Crusher

by Carson Mackenzie

  Sami had been my solace growing up. And even though I never shared the things I witnessed in my house or dealt with, I always felt she’d understood anyway. As we got older, more and more she invited me to stay at her house. I’d mourned more when her mother died than I had my own. Wild Bill was president of Haven, but he seemed to have more time for his family than Stone who was VP had for his. Never once did Sami’s parents treat me as anything other than part of their family. Their house was actually where I learned how family was supposed to interact. Even Reed treated me like another sister.

  With just a quarter of the trip left I decided that now was the time to get over the shit I had no control over. I wasn’t responsible for my mother being a whore or for Stone plotting to take over Haven. My past was what molded me into the grown woman I am. Haven, no matter how hard I tried to push away, was a part of me—good, bad, or indifferent.

  The fence leading to the clubhouse came into view and I took a deep breath, the gates were folded open with a couple Prospects standing guard. I stopped my bike and waited for them to approach. Since I didn’t know who the men where, meant they didn’t know me, and no one just drove onto Haven property. Well, unless you had a death wish. Some tended to shoot and ask questions later.

  “Hey, sugar, you here to relieve us?” I rolled my eyes, then furrowed my brow as he looked me over and licked his lips. Hell, I wasn’t that old so guy in front of me was probably just recently out of his pimple stage. I hoped he had better pickup lines in his arsenal because that one sucked and he would never get laid, even by the hang-arounds.

  “I’m here to see the Prez.” I’d called about five minutes out and spoke to Wild Bill to let him know I was headed in and thought maybe he would have notified whoever was on the gate. Why would I be that lucky after the day I had? Wild Bill had been upset about me traveling by myself, especially with Stone and a couple of friends in the wind. Sami had already called her dad and he told me we would talk after I arrived.

  “Ah, a new piece for the Prez, huh? He’ll get tired of you and then we can have a spin at you.” The other Prospect stood there but never spoke. I looked between them, my conclusion, yeah, the non-talker was the smarter one. Not only had I not wanted to think of Wild Bill having sex, I definitely hadn’t wanted to be part of that scene either, considering he was like a father to me.

  “Dipshit, do you have a cellphone? Want to use mine, if you don’t?” I reached behind to grab my cellphone out of my jean’s pocket, it slipped, I bobbled it, and caught it right before it would have hit the ground. The movement had me bent over the side of the bike, and before I could rise, I heard the click of a gun’s magazine being snapped into place. Well, guess my jacket raised up in the back and revealed my own gun. Could this day get any freakin’ better?

  “Sit up, bitch. Sparks, call this in. Make sure to inform them she was asking about the Prez.” Okay, maybe he wasn’t the slow one of the two. Out of the corner of my eye, across the parking lot, the door to the clubhouse opened just as Sparks pulled out his phone.

  “What the hell are you doing, Taylor?!” Reed yelled as he headed toward us.

  “Bitch asked for the Prez and she’s carrying.” I hadn’t moved.

  “You were told she was on her way in. And put your damn gun down. Carly is a part of this club, dumbshit.”

  “We didn’t get told, Keg.” I’d almost forgotten Reed had a club name. Sami and I never used it, he’d always been Reed to us.

  “Mondo didn’t call either of you?” Reed asked.

  “No, Keg, neither one of us received the message.”

  “Okay, carry on. Carly, meet me at the door. Prez has been waiting for you.”

  “You got it,” I answered, then looked at Taylor, “And next time, dipshit, when you pull a gun on me, don’t wait to use it, I don’t wear one for show.” I hit the throttle and moved into the parking lot without a backward glance.

  By the time I backed my bike into a spot and threw my leg over to get off, Reed walked up.

  “He’s pissed you rode here by yourself. So good luck with that. That was a stupid move, Carly.”

  “Wasn’t thinking when I pulled out, Reed. Don’t give me shit. Plus, I can take care of myself.”

