Full Heat: A Brothers of Mayhem Novel (18 page)

One thing was for sure: Their visit to the mountains had reminded her how much she missed it. As she had promised herself, she planned to return for small stretches. She felt the trips would help her regain a sense of peace. Truthfully, she was beginning to understand why Storm said she didn’t belong in the MC life.

Lately, she wanted a man who wouldn’t leave her at the drop of a hat to chase after club business. She wanted to be number one in his life. For Storm, the club was top priority.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Easy change directions and head her way.

“How you doing, pretty lady? Every time I see you, you brighten up my day.” He leaned against the bar and eyed her in a way that caused her to shrink back. Not in fear so much as disgust. She could tell by his dilated eyes and twitchy manner, he was high.

“Thank you.” She gave him a half smile and walked to the other end of the bar. Thank goodness someone asked for a refill. Storm was talking with Speed and eyeing Easy with irritation. She needed to keep her distance from the crazy old man.

“You and Easy need to make peace. Your feud is breaking up your chapter and spreading to the club. The Brute Force MC is looking to move into our territory and this will give them the perfect opportunity,” Speed said, anger sharpening every word.

Storm’s face and neck heated with embarrassment and annoyance. It had been years since Speed had used that tone with him. He didn’t have the right. The Skull wasn’t his foster father anymore.

“This isn’t some fucking feud.” Storm jabbed his finger on the top of the desk. “I hate the bastard. You weren’t in our home when I was a kid. I remember the times he slapped us around just because he had a bad day. Or he’d sink his fist into Mom’s stomach and then throw her against a wall when she didn’t bring in enough money to suit him. We would scream for him to stop, and he’d pop us a good one. You weren’t there. You don’t know. But I sure as hell remember what the fucker—”

Before Storm could say more, Speed butted in. “It’s in the past. You’re big, strong, and young enough to beat his ass. Everyone knows that, including Easy, though he won’t admit it. You need to fucking grow up and forget that shit. Be a man and the president of this fucking chapter. Show everyone that you’re a true Brother. We don’t let personal shit get in the middle of club business and that’s what you’ve been doing.” Speed sat back and eyed him. “Just as important, forget that bodyguard bullshit. No Mayhem Brother takes orders from anyone outside the club.”

Storm wanted to argue more but knew it was senseless. Speed was a stubborn bastard and wouldn’t change his mind, even when the business was bringing much-needed legal cash into the club. There was no way the Skull would kick Easy out of the Brothers of Mayhem, unless the old man killed another Brother or was a snitch. Chances of Easy being the latter were lower than Storm forgiving him, and that was so damn low as to be nonexistent.

Speed stood and Storm did too.

The older man nodded. “I know you’ll do the right thing. Time for us to go into the other room and talk about how we’ll take out the Thirty-Second.”

“So you feel the same way as Easy?” Before Speed answered, Storm said, “We can’t afford to lose any more men. All of this killing isn’t solving a thing. We need an agreement, a treaty.”

“We tried that before. It didn’t work.”

Frustrated, but willing to try one more time, Storm said, “Something happened that caused them to break the last one. We need to find out what. The reason they are shooting at us now is that we took one of their own and beat the shit out of him. That I blame on Easy.”

“Don’t start that fucking shit again. You need to get off it, boy!”

Boy? When did Speed start thinking of him as a boy again. His eyes narrowed. “I understand that you and Easy have been friends for more years than I’ve been alive, but he’s crazy.”

“I guess we all are.” Slapping him on the back, Speed offered, “Let’s go back to the bar. I’ll drink for both of us.”

Storm nodded. He regretted that Speed wore rose-tinted glasses when it came to Easy. What would it take for him to see the danger the club was in by letting Easy stay?

As he reached for the office doorknob, an earsplitting scream brought the partying to a stop. What the hell happened? His stride lengthened, and in seconds, he entered the barroom.

It took all of Storm’s self-control not to laugh, but damn if the scene wasn’t satisfying. Karma was a bitch and came in the form of his old lady. Damn, he was proud. But he’d better get Mary Jane the hell away from there.

