Savage Life

by Kelly, Kathleen

  I lean back and stare at her quizzically. “What do you mean?”

  Destiny smiles. “This is a good example. While the rest of us are out the back eating, drinking, and talking, you’re out here on your own. You need to let Rush into your tight little circle.”

  I shake my head. “He is in my tight little circle.” Destiny laughs and shakes her head. “Babe, he is. I’m not that complicated, whatever is important to you or Zeke is important to me. I’m out here as I was checking out the view, not isolating myself from you all.” I gesture to the view. “Do you like it up here? Would it be a good place for us to raise a family?”

  I feel my woman melt into my side, and her face goes soft.

  “Anywhere with you is home. Here,” Destiny points to the lights of Tourmaline below. “Down there. It doesn’t matter so long as we do it all together.”

  “I thought you’d like somewhere up here.”

  Destiny smiles and shakes her head. “Have you seen the white two-story on Greensborough Lane?”

  “The one that looks like it’s about to fall over?”

  Destiny giggles and slaps my stomach. “It’s not that bad. And we could do it up together, make it ours.”

  “You’re not picking it ‘cause it’s cheap?”

  “Ahh… so you do know the house I’m talking about?”

  I nod at her. I have been to look at it, but it needs a lot of work… painting inside and out, new plumbing, rewiring, new everything. It’s not the kind of place I envisioned having my wife living in.

  Wife.

  I rest my lips in her hair and inhale Destiny’s scent. Where once the idea of marriage terrified me, with her, it’s just a natural progression of our relationship.

  “I know it, and if you want it, we’ll get it.”

  Destiny smiles up at me. “Let’s look at it first, and if it’s something we can build on, we’ll talk about it.”

  I let her drag me back to the party and find Dane sitting in a chair with both his kids asleep in his massive arms. He’s talking to Rush, and I catch Kat, his wife, staring at him adoringly as she chats to Zeke.

  “Looks like it’s time you hit the road, Prez.”

  Dane looks at his kids. “Yeah.” He locks eyes with Rush. “Thanks for having us and congratulations to you both for getting Renny Bennett out. If I ever end up in jail, I guess I know who to call.”

  “Son, you need to call me long before that happens.” Rush chuckles.

  Dane grins and nods, his eyes searching the crowd, I assume looking for Kat. When he finds her, he nods, and she saunters over.

  “You ready to go?”

  Dane looks at their children. “No, but these two are.”

  Kat goes to pick up Jesse, but I intervene. “Let me, he’ll be a dead weight.”

  Kat nods. “You got that right. He’s like one of those Slinky toys, and doesn’t seem to have a bone in his body when he’s out cold.”

  I grin at her and pick up the sleeping child. His little mouth drops open, but he doesn’t stir.

  “That looks good on you,” says Kat.

  Destiny sighs and nods.

  “Dane, can we double-time it to the car, please?” I ask.

  Dane laughs. “They might be teasing you, but you’re a natural.”

  With a shake of my head, I quickly walk toward their truck and find Tobias Dupont leaning against it, on the phone talking heatedly to someone. The man scowls at me and ends the call. No goodbye. No nothing.

  “Can you get the door?” I ask him.

  Tobias looks at the child in my arms and nods once as he opens it. I place Jesse in his child seat that if he were awake would advise me he’s too big for and buckle him in. Dane opens the opposite door and does the same for Kirsten. I shut the door and find myself in a hug from Kat.

  “Thank you and congrats on Renny. You two must be so excited.”

  Renny Bennett. I have only met him once, and excited isn’t the word I’d use. Apprehensive? Wary? Concerned? Yeah, these describe the behemoth perfectly. Five years in Glenford Maximum Security Prison will change a man. Destiny talks about him like he can walk on water, but there isn’t a man in that place who will tangle with him. To me, that means violence, pain, and death to anyone who’s crossed him.

  “Yeah, it’s good news.”

  Dane locks eyes with me across the hood of his car. He knows what kind of man Renny is too.

  “Come on, babe, time to get the kids home. Have a good night. Tobias, the front door won’t be locked. You’re in your usual room.”

