by Sam Crescent
There was silence on the line.
“We’re on our way.”
The phone went dead.
What if something happened to her? Would Dog lose sleep? Would anyone in the club even notice?
Chapter Two
Dog threw down the wrench and climbed onto his bike, turning over the engine and hearing his baby purr. This was the fucking life. He loved working on this beauty. It was the only real possession he had in his life.
Leaving the engine running, he grabbed a cloth, wiping off some excess grease he’d gotten onto the body and seat.
“Fucking pricks,” Old Dog said, coming out of the clubhouse.
“What’s up?” he asked, watching a couple of the boys follow behind him. “Going to get your dick wet?”
“I’m picking up Sable. She needs the backup.”
If it was about Sable, he should just let it go, but when it came to that woman, he couldn’t seem to take his own advice.
“Backup for what?” Again, he needed to mind his own damn business but here he was, asking questions that he really shouldn’t.
“She went to the mall, doing some personal girl shit, but a cop’s been following her. He’s making her nervous and she wants backup and a lift.”
Dog rubbed the back of his head. “Fuck, I’ll come with.”
“You sure, brother? We got it here.”
“No, I’ll come.” He wanted to make sure Sable was all right. He didn’t like the thought of her being alone and exposed. She was a good kid, even though she was a full-grown woman. Sweet as well.
Climbing onto his bike, he left his bag of tools for later. Leather cut back on, he headed out of the parking lot with Old Dog and the boys hot on his tail. Revving the engine, he broke all the speeding laws until he arrived at the mall in question.
As he pulled up outside of the front, the entrance was busy with people coming and going, but he spotted Sable. She leaned against the wall, sunglasses in place, and he spotted the cop. She looked pale, scared, and so damn small compared to the man.
The instant the cop heard the bikes, he took a step back and Sable rushed toward them.
“Mine,” Dog said, pointing behind him. Old Dog was the rider she’d been going to.
“It’s fine. I can stay here.”
“Does it look like I’m giving you a fucking choice?” he asked. “Climb on, now!” He glared at the police officer, recognizing him. Hank Little or some shit like that. He wrote up a couple of the boys on their bikes back in town, and even gave out a speeding ticket to Forge once, not that the Prez ever paid it.
Hank had been after them for years. The way the cop looked at Sable, he wasn’t just going to try to use her, no, there was intention there for something else.
Sable didn’t argue with him as she climbed on the back of his bike. To drive the point home of who she belonged to, he gripped her ass, pulling her tighter against his back, making her hold on to him.
The cop needed to know who he was dealing with. No one touched a club woman, no one. He was pissed off.
He revved his bike, turned, and headed back to the clubhouse. Sable’s grip tightened around him and he wanted to tell her that she was safe, that she didn’t need to worry and he’d keep her safe.
Instead, he got inside the clubhouse parking lot and she climbed off as the other boys arrived.
“Thank you,” she said, not meeting his gaze.
“You okay, darlin’?” Old Dog asked.
“Yeah, I am now.”
Beth chose that moment to come running out to her friend. He watched as she pulled Sable into her arms, holding her. “Old Dog told me what happened. Are you okay? Are you scared? Did he hurt you?”
Sable touched her hand and he noticed the finger marks on her wrists. He reached out, holding them up. He would be paying the cop a special kind of visit.
She pulled her hand away from him. “I’m fine. Really, it was … he was … he wanted me to put some kind of tracking device on Forge’s bike. He said that he could give me protection and that all I needed to do was rat out the club.” She nibbled her lip when Forge came out to join them as she explained, holding his son against his chest. “I swear I would never do that, Forge. I’m loyal to the club and I would never turn rat.”
“He knows that. Don’t you?” Beth said.
“I know that.”
Sweetheart and Honey came rushing out of the clubhouse. Sable’s mom and sister were there, pulling her into a hug. Both women looked like they had just gotten out of bed. Neither wore makeup or much in the way of clothing.
“Oh, baby girl, you cannot go out with no one like that again,” Sweetheart said. “I’ve told you about the cops.” She turned to Forge. “She’s fine, isn’t she? You’re not going to kick her out?”
“She’s fine,” Forge said. “I need you to come with me, Sable. I need to know everything.”
Sable nodded and Dog followed.
Honey caught his hand. “You know, I could show you a good time, Dog. All you got to do is say the word.” Honey was always propositioning him. Sweetheart had stopped a long time ago. He hadn’t fucked either woman.
Glancing at Sable, he saw that she was watching him, and she quickly averted her gaze when he caught her. He’d fucked up there, no doubt about it.
Pulling out of Honey’s grip, he followed into Forge’s office. Sable sat down and Beth returned to bring her a cup of coffee.
“Babe, I can’t have you stay,” Forge said.
“She’s my friend. She took a bullet for the club.”
“This is club business. You can do what you need to do afterward. She’ll be all yours.”
Beth nodded but looked like she wanted to argue. He couldn’t blame her.
Standing in the corner of the office, he waited for the door to close. Any love that was in Forge’s eyes for his woman disappeared.
