by Clare Power
After we fuck, we have a quick shower before I take my properly dressed woman out to show her off to my brothers. I never expected to feel this way about any woman. Nearest thing I can describe it to is pride, but it’s not that. I mean, I’m proud that this woman is mine, but this feels like so much more than that.
My brothers don’t let me down. They gather around us, giving me man hugs while Kat gets actual hugs. At this moment, I don’t even fuckin’ mind. We’re celebrating after all, but they’d better not get into the habit of thinking they can touch her whenever they want.
After the hug fest, Kat asks, “What are we doing today?”
“Today we’re going to start on your ‘Living in America’ educational program. Your first lesson will be learning to shoot.”
She digests this, grins and says, “Ok. Where?”
Irish replies, “There’s a local chapter of Cycle Devils here. Now that the worst of the threat against you is over, we can go and meet them.”
“Do I need to wear anything special?” she asks.
“Nervous?” Sock teases her, pissing me off.
“A little,” she replies, “I get to meet another chapter of the Devils and I still don’t feel I know an awful lot. I still don’t even know everyone in your chapter. I’m not sure of all the rules and such. Plus, shooting is something I never really thought about until Backfire mentioned it. I just need to get my head around the idea, so by the time we get there, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
“You’ll be fine, Kat.” I tell her, “Just stay close and if you’re nervous, keep quiet. That way, nothing can go wrong while you’re finding your feet. And if anyone dares to question you, they’ll have me to answer to!”
Chapter 20
Charleston Cycle Devils
Kat
We arrive at the Charleston CDMC clubhouse, which isn’t actually in Charleston, but just outside the city by a minor highway. It looks like an old bar or roadhouse with an old motel behind the main building that looks like it fell into decline when the new highway came through. Now it’s a fenced off compound like I always imagined US biker clubhouses to look. Beyond the buildings, it looks like it leads into a forest, and there doesn’t appear to be any neighboring buildings nearby. Good thing for them, I suppose. I worked out that this is why Backfire wanted me to have his property patch away from his clubhouse. I can already see the benefits.
I stand behind him as I’m not really sure of the correct protocol, but this seems like the way to go. None of the guys address me, and Backfire doesn’t introduce me. I start to get a little pissed when he’s talking and Shades slyly squeezes my hand in warning while Irish gives me a slight shake of his head. Fine. I’ll just keep a lid on it for a little while longer and see what happens next.
The guys proceed to the bar. Shades is buying so he raises an eyebrow at me, “Diet?” he asks. I smile and give him a nod.
Backfire sits on a barstool and pulls me to stand between his legs, “Thanks for keeping quiet, Kat. It helps us not to draw any more attention to you than being my property fuckin’ will.”
I quietly work through that comment and my anger starts to chill. The others look at us, knowing I’m still getting my head around things.
“So aren’t you going to ask anything?” Backfire pushes.
“Actually I wasn’t, but if you want to tell me when we’re doing this gun thing, I’m all ears,” I smile at him and the guys laugh.
“After we’ve had our drink,” and then he laughs as I turn in his arms to hug him.
Backfire
It fuckin’ kicks ass to see my girl excited. As we walk closer to the gun range, I can literally feel the excitement coming off her. I did have plans to go through gun parts and cleaning and putting a gun together, but I realize now isn’t the time. The new plan is to let her just shoot. I have a little collection of different guns for her to try that the local brothers have lent us. I hope they’ll have a gun that she likes and fits her well.
I tell her the revised plan as we get to the range. My brothers help me and soon there is a line-up of different shapes, grips, and calibers of handguns sitting on the table. My brothers and I have decided to try a few different guns ourselves. It’s rare for me to let someone else touch my gun, but you never know. There might be a gun here I might like to own.
We explain the basic rules for today to Kat. She’ll fire on her own. A gun will be handed to her and she is only allowed to point it at the target or the ground―no walking around or anything like that to start with; just point, aim and fire. When it’s our turn, she is to stand behind us, away from the gun table. I know it’s fuckin’ baby steps, but who wants a fuckin’ accident here, especially from a total newbie, no matter how responsible she might be otherwise.
So it begins.
My brothers shoot first to show Kat the right way to set yourself up and to get her used to the noise before it’s her turn. We’re not great on protective equipment here. As she’s already been shot at, she pretty much understands that they’ll be no use to her if she’s attacked again so she doesn’t raise an eyebrow at this. Gotta love my girl’s strength.
It starts out slow, but before I know it, she has a shit-eatin’ grin on her face and already has the hang of it. I fuckin’ love seeing such a carefree smile on that beautiful face of hers.
Eventually when she’s tried all the different guns, she asks to try a particular one again. I thought she would have done so sooner but I have to respect her for trying all the options available to her. She chooses a lightweight .38 designed for ladies. Repeatedly, she uses the same gun and her improvement with it is unbelievable. I reckon we’ll have to sort out some licenses, knowing my girl, and get her one. The best part is that it’s red, not pink like some of the guns here. It’s a chick thing. I am not fuckin’ buying anyone a pink gun, not even Kat.
