The plan was to remain out there, waiting with our guns pointed at the building. If anyone happened to make their way out, we’d be armed and ready to shoot them down.
They stood enough distance away from the bikes to give space for the flames to grow, while I walked up to the bike in the center.
I pulled out a cigarette first, propping it between my lips. Inside the clubhouse, they were still partying and fighting. It didn’t seem like a very systematic method to plot our downfall. I gave them an extra minute to remain blissfully unaware of what was going to happen to them next.
I lit my cigarette and watched the orange end light up.
The zippo remained lit as I held it up in the air. The flame danced around in front of my eyes and I breathed in deeply. Just two days ago, I was so close to giving up. To accepting my death, and tonight I was standing here, avenging every evil they had committed in their lives.
I dropped the zippo and cigarette on the ground and jumped back just as a sound like an explosion erupted and burning yellow was all I could see.
Funny thing fire. There are no second chances with it. Once that flame hit the ground, lighting up the gasoline—all the bikes were ablaze in what seemed like a matter of seconds.
I’d run back to the position the others had taken and I pulled out my gun, pointing it at the front door.
The fire now ran to the door, like it was a race, and before I’d even blinked, the building was now on fire.
We heard their voices inside, coughing and shouting, being engulfed in flames. They were all there in the bar, locked in together, with no escape because they couldn’t outrun the flames.
I gulped as I watched.
This was too easy.
I wished I could have fought tonight. Fought Caesar specifically and looked him in the eye and told him Harley and Amanda had never belonged to him.
I was beginning to regret this fire idea. I should have thought of something else. Something that would have brought me face to face with Caesar.
But then I heard the door falling down, disintegrating into pieces. It was hard to see clearly through the flames. But a figure was staggering out now.
“Motherfucker,” I heard Oz mumble under his breath.
It was Caesar. How many of his brothers had he scrambled past and left behind as he made his way out of the building? He wasn’t the kind of man who would even dream of going back for one of them.
He was scarred black all over, but he’d escaped the flames with his life.
“Hold!” I shouted, as I watched him stumbling down the disintegrating steps of the front porch and he fell to the ground.
Then he looked up and saw us. Somehow, he was forcing himself to stand up again.
“You! Dog!” he shouted. His voice was shrill and weak but he was trying to make himself heard.
“You fucking took the woman with you!” he growled, looking me in the eye. I clenched my jaw and said nothing.
“Never. Those bitches will never be fucking safe!” he continued and I pulled the trigger. I didn’t see the bullet pass through him but I heard him groan and fall to the ground. It caught him straight in the head. He was dead before he’d even taken his next breath.
“Yes, they fucking will,” I said under my breath.
“That’s it. Nobody else is getting out of there alive,” Abe said, turning to me.
“The fire is beginning to spread out,” Girth said.
“Someone better make an anonymous call to the fire brigade. If the fire spreads anymore it’s going to drink up some poor farmer’s land along the way out there,” I said.
“Let’s get outta here,” Rodeo said and we turned, running in the direction of our bikes.
“I’ll make the call on the way,” Oz said.
Behind us, the clubhouse was burning up, the smoke rising up in the sky. The Hell’s Drifters were gone. The Dark Legion were gone too. No one was able to make it out of the clubhouse. Now only the Marked Skulls remained and hopefully there would be some peace and quiet in the city again.
The way it should have been all along.
28
Harley
Harley
After Amanda told me she wanted Dash to be her father, I couldn’t think straight anymore. My daughter had turned out to be more perceptive than me. Within such a short time of knowing Dash, she had already figured out that he was the best man for us. For our little family.
Family. That word had meant nothing to me. Not ever.
Even as a child, I had felt so disconnected from my parents that I didn’t feel like I belonged to them either. Being with Caesar had never felt like that. Even in the beginning, when I first started seeing him.
He was just a guy who served as an excuse for me to leave my home. I never imagined a family with him. When I got pregnant and after the way he reacted to the news, I knew that was never going to happen.
He might have been the biological father of my child but he was never going to be family. And now Amanda seemed to think that Dash could give us just that. Hadn’t he hinted at that too?
While Amanda played and talked, I zoned out. Imagining what a life with Dash might look like. Just the three of us, living together.
And now it felt like I had sent him to his death.
Every time Amanda said something that needed my attention, I was too distracted. I was thinking about Dash and if he was going to return to us tonight.
He had been gone for several hours and there was no news from anyone. The other guys from the MC who were guarding us said they had no information either. So, the only thing I could hope for was that he was still alive and that I would see him again.
I tried to put on a brave face for Amanda, to make her believe that nothing was wrong. After all, Dash had made her a promise and she was expecting whole-heartedly for him to keep his end of it.
If anything happened to him, not only would it break my heart to know I was partly responsible for it…but how would I break the news to Amanda?
We would both be heartbroken. We were so close to actually finding happiness and it felt suddenly like it was very far away.
