Renegade
I hadn’t slept for shit last night. Darby had eventually dozed off, curled against me. The thought of Boomer snatching more girls left a sour feeling in my stomach. Even worse, I worried that he’d come looking for Darby and Fawn. No matter what it took, I couldn’t let him get his hands on them again.
Everyone had gathered for Church, except Cinder. Our Pres seemed to be running a bit late, and I had no doubt that his son was the cause. Tanner was a fussy baby and had a tendency to keep his mom and dad awake all night. Even though Cinder grumbled now and then about a lack of sleep, everyone could see he doted on his son, and his wife.
He stumbled in about ten minutes late and looked like he hadn’t slept for weeks. Collapsing onto his chair, he leaned back and shut his eyes a moment.
“Better get this shit started before I go to sleep right the fuck here,” he muttered. “Christ. If that boy doesn’t start sleeping at night, I may lose my fucking mind.”
Everyone wisely kept their amusement to themselves.
Cinder sat up and looked around the table. “A few of you are aware that Renegade found a woman and kid outside the liquor store. The woman was in a dumpster, passed out and beaten to hell. Dr. Chansy patched her up and the kid seems okay minus the fact she doesn’t talk.”
“Consider that a blessing,” Shadow muttered.
I knew there was a story there, but I didn’t have time to dig it out of him. Far as I knew, Shadow didn’t have kids, so what the hell would he know about it? It seemed he was hiding something, and I wanted to know what it was. In due time. Right now, my concern was for Darby and Fawn.
“I’m claiming Darby and Fawn,” I said. “I’ll need a property cut for Darby, and I want something to give Fawn so she won’t feel left out.”
Scratch snickered and I fought the urge to flip him off. But I liked having my head attached to my shoulders and not kicked around like a soccer ball. Anyone who thought the silver in the VP’s hair meant he was slow would realize their mistake quick enough, assuming they lived long enough.
“Tell us about Boomer,” Cinder said. “Has she mentioned anything else?”
I relayed everything I’d learned, including her fear that he was back in this area in an attempt to snatch more girls. Made sense if that was why he’d dumped her. Maybe she’d gotten too old or become too much trouble. If he’d taken her when she was fifteen, it was possible that Boomer was a pedophile who enjoyed underage teens. Or maybe he was just an asshole who liked to rape women regardless of their age. A teen girl was less likely to cause as much trouble as a fully grown one, unless she’d been trained to protect herself.
“Find anything, Shade?” Cinder asked.
“There are no signs around town or by the high school about a party, however, I did discover that someone sent out word for a party through social media, targeting the freshman and sophomore girls,” Shade said.
I didn’t want to know how he’d discovered that. Something told me that he hadn’t necessarily hacked someone’s phone, which meant he had a contact at the high school. I sure the fuck hoped it was a teacher and not one of the students. I knew Shade well enough that I could say with absolute certainty he’d never cross a line with an underage girl, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t chat one up and get just friendly enough that she’d feed him information.
“The party is being held tonight at a warehouse just outside town. I have the time and address,” Shade said. “No way we can sneak in there with our bikes, though. We’d have to blend and I’m not sure most of us could pull that off.”
“There isn’t a damn patched member of this club who could pass for a high school kid. Not even Renegade even though his ass gets carded everywhere we go,” Scratch said.
“Which is why I’m going to suggest we use Bane and Dixon,” Shade said. “Bane is ex-Navy and Dixon might be older, but he can pass for a high school kid.”
“Why would they let boys in there if they sent out the invitation to girls?” Cinder asked.
“Because they’re going to have some girls with them, or rather women who can pass for fifteen or sixteen if the lighting is right,” Shade said.
“And which women are we sending into the viper pit?” Scratch asked. “Because none of our old ladies are going near that place. I doubt Renegade will let you send Nikki either.”
“I was actually hoping that Nikki might want to help,” Shade said.
“No fucking way are you getting my little sister involved in this,” I said.
Shade shrugged. “Fine. Then I’ll find someone else. Karley said she’d help.”
Ashes shot up out of his seat. “What the fuck? Are you shitting me right now? You think I want my baby cousin going in there?”
