by KJ Dahlen
Sam pulled her into his arms and held her for a moment. “I won’t let him anywhere near you.”
“Man, take your hands off my woman or you and me are gonna dance.” Aries seethed from behind them.
Luna stepped away from Sam and turned to Aries. Smiling, she went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Babe, stop threatening my friend. He meant nothing by it.”
“Then don’t let him touch you like that. You belong to me and I don’t share.” Aries growled.
Luna giggled then cupped his cheeks. “I don’t either. I don’t want anyone but you. I won’t touch him again.” She brushed her mouth on his, then groaned and deepened the kiss.
Sam shook his head and walked away leaving them on their own.
Luna finally broke the kiss and leaned back. Staring at Aries for a moment, she couldn’t help but shiver. She pushed herself free of him and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“What’s wrong baby girl?”
“I don’t know,” Luna admitted. “I think he’s close by. I can feel it and I’m scared.”
Aries wrapped his arms around her and pulled her toward him. “Sweetness, don’t be afraid. I’m here for you, my brothers are here for you. If you think for one minute we’ll let him get to you, you don’t know us very well.”
Luna hugged his big body into hers. “I couldn’t bear it if you or the others got hurt because of me. I just found you. I want to be selfish and have a lifetime with you, not just a few days.”
“We’re gonna have that lifetime together, I promise. It’s not being selfish if that’s what we both want. And you better believe that’s what I want too. I’m never letting you go so you better get used to that idea.”
Luna smiled softly. “I kind of love that idea. I never want to leave. I’d be proud to be your woman and grow old with you. Can we throw in a baby or two into the mix as well?”
Aries grinned. “I can handle that I think. I know my mom would love a baby or two.”
“Your mom?” she squealed. She began wringing her hands.
Aries placed his hands over hers. “Honey, my family is going to love you.”
“Are you sure?” she whispered. “I mean I don’t have any family of my own and I don’t know how to act around people like them.”
“People like them?” he questioned.
“Aries, you have to admit, your family is well founded, your dad is a high-ranking military man, your mom is a judge, your brothers and sister all hold very good jobs. Hell, even you have a chest full of medals. Who am I? Nothing but a small-town reporter.”
“You’re the woman I love and that means my family is going to love you. They’ve been worried about me for so long that this might be the one thing that might put them off their worrying for a while.”
Luna leaned in and kissed him. “They love you my sweet man and they have the right to worry. That’s their job.”
Aries got a certain look in his eyes. Leaning toward her, he whispered something wicked in her ear and Luna giggled when she heard his words. She stepped back and with an eye wiggle and a jerk of her head, she ran for their bedroom.
Aries wasn’t more than a step behind her all the way and when they were inside, he quickly locked the door and began stripping off his clothes on the way to join her on their bed.
~*~
Cooper sat in his car in the dark corner of the parking lot. He knew he couldn’t be out on the streets and he came here to think. He couldn’t stay here for long but maybe long enough. The scanner was on and he was starting to track where everyone was.
To the general public, the police scanner was nothing but a lot of codes and numbers but to a trained cop, those codes and numbers meant something. By now, he realized the police were searching for his vehicle by breaking the entire area into a grid. Piece by piece, the police were checking every city street looking for him.
He knew the frequency for special events and he hoped someone would say something about where Luna and the others were holed up in. He knew it was a long shot but he had nothing but time. He couldn’t go anywhere.
As he waited, he reached inside his duffle and pulled out a cigar. Tearing open the cellophane, he put one end of the cigar in his mouth and pulled it out again. Then he snipped the end of the cigar off and lit it.
He cracked the window open and breathed in the smoke. He didn’t know why but smoking always calmed him. The scanner was quiet and as he sat in the darkened car, he forced himself to calm down. So much had happened since he woke up this morning and he had to get his thoughts in order.
Cooper thought about leaving town and starting somewhere else but knew that wouldn’t solve his problems. He had nowhere to go and nothing to start a new life with. The police had his things now and his money too. By now, his picture was out there and everyone knew about his life. He knew that wasn’t really an option.
He also knew that by this time, Luna would be protected so getting to her alone was a long shot. Not getting caught would be something that would keep him busy and off track. He doubted there was a place in the city that would be safe for him to hole up in and Albertville was out of the question now.
He took another drag off the cigar. As he exhaled, the scanner began to crackle with chatter and he caught something interesting. A moment later, he smiled and reached down to start his car.
He made his way to the street access and drove out of the parking structure. He looked up and down the street before he pulled out into traffic. He headed toward the river and parked in the lot he woke up in this morning. He grabbed his duffle bag and walked a few blocks to the Radisson Hotel. He registered and took the elevator up to his room.
Once there, he locked the door and went to work. He went into the bathroom and began unpacking his emergency kit. In the kit was hair dye and scissors. After he dyed his hair from dark brown to black before he cut it shorter. Taking out a contact case, he slipped a pair of blue contacts in his eyes. After blinking a few times, his eyes adjusted to the contacts.
