The Outlaw's Dirty Dancer, page 10
Tears were a steady fall down her cheeks, and when she heard the gun cock behind her, and felt the cold, hard butt of the barrel press to her temple. All she could do was close her eyes and wish things had been so different.
The sound of a gun firing was so close to her that her ears rang. That realization, and the fact she didn’t feel the pain of a bullet wound, had her opening her eyes. There was another shot fired, and the asshole on top of her grunted. Something warm and wet was trickling onto her temple, and then the realization of what it really was had her stomach roiling.
He rolled off of her and pulled himself up to a standing position, but he staggered forward. Darra pushed herself up and watched as the Derek—the prospect—dodged behind the dumpster just as her attacker fired off another shot. He was holding his shoulder, letting her know Derek had gotten a shot in, but was the prospect okay? Her heart thundered, but before she could move, or try to scream once again, the sound of the backdoor opening and slamming against the brick wall seemed to have everything stilling.
“What in the fuck is going on out here?” The sound of Marin’s enraged voice was even louder than the pounding of her pulse. Her attacker snapped his head to the side, and she wondered if he planned on taking on Marin and his two bodyguards, but instead he held his hand on his shoulder and took off in the other direction.
She reached out, trying to stop him, trying to call out that he was getting away, but her head hurt so bad. She was pretty sure she had a few broken ribs from him kicking her. She started gagging on the blood that dripped don the back of her throat and filled her mouth. The sound of guns cocking just on the other side of the dumpster had her shaking her head and using all of her strength to push herself up. Agony tore through her, and she stumbled forward.
“Boy, you better fucking tell me what the hell happened out here or I’m about to put another bullet in your body.”
Derek’s voice came out strong, but she didn’t miss the strain in it. “Some bastard was attacking Brick’s old lady. Fuck, I have to check on her.”
“Shit, you talkin’ about Darra?” Marin’s voice took on an almost frantic quality.
“Yeah, so unless you want Brick and the whole Grizzly MC wrath coming down on you, I suggest you back the fuck off so I can make sure she is okay.”
She lifted her head and saw Derek move around the dumpster and come to her quickly. Marin and two of his guys were right behind him. Another wave of dizziness washed through her when Derek lifted her off the ground and pressed her body close to his.
“Shit, he fucked her up.” Derek pushed her blood-soaked hair away from her face. “This is bad, really fucking bad. Brick and the MC are going to have dead bodies littering the ground.”
“I got a doctor that works for me on the DL. He can be here in five. Bring her to my office.”
Darra tried to relax against him, but every move he made jarred her, and pain lanced through her entire body.
“It’s all right, Darra. I’ll call Brick, and he’ll be here in no time. Then we will hunt down that fucker and make him pay for this. I’m so sorry. Fuck, I’m so sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”
But those last words he said sounded distant, and she knew that the darkness that was creeping around her vision was about to take her under. That was all right, though. Darra just wanted to vanish anyway.
Chapter Ten
Brick leaned back in his chair in the Utah charter’s new clubhouse. It was huge compared to the Grizzly Colorado chapter, but this was more of a compound since their last place became compromised. And since they had a lot more “sensitive” things they bought and sold they needed to make sure it was heavily protected.
“Free Bird” played overhead while club whores preformed stripteases for several members. Diesel had taken one of the females to the back to fuck, Dallas was currently letting another female stroke his shit through his jeans by the bar, and Arrow had another one perched on his lap. Her tits were hanging out, and she licked at his neck like she was a damn cat. This charter was tight with their club, but whereas the Colorado charter had never dipped into the coke they hauled, this one did. There was a group of Nomads circled around one of the pub tables taking in lines of blow. The liquor was flowing, the pussy was aplenty, and the drugs were getting everyone fucked up, but all Brick wanted to do was go home and be with his female. He had seen her before he left, but with the ride to Utah and them being busy with moving the guns with Arrow, Brick hadn’t had time to talk to her.
