Sin & Savage

by Anna Mara

  “Yes, please.” Maybe…just maybe…this would work and she’d be able to reach Nana and Joe in time.

  “Well, hop in then.” He leaned across and opened the rig’s door.

  “Thank you!” Tori climbed aboard.

  Within seconds they were on their way.

  Chapter 53

  Saturday – 10:02 a.m.

  Police Station, Las Vegas Nevada

  Rocker sat in a wooden chair in a corner of the room in front of one of the desks, waiting for his turn to be processed. His wrists were handcuffed and there were shackles around his ankles. But where was he going to go if he even thought about running? Fuck man, he was done for and needed to speak to his lawyer asap. And he needed to contact Snake to see what his fellow Sons of Perdition biker brothers were going to do for him too. So, really, the best thing to do was just to sit tight and see what would go down in the next 48 hours.

  Shit! Everything had just exploded on them at that Gable Street house, hadn’t it? Motherfuck, how had the feds known about their gun deal? There must be a rat on the inside, but who could it have been? Probably one of those Demon Dead pricks, that’s who! He’d warned Snake not trust any of them, but oh no, the big boss had decided to take asshole Monroe’s advice instead—and now look at what had happened! He and Goose had gotten pinched and screwed—and could now be facing serious jail time. Damn!

  Savage Monroe! What a big asshole! He had taken over Rocker’s position as second-in-command of the club and the first big deal he’d put together had blown up in his fucking face. Rocker smirked to himself. It looked good on the young punk, though, and he hoped the son-of-a-bitch would rot in jail! Had he gotten away? Rocker couldn’t be sure. From what he was hearing from the other bikers here at the station who had survived the shootout last night, he just might have. Some told him that they’d seen the asshole and the girl take off out the back when the shooting had started.

  Rocker frowned as a surge of venom spiraled through his system. Oh, how he hated that cocky motherfucker. He rested his head back against the wall and closed his eyes.

  Two police officers stopped on the other side of the corner wall and started talking. “The girl got away,” one said to the other.

  “What? Fuck man, Monroe’s gonna have our balls for lunch,” the other one responded.

  Rocker’s eyes flew open. Monroe? Monroe who, he wondered? Could they be talking about his Monroe or someone else? It was a popular name, after all, so it could really be anybody. Still, Rocker inched his ears closer to the corner, as the two officers resumed their discussion.

  “Who’s in charge of the ATF operation?”

  “Hank.”

  “Well, we’re gonna have to call it in and let him know.”

  “Yeah, but this looks really bad on the department. Matthew Monroe is going to shit all over us, you know that, right?”

  “Well, his ATF ass ain’t so perfect either! From what I hear, he fucked up that gun deal pretty damn good last night. And who had to help the feds clean that mess up? Us, that’s who!”

  “Yeah, but we’re still gonna have to let him know that the girl’s gone and he’s gonna go ape shit.”

  Their voices grew fainter, as they both moved further away down the hall.

  Rocker’s eyes bugged out. WHAT THE FUCK? Asshole Monroe was a motherfucking Fed? Why that double-crossing, lying, cheating scumbag! It was him! He was the rat in their club and if this shit was true, then the Sons of Perdition were done for.

  But if he and the guys were going down, then so was that fucking weasel. Snake needed to take care of business and kill that asshole DEAD! But how was he going to let his fellow brothers know what he’d just found out?

  Wait! He hadn’t used his one phone call yet, had he? Well, he’d be making that call, all right, only it wasn’t going to be to his lawyer…

  Chapter 54

  Saturday – 10:02 a.m.

  The Valley Lodge Resort and Casino

  Savage made the right hand turn into the dilapidated resort’s parking lot and drove up to the front entrance, but instead of stopping, he steered to the left, going around to the back of the building.

  Not too many people knew about this old place anymore. During its heyday in the 50’s and 60’s, it had been a popular hangout outside Vegas for the mob, but now, it was just a boarded up, crumbling shell of its former self. The building itself was a simple 55 room, 2-story affair that had once stood proud, but the rotting wood all along the sides of the structure attested to its current desolate, abandoned state. Rumor around town was that some foreign company had purchased the property last year and would soon be tearing it down to build a new hotel and casino complex.

