Radge by Esther E. Schmidt

CHAPTER TEN

– RAMSEY –

I tear my mouth away from my woman who just gave a look as if she’s eager to watch someone get tortured, or better yet, do it her fucking self. She’s so damn strongminded and fierce, unlike the women hanging around the clubhouse.

It showed the first time I encountered her fury after I kidnapped her and even more yesterday when she killed a man without hesitation. And it’s due to her skills and braveness I’m still here, unharmed and realizing I want it all with this woman.

The sex and chemistry are unlike anything I’ve encountered. She’s doesn’t breakdown and cry about bloodshed or freeze up in deadly situations; she’s the perfect old lady. And the best thing in all of this is the fact that she’s already mine.

With her head in my hands, I spill the same words I gave her after the mind-blowing blow job she graced me with. “Fuck, you’re perfect.”

She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip and her eyes are telling me she has a burning question but doesn’t know how to ask me.

Intrigued and almost hoping she wants to join the torture session to sink into darkness along with me, I order, “Get it out, babe. I won’t know what’s going on inside your head unless you tell me.”

“I’d like to be there to see with my own eyes how Rory suffers for what he did to Dara.” The determination and anger are dripping off each word she gives me.

I place her on her feet. “Well, let’s not keep the fucker waiting then.”

“Really?” she gasps. “Just like that? You’re not going to fuss about me being a woman and not sticking my nose into club business?” She clears her throat and sticks a finger in the air. “Never mind, forget everything I said. You totally agreed so I’m not going to discuss anything further. Let’s go.”

She spins around and heads for the door but I catch her around her waist and pull her flush against me. “Not so fast,” I murmur against her ear. “And yes, just like that. I want us to be honest and direct with one another, always. With shit like this? I will agree. If it’s not possible? I’ll let you know. You’ve proven your worth multiple times and I’m getting to think I hit the old lady jackpot when I kidnapped you.”

She snorts and smacks my hand off her waist before turning to face me, her lips fight a smile when she says, “That last part was weirdly romantic in a twisted way.”

“I blame you,” is all I have to say in reply. “We’re good together.”

Her palm covers the president patch on my chest, warmth and desire filling her blue depths. “That we are.”

“I’d say we’re off to a damn fine start. And if this is how it all starts it’s a solid promise for the future, don’t you think?”

She can’t contain her laughter this time. “A damn fine start? Did you forget you kidnapped me, punched me between my legs, took my virginity in front of your club brothers, and I had to kill to save your ass. Yeah, our future sure sounds promising. Oh, and we’re about to head for a torture session together instead of going out to dinner and catching a movie. Couple goals, right?”

I bury my fist in her hair and pull her lush lips in my direction. Just before impact I stop and grunt, “Violence, rage, and ruin will always be overflowing our lives but we will thrive no matter what.”

“Something about in it to win it, right?” she murmurs with her heated gaze set on my mouth.

I don’t have to answer her because for fucking sure I’ll be in her tight little body soon enough to conquer her and everything else in our fucked-up world.

Kissing her hard, I pull back and tell her, “Let’s head for the basement. Brodie should have things set up by now.”

Once downstairs I guide her toward the last room on the right. The door is open and I can hear Brodie and Fraser’s voice along with Niall. The reaction of Meribeth’s father is priceless when I guide her into the room.

He might have raised his daughter like he would a son but I can tell with the look he’s wearing he doesn’t want this for her. It’s not his decision, though. And from what Meribeth mentioned, he failed her at a crucial point by not listening to her when she came to him about the truth about Dara and the whole situation she had unraveled.

To me she’s the key in all of this and if my woman wants to stand tall in the midst of havoc? I’m damn well going to let her stand beside me every damn step of the way while we slaughter our enemies and rise above everything else. That’s what she deserves and is capable of.

“Meribeth,” Niall says.

“Watching or participating?” Brodie says with a huge grin of appreciation on his face.

Ignoring Niall I proudly tell my VP, “That’s completely up to my old lady.”

Rory’s eyes are jumping between all of us. It’s clear the fucker knows what’s coming; he won’t be leaving this room with a heartbeat.

Brodie rubs his hands together. “Sweet. Any input, doll? Hints, tips? We’re saving the dick and balls for last because he’ll bleed out too fast, but otherwise? We can tie off limbs and burn wounds closed, whatever drags out the inevitable.”