He had sent her a text, but she might still be at work as she didn’t respond. That thought had him gritting his teeth. Yeah, her stripping was over as soon as he got back. He had briefly mentioned to Jagger about Darra doing the books for some of the more legitimate club businesses. Stinger was a genius with numbers and had been the one to handle that shit, but with his arm out of commission for the time being, and this almost distant attitude that was starting to claim him, it was no doubt he needed a break for a while.
“Hey, sugar.” Brick inhaled from the joint between his lips and glanced up at the club pussy walking up to him. She wore nothing but a thin strip of elastic that hardly covered her nipples, and a shirt that was short enough that he could see her transparent panties. “You look awfully lonely over here.”
“Find someone else. I have an old lady.”
She grinned and shook her head. “Sugar, half the boys in here have old ladies, and you don’t seem like a newbie, not with that Sergeant patch, so I know you know having one doesn’t mean shit.”
Brick inhaled from the joint again, held the smoke in for a few seconds, and blew the smoke out. “It means somethin’ to me.” He eyed her and curled his lip in distaste. “Not interested.”
She shrugged and walked off. Brick’s cell vibrated, and he reached in his cut and pulled it out. The screen showed Derek’s number.
Brick flipped the phone open and held it to his ear. “Everything good?” Brick shifted in the seat and brought the joint to his mouth again, but when Derek started rambling off about Darra getting hurt he stood so quickly the chair he was sitting in slid across the floor and banged into the wall. With each passing second, and with each word Derek spoke, Brick’s rage and worry grew tenfold. “I’m coming now. Keep her there. We’ll talk about the fucker that hurt her, and we’ll talk about you not doing your fucking job and watching my female.” He shut his phone, looked down at it, and threw the damn thing across the room until it shattered on the wall. The music still played, but he felt everyone’s eyes on him. Diesel was by his side instantly.
“What is it, brother?”
Brick turned and looked at his VP. “My female is hurt, and I’m going to kill the motherfucker that did it.”
****
Brick tore through the strip club. The place was shut down, and the only one in the main room was the bartender drying glasses, but Brick kept his attention focused forward. Diesel and Dallas were following behind him. He knew Jagger and Court were already here. After he got the call he’d phoned Jagger, needing some of his brothers watching over his female. Stinger had stayed back with the Nomads at the clubhouse and made sure things were locked down tight there. Whoever this bastard was that had hurt Darra might very well go after more Grizzly old ladies and their families.
There was a man standing outside of a closed door, but he could smell Darra, and the scent of her blood filled his nose. It was taking everything inside of him not to go hunt down the bastard that had hurt her. The asshole by the door was lucky he stepped aside, because Brick had been two seconds away from knocking the human’s teeth in. Brick shoved the door open, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Darra lying on the couch. Jagger was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, and a grave look covered his face. There was a guy on his knees in front of Darra, blocking the upper part of her body from Brick’s view, and he snapped. All he could think about was that this fucker was keeping him from his female. But before he could take a step forward Dallas and Diesel grabbed his arms, and Jagger was right in front of him.
“Chill, man. That is Marin’s private doctor. He’s doing one more once-over on your woman.” Jagger didn’t move for several moments, obviously waiting until Brick got his shit under control.
Brick nodded and gritted his teeth. He could control himself—for now. The doctor grabbed his black leather medical bag and stood. He moved over to Court, and the two started talking. Court may only have EMS training, but he knew more medical jargon than any of the other members. Looking at Darra fully now, Brick’s throat closed, his heart stopped, and his bear roared out violently. Her face was beaten to shit, with one of her eyes swollen shut, a nasty bruise taking over one whole side of her face, and dried blood on her nose and the corner of her mouth. She had a blanket pulled up to her chin, and when he moved closer to her and stopped at the edge of the couch, his anger took the backburner to his concern for her. The next thing he realized was he was on his knees at her side and reaching out to brush her hair away, but he stopped before he made contact. The blonde strands were matted with blood. He curled his fingers into his palm and squeezed his hand into such a tight fist he felt his nails dig into the flesh, breaking open the skin.
