Brutal Boxer by Naomi Porter

22

Boxer

Her words stopped my heart. Can’t happen? Was she out of her mind? I’d missed the fuck out of her. Dreamed about her. Never once let her go. How dare she push me away after finding out the truth? That neither of us had ghosted the other as we thought.

I stared at her, utterly confused. “Why? Why are you pushing me away?”

Her green eyes glimmered. “Because of your…” Her voice trailed, biting her bottom lip. She looked torn up over whatever had her pushing me away.

Was it Campbell? I refused to believe she loved that animal. Perhaps too much time had passed. Was it too late for us? I wouldn’t accept it. No fucking way would I give her up. Not now. Not after finally learning the truth.

“Because of what?” I held back, shaking it out of her.

“Boxer!” Wolf pounded on the door. “Someone’s coming up the road!”

“Oh my God! He found me!”

I took her hand. “Come on.” My heart slammed into my chest, opening the door.

Wolf was there, his black eyes wide. He assessed us quickly. “Get your boots on. Gear up. We need to bolt.”

Her eyes flicked to mine, terror in them.

I nodded. “Hurry.”

Jill put on her coat and scarf when I entered the living room to retrieve my jacket and boots.

“Boxer, I’m so sorry.”

“Not now,” I barked. Furious with her wasn’t half of what I felt. There wasn’t time to work through what she’d done.

“Jill, I told you to keep your goddamn mouth shut,” Wolf yelled at her.

Damn, never saw him treat my sister that way, but I couldn’t deal with any of this now. Someone was coming that we weren’t expecting.

“No, he needs to know how sorry I am. I never meant to hurt either of you. You need to believe me. I was only trying to protect her.”

Wolf growled as he checked his guns.

I cut my gaze at Jill’s. “Protect her from me? You should’ve confronted me! I woulda told you I hadn’t meant any of that crap I was saying to the guys.”

Tears rained down her face. “I know that now.”

“Now? You know that now, Jill? Ten fucking years later? After all the times I begged you to tell me what you knew. Begged you to give me Aspen’s new phone number when she changed it. What about all the times I’d drink myself stupid? None of those times ever prompted you to tell me the truth? You knew how much I hated Aspen, yet you did nothing.”

She covered her mouth with her hand. “I thought you both had moved on. You seemed happy. I’m so sorry. You have to believe me.”

I squeezed my head between my hands. “Happy?” I laughed mockingly. “Aspen was fucking handcuffed to a bed. Assaulted God knows how many times.”

“I didn’t know. I would’ve told you after visiting her if I’d known. I’m truly sorry.”

I seethed inside. “I don’t have time for this. Aspen!”

She ran straight for me. “I’m ready.”

I wrapped my arm around her trembling body, lifting her chin. “You need to do everything I say. Understand?”

“Yes.” She fisted my jacket. “I’m scared.”

“I know.” I kissed her, then whispered in her ear, “Fifteen, twenty-six, ten. Memorize that combo. It’s for the panic room in the closet at the end of the hallway.” I pulled back to see her. “Did you hear it?” I lowered my ear to her lips.

“Fifteen, twenty-six, ten.”

“Good. If I tell you to get in there, do it. Take Jill with you.” I glanced at my guilt-ridden sister.

“I will.” Her tortured expression did me in. “I’m so sorry for everything. I should’ve taken your phone calls. I shouldn’t have doubted you. It’s my greatest regret.” It was like she was atoning for her past sins before her death.

“Everything is going to be okay. I promise.”

She blinked away tears. “Okay.”

I keyed into Wolf telling Jill to get in the hallway and stay away from the windows. If it was Campbell and his men, we had to be ready for a shoot-out.

“Go with Jill, baby.” I pecked her lips, removed Ricky from my pocket, and put it in her hands. “Be careful with that. It’s deadly.”

“A switchblade?”

“Do you remember how I taught you to handle one?” I’d always had a thing for blades and had shown her how to use it when we were together.

She nodded.

“Good.” I jerked my chin for her to go.

“It’s another Hummer.” Wolf peered through binoculars out the front window. “Wait. I think it’s the VP.”

If Baldie had brought us supplies, we needed a schedule, so we didn’t freak-the-fuck out like this. I couldn’t have him showing up whenever he wanted.