This was his club leader. The man who would die for each of them.
“You’re going to tell me everything from the start.”
“Yes, of course.”
Sable was detailed, not leaving out anything. She told them what Hank did, what he said, the threats as well as the promises. By the time she finished, Dog wanted to go and hunt the man, killing him slowly and painfully.
Instead, Forge walked back to his desk, taking a seat.
“Sable, how loyal are you to the club?”
“You know I would never rat any of you out. You’re my family.” She looked down at her hands. “I would never put Beth in danger. You know that.”
“There’s something I may need you to do and you might have to use Hank to get it for me.”
She looked up. “What?”
“You heard me.”
Dog didn’t like this.
“What is it you want?” she asked.
“You heard of Luther Grass?”
She nodded. “He’s running for mayor or something. I’m not exactly sure. I don’t follow politics.”
“He’s causing a few problems for the club. Hank works for him in gathering intel on some of the problems. His campaign is to get rid of us, either by forcing us out completely or by arresting us.”
“Oh,” she said.
“I need you to get close to Hank, then he’ll lead you right to Luther. You’re to gather as much information as you can and bring it back to the club.”
Sable was tense and Dog didn’t like this.
“But they know that I’m part of the club. Hank knows. They won’t buy it.”
Forge opened his desk drawer and pulled out a file with a set of keys. “Not unless to the outside world, you’re not part of us. I’ve got a house, a car, and I’ve arranged for a job as well. You’ll not be in the club, living here, or be with any of the boys. I know this is going to take some time, Sable, but the club needs this and you’re the first person to have ever gotten under Hank’s skin.”
“Can I think this over?” she asked.
“You can.”
“What about aft
er?”
“You’re always welcome to the club, Sable. This is your home and Beth wouldn’t have it any other way. You’ve got a couple of days to think it over.” He closed the file and placed it back in his desk.
Sable got to her feet and without a word or a look toward him, was gone.
“I don’t like this,” Dog said.
“I didn’t ask you what you liked or not, Dog. This is what’s going to happen. Sable’s a club whore and we need to go after Grass. He’s putting a lot of pressure on the club and if I can deal with him quickly and swiftly, I will. Besides, I thought you said so yourself, she’s just club pussy.”
****
Sable stared into the room she’d been living in at the clubhouse for a long time now. This was her space. A couple of the guys had stayed the night, thinking something had happened, but even the boys couldn’t fight the consequences of alcohol.
There were a lot of secrets about her life. No one knew the truth, not even Beth.
Speaking of which, her best friend let herself in.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, just thinking.”
“I was expecting you in the kitchen. I figured a nice hot chocolate would make you feel better.”
She giggled. “You always do know what makes me feel better.”
Beth sat down on the edge of the bed. “I wish I knew what could make you smile right now.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine. It doesn’t take a genius to see that you’re hurting.”
“It’s nothing. Believe me.” She pressed her lips together even as the tears filled her eyes.
“Oh, this isn’t nothing, Sable. Please, don’t cry.”
Beth wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly. It wasn’t lost on Sable that it was her best friend offering her comfort and not her mother. She held on to her friend and sobbed. She didn’t even know what she was crying about.
“Is this about Forge and what he wants you to do?” Beth asked.
This made Sable pull away and stare at her friend. “You know?”
“Of course, I know. I don’t like it. I hope you don’t agree to it. It sounds dangerous. I don’t like the sound of Hank at all. He’s a cop and he thinks he can go around hurting you.” Beth held her hand. “I don’t like it.”
“You can keep saying that but it doesn’t change the facts.”
Beth looked at her. “Oh, you’re going to do it, aren’t you?”
“The club needs me, Beth.”
“What about Dog?”
Hearing his name sent a spike of pain rushing through her. “What about him? It’s not like he wants me, is it? I’m just a club whore to him.” She stared at her hands where they rested in her lap. Her feelings for Dog were making her weak, pathetic, and she didn’t want to appear like either to him.
He’d always been nice to her, but now, there was this distance. She could handle being called a club pussy and having guys randomly grope her just so she could be near Dog. Her hope was that he might take a chance on her, but he wouldn’t. She’d been living an illusion. Dog saw her as nothing.
She was never going to get her happy ending, but at least the club would be able to continue without Grass’s influence. After her meeting with Forge, she’d logged onto her laptop and researched him. The promises he was making. It was scary. He viewed the club as dirty and the members as animals.
She hated him just from his description of them alone.
“If I was anyone else, I’d believe that.” Beth touched her hand. “Come on. You can talk to me.”
“I’m fine. I’m going to do this for the club, and then I’ll figure out something. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“I will always worry about you,” Beth said. “You’ve always been so nice to me.”
Sable smiled. “It’s not like you’re a hard person to get along with.”
“Yeah, but look at the start I had here. It’s taken me a long time to find my place and I know the only reason I have is because of you.”
Sable adored Beth. The other woman had never had a best friend, or any real life. Her father had isolated her from everyone and everything. Not even out of love, no, out of his own greed.
