CHAPTER NINE:
Deuce cut his engine, toed his kickstand down and studied the farmhouse in front of him. Mick pulled up beside him. Five more of his boys followed suit.
"You sure ‘bout this Prez?" Ripper asked, leaning forward on his handlebars. Even in the dark Deuce could see the ugly looking slashes that married the entire right side of his face. Right eye gone, right side of his mouth slashed, frozen in an ugly looking frown. His chest was worse. This was all courtesy of Crazy Frankie, who had done him over real good about two years back. Frankie was all about the torture before the killing. Luckily, Ripper had gotten away before the fucker could do him in.
"How can you ask that?" Mick said. "After what he fuckin' did to you?"
Ripper shrugged. "Don't get me wrong Mickey, I want the fuck dead more than any of you."
He wasn't so sure about that.
"I'm just lookin' out for the club. We do this, we do Frankie, and we're at war with Preacher. Full out war. Shit won’t be easy; it will be downright fuckin' ugly."
He looked back at the house. Loud music was blaring, bikes and a few pickups covered the lawn. Through the lit windows he could see people dancing with beers in their hands. It was a typical MC party.
But he wasn’t here to party, he was here to kill the Silver Demon's VP.
He looked back at his brothers. "We all agree or we all leave."
Tag, ZZ, Cox, Mick and Jase all gave him the thumbs up. He looked at Ripper.
Ripper stared at the house. "We got the manpower to go up against Preacher. We got the connections, we got the money, we got the Russians, fuck, we even got some of Preacher's connections ready to go up against Preacher for the right price, so what the fuck. Let's do it. 'Bout time someone put that rabid dog down."
Deuce nodded to Cox. "You and me are goin' in. Tag and ZZ take back, Mick and Jase take front and Ripper…you just fuckin' wait and I'll bring the fucker right to you and you can gut him like the fuckin' pig he is."
Ripper grinned his deformed half grin. "You sure do know how to turn a guy on, Prez."
He shoved an extra clip in the back of his leathers. "I try," he said dryly.
He grabbed Cox's arm before they entered. "Remember we need to be cool. Frankie knows we got beef. Look like you're here to party. Start drinking just don't get shitfaced or grab some pussy but keep your eye on your phone."
"You got it."
It wasn't hard to grab pussy at an MC party, it was usually a free for all. But Cox, being Cox, shaved head and pierced everywhere, every-fuckin'-where, covered from neck to ankle in tats, the women fucking flocked. Boy didn't even have to crook his finger. They just magically appeared on their knees in front of him.
They walked in and split up. The place was packed solid with Demons. He saw a few Red Devil cuts wandering around and healthy mix of nomads, but fuck, there was a crap load of Demons. He went straight to the kitchen, nabbed a blue, pushed off a crack whore who'd grabbed at him and started walking around, getting the lay of the place.
"Horseman!" A familiar voice shouted. A meaty hand hit his shoulder.
He turned around and faced the three hundred pound, sweat covered asshole.
"Tiny," He said evenly.
"Whatcha doin' in Virginia?"
"Passin' through."
"Lucked out brother. Mad fuckin' pussy here. Got sugar too."
Fucking morons. Snorting what they're supposed to be selling. Fuck-ing mor-ons.
"Gonna get some pussy first. Been on the road for weeks. You gonna be around?"
Tiny slapped his bicep. "Blow your load and come find me. Got some side business goin' on that you might be interested in."
Rolling his eyes, he resumed walking, stepping over drunk fucks and drunks fucking. When he reached the back, a closed in porch that ran the length of the house, he stopped walking and started staring.
Leaning casually against the wall, smack dab in the middle of a long line of Demon's was mother fucking Frankie. And no, his eyes hadn’t gotten any less crazy. But he had gotten a fuck of a lot bigger.
His long brown hair was pulled back in a man bun, displaying his spider web neck tattoos interspersed with extensive, thick scars. His beard was long and ratty and the brother's muscles were bulging out of the skintight Val Halen tee he had on.
He might have half an inch on Frankie but bodily they were evenly matched. And with the asshole being as crazy as he was he wasn't too sure he'd come out on top.
Frankie and his crazy eyes were fixated on something across the room. He followed his line of sight.
Fuck.
