Spec (Defenders M.C, Book 6) (8 page)

Thirteen

Candy stood in her apartment and looked around to see if anything was out of place.  Mina was due to arrive any minute and Candy wanted everything to be perfect.

Spec had agreed to give her the weekend with her friend, reluctantly.  He had kept her close since their turbulent night of discovery.  He seemed less haunted, but at night, when he loved her she could feel his intensity and his unwillingness to fail her as he had the young girl from his past.  He observed her until she thought she would lose her mind, but that was his way.

“I will be at the clubhouse.  Call me for any reason.”

He placed his big hand against Candy’s soft tummy and pulled her against him.  He nibbled at her neck and she turned her head to give him more access to her skin.

“I’ll be fine honey-pie.  I promise.”

“I want you.”  He growled against her neck.

The doorbell dashed their hopes of a quickie all to hell, but the promise in his eyes made her shiver.  As much as Candy wanted Spec, she was excited to show Mina everything about her life.  Mina especially wanted to see the tattoo studio Ink owned.

Spec grumbled when Candy pulled away and answered the door.  She introduced Mina and Spec and he took his leave, but the look in his eyes made Candy want to squirm.

“Oh he is as hot as an oven burner on broil!  Holy shit Candy!  No wonder you were so bummed.  Looks like things are all worked out now though.”  Mina said with rounded eyes.

“Yes.  Things are turning out to be just fine.”  Candy said and hugged her friend tight.  “I’m so glad you’re here!  I can show you around my world for a change.”

“I’m not all that sure I’ll fit in here.  Ink has never wanted me to come visit before.  He always said I was too much of a good girl to even be in this town.”

Candy laughed.  Mina was a good girl.  She Had big blue eyes that were so wide that they looked like a cartoon character, but they were filled with an innocence Candy wondered if she had ever had even as a child.  Mina kept her hair pulled back in a braid that reached to the middle of her back and only took it down to bathe and sleep.  She was certainly not the sort of woman who usually hung around with the club, but she was about to have a wild weekend and Candy was going to watch her like a hawk.

“Come on silly goose.  Let’s get you ready to paint the town red.”

Candy was determined to doll Mina up and show her how fun it could be to just let go, but she would be right there beside her to make sure nothing too serious happened.

They dropped by the tattoo studio first since it was just downstairs and Candy marveled at the way Ink frowned when he looked at his cousin. 

“Shorts are too damned short Mina.  What were you thinking?”  Ink frowned.

“Ink let her have some fun!  Those aren’t nearly as short as what Angel wears all the damned time.”  Candy rolled her eyes and laughed.

“That’s different.”  He grumbled.

Mina dropped her head and looked like she might cry.  “I can go change.”  She whispered.

Candy was furious.  “No.  You look hot!  Why would you change?”

Mina looked up at Ink with her blue eyes awash with tears.  “Do I look that bad?”

Bad?  She was beautiful!  Her shorts weren’t all that short and she was wearing a conservative top by club standards.  Her cowboy boots were a nice touch too.  Her hair was pulled away from her face and secured by a clip so it fell in inky waves down her back.  She was stunning.

Candy watched Ink’s jaw work.  “You are beautiful Mina.  I just don’t want you getting into trouble.  These men aren’t used to dealing with a real lady.”

Well that slapped Candy right in the face and by the look on Angel’s face she felt the sting too.  Before either girl could speak up the door opened and Tommy walked in.  His eyes about bugged out of his head when he saw Mina.

Ink exploded.  He shoved Tommy against the front door and got in his face.  “You don’t fucking look at her that way.  You don’t get that privilege.  You fucked up the one time anyone trusted you with a woman and I’ll be damned if I trust you with Mina.”

“Mina.”  Tommy breathed as his eyes strayed to her again.  She seemed to find him just and interesting because her wide blue eyes were glued to him.

“Fucking no Tommy.”  Ink moved so Tommy couldn’t see Mina anymore.

“Damn it get the fuck off me Ink.  When am I going to live that shit down?”

“When you prove to everyone that honor means more to you than pussy.”

“Fuck you man.”

Tommy shoved Ink away and jerked open the door.  He met Mina’s eyes before they closed and Candy could almost feel the sparks that flew between them.  This wasn’t good.

“Come on Mina.  Let’s party.  Don’t worry Ink, I’ll watch her.”  Angel said as she shot Ink a look that said he would be hearing a thing or two when she got home.  “I’m just the sort of woman who knows how to handle the guys.”

