Chapter 16
A part of me was proud that Astrid wanted to know everything there was to know about me and that she wanted to stand beside me, no matter what.
The other part hated that she had to be exposed to it.
I knew she was an incredibly strong woman.
That wasn’t the issue. What was, was that she’d suffered enough pain and torture herself.
She didn’t need to be exposed to more in my book.
However, I knew her well enough, even after such a short time, to know she would withhold a part of herself if I didn’t allow this. It would be so she could protect herself. If I didn’t allow her to know one hundred percent of me, she couldn’t allow me to know all of her. I didn’t want that.
As we descended the stairs to the secret room below the strip club, I watched her scan it.
This place had been here when we acquired the business.
The previous owner had his worst acts done here.
When we discovered it, we’d sealed up the original entrance.
Anyone who knew of it before wouldn’t be able to access it.
However, it was a secure location, so we worked when the club was closed to create a new entrance from a different room.
Anyone who would walk away was blindfolded before being taken there and then for the return trip. Those who wouldn’t leave it alive, we didn’t bother with the blindfold. Other than the members, Astrid was the only one who knew of its existence.
“What is this place?” she asked quietly.
“Remember what I told you about the previous owner.” I waited for her to nod before continuing.
“He had his most depraved business done down here. No one could hear the women scream for help. It was for those he had to force. When we bought the place and discovered it, we found a use for it. We made some changes to the entrance so that no one else could find it. It doesn’t get a lot of use, but it’s here if we need it.
This is a place you can never speak of,” I warned.
“I figured that. You always have surprises for me.” She grinned.
We’d made it to the bottom of the stairs.
Light was shining around a corner. Rounding the wall, we came to the open area where Shadow and Riot were holding the guy.
He was seated in a chair positioned in the middle of the open area.
His expression was a mix of defiance and fear, like he didn’t know which one to feel.
My brothers were standing on either side of him. Each had a hand on his shoulder.
When we were spotted, the guy opened his mouth, but Riot clapped a hand over it, while Shadow moved and came to us. He handed me a wallet.
“I took down his information in case we have any more trouble from him and he needs a visit.” Shadow’s voice was filled with menace. We wanted this guy to be afraid to ever mess with us or any of ours again.
“Good. So, let me see who we have here,” I growled as I flipped his wallet open. Reading his name, I handed it back to Shadow before I guided Astrid and me to stand before the guy. I nodded to Riot, so he dropped his hand. Immediately, the man began to ramble.
“Listen, you don’t have to do this. I swear, I’ll leave and you won’t see me again. I know I messed up. I’m sorry.”
“Jackson Klein, you did mess up. Do you know how?” I asked.
“I came on to your girlfriend,” he replied.
I shook my head. “No, it wasn’t that, not really.
See, I know she’s gorgeous, and other men will see and respond to it.
If I beat every man who did, I’d do nothing else.
No, the reason is that you didn’t listen to her when she said no.
Then you compounded it by putting your hands on her. That’s why you’re here.”
“I’m sorry. Please, miss, you can’t let them do this. I swear, I’ll never bother you again,” he pleaded to Astrid.
“Where’s all that confidence and bravado you had when I was trying to get you to leave me alone? Crying to me won’t change what’s about to happen,” my woman calmly informed him.
And just like magic, his demeanor changed.
He flipped and scowled at us. “You don’t know who you’re messing with.
If you lay a finger on me, you’ll bring hell down on you and your entire fucking club.
I’m not a man you want to mess with. If you let me go right now, it’s cool.
We’ll forget this little incident. If you don’t, you’ll be lucky to survive to regret it,” Klein threatened.
“Asshole, I don’t know what you’ve been drinking, snorting, or whatever, but you know who you’re speaking to, don’t you?” Riot asked.
“Yeah, you’re the Iron Punishers MC. Big deal. You’re just some little pussy motorcycle club. If you think your club can scare my friends, you need to think again,” Klein blustered, puffing out his chest as he scowled.
If this were his best attempt to intimidate, he’d better keep trying. However, before I could inform him of this, Astrid burst out laughing. She laughed for several moments before she spoke.
