Down & Dirty (16 page)

She thought for a second, “Okay, but keep the conversations light. If he starts stressing out I’m going to step in. Legally he’s still my son.”

I understood her defensiveness now. I get what it means to protect the one you made, and love. “Okay, we do this together. I don’t want to make this any weirder than it already is. I’ll make sure Charlie understands.”

She hugged me and said in my ear, “I lost my husband but gained a friend. Thank you for not making this thing with Mitch a living hell.”

I hugged her back, “Thank you for taking care of our son all these years.” I cried again feeling like a piece of me had come home. The last puzzle piece was in place now. No more secrets, no more lies. Just one hell of a battle ahead. I have to save Charlie from the being punished, or put in an electric chair, for ridding the world of a very evil man.

15
 

I
went to Slider that evening for a private meeting. He called me into ‘church’, which is their private meeting room. Only member of the council are allowed in here.

He sat at the head of the table and motioned for me to sit. “What’s up Red?”

I took a steadying breath. “Put me in the fight ring. I don’t have time for the all-days at the bar and my son. I can’t help him or his father trapped behind that bar.”

“You want to fight?” He asked intrigued.

“Yeah. Even if I lose it’ll be worth it. I just need to get this over with so I can focus.”

“You realize I’m going to put you up against a prospect right? A male prospect.”

“No, but that’s okay. Let him knock me out, I’ll live.”

“So you won’t put up a fight?”

“No, I mean, Yes, I will. I’ll fight, defend myself as best I can. If I go down it’s not going to be without a fight. I just need this over with so I can concentrate on my kid’s needs.”

He nodded, “Alright, I’ll put you in the ring. I’m not going to hold back, you’re getting the big guy.”

I felt my body tense, “They fall hardest. Can you keep Joe away? Is there any way we can stop him from knowing about this? Fake a car accident or some shit?”

He smiled, “Nope. Your husband is about to find out what I’ve known for years. There’s a fighter in you Red. A woman that deserves a cut if you survive this. I’m not stepping in. You want a fight, you take the fight on like nobody is going to save your ass. Be the kind of woman Joe deserves, and the kind of woman this club needs. You have twenty-four hours.” He smacked his gavel down. “It’s decided, get out.” He nodded to the door.

I stood pausing to face him. “Thank you, I need this. How are you going to hold Joe off?”

He smiled standing with me, “Don’t you worry about that. You should go home, the bar will be handled by prospects tonight. You’re going to need your rest. Remember, if you survive this, you’re not only forgiven, but you become a full blown member. I can have your last year declared your prospect year with a unanimous vote.”

“It’s only been like eight months total.” I argued not sure how this works.

“Since you put up with the guys so well at the bar I’ll fudge it. I doubt they’ll have a problem with that. I need to get you voted in before Joe gets on my council. He’d never allow this.” He smiled wickedly.

“What if they don’t vote me in and I manage to survive?”

“They’ll respect you too much not to, and Joe isn’t on the Council, so his opinion doesn’t matter.” He opened the door, “Go spend the day in bed with your old man. It’ll be a good warm up for tomorrow.” He teased pushing me by my lower back towards Joe. “Don’t tell him about this.”

“Ya think?” I laughed.

That night I focused on being with Joe. He’s just busy enough in bed that I thought I’d gotten away with it.

Then he busted me, “What did you and Slider talk about?”

I can’t lie to him or he’s going to hate me, been there, done that. Let’s see if I can ‘skirt’ the details. “I just wanted to talk to him about Mitch, let him know that if things got messy I might need his forgiveness for a court date or something.”

He’s still on top and studying my eyes, “You are the worst liar I’ve ever met.”

“Let it go. Slider and I worked it out.”

“What are you hiding?”

“More than I want to. I’m sorry, but it has to be this way.”

“What way?”

“Just let it go, it’ll be fine.”

“You made another stupid decision without me didn’t you?” He rolled off onto his back. “What do I have to do to stop you from doing things without my approval?”