Shade threw up his hands. “If we don’t send some women in there, we’ll never get through the doors. The second they see a bunch of bikers coming down the road, they’ll scatter and we’ll lose them.”
“Fuck.” Ashes sat back down. “You already talked to Karley and explained exactly what she’s walking into?”
Shade nodded.
“Fine. If she wants to help, I won’t stand in the way. But you better make sure Bane and Dixon know that I’ll have their asses if she’s taken or hurt in any way. She can hold her own, but not against a bunch of bikers who seem to follow no one’s code but their own.” Ashes ran a hand through his hair. “Where are you finding another girl?”
“I actually have two others lined up. One just graduated from the local high school. She’s had extensive martial arts training,” Shade said.
“Wait. Are you talking about LiLi Strong?” Charming asked.
“Yes. She’s won several state and national championships.” Shade leaned back in his chair. “In addition to her and Karley, I’ve spoken to Nikki and a woman by the name of Catori Windtalker.”
“Why do I know that name?” I asked.
“She’s the Hopi woman who was traveling through here with her family two years ago when their car careened off the road. Catori was the only survivor,” Stripes said with his thick Russian accent. “Isn’t she twenty-two? A little old to pass for a high school girl.”
“She doesn’t look her age. Her father was a bladesmith and as long as she’s armed with a few knives, she’ll be fine. Catori knows how to protect herself,” Shade said. “I’d never pick a woman who would be completely defenseless, and let’s not forget that Bane and Dixon will be there too. It will raise up red flags if they refuse to let the two of them in there. Boomer will want to keep a low profile so no one goes looking for him later.”
“What exactly is the plan?” I asked. “Because putting those women in danger isn’t going to do a damn thing that I can see.”
“They’re going to slip something into Boomer’s drink, along with anyone else there with him. It will knock them out long enough for Bane and Dixon to toss them into the bed of a truck and bring them here,” Shade said.
“And if they’re caught?” Cinder asked.
“They won’t be,” Shade said. “But if they are, then Bane and Dixon can help protect them.”
I rubbed my forehead, a headache starting to building behind my eyes. This was so fucked up. There had to be another way to get to Boomer. Shade slid a file down the table and I snatched it before it made it all the way to Cinder and Scratch. Flipping it open, I saw the address of a seedy motel on the bad side of town.
If they were staying there, and Shade knew their location, why go to all the trouble to infiltrate the party? I scanned the file, ignoring Cinder thumping his hand on the table in irritation. He could chew me out later. Right now, I felt like I was missing something. It was on the last page that I realized why Shade didn’t want to just go in and grab the bastard.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I glared at Shade. “He’s related to motherfucking Destroyer?”
I heard Charming suck in a breath, as well as several others. Stripes let out a long whistle. If Boomer was kin to Destroyer, then we could all very well have our asses handed to us if anyone found out we caused him to go missing. No one fucked with the Pres of the Mayhem Riders’ original chapter. I’d only met the guy once, but pretty much everyone knew of him. His exploits were legendary, and so was the trail of blood that he sometimes left in his wake.
“Now you know why we can’t just grab the jackwad,” Shade said. “We have to be stealthy and make sure none of this can come back on our club.”
Cinder grabbed the file from me and scanned it, then snorted. I stared as he jerked his phone from his pocket and pulled up a number in his contacts, then turned on the speaker.
“You aren’t dead yet?” a rumbling voice said on the other end.
“No, and apparently you aren’t either, dickhead,” Cinder said. “You’re on speaker with my club present.”
“What the hell do you want, Cinder?”
“Destroyer, I have a bit of a problem by the name of Boomer.”
There was a growl and it sounded like a bottle smashed against something on the other end of the phone. Cinder chuckled and looked downright gleeful.
“That’s what I thought,” our Pres said.
“What’s the little cocksucker done now?” Destroyer demanded. “I swear to Christ that kid is more fucking trouble than anyone else I know.”
