Zero

by Crescent, Sam

  He listened to Devil talk about Lexie’s rough pregnant state. Glancing at Prue’s stomach, he wondered what he would do if anything happened to her.

  “Lexie is your wife?” Prue asked.

  “Yeah, she’s my woman.” Devil moved, grabbing out his wallet. “Best thing that happened to me was meeting her. I still can’t believe I’ve settled down for one bitch.” He heard the fondness in Devil’s voice.

  Zero recalled meeting Lexie. She was a tough nut and perfect for Devil.

  “That’s my son, Simon. There is Judi. She’s my daughter, and that there is Elizabeth,” Devil said, pointing to all the people in the picture.

  “How old is Lexie? She doesn’t look old enough to be Judi’s mother,” Prue asked.

  Devil laughed. “Judi is my adoptive daughter. She was being used by a fucking pimp. She’s got no other family, but now she’s mine. I love her like a daughter.”

  His respect for Devil went up. “Judi is a sweet girl, quiet at times but sweet. I hope she’ll come out of her shell a little. She makes me fucking proud,” Devil said.

  “Oh, I see.”

  “Who is staying with them?” Zero asked.

  “Ripper and a few of the boys have stayed behind. They won’t let any harm come to my women.” Devil smiled, turning back to look out of the front.

  They pulled into the clubhouse, and there seemed a darkness over the building. The play area was bare, and no one was lingering outside.

  “Where is everyone?” he asked, climbing out of the car with difficulty.

  “Sophia got attacked while we were all indoors. No one leaves without an escort, and there is a man looking over the security videos.”

  They were going to ask Whizz to locate the abandoned buildings where there were no owners. Together they walked into the clubhouse. He found Chaos Bleeds sitting nursing beers as he walked in. They were not in the mood to party. He saw the serious expressions on their faces. Curse looked angry.

  “How is she?” Curse asked, looking at Tiny then at Devil.

  “She’s stable. Nash is staying behind,” Tiny said.

  Zero wrapped his arm around Prue’s shoulders watching Tiny go to his woman. Eva was pulled to her feet and kissed with passion. “You’re not leaving the clubhouse. You stay here and don’t let the kids out, got it?”

  “Got it.”

  “I can’t believe you kept me in the dark,” Tate said.

  Zero saw Tiny’s daughter was breaking apart. Her eyes were bloodshot. Tears streaked down her face as she stared at them. “Angel and Sophia are in the hospital. They could die, and you didn’t think it was okay to tell me?”

  “This is not your club, Tate. Remember your place,” Tiny said.

  Murphy was trying to console his woman.

  “The club? I don’t give a fuck about the club. Two women are in the hospital because this fucker couldn’t kill someone properly—”

  “Enough!” Tiny bellowed the word. Zero held onto Prue as she tensed in his arms and started to shake. “This is my fucking club, and I show you leniency because you’re my fucking daughter. Right now, you will keep your mouth shut. I don’t need to hear whatever the fuck you’ve got to say. This is not your club. You’re not in control of it. Murphy, keep her quiet, or I’ll have her barred from the club after all of this is over.” There was silence around the room. Tate kept her mouth shut, sitting down. “Meeting in ten minutes. I want you in my fucking office.”

  Tiny turned away going into his office and slamming the door.

  “Wow, I’m pleased you’re not like him, boss. I almost pissed myself,” Pussy said, smirking.

  Devil whacked Pussy around the back of the head. “Shut the fuck up.”

  The leader of Chaos Bleeds entered the office.

  “Come up to the bedroom with me,” Zero said, taking her hand.

  She followed him upstairs without causing a fight. He winced at the pain from his wounds. Zero had suffered far worse than the bullet holes. Together they made their way up to the privacy of his bedroom. She closed the door, helping him take the shirt off.

  Glancing down at his bound wounds he saw they were not leaking.

  “You’re going to have to be careful,” she said, touching his body.

  “I’ll be careful when this fucker is in the ground.” He groaned but sat down on the side of his bed. “I wish you were naked and we were about to fuck.”

