“Styx is a biker. He makes his own rules, his own laws, and lives any way he chooses. As do I, as do all the brothers in this club. He’s not like these dicks on the sappy movies, Mae. This ain’t an easy life. You ain’t gonna get a happily ever after here. You stay for the love of the club. Prez was born to be in charge, but it ain’t easy on him either, not with…” He trailed off, clearly referring to Styx’s speech impediment.
Sighing, I said, “I know, but right now, I just cannot be near him. Plus…”
“Plus what?”
I shrugged. “I like being with you. I like spending time… with you.”
Rider’s hand landed gently on mine.
Reaching over, I ran my fingers down his long hair, catching a strand that fell over his eye. It was so soft and Rider’s bare stomach tightened in response and his breath paused.
Snatching back my hand, I said, “You look different with your hair like this.”
“Do I?” he said betraying a small smile.
“Mm-hmm. I like it free and wild. It suits you.”
I watched as Rider’s lips rubbed together, his chest erratically rising and falling. My hands began to shake as I stared at him and my nose twitched in nerves.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “How about we watch another movie?”
Sighing, thankful for the distraction, I answered, “I would like that.”
He stood and walked to the TV, allowing me to slouch back and—if only for a moment—relax.
Chapter Fourteen
Styx
Throwing open the door to my shed, I walked into the wide-open space. A large skinhead was strapped to a lone chair. I caught the fucker lift his head and spotted “SS”, “KKK” tattoos and swastikas plastered all over his skin.
Skinheads.
Motherfuckin’ Neo’s!
Ky followed behind me as Viking, AK, and Flame stood to the side, glowering at the dick. Frantically, his eyes darted around at the five of us. Shedding my shirt as I made my way to my blade cabinet, the White Power bastard decided to open his stupid fuckin’ mouth.
“I won’t talk!” He tracked my movements, his eyes widening as I picked out my starter knife. “Yo, man! Ain’t nothing you can do that’ll make me talk.”
Taking out my strop, I set to sharpening my Bowie hunting knife, the hard steel scraping on thick leather.
“Hey, you with the knife! I’m talking to you!”
Flame lost his shit and cracked the cunt ’round his face, then gripped his cheeks in his hands. “He don’t talk. Haven’t you heard the rumors over in Hicksville?”
Placing the strop down, I walked to stand in front of the steroid-pumped-up son of a bitch who took out Lois. He swallowed and a bead of sweat trickled down his face. “The Hangmen Mute…?” he whispered, as realization hit.
I simply smiled in response. Yeah, it’s the motherfuckin’ mute.
The chair began rocking as the Nazi fought to get free of his restraints. I just shook my head and tutted. He froze as I got closer and I could smell the stench of his piss pooling on the floor.
“Shit, Prez, your reputation preceeds ya!” Viking clapped his hands together, booming out a laugh along with AK.
I jerked my chin, instructing Ky to join me.
Spinning the blade in my hand, I clutched the handle. To get things moving, I pressed the tip to the fucker’s already bare chest, then I began carving out part one of my signature mark—a torso-long H. I ripped deep enough into the skin to cause nail-biting pain, but not enough to puncture any main organs. Now this shit takes skill.
Getting a damn hard-on from the Nazi’s agonized scream, I stood back admiring my handiwork. AK stepped up behind me and whistled low.
“Prez, now that’s one fine piece of fuckin’ art!”
The Nazi, now delirious with pain, squirmed in the chair. The thick, rough ropes constantly rubbed his wrists, exposing more and more raw skin.
“I ain’t talkin’,” he spat out in a thick Texan accent. “If I do, it’ll only bring me death, either by you or by my crew. Way I see it, I’m dead either way.”
The summer heat was a fuckin’ bitch in this shed and, three hours later, the KKK fucker’s resilience was starting to crack. Intel gained so far was that the guy who put up the bid for the Hangmen hit was new. He didn’t affiliate with any existing gang, mob, or MC. Some suit. Some rich suit who promised to get their Grand Wizard outta jail—the shitbag was serving twenty after slaying some Jew who’d refused to work his taxes.
Question was, how did some suit know where the fuck we were today? The skinhead needed to tell me who was leaking intel about or within my club.
Ky brought me a towel and I wiped the dripping sweat from my chest, dropping it to the floor. My jeans were covered in the Neo’s spattered blood. They were past saving. Wiping the hair out of my face, I stepped forward, smiling; the guy swallowed hard.
Part two of my signature.
“You heard of a Chelsea smile?” Ky asked the skinhead.
His eyes widened and he nodded slowly, darting his gaze between me and Flame, who was beside me clapping his hands and slapping them on his head in excitement.
The Nazi’s nostrils flared as I approached his chair, spinning the Bowie knife in my fingers. Crouching before him, I signed, One last chance to give up the name of who tried to take us out today, or you’ll be wearing a permanent red smile for the rest of your bastard life. Ky translated.
“I said, I don’t know! But…”
“But what?” Ky hissed.
“But we were told not to stop until you were dead. Take your bitches too.” His Klan eyes met mine. Some fucker wanted me dead? Nothing new there. But they’d wanted Lois dead, the women dead; no one fucks with the brothers’ bitches and lives to see another day.
Flame roared and flew forward, digging his nails into the sides of his neck. “Where’s your fuckin’ crew’s base?”
The Nazi shook his head, sweat pouring down his face.
“Tell me or I’ll rip off your cock and shove it up your ass!”
“An… abandoned… garage… just outside of Airport Boulevard.”
Flame stood, throwing me a smirk. Turning my back, I clicked my neck and swung back around, the knife at the perfect angle to slice my target.