Shafted (Devil's Blaze MC Book 4)

by Jordan Marie

  I’m palming the lighter in my hand while the boys load up their trucks with the tools they’ve been using to reinforce the fences with. I’m palming it while Pops insists on carrying Roxanne to the back of a truck and covering her up in a blanket. I’m turning that damn lighter over again and again in my hand, trying to will my brain to sift through my memory and find out exactly why this damn thing is bothering me.

  I’m still puzzling on it, as I’m driving and listening to the old man swear vengeance on whoever did this. We drive down the road to a local garage ran by Colton Seiver. He isn’t a member, but he does a lot of work for the Saints. He’s a tall man, standing well over six foot. He’s got dark hair that falls a little too long and a beard. He’s covered in ink and he’s got the look of a man who has seen hell and survived it. Pops introduced me to him a couple days after I took over. He seems like a good man to know. Hell, I’m even hoping I can talk him into joining our ranks.

  “Pops, Shaft. What’s up?” Colton greets us when we get out of the SUV. He has to figure it’s something. Two visits in one week from the club isn’t coincidence.

  “Someone dumped a body out by our back gate. Figured if anyone saw a vehicle out this far it’d be you.”

  “Well the road is pretty fucking deserted, one of the tricks of living back on a dead end holler. About the only company I ever get is people needing machine work,” he says with a shrug. “You call the cops? Hell, seems like every day someone is finding a body in the backwoods of Kentucky. This place surely ain’t what it used to be, been thinking I need to move to Florida.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure there’s nothing like that there,” Pops growls.

  “Well, I figure there may be more what with the gators and shit, but at least I’d have my ass in the sun instead of this fucking cold.” He grins.

  “So, you haven’t seen anyone?” I ask him, bringing the conversation back around.

  “There was one little red car, but I’ve seen it before, so didn’t think to tell you guys. Little red Ford Focus. You know Pops, I asked you about it once. Had the dent in the left quarter panel? You told me it was club protected.” I look at Pops for confirmation. His head goes down like someone sucker-punched him. His hand visibly shakes as he wipes the top of his head.

  “Roxy,” he growls. “That’s Roxanne’s car.”

  He cups the back of his neck. “It wasn’t a woman driving, Pops. It was a man. Hell, a kid really.”

  “What did he look like?” I ask quickly, and the more Colton talks, the more that sinking feeling in my gut intensifies. Son of a bitch. I look at the lighter in my hand, and I remember the day I found Bree in town, and that bastard had his hands on her. There was a green lighter on the table. A motherfucking green lighter. “Let’s go,” I order, already running to the car.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Pops asks, winded as he gets inside. He’s barely settled before I’m gunning the engine to take off. I see Colton jump in the backseat as we peel out. Good instincts.

  “That fucking kid who has been hanging around, Bree. Jeff something. I caught him handling her rough once. He set my alarm bells off then. He thought she was at Roxanne’s for Christmas.” My hands grip the wheel tight, white knuckled.

  “Fuck. Step on it boy,” Pops says, but he doesn’t need to. I’m already pushing the fucking thing as hard as it will go. I’ve got to get to Bree.

  She’s got to be alright. She has to.

  Chapter Sixty

  Bree

  Jax has been gone for an hour—maybe longer. He’s going to be mad, but if I don’t go into town then the pharmacy will be closed. My doctor called in my prescription for birth control. We haven’t talked about it, but Jax hasn’t been wearing a condom. I just started my period so it’s not a concern yet, but if I don’t get on birth control soon it will be too late. I wouldn’t mind it. I would love to have Jax’s child, but he’s just starting the club, and he has a lot of work to do. Until we have time to discuss it, one of us has to take precautions and it appears that’s me. It takes me just a few minutes to do a quick change, grab my keys and head out. Unfortunately, Keys heads me off. Shit! Are they back?

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “I need to run into town to the pharmacy to pick up some medicine. Are Jax and Pops back too?” I ask, looking around at the other men who are just pulling in, and then driving around the compound to the garage there.

