Hinder (Midnight Saints MC Book 3) Page 3

  “I’m only here waiting to take Maxum to rehab. Once I do that, I’m gone, and I’m not coming back to this God forsaken dump.”

  The guys around us heard her and get pissed off, but I hold them back with a threatening glare, my fists clenched. I may not look like much, but those who had scrapped with me in the past knew I could fight. My father was an ass but he had taught me that. How to beat a bigger man. “Maybe you shouldn’t say stuff like that around here.”

  Sophie shrugged. I sighed. I wasn’t seeming to be getting anywhere with her. “You need another drink,” I finally said and waved the waitress down and got us both another round.

  “She needs to get her ass out of here, and you too, pretty boy.” It felt like the whole club was closing in on her now, but truthfully, most of these were members and prospects. The officers were gone, too busy with Maxum for crowd control. They wouldn’t be acting like this, even if they did hate Sophie.

  “Ignore them.” I sat there silently beside her, lost in my own thoughts. I thought about my past, how I came to the club and how Maxum was the only one willing to take a risk on me and everyone else thought it was a phase I would get over one day, maybe join the military or something.

  I glanced over at Sophie and noticed she was getting pretty drunk, drunker than I suspected originally. I had been lost in my head and hadn’t kept an eye on how many drinks. The waitress just kept bringing her drinks.

  She had switched from beer to whiskey shots. I counted eight shot glasses in front of her. “You really need to slow down there,” I warned. She glared at me. “You don’t get drunk a lot, do you?”

  “No,” she admitted after she slammed another shot.

  “Elle, get her some water,” I insisted, nodding to the bartender.

  “I don’t want water, and I don’t need you to take care of me.”

  “Yeah, clearly.”

  “I’m sorry.” She apologized after a few minutes. “You’re just trying to be nice, and I’m biting your head off. That’s not fair to you. I’m mad, not just at Kara, but at myself for being so stupid and so naïve,” she confessed. “He tried to extort money from me. He would have too, if it hadn’t been for Kara. I even went to the bank and emptied out my account, but then I locked it in my glove compartment and refused to let him have it. I’ll put it back in my account once he’s in rehab.”

  There she went again, talking about getting Maxum in rehab. Even I knew she would never be able to succeed with that idea, there was no way Maxum was going to rehab. He was too far gone, even I could admit that. He wasn’t the man I once knew. The God fearing man I once knew wouldn’t have put a hit out on Tony and accidently kill Devon.

  “I get it. I thought he was a good guy too, probably only one around here who did, but after what he did, I know there’s no coming back from it, not even rehab can save his soul now. He ordered the execution of an innocent man, and that kind of shit you don’t just get over.”

  “What? He would never do that. Someone set him up. He would never kill someone or order someone else to kill them. He’s a God fearing man. The drugs control his mind, if he did do that, and I’m not saying he did, because I can’t believe he would. It was the drugs that made him do it. I’m certain of it,” Sophie stated.

  “Though drugs can make you do crazy shit, I think it’s more than that in this case.” She looked at me like she didn’t believe me. It was unfathomable to her that Maxum was capable of such a heinous crime. For her sake, I wished she was right, but I knew better, and there would be no convincing her. She just wouldn’t hear it. He was a God fearing man, a preacher in her eyes, and nothing was going to change that.

  “What’s your story?” she asked after she threw back another shot. “You said you’re an outsider like me, you look like an outsider, you don’t look like a biker, like at all. You look like a rich, pretty boy.”

  I scoffed, that was what the rest of the club called me, “Pretty Boy” except for the officers. They were the only ones who treated me with any dignity because I’m one of them, and I’m only one of them because I’m the treasurer, since I gave them a massive donation.

  “You don’t want to hear my story,” I said, getting out of my head and my thoughts

  .

  “I asked, didn’t I?” She burped as she said it, and I couldn’t help but laugh. That made her laugh. It was an oddly beautiful sound.

  “Yeah, you did, but I don’t really want to tell you. It’s just not an interesting story.”

  “Tell me anyway.”

  I took a drink. “Okay, I’ll tell you this; I’m the bookkeeper, the treasurer for the club. That makes me an officer, and I’m a member, I’m just not like the others. I was chosen by your father . . . well, Kara’s father . . . well, Maxum. He took me in, gave me a chance when no one else would. Everyone figured it was a phase, that I’d grow out of it and maybe join the Army or something. Especially my parents; they hate that I’m here, but I’m here because, yeah, I was rebelling and thought this would be a cool place to be. Maxum is the only one who ever really made me feel welcome. The rest, well, now Tony and the officers, they tolerate me, because I didn’t run when Maxum betrayed them. Plus, I still keep the books, and I know math, so I’m good at it. That’s basically what I’ll tell you, not that you’ll remember a word of it in the morning when you wake up with a bad headache from the hangover you’re going to have.”

  “It’ll be worth it. Maybe I won’t remember this shitty day.” She took another shot as if in defiance.

  “Yeah, well the shit storm won’t be over just because you don’t remember how it started.”

  “Kara can deal with the shit storm. I’m done. I’m way over my head. I just wanted to get him to rehab. I don’t know why I thought that was a good idea or that it would be easy. I’m just way over my head.”