  Dane climbs into his truck, Kat squeezes me one more time and does the same. I wait till they have pulled away before I speak to Tobias. “Everything okay?”

  “Fuck no. I’ve got three women missing. It’s Wednesday night, and some douche is in The Cherry telling everyone he’s affiliated with the MC, claims he’s your brother.”

  My blood runs cold, and I let off a string of swear words.

  “So, he is your brother?”

  I nod. “Yeah, we haven’t spoken in a while, but he’s not fucking affiliated with the club. You make sure to tell your people.”

  “He’s asking for a freebie with one of the girls for a lap dance with extras.”

  Now, I understand why Tobias is so mad. The girls are like family to him, and he doesn’t pimp them out. If they want to have sex with a patron for money, that’s fine, but we have all been warned by him not to take liberties with his girls. Tobias is a big guy, and despite his soft spot for the female persuasion, he’s not to be fucked with. The long hair and the suits give the illusion of a gentleman, but underestimate him, and he’ll beat you to within an inch of your life.

  “I’ll go.”

  “Go where?” asks Destiny as she walks toward us.

  “There’s trouble at The Cherry.”

  “You’re going to Marlowe now?” Her face is a mask of concern.

  “It’s not what you think. My brother is the problem.”

  Destiny widens her eyes. She looks at Tobias, her old boss and best friend. “Are you going, too?”

  “I have to, D. He’s upset one of the club’s best dancers. He laid hands on her. Lola will need placating, and this little shit will need a lesson.”

  I growl at him, and he raises an eyebrow at me.

  “Not going to happen, Dupont. I’ll take care of it.”

  “I’m coming,” states Destiny.

  “Like fuck you are,” says Tobias.

  “Not happening,” I reply.

  Destiny puts her hands on her hips, squares her shoulders, and stares us down. “What makes you two Neanderthals think you can tell me what to do? Tobias, you’ll need a woman’s touch to reassure Lola and Kade, you’ll need me to help you keep your cool where your brother is concerned. And if you don’t let me come with one of you, I’ll just drive myself.”

  We both know better than to argue with Destiny when she’s made up her mind. I sigh, and Tobias glares at her. She smiles sweetly at both of us.

  “You can go in Tobias’ car, I’m taking the bike, and Tobias…”

  “Yeah, I know… precious cargo.”

  I nod once, kiss her lightly, and walk toward my bike.

  Kade

  Marlowe is bigger than Tourmaline but not as nice. Like all large cities, there’s an element of filth here. I chuckle to myself. I guess I’m the filth in Tourmaline. There are three security guards out the front—big men with scowls permanently plastered on their faces. I know they must be able to handle themselves or Tobias wouldn’t have them here. He often gets the MC to look after the front of the house but not tonight. I don’t see a single MC bike anywhere in the parking lot.

  I climb off my bike and pull down the bandana covering the lower part of my face. I am dressed in jeans, a black tee, and my cut.

  As I approach the doors, the face of one of the security guard’s cracks into a grin. “Kade,” he mumbles as he extends a hand.

  I grasp it in mine. “Dom.” I nod and look around
the area. “No MC here tonight?”

  Dom shakes his head slightly. “Nah, man. Kinda weird, hey?”

  I nod. “Yeah. I’m here because there was a problem earlier with a customer? Someone claiming to know the MC?”

  Dom’s grin widens. “As if a pencil dick with a stick up his ass was associated with you lot.” His booming laugh echoes across the parking lot. Dom stares at me, leans in and whispers, “We’ve got him in the room. The one where they think they’re going to get laid but can’t get out.” Dom snickers. “He’s been screaming for an hour.”

  The room is a place within the club where the dancers take a client they believe is dangerous to them. They guide them in, sit them on a chair and leave. The room is padded, and there’s no handle on the inside to let them out. The girls do this, so there is no fuss on the floor. Most men calm down fairly quickly, and the security guards escort them out the back or teach them a lesson away from prying eyes.

