When we get to the warehouse, everything’s dark and appears deserted.
We turn off the bikes, get off ‘em, and walk over to the side door.
I unlock the door and step aside so Aaron can go in first. Aaron switches the light on and he’s faced with all the club members, including the prospects.
They all stand, watching his face as it morphs from surprise, to a question, and finally into a serious understanding of what’s about to happen.
“I see,” Aaron says as he steps further into the warehouse and the members surround him.
The prospects take position by the doors, locking them and standing guard.
I take my cut off, and whip my t-shirt over my head.
“What do you see?” I ask as I bounce up and down on the spot, warming my body for the upcoming onslaught.
“You know.” He throws a look over his shoulder to all the members then back to me.
“We all know,” I answer.
I put my left hand under my chin, and my right over my forehead and force my neck to its furthest point, cracking it one side then to the other.
“Tell me why, brother.”
Aaron prepares his own body, by cracking his neck then rolling his shoulders. He lifts his t-shirt over his head and throws it to the side.
“Tell me,” I say as I step into the makeshift boxing ring, outlined by all the members.
“’Cause you wouldn’t just accept the fuckin’ drugs.”
“What?” Wake asks as he crosses his arms in front of his body.
“Cain offered us a ton of money, and you were dead set against it right from the start. Who the hell cares if he wants to start moving whores and kids? Not our issue.”
He throws the first punch, I duck left and he misses.
“What, you think you could kill off the entire club?” I left jab twice, step back then land a short right straight into his gut.
“The plan was to get you to wipe the Crowes out, causing a war with their cartel. They’d wipe the Hunters out, and I’d start up a new chapter under Cain.”
He knocks me one on the right side of my face. It makes me stumble back, but I quickly regain my footing.
“Where are the girls?”
Right jab, left uppercut, right hook.
“Fuck you,” he says as he steps back and spits out some blood.
I watch his chest and he turns his shoulders toward me, telling me he’s just about to throw a jab. I turn my shoulder and dip, slipping that left jab as I bring my right hand up in defense in case he makes contact.
Immediately, like any other fighter would do, he brings his right hand up, which I slip past by moving the other side. He throws a left hook. I slip and roll to the left, coming back with a right hand against his chin, knocking him back for a split second.
“You haven’t lost your touch,” he says as he swipes at the blood from his split chin.
He sticks his left jab, trying for a KO, but I wait ‘til his hand is close to me and I parry the punch with my right hand, following it up with a left hook then a quick left elbow into his chest.
He responds by throwing a right hand. I drop my hips and pivot out to the left, coming back with my own right hand and a left hook.
My knuckles have split, and they’re protesting in agonizing pain.
“Where are the girls?” I ask as I rock back away from the punch.
I don’t roll my shoulder from his right hand, and he comes back with a short, straight punch.
I feel it land, and know that the stiches have split completely open on my eyebrow.
Keeping my stance straight, I plant my feet and bend my front leg, staying flexible at the knees, and rotate my hips. I drive a right hand straight, bringing my hips around and throwing a power left hook.
I step closer and move diagonally, making it harder for Aaron to hit me.
“Fuck you,” he says as he comes back with anger.
He comes straight in with a basic one-two. One punch catches me, and I stagger back, almost causing me to lose my balance again. He follows with an uppercut and steps back diagonally.
I come back aggressively with a left uppercut, followed by a straight right hand, following that with a long-range left hook and then another straight right hand.
Pushing him back, he falls into Hash. Hash pushes him back into the ring.
I deploy a screw shot and move diagonally around his body, putting me in line for a perfect straight shot into his ribs, dropping him to the ground.
He falls to his knees and looks spent.
“Where are the girls?” I yell as I lay two swift kicks into his ribs, making him topple over and grab onto his stomach. “The fuckin’ girls, where are they?” I stand, slightly off to the side, swaying from exhaustion.
He laughs and looks up at me. His eyes are all puffy and split, his lip is ballooning up and he spits some blood out of his mouth. A couple of teeth join the crimson that lands on the cold concrete floor.
Suddenly, I can hear all the sounds that are coming from all the members. “Kill him,” they all chant, almost together though definitely individually.
“Probably frozen by now, or in the ground next to Dark,” he moans as he tries to laugh.
Leaning down, I hold his head up by scrunching my hand in his hair and lifting it. I rabbit-punch his neck three times, killing him on the third strike.
“The girls,” Sarge says as Aaron’s lifeless body slumps to the ground.
“I know where they are,” I respond as I fall on my ass besides Aaron.
“Where?” Sarge asks, eager to take off and go get his woman.
“Cain’s restaurant has a walk-in freezer.”
“Shit, that place is a guarded fuckin’ fortress,” Sarge says.
“There’s also the house that’s attached behind it.”
I let the words take full effect on Sarge.
“It’s a pussy shop,” he says, realizing the full extent of what’s happening to the girls.
“Yeah,” I answer.
“Shit.”
TWENTY-
EIGHT
Phoenix
The door.
I hear the key turning and know I have only a matter of a few seconds to strip and be on my knees.
