Retribution (The Lone Riders MC Series Book 2)

by Michelle Betham

  ‘Mia!’ Ben shouted after her, but she didn’t acknowledge him, just strode into the clubhouse without looking back. ‘Fuck!’

  ‘Good job, mate.’

  Ben looked at Kip, narrowing his eyes. ‘Don’t piss me off, Kip. You really, really don’t want to do that.’

  Kip took a couple more steps forward so he was right up in Ben’s face, his mouth twisting into another sneer. ‘Who the hell do you think you are, huh? You walk back in here after all this…’

  Ben caught Kip’s wrist as he raised his arm, gripping it tight. ‘I know exactly who I am. Brother. And so do you. Which is why I’m advising you to back off. Right now.’

  Kip yanked his arm free, taking a step back, but his eyes never left Ben’s. ‘This isn’t over.’

  Ben watched him walk off before throwing his head back, sighing quietly. It wasn’t going to go away. Not now. And that was something he not only had to get used to, it was something he had to deal with.

  ***

  ‘I can go check up near the cabin.’

  Coby looked at Shane, sitting back in his chair at the head of the table. It was a late-night church, after the arrival of the Newcastle Lone Riders, but he needed to get everyone up to speed. Keep the momentum going. Taking his foot off the pedal now wouldn’t be a great idea. ‘You really think he’d stay that close to Lone Riders property?’ Coby questioned, turning the gavel over and over between his fingers.

  Shane shrugged. ‘He might think that’d be the last place we’d look, it being so obvious and all.’

  ‘I don’t think he’s that naïve,’ Coby sighed, looking down at the table. ‘But, we might as well check all bases close to home, as well as further afield. He’s been seen in Hilton, and over in Vegas, and I’ve got people keeping an eye out in both those places. So I guess it wouldn’t hurt to keep watch over home turf, huh?’

  ‘There’re enough of us around to make sure he doesn’t leave town, if he’s here,’ Kip said, leaning back in his seat, his hands in his pockets, his cap pushed right back on his head. ‘As long as we don’t drop the ball.’

  Coby brought the gavel down on to the table, banging it hard against the thick wood. ‘Right. You all know what you’re doing. Stay in touch, keep me posted, and don’t do anything stupid. Okay?’ He turned to Bear, Geordie and Miller. He didn’t know these guys all that well, personally, but he knew they were more than capable of holding their own in any situation. Charlie would only have sent his best men for something like this. After all, Coby knew Mia wasn’t just anyone. She was the daughter of one of the founding members of the Lone Riders. So only his best men would do. ‘Bear, you go with Kip, Jesse and Cain. Geordie, Miller, you ride out with Luca and Walt. Shane – you sure you’re okay to go it alone?’

  Shane nodded.

  ‘Well, if you need back-up just shout. Right, if that’s all sorted… Go on. Get out of here, the lot of you.’

  Once everyone was out of the room Coby leaned forward, dropping his head into his hands. Was it really worth it? All the trying to bring this club back to what he’d wanted it to be only for shit like this to happen? Had he been naïve to think he could actually turn it all around?

  ‘Everything finished in here?’

  He looked up at the sound of her voice, a smile crossing his tired face. ‘Yeah. We’re all done. Everyone’s back out there now.’

  ‘Do you want a drink?’

  ‘I don’t want one, darlin’…’ He got up, kicking his chair back under the table. ‘I fucking need one.’

  Lexi smiled as he took her hand, following her out of the chapel, closing the door behind him. ‘You should get some sleep,’ she said, leaning into him as his arm fell around her shoulders.

  ‘How can I sleep, Lex? With all this shit going on. And your dad’s on his way. He’ll be here in a few hours…’

  ‘You can’t deal with this properly if you’re tired, Coby.’

  ‘Quit with the nagging, sweetheart, all right?’ He pulled himself up on to a bar stool, grabbing a bottle of whisky that was standing on the counter, pouring a large measure into an empty tumbler, knocking it straight back in one mouthful. ‘Go do something useful.’

  ‘Hey! Where do you get off talking to me like that?’

  He turned his head to look at her, his eyes suddenly cold and dark. ‘Lexi, darlin’, I’m really not in the mood for this. So either get yourself a drink, shut up and join me, or go do something else. Help your mum tidy the kitchen or something.’

