Chapter Eleven
Chloe woke to the smell of coffee, but not just any coffee. That was a Starbucks. She’d bet all her ink on it. She opened her eyes and smiled. “Who did you have to fuck to go and get this?”
Rai laughed. “Tannin, but that doesn’t really count, does it? I have sandwiches for us, too. Gorgon had a phone call. He said to tell you he’ll be up when he’s done.”
“Is the call from Donny?” Chloe sat up, pulling the covers around her. She was cold.
“I think so. Tannin’s in there, too. They took the call in the club conference room.”
“Church, Rai.” Chloe took the cup, wrapping her hands around it for warmth. “It’s called a church.”
“Sorry, but ‘church’ to me means you know … stained glass, statues, incense, and Gregorian chant.”
“They still do all that in church?” She sipped the coffee. “Mmmm … oh, God, that’s good.”
“Only on special occasions, I guess. Venti caramel macchiato, right? That’s what Gorgon said you like.”
“He knows me so well. Why are he and Tannin talking to Donny? Is this about Brad?”
Rai sipped her own coffee, peering over the rim of the cup at Chloe. “That, and I think it has something to do with me and my big mouth yesterday.”
“Are you in trouble with Tannin?”
“No. Not at all. We stayed up half the night talking.” Rai stood and twirled slowly. “Notice anything different?”
“Oh my God! I didn’t even see it! I’m so fucking foggy from the pain pill I took last night.” Chloe placed her cup on the nightstand and eased out of bed. “You have your cut.” She was in more pain than she’d anticipated. “Turn around again. Let me see the back.”
Rai did as she asked, and Chloe traced the patch of the Demons on Wheels MC logo. Above it, the words “Property of” were in in their own patch, and below the logo was a patch with the name “Tannin.”
“It’s gorgeous.”
“The thunderbolt is on the front.” Rai turned around, and pointed toward the patch over her left breast. “I can’t believe how close it is to my tattoo.”
“Will he have other patches put on this eventually?”
“A few. We talked about which ones usually go on an old lady’s cut. I have a jacket like this, too.”
“I’m so happy for you!” Chloe gave her a quick hug. “How is your arm? Are you in a lot of pain?”
“It’s not terrible. But how do you feel? You’re so pale.”
“I’m surprised how much it hurts. The other ones didn’t bug me this much, but this one is much bigger. Jed said it might hurt more because of the location, and the fact it’s covered so much. But I’ll be all right.”
“Are you going to take a break from dancing until it heals?”
Chloe didn’t want anyone except Gorgon knowing she was afraid to go back on stage until Brad was found. “Yeah. Just a short one.”
“You’d be so proud of me. We rode on Tannin’s bike to get these, and I held the coffees and bag of food the whole time.”
She laughed. “That’s great. See? Soon you’ll be a pro at this. So, everything is okay with you now about how we do things here?”
“Yes. And I’m sorry I said those things.”
“You don’t have any reason to apologize to me, Rai. I know you’re only protecting us in your own way.”
“I have a lot to get used to. Tannin told me that my first night here, but I didn’t realize the depth of it.”
“I’ll help in any way I can.”
“Chloe, you already do. Just by being so understanding all the time.”
“We’re friends. That’s what friends do.”
Gorgon and Tannin came into the room. “She’s awake.” Gorgon gave Chloe a tight hug. “How are you feeling?”
“Better. Really. Did you guys have your coffee and breakfast?”
“Yeah. We had it while on the phone with Donny.”
“Is there news?” asked Rai. “News you can tell us, that is?”
“Yeah,” said Tannin. He cut his gaze toward Gorgon, who nodded. “Brad is wanted in California for possession of cocaine, for selling it, and he’s racked up quite a few DUIs as well. Seems breaking and entering wasn’t bringing in enough cash, so he turned to drugs. And we all know how Donny feels about that shit.”
“What about the license plate?” asked Chloe.
“Not his,” said Gorgon. “Belongs to a relative visiting someone who lives in Creek Ridge. The only car registered to Brad has a California plate, but it’s still in California. It was impounded two weeks ago. So he’s either walking from Lorain if he is here in town, or he’s borrowing someone else’s car.”
“So if he’s wanted for all this,” said Rai, “why is he walking around anywhere, free as a bird?”
“The cops in LA have more to do than any police force can handle,” said Tannin. “They’re not going to pursue him across the country.”
“Why can’t the local cops find him? It’s not a big town.”
“Donny doesn’t think he’s staying in Creek Ridge,” said Gorgon, flashing Chloe a sympathetic look. “One of his men spotted Brad in Lorain, and he’s certain it was him.”
Chloe put a hand to her mouth. “He had friends there.”
Gorgon nodded. “You wouldn’t have names and addresses by any chance, would you?”
