“I’m not,” I replied. Which was the truth. Sure, I’d beaten a few guys up, including Chips. But, I didn’t have a record and wasn’t planning on creating one.
She cocked her eyebrows. “You’re now an official member of the Gold Vipers.”
“It’s just a motorcycle club. There’s nothing illegal going on, Terin.”
She stared at me for a few seconds. “Did they have anything to do with Ronnie’s death?”
“I swear to God, our club had nothing to do with it.”
“You’re not lying to me?”
I frowned. “No. Absolutely not,” I said sternly. “I wouldn’t lie to you. You’ve got to believe me.”
She relaxed. “Okay.”
“Babe, I want to be with you but you have to trust me. I know you’re a cop, and I’ll respect that, but getting grilled over and over about something that I’m definitely not a part of is exhausting.”
“Sorry. It’s a force of habit,” said Terin.
“I get it, but, all you have to do is ask me once about something and I’ll tell you how it is.”
“Okay.”
“So, are we going to do this?” I asked her.
“You mean be together?”
“Yeah, I mean be together.”
“We can try it. See what happens.”
I grinned. “Good.”
My cell phone went off again.
It was Tank.
“Shit. I have to go.”
“One more thing,” she said. “If I ask you about the club and what they expect from you, you’ll be frank?”
“If I ask you questions about your job, can you always be frank?” I countered.
“That’s different.”
“Not in the club’s eyes.” I sighed.
She frowned.
“Look, you want to know what they expect from me? Loyalty, trust, and commitment.”
“That’s all?” she asked, a little dryly.
They also expected confidentiality, but I didn’t feel it needed to be said. Something like that was obvious. “Yes and I promise that you can expect the same thing from me.”
“Okay. I guess I can’t ask for too much more than that.”
“Babe, I definitely have more to offer you,” I said, smiling wickedly. “And we’ll discuss that later tonight.”
Terin smiled. “I’ll be waiting.”
Forty-three
Cole
When Grover and I arrived at the clubhouse, I was surprised to see that Tank, Raptor, and Tail were also still wearing the clothes they’d had on the night before. They were all standing next to their bikes and talking.
“What’s going on?” I asked, noticing their grave expressions.
“We got a situation. It’s not good,” said Tank. “Follow me. Be prepared, though. We’ve got a little bit of a drive.”
“Okay,” I replied.
Tank nodded to the others and they all go onto their bikes.
“I wonder what’s going on?” asked Dover, as we followed them away from the clubhouse, in the van.
“You don’t know either?”
“No. I have no idea.”
Forty minutes later, we were driving down a dirt road, two towns over from Jensen. When we finally stopped, it was at a secluded cabin in the middle of the woods. I got out of the van and walked over to Tank.
“Who owns this place?” I asked.
“Hoss,” he replied, removing his sunglasses.
“Where is he?”
“Inside,” said Tank. He looked over at Dover. “You can take off.”
“Won’t Ice need a ride home?” asked the prospect.
I stiffened up, wondering the same thing. Warning bells were going off in my head. Something was obviously up. The other guys were barely looking at me and it made me wonder what the hell was going on and if I was in trouble.
“He’ll have one. Don’t worry about it,” replied Tank.
“Okay,” said Dover. He started the van and we watched as he turned it around and disappeared back through the woods.
“Come on,” said Tank, walking toward the cabin.
I followed him inside, the others behind me. He led me into the kitchen, where Hoss was sitting. His hands were tied to a chair. If that wasn’t shocking enough, standing next to him at the counter was Walters. Terin’s old boss. He looked totally relaxed and was drinking a cup of coffee.
“Hey, Cole. How’s it going?” asked Walters.
“It was fine until I walked into here. What in the hell is going on?” I asked, stunned.
“You want to tell him or should I, Hoss?” asked Walters.
Hoss scowled. “Fuck you. I’m not saying a thing and I want a lawyer.”
