Fanatic (Hellfire MC: The Prospects #1)

Chapter Five.

Fanatic

I wondered what the hell I’d come home to as Willow stormed down the drive after an old woman who was clearly shooting her mouth off.

Willow spotted me and swerved to give me Danny and then carried on down the warpath. I leaned back against my hog as Willow read the bitch the riot act, and then I heard the sob. Shit!

I rushed to get to Willow before she broke down in front of that evil witch she was yelling at. A lady deftly snatched Danny from my arms, and my focus was split. As I led Willow away, I kept a sharp eye on Danny and the unknown neighbour, who was also now blasting the old woman. Luckily for her, because I’d been ready to tackle her should she make the wrong move. The stranger followed me up the path, talking to Danny.

Danny was blowing bubbles and cooing back, and clearly, the lady was taken with him. Willow let out a strangled half sob and laugh, and I hugged her tight. I guided her into the living room and surveyed my surroundings, slightly perplexed. I had planned to sit and comfort her and couldn’t. No furniture! The woman, Gladys, I’d discovered, was a neighbour and boy could she talk.

To my amusement, Gladys’ husband appeared with a coffee tray and disappeared again. Gil made several more trips, bringing in some fold-up garden chairs and then cakes. Meanwhile, Gladys was busy pouring coffee and making herself right at home. Relief soothed me as Willow started smiling at Gladys.

“So, you’re best friends?” Gladys asked and continued before we could answer. “And you’re looking after her? How wonderful of you, young man!”

I tried not to laugh. By my reckoning, Gladys was in her early fifties. Willow grinned, enjoying this thoroughly, and I was relieved to see her tears had dried up.

“This is an amazing thing you’re doing, supporting her. Even babies as cute and well-behaved as this one need extra attention and who’s a beautiful boy? Yes, you are! So, how long are you planning on staying? Do you have anymore biker friends as handsome as you are? Girl, are you going back to work? If so, I’m a registered childminder,” Glady continued, and I blinked at all the questions.

Willow, however, was smiling warmly and answering Gladys when she managed to get a word in. Gil nodded to me as he gazed at his wife with a loving, indulgent smile.

“Gladys means well, but she doesn’t shut up. Even talks in her sleep,” Gil muttered as I approached him by the patio doors.

“She is lovely,” I replied honestly.

“When I married Gladys, her dad took me to one side and said, ‘Son, I love my daughter. But trust me, she’s like her momma. Invest in a good set of ear plugs, you’ll need it’,” Gil stated. “Man wasn’t wrong.”

“Gladys’s fine, and Willow’s smiling. She’s not done a lot of that recently,” I responded, glancing at Willow.

I turned back and noted Gil’s shrewd expression. “You stepped up for her?”

“Hell yeah. And when Willow’s ready to see other people, she has four more close friends waiting to reclaim her. Calamity and Rosie, and Klutz and Aurora have been patient. We’re all pretty tight, they’d have taken her in. But Willow needs space to be herself and not be mollycoddled,” I replied.

“And you’ve been friends for a while?”

“A good few years, yes. First time I saw her, Willow looked like a strung-out stripper, but her beauty shone through. She was running across Rage MC forecourt in six-inch damn heels with a skirt up her ass and yelling at my dad that she was a Fed. It was ludicrous, but she was freaking telling the truth.”

“Rapid City has seen some drama in the last few years,” Gil replied.

“Yeah.” My face blanked as I skittered away from the memories of the war.

Gil held his hand out, and confused, I took it as he shook it vigorously and clasped it.

“A friend was in that battle. He said how bad it was and how hard you all got hit. I’m sorry for your losses, son, but you did an amazing thing. You showed the entire country what a true American would do, even though you are English. People are looking to Rapid City and learning lessons. Thank you because no doubt that gang would have turned to the satellite towns and taken us over, too.”

“You’re welcome,” I said, a bit embarrassed, just like I always was when someone complimented me.

“You ignore that hag over the road. Edna’s fierce bitter. Her husband, Hermon, left her a decade ago on his sixty-fifth birthday. She’d henpecked him for forty years, and Hermon had enough. Went out and found himself a pretty little forty-year-old and divorced the wicked witch and shacked up with her.”

