Fanatic (Hellfire MC: The Prospects #1)

Chapter Six.

Willow

“S ometimes they need to hear that shit, and only an old lady can lay it on them,” Pyro said as he was heading out the door. “Thanks for the pizza.”

“You’re welcome. You also gotta remember, there’s a fifteen-year-old boy that smuggled his mom out of an abusive household. That’s a decade of being unable to protect her. Then they come here, and he ensured his mother got a happy, healthy life. Even swallowing for her marrying Drake and not Chance. Don’t forget what Fanatic overcame and achieved. Fanatic hasn’t been a kid for years. Nor has he ever been weak, even when Fanatic physically couldn’t defend his family.”

“Prospect’s still gonna get punished,” Pyro said, and I nodded.

“Club’s prerogative,” I replied.

Pyro was heading up to Magic’s bar, where Bunny was working tonight. That was somewhere I planned to visit alongside the Unwanted Bastards in Merritt. But Pyro could stay and talk for a few minutes.

“Admit Hellfire fucked up, but can’t do shit about it,” I continued, and Pyro looked surprised. “Hellfire assigned Fanatic the candidates and, as expected with the builds, he’d be super busy. But you forgot that sometimes candidates need discipline, and Fanatic would have to manage that.

“If you take them away now, you’ll permanently undermine Fanatic, and he’ll never have their respect. They’ll never support Fanatic fully because you’d have told them he’s weak and needs mollycoddling. In trying to give Fanatic something easy, you made a rod for your backs. Hellfire’s gonna have to suck this up, Pyro, because Fanatic will leave if you continue to unman him,” I warned and pecked his cheek.

“I’ll speak to Chance.”

“You better, because I know Onyx and Inglorious would both take Fanatic. As would Jailbait and the others, especially with Fanatic’s talent,” I retorted.

Pyro scowled and kissed my forehead before heading down the path. The candidates had already left, and I cleared away the pizza boxes, storing the leftovers in a box. They should have called Harlequin Cheesy or something, considering how he chomped through the garlic bread. Fanatic had been gone three hours now, but I wasn’t worried. He’d be riding and clearing his thoughts.

I carried Danny upstairs and bathed him before putting him to bed. The candidates had put up all Danny’s furniture that we’d broken down to bring with us. I’d put away Danny’s clothing and other items while they fitted up the beds and carried in the chests of drawers and other things they’d brought. The bedrooms were finished, with even the curtains hung up.

Strangely, it didn’t bother me to witness my bedroom furniture here. With the different wall colour, wood flooring and new bedding, it didn’t look the same. And I was grateful for that.

I’d been needlessly dreading seeing it. Maybe that meant something, but I don’t know what. Picking up the baby monitor, I headed downstairs after I grabbed my tablet and pulled a book up. Engrossed, I was sitting reading when pipes growled, and a light swung up the drive. I waited as Fanatic let himself in and acknowledged me sheepishly.

“Don’t bother explaining. Fanatic, I already understand, and now Pyro does, too. Pizza’s on the kitchen worktop. Warm it up in the microwave or eat it cold. You’re lucky there’s some cheese garlic bread left. Jeez, I hid a box from Harlequin, or he’d have eaten it. And as you’re up, I’ll have two slices of that, please, with another can of pop,” I said, holding my empty up.

Fanatic’s eyebrows rose before he chuckled, spun on his heel, and headed for the kitchen. We were okay, that’s all that mattered.

Fanatic

Damn, that’s it? I’d expected shouting, blaming, tears maybe a tantrum. After all, I’d left Willow in a house she was unfamiliar with and men she didn’t know. Yeah, Pyro was there, but even so. Instead, Willow said she understood and had bought me pizza. Starving, I shoved half the slices on a plate and let it nuke while I carried in Willow’s pop and cheese garlic bread.

Willow loved eating it cold, so I added an extra slice. She smiled as I handed her the plate and headed to fetch my own. It was a mish max of pizzas, but it was all good, so I didn’t care. There were enough leftovers to make two full ones, so I could only imagine how much she’d bought. Crazy woman.

I sat on the armchair opposite as Willow put her tablet down and gazed at me.

“Feel better?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“I had a chat with Jinx. You’ve got two bad apples in that group,” Willow said.

