I was busy doing my first patch up job with Frannie when Tank the Prospect burst in.
Bolt looked up from the table. A hard fall from his bike the other day had landed him in the infirmary. Nothing broken, but plenty of scrapes and bruises.
“Come on! Throttle's ordering everybody to the fall back point. There's been some kind of attack.”
“Shit!” Bolt nearly bowled me over in his rush to get up.
The pain in his knees instantly put him in his place. So did Frannie with a gentle shove to the chest.
“You're not going anywhere right now, Mister,” she said. “Just because you gave yourself a bunch of sprains and scratches doesn't mean you don't need rest.”
“Rest! This is fucking war,” he said. Unusually harsh for talking to Warlock's old lady.
Tank came closer, a hulking beast of a man who lived up to his name. If I were new to the club and not madly in love with Jack, he would've been welcome on the eyes any time.
“You heard the lady, brother. We can do this one man short, especially with the boys brought over from the Dickinson charter. Need a few to hold down this place.”
“Hold down this place for what?” Bolt winced when Frannie pushed on one knee. “Even those fucking Skulls aren't dumb enough to attack us here. Prez outta have everybody hauling ass after those clowns.”
“Don't have all the details.” Tank shrugged. “I promise you, I'll make up for it. I'm gonna fight as hard as three men and earn my patch.”
Bolt grinned. I smiled too, knowing he was the one man who could literally do what he claimed.
“That's the kinda bloodlust that wins. Okay, hardass. Go get 'em. I'll be here babysitting the ladies since I'm too precious to be doing my job. Besides, I – hey!”
Frannie poured extra alcohol on the nasty scrape he had on one knee. Guess he deserved it.
“Sounds like you're here to protect us. Not babysit,” she said coldly. “Rachel, finish up the bandage so we can get this guy out of here.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
Bolt wasn't the only one who was sore today. Every time I leaned down, I still felt the aftershocks of last night with Jack, the exhaustion he'd left tingling through my body.
We'd been up too late fucking. And it had been worth every single second of lost sleep.
My patient behaved himself as I finished dressing his wounds. Then he was out, heading off toward the bar to mingle with all the fresh faces from the Dickinson charter.
The MC had called in reinforcements from out West as things with the Skulls heated up. I overheard Jack and Warlock talking about Skulls riding through tone in ones and twos, scoping things out, and now it looked like they'd made their move.
How did they know about the backup place? I wondered.
The thought that Dad might've been involved in feeding the rival club information turned my stomach. They'd certainly pissed him off enough to do it. I just hoped rejecting my father wouldn't end up in spilled blood for everyone who'd taken me in.
“How are things going?” Frannie asked while she cleaned up, sterilizing a few metal instruments in the sink.
“Just fine.” I looked up. “Jack and I are getting along perfect. He's...going to claim me when all this crap with the other club blows over.”
Saying the words was strange. They made me excited, even a little giddy.
Something clattered loud in the sink. Frannie lost her grip, switched the water off, and turned around. She had a big grin plastered to her face.
“My, the boy listened to me. That makes me happy, and even happier for you.” She came close to check my work wiping down the table. “Looks good. Make sure that he keeps his word, Rachel. You have to hold him to it, and soon.”
“He's going to,” I said, total certainty in my voice. “Told me so himself. He's just busy.”
She shook her head furiously. “Don't let him pull that delay crap. Look, in this club, there's always something happening. If he really wants to claim you, he'll do it this week. War or no war. There'll never be a perfect time. This is the life.”
I smiled nervously. I didn't even know how to pour the heat on him with something like this, but wasn't that a skill old ladies needed?
Frannie reached out and squeezed my gloved hand with hers.
At least I've got a great teacher pointing me the right way, I thought.
My heart leaped with excitement when I heard all the bikes roaring into the garage. That meant the guys were back, and Jack along with them.
I threw down the burn care book I'd been reading and ran out of my room.
I was halfway down the hall when I heard the gunshot. After that, everything seemed to happen at once.
Men screaming, glass shattering, metal and footsteps filling the whole clubhouse with thunder. I froze in my tracks, too scared to move forward, or even rush back to my room.
The door to the meeting room burst open in front of me, and Voodoo stepped out.
“What the fuck's going on?” The old President wore a startled expression.
Another loud blast. I stood like a I was caught in headlights watching him fall to the floor. I thought he'd been shot until he moved, rising slowly off the ground.
He looked my way and his eyes went wide.
“Jesus Christ! Get down on the ground, girl! Down!”
I couldn't force myself to act. It was like all my bones and muscles had locked up.
