by Carina Adams
The president lifted his chin toward the empty chair, and barked, “Sit.”
I did what I was told, my eyes sliding to my friend. Tank didn’t look at me, his attention glued to his father instead. Even Tiny stood completely still, barely breathing. It was clear they didn’t want to be here, for whatever this was.
Slasher lifted a manila envelope from his desk and held it out for me. When I didn’t take it immediately, his eyes narrowed into slits. “Relax. It’s a present.”
I knew my confusion was clear as I reached for the offered package. I’d come to face the consequences of my actions, not receive gifts. I didn’t know what in the fuck was going on, but I didn’t like it, and apprehension grew in my gut.
The packet was light, and I wondered briefly if it was empty. I flipped open the flap and pulled out the contents. Three pictures and a sheet of paper greeted me. I felt myself frown as I scanned the photos quickly. When my eyes moved back to Slash, he had tipped his head, watching me.
“Look closer,” the president urged.
A man, one who had no idea he was being photographed, was the subject of all three prints. In the first, he was pumping gas, his license plate, car make and model clear. In the second, he was walking out of a small store that I didn’t recognize, pushing his sunglasses back onto his face. The third had my hand curling into a tight fist. I didn’t know this prick, but if I ever met him, I’d beat him so badly he’d never forget me.
I sent my attention back to Slash, holding up the papers. “Who is this fucker?”
Tank shifted next to me, stretching out his legs. When no one answered me, Tank cleared his throat and pulled his legs back in. Whatever this was, he clearly wanted no part of it. I still didn’t understand.
“His name is Cody Hansen.” Tank blew out a long breath, still avoiding my gaze. “He’s -.”
“Yeah.” I snapped, my blood cold. I might have gone a little crazy, lost my fucking mind a bit, but I’d never forget that name. I’d been waiting a long fucking time to put a face with it. I lifted the last picture again, rage burning its way through me.
The fucker was towering over a little boy who was at most three years old, screaming. His hands were bunched into fists that were bigger than the kid, and his foot was lifted over the cowering, sobbing child, as if he was ready to kick. A woman I hadn’t noticed before stood in the background, terror clear on her face. I focused on her, air freezing in my lungs.
It took a second to be sure, but once I had a better look, I let out a long breath. It wasn’t Ali. The two looked similar, yeah, but this chick was shorter and had a roundness my ex had never possessed.
It didn’t matter if it was Allison or not. This prick was still about to hurt another child. Maybe kill another child. Someone had to fucking stop him.
“Who took this picture?” I demanded.
“A member of the Renegades owed me a favor,” Slash told me, his voice cold.
I glared, nostrils flaring. “Did he stop this shit?” I demanded. If someone had stepped in before, kept that piece of shit from hitting Hannah, my daughter would still be alive.
My president nodded once. “He did. Mom and kid are back with Hansen now, though. She never kicked him out.”
Fucking stupid cunt.
“Where?” I hissed, the word much louder than I’d intended.
Slasher’s chin lifted again. “Everythin’ you need to know is in there.”
I didn’t bother looking at it. As soon as he dismissed me, I’d head for home and gear up. Then I’d figure out where in the hell I was going. Cody Hansen would not see another sunset if I had anything to say about it.
“I need a few days,” I muttered, not asking for time away, but telling.
Slasher inhaled slowly, nodding. “You’re not going alone.”
“This is my kill,” I argued, seething.
“Your kill, but you’re still not going alone. You’re not a lone wolf anymore. No matter how much you act like a stupid pup.” My president shook his head. “No one will take your right away from you, but you don’t go alone.”
“Fine,” I snapped. “Then send someone with me. Tonight.”
“There’s more.” He looked over his shoulder at Tiny before focusing his attention on me once more. Tiny’s face turned even more grim, if that was possible.
“You were sent away before we could discuss what happened yesterday.”
I tensed. I’d known it was coming. I just didn’t know why he’d chosen to show me my daughter’s murderer first.