  Inwardly, I groan. Francis has grown up with getting everything he ever wanted. I’m sure it never occurred to him the girls who work here couldn’t be bought. I tap Dom on the shoulder and walk inside. The room is located at the very back of the club. It has its own hallway with doors leading off into various rooms. I stride to the very last door and press my ear against it. It’s soundproofed, so I hear nothing. Which means for Dom to know he’s been screaming for an hour, they have installed cameras.

  I open the door and step inside. Francis has his back to me, and when he slowly turns around, his eyes are bulging out of his head, and sweat has caused his hair to hang limply around his face. His top lip curls back in a snarl, and he charges me. I slam the door closed and sidestep him, keeping the chair in the center of the room between us.

  “No,” roars Francis as he bangs on the padded surface where the door is.

  “You done?” I ask.

  He turns on me, eyes blazing, face twisted in rage. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

  “Yes, I do. You’re Francis Cantrill, brother.”

  He rears back and looks me up and down. “Brother? Kade, is that you?”

  I nod. “Seems like you’ve been causing a few problems here at The Cherry.”

  “Wow, you look like shit. This fucking dump is full of whores who think they are better than what they are. They’re strippers for fuck’s sake! Isn’t this what they do? Take off their clothes for money?”

  “You told them you’re affiliated with my MC. You’re not, and these strippers aren’t whores.”

  Francis scoffs. “Well, you’d know.”

  I crack my neck from side to side, flex my arms, and take a step toward him.

  Francis laughs. “Oh, come on, little brother. We both know you’ve stuck a claim on one. From what Father says, you’ve paid for her ten times over. You know you don’t have to marry the slut. I’m sure she’d give it up willingly for the right price.”

  I swing and miss, thumping the padded wall with a dull thud. Francis swings and hits me in the kidneys. I grunt, turn, and smash him on the jaw sending him flying toward the chair. He lands on it and goes over, ending in a tangled mess on the floor.

  The door flies open, and Destiny is there getting between Francis and me.

  “Kade!”

  I don’t look her in the eyes. I’m watching as Francis scrambles to his feet.

  “Get out of the way,” I growl.

  “He’s not worth it,” hisses Destiny.

  I nod and glance at her. “You’re right, but he needs to be taught a lesson.”

  “Not like this. He’s nothing but a rich kid thinking his money can buy him anything. Don’t stoop to his disgusting level.”

  “She’s right, Kade, he’s not worth it,” says Tobias from the open doorway.

  “Fuck you all. Honey, I could buy a carbon copy of you ten times over, and she’d always be a slut. I’ve had the best education money can buy, but you, you’ve only just finished college after a lovely little stint as a stripper to pay for it. Your parents must be so proud. And as for you, brother, you haven’t changed at all. Still, the poor little rich kid trying to pretend he’s something he’s not. I, at least, know who I am.”

  I cast a look at him. “Really? And what’s that?”

  “Better than you,” snarls Francis.

  Destiny turns around quickly and slaps him so hard his head bounces off the wall.

  “Not on my watch, you don’t. Kade is more of a man than you’ll ever be.” She squares her shoulders and walks from the room. Tobias roars with laughter. I smirk and watch as Francis’ face goes red with rage.

  “You fucking whore!”

  Without too much thought, I raise my fist and hit him as hard as I can. Whatever he was about to say dies on his lips as he’s knocked unconscious, and his limp body hits the floor.

  “Well done,” says Tobias.

  But it’s not. It’s a fucking mess is what it is. When my father hears what happened, he’s going to make Tobias’, Destiny’s and my life a misery. He’ll do everything in his power to destroy The Cherry. Dear old Dad won’t like that we have beaten his ‘good’ son. I look down on my brother’s prone form and wish I could bury him in a shallow grave.

  I scrub a hand over my face and sigh. “Tobias, help me get him up. I have to get him out of here and cleaned up.”

  “We could put him in the dumpster out back.”

  “No, we can’t. Francis here is old money. We need to placate him and make sure he doesn’t cause us any problems.”

  “Old money? Does that mean you are a rich kid?”

  I grab Francis under one arm. “I have money. You don’t want these people looking into you, Tobias, especially if you have any skeletons in your closet.”

