Penance

by K E Osborn

  “The underling placed the cadavers in a small hut, shot them to seem as if they were killed, and set it on fire where Aiko would find the bodies and assume Hiro and I were dead. An elaborate plan to carry out, and one where the underling took great risk.” She looks at Father who greets her with a kind smile.

  “The plan was successful, and we managed to escape to start a new life in Chicago. Though the thing we weren’t expecting was from one of Aiko’s many…” she winces, “… rapes…” she glances to me, her hand reaching out and cupping my face, “… a miracle was conceived.”

  Grimacing, I move my hand to hold hers as all my brothers look to me. My stomach is still in knots from hearing their story again, even though I know it so well, it tears me up hearing it for another time.

  “Keiko and Mei?” Trax asks bluntly.

  I glare at him, he seems so unaffected by this, unlike every other brother in the room who all are quiet and listening intently.

  “They are our children,” Father says, and I weakly smile.

  Trax nods sitting back in his chair folding his arms over his chest like he’s processing.

  Torque sits forward, his hands knotted together on the table as he shakes his head. “I knew Ishikawa was an ass, I just didn’t know how fucked-up he was until now. Shinobu, I’m so sorry you had to go through all that. And trust me when I say we’re gonna do everything to get this fucker.”

  “Here, here!” resounds through the room, and a slow grin creeps up my face as Mother begins to beam with pride.

  She sniffs. “You’re always so good to my family and my boy,” she says, and then I watch her face change like she’s remembered something, so she continues, “Just one thing… Aiko is smart… connivingly smart. Watch your backs because just when you think you’re ahead, he will be behind you slicing you through with his Katana.”

  Torque exhales. “Thank you, Shinobu. I know that must have been hard to relive. But we fuckin’ appreciate it.”

  Mother lets out a small giggle. “You bikers and your swearing…”

  The room lets out a collective laugh as Torque tips his chin to Ace. He walks over to my parents, and he waves his hand in a gesture for them to stand. Mother stands quickly and bows to the room making my brothers smile.

  My father turns back to Torque. “Aiko is a threat to my family. If you can… dispose of him… I will be forever grateful.”

  Torque winks to my father in response as Ace leads them to the door and ushers them out. Surge and Chains take their seats again. I let out a heavy sigh as I crack my neck to the side feeling all eyes on me.

  “So, how do you wanna play this, Sensei? Do you wanna be kept out of dealings with Ishikawa in case he knows who you are?” Torque asks and my stomach knots.

  “That may be unwise. If, for some reason he doesn’t know who I am, me not being around will only raise further suspicion. I’d like to check him out a little more, learn what I can about him. Not from a father point of view, but from the ‘Oyabun of the Yakuza’ point of view. If I can see his methods, then maybe I can learn a way to…” I pause thinking carefully about my next words, “… take the fucker out.”

  Trax leans forward. “Is him being blood going to be an issue for you when push comes to shove, Sensei?”

  Everyone in the room shifts uncomfortably as I watch them all obviously thinking the same thing that Trax was brave enough to ask.

  My fists clench, and I grit my teeth. “My allegiance is to the club, to my brotherhood, and to my family. Being blood has nothing to do with where my allegiance lies. He means jack shit to me. What he is… is a man who beat my mother callously. Raped her to get her pregnant. He deserves nothing more than my fucking Katana through his cold… dead… heart.”

  Torque clears his throat and nods once. “Well, that settles that then. We have to think about what the hell we’re gonna do about Ishikawa. Do we wait it out, see what comes next? Do we seek him out, see if we can settle him down a little? What’s the best play?” Torque asks the room.

  “I believe we need to negotiate a deal. We were able to leave the rail yard with the help of Andretti, but the Yakuza still have our guns. Maybe we need to ask them for something in return. See if we can manage a push and pull with them. See if we can feel them out?” I question.

  Torque rallied the Andrettis to be our backup when the Ishikawa Yakuza stole our gun shipment. We placed a tracker in with the guns, so we went to get them back, but when we arrived, the tracker was there but the guns were not. This was the first time we encountered Ishikawa in person. It was lucky Torque had enough forethought to bring Enzo Andretti in for backup, or we would have been toast. Enzo saved our asses that day. That’s when the tide changed, and the Defiance slash Andretti alliance truly began.