“This isn’t an arrest,” said Tank. “A lawyer won’t help you.”
“Your old man is probably turning in his grave,” spat Hoss. “Marrying his murderer and patching her brother? You should be ashamed of yourself.”
I couldn’t believe the hostility in Hoss. I knew he and Slammer had been best friends but had no idea of the rage he obviously had toward me and Raina.
“How many times do I have to tell you - Raina wasn’t targeting Slammer personally,” said Tank. “She wanted to strike back at who she thought had killed Billy. She was distraught.”
“Do you think it makes it any easier to stomach?” asked Hoss. “A brother of ours was killed. Not only that… your father!”
“Yes. My father and if anyone is still grieving, it’s me,” said Tank, looking beat. “But, I’m not going to hold this against Raina. I’ve forgiven her even when she hasn’t forgiven herself. I think you should do the same.”
Hoss sighed. “I’m sorry son, I just can’t.”
“Why not? It was a crime of passion,” interrupted Walters. “Look inside yourself right now. Imagine that you had a son and thought the leader of the Devil’s Rangers was responsible for his death. You think you’d react any different?”
“Damn right I would have,” he said in a not-so-convincing voice.
“Bullshit. You’d have went into their clubhouse, guns blazing,” said Tank.
“Hell yeah, he would have,” said Raptor, speaking up for the first time.
“Maybe, but I’d have at least made sure who it was that needed to be punished beforehand,” said Hoss.
“Ronnie pointed his finger at Slammer. Made us believe that it was him, even when he knew it wasn’t,” I said.
“That was your first mistake. Believing that fucker,” he replied.
“And why wouldn’t he?” said Tank. “Ronnie was the V.P. and we all know that club brothers are supposed to trust each other. What does that say about you?”
Hoss couldn’t meet his eyes.
I looked at Walters, still stunned that he knew about Raina and me. Obviously, Terin didn’t know or she’d have said something. “So, you’re not going to turn my sister in?”
“No. I’ve known all along that your sister killed Slammer. Tank told me,” replied Walters.
I looked at Tank.
“Walters is on our side. He grew up with my old man,” he explained. “He’s even cleaned up a few messes that Dad made over the years.”
“Are you sure that nobody else on the police force knows about Raina or my involvement?” I asked.
Walters sighed. “Just Bronson. I don’t know if you remember, but someone called in a tip last week. Bronson took the call.”
I wagged my thumb at Hoss. “Let me guess, from him?”
“Yeah. He’s the one who spilled the beans about Raina shooting Slammer,” said Walters. “He also took some photos for Bronson apparently. Of you and Terin. They’ve been working together.”
“That was you?” I asked Hoss, clenching my jaw. “You were following us?”
Hoss didn’t respond.
I took a deep breath to calm down. “So, what happens now?”
“We were going to ask you the same thing,” said Tank. He leaned against the counter. “Since he’s trying to h
ave your ass thrown in jail, what do you recommend?”
“I have no idea,” I said, feeling sick to my stomach. “What about Bronson? Where’s he at right now?”
“Don’t worry about him. Bronson is out of the picture,” said Walters. “He was fired a couple of days ago. Drank his sorrows away and ended up in a fender bender.”
“He’s in the hospital?” I asked.
“He’s dead,” replied Walters.
I stared at him in disbelief.
Walters nodded. “It’s true.”
“Lucky for him. Walters told me how he tried assaulting Terin,” said Tank. “And bribing her to have sex with him. If you ask me, the pile of shit got off easy by dying behind the wheel.”
“She mentioned that he’d shown up at her place and exposed himself. Even sent me a picture to use against him. I was going to kill the bastard, but she wanted to handle it her way,” I replied.
“Terin handled it the right way by bringing me the proof I needed to fire him,” said Walters.
“Karma got him in the end,” said Raptor. “I guess that’s one less mess we have to worry about.”
