Reign Over Me (The Covenant Book 1)

by Gwendolyn Casey

  Sophie sighed. “I suppose I did. But I couldn’t let him know that.” She smirked. “No, like the evil woman I am, I let him lust after me for a while. At all the parties, I acted like we were just friends and flirted shamelessly with his club brothers. After being dismissed as a kid sister for so many years, it felt good to make him suffer.”

  She took a sip of her iced tea. “Of course that only lasted a few weeks before he had me pinned to the wall at the back of the clubhouse.” Sophie gave a cute little shrug. “A man can only take so much until that caveman comes out and all he can think of is claiming what’s his.”

  I blushed and bit my lip. Caveman? I wonder what Rem’s caveman looks like …or feels like…

  “Next thing I knew I was pregnant and Greyson insisted on going to the courthouse. The rest is history.”

  “Wow.” I was truly amazed at couples like Sophie and Greyson. While no relationship is perfect, it was nice to know that some loves actually did stand the test of time.

  “Anyway, back to these parties.” Sophie sat up straight. “You have to remember that as a Heart you are owned by the club. Yes, you are here for sex but also entertainment. You should flirt and provide distraction. Flirt with everyone, even the other girls and non-members.”

  “That is what scares me. I am a terrible flirt. I know how to talk with college boys, but bikers?”

  “Oh, honey. It is easy. First, start the night off with a little liquid courage. It will help to loosen you up.”

  I nodded. Number 1: Alcohol.

  “I think it would help if stopped thinking of yourself as Isabel and found an alter-ego.”

  “Like Mr. Hyde?” Wasn’t he evil?

  “Kind of. I would say Catwoman is more what you’re looking for. You need to find the confident, sexy, and badass version of Isabel.”

  “Okay,” I said, grateful Sophie knew how to speak geek. Number 2: Catwoman.

  “The only other advice I have is to show your loyalty. While you may not be a patched member, you are part of this club, which means you would die for them. If you don’t stand up for the club, it is a dead giveaway that you don’t belong.”

  I swallowed. “Okay.” Number 3: Fidelity

  Just then, another girl came up to the bar behind Sophie. She was tall and thin with long black hair. "Sophie, is this the new girl?”

  “Here she is.” Just then Sophie’s phone rang, and she stepped away with a “sorry”.

  “Hi. I’m Amy,” the other girl said.

  "Hi, um. Izzy." I offered my hand to Amy, grateful for a friendly attitude. I was a little surprised this girl was a Heart seeing how she was very pretty with nice mocha skin and sultry green eyes. Her lovely skin and dark features made me think her heritage was Middle Eastern or North African. Someone with her exotic looks could easily be a model or an actress, so why be a biker slut?

  I instantly felt guilty for the thought. Who am I to judge her life choices?

  Amy shook my hand lightly as she took Sophie’s seat. "Izzy? Is that a nickname?"

  "I guess. Greyson gave it to me."

  The girl frowned. "I wish I had a cool nickname. Like some of the guys have road names."

  Trying to be friendly, I responded, "Maybe we can come up with one? What are you good at?"

  Amy laughed. "Nothing I want to be known for."

  I shook my head and giggled. I forgot this girl's profession was sex. "Well, give it time. I'll think of something. So, what are you wearing to the party tomorrow? I have no clue what is expected."

  "I decide when I’m getting dressed."

  I nodded. There was no need to stress about it now, but I actually did have a problem. "Is it okay if I borrow something? I didn't get the chance to grab any party clothes." I actually did have my party clothes, but I had a feeling I’ll need something more risqué for the Aces.

  Amy looked to the side. "Hmm. Well, I’m sure Tracy and Jessica will claim the best stuff. I wish I could have one of the guys keep my clothes in his room so they wouldn't steal them."

  "The guys won’t do that for you?"

  Amy gave me a quizzical look. "Members have a way of ignoring our problems. They think we are all crazy bitches."

  "That sucks.” I was suddenly worried about my unattended suitcase upstairs.

  "We should go shopping. I'll go grab my purse and take you to the mall. Why don't you ask Greyson for some money?"