“Wow,” I said, chuckling at Gil.

“Gets better. Hermon lives on the other side of you. Talk about rubbing it in Edna’s spiteful face. Everyone loves Hermon and hates her.”

“Now that’s funny!” I exclaimed, laughing hard.

“Edna has tried to make their life a living hell. Cila stands and laughs at her and then sympathises about how lonely she must be. Not even Hermon and Edna’s kids visit her because of her spite. They adore Cila, though. Hermon looks through her, which just drives Edna crazy,” Gil elaborated.

“Sounds like someone got slapped with karma,” I replied, and Gil nodded. I started to say something else when pipes roared. “Excuse me.”

I walked to the door as Willow stood. Gladys squealed and headed to the window. Gladys made me laugh as she made no bones of peering outside. Gil released a resigned sigh from behind me.

To my surprise, I saw Pyro riding in front with a scowl, which wasn’t unusual unless he was around Bunny, then I swear he fuckin’ melted—no pun intended. Pyro parked up and glowered at the van heading towards him.

“Hit my bike, prospect, and you’re dead,” Pyro threatened. I snorted as the van came to a sudden stop halfway down the street. There was a yell as Sailor, another candidate, catapulted forward and slammed into the windscreen.

“Jinx!” several voices yelled, and Jinx grinned.

“Jesus, I don’t think Pyro meant stop here,” Sailor boomed, getting out and marching around the front. Sailor hauled Jinx out and drove the rest of the way to my place. Jinx sauntered down the road and I heard a crash from a neighbour’s house. Fuck, Jinx was a damn nightmare. I swear to God, the brothers would have voted him off by now, but Jinx was the perfect candidate.

“Hey, Fanatic, we got some stuff,” Jinx called as he headed up my drive. I tensed for the usual calamity that followed as he stepped into the hallway. “Where’s that cute kid?”

Pyro winced and shook his head. “Dude, anything happens to that baby, it’s on you.”

I looked back at the truck as the candidates unloaded furniture and then at the house with my Godson and the world’s worst walking disaster.

“Keep Jinx in there. The stress we had getting this lot out. Just keep Jinx busy, I love him, but shit…” Harlequin muttered.

“Bad?”

“You’re lucky the place didn’t blow up,” Harlequin replied.

“Fuck. Do I need to get builders in?”

“No, I fixed the gushing water jet. I swear I watched him like a hawk. Jinx switched on the faucet, and it broke off in his hand. Sailor found the mains and turned them off, while Rascal headed for the DIY store and bought new faucets. No damage was done,” Harlequin said.

“Shit,” I muttered. Would my home still be standing after an hour with Jinx in it?

“Jinx is all yours,” Pyro stated, slapping me on the back and heading inside.

Yeah, but Pyro was the one entering where Jinx was. I was safely outside, as evidenced when Pyro yelled as the front door slammed in his face.

“Fuckin’ Jinx!” he roared, as he batted the door open.

“Jinx is freaky scary, Fanatic,” Rascal said.

“Jinx? Yup. But he’s such a great candidate,” I replied.

“Ain’t that good if he’s always causing mayhem and chaos. You need to let him go before someone gets hurt,” Runner stated.

I lifted an eyebrow and held Runner’s gaze. “Didn’t realise you had your patch. Keep your opinions to yourself.”

“Like what you say counts for anything. The others got their patches, and you were left behind,” Runner retorted in a surly tone.

I leant forward into Runner’s space. “Lucky for me, I don’t give a toss what you think. There’s a reason I didn’t get my patch, and I’m okay with that. But I outrank you, candidate and you remember that. You’ve gained yourself a week of shit duty.” Runner snarled. “You can’t authorise that.”

“Oh yeah, I can. Argue, and it will be four weeks.”

“Fuck you, Fanatic,” Runner complained.

“Shut your fuckin’ mouth and do as the prospect says. Fanatic’s in charge of you, Runner, and you have now earned that month and a bout in the ring with me,” Pyro shouted.

My back straightened. I hadn’t needed Pyro’s interference, and without meaning to, he’d just weakened my position. There was no respect in Runner’s face when he sneered at me.

