Nothing Lasts Forever (Battle Born MC Book 2)

by Scarlett Black

  Fuego has Johnny’s hands tied together above his head, suspending him from the ceiling with chains. His body sways back and forth with each blow of the fists delivered by Snake. One of his eyes has popped out from his shattered eye socket. The uncontained rage from Fuego and Snake, as they take turns hitting him, is breaking his bones one by one. The wood beams creak up above from Johnny’s limp body weight swaying back and forth.

  “Enough!” Fuego shouts. “This putta dies by fire. Load him up, he’s going out to the mine.”

  The men untie his body and it crashes into a heap of useless shit on the floor. They drag him by the arms to the rock crawler truck, his feet leaving a trail of blood and dirt behind. There is no doubt that Fuego and Snake will make a bon fire out of his remains up in the mountains. So far into the desert, not another soul could trace the stench or the flames lighting up the starry night sky.

  A woman’s scream erupts from the opposite side of the old garage. Tanya’s cry of agony has her head flying back from the punch that Ice administered to her nose. Her tears mix into the blood and dirt that’s matted on her pale skin. Blood is pouring from her shattered nose and uneven breaths are racking through her chest from the pain. Her terrorized, naked body shakes from the fear and the adrenaline, which is the only thing keeping her alive at this point. Her trembling hands are tied above her head and her body is lying on top of an old table.

  Ice, the Elko Prez, rips his teeth away from her large, fake tit. He spits out blood, and, fuck, was that a nipple? Getting into her face, he growls, “Tell me, bitch,” his hand wraps around and squeezes her slender neck with ease, “the story, and stop lying to me, or don’t. I can fuckin’ torture and rape you all night.” His soulless face leans in next to her ear, licking and biting her lobe.

  Sobbing, Tanya shakes her head back and forth. Her face turns into a deep shade of red. Ice continues, “You had someone working with you and Johnny, someone above him, and at least one more with you. How did you get so many kids?” Ice questions while wiping the blood from his face with his arm. Frustration paints his face along with a smear of bright red blood. Her pleas of surrender entice the devil within to come out stronger.

  Grabbing her ankles, he tosses her, forcefully twisting her body onto her stomach. Her knees make a cracking noise on the side of the table as her lower half gets thrown over. Her ass is in the air and bare feet hit the concrete. It’s so cold in here, and her body uncontrollably shivers. Except her arms can’t move with the weight of her body over table and the tension of the rope keeps her frail body in its grips.

  Ice moves behind her. “Remember those nights I fucked you in the ass?” He runs his fingers with a lover’s touch up the inside of her thigh, over the round curve of her ass. “I really loved sticking my dick in there.” Caressing her asshole with his thumb coated in her blood, he groans loud into the room. He’s entranced by her impending death, by her tortured, yet still breathing body, falling deeply in love with his creation. “How about one more time? Huh, baby? You wanna give Ice your ass?” He taunts her, pulling his stiff dick out and covering it with a condom.

  Tanya pleads on a tortured whisper, “Ice, I’m sorry, I didn’t have a choice!”

  “The fuck you didn’t, you stupid ass cunt.” Ice grips her hair at the back of her head, fisting a handful of it and smashing her once pretty face into the table. Blood spatters from her already shattered nose. Ice groans, grabs her hips and shoves his dick up her ass. He rapes her, unrelenting and uncaring to her pain and screams that are asking for his forgiveness.

  Blubbering through the pain, she resigns herself to her fate as Ice pounds into her. He’s like an animal, catching and devouring his pray. Thin lines of blood drip down the insides of her legs, exciting Ice until he roars behind her like the beast that he is.

  It all gets eerily quiet when she stutters, “Johnny sold the diamonds for ca-a-ash when the old Prez, Demon, and Bear died. I g-g-ot a cut for the kids. Johnny still needed transportation, that’s when Skid was brought in.” She sobs more, realizing that she’s at the end of her bad choices. She played with a bunch of animals and lost.

  Ice takes no mercy on her, allowing a line of men to take what they want from her. He has nothing left in his dead heart, nothing to lose. Never go against a man that has no fear of death or consequences, unless you can say the same.

