Temperance (Defiance #4)

by Stephanie Tyler

  The utter fury on Hammer’s face was accompanied by Hammer fisting his hands as if to hit Kev…and then slowly backing away.

  Maybe that hadn’t been the best time to share that offer, but fuck it, maybe Hammer would get that Kev wasn’t a kid anymore, that he was goddamned useful.

  *

  “You.” The MC member they called Hammer was pointing directly at Declan. Actually aiming his finger between Declan’s eyes, it appeared, and angry as fuck as he marched closer.

  Declan stood, and stood his ground, dropping his book behind him onto the chair. Hammer’s yelling had gotten the attention of people who hadn’t noticed Declan there before now, and some of them started walking over.

  He hadn’t seen Rebel since earlier that day, when he’d woken alone in the tube, and the only way he’d known he hadn’t dreamed the entire night were Rebel’s bite marks on the insides of his wrists and the ones on his nipples.

  “Problem?” Declan inquired of the man he’d just met briefly the night before—and one he knew he’d be seeing at the table meeting later on this evening.

  “Big fucking problem.” Hammer got right in his face. He was a big guy. Same height as Declan though, and Declan knew his easy manner would piss the guy off even more.

  That was mainly why he did it.

  “You need to stay the fuck out of my brother’s business,” Hammer hissed.

  Ah, so this had to be the big brother Kev was trying to escape from. “He came to me for help. Did you want me to give him the unsafe routes to Keller’s?”

  Hammer grabbed the front of his shirt. “I don’t want you to fucking give him anything—you got that? I don’t want you to talk to him or look at him.”

  Declan stared into Hammer’s eyes for a few moments before he clamped his hand on Hammer’s wrist. Hard.

  Hammer’s expression showed a flicker of surprise at Declan’s strength.

  “Get your motherfucking hand off me before you lose it,” Declan told him.

  It took a few seconds before Hammer released his shirt, but he did it.

  It was a few more seconds before Declan released his arm.

  “This isn’t over,” Hammer promised him.

  “Never is,” Declan murmured as the man walked away.

  *

  Rebel’d hated leaving Declan alone after last night, but Caspar had needed him in the warehouse a lot that week to help out with some of the trickier dimensions. Math and science were Rebel’s forte, which was why he was called upon to deal with the books and the math behind the tubes. When he’d begun supervising at the warehouse, the Defiance books had been handed off to Baz, but Rebel oversaw a lot of that still as well.

  The tubing came easily to him. Eyeballing a space was enough for him to begin creating, and before he knew it, most of the day had passed.

  He barely had time to get to his tube and grab Declan before the meeting. As he came down into the tubing, he was calling, “Declan, table meeting in ten.”

  Declan was at the fridge. He grabbed a water and disappeared into his bedroom with little more than the barest nod of the head.

  After eight minutes had passed, Rebel went to the room and knocked on the door. It was partially open, and he saw Declan tucking a knife into his jeans pocket. “What the fuck? These meetings aren’t like that.”

  “Not doing it for the meeting,” Declan told him coolly. “Doing it for the before and after.”

  Rebel frowned. “What are you talking about? Did something happen today?”

  “Yeah, something happened. Nothing I can’t deal with, Reb.” Declan pushed past him, and Rebel had no choice but to follow him out of the tube and over to the meeting space.

  There was also a tube underneath the meeting room, but most of the time the meetings were held aboveground. Part tradition, part superstition—there were Defiance members who guarded their space already standing in their familiar circle outside the structure.

  Caspar would be the last man to walk inside. When Declan got to the door, one of the guards stood directly in front of him, staring him down.

  Yeah, something definitely happened today. He told Kelsey, “This is Keller’s man, Declan. He’s sitting at the table.”

  Kelsey didn’t take his eyes off Declan as he said, “I hear you, Rebel. But the guy’s already fucking around with our men.”

  “Then we’ll deal with it at the motherfucking table, Kelsey, so move the hell out of the way.” Rebel’s take-no-prisoners tone made Kelsey do as he’d asked—and quickly.

