BLAMELESS: MC Biker Romance (Black Thorns, #3)

by Franca Storm

  “No,” I growl. How dare he bring that stuff here? After everything Zeb’s been through, fighting to get clean again. It’s disgusting. Sickening.

  “I always could tell when you were lying. You’re worried, all right. He’s still in recovery, isn’t he? I’m betting that seeing this will do a number on him. Before you know it, he’ll be doing lines on the counter in this pathetic hole-in-the-wall diner of yours. He won’t be able to find me then. He’ll be too messed up. Then I can finally come out of hiding and get my life back!”

  Something snaps in me then at hearing him threaten Zeb’s sobriety, of threatening to rip everything apart again. Before I can stop myself, I’m smashing my fist into his face. Ax taught me how to throw a brutal right hook. It has Eddie grunting in pain and stumbling back.

  His eyes are wide with shock as he looks at me.

  I’m not surprised. He’s never know me as a fighter. Never as a strong woman who can take care of herself. A woman who isn’t a victim. A woman in charge of her own destiny, who doesn’t let anyone bully her.

  “You bitch,” he says as he rubs his cheek and glares at me fiercely.

  He lunges at me in the next second.

  He’s so predictable. Always with the dirty moves, designed to catch someone off guard.

  Fortunately, I know all his moves.

  But he doesn’t know mine.

  I react quickly, using a move Ax taught me to grab hold of his arm, use his weight against him, and slam him brutally hard into the wall, face first.

  “What the hell?” he gasps.

  I pull his arm up his back and spit at him, “You think you can still hurt me? You can’t. You’re going to walk out of here and take those drugs with you, before I really do some damage. Are we clear?”

  He growls and struggles against me, trying to break free of my grip.

  But he won’t be able to. I’m exerting pressure to all the right places.

  “Say it!” I order him. “Say it, or I’ll break your arm, you asshole!”

  “I’ll kill you!”

  I push his arm further up his back, making him cry out.

  A sudden wave of nausea hits me and it’s a struggle to maintain my grip and fight it at the same time. Oh my God.

  I step back quickly as it gets worse, letting go of Eddie as I stagger away from him and sink to my knees, just seconds before I start puking my guts up all over the diner floor.

  I hear his footsteps and see his shadow nearing me. Shit.

  I can’t do anything. My body’s got other ideas right now. Or, the baby has.

  A flash of movement catches my eye and the next thing I hear is a loud thud behind me by the wall I’d been holding Eddie against.

  A voice roars through the diner, “You piece of shit!”

  It’s Zeb. Zeb is back!

  Chapter 38

  ~Runner~

  I drive Torvin face first into the wall again. “You got a fucking death wish? Going after my pregnant girl? You sick fuck!”

  Jesus. Walking in here and seeing her on her knees and him stalking over to her sent the most intense wave of terror through me that I’ve ever felt. I knew I shoulda never left her, not even for a few minutes. What if I’d taken a second longer? What woulda happened to her then? What would he have done to my girl? Fuck. Ain’t going there.

  And I ain’t gonna be ever again.

  This motherfucker’s dying.

  Tonight.

  Nobody’s gonna take my family from me, least of all him! Sick fucking bastard!

  I grip the back of his head and slam his fucking face into the wall. He snarls at me and tries to thrust his elbow back to get at me. But I react faster, gripping his hoodie and using his weight against him to haul him across the diner. He crashes into one of the tables and it gives way under the impact. He groans, sprawled out there in the wreckage.

  It buys me enough time to check on Sarah.

  I rush over to her and drop to my knees beside her.

  She’s not chucking up no more. She’s gasping and tryin’ to catch her breath.

  I brush her hair outta her face and ask her, “Can you move, darlin’?”

  She nods and chokes, “Yes.”

  “Okay. Good.” I pull my phone outta my pocket and press it into her hand. “Take this. Go upstairs and call Ax. Tell him to give Dealer a heads up.”

  Her eyes widen. “What? Why?”

  I can tell by the look on her face that she already knows the answer, but she don’t wanna admit it, I guess. Don’t blame her. Never wanted her to be nowhere near this kinda situation, or me doing this kinda thing. Ain’t for a sweet thing like her.

