SAVAGE HEART (Layne & Shelby Book Two) (A Devil Call MC Book) (11 page)

4.

(Layne)

I stared Viper down.

I knew why he was here. He was
looking for his VP. Too bad I didn
’
t
know anything about his VP other than the spot where I buried his damn head.

I still hadn
’
t slept, the day was in full swing, and I was
fucking grumpy.

Outside the compound, the line of
Mountain Killers worried me. They had obviously made a call or two to other
charters, wanting to come here and make a really bold statement.

I got the statement. I saw it. The
difference between us and them was that we would have attacked by now. That
meant they were rattled. Their VP was gone, missing, dead, and they didn
’
t know how to react.

Finn was to my right. Did I trust
the guy? I didn
’
t know yet.
I felt more comfortable with him there. He had the experience in Oakville that
I didn
’
t, but the ultimate
declaration of power, swinging the strong fist of war, that all came down to
me. My orders. My command. My actions.

Call it what you want, but I just
stood there. I stared at Viper as though we were decade old enemies. Maybe we
weren
’
t personally, but
from one club to another, yeah, we were enemies. Remember, these guys killed
the former President. That weighed on me, too. Rightfully so, the Mountain
Killers should have been wiped out. But I couldn't make that call. Not yet. Not
with the Oakville PD running rampant and the mafia pushing into the town,
demanding favors.

The situation was delicate, yet we
were all rough men, wanting to fight. Wanting to kill.

“
Take
a wrong turn?
”
I finally
asked.

Viper curled his lip.
“
No. I
’
m right where I need to be.
”

“
You
ready for this fight?
”

Viper made fists, letting his
knuckles crack.
“
I
’
m ready for war.
”

I stepped forward, bumping into
Viper. The tension doubled.

“
No,
motherfucker,
”
I growled.
“
You
’
re not ready for war. This is war. We
’
re in it. And you
’
re going to die.
”

I saw Viper move his head back. He
was going to head butt me. I slid to the left and Viper looked like a chicken
pecking as his neck flew forward. He stumbled. Our guys laughed. The Mountain
Killers didn
’
t.

Viper turned, bringing up a fist. I
grabbed his arm, twisted, and pushed him away.

The Mountain Killers pushed
forward, ready to go.

Viper put his arms out, stopping
them.

“
Not
yet,
”
he ordered.
“
Not fucking yet.
”

“
Smart
move,
”
I said.

“
Fuck
you.
”

Viper came at me. I kept my right
hand out, telling Finn not to do anything. We were nose to nose, my eyes
fighting his eyes. I wasn
’
t
afraid of a thing. Nothing was going to rattle me.

Or so I damn thought.

That
’
s
when I saw movement from the left of my eye. Yeah, it could have been any of
our guys. Stretching a leg, picking his nose, but I knew better. I glanced to
the left to see Shelby.

Fucking Shelby.

She hadn
’
t listened to me again.

She was against the gate, in the
thick of our guys. Watching me.

What did she think this all was?
She had been here long enough to know what could possibly happen. And if these
leather cut scums got a hold of her, we were all fucked. I
’
d lose my mind and my life
trying to save her. But if the Mountain Killers got her, it would be too late.
Way too fucking late.

“
You
’
re going to pay for what you
did,
”
Viper said.

“
What
’
s that?
”

“
You
think you can just kill
…”

“
Do
you?
”
I growled.

Viper grinned.
“
Come on. We both know Rex was a
piece of shit.
”

“
Can
’
t remember meeting him,
”
I said.
“
But he wore the cut. He was the goddamn President.
That
’
s not over yet.
”

“
So
you think you can kill our VP and we
’
ll
let that go?
”

“
I
didn
’
t kill your VP,
”
I said, which was the honest
truth.

“
Fuck
you.
”

“
Fuck
me,
”
I said.
“
Try me. I had nothing to do with
your VP.
”

“
You
don
’
t seem surprised that
he
’
s dead.
”

“
I
wouldn
’
t be surprised if
all of you showed up dead. Fucking scum.
”

Viper backed up. His fists were
shaking. He was to throw down.

I braced myself.

I glanced at Finn and nodded.

Let me take this one.

Viper looked at me again and
decided to do it. He threw a right at me. I lifted my arm and blocked his
punch. My left came forward and hit him in the ribs. He let out a bellowing
groan and fell to one knee. He threw his head forward and smashed me in my lower
stomach. Just enough to knock the wind out of me. I stumbled back and then
kicked at him, nailing the enemy in the chin. He fell back and then got to his
feet. The rest of his goons started to push in. My guys started to pushed
forward. If this started
…
it
was going to be a blood bath.

Me and Viper went at it again,
tangling up, wrestling for power. We each landed a couple cheap punches but
nothing serious. I finally was able to get him by the leather cut and toss him
back to his guys. He fell into one of his guys and they both went to the
ground. Someone behind Viper pointed his gun at me.