  Declan shook his head and pushed inside, and Rebel pointed warningly at Kelsey before following.

  Hammer was already at the table, along with Goose, Jeb and Harvey—the three most senior MC members. Mathias was also sitting in, since he spoke with Bishop regularly. He was the newest member at the table, except, of course, for Declan.

  “Sit here,” Rebel told him, pulling out the chair next to his. There weren’t many rules about the table beyond Caspar at the head, and Goose and Harvey given the seats of respect in the middle.

  Caspar’s XO, Hammer, sat next to him.

  The tension in the room was unfuckingbearable as Hammer glared at Declan. Goose looked satisfied that Hammer was pissed, and Harvey just sighed.

  Mathias rolled his eyes at Rebel. He’d met Declan before, and the two of them were cool with each other. As long as the guy’d been good to Bishop, he was cool in Mathias’s book.

  Now, Mathias signed, Bish says hey, before realizing that Declan couldn’t understand him and reaching for the talking device he used. Rebel had been learning sign language, along with a lot of the other guys, so they could understand Mathias, but also because they realized what an effective language it could be, especially in a combat-like situation.

  When the message repeated, Declan nodded. “Tell him I said hey back—and to not fuck up my music collection.”

  Mathias gave an easy smile and nod.

  “Can we get to other business instead of this kumbaya shit?” Hammer growled. “Because I’ve got a real fucking problem with Declan.”

  “By all means, let’s address it,” Caspar said as sarcastically as possible.

  Hammer glared at Declan. “He gave Kev routes to Keller’s.”

  “And Kev got to Keller’s and back—record time with each run,” Caspar confirmed.

  Hammer clenched his jaw. “I don’t fucking trust him.”

  “I’m right here, man—don’t have to talk about me like I’m not,” Declan said.

  Rebel fought a groan at Declan’s words, especially when Hammer shot out of his seat and practically went for Declan’s throat across the table.

  Declan simply got up in time, an easy, swift move that left Hammer looking like an asshole. And then Declan grabbed him, pushed his cheek to the table, “You want me to send your precious brother off a cliff? ’Cause I can do that if you keep this shit up.”

  “Ah fuck—Declan.” Rebel grabbed him, pulling him off Hammer, while Mathias stopped Hammer from lunging again.

  “You keep pushin’, you’re not always gonna like what you get,” was all Caspar said. “Sit the fuck down, all of you.” When they did, he continued, “Kev and Carter will lead the tours back and forth to Keller’s three times a week. Declan’s routes proved useful. I’ll bet he’ll make sure we all know them, if we ask.”

  Declan stared at Caspar for a long moment before he said, “I’ll tell you, Caspar. Not sure about the rest of them. Up to you to share as you see fit.”

  “Fair enough. Like that you had Kev memorize them, then burn the maps. Man can’t count on his memories on these roads, he’s fucked.” Caspar turned to Hammer. “Obviously, Kev’s not fucked. So drop it.”

  The rest of the meeting was tense as fuck, but at least there weren’t any more fights. Declan kept quiet and Caspar didn’t push. There’d be another meeting in a couple of days and Caspar would expect something from him then.

  This tension between Declan and Hammer wasn’t going away anytime soon. For a s
econd, Rebel entertained the idea that it might be easier on Declan if Defiance knew they were…what? Together, for lack of a better word? Screwing?

  He reasoned that if they trusted him, then they should trust who he was with. But the sane part of him knew that wasn’t true at all.

  The meeting ended an hour later, with Caspar asking Rebel to go back to production at the warehouse. “They’ve got some questions for you and that shit’s gotta be done tonight.”

  “Got it,” Rebel told him.

  Caspar dismissed them by walking out. Normally, Goose, Harvey and Jeb followed and then they all walked out in a big mob. Sometimes the mood was jovial, sometimes not, but this was like nothing Rebel had seen. Everyone stayed in place…at least until Rebel ushered Declan out. He quickly realized that everyone was following them, except Mathias, who’d come up on Declan’s other side, like he was protecting him.

