Jackson finally spoke for the first time now yelling at Tommy and asking, “Is that what you showed Charity the other night? Mercy? Do you really think that a kind, sweet, good woman like Charity deserved to be treated the way you treated her? You don’t deserve any mercy you bastard,” he said as he looked the bawling Tommy in the face. Then giving a nod to his brothers to leave the cabin they filed outside one by one with Jackson bringing up the rear. They could hear Tommy yelling for them not to leave him there as they stood outside. It had been years since anyone in The Black Maverick’s had ever tortured someone and quite frankly they all hoped they would never have to be a part of such an act again. Jackson felt sick having just done what he did, however he knew that what had just happened needed to be done in order for other clubs and even the gangs that existed nowadays, to know that they couldn’t hurt anyone in The Black Maverick’s family and get away with it.
Then hearing some rustling in the brush up ahead, Jackson looked up to see his old friend, Slash, the president of the Devil’s Back MC, making his way towards them with a couple of other members of the Devil’s Back club. You see it was well known amongst The Black Maverick’s that the Devil’s Back MC had a rather tumultuous history with The Red Aces MC. That history included several turf wars and many killings on both sides. Gunner and Slash had become friends when they were just teenagers and their respective clubs worked together against The Red Aces. Although The Black Maverick’s were no longer into criminal activities, present circumstances excluded, The Devil’s Back MC still had their hand in a number of darker interests. Gunner knew that The Devil’s Back MC had wanted to take Tommy down for years so when this happened to Charity, Gunner talked to Slash about working together to do just that as long as Gunner has first crack at Tommy to provide him with a little payback for what he had done to Charity. Slash loved the idea and agreed that when Gunner and The Black Maverick’s were finished with Tommy he would come and get him and take things from there. This way Gunner was able to make Tommy pay for what he did to Charity without having to kill anybody. What The Devil’s Back did with Tommy after they took possession of him was of absolutely no concern to Gunner and the rest of The Mavericks.
“Fuck Gunner when you said this was the middle of nowhere I thought you were kidding. Hell it’s a wonder we even found the trail,” he said to Gunner as he approached him and shook his hand. “Good to see you brother,” he said as he hugged Gunner and slapped him on the back.
“You too Slash. It’s been way too long my man,” Gunner replied.
“Oh listen to that will ya,” Slash said as he turned and looked at his two sidekicks. “Is that the wining baby crying inside?” he asked Gunner. “You boys had a little fun with him, did ya?”
“That’s him,” Gunner replied. “Good thing you brought some help because Tommy won’t be walking out of here,” Jackson told him.
“Impressive,” Slash said. “Don’t worry man when we take the bastard out of here, you’ll never even know that anyone was here,” he told Jackson. “I appreciate you calling me and wanting to work with us to bring Tommy down,” Slash told Jackson.
“I’m just glad you are willing to take him off of our hands,” Gunner told him.
Chapter 37
Jackson went home to try to relax and try to compartmentalize what he’d just done to Tommy at the hunting cabin. He walked right from his bike down to the beach on the lake where he started a small fire in the fire pit and then he stripped off his clothes and threw them into it. He never wanted to see those clothes again. Then while the fire burned he waded out into the lake and took a refreshing swim. He floated around for a while trying to tell himself that he only did to Tommy what Tommy had done to Charity. It would have never happened had Tommy not attacked her and as much as he hated the fact that he had done what he did, he knew that in his world if he hadn’t made Tommy pay then there would be more attempts by Tommy and The Red Aces to hurt her in the future. Sadly you had to stand strong in the MC world or you made yourself, your brothers, and your families all targets for bullies like Tommy.
Tension and stress had been building up within Jackson from the very night that Charity had been attacked because he knew that it meant that he would have to make Tommy pay for what he had done. He did not like harming anyone, even the likes of Tommy, however there was no way to avoid what just happened. Jackson felt relieved that he could work with his old buddy Slash and The Devil’s Back MC because it prevented himself or anyone else in The Black Maverick’s from having to kill Tommy. He didn’t kid himself into thinking that ultimately that wasn’t going to happen. He knew better than that but at least that much was on someone else besides him.
After a bit more of a swim, Jackson got out of the water and then poured water over the fire in the pit. There was no trace of the clothes that he had been wearing just a little while ago other than just a few ashes. After walking back to the house he jumped into the shower before getting ready to go see Charity at the hospital. He couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms. She was exactly what he needed right now.
When Jackson walked into Charity’s hospital room a little while later, Charity was standing by the window looking out. He could see the stress on her face, while she tapped her fingers against the window ledge as further proof of it. Not wanting to scare her he softly spoke her name drawing her attention away from her thoughts. Despite the obvious pain that she still endured, she carefully made her way over to him and wrapped her good arm around him once again. “I’m so glad you’re back Jackson. I was so worried about you,” she said and then she stood back a little and looked up at him.
“Are you okay?” she asked him.
“Baby, I’m just fine,” he replied. “Everything is taken care of and you will never have to worry about Tommy ever again,” he told her.
Looking up at him she asked, “You didn’t...you know? Is Tommy dead?”
Jackson reached up and touched the side of her face softly stroking over one of her fading bruises and said, “No Baby. When we left him he was very much alive, but I honestly can’t say how much longer he will be with where he’s going.”
“What do you mean?” she asked him.
“Tommy is on his way to Chicago with a few members of The Devil’s Back MC and what they decide to do with him is out of my control. The one thing that I can assure you though, is that you will never see him again and he’ll never be able to hurt you again either,” he explained.
