Chapter 20
I forgot about Cherisse the moment she was returned to her cell. All my focus shifted to Baker. I wanted to make him scream in pain. Deep down, I knew that he’d help bury himself once he began to confess. All we had to do was remove the cork, so to speak.
There was no delay in bringing Baker out of his cell.
His eyes spat fire, and he struggled with Tinker and Crusher, who were bringing him.
It was futile, but he was attempting to assert himself in the only way he had available.
They brought him to the chair that Cherisse had occupied.
One cuff was removed from his wrist long enough to thread it around the side of the chair, then reapplied.
If he tried to get up, it would be awkward to drag a chair behind him.
It was a subtle reminder to remain seated, and it was at our discretion whether he was allowed to stand.
Once he was situated, they moved back and joined the rest of my brothers, who were in a circle around us.
Astrid was off to my left, next to Reaper.
She wore a determined expression. As I scanned Baker, he alternated between glaring at me and then at Astrid.
The others he gave a contemptuous look, as if he found them beneath him. He was in for a rude awakening.
My brothers and I agreed ahead of time that they would be here to witness and enjoy the show unless I asked them to get involved.
They knew it was unlikely I’d tap out, but if I wanted to, the option was there.
At the moment, the one I figured I’d have to share some part of Baker’s lesson with was my woman.
She was staring holes through Baker. As long as I was here to intervene if he got too dangerous toward her, I was good with sharing with her.
Walking up to him, I made sure to stay clear of his legs. They had been intentionally left unrestrained. I approached him from the side. Before doing what I came to do, I spoke to him.
“I’m taking out this gag. If you get too nasty, it’ll go back in.
I have questions to ask you, and you’re gonna answer them, one way or another.
There’s been a huge misunderstanding, which, if you’d approached my old lady nicely, she would’ve cleared up.
However, you kidnapped her. That’s why you’re here.
And I can assure you, no one will hear your screams or come to your rescue.
Give me a reason not to send you to your maker,” I stated.
I saw no need to dance around it. Bold worked for me.
Not waiting a second longer, I untied the rag behind his head, then grasped the one hanging from his mouth and yanked it free.
I had no doubt his mouth and throat were bone dry.
Typically, I wouldn’t offer a captive water, but if he weren’t able to speak, I’d give him enough to wet them enough to talk.
“You’re dead.” His words came out barely at a whisper and were hard to understand.
“I need water,” I called out.
It was Remus who got a bottle of it from the small fridge we kept in here.
Those on guard duty, or at moments like this, appreciated that it was here and stocked.
Remus brought it to me with the cap loosened.
Giving him a chin lift as a thank you, I held it to Baker’s mouth.
He eagerly gulped it, but I only allowed him enough to wet everything inside before pulling it back. His mouth attempted to follow it.
“If you cooperate with me, you can have more in a bit. Let me properly introduce myself. I’m Mayhem.
I’m this club’s enforcer. It’s my job to be the security for my club.
That means I ensure the members and their families, the compound, and businesses associated with us are safe.
Resolving conflicts, or in your case, threats, is my job.
“You would’ve never been brought to my attention if you’d been smart and approached Astrid reasonably.
However, you didn’t. Instead, you had someone trick her into thinking she was rescuing a friend so you could kidnap her.
That was enough to put you on my list, but you had to target my reason for breathing, my old lady.
Astrid is my wife, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect her and to avenge her. ”
I said it calmly. He remained silent until I stopped talking. Then he launched into his bullshit.
“I don’t give a shit who you are, fucker.
And I don’t care that you’re hooked up with that whore.
Anyone defending the likes of her is an idiot.
I’m here to tell you, she’s not the woman you think she is.
Or maybe she is, and you bikers like treasonous sluts willing to sell themselves to save their necks.
She doesn’t care who she has to betray to save herself.
She’s a disgrace to the uniform she used to wear and to the human race,” Baker snarled.
“Really? Wow, she sure stirred you up. Why don’t you tell me what she did that was treasonous? What warranted her to be kidnapped?” I asked.