Curled in a ball, Easy held his crotch and rocked back and forth on the floor. Mary Jane stood near his old man. Her hands relaxed and opened at her sides as she watched the room full of Brothers while trying to keep an eye on Easy. It was apparent Easy had done something to set her off.

Shit! His common sense stepped up. This wasn’t good. He moved into the room, drawing her attention. That was when he noticed her torn blouse and the wildness in her eyes. Whatever the asshole Easy had done had spooked her badly.

“Are you all right?” He waited for her response as he glared at the Brothers standing around.

“Easy and I had a misunderstanding,” she said with a slight tremor to her voice.

“Misunderstanding?” Must have been a hell of a misunderstanding, for Easy had tears in his eyes and his face was an interesting shade of red.

“He thought I was here for him to feel up and make crude jokes about. I can ignore the jokes, but touching was crossing the line.” Her voice became steady. He loved that about her. Damn! She made him proud. The old man fucking deserved it. No Brother should touch another’s old lady. Not a smart move.

Then the realization hit him. He did love her. She meant more to him than he could ever imagine.

A crash of despair darkened the room. She didn’t deserve to be mixed up with the life. He had to get her away from there. No matter how talented she was in protecting herself, Easy would go after her. Storm already knew his old man had no principles when it came to killing a woman. She’d embarrassed him in front of the whole club, and he would come after her. Besides, the Brothers never allowed a woman to bring down another Brother.

“Mary Jane, let’s go,” Storm said, holding out his hand.

She took it, her fingers trembling, and he led her through the crowd. As he opened the door, the music started. The grumbling from the Brothers floated out the door with Storm and Mary Jane.

The tide was turning against them.

Mary Jane pressed her breasts to Storm’s back. She felt him growl as she tightened her hold. Unlike in the beginning, he didn’t stiffen; instead he nearly arched his back to press harder against her. He liked her touch. A glow warmed her from the inside out. The muscles beneath her fingers shifted as he shoved the motorcycle off the stand and started the engine. What a sexy, hot feeling. It took her breath away.

The late-evening ride was surreal. A nip in the air proclaimed fall had embraced the night and more was to come. Stars followed overhead as the streetlights slipped by with even snaps of sound. A low-lying fog drifted near the edge of the interstate. At times, the traffic broke and they were alone. She only wished, dreamed, they didn’t have the pressure of the club and the Thirty-Second hanging over them.

With all of her might, she pushed away the negative thoughts and just immersed her senses in holding him.

Several minutes passed and they pulled up to her house.

Deep inside, she expected Jimmy to come out and greet them. The man would’ve been so happy that she was in love with a member of the club that had fascinated him. Jimmy loved living on the edge. The again, he probably would’ve warned her. A woman would always be second place to the club.

So much had changed since meeting Storm and becoming involved with the Mayhem Brothers.

He stopped the bike under one of the security lights near the kitchen door, but didn’t make a move to dismount. Instead, he looked over his shoulder toward her, his gaze not meeting hers.

When she didn’t move, his eyes finally met hers, a cool dead look in them.

“Give me a word-for-word account of what Easy said and did to you,” he said as he slipped off the helmet and hung it on the handlebars.

She wanted to say nothing. Those two had enough between them, but on the opposite side of the same coin, she couldn’t lie.

“Easy said that the club wasn’t in the bodyguard business any longer and that if I wanted their protection, I must show how much I need that protection to every Brother. That meant I was club property and I should give everyone what I was giving you.” Her chest constricted. The sick feeling from the way Easy eyed her twisted inside her stomach.

With both hands, Storm slicked his hair back, clasping the back of his head.

“What else did he say?”

“It wasn’t so much what he said next as he continued on the same rant, but he grabbed me and shoved his hand down my blouse.” She shivered with disgust as she thought of how his fingers felt crushing one breast. The unexpectedness of it had been as terrible as the pain.

“He hurt you.” He knew the truth without her saying another word. “Show me.”

“No.”

“Don’t make me get off this bike, Mary Jane. Show me now. It’s not like I haven’t seen your tits before.”

