Wrong Side of the Tracks by Ashley Zakrzewski

ChapterSeven

“Are you fucking this woman?” Acid, the president of the Devil’s Renegades, stood at the head of the table and pointed at Hawk, who sat on his left.

Hawk crossed his arms and stared down all of his brothers who sat around the table, including Cheery, Thor, Drac, Volt, Eagle, Fate. A few prospects, including Cali, stood in the corner. “Not right now.”

Acid scoffed and ran a hand over his head. His short blond hair matched his scruffy beard. Every inch of Acid’s heavily muscled form was inked. Some of the tattoos came from his time in the state prison, some came from his stint as an Army Ranger, and the rest came from the tattoo shop the club owned in town, not far from the pawn shop. He also preferred to wear sleeveless black T-shirts and black combat pants, probably to live up the world’s image of what an outlaw MC president should look like. “Tell me again how we ended up with the fucking Black Jacks in our town?”

“As I said before, I think they’re looking for Izzy. Her father—”

“I know who her fucking father is,” Acid said sharply. “What I want to know is why is Izzy here, in our compound, and why are the Black Jacks following her?”

“I don’t know.” That, at least, was the truth. He nodded at Cali who stood in the corner with the other prospects. They normally didn’t allow prospects in church, but this was a war council and it affected everyone in the club. “Cali was with Izzy this morning when the Black Jacks attacked, but they may have believed she was alone.”

“I think they thought you were there, brother.” Thor sat back in his chair and took a drag on his cigarette. “Why would they kill her if they were hired to find her? I doubt her stepfather wants her dead.”

Hawk didn’t have an answer for that.

The door opened and Twitch entered the room. He took his seat and started reading a text on his phone. “I spoke with Tish.”

Everyone waited for Twitch to continue, but he remained silent as he read his text. Finally, Acid pounded his fist on the table and said, “What did Tish say?”

Twitch put down his phone and looked around like he was surprised to be singled out. “Okay. Well, apparently Tish and Izzy knew each other at Groton. It’s some uber-expensive boarding school in Connecticut.”

Hawk met Acid’s shocked gaze. While Hawk wasn’t surprised about Izzy going to an expensive boarding school, he was surprised to hear Tish had. “What else did Tish say?”

“Not much.” Twitch clasped his hands on the table. “They lost touch after Izzy went to Harvard and Tish moved to Virginia—until Izzy appeared at the bar three months ago. When Izzy’s car broke down, Tish offered her a place to stay and a job at Rebel’s Refuge. She also mentioned Izzy’s father is a complete asshole and they’ve never gotten along. It had been his idea to ship Izzy off to boarding school after he married her mother.”

“What happened to her father?” Thor asked.

“Died. In a car accident,” Twitch said. “Izzy was also in the car, but she survived. According to Tish, her mother remarried very quickly. Too quickly.”

No wonder Izzy kept to herself. She probably had trouble trusting other people. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did Tish say anything else useful?”

“Yeah.” Twitch belched loudly and reached for one of Thor’s cigarettes. “Four months ago, Izzy left Boston. Her father put a fifty thousand dollar bounty on her head. But she has to be brought back alive. Her father offered the money to the Black Jacks first. But since it’s been four months, her father may have opened up the opportunity to others.”

Hawk’s mouth went dry, and he looked at the prospects in the corner. “Cali, are you sure you saw Nine this morning?”

“I’m sure it was Nine,” Cali said. “And his buddies were all riding Harleys.”

“This doesn’t make sense.” Acid stroked his short beard. “Why would the Black Jacks shoot at her if they need her alive to get paid?”

Twitch shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just the messenger.”

“Twitch?” Hawk asked. “Did Tish say or refer to anything else, like maybe why Izzy ran away?”

“Not really.” Twitch frowned and studied his phone again. “Tish believes Izzy stole something from her stepfather that he wants back. But Izzy has never confirmed that.”

“Thor?” Cali asked from his corner. “May I look at your laptop?”

Thor handed it to him and said, “Sure.”

