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DC
My great sex afterglow was disappearing, fast. And it was all because of a freaking over protective, dominant biker. I stared at him, my arms crossed over my boobs as he ranted.
Yes, ranted. My shit-hot biker man ranted.
“You will not ride your fucking bike today or any day until I tell you it’s safe to ride. Use your head, DC. You’re vulnerable on your bike. You will be in your beast of a cage until the fucked up shit with the ED’s has been resolved. And you will have either a brother or a prospect in that cage with you.”
He kept on angrily laying down the law according to Hawk.
“You do not go off alone. You do not go out unarmed. You do not go anywhere without your phone. You text me throughout the day letting me know where you are. You text if anything seems even a tiny bit off.”
He growled when I rolled my eyes at him.
“Stop rolling your eyes at me, baby. I’m fucking serious. I cannot lose you, so I need you to keep yourself safe for me. Promise me. Promise me you’ll do as I ask.”
I sniffed angrily. “But you’re not asking, you’re telling.”
His face suddenly lost its pissed off look and softened.
“I’m telling and asking, my little bird. Do this for me and I will fuck you so good tonight you will have to take a day off work to recover.” He winked and gave me a sly smile.
My traitor of a pussy quivered, it really and truly quivered. It was acting like such a biker slut.
“Fine. I’ll do it, but I don’t like being managed.”
“Not managing you, DC. I’m just trying to keep you safe.”
And that is why I arrived at work with an Iron Dogz prospect sitting next to me. My temper wasn’t at its best and it didn’t become any better when I saw the security around my shop. There were Road Warriors and Iron Dogz very obviously hanging out, inside and outside the shop.
Doc and Hawk were going freaking overboard. Surely that bitch and the ED’s weren’t so crazy as to try something in broad daylight with the obvious protection I had around me. But then again they were crazy. So who knew what they would do.
I worked through my morning appointments without any problems.
But it was in the late afternoon that my day turned into a total freaking disaster. And the reason for the disaster was the bitch that, for some unknown reason, had been allowed to storm into my shop. Wrecking my post awesome sex glow and my day.
Lizzy Hamilton. What the hell?
She stormed right past Trina at the front desk and came to a very sudden stop when she reached my station. Thankfully my last client had left and I was busy cleaning. Tightly clenching my teeth I silently swore. She was pale and obviously frightened but she was angry and very determined at the same time.
“What can I do for you, Ms Hamilton?” Staying calm wasn’t easy but I succeeded.
“You give him back to me. You have to.” She bit out through gross spit covered wet lips.
“I don’t understand. Who do I have to give back to you?” I played stupid, wanting to see where the hell this was coming from.
“We were happy. I did everything he wanted me to, even sharing him with those whores when it made my heart ache. I knew if I had a baby he would be mine, he would marry me and be mine and I was trying so very hard to give him one. And then you came and you ruined it all. You took him away from me. But I’m going to fix it. I know if he finds out I’m going to be pregnant he will be mine for ever and ever.”
“Are you out of your mind?” I snarled. “Since when is trapping a man by using an innocent child a good plan? You do realise that people no longer get married because of an accidental pregnancy don’t you? He won’t marry you, he’ll give the kid his name and take care of the two of you but there will be no marriage. ”
She shook her head wildly while I spoke.
“Stop! Stop saying that! He will marry me. He will!” She screamed angrily.
With my hands fisted on my hips I stared at the wreck of a woman that used to be the cool and calm Lizzy Hamilton. What the hell had happened to her?
“Are you trying to tell me that you’re pregnant, Lizzy? Is that what this is?”
She started shaking her head violently from side to side.
“No, no I’m not and it’s your fault. We had a plan, a good plan and you ruined it. He was supposed to be with me, not you.” She whispered. “He was supposed to be mine.”
I slanted a quick glance at Sam, a Dogz prospect, as he slowly made his way towards her, before looking back at her. Looking in her eyes I suddenly realised that she was on something. She was as high as a damned kite. And crazy as a freaking loon.
Holy crap, Hawk had truly shitty taste in the women he chose to fuck. Excluding me of course.
