CRASH: An Evil Dead MC Story (The Outlaw Series) (49 page)

Cole grunted in response as the bartender delivered his Bloody Mary.
Damn, every time he was away from Angel, drinking one of these made him feel
close to her. He pulled out his cell and texted Angel a picture of his drink. A
moment later, his cell vibrated with an incoming text. He looked down, smiling
as he read it.
I always knew you were a
big tease!

Cole chuckled and texted back.
Miss
you, Mama.

Miss you, too,
lover.

He typed back.
One more day.

Hurry home
tomorrow, promise?

He smiled and typed.
Gunnin’ my
engine. Blowin’ every light.

I love you! XOXO

Love u 2, Babe

He laid his phone on the bar and pulled the celery stalk out of his
glass, taking a bite. He nodded to the news report on the television. “You
cleaned up, right?” he asked Red Dog.

Dog looked over at him. “You really gotta ask me that?”

“No, I guess not,” Cole agreed with a grin.

“I tell you I lost that job down at the tire store?” Green interrupted,
taking a hit off his beer.

“Really?” Cole asked.

“Yep, hell, I’m one paycheck from sliding out of the middle-class.”

“Hate to tell you, Green, but I think you took that slide last year,”
Red Dog informed him.

“My sister talked me into applying for a job down at the post office.
But I ain’t heard nothin’ yet.”

Wolf grinned and replied, “Maybe they’re only hiring women, minorities, and
people who aren’t distracted by shiny objects.”

Red Dog almost snorted his beer out his nose at that remark.

As Shannon and Crash walked into the bar, a low wolf whistle pierced the
air. She turned to see the guys sitting at the bar, their eyes roving up and
down her.

“Damn,” Red Dog said. Then his eyes met hers, and he added, “And I mean
that in a good way.”

“Good God, girl,” Wolf exclaimed.

“Holy hell, Crash. I can’t believe you made it out of the room with her looking
like that,” Cole added, scooting over one seat and offering the bar stool
between himself and Red Dog to her.

She climbed up on it, and Crash moved in to stand behind her. “Everything
go okay?” he asked Cole.

“Yeah, fine. Don’t change the fuckin’ subject.” Cole grinned.

“And that subject was what?”

“How hot your woman is.”

“She’s hot. And we’re not talking about it.”

Cole chuckled. “Right.” He turned to Shannon. “You have that outfit
stashed in Crash’s saddlebags, darlin’?”

She looked between Crash and Cole. “Not exactly.”

“Ain’t none of his business, Shannon,” Crash warned her.

“I think somebody spent part of the day shopping,” Cole surmised.

She grinned.

“Yep. That’s a shopping spree grin if ever I saw one.”

“Guess you’d know about that, huh?” Crash ribbed Cole. “Your wife’s
probably at the mall as we speak.”

Cole glared at Crash.

Crash grinned back and ordered a couple of drinks, then he turned back
to his brothers. “So, what are we talking about, boys?”

Red Dog took a sip of his beer. “We were just about to talk about what
to get you for Christmas.”

Crash grinned at the joke. “I’ll give you a hint. I want it
fuel-injected with eight cylinders.”

“Duly noted,” Red Dog answered with a grin.

Cole lifted his chin toward the new pendant Shannon wore. “That part of
the shopping spree, too, darlin’?”

Red Dog dipped his head conspiratorially at Shannon. “You know what they
say about men who give women expensive jewelry?”

“What’s that?” Shannon frowned.

Dog
waggled his brows and teased, “Either he did something very bad or she did
something very good.”

Shannon
rolled her eyes and let out a tinkle of laughter. “You’re incorrigible.” She
took a sip of her
drink, and then hopped off her stool, excused herself and went to the ladies
room.

When she was gone, Cole turned to Crash. “You two getting serious?”

“Yeah, I think we are.”

“Brother, you need to think about where this is goin’ and how it’s gonna
end.”

“My eyes are open, Cole.”

“Are they?”

“Yeah, they are.”

“Crash, how’re you ever gonna be the man in that relationship?”

“Brother, I don’t ever have a problem being the man in any relationship
I have.”

“You know what I mean.”

“No, I fuckin’ don’t, Cole.”

“The money, Crash. Her money. That’s control, man.”

“Fuck the money.”

“Not sure she’s gonna feel the same. That’s not gonna eat at you?”

Crash stared off, not answering.

“Look
at it this way. She drives a Mercedes. He drives a…what…I don’t know, Ferrari?
You have a Harley and a beat up old pickup. Do the math.”

