Out of the Shadows (Renegades)

by Ana Stone

  He felt her stiffen and knew he’d offered a new fear. “So, what you’re saying is that I’m crazy?” she asked in a not-so-steady voice.

  “No. Not at all, honey. You’re just not yet recovered. Your brain suffered trauma and it needs time to heal. But it has started. That’s why the memories are returning. You just have to give it more time.”

  That seemed to agitate her more because she broke free from him and resumed pacing. “You don’t understand. I have to know —“ her voice silenced a split second before her body went stiff and still.

  “What?” he moved in on her, putting one hand on top of her shoulder.

  She moved so quickly, he almost reacted in a defensive move. One moment she was frozen in place and in the next she had two fistfuls of his shirt, pulling him in close so their faces were inches apart. Her eyes searched his.

  “Why do I let Zeke get to me, West? How does he do it? He lies and hides things, tells me one thing and does another and still he gets to me. Why? And why do I have these … these visions? Visions of him and me, in other times and places? And in them he loves me and I’m always promising to find him. Why, if he does nothing but betray me do I have these—these feelings and these visions?”

  West did not flinch from her eyes or look away as he answered. “Because you loved him, Roxy. And there were a lot of missions. Missions where you and he assumed all kinds of roles, and missions where danger forced you apart. But like your visions, you promised to find him, to save him if need be. And you did. Time and again. What you’re remembering are things that happened but aren’t clear in your mind so your mind conjures up images to try and make sense of it.”

  “And you?” She asked. “If I loved Zeke that much, why do I have memories of being with you? Of wanting you and…and loving you?”

  “Because you did – all of it. You loved Zeke but you did walk away and when you did, you came to me.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you knew I love you.”

  “Loved me,” she corrected. “Back then.”

  “And now. I haven’t stopped, honey.”

  For a moment he thought she was going to kiss him. Then she abruptly pulled away. “I have to go.”

  West reached for her but she was already moving towards the door. “Roxy, wait.”

  She stopped and looked back at him. “I need to be alone. To think.”

  West wasn’t sure that was the best course of action. If her memories were returning that quickly, he needed to reinforce what he wanted to be uppermost in her mind. The drug he’d slipped into her drink was supposed to act as an aid toward flavoring her memories, pushing them in a specific direction. He needed to be with her to do that. But if he pushed too hard, he might blow it, so he decided to take a step back and hope like hell it wasn’t a huge mistake.

  “I’ll be here if you need me.”

  She nodded and quickly left. West watched the door close and stood there for a minute, considering what had happened. If he was smart, he’d report in immediately. But he wanted information first, so instead, he went for his phone and placed a call to the medical division.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Aside from Harley, every member of the MC was in the clubhouse when Zeke walked in. Reese paused in the middle of a sentence to give Zeke a hard look as Zeke took his customary seat beside Eli.

  “Well?” Reese asked.

  “I talked to a couple of the whores in Selma,” Zeke replied. “One of them said she was buying meth from a Raptor and he got a call. She overheard him saying something about a boat where the shit was stashed. The Lisa Marie.”

  Reese reacted pretty much the way Zeke had expected. The Lisa-Marie belonged to his aunt, Reese’s sister, Maybelle.

  “That fucking bitch!” Reese bellowed. “I should gut that fucking hag!” He directed his attention to his brother, Eli. “Take Zeke and go see the bitch. If the drugs are on her fucking boat, I want them back now.”

  Eli stared at Reese for a moment before speaking then looked around at the other members. “Give us the room, boys.”

  Everyone looked at Reese, who was glowering at Eli. Finally he nodded. “Do it.”

  Zeke stood at the same time as everyone else, but Eli stuck out his hand to stay him. “You stay.”

  Zeke looked from Eli to Reese. He could tell from the expression on Reese’s face that Reese was about to blow, but Reese nodded and took his seat.

