An Outlaw Valentine

by Kathryn Kelly

  “Mommie?” CJ called, uncertainty in his voice. The sound of the bikes had gotten his attention.

  “It’s okay, potato,” she promised, keeping her voice as level as possible.

  One of the bikers on her side pointed. She took that to mean follow the leader. As if they were giving her a choice. Jackets covered any cuts they wore, so she had no clue who they might be.

  She had her suspicions, though.

  “Who are them?” CJ asked.

  “Um, I think they’re Daddy’s friends.” She didn’t believe that, but her panic wouldn’t help her son. Keeping a smile plastered on her face, she grabbed her cell phone, taking care so it wouldn’t be seen, and pressed the number one, Christopher’s speed dial number.

  The lead bike turned off the main thoroughfare. The barricade of motorcycles forced Meggie to do the same.

  “MEGAN!” Christopher’s voice boomed through the earpiece.

  She hadn’t spoken yet. It was almost too dangerous to take her eyes off the road. She didn’t want to run into one of the motorcycles surrounding her. Placing the phone on the center armrest, she slid it back. “Talk to Daddy, CJ,” she said calmly. “Tell him some of his friends are guiding us somewhere.”

  “’Kay, MegAnn.” CJ leaned forward and grabbed her cell phone. “’Law,” he piped up. “MegAnn got bikes round her. They not letting her move.” He fell silent. “Uh huh,” he said, after a moment. “She turned like them. They all round the car.”

  Before she heard anything else, the bike in front of her stopped, so she shifted into park. They indicated she open the door. She didn’t move to comply.

  “Is Daddy still on the phone, CJ?” she asked, fear making her heart pound.

  The two bikers who’d been on the drivers side tried to open the door, but she kept it locked.

  “You want ‘Law, Mommie?” CJ said, uncertainty slipping into his voice at the knocking on the door.

  “You keep talking to him, while I see what they want.”

  “’Law, Mommie getting out cuz they punching the door.”

  A biker pulled out a gun and aimed it toward the window.

  Meggie decided to act. “No!” she yelled. “I’ll get out.”

  “Daddy said no, Mommie,” CJ cried. “Don’t get out.”

  “Unlock the fucking door,” the biker demanded, his features hidden by a full-face helmet, like the rest of them wore. “Or I shoot.”

  She couldn’t risk CJ’s life, so she complied. The moment the locks clicked, the biker pulled open the door, grabbed her arm, and yanked her out.

  “Mommie!” CJ cried.

  “Aww, fuck, man. She got a kid with her.”

  The biker who’d been in the front removed his jacket, revealing a denim cut, then strolled over to her and peeped inside the car.

  “Leave my mommie alone, mudna fucka,” CJ ordered, opening the door to face the man. “Or ‘Law get you.”

  The biker straightened and narrowed his eyes at the sight of the cell phone in CJ’s hand. He stalked to her son, snatched the phone away, then stomped it beneath his boot, until it shattered and cracked.

  “Fuckbag!” CJ yelled, barreling into the biker.

  He stumbled back but quickly regained his balance. “Take her.” He glared down at CJ. “Leave the kid to me.”

  “No!” Panic rose her hard. Not much scared CJ and that would be dangerous with these men. She had to get her son away. One of them lifted her into his arms and she screamed, banging her head against his chin, and nearly knocking herself out but earning her freedom.

  “MOMMIE!” CJ hollered around sobs.

  She hurried to her son and shoved him behind her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist, leaned against her, and cried.

  “Please, I’ll come with you without a problem, if you leave my son and let me call my husband.”

  “Not doing that,” the jacketless man said. He had President patch above the name, Mystic. “Don’t have use for brats.”

  “Leave the kid alone, Prez,” one of the bikers ordered. “We already decided we can’t take the Dwellers on, so we want cooperation, not war.”

  “Yeah,” another called. “We already pissed Outlaw off when we stole his drugs and killed two of his men.”

  This wasn’t good. Not at all. Drug thefts and murders? She and CJ were in deep trouble.

  She was sure Christopher had picked up her location by now. He had friends in the area, including two very good friends who were presidents of their own MCs. If she stalled and held these men up long enough, Derby, Boy, or someone would come to help she and CJ until Christopher arrived.

