"Okay gentlemen, shall we continue this party inside?"
The guys cheered and filtered through the door of the clubhouse chatting among themselves.
I leaned on my motorcycle and let out a deep breath, "Penny for your thoughts?" I opened my eyes to see Sketch standing in front of me.
I laughed my bad mood off, I didn't want members to grow suspicious as this should've been a joyous occasion. "You don't want to know my thoughts man!" I crossed my legs at the ankles and folded my arms across my chest, I didn't have any beef with Sketch but he obviously had something on his mind. "What's with the concern?"
Sketch shrugged, "You seemed a little annoyed that's all."
"Wouldn't you be if Onyx had you riding around for an hour on a wild goose chase?"
He nodded his head slowly, "Yeah but it seems more than that. I've been watching you and you really don't fit in here."
I furrowed my brows and pushed off of my motorcycle, "Well they obviously think I fit in." I stated pointing towards the clubhouse. "And what do you mean watching me? Do you want my arse or something?"
Sketch sniggered, "You may have fooled them but you haven't fooled me."
"Is there a point to this conversation Sketch because I feel like we're going around in circles?"
"No, no point just letting you know of my observations."
"Well thanks for that." I walked past Sketch and patted him briefly on the shoulder.
"Saviour!"
I turned on my heels, "Yeah?"
"Stay safe."
"Okay." I said slowly as I turned back around and walked towards the clubhouse feeling a little confused to what he was implying. If Sketch had seen something different about my demeanour then I wasn't doing a very good job of protecting myself, he was right I needed to protect myself.
The hours flew by quickly as the guys knocked back drink after drink, I passed pleasantries knowing that I needed to wait before I took off home. It was killing me not knowing how the drugs run went for the Aces and I knew I'd have some explaining to do as to why I hadn't showed.
"Here, you can have this back." I took the phone from Onyx's open palm and slipped it into my jean pocket.
"Is there a reason why you took my mobile?" I asked inquisitively.
Onyx chuckled, "I checked your messages."
I rolled my eyes, "And did you find anything suspicious?" I asked knowing full well that he wouldn't find anything incriminating on this phone.
"No, you're actually quite boring."
"And on that note I'm going home to be boring by myself." I turned to the sound of his chuckles and waved as I weaved through the people to exit the building.
My adrenaline pumped as I raced home, wanting to call Duke and explain myself. On arrival at my bedsit I quickly dumped my jacket and helmet on the sofa before removing the screws from the air vent so that I could get my phone.
I looked at the screen to see that I had several missed calls and messages from various members of the club and knew that there had been a problem.
I scanned the messages and quickly found that they had two things in common. The drugs run had gone horribly wrong and Viper was dead, Shit!
Chapter 5
Saviour
Four years earlier
"Thanks for coming out for a drink tonight." Priest said as we entered the bar.
"Not a problem man, I was also at a loose end."
I'd been biding my time over the past three years trying to find a way to get close and pick them off one by one, I needed the club to trust me so as not to become suspicious and my patience had finally paid off. This was the best opportunity I'd had so far but I needed to get Priest wasted before my plan could spring into action.
I'd brought him to a pub a little further out in the countryside than we used to but I needed to make sure that we didn't bump into anyone from the club. The pub was a combination of old and new with a small dance floor in the corner of the room, I knew it would be busy tonight because of the DJ playing which was great because I didn't want to stand out too much.
As we pulled up outside the pub, I quickly looked around my surroundings to see what options I had. We were surrounded by woodland and if I could lure him into the forest I'd have a good chance of dealing with my first victim.
"Take a seat and I'll go and get us a drink." Priest nodded and walked towards a seating area a little too prominent in the room for my liking but I'd move us later if it was possible.
"What can I get you?" A buxom blonde asked as she fluttered her eyelids.
"Two pints of larger, two vodka and orange, and take one for yourself."
The barmaid winked and grabbed two glasses, "I haven't seen you here before." She stated pulling the pints.
"Not usually my scene love but I fancied something a little different tonight."
The barmaid glanced over my shoulder and smiled, "Looks like your mate fancied something a little different also."
I followed her eye line to see a bird sitting on Priest's lap. I groaned at the interaction, we were supposed to be keeping a low profile this evening.
"£14.50 please." I turned to see the barmaid's hand held out and rummaged in my pocket for my wallet.
"Thanks, keep the change." I stated handing her the notes. I didn't have time to waste with idle chit chat, I needed to get alcohol in his system and fast before I ran out of time.
I quickly glanced around the pub making sure that no one was looking and popped a tablet into the orange juice. It would taste fucking horrible but it was the only way I was going to get him to take something this evening.
I swirled the drink as I made my way over to the table, making sure that the tablet dissolved in time.
"Fucking hell, I thought I'd die of thirst waiting for you."
The girl slithered from Priest's lap and sat in the seat directly beside him as I pushed his two drinks across the table.
"Is this mine?" The young girl asked as she reached towards the vodka and orange.
I slapped her hand away, "Get your fucking own." I stated glaring at her. I didn't want her ruining what could be a very eventful evening, I needed him to either get high or get drunk and I was on a strict time frame.
