Live Free

by Shyla Colt

  He knocked on the door, never one to overstep his boundaries.

  “Who is it?”

  “Rocky. I have Evonne with me.”

  “Bring her in,” Tiny, his president, called out.

  “Prez…” Rocky acknowledged his invitation, pushed the door opened and gently nudged Evonne forward.

  The faces gathered around the slab of wood that served at the meeting table looked grim.

  “Rock, close the door behind you,” Tiny said.

  Rocky raised an eyebrow but followed the order without question. Fastest way to get your ass handed to you was to disrespect the Prez.

  “Look, sweetheart, you might want to take a seat for this,” Tiny said. Evonne turned to stare at Rocky. “Rock, stick with her,” Tiny said.

  Fuck. He could already see where this road headed. Last thing he needed was to be someone’s fucking babysitter. This is why no one wants to help people. Shit always has a blowback. He guided the tense female to an empty chair at the end of the table and sat in the chair beside it, tugging her arm to get her to comply.

  “Look, I’ll be straight with you. Levi was into way more shit than we expected. He has powerful people on his payroll. The cops searched the Crazy Eights clubhouse, looking for a person of interest. No one had to say it was Levi. We knew it. They let the fucker escape in the insanity of the raid. If he can pull favors like that, we’re all vulnerable. You especially.”

  Her eyes flashed and she opened her mouth.

  Rocky squeezed her wrist to gain her attention and shook his head. “Uh uh.” If she mouthed off to Prez like she did with Crazy, shit would get ugly. She didn’t want to piss off the people who were trying to save her life.

  She swallowed. “W-what do you mean?”

  “We broke into his house. He had pictures of you all over the place, videotapes, live video feed he’d been streaming day and night.”

  “What, of—of me?”

  Prez nodded. “Yeah, darling. Some of the shit was fucking…” He shook his head. “We can’t let him get ahold of you again.”

  Her hands gripped the arms of the chair. “I don’t understand.”

  Prez glanced at Shooter and nodded.

  “You’re going on lockdown,” Shooter stated.

  “Lockdown? I’m not a member of this crew,” Evonne said with a frown.

  “No, but you’re like a sister to my old lady and Moose’s.” Shooter nodded to Moose, whose normally jovial face had gone hard.

  “I don’t understand. What do you expect me to do—stay here?” Evonne asked.

  “Not yet, but at one of the brothers’ homes,” Shooter answered.

  “Why? This is ridiculous! It’s been weeks, and he hasn’t even tried to contact me. I’ll be fine. I can’t be locked down. What about my clients? The business I’ve built for myself would collapse.”

  “Better your business than your life,” Moose warned.

  “Moo—”

  “No. you didn’t see the shit we did. Detailed diary entries of what he wanted to do. How he would break you. Fucking jizz on every picture he had in the area where he housed his Evonne shrine. You want to fall into his hands? That shit’d fuck you up more than you already are. The things he did to women are sickening. And I seen a lot of questionable shit, E.”

  “What the fuck?” Evonne said.

  “Look!” Moose barked. “You need to wake the fuck up. There’s more important shit going on right now than your need for independence. You’re not the only one we’re trying to keep safe.”

  “Shit, take it easy, brother.” Shooter placed a hand on Moose’s shoulder and squeezed.

  Tension filled the room.

  “You got something you want to share with the class?” Prez asked Moose. “Ain’t like you to fly off the handle.”

  “Shit, Joey is going to kill me. We wanted to wait ‘til you guys had a chance to settle in after the wedding before we said anything… She’s pregnant.”

  A chorus of oh fucks spread across the room.

  Prez grinned. “Well shit, congrats.” He clapped Moose on the back.

  “Shit took me by surprise, but I ain’t tripping on it. She’s my old lady now. We got hitched a few weeks back, didn’t want to steal your thunder, so we kept our shit tight.” Moose shrugged.

  Shooter nodded.

  Prez turned to stare at Evonne. “We’re trying to keep you safe. It might seem extreme, but so is Levi. The tapes we found were just shy of snuff tapes and he was the star. You understand what I’m saying?”

