by J. L. Drake
“What?” He gasped as two sets of boots appeared on either side of me. I stood and stepped back while three more cartel men took my place.
“We seem to have a problem here, Mr. Vineyard.” Bruno dropped the picture of Zay wearing a DR cut on Allen’s lap.
I grabbed Tess by the arm and turned her around while the hungry weasels squealed as they awaited their next victim. Like my father, the weasels had no loyalty.
Just before we hit the cool night air, I heard the screams and felt my own demons race across the desert floor and join in on the kill.
“I can’t believe you didn’t kill him yourself,” Tess huffed as I helped her onto my bike. “He was right there for the taking.”
“A year ago, I would have dragged his sorry body to the slaughter room, but now they owe me.” I nodded to the cartel outside guarding the hanger. “I gained a debt, and that’s more valuable.”
“Ah,” she gave me a knowing smile, “growth.”
I supposed so.
She leaned up and kissed me hard. I started my bike, waited for her arms to wrap around me, and we took off toward home.
I never once looked back. I was finally free.
***
It had been a long time since the club had enjoyed a real party free of worry. A level of lightness was felt by all as the endless bottles of whiskey and rum where passed around. Ryder had recruited three more prospects who seemed to fit in well. It was good to see my club numbers grow again.
“Congrats, you old bastard.” Brick slapped Morgan on the shoulder.
“I wear it with honor.” He gave me a tight nod. It had been hard to convince Morgan to take over the position of Sergeant at Arms. I assured him Gus wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Rail bumped into Morgan as he made out with some redheaded chick. She threw me a cocky grin and made me laugh. She looked familiar, then I remembered it was that wild little number from Strokes.
“Have you seen the women here?” His words were slurred. “We’re outnumbered.”
I grabbed his bottle of whiskey and downed the rest. I searched the sea of bodies and spotted her by my pickup.
Fuck me.
“You sure Tess didn’t send that one?” Brick laughed.
“Fuck you.” Rail punched his arm. “She got me so messed up I always check the throat. That one sure doesn’t have a lump. Believe me, any she’s got are all in the right places.”
“I don’t know, Rail.” Morgan joined in. “You never can tell.”
“Chicks with dicks, man. Stay away.” Brick ducked the fist that came at his head.
“Trigger?” My mother stepped out of the crowd. “Can we speak?”
I noticed Zay was back against the door, looking as uneasy as shit. I nodded at her to follow me. We headed into my office, and he followed suit.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what I was up to. Truthfully, I didn’t think you’d allow it.”
“Nope.”
She sighed. “Just let me explain, then you can kick us to the curb, so to speak.”
I waved for her to continue.
“I’ll keep it short. I had Zay six years after I had you. I was in a better position then.” She rubbed her neck uneasily. “He’s not a saint, Lord knows that, but when he answered a call one night to do a hit, I heard the voice on the other end of the phone, and it chilled my soul. I knew it was him, and I told Zay. He met up with him. He was all dressed to impress and wanting to do a hit on a member of the cartel. We kept an eye on him, following him, and soon learned what his real motives were.”
“Gus was poking around a long time ago,” Zay spoke up, “lookin’ for her.” He nodded at my mother. “Word spread quickly that Allen was back from the dead and looking to build an army to take down Devil’s Reach. So, one thing led to another, and we embedded me into his life.”
“Why?” I found this all very hard to believe.
“We’ll call it an opportunity.”
“Meaning?” I folded my arms.
“Meaning,” my mother stepped closer, “I had one last chance to do right by you, Nolan. Zay agreed to do this. All he wants in return is a place at your table.”
I shook my head and ran my hand down my beard.
“How nice of you to let him think I’d ever consider that.” I dripped with sarcasm.
“Look,” her tone sharpened, “you can be pissed off all you want, but I’m a fighter too, and I don’t have a lot of time. If this is what it takes to bring you two together before I’m six feet under, then so fucking be it.”
I glanced at Zay, who smirked with a shrug. “She’s a lot feistier than she lets on.”
I pushed off my desk and thought for a moment. I never saw this coming, but it was shoved in my face, and I needed to sort it out. The party was getting louder and drew my attention to the fact that devil was finally gone, and I apparently had gained not only a mother but a brother.
I looked at him intently; his face was unreadable.
Fuck.
“I’ll find a room for you tomorrow. We’ll hash out the rest of the shit another time.” I put Rail’s bottle on the desk before I chucked it at someone and moved toward the door. I needed to get the hell out of there before I changed my mind.
I pushed through the back doors and let that shit stay inside. It was time to party. Fuck knew I deserved that much.
Rail was already back on the hunt for his little redhead. I moved past them and over to Tess. She had on a tight black leather dress, and when she turned to let someone pass, I saw the back, and my dick stood to attention. Crisscrossed down her back was a thin biker chain that held the fabric in place.
She had never looked sexier.
She pivoted on her studded heel when she saw Minnie point over her shoulder. A big smile spread across her lips and lit up her eyes.