  Amy shot up the stairs before I could question that statement.

  I headed toward the hall with the offices. Of course, Greyson was not in his. A few doors down I heard typing and looked in to see Rem. Knocking on the door, I steeled myself for his unpleasantness.

  "What?"

  I opened the door a little further. "Um, Amy wants to take me shopping. She said I should ask Greyson for money, but he is not in his office."

  He let out a breath through his nose and stood up, moving with a grace that a man of his size had no right to. He opened the filing cabinet and took out a large stack of bills. He pulled a few from a group before throwing it back in the drawer.

  “Tell Skinny and Bobby that they both are going with you.”

  I nodded as he stalked over and handed me the bills. As his scent hit my nose I couldn’t help but quiver and bit my lip, it was so good. It was a mix of motor oil and men’s body wash. It was strangely intoxicating.

  "What?" Rem growled at my expression.

  "Oh, sorry.” Think fast. “I just wonder, um, so what kind of clothing should I get?"

  "I don't give a shit."

  "I know,” I said a little louder than intended, but I was sick of this. I rolled my eyes and let out my own frustrated breath. “I was just looking for a little guidance. Do the girls show a lot of skin? I mean, can I get away with sexy but not slutty? How much of the goodies do I actually have to show?"

  I could have sworn I saw a little smirk at his lips before he shook his head in annoyance. "It doesn't matter what you wear. As long as we keep up the show that the guys are sleeping with you, no one will doubt you're a Heart. I’ve talked to the guys, and they know what to do.”

  "Oh, okay. I'll go for just sexy then." I smiled and turned away. Then I thought of something else. “Um, should I know more about the plan?”

  “No, it will be better if everything looks spontaneous.”

  “Okay.” He was probably right.

  Chapter Six

  Rem

  The clubhouse was quiet as I made my way toward the stairs. The boys had agreed on two hundred hours for departure. The time was late enough for the girls to be asleep but early enough for the streets to be clear.

  I passed the girls’ room and stopped to peek in. Just to make sure they are asleep, I told myself.

  Isabel was on the top bunk in the far corner and Amy was on the one below her. Jessica occupied the bottom bunk closest to the door, and I wondered what unlucky bastard had Tracy in his bed.

  I always made a point of not taking her to a bed just to avoid her attempts to stay. I slept alone. I couldn’t stand to have another body next to me when I fell asleep. Tracy was an awesome lay, but there was no way I’d give up that rule to soothe her ego.

  I took one last look at Isabel before closing the door. She faced away from me toward the wall so I didn’t know if she was asleep. If she was asleep, it meant she felt safe. I hoped she was asleep.

  I closed the door gently and continued to the stairs, thinking about our encounter earlier today. I was surprised when she talked back to me after my dickish answer about her clothes.

  I’d never had a woman roll her eyes at me. I’d like to say that it was a major turn-off, but it wasn’t.

  And that “goodies” comment had me holding in a laugh.

  She was unlike any girl I’d ever met. She was beautiful, but I knew many beautiful women. Actually, now that the thought crossed my mind, it wasn't the same beauty. The women around the club were painted beauties, using makeup to create the look that had wasted away with a hard life. Of course, t
here were the other women around town that I messed around with, mostly bored homemakers or career women looking for a wild night. Still, they didn't look like Isabel. She was fresh, clean, and without artifice. Her blonde hair lay in gentle waves, her eyes a deep chocolate, and her lips … her lips were perfectly pink and had a plumpness that was so … kissable.

  She was somewhat shy and awkward, which was usually a boner killer. Yet with her, I thought it was cute. It made her seem innocent and loveable.

  Cute? Loveable? What the fuck? I shook myself as I walked to the door. She was just a novelty. The last thing I needed was to lust after a girl like her.

  When I made it outside Jordan, Hawk and Duncan were already waiting for me. Each man was in dark jeans, boots, and hoodies. They also had the van gassed up and waiting, no bikes tonight.

