by London Casey
That’s when I stepped back, freezing up again. My heart pounded in my chest. I looked right at Owen and tried to keep some kind of composure.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s small,” he said.
“It’s supposed to be.”
“And you’re not showing.”
I touched my stomach. “What the hell are you talking about? Owen, that’s a real ultrasound. I just came from the doctor’s today.”
“But only today. Why?”
“What?”
He stared me down. He stared at the ultrasound. Then he handed it back to me. “You going to show that to Mom?”
“Maybe.”
“You should. It’ll make her happy.”
Owen grabbed the coffee mug off the deck. Luckily it hadn’t shattered when I knocked it out of his hand.
He walked to the deck door and then paused. He looked back. “You know, that ultrasound says you’re only nine weeks along. That’s interesting.”
Owen then disappeared back into the house.
My heart was in my throat.
It wasn’t hard to track down my lies... except now there was something real.
A baby.
A baby inside me.
I caught my breath and knew what I needed to do next.
I needed to find Slade.
(SLADE)
Lael lifted his beer mug into the air. “Got the word from Jackie over in Brookedale that the police are looking into the explosion as a gang turf war retaliation.”
“Why’s that?” I asked.
“Your girl Ava... she just didn’t do dudes like you, Slade. She had a thing for different sizes and shades if you catch my drift.”
“We should have killed her,” Raven said.
“No,” Lael said. “Police are looking for her. It’s in our favor for now. Let this shit go. Right now, we drink.”
We all lifted our beer mugs into the air.
We smacked them together, spilling beer everywhere, and then we all chugged the entire mug in one big drink. If you didn’t make it through the mug, you were beer bitch all night, meaning you’d have to get everyone’s drinks.
I emptied my mug first. I was in the clear.
When we finished, Lael smacked the gavel at the table and we were all free and clear to kill off the rest of the night.
I got to the bar and ordered another drink.
I felt someone bump into me and saw it was Raven.
“VP,” I said.
“You were different today,” he said.
“How’s that?”
“You were ruthless. I’ve never seen you like that. What’s up with that situation? They owe you cash? I can talk to Lael about it.”
“No, brother,” I said. “It was personal. They kind of put me on a path that I really shouldn’t have followed. Past shit. Demons.”
Raven grinned. “We all got ‘em, brother. I’m not upset about it. I liked it. Turning up the music, ripping his goddamn jaw off. I like to see that kind of stuff. This is a ruthless life. You’ve seen plenty of it. It’s good to see you in a cut. I haven’t talked to you much since you patched in.”
Raven offered his fist. I slammed mine to his and we both nodded.
A prospect put a beer on the bar for me.
“Hey,” Raven said. “Look at that foam on top. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“It’s fine,” I said.
“Fuck that,” Raven said. “Suck that shit off the top, prospect. Right now. You drink a drop of that beer and I’m having someone ram that mug up your ass.”
“Yes, sir,” the prospect said.
He did as his VP said to do, carefully getting all the foam off the top of the glass.
He then put the mug back down. “I’m sorry.”
I went to reach for it and Raven got in the way. I grabbed the mug. “Now it’s fucking warm.” He threw the entire mug of beer in the prospect’s face. “Smarten up, dickhead. Get him a fresh beer. Ice cold. No foam. Asshole.”
The prospect hurried away.
“You always this happy?” I asked.
“Fuck him,” Raven said. “A lot of these pricks show up and think this is fun because they saw a movie or a TV show about it. That guy there is some middle class fuck that couldn’t decide between communications and accounting in college. So he wants to be a tough outlaw to get back at his parents.”
The prospect brought me a fresh beer, perfectly poured, and icy cold.
“Sorry again, sir,” the prospect said.
“Fuck off,” Raven said.
I sipped the beer. It was good. Fucking good. Almost as good as pussy.
Pussy.
I went back in my head and realized it had been a few days since I took on that prospect’s girl. She had been a little wild thing but couldn’t keep up. I had to kick her out of my room and send her back home.
Since then my bed had stayed empty.
I looked around the clubhouse and couldn’t find anyone I wanted to fuck.
There was one person still burning in the back of my mind.
“How about we make some cash?” Raven asked.
“What?”
“You want a little extra in your pocket tonight?”
“How?”
Raven put a fist.
“Fighting? For money? Isn’t that illegal?”
“Yeah, and so is tying a guy to a chair, breaking his jaw with a wrench, and then blowing him up. You didn’t have a problem with that.”
I laughed. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. We have a few other outlaws lingering around. Riding through to check on a shipment up in Washington. They always have cash and they love to fight. See the guy next to the pool table?”
I looked back again. I saw him. Tall, thick, bald, and covered in tattoos. “I see him.”
“They call him The Ripper.”
“First name Jack?”
“No. Steve.” Raven grinned. “He once got into a confrontation with someone who offered to lick his old lady’s pussy so he held the guy down and literally ripped the guy’s tongue from his mouth.”
“Shit,” I said.