Why did he think it was necessary to get a visual? She stared back at him. From his expression, it was to ensure Easy hadn’t hurt her too badly.

“Can’t you come inside?”

“Now,” he said in a no-nonsense tone.

“Fine.” She rolled her eyes and began unbuttoning her blouse. Opening it wide she stood there. Two round bruises dotted her skin on her left breast, just above her bra.

“Take your bra off or pull your tits out.”

She stared hard at him. Did he really expect her to do it? At that moment? The silly urge to stomp her foot came over her, but she resisted. Being a lover of peace, she sighed and dragged her bra down beneath her breasts.

Dark spots of bruising circled her left breast. Easy had dug his fingers into the tender flesh.

“Fix your bra and button up.” Each word was punctuated with a hiss of fury.

“What are you going to do?” Considering the mood he was in, she knew there was no hope of talking him out of whatever he planned. But if she could make him verbalize it, he would be able to control his temper to some extent.

“Time for you to go inside.”

“Storm, tell me.”

“Go inside.”

She preferred his ranting and raving to the cold, soft-spoken response. Without checking how everything was situated, she adjusted her bra and buttoned up.

“Now, Mary Jane.”

Closing her eyes for a second, she sighed again. She was doing that a lot lately with him.

He watched her. Dismay pulled at his sexy lips.

“You’re not coming back,” she said, trying to hide the misery in her voice, but failing horribly. She’d sensed the last few days he’d been trying to place a wall between them, and Easy’s open attack had sealed it.

“Once you’re safe inside, lock all the doors and windows and set the alarm. I’ll have Twofer here in a few minutes. Tomorrow, the Thirty-Second will be leaving you alone for sure. With your closing of the two stores, they won’t be bothering you. I’ll make certain.” His tone was as unemotional as if he spoke with a stranger.

“Can I kiss you goodbye?”

His head slowly turned toward her. He studied her lips a couple seconds. She needed him to say yes.

“No.” Without explanation, he turned away and pulled on his helmet. “Go inside.” When she didn’t budge, he softly said above the idling motor. “Go on. Everything’ll be okay. It’s time we move on.”

“You’re going to meet up with them. From what Easy said before I put him on the floor, Mayhem Brothers plan to wipe them out. What changed the Skull’s mind?”

Storm shook his head and glared at the ground. Then he cut his eyes to her. “You need to stay out of club business. That’s why you need to separate yourself from us. You’ll be safer.”

“Safer for you.” She raised her eyebrows as she taunted.

He sat straight. A stark look of desolation came into his eyes.

“Yes,” he said and began to slowly edge his bike around the drive.

She watched the taillight disappear down the road.

Closing her eyes, she prayed he would survive the next few days.

In robotic mode, Mary Jane did as Storm asked. Turning knobs, punching in numbers, and flipping locks, she made it all the way to her room before throwing herself onto the bed and staring up at the ceiling. The tears would come. But for the moment, she wanted to sleep, to forget about the last few weeks, to forget about the man like no other.

For the first time in a long while, she wished she had a friend. Someone her age who would understand what she was going through.

Warmth trickled down her temples. Well, hell. She was crying again. She hated the feeling. The helplessness. Why would anyone want to suffer through something like this? She understood her love for her parents and Jimmy. They cared for her and never purposely hurt her. If Storm had loved her, he would have fought harder for them.

Stupid club. For men who wanted to be free, they had so many rules; they restricted their life choices.

She’d seen how happy Storm had been in the mountains.

Using the corner of the sheet, she patted her eyes dry.

Of course! That was what she would do. She would leave in the morning for the mountains. At least her mom and dad loved her. She needed a little time with nature and the people who loved her unconditionally. She needed time to push the memory of Storm to the back of her mind.

Tears pooled and trickled over again. She turned into her pillow and let them soak in.

“Where the fuck are you, Wolf?” Storm stood outside a Thirty-Second hangout, hollering into his cellphone at his missing VP. “Shit for brains! I need backup and the name of your inside contact with the Thirty-Second.”

