by Sam Crescent
Frederick sighed. “Well it all depends on one thing really.”
Silence filled the room. Butch rubbed at his eyes, waiting for the revelation.
“What do you want?” Tiny asked.
“Simple. I’ll give you back Cheryl and the kid unharmed, and in return you work for me. I’ve got drugs, weapons, money, and girls that need looking after. You work for me, no one else.”
It was what Devil had had to do. Frederick controlled the MCs.
“The deal expires within the next two minutes. You don’t give me the answer I want, I start breaking fingers. I’ll make Cheryl and Matthew hurt well before I terminate them. Once I start you will not get the chance to make me stop.”
“Deal,” Tiny said, without hesitation. No one wanted to listen to the torture Frederick was sure to dish out, or at least get one of his men to do the job.
“Good. I’m pleased. Now, I’ve got a shipment of girls coming in three weeks’ time. Devil and his gang are housing half of them. Tiny, you’ll take the other half. I want them in a safe house and earning their keep.”
Butch tuned out as Frederick started to make the rules.
“Also, to protect our investment I may as well tell you that I’ve got men everywhere. If I think you’re reneging on the deal, I pull the plug on your women and your kids. Lash and Angel look beautiful on their Italian vacation. A bullet can kill all three of them just as easily.”
Nash held Sophia a little tighter.
“No one runs away or tries to fight. If you even look like you’re planning shit, I will end you.”
“What about the fucking social worker and the cops with the charges?”
“Consider them gone as a gift of friendship. Don’t think you can manipulate me, Tiny. I will hurt everyone you ever care about. Cheryl and Matthew will be back at the fair within thirty minutes. I want you there in forty. Good day, gentlemen.”
The call ended. Staring at the phone, Butch looked around at his brothers.
Like Devil and the Chaos Bleeds crew, Tiny and The Skulls were now owned by Frederick Gonzalez. It was all his fault.
****
Later that night
Tiny downed another shot of scotch. It was his fifth in the last few hours, but it still wasn’t doing what he wanted it to do. The only way for him to look at Eva was for him to be blind drunk. He’d fallen into Frederick’s trap, and now he was owned just like Devil. Listening to a woman and kid get tortured was not his idea of fun. Frederick would have killed them just to prove a point.
“Why did you do that?” Alex asked, stepping into the office. After the call and forty minutes passed up they all headed back to the picnic to find Matthew and Cheryl alone and unharmed. Butch stood beside them as if he was part of the club even though he wasn’t yet. Tiny was allowing him to come back to the clubhouse, and Lash was on his way home. They’d be taking a vote very soon on allowing Butch to come back. Cheryl and Matthew needed protection.
With the new threat Tiny had no choice but to call Lash and Angel home. He couldn’t protect them in Italy whereas in the club, he could. They were going on lockdown until he’d talked with Devil. Shit was about to hit the fan in a big way.
“Bastard had your kid and Butch’s woman. Gonzalez had two winning cards.” He stared at his friend.
“You didn’t give Butch his patch back. Why are you waiting for the club to make a decision? You wanted this.”
“If I recall correctly, you wanted me to blackmail Butch. I couldn’t do it, but I can’t have a man who’s prepared to leave when the going gets tough. I need to know Butch wants to come back before I allow him back,” Tiny said. “I’m not into giving free rides to men.”
Alex took a seat opposite. “Butch made a mistake, but he’ll be loyal to the club.”
Tiny shrugged. “I don’t care what he’ll be, Alex. He left the club, and like Nash, he’ll prove himself as one of the brothers before I give him back his patch.” He poured another large shot into his glass. In his lap was Butch’s leather jacket. Tiny wanted to give the man his jacket back, but he stopped himself. He wasn’t wrong in making Butch earn his spot back.
“Eva doesn’t blame you for what happened,” Alex said, changing the subject.
