Crotch Rocket: A Bad Boy Motorcycle Club Romance (5 page)

“He doesn’t have to want to let me, it’s just something that’s going to happen,” I said as I began to hobble towards the meeting room.

“Can I have another beer for the wounded,” Hog called out to the guys at the bar.  They handed him a chilled beer.  He used the counter to pry the cap off and then handed it to me.  “To help with the pain,” he said with a slightly unsympathetic laugh.  “You really do look like shit.”

Hogarth knocked on the door and waited for James to answer.  What came was a little more than a grunt. “Uh…what?”  Hog pushed the door the rest of the way open and helped me hobble inside.

“You know what’s up?” Hog asked as he helped me settle into a chair.

“I know that this dumb motherfucker looks like he let himself be beat with a god damned tire iron.”

“Actually, it was a pair of brass knuckles if you really care to know,” I said answering with a tightlipped smile.

“How’s that shit even happen?” my father asked already knowing what had gone down.

“Do you really need me to repeat the story that the guys have already told you?  The important thing is that we gotta go get Lauren back.”

“Ah, right, the girl.  You got somethin’ goin’ on with her?  She’s a hot piece of ass.  Maybe a little too much of a good girl,” he inquired as he flicked his lighter and lit the cigarette hanging out of his mouth.  “You bangin’ her?  That why you care so much?”

“No…well yes, but it’s not like that.  She is a good girl.  I wanted to take her out…but then this shit happened.”

“This shit.  That’s an understatement,” he said before taking a long drag.  He made us wait as he held it in and then breathed it out slowly.  An indication that he was thinking.  “You’re certain is was the El Diablo Rojas?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.  The leader was Rodrigo and the one with the brass knuckles was Angel.  I don’t know the name of the third but he was a big guy, broad shoulders, a scar under his left eye and a big tattoo across the side of his neck” I replied as I reached across the table and grabbed the smokes and lighter.  I lit one for myself and slid the pack back across the table.

“Alright.  We know where to find them then.  I’ll get together with the guys and we can come up with a plan.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said as I took another drag.

“To hell you are,” my father replied.

“They beat me; they took the girl I want.  I’m going.”

“You’re not in the club, you don’t get to be involved with club business,” he said with a determined air.

“Who’s fault is it that I’m not in the club I’ve grown up in?  Who keeps letting everyone know I’m not good enough?” I stood and yelled as I gripped my sore ribs.

“If you could get your shit together maybe I’d consider letting you in.” he said with a sick grin.

“That’s not fucking it and you know it!” I said leaning forward to yell in his face.  Hogarth sat in the back and stayed uninvolved.  He knew this wasn’t his battle.

“It sure as shit is.  Every single man in this club knows his place.  I have yet to see you ever show that you know yours,” he said standing to match my own anger.  I reeled back slightly and starred him down.

“You’re just some hopeless old man that is stuck on some fantasy dream where you get to be ruler of the world.  Just because I don’t always see things your way does not mean that I haven’t always done everything for this club,” I answered with a sneer as I pointed down at the table.  “I’m going to the Diablo’s to get back Lauren whether you allow me to go with the club or not.  There are more important things than your ego,” I finished and turned to leave.

James began to laugh.  “We both know you won’t be going anywhere.  You don’t even have your own bike.”

I turned my head to glance at Hogarth wanting some sort of recognition that he would let me take his but he only shook his head “no”, he knew he couldn’t go against my father, the leader of the club he loved.  If he had allowed me to take his bike he would have been punished and it wasn’t right for me to put him in that position.

My father cut in again, “Rest assured, we’ll be going to the Diablo clubhouse and we will take care of the store, and of course we’ll get the girl.”