  Once the room was empty except for the three of them, Eli spoke up. “I’m not doing it, Reese. I already told you I wouldn’t have any part of the drugs or guns and I haven’t changed my mind. What you’re doing to this club is wrong. You’re gonna get everyone killed or locked up but you don’t seem to care about that.

  “The only reason I don’t speak up against you in front of the club is that I get where I stand. The only way out of the club for me is in a box and I’m not ready to meet the Reaper. But I have a family to protect and that’s what I’m going to do. So, the answer is no. Now you can either accept that or you can pull your piece and kill me now. But either way, I’m out of this shit.”

  “You fucking coward,” Reese growled. “You’re as fucking bad as Raff.”

  “And look what happened to him.” Eli replied. “That what you have in mind for me, brother?”

  Zeke’s ears perked up. He’d always been told that his father had been gunned down by a member of a rival gang. Eli’s words seemed to indicate something else. He turned to look at Reese.

  Reese looked from Eli to Zeke then back to Eli. “Fine. Be chicken shit. You always have been. It’s always fallen to me to keep this club together and protect it. Why should it be any different now?”

  He then looked at Zeke. “It falls to you. She’ll listen to you.”

  “What makes you think Aunt Maybelle has anything to do with the meth?” Zeke asked. “She’s a legitimate business woman, Reese. She’s never involved herself in any of this shit.”

  “She fucking hates me.”

  “Well that’s nothing new, but still doesn’t answer the question. What makes you think she’s involved?”

  “If the drugs are on her fucking boat you can bet your balls the bitch is involved. I’m telling you to go find out.”

  “Telling or asking?”

  “Is there a fucking difference?”

  “Yeah.”

  Reese jumped to his feet and for a moment Zeke thought Reese was going to come at him. But he seemed to gather himself. “Okay, dick-sucker, have it your way. I’m asking.”

  Zeke stood. “Fine. I’ll go ask her.”

  “Well thanks so fucking much.”

  Zeke didn’t bother responding to the jibe. “I’ll let you know what she says.”

  With that, he walked out. Before he went to see Maybelle, he wanted to talk to the whores again and find out word-for-word what was overheard, and which Raptor made the statement. He’d take Six Pack with him and find the Raptor. Once he’d questioned the man, then he’d decide if he should go to his Aunt.

  If the drugs were really on the boat, then this might be the break he’d been hoping for. Maybelle hated Reese with as much passion as he hated her. She’d gladly set him up to take a fall and had the political clout to make it happen.

  While Zeke had no desire to be under his Aunt’s thumb, if the drugs were on that boat, he’d sign on to work for her tonight for her protection, and he’d watch Reese go down for a boat load of meth, a shipment of illegal weapons and possibly even meth manufacturing. That should put the bastard away for life and his band of lowlifes with him. He just would have to make sure Maybelle kept him, Eli, Rice and Six Pack safe from prosecution.

  Suddenly Zeke saw possible light at the end of a very long dark tunnel. He hurried outside where Six Pack was sitting on his bike, having a smoke. They had important work to do and Zeke was eager to get started.

  It took twenty five minutes to reach the hotel in Selma and another five to locate the prostitute, Candy, who had given him the information.
After running her john out of the room, he had Six Pack stand guard in the hall.

  “I need to know exactly what you heard and who said it.” He told the woman.

  Candy snatched up an article of clothing from the floor and pulled it on. The red and white striped dress barely covered her ass at the bottom and nipples at the top. She fished a cigarette from a pack on the nightstand and lit it before speaking.

  “You just cost me fifty dollars asshole.”

  Zeke pulled his wallet from his back pocket and took out five twenty dollar bills and tossed them on the bed. “You just doubled your money. Now tell me.”

  Candy grabbed the money and stuffed it in the drawer of the nightstand along with other crumpled bills. “I already told you. I was across town at that used car lot on third. That’s where the Raptors deal. While I there the dude got a call and—“

  “What dude?”

  “The one who was working. Juan … something.”