  “What the fuck,” Rebel muttered, turning to the group.

  Jeb started, “By agreeing to watch him—”

  “I’m doing what the fuck Caspar asked me to do,” Rebel finished.

  But the men weren’t going to be satisfied with that—and Declan knew it too, telling Rebel, “I’m pretty sure they want to have a nice chat about me with you.”

  When Rebel turned to tell him to shut up, he saw that Kev was there too, waiting, like he was planning on guarding Declan.

  “Looks like I have an escort.”

  “Get the fuck away from him, Kevin,” Hammer warned, but Kev impressively ignored his brother, telling Declan, “Not letting you get screwed over because of me,” before adding, “I’ll get him to the tube safely, wait till you get back.”

  Mathias nodded, signed that he’d wait too, even as the mob scene behind Rebel gave a semi-collective growl at that statement, but Kev and Declan walked off without further issue.

  Chapter Nine

  After Declan convinced Mathias and Kev that he was fine on his own, and fuck, that took some doing, although he appreciated the sentiment, he came back up from the tube, stood outside and breathed in some fresh, cold air.

  Too much time in the tube, especially without Rebel there, would lead to more nightmares at this point. The meeting was for shit, but Declan would go though that a thousand times before having another nightmare.

  Rebel’d had his back in the meeting, as much as he could. Next one might be even worse, when Declan talked about Fletcher and revealed what Keller wanted him to let Defiance know.

  Speaking of, he pulled out his SAT phone for his nightly check-in. Sometimes it was with Bishop if Keller was in a meeting—mainly because Declan preferred that over talking to the other guards there—but most of the time, like tonight, it was Keller who answered the call.

  “How are things with the moral majority?” Keller asked now.

  “They suck,” Declan said truthfully. “Motherfuckers can’t let their own people grow.”

  “I take it Kev and Carter came back.”

  “You offered them jobs.”

  Keller laughed. “I’d have loved to be a fly on the wall when Kev let everyone know that.”

  Fucking fifty-year-old gleeful troublemaker. “I didn’t say anything yet.”

  “Make it soon—I want you out in three days. I’ll let you know the specifics by tomorrow night.” Keller was all business now, and Declan’s body thrummed with the importance of the impending job.

  After a bit more chatter, Declan hung up. And waited. Out of the corner of his eye, he’d spotted Goose walking. Or maybe stalking was a better word for it. Guy was supposed to be guarding the perimeter, but it looked like they’d drawn one around Declan and they were circling him like he was the caged lion at the circus.

  This oughta be interesting…

  Goose finally let the circle bring him closer, until he was maybe eight feet from Declan. He carried a rifle in both hands, the barrel across his chest, and, without warning, his arms snapped and he threw it at Declan’s chest.

  Declan caught it easily, holding it in the same position as Goose had…but he let his expression turn to stone.

  When he spoke, his voice vibrated in anger, and the promise of follow-through. “You ever throw a loaded gun at me again, I can promise it’ll be the last thing you ever throw.”

  “Get over yourself. Do something around here. We all take turns guarding the perimeter.”

  “Surprised you don’t think I’ll invite all the Keller men inside,” Declan goaded purposely. Why not let the old man’s mind work overtime? Probably the only workout his brain got these days.

  “You’re on watch with me,” Goose announced.

  “I work alone.”

  “Not here you don’t.”

  “You’re not in charge of me, Goose. Keep pushing to really find that out—the hard way.” Declan let the gun down fast, making Goose jump back. But then Declan paused, emptied the bullets and put both down on the ground between them. “Go order someone from your own club around and leave me the fuck off your list of things to do.”

  Goose sneered, “I know the kinds of things you do.”

  “Really? Something on your mind?”

  Of course, Declan knew what Goose had to be referring to, but whether it was based on reputation, or something Goose saw here between Declan and Rebel, was something Declan needed to determine. Needed to figure out the threat level before he went off and did the wrong thing.

  The funny thing was, Declan’s rep preceded him, at least to a select few he’d seen at bars for “his kind.” Whether they knew about Rebel or not, they didn’t say a word. They all kept the code.