Kat
I have to say that I’m impressed with how the guys have arranged this. It feels right. I know it’s set up as a taster session, but when we get back, I’ll look up gun safety and stuff like that.
I like this gun. Most of the other .38’s I tried were bigger and heavier, but this is small and designed for a woman’s hand, therefore the grip is also smaller. It’s definitely the most comfortable gun to use here, even better than the smaller calibers that I tried, so I spend the rest of the time practicing until the guys are done. I make a mental note of what sort of gun it is that I like because I foresee one coming my way in the future.
After all, a girl’s gotta shop.
They go to the table and make the guns safe, doing the manly backslapping thing, looking like they’ve conquered the world.
Men!
They’re just so easy to please.
Chapter 21
Again?
Kat
I’m feeling pretty psyched as we walk back to the clubhouse. The guys can tell and so they start in on teasing me. They’re not going to ruin my good mood.
I’m one of those people who just love to learn new skills. Whether I’ll ever consider using a gun for anything other than target practice is a whole different ballgame, but still, I suppose it might have some use as a deterrent. There are also significantly different wild animals here than in England, and whilst it’s not my intention to go hunting or deliberately hurt something, you never know when you could use it. I’ve been on some horse riding holidays in the West, in Wyoming and Montana, when I was younger and a responsible adult always took a rifle in case of emergencies. Bears and such apparently can be dangerous, but luckily we never saw one.
To say we aren’t exactly concentrating is no understatement, but to come around the corner into a gang of masked men with guns?
Oh God. Not again!
Chapter 22
How Fucking Dare They!
Backfire
I’ve got to stay with my girl. I can see her start to turn in on herself again and my brothers see it too, so they take the lead as I pull Kat closer to me.
“No, M
r. Backfire. We’ll be taking the young lady with us,” one of them says.
I feel Kat start to shake. One of them reaches forward to grab Kat and there isn’t a whole lot I can do to stop him as all of us are individually covered by guns to the head. Kat though, she grabs him and manages to pull his mask off. I instantly recognize him as a hang around from the Charleston clubhouse.
“That was unfortunate, but you might as well know this,” the man speaks, “We have people in all your little clubhouses. You’re no match for my employers.”
Sock pipes up, “You sure you don’t want to tell us more?”
“You sure think you’re clever, don’t ya,” he replies, “Why no, Mr. Sock. I don’t believe I do.”
But in a way he does tell us something more. He tells us that the association's minions know us all by name. Not a great development.
“We’ll be taking Miss Kat with us, so I think it will be best if you all are immobilized before we leave.”
Some of the bastards produce zip ties and soon they have us all tied up, hands behind our backs and our ankles fastened tight. I am fuckin’ beyond furious. I’m going to kill every fuckin’ one of them.
“I suggest, Miss Kat, that you come with us. Don’t cause any further unpleasantness because I would hate to destroy everything you love, starting with these disreputable characters.”
How the hell did these hillbilly dipshits, who think they speak so fuckin’ proper, get into our club? How was this missed, and how many have infiltrated our clubhouses?
I watch as Kat looks at him with blank eyes, but with her hand behind her back, she waves at me. Looks like my clever girl is not as beaten as she appears.
Kat
I DON’T FUCKING BELIEVE THIS.
I’ve been shot at and kidnapped not once, but twice. Enough is enough. I am no longer scared or feeling frozen; I am pissed off. With the guys tied up and so many men against me, I have to play it smart, so I pretend to be terrified. Since these people have had balls enough to shoot at me before, it’s not really hard. I can play dumb. I attempt to appear to go along with what he says, but I’m waiting for my moment.
The thugs start to lead me away from the guys. I look back to see the fury and understanding in Backfire’s eyes. At least he gets the message that I haven’t given in.
Chapter 23
Games in the Woods
Kat
We don’t travel far before I have a little “accident.” I go over on my ankle and pretend that I’ve hurt it far worse than it actually is. Although they appear frustrated, no one tries to carry me so they have to slow down to my injured pace. I will play this for all I can ‘til Backfire and the boys can get to me.
Backfire
As soon as those stupid fucks are out of sight, some of my brothers from the Charleston club appear from the bushes and free us. They’re led by their Vice-President, Mad Mick. The name pretty much says it all.
Mick waits until we’re all on our feet and starts to lead us in a different direction than the one Kat was taken in. I start to object but he tells me, in no uncertain term, to get my shit together and trust them to know what is going on here.
That shit’s easier said than done. They have my old lady.
We soon join a large group of brothers from three different chapters; West Florida, Myrtle Beach, and Charleston. Mick explains that they couldn’t draw attention to the fact that they knew what was happening by all leaving the clubhouse at once, so they called in outside help. Makes sense, and it’s good to have people from my chapter here.
We slowly start to make our way around to the site where the kidnappers’ van is parked. Luckily, they don’t know their way around the grounds as well as we do, so it’s easy for us to get around quickly. Once we arrive at their van, we find that Tinman has been having fun with their engine.