  ‘Jesus Christ!’ she laughed, turning away from him for a second before swinging back around to face him. ‘I am struggling here, Coby, okay? I am fucking struggling, with shit I’m having to keep secret, crap I’m having to deal with that involves me and my brother and a situation that could turn into something so wrong…’

  ‘And you think I wanted to be privy to that information? Huh? Do you think I needed that fucking burden on top of everything else? I didn’t even want Mia here, if the truth be told. All those other chapters he could have sent her to…’

  ‘He sent her here for a reason, Coby.’

  ‘Aye, Lexi, I can see that. It’s fucking obvious now.’

  ‘Don’t take your shit out on me, do you hear?’

  ‘We fuck and fight, darlin’. That’s what we do.’ He poured himself another shot of whisky, downing that in one mouthful, too. ‘Now, like I said, either shut up and join me, or get the fuck out of my face. I need to think.’

  ‘We need to tell Kip the truth, Coby.’

  ‘Did you hear what I just said? Look, I need you to make sure nobody except the brothers looking for Lennie leave this compound. So go do that, okay? Keep an eye on the kids, make sure the women know their place; let’s keep this lockdown working.’

  Lexi stared at him, shaking her head. ‘Fuck you,’ she said quietly, before walking away.

  Coby slammed his glass down on the counter, swearing quietly under his breath.

  ‘Tough church tonight?’ Ben asked, sliding on to the stool next to him.

  Coby looked up. ‘That’s none of your business. What we do in there has got nothing to do with you.’

  ‘It does when it concerns my girlfriend.’

  ‘You’re not a member of this club, Ben.’

  ‘What if I wanted to be?’

  Coby’s eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at Ben, a short, sharp laugh escaping. ‘Did you really just ask that?’

  ‘I’m serious, Coby.’

  Coby laughed again, shaking his head as he picked up the whisky bottle, draining the last of it into his tumbler. ‘Not worth the risk, Benny boy.’

  ‘That risk could be good for this chapter. Think about it.’

  ‘Look, kiddo, I’ve got enough to deal with right now without you dropping this on me. You’re our lawyer, okay? You work for us, you’re not one of us. You get us out of shit, you don’t drag us into it, and if you…’ He pushed a hand through his hair, finishing off his drink. ‘It’s not gonna happen, Ben.’ He held his gaze, but the younger man’s resolve seemed to be strengthening the more time he spent with the Lone Riders. Something that didn’t escape Coby’s notice. ‘Just – take a step back, okay? For your own sake, as well as ours.’

  ***

  ‘Did you bring any food?’

  Shane threw a foil wrapped sandwich at Lennie, who immediately unwrapped it and bit into it as though he hadn’t eaten in a week. ‘Jesus, Lennie. You cleaned out the cupboards already?’

  ‘I need my food, brother.’ He winked. ‘Got to keep my strength up.’

  Shane sat down on the arm of the couch, clasping his hands between his knees, turning his head to look out of the window behind him.

  ‘Think someone might have followed you?’ Lennie asked warily, tearing another chunk out of the sandwich.

  Shane shook his head. ‘No. I’m all alone. I’m Coby’s V.P., remember? He trusts me.’

  Lennie laughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘That brother got one hell of a surprise coming
his way.’

  ‘This ain’t some joke, Lennie.’

  Lennie held up his hands in surrender. ‘Hey, I know. I know. But what you’re doing, Shane, it’s risky. I mean, you got plans for what you’re gonna do once the truth is out?’

  ‘I’ve got plans. But they got nothing to do with you. All you need to do is listen to me, follow any instructions I give you, and then you can do whatever the hell you need to. It won’t be my concern no more.’

  ‘How’s Mia?’ Lennie finished the sandwich, rolling the foil up into a tight ball and hurling it at the waste basket. ‘Shot!’ he yelled, punching the air as the foil ball landed in the bin.

  ‘Mia’s okay,’ Shane sighed, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck. ‘She’s fine.’

  ‘That lawyer guy still balling her?’

  ‘I’m not keeping tabs on her fucking love life, Lennie.’

  ‘Jesus, all right. What the hell crawled up your arse tonight?’

  Shane stood up, pacing the floor in front of the couch. ‘I just want this over with. Done.’