Baldie’s prospect’s voice came through on the walkie-talkie. “It’s the VP.”

I exhaled in relief. Adrenaline pumped in my veins. After what just happened with Aspen in the bedroom, I needed to clear the air with her. This brief scare proved life was unpredictable. Anything could happen from one minute to the next.

I won’t lose Snow ever again.

“Wait,” came the prospect’s concerned voice over the radio. My instant relief vanished. “A mile out, another cage is coming. Doesn’t look like one of ours.”

I cut my eyes to Wolf. “Maybe they followed the VP.”

“Should we have Hollywood get the truck warmed up?”

“Shit. I hadn’t thought about that.” It’d gotten down into the single digits overnight. Without electricity up here, we couldn’t plug in our engine block heater to keep the motor warm.

I pointed to the back door where we kept one of the trucks hidden. “Go start the truck.” I tossed Hollywood my keys. “Stay on alert. Prepare for anything.”

“Yeah, boss.” Hollywood ran out the back.

I turned back toward the window. The Hummer stopped. Baldie exited the cage empty-handed, stalking to the front door as if not a care in the world. Oblivious to anyone following him.

I opened the door. “Aye. The prospect saw another cage coming. Did you see anyone?”

He screwed up his face. “Naw. Didn’t see anything. Probably someone lost or something. How’s it going up here?” He considered Wolf and me for a beat. “Going somewhere?”

I scowled at his ineptness. “Fuck yeah. We’re ready to bolt. Didn’t know it was you coming.”

Baldie laughed like we were a couple of bumbling idiots, scanning the room as if looking for something. “Did you put the bitch in the panic room?” He went toward the hallway.

Goddamn, fucker. There he went calling Aspen a bitch again. I fisted my hand. “Not yet. Aspen, come here.”

She stepped out, trepidation in her eyes, glancing from Baldie to me.

“Fuck, she’s a pretty thing. Almost makes me reconsider keeping her for myself.” In the blink of an eye, he had Aspen in his grasp, a gun to her head.

I lunged, but didn’t get far when Wolf stopped me. “What the fuck are you doing?” I had my gun pulled and aimed at Baldie’s fucking face.

“Just collecting my prize.” He smelled her head, sidestepping away from the hallway like he was preparing to escape out the back door. “Fuck, she’s delicious. No wonder he’s willing to pay millions for her.”

He?

Fucking hell, this bastard was helping Campbell. “Let her go and I’ll let you live.”

Aspen’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears. My stomach tightened, dread flooding my veins. No chance in hell I’d let this piece of shit take my woman.

“Half a mile,” the prospect announced on the walkie-talkie.

“You should be thanking me,” Baldie said, his nose still in Aspen’s hair. “You won’t need to worry about this bitch anymore.”

“You don’t want to do this,” I gritted out in a deadly tone. I’d make this motherfucker rue the day he fucked with me. Aspen was mine. Always had been, always would be.

“You young people don’t know shit. Campbell will end each one of you. I’m going to live out the rest of my days on a beach in Mexico with my reward money.” Baldie cackled.

“The fuck you will.” I took a step forward. He couldn’t kill her if he wanted that money.

Baldie jerked Aspen in front of him, using her as a human shield. The fucking coward.

Jill remained in the hallway, still as the dead for once in her life. My sister could be brash. Had a smart mouth. No question she’d win in a catfight with any woman, but guns terrified her.

Something flashed, drawing my attention to Aspen’s left hand. Ricky. Fuck yeah. My Snow wasn’t too frightened to fight. She hadn’t frozen or given up, even with a gun pressed to her temple.

“It’s Prez,” the prospect announced over the radio.

“Son of a bitch!” Baldie hissed, sidestepping again. “Shit’s about to get messy. Campbell will be here shortly for this bitch.”

“Oh, God.” Terror crossed Aspen’s face.

I kept my gun trained on the VP’s head. “Let her go.”

“Not on your life.”

David entered the cabin behind me. “What the fuck’s going on?”

“Your VP’s lost his fucking mind,” I told him.

“Baldie, let the woman go. That’s an order, brother.” David took a couple of steps forward. His stature was similar to Storm’s. Tall and broad, but his dark hair had silver throughout it.

“Fuck you, David. I don’t answer to you. I’m finished with the club.”

