“Put a smile on your face, we have a visitor,” he mutters, pointing over to Jake leaning on the bar.
“Has he said what he’s here for?” I dare to ask.
“Nope, said he wanted to talk to you and has been stood there for the last half hour.”
Draining half the bottle, I join Jake and slide onto a stool.
“What are you doing here?”
I don’t have the patience for him today, and I don’t care if it shows.
“I came to let you know that the case is being dropped.”
Huh.
“Why?”
“Not enough evidence, not here and not at the diner.”
“Well, isn’t that a shitter for you.”
I shouldn’t antagonise him, but the words slip from my mouth before I can close it.
“One day, this will all come crashing down around you. I’m going to make sure of it.”
Narrowing my eyes, I lean in to him and this time, I don’t want to hide how I’m feeling.
“If you come for my club, I’ll come for your town and we’ll see who is left standing. So, how about we keep to ourselves and stay out of town like we always have.”
He pushes away from the bar and snorts.
“One day,” he mutters, and walks out.
That’s it?
One day?
What?
What the fuck is he going to do?
Nothing and we both know it.
Turning my back to the bar, I’m met with Sparky standing right behind me.
“Where’s my space, brother?” I laugh, taking a long pull from my beer.
“That didn’t feel right, I think he’s up to something.”
“I don’t give a shit, he doesn’t have anything on us. He can’t do shit.”
“I hope you’re right.”
He steps aside, and I walk into the middle of the bar. Slowly turning in a full circle, I take in the club and everything in it. You’ll have to kill me before I let anyone come for this club again.
Putting my fingers to my mouth, I let out an ear shattering whistle and everyone falls silence.
“As I returned to the club tonight, Samuel Lopez was waiting for me. It looks like he needed us more than we needed him. He’s now offering the same deal we had with Denzel, I told him I had to put it to you fuckers, but we did shake on it. So, let’s vote, who thinks we should take the same deal?”
There isn’t a second wasted before they are all voting it in. Thank fuck.
“In that case, we leave in two days,” I holler.
Tension is slowly fading away now, and I can see a future again. I look around as most of my brother’s head to the bar for more drinks to celebrate and my eyes land on Dex. I jerk my chin in the direction of my office, and he meets me halfway there.
“I want to show you something before you go,” I tell him, and unlock the door to my office.
There has always been a map on the wall and the highlighted areas are Lost Souls territory.
“This is where you’ll be safest on your travels,” I begin, pointing to the map.
“The green areas are where other Lost Souls are based. You’ll be welcome to stay with any one of them.”
He nods slowly, soaking in the information.
“Cas?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t regret saving you, I never have. I would make the same decision again if I had to.”
That’s fucking good to know.
“It was a fucked up situation and one I hope we’re not in again. I’m serious when I tell you that I will repay you in any way I can, all you have to do is call if you need me.”
He holds out his hand and I clap mine against his, pulling him in, I hug it out with him and slap him on the back when I’m done.
“Get rid of her and come home, brother.”
“I’ll work on it.”
“Go on then, go and let everyone say goodbye.”
I’m left in my office alone, and I sink into my chair and light a cigarette. Blowing out the smoke, it fills the room and I wave my hand through the cloud. I am smoking way too much. Perhaps when life settles down, I’ll give up. Taking another drag, I laugh off the notion of quitting and crack open the window.
There’s a knock on the door and I smile. There is no peace in this club and who the fuck wants peace. Life is to be lived and every second should be filled with noise and laughter.
“Yeah?” I call out and a prospect opens the door, sticking his head in.
“Just letting you know, Alannah just arrived.”
“Cheers.”
Grinding the cigarette out in the ashtray, I remember everything that has happened in these four walls. It’s in this room where Alannah told me she was pregnant with Leo, it’s where I asked her to marry me. There are certain people who will never sit in front of me again, like Oak, but people come and go all the time. Dex will go today and he will return one day.
Locking up behind me, I walk back into the bar as Alannah walks through door with my son, I push out where they’ve been and who they’ve been with and enjoy the fact they are here now. Leo tugs his hand out of Lana’s and runs over to me. I scoop him up into my arms before he stops and breathe through my mouth when I can smell her perfume on him.
Winding my free arm around my wife, I pull her close and kiss the top of her head.
This is what life is about.
Our women.
Our kids.
Our freedom.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Dex
The idea of going nomad was the best direction for me. If I had stayed at the club, I would’ve been dead by now. The only time I have to answer my phone is if Cas or Sparky calls. I answer to them and since I left three months ago, I’ve only had to deal with Cas once a week during his check in calls like he promised he would make.
Being on the road is easy. Before I left, Cas sat me down and showed me the territories to avoid and the territories the Lost Souls own. I haven’t seen any trouble for three months and it’s had a positive outcome for me, mentally and physically.
When my phone rings, I pull over to answer. Cas calls on a Friday morning to check in. Today is a Monday.
Sure enough, Cas’s name flashes across the screen, I hit answer and press it to my ear.
“Yeah?”
“Dex, how are you?”
