Train's Clash (The Last Riders Book 9) (11 page)

“What was she wanted for?”

“Theft. She’s going to get her charges cleared. Her ex framed her.”

“We’ve heard that one before.”

“I believe her.” At his doubting look, she put her hand on his arm. “Come on; she’s scared.”

“She should be.”

“Please.”

He sighed heavily. “Okay, but this is the last time. When are you going to stop listening to the sob stories these runners are feeding you?”

“I guess when you get promoted out of here, I won’t have anyone to help me out.”

“You’re too kindhearted. The last one you tried to help was back in jail the next day.”

“She’s different.” Killyama gestured toward Sasha. “When she gets out of here, she won’t be back.” Viper would see to that.

“Fine. I’ll watch out for her.”

“I’d hug you, but I don’t want the other guards to get jealous,” she teased him good-naturedly.

“Better not. Deb gets mean when she thinks someone is flirting with me.”

“You think I can’t take her?” Killyama grinned.

“Hell no! You might be younger, but I married a tough cookie.”

“I guess we’re not fated to be together, then.”

Ron blushed. “I better get back to work.”

“Thanks, Ron.”

“We done?” Killyama asked as Hammer and Jonas took the paperwork from the officer at the desk.

“Yes. What were you talking to Ron about?” Hammer asked.

“Nothing. I was just asking him about his wife and kids.”

“Sure you did,” Jonas said, handing her the completed paperwork.

“I saw the hundred you slipped him.” Hammer pushed the button so the guard would open the door for them to leave.

“You need to get your eyes checked.” Killyama swiped the keys away from Hammer. “I’m driving.”

Getting behind the wheel, she started the SUV. “It’s getting late. How about we stay the night?”

“You never want to stay the night. What’s up?” Hammer took the gum she had been about to put in her mouth, throwing it out the window.

“Nothing. I had a long night, and we have a long drive. I’m tired.”

“That’s cool with us. We can get an early start in the morning.”

“I’m going to take a couple of days off. We can rent a car before we find a hotel room for me to use until I come home.”

Jonas nixed the idea. “We’re not going back home without you.”

“I need some space and rest. I’m not going to get that with you two here.”

“You believe this bullshit, Jonas?”

Jonas leaned forward, sniffing the air. “I smell the bullshit, too.”

“You’re going to stick your nose in it, aren’t you?” Hammer looked at her with disapproval.

She knew they weren’t going to believe whatever lie she came up with, so she admitted, “Yes.”

“Then I guess we’re all staying,” Jonas stated.

“What’s the plan?”

Killyama grinned at Hammer. “When you’re dealing with someone who has a lot of power and who can get a lot of strings pulled, you know what you have to do?”

“What?” Hammer and Jonas both asked.

“You have to call the puppet master.”

T
rain watched
the SUV pull out onto the road. Then he started to go inside the clubhouse to get his wallet and keys.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To Ohio.”

“You’re staying here. Shade, Moon, go. And take Rider.”

“I want to go,” Train protested.

“There isn’t anything you can do.”

The men went back inside the clubhouse as Viper took out his phone. Train waited impatiently as Viper called Knox then Diamond, listening as Viper recounted what had happened, not sparing the embarrassment of how Killyama had known Sasha was there.

Unable to listen anymore, Train went to the bar, getting a glass and the whiskey, pouring it to the brim.

“What did Diamond say?” Train asked when Viper walked up to him, putting his phone away.

Viper took the bottle away from him, pouring himself a glass. “She said, ‘I told you so’.”

Train downed his drink then turned to smash the glass against the wall. “It’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s mine. Diamond warned me two months ago this would happen, and she told me to hire a different lawyer in Ohio. I put it off, thinking I’d take care of it when I had the time. I’ve been so busy with the new contracts, Aisha, and making sure Winter’s cancer is gone that I let Sasha slip through the crack.”

“You’ve had your hands full. I’m the one who invited Killyama. We’ve been so careful not to let anyone see Sasha in town, and then last night Killyama saw her and asked who she was. Like a fool, I told her.” Train gave a harsh laugh. “She’s been playing me like a fiddle since we had the party at Rosie’s. I even believed I was making headway in getting her to join The Last Riders.”

