Roped (12 page)

Jamie shoved the door open and stepped out into the night air. The cool wind felt good on his heated skin, and he took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds before blowing it out slowly. He was truly losing his mind. But it just pissed him off that everyone was so free and open in their displays of sexual conquest. Dudes felt chicks up at the bar, groped and kneaded tits and ass on the dance floor. Hell, a lot of the guys banged them right in front of everyone. It was nothing to see Sully and Buck sitting on the couch next to each other while they were getting head. But could he kiss Tek? No!
Fuck!
He couldn’t even touch Tek. In the clubhouse you could be as nasty and freaky as you wanted. Just don’t be fags. Jamie leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. His head spun with the combination of anger, jealousy, and sorrow. It wasn’t fair.

He heard the door open, and Jamie turned his head and opened his eyes to see Tek step out, scanning the parking lot. “I’m right here,” he told him.

The light from within the club was enough that Jamie could see the concern in Tek’s eyes when he looked at him. “What’s going on?” Tek asked as he leaned his shoulder against the wall next to Jamie.

“I just needed to get the hell out of there.”

“Did something happen?” Tek asked in confusion.

“Yeah, I got sick and fucking tired of watching you play,” Jamie muttered.

“Oh, stop being a poor sport. I was kicking ass and taking names. Yours included.” Tek snorted. “Won seven in a row.”

“I wasn’t talking about pool, Tek,” Jamie snapped.

“Huh?”

“Never mind,” Jamie muttered and pushed off the wall.

“Bullshit,” Tek growled. He grabbed Jamie’s arm and spun him around. “If you have an issue with me or something I did, then you tell me. Don’t play these silly fucking games.”

The door opened again, and Sully stumbled out with his arms slung over two chicks. “Hey, guys,” he slurred. “Want to come to my orgy?”

“The more the merrier,” one of the girls giggled.

Tek released Jamie and waved Sully off. “Nah, I’m good. I’m sure they have enough to handle with you.”

“Probably,” Sully snorted. “Junior? Want to come watch the master in action? Bet I could teach you a thing or two.”

“I’m sure you could,” Jamie deadpanned. He’d seen some of the shit Sully was into, and he’d already learned all he’d ever wanted to know from Sully about sex. Most importantly, that he never wanted to witness it again. “But I think I’ll pass tonight.”

“Your loss,” Sully declared.

They watched silently as Sully and the girls rounded the corner. Once they disappeared, Tek turned to Jamie. “C’mon, I’ll give you a lift home.”

“Nah, I’d rather walk and so should you,” Jamie informed him.

“I had one drink three hours ago.” He grabbed Jamie’s arm and yanked him toward his truck. “Now stop being a dick and c’mon.”

Jamie tried to shrug Tek’s arm off, but he held fast, pulling him along. Tek opened the passenger side door and shoved Jamie. “Now you can either get in the truck on your own or I’ll put you in. Either way, you’re getting in this fucking truck, and we’re going to talk about what has your panties all in a bunch.”

Jamie thought briefly about refusing. A good fight might just make him feel better. But he was suddenly too tired and too buzzed to put up much of a fight. He slid into the truck.

“Good choice,” Tek said and slammed the door. He ran around the front of the truck and got in. “Buckle up,” he ordered and fired up the engine.

Tek peeled out of the parking lot in the opposite way of Jamie’s house. “Hey, where the hell are you going? I thought you said you weren’t drunk?” he asked and hooked his seatbelt.

“In the mood you’re in, I figured there would be screaming and cursing. I’m sure you don’t want your daddy to hear.”

“I’m not—”

“Bullshit! You’re drunk and you’re pissed off. The two are a deadly combination when you have secrets like we have. As soon as we get to the hotel, you can be as drunk and as pissed as you want.”

Jamie clamped his mouth shut. Tek was right. The secret they carried could get them killed. He’d heard the other members talking about fags before. He’d seen the disgust and loathing in their expressions. Rocco spoke for the mentality of the club when he’d said,
“The only good fag is a dead fag.”
Jamie crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his head against the window, staring at the darkness beyond. He’d wait to say anything until they were behind closed doors. Only, he doubted there would be much screaming and cussing. He didn’t feel all that angry anymore, the sadness of what the future held for him and Tek taking over his head and heart.

