by Rae B. Lake
“Clean what’s that?” Wire called out.
“Wire, we really screwed the pooch on this one,” Clean said as he walked over to us with the dead man’s wallet in his hand.
‘Why, who is that?” Wire asked.
Clean turned the wallet around so that we could both see what he was looking at.
“Oh, motherfucking hell.” Wire ran a hand through his hair.
Cherry had killed Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Malik Djinn, he was a goddamn FBI agent.
Clean was right, we were fucked.
Chapter 13
We made it to the hospital, while Clean and the rest of the boys did what they had to do to get rid of the body. I had some inflammation in my back and a broken rib, but the majority of my injuries were all superficial, a few days rest and I would be back in good condition. Storm, on the other hand, suffered major brain trauma and was lying in the hospital in a coma. Lana, Mikki’s sister stayed by his side and reported back to us every day.
Cherry stayed by mine.
She was the only thing making things bearable.
“Hey did you need anything? I’m about to make Larry a bottle.” She asked me as she bounced the small child in her arms; he was beginning to fuss.
“No, I’m good Cherry.” I rubbed my legs trying to get the intense pins and needle sensation out. I’d already taken the medication and was waiting for the relief to kick in.
“You sure?” She asked again.
“What the fuck! I just told you no, shit Cherry.” I yelled at her, causing her to jump and Larry Jr to cry a bit harder.
She put her head down and tried to walk out.
“Cherry, wait,” I called, she turned to look at me. “I’m sorry, that was dickish. I’m hurting right now. It’s not you. I’m sorry.” She smiled a bit, never able to hold a grudge against me for long. “Here, let me hold LJ while you make him a bottle.”
She laughed as she walked over to me, “What did you call him?”
“LJ, it’s much easier than fucking saying Larry Jr every fifteen seconds.” I took the boy in my arms and secured him.
“I like it, that could stick,” she said as she walked out.
The little boy fussed in my arms, I sat him down on my lap so that he was looking at me. “Little man, you gotta give your momma a break. She’s getting you some food I promise.”
He stopped crying when I talked and just stared at my face. LJ and I had a special bond, he seemed to be totally infatuated with me and to be honest I was just as in love with him. “You see I told you momma would go for it, LJ is a good name, I am glad we picked it,” I spoke to him like he was grown and could answer me back.
He laughed and let his head fall to the side while he reached out for my beard. “So what’s next on the agenda? Should we ask her about your wardrobe?” I asked the smiling little boy. There was no response, he just looked at me and continued to play with my beard. I always took that to mean he was agreeing with whatever we were talking about. “What? Don’t tell me you like how she dresses you, for god sakes you’re wearing Bermuda shorts and sandals. You’re making my eyes hurt, you look so preppy.” I laughed as I tickled his stomach lightly.
As if to respond to what I was saying, LJ reached down and pulled on a shoe before expertly putting it directly in his mouth. I laughed and took it from him.
“Exactly, these shoes have got to go. You good with these shorts, though?” He just looked some more and reached back up to my beard. “Fine, if you like them, I will deal, but when you start walking, I’m gonna get you some real pants.”
LJ laughed, continuing to pull on my beard lightly.
I ballooned my cheeks and opened my eyes real big, making a funny face every time he tugged, which only made him screech out in joy and I laughed right along with him.
“What exactly is wrong with my choice in clothing?” A smiling Cherry asked from the doorway.
I turned him around to face her, “Would you look at him, he looks like he is pledging at a fucking fraternity. According to him, the pants are ok but these slippers you got,” I picked it up to show her the offensive piece of footwear, “these have got to go. LJ said so.”
She laughed as she sauntered her way towards us, even when she wasn’t trying the sex appeal just poured off this woman. She handed me the bottle and I positioned LJ in my arms so I could feed him. It all seemed so normal. It seemed so perfect.
“You feeling any better?” She asked as she combed her fingers through my hair.
