Chaos Conquers All (10 page)

The truck engine roared in protest as Jay floored it in reverse. Trace listened to the sound of groaning metal and shattering glass with a grin. The two of them were crazy pricks but in their world that was a desirable attribute.

Trace launched out of his hiding spot and ran for the mouth of the alleyway with Brodie hot on his heels. The sound of screeching metal followed them as Jay took another run at the sedan. Trace had no idea what would be waiting for them on the other side of the alleyway but he didn’t want to risk any civilians getting hurt if he could avoid it. He quickly slipped his gun away and covered it with his shirt. They popped out of the mouth of the alleyway to the shocked cries of bystanders. The sound of shooting had drawn way too much attention.

He started waving his arms and shouting, “Run, run. They’re shooting everyone.”

People began screaming and running. The chaos allowed him and Brodie to disappear through the crowd. The truck barrelled out of the alley and tore down the street towards them. Still pelting the pavement with his fancy loafers, he threw a hand in the air and hoped to god Jay saw his signal. He rounded the nearest corner but didn’t slow it wouldn’t take Jay long to reach them.

The truck roared around the corner and came to a screeching halt just ahead of him. He took a look behind him as he reached for the truck door. Brodie was still coming. He was limping like he took a shot in the leg. Shit.

“You hit brother?” he yelled as he reefed open the door.

He didn’t hear Brodie’s reply. His head exploded with pain and then he blanked.

A second passed or maybe it was two seconds. Hell, it could’ve been thirty seconds. All Trace knew was when he came to, he was flat on his back on the bitumen and Black’s shiny shoes and suit clad body were disappearing inside a black Range Rover. Why the hell wasn’t Brodie shooting? Why wasn’t Jay shooting? Why were they letting Black get away? As he watched the Range Rover pull away the window in the rear of the vehicle lowered. He knew that face.

Bridges eyeballed him with a look so dark it would rival death itself. Trace knew how the man felt. Bridges had tricked Nikki, taken advantage of her at her most vulnerable and then whipped her bloody. Even now the man stood between him and a happy life with his girl. The man was a cancer and he needed to cut that shit out of their lives sooner rather than later. Trace attempted to reach for the pistol stashed in his waistband.

"Keep your hands where we can see them," a voice commanded from his other side.

He brought his hands up slowly as he turned towards the voice. Brodie was up against the wall being frisked by a policeman, blood dripping down his leg. Jay was being cuffed and shoved into the back of the cop car.

"Roll over and put your hands behind your head," the officer told him in a shaky voice.

Great, a rookie. Trace complied with the officer’s request slowly. There was no point in setting the kid off. The last thing he needed was a bullet in the head from a nervous kid with a gun.

"What are you arresting me for?" he asked as his wrists were being cuffed, "I haven't done anything."

"Cut the crap, Deveraux. They know who you are," a steady male voice told him.

His gun was ripped from his waistband and he was hauled to his feet. Alex was standing in front of him with a sneer on his face. Just what he needed. Nikki’s police detective ex-boyfriend had breathing down their neck ever since this shit started.

"I warned you, Deveraux," Alex quipped with a look of satisfaction.

Great. Looked like they were all taking a trip to the lock up.

“Do you have any idea what the fuck keep it quiet means?” King yelled across the forecourt at them.

He looked pissed, really pissed. Nikki had no idea why he would be pissed. They took care of shit quietly. So quietly that she and Tex hadn’t said a word to each other the whole four hours it had taken them to stash Daisy and get back to the clubhouse. She’d spent most of that time hating herself. She hated the way she’d allowed Cole to drag her into his web. She’d been so hell bent on self-destruction that she didn’t care who else got hurt in the process. Her dark little bubble had claimed too many casualties; Rat, the prospects, Tex and Trace. The boys might still be alive but they weren’t unscathed.

Tex continued his silent brooding leaving Nikki to respond to King’s question, “What are you talking about?”

“What am I talking about? I’m talking about you lot shooting up half the fucking quarter,” King exclaimed waving his arms around.

She was confused as shit. The plan had nothing to do with shooting up half the town.

“We didn’t shoot anyone,” she said with a frown.

“You two might not have shot anyone but Trace appears to have got it in his head that he’s John McClane,” King explained.

“What the hell do you mean he thinks he’s John McClane?” Tex asked him.

If something had gone wrong then Trace would’ve checked in with them. She checked her phone. There were no missed calls and no texts.

“You can ask him yourself when you go down and bail him out; or better yet, why don’t you ask Winter? Seems like the guy has it in for him for some reason,” King responded with raised eyebrows.