Club law. Club business is club business. Willow was aware of that.

“Yeah. I’m watching, but I don’t think they’re going to improve,” I replied. Heck, I didn’t have to ask who Willow meant. I knew. It felt natural to discuss this with her. Dad often spoke to Mum even though he maintained what happened in Rage stayed within the club.

“No. Might have to cut two loose. But you know that. Usually, half of the candidates don’t work out.”

“We’re going to give them a chance, but Runner and Clark both have shit attitudes. But that could be said for Pyro, Bear, Chatter, and several others. Slaughter growls more than he talks,” I pointed out.

“True. I guess you want to know if I mentioned anything to Pyro?” Willow asked.

“Don’t need to ask. You’re you. Of course you did. The question is, babe, can Pyro sit down, or is Bunny gonna come kick my ass?”

“Nah. It’s all good.”

I took a bite of pizza and chuckled. No doubt Willow had given Pyro something to consider. That’s my girl.

Willow

I was antsy as I packed up Danny’s stuff and carried it out to the car. It was four o’clock, and I was due at Hellfire. Fanatic had gone early, and while he’d offered to come back, I’d said I would meet him there. Now, I was having second thoughts. It was over a year since I’d been in any clubhouse, and I was starting to feel sick.

Hellfire wasn’t Rage, I kept reminding myself. The feeling was not helped by what was laid carefully on the back of an armchair, my cut proclaiming me to be Grey’s old lady. Ellen had taken my cut and stitched Grey’s remembrance patch on it before I had left.

It was an oval-shaped patch with the words ‘Brother’s forever’ at the top with a cross and a man kneeling in front of it with a bike behind him. Underneath it said, ‘Fallen but not forgotten’, and under that was Grey’s name and year of death. 2023. Not a year I’d ever forget.

On the back of my cut, under ‘Willow, Grey’s old lady’, was a second patch. This held a set of praying hands with a rosary clasped between them, the words, ‘He rides free’. At the end was a cross imposed over a motorbike.

I reached out and grabbed it. This might hurt, but I wouldn’t dishonour Grey’s memory by avoiding it. Stealing myself, I picked up Danny’s car seat and walked out. I locked him in the car and placed my cut on the passenger side.

Most MCs didn’t allow members to wear a cut in their cars. They felt it was disrespectful. Rage and Hellfire were mixed about it. They believed not wearing the cut at all times showed a lack of respect. If they didn’t have their cut on, they had jackets, hoodies, and tees with their patch. No matter what the weather or what they were doing, the patch was visible on their body. Even tattooed on their right arm.

I arrived at the compound and saw the guy in the box. It wasn’t a candidate I recognised, so this had to be either Farm-boy or Dollar. He glanced up and strolled out. The sneer on his face warned me, and I hit record on my phone.

“What ya want?”

“Hey, I’m Willow. I’m here for the get together,” I answered.

He frowned and peered into the car as Danny squeaked. “You brought a kid to a club party?” he said and began to laugh.

“Open the gates, candidate. I’m family.”

Farm-boy stopped laughing and squinted. “Nah bitch. You’re not because I know everyone, and you ain’t known to me. Whatever shit you’re playing at ain’t worth my time, take your ass and disappear. No doubt you’re looking to blame a brother for that rugrat. Just fuck off.”

“My name is on the list. Willow Ware. Check it out.”

“Don’t fuckin’ order me about!” he yelled. That did it. I hit Fanatic’s number. “Who the hell you think you are? Coming here trying to foist a baby off on a brother? You wanna party, come without the kid. But tell ya what. Get on your knees and suck my cock, I’ll give you a mouthful.”

“I’m the old lady of Grey of Rage MC. You will talk to me with respect, and I’m family! I am not a skank, whore, or barfly. Chance is my uncle, and you’re really fucking up, candidate,” I yelled back. My hand clasped my cut, and I shook it at him.

“Bitch, you ain’t no old lady. I’ve met Rage, they don’t have a brother called Grey. Whatever bullshit game you’re playing isn’t working. Here,” to my disgust, Farm-boy yanked his dick out. “Come suck me off.”