And with that thought I had suddenly had enough. Actually I’ve had more than enough of his damned whores stomping roughshod over my life. I had no idea if my words would sink in but I was going to give them to her anyway. Whether she heard them or not.
“Grow the fuck up, Lizzy. You’re no longer in effing high school and at the top of the freaking food chain. You’ve been used and put aside, accept it and move on. It’s not as if it comes as a huge damned surprise, bitch. Everyone, including you, knew he was only temporarily yours and that eventually he would move on to someone new. Stop acting like a whiny bitch, grow the hell up and get out of my shop before I completely lose it and put a bullet in your stupid head.” I snarled angrily.
A deep angry growl came from behind me and I glanced around. A very pissed off Hawk stood in the passage leading from the back of the shop. His pissed off eyes were on me. The bastard was pissed alright, and he was pissed at me.
What the hell?
“Liz, what are you doing here, sweetheart?”
His voice was so damned soft and caring, and my back snapped straight when she burst into tears and flung herself at him. I watched as he closed his arms around her, holding her tight against him, soothingly rubbing her back and whispering softly in her ear.
What the hell?
Oh, no, fuck no. This was not freaking happening.
He did not just take her side and in my own damned shop. In my territory. In front of my people. Not taking that shit from anyone, least of all him. The Crow rose instantly.
“Get your ass out of my shop.” I snarled softly and reached for the gun I had stashed in my cabinet. “Every single damned Dog needs to vacate my premises right the fuck now or I start taking out the trash.”
Hawk raised his head slowly and just looked at me as I pointed my gun at his head.
“Get the hell out and if I see a Dog anywhere near Warrior territory they will be made an example of. And that’s a promise you can take to the bank, asshole.”
He said nothing, just moved Lizzy to his side and slowly led her out the front of my shop. I kept my gun up, watching until every single Dog was out, getting on their bikes then pulling out into the road.
There were only two men left in the shop, both Road Warrior prospects and part of my family. It seemed that the Dogz had been trusted to watch over me and the Warriors had only sent two freaking prospects. Luckily they were like little brothers to me and would follow orders without question. Crow moved away until she was a slight presence at the back of my mind.
“Gav, check the back and make sure the security doors are locked and no one else can get in.” I snarled as he moved towards me. He nodded, anger burning in his eyes as he made his way to the back of the shop and the back door. “Law, close the door, lock it and keep your eyes peeled out the front, we don’t need any more surprises right now.”
Laying my gun down I picked up my phone and called Skel. He immediately started talking, not waiting for me to say a word.
“What the fuck is going on there, DC? I’m getting conflicting reports.”
“One of his bitches, Lizzy Hamilton, came into the shop and started freaking out. I told her some home truths and told her to get the fuck out before I helped her leave. The bastard came in through the back, took her in his arms and took her side against me. I ordered all the Dogz out of my shop at gunpoint. I need more protection in case they or the damned ED’s return.”
There was a long silence and then Skel sighed.
“Grizz, Shaka and I are on our way with more brothers, close the shop and sit tight. We’ll be there soon.”
Setting the phone down I moved to the front of the shop and changed the sign from open to closed while Law watched the street. I quickly checked the appointments and heaved a sigh of relief when I saw we were basically done for the day.
I returned to the back of the shop where Killian, Grace, Nadja, Alex and Trina stood looking shell shocked.
“What just happened, DC?” Grace asked softly.
“What always happens, Grace. What always happens.” I answered just as softly.
“I need a fucking drink.” Killian snapped and went into the office coming back with the bottle of Patròn one of my very pleased customers had given me as a gift.
“Let’s get away from the windows, everyone except Gav and Law, into the office.” I ordered.
As I sank into the chair behind my desk Killian held the opened bottle out towards me. I took it and threw back a healthy slug. Shivering as the top shelf tequila burned its way down my throat and into my belly. We passed the bottle around and pretty soon I had a bit of a buzz going on. Drinking on an almost empty stomach will do that to you.
We kept passing the bottle around until we heard the growl of a lot of bikes coming down the road.
“Skel and the boys are here!” Law shouted as he unlocked the front door.
Rubbing my hands over my face I pushed up out of my chair and swayed ever so slightly. I had more than a bit of a buzz going on.
Nice.