Viper poured himself another drink at that confession.

Imagining all the brothers’ angry thoughts, Train stormed out of the clubroom, going to his room then coming back downstairs where he threw his leather on the floor at Viper’s feet.

“I don’t deserve to be a Last Rider.”

“Pick it up,” Viper said on a sigh. “You let your dick do the thinking. It’s happened to us all. We’ll get Sasha out of this trouble, and then we will go back to normal. The one change we will make is no further contact with the Destructors. Stud might have married into the crew of conniving women, but The Last Riders haven’t.”

Razer, who had come over when Killyama was walking out the door with Sasha, didn’t say a word of protest against Viper’s order. However, Train knew that Beth and Lily, and maybe some of the other wives, were going to be hurt by the order.

A line was going to be drawn between The Last Riders and the Destructors, and it was all Killyama’s fault. It would be better this way, though, because if he ever got close to Killyama again, he would break a vow he had made to never touch a woman when he was angry. And right now, he was beyond angry at the bitch.

He wanted to pay her back so badly that she would never betray another man. The problem was, the coldhearted woman had to have a heart to learn her lesson, and she didn’t have one.

Jewell peered around the door of the kitchen. “Is it okay if I come out now?”

“Yes.” Train took the bottle away from Viper before he could drink it all, pulling out another glass.

“I hope you don’t expect me to clean up this mess?” Jewell gingerly stepped over the broken glass.

“I did it; I’ll clean it up.”

“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Jewell demanded, staring at the men’s faces.

“Killyama used the favor Viper owed her to take Sasha back to Ohio. Seems she’s some kind of surety bond agent there.”

Jewell didn’t look as upset as Train would have expected. “You’re not mad?”

“At Killyama?” Jewell prevaricated.

“Hell yes. Who else?”

“Sasha.” She shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong; I’m not crazy about what Killyama did. But let’s be real, Train. You were asking for trouble when you started messing around with her. Everyone in Treepoint and Jamestown knows she’s a psychopath. Did you forget the fight at the Pink Slipper? I know I haven’t. You men may have forgotten, but I still remember T.A. shaking me like a rag doll then trying to strangle me. Do any of you remember what Killyama was doing?”

Train racked his memory. Truthfully, he didn’t remember. He had been too busy trying to fight off one of the larger bikers from the Destructors.

Jewell shook her at the men’s blank stares. “All the women were taking each other on except for Killyama. She went for you guys.” She looked around, asking, “Where’s Rider?”

“He left.” Viper put his glass down.

“I bet he remembers that night. She nearly broke his nose with a chair. She also gave you”—she pointed at Train—“one of those two black eyes you got that night.”

“I would have remembered Killyama giving me a black eye. Dozer did …” Train trailed off as he thought back to that night.

“Yes, he did. He hit you so hard he knocked you out. Killyama hit you when you were falling down.”

“She hit me when I was down?”

“You hadn’t hit the floor yet, but you were down and out for a few minutes.”

“I’m going to pay that bitch back. I won’t lay a hand on her, but when I’m finished with her, I’ll make sure she’s paid back for that and betraying my trust.”

“If you’re going to make her pay, know what you’re making her pay for. Killyama doesn’t owe any loyalty to The Last Riders. Sasha should have let her ex-boyfriend have time to get over her before she rubbed his face in the fact she had become a Last Rider. I’m not excusing her ex”—Jewell raised her hands in defense—“but Sasha could have made better choices. Sasha and Killyama are both guilty of screwing men over.”

Train almost lost his cool. His voice turned deadly as he told Jewell, “Sasha didn’t betray The Last Riders’ trust. And Killyama may not owe The Last Riders loyalty, but she did betray the personal trust I had in her.”

Viper looked down at a text message. “Shade said he’ll call as soon they get to Ohio. Diamond has been trying to find a lawyer to take Sasha’s case. Crash, are you positive you didn’t miss anything on Kane or his family we can use against them?”

“You want me to hire Jonas to double-check my work?” At Viper’s glare, Crash changed his sarcastic tone. “I’m sure. His family hasn’t had so much as a speeding ticket on their record. I searched the phone number Sasha gave me for Kane; it only shows run-of-the-mill text messages. He goes to work and goes back home every night. Once a week, he goes to play golf, but that’s pretty much it. Sasha said he always had two phones on him, but I don’t have access to those messages without the phone number.”

