Enforcer's Price

by Sarah Hawthorne

  I knew it. I shrugged off his hand. “Someone needs to tell him that. I’m the only one who is in love. If he wanted me, he would have shown up last night.”

  I kicked off my shoes and ran downstairs. I couldn’t believe I just poured my heart out to Rip. He was probably going to tell everyone and then they would know that I was a stupid lovesick hooker. Colt loving me was just a fantasy. It would never be anything more.

  Downstairs, I sulked behind the bar and cursed Rip in my head. Giving me false hope was just cruel. I squared my shoulders. I needed money, time to get this party started. A little liquor would liven up this crew. The club supplied the alcohol, so members drank for free. Prospects and hang-arounds had to pay. Because there was a meeting later, it was all members tonight, so free drinks for all. I poured ten tequila shots and loaded them on a tray.

  Once the shots were flowing freely, the guys settled down and relaxed a little. They talked and I tried not to listen. A whore doesn’t last long at a motorcycle club if she listens too closely or tells tales. So I let the conversation just wash over me as I flirted.

  Still no takers. Shit. It was getting late and it was becoming damn clear I wasn’t gonna get any business, at least not before church. I gave up and went behind the bar. There were a ton of shot glasses piled in the sink.

  “Hey, baby.” I knew that voice—it sounded like too much whiskey and cigarettes. Bear. He leaned over the bar and grinned at me.

  He liked things a little rough. He paid extra for it, but he still wasn’t my favorite customer. Of course, the upcharge for the smacks would go a long way to paying my bills.

  The morning I spent with Colt was so close, but so far away. I wanted to recapture that moment, feel beautiful, cherished. Tomorrow morning, I would wake up hurting and sore. But my rent would be paid.

  “One on the rocks.”

  He grinned and licked his lips as I poured his drink. I’d turned him down after that first time. But tonight he knew I would be willing, he could smell my desperation. I wouldn’t feel cherished tonight; I was going to be used.

  “Why don’t you have one with me?” he rasped.

  I didn’t drink on the job, but I was going to need the courage to sleep with Bear. Being drunk would also make my body looser. I would hurt less in the morning. I shuddered. I didn’t even try to cover up my revulsion—it’s what got him off. I sucked down a double of Patrón.

  After tonight, I’d have most of the rent. I could do this.

  “I haven’t seen you at all lately. Have you missed me?”

  I smiled and scooted closer to him. The usual dance I did with my customers. “I always miss you.”

  We made small talk about nothing for a while.

  “So, you want to go somewhere private after church?” He squeezed the top of my thigh, just hard enough that it hurt a little. Not hard enough that I could say anything, but just enough for me to wince. Bear always pushed my limits, made me go a little bit further than I wanted.

  “Yeah, um, sure. There’s an open guest room tonight.”

  Bear didn’t live at the club. Since we only had room for six residents, I tried to use one of the guest rooms whenever a guy was interested. If the rooms were both full from visiting bikers, then we used an office in the back.

  We talked a little bit more and negotiated a price. His hand touched my spine and traveled down my back. My goose bumps weren’t from excitement; they were from fear, and he knew it. But I needed the money. I tried not to lean away from him, but I couldn’t help it.

  “Get your hands off her.”

  The words weren’t said, but rather growled. It was Colt—no one else would give a shit enough to say that. I didn’t bother to turn. He wasn’t interested in me; he just didn’t want Bear pawing at his possession.

  Bear grinned at me and turned to face Colt. The entire room had gone quiet, of course. The guys all wanted to see what happened. At least I wasn’t naked and tied up this time.

  “Hey, man, Krista makes her own choices.” Bear put his arm around me and clutched me to his side.

  He was right, I made my own choices. I had to protect myself. My love for Colt was gonna bring me and my daughter to ruin. I had to do this.

  “I’ve got a date with Bear after church, but I have time now.” I moved to get off the barstool, but Bear held me in place.

  “No, I want all night.”