  Tobias grunts and grabs his other arm. “My demons were buried long ago.”

  “It’s funny how money can change that.”

  Kade

  Francis is slumped in a chair at the club bar in Tourmaline. It’s clear he was on something for him to be out this long. Daylight has trickled into the world, and it’s now the early hours of Thursday morning. Tobias followed me back, which is surprising as I thought he’d want to stay close to his girls.

  Dane has been apprised of Francis’ behavior at The Cherry and has left it up to me to clean up the mess. Right now, Tobias is giving Francis the stink eye as he nurses a glass of whiskey.

  “Rebel, fill up a bucket of ice water,” I say with a grin.

  Tobias puts his glass down and smirks. “This is going to be fun.”

  Tobias isn’t a patched-in member of the club, and I have always wondered why. The only thing I do know is he’s trusted by Dane, and they have been friends for a long time.

  Rebel puts the bucket on the bar. “I’m not cleaning it up. That’s on you.”

  I nod as I pick it up. “Yeah, man. It’s on me.”

  Instead of throwing it on Francis like I was going to do, I stand behind him and pour the ice-cold liquid over him. It makes less mess and will be easier to mop up. Francis stands bolt upright, hitting his head on the bucket and stumbles around.

  “Fuck me,” he yells as he rubs the top of his head. He turns and scowls at me. “Thanks, a fucking lot, brother.” So much distaste dripping off that last word.

  “Be thankful he’s here, boy. If it were up to me, I’d string your skinny ass up,” snarls Tobias as he throws back the rest of his drink and bares his teeth.

  Francis stares at him for a moment, shrugs, and looks back to me. “Where am I?”

  “You’re in the Savage Angels’ compound club bar.” My voice is flat, devoid of emotion as I look at the soaking wet mess that is my blood.

  Francis grins. “Excellent, I’m in Tourmaline? Father should be here.” He turns and salutes Tobias and goes to walk past me.

  I grab him and pull him close. “You will never use my name in one of our clubs ever again. You aren’t one of us.”

  Francis winks at me and looks at my hand. I release him, and his grin grows bigger. “You are r
ight, Kade, I’m not one of you.”

  “And Francis, if you ever talk to my woman like you did at the club…” I smile at him, “… let’s say you’ll regret it.”

  He sneers at me and heads for the exit. Tobias watches him go, a look of disdain on his face.

  “He might look like you, but he’s nothing like you. We should have given him a beat down.” Tobias stands, brushing off imaginary dirt from the sleeve of his jacket.

  “I have a feeling, that’s coming,” I state.

  My cell begins to vibrate. I pull it out of my pocket and stare at the screen—unknown number. I cancel the call, but within a matter of seconds, it vibrates again.

  “Yes?” I answer.

  “Kade, it’s your father.”

  I stare up at the ceiling wishing I hadn’t answered the fucking phone.

  “Yes,” I say between gritted teeth.

  I hear his intake of breath, and his cold, calm voice says, “Your brother, Francis, and I are in town. Dinner tomorrow night, your choice of venue. Pick us up from the motel on Main Street at seven.”

  “I’m busy.”

  My father sighs. “Kade, we came all this way. Pick us up at seven and bring your fiancée.”

  The line goes dead. Great. Dinner with my father and the spawn of Satan. I search through my cell phone and find Destiny’s number and hit dial.

  “Hey, babe,” she says, cheerfully through the phone.

  “Hey.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  My woman knows me so well. She can tell when I’m uptight with one word.

  “We’re having dinner tomorrow night with my father and Francis.”

  “Babe, if you don’t want to go, we don’t have to.”

  “It’s putting off the inevitable. Where are you?”

  “I’m at home doing housework. Rush gave me the afternoon off.”

  Visions of her in a maid’s uniform flash through my mind. “Need any help?”

  Destiny giggles. “I have a feeling we wouldn’t get much done. Besides all that’s left to do is to put clean sheets on the bed, and I’m finished.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “Kade, I can do this.”

  “Yeah, but maybe I can help mess them up again.”