Chapter 12 Heron
Rebel trembled as I held her hand, feeling her shiver behind my back. “I got you. Always,” I reassured her, trying not to focus on the motherfucker across from us who had done unspeakable acts to my woman.
She was fucking fierce, standing up to him and refusing to cower. Her strength and resolve in the face of her tormentor made me so fucking proud. I didn’t have to learn every detail to know he abused her in the worst way. Hammerhead would die for it, too. I wasn’t letting this go.
But right now? I had to ensure Rebel stayed safe. If that meant I hunted Hammerhead later, so be it. Outside, crows cawed in agreement. My crow, the one who had formed our bond, cried out with a bloodcurdling kraa. His anger bled through our connection. He wanted justice for Rebel and to peck out Hammerhead’s eyes so the crows could feast on his organs while he still lived. Gruesome but oddly satisfying.
Rael stood in front of Hammerhead, eyeing him like a beast ravaged with hunger. I could tell his Reaper wanted to take Hammerhead, or Paul’s, soul.
His makeup helped conceal the demonic entity living inside him, but there was no mistaking the fact that Rael was a monster. A macabre grin stretched his mouth wide, revealing his teeth. His canines seemed sharpened since the last time I saw him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d taken a metal file and done it himself. The Tonopah boys seemed to enjoy a little pain.
Fucked, but true.
However, if you fuck with anyone under their protection, you’re screwed. I enjoyed knowing Hammerhead was now on the receiving end of a Reaper’s wrath. He wouldn’t escape it.
Rael lowered his head, peering into Hammerhead’s eyes. “Rebel is with us.” He waited for a denial.
Hammerhead didn’t say anything, but I didn’t like the look in his eyes. I could feel his fury. He felt disrespected. But there was more. Something else I couldn’t pinpoint. A feeling that he meant to return and seek vengeance against Rebel if I let him walk out of this tent unharmed. I had no intention of letting that happen.
My shoulders rolled, and I cracked my neck. This asshole wouldn’t touch my woman. I’d see to that.
Rebel hugged me tighter as if she could hear my thoughts.
Crow ticked his chin at Rael. “I think we can come to an understanding.”
Rael snorted. “He’s not the negotiating kind.”
No. Everyone could see that. Right? Hammerhead would fucking slit all our throats if given the chance. I could sense his need for violence as he glared at Rael. His club? They seemed to await his command.
Hammerhead sneered at Rael.
“Give me a fucking reason,” Rael taunted.
“Stand down, Rael,” Grim ordered as he entered the tent. More of the Tonopah RBMC strode inside behind him, following their president.
Rael reluctantly backed a few steps away but still pinned Hammerhead with a hard stare.
“This bike rally has always been about peace,” Grim informed the room. “Not a place to start shit.”
Crow nodded. “Rook used to say meetin’ at table in a rally was sacred. Nobody fucks with that.”
Grim pulled out a pack of smokes, lit his Marlboro Red, and inhaled. “I don’t think Hammerhead is here to start shit with three different clubs tonight.”
The Feral Rebels MC president, Hades, joined us next, confirming the three clubs in attendance and crossing his arms over his chest. “That wouldn’t be wise.”
His V.P., Grave, stood to his right, looking equally menacing.
Every one of our allies had shown up to support us. It didn’t hurt we all came to the rally this weekend to chill, get new ink, and party. None of us would mind kicking some ass, though. Not if we had a new club tryin’ to start shit.
And none of that shit mattered when this motherfucker hurt Rebel and tried to take her from me. Fuck him.
I knew I wasn’t going to like what I heard next when Crow glanced my way before turning back to the Grave Robbers MC president.
“We got no issues, right, Hammerhead?”
He lifted his arms wide, winking at Rebel as she peeked from behind my back. “None.” Tonight. That was the unspoken word that accompanied his answer.
Hammerhead wasn’t stupid enough to engage us all at the same time. Pity. I wanted Rael to reap his soul and make that son of a bitch suffer. My back remained tense as my fingers twitched, ready to say fuck it, reach for my gun, and put a bullet in his fucking brain.
Rebel trembled again, and I had to focus on her, not the asshole that would never live long enough to harm her again. If I had to go vigilante and stalk his ass to put him down, I would. Not even Crow would stop me.
This was about protecting my mate, and not a fucking one of my brothers could protest it. They had ol’ ladies, too. None of them would allow this shit or their women to remain in danger, so I didn’t expect much of a pushback when I had my chance to go after Hammerhead. Hell, if any of them wanted to come, I’d be good with it. Out of all my brothers, I’d gotten tight with Talon, Hawk, and Cuckoo the most. Yeah, the crazy, Halloween- loving fucker pissed me off as much as I liked his spontaneous, goofy ass.
But the costumes? They were fucking badass. I’d never tell him that shit, though. His ego was too fucking big as it was.
He glanced my way like he knew I had this internal monologue and fucking stuck out his tongue, wagging it in the air at me. For fuck’s sake.
Hammerhead took a few steps backward, gave a longing glance at Rebel, then spun on his heel and left the tent. His club members followed. A tense silence replaced him as we waited for the crows to confirm they’d left the rally.
