Shad leaned against the wall in the kitchen when Law walked in.
“Get your old lady patched before you get her stolen there brother.”
“Fuck off Shad.” His own words slapped him in the face and he wanted to slug the smug bastard.
Shad raised his brows. “Know what happened?”
“Yeah. Somebody beat the shit out of her.”
“Who and Why? Nobody beats a woman like that for no reason and nobody dumps one on our doorstep. It’s a message and it’s a warning.”
“That’s the fucking million dollar question huh?” Law knew it was a message and he hated feeling like it was his fault.
Shad licked his lips. “Make sure your shit is locked up when you’re gone. If she’s going to your place…?”
Law turned on him. “I’m not some fuckwit here Shad. Something ain’t right and I know it. I’ll keep her away from club business. She’s a hell of a lot safer to have around than Queenie.”
“You better. If that bitch gets my family hurt it’ll be on you, brother.” Shad stepped closer and made the word brother sound like a curse. “And we all know we can trust Lace. She’s been part of this fucking club for most of her goddamned life and if you ever hint that she can’t be trusted again, I’ll gut you myself.”
Moose and Ink sat at the table and nodded their agreement.
“Yeah, remember how I said something about Lacey being trouble before this all went down? How many brothers got shot up because of that woman? How many men did you fucking cut to pieces because of one fucking woman? We would have been better off if I’d killed her like I suggested in the beginning.” Law said the words, but there was no meaning behind them. He was pissed and out of sorts.
Shadow’s eyes grew darker and he lunged for Law.
“Nobody threatens what’s mine.” Shadow whispered in a toneless voice.
Law saw it then and wished he’d kept his mouth shut. Shad was one scary man when he wasn’t in control and right now he was slipping.
“I’d never hurt Lacey Shad.” Law looked to Moose and found him with his phone to his ear. He looked up and nodded. Shad was on the edge of going ape shit and Lacey was the only one who could calm him. There was something going on that Law didn’t know about and it was high time he found out what it was.
Lacey ran into the room and over to where Shad still had Law against the wall. She looked tired and grimy as if she’d been scrubbing something that hadn’t been cleaned before. She ran her hand over Shad’s skin and spoke in a low voice until Shad looked at her. The desolation in his eyes drained away and Law saw the sadness and shame there. His brother was scared and it was partly because of the woman lying upstairs in his bed beaten almost to death.
He watched as Shadow, the toughest, meanest son of a bitch he knew, gathered his little wife against his chest as if his world was contained in her.
Lacey crooned to him and stroked his skin as he just held on to her.
“You know Law has always protected me Shad. He’s your brother. He loves us Shad. You know he loves us.”
Law felt her words hit him in the chest. She was right and he reaLizzieed it in that moment, but that wasn’t what almost broke him, it was her absolute trust in him. She spoke as if she had no doubt and that was something Law hadn’t had since he was a child. He watched as Lacey took Shad’s face in her hands. “Come back to me now Marcus.”
What would it be like to be loved that much? How terrifying it would be to need someone so much just the thought of losing them drove you that close to insanity.
Law thought back to a time when he had allowed himself to love a woman. He had been so young. He remembered the feel of her kiss and the warmth of her arms as they held him close. He remembered the smell of her hair when he buried his nose in the bend of her neck. He remembered the sounds of her moans as he pleasured her. He remembered those same sounds from the day he had come home unexpectedly from work. He remembered the way she said his brother’s name, in the same voice she had said his only that morning. He remembered the sound of his brother’s voice begging him not to let him go to jail for the drugs found in his car and taking the rap for him. Law remembered the pain he had endured in jail for being the stepson of a cop and how his step father made no effort to protect him. But this time his brother wasn’t begging, but groaning as he rutted on Law’s wife like a pig. He remembered the weight of the gun as he pointed it at his brother even as he laughed and taunted him to pull the trigger. He remembered her screams as he watched his brother fall and smell of sulfur filled the air in the room he had always called his own. The look of fear in her eyes when the gun turned to her and fired again. He remembered the tears of his mother as she cursed him for killing her child and the first slap from his stepfather. He remembered the bite of the cuffs his step father slapped on his wrists before he beat him until he lay still in a puddle of his own blood and piss. Then there was prison…
He felt a hand on his arm and he jerked like he’d been burned. Lacey stood in front of him, concern in her eyes her hand on the snake tattoo that had once scared her so badly.
“Are you ok Law?”
His memories melted away as he let his eyes wander around the brightly lit kitchen and saw Moose, Ink, Spec, Shad, Ace, and Preach standing silently. He felt the moisture on his face and wiped it away, ashamed that his brothers had seen his weakness.
“Yeah Lace. I’m fine.”
He met Ace’s eyes. Ace was the only person alive he’d ever told his story to and he knew the man hadn’t shared it and never would.
Ace nodded once assuring Law that the secret had been kept and reassuring him of his brotherhood. Law had met Ace in prison and they had shared their tales while fighting the feelings of going stir crazy while trapped in those concrete cages. He had earned his brotherhood in that hell hole and gained the trust of one of the founding members of the Defenders MC as well as a reputation for being a cold and calculating killer. It was the best thing that had ever happened to him in his life. As soon as Law made brother the club went hunting. No questions were asked, they just took care of business because it needed doing. Now his brothers were questioning him and all because of some woman.
