Page 18 of His Flawed Ride (Sons of Lost Souls MC #16)
Chapter Sixteen
Shane
“ W hy does my sister have your number?”
I have enough to deal with, I don’t need Slade up in my face over his sister. I fucked up starting the fight in the diner and now the club is having to meet with the enemy.
Thinking of a lie before my silence answers for me, I tell him, “It was a precaution, in case her car broke down again.”
“I think you’re lying, brother.”
Losing all patience, I remind him, “You’re done with her, what the fuck do you care why she has my number?”
He shoves me in the chest, but I hold my ground and keep my fists at my side.
“You think I don’t know what my sister is like, or how my brothers are?” he bellows.
Grim appears at my side and it’s another reason why I miss having him around.
“Back off, Slade!”
“Stay out of it, Grim,” Leo orders, then takes Slade by the arm. “We don’t have time for this shit. Deal with it later.”
It takes a beat, but Slade follows Sparky and Cas outside and then Leo turns his attention to me.
“I don’t give a shit if you’ve fucked Lily ten ways from Sunday, you’re certainly not the fuckin’ first or even hundredth, but you make it right with Slade.”
“Sure.”
Leo gives Grim a strange fleeting look before leaving and I hold my brother back.
“What the fuck is going on between you and Leo?”
“We ain’t got time for that now.”
“I’ll take the cliff notes. Walk and talk, brother.”
“Leo doesn’t trust Nora. He’s fixating and nothing I’m telling him, he’s believing.”
“Fuck. That’s not good.”
“To say I can’t wait to get her back to the mountain is an understatement.”
“You’re worried?”
“If the president’s worried, then I should be, no?”
We’re the last to arrive to our rides and Leo’s not happy. Whatever goes down with the big fuck from the diner, I’ve got a feeling I’m going to pay for more when we return to the club.
During the ride to the farm, I try to think of a strategy to take down my opponent. It needs to be fast and dealt with before an even bigger fight breaks out between the two clubs.
We’re the first to arrive but we’re not kept waiting long when Hopper and his club show up.
“Fuck him up,” Sparky grunts as he lights a cigarette.
“Do what you need, then finish it. Don’t fuckin’ embarrass our patch,” that comes from Cas.
As if I need to be reminded not to lose a fight. It’s not in my nature. I crack my knuckles as I move to stand by Leo’s side. Hopper and the big fuck walk across the grass and stop ten feet from us.
“We came in peace looking for my old lady,” Hopper begins. “This didn’t need to go down like this.”
Leo laughs. “We still haven’t finished the business of you backing a gang to take over my territory. I lost a good man having to go deal with it.”
“I don’t claim to know anything about it.”
“Of course not,” Leo mutters sarcastically.
I break eye contact with my opponent when Hopper calls Lily’s name. She obediently steps forward, and her busted lip and bruised cheek holds my attention.
When she joins Hopper, he slings his arm around her and forces her as close to him as possible. Movement behind me catches Hopper’s eye and I can guess it’s Slade.
A tear rolls down Lily’s cheek, but she doesn’t make a sound.
“Because you handed over my bitch, we’ll settle this score, and we’ll leave and what else needs to be concluded can be another day.”
Hopper wouldn’t hear Leo slight catch of breath, but I do. “Enough of this, Lily’s yours, I don’t give a shit about that. Let’s get this done.”
“Lets.” Keeping Lily at his side, he turns to his guy and then to me. “Since I imagine neither side wants to bury a brother today, you’ll fight until one of you is knocked out. Agreed?”
His man nods.
“Agreed,” I say.
I shrug out of my cut and whip my tee off over my head, handing both to JJ. The big fuck does the same and then it begins.
The two clubs circle us and I focus on my target.
He has a few scrapes from the bust up at the diner.
He smirks and makes the first lunge. I dodge his right hook and deliver an uppercut that would put most men on their ass.
He barely fucking moves and it’s like he lets me throw another jab, toying with me.
He’s big but I’m faster and obviously not smarter.
He goes to throw a right and he catches me with a left on the side of my head.
It rattles my brain, and I stumble. For a few seconds the brothers’ hollers are a blur.
