A Very Nefarious Christmas (2 page)

* * *

Willie pushed her hip into Black Dog, startling him. “Hey, what are you thinking about so deeply that you didn’t see me?”

Black Dog turned his head. “Wondering how we’re going to get Christmas trees and food. Now that I have you and Melora, I think more like a father, ya know? A family man, but I ain’t changing from being a biker. I feel bad for the families doing without. Even if we get the damn trees, what are people going to put on them? Who knows if they’ve got lights and all that crap.” Black Dog’s lips were pulled downward.

Willie stood on her tippy toes and whispered in his ear, “Use the prospects to steal lights off the rich bastards’ trees and yard decorations. All the children need are lights. That’s what they love. It’s that magical moment when the tree is all lit up that matters the most. Your boys always like to steal things, so put their talents to doing good deeds for a change.” Then, she added, “Don’t tell anyone I said that.”

Mad Dog chuckled.

“You know,” Willie went on, her tone changing, “I’m so upset that the church won’t work with us. Yet they want to raffle off that painting I gave them for their own gain. I’m of a mind to go and take it back, but I think this isn’t Father Paul’s fault. His hands are tied with the new bishop. It’s because they look down on all bikers, Black Dog. I try not to take it personally but, damn, it doesn’t make me want to ever help them again. I don’t even know if I want to take Melora to Sunday school there when she is old enough. Dee and I have a donation box for coats in our shop and a few of the town ladies brought in some, but they aren’t new. Another lady gave money too, but it’s just a drop in the bucket.” She slid down his body making sure she rubbed against his crotch.

“Willie, did you just tell me to break the law?” Black Dog teased her.

“I believe I did, and I don’t feel bad about it either. I’ve got to rescue Jack; he’s been lugging our daughter all around. It’s chilly in here. Can’t you turn up the heat?” She shivered, and Black Dog noticed her nipples were hard under her green sweater.

“We’re low on heating oil until Monday’s delivery, so we’ve been burning wood. I have to leave the heat on tonight so the pipes don’t freeze, Babe. Your nipples seem to like the cold. Later tonight, do ya wanna get lucky?” He winked at her as she stuck her tongue out at him. “Rules Willie, remember the rules.” Black Dog was a firm believer in living by his code of rules and made sure Willie always remembered them. It was now mostly a game they played between themselves.

“You and those damn rules. When don’t I get lucky? I think next year I’ll make the rules for you and we’ll see how much you like rules, Dog!” She made a quick getaway as he grabbed for her, the sound of her laughter making him smile. She wiggled her ass and tossed her long brown curls as she got away.

Willie had a point about stealing Christmas lights. It would be funny for the selfish rich bastards to wake up and find their lights all gone. He even knew some of them. It would be good to send the prospects out one night and do a huge light-stealing spree. He didn’t feel badly about stealing the lights either. This year had been hard on the poor people, and the rich, only a few of whom bothered to give, were wrapped up nice and cozy in their beach houses not caring that others were cold and doing without. In Nefarious MC, everyone helped each other. It was the code they lived by. Brothers helping brothers, although most of the ol’ ladies were the ones that did the most of the sharing.

He drained his Irish Coffee and wanted another one. Sometimes, he wondered how Hammer and Darko handled all the club issues with such ease. He walked behind the bar and filled his mug, leaving plenty of room for whiskey to be added. Standing there looking over the bikers gathered with some of their families, he knew the club would be fine. Christmas was for children, and somehow he’d figure out a way that every needy child in the area would get a gift. The elderly also tugged at his heart. People always forgot the older people who were alone. He planned to help them too.

* * *

Thorn and Tears came into the clubhouse singing Jingle Bells off key and laughing at each other. Black Dog was glad Thorn was a part of Nefarious and the two couples had become close friends. Once Mad Jack’s house had been built, Thorn helped him work on theirs. They turned the garage apartment into a really nice house. He was forced to give up some of his garage space, but the end result made their house more functional, and it sure paid off to see Willie smile. Making Willie happy was one of the things Black Dog lived for. The things she had done and given up for him still amazed the hell out of him. Women like his Willie were rare, and she didn’t know he planned to ask her to marry him on Christmas Eve.

