying under law enforcement’s radar. Like us, they weren’t prone to risky acts of violence that brought unwanted attention to their dealings. An incident like this would trigger a full scale investigation, something neither organization needed.
I shook my head and focused on the chaos around me, saving my questions for later.
Conner caught my gaze and approached. “Fire just seems to follow you around, Richards, doesn’t it?”
I took a step closer, daring him to make an outright accusation. Bones appeared at my side
“I’m not sure I like what you’re implying about my son. You have something you wanna say, be direct. Passive aggressive bullshit is for men who don’t have the balls to say what needs to be said,” Bones challenged. He rested a hand on my shoulder, signaling me to stay calm. Now wasn’t the time.
“You want direct; I’ll give you direct. Our normally quiet area has had a string of fires. Three fires were in Seal’s Cove, and all three resulted in fatalities. One involved Boone's former wife, the other, the mayor’s wife, and as you’re well aware, the most recent incident destroyed my fiancé’s new home, killing her employees. Olympia and her father are still missing, and we have no leads.
Now, one of your dancers is killed in another arson-event, by your sworn enemies, at a Soul Scorchers’ owned and operated place of business. Is that direct enough for you?”
My lip cured up in what was sure to be an ugly sneer. I’d never wanted to take someone out as much as I did Conner Mills.
Bones laughed. “So this is all on Boone? Ever think it might be some type of revenge against our trusted mayor’s family, or our town? You’ve got nothing. Like you said, no leads.”
“Maybe not yet, but I’m getting closer. Olympia complained about Boone just hours before the fire.” Conner shot me a look that said he’d like to hurt me too. “You’d been coming on to her when you should have been working. When she told you she wasn’t interested, you left her bathroom trashed. Sounds like motive to me.”
I lunged, grabbing the neck of Conner’s shirt and pulling his nose to mine. “You sick motherfucker. Your future wife is missing and you’re jealous. That sounds like motive to me.”
Leg , Wolf and my dad, pulled me away from Conner. For the first time, he had sense enough to look scared.
Chief Wells walked up with two of his deputies. “Everything okay here? You want to press charges?” he asked Conner.
“No. He’ll be behind bars soon enough. When he is, it will be for good.” The prick straightened his shirt.
Growling, I made another attempt to strangle him. Wolf and Leg struggled to hold me back.
“Not here!” my dad ordered. “Stand down! Go home. We’ll deal with this.” He was talking to me as my president, not my father.
I shrugged off Wolf and Leg, and gave Conner a scathing look. I snarled, baring my teeth like an animal. Given the opportunity, I would tear the ATF agent apart with my bare hands. I’d been the uncontested champion in our underground fighting matches for two years running; only recently “retiring” from the whole fight scene.
The way I felt right now, I needed to get back in the ring and work off my rage, before I did something that actually landed me in prison.
“Go,” Bones pressed, understanding that the thin line that kept me from doing serious damage, was at the breaking point. “Now.”
I realized then I was still glued to the same spot, my breathing ragged and my fists clenched. With great effort, I mustered every last bit of self-control I possessed and forced my feet to move away from the scene.
When I finally climbed on my bike, the only thing on my mind was whose pussy I’d punish. Some whore was getting cuffed, whipped, and pounded in the ass, pussy, and mouth. I needed to be in control. I needed a release.
Olympia Olsen was damn lucky I considered her off the menu, because I wanted to turn that crazy bitch over my lap and spank her bare ass until it burned. She’d stirred up this shit with Conner Mills, telling him I was pursuing her that day. The same day she’d referred to me as a thug, loser, and ‘the help’. The day she’d flashed her ass and flirted with me.
What the fuck?
According to Conner's retelling of that day, I was just some schmuck who had begged to get in her panties, only to be rejected and later retaliate by leaving a mess, and ultimately torching her house.
Okay, so maybe I’d skipped doing clean up in her bathroom, over her less than positive comments, but she’d been the one inviting me to swim and eat lunch with her, not the other way around.