  They wrenched CJ away from her. She acted on instinct. Yanking herself away from her captor and launching herself at the man who held CJ, she wrenched her son away. She kicked, screamed, so wild with desperation that she lost her balance and fell on all fours. CJ fought and tearfully cursed alongside of her.

  A biker seized her immediately, while another one grabbed CJ.

  Through the chaos, the beautiful sound of Harleys, drawing closer and closer, reached her ears. It could be anybody, but, to hold onto hope, Meggie told herself the sound meant she and CJ would be saved.

  Mystic must’ve felt the same way. “Fuck!” he yelled. “Let’s ride!”

  “’LAW!” CJ screamed.

  Meggie knew it wasn’t Christopher, but one of the support clubs.

  “Get her out of here.”

  “Help us!” Meggie hollered, until the butt of a gun slammed against her head, catapulting her into blackness.

  Seeing Derby holding CJ and his boy resting his cheek on the biker’s shoulder, Christopher nearly forgot the kickstand when he jumped off his Harley. His heart in his throat, he ran to his son and grabbed him from Derby, holding him close and burying his nose against his small neck.

  “MegAnn gone, ‘Law,” CJ sobbed, wrapping his little arms around Christopher’s neck and squeezing. “Bad mudna fuckers took Mommie.”

  Christopher shut his eyes and tried to form words. “You safe, boy,” he managed, his mind a step or two behind processing everything. “I gotcha.”

  “Mommie gone,” he cried again.

  “We gonna get her back, CJ,” Christopher swore, his worst fears coming to life, but still thankful they’d left CJ unharmed. He didn’t want to think what his girl might be going through right now. He needed a moment. He needed to calm his son. Slow both their heartbeats.

  “Outlaw, by the time we arrived, Meggie was gone,” Derby started. “Little Man was screaming. The minute he saw me, he ran to me.”

  Christopher nodded. His boy knew Derby, which was a good thing.

  A line of bikes turned into the deserted parking lot, more of Derby’s brothers, some of the Night Fliers, and Johnnie, Val, and Mortician. Christopher hadn’t clued them in until he lost contact with CJ. When his boy had called, he’d just gotten home from his day with his other kids. He’d thought CJ was calling just to be calling, not because of a fucking nightmare in process.

  Some of the men swarmed around Meggie’s car, searching it. Boy, president of the Night Fliers, held up a dress bag, and Christopher realized she must’ve gone to get her evening gown.

  Not wanting to put his son down, he went to where Boy stood talking to Mortician.

  “Prez, everything here,” Mortician started. “Except Meggie girl.”

  “Outlaw,” one of the biker’s called, looking toward the ground.

  At the moment, Christopher couldn’t put names to voices. Fuck, it would be hard to recognize fucking faces right now, if he’d only met them a handful of times, so here merely said, “Yeah?”

  The Night Flier pointed. “There’s a cell phone here. It’s been smashed to pieces.”

  “I want MegAnn,” CJ sniffled hoarsely.

  “We gonna get your Ma back, boy,” he said gruffly. The question was in what condition? Dead or alive? “I’m gonna bring her home.” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat.

  “Christopher?” Johnnie
started, devastation in his eyes. He looked tired and haggard. “Do you know who did this?”

  The Imperials. Christopher felt that to his fucking bones. They’d caused all types of damage already, but motherfuckers in his club were getting lax, relaxed. Himself included.

  “It could be any mother who want something from Outlaw,” Derby speculated. “Anybody could’ve taken her.”

  “My stick,” CJ announced. “My stick took Mommie.”

  “My stick?” Johnnie echoed.

  My stick…MyStick…My…stic.

  Christopher’s blood chilled at having his fears confirmed. “Mystic,” he growled. “Motherfuckin’ Mystic.” CJ could read and spell some words, but he still relied heavily on phonetic pronunciation.

  Although his boy was still panicked and scared, the praises all the bikers threw his way seemed to appease him slightly. By now, Digger and Diesel had arrived. Diesel still couldn’t ride on his own, but Christopher knew the boy had probably insisted on coming, so he didn’t mind riding bitch.