What the fuck? He was in the lock up? Jesus, if he’d lost Black?

“Are they all in there? Brodie and Jay too?” she asked as she began to consider the possibilities.

“Yeah all three of them are in there? Not sure exactly what they are holding them on,” he explained.

“And Black?” she already knew she wouldn’t like the answer to that question.

King shook his head, “He got away but you got the info we needed. So it’s not the best outcome but it’ll do.”

Not the best outcome? That was the understatement of the year. With Black out of their hands Nikki’s now twenty two hours suddenly got a whole lot busier. Shit.

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Tex could still feel the fire burning in his gut. When that sick bastard had been faceless and nameless his anger had been bad enough. Now he knew who that man was he could barely contain his anger. Bridges. The man whose decision to send men to cut Sheila into ribbons had nearly sent his woman to the same fate. This was the man who turned Reaper against the club, ended the lives of two prospects, who had Rat brutally put down, who was bent on destroying their club and who whipped Nikki within an inch of her life. That man had been inside his woman and the thought sickened him.

And now King wanted her to leave the compounds to be around some dirty pig who’d also been inside his woman. He was not going to let that shit happen.

“She can stay here. I’ll go,” he stated firmly.

“Why so you can get into another pissing contest with that cop again? We need them out of jail, not you in there with them,” King responded, “You go Darlin’.”

He was not letting her go anywhere especially not by herself. With Black missing and Bridges after more than just their club he wasn’t letting Nikki out of his sight.

“She can’t go by herself,” Tex stated, “No one rides alone.”

“And where is everyone gonna sit if you go along boy?” King asked him as he gestured towards the four seater Mustang.

Why the hell was his father making such a big deal about this?

“I’ll ride,” he replied quickly.

“For fuck’s sake boy, she’s going to the cop shop not downtown Baghdad. She’s not wearing her cut. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Just go Ace,” King ordered.

Nikki turned away from them and headed for her Mustang. As he watched her go he began to regret the long silence he made her endure. Tex wished he knew where she’d been. He wished he had known about that bastard well before this. He wished he’d known about Reaper and Alvarez. He wished he knew where Bridges was now. He should’ve told her the he didn’t hate her for it, that it wasn’t her fault and that he still loved her. He couldn’t. He was no good at that stuff. He was so filled with rage that there was no room for anything else.

“What did you do with Black’s girl?” King asked him distracting him from his thoughts.

“We jacked her up and left her in the blue house,” he replied gruffly.

“The blue house?” King raised his eyebrows as he spoke.

“Relax. One of Bull’s boys is watching the place.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the roar of the V8 engine as Nikki pulled out of the compound.

“What the fuck is up your ass, son? Trace losing Black isn’t the best news I’ve had but you don’t see me running around looking like some bastard fucked my girl,” King exclaimed.

Tex nearly choked on his own spit. His father had no idea just how close to the truth he was with that statement.

“I just don’t like her near that pig. Why the hell did you insist on sending her anyway?” he asked changing the subject.

“Because son, when she chose that cop she wasn’t just moving across state, she was leaving us. She was abandoning you, Trace, her family and the club and I don’t intend to let her forget it,” King answered him.

“You think she would’ve actually gone?” he queried.

King shook his head, “No, Southern River never would’ve accepted her patch.”

“Why? She’d proven herself a good Soldier,” he replied.

She’d done more than enough to prove she was worthy of her patch.

“Because I wouldn’t let them. I told Bones under no circumstances was he to accept. She would’ve had to stay with us or she would’ve been outed,” King revealed.

Tex frowned at his father’s plan. If she’d been outed that would’ve been it. No contact with any of them ever again. He didn’t even want to consider that possibility. Although he doubted King would’ve followed through he was glad it never came to that.

“Don’t worry son, it never would’ve come to that. She loves you boys too much to abandon you. Speaking of which, you sorted that shit out between the three of you?” King asked with a mischievous grin on his face.

He wished it were that simple but the deeper they got into this thing the more he felt he was losing his grip on her.

“That, old man, is the million dollar question and not one I wanna talk with you about,” he answered.

“I’m not asking for details, boy. I’m just saying whatever the outcome, we are your family and we ain’t gonna judge,” King told him giving his shoulder a quick squeeze.

“I’ll let you know if and when I know,” he replied.

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Nikki opened the door to the police station. It had been a while since she’d been inside this place. As she walked toward the front desk all eyes swung her way and she felt the hate radiating toward her. Yeah there was a reason she hadn’t been in there for a while and it wasn’t due to lack of criminal activity.

“Afternoon ladies,” she quipped as she showed herself passed the front desk and towards Alex’s office.