  ‘Amen to that.’

  Shane stopped pacing, sitting back down on the arm of the couch. ‘Look. Maybe we should move you.’

  Lennie frowned, lighting up a cigarette and taking a deep draw. ‘Why? I thought this place was safe.’

  ‘As safe as it can be,’ Shane said, looking out of the window again. ‘This shack was my uncle’s. I didn’t even know he’d lived in Paradise until my cousin told me. Christ knows what he was running from… He loved coming up here, apparently. Alone, with his thoughts.’

  ‘Yeah, well, it’s fucking isolated, I’ll give you that. Enough to drive you bloody mad, the silence.’

  ‘But it’s too close for comfort now. The MC’s cabin is just a short ride away, and they’re gonna be coming up here now, scanning the place for signs… and Charlie’s sent reinforcements from Newcastle to help out.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Bear, Geordie, Miller. And I know them, Lennie. I know they’re three of Charlie’s best, and you know that, too. They’ll stop at nothing, so maybe moving you…’

  ‘I’m staying put.’

  Shane fixed him with a look. ‘You ain’t running this show, brother.’

  ‘And neither are you. We need each other, remember? I’m staying here.’

  Shane sighed again, bowing his head, his feet tapping the wooden floor nervously. ‘Charlie’s on his way to California, too.’

  Lennie shrugged. ‘I’m not scared of Charlie Hart.’

  Shane raised his head, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Lennie. ‘Yeah, well, maybe you should be. He may be getting older, but that man has influence and power we don’t even know about.’

  ‘He’s too old school for this game now.’

  ‘And you’re too cocky for your own good… Do you know what? Fuck this!’ Shane stood up, taking a deep breath, running both hands over his hair. ‘I’m getting you out of here. I know somewhere in Hilton…’

  Lennie laughed a low, almost sinister laugh. ‘No, brother. I leave when I choose. And I’ve decided that’s gonna be sooner rather than later. I’m tired of you throwing your fucking weight about, treating me like some frigging slave who’s beholding to you…’

  ‘That’s exactly what you are, Lennie.’

  ‘No. No, it isn’t. Okay, you told me where Mia was on condition I helped you out, but I’m shifting the goalposts. I’m changing things up. I want Mia, and I want her here in the next couple of days, because we are out of this place. You got that?’

  Shane walked over to him, his voice calm and steady as he faced off with the taller, bigger-built man. ‘You fulfil your part of the bargain, Lennie, or you don’t leave here at all. Have you got that?’

  ‘Your threats mean shit to me, brother.’

  ‘Then you’re even more stupid than I thought you were. I know people, Lennie. People more dangerous than you could ever imagine. So, you fuck me about, you mess this up, and you’ll never see that pretty wife of yours again. Do you understand?’

  ‘Like I said, your threats are fucking empty…’

  Shane moved a step closer, his eyes never leaving Lennie’s. ‘You want to call my bluff on this one? You knock yourself out. But I really wouldn’t risk it.’ Stepping backwards, Shane’s gaze still didn’t waver. He had the other man right where he wanted him now. Right where he needed him. ‘I’ll call you when there’s any more news.’ He started to walk away, stopping when he got to the door, turning back around to look at Lennie. ‘Whatever you decide to do when I close this door behind me… I’d think about it very carefully, Lennie. And that’s a piece of advice I sure hope you take.’

  Twenty-One

  ‘The kids are getting restless,’ Lexi sighed, joining Kip in the garage. He was working on one of the Prospect’s bikes, something he wouldn’t normally do but he was trying to keep busy.

  ‘They’re not the only ones, huh?’ He threw his sister a half-smile as she leaned against the bike.

  She gave him a weak smile back, folding her arms, looking out across the compound, watching as Mia helped Callie with Ozzie, the two girls laughing together as Ozzie waved his arms around, attention seeking, as usual. ‘This lockdown’s really starting to get to me.’ She sighed again, a little heavier this time.

  ‘Why don’t you go join them,’ Kip said, following Lexi’s gaze.

  She turned her head sharply to look at him. ‘You accusing me of neglecting my son?’

  ‘Whoa, sister! Back off, baby. You might want to lose that defensive shield you got going on there, ‘cause it’s fucking unattractive.’