“Leave.” His voice was low, his focus on his woman. He looked over his shoulder and stared at all of them. They stood there with uneasy expressions on their face. “Get the fuck out.” He roared the words out so forcefully he swore the pictures on the wall shook. They all headed out, and once the door was shut behind the last person he turned back around and placed a hand lightly on her chest. “Baby, I am so fucking sorry.” Brick lowered his head close to hers and brushed his lips along hers. “I’m going to make the asshole pay that did this to you. I’m going to make him bleed and suffer, and pray for death.” There was this turbulent storm inside of Brick, one that wanted to consume him, and wanted to let his bear take control. Once he was a safe distance from Darra he would more than happy to let his animal out and do some major destruction.
Brick gripped the edge of the blanket. His mouth was dry, his tongue thick with emotion, and slowly he pulled the blanket down. She had no shirt on, but her bra barely covered her breasts. The nasty bruises that he could see peeking out of the bandage wrapped around her ribs had him ready to explode from his rage and the pain he felt that his female was hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to relax and pull the blanket back up to cover her.
He leaned forward and kissed her lightly once more. “Shit, Darra, I should have been the one to protect you. I should have been the one to make sure you were safe.” He wouldn’t forgive himself for this. Not ever. He’d kick the prospect’s ass after he killed the bastard that had done this to her. Brick stood, and reluctantly turned and left her side. He didn’t want to, but he needed to find out if she had been able to tell anyone who her attacker was. He opened the door and stepped out in the hallway, but he didn’t shut it behind him. He needed to have this small connection to her still, and shutting the door seemed like he was closing her out. Yeah, since meeting Darra he had become this philosophical pussy-whipped bear shifter. But he didn’t care, didn’t even blink at the thought. In fact he was proud of that shit and would have worn a patch stating how he felt for her.
Everyone stood in the hallway, no one speaking, and all of their expressions serious. Marin was by his two bouncers, and since this happened on his property he’d grill the bastard first.
“You know who the fuck did this to my woman?” Before Marin could answer Jagger was speaking.
“Darra woke up shortly after we got her inside and before the doc gave her some meds for the pain.” Jagger’s voice dropped to a deadly growl. “She started murmuring about the Wolverines, and that the asshole that attacked her was going to kill her.”
“She was thrashing after saying that, and I gave her the pain medication before she hurt herself.” The doctor pushed his glasses up his nose. He was an older human with thinning grey hair.
“So the guy that attacked her was involved with the Wolverines.” Brick didn’t state it as a question, but racked his brain on who would be taking retaliation on them when the Colorado Wolverines were all dead. As far as Brick knew the Wolverines hadn’t had any real allies.
“You think it’s another Wolverine charter?” Diesel asked from beside Jagger.
“No. Jenko from the Arizona Wolverine charter told me all of the Wolverine charters were all glad Trick and his club were gone,” Jagger said.
Yeah, Brick remembered that conversation, but that didn’t mean anything. “Could it be a rogue?” Brick addressed the club members, but it was Marin that answered.
“Doubt it. Had my men out there, and called in one of my guys that is a tiger shifter to come by and sniff the place out. He said all he smelled was humans and the scent of your prospect.”
“I think we can fucking scent out who this asshole is.” Dallas snapped his teeth and glared at Marin. “You have cameras that record the back?”
Marin shook his head, and Dallas growled.
“Maybe you should get on that so this doesn’t happen to another female.” The club owner nodded.
“Where the hell is the alley?”
Marin pointed to the backdoor after Brick growled out the words. Brick was about to go out there, but Jagger grabbed his arm.
“Diesel and Dallas got this. We need to talk about the next move.” Jagger looked at Marin and his goons. “Make yourself scarce.” Once they were alone Jagger fully faced Brick. “How do you want to handle this, brother?”