  All but the guy who told Goose. Unless…

  Nah. But still. “Didn’t know you were into my kind.”

  “Fuck that. But I know where you hang out.”

  Declan grew cold. Was Goose behind some of the bombings at certain gay bars over the past few years? He’d been sure it was more than one person, but the amount of contempt in Goose’s eyes…

  Well yeah, one person could contain that much hate.

  *

  Rebel dragged in about four hours later, only to find Declan waiting outside the tube. At first, he wondered if he’d had another nightmare, but Declan didn’t offer an explanation. He just let Rebel go down the ladder first and then he followed, locking up behind them.

  “I would’ve walked over to get you,” Declan said.

  “Better that you didn’t,” Rebel told him, then immediately wished he hadn’t.

  Declan nodded, his expression tight. He asked, “Goose—what’s his deal?” then didn’t wait for an answer. “I don’t trust him.

  Declan’s words sat uneasily with Rebel. “Why’s that?”

  Declan shrugged. “A gut feeling.”

  “You think he knows…?”

  “About us?” Declan asked, almost angrily. “No. So you don’t have to worry about your secret.”

  “That’s not what I—come on, Dec. What are you worried about?”

  Declan stared at him with that haunted look his face sometimes took on. “Forget it. Probably nothing.”

  “You’re not the paranoid type.”

  “You see me a couple of times a month and now you think you know me so well?”

  Rebel bit back his anger. Declan was looking for a fight, and the reason why didn’t matter. What did was that Rebel knew how to fix it. At least for a night. “I’m seeing you a lot more than that now.”

  “Because you’re forced to.” Declan crossed his arms. “I set you free. You left.”

  “And you made sure Bishop found me.” Guilt crossed Declan’s face as Rebel referenced the night he’d been ambushed by the LoV. That hadn’t been Rebel’s intention at all, but they couldn’t keep dancing around it. “Dec, you couldn’t have known. I pushed you into breaking up with me.”

  “Yeah, glad you recognize that.”

  Rebel stalked over to him, even as Declan stood his ground. “Always, Dec. This isn’t how I want things. In a perfect world—”

 
“There’s no such goddamned thing. Never was. That’s just a myth people like to share about the old world. It’s just abject sentimentality. Memories always soften the worst things.”

  Rebel ran a thumb across Declan’s bottom lip. He heard the hitch of Declan’s breath. “Yeah, babe, I get it. You were always from a different world.”

  “Keep telling yourself that.”

  “Your father accept you?”

  “Yes,” Declan said unflinchingly. “Do you think yours would’ve?”

  “I do, actually. But I also think that he’d tell me, if I stayed in the MC life, to keep it quiet. For my safety…and yours.”

  Declan blew out a frustrated breath. “Goose is watching me, Reb. You need to be careful. Because if he finds anything out…if he tries to hurt you, I’ll kill him. Got that?”

  Rebel knew he wasn’t kidding.

  Chapter Ten

  The second meeting would be worse than the first—Declan went into it with that kind of optimism, figuring things could only go up from there.

  Rebel escorted him, as usual. Things had been tense between them since yesterday’s meeting, but it hadn’t stopped them from fucking each other’s brains out. Repeatedly.

  The first part of the meeting was Defiance business, shit about the tubes and suppliers, and Caspar mentioned that Keller was getting them some major new buyers with deep pockets. Declan knew this would all get reported to Keller, so he let himself glaze over that while noticing the other table members.

  Mathias was still friendly, even sat next to him, so he and Rebel were boxing Declan in, but more a defense position than anything. Mathias carried pen and paper, not his voice talker, which made Declan wonder. Because Declan knew some of the signs, mainly because Bishop often “spoke” to him in ASL without realizing it. Such a good habit, especially in dangerous situations. Declan saw the benefits to it immediately and set about learning shortcuts. But full conversations? No way.

  Like most of the others, Hammer continued to ice him out. It wasn’t him that Declan needed to worry about this time—it was Goose. At least judging by the guy’s body language, especially when it came to new business.