“Yeah, always when I am with this little guy.” LJ laid silent as he gulped down the formula that his mother made for him.
Cherry looked up at the clock, “Ugh. I have to get ready for work soon.”
That moment of peace we just shared completely shattered. I handed LJ back to her and tried to go to sleep. Anger was bubbling in my gut and I didn’t understand why.
“Ryder, what happened?” Cherry situated LJ and tried to get me to turn over and talk to her.
“Cherry, just go.”
“But what happened? We were having a good time.”
“Yeah, everyone has a good time with you,” I said under my breath.
“What?” She asked this time pulling me harder so that I could look at her.
I wanted to tell her that she was annoying, or that she was taking up too much of my space, I wanted to be angry at her for any other reason than what I knew I was angry about.
“You heard me, go run along and entertain your clients.” I let entertain drag from my mouth.
“What the hell? Ryder, I don’t understand. Why is this all of a sudden a problem?” She placed her free hand on her hip, her eyebrows furrowed in and a small pout on her face. “I don’t do well with riddles, just tell me what’s going on.”
“I don’t want you to go, I hate that you fucking work at that place, I hate that you do what you do for fucking money. I hate it!” I yelled at her, causing little LJ to wake up from the early stages of his nap. He fussed a bit and Cherry shushed him and rocked him a bit until his eyes began to droop again.
I lowered my voice and spoke to her, “I don’t know why, this shit is eating at me so bad Cherry, but it is. Every time I see one of the grimy fucks eye fuck you while you’re on stage I want to snap their fucking neck. I hate this shit.”
She stood there in silence for a while, “Ryder, you set these rules!” She hissed at me.
“What fucking rules did I set, I never said you had to strip!”
“No, not that. The rules about you and me.” She placed the sleeping baby on the end of my bed. “You told me that our relationship would go no further than the doors of this room. You were the one who told me that that being with you wasn’t and would never be an option.”
“And it’s not Cherry. I may not be able to ride like I used to but maybe one day I will. Who knows? I won’t give up my club for anyone, no woman comes between me and my brothers.”
“Yeah, that’s what you told me the first time and I took you at your word, but now you’re here telling me you’re jealous!” She threw her hands up in exasperation.
“What the fuck? Who said anything about me being jealous? I ain’t jealous woman.”
“No? Then what do you call it Ryder?”
She was starting to irk my nerves, “Protection, I am just trying to look out for you. You constantly sell yourself fucking short and you deserve better.” I shouldn’t have to force someone to see that they are worth more than what some man is willing to pay.
“Yup, you said that too, but let me ask you a question and be fucking honest with yourself.”
“I am always honest with myself. What the fuck do I have to lie for?”
“Can I go fuck Ripper right now?”
“Yup,” I answered instantaneously.
“Yeah,” she came closer to me and put her mouth close to my ear, whispering the rest of her questions, “you are completely fine with him pulling my pink thong down, and shoving his hard cock into my pussy? You good with m
e creaming all over him? Him pulling my hair while I call him daddy?”
I grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and pushed her away from me, “Go do what the fuck you want Charity. The miles you put on that cunt got nothing to do with me.”
She backed up but a small smile played on her mouth.
I laid back gently, trying to make sure I didn’t wake the baby. I tried to put what she said out of my mind but the green-eyed monster in me was growling loud. I tried to calm myself down, but a loud ‘NO’ screamed in my head. Just the image of Ripper fucking touching her was putting my anger into hyperdrive. She was right, I was fucking jealous.
Fucking great.
“Whatever you say, Ryder. Let me know when you’re ready to be a man about this.” She went and gathered LJ off the bed and picked up the few things she had on the table.
“Cherry, listen-”
The door to the clubhouse burst open with a deafening boom and screams filled the air outside.
“Cherry, my chair!” I screamed at her, she quickly pushed it over to me and I pulled myself down quickly. I rushed over to the door but before I could open it, I could hear what was going on.
