Scarred Asphalt (23 page)

There was no stopping from here. He had admitted his love
for her in front of hundreds of people. There was no going back from that.
Then, he went above and beyond, getting her picture to the right people at the
magazine that she had worked her whole life to get on. And he had succeeded.

Her heart sang with delight as she felt a warm glow flow
through her. Thorne felt alive and was blissfully happy as she threw her arms
around Dalton’s neck. “Oh my God, Dalton!” She could barely see through the
tears of joy that slipped down her cheeks. “I can’t believe you did this.”

Her mouth found his with savage intensity. She needed him to
feel just how much she loved and appreciated him. Her tongue ravaged his as she
pressed her body into the hard lines of his own. More cheers and cat calls
filled the area, jarring her back to reality.

Thorne pulled back and gazed up into his eyes and saw the
love written in them, setting her heart soaring. “I love you seems such a
simple reply after your beautiful words.”

Dalton gave her a shit-eating grin, the flat of his hand
smacking her ass in front of the crowd. “It’s enough for me. I know how you
feel. I see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice.”

Dalton took her hand and pulled her off the gazebo stage,
allowing the band to start back up. They were stopped every few feet by people
praising her cover contract and congratulating her.

Thorne was breathless by the time they got back to the club,
Saber glancing at his watch then back to her and Dalton. “I gotta roll, guys.”

Thorne gave him a big hug, squeezed him tightly, then kissed
his scruffy cheek. “You knew didn’t you?”

Saber winked at her with a cheeky grin. “Maybe I did. Maybe
I didn’t. But I need to get rolling or else I’ll miss the first pitch.”

Dalton shook his brother’s hand, then slid into a bro hug.
“Be sure to tell Dally good luck for us. He already gone?”

Saber nodded as he scooped up his helmet. “Mom picked him
and Rebel up. They’re going to dinner afterwards.”

“Be safe. We’ll see you tomorrow at the diner for
breakfast.” Thorne leaned back into Dalton while Saber fired up the Sporty and
kicked it into gear.

Watching him ride out of the park, Thorne crossed her arms
over her chest. “I’ve got something that I need to do. Mind if we go home?”

“Sure, when we get there, I’ll fake a heart attack and get
mouth to mouth?” Dalton looked hopeful at her as he grabbed their helmets and
handed her hers.

“Nice try, but no. Let’s go and I’ll show you.”

The ride home was quiet, peaceful. Her thoughts wandered
back to try and figure out when she knew she had fallen for Dalton, but she
couldn’t put her finger on a specific moment or event. She knew it wasn’t
today, or yesterday. Perhaps it was the day he took her in the gym. Perhaps it
was when he guarded her door in the hospital. All that mattered was that she
knew what was between the two of them was real. Nothing fake lived in their
lives, and she prayed it stayed that way.

Once they arrived at the house, Thorne raced Dalton to the
front door. She barely allowed him to go through the foyer before she was
dragging him to the bedroom.

Walking backwards with his hands in hers, Thorne wiggled her
brows. “I feel my heart beating fast. I think I need mouth to mouth…”

Dalton laughed as he let go of her hands, lurching forward
to scoop her up in his arms. “I think I may have to do a full body examination
to make sure you’re alright.”

Thorne squealed as he lifted her up, her legs wrapped around
his waist. “It’s beating faster. I think I’m going to need some Penis-cillin.”

She managed to keep a straight face as Dalton did a double
take at her words, then burst out laughing as he tossed her to the bed. “You
are incorrigible!”

Thorne bounced onto the bed, her laughter filling the room
as she crab crawled back toward the head of the bed and lay back on her
pillows. “You’re right. I don’t always take Penis-cillin, but when I do, I like
a side of nuts with it. Stay kinky, my friends.”

“Wha—what?” Dalton stuttered and then lost it. He shook his
head, unable to contain the laughter that erupted. “You have lost your fucking
mind.”

“Then come help me find it again.”

She felt so free and in love, which was infectious and
causing her good mood. She had never felt this way before, and prayed that it
stayed with her. She had no doubt that Dalton was in love with her and she
planned on showing him just how much in love with him she was.

* * * *

“Feeling better?”

Thorne could barely keep her eyes open as she nestled closer
in his embrace. As she rubbed her cheek against his chest, she sighed in
contentment. “Mhmn.” Yeah, there was no talking right now. It would take way
too much energy to open her mouth and use her vocal chords.