“
Do
it,
”
I said.
“
Kill a President. Right now.
Right in front of his club. Watch what fucking happens.
”

“
Don
’
t do it,
”
Viper ordered.
“
That
’
s not why we
’
re here.
”

Viper got to his feet again. He
wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth. He pointed to the guys in front
and made some hand signals. The group opened like they had done to let Viper
through. A car appeared, moving backward. The car came right into our lot and
stopped next to Viper. Viper punched the trunk and it opened.

“
You
might as well have the rest of him,
”
Viper said.

Viper reached into the trunk and
pulled out a body.
A headless body.
It was Stryker
’
s body. Now that was a surprise
to me. Because I thought the mafia would have taken care of the body.

But I guess not.

Viper dropped the headless corpse
on the ground.

“
You
wanted him,
”
Viper said.
“
Take him.
”

Viper kicked the body.

It was hard to look at.

I looked at Finn. He was shocked.
Behind me I could hear the guys rustling. I could almost hear their stomachs
turning, ready to unleash.

“
We
didn
’
t do that,
”
I said.
“
We wouldn
’
t
take the time for that.
”

“
Fuck
you, Layne. You came into a war, I get that part. But now you
’
ve fucking done it. You
’
ve taken it further. You
’
re done.
”

“
Try
me,
”
I said.

“
Already
done,
”
Viper said.
“
I made a phone call. You have a
couple minutes before the PD shows up. To find Devil Call with the decapitated
body of a rival crew member.
”

I gritted my teeth. Maybe the
Mountain Killers weren
’
t as
stupid as I thought.

“
Enjoy
prison,
”
Viper said.

He got onto his ride and went
through the crowd. He shot out on the road outside the lot and took off up the
road. The rest of the crew followed, all the motorcycles roaring, making my
ears rumble. When the sound faded out in the distance, I heard the cry of
sirens.

Finn lunged forward.

“
No,
”
I said.
“
Don
’
t
touch it. Our prints aren
’
t
on it. This isn
’
t our mess.
”

“
It
’
s in our fucking lot,
”
Finn said.

I looked down the road and saw the
SUV cruiser approaching.

I nodded.
“
I know.
”

Truth of it was I didn
’
t know. I didn
’
t know what to do or say in that
moment.

But at least one thing I did know.

I was going to get to meet Shelby
’
s father.

5.

(Layne)

I saw the guy get out of the SUV
and I wanted to kill him. He was tall, skinny, worn out and beaten up by life.
He looked like he hadn
’
t
showered or properly shaved in weeks. He took out a rifle, held it like he was
afraid and then looked around.

The guy was paranoid. He was afraid
to come into the lot.

He knew who we were and what all
this meant.

A second vehicle pulled up. A young
guy climbed out of the car and Shelby
’
s
father turned, pointing the rifle at his own guy.

“
Stay
in the goddamn car, Rich.
”

“
Yes,
sir.
”

Shelby
’
s father came forward, staring at me. It was pretty
obvious we both had heard about each other. He probably knew I was fucking his
daughter. And I knew he had taken a swing or two at Shelby.

He walked up to the headless body
and kicked it.

“
This
you?
”

“
No,
”
I said.
“
I
’
m
still standing.
”

“
Funny.
Really funny.
”

“
Mountain
Killers were just here. Dropped it off. I think it
’
s their VP.
”

“
Where
’
s his head?
”

“
I
don
’
t know,
”
I lied.
“
You really think we
’
d
kill someone and just leave it here to be found with all of us around?
”

“
Never
know,
”
Shelby
’
s father said. He stepped over
the body, eyes set on me. He walked right up to me with the allure of a guy
that had once been tough. Maybe even at one time he commanded respect and got
it. But now, he was just a guy. An old man.
“
What
the fuck are you hiding? Where
’
s
my daughter?
”

“
Why
does that matter?
”

“
Son,
I
’
ll put this rifle to your
gut and pulled the trigger.
”

“
Do
it then. I really don
’
t
care.
”

“
You
don
’
t care?
”

“
Look
at this town. It
’
s a mess.
This isn
’
t what I signed up
for.
”

The guy grinned.
“
Welcome to hell, son.
”

“
I
have a name.
”

“
Layne.
I know.
”

“
And
yours?
”
I asked.

“
Sheriff.
”

“
I
’
m not calling you that.
”

“
His
name is Bob,
”
Finn called
out.

“
Thanks,
Finn. How
’
s your mother and
father?
”

I saw the rage in Finn
’
s eyes. He kept forward and Bob
turned, putting the rifle to Finn
’
s
gut now.

“
Now,
here
’
s the deal,
”
Bob said.
“
My daughter is missing. Her car
was found shot up. Where is she?
”

I hoped to fucking hell Shelby was
hidden right now. We could use this against Bob. Keep the old sheriff off his
game.