“I’ll take care of the bitch. If you think she’s a threat I’ll off her right fucking now.” He felt a tug in his chest and squashed it. She was just a whore like all the other women. They couldn’t be trusted. He had learned that lesson well, even his mother had turned on him. Even Lacey had fucked Rider while Shad was out cleaning up a mess she had caused. Women were for fucking, nothing more.
Preach spoke then. “I need you to do something first. If it needs doing when you get back then you can see to it. I want you boys to go bring Lizzie home. I’m asking you to do it ‘cause I don’t trust anybody else with my daughter.” He took a deep breath. “This ain’t club business. This will be a personal favor to me and Mrs.”
The man looked unsure for the first time since Law had met him and he realized that all this was weighing on the man. Ink was the first to agree to go. Then Moose and Spec. Preach looked to Law and he nodded and saw the appreciation in a man he respected more than any that drew breath. All eyes turned to Shadow and he stared at Lacey as if he couldn’t decide what to do.
Lacey smiled up at him. “I will be here when you get back Marcus.”
That seemed to settle it. Shad turned to Preach and was once again in control. He nodded to Preach.
“I want you to leave as soon as you can and the story will be that you are heading out to check out a shipment that was hijacked in Tennessee. That will send anyone looking for trouble out of your way. I will get a few of the boys in the area to be look outs, but not until you’re close.”
That mattered. Law knew Preach suspected that there was a rat in the club. It said a lot that the man trusted Law with his daughter. Law took a breath and tried to let his memories go. He would go get Lizzie and then come back and kill Nikki. If that was what was best for the club. The club was all that matter
ed.
Six
Law stood in the girly assed apartment and glowered at Lizzie.
“Get your shit Lizzie. I ain’t playin’. Shad said five minutes.”
“Kiss my ass Law. This is my whole life here. I can’t pack it up in five minutes. You could have called and let me know, its not like you didn’t have to drive five hours to get here.”
Law plucked her phone out of her hands before she could send the text she was typing.
“I need my damned phone back. I can’t just disappear Law. I have a life here. I have a boyfriend and I can’t just skip my shift at the hospital. Unlike you, I help people and I will be missed if I just up and disappear!”
Law dropped the phone and stomped it until it shattered under his heavy boot.
Lizzie started spouting cursed that would make a sailor blush and Law admitted he was impressed with her creativity.
Law stepped forward. “Your fucking phone is bugged and yeah, I get the general idea, you think I’m a fucking waste of air. Now shut the fuck up and get your shit.”
Shad stepped into the room. “Lizzie, what’s the fucking problem? We got no time to pack sentimental bullshit. Grab your shit and get out of here before you get somebody killed.”
Lizzie stepped back and paled. Law saw the way Shad’s jaw hardened and knew that it pissed the other man off. Shad was a scary man, but he hated that his own family feared him. Lizzie scurried to her room and grabbed her suitcase. She flung clothes inside as if the house was on fire. Then she grabbed a box from her closet and handed it to Law.
“I’m ready.”
“Fucking crazy assed women. Why the hell couldn’t you have done that for me? Argued over shit.” Law grumbled as he strapped her bag to one of the bikes and her box on another.
“Where do I ride?”
Lizzie looked like she would rather walk than ride with him, but the other option was Shad since her stuff would ride with Moose and Ink. Nobody rode with Spec ‘cause he was a careless fuck who would get you killed. Preach had made it clear she was not to be on the bike with Spec.
“Take your pick Sis.” Shad said with his flat voice.
Law wanted to laugh and then he did when she just stood there looking between them.
“Shit.” Lizzie climbed on the bike with her brother. He might scare her to death, but she did love him, she hated Law and the feeling was mutual. Lizzie was a spoiled bitch and Law didn’t know how she could have been raised by Mrs. and Preach. He’d as soon cut her throat as speak to her, but his duty was to Preach and he’d agreed to protect her.
“Why didn’t you bring Rider?” Lizzie asked over the roar of the bikes.
“Cause he’s fucking some bitch and didn’t want to bother with you.” Shadow said matter-of-factly and Law wanted to laugh when Lizzie dropped her head. Bitch was always drooling over Rider, most did, but Preach’s daughter should have more self-respect.
The brothers heard the sound of gunfire and knew the brothers that had been watching the road had run into trouble.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here!” Shad ordered and the men fell in line behind him as they rode hell for leather out of town and back toward the compound. The ride would take over five hours even with them hauling ass.
Lizzie started bitching by the end of the first hour and then whining about leaving her boyfriend, which Preach had said was in the Devils’ pocket. Stupid bitch didn’t have a clue what they had just saved her from.
Nikki pushed up in bed. Lawless hadn’t returned with her food and she hadn’t seen him since that first morning. Queen and a couple of the other girls had been taking care of her and some were nice, but some were coy and downright bitchy. Nikki decided the best thing for her to do was get well enough to take care of herself and fast before she killed one of those bitches with her plastic spoon.