“You’re not a patched brother of this club,” Slasher began. “Under normal situations, what happened yesterday would be a crime punishable by death. A death of Shooter’s choosin’.”
“Under normal situations?” I asked, swallowing against the lump in my throat.
I didn’t know who would take care of Katie, who would protect Cris if they took me out. I thought about my friends. They would step up in my absence. I knew they would.
“There isn’t much I won’t tolerate from my brothers and my club.” Slash leaned forward on his elbows and pushed his fingers together in a steeple. Loyalty is all that matters. We all know that ol’ ladies are off limits. We don’t fuck with a brother’s woman. Yours never should have come here. You’ll need to punish her for that.”
My mind whirled, trying to follow what was being said. Punish? Fuck him.
His gaze landed on his son. “And Tank fucked up bringing her back. He’s been dealt with.”
I took a long look at my friend, almost jerking in surprise when his eyes met mine and I got a glance at the shiner that had swollen one eye almost shut. Someone had hit him, more than once, according to a split lip and blood streaks under his nose. Fuck.
Slasher kept talking. “You were smart to keep her from us, and us from her, even if that secret did cause a fuck-ton a’ trouble. You handled it better than most of us would’ve. More than one brother testified that you clearly claimed her Friday night, and that you hauled her out of here as soon as you saw her. Shooter put his hands on your ol’ lady. The stupid son of a bitch treated her like a whore.” He shook his head in disgust. “He will be handled.”
I didn’t know how to feel about that. I wanted to annihilate the fucker with my own two hands for what he’d done to Cris. It was my issue, not the club’s.
“And me?” I demanded. “What’s gonna happen to me?”
“Nothin’,” Slash answered with a shrug.
I didn’t believe him. I’d screwed up royally. There was no way he was going to let me out of it scot-free. “Nothing?”
“We held court this morning. You didn’t do anything the rest of us wouldn’t do.”
“If he’d touched Candy, I woulda killed him. Vice president or not,” Tiny informed us. “After I’d paid him back, slowly, for what he’d done.”
Slasher nodded his agreement. “Not a single brother in this club feels differently. You’ll learn that ol’ ladies bring nothin’ but bullshit drama.” He gave me a knowing smirk, as if he could read my thoughts about Cris. “I hear she’s a wildcat. The others should be able to tame her.”
Tank adjusted again.
“Others?” I didn’t recognize my own voice. It was cold yet had a panicked edge. If Slasher was suggesting I let the brothers ‘tame’ Cris, I’d fucking lose it. I’d kill the son of a bitch. Not one of these lowlife dicks was touching her. Whether she wanted it or not.
“The other ol’ ladies,” Slash answered instantly, shooting me a look that said he thought I was an idiot. “We don’t allow them to come here often, but they spend most of their time together. Lunch dates, shopping and shit. Most of the time, they just bitch about what miserable assholes we are and spend our money.” That fact didn’t seem to bother him. “They’ll calm her down before long.”
“Cris lives in Portland,” I argued. “She won’t have a chance to get to know them.”
“Not anymore,” Tiny snapped. “All ol’ ladies live in the city.”
; “I’m a prospect,” I argued, trying for another angle, not intimidated by his scowl. “Only patched members have ol’ ladies.”
“Not true. Usually, our prospects ain’t stupid enough to get trapped by one bitch so young, but some do. I was married at eighteen,” Slasher informed me.
And cheating on her by twenty, I thought. I ground my teeth to keep myself from saying it.
“All of them live close. They’re a support system to each other. Their own club.” He smiled at his own private joke. “They watch out for each other and think they keep us in line.”
“I’m not moving Cris into a house with three other assholes,” I seethed, desperate to find a way out. “If you think I’m crazy, let’s see how her brother reacts to that news.”
Slasher laughed as if it was hilarious. Turning his attention to his son, he nodded. “You were right.” Then his eyes found mine as a key chain was thrown in my direction. “My son said you would say that shit. He claimed you wouldn’t be comfortable having the two of them live under one roof. Not when they have a”—his lips twitched—“connection.”