“
No
idea,
”
Finn said.
“
What are you going to do about
the dead body in our lot?
”

“
Well,
the right thing would be to get the forensics team here,
”
Bob said.

“
Oakville
doesn
’
t have one,
”
I said.

“
Then
I
’
ll call the county,
”
Bob said. He lowered the rifle
and leaned against it.
“
The
’
ll come through. Sweep the lot.
The junkyard. Your warehouse. Your clubhouse. Anything that
’
s found will then go to a
federal level. You want that?
”

“
Do
you want that?
”
I asked,
staring Bob down.

Bob looked back at the body.
“
No.
”
He then looked at me again.
“
Is that Stryker?
”

“
I
guess so.
”

“
And
his own crew delivered him? With no head?
”

“
Exactly.
”

“
You
think they would have done it themselves?
”

I raised an eyebrow.
“
Are you working with me right
now, Bob?
”

“
I
have no interest in MC shit. It
’
s
time consuming. It wears on me. You goddamn fools want to kill and gut each
other, do it. I don
’
t care.
”

“
Well
that
’
s good to know,
”
I said.

“
That
’
s not a handshake call, Layne. I
’
m not your fucking friend. I
’
m not covering up anything for
you. But this? What do you want me to do?
”

“
You
’
re the one with the badge,
”
I said.
“
I didn
’
t
make the call either. They did. They wanted you here. To come after us. Now you
’
re here.
”

“
Where
’
s Shelby?
”
Bob asked.
“
If
she
’
s hurt
…”

“
I
can promise you, she
’
s not
hurt,
”
I said.
“
She never will be hurt. As long
as she stays with me.
”

“
She
’
ll never,
”
Bob growled.
“
Not
with some leather cut fuck like you.
”

I inched closer to Bob.
“
You think you
’
re tough, Bob? Because you
’
re the sheriff? I know what you
did to her. I saw her face. You think you have the right to do that her? To
your daughter? To my woman?
”

“
Your
woman?
”
Bob asked.

“
Jesus
Christ, Layne,
”
Finn said.
“
Focus
…”

“
Shut
up,
”
I said.

I stepped at Bob and he stepped
back. Over and over. Until he tripped over the headless corpse and fell to his
ass. His rifle toppled to the ground. He braced himself with his hands, yelping
in pain when his hands and wrists hit the ground.

I stood over him.
“
Shelby is fine. She
’
s with me. She
’
s under full protection of the
MC. That includes protection from everyone.
”

“
You
’
ll never get your feet grounded
here,
”
Bob said.
“
Mark my words. You don
’
t know the hell. The truth. What
waits all around here.
”

I put my hand out and Bob took it.

I helped him up.
“
Then why don
’
t you tell me? So I can keep the
rest of the town protected.
”

“
You
did great with the bar,
”
Bob said.
“
And poor Pep.
Like he deserved that.
”

“
He
died taking a bullet for the club,
”
I said.
“
Any good member
would do that.
”

We stared at each other again.

“
Just
get out of here,
”
Bob said.
“
Let your guys find other
charters. Patch them in somewhere else. Make the right decision.
”

“
You
think you
’
re going to
threaten us? Muscle us? Not a chance.
”

Bob backed up. He made a quick
move, grabbing the rifle. He lifted it, and while I figured he wouldn
’
t be dumb enough to ever
actually shoot at me, I couldn
’
t
let him think he could get away with this shit forever.

I grabbed the barrel of the rifle
and pushed it down. The butt of the gun flew up and smashed him in the chin.
There was a hard
thud
sound and I let the rifle go. Bob stumbled back,
grabbing for his face with one hand, holding the rifle with the other. When he
looked at me, he was bleeding from the mouth.

I nodded, knowing my fate now.

Bob came forward.
“
You
’
re under arrest for assault.
”

I knew I could have had the club go
nuts right now. We could have taken down Bob, his officer, anything we fucking
wanted. But it was okay. I didn
’
t
mind seeing the Oakville PD department. I turned and let him put the cuffs on
me. Because I knew what was going to happen next.

Bob pulled at me and then pointed
to Finn and Stryker
’
s
headless body.

“
Clean
that mess up too,
”
Bob
ordered.
“
If I come back
and that headless prick is still here, I
’
m
arresting everyone. I
’
m
calling county, too. Then you
’
re
all fucked.
”

Bob pulled at the cuffs and they
tightened around my wrists. I could have gotten away from him, but I didn
’
t. I stumbled back, turned
around, and walked to his SUV.

“
You
fucking think you can run this town?
”
he growled at me.

“
Keep
talking,
”
I said.
“
You
’
ll never see Shelby again.
”

Bob slammed me against the side of
the SUV. My shoulder exploded in pain.

It felt good to have power though.

Oakville
…
would soon be mine.