Trench

 

     No fucking way were members of Dante’s Disciples MC running around Sparrow Creek asking questions. This was Pandemonium territory. If they wanted to talk, they came to me. You don’t go pissing in someone’s back yard on a whim and you sure as hell don’t launch an all-out search party in my town without permission.

     “How many,” I asked Clutch as soon as the call connected. The phone was up to my ear before I walked out the front doors of the store.

     “Stryker and Deuce ran across two, but they could have split up,” he supplied. “They might be stupid as fuck, but even Preacher doesn’t have enough brass to send two of his men into enemy territory alone.”

     “What do they want?”

     “Disciple prospect told Stryker they were looking for a female. Didn’t give much specifics other than her name.”

     “Anyone we know?” I was becoming increasingly frustrated with playing twenty questions. Clutch needed to cut to the fucking chase.

     “You’re not going to like it,” he huffed.

     “Jesus, Clutch, spit it out. I don’t have all fucking day.”

     “Tori. They’re looking for a girl named Tori, and their description is on point with your little riding companion,” he spat out the last part as the air left my chest. “Are we going to pretend it’s a coincidence, brother?”

     “There are no coincidences in our line of business. Did they say what she did?”

     “Not a damn clue. Just that she has something they want. Is the girl still with you?”

     “Yeah. Did Stryker tell them anything?”

     “Shit, no. He was waiting for your word.”

     “Alright, set up the meet. They need to be reminded they can’t probe around town without a face-to-face.” I hung up and slammed my palm into the handlebars.

     What the hell would the Disciples want with Tori? The damn chick had to be coaxed onto my bike earlier. How would someone who hates motorcycles get tangled up with a group of one-percenters? Fuck, I was beginning to question everything about the last few hours. If Tori could fool me with her bullshit naïve act, it would be easy enough to run a scam on some poor mindless fuck. The Disciples were rich with push-overs. Hell, what if Tori was one of their old ladies gone rogue? Shit! I didn’t need to start a war with the Disciples over some pretty piece of ass.

     I turned my attention back to the store front and watched as Tori exited the store and walked towards me, shopping bags in hand, looking like pure sin in the navy number and boots I picked. Yeah, dressed that way, I could envision her on the back of a bike. Her smile practically reached her eyes and I felt a knot building in my stomach at what I was about to do, but I was nobody’s joke. I had questions and she was going to give me answers.

     “You got something to tell me, darling?” I didn’t beat around the bush as she came within ear shot.

     Her smile dropped immediately and her brows drew in. That’s right, gorgeous. I know things.

     “Like what?” She halted and asked, pretending to be off-put, which only served to piss me off more.

     “Ever ridden a motorcycle before, Tori? And, the last hour doesn’t count. Feel me?”

     “Is this some kind of joke, Trench?”

     “I don’t joke. And right now, you have about ten seconds to start explaining why I have another MC riding through my streets looking for you before I give them what they want.”

     Her eyes widened and it was the only indicator I needed to know what came next. She was about to bolt. I had seen that look plenty of times.

     “Be smart, Tori. You won’t get far if you run. This is the only chance I’m going to give you to explain why the hell I should reconsider turning you over to those bastards.”

     “Please, Trench. I’ll leave right now. You’ll never see my face again and I won’t cause any trouble,” she pleaded. “Wait, do they already know I’m here? Oh, no, no, no! This isn’t happening,” she hugged herself around the middle and for a second I thought she might throw up. “You can’t…I mean, please, just don’t tell them you have me. I would rather die than go back there.”

     “Why’s that exactly? Your old man looking for you, sweetheart?”

     “What? No. Hell, no! Look, it’s complicated and I -,” she started, but I didn’t want to hear anymore.

     “Let me save you the trouble. You honestly think I haven’t heard this shit before. It’s always complicated, sweetheart, and I don’t have time to listen to some princess sob story. Either you’re with the Disciples or you aren’t. I can’t protect you if you’re their property. I’m not starting a war over you. You’re pretty, darling, but no pussy is worth that.”

     The lie tasted bitter the second it left my lips and I was struggling to even get the words out. Tori did not strike me as the type of female who opened-up shop for the Disciples. She was right about one thing though. Problems seemed to follow her. This one, just so happened to be bigger than some pervert in a truck eye-fucking her on the street. A war had been on the horizon between Pandemonium and the Disciples for years, but that didn’t mean I was about to wage one over a girl I met this morning.