Head pounding like a son of a bitch, he was fit to be tied. Last night had been hell on earth trying to go to sleep without Mary Jane next to him. When the hell had that happened? Him needing her like a child needs a teddy bear to get a good night’s sleep.

He jabbed the disconnect button. Casting a disgusted look at the graffiti sprayed on the walls and the door, he was more determined to end the war before anyone else was killed. He sure as hell never wanted to see Mayhem territory marked up with that shit.

After a full-body shake to loosen up, he opened the door and walked in. The rap music pulsated through his body, jangling his nerves. He needed to keep his cool.

“Hey, asshole. Can you not read?”

A rail-thin youth stood near the end of the bar. Tattoos covered his neck and ran along his collarbone.

“I’m Storm Ryder, prez of the Sand County chapter of the Brothers of Mayhem. Tell Toro I’m here to talk treaty.”

At that moment, it was do or die. Storm was counting on curiosity winning out over stabbing and dumping his body.

He had to hand it to the dude; he didn’t bat an eyelash, but nodded and walked away. Two other Thirty-Second members rose from their chairs and stood a couple feet away with their arms crossed, glaring, the bulk of weapons hidden beneath their untucked shirts obvious even in the dim light of the barroom. As Storm had no plans to move an inch, he could only hope they weren’t too twitchy.

“You’re fucking kidding me!” The roar came from the back of the bar. Then the beaded curtain fluttered. It probably led to a rear hallway. In walked Toro. Five-ten and well over three hundred pounds, the leader of the Thirty-Second gang strode into the room as if he owned it. For all intents and purposes, he did.

“What are you doing here, Misty?”

Storm ignored the laughter. The asshole had always worked at ticking him off by poking fun at his name. There had been times Storm would go back at him with Hamburger, or when he really wanted to piss off the man, he called him Heifer. That usually stirred him up good.

“Ha-ha.” His sarcastic tone changed to seriousness. “We have some business to discuss.”

“All our”—Toro pointed to Storm and then at his chest—“business is dead.” He crossed his arms over his massive chest, eyeing Storm with distaste. “Raindrop, you should never come here without your boys guarding you. You could for sure get killed.”

“New business.” He was about to take credit for Mary Jane’s action, but if it helped save lives on both sides, what the hell did it matter who decided what? “I wanted to show truth in what I have to say.”

“Okay. Come back to my office.” Toro turned to head back to the beaded curtain.

“As you pointed out, I am alone. So here will be best. It’s simple and your boys can hear it.”

Toro stopped and faced Storm. “Okay.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Go for it.”

“I convinced Mary Jane to shut down the two stores in your territory. That should show we don’t want a war. I believe it’s time for you to provide proof that you wish for peace too.”

“The stores are already closed. Why so long in offering peace?”

“I’m here now.”

Toro’s jaw clenched and eyes narrowed.

“Sure. Tell me how we can have peace,” Toro said, lifting his chin toward Storm.

One thing Storm had learned over the years of being on the outside fringe of the club and later in the pen, Toro hated bikers but loved his people more. He planned to play on that factor.

“This is the solution…”

Storm leaned against the new clubhouse wall and inhaled the fresh air. Moving out of Brook Hill into Sand City, the seat of Sand County, had worked out good for everyone. With more mileage between the Thirty-Second and Brothers of Mayhem MC, there were fewer chances of run-ins. Sand City was larger but still small enough not to have its own police force. Deputy Jameson occasionally visited, and their arrangement worked out nicely. The Mayhem Brothers stuck to their business and the deputies to theirs.

As he slowly exhaled, a long stream of vapor filled the air. He tugged his leather jacket tighter to his body. The early-morning chill proclaimed the onset of the colder days and nights of late fall. Dew covered everything including the bikes lined up along the sidewalk. He walked over to his, taking a cloth from his pocket, and wiped off the film from the seat and chrome. His hand caressed the sissy bar. He doubted he’d tolerate another woman resting against his back. He probably should take it off, but his chest ached with the thought.

In the last month since Mary Jane had taken off to the mountains, he’d concentrated on pulling his chapter back together. He okayed women to enter the clubhouse again, but he avoided their offers.

