RAGE: President & First Lady Of The Death Dealers MC (4 page)

Fuck! Fuck my fucking life. It’s too early to be having
these thoughts. Why the fuck did I stop? I should have kept riding. I would be
at the clubhouse right now, passed out, and not having indecent thoughts about
this chick. Now I’m left here with a hard dick, watching the bus drive away.
Sleep. That’s what I need. At least if I’m sleeping, I’m not thinking about
her.

I hop on my bike and ride like I’m being chased by
hellhounds. When I get to the clubhouse, I see the others who rode with me last
night gathered around the bar. I know we had a rough night, but I can’t drink
this early. I try to bypass them and head to my room, but E pulls me aside. He
wasn’t with us last night, and as my VP, I know he’ll want a briefing.
Why
does it have to be now?

“Not right now, E.”

“Heard there was a… mishap. Was it at least clean?”

“Of course. Took care of it myself. But like I said, not
now.”

“Good. But when? I’m heading to work soon.”

Work. The man’s a fucking doctor. I don’t know why he’s even
a member of this club.

“Later. I need to crash for a few hours. We’ll have church.
Just let everyone know before you leave. Ten good for you?”

“Should be, but if not, I’ll just drag your ass out of bed
when I get off.”

“Thanks a lot.”

He chuckles at the sarcasm, slaps my back, and walks away.
He’s my best friend, but sometimes he seriously gets on my nerves.

In my room, I strip down to my boxers and fall face-down on
the bed. I close my eyes and I see hers.
Raven, Raven, Raven.
Her name
plays on a constant loop in my head. I groan, flip over, and stare up at the
ceiling. What the fuck is wrong with me? I haven’t been this hung up on a chick
since high school. I mean, she’s hot, but I’ve seen and fucked a lot of hot
girls. It’s got to be the anticipation. It’s been a long time since I had to
actually put any kind of time or effort into a woman. Maybe I’m getting soft.

No. Fuck that. I need to calm my ass down and stay away from
her for a while. And find someone to work out my frustrations on. It damn sure
won’t be Super Head. Bitch has a big fucking mouth. Not Lonnie, either. Shit
would just get weird. I’ve done the sister thing before, and it did
not
end well. Britney might get the wrong idea if I make it a regular thing. I
can’t even think of anyone who’d fit the bill. Fuck, I need some new talent
around here. E would probably agree. I noticed he hasn’t been getting a lot of
action lately. Or maybe I need to find someone outside of the club.

What the fuck am I thinking? I don’t need
one
woman—never
have, never will. I must be more tired than I realized.
Let’s try this sleep
thing again.
I close my eyes and instantly there’s a knock on my door.

“Go away!”

“Sorry, Prez. Nita’s here to see you. She says it’s
important.”

Fuck! I can’t say no to Aunt Nita. I drag myself out of bed
and pull on my jeans before opening the door. Instead of Booker, I meet the
steely stare of my aunt.
This can’t be good.
I take a deep breath and
wait for the assault.

“How am I supposed to run a bar without alcohol?”

“What are you talking about, Nita?”

“I’m talking about that fucking cunt
you
contracted
to supply the liquor.”

“Nita—”

“No. Don’t ‘Nita’ me. You fucked her, didn’t you? I told you
not to mix—”

I grab her shoulders and give her a little shake to stop her
rant.

“Calm down and tell me what happened.”

“Three days. Three days I’ve been waiting for a shipment,
but she won’t deal with anyone but
you
. This bitch better not play with
me.”

“I’ll handle it.”

She sneers and narrows her eyes at me, and I swear I feel
ten years old again. My mom died when I was six and, being my dad’s sister, she
stepped up and raised my sister and me like we were hers. She always knew how
to put me in my place.

“Make it quick, or you’ll have to find a new manager.”

She storms off and I just stare at my bed, knowing I won’t
be getting back to it soon.
So much for sleep.
I grab my shirt and head
to my office, adjacent to my bedroom. Nita was right. I did fuck the supplier,
but she instigated it. It’s no excuse, but I thought we were on the same page
in terms of expectations. It was one time, months ago, and I haven’t spoken to
her since. I can bet that’s her problem. Women and their fucking feelings.

I find the contract in the filing cabinet and drop my ass in
the chair. I make sure to call her business number and not her cell. Not that I
could find it even if I tried. I think I tossed the piece of paper the moment I
left her office.

“Cassidy Martin,” she answers, in a sing-song voice.

“Miss Martin. Gage Hunter.”

“Gage. You’re a hard man to track down.”