Skel, Grizz and Shaka walked into my office and everyone sidled out, closing the door behind them. Leaving the almost empty bottle sitting on my desk.
“What the fuck happened here?” Grizz asked.
“Lizzy Hamilton happened. Came into the shop high as an effing kite telling me to give him back to her, that they had plans to get pregnant. She went on and on and on and I lost my temper. Told her to stop being a whiny bitch, grow the fuck up and get out of my shop before I put a bullet in her. Hawk came in the back. Took her side and I threw them all out. And I might have pointed my gun at his head.” I said with a shrug.
“You sure he took her side?” Shaka asked quietly.
Really? And just like that my buzz was suddenly gone and I was stone cold sober.
“I’m not a stupid bitch, Shaka. He took her in his arms, held her, walked her out of here, put her on the back of his bike. On the back of his fucking bike. What do you think that means?”
“I knew this shit was going to end up in a cluster fuck.” Shaka growled as he started pacing around my office. “Doc wants you at the clubhouse. Let’s go.”
I followed them out of the shop, locked, passed Sam my beast’s keys, and climbed in on the passenger side. I had my gun next to me on the seat, ready for anything. Nothing happened.
As we drove through the tall solid steel gates into the compound and they slid closed behind us I knew I was home and safe. Doc stood waiting on the wide steps leading up to the steel reinforced double doors behind him. The windowless red brick building glowed deep red in the late afternoon sun. As we pulled up next to the steps the Road Warriors MC insignia above the doors welcomed me home. He walked down the steps as I got out and then I was in his arms and he was hugging me tight.
I relaxed into him with a sigh.
“So fucking sorry, baby girl.” He whispered against my hair. “Let’s go inside and see what we can do about this fucking disaster.”
I didn’t say anything because there wasn’t anything to say. I let him lead me inside and frowned when instead of his office we went towards the chapel where they held church. I have never been invited inside.
“Phone, babe.” Skel said and I pulled it from my back pocket and dropped it in the basket Law was holding before following my dad into the room.
I wasn’t a stranger to the room, because I had sneaked in here more than once as a little girl and again a time or two as a grown girl. The photos and memorabilia on the walls documented the club’s history, my family’s history. I sat in a chair against the wall on Doc’s right and waited as only the officers of the club filed into the room, most of them not surprised to see me there at all.
When the chapel doors were closed and locked Doc raised the gavel, smacked it down and the buzz seized, immediately.
“We have a situation which is why DC is here.” He said quietly, so very unlike my dad. He was almost always loud. “At the meeting we had this morning I told you that the Iron Dogz MC President, Hawk Walker, asked my permission to claim DC. And I gave it, but I made it very clear that if he fucked with my girl I would in turn fuck with him and his club.”
There was an intense silence as he looked around the room and then his eyes met mine and they were burning with icy rage.
“Today, a fucking day later, he fucked with my girl. This is not a meeting at which we are going to make a decision on how to respond to that insult, it’s a meeting to let everyone know what has gone down. Our girl has now been disrespected by two of his whores and, even though she took care of one of those bitches, we cannot let this insult to her or our club stand. By disrespecting her they are disrespecting my blood and my club. Unfortunately we can’t settle this tonight or even tomorrow, but we will meet again when I get back. Then I want to hear from you, get your take on this fucking mess.”
Doc was about to bring the gavel down when there was a rustle of movement and a single tap of heavy rings on the table. Doc set the gavel aside and nodded at Alien who had tapped.
“I want to hear from DC before we close this meeting.” Alien sat forward in his chair, his heavily tattooed forearms on the table and big hands with big silver rings on almost all his fingers clasped together.
I took a deep breath and nodded in agreement when my dad raised an eyebrow in question.
“Did he claim you as his woman?” Alien asked softly.
Lord, this was so damn humiliating.
“Yes, he did.”
There were frowns and nods all around as Alien continued.
“What happened at the shop? What did he say?”
“Lizzy Hamilton, one of his whores, came into my shop. Told me they were planning on getting pregnant. I called her out on it. Called her a whiny bitch and to get out of my shop before I put a bullet in her. He came in, took her in his arms, whispered some shit in her ear and walked her out, put her on the back of his bike and left. Didn’t say one word. You can watch it all once Skel pulls it off the cameras at the shop.” My voice was soft but filled with ice.
