Torch (Tarnished Souls MC Book 1)

by Dusty Lassetter

  “Sorry, guys. I can’t stand that mother fucker.” Brass spits out, rage still simmering behind his eyes. He was a prospect with Marx, and the two were voted in at the same time. The rest of the members shrug their shoulders, knowing the bastard had it coming because I’ve already warned everyone. His comments about her life was unacceptable, and unwarranted. If he is going to survive in this world he needs to learn the pecking order, and respect. Scarlett is more valuable to us than he is, because she is under my protection.

  “I realize it will be extra stress on an already time sensitive issue, but we have no choice men. Without her we won’t be able to get Taz and Serenity back. If Scarlett rides with me, and both Teller and I guard her, there should be no problem.” I say continuing to lay out the details. Acting as if I don’t care about what just happened to Marx, because honestly I don’t. Teller steps toward the middle of the group, nodding his head, agreeing with everything I’ve said. I knew he wouldn’t argue, not only because he doesn’t talk, but he knows I would never go forth with something this serious unless I thought I could succeed.

  “The first house is only forty-five minutes from here. It’s located in hunting territory. Nothing but sand and trees out there, so we will have to park about a mile away and hike the rest.” I declare. “Like I said, Scarlett rides with me. Saint, Teller, Brass, and Irish you will flank us. Buck will be the lead.” When I notice Hammer’s confused expression, I quickly relay to him what his role will be in all this. “You’re staying here, with the girls, Hammer. I need someone I can trust.”

  “No offense...” He starts, until I stop him with a growl, “it’s not up for debate. That’s an order.” I spit out, watching as he visibly bites his tongue. Hammer is a great solider, but I need someone the girls trust to stay with them, for my peace of mind. He obviously can’t see that, and I don’t have time to explain it.

  “We leave right before sun set. That gives everyone some time to sleep and prepare themselves. This isn’t just another territory war, brothers. They have Buck’s daughter and our VP. You kill anyone wearing their badge, shoot first, think later.” With that said, I finish telling them the plan, making sure they understand everything. We’ll need to be extra careful, for all of our sakes.

  ##########

  Mia is sound asleep, lying next to Scarlett, on our bed when I arrive. Lifting her into my arms, carrying her through the club house, she wakes long enough to burrow her head further into my chest. Opening the door to the girl’s room, I lay her down, before checking to make sure Brass is watching my door like I asked. I need some alone time with, Mia, but I also don’t want to leave the other’s alone. When Brass nods at me in acknowledgment, I turn around, knowing he won’t let me down. He earned a lot of respect from me for handling Marx the way he did.

  “Mia..” I whisper, slowly trailing my hand down her bare shoulder. The one thing I like most about her, is the lack of clothing she wears to bed. Tiny boy short underwear and a tank top is all I have to get past before I have her just the way she should be. Naked and beneath me.

  “Torch..” She whispers, on the brink of waking up, but still so tired her body is fighting it. I don’t care if it makes me a selfish son of a bitch, I need her more than I need my next breath. Removing all my clothes, doing the same to hers, I slowly spread her legs before settling between them. Gently taking her breast in one hand, I give her a soft kiss on the lips.

  “Mia…” I whisper, loving the whimper that leaves her mouth when she finally wakes. Wrapping her legs around my waist, while her hands go to my back, she forcers our bodies closer together.

  “I love you, Mia..” I say, trailing my lips across her collar bone, to the dip in her neck, back up the opposite side. Every time I’ve taken her it’s been raw and passionate. This time I’m going to make her feel how much I love her, how much I need her. By the end of the night there will never be another doubt in her mind that we don’t belong together.

  “I love you, Torch.” She answers back, her hands tangling in my hair to force my lips onto hers. Mia’s pace starts off slow, then speeds up until I take over. I want to show her that there is more to sex than what she has experienced. Placing my hand on her neck, I force her to give me all the control, loving the moans she can’t hold back. Exploring her mouth, enjoying the taste that only comes from her lips, I finally back off when we both need to breathe. Leaning up on my elbows, her legs still wrapped around me, I shift my focus to her nipples. Tracing each one with my tongue, before gently biting down, she arches forward. The body I love so much, begging me for more.