Taking a razor, he shaved his two day beard. Even though it wasn’t much, he left a moustache and goatee. Taking a small amount of the hair dye, he colored his facial hair and when he was done, his beard looked fuller. Then he picked up a pair of glasses and put them on. Within minutes, he looked like a different man. He reached into his bag for one more item. He fitted a hearing aid device over his left ear.
Grabbing his jacket, he went back to the lobby, then he went out to his car. Starting the engine, he drove off. The chatter he’d heard on the scanner was the fact Luna was in place at the clubhouse in Whiskey Bend. He knew a back way to the top of that bluff and he would need only a moment to take the shot.
He had to wonder what Luna was feeling. Was she anxious or withdrawn? Was she afraid or was she in her lover’s arms for one more round in the sack before her life was gone? Yes, he knew she was with one of those Hell’s bikers. Could she feel him coming to her? Would she even know he was out there waiting for her in the shadows? Did she know she had but hours to live?
He focused on this last thing. Kill Luna Matias.
~*~
Everyone at the clubhouse was waiting today. A whole nother 24 hours and still no sign of this killer.
Luna grew more agitated as the hours went by. She walked around the clubhouse as if she could stay still. She spun around and headed for the hallway.
Most of the men were watching the outside and didn’t notice what she was doing.
Sam did notice. He spotted Luna sitting in the corner of the dark hallway and was going toward her when he thought he heard a noise in the room he just passed. He caught her eyes and brought his finger to his lips as he stepped silently down the hall. Luna got to her feet and they both waited. They kept an eye on the door and when they heard it open, Sam went for the gun in the waistband at the back of his pants. When he saw the shadow of the man coming out of the room, his adrenalin kicked in.
He stood in front of Luna and raised the gun to shoot
ing height. “Don’t you move a muscle you mother fucker.” He growled.
The shadow ducked and ran down the hall. He paused long enough at the corner to fire a shot then the shadow was gone. Cooper’s shot went wild and they heard heavy footsteps running toward them.
A moment later, the lights were turned on and Aries pushed his way to Luna. Pushing Sam out of the way, he grabbed her and held her close. “Are you ok baby?”
“I’m fine, Sam was here to stop him,” Luna whispered.
“I think Cooper found us,” Sam stated.
Lucifer looked enraged. “He’s here in the clubhouse?”
Sam nodded. “And he’s armed.
“Fucking hell. He’s a dead mother fucker.” Lucifer swore.
“No wait,” Luna spoke up. “I might know a way to get him out of hiding.”
Lucifer snapped his head around to glare at her. “What are you thinking girl?”
“I’m going to call him out. We know something he’s been looking for all his life.” Stepping away from them, she took a step down the hall. Aries tried to grab her back but she wiggled out of his reach. Then the clubhouse went dark.
Luna stood completely still and swallowed hard. “Cooper, can you hear me? I have something you need to know. Something you’ve wanted to know your whole life.”
“What could you know that I’d want that bad?” His voice came out of nowhere.
“I know who your father is,” she stated looking down the dark hall. She tried to see but she couldn’t make anything out. She felt more than saw the men walking around her, spreading out to give her a cover in case Cooper came back for her.
“What is the bastard’s name?” he called out.
His voice sounded closer but she couldn’t see anything in the dark.
When she didn’t say anything for a moment, he called out again, closer this time. “What’s his name, Luna?”
She swallowed hard. “His name is Jesse Grant. We got ahold of his blood test and it’s an 87 percent match to yours. His grandson Ben hired you to kill the judge and the DA. We have your thumb drive and we heard his call. I knew that was Ben’s voice.”
She heard a chuckle and his voice called out almost on top of her, “That bastard called you a bitch and he wanted me to take my time killing you. He really wanted it to hurt. Any idea why?”
Luna could feel his hot breath on her face. She didn’t dare move. “His brother Joel tried to kill me after I rejected him. Joel raped me then he stabbed me fourteen times. A neighbor took him down with a baseball bat.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
“Did you love him?” he asked curiously.
Luna swallowed hard. “No I hated him. I hated that man. He was nothing but a bully to me then he and his friends made a bet. Joel bet them he would be the one to take my cherry. He knew I was innocent as someone in his circle of friends told everyone in school that I was still a virgin. That I never had a boyfriend, that it was doubtful I would ever have a boyfriend. He wouldn’t leave me alone then and when I came back here years later, he began to stalk me. He wouldn’t leave me alone. For months, wherever I went he was there. He kept calling me in the middle of the night, terrorizing me. When I didn’t answer, his calls he would drive up and down the street then pull into my driveway with his bright lights on. Then a year ago, he forced his way into my house. He was drunk and I asked him to leave several times but it was like he wasn’t hearing me. He came in and tried to kiss me. I fought him off but he was just too big and he was stronger than me. He didn’t take no for an answer. When he was done, he laughed at me. He told me I was a lousy lay and I didn’t deserve him. When I told him I never wanted him in the first place, he grabbed the knife and told me I should be happy to have him interested in me in the first place. I called him a bastard and he lost his temper. He said I was an ungrateful bitch and he would make it so no one else would ever want me.” She sobbed.
“He almost succeeded, didn’t he?” his voice came out of the darkness in her ear.
She nodded forgetting he couldn’t see her.