Crow’s eyes clouded over as he sent his crow and the murder to do his bidding. Only when I felt the evil of Hammerhead’s presence finally disappear did I dare to pull Rebel around in front of me, kissing her because I had to do something besides plot that motherfucker’s painful death.
She rested her head against my chest after we parted, hugging me as she continued to tremble. I held her, trying not to grind my teeth. My jaw clicked as I forced the rage in my body to quiet to a dull roar. My crow cawed along with his brethren, keeping vigilant in case Hammerhead or any of the Grave Robbers MC returned.
The rally felt ruined after this. I didn’t want to stay.
“Heron?”
I dropped my chin, staring into Rebel’s pretty eyes as she looked up at me. “Yeah, my Spark?”
“Can we go home now?”
Home. Didn’t matter where the location was as long as she went with me. Somehow, being with her had changed me. A fundamental shift in my thinking had her placed as the number one priority in my life. Rebel first. Club second.
She was my mate. I couldn’t change that if I wanted to, which I didn’t. Loving her is the first thing that’s felt right since losing my father. Well, her and patching into the Devil’s Murder MC. My heart ached a little with the reminder of what I’d lost and the earlier meeting with Cerys and Brax. I had shit to sort and make right, but taking care of my woman trumped everything else.
“Yeah, baby. Let’s go home.”
––––––––
“You need to get warm and eat something,” I murmured as I led Rebel into the kitchen at The Roost. Being late into the night, there wasn’t much in the way of prepared food other than lunch meat and leftover chili, so I opted to make her a grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Yeah, I could fucking cook. Sort of. My mother taught me the basics when I was around ten. I used to follow her around the kitchen, curious as fuck all the damn time. The crows would caw outside the window, and it would fill me with peace even if my hormones had begun raging at an early age. Probably sooner than most boys, but I didn’t have any comparison or anyone to confide in. There wasn’t another weirdo crow kid to ask.
So, I ignored the teasing at school, focused on spending time with my mother since my father worked a heavy schedule as an instructor on base, and learned to cook. I couldn’t whip up anything fancy, but I could make the best damn grilled cheese and canned soup you ever had.
“You know the secret to the best grilled cheese crust?” I asked as she took a seat on one of the stools and watched me pull ingredients from the fridge.
“Nope.”
“Mayo on the bread. None of that Kraft or Miracle Whip stuff. Real Mayo. Nothing else. Hellmann’s has good flavor, and it browns perfectly.”
“Is that so?” Her lips twitched.
“You laughing at me, Spark?”
She slapped a hand over her chest. “I wouldn’t dare.”
“Good. Because I’d slap that delicious ass and then fuck you from behind. Right here in the kitchen.”
She bit her lip, nibbling on the plump bottom cushion, and I wanted to drop everything to bite into it before sucking that soft flesh into my mouth.
“You gotta slather it on both sides in a thin layer. And then there’s the cheese.”
“Show me.”
Oh, I’d show her plenty once I finished feeding her stomach hunger. The other hunger? That would take hours, but I wasn’t opposed to starting in the kitchen and then working our way to our room. Yeah, no more of this her room and mine shit. Everything I had was hers. Didn’t mean shit to me without her. I’d give her the key, my heart, and my fucking devotion.
I opened a block of mild cheddar and fresh provolone. The club girls kept groceries stocked based on the members’ preferences, and I insisted on block cheese, Hellmann’s mayo, and a few other essentials. It was never too much hassle for good grilled cheese.
Using a cheese slicer, I shaved off thin slices of the cheddar and provolone while the pan heated. I melted a pad of butter and then dropped a few slices of bread down on the side where I had spread the mayo. Layers of cheese were next, followed by the rest of the bread, with mayo side up.
Rebel watched me pour tomato soup into a small pot. Her eyes widened when I added milk instead of water and began to stir. I left the heat on medium as I checked the grilled cheese, flipping once it had the perfect browned crust.
“Why the milk?” she finally asked, eagerly watching as I continued to cook.
“Well, Babe, it’s creamier. I think most people prefer it that way. Some, like Cuckoo, like it acidic with water. He’s nuts, so I’m not surprised.”
She giggled.
Once the meal was ready, I ladled soup into two bowls and placed them on the island. The grilled cheese finished, and I plated them, slicing at an angle and watching with satisfaction as the cheese began to ooze. Steam rose off the bread and soup as I sat beside her. “Dig in, Babe. No need to wait for me.”
Rebel flashed a grin and picked up one half of her sandwich. “Oh, my god,” she moaned around the first bite, cheese stretching from the bread to her mouth. “How did you do this?” She chewed, swallowed, and took another bite, moaning louder. “It’s divine.”
“I just explained how to make it, beautiful.”
She laughed. “Yeah, I guess you did.”
The yummy noises continued and I swear to fuck each one tickled my cock, encouraging the fucker to keep swelling larger until I squirmed on the seat, ready to bend her over and fuck her right here without delay.
We managed to finish our meal before I pounced on her, and Rebel rinsed the dishes, placing everything in the sink to wash later. She stifled a yawn as I strode forward, scooped her up, and headed toward our room.
“Do you think I can get a raincheck on our conversation?”
Yeah, I didn’t feel like digging into her past right now, either. I wanted to hold her, keep her safe, and deal with the monsters from her past once she felt rested.
“You got it, my Spark.”