“We do, but things happen, so don’t let it get to you.” I patted his shoulder and moved around him to the door. He held it while I got in, and then shut it behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to the two morons in the back.
“Was she worth it?” I asked, but neither one answered me. Not like I expected them to. I just wanted them to have something to think about while they spent the night behind bars over a girl.
Was anybody really worth it?
7
Beast
Every member of the club took their seat around the large oak table, carved with the Righteous Outlaws symbol in the middle, a shield representing the original four Horsemen of the club: righteousness, brotherhood, respect, and loyalty.
Cash sat at the head of the table to our right, leaving the other head empty. After Nick died, Cash took the presidency, but he refused to sit in Nick’s chair, and I respected that. Nobody could replace Nick, and Cash didn’t want to. He wanted to preserve what Nick, Phil, and the other original members created. To carry their legacy into the future of the club. From the moment Cash was nominated to take the spot, I didn’t even hesitate with my vote. He was born for that role, even if I didn’t always agree with his approach.
“Beast, fill us in on what you found out the other day,” Cash said, nodding his head in my direction.
All eyes turned to me, and I rested back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. “Stanson’s kid, Ryan, isn’t a he.”
“The cop is a chick?” Stumpy asked, and I nodded. He was a newly patched in member after putting his time in as a prospect. After Miles died and Dice split, we were short on members and lucky enough to have two prospects that had already proved their loyalty to the club. Stumpy had the mark of a bullet in his abdomen to show for it, even if it was only a flesh wound.
“I went with her down to the docks. Saw Matias and Pedro along with their whole Army unloading illegals from a cargo ship.”
“So they are importing illegals,” Phil, the last of the original members, said as he leaned closer to the table. “Son of a bitch.”
“They’re following the footsteps of Gordita and growing her army,” Cash said.
“Fuck,” Kade mumbled, pushing away from the table and running his hands through his hair. Things like this never really bothered him, but, ever since DC was born, Kade always seemed to be on edge. That kid was his life, and he would do everything in his power to protect him. “What are we going to do? What did the cop say?”
“Didn’t have much time to discuss.”
Kade’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why not?”
“Killed someone. Had to run. You know how it goes.”
Cash pushed his fingers into the bridge of his nose. “You didn’t tell me that part.” I could see the vein in his throat beneath the massive bird tattoo, pulsing.
I shrugged my response.
“Did the chick see you do it?”
I nodded, and couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. But before Cash flipped his shit, I held up my hand and explained. “The guy came on us from behind, gun pointed right at us. It was either him or us. I made a choice.”
“Considering she didn’t cuff your ass right then and there, I’m assuming she agreed to forget it happened.”
“We have an understanding.”
“Good. What about Matias and Pedro? Or any of the Army? Did they see you?”
“Maybe.”
“What do you mean maybe? Can it be pinned on you or not?”
“I was kind of busy getting the fuck out of there to notice.”
“Do me a favor. Go down to the station talk to Ryan. See if there are any updates on the Army. And if they filled the Feds in on what’s going on.”
I gave a tilt of my head, and then Cash looked around the table. “Anything else?” Everyone remained quiet, and Cash hit the gavel against the oak. “I’ll see everyone at Friday night dinner.”
“Fuck yeah!” Braxton said. “I haven’t had a home cooked meal since last Friday.”
It was a surprise to me that Braxton didn’t weigh five-hundred pounds with all the shit he ate on a daily basis. I imagined if he had a car, instead of a bike, the back seat would be filled with greasy fast food bags and empty cans of soda.
“You have a stove at your place,” Hudson said.
“Doesn’t mean I know how to use it.”
Kade laughed. “You’re fucking hopeless.”
Phil came up behind him and patted his back. “That’s why you need to find yourself an old lady to take care of you.”
Cash choked on the smoke from his cigarette. “My old lady is a lot of things, but she is no cook. The girl could burn water.”
“But she came with a cook,” Kade added.
Stumpy nodded with a smile. “My aunt is the best cook there is.” After Aubree’s old man was thrown in the slammer, she left her life of privilege to be with Cash, but there were some things she couldn’t leave behind. One of which was the cook who had worked for her family since she was a child. Martha might not have been a blood relative to Aubree, but she was as much family to her as Stumpy was to Martha.
“Maybe I’ll marry your aunt then,” Braxton said, and Stumpy ran at him. The two took off through the wood doors and out into the clubhouse. The rest of us followed to watch. After a few pussy smacks were thrown, they each stopped and grabbed a beer.
One of the club whores came up to me, running her finger down my cheek. “Good to see you, Beast,” she purred and, while any of the other single guys would be all over the blonde with big tits, I couldn’t be bothered.
I grabbed her wrist, and she squealed in surprise as I removed her hand from my face. “Don’t touch me.”
A mischievous smile spread across her face like I just issued a dare instead of a warning. Her blue eyes, surrounded by too much black shit, narrowed. “You usually just growl at me. I’m thinking I’m making progress.”
