CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series) (45 page)

“Ewe.”
Shannon made a face.

Stacy
laughed.

Crash
returned to the bar and sat down at the table with his brothers, snapping, “I’m
off blondes for good!”

Cole
snorted out a short laugh, not believing that joke for a second. “Right. She
taken care of?”

“She’s
fine.”

“You
got your hands full with that one, brother,” Red Dog added with a laugh.

“She’s
a hoot,” Green put in.

Just
then they heard a ruckus coming from the parlor. Loud drunken voices coming in
the door of men shouting for whores. The guys made a move to get up and take
care of it, but Cole put his hand up, signaling them to stay seated. “Let’s see
how they handle this.”

The
men relaxed back into their seats, looking over their shoulders to watch. Dolly
approached the men. “Hey, boys. We’ve got a special door on the side of the
building just for you. All our best women are in that wing.”

“Yeah,
those are the ones we want, ain’t it, boys?”

Dolly
held the door open and pointed around to the back. They walked out, and she
slammed the door. “Dumbasses! The only thing you’re gonna find around back is a
couple of chained up Dobermans.” She turned back to see Jason, the bartender
standing at the end of the bar.

He
winked at her, and then brought his right hand up, laying the pistol in his
hand on the bar top. “Cool as a cucumber, Doll. That’s what I love about you.”

She
shook her ass as she walked away. “You love everything about me, honey.”

“Yes,
ma’am.” He laughed and turned away, stowing the gun back under the bar.

Cole’s
eyes slid from Jason back to the guys. “Nice to know, he’s got her back.”

“Yeah,”
Crash agreed, turning back. “So, who we gonna get for the job?”

“Give
me a minute.” Cole got up and headed toward Dolly’s office. Pausing in the
doorway, he leaned against the jamb. She looked up. “Tell me about Jason.”

She
smiled and leaned back in her chair. “I told you, he’s a good guy, why?”

“What
do the girls think of him?”

“They
like him. And what’s more they trust him. They know he’s always going to be
there when they need him. He always has the girls’ backs. Always.”

“This
manager position, are you interested in it?”

“Hell,
no. Shit, I don’t want that job. Then I’d have to deal with the slimy county
sheriff and the DA. Uh-uh, no way. I’m happy doing what I’m doing. I don’t want
those headaches. Thank you very much.”

“If
what you suspect is true, we’re gonna need a replacement for Louie. What do you
think of Jason taking it on?”

She
nodded, considering. “Like I said, he’s good with the girls. They trust him and
like him. He understands the operation, and he’s not afraid to take my back
when trouble walks through that door. More than once, I’ve turned to find him
leaning on that doorframe, the hand behind his back holding a forty-four, just
as cool as you please.”

“You
think he’d take the job?”

She
shrugged. “It’s a substantial bump in pay. He’d be crazy not to. He’d do a good
job. That would be a good move. For him and for business. But…”

“But?”

“Not
sure he wants the headache’s either, though.”

Cole
grinned. “Let me worry about that. Thanks, Doll.” He headed back to the bar.

A
couple of hours later, as dawn was breaking, Loser Louie had shown up, and the
guys had taken him outside to ‘deal’ with him. He’d spilled his guts soon
enough. Cole had sent Red Dog and Wolf to follow him to his house and get the
money he’d skimmed, which he claimed was locked in a safe at his home. Dumb
motherfucker, Crash thought as he walked back toward the kitchen to find
Shannon.

Jason
was all too happy to take the new position and the raise in pay that went with
it. So, with that handled, they’d be leaving as soon as Red Dog and Wolf got
back, which should be any minute now. Cole was just in the office, making sure
Jason was comfortable with everything before they took off.

Crash
walked into the kitchen and stopped, grinning at what he saw. Stacy had her
head down on her arm, asleep on the table. Shannon was stretched out on the
couch, lying on her side, her back to him. He strolled over to the table and
gently shook Stacy’s shoulder. “Hey.”

She
lifted her head and sat up, looking sleepily up at him.

“Got
a couple questions for you.”

She
yawned. “Okay.”

“Louie.”

Her
lip curled up. “What about him?”

He
chuckled. “I think that expression says it all, but tell me what you think of
him.”

“He’s
a slim-ball. Always wanting freebies. Thinks he’s entitled.”

Crash’s
brows shot up. “You don’t give that shit away, not to anybody. Got me?”

She
nodded. “Easy for you to say. You won’t be here later.”

“Darlin’,
he won’t be here later, either.”

“So,
who’s gonna run the place?”

“Jason.”

She
made a power fist and pulled it to her waist. “Yes!”

Crash
laughed outright. “Good to know you approve.”

“Thank
you, Jesus! Hell, yes, I approve. Jason is great.”

He
grinned and nodded toward the door. “Get some sleep, darlin’. And thanks for
keepin’ an eye on her for me.”

Stacy
stretched and got up. “You’re welcome. She’s hilarious. I haven’t laughed that
much in a long time.”

“Yeah,
she’s a riot,” he agreed with a grin and headed over to the couch. Squatting
down at Shannon’s back, he shook her gently. “Princess.” She was out like a
light. Damn, he hated to have to wake her. He moved to sit on the edge of the
couch and leaned over her, his hand resting on the back cushion. With his free
hand, he gently brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen in her face.
“Shannon, babe, wake up.”

She
took a deep breath, and then frowned and finally opened her eyes, squinting at
the light.

He
grinned down at her. “Rise and shine, baby.”

She
blinked and looked toward the sliding glass door where the first streaks of
sunrise were coming in. “Is it morning already?”

“Yeah,
Shannon. It’s morning.” He stood up and took her hand, helping her to sit up. Then
he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling her head.
“We’re gonna hit the road in a few minutes. There’s a bathroom at the end of
the hall. Go use it, and I’ll make you a cup of coffee.”

