Fifteen years ago, the pain of knowing she couldn’t
move on with anyone had forced her to reach for a knife. Everyone had been out
of the house, and Dalton had been working at the local mechanic shop. Standing at
the sink, she had pressed the blade into her skin and let the blood ooze out.
Dalton found her, rescuing her in time before she’d
been killed. For three months she was in the psych ward talking with the
doctors assigned to her case.
Afterward, Dalton wouldn’t allow her out of his sight.
It had taken some time for him to get over her trying to take her life. She’d
gone from harming herself to covering her body with ink. Each piece of ink was
a relief to her and a reward. She sat down while a man or woman inked her body.
The experience always stressed her out, but she did it.
“Lacey?” Dalton called her name through the door. She
left the bathroom door open so she was able to hear him talking.
“What?” she asked.
Looking at her reflection she saw the scar in her
shoulder from the stab wound she’d gotten when she was younger.
Her body had a lot of scars from what happened. She
couldn’t have kids because of the rape, and her life had been over for so long.
“What’s going on with you? Danny’s worried.”
The only thing Danny was worried about was getting the
chance to take out his revenge on Gonzalez. Anything else that mattered to the
club, Danny didn’t give a shit about.
“I’m fine. You’ve all got nothing to worry about.”
She turned the tap on and splashed cold water onto her
face.
“Lacey, open up and talk to me.”
Closing her eyes, she started to lose her temper.
Grabbing a towel, she stormed to the door. Flicking the lock, she opened the
door. “What?” she asked.
“Where have you been going?”
“Out.
I don’t like being cooped up in the same place. We can’t hit out at
Gonzalez as he’s not in town. I went to get some fresh air. Is that okay?” she
asked.
“Something’s going on with you. You’re not acting
yourself.”
Glancing at the floor, Lacey wondered what she should
say to him.
“Talk to me. I don’t like it when you go quiet on me.”
He made to walk into her room, but she held her hand up.
“No, I don’t want you inside my room,” she said.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t think we should be using Butch. It’s wrong,
and it makes us no different from Gonzalez.” She let the words spill out of her
lips.
“Is this you talking or the fact you’ve been talking
with Whizz?”
“How do you know?”
“You’re not the only one who can go out at night or
leave during the day. We’re not some fucking vampires, Lacey. I can follow you
if I want.”
She shoved him hard. “You’ve got no respect for my
privacy.”
“I’m the one who respects your privacy, Lacey. I was
concerned about you, and I followed through with my instinct to follow you,”
Dalton said.
“You’ve got to stop looking out for me and move on.
I’m not someone you can take care of or fix.”
“Do you think Whizz can? He’s as fucked as you are. Is
that what you want? Someone to tell tales with?” he asked.
Lacey laughed. “Are you jealous?”
“No, I’m not jealous. I’m worried about the girl I
saved.”
“Exactly.
You saved me, but it doesn’t mean I’m your responsibility. I love you,
Dalton, as a brother and friend, nothing else. I’m not a girl anymore. I’m a
thirty year old woman. Whizz is different. He’s hurting, and he was someone to
talk to.”
“Fine, if you know what you’re doing,” Dalton said,
pulling away.
“I do.”
Dalton walked away, and she went to close her door.
“Do you really think Whizz is going to forgive you
when the truth comes out?” Dalton asked. “We’re going to take out our revenge,
and all the truth will follow. You’ve lied to him already.”
Slamming the door, Lacey rested her head against the
wood. She couldn’t turn her back on the club. The Savage Brothers were her
family, but she also couldn’t risk Whizz hating her. She liked him and knew in
her own way, that she could help him.
Chapter Nine
“You want me to what?” Lash asked.
Tiny stared across his desk at the man he truly
believed would be perfect to take over The Skulls. “When this shit with
Gonzalez is over and in a few years’ time I want you to take over. It’s time
for me to step down.”
“You’ve got to be shitting me. There’s no way you’re
stepping down. You’re not old,
Tiny
. The Skulls are yours.”
He shook his head.
“The Skulls are not mine. I helped set this place up
with Mikey and Alex. I don’t intend for it all to die when I do.”
“You’ve got years to go yet before you give it all up.”
Lash stood and started to pace his office. “This is insane.”
“You’re good for the club. You’re loyal, hardworking,
and the men respect you. Far as I’m concerned you’ve got everything to make
this club yours. Angel, she’s a good woman and will be perfect to help you.”
Lash burst out laughing. “The women would tear her
apart.”
“Then you don’t know your woman. She’s growing,
maturing, Lash. Angel is ready for this, as are you. The Skulls, it’s going to
be yours.”
“What about Murphy and Tate?”
“I love my daughter and I know Murphy will care for
her, but this life is not for her.”
“You’re crazy, Tiny. There has to be another man out
there. What about Miles?”
“Miles is three years old, Lash. He’s not going to be running
the club anytime soon, and I’m not going to spend the next twenty years waiting
for him to take over.” Tiny had thought this over long and hard. Eva was in
agreement with him even though she agreed with Lash that Tiny wasn’t old enough
to step down.
“How about this?
You take over until
Miles is ready to take over.”
“I’ve got to talk with my woman. I don’t think she’s
going to like this.”
Tiny shrugged. “Do what you need to do but know I’m
not changing my mind. You’ll make a brilliant president.”
Lash shook his head. “I think you need to have your
head examined. I married one of the sweetest, most submissive women around and
you think we’ll be a good couple to take over the running of the club? Do you
know how crazy that sounds?”
“Angel jumped in front of Zero and took three bullets.