  I looked to Colt. He wasn’t focused on me, but rather on Bear.

  “Let her go, Bear. It’s her choice.” That was a new voice, Rip.

  Skeet walked in and looked around, confused. He must have sensed something was going down because he stood behind Colt.

  Bear’s grip released. He knew when he was beat. I stumbled as he pushed me off the chair toward Colt.

  “You’re claiming the skank for your old lady then?”

  My heart squeezed, like someone tried to strangle me from within. Thanks to Bear’s push, I was now standing between them. Between my old life and the man I wanted. Yes. I wanted him to say yes. I wanted him to realize that I didn’t lie to him. Then he could claim me as his old lady, in front of everyone. We could live happily ever after.

  I waited, my entire body tensed while I waited for his response.

  Colt’s voice was hard to hear, just above a whisper. “Go wait in my room, Krista.”

  I recoiled and jumped back, as though he’d slapped me. He didn’t do it. He didn’t claim me. Maybe he wanted me for his personal whore? Who knew. It didn’t matter now. This was his last chance, and he just blew it.

  Bear laughed. “You fucking pussy. Can’t say the words, can you?”

  Colt didn’t say a thing. He didn’t claim me. I was now just another joke.

  Bear and Colt each took off their cuts. I backed away from both of them. He and Bear could pound each other into the ground for all I cared.

  A loud whistle cracked the air. Tate.

  “Krista, upstairs. Everyone else, you’re fucking late for church.”

  It wasn’t the first time I’d been ordered upstairs. The Kings weren’t always one big happy family, and if there was trouble, I certainly didn’t want to be around.

  The guys dispersed and filed down the hall for church. Rip was right. It was my choice. I could wait around for a man who didn’t want me, or I could go fuck Bear and cement my role as motorcycle club whore.

  Or I could do neither.

  It was my choice.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Colt

  Church with the Storm Kings was a test of my nerves. I cracked my knuckles and stared at the ceiling. If I looked at Bear, I was gonna fucking pound him. If I lit into Bear the way I was itching to do, my credibility with the Kings would be shot. With that kind of shitty behavior, I wouldn’t convince a single person to join the Horde and I’d be fucked.

  The minute I got out of jail, I’d hauled ass to Krista’s apartment. Empty. Then I went to the clubhouse and walked into a fucking nightmare. I knew what she wanted me to say. I fucking wanted to say it too, but I just couldn’t.

  I’d thought about taking Krista and Becky back to California with me, but when the moment came for me to actually commit, in front of everyone, I froze. It was like agreeing to put a noose around my neck that got tighter and tighter. Instead of owning up to it like a man, I took the fucking coward’s way out and told her to go to my room. Like she was a fucking whore.

  My fingernails dug into my palms as Bear reported in on the trip to Portland to deliver the vehicles from the import operation, and Tate reported to everyone else about the casino’s earnings. Just another day. After an hour of idle chat, I was ready to gnaw the meat off my leg to escape. I had more important shit to do than listen to the earnings of a bunch of slot machines. Tate was at the top of my shit list for telling me Krista was a bartender
and leaving out the details about her side business. I also had to tell him about Bear and Robby.

  Once that shit was done, I needed to find Krista. She at least deserved an explanation about what a goddamn coward I was.

  After the meeting, the other guys filed out, and Tate, Skeeter, and I sat alone in the chapel.

  “You need me in here for this?” Bear was standing in the doorway. Shit. I had forgotten he was still the de facto VP and should be included on any serious discussions.

  I kept my mouth clamped shut. Anything that came out of my mouth directed at Bear would start a fight, so best not to say anything. If Tate was gonna get rid of Bear, he needed to step up and do it.

  Tate stood and walked to where Bear was standing. “Naw, go outside and make sure the guys are in good spirits. I think we’ve got it handled in here.”

  Bear’s eyes darted to me and then back to Tate. His jaw may have twitched, but it was hard to know under the thick beard. “That’s fine, I have a date.”

