by Nicole James
****
Crystal was fuming as she stumbled behind Wolf as he pulled her into the hall. Then he did what he always did, he backed her into the nearest wall. She stared up at him. He was pissed at her, yet again. And it took her right back to that fight night last fall, and how he’d pinned her against the wall in this very hall that night, telling her how he was going to wipe the floor with Shane that night.
“A cat fight, Crystal, really? What the hell’s gotten into you?”
“Leave me alone. Let me go.” She slapped him.
Struggling between them was almost foreplay, but he didn’t respond like he usually did. Instead he glared down at her coldly.
“Don’t do that again.”
“Then let me go.” She pulled but his hands were clamped tightly around her wrists now.
“We’re not done. So just settle down.”
She wouldn’t look at him, but she did stop struggling.
Wolf took a deep breath and slowly blew it out, and she knew he was trying to calm himself down. “Congratulations on your ability to create drama out of absolutely nothing.”
Her eyes flashed to him then. “Nothing?”
“You’ve seen me with women before, and you’ve never gone off like this. I told you they don’t mean anything to me. What’s so different about Misty? Why is she any different?”
She refused to answer.
“Crystal,” he shook her. “Tell me.”
“You’ve never gone back for more before. You’re usually done with them by now.”
“I told you, they don’t mean anything to me.”
“And do I mean anything to you?”
“Crystal, you’re reading too much into this. I’ve got to throw the guys off track, don’t I? I can’t let them know about you and me.”
“Answer the question. Do I?”
“You know you do.”
“No, I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. You fucking do.” He took her head in his hands. “Baby, you know I care about you.”
She stared up into his eyes. It would be so easy to just believe him. But Dog was right, if Wolf being with Misty bothered her, she needed to do something about it. So, she did. She asked him for something she’d never asked him for before. “Then prove it.”
His chin pulled back an inch, and he frowned down at her. “I shouldn’t have to prove it.”
If a future with her was ever going to mean anything to Wolf, she had to know. Especially now. So, she did something else she’d never done before. She pushed. “Prove it or I’m gone.”
As he searched her eyes, almost as if he couldn’t believe her words, she teetered on the verge of telling him about the pregnancy. But his next words stopped her cold.
“You know men like me don’t do ultimatums.”
And that was all it took. She felt her heart breaking, falling to the floor and shattering into a million pieces. The one time, the only time she’d ever actually wanted something from him, had the courage to ask for more, he let her down.
“Yes, that, I do know.” She shoved out of his hold and stalked away, knowing if she stood there a moment longer she would end up a bawling mess. And Crystal didn’t do the whole crying thing. Not over him! And if she did, it sure wouldn’t be in front of him.
She dashed down the hall out into the main room and up the open metal stairs to the second floor. She darted down the hall, checking doorknobs looking for an open one. She needed a place to hide and lick her wounds until she got her backbone back and could go down and face everyone.
Damn it, they were all locked. She got to the end of the hall and tried the last one on the right. Cole’s. The knob turned. Thank God.
She stepped inside, closed the door, and collapsed on the bed. Her head in her hands, she burst into tears, letting the hormonal emotions wash over her. She was usually so thick skinned. They all thought of her as a tough bitch that would never in a million years burst into tears. Not Crystal. No way.
But here she was, an emotional wreck. It had to be the hormones. Which only brought her thoughts spinning back around to the pregnancy. She was pregnant! With Wolf’s baby. God, it still hadn’t sunk in. It still didn’t seem real.
But it was. And clearly, he wasn’t looking for that kind of relationship with her. If he found out, he’d think she’d done this on purpose. If he flipped his lid over the idea of being given an ultimatum, how would he take this?
She wiped the tears away. She had to pull herself together. She had to be strong.
****
Wolf let Crystal go, staring after her. She’d said Misty was different because he’d never gone back for more before, that he was usually done with them by now. And only one thought had gone through his head. Maybe because she’s the only one that had ever gotten this reaction out of you? But he couldn’t say those words to her. Hell, he could barely admit them to himself.
