Defiance (11 page)

“Hot that you fight for me,” she told him. Rubbed his cut where the patch had been. It was darker than the rest of the leather. “Can you really just take it off like that?”

“Didn’t mean anything. If you help me earn it, different story.”

“Yeah?” she teased.

“Yeah.”

“But no pressure, right?”

“Maybe a little bit. Good pressure though.” He put a finger under her chin, tilted her face up to his. And then he kissed her, hard and fast, and she somehow made it sweet and slow. She was up on her toes, wrapping herself around him and he had to stop himself from rubbing against her too aggressively, when all he really wanted to do was lay her down and take her right on the floor.

The pounding rush of music echoed around him, throbbing in time with his dick. Time for holding back, playing this close to the vest was gone. Didn’t give a shit if everyone knew she was his. For those moments, he got lost in the sweet taste of her mouth, his hand winding through her hair. She made those sweet sounds against his mouth and oh yeah, this was worth dying for.

Men live and die for women.
One day
,
you’ll know this.
Wise words he’d never forget from a man he’d never meet.

When he pulled back, she realized people were applauding. “That’s for us?”

“Don’t you think we deserve it?”

She buried her face in his chest, even as the music got faster. For a while, they swayed like that, him holding her tight, slow dancing while everyone around them was going crazy, dancing like maniacs.

Dancing to their own beat. Yeah, he goddamned liked that. His hand rubbed along her back, trailed lower at times, because he liked watching her blush a little.

He noted Rebel motioning, a hand signal they’d adopted from the military. He pulled back. “Hey, gotta go talk to Reb. You okay to hang out?”

She looked around. “Yes. I’ve wanted to see Aimee and Luna.”

She’d been friendly with those girls from the time she was younger. They’d come through the mess of the Chaos and the aftermath well. He gave her hand a squeeze and walked away.

Rebel jerked his head toward the open air and Caspar followed. He turned back once before he left and noted Mathias and Bishop had closed in on Tru without being too obvious about it.

He followed Rebel to a spot by the bikes, to where several more of his own men were waiting. If Caspar didn’t know Rebel better, he’d say this was some kind of ambush, but he did know Rebel.

Because of that, he followed the man into a more private spot halfway between the woods and the warehouse and then turned, leaned against the side of an old pickup that remained something of Hammer’s pet project.

Still hadn’t been able to get the fuckin’ thing to run and everyone refused to help him.

Caspar faced the group of them, twenty men, ranging from sixteen to twenty-nine. Some military, some unwanteds. All of them pledged to Defiance, and to him as their Enforcer.

There were close to sixty people living in the compound, about forty of those MC members. There were others who chose to live scattered through town, and that was allowed and encouraged. Since comms were shit, they could actually bring intel to Lance and the others.

Caspar had twenty of those men under his care. A lot of them had been fourteen to sixteen when the Chaos hit. They’d gone from sons of Defiance to full Defiance patches as soon as Caspar deemed them ready. They guarded. Protected. They were too young, scared as shit.

Now they all had war in their eyes.

Rebel. Riley. Hammer and Cool Joe. Baz and Smoke.

Caspar had helped to raise this generation when he’d been just a kid himself.

When the lights first went out, the club used violence to keep unwanteds away. Escaped prisoners and general scum of the earth all came looking to steal and cheat. All they’d found was a severe beating and a warning to never darken Defiance’s doorstop.

Except for three men—Lil’jon, Lights and Rockhead. A thief, a murderer and an innocent man, and truth be told, Caspar didn’t know which the fuck was which. Didn’t much care either.

“We doin’ this with Tru so you can get laid?” Rockhead asked now. There was general cursing more at Rockhead than anything.

“Don’t listen to the asshole,” Cool Joe said. “Caspar gets laid every day of the fuckin’ week.”

“Took his patch off for Tru,” Hammer added. “She’s not just a lay.”

Caspar stared around at all of them. “Meant what I told Lance. Not lookin’ weak. Not doin’ what anyone tells us we have to. We’ve never been involved in this new way and ain’t gonna start now. You think lettin’ a woman be raped till she’s beggin’ to die is what makes an MC tough, walk the fuck out now.”

