Maniac: A Bad Boy Biker Romance (Winter Cobras Book 1)

by Jade Kuzma

  “Shut the fuck up, Mikey.”

  His blunt response got a chuckle out of me. It even made Audrey smile just a little bit.

  “I had enough to drink last night,” I said.

  “And you’re having even more to drink tonight. Stop being a bitch. Go on now.”

  He grabbed my bottle and forced up to near my mouth.

  “All right, all right. Calm down. I’m drinking.”

  I took another big gulp to Ashton’s delight. He was all smiles with the rest of the bar. If tonight was gonna be a celebration, it seemed appropriate enough for it.

  “So…” Ashton said, turning his attention to Audrey. “I haven’t seen you around here before. You must be new in town.”

  “It’s that obvious, huh?” she replied.

  “We get a pretty girl in the clubhouse now and then but they never stick around for very long. When Rex and Teddy told me Mikey was hooking up with some dame at Finn’s, I was expecting some broad with icing on her face, bad tattoos and fake tits. Yeah, Audrey, it’s that obvious.”

  “I told her,” I said.

  “If you say so,” she said with a shrug. “I’m not trying to stick out or blend in. I’m just… I’m just trying to be me.”

  “That’s a good way to go about things,” Ashton said. “Too many women in this town do shit for someone else. They see some punk in a kutte and on a hog and all of a sudden they think he’s marriage material. That’s the problem with finding an old lady. You’ve gotta find a woman willing to be one but those are willing never aim much higher than that.”

  “I’m sure Audrey’s setting her sights a little higher than that,” I said.

  I took another sip of beer. Audrey just kept looking around the bar. Suddenly, she reached into her pocket.

  “Shit,” she said as she looked at her phone. “I’ve gotta take this.”

  She didn’t hesitate to get up from her seat and head outside of the club. Something about how fast she walked told me something was up.

  What’s wrong?

  “Never figured she’d be your type,” Ashton interrupted my thoughts.

  “What the fuck does that mean?”

  “It means I never thought you were into the cute schoolgirl types. The chick looks like she should be studying for an exam or finishing a research paper.”

  “Audrey’s smart. But I don’t know shit about her. She’s keeping her shit to herself.”

  “Nothing wrong with that. You barely met the girl last night. It’s not like you’re trying to marry her, are you?”

  “I don’t fucking know her, Ash.”

  “Good. But you did fuck her, didn’t you?”

  When I hesitated to respond, he rocked his head back and cackled with laughter. I rolled my eyes and took another sip of beer while I waited for him to stop. It took longer than I expected but he finally stopped.

  “You got laid,” he said with a shrug. “Nobody gives a shit where you’re sticking your dick.”

  “I don’t give a shit either. You and everybody else seem to care though. Never figured the club cared so much about my dick.”

  “We don’t care about your dick. We just care about you, Mikey. Whatever you do, you be careful. This Audrey chick though…”

  “What? What’s wrong with her?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t get a read on her. Doc tell you anything? The guy can read broads better than anybody.”

  “She hasn’t met him yet…”

  I looked at the entrance to the bar, waiting for Audrey to walk back in.

  “Whatever you do, don’t get hung up on this girl. She might seem all sweet and innocent but she could be hiding something.”

  “I think I know that, Ash…”

  Where the fuck is she?

  I couldn’t shake the feeling I had.

  “Hey! Mikey!”

  I jerked my head back to Ashton.

  “What?”

  “What’s going on with you?”

  “Where is she?”

  “She stepped outside to take a phone call. Can’t be that big of a deal.”

  “Nah, man… Something’s wrong…”

  I got up from my seat and walked out as fast as I could. When I stepped outside, I searched the parking lot. A girl like Audrey would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb. But there was no sign of her. I knew it was a waste of time to check the alleys to see if she was there.

  She was gone.

  “Shit…”

  Chapter 11

  AUDREY

  I ignored the noise of the bar all around me and focused on the man sitting in front of me. Sebastian Cain looked the same as he always did. A sort of smug confidence like he knew he was in charge. The man sitting next to him had a quiet intensity. I would’ve felt nervous surrounded by so much of the rowdiness inside of Hades if I wasn’t so focused.

  “I need to make one thing clear to you,” Cain said. “The information I give you… You didn’t get it from me or anybody inside of Hades. When someone asks you, you tell them you don’t know.”

  “I understand—”

  “Someone puts a gun to your head. Cops shine a flashlight in your face and starve you for a few days. You’re dangling from a rope and the only way to save yourself is by saying where you got this information from, you just go ahead and die. Because if word gets out, I can promise you I won’t have anything to do with you.”

  “Do you have the information or not?”

  He bit his tongue, doing his best not to smile.

  “What are you doing with this information?” he asked. “Why are you looking for Pearson?”

  “That’s none of your business.”

  “It is now. If I find out you’re using me to set up some sting operation for the cops—”

  “I’m not working for the cops. I’m not with the mob or any the triads or any gangs or any MC. This is personal.”

  “Right…” He looked me up and down and shrugged. “…A girl like you, of course it has to be personal…”

  I sighed a deep breath of frustration and shook my head.

