by Dark Angel
The tears melt us. It works every time. Now I want to fuck her slowly and tenderly, and let her know that I will always love her no matter how many times she defies me.
Jason goes to comfort her. He lays kisses all over her body and her mouth. Then he starts to move south to her pussy but I stop him. "Jason, we have work to do. This will have to wait until later."
He stops kissing her slim stomach and I see the faint ripple of her gorgeous abs. I want to be the one there between her legs. I want to reveal all passion to her after having been so close to losing her. They each have had a taste of Zeva since the shooting at her house but I have been preoccupied.
I wish now was the time to tenderize her but it just isn't.
"Come on, guys. We need to form a plan. This madness stops tonight." I have to take charge. I am the leader of the MC and it's time to pull out all the stops.
Jason releases Zeva and we all convene at the little table in the corner of motel room. Luckily there's whiskey to help calm the fierce anger coursing through my body.
"So, Wade," Alex says. "What's our next step?"
"We have to go big. With the way they've come after us already, I don't see another way. We’ll destroy every single one of those motherfuckers. They are gonna pay for everyone they hurt, and especially for what happened to Zeva."
"I think we need everyone,” Jason says. “We need all the members to converge in one place so that we can form a direct plan of action."
"Yeah," Alex agrees as Zeva comes up behind him and puts her arms around his neck. She kisses him and I'm jealous. I want those arms around me. I want to get inside of her. My fear is that this may be it. If there's a fight and we die, I will never have Zeva again and that thought is too painful to bear.
"Come here Zeva," I pull her onto my lap so she can feel the way my hard cock’s straining against my jeans. "I've missed you," I whisper into her ear.
"I know, Wade, me too. I was so worried about you," she takes my face in her eyes and stares into my eyes like she's trying to memorize them. "Please be careful whatever you do."
"I will," I say this with all confidence. With her to think about now, I actually want to use caution. I pour her some whiskey and she takes a sip, and then another. She kisses me softly, the hard taste of whisky jumping from her lips to mine.
I fucking love this girl and there's no going back. We have to win this war so that I can fuck her into eternity.
I won’t lose.
The guys watch as I kiss Zeva, and I know we're all rock hard for her. There’s adrenaline streaming through our bodies, making all the senses heightened and the importance of this moment more real.
"So, let's call everyone to meet at The Honey Pot. Tell them to bring their game faces. The struggle is real, and war is at our doorstep."
They do as I say, and as much as I hate to leave her, we have to.
"Zeva," I tell her in earnest. "You need to stay here for your own safety."
She pouts her bottom lip out and I want to bite it.
"I shouldn't have to stay. I belong with you guys."
Jason squeezes her ass. "It's better this way. You don't want to see what's about to go down. It'll scar you for life."
We each kiss her, lips lingering on lips, and then we leave.
We peel out of the motel and prepare for the fight of our lives.
Chapter 30
Zeva
Nighttime has descended and I see the black sky outside of the little window of my motel room. There is no moon and even the stars seem not to shine tonight, during this time of … battle, pain, and conflict.
I know this feeling. I’ve felt it before. I was terrified to lose my dad on a similarly black night and guess what? I did. He just...died. And all for the sake of some stupid biker territory war. Yeah, I get that it’s like family to them, but when lives are at stake why can they not just opt out?
I'm in the motel shower just letting the day drip from my body. I’m imagining all the fear and anger and pain swirling down the drain and out of my life. I try to visualize the negativity washing right off of me but there’s no way to escape the internal angst that I feel. This is real and it’s happening. There’s a war out there and I’m in here helpless. I could’ve helped. I could’ve at least benefited by being near the action and not holed up here alone.
My thoughts turn dark.
This has been a truly harrowing experience and I see now what the guys and the MC are up against. This isn’t a joke joke. Now that I've witnessed bullets flying past my head, and nearly being raped, I consider Wade's position as leader of the club in a new light.
They want me safe, and they wanted to avoid war, but now it’s happening. I didn't think The Iron Legion even knew who I was, but when I left to see Tammi they were watching me. I could've died. Suddenly Wade, Jason, and Alex’s anger at me makes sense. I have to seek their forgiveness. I never should've left the compound that day. I may have put lives at risk. I hope I haven't broken things beyond repair.
The water slides down my body, washing away all the pain and hurt. I've been in here for what feels like an hour and the water's turning cold. I shut it off and towel-dry my hair. I wipe the steam from the bathroom mirror and stare at my reflection. I wonder again at how this all has happened to me. I have three guys, three beasts of men, loving me. It’s not just lust, though that is there for sure. We have something deeper, all of us. I care about them in unique ways. I've probably loved them from afar this whole time but I never dreamed the feelings were reciprocated. Now that I know that they are, that it’s real between us, it's like for a second I'm living in a dream, where all my fantasies come true.