“Yeah.” Raven stuck his fingers into his mouth and whistled. He got The Ripper’s attention and waved him over.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I can tell you’re still all pent up about something. Go take it out in the ring. I’ll put enough down so we both clean up a little. Just don’t lose, okay?”
“What do you want me to do to him?”
“Knock his fucking ass out,” Raven said.
When The Ripper got close enough he and Raven hugged. “How’s it hanging, Rip?”
“Good. Eyeing the fine pussy you’ve provided tonight.”
“How about you eye my friend here, Slade.”
“I don’t fuck guys, sorry.”
“You looking to throw some money down?” Raven asked.
Rip looked at me. “You want to fight?”
I turned and stood up. “No, brother. I want to knock your ass out.”
The entire goddamn clubhouse convened to the ring. They pulled tables together so people could stand and see. Prospects rolled kegs out and were getting them tapped for drinking. Raven and Ace were collecting money on my fight and the rest of the night. These outlaw guys were six deep and each one wanted a turn in the ring.
I stared at Rip. A complete fucking stranger. Yet if I didn’t knock him out, he was going to knock me out. It was like a sick metaphor for my life up to that point. Somewhere my brother Roman was with his girl and their baby. Living it up in a fancy ass apartment, millions to spend, millions to be made, and a long happy life to live. Somewhere up in Canada my other brother Caine was probably getting his dick sucked in a hotel bathroom while icing his face from a night of hockey fights. But here was I, the baby brother of the Knight boys, patched in at with a fucking MC, ready to fight for money.
Me and Rip met in the middle of the ring.
We bumped fists.
“Don’t stop,” he said. “Rules are rules, brother.”
“You got it,” I said. “No hard feelings.”
“Just hard hits,” Rip said.
We stepped back and each nodded.
“Get it!” Major screamed with his hands cupped over his mouth.
All I needed to do was think about Liv stripping herself naked and forcing herself to get wet for Walker to fuck her.
That sent me into a blind rage.
I felt bad for Rip.
(OLIVIA)
I was damn near ready to actually show Jack my boobs when he stopped me. My hands had my shirt up, touching the bottom of my bra. He spit his cigarette out and his bloodshot eyes went wide.
“Ah, Christ, girl,” Jack said. “What are you thinking?”
“You said you wanted to see my tits, right?”
He laughed. “That, uh, that was just an old joke from long ago. Christ. If Slade found out, he’d cut my throat and put me in the trunk of a car to rot.”
I lowered my hands and realized Jack was in honest fear.
Right there, Slade had done more to protect me than Walker and Owen ever did. Just Slade’s presence was enough to scare a guy like Jack.
“You really need to find him tonight?” Jack asked. “I mean, sleep it off and talk to me tomorrow.”
“No,” I said. “I have to see him tonight.”
Jack shook his head. “It’s dangerous, Olivia. Very dangerous.”
“What? Did he join the mob or something?”
“Or something... yes.”
Jack took out a fresh cigarette and lit it up. He took a deep drag. I backed up and waved, not wanting to smell smoke. I was pregnant and I had already done enough wrong, I didn’t need my unborn baby exposed to smoke if I could help it. It wasn’t like I could tell Jack I was pregnant either.
“If you don’t help me then I’ll just start driving and asking random people. I could end up in the wrong direction, the wrong state, near the wrong people. I could end up hurt or missing. And that would be your fault.”
“You’re playing this hard, huh?” Jack asked.
“I have to find Slade. And you know my brother. I don’t have time to waste.”
“Ah, shit,” Jack said. “Fine. Follow me. I’ll get you there and then I’m driving away. You enter at your own risk, Olivia.”
“Enter where?” I asked.
Where the hell could Slade be?
Jack took another drag of his cigarette. “You want to know where he is?”
“Yes,” I yelled.
Jack squinted his eyes. “He’s in hell.”
I stood at a large set of gates. There were two guys standing there, wearing leather jackets with sleeves missing. They were big and certainly didn’t have enough muscles to scare me. But they had guns.
That scared me.
“What do you want, sweetie?” one asked.
“I need to see Slade.”
“Slade? For what?”
I heard a loud cheer and some whistling.
“Ah, fuck,” the other guy said. “We’re going to miss the fight.”
“The fight?” I asked. “Is Slade fighting?”
“Damn right, sweetie.”
“He’s... he’s my boyfriend.”
Both guys laughed. “You know how many women say that?”
I felt anger boil in my gut.
I looked beyond the gates and the guys. I saw two rows of motorcycles and that’s when it made sense to me. I had heard a rumor that Slade had joined a motorcycle gang but I didn’t believe it.
Until then.
“Let me see him,” I said. “Please. I have something to tell him.”
“You carrying any weapons, sweetie?” one of the guys asked.
“No.”
“I want to check,” the other said.
“You come within two inches of me and I’ll tell Slade,” I said. “What do you think he’ll do you then?”