  “Yes sir.” Her voice wavered.

  “You going to put her happiness at risk?”

  “No.” Evonne shook her head. “What do I need to do?”

  “Follow directions and do whatever Rocky here tells you to.”

  “Wait, what?” Rocky shook his head and held up his hands. “I got training schedules out the ass. That big fight is coming up next month.”

  “So she’ll be spending a lot of time with her girls,” Prez retorted, narrowing his eyes as his voice got bass.

  “Prez.” Rocky nodded, knowing how this was going down now.

  “Good man.” Prez gave a slight nod back. “Have the prospects pack the rest of her shit, get her settled into your place and tighten up on security. I don’t want her unattended in case this motherfucker grows some balls and tries to push up on us.”

  Weighed down by the additional responsibility placed on his shoulders, Rocky half listened to the rest of the meeting and Evonne’s one-word answers. He couldn’t be pissed at her. She didn’t know him from shit and she never knew they’d not only be shacking up but attached at the fucking hip. I don’t like it either, sister. He got why Prez had chosen him. His crib was less than a five-minute drive, ten if you were on foot. It used to be a place to put up visitors until they converted it as a place for him to train and live in solitude when necessary. What he did took a lot of dedication and focus, but the money he brought into the club from the fights was worth it.

  “All right. You motherfuckers are dismissed. Go chill the fuck out and enjoy your downtime. I get the feeling this shit won’t last long,” Prez announced to the group.

  Moose tapped the gavel and they all stood.

  “Did you know about this?” Evonne whispered to Rocky.

  “The crazy-room shit, yes. Anything else, hell…no.” Rocky shook his head.

  Hurt flashed in her bright-brown gaze before she recovered.

  “Look, no offense meant. I’m just used to being on my own and keeping a very structured schedule.”

  “I’m not about to follow you around like a fucking puppy!” Evonne snapped.

  “Never said you were.” He gritted his teeth. “For someone who’s being protected, you’re being a giant bitch about this.”

  Her jaw dropped. “What did you just say to me?”

  The low rumble in her voice made his cock harden. Perfect. “You heard me. I know it’s not the most ideal situation, but we can make the best of it.”

  “Not with you disrespecting me,” Evonne said.

  He held up a hand.

  She fell silent with a stunned expression on her face.

  “I called it how I saw it. You act like a bitch. I’m going to call you out on it,” he said with a shrug.

  She huffed, the nostrils of her button nose flaring.

  Rocky ignored the urge to smirk.

  “It’s too much at once.” She closed her eyes and covered her face with a hand.

  “No one’s asking you to figure it all out right now, doll face. Breathe. Coast the crazy waves crashing around us and let us do what we do best.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Keep the people important to us safe. You’re family to the librarian and Joey. We ain’t about to let anything happen to you.”

  “Protected by association,” Evonne said.

  There was an odd quality to her tone he couldn’t place and he shook his head at her.

  “Rock, man, hurry the fuck on,” said t
he Prez. “Prospects are waiting and I want this shit taken care of. The longer we wait, the better chance there is of something popping off.”

  “Duty calls,” said Rocky.

  “Yeah.” She nodded, turning to walk in front of him.

  The meeting had stolen some of her newly gained fire. She’d been around long enough for him to gauge her. Quiet, polite and aloof, she even bordered on cold. But he’d seen the flame she was capable of wielding. “Come on, Firecracker, I’m sure the girls will be showing up here soon to keep you company.”

  “Wait. I don’t get to go pick out what you’re bringing back?” Evonne asked.

  “Nope. Best get to the bar and make me a list.” They left the room and the nervous energy filling the space damn near bowled Rocky over. “Fast.”

  “I can’t possibly,” she stuttered.

  “Firecracker,” he called to her.

  She paused to focus on him.

  “Do I look like I care?” Rocky asked.

  “God, you’re being an asshole.” She scowled.

  “No, baby, I’m a man with a mission… There’s a difference. Think essentials only. Not things we can get somewhere else or you won’t actually use. You feel me?”

