Soothing His Madness

by Kayn, Debra

  She shifted, suddenly chilled. He set her aside and stood. The loss of him brought out her insecurities. "You can't do something stupid that brings trouble down on you. What good will you do in prison? Jodie will still have the boys."

  Slade grabbed his T-shirt. "Rain, Torque, and Raul will protect me. They've got my back. Nothing for you to worry about."

  She stood staring after him as he walked into the bathroom to get rid of the condom. Was he serious?

  He returned with his jeans fastened and his shirt on. She hurried to slip on her clothes. The magnitude of what he wasn't telling her was huge. This was her life too.

  How were they supposed to act like a team and support each other if he continued to leave her out of everything? His impulsive reactions scared her. He had to plan and think about what he was going to do, not ride out on pure emotions.

  Okay, he loved her and he was going to ask her to marry him, but he'd spontaneously had her move in during the worst time of his life. Even today, to shut her up, he took her to the cabin and damned anyone to stop him. That kind of behavior was going to land him in prison.

  She smoothed her skirt. "Okay, so let me get this straight. We love each other, but what you do with your life and the decisions you make are private and don't include me, right?"

  He ran his tongue over his teeth and slowly nodded. "Yeah. I'm taking care of you. You have nothing to worry about."

  She stared at him, giving him one more chance to change his opinion. When he motioned at the door and took a step away from her, she snorted.

  He turned around. "What?"

  "I'm not one of your bitches," she stated.

  His lips twitched in amusement. "Never said you were, baby girl. Not even at the beginning of our relationship. I also never treated you like one today, because if I did, I wouldn't be standing here talking with you."

  Okay. He had a point.

  "I'm going to sell my house," she blurted.

  He shrugged. "Okay."

  "Maybe I'll keep it, and use it as a rental," she said.

  "That's a good idea. You might want to talk to Rain about the ins and outs, since he's the businessman." Slade put his hand on the door handle. "You done now?"

  His amenability should've pleased her. He wasn't making demands and she was free to do whatever she wanted with what she acquired before she met him. She walked past him and out the door. Then why was she taking his compliance as a sign that things would never be the way she hoped?

  She never wanted to be a woman who relied on her man for money, security, or protection. She valued her independence, and believed women should not give up their livelihood just because they married. She glanced at Slade and warmed. Yet for a short time when they were having sex, she delighted in him taking control of the situation. Then it was as if someone had flipped a switch, because she fought with him for taking responsibility of his kids onto himself when she was willing to help.

  He slipped his fingers in her hand and together they walked across the parking lot. Maybe she was the one that was messed up. The other girls were right. Loving a biker was a pain in the ass but when it was good, it was the best thing she'd ever experienced.

  Chapter Ten

  A gray Cadillac drove past the turnout, taking the on-ramp to I-5. Slade pulled out his pre-paid cell and checked the time. Five minutes until three o'clock, and Ray hadn't arrived at the meeting point yet. He hoped the motherfucker showed up, or everything he set into motion was screwed.

  "If things go bad, you get the hell out of here." Rain walked over to his Harley and straddled the seat. "We'll take care of cleaning up."

  Slade spit on the ground. "It's not going in that direction. I'm taking my kids back whether we strike a deal or not, and no one's stopping me."

  Rain motioned for Torque to take off. Slade watched him ride away. Ray had to come, or his plan for Torque to get his kids could turn bad. He'd planned every scenario if things went wrong.

  So far, he knew Kurt received the message Tori sent through Shiloh Baker, who lived in the next apartment to his ex, and the boys were at the Baker's waiting for Torque to pick them up. Shiloh's husband, Deek, owed him for the engine re-haul he did for free last year when Deek lost his job, and promised to play the middleman.

  If everything went according to plan, the boys were safe and ready to come home.

  "Heads up, amigo." Raul slid his hands into his gloves and stepped away from his bike in an almost cat like move.

  Ray's blue sedan pulled into the off-road parking spot below the on-ramp. Slade's gut tightened and he remained on his motorcycle. Tonight, he'd have his kids under his roof and safe from Los Li coming to Pitnam, his woman lying beside him, and the motherfucker who made his life hell would no longer be a problem.

