Lady Guardians: Ride For Free

by Hadley Raydeen

  When I looked up at Starla, my heart nearly dropped out of my stomach.

  I was not expecting to see who was with her. He was years older, but there was no mistaking who was standing at her side. I narrowed my eyes at him and he side-eyed me.

  “You son-of-a-bitch,” I growled under my breath. A hot stream of venom was about to flow forth from my lips but Zach stepped forward in front of me and reached out a hand to the man I considered an enemy.

  “What's up, Elias? It’s been a long ass time, man. Thanks for coming,” Zach said with a nonchalance that made my blood boil. Like he and Eli had been the best of pals.

  I flipped a glare between my cousin and Zach as if they had grown two heads and then lost their freaking minds in the process. Elias was the boy from the Hellhound garage ten years ago. I hadn’t seen his no good ass since then. But I knew one thing for certain, he was still the son of the man that had my father killed.

  What the hell is he doing here? We know who his family is. They are Hellhounds. Those goddamn Dogs. The very ones who killed my father and kidnapped my mother and here they are welcoming him into the garage of the very Guardians’ president they killed with open arms and welcoming handshakes? Well, I’d be goddamned!

  “Hey, man. Yea, it's been a long time,” Elias said returning Zach’s handshake.

  Oh, hell. I wasn't here for the bullshit. Somebody better answer me now.

  I stepped around Zach in between the two of them cutting off their handshake short. Hands on hips, back to Zach, I squared my shoulders looking Elias dead in his face. “What the hell are you doing here, you son-of-a-bitch?”

  “No, no, no, Kyanne,” Star reached for my arm, just like she did ten years ago in the Hellhound garage. But, this time she was a beat too late. I swung back and punched the cock sucking Hellhound bastard square in his pretty boy nose. “Fuck you and your family! You killed my father you no good rat bastard. You’ll pay! You’ll all fucking pay! I swear to God if I had a gun I would blow your brains out.”

  I swear I would have used my nine on this ass, but it just so happened I didn't pack it in my terry cloth shorts when I left the freaking house in the middle of the goddamn night to come over here. And now, here I am, facing the enemy in a place that should be safe. Well, it used to be when I was growing up. Who knows what this was now.

  All I could do was ball up my fist and rain blows on his stupid, pretty face and I didn't give a shit if Starla was trying to stick up for him. If she got in my way, she’d get it, too. She knew who the hell he was. He was going to pay for what his family did to mine.

  “Kyanne, stop it!” I heard Zach say behind me as his boulder-like arms moved around my waist catching me mid-air before I could land another fist to Eli now lying on the floor. Zach dragged me back as Starla kneeled by the man I just cold-clocked, handing him paper towels from the garage for his bloodied nose.

  “Don't you help him! What! You’re helping this Hellhound son-of-a-bitch!” I screamed at Starla. “You know what he did! Why are you sticking up for him... again! I swear to God, this is just like ten years ago. You know what his family is about. How many people have they killed? For crying out loud!”

  Starla was not listening to me. She continued caring for the man I knocked on his ass. “It's okay, baby. I'm so sorry.” I heard her mumble to him.

  “Baby? What in the living hell! What are you calling him baby for?” I struggled against Zach’s firm grip but he held fast.

  “Kyanne! God girl, for such a little thing, you sure are a hard ass. I'm going to need you to calm the hell down. If you stop screaming, maybe we can explain to you what is going on.”

  There was no calming me down, and there was no listening to reason. I was beyond that.

  Sure, the screw on the bike helped, but it didn't take away the pain I was feeling about losing my father and my mother missing. Now, here we were welcoming the enemy into the Guardians’ garage my father helped build after what happened.

  “No, Zach! Get off of me! I don't want to hear it. You can't trust them! None of them can be trusted. They're nothing but 1% low lives!”

  “Look, I get you’re upset. I understand it okay, sweetheart,” Zach whispered in my ear. “Please, just let me explain to you what is going on. You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, or anyone that posed a threat be around you.”