“Hiding from me, boy?” Easy swaggered out into the parking lot.

His old man had wormed his way into the everyday life of the club. They were waiting for the Skull to show up. A call had been sent out to the Brothers. At noon, they would hold church and vote in new officers.

Storm cut his gaze over to the old man but remained quiet.

“You know they will be voting you out of office. No kid needs to run an organization like the Brothers of Mayhem. The scope and the power, it can be overwhelming. It’s a man’s job.”

“Does Speed know that you plan to take over the national seat too?” Storm squeezed his fingers into a fist. He wanted to punch the man.

“I didn’t say that,” Easy said, his sly look infuriated Storm. “The position of president for my old home chapter will be enough for now. Let’s go in and have a drink and talk.”

“You go ahead. I’ll stay out here and wait for Speed.” Storm pulled out a joint and lit it. He needed to relax and take whatever was decided. If he was truthful with himself, being president of the Sand County chapter meant little to him. He would be relieved to no longer worry about what to do next or how his decisions could affect the club.

Easy watched his face, as if he hoped Storm would get angry or break down and cry.

“I’m glad you’re taking this like a man. You’ve surprised me, boy.”

Refusing to let the man rile him, he took a long draw off the joint. The polite thing to do would be to offer a toke to his old man, but Storm leaned his head back and released the calming smoke into the morning air.

“I couldn’t care less what you think of me.” Then he walked off.

The old man was confident that the club would vote his way and he would take Storm’s place. Many of the Brothers hated that Storm had offered a treaty with the Thirty-Second without a church meeting and vote. A handful of Brothers lived in Brook Hill and hated the additional miles they had to go to the clubhouse.

Lazy sons of bitches.

Shit!

When had he started resenting his club? Maybe when it had interfered with what he wanted.

Mary Jane.

Damn, he missed her. His body hurt from all the missing. He bet the mountains were beautiful even with all the leaves off the trees.

Standing near a light post, he took another long drag. He refused to think of Mary Jane. When Speed’s crew rode in, Storm was remembering how the sunlight caused the strands of gold in her hair to glisten.

“I guess church is in session,” Storm muttered and flicked the joint off into the damp bushes.

Mary Jane finished straining the goat’s milk and handed the bucket to her mom. The older woman grinned.

“Sweetie, do you have to go back tomorrow?”

“I’ve neglected Jimmy’s business—”

“Your business.” Her mom’s eyebrows rose.

“My business.” Mary Jane grinned, nodding. Her mom had always believed in taking ownership, the bad and the good. “I promise to come back more often. I feel grounded when I’m here.”

Her mom reached out and smoothed the hair out of her face.

“I’m sorry things didn’t work out with that nice man. He appeared to like it here. Deep inside, I think he wanted to stay.” Her mom hugged her neck and walked out of the barn.

Mary Jane closed her eyes as she tried to hold back the pain that slashed through her with the memory. Their time under the waterfall had been magical. Each vivid picture brought a solid need to feel Storm next to her. For the hundredth time that day, she wondered how Storm was doing. They had been separated for a little more than four weeks, and it was killing her. A week ago, she’d given into the urge and called him. He hadn’t answered and hadn’t returned the call. She liked to think it had been missed and not ignored.

With a shrug of her shoulder, she wiped the tear running down her cheek. She’d tried her best not to cry anymore, but all it took was an odd thought, sound, or smell, and her eyes would well up. The other day, someone had been smoking a joint and she’d become a human sprinkler.

Shaking her head at the silliness, she walked out of the barn, heading to the gathering house.

“Mary Jane.”

She stopped in her tracks and looked up in shock. Storm’s sister Cassidy stood a few feet away. Her husband, Thorn, looked around the area as if he expected danger to pop out any second. His scrutiny reminded her of how Cutter and Wolf had examined the surrounding land.

“Hey, Cassidy. Such a nice surprise.” She reached out and shook her hand. “What brings you out this way?”

The woman darted a look at Thorn before returning her attention to Mary Jane.

“So you haven’t heard?” Cassidy asked in a half wishing tone.

