CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Loki

Hours Later

As much as Bea wanted to be out here for this, she's new to the club.

New to being an Old Lady.

I don't want to scare her away.

I don't want to overwhelm her.

Our new life together has only just started.

This could ruin any chance I have with her.

So she's back in the clubhouse, watching Louis and Poppy, while the rest of us are out here on the helicopter field, ready to give Hayes the sendoff he deserves.

Needless to say, the cocky asshole has been uncharacteristically quiet since we left the governor's mansion all those hours ago. I honestly think Hayes thought he had found a way out of the club and that Bennett was going to be his saving grace.

The thing is, people are loyal to those who show loyalty.

Hayes forgot that all while revealing his true colors and disrespecting ours.

Defiance don't take kindly to anyone showing contempt.

To our club cut.

To our club members.

Even those who aren't fully patched in yet.

What Hayes did with the club cut tonight was the ultimate betrayal, even more so than ratting us out to Bennett.

And he's about to find out the hard way what happens when you piss off Defiance MC.

Wes, our only remaining prospect, holds Hayes in a tight grip as they walk in front of the rest of the club. Brothers, old ladies, family members, club girls, every single one of us is here to watch this piece of shit get what's coming to him.

Hayes clears his throat as we walk closer to the helicopter field. The lights are on, seeing as it's late night. "The fuck are you assholes planning?" Hayes grunts.

Wes shoves him—hard—causing Hayes to trip and fall face-first to the ground. And seeing as his hands are bound behind him, it's going to be a struggle for the asshole to get back to his feet.

"I know Alpha said not to talk, you pathetic cunt," Wes snaps.

Hayes snorts out a laugh, rolling onto his back, and tries to sit up. "He's not my president. I don't have to do shit when it comes to him."

Wes smirks, then suddenly his boot flies out, kicking Hayes straight in the teeth. His entire body hurtles back, landing in the dirt again with a thud. I am pretty sure one of his incisors goes flying through the dirt cloud his body sent, swirling through the air.

"You know, even in my time at the Serpents, when I fucking hated it there, and I was only staying to protect my sister, Sadie, I never would have pulled the shit you have. And I can tell you now, Hayes, you did all this because you thought Loki was a slave driver. But fuck, man, you're such a fucking pussy that you don't know how damn good you had it here. You wouldn't have lasted one… single… day… prospecting with the Serpents. The best thing you did was show us how weak you are because there is no way in hell I'd want you riding at my six, and now, we won't have to."

Hayes battles the knot caught in his throat, his eyes beginning to show signs of fear as I step up beside Wes, a small grin on my face at how far he has come since joining us. Gripping his shoulder, I nod at him to take a step back.

And he does.

Without question.

He is one fucking great prospect.

"Hayes, I don't want to drag this out. You've pissed me off enough as it is today. I'd like to think of myself as a reasonable man, whether you believe that or not, from your time at the club, but you betrayed us. There's no denying that fact. There's also no denying you didn't have a full patch. Technically, you're not , and never were Defiance."

Hayes widens his eyes, tilts his head, and increases his breathing. "Which means?"

Shrugging, I reach down, grab his shirt, and hoist him to his feet. "Which means you have two options."

His eyes grow wider. "Well then, what the fuck are they?" he snaps in some sort of show of insolence.

Glancing over my shoulder at Alpha, he dips his head in approval. Turning back to the dipshit, I continue, "Option A, you get on that helo with Alpha, he takes you out of Los Angeles, and you never, ever come back into this city again. This is our city, and you do not belong in it."

Hayes furrows his brows like he can't believe what he's hearing. "And option B?"

"You do the honorable thing… let us kill you. Right here. Right now. For turning on us. For disrespecting the cut. For disrespecting the club. And for selling out Bea and her app to that fucking cunt of a politician."

Hayes stares at me blankly like I have lost my damn mind. "Are you fucking with me?"

Pursing my lips, I shake my head. "No. Those are your options. Like I said, you didn't receive your full patch, so…" I leave that hanging in the air.

His eyes dart around to the rest of the club members. None of them say a word. They simply stare right back at him. A bright smile lights his face as he glances at Alpha, raising his chin to him. "Take me out of this godforsaken city. I'll be more than happy to never see your sorry asses again," he demands.

Just like I knew he would.