I can hear the smile in her voice, but I’m determined to
keep this professional.

“What’s happening with my shipment?”

“Oh, I’m doing great. How are you?”

“Lose the sarcasm. My aunt says you’re three days late.”

“I haven’t heard from you. The only contact number I have is
for the Pretty Kitty. This is the only way I knew I could get your attention.”

“So, you’re purposely delaying the shipment?”

“Why are you avoiding the conversation?”

“It’s not one we need to have. You knew what the deal was.”

“But Gage—” She tries to plead, but I cut her off.

“No buts. You’ve violated the agreed-upon terms and
conditions of our contract, the consequence of which is that it’s now null and
void. I’m taking my business elsewhere.”

“Gage—”

“Goodbye, Miss Martin.”

I hang up and search my contacts. I need a new supplier or
Aunt Nita will cut off my balls. I choose the guy I was going with originally,
before Cassidy fucked her way into the contract, and give him a call. After
working out cost, payment, and delivery frequency, I hang up and lean back in
my chair. That club is the biggest legitimate earner the MC has. I need to be
more careful.

Opening the Pretty Kitty was the best decision I’ve ever
made. It’s the largest strip club in the area and the next closest one is
twenty miles away. It’s not some raggedy operation, either. I only offer the
best—location, food, liquor, and of course, girls. I pick them personally,
making sure I have a mix—tall, short, thick, skinny, big tits, small tits, ass,
no ass, real hair, fake hair, and every possible ethnicity. I keep a tight rein
on them, too. There’s strictly no prostitution or drugs, and I administer
random drug and STD tests. I wanted the club to be as classy as an
establishment like that could be. For that reason, we get a lot of businessmen.
Nita was right to be angry about the shipment; drunk men do spend more than
sober ones.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. It’s a message from E, with
a picture of
her
. He captioned it “Millie’s new waitress.” So that’s
where she was off to all dressed up. She’s a trip. What seventeen-year-old
spends her summer working?

She’s so beautiful; I can’t stop staring at her picture. And
she’s smiling. She doesn’t do that enough. I definitely need to make sure I put
a smile on her face every chance I get. The phone vibrates again with another
message from E.

Einstein: You’re not in the bathroom with the lotion, are
you? Cause that would be sick, bro.

Motherfucker. He
would
make fun of me.

Gage: No, pervert. But thanks for the info.

Einstein: She’s a pretty little thing. Maybe I should get
her number and call her in a few months.

I know he’s teasing, but for some reason, my possessive
streak kicks in. If anyone’s calling her, it will be
me
. I can’t say
that to E, though.  

Gage: Yeah. You can have her after I’m done with her.

Einstein: Fuck you! I don’t want your leftovers!

Gage: Wouldn’t be the first time!

Einstein: What do you mean?! You’re lucky I gotta work,
but we’re finishing this convo later.

Gage: Ha! You’ll be surprised to know how many sloppy
seconds you’ve had, bro. It’ll kill your self-esteem. Just let it go.

Einstein: You better sleep with one eye open. LATER.

I chuckle as I make my way back to my room. I’m just fucking
with him, but it will be good to watch him squirm. We’re close, but we don’t
share women other than the Hellhounds. They’re free game; anyone can get on
those rides.

After calling Nita and letting her know I’ve taken care of
the problem, I climb back into bed. I navigate back to Raven’s picture and
stare at her. What am I even doing with her? She seems like a nice girl—bratty,
with a smart mouth, but nice nonetheless. Definitely not the type to be messing
with a guy like me. I’m not the relationship type, and she seems like the kind
of girl who’d want that. I should stay away from her. I’m just going to fuck
shit up. She deserves someone who’s like her—sweet and innocent. Not a man who
killed someone last night.

***Raven***

I thought Lonnie would still be passed out when I got home,
but I find her sitting on the couch watching a
novela
. I kick off my
heels and drop down next to her, a huge smile on my face.

“I got the job!”

“Good. You can start helping out with the bills around
here.”

Bitch
.

“You really know how to kill a mood.”

She finally tears her eyes away from the TV and turns her
head toward me.

“You don’t like it, move out.”

Like I asked to come to Stony View, a.k.a. Small Town,
Georgia. If it was up to me, I would have stayed in Miami. A few measly months
and, by law, I have to have a guardian. I wish I had other family. I definitely
would not have chosen Lonnie, but she’s the only family I have left. She came
down after Daddy died and stayed just long enough for my last class and to tie
up some legal issues, then we shipped out. I didn’t even get to go to prom or
graduation. I had to leave my life behind; all my plans, my friends. I miss
Toni the most. We’ve been best friends since forever and I can’t stand being so
far away from her. I hate that I have to be here, but until I turn eighteen,
there’s nothing I can do.

