Breaking The Biker (The Biker Series) - An MC Gold Vipers Motorcycle Club Biker Romance Novel (3 page)

After I called the meeting to order the following afternoon we went through our financials and then got down to the discussion of prospects. Because of his reputation with women, we voted in Taylor Adams, A.K.A. “Tail”, as a new member, and then brought him into the meeting to present him with his new cut.

“Thanks, Prez, And you guys, too,” he said, glancing around the table. “I’m honored and humbled to be admitted into your club. This means a lot.”

“You’ve proved yourself worthy over the past few months, and personally, I knew Slammer wanted you in, brother. We all did,” I said. “It was a unanimous vote.”

His face was full of emotion. “Thank you. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t,” I replied, and then looked around the table. There were eleven of us now, and two prospects that had been picked up over the course of four months. I’d made Raptor my Vice President, Horse was now the Road Captain, and Hoss was the Sergeant-At-Arms. Chopper was still my Intelligence Officer, and Buck was the Treasurer and Secretary. “We’ve got a strong and loyal family. Which brings me to the next thing on the agenda.”

Tail put the cut on quickly and sat down next to Horse.

“I spoke to Bastard and he knows whose van it was that dropped off Slammer’s killer,” I said, feeling my blood begin to boil again. “A man named Cole Johnson. Apparently, he’s a prospect for the Devil’s Rangers, the Davenport Chapter.”

“No surprise there,” said Raptor, rubbing a hand over his face. “I say we go find the piece of shit right now.”

“No shit,” I answered.

“What’s with the girl?” asked Horse. “I mean, why’d they get a fucking woman to do it?”

“I’m not really sure,” I said. “Maybe because they’re a bunch of cowardly assholes who know we don’t go after women for club retaliation.”

“Someone’s obviously gotta pay,” said Hoss. “So, are we going after Cole?”

“We’re going to the top,” I said. “We get our hands on the girl or Cole, at the very least, and make them talk. Then we take out the one who ordered the hit. I’m sure it was their president or someone higher up.”

“Are we limited with what we can do to make that happen?” asked Hoss, tracing circles on the table.

“You talking torture?” I asked with a smirk. I loved Hoss, but he did have a dark side to him that was questionable.

He shrugged. “I’m talking about making it unpleasant for them. Yes.”

Some of the guys laughed.

“As far as Cole goes, I don’t fucking care. You use whatever methods necessary. He’s free game. And shit, I know that we can’t kill the girl, but you do what you need to in order to make her talk, if you find out who she is.”

“Frankly, I’m shocked that we’re not allowed to kill the woman who took out your old man,” said Hoss. “That’s a kick to the balls, if you ask me. The bitch deserves to die.”

“I know,” I said, wanting to spill her blood, too. “But the Gold Vipers do not kill women, unless… you’re standing at the end of their gun barrel, and it’s kill or be killed.”

“That can be arranged,” said Hoss, smirking. “Hers might not be loaded, but I’d be happy to hand a gun to her.”

“No,” said Raptor. “As much as we’d all like to make this girl pay for Slammer’s death, we have to play by the rules. The hit was obviously ordered because of the war that keeps escalating. All I can say is that those fucking cowards have sunk to a new low by using women for their dirty work.”

“No shit,” said Chopper.

“Someone will pay, and again… it needs to be the person who actually made the call,” I emphasized.

“Obviously, it was someone close to Reaper,” said Raptor.

“That’s what I’m thinking, but we’ll get our hands on the shooter so she can confirm it,” I said, my palms itching to do it myself.

“What if she refuses to talk?” asked Tail.

“Believe me,” I said, smiling coldly. “That bitch won’t be in the position to refuse anything. Now, this is how it’s going to be – Raptor and Hoss, you bring me Cole Johnson, alive.”

“You said he’s with the Davenport charter?” asked Hoss.

“That’s what I’ve been told,” I said.

“We’ll find him,” said Raptor. “In fact, we’ll leave here right after the meeting.”

“Good. Then, let’s wrap this up because I’m finished here. Does anyone else have any other business they need to bring to the table?” I asked, looking around.

Nobody did.

The thought suddenly occurred to me that we didn’t vote on actually killing the person who ordered the hit on Slammer. I could feel the unspoken agreement around the room, however. We all wanted justice, and this time, it meant death.

“Meeting adjourned,” I said, hitting the table with the gavel.

“Don’t even start on me,” I told Marie, holding my hand up as I passed by her in the bar on my way to the breakroom.

She didn’t say anything, but gave me a dirty look.

My phone rang. It was Cole.

I answered. “What’s up? I’m just about to start my shift.”

“Just wanted to let you know that I’m not going to make it back into town today.” He took a puff of his cigarette. “Shit didn’t turn out like we’d planned.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah. Nothing to concern yourself with, Rainy. It’s all good.”

