Taken by Sadistic: Rage Ryders MC (7 page)

Chapter 15

~
Tic

As we make it out to our bikes King gives us the universal sign for light ‘em up and let’s ride. I love the way excitement still rolls through my body as we get into our formation and hit the road. The road headin’ home is what I’m talkin’ about. I hate this feelin’ that’s been itchin’ me the entire time we’ve been at Joey’s. The sooner we get home, the more at ease I’ll start to feel. I’m at my Prez’s six so I’m the first to notice the way his bike is startin’ to swerve.

“What the fuck you doin, Prez?” I say over our intercom system that’s connected to each and every one of our helmets.

“Somethin’s not right with my bike, I can’t seem to control it! Get ready boys—this is gonna be a crash and burn. I’m gonna make my way towards the grass. Easier fall that this damn concrete!” King screams at us through his mic. “Motherfucker! Someone’s done a number on my sweetheart—I can’t control any part of her.”

Then not only do I watch as my Prez is attempting to avoid disaster, we all hear him wheezin’ from his chest out his mouth. Then I catch him out of the corner of my eye hit his chest with his fist. Fuck! He’s goin’ down and I’m not gonna be able to break his fall. He’s not steady at all on the bike where I can get close enough to soften his blow by usin’ myself as his shield.

As if I’m watchin’ a movie everything seems to go into slow motion as I watch my Prez close his eyes and collapse over his gas tank. Sniper bein’ the closest to him reaches out to grab him, but as he tries the bike veers off to the left and then is down, rollin’ with our Prez still attached to his bike. It’s as if all my fears are comin’ true. I watch as his bike skids to a stop, King underneath the bike, there’s no movement. As I race my bike to where he’s landed I don’t even take the time to throw the kick stand down. No, I let it drop to the ground with a ‘thump’ that echoes through me. My intention is strictly on King, but all the noises that surround me still make their way to my senses.

It feels as if it takes minutes to reach his side, knowin’ that it’s actually seconds. My heart leaps into my chest as I take stock of his condition. I can tell just by seein’ him that his neck’s broken. His eyes have lost their light, there is no life left in him, I’ve lost him! I’ve lost the only man who’s ever been like a father to me. One of the best men and brothers’ I’ve had the honor of knowin’. The best Prez any club could ever ask of havin’. He’s gone, and it’s all my fault. I knew somethin’ was wrong.
I. knew. it.
I felt in deep inside my bones and with every beat my heart took.

He’s gone! He’s fuckin’ gone! I’m speechless, I’m appalled and most of all
I. Am. Pissed!
I know Kori’s dad had somethin’ to do with this. I know it like I know my name is Sadistic. And it is time every motherfucker who touched my Prez, touched my girls and fucked with my club learns exactly why I’m called this. It is on! I’m bringin’ hell to their front door. I will deliver them to the reaper. One by one, till’ they’ve paid in blood.
Their
blood.

I watch as Sniper hits his knees next to his best friend’s side. In the most gutted howl I’ve ever heard, he screams, “NO! Not you, not you brother! Don’t you fuckin’ leave us, don’t you dare! You have no right to leave me like this—it’s us, us till the end, watchin’ our grandkids together while sittin’ on the front porch talkin’ bout the old days. It’s our dream, it’s our lifelong promise!”

Wasp grabs our VP and pulls up and into his arms for a grief-stricken hug. They hold each other tight. I almost forgot Kid was with us, till I looked over and saw him on the ground sittin’ on his ass. His life gone from his eyes as he looks upon his Pa’s body.

“Kid” I scream his name, nothin’ I get nothin’ from my best friend. He doesn’t even hear or notice me callin’ him or headin’ for him. As I get close and try to pull him into my arms he loses it. He starts to fight me, punchin’ me in the face—anywhere he can reach he gives me blow after blow. I take it, I take it because of the guilt swarmin’ my body. I take it ‘cause I know it’s not personal. It’s hurt and anguish. It’s loss and betrayal. It’s love of a son losin’ his father, his teacher and the only man who’s been there for every single aspect of his life.

Fuck me, how do we tell Skylar and his Ol’ lady? This will hurt them, possibly kill half of their hearts and souls. And all I can keep thinkin’ is ‘It shoulda been me’. This is my fight, my war and I’ve brought this to the table. I asked my brothers to fight this battle with me, and now one’s gone. Everyone is goin’ to lose it, this war I’ve asked for is goin’ to be bloodier than even I imagined. IT IS ON!

Chapter 16

~
Wasp

As I’m takin’ in the loss and pain around me I see Kid losin’ himself inside of his head. He’s not gonna ever be the same again, I hope Riley can somehow bring him back to the now. We’re gonna need him, his sister and mother need the strength that boy has in him. He needs to grieve and then build that wall. That wall needs to be unbreakable, he needs to use his anger. It will be his drivin’ force to keep him sane. His girls are gonna need him to help them through this. If he can’t bring himself to that point, I’m gonna have to make sure he’s benched throughout this ordeal. We need retribution for our fallen brother. I need to find a way to bring that wall to him if he can’t manage it on his own.