“All right, let’s hear it,” Tek demanded as soon as the hotel room door was shut and locked.

Jamie flopped down in the chair and ran his hands over his face. “I drank too much and got stupid is all,” Jamie explained. “It won’t happen again.”

“Well, something set you off. Talk to me, Jamie,” Tek coaxed. “I can’t fix it if you don’t tell me what I did.”

“Nothing for you to fix,” Jamie assured him. “I got jealous of the chicks rubbing all over you, and it pissed me off. It’s my issue to deal with, not yours.” Jamie rested his forearms on his knees and lowered his head, feeling stupid for his earlier outburst. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” he added dejectedly.

“You think I like to be groped and rubbed on by those bitches? Think I like smelling like a two-dollar whore? C’mon, Jamie. You know me better than that.”

“I know,” Jamie admitted.

Tek went to his knees in front of Jamie. He put a finger to Jamie’s chin, encouraging him to look up. “You’re the only one I want groping me. You do know that, right?”

Jamie nodded. He did know Tek wasn’t into chicks. Jamie had believed him when Tek said he’d never wanted to be with them but used them as a cover for his true desires as Jamie had done. And he understood all too well why they had to do it. Still, it hurt like hell to have to witness it.

“Then tell me what’s going on inside your head,” Tek pleaded as he rubbed Jamie’s arms.

“I’m being an idiot,” he admitted. “I know better than to drink this much. I turn into an emotional sap, and I don’t know how to handle it.”

“You always have been the softer one,” Tek chuckled.

Jamie shot him a glare.

“Okay, okay,” Tek sniffed, holding out his hands in a defensive gesture. “I meant the more sensitive one of us. And before you go getting all pissy about it, I like that about you. On the outside you’re like this big burly kickass dude who is so fucking strong and powerful, but on the inside you’re thoughtful and kind.” Tek went back to rubbing Jamie’s arms soothingly and shrugged one shoulder. “I like it.”

Jamie’s belly fluttered pleasantly with the praise. He wanted to be both strong and powerful for Tek. Prove that he could rule next to him and was an asset to Tek’s future position in the club. Yet, the emotional shit was wreaking havoc on his heart.

“I wish I wasn’t all squishy on the inside sometimes,” he finally admitted. “Take tonight, for instance. I realized how unfair everything is and that we don’t really have a future, Tek.”

“Of course we do, Jamie,” Tek interjected. “Hell, we haven’t been apart barely a day since we were born, and I can’t see that changing anytime soon. Cradle to grave, Jamie.”

“And it might be sooner than we think if anyone finds out we’re fags. Our future is lying and hiding and waiting for fucking stolen moments,” Jamie spat as the anger bubbled up again at the injustice of it.

“I know it sucks and I’m sorry,” Tek said sincerely. “If I could change it right now, I would, but maybe one day, it won’t have to be like this. Be patient with me a little longer, okay?”

“It’s not you, Tek. It’s the club and….” Jamie leaned his forehead against Tek’s shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist, instantly feeling a little better with Tek close. “There I go being all stupid again,” he muttered.

“You’re not stupid, Jamie,” Tek said fiercely, hugging him back. “It’s not right we have to hide, and I hate it as much as you do. But let’s get this shit done with the Mongols and Bangers, and then I will figure something out, I promise.”

Jamie lifted his head and met Tek’s gaze. “No,
we
will figure something out.”

“Damn right, we will,” Tek agreed with a sly grin, then took Jamie’s hand in his and went to his feet. “Now c’mon, let’s go enjoy our stolen moment. I could use some warmth.”

Anger, rage, fear, sadness, they were turning my soul into nothing but blackness. But it was the rage that burned brightest within me—killing me. I had no idea how to control it, couldn’t have known what it would do to me if left to fester. A good family teaches us love, caring, and generosity. Mine taught me hate, rage, and shame.