Shaking my head, I inhale sharply, then glance back at Alpha. "He's all yours, Pres."

Alpha steps forward, side-eyeing me, then moves in front of Hayes. "Just so you know, you came into my club. You disrespected me, my brothers, and our club name. You may think you're getting off lightly on a technicality here, asshole. But we will be watching you. You step foot inside LA state lines, and all bets are off. I promise you, Hayes, next time… we won't hold back."

Hayes grins cockily, waggling his brows. "Anyone told you guys you talk too much? Let's get going… shall we?" Hayes turns to start walking toward the helicopter, his stride full of confidence. A cocky swagger, even if his hands are tied behind him.

Alpha glances at me, giving me a simple nod as he spins, jogging after Hayes while they make their way toward the helicopter. My heart races fast in my chest, my stomach swirling with the adrenaline surging through my veins as I turn to face Wes. His face is hard and stern, with clear anger rushing through his system, watching his prospect partner striding away from us like he is the king of the world.

Hayes suddenly spins back, a laugh escaping him, his eyes on me. "You should try harder to treat people the way you want to be treated, Loki. You never know, then maybe you might actually win a fight one of these days," he calls out, dipping his chin, then turns back toward the helicopter, giddy in his freedom.

A slow smile crosses my face, and I feel Wes' eyes on me, desperate for me to give the signal. But I can't help myself. I have to have the last word. "If you're using that logic, Hayes, then I treated you just fine. Because I'm about to win this fucking fight." Lifting my finger, I aim it forward, giving the signal to Wes as Hayes halts his movements to turn around and ask what the hell I'm talking about.

But it's too late.

Bang.

Wes takes the shot, the bullet zooming through the air, blasting straight into Hayes' kneecap as he turns. The asshole goes down like the sack of shit he is, slamming straight into the dirt beneath him. He lets out an obnoxious wail as he rolls around in the dirt, the blood pouring out as we take off as a club, rushing toward him. Alpha, who is trying to fight back his laugh, leans down to remove the rope ties around Hayes' wrists.

Hayes glances up at Alpha, his eyes almost begging. "Alpha, please, get me out of here. They're going against your orders. Surely you can get me out and then come back and punish them for this… right?" he pleads.

Alpha smirks, giving him a swift kick in the ribs for good measure. "You honestly thought I'd let you leave Los Angeles and never come back? You really didn't pay attention to anything during your time as a prospect, did you?" Alpha snorts out through his fit of laughter. "Come get him, boys."

"You're all fucking crazy!" Hayes yells, still rolling in pain, blood pooling from his knee.

I step up to his side and shrug. "Only when the need arises or when someone pushes us to it. And you, Hayes, you've pushed us all off the motherfucking edge."

He stops rolling around, his eyes focused on me, and I see it. The second it registers in his mind that he isn't getting out of this like he thought he was.

That we fucked with him.

Let him think he was walking away.

The fact is, he is losing his life here tonight, in this field.

His breathing kicks back in, and he tries frantically to stand, his knee giving out, but his other leg keeps him upright as he starts scurrying away from us.

Like that's going to get him far.

We all shake our heads as he rushes, but we all walk at a normal pace, catching up to him fast. Rip is the first to capture him, pulling Hayes around by his shirt, gripping it in his hands, and forcing him to look Rip in the eyes. "You know, dude. You were a fucking dead weight on the farm and helping out with Sadie and the greenhouse. Doughnut was totally more helpful than you ever were, and that's saying something cause he's a freaking goat. And goats aren't good at anything. So, you really suck."

Hayes frowns at Rip, letting out a huff. "At least I'm not some stoner, wannabe surfer pretending to be a biker. Fucking pick a lane and stay in it, asshole."

Rip curls up his lip, anger crossing his face. "There's no pretending here. You're the one who's clucked. You want to see me as a biker? You got it. This is gonna be totally gnarly, dude!" he chimes, pulls back his fist, then slams it into Hayes' jaw with enough force that he drops down onto his bad knee. He lets out a loud yelp. The pain rushes through him, causing his entire body to collapse.

Rip doesn't stop, though, reaching for his gun, drawing it out, and pressing it directly down onto Hayes' crotch. Hayes tries to fight Rip off, but Rip simply chuckles, pressing his boot down onto Hayes' torso to keep him still. "You think I can't be biker enough? Does this feel biker to you, Hayes?" Rip asks, pulling the trigger, the gun exploding on top of his cock and balls. There's no telling which was hit, probably all.

