Nomad Kind of Love Page 16

  Oh, fuck.

  I waited for all hell to break lose. Maverick the President proved he could do bone shattering violence, a stern contrast to the loving guardian I knew as Aaron.

  Any second, he'd throw a punch, or pick up Vulture and send his gross face spinning into the nearest table.

  Wouldn't he?

  I waited, and nothing happened. Maverick just brushed the ash off his cut and folded his hands, placing them on the table.

  “That's fine. What else is it you want?” he asked coldly.

  Vulture's eyes narrowed. Looked like he couldn't believe the man across from him was giving into all his troll demands. He'd already gotten everything that meant anything to an outlaw MC.

  “Money. Supplies. All your profits from the strip club, plus the insurance pay out coming to you for scorching that fucking place to the ground.” Vulture spread his hands on the table and leaned in close. “I don't give a fuck if the badge or the tax man busts your balls. They're you're problem. Getting us our fucking money is on your plate too.”

  “Whatever. We'll figure something out.” Maverick pushed his chair back.

  It was so damned silent in the clubhouse any noise was weirdly jarring. A Grizzlies goon scraped his boot on the floor.

  I held my breath.

  “Blaze, why don't you show these men outside to examine the bikes? You're gonna need a lot of help loading them up. Hope you brought a truck.”

  “Screw you, bitch. We're riding those fucking Harleys back to Missoula. Just turn over all the keys and don't waste our time. I'm not interested in letting your guys weep over their babies going bye-bye.”

  “If that's the way you want to do it...”

  The Prairie Devils cleared a path for the Grizzlies as they walked past, making their way to the rear entrance toward the garages, where Blaze gestured.

  “Hold up! Claws, get your ass over here.” The rest of the men paused when Vulture yelled. “It's too fucking easy. We've done everything but piss on your colors – and believe me, that's coming after we take your cuts and fill ourselves on beer and whiskey. You got a problem with that, Maverick?”

  “No.”

  Vulture looked pissed. Wasn't surprising he was a sore winner.

  He folded his arms and looked around, reaching for another cigarette. I sank a few more inches behind the counter when he saw me, and the fingers fiddling in his pocket stopped.

  “Hey...I got one more demand, boy.” Vulture smiled, looking right at me and then turning back to Maverick. “Anything we gave up as collateral is ours. Isn't fucking fair you should keep it. I want her back.”

  He pivoted, pointing a knobby finger at me.

  My mouth dropped. I saw Maverick jerk up taller, holding in a painful breath.

  “That wasn't part of the deal...I'm giving you all our materials, bikes, and money. Lots of money. Colors are yours, and so is everything else that's worth a dime.”

  “We don't need your fucking money!” Vulture slammed his hands flat on the table so hard it shook. “We need you out of our territory, and we need payment for the blood you spilled. You fuckers killed Scoop, and that's gotta be paid in flesh. Except I'm not in the mood for man flesh.”

  Maverick's nostrils flared. He said nothing, but I saw his fists forming at his sides, ready to strike.

  Vulture raised his hand. All the Grizzlies at the other end of the clubhouse reached into their pockets and produced guns, training them on all the outnumbered Devils, even on me.

  “Is there a fucking problem here, man? Cause if there is, I can fix it with solid lead. I'm sure you got a few brooms in a dingy closet somewhere to sweep up all your pig blood after we're done with this, and I'll fucking take everything of yours anyway, including the girl.”

  Maverick swallowed hard. He never took his eyes off Vulture, and I sensed a line had been crossed.

  Snarling, Vulture reached near his hip and pulled out a handgun. He stepped forward, until the gun was pressed on Maverick's forehead, ready to kill him in a blink.

  “What's it gonna be? Think fast, bitch. My time's very valuable.”

  “Wait!” I screamed, ignoring two more guns shifting onto me.

  I stepped out from behind the bar. Maverick and Vulture both looked at me.

  I saw horror in my love's eyes. He shook his head so grimly I could practically hear the words, No, babe! God damn it, no!

  “I'll do it. I'll give myself up. Just please – don't hurt him!”