“You still have this one though,” said Walters, finishing up his coffee. “And… guys… I don’t want to know what happens next. So, I guess that’s my cue to exit.”
“Thanks again for letting me know about Hoss and Bronson,” said Tank.
“I figured you’d want to know that you had a stool pigeon in your club,” he replied.
Hoss grunted.
“How did you find out that Hoss was the one on the video?” I asked.
“I recognized him,” explained Walters.
“Does Terin know anything about this?” I asked.
“No. Two days ago, I told her that the video was too shoddy to identify anyone. I knew that your club would want to handle this situation. The less she knows, the better.”
I nodded.
“Hoss,” said Walters, walking over to him. He put a hand on the old man’s shoulder. “I know your hurting because of Slammer. We all felt his loss and are going to miss the hell out of him. But, you of all people know that wherever his is, Slammer has forgiven Raina. He also knew that she wasn’t going after him personally. You’re the only one who doesn’t see that.”
Hoss just sat there quietly with a stubborn look on his face.
Walters sighed. “Okay. If you’re going to take care of this the way I think you are, don’t leave me any fucking evidence.”
“Don’t worry. It’s all good,” said Tank, shaking his hand.
Then Walters was gone and it was just the club.
“What are we going to do?” asked Tank, looking at me. “It’s your call.”
I looked at Hoss. He suddenly looked like a lonely, frail, old man. I pulled up a chair next to him and looked him in the eye.
“Just like my sister wanted vengeance for Billy, you wanted it for your friend. I get it. I understand it. I can’t even blame you for trying to find a way to settle the score.”
He nodded curtly.
“And, hell,” I went on, “you could have even tried killing one of us, but you didn’t. You just wanted us to do time. I’m actually thankful for that.”
“There’s been enough blood shed,” he mumbled. “I wasn’t looking to shed anymore.”
“Exactly. And there’s also been enough rage and sorrow.” I looked around the room at Tank, Tail, and Raptor. I knew that as much as Hoss had went behind their backs too, this group loved him. It was obvious by how grief-stricken they looked at the thought of harming him. Nobody wanted Hoss dead. Hell, as angry as I’d been, even I didn’t. I told him as much.
Hoss still wouldn’t look at me, but his eyes filled with tears.
“If this is really up to me, I’m going to show you the same compassion that Tank showed us.” I looked at our president. “Let him go.”
Hoss gave me a surprised look.
“You sure?” asked Tank, frowning.
“I’m positive. As far as I’m concerned, everyone in this room has been a victim. It needs to end here and now,” I said firmly.
“He’s right,” said Raptor. “We have to work through this. It’s what families do.”
“Can this be worked through, Hoss?” asked Tank, his voice softening. “Can you learn to forgive Ice and Raina?”
Tears trickled down Hoss’s cheek. “I suppose that if you can, there’s no reason why I should be holding a grudge like this.” He looked at me. “I’m sorry. I fucked up. I acted without thinking things through and I realize that now. Kind of like Raina, I guess.”
“You know what Uncle Sal always says? When life throws you lemons, you make lemonade. But without the sugar, it’s still hard to swallow.”
“What’s the message there?” asked Tank, scratching his chin.
I chuckled. “I don’t know. Make sure you carry around sugar packets?”
Tail, who’d been quiet, laughed. “I think it just means that life is never going to be easy and to suck it up.”
Tank unlocked Hoss’s handcuffs. “You know we weren’t actually going to kill you, right?”
“I wasn’t sure what to think,” he answered, looking both humiliated and ashamed. He brushed at his tears.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m still pissed as all hell that you tried putting my fiancé in jail,” said Tank. “You’re going to have to make up for that, big time.”
Hoss nodded. “I know.”
Tank sighed. “You really going to let this shit go now, Hoss? If you can’t, then you’ll have to walk away from the club. You realize that?”
“Yes, I do. I’d rather die than walk away,” he replied. “You’re my family.”