These men had mostly all grown up with violence. Surrounded themselves in it, immersed themselves in it. Swam in it until it threatened to drown them.

He had to make sure they didn’t grow desensitized to it and that meant walking a really fine fucking line.

Violence was part of the gig. It was necessary. Expected. Most of the time, the Defiance crew took it without flinching. But violence for the sake of violence was happening less and less since the Chaos. The fought their battles wisely. Enjoyed the quiet times. A lot of them had grown closer. Things changed.

Everyone changed, except Lance.

“Treasuring women doesn’t make Defiance weak. They’re our hidden strength,” Caspar said. “Not dealing with this shit of catting them out for us. No more. They wanna work for Kat, good for them. They wanna fuck the club, same. But they’re not fucking punching bags. Got it?”

The men around him nodded, but he knew what they were all thinking. “We gotta start somewhere,” he added, and got the recognition he’d been waiting for.

He wasn’t sure if he’d fallen for Tru first or the MC, but it didn’t matter. Both were inextricably tangled in his mind. Would be forever.

“Time to put all of it on the table. Lance and Roan have been dividing us, pulling us for different projects, keeping the information separate so we wouldn’t see what’s happening.”

“The drugs, man...bringing a lot of that illegal shit this way,” Hammer said. His mom had been hooked on the shit and he’d always had a major aversion to anything stronger than aspirin. Didn’t like that the MC was getting involved in stronger shit, beyond the legal but nearly impossible to get through normal channels pharmameds that the clinic stocked and doled out for medicinal, not recreational, purposes.

Lot of the men and women around here smoked weed. Hell, after the Chaos, a lot of people wanted to drown themselves in any kind of illegal substance they could. For weeks, there had been end of the world parties, with drink, drugs and sex. Problem was, after all of that, the end of the world didn’t really come around and people were left hungover, disillusioned and needing to pick up the pieces.

“Where’re the drugs coming in from? Paddy’s crew?” Caspar asked.

“Word is Keller’s mafia crew’s trying to move in and make a name around here.”

Around here
meant in the several states and cities and towns that survived and rebuilt. It made them a destination, and a target. Now the mafia was bringing in trouble. “Who told you?”

“Roan talks when he drinks. Bragging about how he’s ready to cut a deal with Keller and it’s going to bring in more dollar bills than tubes ever did.” He paused. “Think Lance knows?”

“I heard Keller’s crew’s pissed at Defiance,” Lil’jon offered.

“Why? Always been cool with them.”

“Because we stopped production on the tubes—Si’s orders,” Rockhead admitted. “Guys are bein’ reassigned to other shit. Haven’t heard what the other shit is.”

There were so many people dependent on this club. It was their lives, the way it had always been, but now it was their livelihood. It was everything they had. If this fell apart...if the tube production was slowing, it proved Caspar’s suspicions that Lance had other plans, none of them legal.

Maybe Tru had the right idea. Getting out, starting over...living clean.

But Caspar hadn’t come this far to throw away all the years he’d put in. He also couldn’t do that to the people around him.

A rumble in the sky seemed to agree with him, even as it warned of incoming storms over the next days. They would be unpredictable when they hit, and Defiance would head underground when they arrived.

He walked back toward the tent, not wanting to leave Tru alone for long. Rebel joined him, said, “Wanted you to know we’re watching out for you, but man, watch your back.”

“Roan?”

“Part of it.” Rebel pulled Caspar’s 8 Ball patch from his pocket. “Word gets out fast. Changing traditions always pisses people off.”

“So does a near apocalypse,” Caspar muttered.

“Your woman’s got people noticing more shit. Not saying it’s a bad thing. But it’s a thing, nonetheless.”

“I always look over my shoulder, Reb.”

“This time, you’re not alone. Tide’s changing. Needed you to know.”

He nodded, watched Rebel amble back to the party.

Times was, he might’ve walked away, realizing being a loner was the best for this MC. Tonight, he knew that was no longer the case.

He went back inside to join the damned party.