“And you’ve now won a fight with me,” I said.

Runner laughed and walked away.

“What the fuck?” Pyro snapped, heading towards me at speed.

“You undermined me interfering like that and made me seem weak. Might have been unintentional, but you did. If I don’t confront Runner, I’ve got no control or respect from any of them,” I replied.

“Chance will ban this shit.”

“No, Prez won’t, because he’ll understand. Just make sure we’ve got a medic on standby because that fuck will try to punch my liver out,” I responded.

“Fanatic’s right,” Harlequin said. “If he didn’t stand his ground, Runner, Farm-boy, Clark, even Vampire, wouldn’t respect him. Me and a couple of the others? We get his health conditions and understand. But those named only admire strength.”

“Easily resolved. Will book Runner for next Saturday, and you can have him a week later. I’ll fuck that cunt up so bad, he’ll easily be beaten,” Pyro murmured as the candidates began emptying the van.

“I’m able to fight, Pyro,” I snapped, feeling useless and defensive.

“Fanatic. I know. But I also remember how it felt watching you and Rooster under that rubble. How helpless we were when you needed a transplant, and we couldn’t do shit. Hellfire will let you live as you want, but we’re going to protect you the same as Rooster. Ain’t no shame in that,” Pyro said.

“Like you’d allow someone to fight your battles for you,” I retorted, still feeling the sting.

“If I were you or Rooster, I’d take the support even though it might hurt my pride, Fanatic. You ending up dead won’t help anyone,” Pyro replied bluntly.

Well, shit, that told me. Apparently, I was a weakling that couldn’t defend myself. “Why don’t you take my balls and cut if I’m so worthless to the club? It was okay last year when we were at war.”

I stormed to my bike as Pyro shouted my name. The candidates watched as I ignored a brother and rode off. I could feel the anger rolling off Pyro and knew there would be repercussions, but fuck that. Nobody had looked out for me during the battle. But now I was a weakling requiring protecting and mollycoddling. That was the reason I didn’t pick Rage as my MC, even though it had been my right.

Willow

Pyro ducked his head and then glanced up as Fanatic rode off. There’d be punishment later for Fanatic, but I couldn’t blame him. If Hellfire were treating him with kid gloves, then Fanatic’s pride and self-esteem would be injured.

Pyro shouted some orders to the candidates and headed towards inside.

“Don’t say it, Willow. I can see it from Fanatic’s point of view, but he needs to understand it from ours. Hellfire watched him become a man; he means a shit load to us. We’ve tried not to be overprotective, but we nearly lost him and Rooster in that explosion. Where do we draw the line?” Pyro asked.

He reached out, drew me into a hug, and kissed my forehead. “Where’s the boy?”

“In here. Aren’t you a big one? Are you married?” Gladys demanded as Gil laughed.

Pyro sent me a what the fuck look.

“My new neighbour,” I explained as he entered.

Pyro shot me a beleaguered stare as Gladys bustled out and pinned him with a beady eye.

“Oh yes, a real hunk!” Gladys exclaimed. “I wish Gil had ridden a bike, but he was too straightlaced. Plus, his balance is terrible. My poor hubby would have fallen off. So, I have some single daughters, they need a shake-up and no doubt a good fuck. The wimps they pick, well… they must be self-finishing!” Gladys announced. She reached out and squeezed Pyro’s muscles.

“So, are you?” she demanded.

Pyro looked completely lost.

“Pyro’s married, Mrs G, and Hellfire don’t have no cheaters. There’re some single men, though. My fellow candidates for a start,” Jinx exclaimed, wandering in with a wedge of carrot cake.

Pyro’s eyes widened as Jinx simultaneously saved his ass but threw the candidates under the wheels.

“Yeah, I’m happily married!” Pyro stated loudly.

“Do your daughters cook like this?” Jinx asked, chomping on his treat.

“Yes!” Gladys beamed.

“I’m single and ready to mingle,” Jinx announced, and I almost choked on my giggle as Gladys lit up.

From behind me, Gil made no bones of his laughter.

