Banished Souls MC (17 page)

Chapter 20

Cherish

Cherish stood, stunned. It was Devlin. He was here now.

For her.

She shouldn't have even been the least bit surprised. But there was a faint hope in her heart that after Caine had chased him away, she would never see Devlin again.

She was wrong.

"What?" Devlin said, closing the sedan's door and walking over to her. "Did you really think that was the end of things between you and I?"

When she didn't respond he continued. "No, sweetheart. It will never end. Ever. It will always be me and you. In fact, we will be making some changes to ensure that."

Before Cherish could ask what he meant, Devlin turned to look at the dairy warehouse.

Grunt and Basher had emerged and were walking toward them.

Basher looked pissed off, but Grunt was positively beaming, which, with his broken nose stuffed with paper towels, looked comical.

"Devlin!" Grunt said. "I see you found the place." He looked to Cherish. "As well as the bonus I got for you."

I'm a bonus? Cherish thought.

"I drove around this crappy town about twenty times looking for this place," Devlin said, annoyed. He seemed to notice Grunt's nose for the first time. "What in the hell happened. Did you push the deal through?"

Cherish's eyes widened. What was this about? Was it the same thing Basher mentioned, a special deal between the Klowns and the Souls? And how did she factor into all this?

"Well, about that. It looks like there's been a... delay."

Devlin did not look amused. "Meaning?"

"A good delay, trust me," Grunt said, trying to mollify Devlin. "It got bumped up to upper management. They approve all the big deal decisions. Like we talked about. It's no surprise. It's good news."

"So why the busted face?" Devlin asked. He appeared impassive but Cherish knew him to well. He was getting angry.

"That asshole Caine jumped me. The same goof who pulled you over on the highway before. A real piece of work, that one."

"What about Caine?" Cherish asked. She still hadn't a clue what had happened to him. It was starting to look like the meeting did not happen the way Basher described now. It looked like Grunt was the man who was beaten and Caine was the one doing the beating.

Everyone looked to Cherish, as if surprised to see her still standing there.

Devlin said, "Shut up, honey." He grinned. "You won't be seeing him anymore. I'll make sure of that."

Cherish's heart sank. She didn't know what to do.

"But the deal is still good?" Devlin said.

"Yeah, should be solid. We just gotta wait." Grunt said. It was obvious he was nervous. Cherish suspected he was twisting the truth in regards to the deal. But she could only guess how.

Devlin then smiled. It was like a shark who just ate its prey. "Great, then lets move on to the goods."

Grunt and Basher led them back into the dairy. Devlin made sure Cherish walked in front of him, and kept a hand on her arm. She cringed at his touch but didn't resist.

Basher appeared to have lost his attitude, at least for the moment. He walked over to the tarp covering the vehicle, and pulled it off. Underneath was a small van with covered windows. Grunt opened the back doors.

Inside were stacks of crates which had no identifiable markings.

"Here we go," Grunt said, and opened one of the crates. He pulled out a bottle of what Cherish assumed was very expensive alcohol.

Devlin took the bottle and inspected it. He seemed impressed. He waved a hand at all the crates. "So, how much?"

"Couple hundred grand," Grunt said, smiling. One of the paper towels had fallen out of a nostril. "Could be worth more than that if you got the connections."

Devlin was thinking, looking at the bottle. He was quite pleased. "I have the connections."

Grunt grinned. But he started to get impatient and said, "Now with this stuff, along with the bonus," he nodded toward Cherish, "Should make us good. With all we talked about. Right?"

Devlin seemed to consider this. He smiled at the van, then he smiled at Cherish. He barked a laugh. Then said, "We're good. It's on."

Cherish's mind was racing. What did this all mean in regards to her?

Devlin looked over at Basher. "Congratulations, Basher. You are the newly minted Prospect for the Krimson Klowns.

Both Basher and Grunt beamed.

Wait a second, Cherish thought in surprise. That isn't right. She looked from Devlin to Basher. She knew how these things worked. Basher would need to be voted on by Devlin's chapter of the Krimson Klowns before he could be given Prospect status. It just didn't happen because one member said so.

Devlin knew this. But it looked like Grunt and Basher assumed Devlin had the juice to accelerate the process.

Cherish knew for an absolute fact he did not. No one did. At all. Which meant Devlin was lying to these two. At least for short term gain. That gain was her. This van of crap was just some sort of extra Devlin took on because Grunt thought it would pay for Basher's membership.