Dalton lifted the shoulder that her head rested on and
quickly dropped it. “You’ve got something you need to do, babe.”

Thorne groaned, burrowing deeper into the blankets. “No,”
she said rather curtly while pouting.

“Yes.” Dalton pulled his arm out from under her, swinging
his legs over the edge of the bed. Reaching for the edge of the nightstand, he
picked something up and rolled back onto the bed while he pulled the covers
over his waist. “Thorne?” His voice held that commanding edge to it that
demanded her attention.

With a huff, she lifted up on her elbows as she blew a
strand of her hair out of her eyes. “Yes?” She cast her gaze in his direction
as he held out an envelope to her. “Oh.”

Sitting up, she took the envelope from him, then ran her
fingers over the top of it tenderly. Her mood was now somber as she lifted her
eyes to look at Dalton, who was gazing at her expectantly.  

“Because of you, I get to open the envelope my parents left
me.” Thorne smiled nervously at Dalton.

“I didn’t do shit. That was all you, babe.”

Thorne rolled her eyes and slid her finger under the corner
tab of the envelope, gently tearing the envelope open. Looking inside, Thorne
blinked in confusion.

“What?” Dalton frowned, reaching out to tuck a stray strand
of hair behind her ear.

Turning the envelope over, she emptied the contents in her
hand. A gold ring in the shape of a diamond with the number thirteen in it
tumbled out onto her hand. Looking inside, she reached in with her fingers and
slid out a white sheet of paper with cursive writing scrawled across the page.
After opening the letter, she read it out loud.

“
Roberto ‘Vacaro’ Lopez, Road Captain, 1993 – 2010. FSSF.
Espina – Now that you are reading this letter, I can only assume that you have
become everything you have ever dreamed about becoming. I cannot tell you
enough at how proud your mother and I are of you. You strived to better
yourself in ways that most girls never dreamt of, and knowing you, you’d made
it all happen. I know there were times when you begged me to stay home and I
couldn’t. Now you know why. Not only did I have our family to protect, but my
brothers as well. Being a part of something greater gives a man purpose in his
life, just like the day you were born and I held your tiny body close, afraid
of what the future would hold for you. I know I kept that part of my life a
secret and separate from my private life, but never doubt the pride I had to be
a part of a loyal brotherhood that takes care of their own. I want you to wear
this ring proud. It was the only other ring I wore besides my wedding band. I
struggled long and hard to get this ring, and achieving your goal of becoming a
swimsuit model is just as worthy as this ring. Always strive to be the best, we
know that you always will be the shining star that will be the brightest in our
family. If there is ever a doubt about who your family is, look to the SixGuns.
They will take you into their fold and never let you go, always protecting you
and being there when no one else can. I love you, Espina. Your father.”

Taking in a deep breath, she looked at the ring once more,
then up to Dalton. “I don’t get it.” She didn’t ever recall seeing her father
wearing a cut, or for that matter, the ring. She knew he rode though.

Dalton licked his lips and leaned back into the pillows.
“Your dad was a member of the club, babe.”

“No he wasn’t.” Thorne frowned as she looked back to the
ring then to Dalton.

“He was one of the originals. He kept club separate from his
private life, and did it well. That’s his ring that he earned when he became an
officer. Now it’s yours.”

Curling up her legs under her, she stared at the ring in
total awe. “I never knew. Hawkeye never said a word. Why wouldn’t he tell me or
the family?”

“Most of the guys don’t. Maggie knew, but I think she knew
what was in the envelope, that’s why she never said anything. I’m only guessing
though. Plus, he is telling you everything I’ve been trying to drill into that
pretty little head of yours. We’ll always be there for you, to protect you or
to hold your hand through anything you’re going through.”

“Wow.” Thorne didn’t know what to say as she slid the ring
onto her thumb. “I’m speechless.” She wiped a stray tear from her eye with a
sniffle. “He was always a hero in my eyes. Now more so than ever.”

“Be proud of your dad, he was a great man, Thorne, just like
you. He was a SixGun and you’re a SixGun’s ol’ lady.”

Thorne giggled as she leaned in and brushed her lips lightly
across his. “I’ll be your ol’ lady as long as you want me to.”

“Forever is sounding pretty damn good right now.”

Setting the envelope and ring on the night stand, Thorne
moved to straddle his lap, rubbing the tip of her nose against his. “Forever is
a long time, Apollo.”

“Love knows no boundaries or time, Thorne, and trust me,
babe, we’ve got all the time in the world.”

