QUIVER, BOOK TWO ( A DARK ROMANCE)

by Laura Avery

  I glanced at Trigger again. He was shaking his head now and spitting out orders. Realization washed over me. Trigger knew there was going to be a shooting there tonight, that was why he hadn’t wanted to let me go to the club because he was somehow involved in it.

  He had murdered someone.

  My pulse started racing, the same fuzzy feeling that had come over me earlier in the day returned and I felt myself turning into full on panic mode. I dropped the water on the bar, grabbed my purse, and make a run for it as fast as I could out the front door of the club.

  When I reached the street I took off running. Not sure where I was going or how I was going to get there. I just knew I had to get away from Trigger Ford and his crazy life. His crime-filled life.

  But something told me it was going to be easier said than done.

  PART THREE

  LACEY

  I had to be the stupidest girl in the entire city to get myself in the situation I was in. I kneeled down further behind the shelf of supplies in the closet, being careful to not make any noise. I should have just let Lloyd come back here and get the extra napkins and silverware for the rush at lunch hour, but no. I always had to be the one in control, I always had to be the one who took care of things and fixed things.

  It had started when I was younger. My dad had been murdered when I was younger; he had borrowed a bunch of money from some loan shark across town, and couldn’t deliver when it came time to pay up. They found him thrown off the top of a building two streets over from where the said loan shark lived. There had been no witnesses.

  My mom was an alcoholic who had shot out two other babies with no intention of taking care of them. My baby brother and sister were 5 and 7. I had been more like their mother than sister for as long as I’d known. I had dreamed about making it after high school then coming back to pull them out of the life. As soon as I graduated from high school and our mom went missing, I knew that dream was just that: a dream.

  My mom was held up with some low life somewhere; turning tricks to pay him and to get her next fix. She hadn’t been home but a handful of times in the last five years, each time stumbling in drunk and screaming nonsense. I had gotten two jobs out of high school. At first, it was to save for college but after my mom had her second baby and left her alone in front of me for hours I knew raising them was on me now and I hadn’t looked back since.

  That was five years ago when I was 20. I was 25 now and still living the same life. But it was worth it, giving up my freedom for theirs. Being with me was better than being in the system, better than ending up separated. I had taken over the bills and responsibility of teaching them right from wrong.

  It was all I had known. It was what I was used to. Part of why I always had to do things myself, why I always had to stay in control, never leaving my fate in anyone else’s hands, even when it came to simple things. Like getting the fucking napkins from the supply closet.

  Stupid, Lacey, so stupid, I silently cursed myself.

  I peeked out around the big metal shelf that I was kneeling behind. The men were still standing there, ushered in a tight circle, talking intently. There were three of them, all big, and all scary. I was overhearing things I wasn’t supposed to, things that no one outside of their small circle was supposed to hear. Things they would kill to protect.

  But I was the most worried about one of them.

  Link Ford.

  Link Ford and his brothers were notorious for running things in our city and for being the gruesome leaders behind the most powerful MC there was; The Blazing Devils. They were personal about their business, never showing much emotion in the light, but the few stories I had heard about what went on in the darkness was enough to make the fear in me intensify at just the sight of any of them.

  He was around the restaurant enough. Link. After all, he did own it. He didn’t talk to any of the employees that much besides simple small talk. He really only bothered with management. Word on the street was that the restaurant was just a front for their illegal activity.

  But I had never seen anything sketchy when I had been working besides hushed conversations. I mean up until now. Plus, the restaurant paid me well, giving me as many hours as I wanted. It really helped me with the kids. I wasn’t about to start asking questions and screw up a good thing.

  I looked Link up and down, he looked just as good as he did in high school, just a little more grown up and with more ink. He was dressed well, like him and his brothers always are. His deep skin was smooth and flawless, his dark hair thick but styled perfectly. He hadn’t changed much over the years, the same confidence and power followed him.

