Count your blessings, mom always used to say. Now I was counting mine. Meeting Harley; was that a blessing too?
“Hand over the Cuban contract to us.”
It was Caesar doing all the talking for the Hell’s Drifters.
“We need time.” Abe said.
“Well hurry the fuck up if you want your boy to stay alive!”
I couldn’t sense where I was or how many people were around me. All I knew was that the Marked Skulls were now having a showdown with the Hell’s Drifters and whatever measly bits was left of the Dark Legion.
“Take off his hood. We need to make sure it’s him.”
That was Lewis. What was he doing here? The president rarely ever stepped out of T-Bone these days. The others did all the leg work. This must mean something important to him if he was here tonight. I wanted to shout at all of them to go back.
I could hear Caesar chuckling beside me.
“Take it off,” he commanded.
One of the guys yanked the hood off my head and I blinked to adjust my eyes to the surroundings. We were in pretty much utter darkness. Only the headlights of the vans and bikes that were turned on were shedding some light on us.
And then I saw them. All of them. Lewis, Oz, Abe, Girth and Rodeo. They were all there standing together in a row. A few of the others from the Marked Skulls were there too. They were all staring at me like they’d seen a ghost.
“Fancy seeing you here!” I remarked, smiling at them warmly. Usually they sniggered at my stupid jokes, but none of them were smiling tonight. Maybe I looked worse than I thought I did. I knew I barely looked like myself anymore. All that blood. All the bruises and gashes on my face.
“Dash!” It was Oz. My mentor. The man I would have followed into the fire. He took a step in my direction and the guns came out.
The Hell’s Drifters were quick to pull out their guns, but so were the boys from our MC. Within moments, every man except me had a gun pulled out and pointed in the other direction.
Then I felt the cold tip of a gun on my temple. I had my hands cuffed behind me and Caesar was standing close to me.
“One wrong move from any of you and your boy dies right here. Right in front of you!” he shouted.
I looked at Oz, staring straight at him.
“I’m fine. You guys can back off now. I can take care of myself,” I said.
Oz shoved his gun back down his belt and held his hands up.
“No guns. See?” he remarked and the others followed suit.
Now that nobody had any weapons pointed at each other, I could say what I wanted to say.
“And I want you guys to turn around and get the fuck outta here. Don’t make any deal with these assholes.”
I had barely finished the sentence before I felt Caesar’s knee ram into my stomach. I doubled over. Getting the wind knocked right out of me. I felt some blood ooze down the side of my mouth too. It was going to take me more than a second to recover my breath from this one.
“You need to keep him alive, and he needs to be one piece,” I heard Lewis say.
I shook my head.
“No deal!” I said, gasping for air and Caesar grabbed me by my collar.
“If there’s no deal, then this guy is dead tonight. You decide!” He was shouting.
“We will set up a meeting for you with the Cuban contacts,” Lewis said, in a calm voice.
I wanted to shout out to them again to not make any deals but Caesar and the other men were dragging me away already.
“We hand over the contacts and you hand over Dash. We make the exchange happen like that!” Lewis continued to say. It wasn’t going to work. The Hell’s Drifters had no intention of giving me back to my MC. They wanted to drive home a message to Lewis and the others—that they were the ones in control now and for that, they would have to kill me.
After they had taken over our territory and taken over our Cuban clients too.
I was thrown back into the van and the doors slammed behind me. The guy with the gun was watching over me again and he threw the bag on my head.
“Did you have a good time tonight?” he asked, sitting down as the van started up.
“It was okay, nothing to get dressed up for,” I told him, leaning my head back against the wall of the moving van. I’d taken a few more beatings today. My body was battered and I was sure I was going to reach my breaking point soon. How soon?
I needed to figure out a plan first. Of how to get Harley out of this place without her getting hurt.
12
Harley
Harley
They took him away in front of my eyes and I couldn’t do anything about it. And now I was alone in the clubhouse, pacing back and forth in the kitchen, hoping against hope it wasn’t the last time I was going to see him.
Funny thing was, there was no fear in his eyes when they walked him past me. Did he know what was going to happen to him? Did he know there was nothing to worry about? I didn’t know what to think.
I clutched my stomach. I felt like I was going to be sick. I doubled over the sink and waited, but nothing. I poured myself a glass of water from the tap, but that didn’t help either. Nothing was helping.
Why was I even concerned about this man? I didn’t know him. We’d spoken a little, but not enough to even call him my friend. But there was something about Dash. I felt it from the first moment I saw him. I knew he wasn’t like any other man I met before. He was most certainly not like any of the men in the Hell’s Drifters.
When he saw me bruised and wounded, he was genuinely concerned. I could see it in his eyes. He was worried about me. When he told me he was going to rescue me from this place, he had meant that too. But how was he going to make it happen? I knew there was no possibility of that.
And yet, I trusted him. If there was any man who could rescue me, it was him. And now he was gone.