Jackson could just see the relief flooding across Charity’s face knowing that neither he nor any of The Black Mavericks had killed Tommy. They stood and just hugged each other as best as they could, given Charity’s injuries, until there was a quiet little knock on her room door. It was Charity’s doctor since she’d been in the hospital, Dr. Morton, and he was doing his rounds and wanted to check on Charity. Charity sat on the side of her bed while the doctor examined her and when he was done he asked her how she felt about going home. He wanted her to stay one more night but he didn’t see any reason now why she couldn’t go home tomorrow. This was exactly the kind of news that Jackson needed to hear after the day he had just had.
After Dr. Morton left, Jackson wanted to pick Charity up and twirl her around in his arms but he obviously couldn’t on account of her broken rib and arm. Instead he got into bed beside her and held Charity in his arms. “Charity honey, I don’t want you to go back to your place anymore. When we leave here tomorrow I want you to move in with me at the lake house,” he said.
Charity who had been laying with her head resting on his shoulder, looked up at him and asked, “You’re sure Jackson?”
“I have never been more sure of anything my entire life than the fact that I know that I love you Charity Spencer and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. This is just the first step Babe. I don’t want us getting engaged in the hospital or I’d be asking you to marry me. That’s how sure I am about being with you forever,” he said. Then he leaned down and placing his fingers under her chin he kissed her.
“Well in that case Mr. McKay, I will most definitely move in with you,” she told him and once again they kissed. They lay there beside one another in her hospital bed all night. Charity felt loved and safe held in Jackson’s arms and although he still wrestled with what he had done earlier in the day, Jackson knew that loving and protecting Charity was exactly what he was meant to do. Finally allowing the tension to release from his body, he too slept holding Charity safely within his arms.
Chapter 38
Several months later
“Oh girls, I needed this so much,” Charity said. “Thank you both for agreeing to come out for a girl’s night. I love Jackson so much but he has been so over protective of me since Tommy’s attack. He says he’s never letting anyone or anything ever hurt me again, and because of that he rarely lets me out of his sight,” she told her friends Melissa and Faith as they sat in one of the large round booths at Extreme, the new night club in Chantry. Extreme was a very upscale club that had just opened about a month ago and the reviews were great for everything from the food to the atmosphere. After taking a look around it was easy to see why with the plush leather upholstered seats and booths like the one the girls were sitting in, to the beautiful bar area and the sleek lighting. There was a huge dance floor too that Charity was hoping to get out onto with the girls a little later.
“I’m surprised you can tear yourself out of his bed girl!” Melissa teased her.
“Oh, you’re going to tell me that Animal hasn’t kept you busy in that department Hun?” Charity gave it right back to Melissa.
“Touche!” was Melissa’s only comment but her smile said more than words could ever tell. Charity was so happy to see that Melissa had found a good guy for a change. After a string of bad luck with men she deserved to be happy. Both girls took a look at Faith who was just sitting there looking around the club while they were talking about their sex lives and they both felt a bit guilty for talking about their hot biker boys.
“I’m thrilled to be able to spend time with my girls,” Melissa piped up, “and here of all places. I can’t believe we got reservations. This place has been hopping since the doors opened. I’ve been wanting Animal to bring me here but he says it’s not his style,” she told Charity and Faith using air quotes when she said the word
style.
“If he has to wear anything other than jeans and a t-shirt then it’s not his style,” she laughed as she told them.
“Yeah, this place is really great,” Faith said as she looked around but she sure didn’t sound like she meant it. The other two looked at each other and gave one another a look that said as much while Faith was still scanning their surroundings. This was one of the very rare times that the girls had been able to drag Faith out since Patrick had died nearly a year ago.
“Welcome to Extreme ladies! Is this your first time?” a hunky young waiter asked them after greeting them at their table. He couldn’t be any more than twenty-five, if that, but he sure was a cutie in his black dress pants and shirt.
“Yes it is,” Charity answered for the group. “It’s really a beautiful club,” she told him.
“Thank you very much. I’ll make sure I pass your complements on to my manager,” the cutie told her. “I hope you ladies enjoy your first night here and I hope to see you up dancing in a little bit too. Can I get you anything to drink ladies?” he asked them.
“Heck ya!” Melissa piped up. “It’s been a long time since my friends and I have had a night out together so how about we start off with a shot of tequila ladies?” she asked Charity and Faith.
They both looked at her and said, “Eeek!” Then Charity looked over at Faith and said, “You know what...why not? One shot and then I’ll move on to something a little less potent. Come on Faith, you too girl.” Faith looked at both of her friends like they each had two heads but she did reluctantly agree in the end to a shot of Patron.
When the young waiter walked away from the table Faith turned to her friends and said, “So come on girls, I haven’t seen a lot of you lately, tell me what you’ve all been up to.” For a minute Charity felt a pang of guilt come over her when she thought about how little she really had seen of Faith recently, but then she remembered the many times she’d called her and asked her to come for dinner with she and Jackson, or when she asked her to join them for a movie night, and even when on a few occasions she had decided to ask her to join them at The Black Maverick’s clubhouse again and every time she had turned her down. She had tried to make her a part of her new life with Jackson but Faith just wasn’t having any of it. She knew that Faith liked Jackson, at least that’s what she said, but she just didn’t want to come around if he was going to be with her. The only times she’d really see Faith lately were when she was alone or if she called her up and asked her to go out just the two of them.