Cherish decided to keep her mouth shut. She wasn't going to point anything out. Certainly not to Basher and Grunt, the two men who just arranged her kidnapping. And she certainly wasn't going to call out Devlin on his lie. He might just shrug and shoot them anyway. It could be that Devlin didn't care about any deal between the Klowns and the Souls at all.

He already got what he wanted. And she had no way of knowing how serious he was about the rest.

Basher and Grunt actually hugged, despite being angry with each other moments before.

"Okay," Devlin said. "Enough of the love fest. Lets get this out of here. We'll talk more once we're in Klown territory."

Cherish didn't think either of the traitorous Banished Souls would make it back alive. She found she was okay with that.

"We'll be right behind ya," Grunt said. Basher got into the van with the crates while Grunt disappeared to get into his own vehicle.

Devlin led Cherish outside.

"You think you're smart, don't you?" She said to him. "Playing those idiots along."

Devlin glanced behind her, then said, "Shut up, honey. They're not important. Remember, I've made some special plans for you."

He put her in the passenger seat of his car, then went and got in the driver side. His eyes never left her. Once he got the car started her swung it around the wide parking area of the dairy.

Cherish saw Basher pull the van out, and another set of lights appeared from around the other side of the building.

As their little convoy started down the long driveway to the road, Cherish felt a strong sense of resentment toward Devlin.

She had realized something, now that everything had been put to light. The secret deal, the fact Caine had punched out Grunt, the fact that Devlin had manipulated Grunt and Basher to bring her to him.

Caine was not at risk because of her. In fact, Caine may be very much alive and well and looking for her. Maybe? She allowed herself to think that.

This all gave her a new sense of hope. As well as a hatred for Devlin.

"You are a complete bastard," Cherish said. "I want nothing to do with you. So why are you bothering with this charade."

Devlin chuckled, glancing in his rear-view at the other vehicles. He wanted to keep them in view but still manage some distance in case the van was pulled over by the cops.

"Honey, it doesn't matter what you want. In fact, I'm going to make sure I'm in a position to always ensure your perpetual misery. You will never leave me again."

Cherish was concerned. Devlin always followed through on threats. "What do you mean?"

"Sweet heart," he said. "As soon as we get back I have something very special planned for us."

"What?"

"Why, we're going to get married."

Chapter 21

Caine

Caine and T-Bone raced down the highway. Caine's knuckles were white from gripping the wheel so hard.

Cherish, Caine thought. She was in danger and he knew exactly where she was. Nothing would stop him from getting to her. And then there would be some serious hell to pay.

T-Bone hung up his phone. "Uncle and Pacer are already in the area. They should be almost right behind us," he said. He marvelled at Caine's steering ability as he zipped around corners. It helped that there was little traffic to avoid this far outside town.

"Did he believe it all?" Caine asked. Addison had spilt the beans on Grunt and Basher. Anyway you sliced it, Grunt and Basher were doomed. The Banished Souls would make sure of that.

"Yeah, and he didn't like any of it," T-Bone said. "Doesn't like the Club getting played for fools. Especially by those two idiots."

Caine nodded, but kept his eyes on the road. He was aware of Grunt's old dairy farm, but had never been there. He hoped for Addison's sake that her directions where spot on.

Or he'd make sure she paid.

What wasn't really clear was the 'trade' that was being made between Devlin and Grunt. Caine knew Cherish was a part of it, but Addison insisted there was more, she just didn't know. Even with T-Bone putting a gun to her head didn't make her change her story, so Caine assumed it was true.

Still, all of that was unimportant.

All that mattered now was Cherish.

T-Bone shook his head, still amused. "I don't get how giving Cherish to Devlin would make for some kind of long term deal, though."

"There's more to it. You heard Addie. Grunt has something else he's using to get in good with the Klowns. Not that it matters anymore."

T-Bone pointed ahead. "I think this is it."

A long driveway lead up to some buildings which they couldn't see other than the roofs. Heading out along the driveway were three vehicles. The first one turned off and sped away from Caine and T-Bone.

Caine cursed. "Is that them?"

"I dunno. But look at that."

The second vehicle was a van. Caine recognized it as the one Angus had been driving. The one full of the stolen alcohol.

"You have got to be kidding me," Caine said.

"Cut them off," T-Bone said. He pulled out his pistol.

"On it," Caine said. He drove his car up into the driveway at an angle and skidded to a stop. There was no way the other two vehicles could get around it.