  Vulture squinted at me. After a second, he laughed, and lowered his gun. He walked toward me, footstep by painful footstep, and then stopped when he was behind me.

  I smelled his reeking breath. His dirty fingers danced up my back, stopping at my ponytail. He seized it, pulled, and relished the sound I made when I squealed.

  Revulsion and pain shot through my system. The complete opposite of everything I felt when Maverick touched me this way.

  “Looks like we got ourselves a deal, boy!” I realized he was talking to Maverick. “Claws, make sure this pretty little thing doesn't wriggle away. Everybody else, get out there and check out those bikes. Let's get them out of here before we come back for all this other shit.”

  The Grizzlies stampeded down the hall and flung open the back door. They were like kids chasing after new toys. Two burly enforcers stayed behind to guard the small group of Devils. Maverick's men were cornered, eyes aimed at the ground, breathing fire in every shaky breath.

  If I weren't deep in the putrid scent of the man I hated most, I would've felt some serious sympathy. Maverick looked numb. One look at his contorted face made me want to breakdown in tears.

  “Where's your fucking room, bitch?” Vulture waited. No answer. “Don't make me ask again, or I'll re-think bringing this cunt to our clubhouse alive.”

  He jerked on my hair. I stopped a scream in my throat. It was hopeless, even with the knife, but I wasn't giving him any fucking satisfaction.

  “Down the hall,” Maverick whispered, barely audible.

  “Come on!” He spun me around on my heels, jerking my hair violently. “You too, Claws. Bring our gracious host too. Been a long fucking time since I had fun with this baby girl. Oh, wait – that was her twin sister!”

  His face darkened. “I just wish Scoop was here to enjoy this with me. Looks like I'll have to do the fuckin' for both of us.”

  Maverick took a quick step forward. Claws whipped out a gun and trained it on him, ordering him to follow.

  My worst nightmare was coming true, three years late.

  It should've torn what little was left of my soul away from me, but I felt a strange sort of calm. I'd never been religious. I just prayed there was some justice in the universe, and that I'd see Maverick again alive.

  Somehow. Somewhere. If only I made it through this in one piece...

  The door slammed behind us. We were in Aaron's room, next to the bed where I'd slept next to my love and enjoyed his gorgeous body so many times.

  “Don't fucking do this,” Maverick hissed.

  Vulture stared at him, and Claws never moved the gun once. A rough, unwanted hand fondled my breast. My captor found my nipple and pinched hard.

  I bit my lips shut, holding in the repulsive cry building in my body.

  “Fuck. You're quiet now, but we'll figure out what lights your fire...” He looked up at Maverick. “Be grateful I'm letting you watch, bitch. It's the last time you're gonna see her alive. Maybe if you let her beg, I'll reconsider. Beg me, boy.”

  “Hands and knees,” Claws chimed in, laughing like a cruel teenager.

  Maverick dropped to the floor. He put his hands out, a terrible sadness raging in his bloodshot eyes, desperate like a feral animal.

  “Do whatever the fuck you want to me. Just let her go. Please.”

  Vulture's grip lessened. He took his hand off my breast and fixed his black eyes on my man.

  “Hmm. Gotta say, that was pretty good, but not good enough. I changed my fucking mind!”

  He ripp
ed at my clothes, jerking me backward toward his vile erection. He forced himself against my ass, rubbing hard. One hand went to my breasts again, clawing and squeezing, and the other went straight down my pants.

  When his dirty fingers touched me there, I lost it. I screamed.

  “Shut up! Jesus, you really scream just like her, baby. If there's one thing I like fuckin', it's dumb sluts, but not when they're making my ears bleed. Took all those pills to shut up your sister's piggy squeals after we had our fun. Fuck, that's the only thing I remember about that cunt. That and how tight she was.”

  “What?” I started to shake.

  “You didn't know?” he whispered, licking at my earlobe. “I finished her myself. Scoop held her down while I stuffed pills down her whore throat. Heh, everybody had a good laugh over your mopey ass. It was real fucking fun making you think she offed herself all these years...but we've both grown up. You haven't begun to see what real fun is, darlin'. You haven't seen a fraction of what I'm gonna do to you.”

