Avenging Devil Part 2: Satan’s Devils MC - San Diego Chapter #4, page 19
I’ve made her smile. Yeah, Mary was amazed when she met Swift. As we all were.
“There is that.” She grins at me. “She’s certainly a force to be reckoned with.” I glance at the clock on the wall. She notices, of course. “You’ve got church, you better go.”
“I’ll go when Alicia comes. She’s visiting straight after she’s completed her homework.”
Mary grins knowingly, and I wonder whether she thinks Alicia has me fooled. She doesn’t know I’ve bribed my stepdaughter to make sure she keeps her grades up. That will be a secret we keep between ourselves.
Then, she sighs. “I’m okay, Grumbler. Patsy’s shared some books from her account, so I’ll read.”
“Patsy?” I narrow my eyes. “She reads that MC romance shit. You gonna be okay with that?”
“Hmm,” she breathes out, then winks. “I’ll just enrich my imagination with all those sexy sergeant-at-arms.”
I widen my arms and wink. “You don’t need your imagination for that. You’ve got the sexiest one here, sweetheart.”
Snorting, she leans forward and pats my arm, saying condescendingly, “I know that.”
Another upward look at the hands ticking around the dial, and I grimace. “I really ought to go.”
“Scat.” She waves her hands. “I’ll be fine.”
Standing, I lean over and plant my lips on hers. It was meant to be a peck, but I can’t help myself, it turns more heated. When I pull back, her face is flushed.
“Go, before you get me all excited.”
My face twists as I look down at myself. “Too late for me, darlin’.” Shamelessly I resituate my now chubby cock.
I lived without sex for years, now I’ve got to do it for months. Shouldn’t be a big ask, but that was before Mary. Without her, it’s going to be hard. And yeah, that’s no double entendre, that’s my normal state around my sexy wife.
“Behave yourself, Mary.” I point at my eyes, then at her. “Don’t overdo it, or if you do, when I find out, you’ll get a sore ass.”
“Go before you make me any more promises you can’t do anything about.” She laughs.
I leave her with a smile on my face which fades as soon as I exit her room, and immediately stand with my back to the wall, leaning forward with my hands on my knees and taking a deep breath. Fuck. All the fears I had on the plane ride back haven’t dissipated. The shock at discovering all wasn’t well with the pregnancy had hit me hard. While I keep a brave face on around her, I’m worried sick about where this could be leading.
“Grumbler? Is everything okay?”
At the concerned voice, I raise my head, then straighten my back to reassure Alicia. “Everything’s fine, darlin’. Your mom’s quite perky today.”
“Is she really going to be alright?”
Opening my arms, I pull her into me, holding her close. Of course she’d fucking worry, she lost her dad when she was ten. “Nothing’s going to happen to your mom,” I reassure my stepdaughter, using the words to also bolster myself.
“Is it my fault I didn’t notice how tired she was?”
“Not your fault at all,” I contradict fast. Mine, perhaps, for leaving even though I’d noticed her looking pale. But what more could I have done? As she’d told me time and time again, she was pregnant, not fucking ill, until she was proved wrong. “Just do me a favour, eh, sweetheart?” When she looks up, her head tilted to one side, I continue, “Your mom’s already given me more grey hairs. Just for the next couple of months, behave yourself.”
Lightly she punches my arm. “Are you saying I’m trouble?”
No, I wouldn’t say that. Yeah, a few months back she was, but having been burned once, her head’s now on straight.
“You’re a teenager.” I shrug. “It’s expected.”
“There is that,” she responds with a grin.
“Now go visit with your mom. I’ll be back later.” And I will. I’ll stay until they kick me out. If Mary’s got to be cooped up in this hospital, the least I can do is share that burden with her. Or as much as I’m able to.
Leaving the hospital, I divert to the house that I’d bought years back, but barely lived in and never called a home until Mary and Alicia moved in. I shower, change into a fresh t-shirt, then take a moment looking around our room. Fuck, but it feels so empty.
Invading Mary’s chest of drawers, I take out some of her underwear that she’d asked me to take in, taking a moment to run my hands through the items I’m used to seeing her wear. My Mary’s got a thing for nice panties and matching bras, not that the latter fit anymore.