Voodoo sprang into action, crawling toward me. Catching me by the knees, he threw me down, breaking my fall with his strong arms. They'd probably been just like Jack's when he was younger.
“Stay down here,” he growled, drawing his gun. “Don't stick your pretty face up for anything. I'm gonna find out what the fuck's going on here.”
Steady gunfire blasted out behind the door. One bullet slammed into the wood, cutting clean through it and showering us in splinters.
Shielding me with his body, Voodoo kicked it aside.
He crouched and fired into the bar, right over the tops of his men's heads. Harsh looking men I'd never seen were everywhere, and I knew by the logos on their jackets that they weren't the strangers from the Dickinson charter.
The Skulls had done the unthinkable. They were swarming in, overwhelming the Devils' skeleton crew at headquarters while Jack and the others had been lured away.
“Stay back!” Voodoo yelled at me.
The President sent out another hail of bullets. A man running across the glass strewn floor screamed and went down. I couldn't tell what side he belonged to.
Several Devils were crawling forward from beneath the overturned tables, Bolt among them. Behind me, the door to the Purple Room creaked open.
Stupid whores. They ought to know better than me to stay put when everything's going crazy out here.
Something jerked at my hair. Before I could scream, I was hauled backward, and dragged through the small opening.
Lilac perfume and burgundy assaulted my senses. I looked up into the Rita's nasty painted face, her nails locked around my neck, so sharp they could cut.
“What the hell do you want?” I coughed. Her grip tightened, and I grabbed onto her gross skinny arm.
I wouldn't be much match for her if nails were the only weapon of choice. But I was ready to get my bitch on if I needed to.
“Just helping your sweet ass to safety. It's dangerous out there, you know.” She smiled, blowing the scent of that sickly sweet grape gum in my face.
“Didn't know you'd be concerned.”
Heels stomped on the floor from the small bathroom attached to the fuck room. I looked over and saw blondie Michelle. Side by side, I wasn't sure which one looked more trashy.
“Make the little wench comfortable,” she said to Rita. “We'll have something to bargain when those barbarian find us. No fucking way am I going to some ratty club down south. Besides, I'm sure daddy would be real happy to have his little girl back.”
Michelle smiled. Rita laughed.
I lunged, throwing all my weight into Rita's fake tits. If it worked once before, then it ought to do the trick a second time.
She screamed when I pinched her nipples. I rammed my head straight at her throat.
Had to get down and fight dirty, just like the boys. I wasn't afraid anymore.
Or so I told myself, until Michelle grabbed me by the neck. Something cold and shiny hovered near my skin.
I had to crane my eyes to see the sharp metal glinting near my throat. One swipe with that big hunting knife would've been the end of me.
“Don't move, bitch,” she hissed into my ear. “You're our little bargaining chip now.”
Just then, the door burst open. Voodoo ran inside and turned, throwing his weight against the door, pressing it shut. More guys were right behind him, and I didn't think they were Devils.
The older man was breathing heavily. He had small cuts on his cheeks and he looked utterly fatigued.
When he finally looked in our direction, his face hardened. “Christ! Can't I catch a fucking break? What's this all about?”
Michelle blinked dumbly. She drew the knife away, moving it to her side.
“Nothing, sir. We were just...”
“Keeping this one in line,” Rita finished. “She was hysterical out there. All that screaming would've let them know we're in here.”
“Was not!” I yelled.
Voodoo stomped one boot on the ground. His face went bright red and he waved the gun in his hand.
“Everybody shut the fuck up! You whores are in deep shit. I wasn't born yesterday. We'll settle this later. Right now, all three of you just need to zip it before you get us all killed.”
Finally. I suppressed a vicious smile as Rita clammed up.
Sweet, sweet speechlessness.
Didn't have much time to savor my little triumph. The shots and pounding were coming close now, and they were nearly right on top of us.
“Who's in there? Fucking open up!” A rough voice outside rang out in between fierce pounding on the door.
“Get over here, you whores. Rita, Michelle, throw your fucking weight into it. Help me!” Voodoo roared, trying to hold back the tide with all his might.
The bitches weren't moving. They sulked on the ground as I got up, stepped past them, and leaned hard on his back.
It helped, but not enough. The door was bouncing open and shut like we were trying to contain a raging thunderstorm behind it.
“Come on! We need everybody to push! What the fuck is wrong with –“
Voodoo toppled backward. I moved out of the way just in time to avoid getting crushed.
Three of the nastiest looking men I'd seen since my capture rushed inside. The big one looked up. I recognized his greasy hair and ugly pot belly instantly.
“Well, well, well,” Venom said with a smirk. “Look what the mangy fucking cat dragged in.”