  Torque nods, his lips turning up in a sly smirk. “I like it, and I have just the thing in mind.”

  SENSEI

  The Next Day

  After church last night, we came up with an idea to take to the Ishikawa table. Whether they take the deal or not, we’ll have to see. Trying to make contact with them is another issue we need to solve, and while we still need to figure out a way to do that. I have things I need to do today.

  So while I stand back and watch Ruby chat frivolously with my family during lunch, my mind’s been occupied on one thing all day. And now that Vibe’s truck is back, I’m ready to go.

  Vibe grips my shoulder. “You’re ready to go? Yes?”

  Nodding, I slide my ninja star which I placed on the bar into its sheath in my back pocket and my cell into my side pocket. He grins, and we walk out of the clubroom to the awaiting truck. I hoist myself up and into the cab as Vibe jumps in the driver’s seat and starts her up.

  We take off through the gates as Gatekeeper does his job, and we’re driving toward Smokin’ Joe’s Garage to see Ayla. I don’t know why I’m so tense about this meeting, but seeing her today has me on edge and in knots. Especially after our phone conversation last night.

  “So, why are you bringing Scratch’s ride to the mechanic and not Scratch?” Vibe asks while the cab jostles about swaying from side to side as we make our way closer to Ayla.

  “Scratch is complaisant about how to best do things… he would go about it all wrong. He loves his ride, but knowing she can’t be fixed, he would simply throw her away in the excitement of getting something better. I can step in and organize proper compensation for the selling of the parts of his bike. Unlike him, I am well versed in the art of trade.”

  Vibe bursts out laughing. “Ahhh… bullshit, brother. You’re doing it to see the girl!” He chuckles as he shakes his head.

  Giving him side eye, I try not to smile. “Ayla being there is merely… coincidental.”

  He snorts out a laugh. “Pillu.” He chuckles under his breath, and my brows draw together.

  “I can easily find out what that fucking means, Vibe.”

  He laughs. “You don’t have to… I called you a pussy!” He bursts out laughing again as I lean out and slap him up the back of his head making him laugh harder.

  “And people say you’re nice? How wrong they are,” I murmur.

  His laughter dies down as he turns a corner leading down an industrial street. “Me? I am the nice one. You? You… you’re the crazy one with your ninja moves and torture grooves… you’re a fucking badass motherfucker, Sensei.”

  My lips turn up into a faint smile as I crack my knuckles, one hand then the other. “Now, you’re rhyming? Did the Ishikawa break something in your damn brain when they hit you?”

  “No, brother… I just like to be fucking cheery…” he pauses. “Oh, we’re here.” He yanks the truck to the right into a large driveway then pulls it to an abrupt stop. I jolt forward with the force, almost shooting through the freaking windshield as I don’t have a seatbelt on and place my hands on the dash to stop me from colliding with the glass.

  Vibe lets out a loud chuckle as he turns the truck off and opens the door jumping out of the cab. I steady myself a
nd open the door, my feet falling to the gravel with a thud. My boots sink into the pebbles as they land, and I look up to the worn signage as I listen to the sounds of a garage in full swing behind me. Vibe walks to the back of the truck to lower the hydraulic tailgate. I nod at him to let him know I’m going in search of the woman I want right now.

  I mean need.

  The woman I need right now.

  Shit!

  Shaking my head, I walk to the giant open garage door and immediately notice three blue mechanical lifts all with cars lifted into the air. Another section to the side there’s what looks like a dyno tuning area and another section where tires are being fitted.

  This place holds a lot of cars and actually appears busy. Smokin’ Joe is doing well for himself. I walk in to see him in his office, the giant window a little too dirty for my liking as he sits working on some paperwork, a nasal oxygen tube is placed under his nose.

  Pursing my lips at the sight, I turn to look at the mechanical lift I’m the closest to and notice the figure under the car is definitely not that of a man. Those curves could go on for days as she stands under the mechanical lift in her steel-toe boots and her blue coveralls smattered in grease. Her arms are stretched up into the undercarriage of the car, and she’s tinkering away while I stand here folding my arms impressed by the fact she can do this.