I look around my surroundings and see nothing but the open road and mountains. It’s peaceful.
“I’m doing good.”
“That’s great, look, I need you to ride up to our northern chapter in the small town of, Mercy. I got a call from Gabe early this morning and Cameron, our brother, has been taken out. By all accounts, they’ve got the girl who killed him.”
A girl? Great, more violence. Just what I fucking need. Our fight with Danny and the Devils Bastards took its toll on a lot of us, some more than others, especially me.
“If they’ve got who done it, what do you need me to do?”
“Gabe asked for help and I’m sending it, aka, you. Apparently, no one there will touch her. I don’t know why, again, that’s why I’m sending you. I told him you would be there by tonight, I know you’re in the area.”
“I’m hardly in the area, Cas. I’m five or six hours away.”
“Then get riding, call me when you find out what the hell is going on.”
The line goes dead and I slip the phone into my pocket. Cas warned me he’d call for favours every now and then, up till now, they’ve been nothing to deal with. Regardless, my president called and I’ll follow through and find out what’s going on. I rev the throttle and pull back out onto the road.
I make good time and arrive at our northern chapter just as darkness begins to fall. My back aches and my legs are stiff. It’s ridiculously cold up here and not many men are lingering around outside. Their clubhouse is lit up like a Christmas tree and it sounds busy inside.
My arrival brings out a tall guy, his head is shaved and is half cove
red by a woolly hat. A tattoo runs along his jaw, but I’m too far out to see what it is. I slowly climb off my bike and stretch my back out. It clicks in numerous places and doesn’t feel better for it.
“You must be Dex, I’m Gabe, the president,” he says, walking towards me holding his hand out.
I scan over his patches, and President sits pretty at the top. I shake his hand and we are joined by another brother.
“Zander,” he grunts, holding his hand out.
I shake it and give him my name, “Dex.”
“I’m glad you’re here. You can kill her, and we can move the fuck on.”
Kill her? Cas said nothing about killing a woman. He said they had the girl who took out a brother, he said nothing about me killing her. Or, is that why he sent me? Melissa’s giggle rings in my ears and I push her out. Cas and I sorted this out, he doesn’t think because I killed her I’ll be good to take out women when needed. I burn to get back on my bike and ride away but I’m frozen.
“You’ll have to forgive Zander, he’s a little overwhelmed at the moment,” Gabe smiles. However, there is no warmth behind it. I do not feel surrounded by brothers here.
The guy isn’t overwhelmed, he’s out for blood. I can see it rooted deep in his eyes, and the longer I look, the harder it is to look away. I can’t be here. Taking another woman’s life is not on my to do list and all I want to do is back the fuck out of here and ride hard and fast.
Before I can move, Gabe introduces me to brother after brother, each I’ve never met before and they all look at me like I’m their last and only hope.
“Get our brother a drink,” Gabe orders a cute brunette, slapping her ass as she passes us by.
“A beer would be good,” I tell her before she twirls on her heels and disappears towards the bar in the corner of the room.
Gabe leads me to a small round table by the fireplace. I welcome the warmth but not the upcoming conversation. I imagine putting my hand in the flames and watching the skin melt and drip down the floor.
It’s sick, and the kind of shit that keeps my mind from thinking of Melissa. I’ve been using this method, and I will until it stops working for me. As long as I don’t think of her perfectly smooth skin against mine, her crazy wild eyes drinking me in as I hover over her, or her tears as I point a gun at her head, then I’m fine.
“Cas didn’t say much, just that a brother has been taken out,” I say, wanting to start from the beginning.
The place goes quiet and my beer appears in front of me. Gabe ushers the brunette away and leans forward on the table.
“Three days ago, Baze called in to pick up Cameron. He liked a drink, it wasn’t uncommon for one of us to go pick him up. When he went inside, he found him dead with the girl still there.”
Girl, not woman? She sounds young and none of my business, but I ask, “How was he killed?”
“He was beaten with a fuckin’ frying pan and shanked in the neck for good measure,” Gabe tells me.
“Who else knows?”
“No one outside the club, and the girl is here where we can keep our eyes on her.”
Zander joins us at the table and his eyes shine bright as he looks at me.
“I’ll take you to her, the sooner this chitchat is over, the sooner you can end her, and we can move the fuck on,” he growls.
He doesn’t wait around, and I take the hint and follow him back outside with Gabe tailing behind me.
Every step I take, my heart plummets a little further to the ground. I’m being led to a small shack under a huge tree, yet all I’m seeing is Cas’s living room with Melissa lying on the rug in a puddle of her blood. I focus on her heels like I did that night, and look down at the tattoo on my hand to drill it in.
I’ve come to see past it all and get on with life, but when a guy who I’m supposed to call my brother unlocks the shack and steps to the side, I have to question if humanity exists anymore.
Do I possess humanity any longer? I have no fucking clue but what I do know is I have to get over my gut reaction to side with the small heap huddled in the corner.
A torch is passed my way and I click it on. Swinging the light around to the corner, my mouth dries at the sight of the girl, who is fucking really young and shivering under the coat that is clearly too big for her and not hers.
