Betrayed (Soldiers of Darkness MC Book 2) (4 page)

‘You’re Zeb’s cousin, right?’

Yeah. She only wants to fuck me to get closer to Zeb, and that’s fine with me. I ain’t insulted. She could even prove quite useful. ‘I think you already know the answer to that one, darlin’.’

I place my hand on her neck and pull her closer, almost close enough to kiss her but I stop, just before my mouth touches hers and I laugh, and she smiles, and I yank her against me and kiss her roughly, shoving my hand up her skirt, tugging her panties aside as I push her back against the bar and ram my cock into her, and the relief’s overwhelming. Man, I needed this! She feels warm and tight and she responds to my thrusts with moans and sighs, her fingers digging into my arms as I keep her steady. And I don’t care that she probably ain’t nowhere near any kind of climax, ‘cause I am. It’s rushing forward like a surge of blood to the head, coming at me from all angles until it all meets in my core and I’m spilling out into her in short, sharp spasms, pushing into her until I’m done.

I pull out and zip myself up, raking my hands through my hair as I watch her pull herself up onto the counter and spread her legs; watch as she brings herself to an orgasm I had no interest in helping her to. But maybe she needed it, and I don’t mind watching. And when she’s done she slips down from the counter and repostions her panties, pulling the hem of her skirt back down over her thighs as she walks over to me, running her fingers over my cheek.

‘Thank you, Mr. President.’

I catch her wrist and pull her hand away from me. ‘Whatever it is you want with Zeb…’

‘You don’t know
what
I want.’

‘I think I do, sweetheart. I think I know exactly what you want, and I ain’t gonna stop you. You got that?’

She looks slightly puzzled as I drop her hand, and she cocks her head and gives me an almost disbelieving look.

‘But you gotta be careful, darlin’. You gotta be real careful. You understand?’

She takes a step back and smiles slightly. Yeah. She’s got this.

Mack Slayer’s back.

And he ain’t losing this time.

Izzi

I’m shocked at how sick I feel as I watch him pounding into her. I recognize her from the party last night, but I hadn’t realized she was interested in Mack. But why wouldn’t she be? And what business is it of mine who Mack’s fucking anyway, he isn’t mine anymore. And I want to look away, but I can’t, and I feel my skin prickle as he comes within minutes and pulls out of her immediately, leaving her to bring herself off. It’s an odd exchange, and as I watch them I see no real physical attraction between them, because even though I tried to keep Mack at arm’s length, in the beginning, that wasn’t because I wasn’t attracted to him. I was. I ached for him at times. But I see none of that from her; from either of them, so I can only assume she was conveniently there when he needed some relief, and she was quite willing to give it to him and receive nothing in return. That’s how Mack Slayer used to work, and why wouldn’t he go back to his old ways? There’s no reason for him to change now.

I lean back against the doorpost and fold my arms as she sashays towards me, a slow smile spreading across her pretty face – a face that doesn’t need as much make-up as she’s got plastered on it.

‘Enjoy the show, sister?’

She nudges my shoulder as she walks past and I’m guessing that wasn’t an accident. And I wait until she’s left the compound before I head into the clubhouse.

Mack’s leaning back against the bar, checking his phone, but the second he hears me approach he looks up and slides his phone back into his pocket.
 
‘Hey.’

‘Who’s she?’ I jerk my head back towards the door.

‘Just some biker groupie looking for work.’

‘Interview go well, did it?’ I don’t even try to hide the sarcasm in my voice as I lean back against the table behind me, my eyes never leaving his. And then he laughs, and digs his hands into his pockets.

‘You saw, huh?’

I don’t reply. I just continue to stare him out.

‘Does it bother you? Me, fucking another woman?’

‘It’s none of my business
who
you fuck, Mack.’

‘Yeah. You got that right, darlin’.’ He waits a couple of beats before he speaks again. ‘You want something? Or you just come here to interrogate me?’