Chapter Eleven

Tru was sure her cheeks were still flushed from Caspar’s words and the kiss. She watched him walk away with Rebel, and then realized she was more relaxed than she’d been. Part of that was spending time with Caspar, and part was because the welcome she’d gotten was warmer than it had been since she’d been back. Whether it was acceptance or out of respect for Caspar, she wasn’t sure, but Aimee and Luna bounded over to her once the music began to play and the mood lightened. They hugged her and she realized how much she’d missed the friends she’d been closest to. She wanted to know everything, if Aimee was still with Hammer and if Luna was still pining away for Rebel.

They answered her quiet questions with laughter and affirmations—yes, Aimee and Hammer were very much together and Luna had never been able to approach Rebel. And even though she knew it hadn’t, with their friendship, time had stood still.

She hadn’t been able to tell them what was happening with Hugh, so they’d been sufficiently horrified when she’d started rebelling, tried to reel her in. And even then, they’d always been there to talk her off the cliff. She wondered if they suspected why she’d left, or what the rumors had been.

She also knew that later, they would ask more questions about why she hadn’t come to them. But for now, it was old home week, and she was grateful. There were beers and shots and cigarettes. Someone passed around a joint and she could be at any party, pre-Chaos, right now. Although honestly, people seemed happier here tonight than she ever remembered. Because they’d almost lost it all, they also knew how to really live.

As Aimee and Luna continued their excited chattering, Tru looked around, realized that a lot of the younger crew were still here. The old guard had dwindled significantly, probably in the earliest days of the Chaos where confusion reigned. There’d been so much violence, sickness, fear and stress.

Even though the club was young, Lance would stay in control as long as possible, pass the torch to Silas. She’d known for a long time that Silas would run the MC into the ground, the way Lance would’ve if he hadn’t had her father, then Caspar.

As shitty a father as Hugh had been, he was an excellent Enforcer. No bragging had been necessary—his work spoke for itself. But at home, he hadn’t been able to keep the violence from overflowing.

“Hey, girl!” Aimee waved a hand in front of her face and Luna laughed. “You haven’t changed. Still daydreaming.”

Before Tru could say anything about that, Aimee said, “She’s even prettier—how’s that possible when make-up’s at such a premium.”

She laughed at that. Aimee looked like a fresh-faced farmer’s daughter—make-up had always looked out of place on her. Luna, on the other hand, was more sultry. Exotic. Tru had no idea why Rebel hadn’t even noticed that Luna had been admiring him for years.

“So...you and Caspar?” Aimee asked finally and Luna hit her on the arm. “What? I managed to hold off asking for five whole minutes.”

Luna rolled her eyes but added, “Can you spill any details? It’s so obvious it’s happening between you and Caspar. I can’t believe you had the balls to announce that you wanted him in front of everyone.”

Tru smiled, couldn’t deny it. For the first time in a long time, she was happy. “How freaked out is everyone?”

“Uh, very. We’ve wanted to come see you, but couldn’t get through Trixie,” Luna confirmed.

Hammer came over then, put his arms around Aimee, making her blush. “Time for dancing, not gossiping,” he declared and in the comfortable circle of protection, Tru let herself go, dancing with her friends and Hammer and some of the other guys who came by to welcome her back.

She kept her eye out for Caspar, hoped that nothing bad was happening. Not tonight. She wanted to keep this memory of the good time tucked deep inside, where nothing could mar it.

She turned down a beer but accepted a soda from Kevin, who was Hammer’s younger brother. He’d been thirteen when she’d left and now towered above her. And he was flirting with her too, but respectfully.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of long red hair. There was only one girl she remembered who’d had that particular color hair and it made Tru’s stomach tighten in response.

Except, what would Jodi VanValen be doing at a Defiance party? She’d been a civilian, a cheerleader, one of the most popular girls in the high school. Her family had been rich, and although the VanValens had done some business with Lance—investments in the shelters—Jodi had never acknowledged the Defiance crew. Tru had heard herself referred to as trash several times, but she’d learned early on to ignore jibes like that. She’d never been one to fight other girls.

But Jodi had gone out of her way to be nasty to Tru, despite the warnings from several members of the Defiance crew. Probably because Tru continued showing up at the civilian parties, and probably because Jodi’s then boyfriend always liked flirting with Tru.