I shoved her hand back at her, ignoring the way she bit her lip, and walked away on a growl. I didn’t care if my brothers wanted to stick their dicks into anything that moved. They were more than welcome to it, but that wasn’t me. Maybe, years ago, it was something I indulged in, but things changed and then they changed again. There was no point in sticking my cock in some random slut. It didn’t satisfy me, and it certainly wouldn’t fix me.
“Heading out?” Cash asked, a cigarette dangling from his lips.
I nodded.
“Call me if you find out anything.”
“Will do.”
I headed across the parking lot, and watched as Kade went into Sienna’s office. Those two were like fucking rabbits. I was just waiting for her to get knocked up again. It seemed it was only a matter of time.
The days were starting to get colder, and I welcomed it. Being shipped to a sandbox in the dead of summer, sweating my ass off in fatigues and gear, made me appreciate the change in weather. It might have been over a decade ago, but that shit stuck with me. I hopped on my bike, and gave the engine a good rev, before pulling out of the space and into the street.
It was a quick ride across town that put me right through Main Street. I scanned the area as I went, making sure to give Aubree’s store a good once over. We could never be too careful, and she was family now. I would look out for her like I did all my brothers.
A few young girls walked out with bags while a mother and child walked in. Her store was doing well and, after everything that girl went through, she sure as hell deserved it.
Willie stood outside his pharmacy and, when I cruised by at well below the speed limit, he looked at me with disgust. I was tempted to pull over and make that look permanent on his face, but I ignored the rage burning inside me. It wasn’t easy. The desire to lash out, hurt someone, kill even, was always just beneath the surface, ready to breakthrough and control me. It was a battle every goddamned day of my life to control it, but I made a promise to Nick, and I wouldn’t let that promise die with him. He saved my life. I owed him that m
uch.
Still that fucking prick, Willie, always pissed me off. Such a pretentious asshole that thought he was better than us just because he wore khakis and button downs. Anybody could dress the part. Fuck, you could put a suit on a pig, but that didn’t change what was beneath the clothes. You could have yourself a good old American hero dressed like me, but Ol’ Willie over there would never know because he couldn’t see past the leather cut. He judged by what he saw and what he assumed. Damn shame, if you asked me. Black Hills was the Outlaws’ home, and all we cared about was protecting it. If Willie understood that, we could’ve worked together instead of against each other.
He faded into the distance, where he belonged, as I got closer to the station. I pulled into the parking lot just as Ryan walked out the door. Her hair was pulled back tight into one of those complicated buns, and her body was lost beneath the tan uniform.
I eased my bike into a spot, and killed the engine, throwing my leg over and placing my helmet on the seat.
“What do I owe the pleasure?” Ryan’s voice came up behind me.
“What makes you think I’m here to see…” My words cut off when I saw the angry swirl of black and blue around her eye. “What the fuck happened to you?”
“It’s nothing.”
I grabbed her chin, and angled her face to get a better look, having no idea why I felt the need to look at it myself and form my own opinion. The desire was too strong to push down though.
Her dark eyes met mine as I stared at the swollen flesh, the yellow tinge beneath the black and blue, the purple shading that extended to the straight edge of her nose.
“Who the fuck did this?” The muscle in my jaw ticked, hot furious blood pumped through my veins. Her warm, delicate face should never had known what it felt like to bare such an ugly mark of abuse.
Ryan ripped her chin from my grip and stepped back. “I said it was nothing. Just some drunken idiot fighting over a girl, and I got in the way.”
“Where the fuck was your partner?” There was a reason to have a partner. They served a goddamned purpose, and were supposed to be there to help protect you. To keep you from getting punched in the face by some drunken asshole.
“The guy got away from him.”
How the fuck did he let a drunk guy get away from him? Wasn’t he trained? Did he have any goddamned strength at all? “Fucking pussy.”
“It happens,” Ryan said, and it pissed me off that she was blowing it off so easily. Shit like that wouldn’t have happened if I were there. If a real man were her partner, instead of some fucking weakling who probably couldn’t even bench his own body weight, her pretty face would not be marked in black and blue. I would have had that son of a bitch in a choke hold before he even knew what was happening. And he’d be knocked out cold by time he realized.
“It shouldn’t,” I mumbled, the anger brewing just beneath the surface.
“Well, it did.” Ryan rolled her eyes, not saying another word and went to her cruiser.
I tried to force the rage down. I shouldn’t even give two shits about some cop, but there was something about her that made me want to protect her. Make sure she was safe and to prevent the same fate that…
The door to the station opened and Reed stepped out. The anger that I had been just barely controlling exploded. My vision blurred and everything around me vanished. Every logical thought fled, and all I could focus on was Reed’s pasty ass neck. I stormed toward him. “What the fuck kind of man are you?” I demanded, scaring the shit out of the asshole, and making him stumble back with his hands up.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about that!” I swung my hand wide to point toward Ryan. “It’s your job to protect her.”
“I tried,” he growled, but it was as intimidating as Beauty’s.
“Well, try fucking harder or, next time, you’ll be the one hurt.”
“Is that a threat?” Reed stepped toward me, finally finding courage that I didn’t think he had in him. He patted his chest. “Do you not see this badge? Threaten me again, and I will have your ass thrown in jail.”