  “What does he look like?”

  “Like a fucking Mexican, I don’t know. Wears his head shaved and has a tattoo on the back of his head. Something about mean muther or some shit.”

  Zeke knew who she was talking about. A low level member of the Raptors with a rep for liking to smoke his product as much as sell it. He liked the redheads, one in particular that worked for the MC. He would not be hard to find.

  “And what exactly did he say?”

  Candy took a long drag from her smoke. “He said he was working the shop and would have to close down if they wanted him to bring a truck to get the dope, and then he listened and said okay, the Lisa-Marie at the Morehead Port, got it.”

  Zeke nodded and pulled out his wallet again. He tossed two hundred dollars onto the bed. “You tell no one else about this, got it? You never heard anything”

  Candy nodded and grabbed the money. “Heard what?”

  “That’s my girl.” Zeke said and turned on his heel to leave the room.

  “Well?” Six Pack asked when Zeke stepped into the hall.

  “I need you to locate one of the Raptors.” Zeke said as he headed for the exit. “ He works the used car lot on third, pushing meth. Shaved head, tattoo on the back of his head. He has a thing for the redhead – Vicki.”

  “Yeah, I know who he is. Likes to hang around outside one of the strip clubs in Beaufort, trading meth for pussy.”

  “Find him and get him to talk.” Zeke instructed and paused as they reached their bikes. “Call Rice and have him go with you just in case you need backup. And tell Eli what’s going on.”

  “What’re you gonna do?”

  “I need to go see my Aunt.”

  “I thought there was bad blood between you?” Six Pack asked as he climbed on his bike.

  Zeke shrugged and mounted his bike. “Blood is blood and right now I need some answers from her. If we don’t find the drugs, this shit is going to turn ugly fast.”

  Six Pack nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”

  “Be safe,” Zeke said and started his bike.

  “Back at’cha,” Six Pack said with a grin.

  They pulled out of the hotel, each in a different direction. Zeke’s mind was so occupied with what he was going to say to his aunt, and what the heck the MC was going to do if it was true and the drugs were on one of her boats, that the ride to her house seemed to be much shorter than it actually was.

  There were lights on downstairs when he pulled up beside the house. He killed the engine and climbed off the bike. By the time he’d done that, there was a silhouette at the back door.

  The door opened as he started up the short rise of steps.

  “I was wondering how long it would take for one of you to show up,” Maybelle said.

  “So it’s true?” Zeke asked.

  She stepped back from the door. “Come in. It’s time you and I talked.”

  *****

  West paced the floor for a good hour, then cursed and snatched up his hat and keys. He couldn’t afford to take the chance that Roxy might see Zeke now. With the drug in her system she was susceptible to suggestion and if anyone was going to alter the way she thought, it was going to be him. All Zeke would do would be to fuck her up even more.

  He made the drive to her house in under ten minutes. The house was dark when he pulled into the driveway but her car was in the drive so she must be home. He knocked on the kitchen door and waited. Two minutes went by and she did not answer. He knocked louder. “Roxy!”

  Half a minute later she opened the door, but barred his way. “What are you doing here?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “We already did.”

  “Come on, honey, let me in.”

  “Why should I?”

  He played the card he knew she was waiting to see hit the table. “I’ll give you answers.”

  Roxy searched his eyes for a long moment then blew out a breath and moved back. As he entered she backed up into the kitchen, turned on the light over the stove then gestured to a stool across the bar from where she stood. “Have a seat.”

  West removed his hat, set it on the bar then took a seat. “So talk,” she said.

  “I need to ask you one question.” He held up one hand as she started to protest. “Indulge me. One question.”

  “Okay, what?”

  “What are your memories of me?”

  “What difference does it make? I told you things are all jumbled up and don’t make any sense.”

  “Please.”

  She huffed out a breath and placed her hands on the bar as if for support. “I…I remember being with you somewhere – the middle east I think. There’s someone else there. An older woman. Attractive but I don’t know who she is. We’re talking about a mission I think but I can’t remember what was said.