Meribeth glances at the table in the corner where a mass of equipment is lying for us to use.

Her mouth turns into a devious smile when she asks Brodie, “Do you have a steam iron?”

“That,” Brodie snaps and points a finger at her. “Is fucking perfect. Why didn’t I think about that? Painful, long lasting, and a brilliant way to start. I’ll be right back.”

He rushes out of the room and this is the moment Niall uses to step closer to us. I’m in his face before he can so much as clear his throat.

“She’s mine and if my woman says she wants in on justice for her friend, she will get what she desires. A small piece or death by her hand, she knows her abilities and her own strength and for fucking sure I know her worth. So, I’ll give you fair warning to choose your next words well.” I stare him down but he doesn’t falter.

He holds it for a few breaths and gives me a proud grin. “I was right not to accept any of the offers I received for her hand in marriage. None were suitable and I guess they didn’t rise up to the standards she created by being the fierce woman she’s grown into.

The man sees what I see; she’s perfect for me.

“Here you go,” Brodie quips as he strolls back into the room carrying a steam iron along with an extension cord.

He hands the clothing iron to my old lady and plugs it in. She places it on the floor and takes off her shirt, leaving her in a dark tank top. Stalking to the table, she grabs a knife and heads back for Rory.

Using the sharp weapon, she rips through his clothes to bare some of his skin on his legs, chest, and arms before dropping the knife and exchanging it for the steam iron. Holding her hand close she assesses the heat coming from it and gives the sexiest grin I’ve seen spread across her face.

Okay, so it might be a dark, sinister, and devious one but seeing my woman like this gets my rocks off. Twisted, but there you have it. My cock jumps when she inches closer to Rory and hovers the iron above his left knee.

“Anything inflicted on your body today will never get Dara’s life back nor would it soothe any of our grief for her loss. But believe me when I promise you, you will suffer for what you dragged her through. She deserved nothing but kindness and you used her before ripping her apart and eventually taking her life along with it.” She brings the hot iron down on his skin.

Rory tries to seem unaffected but he’s quickly losing his grip when Meribeth places the iron on his chest, burning right through his nipple. The smell of burning flesh assaults my senses but my woman doesn’t seem to mind. She places the hot iron on the concrete, palms the knife lying at her feet, and rips the duct tape from Rory’s mouth.

“There, now you can scream like the pussy you are.” She glances over her shoulder at me, standing right next to her father. “Did you need to question him? Or think he has information we don’t know yet?”

“I created a monster,” Niall mutters and I notice how the corner of his mouth twitches with amusement.

“You raised the perfect woman who can withstand any kind of pain in the world we live in,” I tell him underneath my breath and raise my voice when I address my woman. “Nah, babe. Just don’t kill him quite yet.”

“Okey dokey,” she quips and without so much as blinking she drives the knife into Rory’s forearm.

The fucker grunts and I can tell it doesn’t satisfy Meribeth’s need to inflict pain. She grips the handle and twists it a few times. Rory curses and tries to spit at my woman. Before he gets a chance his head is being whipped back due to the punch in the jaw Meribeth gives him.

“Do not fucking spit at me, you pig!” she roars.

Brodie steps forward, probably thinking the same thing as me–she’s going to kill him–but instead she rips the knife out of his arm, grabs his ear and slices it right off. I’m stunned along with her father and Brodie. We all watch how she throws the ear on the floor, grabs the hot iron and scorches the side of his face to stop the bleeding.

“There, come at me again and I’ll cut your lips right off your face and staple your eyelids to your forehead to make you see how I’m going to slice and dice up every damn piece of your body until my man says it’s okay to kill you.” The threat in her voice seeps into our bones.

I want nothing more than to kiss her hard. Not knowing why I should hold back, I close the distance between us and do just that. My tongue thrusts into her mouth, swirling with hers to show her how I appreciate everything about her. Pulling back, I relish in the dazed look she has on her face.

“Carry on,” I murmur and she gives me a stunning smile.

She turns her attention back to Rory and asks no one in particular, “Who wants to grab a piece of iron wire? Oh, and hold his dick while I jam it in there.”

