Chapter 22
*~* Fury *~*
Typical of Ghost to do something like hiding Jamie and Mateo and then refuse to divulge where they are.
I’m not happy about not knowing where she is, but I also understand that if the killer is doing this to get at me, then she is safer somewhere that I have no connection with or knowledge of.
It doesn’t make it any easier knowing he is right, though.
I could try beating it out of him, but I get the feeling that even if I could beat him, which I’m not sure of as he’s extremely handy when it comes to taking an opponent down offensively or in self-defense, he would never talk.
It’s quiet in the clubhouse this morning. Everyone seems to have been up, had breakfast, and are out early today. Maybe that’s just my impression, but it is quiet. At least I’ll get a coffee in peace.
Walking through the rec room, I hear a voice. I can’t make out the words, but the tone is definitely threatening. I stop and listen for a moment then step carefully to the kitchen door.
“You know, I know you do. You’re going to tell me where she is, or I’m going to make you sorry, you little fuck.” That is Bandit’s voice.
“I’ve already told you, I don’t know where Jamie is. Even if I knew, I still wouldn’t tell you. You’ve only come to me because you’re not man enough to face Ghost.” That’s Thorn’s voice, followed by the sound of a fist hitting soft flesh.
Walking quickly into the kitchen, I see Thorn doubled over and gasping. Bandit is drawing back for another punch when I grab his wrist and jerk him off balance. As he turns, I see the rage in his eyes, and I don’t think he’s at all rational.
Without a second's hesitation, I hit him in the stomach, and as he doubles over, his face meets my knee. He recovers quickly, but I don’t give him the chance to mount a counterattack.
As soon as his chin rises, I hit it with all I can muster.
Remembering how he went down the last time I got a punch there, I watch as his eyes roll back and his lights go out.
“Pres! Cannon! Kitchen, guys.” I step over to Thorn who looks a bit green around the gills but is getting his breath back, slowly. “You okay, Thorn?”
“I’m good. Thanks, Fury. I thought he was going to take me to the shed for a minute there. What is it with him and Jamie? I thought she was your woman, not that asshole’s.”
Pres, Cannon and Breaker all rush into the room and after a quick glance at Bandit, unconscious on the floor, the questions start to fly.
“Whoa there. You need to give Thorn a moment and let him tell you what’s gone down here. I only walked in halfway through.”
Pres looks at Thorn, sees the pain still in his eyes, and then looks at Bandit on the floor. “Drag that sorry son of a bitch to his room and lock him in. I’ll deal with him later. Thorn, my office. Fury, you too.”
Sitting in the office, Pres waits for Thorn to tell us what happened. I’m certain I already know, and by the look on Pres’ face, he does too. Thorn starts his narrative, and it is exactly what I thought.
“I was in the kitchen throwing some stuff into the dishwasher that the brothers had left after breakfast. Suddenly someone grabbed me from behind, and I felt a punch to my kidney. I was spun around and Bandit started muttering about Jamie, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying.
He hit me in the stomach and then started asking where Ghost had taken her.
I told him I didn’t know and that I’d probably be the last person Ghost would trust with that information.
He wouldn’t believe me and hit me again.
That’s when Fury came in and stopped him dead.
Thanks again, Fury. I thought he was going to beat it out of me.
He could have spent all day trying, but I couldn’t tell him what I didn’t know. ”
“Pres, I think Bandit’s lost his grip on reality. He didn’t look normal when I spun him around. His eyes were glazed and looked like he was on something.” I hope I’m wrong, but at the same time I’d rather he was high than actually lost his grip on reality.
“I’ll find out what the fuck’s got into him before the day's out. I’m not having a brother go rogue like this. Are you okay now, Thorn?” Pres asks, and there is genuine concern in the question.
“Yes, thanks, Pres. I don’t know what I’m going to tell Ghost, though. He’s not going to be happy, that’s for sure,” Thorn says, shaking his head.
