‘I think we’re done here.’
‘Okay. You know where I am if you need me.’
Coby just nodded, turning his attention back to whatever it was he’d been doing before Ben had turned up.
Closing the chapel door behind him, Ben walked back into the clubhouse, the sound of heavy rock music and loud chatter now filling the previously quiet space.
‘Hey, Ben. Everything okay?’
He swung around to see Lexi Hart standing behind him. All long blonde hair and bright blue eyes she was just stunning to look at, the myriad of tattoos that covered her tanned skin only adding to her unique, hard-edged beauty. But as much as he found her undeniably attractive, even looking at her in a certain way was dangerous around here. She was Coby Walker’s old lady, partner of the President, and that meant total respect, from everybody concerned with this club, including him. He might only be their lawyer, but there were rules even he had to follow. Rules he was more than aware of. Rules he understood only too well.
‘Everything’s fine.’ He smiled. He was allowed to do that, at least. ‘Just finished sorting out the last of the details regarding the land sale. It’s all yours now.’
She returned his smile, sliding up on to a stool at the bar. ‘Good. Coby’ll be pleased. He’s got plans he really wants to crack on with, but I’m sure he’ll talk to you about that soon. Listen, Ben, I know you’re done here now but, have you got a few more minutes to spare? I could do with a quick word, if that’s okay.’
‘Yeah. Sure.’ He pulled himself up on to the stool next to her, stealing another, what he considered to be safe glance in her direction as she turned slightly away from him to say something to Luca, who was still hovering around. Ben liked Lexi. He’d only known her since her arrival back in Paradise about seven months ago, but she was an almost calming influence on the club now. He’d certainly had less crap to clear up since Coby had taken over as President and she’d become Queen of the compound. There’d been no trouble since that run-in with the Cabos and Black Ravens all those months ago. Peace had reigned over the Lone Riders ever since. It had been all charity fund-raising events and helping out in the community, meaning that Coby Walker had been as good as his word when he’d said he was taking this club in a different direction. Okay, so they still had the film studio and the boxing club, but they were both legitimate businesses and gave nobody any trouble. Least of all him. Ben Salter’s world had been a much quieter one of late. And he was kind of getting used to that. It was exactly what he needed – a more peaceful life. ‘What can I do for you, Lexi?’
She turned to face him. ‘There’s somebody coming over here, to Paradise. From the U.K.’
‘The Newcastle chapter?’
Lexi nodded, and Ben tried not to drop his gaze as she uncrossed and crossed her long, tanned legs, most of them on show thanks to the short denim skirt she was wearing. ‘A woman called Mia Rose. She’s a friend of mine. Born and brought up within the club, same as me. We’ve known each other since we were kids.’
‘And why’s she coming here?’ Ben asked, narrowing his eyes, a slight hint of wariness creeping into his voice because he could sense this wasn’t just a simple vacation they were talking about.
Lexi looked down, clasping her hands together in her lap. ‘I’ve just spoken to my dad, and…’ She raised her gaze, her eyes meeting Ben’s. ‘He’s sending her over here, for her own safety.’
Ben felt his quiet world slowly start to disintegrate. He should have known it was too good to be true. Sometimes he wondered why he’d ever let himself be talked into becoming involved with this club. The sensible thing would have been to walk away, to never come back to Paradise after he’d finished law school. He’d been trying to make a new start, away from everything that had made him leave in the first place, and Sheriff Bailey had warned him; told him it wasn’t a good idea to return. He’d advised him to ignore the call from Tay Farlow, the club’s then-President. He’d advised him to say no; to stay in L.A., carry on with that new life he’d started living. But Ben had ignored him. The pull had been too strong, curiosity getting the better of him. Tay had called him because he’d heard of Ben’s change of career, and as it would happen, the club were in the process of looking for a new lawyer. Someone who knew what they were doing. Someone who wasn’t unfamiliar with the world they lived in. Ben was the perfect combination. He was also a huge risk. But, so far, it was one that was paying off.