Infuriated, I opened my mouth to yell when he was knocked flying. Fanatic came out of nowhere and, getting the upper hand, straddled Farm-boy and began beating the shit out of him. Buoyed up, I jumped out the car.

“Kick his ass, Fanatic. That fucker waved his slimy cock at me!” I yelled.

“Willow!” a voice bellowed, and I saw Slaughter, Wraith, Shee, Celt, and Shotgun bearing down fast. I held a hand up and stopped them.

“Let Fanatic beat him!” I screeched as Farm-boy’s leg came near me. I stamped down hard with my heel, and Farm-boy howled as Fanatic’s fist hit him again.

“I’ll take the car,” Jinx said, slipping past me as I shouted encouragement at Fanatic. Jinx drove off as I nodded. Someone took my cut and helped me slip it on, and I kept yelling at Fanatic to beat the hell out of Farm-boy.

“Fuckin’ disrespect me, you piece of shit!” I yelled, infuriated. “A brother’s widow, a Founder’s daughter, a goddamn Legacy Princess of your brother club.”

Fanatic stood up and I kicked Farm-boy straight in his ribs.

I jabbed my heel down on Farm-boy’s thigh and then booted him again. “He conscious?” I demanded.

Fanatic shook his head. “Nah.”

“Fuckin’ pussy!” I hissed. “Passed out too quickly.”

“I’ll wake Farm-boy up and smash him again,” Fanatic offered, but I’d laid eyes on Tiny.

“No. Tiny can put the fear of God in him. Talk to me like that?” I spun on Fanatic, still enraged. “Did you forget to put my name on the gate?”

“Fuck no! You’re at the top!” Fanatic exclaimed and reached into the gatehouse and pulled out a clipboard. He turned it and pointed to my name.

Irate, I kicked Farm-boy four more times. “So, you were being a disrespectful shit!”

“Willow, you finished with your chew toy yet?” Chance demanded.

“No!”

“Yeah, you have, kid, come give me a hug,” Chance ordered. I stamped on Farm-boy one more time and stomped over to cuddle Chance, who chuckled. “Got Axel’s temper, girl.”

“He’s my dad,” I muttered as Chance released me, and I hugged those surrounding me.

“Rascal, take this piece of shit to the gym and…” Chance looked around. “Smokey, watch Farm-boy until we come for him. Fanatic, get those knuckles checked.”

I saw half the club surrounding me, including Runner. Still riled, I sent Runner a shitty look as he seemed to be weighing Fanatic up. “Yeah. He’s blackbelt ju-jitsu, did someone forget to tell you?” I sneered and stomped past him.

Celt caught me and slung an arm over my shoulder. “Good to see you again, princess.”

“Hey, Celt,” I replied as anger drained from me.

“Think you made a statement?”

“Sure as fuck did. I won’t have Grey’s memory or my place disrespected,” I declared.

“Good. Now go take care of Fanatic, those knuckles look bad,” Celt said and gave me a little shove.

“Where’s Danny?” Chance asked.

“Jinx has him,” I replied and smirked when they exchanged glances. “Danny’s perfectly safe with Jinx,” I stated, but half the brothers broke off and disappeared quickly.

“You trust him?” Chance inquired.

“Yup.”

“All the old ladies say the same. Strange. Last time I saw something similar, Calamity landed on Rage.”

“Huh. Jinx and Calamity, that’s funny. Is this your Calamity?” I responded.

“Yeah,” Chance replied, looking thoughtful. “Go clean Fanatic up and make sure he takes some painkillers. He’ll argue, but insist.”

“Okay, Uncle Chance,” I said and headed into the clubhouse. I almost laughed when I saw Fanatic surrounded by the old ladies and desperately searching for an escape route.

“Thalia, get the first aid box. Alice, fetch me a bin and Bunny, can you get Fanatic that drink he likes so much? Kenny, grab me a bowl of water, please,” Clio ordered.

“Clio, I can nurse my own knuckles,” Fanatic said, beleaguered.

“Nonsense, jeez Fanatic, you’ve provided most of us finger-twiddling material,” Clio retorted.

“Given you what?” Fanatic asked as some of the brothers entered. His eyes met mine, and he shrugged.

“In other words, they’re going to disappear and rub one out, female style,” I explained.