As the van slowed, both Caine and T-Bone jumped out of the car.

They saw the third vehicle slow down and stop behind the van. Caine recognized it as the one Grunt had driven out of the Clubhouse compound.

Behind the wheel of the van was Basher, who looked comically surprised. Caine pointed his pistol at him.

T-Bone pointed his pistol at the driver of the other car. "It's Grunt."

"Keep them covered," Caine said. His heart was hammering in his chest. "Do you see Cherish?" He didn't want to fire until he knew where she was. Hidden in the back of one of these vehicles?

"No," T-Bone said.

Caine felt his anger grow. Keep it together, he thought. Get Cherish out of there, then deal with these idiots.

"Get out! Both of you!" Caine yelled.

Basher got out first. Caine could see the crates stacked up inside. Basher kept his hands up, but there was a pistol in his front waist band plain as day.

"Drop the piece!" Caine commanded. Basher didn't move. Instead, he tried to glance behind him toward Grunt, looking for some sign of what to do.

Grunt had gotten out of his vehicle, but stood behind the open door. "We're not dropping nothing, asshole," Grunt shouted.

"Should I just shoot him now?" T-Bone asked Caine.

"Not until we know where Cherish is," Caine said.

Grunt perked up at her name. "You want Cherish? Then you gotta deal with me. I know where she is." He grinned. It was all false confidence now. He had been outed as a traitor, and one with a van full of Banished Souls goods.

Just then, another vehicle came up behind them. Caine did not turn to look, but knew it was Uncle.

A truck pulled up behind Caine's car. Pacer got out of the driver's side, and immediately sighted his pistol at Basher, while using his door for cover.

Uncle jumped out of the passenger side. He slammed the door and marched over to stand next to T-Bone oblivious to all the weaponry. Uncle looked mighty pissed.

"You bastards," Uncle said as he took in the scene, then focused on the two traitors. "You brainless, gutless, snivelling worms." He pointed at the van. "Is that it?" he asked Caine.

"Yeah, that's it," Caine said. Uncle's anger was now greater than his own.

Uncle pointed his finger at Grunt. "You thought you could screw around on us? Screw over your Brothers? That the kind of piece of crap you are?"

Grunt was still grinning but the confidence behind it wilted. He must of known there was no getting out of this alive, let alone unscathed. "We still got the bitch. You hurt us, she's dead. I swear it!"

"Damn," Caine said, suddenly realizing. "The other vehicle. The first one that turned off. She was in that one." Despite himself Caine took his eye off of Basher to look down the road, as if he  might still see it driving away.

"Other vehicle?" Uncle started to ask.

Then Grunt had a pistol in his hand, and raised it up from behind the door. He fired.

Pacer screamed as he was hit through his side.

Uncle pulled out his pistol. Aimed and shot at Grunt.

Basher went for his own pistol, but T-Bone had him dead to rights and fired twice. Both shots went through the big man's chest. Blood blossomed on his shirt.

Uncle was firing, but his shots were missing.

With Basher down, Caine tried to get a better angle on Grunt. He fired once and Grunt yelped as his pistol arm was hit. The arm went limp but he didn't drop the weapon.

For some reason only a doomed man would know, he turned and tried running back up the driveway toward the dairy. It made no difference.

Uncle had a bead on Grunt, but lowered his arm. He looked to Caine and said, "All yours."

Caine didn't hesitate. He aimed at the back of the running Biker and fired once.

The back of Grunt's head imploded and he dropped face down into the mud.

Instantly, Caine ran over to the van and peered inside. All crates. Then he went over to Grunt's car. He opened the back door's. No Cherish. Then popped the trunk. She wasn't there.

He ran back down to Basher, who was sitting in the mud, leaning up against the van. Blood gushed from his wounds.

Caine grabbed his face and made Basher look at him. "What was the make of their car?" He hadn't seen what it was. Even if he headed in the direction of Klown territory, he would have to check every single vehicle along the way.

When the dying biker only moaned Caine slapped his face. "What's their car?!" he shouted.

Basher looked at Caine groggily, as if he were merely drunk, and not bleeding to death. "Blue sedan..." he managed.

Caine stood up, and as he ran to his car he looked over at Uncle.

Uncle waved him on. "Go take care of business," he said, looking grimly down at Basher. "We'll clean up this."

T-Bone shouted at Caine, "Need me?"

"No," Caine said. "I got this."

And with that, he peeled out of the driveway and raced down the road.

He was going to get Cherish back.