“That’s the understatement of the year. I wouldn’t want to be in Bandit's shoes when Ghost finds out. Given Ghost’s expertise, I don’t know how we’re going to keep him from exacting his revenge, either.”
“Let me worry about that, Fury. In fact, you’d better let me be the one to tell him what’s happened. I don’t think I can soften the blow, but I might be able to persuade him to let me deal with it.” Pres doesn’t look like he’s convincing himself with that statement, never mind Thorn and me.
Ghost didn’t take it at all well, apparently. He came to see me after Pres had told him what had occurred and thanked me. I told him it was all good, and I would have done it for anyone.
“You didn’t do it for just anyone, Fury. You did it for my son, and I thank you for that. I won’t forget.”
“Consider it payback for what you are doing for Jamie right now, Ghost. I don’t like not being in the loop, but I understand it.” I give him a chin lift and get one in return. “How are they doing? We are all so worried about Jamie, no one seems to think to ask about Mateo.”
“He’s doing good. I think they both like where they are, to be honest.” Ghost gives me a grin.
“Well, wherever it is, I hope Jamie doesn’t get too attached. I’d like her back you know, when this is all over.” Not knowing where she is, I can’t even say I’d join her, though of course, I would.
“She won’t be staying there, have no fear of that. It’s a novelty at the moment, but I can see it wearing off after a few days.” I wish I knew more, but I don’t press the issue.
“You make it all sound very intriguing, I’ll say that. Maybe I should get myself into a position where you have to put me there.”
“Nah. You can look after yourself, I’m sure.” Ghost nods and then leaves. I’m surprised that he hasn’t stormed Bandit’s room, so Pres must have said something convincing him to let Pres deal with him.
Pres spent some time with Bandit in his room. He hasn’t divulged anything he found out yet, but he didn’t look happy when he left there. He’s called Church for tonight, so there must be something coming.
Needing a coffee, and realizing I never had one earlier, I head for the kitchen again. Entering the kitchen, I see Anya bent over, emptying the dishwasher.
“Hi there, Anya. You look busy.” She looks at me over her shoulder without standing.
“My, my, haven’t we changed, Fury? A few weeks ago, you would’ve appreciated me more being in this position than just complimenting me being busy. I would have at least got my ass slapped.” She raises her eyebrows, and I blush. I can feel the heat in my cheeks, and that makes me blush even harder.
“Don’t worry, Fury. I’m just yanking your chain. I never understood what you saw in Floss though when you could have had me, Julia or Pattie.”
“You missed Mella from that.” I wonder why she didn’t say Mella, but I know that Mella is okay, just not my type.
“I don’t ever see you as a Mella kinda guy. Too much plastic for you. Now, Pattie and you I could have seen working, in a different scenario, obviously. She would have made a good match for you.”
“You matchmake for all the guys, or just me?” I ask as I remember I’m here for coffee and grab a cup.
“Only for the guys I like and who treat me right.”
Now that comment surprises me. So much so that I have to press further.
“What do you mean, Anya? Are some of the guys too rough or disrespectful?”
“No, there’s no one in the club that hurts us.
I don’t think any of us would tolerate that.
It’s just the way some of them are after the fact, if you get what I mean.
I know we’re here to satisfy one thing, and we all know and understand that.
It’s just that a couple of the guys are ‘less caring of our feelings,’ shall we say?
Most treat us as women, but there’s a couple that see us as cum dumpsters.
I know we are, but that can be a little hard to swallow on occasion. Pardon the pun there.”
She makes light of it, but I can see that it’s a bit of a barb under her skin. I think I may just throw something out to the brothers after we’ve dealt with everything else at Church.
Pattie walks in and I look at her differently after being matched with her. She could be Jamie’s sister, in fact. She’s not her double and certainly not as all-round attractive, but I could imagine her as a sister.
“Hi, Fury. Have I grown another head or something? You don’t normally look at me for so long. I rarely get a second glance.” Pattie tilts her head to one side and gives me a smile.