Tru craned her neck to see past the crowds as Jodi turned her face toward them. She locked eyes with Tru and raised her chin before turning away.

The tattoos ran along Jodi’s chin and left cheek, straight lines that looked like some kind of punishment rather than art. There was no way Jodi would’ve agreed to have been marked like that.

Who would’ve forced her to do that?

Tru tugged Aimee’s arm and motioned toward the disappearing girl. “Was that Jodi?”

Aimee looked and nodded her confirmation. “The one and only.”

As if she knew they were talking about her, Jodi turned back around and stared at them for a long moment. She noted Aimee giving the marked girl a hard look, which made Jodi turn away with slumped shoulders.

That actually made Tru feel sorrier for her than anything, that loss of the initial pride. “What happened to her?”

“Lost her family. They were on vacation in Florida. Group of Lords of Vengeance took her.”

The LoV were a violent, misogynistic bunch. The worst of the worst. Defiance’s men could go toe to toe with them any day of the week in the field, but the LoV resorted to barbaric ways of claiming and discarding their women. It had only gotten worse as of late.

“Like a scarlet A,” Tru said softly.

“I guess you actually did do some schoolwork,” Aimee teased, but there was a sadness in her eyes too. “Trixie felt sorry for her. But no Defiance man’s going to take her. She stays here sometimes, works at Kat’s House.”

That was the brothel Tru heard about, a twist on Katherine Jones’s name—she’d been the Fiona of her time in Defiance, then turned things professional after she got too old. It was in town, protected by the MC, who in turn got a cut of the profits. Since the Chaos, Padraic told her it was a wildly successful venture, which fascinated Tru.

“Kat runs a tight ship over there,” Luna said. “Supposedly, no one’s allowed to be violent toward any of her girls. No mean feat around some of these guys.”

Or any guys.
This might be the devil she knew best, but it wasn’t all that different on the outside.

She remembered her mother telling her,
girls like you can make a difference
,
but only if you’re willing to risk everything.

She guessed she hadn’t been. Not then. But now...

“I’m sure it’s a shock to you, coming back here,” Aimee said. “Time on the outside must’ve been...different.”

“Not so much,” Tru said, her arms wrapped around herself.

“We’re glad you came back, Tru,” Luna whispered in her ear.

Aimee nodded in agreement. “Still the same old bitches around here. And speaking of...”

Tru looked to see Fiona sauntering around the party. She looked prettier than ever, long brown hair swaying down her back as she walked.

But Tru held the keys to Caspar’s 8 Ball patch now. That made her smile.

“You’ve got to shut her down,” Aimee said. “I had to when she kept going after Hammer.”

“You?” Tru asked.

“Things are different now. The Chaos...” Aimee trailed off but Tru understood what she was saying. Fighting for what was yours became more important than ever. “Fiona’s getting more aggressive lately. And she saw him pull the 8 Ball patch off.”

“Who didn’t,” Luna said, without taking her eyes off Fiona.

“She’ll take that as a challenge. And you can’t count on Caspar to keep her away,” Aimee continued.

Tru wanted to argue about that, but she knew her friend was right, telling her to be practical. Tru had fought girls in Defiance and in the town when called upon, and she’d always won. With an Enforcer for a father, it didn’t matter that lots of people thought she was a quiet bookworm. She preferred the element of surprise.

At school, the Defiance community and the civilians seemed to be in direct odds. They each had their own crews; popular, but Defiance were the bad kids, the civvies were the jocks. At times, the Defiance crew was needed by the jocks and hence, there was an uneasy alliance and never the two were supposed to meet.

Of course, a lot of civvies wanted to party with—and screw—guys and girls from the MC. The MC was sexy. Forbidden. Dirty. And the Defiance kids realized the power of their outlaw status from a very early age.

She didn’t care what any of them thought, except for Caspar. But he knew she was strong. Knew who she was under the mask.

He was the first, the only one to see past it.

She’d been dragged back into Defiance like a commoner, purposely meant to humiliate her. She might’ve been, but she put on a good act. That’s what Trix taught her—you don’t let anyone see you weak. Tru had seen men beaten, tied, handcuffed, but you knew they’d never surrender. Never would.