“I’m sure you will whenever you see fit to get around to it,” I said as I left taking care to slam the door behind me.  I could hear my father beginning to speak with Hogarth.  Hog might do what he could to take my side but in the end he would have to side with my father and there was nothing he could do to go against him, but that didn’t mean that I had to sit here and wait.  That didn’t mean I had to stay idle while the bastard El Diablo Rojas did whatever they wanted to Lauren.  Even if I had wanted to wait and rely on the club, there was no way that I was going to give those dirty assholes until tomorrow.  A few hours maybe but tomorrow was far too late. Who knows what they’d have done to her by them.  My mind ran through a dozen scenarios of rape and torture, none of them acceptable and each only fueled my fury and desperation. 

“Ok guys, so, you’ve heard what’s up.  The El Diablo Rojas got wind that we were doing some business in their territory and instead of hitting us head on they decided to hit the store.  I’ve already sent a couple men over to clean up and watch over the place.  The more serious issue is that they kidnapped the owner’s daughter.  Hogarth has gone to go speak with her family so they know that we’re taking care of it.  We think we can head off getting the cops involved if we act quickly.  I know tonight isn’t feasible but I’m looking at first thing tomorrow.  Anyone have any ideas for a plan of attack?  It’s thought that they’re holed up in their regular place.”

One of the men sat forward in his chair - Chris.  “If we’re not heading over until tomorrow, I know a guy I can get some extra ammo from.”

“What about guns?” James asked.  “Our supply is looking a bit weak at the moment.  If he’s got guns in addition to his ammo, then we could use some extra arms.”

“Yeah, he’s got guns as well.”

“Alright.  Get what you can so long as it’s reasonable.  If not, we can make do with what we’ve got.  I don’t expect too much of an issue if we catch these assholes off guard.”

Another man spoke up.  “There’s no way we’re going to catch them off guard.  They’ll know we’re coming.  That’s the whole reason they took the girl.  Get us on their turf where they have the upper hand.  I think we should go tonight, in the dark.  Sneak up to the place before they expect us.  They’ll figure that we have to arm ourselves and will show up within a few days, they won’t expect us to hit them right away.”

A third that had just taken a swig from a beer pounds his fist on the table.  “Tonight is the way to go.  I know you want to wait but I heard half their crew is gone right now.  Doing some run that will have them gone a couple of days.  If I remember correctly they left yesterday, that would give us until tomorrow evening, but I don’t think we should cut it that close.  If we wait until tomorrow, we could be looking at a whole lot more hurt.  If we hit the joint tonight, we’d get the cover of darkness and the bonus of half their crew being gone.  Tonight gets my vote.”

“Chris, how quickly can you get the guns and ammo?” James asked as he leaned back in his chair and put his dusty black motorcycle boots up on the table.

“Within a couple hours if I get in contact with him right now.”

“Good.  Go do that,” James said with a motion of his hand towards the door.  Chris pulled his cell from his pocket and left the room to make the phone call. 

“Let’s take a vote.  Raise your hand if you want to go first thing tomorrow.”  A few men raised their hands.  “Ok.  Now who wants to hit the Diablos tonight?”  The majority raised their hands.  “Alright.  Tonight it is” The men began to whoop and holler as they pounded their hands and fists on the table.  James put a hand up, “Ok, ok, cool it everyone, we still have to come up with a plan.”  The men grew quiet as they leaned in around the table.  “Someone hand me a notepad and pen.  There should be something in that table there.” James said as he pointed to a small table in the corner of the room.  One of the men reached back and pulled open the top drawer.  He withdrew a yellow lined notepad and pen.  He slid them across the table to James.

“Ok guys.  We’ve been here before.  If I remember correctly, this is the general layout,” he said as he drew a quick outline of the El Diablo Rojas clubhouse on the table.

“No, wait.  I think it’s more like this,” one of the men said grabbing the pen from James.  He changed the shape of the building a bit and added an extra door.  “There, I think that’s it,” he said as he set the pen on the table and looked at his work.

“This look right to everyone else?”  James asked as he turned the page around to face the rest of the room.  The men stared at the paper for a few seconds and then nodded their agreement.

“The trees are all back around this way?”

“Yeah,” James answered.

“Then yep, looks right to me,” the last one agreed.