  “Nah, they went to check in with the garage down the road. Wanted to see if the owner knew anything,” he shares with me. Keys is Jax’s right hand man so to speak. I still haven’t completely gotten over all the shit he said that one day back at the apartment, but at the same time, I know he was looking out for his brother.

  “Oh. Okay then. I won’t be gone long. Thirty to forty minutes, tops.”

  “Whoa, I don’t think so,” he says, putting his hand around my waist to keep me from moving. I don’t like any man other than my own touching me.

  “Let go of me. You can’t tell me when I can go somewhere and when I can’t.” I stomp my foot down on the toe of his boot and it doesn’t even phase him. Steel toed boots.

  His brows raise. “So, you’re saying Jax said you could leave?”

  “Not specifically, but we discussed it. You do realize I’m a grown woman, right?” I scowl.

  “Not specifically,” he says with a grin testing my patience.

  “I really don’t like you,” I huff.

  “I’m real broken up over that. Let’s get going, and I’ll take you to get your crap,” he offers.

  “I don’t want you to take me into town.” I snub him. He’s the last person I want to go anywhere with.

  He shrugs a shoulder. If he wasn’t such an asshole then someday a girl, not me of course, might find him slightly attractive. He has that bossy vibe that only works when it comes from Jax. “Then you aren’t going. Simple as that.”

  “Why don’t you like me?” I genuinely want to know what this dude has against me. I haven’t done anything for him to not like me. I’m pleasant to be around, pretty to look at, and I make his prez happy. What more could he want?

  “Never said I didn’t.”

  “You didn’t say you did either.” I sigh, he’s exhausting.

  “Them’s the breaks.”

  “You’re kind of a smartass,” I tell him trying to weasel away without success.

  “You ready to go or not?” he asks still gripping me by my arm. His hold isn’t hurting me, but it doesn’t feel too good either.

  “I’m ready.”

  “Thank God, I was turning gray.” He laughs.

  I have no idea how Jax could be best friends with a man like this jerk. I really don’t. I’m going to try my best to get along with him, but right now I’d like to punch him in the nut sack. That thought makes me smile a little bit and distracts me until Keys pulls me hard to a stop.

  “What—”

  “Get behind me. We have company,” he barks.

  I look around to see a red car pulling into the concrete parking area. The men have been working on the fences and most of them are out behind the main compound so it’s wide open. I have a moment of fear, but then I relax.

  “That’s Roxy’s car!” I cry, excited.

  “Roxy?” Keys questions.

  “Roxanne. She belongs to Pops,” I enlighten him smiling at the sight of her car. I’ve been so worried about her.

  He appears almost amused by this news. “I didn’t know Pops had an old lady?”

  “He doesn’t fulltime.” I shrug.

  “So, she’s a club whore?” he asks, and now I can’t resist. I punch him in the nut sack. “Jesus Christ woman!”

  “You deserved it.” I growl, pleased that Keys is bent over and groping himself. He looks a little blue in the face when he’s trying to talk to me, and I have to admit that makes me happy.

  “Breezy!” I freeze, my smile dying as I turn around when I hear my nickname. It’s not Roxanne’s voice. No. It’s Je
ff’s.

  “Jeff? What are you doing here? Where’s Roxy?” I’m so confused. Why is he driving her car?

  “I need you to come with me, Breezy,” he states coolly.

  I make a pained face. “What? Why?”

  “It’s time, Breezy.” He’s being weird and it gives me that creeped out feeling.

  “Time for what? And will you quit calling me that. Only my family calls me that.”

  “It’s time you come where you belong. With me.” He takes a step forward.

  “You have men all over the place don’t you, princess?” Keys mutters, but his face is trained on Jeff. I have a bad feeling it should be.

  I smack at him. “Shut up, Keys. I don’t know what he’s talking about. I barely know him. We hang around the same crowd at school.”

  “You might need a new crowd,” he states the obvious.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” I smart off.

  “Breezy!” Jeff calls, bringing my attention back to him.

  “Jeff where’s Roxanne? Is she with you?” I ask him, walking a few steps closer to him, only to have Keys pull me back.

