SAVAGE HEART (Layne & Shelby Book Two) (A Devil Call MC Book) (14 page)

10.

(Layne)

I woke to Shelby stroking my cock.
It was twelve hours later and I had finally gotten some good goddamn rest. Not
that I was in the business of handjobs, but I took this one with a smile on my
face. Shelby cleaned me up and I got dressed to face the clubhouse.

Everything was in full swing.

Finn had a map on a pool table
talking strategy. I skipped the pleasantries of coffee and grabbed a beer. I
jumped up on the table and sat down, staring at the map.

“
There
you are,
”
Finn said.
“
You
’
re good now?
”

“
What
happened while I was sleeping?
”

“
Not
a fucking thing.
”

“
Mountain
Killers?
”

“
We
tracked them twenty miles south of Canada.
”

“
They
running?
”

“
They
’
re talking,
”
Ax growled.
“
Working on something.
”

“
Stay
on it,
”
I said and looked
at Hawke.
“
Keep whoever we
need on them. I want to know what they
’
re
fucking doing.
”

“
Hey,
”
Finn said, spreading his hand
across the map.
“
What the
fuck happened with Stryker?
”

“
What
about?
”
I asked.

“
He
was missing his fucking head,
”
Ax said.

I looked around the bar.
“
Let
’
s take it to the table.
”

A few minutes later we were at the
table. Not quite a full table, but enough guys to consider it a meeting.

I stood, everyone sat.

“
Mafia,
”
I said.
“
I
’
m
not going to lie to the club.
”

“
Mafia?
”
Finn asked.

“
The
night I went to the hospital. When Pep died. The prospects that were taken out.
”

“
Jesus,
”
Brett said.

“
Mafia,
”
I said.
“
They gave me Stryker
’
s
head. I buried it. Didn
’
t
know they gave the rest of the body back to the Mountain Killers.
”

“
Motherfuckers!
”
Finn spat. He sounded like he
had an accent.

“
Relax,
”
I said.
“
That goes deeper than we know. Okay? They
’
re playing me. Pushing me.
Trying to see if I
’
ll work
with them or against them.
”

“
They
did a hell of a job,
”
Finn
said.
“
Now they set us up.
”

“
Fuck
the Mountain Killers,
”
I
said.
“
We can take care of
them when we need to.
”

“
So
what else do they want from you?
”
Finn asked.

“
I
have to go on a run,
”
I
said.

“
You
’
re whacking someone,
”
Finn said.

I looked at Finn.

How the fuck
…

“
Goddamn,
”
Finn growled.
“
They start there, brother. Then
they keep
…”

Finn shut his eyes and shook his
head.

“
What
is it?
”
I asked.
“
If you know something I don
’
t
…”

“
No,
”
he said.
“
This is your club.
”

“
That
’
s right,
”
I said.
“
It
is. And we need to go in order. If I keep these guys on my side - on our side -
I get muscle in town. They
’
re
pushing into Oakville through residential and commercial deals. They don
’
t need guns to take us out. Get
it?
”

The table was silent.

Everyone nodded with a sense of
fear.

“
What
was with the map?
”
I asked.

“
We
were asked to run a shipment to Reno,
”
Finn said.
“
Another crew. A
gang. The Night Angels. They
’
re
tough. But smart. Two of their guys are doing life for murder and arms
trafficking. They haven
’
t
stopped dealing though. They just outsource.
”

“
They
’
re good protection from here to
Nevada,
”
Ransom said.
“
And they
’
re cash heavy.
”

“
So
we can pay for your pussy problem?
”
I asked.

Ransom looked down and groaned.

“
Pussy
problem?
”
Hawke asked.

I grinned.
“
He
’
ll
tell you it all. He
’
s been
charging pussy to the club name. The tab came due and I had to fight a club
owner.
”

“
Christ,
”
Finn said.
“
With everything going on
…”

“
Tell
me about the run,
”
I said.
“
We could use the cash.
Especially if this thing with the Mountain Killers escalates. Hell, I was going
to start looking for some rallies and fights to make some money. Plus, Ransom,
you have to earn your money back for your little situation.
”

“
Okay,
”
Ransom said.
“
Christ. Let it go.
”

“
No,
”
I said.
“
Funny or not you put the club in a shit position.
Nobody uses the Devil Call MC name without approval.
”

“
Agreed,
”
Finn said.
“
We have enough enemies.
”

“
Tell
me more about the Dark Angels,
”
I said.

I made fists and put them to the
table.

“
You
know it,
”
Finn said.
“
We can meet with them and you
decide. We
’
ve worked with
them before. Not the greatest group of guys in the world, but neither are we.
They
’
ve challenged us with
territory and customers before but it
’
s
never gone to a fight. Or a war. Nobody has died from either club because of
disagreements.
”

“
They
like the run down areas?
”
I
asked.