Epilogue

Saber was bustin’ ass, rolling hard to make it to his boy’s
game on time. Los Berros Canyon Road was quiet and not heavily traveled by the
CHP. He probably should have taken the 101, but since the game was at the
Arroyo Grande High School, the back way was the easiest and quickest way there.

The Sporty was revved hot and it felt like his nut sac was
roasting from the heat that radiated off the engine, but the bitch was flying.

Letting go of the clutch grip, Saber glanced at his watch
through his helmet face-shield. He had ten minutes to get there.

Fuck.

Opening up the throttle, Saber urged the biker faster in the
direction of the school, the bike handling beautifully as he leaned through the
turns, scraping metal. He had promised Dallas that he would be there on time to
watch his first pitch, and he damn well planned on making it. He had never
broken a promise to his son, and tonight wouldn’t be the start of doing so.

“What the fuck?” Saber muttered as he caught movement in his
left rearview mirror. A black van was in the on-coming traffic lane, trying to
pass him. He was already doing thirty over the speed limit, and this dumb
asshole wanted to pass? Go right on ahead.

Slowing down a bit to let the jerk pass, Saber lifted up his
hand and gave the one-fingered greeting as they pulled up beside him.

Guess that was a mistake.

The van swerved into Saber, forcing him to jerk the bike to
the right and almost lose control of the machine. “What the fuck!”

Not like they could hear him with the full-face helmet on.
The van swerved again, forcing Saber to lock up the brakes and go into a slide.
The ass end of the bike started bucking and sliding out from under him.

The only thought that raced through Saber’s mind before he
hit pavement was,
This is gonna fucking hurt.

And it did.

Saber somersaulted on the asphalt, feeling tiny pieces of
rock piercing the jeans and shredding what skin he had on his legs. The palms
of his hands were on fire as he tumbled ass over heels, his head bouncing like
a ball inside the helmet. He could hear the sound of crunching metal, then
scraping as the bike skidded across the black gravel, coming to a stop a few
hundred yards later.

When he finally quit rolling and slammed to a stop, Saber
was barely conscious enough to assess what damage had been done to his person.
He could feel his left leg burning, but was unable to move it. Broken. His head
was pounding and his vision was clouded.

That was until he heard running feet, then felt someone
yanking at his helmet. “Don’t—don’t take it off,” Saber groaned to whoever it
was that continued to yank on his helmet. His medical instinct had kicked in,
knowing the danger he would face if that helmet came off before his neck was
braced.

Saber struggled to yell, but it only came out as a whisper
as the hands pulled his head free of the helmet. If he had a neck injury, he’d
be fucked for sure now with as much movement as they had caused.

Blinking rapidly, trying to get his eyes to focus, all he
saw was black. Men in black.

Men in black with baseball bats and tire irons.

Fuck.

Before Saber lost consciousness from the injuries that were
dealt him, he noted one face in particular: Muerte.

* * * *

Romeo sat at the bar in the clubhouse laughing at the antics
of Wraith describing what it was like taking his niece hunting with him.

“I swear I’ll never be able to shoot a fucking deer again
after she cried out that I was killing Bambi.”

“Oh man, I bet that was epic. I couldn’t do it either. No
way.” Talon shook his head, laughing in unison with the boys.

Romeo was about to reply about Rebel and guns when the door
to the clubhouse opened. All heads turned to watch a single figure walk in.

Wraith snarled as he moved his giant body out of his chair
with a swiftness that belied his height and weight. “You got a lot of fucking
nerve to walk your bony ass up in here.”

Janus gulped as he looked up defiantly at Wraith. “Now isn’t
the time.”

Romeo’s brows shot up as the pipsqueak talked shit to
Wraith. “By all rights, you walked into our territory, Janus. What the fuck do
you want?”

“I was sent to bring you this.” Janus lifted up a large
brown manila envelope and set it on the bar. “Muerte wants you to watch it and
take notes.” He backed up a few steps, tongue darting out over his lips. “They
want you to know that it’s not over.”

Romeo reached out and snatched up the envelope as the
traitorous fuckwad ran out the door. Ripping it open, he reached in and pulled
out a DVD. “Chapel room, now.”

Wraith, Axe, Hawkeye, Mace, and Talon gathered around Romeo
and the computer as he cracked open the DVD titled “Another One Bites The
Dust”. Setting it into the DVD drive, he pushed the door button and listened as
it swished closed, a cold hand gripping at his heart.

