by Sam Crescent
Pie was amazed.
Holding his hand out to each of the men, he shook them. “We’re not here to cause any trouble. We’re just here to make sure everything goes okay and of course to see what the invitation was about.”
“It would be just like the Billionaire Bikers to call us to do their bidding,” Pixie said. “It’s like they fucking own the place, flaunting their money like it’s some fancy shit.”
“It clearly is.”
Glancing behind him, Pie saw his club laughing at him.
Lindsey was known for getting him into tough situations. It would be a lot easier to shake her off, but the truth was, he didn’t want to. He liked being with her way too much. His life had been dull.
Not when it came to the usual club shit. There was never a dull moment being part of the Trojans MC, but now his downtime was also filled with excitement.
No, the last thing he wanted to do was get rid of her. The truth was, he was dreading the moment that she actually found the right man for her.
Chapter Three
“You know, I’m actually getting bored with all this bullshit,” Lash said. He watched as his wife moved among each small group. She talked with the women within that group, and that was all.
“You’re handling yourself okay. You didn’t kill anyone, and we’re all still alive. You’re lasting fine,” Tiny said.
“What the fuck is going on here, Tiny? This is not like the rally where I showed up to announce the change in leadership. This is not like that. We’re specific groups of MC. Haven’t you noticed?”
“I don’t for a second think that the Billionaires pose any threat to any of the clubs here. I imagine they have no interest in death, actually,” Tiny said.
Lash sipped at his soda and kept his eyes on his woman, which he shouldn’t be doing. He should be watching the Billionaires and other clubs. This was the first time that Angel had been around others clubs though. Chaos Bleeds didn’t count. They were like family to them all, and she even liked Devil. That fucker could be a mean ass.
“What do you think all of this is about?”
“Business like always. I don’t think this is about guns or drugs, or even pussy.”
Lash snorted. “Of course it wouldn’t be about pussy. Far from it.” Whizz had given him a comprehensive file on the Billionaire Bikers MC, everything they allowed people to see in public along with the secret shit that they always kept hidden. Their own little MC badass world. He was impressed. There was no denying that, but right now, he didn’t want to show them any respect.
“You need to realize that Angel can handle herself, Lash.”
“She’s my woman, Tiny. I’m not going to let anything happen to her.”
Tiny sighed. “She’s got the eyes of two clubs on her. Nothing is going to happen to her, you got me? Nothing at all. She’s got The Skulls and Chaos Bleeds here, but as Prez, you need to keep your eyes on everything else. On the clubs that surround you, on why we’re all here. You don’t have time to worry about the tiny shit.”
Lash glared at his friend. He adored Tiny. When his parents were killed, Tiny had taken him in and been a father to him and his brother, Nash. Throughout the years, he’d helped to guide him, and Lash would never, ever, see anything bad happen to this man. Tiny was a good man.
“Fine.”
For the first time since entering the large yard, or fucking mansion garden, he focused around the place, taking in all of the clubs.
He looked at Duke, the Prez of the Trojans. He’d wanted to smash his face in, but hadn’t. Points for him. Of course, Angel had been frustrated with him, nothing new there. When it came to his woman, he’d gladly kill whoever she pointed at or people who threatened her.
His woman was now over at the children. She’d stopped by their son Anthony’s table, who also had Simon there, Devil’s kid.
Keeping his focus back on the men, he saw Saint from Saints and Sinners, James from the Dirty Fuckers, and Devil, of course, who was still in Saint’s face. He took them all in and finally landed on Russ, the man responsible for them all being here. Russ was watching, taking everything in.
Several of the club Prezs didn’t even have a clue as to why they were there, just that they were, and he got it.
None of them had any idea why they were there, and it was pissing them all off not knowing.
Lash got it. He understood it.
“You see it now?” Tiny asked.
“I see it.”
“Good. Now, once you realize what is going on, now you can be a true leader. There’s no threat here. No one has a clue what’s going on. The women and kids are acting as buffers, and right now, the men are on their best behavior.”
“Doesn’t that pose the most threat?” Lash asked.
“It can, but it’s not about the threats right now. It’s not even lunchtime yet and we’re all begging to get away. Until the Billionaires tell us what they want, we’re not finding a way out of here.”
“We can leave any time we want,” Lash said.
“Yeah, but then you’ve got to live with wondering what the fuck was going to happen. Where was it going to go? Don’t live with questions, Lash. No matter how much you may want to. Don’t. It’s not about being the first man to leave. It’s about being the last man standing.”
Lash nodded.
Tiny was always helping him, guiding him whenever he needed it.
“You know, you can take the gavel at any time,” Lash said. “You handed it to me, and the club agreed.”
Tiny shook his head. “No.”
“You’re helping me right now.”
“That’s different. This is a new situation. I was club Prez for more than twenty years. I’m older than you by a lot. My time as the Prez came to a close when I allowed my fear to rule, and not my head.”
Lash stared at Tiny. “You worried for your kids and your woman. The entire club.”