“For once in my life I want her life to not be hard. Every time I think we’re getting there a newfound fucking enemy emerges. I mean, shit, we’ve not even got Gash out of fucking prison. He’s going to be coming to a club that’s owned by a crazy asshole.” Tiny threw his glass against the opposite wall. His club was no longer his own. They were all owned by Gonzalez, to do his bidding like good little minions.
“We’ll deal like we always do.”
“He holds all the cards.”
“And we’ve got a lot of favors. We’re not a small club, Tiny. Devil is pissed. Together The Skulls and the Chaos Bleeds can fight it all. Gonzalez is going down. Ned Walker is pissed as well. I just got off the phone with him. He’s been threatened, too. There are men out there wanting to end this fucker,” Alex said. “He threatened the kid I’ve only known for a couple of weeks. I’m not going to stand down while he takes everything I hold dear. I’m not wired that way.”
Tiny got to his feet and looked at his friend. “You’re asking me to create a war?”
“No. Gonzalez created the war. I’m saying we fucking win this one, and we win it for the good, but we do it by playing dirty.”
Tiny staggered a little. The strong alcohol was finally making its way through and numbing all of his senses.
“What did Butch have to say?”
“They’re coming to the clubhouse in the next day or so. We can fight this, Tiny. I’ve got a plan. It’s insane, but it’ll work. Gonzalez doesn’t know the truth about Butch begging to come back. We can make this work for us,” Alex said.
“I’m listening,” Tiny said, curious about what Alex had to say.
His friend always had the plans that were risky, but because of Alex, they’d owned Fort Wills for the last twenty years, making it a great place to live. Most of the time, Fort Wills was a safe town.
When Alex was finished, Tiny shook his head. “Do you really think he’ll go for it?”
“To protect his woman and the club, yes, Butch will go for it.”
“Then do it. Don’t let him know I know. When you see him next, try and get him on board with your plan.” Holding onto the wall for support, Tiny looked at Alex. “How can you stand to see him with your woman and kid?” The drink wasn’t keeping his thoughts locked in tight.
“I love my son. Cheryl was never my woman and never will be. I claim Matthew, not her.”
Tiny nodded. “I heard he’s going to marry her?”
“Yeah, he is.”
“Then it’s time for a celebration. Call Devil and get the crew down here to celebrate the coming together of a happy couple. Get the sweet-butts out of town, hidden. The club only has members and old ladies inside it. Our kids stay closer. When Gash gets out and Lash is back, we’ll take this fucker to the ground.” Tiny reached out gripping Alex’s hand. They were best friends and had once been related by marriage, but to Tiny, Alex was a brother without blood.
Both of them would fight for Fort Wills and for each other.
Gonzalez thought he’d won and they were going to take the beating lying down. Tiny didn’t lie down for anyone unless he was getting ridden by his wife. Eva wasn’t fucking his cock, and Gonzalez was going down.
Chapter Sixteen
“Butch, I’m fine. Stop worrying about nothing. I swear I’m fine,” Cheryl said, smiling as her man started to fuss around her.
“I’m not letting you or Matthew out of my sight. Alex and I agree that you both need to be protected.” Butch was going around her home locking every single window. He checked behind some of the books, looking for hidden cameras. No real harm had come to her or her son.
Her mother had found her at the picnic before Butch and The Skulls got back, taking her mind off everything that just happened. The
business with Gonzalez was for The Skulls. Cheryl didn’t share anything of what happened, keeping it to herself. By the time Butch got to her side, her mother was gone, mingling with other people.
Since he’d pulled her into his arms, he’d not let her go. He wouldn’t allow her to walk off on her own or even go to the bathroom. Having to take a pee with him in the room was embarrassing.
“Any other woman would be stressing out or screaming right about now,” he said.
“Butch, I’m not like other women. He told me no harm would come to me as long as you and the club did as he asked.” She pressed a palm to his chest. “Please, don’t stress out about this.”
“We’re going to be owned by this maniac, Cheryl. We’re not going to get away from him.” Butch wrapped his arms around her.