  I always felt strange riding in a cage rather than my bike. An Ace’s motorcycle was treasured above all else. That was what an MC was all about, after all. I just bought a brand new Harley-Davidson Low Rider S with a matte black finish. Her name was Widow. I still had a few upgrades to make until she was Aces worthy, but she was my new favorite girl.

  Unfortunately, the mission tonight called for a bit of anonymity, so bikes were out.

  Hawk had the weapons and gear laid out in the van for my inspection. I wasn’t expecting trouble, but it was best to be prepared. I chose a nine millimeter for myself and grabbed a couple extra magazines with a silencer. Jordan and Duncan did the same. Hawk chose the semi-automatic.

  “How many charges do we have?” I asked Duncan. He was among the elite when it came to dismantling bombs. Added bonus, he was an expert at assembling them as well.

  “I prepared four based on Hawk’s assessment, but you know me, fashioning on the fly is half the fun.” He smirked.

  We climbed into the van without a word and took off to the south. Sixty minutes later, we pulled onto a gravel road toward a farmhouse and barns. Hawk parked the van a couple hundred feet away in the cornfield by one of the chicken barns. We moved stealthily to unload the charges. Once we were ready, I gave the signal to move.

  We made it to the barn Hawk specified with two men on each door. Hawk checked the heat signatures and then signaled that there were two bodies inside and where they were located.

  I went in first, taking the two men down with two shots in quick succession. I waited a couple beats before I said, “Clear.”

  Hawk and Duncan came inside quietly while Jordan stayed outside to keep watch. After a short inspection of the space, we found what we were looking for beneath a trapdoor in the floor. Jordan was right. The lab was amateur and dirty but clearly set up to do large quantities.

  Hawk produced the charges, and we each took one to set. I was just finishing when Jordan said from above, “We’re blown. We got men coming from the house.”

  I made sure the charge was good to go before heading toward the ladder. “What happened?”

  “A kid came toward the barn with food, but there was a dog with him. It started barking before he could get close enough for me to grab him.”

  The other two followed me up the ladder, and they each took their positions by the doors.

  “How many?” said Hawk.

  “Ten.”

  Ten against four was not ideal, but I wasn’t worried. It was four Aces against ten meth dealers and skinheads. We waited in silence and heard the group approach. Like idiots, they bounded through the door without a thought of who was waiting for them. I took out the first and second man that came through.

  The next person swung his Uzi inside and fired randomly, making us all duck for cover. After a few seconds, the gun jammed, and Hawk sent a knife at the arm. The gun dropped with a howl of pain, and the man turned his whole body into the doorway to clutch the knife sticking out of his bicep. Hawk finished him off with a bullet to the head.

  Once again, there was silence as we waited for others to make their move. I glanced at Jordan and Duncan by the other door. Jordan pointed toward the smoke bomb on his jacket, and I gave him a nod. Duncan eased the door open slightly, and Jordan tossed the container into the darkness. The coughing started after a few seconds. We raised our bandanas over our mouths and noses and then headed out. I took down a man on the left with a swift punch to the head. Then I heard Hawk and Jordan deal with their own attackers.

  I sprinted toward the edge of the smoke to watch three men run up the hill. “Three are running toward the house. Where is the fourth?” I said.

  “Shit.”

  It was Duncan. I turned around to find number four with a knife to his throat. I raised my gun.

  “Put down your gun or I cut the kid.” The skinhead’s eyes and nose were wet from the smoke. Duncan struggled in his hold.

  I didn’t waste any time on negotiation. I pulled the trigger. The pasty meth head fell straight back from the force of the bullet entering his brain.

  Duncan looked sheepish. “Sorry, man. I can’t believe he got the drop on me.”

  I shook my head. Duncan still had a lot to learn about this business, but I had no doubt that he would be the best given time.

  “It’s all right. It feels good to put these dogs down.” I knew it was sick, but a part of me still enjoyed the squeeze of a trigger and the drop of a body. I’d had my fill of soldier life in Iraq and Afghanistan, but in that moment between the squeeze and the fall, everything was certain. It felt good to be certain.

