Clutch: Satan's Fury MC (20 page)

When Clutch told me that he was going to take me for a ride on his bike, I was intrigued, but hesitant. I’d always been interested in trying it out, but I’d heard on more than one occasion that motorcycles were dangerous. I knew I’d be safe with Clutch, so I let go of my reservations and agreed to give it a whirl. When he pulled up to the curb to pick me up, my heart skipped a beat. Seeing him on his bike looking all kinds of sexy in his faded jeans and leather jacket had my senses going into overload. I took a deep breath and tried to ignore my libido as I walked over to him. I’d worn jeans and boots like he’d told me and was feeling pretty confident until he handed me the helmet. I fiddled with it, but I had no idea how to strap the darn thing on. I didn’t miss the smirk on Clutch’s face as he watched me, and I was just about to get flustered when he pulled me over to him.

“Come here, Sunshine,” he told me as he took the strap from my hand. “You loop it through the bottom ring and then back through the first.”

“Easy enough,” I told him as he snapped it to the side.

“You’re all set. Now hop on,” he ordered.

“Wait … aren’t you going to tell me what to do?” I squealed.

He smiled. “You get on and ride. That’s about it.”

“Come on, Clutch. There’s more to it than that. Do I lean into the turn or away from the turn? And where do I put my feet? And how do I keep myself from falling off the darn thing??”

“Liv, get on the bike.” He smirked. “I’m going to show you everything you need to know. It’s just easier when you’re on the bike.”

“Okay,” I huffed as I hiked my leg up and over the seat, quickly situating myself behind him. I put my feet on the foot pegs and my hands on his hips, then waited for him to tell me wait to do next.

“You’ve already got the hard part down,” he teased. “And as far as the turns go, just go with what feels right or lean against the backrest.”

“And what about falling off?”

“You’re not going to fall off, Liv. Just relax and enjoy the ride,” he assured me as he started the engine.

Seconds later, we were headed out onto the main road, zipping through traffic like it was something we’d done a hundred times, only we hadn’t ridden a hundred times, and I was a nervous wreck. My heart was pounding against my chest and my palms were all sweaty. I thought my first ride with him would be exhilarating, being all snuggled up close to him as I felt the wind in my face and the sun against my skin, but I was too lost in my little freak-out to even enjoy it. I was worried that I was holding on too tight or not tight enough, and I kept wondering whether I should lean into the curves with him or press my back against the seat like he’d suggested. And every time we stopped at a light, I thought I was getting a small reprieve, but as soon as the light turned green, he’d shoot out into traffic, lunging me against his back.

I felt his chest vibrate with laughter as he shouted, “You’re doing great, Sunshine. Just relax.”

“I am relaxed,” I lied.

“Liv,” he scolded. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you. Just take a deep breath and let go.”

Realizing he was right, I tried my best to stop worrying so much. I took a deep breath and let go of the tension I’d been carrying for the past hour and finally started to enjoy the ride. In no time, I’d gotten the hang of the turns and felt like I actually knew what the hell I was doing. We rode for several hours. I marveled at how the sunlight danced across the Mississippi River as we crossed over the Arkansas bridge. It was amazing, seeing things from the perspective of a motorcycle. Everything seemed closer and more defined, and with the added excitement of being pressed against Clutch, I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. Unfortunately, our moment in the sun was about to be over … in more ways than we realized.

As the sun was about to set, we headed back to the apartment. Louise had been checking on the kids while we were gone, and it was almost time for her to leave the diner when we got there. We got off the bike, and I was just about to go inside to thank her when Sam called out to me.

“Hazel!” There was a look of panic on his face as he rushed over to us and said, “Y’all need to come around back … now.”

“What’s going on?” Clutch asked him.

“I think you’ve got trouble coming,” he answered as he turned and started towards the back alley.

“What kind of trouble?” I asked.

He shrugged and said, “I don’t know. Only you have the answer to that.”