I held out my hand to Hoss. “Friends?”
He stood up and hugged me. “Brothers. And, I’ll make it up to you,” he said, patting me on the back. “I really will.”
“You don’t have to,” I answered. “Just, the next time you have a beef about me, tell it to my face.”
He nodded. “Yeah. I will.”
“We all good now?” asked Tank, looking around the room. “Anyone else got something they want to get off their chest?”
“I think we’re all good,” said Raptor, looking at his watch. “Which is more than I can say for me when we go home. I’m expecting Adrianna to be waiting for me with a gun and a shovel.”
“You guys haven’t been home yet?” I asked.
“No,” replied Tank. “Tell you the truth, I’m not looking forward to doing it either. I forgot to call her.”
I grunted. “Shit. Call her now or you’ll never get any sleep when you get home.”
Tank grinned wickedly. “Actually, I’m okay with that.”
“I don’t know. You might find that all of your stuff is sitting on the front lawn,” I replied.
“Nah. She’s getting all hot and pissed off. It’ll make for some great makeup sex,” said Tank.
“I didn’t need to hear that,” I said, giving him a pained expression.
He laughed.
“Speaking of siblings,” said Raptor. “Ours are due back today. Jessica and Jordan.”
“Do they need a ride from the airport?” asked Hoss.
Tank’s smile fell. “What time is it?”
“Eleven thirty,” said Raptor.
Swearing, Tank headed toward the front door.
“Let’s just hope that my brother really did retire from mercenary work,” chuckled Raptor as Tank took off.
Ten months later
Forty-four
Terin
Frannie stared proudly at her daughter Jessica, who stood with Jordan under the wedding arch, behind their newly built home. It was July tenth and a gorgeous day, for renewing their vows in front of family and friends.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” said the pastor, smiling at the beaming couple. “You may kiss the bride.”
Jordan pulled Jessica into his arms and twirled her around as they kissed. Everyone stood up, clapping and ch
eering for the happy couple.
“This reminds me of the day that I married Slammer,” Frannie said, holding Carissa, Jessica and Jordan’s newborn daughter. “Except we were in Hawaii and our children were all grown up.”
“That was a great day,” said Tank, standing on her left. He grinned at the memory. “I don’t think I’d ever seen Pop so happy.”
Frannie smiled. “That made two of us. I think today he’d have been over the top with joy as well. There’s so many things to be thankful for, including this little nugget.”
Carissa slept on, a pacifier in her mouth as Frannie rocked the infant in her arms.
“Can I hold my cousin?” asked Sammy, Adrianna and Raptor’s three year old son. He was standing on the other side of Frannie, on his tippy-toes.
“She’s sound asleep,” said Adrianna, putting an arm around her son. “Why don’t you wait until the wedding is over and she needs a bottle? I bet you can help with that.”
“The wedding is over,” he grumbled. “They just kissed.”
“He’s right. It is over. I need to check with the caterers and make sure that everything is ready.” Frannie looked at Tank. “Can you take her?”
“Me? Why me?” asked Tank, taking a step back. “Have Adrianna do it.”
“Adrianna is already carrying two babies,” said Frannie, nodding toward her stomach. She was six months pregnant and carrying twins.
“What about Raptor?” asked Tank.
Raptor snickered. “What’s wrong? You scared of a little baby?”
“Are you kidding me? He’s terrified,” said Raina. “Ask him how many times he’s held his niece.”
“I just don’t want to hurt her,” Tank explained. “She’s the size and weight of the steak I ate last night.”
“Just take her,” said Frannie, holding Carissa out toward him. “Or you’re not eating anything today.”
“Fine,” he grumbled, reaching for her.
“Watch her neck,” said Frannie. “Here, hold her like this.” She positioned Carissa into his arms, making sure that he wouldn’t drop her and then stood back. “There. See, it isn’t so bad, is it?”
Loving The Biker (MC Biker Romance) Page 18