  The car stopped and Ray stepped out, sniffing and looking around as if he could take them all down. Slade waited for the motherfucker to approach him. He was done bending over and being raped because he was afraid of what the court would say. He'd handle today's meeting man to man, in a language the motherfucker understood.

  "Last I heard, Ramchett, drop-offs were at a designated spot and required the kids to be with me. I don't think Judge Harvey meant we were supposed to meet outside of the designated weekends, under an overpass, with your…gang surrounding you." Ray stopped four feet away, lit a cigarette, and blew out the smoke. "This better be good. If I miss buying in at the table tonight, because of this little meeting, I'm sure Jodie wouldn't mind having the kids the next time you're scheduled to have them."

  "Then I'll make this short, so you can understand and leave." Slade reached behind his back, removed a thick envelope out of the backpack tied to his bitch seat, and slapped it onto the gas tank of the Harley. "I want them Lee and Kurt back under my roof every night and sitting at my table every morning. There's seventy-five thousand dollars in cash in this bag. That money buys your cooperation. You'll keep Jodie away from my kids, and keep her from notifying her attorney that I have the kids full time."

  Ray ran his hand over the back of his neck. "She'll never go for it."

  The motherfucker twitched with unhidden desire to grab the loot. He was probably already dreaming of raising the stakes in the poker game tonight. Slade shrugged. "She will if you share the money with her. All she's ever been about is living a comfortable life and having fun. Divide the dough any way you want to please her, and keep the rest."

  "Shit," Ray muttered.

  "I know you have Banjoey after you for a gambling debt. There's more than enough to pay him off and start over. All I want in exchange for the cash is my kids and you to keep Jodie from fighting me for custody. We both know you'd rather not have the boys underfoot. I can make that happen, right now."

  "I need a hundred grand." Ray took the cigarette out of his mouth, and flicked the filter behind him. "Jodie rather play all the time than take care of the kids, and I need to pay off my debts."

  Slade shook his head. "Seventy five and I don’t kill you. Buy your freedom."

  "Fuck." Ray ran his hands through his hair and glanced at each member of the Bantorus club. "Jodie will know you killed me…"

  Slade lifted his brow. "Doesn't bother me if she knows or doesn't know. She's not my concern, she's yours."

  "Jesus." Ray planted his hands on his hips and paced. "Are the bills marked?"

  Slade again shook his head. "Clean money. It's yours if you walk away and don't make any move to fight me. Give me a month, and then have Jodie contact me. I'll set up times when she can see the kids at Cactus Cove. Only at Cactus Cove. I'm not looking to kick her out of their life, but it's not healthy for them to be around you both."

  "I ain't done anything to those kids." Ray glared. "They got a roof over their heads and they go to school."

  "Right," Slade muttered, removing his pistol from the back of his jeans and pulled back the chamber. "One bullet in the knee for all the dinners they were forced to make themselves from the stale shit they found in the cupboard."


  "They ate," Ray snapped.

  "One bullet in the thigh for not providing electricity to keep them warm at night, because you were out gambling their comfort away," Slade raised his arm.

  "God damnit." Ray stepped backward. "Let me think."

  "One bullet in your stomach for the hell you put my boys through the last two years." Slade pointed the pistol at Ray's midsection.

  "I don't want the kids," Ray said, shaking his head. "I need the money."

  Slade raised his aim. "One bullet between your eyes, motherfucker, for putting Kurt in the position of having to raise and protect his little brother, and making him choose between doing what's right and having what he wants."

  "Okay!" Ray bent over at the waist and braced his hands on his knees. "I'll take the money. You can have your kids."

  Slade picked the envelope up with one hand, and kept his pistol sighted on Ray with the other. He tossed the money to the ground. "You show your face anywhere around me, my woman, my kids, and the deals off. I'll kill you without blinking."

  Ray scooped up the package, thumbed through the contents, and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I got you."