  He moves to pull her head up to look into her eyes, shaking it till they open. The bruising and swelling have taken over, so there isn’t much that she can see. “Who was Johnny selling the diamonds to?” Ice seethes into her face.

  “I don’t know, j-j-just that he had a drop at the casino. I never met who he paid.” Tanya is so quiet now that her voice is barely a whisper of a wish for death to take her soon. Ice finally takes pity on her and pulls his knife from his waist band. In a practiced move, smoothly, with a deep pressing, slow motion, he cuts her throat. Tanya’s head hits the wooden table and dead cold eyes stare into mine.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Sitting here at the hospital, I watch as everyone talks with Vegas. My body grows tired from the day, from all the information I need to tell Blade and the brothers about. This fucked up mess is far from over.

  Blade finally steps back from the hospital bed, allowing Dana and the girls their time with Vegas. Nodding my head in the direction of the hallway, I push my body up from the chair, and he follows me out.

  Vegas catches the movement in the corner of her eye and turns her head our way to squint at us in suspicion. Bitch is always watching, even when she’s beat to shit. I flip her off on my way past the bed and out to the hallway. Blade sees me giving her the finger and slaps me in the back of the head. “Better not be flipping off the Prez’s woman, dipshit.”

  Rubbing at my head where he hit me, I grin at him. “She doesn’t want me to treat her like she’s hurt, and that was courteous as fuck of me.” I smile more at Blade’s irritability.

  Locating a closed off corner down the hallway, Blade and I face each other. Both of us are looking haggard from the long day. Reluctantly, I catch Blade up on what Tanya confessed. “Johnny didn’t said much. He was in over his head in a game he didn’t know how to control. He couldn’t stand on his own feet by the end of his beating. Even though you have every right to kill him, I don’t think any of us could have stopped Fuego and Snake from doing it. Those fuckers beat him with a rage none of us had ever seen. Even Cuervo, man, went at him with metal rods, busting and crunching bones. By the time they dragged his useless body out of there, he was a pile of shit. Nothing left to him, he was praying for death.”

  Hearing footsteps from down the hall, I stop talking, looking and waiting to see who it is. Tank rounds the corner. He spots us right away and stops in his tracks to come over to us.

  “Snake just called and said Johnny confessed before they lit him up. He has a large gambling debt at the Nugget Casino. Apparently, the dead asshole owes a couple million to the boss. Must be tied to this whole fuckin mess with the kids and the diamonds.”

  Whistling long and low at that number, both Tank and I turn to our President for some direction.

  Blade rubs his hand across the two-day old stubble on his chin, all deep in thought. “Put out a text for Church late tomorrow, but, before that, get in touch with Spider. Find out if he’s got any new information before then. Axl, are you taking Dana back to stay at the club?”

  “Fuck no! First off, I don’t trust those chicks or dicks around her. I’m going to be staying with her at her house. All this moving of shit around is high maintenance though, man. I moved her shit yesterday, now I’ve got to move it all back again.” I huff out that last part.

  “Jesus, Axl, just buy more shit tomorrow and leave her old shit at the clubhouse for later. Chicks hoard enough for a morning or a day to get by. I had Solo buy Vegas all new shit and to keep it in stock for her too.” All of a sudden, he pauses and looks at me. “Why am I telling you this for? Fucking pussy ass shit, and you’re a dumb fuck if you can’t figure t
his out on your own.” He grumbles to himself as he walks away from me and Tank.

  “Fuck me, Blade, I don’t know if you’re smart or just a romantic motherfucker?” I laugh at my brother.

  Blade eyes me over his shoulder. “Smart, you dick, I have my woman where I want her 24-7. Fucking smart.” He turns back around, making it his mission to get back to Vegas.

  Following him back into the room, I hear Jenn promising Vegas a night out when she’s feeling better. That only causes Blade and I to cringe at the thought of following this crazy ass crew around when they’re drunk.

  Stepping up close to Dana, I tug her by her waist and into my side. “Blade’s tired, babe, we need to head out.” I kiss her temple and let her go.

  She nods, “Vegas, I’ll bring you some food tomorrow after I check in on our Tugg.” She says it sounding so hopeful. “Text me later what you want to eat.”