“
That
and a lot of contract work. They get a lot of people who need weaponry for one
time use. Dark Angels can supply that. They get their orders from the south,
past the border, and then run up along here. Hell, your boys down in Brocke
must have had some run ins before.
”

“
Not
that I can remember,
”
I
said.

“
They
pay cash. Lots of it. They know the value of protection and a good delivery.
Plus, they know there
’
s
crews pushing from the east, wanting to take some control.
”

“
They
know anything about the mafia?
”
I asked.

“
No,
”
Finn said.
“
I don
’
t want to think about it either.
”

Something about the mafia really
bothered Finn. He wouldn
’
t
even look at me when he spoke. His face looked plagued with anger, like he was
ready to explode.

That meant the mafia had been
poking around here before. Maybe something happened. Maybe they had something
on Finn. Shit, maybe that
’
s
why Finn never took the patch. He didn
’
t
want to be President and be a target.

Like I was.

The piece of paper was still in my
pocket. The orders to kill Shelby
’
s
mother, knowing her father was elbows deep with the mafia.

“
Get
the map back out,
”
I
ordered.

Finn stood and put the map on the
table. He spread his hand across it. He then pointed to Oakville and pointed to
a small town outside Reno. It would be a good ten hour ride, if not longer to
get where the shipment would need to be.

“
But
we aren
’
t going the entire
way,
”
Finn said.
“
We have about five hours. Then
we stop and there
’
s a
hookup point. That
’
s where
they take it. The main route is the one being watched, covered. That
’
s where the risk is.
”

“
Risk,
”
I said.

“
Yeah,
”
Finn said.
“
But we pack right, make it look
like a MC run, and nothing will happen.
”

“
Christ,
”
I whispered.

I looked at the map. I knew where
Oakville was. And I knew right where Shelby
’
s
mother was. Hours away. Any question on my part and I could call Nicolas and he
’
d provide me a direct location.
The son of a bitch wanted the woman dead but wouldn
’
t do it himself. He wanted me to do it. He wanted
to prove some kind of alliance with Devil Call. If I did it, he
’
d owe me big time.

I scanned the table.

“
Set
it up,
”
I said.
“
We need the cash. For more than
one reason.
”

Everyone chuckled and looked at
Ransom.

“
Come
on,
”
Ransom said.
“
It wasn
’
t like that.
”

“
Then
how was it?
”
Brett asked.

“
She
was comfortable,
”
Ransom
said.
“
Someone out of the
clubhouse.
”

“
You
paid her and you didn
’
t
fuck her?
”
Hawke asked.

“
No,
”
Ransom said.

“
You
charged four grand for what?
”
Finn asked.
“
Hugs and
cuddles?
”

Ransom stood up.
“
Yeah. Maybe I fucking did.
”
He grabbed a beer bottle and
chucked it at Finn.

Finn ducked and the bottle smashed
the wall behind him. Finn made a charge for Ransom. The rest of the table
cleared the path. The two tangled up and took each other to the ground for no
good damn reason.

I had no interest in this fight.
Ransom was embarrassed and Finn was pissed off. They
’
d work it out and then have a beer.

I left the meeting room and looked
back, slightly satisfied.

Ransom hadn
’
t fucked that woman, Jessa.

Why the fuck did that matter to me?

I went to the bar and ordered
another beer.

Now we were going to run some
weapons for big cash. With the Mountain Killers pushing up north for some
reason, the local PD on our ass, and the mafia tightening their grip on my
neck.

I lifted my beer bottle to nothing
and nodded.

Cheers, motherfuckers.

11.

(Shelby)

I looked at myself in the mirror
again. The black dress fit nicely. I actually felt pretty for once in my life.
Even though the circumstances surrounding it weren
’
t that happy.

We were getting ready for Pep
’
s last ride.

Layne had decided that since Pep
was an old President, he deserved a last ride. It was something that wasn
’
t done too often, but Layne was
President. He made the call. Finn argued him on it, as always, but Layne was
the one in control. I didn
’
t
know the situation that had Pep in and out of Devil Call MC. But Layne felt
guilty for Pep
’
s death.

I fixed a couple loose strands of
hair and the bedroom door opened.

“
Fucking
hell.
”

I looked at Layne in the reflection
of the mirror.

“
You
like?
”
I asked.

“
Beautiful,
sweetheart,
”
he said.
“
We have to ride soon.
”

I turned around.
“
I
’
m
climbing on the back of a motorcycle while wearing a dress?
”

“
Fuck
yeah. What did you think?
”

“
I
thought we were getting into cars
…”

“
We
’
re bikers, sweetheart. We ride
face to the wind. Always. The only one in a car is Pep.
”

I nodded.
“
Sorry.
”

“
Don
’
t be.
”

“
Layne,
I know you feel guilty.
”

He shut the door.
“
Yeah?
”

“
I
see it in your face. What happened
…”

“
You
don
’
t know what fucking
happened!
”
Layne growled at
me.