Slider wasn’t kidding when he said he wasn’t going to show me mercy. Joe had been wrangled and tied to a beam in the garage. They asked him if he wanted to watch. He looked at me with more hurt and anger than I’ve seen so far.

“No. If she dies I never want to see her again.” He said with so much anger it broke my heart. They turned him away.

I faced my opponent and resigned myself to death. Fuck it. Maybe then people will stop hurting me. Just one more massive pain and all this shit ends. I’ll miss Joe.

He started the dance of prey versus hunted so I moved with him. Let’s see if I can think of this guy as just another drunken biker in the bar. He’s big. Shit.

He reached for me but I jumped, “If I kill you I get my colors tonight.”

“If you don’t, I’ll be wearing them in your place.” I taunted deciding balls are best big not small.

“No bitch is going to win a cut over me.” He warned reaching for me again.

I heard Joe growling and put him out of my head. “Awe, really?? You had to pull the bitch card? What are you going to do when this bitch’s old man decides to kill you for killing me?” I’m still dancing to get away.

“He just said he never wants to see you again if you lose. Besides, this is a legal fight. He has no right to come after me for this.”

“Well then, let’s stop talking and get this over with. I still have dinner to fix.” I braced myself as he’d finally worked me into a corner.

He started for my throat so I drove my head into his chest and kneed him as hard as I could in the groin. I threw my head up to use my skull to crash into his jaw. I quickly pushed off him and kicked the side of his knee. He went down screaming.

His knee is broken and his nuts hurt, but that didn’t stop him. He came after me on one leg and renewed anger. “Bitch.”

I spun a little on my left foot and planted the heel of my right boot into his nose. He dropped instantly. Fastest way to kill a person, shove their nose throughout their brain. I wonder if it hurts.

The guys rushed in to check for vitals and carry him off. I sat on the padded floor looking at the blood in front of me. “Shit.”

Slider hopped up through the ropes and pulled me up. “I knew it.” He wrapped a leather vest around me and helped me down. “You did good Red. I never would have patched that fucker in anyway. Any man that agrees to a fight with a woman is not welcome in my club.”

“What if he’d killed me?”

“I knew you’d never let that happen. You love your husband too much.”

“He’s going to kill me.”

Slider walked me over to where the guys were untying Joe. “Nope, he’s likely going to break my jaw.”

Joe pulled free and went to do just that. I jumped in the way. “NO!!! This is on me.” I kind of jumped him wrapping around him.

He tried to peel me off but I bit his shoulder. “Goddammit Carly!!” He yelled grabbing my hair and setting those really pissed off eyes at me. He sobered. “You’re okay?”

“Of course I’m okay. Do you really think I’d go down that easy?”

He found the leather on my shoulders and grabbed it, “What the fuck is this?”

“Slider’s idea, not mine. I just wanted to do the fight and get past this punishment so I can focus on you and my son. He’s the one who wanted to put the jacket on me.”

“Cut.” He corrected putting me down and looking at Slider, “What’s the point of making her a member if she’s my old lady?”

“She’s more than an old lady to this club. When you made her your wife and heir to the controlling shares of the property this club sits on, I had to make sure the owner was a member.”

“I did that for my future son.” Joe complained before he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder, “You’re going to pay for this for a very long time.”

I squealed and smiled knowing I wanted his punishment. Needed it.

Back at the house he tossed me on the bed and crawled over me, “I have half a mind to lock you up in here, put a leash on you, anything to keep you from scaring the shit out of me like that.” He hovered and I knew my punishment was on hold until he’d said his peace. “They fucking had to tie me up Carly. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?”

“Yeah, I do. I’m sorry, but there was no way to keep it from you, so I guess that was Slider’s solution.”

“I’ll deal with him later. You my love, are about to get a whole new set of rules.”

“Uh oh.”

“Yeah, ‘uh oh.’ You might be a member now, but you’re my wife first. Don’t you EVER do anything so stupid again.” He’s almost yelling. I can take it. I knew he’d be mad.