“No.” Mary Jane’s throat began to close up. She crossed her arms as if to protect herself from what Cassidy was about to say. “What’s happened to Storm?” She knew deep inside she would hear of Storm being shot or his throat slit.

“He’s in the hospital. He’s been kicked out of the club, and they beat him within an inch of his life.” Tears flowed down Cassidy’s face. Her husband wrapped his arms around her from behind and squeezed.

“Shh. They said they would call if his condition worsens,” he said in an even deep tone. “Chances are he will be out of the ICU by the time we arrive.”

Without giving it another thought, Mary Jane turned. “Stay here. Don’t move. Give me a minute and I’ll go with you.”

In no time, she’d grabbed her smaller overnight case with another pair of jeans and makeup. Cassidy and Thorn were waiting next to their SUV, talking with Mary Jane’s parents.

Her mom hugged her, and then her dad.

“Mary Jane, are you sure you want to get involved in this again?” her dad asked, concern evident in his voice.

“Dad, I never stopped being involved. I love him.” The words spoken out loud felt so right. Besides her parents and Jimmy, she’d never said those words to another human being before. Storm deserved to hear them too.

“Well, that’s it, then. You go and do what you need to do.”

She hugged him again and slipped into the SUV.

By the time they reached the hospital, Mary Jane was a bundle of nerves. The doctor had just left surgery from repairing Storm’s fractured leg. The doctor had said the boot print on the skin indicated that someone had stepped on it. Thorn had muttered that it had most likely been jumped on. They had to add a plate and two screws. He would need to keep it in traction for a few days. At the same time, they were keeping an eye on his punctured lung and broken rib.

She had a suspicion that Cassidy hadn’t told her all of his injuries, just giving her the major ones. She was glad. How in the world would she handle any more bad news?

A nurse in surgery scrubs walked into the waiting room.

“Ms. Savalas, you can come back and see your brother for a few minutes.” The woman gave an encouraging smile and stood by the door.

Cassidy quickly whispered to Mary Jane, “I’ll be back soon.”

Mary Jane wanted desperately to see Storm, but since she wasn’t family, that was unlikely. She would make do with any news Cassidy came back with.

In less than ten minutes, Cassidy returned. Her eyes were red and Thorn immediately pulled her into his arms.

Cassidy, her words muffled by her husband’s chest, said, “I told them you two are engaged. So they agreed to let you go back there for a few minutes.”

Engaged? Her heart jumped at the thought. Then reality hit her. That would never happen. Storm was a strong man. He would find a way back into the club. His sister had told her how hard he’d worked to become a Mayhem Brother.

“Thank you.” She followed Cassidy’s directions.

No one challenged her as she slowly edged around the medical staff’s station. She looked in between a couple of partitions until a familiar scruffy chin verified she had the right patient.

One eye swollen shut, his jaw puffed out with shades of purple and red, he turned his head inch by inch to look at her.

“Hey, Storm.” She clasped her hands together, forcing herself not to touch his dear battered face. Where could she, without hurting him? When he opened his mouth to say something, she leaned closer. “No need to say anything. I’m so glad you’re alive. We can talk after you’re better.”

She pressed a kiss to his forehead—seeing a spot—careful to miss the goose-egg-size knot near his hairline.

His wrapped hand shot out and clasped her wrist.

“Go home. Leave now,” he said with more strength than she’d expected though his words were muffled. One fierce gray eye shot angry warnings at her. “I told Cassidy I fucking didn’t want to see you. Go back to your fucking mountains. I don’t need you here.”

The tears flowing down her cheeks continued, but she jerked her hand away.

“I was worried about you. You can’t make me stop.” She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, but she wouldn’t be able to withstand the rejection. Had he changed that much in a month?

“You don’t think if I start hollering, they wouldn’t take you out of here?”

“Fine. But you can’t stop me from asking your sister about you. And don’t you dare be ugly to her. She loves you.”

He eyed her for a moment more. “I sure don’t deserve the tears. Go,” he said in a subdued tone. His eye narrowed, and he shifted his body to turn away. She heard a muffled groan.