Tease: A Kings of Korruption MC Novel (16 page)

“Why?”

Surprised by the question, I cock my head slightly.
 
“Why what?”

“Why the fuck do you want to get to know me so bad?”
 
Sarcasm laces his tone.

The man is clueless.
 
“Well … you’re pretty ripped.”
 
I smirk.
 
“And kind … sometimes, anyways.
 
I like your gruff voice and your chuckle.
 
You smell amazing.
 
But most of all … you treat me like a normal person.”
 
I shrug and cast my eyes downward, biting my lip.
 
“You actually listen to me.
 
Sometimes I don’t even remember that I’m blind when I’m with you.”

He groans like he’s in pain.
 
“Fuck.”

I can’t do this anymore.
 
I won’t.
 
I’m tired and sore, and I need a shower.
 
Travis pushing me away after the nightmare I lived of trying to find him after the accident has drained what’s left of my patience and my energy.
 
I snap my fingers to call Dex over, and once he reaches my side, I grab his harness and say what I need to say.

“You want me to leave, I’ll leave.
 
Not forever … just for now.
 
But you have some major soul searching to do, Travis.
 
My emotions can’t be played with like a goddamned yo-yo.
 
Stop masking those massive fears you have with your tough guy act, and maybe, hopefully, you’ll finally be happy.
 
I just really hope I’m the one you choose to be happy with.”
 
I take a deep breath and finish.
 
“So this is not goodbye … more of a see you soon.
 
We never got to finish that ride.”
 
Tossing a tired smile over my shoulder, I turn and walk out of the room.
 

I know he doesn’t mean for me to hear it when he mutters, “Fuckin’ nut.”

THE NEXT MORNING, RYKER and Mouse are there to spring me when the doctor finally gets off his ass and gives the all clear to escape the creepy hospital room.
 
Ryker gives me a fresh set of clothes, and after I finish getting dressed, we pile into the black, unmarked van the club uses when they need to keep a low profile.
 

“Your bike is fucked, brother.”
 
I knew it would be, but hearing it confirmed just about fucking kills me.
 
I love that bike.
 
“Jase says he can fix it.
 
He was working on it when we left.”

I clench my jaw and nod.
 
I know Jase can fix it – the man is a fucking genius with motorcycles.
 
I just don’t look forward to not having my ride until he does.
 
Looks like I’ll be driving this fucking van for a while.

“Where’s Laynie?” Ryker asks.

I side-eye him.
 
“Gone.”

“Gone?
 
Not for good, though, right?”
 
Mouse pokes his head up between the two front seats.
 
“Laynie’s the shit!”

I glare straight ahead, watching the scenery and thinking that Mouse needs to learn to mind his own fucking business.

“He’s right, ya know.”
 
I look at Ryker.
 
“She’s fuckin’ cool.
 
And she likes you, which is a miracle in its-fucking-self.
 
Hold on to that shit, brother.”

I shake my head, noticing the driveway for the clubhouse approaching.
 
I need to get out of this vehicle and away from these nosey fucks.
 
Ryker just chuckles and pulls into the nearest parking space.
 
“Church in five.”

The three of us walk into the clubhouse and are greeted by Gunner.
 
“Get your asses in the meeting room.
 
We’re all waiting.
 
Mouse, you better sit in on this one.”

Mouse nods and follows us in.
 
Once we’re all seated, Gunner pounds his gavel down onto the table.
 
“Shit’s gettin’ serious, boys.
 
Real serious.”
 
He motions to me.
 
“Tease, glad you’re OK, brother.”

I receive slaps on the back and murmured agreements before he continues.
 
“Those sons-of-bitches almost killed one of our own last night.
 
And he had his fuckin’ old lady with him.”
 
My heart clenches at the mention of Laynie.
 
After the way her brother died, she must have been fucking terrified.
 
Breaking it off with her was a shit move.

“They wanted a war?
 
Well, they fuckin’ got one.”
 
Fists pound the table, and the room erupts in loud voices, each one plotting the death of the Devil’s Rejects.
 
