What? He thought I had stayed faithful to him? Bloody hell, the years apart hadn’t made him any less of a jealous ass.
“Because Murchison told me to do it.” I threw the fucker right under the bus.
Olaf had always been jealous as hell. It was something the stupid lovesick little girl I had been hid from everyone back then. I didn’t want them to think badly of him when he got angry with guys looking at me. Now I had to wonder if he had been more than angry, if he had maybe gone after those poor guys. A couple of the guards had disappeared back then. Guards who had looked and smiled at me with appreciation.
He whipped around and snarled at Murchison who laughed and raised his hands in amusement. Olaf growled then he was back in my face. He traced the scars over my face almost lovingly with a small smile.
“I left my marks on you to ensure no one would touch you. Only me, I would be the only one to touch you. And now I have to add more to teach you a lesson because you let Dominick and that filthy biker touch you. I need to teach you that you belong to me, will always be mine, until the day I get bored or decide to shut your smart mouth forever.”
Over his shoulder I saw a worried look coming into Murchison’s eyes and I knew this was going to get bad. Really bad.
“Are you saying you’re the one who put these scars on my face? Sorry, but I don’t believe you. I have some memories from that night and I clearly remember you in chains when this happened. And I’m still not sure why it happened. I don’t get the reason for that night. All I did wrong was refuse to snatch a kid. That’s it. What was so bad about that? Why would you scar me and then let me rot in jail for ten years?”
I tried to get them to talk because if they talked they wouldn’t be cutting me. And Olaf didn’t disappoint.
“You ignored your orders. I couldn’t let that go, especially not from my wife. You undermined my authority with the men and I had to show them I wasn’t weak. Even if it meant I had to lose you for a few years.”
Now I was truly confused. “You were a bodyguard! Get real, Olaf! No one gave a shit about you. You weren’t even Murchison’s number two at the time. You were my bodyguard, expendable cannon fodder.” I was furious. “And ten years aren’t a few you bastard! You took my youth from me motherfucker!”
Maybe I should have played it differently but he pissed me off with his self-important shit. He was never sent on missions back then. He was considered muscle and that was it. He wasn’t a leader back then. And maybe not now either.
His knife was suddenly out and pushing painfully into the skin under my eye. It took everything not to flinch, to stare back at him, to wait for his next move. I silently prayed that Murchison would interfere because if he didn’t their only chance of acquiring the key would be bleeding out on the cement floor pretty soon.
“Step back, Olaf. She’s right, she’s no longer yours. There are more important plans for her once we’re done here.”
Olaf wasn’t pleased but he did as he was ordered and stepped back, only to swing around and cut me from below my bra to the top of my panties. Murchison swore viciously. I jerked in reaction as hurt flamed trough me and blood ran down my thighs. But the fucker wasn’t done. His fist slammed into my face right over the scars and I moaned in pain as my cheekbone gave way. Bloody hell! It felt as if a bomb had exploded in my head. Before I could even flinch his fist hit my face again and pain shot through my face and neck. I knew, after years of sparring and fighting that I was in trouble. He had done significant damage with those two punches, broken my nose and most probably shattered my cheekbone.
“Enough!” Murchison barked. “I need information from her and your bullshit isn’t helping.”
I hung in the chains, panting through the pain but watching him. Watching Olaf as he strutted back and forth in front of me like an oversized rooster. He kept glancing at the men standing around the perimeter as if to say, look at me, look at what I did. I slowly unclenched my fisted hands and wrapped them around the chains. Slowly, very slowly I took the weight of my body and waited. Waited for my chance. All I needed was him close enough to pay him back for years of torment and pain. I knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away from me, he would want to see the damage he had done up close and personal. Thinking that he had broken me, again. But he would be wrong, so very, very wrong.
And then he did it, he stepped into range. I swung, ignoring the pain and focusing on my target. I swung my legs up and around his neck, locking them behind his head as soon as my thighs settled on either side of his wide, thick neck. He was too shocked to fight as I dragged him closer and looked right into his eyes and started squeezing. His eyes widened as his airflow slowly diminished. I wanted him to die slow, to know he was dying before I broke his neck. His eyes bulged, his face was red and his mouth open trying to gasp air into his lungs.
And suddenly I had had enough, it was time to end him.
All it took was a full body twist that forced his neck into an unnatural and deadly angle. So intent was I on killing him that I didn’t feel the knife punching into my side and into my thigh. I felt nothing until I loosened my legs and watched him drop lifelessly to the ground.
Only then did I feel pain. So much fucking pain. But it had been worth it.
I welcomed the darkness that gathered at the edges of my vision.
Welcomed it as it pulled me under and I could finally let go.
Murchison
He looked at the dead asshole on the floor and then at the woman hanging from the chains. Damn, she was a magnificent creature. His creature. He had made her and he wasn’t going to allow her to die. Not now.
“Take her down, drive her over to her compound and throw her out at the gate. Her people will take care of her.” He ordered his most trusted man.
“You got it, boss. I think we should stop the bleeding before we take her home. We can take the bandages off before we get there, just to be sure she survives. We need what she has in that hard head of hers.”