Hayes screams in agony, blood pooling beneath him as he rocks back and forth on the ground.

Rip steps back with a slight chuckle. "And you know what, Hayes? In the morning, my stoner ass is gonna go for one kickass, gnarly as hell surf to wash your blood from my feet, you fucking piece of shit," he mumbles the last part, stepping aside and wiping his brow with his forearm.

I grin at him with a nod. He lets out a small chuckle while Maverick, Montana, Strings, and Ink take off for the bushes to prepare.

Alpha and I stand at the back, arms folded, as we watch the rest of the club step up to Hayes, taking out their frustrations on him in their own personal ways while his screams echo through the clearing.

My own personal symphony of vengeance and justice for Bea.

With Hayes beginning to weaken from the copious amounts of beatings and stab wounds he is receiving, I know we need to hurry this along. The last thing we want is for him to die before the grand finale I have planned for him.

But as if the heavens were listening to my silent prayers, the thunderous roar of four Harleys make their way into the clearing. Montana, Maverick, Ink, and Strings hurling toward us at a fast rate, and Alpha and I smile while the four of them duckwalk their bikes toward Hayes in opposite directions.

Alpha and I move to the front of the group, shifting everyone out of the way. "Okay, enough! Wes. Roll him on his back," I demand.

Wes steps up and with his boot, kicks Hayes over. He flops onto his back, blood oozes from everywhere, his face a swollen bloody mess as he coughs, trying to keep breathing. "W-Wes, h… help me," he stutters, his hand slowly raising, trying to clutch at Wes' cut.

Wes scrunches his face in disgust, shoving Hayes' hand from him. "You made your bed. Now you can rest in peace in it," he states, then chuckles at his own joke and reaches for the chains that the four guys are attaching to the rear of their bikes.

"C'mon, Wes, w…we're friends," Hayes whispers.

Wes smirks, taking the first chain and begins wrapping the cuffed end around Hayes' right wrist. "Friends don't turn on each other, Hayes," he states, then quickly straps on the left cuff.

The panic in Hayes' eyes is clearly becoming apparent as Wes straps a cuff to Hayes' left ankle. "It's not too late… you can help me. We can get out of this together!"

Wes stops, looks down at Hayes, and shakes his head. "You tarnish the word prospect!" He growls, his voice laced with so much venom that even I'm shocked. But what he does next surprises me even more. His fingers move to the fly of his jeans, which he unzips and proceeds to pull out his cock. We all hold our breath, wondering what the fuck he's doing, but then he starts pissing all over Hayes' face.

My eyes widen as Hayes snaps his head from side to side, his eyes clenched, trying to avoid the steady stream of piss hitting directly on his face. His arms are tied into the shackles, so he can't do anything but take it like a man.

I side-eye Alpha, his arms crossed over his chest, while he tries to fight back a smirk.

I guess they did do things differently at the Steel Serpents MC.

Peering back at the rest of our club, everyone's fighting back a laugh, and I can't help but notice Clover trying her hardest not to look at Wes' cock. The fact she's even here is questionable, to be honest, but she is a part of this club. She knows what we do, how things are done. If her brother, Maverick, wants her here for this, then that is up to him.

Wes lets out a loud, "Ah, that's better," he gives his cock a couple of shakes and then slides it back into his jeans without a second thought. He then kneels beside Hayes, who's still keeping his eyes clenched tight and trying not to open his mouth for obvious reasons. Wes softly chuckles, reaching for the last cuff and straps in Hayes' right ankle, then taps his heavily wounded leg. "Try not to fall to pieces at what comes next," Wes mocks, then stands and inhales deeply, making his way to the back of the group, the eyes of us all watching him as he goes. However, he continues to say nothing.

Letting out a small chuckle, I find myself undeniably fucking proud of my only remaining prospect. He's proving himself today. But there's still a job to do, and as I step up to the pathetic excuse of a man covered in blood and piss on the dirt before me, I huff. "It didn't need to be this way, Hayes."

Through stuttered breaths, he slowly opens his eyes, shaking his head a little to try and remove any remaining moisture. He looks right at me. "Loki, please, I swear. I will do better. I will do anything. Just please, stop this insanity."