“Damn it Angel don’t do that shit.”

Candy pulled Mina from the room and they piled into Angel’s car.  They headed to
Tease
with the plan of showing Mina how to dance her ass off and keep her clothes on.

Fourteen

Tease
was a strip club owned by the Defenders.  It was a way for them to have available pussy and make a profit from the community.  The brothers didn’t have to abide by all the rules and when they told a girl to head upstairs that girl knew what was expected of her.  It was just part of the job for the girls and most hoped to turn one of the brother’s heads and get him to make her his old lady.  That was the golden apple around
Tease
and most of the brothers took advantage of it. 

Candy had worked exactly one night at the club.  Toothpick had pulled her off stage and straight upstairs.  After that he hadn’t let her out of his sight, until he’d gone to prison.  Candy wondered if she had ever really loved him or if she had just been grateful to him for saving her from becoming another dead eyed girl that shook her ass and spread her legs to make ends meet.  She doubted she would ever make sense of that time in her life so she tried to let it go.

“What are we doing at a strip club?”  Mina asked as we pulled into the gravel parking lot.

“We are going to dance!!!” Angel shouted.

Candy knew Ink hated it when Angel danced at the club and that this was probably payback for his earlier remark.  Candy knew he hadn’t meant to be insulting, but he would certainly pay for the slight.

“I don’t know about this.  I don’t think this is a good idea.”  Mina was digging in her heels.”

“We won’t be stripping!  We can use the side stage and just have fun.  Some of us do it from time to time.  Nikki is coming and I think I have Lindsey and Lizzie convinced too.  This is going to be a party!!”

Candy looked around and saw several of the brothers’ bikes and felt a little better.  She always felt safer when they were around and they would keep Angel from going too crazy.

By the time they made it to the stage all the girls had arrived, even Marty who was sporting a nice baby bump.  They had all donned costumes that they had pilfered from the gift shop and they were all strutting their stuff as the brothers hooted and hollered at them.

Candy was laughing at Marty as she spun around the pole only to turn green and step back taking several deep breaths.  Mike stepped to the stage and Marty let him lift her to the ground and curled up on his lap.  Mike looked like a man who would kill anything that threatened his woman, but morning sickness was taking a toll on him.

Candy lifted her eyes from the loving couple and found herself captured by a pair of blue eyes so cold that her skin broke out in chills.

Toothpick stood just out of the light.  The shadows made him look sinister and his expression promised retribution.  Mina laughed and bumped Candy’s hip.

“What’s the matter with you?”  Her eyes followed where Candy was looking.  “Who is that?  Damn Candy he’s a scary dude.”

Candy broke eye contact.  “Yeah.  Yeah he is that.”

Candy tried to have a good time and for the most part she did, but Pick disappeared.  He just vanished.  For some reason it made Candy feel more uneasy than she had when he had been staring at her dancing half naked in a strip club.

The brothers burst out laughing and Candy looked up to find Mrs slung over Preach’s shoulder as he made his way to the door.  Angel’s mother hadn’t dressed the way most of the other women had, but she had given the boys more of a show because damn, that woman could dance her ass off.  Preach had watched like a predator until Mrs had opened her legs and slid her back down that pole.  Then he had stood so fast his chair had hit the floor and claimed his woman.  Mrs lifted her head and winked as he slapped her ass and stalked away.  That woman would be getting lucky very soon.  Candy looked around, but never saw Spec, she was a little disappointed.  She did see Ink and the look he wore was volcanic.  He was pissed and Candy had never seen him lose his cool before.  It looked like the whole world was about to get to see him erupt.

Angel bent over and wiggled her ass and he exploded, but he didn’t grab Angel the way Preach had, he just turned and walked out the front doors.  Angel stood up and paled.  She turned and mumbled an excuse that Candy didn’t understand before she disappeared backstage.  The other women were being pulled from the stage by their men and the looks they shared threatened to burn the place down.

“Well we might as well get dressed and head out.  I’m getting hungry.  How about a pizza?”  Candy asked Mina.

“Sounds perfect!  I’m starving and my feet are killing me.”

They dressed and Mina picked up a few things lying around in the dressing room.  Candy laughed and tried to explain what everything was and what they did, but she could see that Mina was shocked.  Ink was right, Mina didn’t belong in this world.

