Hollywood (Steel Demons MC #7)

Chapter Nineteen

Hollywood

“T hese motherfuckers won’t get away with this. Not again.” My hands were balled into fists so tight my knuckles ached. Good. I needed that fucking pain right now and I let it sink into my blood, focused on it instead of that fucking look on Winter’s face when she heard that message. “They called Winter, and I don’t even know how the fuck they got her number.”

Pay up or we’ll own that sweet cunt.

The hell they would. I’d kill every last member of the Jade Devils MC, one by one, before I let them touch one hair on Winter’s head. “They called her and threatened her right in front of me.”

“My guess is they did it on purpose,” Slate offered. He looked up from his laptop and looked around at all the brothers who had gathered for an impromptu church session. We gathered in our meeting room with the door locked because this was serious MC business. “The call to Winter’s cell came in about five minutes after they hit the dispensary.”

“They didn’t just hit the dispensary,” Diesel groaned. “They beat the fuck out of Jason, the kid who works for us. He ain’t one of us but in this instance, he fucking is.” Diesel’s hands balled into angry fists. “Kid didn’t deserve that.”

“Is he okay?”

Diesel nodded. “He’ll survive. His face looks like shit, and he’s got a few broken ribs but he’s fine. Fucking apologized as if this was his fault.”

“It wasn’t,” Slate confirmed. “I’ve been going through the surveillance around the dispensary, and they sent in a cute chick in a short skirt who had lots of questions as a first-time visitor. You know Jason is a weed nerd and he was happy to explain it all to her.”

“Where the fuck was T-bone?” Rocky asked, the words so hard they came out like bullets.

“A teenager texting and driving took out a biker, a pedestrian, and a bicyclist. He was stuck behind that shit until about fifteen minutes ago. He’s at the dispensary now,” Slate answered, his voice bland as if he was reciting a recipe.

“Fuck, that’s some bad luck,” Maverick said on an exhausted sigh.

“Or it wasn’t,” I added. “I think we need to give these assholes a bit more credit. They sent the message to Winter because of me, which means this wasn’t just some random act of violence, they were hitting back. Probably because of the crypto.”

“Yeah, probably,” Diesel agreed. “But they also destroyed our product, dumping gasoline all over it so I’d say that combined with the property damage and Justin’s medical bills, makes us even. Almost.” His lips curled into a grimace. “That money is ours now.”

“It’s not enough,” I spat out. “We need to strike back. We have to.” I pushed away from the table and paced the length of the room, feeling like a caged fucking animal.

“I agree, we need to do something,” Diesel began. “But we have to be smart about it.”

Fuck smart, I needed vengeance, and I needed it now goddammit. “And until we come up with a plan, what?”

“First, we need to keep the women safe. Lockdown until further notice. Hawk, you can take Laura to work when she’s on shift. Same for the rest of you who have women with jobs. Otherwise, the women and kids stay here.”

It still wasn’t enough, but Diesel was right, as a club we had to be smart. We couldn’t risk that someone got hurt before we had a plan in place. But that didn’t mean I had to like it. “I’m going to make those fuckers hurt.” I had to. I couldn’t let it go.

“We all will,” Rocky promised. “For now, we have other shit to worry about. Sniper, get to the dispensary with T-bone, help him clean up and keep an eye on everything.”

Everybody got their orders and Diesel pushed up to his feet with a sigh. “Get the women whatever they need and get them back here as quickly as possible.”

I stormed out of church like I was being chased, rushing through the clubhouse and out the front door, sucking down as much oxygen as I could before I lost my shit.

“Hollywood, what’s going on?” Winter’s voice sounded behind me, full of concern. “Ellie said they’re going on lockdown, and it means no one can leave the clubhouse. Does that mean me too?”

“Yeah,” I answered without turning around. “You’re included too. In fact, we should get home and get you a few things so I can get you back here.” I turned to face her and smiled. “Come on.” My voice was tight, and I was sure my smile was even tighter.

She nodded. “What are you going to do?”

Fuck some shit up, but that’s not what I said to her. “I’m going to make sure the MC properties and people are locked up tight.” It wasn’t a lie, I would do that first.

***

Since she didn’t have much at my place, it didn’t take long to pack up and within twenty minutes Winter was safely stashed at the clubhouse, and I was alone on my bike and headed out into the night.

