Page 11 of Liberator (Serpent Sinners MC #2)
Chapter 11
Rage
I dreamed. It was a magnificent dream that was in full color. A woman, a goddess of the dark, had taken me to a place I’d never been. It was a warm, safe, all-consuming place of peace. In it I was given access to her body, one that took everything I had to give and more. I reveled in the feeling of satisfaction she gave me. I didn’t want to ever leave this place of perfection, not for anyone or anything. Nothing could ever be more important than remaining there, could it?
A loud banging tried to take me from paradise. I fought against the intrusion, yet the dream began to disappear inch by inch. I awoke face down on my rumpled bed with the sun shining on the back of my head. The banging continued, and now there was a yell to go with it.
“Rage! Damn it, wake the hell up! You’re back on duty today. No more laying around. Get out here. We have a meeting with Prime,” Sweet yelled.
“Okay! Fine! Give me a damn minute,” I answered.
I sat up on the side of the bed and shook my head to clear it. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep and enter the dream again. It took a moment, but I finally got a grasp on reality. I realized the dream had been conjured up from what I’d experienced during the night. I hadn’t been alone. Vikki was here. She was the true goddess in human form that had warmed my night and given me a deep satisfaction regardless of the fact that she had begun in anger, turned to terror, and then to passion.
I quickly turned my head in search of her. I was the only one in the bed. I stumbled to the bathroom. It was empty, too. At some point she’d woken up and slipped away. I frowned and guilt rushed through me. It saddened me that she hadn’t stayed with me. I would have done all I could to make her feel she was safe in my arms. I feared that I might have frightened her beyond anything she’d forgive. I would do whatever I could to fix that as soon as possible.
I hurried to take a hot shower, wiping the rest of the sleepiness along with the dream away. I dressed quickly and ran down the stairs to join the meeting Prime had called. I wanted it over so I could find Vikki and discover why she’d left in the middle of the night. For the first time ever, someone was more important to me than club business. That thought messed with my head.
The meeting was in progress when I arrived. Prime scowled at me but held his tongue. I was going to receive a lecture later. He’d never allow me to get cleanly away with the disrespect being late demonstrated.
“Don Petrov has sent another message through Zoe. He’s closing in on some more trafficking locations and may eventually ask for our assistance. I didn’t make any promises that we’d be willing to participate as part of our payback. I wanted to discuss it with all of you first. However, once you all saw what those women went through in those containers I figured you’d be more than willing to kick some ass. I know I am,” Prime stated.
“That Vikki girl won’t ever be quite normal,” Ditch said. “She’s skittish around men. I can’t say that I blame her, but hell she jumps anytime I accidently bump into her or pass her in the hallway.”
“Vikki has good reasons for being skittish. She’s never been around a man who hasn’t used or abused her. You know her story, so try a little patience and sympathy,” I angrily countered.
“I wasn’t putting her down, Rage. I was just saying that what those traffickers do messes up those women. I still have trouble believing some of them actually wanted to stay with those fuckers. They were brainwashed or something,” Ditch replied.
“Those that survived and are moving on are brave women,” Prime declared into the silence Ditch’s comment had caused. “Vikki is one of them. Yes, she’s skittish. However, she still steps into the bar every night and faces strange men with her head held high. She serves them food and drink and endures their rude comments and unsolicited touches. Her bravery must be taken note of, especially since I have given her permission to become a prospect for the Serpent Sinners.”
The shock of his statement caused an uproar among the Sinners. There wasn’t a real protest, just loudly expressed cautions and questions about the intelligence or lack of it concerning that turn of events.
“Girls don’t have a place in MCs, Prime. We’ve only ever recruited men because the job gets damn dangerous,” Stretch was heard saying.
“I’m not offering spots to girls, Stretch. Adult women are the ones I feel have a right to a chance,” Prime answered. “Equality is demanded everywhere now, and I think we should lead the way or lose something we desperately need.”
“We can’t be protecting them in a fight. It’s distracting. No woman can possibly hold up her end of a fight with the cartel. How are we supposed to guarantee their safety? Do we sacrifice our own life for theirs?” Specs, the secretary of the club asked.
“I’d never ask that of any of you, nor would the women I’d allow into the club. They will be trained the same as any other prospect. If they fail, then they’re out. I won’t be playing favorites, yet I won’t be bringing in prospects who I’d expect to fail. The women will prove themselves as loyal and willing to give their lives if necessary,” Prime replied.
Rod spoke up in defense of one woman. “It’s not fair that you’re going to give Vikki a chance just because she has nowhere else to go. At least that’s what I imagine your reason to be. Anyway, it’s not fair because Flame has more than proven she’d be a good candidate as a prospect, yet you haven’t allowed her that privilege. She’s come with us on assignments and shown she has the guts to fight. She’s never asked us to protect her, and she’s kept our secrets despite the fact that she was never supposed to know them in the first place.”
“You’re right, Rod. Flame is both loyal and willing to give her life for us. Up until now, we’ve used her in ways that we shouldn’t have. She’s obliged us and endured a lot because of it. I regret that I never considered making her a Sinner. That’s why I’ve already rectified the issue by telling her she is also allowed to be a prospect. She has little to prove to us, so her induction will come swiftly,” Prime promised.