  “All you think about is sex,” she said, sinking her fingers into his hair.

  “When it comes to you all I want to think about is sex.” He took her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. “There’s something I want to give you.”

  “Yeah, I know what you want to give me. You tell me every chance you get.”

  “It has nothing to do with my hard cock.” He chuckled then winced. “Stay here.” Getting to his feet he went to the drawer that had all of his toys. Closing the drawer he moved to the top one, pushing his underwear out of the way. Beside his gun lay a small square box. He took it out, walking as best he could back to the bed. She still stood beside his bed, waiting.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  Taking her hand in his, he stared up into her shocking green eyes. “Prue, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

  “You’re proposing?”

  “Yeah, I’ve got the ring, and I just said the words.”

  Her gaze went to the ring he held in his palm then to his eyes.

  “Are you kidding me?” she asked.

  “No, I want you to become my wife.”

  She pulled away from him, snatching her hand back. “Angel and Sophia are inside the hospital. You’ve got bullet wounds, and Alan is winning left, right, and center, and you decide to propose to me?”

  “I thought this would be a good time to get it out there.” He held the box open, shaking it for her to look. “Have a look. What do you think?”

  “You’re only proposing because you know you’re not going to survive,” she said, folding her arms underneath her breasts. “Alan kills us, and you don’t have to marry me.”

  “What world are you on?” he asked. “I’m proposing because I’ve promised my brother to bring them Alan’s head. I’ve got every intention of surviving.” He held up the ring. “Come on, come and have a look. You’ll like it, I promise you.”

  “No,” she said, staying where she was.

  “What? You can’t say no. You’ve not even seen the ring yet.”

  “I’m not going to agree to marry you until Alan is gone. Once his threat is gone, ask me again, and I’ll see about it.”

  Zero frowned. His anger spiked. Getting up, he advanced toward her and was pleased that she stepped back going toward the wall.

  “This is insane. What are you doing?” she asked.

  When he had her trapped against the wall, he rested his arms on either side. He used his body to keep her trapped.

  “You’re not going to marry me?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Marry me,” he asked.

  “No. Ask me when we’re alive and Alan is gone.”

  Leaning forward, he claimed her lips, slamming his tongue deep into her mouth. She moaned, sinking against him. Her hands wrapped around his body, holding onto him as he took possession of her mouth. “Marry me?”

  “Why do you keep asking?”

  They were so close. Her breath fanned his face.

  “We both know it’s what we want. Wear my ring and become my wife. We’re going to survive this. You need to stop being worried about what is not going to happen.”

  She rested her head against his. Her palm slid down his chest.

  “Do you always get what you want?” she asked.

  “Most of the time. Wear my ring, and give me what I want.” Zero waited for her answer.

  “Okay, I’ll wear your ring, and after we’re done, you better fucking marry me.”

  Laughing, he retrieved the ring from the box where he’d left it on the bed. H
e placed the ring on her finger and saw it was a perfect fit.

  “We own each other now.” Kissing her fingers, he squeezed her hand. “I’ve got to go to this meeting now.”

  “I’ll help you down.”

  Together they made their way downstairs. He left her to go into Tiny’s office. Most of the men were there, including some men from Chaos Bleeds. The door closed shutting out the rest of the club. The noise diminished, and there was only the silence in the room.

  “I want to thank you for coming,” Tiny said, looking at Devil.

  “I like to think our two clubs are friends, Tiny. You call and I’ll come, isn’t that right, boys?” Devil asked his crew.

  They mumbled their agreements around the room.

  Sitting back, Zero rubbed his head feeling the beginnings of a migraine.

  “I’m hoping this is the last time you get a call from me. You ever need The Skulls, you just call.”

  “No offence, but you guys attract trouble. I’d rather not curse my life with you coming to town to help,” Devil said, chuckling.

  They all had a little laugh at Devil’s words.