  "Then get the fuck out of here." Slade lowered his arm, but kept the pistol in his hand.

  When the dust from the gravel spraying under Ray's tires settled and he could no longer hear the car, Slade put his weapon away and turned to Rain. "Text Torque and see if he has the kids."

  Rain pulled out his phone. Several minutes went by, and he raised his head and met Slade's eyes. "Boys are safe and on their way to Cactus Cove."

  Only then did the air he desperately need the last two weeks without his boys fill his lungs. He leaned forward and braced his arms on the handlebars of his bike, and let his head fall between his hands. Rain slapped him on the shoulder. He raised his head and the relief was so great, he laughed.

  Raul grinned, joining in the laughter. Rain raised his gaze to the sky and shook his head in amusement. Slade kept laughing, because damned if it didn't feel good.

  Rain walked over and sat his Harley. "If you boys are done fucking around, let's ride."

  Slade started the Harley, and followed the dust trail onto the highway. He couldn't wait to get his arms around his family. Now that he had half his problems fixed, he could protect and love his family the way they deserved. He filled his lungs with fresh air. It was a damn good feeling to have the madness at bay for a change.

  Chapter Eleven

  Torque entered Cactus cove and lifted his chin at Taylor. She leaned against the bar waiting to clean table number six, smiled and turned around to sit on a bar stool when she froze, catching a glimpse of a red T-shirt squeezing out from behind Torque's body.

  Lee fell into the room, skidding on his sneakers. Taylor's heart raced. Far as she knew, the boys were supposed to be at their mother's house, and nowhere near Slade. The judge was very precise on the orders that he only had contact with his kids every other weekend.

  She hurried over, catching Lee as he threw himself at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She gazed up at Torque. "What are you doing? This could get Slade in trouble," she whispered.

  "Slade knows." Torque ruffled his hand in Kurt's hair. "Little men are going to hang with us. Slade's on his way here."

  All she could do was stare bug eyed at Torque. He wasn't giving her any answers, and Slade made no mention of the kids coming. In fact, the last thing he said was…

  "Oh my God," she whispered. "He wouldn't…would he?"

  "Let's not go there." Torque moved in closer and pressed his hand into her back, guiding her over to a table. "I bet the kids would love one of Bruce's special hamburgers with a load of fries. Why don't you go get the order started and bring us all a big glass of milk."

  She glanced at the kids sitting in the chairs to Torque watching her carefully. "Slade?"

  "Is fine…" Torque raised his brows. "Breathe, sweetheart, and go get the boys some food. They're hungry."

  On autopilot, she gave the order to Bruce to relay to the cook, and then filled three glasses with milk before returning to the table. She passed the boys their drink, and handed the last milk to Torque.

  The lines around his eyes intensified and his mouth softened. "Really?"

  "Huh?" She glanced at the glass of milk in her hand when it dawned on her what she did. "Sorry. I'll get you a beer."

  His hand came out and tagged her elbow before she could hurry away. "Slow down. Sit. Milk would probably be good for me—he raised his brows at the kids—bottoms up, boys."

  Taylor sat down when Torque pulled out an extra chair for her. She looked around helplessly, wondering if she should be doing something. Maybe hiding the children in case the police showed up or taking them back to their mother's house to keep Slade from getting in trouble would help.

  Kurt wiped his forearm across his mouth, erasing the milk mustache from his face. "Where's dad?"

  "Well…" She glanced at Torque, but he looked off in Ginger's direction. "I'm not sure, but Torque says he's coming here."

  Lee whispered, "We're sick."

  "Huh?" She took in his grin, his legs swinging on the chair, and the excess energy that kept him always moving. "Does your tummy hurt?"

  "We're not really sick." Kurt kicked Lee under the table, eliciting a yelp from his brother. "Dad had Aunt Tori text me last night. We were only pretending we had the flu so we could stay home from school and Mrs. Baker would babysit us."

  The pounding of her blood roared in Taylor's ears. She schooled her reaction to that bit of information, and formulated her own conclusion. Slade had planned to abduct his kids, and didn't share that information with her.