  “Just a couple more things,” he said.

  “Now what is it?” I said, doing my best to maintain my composure.

  Stay calm. You’re close. Don’t lose focus.

  “I said I wouldn’t give you a price until I got the information. I know enough about Pearson to know this information is valuable.”

  “Name your price.”

  “Ten-thousand.”

  I reached into my pocket and tossed the stack of money on the table in front of him. The two men raised an eyebrow at one another then turned back to me.

  “You usually carry that kind of money in your pocket?” Cain said.

  “I knew it’d be expensive. The money’s legit.”

  “I can see that. Now I know it’s personal.”

  “If you know it’s personal, then you’d be wise to stop wasting my time now, wouldn’t you?”

  Cain chuckled to himself. It was enough to make the man sitting next to him crack a smile.

  “Okay,” Cain said with a nod. “Are you sure you wanna know?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. How many times do I have to make it clear to you that this is personal business I have to take care of?”

  “I’m well aware of that. That’s why I’m concerned.”

  “You don’t have anything to be concerned about—”

  “Oliver Pearson isn’t just some schmuck in Ivory you’re looking for. He’s dangerous. And if you’re looking for him, that means you’re in danger.”

  “I appreciate the sentiment, but if I needed a bodyguard, I would’ve asked for one.”

  “You don’t understand. The Devils run Old Town but we watch over all of Ivory. Some innocent-looking girl comes to this city, my city, and starts asking questions… I’ve got an obligation to make sure shit doesn’t get out of hand. That’s my business.”

  I looked away from him, biting my tongue to stop my frustration from boiling over.

 
“You’re determined,” he said. “I get that. But I know what you’re trying to do. You can walk away. Keep the money and go back to the city. That’s my advice and my advice is free.”

  I laughed through my nose and nodded.

  Stay focused… Stay focused…

  I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath. All of the noise in Hades disappeared. There were no drunks. There were no rowdy club members. There was no music. There was no stench of alcohol. It was only them.

  Them…

  I opened my eyes slowly, my focus as strong as it had ever been.

  “Tell me,” I said.

  Cain looked at the man next to him then shrugged.

  “Go ahead, Roman.”

  “Cain and I went through our usual contacts,” the other man said. “It didn’t take very long for shit to work its way up through the pipeline. Turns out Pearson’s already made a rep for himself in Ivory. Carried it down for some shit he did up in the big city.”

  “I’m already aware of that. Is he here in Ivory?”

  “He is. With all of the shit going down recently and the major players out of commission, all of the rats are scurrying for the crumbs leftover.”

  “Pearson’s a real piece of work,” Cain said. “It made us even easier to find out what kind of a man he was with his record. Mostly possession charges with attempt to distribute. Armed robbery but he got away with it. Said there wasn’t enough evidence on the scene—”

  “I’m aware of his criminal record,” I interrupted him. “If I’m searching for him, don’t you think I’d already know that?”

  I glared at Cain. He just gave me that half-grin of his while his eyes shifted up and down.

  “No,” he said. “Of course you’d know that.”

  “We found his location,” Roman said. “He’s hiding in some cabin on the outskirts. It’s up around the city limits near Holt. I’ve got the address right here.”

  He pulled out a small piece of paper and held it tight between his fingers. I held my hand out but he didn’t give it to me.

  “I know what you’re doing,” Cain said. “With your money, I can have it done for you. Hell, with Pearson’s record, I’d give you a damn good price. What do you think?”

  He raised his eyebrows at me. I didn’t need to think twice to give him an answer though.

  “Tempting,” I said. “But I have to do this myself.”

  “Of course.”

  He gave Rock a nod, who handed the paper to me. I snatched it from his fingers and unfolded it.

  “What… What is this?” I said. “This isn’t an address—”

  “They’re coordinates,” Rock said. “You can plug them into the GPS on your phone and you’ll get there. The man doesn’t have an address. He’s doing everything he can to stay in the dark.”

  “A man who stays in the dark has something to hide,” Cain said. “And a man with something to hide is the most dangerous.”

  I punched the numbers into my phone and watched the dot appear on my screen. Just knowing I was that much closer made me feel a bit of relief.

  I jumped up from my seat.

  “Hey, Audrey,” Cain said. “It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

  He gave me a wink. I gave him one last look without saying a word, then spun around on my heel to head out of the bar. My hand gripped my phone tight. It was a long ride but I could get there before the end of the night.

  I stepped back out into the parking lot. I searched the streets for a cab. I was so distracted by my own focus I didn’t notice the familiar rumble of the engine thundering down the street toward me.

  “Dammit…”

  I sighed and looked away from Micah as he pulled up right next to me.

  “Hey,” he said. “You just went running off. Didn’t even bother to say goodbye—”

  “I know. I’m sorry. But Cain gave me a call and… You know how important this is to me.”

  “I get that. It’s the reason you’re in Ivory in the first place.”

  “I didn’t interrupt your celebration. You’re a new patch. You should be having fun with the rest of your club. They’re all buying you beers—”

  “I got a gig at the clubhouse. I was real cheap with my money when I was serving. I can afford to buy my own beers.”