  “Let’s get down to business,” Tiny said. “Zero believes Alan will be working out of one of the abandoned buildings somewhere.” Zero watched as he picked up a file. “Whizz supplied all the information and was going to meet with one of his people to help him figure out a trail Alan took.”

  Opening the file, Zero checked each one wondering where Alan would settle down to do whatever the fuck he wanted to do.

  “Ned has heard of him, but it has been ten years since any news of him has made the rounds through Vegas,” Alex said, resting his head against the wall.

  “What took you so long finding that shit out?” Butch asked.

  “Some people don’t like to talk. Lucky for us, Ned is an excellent person in getting the silent to speak.”

  Zero would bet money the other man was telling the truth. Ned Walker, Eva’s father, was a fucking menace.

  Tiny’s private line started to ring. “What the fuck could it be now?”

  He watched Tiny pick up the line. There was silence for several minutes, and it was only Tiny squeezing the receiver that alerted the room to the tension.

  “What’s going on, Tiny?” Devil asked.

  No response came, and then he lowered the phone, pressing a button as it went onto speaker phone.

  “I’d like to play a game.” Alan’s voice came over the line. “Three people get to know one man, and now all three are gone. One fucked him, the other protected, and the other he thought he was in love with. How many women do I have left?”

  Gritting his teeth, Zero stared at Tiny, who was looking at him.

  “Zero!” He answered the question while everyone remained silent.

  “Ah, the man himself. I take it a couple of bullet holes didn’t stop you from leaving the hospital. I thought you’d be by Sophia’s side, begging her forgiveness.”

  He stayed silent, listening as Alan continued to talk.

  “Oh, this is so much fun,” Alan said, laughing. “Here is another. I’m a computer genius, and I know everything there is to know about everything. Where am I now?”

  A loud masculine cry came over the line.

  “Whizz.”

  “Wow, Zero, you surprise me. I didn’t think you’d know how to play this game. I’m a little disappointed,” Alan said. “Do you hear that? They know who you are.”

  “Fuck off,” Whizz said.

  “Nah, I thought about it, but this is too much fun.”

  “I’m going to fucking kill you and piss on your body when I’m finished.” This came from Whizz again.

  Glancing at Killer, Zero saw the paleness in the other man’s face.

  “Do you think I’m scared of dying?” Alan asked. “Newsflash, I’m not scared of dying. In fact, I look forward to the never-ending peace I’ll get once I’m dead.” Alan sighed over the line. “Now, is the precious Prue there, or have you kept her away from danger?”

  “She’s not here.”

  “Then go and get her. I need to speak to the both of you.”

  Zero was silent. He didn’t want her near this fucker. Whizz’s wail made Zero get to his feet. When he finally got his hands around Alan’s throat, he was going to relish taking his life.

  ****

  Prue couldn’t stop staring at the ring on her finger. It was so beautiful, and it took her breath away. The fit was perfect as well. Smiling, she raised her hand up as she stared at it.

  “Did Zero propose to you?” Tate asked, sitting beside her.

  She was sitting in the pantry surrounded by food. It was the only area in the clubhouse that was silent from all the chaos that was happening. The other woman looked a mess. She sniffled, wiping her eyes with a tissue.

  “Yes, he proposed.” She pushed her glasses up her nose to glance at the other woman.

  “He’ll make a good husband one day.” Tate’s lips were quivering.

  They were never going to be great friends, but Prue avoided fights whenever she could. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I put Simon to bed. Murphy is in with my father. I just want some peace,” Tate said.

  “What if your boy wakes up?”

  Tate produced a baby monitor. “He usually screams for me or his dad.” She shrugged. “I just need a few minutes. I don’t know how long that meeting’s going to go, and I want a few minutes away from Murphy.”

  Sitting in the pantry, Prue stared at the array of spices opposite her. She turned the ring on her finger, sliding it on, then off.

  “I’m not a total bitch. At least, I wasn’t always a total bitch,” Tate said. “I love my friends, and I love my family. There are times I just hate the club, but then there are times I love the club. Fuck, I’m messed up in the head.” Tate ran fingers through her hair. “Angel is my best friend. Kelsey is as well. Angel has been there a lot longer.”