“
Okay
, way to bring the mood
down,” Red Dog commented.

“The fight’s about to start,” Wolf advised, nodding toward the big
screens.

Two fights and several drinks later, Shannon was well ensconced as ‘one
of the guys’.

“You know what your problem is? You’re lonely. You need to get married,”
Shannon informed Wolf, popping the cherry from her drink into her mouth.

He laughed. “Is that so? Well, darlin’, I think that might be an
instance where the cure is worse than the disease.”

She rolled her eyes.

“You
know why divorces are so expensive?” he asked.

“No,
why?”

“Because
they’re worth it!”

“Ba-dump-bump,” Red Dog added the punch-line sound effect as he set a
shot in front of her. “Here, drink up, darlin’.”

Shannon laughed and almost snorted her drink out her nose.

Red Dog looked over at her. “You’re a hoot, Shannon, in your own
wack-a-doodle kind of way.”

“Wanna know a secret?” she leaned in close to him.

“You’re smashed? That ain’t no secret, girly.”

She giggled. “No, that’s not the secret.”

He grinned. “No shit. What’s the secret?”

“It’s my birthday.”

His brows rose. “Is it, now? Do I get to give you a birthday kiss,
then?”

Crash heard that one and leaned back on his barstool on the other side
of Shannon. “Not a chance, brother.”

Red Dog laughed. “Did she get her birthday spanks?”

“Birthday spanks?” Shannon asked, frowning.

“Yeah, darlin’. One for each year. How old are you today?”

She frowned again. “Is that a real thing?”

“What? Birthday spanks? Sure is. Here, have another shot, honey.” Red
Dog again pushed the shot glass toward her.

She whirled on Crash. “Is that why you asked me how old I was?”

Crash laughed and reached around Shannon to slug Red Dog in the arm.
“Quit corrupting her.”

“What? I’m getting her drunk, and you get to take her upstairs and reap
the benefits. How does that get me a slug in the arm?”

“Yeah, it’s all fun and games until someone’s puking her guts out in the
toilet.”

Dog chuckled. “See your point.”

As the bar got more crowded and rowdy, the guys took up all the space
surrounding her as they enclosed her, protecting her. It was oddly thrilling,
being trapped between them, Crash’s hard body at her back. She felt small,
feminine and sheltered.

Crash turned her and cupped her chin, bringing her attention back to
him. “You havin’ a good time, Princess?”

She smiled up at him, leaning into him. “I’m having a blast.”

He grinned. “Good, baby. Tonight’s your night.”

She went up on her toes and brushed her lips against his.

“Happy birthday, bombshell,” he teased.

“Thank you, baby.”

Crash looked over her head to his brother, catching Wolf’s eyes on Shannon’s
ass. “Wolf, how’s that pretty ass of hers you’re so intensely interested in?”

Wolf groaned behind her. “Fucking perfect, brother.”

“Look all you want, but don’t even think about touching it.”

Wolf raised his hands in surrender. “I ain’t touchin’ it, brother.”

Shannon giggled, knowing they were teasing each other.

Later that night, Crash pulled Shannon through the lobby toward the
elevators. As they passed the in-hotel chapel Shannon pointed to the pair of
French doors with beautiful inlaid glass. “Look, they do weddings here.”

“How about that,” Crash replied, smiling down at her. She was pretty
tipsy, and he had found that Shannon was a fun drunk. She giggled a lot and
generally found anything any one of his brothers said hilariously funny. She’d
joined in the fun wholeheartedly and got into the fights as much as any of them
had. She knew nothing of the MMA fighters, but for every fight they’d watched
she’d looked over the contestants and picked one to cheer for. He’d asked her
each time why she’d chosen this one or that one. Sometimes her answer was that
she liked the color of his shorts better, or his tattoos or his smile. They
placed a few bets, and she won a little money. He’d had a great time, and he
was pleased that she’d seemed to enjoy herself as well.

Now she was stopped, staring at those doors. “Shannon, you okay?” She
looked up at him with a smile, but also a sort of sobered and serious look on
her face. No way in hell was he ready for what came out of her mouth next.

“Marry me.”

His brows rose. “Huh?”

“Let’s get married.”

He frowned with a smile. “Shannon, you’ve had a lot to drink tonight.”

“Haven’t you ever wanted to do something crazy and spur of the moment?”

“Yeah, sure. But getting married has never been one of ‘em.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body up against him.
“We could have a really awesome wedding night,” she tempted him.