I smiled at his nickname for me. Rainy. It had been a while since I’d heard it. “Where are you?”

“Just on a road-trip with a couple of brothers. I’ll give you a call later tonight.”

“Okay. Drive safely and stay out of trouble.”

“Thanks, and right back at you.”

I hung up and ran into Sal, who was coming out of his office.

“There she is,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. He was dressed in his usual attire – a white collared shirt, the sleeves pushed to his elbows, and black trousers. As usual, his comb-over was glossy from the amount of hairspray he used, and his stomach looked like he’d give birth any day now. Unfortunately, Sal was an alcoholic and by nine o’clock in the evening, the man was usually passed out on the sofa in his office.

“Hi, Sal,” I said, noticing how pasty his skin looked. “You feel okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine.”

“You look a little peaked. You’re not running a temperature or anything, are you?” I asked, putting my hand to his forehead.

“I told you I’m fine,” he said, shooing my hand away.

“Okay,” I said, frowning. “You really should take better care of yourself, you know. Have you been drinking those bottled smoothies still?”

He rolled his eyes. “When I get a chance. They’re damn expensive, though.”

“That’s because they’re good for you. You can’t put a price on your health, you know,” I answered. I knew they were pricey, but he was single and could afford it.

“You can when you’ve got a lot of bills to pay,” he muttered. “Anyway, Nurse Betty, do me a favor and stop by my office on your way to the front. I have some things to discuss with you.”

This was a first. He normally didn’t bring anyone back there. It was where he escaped to drink privately. I stared hard at his face and noticed that he was completely sober. This was also a first. “Sure. What’s it about?”

“Just some business stuff.”

“Is it about me being late? I won’t let it happen again.”

“No. I’m not angry about that. This is something else.”

“Okay. I’ll be in in a minute.” I frowned. “What about Marie? She’s going to be pissed if I don’t get out there.”

“Don’t worry about it. I already told Marie we were going to have a discussion when you got here. Her shift isn’t over for another twenty minutes, so as far as I’m concerned, she doesn’t have anything to complain about.”

“Okay.”

He turned around and walked back into his office.

Curious as to what he wanted to talk to me about, I hurried into the back where the lockers were, locked my purse up, and headed to Sal’s office.

“Okay,” I said, sitting down. “What’s up?”

Sal, who was sitting behind his desk, put his hands out in front of him. They were shaking and much worse than usual.

“Jesus,” I said, staring at them. “Have you gotten this checked out yet?”

He put them down. “As a matter of fact, I did. This morning I went and seen my physician.”

I stared at him in disbelief. I’d been harping on him for months to go see a doctor and he’d been giving me crap about it. “What did they say?”

He reached into his desk and pulled out a bottle of vodka. “They took some tests but you and I both know what it’s all about. I’ve been lying to myself for too long, Raina, and the shit is finally catching up to me.”

“It’s your liver,” I said, matter-of-factly.

He removed the cap and took a swig of the bottle. “Yep,” he said, wiping his mouth. “That’s what they think. I’ve known it for a while. Probably going to need a new one, but the hell if I’m going to get in line for one.”

Frustrated, I grabbed the bottle, before he could take another drink. “If it’s your liver, then why are you still drinking?”

“Why shouldn’t I? I’ve got nothing else to live for,” he said evenly.

I sat up straighter, shocked at his attitude. “What in the hell are you talking about? You’ve got me and Cole,” I said angrily. “You also have this bar and all of your customers and friends. They come here because of you and what you’ve created. You can’t give up, Sal. I won’t let you.”

He just stared at me.

Upset, I went on. “Are you even hearing what I’m saying? You’re only fifty-five and that’s too young to throw your life away.”

Finally, he spoke up. “How old are you, Raina? Twenty-five next month, right?”

“Yes, but –”

“You’ve given up and you’re still a young woman with everything ahead of you. Hell, if you don’t think life is worth living, then I may as well keep drinking,” he said, reaching below his desk again. This time, he pulled out a bottle of spiced rum.

“Stop it,” I snapped, trying to grab the other bottle. “This isn’t funny.”

“Do you see me smiling?”

I knew what he was doing. “If you’re trying to make a point, I get it, okay? But, it’s different. I lost my little boy. He’s dead. So is my husband,” I said, trying to fight the tears. “It’s so damn hard…”

“I know what hard is. I lost my wife Carol to cancer before you were born. Loved that woman. She was everything to me. I also lost my sister, your mother. If I would have given up though, Raina, you and your brother would have ended up in foster care somewhere.”

“I’m not dying, Sal,” I argued
. I just didn’t care about living anymore.

“Bullshit. You may not be dying, but you certainly aren’t living. I can see it in your eyes, Raina.”

“What do you expect me to do, Sal?” I argued. “It’s not like I can go and get my son replaced like a damn liver.” I knew that it was cruel, but I was angrier than hell. “He’s gone. I don’t have another chance at getting him back.”