I stiffened.
“
Hey
…
I
’
m
just trying
…”

“
Stop
fucking trying,
”
Layne
said. He closed in on me.
“
Fuck,
Shelby.
”
He grabbed my hand
and lifted it.
“
Look at
your wrists. Didn
’
t you
learn your lesson yet?
”

I shook away from him and slapped
him across the face. Then I gasped, grabbed my face, and jumped back. I hit the
mirror and thought it was going to shatter.

Layne put his hands to the wall and
looked down at me.
“
You
want the fucking truth? Pep was going to die from his wounds no matter what.
But I was going to be the one to make the call to pull the fucking plug. That
got taken away from me. Because of the mafia. Those motherfuckers showed up,
drugged Pep to death, killed four prospects, and then gave me Stryker
’
s head in a bag.
”

I swore my heart stopped for a
second. I stared at Layne with such intensity that my eyes started to hurt.

I muttered one thing.
“
What?
”

“
That
’
s the entire story. I buried
Stryker
’
s head. Then the
Mountain Killers showed up with the rest of the body. They think we did it. The
mafia is putting the muscle to the MC. Which I now have to take care of. So if
I look guilty or feel guilty, don
’
t
fucking call me out on it. The old bastard should still be behind his bar,
serving drinks.
”

I reached out and touched Layne
’
s face.
“
You
’
re
right. He should be there. If they shot the bar
…”

Layne grabbed my hand and tore it
away.
“
No. You don
’
t get to do that either. There
’
s no going back. Just forward.
”

Layne pushed away from the wall and
went to the door. He opened and nodded. That was my cue to shut up and walk.

Outside, the guys were all ready to
go. Everyone was dressed in black, top to bottom. No blue jeans today. All
black. There was a group of guys staying behind to guard the clubhouse.

I climbed onto Layne
’
s ride, my dress getting hiked
up. I slid my arms around Layne and gripped his leather tight. We were then
lost in a sea of Devil Call MC bikers. The motorcycles growled, rumbling deep
in my ears. We all rode from the lot to the road, a black hearse riding behind
me and Layne. Behind that was the rest of the guys. Through the roads of
Oakville, the last ride was slow. The kind of empty ride that left your mind
racing and your heart full, ready to just break.

We were led into the cemetery by
two men dressed in suits. I found it a little weird to see an actual priest
standing at a freshly dug grave. From all I had seen and gathered about the MC,
there was no such thing as religion or faith when it came to their life.
Christ, the only thing they actually believed in was death because that was
real and what they saw almost everyday.

The hearse stopped at the grave.
The motorcycles made a large circle around the grave. Layne stepped off his
motorcycle and walked to the priest, leaving me behind. They shook hands, the
priest grabbed Layne
’
s
shoulder. Everything about it seemed strange and wrong.

Layne stood next to the priest as
the hearse door was opened. The casket was carried out by several Devil Call MC
guys. Everyone then gathered around to say goodbye to Pep. I just stood at the
motorcycle until Layne gave me a wave. That
’
s
when I approached him and he took me by the hand. One thing was damn sure -
this really got to all the guys. Here they all were, tough bikers filled with
muscle and no fear, but seeing someone they knew actually dead and about to be
buried, it got to them.

They were silent as the priest
spoke. Words of rest. Words of eternal life. Words of  care, compassion, love
for a brotherhood. Words that welcomed Pep into another world, a different
life, a place where he can be in peace.

I wasn
’
t sure how much of the words actually meant a thing
to any of the guys, but the words were poignant for the moment.

The priest then took a small bottle
of water out of his robe and splashed it to the casket.
Holy water.
It
made me wonder if Pep had some kind of belief in faith. I couldn
’
t imagine him like that though.
Skinny, wrinkly skin, dark eyes, a cigarette between his lips. Always ready to
throw a boney fist to someone
’
s
face.

The guys then all stepped forward
and put their hands to the casket, their final goodbye. I hung back. I had no
business touching the casket. I had no business even being that close to the
funeral itself. But Layne wanted me there. It meant something to me. Whether I
was there for comfort, image, or just to be protected, I was there.

I folded my hands in front of me.

The priest looked at me and nodded.
He had pudgy cheeks and a light black beard on his face. He reached under his
robe again. Nobody in Devil Call MC was watching the priest. Why would they?
They were saying goodbye to a former President.

It shouldn
’
t have mattered at all
…
but it did.

Because the priest took out a gun.

And I screamed.