I snapped my head toward my friend, a snarl on my lips. He and I were going to have a nice chat about that bullshit. Connection, my ass. He just wanted into Cris’s pants.
Wasn’t gonna happen.
I wanted to demand answers, ask how in the hell Cris saw his tattoos and what in the fuck he thought he was doing with my… my… Jesus, I stopped myself before I could assign a title to Cris. She wasn’t my anything. She was nothing more than my best friend’s baby sister. Tank paled a little, as if he could read my thoughts. Fuck him.
Turning away from him, disgust clear on my face, I held up the key to his dad. “What’s this?”
“Goes to an apartment across town. It’s not much.” Slasher’s eyes narrowed on me, watching my reaction. “I’d suggest you two stay in your room here, but after the last two days, I think it’s wise you keep your girl outta the clubhouse. Don’t you?”
It didn’t matter what I said; I wasn’t going to be able to find a way out of this, so I stuck to the truth. “Cris won’t move.”
“Why not? Every bitch wants to be with her man twenty-four seven. If she says she don’t, she’s lyin’.” Slasher sucked on his teeth. “Unless you and my son are lyin’ to me and she isn’t yours at all. Which would mean Shooter didn’t mess with an ol’ lady. And you threatened a brother.” His eyes sparked even though the rest of him remained perfectly calm. The fucker knew I was lying. He was pushing me, testing me to see how far I’d take it. I clenched my jaw. When I stayed quiet, he continued. “That would also make her fair game. Maybe I’ll take a turn. I hear she’s a fighter with a tight little ass and tits you want to motorboat.”
“You touch her, I’ll cut off your fucking hand.” My fingers dug into the arms of my chair as I growled back.
Tiny took a step forward, hearing the sincerity in my threat, but Slasher only lifted a hand and shooed him away.
“You’ll move her next weekend.” There was no room for argument. “After she’s settled, we’ll hunt down Hansen.”
Well, fuck. As I stared at him, I realized there was no way out of this. If I refused to continue with the charade, denied any claim on her, we were all fucked.
“Go home. I don’t want to see either of you back here until shit is settled with your woman.” With a nod of his head, he dismissed both me and Tank. I was reaching for the door before he spoke again. “Rob, you’re gonna haveta tell my baby girl. I’m not breaking her heart.”
Fuck me. This kept getting better and better. If that little brat had just stayed out of the clubhouse, we wouldn’t be dealing with this shit. I could wring her neck.
“You gonna tell Matt, or am I?” Tank asked when we made it to the parking lot, carefully keeping his distance.
“Screw Matt,” I muttered with a sigh as I slid the envelope into my saddle bag and threw a leg over my bike. “I have to tell Cris. She’s not gonna handle it well.” I rubbed my temple. “This isn’t over,” I promised him. “You and I are gonna talk about this shit.”
Tank nodded.
As I navigated the wet streets back to the house I shared with my friends, my mind twisted into a hundred different directions. I knew where Cody Hansen was. I could say ‘fuck it all’ and go kill the son of a bitch. I wanted to drag out his death, make him hurt. And I didn’t want to wait another moment to do it.
I’d already gotten out of one punishment. Defying a direct order from Slasher would be the same as signing my death warrant. He’d been clear; without me, Cris was fair game.
Fuck. We had no choice. This was our only option.
I had no idea how in the hell I’d convince her to move, let alone how I’d get her to agree to live with me. Or worse, how I was going to put up with her shit if I did manage to persuade the stubborn brat. The only positive about this entire predicament was that Cris was going to be just as angry about it, if not more.
16
Cris
I stared at Rob, half tempted to laugh at him, half wondering what in the hell kind of pipe he’d been smoking. Maybe he’d finally snapped and lost his mind. Clearly he was delusional. Or I hadn’t had nearly enough coffee.
I wasn’t moving to Boston. After what happened, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to go to the city again.