  He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down. Claws laughed behind me, and Maverick's rage came out in hot, heavy breaths I could hear through the silence.

  Vulture's belt buckle clicked as his hands worked it away.

  I was numb. Dizzy. Exhausted. This asshole had taken one horrific weight off my shoulders and replaced it with another, making rape and torture the price for truth.

  Hot, confused tears blurred my eyes. I didn't even see his filthy cock clearly when he took it out, throbbing in his hand.

  “Suck it. Don't make me suffocate your pretty ass. Your sis screamed like the fucking devil after I choked her on this dick, but I'm not taking those chances if you refuse.” He wagged his finger at my forehead. “Hop to it. Take it good and maybe I won't have to – “

  A sound like the sky rending apart swallowed the end of his sentence.

  Everybody jumped in the room, and then jumped again when hail pounded on the roof, a steady shrapnel rain far bigger than chunks of ice. Vulture and Claws looked at one another, stupefied by the explosion.

  Maverick and I locked eyes. A second later, he pounced, pushing Claws at the knees so fucking hard he slammed straight to the floor. The gun flew from his hands.

  Before Vulture could react, I grabbed his cock. I pushed it away and reached for his balls, feeling for his clammy, wrinkly skin. When I found it, I clenched down hard, digging my nails in, crushing his degenerate sac in my hand.

  Something rubbery popped and the waning hellfire on the roof was drowned out by his screams.

  I squeezed again. And then again and again and again, annihilating his most vulnerable part, even as he tried to weakly slap my hand away.

  I looked over as he fell. Maverick was on top of Claws, bashing his head into the wooden floor. The man was limp, his forehead nothing but a red mess.

  My hand went for my pocket. I ripped the knife out of its holster and held it, shaking, hovering over the broken man writhing and moaning on the floor.

  “Do it, June. You deserve this kill.” Maverick was at my side, Claws' gun in his hands. “Put this fucking mad dog down. Doesn't have to be quick and easy.”

  Fury seethed in his eyes like shooting stars. If it were up to Maverick, he would've flayed the skin off Vulture's body, or done something so awful I couldn't even imagine it.

  I had those fantasies. I imagined slowly torturing him alive, starting at his wrecked balls and working my way up...

  This bastard had tormented me and taken up good air on this earth for too long. I came up to eye level with him, looking in his pain stricken eyes. For the first time ever, they weren't nasty or domineering.

  They were frightened. I listened to his painful whimpering as he held what was left of his manhood.

  “This isn't for trying to rape me or trying to kill the man I love,” I said softly. “This is for Clara!”

  I held the big knife in my fist and brought it down, stabbing him right in his throat.

  His whole body lurched, bled, and seemed to go into a seizure. His death noises were sicker than I expected. I covered my ears and jumped away.

  “It's over, babe. We fucking did it.” Maverick picked me clean off the floor and squeezed me against his chest.

  I laughed and cried simultaneously, loving the heat of his forehead against mine. God, I thought they'd stolen it from me forever.

  Two gunshots burst out in quick succession through the wall. The faint scent of something burning hit my nose. His smile melted and he dropped me to my feet, running for the door.

  “Stay here!” He shouted behind me.

  Shit. We were so close to home free. I didn't have a clue what the hell had happened out there – a bomb? A firefight? An act of God?

  Too curious for my own good, I slowly stepped out of our room where the two men lay dead. There were voices down the hall, but I couldn't make them out until I got closer.

  “You're sure you got them all? A hundred percent? We need to fucking move, Blaze. Clock's ticking.” Maverick's voice.

  “Just finished the last two myself. Fuckers were flopping around like fish out of water. Everybody else was burned to a crisp in the explosion or killed.”

  I watched them, eyeing the gun in Blaze's hand.

  “Round up the boys and let's get the hell out of here. It's a miracle this whole fucking place hasn't caught on fire yet. The cops won't be far behind after making this much commotion.”

  I saw Shatter blow right past them, carrying a big box of whiskey away from the bar. “I'm all set! There's room in the truck for a little celebrating.”

  Blaze and Maverick looked at each other and slowly grinned. It was oddly lighthearted for the complete chaos going on all around us.