  “Yeah, you are, that’s why I’m not leaving your side. That, and you’re drunk, and I would be a bad guy if I left you in that state in here. Any one of these assholes are just waiting to take advantage of that. I’m not going to let that happen, so I’ll sit here, nursing my beer ‘til you’re ready to go.”

  “Where am I supposed to go?” she shot back at me, and I could hear the fear under all of it.

  “I don’t know. Home?”

  “The dorm is probably locked by now.”

  “You live in a dorm?”

  “Yeah, it’s cheap housing, and it’s not bad.” She shrugged. “Do you live at the clubhouse? Because if you do, I don’t want to go there.”

  “No, I don’t. I live in a condo nearby.”

  “Oh, that’s nice.”

  “Yeah, it is nice. I have the whole place, three floors to myself.” Her eyes looked like they were ready to pop out of her head for a moment, but then she recovered.

  “Bet it gets lonely.” Nail on the head, but I wouldn’t tell her that.

  “Here, drink this.” Elle handed her a glass of water. “It’s last call, so Jed, when she finishes that, get her out of here.”

  “I’m not leaving without my father,” she slurred stubbornly.

  “Honey, he ain’t your father, your father was a good man who died. You don’t need that fucktard as a father. You’re better than that. You’re better than all of us. Be proud of that, be happy about that, that’s a good thing. You’re a smart girl. You’re a good girl. Be a good girl.”

  “Maybe I don’t want to be a good girl anymore,” she said, knocking the water over.

  “Oh, honey, you got problems.” Elle threw up her hands and walked away. She got a rag and came back to wipe up the water.

  “Right back at ya,” Sophie saluted her with her shot. “Did I mention I don’t drink often?”

  “I kind of figured.” I smiled. “Give me your keys.” I was trying not to laugh at the whole thing as Elle gave me a knowing look. But I figured I would meet a whole different Sophie in the morning.

  “What? No.”

  “There is no way I’m going to let you drive, now you
can hand them over, or I’ll take them from you. Either way, you’re not driving.”

  “I’m fine.” She got up and stumbled. I caught her. “I just need a minute.” She sat back down.

  “You need water,” I said as I put an arm around her to steady her.

  “Here.” Elle brought a fresh glass. “Make sure she gets at least some of that down her throat.” I held it for Sophie as she drank the water.

  “I can’t drive, so you’re going to have to. I can’t and I don’t want to stay at the clubhouse tonight.”

  “That’s okay, you don’t have to stay here; I told you I’m one of the few high ranks who has my own place. You’ll be safe there. You can have my bed; I’ll sleep on the couch. No one will harm you. I promise.”

  “Okay, fine, take me to your place, but no sex.” She jabbed me in the chest. “I’m not that kind of girl.”

  “Wasn’t planning on it.”

  Chapter 7

  Jed

  I got her outside and into the passenger side of her car and then I got behind the wheel. I’d come back later and get my bike. It was a twenty minute hike from the house, and I never minded the exercise.

  I took her back to my place, a cozy condo not too far away from the clubhouse. It was decorated moderately considering how rich I was. I wasn’t really a materialistic person. I didn’t care for fancy art, I had movie posters and pictures of motorcycles on my walls. All my house plants were fake, and those were only there to appease my mother who seemed to think house plants made all the difference. The carpet was a shade of dark gray, almost charcoal, and the walls were a pale brown.

  My mother hated the colors, but I reminded her I was a bachelor and a man, and brown and gray were the perfect colors for me. The couch was a butter brown leather. Soft like butter too; when you sat down you just melted into its lush cushions. It wasn’t that hot, sticky, cheap leather, this was the fine leather—expensive. Everything I owned was expensive, but I just didn’t own that much.

  I had a few cars in the garage. I preferred the motorcycle, so I rarely used them, but I loved them. I had a top of the line pickup truck for the winter months and a jeep. I had two sports cars, gifts from Mom. I kept them because, well, who doesn’t love cars? I had a boat, another gift from Mom I rarely used, because I spent so much time with the MC. I had a plane, again gift from Mom, and again, I rarely used it and ended up renting it out to people to make even more money that I didn’t touch.

  For one so rich, I lived a pretty simple life. I enjoyed my simple life. My parents, especially Mom, just didn’t get it. She was a shopaholic who could max out a credit card with a million dollar limit easily in a day. She lived in the city in a penthouse suite packed full of, for lack of a better word, crap.

  She hadn’t found a new husband yet. I think she was enjoying spending the money she had gathered from all her previous ones, my father included.

  I got her inside, up the stairs, and settled in my bed. I helped her take off her shoes and jewelry. There was a chair near the bed, so I sat in it and watched her to make sure she didn’t vomit and choke on it.

  As I sat there, I thought about how we were both outsiders, and how, for the right woman, I would betray the men I fought so hard to fit in with all these years. Something my father told me once came to mind, about how the right woman can change everything and how if he had hung onto that instead of money, he might have been a better man.