  She really is something else.

  “You gonna stand there all day ogling or you here for something?” someone asks walking in behind me carrying a tire under each arm. Grease is smeared over his scruffy face, blue baseball cap on backward while he looks me up and down taking special time over my cut. He drops the tires on the ground leaning them against the frame of the doorway and looks at me wiping his hands together.

  I curtly smile. “Afternoon. I’m looking for Ayla.”

  He folds his arms over his chest raising his chin, a look of skepticism crossing his features.

  I glance at Ayla as she pulls away from underneath the car she’s working on when she spots me. Her eyes sparkle with mischief. There’s a smear of grease on her cheek, and it only highlights the dark shades around her eyes which bring out the gold and green flecks in her irises. Ayla waves, and I smile as she shoves a wrench in her back pocket and jogs over to us.

  “Hey, what’s up?” she calls out, as I assess the scruffy guy while she leans on his shoulder smiling at us both.

  “Not sure who this guy is, but he’s looking for you.” He gazes at her questionably. “Everything okay here?”

  She rolls her eyes. “Heath, calm your farm. This is Sensei from Defiance. These are the guys Dad deals with. Remember, I told you he’s bringing that bike in for spare parts for us to look over today. Fuck slick, I hope you weren’t being an asshole to my new friend here?”

  Heath huffs. “No, not being an asshole. Actually, I said nothing at all.”

  I raise a brow. “Your silence spoke volumes.”

  Ayla bumps into Heath’s side. “Thanks, little bro, but I can take this from here.”

  This guy’s her brother?

  Well, fuck.

  A stern scorn crosses his features as he looks at her.

  She smiles a dazzling smile. “Seriously, Heath, I got this. Trust me, I have way more control over Sensei than you ever could. I got his dick all kinds of tangled up.”

  Heath bursts out laughing while I wrack my jaw from side to side at her comment. Heath drops his arms from his defensive posture and nods. “Sure thing, sis… holler if you need me.”

  “Will do. Now fuck off.”

  Heath pivots and heads off into the garage leaving me with a sassy-mouthed Ayla.

  She raises her brow at me like she’s seriously unimpressed. “Right, mister, you think it’s okay to keep a girl waiting?” Her hands sit perfectly on her curvy hips as she looks at me with a giant smirk on her face.

  I take a steadying breath and stare into her stunningly beautiful hazel eyes. “Ayla, the quicker you learn that delayed gratification is a real thing, the better at receiving your pleasure you will be.”

  She tilts her head. “You saying you’re going to give me pleasure for making me wait?”

  I chuckle. “Is my company not pleasurable enough?”

  She looks down at my crotch and licks her lips quite obviously as she slowly drags her eyes back to mine. That little movement made my cock ache like it never has before. I’ve never met a woman so fucking forward other than a club girl, and they’re meant to be that way. But this woman is no club girl, and she’s doing it of her own fruition.

  Ayla’s eyes meet mine, they’re filled with lust and hooded with desire. My chest tightens while my cock strains against my pants to be set free. I fight hard to keep my mind focused and not on grabbing and forcing her into the back of the truck then fucking her like she deserves—no, like she so obviously desires.

  “I could think of a couple of things to get me off, but for now… let’s get this bike out the back.”

  I wave my hand out for her to lead the way. She grins while walking past me, swaying her hips in an over-exaggerated way as she walks, obviously for my benefit. I don’t bother to try and avoid looking away. If she’s going to flaunt herself in front of me, fuck if I’m not going to be a man right now and fucking watch her.

  We walk to the back of the truck where Vibe has the wrecked bike off the tailgate and onto the ground.

  Vibe looks at Ayla and raises his brows. “Now I see what the fuss is about, brother,” he calls out as we approach, and Ayla swings around to me with a smirk.

  “Have you been talkin’ ‘bout me?” she asks in a sickly sweet, put-on southern accent.

  “No… I haven’t,” I reply as she slumps her body with a pout and lets out a whimper. Vibe laughs.