  “Don’t go any closer,” he growls, and that’s when I notice Jeff is holding a gun.

  “Jeff? What are you doing with a gun? You don’t even shoot. Remember? We went to that rally asking for stiffer gun laws,” I remind him.

  “Jesus fucking Christ, does Shaft know that shit?” Keys yells at me.

  “Can you shut it, we’re in a little bit of a jam here in case you haven’t noticed,” I direct his focus back to Jeff, the crazy guy with the gun.

  “We’re not in a jam. Your friend here is about to die.”

  Jeff’s voice comes out cocky and so sure, “That’s big words for a man who has a gun on him.”

  “Not the first time. You just drove into the Saint’s home turf. Do you really think you’re going to get out of this alive? Put the gun down, and I might let you live,” Keys warns.

  “All I want is Aubree. She goes with me and it’s done,” Jeff attempts to negotiate.

  “I would, but that would make my brother upset, so that’s off the table,” Keys refuses his demand sounding like the asshole he is.

  “You really are an asshole,” I mumble, trying to figure out what to do here.

  “Just keep him talking till the other men come through. And remind me to rip your man a new one about not having more men.”

  “It’s on his list!” I grumble, taking up for Jax.

  “It might have come before taking down the fences.”

  “Those might have been up if a dead body hadn’t been thrown…Wait…Jeff? Where is Roxy?”

  “I had to take care of her,” he grins at me. His eyes dark and hollow.

  “Take care of her?” I ask, a sick feeling coming over me. What did you do?”

  “She was a bad influence on you Breezy. She’s one of the reasons you lied to me and thought it was okay to take up with that man.”

  Was. The body, earlier. Oh God. I nearly crumble to the ground, but Keys speaks to me.

  “Keep him talking,” he growls.

  “He killed Roxy,” I say the words out loud, but not really to Keys. I’m in shock.

  “I had to. Come with me and I’ll let your grandfather live,” I hear Jeff say and anger floods me.

  “You killed Roxy!” I scream, the truth of it hitting me. I want to go charging at him, and I try I get right to him, before Keys catches me.

  “Son of a bitch, woman!” Keys grunts, yanking me hard. It’s too late though…Jeff’s gun goes off shooting Keys. He goes down, falling to the ground. I scream and that’s when I feel the heated barrel of Jeff’s gun push against the side of my head. I freeze saying a silent prayer that this isn’t how it ends.

  Chapter Sixty-One

  Jax

  “Fuck! We’re too late!” Pops growls, as we pull up a few feet from where that punk is holding a gun to Bree’s head. My heart stops in my chest. I can’t let something happen to her. I can’t. This is my fault. I left my compound with a skeleton crew of mostly untrained men to guard not only it, but the only thing important in my life. Motherfucker! I just pushed forward without thinking like a club president. This is all on me.

  “I’ll distract him. When you get a clear shot, take it. Do you hear me? But you make sure Bree is safe,” I order, my voice thick with emotion. Bree’s my world.

  “I’ve got it, but how the fuck do you plan on distracting him?” Pops questions.

  “By giving him what he wants, old man. You just make sure Bree stays safe,” I tell him getting out of the truck and walking towards the boy who is threatening my woman.

  “Looks like you got yourself in a mess, baby doll,” I call out, my voice gruff, but not betraying the stress I’m feeling. I don’t want her to sense my worry. She needs to know I got this. I got her back, always.

  “Jax,” Bree gasps, she doesn’t turn, but I can see a slight shake in her left leg and it kills me. She has to be scared to death. The fucker turns to look at me, pulling Bree with him. They’re standing a little to the side so that he has both me and Keys in sight. His eyes are full of malice.

  I look over at Keys. He’s down on his stomach. It looks like he’s dead, but I notice his hand is out against the concrete. He’s pointing three fingers and tapping one of them. Skull had us all trained in old school Morse code. It’s something that comes in handy on the battlefield, and most of us guys have served at one time or another. It’s also something that comes in handy in the life we lead. Especially, in cases like now. I don’t have time to watch him closely, but I get the gist of it. He’s just grazed and biding his time. That means he and Pops can take on this asshole. I just need to get Bree clear. Like that’s going to be fucking easy.