His tone is cold, and I almost shiver, there’s that much ice in his voice. ‘I just came to…’ I stop, because I don’t know what I actually came here to do. I was on my way to the club when I found myself turning into the compound, and that kind of scares me a little. I was on my way to see Zeb, and now I’m here?

‘Y’know something, Izzi?’ I look up as he moves closer, stopping just in front of me, tucking a finger under my chin and tilting my head back slightly. ‘This whole loved-up thing you got going down with Zeb, I ain’t buying it. You can cut your hair and change your appearance and pretend like it’s all good. Like you really have left that twisted bitch behind and become some kind of doting wife to my jackass cousin, but me? I ain’t buying it.’

I don’t know what he’s doing, but his words cut through me like a chainsaw.

‘But, y’know what? I’m done with you, darlin’. You’ve fucked with my head enough, and I’m done now.’

‘So what was that, huh? Some kind of initiation ceremony? Something to prove to yourself the old Mack Slayer really is back?’

‘He never went away, baby. He just got distracted by some messed-up kid who didn’t know what the fuck she wanted.’

‘Why are you dong this?’

‘Because you need to know, Izzi. That I’m done with you. So I don’t want you trying to fuck me over again, OK? You still got any feelings for me, you keep ‘em to yourself, you got that? ‘Cause I don’t wanna know no more. You keep playing happy families with Zeb, you keep doing that; let him knock you up, become some twisted biker earth mother, but me and you – we’re done.’

I feel hot, stupid tears well up as he lets go of me and steps back, his eyes hard and cold as he throws me a look that chills me to the bone before he walks away, leaving me confused and hurt and… had I asked for that?

I quickly wipe my eyes with the back of my hand and breathe in deep, regaining my lost composure.

Mack thinks I still have feelings for him? Maybe I did. And maybe I needed to hear all of that to make me realize they needed knocking out of me.

Mack Slayer was never my future. And it’s time I started believing that.

Chapter Four

Zeb

‘Something I can do for you, darlin’?’

The pretty blonde smiles and takes a sweeping glance around
Six
, the club we’re about to open in just a few hours’ time. A little bigger than
Laney’s,
it’s purpose is the same – provide a hang-out for the Soldiers of Darkness and those we deem acceptable to invite into its confines while providing the kinda entertainment our brothers expect. Naked girls and decent liquor, that’s what
Six
is all about. But Izzi, she ain’t going nowhere near those stages, not anymore. Those days are over. But maybe this one here; yeah. She looks like she could fill that void Izzi’s left.

‘I’m starting work here tonight. Waitressing. Mack sent me over to meet the other girls. Get acquainted with everything before you open.’

‘You not dancing?’

She shakes her head and I feel a glimmer of disappointment. ‘Not yet. No. Just waitressing, for now.’

I watch her as she looks me up and down and then I suddenly realize I’ve seen her somewhere before. And it’s when I catch sight of her forearm that I remember. ‘You got some of my work there on your arm, darlin’. So, I’m guessing we met before.’

Her smile grows wider as she holds out her arm and stares down at the tattoo that graces her pale skin. ‘Few months back. Just after you set up the studio.’ She raises her gaze to meet mine. ‘I’m looking to earn a few dollars here so I can get more ink.’

‘Anywhere in particular?’ I throw her a sideways smirk, and I know I’m flirting here but I guess I can’t stop myself sometimes. I ain’t ever gonna act on it, why would I? I got Izzi, I don’t need no mama getting in the way.

‘I always wanted a tattoo on my upper thigh.’

‘Looking to get that done any time soon?’

‘I guess that all depends on whether I get that promotion your cousin sorta promised me.’

I watch as she surreptitiously slides her hand down over her thigh, and I know she’s flirting back now but, hey. It’s harmless.

‘I’ll ink anywhere you want me to, sweetheart. You just say the word and I’ll book you in.’

‘I’ll hold you to that,’ she says, and she smiles again, her eyes still locked with mine, and it’s me who breaks the gaze as I check my watch.