Tay had made Ben an offer he couldn’t refuse, and he’d been keeping the Lone Riders out of as much trouble as he possibly could for almost five years now, which wasn’t always an easy job. But, hey, the money was great. And it needed to be, the shit this club threw at him sometimes. And it would appear more was on the way. The respite had been lovely, while it had lasted, but he should have known it wasn’t going to stay that way forever.
‘What’s she involved in, exactly?’ Ben asked.
‘A violent marriage,’ Lexi replied, not missing a beat, her eyes still fixed on Ben’s. ‘She needs to start again, somewhere new. Somewhere away from the threats and the fear.’
Ben took a deep breath, exhaling long and low. Once more, the twisted way things worked around here was beginning to come into play. It was obvious she couldn’t just walk away from her husband. She was going to need protecting. And that meant she was the one being forced to leave her life behind, because Charlie Hart couldn’t just tell her husband to fuck off out of the club and leave her alone, it didn’t happen that way in this warped world they lived in.
‘She walks away, he kills her,’ Lexi went on. ‘And I know… Well. You know how it works, Ben.’ She finally pulled her eyes away from his, her gaze dropping back down to her clasped hands. ‘There are ways of doing things.’ Her voice was quiet, almost as though she couldn’t quite get her head around the way it all worked herself, despite it being all she knew. ‘My dad – he’ll sort it.’
Ben watched her for a few seconds, noticing the way her whole demeanour changed in an instant as she looked back up at him, her expression turning hard, cold, almost, as her eyes once more met his. She’d pushed herself back into Biker Queen mode now. He’d seen it many a time in Angie Farlow, Lexi’s mum, when she’d been running this compound alongside former club President Tay Farlow. And he was seeing it here, in her daughter – that look that said she may not believe or even fully condone what the men of this club did, but she was running with it anyway. Because it was her duty. And she knew better than to question any of it.
‘What do you need me to do?’ he asked, his tone soft, letting her know he was there to do whatever it was she needed him to do. It was his job, after all.
‘Sort out her divorce. Help her get away from this guy. And it has to be done without anyone over in England knowing where she is.’
‘And what about everybody here? How can you be sure there isn’t someone who’ll let slip she’s in California?’
‘Because they’ve been told, Ben. Simple as that. They’re all aware of what goes on when things like this happen. And of the possible consequences if they don’t follow the rules. It’s our job to keep her safe now. She’s making a new start, that’s all anyone needs to know.’
‘You said you and her grew up together?’
Lexi nodded. ‘Yeah. All us kids born into the club were close.’
‘Did you know this man she married?’
‘Lennie? Sort of. When he joined the Lone Riders we were still just kids. There was a bit of an age difference between him and Mia, and by the time they got together I was over here in Paradise, but, by all accounts he was the perfect husband back then – kind, caring… He was there for her when cancer took both her parents so close together. But after his brother died…’
Ben frowned. ‘His brother?’
‘Dale wasn’t a member of the Lone Riders, and his death wasn’t anything to do with the club, but…’ Lexi sighed, pushing a hand through her hair. ‘It’s a long story… Let’s just say his brother’s death change
d him. It turned Lennie into a man nobody recognized any more. That’s when he started to become violent, take all his anger and frustration out on those closest to him, and, in the beginning, Mia didn’t say anything. He was clever. Made sure none of her bruises were visible. But in the end he got sloppy. And Mia couldn’t hide it any more… Look, Ben, you understand how careful we have to be here. If anything about Mia’s whereabouts gets out…’
‘I understand, Lexi.’
‘Lennie Rose is a dangerous man. We just didn’t know how dangerous he could really be. Not until recently.’
Ben raked a hand through his dark hair, sighing quietly.
‘Charlie’s gonna call you this afternoon.’ Lexi slid down from her stool, turning to look over at the chapel door as Coby finally emerged, their baby boy balanced on his hip. ‘He’ll fill you in on everything in more detail.’
‘And when does Mia get here?’ Ben asked, watching Lexi’s expression change from cold to soft the second she took Ozzie from Coby. She could switch it on that quickly.