Amanda laughed and played, blissfully unaware of how our happiness was hanging off the ledge with just a few fingers. I didn’t know how long I could keep it up. How long I could pretend for her that it was all okay.
If we didn’t hear soon from the guys, I was sure that my heart would explode. Right now, the only thing I could focus on was not crying.
Eventually, Amanda fell asleep on the couch in the lounge while I tried to tell her stories to keep myself distracted. It was some relief that she was able to sleep because I needed a moment to myself.
I covered her with a fluffy throw and after kissing her on her cheek, I walked to the balcony. It was dark outside and there was no light anywhere, as far as I could see. I was repeating Dash’s name over and over again in my head.
I was so caught up with those thoughts in my head that I didn’t hear Lila join me in the balcony.
“We’re all freaking out a little here, but you seem like you need some help,” she said and stood beside me. I looked at her, feeling guilty because I was only thinking of myself. It wasn’t just Dash’s life that was on the line. All his friends were out there as well.
“I don’t know what to expect…”
Lila smiled, even though I detected the worry in her eyes. She was thinking about Girth and how she wanted to see him again.
“You can expect them to win this,” she replied.
My throat had gone dry. I didn’t know how to express my emotions in words anymore. There were no words to describe it with.
“I’ve known most of these guys all my life. I grew up around them. My dad has been involved with the Marked Skulls since I was a kid, and now my husband is too. So, trust me when I say that I know a thing or two about what they are capable of.”
Lila was speaking in a soft reassuring voice. I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by her. I wanted her to keep ta
lking. It was calming me.
“They are good men. They are tough and kind and fair, and most of all, they know exactly what they’re doing. They are more capable than anyone else you’ll ever meet,” she said.
I nodded, but she could see I was still nervous.
“There’s something else bothering you too, isn’t there?” she asked.
“I feel like this battle is my fault. That Dash is out there because of me, putting his life on the line, because of me. So are Girth, Rodeo, Abe and Oz and the others…”
She came up to me and placed her hands on my arms.
“These men have gone into battle for all of us. Believe me. This is not your fault. They are out there because of justice and because those others are evil and they’re getting what’s been coming for them,” she said.
I couldn’t say anything. I had to believe her because I had no other choice.
“This has been brewing for a long time and now finally it is our time to destroy them. No more chances. We’ve given them enough opportunity and now Marked Skulls is going to take the lead. No matter what it takes,” she continued.
“No matter what it takes,” I repeated in a whisper after her.
Lila and I were still standing there in the balcony, talking, when we heard the sound of the motorbikes outside. We looked at each other and smiled before flying inside so we could get to the front door. The other women had come out of their rooms too but thankfully Amanda was still asleep on the couch soundly.
“Oh my God! Is it them?” Alexis squealed as we ran to the door in a group. But before any of us could even open the door, Dash had burst in.
“Dash!” I screamed his name, sure that Amanda had woken up by now. He charged straight towards me and lifted me up in his arms and swung me around.
“You’re here! You’re actually here!” I couldn’t contain my excitement. I could barely breathe while he covered my face with kisses.
The others had come in too. Girth lifted Lila up and she wrapped her legs around him. Rodeo went straight for Jordan and they were kissing. Abe and Alexis held hands and she looked over him carefully for any bruises, while Oz and Kaya ran to their room.
Dash lifted me up in his arms and I squealed with joy.
“Where is she? Where’s the kid?” he asked as I kissed him.
“She fell asleep just fifteen minutes ago. She’s probably awake now,” I said with a laugh and he carried me to the lounge.
I didn’t care about the details of what had happened. I wasn’t interested in anything other than the fact that he was well and alive. That he was actually here in my arms.
In the lounge, Amanda was waking up from the noise, just as I’d predicted. She rubbed her eyes and sat up on the couch.
“Dash?” she said his name and he put me down.
“I’m here baby girl,” he exclaimed and went up to her and knelt down beside the couch.
“You’re back! Where were you?” She threw her arms around his neck and he held her tightly.
“Just planning our next big adventure,” he said and I watched them together proudly. Amanda was right, Dash would make a wonderful father, and he didn’t even know it.
“Can we go on an adventure tomorrow?” she asked and he was nodding.
“I was thinking we start with an amusement park in the morning, pizzas for lunch and then water slides in the evening. Maybe cotton candy and ice cream for dinner?” he said. Amanda squealed with even more excitement. She couldn’t believe her luck. Pizzas for lunch!
“But for tomorrow to come, you need to go to sleep tonight,” I said, coming up to them. She was pouting her lips but she lay back on the couch again. She was tired.
“Goodnight, baby girl. We’ll see you in the morning, okay?” he said, patting her hand and then he stood up and turned to me.
“And as for you, you and I get to stay up all night!” he said and I squealed again when he lifted me up in his arms again.
Dash carried me to the balcony so we could talk. When he put me down, he kissed me again and I felt light headed from emotion. I held on to him, feeling his tongue slide into my mouth which comforted me. When he finally pulled away from me, I looked at him uneasily.