  The only thing that stopped me from vaulting over the table and smashing his head into the floor was knowing that Krista was either safe in my room or safe among a group of guys who would stand up for her. They’d done the right thing out there when Bear and I squared off, even if I hadn’t.

  The door clicked shut as he left and I let my fist fall onto the table. Or I slammed it down. Either way, it was better than going after Bear. Not as satisfying, but better in the long run.

  “You showed restraint,” Tate commented.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. His time had come. “Yeah, so did you. You fucking forgot to tell me that Krista was a bartender and a prostitute.”

  Tate had the decency to look ashamed. “Yeah, well, she’s on my payroll as a bartender. There isn’t a box to check that says ‘prostitute’ on federal employment records. Besides, how long have you been in a club? A woman who hangs around like she does is bound to have a side business. You know that.”

  Yeah, I did. My old man had helped found the Demon Horde. I’d grown up in the life and I should have known. My mom and old man wouldn’t let my sister hang out at the club. They knew what everyone would assume. I should have known too. Goddamn it.

  “So enough about pussy. Where did you guys disappear to this afternoon?” Tate asked.

  Skeeter and I filled Tate in on our conversation with Robby.

  Tate shrugged. “Well, based on Robby’s slipup, Bear is our skimmer. His day job is towing abandoned vehicles for me, so I know exactly how much he makes, and it ain’t enough to play loan shark.

  “It’s just a waiting game right now, see if he breaks into the warehouse. I’ve got a notification system set up on my email as soon as he gets inside. We just have to sit around and wait until he makes a move.” I rubbed my hands. I didn’t have time to sit and wait. “Can we get another shipment underway? Bear wouldn’t be able to resist all that cash—he’d move fast for sure. I’m looking at a warrant just as soon as the paperwork goes through. We need to tie this up quick.”

  I blew out a breath as I tried to come up with something, anything that might speed this along. “I could go back to Cali,” I suggested. It wasn’t the most sophisticated of plans, but it was easy and fast. “Get me out of the way so Bear feels more comfortable. Business as usual, then you guys take him down on your own.”

  Tate ran his fingers through his beard. “It could work. But the theft could already have happened. You boys go through the security footage tomorrow. But, what if your security system failed? What if the theft has already happened? Why don’t you boys go down to the warehouse tomorrow, see what’s up. If we come up with nothing, Colt, you’re headed home and we hope that will encourage Bear.”

  I hurried through the rest of the discussion. I didn’t have much time left and I needed to talk to Krista.

  * * *

  After our meeting, I took the stairs two at a time to see if she was in my room. In my head she would be on the bed, waiting for me. But instead there was nothing. She wasn’t there.

  But there wasn’t silence. There was a rhythmic knocking sound. Someone was having sex. Fuck.

  The colors of the world faded until I only saw shades of red. I went room to room, flinging open doors until I found one that was locked. I kicked it in.

  A hairy white ass pumped away against the wall. Fuck. I could see the back of Bear’s cut, a skeleton with a crown, as he drilled himself into her. I grabbed his mop of hair and pulled him off. He came out swinging. I ducked the punch and tried to grab Krista’s arm, pull her to safety. But the woman against the wall was a brunette with brown eyes and a bloody lip.

  A blow hit the back of my neck, but the aim was wrong, so it just glanced off. I spun and Bear caught me in the nose. Blood gushed down the front of my shirt, but I couldn’t stop to think, I just punched. Bear went down and I followed.

  I went in for another hit, but my knuckles wouldn’t reach. It was because I had been hauled up by Skeeter and Rip. Tate and the entire club stood behind them.

  “Where’s Krista?” I asked. My tongue was thick—I must have bitten it at some point during the fight. Skeeter, who had hold of my left arm, turned me to toward Tate.

  “Krista went home for the evening.” Tate glared at me. “Someone get Bear patched up and take Colt to my office.” He looked me square in the face. “You sit your ass down until you cool off. Then we’re gonna have a little chat.”