“The way I figure it; we should just pretend the front door doesn’t exist.  They’ll be expecting us to drive in, straight forward, gunning for them.  There’s a road back over here,” James said pointing to the right side of the page.  We ride our bikes to the empty truck lot back over here, one of us drives our truck in case we need it for hauling injured men back.  We park our bikes and then sneak through this thatch of trees here.  They won’t hear our bikes and won’t know we’re coming if we sneak through this small section of woods and come in at the back through this door here.”

“Do we have an idea of where they might be keeping the girl?”

“I’ve only been in the main hall but my guess is that she’ll be in one of the back rooms somewhere in here,” James said moving his finger along the back section of the hand drawn building.  “We’ll need to be careful and aware so that we don’t accidentally hit her if we end up needing to open fire.  Ideally we would sneak in, find the girl and then fuck the place up on our way out once we know she’s safely in our hands.”

“Woo, yeah.  Fuck yeah.  Fuck the Diablos,” the men cheered.

“Hehe, yeah, fuck the Diablos, but we have to get the girl first.  Is that understood?”

Each of the men shook their head in agreement.  Several cracked their knuckles and worked their necks.  They were ready for a fight but knew they would have to follow the rules of their leader.  The girl first, fight second.

“So, we’ll all have guns and knives but do not attack before we have the girl unless you absolutely have to.  If possible, disarm and knock them out.  Once we have the girl you can do whatever you’d like to those assholes.  Teach them to fuck with a store we run.  We need to leave them hurting!” James said with his fist in the air.  “Ok.  Now go get yourselves prepared.  Meet back out front in an hour.  Kiss your wives, girlfriends, and mistress good night but don’t make them any promises.  They know what this life is like.”

Hogarth returned just as the rest of the men were heading out.  James waited until all of the other men had left the room and then he turned to Hogarth.  “Did you see Jacob out there?  I was thinking…maybe he has a point.  He’s not the little boy I think of him as anymore, if he wants to be in the club then maybe this would be a good chance to prove himself.”

“You already know he’s devoted to this club,” Hog said looking James in the eye.  “This club has been his whole life; he’d do anything for any of the guys.  No questions asked.”

“I know.  I just know what being in the club means, and what can happen.  I can’t lose him too.  His mother was enough, if something happened to him I’d be done.”

“I hear ya,” Hogarth nodded.  “But you have to let him live his life and make his own decisions.”

“I know.  I’m gonna let him ride tonight, and if all goes well, we can meet again and I’ll let him in.  Do you know where he’s at so I can let him know to get ready?”

Hogarth looked away and coughed.  “As I was coming in a few of the guys mentioned that they saw him leave on his own.”

“You’re fucking kidding me!  No one thought to say anything to me?”

“Like you said, he’s his own man.”

I came to on the back of Rodrigo’s motorcycle.  I felt groggy and confused and it took me several moments to realize where I was and to remember what had happened.  My eyes widened at the memory and I tried to move my head to take in the surrounding area.  Each movement was painful and sent a sliver of pain through my head.  The fresh air rushing around my face was helpful and worked to clear the fog.  My thoughts turned to Jacob. 
What had they don’t with him?  Is he alright?  Can I get off this goddamned bike?
  I wiggled my shoulders and tried to move my body.  I glanced at the road passing by, the yellow and white lines blurring into one.  We were going fast, too fast to consider jumping off even if I could have.  I looked forward at his back and sneered.  The very sight of him repulsed me.  Continuing downwards I looked at my own body and noticed the think lines of pale-white jute rope wrapped around my torso and arms.  There was nothing I could do.  The only thing I could do was plot for when an opportunity arose.

I tried to come up with a plan that might work once he retrieved me from the back of the bike.  I felt certain that he would have to untie me, but the number of men was daunting.  Three against one wasn’t good odds.  The men were strong and used to fighting and I had no weapon and no true combat skill.  Unless I was lucky they would simply chase me down.  I needed a perfect moment – a moment that was unlikely to arise.

