“I don’t think the first one was.” Jason sat on the edge of his chair. “Where did all the waitresses and strippers go?”
Bernard stared around the room. “Don’t know. Guess they’re taking a break.”
“All at the same time?” Jason said sharply.
“They’re coming back. See, the lights on the stage are coming on.”
Jason looked to the stage. Everyone in Queens City would recognize the man walking across it. His harsh features and elegant suit were his trademark.
“I know him. That’s King. I remember him from when he was first starting out.”
“You’re from King’s neighborhood?”
“Used to be. I moved in with my son and his wife ten years ago. You, too?”
“Yeah, I moved away twelve years ago when I got married. I live with my daughter and her kids after my wife died, and she got divorced.”
“You have grandkids? How old are they?” Bernard asked with a gleam Jason recognized too easily.
“I’m getting the fuck out of here.” That big son of a bitch might be at the front door, but the place had to have a back exit.
A hand landed on his shoulder, and Jason looked up into the creepy biker’s face.
“Sit down. The show is just beginning.”
Jason nodded as he felt a drop of piss roll down his leg. He sat back down, but the man’s hand didn’t leave his shoulder.
Jason’s attention was drawn back to the stage where King began talking. “Good evening, gentlemen. I want to thank you for showing up for the free lap dance. Please show your card if you have one. Anyone here who doesn’t have a card?”
While the cards were being waved eagerly in the air by the others, Jason left his lying on the table.
“Good. I see we only have one missing tonight. The turnout was much better than I expected. You can place your card down now. I’d like to turn the stage over to my son-in-law.”
Jason thought the biker standing behind him was scary; however, the man walking out onto the stage was the stuff of nightmares.
“I’m not going to say a lot to you filth. You’ve already taken too much of my time.” He walked to the stage to a large square which was covered by a cloth. Then he reached out, removing the white cloth and dropping it to the floor. “Remember her? Each of you should.”
Several men tried to make a break for it, but the bikers had spread throughout the room. They knocked the men down to the floor as they tried to escape.
“Tonight, each and every one of you are going to die, and I want you to remember her face. The little girl you raped and paid money for is King’s daughter and my wife. Her name is Callie, so when you enter Hell tonight, you’ll know why you’re there.” He reached down to his boot, pulling out a lethal-looking knife. Taking a step forward, he jumped down from the stage.
Screams and yells filled the bar as the group of men were beaten. Jason didn’t feel anything after the first ten minutes.
He was being kicked in the ribs when he saw Bernard’s cane laying on the floor and him trying to crawl away from the blond biker kicking him. When the biker reached down and picked up the cane, smashing his head in, Jason started crying.
“Please don’t kill me … Please don’t kill me.”
The one on the stage who said the little girl was now his wife crouched down next to him, staring down mercilessly into his eyes.
“Did she beg you not to touch her? Did the thought even cross your mind to help her? I’m going to show you the same mercy.”
The flash of a knife was all he saw as his shirt was ripped open. Jason felt the first cuts then the sensation of the warm blood leaving his body until the darkness came and carried him away.
* * *
Shade stood, looking at the motionless bodies lying on the floor. King stood, as well, having finished with the last one before walking across the room to stand next to him.
“Damn. You better hope that comes up or Henry will be pissed,” he said, commenting on the pool of blood at their feet.
“Sorry,” Shade lied.
“If you’re all done, Ice and his men will get them loaded into the truck out back.”
“I’m done. We’ll help load them. It’ll be quicker.”
It only took them twenty minutes to get the bodies loaded. Then Ice sent several women in through the back door to begin straightening and cleaning. One even had a shampooer.
“You ready to head home?” Lucky asked, wiping the blood off his leather jacket with a bar cloth.
“Yeah, I’m ready. Where’s Razer and Viper?”
“Over there by Ice. They’re thanking him for his men’s help.”
Shade nodded as The Last Riders gathered by the door. Shade watched as King shook Henry’s hand then the Predators’ before joining him at the door.