  “Look, you really don’t need to say anything to me,” Prue said, holding her hands up.

  “I know. We’re not friends. We’ll never be friends, but we’ll make do because of our men and the club. I just need to talk to someone who won’t rub my back and make me feel all right. You’re not like that.” Tate turned to her. “I don’t like being kept in the dark. My friends are in danger, and I can’t handle not knowing.”

  “What do you want from me?” Prue asked.

  “This man, will he get worse?”

  Opening her lips, she thought about it. Frowning, Prue shook her head. “I don’t know him. Until this shit started I didn’t even know who he was.”

  “He doesn’t care about anything, does he?”

  Prue shook her head. “You need to take care. He’ll kill or hurt whoever is close to Zero.”

  Tate nodded. “We don’t have to talk now. Can I just sit here for a while?”

  “This is your club not mine.”

  “You marry Zero and you’ll inherit it. The club is the life.”

  Prue didn’t argue with the other woman. Rubbing her hands down her legs she rested her head against the wall trying to imagine her life with Zero. She smiled at the thought of him picking her up from school. The kids would want to know everything about the man with the bike.

  Running fingers through her hair she let out a sigh.

  Becoming Zero’s woman would be a dream come true. She only wished that Trevor was here to see them be together. Her brother would be pissed, but he would also be happy for them. She’d make sure of it.

  “Prue.” Zero’s yell invaded her calm and serene moment.

  “I’m being called,” she said. Turning to Tate she saw the tears falling thick and fast. “Don’t let it get to you. Your son needs his mother to be strong. Ignore Alan. You mean nothing to Zero and will be safe.” She tapped her leg then made her way out of the pantry.

  Zero was passing as she did. “Hey,” she said, grabbing his attention.

  “Where were you?” he asked, cupping
her cheek. He looked panicked.

  “I was having a few moments to myself. What’s going on? What’s the matter?”

  He took her hand leading her back toward the office. “Alan’s got Whizz. He’s torturing him and wanted you with us when we talk.”

  Zero no longer had to pull on her arm. She followed him straight to Tiny’s office. The men were tense as screams filled the room. Alan was pushing the men too far.

  “Fucking stop it,” Zero said. “I’ve got her with me.”

  The screaming stopped. “Prue, honey, are you there?” Alan asked. The way he spoke made it sound like they had some kind of connection.

  “Yeah, I’m here.”

  “That wasn’t loud enough. Do a bit better than that.”

  “I’m here.” She yelled the words, hating him more.

  Whizz screamed once again as Alan laughed. She couldn’t handle the sound and shouted for him to stop.

  “Stop it, fucking stop it. I’m here. Hurting him is not going to achieve anything. You want us to know you’ve got the balls to hurt someone, fine, we know. You’ve hurt him, and we know you’ve got the balls to do it,” she said.

  Zero held her hand tightly. She felt all their gazes on her as she spoke.

  “So the silent sister does speak.”

  “Trevor never spoke for me. I wouldn’t have let him come near you if I knew what you had planned.” Prue folded her arms, feeling stupid for being angry at the phone.

  “I know. He talked about you often, how clever you were. I always wondered how a primary teacher could be clever. Now, I don’t care,” Alan said.

  “You’re growing bored.” Prue was shaking inside, hoping her gut was right.

  “Why would you say that?”

  Looking toward Zero, he nodded letting her continue. “You’ve waited ten years for revenge. In the hospital you told me you had to wait to fix everything Zero broke. It took you years to get to the condition you are in now.” She closed her eyes focusing on Alan rather than the men wanting to kill the man. “Within twenty-four hours you’ve shot one woman, stabbed another, and Zero also has two bullet wounds in his body. You’re getting bored with waiting.”

  “I’ve got Whizz to keep me company.”

  Another scream rent the air.

  “He’s not who you want,” Prue said, forcing herself to speak up.