Feeling like a perv, I raise the items to my nose and breathe in, but they’ve been laundered, no scent remains of her.
She’ll be back soon, I lecture myself. Seven, eight weeks and she’ll be home, bringing my son with her.
Maybe I should make the most of the peace while I can. Fuck chance, I admit. I had too much peace before she came along. Now I don’t know what to do with it.
I want the house to be full of baby’s screams, of her bustling around, of Alicia complaining she can’t find anything. I want that. Me, an old, seasoned biker who never knew he was missing anything until Mary dropped into my life.
Now what before was enough is anything but.
Don’t take her away from me, I plead to the mirror where Mary would sit, putting her makeup on.
Then, realising I’m sinking into the mistake of thinking the worst, I shake myself, pull on my cut and go out to my third most favourite lady. My bike, which had been trailered back from Nevada.
Yeah, this used to be my old lady, now she’s been replaced by Mary, and Alicia too. Once I thought she was my everything, now I know there’s more to life.
But old habits die hard. I spend a second brushing off invisible dust, before throwing my leg astride the seat, then starting the engine, kick into first, ease out the clutch and twist the throttle gently.
It’s not long before I arrive at the club, but the clubroom’s empty of all but the prospect. I’m late. I shrug. Before it would have bothered me. Now I’ve more important things to think about, things that take precedence over my club. And that’s something I never thought I’d be saying.
Church has already begun when I walk in. I march to my seat next to Lost, and as discreetly as a latecomer can, sit, and try to indicate my interest in the proceedings. I notice Dart, Pennywise and Salem have made it back from Utah.
Lost pauses. “Mary?”
I sigh. “She’s good. Well, as good as can be. And the baby’s doing okay.”
“That’s great, Brother.” Dart grins at me.
I raise my chin, then thinking now’s a good a time as any, give them the rest. “Looks like they’ll be keeping her in until the baby’s born. I’ve decided I’ve got to step down. I can’t be sergeant-at-arms while I’m spending all my time at the hospital with my ol’ lady.”
“I expected this.” Lost doesn’t seem perturbed. “Just comes at the wrong fuckin’ time. We’d already agreed Niran would step up in your place.”
“Yeah.” I frown. “I’ve had words with him. He won’t be fixed any time soon.” If he can ever ride a bike again. “We both propose Pennywise step up.”
“Whoa, Brother.” Pennywise looks startled. “Hey, I’m just along for the ride.”
“It’s about time you started paying your way.” Salem glares at him. “It’s not all fun and games, Brother.”
Pennywise gives Salem his finger, then a serious expression comes over his face. “I’m a sniper, a darn good one even if I say so. I’m used to acting independently and looking out for myself. It’s not the same as watching out for the club. Especially with what we might have coming our way.”
“Who else have we fuckin’ got?” Salem asks, adding, “No disrespect, Brothers.”
“None taken,” Bones says with either a sniff or a snort, it’s hard to tell. “I’m not cut out to be sergeant-at-arms.”
“Nor me.” Kink shrugs. “But when you want enemies tied up, I’m your man.”
I snort, I can’t help myself.
“Me? I’m an artist. A lover not a hater,” Blaze states.
“I’m good with a pen,” Scribe puts in.
Token indicates his laptop. “Got no time, Brothers.”
Dusty sinks down lower in his chair and pulls his beanie down over his head.
“Whatcha all looking at me for?” Brakes widens his eyes. “I’m not doing that shit.”
Snips’ lips open. As eyes roll when they turn to him, he snaps his gummy mouth shut.
Lost shakes his head. “Deuce, Reboot, Wrangler and Keeper have barely patched in.”
“Hey,” Deuce nods at Reboot, “we’ve sat around this table longer than Niran.”
“You want it?” I ask.
“Fuck no.” They grin at each other.
“We need someone,” Dart says in a reasonable tone, his eyes focused on Pennywise. “And I, for one, think you’d do a great job.”
Pennywise lifts and lowers his shoulders. “Aw, fuck. I don’t know. But I’ll give it my all. I’m in. But…” he pauses, and looks around, “only until Grumbler’s got more time on his hands, or until Niran gets back.”