Brick ran his fingers along his scalp and breathed out. “I’m going to handle this by finding out who hurt Darra, and I’m going to kill him.”
Jagger nodded once. “I know, brother, but you need to think rationally with your human side and not let your animal control this. I can sense your bear tearing through you right now, and see it flickering across your face. You’ll shift right now if you don’t control yourself.”
Brick loved Jagger like family, but his words pissed him off. “Tell me, Prez, if that was Sonya lying in there beat to shit, what would you do?” Jagger didn’t respond, but the dark look on his face told Brick enough. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Now, let’s go find this fucker—”
“Brick?” Darra’s voice was so soft and distant and sounded slightly confused.
He pushed open the door and was by her side a second later. On his knees and with her hand in his, he waited to see if she had woken up, or if she was just talking in her sleep. “I’m here, baby.” He brought their conjoined hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.
Her brow furrowed, and she groaned as she shifted on the couch.
“Don’t move, baby. You’re really hurt.” God, he hated seeing her like this.
She opened the eye that wasn’t swollen shut, and although he sensed her pain she smiled. “Yeah, I know. It feels like a freight train ran me over.” Even like this she tried to be strong. “What time is it?”
“It’s late, baby. It’s really late.”
She sighed and nodded. “I feel a little loopy.”
Brick lightly brushed hair away from her forehead. “The doctor gave you some pain meds.”
“I hurt all over, but my face and side hurt the worst.” She shifted again on the couch. “He was going to kill me, Brick.”
He pressed his hand to the top of her head, and brought her knuckles to his mouth to kiss them once more. “He won’t hurt you ever again, baby. No one will ever hurt you again.”
Her mouth twitched in a smile, but he could see and sense the pain still moving through her. He hated asking her this now. But it was the fastest way to figure out who did this to her. “Baby, do you remember who did this? Any scars or tattoos that he may have?”
She turned her head toward him. “I don’t know his name, but I know him, Brick.” She swallowed, and a wince covered her face. “He was the guy that smashed that bottle over your head that first night we met.” She closed her eye, and he watched as a tear slid out of the corner of it.
Brick brushed it away, but kept his hand on her cheek.
“I saw him again a couple of days after that. He didn’t say anything to me, but he watched me that night with this expression that made me feel uneasy.” She looked at him again and leaned into his hand.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” It took everything inside of him to speak softly and keep his anger in check. None of that negative energy would help her right now.
“Tell you what, Brick? That I got the creeps from one of the guys watching me dance? I’d be telling you that every time I worked.”
“What did he say to you, baby?” Although Brick didn’t know the asshole that did this to her personally, he would find him. If the fucker was smart though he’d be long gone by now, because he would have known once they found out they’d come after him. But leaving wouldn’t save him, and there was no place on this planet that he could hide from Brick.
Her face grew very serious. “He said he was going to hurt me, Brick. Kill me.” More tears slipped down her cheek, and he leaned in to kiss them away. “I tried to get away, and managed to knee him in the crotch, so at least I did that much.”
“Good, Darra. I’m glad you got a good hit in.” He ran his hand over her forehead. “You’re so damn strong, and make me so proud. I’ll make sure it is okay.”
She swallowed again. “I know, Brick. But God, I hate being a victim. I’ve been one my whole life. I am trying to get away from that.” She lifted her hand and brushed her tears away in an angry manner. “He was saying that the Grizzly MC shouldn’t have ruined his business he had with the Wolverines—whatever that means. He was talking about how he wasn’t going to let the MC get away with it.”
Brick leaned forward and buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent and silently promising all kind of retribution on her behalf. He held her for several minutes, and just having her close felt so fucking good. He couldn’t get lost in this experience of being with his female, because the sight of her mangled, the idea that some other male had dared to put their fucking hands on her, had him feeling more homicidal than he had ever felt before.