"Stop being such a twat, here beautiful." Priest picked up the glass and winked as he passed it to her.
She smiled and knocked back the drink in one, "Yuck that tastes like shit."
"Well you can always go and buy your own fucking drink," I stated lifting my pint to take a swig.
She giggled as she snuggled up to Priest, "Is he always this grumpy?"
"Yes," Priest stated before he turned to kiss the girl.
This wasn't going according to plan and I knew that I wasn't sitting here all night watching them get it on, I'd probably have to change my plan for this evening.
"I need some crisps." I stood and made my way to the bar. "Can I have another vodka and orange, a couple of bags of crisps and a beer but put a couple of vodka shots in it?"
"What's up babe?"
"What do you mean?" I asked the barmaid as I slid a couple of notes across the bar.
"Shots in pints? Men only do that when there's a woman involved."
I sniggered, "No woman, I just want to get shit faced." She smiled and poured me the drinks, and I was pleased that she got the hint and didn't ask any more questions.
"Here have these." I placed the drinks in front of the love birds, and they surprisingly came up for air long enough to hold a brief conversation. Beth, the girl that had joined us was a local and had explained that she was a sales assistant. She didn't have too much about her but then I didn't plan on getting to know her further. I was purposely trying to piss her off so she'd fuck off but she wasn't getting the hint. I had to change tact and fast, I needed to get her drunk too so that she hopefully wouldn't remember a thing. I let out a heavy sigh, it was going to be a long evening.
We'd now been here for over three hours and between the two of them they'd consumed a lot of alcohol and
drugs. Priest was slurring his words and declaring his love for Beth which was hilarious to watch but I had a job to do and I was doing it this evening, I'd already let my plan run on for too long.
He was partly responsible for the death of my entire family, and because of that he was going to die by my hands. I'd spent so much time with these rancid people, gaining their trust and becoming one of them but it was now time for me to start picking them off, one by one. Priest would be the easiest of the three as he lived a fairly simply existence and had a regular routine of working as a brick layer. He lived alone so I had considered paying him a visit one evening but I didn't want his death to look like a hit, I needed it to look like an accident or even a fight that went too far, and that's why this evening would be perfect.
"Do you wanna come back to mine babe?" Priest slurred as we left the club with his arm tucked firmly around Beth's shoulders.
She giggled like a school girl as she snuggled closely enjoying his embrace, "Sure big boy." She cupped his balls and winked at me when she noticed me staring. "Is Saviour joining us?" she asked turning her attention back to Priest.
"Sharing ain't my thing babe." Priest stated as I held open the door to allow the two of them to stagger through. "I need a slash!" Priest pulled on the zip of his jeans as he made his way around the corner of the bar so he could take a piss.
"Shit!"
I turned my attention towards Beth as she stumbled to the ground landing on her hands and knees. Beth was becoming irritating, I just needed her to go so I could deal with my problem.
"Silly me," Beth sighed as she tried to get up from the ground.
I could see the blood drip down her legs but she obviously couldn't feel the pain because she was tripping out of her head. Once she was on her feet she made her way towards me and ran her hand over my chest. I grabbed her wrist forcefully before pushing her away, "What about instead you just fuck off. You've ruined a perfectly good evening already now jog on." I stated through gritted teeth.
She twitched, trying to process what I'd just said with a vacant expression.
I didn't give a shit if I hurt her feelings, she was the one thing standing in my way for me to find a little piece of closure but she just wasn't taking the hint. I rummaged around in my pocket and pulled out a couple of tabs and her eyes widened. "Oh you like that babe," Beth nodded her head excitedly. "Well take these and fuck off," I placed the small tabs into the palm of her hand and closed her fingers securing them in place.
Beth turned and staggered away from the club at a steady pace, yo-yoing towards the main road. I didn't want her to come to any harm but I wasn't having her jeopardise what I needed to do.
I watched her walk away until she was out of sight and turned to the sound of someone stumbling on the loose gravel.
"Where's...that bird gone?" Priest slurred. He tried to focus on me as he swayed before surging forward to steady himself against a lamp post.
"She had to get home something about a babysitter," I lied.
"Fucking bitch! She said she didn't have any kids." Priest slowly moved away from under the light and staggered across the car park towards me.
I contemplated how to play this now that he was heavily intoxicated and ripe for the picking. I kicked a stone and watched as it hit the wall. "He shoots and he scores," I yelled laughing to myself excitedly as the nervous tension filled my body for what I was about to do. I turned towards Priest and noticed how quiet he'd become, "What's up with you?" I asked placing my hands on my hips.
"It's you." He mumbled quietly.
"It's me what?"
Priest pointed at me as he came closer, "It's you." He stood before me and ran his thumb down the stubble on my cheek, "The kid from the alley, it's you."
The blood drained from my body at his realisation of who I was but he had now called my bluff. I needed to step this up another level and I knew one thing for sure, one of us wasn't leaving this car park tonight.
"Polar said there was something dodgy about you, you're a dead man walking." Priest backed up slowly trying to remove his mobile from his pocket as he kept eye contact.
