After riding for around ten minutes, my attention is caught by the sudden sound of gunfire. I check in my mirrors to see the van spinning out of control. I yell out, trying to catch the attention of the crew, slowing my speed and slamming on the brakes, then I grab the handles of the bike and try to control it as I force it to halt to a stop. The bike falls on its side from beneath me. I scramble up from the ground, my eyes darting to Davo who follows me. Stopping, he props up the bike, running toward the van now on its side. Pulling out my gun, I run back toward the van, fire smoking from the engine compartment. I crouch a little, noticing the black bikes hiding behind the van. I lift my gun, opening fire on the men wearing black full-face masks.
“Shit,” I yell, looking over my shoulder to see if the guys have realized yet. I see Davo climbing onto the overturned van, desperately trying to open the door in an attempt to get Jarvis out.
The masked men return fire as they open the back of the van, pulling out one crate after another. A vehicle backs up and they start loading the crates with the guns inside.
“Nate,” Davo yells as he stands on the side of the van, opening the door. “I’m going to lower him down. Get ready to catch him,” he instructs and my eyes flit between the guys robbing our fucking guns, and Davo. He grunts and groans as he tries to get Jarvis out of the truck.
I hear the sound of motorcycles approaching and notice my father and the rest of the gang pull over just a little way down the road.
“The guns,” I roar, pointing to the motherfuckers loading their van. The doors slam shut and their wheels screech as they drive to get away. My crew opens fire on the vehicle and the motorcycles as they speed away from us.
“Motherfuckers,” my father growls.
The limp body of Jarvis is lowered from the van. Holding out my arms, I attempt to hold his weight. “Guys. Help me get Jarvis on the ground.” I’m yelling so loud my lungs burn. Zane runs to me, grabbing hold of his legs while I secure him under the arms. Moving him clear of the burning van, my heart pounds as the rage rises inside of me.
“Fuck,” I growl out, looking at the burnt body of Jarvis in my arms. His whole torso is covered in blood and it looks like he’s taken a bullet.
“Jesus Christ, no,” my father cries out, throwing his head back, holding his hand across his forehead.
“He’s not breathing, man!” I yell, hoping some fucker knows what to do.
Silver steps closer to us, dropping down to his knees. “What the fuck…?” His eyes flit between the van and Jarvis in my arms.
“Call the prospect,” my father demands to the guys. “We’re going to need another van.”
Zane drops to his knees beside me, tears falling from his hardened face. “We need to catch whoever did this.” Placing his fingers to Jarvis’ wrist, he checks for a pulse.
“He’s gone, man.” He lets out a huge breath, slowly stepping up from the ground. Holding his hands over his face, he slumps his shoulders, walking away from the carnage. Laying Jarvis flat on the ground, I step up, making my way over to check on Zane.
Walking over to him where he rests back against the seat of his bike, his head lowered, I place my hand on the back of his head, pulling it against my chest. “I’m so sorry, brother. He was a good guy. The best.”
“We gotta get the fuckers who did this! Did you get a look at any of them?”
“Nah, man. They were wearing masks. But I’m pretty sure I recognize the bikes.”
“Really?” he asks lifting his head, his bloodshot eyes narrowed and focused on me.
“Looks like the Deathseekers screwed us over big-time.”
“It wasn’t them,” my father interjects with a tone of absolute certainty.
I snap my head to meet his gaze. “We were just there. I saw the fucking bikes. I recognize them from the line-up outside the warehouse.”
“Oh, yeah, dipshit? And where did the van come from, huh?”
I turn to my father, flaring my nostrils and pulling back my shoulders, ready to kick this fucker’s ass. Father or not.
Flying up from sitting on the bike, Zane launches for my father, but I’m quick to step in his way, pushing against his chest. I won’t have my father use this against Zane.
“This is your fault. You told us we could trust them. You got Jarvis’ blood on your hands, you cocksucker.” He spits on the ground just in front of my father.
“Hold the fuck up,” he scorns. “No one knows for certain that the Deathseekers are behind this. But if they are, we’ll get to the bottom of it. Then I will make the traitorous bastards pay.”
Pointing his finger, Zane lunges in Jeffries’ direction. “Nate raised his concerns. You overlooked him and made this deal anyway. You fucked up, Prez. And now we’ve lost a brother!” He jolts forward one more time, but I push back on his chest, putting some distance between him and my father.
“Listen to me,” I whisper through clenched teeth. “We’ll fucking handle it. But not like this,” I say, trying to get him to understand that trying to fight with my father will only make him look bad. “We do this the right way. You get me?” I widen my eyes, searching his face for an answer.
“I want my revenge, Nate. Not just the Deathseekers, but your father as well. He gotta go. I need a promise from you.”
“You have my word,” I say with certainty. Because nobody wants my father out of the president’s chair more than I do.
Tara
Walking through the door to my apartment, I quickly lock it behind me.
Two weeks have passed. Two weeks since Jeffries tore my world apart. Two weeks since I became a victim. But I’ve decided that from today, I don’t want to be someone’s victim. I’ve accepted what happened to my body, now I just need to focus on repairing my mind. Because all I’ve felt since that day is numb. I need to start feeling again.