  Savage thought back to all of the stories that Snake had told them over the years about how he’d run wild throughout the place when he was just a kid and his mother was screwing the owner. The asshole had practically grown up on these premises. He’d often boasted how he knew all of its nooks and crannies and secrets. It had been his second home—or his first one, if the stories about his shiftless, lousy mother were to be believed.

  Of course, the Sons of Perdition had no right to be here today, but this wasn’t the first time their club had broken into this dump and held one of their ‘church’ meetings on the premises, which is what they called their private biker get-togethers where they discussed business.

  Savage swung up to Snake’s bike that was parked beside the other eight Harleys all in a row at the back of the building, away from prying eyes from the highway. He shut off the engine and scanned the area for trouble. He removed his sunglasses and like a hawk, took another quick look, but all was quiet. The kitchen’s back doors had been propped open with two cinderblocks, to get some ventilation circulating into the place while the bikers were inside.

  Savage frowned to himself as he took in the many-roomed structure. If Tori’s grandmother and Sorelli were in there, they could be anywhere. It would be quite a job for him to look through every single room to find them. He’d just have to play it cool, ask questions and figure out what the hell was going on. He had exactly one half hour to scope the situation out before his ATF crew came in with guns blazing. He wanted to make sure that Tori’s grandmother and Sorelli were out by then. He didn’t want either one getting hurt or worse—killed.

  He retrieved his Glock handgun from the saddlebag, checked it, cocked it, and stuck it inside the back of his jean’s waistband, covering up the butt end with his vest. He fished out the wads of cash that he’d wrapped in plastic—Snake’s money—before snapping the compartments shut again. He walked to the opened doors of the building.

  In the main kitchen area, Preacher, a hulking 6’ 5” monolith-of-a-man, stood guard at the entrance. “Savage,” the biker beast nodded.

  “Hey, Preach, where’s Snake?”

  “Up front, in the lobby.”

  Savage nodded his thanks and walked away, cautiously moving down a long, main hallway that opened up into a cavernous space that had once been a beautiful lobby, the jewel of the building. Now it was nothing more than a ruinous heap, having died a slow, decaying death over the years. Several makeshift tables and chairs remained, along with a large reception desk at one side.

  Five of his fellow biker brothers lounged around drinking beers—from Dog to Billy Bob to Repo to Johnny B to Wizard. That asshole Wizard, who was leaning against the desk, glared at him—hard. Savage stared back even harder, his own eyes narrowing with fury as he remembered how that piece-of-garbage had attacked Tori and nearly raped her.

  “Wizard,” Savage nodded coldly to the other biker.

  “Savage, my man,” Wizard chimed back, his own black, beady, demon eyes never leaving Savage’s face, hatred spilling into his sinister smirk. The goatee on his chin, along with his longish, shoulder-length hair looked dirty and matted, making him look much older than his young years.

  “Where’s Snake?”

  He threw Savage another mocking smile. “Takin’ care of business.”


  Warning bells clanged inside Savage’s gut at the other man’s tone. There was something about the way that motherfucker phrased those words that he didn’t like. But then again, that could just be Wizard being the total prick that he was.

  Snake appeared as if by magic from one of the side hallways. “Asshole, where’s my money?” he growled at Savage. He stalked up to him and got in his face.

  Savage threw the bundles of money onto the long reception counter. “All accounted for, bossman, down to your last dollar bill.”

  The greedy, snakelike eyes sized up the cash. He nodded his approval. “All right, first order of business taken care of.” Snake lovingly ran his slimy fingers over the plastic-wrapped wads. He turned his attention back to Savage, and then all of a sudden, his eyes became dark slits of pure hatred. “Now for the second order of business…”

  Quicker than a flash of wild lightning, Wizard pulled out a pistol and leveled it at Savage’s temple. Dog, Billy Bob, Repo, and Johnny B all did the same. They moved into position, crowding Savage inside a tight, caged circle.