I didn’t know what these guys were actually involved in. I kept my head down and tried to keep my ears switched off from overhearing any details. The less I knew, the better, I figured. But now, for the first time, I wished that I’d been eavesdropping, maybe then I would have gotten hints on what they were planning to do to Dash.
I pressed my eyes closed and thought about him. Of what a life with him might look like. What it would be to sleep in his bed, to introduce him to Amanda, to have his protection.
I hadn’t felt safe in so long I’d forgotten what that feeling was like. Maybe Dash and me were never meant to be. Maybe all those feelings of desire I felt for him was another cruel trick being played on me by the Universe.
It dangled something good in front of my face, but only for a few days, and now that was snatched away from me too.
Hope.
I tried not to cry as I waited. How long was I going to have to wait before I knew if Dash was alive or not? If I would ever see him again? Was there anything I could have done to save him? No there wasn’t. But that didn’t stop me from feeling guilty about it.
* * *
When I heard the sound of the bikes and the van, I felt suddenly awake. I wiped the tears from my face and ran to the only small window in the kitchen.
At first, I only saw the guys from the MC, getting off their bikes and from the front of the van. They all looked like they were in good spirits, laughing and exchanging high-fives. None of them seemed to have any traces of blood on them. That had to be a good sign, right?
I waited with my breath caught in my throat. Then someone opened the back of the van and a man wearing a black hood jumped off. I could tell, even from this distance, even with his head covered—that it was Dash.
I let out a huge sigh of relief. He was alive. He didn’t seem to have any new bruises that I could see. So where had they taken him? Why were they bringing him back?
I ran to the cupboard for my cleaning things and I started to pretend to clean the hallway. They were going to bring him back down this way if they were taking him to the cellar I figured.
I tried n
ot to look up or look to eager, but I kept my eyes and ears open for him. Then finally, they were inside, leading Dash down towards me.
“Out of the way!” Carlos yelled at me, while he had one firm hand on Dash. I pasted myself to the wall, just as one of them pulled the bag off Dash’s head. He blinked and then his gaze fell on me. Immediately, he was grinning again.
This time, the feeling of relief that he was alive was so high that I couldn’t help but smile back at him. He winked at me and I looked around to make sure nobody had caught us. Thankfully nobody did.
I got back to cleaning the floor as they walked towards the cellar. I could hear the guys talking to him, saying cruel things but Dash didn’t respond. He didn’t say anything to them. It was like we were both mesmerized by seeing each other.
I was just glad he was still alive.
But for how much longer?
I didn’t want to find out. Right now, all that mattered was he was here and he was going to be okay tonight.
I returned to the kitchen and returned the cleaning things to the cupboard. It was time for me to leave. I was late for my shift at the bar already. I was late often and I knew they weren’t going to keep me on for much longer if it continued like this. And if I didn’t have that job, I wouldn’t have a way for me to pay my bills or for Amanda’s daycare.
I was getting ready to leave when one of the guys came into the kitchen.
“Caesar wants you to stay tonight. We’re going to celebrate,” he said.
* * *
I had to call Celine at the daycare and tell her I was going to be late picking up Amanda. This happened often, and usually Celine took my daughter home with her and babysat her till I returned. I paid her for this of course, but I was also ashamed of the imposition on her. Celine insisted that she didn’t mind because Amanda was no trouble at all. But that didn’t stop me from feeling guilty about what she thought of me as a mother. Celine could see I was struggling to make ends meet.
I couldn’t refuse Caesar’s orders. He wanted me to tend to them and waitress for the night. Usually when they had parties like these, it went on until the wee hours of the morning. I had no idea when I’d be able to leave or see my daughter, and yet, I couldn’t refuse.
I went to the bar area, serving drinks and trying to ignore the way the men looked at me. How their hands rested on my butt when I leaned forward with a tray of their drinks. How they looked straight down the front of my dress.
But tonight, was different. Tonight, not only was I waitressing, but I was actually trying to listen to the conversations they were having. After the scare I got when they took Dash away, I knew I had to make sure I knew exactly what was going on in the MC.
I hovered close to Caesar. They were celebrating something, which meant that something important had happened tonight.
“Once we get the Cubans on board. We’re gold,” one of the guys said and I stayed put, out of sight but close-by within their earshot.
“You think they’re going to do it?”
“You saw them shivering in their socks when we held a gun to his head. They want him back,” another guy said. I could sense they were talking about Dash.
“In one piece.”
Caesar scoffed.
“They’re not getting him back in one piece,” he added and the others cheered and raised their bottles. It made my throat go dry. I didn’t want to imagine what that was supposed to mean.
“Maybe they’ll get back one piece of him,” another said and they laughed.
“Like the head?” Caesar said and there was more laughter.
I felt sick when I heard that, whipping away from them and running to the bar so I could hide there for a few minutes. They were talking about executing Dash. Something to do with the Cubans.