She doesn’t look big enough to swat away a fly, let alone kill a grown ass man with a patch on.
Shining the light on her face, her stark white hair is the first thing I see. Again, she looks so young, it’s freaking me out. No wonder nobody wants to be the one to take her out.
“Who is she? Was she fuckin’ Cameron or something?”
“It’d be fuckin’ disgusting if she was,” Zander snorts.
I look to Gabe and wait for him to answer, “She’s, or she was I should say, is his daughter.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Dex
You don’t need to watch the weather report to see snow is on the way. The sky is soft white as I look out the small, dirty window and a chill runs down my spine. It’s fucking cold in these parts and it almost makes me miss Willows Peak.
Walking across the room, I pick up my cell and dial Cas’s number. I light a cigarette while I wait for him to answer, and the nicotine burns my throat as I inhale deeply.
“I was expecting your call last night,” he mumbles down the line.
“Yeah, well, I don’t think you want to hear what I’m going to say, Cas.”
And I don’t want to hear him tell me to do as they want.
“I just want to know who it was, and what the fuck happened.”
“From what Gabe’s said, he was beaten and stabbed in the neck for the grand finale…by his daughter, who looks no older than your Leo.”
It goes quiet and I let it sink in for him.
“A toddler?” he snorts.
“No, but she doesn’t look any older than sixteen, seventeen at most.”
“The fuck?”
Opening the door, I make sure no one is close by.
“No one has said why, but they’ve got her locked in an old shed and they’re thinking I’m here to kill her. Please tell me you didn’t tell Gabe I would take her out for them.”
“Of course I didn’t. Find out everything there is to know and call me back. Don’t go killing the girl, you couldn’t handle the last one.”
Before I can throw back a dig at him, he chuckles and hangs up on me. At least he didn’t tell me to kill the girl, not that I thought he would, but I don’t trust anything anymore.
Shoving my things into my bag, I dump it on the bed and head downstairs. The place is deserted and when I stumble into their kitchen, the cupboards are bare. They have shitloads of coffee but nothing to eat. I decide to ride into town for breakfast. I don’t see anyone on my way out and starting my bike doesn’t get anyone’s attention.
It isn’t far into town and the ride down the mountain is quite beautiful. There aren’t many trees in Willows Peak, and the ones here have grown tall and hang over the road, forming a tunnel to ride through.
I cruise down main street and pull over by the diner. Store owners are preparing for coming storm, thankfully the diners are always the last to close up.
The bell dings over my head as I walk in and gets the attention of everyone in the place. They don’t look away once they see the cut bundled on over my jacket and hoodie. The disgust in their eyes is clear to see and I turn my back on them when I make it to the counter.
I order two rounds of pancakes and bacon to go, and the waitress stands there, staring blankly at me.
“Did I stutter?” I grunt.
“No,” she jumps, and I wait by the window after paying the bill.
I catch them all watching me in the reflection of the glass, this is fucking weird. Surely they’ve seen a biker ride through town considering they have a motorcycle club up the mountain. They’re acting like I’m the first one they’ve ever seen.
Something isn’t right with this place.
The sooner I can leave the happier I’ll be, the happier the town will be by the looks of it.
As soon as she calls my order, I grab it and I’m gone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not intimidated by these people, they’re flat out freaking me out.
Gabe is waiting on the wrap around porch when I return to their clubhouse. I shouldn’t, but I have an uneasy feeling around here. These men are my brothers, it doesn’t matter a shit if I only met them yesterday, we share the same patch, and that’s all that counts.
“We’ve got a snow storm rolling in, if we could finish this up today, we can bury her before the snow settles.”
I force myself to carry on breathing steadily, he genuinely believes I’m here to kill the girl, I can’t let him see I am not the guy for that particular job.
“Have you spoken to Cas yet?” he asks, walking over to me.
“Yes.”
I don’t share anymore, and he doesn’t ask, although he does watch my every move as I climb off my bike and unload the food.
“What’s with all the glares I got in town?” I ask him. It makes him laugh and I narrow my eyes at him.
“You’re not in Willows Peak anymore, brother. The townies and the club steer clear of each other, bad blood a few years ago.”
This time, he doesn’t elaborate, and I don’t ask more questions. The people of Willow’s Peak have a silent agreement with the Lost Souls and as long as the two don’t mix violently, no one bats an eyelid.
“Have you got a key to the shed, I need to talk to the girl, or do I have to go find Zander?”
He digs around in his jeans pocket and throws me a single key.
“Be sure to lock her back in when you’re done.”
Clutching the bag of food, I grip onto the metal in my hand and turn for the shed. Bitter winds thrash around me as I head behind their clubhouse. Ice is beginning to cover the lock on the shed and I put the food down to scrape it off. Inside, the girl is still shivering, and I have a clearer view of her now that daylight pours in through the cracks in between the wood panels.
Her jeans are ripped, and I think it’s in the fashion sense, not the old and tatty sense. Her boots are well worn and have fur around the tops. There is nothing about her that stands out.