“Oh my God, that’s so funny and pathetic. You, a little man filled with false bravado, are trying to intimidate the Punishers. I have a question for you. How many people are in your supposed group of scary friends? The ones the Punishers should be afraid of?”
Klein glared at her. “More than what’s in that club of theirs. They have what? No more than two dozen guys. My friends double that. We’re sick of men like them riding through town as if they own the place. Let me go, now,” he ordered.
Astrid made a humming sound. I waited to see if she had more to say. She did. Astrid glanced over at me. “Babe, I need you to help me. Jackson here has almost fifty men behind him. I want to know, how many are there when you include all your friends?”
I took a moment to do a mental count in my head.
“With them added to us, and that’s their prospects as well, it’s one hundred and fortyish.
Of course, there are more people they can get if need be—other chapters of the Archangel’s Warriors and other Pagan Souls.
Wait, the same for the Horsemen of Wrath.
Hell, if they call in their other chapters, we’d have well over two hundred or more.
” At my words, Klein’s body sagged, and resignation appeared on his face.
“So, can your big, bad friends handle that? Because if they can, then I guess we have no choice but to let you go,” Riot instigated.
“And hide in our beds in fear of you and your buddies.” Shadow snickered.
“Alright, I know you’re having fun, but we’ve got work to do upstairs, and we don’t have all night to deal with this,” I reminded them jokingly. I’d take as much time as we needed.
“No worries, Mayhem. I let Hail, Gravel, and Diesel know we had business that could take a while. They’re keeping an eye on the club,” Shadow informed me.
“Great, that means you can take your time. I’d like to see what you have, but may I ask a favor?” Astrid asked sweetly.
“You can ask anything, baby,” I told her.
“I know you’re gonna let me see Mayhem at work, but if you want to take a break, let me show you a little of my skills. I mean, yes, you’ve seen me spar, but that was different.”
Before I could say anything, Klein sneered as he said, “You expect me to believe a woman can issue me a beatdown. Please, you got lucky up there. I wasn’t expecting you to punch me. You can’t beat me unless you tie me down, so I can’t fight. Then it means nothing.”
I laughed at him. “You’re an idiot. You discount her because she’s a woman. She and several women we know could put your ass in the ground. Never underestimate a lady.”
Klein rolled his eyes dismissively. I decided to put aside talking and get this show on the road. Seeing another chair, I walked her over to it. “Here you go. Front-row seat for the fun,” I told her. Astrid sank onto the seat and smiled. I had to give her a brief kiss before returning to Klein.
Facing him, I gave my brothers my instructions. “Go ahead, let him go. I’d hate for him to leave here believing he was beaten unfairly. I’ll give him a chance to defend himself.”
As Riot and Shadow lifted their hands from Klein’s shoulders, they eased back.
Klein appeared uncertain, as if he thought it was a trick.
Cautiously, he rose to his feet. When no one said or did anything, he smirked.
I watched as he twisted his neck from side to side, making it crack, and then he cracked his knuckles.
Sometimes, this could be intimidating to an enemy.
It didn’t bother me or my brothers one bit.
“How do I know your buddies won’t tag team me with you? Or jump in after I get your ass on the ground to take unfair advantage?” Klein asked.
“You have my word. Take it or leave it,” I said in a bored tone.
I noticed he disliked the idea, but it wasn’t as if he had a choice.
Klein seemed to realize it. He shrugged.
I kept my body loose and my gaze scanning his entire body.
If you watched carefully, you often would know what an opponent was about to do.
Their bodies gave away tiny, telltale signs—the tensing of a limb, the flexing of a muscle, a twitch, or a shift of their eyes, and a hundred others.
I was skilled at identifying them and utilizing them to my advantage.
I waited for him to come to me. Often, the one who made the first move ended up the loser.
As expected, Klein was anxious to get this over with.
I pretended to be watching Astrid, with my eyes shifted toward her.
The idiot didn’t consider the fact that I have excellent peripheral vision.
He charged at me with his arm raised. I waited until he was within striking distance before I switched my gaze back to him and nailed his ass with a roundhouse punch to the side of his jaw. It stopped him in his tracks.