Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
JASPER
Zero and Rooster hadn’t even been gone two minutes before the assholes showed up.
I knew in the first minute of them approaching us that they weren’t part of Zero’s crew.
They wore vests, which I knew weren't allowed right now, and these guys didn’t look anything like the guys I’d met.
One was fat, his belly so big, his vest had to separate around it, and his bald head was shiny in a way that made me think he was greasy, not shining it on purpose.
The other guy was his opposite, stick thin with hollow eyes and missing teeth when he grinned at us.
I moved automatically in front of Flash and Xander, since I was taller than the both of them and used to fighting.
If it came down to it, I wanted one of them to have a chance to go get Zero and Rooster.
“Hey, kids. Havin’ fun?” the skinny one drawled.
“Fuck off,” I shot back, straightening my spine when the guy’s smile fell and he glared at me.
“That’s no way to talk to your elders,” the guy chastised.
“Why are you here?” Xander asked, chin lifted in defiance. His voice was cold, not a hint of anxiety there. Like he’d faced down people like this before and knew how to handle himself. It made me want to ask questions, but I knew I couldn’t right now. It had to wait.
The skinny one looked him over, narrowing his eyes. “Are you Wraith’s kid? You look just like ‘im.”
Xander didn’t reply, offering no information to the two assholes who were edging closer to us.
I felt Flash’s hand fist in my shirt a lot like Isla’s did when she was fussy.
It made my fists clench, my instincts telling me to fight and fight hard so they could get away.
I held back because I heard Zero’s voice in my head.
He told me how dangerous this crew was. And he told me the cops wouldn’t hesitate to point fingers at me and have me arrested just for being related to him and the crew. I had to keep it together.
Skinny’s eyes flicked to me again. “You’re Zero’s boy, aren’t you? I’ve seen you around.”
The longer we went without answering him, the more irritated the guy seemed to get. His lip twitched like he was fighting a scowl.
“We’ve been watchin’ you,” he began, only to be cut off by Xander.
“Creep.”
Both guys whipped around to glower at him, but Xander didn't even flinch. It was shocking. He wasn’t a big kid, a few inches shorter than me, but he projected this energy like he wasn’t worried in the slightest about the guys talking to us.
“Fuck you, you little shit,” the fat guy growled.
“Rachet, shut up,” Skinny cut him off. He turned his attention back onto us, giving Xander a dirty look.
“You’re a real tough guy aren’t ya?” His creepy gaze slid to me.
“I heard tell you were a fighter. Putting bullies in their place at school. You sure you wanna associate with pussies like the Dirty Devils? They’re only gonna hold you back. ”
I didn't know where he was going with his little speech and I didn’t care. Where the hell was Zero?
“You come with us, we can get you what you want.”
My brows snapped together tightly. “What do you know about what I want?”
He lifted a shoulder, a smirk pulling at his lips. “I was a lot like you once. People tried to mess with me, and adults were always bitchin’ about me puttin’ ‘em in their place. Finally got out at sixteen. You’re fightin’ for your freedom, kid. We can give you that.”
He was wrong. I wasn’t fighting for my freedom. I didn’t fight just to push people around. I was… angry. Afraid I’d lose what I had left of my family, afraid Zero would drop us just like the rest of the family did. He proved me wrong. I didn’t need to fight anymore.
Lifting my gaze to lock with the asshole, I glared at him. “Not interested. Fuck off before we call security about two perverts trying to get kids to go with them.”
That made the fat guy’s face turn purple, he was so pissed. The skinny one looked more calculating though. He stared at me long enough to make me uncomfortable. Finally, he shrugged.
“Suit yourself, kid. Guess I just figured you’d want some backup protecting that sister of yours.
You really think Zero can protect you both when he’s not even man enough to carry a weapon?
” He shook his head mockingly, ticking his tongue against his teeth.
“You never know what could happen, especially while you’re not around to watch out for her.
Where is she, by the way? Why isn’t she with you? ”
Ice filled my veins, followed by white hot rage. “Stay the hell away from my sister!”
A slow grin spread across his face. “I ain’t interested in babies, kid.
I’m just sayin’. Us Hellfire Riders are at war with the Dirty Devils.
If you don’t want your sister caught in the middle, you need to decide which side you’re on.
The one that has the firepower to protect you, or the one too chicken to settle this like men. ”
ZERO
The two assholes from the Hellfire Riders walked away just as we joined them. I moved automatically, putting myself between the kids and the assholes, but I only got a sneer from one of them before they gave us their backs and walked away.
Spinning around, I took in Jasper’s appearance. He looked pissed, but there was also fear in his eyes. Fear and determination. Something those assholes said freaked him out. “What happened?”
Jasper didn’t answer. His breathing was heavy and he almost seemed to tremble, his eyes distant as he stared in the direction the Hellfire Riders went.
“Jasper?”
“They were trying to get us to go with them,” Flash answered from his hiding spot behind Jasper and Xander. “Or… more specifically Jasper. They knew a lot about him. Kept trying to convince him to go with them.”