‘Later today. Shane’s going to fetch her from the airport. After everything he went through he… Well, he kind of understands her situation. He’ll bring her straight here, to the compound.’ She looked at Ben, that softer expression turning only slightly harder. ‘Thanks again, Ben. We’re really grateful for your help on this one.’
Ben smiled. What else could he do? Whether he liked it or not he had no choice in the matter. He was involved now. In what, though, he was going to try not to think about.
Three
‘You’ll be staying at my old house, for as long as you need to. Permanently, if you decide you like the place, or you can look for somewhere else, if you’d prefer. Somewhere of your own.’
Mia looked at Lexi from across the table – she was a completely different woman to the one she’d last seen in Newcastle just a few months back. She seemed stronger, somehow. More assertive. And she seemed to be relishing her role as the President’s old lady. Mia was just glad she had a familiar face – and a friend – by her side. Someone she trusted. And even though she didn’t know a great deal about Coby Walker – she’d only been about three years old when he’d joined the Lone Riders Newcastle Chapter, too young to even remember him back then – Charlie had assured her he was a man who took no crap. He’d help her get her life back on track, even though Mia was still adamant that help wasn’t something she was looking for. Or needed. To need anyone’s help made her appear weak, and that was something Mia didn’t want to feel. She wasn’t weak. She never would be. Not any more.
‘Is that okay with you, Mia?’
Lexi’s voice cut into her thoughts and Mia turned her attention back to her friend. ‘Erm, yeah. Yeah, that’s fine. Thank you, Lexi. For everything.’
Lexi smiled, standing up and kicking her chair back under the table. ‘It’s not a problem, Mia. We’re all family here, remember?’
How could she forget?
‘Do you want Coby to run you over to the house now?’
Mia shook her head. ‘Do you mind if I just hang out here for a while? You know, get my head around the place. I mean, if I’m gonna be spending a lot of time here…’
Lexi threw her another smile. ‘You can hang out here as long as you like. You need anything, just give Shane a shout. He’ll be sticking around the compound for the rest of the afternoon. I’ll see you later, okay?’
Mia nodded, watching Lexi as she headed out of the clubhouse.
‘You settling in okay, darlin’?’
Mia spun around in her seat to see Coby Walker leaning back against the table, folding his arms as he looked at her. ‘I’ll get there.’
Coby laughed, his eyes briefly dipping to the floor. There was something about this tall, big-built man with the deep Scottish accent and the rough exterior that intimidated Mia slightly. She just didn’t know why.
‘Aye, well, we’re all here for you, but I’m sure Charlie’s already told you that.’
‘Yeah. He has.’
Coby’s gaze stayed locked on hers for a good few seconds, and Mia held the stare, because the longer she did that, the less intimidating he was becoming.
‘Good.’
He was a man of few words, Mia thought, her eyes following him as he also left the clubhouse. But there was something about him that made her totally understand why Lexi had fallen for him. From the way he walked to the way he spoke to the aura that seemed to surround him, something Mia didn’t think she’d be able to explain, she just felt like there was something safe about Coby Walker. Or maybe she was just hoping that was the case because, right now, she felt as though she was spending every waking moment looking over her shoulder.
Getting up and walking outside, she folded her arms against herself, squinting slightly in the late afternoon sun. Everything felt so different to what she’d just left behind. And despite the fact that all Newcastle held for her now was danger, she missed it. It was her home. It was where she’d lived all her life, and here, in Paradise, she was a stranger. In a strange country. She didn’t feel comfortable, despite the presence of a few familiar faces and promises that her new life was going to be one she’d grow to love. And maybe she would, once she got her head around it all.
Pulling herself up on to one of the tables outside the clubhouse, Mia watched as two Harley Davidson low-riders pulled up by the entrance to the garage. Shielding her eyes from the sun she watched as two men dressed in dark jeans and biker cuts climbed off, one of them making his way into the office next to the garage, the other one heading over towards her. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she tried to get a better look at him, because there was something vaguely familiar about him, she just couldn’t put her finger on what it was.
