Savage Angels: A Savage MC Erotic Romance (17 page)

Bogart was still away when Cox got the call from Jake.

“Man, did Bogart do that to Butcher? That was some medieval shit going down there.”

“Should be the end of the problem for you then.”

“Took us some time to work out it was out there. None of the pieces are too big, you know what I’m saying?”

“Should be easy enough for you to dispose of then, Jake.”

“We could do with some help cleaning him off our parking lot out front before someone sees it, you know? Or before the buzzards get a scent.”

“Yeah. You made the problem, Jake, remember that. That mess out there? That’s the solution. If you don’t like it, see if you can put him back together and we’ll consider giving you your money back.”

“Oh,
maaan
.”

“You have a nice day, Jake.”

Tallyman

And so it was all done. Then came the reckonings.
 

When I wanted those moments together, that closeness, that escape over the edge and into the void for what could be the last time, Cox took me downstairs to the clubhouse barroom.

The bar was closed, and it was empty apart from the big table on the far side. There, Bogart and Hacker waited with Jurgen and Bent.
 

Cox sat by Bogart, with an empty seat beside him. He sat me at the empty end of the table. The two Norwegians were due to leave later that day, and everybody was still reeling from the last thirty-six hours.

Cox was shell-shocked by what had happened to Butcher. “I mean, it was the plan. Sick him on
Los Muertos
until they paid up. We knew that they’d try to fight it out and we thought they’d bring the fight here.”

“Would have done,” Hacker said, “if Butcher hadn’t been such a one man army.” His head shook in admiration. “Whatever you thought of him, he was a whole military machine. Hit them so hard they couldn’t get up. Hit them again before they’d time to regroup.”

“Right.” Said Cox, “And that
was
the plan. Butcher visits mayhem on
Los Muertos
until they can’t take it any more, then we visit mayhem on Butcher and leave him on
Los Muertos’
front yard.”

“So that they learned what we were prepared to do,” Hacker said, “how far we would be ready to go,”

Bogart must have had even more feeling about Butcher. Not only because the grim work had been his own task, but they went a long way back. They rode together for a long time and through hard days. He was quiet a while.

After a breath, Bogart said, “And now,” he lifted his gaze up from the table, “Now that we freed them from Butcher’s murderous assaults, now they are grateful to us.
Savage MC
are the peacemakers, the givers of justice. And they won’t cross us again.”

Jurgen said, “Honestly, Bogart, I maybe shouldn’t say this to you alright, but I like to call things the way that I see them.”

“Go on,”

“I’ve been very impressed by the way that
Savage MC
has handled all of this.” Jurgen looked around the table. This conversation shouldn’t have been happening with me there, none of it, but it had just started up.
 

The events of the last couple of days had shaken everyone pretty hard, and there was a real need to talk. Still, I was surprised nobody moved to take the discussion into the council room, or to ask me to leave that table.

Jurgen said, “The thing with using Butcher, I mean that’s grim and very solemn work, but I got to say that you made a good call. The guy had your money all along, and he was fucking with you, and Butcher had been a problem for you, too. But then, Bogart, after you left Butcher all in pieces, you’re a hero for
Los Muertos
. The
Savage MC
is their savior and at the same time they’re going to stay respectful. That was some maneuver.”

“Needs must, brother, when the Devil drives.”

“Snori and Trols, they were always a problem to control. Even for us they took everything too far.” I felt Cox’s eyes on me then and my breath stuck in my throat.

Hacker said, “That’s saying something, Jurgen.”

“Ja. Well, the reason we brought them on this run was that we were too afraid what they might do back home without us watching over them.” He took a slug of bourbon, shook his head, “We were always clearing up a mess after them.”

Bent said, “What we’re saying is that you guys kind of solved a problem for us,” he looked across at me, “I mean
Butcher
solved a problem, right?” Everyone was looking at me then. Jurgen and Bent, Bogart and Hacker. Cox’s eyes were still hard on mine. I wondered where Beanie was.

That’s when I realized that there could be a reason that I was at the table. Angelica was at the door, showing Beanie in. He came forward, very slowly. Cox pulled out a chair for him.

Beanie’s eyes flicked around the table. Then he looked down again. He sat in the chair next to Cox. Cox made him look tiny, and he was hunching his shoulders together.

Cox looked at me and I felt hot, my heart thumped as he spoke to Beanie, “We asked for you to join us for this part of the meeting, Beanie,” Beanie’s eyes came pleadingly up to mine as he listened, hunching away from Cox as he continued, “and we’ve had Jurgen and Bent stay, as this concerns them, too.”

Now Beanie sat up. Like he’d resolved, whatever was going to happen, he was going to take it as a man. Cox looked at Bogart and Bogart nodded.

Cox said, “Jurgen and Bent, and
Kaos Anarki
of course, lost two of their club members.”

“And two brothers,” said Bent.

