His Twisted Heart by Ellie R Hunter

Chapter Forty-Eight

Luca

Stepping out of the shower, I grab a towel from the rack and wrap it around my waist. One thing I’ll be changing is the shower. The thing’s as old as Pope, and the pressure is shit. No wonder it takes Tor half an hour to wash the soap out of her hair. The water just trickles out. I’ve seen snails move with more conviction.

Tor’s still in bed, where I wish I was, but I have shit to do and money to steal. There isn’t anything I won’t do to make her life easier and better.

Leaning over the bed, I kiss her softly and receive a smile for my effort. Rising to full height, I sign, “I’ve got to leave soon.”

Her smile slips, and I dry off and pull out a clean pair of jeans from the drawer.

Mom and the prospect brought over my clothes and all my shit this morning, and Tor immediately put everything away.

By the time I got back from the club, there was nothing for me to do.

I dress while she lays partly hidden by the sheets. One thing I love about her is she’s not shy. Not in any shape or form. She has no worries about her body like most people, and she has no issues with showing herself off, but not in a show-off kind of way. It just doesn’t occur to her to be embarrassed about who she is or what she likes.

I pack a bag for a couple of days on the road, and make sure I grab the phone charger.

“Are you sure you won’t stay at the club while I’m gone?”

“Nope, I’m good here. I’ve learned that if someone is coming for me, they’ll get me no matter where I am.”

I get her point, but I don’t like it.

With the job in the city tonight, and leaving early on the run. I plan on spending the night at the club.

“Fine. But I’ll be checking in. Come kiss me goodbye.”

The sheets drop as she gets to her knees and crawls across the bed toward me. Latching her finger between my belt and waist, she pulls me closer and licks my bottom lip before kissing me. It’s slow at first, and then speeds up. Her fingers drop from my belt and land on my zipper.

It pains me to do so, but I cover her hand with mine and stop her.

“I haven’t got time,” I mouth clearly.

I press my lips to her pouty bottom one and suck it in, releasing it with a pop.

“Make sure the doors are locked after I leave.”

Mom’s barking orders when I climb off my bike. I smile to myself when brothers are hauling chairs around to the back of the bar, and the twins are carrying a long roll of red carpet. There isn’t a man here who would dare not carry out a job my mom asks them to do. It’s mainly respect for her, and a whole lot of fear from my dad. The combination is deadly.

She sees me and waves me over. Shrugging off my backpack, I leave it by my bike.

“Keeping everyone busy, I see.”

“I’ve got to use them before you all leave in the morning. Is Victoria not with you?”

“Nah, she’s at home. Will you check on her while I’m away? If anything starts to go down, make sure she’s safe.”

“I’ve been doing that for all old ladies for years, your fiancée’s no different. Brothers will start arriving in the next couple of days, and they’ll be plenty of people here. Don’t be surprised when you get back and the place is swarming with brothers and their families.”

It makes me proud people are travelling in for the wedding. I want everyone to see when Tor says I do.

“I can’t believe my baby is getting married in a few days,” she beams, pinching my cheek. Leaning away, I yank free of her and she laughs.

“In case I don’t get the chance to say it before the wedding, I just want to say I’m happy you’re finally happy. I’ve worried about you for so long, and I don’t feel I have to now—to a certain extent. You’re different because of her, in a good way. She understands the club. She’s like me in a lot of ways. Her DNA is embedded in this place. She’s a lovely girl, and I’m happy she’s joining our family.”

“Well I’m marrying her for me, not you, Mom,” I tease.

“Do right by her always, Luca. Don’t only love her, but respect her too. When times get difficult, don’t think you’ll find the answers here in the easy women and at the bottom of a whiskey bottle. Cool off and go back to her. She’ll always be there for you.”

“Fuck, Mom, I know all this.”

“One more thing. I don’t mind you marrying her, but I don’t need any more grandchildren for a while. Enjoy the two of you before you make it the three.”

Rolling my eyes, I kiss her on the cheek and head into the bar.

“You ready?” Mason asks, opening the side door of the bar.

I shove my ski mask into my pocket. “Let’s do this.”

Angel and Myles are already by their bikes when we approach our machines.

“Hey, where you lot going?” Sparky hollers.

We all turn to where he’s standing with Ricky in the bar’s doorway.

“Midnight ride,” Mason tells him.

“Yeah, we’re going to let the wind ripple through our hair under the moon while thrashing our engines,” Myles cackles.

The old-timers aren’t going to believe a word, but they tip their chins and head inside.

“Let’s get out of here,” I assert, starting my bike.