  The low rumble of his voice permeated the thick haze of anger, attempting to calm my inner volcano. I was about to blow and no one wanted to see that.

  Still, all I could see was red as I watched my cousin tend to the man. After he stood his bitch ass back up, Starla went for a pack of ice from the refrigerator Zach had in the garage and held it to Elias’ nose.

  “Look at me,” Zach said, turning me in his arms making sure I was focused on him and not on the people behind me. “Elias is not one of the Hellhounds. Shortly after what his father, Luther, did to Tangie and Big Pete, he cut ties with them. He didn't want to be any part of the club; kind of like you did with the Guardians…” Zach nodded as realization must have registered on my face. “He left the club and cut ties with them. How long ago?” he asked, looking over my shoulder.

  “About ten years ago, when my dad went to jail,” I heard Elias mumble. I threw a glance over my shoulder and saw Star still holding the ice to his nose.

  “Your father is in jail? Who did this then?” I demanded.

  Zach ran a hand over the back of his neck and I caught the motion out of the corner of my eye. I turned back, eyeing him. “What do you know, you didn’t tell me, Z?”

  “Ky…” I heard Star say behind me, but I held up a hand stopping her mid-speak, not even looking at her.

  “You attend to your baby,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm and innuendo.

  “Talk to me, Zach. What are all of you hiding?”

  Chapter 9

  Zach

  I let out a deep sigh not wanting to tell Ky any of this, but knowing I had to. Especially after what the two of us just shared, she deserved the truth, and she deserved to hear it from me. I reached for her hand and noticed her bottom lip quiver.

  Shit.

  This is not what I wanted. She was usually so take charge and badass. But, I knew this was her kryptonite. Her parents…this MC.

  I started talking, giving her the info I knew she needed. “Luther Franks is out of prison. He was released last month. Your mom and Buck, as well as most of the people at the club, think he is behind your… Free…” My voice trailed off. I didn’t want to say the word and have Ky break down. Plus Elias mentioned there may be a chance Free wasn’t actually dead. It could all be a trap to lure more Guardians in. It seemed to have worked on Stella and Buck.

  “Hey,” I said, my voice quiet as I cupped her beautiful face, marred with anger and worry.

  “How did he get out?” Her voice was shaky, mixed with a calm that was frightening.

  “Kyanne,” Starla tried to speak again. Ky’s back was facing the other two in the room, but I could see the fierce look in her eyes as they welled up with tears of anger. Now may not be the best time for Star to speak especially with her caring for the son of the man who may have killed her father. It was a slap in the face really, and I understood Ky’s emotional battle.

  She turned slowly and faced Star, who was standing with her hands clasped in front of her in a praying type manner. “Please, just hear me out before you go off and punch anyone else in the face. Will you?”

  “I make no promises,” Ky responded with that eerie calm still lacing her tone

  Starla sighed. “The day Tangie and Big Pete went missing Luther, Elias’ father...” She looked briefly at the man by her side and then back to Ky. “He was arrested but not for their disappearance. There was no proof he did anything to them.”

  “We don’t know if they are dead or not,” Elias piped in.

  “Then where have they been all this time?” Ky asked, her tone less than friendly.

  “That is what we have to find out,” I
said, placing a hand on her back. Tension rolled off of her in waves and I wish I could ease some of it. I knew she was upset, and this was one fucked up situation she didn’t deserve to go through.

  “Why are you just now saying something? They’ve been missing for ten years.” She continued to size Elias up.

  “He didn’t just say something, Kyanne. Elias and I have been… talking for some time now…”

  “I think you calling him, ‘baby’ is more than just talking, Starla.” She glared at her cousin. “How about all of you tell me what the hell is going on instead of the whispering behind my back like you’ve been doing. I’m not a young teen anymore. I deserve the truth.”

  “Hey, I’ll tell you everything,” I said, pulling her to me. She tried to cover the tears welling in her beautiful eyes, but she was doing a horrible job at it. It tore me apart. I hated to think I had a part of her being upset. It was the last thing I wanted and exactly what I promised Free I wouldn’t do. But, he had a part in all of this. The secrets and lies. It had to stop.