All the life drained out of me. I would've preferred to have caught one of those bullets instead.
I was so numb I barely felt him rush forward and crush me up against the wall. All the commotion outside the room had grown to a deafening roar.
Men were still rampaging through the halls, fighting and stabbing and shooting.
I looked over my captor's shoulder and saw Voodoo pinned to the ground by another Skulls member. The man had his boot right on the President's spine, sending horrific force through his screwed up back.
Voodoo screamed. My mind wanted to blank out the abominable sound, but somehow I still heard Venom's disgusting words through the bellow.
“Can't believe my sweet luck, baby. Looks like I'm gonna get a piece of your tight little ass after all. Just hope the shitheads here haven't loosened you up too much.”
His hips shifted forward. I had to choke back my nausea when he smashed his disgusting bulge between my legs.
“Try it!” I spat in his face. “I'll claw off your dick if you come any closer.”
His eyes flashed. For a second, it looked like he was stunned, but the shock didn't last long. A nasty smile rose on his face.
“Bullshit. You know talk like that just makes this cock harder, right? You might not be a virgin anymore, but I'll tear you apart, bitch. I'll sink it hard and deep and fuck away all the sweet memories you have of this place, just as soon as I –“
“Venom! We gotta go, man. Now! Somebody tipped the rest of these bastards off! The big crew's back! There's too many for us to hold 'em.”
He turned away from me, keeping one hand on my throat. I should've taken the chance to kick him right in the nuts. But I didn't.
“Fuck. We can't leave this shithole without a trophy. Alright, here's what we're gonna do.” Holding me by the neck, he choked me, spinning me away from the wall.
“Venom, we need to go. Like, now.” Another fearsome blast echoed in the hall. “Now!”
The gunfire was closing in, and it sounded like somebody had added a shotgun to the mix. A Skulls guy with a nasty cut along his face came crashing into the room so hard the door broke its hinges. In their corner, the two whores screamed, shielding their eyes.
Venom faced the cowardly duo. Dragging me forward, he replaced the other man's boot on Voodoo's back. He'd stolen my oxygen for too long, and my vision was starting to go blurry.
“There's only room for one little prize on our bikes. I'm gonna let you bitches choose which one I take. Who's it going to be? Your old man here,” he paused, jabbing his heel into Venom's spine. “Or this nasty little cunt?”
Stars danced around Rita and Michelle. I needed oxygen. I wondered if I was hallucinating as I saw them look at each other, and then smile slowly.
“Take him,” Rita said with a smile. “We know this old dog's more valuable to you anyway. Leave the bitch here. Jack'll never forgive her.”
Jesus, no. You can't do this, you lunatics! Jack will kill you.
Venom stared at me sourly, and then threw me down. There was a violent tearing sensation in one ankle, the world spun, and then my head collided with something very hard.
Blackness.
“Wake up, baby girl. Rachel! Do you know who I am?”
My head throbbed the instant I opened my eyes. Overhead, the brightest lamp I'd ever seen scorched down, hot and painful as a sunny day in the Badlands.
“Pupils are responding normally...pulse is good...I think she's gonna be alright.”
I recognized the comforting sound of Frannie's voice. She laid one hand on my shoulder and squeezed.
“Jack?” I breathed.
My eyes went wide. I sat up – too soon – and the blinding pain was back.
“Holy shit, take it easy, baby. Doctor's orders.” Jack looked at the club's matriarch. “You're gonna be fine. We're both gonna take the very best care of you...and then I'm gonna murder every last one of those assholes who did this. Nobody knocks out my girl and kidnaps my old man. Nobody.”
Frannie's face tensed. What little color I still had must've gone straight out of me.
They'd really done it. It wasn't just a nightmare.
Shit, shit! I wanted to tell him all about the struggle in the whore's room, the way that one bitch had stood up and turned over their President.
But if she hadn't, I'd be waking up somewhere a hell of a lot worse than Frannie's infirmary. Had that monster with the oversized nails and sour grape gum done me a favor?
“What happened?” I mumbled.
“It was a ruse. Fuckers had one guy come by our fallback point and take potshots at Jonesy's fence. One of our paid dudes in the Cassandra PD said there were a lot more coming. We hauled ass over there. Dug in, waited, and found nothing. That cop fucking lied. And then Bolt called and we found out about the real attack here...” Jack reached for his face and ran one hand over it, stretching his perfect skin. “Damn it, I'm so sorry, baby. I fucked up.”
“It's okay,” I assured him. Everything was light, and it felt like the pain and drugs were carrying me away.