We need strength and clear heads to plan our revenge, retribution and the blood bath that I know is comin’. I don’t wanna lay any more brothers to rest. In order for us to be a strong unit, we need to see past the hurt and use our anger to guide us. It will be what initially keeps us safe in the long run. Anger is an emotion that will bring on adrenaline. When you’re fightin’ you need all the help you can get. A clear head is the only way to go. As I’m thinkin’ all this about Kid, I see Tic out the corner of my eye, and dammit to hell if he isn’t puttin’ all this on his shoulders. Fuck! Is everyone gonna lose themselves inside their heads—heads I’m apparently gonna have to bash together until everyone gets to where we need to be.

My VP is fallin’ apart in my arms—I get it, seriously I do. King was not just my Prez, he was my savior by bringin’ my woman and daughters to me. For this, he will always have my undying’ gratitude and will hold a strong place in my heart.

“Sniper! I feel this loss too, but man, you need to stand up strong. We’ve gotta get our brothers and his family through this.”

“Fuck you, Wasp! You’ve no idea how strong this loss hits me. It’s been him, me and Jed through all of the evils we had as kids on the streets. Without him, I can’t do this! I can’t run this club—it means nothin’ to me without him. So fuck you very much!”

With those partin’ words, he goes to his bike, gets on and takes off. Leavin’ us here with King. Tic is at war within’ himself, and Kid’s lost to us. Tic took a pretty good beat-down for the few minutes Kid acknowledged the world outside of himself. But that was instinct, not him controllin’ his thought process.

I excuse myself to make a call to the club, I need my brothers here. We are stronger in numbers; I feel like the three of us are open season out here in the open. Exposed as we are with no backup, two grief-stricken brothers aren’t gonna help me control any situation we may possibly find ourselves in. I for one don’t wanna be a sittin’ duck. Since Tic and Kid aren’t thinkin’ straight and Sniper left us on our own, it’s up to me to think for everyone else.

Chapter 17

~
Kori

Riley, Sadie, Skylar and I were all messing around playing pool when the clubhouse phone rang. There wasn’t a prospect around so Skylar ran and answered the phone that was in the bar that was in the same room as the pool table was. I heard her answer then she got a frightening look on her face so I paid a little more attention to her side of the conversation.

“Okay Wasp, are you sure everything is alright? Sure, hang on, one of the guys are around here somewhere. Give me a few minutes and I’ll have one of them call you.”

“What was that all about?” I asked Skylar.

“Not sure, that was Wasp, all he’d say is he needs me to get Ryder to give me him a call immediately. I’m going to go outside and see if I can see one of the guys.”

Riley yells at her retreating back as she walked toward the exit in the back of the clubhouse.

“I heard the guys talking a little while ago about going to the shooting range. I’d start there and save yourself the trouble of searching the entire property.”

Skylar raised her hand over her head and waved her hand giving us confirmation she heard what Riley said.

“Wonder what that was all about? I got the heebie-jeebies while she was talking on the phone. Did you see her face? Whatever Dad said to her had her rushing. I hope it isn’t bad news.”

“Something’s off,” I said, “They never used to call the clubhouse when they were out on the road when I was with Tic before.”

“Still don’t that I’ve noticed,” Riley said.

Definitely something wrong, I have a horrible feeling whatever it is going to rock this clubhouse down to its knees. I have a really horrific feeling that my father is behind whatever it is. Always figures with him that something would be going right in my life and he’d find a way to screw it up for me. Is it wrong to hate your father? Honestly, I loathe the man, pray daily for him to die. Hopefully when the maniac has his Judgement Day it’s extremely painful. He deserves nothing less than that just for murdering my mother alone. Can I prove he killed my mother if I was in a court of law? No. Do I know for sure he was the cause of her death? Abso-fucking-lutely.

Not only did he admit it to my face, but has used it against me to keep me in line. Or so he thinks, he may have threatened me with those I love on several occasions. I have managed to go behind his back and get away with things he has no clue about. Thank goodness, if he did, I’m sure I’d already have lost someone I love. He’s a crazy bastard who needs to be put to pasture. If it takes me being the one to do it to keep everyone safe. I have no problem with that.

He may be my blood, but he’s not any family to me as far as I’m concerned.

I hear the rumble of several maybe all of the motorcycles tear out of the parking garage. Shortly after Skylar comes inside and we all look at her as if asking ‘well?’ She shrugs her shoulders at us. Damn, she got no idea from being with them what’s going on. Skylar being in the dark is out of this world. That girl’s sneaky as hell. If any of us could have figured out what’s going on, I would place my money on it being her. Which means for now at least, we’re in the dark until someone feels like sharing what’s happening.

That means we could know today, or a month from today, or never. Depending on circumstances and if we’re in the need to know. For now, all we can do is sit and wait. And just hope all is good. Even though my heart is telling me it isn’t.

And boy, oh boy, is my instinct going to be right once we are told what happened today. None of us were ready for the shock that would be coming our
way.