  “Who do you belong to, Mia?” I ask.

  “You, Torch. Only you.” She whimpers out. Satisfied with her reply I slowly start inching my way into her. Mia’s wet heat almost forces me to lose focus on what I’m doing, my cock wanting to bury itself in her fast and hard. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind, judging by the way her heels are digging into my ass. Keeping myself under control, I continue to keep my slow pace, whispering everything I want her to know against her skin.

  “You’re mine, Mia. You’re all I want. You’re all I need.” With each one of my statements her body becomes more relaxed, while her pussy walls contract around me. Her nails start scrapping across my back, her way of marking me, saying what her lips can’t.

  “Open your eyes, Mia.” I command, stopping all movement until she listens. With, chocolate, brown irises staring back at me, she can no longer hide any of her emotions. Just as she belongs to me, I belong to her. There is no hiding the passion or love in her gaze.

  ##########

  Arriving at the place we all thought would be best to hide our bikes, next to an abandoned deer blind, I feel Scarlett’s arms tighten around me. She has yet to move off the bike, her fear of what could happen freezing her in place. When we were leaving the compound, Mia, was incredibly strong in front of the girls. She reassured, Scarlett, that I would never let anything happen, even though I could tell she wanted to call off the entire thing. With Mia’s strength, plus the looks of appreciation and admiration from the men, Scarlett forced one foot in front of the other until she was on my bike.

  “Scarlett...” I murmur, trying to get her attention. She slowly starts to loosen her grip, just enough for me to breathe easier. I can feel the trimmers moving through her muscles, and the anger I’ve tried to keep under control is threatening to break lose.

  “Torch… I don’t think I can do this..” She whispers in a voice that makes it hard not to turn my bike around and head home. This girl shouldn’t be out here, facing her demons head on, with a bunch of bikers she doesn’t trust Then, Buck, glances our way, the haunting look in his eyes reminding me that Serenity is also in a situation she doesn’t deserve. The difference being, no one, is there to protect her.

  “Scarlett, I’m going to be in front of you, Teller is going to be behind you the entire time.” I state. “What happened to you was horrible, Red” I say, officially making her a member by giving her a nickname. “You now have the opportunity to help someone that needs it as much as you did.” My statement has the effect I was hoping. Scarlett is off my bike, standing on wobbly legs, her thin face outlined with determination.

  “Alright men.” Buck shouts, “the house is a mile and a half north of here. Torch, Scarlett, and Teller will lead the way. Once we arrive at the house, Scarlett, will let us in. Remember that we have no way of knowing how many men there will be.”

  Buck then walks up to, Scarlett, lifting her face up with his thumb to look in her eyes. “I can never thank you enough for doing this, but I will spend the rest of my life trying.” He says. Scarlett doesn’t reply just simply walks up to me, grabbing onto the back of my cut. “It’s a long walk, Red.” I declare, hoping she doesn’t plan on hoovering behind me the entire time. Then I hear her yelp in surprise, and look back to come face to chin with Teller. Apparently these two have taken me literal. Stopping mid-step, I give a slight growl from irritation.

  “Scarlett, you have to give me room
to walk. Teller, when I said to be right behind her, I meant when we are closer to the house. Honestly, we look like a human sandwich.” Teller shrugs his shoulders, taking two steps back. Scarlett in return takes a small step back as well. Once again, moving forward, I lead the group toward the direction of the safe house.

  Thirty minutes into our walk, we are on a hill, overlooking the neglected wooden structure, Red, has brought us to. From this distance, the only light coming from the full moon, it’s impossible to make out anything other than the shape. There are no lights on, just darkness, and no sign of any vehicles.

  “This looks to be a dead end.” Saint mumbles, thinking what everyone else is. If this house turns out to be empty, there is another one about an hour from here, so we’ll have plenty of time to get there.