“Hi. You like?” She bit her lip, and my erection twitched.
“Tray!” I shouted above the music.
He was next to me in three beats.
“Now.”
He whistled for everyone to shut the fuck up before he looked down and thought for a moment.
“Nothing traditional, Tray,” Morgan yelled. “We keep it short and sweet.”
Tray nodded and stepped up to us. “I had the privilege to get ordained in prison, and now I have the privilege of standing here in front of you two to tie you together forever.”
“I said short,” Morgan joked.
Tray held up a hand like he got it. “Nolan Vineyard, do you take Tess Marin to be yours today, tomorrow, and forever?”
“Yeah.”
“Tess, the same shit goes for you?”
“Yes.” She gave me a wink.
“With the power of some dusty church in prison, I can now say…you’re married.”
The entire place blew up with cheers, bottles breaking, and gunshots into the air.
I grabbed Tess by the waist and slammed her against me and kissed her with every single part of me.
The party lasted well into the night. Tess toyed with my patience because she wanted to stay, and all I wanted to do was have her naked beneath me. She assured me she was mine to do whatever with as soon as the place died down.
“Brick.” I signaled for him to step away from the group.
“What do you need, boss?”
I handed him a piece of paper with an address scribbled on it. “I don’t know much, because it’s not my shit to know, but he’s alive and working in Washington. He goes by a different last name now, Wilson.”
Brick studied the paperwork for a few beats before he glanced at me with a complex expression. His eyebrows were pinched together, and his mouth twisted as he thought.
“Follow the lead or don’t, just couldn’t sit on it any longer.”
“Right, thanks.”
“Yeah.” I slapped his shoulder before he wove through the crowd and disappeared. I understood that feeling all too well, and I wasn’t sure if I liked that I was the one who just dropped m
y VP in some unwanted shit, but it was something he deserved to know. I knew Brick had never met his father, but he was a good man. So, if he decided to find his brother, I’d back him.
Some guy body-slammed me. His face fell when he saw who I was. I pushed him into the wall, and he bounced off and into the pool. Jackass.
Mike: Congrats, man. Well deserved.
I tucked my phone away and found Tess and Minnie doing shots with Morgan. I knew she would have liked to have had Savannah and Mike here, but there was a line we didn’t cross. We might be acquaintances—friends, even—but our worlds operated very differently.
The chatter got to be too much for me, so I moved away.
I sat on the seat of my pickup, door open and feet on the ground, arms resting on my knees. The little purr that came from behind me soon showed herself. Now that she was bigger, she had moved into the cab of the truck. She squeezed under my arm and onto my lap.
“Too loud for ya?” I rubbed her ear, and she yawned and settled in. I wasn’t an animal person, but this little shit had grown on me.
“Hey! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I heard Rail shout behind the gate. I set the cat down on the passenger seat and started to make my way over to him.
I swung open the gate to find Rail and Denton kicking the shit out of a Stripe Back. I reached over and hauled Denton back as he pulled his boot back and was about to kick the man’s face in.
“What the—” Denton went to swing but stopped short when he saw it was me. “This dick was about to crash the party!”
“Get rid of him,” I ordered Rail.
Denton tried to wiggle out of my hold. “Come on, Uncle T. Let me have one last swing at him.” His face was red and sweaty, and his eyes held a familiar gleam.
“Not yet.” I waited for him to calm down before I released his arm. He fought to fix his shirt and wiped his forehead on his shirtsleeve. Denton was scrappy, and I admired that. “Your time will come.”
We watched as Rail stuffed the man into the back of the weapons van. He’d be dumped later.
Denton slowly lifted his head to look at me, and the dark promise that raced through his expression and lit his eyes proved my opinion was right about him.
He would take my seat at the head of the table someday, after I made this club something he could be proud of.
***
Tess
“Come on.” I hopped off the bike and motioned for him to follow.
“You promised me a night of you beneath me,” he muttered darkly.
I took his hand and pulled him to follow me. “Trigger, you can have as many nights as you want, but on this one night, this is important to me, so shut up and come.”
“I would love to,” he grunted, and I laughed.
With my bag over my shoulder, I hit the button, and the elevator rose. When the doors opened, we were met with the cool night air and a sky full of stars.
It was exactly what I hoped for, and as I looked around, I saw Minnie had done a great job.
A few candles were lit along the edge of the stone rail, a bed was set up across from us in the corner, and my favorite part was right where it needed to be.
“Night’s looking up.” He smiled at the bed.
I twisted and removed his shirt then pulled back his hair and studied his face.
“Will you do something for me? Don’t say anything until I’ve finished my story.”
He nodded.
“Okay, well, when I moved here, Brick got me the place right over there.” I pointed, but he didn’t look. He kept his intense gaze on me. “I was reading my book and heard this noise over and over again. I went to my window and saw a man. He seemed almost to be dancing. He was punching a bag—in perfect form, I might add. I grabbed my camera and snapped this photo.” I held it up for him to see. “I called you my rooftop boxer. I was intrigued by you, and when I met Trigger at the bar, I almost felt conflicted on who I wanted to know more. It wasn’t until Minnie and I were in the desert that I shared this story, and she told me it was you.”