  Savage blinked rapidly, taking in the death scene—his death scene—playing out before his very eyes. Sick fear coiled in the pit of his stomach. Every cell in his body went on red alert. His mind sharpened to that of an animal’s, who was trapped and about to be sacrificed, and his primitive survival instincts flooded his system. HE’D BEEN FOUND OUT AND HIS COVER BLOWN! He knew it to the deepest marrow of his bones!

  With all these weapons pointed at his head, no way could he get his Glock. He’d be shot dead in a blaze of gunfire before his hand could even reach his waist. Wisely, he kept his hands down at his sides, and he made himself go cold inside, knowing that he needed to stay calm. Fear made you do stupid things. Anyway, it was what these assholes wanted to see before they blew his head off—and he wasn’t giving them that! No, he needed to keep them talking and hope that somehow he could survive for another twenty-four minutes, until his ATF crew could bust in here and take them all down.

  Angry faces stared back at him. Savage turned his gaze to their leader again. “What’s going on, Snake?”

  Snake sneered with disgust. “What’s going on, motherfucker, is that we know you’re a cop!”

  Savage pretended to be shocked. “What?”

  “Yeah, you’ve been made, asshole.” He nodded in Wizard’s direction. “Check him for a wire.”

  Wizard patted him down. Finding Savage’s Glock, he yanked it out of the biker’s waistband and threw it onto the counter. He continued his search.

  Savage contained his emotion and tolerated the rough body search. “A fucking cop? Are you crazy? I’m not a fucking cop!”

  “There’s no wire, Snake.” Wizard stepped away, only to reposition his gun at the other biker’s head.

  “Of course, there’s no wire, you shithead! I told you! I’m no motherfucking cop!”

  “Rocker said you are,” Snake gleefully accused.

  Savage turned incredulous eyes his way. “Rocker? That twit? You know he hates my fucking guts ever since I took over his position in this club. Of course, he would say something like that! Besides, isn’t he in jail from last night, or did he escape too? Where is the fucker anyway? I want him to accuse me to my face, if he’s got the balls to do it, that is!”

  “Yeah, the asshole’s still in jail. Where do ya’ think he got the info?”

  “What info?”

  “That you’re an undercover, piece-of-shit, ATF federal agent, that’s what!” The veins in Snake’s neck popped out of his skin with rage. He turned his reptilian eyes to the group. “Do him.”

  Wizard leveled his gun hand upwards then swiftly brought it down hard across the back of Savage’s head. Savage grimaced and dropped in a heap. The other club members closed rank on him. They began kicking him with their heavy motorcycle boots, beating him viciously. Savage scrunched into a tight ball. Even so, many of the blows found their mark.

  His adrenaline-fueled brain went into overdrive, flashing instructions to his body at warp speed. Stay down and take it! If he fought back, one of these assholes would shoot him dead in an instant. But if he took the beating like a man, he might have a small chance at surviving this. It was the only shot he had at staying alive.

  Stars exploded in front of his closed eyes, as he took one vicious blow after another. He tasted blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, feeling its hot, wet stickiness. He sensed rather than felt, more blood oozing out from where Tori had stabbed him. Shards of excruciating pain whipped through him, but he willed himself to stay conscious.

  “Enough!” Snake thundered.

  The blows stopped. He sensed the bikers backing off, giving him space. He opened his eyes to see Snake crouching down low beside his body. The leader’s arm, the one with the green reptile tattooed along its length, shot out. His meaty hand grabbed a handful of Savage’s hair and jerked his head up.

  “Where’s the girl, asshole?” he gritted, as droplets of spit flew out of his enraged, twisted mouth.

  “Ba—back—at her hotel.” Savage barely had the strength to get the words out.

  Snake smashed Savage’s head against the floorboards before yanking it back up again. “Try again, motherfucker and this time, try the truth. Where’s the girl?”

  Savage glared at the man, hate for him shining brightly in his pain-filled eyes. There was no fucking damn way he would ever ever EVER give up his beautiful Tori. It wasn’t even an option on the table! He would sooner die than let these evil, stupid pricks ever touch her again!