“Yes,” Jurgen said, “Whatever else they were, they were our brothers.”

Again Cox looked over to Bogart. Again, Bogart nodded. Cox went on, “It would appear,” now he was looking at me. My heart skipped and I tried to keep my face impassive, but I don’t think that I can have succeeded.

I was so awash with emotion at that point. Emotions of fear, shock and apprehension. All mixed up with exhaustion. And I felt an intense pull toward Cox as I waited for him to go on. He said, “It would appear as though Butcher took it upon himself to deliver vicious executions upon Snori and Trols.”

The air was heavy and the room was silent. Bogart said, “That would have been a decision for the council, not for one member to take alone. Especially not an associate, as Butcher was at the time.”

A slow wave of solemn nods drifted around the table. Bogart said, “A sanction could have been due to him for that.” There was quiet for a moment. Bogart said, “Nevertheless, Snori and Trols would seem to have slain one of our own.”

Bent said, “While they were honored guests of the club, too. That is unacceptable.”

“So,” Bogart said, “
Savage MC
needs to ask
Kaos Anarki
if they are satisfied that justice was done here. Butcher was sanctioned, but not for the killing of their brothers.”

Jurgen looked around the table at each man in turn. And at me. And he said, “With some regret, I have to say that Snori and Trols, our brothers, acted in a way that brought shame to our motorcycle club, and, with even more regret I must say that I think the punishment that they met was just and appropriate.”

There was some release of breath around the room. Jurgen went on, “I hope that
Savage MC
will forgive the abuse of their hospitality, and consider the matter to be over and in the past. I hope that it will not color the relations of our two brotherhoods in the future.”

Bogart said, “That’s noble of you, brother. For
Savage
, I can only say that I am glad that as it turns out,” he looked first at Beanie, then for a long time at me, “Butcher has already met with a fate appropriate to the crime and we can all consider this matter over.”

“Beanie,” said Cox. Beanie looked up nervously, “Hand me your cut.” Beanie’s face tightened but, true to his resolve he stood, shrugged off his leather jacket and he handed it to Cox.

Cox took it and said, “Your colors are not appropriate for you to wear anymore.” Beanie’s eyebrows quivered but he jutted his chin, He stood straight, like a soldier at attention.

Cox put the jacket on the table and reached for the edge of a patch
.
He ripped it off and held it up.
Prospect
, it said, “The council has agreed, Beanie. We’ll be adding a top rocker. You’re a full
Savage MC
member now.”

Cox looked at me and more than anything I wanted to jump across the table and fling my arms around him. His eyes seemed a little watery as he looked back at me.

Bent shook his head and said, “Trols and Snori.” And Cox said,

“Fucking Vikings.”

I’m Coming Home

Cox knew that he had to do something about this girl, this daughter of the police chief, this uncontrollable woman. His judgment clouded over, though. Every time he thought about her, her remembered the feeling of the tight little cheeks of her gorgeous ass in his hand. And that damn look in her eye.

All this time he’d avoided thinking about taking an old lady. The club was all the commitment he wanted, and it was more responsibility than he needed. But being with Nikka had made him feel different in so many ways.

Since Nikka had been around, Cox saw things differently, his perspective had shifted. When he thought about something or he had to make a decision, somehow he looked farther ahead.

At that meeting, Nikka had come closer to being offered a patch, at least a
Prospect
patch, than Cox or probably any of them would have believed possible for a woman. Previously he would have laughed at the idea. Now he wasn’t so sure about that.

She also came close to being sanctioned
.
When the he and Bogart had discussed what happened to the Vikings, neither of them talked about Beanie and Nikka, but they both were sure they knew what really happened. Both were sure the other knew, too.

He watched her hug Jurgen and Bent before they left, shaking their hands like a biker diplomat. Or, perhaps, like a biker diplomat’s old lady. Maybe a biker’s old lady diplomat.
Woah
this was good weed.

As the Norwegians rode away down the hill, he said to her, “Funny thing about Butcher’s gun, right?”

“How do you mean? It was his gun, wasn’t it?”

“Sure it was. It was his nine millimeter, there’s no doubt about it.” Cox looked down at her face. There was more to this woman than he had ever estimated.

He said,“See that’s the funny thing. Nobody can remember Butcher ever actually
using
a nine. Always carried one, but only in case he ran out of everything else. And, so far as anyone knows, he never did.”

I didn’t say anything.

“And I wonder why he lured them to that little motel. Luring them onto a bridge and then blowing up the bridge was more his style.”

“He shouldn’t have done it, though. Ending the two Vikings without the club sanction, he could have gotten killed for that alone.” He looked in my eyes for a long time. “But I guess we’ll never know what really happened.”

“And Butcher being a club member.”

“How do you mean?”

“The club rules are clear. But they only apply to club members.”

“You been talking to Angelica?”

“You don’t grow up in the home of the police chief without getting a feeling for law.”