I checked out the MC properties that Diesel texted me to check out and when everything was safe and locked up tight, I hit up a bar on the border of Steel City and Vegas that was a known hangout spot for some of the Jade Devils. I sat at the bar and ordered a shot, knowing my presence would raise a few eyebrows.

It took less than five minutes.

“What the fuck are you doing here, old man?”

I finished off my Cuervo and turned with a smile to find three Jade Devils glaring at me. “Having a drink. Bartender, apple juice for the toddlers please.”

“You’re not welcome here.”

“Yeah, says who?” I slammed the glass down on the long, wooden bar.

“Says us.”

I laughed. “All three of you? Tell me, does that make you the dick and these guys the balls?” I stood, towering over all three by at least five inches. “Good luck.”

“Leave. Now.”

I took a step forward. “And if I don’t?”

“Then we’ll just have to make you,” the right ball said.

“Not in here.” An older man with a big ass silver beard beat the bar with an aluminum baseball bat in a clear warning. “Take that shit outside. Or else.”

I hadn’t taken two steps out of the door when the dick sucker punched me. I spun and ducked his second shot. “You got that one for free, you little pussy.” My lead leg slid forward, and I jabbed that fucker before he could even get his hands up.

His boys jumped in, and I had four fists landing blows to my stomach and my back. Luckily, these tiny bastards didn’t cause me too much pain. My right elbow flew up and a sickening crunch sounded, which brought a smile to my face even before he cried out and fell to his knees. I should’ve left it at that and took care of the other asshole. I really should have, but I didn’t.

I pulled my foot back and sent it flying towards his face. He fell backwards still clutching his face. “You got a little something right there,” I said as blood gushed from his nose. “Ugh,” I grunted when the other nut sack landed a blow to my jaw. “Not bad. Probably would’ve taken my grandmother down. Maybe.” I ducked the next blow and rewarded him with two hits to the gut for his efforts.

The first guy, the dick, got to his feet and lunged forward with a blade in his hand. “Piece of shit. You’re gonna pay.”

His words were the perfect reminder of why I was really here and why I was looking for something to beat the fuck out of. Winter. “You first.” I kicked the other nut sack in the balls—all is fair in war—and grabbed the wrist of the dick trying to stick me with a knife. “You get off on scaring women?”

He laughed. “Bitch should be scared. Me and my boys can’t wait to take turns with her.”

That was the wrong fucking thing to say. I twisted his wrist and grabbed him by the hair, yanking him forward until the knife slid gently into his stomach. “Next time I’ll take my time with you, test out different knives and see which one you like best.” I kicked him backwards until he fell off the knife and onto the ground.

The rest of my anger came out in dozens of punches on the last one standing. I unleashed the monster that got me locked up in the first place, body shots to the stomach and chest, an uppercut to the chin. I wailed on that motherfucker until my shirt was soaked with sweat and my knuckles were covered in his blood.

He was down on the ground, damn near unconscious and no longer fighting back, which meant my job here was done.

“See you fuckers soon.” I walked away feeling better than I had since Winter paled before my eyes and trembled as I held her close. It felt good to beat the shit out of a few Jade Devils for scaring the fuck out of my woman. Winter. For scaring the fuck out of Winter, who wasn’t mine.

Yet.

***

A cop car sat outside the clubhouse when I got back, and my fucking heart dropped to my gut. There was no fucking way those assholes had called the cops, I knew that much. But that didn’t mean that somebody else at the bar hadn’t called. Fuck.

My hand instinctively went to the holster at my back because there was one thing I knew and that was that I wasn’t going back to prison, not ever again. And it wasn’t just any fucking cop either, it was the top cop in the county. Hudson fucking Cross. “Sheriff, what are you doing here at this hour?”

“Hollywood.” He flashed that politician’s smile and extended his hand like we were old fucking friends. We weren’t enemies but we weren’t friends either. “Good to see you. I trust you’re staying out of trouble?”

I took his hand and shook it. “Yeah, walking the straight and narrow.”

His lips kicked up into a crooked, amused smile because we both knew that straight and narrow wasn’t my strong suit. “Good to hear.” He looked down at my hands. “Problem?”