“You think I don’t know what’s in those papers you signed?
Dad’s lawyer may be handling everything, but I know you’re getting a stipend
for me.”

“So?”

“So I shouldn’t have to pay you anything.”

“Like I said, you don’t like it, move out.”

“Don’t worry. As soon as I
legally
can, I will. Then
everything Dad left me comes directly to me. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

She seethes, narrowing her eyes at me, but I stand my
ground. She doesn’t scare me.

“Fine. Half the utilities and your own food.”

“Fine.”

I agree because I don’t want to make the next three months
more unbearable than they need to be. We’ve never been close; barely tolerated
each other. I don’t know why but it always seemed as if she just didn’t like
me. At first I thought it was because we had different mothers. She would
constantly taunt me about my “
gringa madre
” but I’ve never even met the
woman. Daddy was the only parent I had. Shit, I practically took care of him
after Lonnie moved out. He always worked nights, so I had to grow up real fast
with practically no one to watch me. His parents died when I was a baby and God
knows who my maternal grandparents are. Whenever I did have a babysitter, they
pretty much let me do whatever I wanted while they made out with their boyfriends
on the couch or talked with their friends on the phone the entire time. Let’s
just say I learned a lot watching and listening.

Whatever Lonnie’s reason is for hating me, time has done
nothing to abate it. If anything, her hate has intensified. Since I moved to
here, I’ve noticed she’s become worse. I have no idea what’s happened to her in
the seven years since she moved away that’s turned her into the raving bitch
she is now. I can’t wait to get out of here.

She turns her attention back to the TV, and I decide to head
to my room and call Chrissy. We hit it off even more on the bus, so we
exchanged numbers. I can’t believe how much we have in common. She likes music
and books just as much as I do, even the same genres. She and Chris speak
Spanish, too, because their parents are from the Dominican Republic. She’ll
want to hear about the hot doctor I met at the diner. I know he’s a member of
the MC, but he seems nothing like the other minions. He was
clean
… from
his slicked-back dark hair to his cute baby face. His warm, hazel eyes looked
spectacular, even behind his black-rimmed glasses. And his body? Good Lord—tall
and lean.
He can examine me anytime.

“Hey, how’d you get home last night?”

Now she asks. I could have been dead in a gutter somewhere
and she wouldn’t have realized I was missing. Should I lie? She didn’t take too
kindly to what Deena told her. No, she’s my sister. If she has a thing for
Gage, she’ll just tell me, and then I can assure her that I have no interest in
him. Then again, maybe she won’t be that civil. She already despises me.

“I was walking home, but your friend was passing by and gave
me a ride.”

“What friend?”

“The tall, blond one. The one you introduced me to.”

Her head snaps toward me so fast I think I hear her neck
pop.
Uh oh.

“Gage?
Gage
gave you a ride?”

“Yeah, him.”

I hope I sound indifferent. I need her to realize it was
nothing, because I don’t like the look in her eyes right now. She stands and
slowly makes her way toward me.

“On what?”

“What do you mean?”

She grabs my arm, sinking her nails into my flesh.

“Ow!”

“Don’t play dumb with me,
puta
.
On
.
What
?”

“His bike! Now let me go.”

She slams me into the wall and suddenly the pain in my arm
is nothing.
What the fuck?

“His bike?
You
were on his bike?” she shouts in my
face.

“Lonnie!”

She grabs my neck, pinning me to the wall. My eyes widen in
surprise. I’ve never seen her like this before. Her eyes are wild and she’s
breathing heavily. Slowly, her fingers tighten around my neck.

“Gage is mine, do you understand? It’s taking me longer than
I thought, but I
am
going to be his old lady. Stay the fuck away from
him.
¿Comprende?
”

She squeezes tighter and I can barely breathe. I grab at her
fingers, but she’s surprisingly strong. I can’t get any words out so I just
nod, hoping it’ll be enough. She loosens her hold and I gasp for breath. I push
her hand away and stare at her in shock.

“Jesus, Lonnie! He’s like, ancient. Besides, I told you I
don’t want anything to do with you and your stupid MC.”

She scoffs and moves back to the couch, watching her
novela
as if she didn’t just try to kill me. I pick up my shoes and trudge to my room.
Tears begin to form, spilling over as I close my bedroom door. I fall into bed,
burying my face into the pillow.
Three months. Just three months and I’ll be
free.