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Chapter Twenty-Six

Head First

P regnancy made Mara have to pee a lot. The sickness mostly went away— unless she threw up from something happening within the club.

Walking out of the bathroom, she found Darrow sitting on the edge of the bed, putting his large biker boots on. Ready to fight another day in the outlaw world’s lawlessness.

He looked back at her and smiled. His eyes were sleepy and smoldering. Filled with sex. Filled with violence and danger. It made Mara wet. Darrow stood up, reached for his leather cut and put it on.

Mara wore nothing but a T-shirt. She had to get changed to emerge from the bedroom. Playfully, she grabbed the bottom of her shirt and slowly lifted it. Up her body, her fingers grazing her stomach. She had the sudden image of herself nine months pregnant with a large, round belly.

Her shirt went up and over her head and she dropped it to the floor. Now standing there naked, hands at her sides.

“Fuck, babe,” Darrow said.

He climbed up onto the bed, stomped across and jumped to the floor. That made Mara smile. He moved at her even faster, his body colliding with hers, making her cry out. He picked her up by digging his fingers into her ass. Walking her to the nearest wall, he gently pinned her there.

His fingertips were flirty yet vicious, touching very closely to a certain forbidden spot. Mara shivered.

“I’ve never wanted someone the way I want you, Mara,” Darrow said. “I don’t think you realize how long I’ve wanted this. How many times I came thinking about you.”

“Oh yeah?” Mara purred. “You fucked other women and thought of me?”

“Every single time, babe.”

Darrow brushed his lips to hers. He then lifted her some more, sliding her back up against the wall, up until her tits were mouth-level.

“Hold your tits for me, babe,” Darrow demanded.

Mara’s toes curled and she smiled as she cupped her breasts and pressed them together for her outlaw to enjoy.

Darrow stroked his tongue nipple to nipple, but only once before someone knocked at the door.

“Fuck,” Darrow growled.

“Fuck,” Mara whispered.

“Brother, we have a problem out here,” Slade’s voice said through the door.

Darrow turned his head. “What?”

“That woman from last night… she’s awake… she’s leaving…”

Mara gasped. Darrow dropped her down to her feet and stepped back.

“You better get dressed, babe,” he said. “You walk out there naked looking as beautiful as you do right now and I’m going to kill everyone who looks at you.”

“Not the time to joke, Darrow,” Mara said.

Darrow stepped toward his pregnant woman again.

“I’m not fucking joking, babe…”

“If you don’t fucking move out of the way, I will gouge your fucking eyes out and then stick your eyeballs up your ass,” Macy said to Virus and Dolph as they guarded the clubhouse door.

“She’s not lying,” Mara called out. “I've seen her do some really nasty stuff to men. And not for money or pleasure either.”

“Oh, it’ll be my pleasure to hurt these stupid fucks,” Macy said. “No reason for me to be here anymore. Now move!”

Macy’s voice sounded terrified. Mara turned and looked at Darrow.

“Please,” she whispered. “We have to let her leave. She’s going to freak out.”

“She already is freaking the fuck out,” Darrow growled. “Virus. Dolph. Let her leave.”

“Can we talk for a second first?” Mara asked Macy. “Please? A cup of coffee? Please…”

“There’s nothing for us to talk about, Mara,” Macy said.

That broke Mara’s heart. She hurried toward her best friend. She couldn’t believe how different Macy looked right now. She looked cleaned up, healthy. She looked stunning. She had taken a SOFRAW T-shirt and tore the neck open wide, allowing the shirt to come down her left arm, showing off her bra strap. Her jeans were cut into very short shorts, pockets showing through in a messy yet cute way. Her hair was pulled back and pulled up into a messy bun.

Mara had never seen anything like this before. The way Macy could just reinvent herself so quickly. She then remembered what Jess said last night. How Macy could wake up and just act like nothing happened.

“Macy,” Mara whispered to her. “We need to talk about everything.”