Brodie shoots me a wide-eyed look. “Damn, man. I don’t know if I should be impressed or worried. We should definitely introduce her to some of the other VII Knights MC charters. Fuck. Remember what Hunter did the last time?” He shakes his head. “Maybe we should call Niko, hell, maybe Beast too. All of them reinvented torture if you ask me.”

Yeah, I have to agree with my VP with this one. I know we don’t so much as twitch to cut off a dick if we catch a rapist. Hell, shoving a broom into someone’s ass is a nice angle to torture but her suggestion? I’d rather get right to the cutting off his cock option. And those crazy brothers from other charters? Damn. Best not to mention what they can do with a human body.

A thought enters my brain, a plan that might work to get Bane to meet so we can take him out and wipe out the rest of his loyal men right after we kill the head of the snake so to say. Time to get my woman’s focus on something else while Brodie takes over handling Rory so I can discuss my thoughts with Niall and Meribeth.

“How about we give Brodie a go at him?” I turn toward Niall. “You mentioned they didn’t know about Meribeth being my old lady yet…I have an idea I’d like to talk through with you and your daughter.”

They both give me a curious glance and Niall nods and I hear him walk out of the room behind me. The two of them follow me up the stairs and into church. Meribeth closes the door and we all take a seat.

“What did you have in mind?” Niall questions, cutting straight to the point.

“If Bane doesn’t know your daughter is my old lady, you could arrange a meeting with that asshole so we could set him up. Have teams in place to take him and the men he brings out and have a few other men go after the soldiers and other capos still loyal to them.”

“The men at the hospital, they saw my daughter on the back of your bike. If she was a prisoner you wouldn’t get cozy and go for a ride. I don’t think it’ll work.” Niall shakes his head. “Especially with Rory going missing now. It will only work if my daughter comes home with me. We’ll wait a couple of days and then–”

“No,” I snap. “She’s not leaving my side.”

Niall raises one of his eyebrows. “Worried you won’t get her back? Or that she doesn’t want to return to the clubhouse?”

“Dad,” Meribeth says with the single word filled with outrage. “I’m his old lady, I’m practically married to this man since he claimed me as his. I belong here.”

Fuck. Hearing the strength in her voice and the determination is a direct hit to my chest. The grin on my face couldn’t be bigger and I lean back and slowly cross my arms over my chest; my woman has spoken and damn if her words are the sweetest music to my ears.

This woman has unspoken loyalty and what lies before us is a future wide open. It doesn’t matter Bane needs to be handled because there will always be a next enemy walking the lines of our territory.

And yet the partnership I solidified by marrying Niall’s daughter broadens our reach and doubles the protection. It’s also why we voted in church and all agreed we joined forces with Niall to take care of Bane together. The only part we need to figure out is the best way to do this.

“You’ve raised a fine woman, one who surpasses expectations,” I confess to Niall. The man deserves to know I have my woman’s back as she has mine. “If men knew her worth they would sell their fucking soul to get their hands on her. And it’s not the reason why Bane wants her a fucking fool I tell you. The connection to the weapon pipeline stands in the shadow of her abilities and strength.”

“Stop putting me up on a pedestal, you keep raising it and I might fall off,” she hisses at me and it makes my damn mouth twitch.

The door opens and Brodie steps inside. “The fucker passed out so I thought I’d join you guys for a bit since he was quite the waterfall of words during my last technique.”

“What did you do?” Meribeth asks, interest lighting up her face.

Brodie shrugs. “I started with breaking his toes one by one then crushed his feet. I poured acid on them and used the blowtorch. I used a scraper to peel the skin off his messed up bones. Fucker peed his damn pants and I had to gag him at first, screaming like a piglet named Beatrice. You know, the little ones you keep as a pet, they’re cute as fuck. Rory wasn’t, though.”

“Can we get to the part where he was a waterfall of words?” I sigh.

Brodie’s head jerks my way. “Right. Rory mentioned he was the only capo standing behind Bane’s plans. He forced them through anyway when Rory approached Dara to get the ball rolling. No one knows Rory was the one who pulled the trigger during the transportation meet where he killed our former Prez and all hell broke loose. It’s why they went for that angle, blaming us to create the havoc Bane needed to get what he wanted.”

“Me,” Meribeth snarls.

