Defiant Dodge by Naomi Porter

12

Justin

Rat struck me again in the face. My head whipped back, lolling to the side. Two of his goons held me for their boss to take out his frustrations on me. This beating had only started minutes ago, and already, my lack of endurance was showing. Being forty-six sucked.

How in the fuck could I get myself into this mess?

Desperation bred all kinds of idiocy.

“I want my money, Justin. Six hundred grand.” He punched me in the gut. “When you needed the cash, you knew I didn’t do payment plans. There are no deferments, no debt forgiveness. I’m not a fucking bank!” His knuckles clipped my jaw.

“I don’t have it,” I muttered, blood dripping from my mouth. Going legit with a real job hadn’t been easy. I’d tried to keep things as normal for Emilee as possible. I didn’t want her worrying about money or quitting college. Nor did I want my brothers to see what a big fat failure I’d been.

I saw how I’d been hasty when I quit the club and took Emilee away, but it was a little too late to change anything or say I was sorry.

“I know you don’t, you lousy, worthless piece of shit! That’s why I was taking the kid… as payment.” Rat paced with his hands on top of his head. “Now you have my ass in a bind. He’s promised to a rich-ass celebrity couple in Montana. They’re paying one million dollars for the baby.”

I growled, hearing this for the first time. After spending twenty-six years in the club, I knew better than to mess with a gang like the Rat Brotherhood. These were the kinds of people the Knight’s Legion MC dismantled. I had just been so fucking desperate. No money to provide for Emilee and me. No skills to get a job that would pay for a mortgage and her college. I had no savings or retirement. No medical insurance.

A desperate man I’d been when I approached Rat.

My brothers would be disgusted and ashamed.

“I gave you six months to pay up. It’s been ten. The only reason I let it go this long was for the kid. The new parents didn’t want a newborn. They’re playing it like a legal adoption so it wouldn’t get questioned. They wanted a three-month-old boy. Time’s up; they want their kid.”

“He’s not theirs,” I roared. “He’s my grandson, goddammit.” I held back a whimper, my heart bleeding over for putting him in danger.

My grandson I’d yet to hold because his mother hated me. I loved Dante with all my heart, as I did Emilee. I’d been a prideful, controlling, wounded asshole to my daughter. I had held on to her betrayal with an iron grip, unable to handle her being with a biker after promising Laura our little girl would have a normal life. My wife was probably turning in her grave over my royal fuckup.

“Not my problem, motherfucker. You know how this shit works. Either you get me the kid, or you die.”

“Then kill me.” I jetted my chin out, knowing full well Rat didn’t want me dead yet.

He grabbed me by the throat. “You underestimate me. You think I don’t have insurance in place for pathetic, washed-up bikers such as yourself?”

I choked and gagged, my heart racing faster. What insurance?

“If you don’t help me get the kid, I’ll do it my way, and you’ll not only lose him but your daughter too.”

I shook my head. “Please…”

“Please what?” He relaxed his hold.

“I’ll get the money.” Fuck, I didn’t know how I would, but I needed to try.

“It’s too late for the six hundred grand. Interest is a bitch.” He dug his nails into my skin.

“One million. I’ll get it.” Why beat around the bush? If the couple was paying a million for Dante, Rat would want the same. At least I hoped he didn’t want more.

Rat laughed, slapping his knee. “Listen to this son of a bitch talkin’ like getting my money is easy.” His fist flew into my face, knocking me back. “If it was so fucking easy, why don’t I have it?”

Christ, that hit hurt.

Tears stung behind my eyes. “I’ll get it.”

“The price has gone up.”

Of course it had. Fuck. “How much?”

“You smug bastard.” Rat got in my face, seething. “You gonna write me a check, grandpa? Got that kind of money in an offshore account I don’t know about?” Rat was an ugly ass dude. His name fitted him well with his black beady eyes and pointy nose.

“No, but I know someone who does.” The last time I’d spoken to Raul, the day of Dante’s birth, he’d mentioned the club coming into a shit-ton of money. He teased me for turning in my cut but didn’t give me any details. He made it sound like the club was set for life.

I prayed they’d help me.

Rat paced again, like a hungry lion. If he rejected my offer, I was a dead man. Emilee and my grandson would be in danger. I had no idea where she’d run off to. Somehow she’d found out about Rat coming for Dante. My girl had always been sharp-witted. She’d find a way to protect her and the baby.

The side door to the warehouse opened. My heart plummeted when Tami sashayed in. What the fuck was she doing here? Dammit, I didn’t need to ask. I’d been fucking played.

Rat eyed her with a grin. “I hear you fuck all right for an old dude. Made my sister mighty happy.”

My one good eye flicked from Tami to Rat. I saw the resemblance. Christ, this just got a whole lot worse.

“Jesus, Rat. Did you have to mess up his pretty face?” Tami frowned, but I didn’t buy it. If the bitch was here, she was involved with trying to steal my grandson.

“Oh, I’m not finished with him yet, sis.” He leveled his beady eyes at me. “Two million and you live.”

I didn’t flinch at the amount. “And my daughter and grandson?”

He held my gaze as Tami put her hand on his shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Where the fuck had she been, and what had she been up to?

“If you let me down, Justin.”

I gritted my teeth. “I won’t.” Dread overcame me as the words left my lips. I wouldn’t get off unscathed. The MC would never let a piece of shit go without a parting gift like a broken arm. Boxer usually carved his mark with his knife, Ricky, in the criminal’s neck.

“Well, just to be sure you know that I mean business…” He jerked his chin toward a guy standing off to the side.

Called it.

“What are you doing, Rat?” Tami’s eyes flashed in alarm. Maybe she cared a little about me. I sure as fuck didn’t give a shit about the lying bitch anymore. Messing with my family had been a deadly mistake.

“What do you value more, Justin?” He wiggled his index and middle digits. “Your pussy-playing fingers? Or your eye?”

Tami gasped. “Rat!”

His hand swung wide and across the bitch’s face, knocking her to the ground. Good, it was what I’d have done if I wasn’t being held.

“Shut your fucking mouth, Tami.” He turned back toward me. “Well, grandpa? What’s it going to be? Better speak fast before my kindness evaporates.”

I didn’t think twice about it. “Fingers.”

The dude Rat had called over pulled a butcher knife from a toolbox. At least it wasn’t pliers with jagged teeth, like Boxer used when torturing someone. It should be a clean cut… I hoped.

I was lowered to the ground.

“Right or left?” Rat barked.

I bet it was a trick question.

I threw out “right,” hoping he’d think I was trying to protect my left hand. I was actually right-handed. My heart raced as I anticipated the extreme pain I was about to experience.

Tami probably knew the truth, but she was whimpering on the ground.

“Take the left,” Rat told his guy.

My hand was held down, my middle and index fingers in position. I braced for it, but could anyone really prepare themselves?

I held my breath, squeezing my eyes shut. I couldn’t watch my fingers get chopped off. Blinding pain hit when the metal crunched through my bones and connected with the concrete.

I screamed like a weak-ass pussy. My eyes flew open when Rat and the others laughed. I shouldn’t have dropped my gaze to the floor. Blood drained out of my hand. I gagged and heaved, staring at my two fingers.

I wasn’t strong enough to bear the pain after they’d beaten me up. Exhaustion hit me hard. I tried to fight through it, but I lost the battle.

My vision blurred, darkness rolling in like a dense fog.

Everything went black.