by Lane Hart
There is a new enemy in town. Can they come out of this unscathed? Or will their family and MC forever be changed?
Prologue
Jasper
“Church is called to order,” I slam my gavel down on the table to quiet everyone. “I’ve called this meeting because I got an interesting phone call last night and I need to get a vote before I agree to a meeting with the Valdez organization.”
“Fuck no!” Knuckles growls out, “those fuckers are more evil than anyone we’ve ever worked with or considered working with. I vote hell no.”
“They’re known to be in the skin trade,” Blaze speaks up. “I think we should consider this so we know if it will become an issue for the club and our town.” He makes a good point. I let that sink in for a minute before I look over at Knuckles and see him contemplating what he was just reminded of. Blaze spoke my thoughts out loud so for once I’m not the only voice of reason.
“There have been twenty-seven children, all ages, different races and sexes that have come up missing over eight surrounding counties,” Kong informs us. We knew that there had been a slew of missing kids, but I wasn’t aware it was that many.
“We can’t stand by and do nothing, this could be one of our kids,” Dawg says, and I see his hands go white from being in tight fists as he bangs them on the table.
“He makes a good point, Pres,” Reaper announces. I nod my head at him letting him know I agree.
“Fine, but you ain’t going alone,” Knuckles hollers out.
“Volunteers?” I ask the men sitting at my table.
“I’m in,” Blaze bangs on the table.
“Me too,” Cobra and Machete say in unison. I know I need some men with me, but I need men here to protect the families and compound as well.
“Knuckles, I need for you and Reaper to stay behind and protect our property.” They both reluctantly nod at me, I know they like to be at my side, but it’s important to have someone here who can be in charge in case this meeting goes wrong and I don’t make it back.
“Prowler, I want you to get on your computer and do whatever it is you do and get me as much information on them as you can. I want it done in an hour’s time.”
“You got it, Pres.”
This may be the worst decision we’ve made, but we need to know what, or who, may be getting our town into trouble. We vowed to protect this place where we reside, and I take my promises seriously. I pick up the phone and call my contact in the organization and let them know that I accept the meeting.
Chapter One
Jasper
It’s a hot July day, and I’m sitting outside this motherfucking warehouse sweating my balls off, waiting on this fucking prick to show up so we can get this meeting started and over with. This is a new contact for us, one referred to us by another business associate, so I’m going into this damn meeting with my eyes wide open.
I don’t trust easily, I have too many lives to protect and I take that shit seriously. In my position as the president of the Crossroad Soldiers, it’s my job to always be one step in front of any individual or organization I am considering bringing into the fold.
I am considered one of the men you should fear the most when dealing with someone. I am known to be lethal, methodical and I am nearly always thinking one move ahead of the other person. I fear no one and am highly trained in the field of missions. I was the one who planned infiltrations and nearly have a perfect record in the military as one who never failed.
I look over at my Sergeant at Arms, Blaze, and notice that he, like myself, is observing our surroundings looking for all possible exit points and going over the strategic moves we put into place. We’ve heard rumors that this man we’re meeting with is conniving and manipulative, and will cut your throat before being told the word ‘no’. Makes me wonder if he truly knows who it is he wants to get into business with.
I left my best friend and VP of the club, Knuckles, and the club’s Enforcer, Reaper, back at the compound to watch over the safety of the women and children. They are known to all of our enemies as our one true weakness, everyone knows the importance of our families, and they will use any and all people we hold near and dear to us, against us if things go south. We don’t take those types of chances when it comes to them. They are guarded at all times and we’ve even set up a school in the back of the compound for them to attend. This way we control the safety and are always around if trouble should arise.
We own forty acres of land and each one of the men with families has a home built there. We’ve made our own commune that is protected by the best security the military has to offer. Considering who I am, and what I did for Uncle Sam, I have access to their programs.
We still do some undercover work for a special intelligence agency, doing the things that the government can’t sanction, but call on us when the need arises. We may do jobs for the military, but we are no longer considered good men in the actual sense of the word. We are one percenters who deal with drugs and guns. What we don’t deal with, or stand aside for, is fucking skin traders. We take all the jobs that come across our message board that have to do with the selling of people. That’s just fucking sick and those bastards need to be put to the ground.
I have a wife, daughter, and son, and there would be nowhere on earth someone could hide from me if even one hair on their head has been tampered with. When Knuckles and I got out of the service, we had a hard time coping without the bonds of brotherhood, which is why twenty years ago, this year, we started this MC. As time went by, most of the men we served with came to us wanting in. We couldn’t say no to them, we fought beside them and witnessed death and destruction together.
“Incoming,” Blaze calls out, getting my attention.