“Settled.” Lost bangs the gavel and looks at me. “Give him your patch after the meeting, eh, Grumbler?”
I nod, but it’s stiff. I was proud as fuck to be trusted by my brothers, who, despite what they say, could have done my job. It’s gonna hurt stepping back, but my family comes first.
“Now, getting back to the business at hand.” Lost pauses, and tugs at his short beard. “Duke, as we know, wasn’t in the fuckin’ clubhouse we blew up. I thought we’d gotten every damn one of them, but he, and one unidentified other, escaped by virtue of being out on a fuckin’ run. So far, none of our info experts have discovered where they’ve gone to ground.”
“You think he’s still after Saffie?”
The VP sits forward, answering Salem. “I’d say yes. In his eyes, she’s still his property, and in the eyes of the law, his fuckin’ wife. Taking her back was his big mistake. It brought down the wrath of the Devils. Can’t see how he’s just going to walk away and start a new life. And, as it turns out, she was his meal ticket.”
“But surely, he thinks she’s dead?” Blaze looks confused.
“A mafia hit which left no survivors.” Pennywise nods. “I can’t see Saffie’s got anything to worry about.”
Lost glances at Dart and rolls his eyes. When he speaks, his voice is hard. “Duke’s got contacts with the mafia. Don’t you think he’ll soon find out it’s a lie that they’re responsible? Once he knows that, where will he look next, or do you think he’s just going to accept all his brothers have died?”
“And he’ll point fingers at us because of Niran.” Dart supports the prez. “If he suspects, or heaven forbid, finds out Niran’s alive, he’ll make the mental leap and assume so’s Saffie.”
“Utah decided to register Niran under a fake name in the hospital. Fuckin’ lucky as it turned out.”
“Yeah.” Token nods approvingly. “They altered his old medical records to back that up.”
“So,” Pennywise frowns and sits forward. “We should be prepared for Duke to come knocking on our door.” He pauses and seems to consider for a moment. “In my new role, I think I’d be remiss not to suggest going on lockdown.”
“Serious step, Brother,” Salem remarks.
Around come various expressions of ‘fuck that shit’ or ‘suppose you’re right’.
Me? As long as I’m free to go back and forth to my old lady, I tend to think Pennywise is right.
I tap the table. “Pennywise has made a good point. A man like Duke is fuckin’ dangerous, and he’ll want revenge, and his property back.” I realise I’m giving my views as the sergeant-at-arms for possibly the last time. “He can’t do it alone though. We need to discover who’s likely to be working with him. Who was he meeting in Carson City for a start? Wolves ran pipelines for drugs, guns and women. The loss of that trade might hit hard, and they might support him in starting it all back up. He was VP. He’ll have connections, and we can’t discount them.”
“I’ve been talking to Snatcher,” Lost takes it up. “Our view is that all of our chapters should be on high alert if he’s got any idea Saffie is still alive.”
“Did we kill Grit?” Token asks, suddenly sitting forward and taking interest. “Was Duke on his own, or did he have back up? If Grit’s around, that might make life more difficult for us.”
“That’s the unknown,” Dart confirms. “We didn’t stop to ask names, just took down everyone wearing Crazy Wolves cuts.”
“You’d have to have dug out some of the bodies to check patches.” Pennywise enlightens those who weren’t there. “The explosions brought half the clubhouse down.”
Fuck. It just gets worse. I’m so torn—torn between working for my club and spending time with Mary.
“We’ve another possible problem,” Dart says with a frown. “Before we left,” he jerks his chin toward Salem and Pennywise, “we grilled Niran about how the fuck he was kidnapped and not killed by the Wolves. Duke didn’t stumble upon her address by accident. Saffie was betrayed, and Niran knew by whom. His guess was correct and that allowed him to fool Duke into believing the info came from him.”
“Well don’t keep it to your fuckin’ self.” Snips looks frustrated. “Who?”
“The main culprit was Susie. But she may or may not have been assisted by Cyn.” Dart looks around cautiously.
The table goes silent. Then, “Cyn?” The name’s echoed around the table with various expressions of shock.