“Look, I have to get over to the club,” Macy said. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m alive. I’m good. I think you’re the one with the problem here, not me. He’s after you, Mara. He tried to use me to get to you. I’m fine. I appreciate that doctor helping out. I was a little shaken up. That’s all. I’m claustrophobic, so being in the trunk of that car and all… it just made me feel… rattled.”

“This isn’t feeling rattled ,” I say. “He hurt you. He tattooed you. You know that, right? You saw…”

“What? This?”

Macy pulled the shirt down some more, along with the left side of her bra.

Her left breast dropped free.

Even in a room full of horny bikers, there wasn’t a sound.

“This is fixable,” Macy said, pointing to the horrific looking tattoo on her chest.

Macy tucked her breast away and fixed her shirt. Mara realized her best friend was in total shock and was going to try and act like nothing happened. All that did was make Mara hate Fitz more— if that were even possible .

“Mara, I have to go,” Macy said. “I just have to go. Please don’t do this to me. Please.”

Macy’s voice cracked a little.

Mara grabbed Macy’s left hand. “He’s going to die. They’re going to find him and they’re going to kill him. Please tell me we can be in touch. You and me. I miss you. And I am sorry for everything.”

Darrow stepped into the frame and slid an arm around Mara’s body. Without anyone in the clubhouse knowing or seeing, Darrow’s right hand moved carefully and stealth-like. His hand grazed Macy’s bag without her noticing. Which was the purpose.

“You have protection here,” Darrow said to Macy.

“I have to go,” Macy said.

She turned and all but threw herself into Virus and Dolph. The two enforcers moved out of the way and Macy hurried off. She didn’t have a vehicle or anything, but Mara figured Macy knew what to do. She always knew how to take care of herself. She always knew how to survive. That’s why being kidnapped and tortured by Fitz fucked with her head so badly.

“She’s not okay,” Mara said. “She’s not okay at all.”

“No way anyone would be,” Virus said. “I feel for her.”

Cyrus came walking into the clubhouse, from the back, his arm around Skylar. He gave her ass a hard smack and demanded coffee and food.

“Macy took off,” Slade said, getting right down to business.

“Figured that,” Cyrus said. “She’s too strong-willed. What a fucking mess. He did that right under our noses on purpose. To fuck with us. To fuck with Mara.”

“It worked,” Mara said. “I feel sick. I have no idea what she’s going to do next.”

“All is not lost,” Darrow said. “I slipped a tracker into her bag.”

“Good idea,” Cyrus said.

“You did what?” Mara asked.

Darrow reached into his back pocket and took out a small object that almost looked like a button from a shirt.

“I can get technical if you want, babe. Or just take my word for it. We’ll be able to see where she is at all times. You might not want to hear this part, but if there’s a chance she’s working with Fitz, we’ll know.”

“Why would she…”

Mara’s voice dropped off. At this point, nothing would surprise her. So why even bother asking?

“At any rate, we’ll know where she is,” Darrow said. “Even if it’s to keep an eye on her and protect her.”

Mara looked at the little tracking device and shook her head. These outlaws could drink whiskey like water, fight for fun, commit murder like normal people would commit to putting on sunglasses when it was sunny out. And yet with all that meanness and evil violence, there was this other side, led by Darrow. This technology side, needed to survive in a world that demanded to be modern even though the club held tight to its roots.

“I need some coffee,” Cyrus said as he walked toward the bar.

Maggie was already a step ahead, pouring a cup for the president of SOFRAW .

“Ah, fuck,” Monte suddenly announced. “ Prez , we have a problem again.”

All eyes moved to the security cameras. Drix and Stu at the gates, which were open to allow Macy to leave. She left as visitors showed up.

“You know, this is getting to be a pain in my fucking ass,” Cyrus growled. “I used to dread seeing Chief Dick showing up like this. But now…”

Tension entered the clubhouse. The Russian mafia had showed up again. Cyrus made a fist and punched the bar.

He looked at Maggie. “Skip the coffee and give me a shot of whiskey.”

This time, Damien arrived with just one vehicle. His custom black car with no labels or markers anywhere. He even opened the backdoor himself.