“He isn’t carrying two phones without a reason. I’ll tell Shade. Maybe he can find out.”

“Nickel has been trying to figure it out since I got here,” Moon spoke up. “He’s had no luck. He talked to three women Kane had dated. None of them knew, either.”

Sasha was going to do time for a crime she hadn’t committed unless they found something on Kane to make him tell the truth. Killyama’s treachery had limited their options.

Train wanted to defy Viper’s order and go to Ohio. It was hard to stand idly by as each of the members awoke and learned what had happened that morning.

“Do you think Sasha will get mad if I borrow her new black dress?” Stori came up from behind him, running her hand over his ass.

He shoved himself away from her, moving to the other side of the counter. “What do you think?”

“Sorry,” she mumbled, escaping into the kitchen.

Jewell took the whisky bottle away from Viper, refilling Train’s glass for him. “You going to make us all pay for Killyama stabbing you in the back?”

He gave a humorless smile. “No. It wasn’t the first time I ever got stabbed.” Train almost spilled his drink onto the jacket he had laid there. The night she had been cold, he had tried to get her to wear it. She wasn’t worthy to touch him or the jacket now. “But it will be the last time.”

“
G
et
your ass off my bike. I told you last night I had nothing to say to you.”

Killyama got off Shade’s bike, snidely asking, “You have any luck getting Sasha out of jail yet?”

“No, but if you came to gloat, you’re barking up the wrong tree. You need to leave before anyone comes out and sees you. I can guarantee Hammer and Jonas won’t be enough to pull them off you.”

“They aren’t here. They’re asleep in their hotel room. They told me I’m wasting my time.”

“They’re right.”

“Where are you going?”

Shade remained silent, getting on his bike and starting the motor.

“Fine, don’t answer. You can say hi to Sasha when they arrest your ass.” Killyama turned and started walking toward the SUV she had parked at the convenience store across the street.

Shade rode his bike across the street, waiting for her to reach him.

“You could have offered me a ride.”

“I thought you don’t ride with married men?”

“I’m tired,” she excused. “I haven’t slept in two nights.”

“I bet Train isn’t getting much sleep tonight, either.” Shade’s penetrating blue eyes studied her reaction as Killyama winced while thinking about how the women would be helping Train repair his wounded pride.

“I thought of a way to help Sasha,” she spoke quickly, trying to keep him from reading too much.

“What? Have her plead to the charge? Or throw her to the mercy of the court?”

“You haven’t been able to find a lawyer in Ohio?” she asked, ignoring his stab.

“No.”

Killyama reached into her pocket then gave him a card. “He’ll help, but he’s expensive.”

Shade took the card, shoving it into his jacket pocket without even looking at it. “I hope you’re not expecting me to say thanks.”

“No.” Killyama gave him a wry smile. “It doesn’t matter which lawyer you get. The DA has an air tight case against her, which is why Diamond hasn’t been able to get the charges dropped. Until you can find some new evidence, Sasha is only going to be a memory for the next five to seven years.”

“What’s your idea?”

“Kane still has one of the necklaces he accused Sasha of stealing. He has it stashed at his father’s house. There’s no breaking in there; you’ll get caught before you get a foot inside the gate.”

Shade didn’t seem surprised, and he was still listening. “I don’t get caught.”

“You will. Jonas says there is no getting past the security. It doesn’t make a difference anyway. You can’t steal them then take them to the police. You can’t tell them you stole them from him, even if you tell the police or Sasha’s lawyer the jewelry is there. They have to have probable cause to get a search warrant.” Killyama took a deep breath, relieving the tension that had been building as she talked. “Once a week, Kane goes golfing.”

“Crash will be relieved that he hasn’t lost his touch. You’re not telling me anything we don’t know.”

“Did you know Kane’s not actually golfing? He borrows the caddy to drive over to a small hotel that has a massage parlor attached.”

Shade turned off his motor. “How did you find this out?”

“One of Kane’s ex-girlfriends told me. She managed to get ahold of his burner phone when they were dating while he was taking a shower. He had told Cassandra the extra phone was for clients; that he was dappling in real estate. What he has been dappling in is hookers.

