by Sam Crescent
“Please, Slash can’t take me,” Butler said, finally arriving.
Slash stared at his friend and club brother. He’d die protecting every single man in the club, Butler included. Right now, he wanted to bury the man six feet under.
“Now that Butler is here, the real fun can begin.”
“Want to play a game?” Butler asked, holding up his pool cue.
Slash grabbed one and began to prepare the tip as Butler lined up the balls on the table.
“You can break,” Butler said.
Leaning forward, he aligned the shot and took it.
There was a round of cheers.
“So tell me, Butler,” Dick said. “Heard from Mandy yet?”
The moment Dick asked his question, the aim that Butler had went off to the side, and he missed his shot. “Mandy who?”
“Nice try, hotshot. You had that in the bag until he mentioned her name.” Slash leaned forward, and took aim.
“I took Natalie out for ice cream.”
He jerked, and the ball hit the side of the table, bouncing several of the balls.
Glaring at the smirk on Butler’s face, Slash stepped away. Devil had told them both he didn’t want any fucking fights between them. If either of them came to blows, and something was damaged, Devil would demand they pay for everything.
He didn’t mind paying the money, it was the fucking cleanup, and punishment that Devil would make them both do. Being part of the club put Devil in charge, and he didn’t get his name lightly.
No one danced with the Devil or tested him without coming out burned, or even worse. “She dropped something on the floor and bent forward. The shirts she wears cover those curves, but damn, if they don’t half gape. Her tits looked so fucking precious.”
Slash squeezed the pool cue, as he wanted to shove the stick right up Butler’s ass.
“Mandy’s not half bad either. When she bends over, her ass sticks up in the air, and I swear it’s begging to be slapped,” Dime said, joining the conversation. “I’ve watched her clean a couple of times, and wondered just how good she’d feel wrapped around my cock. She’s got a fire inside her, you know. The kind that heads to the bedroom where you burn up the sheets.”
Butler charged toward Dime, but this time Slash stepped in.
“Fucking don’t,” Slash said.
“What the fuck are you saying?” Butler got up into his face.
“If this is what another brother does to you simply talking about Mandy, giving you little suggestions of exactly what he’d like to do to her, then why the fuck are you trying to take what belongs to me?” Slash stepped up close to Butler.
“What’s the matter, Slash, afraid of a little competition?”
“No, I’m not. Unlike you, I fucking care about Natalie. You know what, let’s cut this bullshit right now. I don’t just care about her, I fucking love her, and you’re playing with her feelings, you piece of shit. The moment Mandy comes back and looks your way, or she’s not a fucking cleaner anymore, you’ll drop Natalie like she’s got a fucking disease to chase after someone else.” He got right up in Butler’s face. “That’s what I don’t like. I’m not afraid of you, Butler. Never have been, never will be. You hurt the woman I love. You break her heart if she chooses you, then you better run, cause brother or not, there’ll be a special plot with your name on it six feet fucking under, even if I lose my patch to kill you.”
Silence rang through the club.
Not only would taking Butler out take Slash’s patch, there would also be a vote on what to do with him. Let him go as a civilian, marking him so everyone knew he was a traitor, or killing him.
It was a serious offense to kill one of their own, unless sufficient reason was given.
Snake’s cell phone rang, cutting through the tension. Slash didn’t back down, and neither did Butler.
His threat had surprised Butler though.
“Shit, are you sure?” Snake asked. “Fuck, we’ll get there right away.”
Snake closed his cell phone.
“That was Jessica. Natalie and her date have just been brought in. Natalie’s in a coma right now. They’ve both been beaten up pretty badly.”
Slash was gone. Climbing onto his bike outside of the clubhouse, he gunned the engine and drove toward the hospital. On the way there, he hated himself for letting her go alone, for not being there.
All kinds of scenarios entered his head. Natalie in a coma. Her dying.
No, this couldn’t be happening.
He broke every single speed limit to get to the hospital. Jessica was waiting for him as he climbed off his bike.
“How is she?”
“She’s stable right now, but in critical condition.”
Jessica didn’t try to stop him as he entered the hospital, and showed him where Natalie was.
Slash paused outside Natalie’s door and stared at the woman who lay hooked up to machines.
“Not all the swelling has come down, or the bruises. She has several broken ribs, and took several blows to the—”
“Jessica, tell Devil, not me. I can’t … not right now.” He entered Natalie’s room and took a seat.
He’d not been there, and someone had hurt her.
He hadn’t fucking been there!
His anger began to build as he stared at his woman. She shouldn’t have been on a date with anyone else.
Natalie belonged to him, and he was done playing with this bullshit.
****
Devil had seen Natalie. He hadn’t gone into the room, and he didn’t disturb Slash either. The club was in the main reception, including the old ladies. They were all worried about Natalie. Even though the young woman didn’t talk all that much, or involve herself, she was part of them.
Lexie cared about her, and often talked about her to him, and her father had begged him to keep an eye on her.
Right now, he needed fucking answers, and he stared at the fucker who had just woken up.