The two guys looked at each other and then opened the gates. I pushed my way through and followed the sounds of the cheers. The lot was full of motorcycles. There was light coming from the left side and that’s where I went. There was a large building and the second I walked around the side of it, there was another open lot. Sure as anything there was a boxing ring set up. There was a large crowd of people standing around, cheering and whistling.
And in the middle of the ring...
“Slade,” I whispered.
He was fighting some guy. Both their faces looked roughed up.
Part of me wanted to just scream his name. But I didn’t want to distract him and have him get hurt. Not to mention it was Slade without a shirt on, covered in sweat. There was nothing hotter than that in the world.
He threw a right and hit the guy in the jaw. The guy turned. Slade went in again and landed two more punches. The guy tumbled back into the corner.
“Kill the fucker!” someone screamed.
“Don’t let up!” another person yelled.
Slade went in and the guy punched him in the gut. Slade stepped back and pulled back with his right fist. The guy quickly went to block and Slade threw a left, surprising the guy. That made him put his hands down and Slade hit him with a right and the guy toppled to the ground.
The second it happened the entire crowd erupted into cheers. A handful of guys in leather jumped up on the apron of the ring and then climbed into it. The back of their leather read - Savage Viper’s MC. This was a serious motorcycle club. Two men ran toward Slade. I feared the worst but they hugged Slade. Other guys got into the ring and helped the other guy up. He was woozy and it took him a couple steps to regain his footing. He then went right to Slade.
I gasped and thought they were going to fight again.
They didn’t fight.
They hugged.
I was floored by the sight of it. It was so intense and confusing. They wanted to fight? They were friends after fighting?
They finished their hug and then one of the Savage Viper’s guys turned around waved his hands. Someone gave him money. It looked like a lot of money at that.
Slade walked to the ropes and stood there. Even at our distance I saw his muscles rippling as he took deep breaths. Standing on the ground were women all reaching for him.
For a second I thought about leaving. I didn’t belong in this world. Jack had been right. This was Slade’s new life. His choice. Fight. Make money. Get into trouble. Fuck any women he wanted.
He didn’t want or need me. I was just the past.
And I was pregnant.
I told myself to turn and walk away. But I couldn’t. I wanted Slade to see me. I wanted Slade to be a father to our baby. Not Walker. No more lies.
So I waited.
Slade climbed through the ropes and jumped down.
He then looked forward and right at me.
Our eyes met and one single thing hit me.
I should have left.
(SLADE)
I had no doubt that I’d take Rip out. He put up a hell of a fight. I was sore but that was nothing some beer and women couldn’t fix. No surprise there.
The surprise that night?
When I looked up and saw Liv standing at the back of the crowd.
Some woman was grabbing at my dick and I ripped her hand away. I pushed through the crowd as everyone was trying to congratulate me on the victory. Hell, I should have been happy myself. I just cleaned up a few thousand dollars in cash for what my fists did.
A prospect ran up to me and gave me my leather cut back. I put it on without stopping or looking away.
Someone handed me a beer. I think it was Rab. I smelled it and then drank. My eyes never left Liv. I swore I had to have been seeing things and I’d get to her and she’d be someone else. But the closer I got the more she looked like Liv. My Liv. The woman I loved.
When I got close enough I reached out and touched her face.
“Liv?” I asked.
“Slade,
” she whispered.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
Liv just stared at me.
My head raced. My face throbbed. I wanted to finish a beer and have ten more.
“Wait,” I said. “How did you get here?”
“I drove here,” she said.
I looked around. There were too many people around us.
I grabbed her hand and walked her away from the wild scene.
“Nice fight, Slade!” someone called out.
I walked to left, toward my motorcycle.
Rip then appeared from nowhere, putting his hands out, touching my chest.
“Not now,” I said. “I have business.”
“Is this your prize?” he asked with a bloody smile.
I felt Liv’s hand squeeze mine. She was scared. She should have been scared. This was a scary place to be. The Savage Viper’s weren’t something to fuck with.
“Cut it,” I said. “Or else I will knock you out again and keep you out.”
Rip laughed. “I just wanted to say good job. Only one other time I’ve been knocked around like that. Good for you. Lael is lucky to have you patched in. I wanted to tell you if you ever feel like getting out of this cage, we’re always looking for outlaw riders.”
“I’m good right here,” I said.
It was a bit of honor to get an offer to ditch your MC to ride free, but I wanted nothing to do with it. These guys lived too close to the edge. These were guys that wanted to die and lived to do it.
Rip walked away and I took Liv to my motorcycle. Behind me, things were getting rowdier. The next fight was about to start.
I saw Liv’s eyes shift beyond me.
“There’s more fighting?” she asked.
“A lot of fighting left,” I said. “That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Slade, who are you?”
I felt myself getting pissed off. But, shit, it had been months since I’d seen Liv last. What I really wanted to do was kiss her. But I couldn’t bring her into this life. She was supposed to be somewhere else. With someone else.
“Answer me.”
“Jack,” she said.
“I’ll gut him.”
“No,” Liv said. She grabbed my hands. “Slade, I have to talk to you. It’s important.”