Black Harley tee, the collar cut off causing it to fall off her shoulder, exposing a new tat, a colorful collage of flowers. Her pants were leather, tight, and on her feet, sparkly silver chucks. Her dark wavy hair had grown even longer, nearly reaching her ass. She'd gained a little weight, none of it bad. How long had it been since he'd seen her last and acted like a fucking asshole? Four years? Five? She had to be around thirty now. She didn’t look it. If he didn't know her he’d think she was in her early twenties.
He wanted her still. Fucking. Bad.
He looked back at Frankie whose gaze hadn't moved, whose body hadn't moved. Every inch of him was solidly trained on Eva.
Crazy. Fucking, scary crazy.
Eva looked up from her conversation with another woman, older, battered looking, wearing stripper heels, definitely an MC whore, and her gaze caught Frankie's. Frankie's eyes fucking blazed with possession and…insanity.
Eva handed her beer to the woman next to her and started for Frankie. Crazy fuck never took his eyes off her, watched her like a vulture does when it’s waiting for something to die.
When she reached him, his arm wrapped around her wrist and he pulled her up against him. His head lowered and his mouth covered hers and he just fucking ate at her. Eva's arms went up around his neck; she pressed her body into his and kissed him back just as hard.
He stared at them, his fists clenched, his chest aching something fierce.
Frankie pushed Eva off him. "Got business babe," He yelled over the music. "Stay right fuckin' here until I get back or you’re gonna catch a lot of fuckin’ shit from me that you know you don’t fuckin’ want and I don't wanna give it to you but I fuckin' will if you don't fuckin' listen."
She nodded. She just fucking nodded. Frankie walked off and disappeared out the back door.
Turning around, he dug his phone out of his pocket and dialed Cox. Brother answered on the first ring, breathing hard. The sound of skin slapping against skin came through the phone loud and clear.
"Yeah?"
"Got a problem."
"Fuck. What is it?"
"Eva."
"She here?"
"Yeah."
"Fuck."
"Yeah."
"Is Kami here?"
Deuce closed his eyes. What. The. Fuck.
"No asshole. Kami is not here."
"Damn."
"Cox, call the fuckin' boys. Have ‘em stick with Ripper till I figure this shit out."
"Got it."
He shoved his phone back in his pocket and headed back the way he came. After grabbing another beer, he headed out the kitchen door. The door had just barely shut behind him when he felt the barrel of a gun pressed against his temple. Startled, he dropped his beer.
"What's up fucker? Think I didn't see you standin' there watchin' me. Think I don't know you're here for me? Been waitin' on you assholes for a grip now. Figured you didn't give a fuck I carved your boy up but here you fuckin' are givin' a fuck. Took you long enough."
He didn't say anything. There wasn't anything he could say that would make a man like Frankie back down. He had to think fast or he was going to die. Frankie didn't fuck around. So he played the only card he had. Eva.
"Saw your old lady in there Frankie, she's lookin' fuckin' good."
The barrel pressed in harder. "She's my fuckin' wife and you shouldn't be lookin'. People who look get fuckin' dead real fuckin' quick."
Wife. Christ.
He shrugged. "She ever tell you 'bout us?"
Frankie went stiff. "There ain't shit to tell," he growled.
Perfect. So perfect. Asshole walked himself right into it.
"First taste wasn't yours kid. That was all fuckin' mine. Demon barbeque 'bout fourteen years ago. Right after she fuckin' denied you I had your bitch up against a wall, a hand on her tit, two fingers up inside and my tongue shoved so far down her throat I could taste her heart beatin'. Bitch loved it, was ready to give it up right fuckin' there. Didn't even remember your fuckin' name cuz she's pantin' mine. Her first fuck, got that too. Stripped her naked and fucked her in an alleyway in the pourin’ rain; had her fuckin' beggin' me for it."
Frankie sucked in so much air Deuce felt the world go dry. Time to sucker punch. He slammed his elbow into Frankie's chest, simultaneously grabbing the barrel of the gun, then he grabbed Frankie's arm and twisted, wrenching him to the ground. With one hand gripping Frankie's forearm, he put his boot on the fucker's shoulder and fucking yanked. Crazy fucker didn't even scream when his shoulder dislocated. Didn't even flinch.
Crazy. So fucking crazy.
Pressing Frankie’s own gun into his forehead, he leaned down over him.