  Not that my mom was the right woman for him; she just married him for his money. And he married her for hers. My parents were never what you would call lovers, because they were never in love; they saw each other as a means to an end, and they slept together when they were drunk enough. That’s how I came into the world. At least they didn’t completely ignore me, though.

  My dad tried to be a good dad to me, and Mom, well she knew how to love by throwing money, so I got whatever I wanted. Yeah, I was a spoiled child, but for some reason I never let that go to my head. I wanted for nothing, and when I found the bikers, I knew that was the life I really wanted to be living. Why I wanted to live that life I don’t think I could explain really; it just seemed wild and free and the complete opposite of my boring, yes boring, existence.

  My father introduced me to Maxum; he thought I needed some guidance from a higher power, but what he really did was lead me to the man who could help me find the life I longed for. Then, my father went to prison, and Maxum took pity on me. I guess it was pity, or it was his thing. He liked taking in strays, now seeing Sophie, I realized taking in strays was his thing. I was fine with that. I had no problem being one of his strays as long as it led me to what I wanted more than anything. He had promised me it would, and for the most part it did, but these bikers didn’t trust me. Then, when Maxum had betrayed them, they expected me to run for the hills, but I didn’t. I was still determined to prove myself. Maxum got me in the door, but I was going to gain their respect on my own. When Maxum fucked them over by taking the money, I gave them a small fortune, gaining my status as treasurer. And respect at least from the other officers, which forced the others to respect me as well, came more easily.

  I wasn’t sure how Tony and Kara would feel if they found out I took Sophie home to my place instead of letting her leave and go back to law school, where they wanted her to go. Oh well, they didn’t have to know; she would be gone in the morning for sure.

  Chapter 8

  Kara

  Tony and I returned to the basement where Seth had continued Maxum’s torture. He had his hands trapped in a bowl of ice this time. It would stop the bleeding, but it would also cause him much discomfort, frostbite if he was left too long.

  “Alright, enough. Get his hands out before they get frostbite,” Tony ordered. I let my fingers brush against his for just a second, feeling like we were a team here. Truthfully, I didn’t want to show any weakness. I needed him here and was so glad we not only found a way to both be Prez, but also to be with each other.

  Seth pulled Maxum’s hands out of the water, dried them off, and then wrapped them up.

  “Has he told you anything?” I asked, not looking at the man I no longer wanted to call my father.

  “Not a word, just a lot of cussing and empty threats.”

  “You have a wife and a baby, go on, get washed up and get out of here.” Tony patted Seth’s shoulder. “Nice work.”

  “He’s one stubborn son of a bitch.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, he is.” Tony punched him in the gut. “Kara, take off his shoes and socks. You kick her, and it will be the last thing you do,” Tony warned. I knelt down and removed his shoes and socks, spitting at his feet to show I wasn’t being his servant. Wasn’t being kind. Just preparing for the next round.

  “What are you going to do to me, Tony?”

  “Did I ask you a question? I don’t think so.” Tony punched him in the gut again. Then, he went over and turned on a light and shined it right down on the only bed in the room. Next, he turned on a boombox on the other side of the wall. “Let’s see, oh, how about Christmas music?” He turned on some Christmas music. “That sounds nice now, but wait ‘til it’s been seventy-two hours and you can’t shut it off. Try to get some sleep, Maxum, we’ll continue your interrogation in a few days. For now, relax, we’ll bring you some food in the morning.” Tony released him from his chains; all but an ankle chain. With his hands wrapped up like that, he wouldn’t be able to do anything. Then we left the room, shut the door, and locked it.

  Two guards were posted at the door and two more at the top of the stairs. “Once the drugs wear off, the pain will take over, and then he’ll be in his own hell, but for now, we can’t let him get comfortable. You wanted him punished. Sleep deprivation is the perfect torture. Seth just made sure his hands weren’t usable.”

  It wasn’t what I had envisioned. It seemed . . . soft. But when I thought about the withdrawal, the cold, the loud music, him going stir crazy, his temperature all over the place, it was torture.

  “It’s what he d
eserves,” I said, and we headed to bed.

  “Yeah, well, he’s going to get all that he deserves. I promised, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah you did. Should I go to the bar and make sure Sophie got off okay?”

  “The bar is closed. I’m sure she’s fine,” Tony said.

  “Right. I don’t know why I care anyway. All she ever does is call me a liar or yell at me, and it’s not like she’s really my sister, so I don’t have to like or love her.”

  Who was I trying to convince?

  “No one ever said you had to, and for the record, no one said you have to care about her. She’s a grown woman; she can take care of herself. Besides, she probably hooked up with one of the guys. Jed seemed pretty cozy with her, maybe he took her to his place for the night.”

  “Which means she’ll still be around tomorrow, and she’ll insist on seeing him,” I groaned.

  “Kara, which is it, are you worried about her or do you want her gone?”

  “Both. She’s as naive as a child, which makes me worry about her even though it’s the last thing I want to do.”

  “I get that. Family can be complicated, but you have to decide if she’s family, or if she’s not family. She can’t be family one minute and not family the next. Sounds to me like she’s complicated family, but family nonetheless.”

  “She’s family, but I don’t want her to be.”

  “Now I can understand. Come to bed with me.”