He’d shown up before the sun had even risen, banging his fist on the door and yanking me from the fitful sleep I’d barely settled into. Covering my surprise at seeing him so early, I’d let him in and stumbled to the coffee pot. He’d waited a few minutes, letting the breakfast blend brew and his sister stumble into the kitchen, then he’d made his big announcement.
“You’re gonna come stay with me for a while. You need to get your shit packed and ready by Saturday. Katie’ll help you. Only bring what you can’t live without and whatever you’ll definitely need. I’ll be here early in the morning to get you.” He’d paused, finally noticing the confusion on our faces. “I don’t like it either. But the Bean Nighe president insists.”
The chair beside me groaned as Katie fell into it. I didn’t bother to look at her, sure that I’d see the same trepidation on her features that I was trying to keep from mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as her lips parted and shut at least three times before she settled on a simple non-committal sound.
I waited for Rob to say something, to drop the ‘just kidding!’ bomb. Instead, he just stared at us.
Finally, after what felt like eternity, Kate broke the silence. “I think it’s a good idea.”
My mouth dropped as I gaped at her.
“What?” Rob muttered, surprised.
Clearly, he thought she was just as crazy as I did. Kate wasn’t the girl who made decisions in a split-second. She was the one who asked questions and looked at every angle. Hopping on that bus with me on Friday was probably the only impulsive thing she’d ever done. And that turned out so well. I scowled at her, wondering where her valid, incredibly informative, and thought-out argument was.
She held up a hand before I could demand to know if she’d lost her damn mind. “Hear me out,” she insisted, eyes darting back and forth between her brother and me. “The last few days have been intense. With everything that’s happened, neither of you have had a moment to think straight. We still haven’t really talked about what caused this entire fiasco to begin with. And the ripple effect it had on all our lives.”
She turned to me. “That letter scared the hell out of you. The only thing you wanted to do was head straight for Matt. I don’t know everything,” —I opened my mouth, ready to attempt an explanation, but Katie kept going— “and I don’t have to. What I do know is that you were terrified.”
She reached out and grabbed my hand, giving it a quick squeeze. “I know that he is out of prison. I know that Robby stationed a guard outside our apartment to watch us.” She waved a hand toward the window. I had no doubt that if I were to look at the street, I’d see Mr. McDavitt’s car parked in the same
spot it had been all night. “I’m not stupid. You’re worried he’s coming here. And so is Rob.”
I couldn’t argue with her because it was true, no matter how much I pretended it wasn’t. Dale was coming for me. There was no doubt in my mind.
“And now this? Something tells me I don’t know the whole story. But I trust Robby. If he thinks this is what’s best, it is.” Katie turned her attention to her brother. “Are you going to be able to keep her safe if she’s down there?”
He scoffed at the question as if it was the dumbest thing he’d ever heard.
“It’s a valid question and you know it!” Katie snapped, moving her hand up and down in front of my face as if to say he’d failed once.
Rob’s face hardened, his nostrils flaring slightly. “Nothin’ like that will happen again. I guarantee it.”
The way he said it, his voice sinister and cold, sent shivers up my spine.
“What did you do?” Katie demanded in a worried whisper.
Rob’s jaw ticked. “Only what I had to.”
“That’s so comforting,” Kate snapped, drumming her fingers on the tabletop in either annoyance or worry.
Panic raced through me. I’d seen enough of his club, of those men he called brothers, to know they were the worst of the worst. Rob was a dick, but compared to them, he was a saint. Something was wrong, off.
A thought hit me like a pile of rocks. “This is your punishment.” I jerked my head up, my eyes boring into him. “This is because of what happened Saturday. Your president is punishing you.”
He didn’t answer, but by the way he avoided my eyes, I knew it was the truth.
I didn’t understand. “After everything that happened, why would he demand I come back? You did what you did because of me. He shouldn’t want me around.”
His eyebrows rose and fell as he silently agreed with me. He didn’t want me living with him any more than I wanted to be there.
“To punish us both,” I answered my own question. “What if I say no?” I could barely breathe. “What will they do to you if I refuse to come?”