     “Did you really just say that? You know what, I don’t need this shit from you or anyone else. You don’t know me, Trench, and as I recall, I never asked you for a damn thing. You offered me a ride and I should never have accepted.” Tori balled her small fists by her sides, squeezing the handles of the shopping bags before flinging them at my chest. “Fuck you and your bullshit charity! I stand a better chance without you and whoever the hell Duke is.”

     My chest tightened and I stopped breathing at the sound of his name on her lips. What the hell was she talking about and what did she know about Duke? By the time I recovered, Tori was already walking across the parking lot toward the busy street. I jogged to catch up, grabbing her wrist and turning her around to look at me. I was an idiot. I should have let Tori walk away, let the Disciples claim their missing property, but I was compelled to find out more.

     “Let me go, asshole!”

     “Calm down, sweetheart. I don’t want to hurt you, but it sounds like the Disciples might.” I might be heartless, but even I had a difficult time stomaching the thought of another man’s hands on her. “That’s why you’re so worked up, isn’t it?” She was silent so I continued.   “Earlier, when you said you were looking for someone. Who was it? Duke?”

     As soon as the words left my mouth she began laughing, almost maniacally, and hell if it didn’t catch me off guard. It wasn’t the same delicate laughter from before. This laugh was twisted with pain and sarcasm. Her eyes found mine and narrowed to barely open slits.

     “You think so, Trench? Well, I know for a fact they want to hurt me. They’ve done it a thousand times before in a thousand different ways. Too bad they haven’t learned that it’s hard to break someone who’s already shattered in a million pieces. As soon as they figure it out, they’ll kill me because it won’t be fun anymore. Which sadly, would probably be the nicest and the worst thing they’d ever do.”

     “Excuse me?” My palm gripped her wrist a little tighter than intended, not hard enough to leave a mark, but I was angry. Angrier than I remembered being in a long time. It wasn’t her fault though. I wanted the Disciples responsible for her abuse to bleed.

     “You sound surprised. What’s wrong? Pandemonium never gets their hands dirty, Trench? This is the part where you’re going to tell me you play nice, huh? You must think I’m ignorant, an easy target.  You get your rocks off by helping young women cross the street, but pretend to be angry when you discover that my life has been anything but sweet,” she spat venom into each word before letting her eyes trail down to where my hand still held her.

     “That’s what you think, huh? Well then, I wish you the best of luck, sweetheart.”

     I withdrew my hold even though I wanted to press the issue. If someone had been abusing her, he deserved to have the ever-living shit beat out of him. It did not escape me that she was avoiding my question about Duke. For all I knew the girl could be pulling at straws, thinking a simple name drop would be good enough to gain an audience. It would not be the first time. 

     “None of it matters anyway because my situation has nothing to do with you or Pandemonium. It was stupid to think I could get your help. Well, not yours. I don’t know what my mother was thinking.” Her voice lost some of its edge as she pulled her arm out of my reach and took a few steps back.

     “What does Duke or your mother have to do with any of this?” I matched her step for step.

     “My mother is dead. The last thing she said -,” Tori’s shoulders slumped. “Never mind what she said. It was a long shot and I’m an idiot for thinking this man, or you, any of you, would be different.”

     “This man you’re looking for. His name is Duke?”

     I wanted answers before I met with the Disciples. Those green eyes now watery from the threat of tears she was holding back were my undoing.

     “Yes. Duke Hadden. At least, that’s what she said just before -.” Her small hands knotted together as Tori tried to rein in her emotions. “Just before Preacher murdered her.”

     I froze. Son-of-a-bitch. Preacher murdered her mother and the woman had known my father.

     “Tori, stop.” My voice lost some of the authority from before. I knew exactly what it felt like to lose a parent. Even worse, to lose a parent to violence.

     “Why? You’re so ready to turn me over to a group of murdering heathens and I’m still no closer to finding Duke. I don’t suppose you want to take me to him instead? Maybe he’s more compassionate, though I have my doubts.”

     I deserved that statement and maybe more for the way I’d interrogated her in the middle of the parking lot.

     “I would if I could, darling. He’s dead.”

     I watched her body retreat and took a deep breath to calm my own nerves. Clearly, her mother had history with Pops, but she had not known my father was killed. Which meant, the two had not spoken in several years. Duke didn’t exactly hand out business cards. 

     “Then I guess that’s it,” her voice was smaller than before as she regarded me curiously, perhaps at odds with whether I spoke the truth.

     Tori moved closer before pulling off the simple black onyx ring I admired earlier, the one I noted was not a wedding band. Wrong finger. She held it out for me.