A stone landed hard in my gut, making me want to hurl. They were targeting Jasper? Why? What the hell did they want with him?
“Z. Get the kids home.”
Rooster’s tone was sharp and when I glanced over my shoulder, he looked like he was vibrating out of his skin.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
His eyes flicked to mine and he jerked his chin toward the direction the Hellfire Riders went. “I’m gonna follow them, see if I can figure out where they’ve been hiding. Prez has been talking to Hernandez. If we can give them their location–”
“Fuck that,” I argued, shaking my head. “You aren’t going anywhere near them alone.”
“We’ve been on the defensive since they showed up,” he shot back. “They’re threatening the kids now. We can’t just let it slide.”
I shook my head again, but I didn’t have another argument. He was right. We were on the back foot since Battle and his guys showed up in town, and unless we wanted to be on hiatus forever, we needed a damn plan.
Running my fingers roughly through my hair, I glanced at the kids.
Flash looked shaken, and Xander’s face was pale.
And Jasper… fuck, he looked wrecked. Like whatever those assholes said to him shook him to his core.
He needed to get out of here. I could see it in the way his eyes darted around.
He was looking for an exit strategy. I couldn’t ask him to wait while we called in the crew, and I couldn’t bring him with me to follow Rooster.
“Fuck!” I shouted, just trying to release the pent up energy. I couldn’t think of another plan.
Squeezing my shoulder, Rooster leveled me with a look. “Get them home. I promise, I won’t go near them. I’ll just hang back and see where they head. Once we have an idea of where they’re hiding, I can get that information back to Wraith and he can go all Matrix on their asses.”
Nodding stiffly, I relented. “Fine. Go. But I want to hear how it went. And if you think they’re onto you, head back. It’s not worth the risk and I don’t want you facing them alone.”
“Deal,” he agreed quickly. Maybe too quickly. I should’ve questioned him more. Maybe then shit wouldn’t have turned out like it did.
Ushering the kids outside, they crammed into my car, heads on a swivel like the three of them were all worried the Hellfire Riders were just waiting to run them down.
I honestly worried about the same thing.
I didn’t trust those guys. If they were fucked up enough to approach kids, there was no telling how far they’d go to get what they wanted.
It took a minute for me to drop off Flash and Xander, and I was feeling antsy by the time we pulled into the driveway.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one because Jasper launched himself out of the car and raced for the front door before I even put the car into park.
I jumped out after him, catching his arm before he could rip open the door.
He tried to yank free, and I could see the panic in his eyes, but I couldn’t let him run in there like that.
If the girls were okay, and they probably were because Simone responded with a thumbs up when I texted her I was dropping off the boys then coming home, he would freak them out for nothing.
“You need to calm down first,” I whispered in his ear. “Think of Isla. You’ll scare her busting in. They’re alright, take a deep breath.”
“You don’t know that!” he shouted. “They asked where she was! They know you’re taking care of her! Why the hell did you take us in if you knew it wasn’t safe!”
My heart shattered at his accusation and I released him automatically. Before I could think of a reply, the door opened and Simone looked out at us with a frown, Isla on her hip wearing a little robe over her clothes and half her hair done like they’d been in the middle of styling it.
“What’s going on?” she asked, concern laced in her tone.
Letting out a choked sob, Jasper snatched his sister away from her, almost shoving past her to get inside. He ran up the stairs and I heard the lock click on his door a second later. Simone looked at me, wide eyed.
“What happened?”
A shaky breath escaped me and I shook my head. “It’s a long story. I’ll explain inside. How was Isla?”
Simone moved out of the way when I came in, closing the door behind me. Her expression said she knew something was very wrong, but she wasn’t going to push. It was like she could read me, and knew I needed a minute to settle first.
“Things were fine. She ate her lunch, had a bath, and we watched some learning cartoons while I trimmed her nails and did her hair routine. I was just styling it when you got back. I thought you’d be gone a lot longer than this.”
I did too. And it felt like it’d been longer than the hour and change we’d been there. First because we were having fun, and then because of the appearance of the Hellfire Riders. I was so stressed, it felt like hours had passed and it just happened at the same time.
Soft hands cupped my cheeks and when I gave Simone my full attention, she tipped her head. “What happened? Are you two okay?”
Nodding lightly so I didn’t dislodge her grasp, I touched her wrists and leaned into the touch. “Yeah, we’re good. While we were there—”
Before I could finish that sentence, my phone rang. Thinking it was Rooster, I grimaced and pulled away to take the call. That uneasy feeling still hadn’t gone away, and I was worried about him.
Except, it wasn’t Rooster’s name on the caller ID. It was Prez’s.
“Yeah, Prez?”
“Zero. Were you with Rooster this afternoon?”
Frowning, I replied, “Yeah. He was with me and the boys until like thirty minutes ago. Why?”
My first thought was that someone had done a stupid prank or something and he was looking for the most likely culprit. I was more than happy to be Rooster’s alibi if that was the case. He didn’t do anything wrong. But before I could ask, Prez cut me off.
“He’s on his way to the hospital. Get to the clubhouse. Now. We’re having an emergency meeting.”