Thirty-Two
I think what pissed me off the most was being disturbed with Elise, when she was still resting after her first fucking time. She lost her virginity, and then I was dragged away from her, and couldn’t even make sure she was okay. I’d been gentle, uncharacteristically so, but still… I wanted to be there with her. Why the fuck did the shit have to hit the fan tonight?
“You fucking listening?” I rolled my eyes, and leaned closer to the screen, where Ice was showing me all kinds of shit I could barely focus on.
“What are we looking at again?”
He cursed and slammed a fist against the desk.
“Fuck’s sake! I’ve already told you all this. Do I really look like I like repeating myself?”
I sat back and ran a hand over my dreads, eyeing Ice’s buzz cut. I was starting to wonder if I wanted to lose the dreads and start from scratch. The thought of Elise gripping my hair as I tongue fucked her was sticking with me. She couldn’t pull on these damn things, but was I really that attached to them anymore?
“Jesus fucking Christ! If you’re just gonna sit there ignoring me, fuck off and bother someone else.”
Ice was clearly a man on the edge, and I forced myself to focus on him.
“I’m sorry, brother. It was just a… a big deal, that’s all. I feel like part of me is still in that room with her.”
He sat back, roughly scrubbing his hands over his face, before he reached for his coffee mug and cursed when he remembered it was empty.
“Yeah, why don’t we talk about your love life instead of someone attacking our club. How was she, man? Good? Was she sweet and innocent, or was she like a fucking vixen, riding you like a pro?” I dragged him from that chair, and slammed a fist into his face, before I even realised he was baiting me.
He smirked as I released him, then he rolled his neck and shoulders, like the pain had rejuvenated him or some twisted shit.
“Yeah… that helped, thanks, man. I don’t exactly have my old resources to rely on to keep me awake these days.”
“You’re such a prick. I should have realised what you were doing… still, Ice? You ever talk about Elise like that again, and I’ll do more than punch you. Got it?”
“You’ve got it bad . You know Stitch is never going to leave you guys alone right? He doesn’t want this life for her.” Yeah, I realised that. I wasn’t even sure I wanted this life for her. She was in danger now, and that might never change.
The life of a biker always held risk, even as they were trying to take the club in a less criminal direction. It had taken them ten years so far, and there was still so much to do. I didn’t want to derail Reacher and Stitch’s hard work, did I?
I sat back down with Ice, and he went back to his screen.
“This is the only footage we caught of the prick before the cameras went down. The question is how he did that remotely, because I can’t face the idea of there being more than one of them working against us. Suddenly I don’t know who to trust around here, and it doesn’t help when people are sneaking around and fucking people’s sisters.”
“Wait a minute… run that back to where you can see him.”
Ice gave me that glare, the one that says there’s no way I’m about to see something he didn’t, but maybe I had.
“What’s he doing to that bike?”
Ice cursed and leaned closer. “I wish it was like on TV, and I could just zoom in. Whose bike is that?”
It took me a minute, but then I realised which bike it was.
“That’s Torch’s bike. We need to warn him. Where is he right now?”
Ice moved to the live feed, and panned the camera across the row of bikes, letting out a loud curse.
“Out on that fucking bike.”
SHIT.
Elise
S eth took a call and had to leave, but he pretty much commanded me to lock the door behind him and not let anyone in. Then he hugged me and offered me his puppy dog eyes. They’d always worked in the past, but did he really think they would now?
“I know you think you love him, but please, don’t lock yourself in here with Has. We need to know what’s going on here, and I don’t want you getting your heart broken when you realise that he’s not what he seems. The man has some serious secrets, sweets.”
After he left, I was confused and lonely, and even though I knew I wouldn’t turn Has-Been away, I had to admit I was curious about his ‘secrets’. I wondered how I could even begin to find out anything about him. I couldn’t ask Seth, of course, because he was not only biased against him for some reason, but also because he didn’t want to help us out. I couldn’t ask any of his brothers, because they would all side with their VP, even though he wasn’t the boss of me.
I really wanted to phone Has or message him, but of course Ice had his phone, so I couldn’t risk it. I knew that Ice knew about us, but there was so much going on right now, I didn’t want to add to his burden. I was staring at my phone, wondering if I should ask one of the old ladies to come and have a cuppa with me, when it buzzed in my hand, startling a gasp from me.
H : I miss you, babe. Are you doing okay?
It was him! Of course, the burner phone. I’d forgotten all about it. I sat crosslegged on the bed, and replied, my heart thudding harder in my chest because he’d been thinking of me. He’d messaged me because he missed me.
Me : I forgot you have this phone! I would have messaged you first. I miss you too, and I’m so pissed at Seth.
A few minutes passed, and I got up and went to the window, admiring the day dawning outside. The sky was a lovely shade of peach from this angle, but I wished we were watching it together.
H : He’s just looking out for his little sis, babe. Doesn’t mean he’s right, but he’s not a complete asshole either. Don’t be too hard on him.
And that was typical of Has-Been, wasn’t it? My brother was being a complete dick about us, and he was trying to make peace between us. It wasn’t fair and we both knew it. I wondered if Seth would have reacted differently if there wasn’t some psycho terrorising the club right now. Even though I knew my room was the most secure in the clubhouse, I still felt edgy, but I was the most protected right now, wasn’t I?
Me : I’m trying, but he needs to try too. I won’t disturb you too much, Has, I know you’re all working on this serial killer thing. So… about that dick pic…
I pictured him reading that and throwing his head back as he laughed, even wondered if there were others around him to witness it. I wished I could witness it. I wished he hadn’t had to leave this room.
H : Have I created a monster, babe? You just want me for my dick, don’t you? Feeling kinda cheap here…
Before I could reply, he sent another message, and no it wasn’t a dick pic, unfortunately.
H : Sorry babe, shit’s happening here. I’ll check in as soon as I can but please please stay locked in your room. Don’t let in anyone outside of the ones who know about us.
I knew what he meant by that. He meant the few he knew were safe, because they all knew now, didn’t they?