  “Just relay the message, yeah?” I tell her, gently.

  She shakes her head and starts climbing to her feet. I get up with her, supporting her weight. Once she’s steady, she pulls outta my grip and tells me, “No, Zeb. I don’t want you to. Don’t do it. Don’t kill him.”

  “You better believe I’m fucking killing him. Told you I would if he came at us. And here he is. I walked in on him ‘bout to lay his hands on you for fuck’s sake!”

  “Zeb.”

  “Nobody fucks with what’s mine.”

  I catch sight of him outta the corner of my eye. The asshole is getting up.

  I push Sarah back gently. “Go. Head upstairs and call Ax. Now.”

  Her eyes widen as she looks behind me.

  I step in front of her, so he can’t get nowhere near her. “Go. Do it, Sarah! Now!” I roar, fiercely. It’s real aggressive. Hate doing it. Makes me sick talking to her this way. But she ain’t gonna go upstairs outta the line of fire unless I do. I know she don’t wanna leave me. She’s worried ‘bout me. Torvin’s a big guy. A lot bigger than me. But what she don’t know is that ain’t never stopped me from putting a guy down in the past.

  It works and she runs off upstairs.

  Thank fuck.

  It were a major distraction having her here while I’m tryin’ to concentrate on him. Worrying ‘bout her being so close to that shit-head weren’t helping me to focus.

  Guess the universe thinks I need a reminder of that, cuz as soon as she disappears from sight and I know she’s safe, I turn ‘round, right into a brutal blow to the gut from Torvin.

  Jesus Christ. For a suit, the guy can really throw a punch. It has me choking and doubling over.

  He don’t give me a chance to catch my breath.

  He fists his hands in my cut and hauls me into one of the tables. The thing don’t break under my weight. He tugs on my cut, lifting me up off the table, then slamming me into it again, making my back jar real hard against the wood.

  “This what you did to her?” Knowing now how brutally hard the guy can hit brings it home in a sickening way to me just what he put my girl through when they were together.

  He smirks and tells me, “No, biker trash. This sort of thing was just a warm up with her.” He slams me into the table again. “And just like her, you won’t be able to stop me. You’re not strong enough. Did you really think a guy your size could take on someone my size and win?”

  “Been doing it my whole life, asshole.”

  I shoot out my hand and squeeze his neck. He gags as I focus the pressure on his windpipe.

  It catches him off guard and right away his grip loosens on my cut.

  I slam my arms up and out into his, breaking his grip on me. Caught off guard by my sudden assault, he takes a step back. Just enough for me to rear back and deliver a brutal kick to his gut. He doubles over, cursing me. I don’t waste no time. I only got two advantages here: speed and catching him off guard. Judging by the accuracy of his hits and his technique, I ain’t the only one who’s had training here. He’s had some boxing training. Like Ax. They fight real similar. So, for once, my training ain’t giving me the upper hand.

  I jump down from the table. Before he can recover from my blow to his gut, I leap up and spin, hammering him across the side of the head with a flying kick, my well-worn riding boot scraping down the
length of his cheek. The blow to the head destabilizes him and he crashes into a booth, grabbing frantically at it to stop himself from hitting the floor.

  Normally, I’d continue hand to hand. This shit’s personal. But I can’t risk it. Not with Sarah upstairs. I gotta do this smart and end it quick.

  As my fingers brush my pistol holstered at my hip, I see his eyes bug outta his head. The fear in ‘em cuts into me. Gonna be a cold-blooded kill. Again. Ain’t never got to me like this before. But, I guess, cuz of Sarah, it’s brought a softer part of me to the surface. A part of me that ain’t okay with doing this shit no more.

  I fucking hesitate.

  Jesus Christ.

  Next thing I know, he’s pulling something outta his pocket.

  My whole body tenses up at the sight of it. I feel my fists clenching in some kinda automatic defensive reaction.

  He’s holding a bag of coke up in front of me.

  He smirks, thinking victory’s his now. “Came here for you, biker trash. To mess you up to get you and your club off my back.” He shakes the pouch and grins. “Shouldn’t be too hard. Junkies are all the same. They can’t say no to the good stuff. And this here? This is the best it can get. Jase manufactured a really great product.”