‘You better get that pretty ass of yours over to Tracie. She’s just over there, by the main stage… hey! Hold on. You got a name?’

She turns back around and throws me another smile. ‘Kit.’

‘OK, Kit. Go get acquainted.’

I return her smile and she holds my gaze for a beat or two more before she heads over to Tracie and the other girls, and I don’t miss the way she moves her hips as she walks. If she can translate that to the stage Mack might want to get her dancing sooner rather than later.

‘Hey, Zeb. Someone to see you out back.’

I turn around to see Jet arrive carrying a stack of beer crates. ‘Who?’

He shrugs and slams the crates down onto the bar. ‘Dunno. Some old dude. Just asked if you were around and could he have a word.’

‘Jesus, Jet, watch the counter! He not give you a name?’

‘Didn’t ask.’

‘Christ. And we actually patched you in?’

‘Sorry, bro. What with everything going on here I guess I…’

‘Don’t matter. Just make sure this bar’s stocked and ready for tonight. I’ll go see what he wants.’

I head out back, kicking open the door that leads out into the yard, shielding my eyes from the sun. And even though he’s got his back to me, I know who he is. I just have no idea what the fuck he’s doing here.

Izzi

‘Long time no see, honey.’

‘Cora! Jesus, I wasn’t expecting to see you…’

‘Again?’ She raises an eyebrow and I smile.

‘Here. I didn’t expect to see you
here
. I just assumed you were still at
Laney’s
.’

‘Well, I was. But Mack, he called and asked if I fancied a change of scenery. Guess he needed one of his best girls to come give this place a kick-start, huh?’

She looks straight at me, but I don’t say anything.

‘Did he ask
you
, Izzi? To help give this place a kick-start? After all, you were one of his best girls, too.’

I don’t really want to talk about Mack. Not right now. So I just shake my head and hold up my left hand. ‘I’m married now. To Mack’s V.P.’

‘Married?’ She raises her eyebrows in surprise. ‘And I’m guessing he don’t want you taking it all off for his brothers, right?’

Again, I say nothing in reply.

‘So, you’re a good girl now, huh?’

I drop my gaze and continue to stack bottles into the fridge behind the bar. That conversation with Mack’s thrown me and I just wasn’t ready for the kind of
surprise
Cora’s appearance has thrown up.

‘Hey. Everything OK, Izzi?’

I take a deep breath and turn back around, forcing a smile. I need to push Mack Slayer to the back of my mind, and I need him to stay there. ‘Everything’s fine. We’re all just a bit wound up trying to make sure this place is ready for tonight.’

She leans across the bar, resting her chin in her hand as she looks at me. ‘Mack never mentioned you’d gotten married.’

‘Why would he? He’s got more important things to think about.’

She fixes me with a look and I turn my attention back to stacking liquor.

‘So, how’s married life treating you then, honey?’

‘It’s good. I think it was something I needed, y’know?’ I face her again, and my smile’s a more confident one now. Why am I letting Mack get to me? I’d left him behind, I’d moved on. I don’t need him anymore, and I certainly don’t want him. ‘I think I needed to settle down. After everything that happened.’ I’m not sure how much Cora knows about what went on, and I’m not going to start recounting those events, so that’s all she’s getting. It’s time to move forward now. Looking back’s getting nobody anywhere.

‘Settling down, huh? You’ll be talking babies next.’

I smile again and drop my gaze. Kids are the last thing on my mind. Do I really want to bring a child into this world? One I still don’t fully understand myself?

‘Anyway, honey, I’d better go check out my new surroundings. I’ll see you around, though, yeah?’

I look up and nod. And I’ve got a feeling the friend I could really do with right now has just turned up when she’s needed the most.

Zeb

‘What d’you want, Kes?’

He walks towards me, holding out his arms and shrugging his shoulders but I stay rooted to the spot. ‘Hey, is that any way to greet your old man?’