“I didn’t

“I’m not done.” He interrupted. “Get me on the visitors list, you don’t see Charlie without me. In fact, you don’t do a fucking thing without me. Every time I turn my back you do something stupid. I love you, but you’re going to give me a coronary.”

I took a deep breath and let it out.

“First thing tomorrow you start learning to shoot. As a member you’ll be required to do shit for the club. I can’t believe he made you a member.” He rolled onto his back. “How am I supposed to protect you when he’s put you right in the line of fire?”

“Am I allowed to talk yet?”

“No…yes. What?” He’s still mad.

“Never mind.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Do you think Slider really knew I could hold my own in that ring? Because I wasn’t so sure.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“Originally I hoped he’d give me somebody who would knock me around enough to call it good. So I could say I took my beating in place of the three months behind the bar. He turned it around on me, said he wouldn’t let me off that easy. Then he said he’d give me a jacket if I survived.”

“It’s a cut Carly, get it right. If you’re going to be a member you need to act like one.” He is
so
mad at me.

“Sorry.” I rolled over and set my chin on his chest. “You’re mad at me for being a member now aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“Doesn’t matter.” He looked at me and twisted my hair in his fingers. “You’re going to have to teach me a lot. I don’t know anything about being a member.”

He rolled me under him, “I’m going to teach you something alright.” That’s when clothes started coming off. We spent a long time in bed after that. Something had been broken between us over the last few days. Having this time together put it back together.

16
 

J
oe was on me like glue after that. He’s driving me nuts. I can’t get three feet from this guy without him pulling me into his lap or under his arm.

He took care of the legal stuff with Charlie and only talked to me about it briefly. Mitch is going on ‘dates’ with me. Sometimes there’s a bunch of us, but usually it’s just me, Joe, Mitch, and Maria. I like it better when there’s a bunch of us. Mitch seems eager to please both of us, and especially Joe.

He sees Joe’s jacket as a reminder of the only man he’s known as his father. Joe doesn’t seem to mind. I started to wonder if he wanted a stepson with the way he was acting.

We dropped Mitch and Maria off at an apartment Joe had put them in a couple weeks ago. Maria was getting a good settlement for the loss of her husband, but she wasn’t sure what to do. Joe told her to take a year and think about it. I hugged him for a long time that night. He didn’t have to do that, but he did. He bought us all time. Time to know each other, time to heal, and time to see what was going to happen to Charlie.

Joe and I go see Charlie about once a week with updates and pictures of Mitch. Mitch comes in about once a month, not because he won’t come more often, but we all agreed once a month was enough at his age.

It’s been a couple months and I’m starting to develop a nice routine again. Maria is looking at houses and trusting Mitch alone with me and Joe. I’m never alone anymore. Joe is so far up my ass my eyes are turning the same color as his. I’m lucky he let’s me go to the bathroom alone.

We stopped at the club to pick up his bike, maybe go for a little ride before heading home.

Salina came out quickly heading for me. “Have you talked to Stacy?!!” She yelled along the way.

“No. Why?”

“I can’t find her. Ginger said she got a weird call an hour ago. She couldn’t make it out.” She out of breath.

“Has anyone been to her place?”

“Yeah, nothing.”

I pulled my phone out and dialed Stacy’s number. No answer. “I’ll get all the girls here, and call all the hospitals and the cops. Can you ask Slider if I can borrow a couple guys to go hit her usual haunts?”

“It’s already done, he said we could use the prospects and three members.”

Slider came towards us next. “We know where she is. Joe, get ready, Carly you stay here since you can’t shoot yet. Keep the club on lockdown. Don’t let anyone in here no matter what. Understood?”

“Yes. Where is she?”

“It’s a rival’s old lady. She found Stacy fucking her old man and wants to kill her. The only reason Stacy’s alive is because she claims he paid her. They searched her for cash but didn’t find any. Stacy says the old lady took the money before they got there.”

“I want to go.”

Joe pulled his bullet-proof vest on. “No.”

Slider looked at him. “Not your call when she’s under my command.”