  He hadn’t even known who I was in high school, but I knew who he was. Just like every other girl in our school. Plus he had hooked up with a bunch of my girls at different times throughout my high school career. Why hadn’t he hooked up with me? I wasn’t Link Ford’s type. Not even a little. Plus, I preferred relationships to hookups. (Call me old fashioned.) And everyone new the Ford brothers didn’t do relationships.

  If you wanted to be with any of the Ford brothers you better be okay with the fact that it was only going to be for the night, and if you were lucky enough, maybe some other nights.

  “The most important thing,” Link was saying now, “is to make sure no one else get’s hurt in the crossfire. I want a clean shot, no bystanders should be involved, only one body bag should be getting rolled out of that club tonight.”

  “Right, but if it happens, it happens.” I peeked out and saw Jay shaking his head back and forth. “We can’t be worried about some idiot being in the crossfire and have TJ miss a good shot. Wasted opportunity.”

  I felt myself starting to sweat. I was listening in on a murder plot with some of the most feared men in our entire state. I could get shot just for being here. People had probably gotten shot for way less.

  Jay was a few years younger in school, but I had heard stories about him. Stories about people never coming home after they had gotten involved with him, it occurred to me if I wasn’t careful I could be one of those stories.

  “No,” Link said, sounding like he meant it. “No one else gets hurt. We aren’t in the business of murdering just to murder.”

  Jay huffed and Link reached out and put his hand on his shoulder. “Do you understand me?” The threat was evident under the service. Don’t disobey him or there would be a problem.

  Jay looked into Link’s eyes for a second and then nodded. “Yeah, I got it.”

  Link’s phone started ringing then. He ignored it for a second, keeping his eyes on Jay. Finally, he grabbed it out of his pocket and glanced at the caller ID. He shook his head. “Give me a second,” he said, disappearing into the hallway and shutting the door behind him.

  Jay waited a few seconds then kicked a stray box of ketchup packets that was on the floor. Red pouches went flying everywhere. “Do you believe that? Pass up a shot. Miss an opportunity to take this rat out just because he’s standing too close to someone? It’s a fucking club, how does he think we’re gonna be able to get off a clean shot in a fucking club?”

  The other guy that was with him was on his phone now, too, looking bored.

  “Silk? My brother!” Jay said now, trying to get the other guy’s attention.

  Silk looked up from his phone, still looking uninterested. “I don’t know why you’re getting all bitchy and worked up. The rules haven’t changed since the first time we did this, bro. Same rules, different target.”

  Jay kicked another box. This time, a bunch of plastic silverware went everywhere, a few landing right next to my feet. “Maybe I’m sick of the rules. What’s the point of running the streets if every bitch and every pussy don’t run when they see you coming? Link thinks he’s the president of the United States or some shit. Being kind to some and brutal to others. Real men have no empathy for any bitch, I don’t care how many kids she has or how hard she has it. Like that bitch’s mom, he took pity on across town. What was her name? Jennifer? Yeah, Jennif
er’s momma didn’t have to pay us that money she owed us because she got clean and a real job. So fucking soft, if that was me…” he pointed his finger in the air. “Bang, bang. Point and shoot, my brother, point, and shoot.”

  Silk shook his head. “There’s a reason no one on our club has been locked up in years, Jay. Because of the rules that are put in place, because of the way Link and his brothers do things.”

  Jay kicked the shelf that I was hiding behind hard, sending it bouncing back and forth. I jumped back a little, scared it was going to tumble over on top of me, and stepped on a plastic fork in the process.

  Fuck. I froze.

  “Shh,” Jay said now, looking around the closet. “Did you hear that?”

  “I didn’t hear anything,” Silk said, looking down at his phone again.

  “I did,” Jay said, his voice low. “Someone’s in here.”

  “You’re always so paranoid, man. You know what they say about people that are paranoid, don’t you? They guilty as fuck,” Silk said, laughing.

  “Shh,” Jay said, getting closer and closer to where I was kneeling behind the shelf.