“While Kane’s at the massage parlor, Hammer, Jonas, and I are going to try to grab his burner phone as an insurance policy. We don’t know what’s on it, so I don’t want to put all of our eggs in that basket. What I suggest is you break into Kane’s car at the golf course. Cassandra said he keeps the gate opener to his father’s house on the window visor. He’s on vacation in the Hamptons, by the way, and the staff is off. Kane keeps his keys in the console. Apparently, he doesn’t even take his wallet into the massage parlor. He pays in cash.”

“Like you said, I can’t take the jewelry.”

“You won’t have to. Just arrange for it to be seen easily. The cops won’t need a search warrant if the jewelry is in plain sight when the police and the fire department put out the fire you set.”

“Sounds like you have everything all planned out. What I don’t understand is what you need me for? You, Hammer, and Jonas can do this on your own. If you think you’re going to win points from Train, you won’t. He hates you right now. The whole club does. You’ve broken a friendship with the Destructors, and the fallout will affect Beth, Lily, and Diamond, too. Viper ordered them not to have any association with you.”

Killyama didn’t blink an eye, knowing any response she made would be recounted to The Last Riders.

“Dude, is that supposed to get me upset? I don’t give a fuck about The Last Riders, and if Beth, Lily, and Diamond listen to Viper, that’s on them, not me. The only fallout I need you to care about is when the shit hits the fan, and daddy big bucks comes racing back from his vacation. Then you make sure it doesn’t get swept under the rug. To do that, it’s going to take lots of money and finesse. You wouldn’t have caught Lily’s attention if you couldn’t handle that. The dude whose card I gave you can help you and will point you in the right direction.”

“I take it he wants his own cut?” Shade took the card out of his pocket to look at it. “He’s not a lawyer? How can a Professor of Economics at the university help?”

“He has money and connections, and he’s running for mayor. He’s trying to get into politics, but two things have stopped him: Kane’s father and the current mayor. If Yates helps us, it eliminates daddy big bucks who holds the mayor’s purse strings. One thing Kentucky and Ohio have in common is the good ol’ boy system. Yates wants to prove corruption in the courts system and slide into home plate. But does it really matter as long as Sasha gets out?”

“Moon will be all over this plan. The mayor has been breathing down his neck ever since he found out his daughter wasn’t the virgin she was pretending to be.”

Killyama laid her hand over his when he would have reached for his cell phone. “No. You’re the only one I want to know what’s going down … now and when it’s over. I don’t care how you explain it to The Last Riders; just keep me out of it. That’s my price … Take it or leave it.”

Shade scrutinized her expression, pulling his hand away from her touch. “Why?”

“As long as you come out looking and smelling like a hero, and Sasha goes back to fucking everyone’s brains out, we all get what we want.”

“I’ll play it your way, but you’re making a mistake you’re going to regret.”

“What am I going to regret? That The Last Riders can’t stand me? They never did. The Destructors? Hell, Stud is going to be just as mad at me as The Last Riders. The women? They’ll work it out by telling Viper to shove his order up his ass.” Killyama sidestepped around his bike, going to her ride.

“Will you at least tell me why you did it?”

She stepped up into the black Escalade. “I was bored.” Slamming her door closed, she drove away.

Train was the only one who mattered, and he wouldn’t care that her heart was breaking at the lie she had told Shade.

She turned the window wipers’ speed up faster when the drizzle turned into a downpour. She drove easily as the streets to the hotel were beginning to flood. She wasn’t timid on slick roads; she liked everything about rain—the way it made everything smell new, the way it sounded on a roof, the way it felt on your skin … the way heaven could weep the tears she refused to shed.

* * *

S
hade watched
the taillights until she was out of sight before taking out his phone again.

“Any news?” Train’s low voice answered.

“You alone?”

“No. What do you need?”

Shade heard Jewell mutter something in the background.

“Never mind. I’ll talk you later when I find something out.”

Hanging up, he started his bike, riding back to the clubhouse. Once there, he shook off the rain as he ran into the clubhouse where Rider was waiting for him inside.

“What did Killyama want?”

“Wake Moon up. We have work to do.”