  “Shame. You should, you know. It would get you brownie points.” She grins at me as I clear my throat.

  “Ayla, shall we take the bike around the back, so you can take what parts you need, and we can discuss payment?”

  “I’ll have a look over the bike this afternoon, see what parts I can salvage and call you regarding payment. Fair trade?” she queries.

  I cock my brow. “How do I know you will call regarding payment?”

  She chuckles. “Oh, you scared I’m not gonna call you, Sensei? Don’t worry, I have you on speed dial already, pretty. Especially after last night’s little chat.” She leans into Vibe’s side and lowers her voice. “Can I say, his voice during phone sex…” she pauses for an overly long time fanning her face as I stand here shocked by what she’s saying as she continues, “H.O.T! Fuck! Guy’s got the mind of a fucking animal.”

  Vibe’s eyes open wide as he grins the widest I’ve ever seen. I’m sure he can’t believe what he’s hearing. I’m not sure I can either.

  With a sharp inhale of breath, I can’t let her continue on in this vein, especially in front of one of my brothers. It’s disrespectful, but more than that, it’s turning me the fuck on. “Okay… Ayla and I are taking the bike out the back. I need to have a little discussion with her about her… manners.”

  Ayla winks while Vibe laughs. “A chat, uh-huh. I understand your code, brother. I’ll wait in the truck.”

  “Ah… Spanner, can I get you to look over something for me?” a guy with a little too much blond hair falling in his face calls out.

  She turns back with a smile. “I’ll be with you soon, Vince. Just got to deal with Sensei here first, then I’ll be right with you.”

  “No worries!” he calls out while waving with a kind smile.

  I raise my brow grabbing the bike’s handlebars and start to push it over the asphalt. Well, not really because the front tire keeps hitting on something as it rotates and is making a clunking sound. The bike’s hard to maneuver due to the sheer amount of damage, but I manage. Ayla walks beside me quietly but with a giant smirk plastered all over her face as we head to the back of the yard.

  She finally turns around and looks at me once we’re officially alone. “You know, you really are u
ptight, Sensei.”

  My shoulders slump, and I sigh, but don’t answer her.

  She chuckles and points to a concreted section further toward the back where I move off to, and place the bike kicking out its mangled stand. Somehow it stands up reasonably straight and stays that way. As I look around, I notice a house behind the garage and wonder briefly if this is where she lives. But I push the thoughts aside when she steps right up in front of me, her gorgeous eyes looking into mine. There’s a smudge of grease on her cheek making her look only more beautiful. Her hair is fastened in a ponytail, and she has a red bandana tied around her head which makes her look like a pin-up girl from a magazine. She’s hot as fuck, and it’s taking everything in me not to push her against the fucking fence and take possession of her.

  She squints as she looks into my eyes. “What’s going through your mind right now? You’re thinking… hard.”

  I let out a small chuckle. “You are an interesting woman, Ayla. You exude confidence… I like that in a woman.”

  She raises her brow. “Gotta be confident in my line of work. Show any sign of weakness, and the guys will swallow you whole.”

  “I get that. But I feel like maybe part of this is an act… maybe you’re not so tough underneath it all.”

  She smiles. “You think you can read me?”

  “I think you have many layers to you, many I would like to get to know.”

  She raises her brow taking a step closer to me. “Is that your way of asking me out, pretty?”

  Cocking my head, I smirk. “Do you remember what I told you I would do to you if you called me pretty again?”

  She chews on her bottom lip, the same pink blushes her cheeks again as she nods once. Her eyes sparkling with anticipation as her breathing becomes shallow. “Yes,” she almost whispers. “It’s what I’m counting on.”

  My cock stiffens immediately in my pants as something in the air changes. An intensity filters between us. I look into her eyes, they’re burning with desire, and I know mine are the same. As I take a step closer, my hands reach out gripping her arms as she doesn’t hesitate or make a move to escape. I thrust her hard against the corrugated iron fence, the crunch and high-pitched sound of her body hitting the metal echoes through the yard, but I don’t care and neither does she as her eyes bore into mine.