Chapter 11 Skel

P resent—

Nothing worked out like it was supposed to. I told Lacey I'd be back to talk to her father, but I never got a chance. The little ride into the desert changed everything. First, I was horny as fuck. I couldn't wait to get to my woman. Second, the knowledge that Manic and Creature had picked up the asshole who invaded my home surged a new need through my body. Vengeance.

My cock throbbed for Lacey. My head refused to allow me to leave until I found out how he knew where I lived and why the fuck he arrived with his buddies after I brought Lacey. I'd been watched. That much was obvious.

But who? Why? This felt far more complicated than Luis Diego and a little revenge. Sure, he was probably still pissed when I showed up and ruined his plans, interrupting when he went after the judge and Lacey.

Still, I didn't buy there wasn't another motive.

This stunk like club retribution, and the only club we had an issue with in Las Vegas and Tonopah were the fucking Bladed Serpents MC. I puffed on my cigarette as I leaned against the building, needing that shot of nicotine before I took my turn on the prisoner. I let Manic and Creature work him over first. He needed to be worn down, bloodied, and broken when I went downstairs. If he wasn't? I would finish the job.

No matter what, I was getting answers. I had to protect my woman. Lacey was gonna be my ol' lady. All that shit that kept us apart? We could work through it.

And the family part? I would figure out a way to make her happy. We could adopt. Look into other ways for her to conceive. I didn't give a fuck as long as we stayed together.

I flicked the last of my cigarette to the ground, stomping out the cinders, and headed back inside the clubhouse. Maddog spotted me and gestured for me to join him at the bar.

"We haven't learned anything useful. I'm thinkin' the asshole down there is savin' all the juicy shit for you."

That thought occurred to me, too. It made sense. He came to my house. "I'm going down now."

There was a massive cellar in this old casino. It had been used for storage in the last couple of decades, but now that we gutted it and placed tool benches and weapon racks down here, it resembled a torture chamber. Chains and hooks were poking out of bins that lined the walls. We even bought a blacksmith forge.

The point was that we had a place to work. And if that included interrogating anyone threatening the club, so be it.

I didn't waste time being polite when I reached the bottom of the stairs. Manic and Creature had strapped our prisoner to a metal embalming table. His wrists and ankles were pulled tight at the four corners, which left him vulnerable.

I picked up pliers and walked to his side. "Why did you come to my house?"

Silence.

I clamped his nipple and twisted, pulling hard on his skin.

The prisoner howled.

"Why did you come to my house?"

I twisted more, ripping off part of his nipple.

"Fuck! Stop!"

"Answer me, motherfucker, or I will rip your body apart one piece at a time. I'm not as patient as they are," I informed him, gesturing to Manic and Creature.

"Ratchet," he blubbered through tears. "He's at the core of all of it. I'll tell you everything. I never wanted this shit."

Why didn't he cooperate before now? "Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"I was waiting to tell you ."

Yeah, I thought so. "Why me?"

"Ratchet wants to tear down this club before it can get started. He's lookin' to expand his territory, but the reason he started with you is because of Luis Diego. He paid Ratchet and the club."

"For?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"The judge, his daughter, and the shit from three years ago. He's fucking obsessed with making you all suffer."

And there it was. Luis Diego sought help as soon as he was released from prison. He'd hooked up with old friends and made alliances with new ones. Ratchet didn't pass up the opportunity to make a buck or hurt the RBMC.

"There's something else."

"What?" I asked, hoping this didn't have anything to do with Lacey.

Something stirred inside me—a feeling of rage that wasn't my own. I felt my body temperature rise and the presence of an entity. He moved within shadows, forming in my mind.

No skin formed, but I saw a skeletal face. Red glowing eyes.

And I heard a deep, scratchy voice.

We must protect Lacey.

The thought wasn't my own.

I startled, focusing on the prisoner on the table. "Tell me."

"Luis Diego will be at The Naked Slipper tonight."

I hated that name. We needed to rename the strip club asap.

This was the information I needed. Finally, I could take down that asshole. He shouldn't have survived after what he did to Lacey.

Touch our woman and die.

Power flowed through my blood. I felt the creature in my veins. He slithered through every part of me. Instead of feeling creeped out, I felt the power inside me intensify.

"Check it out," Maddog ordered. I wasn't sure how long he'd been there. "Bring Creature and Manic."