“Babe, I was hoping we’d have a really awesome night anyway, minus the
rings.”

“Come on, Crash. Give in to me,” she purred as she kissed her way up his
neck.

“I was hoping you’d be the one givin’ in to me, upstairs in bed.”

“Crash.”

“Shannon, baby, you can’t be serious.”

She pulled back and looked up at him. “I am.”

“Babe, you don’t even know what you’d be signing up for. The life I
lead…”

“Crash, I know the life you lead.”

“Baby, it’s a real sweet offer, but that’s not the kind of thing you
should do spur of the moment and under the influence.”

“You think I don’t know what I’m asking?”

“I
know
you don’t.”

She spun. “Fine. I’m not going to beg you.”

He grabbed her and yanked her back, her chest coming up against his.
“Shannon, if I thought for one second I was what you really wanted…” His gaze
moved to the doors, considering. To have a woman as beautiful as her, in his
bed, in his life, permanently? He shook his head, trying to regain his senses. It
was crazy, and one of them had to think clearly, rationally. Looking down at
her, he knew her feelings were at risk here, even if it had started as a joke. If
he said the wrong thing here, it could ruin everything between them, and all
those walls he’d worked so hard to tear down would come right back up. “Make
you a deal, the chapel will still be here in the morning. You still feel the
same when you wake up with that hangover headache I know you’re gonna have,
maybe I’ll take you up on your offer.”

That got a smile out of her. “You’re on, mister.”

At least that gave him until tomorrow for her to come to her senses. If
not, hell…he’d have to cross that bridge when he came to it. He cupped her
cheeks and pulled her face up to his, his eyes roving over her before he
lowered his head and kissed her. The elevator dinged twenty feet away, and a
couple stepped out. He looked up and broke the kiss. “You ever do it in an
elevator, Shannon?”

She shook her head. “Never.”

He looked down at her. “You still up for something spur of the moment
and crazy?” She nodded, smiling, and he tugged her into the elevator.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

The next morning, Crash felt little kisses press along his spine, and a
slow smile spread across his face. His baby was awake. And apparently intent of
seducing him. He lay on his side, his back to her and the sheet down around his
hips. When she got to the base of his spine, he slowly rolled to his back,
taking care not to roll on top of her. Her arm slid around his gut, and she
lifted her head, smiling at him.

“Good morning.” He smiled back at her, his fingers threading through the
hair at the back of her head. He brought her face to his, pulling her mouth
down for a sweet kiss. When the kiss ended, he studied her face. “You don’t
have a hangover, babe?”

“No. I feel fine. Guess it was all that water you made me drink last
night.”

Crash nodded. His phone went off. He grabbed it off the nightstand and
looked at the screen.

Mack.

He put it to his ear. “Yeah.”

Five minutes later, Crash knocked on Wolf and Green’s door.

Wolf pulled the door open. “Mornin’. How’s your lady feelin’ this
mornin’?” The smile died on his face when he saw the somber expression on
Crash’s face.

“I’m gonna need you, brother. Both of you.”

“Okay. What’s up?” Wolf replied.

“Mack called. I got some news to give Cole. When I do, he’s gonna lose
his shit.”

“Christ. What is it?”

“Come on.”

Crash knocked on the next door. Red Dog answered it. Crash looked beyond
him. “Where’s Cole?”

“In the shower. Why?” Crash walked in the room. Red Dog stepped back,
his eyes moving to Wolf and Green who followed Crash in. “What’s up?”

They heard the shower go off. Crash looked around the room and then at
Red Dog. “You packed and ready to roll?”

“Yeah. Why?” Crash shook his head. Dog pressed him. “Brother, what the
fuck’s going on?”

The door opened, and Cole stepped out. His jeans on, but shirtless. He
was rubbing a towel over his head. He looked up, taking in the group. “You guys
anxious to hit the road?”

Red Dog, Wolf and Green all remained silent, their eyes all going to
Crash. Cole’s eyes moved to him as well, and Crash felt his chest tighten. He
hated like hell to be the one to lay this pain on the man who was closer to him
than anyone in his life had ever been. He swallowed. “Brother-”

He could see Cole sense something was wrong. “Spit it out.”

Crash took a breath, knowing that his next words would shake not only
Cole, but the other three men in the room, as well. “Mack just called. Someone
took Angel.”

“What do you mean
took her
?”
Cole snapped.

“What?” Red Dog blurted.