“Maybe not, but you have a chance to make a difference in somebody else’s life, Raina. Just like I did for you and Cole. It may not be today or tomorrow, but you will. Believe me.”

“If we made so much of a difference, then why have you carried on drinking all of these years when you knew what it was doing to you?”

“Because I lied to myself, sweetheart, and I guess that I didn’t think it would ever get this bad. Now I can’t even go a few hours without needing a shot of something.”

“Can’t you get medical treatment?” I asked, so frightened of losing him, too.

“I could, although I don’t know if it’s worth it,” he replied. “Once they get the test results back, I know what they’re going to say.”

I stared at his skin, really noticing the yellowish tinge for the first time. “It’s worth it. You have to hang in there, and for God’s sake,” I leaned over his desk and snatched away the bottle. “Stop drinking!”

“It’s not easy. Lord knows I tried a couple of times these last few months, and the withdrawals are horrible. But,” he looked me square in the eye, “I’m willing to get help if you’re willing to do it, too.”

I grunted. “Who in the hell can help me get my son back?”

“Nobody, but someone can help you learn to live without him,” he answered. “I’m talking about counseling.”

“I don’t want to live without him,” I said, my voice breaking.

He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “Part of him will always be with you,” said Sal. “But you need to learn how to move on. You need to see a grief counselor.”

I turned my face away and brushed at the tears. “So, if I agree to talk to someone, you’ll agree to get treatment for your liver?”

He nodded.

“Okay,” I replied, willing to do anything to help Sal.
I could even just pretend to go
, I thought. “I’ll check around and make an appointment. You, on the other hand, can’t wait.”

“I know. My doctor is waiting for me to call him back so he can refer me to a treatment center. I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Treatment center. That’s good. You’re going to go through with it, though, right?”

“I will. As long as you agree to talk to someone, too. In fact,” Sal reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it up and pulled out a business card. “You can call this woman, Janene Bakerson.”

I stared down at the card. So much for pretending. “So, she specializes in grief therapy, huh?”

He nodded.

“I don’t know what good it’s going to do,” I mumbled. “But, if it’s the only way you’re willing to get treatment, I’ll do it.”

He looked relieved. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

I put the card in my back pocket and stood up. “Make that call to your doctor, Sal. I want to know that you’re serious about this.”

“I’m serious, which brings me to another reason why I need to talk to you. Sit back down.”

Sighing, I did.

“When I’m gone, I’m going to need you to take over the bar.”

“Me? What about Lana?” Lana was his manager.

“She’s not family. I need you to run the place. She’ll still be your manager, if you want her.”

“Lana is not going to be happy. Why don’t you just let her run the place until you get back? I don’t want to get everyone here pissed off.” Plus, the thought of taking on so much at once sounded exhausting.

“I’m not coming back,” he said, smiling grimly. “I’m an alcoholic. I can’t surround myself with booze if I have any kind of a chance at succeeding.”

“Oh, hell,” I groaned. “I can’t run this place, Sal. I don’t have what it takes to do something like this.”

He scowled at me. “Bullshit. You have what it takes. I believe in you and that’s why I’m offering.”

The only thing I believed in at the moment was that there wasn’t much left in the world
to
believe in. But I didn’t want Sal to die. He may have been a weak man when it came to alcohol, but he was a good man.

“What about Cole? Why don’t you see if he can help out?” The suggestion sounded ridiculous, even to me. He was too involved with the Devil’s Rangers.

“Bring him in to help if you want. But, you know as well as I do, that his priorities are all messed up. Honestly, you’re the only person I trust running the bar. You know what I always say – ‘there is nothing like family’. Nothing. We need stick together.”

“I hear you… but Sal, I don’t know diddly-squat about running a place like this,” I said, my knee bouncing a mile a minute from nerves. Not only that, I didn’t know if I could handle the pressure at the moment.

“What are you talking about? You practically grew up here. Hell, I remember when you were a teenager, you helped with the books and even gave me suggestions when I hired some of the staff. As far as I’m concerned, you know more than anyone else, even Lana. Hell, I would have made you manager a long time ago, but you were needed at home.”

For Billy…

“We need each other,” he said, as if reading my mind. “Please, Raina.”

I looked up. “You know I’d do anything for you, Sal. If this is what you want, I’ll do my best.”

His eyes widened in surprise. “Really?”

I leaned forward and gave him the stink-eye. “As long as you get your ass into treatment; I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”

Smiling, he patted my hand. “That’s my girl. We’ll talk more about it later this evening. When Matt comes in.”

Matt was one of the newer bartenders.

“Okay. Just let me know if you need a ride to the clinic when the time comes,” I said, standing up.

“I’d like that,” he replied, his eyes getting watery.

Feeling a little choked up myself again, I picked up the two bottles of booze and headed toward the door.

“By the way, tell Marie to stop back here. I’m going to tell her the news.”