“Lay your head back down, girl,” Frannie cut in. “Relax. I'm going to give you these to help you sleep.”
I mumbled something crazy and incoherent. Frannie placed the big pills onto my tongue and tipped a cup up to my lips.
I drank deep and swallowed. Jack never left my side, holding one hand. His smile was big and filled with love, even through the darkness recent events had left on his face.
“Sweet dreams, baby girl. I'm not going anywhere until I need to. I'll be here right when you wake up. I promise.”
Blackness. Again.
When I opened my eyes, the fiery drumbeat in my head had settled to a dull ache. I sat up more easily, without feeling like I wanted to gouge my own eyes out.
Jack was as good as his word.
His warm hand was on mine, pulled a couple inches over into the chair where he sat dozing. I noticed the bruise beginning around his right eye.
He'd taken a beating, just like everybody else in that battle.
Jesus, how many weren't even breathing anymore? The thought of any brothers being dead brought a terrible lump to the middle of my throat. I swallowed the bitter sadness, refusing to wake him up.
About a minute later, Bolt staggered in, dragging one leg behind him. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
At least that's one more familiar face above ground.
“Aw, shit. I didn't know I'd be interrupting...”
Jack stirred at the sound of Bolt's voice. He looked at me, nodded gently, and then turned to his club brother.
“What's up?”
“Got ourselves an update from Creeper's search party. Him and the Dickinson boys found something.”
Jack stiffened. He slid the chair away and let my hand drop. I slowly brought it back to my lap.
“What?”
Bolt looked past him, as if he didn't want to say. My heart began to pound, sending blood I really didn't need into my head. The pain intensified and redness flashed across my vision.
“You'd better come and see it, Throttle.” Bolt paused and swallowed loudly. “I'll lead the way.”
Bolt turned and headed out of the infirmary without stopping. Jack whipped around, facing me, his face wrinkled with confusion and something else.
Is that fear?
Seeing my rugged lover scared for the first time was like a punch to the gut.
“You wait here and go back to sleep, Rach. I'll send Frannie in to take another look at you.” He turned to go.
“Wait!” I screamed, forcing my legs over the table. “I need her now. I want to come with you.”
“What? You can't go anywhere!” His whole face darkened.
“I will. Whatever's out there...I want to be with you. I know I'm a not even an old lady yet,” I paused, praying I would be one day soon. “But all this shit that went down affects me to. The things that scumbag VP said to me, the way he threatened us...you don't even know.”
Jack studied me. It wasn't an outright no, and that brought a tiny prickle of satisfaction to my painful brain.
“We'll just see what Frannie says.” He sighed. “Don't know why the hell I'm even considering this. This is club business...”
“Because you need me,” I offered, moving closer to him. “You know I'm the one person you can count on right now. I won't meltdown or stab you in the back.”
“Yeah, baby girl.” He hugged me and planted a quick kiss on my lips. “Just wondering if you know a little too much, too soon. I'll go see about Frannie.”
I don't think I ever hugged Jack tighter on the ride outside Cassandra's borders.
A short check up later, and Frannie cleared me to ride with him, to be his support like no one else could. I sensed the fear flowing through him, thickening the entire atmosphere in the broken club with somber tension.
It was an unusually cool summer morning. Peaceful, almost, like the strange calm and dewy softness following a violent storm.
“Right over here,” Bolt said over the radio, motioning ahead of us.
A whole crew of the guys from Dickson were parked along the road. I'd seen these guys loitering around the clubhouse before, but this was different.
Instead of chattering, cracking loud jokes, or smoking like normal, nobody was moving. They just stood there like sentinels, solemn faced and huddled against their bikes, staring off across the open prairie, toward the distant hills.
Jack threw himself off the bike and helped me down. I took his hand, squeezing tightly as he walked toward the spot near a ditch where Bolt was standing.
“Show me,” Jack ordered.
“Wish I didn't have to, brother. Here he is.”
He? Oh, God...
Jack ripped away his hand from mine and started running when the pale, battered shape came into view. His loud, anguished screams exploded in my ears even before I caught up to him.
Voodoo's body was in the ditch, bloody and mutilated. I could only take one shaky look before I had to tear myself away. The savage pain in my head had returned, so fierce I feared I'd pass out.
I saw enough. Jack's father, the former Devil's President, had gaping holes all over.
They'd torn the patches out of his old leather cut and thrown them across his chest, defiling his colors. All his senses were gone too, demolished from his flesh.
Voodoo's eyes, ears, nose, and lips were all missing.
That rock I was supposed to be? Yeah...
I fell to my knees alongside Jack, sending my terrible screams after his, high into the heavens.