When we finally made it down the long, dingy alley, Clutch and I both were surprised to find a large man lying face down in the dirt with his hands bound behind his back. I walked over to him and saw that he had blood trickling from the back of his head and he was completely knocked out. He was fairly short, or at least he looked shorter than me, and he had blondish gray hair and wore a dress shirt with a pair of khakis. I didn’t recognize him, so I turned to Sam and asked, “Who is he?”

“No idea. Never seen the guy before, but I heard him talking on his phone, and when he mentioned a waitress at the diner and the two kids, I started paying attention. He was telling someone about the hours you were working and all about your apartment upstairs. He even told them where the kids were going to school. It sounded like whoever he was talking to was on his way here.”

“Fuck,” Clutch growled.

“I didn’t like the sound of it, so I knocked the guy out. He never saw me coming. I plowed him in the back of the head, and he dropped like a two-ton shit house.”

“You did good, brother,” Clutch told him as he took out his phone and started calling someone.

“What are you going to do?” I asked him. “We need to call the police!”

“No. No police, Liv. Just give me a minute. Gotta call Cyrus.” Seconds later, he started speaking into his phone, “Hey, man. We got trouble. Need you to bring a cage over to the diner. I’ll explain more when you get here. Bring Blaze and one of the other guys with you.” There was a brief pause. “Thanks, brother.”

“Shouldn’t we call Detective Brakeman?”

“No, Liv. We don’t know how this guy found you, and until I get some answers, we trust no one outside of the club,” Clutch growled. “I need you to get upstairs and get you and the kids packed up. Just get the necessities.”

“Okay.” I looked over at the man lying on the ground and asked, “What about him?”

“Don’t worry about him. I’ll handle it.”

“Okay,” I said softly.

Clutch reached out and pulled me into his arms as he said, “I’ve got you, Sunshine. I’m not going to let anything happen to you or to those kids, but I’m going to need you to trust me. You may not understand or even like how this is all going to play out, but it’s the best way to make sure that you and the kids are safe.”

“I’m scared,” I whispered.

He held me tight. “I know, baby, but it’s going to be okay. Now, I need you to get upstairs and get packed up.”

I nodded and then rushed upstairs. When I opened the door, Charlie was sitting on the couch watching TV and totally unaware that I was about to pull the rug out from underneath him. As soon as he looked up and saw the expression on my face, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I … I don’t know how to say this without freaking you out, but—”

He sat up and faced me. “Just spit it out, Livie.”

“They found us. We’ve got to pack up and get out of here … now.”

“Holy shit. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” I knew that he’d started to really like being in Memphis and he’d made a lot of new friends, and I hated that he had to leave it all behind again. “I’m sorry, buddy.”

“Where are we gonna go?”

“I don’t know. Clutch just told me to pack us up and he’s taking care of the rest. And, Charlie … we need to be careful how we tell Hadley. I don’t want to scare her.”

“I already heard,” she whispered.

I turned around and found her standing in the hallway with tears trickling down her face. I rushed over to her and wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly as I promised, “We’re going to be okay, sweetheart. We just need to get our things and get downstairs. Clutch is waiting for us.”

“So … Clutch is going to help us?” she asked.

“Yeah, he is. He’ll do whatever it takes to keep us safe. You know that,” I assured her.

She stepped back and headed for her room as she said, “Let’s get to packing, then.”

My little sister was a brave one, and I couldn’t have been more proud. It didn’t take us long to pack, and with our hands piled high with everything we could shove in our duffle bags, we met Clutch downstairs. When I looked around, I saw that the stranger was nowhere to be found, and Clutch was talking to Blaze. I’d only met him once, but Clutch talked about him all the time. I knew he thought a lot of him, so I wasn’t surprised that he’d asked him to come. When we walked up, Clutch told Charlie, “You and Hadley put the bags in the back of the black SUV while I talk to your sister for a minute.”

Once they were gone, I asked, “Where are you taking us?”

“I’m not taking you, Liv. Blaze and T-Bone are going to get you to Casper, Wyoming where you’re going to meet up with Smokey. From there, Smokey and Maverick will get you back to my clubhouse in Washington. It’s going to take a couple of days, but once you get there, you’ll be safe. They’ll take care of you until I can get there,” he explained.