  “Do you think someone coming after you is going to carry a damn sign or walk up to you? They’re not. They’ll hit you when you least expect it and you won’t have enough time to think about what is going on before they have you.” Reed started toward the door. “You’ve always been stubborn, I’d forgotten that.” Reed pulled the door open and held it, letting me enter before him. As I crossed the threshold my stomach flipped, my first time back to the place that I had spent almost every day for the first eighteen years of my life. The men that sat in the main room were my family.

  “Well goddamn, look who decide come back to town. What’s up, mouse?” The tall, bulky man with dirty blond hair approached me, to say I was surprised to see him at the Haven clubhouse would have been an understatement. The man was a fucking prick, I grew up with him, and there was no love loss there. My eyes narrowed when I looked at him, he was a disgrace, how the hell he had even become part of the Haven MC was beyond me.

  “Gavin. What, did Haven have a pity drive for members? Or did they get an EO complaint for not letting any women be actual members so you were the closest thing to one they could come up to meet the quota?” His face morphed and his eyes flashed with instant anger at my words. He’d always had a temper growing up, especially when he didn’t get his way. I should know, I had been on the receiving end of that nasty piece of work a few times. Hell, he was lucky I hadn’t kicked his ass back then and embarrassed the shit out of him.

  “Brother, you were fucking supposed to inform Taylor and Sparks that Carly was on her way in?” Reed spoke, gathering Gavin’s attention.

  “I called, the punks didn’t answer their cells. I was on my way down there but you walked in with her.” Geez, I hoped liked hell Reed wasn’t believing his lying ass. He was easy to read, had always been, at least that hadn’t changed.

  “Oh yeah, I’ll take a look at their phones later, see if your number shows. And if you lied, I will take action a different way, one you won’t like. We clear?” Reed gave him the look Sami and I received too many times to count for getting caught spying on him when he was with a girl or when he would catch us in his room looking at the magazines he had hidden under his bed. He wasn’t that much older than us but when you were girls who started to get breasts and noticed boys, we’d figured if we watched him and the things he did, we would be one up on all the girls our age.

  “Fuck, Keg, alright, I didn’t get a chance to call them. I had to take a shit right after you told me to notify them. I just came out of the bathroom and was on my way there.”

  “When I tell you to do something, I expect it done then, not at your fucking convenience. You gotta go to the john, do it after my orders. This isn’t the first time you’ve not followed orders, but it will be the last. Next time you’ll be begging for mercy by the time I am done with you. Got it, Mondo.” Gavin’s head nodded in agreement to Reed, but his eyes shined with defiance and I could see the hatred buried deep in them. He did not like getting reprimanded openly in front of me or the members present in the room. I knew I shouldn’t add fuel to the fire, but my dislike for Gavin overrode my better judgment.

  “Mondo? Seriously?” I chuckled, bringing Gavin’s gaze back to me and he smirked.

  “Yeah, mouse, ‘cause of the size of my dick.” Gavin grabbed his crotch and I couldn’t help myself, I burst out laughing.

  “Oh please, let’s not get carried away here. Don’t forget, I’ve seen it. The day in the trailer park when you tried to get me to touch it, I was like ten and you were what? Fourteen. I don’t think it could have grown that much since then.” The smirk left his face and the glare I received just seconds ago returned, the anger blazed in his eyes. I should have known when I saw the look in his eyes, but honest to God, I figured he was too pussy
to do a damn thing.

  Then his hand grabbed my throat, I knew that not being able to keep my mouth shut would lead to problems someday. Of course, I had my own temper issues, so I grabbed his junk quickly and squeezed, the hand on my throat released as quick as it had latched on, and the fucker instantly dropped to his knees as I twisted his package with one hand and had my gun out with the other and aimed at his head. I had grown up a lot since the trailer park, and he had mistaken me for actually giving two shits about his sorry ass ego.

  “Holy shit,” was yelled from a couple of the men in the room as I glared back at Gavin.

  “Carly, put the gun away and let go of Mondo’s damn cock.” Reed had moved closer to me.

  “Well Jesus Christ, Carly! Even time away doesn’t seem to have changed shit. Just once I would like to see you enter my club and not start any crap.” I turned my head and smiled at Wild Bill.

  I let go of Gavin’s dick and tucked my gun back into the waist of my pants, “Ah, I was just congratulating Gavin on being a member of Haven, Wild Bill.”