“Natalie was with her and the kids. They were in the mall parking lot. A
van pulled up, and someone grabbed Angel, threw her in the back and took off.
Natalie called Mack hysterical.”

“When?” Cole snapped.

“Brother-”

“When the fuck did this happen, Crash?” Cole roared.

“This morning. Half an hour ago, maybe.”

“Have you heard from her?” Red Dog looked at Cole.

Cole grabbed his phone up off the dresser and looked at it. “No. Nothing
since last night.” He stared at the carpet, and then his eyes lifted,
connecting with Crash. “This wasn’t random.”

“Cole…”

Cole spun and punched his fist clean through the plaster and drywall
over and over until all four brothers pulled him back. He pulled his hand free
and shook them off. Then he whirled on Crash. “Taz.”

Crash frowned. “Taz? You mean without the club’s knowledge?”

Red Dog shook his head. “She’s your wife, brother. It’s unwritten law.
Families are off limits. Devil Kings don’t operate that way. Big Ed may run a
ruthless bunch, but even he wouldn’t-”

Wolf cut him off. “Maybe Big Ed doesn’t know.”

“Taz is half crazy. You’ve heard the stories. And after the beat down I
gave him Friday…” Cole paused, looking up at Crash. “Have Mack call him. Find
out if Taz had anything to do with this.”

“If he did, would Big Ed give him up?” Green asked.

“There’s another possibility,” Crash said quietly.

Cole’s eyes connected with Crash, and then he spoke the single word.
“Shannon?”

Crash nodded.

Cole’s eyes slid closed.

Crash looked at Wolf and Green. “Get your gear. Get Shannon, and meet us
at the bikes. Hurry.”

They left the room.

Cole collapsed down onto the foot of the bed, his elbows hit his knees,
his head in his hands.

Crash moved to him and laid his hand on his shoulder.

“I can’t lose her, Crash.”

“You won’t, brother. We’ll get her back.” Cole stood, and Crash hugged
him. “We’ll get her back. Come on, let’s go.”

They broke apart.

“My bike’s gonna be flying, and I’m not stopping for anything but gas.
You and Shannon gonna be able to keep up?”

“We’ll keep up.”

They made the four hour ride in a little over two. At times, Crash looked
down at his speedometer, and it was buried past the 120mph mark. Five bikes
roared up the street and into the Evil Dead compound. Bikes already filled the
lot. As Crash took them all in, he realized that Mack must have called in every
member, every nearby charter and called in every favor with every affiliated
club within two hundred miles.

Cole pulled up to the front door, the others right behind him. Mack was
waiting, along with Natalie and Cole’s three children. Cole climbed off his
bike and went straight to his kids. He gathered them up in his arms, hugging
them tight. He had no idea how much they knew or understood of what was
happening. He stood, and Natalie flew into his arms. He hugged her tight.

“Oh, Cole. I’m so scared.”

“I’ll get her back,” he whispered to her. “I promise you, I’ll get her
back.”

She nodded, still clutching him tightly, trembling. Finally, she stepped
back. “Should I take the children home?”

“No,” he said emphatically. “You’re all safer here for now. Take the
kids inside, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Looking over at Mack, he asked, “What do we know?”

Mack motioned over his shoulder. “Church. Now.”

Crash put his arm around Shannon and kissed her. “Go with Natalie. Help
her with the kids. I’ll find you when I’m done.”

She nodded, and he moved off.

When the boys were all settled in the meeting room, every chair taken,
every inch of available wall space filled with shoulder to shoulder leather
cuts, Mack slammed the gavel down. “Quiet down!” When everyone settled, Mack
folded his hands and looked at Cole. “Talked to Big Ed. Devil Kings had nothing
to do with this. He assured me Taz is still in Nevada and hasn’t left since
your run in with him.”

“You believe him?” Cole asked.

Mack moved his hands apart slightly as if to indicate it was a toss-up.
“My gut says it’s not them. It’s not their style.”

Cole looked down at the scarred wood of the table.

“You got any other enemies I don’t know about?” Mack asked.

“Too many to list.”

There was a pounding on the door. Mack nodded to Wyatt, President of the
Dead Souls who was standing in front of the door. He turned, opened the door
and spoke with the prospect on the other side. Then he turned back to Mack.
“You’re gonna want to hear this.”

Mack nodded.

Wyatt turned to the prospect. “Bring him in.”

The prospect came through the door, holding a teenage pizza delivery boy
by the scruff of the neck. “This kid just showed up with this pizza.” He
grabbed the box out of the kid’s hand and slapped it on the table in front of
Mack.