“Everyone be on guard,” I call out, as two SUV’s come barreling into the parking lot, squealing their tires in the process. This doesn’t scream out ‘friendly encounter’ to me, but then again, I’m always looking for the bad in every situation. I draw my gun, as do my men and watch as the door in the front opens and the driver walks to the back doors and opens them for the rear passengers.
The man that steps out of the back opens his arms wide with a sinister smile upon his face. “It’s a good day to do business, yes?” he hollers out in a Spanish accent while twirling a lit cigar between his fingers. My teeth grind in annoyance at his flamboyant attitude.
“It’s always a good day when you’re breathing,” I respond back with attitude. I already don’t like this motherfucker on sight, and can see this meeting isn’t going to go the way he would like for it to...oh well, that’s his fucking problem, not mine. I put my gun away, but my men don’t. They are prepared for anything, and I trust them to have my back and put my safety and well-being first.
“This is true,” he tries for a friendlier tone. I’m not buying his fake ass words, not for one minute. I take a closer look at him, and what I see is nothing but darkness in his soulless eyes. This man has no life left in him, he’s evil to the core. Men like him can’t be trusted, and I have already decided that when I take whatever it is he needs to the table, I will vehemently vote against working with him.
He begins to move closer to me, and Blaze gets off his bike and moves over and stands in front of me. He crosses his arms and puts off the vibes of he’s not in the mood to be fucked with and the man will only reach me by going through him. He usually is the one who keeps peace in the club, but I needed Reaper at the clubhouse so he’s taken over his position and is taking it extremely seriously. The president is protected by all members, regardless if they lose their life in the process.
He stops and smiles at Blaze and isn’t fazed by him at all. “My name is Lorenzo Calderone, and I am the boss’ right hand man and business associate. He has asked me to set up this meet so we may possibly start a business endeavor with you and your club.”
“What kind of business does your boss have in mind?” I question him. His smile widens and his eyes narrow, such a contradiction in contrast
.
“May we sit and talk?” he inquires as he points to the picnic bench sitting next to the warehouse.
“Lead the way,” I wave my hand in that direction. My back will never be to anyone if I can prevent it from happening. Any motherfucker will stab you in it regardless of the trust you have in that person. The only people I trust to that extent are my brothers and family. Only because they’ve proven themselves to me over and over again.
I follow his lead, and sit with my back against the warehouse wall, and watch him as he sits across from me. He has no fear of my men, who are currently keeping their eyes on his. My men are impenetrable and won’t allow his men to follow their boss as he and I begin to have this conversation.
“Jasper. May I call you Jasper?” he slyly asks.
I nod my head in confirmation, since that is what everyone, including citizens, who are non-members of the club, refer to me as.
“Very well then, Jasper, we’d like to speak with you about a pipeline my boss is interested in extending and running through your town.”
“What kind of drugs?” I ask, before he has a chance to continue with his prepared speech.
“Not just drugs per se,” he says, clasping his hands together. He leans forward and I swear if this motherfucker were any closer he’d be kissing my ass. I’d give him a kiss alright, a kiss of my knuckles right in his smacker. But he just looks me dead in the eyes and says, “We have some very rich men who pay top dollar for girls, young girls.” He whispers the last part.
I don’t want to show my hand and the fury building within me right away, so I lean in and ask him, “How young are we talking about here?” Inside I want to pull my gun out and place a bullet right between his eyes, but the rational side of me knows I need as much information as he’s willing to share.
“Man, we’ve got some kinky motherfuckers who like them as young as seven or eight.” The pride in his voice makes me want to puke right in his face.
“That right?” I ask, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest, trying to control my temper.
“You’d be surprised what people are willing to pay for. All races of girls who are virgins. We sell them for the highest dollar and make a fantastic profit.” Is this motherfucker for real?
“So, let me get this straight, you sell young girls for a profit to perverts and this doesn’t bother you in the least?”
“What would bother me about it? It’s about making money, brother.” The use of the word brother coming out of his mouth makes me ill. He’d never make it one day in my world without finding himself six-feet underground. He’d be pushing up daisies and no one would ever be the wiser or be able to find his remains.
“Let me ask you a question, do you have a daughter?”
“I do,” he answers.
“And, would you sell her for a profit?”
“You need money to live, man.”
“So these children live out their lives as sex slaves?”
“I don’t know what happens to them once the transaction is made, I’m just the money man and the middle man.”
“And what is it you’d want us to do for you?”
“For a profit, say ten-percent, you turn the other cheek and let us use your town to transport.”
“You aren’t asking for our protection, or to help you in any way?”
“No, easy money, yes?” He takes a long drag from his cigar before blowing out a large ring of smoke.
“I’ll need to take this to the table for a vote. I can’t make these types of decisions without the approval of my club,” I inform him, standing up, needing to stretch my legs and get away from him before I start a war the club hasn’t sanctioned yet.