Over the next half hour, the men sped on their bikes, Rodrigo in the middle, Angel flanking his right and the other man to his left.  They teased each other and floated around the lane.  When they approached other traffic they swerved in and out carelessly.  They knew their bikes well and were unafraid of showing off their expertise.  Several times large trucks honked loudly.  I wondered if any of the passerby had noticed my predicament, but then I figured even if they had there was no one that would go against the El Diablo Rojas.  No one except the club I associated Jacob with.  The Mischief Makers have been long rivals of the Diablo’s. 

If Jacob had made it through the beating I wondered if he would go to them and if they would come for me.  Then I considered that I meant nothing to them.  Sure my parents own the store they use but I was nothing, just a girl that would lead them to the backroom.  I wasn’t important, my family would still be capable of running the store without me.  Then I thought of Jacob and about the date he had promised.  I wished I had just said yes, right then.  I had wanted to but I was so caught up in my own ideas, my own thoughts about the man he must be.  It was stupid and now I regretted it.

I thought about how nice he had been.  He hadn’t been anything like the man I had trumped up in my head.  He wasn’t the commanding or domineering person I had come to envision with the Mischief Makers.  In fact, he’d been exceptionally nice, and when he’d strayed from the niceties I knew he was only flirting and teasing me. 
God, why didn’t I just say yes
.  We could have ushered Ms. Johnson on her way and closed the store right then.  I could have climbed onto the back of his bike and wrapped my arms around his body as he zoomed off towards whatever restaurant I wanted.  We could have been long gone before the Diablo’s arrived.  Thinking about it made me think of the old rhyme I’d been told as a child, “If wishes were fishes, we’d all cast nets.”  Instead he was beaten, possibly dead, and I’m strapped to the back of a bike.  Tormenting myself wouldn’t do any good and I knew I needed to return to more positive thinking.  I closed my eyes and worked to convince myself that someone would be coming to help me and that Jacob would be safe and that the worst he’ll have suffered is some painful bruising.  My heart ached when I thought about him lying on the floor and I wanted to cry, but tears wouldn’t serve me now.

The ride felt unbearably uncomfortable.  Rodrigo had bound me so tightly that I couldn’t move my arms and I could feel the circulation slowly leaving the both of them.  Little pinprick tingles were shooting up each arm and I knew that even if he did remove the ropes my arms would be impossible to move.  I considered my legs and thought if I could get the right moment I might be able to kick out at them, maybe catch the men off guard.  During all of this though I imagined they were taking me to a place in a town.  Somewhere that might have a local business I could run to for help, but the longer they drove the further we went into the woods.  I watched as traffic and buildings were traded for trees and mountains.  It wasn’t far out of town but it was far enough that I wouldn’t be able to run anywhere for safety.  The best that I saw was an empty lot just before we pulled into their own parking area.  I expected that it would be fenced or otherwise walled off but there was nothing.  I guess they figured being so far out they wouldn’t have to worry too much.  I tried to take in as much information as I could in case I could use it later but my mind was still a bit foggy and I worried I wouldn’t be able to keep it all straight.  I forced myself to focus primarily on the building and the roads.  If I could remember how to get back to the main road I might be able to help myself.  If not, I would only end up deeper in the woods.

We came to a stop and Rodrigo sent the other men to tell the rest of the crew that we had arrived.  I thought this might be the opportunity I’d been hoping for, but that was before he pulled a gun from his waistband.  It was only a split second of recognition before the butt of the weapon smashed into my temple.  The whole world shivered and then went black as my body slumped on the bike.  He had clearly planned ahead as well.  Knocked out he could do with me as he wished.  When I came to I was strapped to a chair somewhere inside the building.  I could hear men talking, not a lot, just a few, but they seemed far away.  I tried to force my mind to focus despite the headache I was suffering.  I closed my eyes and listened carefully.  They spoke in a broken Spanglish so I missed most of what they were saying.  But there talking did help me to recognize that they were in a main room somewhere off to my right while I was being held in a distant room in the back of the building.  I counted the various voices and there seemed to be about six men, but I had no way of knowing if there were others that were remaining silent.