  Bruce appeared with two plates filled with food. "Eat up if you ever think you'll be strong enough to hold up a Harley. Can't join Bantorus, until you can ride on your own."

  Both boys dug into their food with gusto at the challenge. Taylor sagged against the chair. Males of all ages came with a healthy appetite, but she wondered if Lee and Kurt's hunger came from lack of food at their mother's apartment. Even wondering about their wellbeing softened her attitude toward Slade.

  It wasn't as if she disagreed with his idea to have Lee and Kurt home with him. She pushed a paper napkin closer to Lee, and smiled at him when he mopped his face. Slade wasn't dealing with club business, but children who required school, routine, and the carefree experience of being children instead of mini adults caught in the middle of their parents' battle.

  Lee raised his head, put his burger down, and slid off his chair. Taylor snapped out of her thoughts and gazed in the direction Lee ran, and her gaze collided with Slade. He continued staring at her as he hugged his son to his chest and lifted him in the air. Her sigh of relief came and went. She broke her gaze with him and looked at Kurt.

  Kurt grinned. She shook her head in defeat. Slade's oldest son was exactly like him. He acknowledged his dad's arrival with the quiet acceptance in which Slade often handled change. And, she had no clue what the boy was thinking, and he wasn't in any hurry to share his thoughts with her.

  Slade corralled Lee back to the table, leaned down and kissed Taylor's upturned and questioning mouth, and whispered, "Later, baby girl."

  Raul came over to the table, squatted beside Kurt, and laid a link to a chain beside his plate. "Brand new. Do you remember how I showed you to take the pin out and align the link?"

  "Yeah." Kurt picked up the piece and shoved it in the front pocket of his jeans. "Thanks, Uncle Raul. I can't wait to fix my dirt bike and get back to riding."

  Everyone acted as if it wasn't unusual to kidnap two boys and have Lee and Kurt at the bar in the middle of the day. She scooted her chair out and stood.

  Slade blocked her escape. "Hey, sit and relax."

  "I need to get back to work." She sidestepped to walk around him.

  Ginger paused on her way by. "Don't worry, I have you covered. Next Thursday, I have a dentist appointment. We'll switch shifts. Go be with your family."

  She brought her h
and up to her forehead, trying to keep up with the changes. "Okay…thanks, Ginger."

  Slade watched her carefully. "See. Everything is covered. No worries."

  She pointed to the hallway. "Can someone watch the boys, so I can talk to you in private?"

  Slade frowned. "Can't it wait?"

  "No, not really." She walked off, hoping he'd follow her.

  What she had to say to him wasn't something the kids should overhear and honestly, she wasn't sure she could keep her voice down. Slade risked his freedom, the kids' security, and their relationship by stealing the kids from the custodial parent. People didn't do that sort of thing without getting in trouble.

  She paced in the hallway, keeping an eye out for Slade. When she thought he wasn't going to come and talk to her, he entered the hallway. She met him halfway. "What the hell did you do?"

  "Got my kids," he said.

  She held her arms up in the air. "I can see that, but how?"

  A flicker of something—guilt or reluctance to share that bit of information, perhaps?—flashed over his face. He glanced behind him and lowered his voice. "The less you know, the better off you'll be."

  "Don't give me that shit. I live with you. I'm going to be taking care of those boys. Don't put me in the middle and expect me to accept when someone comes and rips my new family out of my arms." She yanked at her Tee, overworked and hot.

  Slade rocked forward, his gaze heated. "Like the sound of that, baby girl."

  She slapped his chest, and when he only came closer, she planted both of her hands on him and shoved. She stepped backward, because he only kept coming forward. "Don't do that," she warned.

  He stepped closer, tagged the front of her jeans, and pulled her up against him. "Or what?"

  She moaned in frustration over her body melting at the contact. She hated and loved the way she reacted, but now was not the time. "I'm serious, honey. I need to protect those kids and you, because I don't want to lose everyone."

  Slade's body softened and he cupped her ass, holding her in place. "I paid him off."

  "What?" She arched back to look in his face. "Who?"