"Know how I know I had her first? Aside from her being tighter than a mother fuckin' vice. Bitch fell to her knees after she caught fire and sucked her own pussy blood off my cock. Didn’t even know what she was doin’, but bitch fuckin' licked my shit clean and let me blow in her mouth. So it don't matter how many times you been takin' that ride cuz I fuckin' own that shit. You can choke on that while your brains are leakin’ all over the place."
"If you kill me," Frankie said quietly, eerily calm. "You'll kill Eva."
He blinked.
"What?"
"Eva. I die, she dies."
"How do you fuckin' figure?"
He grinned. "As a weddin' present I put a fuckin' hit on her. I die, she dies. Bitch by my side in life, bitch by my side in death. Way it should be."
He. Just. Stared.
Stared.
There wasn't a whole lot in this fucked up world that could shock him. He'd seen so much shit in the forty eight years he'd been alive, most of which had all happened to him personally. And it had happened so often that when he came across some pretty fucked up shit, he wasn't surprised. But this, Frankie telling him in all seriousness that he'd put a hit on Eva, his life long obsession, his mother fucking wife, had shocked the fucking shit out of him.
It also told him that Frankie needed to die. He just didn't know how to take care of that with Eva's life on the line. Yet.
With Frankie's gun still trained on Frankie, he pulled out his cell phone and called Mick. Two by two, his boys began appearing at his side forming a circle around Frankie. He held his palm up, silently telling them not to take Frankie out.
"Get up you sick fuck," Ripper growled.
Frankie got to his feet, his arm hanging limply at his side. He turned his back on them and positioned the side of his body against the house. With a heave and a shove, his shoulder popped back in its socket. Everyone stared. Fucker had balls of steel.
Rubbing his shoulder, he focused on Ripper. "Nice face fuckwad. I were you I woulda just let me finish you off, now you gotta go round' life lookin' like Freddy fuckin' Krueger."
Ripper's gun hand started shaking. Jase grabbed his wrist and lowered his arm.
Frankie shook his head smirking. "Fuckin' bitches, the lot of you. Cryin' 'bout scars and missin' eyes like little fuckin' girls."
Frankie turned to him. "So I’ve been gettin' Horsemen sloppy seconds all these years. Whore coulda least picked an MC Prez worth fuckin'."
Furious, he took a step forward.
Mick's hand came down on his shoulder and squeezed. "He's baitin' us, Prez," He whispered. "Crazy fuck wants one of us to step to him."
Frankie grabbed a cigarette from behind his ear and dug out a Zippo from his front pocket, oblivious as all seven men tensed, ready to shoot.
He took a few long drags before he spoke again.
"Knew she wasn't a virgin when I took her the first time. She cried like one but she wasn't. Never would tell me who broke her in. Been tryin' to get her to give it up for fuckin' years. She won’t, cuz she knows I'd kill ‘em."
His chest went tight. She was protecting him from fucking Frankie. He didn't know whether to be insulted that she thought he needed protection from this fuck or to do a mother fucking jig because the woman obviously still cared about him.
"You're fuckin' twisted," ZZ spat.
"Don't matter anymore how fuckin' twisted he is," Jase hissed. "Cuz he's done."
Frankie ignored them. "Knowin' it was you, shit makes sense now. Bitch cries in her sleep, says shit I don't catch but she's always grabbin' that fucking Horsemen tag round her neck and holdin' tight when it happens. Never did think much of it, seein' as she's had it nearly her whole fuckin' life but you gave it to her, yeah?"
He didn't say a word but he didn't need to. Frankie knew.
"Yeah," Frankie said, "You got to know, Deuce, that shit ain't sittin' well with me."
Tap laughed. "Why the fuck should he care if shit's sittin' well with you, you fuckin' asshat? He's not the cocksucker with seven fuckin' cannons pointed at his fuckin' head."
Frankie, as usual, never seemed to care about anything other than Eva.
"Figure he's gonna care when I'm rippin' out his insides and makin' Eva string ‘em up on our Christmas tree."
"Yeah dude," Tap muttered. "You're fuckin' normal."
Frankie's head whipped left and he stared his crazy eyed stare until Tap took a step back.
"Prez, what the fuck we waitin' for?" Tap said warily. "Just fuckin' kill him."
Frankie grinned. An evil, sadistic grin that sent chills up his spine.
"Prez isn't gonna let you kill me," Frankie drawled. "Are you Prez?"
