Chapter 4 #2
“You’re the best, Fee. You’re MY best friend.
I hope you know that. You see me in a way no one else does, and you have no idea how much it means to me, how much your support means to me.
So, whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with me forever now!
” she finished on a chirp. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re my best friend too. I’d like to see you try to get rid of me. See you Friday. One warning, though: if you try to make me watch another fucking hair video, I will find a way to get you banned from every law school in the USA.”
“Fuck you, bitch. You look fabulous. You can’t complain.” I laughed. She started walking backward, then yelled, “See you Friday! Mwah!”
She blew exaggerated kisses my way before turning around and heading to where she had parked her car. I shook my head as I walked into my office building, ignoring that lingering feeling of someone watching.
The rest of the day passed by quickly. I had received some new documents to review while I was at lunch, so the past few hours, I was busy getting lost in the familiarity of numbers and calculations.
When the end of the day rolled around, a coworker had to tap me on the shoulder to get me to look up.
The crick in my neck let me know that I had zoned out for hours, and a look at the clock confirmed it was time to leave. I finished up the calculation I was working on, then closed down my computer.
As I walked toward the elevators, I was surprised at how empty the office was already.
I checked my watch and saw it was nearing seven, so I guessed I had stayed later than usual.
I stepped outside and was taken aback at how dark it was.
I tightened my coat around me, then fished through my bag for my keys as I entered the parking lot.
The creeping sensation from earlier returned full force the further I got from the building. I got my keys in my hand and slipped them between my fingers, like I was taught in one of my self-defense classes. I got them in place as I was closing the last few feet to my car.
Just as I was about to unlock the door, a hard body hit my back, shoving me against the side of my car. I was whirled around and then slammed onto the ground. My fingers tightened on the keys between my fingers as large hands closed around my throat.
Bash
It was after 2 a.m., and the folder sitting on my desk was holding me hostage.
It sat there like Pandora’s Box, taunting me.
If I opened it, every detail of Fiona’s life was in my hands.
Fuck, did I want to read it. I knew Charlie was meeting her the following day for lunch, and I should just give her the information then, but something was holding me back.
Alone, in the middle of the night, I could admit to myself that I still couldn’t get the girl out of my head.
After one meeting and just hearing about her from my sister, she had wormed her way into far too many parts of my brain.
When Keys had given me the folder earlier, I should have given it straight to Charlie, let her hold on to it.
Fiona was her friend; it was Charlie’s request. I shouldn’t have had anything to do with it. But there I sat, a manilla envelope taunting me. I wiped my hands down my face and fell back in my seat. I needed to sleep. I needed to stop thinking about the girl and focus on all the shit I was juggling.
I opened the top drawer of my desk, dropped the folder in, locked it, and then left my office before heading to the main floor of the clubhouse. It was the middle of the week, but there was still a small crowd hanging about. I headed for the bar and grabbed a beer before surveying the room.
Most of the Brothers were gathered at the pool table, with three of the club girls hanging around.
They clearly had been drinking for a while and were definitely in full party mode.
Behind them, a club girl was on all fours, blowing the Brother in front of her while Crow went at her from behind.
A third Brother watched on, his cock out, waiting for his turn.
Uninterested, I turned away and headed across the room to where I had seen Bull, the club Enforcer, sitting. I made my way over to him, pulling out the chair across from him before plopping down. Bull looked up from his phone and scanned my face.
“You doing okay, Bash?” he asked, his voice was thundering even when he spoke quietly.
Bull was a huge man—6’7 and covered in muscle with some mean-ass-looking scars covering him head to toe.
The thickest scar stretched across his face, bisecting his nose and ended under his left eye.
It was puffy and jagged, as if it had never healed properly after getting stitched together with a needle that was too big.
Bull had spent years in the underground fighting circuit.
The combination of brute strength with precise skill was quite effective.
He was also the only openly gay Brother I knew of.
When Bull joined, he made it clear that he was into men.
I remembered him saying he had no interest in where we stuck our dicks, and therefore, we shouldn’t care what he did with his.
I liked his blunt approach. Not to mention, I had seen him fight, and he was a fucking force.
He knew the club scene, understood the rules, and had even ridden with us on a few runs before.
Prez let him join the club, and told everyone if they had an issue, to take it up with Bull.
Anyone who did… Well, Bull took care of them quickly.
When the time came to vote him in as Enforcer, it was a no-brainer at that point. Bull had saved all of our asses on multiple occasions, and just having him at your back was enough to cause most people to rethink any sort of attack.
To everyone’s surprise, he formed a quick friendship with Scythe, who did all the wet work for the club.
No one knew how to pry answers out of a guy like him.
The toughest of men were left begging for death when he was done with them.
Scythe was reclusive and quiet, but quickly bonded with Bull over their mutual appreciation for violence. It was fucked up, but it worked.
Looking at him then, his heavy beard masking most of his expression, I knew he wouldn’t budge until I said something. Giving in, I sighed.
“I’m exhausted, man. I just feel like I’m always on the go. If it isn’t something at the garage, it’s the club or my family. Then, as soon as I get home and can get some sleep, I can’t. It’s like my mind is wide awake, just going in circles.”