1976 was going to be a better year for all of them. Black Dog was sure of it.

Thorn approached Black Dog with a grin on his face. “Sorry I’m late boss. I had boats to secure, then Nico and his ol’ lady CeCe dropped by the Lodge. He asked to rent a cabin because Tramp wants him local. There are a few cabins I haven’t winterized yet, so I rented one out to them. It isn’t going to be a problem. I got one of Bound for Hell living out at my place, I hope.”

“Nah. You gotta make money when you can, brother. I doubt Darko will have an issue with it either. CeCe’s that English chick with the big boobs, right?” Black Dog questioned Thorn with an amused look on his face.

“Yup. Tears loves her accent and is thrilled to have the company of another chick out in the woods. You gonna start this get-together soon? Roads were hell coming in.”

“Yeah. Guess I’ve gotta because nobody’s able to drink until we decide how we’re making Christmas.” Black Dog downed his coffee in one big swallow.

Swiper banged his huge fist on the bar and roared for silence. Everyone quieted down except for the few children playing in the back of the room. The head sergeant of arms was loud, but he got the attention of everyone.

Black Dog was a good-looking man with long black hair and green eyes but he was every bit of a mean motherfucker if you messed with his club and family. He stood leaning his hard body against the bar, his large arms crossed over his massive chest.

“We’ve got some families in the surrounding communities needing help for Christmas. Mad Jack will help any brother in need so we don’t have to worry about our families—within reason, of course. Nobody takes advantage of his generosity either. Christmas is about the children for me, but I wanna point out that the elderly are often forgotten. So, if you know of an elderly person or a couple, invite them to dinner. Maybe they won’t come, but you can take a plate over to them. Some of you don’t speak to your families and your kids don’t see their grandparents, so adopt a lonely neighbor. It will be a good experience for your children.” Black Dog eyed each person in the room, making sure the importance of his words carried. “I want to see this club sharing what we’ve got with the less fortunate. I know that some of you have ideas to get food, coats, and all that other shit. The two main things we need are Christmas trees and turkeys. I have an idea for lights we’ll talk about at a later time. I know some of you want to share ideas, so come up here if you have any. Floor’s open.”

Black Dog moved aside as Willie, Dee and Tears came forward. Rumble, a fairly new member, moved forward too. The women let him speak first.

Rumble was on the shy side. He shifted a lot and took his time to choose his words. He cleared his throat twice, then began to speak. “My uncle has a Christmas tree farm. He got sick, so the trees have been left neglected, just growing for a few years. I’m sure my aunt would allow us to cut the trees. She needs to clean up the place badly. If we helped her, she’d help us. I worked on that farm each July and August trimming the trees—that’s when you
really
want to make them look good. These trees at my uncle’s place are going to need a lot of pruning and trimming to make them look like the kinda Christmas trees you all expect to see. I think we could get them looking good, and if we take the younger trees—the ones ten years old or so—we’d have an easier time of it. You want to make them look sorta like a pointed cone. Try to cut them evenly. I’m going to need lots of help.” He stroked his Fu Manchu mustache nervously as he looked at the crowd in front of him. “I guess that’s it. There are lots of trees. If y’all wanna help, I’ll call my aunt.”

Black Dog gave a big sigh of relief. “That’s great news, Rumble. Call your aunt as soon as you can and we’ll get started on that. This snow is going to be a giant pain in our asses, though.”

Rumble looked at Black Dog seriously. “Nothing comes free, brother. My uncle has plows and tractors. Gotta shake the snow off the trees. We’re going to have to haul them up from the back too, as I doubt my aunt wants the front trees cut down. It isn’t going to be easy, and I won’t deal with anyone high or drunk, not with the tools we’ll be using. I can show the bros who want to help what I know. Even a tree that’s a little uneven beats having
no
tree, right?”