  I shake my head with disbelief. “Guys like you got no fucking honor. There ain’t no level you won’t stoop to. And you call me trash? You make me sick.”

  I snatch the pouch from him. “You fucking idiot,” I growl. “You think I’d ever even think ‘bout doing this shit again now? You got no idea what you’re talking ‘bout. Cuz I ain’t no junkie no more. I got my girl to think ‘bout now. Got a baby on the way. And they need me. The man in me, not the junkie.” I toss the pouch across the diner without a second thought and snarl at him, “So, no. You ain’t got a hope in hell of messing me up, you dumbass motherfucker.”

  He lunges at me.

  A shot fires and he jerks wildly and screams like a bitch as a bullet plunges into his shoulder. He falls back against the booth again, grabbing frantically at the wound.

  Some part of me is hoping somehow, by a miracle, that it’s Dealer or one of the boys. But, as I turn ‘round, I know exactly what I’m gonna find.

  Sarah.

  She’s standing there, my gun aimed Torvin’s way, a fierce expression on her face that I never wanna see again. She takes a couple of steps closer and tells him, “Hurts, doesn’t it?” She lifts up the side of her robe with her free hand, revealing the bullet scar on her thigh. “I wanted you to feel what I did when you did it to me.”

  I walk towards her and hold out my hand. “All right. Give me the gun now.”

  She shakes her head, not looking at me, keeping her vicious gaze on Torvin. Shit.

  “Sarah, now,” I press.

  “No! He deserves this! After what he put me through! He made me a victim for so many years! Made me feel helpless! Weak! Like nothing!” She waves the gun wildly at him. “Well, who’s the victim now? I have the power now. Me! Not him! Me!”

  Jesus Christ. Him coming after her tonight’s snapped something in her. Brought back all those fears he’d put in her when he’d abused her. She’s tryin’ to get her power back, tryin’ to rewrite history. But I ain’t gonna let her do what she thinks she’s gotta to make that happen. Cuz it ain’t gonna do it. Killing him ain’t gonna give her no power. It’s gonna ruin her. A sweet thing like her can’t do something so dark and cold like taking a life and come outta it the same. No way I’m gonna lose her to that.

  “Sarah, that ain’t how you’re gonna get your power back.”

  Her aim wavers and she says, “What? Of course it is.”

  “It ain’t,” I tell her, slowly stepping closer. “I’ll tell you exactly what it’s gonna do. It’s gonna keep him with you always. Haunting you. Won’t never leave you neither. You pull that trigger again and it’ll be a cold-blooded kill. You’ll be letting him swallow all your goodness, all your innocence, letting his darkness consume you. You won’t never be the same.”

  “Zeb,” she says, shaking her head. “Stop.”

  “You’re carrying our kid in you right now, Sarah. You really gonna kill a man with our baby growing inside you? Think ‘bout how goddamn wrong that is, yeah?”

  “But I—I need to—I don’t want to be that victim, that weak little woman anymore.”

  “You ain’t. And you show him you’re the stronger one, that you’re better, by showing him he can’t hurt you or mess with you no more. Bringing yourself down to his level is gonna do the opposite. You’re better than this, Sarah. So much better.”

  She lowers the gun slowly.

  I close the distance between us and take it from her, sliding it back into my empty holster. “Good girl,” I tell her, stroking her hair.

  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I—”

  “It’s all okay, darlin’. Believe me, I get it.”

  She looks real ashamed that she were considering taking it there. But her emotions and hormones are all over the place. And seeing the guy who’s been the star of her nightmares and reality, here threatening her again, I ain’t surprised at all by the way she’s reacting. It’s messed with her head.

  “You’re not going to kill him then?” she asks.

  I shake my head. “Nah. He’s gonna go to jail.” Can’t kill him now. Ain’t gonna be good for her if I do.

  I’m ‘bout to turn back ‘round to him.

  And that’s when it happens.

  Sarah shrieks at the top of her lungs. “Zeb!”

  I react real quick and dodge what’s coming at me. Just. It’s real close as I jump back and Torvin stumbles past me, a flip knife clutched in his hand, just a hair’s breadth away from stabbing me. Judging by the angle he came at me, it coulda been fatal.