“This feels weird, Prez ,” Slade said to Cyrus.

“It does,” Cyrus said. “Everyone keep alert.”

Darrow and Linc each stood near Cyrus, ready to attack if something were to happen.

Damien showed his hands right away. “Easy, my friends. Easy. No violence needed for this meeting. What’s done is done, no?”

For good measure, Damien lifted his suit jacket and did a spin, showing no weapons. Of course, everyone knew that was total bullshit. A guy like Damien never traveled without packing. The guy probably had at least two guns and three knives hidden on him somewhere.

“Our common problem lingers, Cyrus,” Damien said.

“No problem for you,” Cyrus said. “This is our issue. We’ve already said that. I’m sorry about your rat, but that’s all I can offer.”

“I’ll never have the enjoyment of killing someone who turned on me,” Damien said.

“Hey, brother, shit happens,” Linc said. “No need to cause issues here.”

“I like that choice of words,” Damien said. “ No need to cause issues… ” Damien nodded. “Funny you say that. I brought you something. A gift.”

“We’re whiskey drinkers around here, Damien,” Cyrus said. “Save your vodka for your own crew.”

“Ah, yes. No vodka this time! I promise.”

Damien walked back to his car. Linc and Darrow looked at each and they both nodded. Their cue to draw their weapons just in case Damien had something insane up his sleeve. He turned toward the outlaws, holding a black box. He carried it with two hands. A smile on his face.

“A gift,” Damien said. “No vodka. Something else.”

“I’ll open it,” Darrow said. “Just in case.”

“Fuck that,” Virus growled. “You have a baby on the way, brother. I’m opening it. I’m an enforcer. This should be my job.”

They all looked at Cyrus and he nodded.

“I would really prefer Cyrus to open it,” Damien said. “It’s not a bomb. It’s not poison. It’s not a cobra that’s going to jump out and strike. I’ll even open it with you, Cyrus.”

“Fuck it,” Cyrus said.

He stepped toward Damien and nodded, allowing Damien to open the box.

“For you, Cyrus,” Damien said in a thick Russian accent.

Cyrus stared down at a severed head. As much as he wanted to look away, he didn’t. He kept composure and slowly looked up at Damien again.

“Do you not like it?” Damien asked. “It’s one of yours.”

“What is it?” Linc asked.

“It’s Bram’s head,” Cyrus said.

Cyrus smacked the box out of Damien’s hands. It hit the ground and Bram’s head bounced and rolled out.

“Holy fuck,” Virus said as he reached down to pick it up.

“Don’t touch it,” Darrow said to Virus.

Everyone brought out their weapons. Damien simply laughed at them.

“Now listen to me carefully,” Damien said. “I know he wasn’t… how do you say… patched in? Right? He was a prospect. But he was following me. He had notes on him. I saved them too. A little notebook. Like he was some detective. Very worried about how you perceived him, Cyrus. He wanted to do something big and get his patch. It’s all written down. I saved the pages for you. Oh, and his head.”

“Motherfucker,” Cyrus growled, curling his lip.

“Be fair, Cyrus,” Damien said. “What would you do if one of my guys were following you. Huh? I think me showing up like this is quite… calm…?”

Cyrus grabbed at his own jaw. He had no choice but to nod.

“I want the rat, Cyrus,” Damien said. “Cutting off some prospect’s head with my bare hands was an appetizer for me. I want more.”

Damien climbed back into his car and it began to drive off. Cyrus stood with his crew surrounding him. Bram’s head on the ground, eyes open, looking up to the sky.

“Motherfucker may have just started a war,” Cyrus said. “Taking notes? Trying to be a cowboy?”

“I really wish Priest was here right now,” Linc said. “He’d have something really disturbing to say to lighten the mood.”

Cyrus let out a bellowing scream. He reached down and grabbed Bram’s head by the hair and threw it across the lot into the junkyard. Darrow’s stomach felt sick.

Nothing like a prospect’s severed head being dropped off by the Russian mafia to make you realize just how fucked up and dangerous your life was.