“Do what you have to but get her home. Get the men to take care of this piece of shit. I’m going to see Winifred to report the loss of two of her fucking nephews. Not that she will be surprised, she knew they were weak.”
With one last look at the woman he had chosen to bear his child he turned and walked out. His mind was already on Winifred. On how he was going to play the situation in the best light. She wasn’t going to be pleased.
“Boss!” His man’s voice was excited as he came running after him. What now?
“Is this what you’ve been looking for?” He held up a blood covered tiny USB.
“Where did you find that?” His voice rasped as he looked at the tiny piece of electronics in the palm of his hand.
“Women always hide shit in their underwear. She had it in the padding of her bra. I searched her before we took her down and found it.” He was quiet for maybe a second. “Do you still want me to take her home?”
Murchison grinned. “Yes, only now you don’t have to bandage her up. Take her as is. If she makes it, she makes it. If she doesn’t she wasn’t as strong as I thought she’d be.”
With the key to opening the files clutched in his palm Murchison stalked out of the warehouse. Winifred was going to be so fucking pleased, he thought as he got in the back of his car. All thought of Noelle wiped from his mind as he focused on Winifred and how pleased she was going to be.
He left before Noelle was thrown in the back of the waiting van.
He didn’t give her another thought as his driver drove him away.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
Kid
Friday Night
The Cape Town clubhouse was filled to capacity. Every single member and the retired members were there to witness Hook handing the VP’s patch over to him.
He and Dizzy had flown down and had arrived around eleven that morning and since then he had been busy as hell. The prospects had emptied out his duplex in readiness for his things which had arrived at about four. And with the help of the prosp
ects and a few of the brothers the container had been unloaded and he at least had a bed to sleep in tonight. He would have to go shopping for furniture sometime because he had brought hardly anything from his flat.
He stood between Orca and Hook as silence descended.
Orca didn’t raise his voice but it reached to every corner of the common room. There were too many of them to fit in their chapel which was why the ceremony was being done in the common room.
“Brothers, it’s my honour to welcome our brothers from Johannesburg to our chapter. When we asked Kid to take over the Vice President’s position at our chapter he was shocked. The man couldn’t believe that we wanted him but I assured him that it had been an almost unanimous decision by the club. A few of you still have reservations but you will soon see that you were wrong. You should consider the following. His lieutenant, Dizzy Mitchell, refused to let his boss transfer without someone at his back and transferred in as well. That’s loyalty and brotherhood right there and speaks to the kind of man he is.”
Orca stepped forward a couple of steps and so did Hook.
“Our brother Hook has served the club and us well but right now he needs time to fight this fucking disease, and we will give it to him. But we want him to know that this is his home, will always be his home. And every single one of us fights with him as he conquers this demon.”
They turned to face Kid and Dizzy who stood behind him, watching his back.
Hook handed the two patches he had in his hand to his president and grinned at Kid.
“Kid Knight, step forward.”
Kid did as Orca asked and stepped forward, halting in front of him. Without any fanfare he handed the two patches over to Kid then shook his hand.
“Welcome to the Cape Town chapter, VP. I look forward to working with you.” He grinned. “There’s needle and thread on the bar, why don’t you get busy putting those patches where they belong, brother?”
It was so different from the way Hawk did things at his table but Kid could work with it. When the time came he would be making some changes though.
Shaking hands with Hook he turned to watch as Orca handed Dizzy his new bottom rocker. He still had his lieutenants’ patch on his kutte and it would stay there for a little while longer. At least until Kid spoke to Orca about his promotion to the table.
Once Dizzy had his bottom rocker he joined Kid and the two of them sat quietly at the bar sewing on their rockers, he stayed to watch as Kid sewed on his VP patch. It was so different from what would have happened at home. Shit, Joburg was no longer his home, this was.
Pulling his kutte back on and settling it around his shoulders Kid looked out over the partying men. The old ladies had joined the party while they had been at the bar and he could see the club sluts and party girls were out in full force. Not that he or Dizzy would be partaking in what they were offering.
With Dizzy and Blaze beside him he started circulating. His SAA introduced him to the men and their old ladies if they had them. There weren’t many old ladies and he found that strange for a club with a large older membership. He had noticed the anomaly when he first arrived. They had too many older men and too few younger men. Why? Weren’t they recruiting for members wishing to transfer? That was going to change. He needed soldiers. He knew Orca and Hook had started to change the situation at the table by promoting younger men as officers but he needed young blood in the membership. His first decision as the new VP would be to issue an invitation to the other chapters for transfers.
He would start the way he was going to go forward. Full out.
He was chatting to Blaze and Sly, his enforcer, when there was a wild commotion at the door. Sly and Blaze immediately turned and made their way to the door and Kid followed.
What he saw rocked him to his core. Rock was at the door. His brother, covered in blood and with wild eyes was being held back by two of the brothers as he fought to get inside.
“I need to see my brother right the fuck now! It’s urgent!” He shouted as he fought.
Kid pushed to the front of the gathering crowd and gave his first order at his new chapter.
“Hands off my brother! Fuck, Rock! Where are you hurt, brother?”