“Could it be that he was doing it to fool those who have been watching you?” Alien kept on pushing.
I shrugged. “Don’t know and don’t care.”
“DC, Alien might have a point here. He could be playing those bastards to keep you off their radar.” Skel added his voice to the discussion.
Men, always taking another brothers’ back. Stupid.
“If that was his play then he should have given me a heads up. I’m not some stupid little bitch with no idea how this life works. I was born into this life, have seen more than my fair share of shit go down, have seen blood flow, and even spilled some of it. I know how to freaking handle myself.” I shook my head. “Plus it’s too late to try and protect me, I’m on their radar and nothing is going to change that. At least not until we kill the bastards.”
The men burst out laughing.
Doc shook his head while smiling wide.
“Okay, we’ll pick this up when I get back. Think on it and when we meet again I’ll hear your thoughts. In the meantime, there will be four brothers on DC’s protection detail at all times. Grizz you see to that. We will be making the run to Durban tonight. DC will be riding with us. Grizzly, Alien and Rover, get ready to ride. Grizz, you know who I want on her detail, make sure they’re ready.” He turned and his eyes caught and held mine. “Call Killian, let him know you’ll be away for a few days and that there will be brothers keeping an eye on them and the shop. They will be safe until we get back. I sent Gav and Law to fetch your bike and everything else you might need is in your room upstairs. Have a shower, eat, and drink some coffee. We’ll be leaving within the next two hours.”
With that he smacked the gavel down and ended the meeting.
Why did he want me on a club run? It wasn’t something he had ever done before. Was it a way to get me out of the area? Or was there something he needed the Crow to do at the Durban chapter? Usually we slipped quietly into town, this time I would be very visible. Why? But I knew it was useless to ask. He would fill me in when it was time.
I followed Skel out of the room and dug around the basket for my phone and as I turned it on it seemed as if a gajillion messages came through all at once.
Scrolling through I saw most were from Hawk. I slowly scrolled through all his messages. They went from asking me to call him to demanding that I answer my phone to threats of getting my ass spanked if I ignored any more of his calls.
Not even thinking twice I typed out a message and sent it flying back.
You made your choice. Away on business. Talk when I get back.
I didn’t have a lot of time before we were leaving so I immediately went up to my room which was on the same floor as Doc’s. I was packing my saddlebags when my phone rang. Hawk, again. Sighing I let it go to voicemail. I didn’t want to talk to him now, not when I might lose my shit and start screaming. I shut my phone down and dropped it on my bed. After a quick shower I dressed for the long run down to Durban.
Summer was almost over and according to the weather report we would be riding into a cold front. It was going to be a miserable cold, windy and rainy ride. I pulled on thermals close to my skin then dressed in thick leather pants and a long sleeved tee. Thick socks and calf length biking boots protected my feet. Picking up my thick leather jacket I slid my phone into the one inside pocket along with earphones, my wallet went into the other.
An hour and fifteen minutes later we left through a disguised back entrance. At the front of the clubhouse the guys were raising mayhem, music blaring, bikes revving and doing burnouts to disguise the sound of our bikes as we sneaked out the back.
I rode behind Doc and Grizzly with Rover next to me. Rico and Skinny then Gav and Law behind us with Raj and Alien bringing up the rear. We joined the N3 and made good time because the road wasn’t too busy. A lot of trucks but that was normal. My heart sped up as we passed three trucks belonging to Iron Dogz Trucking. It was very obvious they were riding in convoy, and with the shit going down around their club I didn’t blame them. All three blew their air horns as we passed and we all gave low waves as we rode past.
Our first short stop to fill up was at Villiers and then we were back on the road.
When we reached Harrismith we topped up our tanks, stretched our legs, and had something hot to drink to warm our insides. Doc did not allow us to linger and after a quick visit to the facilities we were back on the road. It was freezing and very windy when we rode down Van Reenen’s Pass and ahead of us lightning lit up the low lying clouds. We were going to get wet.