“What do you mean you aren’t going?”

He took a step closer and placed his hands on my shoulders as he said, “I’ve got to stay here so I can take care of all of this. It’s the only way.”

“Why can’t I just take my car? Why do we have to go in that SUV?” I asked.

“They may know your car. Don’t want them to be able to track you, and besides … it’s better if they still think you are here.”

“Clutch, this is all just too much. What are your brothers going to think when I just show up at your clubhouse with two kids?”

“I meant it when I said you are mine. I claimed you, Liv, in every way that matters. My brothers know that. They’ll treat you like family and will do whatever needs to be done to make sure you are safe and comfortable. And I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

I could see that he wanted me to go along with his plan, but I was scared out of my mind. I wanted him to be with me and the kids, not dealing with the psycho who killed my parents. If something happened to him, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. I loved him, so I pleaded, “Please come with us, Clutch. I don’t want to leave here without you.”

“I know that, and if I could go with you, I would. But I can’t be in two places at once, and I’ve gotta be here to see this thing through. I love you and I love those kids, and I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think it was the best way to protect you, Liv.”

“What about you? Who’s going to keep you safe?” I asked, but before he responded, I got my answer. Eight motorcycles came barreling into the parking lot with men wearing the same kind of leather jacket that Clutch was always wearing. In any other situation, I would’ve been intimidated by the stream of burly bikers approaching us, but these men were there to help Clutch … to help us … and it meant the world to me.

The biggest one of the bunch came up to Clutch and asked, “Where’s her apartment?”

“It’s upstairs. The first one on the left,” Clutch answered. When the man started for the door, Clutch called out, “Hey, Runt. Here are the keys.” Clutch tossed him my keys, and then several of the men followed him, carrying a variety of boxes and tools.

“What are they going to do?” I asked.

“Just setting up surveillance,” Gus answered as he walked up behind us. “We’re gonna take care of all of this for you, doll. You just get those kids to Washington safe and sound and leave the rest to us.”

I knew he was the president of the club and not a man to be questioned, but I had to ask, “Why are you doing all of this?”

Clutch looked at me and answered for him by saying, “I already told you, Liv. When you’re part of the club, you’re family, and our family looks after their own. You and those kids are my family now, so the club is going to do whatever it takes to keep you all safe,” he explained. “It’s just how it works.”

I turned to Gus and said, “Thank you.”

“No need for thanks, doll. It’s what we do. Now, it’s time for you to get on the road. You’ve got a long drive ahead,” Gus replied.

Clutch followed me over to the SUV, and once I’d placed my bags in the trunk, he slipped his hands around my waist, pulling me over to him. He pressed his lips against mine, kissing me softly, before he said, “Keep your eyes open. Blaze and T-Bone will make sure you get there without any problems, but if you need me, I’m just a phone call away.”

“I love you, Shaggy Thomas. No matter what happens, don’t forget that,” I told him.

“I love you, too, Olivia. Now get your ass in that truck,” he told me as he gave my rear a quick pop. “I’ll call you in a couple of hours to check on you.”

I got in the passenger side of the SUV and Blaze drove us out onto the main road. I tried my best to hide my nerves as I told the kids, “I guess we’re in for a little adventure.”

“Where are we going?” Hadley asked.

“We’re headed to Washington. We’re going to Clutch’s clubhouse to stay for a few days.”

“The clubhouse? That will be so cool,” Charlie grinned.

I wish I could’ve been as optimistic as my younger brother, but I was a mess. I couldn’t believe all of this was happening. It was all so surreal. We’d come so far since the day we packed up our things and moved from Boston. It wasn’t easy … none of it. The kids and I struggled every day trying to accept the fact that our parents were gone, but we were getting there. Each day got a little easier, and I was actually feeling good about things, especially when Clutch came into the picture. I was starting to believe that we could truly have a normal life. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I felt like my world had been rocked on its axis all over again, and I knew the kids were feeling the same way.

My mind was bombarded with a whirlwind of uncertainty, but there was one thing I knew for sure: Clutch would see us through the storm. He had to, because without him, we’d have no second chance.