Wolf liked to believe he understood women. But this whole situation with Crystal was spinning out of control. There was something more to this, something she wasn’t telling him. And he’d be damned if she was going to walk away without settling it. He yanked open the hallway door and moved into the main room, intent on going after her.
He didn’t get three steps into the room before Green waylaid him.
“Bro, do something with Misty. She’s one drenched, pissed-off bitch.”
“Can you get her out of here for me? Take her home?” Wolf asked him.
“Fuck no.”
“Please.”
“God, you’re pathetic when you beg.” Green rolled his eyes. “Christ, you’re gonna owe me for this one.”
“Anything, man. Do you know where Crystal went?” Wolf glanced to the bar, but she wasn’t there.
“I think she went in the john,” Green supplied, nodding toward the bathroom in the corner.
“Thanks, Brother.” Wolf moved past Green and was again waylaid. This time with a firm hand in his chest and an immovable wall of leather cut and pissed-off brother.
Cole got right in his face and growled, “We need to talk. Now.”
Wolf took a deep breath. Shit. Last thing he needed right now was a lecture from his VP, but fuck if he saw anyway around it. He followed Cole, who climbed the stairs to the second level.
****
Footsteps sounded coming down the hall, getting nearer, and Crystal froze.
Cole’s angry voice carried through the door. “This shit’s got to stop.”
Oh, God. He was headed for his room, and here she sat.
Crap.
She glanced around, looking for a place to hide, and her eyes fell on the closet. She dashed inside, closing the louvered doors. As she attempted to slow her breathing and make no sound, she realized she could see a tiny bit through the slats. A moment later, the hall door flew open, practically bouncing against the wall and rattling the frosted glass upper half. In strode two sets of boots, and she heard Cole’s voice.
“Swear to Christ, Wolf. I’m done with this shit.”
“Sorry.”
“Sorry? That all you’ve got to say?”
“Cole, what the hell do you want me to say?”
“I want you to fucking grow a pair and handle this. I told you to cut her loose. But you didn’t, did you?”
“Cole—”
“What?”
“It’s not that easy.”
“Yeah. I know. So I’m gonna make it real easy for you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know how she feels about you, and yet you keep rubbing her nose in shit like this. Apparently, Misty’s a major trigger for her in a way other girls you’ve been with have never been. Not sure why the hell she’s any different.”
“Okay, I won’t bring Misty around anymore.”
“It’s gone too far for that, Brother.”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw this coming. And shit I didn’t want to see it go this far. But one of you has to go.”
“What?”
“And we all know it’s not gonna be you.”
“What the fuck are you saying?”
“Mack’s done. He’s gonna hate like hell to let her go, but he’s gonna find someone else to run the bar.”
“No. I can’t be the reason for that.”
“Mack loves Crystal. Hell, we all do. She runs that bar like a pro. Place has never been cleaner. But we can find another bar manager.”
“Cole, don’t do this. Please.”
“It ain’t up to me. You want to try to talk Mack out of it, good luck, Brother. I just spent ten minutes trying, and I can’t get him to budge.”
Crystal heard the door open and slam shut as Wolf stormed out.
Then she heard Cole mutter, “Christ.”
The door opened and closed again, this time quietly, and she heard Cole’s boots retreating down the hall.
Crystal slid down the wall of the closet and let the tears flow. Well, she’d be damned if they’d have to ask her to leave. If she wasn’t wanted here anymore, she was done. Her car was parked out back. She just needed to get her purse and walk out the back.
But then they’d all know. Hell, she’d be damned if she’d slink out of here like a coward with her tail between her legs. Fuck that.
Standing, she wiped her face and stepped out of the closet. Then she exited out of Cole’s room, quietly closing the door behind her and headed down the hall. She took several deep breaths and let anger stiffen her spine. She just had to get through tonight.