  “And I remember a hotel. I think it was in Dubai, but I know I’ve never been there. But I was there. With you.”

  West nodded. “Those memories are true, honey. We were there. On a mission. And we did stay at a resort in Dubai for five days while we waited on a contact.”

  Her body tensed and she leaned forward, her elbows on the bar and her eyes pinning to his. “The memory is real?”

  “Yeah, it’s real.”

  “Then why can’t I remember all of it?”

  “I told you, your brain got scrambled and memories were fractured. But you are remembering, Roxy.”

  “Not enough and not fast enough.” She straightened and pushed away from the bar to walk around it and into the living area.

  West followed and took a seat beside her on the couch as she flopped down on it. “I know you’re frustrated, honey. That’s why I’m here. I know it’s probably not smart to fill in the blanks for you, but I can’t watch you go through this anymore.”

  She angled to face him and he could see the fatigue on her face. “Then tell me, please. You said I was with you – that we were lovers?”

  “Yes. When you left Zeke. You’d always known I was in love with you. You just couldn’t break away from whatever hold Zeke had on you. But finally you did.”

  She opened her mouth, closed it and shook her head. “It’s all in pieces – little shards that don’t fit together. How do I know you’re telling me the truth?”

  “I can show you.”

  He saw the pupils of her eyes dilate slightly and that let him know that the idea had appeal for her. But she didn’t take him up on the offer. “Tell me.”

  Roxy was one of the most astute operatives he’d ever worked with. She could spot a lie faster than anyone he’d ever known and he was certain that she would know if he lied to her now. Fortunately, he had no need to lie.

  “Okay. I know what makes you tick, Roxy. I know that when you’re angry or frustrated you like sex down and dirty. You like to be handled rough, bent over and fucked hard and fast.

  “I know that when you’re not angry you like it when I go down on you, and take you almost to climax then stop to finger fuck you and start over again. I know how you like it. I’ve a
lready proven that. I know that when I finally do make you come, if I stick my finger up your ass you explode like a bottle rocket. And I know you have to be wasted drunk and feeling reckless to like anal sex.

  “I know your nipples are extraordinarily sensitive and you only enjoy then being played with or sucked for a short time and that when it starts to hurt it’s not a pain that turns you on. I know that sometimes you like being dominated, tied up and taken. Other times you want to fight for dominance.

  “I know that you rarely let a lover sleep with you but that when you do, wake-up se with you is the most amazing thing in the world.

  “I know that if you invite me into your bed right now, I will literally rock your world, hold you in my arms as you sleep and love you like there’s no tomorrow when we wake.”

  She was silent for a long time and just sat there, her eyes locked with his. West was starting to sweat when she finally spoke. “If you know me as well as you seem to, then you know I’m a show-me kind of gal.”

  Relief swept through him as she stood and offered her hand. “Come to my bed, West and make a true believer out of me.”

  He accepted. Her hand and her offer. Before the night was over he would prove to her that he was the man she was meant for.

  She led him into the bedroom and stopped beside the bed to turn and face him. West reached up to hold her face in both hands, his eyes searching hers. “I will make you believe,” he whispered and lowered his lips to hers.

  Roxy had not expected that kind of kiss. She’d been prepared for passion, for lust, and for mind-blowing, toe-curling sex. But not this. This wasn’t just a kiss of passion. It was slow and tender. His tongue explored and tasted, slow and sensual. He took his time. And it almost unhinged her. Excited her. Thrilled her. And scared her to death. But why?

  When the kiss ended he continued to hold her face in his hands. “I want something from you, Roxy.”

  She knew the look she gave in response was a combination of confusion and “no shit Sherlock, so do I.” He ignored the look and released her to pull back the bedcovers.

  “I want to make love to you.” He said when he finished. “Not fuck you, but make love to you.”