“What the fuck?” Mack said.

“Look inside,” the prospect nodded to the box.

Mack flipped it open. There was a note taped to the inside of the box
top. In bold marker was written:

You want Angel…

I want Shannon

Cole eyes took in the note, and then met Crash’s across the table. “Get
her!” he growled.

“Cole-” Crash started to protest.

“Now!”

“Go,” Mack ordered Crash.

Crash got up and left the room.

Cole pushed violently out of his chair, crossing the room to the
delivery kid. He grabbed him with two fists in the front of his shirt and
slammed him against the paneled wall. “Who sent you here with that goddamn
note?”

“I don’t know who he was.”

Cole pulled him forward and slammed him again. “Who put that note in the
fucking box?”

“I-I was c-carrying the order to my car. S-some guy gave me twenty
bucks. Said he wanted to slip a love note in for his girlfriend. I didn’t think
anything about it. I didn’t even read it, mister.”

“What did he look like?”

“Just some guy in a ball cap and sweat jacket.”

“He don’t know shit, Cole. Leave him be,” Mack ordered.

Crash pulled Shannon by the hand through the club to that room in the
clubhouse that had always been off limits. She knew it was the room where they
held their meetings. The room no one but patched members were allowed in. The
door opened, and Crash pulled her inside. It was wall to wall bearded,
leather-covered men. And every one of them was staring right at her. And they
didn’t look happy.

She looked to her left, near the head of the table. Cole had some young
boy in a pizza delivery uniform against the wall.

“I said let him go, Cole!” Mack growled.

Shannon huddled close to Crash’s shoulder, terrified of the anger in
Cole’s eyes. She watched as he violently flung the boy into the wall, releasing
his fisted hold on his shirt. “Get the fuck out!” he growled.

The terrified boy didn’t waste any time scrambling out the door.

Cole’s eyes fell on Shannon, and she shrunk back. “Come here,” he
barked.

Crash stepped in front of her. “Brother, you got something to ask her,
ask it.”

Cole’s eyes moved to Crash. “Don’t stand in my way, brother.”

Mack stood up, realizing the situation was deteriorating fast. He
shouldered between the two, his eyes on Cole. “VP, sit down. She’s here, and
we’ll get to the bottom of this. No sense scaring her speechless.”

Cole’s eyes moved to Crash and then Shannon. “I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Shannon took a deep breath and stepped around Crash. “I know you won’t.”

Mack turned, taking in Shannon’s face. Her head held up, eyes on Cole.
Crash tried to take a step forward, but Mack’s hand went to his chest. “Let him
talk to her.”

Cole took her by the upper arm and pulled her to the table. He slid the
box in front of her. Her eyes fell to the note. “Oh, my God.” She tried to take
a step back, but Cole’s iron grip on her upper arm held her tight.

“Where would he take her, Shannon?” he asked, his voice low and
menacing.

“I…I…”

He shook her. “Where?”

“I don’t know, Cole. His office is in downtown San Francisco. He has a
penthouse there, too. There’s a yacht. I…I don’t know. I can’t see him taking
her to any of those places. He’d know you’d find her. He would know you’d be
hunting him.” Her eyes moved to Mack. “You could have him arrested for
kidnapping, couldn’t you?”

“We don’t work that way, lady.” Mack replied. “We handle our own
problems.”

“I helped you, Shannon. And now everything I hold dear is on the line.”

“I’m so sorry, Cole. I never wanted to put your family in danger.”

“Did you even think about that when you held back all that shit from me?
Huh?” He shook her again.

“Cole!” Crash made a move to get to Shannon, but Mack pushed him back.

“Okay. Clear the room. Now!” Mack snarled. The members all filed slowly
out until only Mack, Cole, Crash and Shannon remained.

“I’ll go back,” Shannon offered.

“Like hell you will,” Crash growled.

“Yes. I’ll just go back to him. I’ll end it now. He’ll let her go.”

“Why the hell would he do that?” Mack snapped. “No. You’re the only
leverage we’ve got. Without you, he may kill her anyway.”

At Mack’s thoughtless words, Cole collapsed into a chair, his head down.
“Oh, my God.”

Mack ran a hand down his face, realizing he’d fucked up. He nodded to
Crash. “Talk to him. I’ll go work up a list with Shannon of everywhere he might
be.”

Crash nodded. He pulled Shannon to him, holding her head against his
chin. He murmured against her hair, “Go with Mack. I’ll be right out.”