  “Oh my God,” I hear Sarah exclaim, breathlessly.

  But it ain’t over, cuz Torvin’s clearly lost his shit and any kinda grip on his control, as he comes at me again with the blade.

  I grab his wrist, before he can bring it down.

  He pushes against it, snarling at me, “You’re not strong enough. You can’t hold it.”

  I shoot out my free hand and dig my fingers into the bullet wound in his shoulder. The crazy bastard laughs. I were right: he really has lost his shit. It’s a freaky, unhinged laugh. Jesus Christ. Assholes with a screw loose are the most dangerous and most difficult opponents to best, cuz they ain’t got no strategy. They’re just wild and outta control.

  Adrenaline must be helping him out in a big way. No other way he could deal with the pain I’m inflicting by digging into his wound.

  He pushes down harder on my hand, tryin’ to force the blade towards me. “You ruined my life!” he roars at me. “You and your scummy club!”

  “Did all that yourself, asshole.”

  His eyes flash. “Now I’m gonna ruin your life.”

  He yanks his hand free of my grip.

  Terror rips through me as he goes for Sarah then with the blade.

  My reaction’s instant.

  I draw my gun like lightning, take aim in a split second and fire off a shot.

  A bullet drives through his temple.

  He’s dead instantly.

  Sarah gasps and jumps back as his body crashes to a lifeless heap on the floor right in front of her.

  Her gaze snaps to mine and I can tell right away she’s in shock. Fuck. Never wanted her to see this shit. But I had no choice. He were gonna kill her. Her and our kid in her. My family.

  “Had to, Sarah.”

  She nods slowly and slaps her hand to her heart. She’s panting and real distressed.

  I cross to her and wrap her up in my arms tightly. “It’s okay. It’s all okay now. It’s over. You hear me, sweet angel?”

  “Yes,” she chokes out. “Oh my God, Zeb. Oh my God.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry you saw all that.”

  “He was going to kill me, wasn’t he? The knife in his hand…he was aiming for my…for my throat.”

/>   She’s right on. Exactly what he were doing. “Made you a promise a while back. Said you’d always be safe with me. I ain’t never gonna let nobody hurt you.”

  “I know. I know, Zeb,” she cries, clutching me tighter, like I’m her lifeline. I can feel her trembling against me. Yeah, she’s in shock all right. And I’m real worried, especially cuz she’s pregnant and it’s a lot of stress to take. “You gotta see a doctor tonight. Okay, darlin’?”

  “I…I called Ax. He’s…he’s coming.”

  “Good girl,” I tell her, kissing her hair. “Just let me make sure he’s gonna bring our doctor down here, too. All right?”

  She pulls back from me. She fishes ‘round in the pockets of her robe and shakily pulls out my cell phone, handing it to me. I take it and then wrap my free arm ‘round her. “Stay close to me. You gotta get warmer.” She nods against my chest. I scoop her up with one arm and carry her away from Torvin’s body sprawled out on the floor. I’m taking her back upstairs to get her under the covers to warm her up.

  I dial Ax as I make my way up the stairs. He picks up on the first ring. “Runner?” he answers, sounding real frantic.

  “I’m good. We’re both good. Torvin ain’t, though. Here’s the situation….”

  Chapter 39

  ~Runner~

  “You got that?” Dealer barks at me.

  He’s filling me in on the alibi he’s created for me. Torvin’s murder ain’t gonna point nowhere near me. Luckily, the guy had a shitload of enemies, cuz of the dirty business dealings he were mixed up in. But it’s an extra precaution the club always takes when shit like this goes down. Nothing like this is supposed to be going down no more, cuz the club’s legit. I know Ax ain’t happy ‘bout tonight. He’s hardly said a word to me since he got here a couple of hours ago. He’s just ignored me and been with Rox who’s been all over Sarah since the doctor checked her out and gave her the all clear. I been stuck with Dealer, not able to go to my girl, while he’s cleaned up shit and given me a debrief and all that.

  “Yeah. Got it all,” I tell him.

  “Good. We’re done here then.” He follows my line of sight and says, “Go take care of your girl, yeah?” He slaps my shoulder and tells me, “Do me a favor, though?”