Fanatic frowned and then nearly came off the sofa. “I didn’t do shit to any of them!” he squealed in a high-pitched voice. A wicked grin crossed my face when I saw Levi, Pyro, Bear, Shee, and Rooster glaring.

“Bullshit. You’ve made me all hot and sweaty,” Kenny said, signing Fanatic’s death warrant. Rooster’s gaze narrowed further.

“Bull, I haven’t touched her!” Fanatic insisted, leaping to his feet and darting around the back of the sofa.

“Don’t you think I’m attractive?” Kenny demanded, and I choked on a laugh.

Fanatic’s eyes grew wide. You could see him thinking, who did he piss off? Kenny or Rooster?

“Yeah, what are you saying? That we’re not pretty enough for you to touch?” Sallie-Anne inquired.

Shee walked forward, and Fanatic stepped back.

“You’re all beautiful. But not my type. You’re theirs. Yup, perfect for your men, not for me, though. I can admire from afar… that came out wrong. Oh shit! Bear, no!” Fanatic yelled, as Bear lunged for him.

“Wait a damn minute, what’s wrong with us that we’re not your type?” Clio demanded, and I began laughing.

Fanatic’s head was on a swivel, panic all over his face. “Because I’ve suddenly decided I’m asexual. No sex for me. My cock doesn’t work.”

“What the fuck, dude? You can get tablets for that,” Levi exclaimed.

“Nope, they don’t work, not when surrounded by asshole fuckers who want to beat the shit out of me,” Fanatic explained, panicked.

“Guys, lighten up, you’re gonna kill Fanatic with a heart attack,” I said finally.

Fanatic latched onto me as I walked around the sofa. To my amusement, he placed me between him and his brothers. “Willow has a gun and is legally allowed to use it.”

I laughed even harder as the brothers relaxed and the women began giggling.

“Get your hands checked over before they resemble hamburger, Prospect,” Bear ordered as he headed for the bar. Behind it was Sailor and the final candidate I’d not met, his name was Dollar.

“Girls, we’ve got a quick meeting,” Chance announced, entering the clubhouse. Brothers were pouring in and heading to their church.

Chance stopped by Fanatic as he took a seat and let me examine his hands. Damn, he’d done a job on them. “No comeback for that beat-down,” Chance murmured, and Fanatic nodded.

Fanatic could have faced disciplinary action for attacking Farm-boy but wouldn’t. In other words, Hellfire was about to bounce Farm-boy. Good. What an asshole. Silently, I kept cleaning Fanatic’s knuckles and bit my lip.

“Do we need some medication?”

“What for?” Fanatic questioned.

“You’ve broken skin, I don’t know. Do you require antibiotics to stop an infection?” I asked stupidly.

Fanatic’s eyes softened. “No, babe. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? I feel guilty as I was yelling for you to kick his ass,” I admitted.

“Yeah, you were a bit violent there. Never mind, shit’s all cool. Just clean me up, babe,” Fanatic reassured me.

Not willing to make a fuss, I did as he ordered.

◆◆◆

“Hey, has anyone noticed something?” Madisen asked with a grin.

“What?” Clio inquired.

“Jinx has been here four hours, and there’s not been a single incident. It’s either that baby or Willow,” Madisen explained.

Everyone at my table turned and faced where Jinx was sitting and playing with Danny.

“Has Jinx had Danny the entire time?” Kenny said as she made a grab for a fast-running Link. Her son shot past her and headed for Rooster. Kenny puffed her cheeks out.

“You know, between Kit, Finn, Brax, and now Jinx, I was wondering if I needed a protective bodysuit. It’s been nice to sit for four hours and not have something happen,” Kenny mused.

We all began to laugh. Kendara’s courtship with Rooster had been drama-filled and was the stuff of legends. Even to the point, ‘Who killed Kenny?’ had become a meme when the kids had exploded a bomb underneath her.

“Yeah, that was… rough,” I said, and Kenny sent me a disbelieving glance.

“The brats blew me up. And it doesn’t stop. The other day, I was making coffee and got blown across the kitchen as soon as Jinx entered. Rooster nearly ended up castrated because my hair literally stood on end. I resembled a fried poodle, and all Rooster did was laugh!” Kenny exclaimed.