Dropping my purse on the table beside the door, I race over to the huge living room window that overlooks the parking lot. I wave to Mom who is waiting in the car below. She nods, waves, and makes her way out of the lot. It’s been great spending time with Mom. We don’t always see eye to eye but getting the time to rebuild our relationship is something I’m grateful for.
Moving back from the window, I drop onto the couch, sighing heavily as I glance around my apartment.
It’s good to be home.
Really good.
Resting my head back against the couch, I allow my eyes to close momentarily. The unexpected sound of my cell phone buzzing in my purse snaps me from my moment of silence. I jump up from my seated position, grabbing my purse and pulling out my phone.
“Hey,” I say, answering the call.
“Hey,” he replies sweetly. “How are you?” I recognize the nervousness in his voice.
“I’m good, Nate,” I reply, trying to reassure him. “But I’ve missed you,” I add meekly.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you so much, Tara. When you plan on coming home, huh? I really want to see you.”
“I’m… uh… I’m home.”
“Baby, why didn’t you tell me?” he asks, and I can tell he’s annoyed.
“I just got home. My mom dropped me off.”
“I’m coming to see you tonight.”
My body starts to shake. I want to see him so much, but how do I explain it if I freak out when he touches me? Or if I can’t be intimate with him? How do I even begin to explain that shit? I start to walk around my apartment, my body trembling at the thought of seeing him.
“Can’t wait,” I say, pushing aside my reservations. Because when it comes down to it, my love for Nate is what got me in trouble in the first place.
“I, uh, I have to bring Emily. It’s the only way I can get out of the clubhouse without being followed.”
“Shit…” I exhale heavily. “They’re still following you?”
“Can’t take any chances, babe. The whole club is at war because a deal that my father pushed for went south. We lost a brother. He’s losing his power. His men are starting to turn
on him,” he explains in a hushed voice. “It won’t be like this forever. I promise. You and me, we'll be together.”
I swallow down the sting of sick in my throat. Can we really survive what happened? Can we really be together after he realizes what his father has done, and he finds out what a liar I am?
“Babe,” he says a little louder, snapping me from my thoughts.
“Sorry, yeah, that’s fine. I guess I owe her thanks for helping out.”
“I think you’ll really like her,” he says, and I can tell he’s smiling.
“I’m sure I will,” I reply sweetly. “See you later.”
Ending the call, I drop my phone on the couch and head into the bedroom. I strip off my clothes, dropping them in the laundry basket. Heading into the bathroom, turning on the shower, I wait a few seconds for the water to run warm before stepping under the stream. I welcome the warm water as I rub over my face. Grabbing a washcloth, I work over my body, my eyes scanning for any bruises. I have to be sure there are none on show. Faint marks still appear around my inner thigh. Luckily, those are covered quite easily. Quickly washing my hair, I rinse out the suds before finally cutting off the stream. Stepping from the shower, I grab a towel, wrapping it around my body. I grab a second towel, rubbing it over my dripping hair. The sound of my cell phone ringing catches my attention and I race back into the living room, grabbing it from where it rests on the couch.
“Hello?” I answer breathlessly.
“Tara.” His voice reverberates down the receiver. I hold the phone from my ear, my hands shaking uncontrollably. “Don’t hang up,” I hear him shouting down the phone.
“Just leave me alone,” I choke out, barely placing the phone to my ear.
“Listen, baby,” he drawls. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. Let me make it up to you.”
“You… you… raped me,” I spit back. “You fucking monster.”
He hums down the phone. “I think you’ve got me all wrong.”
“Why are you doing this to me?” I ask, trying to get some clarity on what is happening here.
“Because I can. You flaunted yourself in front of me, and I decided that I wanted you there and then. When I made a deal with your cousin, that shit was for real. I’m just claiming my part of the deal. I have to say, if you keep making this hard I will have to start hurting your family. Don’t think for a second I didn’t know you were with your mom for the past few weeks.”
“Fuck you!” I scream, ending the call and throwing the cell phone against the couch, like the damn thing is on fire. Sinking to the floor, I bawl like a baby, rocking back and forth as I clutch the wet strands that have fallen over my face.
Will this nightmare ever end?
Nate
I lean back onto the seat of my bike on the remote wooded path, waiting for Brax to arrive. Pulling out a smoke, I light it and take a huge drag.
I see the SUV approaching and I stand, stepping closer to it as it slows. Finally coming to a complete stop, Brax jumps from the SUV.
“Hey, man,” he says, opening his arms and I take his embrace, patting him loudly on the back. “How’re things going?”
“Good,” I reply. “Real fucking good, Brax. There’s a definite shift in power at the club. The men don’t trust my father and have wanted reasons to get him from the head of the table for a long time.”
“I fucking knew it,” he says leaning back against the van, his arms crossed over his chest.
“What?”
“You. Head of the table. I knew it from the first time we worked together dealing with that motherfucker Alvrez.”
I hold up my hands, cocking my head. “Let’s not get carried away just yet.” I let out a little chuckle, taking another drag of my smoke.
“The one thing that concerns me, Nate, is you taking him out. Not only is he your father, he’s the president. If the club finds out you took out a brother, there’ll be no trust there. Can’t run a club on no trust.”