I needed to act now before it was too late. I surged forward, Priest saw the menace in my eyes and quickly turned around stumbling to get away. I was relieved that the car park was still empty and took my opportunity to take chase and stealthily made my way after him as I removed my blade from my sheath. I wasn't intoxicated or high so I made ground on him easily as he stumbled on the gravel making his way towards the bushes on the outskirts of the car park. Priest ducked out of sight through a gap in the hedge but I charged after him and caught up as he made it into the clearing. I lunged at him and managed to wrap my arm around his neck to hold him tight before I plunged my blade deep into his back making sure that it reached his kidney.
Positioning my mouth close to his ear to taunt him, "That's right Priest, I'm that boy. I'm that boy that became an orphan when you, Polar and Onyx murdered my family." I whispered softly. I moved the position of my arm so that I could cover his mouth with my left hand as I twisted the blade in his back. This stifled his screams a little but I was worried that we may be detected. I tried to move him forwards in the upright position but he was a dead weight in my hands and quickly slumped to the ground.
Fuck! This was all wrong. Years of preparation had gone into this moment and in a blink of an eye all of my plans had gone to shit because he'd recognised me. A simple thing such as kicking a stone and celebrating like I did twenty odd years ago had alerted him to who I was. The worrying thing was that Priest had also mentioned that Polar had become suspicious of me. I let out a loud sigh trying to gain my composure and get a grip of the situation. I couldn't move Priest, he was too fucking heavy plus I didn't want to incriminate myself further by touching his body any more than I had to. The way he'd been killed would already raise suspicion as it was a clean stab to the kidney, something your common attacker wouldn't do. Shit!
I dug around in Priest's pocket and pulled out his keys and wallet, and removed the notes. I gave it a quick wipe before I threw it onto the ground beside his body to make the scene look like a robbery gone wrong.
Backing up slowly, I made my way back through the bushes and out into the car park. I zipped up my cut fully as the night air had turned cold and strutted towards my motorcycle thankful that I hadn't been detected. I placed his keys into the ignition and left them dangling, hoping some little scrote from the club would see them and steal the motorcycle adding more substance to his murder. I straddled my seat and let out a satisfactory sigh as I fastened my helmet and made my way home. One down, two to go!
I arrived home and stomped into the bathroom removing my clothes as I went. Leaning on the vanity unit I hung my head, and took a deep breath. I thankfully hadn't got any blood on my clothes but I needed to wash the claret and grime from my hands.
I turned on the shower to warm up the water and looked at myself in the mirror. The only thing that had driven me over the past sixteen years was my desire for revenge, and now that I was a step closer I could feel a slight relief and a piece of my soul had been mended. I'd had some dark days over the years I'd even contemplated suicide as I thought life couldn't carry on, living from one day to the next committing petty crimes in order to stay alive. With no guidance or nurturing, and only my memories as comfort, I managed to ride the storm and find solace within the club which was the only family I had known since the murder of my family.
The Aces had been my constant, they'd offered me the support that I had needed during my lowest point but I was surprised that I'd not been made an example of over the years because of the way that I would drop everything in order to conceal my double life. I couldn't make them aware of what I was dealing with as I didn't want them involved as the repercussions would be too severe and I wasn't prepared to lose anyone else. This was my fight, there had been enough death already and I couldn't have a club member on my conscience.
I stood under the spray of the water making
sure that every trace of Priest was gone. I didn't want this blip to hamper my plan in getting to Polar and Onyx, I needed to pull myself together and move ahead as quickly as possible. I couldn't cope with being surrounded by these club members any more than what was required, these were sadistic monsters that needed to be destroyed.
Once I was dressed, I made my way over to the clubhouse, I needed to show my face and get my story straight before shit hit the fan when they eventually found Priest's body.
"I thought you were out with Priest?" Wes asked as I entered the clubhouse.
"Two's company, three's a crowd. Give me a large whiskey." I stated beckoning my hand encouraging him of the urgency.
Wes frowned and quickly glanced over my shoulder before pouring what I'd asked for.
"Is everything okay Saviour?" April asked as she sat beside me.
I knocked back the drink in one and felt the stinging sensation as the liquid lined my insides. "And another," I stated as I pushed the empty glass towards Wes. "Yeah, I just need a stiff drink. What's with the twenty questions?" I asked turning my attention to April.
She pinched her lips tightly, she knew I was in a mood and didn't want to antagonise me further.
"Where's Priest?"
I turned to see Polar stalk towards me, "I left him getting sucked off in the car park by some bird, and I wasn't waiting for him."
Polar nodded and grabbed April's arm roughly, pulling her from the stool to march her towards the back room.
"Wanna talk about what's really gone on?" Wes asked. "You're not usually much of a drinker." I liked Wes, he was a good kid and had become a hang around helping us out behind the bar when things were busy.
I knocked back the second drink, "What are you my mother?" I asked sarcastically as I slid the empty glass back in his direction. "I've just had some bad news," I stood from my stool.
Locke (Aces MC Series Book 4) Page 5