“Yeah, doll, you,” Brodie quips. “Good thing you’re not some spineless flower but harbor a fine brain inside that pretty head of yours along with some badass skills because you also manage to be the glue between us and your father.”

“If what Rory was telling is true, I could approach the other capos, see if they’d turn on him to build a larger force against him,” Niall suggests.

“We are a large force and can take them all out together,” I rumble, not liking the option to approach people who are tied to the enemy in the hopes they want to turn on their boss.

“Or I could walk right into his office and kill him. He wouldn’t expect it and it would work to our advantage.”

“No.” The two-letter word bounces off the walls with force. “I won’t have it. The man isn’t a mafia boss because he inherited the name and knows how to handle business, Meribeth. The man likes to get his own hands dirty instead of ordering others to do his bidding.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” she snaps with a harsh voice that startles even her own father. “I was thirteen years old when I killed the people he sent after us to take our lives and I would like to do to him what I did to his men all those years ago.”

“Beth,” her father croaks and places his hand on her forearm, slightly squeezing to draw her attention to him. “Look at me, sweetheart.” Her chest is heaving when she faces him. “No one in this room underestimates your abilities. Nor does anyone in this room want to see you get hurt. And there’s no one who understands you better than I do. But you also know deep down this isn’t your fight to end. Hell, it’s not even mine alone anymore because he worked with Rory to drag your old man into this too.”

“We work together,” I agree and collide with my woman’s breathtaking blue gaze when I add, “All of us. And we end it, once and for all.”

“The only question is how,” Brodie says and points at Meribeth. “Without you riding off on that steel horse of yours to save the day and ending up dead so my Prez here will sulk for the rest of his life.”

I glare at the asshole but the chuckle flowing over my woman’s lips is cock-stroking.

“Why don’t we make it seem like my father captured Ramsey? If those guys who followed us to the hospital did debrief Bane, then all he knows is that Ramsey doesn’t leave me out of his sight. If I return to my father’s home, Ramsey could come with me with the whole being held captive angle.”

“It could work. We’re pretty sure no one has eyes on us right now. We’ve learned our lesson when we lost Bennie,” Brodie agrees with my woman’s suggestion. “We could also put three brothers inside one of the SUVs so you’re not alone. We’ll keep contact and I’ll lead the teams from the outside while you and Niall work together on the inside to take Bane out. I mean, being in a room with Niall, Meribeth, and you…that fucker doesn’t stand a chance.”

“Could it be that easy?” I murmur, thinking over this option while I know deep down it makes sense.

“Bane is eager, it makes him eligible for flaws. And if they are keeping an eye on my house, we could handcuff you guys to make it real when we drag you out of the SUV and into the house. I’ll wait an hour and call Bane and see what the fucker says. Worth a try don’t you think?” Niall questions.

“But you brought all my stuff…if they were watching the clubhouse then they would have seen it. This is risky. We could be the ones walking right into our own trap,” Meribeth sighs, worry tainting the words she just voiced.

“I’ll call Hunter, he’s connected to other charters,” I tell Niall. “He, along with a few others, offered their help when this shit started. We’re going to need the backup if we’re going to hit everything all at once.”

Niall nods. “If you can get them to take out a capo or two, we could divide the rest between my men and yours so there won’t be any surprises when we handle Bane.”

Brodie snorts. “A capo or two? It’s clear you don’t know any brothers from other charters. If we ask for their help you bet your ass they obliterate those you marked.”

“We’ll discuss which capos later,” I grunt. “Leave that part to us. Once I give you the go to call Bane, we’ll put things into motion. I’m thinking it’s best to leave a loud and clear action to draw his attention, to let it focus on us, on me. Then he won’t care if I had Meribeth’s things delivered to me or that she’s back under your roof.”

Meribeth is still shaking her head and is clearly not liking my decision. But both her and Niall don’t need to know I’ll hand every single capo over to the other charters so I can solely focus on Bane.

The man sealed his fate the day he decided to use my father as a pawn to get what he wanted, as if his life didn’t matter. Well, he’s going to feel my wrath soon enough. Because not only did he taint my past, the fucker thinks he can destroy my future by taking my woman as his. Hell will freeze over before I will let that happen. Bane doesn’t know what hit him once we unleash the darkness the VII Knights MC will bring upon him and his men.