The bottom line was; no matter what feelings she’d generated in me this past week, I’d be wise to remember she was the enemy.
Sally wasn’t real.
Olympia Olsen was, and her chore list had just doubled. I’d make sure her first lockdown experience was one she’d never forget.
Now, if I could just forget the way her soft, full lips had felt pressed against mine, everything would be that much easier.
In my case, nothing ever seemed to come easy.
Olympia
Not sure what to do with myself after Boone's departure; I grabbed a rag off the bar and cleaned the tables. I helped make drinks alongside Tinker and Tweaker, when they looked overwhelmed, and stayed busy with other minor tasks to keep my fear at bay. I wasn’t just afraid for myself. My panic extended to Boone and my kids too. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t remember them, I already cared, more than I'd expected to, without memories.
The main room’s atmosphere was one of barely contained chaos, as more people, mostly women and children, found their way to the club for the imposed lockdown. Everyone was tense, which increased my anxiety.
Grinch approached, his face a mask of anger. I was already learning that angry was his go-to expression, and not to take it personally.
“The boys are downstairs with the other kids. You might wanna go check on JV. He’s pretty shook up. He hates lockdowns. I’ve gotta help with security up here.” He pointed the way to the mysterious underground compound that Harmony had mentioned.
In a side office, the carpeting had been pulled back from the wall, revealing a square hole in the ground, with metal stairs leading down. Two bikers, guns in hand, guarded the entrance. One nodded, and I took that as an indication they wouldn’t shoot me.
“Careful, steps are steep,” the other said as I made my way down.
When I reached the bottom, I’d entered a whole new world. An open room, far larger than the main room upstairs, was filled with couches, chairs, tables, and there were several TV’s blaring, and music playing. Two hallways branched off, and there was a commercial kitchen at the far end of the room. The set up reminded me of a school cafeteria converted for comfort.
The woman who’d glared at me earlier headed over, her gait steady even with the five-inch heels she wore with her barely-there skirt.
This time she smiled. “Hey, sorry about earlier. I was in a bad mood. Thanks for asking about us. Just because we pro
vide entertainment for the guys doesn’t mean we’re not human.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Twila. I’m sure you’ve heard the labels; club whore, sweet butt pussy, hang-around, biker groupie.”
I didn’t know what to say.
Seeming to sense my discomfort, she changed subjects. “Pretty cool down here, huh? This place was an old bomb shelter that the club expanded to suit their needs. It’s one of their best kept secrets. Completely soundproof, fireproof, and a bunch of other proofs. We’ll be safe here.”
I was tempted to ask why she was under protection if she was “just a whore.” But the answer was obvious. Single men, locked up, would want, as she put it, entertainment. I shivered at the thought. Would Boone want entertainment?
Thankfully, our conversation was cut short by JV. “Mom!” He wrapped his slender arms around my hips. “I missed you.”
Twila gave me a funny look and a half smile, half smirk, before turning away.
“I don’t like her,” JV said to her retreating form, surprising me. My youngest son didn’t seem like the type to not like someone.
I squatted down, so I was at eye level. “Why not, sweetie?”
“I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you.” His gaze darted around the room.
“Honey, you can tell me anything.” I hated seeing him so conflicted. He was too young to be keeping secrets for adults, likely his father.
“You’ll get mad and leave if I tell you.”
What the…? “I’m not going anywhere without you, baby. Please, tell me.”
His eyes widened and he moved away, rejoining the other kids.
I felt Boone’s looming presence behind me. Rising slowly, I turned to face him. At six-five and packed with muscles, my husband was beyond imposing. But it was the feral gleam in his eyes, and the way his gaze devoured me that sent off a string of inner warning bells. He looked like a beast ready to ambush its prey, the prey being me.
“I was just talking to JV. He was worried,” I managed to stammer.
“He’s fine,” Boone ground out through clenched teeth. “I need you upstairs. Now.”
Twila chose that moment to sashay back over to me. “Oh, hi, Boone. Your wife is so sweet. We’re going to be great friends, aren’t we?” She shot me a conspiring look.