‘What d’you
want
?’

‘You seem surprised to see me, Zeb.’

Of course I’m fucking surprised to see him. He’s supposed to be some place where no-one can find him so, yeah, I wasn’t expecting him to turn up here playing the long-lost daddy.

‘Still keeping me safe, huh?’ He grins, and I ain’t in the mood for this. ‘I really am grateful, son. That you took up your uncle’s offer to work for him in exchange for my life, but, I’m here to let you know that things have changed.’

I frown and light up a cigarette without offering him one. I guess I just ain’t in a sharing mood right now. And I don’t say anything, I just take a drag on my cigarette and fix him with a look that lets him know I ain’t in the mood for conversation. And he gets that. He ain’t stupid.

‘Sam appears to have changed the game.’

My frown deepens, but I don’t shift my eyes from him.

‘It would seem my long-lost brother is a man who likes to bear a grudge; a man whose word can’t really be trusted. He never forgot or forgave me for what I did, and now he finally appears to be looking for some kind of payback.’

I draw deep on my cigarette before tossing it to the ground, grinding it into the concrete with the heel of my boot. And still I say nothing.

‘There’s a reason he chose New Mexico, Zeb. He chose to come here because this is where I’ve been for a long time now, minding my own business, getting on with my life, knowing you were keeping me safe by…’

‘He wants you dead, huh?’

He laughs quietly, his eyes boring into mine. ‘Yeah. He does.’

Kes Zebrowski was the man who’d driven into Sam’s girl – Mack’s mother; mowed her down and left her to die on the street like roadkill. Sam just hadn’t known, at the time, that the man who’d done that was his brother. My grandaddy had moved us all out of North Carolina when he found out what Kes had done, took us all to Texas where his cousin ran an MC just south of Dallas, but even he had no idea that Kes had a brother; that he had another son. Different moms, different circumstances. He only knew about Kes.

But Sam was never gonna be the kinda man to forget what Kes had done, and when he
did
find out just who the man was who’d killed Mack’s mother, that’s when he’d contacted Kes, asked him to come see him in prison; when he’d contacted
me
and struck up this deal – I work for him, my dad lives. And I’d always wondered what the hell that was all about, and maybe it was my morbid curiosity that had led me to agree to it in the first place, but now I’m beginning to wonder why he didn’t just have Kes killed the second he found out what he’d done. But I’m guessing he had his reasons.

‘You can’t be surprised. That he wants you dead.’

‘Nothing surprises me no more, son. Not in this life. What surprises me is that he waited this long. But as soon as I knew he was here, in Albequerque, I knew I was living on borrowed time.’

I lean back against the wall and finally break the stare, looking down at the ground.

‘He’s gonna ask
you
to do it, Zeb. He’s gonna ask
you
to kill me.’

My head snaps up and I look at him. ‘How do you know?’

‘I may not have known he existed for a long time, but I know my brother. I know the kind of man he is, and I know he’s gonna ask
you
to do this.’

I say nothing for a couple of beats as I try to get my head around what’s happening here.

‘I was involved with a neighboring MC, Zeb. The Black Dogs.’

Once more my head jerks upwards. The Black Dogs are the MC we do a lot of business with. They were the first MC around here that Sam reached out to, forged strong contacts with, Jesus! Now it really is all starting to add up. ‘You still with them?’

‘I ain’t involved like I used to be. Getting too old for all that shit now. But I still hang out at the clubhouse now and again. I’m still a part of the club, in a smaller way. And Sam knew that. That’s why you’re all here.’

I briefly close my eyes and take a deep breath. Like I said before, Kes ain’t ever gonna pick up any dad-of-the-year awards, but as much as we ain’t ever really been all that close, I got no reason to see him dead. What he did to Mack’s mom, that was wrong, that ain’t right, she was an innocent who didn’t deserve to be left there like she didn’t matter. But Sam’s retribution ain’t mine.