  At least, she was safe right now back at the station. That was the only one good thing in all of this. Too bad he couldn’t have rescued her grandmother and Sorelli for her. Hopefully they were still alive and safe somewhere in this old hotel. Maybe, with the time it would take these animals to kill him dead, would be enough time for his ATF guys to bust in here and take these assholes down before they had a chance to kill the older couple too.

  Savage turned back to glare directly into Snake’s reptilian eyes. His bloody lips thinned with disgust. “Go fuck yourself, you dumb fuck!” he growled with caged fury, before spitting squarely into the leader’s face.

  Snake’s visage turned purple with rage at the insult. “You asshole!” he yelled before smashing the younger biker’s head hard against the floor.

  Darkness overtook him and Savage blacked out cold.

  Snake stood up from his crouching position and cursing, wiped Savage’s spit off of his face with the edge of his dirty t-shirt. He glared at his fellow bikers, who were all staring at him, anxiously awaiting their next instructions.

  Wizard aimed his pistol at Savage’s unconscious body. “Let me put a bullet in his head, boss, and finish the fucker off for good,” he hissed, as his mouth hardened into a thin line.

  “Not yet,” Snake ordered. Wizard lowered his gun. “We need to find the girl first. She’s a loose end that has to be taken care of. Then we’ve got to wait for Tommy and Butch to get back from the bank with Sorelli and the money. Once we’ve got that 65 G’s safely in our hands, we’ll kill them all.”

  Wizard nodded, as did some of the other bikers.

  “Ya’ think the cops know we made this fucker?” Dog sneered, as he threw Savage’s unconscious body a quick nod of disgust.

  “Nah!” Snake shook his head no. “If they did, this asshole would have been wearing a wire. They would have stormed the place by now. I think we’ve got time to make him disappear and cover our tracks. But first, we wait for the money.”

  The motley group nodded at the new plan.

  Chapter 55

  Saturday – 10:26 a.m.

  Nevada Highway

  As the semi drove down the deserted highway, the blazing hot rays of the sun baked the concrete pavement, imparting the scene with a shimmering glaze of unreality. Up ahead of the truck, a car had pulled off to the side of the road. A tourist couple in their mid-thirties was sitting inside.

  As the long vehicle whizzed by, the
woman in the car frowned deeply and threw the man beside her a knowing look. She adjusted the earbud more securely then brought the wire hidden by her long hair, closer to her mouth. “Hank, we just found Snow White,” she muttered into the device.

  “Shit!” Hank yelled back over the wire. “Where is she?”

  “In a tractor trailer, about 30 seconds away from the Valley Lodge.”

  “Fuck, man! That woman has been nothing but a constant pain in my big, ‘ole, fat ass this entire time!”

  The ATF boss was sitting in the back of an unmarked van—which housed various tracking and communications equipment—situated about half a mile ahead. The rest of his ATF team was in position surrounding the decaying building but out-of-sight, waiting for his instructions to go in.

  “Abort! Abort! Do not go in until I tell you. Repeat—do not go in! Snow White has arrived at the ball.” He leaned back in his seat, blowing out a sigh of frustration. “Shit, fuck and dammit all to hell!” he mumbled, using Savage’s favorite expression.

  Chapter 56

  Saturday – 10:27 a.m.

  The Valley Lodge and Casino

  Tori clambered out of the truck’s cab and shut the door behind her, waving goodbye to Judd. The Texan had turned out to be a gentle, kind soul who had regaled her with stories of his adventures on the road during the short time it had taken for them to get here.

  With promises from him to look her up in Gideon when he passed through next, she thanked him for his help. It was to his credit and integrity that he had never once asked her any personal questions, like why was she on the highway in the first place, or why did she want to be dropped off at an abandoned hotel.

  As the truck drove away, Tori spotted the long drive leading up to the hotel. From her vantage point, the place looked deserted. There were no other buildings or gas stations or anything within view. She was on her own. But her Nana and Joe were in there, and she’d go through a lake of fire to get them out!

  Screwing up her courage, she crossed the highway and walked down the drive leading to the hotel’s front entrance, her runners crunching the hard-packed dirt, baked hard by the harsh sunlight. It was the only sound in the still, barren setting.