I groaned and pulled against my restraints.  I had thought I was alone in the darkness until I heard the familiar sound of a lighter being lit.  I listened to the man inhale a long drag of his cigarette before taking a step forward.  He leaned over and blew the smoke right in my face.  I began to cough which made him laugh. 

“I’d stop pulling at those ropes if I were you little girl.  Worse things might happen to you.”

I wanted to spit in his face.  I wished my legs were free so I could punch him in the nuts.  Anything that would hurt him, but I did as he said.  I sat in the chair feeling completely defeated.  Every time I thought I might have a chance, they had already thought ahead.  Jacob and his club were my only hope, assuming that he was still alive, or that the club cared.

I felt lucky so far.  No one had raped or tried to harm me which made me suspect that I was a ploy.  There was something more the Diablo’s wanted and it wasn’t me.  Suddenly it clicked – I was bait.  They were expecting the Mischief Makers to come for me.  My heart leapt at the thought.  They’d be coming, they’d save me, Jacob will come!

Suddenly, I could hear the men running. 

“Sounds like somethin’ is up out there.  You think your little friend is coming to save you?”

“How would I know.  I’ve been passed out, strapped to the back of a motorcycle, knocked out by the butt of a gun, and then stuck in her with you.  How the hell would I know what is going on?”

He leaned forward, his tobacco-tainted breath blowing against my cheek.  “But you think he will don’t you?  Poor little princess in distress needs her big strapping man to come and save her.  You know what’s going to happen don’t you?”

“No,” I answered a quiver beginning to enter my voice.

“If that little fucker shows up here we’re going to kill him.  Him and anyone else he brings with him.  In fact, we’re counting on it.  We’re done dealing with the Mischief Makers.  They go back on their word and now they’re going to be spending the rest of their days in the ground,” he said with a smirk on his face.  “Hoping I get to kill that pretty boy of yours myself.  Its why I asked to be stationed in here with you.  You see this scar beneath my eye?”

The room was nearly pitch black.  I wasn’t seeing a whole hell of a lot of anything.  “No, it’s too dark in here.  But I remember from the store.  You were with Angel right?”

“Ah, nice to know the pretty girl remembers me,” he said as he reached around the seat and fondled my breasts.  “Sure would like to get some alone time with you after all of this is done and over with.”

I wanted to throw up.  The very thought of him doing anything else to me made me want to gag.  “Please stop touching me,” I said as I tried to remain calm.

“What’s wrong?  Little girl doesn’t like this?” he said as he continued to grope me.  Just as his hand started to travel lower there was the loud slam of a door from out in the main hall.   A few voices were yelling in Spanish.  “You stay here girlie,” he said with a sinister laugh.  “I’m going to check what’s happening.  Maybe your man isn’t coming to save you after all.  More for me,” he said as he pulled open the door and disappeared around the other side.

I closed my eyes against the dark and strained my ears.  I needed to hear what they were saying.  I needed to know if Jacob was here.  I swallowed hard and tried to quiet my breathing.  I could pick out bits and pieces of the conversation.  Some of the men seemed angry that someone had signaled a false alarm.  To the best that I could gather it seemed that no one else was here.  I sighed and felt the tears beginning to well up in my eyes.  Slowly they trickled down my cheeks.  I felt guilty, saddened, and relieved all at the same time.  I wanted to be rescued, I
needed
to be rescued, but I also wanted Jacob to be safe.  Coming to save me would put him in danger, and he’d already gone above and beyond for me.  I sniffled and turned my face to try and wipe my cheek on my shoulder.  You never realize how much you use your arms and your hands until their tied down against your torso.  I sniffled a second time and vowed to stay strong.  I couldn’t let this get me down.  Staying alert and ready just might save my life.  I couldn’t waste the little energy I had on being depressed and downtrodden. 

“Please come for me,” I whispered to the darkness.  “I don’t think I can do this alone.”