Key word there, yet, because my men all have old ladies and most of us have daughters and we won’t stand for this. Not using our town, and not being able to sit back once we know who is behind the missing children in the media over the last six months, which just happens to be the time frame from when they moved into our territory.
They asked permission, we accepted for a fee, and now I’m regretting that decision. We weren’t hard up for money, but you know what they say about keeping your friends close and your enemies even closer.
I watch as Lorenzo passes my men, gives them chin lifts and continues onto his SUV. He climbs inside, but before the door shuts, he salutes me and I turn my head so that I don’t give him the type of send-off that I’d like to.
“What did he say, Pres?” Blaze asks me.
“Let’s discuss it at the table, message Knuckles and let him know we need to meet at nine a.m. sharp. Right now, I just wanna get home to the old lady and kids.”
“Sounds good.” I see him take out his phone and shoot out a text. We all climb on our bikes and head back to town. We met in the middle of nowhere, and the sooner we’re back on our turf, the easier I’ll feel. The guys and I pull up to the gate and once it’s closed we split ways. I head home as do most of my men, while the others head into the clubhouse to relax and unwind with a couple of beers.
When I pull up to my house I see my daughter swinging on the tire I put on rope and hung from the tree in front of our house. She sees me coming and starts waving at me as she jumps out of her makeshift swing and begins running my way. My girl is a daddy’s girl, heart and soul.
When I shut off my bike, I hear her yell out, “Daddy!” as she barrels into my arms.
“How’s my princess doing today?” I ask her, as I twirl her in the air then place her on my hip. Her arms go around my neck and she squeezes the life out of me.
“It was a good day, Mama and I made cookies!”
“You did, huh? Did you save your ole man any?”
“Yes,” she whispers in my ear, “I hid you six chocolate chip cookies since they’re your favorite.”
“That’s my girl,” I praise, walking towards the house. She lays her head on my shoulder as I make my way up the steps of the porch. The door swings open and my boy runs out of the house. I can hear his mother yelling his name from the back of the house.
“What did you do, Son?”
“Nothing,” he says, looking up at me with innocent eyes.
“Then why is your mom hollering like a loon for ya?”
“Ugh, she doesn't like the way I cleaned my room,” he says, looking down at his feet.
“What did you do?” I ask again.
“She just said she wanted my floor clean, I did that,” he expresses.
“He shoved everything in his closet!” my old lady hollers coming out onto the porch chasing down our son. “I went to put his clothes away and a mountain of toys fell on top of me. Jasper, he had it piled to the top!” she angrily states, placing her hands on her hips.
“I did what you asked,” he says, shuffling on his feet and looking up at his mom with his eyes wide, wearing an innocent like expression.
“He’s got you there, Miracle,” I say to my wife and old lady. My girl starts giggling on my hip and my wife narrows her eyes at me.
“If you’re so apt to take his side, why don’t you put his clothes away? Hmm?” she asks me.
“Woman, I wrangle grown ass boys all day long, I wanna come home and enjoy my family.” The look she gives me says, ‘you ain’t getting any for a long time,’ which makes me sigh. “Boy, go clean your closet and put your own damn clothes away.”
“But, Dad…” he begins to whine.
“Now!” I use my dad voice, which isn’t much different from my President voice. He scurries into the house mumbling under his breath. I can’t catch what he’s saying, but I know that it isn’t pleasant thoughts.
“He’s your son,” my wife states.
“To the core,” I reply, smacking her on the ass. She yelps and this causes giggles to come from our daughter.
“You, missy, you need to go wash your hands, dinner is ready.”
“Yes, Mama,” my girl replies, wiggling to be let down.
“What do you do before you get out of my arms, Miss Thing
?” She puckers up her lips and kisses me on the cheek.
“I always kiss you first,” she says. I place her on her feet and she rushes to the bathroom to do her mother’s bidding.
“I missed you today,” I tell my wife, bringing her into my arms and placing my lips to hers. We make out like teenagers for a few minutes before she pulls back breathless.
“Love you, Jasper.”
“Love you too, Miracle.”
Chapter Two
Miracle
“Deeper, take me deeper,” my husband begs, as my lips are wrapped around his cock, and he’s breaching the back of my throat. I swallow him as far back as I can and watch in anticipation as he rears up on the balls of his feet and positions his hips to where he can thrust into my awaiting mouth.
He harshly fucks my mouth as I swallow, lick, and suck his huge dick as hard as I can. “Keep those hands behind your back,” he issues his demand. There are times when he needs to control me in the bedroom, and I allow this because it turns me on.
I can never take all of him, but where I lack in that, I make up with enthusiasm. He is dynamite in bed, but my favorite thing in the world is making him lose control when I give him head. “I’m coming,” he groans out and I prepare to take everything he can give me.