“FBI! FBI! Freeze!”
My door opened and two men in full tactical gear with the letters FBI brazenly painted on their bulletproof vests shoved guns in mine and Cherry’s face.
“Get the fuck out! Let’s go, now! Now! Now!” They screamed down at me.
“Alright, we’re moving,” I said rolling out.
The clubhouse was in utter chaos. Shit was being pulled out from every direction, people were being thrown on the floor, women and children included. It was a fucking raid.
“Don’t you fucking touch her! Get the fuck off!” Wire fought from the ground as the officer shoved his knee into Wire’s back and cuffed his hands behind his back.
“Shut the fuck up! Don’t move!” The man screamed at Wire.
“Dillon!” Keeley screamed out as the officers moved her and Lily back from where everything was going down. Lily was crying and calling out for her daddy, trying to squirm out of Keeley’s grasp.
“Princess, it’s fine. Lily baby, daddy is ok, don’t cry sweetheart.” Wire tried to calm his ladies down.
Clean didn’t have to calm his woman down, Maven was screaming all the obscenities I think existed at the men that were running around our clubhouse, several times they pointed weapons at her and told her to sit down and shut up, that did nothing but make her scream louder.
Clean laid on the floor making oinking noises and laughing. Mack didn’t make a sound but frustration was clear on his face as they threw him down and placed the cuffs on him. The bastards even handcuffed Devin who was behind the bar. Everyone who had a Wings of Diablo kutte on was put in handcuffs.
Mikki held onto Vida and Cherry made sure all the club bunnies were out of the way, she held LJ, tightly to her chest.
“Get the fuck on the floor!” One of the agents screamed in my face, I went to slide myself down but it must not have been fast enough for him because he used the handle on the back of my chair to tilt it forward so that I fell straight down to the ground. He turned me over and handcuffed my hands behind my back.
They pulled papers out of drawers and threw them around the place, they went through each room and tossed clothes and personal items over the small walkway barrier. They came out of Wire and Keeley’s room with two guns in clear evidence bags.
No drugs or cash though, I had never been so grateful in all my life for the casino, we had already gotten our cash down to Archer to push through the casino.
Another man, this one wearing a three-piece suit walked into the clubhouse, he had his badge hanging around his neck but didn’t have a bulletproof vest on that I could see. He was with a woman in an ugly brown skirt suit. They made a beeline straight to the women. I turned to see the fear on Cherry’s face blooming.
Fuck.
He stopped in front of her and showed her his identification, “Charity Sullen?” He asked. Two big tears fell from her eyes as she shook her head yes.
The man continued with his speech. “Charity Sullen, I am placing you under arrest. You have the right to remain silent-”
“What the fuck!” Maven screamed.
“Cherry, don’t worry! I’ll fix it!” Wire yelled out from where he was on the floor, his face still pressed into the hardwood.
Cherry turned to Keeley and tried to give LJ to her but the woman in the brown suit stepped in and tried to take him from her. LJ began to wail immediately.
Cherry pulled the baby back to her chest, “What are you doing, get off him!”
“I am Lisa Sharp, and I am with child services. We have reason to believe that the welfare of this child is at risk. We will be taking him and placing him under state supervision until the matter has been sorted.”
“What?” Cherry pulled harder on LJ who was screaming and clutching onto her, “No! You can’t!”
The mood in the room changed almost instantaneously. It went from anger to desperation. The women all grabbed on to the baby while Cherry screamed and cried, trying to keep him away from the state worker.
“Ms Sullen, let the child go.” The FBI worker grabbed onto one of Cherry’s wrists but she wouldn’t release him. “I said let him the fuck go!” He roared.
“No please, please, just leave the baby here with us. We can take care of him. Don’t take the baby!” Mikki cried begging the woman who was still trying to detach the little boy from Cherry.
“Listen, you don’t have to do that. He is safe here. He’s safe. Don’t take him!” Clean called out from where he was on the floor.