  “Scarlett stay behind me and listen to everything I tell you.” I say before, unhurriedly walking toward the house. I know, Teller, is right behind us because anytime he accidently makes contact with, Red, she jumps with surprise. The closer we get, to the house, the more confident I become thinking no one is here. Rounding the corner that will take us to the door we need to enter through, Scarlett, points at something. It’s broken pieces of a cage that have been tossed out the door.

  “Torch..” She whimpers, bringing her hand to her mouth. “I’m going to be sick.” She states before turning sideways and vomiting. Teller, is looking at her with pity and confusion, while my gaze goes back and forth between her and the pieces of medal. There is a story there, that will most likely piss me off, but now is not the time to ask questions. When she is able to stop dry heaving, Teller hands her a piece of his shirt, that he ripped off. Scarlett takes the cloth, wiping her mouth, before nodding at me to continue on our path.

  “When you unlock the door, you stay between us, Scarlett. No matter what you see or what you hear.” I command, as she places her hand on the pad that will read her print. It’s a bit ridiculous, to me, that they added this security measure to a dump like this, but as I’ve previously stated, Blacktop Sinners, are one of the strangest MCs. After hearing the locking mechanism click out of place, I move her behind me, and wait to hear for any noise on the other side of the door. Satisfied that I’m not going to get shot as soon as I enter, I nudge it open with my boot. I’m immediately met with a horrible smell. Have you ever walked into someone’s house that has ten cats and ten dogs? Well this smells worse. I don’t bother trying to find a switch to turn the light on, Scarlett, is whispering behind me where everything is. Explaining the layout of the house as we walk through. There is a small kitchen and two bedrooms. It’s obvious now that no one is here, but Scarlett still has a death grip onto my cut.

  “When you enter that room, walk to the door on the far wall. There is a basement downstairs.” She says. Sure enough when we enter the bedroom, passing a dirty mattress on the floor, there is a door, that looks to be nothing more than a closet, leading to a flight of stairs.

  “Stay here with, Teller.” I order Scarlett, waiting for the rest of the men to enter the room. They’ve been a few steps behind us the entire time. When, Buck, walks through the doorway of the bedroom I nod my head in the direction of the stairs. He understands what I’m asking. Together we slowly make our way down the steps, hearing the old wood creak from our combined weight, not at all prepared for what we see.

  “Is that what I think it is?” Buck questions, his tone laced with disbelief. We each have a flash light in our hand, shining them back and forth, trying to piece together the scene in front of us. When my eye catches a string, attached to a light, in the middle of the room. Walking forward, pulling the old shoe lace, the room can finally be seen as a whole.

  Old metal cages, big enough to fit a German Shepard in, line the back wall. There are stains, a variety of color, around the cages, my nose instantly understanding where the smell has been coming from. On the opposite wall is a set of chains, attached to the wood with screwed in hooks, loosely hanging. Looking in the corners of the room I start to count the various cameras. All of them pointed at the cages.

  “These weren’t meant for dogs.” Buck announces, his voice breaking because he knows as well as I do these sick bastards had women in these cages. Then it dawns on me that, Scarlett, got sick because she knew what we would find here. She knew it as soon as we walked by the broken one outside.

  “I’ve seen enough.” Buck declares, walking back up the steps. I follow him, disturbed by the images that will forever be burned into my mind. When we both walk back into the room all eyes are on us. Shaking my head, no, I let the men know we didn’t find them, before walking up to, Red.

  “Did your old man have anything to do with this?” I ask, needing to know how long this has been going on. Just thinking about all the times, we could have ended them, but didn’t, makes me feel responsible for what I just found.

  “No. Slasher started it after he was killed.” She whispers.

  “You knew didn’t you? When you got sick, it’s because you knew what we were going to find?”

  “Yes…” She replies, her eyes filling with tears that refuse to fall. Pulling her into my chest, I hold her like I would my sister, “that will never happen to you again, Red, I promise.” I say, more for my comfort than hers. The visions running through my head of Scarlett locked in one of those cages is making it hard not to go on a killing rampage. “I’m going to kill every one of those bastards.”