Doc pushed hard to get to our next stop before the rain but we weren’t that lucky. Nottingham Road was wet, foggy and miserable and I was jumping around like a crazy person to get my circulation going while we filled up. Any hopes of Doc pulling over to wait out the rain was useless, he pushed on relentlessly. We had a few very hairy moments coming through the Midlands and Pietermaritzburg due to the slippery conditions and stupid ass motorists and truck drivers. At some stage after Pietermaritzburg the rain changed into a steady fine mist-rain and we had to ride with fog lights because visibility was really crap. We were tired, cold, wet and cranky when we rode into the Road Warriors MC’s compound in Durban.
All I wanted was a room with a shower and a large mug of something hot to drink. I was so cold I didn’t give a shit what it was, as long as it was hot. I was quickly shuffled through the silent clubhouse by Doc and Boeta, the Durban chapters’ SAA, and set up with a room. It was small but had its own bathroom and was spotlessly clean. It actually smelt like flowers. On the wall behind the door was a wooden rail with several hooks for hanging things and pushed against the far wall was a double bed with a small bedside table and lamp.
“It’s small, I know, but it’s the only one available right now. I didn’t want to put you in one of the crash rooms.” Boeta rumbled in his Afrikaans accented voice. He was a big guy with wild dark brown hair and a moustache that curved over his lip and down the sides of his mouth. He was a prankster of note and no one was safe from his crazy sense of humour. Usually his hazel eyes would have been twinkling but not tonight. His eyes had lost its twinkle and were filled with shadows. Maybe his job as SAA for his club was starting to get to him.
At least he didn’t try to trick me into a crash room like he had done once before.
There was no way on earth I wanted to sleep in a crash room, they were disgusting. Those beds have seen more action than the swinging doors at a pub.
“This is perfect, thanks, Boeta. I’m going to have a shower before I go to bed. Is it okay if I go down to the kitchen for something hot to drink?” I didn’t want to wander around the clubhouse without him knowing about it.
Doc didn’t give him a chance to answer. “Law will take you. Stay in your room until he fetches you.”
They were gone before I could say a word.
Taking off my wet leathers I spread them over the hooks behind the door. Hopefully they would dry fairly quickly.
An hour later I was snuggly settled underneath the duvet with a cup of hot chocolate on the bedside table. I knew it was time to read and listen to Hawk’s messages. Going by his voice messages he was pissed.
His last message was short and not sweet.
Answer your fucking phone
I was about to send a message when my phone rang. Staring at it I closed my eyes, sighed and answered.
“Hi, Hawk.”
“Where the fuck are you?” He growled in my ear.
“I’m on a run with Doc. He needs me for something.”
There was a heavy silence before he spoke, his voice filled with violent anger.
“You were seen riding down the N3, at fucking night, heading into a fucking storm. What the fuck, DC? Where the fuck are you, little bird?”
The violence had tapered off towards the end into obvious concern.
“I’m in Durban, at the Road Warriors compound, Hawk. I’m safe.”
“But you weren’t safe on the road, DC. I have reports from my trucks that the rain is fucking bucketing down and that the road is as slick as shit. What the fuck was Doc thinking riding through it? He put you in danger, baby, and for what? What could be more important than keeping you safe?”
Wow, he was seriously pissed off at my dad and I couldn’t give him any answers because I didn’t know anything. And even if I did I would not be allowed to tell him a single thing. At least not until Doc gave his okay.
But that was not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to know about the fucked up scene at my shop with Lizzy Hamilton.
“Instead of giving me the third degree about doing what my president asks me to do and I can’t discuss with you, why don’t you try and explain Lizzy Hamilton to me?”
There was deathly silence, then a heavy sigh.
“I can explain, little bird, but it has to happen face to face, not over the phone.”
“Is she at your clubhouse?”
More silence.
“Yes, she is, but the only reason she’s here is to keep her safe.”
Ja, right.
“I’m tired, Hawk. I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll talk to you when I get back from the run.”
I didn’t give him a chance to answer. I turned my phone to silent, dropped it on the bedside table next to my gun, wallet and keys and turned off the light. The room was filled with the pale light of pre-dawn as I snuggled down under the duvet.
I stared blindly at the wall, emptying my brain of all the shit rolling around in it, closed my eyes and slid into sleep.