“Yeah. Tinkering with the bike. You know how it is.” I dropped his hand and folded my arms over my chest.

“Is Winter Hart here?”

My blood ran cold. “What do you want with Winter?” And more importantly how the fuck did he know where she was?

He shrugged. “Got a concerning report and I wanted to check in, make sure she was okay.”

My brows dipped. “A report from who?”

He smiled. “You know I can’t tell you that. Is she here?”

“Seems like you have reason to believe she is.” He refused to give me anything, so I kept my fucking mouth shut too. I didn’t trust cops, not even Sheriff Cross. I knew Diesel had his reasons for keeping the law man close but that didn’t mean I would ever trust a fucking badge with a gun.

Diesel stepped out of the clubhouse first, holding the door open as Winter stepped out behind him. “Here she is.”

Winter’s eyes bugged out even though I was sure Diesel told her the Sheriff was here to talk to her. “Good evening, Sheriff. You wanted to talk to me?” She wrapped her arms around her body and kept a solid distance between them.

“Yeah.” He introduced himself and offered up a friendly smile. “I received an anonymous tip that you’re the victim of a harassment campaign and I wanted to check on you, make sure you were all right.”

Her body relaxed visibly but she kept her arms tight around her waist. “I’m fine. Since when does an anonymous tip warrant a visit by the Sheriff?”

“When I hear that a victim is in need of personal protection.” His gaze landed first on Diesel and then on me.

“Who the fuck called,” I asked again.

“What part of anonymous don’t you understand?”

“Bullshit,” I shot back. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t think the threat was credible.”

Cross didn’t have shit to say to that. “Any reason anyone might be harassing you, Winter?”

She shrugged. “I mean not that I can think of, but you know how guys are these days Sheriff, they can’t handle rejection. You have no idea the names I’ve been called or the threats I’ve been subjected to just for turning down an offer to take my number, take me on a date or fuck me.” Her words came out easily but the look in her eyes told me they were rooted in truth. “My guess is some limp dick college guy but otherwise I have no idea.”

Good girl. I made a note to reward her later for keeping the law out of this.

Cross studied her for a long moment, and I knew he didn’t believe her, but he was out of options. “Is that the story you want to stick with?”

She nodded. “It’s the truth. I don’t have any enemies and if I do, they’ve done a damn good job of keeping their opinions to themselves. Maybe the anonymous tip was meant to make you harass the Steel Demons?”

His lips quirked. “Maybe, but I don’t harass these guys. We go way back.” Something she would know if she wasn’t here just for protection. I was sure that thought crossed the Sheriff’s mind too. “If you’re in trouble, I only want to help Winter.”

“I know and I appreciate that. You’ll be my first call if I find myself in trouble. I promise.” He continued to stare at her. “My father voted for you, so I assume you’re a good cop, and we need more of those around here.”

“Okay. Fine.” He nodded and produced one of his shiny business cards. “If you want to talk or you need help, call. Don’t take the law into your own hands.” He spoke to Winter, but his gaze was fixed firmly on Diesel. “Eventually your luck will run out. Right, Hollywood.”

“Never relied on luck myself, but when you make accidents illegal then self-defense becomes a fucking crime. Fucking politicians,” I grumbled, more to myself than to the politician and cop standing in front of me. “Have a good night, Sheriff.”

“You too.” He turned to Diesel. “You know how to reach me if you need me.”

The minute he was gone, Winter turned to me. “Why not at least tell him about the scammers coming after my dad?”

“Because,” Diesel laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “If we told him that then he’d make the connection and once the law gets involved, we don’t know who we can trust.”

“Seems like you have an odd relationship with Sheriff Cross.”

“We do,” Diesel answered with a sigh. “But that doesn’t mean we can trust everybody who works for him. That’s why he came tonight instead of a deputy.”

“Okay.” Winter nodded and stared at me, at first with lust and then concern as she took in the droplets of blood on my t-shirt and just like Cross had, my knuckles. “Holy shit, Hollywood. What the hell happened tonight? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Couldn’t say the same for the three Jade Devils, but I kissed the top of her head.

“We need to talk,” Diesel growled. “Now.”

“Yep.” I guided Winter into the clubhouse and kept going, following Diesel out through the back of the clubhouse. Ready to get a lecture for doing what needed to be done.