Cali placed the laptop on top of a filing cabinet against the wall and began typing.

“Where is Izzy now?” Eagle asked from his Sergeant-at-Arms seat across from Hawk.

“Outside,” Hawk said. “I didn’t want to bring her in without a vote.”

Acid picked up the gavel. “All in favor of bringing Izzy inside the Powder House and offering her protection?”

Everyone in the room said, “Aye.”

Acid dropped the gavel and said, “Motion passed.” Then he used the gavel to point to Drac and Volt. “Bring Izzy to the kitchen. I think Twitch’s sweet butts are making breakfast.”

“Pancake and eggs,” Twitch said with a huge smile. “With lots and lots of bacon.”

Hawk’s stomach rumbled. He’d not eaten anything. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, he was definitely ready to devour some eggs and pancakes.

Drac and Volt left the room. Acid paced in front of the table.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Hawk said. “And we’re not doing it.”

“Not doing what?” Thor stumped out his cigarette and lit up another.

“We’re not trading Izzy for the bounty.”

Cheery’s eyes widened. “I never even thought of that.”

Eagle snorted. “Of course we’re trading her for the bounty. As soon as possible.”

Hawk met Acid’s narrow gaze and understood the president was on board with returning Izzy to her asshole father. “No.”

“Excuse me?” Eagle fixed his glare on Hawk. “This is not your decision. And stop making decisions with your dick. It doesn’t have a great track record.”

He pressed his palms onto the table and kept his voice level even though he wanted to rip off Eagle’s head. “Think about it. Why would Ian O’Cleary pay so much money for his stepdaughter’s return? He doesn’t love her.”

“Because she stole something of his,” Cali said from his position near the filing cabinet. “And he wants it back.”

“Yes,” Hawk said harshly. “My guess is that something is worth a hell of a lot more than fifty grand.”

“Holy shit.” Cali brought the laptop to the table and spun it around so everyone could see the screen. “I think she stole a ring. I saw her wearing it this morning.”

“What kind of ring is worth fifty grand?” Thor asked.

“An Irish Claddagh ring,” Cali said.

Hawk pulled the laptop closer to see the screen and read the article aloud. “The original Fáinne Chladaigh ring, the most recognizable symbol of Irish heritage, has been missing since the beginning of the eighteenth century. Its historical and cultural significance, combined with its potential monetary value on the black market, makes it one of the most valuable pieces of jewelry in the world. The Irish government has deemed the ring to be priceless, and premier auction houses have speculated it could bring in more than twenty million dollars. It was last seen in Galway, in 1700, and has been tracked throughout the world, although it has yet to be found.”

Hawk looked at Acid. “I saw her wearing it as well.”

“That has to be what she stole,” Eagle said.

Twitch stamped out his cigarette. “It could explain why the Black Jacks tried to kill her. Maybe they just want the ring. Twenty million is far more than fifty grand.”

Hawk sat back and closed his eyes. It was all beginning to make sense.

“Hawk,” Acid said. “You need to talk to her. If it’s true, we need that ring.”

He opened his eyes. “We can’t just take it from her.”

Eagle cussed loudly. “Regardless of what we do with the ring, we need to prepare. If this is all true, the Black Jacks will be coming back. And it won’t take them long to figure out she’s here.” He pointed at Hawk. “I bet that’s why Nine was here last night. He probably figured out you were tapping the Boston princess—probably at some skeevy roadside motel—and came looking for her.”

Acid raised an eyebrow. “So you were fucking her?”

Hawk reluctantly nodded. He wanted to respond physically to Eagle’s accusation, with fists and knives, but the brother wasn’t wrong. He’d not taken security precautions when he’d been fucking Izzy every moment he could get away. He’d been far more interested in getting her naked than watching out for their enemy. Although, in his defense, it wasn’t like he’d known anything about this stupid ring or that anyone was looking for it.

“Before we decide anything, let me talk to her.” Hawk stared at Acid. “Let me talk to her. Alone.”