  “I want tacos. Definitely a big plate of tacos!” Vegas shouts out at the thought of food.

  “Alrighty then, I see your appetite is okay, tacos it is. See you girls tomorrow.” Dana waves while talking and backing out of the room. Me? I hurry to catch up with her and grab her hand in mine. Then, I take us home.

  ∞ ∞ ∞

  Dana pulls the comforter back on her bed, snuggling herself in. I take in the clean smell of her room that’s wafting up to me from the movement of the blanket. I love her fresh, clean smell. All natural. Most chicks like to wear perfume, but Dana just loves to be natural, more herself. I love it and find it sexy and comforting. She holds the blanket up for me, so I slide in next to her with my boxer briefs on. She rolls to her right, giving me her back, and I look down at her ass that’s clad in a black lace G-string. She’s killing me!

  Not wanting to be a horny dick, I decide to move in behind her to hold her back to my chest. I kiss her shoulder and she exhales the breath she was holding in.

  “Axl, what happened tonight?” She tenses just a little in my arms.

  “I won’t be pissed that you asked, princess, but I can’t tell you everything. I can tell you just that Johnny and Tanya won’t be around to be a threat to anyone anymore. There’s still some cleanup to do from the shit they brought to the club. We’ll get it all handled though.”

  “What about the kids you found, where are they now?”

  “The really young ones went into a group housing they have in California for foster kids. Tami, the oldest of the kids, she is staying with Kat. Kat’s helping her get back on her feet since she’s seventeen, about to be eighteen.” I yawn my way through the words.

  “I’m feeling so tired.” Her yawn is following mine. “Thanks for staying with me tonight.”

  “I’m not leaving.” She tenses a little again at my declaration. Hand to God, this woman couldn’t get rid of me if she tried. “I’m here every night, Dana, take that shit in.”

  Taking my hand in hers, she places our joined hands together above her heart, scooting her body as close to mine as she can get it. She kisses my hand and snuggles in to sleep.

  Chapter 3

  Dana

  I’m holding Tugger in my lap, and it’s giving me a deep sense of happiness inside of me. Today, I am taking him home. The vet called right after Blade did this morning, stating that we could pick him up. The swelling on his head is down, and he only has a few stitches. I rub around little Tugg’s c-collar, while he barks at it, trying to get it with his teeth. James, Jenn and I laugh at his frustration.

  “Take that collar off him. He won’t touch it if Blade is around. That dog loves him as much as he does Vegas,” James says as he pulls into Blade and Vegas’ small, gray with black trim house. He parks and walks around to take Tugg from my lap, so that I can jump down from his jacked up, lifted, blue truck. I grab the bags of Mexican takeout for Blade and Vegas before I shut my door.

  The three of us walk up to the door, and I lightly knock, then wait. Blade’s tired face answers the door. He opens it wider for the three of us to walk inside. As soon as he closes it after us, he takes Tugger from James and gives him a big hug. He then walks him down the hallway, back to their room, and we all follow. He sets him on the bed next to Vegas and she starts groaning in her sleep from Tugg licking at her face. Then again, until she rolls onto her back.

  She jumps awake, startling Tugg with her scream, “Tugg!” He happily barks back at her, thinking that it’s play time. She pulls him to her and starts peppering his face with kisses and tears. He keeps barking and licking on her face. Vegas calms him down by petting him and he settles in by lying across her lap. She chuckles, “My little man missed me too, huh, Tugg?”

  Vegas is finally realizing that the rest of us are also here watching and says, “Hey, you guys staying to eat? I’m starving, hand me the food, woman!”

  “You know it,” Jen says, grabbing a bag from me and handing it to James and Blade. Her and I settle in on each side of Vegas, with our backs to the headboard and the takeout tacos on our laps. Blade gives us a dissatisfied look, raising a brow at us. I raise both of mine back in return. Dude has control issues. He narrows his eyes at me, then decides to leave and nods at James to follow. “Beer?” Is all he says as they both leave to the front of the house.

  “What’s his deal anyway?” I look at Vegas for answers. I notice the bruising from yesterday is more purple and bluer today, especially around her eyes and neck.