Butler was in the room, along with Snake. Jessica was keeping an eye outside. The man before him was beaten up pretty badly, but he wasn’t in a coma with swelling on the brain, or the risk that he might not wake up.
If Natalie died, he fucking failed. If that happened … he couldn’t bring himself to think of what to do if that happened. Whenever he gave his word, he kept it. Natalie dying, his word wouldn’t be kept, and he couldn’t have that.
“How is she?” John asked, his voice rough and hoarse.
“She’s in a coma,” Devil said. “Doctors don’t know if she’ll wake up, or if that’s how she’s going to be for the rest of her life.” Jessica had told them before seeing her that if she didn’t wake up or show any sign of brain activity, then they’d ask him to turn off her machines. Right now, it hadn’t come to that, but he’d demanded Jessica give him the worst-case scenario.
He was paying for her treatment, and he would decide if she died or not.
It hadn’t come to that.
“I don’t know you, and right now, I don’t like you. You see, Natalie doesn’t belong to you. She never had, but she wanted to go on this date, and being the nice guy that I am, I let her. But here is my problem, John, you’ve not brought her back in one piece. That’s all I asked.” Devil stepped forward. “I’m not a very nice person when I don’t get what I want.”
“I didn’t hurt her. We were watching a movie. We decided to go to one of those, erm, those movie places where you sit in the car?”
“A drive-in. I know what one is.”
“We were minding our own business, just watching an old black and white film, and some guys came around. They started asking for money and stuff. I told them to fuck off, and they pushed Natalie to the ground and started kicking her. I paid them everything I had, and tried to get them to stop, but I couldn’t.” John looked ready to burst into tears.
“They started on you.”
“Yeah, they did.”
“Did they rape her?” Snake asked.
D
evil jerked as he’d not even considered that, his anger fueling him.
“No. Before I passed out, I know someone came to us. They put a stop to it. I’m sorry.”
He stepped up close and stared at the broken man. “You stay away from Natalie. She’s not yours, but until I find the men responsible for this, you’re now club property, and you will have a brother at your side until you identify them.”
John nodded.
Leaving the room, Devil didn’t stop as he made his way out for some fresh air. He had to take some deep breaths, because murdering John right now wouldn’t answer his questions.
Lexie came out to him. She rubbed his back, and her touch alone was enough to calm the beast raging inside.
“You okay, baby?” she asked.
“No, I’m not.” He pulled her into his arms, kissing her head and breathing her in. Her scent allowed him to relax.
“Do I need to start worrying?”
“I’m not going to start killing people in the town.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“It’s not another threat.”
“You’re sure.”
He nodded. “Yeah. This is just a group of kids that don’t even realize they messed with the wrong girl.”
“Do you think she’ll pull through?”
“I don’t know, baby. I don’t know.”
“How’s Slash?”
“Just watching her. I’m not going to pull him out. Right now, Slash is where he needs to be.”
There was no way he’d pull Slash away from Natalie’s side. He needed him watching her, taking care of her. Making sure she was okay.
“Don’t feel guilty about this.”
“You’re always worrying about me.”
“I’ll worry about you for the rest of my life, Devil.” She kissed his lips. “That’s the point of marrying the love of your life.”
He held her close.
He would find the people responsible and they better hope they were kids, because otherwise, they were about to meet their maker.
Chapter Four
Natalie hadn’t woken up yet, and Slash continued to stare at her. He ignored the nurses and doctors who came in to take care of her. Lexie came in with Simon in tow, to drop him off some food, and a coffee.
Simon took the spare seat. “She’ll be okay,” he said.
“We know, honey.” Lexie rubbed his hair, and Simon pulled out of her grip and pushed his hair in a different direction.
Slash smiled.
“You okay?” Lexie asked.
“I will be. She’s stable, and there’s no change. She has brain activity, so the doctors think her body is just trying to repair itself, and I shouldn’t worry.”
“You wouldn’t be you unless you worried,” Lexie said. “She’ll pull through.”
He watched as Simon grabbed Natalie’s hand.
“Come on, son, we’ve got to go.”
“But it’s a Saturday. I can stay here with her.”
“No, let’s leave Slash alone with his woman.”
“Is she yours?” Simon asked. “You’re going to claim her for like real now, not pretend?”
Slash smiled. “She was always mine, Simon. She just didn’t know it yet.”
“She wants a man who knows how to be the handsome prince, and who can protect her.”
He frowned. “What?”
“I heard her say it to Elizabeth. They were talking after my sister read some weird book about a sparkling vampire. How she wanted a boyfriend to be nice and everything, and Natalie said that having a good guy is great, and you want a good guy, but you also need to have a guy who knows what he wants, and is not afraid to get it. I thought you should know.” Simon waved goodbye and Lexie shrugged.
Sitting forward, he reached out and moved some of her hair off her face. “You want a biker, baby?” he asked. He could live with that. Being a gentleman and a bad boy.
He sat there for several more minutes until he heard a throat clearing.