Kid? Just how old was Boomer? The file had said he was related to the Destroyer, but not how. Not that the man went by “the Destroyer” but it was how most people referred to him. I sure the fuck hoped Boomer wasn’t his son. The way Darby had spoken about the guy, I was expecting a man in his thirties or older. Hell, maybe even someone older than me. It hadn’t occurred to me that he’d be young and that’s how he’d managed to snag Darby and the others. Then again, I’d been a little more focused on the fact that a woman and kid were in my house.
“He kidnapped a few girls about five years ago, then came back here to leave one in a dumpster with her kid standing nearby. My Road Captain is claiming Darby and Fawn. He’d like a little payback for the shit Boomer put those girls through,” Cinder said.
“Wait.” I heard rustling. “Are you telling me that shit stain kidnapped underage girls?”
“Darby was fifteen when she was taken and raped,” I said. “She’s suffered every day since then and has a kid with an unknown father because Boomer liked to pass her around.”
“Motherfucker,” Destroyer said. “I don’t give a shit what you do to him, but leave him alive. I think it’s time I have a little chat with my nephew.”
“I couldn’t find a picture of Boomer anywhere,” Shade said, speaking up. “Unless the one he used on social media to lure in the latest batch of girls is really him. If that’s the case, he looks about two seconds older than the girls he’s trying to nab.”
“Boomer is Sheldon Pierce, and he’s a twenty-six-year-old pain in my goddamn ass,” Destroyer said. “He’s my older sister’s kid and when she passed I promised to watch over him. Little did I realize he’d be an unredeemable fuckstick that didn’t deserve to breathe much less reproduce. What does the kid look like?”
My gut tightened. “She’s small. Really pale with red hair. Her mom is a redhead.”
“Does she have a birthmark?” Destroyer asked. “Something that resembles a clover?”
I didn’t have a fucking clue. It wasn’t like I’d helped the kid bathe or get dressed. I’d figured it was better if women helped her. Weren’t there rules about that kind of shit? I wasn’t her birth father, even if I did plan to be the only dad she ever knew.
Scratch cleared his throat. “My wife helped the girl bathe the first night she was here. Clarity mentioned that Fawn had an unusual birthmark, a deep strawberry color, on her right hip. It looked a bit like a four-leaf clover.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Destroyer said.
“Does the clover mean something?” I asked. Obviously the man had asked about it for a reason.
“One of Boomer’s friends patched in around the same time as my nephew. Shark was part of my club for a few years, and then he just up and left one day. Came back about four years ago,” Destroyer said. “If he hadn’t said that he was with Boomer, keeping an eye on him, then I’d have stomped his ass for pulling that crap.”
“And that has what to do with this shit?” Cinder asked.
“Shark has a dark red birthmark on his forearm of a four-leaf clover. We gave him shit over it. Seems to run in his family,” Destroyer said.
“He raped Darby,” I said, feeling a burn start in my chest and work its way through my body. “He forced himself on her, got her pregnant. She was a kid and helpless.”
“Shark will be dealt with. Permanently,” Destroyer said. “Do what you want with the Mayhem Riders with Boomer. But I want my nephew alive when I get there. His Fate is mine to decide.”
I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t very well tell the man no. Cinder wrapped up the call, but my head was filled with everything I’d learned. I didn’t know if Darby would want to know about the father of her child or not. At the very least, it might give her some closure to know the man wouldn’t be breathing much longer. Club business was just that, but I wouldn’t leave her completely in the dark. If knowing that Shark would die, and that Boomer wouldn’t be far behind him, would give her some sort of comfort, then I’d give that to her. Gladly.
“I’ll speak with Bane and Dixon about going after Boomer at the party tonight,” Cinder said. “But I want Phantom, Charming, Gator, and Magnus to go as well. We’ll have an easier time of taking him by surprise under the cover of night than in broad daylight. The four of you are to hold back and not give yourselves away. I need you to blend with the crowd as much as you can. So roll your bikes to the warehouse and give Bane and Dixon some backup. Bring Boomer and any other men with him to our special interrogation room.”
“Pres --” Before I could finish, he lifted a hand to stop me.
“I know you want to be part of this, Renegade, and I understand why. Let them bring Boomer here, then you can get your pound of flesh. Right now, you need to focus on Darby and Fawn,” Cinder said.