“I will always be here for you.” She kissed her friend’s cheek.
She’d do anything for Beth, for the club, and for Forge. “I’ve got to go and tell him.”
“You’re really going to do it?” she asked.
“Yes. I’ll be back.”
She climbed off her bed and left her bedroom. She walked down the long corridor. The sound of moaning came from one of the rooms with the door wide open. She stopped, catching sight of her sister with Old Dog and another of the boys. She didn’t see his face, but her sister was moaning. She had a cock in her mouth and one in her ass.
This wasn’t an unusual sight for her.
Stepping away from the room, she came to a stop to find her mother leading one of the young prospects upstairs.
“Darling,” she said, cupping her face.
For as long as she could remember, she’d stopped kissing her mother for obvious reasons. She’d heard several of the men say that Sweetheart was a woman who knew how to suck cock and even marveled at her swallow technique. Yeah, her life had been interesting in this club.
Pushing some of her hair off her face, she forced a smile to her lips.
“Why doesn’t she come and join us?” the prospect said.
“Nah, my girl is a good one. I’m so glad you’re okay.” Her mother hugged her. “I’ve got to go. You know how much I love to break in the new ones.”
She wrinkled her nose but carried on down toward the main clubhouse. Several of the guys were drinking, a couple were playing pool, and some were shooting darts. She didn’t catch sight of Dog. He was either fucking one of the other women, working on his bike, or with Forge.
Don’t think of him. You need to get over him.
After walking over to Forge’s office, she didn’t hesitate as she knocked on the wooden door.
“Come in.”
She stepped inside the office and saw Dog was indeed in there. They were looking over some paperwork, which Forge moved to one side, covering up.
The simple action hurt.
He didn’t trust her.
No one trusted her.
“I … I’ll do it,” she said. “I can start right away.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes. I’m sure. I’m going to need all the details and what you expect. I’ll want to make sure I can contact you in case anything goes wrong.” She rubbed her hands together. “Will you make sure the guys know?” she asked. “I don’t think I could stand for them to think I was a traitor or something.”
“No,” Forge said, standing up. “What you need to understand is once you start this, the club will see that you turned your back. Me and Dog will be the only ones who know your intentions, and what I asked of you.”
“And Beth. She’ll know.”
“And she knows to keep her mouth shut on club business.”
“I didn’t know I’d be … alone.” She was used to feeling this way. All her life she’d been exactly that. She never really fit in with the club or her family.
“What you need to understand, Sable, the only way this can work is if they believe you’re out, completely. That you’re not part of this world. The guys, when they see you, will be told you wanted out. That you couldn’t stand the club life.”
Tears were so close.
This was the only family she had. The thought of them hating her, even if it was all fake, was too much. For them, it would be real.
She looked at Dog. His gaze was on her but she couldn’t allow herself to be drawn in. Did he pity her? Was this just another task as VP? There was nothing for her here. Not really.
“Okay, we need this. The club needs this.” She took a deep breath. “I’ll do it.”
She didn’t look at Dog this time.
“You
’re sure?” Forge asked. “I can’t have you hanging out with Beth after this.”
“Do you want me to help or not?” she asked with a laugh. “This is already hard, but I’ve heard about this Grass guy. He’s not good, and he’s going to ruin the club if he’s given the chance. I want to be able to help.” She clapped her hands together. “I’m ready.”
Forge took out the keys to the house, the car, along with the cell phone and paperwork. “Everything you need to know is in there. Tomorrow, a delivery of clothes in your size will arrive. I’ll organize them tonight.”
“It’ll be fast.”
“Yeah. It will. You’ll leave right now but you need to write a letter. A goodbye and a brief reason for your leaving. Can you do that?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“Dog will be the one to hold it. Everyone knows you two are tight.”
Again, the pain.
She ignored it.
Moving toward the desk, she took a sheet of paper and the pen he offered. It didn’t need to be a long letter, but she knew without a doubt how she wanted to do this. After writing it out, she signed it and handed it over to Forge.
He read over it and looked up at her.
“What?”
“I know.”
Forge gave the letter to Dog. Rather than be silent, he read it out loud. “I know this is going to come as a shock to everyone, but I’m tired of being thought of as a club whore. I’m not. I’ve never been with a man. I’m a virgin, and I no longer wish to be part of this club. Stay away from me. Sable.” Dog looked up at her with confusion.
“In case you were wondering, it’s true. I’ve never been with a man.” She turned on her heel and left the clubhouse.
Chapter Three
“If they find out, she’s dead,” said Dog. “You do realize that?”
Forge shook his head. “They won’t act without my permission.”
It had been two nights. Two fucking nights. Sable was gone, and there were already rumors stirring around the club. Talk of her encounter with Hank had fueled speculation that she’d sold out. It was all part of Forge’s plan, but Dog didn’t like it. The Hell’s Slaves MC were deadly when it came to revenge.
Forge cracked open a beer, not a fucking worry in the world. Sparks from the bonfires danced into the night sky.