  He looked over, saw me, and waved his hand, gesturing me forward. I obeyed.

  “Outside, babe. Right now. This whole fucking place is toast. We can't be caught here when the firetrucks and squad cars roll up.”

  Taking my hand, he led me outside, with Blaze right behind us. Stepping out the front entrance and around the corner, I saw the total hell that had been unleashed.

  A mangled Harley dangled half off the roof. Broken bikes, little fires, and metal were scattered everywhere. Shit, and what was that awful smell?

  I didn't have time to think about it.

  Before I knew it, he shoved me into the truck, right next to Shatter's precious whiskey. Maverick started the engine and floored it, ripping out of the parking lot. The other vehicle, a big van brought over from the Dakota crew, had everybody loaded up too.

  It trailed a little ways behind us with Blaze at the wheel.

  My mind snapped. All the insane shit that had happened for the last hour registered, and it kicked harder than a shot of something strong and pure.

  “What the fuck was it, Aaron? What did you do to them?” I gripped his bicep, above where his hand rested on the stick shift.

  “Club business.” He looked over at me, dead serious. Then he laughed.

  I wrinkled my face and punched him. Not funny.

  “Okay, maybe just this once, it's yours too...I knew surrendering would bring them all out in droves. The Prairie Devils have never out and out surrendered to anybody. Bastard like Vulture wouldn't pass up the chance to rub our faces in the dirt. He was a greedy fuck too.”

  “Yeah.” He wasn't wrong about that in the slightest.

  “Knew he'd go after the bikes. We just had to wait and get all his boys in one place. Had half our Harleys rigged with explosives, clean to the ignition. Soon as they started one of the bomb bikes, it was all over.” His cute smile melted. “I'm just fucking thankful it happened when it did. A minute later...fuck, babe, I'm so sorry. I never, ever planned on letting him take you.”

  He reached for my hand. I gave it to him, savoring his protective warmth.

  I squeezed back. I wouldn't let him beat himself up or take the fall. I was the one who refused to leave when he'd given me chance after chance.

  I'd been stupid, stubborn. Thank G
od I hadn't truly had to pay the price.

  It hurt that it took this to make me see how much he really cared – how deep his love for really was.

  “It's okay,” I said firmly. “I'm never gonna take your warnings for granted again. Just like I promised.”

  He looked at me, beaming happy and fierce at the same time. Reminded me what a beautiful contrast he was, and I smiled.

  “You better not, babe. Told you I'd spank your pretty ass raw if you don't listen to me, old lady or no.” He reached over and gripped my thigh.

  Grinning, I pushed my hand over his. Having those big, rough hands on my flesh was always a happy feeling.

  Best of all, now we could enjoy ourselves without keeping one eye behind our backs. At last, we were free.

  He carried me into the little motel in Bozeman. Maverick had the savage look in his eyes, the need that wouldn't let him stop until it was completely sated.

  Blaze parked the van next to our truck and his guys filed out. He started to say a few words, but Maverick wouldn't hear it, pushing past his VP.

  “It'll wait. We'll touch base with Throttle and figure the rest out tomorrow. The worst is over, brother. Let's enjoy the fact we're all in one piece.”

  We went inside and checked into our room. Upstairs, he threw open the door, slammed it shut with his boot, and then pressed me to the wall.

  Maverick's lips came heavy, fast, and fierce.

  I moaned into his kisses, devouring his heat. His hands ran down my back, smoothing my sides. When they cupped my ass and squeezed, I stiffened, breaking the kiss.

  “What's wrong?”

  My heart was pounding.

  He looked at me with an intensity unlike anything I'd ever seen in his deep, dark eyes. Then he realized what was happening.

  “Don't think about that fucking rat...what he did to you. Think about me.” He kissed me again. Harder. “Don't think, babe. Just feel. I'm gonna bury myself in you so deep tonight you won't ever be able to think about sex without seeing. You'll see me, feel me, and know I'm the only thing you'll think about. Nothing else.”

  I smiled as he came in for another kiss. Persistence paid off, and I was willing to try, even though my nerves resisted.