“And the point of being a Prez is to keep a level head. I forgot that. I forgot that I had an entire club watching my woman and kid, or that they would die protecting her. Angel, Anthony, Chloe, you don’t have to worry about any of them. They will always be safe.”
Lash nodded his head. He’d spent many sleepless nights worrying about his decisions when it came to the club. Angel had been there for him every single step of the way, being the sounding board he needed. They’d bounced ideas off each other to find new ways to help the club.
“I’ll be back.”
He didn’t go toward the other clubs. Instead, he went to the table where his son was.
“Hey, Dad,” he said.
“You boys want to do something for me?” Lash asked.
“What?”
“Find out whatever you can about what’s going on.”
“Dad, you’re the one that got the invite,” Anthony said.
“Yeah, and I want to know first, got it?”
Simon chuckled. “You better tell my dad. He won’t like it.”
“I’ll deal with Devil. Just find me what I need.”
Anthony had become known in the club for finding out little details. His son had that ability to sneak up on someone and only at the last minute did they know he was there.
He watched as his son didn’t move straight toward the house though. Whatever Anthony had planned, Lash trusted him.
****
“Good book?” Anthony asked, sitting on the table in front of Daisy. Tabitha had moved up to make room for him. Placing his feet on Daisy’s chair, he stared at her, waiting.
She sighed. “It wasn’t.” Daisy closed the book. “What do you want?”
Anthony’s brow rose. Simon stood behind her, resting his hands on the back of her chair.
“Don’t give me that look. I saw your dad talking to you, and it’s you. What do you want?”
“We need to go hunting for clues.”
“Why don’t you ask Michael?” Tabitha asked.
Michael was Alex’s son, but they hadn’t gotten close to him. He’d been in
Vegas for some time, and since he arrived back in Fort Wills, there had been conflict. Anthony, when no one was looking, had beaten the shit out of him for calling Daisy ugly and fat. All of the club kids had a go at him, but he made sure Michael knew his problem with him was personal.
Anthony couldn’t help but smile recalling the shock on Michael’s face. He’d thought Anthony was a pushover.
“We all know why not. It’s us, or no one. Miles isn’t even here, otherwise he’d be here, and so would Darcy if she’d decided to come,” Anthony said.
“Come on, Daisy. It could be fun. Split up in teams if we have to.”
Daisy did that look he adored so much. It was the look that said they had won, and he loved that.
“Fine, fine. Do we need to sneak off?” Daisy asked.
So, one by one, after a small lull in time, they each made their way into the main house. Tabitha went first, followed by Simon.
“You can go,” Daisy said.
“Nope. I pull up the rear.”
She tutted and walked away.
Anthony watched her go, hating the clothes she was wearing. Daisy had stopped wearing the dresses that emphasized her curves, and now he only saw her in clothes that seemed to hide any kind of figure underneath. He’d also noticed that she stopped hanging with Lacey so much, and spent more time with Whizz. Since she started that, she’d become obsessed with computers and begun to withdraw from the rest of them. It was only Tabitha who seemed to draw her out. There was a time Daisy hadn’t cared about computers. He guessed when it was their time to take over having someone like Daisy would benefit the club.
There was a time when she’d sit and read to him. Her voice always helped to soothe him when he was at his worst.
Glancing back over the yard, he saw his father finally mingling with the clubs, then of course his mother, being her sweet self.
He would do anything for her.
It was one of the reasons he tried hard at school, went for good grades. He knew deep down she only wanted the best for him, and that she loved him more than anything. It wasn’t her fault that he didn’t see himself being a lawyer or a business owner. The Skulls were in his blood, as was the fighting that he tried so hard to ignore.
Daisy knew.
She’d seen him fighting.
She’d begged him to stop.
He wasn’t even a teenager yet, and already he wanted that thrill.
Anthony got it.
He wasn’t like other kids. Never would be either.
Entering the main house was easy. For a few seconds, he was completely blown away by the sheer size of the large house. The ceilings were huge.
“Come on, we don’t have all day,” Tabitha said.
Rushing toward the small group, he watched as Daisy folded her arms.
“This is going to be easier if we all split up. Teams of two,” Anthony said.
“Me and Tabitha, you and Daisy. Done.”
“Dad wants to know what the hell is going on here, and why we’re all here.”
“Why doesn’t he just be patient like everyone else?” Daisy asked.
“We’re Skulls, Daisy. It’s not about being patient. It’s about survival.”
“Don’t forget Chaos Bleeds here,” Simon said. “Right here.”
“We really need to come up with a fancy name to describe us all,” Tabitha said.
“Does it really matter?” Daisy asked.
“You’re a negative soul right now, Daisy. Think about the adventure. You always wanted this, right?”
He finally saw Daisy smile, and realized it had been too long since she had. He didn’t know why he recognized these things, but he did.
Finally, they all split apart, and, standing by Daisy’s side, Anthony kept glancing over at her.
“Why do you think we’re all here?” Daisy asked. Her voice was no longer harsh or defensive. “I don’t know. It’s lame though. We should have pretended to be ill like Darcy.”
“Darcy was ill.”
She had been for some time as well, but no one seemed to see it. Still, Anthony kept his opinions to himself.
