Hidden Heat (Brothers of Mayhem #1)

by Carla Swafford

  A few feet away sat a large Harley-Davidson Touring Street Glide on the well-lit driveway. She was beautiful. Black, with lots of chrome.

  “Whose sweet ride?” She ran her fingers over the flames on the gas tank.

  “Trick’s.” He handed her a half helmet that matched his and the design on the tank. “Here. Let’s go.”

  “Sure is nice of your uncle.”

  “Ain’t nothing nice about hm.” The distinct sound of a Harley being revved up vibrated around her as he hit the gas. “Get on.”

  Okay, Mr. Cranky After A Nap. She looked away and strapped on the helmet. If she’d slept in a chair, she might be in a bad mood too.

  “Are you sure he knows we’re borrowing it?” When Thorn didn’t answer, she panicked. “No way am I going anywhere on a stolen bike.”

  “You didn’t feel that way earlier today.”

  “That was a different situation.”

  He humphed and started the bike.

  “Wolf is still working on my bike. He’ll bring it to me later and return Trick’s. He said it was okay.”

  A little relieved, she asked, “So you live here?”

  “No.”

  “Where do you live?”

  He sighed and ran a hand over the stubble on his face. “Time’s wasting. Get on.”

  She stepped on the metal bar, stretched a leg over, and settled in. On the large bike, she could easily sit behind him, leaving only their thighs touching. Instead, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his chest, keeping her hands in their proper place.

  Maybe she was a little afraid of what Stonewall had in store for her. Or maybe she was worried about her brother. Maybe all of that, but she wanted to hold Thorn for a short time longer.

  No more than fifteen minutes into the drive, he shouted something about her needing to eat. Food didn’t really appeal to her, but anything to delay her arrival at the clubhouse.

  They stopped and ate without saying much. She didn’t mind. She kept running scenarios of what she’d say to Storm. Seventeen years old, about to be eighteen, and he’d already been in trouble at school several times. Not really anything bad, but she knew he was biding his time until graduation next year. Mitch had said he could live with her if he promised to work at graduating from high school. So far he’d kept his promise. Storm had always taken his word seriously. But something had changed in the last few months.

  Once they were on the road again, she closed her eyes and breathed in Thorn.

  When had she started trusting him? Was it after he protected her from Stonewall the first time? Or when he helped her face her foster father and ask for money to purchase a battery? Maybe a little more each time, but when he didn’t yell, and he attended to her wound without complaint, she knew he was different from the other Brothers. He treated her better than any of her ex-boyfriends.

  But no matter how much she liked him, or how much he turned her on, something wasn’t on the up and up about him. If only she could put her finger on it.

  Faster than she wanted, they reached the city of Brook Hill and the section the Brothers of Mayhem claimed as their territory. They passed warehouse after warehouse until Thorn slowed down in front of one with a big sign showing the club’s colors, reading, “Brothers of Mayhem Motorcycle Club.”

  As soon as Thorn backed into a spot and turned off the bike, Cassidy heard shouting.

  He held out a hand to help her off the bike. “Take it slow and don’t pull that stitch.”

  As soon as her feet landed flat on the pavement, he headed around the side of the building. She followed. They came to a well-lit area where two men in Mayhem colors took turns kicking a man curled into a ball on the ground.

  —

  “What’s going on here?” Thorn shoved the nearest man pulling back a foot to give another kick. Chin-length blond hair swept across the man’s face as he landed on the grass, cussing.

  “You fucking asshole. Don’t interfere with Mayhem business.” Regaining his feet, he tossed his hair back and swung.

  Thorn weaved out of the way and then slammed his fist into the man’s chin with an uppercut. The blond man crashed to the lawn again.

  “It seemed a little unfair to me. Two against one,” Thorn said, glaring. When the blond’s friend acted as if to protest, he raised his fists. “Try me.”

  The smaller man stepped back. “We’re only protecting the place.”

  “Was he breaking in?”