It took too long for Acid to say, “Yes. But once you confirm she has the ring, I want you to get it and give it to me. Then we’ll contact O’Cleary and make a deal. As a club. Together.”

He nodded, but the back of his throat burned.

“Brother?” Eagle asked softly. “Is this going to be a problem since you’ve been fucking her?”

“No.” He swallowed the bitter bile. “She’s just average pussy.” He stood and left the room, but his heart felt sore, like it was rubbing against his ribcage. He was happy he’d temporarily halted the club’s plan to send her back to her father. But there’s no way he could ask them not to take her ring without her permission. He knew the truth. If the club had to choose between him and twenty million dollars, the money would win.

And if they knew he’d fallen in love with her, he was already dead.

* * *

The two men, Drac and Volt, left Izzy in the huge industrial-sized kitchen and disappeared.

Three women, all in various forms of black lingerie, were cooking breakfast. The tantalizing smells of bacon, eggs, and pancakes filled the room, and her stomach growled.

One of the women, a blond wearing a black lace slip, turned around holding a spatula. She smiled and waved Izzy over. “Hey! I’m Mandy.” She motioned to the two other women. “The tall one is Betsy.”

Betsy, a dark haired beauty who was almost six feet tall, wore a sheer black silk teddy and held out her hand. “Welcome.”

“I’m Hannah.” The petite woman with brown hair, wearing black lace bra and panties, gave Izzy a hug. “What’s your name?”

“Izzy.” She tucked stray hairs behind her ears. As a loner, she wasn’t used to such effusive greetings, especially from barely dressed women who were so pretty they made her feel like an old pumpkin. “I’m new.”

It was a silly thing to say, but she wasn’t sure how else to proceed.

“Come on.” Hannah took her arm and led her to the table. “You look hungry. I’ll bring you something to eat.”

“And here’s some coffee.” Betsy placed a mug of creamy coffee on the table and sat across from her, cradling her own cup. “So, who does your pussy belong to?”

She choked on her coffee and pulled a napkin from a holder to wipe her mouth. “Excuse me?”

“You know.” Betsy waved a hand toward the other women. “We all belong to a member of the club. Or many members.”

“You mean like an old lady?” She’d heard that term somewhere but had never understood what it meant.

"No.” Mandy laughed as she flipped pancakes. “We’re not old ladies.”

“Speak for yourself,” Betsy said sharply.

“Please.” Another woman entered the kitchen, and Izzy recognized her as Lara, the woman from the bar last night. This morning she wore teeny shorts that showed off her ass, and a halter top that looked more like a lace bra. “None of you are old lady material.”

Betsy smiled as she gave Lara a middle finger. “Says the woman who is fucking Eagle, a married man.”

Lara ignored her and went to the coffee pot.

Mandy placed a plate of eggs, bacon, and pancakes in front of Izzy. “Old ladies are the long term girlfriends, or wives, of club members. You can recognize them by the leather cuts they wear with patches saying, ‘Property of’ followed by their man’s name.”

Izzy had always wondered what those property patches meant. She shoved a piece of pancake in her mouth and looked at Betsy. “Are you an old lady?”

She smiled as she sipped her coffee. “I’m working on it.”

“You’re delusional. That will never happen.” Lara brought her own coffee to the table and sat across from Izzy, next to Betsy. “Betsy is fucking Twitch, with a half dozen other sweet butts who hang around the club.”

“Screw you, Lara. I hope you choke on Eagle’s dick.” Betsy got up and went back to the stove to help Hannah butter toast and make more eggs.

Lara shook her head and sipped her coffee. “Such language.”

Izzy kept eating, unsure of what to say. This was a whole new world she wasn’t sure how to navigate. And she had a feeling the women, while nice, would have no problem making sure she followed the rules.

“So, Izzy.” Hannah sat down with her own plate. “Who are you fucking?”

“She’s Hawk’s newest pussy.” Lara’s voice held a snide tone Izzy didn’t like.

“Whoa.” Hannah’s eyes widened and her smile signified approval. “I didn’t know Hawk had pussy outside the club.” She winked at Izzy. “Good for you. He’s hung like a Greek god.”