I wish they would have also taught me how to control them.

Tek Cain

T
HE
DOOR
splintered from the weight of Tek’s boot and flew open. Black ski mask over his face, weapon drawn, he rushed in and swept the room. When he found no one in the front room, he ushered in Jamie and Buck, who were dressed in all black as Tek was with matching masks concealing their faces. With a wave of his hand, Tek cautiously made his way down the hall.

A man rushed out of a side door, shotgun aimed at Tek, and snarled, “Who the fuck—”

Tek cut off the man’s words and his life with a bullet to the head. He felt no remorse. Nothing. Empty. He’d been able to conjure up that cold place in him as they prepared for the hit, and he easily ignored the dead man at his feet. No fear, his pulse normal, his breathing slow and even, only coldness. Tek peered into the room—a bathroom—found it empty, and moved on farther down the hall.

They had been staking out their target for days and knew that at the moment there would be two more Bangers somewhere within the dilapidated old house. Metal music from the basement vibrated the floor as Tek made his way through the structure. He found no one else in any of the rooms. The other two Bangers had to be in the basement, and as he stopped with his hand on the doorknob to check that Jamie and Buck were ready, Tek hoped the music was enough to have drowned out the noise of their entry and the bullet. If not, they were about to descend into an ambush.

Tek met Jamie’s gaze and saw he was nervous but focused. Tek nodded to him in silent question, and when Jamie gave a curt nod in response, Tek yanked the door open. The sounds of Anthrax thumped loudly in Tek’s ears, and the heavy scent of dope filled his nostrils. A light burned brightly from the bottom of the stairs. Luckily, there were no bullets whizzing past his head nor a gun pointed at it as he stepped through the door.

Keeping close to the wall, Tek made his way slowly down the stairs, finger resting on the trigger of his Glock. On the last rung, he held a fist up, signaling the others to halt. Gun leading the way, Tek peeked around the corner. The entire basement was lit up with several sun lamps hanging from the ceiling, shining down on row upon row of plants in various stages of growth. Against the far right wall, two men with their backs to Tek were weighing and bagging up dope. On the table in front of them was the source of the blaring music. A large stereo, with the volume apparently cranked, left the two Bangers clueless of what had occurred, better yet, unaware of what was about to happen.

Tek turned around to face Buck and Jamie and pulled the mask down from his mouth. “Two, far right wall with their backs turned. Stay low and quiet. Buck, you take the one on the right, I’ll take the one on the left. Jamie, you got our backs. Ready?” Both men nodded, and Tek held out his fist. “All eight.”

Buck bumped his fist against Tek’s and repeated the vow in a low voice. Jamie did the same. Tek held Jamie’s gaze for a second longer until warmth started to spread through his gut, and he turned away. He covered his mouth once again and searched for the coldness. He knew the moment he found it, his mind pushing out everything but the job at hand, and he stepped around the corner.

Gun aimed at the back of his target’s head, Tek moved quickly and quietly, acutely aware of Buck and Jamie behind him. Neither doper realized anyone else was in the room until it was too late and Tek had his gun pressed to a temple.

“So much as flinch and I will end your miserable fucking life,” Tek growled into the man’s ear.

The unsuspecting man let the bag drop from his fingers, but he didn’t move.

Tek stole a glance to the side; the other doper was in the same position with Buck’s gun pressed to his head. He then looked back at Jamie briefly who was in a shooter’s stance, gun moving back and forth between the two Bangers.

“Turn down that fucking music!” Tek shouted.

Jamie reached around Buck and hit the power button, sending the room into an eerie silence.

Tek pressed the barrel of the gun harder against the Banger’s head, ensuring there would be a deep impression and bruise as a reminder. That was, if the doper didn’t try to play hero and end up with a hole in his head instead. Jamie pocketed his gun and pulled out heavy-duty zip ties, restraining the wrists of the man Tek was holding and then doing the same to the other. Even with both men’s hands bound, Tek didn’t release the pressure of the gun. Only when their ankles were also efficiently secure and duct tape was over their eyes and mouths did Tek lower his weapon.