I began giggling with the others. “Worse, I had the shakes like the baddie in Home Alone when he was electrocuted. Rooster thought I should give him a hand job because it would be the best he’d ever had because I couldn’t stop shaking,” Kenny continued.

Unable to control ourselves, we all shrieked with laughter.

“They always find a benefit for themselves,” I replied.

“Don’t they just,” Chey agreed. “I was making a smoothie and Jinx had dropped off some stuff for Celt. Fuck me if the lid didn’t blow off and smother me in strawberry shit. Celt saw that as an excuse to lick me head to toe and then shower with me. Told me waste not, want not, and he’d always wanted to eat his dinner off me.”

I rocked with laughter at the disgust on Chey’s face before she winked. “The licking did turn out beneficial in the end!”

Thalia howled and wiped tears from her eyes. “I adore Jinx. He’s wonderful and so kind and patient. Gotta say, Willow, I’m damn glad Fanatic put the beat-down on Farm-boy. He was beginning to creep me out. That fucker even asked me if my missing fingers were due to Jinx. What the fuck?”

“Wow, what did Bear say?” Sallie-Anne questioned.

“Babe, I didn’t tell him until now. I didn’t want Bear arrested for murder,” Thalia replied.

Clio looked at her quint-twin shrewdly. “You told him tonight.”

“Yup!” Thalia crowed. I began laughing hard again.

“Knew it!” Clio exclaimed.

Tati shook her head and handed Clio fifty bucks. “Bitch!”

“You bet on me?” Thalia cried in mock disapproval.

“Bitch, you bet that Chance wouldn’t make me scream the other night,” Clio retorted.

“Clio screamed within five minutes of Chance getting home. He’d hurt his back, so we bet that sex was off the menu. Clio went reverse cowgirl instead,” Bunny informed me.

“Oh shit!” I exclaimed and wiped tears from my eyes.

“Okay, you can’t tell anyone,” Kenny said, leaning in. We all crowded round as she began whispering.

“You know Rooster can be a bit anxious about his leg, especially sometimes at night. Not often, but occasionally, we get a blip, and Rooster’s confidence falls. Well, we’ve decided some role play wouldn’t hurt when it’s one of those nights,” Kenny whispered.

My mind suddenly went all sorts of places.

“The other night, we were doing Terminator, and Rooster had put these glowing red contacts in. At first, it was off-putting, but once Rooster got down and dirty, heck, he could have glowed orange for all I cared.”

“Okay,” Alice murmured.

“We must have got a bit loud because suddenly Rooster was under attack. Brax had barged into our room and thought I was being attacked…”

“Oh no!” I gasped.

“Hell, yeah. Rooster looked at Brax with glowing eyes, and the next thing, Brax had whipped Rooster’s leg off and was beating him with it. Meanwhile, Brax was hollering for Finn and Kit to get in and save Kenny! Kit came in and snatched Rooster’s spare leg and screamed when he saw Rooster’s eyes.

“Rooster started yelling, I began screaming, the kids were bellowing war cries, and in the midst of this entered Chatter, who’d heard the commotion. Chatter took one look at the glowing red eyes, grabbed the children, shoved them behind him and shot at Rooster. Rooster dived to the side, and the bullet just missed him.” Kenny laughed and couldn’t finish. We all joined in as a shadow covered us.

“To save Rooster, Kenny leapt out of bed, wearing this baby doll nightie, and tackled me. I ended up being horse whipped with a fake wooden leg for having my hands full of her ass. Rooster left bruises. They play some weird sex games,” Chatter murmured, and we wailed with laughter. Chatter winked at us, something that shocked us, before heading off to the bar.

“I’ll be back!” Chatter threw over his shoulder, reducing us to fits again.

“Fuckin’ asshole!” Rooster yelled.

“Hasta la vista, baby!” Chatter boomed and took to his heels, and Rooster leapt up and pointed at him.

“Twenty bucks each, kids, for whoever gets him,” Rooster shouted.

“Make it thirty, Dad,” Kit called back.

“Deal!” Rooster agreed, and the kids tore off in a gang, all yelling war cries.

“Damn!” I muttered.

“Good times,” Kenny crowed, and I couldn’t help but agree.