  Hawk and Jordan came out of the cloud, and we all jogged back to the van. Once Hawk was behind the driver’s seat, I said, “Light her up.”

  Jordan hit the remote trigger, and we felt the rumble beneath the van before fire came up through the barn.

  Hawk put the van in gear and we were gone.

  It was procedure to take a couple wrong turns on the way home to make sure no one followed. It was just after five by the time we were home. We unloaded the stuff and cleaned it all up before locking it away in the warehouse.

  Jobs like this one always left me jittery with adrenaline, so I decided to go for a run while the sun was rising. On my way to my room, I stopped in front of the girls’ room again. I looked in at Isabel. She was turned toward me but still asleep. She looked even younger than earlier.

  I thought about what I just did, and it was pure murder and mayhem. It was ludicrous to think she came to us for protection.

  My last thought before walking away was that she didn’t belong here.

  She wasn’t safe here.

  Chapter Seven

  Isabel

  I woke up at eight. Well, I assumed it was eight because my internal clock never let me sleep in. But I had no way to confirm the time since Greyson took my phone. It was on my checklist today to get it back, after I spoke to Greyson about my uncle.

  I climbed down the bunk slowly to avoid waking Amy. Our adventure to the mall yesterday had been a nice distraction. We shopped for clothes and people watched. Then Amy convinced me to get a haircut. We decided the length was good, but we cut in some layers. Then I spiced up the look with some dark red streaks. I suffered a moment’s panic when I saw the hairdresser drying it, thinking I went too far, but then I remembered that Izzy was different than Isabel. Izzy was bold and fearless. The streaks would serve as a reminder every time I looked in the mirror.

  While we ate dinner with Skinny and Bobby, they decided I needed a lesson in MC terminology. Apparently, my lack of biker lingo would be a dead giveaway at the party.

  I learned that the leather vest with patches was a cut and each patch held significance. Bobby and Skinny had prospect patches because they were not full members yet. They had to prospect for about a year until they earn the member’s patch. Then the Hearts were the sweet-butts or the club whores, meaning they slept with the members but were not actually with one member in particular. When a biker did have an actual girlfriend or wife, she was his old lady. They get to wear cuts, too, that had a property patch, displaying the male member’s name. Also, a club meeting was called church, and the
meeting room was the chapel.

  There were a few other things but I was a little overwhelmed, so not all of it stuck. All the terms made me scared of what kind of backward country I’d stepped into with the Aces. Property patches, old ladies, and sweet-butts? None of the women had a problem with these names?

  Amy assured me that the Aces were not as bad as some other motorcycle clubs. Some of the other clubs took the property thing seriously, allowing beatings and rapes without consequences. Aces respected and protected their women.

  I was relieved but still a little nervous about what I would see in the next few days.

  We came back to the clubhouse in the late afternoon, and Amy introduced me to few more members. I met Duncan along with Max and Donny. Amy and I hung out in the clubroom for a few hours before I was ready to pass out. I think all the stress of the day had finally caught up to me, making my tiny bunk bed feel like a plush king size mattress.

  I was glad I didn’t roll over in the night and fall off the top. I could see it happening in the weeks to come.

  After using the bathroom, I dressed in jeans and flip-flops with an Aces’ tank-top and headed downstairs. It was quiet in the main room so I assumed everyone was still asleep. I’d have to wait to talk to Greyson and Jordan. I went into the kitchen and quickly decided that eggs, bacon, and toast with peanut butter would start the day off right. Bacon was usually taboo for me, along with peanut butter, but I deserved some calorie comfort.

  I got out all the fixings and cracked two eggs into a bowl to scramble. I wondered what the guys usually ate for breakfast and then remembered the donuts yesterday. I bit my lip and looked down at the two eggs. I should make everyone breakfast. It’s the least I could do.

  I turned on the oven to let it warm and started the burners under the pan. I was busy whipping the eggs when a door slammed shut.

  I looked over the counter to see Rem walking toward the stairs. He was shirtless with Under Armour sweats on. He must have come from working out because I could see the sweat glistening on his skin.