I stood and left the room, but Shade stopped me on the way out to my bike. His hand was firm as he gripped my arm, not giving an inch even when I tried to jerk out of his grasp.
“There’s something else you need to know. I didn’t want everyone else privy to it,” Shade said.
“What?”
He handed me another set of papers. Not just any papers. Copies of blood work.
“What is this?” I asked.
“Found this shit in one of Boomer’s email accounts. The idiot doesn’t keep his business protected very well. I’ve accessed everything he’s touched online in the last five years, and then some. But there’s good news. Boomer had Darby tested regularly.” He tapped the top page. “The last results are from a week ago. Since she’d been raped I thought it might be a concern. It seems he wanted to make sure he didn’t catch something from her after he let others have a turn. Don’t know why the dumb fuck didn’t just make them wrap their dicks.”
“How would she not know about this? She’s been worried that she caught something from those assholes.”
Shade shrugged. “Maybe he did it when she was drugged. Only Boomer can answer the how and why. Just thought you might want to have those.”
I thanked him and went out to my bike. Tucking the pages into my belt, I turned the engine over and drove back to the house. Jin was on the porch, a Prospect related to Phantom. The kid was dedicated and I knew he’d patch in before long. I sent him back to the clubhouse and went inside, eager to give Darby the good news.
Fawn was sprawled on the living room floor watching another animated movie, her doll beside her. I didn’t hear any other sounds in the house and went in search of my woman. With Jin outside, I knew she hadn’t left. The kitchen was empty, and so were the other rooms. When I reached the bedroom, I heard the shower running. I quickly stripped out of my clothes, tossing the papers onto the dresser, and decided to join her.
I opened the shower door and she squeaked, spinning to face me and nearly falling on her ass. I grabbed her to keep her upright, mindful of the stitches she’d wrapped, then stepped under the spray. Darby blinked up at me and reached over to shut the shower door.
“Is your meeting over?” she asked. “Are we leaving for the doctor?”
“The doctor won’t be necessary for today. Still need a referral for your seizures, but…” I smiled and wrapped my arms around her. “Shade found copies of lab work in Boomer’s email account. He had you tested a week ago for STDs. You’re clean, sweetheart. Or at least you were then.”
Her hands tightened on my arms. “I didn’t know. How did I not know he’d had me tested?”
“Shade thought you might have been drugged when it happened.”
“I guess that’s possible. He gave me drugs if I started to get too hard for him to handle or started asking too many questions. I don’t think it was the same thing back to back and must have been spaced out just right because I didn’t get addicted to anything.” She leaned into me, pressing her cheek to my chest. “You have no idea how glad I am that I didn’t give you anything. He hasn’t touched me in about three weeks, and neither has anyone else. I mean, not in a way that would have gotten me sick.”
I didn’t want to know in what way he had touched her, but I was thankful that she wouldn’t have a lasting thing like herpes or HIV to deal with. It seemed Boomer had the same concern, at least for himself. I doubted that he gave a shit if Darby was sick, only that he hadn’t wanted to catch something from her after passing her around. It wouldn’t save him from the beating I would give him. I wanted to make that fucker bleed.
“Boomer won’t be a problem much longer.” I tucked the wet strands of her hair behind her ear. “He’s being picked up tonight, and his uncle is coming to take care of the problem.”
I didn’t know if I should tell her about Shark or not. She’d claimed to not know who Fawn’s father was, but if the man had the same mark on his arm as Fawn had on her hip, she had to have noticed.
“Shark will be dealt with as well. Permanently,” I said.
Her face paled, but she didn’t say anything.
“He’s Fawn’s father, isn’t he?” I asked.
“I don’t know. He liked to hurt me, and he’s one of the ones who…” She clamped her lips tight, but I understood. Her gaze held mine. “Until now, Fawn didn’t have a father. You said you wanted the job. Is that still true?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. I still want the job. Were you hoping that with Boomer gone you could leave?”
“No, but I thought… I just wondered…”
“You’re mine, Darby. Both of you, and I’m not letting you go.”
“I don’t want you to,” she said softly. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”