He had a bad feeling about this.

A very bad feeling.

“Oh, fuck me.” Romeo groaned in pain as a video of Saber on
Apollo’s bike came up on the computer monitor.

What happened next was not something any man should witness
that cared about his family and brothers the way these men did.

A van roared up next to Saber, swerving in his path,
gunmetal grey with no license plate. Go figure. Keeping the bike under control,
Saber was not so lucky the second time.

Witnessing your brother wreck, watching the bike parts
flying and sparks igniting on the asphalt as it tumbled and skid across the
pavement, was not something one could mentally handle. His head bounced off the
pavement like a ball, his body flopping around like a ragdoll as he tumbled to
a stop.

Five men jumped out of the van, the cameraman following
their movements with precision. Saber was broken as he laid there bleeding from
his femoral artery, the bone sticking out through his jeans, a puddle of blood
growing under him.

Saber weakly struggled with the masked man who looked like
he was trying to decapitate him while he removed Saber’s helmet, the others
brandishing baseball bats and tire irons.

“Are you fucking kidding me? I’m going to fucking kill those
mother fuckers,” Wraith choked out, his voice laced with something akin to fear
and disgust.

Talon shook his head and looked away, clearing his throat.
“Jesus.”

Romeo wasn’t sure he wanted to continue to watch what would
play out on the video, but forced himself, needing to know if his brother was
alive or dead.

The TG ganged up on Saber like a pack of hungry hyenas.
Weapons were swung with a vengeance, no part of Saber’s body safe from the
vicious assault. A tire iron swung at his ribs, the sound of cracking bones
like thunder in the room as Saber’s garbled cry of pain sent a chill down
Romeo’s back.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Romeo looked away, swallowing down
the knot that formed in his throat. They wanted to play hardball. They wanted
to make a statement by attacking his sergeant at arms. But why him? Why didn’t
they retaliate against one of the children?

Another yelp of pain forced Romeo to open up his eyes and
look back to the screen as a steel-toed boot reared back then swung forward,
making contact with Saber’s temple. Then, all too familiar laughter filled the
speaker as the camera focused on Muerte as he grabbed the camera from whoever
was filming.

The camera bounced as Muerte walked toward the motionless
Saber, the silver tips of his boots visible with each step he took, the taps on
his heels echoing in the silence of the video.

Zip.

The sound of a zipper lowering was replaced by the visual
that none of the brothers wanted to see. He pissed on Saber, laughing the whole
time.

“Take that piece-of-shit cut. A dead man tells no tales,”
Muerte ordered one of his minions as he turned the camera to face him. “Who’s
the bitch now, cabron?”

The brother’s watched in horror as the TGMC stripped Saber
of his cut, hooked his bike up onto their flatbed, and left Saber laying there
in the middle of the road.

A deep guttural roar filled with something akin to pain and
despair erupted from Romeo, forcing him up and out of his seat. No thought was
coherent as he tore the computer monitor off the desk and threw it across the
room, not giving a fuck as it shattered against the wall.

Through gritted teeth and tear-filled eyes, he looked at each
officer of the SixGun Outlaws, his voice dripping with vengeance and pure
unadulterated venom. “He just signed his death warrant. I want the asphalt
running red until we know if our brother is alive or dead. Get out a search
party now. Hawkeye, get Dallas and Stella to my house and you fucking stay
there with Zack.” His hand lashed out and grabbed Hawkeye by the lapels of his
cut, yanking him so close, he knew the Latino could smell the hatred on his
breath. “I will hold you personally responsible if anything happens to those
two while I’m not around.”

* * * *

The phone buzzed next to the male, alerting him that he
needed to step outside. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he offered a wry smile
and politely excused himself from the table. Stepping out into the night, he
noted the way the sun blazed across the night’s sky, lighting it up in muted
pinks and oranges.

Sliding his thumb across the screen of his phone, he lifted
it up to his ear, not saying a word. He just listened to the man on the other
end.

“It’s done. They’re going to declare war. If they don’t,
I’ll be very surprised. The sergeant is out of commission, they’re vulnerable
right now. The first reaction will be to fight back. I’ll keep you posted as I
know more.”

The line went silent.

Placing the phone back into his pocket, he turned his frown
upside down and headed back into the restaurant with the pseudo-smile he’d
gotten very accustomed to wearing as of late. Plucking the napkin up from his
chair, he sat back down. “Now, where were we?”

###

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Blue Remy