“We got a run tomorrow,” he replied, looking back down at his phone.
“Yeah. What about it?” I asked, already knowing about the trip to the SC charter.
“You should come. Get some time on the road. The whole trip will take a few days, and after a couple hours on the road, you’ll sleep like a baby at the end of the night.” He wasn’t wrong.
Maybe a trip out of town would be good for me. Some space from everything. Charlie would be fine for one weekend with my parents and the other Brothers around. I could give her the info on Fiona when I got back and be done with it.
“Yeah, that’s not a bad idea. Let me run it by Prez, and I’ll get back to you.” Bull grunted, dismissing me as I stood up from the table. I knew Prez was already home, so I sent him a text as I got ready to head out myself.
Just as I was about to leave, I heard yells from behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned around, instinctively heading toward the pool table. Two of the club girls were in a catfight, clawing at each other and screeching. Meanwhile, the guys sat around, shouting and egging them on.
The girl who had been getting railed earlier by Crow was getting her hair yanked by Dolly, one of the older girls who thought she ran the place.
Dolly and Crow had a thing going, and he knew it would start shit when he banged the new girl in front of everyone.
I pointed to Crow, who was leaning back, watching everything go down.
“You. Get your women in line, or they’re both gone. And you two—you know what you’re here for?” The women had pulled away from each other at the sound of my yell, and they stood still, a large gap between them. At my question, they nodded and looked down at the floor, avoiding eye contact.
I continued, “If you have a problem and want to leave, that’s fine. You make it our problem, and I’ll make you leave. Now clean this shit up.”
I stalked away and added it to the list of reasons I should go on the run the following day. Checking my phone, I saw Prez had given me the okay to join. I got the details from Bull and headed to my house.
Once home, I quickly packed a bag. We were leaving around lunchtime, and I needed to get some solid hours of sleep in if I wanted to make it through the trip. With Fiona’s file locked far, far away from me, and my mind distracted by the upcoming run, I finally managed to drift off.
I slept in, enjoying the excitement running through me at the prospect of getting out of town for a bit.
I sent texts to Charlie and my parents, letting them know I was joining the Brothers on a run and that my phone would be off for most of the trip.
I met up with the other Brothers, and we got on the road.
Bull was right. This was exactly what I needed.
The weather was perfect. Now that it was nearing April, the bite of winter was ending, but it wasn’t warm enough yet to make the ride uncomfortable.
I made sure to turn my phone off completely, enjoying the ability to disconnect for the day.
We stopped a few times to take a piss or grab snacks, but we made good time for our first day on the road.
There was something freeing about riding a bike, moving as fast as cars without any of the protection. It could feel like flying at times. It was a long ride. My muscles were tight, and I was starting to feel achy, but I also felt refreshed.
We reached our final mile marker for the day, and the group pulled into the motel we were staying at for the night. I got off my bike and stretched, watching as the other guys did the same.
“Bash! Check your fucking phone, Brother,” Bull’s deep voice rang out. I looked up in surprise and fumbled around in my jacket until I was able to dig my phone out of my pocket. I turned it on and was horrified to see the number of missed calls and messages from my family.
Guilt raced through me at the thought of something happening with my dad. I tried to scroll through them all, eventually giving up and calling my mother, who I knew would give me the clearest answer right away. She answered on the third ring, and I couldn’t hide the panic in my voice.
“Mom! What’s going on? Is Dad okay?” I asked, the group turning to look at me. I heard my mom whisper and some sounds of movement before a door closed.
“Your father’s fine. I’m with Charlie at her friend Fiona’s house. You know, the one Charlie talks about all the time?” My mother paused, and I could hear her struggling to keep tears out of her voice.
She finally continued. “When she left work today, she was attacked.”
My mother continued speaking, but I couldn’t hear her over the sudden pounding in my ears. Images of Fiona hurt swam in front of me. I should never have left. Rage like I had never felt before ran through me.
“What happened?” I managed to croak out.
“She was jumped in the parking lot outside her office. I just finished examining her, but she wasn’t the easiest patient. I had to clean up the wounds on her face and head, and there’s bruising around her throat.”
I wanted to tear something apart. I wanted to see my hands coated in blood while whoever did that whimpered at my feet. I pictured how small Fiona was. The idea of anyone putting their hands on her had me seeing red. Clarity hit me with a blinding force. I had to get back there—now.
“Stay with her. Send me updates. I’m turning around now. I want every detail on who did this and why it happened as soon as I get in,” I said as I got back on my bike.
“Young man, I am your mother, not one of your prospects. I understand you’re upset, so I’ll let this slide, but you’re gonna have to bark that order somewhere else.
Now, let me go take care of Fee.” She hung up, and I shut my eyes, squeezing the bridge of my nose in frustration.
When I finally looked up, I realized Bull was standing next to me.
“Go ahead. I heard the conversation. I’ll call Prez and make sure you get any updates. Ride safe, Brother.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. As I sped away, all I could do was imagine Fiona, no longer an angelic face haunting my dreams, but now a bloodied body I was too late to save.