“God
that would be heavenly.”

He
released her and aimed her sleepy body toward the door, giving her a smack on
the butt to get her moving.

“Oww.”
She turned back to him and grinned. “Mister, that’s a hundred bucks extra
around here, you know?”

He
grinned. “Oh, is it, now? You been studying up on the price list, babe? Thinking
of getting into a new line of work?”

“Do
you know how much these girls make, Crash?”

“Yep.
Don’t be getting any ideas about a new career.”

“I
could make a fortune,” she teased him, shaking her ass. “Don’t you think?”

He
shook his head. “God, you’re adorable. Go!”

“Did
you know that everything is a la carte? Stacy told me if they want to play with
her tits it costs seventy-five bucks extra, and if they want to suck her
nipples, it’s a hundred.” She gave him a ‘can you believe it’ look.

“Yeah,
babe. I know.” He laughed.

“
Oh, you do?
Have you been with them?”
she teased.

“No,
Shannon! Seriously? Are you fucking shitting me? Do you think I gotta pay for
it?”

“Well…no.”

“Go.
I’ll make the coffee. Damn, babe.” He turned toward the coffeemaker, shaking
his head. Shannon could see his shoulders shaking with his laughter. She
giggled and walked out.

When
she returned a few minutes later, he had a fresh pot of coffee brewed and a
steaming Styrofoam cup waiting for her. He moved to the refrigerator and opened
it. Pulling a container of creamer out of the door, he held it up and asked,
“French Vanilla creamer?”

“God,
yes.”

He
moved to her and poured some in her cup. “Say when.”

“When.”
He grinned and returned the container to the fridge as she took a sip. “Hmm.
Delicious.”

He
came over and kissed her. Pulling back, he licked his lips. “Absolutely.”

Shannon
smiled up at him, thinking how sexy he was, even after having been up all
night. He turned, and taking her hand, he led her out the sliding doors on to
the patio. They sat in some mismatched lawn chairs, sipping their coffee. It
was already warm outside and promised to be another hot day. The sky was clear
and the sun was breaking higher on the horizon. Three bikes sat in a line,
their chrome reflecting the bright morning sun. Shannon frowned over at Crash.
“Where are the other two bikes?”

He
grinned back at her. “You don’t miss a thing do you, Princess?”

“There
were five of you last night.”

He
nodded. “Wolf and Red Dog had to leave to take care of something last night. Don’t
worry, they should be back soon, then we’ll be leaving.”

Cole
walked out the sliding door with his own coffee. Shannon’s eyes met his,
reading in his look that he hadn’t forgotten the talk he’d promised they’d
have. He took the chair next to Crash and opposite her. Crash looked over at
him.

“Everything
settled?”

“Yup.”
Cole set his cup on the ground between his feet and pulled out a cigarette and
lighter, striking the flame on with a flip of his thumb. He paused with the
lighter half way, his penetrating gaze flicking up to meet hers. “Story time,
sweetheart.”

Shannon
swallowed. How was he going to react when she told him about Nicklaus? Would he
think she was more trouble than he wanted to deal with? Then what? Would he
insist they dump her off somewhere? Maybe even leave her here? Her gaze strayed
to Crash. Would he let Cole do something like that to her? Would he have a
choice? She knew his loyalty was first and foremost to the club. Always had
been, probably always would be. So, where did that leave her? Her gaze returned
to Cole. Somehow, she had a feeling it all came down to him. And she’d
basically lied to him, well, maybe not lied, but she sure hadn’t told him the
truth. She’d misled him. And she was sure, in his eyes, she’d used him. That
wasn’t going to go over well. Not with a man like Cole.

“I’m
waiting, darlin’,” Cole prompted, sipping his coffee.

“I…I
didn’t tell you everything,” she admitted straight out. No sense beating around
the bush, he already knew that much anyway.

“No
shit.”

“I
should have told you, but I was afraid if you knew, you wouldn’t help me.”

“Just
tell me the story, Shannon. All of it.”

“His
name is Nicklaus Ralston III, he owns Ralston Aluminum and several other
things. He’s a rich and powerful associate of my father’s.” She proceeded to
tell him everything, about the way he’d pursued her and how he’d begun to try
to control her. She told him about the drugs he’d started giving her, and how
he’d terrorized anyone who helped her. And finally about seeing Nicklaus’s men
in Lake Tahoe. “He had to have somehow connected me to the club. How else would
he have been able to find me?”

Cole
ran his hand over his face and flung his cigarette away violently. “Shit.”

Shannon’s
eyes moved between Cole and Crash, her eyes pooling. Crash was leaned forward
in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees. He looked at her, saw her
reaction, and his hand was suddenly on her knee. “Shannon, it’s gonna be okay.”

Cole
stood looking down at him, his eyebrows raised. “You don’t really know that,
Crash.”

Crash
looked up at him. “Yeah, I do. He’s not getting his hands on her.”

Cole
blew out a frustrated breath, his eyes returning to Shannon’s. “This would have
been a hell of a lot easier, if you’d just come clean in the beginning. I
coulda had guys watching him, keeping an eye on his movements, hell, something.
Anything would be better than dealing with this shit blind, babe.”

“I’m
sorry.”

“Fuck!”
he growled and walked off toward the bikes, pulling his cell out.

Shannon’s
eyes came back to Crash. “What’s going to happen? Is he going to send me back?”

“Fuck,
no, Shannon. Not a chance.”

“But…”
Her eyes followed Cole’s retreating back. He looked so pissed.

“Baby,
look at me. I’m not gonna let that happen. I promised you he wouldn’t touch you,
and I meant it. You believe me?”

She
just stared at him.

“Shannon,
do you
believe me?”

She
nodded.