“Whatever. I still don’t think we need to be here,” Daisy said. “Either way, we are. What exactly is it your dad wants us to find?”
“I don’t know. Some clues as to why they’re all here, or something.” He shrugged.
She sighed. “Oh, well, it’s kind of fun to see a house this big though. When I used to live in a trailer I always wondered about places this size.”
“They’re like museums,” he said.
“True, and they’re cold.” She shuddered, and even though it was warm outside, he removed his jacket, and placed it over her shoulders. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Don’t want you getting cold.” He took her hand and continued walking. Entering the first room, he saw they had found a rather large dining room. This was going to be a long afternoon.
****
“Why did our kids sneak off inside the house?” Angel asked, coming to stand beside Lash.
He smiled. “You noticed that, huh?”
“Kind of hard not to. I keep an eye on my son at all times. What’s going on?”
He pulled Angel into his arms and led her away from the tables. Soft music filtered out across the gardens, and it was incredibly fancy.
“Did I tell you today that you look incredibly beautiful?”
“No.”
“Well, you do.”
“Lash, what are you trying to hide?” Angel asked.
“What makes you think I’m trying to hide anything?”
“You’re not telling me why Anthony, Daisy, Tabitha, and Simon walked into that big house and have yet to come out. I know you don’t want to concern me, but please understand. When it comes to the welfare of our babies I will always, always be worried. Even those that are not ours, so please, stop trying to be whatever it is you’re trying to be.”
“I want to know why they want us here. I want to be prepared.”
“Whizz couldn’t find you anything?”
“All he could find me was what they want to be found. If I had my way, I wouldn’t have brought any of the families here. It’s not safe.”
“So far, everyone is acting like we’re all going to grab guns and start shooting.”
“It could happen,” Lash said. “If it does, I want you out of harm’s way.”
“I don’t want you to do anything stupid.”
“What do you mean?”
“The club is taking an entirely new direction. I don’t know about the rest of the clubs, but you and Devil, you’re creating something, building it. I don’t think you should sneer at anything the Billionaires have to offer. It could be good for business. Have a little faith and trust.”
“I don’t want you talking to any more people.”
“I can hold my own, Lash. You know it, and so does most of the club. Stop worrying all the time. I know when people are trying to get secrets about the club, and it’s not going to happen.” She kissed his lips. “Now, how about you stop worrying for the entire length of this dance?”
He grumbled, to which she laughed.
It was a sound that he loved to hear, even more so than when he made her come; not that that sound wasn’t heaven to his ears.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” he said.
“Nope.” She stroked his chest. “I promised to trust you in everything. I do trust you completely, so please have the same kind of faith in me. I don’t think this is about fighting, at least not each other.”
The song came to an end.
“Why don’t you do what you do best?” she asked.
“What’s that?”
“Go and talk to the reason you’re here, and don’t do it in your threatening voice.”
“Things get done in my threatening voice.”
She chuckled and pulled away. “Have fun.”
She knew instantly what to do and say to ground him. Glancing around the bac
k yard, he spotted Russ on his own, watching everything. He reminded him at times of Whizz, who happened to be standing with Lacey. Everything was changing, and he had no choice but to do the same.
Ten years ago, there was no way he’d have come to this garden to talk about anything. The Skulls were at the height of their troubles, and danger lurked all around. Now though, it was all different. Tiny didn’t run the club, he did. They were away from Ned Walker and all the illegal shit he brought. With Whizz’s help they’d been able to steer the club in a different direction. It came with its own set of problems and dangers.
They provided a safe house, as well as transport to men, women, and children in situations that could end them up dead. Through a man known as Michael Granito, they’d already helped two women from abusive backgrounds. They provided a safe haven and a chance to rebuild their lives. Each woman also had their number so if anything seemed to bother them, or they had a hunch, one phone call, and they’d be there.
Heading over to Russ, he grabbed a soda. He thought earlier that there was no alcohol, but he was wrong. Alcohol was on offer, but he was avoiding it. He noticed most of the clubs were.
A clear head was where they needed to be.
“Interesting gathering,” he said.
“I know you don’t trust me,” Russ said. “You have every reason not to.”
“Wow, and here I was supposed to butter you up.”
“I’m not going to tell you ahead of time why you’re here. I want you all to be able to be in the same yard that has plenty of dead space around. There’s no way I’m taking any of you into a meeting in a room with four walls. Things can happen.”
“We’ve got no weapons,” Lash pointed out.
Russ laughed. It wasn’t a humorous one either.
“Please, Lash, don’t even for a second pretend here. I know for a fact that you killed Angel’s father with one twist of your bare hands. In fact, most of your club don’t even need a weapon of any kind. They can use what’s around them. I’m not stupid. Then of course you come with Devil and his crew. I have no reason to risk my life or anyone else’s.” Russ turned toward him. “I know you and everyone else here see my club as a joke. I get it. If I was in your shoes, I would as well. I make a lot of money. While we’re standing now I’m making a good couple of million. I don’t joke about money. It has helped to fund many of the Billionaires’ missions.”