She took that advice to heart. And now that she’d made her decision known, one she had no right to make, all she could do was wait and see what would happen next.

* * *

Fiona grabbed him as soon as he stepped back inside. Caspar put his hands on her biceps to move her away, but then held her there for a second.

“Whatever your game, cut it,” he told her.

“You didn’t mind the game two weeks ago,” she practically purred. “Remember?”

“Barely.”

She smiled, laughed with that husky, sexy laugh. “Maybe I should remind you. Help you earn that patch back. I always wished I was the first one to help you get it.”

She hadn’t been—that had been one of Defiance’s other mamas, sent to him by Lance, who thought Caspar would be embarrassed. At fourteen, he’d already been more experienced than a lot of the older boys, just never felt the need to brag about it. Never forget the look on Lance’s face when he fucked the mama, whose name he couldn’t remember and probably never knew, on the pool table in the middle of the clubhouse while the weekly poker game was going on and several of the Old Ladies hung on their men.

Should know better than to challenge that one
, he’d heard Trixie tell Lance later. The next morning, Caspar found the patch slipped under his door.

The music of Papa Roach thrummed over the speakers, telling them this was their last resort, slamming around them as Fiona curled a hand behind the back of his neck, whispered in his ear, “Oh, come on, Caspar. I know the deal. So do you. I get to play, just the way the men do. I’m not trying to bond with you.”

He wanted to ask her why she’d started down this road but hell, he hadn’t cared about that when he’d been fucking her.

Like she knew what he was thinking, she shook her head slowly then tossed her hair back over her shoulder. “Your gesture was so romantic. You’ll have Tru all wrapped up in no time, if she isn’t already. I guess it’s part of your plan—take the princess of Defiance away from the rightful king?”

“Last I looked, Lance’s already married.”

She smiled. “I was talking about Silas.”

“Already taken too. What the fuck you doing, Fiona?”

Her smile faded a little. “What we’ve always done. Don’t tell me you’re really going to be faithful? You’ll be the only one.”

He knew that wasn’t the truth, but saw no reason to argue further. Fiona thought she could seduce any of the MC guys and nothing he said would stop her.

“You’re looking for different, Caspar, I guess Tru’s it, but seriously? She’s not going to give you what you really need. You and I both know that.”

He thought about how Tru had looked last night when they’d gone back into the shower again to get clean, her back against the wall, taking all of him. Asking for more. Begging for it.

He must’ve been smiling thinking about it and he’d definitely gotten hard. When Fiona reached out to touch his cock, he grabbed her wrist. “That one’s not from you or for you. Hear?”

“We’ll see how long that lasts.”

* * *

Tru had seen Caspar walk back into the tented area and still with a slight smile. He was maybe ten feet from her when Fiona cut across the crowds and walked in front of him so she was in between them.

She gave them a few minutes, at least until she saw Fiona’s hands move to the waistband of his shorts and then she moved to their direction. She circled behind Caspar’s back so she could look Fiona right in the eyes. In turn, Fiona raked her nails down Caspar’s back as she watched Tru over his shoulder. The Defiance skull stared back at Tru, daring her to stand up for the man she’d chosen.

They thought she’d gone soft. Maybe they thought she always was soft since she’d never dressed biker-woman style, had forgone leather in lieu of soft denim and flowing shirts that slid off her shoulders. She’d worn her hair loose and soft, little make-up. Cute shoes. But she’d learned to fight early and she’d never forgotten how.

She always kicked off her shoes for a fight. Tonight was no exception. Fiona laughed when she saw that, was in Tru’s face before Caspar could stop her.

“You’re not going to be enough for him. He might pretend he likes bookworms, but he’s going to get bored as hell. They all do.”

It was coming out, everything Tru had tried to pretend she wasn’t, that she hadn’t turned into out of necessity.

She’d been a fighter from birth. She’d managed to hide it from everyone but Caspar. Until now. She lunged for Fiona, grabbed her around the neck and got her down on the ground by kicking out the woman’s knees from behind.