Although it’d be easier to remain naked, I won’t do it. I’m not his when he’s not in the room. And when he makes his presence known, I’m still not his, only my body is.
I kneel by the bed, head down and wait for whatever he wants to do to me. Yesterday he went down on me, and while my body enjoyed it, my mind fought it and I didn’t orgasm. He got so pissed off that he couldn’t make me writhe with pleasure, that when I began drying out, he stopped, got up, punched the wall and left.
Thank God he didn’t punch me, or worse still, make me fellate him. It was bad enough that I had his tongue in me. I certainly didn’t want his penis inside any part of me.
“There’s my beautiful cunt. How are you today?” he says as he leans down and gently caresses my hair.
“Fine,” I say, though I can’t help the word be filled with venom.
“Fine, what?”
I take a deep breath, fighting with the title he wants me to call him. It feels like an hour passes but I know that it’s only been less than a few seconds. “Fine, Master.” I soften my tone and let him believe that I’ve accepted him.
“Is my slave going to allow me to fuck her today, or should I ask Mario and Felix to come in here and fuck you instead? Or possibly, you could go the way your friend is going just down the hall. She’s going to make for an awesome money earner.”
Every hair follicle stands to attention, tormented by his words and completely terrified for what’s happening to Milina.
“Wh-what do you mean?” I stutter, but I quickly try to regain my composure and not show him how frightened I am.
“My boys are training her. Oh, she’s definitely a pain whore, and soon she’ll be just a whore. Although I do have to say…” He stops talking to ch
uckle, leaving me hanging for his next words, praying that Milina is safe. “I have a rather interested Sheik who’s expressed an interest in adding to his collection. One of his regulars is no longer with him.” He chuckles again, with so little emotion. “Some cunts just can’t take a good beating.” I flinch at his disgusting words. I know exactly what he means by that cold statement.
“Please,” I beg. I want him to keep her safe and not drag her into this. He only took her ‘cause she was with me at the salon when this all happened. If I was there on my own, she’d be safe.
“Please, what?” he says, his tone short and clipped. Angry, though he knows he holds power over me.
“Please don’t do that to her, let her go and use me to do what you like.” I hesitate for just a few seconds before I add the word he wants to hear, “Master.”
He doesn’t say anything. The silence is long and drawn out. The chill in the room grows icy as I feel my body begin to shudder with angst. I just want him to call off whatever his men are doing to Milina.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
Minutes pass and I’m about to jump out of my skin.
The only sound in the room is my ragged breath, eagerly hopeful that he’ll let her go and just keep me. Sell me, fuck me, keep me chained, break me…
“Please let me be your slave, Master,” I plead with everything that I have in me.
“Hmmm,” he murmurs. I can feel him close to me, if I tilt my head, I can see the tips of his shiny, black patent leather shoes.
“How much do you want to save your friend?” he asks, his tone lower. Strangely, more seductive.
“I’ll do whatever it is you want, Master.” I hate giving in to him, but I can’t let him do this to Milina. She won’t survive.
I’ll fight every damn day. I’ll battle to stay sane, to not break and to remain as emotionless as I can. I’ll do it, for Milina. She has family that loves her, people that care for her. She can’t wind up a statistic because of me.
“Whatever I want?” he asks, but his voice is oily and has an underlying tinge of mirth to it.
He’s chosen his words to tear me to the very core. Because he knows that I’ll do anything for Milina and her safety.
“Yes, Master,” I say, a sob escaping.
My life as a whore, signed, sealed, and delivered. Instead of it being forced, I’ll comply with it.
Because I have to save Milina.
“What else can you give me?”
For a moment I forget the rules, and my head snaps up to look at him.
“I have nothing but my body, and I’m prepared to freely give that to you, Master.”
“Lower your gaze,” he says.
My chin instantly falls to my chest and I begin to panic, because other than small amount of cash I have in the bank, I have nothing else to offer.
“How about this? I have a dinner meeting with some, ummm, very important people. I’d like you to join me for it, and if you can prove to me that you’re a fantastic hostess, then I’ll think about letting your cute little friend go.”
I’m nodding furiously before he even finishes his sentence.
“But…” He weaves his fingers in my hair and jerks my head up so I’m looking into his malicious, hardened brown eyes. “But, if you fuck with me, I’ll torture her and make you watch. I’ll have all my men fuck her, rip her to shreds before I let them use their knife skills to carve her into tiny pieces. And just when you think you can’t take watching her any longer, I’ll throw her in a pit of snakes.”
Fear is embossed so heavily in my bones, not for me, but for Milina, that all I do is nod and silently agree to his terms.
“Good. We have an understanding.” He lets go of my hair and I instantly lower my head again, trying to be the good slave he wants.
I tremble with fear for what lays beyond today, for what might happen next.
“I’ll send in some of that make-up you girls like to use to cover those marks, along with what I want you to wear. You have two hours to get ready. I know you don’t have a clock in here, so I’ll get one of my boys to knock on the door to let you know an hour beforehand.” The way he says ‘boys’ scares the crap out of me.