“Damn straight, you’re finished. We’ll skin you like a cat, motherfucker. Let her go!” David pulled his handgun.

Aspen had my switchblade in her hand. I wasn’t exactly sure what she’d do, but something had to happen—and fast—if Campbell was on his way. I was sure those were her exact thoughts, so I needed to be ready for a shoot-out.

“I’m warning you, Larry. Let the woman go,” David said in a lethal tone.

I cut my eyes to Wolf. I trusted my brother and was confident he noticed Ricky in Aspen’s hand. After spending years in the club, working together fighting the enemy, we all knew each other as well as we knew ourselves.

“Kiss my ass, David. You’ve changed. Gone soft. It’s your old lady and son. Makes me sick how you threw out Snake. He was my best friend.”

“He was a goddamn rapist. You know I put an end to abusing the sweet butts years ago. I won’t have that shit in my club!” David’s hand trembled, holding the gun on his VP. It was fucked up, having to face a brother who betrayed you.

“They’re whores, man! Bitches. Just like this one.” He squeezed Aspen’s breast.

She yelped, jerking his paw off her.

I roared, loud and proud, seeing white. “Now!”

She reacted, stabbing my blade in Baldie’s thigh, then dropped onto her knees when he let go, covering her head.

Pop, pop. Two blasts rang out.

One from my handgun.

The other from David’s.

In slow motion, the VP’s gun went off as both bullets hit his forehead. His head snapped back. A spray of red burst from his skull, as he crumpled to the floor.

Aspen crawled to me, tears streaming down her face. I collected her into my arms, holding her close. “I got you, baby. I got you.”

She clung to me for dear life, burying her face in my chest.

Hollywood ran in from the back, gun drawn. “Heard gunshots.” His gaze fell on Baldie. “What the fuck?”

Coughing and gurgling came from the hallway, the sound turning my blood cold.

“Jill!” Wolf ran past me.

It was then I registered where Baldie’s shot had gone.

“Goddammit, no,” Wolf wailed. “No!”

David stopped in his tracks at the entrance to the hallway. He shook his head with a grim expression.

The air left my lungs, tears burning behind my eyes. I shook my head refusing to believe it. My sister couldn’t be dead. I squeezed my eyes shut, hugging Aspen in my arms. Burying my fingers in her soft hair. Fighting through the agony in my heart.

Fuck no, Jill couldn’t be gone.

But I knew she was. Felt it deep in the marrow of my bones.

I released Aspen, forcing my feet to move despite the horror I was about to face. Wolf cried on the floor, cradling my sister in his arms. Her face was white as a ghost, eyes open and vacant behind her black-rimmed nerdy glasses, blood drenching her scarf.

David gripped my arm. “I’m sorry.”

“What?” Aspen rushed toward the hallway, but David stopped her. I couldn’t move to tend to her as I watched my brother totally destroyed, rocking my sister back and forth.

“Come here, babe.” Hollywood took Aspen from David.

The sound of my Snow crying brought on my own tears. I collapsed on my knees beside Wolf and took Jill’s hand.

“Jill, come on, sis, don’t do this to me. Don’t leave me.” I kissed her hand, begging her to come back to us as if she could hear. “You’re all the family I have left.” We’d been through the wringer when our parents died five years ago. It was why she moved to Minnesota to be with me after she graduated college. We were all we had left.

“She’s gone. She’s really gone,” Wolf muttered through his tears. His shoulders shook, holding her head to his chest. “My one, how can you leave me on this place alone?”

A hand touched my shoulder. I didn’t acknowledge it, keeping my gaze on Jill’s, entwining my fingers with hers. I didn’t care about her part in ruining everything for Aspen and me. I loved my sister and wanted her back. Dammit, I wanted her back.

“Boxer, I know you don’t want to hear this. But you need to leave. Campbell has men coming.” David turned around. “You did good, little lady. Real good.” His gaze shifted from Aspen to me. “I’m so sorry about this.”

“No! I won’t endanger anyone else.” Aspen ripped herself out of Hollywood’s arms and ran out the front door.

Hollywood went after her, hollering her name.