  He got up from his bike and put his hands on my shoulders. I couldn’t look at him but I knew I couldn’t stay with him either. His grip was firm but gentle at the same time.

  What’s wrong with me?

  I was suddenly so torn. I wanted Micah… I wanted him to be here with me.

  “You find what you were looking for?” he asked. “Yeah… Yeah, you did.”

  “Micah… I… I’m sorry… I have to do this… I have to do this by myself.”

  “Why do you have to do it by yourself?”

  “Because!”

  I took a deep breath, not realizing how worked up I was getting.

  “Because… I just have to…”

  I looked up at him. The way I felt now… I never felt the way I did with anybody else.

  You can’t… You can’t let him get involved…

  “This is just something I have to do,” I said. “Micah, please…”

  I swallowed hard to stop my emotions from getting the best of me. But he wouldn’t release me from his grip. He was too strong for me to break free but a part of me didn’t want him to let go.

  “I don’t know where you’re going,” he said. “But I know you’re taking a risk. I’m not letting you do this alone, Audrey.”

  “What if it means risking everything? What if it means doing something that’ll get you locked up or killed?”

  “I don’t know you as well as I wanna know you… But I can’t just let you walk into something like this, even though I don’t know what it is exactly.”

  I closed my eyes but I could still see his face. His eyes were there in the darkness, piercing into me and I couldn’t shake the damn feeling.

  “It’s up to you whether you tell me or not. But I’m going with you no matter what.”

  He dropped his hands down from my shoulders. It was a chance to get away. A chance to run and go on my own.

  My eyes opened and I glanced down at my phone. The location on the screen kept blinking over and over.

  “Let me take you, Audrey.”

  “…Okay,” I sighed with a nod.

  He got back onto his bike and revved his engine.

  “Where are we headed?” he asked.

  “On the outskirts of town, next to the border to the Holt County. You know where that is?”

  “I’ve lived in Ivory long enough, sure. And who is it we’re looking for.”

  “His name… His name is Pearson. Oliver Pearson.”

  I waited for his reaction. But there was none. Micah just stared at me, stone-faced and focused like he hadn’t heard what I said.

  “Micah—”

  “Get on. We don’t have time to waste.”

  Chapter 12

  MICAH

  Fucking shit…

  What are the chances? What are the fucking chances?

  Her reaction when she heard his name. Her reluctance to tell me anything. I put everything together in my head on the ride up to the address she’d gotten. I didn’t bother questioning her. There was no chance she was looking for Pearson to try and help him. We were both trying to take him down. The only question now was what her reason was.

  I didn’t have much time to think about it though. I was tearing up the pavement so hard and fast that it didn’t take us long for us to close in on the location.

  “There!” she shouted. “It should be around that hill in the distance!”

  I moved off the unpaved road and blazed my bike through the dirt. The moon was bright but the streetlights were dim. A lone headlight was the only thing that made the path visible. I rode toward the hill and saw all of the rundown and abandoned houses.

  Old farmland that hadn’t been used in decades.
Ivory was full of it. But even though I couldn’t see anything moving, I knew something was lurking in the shadows. A nasty feeling in my gut I hadn’t felt since I was on tour. I couldn’t shake it no matter how hard I tried.

  I parked my ride off to the side and got off.

  “What are you doing?” she said.

  “Can’t move any closer. If we do and the man we’re looking for is inside, he’ll go running. Or he might do something even worse.”

  “Right. He’s not expecting us. He might’ve been prepared if he found out Cain was looking for him. I’m beginning to think I shouldn’t have trusted him completely.”

  “I don’t know Cain very well. The Devils haven’t been around for very long. But I don’t think he’d put someone like you in jeopardy.”

  “Now that you mention it, he was trying to stop me from coming out here.”

  “And with good reason. You’re putting yourself in serious danger, Audrey. This isn’t a joke.”

  “You think I don’t know that?”

  The way the moonlight shined on her face made her look even more gorgeous than she normally did.

  Don’t let her distract you. This is serious…

  The voice in my head was the only thing keeping me from losing my composure. This wasn’t just about Audrey. The man hiding here was responsible for what happened to Jamie. I was gonna settle this tonight.

  She pulled her piece from behind her waist and cocked it. These days, it didn’t take much effort to know how to use a nine. From what I’d seen, Audrey actually knew what the fuck she was doing. But with how much her hand trembled… I knew something else was wrong.

  “Come here,” I said.

  “What?”

  “Come here.”

  I snatched her wrist and in one swift movement, pulled the pistol from her hand.

  “Hey! What the hell are you—”

  “You carry a gun like that, that’ll just give someone more reason to shoot you.”

  “If I see him, I’m shooting him.”

  The truth finally came out, not that I had to figure it out. I still didn’t know why she wanted Pearson dead but at least I knew what she was up to.

  “I don’t know what your business is with him,” I said. “I won’t push you to tell me. But I can’t kill this guy until I get answers from him about Jamie. You go waving this thing around and put a bullet in his skull… Jamie might not get the real justice he deserves. You listening to me, Audrey?”