"No," He said flatly. "I'm not."
"What the fuck!" Tap yelled. "Look at your boy's face!"
He stared at Frankie feeling nothing but hate. "He dies, Eva dies. Asshole put some fucked up death pack hit on her."
"Fuck," Jase breathed.
"Then we can't kill him," Ripper said, pulling out his cell phone. "But were not lettin' him go so he can start decoratin' Christmas trees either."
"Yo, Gina, babe it's Ripper…Yeah babe, I know…Babe…Wait, I…No, I fuckin' apologized for that shit…BABE…Yeah, through a fuckin' text message, what the fuck you want? A singing telegram…Would you just shut the fuck up and listen to me? I need you to run a Franklin Deluva and tell me what you got."
Frankie, looking bored, was leaning up against the side of the house, smirking at nothing.
Ripper held the phone away from his ear and glared at it. When Gina stopped screaming he put the phone back to his ear. "Deluva, D-E-L-U-V-A…Right."
There was a long pause during which Ripper started to smile. "Fuckin' sweet…Bitch, I fuckin' love you right now…”
Another long pause. “Aw, christ, Gina don't fuckin' start up again…"
Deuce grabbed the phone and tapped "End". "Care to share?" He growled.
"Bitch said he's got four outstandin' warrants for assault and he's wanted for questionin' in two murder cases. She's 'bout six hours out so she’s passin’ the bid to some dude named Crank nearby. Should be 'bout five minutes."
Never in a million years would he have ever thought he'd be happy that Ripper was fucking a bounty hunter, seeing as his entire crew was fucking swimming in illegal shit. But there it was.
"Tap, man the front door. Jase, the back. Make sure shit is tight until we get this wrapped." Last thing they needed was a Demon-Horsemen standoff.
"And Ripper, get rid of Nikki and put that fuckin' kick ass bitch on the back of your bike."
"Yeah dude," Mick said. "Nikki's a cunt."
Ripper shrugged. "Yeah, but she's got great tits."
ZZ choked on his laughter. "Cuz you fuckin' paid for ‘em to be great."
Ripper flipped ZZ off. "Gina's a drive by. Never fuckin' around. What the fuck would I be fuckin' in the meantime?"
He laughed. "Are you really gonna stand there and tell us you ain't got shit to fuck ‘sides Gina and Nikki? What a fuckin' crock. Ever since your face got all fucked up bitches been fallen to their feet wantin' to make your boo-boo's all better. I see your dick so fuckin' much you'd think I'm fuckin' you."
"Yeah dude, you never put that fuckin' thing away."
Ripper glared at ZZ and ZZ shrugged. "What? You don't. And personally, I'm sick of seein' it."
"Tap!"
"Prez?"
"Find out who bought Eva’s hit from Frankie. Use whoever you got to, the fuckin' Russians, the fuckin' Japs, cash in all my fuckin' favors, I don't give a shit, just find ‘em and end ‘em."
"On it." Tap pulled out his cell and walked off.
"Prez?"
He turned around and found Jase standing beside Eva. She was staring at Frankie with tears in her eyes.
Shit.
"She came outside," Jase explained. "Lookin' for Frankie. She heard you, Prez."
"You put a hit on me?" She whispered.
Frankie wasn't smiling anymore. Eva took a step towards him and Cox stepped between them and pressed the barrel of his gun into Frankie's throat. "Don't come near him, Foxy."
"Why baby?" She whispered. "What haven't I given you that you needed?"
Frankie blinked. "Don't fuckin' cry baby," He said quietly. "Wasn't tryin' to hurt you, just wanted you with me always. Can't fuckin' sleep without you an dyin' is sleepin' forever. Can't sleep forever without you."
Eva’s tears spilled over and Frankie went stiff.
“I love you so much baby,” Frankie whispered. “I thought you’d want to be with me forever.”
Letting out a strangled cry, Eva reached for him. He lunged forward to grab her but ZZ was faster. Catching her around her middle he started dragging her backwards.
"No!" She screamed, thrashing. "Let me go to him!"
Seeing Eva upset and struggling Frankie's face went ice cold and his eyes cut to Cox. Shit was about to go bad.
"COX!" He bellowed. The crazy fuck grabbed the gun, head butted Cox, then dropped to his knees. One swift punch to Cox’s balls then Frankie was jumping to his feet, aiming at him.