“Boy, you’re fucked,” Gil said and put his hand out for Pyro to shake. Pyro grabbed Danny from Gladys who was now eyeing up the candidates bringing in my sofa.

For a moment, a sharp pang hit, and I hissed with a pained breath.

“Over there will do,” Gladys ordered in a soft voice as her hand touched my arm. My eyes followed the settee as it was placed near the central fireplace. “These are from your home?”

That was perceptive. “Yes, my place with Grey. Fanatic, bless him, rented this but forgot to ask if it was furnished. I’ve a house full of furniture, and we needed it.”

“And now, looking at that sofa, you don’t know if you can sit on it,” Gladys said astutely.

“Exactly.”

“Wait here, my dear,” she replied and bustled out. Five minutes later, Jinx walked in carrying an armful of items. I squinted and spotted cushions and throws. Gladys waltzed in behind and began opening what looked like new cushions.

“Where do you want this?” a rough voice demanded, and I turned and saw a candidate called Clark. He held parts of a bedframe.

“That can go in either of the two big bedrooms, it doesn’t matter which, and the other bed frame in the second large bedroom, please,” I said.

Clark grunted and walked upstairs. Typical biker, a man of few words until you got to know them. Then those fuckers had plenty to say. Two more candidates entered, wrestling an armchair.

“I’m Sailor, and this is Harlequin. Rascal and Runner’s bringing in the other one. Just in here, okay?” Sailor announced with a warm smile.

“Bring them in, dear!” Gladys called.

I stood awkwardly, feeling superfluous, as Gladys arranged the sofa and chairs and decorated them. She stepped back with a grin as bedroom furniture was carried upstairs.

“What do you think?” she asked.

Gladys had transformed the sofas and armchairs. They had scatter rugs covering them now and lots of different shades of grey and cream cushions. They didn’t resemble mine and Grey’s.

“I like them,” I said, walking over and curling in my favourite armchair. My body sunk into it, and I sighed happily.

“I was wed before Gil. Married Mario at sixteen and had two children with him by twenty. Mario was stolen from me in a logging accident; he never got to see Lucia born. But judging how Mario treated Elisabetta, he’d have adored her. He was rather the antithesis of an Italian. Mario was very calm and chilled out.

“Mario was a wonderful husband, and we were deeply in love. Afterwards, I closed myself off, and Gil had to batter my walls down. I’m glad Gil did because he brought me so much happiness. I was twenty-three when Gil and I married. We had four more kids. Poor Gil has one son and five daughters. Two of whom take after their Italian father and adore drama.

“It’s easy right now to shut yourself off. Everything still reminds you of him. And believe me, sweet girl, even when you’re my age, something will catch your attention, and you’ll feel pain. But lean on the next man you allow into your heart. Because you can have more than one great love in your life. And if he can’t accept he shares your heart with another, he’s not worth it,” Gladys said wisely.

“Thank you. That means a lot. Grey and I had a long-term relationship. In addition, we also worked together. Learning to work without him was extremely difficult. Living without Grey is much harder. Countless times, I turn to speak to him, and Grey isn’t there,” I replied.

“Your Grey is here. He’s in your heart, your memories, and in that precious baby boy. Grey will always remain with you Willow, don’t let yourself forget him. Pain lessens, it never goes away, but you learn to cope better each day that passes.”

“Thank you, that helps a little,” I said as there was a shout, bang, and crash from upstairs. Jinx, Pyro, and Gil looked up, and Jinx shrugged.

Footsteps stomped downstairs, and Runner glowered at us in the living room. Jinx held his gaze steadily.

“I ain’t working around that Jonah,” Runner stated and walked out. My jaw dropped as Pyro drew up to his full height.

Bike pipes roared before Pyro reached the entrance, and Pyro whipped his phone out. With a look at us, he shut the front door, and I knew he was calling Chance. Shit, Runner was about to get a beatdown he would never forget. Not my problem, I thought, shrugging.

Jinx seemed uncomfortable; he’d held his ground in front of Runner, but now he was awkward.

“I’ll go before something else gets broken,” he said. “Nice meeting you, Mrs G and Gil. Willow, I’m sorry for the scene I caused.”