  This fucking guy has his hand on my woman and his gun at her temple. He’s a shit stain on the bottom of my boot, but that gun he holds is deadly. “Bree will be coming with me. Where she should have always been,” he brags.

  I keep one eye on him as I look to my woman. She isn’t crying, but I can see that she wants to. Her bottom lip trembles, and I never want to see the pained expression painted on her face again. “She doesn’t look like she wants to come with you,” I tell him like we’re discussing the weather.

  He shakes his head, moving slightly, but not enough for a clear shot. “She did. She was always mine, until you came along and distracted her.”

  I need him angry, his attention needs to be more focused on me than Bree. “I didn’t distract her. I fucked her.” I smirk at him.

  “Jax, honey, I don’t think now’s the time,” Bree calls outs, her voice calmer than I expected.

  “She was a good girl until you came along!” Jeff shuffles and almost loses his grip on her. This will work, it has to.

  “What are you most mad at man? That I beat you to that sweet pussy, or that you’re not man enough to claim what you want?” I taunt him again.

  “Jax, I think it’s a good time to tell you that if we survive this, I’m going to kill you,” Bree stresses the word kill at me. We get through this together and alive, she can do anything she wants to me.

  I cock my head to the side with a grin. “It’s a serious question, right Greg? Which is it?”

  “My name is Jeff!” he screams at me.

  “So, answer the question, Jeff.” Just a little bit more, and I know he will take the bait.

  “Bree was a good girl. A re-real man respects that, he…he nourishes it,” he stutters, revealing that I’m getting to him with my words.

  “A woman like that? Jeff I got to tell you, a real man sinks his dick so deep in that sweet pussy that he ruins her for other men. That’s what I did.”

  “Stop it! Stop it!” He’s losing it, he’ll forget Bree and come straight for me.

  “She’ll tell you. Ask her if you don’t believe me. She’ll tell you I ruined her for any other man. Whatever you got planned in that fucking head of yours is already over. She’s not going to go from a r
eal man to a boy who couldn’t even close the deal.”

  “I’ll kill you!”

  “I bet you had to go home and nut yourself every day didn’t you Jeff?”

  “Stop it! Shut up!” he yells, starting to turn his gun my way, but not completely. I need Bree in the clear.

  “You hear that baby? Ole’ Jeff here was home spanking the monkey while you were begging for more.” I grab my crotch and shake my dick to drive my point home.

  “Jax—” Bree’s eyes are wide as she says my name.

  “Jeff? You want to know something about her? Bree, fuck man, she loves cock.” I laugh.

  “I really am going to kill you,” Bree says her voice still filled with tears, but she doesn’t sound as terrified as she did before.

  “She begs me for it. Every fucking night man. She begs for more. She can’t get enough, and when she sucks my cock? Jesus Christ, she takes it—”

  “You’re lying!” he screams and then turns the gun fully on me. I hear Bree crying, and watch as Keys jumps up, pushing her to the ground, and shielding her with his body. I’m staring at the barrel of a gun, and I expect it to go off any minute. It’s happening all at once, but somehow it seems like slow motion. I dive to the ground to give Pops a clear shot. I figure I’m probably going to die, but so will Jeff. All that really matters is that Bree will be safe.

  In the next second, gunfire rings out. I have my head down, my eyes trained on Bree and Keys. He’s lying over top of her, his body lifted up enough so that he can point his gun and he’s shooting at Jeff. I hear Pops behind me, and I know he’s shooting. I thank my maker that Keys and Bree are down on the ground, or fuck this would be bad, because I doubt Pops is being logical at all right now. That’s his granddaughter, and he’ll kill anyone who gets in his way. As I’m watching the mayhem, my eyes flash back to the first time I saw sweet Bree, God she was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. If this is the last breath I ever take, at least it’s with her in my eyes.