     “Here, take it. It belonged to Duke. If he’s gone, then I guess it should at least be returned to your club for safekeeping. I can say I fulfilled my promise at least. My mother deserved that much.”

     “What the hell? You sure Duke gave your mother this ring?” My voice came out clipped. Tori stepped back a little further, her bravado slowly slipping underneath my glare. What did I need with a girl’s ring?

     Still, curiosity got the better of me and I accepted it for a closer inspection, rolling the delicate band between my fingers. My eyes fell on the worn inscription inside that read, ‘Devil’s Due’ and my heart hammered in my chest. The only people who knew the significance were fully patched members of Pandemonium. It was a code. A favor to place a hit on the Disciples. One member in particular…the club President.

     “I don’t know. She never said he gave her the ring. She just told me to find him and he would know what to do. Since he isn’t around I guess it should at least stay with the club, you know? I certainly don’t need it. That thing feels more like a burden to me. Now, I can let her go.”

     “I’ve heard enough. You’re coming with me. Now!” I went to reach for her hand, but Tori was faster. She jerked away from my touch like the plague.

     “Are you crazy? I’m not going anywhere else with you.”

     “You will if you want the Disciples off your back, babe. You just turned in a favor to the club. We take that shit serious.”

     “What favor? I haven’t asked you for a damn thing.”

     “This ring.” I held it up. “Did you ever pay attention to the inscription?”

     “I noticed it, yeah. I just thought it was sentimental to my mom. If you ask me it sounds more like the name of a heavy metal band than a romantic gesture. Why? Am I supposed to know what the hell it means?”

     “No, babe, but I am. Looks like Duke owed your mom a favor and she was calling it in. I’m guessing she wanted protection. For you.”

     “Slow down. I don’t need your protection. I just wanted -,” she began, but I cut her off. I needed to talk to the brothers and draw a line in the sand with the Disciples where Tori was concerned. Plans had changed.

     “What you want isn’t my problem, Tori. What you need is protection, and starting now, I’ll make good on Duke’s favor. Let’s go. If Pandemonium is going to help you then I’ll need to know what the hell the Disciples want with you in the first place and why they killed your mother.”

     “How do I even know I can trust you?”

     “You don’t right now, but if you come with me, I’ll prove it.”

     I walked back to my bike and held the helmet out for her. An offering I couldn’t be sure she would accept. Hell, if not for the ring, I would have gladly let her walk away. Keep telling yourself it would be that easy. Never has a woman challenged me like Tori. Maybe in the beginning when I was nothing more than a Prospect, but once I patched in and secured my line for President one day, things changed. Protecting her and keeping the Disciples from sniffing around town both meant finding out what the hell the Disciples wanted with Tori in the first place.

     I hadn’t told Tori that Duke was my father and the former Club President. She seemed oblivious to that bit of information, but I still couldn’t be sure she wasn’t working for the Disciples. The Disciples knew who I was. They could have easily killed the woman who owned this ring and now they were using Tori to get close. I’d never heard Duke talk about another woman in his life, besides my mother, so I was more than a little suspicious. I had to play along until I knew the truth. Either Tori was in deep shit with the Disciples or she was working for them.

     Either way, Preacher had just doomed his MC to pay. Tori would give me the chance I’d waited five long years for, to prove Preacher’s guilt in my father’s death. Until now, there had only been circumstantial evidence against him. It could never be proven and while the Disciples hands were always dirty, they weren’t suicidal enough to take credit for the hit on Pops.

     My phone beeped with an incoming message from Clutch.

     Meet behind Mike’s in ten.

     “We don’t have all day, sweetheart. You need to make a choice.”

     “Where are we going?”

     “Mike’s place.”

     It wasn’t a lie, just an omission that the Disciples were meeting us there. She would have run if I told her everything and I needed to prove she could trust me to protect her. If we were going to help one another this meet had to happen.

     Tori hesitated for a moment longer before finally taking the offered helmet and securing it to her head. I did not bother helping this time. She had obviously done it before. I had to admit her acting skills were good. I lifted the shopping bag from the ground and stowed it in my saddle bag before straddling the bike and waiting for her to climb on behind. She scooted closer and I placed her hands around my chest before turning over the engine and pulling out of the lot.

     We moved down the highway towards Mike’s Garage, faster than our first ride together. I wanted the Disciples out of town where they belonged. A few minutes later and I pulled into the small lot, parked my bike beside Clutch’s ride, and offered a hand to Tori so she could swing her legs off the back. A few of my crew were standing around looking as alert as I felt. They acknowledged me with simple nods as I rested the bike on its stand. I pulled my weapon from the saddlebag and placed it in the back waistband of my jeans. Tori’s eyes widened, but she remained quiet as she handed me the helmet.