  “Diesel, drive Megan car back home,” Christopher instructed, the brave face he was putting on harder than a motherfucker to accomplish. Inside, he was falling apart. If anything happened to Megan, his life was over.

  “I want Mommie, ‘Law,” CJ whispered, tears still in his voice. “Get MegAnn back.”

  Christopher hugged CJ tighter, turning his head away from all the other men, so they wouldn’t see his own tears. But he had to hold it together to find her and to keep CJ and his other children calm.

  “Son, Diesel gonna take you home,” Christopher started, once he felt as if his emotions were under control.

  “No!” CJ protested immediately. “I help find MegAnn.”

  “You ain’t able to help this time, boy,” Christopher said gruffly. “Go the fuck with Diesel and help his ass take care of your sister and brothers. Okay?”

  He nodded. “Okay, Daddy.”

  It was rare that CJ called him Dad or Daddy, but, whenever he did, Christopher’s heart melted.

  “You did good, boy,” he said quietly. “Me and your Ma so fuckin’ proud of you.”

  “Come on, CJ,” Diesel said, his eyes suspiciously moist.

  When he took CJ out of Christopher’s arms, Christopher hated to give him up. As long as he held CJ, he had a connection to Megan and he knew his boy was safe. Fuck!

  What the fuck was he doing?

  “Diesel,” he called when his adopted son would’ve turned away. He unholstered the gun strapped to his leg and held it out to Diesel. “Shoot fuckin’ first. Ask fuckin’ questions later.”

  Diesel stared at the gun.

  “Ain’t been givin’ you target practice for nothin’, boy,” he said with impatience.

  “Okay,” Diesel mumbled, grabbing the .22 from Christopher.

  Once Diesel, CJ, and Megan’s dress had left in her car, Christopher scrubbed a hand over his face. He’d been so fucking cocksure that he’d always know his girl’s location because of all the tracking devices he had monitoring her—one in her car, on her phone, in her purse. But what the fuck good had it done to him, when they’d fucking took her and left her things behind.

  Next fucking step was having something implanted underneath her skin. He winced. Megan wouldn’t go for that…

  Fuck! He had to get her back. She was his heart and soul. His everything. Without her, he was nothing. Life was nothing.

  “Prez, keep it together for Meggie girl,” Mortician said, perhaps seeing something in his face.

  Christopher drew in a deep breath.

  “Outlaw,” Boy started, placing a hand on his shoulder, the sun gleaming off his bald, brown head. “CJ said Mystic, right?”

  “If that’s so, the only Mystic we know who’d forfeit his fucking life like this is the president of the Imperials,” Derby added.

  “Tell us what you want, Outlaw,” Val called, looking as if he wanted to throw up. “How we getting Meggie back.”

  They all looked amongst each other, knowing what brutal motherfuckers the Imperials were. They fucked up women and children and…fuck!

  “We’re going to get her back, Outlaw,” Derby promised. “I’ll personally see to it. She’s Gypsy’s best friend.”

  “And Danicka really likes her,” Boy confirmed. “We’re going to tear this town apart until we find her.”

  “Suppose they rape her but let her live?” some stupid motherfucker asked.

  Christopher’s head pounded and his heart hurt. He couldn’t imagine his sweet Megan suffering through a motherfucker forcing their cock into her. “I don’t give a motherfuck how she come back to me, as long as she breathin’. Nothin’ will ever change my fuckin’ love for her.”

  “I’m going to make some calls,” Boy started, pulling out his cell phone. “See if there might be any Imperial hideouts we aren’t familiar with.”

  “Johnnie, me and you going to the Imperials’ headquarters,” Christopher instructed, Boy’s words reminding him he needed to get his ass into gear. “Mortician, get back to the club. We on lockdown. Digger, call Riley. Tell his ass to fuck his vacation. My woman missing and I need his fuckin’ help. Val, get Cash on the line. See if he have anything on hand—” to blow those motherfuckers the fuck up— “Then, get Stretch to try and pick up a bead on Mystic, using the phone number I got for the motherfucker.” He recited the numbers. It was probably a burner, but it was worth a shot. “Derby, Boy, you and your fuckin’ brothers spread the fuck out. Don’t leave a fuckin’ stone unturned.”