And yet right at the crest of my life, when everything is coming together so perfectly I am also faced with losing it all. Ironic, isn’t it? Just as things are getting good I have the potentiality of being left with nothing. Maybe this is the story of my life. Maybe I am destined to fail, to be alone, and to never have love. At least being in the biker world seems to produce these results. They all die young. Why am I surprised? I begged the guys to refrain, to make it legit and just no one could hear me. And now, I am staring at my reflection in a crappy motel mirror thinking of the possible bloodbath that’s about to go down. It’s so depressing really. But more than that I feel fear. Just cold fear about what will happen. What if one of them dies? I am attached to all three men and the prospect of losing all or even one of them would crush me forever and I won’t be the same.
I blink to hold back the tears. I finish drying my hair with the towel and then I curl up in bed. The scratchy sheets hurt my naked skin but I barely notice. Why did they leave me? I belong by their side.
This time I won’t run. I won’t even move until I hear word of something. I just don’t see why they thought I should be alone. Here I am, left to my own devices, thoughts of torment and loss.
Darkness.
None of it is okay. I would do anything to escape this war unfettered. I'm so afraid.
I lay my head down and hold my cell phone, begging it to ring and to deliver me news. I need to know either way what’s happened. Is my life over or is it still just beginning? The silence is deafening but I wait, and I wait, and I wait.
This shoddy motel room is overcast though by thoughts of blood, and war, and fighting. How can I not sit here and reflect on the same kind of night when my dad went away and did not come home. He was lost in the fire of a thousand bullets, and it all seemed…just not worth it. What did he die for? Some ill-placed sense of duty?
I know about loyalty and I know about the biker life, but on nights like these, when your heart is full of worry, it's hard to remember why I stayed in it.
It did it because it's home, I did it for the guys, but if I lose them tonight…all my loyalty will have been in vain. I'm just not prepared to go through another torturous grief like that. If I lose one of them, I lose myself…and who knows if I'll ever be able to pick up the pieces of my life then.
Chapter 31
The time has come for the war to begin. My guys are armed with ammunition, military assault rifles, hand guns. And, of course, the grenades. Everything is as concealed as it can be on our bodies. We've scoped out the territory and we know exactly which neck of the wood The Iron Legion thinks they're hiding out in. What did they imagine? That we wouldn't find them? I grew up here and I know every hill, forest, and valley of the place. They might be expecting an attack but nothing in the range of what we're about to deliver. It is a well-kept secret that we have more weapons than most motorcycle gangs could ever dream off. That is our strong point. We also know that since they’re from out of town they’re woefully underequipped, even for a group their size. You can only carry so much on a bike.
Alex has the lay of the land mapped out. We have our scouts and we’re coming in far enough back that the Legion doesn't see us. Their campground is all tents and fires and even some trailers.
First, we come upon the lookouts and kill them first to keep things quiet.
There's only a few of them, three maybe. Jason and Alex stab them quickly and silently. Then we crawl on our bellies toward the camp. Jason signals to Stone and Alex that it's time and they each throw a well placed grenade.
The explosion is massive and hits the center of their site. I see limbs and pieces of fabric blown off. I keep my cool though. It's nothing I haven't witnessed before.
The fight has started and Alex, Jason and I look at each other one last time as if to say one last goodbye…you know, just in case we don't make it out.
We descend upon their camp and it is chaos. My crew is clearly marked in red bandanas so that nobody gets lost in the mix. Fires start raging around us and I'm shooting and stabbing and killing any piece of meat that comes up against me. I'm doing this for my father, my brothers beside me, and for all the brothers I've lost over the years. Every time we fight it's in their honor.
And I’m doing it for Zeva.
These bastards really fucked up when they decided to mess with her.
It doesn't take long for us to wipe out most of their group. There was only a hundred or so here. The ones that aren't dead start running and they take off on their bikes. They know we've got them outnumbered and see the threat of our arsenal.
The guys start yelling and celebrating. They think it's all over. They start tapping out from the Legion's kegs and they drink their whiskey. Smoke, one of the newer members, is especially boisterous in his celebration.
“Oh come on! That was easy! These guys were pathetic. This is what it’s all about!” Smoke yells out, draining mug after mug of alcohol.
I shake my head and hang back trying to survey the damage. I want to see if we lost any guys. Unfortunately I see some red bandanas attached to men on the ground.
"Stop, guys. Get these men to a damn hospital before you start celebrating."
They do as I say and start to tend to the victims. I'm standing on the side of hill just watching all the fires and all the bodies left to rot. Before I realize what's happened, and before I can even pull my gun up, someone jumps out from a tent and fires at me. I'm blown backwards by the force of it and I can feel the pain of the bullet in my shoulder.
Jason is at my side in an instant and he takes the guy down. He's all clout as he doesn't even draw his gun but he stabs the guy over and over again. He yells for the men to check all the tents and every possible hiding spot.
I'm wounded on the ground, just bleeding out. It's funny because all I can think of in this moment is Zeva's shining face. I don't feel sad or anything, I just remember her face and it makes me happy despite all the blood. I have to get back to her. I have to see her again. I may or may not die from this wound but I will get back to where she is and either hold her forever or tell her goodbye.
Jason is wrapping a dirty rag from his jacket around my arm. "You gotta get to a doctor man, I can't tell how deep this goes. You could bleed out if you don't go."