“You can ask,” he said with a smirk.
“What happened?” I asked quickly and he breathed out.
“It’s over, Harley, they’re done,” he replied, reaching for my face so he could run his finger over my lips.
“What about…”
“Caesar? He’s dead.”
“How do you know?” I asked and Dash looked me deep in the eyes.
“Because I killed him.”
I gasped when I heard that. Even though they were the words I was hoping to hear, I wasn’t expecting them.
“You killed him?”
“He died in front of my eyes. Harley, he’s not going to hurt you or Amanda again. It was the only thing I could do. He threatened you again and I had to…”
“I’m glad you did!” I snapped, fisting my palms tightly. After seven years of suffering at his hands, I didn’t care if he lived or died. I was glad he was dead. I felt no remorse or sympathy for him.
Dash was watching me closely, probably trying to judge my reaction.
“What about the others? What if the remaining club come after me? As revenge?” I asked.
Dash smirked.
“You’re learning to ask the right questions,” he said and stroked the back of my neck affectionately.
“As far as we could judge, they all died too. We set fire to the clubhouse. They’re gone, Harley. And if any of them got out, they will not have the strength or the ability to fight back anymore. This time they’re defeated,” he replied.
I felt choked up with emotion. After so many years of living under them, witnessing their cruelty and their rage—I felt no remorse for them either.
I stepped up to him and craned my neck back so I could look into his eyes.
“I knew you would do it. I trusted you,” I said. Dash took my hand and brought it up to his lips.
“And none of this would have been possible without you. I wouldn’t have gotten out of there if I hadn’t met you. We wouldn’t have found the clubhouse if you didn’t give us the address. This is a victory for you too,” he said and we were both smiling.
“What are we going to do now?” I asked and Dash leaned forward and scooped me up in his arms again.
He wasn’t going to answer my question, and he didn’t need to. He carried me out of the balcony, across the lounge and to our bedroom. Our bedroom. It felt strange thinking that but I knew it to be true now. Dash wasn’t going anywhere and neither was I.
29
Dash
Dash
I carried her into the room and dropped her on the bed. Harley looked up at me with that beautiful angelic face of hers and I could feel my heart exploding.
It was done. I was back here to her in one piece, just like she wanted, and Caesar was never going to be a problem for her again.
She started taking off her dress as I stood over her. My hand was on my belt, pulling it off my waist. Slowly, as she slid her dress down, Harley’s body came into view and I was blown away again.
I barely got my shirt off and I lunged at her, covering her body with mine, stretching her arms up above her head and intertwining our fingers.
This time when she kissed me, I kissed her back slowly, enjoying the taste of her. She was as sweet as candy. I couldn’t stop kissing her, leaning into her, thrusting my hips into hers. I knew my cock was raging in my pants. She could feel it for sure. Throbbing and growing the more I felt her body against mine.
I ran my hands down over her, cupping her breasts and squeezing her nipples. I wanted to unhook her bra right away, pull down her panties and feel the softness of her pussy. She moaned and rolled her hips, growing as excited as I was.
I kissed her mouth, her neck, the top of her breasts. I squeezed them together and saw the well between them growing deep. I imagined m
y cock between her big scrumptious breasts. My cock throbbed harder.
There were so many things I wanted to do to this woman. It felt like we were running out of time, even though I knew we had a lifetime left together. I wasn’t letting her go. Not a woman who got my blood pumping like this.
“Dash…” she whispered my name and reached for my cock. My pants were still on and she cupped me over it. Just that felt like a little bomb had gone off somewhere inside me. I gulped it down. Not so fast!
She stroked me while I took off her bra. Her nipples were rosy pink and erect. I salivated just looking at them. Right there for me to take. I licked the right one first and then the left, then blew over them while they were still wet. She shuddered at that and moaned aloud. I could see she enjoyed that.
I sucked on one while I squeezed the other, and Harley was beginning to wrap her legs around my waist, trying to reel me in closer to herself. I knew she was hot and wet and slippery between her legs already. I couldn’t wait to dive in. There was nothing as sweet as her body and I wanted to savor every inch of it.
I looked up at her face after I’d sucked on her breasts and her eyelids were heavy with desire.
“I am so glad I met you, Dash!” she whispered, short of breath and I smirked.
“You and me both, beautiful,” I said.
Our clothes were off. She’d pulled my jeans off just like I pulled her panties off too. The last thread of clothing on her body was gone.
I was kissing her wildly, sucking on her lip and exploring the rest of her body with my hands. Then I pulled her off the bed and she gasped, wrapping her legs around my waist.
I carried her to the wall, pressing her back to it as I kissed her even harder. She was in my arms, with her breasts pressed to my chest and my arms around her. Now that we were completely naked, my erect cock dug into her belly and she gasped every time it did.
Marked Skulls MC Series: Books 1-5 Page 71