  I squeezed my eyes shut. Please go away, please go away, please go away.

  “Gotcha.”

  I opened my eyes to the barrel of a gun pointed at my face.

  My vision started blurring a little, the room spinning in and out around me at a rapid pace. I looked past the gun and up into Jay’s eyes. There was nothing but coldness there.

  “Get the fuck up,” Jay ordered me, a growl in his voice. “GET UP.”

  I did slowly, stumbling a little as I do.

  “Ah, shit,” Silk said, shaking his head back and forth.

  “Paranoid, huh?” Jay said. “This little bitch has been here the whole time, listening to everything we said.”

  “No,” I said, pleading. “I didn’t… I didn’t hear anything…I…”

  “Shut up, you stupid cunt. Don’t waste your last words, your life is already over.” Jay smiled as he said it; like the realization made him happy. “Stupid bitch thinks she has the right to listen to anything I say. Like you’re special.”

  Silk sighed loudly, running his fingers over his shaved down hair. “This is a problem.”

  “Of course, it’s a problem. This bitch heard a bunch of things she shouldn’t have.” Jay pointed the gun at my head again. “She needs to be shut up.”

  “I’m not going to tell anyone, I’m not-“

  “I thought you didn’t hear anything?” Jay challenged me. “Exactly. Lying ass bitch. That’s all bitches are good at; lying and fucking,” he laughed loudly.

  “Put the gun down, Jay,” Silk said. “She’s not going anywhere and we need to figure this shit out.”

  “The only thing we need to figure out is where to dispose of the body.” He looked me up and down slowly. “Don’t tell me you’re about to cry.”

  I could feel the wetness starting to form behind my eyes. I was trying to keep it together but I couldn’t help it. All I could think about was what would happen to my little brother and sister if anything were to happen to me. If I just never came home if I never came back to them without a word.

  “Oh, god. Go out like a real bitch. No tears.”

  “That’s enough,” Silk said.

  Jay ignored him. “Of course, maybe I should have a little fun with you before you go.” My heart started racing as Jay took a few steps closer to me. He took the gun and pushed my hair out of my face with the barrel. “Yeah, you look like you’d be a real good time.”

  “What the fuck is going on in here?”

  Jay and me both turned to see who the voice belongs to.

  Link. And he looked pissed.

  Jay took a step away from me and I couldn’t control myself any longer.

  I burst into tears.

  “What the fuck did you do to her?” Link slammed the door shut behind him.

  Jay rolled his eyes. “I didn’t do anything. She started freaking out for no reason.”

  “Put the gun away,” Link said, walking closer to us.

  “I can’t. She’s been in here the whole time, hiding behind that shelf, she fucking heard everything.”

  Link’s eyes grew wide and he looked at me in shock and confusion. He stared at me for a few more seconds and I tried to get my tears under control, but it was easier said than done.

  “I’m not going to tell anybody anything. I swear I won’t say a word. Please, I…” I trailed off. I knew I sounded pathetic, like a little girl who wanted her mother. But I didn’t care. If there was ever a time to beg, it was when my life was on the line.

  Link kept looking at me. “Stop crying,” he shook his head. “Jay put the gun down.”

  “Are you kidding?” Jay looked like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “We let her walk out of here she’s going to run straight to the cops or tip someone off on what’s going to happen.”

  “No one’s walking out of anywhere but she doesn’t need a gun pointed at her head, either.” Link ran his hand back and forth over his hair and for the first time, I saw the wear of stress in his eyes.

  “Just let me take her out the back exit, I’ll take care of her. She’ll be swimming with the fishes in no time,” he winked at me.

  Link walked over to Jay and grabbed the gun out of his hand in one swift motion. Once he had a good grip he pulled it up and hit him in the face with it hard, red liquid started flowing all over the place. “When I tell to do something, you fucking do it the first time.”

  Jay didn’t say anything, putting his hands around his head to cover the blood from falling all over the floor.