Kat
The slow progress we make is not only due to my ankle, but these thugs are trying to make sure that no one is following them. They are so worried about it that they are taking even more time getting to their destination. This is a mistake on their part, in my opinion. This is only giving Backfire more time to help me, and of course, I see no reason to point this out to them. I want to see the surprise on their faces when they realise how stupid this idea of theirs was.
Backfire
Now that we’re in the clearing, we split back into our own chapters. Ace looks grim as he tells us that Brewer is working on finding out who the traitor is in our club. I’ve never seen him so fuckin’ angry, so I’m pretty sure whoever it is is not going to enjoy the fuckin’ rest of his very short life.
I find out there are forty odd Cycle Devils here, meaning the future is not looking too fuckin’ bright for the men who took Kat.
Snack, the Charleston President, comes over and tells me to go with the ambush squad. The sooner Kat’s with me, the better. He and Ace think it’s a good idea to send some of my chapter brothers as a group with me to get Kat to safety. I want to kill, but I want to get Kat even more. Trash, Shades, Bullet and Tinman are to be my backup.
We go into the woods to find the ambush point and wait. I can’t fuckin’ believe these kidnappers are so slow, but I’ll take it. They’ll fall right into our hands.
Kat
One minute I’m being escorted by my kidnappers and the next, about twenty Cycle Devils appear out of the woods. In a fleeting glance, I don’t recognise any of them, but in the space of time that that glance took, two Cycle Devils are escorting me into the woods, whilst the last glance I see of what’s happening is that every thug kidnapper has one of the Cycle Devils’ guns pointed individually at them.
I’m escorted a little way into the woods when I see Backfire and other guys I know. The relief is incredible. The whole process couldn’t have taken longer than an hour from start to finish, but even so, I’m alive and back with my man.
Backfire
Kat’s whisked away before the kidnappers can react. Our attack team is that fuckin’ fast. I guess that’s what happens when you have guys who have been in various branches of the military. There’s a whole mixture of different arms of the service represented in our club. From what I know, most MCs are the same. The best part is that Kat doesn’t see what happens to the kidnappers; she has enough on her mind without the images of violence my brothers rain down on them, and certainly doesn’t need to fuckin’ know or see the torture that will occur before they die.
My brothers give Kat to me and go back to the kidnappers. I wrap myself around her as she clings to me for dear life while I hold onto her just as fiercely. I keep coming too close to losing her and this has to fuckin’ stop. With Kat in my arms, I just want to hold her here forever. When did I become so fuckin’ soft? After a few moments, I come back to what’s going on around me, only to hear the kidnappers being herded into a clearing by the rest of my brothers.
Kat
“Backfire, it’s always been a fantasy of mine to be rescued by a tall, dark, handsome man.” I say as I snuggle into him as he bursts out laughing along with the others.
“My ankle hurts. I went over on it to slow them down and pretended it was worse than it really was, but can we walk back slowly guys?” Well that changed the atmosphere quickly. Note to self; don’t tell these guys you’re hurt. It brings out their protective nature.
“Let’s have a look then,” Bullet says. I don’t know him very well, but Backfire makes no comment so it must be alright. I take my boot off to survey the damage as Bullet pulls a first aid kit out of his backpack, “I used to be an army medic.”
I grimace as Bullet straps my ankle up. Maybe this wasn’t the cleverest plan, but it did help give the Cycle Devils time to get into position.
“How did you know that this would happen? How did any of you know to be ready for it?”
Bullet grins and says, “The hang-around that was in place at Myrtle Beach flipped and decided that he liked the club better than working with those association assholes, so Spook, the Myrtle Beach Pr
ez, cut him a deal.”
I didn’t realise the full extent of what I was taking on when I agreed to take on Backfire’s club. It’s pretty incredible, and something I really need time to take in.
Chapter 24
Aftermath
Backfire
As we get back to the clubhouse, I place Kat with her legs up on the leather sofa by the bar. I can tell she’s thinking about putting them down until she decides that it’s comfortable like this and goes with it. One of the bartenders acts like a waitress and brings her over a Diet Coke and some beer for the men. On the tray is a huge bar of English chocolate, which Kat pounces on. Soon she’s guzzling her drink and scoffing down her chocolate. I decide to just chalk it up to the fuckin’ madness that is my woman.
Kat
My day has significantly improved. Chocolate does that to a girl. When Ace and the other Presidents come over, everyone except for Backfire leaves.
Ace introduces Spook and Snack as they pull up seats around us. I go to put my leg down to give them more room when Backfire grabs my legs and keeps them where they are.
After they do a double check and see that I’m fine, they ask if I would answer some questions. Before I can speak, Backfire agrees for me.
Ace starts the questioning by wanting a virtual word for word repeat of everything the men said. I have to disappoint them by saying the only things they said to me when I was alone with them were things like, “come on” and “hurry up.”