“You know something.” He mused for a moment. “I think you and I are more alike than I thought. We’ve both been through hell at someone else’s hands. But you are the only person who ever told me what I wanted to know. And for that, I thank you.”
Then she felt his lips press against her forehead. Luna held her breath as she waited for the knife in his hands to plunge deep into her body. But it never came. She felt a small swirl of air as he moved away but she never heard anything.
Then the lights came on and she found herself standing in the hall alone. Thundering footsteps rushed to her from all directions.
Lucifer, Aries, Demon, Sam, Hades and all the rest of them came charging into the hallway. Guns were drawn and every one of them scowled.
“Where did that bastard go?” Lucifer asked in disbelief. “We checked the whole clubhouse. Did you see him?”
Luna shook her head. She was trembling as she realized Cooper was gone. He’d come here to kill her, yet she was still alive. He was gone and she could only guess where he was going. Should she call Charlie and tell him to let the Grants know a killer might come to call?
She shook her head softly. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled fresh clean air and was so happy, she felt giddy. She felt this huge weight lift from her shoulders. For her, it was over.
Suddenly, the silence was shattered by two loud gunshots. Luna screamed and clapped her hand over her mouth.
Everyone turned to stare at the door.
There was silence for a moment then she heard two more pops and a few seconds later, she heard another gunshot. Then there was nothing.
Luna raised her head and looked at the doorway. Then they all heard someone slam hard into the door. Then the door was pushed open and they all saw a hand on the frame.
The hand was bloody and Cooper stumbled into the clubhouse. He was bloody and they could see he was all shot up. The gun in his hand fell to the floor and he dropped to his knees. Then tipping over, he called out Luna’s name.
She rushed over to him, barely escaping Aries grab for her.
Kneeling beside his fallen body, Cooper grabbed her hand. “I wanted him to know me, know the life he made me suffer when he walked out on my mom and me. I wanted to watch that bastard die as I watched my mother die.” He groaned as he slid to the floor. “I didn’t ask to be born from my mother’s sin. I tried to be a good boy I really did but nothing I did ever pleased her. Every time she told me, I was like my father I felt the rage inside my soul grow until the day I couldn’t hold it back anymore. When she died in my arms she told me one last time that I was nothing more than a bastard just like him.” He closed his eyes for a moment then he whispered, “I asked her all my life who my father was but she would never tell me who he was. You gave me his name and I thank you for that. At least, I won’t die not knowing his name.” Then he gave a deep sigh and that was the last breath he took.
Luna laid his hand on his chest and wept....The monster was dead.
Several of Lucifer’s men rushed into the room. “Are you guys all right?”
Luna had her arm wrapped around her waist as she stared down at Cooper’s body.
Aries came over and helped her to her feet. “Are you ok baby?”
Luna nodded then hugged him close to her. She laid her ear to his chest and let the sound of his heartbeat wash away the pain of what had happened here tonight. She and the others were all right. The only one dead was Cooper, or Jeffery.
Just then, the door opened up again and Charlie Boone rushed in. At first, he looked around and without saying a word, he could see that everyone was fine. Then he glanced down and saw Cooper’s body. Looking up again he asked, “Is everyone here all right?”
Lucifer nodded. Pointing to the man on the floor he said, “He’s the only one that caught a bullet tonight.”
Charlie sneered. “Looks like he caught more than one, but at least it’s over now.”
“I
s it?” Luna asked. “Is it finally over now?” Shaking her head she said, “Cooper, or Jeffery is dead but the real bastards in this plot are very much alive and will never pay the price for what they turned an innocent child into. His mother is dead for her part, even his grandfather died for his part in this tragedy, but the real bastard is still alive and well. Jesse Grant never acknowledged his role in what happened here. He slept with Cooper’s mother and walked away from her and his child. He ignored his responsibility for thirty-four years without a care. He was the real monster here. He raised his grandsons to be just like him. Joel tried to kill me and Ben hired a man to kill a judge and a DA to stop the sentencing so Joel would walk away from his crime. He hired the same man to kill me too. And you know what? He probably won’t pay for that. He’ll walk away and never care that he broke the law.” She sobbed. “I almost wish Cooper had met his father face to face, almost wish he could have let old man Grant know the hell he put that child through. So Jesse Grant could feel that child’s pain just one time. He never will but I almost wish he could. I wish the Grants could feel the pain I felt when Joel plunged that knife into my body, over and over again.” She looked over at Charlie. “If that man ever gets out of jail, he won’t live very long. I’ll kill him myself for all the pain he’s put me through all my life. He may think I’m nothing more than the dung on his shoes but I’m a person too. I didn’t deserve what he did to me, no woman does and that bastard took something from me that no man has the right to take in anger or by force.” Luna rushed away from the group of men standing there.
A few minutes later they all heard a door slam.
Charlie winced, as did everyone else.
~*~
Aries looked over at Charlie. “If you let either of those men go free, I’ll hunt them down myself.”
“You won’t be alone brother.” Demon and several others agreed.
Geno stepped up and said, “Charlie, I know you’re a stickler for the law but there’s something I think you should look into.”