  “Zach.” Starla’s voice was a warning.

  “She deserves to know, Star,” I said over Kyanne’s head as she buried her face in my chest where I could feel the dampening of her tears.

  Elias spoke up. “I told Free I thought Pete and Tangie may still be alive... after they… the Hellhounds tried to take Star.” Kyanne moved away from me and look at Elias.

  “You talked to my father?” Kyanne sniffed. “Was this recent? Is he still alive?”

  Elias shook his head. “I honestly don’t know, Ky. I talked to Free about a month ago. I let him know my father was being released, and he had no plans to stop the illegal activity out of the Hellhound’s club. He’s been trafficking women since I can remember and auctioning them to men with deep pockets. Some, affluent in this town also to other members of the club and… the Guardians.”

  “What!” I spoke up. I didn’t know all that.

  “Is that why all those girls were in the garage that time we were there?” Kyanne asked, the light bulb clearly going off in her head. Free had told me Kyanne had closed her mind to all of this after the day they were abducted, but I hadn’t realized just how much. The full story would make her wish she’d stayed in the dark about things. But she had to know.

  Elias continued, “Yes, that was just one of many groups. He wanted Tangie because she was Big Pete’s daughter, and he wanted to stick it to the Guardians’ president at the time. When Free stepped up as the president, he knew my father would come after him for having to do ten years’ prison time. Plus, he was coming after Starla to stick it to Free. I couldn’t let that happen. No one's gonna hurt her. Not on my watch, father or not.”

  Starla put a hand on Elias’ arm and he calmed like he was the Hulk and she was the Black widow. Elias sighed deep. “I let Free know, so he’d be ready for my father when his ass got out of prison. But I don’t think my dad was the only player in this.”

  I saw the confusion on Ky’s face and knew it was coming out whether we liked it or not. “I don’t understand why Luther would go after Star to get back at my dad?”

  Elias looked from Ky to Star to me and back again. “Shit, she still doesn’t know?”

  Star let out a big huff. “Well, she’ll figure it out now since you two decided to open your big mouths,” she said, pointing at him and then me.

  “Doesn’t know what? Figure out what? Stop talking in code and tell me what is going on.” The irritation in Kyanne’s voice was evident.

  Star came to her and took her hand. “Look, Ky, Luther was coming after me because... I’m... Free’s daughter, too. I’m his firstborn.”

  Kyanne dropped Star’s hand as if she’d burned her. Her eyes grew wide and welled with tears. “What are you talking about, Star? You mean… Dad and Aunt Steph… Hell, no.”

  “They had a one-time fling once upon a time before he was with Aunt Stella.” Starla connected the dots. “The one-time thing didn’t go anywhere... well, besides resulting in me. They were all Guardians, so they had to see each other still. He ended up with your mom, and you came along three years later.” Starla’s tone was so matter-of-fact. I wished she’d have found a better way to break this to Kyanne. My girl looked devastated.

  “Why didn’t anyone tell me this?” Ky’s voice was a whisper.

  “I didn’t even know until I asked my mother who my father was. I wasn’t buying her lame ass story it was Buck. Though, he’s been sniffing around trying to act like a dad since I could remember. But, I’ve never had that connection with him.”

  “You’ve always called my dad Uncle Free?” Ky held back a sniffle.

  “After I dragged the information out my mother, she and Auntie Stella made me swear I wouldn’t tell you until the time was right. The time never seemed to be right though.”

  Kyanne turned to me. “Did you know this?”

  I held up my hands. “I just found out. I swear. And, I thought it best the information came from a family member.”

  “Who told you?” she probed me further.

  I looked over her shoulder at Starla.

  “You told him before you told me? You are my sister and my cousin? How messed up a situation can this be, Star? You should have told me!”

  I wrapped my arms around her body, clearly wracked with hurt.

  “I told him first because I needed to convince him to let Elias help us. Zachary is like your bodyguard. I can barely get near you without him breathing down my neck,” Star scoffed.

  Kyanne turned and looked at me. She had to know I’d protect her with my life. This girl was my heart. I love her.

