The Last Betrayal (7 page)

“Yeah, maybe, but that prospect...Whatever his name is, was in the wrong. He deserves the shit that he has coming his way,” I tell them. These douchebags are like gossiping old hags.

“Champ!” Cobra shouts from the area where the Prez’s office is. “Can you come with us?”

“Sure,” I reply, downing my drink and leaving the empty bottle on a table.

I make my way over to him and Prez and ask them, “What’s up?”

“It’s show time, brother, and I want you down there with me,” Cobra says, a smile breaking out on his face.

If there is one thing, besides Alexis, that makes Cobra happy is blood and gore. He’s our club hit man. He relishes the adrenaline it causes him.

I chuckle and follow them down to the basement where the prospect is hopefully tied down waiting for his punishment.

“Well, well, well, look what we have here,” Prez says, walking circles around the prospect who is tied to the chair. I can see the blood dripping down his hands from where he was struggling against the coarse rope.

I hear the growl that emanates from Cobra beside me. I turn a stern glare at him to calm him the fuck down.

“Think you can betray me and get away with it, son? I took you in when you had no one, and this is how you thank me?” Prez shouts. Spitting in his face, he continues his intimidation act of circling the worn down chair. “You’re a sorry excuse of a person. A piece of shit in my book. I won’t have someone here who can’t abide by the rules. I’ll leave you in the capable hands of the VP. Say your prayers now, you slimy bastard!”

Prez takes one last menacing look at the betrayer before leaving the room, patting Cobra on the shoulder as he passes.

“Time to play, brother,” I whisper in Cobra’s ear. A deadly smile is plastered on his face, his eyes darken. Danger written across his whole body. I stand back, away from him, arms crossed over my chest and a smirk on my face. This is going to be fucking fun.

“I’m glad I caught you red-handed, little boy. I get to have all the fun in making you pay.” Cobra stalks toward the prospect with slow strides, muscles flexing. “Shall we play a little game?”

“No, please. I’m so sorry,” the prospect begs. Hell, this kid doesn’t know Cobra very well. Begging just makes him happier, more dangerous.

“Too late to say you’re sorry, Luke. You knew the rules when you came here. You knew the consequences. You have no excuses.” Cobra’s voice gets louder the more he speaks, and I see Luke, now I know his name, wince.

I watch as Cobra heads to the table in the corner of the dark basement, his goodies already laid out waiting for him to use.

“Which toy shall I play with today, Luke?” Cobra taunts. “The machete? No, too lame. Hmm...Knuckle dusters? Nah, too boring. Oh, I have an idea.” Cobra picks up the drill and plugs it into a socket in the wall.

I swallow hard, knowing exactly what he’s going to do. He’s done this before to a traitor.

“Do you know what’s going to happen?” Cobra asks, pressing the button and whirring the drill to life. “This may hurt a little.” He presses the tip of the drill to one of the prospects biceps.

The prospect has tears falling down his face like the little pussy that he is. Well, he should have thought about what was going to happen before stealing from the club.

Cobra brings the drill to life against Luke’s arm, pushing. Blood starts flying out and Luke screams bloody murder into the mostly soundproof room.

“Stop! Make it stop!” he shouts out, snot and tears mixing on his face.

The drill becomes quiet, and Cobra moves to the prospect’s other side, repeating his previous action.

The screaming becomes deafening, and I grimace as blood splatters over Cobra. Gross. I move back so I’m flush against the wall.

“Does that hurt?” Cobra whispers menacingly in Luke’s ear. “Was that painful enough for you?”

He doesn’t wait for an answer; he goes back to his table of weapons and holds up a double-edged knife. When he turns, I see the smile on his face, and I can practically see the clogs turning in his head.

“Ready for more fun, little boy?” he asks. Teasing the tip of the knife down one of Luke’s cheek and trails it slowly to his throat. He works the knife down one of Luke’s arms, making the prospect shiver and tremble, knowing what’s going to happen next. Cobra takes his time, teasing him.

Suddenly, Cobra plunges the knife into one of Luke’s legs, twisting the blade for maximum pain. The screams that fill the air is ear-splitting. Blood spurts up, landing all around them both.

“Fuuuuck!” the prospect shouts. “Please! Someone help!”

“No one can hear you, fuckface, so shut up,” I yell from across the room.

“Your screams make my fun better,” Cobra states.

For the next ten minutes or so, Cobra makes small incisions in painful areas. I notice Luke looking a bit pale, ready to pass out from the excruciating pain he’s experiencing.

“Okay, I’ve had my fun,” Cobra decrees, wiping the blood from the knife onto his black shirt. “Time to end this shit.”

And the finale is finally here. Cobra grabs his gun from its holster on his belt, aiming between the eyes of Luke. “Bye bye, motherfucker. See you in hell!”

Even though I knew it was coming, the sound of the gunshot jolted me.

And it’s over. Luke’s body slumps over in the chair, blood pooling at his feet. Cobra is covered in blood, his arms, and his face; everywhere you look on him there is the crimson color of Luke’s insides.

“Was that fun, brother?” I ask Cobra, smirking at him.