“True enough. Rumble, form a crew. Swiper and you will be in charge. No drinking, no drugs, and everyone is respectful to Rumble’s aunt and uncle. Got me? Swiper, you got this?”

The large man grinned at the thought of running a crew made up of some of his club brothers. “I got this, Dog. I know just the men to pick, too. Everyone who learned barbering in prison, get in the back. You’ll do fine on the trees.” He watched as a group of bikers moved toward the back of the room. “When you can, get me a list of how many trees we’ll need, brother.” He moved to talk to his crew of tree trimmers.

Black Dog nodded to Willie. “Babe, I need your ideas. We already know about the coat collections and the boxes for canned food. Got anything new?”

Willie’s eyes lit up. “Yes, we do. Tears and Thorn have said we can use the Lodge and make a fairy wonderland and a winter festival. I need a Santa Claus, though. I’m hoping Jelly Belly will step up on this. He is great with children, and he has the stomach for it. We’d charge admission per car and a small fee for a picture with Santa, of course … or maybe a donation of a bag of groceries. We want to make it fun for the children. Some of the girls I used to teach said they’d dress as old-fashioned Carolers and sing as they walked around. Tears can explain her ideas.” She moved back to let Tearney come forward.

“Thorn said there are Christmas lights in the attic from when Hunter used to do the Winter Festival. There is a Santa suit and cut-out plywood reindeer. I can get a few ponies from Joy and Elena for pony rides. The grill can be used for hot dogs and hamburgers, and we can charge for them. I think most of the ol’ ladies would bake cookies and some can make pies and we can do a bake sale. We can serve coffee and hot cocoa. I’ll need help getting everything put together, and we need to do it as soon as the snow stops. Thorn will plow out the road to the Lodge and he’ll need help getting the snow out of the pavilion. More help will be needed to work the grills. It could be a really fun time, and I know in the barn there is a sleigh. Maybe Elena and Joy have a driving horse we can borrow to give sleigh rides. If not, we’ll stick Santa in it. We can also have a kissing booth. The ‘other ladies’ can manage that, and we’ll make some money.” Her voice was breathless as she finished and she looked so cute standing there looking at everyone with her bright smile.

Black Dog looked over at Jelly Belly who was shaking his head no, violently back and forth. His ol’ lady got in his ear and, whatever she whispered, it shut him up and he finally nodded yes. Maggie, his ol’ lady, stood up to speak. She was a heavyset lady who usually didn’t say much. “Jelly will do it, and I can sew, so get me the Santa outfit right away in case I need to make alterations. I was thinking, I’ve got old red velvet curtains that could be made into a Mrs. Claus dress. Could I be Mrs. Claus? I could keep my eye on Jelly that way.” She looked down at her ol’ man with a smirk.

Black Dog was trying hard not to laugh as he looked at a miserable Jelly Belly who was getting pinched by Maggie.

“Fine idea Maggie. Jelly, you
will
be jolly, right? We don’t want you being grumpy Claus.”

“Got it, boss. But no kid better pee on me. All I gotta do is hear what the kiddies want and ask them if they’ve been naughty or nice?” Jelly wasn’t fully convinced yet.

Maggie poked him again harder. “I’ll be teaching you what to say and do. I’ve got this, Black Dog.” There was a look of steel in her blue eyes and Black Dog could see the couple playing their parts well. Maggie would make sure Jelly Belly was the perfect Santa.

Dee moved forward to speak. “I’ll be in charge of all donations and the monies we collect. A group of us will find out sizes and clothing needs, then we’ll shop after we get the total amount we brought in from the Winter Festival. I think we’ll need to have security so nobody unwanted comes around. We want to make this a nice experience for all, so language and manners please! Maybe a few of you could dress as elves?” Her lips twitched as she looked around at the bikers.