I dropped my head, letting a tear escape. Hollywood will get Aspen. He had to because my body wouldn’t move. I couldn’t let Jill go. In the same breath, I felt it in my soul that I needed to go after my woman. It took me a few agonizing seconds before I kissed my sister’s hand and released it. I jumped to my feet, bolting after Aspen.

She was fast as lightning, outrunning Hollywood. I booked it, catching up to him as more distance spread between my girl and us.

“Aspen, stop! He’ll kill you!” I couldn’t lose her too. I fucking couldn’t lose her.

“What the hell, man?” Hollywood gasped, pushing himself as hard as me. “Did she run track?”

“Yeah, she did.” Fuck, I’d forgotten about that. I heaved in air, trying to push myself harder. Aspen flew down the road, kicking up snow, her blonde hair swinging in the breeze.

“Aspen!” My damn lungs burned. It felt like my legs might give out before I caught her.

She didn’t look back, staying focused.

From behind me, the roar of a motor neared. David drove by us in his Jeep.

“Think he’ll run her over?” Hollywood panted.

“He better not.”

David sped past her then stopped, angling the cage in front of her. And what did my speed demon do? She veered off to the side, cutting across what she must’ve thought was solid ground.

“Fuck!” I pounded the ground harder when I saw her go down into the ditch. My legs were ready to give out. Running felt worse than normal, loaded down with biker boots and a heavy coat.

When I came upon them, David was holding onto a flailing Aspen.

“Let go of me!” she yelled through her sobs. “I don’t want anyone else to die. Let me go!”

“Not a chance.” David looked up at me. “This one’s a firecracker. Mercy. I don’t know why Campbell would want her so badly.”

I fucking well knew. There was nobody better than Aspen… my Snow.

I trudge down the side of the ditch, my legs sinking into the snow. “What the fuck, Aspen? Don’t ever run from me like that again. Do you hear me? I will fire up your sweet ass and make you regret it every damn day of our lives.”

David shot me a confused look. “I’m baffled, but no time to explain. Campbell’s men will be here soon.”

I put my hands under her arms and hoisted her up. Holding her to my body, I kissed her head. “Don’t run from me again.”

She wilted, burying her face in my chest. “Jill…” she sobbed.

I swallowed my emotion. “I know, baby. I know.”

“Take my Jeep. You gotta get her out of here. There’s a duffle in the passenger seat filled with cash and essentials. I told Storm I’d handle this myself. Fuck if I just didn’t have the shock of my life seeing Baldie holding a gun to her head.” He tugged at the neck of his jacket, shaking his head, appearing panicked. “Storm will be furious.”

“You didn’t know he’d turned against the club,” I reassured him.

“Tell Storm that. There are four burners in the bag. Are you taking your prospect with you?” He jerked his chin toward Hollywood, trying to catch his breath.

“Hell no,” I replied quickly. If I was going on the run with Aspen, it would only be us. It shoulda always been us.

“All right. You two get going. Call Storm. Stay safe.” David climbed out of the ditch.

I looked back at the cabin. I choked down a sob, feeling my throat constrict, hating to leave without my sister. The grief I felt was far worse than when my parents died. Jill was my little sister. I was supposed to keep her safe. Protect her from the evils of the world. I’d failed my parents, Wolf and Jill.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get her back to Bastion. Wolf and the prospect too.” David handed me my blade. “No time to clean it.”

“Appreciate it.” I put Ricky in my pocket and patted Aspen’s back. “Come on. Let’s get a move on.”

She didn’t argue, letting me put her in the Jeep and buckle her in.

I stared at Hollywood and David, then took Aspen’s hand, entwining our fingers as I drove off, desperately needing the connection to her.

My sister’s dead.

It didn’t seem real. I was in shock.

Wolf flashed in my head, him holding her, rocking on the floor in tears. My whole life changed in a matter of minutes. I went from being furious with my sister for interfering in my relationship with Aspen, ready to disown her for all the heartache she’d caused us, to silently begging God to put me in her place while I’d held her limp hand. To take me instead.

I shook those thoughts out of my head. Jill wouldn’t want me thinking like this. It wouldn’t surprise me if Aspen thought the same. Why else would she run away? She wanted Campbell to take her so no one else would die.

Damn stubborn woman. If that maniac got his hands on her, there was no telling what he might do. A psycho like him might kill her so no one else could have her.

Where in the hell should I take her to keep her safe?