They started to go outside, but King’s hand on Shade’s arm stopped them.
“You used the excuse last time that you went hunting, so what reason did you give Lily for leaving town this time? I told her and Evie that I had to sign some papers, selling the bar.”
“I told her we were going to a funeral.”
Chapter 79
“Everyone here?” Viper asked, coming into the kitchen.
“Yes,” Shade answered, leaning against the kitchen counter.
Having missed dinner, Viper was finally coming downstairs to the meeting he had called. The room was filled with only the brothers since the women had left after dinner.
Viper walked to the front of the room. “A few weeks ago, Stud asked for a meet with Cash. Once I gave the go-ahead, they met, and he asked Cash to find out what he could about a new biker club which had recently moved into his territory. Stud wanted to be cautious before he made a move to drive them out. He was smart.
“Cash found out they call themselves Freedom Riders. Their leader is called Scorpion, and Vaughn is his vice. They are anti-government, and their numbers are large—bigger than what Stud is going to be able to handle even combining The Blue Horsemen and Destructors.”
Viper paused briefly before continuing, “They want to buy a large piece of property to train their men, land which is isolated and easily defended. Once the purchase goes through, they’ll bring in even more men, assuming Stud won’t be able to stop them.”
“Who owns the property?” Shade asked.
“Curt Dawkins, the football coach here in town,” Cash answered.
“Cash told me they' are fanatical and deadly,” Viper continued. “So, the question is, do we back Stud up with our numbers or leave this mess in his lap? I’ve thought about this all last night and today. Truthfully, I made my decision only a few minutes ago before I came in here.”
“Which is?” Shade asked, already knowing the choice Viper had made. Not only would the brother never turn his back on someone who had asked for help, but Stud had also helped them a couple of times; therefore, Viper wouldn’t leave the debt unpaid.
“We’ll stand with Stud. I studied the map of where the property is they want to buy, and it’s not far from Treepoint, so there isn’t going to be a way to avoid fighting them anyway. I think they just want to get Stud out of the way before they turn their attention to us.”
“I agree,” Shade said.
The other brothers stated their agreement, as well.
“Shade, I want you to handle Dawkins. I don’t want him selling that property to them, even if you have to buy it. I don’t care how you do it.”
Shade nodded.
“There’s also something else we need to discuss.” Shade saw the flash of anguish which crossed Viper’s face before it was hidden. “I have refused to name a VP out of respect to Gavin. It was his idea to begin our club and I didn’t want to name another, but Gavin wouldn’t have wanted it that way. Shade, you’re too valuable to me as an enforcer to give you that title, though you deserve it.”
“Fuck, I wouldn’t have wanted it anyway. I have enough on my hands as it is, saving your asses,” Shade joked, easing
the tension in the room.
“Razer, you’re our best rider, so I need you at our back,” Viper stated. “Plus, you have kids. I need my vice to put the club first.”
The members waited for Razer’s reaction.
“Don’t blame you, brother. If I needed decisions made, I would want the man making them not to be worried his wife will marry a jackass after he’s dead and gone.” Razer shrugged.
Viper smiled. “Rider and Train, you’re my soldiers, always will be. I need men I know can carry out my orders and see the other brothers do, too, without question.”
Both men nodded.
“Knox, you’re too valuable as the sheriff.”
“Diamond would kick my ass, anyway,” Knox stated.
Viper paused, clearing his throat. “Lucky, the job’s yours if you want it. You’ve put your time in longer than any brother here, and I think Gavin would be proud if you took his spot by my side.”
Lucky stiffened next to Shade while the room waited expectantly for his answer.
He stood up straight, walking forward to stand by Viper’s side. Then he held out his hand to shake Viper’s. “I’d be honored, brother.”
Viper smiled, jerking Lucky to him and hugging him before slapping him on the arms. “Rider, get the women back in here. Nickel, pass out the beer. We’re going to celebrate.”
The women came back in the room and Lily came to his side, slipping an arm around his waist.
“What’s going on?” she asked worriedly.