     I took her hand and pulled her beside me as we walked together around the corner of the building. LoJack was leaning his back against the brick wall that ran parallel to the shaded alley beside Mike’s shop, but he pushed off the building when we approached and gave me a stiff nod.

     “How many?” I asked, still walking towards the back. I felt Tori’s hand stiffen and start to pull away at my question. She stopped in the gravel and dug her heels in as I kept moving forward, my attention on Lo’s response. I held firm, but whispered as I held her fearful stare. “I need you to stay calm. Don’t leave my side. I promise, Tori, no one will hurt you and no one is going anywhere with you, but me. Understand?”

     Tori’s eyes pinched at the corners as if in pain. She wasn’t convinced and I couldn’t blame her apprehension. It was a survival instinct to not place trust in others, trust your gut before anyone or anything else. And clearly, her gut was telling her this was a bad idea. Tori opened her eyes and took a steadying breath before nodding in agreement. Seeing her so conflicted was difficult.

     Lo watched our interaction carefully, but never commented. One look at him and I knew he understood. He would never question my decisions in front of Tori, even if he didn’t agree. No, he would protect her as I did and we would discuss what that meant later.

     “Three, the VP and a couple prospects,” he answered with surety.

That was the end of our short conversation as I rounded the back corner and my eyes landed on the first Disciple cut.

     “You boys seem to be lost today,” I said loud enough to gain their attention, giving special consideration to the burly man leaned over the bench. A familiar face that begged to be punched. He turned and casually pulled a drag from the cigarette in his hand.

     “Not so lost after all.” Castro, the Disciples VP, smirked at Tori while his eyes honed-in on where our hands were entwined. “Looks like you found what we’ve been looking for and saved us the trouble. Trench, it’s been a while,” He blew out a cloud of smoke and straightened as I stepped closer with Tori. I saw Clutch’s right hand twitch from the corner of my eye.

     “Trying to say you missed me, Castro? That’s too bad I wasn’t expecting company today or I’d have sent the welcome committee. Next time, a call ahead might be nice,” I replied in an almost casual tone, that was anything but relaxed. The message was clear. Disciples stayed outside the borders of Sparrow Creek.

     “Shoot. Guess we didn’t have your number, but seeing as I’m here now, we might as well discuss what we came for.” Castro jerked his head in Tori’s direction and her grip on my hand became even tighter, almost painful. I squeezed back gently in reassurance, but kept my gaze on Castro. “Seems one of our bitches got loose and wandered into your yard by mistake. We’re just here to collect.”

     “Damn, she must be pretty important if Preacher sent his VP to hunt down a bitch. Things not so sunny in paradise these days?”

     I hated that we were referring to Tori or any female as a dog, but in my experience, it was the only language the Disciples understood. Castro seemed to tense as he flicked the remainder of his lit cigarette onto the asphalt.

     “Thing is, Tori here, has been leading us on a bit of a chase and by the looks of it she’s been getting cozy with you instead of coming home where she belongs.”

     “Is that true, Tori?” I asked calmly. “Do you belong to them?”

She knew what I was really asking. Was she someone’s old lady? Did any of the Disciple men have a claim on her? There wasn’t much that permanently tied a female to an MC other than marriage to one of the brothers.

     “No, I don’t.” Her voice sounded strong even if her hand was clammy and I could feel the quickened pulse at her wrist.

     Castro crossed his arms over his chest, raising his cut high enough to show the piece he was carrying underneath. He was trying to intimidate her, a silent threat that had me seeing red. I wouldn’t hesitate to pull my own gun. Not while she stood with me and not while under my protection.

     “Well, send my best to Preacher, but tell him Tori’s found a new home. One that suits her better.”

     I could practically feel the tension radiating from Clutch and Lo as they watched our exchange. Castro remained quiet for a moment, contemplating his next move. He was not looking forward to returning to Preacher without his intended package, but he also knew the odds were stacked against him. He was outmanned and severely outgunned.

     “That’s too bad. He’ll be really disappointed to hear that.” Castro puckered his lips and blew an arrogant kiss in Tori’s direction. The fucking kiss of death. Tori’s hand trembled inside my own, but I couldn’t tell if it was fear or anger that caused her to shake. “I always heard the worst behaved bitches were Preacher’s daughters. Guess the stories are true.” Castro shrugged, mounted his bike next to the prospects who looked eager to put distance between us and them, revved his engine once more and tore off through the alley.