****
Wolf sat in the club’s meeting room at the long conference table. Mack sat at the head, lighting a cigar. He puffed on it, and then shook out the match. Pulling the cigar from his mouth he glared at Wolf through the smoke.
Wolf had just finished laying out his case, hoping to talk Mack out of this shit. But, one thing he knew about Mack. Mack was gonna do what Mack was gonna do. Hell, hadn’t Cole tried to tell him that not five minutes ago?
But Wolf had one thing going for him, Mack loved Crystal. And when it came down to it, he really didn’t want to run her off. But he’d do it, if push came to shove. Wolf had no delusions about that. When it came to hard choices, Mack never had any problem making them.
“So prove it.”
Wolf didn’t miss the irony of the fact that those words had been said to him twice tonight.
“You promise you can stay away from her, then prove it.” Mack paused to point the hand that held the cigar at him. “Don’t go running over there tonight like I know you want to.”
When Wolf glared at him, Mack continued.
“Yeah, I know you. You think I don’t?”
Wolf ground his teeth and let his eyes drop to the table. If he had to grovel to his President to make sure Crystal stayed, he’d fucking do it.
“You do,” he confessed.
“Damn right, I do.” Mack shifted in his seat, relaxing a bit. “You stay away from her, and maybe I’ll let her stay.”
Wolf nodded. “Done.”
Mack nodded toward the door. “Get the fuck out of here. I’m gonna have a chat with Crystal.”
Wolf’s eyes slid closed for a moment. Shit. Then they opened, and he stood up and walked out.
****
Crystal stood behind the bar, pulling a beer for Cajun who was teasing her about the whole show she’d put on, when her eyes were drawn to the conference room, and she saw Wolf walk out. He looked at her, and then turned away as if he was done with her. And she felt her heart breaking all over again.
Mack followed him out a moment later and approached the bar. He took a seat right in front of her, his eyes drilling into her.
“As entertaining as all that was, we’re not going to have any more little displays like that, are we?”
“No, sir.”
“Good.”
She felt her eyes getting glassy with tears.
“Why don’t you take the night off? In fact, take the rest of the week off. Get your head on straight. Okay, darlin’?”
Crystal swallowed and nodded. “Sure.”
Then she moved to the opposite end of the bar to grab her purse. Her eyes connected with Red Dog, who still sat at the end. Grabbing her purse up, she noticed him frown at her. She lifted her hand to him, waggled her fingers and gave him a wink. He relaxed back onto his bar stool, apparently convinced she was okay.
Then she moved through the crowd and headed out the door, desperate to get to her car before she broke down.
****
Mack looked over at Cole, who sat at the end of the bar. “Send Wolf somewhere for a few days.”
Cole nodded, taking a hit off his cigarette. When he blew the smoke out, he offered, “He can do that Temecula run we were talking about. Seventy miles from the Mexican border far enough for you?”
Mack nodded at Cole’s sarcastic attempt at a joke and looked meaningfully at his VP. “This is the last time I’m dealing with this shit.”
“Understood.” Cole tamped out his cigarette and moved off his barstool to find Wolf again.
CHAPTER FOUR
Wolf rolled up at the meeting place where he was to meet two of his brothers from the club’s Chapter in Temecula, California. The place looked inconspicuous enough for a drop. Not much traffic, out in the middle of nowhere. A lone roadhouse with two bikes parked out front.
But still, he had a bad feeling, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. A feeling that Wolf had learned a long time ago not to ignore. He glanced up and down the road. A lone tractor-trailer lumbered past, kicking up a trail of dust in its wake. As the sound of its motor faded into the distance, Wolf dropped his kick stand and shut his bike off.
He strode inside. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim bar. When they did, he took the place in. A long bar at the back wall, a busty blonde bartender leaning against it, smoking a cigarette and flipping through a magazine. She looked up when he entered. His head swiveled. There was a pool table on either side of the door. His eyes located his brothers at the table on the right. Not another soul in the place.