I moved toward him, closing the gap even more, and refusing to let him think he intimidated me. Jail didn’t scare me, not after everything I’ve been through. Hell, jail was like a walk in the fucking park in comparison.
I met his eyes with the same intensity, letting him see his badge meant shit to me. I didn’t care who the fuck he was.
“What the hell is going on here?!” Ryan yelled, slamming the cruiser door and pushing Reed and me apart. I didn’t take my eyes off of his. I wouldn’t be the first one to break. The bastard was just as stubborn. No matter how many times Ryan shoved at our chests and tried to get our attention, neither one of us broke.
“Goddamn it, Beast! Knock the shit off!”
My lip curled in disgust at Reed before I finally looked away from him and at Ryan. She quickly spun to Reed. “Go to the car. I’ll be there in a second.”
“You want me to leave you alone with this monster?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Remember what I said, Ryan. People talk. You need to be careful.”
I didn’t like his tone, or his words, and the little bit of control I had left snapped. “Are you threatening her?”
Red-hot anger spread across Reed’s face. “It’s none of your fucking business.”
“Hey!” Stanson yelled from the doorway. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on out here, but it ends now.”
Reed and I stood off again, neither one of us willing to be the first to back down. “I swear to god, if I have to come off this step, I’ll throw both of your asses in jail for public disturbance.”
Reed clutched his fists at his side before taking a step back. “Do yourself a favor and stay the fuck away from me.”
“Oh, I’m so scared.”
“Enough!” Ryan yelled, and Reed finally went to go sit in the car.
“You got this?” Stanson said to Ryan.
“Yeah, I got this.”
Stanson turned around and headed inside. As soon as the door shut, Ryan spun toward me. “I don’t need you to fight my battles, especially ones that don’t need to be fought.”
“Maybe if you knew how to fight, this never would have happened.”
She gritted her teeth and pointed her finger in my face. “Don’t you ever assume you know what I’m capable of because you have no idea. Shit happens. Mistakes are made. People sometimes get hurt. It’s part of the job, and I accept that. I don’t need you acting like some knight in shiny leather.”
“Kinky.”
She gave me her infamous eye roll. “Why are you even here?”
“Came to see your old man. See if there are any new developments on Gordita’s Army.”
“Not that I’m aware of.”
“I’ll check with him anyway.” Besides, I had other things I wanted to discuss with him. Like sending his daughter out with an inexperienced bonehead.
“Is that it, then?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Good.”
“Good.”
She walked away, and I should have just let her go. Should have just ignored the tiny sliver inside of me that cared. “Ryan,” I called after her.
She glanced over her shoulder. “What?”
“Be careful.”
She nodded, and got in the cruiser with Reed. I watched as they pulled away, keeping my eye on Reed the entire time. There was something about him that I didn’t like, and it had nothing to do with his badge. He acted like an entitled douchebag, but it was more than that. I had a really bad feeling about this rookie and something told me that, if he could take down the Outlaws, he would do it in a heartbeat.
I needed to keep my eye on him. The last thing the Outlaws needed was some newbie cop looking to become the small town hero. Because what he didn’t realize was that, if the Outlaws got taken down, the entire town would go with them.
8
Ryan<
br />
I spent a good hour trying to cover the black and blue around my eye with makeup, so Mom wouldn’t have a coronary when she saw me. I was beginning to realize that Sunday night dinners were going to be more of a hassle than anything else. I just wanted to get there, eat, and come home with no surprise set-ups or lectures.
I got to my parent’s door, and took a deep breath before knocking. Relief washed over me as I stepped inside, and the first person I saw was Dad.
“Hey, Munchkin,” he said, as I eased the door closed behind me. “How’s the eye doing?”
“Shh!” I held my finger to my lip, and rolled my eyes in the direction of the kitchen.
He put a hand over his mouth, and then whispered a sorry, before taking my chin in his hand. He tilted my head back and examined my eye. “It looks better,” he said, and I didn’t bother telling him that it was most likely the makeup.
“What looks better?” Mom asked, coming from the kitchen and wiping her hands on her apron.
She looked up and caught my eyes. A loud gasp flew from her mouth and, with the speed of a gazelle, she pushed Dad out of the way and grabbed my chin. “What is this? What happened?”
“She got her first badge of honor,” Dad said, and by the scowl on Mom’s face it was clearly the wrong answer.
“You got hit?”
“It was an accident,” I said.
“Who hit you? Who would hit my Ryan?”
“Some drunk guy down at Mikey’s.”
“I told you this job is too dangerous for you. Why can’t you get a nice office job like Malaya? Meet a nice boy who can give me more grandbabies.”
I bit my tongue to keep from rolling my eyes. She honestly would be happy if I quit my job and became a baby-making machine. “I like being a cop, Ma. And sometimes that means I’m going to get hurt. And sometimes that means sacrificing my personal life, but if I’m okay with that, I don’t understand why you can’t be.”
“I thought when you lost Chris, it would open your eyes.” Her words were like a swift uppercut to the gut. Anytime anyone mentioned Chris, it was like pouring salt on a wound that never healed.
Beast (A Righteous Outlaws Novel #4) (The Righteous Outlaws) Page 6