Butler stood inside the door. He held a bouquet of flowers.
“I’m not here to cause problems.”
“Then why are you here?” Slash asked.
“Can we have a truce?”
“Can you stop pretending that you want her? She’s not yours, Butler, she never has been.”
“I like her.”
“I love her.”
Butler sighed. “Look, I enjoy being around her, okay. You’re always too gentle with her, and you never really listened.”
“I listened.”
“Then why did you make her feel guilty for wanting to sell the ranch?”
He had nothing else to say, and gritted his teeth. He didn’t mean to make her feel guilty. When she mentioned it, he thought it was the grief talking, and he didn’t want her to do something that would hurt her later on.
The club had the ranch, and she was taken care of. He’d seen her happier than ever before. Making her keep the ranch was a bad idea.
“Why are you here?” Slash asked.
“Believe it or not, I do like her.” Butler held his hands up. “I don’t love her, and I’m not going to even pretend that I do. I care about her, and she’s a nice woman, and I’m sorry.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry, okay. I thought … I thought I wanted her, but last night, yeah, it’s not going to happen, and I don’t want to hurt her, but she doesn’t inspire me like that. I don’t think about her in that kind of way.” Butler placed the flowers on the counter. “You shouldn’t keep her at arm’s length though. I’ve seen some of her more erotic sketches that she’s done. I stole her book, and looked at them. Natalie wants passion in her life, she just doesn’t know how to get it.”
“When she wakes up, I’m not backing down.”
“You shouldn’t.”
Butler left them alone, and Slash stared at his woman. The bruising had come out now, and one of her eyes was swollen shut. He didn’t even need to have her eyes open to see that.
“I’m not going to let you out of my sight again.” He grabbed her hand, resting his head against her fingers, and he actually prayed for her to wake up.
Time passed, and the sounds of the hospital seemed to fade as he just allowed himself to be with Natalie.
If she didn’t make it, he didn’t know what he’d do. He couldn’t think straight, nor did he want to.
“You can’t die,” he said.
There was a knock on the door, and he looked up and frowned. Lucius, from the Nomad Chapter, who had kissed her, stood in the doorway. He held an art book and pens in his hands.
“What are you doing here?” Slash asked.
“Natalie told me she had a date. When I didn’t hear anything, I called Devil. He told me what happened.”
He was aware that Natalie and Lucius had been texting. Before Roxy died, Natalie had gotten close to the other woman, and he knew she’d asked her to keep in touch with Lucius, to make sure he wasn’t alone.
They were friends.
There had never been any feelings between the two, even though Lucius had kissed her, but he’d done that to start a fight.
“That doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.”
“Making sure she’s okay.” Lucius glanced down at his gifts. “Roxy…” His voice broke, and he cleared it. “Roxy really liked her.”
“Does Devil know you’re here?”
“Knowing Devil, he does. Have I gone to see him? No.”
“Why not?”
“There’s no point.”
“Have you ever thought about settling down in one place?” Slash asked.
“Nope. I’m not that kind of guy. I’ll never settle down in one place, and I have no intention of starting it now.” Lucius placed his gifts on the small table where everyone seemed to want to place their stuff. “When she wakes up, tell her thanks.”
Lucius didn’t wait around, and within seconds he was gone.
Slash sat back, and rubbed at his eyes. He
understood that Lucius was in pain. Losing someone close to you would have that effect on a person, and once again, his attention was brought right back to the woman on the hospital bed.
He wouldn’t survive losing her. There was no doubt about it in his mind. She was everything to him, and when she got out of this hospital bed, he was done playing around. Butler could go and fuck himself. He was done playing nice.
Natalie belonged to him, and it was about time she realized it.
****
“There’s still no change?” Lexie asked. She held her empty cup. Hot chocolate always had a way of soothing her problems, but not right now. Natalie being in a coma was really upsetting. They’d all gotten attached to the little designer. She was their family, even if she didn’t realize it herself.
“No, still no fucking change,” Devil said. He removed his leather jacket and placed it on the back of the sofa.
“Did you go to the Sheriff?”
“Yep, and it would appear there have been several break-ins and beatings going up and down this town, and across several of them.”
“You don’t think this is a hit out on the club?” Lexie asked.
“Nope. Talking with the good old Sheriff, it would seem there’s a group of men trying to make a name for themselves. They can’t be sure if it’s youths or older. Either way, I catch up to them, and they’re going to be in for some really harsh fucking reality.”
She was used to her husband talking about killing people. She knew he did it, too. Even though he took lives, she still loved him. Rarely did Devil take the lives of the innocent. She smiled, thinking about his name and how apt it was. He was judge, juror, and executioner. Anything that touched his family or the club had to go through him.
“What’s that smile on your lips?” he asked, moving toward the sofa.
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close. “I’m thinking about Natalie.” It wasn’t a total lie.
“She’s got to pull through,” Devil said.
“If she doesn’t?”
“We’ll have another brother go off the rails. Speaking of, Lucius made it into town today. He dropped some gifts off for Natalie and left.”