  She nodded. “What about my clients? I’m their sole accountant.”

  “I think we both know you need to call them up and let them know there’s been a family emergency that’s leading to a sabbatical.”

  “Oh my God.” She covered her mouth. “My family.”

  “Not my area of expertise.” He shook his head.

  “Rocky,” a voice said.

  He turned to meet Shooter’s gaze.

  Shooter jerked his head toward the entrance.

  Juliette and Joey were walking in.

  Thank the fuck for that. “I think they can help you. Ten minutes, no more.” He turned to the bar. “Get me a shot of whiskey.”

  “Coming up.” The brunette slid a shot glass forward.

  He slammed the amber liquid down, cherishing the burn as it took off the edge. Shit had gotten real in the blink of an eye, the way it always did.

  Chapter Two

  Evonne felt as if she were encased in ice. The words coming out of Joey’s mouth went over her head. Right now, sounds seemed muddled, like the teacher on Charlie Brown. All mumbling and no words. Not only had Levi used her, he’d built up plans of something so sadistic it even scared hardcore bikers. How could I lie down beside him every night and not realize something was off? The reality shook her to her center. She prided herself on judgment of character, control of her life and good decision-making skills. This had been an epic fail on all levels. Did I really get so desperate, I ignored warning signs?

  “Evonne.” Fingers snapped in front of her face.

  She blinked and turned to gaze at Joey.

  “You didn’t hear a word we just said, did you?” Joey asked.

  “No.”

  Joey huffed.

  “Calm down, Hormone Hannah. We love you, girl, but your mood swings are like whoa right now. The poor girl is in shock,” Juliette chided.

  The assertion made Evonne smile. She’d come a long way over the past year. “I’m sorry. This just makes me question everything. You know the code I live by. Order, logic and caution. It was supposed to keep me safe and on track. Look at me. I’m surrounding by chaos and I’ve been in bed with the enemy. The whole time he plotted, I was at home, daydreaming about how great he was.”

  Suddenly, her everyday hairstyle felt constrictive and her rules felt confining. After the accident that had nearly ended her life just before college, she craved control. The wreck had turned her from the free-spirited artist to a number-crunching accountant with a bottom line. The coma had changed her. Made her see the things she took for granted could all come to an end at a moment’s glance. It wasn’t unusual for people with head trauma as severe as hers to undergo personality changes. She allowed her friends and family to think that was the case. In reality, she’d chosen to adopt a type-A personality because it made her feel safer.

  The actions made sense then, but now she felt like a coward. Pain pierced her chest. She placed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes. The truth hurt. She’d always heard life could be a bitch, but now she truly understood the meaning behind the phrase. A million unkind thoughts rose up like a herd of dark horses intent on trampling her into the ground, grinding her to dust. The safety net had been yanked. Her empty guise ruined. The only choice left was to move forward in a discovery of self. Terror slammed into her like a derailed train. Confusion dulled her once-sharp mind. Without clarity or a sense of who she was, she crumpled like a useless piece of paper—balled up and discarded. The glaring image of disarray ran roughshod in her mind.

  “Evonne.”

  She felt the pressure on her shoulder and knew it was probably Joey, but she was locked in a cage made of fear and she couldn’t seem to respond.

  “Firecracker?”

  His deep voice penetrated the shell built up around her.

  “You cracking up on us?” Rocky asked.

  She lifted her head and found Rocky leaning against the bar a few feet away. The smirk she loved to hate turned his full lips into a temptation. “No,” she snapped.

  Her two friends sat silent and watched Rocky and Evonne converse, if you could call it that.

  “Really? ‘Cause for a minute there…”

  “I’m fine,” she growled, refusing to be a burden to the man who never wanted to protect her in the first place. If she held on to anything, it would be her pride. “And the name is Evonne.”

  “Oh, I know what it is. But it doesn’t seem to suit you.” He narrowed his eyes.

  At his retort, she huffed.

  “See what I mean? Fiery, and liable to blow at any second.”