‘Hey!’ Kip grinned, sitting himself down next to her. ‘You must be Mia. Right?’
Kip Hart. He’d kind of grown up, a lot, since she’d last seen him. Back then she could have only been about seven or eight, with a tiny crush on the then-seventeen year old Kip. Just before him and Lexi had left Newcastle with Angie to come here. To Paradise. And she was almost certain he hadn’t had that sexy swagger he seemed to have now.
‘Right.’ She couldn’t help smiling. Boy, had Kip Hart grown sexier the older he’d got! With his short, dirty-blonde hair, tanned skin, and those blue eyes both he and Lexi shared, Mia almost felt as though she’d died and gone to heaven. Might not be so bad here in Paradise after all.
He pulled a cigarette out of the packet he’d taken from the top pocket of his cut, offering one to her. She declined. ‘Lexi said you were arriving today. You settling in all right?’
She looked at him, and he laughed quietly, taking a draw on his cigarette.
‘Sorry. I guess everyone’s asking you that, huh?’
‘Yeah. Kind of.’
He took another draw, blowing smoke up into the air. ‘Well, I’ll just make like you’ve always been here, how’s that sound?’
His eyes met hers, and Mia couldn’t help but smile again. ‘That sounds like a pretty good idea to me.’
‘Okay. That’s sorted, then.’ He threw his half-smoked cigarette down on the ground, grinding it into the concrete with his boot. ‘Guess I’ll see you around.’ He threw her a wink before making his way inside.
‘Yeah,’ she muttered under her breath, placing her hands behind her and leaning back slightly as she watched him walk into the clubhouse. ‘I guess you will.’
Four
‘How do you want me to play this, Charlie?’ Ben kicked the car door shut and leaned back against it.
‘You play it any way you have to. Just make sure that divorce comes through quickly, and I’ll deal with the aftermath this end. Can you make that happen?’
‘I’m not sure it’s gonna be quite as easy as you think…’
‘Just do it, Ben. I don’t give a fuck how, okay? You’ve dealt with this kind of shit before, so, just do it.’
Ben ended the call, throwing his head back and sighing heavily. So much
for that peace and calm that had descended over the Lone Riders compound these past few months. It looked like normal service had been resumed.
‘You back here again?’ Luca asked, pulling up alongside Ben.
Ben looked at him. ‘No. I’m just a hologram. I’m really back in the office reading through case notes.’
‘Yeah. Just what we need. A lawyer who thinks he’s a comedian.’
‘Don’t knock it. You might need me to bring that sense of humor into play one day.’
Luca smirked before roaring off out of the compound. Ben watched as he sped out on to the main street, and as he always did when he saw any of the guys ride, he wondered what it would be like to get back on a bike. He’d never really plucked up the courage to do that after a bad accident a few years back had seen him come off his Harley, resulting in some horrific injuries that had taken him months to recover from. Nothing life threatening, but he’d been pretty badly shaken. Enough to have never gone near two wheels again. But he was about to turn forty any day now. Maybe it was time to stop acting scared, because the pull of the open road had never left him. It was always there. And maybe that’s what had really attracted him to this job – the fact he’d once been a biker himself. It was certainly the reason why Tay had asked him to come and work for the club. Not everyone knew the full extent of his biker past, but Tay Farlow did. Hence that phone call five years ago. Ben Salter had once been a man who’d loved his Harley, and the freedom it had given him. Saying goodbye to that had been hard, but he’d had no choice. At the time.
Slipping off his suit jacket he opened the car door and threw it on to the passenger seat. It was a warm day, and he felt like going casual. Rolling his shirtsleeves up to his elbows, revealing a multitude of tattoos that covered his forearms, and beyond – a throwback to his biker days – he picked up his briefcase and made his way over to the clubhouse, raking a hand through his hair as he walked, letting the warm sunshine lighten his mood. Because he suddenly felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Retribution (The Lone Riders MC Series Book 2) Page 2