  “Mortician, wait until Kendall gets to the clubhouse to tell her about Megan’s kidnapping,” Johnnie said. “She’ll be too broken up to function.”

  Mortician nodded. “You got it, brother.”

  “I’ll call her as well and tell her to get to the clubhouse because we’re on lockdown.”

  “Okay,” Mortician responded.

  Christopher headed to his bike. “We meet at the fuckin’ club at midnight. Hopefully, by then, my woman’ll be found. If she ain’t, we go to plan fuckin’ B.” He wasn’t sure what plan B was, but nothing would be off-limits.

  The longer Megan was missing, the higher the risk to her. Christopher wouldn’t focus on that. He had eight hours before they all met at the club. Hopefully, by then, his girl would be back in his arms.

  Annoyed at having her nap interrupted by Digger with news of a lockdown, Kendall stomped to the clubhouse, behind her little parade. Rory held onto Matilda’s hand, while Ella carried JJ. While she really had been asleep, she’d led everyone to believe it was because of her new pregnancy. Something she wouldn’t accomplish any time soon, if Johnnie wouldn’t touch her.

  Opening the door, Kendall walked inside. The crowd made her tense.

  She didn’t like being around all the bikers and their old ladies. Furthermore, she knew of no reason for sequestering. She snickered. There’s a word she’d bet Christopher didn’t know.

  An air Kendall couldn’t recognize hung in the room. Fear? Disbelief? Everyone spoke in hushed voices and wore sad looks. Maybe, Christopher was dead, and Johnnie would finally be voted president. One could always hope.

  Smiling, Kendall started through the crowd, wiggling past her children and Ella.

  “Mom, wait!” Rory called.

  Kendall pretended she didn’t hear the panic in his voice as she breezed forward, tipping her head to the women she liked and ignoring the others as she weaved her way toward the officers’ table. She expected to find Johnnie, but Mortician stood behind the podium, his elbows leaning on it.

  CJ sat in Roxy’s lap, leaning against her. Tears streaked Diesel’s, Bailey’s, Zoann’s, Fee’s, and Bunny’s faces. Knox paced in the hallway, a cell phone stuck to his ear. The other kids were nowhere to be seen, which meant they were probably in the clubhouse playroom.

  An inkling of unease slid through her, but also annoyance that CJ was with the adults.

  “Mrs. Donovan, would you like me to take the children home?” Ella asked in a low tone.
“The poor little mites shouldn’t be around these people. You shouldn’t either with your condition.”

  Kendall patted Ella’s shoulder, then laid her hand against her flat belly. “Thank you. But, no. They wouldn’t let me leave, anyway. I’m fine. I will protect this new life inside of me. Mortician said we had to come here, then Johnnie called me and ordered me to the clubhouse, too. Neither one of them would tell me what’s going on. Just that we’re on lockdown. They both said they didn’t want to stress me out while I was home without Johnnie.” Because of her “pregnancy” more than likely. She sighed at the drama, doubting it was really serious.

  “Mom?” Rory called, tugging on her sleeve.

  Kendall ignored him. “Take my children to the playroom, Ella.”

  The nanny looked around, frowning at all the ruffians in their midst. “Where’s Mrs. Caldwell?”

  “In a corner sucking her husband’s cock, I’m sure.”

  Ella tittered, and Kendall winked at her.

  “Let me find out what’s going on,” she continued. “See where my husband is, and then I’ll fill you in.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Ella responded.

  “Can I stay with you, Mom?” Rory asked, his grave eyes sending guilt through her. But the more time he spent with CJ, the less Kendall liked him. “CJ is with Aunt Roxy.”

  Kendall narrowed her eyes, then smiled down at Rory. “Would you like him to come with you?”

  Rory nodded.

  “You don’t want Mom upset because your new little brother or sister is inside of her. Correct?” she asked.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “It isn’t fair that CJ gets to stay but you have to leave, right?” she prodded.

  “No, ma’am.”

  “Let Mom take care of this for you.”

  It wasn’t until she started forward that she realized everyone at Christopher’s table looked at her, as if they were waiting for her. Unlikely. No one would ever wait for her. Meggie was probably behind her, a fact she refused to confirm since that would give away her insecurities if she looked over her shoulder.