“Tell me you’re not going to let him get away with this?” she asked. Gonzalez was a killer. He hurt people to get what he wanted, manipulated those around him. She hated him for using her and Matthew. When she looked at Tiny she knew he’d done it for her and Butch. Tiny was a good man, and yet he’d been forced to work for Gonzalez because of her.
“We’ll do everything we can.”
She placed a finger over his lips. “No, you’ve got to be in this, Butch. The club is going to vote you back in.” He pulled away from her, shaking his head.
“I fucked up, Cheryl. The club I left is not what they are today. I should never have left. They don’t trust me.”
“You were being too fucking stubborn to join back, Butch. You’re going to have to prove to them that you’re by their side all the way. Stop being a baby and take what they’ve got to do with some pride. If you didn’t want this, you should have considered that option weeks ago.”
Caressing the plain leather jacket he wore, she stared at the man she loved with her whole heart. The feelings Butch inspired shocked her at times. She loved him, and the very thought of losing him filled her with dread.
“If you know Tiny, you know he didn’t have a choice in what he did.”
“No, Tiny always has a choice. He could have voted me in.”
“Think about what you’re saying, Butch. The Skulls is a club that depends on each other. You’re going to learn to jump through other hoops to get what you want. Please, I want to be your old lady and to know they will always have your back. This is the man you are, not what you’re pretending to be. I love you both. Hold your head high and accept the shit they’re going to dish out.”
“I can’t lose you,” he said, tears filling his eyes. She watched him grit his teeth.
“Then earn your patch back and know you’re part of something bigger and better. I trust Tiny and The Skulls to keep us safe.” She released his arm and smiled at him. “You’ll never lose me no matter what you think.” She touched his cheek, moving up close to him. “I love you, Neal Coal.”
She used his real name. There was no need to hide his name anymore.
He cupped her cheek, and with his other hand, he tugged her close. “I love you, too.”
Within seconds his lips were on hers. She didn’t fight him. Matthew was asleep in his room. All she wanted was to feel Butch’s arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her, loving her.
Butch picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist, groaning at the feel of his rock hard cock against her core.
“I’m taking you without a condom, Cheryl. I need to feel you against me.”
“Fine.” She only wanted Butch and would love him for the rest of her life. He didn’t stop as he carried her upstairs to her bedroom. Once inside the small space, he placed her on her feet.
“Tomorrow we’ll be heading for the club for lockdown. I don’t want you to leave anything behind.”
“I won’t.” She pushed his jacket back off his shoulders then worked at his shirt. At the same time, Butch started to remove her clothes. It was a frenzy to get their clothes off. She didn’t care. Cheryl craved the feel of him inside her, fucking her.
They collapsed together in the bed. Butch reached down, gripping his cock and sliding it through her wet folds. She was soaking wet, turned on, and needed him inside.
“Please, don’t torture me. Just fuck me, Butch. I need you.”
He slid his cock down to her entrance. In one quick thrust he was seated inside her to the hilt. There was nothing between them, skin to skin.
Butch stared down into her eyes. Neither of them moved. Her hands were laid on his arms. Their bodies pulsed in a rhythm of their own.
“You feel so fucking good,” he said. Seconds later he dropped his head down and took her lips.
Cheryl opened her lips for his searching tongue. Nothing stood between them. Her body awakened underneath his.
His tongue slid inside in time with the strokes of his cock. Butch filled her pussy completely. He gripped her hip as he slid in as deep as he could go.
The point of pain and pleasure met sending her into an earth-shattering climax. She didn’t want to come down from the peak. Butch wouldn’t let her. He drove into her hard, making the headboard slam against the wall with each thrust. Holding onto him, she didn’t need anything else other than him.
“I love you, Cheryl. I will always love you.” He slammed inside her one final time. His cock jerked, and she felt his seed pulsing inside her. “I’m going to marry you, and we’re going to have so many children you’re never going to forget about me,” he said.
“Is that a promise?” she asked, loving him all the more.
“Yes.”
“You’ve got to make me a deal,” she said.
“What?”
“You can never leave The Skulls again. They’re in your blood, Butch. I know Tiny’s pissed you off by making you wait, but please, think about it.”