  ‘Piss off!’

  ‘You kiss our mother with that mouth?’

  ‘I do a lot of things with this mouth, believe me.’

  Kip just raised an eyebrow, turning his attention back to the Harley.

  ‘You had much to do with Mia these past few days?’ Lexi asked, her eyes still on Mia and Callie, who’d now been joined by Ben, someone Ozzie seemed to have immediately taken a shine to.

  ‘Not really. I’ve kind of been giving her and Ben a bit of space. Although, space isn’t something anyone’s got a lot of right now, is it?’

  ‘No. It isn’t.’

  ‘Having said that…’ Kip went on, standing up and wiping his hands on his overalls, ‘… if she needs me, I’m gonna be there for her, and fuck what anyone else thinks.’

  Lexi looked at him, her heart picking up a nervous rhythm. ‘Don’t, Kip. Please.’

  ‘Don’t what? Don’t make a move on a woman whose legs I’ve been dreaming of getting between ever since she walked into that clubhouse?’

  ‘You’re fucking disgusting.’

  ‘Look, what the hell is wrong with you? If cabin fever’s setting in, sweetheart, don’t take it out on me. Go find our President, get him to fuck that attitude out of you or something, but don’t start on me. If Mia wants to turn to me, I’m gonna be there for her, you got that?’

  ‘And you don’t care that she’s with Ben? Do you have any idea how contradictory that makes you sound? After everything you said about me…’

  ‘That was different.’

  ‘Yeah. Of course it was. It’s fine for you men to fuck around, isn’t it? How stupid of me to forget that rule.’

  ‘You’re starting to piss me off now, Lex.’

  ‘Have you slept with her?’

  ‘Get out of my face, Lexi, I mean it.’

  ‘Have you?’

  He threw down the wrench he was holding, the sound of it hitting the concrete floor vibrating around the garage. ‘None of your fucking business. You hear me?’

  ‘Leave her alone, Kip.’

  ‘You don’t tell me what to do.’

  ‘Leave her alone.’

  ‘Just get the fuck out of here, will you?’

  She held his gaze for a few seconds more, laughing quietly as she stepped back from him. ‘You’re unbelievable, do you know that?’

  He just turned around, ignoring her now. />
  ‘What was all that about?’ Angie asked, causing Lexi to almost jump out of her skin at her mother’s sudden appearance.

  ‘Nothing,’ Lexi replied, pulling her hair back into a pony tail.

  ‘You gonna stand there and lie to your momma?’

  ‘I’m going to find Coby…’

  ‘Lexi!’

  Lexi slowly turned around to face her mum. ‘What?’

  ‘You want to tell me what’s going on?’

  ‘There’s nothing going on. Everyone’s just a bit tense, what with the lockdown and everything. Being on top of each other constantly doesn’t help, either.’ Lexi tried to hold her mother’s gaze, but it wasn’t easy. Angie had a knack of knowing when something wasn’t right – so why hadn’t she realized something was going on all those years ago? That Charlie had cheated on her long before she’d cheated on him. That her then-husband had fathered a child who’d grown up with them all. Why hadn’t she realized any of that was happening?

  ‘Is there something I need to know, Lexi?’

  Lexi felt her stomach dip, her breath catching in her throat as she looked over at Mia hugging Ozzie – her nephew. That baby – Lexi’s son – was Mia’s nephew. Jesus! What kind of crazy, fucked-up world were they living in? ‘No,’ she whispered, finally facing her mother. ‘You know me and Kip. We just clash sometimes.’

  ‘You know your daddy’s coming over, don’t you?’

  Lexi nodded, folding her arms across her chest, breaking her mother’s stare, her eyes dipping to the ground.

  ‘Why?’

  Lexi’s head shot back up. ‘I don’t know. To help find Lennie… Why else would he be coming over?’

  ‘I don’t know, honey. You tell me.’

  Lexi swallowed hard, looking over at the clubhouse. Coby was outside talking to Luca, his eyes immediately meeting hers, his expression carrying more than a hint of warning. ‘Why don’t you ask him yourself,’ Lexi said quietly. ‘He’ll be here soon. I’m going to get my son.’

  ‘Lexi!’

  Lexi threw her head back and sighed, turning to face her mother again. ‘What?’