She was courageous, and I’m not denying that she’s not sweet, but she loves you
and will do everything to help you out. This is what a club needs.
A good man to make it work along with a good woman to keep everyone
in line.”
Tiny stood up. “You’ve got what it takes.”
“Fucking insane,” Lash said, leaving the room.
Tiny remembered the shock that came over him when he
realized how many men he was responsible for. Years ago he’d been young,
younger than Lash when The Skulls was born. He had Mickey by his side along
with other good men who all wanted The Skulls to work.
Opening the desk drawer, he shoved some envelopes
aside to see the main photograph taken years ago as they opened the clubhouse.
He was standing beside Mickey with Patricia in front of him. Alex was on his other
side, and several other men were dotted around him. They were the original men
in the group.
Leaving The Skulls to the right man was important to
him. Lash was loyal and perfect for the job.
Putting the photo back in the drawer, he walked out of
his office toward the main bar. He found Whizz typing away at the computer.
“Hey,” Tiny said, signaling to Ink to pour him a
drink.
“Hey.” Whizz didn’t look up from the computer.
“What’s going on with you?”
Whizz paused and looked up from his laptop.
“Nothing, why?”
“Well, you were whistling yesterday, and now you’re
all serious again. Also, it has been a long time since I saw you sat at the bar
looking at your laptop. You’re usually cooped away upstairs in your room. Are
you doing okay?”
Tiny watched as he closed the laptop.
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Whizz tapped his fingers on the bar. Tiny caught sight
of the scar in the center of his hand from the knife that had been slammed
through the skin and bone. The horrors that Whizz went through had kept them all
up at night.
“I’m sure. I met someone, but it was just a chance
meeting. At least, I think it was a chance meeting. Do you know anyone by the
name of Lacey?” Whizz asked.
“Who?”
Butch asked. The other brother was passing by the bar as Whizz spoke.
“It’s nothing. I’m sure I’m just going insane.” Whizz
took a sip of his water.
“When did you meet this woman?” Butch took a step
closer, folding his arms.
Tiny watched, not liking one bit the way Butch went on
the defensive.
“What’s it to you?” Tiny asked.
“With everything going on, I don’t think it’s good for
us to let new people in.” Butch wouldn’t meet his eyes.
“We just voted in three prospects. Should I kick them
out because of the Gonzalez shit?” Tiny asked, standing up.
“Look, there’s no need for you all to start fucking
shouting. I met a woman in a café, and for once it meant something. That’s all.
No Gonzalez shit, or anything else. Geez, can’t a guy just have a chance
meeting with a woman anymore?” Whizz stormed off, leaving the conflict.
“What’s up your ass?” Tiny asked.
“Nothing is up my ass,” Butch said.
“Really?
You’ve been acting strangely since you got back. Whizz finds someone
who has him whistling and looking like a proper human being and you’re downing
him. Start thinking before you
speak
, as otherwise
we’re all going to start having a serious problem.” Tiny stood up and headed
out into the compound toward his bike. He found Zero, Killer, and Nash hanging
around, smoking.
“Hey, guys, how are you doing?” Tiny asked.
“Is it true you’re going to propose Lash to have the
gavel?” Nash asked.
“Yeah, he’s the best man for the job. I’m too old for
this shit, and in a few years’ time I’m going to be stepping down for good.
Spend some time with Eva and the kids.” He took a cigarette that Zero offered.
“Do you boys have a problem with that?”
“I don’t.” Killer was the first to speak up.
“Me neither.”
Nash nodded. “He’s a good man, and he’ll be good for
the club. The rules will stick with him around.”
“That’s the point. The Skulls will remain the same.
We’ll all still
vote
on prospects, and we’ll even vote
on the new leader. I just want you to know who I believe is right to take over
the club.”
“I have to say I’m relieved, and I bet Prue will be,
too. The thought of Tate, highly strung as she is, taking over from Eva scared
the shit out of me. I’m telling you, Prue and Tate could start a third world
fucking war. It’s a job to keep them apart.” As he was talking Zero was
smiling, clearly happy with his woman.
“I love my daughter, but she doesn’t have what it
takes. I’ll be talking to her soon enough. How did you hear about Lash taking
over?” Tiny asked, curious. He’d only just spoken to him, and already some of
the club knew.
“Angel was in the pantry about to start making some food,
and we heard Lash talking with her. He’s not very good at whispering.”
Inhaling on his cigarette, Tiny thought about what
they said. Once he finished his cigarette, he walked into the clubhouse in
search of Angel. The scent of garlic met his senses, and he followed the smell
through to the kitchen. The men had a variety of reasons why they all loved
Angel, and her cooking was one of them.
She was standing at the stove, her blonde hair pinned
above her head, and she was humming as she stirred a sauce.
Moving into the room, he leaned against the counter.
“Hey, Tiny,” she said, offering him one of her sweet
smiles. In the early days of Angel with Lash, he hadn’t believed or trusted it.
There was no way someone as sweet as Angel would ever be able to live with a tough
guy like Lash. He’d been mistaken, and the couple had proven how wrong everyone
was.
“Lash has told you what I’ve got planned.”
She paused in her stirring. “He’s told me.”
“What do you think?”
Angel glanced at him. “I don’t think either of us is
ready for such a responsibility.” She went back to stirring with a frown on her
face.
“But you’re not afraid of what I want you guys to do
in taking over the club.”
Her blue eyes stared at him. “I’m not afraid of what
you want us to do, but I don’t think now is the right time for a vote or
takeover. Lash only tells me so much. He doesn’t want to worry me.”