He didn't think, just reacted and barreled straight into Frankie and they went rolling. By punching Frankie in his newly set shoulder he was able to gain the upper hand and managed to pin him face down in the dirt.
Cox was lying on the ground, cupping himself, groaning about never being able to fuck again; Eva was screaming hysterically and struggling violently and ZZ was having a hard time keeping a good hold on her. It was a fucking mess.
"Gonna find a way to end you asshole," He hissed in Frankie's ear.
Frankie laughed.
Frankie was still laughing when a pair of headlights turned off the street and headed up the driveway.
Crank was a big guy. An ex-marine who had no trouble taking Frankie off his hands and chaining him up in the back of his ride. It wasn't the preferred ending but it was better than nothing and it would keep Eva safe until he could figure out Frankie's tangled web of crazy.
And speaking of crazy…
☼☼☼
"NO!" I screamed, struggling to get free as Frankie was taken away. "GOD, NO! You can't do this! He won't make it!"
Frankie couldn't go to jail. He wouldn't last. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't play nice with others, it was a recipe for disaster.
"Good," Mick sneered. "Let's hope he doesn't make it five fuckin' seconds."
Her head jerked in Mick’s direction. "You piece of shit!" She screamed. "Can't ever keep your big fucking mouth shut! Always butting into business you have nothing to do with!"
"Reel it in, Eva," Deuce growled.
I stopped struggling and stared at him. Had he lost his mind? My husband is being sent to his death and he's telling me to reel it in? Oh, hell no.
I let out a bloodcurdling scream and twisted out of ZZ’s grasp, headed straight for Deuce.
"You fuck!" I screamed, slapping, punching, clawing at any part of him I came into contact with. "You stupid piece of shit!"
It didn't take him long to bring me down. Straddling my hips and pinning my wrists above my head, he glared at me. I happily noted his fat lip, bloody nose and scratched cheek.
"What the fuck Eva?" He roared. "You find out your man's got a fuckin' hit on you and you're attacking me?"
I was so beyond upset, beyond angry, beyond hurt. I felt so helpless, destroyed, ripped apart by my seams and everywhere in between. I'd been taking care of Frankie for so long now and I was so tired but it wasn't his fault he was sick, that he couldn't see things the way other people did.
As for Deuce. Who the fuck did he think he was?
"Who the fuck do you think you are?" I screamed.
"I’m pretty sure I’m the asshole who’s trying to save your fuckin’ life you stupid bitch!”
"Stupid bitch? Stupid bitch! Don't do me any favors you fuck! I've never needed your help and I sure as fuck don't need it now!"
Blue eyes blazing, he lowered his face to mine. "Bitch," He growled, "We came here to bury your fuckin' man. What the fuck woulda happened if he wouldn't have told us ‘bout the hit? Huh? What, bitch, you fuckin' tell me!"
I gathered as much saliva as I could and spit in his face. "Fuck you!" I yelled and bashed my forehead into his. My vision swam. That was definitely not as cool as it looked in the movies. Deuce shifted both my wrists into one of his hands and slapped his palm down on my forehead holding my head down.
“YOU FUCKIN’ DONE?” He roared.
I was so far from done.
"The last time I saw you, you were getting your dick sucked by a club whore and trying to make out with me at the same time! The time before that I found you in the kitchen with a half naked whore on your lap only a few hours after you fucked me! You're fucking trash Deuce! Fucking garbage! What the fuck makes you think I would be grateful to you for fucking anything?"
Deuce’s eyes were bugging out of his head; his body was shaking with fury. Having a cold blooded killer boring down on you with a murderous expression might have made any normal person feel fear but I was so far gone. Pure adrenaline is more powerful than any street drug. And I was flying over the fucking mountain.
Not even the cold steel of Mick's gun pressed into my cheek could cool me off.
"Reel it in you fuckin' cunt," He growled.
"Fucking do it,” I hissed. “I fucking dare you, you stupid, mother fucking piece of shit. Bring down every Demon in the fucking country on your stupid, piece of shit ass!”
"Reel it the fuck in Eva!" Deuce bellowed.
I looked back at Deuce. "Tell him to do it," I hissed. "But let me close my eyes first. I don’t want your ugly fucking face to be the last thing I ever see."
Deuce's nostrils flared.
And that was the last thing I ever saw…for a little while.