“No, not at all. I didn’t realize I was staring. Anya has just put something into a different perspective for me, that's all. Actually, you look good.” I blush again, and both Anya and Pattie have a giggle at my expense.
“So, what has Anya had to say that has you appreciating my assets more?” Pattie asks.
Before I have to get into that, which I would like to avoid, my cell rings and I excuse myself, not without a sigh of relief. Checking who’s calling as I retreat, yes retreat, to the rec room, I see it’s Shawn.
“You better have something for me, Shawn, and not just a damn weather report.”
“Are you sitting down, Fury?”
“I don’t need to sit down. Just tell me what you have.”
“You’d be better sitting down for this, but here goes nothing. It’s your father.”
“What? What are you talking about? My father's dead. He was a serious alcoholic.”
“Well, I don’t know who told you that, but he is most definitely alive, and he’s out for revenge.” Shawn wouldn’t be wrong about something like this, but I’m having great difficulty processing this news.
“Just let me sit down for a minute. How is my father still alive?” I can’t get my mind around this at all.
“People are usually alive because they haven’t died, Fury.
He just disappeared off the face of the earth for a few years after your mother died.
There’s no trace of him for a long time, and then suddenly he reappeared a few months back.
” Shawn takes a breath here and then continues, “He came back and started looking into you. He didn’t just look for your location, he was looking into everything about you.
He threw a lot of cash around, too. He was like a dog with a bone. ”
“Why the hell would he be interested in me after all these years? I’ve never given him a second thought.
We have no ties since Mom died. He carried on drinking and I walked away rather than kill him and do time.
He abused my mother for years, and she was finally going to get the proof she needed to get away from him.
She didn’t want to just walk away. She wanted him to answer for the abuse.
” This is absurd, totally and completely absurd.
What the hell does he expect to gain from all this? I hope Shawn has more to give.
“Well, I tracked him to a place in the mountains. It’s a bit of a doomsday cult.
All forted up ready for the zombie apocalypse or a foreign invasion.
You know, the kind of thing that hates the government and takes it to the next level.
I’m all for being prepared, my grandpa has a place in the mountains, too.
My pa didn’t buy into it, but I’ve helped grandpa through many a summer with his projects, and God forbid anything drastic should happen, but I’ll be heading there with my go-bag and my old pickup loaded with supplies real quick if it does.
Anyway, your father came down from the mountains a different guy.
He has money, skills and apparently a determination to do you no good.
He blames you for his wife dying, his life going to shit, and that those guys up there saved his bacon and put him on this path of retribution. ”
“He beat my mother for years, treated her like a punching bag, and he thinks I’m the one who killed her?
I’m supposed to have taken her away? The man is obviously mentally deluded or something.
I bet he couldn’t come to terms with himself and projected all his failings onto me. Christ almighty. What a mess.”
“Don’t just write him off as some raving loony, Fury.
This guy has learned a lot from the guys on the mountain.
They are no slouches when it comes to weapons of all types or hand to hand combat.
There are some very capable people up there, and you should treat this threat with respect.
He is serious about getting to you after he has hurt you, as he perceives he was hurt.
Your lady is in serious danger. You should get her as far away from you as possible.
Maybe then he’ll turn his attention to you, and you can go after him as a mission.
Do not look at him as your father. Do this as a mission from our service days, and you stand a chance of getting to him first.”
“I thought those days were behind us, Shawn. I don’t want to drag up those skills again.”
“I’m sorry, Fury, but you don’t have a lot of choice. He wants to hurt you and then kill you. You could do with some type of bait to get him out of hiding, but I don’t know what you could use, other than your woman. Got anyone who could act as a stunt double?”
“As a matter of fact, I think you just gave me a plan to draw him out. Gotta go, Shawn. Let me know if you get anything else I can use.”
Hanging up, I head for Pres’ office.