“I have no conscience when it comes to doing what needs to be done.”
“I don’t see it, Nate.” He smirks. “I have no doubts that your father would take you out. But the other way around.” He shakes his head. “I’m not so sure.”
“You don’t think I got the balls, man?” I ask, my voice low as annoyance fuels me. I flick my cigarette to the ground, returning my focus back to Brax.
“Hey. Hey.” He draws his brows together, standing tall and dropping his arms by his side. “That’s not what I’m saying and you know it.”
“Just what the fuck are you saying, man?”
“I’m saying that you’re better than that. It isn’t about having the balls, it’s about you having a better moral conscience than that asshole of a father.”
“He’s been threatening Tara. He wants what is mine, and for that, I’ll fight to the death. Tara is my future and if it means leaving my father in the past, so fucking be it.”
“I can handle this, Nate. I can make it so that you never have to be questioned about your father’s death. Men that will take him out, leaving us clean out of it.”
I nod, appreciating the offer. “That would be the easy option. I feel like I owe it to Tara to be the one to end this.”
“Well, the offer stands. I’m only a call away.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Don’t mention it. How is Tara? She seems to be avoiding me.”
“She’s back, man,” I say offering him a smile.
“What do you mean?” he spits back.
“Yeah. Got back today. I spoke to her earlier and arranged to see her tonight.”
“Is that safe? Shit...” He blows out a breath. “She should be with us. I want her at my place where I know she’s safe.”
“She ain’t going for it, man. It didn’t work last time, and it won’t if you try again. You can’t push her. She’s a stubborn fuck.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” he replies with a chuckle. “So, what can I do for you, man? Why all the secrecy and meeting here?”
“I need you to get me some intel on the Deathseekers. I need to find out exactly what went down that day and why. But most importantly get me some background on the son, Tyler.”
“Okay,” he replies pressing his lips together, tilting his head ever so slightly. “But why? Why so much interest in Tyler?”
“I don’t know, man. I got a good feeling from him on the meet. If my feelings are right, maybe enhancing him to Prez and creating a new alliance would work in the MC’s favor.”
A smile twitches at his lip. “You’re a smart one. I like it. Thinking outside the box.”
“Dealing drugs and weapons is not really my thing, man. It brings too much heat.”
“But the drugs have made you guys a lot of money.”
I sigh, stepping toward him and leaning back against his SUV. “Drugs were never a club thing. The drugs are a Jeffries thing. And yeah, it’s worked out so far. But it’s only a matter of time before the feds make the connection and it all blows back on the club.”
“So what? You’re giving the outlaw lifestyle a miss?”
“Nah, man. But what I propose is offering protection. Working with local businesses offering our services. I see it all the time. People come to my father asking for help. Because we are feared. But what if I turn that fear on its axis and use it as a tool? A way to make serious money. With the studio, the bike modification garage, and the gym, I think we can make enough money to keep the whole club comfortable, all while keeping the law off our backs.”
“Easier said than done, man. That would mean an end to our working relationship.”
“Listen, there are thousands of MC clubs out there willing to work with someone of your caliber…” I start to say, only to be cut off.
“But I trust you.”
I let out a rush of air, focusing on him standing in front of me. “Until I met Tara, nothing really made sense to me. I wasn’t living or feeling. I was simply existing. Fuck, I had nothing in my life t
hat made any sense. I love the club, it’s all I know. The brotherhood is something that is so ingrained in me, that without it, I’m not sure what I’d do. But that need for the club is because I know no better. I’ve never known anything different until I met Tara. She showed me something I hadn’t realized I was missing. Before her I was numb. Numb to feelings and numb to life. But Tara has stirred something in me, some feelings that I never knew existed. So when I say I want to make this right, it’s for her. It’s fucked up just how much she makes me feel.”
“Can’t argue with that,” he replies with a look of defeat on his face. “Listen, I’ll get my guys onto finding out about the Deathseeker kid. Soon as I have anything, I’ll let you know.” I hold out my hand, and he takes it, pulling me in for a man hug.
“Appreciate it. Thanks, brother.”
Parting, I watch as he makes his way back inside the truck, turning and heading back down the beaten path. I mount my bike, following him and heading back to the clubhouse.
Pulling up outside, I back my bike in line with the rest. I walk past the front porch, making my way inside. The dull hum of music plays, and I head straight into the main clubhouse. Zane and Davo are waiting on me and I smile at Emily who is cleaning glasses behind the bar. I give her a nod, and she smiles sweetly.
“Hey, brother,” Davo welcomes me.
“Hey, man,” I say walking over to them at the pool table.
“So, any news?”
I quickly bring the guys up to speed with my meeting with Brax.
“I don’t know why we haven’t killed those motherfuckers already,” Zane whisper-growls.
“I know it still hurts, and I promise, you will have your vengeance. But we have to be smart. We need to find exactly who’s behind the attacks since the Deathseekers are denying responsibility.”
“But we know it’s them,” Zane yells.
“But we need proof. I also think someone from the inside is involved in the orchestration of what happened.”
In love and ruins Page 21