Butch let out a sigh. “Baby, I love you and I love the club, but I’ll do what I think is best for us. You’ve got my loyalty, and so does Matthew. I will do everything in my power to earn back the loyalty of the club.”
Cheryl was pleased Butch saw the truth. The Skulls was his home as much as she was. Wrapping her arms around her man, she pushed all the bad thoughts aside and focused on the here and now. She loved Butch and would do everything in her power to make him happy.
****
Butch stared down at his woman. She looked so beautiful and at peace in her sleep. Putting his jacket on, he locked up the house on his way out into the night. He needed to walk to clear his head. He wore the leather jacket that Cheryl liked, loving the feel of it against his skin. Alex had called him earlier to meet back at the clubhouse. He loved being back at The Skulls, even if he wasn’t a full member yet, and knew this was going to be his future. Before they could relax all of them needed to take care of Gonzalez, and the only way to do that was to work together as a family like they had with every other enemy.
Alex was waiting for him in the car.
“What’s all this about?” Butch asked.
“I’ve got to ask you for a favor,” Alex said. He turned toward him, and Butch knew that stare.
Blowing out a breath, Butch threw his hands out. “Fine, what is it?”
“You’ve recently been out of The Skulls. You quit the club, and to a lot of people your loyalty is divided, or at least to a lot of the outsiders your loyalty appears divided. Only we know that you begged to come back to the club. Gonzalez doesn’t know that you begged to come back to the club before he took Cheryl and Matthew.”
He frowned, staring at his friend. Even though they had their differences they were still friends. Alex was Matthew’s father, and Butch had served in The Skulls alongside Alex. All of their issues had been settled.
“What I’m about to ask you is going to stay between us.”
“What is it?” Butch asked.
“The club is in danger, and so is my son. Everything we hold dear is riding on some crazy asshole with needs. I’m going to ask you to trust me, Butch, not because of our past together in the club but because I’m putting the safety and trust of my s
on in your hands,” Alex said.
Glancing back at the clubhouse, Butch knew he wasn’t going to like the suggestion.
“Tell me what you need,” Butch said.
“No one else will know. None of the club members know I’m here, not even Tiny. He’s going to use your wedding to lure in the Chaos Bleeds crew. Until then, I need you to turn to the other side,” Alex said.
“What do you mean?”
“Become a spy for us. Go to Gonzalez with a deal. You’re the intel for our club and in return you get safety for Cheryl and Matthew.”
Butch shook his head. “You’re fucking crazy. That’s breaking loyalty, which I’m trying to earn back. You’re insane. You’re going to turn me into a snitch? Everything we hate about the club?”
He’d never tell secrets of the club.
“Gonzalez has full control over both our clubs, Butch. He knows when we piss, shit, and fuck.”
“I do this and something happens to you, I’m fucked. I won’t get out alive.”
“But Cheryl and Matthew stay protected. We both have our asses here, Butch. I’ve got no other kids. Matthew is all I’ve got, and I’m not going to let him die because I wouldn’t do what was needed,” Alex said.
“This is dangerous.”
“How much do you love your woman, Butch? Is she worth risking your own life and looking to turn on the club? You’re not turning your back on the club, only looking like you are to take this fucker out.”
Butch climbed out of the car. “Stay the fuck away from me,” Butch said, glaring at him. He stopped and turned to look at Alex. It was a crazy assed plan, one that he didn’t like, and one that he knew was wrong. “You want me to feed information to Gonzalez about what the clubs are doing? Chaos Bleeds and The Skulls?”
“Yes, I’ll tell you what to feed him. It will be controlled information from me,” Alex said. “He holds all of the cards. We don’t have a chance of winning this unless we’re willing to play dirty.”
“Get Tiny to sign off on it.”
“I can’t. Tiny may be a biker, he may be tough, and make all the bad-ass decisions, but he plays fair, always has. He won’t do it and especially not with you needing to prove yourself to the club. This has to be between us.”