“His sister?” Dusty comments with wide eyes. “She put her brother in Duke’s sights?”
“How the fuck would she contact Duke?” Blaze asks, his brow creasing.
“She didn’t,” Dart states, waving his hand to get them to pipe down. “Susie did. Cyn’s role must have been flapping her mouth, spilling everything she knew to the hangaround who’s got the hots for Niran. Niran suspects she’d been eavesdropping and hearing things she shouldn’t have. Susie’s second cousin’s a fed, and she got the information that way.”
“A fuckin’ fed?” Blaze crosses himself.
Token jerks as though he’s been hit. “She can’t be. I ran a fuckin’ background check on her.” Token, as though desperately seeking an answer, scrubs at his hair and hangs his head. “I clearly didn’t go fuckin’ deep enough. With that connection, she should never have been near the club.”
“It was a second cousin, if that helps?” Salem tells him.
“No fuckin’ help,” Token growls. “I fucked up.”
“Or,” Lost rubs at his nose, “someone purposefully hid the connection so you couldn’t find it.”
“We need answers. Where the fuck’s Susie now?” Wrangler half-stands as though he’s going to go get her.
“Not here,” Dart says fast, indicating he should retake his seat. “Somehow Duke enticed her to Nevada, probably tempting her with the thought Niran could be hers. Niran spoke to her, that’s how we know about the cousin. Their reunion didn’t turn out as she intended.” Dart gives a twisted grin. “She ended up property of the Wolves instead.”
“We didn’t kill any bitches.” Pennywise scrunches his face as though trying to remember. “Only men were in the clubhouse… oh…” His voice trails off.
Dart gives a sharp nod. “Either we killed her when we razed the clubhouse to the ground, or any sweet butts and she were housed along with the kidnapped women. Assuming they were all unwilling, it makes sense they were kept under guard.”
“And what happened to them?” Keeper queries. “If Susie was with them, where would she be now?”
Dart shrugs. “We assume the cops would have called in the feds, and from there it depends on whatever story she told them.”
Lost thumps his fist on the table. “Fuckin’ hell. She’ll guess at the Satan’s Devils’ involvement.”
“Nah, she didn’t see any of us,” Salem states. “When Mace went in to check them out, he wasn’t wearing a cut.”
“I still don’t like it,” Lost growls.
“So now she, too, is in the wind?” Bones snorts and rolls his eyes to the heavens.
“If she has any fuckin’ sense, she’ll stay well away,” Keeper states firmly.
“That’s what I hope,” Dart agrees.
“Can we get a prospect to keep watch on her apartment?” Pennywise suggests. “If she betrayed Niran and Saffie, then she needs to fuckin’ pay.”
“Agreed,” Prez states firmly. “Though we have to be careful, given her connection to the feds.”
Reboot rubs his chin thoughtfully. “If she thinks Niran was killed along with the others, she might even come back to the club.”
Salem cracks his knuckles. “Fuckin’ hope she does. As long as it’s me who gets to talk to her. Bitch.” The last is muttered under his breath, but we all hear, and from the nodding of heads, all agree.
“What about Cyn?” Dusty asks. “She’s still around.”
“Bitch needs a beating at the least, and to be chucked out of the club.”
“That’s got to be up to Niran,” I tell Snip. “I’m not happy about what I’m hearing, but I’m not sure of what she’s done other than she opened her mouth, spouting things she shouldn’t have done. I’m honestly not certain that girl’s all there.” I circle my fingers around my temple.
“That bitch is getting on my nerves,” Deuce remarks. “I don’t even know why she’s still here.”
“Me neither,” Keeper grumbles.
Dart’s eyes narrow. “Niran’s got enough to concern him without him having to worry about his little sister. She stays until he says otherwise. But,” he shakes his head, making his hair fly, “no loose talking around her.”
“Fuckin’ got that, VP.” Blaze makes a show of zipping his mouth shut.
“You want me to talk to her? Get the truth?” Salem offers.
Lost thumps his hand on the table. “No one touches her. Not without Niran’s say so.”
Scribe’s brow creases. “Why don’t we just get rid of her?” When Lost glares at him, he adds fast, “Jeez, I mean send her home, not off her.”