     As soon as they were out of sight, a string of expletives came from my right. Clutch was glaring hard at me, the protruding vein in his left temple about to burst from exertion.

     “Please tell me Castro didn’t just call her Preacher’s daughter, Trench.”

     I couldn’t. Hell, that was news to me and now I really was pissed. What else was she not telling me? The only thing I felt confident about was that she needed help. She was terrified, which meant at least some of her story was true. How much, I wasn’t sure yet. Preach had two sons that Pandemonium was aware of and both were pieces of shit just like their father, but until this, there had never been any mention of a daughter.

     Pandemonium kept near constant surveillance on the three closest surrounding motorcycle clubs and their affiliate chapters, which included the Disciples in Calabash, only fifty miles to our north. We kept tabs on everything from their names, the names of their immediate family, their criminal records and a laundry list of other dirty dealings we could hold over them if the need arose. Of course, it seldom did. Pandemonium didn’t leave a mess, we cleaned up after ourselves, but the information was useful in making the assholes sing like a bird before we offed the fuckers.

     I expected blowback for honoring Pops’ favor, but I hadn’t been prepared for what Tori represented to the Disciples. She was blood and she had a reason to be scared. Preacher was a sadistic son-of-a-bitch who got off from torturing anyone who crossed him. The man was President of an outlaw MC, but could have been a mob boss. His operation ran deep and few people lived to recount the tales of meeting him in person. Preacher had accumulated too many enemies over the years, limiting his desire to be in the public eye much these days. I had only seen mug shot pictures of the old man myself.

     Oddly enough, there was a time when the two MCs actually worked together, made bank and ran their money through legitimate businesses between Sparrow Creek and Calabash, but Preacher ceased all ties with Pops after some falling out with Preacher’s old lady. Pops found Preacher beating the hell out of his own wife in the back alley of a local bar one night where both MCs were celebrating. Preacher was shit-faced and stoned, but his abuse had gone too far. As the story went, Pops went a couple rounds with him and left Preacher passed out in the alley. Pops dropped Preacher’s old lady at a hospital outside of town and fronted her the cash to get as far away from Preach as possible. Preacher learned about Pops’ involvement from his Disciples and there had been bad blood ever since.

     Pops couldn’t be sure Preacher wouldn’t look for his old lady so he kept tabs on the woman for a while before deciding she was safe. Looking at Tori, I wasn’t so sure anymore. Pops may be gone, but Preacher’s hate carried to anyone who shared my father’s blood or his Pandemonium patch.

     One thing I knew for certain. Preacher would come for Tori. He’d lost his first wife with Pandemonium’s help. He would be hell bent on making sure history didn’t repeat itself with his only daughter. I had just stirred up a shit storm by offering Tori my club’s protection.

     “What the fuck was that, brother?” Clutch stood in front of me, ready for a fight. A fight I would gladly give him if he didn’t step back and give me some damn personal space.

     “Easy, Clutch. Not in mixed company, brother. Trench has his reasons.” LoJack defended, the evidence of my own self-control quickly slipping must have been written across my face.

     “Fuck! Did you know?” Clutch continued and my hands jutted forward, pushing against Clutch’s chest to regain some much-needed space.

     “Watch it, brother. You may be my VP, but you’re dangerously close to finding out what it’s like to be on the receiving end of my fist.” I growled out a warning, but I fully intended to deliver on the threat if Clutch didn’t shut the fuck up.

     Clutch glared at me for a moment longer before switching his heated gaze to Tori. I watched as he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from mouthing off any further.

     “Fuck!” He kicked at a rock with the side of his boot and sent it sailing into the back of Mike’s garage.

     “It can keep until church.” I responded in a calmer tone than I felt.  

     Adrenaline had every muscle in my body vibrating. We were all high-strung after the long run and even more so with this new development, but our conversations would have to wait until I had a few hours of sleep and some time to process the situation. “Are you ready to ride yet?” I concerned myself with things I could handle right now, like getting back home where we had more manpower and ammunition should the Disciples decide to come around for Tori again.

     “Yeah, bike’s ready.” Clutch ran a frustrated hand through his wind-blown hair, making it spike out all over the place. The look would have been amusing if the timing wasn’t so shitty.

     “Good. Let’s go. We’ll regroup in the morning.”

     It wasn’t what Clutch wanted to hear, but his giant ego would have to wait until I was ready. Things were about to get messy.