“Don’t you dare move, candidate. You’re very welcome in this house, and Danny likes you,” I ordered, motioning to Danny, who was reaching for Jinx. “That asshole needs to understand what an MC is, which I’m sure the inner circle will teach him.” “What the fuck would you know about an MC?” Clark asked rudely.

“Being a Rage MC founder’s daughter, a legacy princess, and an old lady, I’d say a lot.”

“You’re Fanatic’s old lady? He’s a prospect. That doesn’t make you an old lady,” Clark sneered.

“Being the old lady of a prospect in Rage does. You don’t like that? Take it up with Chance and Drake. Those are the bylaws of the clubs. And yeah, I know them off by heart, being a founder’s daughter,” I hissed.

Clark sent me a shitty stare and walked out. Jinx rubbed his neck as bike pipes roared.

“It’s getting on. Anyone hungry?” I asked.

“Not for us, sweet girl. Gil and I have our Friday night date! Let’s go, hubby mine, we’ll see you soon, Willow. Don’t you and Fanatic be strangers,” Gladys said and dragged Gil out.

“Pizza?” I offered Jinx.

“No mushrooms,” Sailor bellowed down the stairs, and I laughed.

“Loads of cheese garlic bread. That shit’s better than the pizza,” Harlequin called.

“I like meat feast, lots of sausage,” Rascal added.

“Jinx?” I asked, as he remained uncomfortable.

“I’ll go. Sorry again for the trouble I brought,” he mumbled, and my heart broke for him. I wondered how many times people had thrown crap in his face over whatever this was that ailed him.

“Sit down,” I ordered.

“Willow…” “I said, sit. That’s an order from an old lady and a founder’s legacy. That means if you argue or ignore me, I can have your ass beaten,” I stated firmly.

In three strides, Jinx was sitting down. Danny blinked at me from Jinx’s knee and offered a toothless smile.

“Which part of that threat made you obey? Just for future knowledge,” I asked.

“The founder’s daughter.”

“I’ll make a note of that. Listen good. Because I fucking hate repeating myself. How many applications do you think Hellfire get a year to join them? Hundreds. They whittled it down to you and those other lucky few. Hellfire always recruits more candidates than required. Because even though applicants appear fantastic on paper, around a quarter to half will fail as a candidate.

“Which makes you special. So, you don’t allow Runner or Clark to get you down. They’re the ones demonstrating that they’ve no idea what it takes to be a brother. An MC isn’t about illegal shit and partying. There’s something more important, and you’re already showing it. Loyalty, respect, honour, brotherhood, and the willingness to put your family first. Those qualities that make a Hellfire candidate, which leads to a prospect and becoming a brother,” I said.

Jinx sat forward, listening. “But shit happens around me. I am jinxed. I only have to stand somewhere, and things break or go haywire. Hell, they named me Jinx after my first day.”

“Own it. Pyro is called Pyro because he is scared of fire. Chatter because he rarely talks, Tiny because he’s huge. Bear because he growls. Each name has a meaning behind it. And it’s not to highlight someone’s weakness. It’s showing them their brothers don’t give a shit about their weaknesses. That no matter what, they stand with them. Have you seen Fanatic on a build? It’s ugly, but that’s why he got his road name.

“Shee is called Banshee because someone frightened him, and he full-on screamed. Like a little bitch. Rooster used to strut about like his dick had the Midas touch. Thank fuck he got bored of one-night stands before the fuckin’ thing grew diseased and fell off. Jinx isn’t to denigrate you, it’s to boost you, to show you they accept you. Sure, they might curse you, but you’re still here.

“You’ve the makings of a great brother, don’t let self-doubts pull you down. Bad juju happens around you… make it your bitch. And you hold your head up and carry on. I can tell you why Runner and Clark got their names, and it ain’t for the reason they believe,” I said firmly.

“You think that?”

“I know that. Hellfire’s resigned to having shit go wacko, and they named you for it. They didn’t kick you out. Consider that. Now, what damn pizza do you want before I start wailing and Pyro kicks your ass for making me cry,” I stated.

Jinx babbled out his order as I glanced across the room and saw Pyro there, nodding in approval. That gave me a warm feeling inside.