"No, first I have to go see Zeva. I have to see her face."
He shakes his head, "First things first, Wade. Get yourself looked at and then decide if you should go see her."
"I have to go now, Jason."
I get up and cradle my injured shoulder. I grab one of the Legion bikes parked near me and I ride off into the night using only one arm.
"Take care of the rest," I call to Alex over my shoulder. He's shocked at my decision, but I could really care less. Jason stopped up the bleeding enough for me to get home. I will see her first and then we can determine how bad this injury is. It's hard to maneuver the bike with just one arm but I manage. I think back over what just happened.
No one likes to see war.
No one wants to kill.
I just wish like hell this gang would've known what's good for them and just disappeared, to begin with.
I ride home at a slower speed than normal because I just can't manage it. It's late, and I know Zeva will be worried. Hopefully, she can check the wound and at least tell me if the doctor should come or not.
I'll be alright, I have to be.
I want this fresh start with Zeva. Now that the worst is over, and hopefully we've done our job, the Legion will crawl back to the rat holes where they came from and all will be well.
And once that happens…well, maybe it’s time I start considering a different life.
Chapter 32
Wade
The sound of my bike probably wakes her.
I peer into the dark and I see her coming out of the motel in just a towel. I’m slumped over my bike and she runs to me.
"Wade! What happened? Are you okay?"
"Baby, I've been shot."
"What?" She looks me over and sees my arm tucked under my leather jacket, wrapped in a blood stained rag. "Oh my God. Wade!"
I get off the bike and it falls to the side. I struggle to my feet to make it to the door. She turns the handle and I bust through the door. Her towel falls to the floor as I grab her tight as ever around the waist even though there’s blood everywhere. I'm glad to grab her. I'm relieved to have her back in my arms. I'm tough, sure; I probably proved that tonight. I'm independent, yes, but I want to be with Zeva. If sharing my life with someone means releasing some control, then I guess I'm willing to do that.
She gets me inside and helps me to the couch and where she begins to strip away my clothing. She gets a first aid kit from her bag and starts to examine the wounds. She’s familiar with gunshot wounds. Apparently too familiar, the result of living this life of danger.
Inside she must be panicking as she tries not to let me see her fingers tremble. There is blood everywhere and as I remove the rag holding it all in more blood spills from my arm. The wound is on my shoulder. She washes away the dirt and blood and to my total relief I see that this is a superficial wound.
"It's okay. It's just an external wound. I can fix it." She tries to appear calm and she is calmer now, knowing that this is something she can take care of right here and now.
"Oh Wade, I was so worried. Are you sure you're not hurt anywhere else? Are you absolutely positive? I think after this I should check."
"No, Zeva, it's okay. I'm okay now that I'm with you." I want to let my head sink into this couch and pass out but I watch her keep on working. She makes sure I don’t lose too much blood. I’m trying to be strong for her.
She tells me, "Wade, I'm so sorry for not listening to you about leaving the compound. I should have. I realize now I could've been killed. I'm so sorry."
"Shhh," I say as I stroke her hair. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I left you alone to the wolves. Never again, Zeva. I will never leave your side again. Are you okay?" I push her back so that I can examine every bit of her naked body.
“And the others? Please tell me they’re --”
“They’re fine,” I whisper, managing a smile.
"I need you, Wade," she says, whispering back at me. "I just have to be with you no matter what."
"It's okay. Zeva, you have m
e. And I have you. That's what I know now. I can't survive a minute without you."
She’s happy to hear these words and she allows herself to relax. She’s safe now. And I'm not alone in this world as I thought I was.
Zeva continues tending to my wound and I'm grateful to be in her presence. When the fighting started I was resigned to the fact that I might not ever see her again. They definitely fought back, and they could stand their ground. And while I knew we had them outgunned, there’s always that fear. It’s always a possibility that we might not make it out alive. I'm sure not everyone did. And my heart breaks for that. Jason and Alex stayed behind to tend to the wounded. I had to get back to see Zeva.
Fighting never gets easier for me. I knew some of those guys I'll never see again. And though we all knew what we were in for, you never expect someone to ever really die. Luckily I was not wounded bad, and I was able to get back to her, but I will have to call Alex and figure out exactly what went down and see how many guys we lost.
"You think it's just superficial?" She nods her head, focusing on the task at hand. I'm surprised she knows about this and I wonder how many wounds she's doctored in the past. I imagine this whole evening wasn't easy for her, she must've been worried and also thinking about the loved ones she's lost in this exact same circumstance.
"Zeva, I'm sorry to have put you in this position. You know if there's something I could have done to avoid it I would have. You know that, right?"
"Yes," she says, soft as ever. "I know you did what you could. But, oh, Wade," she throws her arms around my neck. "I thought I had lost you. To be here, without knowing what was happening... I thought it was over. I was preparing for the Legion to come after me next, and you know what? I didn't even care if I died. Because what point is there in living without you and Alex and Jason? You’re my family now."
I hold her with my good arm. "Don't you say that. Don't you ever say that. You will go on no matter what. You have to be resilient and tough, do you hear me?"