“Fuck, yeah. Damn, I fucking needed that!” he exclaims joyfully. “Need a fucking shower now, without Alexis seeing me first. She doesn’t need to be subjected to this kind of shit.”

“I hear ya, bro. I’ll distract the girls while you go shower.” I climb the dust covered, stone steps of the basement into air that doesn’t smell like death and suffering.

Making my way over to the girls, I notice all the guys’ eyes on me, but I ignore them.

“Hey, girls. Everything okay?” I ask them, taking a seat next to Lauren.

“Yeah, we’re good. Where did you go?” They both stare at me with questioning eyes.

“Prez needed us for a something. Can’t tell you though, club business.” I shrug a shoulder, leaning back in my chair in a relaxed pose. I don’t want the girls to be scared or know what just happened.

“Where’s Cobra?” Alexis questions, looking around the room for her man.

“With the Prez still, I think,” I reply nonchalantly.

I see Alexis’ brows furrow, a worried look crossing her features. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. Jesus, woman, relax,” I look at her, shaking my head. She’s such a damn worrywart.

I eye Champ up and down, checking for any sign of what they were doing, but he looks just like he did when he left the room just shy of two hours ago.

“If you have something to say, Lauren, just fucking say it already.” Champ sighs, running a hand over the back of his neck. I’ve noticed him do that a few times, shows he’s frustrated or annoyed.

“I have nothing to say, I was just making sure you were okay,” I huff. I don’t know what’s crawled up his ass and died, but he isn’t taking his shit out on me. No fucking way.

He just shrugs and carries on picking at a beer coaster on the table. Screw this. I get up from my chair and move across the room, and outside into the fresh air. Taking in a lung full of air, I breathe it out on a languid moan and I turn to my right and make my way to the swinging bench seat. Dropping onto the soft cushions, I slowly swinging myself.

I don’t get pissy often, but I am not condoning being spoken to or treated like shit. There was no need for the way Champ was speaking to me.

“You okay, sweety?” Alexis joins me. I didn’t hear her come out, but then again I was lost in my anger.

“Yeah, I guess.” I shrug a shoulder at her, staring at my swinging feet.

“You know you can talk to me whenever you like, right?” she says, resting her hand on my forearm.

“I know, babes. I know. Maybe later.” I grace her with a tender smile, just to reassure her that I’ll be okay.

Comfortable silence falls between us as we sit there swinging lightly, listening to the birds chirping as they fly above us under the scattering of clouds, the sun shining brightly giving them an ethereal backdrop.

“How are you now? I mean, since your mother passed,” I inquire quietly. I know it’s a sore subject, but I just want to make sure she’s okay.

“I’m good. Cobra’s helped with that. Kept me sane when I felt I was going to have a breakdown. I miss her every damn day, but I know there is nothing I can do to bring her back,” she says with a smile on her face.

I know she’s remembering the good times, which is a positive. The few weeks following the death of her mom, she was a wreck. Wouldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep and never left the house. I hardly saw her. She wouldn’t let me into her apartment and instead, I sat outside her front door, soothing her that way. She’s in a much better place now and has even moved in with Cobra. At least now I know she isn’t alone in her grief. She has someone to lean on and who will support her through thick and thin.

“He’s so good to you. You’re a lucky woman,” I tell her, a wistful smile on my face. Maybe one day me and Champ will be like them two. For now, it feels he’s just messing with my head. One minute he’s all lovey dovey, and the next he’s a complete ass. I shake my head, ridding myself of the green-eyed monster.

“Are you and Champ not okay?” she asks, a brow turned down in a worried expression.

“One minute we are and the next we’re not. I don’t know where I stand with him most of the time.” Tears pool in the corners of my eyes, and my stomach knots with the thought of ever losing him. But one thing I won’t do is let him push me around and treat me like dirt.

“Oh, sweety,” she says, giving me a sympathetic look and pulling me into her from a comforting embrace. “You’ll both be okay. I’m sure of it.”

“I hope you’re right, Alexis. I can’t be without him again.” I sniffle.

“Shall we get out of here? Do some retail therapy? We can both do with a bit of that, it’s been awhile,” Alexis suggests, pulling out of the hug and looking into my eyes.

“Sure, sounds like a plan. Let’s go.”

We venture back inside and waltz passed the guys and straight into the room me and Champ have been sharing.

I change into a pair of jeans and shirt that I left here a few months ago, grab my purse and proceed to the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair. “Ready!” I announce, walking back into the room to Alexis sitting on the bed checking her cell.

“Good! Let’s go. I have to say bye to Cobra quick, I don’t want him worrying,” she says, lifting her head from the phone screen.

“No worries.”

We walk back to the main room, straight to Cobra who’s propped himself up against the bar talking to Chip.

“We’re heading to the mall, catch you later, hot stuff.” She leans up and places a quick kiss on his mouth before linking her arm with mine.

I don’t bother with Champ. After the way he spoke to me, he doesn’t deserve a goodbye.

Walking out of the clubhouse, toward Alexis’ car, we jump in and drive away. I could do with some new clothes now I think about it, maybe get my hair done. Show that bastard what he has a chance of losing if he doesn’t get his shit together.