“You know,” he sneered.
“I know what she told me. Apparently, you found out something vastly different. I served in the Army. I believe in honoring the uniform and the oath I took.” I kept my tone nonconfrontational as if I was willing to consider whatever he had to say was true.
To add to the effect, I cast a frown in Astrid’s direction.
I had to give her credit. She caught on immediately.
“Honey, don’t listen to him. He has no clue what he’s talking about. I’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. This guy is crazy.” Astrid put a slight whine in her voice.
“Then there’s no reason we shouldn’t let him speak. If you’ve done nothing wrong, then you won’t mind him explaining what he means,” I replied.
Her expression of disbelief was tinged with worry before she wiped her face free of any expression.
“I’m not afraid of what he’ll say. I don’t think we should waste time on his lies,” she replied.
I stared at her for several seconds, then faced Baker again. I caught the flash of hope before he switched to a grim smile.
“I want to hear a story. Tell me how this ended up with us in this situation, Baker?” I prompted. Could it be this easy? Just pretend to believe him and ask?
“The one you’re claiming as an old lady is a traitor and a slut.
She found a way to hide that fact and avoid being court-martialed.
She’s been running around free while five exceptional pilots are dead.
I blame some of it on the Navy. They allowed a woman to be in charge of a squadron when there were better-qualified pilots who should’ve been in charge.
And it was all due to her sleeping her way through the ranks. ”
As he paused to sneer at Astrid, I asked, “Who told you she slept her way into her rank?”
“My brother did. Rodney was stuck in the same command with her. He told me how she was repeatedly promoted while more qualified males were passed over. It’s an example of that affirmative action bullshit.
Because she’s got a vagina, she’s given special treatment.
There were several male pilots with better evals, PT times, and testing scores than hers, yet she was advanced over them.
I heard about it for two years,” he barked.
“Go on,” I said. I paced, as if agitated by what he was saying. His confidence grew.
“Hey, can I have another drink of that water? And my arms are killing me. How about removing these cuffs? It’s not like I can go anywhere,” Baker pointed out.
Wanting to gain his trust or at least his cooperation, I told Crusher, “Remove his cuffs and give him another drink.”
My brother jumped to it. I allowed Baker a couple of minutes to drink and become relaxed.
“Mayhem, honey, you can’t be buying this,” Astrid pleaded.
“I defended you. I want to be sure it was warranted. Go on, Baker, tell me more.”
I went to the wall and snagged another folding chair. I sat it directly across from him, leaving ten feet between us.
“I spoke to him the day before his last mission. He couldn’t say where they were, but he said they had a big mission coming up, and he was afraid they’d put her in charge.
She was moving through the upper command.
He said they were favoring her, and the only reason was that she had to be sleeping with them.
The next thing I knew, my family was told that Rodney had died on a training mission.
No one would say how or where. His body was shipped back to the States.
I knew the training part was a lie. I asked to know the details.
I was stonewalled. The more I pushed, the more they closed ranks and pushed me away.
“I went from person to person and got the same story for months. When I asked if there were any survivors, they refused to say. I knew, in my gut, that bitch had fucked up and cost my brother his life.”
“If you knew Astrid’s name, why not find her and ask her what happened?” I asked.
“I didn’t know her name. Rodney only referred to her as that Splittail Whore.
I went over to that horrible country after I found out where the mission occurred.
I spent weeks in the godforsaken heat, trying to discover anyone who knew about the mission.
I ran into more roadblocks there. It was as if the entire fucking Navy and even the locals were conspiring to protect something, or someone. ”
“If that’s the case, I get asking around to discover what happened to your brother. I would’ve done the same thing and not stopped until I had answers. How did you discover the truth? Did someone on the base confess?” I asked.
“Not someone on the base. I was about to give up and fly home when I received a call. It was from an officer who was part of the mission. I’d spoken to him a few times, and he always lied, saying he couldn’t reveal that information because it was part of classified operations.