  My lips burned to tell Tate to go fuck himself, but he was right. I needed to cool off. All the guys were gathered in the hall and staring at me. An argument with Tate in front of the whole damn club would not be good for anyone.

  Tate left me sitting in his office for almost an hour. I was glad for that time. I needed to get my head together. After thinking Bear was having sex with Krista, my nerves were raw and I just needed a damn break.

  Finally, Tate stomped into his office and slammed the door before he sat behind his desk.

  “Have you lost your goddamned mind?” he asked. His anger was cold and quiet, running just under the surface.

  I groaned. “Yeah, I fucked up. I saw Bear, thought it was Krista, and lost it. I went crazy. It won’t happen again.”

  Tate nodded. “You’re damned right it won’t happen again. I called my buddy Volk in Cali, and he and I had a chat.”

  Dropping my head into my hands, I imagined all of the awful possibilities of what was coming next. Volk was the Demon Horde’s president and I was in some serious shit.

  Tate let the silence stretch between us.

  “I like you, kid. You’re respectful—most of the fucking time. And you were doing pretty well, up until tonight.” He leaned in. “But here’s my problem. I can’t have you fucking up this patch-over. If they drum your ass out of the club, it don’t much affect me. But if I can’t patch in, my little club is gonna be easy pickins for everybody on the West Coast. I’ve got prime territory and a goddamn brotherhood that I’m not willing to give up. I can’t patch in if all the guys hate you. You’re the face of the Demon Horde and I gotta get my guys to say yes, to want to become your brother.

  “So, you need to get your shit together and get this patch-over moving, because you have three days to close the damn deal. Volk heard they issued your warrant today, so state troopers could be at our door any moment. I’m not willing to get raided because you got picked up at a strip club sniffing after pussy.”

  I cringed. He was right. Everything he was saying was correct. I had failed, and if I didn’t get this patch-over completed, my ass was gonna get kicked out of the club. I had grown up in Horde, prospecting when I was fifteen. My old man would roll in his grave if he learned they stripped my patch. I couldn’t fail. But three days? That was some fast turnaround time.

  “Yes, sir.” What more was there to say? “You’re right.”

  Tate leaned back in his chair
. “So, here’s what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna prove Bear is the one stealing. You’ve got three days to figure this shit out. After that, Volk wants you home for a full report. Then you’re turning your ass in.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  I nodded numbly. All I had left were three days of freedom.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Krista

  A god-awful blaring noise shrieked in my ear. I pounded on my alarm clock a few times, but it kept going. It was my phone, not the alarm.

  “Hello?” It was seven in the morning. I had spent the entire night moping around the strip club trying to forget about my life. My feet hurt, my head pounded. Someone had better be dead or on fire.

  “Uh, hi. May I speak with Krista Hartley?” The voice was a woman’s and very professional. What the hell could she want from me? My bills were all paid up, at least until tomorrow, so it wasn’t a bill collector. “I’m sorry to wake you. I’m calling about a position with the accounting firm of North and Shearer.”

  I’d never been so awake in my life. I scrambled but managed to put on my best “I wasn’t up all night” voice. The call was short, she was just doing the scheduling. But I had an interview today. Entry-level accounting.

  Becks crawled into bed with me. The phone had woken her up. “Mommy? Why are you laughing?”

  She snuggled into my pillow. Her hair was full of tangles, but she was beautiful. My little bit of morning sunshine.

  “I’m laughing because I’m excited. I’m going to get a new job.”

  Yeah, okay. I didn’t have the job yet, but I needed to dream. I needed that little bit of surety that my future was going to get better, soon.

  * * *

  It was a three-story brick office building, green glass windows all the way around. Nothing special, but it looked like heaven. My sensible heels clicked on the wet sidewalk and I reached the front door. Then I heard a rumble. Low and savage, a motorcycle.

  My traitorous heart jumped. I wanted it to be Colt. But as the noise grew closer, I saw the motorcycle pass by. It was just a kid on an Asian-style bike.