The shadows swirled inside me. I felt their presence burst from my skin and hover around my body. I turned to the guy on the table, hating he was a rat.

"Boo, motherfucker," I growled, feeling my shadows pulse with amusement as the prisoner pissed himself.

Maybe bonding with a demonic being had its privileges.

Skel. Lacey's voice popped into my head. Shit. She needed me.

WE WALKED TO THE STRIP club instead of riding our bikes. It wasn't far, and we owned most of this street. Time to make our presence known and kick some ass.

I had a plan and discussed it with my brothers before we entered The Naked Slipper. It probably would have gone down the right way if I hadn't walked inside and found my girl on the center stage. She strutted as she made her way to the pole, swishing her ass with every step.

Lacey wore a schoolgirl uniform, and the striptease had every fucker in this place hot for her. Pieces of her costume flung outward as she tossed them in all directions. The way she moved her body to the music had me throbbing with need. When she got down to her panties and a lacey bra in virginal white, I nearly stomped onstage.

But something inside me prevented me from moving.

"Hey," I whispered to the shadows.

Watch.

Lacey's hands wrapped around the pole as she reached it, and she kicked up her legs, swinging around as her ass and those long, sexy, smooth legs sent her through the air in a sensual spin. She worked that pole like she'd been born to it. I never saw a woman at ease quite like it, thrusting her satin-clad pussy toward the metal as she gyrated.

Fuck. Me.

We need to buy her one.

Hell yeah, we did.

Blonde hair and sensual curves had me engrossed. The whole place could have burned down, and I wouldn't have noticed. She had my complete and undivided attention. When she noticed I was there, staring at her, she licked her lips and smiled.

She was fucking beautiful. Sky-blue eyes almost too innocent and big for her face. Curves and a juicy ass. Those sexy legs that wrapped around me on my bike.

Fuck. I wanted her. Now. Tomorrow. Forever.

Lacey had a combination of sweet innocence and sensual grace that did wicked things to my brain and body. My cock tingled whenever I looked at her. She aroused my dick, my curiosity, and the desire to learn more about her. Everything we never got a chance to talk about three years ago. I wanted it all with her.

Seeing her here only strengthened my resolve. I had to make her my ol' lady. She was a morally sweet girl in a house of corruption. A little vixen who walked on the wild side. All I could ever need or desire.

Her stare caressed me from head to boots as she continued to rock her hips and sway her ass to the beat. When the song ended, she blew a kiss into the crowd, but her stare had locked on me.

All fucking mine.

Ours.

Yes. Ours.

Creature stood beside me. "Diego is here."

He came for her performance.

Fuck. I bet that asshole did.

"Let's end this."

Creature nodded, and Manic joined us, heading toward the back of the club and a hall that led to private rooms. A security guard tried to stop us, but Manic pulled him aside. I didn't want to notice if he had to use force or not. Blood would spill tonight. I knew that for certain.

This was our club now. We made the rules, and the hostile takeover was just beginning.

I spotted Luis Diego as he entered one of the rooms. He had to have seen Lacey. Maybe he enjoyed the show. Or perhaps he would order her to join him. I didn't know how it would go down. Didn't matter. Whatever he started, I'd finish.

We pulled our guns as we reached the room, busting inside, weapons drawn. Diego was expecting us. No surprise there. Several of his men flanked him.

But the other man in the room wasn't expected. He wore a cut with the serpent and blade patch. President adhered to the front along with his name: Ratchet.

Creature moved closer. He had waited a long time to find out who ordered the hit on his mother. Years for retribution and the truth. Now, he finally had a chance to learn if Ratchet was behind all of it.

Ratchet had stayed on with the club after Tinman left. The asshole had to know what went down with the hit and who ordered it. Tinman's wife's murder was too much. He had a son to raise and didn't want that life to take away anyone he loved. He broke all ties with the Bladed Serpents MC.

But Creature never let it go. He couldn't.

"Ah, Tinman's son. You look just like him. Well, without the wheelchair."

That was fucked.

Creature took a step in Ratchet's direction and snarled. "You order the hit on my mother?"

"Yeah, boy, I did. What are you gonna do about it?"

Several things happened at once.

One of the Bladed Serpents MC members entered the room and shoved Lacey into it. Creature lost his shit. Manic watched his back, aiming his gun at the BSMC members.

And me? I let my shadows out to play.