I can't help the rolling belly laugh that escapes me.

Finally, he's begging.

This is what I was after.

Folding my arms across my chest, the revving of the bikes sends a thrill through me like never before. Smiling wide, I simply raise my hand in the air and close my fist, sending the signal. Hayes' eyes widen in unimaginable terror as the roar of four Harleys through the night air sends my skin prickling into goose bumps.

This guy betrayed me.

He betrayed Bea.

And he betrayed the club.

Now, he is going to find out why no one does exactly that.

The bikes take off, racing at high speed. The tension on the chains instantly pulls, making each one attached to a separate limb rattle and begin their strain. Hayes' breathing increases, his head snapping from one wrist to the other, then down to his feet, the realization sinking in on what's about to happen. "You can't do this! You have to stop! Loki, seriously."

The chains continue to rattle as the bikes ride farther and farther out in opposing directions, the tension increasing, getting so close now, my adrenaline is in overload. The chains begin to lift, a smile crosses my face when his body is dramatically pulled up into the air.

"Loki, I'm sorr—" but his words are cut short as the strain from all four angles pulls his body apart in the most grotesque fashion. Blood splashes all over me as body parts fly after the thundering bikes. A mass of entrails and God knows what else slams down onto the dirt in front of me, and I take a huge step back, trying to dodge it from landing on my boots—nothing less than what the cunt deserves.

Letting out a long exhale, Wes steps up beside me, saying nothing, just handing me a cloth with a simple head bob. Taking the cloth from him, I wipe the blood from me, then wrap my arm around his shoulder. "You did good, kid."

He tilts his head. "Went a little rogue there. My Serpent days came back to me. Won't happen again. You can count on me, VP."

Grinning, I elbow him in the ribs. "If there is one thing I know for sure, Wes, it's that you are going to make one hell of a Defiance brother. You can have my six any damn time."

A genuine smile lights his face, and he nods. "Thanks, brother. That means a lot."

"But you know what I'm gonna say next, right?" I tease.

He grins, nodding his head. "Don't worry, I got you. I'll have this mess cleaned up in no time." He takes off without hesitation and runs toward the clubhouse as Alpha matches my pace.

"You good?" he asks.

"Yeah… but this only solves one problem. We still have to deal with Bennett-fucking-Marshall."

"And we will. Make no mistake about that. Tonight, though, you go be with Bea. And then tomorrow, we start looking. We figure this shit out. Because one way or another, Bennett is not making it to November."

"Agreed! I gotta talk to you tomorrow about Wes. The shit he pulled tonight…" I leave it open-ended.

Alpha snorts out a laugh. "Yeah, I know. He shocked me as well. We'll deal with that too. Get yourself cleaned up. Get some sleep. Tomorrow's a big day."

"You got it, Pres," I reply. Alpha slaps my back before we all walk inside the clubhouse as a club.

Bea spots me and rushes over, her eyes spotting the mess on my clothing.

Her lips turn up in disgust as she stops just before she is about to leap into my arms. "Uh… what, or who, is that?"

Furrowing my brow, I reach out and grab her hand, leading her toward our room. "Let's take a shower, and I can tell you all about it."

She leans in, this time not caring about the blood as she cuddles into me. "You want me to relieve some of that tension while you tell me about it?"

Raising my brow, I smirk. "Sparkle, you are a goddess."

She giggles as we reach our room and rushes in, quickly pulling off her shirt over her head. "Oh, you just wait. I'll take you to heaven all night long, baby."

Groaning, my fingers move to my belt buckle, frantically undoing it as I kick out of my boots. "Sleep is overrated… I'm going to fuck you all night long. You good with that?"

Bea slides her skirt and panties down at the same time, then starts walking for the bathroom, tossing her bra off as she goes. "After our shower, you wanna try some weird shit in the bedroom?"

My eyes widen, my smile grows so fucking enormous as I race to throw my clothing off and meet her in the shower.

It's been one hell of a day.

But I am so damn lucky I get to come home to a woman like Bea.

My woman.

And fuck if I am not going to do everything in my power to protect her.

To protect her business and her name from an asshole like Bennett Marshall.

If Hayes thought what I did to him was bad, wait until I'm done with the governor.

Just you fucking wait!