  “Blade is still shaken up over the whole thing from yesterday. He just needs some time to adjust and gather his thoughts. He’s not ready to share me yet. Be a little patient, the man isn’t going to tell you that.”

  Jenn looks sad. “How are you doing today though, babe?” She asks while taking a few bites from her carne asada tacos.

  Vegas sighs, “Not too good right now. I didn’t, or rather couldn’t tell you guys until I talked to Blade first. But I lost a baby we had, I was pregnant.” She stops to take a shuddering breath. “Makes me feel so broken to think about it, and that I didn’t know what I had. Had I known, I would’ve never gone out there by myself. I didn’t think being pregnant was even possible to happen right now.” A few small tears drip from her eyes. Her head falls back against the headboard and she closes her eyes.

  My voice and heart lodge in my throat to find out she was pregnant and lost her baby over what happened last night. Over being beaten by that asshole and that bitch.

  Exhaling loudly, she wipes her tears away with her shaking hands. Quietly, she starts talking, giving us more of her thoughts than ever before. “I knew I always wanted babies. I just didn’t realize how ready I was until last night.” She tilts her head back down to face us again, allowing one lone tear to fall, hitting her shoulder.

  Lending her a piece of me to hold her together, I say, “I’m not going to tell you it’s not your fault, even though we all know it’s not. You need to come to that conclusion on your own. You lost a baby, Vegas, you didn’t know you had. Yes, you would have done it all differently. But you can’t, so let’s not entertain those thoughts. Let go of what could have been and start living on what can still be. You still have time, Vegas. Embrace what you’re feeling and let it go. You have all your dreams still waiting for you. When you’re ready, go for it, okay? Bring Vegas back, stronger, and take it on, make me some beautiful babies.”

  Vegas smiles at me. “You sure do love happy stories with cute babies in the end,” she finishes, laughing at me.

  “Babies are the bomb dot com, they are so cute. I just read this baby daddy book. He had a cute little baby and the mom died, that was sad. Then he meets the hot nanny, and, hello, baby number two by the end of the book.”

  I am a little obsessed with baby daddy books, it’s obviously true. “We are going to wait, and one day you are going to have the cutest damn babies.”

  Jenn shakes her head at me, “I can’t wait for little Axl and Dana babies. It’s going to be so cute too.” She holds her hands up under her chin, mocking me.

  “Bitch,” I scold her. “In the meantime, we’ll
have fun like we always do until shit gets better.”

  Vegas nods along, “Yeah, when I’m ready… I had a dream of the cutest little boy last night and he was rocking a tiny little hawk like his dad’s.” She heaves in a strengthening breath. “Fiery too, like Fuego. I was chasing after him.” She silently cries a little more. “I could feel him, I can feel him still.” The tears are pouring out along with her pain.

  Jenn grabs Vegas’ hand. “He’s not gone forever, Vegas. You ever think maybe it just wasn’t his time yet? Who says he’s gone forever? That little guy is waiting for the right time, just like his momma, and telling her to get her shit together. I like this kid that rocks the hawk. I’m with Dana now, we need a fucking little punk in Cortez shoes running around here soon”

  “Fuck, Jenn,” Vegas laughs and shakes her head as she smiles through the tears. “I was so busy stressing over it all to think of it that way.”

  Jenn smiles back, “Life isn’t simple or black and white, you know that. It’s why we all got each other. Help each other through this crazy shit, you know?”

  “I hear you, girl, I hear you,” Vegas agrees.

  I bump Vegas’ shoulder with my mine, and she, in turn, bumps hers with Jenn’s.

  I gently say, “Vegas, you’ll get back what you lost temporarily. In the meantime, we can have fun and cheer you up.”

  Jenn says with an evil gleam in her eyes, “Tank is our perfect target.” She starts rubbing her hands together. “I’m going to think of some pranks to tie us over. You’ll be laughing too hard to be sad.” Jenn pops up from her seat on the bed and walks into the bathroom. “You got a whole lot of family, and a whole lot more on the way,” she states while shutting the bathroom door.

  Vegas finally opens her takeout box and takes a bite, then another, moaning with each one. “I haven’t eaten in hours. That’s just not normal or right,” she states, shoving more food into her face.