Joe nodded unhappily giving me the evil eye.

“Can I get a vest?”

“Go get Salina’s, it’s hanging on the hook.” Slider told me.

I ran off to get it and right back into Joe and Slider arguing.

Slider pointed to the Mercedes, “She drives the car until she can ride. End of argument.” Slider turned and left.

Joe turned his temper on me. “Keep you mouth shut unless told otherwise.”

I stuck my tongue out at him and got in the car. He smacked my trunk when he passed me to catch up with the guys. I drove behind the bikes.

It took us almost an hour to get across town to the rival chapter’s club house. They’re considered a rival because they don’t carry the ‘MC’ patch and therefore don’t play by the same rules.

I ran up to make sure I was close to Joe. For the first time he didn’t put his arm around me.

We stood together as Goat spoke to their President, “Where is she?”

The other guy nodded to another guy. A couple seconds later they brought out a very badly beaten Stacy.

I ran to her and sat her in a chair. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, it just hurts. What the hell is going on?”

Goat answered for me when he addressed the President, “Why’d you beat up one of our girls?”

“That was the old lady, she caught your whore with her old man and got pissed.” He explained with a tone off annoyance. Men don’t like it when the old ladies stir up drama.

I looked at Stacy, “What are you doing way over here in the first place?”

“He’s a kinky bastard, it’s good money. He never told me he was married, not that it matters.” She flinched at the pain in her side.

“Where’s this old man who pretends he’s not cheating on his wife with one of my girls?” I asked getting pissed.

A nice looking young man with a shaved head stepped forward, “That’s me. Snickers.”

“You owe me for this. Next time you risk one of my girls I’ll rip your fucking throat out.”

“What do you want? I didn’t mean for this to happen.” He stammered getting the evil eye from his President and me.

“You can find her a bike. It’s about time some of us learned to ride.” I looked at Joe who rolled his eyes but nodded.

I waved a couple prospects over, “Help her to my car.” I looked back at the other President. “Those girls are under my protection. If I ever see something even remotely close to what I saw tonight, this gets personal, and you and I will have a huge problem.”

He looked at Joe. “She needs a muzzle.”

“She has my support, along with Slider’s. Get a handle on your members or they’ll become somebody else’s members. Are we clear?”

He looked at Slider who nodded. Joe didn’t even have to look at Slider to know he would have his full support. That was pretty cool. Unyielding faith in your brother.

“Crystal. Goodnight gentlemen.” He turned to his men and began barking orders for them to have a meeting.

I looked up at my dark knight, “Thank you baby.”

“By claiming those girls outright like that you also put them under Slider’s protection. He doesn’t have any problem with that, but you need to stop and think things through before you open your mouth babe.” He walked me to my car with Slider and Salina flanking us, Salina is on my right.

“Sorry Slider.”

“It’s all good. I kind of like having a female guard dog. Be careful Joe, she might be meaner than you.”

He put his arm around my shoulders, “She’s definitely meaner than me.”

“I am not. Somebody call Doc, I can’t find my phone.” I patted my pockets.

Joe handed me his phone. “Why didn’t you go after the old lady for beating Stacy up?”

“She’ll get it from her old man because he was humiliated, and is probably getting torn apart as we speak. Besides, she’s his responsibility, it’s problem not mine.”

“How do you figure that?” He’s curious as he gets ready to ride like the rest of the guys.

“If someone came after me you’d make them go through you first, right?” I asked going around to the driver’s side of my car.

“Absolutely.” He swung his leg over his bike and looked at me, “You coming?”

I smiled realizing he’d just played me. “You really needed me to ask if you’d protect me?”

“No, I needed you to know that I will always protect you. Come on woman, I need to get those clothes off you.” He started his engine and waited while I pulled out in front of him.

I looked at Stacy, “Poor baby. You stay away from them from now on, you hear me?”

She nodded, “Don’t worry.”

“If you need more money we’ll work something out. Don’t put yourself at risk again like that.” I took her hand in mine.