  “Go clean yourself up,” Link said calmly, all anger from his voice gone.

  Jay took off out of the supply closet, slamming the door behind him.

  Link looked at Silk. “He’s starting to become a problem.”

  Silk nodded, looking at me out of the corner of my eye. “How do you wanna play this?”

  Link looked at me slowly then back at Silk like he was playing the options out in his mind. “I don’t know, I can’t think about this right now. I have enough on my mind with tonight going down. Not to mention I just got word Trigger was spotted pulling a gun on someone at a stop light across town.”

  Silk raised his eyebrows. “What happened?”

  Link shrugged. “I don’t know but I’m about to ride over with you to find out.”

  Jay walked back in the room, a rag pressed against his wound.

  “We have to ride out for a minute,” Link said. “You need to stay with the girl.” He glanced at me and he must have seen the fear that crept into my eyes cause he sighed loudly. “Relax.” Then he looked at Jay again. “No one touches her,” he said in a cold voice. “Do we have an understanding?”

  Jay nodded.

  “Good,” Link said, walking toward the door. “We’ll be back soon.”

  Silk followed him out and the door slammed shut behind them.

  Leaving me all alone with Jay.

  Jay looked at me, smirking. “Don’t get too comfortable. Link will come to his senses. We can’t let you go, you know too much.”

  “I’m not going to tell anyone,” I whispered.

  He laughed loudly and pulled the rag away from his face, checking to see if he was still bleeding. “Of course, you’ll tell someone. You’re a bitch, bitches always have to tell someone something.”

  “I’m thirsty,” I told him, licking my lips.

  Jay shrugged. “I don’t care.”

  “Can I have some water?” My mouth was so dry I felt like my throat was going to close up. “Please?”

  Jay made a big show of sighing like he couldn’t believe how annoying I was. “You’ll have to wait, I’m busy.” He flopped his large body on top of a huge box that was resting in the corner.

  I took the time to study him. He was evil looking, with long hair, and eyes that looked dead. Eyes that looked like they had no emotion inside of them at all, he looked like a stone
cold killer. But was even more disturbing was the fact that he seemed to like looking that way. It seemed to satisfy him, to thrill him.

  The door to the supply closet swung open and I jerked my head to the side, hoping that it was Link and Silk, but it’s wasn’t; it was Tasha Jenkins. I recognized her from high school. She was one of those girls who acted more like a thug than a lady. I had never had any problems with her but she had caught one of my girls checking out her boyfriend in high school once outside of school and stomped her face into the ground.

  What the hell was she doing here? I had never seen her at the restaurant before. She looked me up and down; her skin glowing. She snapped her gum loudly. “So this is the trick that’s sneaking around listening to conversations, huh?” She snarled at me and walked over to Jay, swinging her hips as she went. “Let me see, baby” She took the rag that was covered in blood and studied his face closely. “It doesn’t look too bad. You okay?”

  Jay huffed and stuck his chest out. “Of course, I’m okay, I’m no pussy.”

  Tasha turned her attention to me. “You little bitch, you got my baby snuffed in the face with a gun. I should snuff you in the face so you can see what the fuck it feels like.” She took a few steps toward me and went to grab me but Jay jumped off the box he was posted up on and dragged her backward.

  “Stop, not yet. Link wants her untouched for now.”

  Tasha pulled out of Jay’s grasp and ground her teeth together while she grilled me. “You better thank god today, bitch, you lucky. But as soon as I’m able you’re getting your face pounded in.”

  Jay looked and me and smirked, satisfied that I was going to get what was coming to me. “Yeah, if she even makes it that far. I have a feeling she isn’t going to be breathing too much longer,” he winked at me and I felt my heart start to speed up again.

  This couldn’t be happening to me. I felt like I was about to have a heart attack at any second with all the racing my heart was doing. I glanced at the door again, hoping for Link or Silk again but it stayed shut, taunting me.