I shake it off and put my guard back up.
Punches, they do nothing. I go for the low blow, and kick him in the balls.
He drops like a sack of shit and I jump on him.
Using all the strength in my shoulders, I throw punch after punch.
Feeling bones break, his and mine. He still manages to grapple with me, but I know if I ease up for even one second, the fucker will come at me again.
Pain shoots through my hand, into my wrist. Changing my strategy, I hover over him and use my elbow. I want his blood and with every crack, a little more creeps out.
I’m pulled away and Lost Souls draw their guns, I’m dropped, and the Hog fucks draw theirs.
“Now now, I said to the knockout, not death,” Hopper hollers. “Everyone put your fuckin’ guns down!”
Lost Souls only stow their pieces away after the Hogs do and I make my way back to my brothers.
Fuck. My head feels like it’s splitting in two and one of my teeth is loose. Thank fuck it’s one of the back molars. No one will see until I can get to a dentist. I rip it out and spit out the blood that fills my mouth.
“I see your man there giving me hate, tell him to back off, she’s leaving with me. I’m not giving her up.”
We turn and Slade is conflicted, eyes on his sister.
“Considering my brother promised to kill her if she ever came back to town, I have zero fuckin’ patience or inclination to stop you…” Leo says but Slade cuts him off. “One-on-one. Me and you. I win, you walk away from my sister. You win, I’ll let you leave with her.”
Hopper’s laughter is laced with mania. “Let me?” He snorts.
Leo steps between the two, and says, “Get the fuck outta here and take her with you. But you’ve got my word that you ever ride back into my town, you’re all dead.”
Lily doesn’t argue, she sticks to Hopper’s side as they make to leave.
“What the fuck was that?” Slade roars.
“That was me saving us from digging nineteen graves today,” Leo quips.
Myles mutters, “Us? He means me and you, right?” to Mase.
Wetness drips down from my brow and I wipe away the blood as I try to hide my smile at Myles’s truth.
The Hades Hogs leave and Slade inches closer as if he, on foot, can stop them.
“Cas! Talk to your boy! Whatever she’s done, we can’t let him take her!”
“Sorry, brother. It’s Leo’s decision.”
Leo lights a cigarette and tells Slade, “Take Zach, Myles, and Shane and do what you gotta do to get her back, but she’s not allowed home. Though wait until they’re back on their territory.”
Slade’s surprise knocks him back. “You…”
“I changed my mind. I don’t want a bloodbath here in town, but on their patch… I don’t give a shit. I also don’t want my sister lookin’ any different at me cause I didn’t let you go get her.” He then turns to me. “And when you get back, you’ll answer for this shit show you’ve created.”
I nod. With Leo’s decision made, it’s time to leave.
I’m not looking forward to cleaning my cuts and bruises.
The sting of antibacterial wash is a bitch, and I don’t mind admitting I revert to being a stubborn child when I get into fights.
It was worth it though. I wouldn’t have heard the last of it if I had lost.
The club rides up to the clubhouse gates and as I haul my ass off of my ride, the brothers’ attention is on Nora and a woman I’m pretty sure has never been around here before.
Grim is the first to join them and Leo hangs back but still close enough to hear what’s going on.
“I know you know where he is, Nora.”
“I can tell you with my hand on my heart that I do not know where he is. I don’t know how many times I need to tell you. I can’t help you.”
“You were with him for like, forever, then you start hanging around with these… people, and then he disappears. I’m putting two and two together, I just need to hear that I’ve calculated four. I’m not going to stop until I find him.”
Nora, usually meek, steps closer to her and tells her, “Harry hasn’t been in my life for a long time. I’m sure that wherever he is he’s doing exactly what he wants to be doing. If he isn’t getting in contact with you, or your parents, it’s because he’s a shitty person and always has been.”
“Break this up and get her out of here,” Leo instructs.
Before I can make my way over, Harry’s sister turns her back and heads for her car. Grim holds Nora and when I look back to Leo, he’s already walking away.
Taking my ass into the bar, I see to my injuries and pack a bag. If there’s one thing I can do, it’s to help Lily and make sure she gets somewhere safe.