I didn’t know what exactly they were talking about but one thing was clear—they had no plans of releasing Dash. They weren’t going to let him return to his MC alive.
It felt like the ground was spinning under my feet.
I was sure now that his life was in serious danger. But what was I supposed to do? What could I even do? I was nobody here. I had no power or authority, and Dash was imprisoned, powerless too.
I felt like I was going to cry.
13
Dash
Dash
I was so close to them. I saw all their faces. My friends, my brothers. They were worried for me. They felt sorry for me when they saw the bruises and wounds on my face and body. I tried to smile as much as I could, make jokes so they wouldn’t pity me. I didn’t want them to put themselves in any danger. I wanted them to leave it up to me.
Technically, I could have knocked the gun out of Caesar’s hand even though my hands were cuffed. I could have run in the direction of my club too. But that would have most certainly caused a shootout.
Oz and Abe looked like they were going to start shooting anyway. And that was the last thing I wanted.
Somebody or more of them would be badly injured or lose their lives as a result of that. I was not about to risk something like that, not for the sake of my freedom. I could do this on my own.
Besides, I was going nowhere till I’d figured out a way to free Harley along with me.
So, now I was back here, in this dark cold room with the drip of water driving me nuts. My hands were cuffed to the pipe again and all I could do was wait.
I wasn’t an idiot. I was sure that the Hell’s Drifters had no plans for releasing me anytime soon. They were going to pop me off before my club got me back. They were not the kind of men to honor a deal.
I pulled at the pipe again.
There was loud music playing outside in the clubhouse. These assholes were having a party. Celebrating Marked Skulls’ defeat no doubt. Their own victory which they could almost taste.
If only I could get my hands on them!
But the loud music outside meant that I could pull at the pipe. Keep pulling and not worry about the sound it was making.
I thought about Harley as I pulled. Before she came into my life, I had no interest in trying to escape this place. I was willing to die here if that’s what it took to keep my brothers out of this.
But now that she was involved, I couldn’t just let her slave away here. I needed to get her out. And for that, I needed to free myself first.
The bolts were coming loose. Slowly, bit by bit, the pipe was coming off the wall, which meant I could slide my handcuffs out of it eventually.
Then I heard the sound of bikes outside. They were revving up to leave. The assholes were going somewhere. I heard movement somewhere above me too. Quickly, I pushed the pipe back in its place, trying to make it look like it was supposed to look.
Then I heard the door opening.
14
Harley
Harley
These guys were partying hard, and inevitably, their parties led to fights. Weren’t they supposed to be brothers in arms? On the same team? Didn’t they have each other’s backs?
Instead, one fight broke out after another and they were at each other’s throats. I watched them from behind the bar counter, trying to stay out of sight because I didn’t want to get involved. It was scary to see them being violent like that. I had no idea what they were going to do next.
While Caesar remained in the middle of it all, smashing bottles and giving orders, I remained cowering behind the counter. I just wanted it to be over soon so I could figure out what to do about Dash.
I had to do something, now that I knew his life was in imminent danger.
All of a sudden, they decided they were going to take their fight outside. One by one, they started pouring out of the bar and getting on their bikes. Getting ready to leave.
I watched them leave with a hopeful heart. Relieved that they were all going to go. But Caesar was one of the last ones to leave. When I saw him staggeringly approaching me, I made myself busy cleaning glasses. I didn’t want to meet his eyes. Or give him any reason to speak to me. But he was going to
do what he wanted to do.
I could smell him before he’d even come close to me. The stench of his cigarettes and alcohol.
He leaned towards me, over the counter while I kept my eyes down. I could sense him reaching his hand out towards me. He tucked a lock of my hair behind my ears. Almost tenderly, and I felt my whole body shiver.
“You hide that beautiful body of yours under all those clothes. The boys get frustrated. How many times do I have to tell you to show more skin?”
He’d just tucked the hair behind my ear and he grabbed the side of my face, tipping it up so he could look into my eyes. I gasped. Afraid he was going to hit me again.
“I’ll wear something different tomorrow,” I murmured. I could see the desire in his eyes. He wanted to have me tonight. My heart was racing in my chest.
“You better, if you know what’s good for you,” he growled and let me go. I stumbled backwards from the force.
“Clean the shit up around here!” he added, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket and he lit up.
“Yes, I will,” I said. Was I going to be left alone with Dash? Clearly, he didn’t think I was capable of doing anything. Maybe he thought I was afraid of him.
I watched him walk out of the clubhouse, and the remaining guys followed him out. I waited until I saw them get on their bikes and ride away.
The thing was, Caesar didn’t know me at all. He had no idea what I was capable of.
* * *
I went down to the cellar after everyone had left. Carlos was gone too, so there was nobody guarding the door. I was grateful for the fact that they were a bunch of idiots, and had no idea how to keep their prisoner secure. They were too drunk to think straight.
Marked Skulls MC Series: Books 1-5 Page 64