  “Come over here and give me a hug, girl, and show some respect in my clubhouse, call me Prez.” He opened up his arms and smiled and I moved into them. He’d showed me more love in my life than my own dad.

  “You got it, Wild Bill,” as I hugged him back.

  “Smartass,” he whispered in my ear.

  “What the hell, the bitch comes in here, insults and pulls a gun on a patched member, and no one does fucking shit,” Gavin said and when I turned around Reed was in his face. The idiot had not fucking learned.

  “The key word is patched member. Carly was born into this fucking club, you, Mondo, were accepted in and yes, earned a patch, but, motherfucker, the patch can be taken just as easily as it was given. You know, like for not following my fucking orders! Stop acting like a pussy, take your ass, go down to the gate, and relieve the Prospects so they can get something to eat. And next time you put your hands on her, I’ll let her ass shoot you.” Gavin stomped out and Reed walked toward me and Wild Bill. “Want me to bring some food to your office for you and Carly, Prez?” Reed asked calmly as if he hadn’t just reamed someone’s ass.

  “Oh my God, you really are the Enforcer for the club?” I knew he had earned the position after the shit my dad had caused with his backstabbing treachery but I’d never seen him in full Enforcer mode.

  “What the fucked did you think I was?”

  “Don’t get all indignant, Reed, and pull your panties out of the wad. It hit me you had grown up and Sami and I missed it. That’s all.”

  He actually rolled his eyes at me, “Carly, fuck, I’m older than you, dumbass. And it’s not like you haven’t seen me when I come down with Prez to visit.”

  “Alright, let’s move this party to my office so you can tell us what brought you hightailing it here and then I can fix it.” Wild Bill put his arm around my shoulders and turned me toward his office. “Reed, grab some food and drinks and join us.”

  “Sure thing, Prez,” Reed responded and headed in the opposite direction.

  As I walked down the hallway, the emotions moved back in on why I was here. I’d panicked over some damn piece of paper. Avoidance was my specialty and damn it, right about now with the door getting closer and closer, I was kicking my own ass for coming here. Was I ready to hear this shit? Hell, did I want to even freaking listen to what I hoped was the truth finally?

  “Okay, sit and start talking.” Wild Bill closed the door to his office as soon as we walked in.

  Why did I suddenly feel five?

  Chapter Two

  Carly

  Wild Bill sat back in his chair behind the desk and waited. Where to begin? I took a deep breath and started with what had brought me here.

  “Did you know? Is that why you moved me with Sami to their territory?” I asked.

  “About Speed? No. And I moved you with Sami because I didn’t want Stone or anyone that was backing his takeover of this club to use you against me, Carly, you know that.” I blew my breath out. I hadn’t realized how much I needed his answer to be just that.

  “Why would Wallace want to meet with Speed’s dad? What could he have that belongs to Black Hawk?” I knew there was going to be things he wouldn’t tell me because it would have to do with club business but I would ask anyway.

  “Carly, I will tell you as much as I can to answer any of your questions, but are you really here to learn all the dark secrets of Haven? I’ve never known you to run from anything, even when you were small.” Wild Bill’s eyebrow lifted in question.

  “I’m trying to understand and I am coming up blank. I have my birth certificate. The section that is for other living children is blank on mine. Which means it’s fake or has been altered. What would Clarice have gained by not telling me? It’s not like she or Wallace gave a shit, so why hide a half-brother? And he was setting things up to oust you and take over this club but instead of kicking me out, you pay for my college, give me a truck, treat me like a daughter, and I know you caught shit from some of the others members for it, you would have had to have.” I’d worked hard not to be like either of my parents and I knew I had succeeded but just when I thought I’d put it all behind me, a small amount of insecurities would push through.

  The door opened and Reed came in carrying a tray with drinks and sandwiches on it. After he set it down on Wild Bill’s desk, he pulled up a chair and I slid mine closer. Wild Bill set a plate and drink in front of me and gave a chin lift toward the food for me to eat. I started eating as did he and Reed and after a few bites and taking a drink Wild Bill settled back in his chair.