That promise seemed to satisfy everyone. The discussion ended and the meeting was dismissed with all the Sinners rushing to the bar to congratulate Flame. All of them except myself. I needed to find Vikki.
I knew where her room was, so I chose to check it first. I was alarmed to discover she wasn’t there and that all her meager possessions were gone. She’d run away, and I was damn certain I was to blame. I called myself an asshole over and over in my head. Worse words to describe me came to mind as well. Those curses followed me down the stairs, through the hallways, and across to the bar.
I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t go out in search of her, mostly because I had no fucking clue where she might have gone. She had no family to return to unless she’d suddenly decided to call Liz, the woman who’d adopted her baby, and asked for a place to live, which I sincerely doubted. Seeing the baby settled with a new mommy would break her heart all over again. There was no way she’d be able to handle that, nor would she disturb the happiness Liz and the child had gained, especially since Liz had endured being a captive the same as she had.
My frown deepened, making lines in my forehead and scrunching up my eyes. I rubbed at the headache beginning behind my eyes. It didn’t help the pain. There wasn’t a way to erase the worry building inside me. Where would I have gone if I was in her position? I admitted to myself that I’d have run as far and fast as I could.
But Vikki only had what little money she’d earned as a waitress and that wasn’t going to get her far. Hotels and food were costly, and she’d run out of cash quickly relying on buying those comforts. I’d have camped under the stars and caught and killed my food. I just couldn’t see Vikki doing anything like that.
There was one person she may have confided in. That was Flame. She was on duty in the bar, so I hurried inside to confront her. She was busy slamming mugs of beer and shots of whiskey down in front of dozens of men. Rod stood at the bar, flirting with her and scowling at any other man who did the same.
“Go away, Rod,” she was saying as I slid onto a recently vacated barstool. “Go stick your head under a greasy truck hood and try sweet talking an engine back to life.”
“First of all, no truck in my care is ever going to be greasy. I take care of my shit and everybody else’s too. Second, there aren’t any broken trucks to fix at the moment. And third, sugar, you better get used to me. If you’re gonna to be a Sinner then I expect Prime will be having you pretend to be my woman a lot more often. It worked so well last time that it should be repeated. We go together like peanut butter and jelly,” Rod replied with a wink.
“For your information, jelly tastes nasty with peanut butter. I prefer bananas like Elvis,” she retorted.
“Bananas are a symbol of something made of flesh and blood, Flame, and I’ve got one right here,” Rod laughed and grabbed his crotch.
“I prefer them unbruised and longer,” Flame answered, causing Rod to gape at her as the men at the bar howled and began taunting him.
“Shit, Flame. When are you going to put him out of his misery? The man wants you so bad he’s making a fool out of himself,” I told her as she handed me a whiskey without me asking.
“Men are estupido when their cocks lead them around. If he ever gets past that I might be willing to give him a ride. Until then, torturing him is too much fun,” she replied.
“Congrats on the prospect thing,” I said, swallowing the whiskey in one gulp. The burn felt good to my quivering stomach.
“Gracias,” she answered. “How’s Vikki handling the news that she’s a prospect, too?”
“Don’t you know? Haven’t you seen her?”
“No, she’s not on duty until late tonight,” Flame responded while slapping a drunken man’s hands away from the beer tap.
“Dammit! I thought you’d be the one she’d tell where she was going. She’s gone! All her shit has been packed up and she’s disappeared. I’ve searched for her, but she’s nowhere. Do you think she ran to Liz?” I asked in desperation.
“What did you do to her, idiota?!” Flame asked. Her dark eyes blazed into mine and made my face burn.
“Why would you think I had anything to do with her leaving?”
“You look and act guilty. Why else would you have gone in search of her? If you’ve hurt her I’ll personally whack off your cock while you sleep. You better never close your fucking eyes again!” she screeched.
I held my hands up in surrender and said, “I swear, I didn’t hurt her. At least not physically, but I don’t really know about emotionally. We spent the night together. Before you ask, no I didn’t force her. I know what she’s been through, so I would never do that. She enjoyed herself. There was no faking her responses. But when I woke up she was gone along with all her stuff. I have to find her, Flame. She’s out there somewhere all alone!”
Flame rolled her eyes and sighed. “Vikki isn’t a fool, and she wants to be a Sinner. This is her home now. We’re her family. She may have run, but I’m guessing she’ll turn around and come back despite you being estupido.”
“What if she doesn’t? What if the cartel grabs her again?” I asked.
“Didn’t I just tell you that she’s not a fool? She knows they’d love to have her back, so she’ll be careful. Shit! I thought you MC fuckers were tough. I didn’t know you’d get your testicles in a wad over some chica you barely know just because you slipped your cock into her. Stop letting what’s between your legs lead you around and think with the head that’s above your shoulders for a change.”
“Nice one,” the drunk sitting beside me told Flame.
She grinned and gave him a free shot before continuing, “Give the girl some space to wrap her head around what happened last night. It screwed with her head that she enjoyed the sex yet was scared shitless to be with you. She probably had flashbacks the whole time you were fucking her, yet she climaxed anyway. Her body and head are at war. Neither is going to win that fight. Give her time to return on her own and stop screwing with her head. She needs to concentrate on becoming a Sinner, not on relieving your overactive willy.”
“Shit! I’m the one getting screwed in the head over this,” I replied.