My fate is sealed. I’m going to become something I’ve never wanted to be. Someone’s possession, nothing more than a mere collection of holes for him to fuck whenever he wants.
“Yes, Master,” I answer, knowing that he’ll love my willingness and complete acceptance of his conditions.
“Now give me a kiss, and make it count, slut.”
He jerks my head in a callous way and delves his tongue into my mouth.
I could bite down and try and run, but I know he’ll take his wrath out on Milina.
I do the only thing I can. I kiss him with such intensity and desire that he has no reason to doubt my submission to him.
TWENTY-NINE
“Twice in two days. People are gonna start talkin’,” Skinny chuckles as I reach out for his hand to shake it.
“The club needs a favor,” I begin to say.
“We’re not into helping our enemies.”
“I’ll make it worthwhile.”
Skinny looks over at Black and shakes his head, telling him to back off. “What do you need?”
“Your club.”
“Keep talkin’.” He crosses his arms in front of his chest and stands with his feet apart.
“Cain’s got our girls down at his pussy shop. I want ‘em out, but he outnumbers us and I need backing power.” I lean back on my Harley and adjust my sunglasses.
“You got anti-terrorism breathin’ down your club’s neck. Can’t help ya’.”
“Local cops are in our pocket. They say the Feds have been delayed, some bullshit happening over in the Middle East takin’ pole to our small time. Got a few days before they come knockin’¸ and I want my girls out before then.”
Skinny lights up a smoke, drags in a huge breath and lets out a huge exhale of air.
“Cartel may be able to step in, wipe him out completely.” He shrugs, indifferent.
“Don’t wanna be involved with Excalibur, though you may wanna talk to them about the plans that Cain has.”
“Really? What’s the word?”
“Seems that Cain wants us to wipe out the Crowes.”
“Why?”
“I wouldn’t cave to muling his shit. After we’d take you out, he figured Excalibur would punch our tickets. Wanted to start his own charter, headed by his own man, for transporting, trafficking, whatever he wants to do.” I look over my shoulder at Sarge, who’s standing still, arms in front of him.
“Your info good?”
“Came from a member who’s now one with the earth.” I chuckle and look over at his men.
“Noticed your VP isn’t here.”
“Don’t know what you’re saying.” I take my smokes out and offer one to Skinny. He looks at the pack, throws his stub to the dirt, toes it out, and grabs a new smoke from my pack.
“What offer do you have for us?”
“I know you want the farm. The banker wanker is coming out so I can sign the papers and pay off the mortgage. I’ll hand it to you once it’s done, clear, no debt. But the girls are mine.”
“That red-headed one I can use.”
“The girls are mine,” I say again, shaking my head to reinforce that I won’t budge on that.
A stifling silence passes between us. I can tell he’s considering my offer.
“The farm becomes ours free and clear?”
“Absolutely. I just need the manpower of your club.”
Again it’s quiet. A bird flies over head, squawking as it approaches a nearby tree. A small gust of dry wind swirls past us and picks up the loose leaves from the ground before they fall back to their rightful place.
“When do you wanna go in?” he asks, agreeing to my offer.
“Tonight.”
“Where are the girls?” he queries.
<
br /> “Cain has a restaurant, high class, though not for general public. Behind it, he has a whore house he takes his ‘clients’ to. I have a feelin’ the girls are in there.”
“A feeling? We doing this on the fly? You shittin’ me?”
“It’s all I got.”
Skinny walks away from me to Spit, they both turn their backs and talk.
Sarge strides over to me, his menacing ‘don’t fuck with me’ look as clear as day. “Hmmm,” he mumbles.
“Yeah I know.” If the Crowes don’t help us, we’re still goin’ in. We’ll lose half the club in the process, but we’re not gonna let Cain fuck us over. And we still owe him for Sandy.
Skinny walks back, a hand in his jeans pocket and pulls me up with a jut of his chin.
“We won’t help again if they’re not in there, and we take the farm regardless of whether you get the pussies out. Dead or alive, or not even there, not our problem. Farm’s ours and we’ll leave you the girls.”
“Understood.”
Skinny reaches his hand out to shake on it, I extend mine and we both confirm our mutual understanding.
He’s taking my farm, and I’m getting the girls back.
“Seeing as heat’s on your club, we’ll meet up at the old roadie farm. That’s a couple of miles off from his restaurant and the whore house.”
I’m not surprised that he knows where Cain’s place is. It’s Excalibur’s business to know all the players. They could easily come in and wipe us all out, but we obviously aren’t a threat to them.
We deal in arms. They mostly deal with drugs and skin trade, mixed with arms, but they have their business and Cain had his. Essentially everything was working ‘til Cain wanted to become a bigger player. Now the club’s just trying to dig out of the shit he buried us in.
“We’ll be there at nine,” I say as I start to walk back to my Harley.
Skinny nods, and in less than a minute his club is already kicking up the dust as they rumble down the track.
***
“You think Skinny’s gonna show?” Wake asks me as he checks his guns.
“Got no reason not to,” I answer as I light up another smoke, trying to lead my club.
“They may bring Excalibur to wipe us all out.”
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