They ended up begging a ride from Marty and Mike and called in a pizza order on the way.  Marty chatted animatedly about her upcoming wedding and made Mina promise to attend.  Mina wore a wide grin that Candy had never seen on her before.

“Why did Spec leave so early?”  Marty asked while looking at Candy in the visor mirror.

“I didn’t know he was there tonight.  When did he leave?”  Candy’s heart raced.  Had he watched her dance?  Why had he left?

“After you danced.  I looked up and he was gone.”  Marty shrugged. 

“I don’t know.  Maybe he didn’t like what he saw.”

Mike snorted.  “Yeah.  No.  Had to be something else.  You’ve got nothing to worry about there Candy Cane.  Had to be business or he would be taking you home instead of me.”

Candy couldn’t help the smile that curved her lips.

“Shit look at that face!  I’ve seen that look before.”  Marty crowed.

“Where?”  Mike asked as he reached over and rubbed her belly.

“It started the first time you crawled into my window and now I see it every day I get to wake up with you.”

Mike smiled and looked away like it embarrassed him.  He slammed on the breaks when a car swerved into their lane and Marty grabbed the handle above her door.

“Shhh its ok baby.  I’ve got you.”

The look he gave Marty was full of love and Candy wanted it.  She wanted to be loved that much.  She wanted the fairytale kind of love.

Mike left Candy and Mina in front of
Just Ink
and pulled away.  They walked up to the second floor and Candy unlocked the door.  She reached in and flipped the switch, but nothing happened.

The door slammed plunging the room into darkness and Candy knew what hell was when a familiar voice whispered.

“I’m home Candy.  Did you miss me?” 

Fifteen

Something was off and Spec had been on edge all evening.  He’d caught sight of Pick in Tease, but couldn’t get to him before the bastard disappeared.  Spec had promised to give Candy time with her friend, but he wanted nothing more than to rush to her and make sure she was alright.  He watched as Mike pulled away and he told himself he would just run up and check on his girl real quick, but no lights came on inside the apartment and that had him slowing his steps as he became more cautious.  Caution hit the wind when he heard Candy scream.

“Mina run!”

Spec broke into a sprint and pulled his phone from his pocket.  Mike picked up on the first ring.

“Something’s wrong at Candy’s place.  Heard a scream.”

He hung up knowing Mike would make calls and get back to him as quickly as he could.  Mina ran down the stairs.  Her face was as white as a ghost.

“I think it’s the man from the club.  The scary one. He’s got a gun.”

“Fuck.  Ok Mina.  I need you to get the hell out of sight and tell Mike what you just told me when he gets here.”

She nodded and Spec made his way silently up the stairs to Candy’s door.  He cursed himself for making sure all the windows were locked tight before he left.  How the hell had the man gotten into Candy’s apartment?

He listened for movement and heard nothing.  Then a scream pierced the night and his heart stopped.

Candy saw the insanity in Pick’s eyes when he pulled her into her closet and shut the door.  His lips crashed down on hers as his hands filled with her breasts.

“Mine.  You fucking cunt!  You are mine.  I own you and you go to bed with that fucking loser?  I will cut his dick off and feed it to him.  You are my old lady and I will teach you what I do to women who try to make a fool out of me.”

He drew back and slapped her hard and she let out a scream.  He moved a piece of the floor and shoved her through it.  She hit the floor hard and crumpled.  She found herself in the back room of
Just Ink. 
Pick had gotten into her place through the ceiling.  Shit.

“How did you get in here?”

“There are still a few or those fuckers who know what brotherhood is all about.”

“One of the brothers let you in here?”  Candy was horrified.  Pick had no business in
Just Ink.
 

“Look at your face.  Fucking bitch.  Loyal to that pussy Ink.  Only way he made brother was by fucking Preach’s little girl.  Let that bitch beg for him too.  I was there when Preach caught him with his head between those thighs.  Right in this place.  Almost pissed his fucking pants.  That’s who you’re loyal to?  You belong to me!”

She heard voices and looked up in horror when Pick stalked to the back door and opened it wide.  He reached out and grabbed something and Candy heard Mina scream as she was hauled through the door.

“Thought you would get away bitch?”

His laugh was cold as ice.

“Now then you two.  This is what we are going to do.  Candy is going to walk out that door and climb on my bike.  She is going to ride away with me and nobody will stop us or I will put a hole through this little whore’s head.  Neither of you will make a sound and when we are gone you will count to a hundred before you do a damned thing.”