  “Nah. He wanted to see his girlfriend. Only she had hooked up with a Brother and didn’t want to see him. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “What did Stonewall say?” Thorn said to the small man as he leaned down and helped the bruised and battered man stand. Without a thank-you, holding his side, he limped away.

  “You can ask him. He’s inside waiting for you,” a rough voice said behind him.

  Thorn turned. Mac stood off to the side and jerked his head toward the back door.

  Taking a moment to grab Cassidy’s hand, he pulled her close. “Stay next to me no matter what.”

  “I can take care of myself. Stonewall’s only acting like this to show off,” she whispered back.

  “Cassidy, please listen to me. I can protect you only if you say yes to everything I say.”

  “What do you have planned?” Her wary gaze said it all.

  “You’ve lived in this most of your life. You understand what it takes to be safe from the other Brothers.”

  Her eyes widened. She understood. When she didn’t protest and a blush darkened her cheeks, he grinned. She nodded. He liked her spunk. The woman knew how to roll with the punches. Maybe they would find a little comfort in all the craziness.

  “All right. Just let me make sure Storm’s okay.” Her sweet lips turned up.

  He soaked in her smile as his body decided to display how happy it was about her acceptance. Damn, he needed to keep his mind on business.

  “Stonewall was shitting bricks before you got here. You better get your ass inside.” Mac walked by and shoved Thorn toward the door.

  One hand in a tight fist, he barely restrained the urge to knock the hell out of the asshole, but there was a bigger one waiting for him inside. Thorn threw an arm over Cassidy’s shoulders, making sure everyone recognized that he was staking a claim.

  As they walked toward the front door, he guessed the interior had changed little from the last time Cassidy had been inside. The warehouse was broken into several rooms with the largest on the main level. A couple of worse-for-wear couches sat against the wall, facing a scatter of tables and chairs. The bar stretched along the opposite wall wasn’t the typical wooden kind, but a row of steel drums with a ten-foot-long, twelve-by-two board on top. Only empty bottles stood behind it on a matching board and steel drums. No one would pony up money to buy the liquor that disappeared faster than it arrived through the door. The club was too poor to supply the stock. To finish off the room, an old pinball machine leaned in one corner, the glass front broken from a fight a long time ago; surprisingly, it still worked. Upstairs were a few bedrooms for some of the single members, including Stonewall.

  Within feet of the entrance, Thorn heard the rumbling. He clasped her closer to his side. She glanced up but didn’t shrug him off. Something in his eyes convinced her the importance of them appearing as a couple. With a light kick, he opened the door the rest of the way. What he suspected was true. The Brothers of Mayhem’s headquarters was packed.

  As far as he’d known, no one had called a meeting. So that meant he’d been left out on purpose. Something was up and Thorn had a feeling he wouldn’t like it.

  —

  Cassidy snuggled closer to the hard body next to her. Memories from her sorry childhood warned that a room full of Brothers equaled trouble. The usual low-hanging cloud of cigarette and marijuana smoke almost choked her as they walked into the room.

  The talking and laughing, above the music someone was blasting from an old beat-up CD player at one end of the bar,
continued unabated. That was a good thing. With Thorn’s arm around her shoulders and the worried look he gave her, she sensed Stonewall was up to no good. So far, Thorn had proven to be a good guy. For her to walk into a place she hadn’t been in almost ten years without a gun in her hand said how much she trusted him.

  A few of the Brothers slapped Thorn on the back, ignoring her—thank goodness—and congratulating him on outrunning the Thirty-Second gang and teasing him about getting her and, more important, his motorcycle shot.

  Out of the mass of people, an open can of beer came sailing through the room to Thorn. He let go of her to stop it from spraying her and everyone around them. A roar of approval came from the crowd when he caught it one-handed, sloshing only a few drops over his arm. Luckily, his quick reflexes also saved her from a sore head.

  A flash of anger crossed his face and then quickly dissipated. She liked how he mastered his temper, not letting it control his actions. What she remembered about the MC was that most members thought nothing of screaming and hitting, and never asking or giving explanations afterward. He was so different from the others. Even her foster father enjoyed shouting loud enough to shake the roof.