Niall agrees and leaves the clubhouse to wait for my instructions. It will be at least a day, maybe two to get things set so I know our other charter arrives on time to handle the capos. I’m walking into our room behind Meribeth when she whirls around on me.

“You can’t be serious about taking out the capos and Bane at the same time.” Her hands are on her hips and I can hear the underlying tone in her voice.

She’s not doubting my plan, or maybe she is, but the main reason for her to question my actions and decisions is due to fear.

I cup the back of her neck and pull her close. “Trust me on this, Wifey. Between us and the other charters, Bane won’t stand a chance. I won’t let anything get between the future I have planned for us and the club.”

She swallows hard and the sigh flowing over her lips feels like she’s letting go of her worries.

“Why don’t you take a long shower, get some food inside you and relax a bit? I’m going to make a few calls and handle some shit with Brodie before I’ll join you in our bed, okay?”

“Okay,” she echoes and gives me a kiss that holds such tenderness, it makes my knees buckle.

Love holds no place in a world tainted by darkness and blood and yet it shines a light that penetrates even the deepest of gloom. I tear my mouth from hers, unable to soak in her purity, and bury my face into the crook of her neck to breathe her in.

“What the fuck are you doing with me, woman?” I whisper, more to myself than to her.

She surprises the fuck out of me when she says, “Showing what you do to me.”

I pull back and place my forehead against hers. “Thrown together by death and revenge, continuing in blood and vengeance…where the fuck does that leave us?”

“Life is full of death and destruction, but there’s also the will to survive no matter what. And you and I might come from different worlds and yet are so very similar. I’d say we’ll manage just fine. Even if our future will still hold some death, blood, and broken bones. We’ll mend and move on, come out stronger once we’ve killed anyone who is holding us back.”

My smile grows bigger with each word she voices. Now I’m the one capturing her in a tender kiss.

“Time for me to handle some business,” I murmur against her lips and leave her to relax while I head for the basement.

Brodie took it upon himself to torture Rory some more. The guy is rasping blood and air, eyes almost swelled shut and his body hunched into the chair he’s bound to as if he can leave life at any second.

“Having fun?” I quip.

Brodie’s head swings my way and a grin slides across his face. “Always, brother.”

“Time to end this. Let’s get dickface home to his boss, cut off his head and chop up the rest and litter Bane’s driveway. That will let him know we’re coming for him next.”

My VP spins his knife in his hands. “Dickface, huh?”

I narrow my eyes. After years of his friendship and both being raised in this MC, I’ve come to know him inside and out. With the look he’s giving me now? I’d say he wants to take things literally.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to–”

“Oh, yes I am. Hand me the stapler.”

I shake my head and stalk toward the table. From the corner of my eye, I see Brodie replacing his knife with the machete that’s lying on the floor.

“Lights out for you, dickface.” He swings the sharp machete, slicing straight through his neck and makes Rory’s head fall right off his shoulders, bouncing on the floor as it heads in my direction.

“Shouldn’t you have cut off his dick before decapitating him?” I question in a neutral voice.

Brodie shrugs as he grabs his knife and jabs it into Rory’s crotch to cut off his dick and balls. “Death was inevitable for that fucker. I don’t think he would feel any worse than the amount of pain he was in. He simply didn’t deserve to take up one more breath of oxygen if you ask me.”

He holds out his bloody hand and I give him the stapler. Brodie grabs Rory’s head by the hairs and places the shriveled meat onto Rory’s face. Shooting a few staples, Brodie starts to curse.

“A little help here,” he grumbles.

“Brother.” I wince and snatch the nail gun from the table. “Looks like you didn’t spend enough time in kindergarten with the gluing shit together and all that.”

“Really?” Brodie shakes his head and adds a few more staples. “Glue doesn’t work with all this blood and for sure as fuck we’re not adding glitter. See? I’ve outgrown kid stuff. This is grownup stuff.”

I grab a piece of flesh and pull it tight to shoot a few nails but they go straight through.

“Yeah, you failed kindergarten, didn’t you?” Brodie chuckles. “Meh, this will hold, look.” He raises Rory’s head into the air. “Dickface.”

I shake my head and head for Rory’s body, grabbing hold of the machete as I go. Time to chop him up and deliver him to Bane.