  Star continued, “Besides, the only other person that may have told Zach was our dad. And, Free didn’t know until Elias told him, last month.”

  “What the hell?” Kyanne spun back around on Star. “My dad didn’t know he was your father until recently? Why would Aunt Steph and my mother keep that from him? And, how the hell did Luther even know to tell you, Elias? There is no other way you would have known unless that rat dick father of yours told you?”

  Elias cast a glance at Starla who took forever to answer the question, though I knew she knew the answer.

  Eli finally stepped to the plate, even though Kyanne’s facial expression was the definition of, ‘if looks could kill’. “This would have all been about thirty years ago. I’ll be twenty-nine and Starla is…”

  “I know how old my cousin…sister is,” Kyanne cut him off. “Get to the goddamn…” She choked on the words. “What point does any of this…? How does your father have anything to do with this?”

  Eli sighed. “Back then, the Guardians weren’t the Guardians. They were all part of the Hounds. My mom and dad were an item. My dad was playing out on her with Stephanie because my mother was playing out on him with Pete. My dad has never like Pete or Free.”

  “Enough to fucking kill them?” Kyanne yelled.

  “I… I’m sorry I don’t know that he killed them… All I know is Stephanie turned up pregnant at the same time my mother did. Clearly, I’m white and Star’s mixed. Doesn’t take a paternity test to show my pop wasn’t the father. My Dad demanded answers. Stephanie admitted she’d cheated, too.”

  “My mother left with Pete and they had Tangie—”

  “Holy hell, Tangie is your sister?” Kyanne put a hand to her mouth. “Did he kill her...did your dad kill her?” she screamed.

  “I don’t know!” he yelled back.

  “Hey easy there, man. You have to know she is reeling from all this new information. It’s not your ordinary story, okay?” I held up a hand.

  Kyanne shook her head. “Just get back to it. What else do you know?”

  “I didn’t know Tangie was my sister until recently. I was there when my dad took her but I didn’t see what happened with her or Pete.”

  “Where is your mother?” Kyanne was shaking under my arm.

  “She skipped town soon after my dad went after Pete and Tangie,” Elias answered.

&n
bsp; “Why would your mother leave you with that man?” Kyanne was freely crying now.

  “I was eighteen. He wouldn’t hurt me…”

  “Because you’re his…Your father went after the men his women were cheating on him with…”

  “And the kids they had with them,” Starla finished.

  “Starla, are you in trouble? What happened with Luther and Stephanie?” She looked at Elias for the answers.

  “They stayed together for a bit until the split of the clubs. Stephanie didn’t want to be in that life anymore and followed your mom and dad.”

  “Luther wasn’t fond of Mom turning her back on the 1% for the Guardians so he started going after the ones in the club that took her away from him. Uncle Free…” Starla said.

  “Now Stella and Buck,” I added, moving a hand up and down Ky’s back. She was tense as ever.

  “This is all about Aunt Steph and Luther’s jealousy?” she said through clenched teeth.

  “Well, Stephanie,” Elias said. “And my dad wants to do what he wants to do. He doesn’t want his business interfered with.”

  “He’s a criminal! Guardians aren’t gonna just sit by and let that happen in Arlington.” It was the first time she’d mentioned the club like family in years and it did my heart good to hear it. “Does Aunt Steph know what he’s up to? Can she talk to him?” she asked.

  “I was going to talk to her and Justice, the National president for the Lady Guardians and get their thoughts,” Starla piped in. “But Eli thinks there is another way…”

  “Screw pulling Aunt Steph and the Guardians in on this right now. We get them all involved, my mother is as good as dead.” Ky shook her head.

  “Kyanne.” I tried to get her attention.

  She shook her head at me. “No, Zach. All of a sudden I’m interested in Eli’s plan.”

  Chapter 10

  Kyanne

  The purr of the Ducati beneath me was enough to cause a freaking orgasm. It felt too right and I know I looked hella good on it. Before tonight, I never thought I’d see myself on one. And any other night, you wouldn’t have caught me dead on one of these things.