  “Can I watch?” Scarlett whispers, surprising me. I hadn’t realized I said that out loud, and would never expect, Red, to ask that question. I opt out of answering her, because the truth is I would let her watch, but wouldn’t that just fuck her up more. Spitfire is a strong woman, one of strongest I know, but DeWayne’s death still weighs heavy on her conscious. I have no doubt that, Scarlett, has been through more hell than all of us combined, but I can’t bear the thought of being the person to finally break her. When I do get my hands on, Slasher, and his men, I will do things to them that will haunt the devil himself.

  “Let’s get out of here. We have one more house to go to tonight.” I say to everyone in the room. All of the men went downstairs, except Teller, after they seen the look on Buck’s face. I can’t say I blame them. This is something we needed to see. We have failed our communities, these women, and ourselves by letting the, Blacktop Sinners, live for this long. Every single one of their members are on borrowed time, starting now.

  Chapter 22

  Mia

  The club house is eerily quiet right now. The few of us that are still here, sitting around the kitchen table, drinking cups of coffee. It’s almost dawn now, having been awake since Torch left, my eyes are needing all the caffeine I can consume to keep them open. The feeling of dread I get every time I think about Serenity made it easier to send, Scarlett, off to a war that she shouldn’t be a part of. I’ve been where she’s at, locked away somewhere, with little hope of surviving. Knowing, Serenity, has a tiny fighting side gives me hope that she can last until Torch finds her. Then reality creeps in and I remember that they also have, Taz, and although I hate to think it, there would be no reason for them to keep him alive. They most likely killed him, and made Serenity watch, which would have destroyed her.

  Sammy is sitting across from me, rubbing her rounding belly, lost in thought. Looking to my left I see Rebecca staring into the distance, withdrawn from the conversation that is going on around us table. Hammer has been talking to the bartender, Dak, who is also a prospect. I’ve always wanted to ask him if that was his real name. Out of all the bikers I’ve met these last few months his name seems standard. That’s in comparison to a room full of men with names like Torch, Hammer, Brass, and Saint. He’s a nice-looking guy, with a baby face that makes him look even younger. Almost too quiet, only talking when necessary, but at least you know when he does say something he means it. I’ve never seen him hooking up with any of the whores, which could mean one of two things. He’s gay, which wouldn’t surprise me because all the hot ones are, or he has standa
rds.

  “They should be back by now.” I hear, Dak, say. Looking out the window, that sits over the sink, the sunlight starting to shine through supports his statement. There will be no point in trying to sneak around during the day. Slasher has proven to be smarter than anyone originally thought. Scarlett’s lead is the only one we have. No one is willing to risk that by being seen.

  “Well speaking of the devils themselves.” Hammer says, when the roar of motorcycles can be heard getting closer. I basically fly out of my seat, running for the side door, knowing that is where the men always park their bikes. I’m outside in record time, before some even has time to get off their seats. Scarlett, having seen me, comes barreling into my arms. I hold her close, my grip probably too tight, because I can tell she needs it. Whatever they just went through is taking a toll on her. Usually she closes herself off, not wanting to seek comfort from anyone. Yet, her she is in my arms, trembling. Buck is the first to walk into the club house, his face full of defeat, shoulders slumped. Shortly after Teller follows him in.

  “What happened?” I ask, Torch, as he walks up, a strange emotion shining through his eyes. The realization that something has affected him in this way, causes my stomach to drop, thinking the worse. Have they found Serenity and Taz? Were they too late?

  “Someone has to say something.” I declare, hearing the panic in my voice. Scarlett only tightens her grip around my waist, hinting that she’s not going to be the one to tell me. Torch, noticing, my desperation finally starts talking.

  “We didn’t find them, or any Blacktop Sinners.”

  “Okay… That’s not all bad news, Right?... I mean there is still a chance they could be at another house. Right?” I question, trying to get some hope back into our spirits. Turning my focus to Saint, still holding Scarlett in my arms, I can see there is something else going on. For whatever reason, Torch, is hesitant to tell me.