Mina’s eyes were huge as she nodded.  She had no idea what to do in a situation like that.  Candy reached out and held her hand.

There was a knock on the door and Pick opened it a crack, but it was enough for her to see Choo-Choo handing him a set of keys.

“Here man.  Seems fine to me, but I checked it out.  Hope you didn’t get too bored in here.”  He looked up and his eyes met Candy’s.  “What the fuck man?”

Pick drew back and hit Choo-choo in the side of her head and he crumpled to the floor.  Candy wanted to go to her friend and make sure he was alright, but Pick grabbed her hair.

“You think he’s your friend?  You are such a gullible bitch.  He helped me here Candy.  Getting you out of the way will give him your fucking job.  He wants you out of the way.  Even said he might like that little apartment you got.  You’re such a trusting little whore.  Who all did you fuck while I was gone?  I know about Ace but that fucker kicked before I could off him for touching what’s mine.”

That did it.  She drew back and punched him in the face with all she had.  It only felt good for a few seconds because he backhanded her so hard she saw stars and Mina screamed. 

Pick pointed his gun at Mina’s head.  “Try anything else and her brains get splattered all over this fucking room!  Walk out that door and do as I say or I will fucking kill her Candy.  You know I will.”

They walked out of the back room and into the pitch black night.  Candy knew she would never get away and if she left with Pick her would make her life hell, but she had no choice.  They reached Pick’s bike and she pulled Mina in for a hug. 

“Spec is here.”  Mina breathed into Candy’s ear.

Pick allowed them to hug for a few seconds, but then something caught his attention and Candy grabbed Mina and pulled her as she ran.  She knew that the darkness would swallow them up in a few seconds, but she had to make them count.  Spec would find her.  She heard a shout and gunfire from behind them and she ran faster.  There was an old convenience store not far away and she forced her legs faster.

“Come on Mina, almost there.”

Candy heard footsteps behind her and she turned, ready to fight. 

“Run Mina.  The boys will find you and you’ll be safe.”

Mina started to argue, but Candy shook her head.

She heard shouts and more footsteps, but she knew they would never reach her in time, but it wasn’t Pick who stepped from the shadows, but Spec.  He looked haunted as his eyes searched over her stopping on her bruised face.  He pulled her into his arms and held her, but a chill raced up her spine and she turned her head to see Pick taking aim at the man she loved.  She saw the young girl lying in the hospital bed, but she was younger.  She saw a young man who looked like a masculine version of her.  He held a knife and he had fire in his eyes.  She felt the overwhelming sadness in the young spirit as she lunged at the man she loved and gave her life to save his, but Candy was no child and she didn’t want to give up the life she wanted to spend with Spec.  She would fight for it.

“No!”  She heard him scream as she pulled his gun from the back of his pants and pointed it at the man she had thought to spend her life with, the man who was taking aim at her future.  She pulled the trigger and heard him do the same.  Fire raced up her side and she screamed even as she watched crimson bloom on the man’s chest.

The gun clattered to the cracked asphalt and Candy felt herself falling.  Strong arms eased her to the ground and she felt her shirt ripped open.

“I know you love those, but now really isn’t the time.”  She wheezed.

Spec looked at her and tried to smile, but worry was etched on his pale face.

“You have to be ok.  I can’t stand it if you aren’t ok.”

“I’ll be fine sweet pie.”  Then there was only darkness.

Spec had died a little when he’d seen Pick walking toward them with his gun raised.  He had died a little more when he’d felt his own gun pulled from where he had tucked it in the back of his pants.  It was as if time slowed.  He watched Candy turn and take aim at the monster who stalked her.  He watched Pick’s mouth curl and his lips moved as he said, “you don’t have it in you.”

Then the world seemed to explode.  Candy fired and the bullet hit Pick in the chest, but he got a round off too and Spec felt the impact of the bullet as it hit Candy.  He tried to be gentle as he laid her on the cold ground, but he had to see how bad it was.  He heard footsteps and looked up to see Mike skidding to a halt beside him.

“Need to get the fuck out of here brother.  Cops will be here after that shit.  How bad is it?”

“God Mike, I don’t know.  I don’t know.”

“Fuck.”  Mike began running his hands over Candy.

All Spec could see was blood.