“NO!” Cherry screamed wildly and pulled against anyone who was trying to separate LJ from her. “He’s mine, please, I need him. He’s mine. Don’t take him away from me. That’s my baby boy. My baby boy!” She cried in utter despair. “Oh god, please. Not him, please.”
LJ cried his little hands still holding tight to his mother's shirt. His face beet red from screaming so hard.
“Don’t do this! They haven’t fucking done anything. You want us, leave her alone!” Wire bellowed from the floor.
“He’s innocent, do what you want with us but leave him with his family. This is wrong and you know it.” I rolled to my side, my arms still handcuffed behind my back and looked up to the man who had taken me down. He took his helmet off to allow me to see his face unobstructed. A large smile on his face. It was one of the men that beat Storm and me.
“I told her,” he bent down to turn me back over to my stomach and spoke directly near my ear, “that was her life.”
I screamed in defeat, a deep unfiltered growl, there was nothing that we could say.
“I said let him the fuck go!” The officer that was trying to put Cherry under arrest pulled an expandable baton from his side pocket and hit her hard in the side with it. The force caused Cherry to buck to the side and LJ to detach from her.
She turned over to her hands and knees, trying to crawl towards the piece of her heart they were trying to rip out of her chest. “Larry!” She screamed for him and in between his own loud cries, one word was clear from him.
“Mama,” LJ reached his whole body back towards his mother, his body bowing in awkward angles to get out of the woman’s arms, crying and calling for Cherry every step. “Mama, mama, mama.” The fear and desperation in his eyes a mirror image of his mother.
“Larry!” She screamed again and the agents circled around her, trying to keep her from making any forward progress. They tried to cuff her but she fought and fought, all the while screaming for her child.
The agent swung the baton again, a loud crack on one of her thighs, but it did nothing to stop her from trying to get to LJ. She kicked, swung, screamed, crawled, dug her nails into the wood for leverage, everything to get to him. All the while the bastards beat her with their batons and tried to wrench her arms behind her back.
“Cherry, stop fighting! You gotta stop!” Devin screamed at her, t
ears streaming down his own face. She was going to fight until she died.
They hit her again, this time in her stomach and after a gurgling scream for Larry, a fountain of blood shot up from her mouth.
“Charity!” Maven screamed for her, her face wet from the tears as well. “Stop, oh god, please stop.”
The club bunnies were all huddled in the corner, their leader of sorts was being beaten to death right in front of them but there was nothing they could do.
“You fucking bastards!” Wire screamed out trying to pull out of his restraints and get to Cherry.
I heard the car pull away and LJ’s loud cries died off in the distance. It was too late, he was gone.
Cherry fought on.
They cracked her over and over again, she kicked out and in reflex one of the officers pulled his sidearm.
“Fucking freeze! Stop! Now!” He screamed with his gun aimed at her.
“No, no, give him to me! Larry!” Cherry screamed again.
The tension was rising dangerously high, “Charity!” My voice boomed out.
She fought but now in between begging for him and staring around the room in a panic looking for him, she looked at me.
“Babygirl, stop fighting, you have to stop. We will get him back but he needs you when we do. You have to make it through this. Stop baby. Stop.” I cooed gently in her direction. I kept her gaze, praying with everything in me that she would listen to me.
She focused on me and slowly stopped swinging and kicking, then as if someone popped her with a balloon she collapsed on the ground. She wailed in immense grief, the sound squeezing at my heart until I swear it would stop beating. “Oh Ryan, please help me. Help me. Ryan.” She fell back and just cried, her whole body contorting with her sobs.
The officers finally were able to cuff her but she had no intention of doing anything but crying. They tried to get her to stand but she just collapsed back on the floor in a heap of skin and bones.
I watched in furious disbelief as they dragged Cherry behind them by her arms, her wails for me to help her the last thing I could hear as they threw her in a separate police car.