  Thorn downed the beer and crushed the can amid stomping and yelling. An auburn-haired woman wearing skintight jeans, with her butt showing through strategic cuts below the back pockets, slithered close to Thorn. She ran her fingers up his arm and then tugged at his earlobe to get him to bend down. She whispered in his ear. He flung his head back and howled with laughter.

  He was in his element. He looked like a motorcycle-riding god. Was she wrong? Was he no different from the others after all? Would he use her and then toss her to the side?

  Jealousy scrambled her brains. That was her only excuse when she walked up to the female and pushed hard. The woman landed on her ass and slid into the legs of the bystanders. Before the whore could regain her feet, Cassidy wrapped her arms around Thorn’s neck, molding her body to his, then pulled him to her lips and covered his mouth with hers.

  Shouts and whistles filled the room as several offered lewd suggestions on what to do next.

  “What the hell?” a young voice shouted.

  Cassidy turned to see her brother—his face almost neon red—glaring at her and Thorn.

  The crowd parted. Anticipation of a fight quieted everyone for a few seconds.

  “You motherfucker! You get away from my sister!” Head down, Storm charged full force toward Thorn as the room of Brothers roared in excitement.

  She stepped in front of Thorn, determined to stop her brother. Before she raised a hand, Thorn shoved her away and took the blow to his stomach with a loud “Oomph!” The two males rolled onto the floor. In seconds, Thorn held her brother by the throat as the boy’s arms flailed in an attempt to hit Thorn in the face.

  “Quit! You’re hurting him.” She jumped on Thorn’s back and tried to loosen his hold.

  “Hell, Cassidy, he’s as big as I am. He sure as shit was trying to do me damage.”

  “I don’t care. He’s only seventeen. Let him go.” She yanked harder at his shoulders.

  Thorn groaned in frustration. “Fine. Get off me.”

  With Storm that angry, she understood Thorn needed to move quickly or expect a punch from her brother.

  Her brother’s temper looked to be reaching a boiling point, so without wasting time, she stepped back, and bounced against a warm, hard body.

  “Watch it, girlie.” Trick Savalas’s hands slid down her arms, fingertips brushing the sides of her breasts, coming to rest at her waist. She tried to break free, but he squeezed. “It’s best that you stay still or I’ll take it as an invitation to grab some tits.”

  She froze. What was he doing there?

  Yuck.

  Thorn pushed off from her brother and jumped out of the way as Storm shot up, swinging again. Several hands grabbed at the teenager, but Mac stepped forward and bunched up Storm’s tee shirt. A couple other Brothers faced Thorn, ensuring he didn’t rethink his decision to beat the hell out of her brother.

  “Straighten up or get the fuck out,” Mac growled at Storm.

  Storm stopped dead still. His jaw shifted as he gritted his teeth. Reining in his temper, he said, “He better keep his dirty fingers off my sister or I’ll break every single one.” He jerked out of Mac’s grip and moved closer to her, glaring at the man holding Cassidy. “Take yours off her too.”

  Trick laughed but raised his hands, palms spread wide.

  Cassidy shivered, planning on scrubbing every inch the creep touched. She glanced over at Thorn. Hands shoved into his front pockets and head bowed, he broodingly watched her from beneath deeply furrowed eyebrows. Had he known his uncle would be there?

  She had enough to worry about with her truant brother. Returning her attention to the young man looming over her, she glowered. When had he grown so tall?

  “You’re not eighteen yet. Per your agreement with Mitch, you’re to live with me and finish school. Not showing up isn’t the way to do it. Especially when you skip school to show up here.” She felt so old. Grabbing his hand before he turned away—what a massive paw—she said in a low hiss, “You’re better than these people.”

  Storm glared at Thorn and then his gaze swept down Cassidy’s body. “The last day of school was today, and with my birthday so close, I don’t think it makes a difference who I live with. Anyway, from what I see, you don’t mind these people that much. Looks like you enjoy rolling around in the motor grease with your legs spread.”

  “Storm!” She jerked, dropped his hand, and stepped back. “I love you, but I don’t have to take that off you!”