“Uh, thanks.” She shoved more food in her mouth because it seemed the safest thing to do. If she stopped eating, she would be tempted to drive her fork through Hannah’s eyes.

Betsy and Mandy appeared with their own plates, and they all ate in silence, except for Lara who sipped her coffee and sent Izzy evil glares. She honestly wasn’t sure how she felt about all of this. These women were young and beautiful, with different hair and skin colors, and now Izzy had no doubt Hawk had probably slept with all of them.

The food in her stomach turned into a lead brick. She’d known, from the first moment she’d seen Hawk, that he wasn’t the type to go without sex for long. But he’d swept her off her feet so quickly, and she’d found herself beneath his enormous body, begging him to take her harder and faster, that she’d buried her concerns and worries about other women.

Those passionate moments in his arms made her feel like she was the only woman he’d ever made love to, like the only woman he’d ever loved. Yet, as she studied the women around the table, she had to face the truth: She was just one of many. While she hadn’t been a virgin herself, she’d only had two other lovers before Hawk. And none of them had come close to his level of expertise and eroticism.

Since the silence was beginning to feel weird, she asked an easy, innocuous question. “Are you all from Ravensburg?”

The women, except for Lara, laughed loudly.

“Hell, no,” Betsy said. “I’m from Brooklyn. Hannah is from Richmond, and Mandy is the smart one in the group. She’s from North Carolina. She’s taking a gap year from UNC. She’s pre-med.”

Mandy blushed and kept eating her eggs.

“Really?” Izzy had heard of gap years, but it’s not something her mother would ever have allowed while she’d been at Harvard. “Your parents are cool with all of this?”

Mandy shrugged and shoved more eggs into her mouth. “They don’t know yet. School doesn’t start for a few more weeks. I guess they’ll figure it out then.”

Izzy had a ton more questions about why a young, smart woman would leave a prestigious school to become a biker chick, but Hawk came into the kitchen. His brown gaze fixed on hers, and she put down her fork. The heat rolling off of him raised the room’s temperature by a few degrees. “My room. With food.” He pointed at her. “Now.”

Then he turned around and left without saying anything else.

Mandy jumped up quickly and fixed a plate filled with eggs, bacon, and pancakes covered with syrup. Meanwhile, Hannah poured a cup of coffee and placed it on a serving tray. After Mandy put the plate on the tray, with silverware and a napkin, she handed the tray to Izzy.

She frowned at the tray of food and coffee. “What’s this?”

“Hawk’s breakfast,” Mandy said. “And you better hurry. He seems like he’s in a bad mood.”

“I’m just supposed to bring it to him because he ordered me to?” What strange world had she fallen into?

“Yes,” Lara said with a sneer. “Best hurry. Or he’ll ask one of us to suck his dick.”

Izzy’s eyes widened and she gripped the heavy tray. “I don’t—”

“Actually,” Betsy took Izzy’s arm and walked her toward the door, “you do. If you’re with an outlaw biker, you do what he says.”

After Betsy offered quick directions to the old motel, and Hawk’s room, she gently pushed Izzy’s back until she left the kitchen.

“Better hurry,” Betsy said from behind. “Because Lara is right. If you don’t, he’ll fuck someone else.”

As Izzy walked down the hallway of the old motel, turning right, then left, and right again, the only thought in her head was that she’d stepped into some alternate dimension where men made demands and women responded with excitement. Yet, as she carried the tray to Hawk’s room, she couldn’t help but wonder what else he wanted. And if she’d be willing to give it to him.

She used her elbow to hit the elevator button. As she waited, she noticed a green, ceramic Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur statue on the table near the elevator. It was about a foot tall, and he held a sign stretched between his small hands that said, “How do you make a dinosaur come? Yank his tail.”

How very odd. She hit the elevator button again when the phone in her back pocket buzzed, startling her. She put the tray on the table next to the dinosaur, accidentally knocking him over, and checked the text from Agent Miller.

Call me back. Now.