A man called Preacherman came to see her once and she hoped he didn’t visit again. He was a mountain of a man with his salt and pepper hair cut short and tattoos all over his skin. He had hard eyes and an unforgiving face that scared the shit out of Nikki, but Queen wasn’t scared of him and his eyes softened when he looked at her. So Nikki figured it was just her he mistrusted and with good reason.
She leaned against the headboard. She would never get out of this alive and she knew it. What would be the best thing to do though? She could tell that the men in the Defenders weren’t like the Devils, but could she willingly give up her stepbrother to these men who would just kill her too. Although how could she not, when she knew she would be given to the Devils and likely killed anyway.
She knew what she had to do, but she didn’t know how. She would wait until Lawless came back and she would tell him what her brother had planned. There was no escaping the wrath that would fall on her, but she had to. She looked up when her door opened.
Queen walked in holding a tray and trailed by the cutest little girl she had ever seen. She looked up and Nikki knew in an instant that she was the daughter of the man they called Shadow. Her inky black hair and black eyes were just like his, but unlike the shadowy man hers glowed with happiness and laughter.
“Hi. I’m Megan. We brought you something to eat.” The little girl frowned. “Who hurt you like that?”
“My brother.”
She answered and just like that she had signed her death warrant. She wanted to call the words back but it was too late and she saw it in Queen’s eyes.
“If my brother ever hit me I’d tell my daddy and he would spank his bottom good.” Megan went on, unaware that the temperature in the room had dropped.
“Well, since you are the one most likely to hit him, we will see who gets their bottom spanked.” Queen stated with a smile as she sat the tray on the bedside table before lovingly running her fingers over her daughter’s hair.
“I think I should get up today. I’m feeling much better and Lawless said he wanted me to start taking care of his house, so I should probably start that too.”
Queen narrowed her eyes slightly. “I think you are better off right here until he gets back.”
“When will that be?”
“I can’t tell you that. If Law wants you at his place he will come get you and take you there.”
Nikki knew that Queen would be on the phone the minute she left the room, relaying the new information and Nikki prayed she could somehow escape or at least talk to Lawless before they found out who she was.
“Who is your brother Nikki? Law will want to know.”
Nikki shook her head. “I can’t tell you that.”
Queen paled slightly. “Come on Megan, we need to let Nikki eat her dinner and rest.”
“Ok Mommy, I hope you feel better Nikki.”
The door closed and Nikki shuttered. She reached for the tray and ate what she expected to be her last meal.
Seven
Queen met them when they pulled up to Preach’s house. Mike sat on the porch as he always did since he was the man Queen preferred to guard her while Shad was away. Instead of running to Shad though, she ran to Law.
“Something is up with Nikki Law. She said it was her brother that did that to her and I know I have met her before. I think she’s in trouble and I think she is trouble. You need to get her away from here.”
Law rubbed his head. He was tired and didn’t want to hear this shit tonight. “I’ll figure it out Queenie.” That seemed to appease her because she then ran to a frowning Shad.
“Don’t ever walk by me like that again Lace. You hear me?” Law heard the man say in his flat voice that made grown men shiver.
“Yes, yes. I…” Shad cut her off with his lips.
Law waited until Lizzie was inside before he rode for the clubhouse. He knew he should question Nikki, but he just wanted to fuck her and sleep, but he wanted to do it in his own place.
He walked into the clubhouse and felt eyes on him, but he didn’t give a shit about any of them. He went straight to his room to find Nikki curled up in his bed, right where he’d left her thre
e days ago. He walked to the bed and felt a smile curl his lips as he listened to her snuffled snores. That enraged him. He flung back the blankets and glowered at her when she sputtered awake.
“You don’t get to wear clothes in my bed.” He spat as he started removing his own.
Nikki stared up at him as if he’d grown two heads.
“Did you go deaf while I was gone?”
She shook her head and blinked those big green eyes at him in confusion.
“Get naked or get lost. I think I was pretty clear what you are here for.”
She nodded quickly and slowly pulled off the shirt she wore. Law saw the fear in her eyes and the wince of pain as her movements tugged at her still healing injuries. Law felt a pang of regret which only fueled his rage. He fell on her with no heed to her needs or her feelings, but she stayed quiet and he told himself she didn’t mind it, but when she refused to let him hold her, even in her sleep, he admitted it to himself and he regretted it.
Nikki woke as the sun rose to fill the room with light. Law sat in a chair near the door and watched her. She smiled at him before she remembered the night before and let it slip from her face. She figured he was just waiting for another round.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning Nikki. We need to talk.”
He looked like he didn’t like the fact and Nikki felt panic begin to claw at her insides. She just sat and waited for her sentence.
“Queen said your brother did that and we will get to that, but that’s not what I want to say right now.” He took a deep breath and ran his hands over his short hair. When his blue eyes looked back at her she felt as if she were under a microscope and wanted to squirm.
“Did I hurt you last night?”
His question shocked her and she knew her face showed it. “No.”
Lawless (Defenders MC Book 2) Page 4