She knew it was mostly out of love for Alex that they eyeballed her and, hell, she deserved it. That didn’t mean she was going to put up with it though, especially considering the mood she was in. She couldn’t believe they’d lost Black. Just when she thought she had shit handled, it all blew up in her face again.

Alex’s door was open and he sat immersed in paperwork. His tie was on the desk next to him and the sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up. His top buttons were undone giving anyone that looked, a peek at his olive skin. His gold chain glinted against the backdrop of smooth chest. His brow was furrowed as he stared at the information in front of him. His fingers were fiddling with a simple gold and diamond ring hanging on his chain. His body was tense with frustration.

She remembered that look all too well and she felt the rush of nostalgia spread through her. She remembered him coming home like that when he’d had a hard shift. His sleeves would be rolled up, his buttons undone and his brow furrowed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He’d take one look at her and all the worry would disappear from his face. He’d smile at her and even though he was tired he’d make love to her until her legs turned to jelly.

The man was dedicated, loving and loyal to a fault. Even now, when he should hate her for what she did to him, he came when she called. She wished he would hate her like all his friends did. It would’ve made hurting him that much easier to stomach. As if he sensed her presence, he suddenly looked up at her as she leant on the doorframe to his office. The corners of his mouth turned up into that soft smile she remembered. Then, as if reality hit him hard, his face dropped back into business mode. Ouch.

“I guess you’re here to pick up your boys?” he asked as the mask slid in to place.

She nodded, “If you’re releasing them?”

“Got nothing to really hold them on, so yes I’m releasing them,” he replied.

“Why the hell did you arrest them in the first place then?” she asked frowning back at him.

“Why don’t you tell me, Nikki? Or is our business relationship one sided now too,” his voice dripped with contempt.

At first Nikki just stared at him in shock. It wasn’t that she didn’t deserve his vitriol. He’d just never reacted that way before. There’d been plenty of sadness and regret but never any anger. Anger was an emotion she was familiar with, anger she could handle. She had enough anger rolling around inside her to start a new world war. She swung the door shut behind her.

“Really, Alex? One sided? You really think that whole time I was, what? Pretending? Using you?” she raised her voice slightly and stared him down.

He stared at her a second longer and she could see his resolve beginning to falter. No don’t do that. She knew he needed this. He needed to get this shit off his chest.

“I wanted so badly to give you the love you deserved and I tried Alex,” she didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence.

Alex’s eyes hardened and he cut her off, “You tried Nikki? How hard were you trying when you fucked Tex on our couch?”

Nikki’s mind blanked. He knew? The whole time she’d thought she’d managed to save him at least that bit of hurt. She wondered how long that bit of information had been festering away inside him.

“How much did you love me then?” he spat the question at her as he stood swiftly from his chair.

The chair smashed back into the wall behind him and toppled to the floor. He stepped out from behind his desk and stormed past her without even looking at her.

“Detective Bawden,” he yelled as he swung open his office door.

Rachael quickly appeared in the doorway. Suddenly Nikki became aware that the whole office was quiet. She glanced around the room to see everyone staring at the windowed office. Fuck. She’d forgotten the bloody curtains.

“Take Miss Jones here down to holding to collect her friends,” he commanded.

“Yes Sir,” she answered, “This way, Miss Jones.”

Alex waited in the doorway clutching the handle tightly in his fist. She’d never seen him so pissed and by the uncomfortable look on Rachael’s face, Nikki guessed she hadn’t either. Nikki could do little else but follow Rachael unless she wanted to cause a scene. She quietly exited Alex’s office with her head up and a carefully contrived look of indifference.

As soon as they were clear of the curious ears Nikki asked Rachael one of the many questions that was bothering her, “How long has he known?”

“About?” Rachael queried.

“Me and Tex?”

Rachael became obviously uncomfortable.

“Since the night it happened,” she replied cautiously.

She couldn’t understand how he would’ve known, “How?”

“Look Nikki, I don’t want to get involved in this shit between you and Alex,” Rachael stated trying to back track.

Nikki wasn’t going to let her get off that easy, “Too bad, Rachael. When he called you to dismiss me he put you in it. Now how did he know?”

Rachael sighed and shook her head, “He had a car on you.”

He’d had a car on her? He’d had a fucking car posted outside their house? She had half a mind to stomp back down the hall straight into his office and give him a verbal bashing like he’d never had before.

“He was having me tailed?” she asked the question through gritted teeth.

“He got wind of some information. Some old club beef. The info put you in the line of fire and so he took precautions. He loved you Nikki, more than anything, more than his career, more than his friends, more than his family,” Rachael replied quietly.