He moved toward them. They greeted him with smiles and back slaps. Digger, a stocky bald man with a Fu-Manchu mustache. Weed, an old hippie with a long grey braid down his back and a gold tooth.
They were there to meet the club’s Mexican drug connection. A meet that had taken days to arrange.
He wasn’t there long before a car pulled up outside. They watched through the window, past the neon beer signs as four Mexicans got out.
As they entered, Weed moved to the bar. He distracted the bartender, while the men made the exchange. It all happened very quickly. A pound of black tar Heroin wrapped in a folded newspaper landed on the green felt. Digger quickly tested it for purity. At his nod, an envelope of money slid out of Wolf’s vest. The newspaper wrapped around the bundle and disappeared into Digger’s inside shirt placket. Wolf handed over the envelope and watched as the man thumbed through the stack before nodding and tucking it into his jacket.
A moment later, the men disappeared as quickly as they’d come.
Wolf and Digger moved to the bar, stopping where Weed stood flirting with the blonde.
“You ready?” Digger asked.
Weed turned to look at him. “I just got this beer. Give me a minute.”
Digger turned back to Wolf, rolling his eyes. “Guess we’re gonna hang out here for a minute.”
Wolf chuckled. “Guess I’ll head on back.”
“Already? You in a hurry?”
Wolf shrugged, not really interested in hanging around now that the deal was done. Especially when he still had that tingling sensation warning him. Of what, he didn’t know, but something was off.
“Must be some hot pussy back in San Jose waitin’ on him,” Weed snickered.
If he only knew the truth, Wolf thought.
“All right, Brother,” Digger pulled him in for a hug, slapping his back. “Good seeing you.”
Wolf walked out, pausing by his bike
, his eyes searching up and down the road as he strapped on his helmet. Nothing. Throwing his leg over the bike, he fired it up.
****
The man stood in the shadows of the building watching the lone bike pull away. He waited until it disappeared over the rise. Then his eyes fell to the other two parked bikes, and he grinned.
He moved around to the back of the building, entering through the backdoor. Moving quietly through the hallway that contained doors for the men’s and women’s restrooms, he paused at the corner, peering around the edge, until he could see the two MC members sitting at the bar.
His fingers tensed on the two Glocks in his hands. Then, smiling, he moved around the corner. The dumb motherfuckers never saw him coming.
Bam. Bam. They were down on the floor, a pool of blood already forming around their head wounds.
The bartender screamed, backing up. He stalked around the bar, backing her up against the wall on the far end. She had nowhere to go. He saw the look of horror as she took in his face, a face he saw reflected in the mirror behind the bar. He smiled, only half of his face lifting. The other half frozen in a paralyzed droop.
His eyes dropped to her tits. They swelled over the top of her slutty tank. He wished he had time to waste. She’d be fun to play with. But he couldn’t risk it. Not with two dead bodies already bleeding all over the linoleum.
He grinned. “Sorry, sweetheart.”
Then he raised one gun and shot her point blank in the forehead. Her body flew back against the wall, and she dropped, a large blood stain trailing down the cheap wood paneling as she slid to the floor.
He moved around the bar and searched the bodies, coming up with the newsprint wrapped prize.
“Bingo.”
He stared down at the two bikers on the floor. He’d love to take their Evil Dead cuts from their dead bodies. What a prize that would be. Almost better than the drugs. But if he tried, he’d end up covered in blood. And that wouldn’t do, now would it? His eyes fell on the silver Evil Dead rings they each wore, and he smiled. Well, now, those would have to do. They would be a sweet consolation prize, and he could easily slip them off without getting too messy. He knelt and pulled them off. Then he stood and unloaded the rest of his clip into their bodies, chuckling as they jerked and twitched with each shot.