The sooner we get this cash together, the sooner it could be Victoria not only gets her hearing back, but her life back.

As we ride toward the city, I focus on the job at hand, and not on Tor at home, no doubt sleeping naked under our sheets in a bed that I should be in. Or I try not to.

When it comes to the twins, I don’t doubt their abilities to rob a place and get away. Their egos wouldn’t let them fail. Yet I’d do anything if it meant my future wife could get a piece of herself back.

The city lights come into view, and this time they don’t pull at me. They’re just lights. I never thought it’d be possible, but Willow’s Peak is the only place I want to be, where Victoria finds her happiness and peace, and in turn, I find my peace and happiness. I finally feel like I belong because of her.

Mason pulls over in front of an abandoned building. Myles parks up beside him, and Angel and I pull over too.

Cutting my engine, I ask, “Why are we stopping here?” It’s a least a ten-minute walk to the club.

“Because, brother-in-law-to-be, from the next street over are cameras on every street going to where we need to be. And your daddy dearest frowns upon us getting caught and bringing trouble to the club,” Myles tells me.

“We jacked a car a few hours ago, switched plates, and parked it around the corner. We’ll dump it in the opposite direction once we’re done,” Mason explains.

“We don’t just share a pretty face.”

Shaking my head, I light a cigarette and exhale the smoke up into the air.

“Are we doing this or not?” Angel questions. I like his style.

The car is where Mason said it’d be, and I climb in the back with Angel, while Mason takes the wheel and Myles sits up front.

He drives with care, as not to attract attention, and parks up behind the club a few minutes later. We all don our ski masks as Mason informs us on our roles.

“Myles and I will deal with the safe. Luca will keep watch in the bar, and you, Angel, will keep watch out here.”

We climb out of the car. Myles pops the trunk and passes Mason a backpack, and Angel and me an iron bar each.

I cock my brow at his choice of weapon, but with the mask, no one can see it.

“We have our guns,” Angel says before I can point out that little piece of information.

“And again, Cas wouldn’t approve of us killing people while robbing the place. But knocking someone out on the off chance they show up is pretty much standard foreplay.”

Angel frowns. “Foreplay?”

“Just roll with them. It’s much easier.”

Leaning against the car, Angel lights a smoke, and the twins and I head up to the stairs at the back door to the club.

Digging around in the backpack, he pulls out a small block and tape. Taping the block to the door near the handle, he fucks about some more and instructs us to go halfway down the stairs.

“I take it you raided Sparky’s stash before we left?”

He shrugs. “It’s quicker.”

Inside, the place is shrouded in darkness. Mason holds a flashlight over the alarm pad while Myles does his magic.

The beeping stops, and no alarm starts. The twins know exactly where they’re going, and instruct me to wait in the bar. I make myself comfortable on a stool and take a look around. The place is pretty much a dump. I don’t see how it pulls in thousands in each night.

I go to light a cigarette when I remember where I am. Instead, I think of Tor and the reason we’re here.

She’ll be sleeping now, or she should be. Thinking of her in our bed, I can almost feel her soft, warm skin on mine. I will love her and be devoted to her whether this new surgery is successful or not, but the thought of bringing my old Tor back is something I would kill for.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Snapping out of the Tor haze, the twins are strutting across the bar. It’s not until we’re outside and heading for the car I notice they’re too tense. In fact, they’re pissed.

Angel has the car running, and Myles throws open the passenger door and falls into the car. Grabbing Mason’s arm, I stop him from getting in the back.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I’ll tell you when we’re out of here.”

Letting go of him, he climbs in and scoots over to make room for me.

“So?”

“There wasn’t as much as we expected there to be.”

My stomach drops. “How much did you get?”

I barely hear Myles snapping directions to Angel while I wait for Mason to answer.

“Just over eight thousand.”

Fuck.

After burning the car out and walking back to our bikes, it’s not long until we’re riding over the Willow’s Peak town border. I’m about turn off the road leading toward the club when a convoy of SUVs drive by, heading in the direction of Ruddy Burbank’s land.

The four of us pull over and come to a stop, cutting our lights as not to be seen.

“You can smell the city on them from here,” Mason sneers.

“Burbank’s been trying to sell his land for years. No guesses Effie’s behind this,” I say.

“Let’s roll in behind them, see what they’re up to,” Myles suggest.

We don’t have to move far. From between the trees, we see up to twenty guys walking into the old barn.

Two linger behind, lighting up smokes and looking up the dirt road to the entrance.

“Looks like they’re waiting on more showing up,” Angel notes, pulling his own smokes out of his pocket.