  She balled her hands into fists, digging her nails into the soft meat of her palms to keep herself steady. The asshole was right. She’d been about to take a swan dive straight into a pool of crazy with no water. “You don’t know me,” Evonne said.

  “Not yet.”

  “Rocky, man, we ready or what?” someone called.

  “Yeah, I’m coming. Give the girl some whiskey, for fuck’s sake. Don’t you know how to nurse a bad day?” Rocky said.

  “She’s not much of a drin—”

  “Jack. Someone get me a fucking bottle of Jack,” Evonne called out, waving her hand to catch the attention of the girl behind the bar.

  Rocky’s laughter rang out in the room and drifted away as he left.

  The bartender scurried over and set a shot glass in front of her. She turned to grab the bottle off the shelf and began to pour.

  “No,” Evonne said. The brunette paused and frowned at her. “Just leave the whole bottle. I’ll serve myself.”

  Her friends gasped.

  “E, I don’t think this is the best way to deal with things,” Joey said.

  “You’re eating for two now, right?” Evonne asked.

  “Yeah?” Joey crinkled her nose.

  “Well, I’m drinking for two. Who I was and who the fuck I’m going to be.” She tossed back her first shot.

  “E… Look, I know he broke you down and you’re in a bad spot. But you can’t let him steal it all away,” Juliette whispered.

  “I’ve been lying to you, me and everyone else for a long time. I think it’s time I stopped.” Evonne shook her head. “I was so scared of everything after the accident. I don’t talk about it, and you think it’s ‘cause I can’t remember.” Evonne shook her head. “Things like that have a way of coming back to you in bits and pieces ‘til it’s clear as a picture and embedded so deep in your brain it’ll never be erased. I coped by being careful, weighing every decision, going over pros and cons, letting logic rule, because at the end of the day, I’d know I did everything humanly possible to avoid catastrophe.” She stretched her arms out and snorted. “My thinking was obviously flawed, because here we sit.”

  “Hey, none of this is your fault,�
� Joey argued.

  “Always such a fierce lioness, you’ll make a good mother.” Evonne smiled. “I lost myself, checked out, drifted out of touch with who I am and who I want to be. I’m going to take this opportunity to figure that out. ‘Cause I’m going to have a lot of time on my hands, according to the fighter who just left.”

  “Wait, Rocky?” Juliette asked. “Why?” Her face clouded over.

  “Because they appointed him as my bodyguard,” Evonne said.

  “What!” Joey roared. “No no no, we need to change that. Moose!” Joey said, walking off to catch up with her husband.

  “Wait. What’s wrong with him? Is he nuts? Do I need to lock my door and sleep with a knife under my pillow?” Evonne asked. Her heart raced as she dreamt up all the deviant behavior people thought members of an M.C. were capable of.

  “No, nothing like that.” Juliette placed a hand on her shoulder. “He’s just—got a way with the ladies.”

  “You’re worried because he’s a man whore?” Evonne arched an eyebrow.

  “Well, yes mostly. He’s rough around the edges and tends to shy away from women unless he’s getting something out of it.” Juliette sighed.

  “Trust me, I’m sure I’m not his type.” Evonne waved her hand, dismissing her friend’s concern.

  “You don’t understand. Vagina is that man’s type,” Juliette retorted.

  Evonne laughed. “Maybe washing away the stench of Levi would be a good idea.”

  “No! See…this is the problem, you’re vulnerable and not thinking straight. He’s—a horny bastard.”

  The words sounded wrong coming out of her friend’s mouth and Evonne laughed. “He hasn’t even done anything.”

  “Yes, and the way I hear it, when he does? You’ll be out of your panties before you can even make heads or tails of what’s happening.” Juliette shook her head. “I’ve seen it happen. Straitlaced ladies, biker bunnies, they all fall victim and I can’t figure out why. He’s not charming.”

  Evonne laughed. “What?”

  “I mean…he doesn’t try. He’s not charming them. He has the ability to be charming, but he doesn’t need it. It’s like magnetism or hypnotic suggestion.” Juliette scowled.

  “I get the feeling this conversation has taken place before,” Evonne said, pouring herself another shot.