The men very reluctantly let go of Rock’s arms. Kid grabbed his shoulder and he tried to find the source of the blood.
“It isn’t my blood. You have to come! Right the fuck now. Murchison got hold of your woman, it’s not looking good.” His words were rushed but Kid understood him perfectly.
Murchison had put his hands on Noelle. He was going to fucking kill him.
“Where is she?”
“She’s in hospital.”
Turning slightly Kid looked for and found Dizzy standing next to Sly. “Let’s ride, my woman’s been hurt.”
“We’re going with you, brother.” Blaze said quietly as he fell in beside him.
Kid could only nod, the only thing in his head was his angel-eyes. Fuck. He couldn’t lose her. He wanted to look into her eyes again and by the amount of blood all over Rock he knew he might never get the chance to do so.
When he pulled out he had Rock next to him and Dizzy, Blaze, Sly and about ten other brothers bringing up the rear. He followed Rock’s lead because he had no fucking clue where the hospital was.
He was going to get a fucking map and start exploring the damn city to familiarise himself with it. He didn’t want to have to rely on others to take him where he wanted to go.
As they pulled into the parking lot he saw one of Noe’s cars parked close to the entrance, the doors weren’t properly closed and it was parked across two parking spots.
Rolling his bike to a stop right next to it he kicked the stand down and was off the bike in seconds. One look at the back seat of the car and he almost lost it. There was blood everywhere. The seats. The carpets. The backs of the front seat, the side panels...fucking everywhere.
Looking for Dizzy he pointed at the car. “Park this before it gets towed, then come find me.”
He didn’t wait for an answer as he ran to the ER doors with Rock keeping pace with him. Bursting inside he looked around frantically then strode up to the receptionist.
“My woman was brought in. Where is she?” He demanded, and not nicely either.
Rock’s hand on his bicep pulling him away from the desk and the scared shitless woman behind it brought him back to himself but not much.
“His wife was brought in with multiple stab wounds and facial injuries. Noelle Knight. Can you please check if she’s still in the ER?” Rock defused the situation. While hearing the extent of her injuries had ice settling in his veins.
The woman typed something then looked up at him with pity in her fucking eyes.
“Mrs Knight is in surgery at the moment. You can go up to the waiting room on the surgical floor. A doctor should come to talk to you soon.”
How they arrived at the surgical floor or the waiting room he wouldn’t be able to tell anyone if they ever asked. All he knew was when he walked into the room and took one look at her crew’s faces and knew it was bad, really fucking bad.
Cuba, of course, stepped up and poked a finger in his chest. “I’m so fucking pissed at you but on the other hand I’m fucking thankful you are here. We didn’t want them to admit her with the fucker’s surname so I made her your wife. Okay?”
Kid looked down at the small woman and was able to give her a slight nod.
“She’s my old lady and that’s as good as married in our world. Tell me, and don’t leave anything out.”
Cuba didn’t know much but what she did know had him gritting his teeth to keep from roaring out his rage. He wanted to strangle the spoilt little bitch for being the cause of Noe’s well laid plans going tits up.
“I’ll deal with her and the family later. Right now I need to know how bad it is. Don’t fucking beat around the bush, Cuba, give it to me straight.”
She was about to when a man in bloody scrubs walked into the waiting room.
“Fami
ly of Mrs Noelle Knight?”
Kid immediately walked over. “I’m Nathan Knight, her husband. How is she?”
The doctor gave him serious eyes before he started giving his report.
“We were able to stop the bleeding, repair the damage and she’s stable and out of danger. She had a knife wound to the abdomen and several stab wounds to her left side and thigh. One of the stab wounds nicked her kidney which we were able to repair. The plastic surgeon is working on her facial injuries right now. She suffered blows to the left cheekbone and to her nose. When I left the theatre the surgeon was optimistic that there would be negligible to no nerve damage due to the injury to her cheekbone being on the same side as the earlier trauma to her face.” The doctor smiled at Kid. “The surgeon asked me to convey a request. He would like Mrs Knight to come in for a consultation once her injuries are healed. He would like to discuss options for the repair of the scarring to your wife’s face.”
All Kid heard was that she was stable and out of danger and he heaved a heavy sigh of relief. His woman was a fighter and she had survived. Again.
Cuba leaned against his side with a heavy sigh. “Thank you so much for the update, doc. I’m sure Kid and Noey will discuss the surgeon’s request once she’s back home.”
But there was one more thing Kid had to know. “Was she raped?” He asked softly.
The doctor immediately shook his head. “No, sir, she wasn’t.”
“Thank fuck, she wouldn’t have been able to live with that.” Kid held out a hand to the doctor. “Thank you for taking care of her, doc. Anything you need, ever, look me up.”
The doc looked confused for a minute and then his eyes glanced down at the patches on his kutte and he smiled. The fucker smiled.
“Too tired and missed it.” He said quietly to himself before giving a quick smile. “It’s the new VP. I wish we had a better welcome for you, brother. We’ll have a beer soon. I need to get back. We’ll chat soon.”
Neither Black Nor White (Iron Dogz MC, #6) Page 41