He kept looking intently at me as I rushed on. I wanted him to hear it all. “My point to this story is you have many different sides to you, Trigger, the good, the bad, and the flip, and no matter where you are inside this head of yours, know I will always be there to bring you back.” He smiled, but a real smile—one I hadn’t seen in a very long time, if ever.
“I love you,” I whispered through the unwanted emotion that flooded me.
He kept his eyes on me as his chest rose and fell. I wondered if I had gone a little too far with my story, but as I went to step back, he grabbed my arms and closed his eyes.
His fingers inched down and found mine, and something cold and smooth slipped over my ring finger.
“I hate traditional shit, but you deserve one.”
I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. A simple black band that matched my engagement ring shone in the low light.
“You’re better with words than I am, but I heard every single damn word you said.” He pressed his lips to my forehead. “I never thought a woman could free me from my hell.” His arm pressed into mine to reference the tattoo.
“Okay.” I waved off the sappy moment that became too much for me. “Now…” I grabbed a bottle of champagne, popped the cork, and hopped up on the ledge. “Go!”
He chuckled and stood in front of the bag and started to punch the leather.
Christ, he was sexy.
***
“You’re married,” Minnie repeated for the third time as we left the store, and I balanced the brown paper bag in my arms. “I mean, shit, Trigger is married.” She laughed. “I think this will take me a little time to get used to. What I wouldn’t have done to see Peggy’s lipstick-stained teeth as she sobbed at your wedding.”
“I sent her an invite,” I confessed.
“You had invites?” Her face twisted in disgust.
“No, just for her.”
“Oh, shit, that’s great!” She hit me on the shoulder, and I bumped into someone.
“Sorry!” I fumbled with my bags so they wouldn’t spill. A hand came up and steadied my arm, and I was greeted with a friendly smile.
“It was my fault. I was on my phone.” He took his hand from my arm, as my bags were now safe, and I saw his uniform. “Don’t tell, okay?” He winked and patted his police badge. His name tag read “O’Brian.”
“I won’t, Officer O’Brian, but here comes your friend.”
“Garrett!” a cop in the same color uniform called from across the street and waved. “We gotta go.”
“Have a nice day, ladies.” He gave a smile before he quickly jaywalked across the road.
“Don’t tell Brick, but shit, I love a man in uniform.”
I nodded in appreciation and watched him meet up with his friend. “You’re not alone in that thought, Minnie.”
“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Fin broke our moment.
“Nothing,” we said in unison.
“Where’s Rail?” I looked around and wondered where the hell he was.
“I waited for him to have a smoke, then I ran off.” He laughed. “Old shit can’t keep up.”
I pushed him forward, and we made our way into the club. I heard Trigger’s bike start up out back, and I dropped my stuff off at bar and sent Fin to help Minnie then hurried outside.
“Where were you?” One of his hands fell on his lap where my eyes were drawn to his erection. His gaze was hungry.
“Out for groceries.”
“Where you headed?”
“Gonna go for a ride, check out some new bikers in town.”
I felt the rush of excitement. Nothing like the possibility of trouble to fuel the fire inside.
He smirked as if he could read my mind. “Come on.” He tossed my helmet and jacket at me.
I flipped my hair back and pulled the helmet on. He tugged me forward and ran his hand down my hip.
“Damn, you look good in leather.” He nodded f
or me to hop on then revved the engine to alert the guys we were leaving.
They hit their bikes, and we headed out and quickly moved into formation. I loved the way we looked, everyone in their spot by rank. We might be ruthless, but we were a family, and respect was strong throughout the club.
Once we were on the Pacific Coast Highway and the sun was at our backs, I clicked on the mic.
“So, now what?” I squirmed with excitement and flexed my fingers on his erection.
“Now we sit back and enjoy the power.”
Ah, yes, the beauty of owning the key to the skeletons in the closet and owning two strip joints and a brothel.
“Whatever will we do with all the free time?” I teased.
He reached back and squeezed my thigh. “I can only think of one thing.”
I laughed, hugged my legs to his, and leaned back as far as I could go. The hot sun beat down on my shoulders, and I felt the wind flow up through the bottom of the helmet.
Trigger checked his mirror before he hit his mic. “We’re finally free, baby.”
The End
Trigger
Won’t break, whatever the cost
Time is moving, feeling lost
Can’t go on, can’t stay behind
In you, rest I find
Silence the demons, you hold them back
Calm the chaos and ease the storm
Even the ones that run and swarm
Once was dark, now is bright
You hold the key to my light
I want you, you want me
Give up and let this shit be
Time to move on, struggle past
Spark the fire, burns so fast
Silence the demons, you hold them back
Calm the chaos and ease the storm
Even the ones that run and swarm
Once was dark, now is bright
You hold the key to my light
Hop on and hold on tight