“No. I never knew them. He only mentioned them in passing a few times. Did Donny’s men get him?”
“He slipped away from them.”
Sweat had collected along her hairline. Chloe swiped at it. “So that means I haven’t lost my mind. Up until right now, no one but me had actually seen him.”
“We believed you,” said Gorgon.
“I know you did, but I was beginning to think I’d imagined it. Does this mean Donny’s men are looking for him?”
Gorgon gave her an expression that answered her question before he spoke. “Baby, Donny’s exact words to me were, ‘I have bigger fish to fry, but if we spot him and can grab him, we will.’ He also said if Brad tries to come into the club again, detain him and make a call. He will take care of him for good.”
“But the local cops do know he’s here in Ohio?”
“Yes, they do. So do the Staties.”
“Thank you.”
It wasn’t the answer she’d hoped for, but it would have to do for now. Chloe drained her coffee and finished her sandwich. At least Donny was making an effort.
“So listen to this,” said Tannin. “Donny also said there was a fight at the Last Stop Saloon last night. Mad Dog was shot and killed.”
Chloe gasped. “You’re kidding. Is it on the news?”
“Probably won’t be. We need to tell the other members right away.”
“Who is Mad Dog?” asked Rai.
“Mad Dog, aka Bobby Danfield, was President of the Outlaw Dogs MC. All those recent concessions Vito had to make to Donny? Seems Mad Dog wasn’t crazy about the fact that Vito hadn’t gotten a piece of this club out of it.”
“Was he that stupid?” asked Rai. “They weren’t in negotiations for a business deal. Vito was backed into a corner.”
“I doubt Vito told the Outlaw Dogs the details,” said Gorgon. “Mad Dog has been after a piece of this place for a long time, ever since a few of their members were sent here undercover to become prospects. They were plants for the Outlaw Dogs. Their job was to look for weaknesses. Things they could exploit and use to get a piece of our profits.”
“Is that the trouble you all talk about with them?”
“Yeah,” said Tannin. “So last night, Mad Dog got into it with Howler, their Road Captain. Apparently, Mad Dog had been talking to Mob bosses in other states, trying to get a better deal as he called it.”
“Is he out of his fucking mind? You don’t negotiate your way into protection with a gangster who offers you a better deal than the one you’re currently in debt to.”
“He’s not too bright,” said Gorgon. “Never was. Howler saw it as a betrayal, not only to Vito but to the MC. The two got into a fight and guns were fired.”
“Is Howler in jail?” asked Chloe.
“Yeah, but he’s claiming it was self defense. A few of the members are backing him up, and Donny said Vito is, too.”
“So how is this Donny’s problem?” asked Rai.
“The members who don’t support Howler are calling for a raid on this club.”
“What?” asked Chloe. “Why?”
“They believe we were the ones who convinced Donny to do what he did. Taking out Jennifer, setting Timmy up to take the fall for that, and everything that Vito is now in debt to Donny for. They think we’re the masterminds behind it.”
“Have they actually met Donny?” asked Rai.
She likely didn’t mean for her comment to be funny, but Chloe, Gorgon, and Tannin laughed. It was the levity they needed. Tannin gave her a big hug.
“I doubt they have,” he said. “Their accusation is absurd, but that’s who that bunch is. It’s Donny’s problem because now he has to make sure Vito keeps a tight lid on them, and that they’re not actually making deals with other bosses behind Vito’s back. The last thing Donny or Vito want is a turf war.”
“So what happens now?” asked Rai. “Brad is still out there. No one is actively looking for him despite all his arrest warrants, and there’s a rival MC ready to fight with us.”
Gorgon and Tannin exchanged a glance. “I like the way you said ‘us’,” said Tannin. “As if you finally understand you are part of this MC.”
The lust-filled smile Rai gave Tannin sent shivers down Chloe’s spine. Everything was okay between those two. It was obvious in their body language, and in the way they looked at each other this morning.
“I do understand it. Got the cut to prove it.”
“What happens now is business as usual,” said Gorgon. “Donny also said he’s gonna send a couple of his men to stay here full time. Just until things settle down. I told him that would be fine, but me and Tannin need to let the others know what’s going on first.”
“Do you think Donny’s men will find Brad?” asked Chloe.
“I don’t know, baby.” Gorgon pulled her close. “Don’t you worry about him, okay? He won’t get back inside this club.”
But what was she supposed to do in the meantime? Never go into town? Never open any mail addressed to her again? Chloe hugged her man, breathing in his scent. This was the only place where she felt truly safe. In his arms. She had no idea what would happen now, but it was reassuring to know that Donny did care, and he would do something about it if one of his men spotted Brad.
And, she was very happy that Rai had accepted her new life here in the MC.