  “Until talking with Sami, I hadn’t even known that Clarice had any association with Black Hawk. I wish I knew more on her but she came to Haven with Stone when he came back off a run. My dad was still in charge of the club then and Stone was a newly voted in VP. The word going around at the time had been she’d been whor…umm hanging around at the Kings, she’d only been there a couple days, Stone got attached to her, and brought her back with him. He made her his ol’ lady and not long after that she got pregnant with you. I had just come out of the military then, Reed wasn’t even school age and my Ana was newly pregnant too with Sami.” Wild Bill stopped talking to take a drink.

  “So you didn’t know her well then, what about after? Did she ever mention another child in all the years here?” I pushed my plate away and sat back in my chair, my appetite gone.

  “No, she never did. But, Carly, I was trying to show you that you aren’t the first person to want to have something different than an MC life. I left for the military at my dad’s disapproval. I was raised in Haven, my mother never married my dad but she was his ol’ lady. I stayed after she died, my dad needed me. I didn’t think I would ever come back but to visit. Even when my dad was shot on that run and I took the club over, I didn’t know if I would stay, but now, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.” Wild Bill smiled at me.

  “What about you, Reed? You’ve never left here. Did you ever want something else?” I asked him, he hadn’t said a word since he’d been in the room.

  “No, not once. I never wanted to be anywhere else.”

  “It’s different for me,” I said, not only did I have ties to Haven, I now had ties to Black Hawk because of Speed.

  “How so, Carly? And don’t say because women aren’t part of the club other than club ass because all that does is insult every ol’ lady.” Wild Bill glared at me.

  “I wasn’t going to say that. I don’t know why I came here.” I looked down at my hands, I wasn’t going to get answers here. Wallace was running and Clarice was dead.

  “Bullshit,” Reed said and slammed his hand down on Wild Bill’s desk. I snapped my eyes at him. “Yeah, that there look, you had that out there,” he pointed in the direction of the common room, “Christ, you pulled your damn gun on Mondo, Carly. Shit, girl, growing up you were tougher than some of the Prospects. You jumped on my bike at fifteen when I told you not to and you rode that Fa
t Boy like you’d been on one all your life. Fuck, you and Sami left here at eighteen, lived in a strange place, you went to college and you only had each other. You never let Stone’s and Clarice’s actions hold you back then, so why the fuck would you start now? So you share blood with Speed, do you think he won’t accept you? And don’t say you shouldn’t have come here, Haven is your damn home.” Reed glared at me and I glared back while Wild Bill watched us both.

  “Goddamn, you two are so much alike. Thank fuck you didn’t get together.”

  “Ewww,” was said simultaneously as Reed and I turned toward Wild Bill.

  “Got your attention real quick with that shit, didn’t I?” Wild Bill chuckled, then continued, “I know you haven’t been involved with anything that has to do with Black Hawk since you moved there. Sami said you and Stroker’s son go head to head all the time. Your first time to visit her at Speed’s house was to help with the move.” Wild Bill cocked his brow in question.

  “Sami talks too much.” I glared at Wild Bill. I wasn’t ready to deal with the Crusher issue. It was bad enough he haunted my dreams the last six months and it didn’t help that every time I was close to forcing him out, he would show up at the most impromptu times. He was strong, confident, and I was sure he would have no problem going after what he wanted. None of the sons would. I put up the wall between us and so far, it’s held, but what would I do if he came at me like Speed had done with Sami. Then again, why would he want a woman whose dad was the one to ramrod a plot to take over Haven? Crusher would be president one day, did he think Black Hawk members would accept me as his ol’ lady? And why the hell I even though that shit, I never wanted to be club ass or an ol’ lady in any MC. If I had, I would have settled in Haven, not like I never had interest shown in me here.

  “Are you worried about Speed accepting you? Is that it? Or is it you don’t want to get to know him? You’re going to be around him a lot if you’re going to see Sami and Ally.” I know Reed was right but I had tried to distance myself from MC life when in reality, to do it, I would have to give up the people I cared about the most. And I sure wouldn’t have come back to Haven, though here I sat.