All except one.

“How do we even know it was the Devils?”
 
The room quiets, and all eyes turn to Tiny.
 
“We have no proof.
 
Tease was fuckin’ knocked out, and his bitch is fuckin’ blind.”
 
He sneers that last word with disgust.

My eyes widen, and heated rage erupts in my gut.
 
I pierce him with my eyes, about to lose my shit when I’m interrupted.

“You might want to watch your tone more carefully next time, Tiny,” Reaper growls.
 
“You disrespect a brother or his old lady like that again, I’ll be next in line after Tease to shove my foot up your ass and wear you as a fuckin’ boot.”

Tiny’s eyes narrow on Reaper, but he says nothing.
 
Gunner shakes his head.
 
“Moving on, ladies.
 
We know it was the Devils for sure because I have a contact who fuckin’ told me so.”

I sit up straighter, ignoring the pain from my road rash.
 
This is news to me.

“A man that goes by the name of Tip contacted me earlier this mornin’.
 
He’s an advisor for the local chapter of the Bloods.”
 
He looks around the room.
 
“Seems we got a common enemy.”

“The Bloods?
 
We’re doing business with the fuckin’ Bloods now?”
 
Tiny shakes his head.
 
“Fuck me.”

“Tiny!” Gunner yells his name so loud we all jump.
 
“Shut the fuck up, or get the fuck out of my clubhouse.
 
I’m tired of dealin’ with you and your fuckin’ mouth.
 
Show some goddamned respect or hand in your fuckin’ patch.”
 
Tiny’s eyes widen.
 
“Moving the fuck on.
 
Tip has a guy workin’ undercover with the Crips.
 
Said the Crips and the Devils have been workin’ together on some drug trading lately.
 
He overheard them last night laughin’ about runnin’ one of the Kings off the road.”

He leans back in his chair.
 
“Now, Tip didn’t give me this information out of the kindness of his heart.
 
The Bloods want the Crips taken out.
 
They want their share of the cocaine trade here in the city, and the Crips are seriously fuckin’ with their business.
 
There’s a drop-off tonight outside of an old warehouse near the airport.
 
The Devils are pickin’ up a bunch of coke and takin’ it back to Toronto.
 
We now have the location and the time.
 
The deal is, we take out the Devils and in the process take out a few Crips along the way.”

A frown creasing his forehead, Jase sits up.
 
“The fuck?
 
That’s just gonna cause war with the fuckin’ Crips.
 
Is that wise?”

Gunner sighs.
 
“Probably not, but it’s a perfect opportunity for a hit.
 
They won’t be expectin’ us.
 
The Bloods are good allies to keep.
 
We do this, they’ll have our backs when we need them.”

“I don’t like it,” Ryker states, echoing my own thoughts.
 
“Starting a war with the Crips is just jumping from one war to another.”

“It’s decided.
 
We’re not voting on this.
 
As your president, this is a direct fucking order.”
 
Gunner glares at Ryker, daring him to argue.

Ryker shakes his head, clearly not happy.
 
“So what’s the plan?”

“We get there early and lay low.
 
We wait ‘til they all get there, and in the middle of their exchange, we open fire.”
 
He nods to Reaper.
 
“Reap, you’re the best shot of all of us.
 
You’re snipin’.”

Reaper nods.

“These stupid fucks picked the wrong goddamned club to mess with.
 
Runnin’ our man off the road signed their death certificates.”

Ryker and I lock eyes.
 
Doing this mission may just be us signing our own.

Travis has been out of the hospital for hours now.
 
I know because I called, and they told me he’d been released.
 
That was three hours ago.
 
I’d figured after my epic monologue and dramatic exit, he’d have at least called.
 
That’s what any one of my super sexy book boyfriends would do – especially the bikers.
 
They are all badasses, but they take care of their old ladies.
 
Too bad they’re all fictional.
 
Is that what I am now?
 
His old lady?
 
I don’t know if we’d gotten that far yet.