And we’re not waiting long when a formation of bikers ride up the dirt road and stop outside the barn.

“What do the patches say? I can’t read them from here.”

“You need glasses, brother,” Mason tells him.

“Fuck you.”

As soon as one of the bikers step into the light spilling out from the barn, I see his patches clear enough.

Dead Rats MC, and the guy I’m watching is their president.

“Dead Rats? I’ve never fucking heard of them.”

“Nor have we,” the twins contribute.

Come to think of it, nor have I.

“Maybe it’s a new club?” I offer.

“Whoever they are, your dad needs to know they’ve just ridden into town.” Angel mutters, heading back to his bike.

The twins and I join him, and ten minutes later, we’re riding through the gates.

I expect to speak to Dad first thing before we set off, but I’m surprised to see him still up, considering it’s nearly three in the morning, sitting with Sparky and Pope.

“Look who is it,” Sparky hollers across the bar.

“I’ll stash the cash while you distract the old-timers,” Myles whispers before running up the stairs.

The three of us head over, and Dad asks, “Where you been?”

“We were just riding around. Saw another MC riding onto Burbank’s land following a load of SUVs. All met up in the old barn,” I tell him.

“What were you doing out that way?”

“Like Luc said, we were just riding around.”

Sparky looks to Angel and asks, “Is that true?”

Before Angel has to lie, I cut in. It’s one thing for me or the twins to fuck around with our dads, but Angel isn’t a son, and he’ll have to pay a heavier price if caught lying.

“The twins wanted to bond before the wedding, and Angel came for something to do.”

“Yeah? What did you get up to?” Pope inquires.

“Riding around, thus seeing the Dead Rats,” Mason huffs.

“What was Myles hiding from us in the bag?” Sparky never misses a beat.

“What’s with the interrogation?”

I’m tired. I should be with Tor, and all I want is my bed.

“When we smell bullshit, we question it,” Sparky replies, finishing his beer.

Pope looks to Mason, and I know the game’s over when he snaps, “Truth now, boy.”

Mason rolls over like a baby, and not for the first time. The twins give it all they have until they’re faced with their grandpa.

“We were in the city to jack over a bar. We saw the Dead Rats on our way back.”

Sparky smothers his smirk, and dad just sits there, twiddling the cigarette between his fingers as he listens to us.

Pope, not bothered in the least, asks, “Is the money for Victoria?”

Mason nods, and that’s all Pope needs. “Good. Don’t let it blow back on the club.”

Leaning back in his chair, he picks up his beer.

Myles jogs down the stairs, and I notice Mason lift his brows twice in quick succession. It must be part of their secret code. Myles now knows the game is up and the truth is out.

“How much did you get?” Sparky asks.

“Not what we were hoping for, but about eight thousand,” I tell him.

“And it’s all going toward this surgery for her?”

We all nod.

“When we get back, I’ll sort you out a couple of thousand. Call it a wedding present.”

“Cheers. Appreciate it.”

Angel taps his fingers on his knee. “What about these Dead Rat assholes?”

“We’ll still leave for the run. I’ll leave a few brothers behind, and we’ll have a lot more rolling into town for the wedding. I’ll give them all a heads-up.” Rising from his chair, Dad orders, “Luca, my office.”

I follow behind, fist bumping the twins and Angel on my way out. After this powwow with the old man, I’ll be heading for my bed.

“Close the door,” he instructs, and I do. “If your mom had suffered in the same way Victoria has, there wouldn’t be anything I wouldn’t do to make it right for her. That being said, what you did tonight was reckless and needless.”

“The twins would’ve done it with or without me,” I point out.

“And I’ll deal with them once we’re back.” He takes down the painting off the wall and opens up the safe and throws two bundles of cash on his desk. “That’s the money the Lancaster girl paid me back. Put it toward Victoria’s surgery.”

“I can’t take that much from you.”

“It’s money I haven’t had in years. I want to help.”

I pick up the cash. “Thanks.”

“Before you go, don’t do that shit again. You’ll be earning now. I have big plans for you, and it doesn’t involve bailing you out on stupid charges. Rise up the ranks, and you’ll get your money.”

“I hear you, Dad.”

He doesn’t call me back, and I head up the stairs. Knocking on Myles’ door, I wait for the door to open.

I toss the wads of cash at him.

“This looks like twenty large.”

“Because it is, courtesy of my dad. Keep it with the rest of the cash.”

In my room, I lock the door behind me. Slipping out of my boots, I shrug out of my cut and face-plant onto the bed.