  A long arm reached around and grabbed Storm by the front of his tee shirt. Thorn leaned in until they were nearly nose to nose. “You better apologize to your sister,” Thorn said, barking out each word.

  Not a soul made a move to stop what could be a lot of bloodshed.

  In the short time Cassidy had known Thorn, she’d never seen him that angry.

  “Why should I do that? It’s the truth. Isn’t it?” Storm’s sullen look reminded her so much of the kid she knew.

  “Whether or not it’s the truth is none of your business. You’re not being fair to your sister. Tell her you’re sorry.”

  “Or what? You’ll throw a drink in my face? You’re nothing but the bartender at the Skull and Bones Bar.”

  Thorn studied the teenager’s face for a moment.

  Did her brother have a death wish?

  Before Thorn responded, Stonewall warned, “I would listen to him, boy. He’s a former Ranger. You don’t mess with those mean sons of bitches.” He stood to the side, arms crossed over his chest, with an evil grin on his face. Almost as if he wanted to see Thorn beat Storm to a bloody pulp.

  The MC loved a fight, even among their own.

  Chapter 6

  Cassidy elbowed Thorn in the ribs. “Let him go. He doesn’t understand.”

  Seconds ticked by until finally Thorn opened his hand as if he really didn’t want to let go.

  “Fine.” In a smooth move, he brought his arm around Cassidy’s shoulders. He raised his voice and said, “He isn’t stupid. What the fuck! The boy is old enough to hear our news.”

  News? She looked around. Stonewall and Trick almost appeared to be waiting for a chance to jump Thorn. What was up with these crazy men? Then she remembered what Thorn had said outside about doing whatever it took to keep her safe. The only women safe—if a person could call it that—in the club were old ladies, married or girlfriends. No way would she marry him. They’d only known each other one day. Granted, a long day, but no way would she marry someone she’d just met. Would she let him claim her as a girlfriend?

  Her body tightened at the thought. She’d noticed the way his jeans cupped his butt. How his jaw cut sharp to a strong chin beneath all that stubble. And the dimple near his sexy lips caused her knees to weaken. With blue eyes so dark as to look black, he gave off the aura of trouble without trying. He might as
well spread chocolate icing all over his body. How could she resist?

  Yes. She would love to lick every inch.

  But could she be his girlfriend in the Brothers of Mayhem, with all it entailed?

  There were plenty of people willing to fall into bed together after meeting each other the same night, but not her. That was, not any longer. When she’d been a teenager, rebelling against foster parents and trying to forget her dad had killed her mom, she’d done some stupid things. One had been sleeping around. Afterward, she’d felt so stupid and dirty. It had taken a drastic mistake for her to realize she wanted a better life for herself and, in turn, for her brother. She had to set an example for him to follow. But sometimes life had a different plan.

  “What news?” Storm’s tone warned to go carefully.

  “Cassidy and I’ve hooked up.” Thorn gave each man a hard look, as if daring them to protest. Storm scrunched his face in anger but held his tongue. Cassidy knew he’d never go against Mac’s orders and attack Thorn.

  Thorn’s challenging gaze met Stonewall’s. “Understood, Prez?”

  She pinched Thorn on the side. He didn’t jump, but his arm over her shoulders stiffened.

  Cassidy felt lucky that Stonewall never considered her smart-mouthing a threat. But for a male, especially a member of his own club, to challenge him, that was different. Chances were slim for them to make it out of there in one piece.

  “Yeah. I fucking understand. You don’t want your old lady on her knees to me. Maybe I’ll order you two to put a show on for us. Demonstrate how it’s done. Yeah, entertain us real good.” Cassidy pushed into Thorn’s side. His body vibrated with rage.

  They were all crazy if they thought she would do that. Thorn squeezed her in assurance.

  “But if anyone gets their dick blown in public, it will be mine.” Stonewall’s bloodshot eyes glinted as he laughed.

  “That’s your prerogative, but not with my old lady.” The firm tone from Thorn caused Stonewall’s droopy eye to flinch.